Effects of the ATP-dependent K (+)-channel effectors pinacidil and glibenclamide on liver tissue in an experimental model of epilepsy: A histopathological study

Aim: It is known that most of the antiepileptic drugs have negative effects on the liver. Pinacidil is a nonselective opener of KATP channels, including the plasma membrane and mitochondria.  Glibenclamide is an ATP -dependent K channel blocker ensuring the intake of calcium. Our aim in this experimental study was to examine the effects of pinacidil and glibenclamide on the liver tissue of rats with focal epilepsy. Method: Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats (2-4 months old, 200-250 gr) were used in the study. The rats were divided into 4 groups, 15 in each group. The groups were divided into control group, penicillin group, penicillin + pinacidil group and penicillin + glibenclamide group. The craniums of the rats in the control group were opened and normal saline was given; Penicillin (2 µl 500 IU) was intracortically administered to other groups and an experimental epilepsy model was created. At the end of the study, liver tissue of rats was taken and evaluated in terms of vacuolar degeneration, lymphocyte infiltration, vascular congestion, sinusoidal dilatation, necrosis, and Kupffer cell proliferation, radial alignment of hepatic cords, central vein and portal vein dilatation in hepatocytes. Results: Venous congestion, cytoplasmic vacuolization, Kupffer cell proliferation, portal vein dilatation and necrosis were distinct in the group to which pinacidil was administered, and distortion was present in the radial sequence (p<0.001).  In addition, inflammation, venous congestion and hepatocyte necrosis were found to be lower in the glibenclamide given group compared to the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: It can be suggested that pinacidil treatment caused negative results in liver histopathological parameters, whereas glibenclamide was more protective by reducing inflammation, venous congestion and hepatocyte necrosis

Development of an original landscape plant data base

Peyzaj mimarları tasarımla ilgili diger disiplinlerden canlı bitki materyallerine tasarımları içinde yer vermeleri ile ayrılırlar. Farklı bitki türlerinin yer aldıgı bir peyzaj projesinde peyzaj mimarından beklenen, bitkilerin boyutları, ısık ve su gibi yetisme istekleri, estetik ve ekolojik islevleri gibi birçok unsuru göz önünde bulundurarak o alana en uygun bitkilendirmeyi yapmasıdır. Dolayısı ile mümkün oldugu kadar çok bitkiyi bütün özellikleri ile tanımak ve gerektiginde bazı sorgulamalar yaparak bir liste olusturabilmek çok önemlidir. Bilgisayar teknolojilerinin hayatımızın her asamasına girdigi su yıllarda, bu tip sorgulamalar bilgisayar ortamında olusturulacak bir veritabanı ile daha kapsamlı, etkili ve kolay sekilde yapılabilir. En temel açıklamasıyla bir veritabanı, bilgisayarda bilgilerin belirli bir mantıksal düzen içinde saklandıgı dosyalar kümesidir. Bu çalısmanın amacı peyzaj bitkilerine özgü bilgilerin saklandıgı, gösterildigi, sorgulanabildigi ve gerektigi durumlarda yeni bilgilerin girilebildigi bir bilgisayar programı yaratmaktır Çalısma veritabanı kullanıcı arayüzü programının gelistirilmesi ve bitkilere özgü bilgilerin veritabanına konulması basamaklarından olusmaktadır. Arastırma kapsamında olusturulan veritabanı ve bunun kullanıcı arayüzü programı (BitkiVt) egitim amaçlı kullanılabilecegi gibi peyzaj mimarlıgı çalısmalarının yürütüldügü kamu ve özel sektör uygulamalarında da kullanılabilir. Buna ek olarak özel zevk anlamında peyzaj bitkilerine ilgi duyan kisiler içinde bir basvuru kaynagıdır.Landscape architects differ from the other design related disciplines by including plant materials in their design. On a landscape project with various plant materials, a landscape architect is expected to conduct the most proper planting scheme of a site by taking into account the different size, growing requirements such as light and irrigation, and aesthetic and ecological functions of plants. Accordingly, it is important to know as many plant materials as possible with their characteristics as well as to build a suitable plant list after conducting some inquiries. As computer technology involves in every aspect of our life, these types of inquiries would be done easily and more efficiently by a computer generated database. In its simplest explanation, a database is a set of files, where the information is stored with a certain rational organization,in the computer. The purpose of this work is to generate a computer program to store, display, inquire, and add new information - when necessary - about the landscape plants. This work consists of two steps: the development of database user interface program, and adding the plant information to database. The database and its user-interface program (BitkiVt) developed in this research could not only be used as an educational tool but also be utilized by public and private landscape sector. Additionally, it is also a reference material for those interested in landscape plants as a hobby

