Use of Maca Powder (Lepidium meyenii) as Feed Additive in Diets of Laying Quails at Different Ages: Its Effect on Performance, Eggshell Quality, Serum, Ileum, and Bone Properties.

Using additives can reduce the negative effects of aging on factors affecting profitability, such as the availability of nutrients, production, and egg quality. Maca is an herbaceous plant rich in protein, crude oil, essential acids, and pharmacological compounds. Maca has positive effects on different health parameters. In this study, the effect of adding Maca powder to the diets of young and old laying quails at the end of the 10-week trial was investigated. In total, 150 laying Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) (209.1 ± 10.0 g) were randomly distributed to a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement with two ages (10 weeks and 30 weeks) and three Maca powder levels (0, 1, or 2 g/kg), with five subgroups per treatment. According to the study, eggshell quality, total cholesterol, triglyceride, progesterone, and testosterone concentrations of serum were lower in old quail than in young quail, while egg weight, feed intake, and follicle-stimulating hormone increased significantly as quail aged. (p < 0.05). Furthermore, aging negatively affected the histomorphology of the ileum and cortical bone thickness (p < 0.05). Additional findings show that adding 1 g/kg Maca powder to the diet of quail significantly improved eggshell, ileum, and bone traits that deteriorate with age, without affecting performance, and adding 2 g/kg Maca powder to the diet significantly reduced serum total cholesterol levels (p < 0.05). Incorporating Maca powder into the diet of aged birds could reduce the negative effects of aging.

Effect of maca powder supplementation to growing quail diets on performance, carcass, serum constituents and hormones, and bone and ileum characteristics.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of maca powder supplementation (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 g/kg) in the diet on performance, carcass characteristics, serum biochemical constituents and hormone concentrations, bone biomechanical properties, and ileum histomorphology in growing Japanese quails. In this 42-day trial, a total of 480 mixed sex Japanese quail chicks, aged 1 day, were randomly distributed among six experimental groups. Each experimental group contained four replicates of 20 chicks each. The addition of 2.0 g/kg of maca powder to the diet significantly decreased body weight, body weight gain compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, with the 1.5 g/kg level of maca powder, feed efficiency improved considerably (P < 0.05). The testis weight increased significantly with the addition of maca powder at 1.0 g/kg level to the diet, and testesteron concentration of serum in male quails was also increased significantly at 1.5 g/kg level of maca powder compared to control group (P < 0.05). The addition of 2.5 g/kg level of maca powder significantly reduced the cholesterol concentration of serum in male quails compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The administration of 2.0 g/kg level of maca powder to the diet caused a decrease in shear force (P < 0.05). The addition of maca powder to the diet significantly increased crypt depth and villus surface area at 0.5 g/kg level, villus width at 1.0 g/kg level, and villus height at 2.0 g/kg level in growing quails (P < 0.05). According to the results obtained from the present research, it can be said that the addition up to 2.0 g/kg maca powder to growing quail diets could improve feed efficiency, testesteron concentration of serum, and ileum properties.

Effect of Different Dietary Inclusion Levels of Sunflower Meal and Multi-Enzyme Supplementation on Performance, Meat Yield, Ileum Histomorphology, and Pancreatic Enzyme Activities in Growing Quails.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary sunflower meal (SFM) and multi-enzyme levels on performance, carcass traits, intestinal histomorphology and pancreatic enzyme production in quails. Three hundred and twenty, 1-day-old quail chicks were divided into 8 groups with 4 replicates consisting of 10 birds each in the group. The experiment was randomized design consisting of a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with four levels of SFM (0%, 10%, 15%, or 20%) and two levels of multi-enzyme (0.0 or 1.0 g/kg) inclusion in the diet. The body weight, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were negatively influenced by the 15% and 20% SFM (p < 0.01) but were not affected by the 10% SFM for 6 week age. The relative gizzard (p < 0.05) weights significantly increased with 20% SFM, but the relative breast weight decreased (p < 0.01). The relative liver weight increased by the addition of enzymes in the diet (p < 0.05). The villus width (p < 0.01) and villus surface area (p < 0.05) of ileum increased linearly with SFM, whereas the villus height (p < 0.01), villus height: crypt depth (p < 0.01) and tunica muscularis thickness (p < 0.01) decreased linearly with SFM. Consequently, it is possible to say that the birds with the least absorptive same weight are the most efficient. The addition of multi-enzyme increased villus height and crypt depth but decreased tunica muscularis thickness of ileum (p < 0.01). Chymotrypsin activity in the pancreas decreased linearly with SFM (p < 0.01). Amylase activity in the pancreas decreased significantly with the addition of the multi-enzyme (p < 0.05). As a result of the study, SFM can be used at a 10% level in growing quail diets with beneficial effects on the absorption surface area. The effects of enzyme supplementation on parameters measured were less pronounced than the SFM inclusion level that higher villus height and lower tunica muscularis thickness were determined in multi-enzyme-fed birds compared to those untreated counterparts.

