Spermatogonial stem cell sensitivity to capsaicin: An in vitro study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Conflicting reports have been published on the sensitivity of spermatogenesis to capsaicin (CAP), the pungent ingredient of hot chili peppers. Here, the effect of CAP on germ cell survival was investigated by using two testis germ cell lines as a model. As CAP is a potent agonist of the transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) and no information was available of its expression in germ cells, we also studied the presence of TRPV1 in the cultured cells and in germ cells in situ.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The rat spermatogonial stem cell lines Gc-5spg and Gc-6spg were used to study the effects of different concentrations of CAP during 24 and 48 h. The response to CAP was first monitored by phase-contrast microscopy. As germ cells appear to undergo apoptosis in the presence of CAP, the activation of caspase 3 was studied using an anti activated caspase 3 antibody or by quantifying the amount of cells with DNA fragmentation using flow cytometry. Immunolocalization was done with an anti-TRPV1 antibody either with the use of confocal microscopy to follow live cell labeling (germ cells) or on Bouin fixed paraffin embedded testicular tissues. The expression of TRPV1 by the cell lines and germ cells was confirmed by Western blots.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Initial morphological observations indicated that CAP at concentrations ranging from 150 uM to 250 uM and after 24 and 48 h of exposure, had deleterious apoptotic-like effects on both cell lines: A large population of the CAP treated cell cultures showed signs of DNA fragmentation and caspase 3 activation. Quantification of the effect demonstrated a significant effect of CAP with doses of 150 uM in the Gc-5spg cell line and 200 uM in the Gc-6spg cell line, after 24 h of exposure. The effect was dose and time dependent in both cell lines. TRPV1, the receptor for CAP, was found to be expressed by the spermatogonial stem cells in vitro and also by premeiotic germ cells in situ.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>CAP adversely affects spermatogonial survival in vitro by inducing apoptosis to those cells and TRPV-1, a CAP receptor, may be involved in this effect as this receptor is expressed by mitotic germ cells.</p

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

The effect of sociodemographic and clinical features on mortality in patients with diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia Orıgınal Article internal medicine

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical chracteristics of patients hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia in internal medicine clinics, and to determine the incidence and parameters of mortality among these patients. METHODS: Patients over the age of 18 years who were hospitalized in clinics of internal medicine between January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2013 (115 male, 89 female; mean age: 77±13 years; patients aged 65 years and over, 88.2%; average duration of hospitalization, 11±9 days) were evaluated retrospectively and consecutively. The incidence of mortality, nutritional status at admission, comorbidity frequency, haematological and biochemical data and their relationship with mortality were evaluated. RESULTS: At admission, 85% of the patients were fed through oral route, while 15% of them were fed through PEG. There was no relation between nutritional status of the patients (oral, nasogastric tube or PEG) at admission, and development of aspiration pneumonia. Commonly seen comorbidities were dementia (49%), hypertension (43%), cerebrovascular accident (42%), and diabetes mellitus (31%) respectively. The mortality rate was 24.5% (in first three days, 56%). A correlation was found between mortality and increase in neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and increased uric acid rate (for both p&lt;0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, the mortality rates among patients diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia was found to be increased. The high number of geriatric patients and comorbidities might have played a role in this situation. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and uric acid levels in patients with aspiration pneumonia might be evaluated as factors related to mortality

Propolis loaded liposomes: evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

