Treatment of two postoperative endophthalmitis cases due to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus flavus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scopulariopsis</Emphasis> spp. with local and systemic antifungal therapy

Background  

Endophthalmitis is the inflammatory response to invasion of the eye with bacteria or fungi. The incidence of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery varies between 0.072–0.13 percent. Treatment of endophthalmitis with fungal etiology is difficult.     

Sneddon's syndrome: clinical and laboratory analysis of 10 cases

Sneddon's syndrome is characterized by livedo reticularis and cerebrovascular lesions. We report the cases of women (mean age, 36.2 +/- 8.1 years) diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome based on the presence of livedo reticularis and characteristic cerebrovascular findings. Seven of these patients had cerebral infarcts on cranial computed tomography scan. Antiphospholipid antibodies were positive in 6 of these cases. Three cases had abnormal levels of antithrombin III. Analyses of chromosome 6 revealed no abnormalities. In 3 of the cases, investigation of the pedigrees revealed autosomal dominant traits. Two cases had epilepsy, and 3 had migraine. One case with migraine also had myasthenia gravis. In addition, we detected inferior altudinal hemianopia in 2 cases, cognitive functional disorder in 3 and depression in 2. Based on these findings, the entire vascular, haematologic, neurologic, and dermatologic systems should be evaluated in patients diagnosed with Sneddon's syndrome.     

Is serum leptin level regulated by thyroid functions, lipid metabolism and insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome?

Our aim was to determine whether serum leptin level is regulated by thyroid hormones, lipid metabolic products and insulin resistance status in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A prospective case-controlled study was carried out in Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa School of Medicine in 25 lean PCOS (L-PCOS) women, 19 obese PCOS (O-PCOS) women and 28 normal women. The diagnosis of PCOS was established according to the clinical, hormonal (elevated luteinizing hormone and serum androgens) and ultrasonographic findings. Fasting serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), fasting glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) and leptin were measured and compared in the three groups and the correlations between serum levels of leptin and other parameters were evaluated. Serum leptin levels were higher in the O-PCOS group, while its level was comparable between the L-PCOS and control groups. Serum levels of FT4 were significantly lower in both L-PCOS and O-PCOS groups than the control group. Women in both L-PCOS and O-PCOS groups were found to be significantly hyperinsulinemic and insulin resistant. Serum levels of TC, VLDL-C and TG were significantly higher in the O-PCOS group, while serum HDL-C level was lower. There was a poor correlation between serum leptin, and FT4, TC, TG, HDL-C and VLDL-C levels. A significant correlation was observed between serum leptin levels and both BMI and insulin resistance status in PCOS. We believe that, although thyroid hormones and lipid metabolic products do not seem to participate in the regulation of serum leptin levels, BMI and insulin resistance status may have a key role in women with PCOS.     

Ellagic acid attenuates oxidative stress on brain and sciatic nerve and improves histopathology of brain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of ellagic acid in brain and sciatic nerve tissues of diabetic rats. Also, the impact of ellagic acid on catalase and paraoxonase (PON-1) activities, total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) were examined. The rats were randomly divided into four groups, with eight rats each: Normal controls (not diabetic), only ellagic acid treated (ellagic acid controls, not diabetic), Diabetic controls (streptozotocin, diabetic), ellagic acid-treated diabetic (streptozotocin?+?ellagic acid). After a 4?week experiment, rats were sacrificed, and biomarkers for oxidative stress in the brain and sciatic nerve tissues of the rats were measured. There was significant depletion in the PON-1, catalase, and TAS levels in the brain and sciatic nerve tissues compared to the control groups (for both parameters, p?<?0.05). The values of catalase, PON-1 and TAS reversed back to normal levels in ellagic acid-treated diabetic rats compared to untreated diabetic rats (for both parameters, p?<?0.05). The levels of MDA, TOS, NO and, OSI in the brain and sciatic nerve tissues were higher in untreated diabetic rats compared to control group (for both parameters p?<?0.05). However, MDA, TOS, OSI, and NO levels were found to be significantly reduced in the ellagic acid-treated diabetic group compared to the untreated diabetic group in these tissues (for both parameters, p?<?0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that ellagic acid exhibits neuroprotective effects against oxidative damage in diabetic rats.     

Assessment of acute toxicity and histopathology of the fungicide captan in rainbow trout

Acute toxicity of the fungicide, captan, to juvenile rainbow trout was evaluated under static-renewal test condition. Actual concentrations of captan ranged from 0.05 to 1.00 mg/L. The concentrations of captan that killed 50% of the rainbow trout (3.11 ± 0.8 g) within 24 (24 h; LC₅₀), 48, 72 and 96 h were 0.57 ± 0.09, 0.49 ± 0.10, 0.44 ± 0.11 and 0.38 ± 0.13 mg/L (95% confidence limits), respectively. None of the unexposed control fish died and the first fish died 6 h after exposure to captan (≥0.65 mg/L). Hypertrophy, separation of epithelium from lamellae, lamellar fusion, and epithelial cell necrosis were observed on captan exposed fish. Gills also had scattered areas of focal lamellar hyperplasia. Fish exposed to fungicide had inflammation and necrosis in liver, trunk kidney and spleen. In order, the most affected organs were gill, trunk kidney and liver.     

Purification and in vitro toxicity of gamma amanitin

We aimed to obtain gamma amanitin with high purity through a purification process and compare toxic effects of alpha, beta, and gamma amanitin. Specific concentrations of the toxins (25, 10, 1, and 0.1?μg/mL) were applied to the C3A human hepatocytes. A MTT test was performed to determine the level of toxicity. Alpha amanitin showed a higher toxicity in 48?h while the lowest toxicity was observed in beta amanitin. The toxicity level of gamma amanitin was found between the alpha and beta amanitin toxicity. Our method is suitable for obtaining gamma amanitin with high purity (>99%) as well as for obtaining alpha amanitin and beta amanitin. Gamma amanitin has been shown to have equal responsibility for toxicity as alpha amanitin in amanita poisoning.