The effects of treadmill exercise on oxidative stress in Mongolian gerbils with penicillin-induced epilepsy

Aim: To evaluate the role of treadmill exercise on the oxidative stress in Mongolian gerbils with penicillin-induced epilepsy. Methods: This experimental study included 18 male Mongolian gerbils which were divided into three groups; sham-control group, penicillin group (500 units) and exercise + penicillin (500 units) group. Each animal group was composed of six Mongolian gerbils. The epileptiform activity was verified by electrocorticographic recordings.  Results: The latency of the penicillin+exercise group was longer than the penicillin group, but this difference was not statistically significant. Following the penicillin administration, spike wave frequencies of epileptiform activity in the 10, 30, and 35 minutes were significantly lower in the penicillin+exercise group, compared with the penicillin group. There were generally significant decreases in the spike wave amplitude medians in the penicillin+exercise groups compared with the penicillin group in all time periods between 0 and 5 minutes. The serum superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels increased in the penicillin+exercise group compared with those in the penicillin group.  Conclusion: The results of present study indicate that regular exercise may contribute to the amelioration of epileptic activity by increasing the antioxidant effect. Keywords: Penicillin-induced epilepsy; treadmill exercise; oxidative stress; Mongolian gerbils.                  &nbsp

Can gestational exercise have a positive effect on cognitive functions resulting from brain injury? A rat study

Aim: The effects of gestational exercise on potential pathological conditions is not known yet.  Therefore, in the present study, it was aimed to evaluate the effects of forced running exercise on LPS-induced brain damage in pregnant rats. Method: Pregnant females in the experimental group were forced to exercise 30 min daily for five days a week. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced brain injury model was created by administering 500 µg/kg body weight of LPS on gestational days 18 and 19.   To evaluate injury histopathologically, brain tissues were fixed at the postnatal day seven through transcardial perfusion (n=4 pups/group). When the remaining pups reached 30-day of age, Morris water maze test (MWM) was performed to assess memory and learning, open filed (OP) and elevated plus maze (EPM) for testing anxiety, and Porsolt test (PT) for evaluating depression. The groups were defined as brain injury group (BI, n=13) and exercise+brain injury group (E+BI, n=7).  Results: The results obtained from MWM test indicated that animals found the platform in a shorter duration and distance at the day five compared to the day three. However, there was no significant difference between the groups. No significant difference was found in OP test regarding the distance traveled, time spent at the margins, movement at the center and the time spent as immobile. However, in the EPM test, the offspring at the BI group displayed higher mobility and increased number of entry to the open arms compared to the E+BI groups (p=0.01).  There was no significant difference regarding mobility duration and total distance traveled in the PT test. Conclusion: In the present study, we tested the impact of gestational exercise using the brain injury model. The results of the EPM test suggests that the gestational exercise can suppress the stress factors in the pregnant females with brain injury leading to the prevention of hyperactivity-induced negative learning behavior

