Nilgün Yener

The protective effects of carnosine in alcohol-induced hepatic injury in rats

Consumption of alcohol leads to oxidative stress in liver by inducing lipid peroxidation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of carnosine (CAR) in alcohol-induced liver injury by biochemical and histomorphological evaluations. The rats were divided into four groups, namely, control group, alcohol (AL) group, CAR group and AL + CAR group. Three doses of ethanol (5 g/kg, 25% (v/v) in distilled water) were given by nasogastric catheter for twice-a-day. CAR (100 mg/kg) was given 1 h before the administration of ethanol using the same method. Levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde were significantly increased in the AL group compared with control, CAR and AL + CAR groups. Glutathione level was significantly decreased in the AL group, while it was increased in the AL + CAR group. Immunoreactivity of caspase-3 and bax increased in the hepatocytes of AL group when compared with control and AL + CAR groups. Expression of bcl-2 was decreased in AL group than AL + CAR group. Under electron microscopy, dense mitochondria, accumulation of lipid, sinusoidal dilatation, vacuolization and decrease in the number of microvilli were observed in AL group, while these findings were markedly less in the AL + CAR group. In conclusion, pretreatment of CAR is effective for recovering biochemical alterations and morphologic damage in the liver of rats treated with ethanol.

Resveratrol Reduces Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Activity Induced by Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation and Reoxygenation in Human Cerebral Microvascular Endothelial Cells

The main pathophysiology in cerebral ischemia is the structural alteration in the neurovascular unit, coinciding with neurovascular matrix degradation. Among the human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and -9, known as gelatinases, are the key enzymes for degrading type IV collagen, which is the major component of the basal membrane that surrounds the cerebral blood vessel. In the present study, we investigated the effects of resveratrol on cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and gelatinases (MMP-2 and -9) in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells exposed to 6 hours of oxygen-glucose deprivation and a subsequent 24 hours of reoxygenation with glucose (OGD/R), to mimic ischemia/reperfusion in vivo. Lactate dehydrogenase increased significantly, in comparison to that in the normoxia group. ROS was markedly increased in the OGD/R group, compared to normoxia. Correspondingly, ROS was significantly reduced with 50 μM of resveratrol. The proMMP-2 activity in the OGD/R group showed a statistically significant increase from the control cells. Resveratrol preconditioning decreased significantly the proMMP-2 in the cells exposed to OGD/R in comparison to that in the OGD/R group. Our results indicate that resveratrol regulates MMP-2 activity induced by OGD/R via its antioxidant effect, implying a possible mechanism related to the neuroprotective effect of resveratrol.

Effect of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 on ischemia-reperfusion determinants in minor lower extremity surgery with tourniquet application

STUDY OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) (130/0.4) infusion on ischemia-reperfusion determinants in minor lower extremity operations with tourniquet application. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, clinical trial. SETTING University hospital operation room. PATIENTS American Society of Anesthesiologists I and II 40 patients between 18 and 65 years of age who were scheduled to undergo knee arthroscopy and below-knee minor orthopedic surgery. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized into 2 groups (normal saline [NS] group and HES group). Unilateral spinal anesthesia with 2-mL 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine after 10 mL/kg NS intravenous infusion to NS group and 10 mL/kg 6% HES intravenous infusions to HES group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Blood samples were obtained from antecubital vein for malondialdehyde, xanthine oxidase, and hypoxanthine before tourniquet inflation and after 10 minutes of tourniquet deflation. RESULTS There was no significant difference between groups with respect of hemodynamic data. There were no significant differences between 2 groups in terms of malondialdehyde values before tourniquet inflation and after tourniquet deflation. In the HES group, xanthine oxidase levels after tourniquet deflation were significantly lower than xanthine oxidase levels before tourniquet inflation (P < .05). In the HES group, hypoxanthine levels after tourniquet deflation were similar with the basal levels; however, they were significantly higher than levels obtained before tourniquet inflation in the SF group (P < .05). CONCLUSION HES infusion may be beneficial for reduction of tourniquet-associated ischemia-reperfusion injury; however, further large-scale studies are needed to fully elucidate its mechanism.

Special‐study modules in a problem‐based learning medical curriculum: An innovative laboratory research practice suppporting introduction to research methodology in the undergraduate curriculum

We describe the organization of wet‐lab special‐study modules (SSMs) in the Central Research Laboratory of Dokuz Eylül Medical School, Izmir, Turkey with the aim of discussing the scientific, laboratory, and pedagogical aspects of this educational activity. A general introduction to the planning and functioning of these SSMs is given, along with specific examples. The wet‐lab SSMs incorporate several innovative pedagogies: problem‐based learning, research‐based learning, practical laboratory education, team‐based learning, and project‐based learning. Oral and written evaluations show that the students find this activity rewarding. The wet‐lab SSM model applied in the Research‐Lab of Dokuz Eylül School of Medicine represents a format which is effective in training the students in research methodology, practical laboratory work, and independent learning. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 47–55, 2011

The report of the 1st Turkey in vitro diagnostic symposium results

Abstract “The 1st Turkish in vitro Diagnostic Symposium” was organized in İzmir between the dates 18–20 February 2016 with cooperation of Turkish Biochemistry Society Izmir Branch and Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Health Sciences. This article presents a collection of the subjects, recommendations and results included in the final report of the symposium. Symposium subjects were analysed under separate titles and evaluated together with results obtained from various reports on medical devices (MD) in the last decade. According to the final report, the subjects to be considered on preferential basis include “configuration of the websites of legal authorities, standardization and accreditation institutions in a way to access work on in vitro Diagnostic (IVD)”, “activation of university-industry cooperation”, “determination of national standards parallel to international standards” and “carrying out the statistics about IVD-MD in Turkey as immediate as possible”. Drawing attention to the fact that there is a requirement for competent man power for every-stage of IVD-MD lifecycle, it is recommended that postgraduate education programmes are founded to serve these fields. Consequently, this symposium enabled to determine the basic problems about the sector by bringing together the stakeholders related to IVD-MD field and to come up with an action plan in accordance with the recommendations.