Expanded disability status scale-based disability and dental-periodontal conditions in patients with multiple sclerosis

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between different disability states in patients with multiple sclerosis [MS] as determined by the expanded disability status scale [EDSS] and dental-periodontal measures

Subjects and Methods: Eighty patients with MS [64 females and 16 males] were included in this study. Data on MS types, attack frequency, disease duration, EDSS scores and orofacial complaints prior to an MS attack were obtained from medical records. The plaque index [PI], probing depth [PD], clinical attachment level [CAL], gingival index [GI], decayed-missing-filled teeth [DMFT] index and number of present teeth were measured during one dental examination for each subject. The MS patients were divided into the following 2 groups based on their EDSS scores: low physical disability [L-DS] and high physical disability [H-DS]. Differences in dental parameters between groups of low and high disability were investigated. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant

Results: The mean age of the participants was 38.06 +/- 10.11 years. Age and disease duration were higher in the H-DS MS group than in the L-DS MS group [p < 0.05]. The PI, PD and GI were higher and the number of filled teeth was lower in the H-DS MS group than in the L-DS MS group [p < 0.05]. The EDSS scores of the H-DS MS group presented a significant correlation with the number of decayed teeth [r = -0.548, p = 0.005]. Orofacial complaints prior to an MS attack were reported by 18 [22.5%] patients

Conclusion: Oral measurements revealed various differences between groups of low and high disability in MS patients. In addition, some maxillofacial-oral complaints prior to an MS attack were observed

Protective Effects of the Nuclear Factor Kappa B Inhibitor Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate on Experimental Testicular Torsion and Detorsion Injury

Testicular torsion results with the damage of the testis and it is a surgical emergency. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) is a low-molecular-weight antioxidant and potent inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of PDTC to testicular torsion-detorsion (T/D) injury. Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into four groups. A sham operation was performed in group I. In group II, torsion is performed 2 hours by 720 degree extravaginally testis. In group III, 4 h reperfusion of the testis was performed after 2 h of testicular torsion. In group IV, after performing the same surgical procedures as in group III, PDTC (100 mg/kg, intravenous's) was administered before 30 min of detorsion. The testes tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalase (CAT) level was evaluated. Histological evaluations were performed after hematoxylin and eosin staining. Testicular tissue MDA levels were the highest in the T/D groups compared with treatment group. Administration of PDTC prevented a further increase in MDA levels. Significant decrease occurred in CAT and SOD levels in treatment group compared with the control group. The rats in the treatment group had normal testicular architecture. The results suggest that PDTC can be a potential protective agent for preventing the biochemical and histological changes related to oxidative stress in testicular injury caused by testis torsion.

estimation of cerebral asymmetries in schizophrenia by the Cavalieri principle

To demonstrate hemispheric asymmetry in patients with schizophrenia using a cheap, simple stereologic method on the basis of standard CT scans of the brain. To demonstrate hemispheric asymmetry, standard CT scans of 30 schizophrenic patients [14 males, 16 females] were compared with 39 [13 male, 26 female] control subjects at Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey in 2005. Brain volumes were investigated by using a cheap, simple stereologic method, namely, Cavalieri. In patients with schizophrenia, we found that as age increases, right and left hemisphere volumes decrease. However, in the control group there was no relationship found between age and hemisphere volumes. In the control group, the left hemisphere was significantly bigger in males compared to females. There was a significant difference in both right and left hemisphere volumes between the control group and the schizophrenic group. In the schizophrenic group, a significant difference was observed in right hemisphere volumes between genders [p = 0.002], while there was no difference in the control group. There was a difference in left hemisphere volumes between genders in both groups. Right and left hemispheric volumes of the schizophrenic group were smaller than those of control group. Cerebral asymmetry is an arguable subject for the diagnosis of schizophrenia. The method that we used in this study will be useful in estimating hemispheric volumes

protective effect of N[G]-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and insulin on nitric oxide inhibition and pathology in experimental diabetic rat liver

To determine on protective role of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester L-NAME, and insulin on the liver in streptozotocin STZ induced diabetic rats. This study was performed in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey in 2007. Forty male Wistar albino rats were divided into 5 groups. These were untreated, diabetic control, STZ+insulin, STZ+L-NAME and STZ+insulin+L-NAME induced groups. The STZ was intraperitonally injected into 3 groups, and includes insulin, L-NAME, and their joint administrations as protective agents. The blood glucose and nitric oxide NO levels were determined. The tissue samples were obtained at the end of the fourth week. The liver tissue distortions were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The serum glucose level was significantly higher in diabetic control p = 0.000, than the untreated group. Nitric oxide level was significantly lower in STZ+L-NAME p = 0.000 than the untreated group. The focal pseudo lobular structures without vena centralis increased portal fibrillary necrosis, and bile duct stenosis with coagulation necrosis of the peripheral hepatocytes were more observed in diabetic group than the protective agent groups. In addition, insulin, and L-NAME lead to hepatocyte regeneration; and minimal mononuclear cell infiltration was noted. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester inhibits NO level in STZ+L-NAME induced group. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester either alone, or with insulin combination significantly attenuates the liver morphological disarrangements in STZ induced diabetic rats

protective effects of demethoxyviridine and 1-alpha-hydroxy-demethoxyviridine in the livers of male rats treated with diethylnitrosamine and 2-acetylaminflourene

