Search

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between vitamin D deficiency and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) across various periodontal health and disease statuses., Methods: A total of 200 volunteers were divided into two groups according to serum vitamin D concentration (25(OH)D < 10 ng/mL and 25(OH)D ≥ 10 ng/mL). Periodontal health status was determined based on a full-mouth periodontal examination and radiographic evaluation. Participants in both groups were categorized according to periodontal diagnoses, encompassing periodontal health, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Following sampling, the MMP-9 levels in GCF were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method., Results: The GCF MMP-9 levels were found to be higher in individuals with serum 25(OH)D < 10 ng/mL, in both the healthy and gingivitis and periodontitis groups, compared to those with 25(OH)D ≥ 10 ng/mL. Nevertheless, a statistically significant distinction was observed exclusively within the gingivitis and periodontitis groups. Correlation analysis and robust regression analyses provided additional evidence supporting the predictive role of periodontal disease status and vitamin D concentration in local MMP-9 levels. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age and sex in robust regression analysis (p = 0.002). Furthermore, the inclusion of periodontal clinical parameters in the regression analysis revealed notable associations of clinical attachment loss with local MMP-9 levels, along with periodontal disease status and serum vitamin D concentration (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The findings of our study suggest a potential mechanistic relationship between serum vitamin D levels and periodontitis., Plain Language Summary: Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue globally due to urban living, less outdoor time, seasonal changes, aging, and sunscreen use, leading to inadequate sun exposure. Low vitamin D levels are linked to several health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, and periodontal diseases, which affect the gums and bones around teeth and can cause tooth loss if untreated. Although the link between vitamin D and periodontal disease is unclear, it may involve the enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Our study examined 200 people, dividing them into two groups based on vitamin D levels. We assessed their gum health and measured MMP-9 levels in their gingival crevicular fluid, a liquid that seeps out from the tiny space between gums and teeth. We found that people with lower vitamin D levels had higher MMP-9 levels, especially those with gum disease. Our analysis showed that both vitamin D levels and gum health significantly impact MMP-9 levels, with gum health being the more influential factor. Maintaining good gum health and adequate vitamin D levels is crucial for managing MMP-9, an enzyme critical for tissue remodeling during healing and inflammation. However, excessive MMP may rapidly destroy periodontal tissues., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Periodontology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Academy of Periodontology.)

Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Background: This case-control study was conducted to investigate the relationship between serum nesfatin-1 levels and nutritional status and blood parameters in patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome., Methods: Thirty patients (case) diagnosed with metabolic syndrome according to National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria were included. Thirty healthy subjects (control) matched with patients with metabolic syndrome in terms of age, gender and body mass index were included. Three-day food consumption records were obtained. Anthropometric indices were measured and body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance method. Biochemical parameters and serum nesfatin-1 levels were measured after 8 hours of fasting., Results: Serum nesfatin-1 levels were 0.245±0.272 ng/mL in the case group and 0.528±0.987 ng/mL in the control group (p>0.05). There was a positive significant correlation between serum nesfatin-1 levels and body weight, waist and hip circumferences in the case group (p<0.05). Each unit increase in hip circumference measurement affects the levels of nesfatin by 0.014 times. In the control group, there was a positive significant correlation between body weight and serum nesfatin-1 levels (p<0.05). A significant correlation was detected between HbA1c and serum nesfatin-1 levels in the case group (p<0.05). A significant relationship was detected between dietary fibre intake and the serum nesfatin-1 levels in the case group (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Anthropometric indices and blood parameters were correlated with serum nesfatin-1 levels in patients with metabolic syndrome. More clinical trials may be performed to establish the relationship between serum nesfatin-1 levels and nutritional status., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Very high mortality rate in sepsis may be related to oxidative stress. This study was conducted on the rats to investigate the presence of oxidative stress and also the potential protective effects of the ß-glucan in the intra-abdominal sepsis model formed by cecal ligation-perforation (CLP)., Methods: In this study, 30 Male rats were equally divided into three groups as 'Sham', 'Sepsis' and 'ß-Glucan'. Only laparotomy was performed in the Sham group, and sepsis was induced by CLP in Sepsis and ß-Glucan groups. Following CLP, a single dose of 4 mg ß-glucan/kg was also intraperitoneally administered to the β-Glucan group. Blood and tissue (liver, lung and kidney) samples were taken from Sepsis and ß-Glucan groups after sepsis development determined at the end of the 48th hour, also from the Sham group. The levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) were determined in plasma samples, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in plasma and tissues., Results: MPO and AOPP were higher in both the Sepsis and ß-Glucan groups; however, plasma and tissue MDA levels were higher only in the Sepsis group than the Sham group (p<0.05). However, when compared to the Sepsis group, all parameters measured, except kidney MDA, were significantly lower in the ß-Glucan group (p<0.05)., Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the AOPP levels in the CLP sepsis model, ROS produced by the reaction of MPO derived from neutrophils may form oxidative damage to the proteins, compared to the lipids, and ß-glucan may be used as an alternative agent for sepsis treatment.