Evaluation of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratios in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of disease activity with Neutrophil-Lympho­cyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW). Methods: Seventy seven RA patients and 97 healthy sub­jects were examined retrospectively. People with chronic and systemic diseases were excluded from control group of the study. The disease activity scores (DAS 28) of pa­tient group, hematologic parameters and inflammation parameters of both groups were analyzed statistically us­ing independent t-test and spearman correlation test. Results: Age and gender was not found different be­tween groups. CRP and ESR levels were significantly higher in RA group (p<0.001). Hemoglobin and platelet count were lower (p<0.001 and p=0.022), while RDW, NLR, PLR and MPV levels were significantly higher in RA group (p<0.001, p<0.001. p<0.001, p<0.001, respec­tively). In patient group, ESR (p<0.001), lymphocytes (%) (p= 0.042), absolute neutrophil (p=0.047), and platelets (p= 0.019) were positively, whereas lymphocytes were negatively affected by improvement disease activity (DAS 28) scores. PLR levels significantly negatively correlated with MPV levels (r= -0.386) but showed a significant posi­tive correlation with RDW (r= 0.354) and NLR levels (r= 0.618). Conclusion: NLR and PLR are important and promising factors for disease activity estimation of rheumatoid ar­thritis and may be used in clinical practice. In our opinion, larger studies consisting larger group will help determina­tion of disease activity of RA by more specific indices us­ing these parameters

AMELIORATING EFFECT OF HAWTHORN (CRATAEGUS OXYACANTHA) AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON ACUTE PENICILLIN INDUCED SEIZURES IN GERBILS

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) and physical activity. We studied its effect on penicilline induced epilepticus (Pie) in gerbils. Pie was induced by administration of penicilline G (500 IU, ip). The gerbils were divided randomly in four groups (6 animals per each group) and studied as described below: 1) Control group 2) Exercise group (30 min/each day for 8 weeks) (Eg) 3) Extract group, 50mg/kg/day/animal in 1 ml saline, 3 h prior to exercise (Exe) 4) Exercise+Extract + (Exe+Ex). The severity of Pie was observed and recorded. The means of latencies (Mean±SE) were 236±45, 369±36, 386±58 and 433±37 ms in groups of control, Exe, Ex, and Exe+Ex respectively. The mean spike latency significantly (P=0,033 F=3,560) decreased in Exe, Ex and Exe+Ex when compared control. Although spike frequency significantly (

Operational Research: Methods and Applications

Throughout its history, Operational Research has evolved to include a variety of methods, models and algorithms that have been applied to a diverse and wide range of contexts. This encyclopedic article consists of two main sections: methods and applications. The first aims to summarise the up-to-date knowledge and provide an overview of the state-of-the-art methods and key developments in the various subdomains of the field. The second offers a wide-ranging list of areas where Operational Research has been applied. The article is meant to be read in a nonlinear fashion. It should be used as a point of reference or first-port-of-call for a diverse pool of readers: academics, researchers, students, and practitioners. The entries within the methods and applications sections are presented in alphabetical order

Career: approximations and bounds for stationary and transient characteristics of a class of queueing networks

Issued as final reportNational Science Foundatio

Real time job flow control in non-concurrent queueing networks

Vita.This research focuses upon the development of a real time, state variable feedback optimal control for the class of non-concurrent queueing networks. The objective of this control is to achieve higher network throughput while keeping the job sojourn times to within an acceptable range, with a pre-specified probability. An optimal control is formulated that maximizes throughput along any sample path subject to a probabilistic constraint on sojourn time. In this dissertation, non-concurrent queueing networks are modeled as Stochastic Timed Event Graphs or Decision Free Petri Nets which in the (max, +) algebra, are characterized by a set of linear stochastic equations. These difference equations capture network dynamic behavior and serve as the mathematical model underlying our control. It is shown that optimal control is equivalent to releasing new jobs into the network subject to a probabilistic constraint on job sojourn time; hence, control is exercised by assessing, in real time, the feasibility of the probabilistic constraint. The image of the event (through the stochastic dynamic equations) that the sojourn time is within an acceptable range, forms a convex polytope in Cartesian space of service times. The probability of this event is computed by integrating with respect to product measure induced by the joint service time distribution. A new approach (based upon a straightforward mathematical programming formulation and Monte Carlo simulation) for evaluating this sophisticated integral is developed