The beneficial effects of nerolidol and hesperidin on surgically induced endometriosis in a rat model*

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the effects of nerolidol and hesperidin treatment on surgically induced endometriosis in a rat model. Endometriosis was induced in 24 healthy adult female Wistar albino rats via homologous uterine horn transplantation. Three operations were performed on each rat. After the second operation, the rats were randomized into control, nerolidol, and hesperidin treatment groups, and medications were administered for 2?weeks. The effects of the drugs on the endometriotic foci were evaluated after the third operation. Compared with the endometriosis control group, the average volume of the lesions was significantly lower in rats treated with hesperidin and nerolidol. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced in the nerolidol-treated group, and glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activity were significantly elevated in the endometriotic foci of both the hesperidin- and nerolidol-treated groups compared with the endometriosis group. Hesperidin and nerolidol treatment also improved histological parameters, such as hemorrhage, vascular congestion, necrosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the endometriotic foci. The results of this study demonstrated that treatment with the potent antioxidants nerolidol and hesperidin caused a significant regression of surgically induced endometriotic foci in rats.     

The frequency of Hashimoto thyroiditis in children and the relationship between urinary iodine level and Hashimoto thyroiditis

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of thyroid autoimmunity in second grade primary school students and to examine the relationship between iodine and Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT). This was a cohort study performed with 1000 students. Urinary iodine levels, antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and antithyroglobulin (anti-Tg) antibodies were determined in all children. Children with anti-TPO or anti-Tg antibody positivity or with goiter were summoned for detailed examinations. In total, 36 cases (3.6%) were diagnosed as HT. The goiter frequency was found in 17.5% of the whole cohort. Additionally, iodine deficiency was found in 64.2% of all children. The median urinary iodine excretion was determined as 132 microg/L (range 382 microg/L) in the HT group, whereas it was 73 microg/L (range 390 microg/L) in children with goiter but without HT and 81 microg/L (range 394 microg/L) in normal children. The urinary iodine level of HT cases was significantly higher than the other two groups (p < 0.001). HT was also determined in 2% of patients with low urinary iodine levels, in 6.2% of patients with normal urinary iodine levels, and in 7.5% of patients with high urinary iodine levels. Our data demonstrates the close relationship between excessive iodine levels and autoimmunity.     

Distracting children during blood draw: looking through distraction cards is effective in pain relief of children during blood draw

Inal S, Kelleci M. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2012; 18 : 210–219 Distracting children during blood draw: Looking through distraction cards is effective in pain relief of children during blood draw This study aims to investigate the effects of distraction method by way of looking through distraction cards/Flippits® to reduce procedural pain and anxiety during blood draw. In this method we distract attention of the children with distraction cards/Flippits®. Flippits® consist of various eye‐catching pictures and shapes. Then we asked the children questions about the cards during the blood draw procedure that he or she can only answer if he or she examines the cards carefully. This study is a prospective, randomized controlled trial. The sample consisted of 123 children of ages between 6 and 12. We randomly assigned subjects into two groups. Group 1 received no intervention, whereas Group 2 received distraction in the form of looking through distraction cards/Flippits®. Pre‐procedural and procedural anxiety was assessed using the anxiety scale from the Children's Anxiety and Pain Scales by parents' and observer's report. Procedural pain was assessed using Faces Pain Scale‐Revised by children, parent and observer reports. Results show that pre‐procedural anxiety did not differ significantly. However, the experimental group had significantly lower pain levels than the control group during the blood draw procedure. Also experimental group had significantly lower anxiety levels than the control group.     

