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BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become more and more common and has a high morbidity and mortality rate worldwide. It is a multifactorial chronic disease affected by both genetic and environmental factors. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the association between antioxidant enzyme activities and their genetic variations and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in type II diabetes patients living in the Adiyaman province in the southeast part of Turkey. MATERIAL AND METHODS One hundred patients diagnosed with type II DM (T2DM) and 100 healthy controls were included in the study. Malondialdehyde levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured spectrophometrically. DNA isolation was performed and genotyping was carried out using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS Our results revealed no significant differences in genotype distributions and allele frequencies of all polymorphisms between groups (p > 0.05). Significantly elevated MDA levels and a significant reduction in catalase (CAT) and paraoxonase (PON) enzyme activities were observed in patients compared to the control group in terms of study groups and genetic variations (p < 0.05). Moreover, CAT activity was reduced in TT genotype in terms of CAT -262 C/T polymorphism in patients (p < 0.05). Paraoxonase activity was observed to be lower in MM genotype in both groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS CAT -262 C/T polymorphism may be one of the factors that lead to severe clinical situation in DM. Our results suggest that TT genotype may be more prone to lipid peroxidation.

WOS: 000533508400007 This study aimed to evaluate the protective role of paricalcitol, a vitamin D analog, against hazardous effects of 1800MHz radiofrequency (RF) radiation on the skin of male Wistar albino rats exposed one h/day for 4weeks. The maximum specific absorption rate was calculated as 0.0042W/kg. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, collagen bundle thickness, breaking force, energy, and stress were decreased, while malondialdehyde level and mast cell number were increased. The exposure to 1800-MHz RF radiation caused a reduction in skin biomechanical quality through oxidative stress and mast cell activation. The administration of paricalcitol caused a significant improvement. Research Fund of Mersin University in TurkeyMersin University [2017-1-TP2-2214] This work was supported by the Research Fund of Mersin University in Turkey [grant number BAP, 2017-1-TP2-2214].

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer death for males. Imipramine (IMI), which is a tricyclic antidepressant, has also been shown to has antineoplastic effect. This study was performed to investigate the radiosensitizing effect of IMI on DU145 prostate cancer cell. Cells were divided into 4 groups. Cell index, apoptotic activity, cell cycle arrest, oxidative stress and EAG1 channel currents were determined in all groups. Our findings showed that combined treatment with IMI and radiotherapy (RAD) did not enhance radiosensitivity of DU145 cells but as unexpected finding, treatment of IMI alone was more effective in DU145 cells.

In recent studies, it has been reported that ion channels play an important role in cancer formation. Therefore, it is possible that the use of pharmacological agents targeting ion channels will allow the development of new strategies for cancer treatment. In this study, we investigate the effect of imipramine on Eag1 channel expression in DU145 prostate cancer cells. Culture cells were divided into 4 groups as the control, 10, 50 and 75 µM imipramine. Eag1 channel currents and conductivity were determined by whole-cell patch-clamp technique and gene expression by real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Current records were taken before (at 0th minute, as control) and 10 min after imipramine administration to the cells. It was observed that all three doses of imipramine significantly reduced Eag1 currents and conductivity compared with the control. However, the differences between dose groups were not significant. Similarly, Eag1 channel protein expression was found to be significantly reduced for all three doses of imipramine compared with the control group, but there was no significant difference in gene expression between dose groups. Obtained results suggested that imipramine has the potential to be used as a pharmacological agent targeting the Eag1 channel in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Introduction: A cadaveric experimental investigation aimed to show the rupture pressure of the tympanic membrane (TM) for otologists to evaluate its tensile strength. Methods: Twenty adult ears in 10 fresh frozen whole cadaveric heads (four males, six females) mean age 72.8 (SD 13.8) years (range 40–86) were studied. The tensile strength of the TM was evaluated with bursting pressure of the membrane. The dimensions of the membranes and perforations were measured with digital imaging software. Results: The mean bursting pressure of the TM was 97.71 (SD 36.20) kPa. The mean area, vertical and horizontal diameters of the TM were 57.46 (16.23) mm2, 9.54 (1.27) mm, 7.99 (1.08) mm respectively. The mean area, length and width of the perforations were 0.55 (0.25) mm2, 1.37 (0.50) mm, and 0.52 (0.22) mm, respectively. Comparisons of TM dimension, bursting pressure, and perforation size by laterality and gender showed no significant differences. The bursting pressure did not correlate (positively or negatively) with the TM or perforation sizes. Conclusions: The TM can rupture during activities such as freediving or scuba diving, potentially leading to serious problems including brain injuries. Studying such events via cadaveric studies and data from case studies is of fundamental importance. The minimum experimental bursting pressures might better be taken into consideration rather than average values as the danger threshold for prevention of TM damage (and complications thereof) by barotrauma.

Rapid development in mobile phone technologies increase the average mobile phone usage duration. This increase also triggers exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RF), which is a risk factor for the health. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of mobile phone working with LTE-Advanced Pro (4.5 G) mobile network on the optic nerve, which is responsible for the transmission of visual information.Thirty-two rats divided into two groups as control (no RF, sham exposure) and experimental (RF exposure using a mobile phone with LTE-Advanced Pro network; 2 hours/day, 6 weeks). The visual evoked potential (VEP) was recorded and determined amplitudes and latencies of VEP waves. Optic nerve malondialdehyde level, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were determined. Furthermore, ultrastructural and morphometric changes of optic nerve were evaluated.In VEP recordings, the mean VEP amplitudes of experimental group were significantly lower than control group. In ultrastructural evaluation, myelinated nerve fibres and glial cells were observed in normal histologic appearance both in sham and experimental group. However, by performing morphometric analysis, in the experimental group, axonal diameter and myelin thickness were shown to be lower and the G-ratio was higher than in the sham group. In the experimental group, malondialdehyde level was significantly higher and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly lower than sham group. There was a high correlation between VEP wave amplitudes and oxidative stress markers.Findings obtained in this study support optic nerve damage. These results point out an important risk that may decrease the quality of life.

