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The aim of this study was to investigate the usage of Taraxacum officinale extract (TOE) in inflammatory and painful cases as an alternative to paracetamol (PRC) through the assessment of biochemical and reproductive parameters. Totally, 30 male Sprague Dawley rats aged eight weeks old, were used in this study. The animals were obtained from Atatürk University Experimental Research and Application Centre and kept under standard laboratory conditions. Commercial pellet chow and fresh drinking water were available ad libitum. Rats were divided into five groups: Group I (n= 6); referred as control. Group II (n=6); referred as TOE150 (150 mg/kg). Group III (n=6); referred as TOE200 (200 mg/kg). Group IV (n=6); referred as TOE250 (250 mg/kg). Group V (n=6); referred as Paracetamol (PRC) (2 g/kg). The treatment was performed for consecutive 8 days. The animals were tranquilized and sacrificed on 9th day of study. Blood samples, cauda epididymal semen samples and testes tissues were collected. Routine semen examinations were performed and oxidative stress levels of testicular tissues were assayed. Reproductive organ weights [total testes weight (TTW) and total cauda epididymal weights (TCEW)] were recorded. Motility in TOE250 group was significantly higher when compared to the other groups (P

This paper presents an analytical-numerical methodology for the geometrically nonlinear analysis of laminated composite plates under dynamic loading. The methodology employs Galerkin technique, in which suitable polynomials are chosen as trial functions. In the solution process, Newmark's scheme for time integration, and modified Newton-Raphson method for the solution of resulting nonlinear equations are used. In the formulation, first order shear deformation theory based on Mindlin's hypothesis and von Kármán type geometric nonlinearity are considered. The results are compared to that of finite strips, and Chebyshev series published elsewhere. The method is found to determine closely both the displacements and the stresses. A finite element analysis has also been carried out for the validation of the results. The present method can be efficiently and easily applied for the nonlinear transient analysis of laminated composite plates with various boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to compare the effects of microfracture (MF) versus intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) + oral glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate (GC) in addition to MF in patients with osteoarthritic knees who underwent medial open wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) after an average follow-up of five years., Methods: The study was designed retrospectively and included patients who underwent MOWHTO due to gonarthrosis, the MF method performed on these patients, and HA + GC treatments applied in addition to MF. Three groups consisting of 79 patients were formed: only HTO (Group 1), HTO + MF (Group 2), and HTO + MF + HA + GC (Group 3). The groups were compared using knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and range of motion (ROM). The associations between the degree of correction and function and pain were evaluated. Additionally, the KOOS subparameters were compared between the groups., Results: There were significant improvements in the postoperative KOOS and VAS scores in all three groups (p < 0.05). However, the ROM did not improve in Group 1. There was no significant difference in the postoperative KOOS, VAS, or ROM values ​​between Groups 2 and 3, but these values ​​were significantly better in Groups 2 and 3 than in Group 1 (p < 0.05). When the degree of correction increased, there were no significant positive changes in the postoperative KOOS or VAS score in Group 1, unlike in the other two groups (p < 0.05). In corrections of ≥ 10°, while there was no significant difference in the postoperative KOOS or VAS score ​​between Groups 2 and 3, these parameters significantly improved in these two groups compared to Group 1 (p < 0.05). Among the KOOS subparameters, pain and activities of daily living scores ​​were greater in Groups 2 and 3 than in Group 1 (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: In MOWHTO, MF is a sufficient treatment method that improves the patient's clinical condition without requiring additional treatments such as HA and GC., Level of Evidence: III, retrospective cohort study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Trunk stabilization, which is a factor that directly affects the performance of affected upper-limb movements in stroke patients, is of critical importance in the performance of selective motor control., Aims: This study aimed to investigate the effects on upper-limb motor function of the addition of robotic rehabilitation (RR) and conventional rehabilitation (CR) to intensive trunk rehabilitation (ITR)., Methods: A total of 41 subacute stroke patients were randomly allocated to two groups: RR and CR. Both groups received the same ITR procedure. Following ITR, a robot-assisted rehabilitation program of 60 min, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks, was applied to the RR group, and an individualized upper-limb rehabilitation to the CR group. Assessments were made at baseline and after 6 weeks using the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Evaluation Scale (FMA-UE), and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT)., Results: Improvements were obtained in the TIS, FMA-UE, and WMFT scores for both groups (p < 0.001), with no superiority detected between the groups (p > 0.05). The RR group scores were relatively high, but not to a statistically significant., Conclusions: When added to intensive trunk rehabilitation, the robot-assisted systems, which are recommended as a stand-alone therapy method, produced similar results to conventional therapies. This technology can be used as an alternative to conventional methods under appropriate conditions of clinical opportunity, access, time management, and staff limitations. However, when RR is combined with traditional interventions such as intensive trunk rehabilitation, it is essential to investigate if the real effect is due to the robotic rehabilitation or the accumulation of positive effects of excessive movement or force spread associated with trained muscles., Registration: This trial was retrospectively registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov with NCT05559385 registration number (25/09/2022)., (© 2023. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.)

