Presentation with hepatic mass and ERCP extraction of Fasciola hepatica: A case report and review of the literature

Fasciola hepatica infeksiyonu ülkemizin bazı bölgelerinde endemik olarak rastlanan bir karaciğer trematodudur. Klinik bulgular nonspesifik olup; karın ağrısı, sağ üst kadranda hassasiyet şeklinde olabilir. Laboratuvarda eozinofi- li, karaciğer enzimlerinin yükselmesi, pozitif seroloji görülür. Görüntüleme yöntemlerinde karaciğerde çok sayıda nodüller ve safra yollarında dilatasyon görülür. Triclabendazol hepatik ve biliyer fazda etkilidir. Endoskopik retrog- rad kolanjiopankreatografi ile canlı Fasciola hepaticaların biliyer kanaldan uzaklaştırılması ile de tedavi edilir. Burada karaciğerde kitle nedeniyle tetkik edilen, safra yollarında dilatasyona neden olan ve endoskopik retrograd ko- lanjiopankreatografi ile tedavi edilen fasciola hepaticalı genç bayan olgusu sunulmuştur.Fasciola hepatica is a liver trematode that is endemic in some parts of Turkey. Clinical findings are nonspecific, such as abdominal pain and right upper quadrant tenderness. Eosinophilia, elevated liver enzymes and positive se- rology can be detected in laboratory investigations, while multiple nodules in the liver and dilated bile ducts can be seen in imaging modalities. Tricla- bendazole is effective in the hepatic and biliary phases. Fasciola hepatica is also treated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography by biliary duct removal. Herein, we present a young woman who was evaluated with a mass in the liver and biliary tract dilatation caused by Fasciola hepatica and who was treated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Antioxidant and Thioredoxin Reductase and Trypsin Inhibitor Activities of Honey, Bee Pollen and Bee Bread

Nowadays, some natural foods have started to be preferred by people because of their health protective-therapeutic properties. Among these products, bee products have a very important value. In particular, honey has been used in traditional medicine for centuries because of its nutritional and therapeutic properties. Other bee products except for honey such as pollen and bee bread have started to be consumed intensively as functional foods in recent years due to their pharmacological properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic activities1. However, scientific research on bee bread is very limited.In this study, it was aimed to determine the total phenolic-flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and thioredoxin reductase and trypsin inhibitor activities of different bee products (honey, bee pollen, bee bread) collected from Turkey, Bayburt. Total phenolic and flavonoid content of bee products was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively, and antioxidant activity was determined by using CUPRAC (Cupric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay. As a result, the total phenolic content of honey, pollen, and bee bread samples were found to be 0.73, 9.03, 6.28 mg GA/g, and the total flavonoid content was 0.31, 3.00, 1.74 mg QE/g respectively. As a result of the antioxidant activity analysis, the extracts tested were sorted as bee pollen> bee bread> honey. All bee products exhibited various concentration-dependent degrees of inhibition against thioredoxin reductase and trypsin. Honey showed the highest thioredoxin reductase and trypsin inhibitory activities.As a result, consumption of bee products classified in the functional food class, which has a remarkable total phenolic-flavonoid content and antioxidant activity, may be beneficial for people to be protected from diseases and to lead a healthier life. For this reason, it is important to determine the chemical contents and biological activities of such natural products and to carry out detailed researches for their standardization in Turkey, which is an important point in terms of beekeeping activities

Expression analyses of soluble starch synthase and starch branching enzyme isoforms in stem and leaf tissues under different photoperiods in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

The metabolism of starch is sensitive to changes in light and plants respond to different light regimes by adjusting their carbon metabolism and regulating enzymes that participate in starch biosynthesis. Although there are several studies showing the influence of the circadian clock mechanism on starch biosynthesis on model plants, there is still limited information on how the circadian regulation of carbon assimilation and utilization works on crop plants and long-day plants. In our previous study, we examined lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), a long-day crop plant, and determined the influence of circadian control on starch metabolism by investigating the transcriptional regulation of large (LS) and small (SS) subunits of ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase). However, the regulation mechanism of the enzymes responsible for the formation of the starch granule remains unclear. In this study, the transcriptional regulation of soluble starch synthase isoforms I and III (SSSI and SSSIII) and starch branching enzyme isoforms I and II (SBEI and SBEII) were examined in sink and source tissues under different photoperiods in lentils by quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). The results showed that the temporal distribution of gene expression was altered when isoforms for both enzymes from the stem and leaf tissues were compared for different photoperiod regimes, exhibiting a rhythmic period of 4-6 h with maximal expression times and levels altered due to the shifting photoperiod. These results were in agreement with our previous observations on lentil AGPase supporting the circadian control of carbohydrate metabolism

Cryptogenic liver cirrhosis and hepatitis E virus (HEV): Are they related?

Introduction and Objectives: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the most common causes of acute hepatitis. In recent years, its role in the development of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis especially in immunosuppressed patients and its wide range of extrahepatic involvement have increased the amount of research on HEV. In this study we aimed to investigate the presence of HEV infection in individuals with cryptogenic cirrhosis. Materials and methods: HEV antibodies were analysed using the Anti HEV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (anti-HEV ELISA; Diapro Prodiagnostic Bioprobes, Milan, Italy). HEV RNA was isolated with using QIAMP Viral RNA mini kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany). The HEV RNA titre was detected with the Rotor Gene 3000 real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system using GenoSen's HEV (Rotor Gene) Quantitative Real Time PCR Kit (Genome Diagnostics Private Limited, the Netherlands). Results: Our study included 21 healthy volunteers (12 males) and 35 cryptogenic cirrhosis patients (19 males). The ages of the patients and the controls were similar (46 ± 12.1 vs. 37.5 ± 9.7years). The mean Child–Pugh score was 8 ± 2.5. The anti HEV immunoglobulin G(IgG) positivity rate was 9.5% and 25.7% in the control and patient groups respectively (p > 0.05). HEV RNA positivity was not detected in the control group, but 3 cases (8.6%) in the patient group were positive (p > 0.05). The HEV RNA, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) levels for these 3 cases were 326.461 copies/mL, 91 IU/L and 67 IU/L; 480 copies/mL, 68 IU/L and 36 IU/L and 72 copies/mL, 42 IU/L and 24 IU/L respectively. There were positive correlations between HEV RNA levels and AST and ALT levels (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Anti HEVIgG and HEV RNA positivity rates are high in cryptogenic cirrhosis although it is not statistically significant and there is a positive correlation between HEV RNA and aminotransferases