Effects of Standard and/or Glutamine Dipeptide and/or Omega-3 Fatty Ascid-Supplemented Parenteral Nutrition on Neutrophil Functions, Interleukin-8 Level and Length of Stay-A Double Blind,Controlled, Randomised Study

Background and Aims: Protein calorie malnutrition for cancer patients is  related with altered cellular and humoral immunity. Standard TPN and glutamine and lipid emulsion with omega 3 fatty acids were given to  colorectal cancer patients and the effects of these to neutrophil functions and IL-8 levels are compared.Methods: Consecutive 36 patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed with endoscopic biopsy and with malnutrition determined by subjective global assessment were enrolled to study. The patients are randomly divided into four groups. Standard TPN to control group, TPN with glutamine solution to S-D group, TPN with omega 3 fatty acid solution to S-O group and TPN with omega 3 fatty acids solution and glutamine to S-D-O group were given for seven days after the operation. At the preoperative, postoperative first day and 7th day, neutrophil phagocytosis index, neutrophil adhesivity index and IL-8 levels were determined.Results: In all groups compared to control group neutrophil phagocytosis index were increased significantly (p<0.05). The most increasing was in group 3. There wasn’t significant difference between groups about  postoperative first day neutrophil adhesiveness index (p>0.05). At the 7th day the neutrophil adhesivity index for study groups were increased  compared with control group, but there was no significant differences  between groups. There was no significant difference between groups forIL-8 levels.Conclusions: As a result of the study, altered cellular immunity in colorectal cancer patients with malnutrition can be corrected with omega 3 fatty acid emulsions and glutamine added to TPN so the ratio of morbidity and  mortality can be decrease

The effect of bovine serum albumin and fetal calf serum on sperm quality, DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation of the liquid stored rabbit semen

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fetal calf serum (FCS) on sperm quality, DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation of liquid stored rabbit semen stored up to 72 h at 5 C. Ejaculates were collected from five New Zealand male rabbits by artificial vagina and pooled at 37 C following evaluation. Each pooled ejaculate was split into three equal experimental groups and diluted to a final concentration of approximately 40 106 sperm/ml (single step dilution), in an Eppendorf tube, with the Tris based extender containing BSA (5 mg/ml), FCS (10%) or no additive (control) at 37 C, cooled to 5 C and stored for up to 72 h. The extender supplemented with BSA and FCS did not improve the percentages of motility and acrosomal abnormality during 48 h compared to the control. The additives BSA and FCS had a significant effect in the maintaining of plasma membrane integrity between 48 and 72 h storage period, compared to the control (P < 0.01). The supplementation of BSA and FCS had a protective effect on motility (P < 0.05), plasma membrane integrity (P < 0.01) and acrosomal integrity (P < 0.01) at 72 h compared to the control. The supplementations with BSA and FCS led to a reduction in DNA damage of rabbit sperm at 48 and 72 h during storage period, compared to the control (P < 0.001). Although supplementation of BSA and FCS caused significant (P < 0.01) decreases in malondialdehyde (MDA) level at 48 h and 72 h, they significantly (P < 0.01) increased the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) antioxidant activity up to 72 h when compared to the control group. In conclusion, BSA and FCS supplementation to liquid stored rabbit semen provide a protection for spermatozoa against cool storage-induced DNA damage and plasma membrane integrity by their antioxidative properties

Both Positive and Negative Selection Pressures Contribute to the Polymorphism Pattern of the Duplicated Human CYP21A2 Gene.

The human steroid 21-hydroxylase gene (CYP21A2) participates in cortisol and aldosterone biosynthesis, and resides together with its paralogous (duplicated) pseudogene in a multiallelic copy number variation (CNV), called RCCX CNV. Concerted evolution caused by non-allelic gene conversion has been described in great ape CYP21 genes, and the same conversion activity is responsible for a serious genetic disorder of CYP21A2, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). In the current study, 33 CYP21A2 haplotype variants encoding 6 protein variants were determined from a European population. CYP21A2 was shown to be one of the most diverse human genes (HHe=0.949), but the diversity of intron 2 was greater still. Contrary to previous findings, the evolution of intron 2 did not follow concerted evolution, although the remaining part of the gene did. Fixed sites (different fixed alleles of sites in human CYP21 paralogues) significantly accumulated in intron 2, indicating that the excess of fixed sites was connected to the lack of effective non-allelic conversion and concerted evolution. Furthermore, positive selection was presumably focused on intron 2, and possibly associated with the previous genetic features. However, the positive selection detected by several neutrality tests was discerned along the whole gene. In addition, the clear signature of negative selection was observed in the coding sequence. The maintenance of the CYP21 enzyme function is critical, and could lead to negative selection, whereas the presumed gene regulation altering steroid hormone levels via intron 2 might help fast adaptation, which broadly characterizes the genes of human CNVs responding to the environment

