effects of zinc in the gastrointestinal system as a radioprotective agent

Background: radioiodine I131 therapy [RAI] is an efficient method to decrease the functioning of very active thyroid tissues and to ablate the remnant thyroidal tissue after surgery and its metastases in differentiated thyroid carcinomas. Several cytoprotective, anti-oxidant or radioprotective mediators have been used in trials for RAI-induced damage in other organ systems. The hypothesis of this study was that zinc would ameliorate RAI-induced histopathological parameters in the rat gastrointestinal system

Materials and Methods: a total of 30 female Wistar albino rats were separated into 3 groups of 10. First group received only 0.003 mCi/g of I131, second group received 0.003 mCi/g of I131 and 0.01 mg/g of zinc and the control group [Sham Group] were given neither I131 nor zinc. Zinc was started via gastric gavage two days before I131 administration and continued for five days after RAI. At 24 hours after the last dosage of zinc, all the animals were sacrificed and the gastrointestinal tissues, including stomach, duodenum, ileum and colon were removed for histopathological examination

Results: all the histopathological parameters were diminished in the I131-zinc group compared to the I131 group. The histopathological differences were statistically significant in respect of inflammation and fibrosis between the nI131-zinc group and the I131 group in all the evaluated gastrointestinal organs [p< 0.05]

Conclusion: the co-administration of zinc was observed to significantly prevent RAI-induced histopathological alterations in rats

Assessment of natural radioactivity levels for Karadag Mountain, Turkey

Background: The natural radioactivity levels in soil samples of Karadag Mountain in central Anatolia region have been determined. Materials and Methods: Analyses on the collected samples were performed to determine gross alpha and beta radioactivity concentrations by using a gas-flow proportional counter and the concentrations of [238]U, [232]Th and [40]K by using a Nal[TI] scintillation detector

Results: The estimated activities of gross alpha and beta ranged between 305.155146.830 and 1305.437177.23 Bq.kg-1, 479.743122.658 and 1177.373130.908 Bq.kg[-1], respectively. The mean activity values of U, Th and K radionuclides were found to be 71.6, 83.9 and 451.1 Bq.kg[-1], respectively. Also, known radiation health hazard indices were calculated using radioactivity concentrations of soil samples

Conclusion: The present results have been compared with the obtained values from other regions in Turkey and the internationally reported values as well as the reference values. The soil samples in the studied area are safe and can be used as a construction material without posing any significant radiological threat to public. This investigation reveals a baseline of levels of natural radioactivity in Karadag Mountain, Turkey?

Seroepidemiological investigation of toxocariasis in the Isparta Region of Turkey

Toxocariasis is a common disease around the world. Our objective was to determine Toxocara seroprevalence in humans in the city of Isparta, Southwest Turkey, in respect of some determinants such as age, socio-economic level, residence in city center or rural area etc. Five hundred and thirty four individual participants from Isparta center and 85 from Asagi Gokdere village were included in the study. T. cati specific antibodies were analyzed using excretory-secretory [ES]-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] method. T. cati antibodies were detected as positive in 73 [13.6%] of 534 samples which were collected from subjects living in the city center and 24 [28.2%] of 85 samples from Asagi Gokdere village. Toxocara seropositivity was detected among 15.6% of whole study group. The seroprevalence of toxocariasis was significantly higher among subjects from village than in subjects from city center [P=0.001]. While gender, high school education, source of the water which is used, family income and geophagia/eating nail behaviors were the features which were detected as being associated with toxocariasis seropositivity [odds ratios=0.5; 6.52; 3.61; 0.43; 0.13 respectively], owning dogs or cats and hand washing were detected as being not associated with toxocariasis seropositivity [P>0.05]. Furthermore, Toxocara seropositivity was significantly higher among subjects in 0-10 than>40 year-old group [P=0.02]. It can be suggested that untreated lost pet population, environmental contamination, and way of life have influence on the epidemiology of toxocariasis

Autoantibodies in patients with fasciolosis

Antiself humoral immune responses have been detected not only in classical autoimmune diseases, but autoantibodies have also been found in sera of patients suffering from chronic parasitic diseases. We aimed to investigate the role of fasciolosis as a trigger factor of autoimmune reactivity by searching some antibodies related to hepatobiliary systems, in patients with fasciolosis. Thirty-two patients [17 males, 15 females] with fasciolosis were included in this case-control study. Anti-nuclear antibodies [ANA] Screen [antigen mixture of dsDNA, histones, nRNP/Sm, Sm, SS-A, SS-B, Scl-70, Jo-1, ribosomal P-proteins, centromere] ELISA and single-antigen ELISAs for detection of some antibodies [dsDNA, Anti-M2, Anti- liver-kidney microsomes type 1 [LKM-1] and Myeloperoxidase [MPO] were carried out. ANA-screen, M-2, LKM-1, MPO and anti-dsDNA positivity were detected with ELISA in 7, 7, 4, 2 and 2 of 32 patients with fasciolosis, consecutively. No statistically significant difference was detected for any of the autoantibodies' frequency between patients with fasciolosis and control group. However, autoantibody positivity rate was significantly higher in patients with fasciolosis [50%] than control group [12.5%]. Absorbance values of all autoantibodies in patients with fasciolosis were statistically significant higher than controls. These results lent support to the role of fasciolosis as a trigger factor of autoimmune reactivity by the breakdown of tolerance. In spite of the extensive knowledge that has accumulated, the specific relationship between fasciolosis and autoimmunity is still obscure