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Boric acid-impregnated silk fibroin/gelatin/hyaluronic acid-based films for improving the wound healing process
No full textRecently, with the progression in wound dressings, the importance of the biocompatible material with enhanced features for potential applications in the biomedical field has been more developed. Current strategies focus on the acceleration of the wound healing by systematically designed dressing materials. In this study, biocompatible hydrogel films with the combination of silk fibroin, hyaluronic acid and gelatin biopolymers were fabricated. To gain the enhanced wound healing behavior of wound dressings, boric acid (BA) was formulated in various ratios. The prepared hydrogel films were characterized in terms of FTIR, TGA, DSC, and SEM analysis. Following to the swelling and mechanical tests, in vitro biocompatibility and wound healing tests were performed against L929 fibroblast cell line. Results suggest that the presence of 1% (wt/vol) BA in the formulation of silk fibroin/gelatin/hyaluronic acid based hydrogel films is the key in providing such an enhanced mechanical and wound healing feature and may offer an alternative approach for wound healing treatment.Demiroglu Bilim UniversityDemiroglu Bilim University [2019/01]Demiroglu Bilim University, Grant/Award Number: 2019/0
Prolongation of absence seizures and changes in serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission by nigrostriatal pathway degeneration in genetic absence epilepsy rats
No full textObjective: Basal ganglia structures play an important role in the pathophysiology of absence epilepsy, known as remote control of absence seizures. We examined the role of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway in absence epilepsy through behavioral and electroencephalography (EEG) parameters, immunohistochemical, and biochemical characteristics of dopamine and serotonin in the genetic absence epilepsy rat model. Methods: The nigrostriatal pathway was degenerated by the injection of chemical 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide (6-OHDA) into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) in Wistar and genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS). On the 21st day after stereotaxic surgery, spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) on EEG were recorded in GAERS groups. Thereafter, Wistar-Control, GAERS-Control, Wistar-6OHDA, GAERS-6OHDA rats were subjected to the cylinder and apomorphine-induced rotation tests. Dopaminergic or serotonergic immunoreactivity was examined in the cortex, striatum, and substantia nigra pars compacta. High-performance liquid chromatography method was used for biochemical analysis of dopamine and serotonin in the cortex and thalamus. Results: In behavioral analysis, the number of rotations in the GAERS-6OHDA group was significantly higher than in Wistar-6OHDA rats. The degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway produced a significant increase in the cumulative duration of SWDs and the duration of each SWD in GAERS-6OHDA rats. GAERS-Control rats displayed significantly higher cortical and striatal serotonin immunoreactivity and cortical serotonin level compared to Wistar-Control animals. Moreover, cortical and striatal serotonin immunoreactivity and cortical serotonin levels increased in Wistar-6OHDA and GAERS-6OHDA groups compared to their control groups. Significance: The effect of 6-OHDA-induced MFB lesion on absence epilepsy was examined for the first time by comparing Wistar and GAERS rats. The nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway as a part of the remote-control system is likely to participate in the seizure network. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.SAG-C-DRP-250416-0175; Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma Kurumu, TÜBITAKThis project was supported by Marmara University Scientific Research Committee ( SAG-C-DRP-250416-0175 ) and The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)
Disinsertion-distal myectomy and tucking of inferior oblique combined with superior oblique full tendon advancement in superior oblique palsy
No full textPurpose To assess the preliminary outcomes of inferior oblique (IO) disinsertion-distal myectomy and tucking combined with superior oblique (SO) full tendon advancement in patients with Knapp II or III superior oblique palsy. Methods This single-centered retrospective study included 16 eyes from 13 patients with Knapp Class II or III SO palsy. All patients underwent IO disinsertion-distal myectomy and tucking combined with SO full tendon advancement while under general anesthesia. Pre- and post-operative levels of vertical deviation in the primary position, abnormal head position, IO hyperfunction and SO hypofunction, torsion, as well as the presence of diplopia, were all measured, and the differences were statistically compared. Results Pre-operatively, 12 patients had abnormal head positions, and two had diplopia. The pre-and post-operative levels of IO hyperfunction and SO hypofunction, as well as a vertical deviation in the primary position and torsion, all differed statistically significantly (p < 0.01). Conclusions Inferior oblique disinsertion distal myectomy and tucking combined with SO full tendon advancement surgery appears to be an effective procedure in patients with congenital and acquired Knapp Class II or III SO palsy
A rare etiology of tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia: Renpenning syndrome
No full text[No Abstract Available
The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Sexuality: Experiences of Obese Men in Turkey
No full textSexuality is an important aspect of quality of life and also a critical part of a relationship. Because social and cultural factors may affect sexual life, it is believed that the effects of bariatric surgery on male sexuality in different cultures need to be evaluated. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore sexual experiences of Turkish obese men who underwent bariatric surgery. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 men who underwent bariatric surgery at a training and research hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. This sample of men described sexual dysfunction that lead to relationship problems before surgery. Physical health problems, difficulties at work such as stigma, and sexual problems were the factors that men decided to have bariatric surgery. Obese men stated that satisfaction in both sexual and emotional life improved after surgery. Along with the overall quality of life, improvements in the sexual life of obese men are one of the important effects of bariatric surgery that should be known
Do the neurologists recognize autoimmune epilepsy well enough? What is the effect of the pandemic on this matter?