In vitro effects of L-carnitine and glutamine on motility, acrosomal abnormality, plasma membrane integrity and DNA damage of rabbit sperm during liquid-storage

This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro effects of L-carnitine and glutamine (Gln) on the sperm quality parameters of liquid-stored rabbit semen maintained up to 24 h at 5 C. Pooled and extended ejaculates were divided into two equal portions. L-Carnitine doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 mM were added to the first portion, and glutamine was added at the same doses to the second portion. All samples were cooled to 5 C and examined at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h of liquid storage. Supplementation of the semen extender with three different doses of L-carnitine provided significant increases in the percentage of motile sperm at 12 h (P < 0.01), and 24 h (P < 0.001) and enabled significant protection of the sperm plasma membrane (P < 0.01) at 12 and 24 h of cool-storage, in comparison to the control samples. Only the 2 mM dose of L-carnitine significantly (P < 0.01) decreased the rate of acrosomal damage when compared to the control group. Furthermore, all doses of Gln caused a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in acrosomal damage at 6 h, and provided significant improvement (P < 0.01) in sperm motility, acrosomal and plasma membrane integrities at 12 and 24 h of liquid storage, when compared to the controls. In conclusion, the supplementation of liquid-stored rabbit semen with L-carnitine and Gln provided a protection for sperm against cool storage-induced functional and structural damages

Awareness of osteoporotic patients

PubMedID: 15197545Osteoporosis has recently been recognized as a major public health problem by some governments and health care providers. Despite significant progress in knowledge about osteoporosis, public awareness is required for effective management if precautions are to be taken. The aim of this study was to evaluate the educational status of osteoporotic individuals, and their awareness about the disease and sources of information. We also aimed to compare the variables between the geographical regions of the country, since significant differences exist in socioeconomic status and lifestyle within the same cultural context. This multicenter study was carried out in eight cities located in six different geographical regions between September 2001 and January 2002. To our knowledge, this is the first multicenter study in Turkey evaluating the relationship between awareness of osteoporotic patients and other variables such as educational level and economic factors. Ten centers took part in this study and consecutive patients with either femoral or lumbar T-scores below -2.5 SD were enrolled into the study group. Bone mineral density was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Patients were interviewed using a questionnaire on past medical history, education, awareness about their disease and risk factors for osteoporosis. A total of 540 women (93.8%) and 36 men (6.3%) were included in the study. Fifty-four percent of patients declared that they were aware of osteoporosis. With regard to sources of information, 56.8% of patients reported physicians as the main source of information. Awareness of the patients was negatively correlated with age (P = 0.025, r = -0,94) but positively correlated with education (P = 0.0001, r = 0.327), level of physical activity (P = 0.001, r = 143), calcium intake (P = 0.005, r = 119) and modern clothing style (P = 0.0001, r = 309). Educational status of the patients was negatively correlated with BMI (P = 0.0001, r = -283) and positively correlated with physical activity (P = 0.0001, r = 268), modern clothing style (P = 0.0001, r = 600) and smoking (P = 0.0001, r = 273). Regional comparison of female patients demonstrated that significant differences exist in terms of educational status, clothing style, smoking, level of physical activity, calcium intake, and knowledge about osteoporosis. As a result, education has profound effects on awareness about osteoporosis and many aspects of human behavior, such as calcium intake, physical activity, clothing style and smoking. Significant disparities may be observed between the geographical regions of the same country. © International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation 2004

Combination of 5-fluorouracil and cryotherapy in the treatment of multiple superficial basal cell carcinomas located on the trunk [Gövdede multipl yüzeyel bazal hücreli karsinoma tedavisinde topikal 5-fluorourasil ve kriyoterapi kombinasyonu]

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer of the white population. Basal cell nevus syndrome is characterized by the development of multiple basal cell carcinomas and various developmental anomalies. Topical 5-fluorouracil and cryotherapy are the methods that can be used in the treatment of basal cell carcinomas. Herein we report a patient with multiple basal cell carcinomas who have been successfully treated with the combination of 5-fluorouracil and cryotherapy