Protective Effect of Ellagic Acid on Paraquat-induced Kidney Hazards in Rats.

INTRODUCTION: Paraquat is a commonly used highly toxic herbicide. Despite many studies on detoxification of paraquat, an efficient and safe antidote has not been introduced for toxic cases in human being. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ellagic acid (EA) on paraquat-induced kidney hazards in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty rats were randomly assigned as controls and 5 treatment groups (n = 10 each) receiving EA only, paraquat at doses of 15 mg/kg and 45 mg/kg, and paraquat at the same doses plus EA. Paraquat was intraperitoneally injected and the EA was orally given. Kidney tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histopathologic investigation. RESULTS: Pathologic scoring showed that paraquat at the higher dose was associated with higher scores than the in the controls, EA group, and the high-dose paraquat group with EA treatment (P < .001 for all comparisons).  It was noted that paraquat caused a serious damage in the kidney and the EA treatment significantly reduced the extent of the damage. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the protective effects of EA against paraquat-induced nephrotoxicity histologically. Ellagic acid provided significant improvement in glomerular and tubular structure.

Higher frequency of methicillin resistant bacteria in children with familial mediterranean fever.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate resistant microorganisms in nasal mucosa of children with Familial Mediterranean Fever. METHODS: The study was conducted from March to May 2013 at Mustafa Kemal University, Turkey, and comprised children with Familial Mediterranean Fever and healthy controls. All subjects had no history of antibiotic or local and/or systemic steroid use within the preceding 2 weeks. Nasal swab samples were obtained from all the subjects. Strain identification was done by using standard methods. SPSS 13 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the 151 subjects in the study, 73 (48.34%) were cases and 78 (51.65%) were controls. Among the cases, there were 26(35.6%) girls, while among the controls, there were 40(51.3%) girls (p=0.052). The mean age of the cases was 7.78 ± 3.34 years (range: 3-15 years), while it was 8.15 ± 2.71 years (range: 3-16) among the controls (p = 0.208). Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococcus and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus were isolated in both the groups. The growth rate of resistant bacteria was 63% (n = 46) in the cases, in the controls (p = 0.003; odds ratio [OR]: 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-5.2). Among the controls, history of hospitalisation increased the risk for the presence of resistant bacteria by 7.7 fold (OR: 7.7; 95% CI: 1.4-40.4). CONCLUSION: Higher rates of resistant bacteria showed that they were at risk of comorbidities related to antibiotic resistance.

Protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on dose-dependent intoxication of rats with paraquat.

PURPOSE: Paraquat (PQ; 1,1'dimethyl-bipyridilium 4,4'-dichloride), which is used extensively throughout the world, is highly toxic to humans. We aimed to investigate the protective effects of different doses of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on PQ-intoxicated rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 rats were divided into the following eight groups, comprising 10 rats in each group: group 1: control; group 2: administered with CAPE (10 µmol/kg); group 3: administered with 15 mg/kg PQ (PQ15 group); group 4: administered with 30 mg/kg PQ (PQ30 group); group 5: administered with 45 mg/kg PQ (PQ45 group); group 6: administered with 15 mg/kg PQ + CAPE; group 7: administered with 30 mg/kg PQ + CAPE and group 8: administered with 45 mg/kg PQ + CAPE. Both PQ and CAPE were injected intraperitoneally. Pancreatic tissue was examined with both haematoxylin and eosin and immunochemical staining. RESULTS: The ratio of the immunohistochemical staining area to the total pancreatic area of the ß cells revealed that statistically significant differences were observed only between the PQ and PQ + CAPE groups (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: The evaluation of the data suggests that CAPE can be used to prevent acute effects of PQ intoxication.

