The effects of resveratrol on chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RVT) in chronic constriction injury (CCI) of sciatic nerve by behavioral, histomorphological and immunohistochemical evaluations in rats. In this study, male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: sham (n=7), CCI+saline (n=7) and CCI+RVT (n=7). After inducing CCI, treatment with 10mg/kg/day of RVT or saline for 14 days was given. Locomotor function was assessed with rota-rod and open field tests. Morphologic alterations of sciatic nerve were assessed histologically by light and electron microscopy. Immunohistochemistry for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were performed. RVT treatment prevented motor impairment and histomorphological alterations caused by chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve. IGF-1 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in RVT treated group then CCI induced group and positive correlated with morphometric parameters. These results indicate that RVT may reduce CCI induced damage and this effect may be mediated through the restoration of IGF-1 immunoreactivity.

Simultaneous differential pulse polarographic determination of cadmium, lead, and copper in milk and dairy products.

The contents of potentially toxic elements lead and cadmium and the essential element copper in various milk and dairy products consumed in Turkey were determined by differential pulse polarography (DPP), primarily to assess whether the intakes comply with recommended desired concentrations for essential and permissible levels for toxic elements. A simple and rapid DPP method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of cadmium, lead, and copper in samples. Using the differential pulse mode, half-wave peak potentials as E(1/2) were -0.58, -0.40, and -0.07 V for cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu), respectively. Marketed formulations of dairy products have been analyzed by calibration and standard addition methods. Recovery experiments were found to be quantitative. The linear domain ranges were 0.00-674.28 microg/L for Cd (R2 = 0.9999), 0.19-2.94 mg/L (p < 0.01) for Pb (R2 = 0.9997), and 0.41-133.46 microg/L for Cu (p < 0.01) (R2 = 0.9999). The studies have shown that the method is a rapid, reproducible, and accurate determination of these elements in milk and dairy products and can be used in the analysis of marketed formulations in the milk and dairy industry.

The ethical sensitivity of nurses in Turkey.

In this study we tried to gain information about the ethical sensitivity (as well as the ethical knowledge) of nurses working at the bedside in our country. Four scenarios were presented to 165 nurses working in hospital wards in Kocaeli. More than half of the nurses can be considered to have made decisions based on beneficence for the first scenario, while more than half of them preferred to make decisions based on autonomy for the second and the fourth scenarios. For the third scenario, most of the nurses (76.4%) can be said to have based their decisions on veracity. These results suggest that these nurses were sensitive to issues of confidentiality, truth telling and beneficence; however, they were not equally sensitive when the right to refuse treatment was concerned.

The protective effects of methyl cellulose and conoid shields for lagophthalmos and corneal hypaesthesia in leprosy.

Lagophthalmos and corneal hypaesthesia are amongst the most frequently encountered lesions in leprosy and they can easily give rise to blindness. Many measures (such as eye drops, protective conoid shields, muscle exercises, surgical treatment etc.) have been used to protect the eyes under such circumstances and this paper examines the protective role of methyl cellulose and conoid shields in 41 patients. All of them had lagophthalmos (5 mm or more) and corneal hypaesthesia. They were divided into three groups. Group one had 15 leprosy control patients (27 eyes) who did not use methyl cellulose or eye shields. Group two had 16 leprosy patients (28 eyes) and they used methyl cellulose and eye shields when they felt discomfort in their eyes. Group three had 10 leprosy patients (17 eyes) and they used methyl cellulose and eye shields regularly. Statistically significant improvement was seen in group three. Further studies on larger groups of patients including the effects of different concentrations of methyl cellulose, on Schirmer test and tear break up time, may be of value.

Dermal absorption and metabolism of the antipsoriatic drug dithranol triacetate.

Percutaneous absorption, excretion kinetics, and metabolism of dithranol triacetate (2) have been investigated in Wistar rats. By the use of two differently labelled molecules--3H in the anthracene nucleus and 14C in the acetoxy groups of 2, resp.--the fate of the different parts of the dithranol triacetate molecule could be followed. After injection, large amounts of 2 are cleaved under the influence of enzymes into acetate and dithranol. These deacetylated metabolites lose half their 3H label with formation of 3H2O. In urine, 1,8-diacetoxy-9-anthrone, 1-acetoxy-8-hydroxy-9-anthrone, 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone and its diacetate were found as metabolites. After dermal application, unchanged 2 is practically not absorbed at all. Arylesterases which, according to in vitro studies, are present in or on the skin, hydrolyse dithranol triacetate to give free dithranol. Up to 33% of the latter are absorbed from under an occlusive dressing. Dithranol triacetate, therefore, shows pro-drug characteristics for the treatment of psoriasis.