İlker Öngüç Aycan

Thymoquinone treatment against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

AIMnIn this study, we aimed to examine the efficacy of thymoquinone (TQ) treatment in acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in rats.nnnMETHODSnForty Wistar Albino rats were used for the study (four groups, with 10 rats for each group). Animals in the control group were not given any medication. In the thymoquinone (TQ) group, animals were given three times 5 mg/kg oral thymoquinone for every six hours, which equals to a total dose of 15 mg/kg. In the acetaminophen (APAP) group, animals were given APAP at a single dose of 500 mg/kg orally. In the APAP + TQ group, animals were given 500 mg/kg APAP orally followed by three doses of TQ at a 15 mg/kg total dose in an 18-h time interval. All animals were sacrificed at the 24th hour. Alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartat amino transferase (AST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), glutathione peroxides (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) activities were measured in rat blood. Histopathological examination was also performed.nnnRESULTSnSerum ALT, AST levels, GSSG, and SOD activity as well as the serum and tissue MDA levels were found to be higher in the APAP group than in the control group (p ≤ 0.001). Likewise, serum GSH-Px activity was found to be lower in the APAP group (p ≤ 0.001). In contrast, in the APAP + TQ group, serum ALT, AST levels, GSSG, SOD activity and the serum and tissue MDA levels were found to be lower compared to that of the APAP group. This difference was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001). In the APAP + TQ group, the GSH-Px activity was found to be significantly higher compared to the APAP group (p < 0.05). In contrast to this finding, the GSH-Px activity in the APAP + TQ group was found to be lower than that of the control group (p ≤ 0.001). Histopathological analysis revealed significant liver necrosis and toxicity with a high dose of APAP where TQ treatment was related with significantly lower liver injury scores.nnnCONCLUSIONnTQ treatment may have an important therapeuthic effect via the upregulation of antioxidant systems in the APAP-induced liver hepatotoxicity in rats.

The use of thymoquinone in nephrotoxicity related to acetaminophen

AIMnWe aimed to investigate efficacy of intraperitoneally administered Thymoquinone (TQ) in acetaminophen (APAP) induced renal toxicity.nnnMATERIAL AND METHODnForty Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups of ten rats each. Control group was untreated group while rats in TQ group were treated with single dose TQ. In APAP group rats were treated with single dose acetaminophen. In TQxa0+xa0APAP group TQ and APAP were administered respectively. Rats were sacrificed at 24th hour; urea, creatinine and nitric oxide levels were measured also malondialdehyde activity were assessed in renal tissue specimens. Tissue damage scores were recorded in histopathological assessment.nnnRESULTSnUrea and creatinine levels were found significantly higher in APAP group than control group (pxa0<xa00.003). Urea and creatinine levels in APAPxa0+xa0TQ treated group were significantly lower than APAP treated group (pxa0<xa00.01). Serum NO activity and tissue MDA levels were higher in APAP group than control group (pxa0≤xa00.002). In contrast to APAP treated group serum NO activity and tissue MDA levels were found significantly lower in TQxa0+xa0APAP group (pxa0≤xa00.03). In APAP group significant histopathological change was found compared with control group (pxa0≤xa00.001) where there was no significant change between control and TQ treated groups (pxa0>xa00.05). In APAP group we found significantly higher tissue damage scores than control group (pxa0≤xa00.001). In APAPxa0+xa0TQ group lower tissue damage scores were found compared with APAP group (pxa0≤xa00.001) while higher scores were found compared with control group (pxa0≤xa00.001).nnnCONCLUSIONnWe can concludexa0that TQ treatment has therapeutical effect in APAP induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

