Effects of pinealectomy and exogenous melatonin on rat hearts

The effects of pinealectomy and administration of melatonin, the major secretory product of the pineal gland, which is a direct free radical scavenger and an indirect antioxidant, were studied in rat hearts on the basis of cardiac morphology and biochemical findings. Three groups of Wistar rats were used: one group was the sham-operated control, one group consisted of pinealectomized rats and one group consisted of pinealectomized rats that were treated with melatonin. Serum cholesterol, tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), and heart weight were determined. Histochemical staining with the Van Gieson, PAS/Alcian blue at pH 2.5 and Masson's trichrome methods were performed in addition to hematoxylin-eosin staining. Levels of serum cholesterol and tissue MDA, and heart weight were increased in pinealectomized rats whereas GSH levels did not change. Melatonin administration reversed these effects. Microscopically, myocardial fibrosis and myxomatous degeneration of cardiac valves were detected in all pinealectomized rats. It can be concluded that pinealectomy of rats causes morphological changes in rat hearts, and short-term application of melatonin does not reverse these changes.     

Morphology of the lumbar spinal canal in normal adult Turks

Pathological changes can occur in the diameters of the lumbar spinal canal. Therefore, assessing the canal size an important diagnostic procedure. Two hundred plain anterioposterior radiographs of the lumbar spine were examined. The sample consisted of 100 males and 100 females. The transverse diameter of the bony spinal canal (interpedicular distance), which was measured as the minimum distance between the medial surfaces of the pedicles of a given vertebra, was measured. In addition, the transverse diameter of the vertebral body, which was measured as the minimum distance across the waist of the vertebra, was measured. The distances were measured to the nearest one tenth of a millimetere using a Vernier caliper. At all levels (L1 - L5) the transverse diameters of the lumbar spinal canal were approximately 1 - 1.5 mm higher in males than in females. The intersegmental differences increased proximodistally, in both sexes. The ratio of the transverse diameter canal to the width of the vertebra ranged from 0.55 to 0.60 mm in both sexes. The distribution of the different lumbar canal types were 47% A, 42% B, 11% C. Additionally, subtypes were determined and classified.     

Determination of the pericardial to serum myoglobin ratio for the early diagnosis of perioperative myocardial infarction after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Pericardial fluid reflect the composition of cardiac interstitium in myocardial ischemia. This study investigated the value of the pericardial and serum myoglobin (MG) measurements for the diagnosis of perioperative myocardial infarction (MI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Postoperative arterial and pericardial blood samples were taken in 64 subjects undergoing elective CABG allocated to two groups according to the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities observed during the first postoperative 24h. Group 1=normal and nonspecific ECG abnormalities, and Group 2=perioperative Q-wave MI. The occurrence of perioperative MI was associated with a dramatic increase in both serum and pericardial cardiac troponin I (CTnI) and MG concentrations. Pericardial concentrations were higher than serum concentrations during the first postoperative 24h in all subject. However, pericardial/serum CTnI ratio in subjects in Group 2 was not statistically different from Group 1 at the time of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and did not significantly change at time intervals. On the other hand, more than two-fold increase in the pericardial/serum MG ratio was determined for all patients who experienced perioperative Q-wave MI with the lowest value as 2.75, whereas only 1 of 59 patients in group 1 had the ratio higher than 2 with the highest value as 2.15 at the time of admission to the ICU. In conclusion, determination of pericardial/serum MG ratio may be a useful tool for the early diagnosis of the perioperative MI after CABG.     

Large Lipomatous Hypertrophy of the Interventricular Septum

We present the case of a 58-year-old woman who had large lipomatous hypertrophy of the interventricular septum, a condition that is reported very infrequently. Preoperative cardiac magnetic resonance images revealed an inhomogeneous, infiltrating mass that was suppressed in fat-suppression mode. The extensive mass was causing right ventricular dysfunction, so we excised it through a right ventricular approach. The findings on histologic analysis of the mass were consistent with lipomatous hypertrophy. The patient died of septic shock on the 28th postoperative day. In addition to the patient''s case, we discuss the characteristics and diagnosis of this rare entity.     

Intracerebral injection of low amounts of norharman induces moderate Parkinsonism-like behavioral symptoms in rat

β-Carbolines (BCs) are considered to be endogenous toxins and have been proposed as possible causative candidates inducing Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there is controversy about the effect and also effective dose of these compounds in the etiology of PD. This study was designed to further examine the effect of norharman (NH), a BC which in mammalian brain occurs at high levels in the substantia nigra, on the development of Parkinsonism-like behaviors in rats. A small amount (4μl) of NH solution at 2 or 200ng/ml was unilaterally injected into either striatum or substantia nigra (SN) by stereotaxic surgery. The development of Parkinsonism was assessed by three conventional behavioral tests, compared to the effects of unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) - induced lesions in the nigrostriatal pathway. An apomorphine-induced rotational test revealed no Parkinsonism-like behavior in the NH treated groups. However, rats that received the high concentration of NH into their SN showed significant biased swings in the elevated body swing test. In a rotarod test, NH treated groups showed relatively weak motor performance and their learning patterns were close to that of the 6-OHDA treated rats. Considering that the rotational test is only valid in animals with severe Parkinsonism, but time spent on the rotating rod correlates inversely with severity of Parkinsonism, our results indicate that a single exposure to low amounts of NH is effective in producing moderate Parkinsonism-like behavioral symptoms, possibly through a neurotoxic effect of this agent on the SN dopaminergic neurons.     

