Effects of quercetin and fish n-3 fatty acids on testicular injury induced by ethanol in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quercetin and fish n-3 fatty acids on the changes in testis induced by ethanol. Forty-five rats divided into five groups, control, ethanol, ethanol+quercetin, ethanol+fish n-3 fatty acids and ethanol+quercetin+fish n-3 fatty acids. At the end of 8 weeks, all the rats were sacrificed. Degenerative changes in histopathological analyses, the decreased body weight gain and seminiferous tubule diameters in ethanol group have been observed. TUNEL assay also showed an increase in apoptotic cell number. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), xanthine oxidase (XO) and testosterone levels were decreased as well as the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) were increased in ethanol group. Histopathological changes caused by ethanol have been improved by quercetin and fish n-3 fatty acids. It was also found that protection was provided by increasing SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities in groups administered quercetin, fish n-3 fatty acids and quercetin+fish n-3 fatty acids, and by decreasing the levels of MDA and NO in groups administered both quercetin and fish n-3 fatty acids together. These results suggest that quercetin and fish n-3 fatty acids are beneficial agents to reduce testicular injury induced by ethanol except for testosterone levels.

Therapeutic effect of magnesium sulphate on carbon monoxide toxicity-mediated brain lipid peroxidation.

BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity primarily results from cellular hypoxia caused by impedance of oxygen delivery. Studies show that CO may cause brain lipid peroxidation and leukocyte-mediated inflammatory changes in the brain. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate whether magnesium sulphate could prevent or diminish brain lipid peroxidation caused by carbon monoxide toxicity in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty rats were divided into five groups of 8 rats each. Group l was not received any agent during the experiment. Group 2 was inhaled CO gas followed by intraperitoneally normal saline 30 minutes (min) later. Group 3 was inhaled CO gas followed by 100 mg/kg magnesium sulphate intraperitoneally 30 min later. Group 2 and Group 3 rats was undergone laparotomy and craniotomy while still under anesthesia at 6 hour, and tissue sample was obtained from the cerebrum. Group 4 was inhaled CO gas followed by intraperitoneally normal saline 30 min later. Group 5 was inhaled CO gas followed by 100 mg/kg magnesium sulphate intraperitoneally 30 min later. Group 4 and Group 5 rats was undergone laparotomy and craniotomy while still under anesthesia at 24 hour, and tissue sample was obtained from the cerebrum. RESULTS: Nitric oxide levels were no significantly different between all groups. Malonyldialdehyde levels increased in intoxication group (group 2) and decreased in treatment group (group 3). Activities of superoxide dismutase decreased in intoxication group (group 2) and increased in treatment group (group 3). Activities of catalase increased in intoxication group (group 2) and decreased in treatment group (group 3). Activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) decreased in intoxication group (group 4) and increased in treatment group (group 5). CONCLUSIONS: CO poisoning caused significant damage, detected within the first 6 hours. Due to antioxidant enzymes, especially GSH-Px activity reaching the top level within 24th hours, significant oxidative damage was not observed. The protective effect against oxidative damage of magnesium sulfate has been identified within the first 6 hours.

Do patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes have impaired physical fitness, and energy expenditures?

BACKGROUND: The disease-related components such as physical fitness and daily energy expenditure may change in each progressive period of type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to compare the maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max), muscle strength, trunk flexibility, total energy expenditure, daily physical activity, resting metabolic rate (RMR), body composition, and body fat distribution in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients with those of healthy controls. METHODS: Eighty patients (40 male, 40 female) with type 2 diabetes and 80 (40 male, 40 female) controls were included in this study. All participants completed the measurements. RESULTS: It was determined that the VO2 max, muscle strength, daily number of steps, and total energy expenditure were lower, and the body fat percentage, and central obesity were higher in male and female type 2 diabetic patients, when compared with the controls. In addition, the lean body mass was decreased in male diabetic patients, compared with the controls. The fasting plasma glucose showed negative correlations with the maximal aerobic capacity, daily number of steps, and muscle strength in the patients in both genders. RMR and trunk flexibility values were not significantly different between the patients and the controls in either gender. CONCLUSION: We suggest that using exercise intervention especially comprised of strength training and aerobic activities, including not only daily slow activities but also moderate to vigorous activities, as a lifestyle modification in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients might be helpful for the development of earlier and more successful illness management strategies.