Introduction: Ototoxicity is a health problem appearing after powerful treatments in serious health conditions. It is sometimes inevitable when treatment of the serious disease is required. Cisplatin is an antineoplastic agent which was investigated previously to reveal increased nitrogen and reactive oxygen radicals that damages hair cells, resulting in ototoxicity. N-acetylcysteine, previously shown to decrease ototoxicity caused by different agents, is known to be a powerful in vitro antioxidant. Probably N-acetylcysteine, in addition to its antioxidant effect, blocks a cascade where reactive oxygen species result in apoptosis in the cochlea., Objectives: The possible preventive effect of N-acetylcysteine in cisplatin ototoxicity was studied with auditory brain stem responses, otoacoustic emissions, and histopathological investigation of the cochlea in a scanning electron microscopy., Methods: This study was conducted on 21 Wistar Albino rats in four groups. 1mL/kg/day three times in total intraperitoneal (i.p.) Saline (n=5), 500mg/kg/day i.p. three times in total N-acetylcysteine (n=5), i.p. 15mg/kg cisplatin alone (single dose) (n=5) and i.p. 15mg/kg cisplatin plus 500mg/kg/day N-acetylcysteine (n=6) were administered. The rats were anesthetized to study the hearing tests before and after the experiment. The rats were sacrificed to investigate the cochleas by scanning electron microscopy., Results: Auditory brain stem responses and otoacoustic emissions values were attenuated in the cisplatin group. The group that received N-acetylcysteine in addition to cisplatin had better auditory brain stem responses thresholds and otoacoustic emissions. The samples obtained from the cisplatin group showed surface irregularities, degeneration areas, and total or partial severe stereocilia losses. The changes were milder in the cisplatin+N-acetylcysteine group., Conclusion: Cisplatin ototoxicity can be detected by auditory brain stem responses and otoacoustic emissions testing in rats. N-acetylcysteine may protect the cochlear cells from histopathological changes. We concluded that N-acetylcysteine given 4h after cisplatin injection has a potential otoprotective effect against cisplatin ototoxicity. which suggests it could be used in clinical trials., (Copyright © 2018 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to show the effects of thymoquinone, which is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and renal protective effects in contrast-induced nephropathy., Materials and Methods: This is an experimental study in rats. 7 groups were included within the scope of our study: sham-vehicle (n=3), premedication-control (n=6), model (n=6), isolated thymoquinone (n=3+3), low-dose thymoquinone (n=6), and high-dose thymoquinone (n=7). In addition to 48 hr of water deprivation, we pre-medicated the rats with intra-peritoneal indomethacin and L-NAME administration. After premedication, 12.5 ml/kg dose of a high osmolar contrast agent-diatrizoat (Urografin %76) was administrated. Thymoquinone was administrated in two different doses of 1 mg/kg and 1.75 mg/kg for four days intraperitoneally. Renal functions, histopathological differences, oxidative stress parameters, and inflammatory indicators of rats were evaluated at the end of the study., Results: Significant decreases were observed in levels of serum creatinine and serum BUN with low-dose thymoquinone (1 mg/kg) administration. In light microscopy, significantly less histopathological damage was observed in the low-dose thymoquinone group compared to the contrast agent group. While high-dose thymoquinone is accepted as ineffective biochemically, toxic evidence was identified histopathologically. There were no significant differences between M and TA groups for serum MDA and SOD levels, which were compared to evaluate oxidative stress ( P: 0.99, P: 0.98; respectively). TNF-α, iNOS, and NF-кB gene expressions were not significantly different between all groups ( P: 0.748, P: 0.531, P: 0.910; respectively)., Conclusion: This experimental study has demonstrated for the first time the protective effect of the TQ substance for CIN in 1 mg/kg dose, in the accompaniment of biochemical and histopathological data in rats., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Objective: To investigate the effect of pretreatment with obestatin (OB), an endogenous hormone also found in mother's milk, in experimental necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)., Study Design: Pups were randomized into four groups: control, OB-control, NEC, and OB-NEC. NEC was induced by asphyxia and hypothermia in the NEC and OB-NEC groups. OB was administered to the OB-control and OB-NEC groups. Macroscopic scoring of the intestinal tract was evaluated and tissue samples were obtained for histopathological and biochemical examination on the fourth day., Results: OB improved the macroscopic appearance of the gut and the clinical score during the experiment ( p   <  0.05). The rate of occurrence of NEC in the OB-NEC group was lower than the NEC group ( p   =  0.001). OB prevented necrosis and reduced the number of apoptotic cells in the OB-NEC group compared with the NEC group ( p   =  0.006). Furthermore, interleukin-6 and malondialdehyde levels in the OB-NEC group were lower than the NEC group ( p   <  0.05)., Conclusion: OB reduced intestinal damage and prevented necrosis through anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects in experimental NEC. This effect of OB should be confirmed in clinical studies. Furthermore, future research should investigate whether OB plays a role in NEC pathogenesis or NEC is associated with OB levels in the serum and in breast milk., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.)

