Effects of Saccharomyces boulardii on antibiotic induced orocecal transit in rats

Clarithromycin is an antibiotic widely used for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and together with amoxicillin and proton pump inhibitors they constitute the first line triple treatment regimen against H. pylori. Diarrhoea is one of the major drawbacks during H. pylori eradication and is majorly attributed to clarithromycin, while Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic and is shown to be effective in the treatment of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. We aimed to evaluate the effect of clarithromycin on orocecal transit in rats and to identify whether the supplementation with S. boulardii has a role on orocecal transit index. Adult rats of both sexes were divided into two groups to determine immediate or chronic effects of S. boulardii and clarithromycin on orocecal transit. The first group was given single dose of the test drug, while the second group received the test drugs for one week through orogastric intubation. Both groups were randomly distributed into four subgroups; the placebo group (group A), the S. boulardii group (group B), the clarithromycin group (group C), and the co-administration that is clarithromycin plus S. boulardii group (group D). Rats were given 20 mg kg−1 clarithromycin and 500 mg kg−1S. boulardii. We did not find any difference among the subgroups in group 1, where only single dose of the test drugs was administered. In chronic administration group, that is group 2, significant differences among the subgroups were observed (P=0.004). Post-hoc comparisons of orocecal transit index between group “2A and 2C” and “2C and 2D” were significantly different (P=0.013 and P=0.005, respectively). Our results show that long term clarithromycin administration leads to rapid orocecal transit index and S. boulardii supplementation to clarithromycin can abolish this adverse effect in rats. Those findings suggest the beneficial use of S. boulardii in H. pylori eradication regimens

Veganism as a Postmodern Identity and Analysis of an Online Vegan Network

Veganlık, günümüz toplumlarında popüler hale gelen bir yönelimedönüşmüş durumdadır. Hayvansal gıda ve ürünleri reddeden veganlar, radikalduruşları ile (süt ve ürünlerini de tüketmeme vb.) vejetaryenlerden ayrılmaktave katı bir karşıtlık sergilemektedir. Manuel Castells’in bir “güç” olaraktanımladığı kimlik, postmodern toplumlarda veganlık ile de kendini tartışmayaaçmaktadır. Çünkü postmodern yaşamda veganlık, ilgili karşıtlığa paralel olarak“küresel karşıt bir kimlik” olarak gelişmekte ve kendisini sosyal medyada dameşrulaştırmaya çalışmaktadır. Bu yüzden bu çalışmada veganlık, karşıt bir kimlikbiçimi olarak ele alınmış ve tartışılmıştır. Çalışmada Vegan Türkiye’nin Twitterüzerindeki hesabı (@veganturkiye) analiz edilmiş, hesabın ağına ilişkin eldeedilen veriler yorumlanmıştır. Böylelikle Türkiye’de veganlığın sosyal medyadanasıl resmedildiği incelenmiştir. Çalışmada yöntem olarak sosyal ağ analizive içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda, Vegan Türkiye’nin Twitterpaylaşımlarında vegan beslenme ya da veganlığın meşrulaştırılmasından ziyade,türler arası eşitliğe vurgu yapıldığı görülmüştür. Söz konusu vurgu, hayvan haklarıve sevgisine yoğunlaşmış durumdadır.Veganism has turned into a popular trend in contemporary societies.Vegans who abstain from eating animal food and products differ fromvegetarians with their radical stances such that they prefer not to consumemilk and other dairy products. Castells defines identity as power and inpostmodern societies, veganism is also discussed through the conceptof identity. Hence, veganism develops as a “global resistance identity”parallel to the related opposition and tries to legitimize itself on socialmedia in postmodern life. Therefore, in this study, the veganism has beenexamined and discussed as a resistance identity form. In the study, VeganTurkey’s account on Twitter (@veganturkiye) has been analysed by socialnetwork and content analyses in order to identify how veganism wasrepresented in Turkish social media. To this end, the data gathered fromthe network of the account has been interpreted. In conclusion, it hasbeen noticed that rather than veganism or vegan diet, equality betweenspecies have been mostly emphasised in Vegan Turkey’s messageson Twitter. Furthermore, animal rights and love for animals have beenidentified as the main messages of this specific account