Effect of white mulberry extract on performance, anti-inflammatory and serum antioxidant parameters in diabetes-induced rats with streptozotocin

Bu çalışmada streptozotosin uygulanarak diyabet oluşturulan ratlarda beyaz dut ekstraktının kan serumlarında antioksidan etkileri, karaciğer dokusu histopatoloji, antienflamatuar özelliği ve ratlarda performans parametreleri üzerine etkisi araştırıldı. Deney grupları, kontrol grubu (K, n:5), streptozotosin uygulanan deney grubu 1 (DG 1, n:6), dut ekstraktı uygulanan deney grubu 2 (DG 2, n:7), streptozotosin ve dut ekstraktının birlikte uygulandığı deney grubu 3 (DG 3, n:6) olmak üzere toplam 24 adet hayvandan oluşturuldu. Karaciğer dokusunun yapısındaki vasküler konjesyon K ve DG 2’de 2 hayvanda, DG 3’te 1 hayvanda tespit edilmesine rağmen, DG 1’de bütün hayvanlarda belirlenmiştir (P<0,05). Karaciğer dokusunun yangı bulguları K’da görülmezken, DG 2’de 2 adet hayvanda hafif şekilde, DG 1’deki tüm hayvanlarda gözlenmiştir. Karaciğer dokusundaki dejenerasyon kontrol grubunda görülmezken, DG 2’de 1 adet, DG 1’de ise tüm hayvanlarda görülmüştür (P<0,01). Grupların serum dokularındaki seruloplazmin düzeyleri arasında önemli bir fark bulunmazken (P>0,05), Paraoksonaz (PON) aktiviteleri arasındaki fark önemli düzeyde olduğu tespit edilmiştir (P<0,05). Canlı ağırlık artışı kontrol grubunda 150,03 g., DG 2 de 114,93g. olarak gerçekleşmiştir (P<0,01). DG 1’de deneme süresince 1.33 g. canlı ağırlık artışı olurken DG 3’te ağırlık kaybı olmuştur (P>0,05). Sonuç olarak araştırmada ratlara uygulanan dut ekstraktının karaciğer dokusunda vasküler konjesyon, yangı ve dejenerasyon olgularını önemli derecelerde azalttığı ve antienflamatuar etkisi gösterebileceği söylenebilir.This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the white mulberry extract on histopathology, anti-inflammatory properties of liver tissue, blood serum antioxidant parameters and performance parameters of diabetes-induced rats with streptozotocin. Experimental groups consist of 24 animals which were divided into four groups; control group (C, n: 5), streptozotocin applied group 1 (DG 1, n: 6), mulberry extract applied group 2 (DG 2, n: 7), streptozotocin and mulberry extract experimental group 3 (DG 3, n:6), totally 24 animals were used. Although vascular congestion in the liver tissue was detected 2 animals in C and DG 2 groups and 1 animal in DG 3 group, vascular congestion was detected in all animals in DG 1 group. (P <0.05). Inflammatory findings of liver tissue were not seen in C, whereas it was mild in 2 animals in DG 2 and it was seen in all animals in the group of DG 1. Degeneration findings in liver tissue were not seen in C, but it was detected in 1 animal of DG 2 and all animals in DG 1 (P <0.01). There was no statistical difference between the ceruloplasmin levels of the groups (P> 0.05). Live weight gain in control group 150,03 g., DG 2 114.43 g. (P <0,01). 1.33 g. live weight gain and weight loss in DG 3 (P> 0.05). In conclusion, mulberry extract applied to rats significantly reduced vascular congestion, inflammation and degeneration findings in liver tissue and it can be said that mulberry extract has antiinflammatory effect

Real-world efficacy and safety of Ledipasvir plus Sofosbuvir and Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir +/- Dasabuvir combination therapies for chronic hepatitis C: A Turkish experience

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the real-life efficacy and tolerability of direct-acting antiviral treatments for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with/without cirrhosis in the Turkish population.Material and Methods: A total of 4,352 patients with CHC from 36 different institutions in Turkey were enrolled. They received ledipasvir (LDV) and sofosbuvir (SOF)+/- ribavirin (RBV) ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir +/- dasabuvir (PrOD)+/- RBV for 12 or 24 weeks. Sustained virologic response (SVR) rates, factors affecting SVR, safety profile, and hepatocellular cancer (HCC) occurrence were analyzed.Results: SVR12 was achieved in 92.8% of the patients (4,040/4,352) according to intention-to-treat and in 98.3% of the patients (4,040/4,108) according to per-protocol analysis. The SVR12 rates were similar between the treatment regimens (97.2%-100%) and genotypes (95.6%-100%). Patients achieving SVR showed a significant decrease in the mean serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (50.90 +/- 54.60 U/L to 17.00 +/- 14.50 U/L) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores (7.51 +/- 4.54 to 7.32 +/- 3.40) (p<0.05). Of the patients, 2 were diagnosed with HCC during the treatment and 14 were diagnosed with HCC 37.0 +/- 16.0 weeks post-treatment. Higher initial MELD score (odds ratio [OR]: 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-2.38; p=0.023]), higher hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.31-2.28; p=0.038), and higher serum ALT levels (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.21-1.83; p=0.042) were associated with poor SVR12. The most common adverse events were fatigue (12.6%), pruritis (7.3%), increased serum ALT (4.7%) and bilirubin (3.8%) levels, and anemia (3.1%).Conclusion: LDV/SOF or PrOD +/- RBV were effective and tolerable treatments for patients with CHC and with or without advanced liver disease before and after liver transplantation. Although HCV eradication improves the liver function, there is a risk of developing HCC.Turkish Association for the Study of The Liver (TASL

