Clinical, electrophysiological and neuropsychological findings of twenty-two children with mesial temporal sclerosis

Twenty-two patients, followed with the diagnosis of epilepsy between the ages of 8.5 and 19 years who were found to have mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were evaluated according to their clinical, electrophysiological and neuropsychological characteristics, and assessed for the significance of neuropsychological tests on lateralization. In both MTS groups, a remarkable number of patients had their intial seizure before one year of age (45.5% in the right MTS group, and 36.4% in the left MTS group). Half of the patients were seizure-free for a period of two months-9.5 years (average 3.9 years). The duration between the febrile seizure and first non-febrile seizure was 6.2 years. Eleven patients had MTS on the left temporal lobe. Interictal EEG was normal in five (22.5%) patients; 10 (45.5%) had temporal spike on the corresponding side with MTS. Six (27.3%) patients had paroxysmal activity and voltage asymmetry on cortical areas other than temporal region. The Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS), Visual Reproduction Subtest and Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) Delayed Recall and Retrieval Subtest performances were poor in the right MTS group.     

Single-voxel MR spectroscopy and diffusion-weighted MRI in two patients with <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria

l-2-Hydroxyglutaric aciduria is a rare inherited, neurometabolic disorder. The underlying metabolic defect and the pathophysiology of l-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria have not yet been defined. We present MR spectroscopy and cranial MR imaging findings, including diffusion-weighted sequences in two male siblings (aged 10 and 12 years). MR spectroscopy revealed a multiplet at 2.10–2.50 ppm and two broad peaks at 0.9–1.6 ppm. The multiplet at 2.10–2.50 ppm might have been created by elevated glutamate and glutamine or l-2-hydroxyglutaric acid itself, which has a similar chemical structure to glutamate. Diffusion-weighted images demonstrated increased diffusion of water molecules in the white-matter lesions.     

Mosaic form (45X/46XX) of Turner's syndrome. A case report

BACKGROUND: Turner's syndrome (TS) is a sex chromosome disorder occurring in 1 in 2,500 female births and in approximately 50 in 100,000 adult females and is characterized by retarded growth, gonadal dysgenesis and infertility. The 45,X/46,XX chromosomal pattern is the most frequent mosaic type of this disease (36%). CASE: The mosaic form of TS was diagnosed in a 25-year-old, nulliparous woman whose major symptoms were menstrual irregularity and menorrhagia. She had normal development of secondary sexual characteristics and spontaneous menarche despite a very low amount (7%) of normal cells. CONCLUSION: Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is very uncommon in TS. Mosaic forms of TS may have very few features of TS despite a very low range of normal cells.     

Polycythemia vera in a 12-year-old girl: a case report

A case of a 12-year-old girl presenting with headache and splenomegaly and fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of polycythemia vera is reported. Her peripheral blood values were as follows: hemoglobin 18 g/dL, red blood cells 7,000,000/mm 3 , white blood cells 22,000/mm 3 , and platelets 1,248,000/mm 3 . Phlebotomy was performed initially but was ineffective. Afterward 100 mg/kg per day aspirin and 30/mg/kg per day hydroxyurea were given. The patient has been asypmtomatic for 1 year and her recent hemoglobin level is 15.5 g/dL, platelet count 922,000/mm 3 , and white blood cell 12,800/mm 3 . Polycythemia vera is an extremely uncommon disease in childhood and for this reason its treatment is not well established.     

Direct Formation of Nanospheres from Amphiphilic β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes

Purpose. The aim of this work was to develop and characterize a highly loaded nanoparticulate system based on amphiphilic -cyclodextrins (CDs) to facilitate the parenteral administration of poorly soluble antifungal model drugs bifonazole and clotrimazole. Methods. Inclusion complexes were characterized with spectroscopic techniques. Particle size distribution of nanospheres were determined by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). Nanospheres were assessed for hemolytic activity. Entrapped and released drug quantities were determined and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of drugs, amphiphilic -CDs, and drug loaded nanospheres were evaluated. Results. 1:1 inclusion complexes of model drugs with amphiphilic -CDs gave nanospheres <300 nm (polydispersity index < 0.15) by nanoprecipitation technique without using surfactants. By direct preparation from preformed inclusion complexes, loading was increased 2- to 8-fold depending on CD type and loading technique. Conventionally loaded CD nanospheres displayed immediate release whereas preloaded and highly loaded nanospheres liberated model drugs over a period of 1 h reducing the initial burst effect. MIC values of bifonazole and clotrimazole were lowered significantly when associated to amphiphilic -CD nanospheres. Conclusion. Amphiphilic -CDs form nonsurfactant, highly loaded nanospheres with lower hemolytic activity than that of natural CDs directly from inclusion complexes. They enhanced solubility and subsequently therapeutic efficacy of the model drugs.     