Background: IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1) is an important regulator of bone formation. Its deficiency has been associated with fetal growth disorders and hip dysplasia. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether IGF-1, IGF-BP3 (insulin like growth factorbinding protein 3), and IGF-BP5 levels in the umbilical cord blood can be predictive for early diagnosis of DDH., Methods: Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from 860 mothers with pregnancies at high risk for DDH between October 2020 and January 2021. Mothers at 37-42 weeks of gestation, with risk factors for DDH, who delivered healthy infants were included. Blood samples were collected during delivery. Each eligible infant was medically followed up and underwent a hip ultrasound in the postnatal 2nd or 3rd month. Infants diagnosed with DDH were matched with a healthy cohort in terms of sex, birth weight, maternal age, and gestational week, and the IGF-1, IGF-BP3 and IGF-BP5 levels were studied and compared., Results: Evaluation was made of 20 infants diagnosed with DDH and 60 healthy infants. Of the total 80 infants, 72.5% were female.The umbilical cord blood levels of IGF-1 and IGF-BP3 were similar in both groups. The IGF-BP5 values were significantly lower in the DDH patient group. Except for DDH diagnosis, the other categorical variables of the study did not appear to influence the levels of any of the IGFs., Discussion: Umbilical blood samples could potentially help diagnose DDH. The levels of IGF-BP5 were shown to be significantly lower in infants with DDH.

Objectives: This experimental study aims to examine the effects of Tendoflex® and Hypericum perforatum on tendon healing in rat models undergoing iatrogenic Achilles tendon rupture and similar surgical treatments., Materials and Methods: Eighty Wistar albino rats weighing 250 to 350 g were randomly divided into four groups. Group A: Tendoflex® was administered orally as 1 capsule/2.5 kg daily by gavage. Group B: Hypericum perforatum was administered orally as 300 mg/kg daily by gavage. Group C: Tendoflex® and Hypericum perforatum were co-administered orally by gavage at the prespecified doses. Group D: No medication was given to the control group. Five rats from each group were sacrificed weekly, and the tissue samples were examined histologically, followed by the biomechanical tests of the Achilles tendon., Results: In the mechanical testing, pulling forces were superior in all intervention groups and in all weeks over the control group. In particular, in the early periods (Weeks 1, 2, and 3), the mixed group showed the most favorable results, followed by the Hypericum perforatum group (p=0.010, p=0.591, and p=0.130, respectively). The most favorable collagen type I and type III expression values were found in the mixed and Hypericum perforatum groups at Weeks 2 and 3, respectively (p=0.025 and p=0.018). In the immunohistochemical and Western Blot examinations, extreme collagen type I and type III expression were detected in the mixed and Hypericum perforatum groups at Weeks 2, 3, and 4., Conclusion: Tensile strength of the Achilles tendon increased by using Hypericum perforatum and Tendoflex® following rupture and repair of the Achilles tendon in rats. The combined use of these two agents yielded the most favorable mechanical and histological results, particularly in the early period. This result may be related to the higher level of collagen type I and type III immunity in all groups, compared to the control group.

Objective: In this experimental study, PRF (Platelet Rich Fibrin), HA (Hyaluronic Acid) gel and ADCON® Gel were compared in terms of preventing epidural fibrosis., Methods: Twenty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats (mean weight, 400-450 g) were divided into 4 groups. L3-L4 laminectomy was performed in each group. Following laminectomy, Adcon® Gel, HA gel and PRF were applied onto the surgery site locally in Group 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Group 4 was maintained as control without any local application. After five weeks, L3-L4 vertebrae were removed totally and taken to histopathological evaluation for epidural fibrosis, acute inflammatory cell density, chronic inflammatory cell density, hemorrhage, angiogenesis and new bone formation., Results: Acute inflammation cell density, angiogenesis, and new bone formation levels were comparable among the study groups (p > 0.05). However, new bone formation was higher in the PRF group. Epidural fibrosis and chronic inflammatory cell density were significantly lower in the PRF group (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: We concluded that PRF contributed to hemostasis and prevented epidural fibrosis., (Copyright © 2018 Turkish Association of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: To investigate the effects of conservative therapy applied before arthroscopic subacromial decompression on the clinical outcome in patients with stage 2 shoulder impingement syndrome., Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight patients having stage 2 shoulder impingement syndrome and treated with arthroscopic subacromial decompression were included in the study. We divided these patients into 2 groups, whereby 32 (47%) patients received conservative therapy before arthroscopic subacromial decompression and 36 (53%) patients did not receive conservative therapy. We compared both groups in terms of the the Constant, UCLA, and VAS scores for shoulder pain before and after arthroscopic subacromial decompression., Results: Constant, UCLA, and VAS scores were statistically significantly improved in both groups after arthroscopic subacromial decompression (P <0.001). Constant, UCLA, and VAS scores before arthroscopic subacromial decompression were statistically better in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of Constant, UCLA, and VAS scores after arthroscopic subacromial decompression (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Conservative therapy applied in patients with stage 2 shoulder impingement syndrome before arthroscopic subacromial decompression does not have a positive contribution on the clinical outcome after arthroscopic subacromial decompression.