Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial effect of St. John's wort oil loaded chitosan hydrogel.

Hydrogels prepared with natural and synthetic polymers were found to be applicable for the development of resistance against some Gram positive and negative bacterial species. Numerous studies have shown that chitosan polymers can be advantageous to be used in medicine due to their high antibacterial activity. In this study, biocompatible yellow cantorone oil doped hydrogels (chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) based) with antimicrobial properties were synthesized. The structural, morphological, swelling and mechanical properties of these biocompatible hydrogels prepared by double crosslinking were investigated and characterized. FTIR spectroscopy showed the appearance of new imine and acetal bonds due to both covalent cross-linking. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that hydrogels showed weak cytotoxic effect. In the antimicrobial evaluation, it was determined that the hydrogel containing only chitosan showed better antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas auriginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria than the one containing St. John's Wort oil. The antibacterial effect of polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan hydrogel was low. In our wound healing study, chitosan hydrogel loaded with yellow St. John's Wort oil was more effective in reducing wound size.

Association between raftlin and presepsin levels with periodontal healthy and disease conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association between Raftlin and Presepsin levels in periodontal healthy/diseases, hypothesizing a change in their levels. Also, the study aimed to determine their potential role in diagnosing and predicting the prognosis of periodontal diseases. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was used, including 20 periodontally healthy individuals, 21 gingivitis patients, and 21 periodontitis patients. Clinical measurements and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) sample collection were conducted, and the levels of Raftlin and Presepsin were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the differences and correlations among the groups. RESULTS: Raftlin and Presepsin levels displayed significant variations among groups in both total amount (mean values for Raftlin in periodontitis, gingivitis, and healthy were 33.42, 17.45, 7.70 pg/30 s, respectively; for Presepsin, values were 3.98, 3.01, 1.92 pg/30 s, respectively) (p < 0.001) and concentration levels (pg/µl) (p = 0.007 for Raftlin, p = 0.026 for Presepsin). Particularly noteworthy were the concentration distinctions observed exclusively between the periodontitis and healthy groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study offers preliminary insights into the presence and variations of raftlin and prepsepsin in the GCF across different periodontal conditions. While these findings hint at a potential role for these markers in periodontal disease, further research is essential to fully understand their diagnostic and prognostic capabilities.

Evaluation of the relationship between insulin resistance and 8-iso prostaglandin levels in obesity children.

INTRODUCTION: The rising rate of childhood obesity and the serious health problems it causes are gaining increasing attention in medical research and health policy.

Investigation of antiviral substances in Covid 19 by Molecular Docking: In Silico Study.

Aims: This paper aimed to investigate the antiviral drugs against Sars-Cov-2 main protease (MPro) using in silico methods. Material and Method: A search was made for antiviral drugs in the PubChem database and antiviral drugs such as Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, Entecavir, Lamivudine, Tenofovir, Favipiravir, Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir, Oseltamavir, Remdevisir, Ribavirin, Ritonavir were included in our study. The protein structure of Sars-Cov-2 Mpro (PDB ID: 6LU7) was taken from the Protein Data Bank (www.rcsb. Org) system and included in our study. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock/Vina, a computational docking program. Protein-ligand interactions were performed with the AutoDock Vina program. 3D visualizations were made with the Discovery Studio 2020 program. N3 inhibitor method was used for our validation. Results: In the present study, bictegravir, remdevisir and lopinavir compounds in the Sars-Cov-2 Mpro structure showed higher binding affinity compared to the antiviral compounds N3 inhibitor, according to our molecular insertion results. However, the favipiravir, emtricitabine and lamuvidune compounds were detected very low binding affinity. Other antiviral compounds were found close binding affinity with the N3 inhibitor. Conclusion: Bictegravir, remdevisir and lopinavir drugs showed very good results compared to the N3 inhibitor. Therefore, they could be inhibitory in the Sars Cov-2 Mpro target.