Are serum quantitative hepatitis b surface antigen levels, liver histopathology and viral loads related in chronic hepatitis b-infected patients?

Background/Aims: Fluctuations in hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels complicate assessment of the phases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection and correct identification of the inactive HBV carrier state. In this study, we aimed to examine the role of HBsAg quantification (qHBsAg) in the identification of the phases of HBV and to evaluate its association with liver histopathology. Patients and Methods: Inactive HBV carriers (IC) (n = 104) and CHB patients (n = 100) were enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics of patients were evaluated; biochemical parameters and serum qHBsAg levels were studied, and liver biopsy and histopathology were assessed. Results: Serum qHBsAg levels were found to be significantly low in IC (5150.78 ± 8473.16 IU/mL) compared with the HBeAg-negative CHB (7503.21 ± 8101.41 IU/mL) (P = 0.001) patients. The diagnostic accuracy of qHBsAg to differentiate HBeAg-negative CHB from IC was found to be moderate (c-statistic: 0.695) and the cutoff level for qHBsAg in diagnosis was found as 1625 IU/mL (specificity: 80%; sensitivity: 49%). No correlation was noted between serum qHBsAg level and ALT, histologic activity index (HAI), and fibrosis in IC and CHB. A moderate and positive correlation was observed between the serum qHBsAg level and HBV-DNA in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. Conclusions: Serum qHBsAg levels may prove to be useful in the differentiation between IC and HBeAg-negative CHB when used in conjunction with HBV DNA. Furthermore, patients diagnosed solely on the basis of HBV DNA and ALT may present with higher grade and stage of liver histopathology than expected

Protective felix culpa effect of superior sympathetic cervical ganglion degenerations on prevention of basilar artery spasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage: A preliminary experimental study

BACKGROUND: Posterior cerebral blood flow is regulated by the basilar arteries (BAs). Vasospasm of BAs can occur after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Superior cervical sympathetic ganglia (SCG) fibers have a vasoconstrictor effect on the BA. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the degenerated neuron density of the SCG and the severity of BA vasospasm after experimental SAH. METHODS: Twenty-four rabbits were used. Five were used as the control group, and 5 were used as the sham group. Experimental SAHs were performed in the remaining 14 animals (study group) by injecting homologous blood into the cisterna magna. After 3 weeks of injection, neuron densities of SCG and the severity of BA vasospasm index values (VSI) were examined histopathologically and compared statistically. RESULTS: The mean VSI was 0.669 +/- 0.1129 in the control group, 0.981 +/- 0.159 in the sham group, and 1.512 +/- 0.298 in the study group. The mean degenerated neuronal density of SCG was 436 +/- 79/mm(3) in severe vasospasm (n = 3), 841 +/- 101/mm(3) in moderate vasospasm (n = 4), and 1.921 +/- 849/mm(3) in the less vasospasm detected animals (n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows an inverse relationship between the degenerated neuronal density in the SCG and VSI values. This finding indicates a diminished sympathetic input from the SCG, resulting in a beneficial effect the felix culpa) by dilating the lumen diameter of the BA, so SCG degeneration after SAH protects the BA spasm

New experimental finding of dangerous autonomic ganglia changes in cardiac injury following subarachnoid hemorrhage; a reciprocal culprit-victim relationship between the brain and heart

Objective: The vagal, stellate, and cardiac ganglia cells changes following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may occur. This study aimed to investigate if there is any relation between vagal network/stellate ganglion and intrinsic cardiac ganglia insult following SAH. Materials and methods: Twenty-six rabbits were used in this study. Animals were randomly divided as control (GI, n = 5); SHAM 0.75 cc of saline-injected (n = 5) and study with autologous 1.5 cc blood injection into their cisterna magna(GIII, n = 15). All animals were followed for three weeks and then decapitated. Their motor vagal nucleus, nodose, stellate, and intracardiac ganglion cells were estimated by stereological methods and compared statistically. Results: Numerical documents of heart-respiratory rates, vagal nerve- ICG, and stellate neuron densities as follows: 276 ± 32/min-22 ± 3/min-10.643 ± 1.129/mm3-4 ± 1/mm3-12 ± 3/mm3 and 2 ± 1/cm3 in the control group; 221 ± 22/min-16 ± 4/min-8.699 ± 976/mm3-24 ± 9/mm3-103 ± 32/mm3 and 11 ± 3/cm3 in the SHAM group; and 191 ± 23/min-17 ± 4/min-9.719 ± 932/mm3-124 ± 31/mm3-1.542 ± 162/mm3 and 32 ± 9/cm3 in the SAH (study) group. The animals with burned neuro-cardiac web had more neurons of stellate ganglia and a less normal neuron density of nodose ganglia (p < 0.005). Conclusion: Sypathico-parasympathetic imbalance induced vagal nerve-ICG disruption following SAH could be named as Burned Neurocardiac Web syndrome in contrast to broken heart because ICG/parasympathetic network degeneration could not be detected in classic broken heart syndrome. It was noted that cardiac ganglion degeneration is more prominent in animals’ severe degenerated neuron density of nodose ganglia. We concluded that the cardiac ganglia network knitted with vagal-sympathetic-somatosensitive fibers has an important in heart function following SAH. The neurodegeneration of the cardiac may occur in SAH, and cause sudden death