Impact of self-reported juvenile abuse on treatment outcome in patients with major depressive disorder

Background

We assessed the impact of juvenile abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual) on response to treatment in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) suboptimally responsive to antidepressant therapy.

Methods

A post hoc analysis explored the relationship between self-reported history of juvenile abuse and response to risperidone or placebo augmentation during a 6-week double-blind study period in patients with MDD suboptimally responsive to a previous adequate trial of antidepressant monotherapy.

Results

Overall, only one clinical measure showed a small, but statistically significant difference in outcome between patients with abuse versus without abuse (HRSD-17). In patients reporting abuse (n=141), improvement with risperidone versus placebo augmentation was greater on several measures: HRSD-17 total and 2 subscale scores, responder rates, Q-LES-Q, and PaRTS-D. In patients without abuse (n=127), only two measures showed significant improvement: HRSD-17 subscale and PaRTS-D. Responder rates (HRSD-17) were: 40.9% (risperidone) versus 23.1% (placebo; p=0.01; odds ratio=2.7) in those with abuse, and 41.0% versus 34.4% (p=0.39; odds ratio=1.4) in those without. Adverse events rates were: 37.0% (risperidone) and 54.4% (placebo) in patients with abuse, and 56.3% and 55.6% in those without.

Limitations

Analysis not preplanned. Validated questionnaire not used to determine abuse status.

Conclusions

Self-reported juvenile abuse history may impact response to risperidone augmentation therapy in adults with MDD suboptimally responsive to antidepressants. Abuse status may reduce placebo response and reporting of adverse events.     

Educating fathers to improve breastfeeding rates and paternal-infant attachment

Objectives

To determine the effect of breastfeeding education provided to fathers on breastfeeding rates and paternal-infant attachment.

Methods

117 couples with their infants with the inclusion criteria: knowledge of reading, writing and speaking Turkish; living in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus until their infants were six months old; and infants having no health problems preventing the early initiation of breastfeeding. Participants were divided into 3 groups (2 experimental and 1 control). Breastfeeding education was provided to the mothers (20 min/d) in the first group (n=38) and to the mothers and fathers in the second group (n=39) (20 min/d/parent) until they were discharged from the hospital. This education was supplemented by a training booklet. The parents and their infants were followed until the infants were six months old. Exclusive breastfeeding rates and Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale scores at six months were main outcome measures.

Results

Exclusive breastfeeding rates (56.4%, 33.3% and 12.8%; P<0.001) and mean (SD) Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale scores [89.51(7.05), 82.37 (12.80) and 73.38 (18.67); P<0.001] were highest in the group where education was provided to both mother and father.

Conclusions

Providing breastfeeding education to fathers increases exclusive breastfeeding rates and strengthens paternal attachment.

     

Regulation of murine arthritis by systemic,spinal, and intra-articular adrenoceptors

BackgroundThe regulation of the immune system by the sympathetic nervous system is allowing the design of novel treatments for inflammatory disorders such as arthritis. In this study, we have analyzed the effects of α- and β-adrenoceptor agonists injected subcutaneously, intrathecally, or intra-articularly in zymosan-induced arthritis.MethodsMurine arthritis was induced by intra-articular (knee joint) injection of zymosan. α1 (phenylephrine), α2 (clonidine), β1 (dobutamine), or β2 (salbutamol)-adrenoceptor agonists were injected subcutaneously (sc), intrathecally (it), or intra-articularly (ia) to activate peripheral, spinal, or intra-articular adrenoceptors and to study their effects on articular edema formation and neutrophil migration into the synovial cavity.ResultsTreatments with phenylephrine did not affect the edema formation, but it increased neutrophil migration when injected subcutaneously (155.3%) or intra-articularly (187.7%). Treatments with clonidine inhibited neutrophil migration (59.9% sc, 68.7% it, 42.8% ia) regardless of the route of administration, but it inhibited edema formation only when injected intrathecally (66.7%) or intra-articularly (36%) but not subcutaneously. Treatments with dobutamine inhibited both edema (42.0% sc, 69.5% it, 61.6% ia) and neutrophil migration (28.4% sc, 70.3% it, 82.4% ia) in a concentration dependent manner. Likewise, all the treatments with salbutamol also inhibited edema formation (89.9% sc, 62.4% it, 69.8% ia) and neutrophil migration (76.6% sc, 39.1% it, 71.7% ia).ConclusionWhereas the β-adrenoceptor agonists induced anti-inflammatory effects regardless of their route of administration, α1- and α2-adrenoceptor agonists induced either pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, respectively.     

Acute physiological responses to physiotherapy applications pre and post autologous stem cell transplantation: an experimental study

Objective

We aimed to investigate the acute physiological responses (APR) to physiotherapy applications in patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), the difference between pre- and post-ASCT according to APR.

Methods

Twenty-six patients who were hospitalized for ASCT attended regular physiotherapy program. APR was recorded in the beginning and at the end of each exercise session. The differences in APR were calculated for each session. The mean values of the differences in APR were computed in pre-conditioning, pre-, and post-ASCT. Daily complete blood counts were also recorded during ASCT.

Results

Hemoglobin and platelet counts were significantly lower pre- and post-ASCT. Neutrophil counts were significantly lower post-ASCT. The difference in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the beginning and at the end of the exercise sessions was significantly higher post-ASCT in comparison to pre-ASCT.

Conclusion

There was no significant change in APR except the SBP which suggests that similar level of exercise intensity could be tolerated in pre- and post-ASCT periods as well as preconditioning.