Morphine modulates inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and reduces pulmonary oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea

This study was designed to investigate the possible participation of morphine in pulmonary oedema induced by alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU), which is a well-known noxious chemical agent in the lung. Injection of ANTU (15 mg/kg i.p.) produced pulmonary oedema as indicated by an increase in lung weight/body weight ratio and pleural effusion reaching a maximum within 4 h in rat. Administration of morphine prior to ANTU significantly inhibited to pulmonary oedema with a dose-dependent manner. The protective effect of morphine is prevented by peripheral opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone methiodide. ANTU-treated rats were shown positive by inducible nitric oxide synthase immunohistochemical staining. There was no staining in the control group. On the other hand, the degree of staining was markedly reduced in tissue sections by morphine. These results suggest that previous administration of subcutaneous morphine has preventive effect on ANTU-induced pulmonary inflammatory reaction and its effect mediated via peripheral opioid receptors. Application of naloxone with ANTU has no effect on the lung parameters indicating that endogenous opioids do not modulate ANTU-induced damage.     

Passive smoke exposure of female rats caused aortic atherosclerotic precursor lesions in their offspring

The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and degree of preclinical atherosclerosis in pups of pregnant rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Abdominal aorta examined for atherosclerotic lesions and intimal medial thickness of the abdominal aorta was measured by image analysis. The study groups showed endothelial cellular losses, marked intimal injuries, elastic fiber damages, mononuclear cellular infiltration, and irregularities in internal elastic membrane, with pronounced damages as integrity losses and local fragmentations. The results provide evidence for development of an atherosclerotic process in the neonatal period, even in prenatal stage, long before the formation of smoke-related cardiovascular diseases.     

Complete blood count using VCS (volume, conductivity, light scatter) technology is affected by hyperlipidemia in a child with acute leukemia

Asparaginase, an effective drug in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), has become an important component of most childhood ALL regimens during the remission induction or intensification phases of treatment. The incidence range of asparaginase‐associated lipid abnormalities that are seen in children is 67–72%. Lipemia causes erroneous results, which uses photometric methods to analyze blood samples. We describe a case of l ‐asparaginase‐associated severe hyperlipidemia with complete blood count abnormalities. Complete blood count analysis was performed with Beckman COULTER^® GEN·S? system, which uses the Coulter Volume, Conductivity, Scatter technology to probe hydrodynamically focused cells. Although an expected significant inaccuracy in hemoglobin determination occurred starting from a lipid value of 3450 mg/dl, we observed that triglyceride level was 1466 mg/dl. Complete blood count analysis revealed that exceptionally high hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration levels vs. discordant with red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, and hematocrit levels. Total leukocyte count altered spontaneously in a wide range, and was checked with blood smear. Platelet count was in expected range ( Table 1 ). Thus, we thought it was a laboratory error, and the patient’s follow‐up especially for red cell parameters was made by red blood cell and hematocrit values.

Table 1. Patient’s complete blood count analysis according to the days of induction

Impact of body mass index on seminal oxidative stress

Male obesity has been linked with a reduction in sperm concentration and motility, an increase in sperm DNA damage and changes in reproductive hormones. Recent large observational studies have linked male obesity with a reduced chance of becoming a father. One of the potential underlying pathological mechanisms behind diminished reproductive performance in obese men is sperm oxidative stress. The primary aim of this study was to determine if sperm oxidative stress was more common in obese/overweight men. A total of 81 men had their body mass index (BMI) correlated with seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (Nitro Blue Tetrazolium assay), sperm DNA damage (TUNEL), markers of semen inflammation (CD45, seminal plasma PMN elastase and neopterin concentration) and routine sperm parameters, together with reproductive hormones. The principal finding from this study was that oxidative stress did increase with an increase in BMI, primarily due to an increase in seminal macrophage activation. However, the magnitude of this increase was small and only of minor clinical significance as there was no associated decline in sperm DNA integrity or sperm motility with increasing ROS production. Increased BMI was also found to be significantly linked with a fall in sperm concentration and serum testosterone, and an increase in serum oestradiol.     

F-18 FDG PET/CT findings of primary sinonasal hemangiopericytoma: rare location in a young adult patient

Hemangiopericytoma is an unusual tumor that arises from vascular smooth muscle cells. It is mainly experienced in 4th to 5th decades of life and soft-tissue masses are frequently located in lower extremity, pelvis, and retroperitoneum. A 29-year-old man presented with a mass lesion in the right nasal cavity associated with shortness of breath as a result of nasal obstruction. An incisional biopsy was reported as sinonasal type hemangiopericytoma. The initial staging F-18 flourodeoxyglucose PET/CT successfully demonstrated severe hypermetabolism in the primary tumor location and mild-to-moderate hypermetabolism in the right upper jugular lymph node.     