Investigation of biochemical and histopathological effects of Mentha piperita L. and Mentha spicata L. on kidney tissue in rats

Peppermint plants have been used as a herbal medicine for many conditions, including loss of appetite, common cold, bronchitis, sinusitis, fever, nausea, vomiting and indigestion. This study is aimed at investigating the biochemical and histological effects of Mentha piperita L., growing in the Yenisar Bademli town of Isparta City, and Mentha spicata L., growing on the Anamas high plateau of Isparta City, on rat kidney tissue. Forty-eight male Wistar albino rats weighing 200-250 g were used for this study. Animals were divided into four experimental groups, each with 12 rats, as follows: control group (group I); 20 g/L M. piperita tea (group II); 20 g/L M. spicata tea (group III); 40 g/L M. spicata tea (group IV). The control group rats were given commercial drinking water (Hayat DANONESA water). The tea for the other groups was prepared daily and provided at all times to the rats during 30 days as drinking water. Plasma urea and creatinine levels were determined, and the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were studied in the homogenates of kidney tissue. The levels of plasma urea and creatinine were increased significantly (P < 0.0033) in groups III and IV when compared with group I. The activities of SOD and GSH-Px were decreased significantly (P < 0.0033) in group IV when compared with group I. The activities of CAT were decreased significantly in groups III and IV (P < 0.033, P < 0.0033, respectively) when compared with group I. TBARS levels were increased significantly (P < 0.0033) in groups III and IV when compared with group I. In groups II, III and IV, hydropic degeneration of tubular epithelial cells, the epithelial cells with picnotic nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm, tubular dilatation and enlargements in Bowman capsules were observed histologically. However, in group II histopathological changes were more slight than in groups III and IV. In group IV, in addition to these changes, extremely hydropic degeneration of tubular epithelial cells, some atrophic tubules and glomerules, and focal mononuclear cell infiltrations in the kidney tissues of the rats were observed. In conclusion, the results indicate that M. piperita does not show nephrotoxicity but M. spicata presents markedly nephrotoxic changes in rats.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of flavone-3'-carboxaldehyde oxime ether derivatives

A new series of flavonyl oxime ether derivatives (FO1-FO6) was prepared by reaction of flavone-3'-carboxaldehyde (III) with O-substituted hydroxyl amine derivatives (IV). The synthesized compounds were tested for their in vitro antifungal and antibacterial activities. All the compounds exhibited antimicrobial activity.     

Inhibition of cromakalim-activated K<Superscript>+</Superscript> current by ethanol in follicle-enclosed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xenopus</Emphasis> oocytes

Ethanol has been reported to modulate arterial dilation and insulin secretion. ATP-inhibited K+ channels (K(ATP)) are reported to have regulatory roles during these events. In the present study, the effect of ethanol on K+ currents activated by the K(ATP) channel opener cromakalim was investigated in follicular cells of Xenopus oocytes. The results indicate that ethanol in the concentration range of 10-300 mM (approximately 0.06%-2% v/v) reversibly inhibits the cromakalim-induced K+ currents. The 50% of maximal ethanol effect was obtained at 53 mM. Inhibition of cromakalim-activated K+ current by ethanol was non-competitive. In oocytes treated with the Ca2+-chelator BAPTA, inhibition of cromakalim-induced K+ currents by ethanol was not altered, suggesting that Ca2+-activated second messenger pathways were not involved in the actions of ethanol. Similarly, currents activated by 8-Br-cAMP were also inhibited by ethanol, but the ethanol inhibition of 8-Br-cAMP-activated currents was significantly less than inhibition of cromakalim-activated currents by ethanol. These results indicate that cromakalim-activated K+ currents in follicular cells of Xenopus oocytes were modulated by ethanol.     

Tetanus immunization in pregnant women: evaluation of maternal tetanus vaccination status and factors affecting rate of vaccination coverage

The objectives of this study were to determine the tetanus vaccination status for pregnant women, and to examine the effects of various factors on tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccination coverage during pregnancy in reproductive-age women. Four-hundred and ninety-three postpartum women who had live births at a hospital in Ankara were interviewed and information was collected on the mothers' sociodemographic characteristics, TT vaccination history, and prenatal care during the pregnancy studied. The rates for no vaccination, one-dose vaccination, and two-dose vaccination were 53.3%, 18.9%, and 27.8%, respectively. The vaccinated women (with at least one dose) were significantly younger, of lower parity, and had attended more prenatal care visits than the unvaccinated women. Of the women who attended at least one prenatal care check-up, only about half were vaccinated. Significantly more rural women were vaccinated against tetanus than urban women. Current vaccination rates with TT during pregnancy were found to be well below universal levels. Turkey needs to launch effective mass media campaigns that target urban and suburban populations, and inform and motivate women to request vaccination against tetanus.