The incidence of preeclampsia in ICSI pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the association between infertility etiology in ICSI pregnancies and preeclampsia; besides, we aimed to discuss the effect of the paternal factor in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that preeclampsia is more common in ICSI pregnancies with male factor. It is known that maternal exposure to paternal sperm cells over a time period has a protective effect against preeclampsia. Male partners with azospermia have no sperm cells in their seminal fluid, whose female partners will not be able to develop some protective immunity against preeclampsia. We hypothesized that the infertile couples with male factor (partner with azoospermia and also oligospermia) would be an ideal model to test the partner-specific protective immunity against preeclampsia, as the women had no chance to develop adequate protective immunity via the partner's sperm exposure. METHODS: This Single-center, retrospective study included 508 infertile couples admitted to our IVF center between January 2001 and March 2008. The data regarding the maternal age, etiology of the infertility, the pregnancy rates, abortus ratio and viable pregnancy rates was collected from the case files. Antenatal complications such as preeclampsia, placenta previa, abruptio placenta, premature rupture of membranes, premature labor, oligohydramnios, gestational diabetes, postmaturity, postpartum complications and neonatal outcomes were evaluated via the file records and phone interviewing. The study population was divided into two main groups according to the etiology of infertility. 301 of the study population (group 1) was infertile due to male factor and 207 of the study population (group 2) was female factor and unexplained infertility cases.Group 1 patients were divided further into two subgroups: group 1a included 56 cases in which TESE (testicular sperm extraction) was used to obtain the sperm cells as the male factor was severe and as there was no sperm cells in seminal fluid. Group 1 b consists of 245oligospermic cases who obtained sperm cells via conventional methods. RESULTS: The mean ages of women in Group one and two were 30.22±5.06 and 31.58±4.36 years respectively (p=0.001). 129 cases (42,8%) from group one and 106 cases (51,2%) from Group two ended in first trimester and early second trimester (<24 gestational weeks) pregnancy loss. In group one, only 172 cases of 301 pregnancies passed over 24 weeks of gestational age, whereas in group two, 101 cases of 207 patients passed over 24 gestational weeks. There was no significant difference between two groups regarding chemical pregnancies and early pregnancy loss (p=0.314). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding placenta previa, gestational diabetes, oligo hydramnios and intrauterine growth retardation. One one pregnancy was 1.5 times more vulnerable for preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: Pregnancies with azoospermic and oligospermic partners had an increased risk for developing preeclampsia.

Determination of hearing levels in patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever.

OBJECTIVE: Familial Mediterranean Fever is the most common congenital, periodic fever condition that affects over 100,000 people worldwide. In the literature, there is limited number of studies about hearing levels in children with Familial Mediterranean Fever. In the present study, we aimed to investigate hearing levels and cochlear functions by using Distortion product Otoacoustic Emission and High Frequency Audiometry (250-20,000 Hz) in pediatric patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever. METHODS: The study included 62 children with Familial Mediterranean Fever and 27 healthy children with similar age and gender. After otoscopic examination, both groups underwent audiological evaluation including High Frequency Audiometry (250-20,000 Hz) and Distortion product Otoacoustic Emissions. The results obtained were assessed among groups. In addition, these results were compared regarding colchicine use, age at the onset of disease and duration of the diseases in the Familial Mediterranean Fever group. RESULTS: Of the Familial Mediterranean Fever patients, 93.5% were on colchicine therapy and mean duration of colchicine use was 19.9 ± 13.9 months. The mean age at diagnosis was 6.57 ± 2.86 years (min-max: 2-14) and mean duration of disease was 23 ± 17 months (min-max: 6-84). Pure tone audiometry values, and hearing levels between 9000 and 20,000 Hz were similar and within normal range in both groups. The Distortion product Otoacoustic Emissions responses at the frequencies of 1020, 2040, 3000, 4080 and 5040 Hz were similar for both groups. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating hearing levels at the frequencies of 18k Hz and 20k Hz in children with Familial Mediterranean Fever in the literature. In children with Familial Mediterranean Fever, Pure tone audiometry values, hearing values obtained at all frequencies from 250 to 20,000 Hz, and Distortion product Otoacoustic Emissions levels were within normal range. Furthermore, hearing levels were found to be similar to those in healthy children.

The relationship between anemia and accommodative esotropia in children.