###EgeUn###Propolis, a natural bee product, has both antimicrobial/antifungal and antioxidant characteristics. Active substances having antimicrobial and antifungal effects are used to avoid infections, which develop during long treatment process of chronic wounds. Antioxidant substances protect wound areas against the effect of free radicals and accelerate the healing process. For this purpose, propolis was used to develop topical liposome formulations for wound treatment. Characterization studies (particle size distribution, polydispersity index, Zeta Potential, morphology pH, loading capacity, encapsulation efficiency, in-vitro release behaviour) as well as stability studies were performed. Then in-vitro antioxidant (free radical scavenging capacity and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) and antimicrobial/antifungal activities of formulations have been evaluated. The particle size of formulations was found within the range of 300-750 nm depending on the concentration of lipid and water phase in the formulation. The Zeta Potential and pH values of optimum formulation were -23.0 +/- 0.666 and 6.34, respectively. Loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency were 66.535 +/- 2.705% and 57.321 +/- 2.448%. At the end of 8 h, 48.16% of propolis was released and the formulations were found stable during 3 months at +4 degrees C. Drug loaded liposome formulations significantly scavenged the ABTS(+) radical in a dose-dependent manner of propolis when compared with unloaded liposome formulations (p < 0.05). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of liposomes ranged from 512 to 128 mu g/mL for bacteria and 256 to 128 mu g/mL for fungi. Overall results showed that effective and innovative alternative was developed for topical application in wound treatment with propolis loaded liposomal formulations having antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.Research Foundation of Ege UniversityEge University [17/ECZ/006]This study was supported by the Research Foundation of Ege University [Grant Number 17/ECZ/006]

Tunable Metasurfaces with Liquid Crystals

Metamaterials XI (2018 ; Strasbourg, France)Intensive researches in the area of metasurfaces have provided a new insight to obtain flat and compact optical systems. In this letter, we numerically show that, highly efficient tunable beam steering effect in transmission mode is achieved at wavelength lambda = 550 nm using nematic liquid crystals (LCs) infiltrated into double sided metasurfaces. Using the electro-optical feature of LCs, the phase profile of the metasurfaces is controlled and thus, the transmitted beam is deflected within the range from -15 degrees to 15 degrees steering angles. Transparent dielectric materials are used in the designed structure that provides highly efficient beam-steering; the corresponding transmission efficiency is above 83% in the visible spectrum, which is another superiority of the proposed hybrid tunable structure over present plasmonic/metamaterial approaches. The designed metasurface still preserves its beam deflection property covering the visible spectrum and hence, such hybrid structure can be implemented for broadband electro-optically controllable beam steering applications

Tunable metasurfaces with nematic liquid crystals

Intensive researches in the area of metasurfaces have provided a new insight to obtain flat and compact optical systems. In this letter, we numerically show that, highly efficient tunable beam steering effect in transmission mode is achieved at wavelength lambda = 550 nm using nematic liquid crystals (LCs) infiltrated into double sided metasurfaces. Using the electro-optical feature of LCs, the phase profile of the metasurfaces is controlled and thus, the transmitted beam is deflected within the range from -15 degrees to 15 degrees steering angles. Transparent dielectric materials are used in the designed structure that provides highly efficient beam-steering; the corresponding transmission efficiency is above 83% in the visible spectrum, which is another superiority of the proposed hybrid tunable structure over present plasmonic/metamaterial approaches. The designed metasurface still preserves its beam deflection property covering the visible spectrum and hence, such hybrid structure can be implemented for broadband electro-optically controllable beam steering applications.Turkish Academy of ScienceThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Relationship between desease activity and ultrasonographic enthesitis assessment of lower extremity in ankylosing spondylitis

WOS: 000393168200004Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical and laboratory indicators of disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System (GUESS) score which is created for diagnosis and monitoring of enthesitis. Materials and Methods: 50 patients with diagnosis of AS who were following-up in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic of Istanbul Training and Research Hospital were included in the study. Routine biochemical tests, complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) were analysed. BASDAI, ASDAS-ESR and ASDAS-CRP scores were calculated for desease activity. Clinical enthesitis scores was calculated according to Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Index (MASES). The relationship between clinical and laboratory findings and GUESS scores were investigated. Results: 37 (74%) male, 13 (26%) female patients were evaluated. Mean disease onset age was 28.2, mean disease duration was 7.18 years. Mean GUESS score was calculated as 11.36 (SD: 5.27). There were not any significant correlation between GUESS scores and age or disease onset age. GUESS scores were slightly significant positively correlated with disease duration (r=0.49 p<0.001). BASMI, BASFI, BASDAI and ASDAS-CRP, ASDAS-ESR values were not correlated with GUESS scores. Also there were not any significant correlation between GUESS scores and MASES scores. Conclusion: Although GUESS system is a fast and easy method for diagnosis and follow-up of enthesitis it has not found to be correlated with clinical and laboratory disease activity parameters in AS. We think that new scoring systems for USG should be developed for AS