Effects of Safranal on Tissue Oxidative Stress in Sub-Chronic Thinner-Addicted Rats

ΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΤΙΘΕΤΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗThe present study was carried out to determine the effects of sub-chronic thinner addiction on the oxidant-antioxidant balance and oxidative stress on certain tissues and the possible protective effect of safranal against thinner toxication in rats. Adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups of 10 animals each as follows: control (C), safranal (S), thinner (T) and thinner+safranal (T+S). The control group received 1cc saline by gastric gavage. Safranal was administered to S and T+S groups by using gastric gavage at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day and volume of 0.1 mL/kg/day. Thinner inhalation was applied to T and T+S groups in a container with NaOH tablets twice a day. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NOx) metabolites, total antioxidant capacity (TAS) and total oxidant capacity (TOS) were determined in liver, lung, brain, kidney and testis tissues of the rats. In the T+S group, it was observed that the MDA levels significantly decreased in all tissues, except the kidney, in comparison to the thinner inhalation group (p = 0.000). When the NOx levels of the T+S group were compared with the levels of the T group, it was concluded that there existed a statistically significant decrease in the NOx levels in alltissues (p = 0.000). In T+S group, it was observed that safranal either eliminated or mitigated oxidative stress that developed in tissues through decreasing MDA and TOS levels and increasing GSH and TAS levels and caused significant decreases in NOX levels in all tissues. As a result, it was determined that safranal, although not uniform for all tissue types, had a protective potential against the damaging effects of oxidative stress caused by sub-chronic thinner inhalation

Multipath Separation-Direction of Arrival (MS-DOA) with Genetic Search Algorithm for HF channels

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Direction-of-Arrival (DOA) defines the estimation of arrival angles of an electromagnetic wave impinging on a set of sensors. For dispersive and time-varying HF channels, where the propagating wave also suffers from the multipath phenomena, estimation of DOA is a very challenging problem. Multipath Separation-Direction of Arrival (MS-DOA), that is developed to estimate both the arrival angles in elevation and azimuth and the incoming signals at the output of the reference antenna with very high accuracy, proves itself as a strong alternative in DOA estimation for HF channels. In MS-DOA, a linear system of equations is formed using the coefficients of the basis vector for the array output vector, the incoming signal vector and the array manifold. The angles of arrival in elevation and azimuth are obtained as the maximizers of the sum of the magnitude squares of the projection of the signal coefficients on the column space of the array manifold. In this study, alternative Genetic Search Algorithms (GA) for the maximizers of the projection sum are investigated using simulated and experimental ionospheric channel data. It is observed that GA combined with MS-DOA is a powerful alternative in online DOA estimation and can be further developed according to the channel characteristics of a specific HF link. (C) 2009 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

Correction of more hallux valgus pathologic disorders with a single distal osteotomy a new surgical technique

Background: Hallux valgus, one of the most common deformities of the great toe, may cause pain, dysfunction, and impaired gait pattern. In this retrospective study we report the results of a new type of distal metatarsal osteotomy combined with distal soft-tissue release in patients with mild-to-moderate hallux valgus deformity. Methods: This new technique was used in the management of 32 feet of 31 patients (eight men and 23 women) with mild-to-moderate hallux valgus. Hallux valgus angle, i ntermetatarsal angl e, and distal metatarsal articular angl e were measured on preoperative, earl y postoperative (6–8 weeks), and l ate (1 year) postoperative radiographs. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hallux metatarsophalangeal score was calculated. Sesamoid position, by considering medial sesamoid position, and metatarsal shortness were also measured. Results: Statistically significant differences were detected between the preoperative and late postoperative measurements of the hallux valgus angle, distal metatarsal articular angle, intermetatarsal angle, and sesamoid position parameters in patients operated on with this technique. Improvement was 14° for the hallux valgus angle, 4° for the distal metatarsal articular angle, and 4° for the intermetatarsal angle. Sesamoid position was also improved, and the mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score was significantly improved. Metatarsal shortness greater than 2 mm was observed in two patients without resulting in any clinical discomfort. Conclusions: This new technique was easy, safe, and promising in patients diagnosed as having mild-to-moderate hallux valgus deformity. © 2021, American Podiatric Medical Association. All rights reserved