Erythropoietin and Erythropoietin Receptor Levels and Their Diagnostic Values in Drug-naïve Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Objective: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder. Diagnosis of GAD depends on subjective complaints of patients, thus the need for biological markers is constantly emerging. In this study, we aimed to the investigate diagnostic values of Erythropoietin (Epo) and its receptor (EpoR) levels in drug-naïve patients with GAD. Methods: This study included 45 newly diagnosed drug-naive patients with GAD, aged and sex-matched 30 healthy controls. Medical histories were obtained, and physical examinations and laboratory tests were conducted. Also, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) was used for all participants. Serum Epo and EpoR levels were measured by ELISA. Results: HAM-A score was significantly higher in GAD patients versus the controls (p < 0.05). While the levels of Epo in patients with GAD were lower than the control patients, EpoR levels were increased in these patients (p < 0.05). Epo/EpoR ratios were significantly lower in the patients with GAD than in the control subjects (p < 0.05). A positive significant correlation was observed between the EpoR level and the HAM-A score (r = 0.755, p < 0.001). However, there was a negative significant correlation between Epo levels and HAM-A score (r = -0.749, p < 0.001). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed high diagnostic performance for Epo and EpoR, areas under curves were 0.901 and 0.912, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first report to investigate the association between serum Epo and EpoR levels in GAD patients. Our results reveal possible diagnostic value of Epo and EpoR. Moreover, Epo therapy may be a good choice for GAD treatment.

Serum Levels of 8-Iso-Prostaglandin F2α and Raftlin in Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Objective: Although there are neurobiological studies of patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), the topic is still open to research. Lipid peroxidation can generate new molecular signal sequences by altering protein amounts and activity. 8-Iso-Prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) is known to be an important lipid peroxidation marker. Raftlin, which is defined as a major lipid raft protein, is important for the regulation of signal transduction and inflammatory processes. Methods: Our aim in this study was to compare the 8-iso-PGF2α and Raftlin levels of forty patients diagnosed with GAD and 40 healthy controls (age-sex and body mass index-matched). Results: In the present study, increased serum 8-iso-PGF2α and Raftlin levels were found in patients with GAD compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine 8-iso-PGF2α and Raftlin levels in patients with GAD. These results expand our knowledge of oxidative stress and inflammatory processes in patients with GAD. Our study should be considered preliminary and further studies should be performed with larger sample groups comparing values before and after treatment.

Effects of Arum dioscoridis Extract on Hepatic Toxicity Caused by Thioacetamide in Rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Arum dioscoridis (tirsik) plant extract against thioacetamide-induced experimental liver toxicity. METHODS: In this study, 35 male Wistar-Albino rats, of 12-14 weeks old, weighing between 200 and 270 g, were used. Rats were divided into 5 groups of 7 each. The first group was determined as the control group, the second group as the hepatotoxicity group, the third group as the prophylaxis group, the fourth group as the intraperitoneal treatment group, and the fifth group as the oral treatment group. Hepatotoxicity was achieved with a single intraperitoneal dose of 350 mg/kg of thioacetamide (TAA). On the seventh day, the rats were sacrificed under general anesthesia. Their blood was taken and liver enzymes were studied. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathyon peroxi dase (GPx), catalase (CAT), superoxit dismutase (SOD) enzymes were studied from liver tissues. In addition, liver tissues were evaluated histopathologically. RESULTS: With Arum dioscoridis treatment and prophylaxis, improvements in all parameters and increases in tissue antioxidant levels were detected. CONCLUSION: It was determined that Arum dioscoridis plant extract has prophylactic and therapeutic effects on liver toxicity. In cases of acute liver injury and hepatotoxicity, we suggest the potential application of Arum dioscoridis for effective and inexpensive treatment.

Serum NOX1 and Raftlin as new potential biomarkers of Major Depressive Disorder: A study in treatment-naive first episode patients.

