Eurasian Journal of Medicine最新文献

Background:  The aim of the present study was to examine the findings of the intraoral examinations of the 12-16 years old novice (control) and elite athletes across the winter sports branches, which were alpine discipline skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, ski jumping, and ice hockey. Besides, the study aimed to determine the intra- and inter-group relationships by comparing the athletes salivary stress biomarker levels at precompetition, during-match, and post-competition stages.

Methods:  Ninety-one athletes (71 elite, 20 novice) participated in our study. Oral health status of the athletes were evaluated. In addition, cortisol levels in the saliva samples obtained at pre-competition (rested before the competition), during-match (just before the start), and post-competition (competition ending moment) stages were measured. The data were analyzed statistically with a significance level of 0.05.

Results:  Ice hockey athletes were the most affected by untreated dental caries (27.3%). No signs of dental trauma caused by sports activities were found in the winter sports branches. Basic erosive wear examination scores of the ice hockey athletes were similar to the ski jumping athletes and lower than other groups (P=.034). The mean cortisol values between sports branches were listed as: biathlon alpine skiing < ice hockey < ski jumping (P < .001). Test results of the winter sports athletes' saliva samples revealed that their salivary stress levels might vary in accordance with the sports branches, and there was a negative relationship between the levels of salivary stress biomarkers in competitions and oral health.

Conclusion:  In winter sports activities, measures for improving oral health should be disseminated.

A phytoalexin polyphenolic chemical, resveratrol, can be found in a variety of foods, including cereals, peanuts, grapes, strawberries, and raspberries. It is also known that resveratrol protects the body against cardiovascular diseases as well as various types of cancer. In addition to these health issues, resveratrol is currently the subject of research since it helps treat and prevent a number of illnesses. More clinical research is needed to validate resveratrol's potential as a therapeutic agent, despite the plethora of in vitro and in vivo evidence to support this. When the literature data are evaluated, the fact that resveratrol has a therapeutic effect in these studies, but it is known to be subject to rapid metabolism despite its low bioavailability and oral absorption of approximately 75%, has directed the studies to resveratrol derivatives, especially piceatannol. Based on recent studies, 4 types of resveratrol derivatives were assessed in this work: hydroxylated compounds, methoxylated compounds, glycosides, and oligomers. Because of their advantageous bioactivities, methoxylated, hydroxylated, and halogenated derivatives have drawn the most interest among these classes. However, as a result of these studies, more studies should be conducted to better understand whether resveratrol derivatives can be recommended as therapeutic agents.

Background:  Glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors play vital roles in memory formation. Changes in the activity of these receptors influence memory processes. Ketamine is a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist drug with promising mood-altering and pain-reducing effects in low doses. These effects are believed to be related to altered serotonergic transmission.

Methods:  The present study investigated the involvement of the serotonergic system in low-dose ketamine administrations' effects on memory acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval processes. Sixty-four male BALB/c mice were used in this experiment and separated into 8t groups. Mice were treated subchronically with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, and a serotonin depletion agent, p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA). A serotonin antagonist, methiothepin, and ketamine were acutely administered 60 minutes before or after the behavioral tests. A passive avoidance (PA) test measured emotional memory acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval processes. Hippocampi malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were analyzed, and histopathological examinations were performed.

Results:  Ketamine alone did not significantly affect memory encoding processes in the PA test, while the ketamine-fluoxetine combination disrupted memory consolidation. Fluoxetine negatively affected the memory acquisition process, which was normalized during the consolidation and retrieval trials. Drug applications did not significantly alter hippocampal MDA levels. In all ketamine-applied groups, histopathologic alterations were evident.

Conclusion:  Low-dose ketamine administration induces neurodegeneration, and it also impairs memory functions when combined with fluoxetine, indicating increased serotonergic transmission may be involved in the memory-impairing and neurotoxic effects of ketamine.