Treatment of scabies: Comparison of permethrin 5% versus ivermectin

Scabies is an ectoparasitic, highly contagious skin disease caused by a mite called Sarcoptes scabiei. The insecticides ivermectin and permethrin are commonly used for treatment of scabies. This study aimed at comparing the efficacy of oral ivermectin with topical permethrin in treating scabies. Two hundred and forty-two patients with scabies attending the dermatology outpatient department of Sina Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were admitted. Patients were divided into two groups randomly. The first group and their family contacts received 5% permethrin cream and the other received oral ivermectin. Treatment was evaluated at intervals of 2 and 4 weeks. A single dose of ivermectin provided a cure rate of 85.9% at a 2-week interval, which increased to 100% after crossing over to the permethrin group at a 4-week interval. Twice application of permethrin with a 1-week interval was effective in 92.5% of patients, which increased to 94.2% after crossing over to the ivermectin group at a 4-week interval. Permethrin-treated patients recovered earlier. Twice application of permethrin with a 1-week interval is superior to a single dose of ivermectin. The temporal dissociation in clinical response suggests that ivermectin may not be effective against all the stages in the life cycle of the parasite.     

Effects of acetylsalicylic acid on serum paraoxonase activity,Ox-LDL,coenzyme Q10 and other oxidative stress markers in healthy volunteers

Objectives:The aim of the study was to examine the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on oxidative stress in healthy volunteers.Design and Methods:30 volunteers of which 17 received ASA as 100 mg/day (Group I) and 13 received ASA as 150 mg/day (Group II) for 2 months. Serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1), arylesterase, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) and coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) levels were measured before and 1 and 2 months after treatment.Results:There was no significant differences between the measured parameters of the groups. However, TOS and Ox-LDL levels of group II were significantly reduced after 2 months of treatment (p < 0.05).Conclusions:Significantly inhibition of LDL oxidation and significantly reduction in TOS levels of group II after 2 months of ASA treatment shows that ASA treatment may contribute to the prevention of atherosclerosis, a beneficial effect which is dose and time dependent.     

Molluscum contagiosum infection associated with pimecrolimus use in pityriasis alba

Abstract:  Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, chronically relapsing, highly pruritic skin disorder that has considerable impact on the quality of life. As corticosteroids are not ideal for long-term control of the disease because of their potential side effects, steroid-free topical immunomodulators have recently been developed for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Although clinical trials do not indicate an increased risk of cutaneous infection, the clinician must be careful about viral infections such as eczema herpeticum or molluscum eczema that can be observed during treatment with pimecrolimus and tacrolimus. We report molluscum contagiosum that developed on the preauricular area treated with topical pimecrolimus.     

No Strong Association Between HER-2/neu Protein Overexpression and Gene Amplification in High-grade Invasive Urothelial Carcinomas

The generation of urothelial carcinoma is caused by the accumulation of various molecular changes, as in most malignancies. There are conflicting data about the status of HER-2/neu oncogene in urothelial carcinomas. The aim of this study was to determine the status of HER-2/neu oncogene in high-grade invasive urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder both in protein and DNA level. We evaluated HER-2/neu protein overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene amplification by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and real-time quantitative PCR in paraffin-embedded samples of high-grade invasive urothelial carcinoma obtained from 36 patients. Polysomy 17 was also assessed by FISH. Immunohistochemically, HER-2/neu protein overexpression was observed in 22 (61.1%) tumors (ten tumors with score 3+ and 12 with score 2+). Fourteen of 36 tumors (38.9%) were evaluated as negative (score 0 or 1+). Complete concordance between FISH and the PCR was seen in all of the samples scored as 0 and 1+ by IHC. HER-2/neu gene amplification was observed in three of 27 (11.1%) tumors by FISH (nine samples were non-informative) and in eight of 36 (22.2%) tumors by the PCR. The complete concordance between HER2-2/neu protein overexpression and gene amplification was seen only in three of 27 tumors. Polysomy 17 was seen in nine tumors (33.3%). The results indicated that, in contrast to breast cancer, there was no strong association between HER-2/neu overexpression and gene amplification in invasive urothelial carcinomas, and polysomy 17 was higher in tumors showing HER-2/neu overexpression.