Effects of Seminal Plasma Composition on Sperm Motility in Mirror Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

This research provides data concerning the biochemical (ionic and organic) composition of sperm of the mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio) and its relation- ship to spermatozoa motility. Seminal plasma contained 67.12±1.06 mM/l Na+, 105.1±2.24 mM/l K+, 7.85±0.67 mg/dl Ca2+, 2.61±0.11 mEq/l Mg2+, 0.14±0.002 g/dl total protein, 10.3±1.01 mg/dl triglyceride, 6.83±0.72 mg/dl cholesterol, and 54.72±3.49 mg/dl urea. A positive relationship (p0.05) with motility (r = -0.565, r = -0.160, and r = -0.184, respectively). Spermatozoa motility correlated negatively (p>0.05) with protein (r = -0.233), triglyceride (r = -0.348), and urea (r = -0.331) but positively with cholesterol (r = 0.012). This information will help to develop cryopreservation procedures, to meet species-specific extender requirements, and to optimize artificial fertilization procedures in mirror carp

Angiopoietin-like protein 2 and angiopoietin-like protein 6 levels in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

The aim of the current study was to examine the difference between patients detected with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and healthy subjects in terms of serum angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL) 2 and ANGPTL6 levels and to evaluate the correlation between ANGPTL2 and ANGPTL6 levels and liver enzyme levels, fasting glucose, lipid levels, and steatosis degree on ultrasonography (USG)

Angiopoietin-like protein 2 and angiopoietin-like protein 6 levels in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Introduction: The aim of the current study was to examine the difference between patients detected with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and healthy subjects in terms of serum angiopoietin-like protein (ANGPTL) 2 and ANGPTL6 levels and to evaluate the correlation between ANGPTL2 and ANGPTL6 levels and liver enzyme levels, fasting glucose, lipid levels, and steatosis degree on ultrasonography (USG). Material and methods: A total of 159 participants were included in the study. The participants were divided into 3 groups depending on the steatosis degree on USG and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels: the NAFLD group with increased ALT, the NAFLD group with normal ALT, and the healthy control group. The groups were compared in terms of biochemical and ultrasonographic findings, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and anthropometric parameters. Results: There was no significant difference between NAFLD patients and healthy subjects with respect to serum ANGPTL2 and ANGPTL6 levels (p > 0.05). ANGPTL2 levels did not correlate with serum, biochemical, or ultrasonographic findings, or anthropometric parameters (p > 0.05). A positive correlation was found between serum ANGPTL6 levels and fasting blood glucose, ALT, alkaline phosphatase, g-glutamyl transpeptidase, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR levels. Conclusions: While our findings suggest no relationship between serum ANGPTL2 and ANGPTL6 levels and NAFLD, ANGPTL6 levels may be related to metabolic and biochemical parameters. The effects of ANGPTL2 and ANGPTL6 in the pathogenesis of NAFLD should be investigated further

Increased collagen maturity with sildenafil citrate: experimental high risk colonic anastomosis model.

Inadequate healing and high anastomosis leak rates at rectal anastomosis may be due to lack of supportive serosal layer and technical difficulty of low anterior resections. Positive effects of sildenafil on wound healing were observed. The aim of this study was to simulate rectal anastomosis as a technical insufficient anastomosis and investigate the effects of sildenafil on anastomosis healing

Comparison of biochemical and immunological biomarker levels of patients with COVID-19 with healthy individuals

Objectives: It was aimed to compare Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), Alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), Total Immunoglobulin M (Total IgM), Total Immunoglobulin G (Total IgG), Galectin-3 (Gal3), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 IgG (SARS-CoV-2 IgG) levels in patients with COVID-19 and healthy individuals. Methods: The study included a total of 86 participants, 44 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test and 42 as the control group. AAT, AGP, Total IgM, and Total IgG levels were measured using the immunoturbidimetric method. Gal3 and SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured using the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay method. Results: AAT, AGP, Total IgG, Gal3, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were found to be significantly higher in the patient group compared to the control group (p<0.001 for all tests). In the patient group, there was a moderate correlation between AAT-AGP and SARS-CoV-2 IgG-AAT (r=0.692; r=0.561, respectively). Conclusions: High levels of AAT, AGP, Total IgG, Gal3, and SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the patient group and correlations between variables suggest that these parameters may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease and provide an idea about the prognosis of the disease. However, new studies on this subject are needed in order to clearly reveal the laboratory tests related to the clinical course of the disease

