Ultrastructural changes in pneumocyte type II cells following traumatic brain injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to demonstrate the time-dependent ultrastructural changes in pneumocyte type II cells following brain injury, and to propose an electron microscopic scoring model for the damage. METHODS: Forty Wistar-Albino female rats weighing 170-200 g were used. The rats were allocated into five groups. The first group was the control and the second was the craniotomy without trauma. The others were trauma groups. Weight-drop method was used for achieving head trauma. Samples were obtained from the right and left pulmonary lobes at 2-, 8-, and 24-h intervals after transcardiac perfusion. An electron microscopic scoring model was used to reveal the changes. RESULTS: There were no ultrastructural pathological findings pointing to lung injury in any rat of the control groups. There was intense intracellular oedema in type II pneumocyte and interstitial oedema in the adjacent tissue in trauma groups. Oedema in mitochondria and dilatation in both smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus was more evident in the 8- and 24-h trauma groups. The chromatin dispersion was disintegrated in the nucleus in all trauma groups. Scores of all trauma groups were significantly different from the controls (P<0.05). All trauma groups were different from each other at significant levels (P<0.05 for each trauma groups). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggested that ultrastructural damage is obvious at 2 h and deteriorates with time. The electron microscopic scoring model worked well in depicting the traumatic changes, which were supported by lipid peroxidation. Further experiments are needed to determine the exact outcome after brain death model.     

Effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on orthodontic tooth movement

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on (1) the velocity of orthodontic tooth movement and (2) the nitric oxide levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) during orthodontic treatment. The sample consisted of 20 patients (14 girls, six boys) whose maxillary first premolars were extracted and canines distalized. A gallium-aluminum-arsenide (Ga-Al-As) diode laser was applied on the day 0, and the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days when the retraction of the maxillary lateral incisors was initiated. The right maxillary lateral incisors composed the study group (the laser group), whereas the left maxillary lateral incisors served as the control. The teeth in the laser group received a total of ten doses of laser application: five doses from the buccal and five doses from the palatal side (two cervical, one middle, two apical) with an output power of 20 mW and a dose of 0.71 J /cm². Gingival crevicular fluid samples were obtained on the above-mentioned days, and the nitric oxide levels were analyzed. Bonferroni and repeated measures variant analysis tests were used for statistical analysis with the significance level set at p ≤ 0.05. The application of low-level laser therapy accelerated orthodontic tooth movement significantly; there were no statistically significant changes in the nitric oxide levels of the gingival crevicular fluid during orthodontic treatment.     

Evaluation of Oxidative Metabolism in Child and Adolescent Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective

Oxidative metabolism is impaired in several medical conditions including psychiatric disorders, and this imbalance may be involved in the etiology of these diseases. The present study evaluated oxidative balance in pediatric and adolescent patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

The study included 48 children and adolescents (34 male, 14 female) with ADHD who had no neurological, systemic, or comorbid psychiatric disorders, with the exception of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and 24 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (17 male and seven female).

Results

TAS was significantly lower, and TOS and OSI were significantly higher in patients with ADHD than in healthy controls. Total antioxidant levels were lower in patients with comorbid ODD than in those with no comorbidity. No difference was found in TOS or OSI among the ADHD subtypes; however, TAS was higher in the attention-deficient subtype.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrated that oxidative balance is impaired and oxidative stress is increased in children and adolescents with ADHD. This results are consistent with those of previous studies.     

Platelet function and fibrinolytic activity in patients with bronchial asthma.