The effects of rHuEPO administration on pulmonary functions in haemodialysis patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of erythropoietin therapy on pulmonary functions in haemodialysis patients. Thirteen patients with chronic renal failure on regular haemodialysis and in need of treatment for anaemia were treated with 45-60 U/kg erythropoietin three times a week. Thirteen haemodialysis patients constituted the control group. Patients receiving erythropoietin were given pulmonary function tests prior to the treatment and after Hb levels had reached 10 g/dl. The interval between first and second pulmonary function tests was similar for both the control group and the erythropoietin group. There was no significant difference between the results of the first and the second pulmonary function tests of the control group. However, in the erythropoietin group, the diffusing capacity, maximal voluntary ventilation, forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow rate values increased significantly. The existence of a relationship between the diffusing capacity and anaemia is well known. Rises in other parameters following erythropoietin administration might be the result of a gain in respiratory muscle strength consequent to anaemia correction.

Comparison of the aerobic contributions to Wingate anaerobic tests performed with two different loads.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to compare the aerobic contribution of the Wingate anaerobic test by increasing the test load and power output. SETTING: The study was performed in the Physiology Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Selçuk University. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty sedentary male university students volunteered to this study. EXPERIMENTS: The subjects performed two Wingate tests against resistance of 75 g.kg-1 and 95 g.kg-1 body weight on Monark 818E bicycle ergometer. Breath-by-breath oxygen consumption rates were measured using an automated metabolic measurement chart (Sensormedics 2900). Aerobic contribution was determined by dividing energy equivalence of net oxygen consumption to the total work. RESULTS: The mean total work values obtained from tests performed at 75 g.kg-1 and 95 g.kg-1 loads were 13.9 +/- 1.5 kjoules and 14.5 +/- 1.8 kjoules (t = 2.32, p = 0.03). Mean total oxygen consumptions were 765 +/- 105 ml and 770 +/- 110 ml, respectively (t = 0.24, p = 0.81). Assuming 20% mechanical efficiency for both tests, aerobic contributions were calculated as 19.5 +/- 3.7% and 18.9 +/- 3.7%, respectively (t = 1.01, p = 0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Although the power outputs of the two tests were different, the difference between aerobic contributions was not statistically significant. So, it was failed to say that the increase in the power outputs might be related to higher contribution of anaerobic processes. However, if different mechanical efficiencies could be used, relationship between aerobic contributions of two tests might have been different.

Determination of the heart rate deflection point by the Dmax method.

OBJECTIVE: Conconi et al. proposed that the point where heart rate departed from linearity in an incremental exercise test was a good indicator of the anaerobic threshold. However, the heart rate deflection points (HRDPs) can not be determined in many subjects. The aim of this study was to determine the heart rate deflection point by the Dmax method and to compare it with the conventional linear method. SETTING: The study was performed in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory in the Faculty of Medicine, Selçuk University. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two untrained males (aged 18-22) performed a maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer. RESULTS: The deflection from linearity of HR could not be detected in nine subjects (28%) by the linear method. The HRDPs could be detected in all subjects by the Dmax method. It was observed that the HR values in the HRDPs determined by both methods were close to the maximal HR values (approximately 90% of maximum). There were high correlations and no differences (p more than 0.05) between the deflection points expressed as oxygen uptake, HR and work rate determined by two methods (correlation coefficients 0.93, 0.93, 0.97, respectively, p less than 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Dmax method is more useful than linear method. The HRDPs of all the people can easily and objectively be found by this method.

Chronic prenatal exposure to the 900 megahertz electromagnetic field induces pyramidal cell loss in the hippocampus of newborn rats.

Widespread use of mobile phones which are a major source of electromagnetic fields might affect living organisms. However, there has been no investigation concerning prenatal exposure to electromagnetic fields or their roles in the development of the pyramidal cells of the cornu ammonis in postnatal life. Two groups of pregnant rats, a control group and an experimental group, that were exposed to an electromagnetic field were used. For obtaining electromagnetic field offspring, the pregnant rats were exposed to 900 megahertz electromagnetic fields during the 1-19th gestation days. There were no actions performed on the control group during the same period. The offspring rats were spontaneously delivered--control group (n = 6) and electromagnetic field group (n = 6). Offspring were sacrificed for stereological analyses at the end of the 4th week. Pyramidal cell number in rat cornu ammonis was estimated using the optical fractionator technique. It was found that 900 megahertz of electromagnetic field significantly reduced the total pyramidal cell number in the cornu ammonis of the electromagnetic field group (P < 0.001). Therefore, although its exact mechanism is not clear, it is suggested that pyramidal cell loss in the cornu ammonis could be due to the 900 megahertz electromagnetic field exposure in the prenatal period.