Resource management optimization for a smart microgrid

Optimal planning of resources with daily/real time resource management is important for obtaining the most benefit from microgrids. There exist several mathematical models and heuristic rule based policies for microgrid resource management. Mathematical models provide optimal results, while heuristic policies are simple to implement but cannot guarantee optimality. Although both models are used in the literature, studies do not analyze the benefits of using mathematical models over heuristic rule based ones. This study proposes a mixed integer programming based mathematical model and a rule based model and compares their performances for a newly established microgrid at Turkey. Both models aim to minimize the daily cost of the microgrid by planning the use, sale, and storage of the energy obtained from the renewable resources. The results quantify the benefits of using the mathematical model over the rule based model for the case microgrid under different conditions. The analysis shows that the difference between the models' performances changes according to the energy pricing policy and seasons. Under certain conditions, the simple rule based policy can provide close to optimal results

Increased collagen maturity with sildenafil citrate: Experimental high risk colonic anastomosis model

Background: Inadequate healing and high anastomosis leak rates at rectal anastomosis may be due to lack of supportive serosal layer and technical difficulty of low anterior resections. Positive effects of sildenafil on wound healing were observed. The aim of this study was to simulate rectal anastomosis as a technical insufficient anastomosis and investigate the effects of sildenafil on anastomosis healing. Methods: Colonic anastomoses were carried out in 64 rats and randomized into four groups, CA + S, complete anastomoses without sildenafil (10 mg/kg for 5 days); CA + S, complete anastomoses with sildenafil; IA + S, incomplete anastomoses without sildenafil; IA + S, incomplete anastomoses with sildenafil. Half of the rats in every group were sacrificed on post-operative day (POD) 3, half of them sacrificed on POD 7. Tissues from the anastomoses were used for functional, histochemical, biochemical investigations. Results: Sildenafil treatment resulted in increased bursting pressures in IA + S on POD 7 (p = 0.010). Collagen maturity was higher in IA + S on POD 3 and POD 7, CA + S on POD 7 (p = 0.010; p = 0.010; p < 0.007). Collagen content was higher in IA + S on POD 7 (p < 0.001). Glutathione, hydroxyproline levels were similar. Malondialdehyde levels were lower in IA + S on POD 3 (p < 0.001). Epithelization score was higher in IA + S on POD 7 (p = 0.007). Inflammation score was higher in CA + S group on POD 3 and POD 7 (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Neutrophil score was lower in CA + S on POD 3 (p = 0.005). Conclusion: An increase in collagen content, maturity, and epithelization, a decrease in neutrophil infiltration, oxidative stress and better mechanical strength were observed with the administration of sildenafil. (C) 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Effect of Intraoperative PEEP Application on Colonic Anastomoses Healing: An Experimental Animal Study

This study aimed to assess the effect of intraoperative positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) intervention on the healing of colonic anastomoses in rabbits. A total of 32 New Zealand type male rabbits were divided into 2 groups of 16 animals each. Following ventilation with tracheostomy, colonic resection and anastomosis were performed in both groups. Although 10 cm of H2O PEEP level was applied in group 1 (PEEP), group 2 {[}zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP)] was ventilated without PEEP throughout the surgery. Half of both the PEEP and ZEEP group animals were killed on the third postoperative day, whereas the remaining half were killed on the seventh. Anastomotic bursting pressures, the tissue concentrations in hydroxyproline, and histologic assessments were performed. Intraoperative oxygen saturation and postoperative arterial blood gas parameters were also compared. On the first postoperative day, both arterial oxygen tension (PO2) and oxygen saturation (SO2) in the PEEP group were significantly higher than in the ZEEP group. On the seventh postoperative day, the bursting pressures of the anastomoses were significantly higher in the PEEP group; however, the hydroxyproline content was significantly lower in the PEEP group than in the ZEEP group. At day 7, the PEEP group was significantly associated with increased neoangiogenesis compared with the ZEEP group. The anastomotic healing process is positively influenced by the intraoperative PEEP application