Mehmet Erol Yildirim

The effect of dietary ginger (Zingiber officinals Rosc) on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat kidneys.

Oxidative stress has been considered as one of the possible mechanisms of ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury in the kidney. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible protective effect of dietary ginger (Zingiber officinals Rosc), a free radical scavenger, on renal I/R injury in rats. The protective effect of ginger against the damage inflicted by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during renal I/R was investigated in Wistar albino rats using histopathological and biochemical parameters. Thirty rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups (i.e., control, sham-operated, ginger, I/R, and I/R + ginger groups, n = 6 each). The ginger and I/R + ginger groups were fed on the test diet containing 5% ginger. The rats were subjected to bilateral renal ischemia followed by reperfusion in I/R and I/R + ginger groups. At the end of the reperfusion period, rats were sacrificed, and kidney function tests, serum and tissue oxidants and antioxidants, and renal morphology were evaluated. Serum urea, creatinine, and cystatin C (CYC) levels were significantly elevated in the ischemia group, but these levels remained unchanged in the ginger + I/R group compared to the I/R group. Reduction of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity was significantly improved by the treatment with ginger compared to I/R group. Administration of ginger resulted in significant reduction levels of tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), NO, protein carbonyl contents (PCC) in the ginger + I/R group compared with the I/R group. Ginger supplementation in the diet before I/R injury resulted in higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lower total oxidant status (TOS) levels than I/R group. The ginger supplemented diet prior to I/R process demonstrated marked reduction of the histological features of renal injury. The findings imply that ROS play a causal role in I/R-induced renal injury, and ginger exerts renoprotective effects probably by the radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.

Melatonin protects kidney against apoptosis induced by acute unilateral ureteral obstruction in rats.

Introduction To investigate whether there was a protective effect of melatonin on apoptotic mechanisms after an acute unilateral obstruction of the kidney. Material and methods A total of 25 rats consisting of five groups were used in the study, designated as follows: Group 1: control, Group 2: sham, Group 3: unilateral ureteral obstruction treated with only saline, Group 4: unilateral ureteral obstruction treated with melatonin immediately, and Group 5: unilateral obstruction treated with melatonin one day after obstruction. Melatonin was administered as a 10 mg/kg dose intraperitoneally. The kidneys were evaluated according to the apoptotic index and Ki-67 scores. Results Comparison of all obstruction groups (Group 3, 4, and 5), revealed that the apoptotic index was significantly higher in Groups 1 and 2. Despite melatonin reduced apoptotic mechanisms in Groups 4 and 5, there was no significant difference between Groups 4 and 5 in terms of the reduction of apoptosis. However, the reduction of apoptosis in the melatonin treated group did not decrease to the level of Groups 1 and 2. Conclusions Despite melatonin administration, which significantly reduces the apoptotic index occurring after acute unilateral ureteral obstruction, the present study did not observe a return to normal renal histology in the obstruction groups.

The effects of thyroid hormones on uroflowmetry parameters in asymptomatic women

The morphology, ciliature, and silverline system of a new ciliate, Frontonia anatolica n. sp., isolated from the bottom sediment of the eastern shore of Lake Van, a large alkaline lake in Eastern Anatolia Turkey, were investigated using live and silver impregnation methods. Frontonia anatolica n. sp. is characterised by an elliptical body shape; by an in-vivo body size of 101-134 x 47-67 mm; by dorsoventral flattening of about 2:3 to 1:2; by 2 contractile vacuoles located in the anterior and posterior body parts, each with 6-7 collecting canals and 1 excretory pore; by about 93 somatic kineties; by 3 vestibular and 3-5 postoral kineties; and by peniculi 1 and 2 each having 4 ciliary rows, and peniculus 3 having 2 ciliary rows.

The comparison of the influence between two different bowel preparation methods on sepsis after prostate biopsies

Introduction Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) guided prostate needle biopsy has been performed to diagnose and stage prostate cancer for many years. There are many different bowel preparation protocols to diminish the infectious complications, but there is no standardized consensus among urologists. Therefore, we aimed to assess two different bowel preparation methods on the rate of infectious complications in patients who underwent TRUS–guided prostate biopsy. Material and methods A total of 387 cases of TRUS–guided prostate biopsy were included in this retrospective study. All patients received antibiotic prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin (500 mg) twice a day orally for 7 days starting on the day before the biopsy. The patients were divided into two groups according to the bowel preparation method used. Patients (Group 1, n = 164) only received self–administrated phosphate enema) on the morning of the prostate biopsy. Other patients (Group 2, n = 223) received sennasoid a–b laxatives the night before the prostate biopsy. Infectious complications were classified as sepsis, fever (greater than 38°C) without sepsis, and other clinical infections. Results Major complications developed in 14 cases (3.8%), including 3 cases (0.8%) of urinary retention, and 11 (3%) infectious complications, all of which were sepsis. There were 3 and 8 cases of urosepsis in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between both Groups regarding to the rates of urosepsis (p = 0.358). Conclusions Despite both methods of bowel preparation, sodium phosphate enema or sennasoid a–b calcium laxatives, before TRUS–guided prostate biopsy have similar effect on the rate of urosepsis, so both methods of bowel preparation can be safely used.

Progresif spermatik kanal parakordomasının vücudun farklı kısımlarına bir yıl içinde tekrarlayan metastazları: Nadir bir olgu

Parachordoma is a rare entity with an unknown origin, which reported nearly in 60 cases. We are reporting an aggressive tumor that has two recurrences in 5 months in different sites. A 49 year old male admitted with right inguinal pain that underwent a computed tomography, revealed a 52x50 mm tumor at the right inguinal subepidermal region. After the resection, pathology of the mass was parachordoma. Four months after the operation, patient admitted with a solitary mass in the right testis. Ultrasonography revealed four different masses in the right inguinal and right testicular region. Second pathology results were also parachordoma. One month later the second operation, patient again admitted to hospital with right hip pain, had a solitary mass on the collum femoris in the magnetic resonance imaging consulted for radiotherapy. Parachordoma is a rare, benign entity that must be closely followed up. The physician must be aware of the malignancy especially in the first year with existence of recurrence and metastasis. Radiotherapy is recommended after maximal resection of tumor especially in metastatic cases. J Clin Exp Invest 2013; 4 (3): 377-379