Protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids in a rat focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model

To investigate possible neuroprotective effects of dietary supplementation of fish oil in brain ischemia-reperfusion [I/R]. This investigation took place in the Experimental Research Unit, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey, from January-February 2006. The study was carried out on 12 male Wistar rats; divided into 2 groups: I/R [control] and I/R + omega-3 essential fatty acids [EFA] [experiment]. The rats in the I/R group received only ordinary rat food before middle cerebral artery [MCA] occlusion. The I/R + omega-3 EFA group received omega-3 fatty acid daily via intragastric gavage [300 mg/kg Marincap capsule] with normal food before MCA occlusion for 30 days. Structural alterations in the brain tissues were semi-quantitatively analyzed [0: absent, +: slight, ++: moderate, +++: severe]. There was evident severe [+++] edema, vacuolization, and eosinophilic degeneration in the I/R group, while only slight [+] edema and eosinophilic degeneration in the I/R + omega-3 EFA group in which no vacuolization was determined. These findings are consistent with the available studies in this field. Results from this study indicate the beneficial effects of omega-3 EFA supplementation in prevention of I/R - induced damage in rats

Oxidative stress in testicular tissues of rats exposed to cigarette smoke and protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To show the oxidative stress after cigarette smoke exposure in rat testis and to evaluate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-one rats were divided into three groups of seven. Animals in Group I were used as control. Rats in Group II were exposed to cigarette smoke only (4 x 30 min/d) and rats in Group III were exposed to cigarette smoke and received daily intraperitoneal injections of CAPE (10 micromol/kg x d). After 60 days all the rats were killed and the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and anti-oxidant enzymes such as superoxide-dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the level of malondialdehyde were studied in the testicular tissues of rats with spectrophotometric analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a significant increase in catalase and superoxide-dismutase activities in Group II when compared to the controls, but the levels of both decreased after CAPE administration in Group III. GSH-Px activity was decreased in Group II but CAPE caused an elevation in GSH-Px activity in Group III. The difference between the levels of GSH-Px in Group I and Group II was significant, but the difference between groups II and III was not significant. Elevation of malondialdehyde after smoke exposure was significant and CAPE caused a decrease to a level which was not statistically different to the control group. A significantly increased level of NO after exposure to smoke was reversed by CAPE administration and the difference between NO levels in groups I and III was statistically insignificant.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Exposure to cigarette smoke causes changes in the oxidative enzyme levels in rat testis, but CAPE can reverse these harmful effects.</p>

Variants and deformities of atlas vertebrae in eastern Anatolian people

At the craniocervical junction, developmental anomalies of the atlas may produce clinical symptoms by compressing on the vertebral artery, particularly during extreme rotational movements of the cervical spine. The aim of the present study was to investigate several varieties and deformities of the atlas vertebra from the skeletal specimens of Eastern Anatolian people. This study was carried out over a 3-year period, 2000 through to 2002 in the Department of Anatomy, Firat, Yuzuncu Yil and Ataturk University, Turkey. Developmental anomalies and the variants of the first vertebrae were investigated on 86 atlas. Ponticulus posterior was observed with a low frequency on right as 2.3%. The bilateral localization was 10.5% and the left-side localization was 9.3%. Ponticulus lateralis showed an equal localization as 1.2% on the right, 1.2% on the left and 1.2% bilateral. In the present study, a complete subdivision of the joint surface was observed in 11 atlases [12.8%]. Processus infratransversarius atlantis with a frequency between 1.2-7%, arthrotic formation and corona atlantis peridentals in 8 cases [9.3%] were also found. The low frequency for fonticulus posterior might be peculiar to the population living in this area