The nervous system is an important target of radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure since it is the excitable component that is potentially able to interact with electromagnetic fields. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of 1,800 MHz RF radiation and the protective role of paricalcitol on the rat sciatic nerve. Rats were divided into four groups as control, paricalcitol, RF, and RF + paricalcitol. In RF groups, the rats were exposed to 1,800 MHz RF for 1 h per day for 4 weeks. Control and paricalcitol rats were kept under the same conditions without RF application. In paricalcitol groups, the rats were given 0.2 μg/kg/day paricalcitol, three times per week for 4 weeks. Amplitude and latency of nerve compound action potentials, catalase activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and ultrastructural changes of sciatic nerve were evaluated. In the RF group, a significant reduction in amplitude, prolongation in latency, an increase in the MDA level, and an increase in catalase activity and degeneration in the myelinated nerve fibers were observed. The electrophysiological and histological findings were consistent with neuropathy, and the neuropathic changes were partially ameliorated with paricalcitol administration. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:631-643, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In this study, the effects of a neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid on the sciatic nerve of Rana ridibunda were investigated by using electrophysiological and histological methods. A total of 35 preparations of sciatic nerve isolated from 35 frogs (Nervus ischiadicus) were used in the experiments. Experiments were designed as four different dose groups (n = 8 per group). Acetamiprid solutions of 1 (group 1), 10 (group 2), 100 (group 3), and 1000 µM (group 4) were applied to the nerves in dose groups. In each group, action potentials were recorded before application of acetamiprid which served as control data. The extracellular action potentials were recorded for each group of 30th, 60th, 90th and 120th min of application time. Action potential amplitude and area were measured from recordings. Histological evaluation was performed by transmission electron microscopy. In electrophysiological examination, all doses in which acetamiprid applied have shown the effect from the 30th min and suppressed the sciatic nerve action potential. Acetamiprid significantly reduced the amplitude at the rate of 78-96% and the area at the rate of 79-98% (p 0.05). In electron microscopic examination, the control nerves were in normal appearance. Disorganization, irregularity, dense ovoid body formation, fragmentation of the myelin sheath, and loss on some axoplasm of the nerves in the dose group have been observed. Our findings showed that acetamiprid can cause neuropathic changes in sciatic nerve at all applied doses. These results indicate that acetamiprid as other insecticides can have harmful effects on non-target organisms.

In spite of their widespread use, toxicity of silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) to mammalian has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, it is aimed to investigate the effects and th...

In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel, Na+/K+-ATPase activity, and intracellular calcium levels on the vasodilatory effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in thoracic aorta by using electrophysiological and molecular techniques. Rat thoracic aorta ring preparations and cultured thoracic aorta cells were divided into four groups as control, 2 mM NAC, 5 mM NAC, and 10 mM NAC. Thoracic aorta rings were isolated from rats for measurements of relaxation responses and Na+/K+-ATPase activity. In the cultured thoracic aorta cells, we measured the currents of KATP channel, the concentration of intracellular calcium and mRNA expression level of KATP channel subunits (KCNJ8, KCNJ11, ABCC8 and ABCC9). The relaxation rate significantly increased in all NAC groups compared to control. Similarly, Na+/K+-ATPase activity also significantly decreased in NAC groups. Outward KATP channel current significantly increased in all NAC groups compared to the control group. Intracellular calcium concentration decreased significantly in all groups with compared control. mRNA expression level of ABCC8 subunit significantly increased in all NAC groups compared to the control group. Pearson correlation analysis showed that relaxation rate was significantly associated with KATP current, intracellular calcium concentration, Na+/K+-ATPase activity and mRNA expression level of ABCC8 subunit. Our findings suggest that NAC relaxes vascular smooth muscle cells through a direct effect on KATP channels, by increasing outward K+ flux, partly by increasing mRNA expression of KATP subunit ABCC8, by decreasing in intracellular calcium and by decreasing in Na+/K+-ATPase activity.

Objectives Rheum ribes L. is a perennial plant that belongs to the family of Polygonaceae, which is often used in traditional therapy because it possesses many bioactivities, such as antioxidant and antibacterial ones. Here we examined the effect of different R. ribes L. extracts on oxidative stress in experimental diabetic rats. Methods Thirty-six rats were divided into six groups as follows: group I, control group; group II, diabetic rats; group III, diabetic rats treated with the aqueous extract of R. ribes L. by gavage at 50 mg/kg for 15 days; group IV, diabetic rats treated by gavage with the ethanolic extract of R. ribes L. at 50 mg/kg for 15 days; group V, nondiabetic rats treated by gavage with the aqueous extract of R. ribes L. at 50 mg/kg for 15 days; group VI, nondiabetic rats treated by gavage with the ethanol extract of R. ribes L. at 50 mg/kg for 15 days. After 15 days, the animals were sacrificed and the liver and kidney tissues of each animal were isolated. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in the tissue samples were measured, and histopathologic examination was carried out. Results R. ribes L. was effective in reducing the oxidative stress and increasing the levels of the antioxidant enzymes. Increased levels of MDA and decreased levels of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were observed in both the liver and kidney tissues in group II. Decreased levels of MDA and increased levels of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were observed in group III compared with group II. In group IV, decreased levels of MDA and increased levels of SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were observed in comparison with group II. Conclusions Diabetes increases oxidative stress and causes a decrease in antioxidant enzyme levels. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of R. ribes L. decrease oxidative stress activity and increase the levels of antioxidant enzymes. The ethanol extract of R. ribes L. has a higher antioxidant effect than the aqueous extract.

Purpose: Although radiotherapy (RT) is an important component of cancer treatment, it induces adverse tissue reactions in the around of cancer tissue. Therefore, radioprotectives are needed to prot...

Background/aim: Intraabdominal pressure (IAP) is one of the main reasons for gastroesophageal reflux (GER). This study investigates whether IAP during laparoscopic surgery leads to GER in a time-dependent manner.Materials and methods: In a laparoscopy model, 15 mmHg IAP was created in 8 Wistar albino rats in the Trendelenburg position (TP). A 5 mm laparotomy was performed in the left lower abdominal region, and a 6 Fr catheter was placed intraabdominally. Air was insufflated into the abdominal cavity, and the pressure was kept constant at 15 mmHg. Esophageal pH alterations were measured by pH sticks for 4 h every 30 min.Results: The basal median esophageal pH value was 9 (8-10), the value after placing the catheter was 9 (7-10) (P = 0.47), and the median pH value after placing the subjects in TP was 9 (8-10) (P = 0.70). In our experimental model, esophageal pH values were found to decrease significantly at the 150th minute in TP and at 15 mmHg IAP (P < 0.05). Two rats died: one at the 120th minute and the other at the 240th minute (P > 0.05).Conclusion: Esophageal pH values decreased and continued to remain low following IAP increase and TP in this experimental rat model. Prolonged laparoscopic procedures can particularly lead to GER that requires instant recognition and rapid and appropriate intervention.

