Effects of Unilateral and Bilateral Epididymectomy on Testes of Rats

It is generally agreed that the testis is under endocrine control from the pituitary, and is influenced by physiological and paracrine factors within the organ.The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of unilateral and bilateral epididectomy on the testicular tissue growth of rats.Twenty- one male old Sprague-Dawley rats (28 days old) were used in the study. Rats were assigned into 3 equal groups. The first group was the control group, while unilateral and bilateral epididectomy was performed on the second and third groups, respectively. Twenty-one days after the epididectomy, testicular tissues from each group were taken and fixed in Bouin solution. Paraffin sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin, Vangiesson, PAS-Hemalun and examined by light microscopy.Disorganization of the germinal epithelium, desquamation, degeneration and edema in interstitial tissue was seen in the testicular cross sections of the unilateral group. Arrest in spermatozoon stage in some tubules and presence of eosinophylic stained multinucler bodies were recognizable. In the bilateral group, degeneration and atrophic status in the seminiferous tubules of the bilateral group was observed preciesly, and occasional interstitial edema and perforations in the basal lamina were recognizable. In addition, vasodilatation, arrest in spermatozoa stage and multinucleated bodies in some of the seminiferous tubules lumen were observed in some testicular cross sections of this group.As a result, epididectomy causes degeneration in the germinal epithelium and hypoplasia in Leydig cells.It is concluded that epididectomy causes degeneration in the germinal epithelium, interruption of spermatogenesis, and a notable decrease in the number of Leydig cells

The effect of valproic acid on rat ovarium and the protective role of vitamin E and folic acid: An ultrastructural study

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of valproic acid and protective effects of vitamin E and folic acid on rat ovary ultrastructural changes. Twenty-four Wistar rats were used. Animals were divided into four groups. The first group of rats was used as control. The second group was injected valproic acid. The third group was injected valproic acid + folic acid and the fourth group was given valproic acid + vitamin E. At the end of the study, ovarium tissues were taken under anesthesia. Tissues were prepared and examined by transmission electron microscopy. Microscopically, the groups are cited as follows: Control group (in which the ovarium tissue was normal), valproic acid group (which showed increase in lipid content plus mitochondrial crystalysis seen in folliculer and theca interna cells of rat ovarium), valproic acid + folic acid group (in which the theca interna and granulosa cells of rat ovarium had normal appearance) and valproic acid + vitamin E group (where all the organelles of theca interna and granulosa cells of rat ovarium were observed to be normal). Vitamin E and folic acid have protective effects against valproic acid-induced tissue damage in rat ovaries.Keywords: Valproic acid, vitamin E, folic acid, ovarium, ratAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 9(34), pp. 5616-5622, 23 August, 201

Combined Effects of Dietary Bacillus subtilis and Trans-cinnamic Acid on Growth Performance, Whole Body Compositions, Digestive Enzymes and Intestinal bacteria in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

In this study, the combined effects of dietary Bacillus subtilis (BS, 10 7 g/cfu) and different levels (0.025%, 0.050%, 0.075% and 0.150%) of trans-cinnamic acid (CA) on fish growth performance, whole body compositions, digestive enzymes, intestinal bacteria and internal organ index of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated. Six different experimental groups including control group (C), C+BS, 0.025%CA+BS, 0.050%CA+BS, 0.075CA+BS, 0.150%CA+BS) were established. According to the results obtained, growth performance, whole body compositions and digestive pH were not statistically significant among groups. Further, no significant differences were found between experimental groups in terms of the intestinal enzymes (trypsin, alkaline phosphatase and lipase) and gastric pepsin. Significantly higher levels of intestinal amylase were found in the control+BS, 0.025%CA+BS, 0.050% CA+BS, and 0.075%CA+BS compared to the control and 0.150%CA+BS groups. Moreover, coliform and Enterobacteriaceae counts were highest in the control+B. subtilis and lowest in the 0.150% CA + B. subtilis groups