How Aware are We of the Immune Status of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis A in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients? A Multicenter Retrospective Study from Turkey

Objectives: Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infectionand superinfection by hepatitis A or hepatitis B virus have highermorbidity and mortality when compared with those without HCVinfection. The aim of this study was to determine hepatitis A and Bseroprevalence rates and immunity in patients with chronic HCV indifferent regions of TurkeyMaterials and Methods: This multi-center study involving HCVinfected chronic cases was conducted between July 2016 andOctober 2017. Serological tests of Hepatitis B surface antigen, antiHBs, hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) immunoglobulin G (IgG)and anti-HAV IgG were evaluated by ELISA, and the files of HCVinfected patients at the age of 18 or over who applied to 15 hospitalsin 13 different cities of our country were screened.Results: Three hundred sixty-two of the 828 patients were menand 466 were women. The prevalence of HBV/HCV coinfection was2.4%, while the anti-HBs positivity rate was 46.9%. Of the 610patients evaluated in terms of anti-HAV IgG serology, 88.8% wereanti-HAV IgG positive, while 11.1% were anti-HAV IgG negative.Isolated anti-HBc IgG positivity was detected in 5.8% of patients.Conclusion: Revealing the serological status of other hepatitisagents, such as hepatitis A and B, in patients with chronic hepatitisC is important in terms of providing the opportunity to immunize ortreat when requiredGereç ve Yöntemler: HCV ile enfekte kronik olguları içeren çok merkezli bu çalışma Temmuz 2016-Ekim 2017 tarihleri arasında yapıldı. Hepatit B yüzey antijeni (HBsAg, antiHBs, antiHBcIgG ve antiHAVIgG’nin serolojik testleri ELISA ve 18 yaşında HCV ile enfekte hastaların dosyaları veya Ülkemizin 13 farklı ilinde 15 hastaneye başvuranlar tarandı. Ülkemizin 13 farklı ilindeki 15 hastanenin HCV ile enfekte hastalarının dosyaları tarandı ve ELISA yöntemi ile değerlendirilen HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc IgG ve antiHAV IgG bakıldı. Bulgular: Sekiz yüz yirmi sekiz hastanın üç yüz altmış ikisi erkek, 466 kadındı. HBV/HCV koenfeksiyon prevalansı %2,4 iken antiHBs pozitiflik oranı %46,9 idi. Anti-HAV IgG serolojisi açısından değerlendirilen 610 hastanın %88,8’i anti-HAV IgG pozitif, %11,1’i anti-HAV IgG negatif idi. Hastaların %5,8’inde izole anti-HBc IgG pozitifliği saptandı. Sonuç: Kronik hepatit C’li hastalarda hepatit A ve B gibi diğer hepatit ajanlarının serolojik durumunun ortaya konması, gerektiğinde aşılama veya tedavi fırsatı sağlama açısından önemlidirWOS:00060535030000

Important finding for COVID-19 pandemic; Hydrocephalus producing effect of vaporised alcohol disinfectant

Background: Alcohol exposure may cause hydrocephalus. In this study, the effect of vaporized nasal alcohol exposure on the choroid plexus, ependymal cells, and developing hydrocephalus was investigated. METHODS: 24 males (∼380g) Wistar rats were used in this study. Animals were divided into three groups, as the control, SHAM and study groups. Then, the study group was again divided into two groups as exposed to light or heavy dose alcohol. The choroid plexuses and intraventricular ependymal cells and ventricles volumes were assessed and compared. RESULTS: Degenerated epithelial cells density 22±5 /mm3in the control group, 56±11 /mm3in the SHAM group, 175±37 /mm3in the light, and 356±85 /mm3in the heavy alcohol exposure group. Evan's index was less than [removed]36% in the SHAM, larger than >40% in the group which was exposed to light alcohol (light alcohol group), larger than >50% in heavy alcohol (heavy alcohol group) exposed. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that alcohol exposure causes choroid plexus and ependymal cell degeneration with ciliopathy and the enlarged lateral ventricles or hydrocephalus. In the COVID-19 Pandemic Era, our findings are functionally important; alcohol has often been used for hygiene and prevention of transmission of COVID-19 pandemic