Probiotics ameliorates LPS induced neuroinflammation injury on Aβ 1–42, APP, γ-β secretase and BDNF levels in maternal gut microbiota and fetal neurodevelopment processes

Metabolic Brain Disease - The gut microbiota influences brain development and functioning through the gut-brain axis. This is first study regulate maternal gut microbiota and fetal neurodevelopment...     

A multicenter retrospective study defining the clinical and hematological manifestations of brucellosis and pancytopenia in a large series: Hematological malignancies, the unusual cause of pancytopenia in patients with brucellosis

The aim of the study is to review the clinical manifestations and the hematological findings of brucellosis and pancytopenia, with or without hematological malignancies. The records of 202 patients with brucellosis were evaluated retrospectively. Among these cases of brucellosis seen in a 6 year period between April 1999 and June 2005, 30 patients with pancytopenia were identified. The most common manifestation was fever, followed by weight loss, anorexia, malaise, arthralgia, and hepatosplenomegaly. Bone marrow biopsies revealed hypercellularity or normocellularity. The most common findings in the bone marrow evaluation were histiocytic hemophagocytosis and granulomas. Among all cases, we diagnosed 5 hematological malignancies (1 acute myelogenous leukemia, 2 acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 2 multiple myeloma) concurrently with brucellosis. The clinical symptoms and findings were similar in patients with and without malignancies. In cases with malignancies, the bone marrow biopsy revealed predominant primary disease involvement. Significant increases in ESR and CRP, severe anemia and thrombocytopenia were observed in patients with malignancies. Peripheral blood counts in patients without malignancies returned to normal after antibiotic treatment for brucellosis. However, pancytopenia in two patients with malignancies did not recover because of primary resistant disease. We conclude that while histiocytic hemophagocytosis may be considered as a major cause of pancytopenia, leukemic infiltration can also be an extreme and unusual cause of pancytopenia in patients in whom brucellosis was concurrently diagnosed with hematological malignancies.     

Acromegaly is associated with a distinct oral and gut microbiota

Pituitary - Our aim was to investigate the changes in the composition of oral and gut microbiota in patients with newly diagnosed acromegaly and their relationship with IGF-1 levels. Oral and fecal...     

Multicenter retrospective analysis regarding the clinical manifestations and treatment results in patients with hairy cell leukemia: twenty‐four year Turkish experience in cladribine therapy

In this multicenter retrospective analysis, we aimed to present clinical, laboratory and treatment results of 94 patients with Hairy cell leukemia diagnosed in 13 centers between 1990 and 2014. Sixty‐six of the patients were males and 28 were females, with a median age of 55. Splenomegaly was present in 93.5% of cases at diagnosis. The laboratory findings that came into prominence were pancytopenia with grade 3 bone marrow fibrosis. Most of the patients with an indication for treatment were treated with cladribine as first‐line treatment. Total and complete response of cladribine was 97.3% and 80.7%. The relapse rate after cladribine was 16.6%, and treatment related mortality was 2.5%. Most preferred therapy (95%) was again cladribine at second‐line, and third line with CR rate of 68.4% and 66.6%, respectively. The 28‐month median OS was 91.7% in all patients and 25‐month median OS 96% for patients who were given cladribine as first‐line therapy. In conclusion, the first multicenter retrospective Turkish study where patients with HCL were followed up for a long period has revealed demographic characteristics of patients with HCL, and confirmed that cladribine treatment might be safe and effective in a relatively large series of the Turkish study population. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Red blood cell rheological properties in various rat hypertension models

Red blood cell (RBC) properties were proposed to play role in the development of hypertension (HT). This study aimed at investigating the alterations of RBC deformability and aggregation, in various models of HT in rats. The following four models of HT were developed in rats: one kidney-one clip HT (1K-1C HT), two kidney-one clip HT (2K-1C HT), deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) induced HT (15 mg/kg, 2 times/week, sc) and N-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced HT (50 mg/kg/day, 10 weeks, ip). The blood samples were obtained from abdominal aorta, under ether anesthesia, after a period of 10 weeks of increased blood pressure. RBC deformability was determined by ektacytometry. RBC aggregation was measured in autologous plasma and 0.5% dextran 500, using a photometric rheoscope. Plasma fibrinogen concentration was determined by Clauss method. The mean blood pressure in all four HT models were about 140 mmHg, on the day of sampling, compared to approximately 110 mmHg in the control group. RBC deformability was found to be significantly decreased in the L-NAME model of HT. RBC aggregation in autologous plasma was significantly higher than control in 2K-1C, L-NAME and DOCA models, DOCA HT model being the most effective in altering the RBC aggregation. Plasma fibrinogen values were found to be higher than control in 2K-1C and L-NAME HT models, but not in DOCA HT. These results confirm that RBC rheological properties might be altered in HT. It can also be suggested that these alternations may not simply be the result of the vascular effects of HT, but may play role in the development of HT, as the alterations in different HT models were not the same, although the length and magnitude of increased blood pressure were similar.     