Evaluation of the Boron and Phytase, Alone or in Combination, in Broiler Diets.

A total of 800 day-old broiler chicks were assigned to four test diets to assess the efficacy of phytase, fermented from Aspergillus niger, and boron, as boric acid, on the growth performance and mineral profile in chickens. The dietary treatments included the basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with boron (20 mg/kg), phytase (500 phytase units/kg diet), or a combination of boron and phytase. The following parameters were measured: growth performance indices, serum biochemicals, ash and the mineral profile of the tibia, breast muscle, liver and excreta. Boron decreased the overall feed conversion ratio by 1.9% (P<0.05) but did not affect the body weight and feed consumption of chickens grown for 42 days (P>0.05). The performance indices were not significantly influenced by dietary regimens for the first 21 days of the experiment (P>0.05). The addition of boron alone and boron + phytase resulted in significant increases in the boron concentrations of serum, bone, breast muscle, liver and excreta (P< 0.001). The serum alanine aminotransferase activity of chicks fed phytase was higher (P<0.05) than all other treatments. The ash content and mineral composition of the breast meat, liver and tibia did not respond to individual or combined dietary modifications (P>0.05). The chickens administered a diet with boron excreted less Cathrough excreta. However, the ash content and Fe and Cu concentrations in the excreta increased in response to phytase supplementation (P<0.05). In summary, supplementation with boron alone improved the feed conversion efficiency of broiler chickens fed diets containing adequate levels of nutrients. However, the combination of boron and phytase did not cause further improvements in broiler performance or the bioavailability of minerals.

Evaluation for Helicobacter pylori in Meckel's diverticulum by using real-time PCR.

BACKGROUND: Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been identified in heterotopic gastric mucosa of Meckel's diverticulum, controversial results are reported in the pertinent literature. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate for the presence of H. pylori histologically using hematoxylin-eosin and Toluidine Blue in Meckel's diverticulum and by real-time TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in those with heterotopic gastric mucosa. METHODS: The study included 21 consecutive patients who had undergone resection of Meckel's diverticulum at our hospital between 1995 and 2007. The paraffin-embedded tissues were retrieved and reviewed for the presence of histological abnormalities and H. pylori-like organisms and for the presence or absence of heterotopic mucosa. H. pylori was sought in those cases that contained heterotopic gastric mucosa using real-time TaqMan PCR to amplify a fragment of the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of H. pylori. RESULTS: Upon histological examination, heterotopic gastric mucosa was found to be present in 12 cases. H. pylori was not identified in any of the sections examined. A genomic PCR product was also not obtained in real-time PCR study. CONCLUSIONS: We have confirmed that colonization of H. pylori, if it occurs at all, is exceedingly rare in heterotopic gastric mucosa of Meckel's diverticulum.

Polymerase chain reaction based diagnosis of primary gastric tuberculosis in an 80-year-old woman: a case report and review of the literature.

The patient had a two month history of gastrointestinal symptoms. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy disclosed 5 mm nodular lesions were seen in the prepyloric area. On pathological examination, two granulomatous lesions were detected in biopsy specimen. Ehrlich Ziehl-Neelsen staining and cultures of the biopsy material were negative, but polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA was positive. Clinical diagnosis of primary gastric tuberculosis (PGTb) was supported by positive PCR assay and histopathological findings. After antituberculosis treatment, nodular lesions were not detected. The diagnosis of PGTb was confirmed definitively by the success of treatment and repeated endoscopic examination.

