A comparative study to evaluate the effect of double dartos flaps in primary hypospadias repair: no fistula anymore

Purpose  

The aim of this study was to compare the complication rates of the single flap and double flaps versus flapless procedure in the tubularized incised plate urethroplasty.     

Parahippocampal corpora amylacea and neuronal lipofuscin in human aging

The aim of this research was to quantify the number of corpora amylacea and lipofuscin-bearing neurons in the parahippocampal region of the brain. Right parahippocampal gyrus specimens of 30 cadavers were used as material for histological and morphometric analyses. A combined Alcian Blue and Periodic Acid-Schiff technique was used for identification and quantification of corpora amylacea and lipofuscin-bearing neurons. Immunohistochemistry was performed using S100 polyclonal, neuron-specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein monoclonal antibodies for differentiation of corpora amylacea and other spherical inclusions of the aging brain. Cluster analysis of obtained data showed the presence of three age groups (median age: I = 41.5, II = 68, III = 71.5). The second group was characterized by a significantly higher numerical density of subcortical corpora amylacea and number of lipofuscin-bearing neurons than other two groups. Values of the latter cited parameters in the third group were insignificantly higher than the first younger group. Linear regression showed that number of parahippocampal lipofuscin-bearing neurons significantly predicts numerical density of subcortical corpora amylacea. The above results suggest that more numerous parahippocampal region corpora amylacea and lipofuscin-bearing neurons in some older cases might represent signs of its’ neurons quantitatively-altered metabolism.     

Action of somatostatin analogue (octreotide) on experimental hepatic encephalopathy in rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the effect of a somatostatin analogue (octreotide) on hepatic encephalopathy in a rat model. Fulminant hepatic failure was induced by thioacetamide twice daily for 3 consecutive days. METHODOLOGY: Animals with hepatic encephalopathy grade III were divided into 2 groups. The groups received saline (control) or octreotide. In both groups the distance traveled in the open field activity, neurological score and mortality time were evaluated before and after the treatment. RESULTS: In the control group the motor activity was 13.7 +/- 6.4 and 12.9 +/- 5.5 cm/10 min, the neurological score was 8.4 +/- 0.9 and 8.5 +/- 1.3 before and after the treatment, respectively. In the octreotide group the motor activity was 11.4 +/- 5.0 and 10.4 +/- 3.5 cm/10 min, the neurological score was 8.8 +/- 1.5 and 8.6 +/- 0.9 before and after the treatment, respectively. Mortality times in the saline and octreotide group were 76.1 +/- 28.1 and 89.7 +/- 46.5 min, respectively. All parameters of this study were statistically not significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that somatostatin analogue, octreotide does not effect hepatic encephalopathy in an experimental rat model.     

Effects of intranasal midazolam and rectal diazepam on acute convulsions in children: prospective randomized study

In this study, the effects and side effects of rectal diazepam and intranasal midazolam were compared in the treatment of acute convulsions in children to develop a practical and safe treatment protocol. In the diazepam group, the seizures of 13 (60%) patients terminated in 10 minutes; however, 9 (40%) patients did not respond. In the midazolam group, 20 (87%) patients responded in 10 minutes, but 3 (13%) patients did not respond. Regarding the anticonvulsant effect, midazolam was found to be more effective than diazepam, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). The necessity of a second drug for the seizures that did not stop with the first drug was higher in the diazepam group than the midazolam group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < .05). We conclude that as an antiepileptic agent, intranasal midazolam is more effective than rectal diazepam. After administration, we did not observe any serious complications. Further investigations are necessary; however, intranasal administration is easy, so if the nasal drop and spray forms used in some European countries and the United States are available worldwide, it will be very useful for physicians in the emergency room.     

Changes in apoptosis,mitosis, Her-2, p53 and Bcl2 expression in breast carcinomas after short-term tamoxifen treatment

The short-term (7 days) effect of tamoxifen on apoptosis and mitosis index, p53, Bcl2 and Her-2/neu/c-erb2 expression in invasive ductal mammary carcinoma was studied histologically in the diagnostic biopsy and surgically removed tumor tissue of 10 patients. Following tamoxifen treatment expression of HER-2 and p53 decreased but Bcl2 remained unchanged. Mitotic activity decreased slightly, but not significantly. Apoptotic activity increased in six cases in the second sample compared to the values measured of the first biopsy. These changes may be attributed to the effect of antiestrogen therapy.     

Effects of tibolone on thromboxane B(2) levels in postmenopausal women.

This study was carried out in 16 premenopausal (control) and 24 postmenopausal women (study group) to investigate the effect of menopause and tibolone treatment (2.5 mg/day for 6 months) on plasma thromboxane B(2) (TxB(2)), a well-known vasoconstrictor and stimulator of platelet aggregation. The TxB(2) levels were measured using [(125)I] RIA kit. Statistical significance was analyzed by Student's t test for paired and unpaired data, and Pearson's correlation analysis. Plasma TxB(2) concentrations of postmenopausal women were higher than those of premenopausal women. Tibolone treatment decreased plasma TxB(2) in postmenopausal women. There was no correlation between TxB(2) and blood pressure and heart rate. It was concluded that tibolone, decreasing the plasma concentrations of TxB(2), might have beneficial effects on prostaglandin metabolism and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.