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Journal Article 2003; 24(1-2): 86-90 PubMed PMID: 12743540 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antioxidants:metabolism, Glutathione Peroxidase:metabolism, Male, Malondialdehyde:metabolism, Melatonin:pharmacology, Nitric Oxide:metabolism, Rats, Rats, Wistar, Superoxide Dismutase:metabolism, Testis:drug effects, Varicocele:metabolism,.   

OBJECTIVES: The pathophysiology of the testicular damage in varicocele have not been completely understood. There are several studies concerning the effects of increased seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the role of nitric oxide (NO) in infertile patients with varicocele and antioxidants have been used successfully to decrease oxidative stress in testis. In this study, we determined the effects of melatonin on testicular NO and antioxidant enzyme levels and investigated whether melatonin can prevent or diminish testicular damage in adult rats with experimentally induced unilateral varicocele.r />r /> METHODS: Thirty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. In group I, using midline incision left renal vein was exposed but not tied. In group II, left renal vein was partially ligated to create varicocele. In group III, after creation of varicocele, daily and fresh-prepared melatonin was administered intraperitoneally for 4 weeks. Histopathological examination was performed and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and tissue NO levels were determined.r />r /> RESULTS: In group II, there were severe degenerative changes of the germinal epithelium and atrophy of the seminiferous tubules in left testis. In group III, in which rats received melatonin intraperitoneally, there were focal areas showing decrease in spermatogenesis and some degenerative changes. Similarly, the levels of ROS and NO were significantly increased in testicular tissue of rats in group II, whereas group III rat testes in which melatonin was administered, showed increased antioxidant enzyme activity and decreased NO levels.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Infertility related to varicocele has multiple pathophysiological mechanisms and the effect of ROS, NO and antioxidant defense system are contributing factors in the disease state. Melatonin, a potent free radical scavenger, administration might be helpful in the prevention or at least, in the delay of the severe effects of varicocele on testicular tissue....

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Clinical Trial 2003; 24(1-2): 83-85 PubMed PMID: 12743539 Citation  Keywords:  5-Methoxytryptamine:metabolism, Aged, Anemia:chemically induced, Antineoplastic Agents:adverse effects, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung:complications, Cisplatin:adverse effects, Erythropoiesis:drug effects, Female, Hemoglobins:metabolism, Humans, Lung Neop.   

OBJECTIVE: It has been demonstrated that the hematopoiesis is under a neuroendocrine control, namely mediated by the pineal gland. The pineal indole melatonin (MLT) has appeared to exert thrombopoietic and lymphopoietic activity, whereas it has no relevant effect on red cell differentiation. The present study was performed to evaluate the influence of another pineal indole, the 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MTT) on red cell line and hemoglobin production.r />r /> MATERIALS & METHODS: The study was carried out in metastatic lung cancer patients who underwent a chemotherapeutic combination containing cisplatin, which is known to induce anemia. The study included 20 patients treated with cisplatin plus etoposide, who were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus 5-MTT (1 mg/day orally at noon every day).r />r /> RESULTS: Hemoglobin mean blood concentrations significantly decreased in both groups of patients. However, the decrease in hemoglobin levels observed in patients treated with chemotherapy alone was significantly higher with respect to that observed in patients concomitantly treated with 5-MTT. Moreover, the percent of patients who had no progressive disease on treatment was significantly higher in the group treated with chemotherapy plus 5-MTT.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Even though the low number of patients does not allow us to draw define conclusions, these preliminary results would show that the concomitant administration of 5-MTT may reduce cisplatin-induced anemia in cancer patients, by suggesting a hematopoietic activity of 5-MTT on red cell line differentiation and hemoglobin production. Moreover, the study would suggest that 5-MTT, as well as previously demonstrated for MLT, may also enhance the cytotoxic activity of cancer chemotherapy....

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Clinical Trial 2003; 24(1-2): 77-82 PubMed PMID: 12743538 Citation  Keywords:  Aged, Area Under Curve, Circadian Rhythm:physiology, Female, Hormones:blood, Humans, Lung Neoplasms:blood, Male, Neurosecretory Systems:physiopathology,.   

BACKGROUND: A number of qualitative and quantitative changes in hormonal secretion pattern have been found in subjects suffering from neoplastic disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of alterations in neuro-endocrine system function and in the pattern of endocrine secretion in patients with lung cancer.r />r /> METHODS: Cortisol, melatonin, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (FT4) serum levels were measured on blood samples collected every four hours for 24 hours from ten healthy old subjects aged 65-79 years (mean age +/- s.e. 67.28 +/- 3.11) and from ten subjects suffering from untreated non small cell lung cancer aged 65-78 years (mean age +/- s.e. 68.57 +/- 1.81). Areas under the curve and mean diurnal and nocturnal levels were compared and the presence of circadian rhythmicity was evaluated.r />r /> RESULTS: When hormone levels were expressed as area under the curve GH levels were higher (p=0.004) and IGF-I levels were lower (p=0.006) in patients with lung cancer than in normal subjects. The evaluation of melatonin/cortisol ratio in all subjects showed a significant difference between the control group and the group of cancer patients (p<0.05). When we compared mean diurnal levels (mean of 06.00-10.00-14.00h) GH levels were higher (p<0.0001) and IGF I levels were lower (p<0.0001) in cancer patients; when we compared mean nocturnal levels (mean of 18.00-22.00-02.00h) cortisol (p=0.03), TRH (p=0.02), and GH (p=0.001) levels were higher in cancer patients, while melatonin (p=0.04), TSH (p=0.04) and IGF I (p<0.0001) levels were higher in control subjects. A clear circadian rhythm was validated for time related changes of cortisol, melatonin, TRH, TSH and GH in control subjects and for time related changes of melatonin in cancer patients.r />r /> CONCLUSION: These data suggest that lung cancer patients show alterations of hormone secretion and neuroendocrine system function....