INTRODUCTION: Biological factors are known to be important in understanding the pathogenesis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation pathways are likely to play a critical role here. METHODS: We undertook a study to investigate two novel biomarkers - serum NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1) and Raftlin levels - in treatment-naive, smoking-free first episode patients with MDD compared to healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex and body mass index. RESULTS: We found increased NOX1 and Raftlin levels in MDD patients compared to HCs. Both parameters showed very good diagnostic performance in the MDD group. In addition, we found a significant positive correlation between depression severity (HAMD) scores and both biomarker levels in the patient group. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first human study to evaluate serum NOX1 and Raftlin levels in depression. NOX1, an important source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and Raftlin, which may play a role in the inflammatory process, represent novel potential biomarkers of MDD. These findings support the implication of oxidative stress and inflammatory processes in patients with MDD, and indicate that the deteriorated ROS-antioxidant balance can be regulated via NOX1 in patients with depression.

Serum NOX1 and Raftlin as New Potential Biomarkers of Interest in Schizophrenia: A Preliminary Study.

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress (OS) and neuroinflammation play a role in the neuroprogression of schizophrenia (SCZ). Promising novel candidates which have been proposed in the search for biomarkers of psychotic illness include NADPH oxidase 1,2 (NOX1,2) and raftlin. NOX1 from the NOX family is the main source of physiological reactive oxygen species (ROS) and raftlin, the main lipid raft protein, is associated with inflammatory processes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate serum NOX1 and raftlin levels in chronic stable patients with SCZ. Methods: We measured serum NOX1 and raftlin levels from 45 clinically stable patients with SCZ and 45 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and body-mass index. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was applied to the patient group to evaluate the severity of psychotic symptoms. Results: NOX1 and raftlin levels in the patients were statistically significantly higher than the HCs (NOX1 p<0.001, raftlin p<0.001). Both parameters showed very good diagnostic performance (NOX1 AUC = 0.931, raftlin AUC = 0.915). We obtained positive and significant correlations between serum levels of both biomarkers and symptom severity. Discussion: This preliminary study indicating elevations in serum NOX1 and raftlin levels in patients with SCZ supports the importance of OS and inflammatory processes in the etiopathogenesis of the illness.

Comparing the effects of serum GPER-1 and oxidant/antioxidant levels on retinopathy in patients with diabetes and healthy individuals: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effect of serum G receptor-mediated protein-1 levels on the development of retinopathy in patients with diabetes in comparison with healthy individuals. METHODS: The study enrolled patients with diabetic retinopathy (Group 1), patients without diabetic retinopathy (Group 2), and healthy individuals (Group 3). Levels of serum progesterone, serum G receptor-mediated protein-1, estradiol, oxidant/antioxidants, and thyroid-releasing hormones were analyzed and compared among the groups. Post-hoc analysis was performed to compare the subgroups in which significant differences were found. RESULTS: Groups 1, 2, and 3 each included 40 patients. A significant difference was found among all groups in terms of serum G receptor-mediated protein-1, oxidant/antioxidant, and estradiol levels (p<0.01), but no significant difference was found in terms of thyroid-releasing hormone or progesterone (p=0.496, p=0.220, respectively). In the post-hoc analysis of the groups with significant differences, another significant difference was found among all groups for serum G receptor-mediated protein-1 and oxidant/antioxidant levels (p<0.05). Serum G receptor-mediated protein-1 and oxidant levels were positively correlated, whereas serum G receptor-mediated protein-1 and antioxidant levels were negatively correlated (r=0.622/p<0.01, r=0.453/p<0.01, r=0.460/p<0.01, respectively). The multiple regression analysis showed that increased levels of serum G receptor-mediated protein-1 may help prevent diabetic retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Serum G receptor-mediated protein-1 levels, which were the highest in the diabetic retinopathy Group, increased as the oxidant/antioxidant balance changed in favor of oxidative stress. This appears to be a defense mechanism for preventing neuronal damage.

Evaluation of serum G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER-1) levels in patients with androgenetic alopecia.

