Comparison of the classic limberg flap and modified limberg flap in the treatment of pilonidal sinus disease: A retrospective analysis of 416 patients

Purpose  

Pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) is usually seen on the sacrococcygeal region in adolescent patients. The current study analyzed the outcome of the rhomboid excision and the Limberg flap procedure (cLF) in comparison to the modified Limberg flap procedure (mlF) for PSD.     

Is HBOT treatment effective in recovering zone of stasis? An experimental immunohistochemical study

Studies aimed at recovering the zone of stasis are one of the major issues of experimental burn studies. Hypoxia and oedema at that zone may cause irreversible changes. Due to anti-oedematous and antihypoxic effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), it may be beneficial in recovering the zone of stasis. We performed an experimental study using 20 Sprague–Dawley rats, each weighing 350–450 g. The rats were first divided into two groups as 24 h and 5 days. Subsequently, control and treatment groups (five rats in each group) were formed. For burn wounds, we used the burn comb model, which was described by Regas and Ehrlich. In the treatment group, 2.5 ATA HBOT was applied for 90 min twice daily. A 0.8-cm punch biopsy was performed and samples for histological examination were taken from the centre of burn area. The rats were sacrificed by administering ‘3 mci technetium-99m methoxy butyl nitrite’ (⁹⁹Tc^m MIBI) through the femoral vein. Biopsy materials were evaluated by histological and immunohistochemical methods. Dorsal skin fragment, excised to 1 cm margin, was imaged by scintigraphic measurements with a gamma camera. Wet and dry weight measurements of excised skin fragments were taken. As a result, HBOT showed a positive effect at the cellular level in the first 24 h. It increased recovery potential by augmenting neovascularisation and decreasing oedema in the 5-day group.     

Propolis reduces bacterial translocation and intestinal villus atrophy in experimental obstructive jaundice

AIM: To investigate the effects of propolis on bacterial translocation and ultrastructure of intestinal morphology in experimental obstructive jaundice. METHODS: Thirty Wistar-Albino male rats were randomly divided into three groups, each including 10 animals: group—effect on ileal mucosa and reduced bacterial translocation in the experimental obstructive jaundice model. Further studies should be carried out to explain the mechanisms of these effects.     

Interferon-gamma gene+874T-A polymorphism is associated with tuberculosis and gamma interferon response

Interferon-gamma is the most important cytokine in resistance to mycobacterial diseases and common variants of interferon-gamma gene could be related to tuberculosis susceptibility. We tested the hypothesis that the interferon-gamma+874T-A polymorphism is associated with tuberculosis disease, and affects the interferon-gamma response. We determined by pyrosequencing the distribution of the interferon-gamma+874T-A polymorphism in a Turkish population of 319 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 42 children with severe forms of tuberculosis and 115 healthy donors. We also analysed whether any correlation exists between this polymorphism and interferon-gamma response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens by ELISPOT in 58 pulmonary tuberculosis cases, and the results were analysed according to the genotypes. We found that the minor allele (T) frequency was significantly lower in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis when compared to controls (P=0.024, OR=0.7), a similarly significant decrease in the frequency of TT genotype was observed in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, compared to the control group (P=0.02, OR=0.49). IFN-gamma responses to PPD antigen in TT genotype was found to be significantly higher than the AA group (P>0.001). Non-parametric correlation analysis of ELISPOT data showed significant reverse correlation in PPD, CFP10 and ESAT6 values and IFN-gamma +874 genotypes. These results show that the IFN-gamma +874T-A polymorphism is related to the IFN-gamma response and the magnitude of the response decreases during transition from TT- to TA and to AA genotypes. Our data suggest that similar to various Caucasian populations, in a Turkish population the IFN-gamma+874 T-A polymorphism is also associated with tuberculosis disease and affects the magnitude of the IFN-gamma response.     