To determine the protective effects of a fungal metabolite of demethoxyviridine [DMV] and its derivative, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV in the livers of 2-month-old male Spraque-Dawley rats treated with diethylnitrosamine [DEN] and 2-acetylaminflourene [2-AAF]. This study was performed in the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey from May 2006. Animals were divided into 10 groups. Those were the control, olive oil, dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO], DMV, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, DEN, 2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF+DMV, and DEN+2-AAF+1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV-treated animal groups. The liver microsomes were prepared from rats and the levels of expression of cytochrome P450 1A2 [CYP1A2] enzymes were determined with western blot technique. The liver tissue slides were evaluated histopathologically with hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemically for Harvey-retrovirus associated DNA sequences [Ha-Ras], glutathione S- transferase [GST-p], and connexion-32 [Cx32] proteins. Notably, there were no appreciable differences in CYP1A2 level among control, olive oil, and DMSO-treated animals. The CYP1A2 level was significantly decreased in 2-AAF, DEN+2-AAF, DEN, DEN+2-AAF+DMV, DEN+2-AAF+1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, 1-alpha-hydroxy-DMV, and DMV-treated animals as compared to the control. Most prenoplastic focus was found in DEN+2-AAF treated group. Demethoxyviridine and 1-alpha-hidroksi-DMV had protective effect in the livers of DEN, 2-AAF and DEN+2-AAF induced rats

comparative investigation of left ventricle papillary muscle arteries in different species

To determine whether similar histologic findings exist in left ventricle papillary muscle arteries in different species and to elicit whether those animal hearts may be used as models for human heart in experimental studies related to papillary muscles. We examined 360 samples taken from the tip, mid-portion and base of papillary muscles in 60 normal adult hearts [15 each from human, dog, sheep, goat]. The samples were obtained from Dicle University and Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Turkey and the study was conducted in June-September 2004. Tissues were processed by routine histologic methods, stained with hematoxylin-eosin and van giesson, and later evaluated under a light microscope. While the values of human and dog heart resembled each other by means of left ventricle papillary muscle arteries, the hearts of sheep and goat were also found to be similar. The number of thin walled arteries increased from the tip [18%] to the base [48%], intermediate walled arteries decreased from the tip [56%] to the base [14%], thick walled arteries decreased from the tip [62%] to the mid-portion [38%]. The differences among human and animals were not statistically significant in any group. We found that the thickness values of papillary muscle arterial walls at the tip, mid-portion and base varied from 4.86 micro m to 107.7 micro m in all species. The difference among values of human and animals was not significant statistically [p>0.05]. The values for arterial walls of tip, mid-portion and base of papillary muscles were similar between human and dog, sheep and goat. These morphologic findings in human and animal hearts of different species prove that anatomists, cardiologists, experimental investigators, pathologists and physiologists may benefit from the hearts of those animals as a good model to imitate the human heart in experiments concerning papillary muscles

Relation between cranial venous return and hand preference by magnetic resonance angiography

This study was conducted to determine whether there is a relationship between hand preference and the site of cranial venous return. Magnetic resonance angiography was used for the determination of the site of dominance of cranial venous return. Forty-seven right-handed and 45 left-handed subjects participated in the study conducted at the Sevgi Hospital in Ankara, Turkey between 1996 and 2000. The site of cranial venous return was determined by calibration of the superior jugular bulbus and named as right [R], left [L] and right-left [R-L]. Calibrations of superior jugular bulbus were analyzed by one way variance analyses. There were statistically significant differences when analyzing the hand preference and calibration in the subjects with a venous return from the left, than from the right and right-left. The site of venous return [R, L, R-L] and venous calibration were analyzed by student t-test and were not statistically significant. The venous return was from the left in right-handed subjects and from the right in left-handed subjects. Correlation's of hand preference and age and sex could not be made. For both-sided venous return, ambidexterity could not be determined

Common thoughts of Socrates and Yusuf Khass Hajib on wisdom and virtue

The concern for saving the State, science and politics, and laying the foundations of each one was expressed by both Socrates and Yusuf Khass Hajib; and the solution to this problem was found in universal and ethical values. This study aims to put forward common thoughts of Socrates and Yusuf Khass Hajib on wisdom and virtue