Do the changes in the serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, TNFalpha, and IL-6 reflect the inflammatory activity in the patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis?

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis is the major complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure and there are some reports showing cytokine changes in ERCP-induced pancreatits. GOALS: To investigate the association between early changes (within 24 hours) in the serum interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha, and IL-6 levels and the development of post-ERCP pancreatitis. STUDY: Forty five consecutive patients who underwent therapeutic ERCP and 10 patients with acute pancreatitis without ERCP were enrolled to the study. Serum concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, TNFalpha, and IL-6 were determined immediately before, 12 hours and 24 hours after ERCP. RESULTS: Seven of the 45 patients (15.5%) developed post-ERCP pancreatitis. The levels of IL-4 at 24 hours after ERCP were significantly lower in the patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis than in those without pancreatitis, while TNFalpha levels at 12 hours after ERCP were higher in the complicated group than those of the uncomplicated group. The ratios of TNFalpha/IL-4 at 12 and 24 hours after ERCP were found significantly higher in the patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis than in those without pancreatitis. IL-6 in the complicated patients was found significantly increased at 24 hours after ERCP. CONCLUSIONS: The enhancement of serum TNFalpha and IL-6 levels in the patients with ERCP-induced pancreatitis reflects the inflammatory activity. Additionally, these cytokines together with IL-4 can be used in clinical laboratory monitoring of ERCP.

Transgastric migration of retained intraabdominal surgical sponge: gossypiboma in the bulbus.

A 55-year-old hemiplegic woman with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was referred to our clinic for upper gastrointestinal system bleeding and for a high level of cholestatic enzymes. She had a medical history of cerebra vascular accident three years previously and cholecystectomy one year previously. We performed gastroscopy and saw a retained surgical sponge in the bulbus. After removal of the gossypiboma, endoscopic sclerotherapy was performed for the bleeding area at the bulbus. After the procedure, the upper gastrointestinal bleeding stopped and the high level of cholestatic enzymes returned to normal.

Endoscopic treatment of pancreatic duct disruption due to blunt abdominal trauma: a case report.

It is very difficult to determine and treat injury of the main pancreatic duct and its outcomes secondary to blunt abdominal trauma. In this study, we present a 21-year-old male patient with percutaneous pancreatic fistula due to blunt pancreatic damage. We defined the pancreatic duct disruption along with contrast media leakage by means of endoscopic retrograde pancreatography. A pancreatic duct stent placed after a nasopancreatic catheter was left for 10 weeks. Closure of the fistula along with pancreatic duct improvement without any additional morbidity was observed after removal of the stent.

Large vesicula seminalis cyst: a very rare cause of constipation and male infertility.

We report a 35-year-old male patient with chronic constipation and infertility for 4 years. Spermiogram revealed severe oligospermia. An external mass compressing the rectum was found during rectal examination and flexible rectosigmoidoscopy. Abdominal computed tomography showed a presacral cystic mass which displaced the bladder anteriorly. The cyst was completely removed with open surgery. Histopathologic analysis revealed a cystic lesion covered with squamous epithelium including polymorphonuclear leukocytes, macrophages and sperm cells. After the operation, the patient's symptoms were relieved. We considered that the constipation was caused by external compression by the vesicula seminalis cyst. In cases of constipation with infertility, vesicula seminalis cyst should be kept in mind.