The utility of the [18]F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography ([18]F FDG PET-CT) marker for breast cancer is well established. Given its limitations in localizing FDG-negative malignant tumors, the expression of [18]F-fluorocholine ([18]-FCH) may potentially be helpful to improve the overall accuracy in evaluating breast cancer. This study determined the potential of [18]- FCH PET CT as a potential marker in assessing breast cancer phenotypes. We recruited consecutive patients with biopsy-proven breast carcinoma who underwent [18] F-FCH PET-CT following the [18]F-FDG PET-CT imaging. The subjects were dichotomized into human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative and HER2-positive genotypes. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax; g/dL) was used to predict the two groups of variables. Global health status (GHS) score based on the EORTC quality of life questionnaire (QLQ) was used to evaluate the outcome of the cohort subjects at 6, 12, and 24 months. There were 21 females with a mean age of 54.48 ± 12.17 years. Eighteen patients had invasive ductal carcinoma (18/21;85.8%) on histology, with 11 (52.4%) were HER2-negative genotype. There was higher sensitivity and specificity of [18]-FCH-PET/CT in breast lesions at 40% and 68.8% compared to [18]FDGPET/CT with 33.3% and 66.7%, respectively. There were significant differences between [18]F-FCH SUVmax (g/dL) of the HER-negative as compared to the HER2- positive group (1.99 g/dL vs. 0.2 g/dL; P < .05). High SUVmax (g/dL) of [18]F-FCH had predicted the HER-negative genotype at the cutoff value of 0.75 (P < .05). High [18]F-FCH showed significantly poor scoring of GHS parameters compared to low FCH at 6 months (mean SUVmax 8.06 vs. 5.40 respectively; P < .05). [18]F-FCH PET-CT is a potential marker in localizing and predicting aggressive breast carcinoma phenotypes.

We aimed to investigate the efect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) applied to patients with hemiplegia on somatosensory data, spatiotemporal parameters, posture, and muscle tone. This was a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. Patients were randomised within pairs to either the experimental (ESWT) group (n=20) or the control group (n=20). All patients participated in the same conventional stroke rehabilitation program for 60 minutes of treatment a day, 5 times a week for 6 weeks (30 sessions). Patients assigned to the ESWT group received additional ESWT over the plantar fascia 3 days/week for 6 weeks. Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score, Posture Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS), spatiotemporal parameters, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM) test, and vibration sensation test (VST) were performed in all participant before and after treatment. In the ESWT and control groups, statistically, significant diferences were obtained in the posttreatment analysis than pre-treatment. Significant diferences were found in foot angle, step cycle duration, swing phase, cadence, gait cycle distance, and VST values after ESWT treatment (P < .01). When combined with a neurological rehabilitation program, it was determined that ESWT applied to the plantar face of the foot in individuals with hemiplegia increased somatosensory functions and was more successful in developing postural control and balance.

Background:  Gadolinium deposition in biological tissues was first reported in patients with renal failure. We aimed to investigate gadolinium deposition in the rat kidney after exposure to single and multiple doses of gadolinium and evaluate deposition for 1- and 3-month periods. We also aimed to determine any correlation between the amount of deposition and T1-weighted image intensity.

Methods:  Seventy rats (5 animals per group) were included in the sample, and 9 groups received a single dose (0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mmol/kg) of gadolinium, and 1 group for each dose was sacrificed at the end of the first day, week, and month. Four groups received weekly doses (0.3 and 0.6 mmol/kg) and were sacrificed at the end of 6 and 12 weeks. Measurement of T1 intensities was carried out with postinjection images before sacrifice, and deposition was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Results:  The number of injections was associated with increased gadolinium deposition (P <.001) in the kidney. After the weekly injections, the deposited gadolinium levels did not significantly difer between the low and medium doses at the end of the sixth week (P=.067). There was no agreement between the observers regarding the measurement of T1 signal intensity in both single-dose and multidose experiments (P=.263 and P=.307, respectively).

Conclusion:  Deposition was dose dependent in the postinjection stage in contrast to the late stage in which deposition was not associated with dose or number of injections until the 12th week. T1 signal intensity measurement is unreliable for assessing deposition in the rat kidney.

Background:  Postdural puncture headache is a headache that occurs after a dura puncture, especially in caesarean sections, and afects patient comfort and mobilization. In this study, we compared the efects of pencil-tipped spinal needles and especially curved, bilateral atraumatic spinal needles in individuals undergoing elective caesarean sections.

Methods:  A total of 886 patients, aged 20-50 years, who had cesarean sections with spinal anesthesia and had American Society of Anesthesiologists II and III scores, were included in the study. The patients were allocated into 3 groups using the closed envelope randomization technique: Group 1 (n=250) received spinal insertions using 25-gauge pencil-point needles; Group 2 (n=245) received spinal insertions using 26-gauge atraumatic needles; and Group 3 (n=250) received spinal insertions using 27-gauge pencil-point needles. Records were kept of the quantity of spinal needle referrals, the type of treatment, the length of hospital stays, and complications.