No full textIntroduction: The concept of “autoimmune epilepsy” (AE) has been emphasized more frequently through the recent increase in recognition of various autoantibodies specific to neuronal proteins. Aims: To evaluate the attitudes of neurologists in regard to AE, to review the differential diagnosis, treatment options, and to reveal the effect of COVID-19 on this matter. Methods: A detailed questionnaire prepared for AE was sent to neurologists via social media and WhatsApp after the approval of the Ethics Committee. The responses of 245 respondents working in different settings were analyzed, and the group with 15 years or less experience in neurology was statistically compared to the group with more than 15 years of experience. Results: Awareness and knowledge levels on AE seemed high in all groups, while 11% had never thought about AE during the differential diagnosis in real life. Before starting treatment, 20% thought that the autoantibody result should definitely support it, and 77.6% reported that they did not recognize AE well. Participants stated that satisfactory guidelines for diagnosis and treatment (88.2%) and widespread laboratory support (83.7%) were lacking. Neurologists with less experience and those working outside of training hospitals get more often consultation from an experienced clinician while diagnosing and conduct more detailed investigations at the diagnosis stage (p = 0.0025, p = 0.0001). Conclusion: This first survey study conducted in a large group of neurologists on the attitudes for the concept of AE suggested that postgraduate education, and diagnostic and treatment guidelines should be organized and antibody screening tests need to be better disseminated. © 2022, Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia
Importance of multigene panel test in patients with consanguineous marriage and family history of breast cancer
No full textNext-generation sequencing (NGS) technology is used to evaluate hereditary cancer risks of patients worldwide; however, information concerning the germline multigene mutational spectrum among patients with breast cancer (BC) with consanguineous marriage (CM) is limited. Therefore, this prospective study aimed to determine the molecular characteristics of patients with BC who were tested with multigene hereditary cancer predisposition NGS panel and to show the effect of CM on cancer-related genes. Patients with BC with or without CM and family history (FH) of BC treated in our breast center were selected according to The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria for hereditary BC. In these patients, the analysis of a panel of 33 genes involved in hereditary cancer predisposition was performed after genetic counseling by using NGS. The pathogenic variant (PV) and the variant of uncertain significance (VUS) were found to be 15.8 and 47.4%, respectively. PVs were identified in 10/33 genes in 34 patients; 38.2% in BRCA1/2 genes; 6, 24, and 14% in other high, moderate and low-risk genes, respectively. The CM rate was 17.7% among the 215 patients with BC. The PV rate was 13.2% in patients with CM and 16.4% in patients without CM (P=0.80). When PV and VUS were evaluated together, the PV+VUS ratio was significantly higher in patients with CM and FH of BC than patients without CM and FH of BC (88.2 vs. 63.3%, P=0.045). Analysis of multigene panel provided 9.76% additional PVs in moderate/low-risk genes. The PV rate was similar in patients with BC with or without CM. A high PV+VUS ratio in patients with CM and FH of BC suggests that genes whose importance are unknown are likely to be pathogenic genes later. © 2022 Spandidos Publications. All rights reserved
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor has a sex-dependent positive effect in the maternal immune activation-induced autism model
No full textObjective The medical intervention for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is restricted to ameliorating comorbid situations. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a growth factor that enhances the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of hematopoietic progenitor cells. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of G-CSF in a maternal immune activation-induced autism model. Methods Sixteen female and six male Wistar adult rats were included in the study. After 21 days, 48 littermates (eight male controls, eight female controls, 16 male lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-exposed rats, and 16 female LPS-exposed rats) were divided into groups. Sixteen male LPS-exposed and 16 female LPS-exposed rats were divided into saline and G-CSF treatment groups. Results In male rats, the LPS-exposed group was found to have significantly higher levels of TNF-alpha, IL-2, and IL-17 than the LPS-exposed G-CSF group. Levels of nerve growth factor, brain PSD-95, and brain GAD67 were higher in the LPS-exposed G-CSF group than in the LPS-exposed group in male rats. In female rats, brain NGF levels were similar between groups. There was no difference between groups in terms of brain GAD 67 levels. Brain PSD-95 levels were higher in the control group than in both the LPS-exposed and LPS-exposed G-CSF groups in female rats. Both neuronal CA1 and neuronal CA2 levels were lower, and the GFAP immunostaining index (CA1) and GFAP immunostaining index (CA3) were higher in the LPS-exposed group than in the LPS-exposed G-CSF group in male rats. However, neuronal count CA1 and neuronal count CA3 values were found to be similar between groups in female rats. Conclusions The present research is the first to demonstrate the beneficial effects of G-CSF on core symptoms of ASD experimentally depending on male sex. G-CSF can be a good candidate for ameliorating the core symptoms of ASD without serious side effects in males