The effect of oestrogens in androgenetic alopecia (AGA) pathophysiology has not been clearly understood. However, they are considered to have a place in the AGA pathogenesis as the androgens do. The effects of estrogen occur via the estrogen receptors alpha and beta, and the recently discovered G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER-1). Aim of this study is to examine serum GPER-1 levels of AGA patients and to evaluate the place of them in AGA pathogenesis for the first time through the literature. 40 AGA patients with clinical AGA stage 2-3-4 diagnoses according to the Hamilton-Norwood classification for males, and AGA stage 2 according to Ludwig system for females and with normal serum dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate, estradiol, total testosterone, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were included in the study in addition to 40 healthy controls with similar characteristics by means of age and gender. We received the medical history and performed the physical examinations. We measured serum GPER-1 levels. Serum GPER-1 levels of AGA patients and the control group were 30.43 ± 3.83 ng/mL and 14.18 ± 3.61 ng/mL (mean ± SD), respectively. The levels were detected as significantly increased in AGA group compared with the control group (p = 0.007). No serum GPER-1 level differences were found among female and male patients (p = 0.101). Significantly high levels of serum GPER-1 levels in AGA patients without any relationship between gender and GPER-1 Levels compared with healthy controls reminded us that GPER-1 might have a role in AGA pathogenesis independent from the gender.

Effects of Urtica dioica Seeds on Oxidative/ Nitrosative Stress Levels and Myeloperoxidase Activity in Muscle Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

Abstract The purpose of this study is to evaluate the preventive effects of Urtica dioica (UD) on muscle ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. A total of 27 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups as the control group (1), I/R + saline group (2), and I/R+UD group (3). Group 1 did not receive any treatment. Group 2 was administered a total of 2mL/kg saline (1mL/kg before ischemia and 1 mL/kg after reperfusion), and group 3 was given a total of 2mL of UD (1mL/kg before ischemia and 1mL/kg after reperfusion) as treatment. Saline and UD were administered via intraesophageal canula once a day for five days. At the end of five days, all the rats were exposed to muscle ischemia for 60 min followed by 60 min of reperfusion of the bilateral hindlimbs induced using a tourniquet. Muscle tissue histopathologies were evaluated by light microscopy. Furthermore, oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrotyrosine (3-NT), nitric oxide (NO), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) as an inflammatory marker in tissue samples were measured. UD treatment significantly decreased oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarker levels and MPO (p<0.05). We established that UD treatment could alleviate muscle injury induced by muscle I/R in rats by inhibiting the inflammation and oxidative/nitrosative stress

The Preventive Effect of Systemic Honokiol and Systemic Pentoxifylline on Epidural Fibrosis.

AIM: To investigate the preventive effects of systemic honokiol and pentoxifylline treatments on epidural fibrosis (EF) in the experimental laminectomy model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two rats were divided into four equal groups. Laminectomy was performed in all rats except for the control group. One group was kept as the negative control group. Moreover, 10 mg/kg pentoxifylline and 10 mg/kg honokiol were administered intraperitoneally for 5 days, respectively, to the other two groups. The rats were sacrificed after 4 weeks. The samples were examined biochemically in terms of oxidative stress and inflammation induced by tissue damage. Histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations were also performed to detect EF severity. RESULTS: In honokiol and pentoxifylline groups compared with the negative control group, tumor necrosis factor-beta and interleukin-10 levels (indicating inflammation); myeloperoxidase, malondialdehyde, and hydroxyproline levels (indicating oxidative stress); and intercellular adhesion molecule levels (indicating fibrosis) were decreased. Histopathologically and immunohistochemically, EF was significantly reduced in the pentoxifylline and honokiol groups. Biochemical findings were consistent with the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings. CONCLUSION: Both pentoxifylline and honokiol prevent EF formation. However, this effect is more pronounced in honokiol.

Diagnostic Performance of Increased Malondialdehyde Level and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Schizophrenia.

