Epidemiological findings on Hepatitis C infection in a tertiary level hospital in mid-northern Anatolia in Turkey: A four-year analysis.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that causes acute or chronic infection of the liver, sometimes leading to serious liver damage and fatality. The objective of this study was to evaluate HCV prevalence in patients attending the Regional Training and Research Hospital for Medical Examination and Surgery in Samsun Province of Turkey between 2014 and 2017. Blood specimens taken from 152 596 patients were screened for HCV infection by using the anti-HCV assay. Seropositive samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in order to determine whether the HCV infection was active. Genotyping was then performed. Overall, HCV seropositivity and active HCV infection were 2.76% and 2.05%, respectively. Foreign nationals accounted for 5.61% of the seropositive samples and 1.37% of active HCV infective samples. We further report that 2017 was the year with the highest seroprevalence which was 3.64%. HCV genotype 1 was the most common genotype detected in residents of Samsun Province at 89.86%, followed by Genotype 3 at 4.54%. This study provides important information on the levels of HCV infection in the Samsun region of Turkey. The data indicate that there was a rising trend of HCV infection between 2014 and 2017.

Epidemiological findings on Hepatitis C infection in a tertiary level hospital in mid-northern Anatolia in Turkey: A four-year analysis

@# The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that causes acute or chronic infection of the liver, sometimes leading to serious liver damage and fatality. The objective of this study was to evaluate HCV prevalence in patients attending the Regional Training and Research Hospital for Medical Examination and Surgery in Samsun Province of Turkey between 2014 and 2017. Blood specimens taken from 152 596 patients were screened for HCV infection by using the anti-HCV assay. Seropositive samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in order to determine whether the HCV infection was active. Genotyping was then performed. Overall, HCV seropositivity and active HCV infection were 2.76% and 2.05%, respectively. Foreign nationals accounted for 5.61% of the seropositive samples and 1.37% of active HCV infective samples. We further report that 2017 was the year with the highest seroprevalence which was 3.64%. HCV genotype 1 was the most common genotype detected in residents of Samsun Province at 89.86%, followed by Genotype 3 at 4.54%. This study provides important information on the levels of HCV infection in the Samsun region of Turkey. The data indicate that there was a rising trend of HCV infection between 2014 and 2017.

The distribution of transglutaminase in the rat oocytes and embryos.

Transglutaminases (TGs) are calcium-dependent enzymes that catalyze the transamidation of glutamine residues of a protein substrate to form intermolecular isopeptide bonds. The zona pellucida (ZP) is an extracellular, glycoprotein matrix that surrounds the oocytes of all Eutherian mammals. We aimed to identify the immunoreactivity of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) and ultrastructural changes occuring in rat oocytes before and after fertilization. Female rats were stimulated to superovulate, then mated with males. Oocytes and embryos were collected and examined by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Before fertilization, tTG was present only in the oolemma and the cortical cytoplasm. After fertilization, tTG reactivity increased in the ZP of the early zygote and the preimplantation embryos, but decreased in the cytoplasm and perivitelline space (PVS). After fertilization, the PVS ultrastructure became asymmetrical and large around the polar bodies with many cortical granule contents. In conclusion, tTG immunoreactivity was found to be spatially and temporarily heterogeneous in the rat oocytes and embryos, especially in the ZP.

Immunocytochemical detection of synaptophysin in enteric neurones during prenatal development in the rat stomach.

Summary In this study, the localization and appearance of synaptophysin-immunoreactive (IR) nerve cells and their relationships with the developing gastric layers were studied by immunocytochemistry and light microscopy in the embryonic rat stomach. The stomachs of Wistar rat embryos aged 13-21 days were used. The first neuronal bodies and their processes containing synaptophysin-immunoreactivity were observed on embryonic day 13. In contrast, synaptophysin-IR nerve terminals were first observed between mesenchymal cells on embryonic day 14. These results indicate that synaptophysin is expressed in growing neurits and neuronal cell bodies before these neurones have established synaptic connections. The occurrences of mesenchymal cell condensation near synaptophysin-IR neuroblasts on embryonic day 15 reflect an active nerve element-specific mesenchymal cell induction resulting in the morphogenesis of muscle cells. Similarly, the appearance of glandular structures after synaptophysin-IR neuroblasts, on embryonic day 18, suggests that the epithelial differentiation may be closely related to the neuronal maturation as well as other factors. Finally, synaptophysin is functionally important in neuronal development and maturation, together with the establishment of neuroneuronal and neuromuscular contacts and in epithelial differentiation.

The zonal distributions of alkaline phosphatase, adenosine triphosphatase, laminin, fibronectin and chondroitin 4-sulphate in growing rat humerus proximal epiphyseal cartilage: a histochemical and an immunohistochemical study.

Although there are many studies about epiphyseal cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules in bone formation, studies of their distribution and role in the mineralization of these components in growing rat humerus proximal epiphyseal cartilage have not been sufficiently detailed. The aim of this study was to determine the distributions of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), laminin, fibronectin and chondroitin 4-sulphate in growing rat humerus proximal epiphyseal cartilage. The rats were killed by cervical dislocation, and the humeri were removed, sectioned (6 and 10 microm) on a cryotome or paraffin microtome, and stained using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. ALP and ATPase were markedly observed in the hypertrophy and calcifying cartilage. In addition, ATPase was found to be very strongly positive in the tangential zone of articular cartilage. Results of immunohistochemical staining for laminin, fibronectin and chondroitin 4-sulphate showed that the immunostaining was the heaviest in the tangential zone of articular cartilage. In growing epiphyseal plates, there were differences in the density of these macromolecules of chondrocytes as a function of the maturation process. In conclusion, these ECM macromolecules of epiphyseal cartilage may regulate the cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions as well as the matrix calcification during the ossification of epiphyseal cartilage.

The effect of testosterone on gastrocnemius muscle fibres in growing and adult male and female rats: a histochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural study.

In this study, the effect of testosterone on gastrocnemius muscle fibres in growing and adult rats (male and female) was examined using histochemical, morphometric and ultrastructural techniques. After physiological saline (PS), olive oil (OvO) or olive oil + testosterone (OvOT) injections on 72 rats (growing and mature, 36 male and 36 female), the sample tissues of fibre types of the gastrocnemius muscle taken were examined by histochemical [alkaline adenosine triphosphatase (alk-ATPase), acid ATPase (ac-ATPase)], morphometric and ultrastructural techniques. In PS-injected control groups, the gastrocnemius muscle of both sexes contained all the fibre types studied [slow-oxidative muscle fibres (type I), fast-oxidative glycolytic muscle fibres (type IIA) and fast-glycolytic muscle fibres (type IIB)]. The type I fibres had the smallest diameter, type IIA had a medium diameter and type IIB fibres had the largest diameter. In OvO-injected groups, it was observed that the OvO had little effect on the gastrocnemius muscles of either sex, although there was significant enlargement of type IIB fibres. After the injection of OvOT, hypertrophy of muscle fibres was determined by morphometric study. The biggest increase in diameter was on type I fibres. In addition, degenerations on some mitochondria, accumulation of lipid droplets on type I and type II fibres, an increase in glycogen particles, bifurcation of myofibrils, an increase in the number and diameter of units resembling T tubules and an increase in ribosomal content were also observed in the same group by transmission electron microscope. Consequently, it was determined that testosterone can induce protein synthesis in gastrocnemius muscle fibres, and induces changes in shape and size, and also can change the appearance and the number of fibres.