Effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate on cerebrospinal fluid lactate and glucose levels after spinal cord trauma.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) after spinal cord trauma (SCT). Twenty rabbits were divided equally into four groups: group I was the sham-operated group, group II suffered from SCT but received no treatment, group III was given a dose of 400 mg/kg of GHB intravenously before SCT and group IV received the same dose after SCT. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained 30 min before SCT (T(0)), at 60 (T(1)) and 120 min (T(2)) after SCT. There was a threefold increase in lactate levels from baseline value at T(2) in group II, while statistically significant elevation of the lactate levels were not observed in groups III and IV. Glucose levels at T(1) and T(2) were significantly lower in groups III and IV compared with the control group. The findings of this study demonstrate that GHB can control the increase of CSF lactate and glucose levels following SCT and that this metabolic effect may be associated with neuroprotective physiological changes.     

Case report: Osseous metaplasia of the endometrium: a rare cause of infertility and its hysteroscopic management

This case report presents a very rare and long-standing causeof infertility, osseous metaplasia of the endometrium, and describesits successful management by hysteroscopy. A woman with a historyof induced abortion 12 years ago, failed to conceive from thattime on. The infertility work-up was unrevealing except forthe presence of intracavitary calcification on ultrasonography.After diagnostic hysteroscopy, solid bony spicules coveringthe posterior wall of the endometrial cavity were removed bywire loop resectoscope. Histology established the diagnosisof osseous metaplasia of the endometrium. The patient conceivedin her second spontaneous cycle and has an ongoing pregnancyat the time of writing. Hysteroscopy was an effective meansof extracting this heterotopic tissue, thereby re-establishingfertility even after a long period of infertility.     

Anatomical study of the communicating branches between the medial and lateral plantar nerves

The plantar areas of the foot have specific biomechanical characteristics and play a distinct role in balance and standing. For the forefoot surgeon, knowledge of the variations in the anatomy of communicating branches is important for plantar reconstruction, local injection therapy and an excision of interdigital neuroma. The anatomy of the communicating branches of the plantar nerves between the fourth and third common plantar digital nerves in the foot were studied in 50 adult men cadaveric feet. A communicating branch was present between the third and fourth intermetatarsal spaces nerves in all eight left feet and in six right feet (overall, 28%), and absent in 36 (72%). A communicating branch was found in 14 ft. Ten of the 14 communications were from the lateral to the medial plantar nerve. The length of the communicating branch ranged from 8 to 56 mm (average 16.4 mm) and its diameter was 0.2–0.6 times of the fourth common plantar digital nerve. The angle of the communicating branch with the common plantar digital nerve from which it originated was less than 30° in 11 ft, 30–59° in 27 ft, 60–80° in 8 ft, and more than 80° in 4 ft. Classification of the branch is based on the branching pattern of the communicating branch and explains variations in plantar sensory innervations. We think that the perpendicular coursing communicating branch is at higher risk to be severed during surgery.     

Lipid peroxidation, erythrocyte superoxide-dismutase activity and trace metals in young male footballers

Physical training is known to induce oxidative stress in individuals subjected to intense exercise. In this study, we investigated plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of 25 young male footballers and a control group of similar age. Red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin (Hb) and haematocrit (Hct) values, and copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels were also examined. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) of all subjects was determined in order to establish their functional capacity. The main finding of the present study was that plasma MDA levels, one of the most commonly used markers of lipid peroxidation, of this group of footballers aged under 21 decreased slightly when compared with those of the control group (p < 0.001). In contrast, erythrocyte SOD activity was higher in the footballer group than in the controls (p < 0.001). Footballers who are under regular training showed an improved antioxidant activity in comparison to sedentary controls. Plasma copper concentration, RBC count and Hb concentration of the footballer group were all significantly lower than those of the control group, (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively). Investigating the footballers' data with Spearman's correlation analyses, the correlation coefficients (r) between Zn/Cu ratio and SOD was positive (r=0.44; p < 0.05); and between VO2max and SOD (r=0.42; p < 0.05) were both positive. On the basis of statistical analysis, we suggest that regular exercise may be beneficial in cases of oxidative damage by reducing the amount of lipid peroxidation and increasing the activity of the antioxidant enzyme SOD.     

