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Biomedical subjects

S Aslan

Publications and source records attributed to S Aslan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

muO-conotoxin MrVIB selectively blocks Nav1.8 sensory neuron specific sodium channels and chronic pain behavior without motor deficits.

The tetrodotoxin-resistant voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) Na(v)1.8 is expressed predominantly by damage-sensing primary afferent nerves and is important for the development and maintenance of persistent pain states. Here we demonstrate that muO-conotoxin MrVIB from Conus marmoreus displays substantial selectivity for Na(v)1.8 and inhibits pain behavior in models of persistent pain. In rat sensory neurons, submicromolar concentrations of MrVIB blocked tetrodotoxin-resistant current characteristic of Na(v)1.8 but not Na(v)1.9 or tetrodotoxin-sensitive VGSC currents. MrVIB blocked human Na(v)1.8 expressed in Xenopus oocytes with selectivity at least 10-fold greater than other VGSCs. In neuropathic and chronic inflammatory pain models, allodynia and hyperalgesia were both reduced by intrathecal infusion of MrVIB (0.03-3 nmol), whereas motor side effects occurred only at 30-fold higher doses. In contrast, the nonselective VGSC blocker lignocaine displayed no selectivity for allodynia and hyperalgesia versus motor side effects. The actions of MrVIB reveal that VGSC antagonists displaying selectivity toward Na(v)1.8 can alleviate chronic pain behavior with a greater therapeutic index than nonselective antagonists.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Spontaneous rupture of the spleen in secondary amyloidosis: a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

A 63-year-old man who had had a history of rheumatoid arthritis presented with shock and hemoperitoneum, without a history of trauma. An emergency laparatomy revealed hemoperitoneum and splenic rupture with massive bleeding. Splenectomy was performed. Histopathological examination of the spleen revealed amyloid deposition in the wall of the vessels. Rectal biopsy revealed amyloid deposition in mucosa that indicating amyloidosis was systemic. Histochemical studies showed that amyloid was secondary or AA.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed2006

A screening for the occurrence of autoreactive antibodies in sera of pregnant and non-pregnant bitches.

Sera of healthy pregnant (group I, n = 11) and non-pregnant (group II, n = 11) bitches were screened for autoantibodies (AAb). In both groups, blood samples were drawn every fifth day between days 5 and 55 after mating. Serum was analysed via indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) with the Canine ANA HEp-2 Screening Kit. In all animals, anticytoplasmic AAb were detected. Utilizing primate-heart substrate slides AAb against contractile proteins of the cytoplasm could be observed. The predominating fluorescence pattern in pregnant animals resembled above all desmin, which was proven via Western blot. The sera were then pre-incubated with tropomyosin, actin, vimentin, vinculin and keratin solutions, and assessed on HEp-2 slides and on human and canine fibroblasts as well. The latter substrate was used to verify whether the detected Ab were in fact AAb. Utilizing tropomyosin, revealed elimination of the cytoplasmic fluorescences on all three substrates. It is therefore assumed, that in sera of healthy dogs, AAb against contractile structure proteins of the cytoplasm are present regularly. The majority of pregnant bitches presented with higher end-point titres (EPT), than to be found in non-pregnant dogs. AAb against desmin played the key role in those patterns. In addition, sera were screened for thyroid specific AAb, namely thyroglobulin, thyroid peroxidase (TPO), T3 and T4, and for AAb against insulin by ELISA or Western blot (TPO). Only in two of the pregnant bitches a weak positive reaction (1:100) for T3-AAb was detected.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Plasma concentrations of folic acid, vitamin B12 and progesterone of cyclic bitches, bitches during pregnancy and induced abortion and bitches with pyometra].