Social stigmatization in Turkish patients with chronic hepatitis B and C

Background and aim: Viral hepatitis is the most important cause of chronic hepatitis worldwide. Stigmatization is defined as a feeling of rejection and isolation of patients by society due to illness. There are no studies on chronic viral hepatitis in the literature in English, which has its own religious and socio-cultural structure. In our study, we aimed to investigate the presence of social stigmatism and psychosocial effects on patients with different stages of chronic viral hepatitis B and C. Methods: Forty-five patients with chronic hepatitis C and 114 patients with chronic hepatitis B were enrolled in the study. Berger’s scale was used for stigmatization, composed of 40 four-point Likert items that have four subscales: personalized stigma, disclosure, negative self-image, and public attitude. Stigma score ranges between one and four. Stigma is accepted as present if the overall score is above two. Results: Overall the mean stigma scores were 1.97 ± 0.58 and 2.14 ± 0.57 for chronic hepatitis B and C, respectively. There was stigma in 47.4% of the patients with chronic hepatitis B, and 60% of the patients with chronic hepatitis C. Being male was the risk factor on overall stigma, disclosure and public attitude in chronic hepatitis C. Living in an urban setting was the risk factor on negative self-image in chronic hepatitis C and on personalized stigma and disclosure in chronic hepatitis B

Systematic Exploration of Synergistic Drug Pairs

Drug synergy allows a therapeutic effect to be achieved with lower doses of component drugs. Drug synergy can result when drugs target the products of genes that act in parallel pathways (‘specific synergy’). Such cases of drug synergy should tend to correspond to synergistic genetic interaction between the corresponding target genes. Alternatively, ‘promiscuous synergy’ can arise when one drug non-specifically increases the effects of many other drugs, for example, by increased bioavailability. To assess the relative abundance of these drug synergy types, we examined 200 pairs of antifungal drugs in S. cerevisiae. We found 38 antifungal synergies, 37 of which were novel. While 14 cases of drug synergy corresponded to genetic interaction, 92% of the synergies we discovered involved only six frequently synergistic drugs. Although promiscuity of four drugs can be explained under the bioavailability model, the promiscuity of Tacrolimus and Pentamidine was completely unexpected. While many drug synergies correspond to genetic interactions, the majority of drug synergies appear to result from non-specific promiscuous synergy

THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF URINARY TRIPSIN INHIBITOR ON INTESTINAL MOTILITY IN

Amaç: Gastroşiziste barsak hasarı morbidite ve mortaliteyi önemli ölçüde etkiler.Morbiditenin en önemli nedeni barsak hasarı nedeniyle motilitenin yetersizliğine bağlıhastaların uzun süre parenteral beslenmelerinden kaynaklanan sepsis, kolestaz gibiciddi sorunlardır. Üriner tripsin inhibitörü (ÜTİ)'nün gastroşiziste barsak hasarını engellediğigösterilmiştir. İntestinal motilite üzerindeki etkileri bilinmemektedir. GastroşizisteÜTİ'nin intestinal motilite üzerine etkilerini göstermek amacıyla bu çalışmaplanlanmıştır.Gereç ve yöntem: Bu çalışmada beş günlük civciv embriyoları kullanıldı. Kontrolgrubunda yumurtalar hiç açılmadan izlendi. Sham grubunda sadece amniotik keseaçıldı. Gastroşizis grubunda allantoik kese açılmadan amniyotik kese açılarakgastroşizis oluşturuldu. Mekonyum+gastroşizis grubunda, amnion sıvısına 1/400konsantrasyonda mekonyum süspansiyonu eklendi. Tedavi gruplarında ise, sırasıyla100, 200 ve 400 IÜ/ml ÜTİ + 1/400 mekonyum süspansiyonu gastroşizisli embryolarınamniyon sıvısına eklendi. Embriyolar 18. günde çıkartılarak gastroşizisli barsaksegmentleri Tyrode solüsyonunda organ banyosuna asılarak kümülatif olarak denenenasetilkolin (10-9- 10-4 M) ile oluşan kasılma yanıtları ölçüldü ve maksimum yanıt (Emax)10-4 konsantrasyonda alındı. Barsaklar histopatolojik olarak incelenerek serozakalınlıkları ölçüldü.Bulgular: Tüm gruplar Emax'taki yanıtlarına göre değerlendirildiğinde kontrol, sham ve400 IÜ/ml ÜTİ grupları arasında anlamlı fark olmadığı görüldü. Gastroşizis mekonyum,100 IÜ/ml ÜTİ ve 200 IÜ/ml ÜTİ grupları arasında da anlamlı fark saptanmadı. Bugruplar ile 400 IÜ/ml ÜTİ grubu karşılaştırıldığında anlamlı fark saptandı (p< 0,01).barsak seroza kalınlıklarında gastroşizis mekonyum, 100 ve 200 İU/ml ÜTİ gruplarındaartış saptanırken, 400 IÜ/ml ÜTİ grubunda normal saptandı.Sonuç: Gastroşiziste, intraamniotik 400 IÜ/ml ÜTİ, 1/400 konsantrasyonda mekonyumsüspansiyonun yarattığı barsak hasarı ve motilite azlığını engellemektedir.Objective: Intestinal damage (ID) is closely related to morbidity and mortality ingastroschisis. The reason of morbidity is hypomotility due to ID. Hypomotility causesserious problems such as sepsis and cholestasis following long time parenteralnutrition. Urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) has been shown to prevent intestinal damage ingastroschisis. However, the effect of UTI on intestinal motility is not known. Anexperimental study has planned to investigate the effects of UTI on intestinal motility ingastroschisis.Methods: Five-days-old fertilized chick embryos were used in this study. In controlgroup, embryos was observed without opening the eggs. In Sham group only amnioticmembrane was opened. In gastroschisis group, gastroschisis was created afteramniotic membrane was opened. In the meconium + gastroschisis group, 1/400meconium suspension was instilled into the amniotic cavity. In the treatment groups,100, 200 and 400 IU/ml UTI plus 1/400 meconium suspension was instilled to amnioticcavity of the gastroschisis embryos, respectively. On the 18th gestational day, all embryoswere extirpated and intestines were harvested then placed in Tyrode solution.Contraction responses in intestine were assessed by isolated tissue bath withcumulative doses of acetylcholine (10-9-10-4M). Serosal thicknesses of the intestines ineach group were evaluated histopathologically.Results: When all the groups were evaluated according to their response to Emax.,there was no significant difference between control, Sham, gastroschisis and 400IU/ml UTI groups. Similarly there was no significant difference between meconium +gastroschisis group, 100 IU/ml and 200 IU/ml UTI groups. Significant difference wasdetermined between these groups and 400 IU/ml UTI group (p<0,01). Indeed serosalthicknesses were increased in meconium + gastroschisis, 100 and 200 IU/ml UTIgroups, it was normal in 400 IU/ml UTI group.Conclusion: Intraamniotic 400 IU/ml UTI prevents the ID and hypomotility inducedby 1/400 concentration of meconium in gastroschisis