Inhibition of compound action potentials following administration of dental self-etching primer/adhesives

Self-etching dentin adhesive systems, a new generation of dental-bonding agents, were investigated for their ability to block nerve conductance in the rat sciatic nerve model. Clearfil SE Bond, Mac Bond and FL Bond were used as test materials. Isolated rat sciatic nerves obtained from female albino rats were placed between two electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials were recorded versus time before and after contact with the materials. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks tests (P = 0.01) to compare the mean percentage of inhibition between test materials versus time. All test materials were able to block nerve transmission rapidly (3.3 +/- 0.5, 5.1 +/- 2.3 and 8.0 +/- 1.9 min for SE Bond, Mac Bond and FL Bond, respectively). Significant differences were found between FL Bond and SE and Mac Bond (P < 0.01). These results indicated that the bonded systems tested, intended primarily as dentinal tubule occluders, may also exert some direct desensitizing effect on intratubular or pulpal nerve terminals in extremely deep cavities or pulpal microexposures, contributing to decreased postoperative pain.     

Effect of combined supplementation with vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid on myocardial performance during in vivo ischaemia-reperfusion

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute significantly to myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury. Recently the combination of the antioxidants vitamin E (VE) and alpha-lipoic acid (alpha-LA) has been reported to improve cardiac performance and reduce myocardial lipid peroxidation during in vitro I-R. The purpose of these experiments was to investigate the effects of VE and alpha-LA supplementation on cardiac performance, incidence of dysrhythmias and biochemical alterations during an in vivo myocardial I-R insult. Female Sprague-Dawley rats (4-months old) were assigned to one of the two dietary treatments: (1) control diet (CON) or (2) VE and alpha-LA supplementation (ANTIOXID). The CON diet was prepared to meet AIN-93M standards, which contains 75 IU VE kg-1 diet. The ANTIOXID diet contained 10 000 IU VE kg(-1) diet and 1.65 g alpha-LA kg(-1) diet. After the 14-week feeding period, significant differences (P<0.05) existed in mean myocardial VE levels between dietary groups. Animals in each experimental group were subjected to an in vivo I-R protocol which included 25 min of left anterior coronary artery occlusion followed by 10 min of reperfusion. No group differences (P>0.05) existed in cardiac performance (e.g. peak arterial pressure or ventricular work) or the incidence of ventricular dysrhythmias during the I-R protocol. Following I-R, two markers of lipid peroxidation were lower (P<0.05) in the ANTIOXID animals compared with CON. These data indicate that dietary supplementation of the antioxidants, VE and alpha-LA do not influence cardiac performance or the incidence of dysrhythmias but do decrease lipid peroxidation during in vivo I-R in young adult rats.     

Influence of a self-etching primer on compound nerve action potentials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-etching primers on nerve conductance. A self-etching primer (One Up Bond F) which combines etching and bonding in one step, and a fifth-generation bonding agent (Prime&Bond NT ) were tested. Isolated rat sciatic nerves were placed between two platinum electrodes in a bath containing Tyrode solution. The bonding agents were brought into contact with the nerves and the evoked compound action potentials (CAP) were recorded before and after contact with the materials. One Up Bond F caused total inhibition of the CAP within an average time of 7 min. All CAPs in this group were blocked irreversibly. As with Prime&Bond NT, the reduction in CAP was 45.9% after an application time of 15 min, after which readings were terminated. Recovery of the CAP in this group were maintained after rinsing with fresh tyrode solution. One Up Bond F elicited faster blocking of nerve conductance under the conditions of this model. In the context of dentin desensitization with bonding agents, the self-etching primer may be more effective, clinically.     

A quantitative study on the sacrum of the dog.

The aim of this study was to record sacral bone morphometry that may help in selection of the implant type and proper size in sacroiliac separation. For this reason, sacral lengths and width, the length of each sacral vertebrae, distances between cranial and caudal articular processes, vertical and transversal diameters of the cranial endplate, sacral tuberositas and articular surface areas were obtained from 11 dogs. Additionally, the transverse and vertical diameters of the bony structure and sacral canal were measured from six cross-sections. The data of the study were determined to be representative of the sacral values for average-sized dogs, which was confirmed statistically. The highest value was the sacral width among the linear measurements. The ventral sacral length was longer than the dorsal sacral length. The total lateral area of the sacral wing was measured as 677.46 (142.1)mm2. The transverse diameters of the first sacral vertebra important for screw implantation were 46.02 (4.33)mm and 44.18 (5.29)mm in the first and second cross-sections, respectively.