The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma concentrations of folic acid, vitamin B12 and progesterone at different stages of the sexual cycle and pregnancy, during induced abortion and in bitches with pyometra. Bitches (n = 97) were assigned to groups as follows: a) oestrous cycle (n = 42) b) pregnancy (n = 25) c) induction of abortion (n = 10 and d) pyometra (n = 20). Oestrous cycle stages were determined by vaginal inspection and cytology. Pregnancies were estimated by ultrasound (5.0 Mhz; linear transducer; Schimadzu) at days 15-25, 35-45 and 46-63 of pregnancy. Treatments for the induction of abortion were started between days 25 and 35 after mating (5 microg/kg cabergoline daily, Galastop; 5-10 microg/kg Alfaprostol every other day, Gabbrostim). Diagnosis of pyometra was confirmed by ultrasound and vaginoscopy. Folic acid and vitamin B12 concentrations did not differ among different stages of the oestrous cycle. The mean concentration of folic acid during early pregnancy (days 15-25) exceeded levels of later stages (days 46-63): 9.4 +/- 3.7 microg/ml and 4.7 +/- 1.8 microg/ml, respectively (p < 0.01). A positive correlation between folic acid and vitamin B12 was determined in pregnant dogs ( r = 0.925; p < 0.02). Before the induction of abortion, the concentration of folic acid was 9.6 +/- 5.2 microg/ml; during abortion it decreased to 5.0 +/- 3.2 microg/ml (p < 0.01). A significant correlation (r = 0.925; p < 0.02) between progesterone and folic acid was obtained in bitches with abortion. The mean concentration of folic acid in bitches with pyometra significantly differed from that of bitches at different stages of the oestrous cycle (p < 0.05). The mean concentration of folic acid was significantly lower in metoestrous bitches when compared to bitches with pyometra (p < 0.05). The decrease of serum concentrations of folic acid during pregnancy and induced abortion show that fetal growth and abortion caused higher consumption of folic acid. Concerning bitches did not show any deficiency symptoms, which is why it can be concluded that this decrease is physiological.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed2005

The activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in serum of pregnant and non-pregnant bitches.

The aim of this study was to investigate, whether the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 in the serum of pregnant and non-pregnant bitches differs significantly. For this purpose, 81 blood samples were taken from pregnant bitches at days 5-13, 15-21, 24-31, 34-40 and 41-50 after mating, and 51 samples from non-pregnant animals at corresponding times. Relative enzyme activity, calculated as the percentage of serum enzyme activity on enzyme activity in a control sample, was determined with a commercially available assay after activation of serum MMPs with p-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA). In addition, serum oestradiol (E(2)) and progesterone (P(4)) concentrations were measured with an enzymeimmunoassay (EIA). In the pregnant bitches, at days 5-13 and 15-21 after mating, the mean activity of both MMPs was significantly higher than in non-pregnant animals (28.5% vs 24.5% and 27.7% vs 22.6%; p < 0.01). Moreover, in the pregnant bitches, significant correlations were detected between the serum enzyme activity and the serum concentrations of E(2) (-0.900; p < 0.05) and P(4) (+0.667; p < 0.05).

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Effects of azithromycin on cyclosporine-induced gingival hyperplasia in renal transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Gingival hyperplasia is a well-known complication of cyclosporine therapy, affecting 21% to 35% of renal transplant patients. Metronidazole, clarithromycin, and azithromycin, all azalid antimicrobial agents derived from the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin, have been used for treatment. Marked improvements in gingival hyperplasia have been recorded in particular with azithromycin. The aim of the present study was to investigate histopathological features of cyclosporine-induced gingival hyperplasia and to evaluate the quantitative efficacy of short-term azithromycin therapy. METHODS: Eighteen renal transplant patients with cyclosporine-induced gingival hyperplasia were included in the study. All patients received azithromycin with a dose of 500 mg/d for 3 consecutive days. Changes in gingival hyperplasia were evaluated by measuring the gingival sulcus depth to the cementum-enamel junction of every tooth in each of the four quadrants on days 0, 7, 30, 90, 180. Gum biopsies were obtained on days 0 and 30; the degree of inflammation was classified as "mild," "intermediate," and "severe". RESULTS: Gingival hyperplasia was reduced in all treated patients throughout the study. The degree of improvement was more significant between 0 to 7 and 7 to 30 days than at other times (respectively, P < .0001 and P < .002). Histopathologically, eight patients had severe and one patient moderate chronic inflammation at the beginning of therapy. Three other biopsies were reported as papilloma, mucosal hyperplasia, and normal gingival tissue biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Azithromycin appears to be useful to treat cyclosporine-induced gingival hyperplasia in renal transplant patients. Treatment is inexpensive and free from known adverse effects.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Lightning: an unusual cause of cerebellar infarction.

The neurological complications of lightning injury are not infrequent. However, scarce data are available on cerebellar infarction attributable to lightning injury. A 45 year old man was admitted to the emergency department because of lightning injury. The patient had a Glasgow coma scale score of 13/15 on arrival at hospital with accompanying dysarthria and hypotonia. Computed tomography of the head showed only a mild cerebral oedema. Ataxia was recorded on the fourth day. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed ischaemia predominantly in the cerebellar hemispheres bilaterally and in the parietal, temporal, and frontal lobes on the right. Anti-oedema treatment was started. The patient was discharged after seven days. After one month the patient was re-examined and found to have minimal ataxia and dysarthria. Lightning injury should not be overlooked in the aetiology and differential diagnosis of acute cerebellar ischaemic insult and relevant clinical findings in adults.

Brain Infarction↗
PubMed2004

Follistatin alters myostatin gene expression in C2C12 muscle cells.