The nervous system is an important target of radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure since it is the excitable component that is potentially able to interact with electromagnetic fields. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of 1,800 MHz RF radiation and the protective role of paricalcitol on the rat sciatic nerve. Rats were divided into four groups as control, paricalcitol, RF, and RF + paricalcitol. In RF groups, the rats were exposed to 1,800 MHz RF for 1 h per day for 4 weeks. Control and paricalcitol rats were kept under the same conditions without RF application. In paricalcitol groups, the rats were given 0.2 μg/kg/day paricalcitol, three times per week for 4 weeks. Amplitude and latency of nerve compound action potentials, catalase activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and ultrastructural changes of sciatic nerve were evaluated. In the RF group, a significant reduction in amplitude, prolongation in latency, an increase in the MDA level, and an increase in catalase activity and degeneration in the myelinated nerve fibers were observed. The electrophysiological and histological findings were consistent with neuropathy, and the neuropathic changes were partially ameliorated with paricalcitol administration. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:631-643, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PubMedID: 26411723 Aim To evaluate the remote effect of intestinal ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury mediated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-?) on diaphragm contractility functions and whether administration of NAC may counteract the possible detrimental effects in an experimental neonatal rat model. Methods 40 Wistar rat pups were randomized into four groups; ten animals in each. Intestinal ischemia was conducted by obstructing mesentery of intestines by a silk loop. In the control group; only laparotomy was performed. After 1 h ischemia, reperfusion was conducted for 1 h in 1 h group, 24 h for 24 h group and 24 h for 24 h + NAC group but administration of NAC (150 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally twice a day was performed. Inflammatory response was evaluated by tissue TNF-? level and contractility functions by mechanic activity studies of the diaphragm. Electrophysiology of the diaphragm and the phrenic nerve was conducted to determine neuropathy or myopathy and transmission electron microscopy was performed to evaluate ultrastructural changes in the phrenic nerve. Results Diaphragm tissue TNF-? level significantly increased in 1 h and 24 h groups (P = 0.004, P = 0.0001; respectively). Diaphragm mechanic activation force and duration significantly decreased at 1 h and 24 h (P = 0.004, P = 0.02 and P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001; respectively). NAC administration significantly prevented decrease in the maximal contraction and the duration (P < 0.001). Phrenic nerve compound action potential (CMAP) amplitude significantly decreased in 1 h group (P < 0.0001) and NAC administration significantly prevented this decrease when compared with 24 h group (P < 0.001). In diaphragmatic needle electromyography, the duration of motor unit potentials (MUP) was prolonged significantly when compared with control group. Contractility and electrophysiological studies were indicating primarily neuropathy in diaphragm dysfunction. Histopathology revealed axonal and myelin degeneration in the 1 h and 24 h group, but less injury in the NAC administered group. Conclusions Intestinal IR induced elevation of TNF-? level in the diaphragm. Impairment in the diaphragm contractility and neuropathic changes in the phrenic nerve occurred even in the first hour of reperfusion. NAC administration prevented these detrimental effects. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aim Adhesion formation could potentially result in significant morbidity and mortality. In the present study, we investigated the role of soybean oil in the prevention of peritoneal adhesions and its effect on the anastomotic healing process. Patients and Methods A total of 40 male Wistar Albino rats were randomly assigned to four groups: group A, adhesion induction method; group B, adhesion induction method with administration of soybean oil; group C, colonic anastomosis method; and group D, colonic anastomosis method with administration of soybean oil. Adhesions were scored on postoperative day 7. Anastomotic healing was assessed by determining anastomotic bursting pressure (ABP), tissue hydroxyproline content and the histopathological examination. The serum malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were determined to evaluate cellular response to injury. Results The difference in mean values between saline- and soybean oil-treated groups, using both the adhesion method and colonic anastomosis method, were statistically significant (P = 0.0003, P = 0.009). Soybean oil administration resulted in no significant difference in terms of ABP and histopathological scores (P = 0.694 and P = 0.246, respectively). Tissue hydroxyproline content was increased significantly with soybean oil administration (P = 0.001). Mean MDA, NO and MPO levels were significantly decreased in the soybean-administered colonic anastomosis group (P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.002, and respectively). In the soybean-administered adhesion group, mean MDA, NO and MPO levels were lower than in the control group, but the differences were not significant (P = 0.113, P = 0.958, and P = 0.597, respectively). Conclusion Soybean oil administration intraperitoneally has been shown to prevent adhesion formation effectively without impairing the colonic anastomotic healing process.

Background: Antioxidant system enzyme activity and polymorphism were investigated in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which is increasingly prevalent both in the world and our country. Methods: Malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured to determine lipid peroxidation, while Catalase (CAT), Paraoxonase (PON) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) enzyme activities were measured to determine antioxidant activity. For molecular analysis, leukocytes were separated and DNA was isolated from cell nuclei and the targeted genes were amplified by using PCR. Targeted base changes were detected by the restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. Results: Evaluating CAT polymorphism, there was 35 (35%) TT, 52 (52%) TC and 13 (13%) CC genotypes in the control group, as 38 (38%) TT, 40 (40%) TC and 22 (22%) CC genotypes in the patient. In SOD, there were 32 (32%) TT, 49 (49%) TC, 19 (19%) CC genotypes in the control group, as 34 (34%) TT, 50 (50%) TC and 16 (16%) CC genotypes in the patient. In PON55, there were 50 (50%) LL, 38 (38%) LM, 12 (12%) MM genotypes in the control group, as 39 (39%) LL, 49 (49%) LM and 12 (12%) MM genotypes in the patient. In PON192, there were 77 (77%) QQ, 21 (21%) QR, 2 (2%) RR genotypes in the control group, as 66 (66%) QQ, 29 (49%) QR, 5 (5%) RR genotypes in the patient. There was no significant difference in genotype distribution for CAT, SOD, PON55 and PON192 polymorphisms between groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, COPD patients were found to have a deficiency in the antioxidant defense system. This will lead to the development of oxidative stress in patients and the complications of COPD. There was no polymorphic difference between the control group and South African patients living in Adiyaman in COPD whose genetic characteristics were not fully explained.