Reconstruction of the soft tissue defects of foot and ankle with neural-island flaps: mono-institutional case series

The aim of this report is to show the results obtained from using the neural-island flap to cover the soft tissue defects of the foot and ankle. This is the first report of the neural-island flap series since the introduction of this flap to the literature in 2003. Between 2002 and 2009 "neural-island flap" was used to treat 20 patients of various lesions on the foot and ankle. All of the patients had serious soft tissue defects that compromised tendons, bones, or joints. In 16 patients, the tissue defects were completely and successfully covered with an uncomplicated postoperative course. In 4 patients the flaps presented venous congestion and intermittent bleeding and leech application was performed for 2 to 3 days postoperatively. Two of these flaps healed completely without any flap loss. In one patient because the partial flap necrosis occurred in distal one-fourth of the flap, skin grafting was performed after 1 week of vacuum-assisted closure application. Total flap necrosis occurred in only one patient who was suffering from Buerger disease. The authors conclude that the neural-island flap is a highly versatile, easy, and reproducible flap that avoids the use of complicated and risky reconstruction options. It can be considered as an alternative reconstruction option particularly in problematic cases that are not suitable for local or free tissue transfers.     

Scarcity despite wealth: osteopetrorickets

Infantile malignant osteopetrosis is a rare and genetically autosomal recessive disease characterized by osteoclast malfunction. Decreased osteoclast-mediated bone resorption may be inadequate to maintain a normal serum calcium-phosphorus balance in the extracellular fluid. Consequently, despite markedly positive total body calcium balance, patients with osteopetrosis paradoxically could develop rickets. The concurrence of osteopetrosis and rickets has been termed "osteopetrorickets". We report here a 3-month-old boy who was diagnosed with osteopetrorickets with clinical features. Although osteopetrorickets is defined as a rare paradoxical feature of infantile malignant osteopetrosis in some studies, it seems to be more common than was previously known. Coexistence of rickets and osteopetrosis may have adverse effects on clinical response to stem cell transplantation. Therefore, a diagnosis of rickets must be considered in patients with osteopetrosis and then for better results, prior to the SCT, the rickets should be completely treated.     

Protective effect of sulfhydryl-containing antioxidants against ischemia/reperfusion injury of prepubertal rat intestine

Background and Aim:  Reactive oxygen species generated during reperfusion of the tissue are known to play an important role in the basic pathophysiology of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the protective effects of three sulfide-based antioxidants, N -acetylcysteine (NAC), erdosteine (ERD), and α-lipoic acid (LA), on I/R injury of the small intestine tissue.
Methods:  Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats weighing between 100–150 g were divided into five groups ( n  = 8 for each): control (sham operated), I/R, I/R + NAC, I/R + ERD, and I/R + LA. Intestinal ischemia was provided by occluding the superior mesenteric artery via a special microvascular clamp; ischemia for 30 min and reperfusion for 3 days were carried out. Ileal specimens were obtained to determine the tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl contents (PCO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and histological changes.
Results:  The rats subjected to intestinal I/R exhibited an increase in tissue MDA and PCO; the levels could hardly be ameliorated in the treatment groups. SOD and GPx activities were significantly decreased in the I/R group, whereas their reduction was less expressed in the treatment groups. Additionally, the histopathological injury scores of the disulfide-treated groups were lower than those of the I/R group.
Conclusion:  All of the sulfhydryl-containing antioxidants used in this study exhibited a significant role in attenuating intestinal I/R injury; however, the outcome of the LA-treated group was significantly marked than that of the others.     

The Next Wave: Confexting

Radiology conferences enable participants the opportunity to ask experts questions through question and answer (Q and A) sessions or individually. Given the time limitations and intimidating circumstances, we incorporated conference text messaging (confexting) as a method of increasing interactivity between the audience and speakers. During a 5-day radiology conference, text messaging was utilized for anonymous interactivity between the audience and speakers during Q and A sessions. There were 324 text messages; 76 of these were either follow-up statements or questions related to earlier text messages. Forty-two questions were submitted via paper notes. There was a general trend of an increasing number of text messages and a decreasing number of paper notes. The anonymous text messaging system was found to be an effective method for interactivity between the audience and the speakers. The questions and answers could be presented in a PowerPoint format at the formal Q and A sessions. Questions texted to the authors during their talks could be immediately answered or addressed in subsequent talks. Although difficult for some individuals to embrace technology, confexting allows for interactivity and prompts discussion. Confexting is an effective method for interactivity between the audience and speakers not previously utilized in a conference setting. The anonymity and asynchronous communication enable conference participants to submit more questions than in the traditional setting. The speakers may be able to explain more thoroughly difficult concepts more thoroughly with additional slides at Q and A sessions or may immediately answer texted questions during their talks.