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of follistatin addition on myostatin and follistatin gene expression patterns in C2C12 muscle cells. C2C12 cells were administered with 100 ng/ml recombinant human (rh) follistatin in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 4 mM glutamine and antibiotics daily for three days. Rh follistatin was not added in the control wells. Follistatin and myostatin gene cDNAs were synthesised by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The time course of follistatin gene expression pattern was similar in both the control and the follistatin-treated group. Myostatin mRNA level significantly increased in the follistatin-treated group after 24 h of culture (Fig. 3, P < 0.01). Amounts then sharply decreased (Fig. 3, P < 0.01) at 48 h of culture, whereas there was no significant difference between the control and the follistatin-treated group at 72 h of culture. Our results demonstrated that myostatin and follistatin mRNA were expressed in C2C12 cells and rh follistatin changed the myostatin expression pattern.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Immunolocalisation of serotonin, gastrin, somatostatin and glucagon in entero-endocrine cells of the goose (Anser anser).

The processes of digestion in the avian gastrointestinal tract depend on sophisticated control systems that co-ordinate secretion of digestive juices and movement of the luminal contents. In the current study, the distribution of serotonin-, gastrin-, glucagon- and somatostatin-immunoreactive endocrine cells was investigated by immunocytochemical methods in the intestinal tract of the goose. The number of cells immunoreactive for each antiserum was evaluated in different regions of the intestinal tract. Serotonin-, glucagon- and somatostatin-immunoreactive endocrine cells were seen throughout the intestinal tract, but somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were not detected in the colon of the goose. Gastrin-immunoreactive cells were detected only in the duodenum, jejunum and colon mucosa. It is concluded that the distribution pattern of the entero-endocrine cells in the goose is similar to that of most of the mammalian and other poultry species.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Biological denitrification of drinking water using various natural organic solid substrates.

Denitrification of drinking water was studied using various natural organic solid substrates (NOSS) such as poplar, hornbeam, pine shavings and wheat straw as a carbon source in a batch unit. The highest nitrate removal efficiency was observed with the wheat straw, so it was chosen as the carbon source for biodenitrification in an upflow laboratory reactor. In order to remove solid particles from the effluent water, a sand filter unit was placed after the denitrification reactor. The soluble DOC contents in the reactor affected the efficiency of nitrate elimination and nitrate concentration of the effluent water remained below acceptable values (50 mg/l NO3-). In order to remove colour, DOC and nitrate from the water, powdered activated carbon adsorption studies were performed in the batch unit.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2002

[Suitability of sonographic evaluation of ovarian dynamics and uterine involution for prediction of postpartum fertility in the cow].

To investigate the suitability of sonography for prediction of puerperal fertility, we used 34 cows with normal puerperium. For this purpose, the animals were examined gynecologically and by transrectal sonography at 10-day intervals between day 15 and day 45 p.p. as well as at oestrus, when they were inseminated. We judged uterine involution by diameter and sonographic structure of the uterine cross-section and ovarian activity by the presence of follicles and corpora lutea. Cows, which became pregnant after first insemination p.p., were assigned to group G1 (n = 16) and animals, which failed to conceive, to group G2 (n = 18). The cows of G1 obtained significantly better results concerning both uterine involution and ovarian activity than cows of G2. Thus, diameter of the uterine horn decreased faster and sonographic structure of the uterine cross section returned markedly earlier to the nonpregnant appearance in G1 than in G2. Group G1 also showed a significantly higher percentage of dominant follicles at all examinations. The results of the study show a distinct relationship between uterine involution and ovarian activity and puerperal fertility. But it has also to be resumed that the prediction of fertility for individuals will always be restricted by other reasons causing failure of conception.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The interaction between copper and coronary risk indicators.

We studied the effects of external copper exposure on plasma copper, serum lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in workers who have excessive contact with copper. Fifty-eight healthy Turkish males who were working in the copper processing industry and 33 control subjects were examined. Copper concentration was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, lipid and lipoprotein levels were detected by spectrophotometry and apolipoproteins were measured with a nephelometer. There was no significant difference in plasma copper between the workers and the controls. However, in the worker group, the mean levels of TC, LDL-C, apoAI, apoB and Lp (a) were significantly higher while the mean level of HDL-C was significantly lower than that of the controls. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between plasma copper and LDL-C only in the workers group. Our findings suggest that excessive contact with copper may contribute to coronary risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Use of exfoliative cytology for diagnosis of transmissible venereal tumour and controlling the recovery period in the bitch.