Effectiveness of bougie dilation for the management of corrosive esophageal strictures.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Caustic ingestion caused by swallowing a detergent can produce a progressive and devastating injury in the esophagus and stomach. One of the most important outcomes of the corrosive oesophagitis is the stricture formation, which is resistant to treatment. The aim of this study was firstly to determine the relation between agent, inflammation and stricture, and secondly investigate the efficiency of dilation in patients having esophageal stricture due to corrosive oesophagitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, 58 cases with post caustic oesophagitis, which had been admitted to our clinic or emergency department between January 1999 and December 2004, were assessed retrospectively. Dilation of esophageal stricture of the cases was performed by Savary-Gilliard bougies. RESULTS: The most frequently ingested substance was alkaline (48.2%). Concerning all the patients, the most frequent location of caustic injury was upper esophagus (36.2%), and grade I injury was the most frequently encountered one (34.4%). Thirty patients (51.7%) developing stricture were treated by repeated dilations. The most common location of stricture was middle esophagus (50%), and severe stricture was the most common one among all stricture grades (46.7%). Alkaline ingestions yielded more severe stricture than acids. Eight of the patients with stricture (26.6%, 8/30), who didn't respond to periodic esophageal dilation, underwent esophageal resection or bypass surgery. CONCLUSION: Dilation with Savary-Gilliard bougies is a quite effective method for stricture after corrosive oesophagitis.

Enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and nutritional status of patients: five-year prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Since it was described in 1980, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has been a widely used method for insertion of a gastrostomy tube in patients who are unable to swallow or maintain adequate nutrition. The aim of the present paper was to determine the complications of PEG insertion and to study pre- and post-procedural nutritional status. METHODS: During the period of March 1999-September 2004, placement of PEG tube was performed in 85 patients (22 women and 63 men). Patient nutritional status was assessed before and after PEG insertion via anthropometric measurements. RESULTS: The most frequent indication for PEG insertion was neurological disorders (65.9%). Thirty patients died due to primary disease and two patients due to PEG-related complications within 5 years. There were 14 early complications in 10 patients (15.2%; <30 days), and 18 late complications in 12 patients (19.6%). Total mortality was 37.6%. All complications other than four were minor. Before PEG insertion, patients were assessed with subjective global assessment and it was determined that 43.2% of them had severe, and 41.9% of them had mild malnutrition. After PEG insertion, significant improvements on patient nutrition levels was observed. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a minimally invasive gastrostomy method with low morbidity and mortality rates, is easy to follow up and easy to replace when clogged.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with Billroth II anastomosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure is quite difficult to perform in patients with Billroth II anastomosis because of anatomical alterations. The aim of this study is to evaluate retrospectively the results of ERCP applications done in patients with Billroth II operation. METHODOLOGY: Out of the 1632 patients who underwent ERCP between 1992 and 2002, 27 (1.65%) had Billroth II operation. The records of these 27 patients were reviewed. Details noted included indications for ERCP, therapeutic interventions, causes of failure and complications. RESULTS: Out of the patients, 3 were female and 24 male (mean age 62+/-11). 26 patients had extrahepatic biliary obstruction. 1 patient had an external bile drain. The procedure was carried out 1-5 times (mean 1.5+/-1.1). Cannulation was achieved in 17 patients (62.96%). Out of the patients cannulated, 10 had choledocholithiasis, 4 malign choledochal stricture, 1 chronic pancreatitis, 1 bile leak and 1 periampullary tumor. Success rate of endoscopic treatment was 82.35% (14/17). Proximal migration of the stent and hemorrhage in gastric cardia were the complications observed in the distinct patients. CONCLUSIONS: ERCP procedure is quite an effective and safe method for diagnosis and treatment in patients with Billroth II anastomosis and extrahepatic cholestasis in spite of all difficulties.

MEFV mutations in familial Mediterranean fever: association of M694V homozygosity with arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive recurrent polyserositis with a higher prevalence in some ethnic groups, including Turks. Mutations in the FMF gene (MEFV) were found associated with FMF. The aim of this study was to analyze MEFV gene mutations in FMF patients to gain insight into the mutation phenotype correlation. OBJECTIVES: We analyzed the most frequent mutations (M680I, M694V, V726A, and E148Q) in a group of young male Turkish FMF patients using an amplification refractory mutation system and a commercial kit. RESULTS: M694V mutation was detected in 80% of the patients. After making a strict diagnostic discrimination between arthralgia and arthritis, arthritis was present in 71% of homozygous and 29.4% of heterozygous patients for M694V mutation. Other mutations were not found to correlate with specific symptoms or findings. CONCLUSION: The homozygosity of M694V mutation in the MEFV gene is associated with arthritis in FMF patients.