OBJECTIVE: This study planned to evaluate the effects of vitamin A (VA) and steroid treatment on nerve healing. Study design: we investigated electrophysiological, electron microscopic (EM), immunohistochemical, and biochemical findings in rat sciatic nerve model. MATERIALS and METHODS: In total, 112 female rats were divided into 16 groups, each consisting of 7 animals. Subjects were evaluated according to compound muscle action potential (CMAP) findings, ultrastructural staging of myelinated axons with EM, nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) findings in serum and tissue, and immunohistochemical findings in the first week and first month. RESULTS: NO and MDA levels in serum and tissue were found to be statistically lower after high-dose methylprednisolone (MP), normal-dose MP, high-dose MP+VA, normal-dose, and MP+VA treatment modalities compared to controls (p

Proper diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy is a major public health problem. Patients suffering from this disease exhibit different physical characteristics due to a group of synchronic and hyperdischarged neurons in the cerebral cortex. Retrieving this information from electroencephalography (EEG) signals is one of the most important topics of biomedical signal processing. EEG signals are low-amplitude electrical signals received by the electrodes from the head surface. EEG is becoming more commonly and effectively used technique in clinical practice, and it maintains its importance for the diagnosis of epilepsy and the planning of treatment. In this study, temporal changes in dynamic characteristics of the brain in epileptic patients with seizures were investigated using wavelet transform. EEG records of 7 epilepsy patients from the MIT EEG database were used in the study. The statistical analyzes showed that there were significant differences in the pre-seizure (NO) and post-seizure (NS) periods among the energies of the four basic EEG waves called alpha, beta, theta (p

Epilepsy is a disease caused by unexpected electrical activity in the brain which constitutes 0.6% of all diseases on earth. It is possible to examine this disease which is manifested in seizures by electroencephalography method. In this study, it was aimed to investigate EEG signals received from epileptic patients who have had seizures continuously during the day by applying wavelet transform. EEG records of 4 epileptic patients having 6 consecutive seizures were taken from the MIT EEG database. The signals were transferred to the timefrequency plane using Wavelet Transform (WT), where the energy values were investigated in delta, teta, alpha and beta sub-frequency bands. Then, the data was analyzed with statistical program and significant differences were observed. In conclusion, the method proposed in this study is thought to contribute to the diagnosis and treatment process by detecting brain oscillations between the seizures of epileptic.

Today, nanomaterials are used in many industrial areas such as electronics, optics, textiles, as well as in medical devices, biosensors, etc. Among various types of nanoparticles (NPs), silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are one of the most used NPs, especially in nanostructuring, drug delivery, cosmetic and optical imaging agents. Although NPs have a great importance in nanotechnology, they also have a potential toxic effect, which cause health problems. Uterus is a hollow muscular organ situated deep within the female pelvic cavity. The uterine smooth muscle, which is situated in uterus, is able to produce regular spontaneous contractions without any hormonal or nervous input [17]. Uterine contractions are important in many reproductive functions including the transport of sperms and embryo, menstruation, pregnancy and parturition. In this study, the effect of SiO2 NPs on uterine contractions are investigated. Experimentally recorded spontaneous activity of uterus are analyzed using wavelet transform. Obtained results show that, increasing doses of SiO2 NPs decrease the contraction frequency significantly, while energy of contractions does not change considerably.

Healing of a transected nerve is not always optimal even if it is repaired with an ideal microsurgical technique. We studied the effects of solitary and combined usage of amniotic membrane (AM) wrapping and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) injections after primary repairs of transected sciatic nerves of Wistar rats. No repair was performed in group 1, primary nerve repairs were performed in group 2, AMs were wrapped around repair sites in group 3, in addition to AM wrapping G-CSF injections were performed in group 4, and only G-CSF injections were performed in group 5. Nerve regeneration was assessed by clinical tests at the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks and by electrophysiological studies and histological evaluations at the end of the 12th week. Group 4 rats gave earlier responses to clinical tests that showed a stable increase throughout the study. In electrophysiological studies, the mean amplitude values were higher in group 4 whereas mean latency and duration values were higher in group 1. At the end of the 12th week, the morphology of the distal nerve segment was similar to healthy nerves in the absence of fibrosis in group 4. The comparison of mean scores of axonal counting under the light microscope revealed that scores of group 4 were higher than the other groups in a statistically significant manner. Electron microscopy revealed that samples from groups 3 and 4 had high numbers of axons possessing myelin sheaths of normal thickness, as well as less inter-axonal fibrosis. In terms of both axonal diameter and myelin thickness, groups 2, 3, and 4 had higher values than groups 1 and 5. As a conclusion, both AM wrapping and G-CSF injection have a supportive effect on nerve regeneration, and this effect is further potentialized by their combined use.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the electrophysiological, biochemical and ultrastructural changes on the rat sciatic nerve after radiotherapy.Thirty male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups as: Control group (n = 10), Group I: 3 months after radiotherapy (n = 10), and Group II: 6 months after radiotherapy (n = 10). Groups I and II were irradiated with a (60)Co gamma source. A dose of 20 Gy in 10 fractions was applied to Groups I and II. Compound motor action potentials (CMAP) were recorded in all groups. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in the sciatic nerve of rats using the biochemical methods. Ultrastructural changes were determined by electron microscopy.In Groups I and II, the amplitude of CMAP was significantly lower and the latency was significantly higher than that of the control group. There were no significant differences between Groups I and II regarding the CMAP amplitude and latency. The MDA levels were significantly increased, whereas the SOD and CAT activities were significantly decreased in experimental groups when compared with the control group. However, there were no significant changes in these parameters between Groups I and II. Degeneration in myelinated nerve fibers was observed ultrastructurally only in the experimental groups. Significant changes were observed between the control group and experimental groups in terms of ultrastructural myelin grading score and axonal damage score. No significant differences were found between Groups I and II.These findings indicated that the dose of 20 Gy in 10 fractions radiotherapy caused neuropathic damages in normal rat sciatic nerve 3 and 6 months after irradiation.

