Effect of mesh and its localisation on testicular flow and spermatogenesis in patients with groin hernia

In this study, the long-term effects of mesh and its localisation (i.e. anterior or posterior) on testicular perfusion and testicular function were evaluated in groin hernia patients. Testicular function has been evaluated with spermiogram and testicular perfusion with colour Doppler ultrasonography. Group I: consisted of 30 posterior preperitoneal mesh repair patients Group II: consisted of 30 anterior tension-free repair patients. The operation types were randomised with a systematic sampling method. There was no statistically significant difference between pre-operative and postoperative spermiogram results for both groups. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of Doppler flow parameters (PSV, EDV, RI and PI) for pre-operative, early and late postoperative periods. When Doppler flow parameters were compared for group I, statistically significant differences were found between pre-operative and early postoperative values. No statistically significant difference was found between pre-operative and late postoperative values. This is also true for early postoperative values versus late postoperative values. When Doppler flow parameters were compared for group II, statistically significant differences were found between pre-operative and early postoperative values. No statistically difference was found between pre-operative and late postoperative values. This is also true for early postoperative values versus late postoperative values. These results support the idea that inguinal mesh application is still a safe procedure in patients with no children or who are undergoing infertility treatment, where testicular function is important.     

Contrasting children and women’s health and the determinants of health in a small-sized city

Contrasts that exist in urban infrastructure and accessibility of public health and social services between suburban and urban districts of mega-cities have been well defined. There has been less research in small-sized cities (population under 500,000). This cross-sectional study was done on 1,728 ever-married reproductive-aged women living in Manisa, Turkey, in the year 2000. The probability proportion to size cluster sampling approach was used in the sample selection. Data were collected for women and 7,016 inhabitants of the interviewed households. The data were collected from the women by face to face interviews. Suburban areas (illegally occupied public land called “Gecekondu” dwellings) in Manisa differ from other urban regions (legal settlements of the city) on socioeconomic factors including household occupancy, adult literacy, social class, rates of religious marriages, unemployment, health insurance coverage, migration, cultural segregation, and social status of women. Some traditional practices were also highly prevalent in gecekondu families, where poverty is more common. Although gross fertility rate (GFR), total fertility rate (TFR), and percent decrease of the TFR were higher for gecekondu women than urban women, total wanted fertility rate (TWFR) was lower. In urban neighborhoods, prevalence of contraceptive use was higher, and the infant and child mortality rates were lower; however, when rates were adjusted for mother’s age, education and number of births, the differences turned out to be nonsignificant. Women living in urban areas receive better antenatal care, child immunization services, and professional health delivery assistance and services in a health facility; these services are very scarce in gecekondu districts. Health status of gecekondu populations can be improved by social and economic support and by making health services more available and accessible, especially maternity and child health services.     

Ultra-high-yield growth of vertical single-walled carbon nanotubes: Hidden roles of hydrogen and oxygen

An oxygen-assisted hydrocarbon chemical vapor deposition method is developed to afford large-scale, highly reproducible, ultra-high-yield growth of vertical single-walled carbon nanotubes (V-SWNTs). It is revealed that reactive hydrogen species, inevitable in hydrocarbon-based growth, are damaging to the formation of sp(2)-like SWNTs in a diameter-dependent manner. The addition of oxygen scavenges H species and provides a powerful control over the C/H ratio to favor SWNT growth. The revelation of the roles played by hydrogen and oxygen leads to a unified and universal optimum-growth condition for SWNTs. Further, a versatile method is developed to form V-SWNT films on any substrate, lifting a major substrate-type limitation for aligned SWNTs.     

Ondansetron does not block tramadol-induced analgesia in mice

Tramadol is a weak opioid agonist and an inhibitor of the reuptake of noradrenaline and serotonin. This study was undertaken to assess a possible pharmacological interaction of ondansetron, a serotonin-3 (5-hydroxytryptamine-3, 5-HT3) antagonist, and tramadol in an animal model for acute pain. Sixty-three male albino mice were randomly given saline, tramadol (10, 20, and 40 mg kg(-1)), ondansetron (1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)), or ondansetron (1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)) and tramadol (20 mg kg(-1), given 10 min after ondansetron injection) intraperitoneally. Each mouse was assessed twice for tail-flick latency before saline or drug administration and 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min thereafter. Tramadol (10 mg kg(-1)) had no effect on pain threshold levels of mice, but tramadol doses of 20 or 40 mg kg(-1) increased pain threshold levels in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01 for 20 mg kg(-1) and p < 0.001 for 40 mg kg(-1)). Ondansetron doses of 1, 2, or 4 mg kg(-1) alone had no effect on pain threshold levels of mice. Tramadol (20 mg kg(-1)) and ondansetron (1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)) increased pain threshold levels at all doses (p < 0.001 for 1 and 2 mg kg(-1) ondansetron and p < 0.01 for 4 mg kg(-1) ondansetron). The pain threshold levels of mice given tramadol (20 mg kg(-1)) alone or tramadol and ondansetron (p > 0.05 for 1, 2, and 4 mg kg(-1)) were similar. Our results indicate that ondansetron-a 5-HT3 selective antagonist-does not decrease the analgesic effectiveness of tramadol in mice, which may be the result of different mechanisms involving 5-HT3 receptors.     