Continuity of cytokine activation in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a recessively inherited inflammatory disorder, characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and polyserositis. It has been considered that miscellaneous cytokines take part in the pathogenesis of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in patients with FMF. The study included 42 patients with FMF (3 females, 39 males, mean age: 24.43 years) and 20 healthy volunteers as the control group (18 males, 2 females, mean age: 23.2 years). The patients were chosen according to Eliakim criteria. After recording their history and performing an examination, leukocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, sIL-2R, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were measured before and during attacks. A significant increase was found in leukocyte ( p<0.001), ESR ( p<0.001), CRP ( p<0.001), and fibrinogen ( p<0.001) levels of the patient group in the attack period compared to those in the quiescent state. sIL-2R ( p=0.019) and IL-6 ( p<0.001) levels showed significant increases during attacks compared to the levels before an attack. There was no significant difference between IL-10 levels. The levels of the three cytokines were significantly high both before and during the attacks compared to the control group. As a result, the elevation of sIL-2R and IL-6 levels both before and during the attacks compared to control group suggests the existence of continuous cytokine activation in the patients. No significant increase in the IL-10 levels in spite of the significant rise of sIL-2R and IL-6 during attacks supports the notion of inflammation and also reveals that compensation by anti-inflammatory IL-10 does not seem to occur.

Acute pancreatitis possibly due to arginine use: a case report.

Arginine has been used by millions of athletes over the past 20 years to enhance production of human growth hormone. The effects of arginine supplementation include increased fat burning and muscle building, enhanced immunity, and improvement in erectile function in men. Excessive doses of basic amino acids such as ethionine, methionine and lysine are known to damage the rat pancreas. Recent studies have demonstrated that excessive doses of arginine induce necrotizing pancreatitis in rats. In this article, we report a 16-year-old male patient hospitalized in our clinic because of severe pain in upper abdomen, nausea and vomiting who was suspected to have arginine-induced acute pancreatitis.

Leptin levels in the acute stage of ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Leptin, a recently discovered protein, acts as a hormonal feedback signal in regulating adipose tissue mass via hypothalamic mechanisms. Inflammatory bowel disease is often associated with anorexia and weight loss. The aim of the present study was to investigate serum leptin levels during the time course of the acute phase of ulcerative colitis (UC) and to evaluate whether leptin leads to anorexia and bodyweight loss in these patients. METHODS: Serum leptin levels of 29 male patients with acute UC and 17 healthy controls with similar age, sex and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), BMI, serum albumin and C-reactive protein concentrations, and white blood cell counts were determined. RESULTS: A significant increase in serum leptin levels was found in patients with acute UC when compared with controls (5.89 +/- 2.06 ng/mL and 3.64 +/- 1.69 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.001). There was no correlation between leptin levels and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings in the acute stage of UC suggest that increased serum leptin levels may contribute to anorexia and weight loss. However, an inappropriate increase in leptin levels is independent of body mass in acute UC, and we believe that other factors may be involved in inflammation-induced increases in leptin levels.

Ulcerative colitis case beginning during pregnancy in a patient with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

It is well known that there may be an increased tendency for thrombosis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study presents a case with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome with ulcerative colitis diagnosed during pregnancy. A 30-year-old female patient, in her 6th week of pregnancy, applied to our clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. She had a history of three abortions. She had been given aspirin and heparin treatment due to high levels of anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) in previous examinations that led to the diagnosis of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. As the left colonoscopic examination of the patient showed ulcerative colitis, aspirin treatment was replaced with mesalazine (750 mg/day, in 3 equal doses). There was a significant relief in complaints of the patient. Medical treatment was interrupted three days before delivery. The patient delivered a baby, at full-term, of 3.6 kg by cesarean section. No adverse effects were observed in the mother or the baby due to the medical treatment. After delivery, mesalazine treatment was restarted. This case is interesting due to the co-diagnosis of IBD in a pregnant woman with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Successful and uncomplicated treatment of the patient with mesalazine should also be noted.