Pressure applied during harvesting of the saphenous vein (SV) graft in coronary artery bypass surgery might change its mechanical properties and thereby decrease the patency. This study was performed to assess the mechanical properties of the SV graft distended manually with different levels of pressure and to determine the pressure level that induces changes in its structure and mechanics. Saphenous vein graft segments, collected from 36 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, were distended with pressures of either 50-60, 75-100, or 130-150 mmHg. Grafts were tested for the stress-strain relationship; the Young's moduli at the low- and high-strain regions were calculated, and their structures were examined by light and electron microscopy. Pressures of 50-60 mmHg did not influence the mechanics of the vein graft, whereas pressures of 75-100 mmHg elevated the elastic modulus of the vein at the low-strain region while pressures above 130 mmHg increased the elastic moduli at both low- and high-strain regions. There was a prominent loss of microfibrils at all distending pressure levels. The mechanical results suggest that distending pressures above 75 mmHg might play a role in graft failure. Furthermore, the absence of microfibrils surrounding elastin suggests that application of distending pressures, even as low as 50 mmHg, can cause degeneration of the elastic fibers following implantation, increasing the stiffness of the graft and thus impairing the graft's function under its new hemodynamic conditions.

Background Osteoporosis is the most common skeletal disorder and is considered a risk of fracture. Most medication used for the treatment of osteoporosis is antiresorptive; however, strontium ranelate (Sr) therapy in postmenopausal women has shown a double effect on resorption and bone formation. In this study, the effect of Sr on status of the oxidative stress and antioxidant defence system was investigated. Methods Twenty-one adult albino female Wistar rats were used. The animals were randomly assigned into three groups, control (sham operated rats, received saline), OVX (ovariectomized rats), OVX + Sr (4 months later ovariectomy, strontium ranelate treatment was begun and continued for 120 days) each containing 7 animals. Strontium ranelate (500 mg/kg/day) and placebo (saline) were administered via oral gavage. At the end of the treatment, liver and kidney of rats were removed and malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities were determined by biochemical analysis methods. Results In liver, MDA levels were significantly higher in the OVX and OVX + Sr groups than the control group. GSH-Px activity decreased in OVX group and increased in OVX + Sr group compared with values of control group. CAT activity was increased in the OVX + Sr group when compared to control group. In kidney, MDA level was increased in OVX group. SOD activity was decreased in the OVX + Sr group. GSH-Px activity decreased in OVX group and increased in OVX + Sr group compared with control group.CAT activity increased in the OVX + Sr group when compared to control. Conclusion According to our results, Sr has preventive effect on oxidative damage in ovariectomized rats.

The present study aimed to show that the stiffness and phase frequency responses obtained from sinusoidal and step length changes have similar form in guinea pig taenia coli smooth muscles. Sinusoidal length changes at 20 discrete frequencies in the range of 0.0007-1Hz or step length changes with a rise time of 60ms were applied during plateau level of the tetanic contraction (60mM KCl) and the force responses were recorded. Similar experiments were performed on the passive muscle with 0.1mg/mL verapamil. The stiffness and phase responses for tetanic contraction and passive muscle were obtained by using Fourier transformed results of force and length. Then the frequency response of the passive muscle was subtracted from that obtained for tetanic contraction. The general profiles of the stiffness and phase responses were similar for the two types of perturbations. The minimum stiffness occurred at 0.0012+/-0.0005Hz for sinusoidal perturbation and at 0.0022+/-0.0009Hz for step length perturbation. The minimum stiffness value was 3.79+/-0.59mN/mm (n=10) for sinusoidal perturbation and 4.02+/-1.18mN/mm (n=10) for step perturbation. The minimum phase angle was -30.2+/-5.5 degrees for sinusoidal perturbation and -28.2+/-11.6 degrees for step perturbation. In conclusion, results showed that step length perturbations instead of sinusoidal length perturbations could be used to find the frequency characteristics of smooth muscles. The results also indicate that 0.001-0.002Hz corresponds to the cycling rate of overall processes for the stretch-induced contraction mechanism in taenia coli smooth muscle contracted with high K, including the depolarization of the plasma membrane, calcium influx, phosphorylation of light chain, and cross-bridge action.

WOS: 000393444000004, Purpose: The use of organic synthetic pesticides has increased heavily in recent years and organophosphate insecticides constitute 20-38% of the total pesticides used worldwide. Dichlorvos, an organic phosphate insecticide, is widely used for the control of the agricultural, industrial and domestic pest in most of the agricultural countries like Turkey and it is known that many chemical toxins are capable of producing changes in uterine contractions. In this study, the effects of different doses of dichlorvos on isolated uterus muscle contractions are evaluated. Methods: Wavelet scalogram analysis is preferred in the study because of its simultaneous time, frequency and energy screening capability. Results: Obtained results show that 50 mu M and 100 mu M doses of DDVP significantly decreased the energy of contractions. Conclusions: The study is important in that it shows toxic effects of DDVP on uterus which is responsible for reproductive function of mammalians and that it draws attention to an important public health problem. Furthermore, this is the first study showing that the wavelet transform can be readily utilized to determine the effects of insecticides and similar chemicals on the uterus spontaneous activity. (C) 2016 AGBM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved., Mersin University Scientific Research Projects Unit [BAP-SBE BB(SK)2007-2 YL], This study was partially supported by Mersin University Scientific Research Projects Unit (Project No: BAP-SBE BB(SK)2007-2 YL).

Sciatic nerves of the frog Rana ridibunda were examined for the effects of applied opioid peptide, methionine-enkephalin, synthetic enkephalin analogue, leucine-enkephalin-NH 2 and opiate antagonist, naloxone. The effect of both peptides in concentrations of 1×10 −6 and 1×10 −5 M or naloxone in 1×10 −6 M was investigated on the action potential parameters using electrophysiological techniques. The isolated nerves were stimulated by single square pulses each of which lasted for 0.5ms at supramaximal strength. Effect of each single dose of peptides at 0min was compared with the remaining time segments. Both peptides produced changes in action potential of nerve when compared with untreated nerves. Methionine-enkephalin in both concentrations reduced the amplitude between 7% and 41% and conduction velocity at about 26–61%. This peptide in the same concentrations prolonged the duration around 12–53% and increased the stimulating voltage at about 9–50%. In contrast, leucine-enkephalin-NH 2 in both concentrations caused a decrease in amplitude between 13% and 48% and in conduction velocity around 20–50%. The same concentrations of this peptide prolonged the duration at about 3–33% and increased the stimulating voltage at about 10–56%, but naloxone in 1×10 −6 M antagonized the responses of both peptides over 75%. The results indicate that both opioid peptides produce changes in action potential parameters in frog peripheral nerve system and these changes are partially reversed by naloxone.

