Effect of chronic restraint stress and alpha-lipoic acid on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in rat peripheral organs.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic restraint stress and alpha-lipoic acid (LA) administration on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in rat peripheral organs. METHODS: Forty male wistar rats, aged 3 months were randomized to one of the following groups: control, restraint stress, LA treated and restraint stress+LA treated. Chronic restraint stress was applied for 21 days (1h/day) and LA (100 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally for the same period. RESULTS: Restraint stress had no statistically significant effect on lipid peroxidation, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in rat liver and heart, when compared to the control group. Lipid peroxidation, determined by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, was found to be increased in the kidney of restraint stress treated rats, compared to controls. Restraint stress-induced lipid peroxidation in the kidney was significantly decreased via LA treatment. Administration of LA also enhanced GPx and decreased Cu/Zn SOD activity in rat kidney, liver and heart, compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The presented data shows that LA is a protective agent against restraint stress--the inducer of lipid peroxidation in the kidney. These findings also suggest that LA-induced changes in antioxidant enzyme activities in rat peripheral organs may contribute to their versatile effects observed in vivo.     

Endoscopic management of the intranasal glioma

The authors report the endoscopic management of a boy with nasal glioma who was only 35 days old. The nasal glioma is a rare congenital nasal abnormality, which manifests as a mass of extracranial cerebral tissue unconnected with the brain. For surgical excision, some surgeons suggest initial craniotomy for excluding intracranial extension. The authors successfully removed the intranasal glioma by endoscopic surgery without craniotomy on a 35-day-old boy. Intranasal endoscopic surgery is a less-invasive and safe procedure and does not result in postoperative facial scarring and deformity. Therefore, the use of endoscopic surgery in place of lateral rhinotomy procedure is recommended.     

Prevalence of endometriosis in malignant epithelial ovary tumours

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of ovarian endometriosis in malignant epithelial ovarian tumours. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 160 malignant and 23 borderline ovarian tumours during the period 1995-2001. RESULTS: Fourteen (7.7%) of the tumours contained endometriosis. This affected 22% of the endometrioid and 10.8% of the mixed adenocarcinomas. The mean age of the ovarian endometriosis patients was 43+/-13 range 26-70 years. The incidence in borderline tumours 13% (3/23) was higher than that in ovarian cancer 6.9% (11/160) (P>0.05). Eight (57%) of cases were classified as atypical and six (43%) as typical endometriosis. Nine cases were FIGO (International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics) stage I and 5 stage III. CONCLUSIONS: Both malignant and borderline ovarian tumours are associated with ovarian endometriosis. In addition, atypical endometriosis was found associated with endometrioid and mixed epithelial ovarian tumours.     

Fatal poisonings in the Aegean region of Turkey

Between January 1996 and November 2000, 4,251 autopsies were performed at the Council of Forensic Medicine, Morgue Specialization Office, Izmir, Turkey. Among these medicolegal autopsies, 331 fatal poisoning cases (206 men and 125 women) were evaluated retrospectively for their legal investigation results, autopsy findings, and reports of toxicological analyses. The most common cause of fatal poisoning was insecticides (43%). Then followed carbon monoxide (27%) and alcohol (20%). Among the insecticides, the organophosphorus insecticides comprised 78%; all insecticide poisoning cases were suicidal oral ingestions. In fatal alcohol poisoning cases the cause of death was ethanol, methanol and both with 34, 15 and 51% respectively. Drug related deaths were rare.     

The effects of autologous platelet gel on wound healing

Laser resurfacing techniques have become a popular means of achieving rejuvenation of damaged skin. Interest is great in attempting to speed re-epithelialization and healing so that patients can return to their normal activities as quickly as possible. Previous studies have demonstrated that wounds heal more quickly when they are covered and kept moist than when they are left open to the air. Until now, no study has been conducted to investigate whether the healing process of a superficial skin burn might be accelerated by the use of an autologous platelet gel as a biologic dressing. Our study of five pigs showed that autologous platelet gel can influence wound healing by stimulating an intense inflammatory process that leads to highly significant increases in the production of extracellular matrices and granulation tissue. The platelet gel accelerated vascular ingrowth, increased fibroblastic proliferation, and accelerated collagen production. However, the gel did not appear to accelerate re-epithelialization. The aggressive production of granulation tissue and the acceleration of collagen production might mean that autologous platelet gel will have a future role in the treatment of burns because the highly vascularized bed it helps create should promote the success of skin grafting in patients with deep partial-thickness and full-thickness burns.     

Histopathological and radiological investigations of the influence of botulinum toxin on the submandibular gland of the rat

The aim of the study was to correlate the sonographic features of Botox A injection in rat submandibular gland with the histopathological changes. Fifteen Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Group 1 (control group) consisted of 5 animals not given any substance. Group 2 was divided as “a” and “b” each consisting of 5 animals. A median cervical incision has been performed to the rats in group 2 and 2.5 U Botulinum toxin A reconstituted 0.1 ml physiologic saline was injected into the right gland. Sonograms were obtained before the application, at the first day of the Botox A application, in addition to group 2a on the 14th day, and on 28th day to group 2b. Gland size was lower in group 2a and 2b comparing to control group. The gland size of group 2b was lower than group 2a. There was no change in vascularization. There was no other histopathological change except lymphocytic infiltration in group 2. It was observed that Botox A injection does not have a direct effect on the cells in submandibular gland but it causes a homogenic shrinking in gland size without atrophy.     