Results:  In the study, 745 patients who had cesarean section operations under spinal anesthesia were further analyzed. The mean incidence of post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) was 3.2% (n=24). The incidence of PDPH was higher in group 2 than in group 3 and group 1 (Group 1: 2.8%; Group 2: 6.8%; Group 3: 0%) (P <0.05). Among other complications, low back, back, shoulder, and surgical complications were similar for all 3 groups.

Conclusion:  In caesarean section operations, pencil-point spinal needles were found to have a lower incidence of postdural puncture headache than Atraucan-cut needles, regardless of needle thickness.

Background:  In our research, we examined how the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus of hypothyroid rats afects the mRNA levels of several proteins involved with neurodegeneration, including Gsk3, Cdk5, Akt1, Mapt, P35 (Anxa), Capn1, Bace1, and Psen2.

Methods:  Wistar-albino rats, consisting of 12 males, were used in the research, and they were separated into 2 groups: control (n=6) and hypothyroidism (n=6). To induce hypothyroidism, propylthiouracil was added to drinking water at a dosage of 20 mg/kg/day. The test stimulus intensity was calculated, basal recordings were acquired, and LTP was induced by administering 100 Hz high-frequency stimulation (HFS) for 1 second with a 5-minute delay when the rats were aged 60 days. The population spike (PS) amplitude and excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) slope were measured in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, the mRNA levels of neurodegenerative genes were assessed in induced hippocampal tissues after the LTP protocol. The free T4 levels in plasma were measured using a plate reader with the commercial ELISA kit.

Results:  Following HFS, LTP was solely induced in the EPSP slope and PS amplitude in the control group. The impaired LTP response of the hypothyroidism group was accompanied by an increase in Akt1-mRNA expression and a decrease in Gsk3ß expression, whereas the value genes' mRNA expression levels did not difer significantly from those of the control group.

Conclusion:  The hypothyroidism-related LTP impairment could be caused by a reduction in PI3K/AKT signaling. Further investigation of this path is required to elucidate the pathophysiology of impaired synaptic plasticity in hypothyroidism.

Background:  Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disease associated with abnormal development of retinal vessels in low birth weight and preterm infants. In this study, it was aimed to show that the disease can be controlled almost perfectly with early diagnosis and treatment in retinopathy developing in premature babies.

Methods:  In the study, 66 eyes of 33 patients who needed ROP treatment were evaluated. Babies who met the screening criteria were examined for the first time 3-4 weeks after birth. In the treatment of patients who underwent laser photocoagulation and intravitreal injection, the stage of the disease plus the regression of the disease in the laser group and completion of retinal vascularization in the intravitreal injection group were determined as success criteria.

Results:  Laser photocoagulation (LFC) was applied to 54 eyes, intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) was applied to 8 eyes, and bilateral LFC+IVB was applied to 2 patients in the same session. Since there was no complete regression in the stage of the 2 patients who underwent LFC, an IVB injection was made into one eye of a patient and both eyes of the other patient. After the treatments, the disease regressed and retinal macular traction did not occur.

Conclusion:  It has been indicated that timely intervention in patients with treatment indications after regular screening for ROP can prevent possible blindness.

Background:  Anatomical and histological features of the thoracolumbar fascia may play an active role in chronic low back pain (LBP). This study aimed to evaluate the efcacy of interfascial injection in patients with LBP.

Methods:  Sixty participants with chronic LBP were recruited for this study. The patients were allocated to 2 groups: physical therapy (PT) (n=30) and PT+interfascial injection (IFI) (n=31, 10mL (0.25% bupivacaine)+methylprednisolone (40 mg) injection into the middle layer between the quadratus lumborum and erector spinae muscle). Outcome measures involved performing Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scoring on study participants at pretreatment (PRT), as well as posttreatment at months first, second, fourth, and sixth.

Results:  In both groups, NRS and ODI scores were statistically significantly lower than PRT values at the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth months. (P <.05) NRS and ODI scores were significantly lower in the IFI and PT groups compared to the PT group at the first, second, fourth, and sixth months. (P <.05).

Conclusion:  The study result shows that IFI applied to the middle layer of the thoracolumbar fascia may be efective in individuals with chronic LBP. The efect of fascial structures on LBP should be further investigated.