We investigated the acute effect of single-dose cadmium (Cd) treatment on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in liver and kidney of rats following an ovariectomy operation. Twenty-eight female Wistar albino rats were used and were divided into four groups: I, control ( n = 7 ); II, cadmium (Cd, n = 7 ); III, ovariectomized (Ovx, n = 7 ); and IV, ovariectomized+cadmium (Ovx-Cd, n = 7 ). Fourteen of the rats were ovariectomized. Twelve weeks later, cadmium chloride (CdCl2, 5 mg/kg) was administered i.p. as a single dose to the Cd and Ovx-Cd groups. Twenty-four hours after the injection, all rats were sacrificed and had their liver and kidney tissues removed for the measurement of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. SOD activity showed a significant decrease ( P 0.001 ) in both organs of Ovx and Cd rats in comparison to controls. CAT activity was significantly decreased ( P 0.01 ) in the liver of Ovx and Cd groups but not in the kidneys of both groups compared to control values. MDA concentrations were higher ( P 0.05 ) in both organs of Ovx and Cd rats than those values observed in the control group. Similar patterns of changes were observed in the Ovx-Cd rats, but the increase in the MDA levels and the decrease in the antioxidant enzymes for the Ovx-Cd group were higher than those of the Ovx and Cd groups. Based on the data, it can be stated that cadmium increases the effect of ovariectomy on lipid peroxidation, impairs the antioxidant defense system, and induces oxidative stress.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanical efficacy of Histoacryl (cyanoacrylate, N-asetil 2 butyl sistein) in meniscal tear repair. In our study, the primary stability of three different repair techniques in delaying the formation of a gap of 2 mm was investigated. A meniscal tear was repaired with two vertical sutures and Histoacryl in the first group; it was repaired only with Histoacryl in the second group, and with only two vertical sutures in the third group. Menisci were then placed in a tensile loading machine, and the primary stability of the repair zones was measured until a displacement of 2 mm occurred. Biomechanical force was significantly (P0.05) high (112.0+/-17.20 N) in all groups when vertical suture and Histoacryl glue were used together during displacements of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mm. We believe that Histoacryl is superior to vertical sutures regarding gap delaying. It potentiates the effect of vertical suture strength, permits early motion and thus merits an in vivo study.

Background Although bevacizumab has deleterious effects on the healing of colonic anastomoses, trapidil improves wound healing of colonic and tracheal anastomoses. Objective We aimed to assess the effects of bevacizumab and trapidil on wound healing after tracheal transection. Materials and methods We evaluated 35 rats divided in 5 groups: bevacizumab (Group I, n = 7), trapidil (Group II, n = 7), trapidil + bevacizumab (Group III, n = 7), controls (Group IV, n = 7), and sham (Group V, n = 7). Anastomotic healing was assessed by measurement of bursting pressure and inflammation score at the anastomotic region on the seventh day. Results The bursting pressures of Group II, Group III, and Group V were significantly higher than controls (P = 0.001, P = 0.033, and P = 0.035, respectively). Fibrosis was significantly high in the sham group when compared with the other four groups (P = 0.047). Conclusions Although bevacizumab seems to impair anastomotic healing, trapidil can be suggested to improve tracheal anastomoses.

Corticosteroids are used to reduce the oedema and prevent scar tissue formation of the upper airways by their ability to inhibit influx of inflammatory cells, limit capillary permeability and block collagen synthesis in the early stages of wound healing. Triazolopyrimidine (Trapidil) is an antiplatelet agent that acts in part as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and as a competitive inhibitor of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor. Trapidil, with its vasodilator and NO releasing effect may have some potential to diminish the tissue injury. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of trapidil (triazolopyrimidine) on lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide in the corticosteroid-impaired healing of tracheal anastomoses. Thirty-four adult Wistar rats were divided into five groups. The animals underwent tracheal transection and primary anastomoses. The groups were assigned as follows: group I, control, (GI, n = 6); group II, sham, (GII, n = 6); group III, dexamethasone, 0.1 mg kg−1 twice daily intramuscularly, (GIII, n = 8); group IV, trapidil, 6 mg kg−1 twice daily intraperitoneally (GIV, n = 7); group V, dexamethasone, 0.1 mg kg−1 plus trapidil, 6 mg kg−1 twice daily (GV, n = 7), for 1 week. After 1 week, anastomotic healing was assessed by measurement of bursting pressure, evaluation of histopathology, measurement of MDA and nitrite/nitrate levels. In GIII, GIV and GV bursting pressures resulted in significantly reduced anastomotic strength compared to the controls (p

Cypermethrin is widely used as an insecticide on animals and in agriculture, the home, and the garden. The effect of inhaled cypermethrin on the cardiac mechanics, electrophysiology, and ultrastructure in frogs was investigated in this study. Four groups received 100 microL of cypermethrin via inhalation for different exposure times, and one group was used as a control. Electrical and mechanical activities of the heart were recorded, and heart samples were examined at light and transmission electron microscopic levels for all groups. The atrial and ventricular contractile forces on the mechanogram, the amplitude of the P wave and the QRS complex on electrocardiogram, and the heart rate were significantly decreased in cypermethrin-inhalated frogs. The total duration of contraction was prolonged in the study groups. Ultrastructurally, dilatation in smooth endoplasmic reticulum cisterns, a decrease in the number of mitochondria, disorganization in the myofibrils of myocytes, and necrotic changes in endothelial cells were observed. These results suggest that cypermethrin has cardiotoxic effects that increase with exposure time.

Erythropoietin (EPO) possesses generalized neuroprotective and neurotrophic actions. We tested the efficacy of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) in preventing and reversing nerve dysfunction in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. Two days after STZ [60 mg/kg of body weight (b.w.), i.p.], diabetic animals were administered rhEPO (40 μg/kg of b.w.) three times weekly for 5 weeks either immediately (preventive) before or after a 5-week delay (therapeutic) after induction of hyperglycemia or at a lower dose (8 μg/kg of b.w. once per week) for 8 weeks (prolonged). Tail-nerve conduction velocities (NCV) was assessed at 5 and 11 weeks for the preventive and therapeutic schedule, respectively. Compared to nondiabetic rats, NCV was 20% lower after 5 weeks in the STZ group, and this decrease was attenuated 50% by rhEPO. Furthermore, the reduction of Na + ,K + -ATPase activity of diabetic nerves (by 55%) was limited to 24% in the rhEPO-treated group. In the therapeutic schedule, NCV was reduced by 50% after 11 weeks but by only 23% in the rhEPO-treated group. rhEPO treatment attenuated the decrease in compound muscle action potential in diabetic rats. In addition, rhEPO treatment was associated with a preservation of footpad cutaneous innervation, as assessed by protein gene product 9.5 immunostaining. Diabetic rats developed alterations in mechanical and thermal nociception, which were partially reversed by rhEPO given either in a preventative or therapeutic manner. These observations suggest that administration of rhEPO or its analogues may be useful in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.