The effect of chronic treatment with sodium channel blocker lacosamide on early development of absence seizures in genetic absence epilepsy rats
No full textObjective: Lacosamide (LCM) is a new generation antiepileptic drug that affects the slow inactivation of voltagegated sodium channels. We studied whether chronic LCM treatment prior to onset of absence seizures was able to prevent/reduce the development of absence seizures in GAERS rats, a well-validated animal model of absence epilepsy and epileptogenesis. Drug effects on the duration, mean duration, number and spectral characteristics of spike-wave discharges (SWDs) were measured both 1 and 2 months after treatment withdrawal and compared with the ethosuximide (ETX) that has anti-epileptogenic activity in GAERS. Furthermore, the acute effects of LCM on SWDs in adult GAERS were evaluated.Methods: GAERS rats were administered either with LCM (10 mg/kg/day or 30 mg/kg/day, i.p) or ETX (25 mg/ kg/day, i.p) or saline (%0.9 NaCl) until PN60 for 40 consecutive days starting from PN20. Animals were stereotaxically implanted with cortical screw electrodes under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia at PN53. Following recovery period, EEG were recorded at PN60 (last day of drug administration)- 61-62, PN90-91-92 and PN120-121-122 time periods for 3 consecutive days.Results: The chronic treatment with both LCM and ETX led to an ~50% reduction in the development of spontaneous absence seizures in GAERS at PN90 and PN120 after the treatment withdrawal at PN60. The spectral analysis of EEG data revealed significant slowing of the peak frequency of SWDs in LCM treated animals at PN62.Conclusion: These results confirm that chronic LCM treatment modifies the development of absence seizures in GAERS and suggest that LCM exerts beneficial effects on absence seizure epileptogenesis.Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University, Turkey [TSA-2018-27288]Acknowledgement This study was funded by Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University, Turkey (Grant number: TSA-2018-27288)
COVID-19 in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Experience from the First Two Waves of Pandemic
No full textBackground Kidney transplant recipients have an increased risk of complications from COVID-19. However, data on the risk of allograft damage or death in kidney transplant recipients recovering from COVID-19 is limited. In addition, the first and second waves of the pandemic occurred at different times all over the world. In Turkey, the Health Minister confirmed the first case in March 2020; after that, the first wave occurred between March and August 2020; afterward, the second wave began in September 2020. This study aims to demonstrate the clinical presentations of kidney transplant recipients in the first two waves of the pandemic in Turkey and explore the impact of COVID-19 on clinical outcomes after the initial episode. Methods Patients with COVID-19 from seven centers were included in this retrospective cohort study. Initially, four hundred and eighty-eight kidney transplant recipients diagnosed with COVID-19 between 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021 were enrolled. The endpoints were the occurrence of all-cause mortality, acute kidney injury, cytokine storm, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. In addition, longer-term outcomes such as mortality, need for dialysis, and allograft function of the surviving patients was analyzed. Results Four hundred seventy-five patients were followed up for a median of 132 days after COVID-19. Forty-seven patients (9.9%) died after a median length of hospitalization of 15 days. Although the mortality rate (10.1% vs. 9.8%) and intensive care unit admission (14.5% vs. 14.5%) were similar in the first two waves, hospitalization (68.8% vs. 29.7%; p < 0.001), acute kidney injury (44.2% vs. 31.8%; p = 0.009), acute respiratory distress syndrome (18.8% vs. 16%; p = 0.456), and cytokine storm rate (15.9% vs. 10.1%; p = 0.072) were higher in first wave compared to the second wave. These 47 patients died within the first month of COVID-19. Six (1.4%) of the surviving patients lost allografts during treatment. There was no difference in the median serum creatinine clearance of the surviving patients at baseline (52 mL/min [IQR, 47-66]), first- (56 mL/min [IQR, 51-68]), third- (51 mL/min [IQR,48-67]) and sixth-months (52 mL/min [IQR, 48-81]). Development of cytokine storm and posttransplant diabetes mellitus were independent predictors for mortality. Conclusions Mortality remains a problem in COVID-19. All the deaths occur in the first month of COVID-19. Also, acute kidney injury is common in hospitalized patients, and some of the patients suffer from graft loss after the initial episode