Effects of some 1,3,5-trisubstitued-2-pyrazoline derivatives on depression and anxiety parameters of mice

The aim of the present study was examining the effects of some 1,3,5-trisubstituted-2-pyrazoline derivatives on depression, anxiety and spontaneous locomotor activity parameters of mice. None of the compounds was effective at 50 mg/kg dose whereas at 100 and 200 mg/kg, pyrazoline-benzoxazole derivative test compound 4a and pyrazoline-benzimidazole derivative test compound 4d in the series were exhibited significant antidepressant effects in modified forced swimming tests. These two pyrazolines decreased the immobility and increased the swimming times of mice without any change in climbing durations suggesting the antidepressant-like effects of the test compounds. In spite of significant antidepressant effect, none of the compounds changed the exploratory parameters in hole-board tests or total numbers of spontaneous locomotor activities in activity cage measurements at any of the applied doses. In other words, neither anxiolytic nor sedative effects induced by the test compounds. The results obtained from this study supported the previous findings reporting the antidepressant activities of pyrazoline derivative compounds. Exact mechanism of the antidepressant action exhibited in the present study need to be clarified with further detailed investigations.     

The change in plasma GABA,glutamine and glutamate levels in fluoxetine- or S-citalopram-treated female patients with major depression

Objective  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between plasma glutamate, glutamine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in female patients with major depression treated with S-citalopram or fluoxetine. Methods  The patients were assigned into S-citalopram (10 mg/day) or fluoxetine (20 mg/day) groups (n = 15 per group). The Hamilton and Beck Depression Inventory Scales were performed on all study participants, and blood samples were collected. The same procedures were repeated 10 days following the onset of therapy. Fifteen female healthy volunteers were also included in the study for the evaluation of normal plasma levels. Results  The plasma GABA levels of the healthy volunteers were higher whereas those for glutamate and glutamine were lower than the day zero samples of the patients. An increase in plasma GABA levels and a decrease in glutamate and glutamine levels were observed on the 10th day of treatment. No difference was detected between the drug treatments. Conclusion  Our findings may suggest that GABA, glutamate and glutamine play a role in depression and that plasma GABA may be used as a biomarker for treatment control.     

Coexistence of fibromyalgia,temporomandibular disorder,and masticatory myofascial pain syndromes

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of fibromyalgia (FM) with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and masticatory myofascial pain (MMP). Thirty-one consecutive women diagnosed as having FM according to American College of Rheumatology criteria and 21 consecutive women diagnosed as having TMD were included in this prospective study. All patients were examined by a dentist and a physiatrist to identify the coexistence of FM and TMD. In the FM group, TMD was found in 25 (80%) patients, and only 6 (19%) patients had arthrogenous origin with MMP, whereas 19 (81%) patients had only MMP without arthrogeonous orgin of those 25 women exhibited TMD. In the TMD group, the prevalence of FM was 52%, which was significantly higher in those with TMD of arthrogenous origin with MMP. Our results indicate that coexistence of FM and TMD with MMP is high. Pain and tenderness in the masticatory muscles appear to be an important element in FM, so in some patients it may be the leading complaint. This study was supported financially by Baskent University Research Fund.     

Affecting factors of nicotine dependence in the smoker health workers

Nicotine dependence is pointed out as the first reason of smoking behavior continuity and treatment failure. We investigated the nicotine dependence level (NDL) of health workers and the factors which affect it. We carried out the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and a questionnaire composed of 24 questions that evaluate demographic characters and the smoker ideas about smoking on health workers who staff at the a training hospital in Istanbul. NDL was not related with sex, age, education, marital status, child number and working time in health area (p> 0.05). There was correlation between NDL and daily smoked cigarette number (r= 0.71, p< 0.001). There was an opposite relationship among initiation age, regular use age and NDL (in order r= -0.16 and p= 0.013, r= -0.25 and p< or =0.001). 30% of the cases who had high NDL were smoking in everywhere of their home (p< 0.001). They also had high smoking ratios near surroundings of nonsmoker people (p= 0.003). The cases who had high NDL did not want to quit smoking (p= 0.028). Working in a hospital increased smoking ratio in 41.77% cases and did not affect the NDL (p= 0.3). It was thought that the cases that had high NDL did not take into consideration their surroundings and did not want to quit smoking. Health workers should be considered as a target population during antismoking campaigns, in order to make them willing in the struggle against tobacco.