Melatonin prevents deterioration of erectile function in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats via sirtuin-1 expression

A review of the literature indicated that sirtuin-1 expression, a regulator of nitric oxide bioavailability in erectile dysfunction (ED) after melatonin therapy, has not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of melatonin for erectile function with sirtuin-1 protein expression in type 1 diabetic rat models. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were placed into five groups. Except for those in the control group (C), each animal received a single dose (60 mg/kg) of streptozotocin to induce diabetes. The animals were placed into the diabetes (D) group, insulin (I) group (6 U/kg/day), melatonin (Mel) group (10 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) and combined treatment (I + Mel) group. Ten weeks later, the serum testosterone levels, intracavernosal pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), malondialdehyde (MDA), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (c-GMP), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), caspase-3 activity, sirtuin-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression and histological findings were assessed. The mean ICP/MAP ratio for the D group was lower than the mean ratios for the other groups. The treatment groups, particularly the I + Mel group, exhibited lower 8-OHdG and MDA levels and caspase-3 activity than the D group. The sirtuin-1 and eNOS expression and cavernosal tissue (CT) histology seemed to have been preserved by the melatonin and/or insulin therapy. These results were indicative of a profound protective effect of melatonin by the activation of sirtuin-1 protein expression against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative CT injury.     

Suicidal risk and demoralization in Parkinson disease

Journal of Neurology - We aimed to determine suicide risk and lifetime suicidal ideation in Parkinson disease (PD) patients versus controls and how depression, demoralization, and insomnia are...     

Evaluation of staining susceptibility of resin artificial teeth and stain removal efficacy of denture cleansers

Objective. To assess the staining susceptibility of four acrylic resin (Ivostar, SR Vivodent PE, Major Dent, Integral) and a nanocomposite resin (Veracia) artificial teeth and to evaluate the stain removal efficacy of denture cleansers. Materials and methods. Sixty maxillary incisors of each brand (total = 300) were divided into three groups according to staining solution as coffee, red wine and tea. Baseline color measurements were performed with a spectrophotometer. Specimens were immersed in staining solutions for 14 h (2 h × 7 days) and then second color measurements were performed. Each group was further divided into four sub-groups according to denture cleanser as Corega tabs, Fittydent, NaOCl (0.5%) and distilled water (control) (n = 5). Specimens were immersed in denture cleansers for 8 h and third color measurements were made. Thus, the weekly simulation period was completed. This cycle was repeated 12 times to simulate a 3-month time period and measurements were performed at the end of the 4th, 8th and 12th cycles. ΔE values were calculated and data were analyzed with 3-way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni tests. Results. Significant color differences were found among the teeth and staining solutions, but all of the color differences were in the clinically acceptable range (ΔE < 5.5). Integral showed the highest ΔE values for all solutions, while Ivostar and Vivodent demonstrated the lowest ΔE values for red wine and tea solutions. There was no significant difference among the denture cleansers in terms of stain removal efficacy. Conclusions. Cross-linked acrylic (Integral) and nanocomposite (Veracia) resin teeth were more susceptible to staining. Denture cleansers were efficient on stain removal from artificial teeth.     

The effect of bolus methylprednisolone in prevention of brain edema in hypoxic ischemic brain injury: an experimental study in 7-day-old rat pups

One of the major mechanisms responsible for tissue injury in hypoxic ischemic brain damage is the formation of free radicals. We studied the efficacy of methylprednisolone, which is claimed to cause rapid congealing of membranes, and to protect the cells against the free radicals present in the environment, in preventing the brain edema that occurs in hypoxic ischemic brain injury. Hypoxic ischemic brain injury to the right hemisphere in 7-day-old rat pups is produced by cauterization of the right common carotid artery followed by hypoxia in 8% oxygen and 92% nitrogen for 3 h. The animals were divided into the groups. One group received methylprednisolone at 30 mg/kg body weight and the other an equal volume of saline 40 min before hypoxia. At 42 h of recovery, some of the rats were killed for measurement of water content in the right and left hemispheres whereas others were killed at 40 days for neuropathological examination. The water content in the right hemisphere was significantly lower in the 19 methylprednisolone-treated pups than it was in 20 saline-treated pups, mean +/- S.E.M. was 83.913 +/- 0.313% and 86.681 +/- 0.377%, respectively. The differences between the means were significant (P less than 0.001) according to the Mann-Whitney U-test. The difference of the mean water contents between the two hemispheres was significantly higher in the saline-treated group (2.695 +/- 0.372%) than it was in the methylprednisolone-treated group (0.432 +/- 0.088%), P less than 0.0001 by independent samples t-test. Neuropathological study was performed on 4 rat pups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Serum endostatin levels and regenerative capacities of normal and cirrhotic livers following partial hepatectomy in mice: the response to different resection sizes

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis has an important role in liver regeneration. Antiangiogenic response in remnant liver following resection and its relationship to regeneration is not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hepatectomy size on serum endostatin levels, and the effect of endostatin levels to liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in normal and cirrhotic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty noncirrhotic and 36 carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic mice were included in the study. Noncirrhotic mice were randomly divided into four main groups: sham, 20%, 40%, and 70% hepatectomy groups. Similarly, cirrhotic mice were randomly divided into three main groups: sham, 20%, and 40% hepatectomy groups. The mice in each group were further divided into two subgroups to compare serum endostatin levels and liver regeneration indexes on days 1 and 14. Liver regeneration was evaluated by the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-labeling index. Serum endostatin level was measured to evaluate antiangiogenic response. RESULTS: Serum endostatin levels on the first day and 14th day increased significantly in correlation with the hepatectomy size, both in normal mice and cirrhotic mice (P < 0.05). In normal mice with high regeneration indexes that underwent 40% and 70% hepatectomies, there was a significant increase in serum endostatin levels on the 14th day compared with the first day (P < 0.05). However, the increase in mice that underwent 20% hepatectomies was not significant. After 20% and 40% hepatectomies, first day serum endostatin levels were significantly higher in cirrhotic mice compared with normal mice (P < 0.05), which was independent of regeneration. Nevertheless, after 40% hepatectomies, 14th day serum endostatin levels were significantly lower in cirrhotic mice compared with normal mice, attributable to the limited regeneration capacity of cirrhotic liver (P < 0.05). Regeneration capacity of cirrhotic liver was low at all times. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that there is a significant relationship between serum endostatin levels and regeneration capacity after hepatectomy in normal mice. On the other hand, following resection of cirrhotic liver, regeneration capacity is depressed and high endostatin levels are independent of hepatic regeneration.