Effect of verapamil on responses to endothelin-1 in aortic rings from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

In this study, we investigated the constrictor responsiveness to endothelin-l (ET-1, 10-30 nM) of aortic rings (under 1 g resting tension in Krebs-Bicarbonate solution) from 8-weeks streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg kg(-1), i.p)-induced diabetic rats and vehicle-treated control rats. The maximum ET-1-induced contraction of the aorta in diabetic rats was increased by 150%, but the EC50 of ET-1 remained unchanged. Although in both groups, verapamil reduced the constrictor responses to ET-1 (diabetic group P < 0.001, control group P < 0.05), there were not any significant differences between PD2 values. These results suggest that verapamil inhibits ET-1-induced Ca2+ entry through the L-type channel and this effect did not change in diabetes mellitus. (C) 1999 Academic Press

The Role of Cytochrome P450 3A5 Enzyme on the Metabolism of Tacrolimus in Rats

Purpose: The present study was designed to determine the effect ratio of CYP3A5 on the metabolism of tacrolimus that is used as an immunosuppressant for tissue transplantation

The effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on rat gastric mucosa. The role of endothelin.

Objectives: To investigate the role of endothelin on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) enzyme inhibitors-induced effects on the gastric mucosa

The role of calcium entry on the relaxation response of rho-kinase inhibitor in rabbit renal artery.

This study was performed to clarify the role of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ on rho-kinase enzyme inhibition-induced relaxation in rabbit renal arteries. The response to rho-kinase inhibitor (Y-27632) was studied in isolated renal artery segments precontracted with phenylephrine in the presence of voltage-gated calcium channel blocker nifedipine and in the absence of intracellular or extracellular Ca2+. Cumulative addition of rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 (10(-8)-10(-5) M) produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in renal artery rings precontracted with phenylephrine. Preincubation with nifedipine (1 mu M) resulted in a significant increase in relaxation response to rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 compared with preincubation with DMSO; the solvent of nifedipine. The maximal relaxation to Y-27632 in renal arteries precontracted with phenylephrine was significantly increased in the Ca-free Krebs containing 100 mu mol/l ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) but after depletion of intracellular stores with 20 mmol/l caffeine and 1mmol/l EGTA in Ca2+ free Krebs there was no significant difference between the relaxation to Y-27632 from control response in 2.5 mmol/l Ca2+ Krebs in the renal artery. These results suggest the involvement of extracellular Ca and L-type voltage-operated Ca2+ channels in phenylephrine-induced rho-kinase activation (Fig. 3, Ref. 20). Full Text in PDF www.elis.sk