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Purpose: Relatively little is known about gender-dependent susceptibility to hepatic injury induced by nutritional factors. In the current study, we investigated dietary fructose-induced hepatic degeneration and roles of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), insulin receptor (IRβ) and substrate-1 (IRS-1) expressions in association with inflammatory markers in male and female rats. Moreover, we examined potential effect of resveratrol on fructose-induced changes. Methods: Male and female rats were divided into 4 groups as control, resveratrol, fructose and resveratrol plus fructose. All rats were fed with a standard diet with or without resveratrol (500 mg/kg). Fructose was given as 10% in drinking waterfor 24 weeks. Results: Long-term dietary fructose caused parenchymal degeneration and hyperemia in association with impaired eNOS mRNA/protein expressions in liver of male and female rats. This dietary intervention also led to increases in hepatic triglyceride content, TNFα and IL-1β levels in both genders. Gender-related differences to consequence of fructose consumption were not obvious. Resveratrol supplementation markedly attenuated hepatic degeneration, hyperemia and triglyceride content in association with reduced TNFα and IL-1β levels, but enhanced IRβ mRNA and IRS-1 protein, in male and female rats upon fructose feeding. Conclusion: Long-term dietary fructose causes hepatic degeneration possibly via a decrease in eNOS, but increase in TNFα and IL-1β, in both genders. Resveratrol supplementation improved fructose-induced hepatic injury., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The roots and root barks of Echium sp. have been used to treat ulcers, burns and wounds in traditional Turkish medicine., Aim of the Study: On the basis of them traditional use and literature references, four Echium species were selected for evaluation of them wound healing potential. Isolation of active component(s) from the active extracts through the bioassay guided fractionation procedures., Material and Methods: In vivo the wound healing activity of the plants was evaluated by linear incision experimental models. The chloroform extract of Echium italicum L. was fractionated by successive chromatographic techniques. Wound healing activity of each fraction was investigated following the bioassay-guided fractionation procedures. Moreover, the tissue samples of isolated compounds were examined histopathologically. The healing potential was comparatively assessed with a reference ointment Madecassol®, which contains 1% extract of Centella asiatica., Results: Significant wound healing activity was observed from the ointment prepared with ethanol extract at 1% concentration. The ethanol root extract treated in groups of animals showed a significant increase (37.38%, 40.97% and 35.29% separately for E. italicum L, Echium vulgare L. and Echium angustifolium Miller) wound tensile strength in the incision wound model. Subfractions showed significant but reduced wound healing activity on in vivo wound models. Shikonin derivatives "Acetylshikonin", "Deoxyshikonin" and "2-methyl-n-butyrylshikonin+Isovalerylshikonin", were isolated and determined as active components of active final subfraction from E. italicum L. roots. The results of histopathological examination supported the outcome of linear incision wound models., Conclusion: The experimental study revealed that Echium species display remarkable wound healing activity., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, laboratory properties of patients with macrophage activation syndrome and treatment outcomes., Material and Methods: The data of the patients who were diagnosed with macrophage activation syndrome secondary to systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis between June 2013-May 2014 were evaluated by screening patient records., Results: Ten patients with macrophage activation syndrome were followed up in one year. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was found to be 7.6±4.5 years. The most common clinical finding at presentation (80%) was increased body temperature. Hepatosplenomegaly was found in half of the patients. The most common hematological finding (90%) was anemia. The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate was found to be 71.8±36.2 mm/h, whereas it was measured to be lower (31.2±25.2 mm/h) at the time of the diagnosis of macrophage activation syndrome. Increased ferritin level was found in all of our patients (the mean ferritin level was found to be 23 957±15 525 ng/mL). Hypertriglyceridemia was found in nine patients (90%). The mean triglyceride level was found to be 397±332 mg/dL. Systemic steroid treatment was administered to all patients. Cyclosporine A was given to eight patients (80%), canakinumab was given to four patients (40%) and anakinra was given to five patients (50%). Plasmapheresis was performed in two patients. Improvement was found in all patients except for one patient. The patient in whom no improvement was observed showed a chronic course., Conclusions: The diagnosis of macrophage activation syndrome should be considered in presence of sudden disturbance in general condition, resistant high fever and systemic inflammation findings in children with active rheumatic disease. Complete recovery can be provided with early and efficient treatment in macrophage activation syndrome which develops secondary to systemic juvenil idiopathic arthritis.

Microscopic patterns of thirty-four urothelial tumors of the urinary bladder of water buffaloes from the Marmara and Black Sea Regions of Turkey are here described. All the animals grazed on lands rich in bracken fern. Histological diagnosis was assessed using morphological parameters recently suggested for the urinary bladder tumors of cattle. Papillary carcinoma was the most common neoplastic lesion (22/34) observed in this study, and low-grade carcinoma was more common (seventeen cases) than high-grade carcinoma (five cases). Papilloma, papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (PUNLMP), and invasive carcinomas were less frequently seen. Carcinoma in situ (CIS) was often detected associated with some papillary and invasive carcinomas. De novo (primary) CIS was rare representing 3% of tumors of this series. A peculiar feature of the most urothelial tumors was the presence in the tumor stroma of immune cells anatomically organized in tertiary lymphoid organs (TLOs). Bovine papillomavirus type-2 (PV-2) E5 oncoprotein was detected by molecular and immunohistochemistry procedures. Early protein, E2, and late protein, L1, were also detected by immunohistochemical studies. Morphological and molecular findings show that BPV-2 infection contributes to the development of urothelial bladder carcinogenesis also in water buffaloes.