BACKGROUND: Refraction problems, motor disorders, sensorial disorders, physical and psychic traumas of eye may be responsible for development of strabismus. Anemia may cause sensory-neural disorders in children. We investigated the relationship between anemia and accommodative esotropia in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four patients with accommodative esotropia were evaluated. This group was identified as patient group (group 1). Eighty-three pediatric patients, who were not esotropia and only had refraction problems, were identified as control group (group 2). The difference between the groups was statistically analyzed evaluating patients for anemia. RESULTS: 33 of 64 patients with accommodative esotropia in group 1 were male, as 43 of 83 patients with refractive error in group 2 were male. The mean age of patients in group 1 and 2 were 6 ± 3.92 and 6.37 ± 2.74 (P > 0.05) respectively. There was significant difference between two groups, when mean hemoglobin value of those was compared (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hb level may affects the accommodative esotropia.

[The case of Henoch-Schönlein Purpura associated with Blastocystis hominis]. / Blastocystis hominis ile Iliskili Henoch-Schönlein Purpura Vakasi

Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) is a parasite that often causes gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with immune deficiency and has a controversial pathogenicity in healthy people, although some symptoms are reported outside of the gastrointestinal system in healthy persons. Henoch-Schönlein Purpura (HSP) vasculitis is an acute autoimmune disease characterised by IgA storage of small vessels that is believed to include infectious factors in its aetiology. A 30-month follow-up with a boy diagnosed with HSP being treated with steroid therapy showed that he had recurrent symptoms within two days, and B. hominis was detected in the faecal analysis. His symptoms including rash, abdominal pain, and arthritis improved after treatment with steroid and co-trimaksazol. This paper is the first to present a case of HSP associated with B. hominis.

Development of acute dystonia in three brothers due to metoclopramide.

One of the agents that cause dystonic reactions is metoclopramide. In this study, we presented three individuals of the same family who were admitted to our hospital while receiving the treatment of metoclopramide because of developing acute dystonic reaction. Appropriate doses of metoclopramide therapy had begun to all brothers with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis. After receiving the first dose of medication, acute dystonia was observed within half an hour in these brothers who used metoclopramide. Thus, if there is a patient who developed acute dystonia in the same family due to metoclopramide, avoiding from use of metoclopramide will be beneficial for other members of the family.

Reference values of serum cystatin-C for full-term and preterm neonates in Istanbul.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level and distribution of Cystatin C values in full-term and preterm healthy neonates for the purpose of diagnosis and follow-up of renal diseases of the neonates. METHODS: Eighty-eight newborn infants, including 55 preterm and 33 term born in the authors' hospital having no urinary tract pathology, symptoms or signs during prenatal and postnatal follow-up, were studied . RESULTS: There were 25 neonates born between gestational wk of 28 and 32 (Group 1), 30 neonates born between gestational wk of 33-36 (Group 2) and 33 neonates born after gestational wk of 37 (Group 3). Average cystatin C values were determined to be 1.41 mg/l, 1.22 mg/l and 1.21 mg/l for Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of cystatin C can be effective for follow-up of renal pathologies, because it is not affected by gender, body weight and muscle mass and has a constant production rate.

A comparison of misoprostol, controlled-release dinoprostone vaginal insert and oxytocin for cervical ripening.

OBJECTIVE: We compared the safety and effectiveness of oxytocin, dinoprostone and misoprostol for cervical priming. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 218 patients were enrolled to receive between one and three treatments according to physicians' options. The end points were: (1) vaginal delivery or Bishop score ≥ 8 at the end of 12 h, (2) vaginal delivery by 12 h or difference ≥ 4 between the initial and 12th hour Bishop scores. Statistical analyses were performed with ANOVA, Krustal Wallis, Scheffe, χ², Fisher, Advanced χ², and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Tukey's HSD was used as a post hoc test. RESULTS: Misoprostol showed statistical significance for the rate of vaginal delivery <12 h, ≥ 8 Bishop score at the end of 12 h, and cervical change of ≥ 4 Bishop scores within 12 h (p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Comparison between cases Bishop score <4 showed that misoprostol is more effective than dinoprostone and oxytocin. Considering Bishop score = 0 cases we calculated no statistical significance.