Neuroprotective effect of levetiracetam on hypoxic ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats

Purpose

Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury that occurs in the perinatal period is one of the leading causes of mental retardation, visual and auditory impairment, motor defects, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and death in neonates. The severity of apoptosis that develops after ischemic hypoxia and reperfusion is an indication of brain injury. Thus, it may be possible to prevent or reduce injury with treatments that can be given before the reperfusion period following hypoxia and ischemia. Levetiracetam is a new-generation antiepileptic drug that has begun to be used in the treatment of epilepsy.

Methods

The present study investigated the effects of levetiracetam on neuronal apoptosis with histopathological and biochemical tests in the early period and behavioral experiments in the late period.

Results

This study showed histopathologically that levetiracetam reduces the number of apoptotic neurons and has a neuroprotective effect in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the early period. On the other hand, we demonstrated that levetiracetam dose dependently improves behavioral performance in the late period.

Conclusions

Based on these results, we believe that one mechanism of levetiracetam’s neuroprotective effects is due to increases in glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzyme levels. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show the neuroprotective effects of levetiracetam in a neonatal rat model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury using histopathological, biochemical, and late-period behavioral experiments within the same experimental group.     

Comparing acromegalic patients to healthy controls with respect to intraocular pressure,central corneal thickness,and optic disc topography findings

Aims:

The aim was to compare the intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and optic disc topography findings of biochemically controlled acromegalic patients and the control group and to evaluate the effect of the duration of acromegaly and serum growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels on these ocular parameters.

Materials and Methods:

IOP measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometry, CCT measurement with ultrasonic pachymetry, and topographic analysis with Heidelberg retinal tomograph III were performed on 35 biochemically controlled acromegalic patients and 36 age- and gender-matched controls.

Results:

Mean IOP and CCT were 14.7 ± 2.9 mmHg and 559.5 ± 44.9 μm in the acromegaly patients and 13.0 ± 1.6 mmHg and 547.1 ± 26.7 μm in controls (P = 0.006 and P = 0.15, respectively). A significant moderate correlation was found between the duration of acromegaly and CCT (r = 0.391) and IOP (r = 0.367). Mean retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was significantly lower in the acromegalic patients (0.25 ± 0.05 mm) as compared to controls (0.31 ± 0.09 mm) (P = 0.01). A significant moderate correlation was detected between IGF-1 level and disc area (r = 0.362), cup area (r = 0.389) and cup volume (r = 0.491).

Conclusion:

Biochemically controlled acromegalic patients showed significantly higher CCT and IOP levels and lower RNFL thickness compared to healthy controls and the duration of disease was correlated with CCT and IOP levels.     

Review of detection frequency and type of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal compounds analyzed by Istanbul Narcotic Department of the Council of Forensic Medicine,Turkey

In recent years, synthetic cannabinoids have been frequently observed in seized materials all over the world. This new generation of designer drugs, mixed with herbal substances, is also known as “Herbal Highs” or “Legal Highs”.There are many articles about the history, type and pharmaco-chemical properties of synthetic cannabinoids in the literature; however the number of articles about the frequency of their detection is limited. In this study, we evaluated the type and detection frequency of synthetic cannabinoids in Istanbul and its surrounding area. The reports of the Council of Forensic Medicine-Istanbul Narcotic Department were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal compounds sent by the judicial authorities between August 01, 2010 and March 31, 2012. Among 1200 herbal compounds, 1179 of them (98.3%) contained synthetic cannabinoids. Twenty-one samples (1.7%) had other psychoactive substances. The analysis of 1179 samples showed that JWH-018 was present in 1172 (99.4%) of the samples. JWH-081 was found in 777 samples (65.9%) together with JWH-018. Samples had different package names. “Bonzai Aromatic Potpourri” (n = 755; 64.0%) and “Bonzai Plant Growth Regulator” (n = 316; 26.8%) were the most common product names amongst the herbal products in this study. It is clear from the present study and previous studies that brand name of synthetic cannabinoids that dominate the market exhibit regional differences as to the type and detection frequency of synthetic cannabinoids and the content of herbal highs packages.The number and diversity of synthetic cannabinoid compounds have increased dramatically in the drug market in recent years. New, different, potent derivatives appear on the market almost every day and this presents important problems that need to be solved by scientists and judicial authorities working to prevent their harm. These problems include the limited knowledge about their frequency, the lack of analytical data and reference standards for analysis of these new derivates, the lack of information on their toxic effects, and information about the metabolism and metabolites for toxicological analysis in human subjects.     

Penile size in term newborn infants

The objective of this study was to establish standard penile size in healthy full-term Turkish newborns and to evaluate the relation between penile and other anthropometric measures. For this prospective study, stretched penile length (SPL) and penile diameter (PD) of live-borns delivered in our hospital between September 2007-December 2008 were measured, and their birthweight, length and head circumference were recorded. Penile versus other anthropometric correlations were determined by Pearson analyses, followed by linear regression. In 1217 full-term subjects, mean SPL was 3.16 +/- 0.39 cm (+/- 2.5 SD = 2.19-4.14 cm), and mean PD was 1.21 +/- 0.11 cm (+/- 2.5 SD = 0.93-1.49 cm). Linear regression analysis showed a strong correlation of SPL (p = 0.0001) to height, and PD to height (p = 0.0001) and birthweight (p = 0.002). Formulas were calculated for predicted individual values for PL and PD of newborns. In conclusion, there is a correlation between neonatal anthropometric measurements and penile anthropometry. Mean anthropometric differences of various ethnicities may account for the differences in mean SPL and PD among various ethnic populations.     

Coexistence of Sjögren's syndrome and pulmonary nodular amyloidosis

There are very few cases in the literature on the coexistence of Sjögren's syndrome and pulmonary nodular amyloidosis being treated with rituximab. When nodules with central calcification and cystic lesions are seen on computed tomography, amyloid lung should be considered. Biopsy is recommended as it can be confused with malignancies. In this article, we present a 66-year-old female patient who has been followed up for Sjögren's syndrome for 26 years. Multiple cystic lesions with central calcification in the lung were detected and it was evaluated as amyloid nodule in the biopsy performed. The patient is being followed and is stable under rituximab treatment. Pulmonary noduler amyloidosis is very rare in Sjögren patients and there are very few cases where rituximab is used for treatment. We decided to publish in order to guide clinicians who will encounter similar cases.     

Kangal hot spring with fish and psoriasis treatment

The effect of "Kangal Hot Spring with Fish" in the treatment of psoriasis is investigated. The study was carried out on 87 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and the patients were evaluated by a dermatologist for 21 days. The evaluation of the disease was performed using PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) scores. Recurrences were investigated in the patient population, who had been previously treated in the same hot spring. The first examination scores were significantly higher than the scores of the 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 21 days after treatment (p < 0.01). Longer remission periods, when compared to the topical corticosteroid treatment, expressed by the 35 patients previously treated in hot spring (p < 0.01). Spa therapy under observation of a dermatologist may be effective and useful for psoriasis vulgaris patients.