The effect of hypothermia on adnexal torsion/detorsion injury in a rat ovary model.

PURPOSE: Much attention has been given to hypothermia as it is effective in inhibiting inflammatory responses and also ischemia/reperfusion injury. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hypothermia on torsion/detorsion injury in rats. METHODS: Twenty-eight rats were randomly divided into four groups of sham-operated (SG), adnexal torsion/detorsion group (TG), adnexal torsion/detorsion+hypothermia group (THG) and hypothermia group (HG). In the SG group, right ovaries were excised after 3-h fixation to abdominal wall. In the TG, right adnexal underwent 720° torsion in a counterclockwise direction for 3h and then excised after 3-h detorsion period. In the THG, after 3-h torsion period, ovaries were immediately subjected to hypothermia (4°C) for 30-min and they were excised after 3-h detorsioned period. In the HG, the right ovaries were subjected to hypothermia for 30-min and excised after 3-h fixation period. One half of each ovary was immediately stored for antioxidant enzyme activity and tissue lipid peroxidation. The remainder was fixed for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Adnexal torsion and detorsion significantly increased the tissue level of Malondialdehyde, Superoxide dismutase and Reduced glutathione. On the other hand, hypothermia significantly reduced these oxidative stress parameters. The histopathological changes were less in the THG group; these changes were not statistically different from the other groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggested that hypothermia inhibited the production of oxidative stress in the ovaries subjected to torsion/detorsion injury.

The relationship between platelet indices and clinical features of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Platelets play a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. The degree of platelet activation may be assessed by platelet indices such as platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). AIM: To evaluate the relationship between platelet indices and clinical features of coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Our population is represented by a total of 441 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography. Patients were divided into three groups according to their clinical presentation: Patients with stable angina (Group I), with acute coronary syndrome (Group II), and with a normal coronary angiogram (Group III). All demographic and clinical features were collected retrospectively. Platelet indices were measured in all patients. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference for platelet count, MPV and PDW values among the groups. Correlation analysis showed a positive association between platelet count and Gensini scoring (Kendall's tau b, r = 0.312, p = 0.037, two-tailed)and also age (Kendall's tau b, r = 0.518, p = 0.001, two-tailed) in patients with CAD. However, there was no significant correlation between Gensini scoring and MPV or PDW values in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: PDW and MPV may not be related to the clinical features or presentation and extent of CAD. Our study findings add to the conflicting results of previous studies in this area. Prospective trials with longer follow-up periods and larger samples are warranted to conclusively define the role of platelet indices in CAD.

A new hemoglobin variant: Hb Izmir [ß86(F2)Ala→Val, GCC>GTC; HBB:c.260C>T].

We report a new hemoglobin (Hb) variant [ß86(F2)Ala→Val; HBB:c.260C>T] that we have named Hb Izmir. We have identified Hb Izmir in a Turkish woman by ion exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) during a premarital screening program in the Aegean region of Turkey. The mother and sister of the proband also carried the same variant. Using direct sequencing, we have characterized this variant as resulting from a GCC>GTC replacement at codon 86 of the ß-globin chain, corresponding to an Ala→Val amino acid substitution. In the heterozygote, the level of Hb Izmir ranged from 41.38 to 45.6%. All heterozygotes had a Hb A(2) level of less than 3.5%. Total blood count values were normal and there were no other clinical findings. Although its clinical significance is thus far unclear, Hb Izmir may be important in hemoglobinopathy screening programs.

Expression and methylation pattern of p16 in neuroblastoma tumorigenesis.

Understanding migration, population and differentiation of primordial neural crest cells will help in evolving biology of neuroblastoma. P16 is a tumour suppressor gene contributing in cell cycle arrest as cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor. Methylation is an important mechanism for silencing tumor suppressor genes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of p16 and its methylation pattern in neuroblastoma tumorigenesis. This study included 23 cases (11 male; 12 female) and 31 samples from archival paraffin embedded tissues. P16 was studied in 5 samples of normal adrenal medullar tissue, 5 samples of adrenal tissue including blastic rests, 5 samples of neuroblastoma in situ tissue and in 8 samples of neuroblastoma tissues primary and after chemotherapy in each group. The adrenal gland tissues were obtained from paediatric autopsy cases. Expression of p16 was searched by immunohistochemistry. Methylation specific PCR was used to detect the methylation rate of p16. The age range of autopsy cases was between 20 weeks of foetal age and 36 months of infant age. The mean age of neuroblastoma cases was 45 months. P16 expression was positive in normal adrenal tissues, in one of 5 samples of adrenal blastic rest tissue and in all of samples of after chemotherapy; while no expression was observed in neuroblastoma and neuroblastoma in situ tissues. P16 methylation was observed in samples of neuroblastoma in situ and primary neuroblastoma tissues. Our results suggest that p16 and its methylation seems to play role in neuroblastoma tumorigenesis and in the migration, population and differentiation of primordial neural crest cells. Inhibitors of DNA methylation may provide a useful tool for restoring p16 activity in neuroblastoma treatment.

Inverse relationship between adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in metabolic syndrome patients.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the serum levels of adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in metabolic syndrome versus healthy controls and to see the relation of them with each other and with the metabolic syndrome components. METHODS: Adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were measured in 53 subjects with metabolic syndrome and 30 healthy controls by ELISA. All subjects of metabolic syndrome had the criterias of metabolic syndrome (obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, glucose metabolism disorders). Adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in serum were compared between the groups and relations of them with each other, with metabolic syndrome components, also HbA1c and C peptide were examined. For statistical analysis student-t test and pearson's correlations were used. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome group had significantly lower adiponectin and higher plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels than healthy controls (p<0.001). There was no difference between the average age of both groups. There was an inverse relationship between plasma adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 ( r= -0.653, p<0.001). Also adiponectin levels were inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, systolic and diastolic pressures, fasting plasma glucose, 2 hour postprandial serum glucose, HbA1c, C peptide, triglycerides, total cholesterol, insulin and insulin resistance (HOMA). Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were correlated positively with these parameters. CONCLUSION: Hypoadiponectinemia and elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were closely associated with the metabolic syndrome and its components, inverse relationship was present between adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels in metabolic syndrome patients. It is suggested that measuring and regulating the plasma concentration of adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 may be useful for management of the metabolic syndrome so this may prevent the development of obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.