Background: Trapidil has various properties including vasodilatation, inhibition of lipid peroxidation and platelet aggregation as well as, and reduction of, the inflammatory response to injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of trapidil on dexamethasone-impaired colonic anastomotic healing in an experimental rat model. Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats underwent colonic transsection and primary anastomosis. Rats were divided into four groups of six: group 1 (G1), control; group 2 (G2) trapidil, 8 mg/kg per day intravenously; group 3 (G3) dexamethasone, 0.1 mg/kg per day intramuscularly; and group 4 (G4) dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg intramuscularly and trapidil 8 mg/kg intravenously per day, for 1 week. Anastomotic bursting pressure, hydroxyproline level, histopathological grading, malondialdehyde and nitrite/nitrate levels were determined. Results: Dexamethasone-impaired anastomotic healing was found to be improved by trapidil administration in terms of anastomotic bursting pressure and hydroxyproline content (P = 0.026, and P = 0.017). In addition, histopathological examination revealed an increase in fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition (P = 0.004, and P = 0.015) and a decrease in leucocyte infiltration (P = 0.004). Moreover, serum nitrite/nitrate and malondialdehyde levels decreased when G3 was compared to G4 (P

We evaluated the electrophysiological and histopathological effects of low-energy gallium arsenide (904 nm) laser irradiation on the intact skin injured rat sciatic nerve. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n=8 each). At the level of proximal third of the femur the sciatic nerve was crushed bilaterally with an aneursym clip (Aesculap FE 751, Tuttingen, Germany) for half a second. A gallium arsenide laser (wavelength 904 nm, pulse duration 220 ns, peak power per pulse 27 W, spot size 0.28 cm2, pulse repetition rate 16, 128 and 1000 Hz; total applied energy density 0.31, 2.48 and 19 J/cm2) was applied to the right sciatic nerve for 15 min daily at the same time on 7 consecutive days. The same procedure was performed on the left sciatic nerve of same animal, but without radiation emission, and this was accepted as control. Compound muscle action potentials were recorded from right and left sides in all three groups before surgery, just at the end of injury, at the 24th hour and on the 14th and 21st days of injury in all rats using a BIOPAC MP 100 Acquisition System Version 3.5.7 (Santa Barbara, USA). BIOPAC Acknowledge Analysis Software (ACK 100 W) was used to measure CMAP amplitude, area, proximal and distal latency, total duration and conduction velocity. Twenty-one days after injury, the rats were sacrificed. The sciatic nerves of the operated parts were harvested from the right and left sides. Histopathological evaluation was performed by light microscopy. Statistical evaluation was done using analysis of variance for two factors (right and left sides) repeated-measures (CMAP variables within groups) and the Tukey–Kramer Honestly Significant Difference test (CMAP variables between laser groups). The significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. No statistically significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) was found regarding the amplitude, area, duration and conduction velocity of CMAP for each applied dose (0.31, 2.48 and 19 J/cm2) on the irradiated (right) side and the control (left) side, or between irradiated groups. Twenty-one days after injury there were no qualitative differences in the morphological pattern of the regenerated nerve fibres in either irradiated (0.31, 2.48 and 19 J/cm2) or control nerves when evaluated by light microscopy. This study showed that low-energy GaAs irradiation did not have any effect on the injured rat sciatic nerve.

This study investigates the deleterious effects of corticosteroids on tracheal anastomotic healing and the ability of vitamin A to reverse these effects in a rat model.Forty-two adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. The animals underwent tracheal transection and primary anastomoses. The groups were assigned as follows: Group I, sham (N=6); Group II, control (N=6); Group III, dexamethasone, 0.1 mg/kg/day intramuscularly (N=10); Group IV, dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg/day intramuscularly+vitamin A 10000 IU/kg/day by gavages (N=10); and Group V, vitamin A 10000 IU/kg/day by gavages for a week (N=10). After 7 days, anastomotic healing was assessed by measurement of bursting pressure, hydroxyproline content and subsequent histological grading using the modified Ehrlich/Hunt scale.Bursting pressures and hydroxyproline contents were as follows: Group I: 977+/-8 mmHg and 11.80+/-0.3 microg/mg (mean+/-standard error of the mean); Group II: 890+/-55 mmHg and 9.93+/-0.6 microg/mg; Group III: 555+/-26 mmHg and 11.90+/-1.3 microg/mg; Group IV: 873+/-73 mmHg and 10.24+/-2.2 microg/mg; Group V: 905+/-45 mmHg and 7.51+/-0.8 microg/mg, respectively. Bursting pressure of Group III was found to be significantly lower when compared to other groups (P0.0001). However, statistical significance was not found among the study groups for the hydroxyproline content. Except for inflammatory cell infiltration, histological parameters including epithelial regeneration, fibroblast proliferation, collagen content, and angiogenesis demonstrated significant differences among the groups.The present study demonstrates that dexamethasone significantly impairs the healing of tracheal anastomoses in rats and postoperative administration of vitamin A appreciably reverses this inhibitory effect. Patients receiving corticosteroids may benefit from vitamin A when undergoing prolonged intubation and laryngotracheal reconstruction.

We investigated the role of delayed cerebral maturation, hemisphere asymmetry and regional differences in children with stuttering and healthy controls during resting state and hyperventilation, using conventional EEG techniques and quantitative EEG (QEEG) analysis. This cross-sectional case control study included 26 children with stuttering and age-sex matched 21 children with no history of stuttering. Visual EEG revealed significantly higher parieto-occipital slow waves and slower fronto-central asynchronic waves in the stutterers than in the controls. QEEG analysis showed significantly increased delta activity, especially in the right frontal and parietal regions and decreased alpha frequency in the bi-frontal regions of the stutterers, compared to the controls. Results are discussed interms of if the maturation hypothesis, especially nondominant frontal lobe (possibly supplementar motor area) and parietal lobe functioning.