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Clinical Trial 2003; 24(1-2): 73-76 PubMed PMID: 12743537 Citation  Keywords:  Autonomic Nervous System Diseases:physiopathology, Diabetes Mellitus:diagnostic imaging, Diabetic Neuropathies:physiopathology, Female, Gallbladder:diagnostic imaging, Gallbladder Emptying:physiology, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Peripheral Nervous System D.   

OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus is known as one of the factors causing the cholesterol gallstone. Gallstone incidence is about 30% in diabetic patients over 20 years of age. Pathophysiology is still not clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate gallbladder (GB) functions in diabetic patients and determine its relationship with peripheral and autonomic neuropathy.r />r /> DESIGN: Study was performed between October 2001 and may 2002 in fifty-one diabetic patients of similar age and weight. Diabetic patients (n=51) were chosen randomly among diabetic patients, who were being followed in Diabetes Out-patient clinics of Selcuk University, Meram Medical Faculty. Twenty-eight control subjects were chosen from healthy volunteers. We measured fasting and post-prandial gallbladder volumes and ejection fractions by real-time ultrasonography. The patients were divided into three groups; group A (n=18) had no diabetic autonomic and peripheral neuropathy, group B (n=13) had diabetic peripheral neuropathy, group C (n=13) had diabetic autonomic neuropathy.r />r /> RESULTS: No significant difference in any biochemical parameters between diabetic and control group could be found. Fasting gallbladder volume was significantly higher in the diabetic group (5.31 +/- 0.28 cm(3)) compared to control group (4.19 +/- 0.25 cm(3), p<0.01). But there was no difference within diabetic subgroups. Gallbladder ejection fraction was significantly reduced in diabetic patients in groups B and C (29.7 +/- 1.43%, 28.7 +/- 1.28%) compared to group A (44.8 +/- 2.4%; p<0.05, p<0.025 respectively).r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Cholesterol crystal formation as a result of increased gallbladder volume and decreased ejection fraction in diabetic patients may result from hypotonicity and stasis and thus this may lead to gallstones....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(1-2): 68-72 PubMed PMID: 12743536 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Bivalvia:metabolism, Cold Temperature:adverse effects, Down-Regulation, Ganglia, Invertebrate:metabolism, Nitric Oxide:biosynthesis, RNA:analysis, Receptors, Opioid, mu:biosynthesis, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, Stress, Physio.   

OBJECTIVES: Subjecting the marine bivalve Mytilus edulis to an immediate temperature change has been shown to rapidly alter the animals' ganglionic monoamine levels, as well as its ciliary activity. Recently, we extended this observation to include the organism's ganglionic mu opiate receptor and morphine levels. In the past, we demonstrated that M. edulis ganglionic mu receptors exposed to morphine was coupled to the immediate release nitric oxide (NO). In this study, we measured morphine-induced NO release in M. edulis subjected to acute cold stress.r />r /> METHODS: NO release was monitored with an NO-selective microprobe. Temporal changes in mu opiate receptor expression were also examined over 24 hours.r />r /> RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrate that after 12h cold exposure (4 degrees C from 24 degrees C), the estimated relative mu opiate receptor (MOR) gene expression in M. edulis pedal ganglia, measured by real-time PCR, did not differ significantly from the control group (1.23+/-0.25, p>0.05). However, the measured M. edulis pedal ganglia MOR expression demonstrated that ganglia significantly (0.77+/-0.05, p<0.001) down regulated their mu opiate receptor mRNA expression after 24h exposure to the cold water. The mean value for control animal (24 degrees C, n=14) morphine-stimulated NO release was 36.7 +/- 9.8 nM. Morphine additions to cold-treated tissues (4 degrees C, n=7) produced an average of 6.7 +/- 4.9 nM NO, which was a statistically significant difference between 25 degrees C and 4 degrees C animals (p=0.025).r />r /> CONCLUSION: The study further demonstrates that mu opiate receptor expression is coupled to NO release....

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Journal Article 2003; 24(1-2): 65-67 PubMed PMID: 12743535 Citation  Keywords:  Antibodies, Antinuclear:analysis, Autoantibodies:analysis, Autoimmune Diseases:epidemiology, Dental Amalgam:adverse effects, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Humans, In Vitro Techniques, Lymphocytes:drug effects, Mercuric Chloride:pharmacology, Risk Fac.   

BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical data published recently show that dental amalgam can give rise to undesirable immunological responses in susceptible individuals. In genetically susceptible strains of experimental animals, mercury and silver can induce autoimmune responses. Sera of patients sensitive to mercury were found to have a higher incidence of autoantibodies relative to controls.r />r /> OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine possible presence of antinuclear SSB/La autoantibodies after the in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with HgCl2.r />r /> METHODS: Lymphocytes were obtained from patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and increased response to mercury in vitro. Mononuclear cells were cultivated for 6 days with 100 microl HgCl2 solution or with pure medium and the levels of antinuclear autoantibodies SSB/La were assayed by a commercial SSB/La ELISA kit.r />r /> RESULTS: Increased production of SSB/La autoantibodies in the media following stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with HgCl2 was found in all cases. Using the Student's paired test, the results were significant on the p=0.05 significance level.r />r /> CONCLUSION: Results imply that, in some patients with thyroiditis, mercury from dental amalgam can stimulate the production of antinuclear antibodies. Dental amalgam may be a risk factor in some patients with autoimmune disease....

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Clinical Trial 2003; 24(1-2): 57-64 PubMed PMID: 12743534 Citation  Keywords:  Humans, Hypersensitivity:diagnosis, Immunization, Lymphocyte Activation, Lymphocytes:immunology, Metals, Patch Tests, Reproducibility of Results,.   

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to evaluate the reproducibility, sensitivity, specificity, and reliability of the MELISA Test for detecting metal sensitivity in patients with clinical symptoms of a type IV hypersensitivity to metal.r />r /> DESIGN: Blood from 250 patients was tested in MELISA against up to 20 different metals in 2 to 3 concentrations. The frequency and distribution of metal reactivities, the sensitivity and specificity of nickel reactivity in patients with and without confirmed or suspected sensitivity to nickel, and the roles of lymphocyte concentration and concentration of inorganic mercury were analyzed. In addition, for reproducibility testing, 196 metal tests were performed in duplicate, and intra- and interassay variations of MELISA results were examined in patients patch-test positive for the relevant metal.r />r /> RESULTS: Among the 250 patients, reactivity to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or > or = 5 metals was 26%, 36%, 15%, 12%, 6%, and 5%, respectively. Reactivity was most frequent to nickel (73%), followed by titanium (42%), cadmium (18%) gold (17%), palladium (13%), lead (11%), beryllium (9%), inorganic mercury (8%), tin (8%), and phenylmercury (6%). All patients (n=15) with confirmed or suspected nickel allergy were positive in MELISA, while patients with no suspicion of nickel allergy were either negative (n=6) or very low positive (n=4) in MELISA. MELISA reactivity is directly dependent on lymphocyte concentration: the higher the lymphocyte concentration per test, the stronger the reactivity. Concentrations of inorganic mercury > 0.5 microg/ml cause non antigen-specific (mitogenic) reactions in a majority of patients. The reproducibility rate was 94% using a cut-off of Stimulation Index > or = 3 or 99% using a cut-off of > or = 5. While the absolute intra- and interassay Stimulation Index values may vary, the qualitative results are highly reproducible.r />r /> CONCLUSION: The MELISA Test is reproducible, sensitive, specific, and reliable for detecting metal sensitivity in metal-sensitive patients....

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Case Reports 2003; 24(1-2): 54-56 PubMed PMID: 12743533 Citation  Keywords:  Acidosis:complications, Adult, Brain:diagnostic imaging, Cerebrovascular Circulation, Cognition Disorders:etiology, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1:complications, Diabetic Coma:complications, Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic:etiology, Humans, Hypoglycemia:complications, .   

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes mellitus has a high incidence in general population and goes by high morbidity by specific micro vascular pathology in the retina, renal glomerul and peripheral nerves. In type 1 DM, intensive therapy can prevent or delay the development of long-term complications associated with DM but hypoglycaemia especially severe hypoglycaemia defined, as a low blood glucose resulting in stupor, seizure, or unconsciousness that precludes self-treatment is a serious threat. Hypoglycaemia that may preferentially harm neurons in the medial temporal region, specifically the hippocampus, is a potential danger for the brain cognitive function which several studies failed to detect any significant effects, whereas others indicated an influence on it. A young diabetic case presented here with severe cognitive defect. Great number of severe hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic attacks and convulsion episodes were described in his medical history.r />r /> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Neuroradiologic findings on CT and MRI, pointed that global cerebral atrophy that is incompatible with his age. Brain perfusion studies (SPECT, (99m)Tc-labeled HMPAO) also showed that there were severe perfusion defects at superior temporal region and less perfusion defects at gyrus cingulum in frontal region. These regions are related with memory processing. Severe cognitive defect in this patient seems to be closely related these changes and no another reason was found to explain except the repeated severe hypoglycaemic episodes....

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