INTRODUCTION: Schizophrenia is typically diagnosed through interviews with patients and their relatives. Thus, molecular biomarkers for this mental illness have recently become a hot topic for research. Oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters, such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), have been investigated in schizophrenia; however, no studies have been conducted on the diagnostic performance of oxidative parameters. The goal of the present study is to examine the serum levels of SOD, CAT and MDA and to test the diagnostic performance of MDA in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Thirty patients with schizophrenia and 30 healthy gender- and age-matched controls were included in our study. Symptom severity in the patient group was rated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: The serum levels of MDA, SOD and CAT were found to be significantly increased in patients with schizophrenia compared to the control group. A receiver operating characteristic curve showed a cut-off point of 2.72 nmol/ml for the MDA diagnostic measure. No significant correlation was found (p>0.05) between MDA, SOD and CAT activity and PANSS scores or the chlorpromazine equivalent and clinical characteristics. CONCLUSION: In summary, we found higher serum levels of SOD, CAT and MDA in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. MDA is considered a very good diagnostic lipid peroxidation marker, and further studies should be done to test its validity in patients with schizophrenia.

Diagnostic Performance of Erythropoietin and Erythropoietin Receptors Levels in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous, highly heritable, a common childhood neurobehavioural disorder resulting from complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. The erythropoietin (Epo)/erythropoietin receptors (EpoR) system turned out to have additional important functions in nonhematopoietic tissue. In this study, we aimed to investigate the levels of Epo and and EpoR, and also their diagnostic values in children with ADHD. METHODS: A total of 70 children were included in the study, 35 drug-naive patients with ADHD (age: 6-12 years; male/female: 20/15) and 35 healthy controls (age: 6-12 years; male/female: 22/13). Serum Epo and EpoR levels was determined using a commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. RESULTS: The results indicated that the levels of Epo decreased in patients with ADHD compared to control (p < 0.05). On the other hand, EpoR levels increased in these patients (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the ratio of Epo/EpoR was significantly lower in ADHD patients than controls (p < 0.05). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed high diagnostic performance for Epo and EpoR, areas under curve were 0.980 and 1.000, respectively. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to investigate the association between serum Epo and EpoR levels in ADHD patients. Our results indicated that Epo may play a role in the etiology of ADHD, and Epo therapy may be beneficial in these disorders if given in addition to the routine treatment of children with ADHD. Furthermore, our results reveal possible diagnostic value of Epo and EpoR.

Erythropoetin and erythropoetin receptor systems, and oxidative status in patients with basal cell.

INTRODUCTION: Erythropoietin (Epo) controls a variety of signal transduction pathways during oxidative stress. The main function of Epo and its receptor (EpoR) is the stimulation of erythropoiesis. AIM: The role of Epo and EpoR on non-hematopoietic normal and cancerous tissues is still poorly understood. This is the first report in which we aimed to investigate the role of Epo and EpoR systems at oxidative condition in human basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is the most common tumour in the world.Materials and methods: Fresh normal and cancerous skin paired tissue was obtained from 63 patients who underwent curative BCC resection in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. Preliminary diagnosis of BCC was made in the dermatology clinic by excision and then the diagnosis was confirmed as histopathologic findings. Oxidative stress biomarkers such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in biopsy samples were measured spectrophotometrically, and also the levels of Epo and EpoR were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: While the levels of MDA in cancerous tissue of patients with skin BCC were significantly higher than normal neighbouring skin tissue (p<0.05), SOD and CAT activities decreased (p<0.05). Furthermore, a remarkable increase was found in the Epo level ofpatients with skin BCC in comparison with the normal neighbouring skin tissue (p<0.05). However, we found that EpoR levels decreased (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that there is an active oxidative process in BCC biopsies. The levels of increased Epo and decreased EpoR in oxidative condition due to hypoxia may aggravate tumour growth by its angiogenic activity.