Bacterial colonization due to increased nurse workload in an intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTIONnThe rates of multiresistant bacteria colonization or infection (MRB+) development in intensive care units are very high. The aim of this study was to determine the possible association between the risk of development of nosocomial infections and increased daily nurse workload due to understaffing in intensive care unit.nnnMETHODSnWe included 168 patients. Intensity of workload and applied procedures to patients were scored with the Project de Recherché en Nursing and the Omega scores, respectively. The criteria used for infections were those defined by the Centers for Disease Control.nnnRESULTSnOf the 168 patients, 91 (54.2%) were female and 77 (45.8%) were male patients. The mean age of female and male was 64.9 ± 6.2 years and 63.1 ± 11.9 years, respectively. The mean duration of hospitalization in intensive care unit was 18.4 ± 6.1 days. Multiresistant bacteria were isolated from cultures of 39 (23.2%) patients. The development of MRB+ infection was correlated with length of stay, Omega 1, Omega 2, Omega 3, Total Omega, daily PRN, and Total PRN (p < 0.05). There was no correlation between development of MRB+ infection with gender, age and APACHE-II scores (p > 0.05).nnnCONCLUSIONnThe risk of nosocomial infection development in an intensive care unit is directly correlated with increased nurse workload, applied intervention, and length of stay. Understaffing in the intensive care unit is an important health problem that especially affects care-needing patients. Nosocomial infection development has laid a heavy burden on the economy of many countries. To control nosocomial infection development in the intensive care unit, nurse workload, staffing level, and working conditions must be arranged.

Colonização bacteriana por causa do aumento da carga de trabalho da equipe de enfermagem em unidade de terapia intensiva

INTRODUCTIONnthe rates of multiresistant bacteria colonization or infection (MRB+) development in intensive care units are very high. The aim of this study was to determine the possible association between the risk of development of nosocomial infections and increased daily nurse workload due to understaffing in intensive care unit.nnnMETHODSnwe included 168 patients. Intensity of workload and applied procedures to patients were scored with the Project de Recherché en Nursing and the Omega scores, respectively. The criteria used for infections were those defined by the Centers for Disease Control.nnnRESULTSnof the 168 patients, 91 (54.2%) were female and 77 (45.8%) were male patients. The mean age of female and male was 64.9±6.2 years and 63.1±11.9 years, respectively. The mean duration of hospitalization in intensive care unit was 18.4±6.1 days. Multiresistant bacteria were isolated from cultures of 39 (23.2%) patients. The development of MRB+ infection was correlated with length of stay, Omega 1, Omega 2, Omega 3, Total Omega, daily PRN, and Total PRN (p<0.05). There was no correlation between development of MRB+ infection with gender, age and Apache-II scores (p>0.05).nnnCONCLUSIONnthe risk of nosocomial infection development in an intensive care unit is directly correlated with increased nurse workload, applied intervention, and length of stay. Understaffing in the intensive care unit is an important health problem that especially affects care-needing patients. Nosocomial infection development has laid a heavy burden on the economy of many countries. To control nosocomial infection development in the intensive care unit, nurse workload, staffing level, and working conditions must be arranged.

Current attitudes of Turkish anesthesiologists to radiation exposure.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of anesthesiologists to radiation exposure and current safety practice in Turkey.MethodsThe study enrolled anesthesiologists from all over Turkey, including all levels of academic degrees and all types of different institutions. Questionnaire forms were sent via e-mail to 505 anesthesiologists. The survey collected demographic data such as age, gender, position, and the institution at which the participant worked, and data about the frequency of radiation exposure during procedures and the participant’s attitudes concerning radiation safety measures during these procedures.ResultsThe questionnaire forms were delivered to 491 anesthesiologists, and 301 (61.3xa0%) of these were returned. Of these, 9 had not completed the questionnaire because of a lack of exposure to radiation. Among the remaining 292 personnel, the weekly frequencies of radiation exposure were more than five times (36.7xa0%), one to five times (50.3xa0%), and less than once (13xa0%) per week, respectively. Only a few anesthesiologists regularly wore a lead apron (30.11xa0%) and a thyroid shield (11.3xa0%) during procedures involving radiation exposure.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that nearly all anesthesiologists are regularly exposed to radiation and that few anesthesiologists in Turkey wear protective clothing, which is essential for radiation protection. Therefore, if it is not, increasing awareness about radiation protection should be an integral part of medical training and education.