Preparation and phase behaviour of surface-active pharmaceuticals: self-assembly of DNA and surfactants with membranes. Differential adiabatic scanning microcalorimetric study

Some energetics issues relevant to preparation and surface characterization of zwitterionic phospholipid-DNA self-assemblies, as alternative models of the currently used problematic lipoplexes are presented. Nucleic acid compaction capacities of Mg(2+) and N-alkyl-N,N,N-trimetylammonium ions (C(n)TMA, n=12) were compared, with regard to surface interaction with unilamellar vesicles. Differential adiabatic scanning microcalorimetric measurements of synthetic phosphatidylcholine liposomes and calf thymus DNA and their ternary complexes with Mg(2+) and C(12)TMA, were employed for deduction of the thermodynamic model describing their structural transitions. Small monodisperce and highly stable complexes are established after precompaction of DNA with detergent, followed by addition of liposomes. In contrast, divalent metal cation-mediated aggregation of vesicles either leads to heterogeneous multilamellar DNA-lipid arrangements, or to DNA-induced bilayer destabilization and lipid fusion. Possible dependence of the cellular internalization and gene transfection efficiency on the structure and physicochemical properties of DNA-Mg(2+)-liposomes or DNA-cationic surfactant-liposome systems is emphasized by proposing the structure of their molecular self-organizations with further implications in gene transfer research.     

Pinealectomy does not affect the healing of experimental colonic anastomoses.

Gastrointestinal system anastomoses, especially colonic anastomoses, have significant morbidity and mortality despite recent technical improvements. Besides regulating the circadian rhythm, the pineal gland and its main neurohormone product melatonin have widespread actions in the organism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pinealectomy on the healing of colonic anastomoses. One hundred male albino Wistar rats were used in this study. The rats were separated into three groups: control, pinealectomy, and sham groups. In the control group, only colonic resection and anastomoses were performed. Following pinealectomy, colonic anastomosis was performed 2 weeks later on one half and 2 months later on the other half of the pinealectomy group. Only craniotomy was performed on the sham group, and the rats were separated and evaluated like the pinealectomy group. Colonic anastomoses were evaluated on postanastomotic day 3 and 7 by measuring the bursting pressure and the hydroxyproline levels in the anastomotic segments. There was no difference in the bursting pressure measurements between the groups on both postoperative day 3 and 7. Although hydroxyproline levels were different between groups on both postanastomotic days 3 and 7, it has been observed that neither normal nor anastomotic hydroxyproline levels influenced the anastomotic bursting pressure measurements. The percent deviation from the normal values was compared in the anastomotic segments, and no differences were found regarding the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline levels. It was concluded that pinealectomy has no effect on the healing of colonic anastomoses.     

Corona mortis: incidence and location

The right hemipelvis of 98 patients was examined by angiography to determine the occurrence and location of the corona mortis artery. This arterial anastomosis was found in 28.5% (28 of 98). Its incidence was 30.5% (18 of 59) in men and 25.6% (10 of 39) in women; this difference was not significant ( p>0.05). The distance from the symphysis pubis to the anastomotic artery averaged 33.4 mm (range 21.4-41 mm). It was 31.8 mm (range 21.4-39.3 mm) in men and 36.2 mm (range 25-41 mm) in women; this difference was significant ( p<0.05).     

Open fractures of the proximal humerus treated with the Ilizarov method: 12 patients followed 3-8 years

We followed 12 patients who had been treated with the Ilizarov method for open proximal humeral fractures for more than 3 years. No wound infection occurred. Avascular necrosis and nonunion were each detected in 1 patient. According to Neer's criteria, the outcome was excellent or satisfactory in 8 patients.     

Fertility preferences, contraceptive behaviors and unmet needs: a gap between urban and suburban parts of a city.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the differences in unwanted fertility in different parts of a city. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 1999 Manisa Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) in Turkey. We collected information from a representative sample of 1728 ever-married women aged 15-49 years on fertility, fertility preferences, unmet need for family planning, contraceptive discontinuation, and abortion. Data were analyzed using SPSS 10.0 for Windows. RESULTS: Of the persons studied, 1238 (71.6%) were living in urban settlements and 490 (28.4%) in suburban (gecekondu) settlements. The total fertility rate is higher among gecekondu women (2.42) than among urban women (2.14) although gecekondu women have a lower wanted fertility rate (1.54) than urban women (1.77). Married women in the urban area were currently using a contraceptive method more frequently (75.6%) than those living in the gecekondu area (61.7%) (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.9-3.2; p < 0.001). The unmet need percentage in gecekondu women (17.7%) is higher than in urban women (8.3%; p < 0.001). The induced abortion rate is higher in urban women (14.8 per 1000 pregnancies) than in gecekondu women (7.1 per 1000 pregnancies; OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.4-3.1; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There are inequalities in the achievement of fertility preferences and in accessibility to family planning services between urban and suburban parts of the city.     

Primary pelvic hydatid cyst

We report a case of hydatid cyst of the pelvis in a 36-year-old woman presented with right adnexal cystic mass with similar cystic lesions in the liver. Laparatomy revealed a right paraovarian cystic mass densely adhered to the uterus, to the pelvic side wall, and to the right fallopian tube. Histopathological examination of the cyst wall showed the cuticular layer of the cyst. Cystic liver lesion was later proved to be hepatic hemangioma by magnetic resonance imaging. Received: November 1999 / Accepted: 14 January 2000