Genetic heterogeneity of beta thalassemia mutations in Kahramanmaras province in Southern Turkey: preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Beta thalassemia is one of the most common autosomal single-gene disorders in the world. The prevalence of the disease is in the "thalassemia belt" which includes the Mediterranean region of Turkey; throughout the country the gene frequency is estimated to be 2.1%, but in certain regions, this figure increases to 10%. AIM: In this first study, we aimed to determine the frequency of ß-thalassemia trait and distrubition of mutations in Kahramanmaras province, which is located in the southern part of Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study; 5 ml blood samples was taken from 14 thalassemic patients and their relatives who were taking care of Sutcu Imam University Hospital at Kahramanmaras. Also, we collected blood samples from 245 adults for screening beta thalassemia trait. Haematological data were obtained by cell counter.  HbA2 was determined by HPLC. Ten common mutations were screened by ARMS  (Amplification Refractory Mutation System) method. These ß-thalassemia mutations are -30 (T>A), Fsc8 (-AA), Fsc8/9 (+G), IVS1-1 (G>A), IVS1-5 (G>C), IVS1-6 (T>C), IVS1-110 (G>A ), Cd 39 ( C>T), IVS2-1 (G>A), IVS 2-745 (C>G). A rare mutation; Fsc44 (-C) was charecterized by DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Ten patients were detected as homozygous for IVS1-110 (seven cases), Fsc 44 (two cases) and IVS1-5 (only one case). Rest of the 4 patients were double heterozygous (two: IVS1-110/IVS1-6, one: Fsc8/Fsc8-9, one: IVS2-1/IVS1-5). In 245 adult, five  ß-thalassemia trait were detected by screening survey. Conclusion: Sixteen alleles were detected as IVS1-110 in 57.1%. It was seen the most common mutation in Kahramanmaras. Seven different ß-thalassemia mutations were found in this study. Each of 10 families have only one thalassemic patient, other two families have double thalassemic patient in total 12 family.

Evaluation of preoperative and postoperative serum interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor α and raftlin levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND: Raftlin is a large, major lipid raft protein of cell membranes. Raftlin levels have not been previously examined in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Our study aimed to evaluate the changes in raftlin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) values from the preoperative state to the third month postoperatively in patients undergoing expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty for OSA. METHODS: Of 60 patients, 10 patients had mild OSA (AHI 5-14), 10 moderate (AHI 15-29), 10 severe (AHI ≥ 30), and 30 with AHI < 5 formed a control group. Preoperatively and at 3 months post-operatively, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, and raftlin values were measured. RESULTS: Preoperatively, mean raftlin levels were 914.4 ± 62.7 pg/mL for controls, 910.0 ± 42.5 pg/mL in mild, 1000.5 ± 63.3 pg/mL in moderate, and 1386.3 ± 101.4 pg/mL in severe groups, with moderate and severe groups significantly elevated compared to controls (p < 0.001). Preoperatively to 3 months post-operatively, raftlin levels decreased significantly in each OSA group (p < 0.05). Levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNFα followed similar patterns at baseline and after surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Raftlin levels at the third postoperative month decreased significantly compared with preoperative levels in parallel with other markers of inflammation.

Epidermal growth factor or platelet-rich plasma combined with induced membrane technique in the treatment of segmental femur defects: an experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: Extensive bone defects remain a therapeutic challenge necessitating alternative surgical approaches with better outcomes. Can increase the effectiveness of PRP or EGF treatment in surgical treatment of large bone defects with Masquelet technique? Aim of this study examined potential therapeutic benefits of the Masquelet technique with induced membranes in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or epidermal growth factor (EGF) in a rat model of segmental femur defect. METHODS: Three groups each consisting of 20 Sprague-Dawley rats were defined as follows: EGF group, PRP group, and control group. A femoral bone defect was created and filled with antibiotic embedded polymethyl methacrylate. Half of the animals in each group were sacrificed at week 6 and the pseudo-membranes formed were analyzed. In the remaining half, the cement was removed and the space was filled with autograft. After another 6 weeks, the structures formed were examined radiologically, histologically, and biochemically. RESULTS: At week 6, both PRP and EGF groups had significantly higher membrane CD31, TGF-beta, and VEGF levels than controls. At week 12, when compared to controls, PRP and EGF groups had significantly higher membrane CD31 levels and the PRP group had significantly higher membrane TGF levels. Regarding bone tissue levels, PRP and EGF groups had significantly higher VEGF levels and the EGF group had significantly higher BMP levels. In addition, PRP and EGF groups had higher radiological scores than controls. However, the two experimental groups did not differ with respect to any parameter tested in this study. CONCLUSION: Both PRP and EGF seem to be associated with histological, biochemical, and radiological improvements in experimental rat model of Masquelet technique, warranting in further clinical studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 5.