The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) provides a model for analyzing the effects of focal nerve injury on F waves. We studied 127 patients (164 CTS) with clinical and electrophysiological CTS and 35 healthy controls in order to determine the alteration of F wave parameters in different types of CTS and to evaluate the most predictive F wave abnormality for each type. Minimal, maximal and mean F wave latencies, F wave persistence and chronodispersion recorded from abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle with wrist stimulation were compared. Twenty-three patients (29 CTS) had prominent demyelinating type CTS, 37 patients (45 CTS) had prominent axonal type CTS and 60 patients (90 CTS) slight demyelinating CTS according to electrophysiological parameters. The amplitude of APB muscle and F wave persistence were correlated significantly (R: 0.36, P

The deleterious effects of corticosteroids on anastomotic healing have been widely demonstrated in various tissues. This study is designed to investigate the effects of corticosteroids on the healing of tracheal anastomoses. Forty-two adult female Wistar rats, randomly divided into five groups, underwent tracheal transection and primary anastomoses. The groups were assigned as follows: Group I, sham, ( N= 6); Group II, control, ( N= 6); Group III, dexamethasone, 0.1 mg kg (-1) per day, intramuscularly for a week ( N= 10); Group IV, dexamethasone, 1 mg kg (-1) per day, intramuscularly for a week (N= 10); Group V, dexamethasone, 6 mg kg (-1) intramuscularly as a single dose ( N= 10). After 7 days, anastomotic healing was assessed by measurement of bursting pressure and hydroxyproline content. Histological examination was performed according to the modified Ehrlich/Hunt scale. The bursting pressure was significantly decreased in Group III and Group IV when compared to the control group (P0.0001 for both groups). There was also significance between the bursting pressures of Group III and Group IV (P0.01). However, the difference failed to reach significance between Group V and the control group. The reduction of bursting pressure was not reflected in diminished hydroxyproline content. The hydroxyproline content of the study groups (GIII, GIV and GV) were not statistically different compared with the control group. Except for inflammatory cell infiltration, histological parameters including epithelial regeneration, fibroblast proliferation, collagen content, and angiogenesis also demonstrated significant differences among the groups (P0.05). The present study demonstrates that daily administration of dexamethasone for a week significantly impairs the healing of tracheal anastomoses in a dose-dependent manner while a single-dose postoperatively does not affect the healing process.

Background and Objective In this study, the effect of low energy Gallium arsenide (GaAs) laser irradiation on the compound action potential of frog gastrocnemius muscle were investigated. Study Design/Materials and Methods Sixty frogs were divided into different six dose groups: laser 1 (1 Hz), laser 2 ( 4 Hz), laser 3 (16 Hz), laser 4 (64 Hz), laser 5 (128 Hz), and laser 6 (1,000 Hz, DC, continue) (in each group n = 10). Low energy GaAs laser (wavelenght: 904 nm, pulsed duration: 220 nanoseconds, peak power per pulse: 27 W, total applied energy density: 0.001–25.7 J/cm2) was used for the experiment. Compound muscle action potentials were recorded before laser irradiation and these data were accepted as control group. After recording the control data, each muscle was irradiated by the laser. Action potentials were recorded at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes of irradiation time in each group by using standartized needle electromyography and nerve conduction study techniques. Distal motor latency, peak to peak amplitude, area, and total duration of action potential were measured. Repeated measures analysis of variance were used for the statistical evaluation. Results No significant differences were detected between control and laser dose groups in muscle action potential parameters. Conclusions This study revealed that at the different repetition rate and exposure time, low energy GaAs laser does not have any significant effect on frog gastrocnemius action potential. Lasers Surg. Med. 30:221-226, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The aim of this study was to investigate the dose-related effects of dichlorvos inhalation on electrophysiological alterations of diaphragm and phrenic nerve and the changes in the histologic structure of respiratory system. This study was performed on 33 rats divided into 5 groups, inhaling 1, 2, 5, 10, and 15 microg/L of dichlorvos, respectively. Electrodiagnostic investigations of diaphragm and phrenic nerve were made before and after inhalations. Aspiration samples were taken from lungs to evaluate the presence of infection agents. The airways, lungs, and diaphragms were dissected out for histologic investigation. Rats exposed to a low concentration of dichlorvos (1-5 microg/L) showed no symptoms of intoxication, but exposure to higher doses (10-15 microg/L) induced dyspnea in several animals. Lower doses of dichlorvos revealed no electromyographic changes on diaphragm, whereas higher doses revealed a clear neuropathic involvement. Delayed phrenic nerve motor conduction velocity was noted for each group (p.05). Morphologic changes on the tracheal epithelium, hyperplasia, thickening of the blood-air barrier, degeneration in alveoli, and ductus alveolaris were seen in histopathologic investigation. In conclusion, the acute inhalation of dichlorvos caused clear evidence of neuropathic involvement of the diaphragm and the phrenic nerve. Also, toxic pneumonitis and injury to the tracheal epithelial were noticed.

Objective: Theeffectsofanimmunosuppressiveagent,mycophenolate mofetil (MM), were investigated and compared with those of methylprednisolone (MP) and dexamethasone (DXM) on the traumatic nerve function. Study Design: This is a randomized controlled animal study. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was performed on 84 male Wistar albino rats. The rats were assigned to 12 groups each consisting of 7 animals. The groups were formed according to application of normal-dose DXM (group 1A-B), high-dose MP (group 2A-B), normal-dose MP (group 3A-B), MM (group 4A-B), and MM with high-dose MP combination therapies (group VA-B). Right sciatic nerve dissection was performed, and compound muscle action potential thresholds were recorded. The nerve was traumatized with the compression of a Jeweller forceps for 20 seconds. Posttraumatic thresholds were also recorded. The compound muscle action potential thresholds were recorded in the first and fourth weeks for the assigned groups. Then, the nerve was transected and prepared for electron microscopic and histopathologic examinations. Nitric oxide and malondialdehyde assessments were performed on both tissue and blood samples. Results: Only the MM and MP+MM groups had satisfactory electron microscopic findings and were about to reach the tissue characteristics of the control animals. Despite the electrophysiologic recovery, the DXM group was found to have poor electron microscopic scoring. Conclusions: Mycophenolate mofetil has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of traumatic nerve paralysis. Although a complementary investigation is needed, this immunosuppressive agent may be an alternative to corticosteroids for the selected cases where steroid therapy is contraindicated.