Viability of crushed and diced cartilage grafts wrapped in oxidized regenerated cellulose and esterified hyaluronic acid: An experimental study

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the viability of diced/crushed cartilage grafts wrapped in esterified hyaluronic acid (HYAFF) and Oxidized regenerated cellulose (Surgicel) with respect to macroscopic and microscopic parameters

Protective Effects of Bilirubin in an Experimental Rat Model of Pyelonephritis

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of bilirubin in a rat model of pyelonephritis

Milk-borne epidermal growth factor modulates bilirubin levels in neonatal rats

Objectives: Breast milk jaundice (BMJ) is commonly of undetermined etiology. Recently, it has been shown that the degree of BMJ was associated with the increased levels of milk-borne EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor). The aim of the present study was to test the effects of enteral administration of EGF on the development of hyperbilirubinemia in neonatal rats. Methods: Pups were divided into three groups: Group 1; artificially fed with formula, Group 2; artificially fed with formula supplemented with 500 ng/ml rat EGF, Group 3; fed by their mothers. Hyperbilirubinemia was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of unconjugated bilirubin suspension once daily for 5 consecutive days. Bilirubin levels, length of ideal villi, and EGF-R expression in the intestine was determined at postnatal day 6. Results: In the groups of 2 and 3, serum bilirubin levels were significantly higher when compared to animals in the group 1. There was no significant difference in terms of serum bilirubin levels between the Group 2 and Group 3. Length of ileal villi was significantly longer in the Group 2 and Group 3 than the Group 1 animals. The pattern of EGF-R expression in the Group 2 was similar to that seen in Group 3 animals. In contrast, animals given formula without EGF had markedly decreased expression of the EGF-R. Conclusion: Results suggest that EGF supplementation in newborn rats leads to a significant increase in intestinal mucosal proliferation and a significant decrease in bilirubin elimination. These data suggest that EGF possibly increases intestinal bilirubin absorption and may have a role in development of breast milk jaundice. Further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis

The effect of melatonin on endotoxemia-induced intestinal apoptosis and oxidative stress in infant rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of melatonin on the intestinal apoptosis along with oxidative damage in endotoxemic infant rats. Design and setting: Prospective animal study in a university- based experimental research laboratory. Subjects and interventions: Wistar albino 7-day-old rat pups (n = 21). The animals were randomized into three experimental groups: ( 1) controls; ( 2) endotoxemia; ( 3) endotoxemia treated with melatonin ( 10 mg/kg). Endotoxemia was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide ( Escherichia coli serotype 0111: B4; 3 mg/kg). Measurements and results: Four hours after LPS injection, the antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase ( SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels as an indicator of lipid peroxidation, were determined. Intestinal apoptosis was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated fluorescein-dUTP nick end labeling. The administration of melatonin into endotoxemic rats prevented the increase in the TBARS levels, and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes and attenuated apoptotic cell death in both intestinal epithelium and lamina propria. Conclusions: Melatonin diminished the intestinal oxidative stress and apoptotic damage induced by endotoxemia in infant rats

The protective effects of trimetazidine on testicular ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats

This study was designed to investigate the protective effect of trimetazidine [TMZ; 1-(2, 3, 4-trimethhoxibenzyl)-piperazine dihydrochloride], as an antioxidant agent, on torsion-detorsion-induced biochemical and histopathological changes in experimental testicular ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Twenty-seven male Wistar rats weighing 180-220 g were divided into five groups: control (C, n = 4), sham-operated (S, n = 4), ischemia (I, n = 6), ischemia-reperfusion (I/R, n = 6) and ischemia-reperfusion + trimetazidine (I/R + TMZ; n = 7). Control rats were used for basal normal values. In group I, 2 h torsion of the left testis was performed. In I/R and I/R + TMZ groups, following 2 h of torsion, 4 h detorsion of the testis was performed. In ischemia and I/R groups, physiologic saline was administered orally for 7 days, and the rats in I/R + TMZ group were pretreated orally with 5 mg/kg day TMZ for 7 days before inducing ischemia. At the end of each experiment, ipsilateral orchiectomies were performed for the tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activities and histopathological examinations in all groups. MDA levels were significantly reduced and GPx enzyme activities were significantly increased in testes in I/R+TMZ pretreated group compared to group I and I/R. The mean seminiferous tubular diameter (MSTD) and Johnsen's score were significantly better in I/R+TMZ group than groups I and I/R. Pretreatment with TMZ decreased germ cell apoptosis and caspase-3 expression in the ischemic testis

The anti-oxidant effect of alpha-tocopherol in the prevention of experimentally induced myringosclerosis

Hypothesis: The objective of this study was to investigate the possible effect of alpha-tocopherol on the prevention of experimentally induced myringosclerosis

Effectiveness of Royal Jelly on Tympanic Membrane Perforations: An Experimental Study

WOS: 000207462800019PubMed ID: 19128609Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparison of the efficacy of royal jelly in a guinea pig tympanic membrane perforation model with untreated and control groups. Study Design: Prospective study using 16 adult guinea pigs. Methods: Each animal underwent subtotal removal of the tympanic membrane in one ear. Animals were divided into two groups of eight animals each. Group A was treated with topical royal jelly, and group B was treated with saline. All opposite right ears were used as the control group. Examination was done by otoendoscopy on days 10, 12, and 14. The healing process was observed under the microscope and photographed for 3 months. Results: There was no significant difference between group A and group B in the incidence of perforation closure. However, after 3 months, the mean thickness of the tympanic membranes was 0.11, 0.07, and 0.08 mm, respectively, in group A, group B, and the control. These results showed a statistically significant difference. Histologically, the tympanic membranes of group A showed marked fibroblastic orientation and well-organized connective tissue. Application of royal jelly improved the success rate of closure, as shown in the present study. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of royal jelly in enhancing healing in tympanic membrane perforations. Our study suggests that royal jelly is effective in increasing healing of tympanic membrane perforations in guinea pigs

Maternal Aerobic Exercise during Pregnancy Can Increase Spatial Learning by Affecting Leptin Expression on Offspring's Early and Late Period in Life Depending on Gender

Maternal exercise during pregnancy has been suggested to exert beneficial effects on brain functions of the offspring. Leptin is an adipocytokine which is secreted from adipose tissues and has positive effects on learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. In this study, pregnant rats were moderately exercised and we observed the effects of this aerobic exercise on their prepubertal and adult offsprings' spatial learning, hippocampal neurogenesis, and expression of leptin. All the pups whose mothers exercised during pregnancy learned the platform earlier and spent longer time in the target quadrant. Their thigmotaxis times were shorter than those measured in the control group. It is shown that hippocampal CA1, CA3 neuron numbers increased in both prepubertal and adult pups, in addition that GD neuron numbers increased in adult pups. Leptin receptor expression significantly increased in the prepubertal male, adult male, and adult female pups. In our study, maternal running during pregnancy resulted in significant increase in the expression of leptin receptor but not in prepubertal female pups, enhanced hippocampal cell survival, and improved learning memory capability in prepubertal and adult rat pups, as compared to the control group. In conclusion, maternal exercise during pregnancy may regulate spatial plasticity in the hippocampus of the offspring by increasing the expression of leptin