New composite tissue allograft model of vascularized bone marrow transplant: the iliac osteomyocutaneous flap

Vascularized bone marrow transplant (VBMT) induces donor-specific chimerism in experimental models across the major histocompatibility barrier. An experimental model for immunotolerance studies should sustain a high antigenicity with low morbidity. Accordingly, we introduced an iliac bone osteomusculocutaneous (IBOMC) transplant model in rat. It consists of a large skin component and an abundant bone marrow cells (BMC) population. We tested this model with isograft transplantations between Lewis rats (RT1^l) and with allograft transplantation between Lewis-Brown Norway (LBN RT1^l + n) donors and Lewis (RT1^l) recipients under low dose of cyclosporine A monotherapy. Immunologic responses were tested for donor cell engraftment and chimerism induction. All isografts survived indefinitely and allografts were viable at 200 days post-transplant under low dose of cyclosporine A. Microangiography of the graft revealed preservation of skin, muscle, and bone components. Histologic examination confirmed viability of all allograft components without signs of rejection. Long-term engraftment of donor-origin (RT1ⁿ) BMC was confirmed by donor-specific chimerism (1.2%) in peripheral blood and bone marrow (1.65%) compartments and by engraftment into lymphoid organs of recipients. The IBOMC transplant proved to be a reliable composite tissue allotransplantation (CTA) model. Moreover, because of its robust bone marrow component and large skin component, it is applicable to studies on immunologic responses in CTA.     

The effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide on healing of intestinal anastomosis in rats with experimental obstructive jaundice

Purpose  Intestinal anastomotic healing is a complex procedure in which several mediators and cytokines play roles. Calcitonin gene-related peptide is an important neuropeptide in inflammation. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide on healing of intestinal anastomosis in rats with obstructive jaundice. Materials and methods  Obstructive jaundice was induced in rats by the ligation and division of the common bile duct. Four days after the operation, intestinal anastomosis was performed, and either calcitonin gene-related peptide or 0.9% NaCl was administered intraperitoneally to these jaundiced rats and controls. The concentrations of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and triglyceride levels of all rats were measured, and healing of the anastomosis was evaluated by measuring the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline content on the 7th postoperative day. Results  Calcitonin gene-related peptide was found to have positive effects on healing of the anastomosis by inhibiting the effects of TNF-α and increasing the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline content of the anastomosis. Conclusion  Calcitonin gene-related peptide increases anastomotic wound healing in experimental anastomosis in the presence of obstructive jaundice in rats.     

Recent discovery of an old disease: malignant pleural mesothelioma in a village in south-east Turkey

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Environmental asbestos exposure is reportedly common in some districts of Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and effect of environmental asbestos exposure in a village in Gaziantep, Turkey, with reported cases of mesothelioma. METHODS: All villagers > or =14 years old were subject to an interview rediagnosis and a detailed questionnaire. Chest microfilms were performed in all cases, and additional standard CXRs were obtained when necessary. Samples collected from the natural mantle, and whitewash from the houses were analysed for the presence of asbestos. RESULTS: In total, 269 villagers took part in the study. The incidence of histopathologically diagnosed malignant pleural mesothelioma was 0.32% relative to the total village population in the year 2000. The verbal autopsy revealed eight possible cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma, all of whom had died within the past 12 years. Of these eight, there was a first-degree kinship between three, and additionally, these patients had a third-degree relationship with a biopsy proven case. Radiological evaluation showed pleural calcification and/or thickness in 3.3%, and pleural effusion in 0.4% of patients undergoing CXR. All houses in the village were constructed using adobe soil, and the interior whitewash was made from soil containing asbestos. Analysis of soil samples revealed tremolite and/or actinolyte asbestos. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that environmental asbestos exposure continue to be a serious health concern in the Gaziantep region of Turkey.     

Sexual dependency of rat sciatic nerve fiber conduction velocity distributions

Gender differences, either with the structural or through with hormones, dictate how the corresponding organ or organ system responses to physiological signals. Current study aims to investigate gender dependent differences in conduction related parameters of rat sciatic nerve. Compound action potentials (CAP) were recorded via suction electrode whereas the conduction velocity distributions (CVD) were performed using the method known as collision technique in the literature. Studied CAP parameters, namely conduction velocities (CV), area of the CAPs and time required to reach the maximum depolarization (TP) have been found significantly different for female and male rats. Detailed analyses have shown that sex dependent differences were more remarkable in the right leg responses of female and male rats. Additionally, CVDs indicate that the number of fibers having CVs between 5-30 m/s is much more in male right sciatic nerve trunk when compared to age matched female rats. The present study, for the first time clearly shows that shift in the contribution of nerve fibers to lower CVs is the main causal of the sex dependent differences seen in rat sciatic nerve fibers.     

Case report of a patient with osteopoikilosis

Osteopoikilosis (OPK) is a benign osteosclerotic dysplasia of unknown origin, which is an inherited autosomal disorder. Males and females are equally affected. It is usually asymptomatic and may only be recognized on radiological examination. In this study we report a 33-year-old woman with fibromyalgia who suffers from back and leg pain and was diagnosed OPK by radiologically and review literature.     

Diffusion tensor MR imaging in pediatric head trauma

PURPOSE: We propose to investigate the fractional anisotropy (FA) values in pediatric patients with closed head trauma and correlate them with the initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of 24 pediatric patients (15 men, 9 women; mean age, 13 years; range, 2-18 years) who underwent both unenhanced head computed tomography and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including the tensor diffusion sequence, within 30 days of the incident. Twenty-two atraumatic control patients (9 men, 13 women; mean age, 9 years; range, 4-17 years) were randomly selected from the records of the radiology department within the same period. Fractional anisotropy measurements were taken from each of 6 major white matter volumes. Data extracted from the record of each subject included GCS, initial head computed tomographic results, and length of hospital stay. Kruskal-Wallis and t tests were used for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: The mean acute score on the GCS was 9.7 +/- 5. Mean duration of hospitalization days was 8.7 +/- 10. Statistically significant differences in mean FA values between trauma and control subjects were noted in corpus callosum. Trauma patients with positive findings on MRI and with GCS less than 10 also had lower FA values than patients with GCS greater than 10 and patients who had normal MRI findings. There was a negative correlation between time to discharge and FA values. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric head trauma, MRI diffusion FA measurements can show abnormalities despite normal-appearing brain MRI findings. Larger investigations are required to verify the stability of correlations.     

Macrophage-mediated erosion of gamma irradiated poly(trimethylene carbonate) films

A macrophage culture model was used to investigate the erosion of gamma irradiated poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) films. When the PTMC films were incubated in the culture medium, but physically separated from the cells by a membrane, no erosion occurred. In contrast, when the J774A macrophages were directly cultured on PTMC films, they adhered to the films and were found to have eroded the polymer surface. Macrophages adhered to gamma irradiated poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL) controls as well, but to a lesser extent than to the PTMC films. In this case, no signs of erosion were observed. Human skin fibroblasts cultured on PTMC and PCL films as controls also adhered to the films but did not erode the surfaces. The effect of enzymes and reactive oxygen species that can be secreted by macrophages on the erosion process was assessed using aqueous solutions of cholesterol esterase, lipoprotein lipase, esterase, potassium superoxide, and hydrogen peroxide. The PTMC films eroded in aqueous enzyme solutions as well as in aqueous superoxide solutions. Cholesterol esterase and superoxide anion radicals seem to be most involved in the macrophage-mediated erosion of PTMC. This macrophage culture model is useful in assessing the influence of macrophages on the in vivo biodegradability of polymers and in elucidating the biodegradation mechanisms involved.