Religious Officials' knowledge, attitude, and behavior towards smoking and the new tobacco law in Kahramanmaras, Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tobacco control effort should be first started in people that are looked upon as role models for the general population. We aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of religious officials towards smoking and the new tobacco law.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>The study group was comprised of 492 Imams and 149 Quran course instructors working in Kahramanmaras city of Turkey, 641 religious officials in total, and our survey form was applied on 406 (63.3%) of those religious officials who agreed to participate in the study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty-eight (6.9%) participants were current smokers and 35 (8.6%) were ex-smokers. 99.8% of the religious officials believed that smoking was harmful and/or prohibited in terms of religion. While 43.6% respondents thought smoking was "<it>haram</it>" (forbidden by Islam), 56.2% believed it was "<it>makruh</it>" (something regarded as reprehensible, though not forbidden by God according to Islam). 85.2% of the participants were aware of the recent tobacco law. 55.5% of the respondents, who were aware of the recent tobacco law, evaluated their knowledge level on the law as adequate, whereas 44.5% evaluated it as inadequate 92.4% of the participants noted that religious officials should play active roles in tobacco control effort.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Smoking rate among religious officials is much lower than that of general public. In order to help religious officials to take a more active role on this issue, they should be trained on the subject and appropriate platforms should be established.</p

Prevalence and risk factors of allergies in turkey (PARFAIT): Results of a multicentre cross-sectional study in adults

The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Allergies in Turkey (PARFAIT) study was planned to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for asthma and allergic diseases in Turkey. The present analysis used data from 25,843 parents of primary school children, obtained from a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. A total of 25,843 questionnaires from 14 centres were evaluated. In rural areas, the prevalences asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis and eczema in males were: 8.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.9-9.1%), 13.5% (95% CI 12.8-14.2%), 17.5% (95% CI 16.7-18.2%) and 10.8% (95% CI 10.211.4%), respectively; and in females were: 11.2% (95% CI 10.9-11.8%), 14.7% (95% CI 14.315.1%), 21.2% (95% CI 20.4-22.0%) and 13.1% (95% CI 2.4-13.8%), respectively. In urban areas, the corresponding prevalences in males were: 6.2% (95% CI 5.8-6.6%), 10.8% (95% CI 10.311.3%), 11.7% (95% CI 11.4-12.0%) and 6.6% (95% CI 6.2-7.0%), respectively; and in females were: 7.5 % (95% CI 7.9-7.1%), 12.0% (95% CI 11.7-12.3%), 17.0% (95% CI 16.4-17.6%) and 7.3% (95% CI 6.9-7.7%), respectively. Having an atopic first-degree relative or any other atopic diseases had significant effects on the prevalence of allergic diseases. Housing conditions, such as living in a shanty-type house, visible moulds at home and use of wood or biomass as heating or cooking material were associated with one or more allergic diseases. Although genetic susceptibility is strongly associated, country-and population-based environmental factors may contribute to increased prevalence rates of allergic diseases. Copyright © ERS Journals Ltd 2009

Systematic review with meta-analysis of the epidemiological evidence relating smoking to COPD, chronic bronchitis and emphysema

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Smoking is a known cause of the outcomes COPD, chronic bronchitis (CB) and emphysema, but no previous systematic review exists. We summarize evidence for various smoking indices.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on MEDLINE searches and other sources we obtained papers published to 2006 describing epidemiological studies relating incidence or prevalence of these outcomes to smoking. Studies in children or adolescents, or in populations at high respiratory disease risk or with co-existing diseases were excluded. Study-specific data were extracted on design, exposures and outcomes considered, and confounder adjustment. For each outcome RRs/ORs and 95% CIs were extracted for ever, current and ex smoking and various dose response indices, and meta-analyses and meta-regressions conducted to determine how relationships were modified by various study and RR characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 218 studies identified, 133 provide data for COPD, 101 for CB and 28 for emphysema. RR estimates are markedly heterogeneous. Based on random-effects meta-analyses of most-adjusted RR/ORs, estimates are elevated for ever smoking (COPD 2.89, CI 2.63-3.17, n = 129 RRs; CB 2.69, 2.50-2.90, n = 114; emphysema 4.51, 3.38-6.02, n = 28), current smoking (COPD 3.51, 3.08-3.99; CB 3.41, 3.13-3.72; emphysema 4.87, 2.83-8.41) and ex smoking (COPD 2.35, 2.11-2.63; CB 1.63, 1.50-1.78; emphysema 3.52, 2.51-4.94). For COPD, RRs are higher for males, for studies conducted in North America, for cigarette smoking rather than any product smoking, and where the unexposed base is never smoking any product, and are markedly lower when asthma is included in the COPD definition. Variations by sex, continent, smoking product and unexposed group are in the same direction for CB, but less clearly demonstrated. For all outcomes RRs are higher when based on mortality, and for COPD are markedly lower when based on lung function. For all outcomes, risk increases with amount smoked and pack-years. Limited data show risk decreases with increasing starting age for COPD and CB and with increasing quitting duration for COPD. No clear relationship is seen with duration of smoking.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results confirm and quantify the causal relationships with smoking.</p