The role of docosahexaenoic acid on visual evoked potentials in one kidney-one clip hypertension

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in a one kidney-one clip (1K-1C) hypertension model in rats. METHODS: Five experimental groups were formed: a control group, a sham group, a group supplemented with DHA, a 1K-1C group, and a 1K-1C + DHA group. The DHA groups were treated for 60 days. In the 1K-1C groups, the right kidney was removed and a silver clip with a 0.2-mm gap was placed on the left renal artery. RESULTS: The DHA-supplemented rats had lower blood pressure than their respective controls (p < 0.01). The increased brain and retina thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in hypertensive rats were abolished by DHA administration. The brain nitrite levels were lower in the DHA, 1K-1C and 1K-1C + DHA groups compared with the control group (p < 0.01), and the retina nitrite level was higher in the 1K-1C + DHA group compared with the DHA and 1K-1C groups (p < 0.01). There was an improvement of P(2), N(2) and P(3) components following DHA supplementation in 1K-1C hypertensive rats compared with the 1K-1C group. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that DHA supplementation has the potential to prevent VEP changes caused by an experimental model of hypertension. This state might be related to the lipid peroxidation lowering effect of DHA.     

Serum myeloperoxidase level predicts reperfusion in patients with myocardial infarction receiving thrombolytic therapy

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes play a central role in all stages of the atherothrombotic inflammatory process. The atherothrombotic activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes is exerted by mediators such as myeloperoxidase (MPO). Although the role of MPO has been studied with respect to the development of adverse cardiac events in acute coronary syndromes (ACS), the association of this molecule with effectiveness of reperfusion in patients receiving thrombolysis is not yet known. The study population consisted of a total of 158 patients with acute coronary syndromes. Final diagnosis was ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in 86 patients, 80 of whom received thrombolysis. Blood samples were drawn at presentation of the patients and serum myeloperoxidase levels were measured. Reperfusion was defined in terms of electrocardiographic ST-segment resolution. The serum levels of MPO were found to be correlated with rates of in-hospital adverse events including death (P < 0.001), reinfarction (P < 0.001), recurrent ischemia (P < 0.001), arrhythmias (P < 0.001), clinical heart failure (P < 0.001), and cardiogenic shock (P < 0.001). There was a significant difference in serum MPO levels between subjects with three-vessel disease and two- or one-vessel disease (P < 0.001). Pre-lytic serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in patients with successful reperfusion were lower than in patients with failed reperfusion (P < 0.001). Analysis of patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction receiving thrombolytic therapy revealed that pre-lytic serum MPO levels in patients with successful reperfusion were significantly lower than those of patients with failed reperfusion (P < 0.001). In the present study, serum MPO levels were found to be a strong predictor of response to thrombolytic treatment in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Therefore the level of inflammatory activity in acute coronary syndromes seems to influence the effectiveness of fibrinolysis.     

Left ventricular volume: an optimal parameter to detect systolic dysfunction on prospectively triggered 64-multidetector row computed tomography: another step towards reducing radiation exposure

In this study, we define the correlation between LV volumes (both LV end-diastolic volume [LVEDV] and LV end-systolic volume [LVESV]) and ejection fraction (EF) on 64 slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). We also determine the accuracy of all the LV volume (LVV) parameters to detect LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and investigate the feasibility of using LVV as a surrogate of LVSD on prospectively gated imaging to prevent the radiation exposure of retrospective imaging. 568 patients undergoing 64-detector MDCT were divided into 2 groups: Group 1—subjects without any heart disease and LVEF ≥ 50%; and Group 2—patients with coronary artery disease and LVEF < 50% (defined as LVSD). The LVV (LV cavity only) and Total LV volume (cavity + LV mass) at end-systole and end-diastole (LVESV, Total LVESV, LVEDV and Total LVEDV) were measured. The upper limit values (mean + 2 SD) of all LVV parameters in Group 1 were used as the reference criterion to diagnose LVSD in Group 2. An exponential correlation was found between LVEF and all the LVV parameters. The specificity to detect LVSD in Group 2 was >90% and the sensitivity was 88.9, 83.3, 61.3 and 74.9% by using LVESV, Total LVESV, LVEDV and Total LVEDV, respectively. Systolic and diastolic LV volumes had a high correlation with LVEF and a high accuracy to detect LVSD. Thus, on prospectively triggered imaging, ventricular volumes can predict patients with reduced LVEF, and appropriate referrals can be made.