Gender discrimination in the elderly and its impact on the elderly health

The aim of this study was to determine gender discrimination and risk factors in the elderly population and to assess the impact of that discrimination on elderly health. One hundred and sixty-eight elderly individuals who were selected from the records by simple randomized sampling were enrolled in the study. Data were obtained by face-to-face interviews at the residence of the elderly individuals. Chi(2)-Analysis, t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and logistic regression were used for data analysis. 81.1% of the elderly were married and 40.5% were middle or high school graduates, and 93.9% of the subjects had at least one living child. It was determined that 51.7% of the females, and 21.3% of the males were exposed to negative gender discrimination. This discrimination was higher among women in all sub-groups. In fact, older women and elderly individuals with only primary school education or less were significantly more exposed to gender discrimination (p=0.008 and p=0.043, respectively). It was found that only economical variables were related to poor health status, without gender discrimination. Despite the fact that the freedom has been obtained in some areas such as participation in household decision-making and dressing, the patriarchal family structure and sexual inequality continue in older age.     

The young mouse heart is composed of myocytes heterogeneous in age and function

The recognition that the adult heart continuously renews its myocyte compartment raises the possibility that the age and lifespan of myocytes does not coincide with the age and lifespan of the organ and organism. If this were the case, myocyte turnover would result at any age in a myocardium composed by a heterogeneous population of parenchymal cells which are structurally integrated but may contribute differently to myocardial performance. To test this hypothesis, left ventricular myocytes were isolated from mice at 3 months of age and the contractile, electrical, and calcium cycling characteristics of these cells were determined together with the expression of the senescence-associated protein p16(INK4a) and telomere length. The heart was characterized by the coexistence of young, aged, and senescent myocytes. Old nonreplicating, p16(INK4a)-positive, hypertrophied myocytes with severe telomeric shortening were present together with young, dividing, p16(INK4a)-negative, small myocytes with long telomeres. A class of myocytes with intermediate properties was also found. Physiologically, evidence was obtained in favor of the critical role that action potential (AP) duration and I(CaL) play in potentiating Ca(2+) cycling and the mechanical behavior of young myocytes or in decreasing Ca(2+) transients and the performance of senescent hypertrophied cells. The characteristics of the AP appeared to be modulated by the transient outward K(+) current I(to) which was influenced by the different expression of the K(+) channels subunits. Collectively, these observations at the physiological and structural cellular level document that by necessity the heart has to constantly repopulate its myocyte compartment to replace senescent poorly contracting myocytes with younger more efficient cells. Thus, cardiac homeostasis and myocyte turnover regulate cardiac function.     

Informal support to first-parents after childbirth: a qualitative study in low-income suburbs of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background

Facilitating the provision of appropriate health care for immigrant and Aboriginal populations in Canada is critical for maximizing health potential and well-being. Numerous reports describe heightened risks of poor maternal and birth outcomes for immigrant and Aboriginal women. Many of these outcomes may relate to food consumption/practices and thus may be obviated through provision of resources which suit the women's ethnocultural preferences. This project aims to understand ethnocultural food and health practices of Aboriginal and immigrant women, and how these intersect with respect to the legacy of Aboriginal colonialism and to the social contexts of cultural adaptation and adjustment of immigrants. The findings will inform the development of visual tools for health promotion by practitioners.

Methods/Design

This four-phase study employs a case study design allowing for multiple means of data collection and different units of analysis. Phase 1 consists of a scoping review of the literature. Phases 2 and 3 incorporate pictorial representations of food choices (photovoice in Phase 2) with semi-structured photo-elicited interviews (in Phase 3). The findings from Phases 1-3 and consultations with key stakeholders will generate key understandings for Phase 4, the production of culturally appropriate visual tools. For the scoping review, an emerging methodological framework will be utilized in addition to systematic review guidelines. A research librarian will assist with the search strategy and retrieval of literature. For Phases 2 and 3, recruitment of 20-24 women will be facilitated by team member affiliations at perinatal clinics in one of the city's most diverse neighbourhoods. The interviews will reveal culturally normative practices surrounding maternal food choices and consumption, including how women negotiate these practices within their own worldview and experiences. A structured and comprehensive integrated knowledge translation plan has been formulated.

Discussion

The findings of this study will provide practitioners with an understanding of the cultural differences that affect women's dietary choices during maternity. We expect that the developed resources will be of immediate use within the women's units and will enhance counseling efforts. Wide dissemination of outputs may have a greater long term impact in the primary and secondary prevention of these high risk conditions.     

Effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibition on the gastric mucosal barrier in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of N-G-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, on the gastric mucosal barrier in rats. A group of Swiss albino rats received L-NAME (60 mg/kg/d) in their drinking water daily for 21 d. The mucin and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) contents of the gastric mucosa were measured in gastric tissue samples. L-NAME intake did not affect gastric mucin, but it significantly reduced PGE2, a component of the gastric mucosal barrier. The results of this study imply that nitric oxide plays an important mediatory role in maintaining the gastric mucosal barrier. The inhibition of nitric oxide may be involved in the increased vulnerability of the gastric mucosa to injurious stimuli in rats.