Effects of cisplatin on olfactory function in cancer patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Although ototoxicity and neuropathy are common side effects of cisplatin, there is no evidence of altered olfactory function in cancer patients receiving cisplatin based chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cisplatin on olfactory function. Fifty-eight patients [13 female, and 45 male with a mean age of 54 years] who needed to be treated with cisplatin based chemotherapy at our institution were enrolled in this study. Cisplatin with a dose of 70-100 mg/m2 was administered per cycle in different chemotherapy regimens. Olfactory function and audiometery were tested before beginning chemotherapy [as baseline]. Assessment of olfactory function also was carried out before each cycle of cisplatin and finally olfactory test and audiometery was performed at least 3 weeks after the last course of cisplatin based chemotherapy. of 58 patients enrolled in this study, seven patients died due to their cancer and 51 patients completed the planned chemotherapeutic treatment. The patients received cisplatin at a cumulative dose of 100-700 mg/m2 [mean cumulative dose: 380 mg/m2] during their chemotherapy treatment. Hearing impairment was documented in fourteen patients and four patients developed hyposmia and one patient anosmia that had no hearing loss. The test score changes were not statistically significant but there was a statistically significant correlation between drug dose and hearing loss [P=0.039]. The results of this study showed that cisplatin has no statistically significant effect on the sense of smell at doses which cause hearing impairment

[ comparison of ultrastructural development of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and normal invivo cardiomyocytes]

Stem cell biology has been the subject of much recent discussion. Embryonic stem [ES] cells, derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst stage of early mammalian embryos are expected to become a powerful tool in future regenerative medicine and developmental biology due to their capacity of selfrenewal and pluripotency. In the present study, the ultrastructural development of mouse ES cell derived cardiomyocytes was compared with invivo cardiomyocytes.. Cardiomyocytes were derived from mouse ES line [Royan B1] which developed spontaneously. The cultured cardiomyocytes were processed 3, 7, 14 and 21days after plating [day 7] for immuno histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy [TEM]. The in vivo cardiomyocytes were derived from16 days old fetuses and 2 and 8 days old pups. The beating cells expressed alpha-actinin. The maturation of the ultrastructure of cardiomyocytes depended on enhancement of development and expressed as myofibrillar bundle organization and exhibited intercalated discs, Z-disc, A, I, and H-bands, and M-line. While 7+21 days old cardiomyocytes showed all sarcomeric components such as A, I, and H-bands, Z-disc, and also M-line, T-tubule, sarcoplasmic reticulum and intercalated discs, early stage [7+3d, 7+7d and 7+14d] cardiomyocytes had few primary characteristics of subcellular structure. In fetal and 2-days old pups, the M-line was not visible. M-line was present in 8-days old pups frequently. Based on our data, mature cardiomyocytes can be produced from ES cells, and ES cell provide a good model for cardiomyocyte development. The cells can be used for cell therapy in future

Morphometrie study of GnRH analogue, HMG and HCG effects on infrastructure of human endometrial glandular epithelium in early luteal phase

GnRH analogue, HMG and HCG administration are common protocol for ovulation induction in assisted reproductive technology [ART]. Since implantation rate in stimulated ART cycles is lower than unstimulated cycles and as endometrium plays an important role in embryo receptivity, effect of this protocol on the ultrastructure of human endometrial glandular epithelium was studied at LH 4 [embryo transfer time]. In this research endometrial biopsies were obtained from fertile women as well as infertile women who had undergone this protocol at LH 4. Quantitative and qualitative studies on endometrial glandular epithelium was performed by transmission electron microscopy [TEM] and morphometry and the results were statistically compared between the two groups. Qualitative results revealed presence of nuclear channel system [NCS], sub vacuole of glycogen and giant mitochondria [GM] in both groups. Similarly, in quantitative analysis, the volume fractions [Vv] of glycogen, mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum to cell and also the Vv of euchromatin to nucleus were statistically not different [P> 0.05]. These results suggest that ovulation induction by GnRH analogue, HMG and HCG are not associated with advanced endometrial development and consequently, embryo transfer at this stage [before advanced endometrial development which occurs normally at LH 7 to LH 10] may cause a lower rate of implantation