Transmissible venereal tumour (TVT) is a rare vaginal tumour that can be treated surgically or cryosurgically as well as by radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Vincristine has been found to be very effective for treating TVT. Since vaginal secretion or discharge may contain neoplastic cells, the cytological identification of TVT cells is possible. The present study was carried out in 12 bitches. Vaginal smears were obtained with cotton swab from the anterior vagina and TVT suspected structures. The smears were stained according to Papanicolaou and assessed by light microscopy. Additionally the general condition of the patients was evaluated by haematological and radiographic examinations. In bitches with TVT vincristine sulphate was administered intravenously at weekly intervals. The total treatment period was three to six weeks until no atypical cells were found in the smear. This was the case after an average of 3.2 +/- 1.3 applications. Tumour masses became smaller and by this non-visible from the rima vulva after 4.2 +/- 0.7 applications. During the treatment, two of the 12 bitches (16.7%) suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea while three (25%) showed neutropenia. Twelve months after completion of treatment, the bitches were examined again and vaginal smears were taken in order to control the recovery process or a possible recurrence of TVT. No atypical cells were found in any vaginal smear. By this exfoliative cytology has proved to be a safe and easy method for TVT diagnosis and for observing the recovery process.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Comparison of various examination methods used in ovarian diagnostics in cattle].

In this study diagnostic certainty of ultrasonography and rectal palpation concerning the detection of follicles and C.I. was compared by evaluation of the findings obtained with ultrasonography in waterbath and dissection of the ovaries after slaughter. Clinical examinations were performed on a total of 30 cows (transrectally and ultrasonographically, 5.0 mhz, linear) in slaughterhouse. In the laboratory ovaries were evaluated after slaughter both macroscopically and by ultrasonography in waterbath. Diagnostic reliabilities of these methods were compared. No difference between the methods was determined concerning the longitudinal measurements of corpora lutea (19.96 +/- 4.83 mm, 20.41 +/- 5.41 mm, 21.45 +/- 5.26 mm by ultrasonography, waterbath and macroscopy respectively). By means of determining the correct identification of corpora lutea, the error rate was 24.1% and 17.2% for rectal palpation and ultrasonography respectively. The comparison of rectal palpation and macroscopy showed that three small corpora lutea and two corpora lutea with small cavity were determined wrongly as small follicles and two corpora lutea were determined whereas they were not present actually. With ultrasonography four small C.I. could not be detected and one C.I. with cavity was wrongly determined as follicle. It was noticed that follicles bigger than 10 mm (F2 = 10-15 mm, F3 = 16-20 mm) could be determined more accurately by means of ultrasonography than by rectal palpation (with ultrasonography: F2 = 90.48%, F3 = 100.0%; with rectal palpation, F2 = 61.9%, F3 = 200.0%). The correlation of the findings of rectal palpation or ultrasonography and blood progesterone levels was 86.2% and 89.7% respectively. This accordance was 96.6% for progesterone levels and waterbath and macroscopic findings.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1999

An analysis of the communication tactics used by hearing-impaired adults.

The aim of this study was to establish whether and to what degree certain types of communication strategies (hearing tactics) used by hearing-impaired adults could be shown to co-occur, and to find out which strategies were more likely to be used in which type of communicative situations. A consecutive series of 100 patients attending an audiological rehabilitation clinic was given a questionnaire asking how often they used each of five different hearing tactics in 11 different situations. 'Avoidance' and 'request for repetition' were the tactics used most commonly. 'Pretending to hear/understand' and 'positioning self to improve hearing' were used less frequently, with 'interruption' the least commonly used. There was some association between tactics and situations but no clear picture emerged. In a reassessment of our methodology and results, we suggest that the future research of communication strategies would benefit from a sociolinguistic approach based on the qualitative analysis of naturally occurring discourse (conversation) of hard-of-hearing people, focusing on the use of different strategies in relation to communicators' goals in interaction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Audiologic and impedancemetric findings within thalassaemic patients.

The objective of this study is to investigate hearing losses in thalassaemic patients. This study was conducted on 34 thalassemic patients of which 27 of them had thalassaemia major and the remaining 7 had thalassaemia intermedia. Six (11.11%) of the 54 ears with thalassaemia major were found to have normal hearing. Thirty-two ears (59.26%) had conductive hearing loss, 8 ears (14.81%) had mixed type of hearing loss. Moreover, in this group, there was no ear which had pure sensorineural hearing loss. Of the majority of patients having thalassaemia major and thalassaemia intermedia, an air bone gap was found even though there was no negative pressure in the middle ear. In these patients a high degree of static compliance and normal shaped, stiff amplitude, normal pressure tympanograms were observed. Moreover, in most of these patients acoustic reflexes were not obtained. These findings are rather interesting since they show the pathological changes which may cause stiffness in the middle ear sound transmission system.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