Platelets have the capacity to release mediators with potent inflammatory or anaphylactic properties. Platelet factor-4 (PF4) and beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) are two of these mediators. On the other hand, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) are two important mediators of fibrinolysis. Both mediators are secreted mainly by vascular endothelium. Plasma levels of PF4, BTG, PAI-1, and tPA may show changes in chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma. This study examined the role of thrombocytes and the function of the endothelium in asthmatic patients during an attack and during a stable phase. Eighteen patients with known allergic asthma who came to our emergency department with an asthma attack and 14 control subjects were included in the study. Blood samples were taken after starting therapy with salbutamol inhalation. Lung function tests were performed after receiving the first emergency therapy for asthma. Plasma levels of PF4, BTG, PAI-1, tPA were determined before starting steroid therapy and after receiving 1 week of steroid therapy. Plasma levels of PF4 among patients with an asthma attack were significantly higher than those of controls (150.5+/-8.92 IU/mL vs. 92.5+/-7.63 IU/mL, p<0.001). A further increase in plasma PF4 levels was detected after steroid therapy (163.5+/-9.16 IU/mL). Plasma BTG levels of patients on admission were not statistically different from those in the control group (140.4+/-6.34 IU/mL vs. 152.2+/-8.71 IU/mL). An increase was detected after therapy (171.6+/-7.27 IU/mL) and post-treatment plasma levels were statistically meaningful versus the controls. Plasma levels of tPA and PAI were statistically higher than those in controls in asthmatic patients on admission (6.01+/-2.72 vs. 5.4+/-2.3 ng/mL for tPA and 75.2+/-27.2 ng/mL vs. 32.7+/-14.3 ng/mL for PAI-1). Further increases were detected in two parameters after 1 week of therapy with steroids (tPA levels were 6.85+/-2.96 ng/mL and PAI-1 levels were 83.5+/-29.6 ng/mL). There seems to be an increased activity of platelets during an asthma attack. Elevated PAI-1 and tPA levels may also indicate the activated endothelium in asthma. Increases of plasma levels of PAI-1 and tPA after steroid therapy need further investigation because elevated PAI-1 levels enhance airway remodeling.     

Quantitation of escitalopram and its metabolites by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry in psychiatric patients: New metabolic ratio establishment

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is used to determine the concentration of drug in plasma/serum to adjust the dose of the therapeutic drug. Selective and sensitive analytical methods are used to determine drug and metabolite levels for the successful application of TDM. The aim of the study was to develop and validate using LC‐MS/MS to analyse quantitative assay of escitalopram (S‐CT) and metabolites in human plasma samples. In order to provide a convenient and safe treatment dose, it was aimed to determine the levels of S‐CT and its metabolites in the patients’ plasma. A new method with short sample preparation and analysis time was developed and validated using LC‐MS/MS to analyse quantitative assay of S‐CT and its metabolites in plasma. Also, plasma samples of 30 patients using 20 mg S‐CT between the ages of 18 and 65 years were analysed by the validated method. The mean values of S‐CT, demethyl escitalopram and didemethyl escitalopram in plasma of patients were 27.59, 85.52 and 44.30 ng/mL, respectively. At the end of the analysis, the metabolic ratio of S‐CT and metabolites was calculated. It is considered that the method for the quantitative analysis of S‐CT and its metabolites in human plasma samples may contribute to the literature on account of its sensitive and easy application. Additionally, the use of our data by physicians will contribute to the effective drug treatment for their patients who take S‐CT.     

Macroglossia and Generalized Edema not Due to Hypothyroidism

We present a 69-year-old male patient with the macroglossia, dysphagia and generalized edema. He was seen previously by other physicians and diagnosed as hypothyroidism. With thyroid stimulating hormone in normal range, tongue biopsy revealed primary systemic amyloidosis. Amyloidosis is the most common cause of macroglossia. Primary systemic amyloidosis should be suspected when laboratory does not support hypothyroidism especially if the enlarged tongue is firm and additional findings are present.     

Relationship between thigh skinfold measurement, hand grip strength, and trunk muscle endurance: Differences between the sexes

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between thigh skinfold measurement, hand grip strength, and trunk muscle endurance and compare this relationship in men and women. The current study included 200 healthy subjects (111 women and 89 men), with a mean age of 31.58±13.78 y. Trunk muscle endurance was evaluated with the use of curl-up, horizontal side bridge, and static back endurance tests. Significant differences were found between women and men in performance of the curl-up and horizontal side bridge tests (P< .05); however, no significant difference was found between the sexes in the static back endurance test scores (P≥.05). The investigators discerned a significant negative correlation between thigh skinfold measurements and all trunk muscle endurance tests in female patients (curl-up,r=−.501; horizontal side bridge,r=−.454; static back,r=−.479;P< .05). A rather weak correlation was found in male patients (curl-up,r=−.348; horizontal side bridge,r=−.182; static back,r=−.330;P< .05). On the other hand, no significant correlation was found between hand grip strength and trunk muscle endurance test scores in female patients (P≥.05), although a significant positive correlation was found in male patients in curl-up and side bridge test results (curl-up,r=.319; horizontal side bridge,r=.307; static back,r=.123;P< .05). The results of this study suggest that women have lower endurance test scores compared with men. The investigators detected the presence of a significant negative correlation between thigh skinfold measurement and trunk muscle endurance tests in both men and women and concluded that there is a positive significant relationship between hand grip strength, curl-up, and horizontal side bridge tests. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between muscle endurance and physical characteristics as they relate to the sex of the individual.