Background/aim: It is not always easy to diagnose pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). The aim of the present study is to make a differential diagnosis by studying the same markers in patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), patients with benign lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia), and healthy volunteers to determine the roles of these markers in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor diagnosis and to identify their power., Materials and Methods: A total of 100 participants including 23 PNET patients and 28 NSCLC patients who were pathologically di-agnosed but not yet treated, 25 participants with benign disease, and 24 healthy volunteers were included in this cross-sectional study., Results: No significant difference was found between the chromogranin A (CgA) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen 1 (SCCA1) values among the groups (PNET, NSCLC, benign, healthy volunteers), but the difference in progesterone-releasing peptide (ProGRP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and adjusted NSE was statistically significant (P values were respectively ProGRP, P = 0.006; NSE, P = 0.015; NSE adjusted, P = 0.09). In a comparison of the PNET and NSCLC groups, having a ProGRP value higher than 84.6 pg/mL re-vealed PNET with 60.9% sensitivity and 89.3% specificity (P = 0.001)., Conclusion: The ProGRP value is the only indicator that distinguishes the PNET group from the other 3 groups., (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License)

One of the main issues in kidney transplantation is the optimal functional preservation of the organ until its transplantation into the appropriate recipient. Despite intensive efforts, the functional preservation period remains limited to hours. During this time, as a result of cellular injury, various proteins, peptides, and other molecules are released by the organ into the preservation medium. In this study, we used proteomic techniques to analyze the protein profiles of preservation solutions in which organs had been preserved prior to their transplantation. Samples were obtained from the preservation solutions of 25 deceased donor kidneys scheduled for transplantation. The protein profiles of the solutions were analyzed using 2D gel electrophoresis/MALDI-TOF and LC-MS/MS. We identified and quantified 206 proteins and peptides belonging to 139 different groups. Of these, 111 proteins groups were belonging to kidney tissues. This study used proteomic techniques to analyze the protein profiles of organ preservation solutions. These findings will contribute to the development of improved preservation solutions to effectively protect organs for transplantation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Although cardiac injury is known to be the leading cause of death in electrocution, the differential diagnosis can be challenging in forensic practice since the exact mechanism is poorly understood and there is lack of reliable markers. Thus, death due to electrocution may be classified as a negative autopsy. The serum levels of and myocardial immunostaining loss for cardiac troponins and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) are highly sensitive and specific biomarkers of ischemic myocardial damage and may have a diagnostic value in determining the myocardial injury or the cause of death due to electrocution. Due to this reason, a rat model is prepared to investigate these issues. Thirty-two Wistar albino female rats were included and randomly divided into four groups of eight subjects. Group A was the control group, and Group B, C, and D were exposed to electrical current of 110 volt (V), 220 V, and 600 V, respectively. Blood samples and the hearts were collected from the rats for biochemical and immunostaining analyses. It is found that increased serum H-FABP levels were significantly associated with the higher voltage immediately after electrocution. However, serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels did not show significant changes associated with the higher voltage in the early period of electrocution. As for histopathological examinations, the only significant difference in myocardial immunostaining loss was for H-FABP in Group B. Serum H-FABP levels may have a diagnostic value in the early postmortem period immediately after electrocution. Besides, it seems that serum H-FABP levels may be a better indicator than those of cTnI to reflect the myocardial damage in the early period of the electrocution., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the response to periodontal management in obese individuals with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM) and obese individuals without DM. Changes in clinical and biochemical parameters were also investigated. Seventeen obese patients with poorly controlled DM and 14 obese non-DM patients with generalized chronic periodontitis were enrolled. The anthropometric measurements, periodontal parameters, and serum levels of lipid (triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and glucose (fasting plasma glucose [FPG], insulin, insulin resistance [IR], hemoglobin [Hb]A1c) metabolism, pro-inflammatory mediators (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α] and Pentraxim-3), and interleukin-6 were measured before and at 3 months, and 6 months after full-mouth scaling and root planing (FM-SRP) together with full-mouth disinfection (FMD). A significant reduction in TNF-α (P < 0.001) values was observed in both groups following periodontal healing. However, significant changes in FPG (P < 0.05), HbA1C (P < 0.05), and the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR; P < 0.05) were only observed after 3 months in the DM group. Our findings suggest that obesity with or without DM does not seem to be a modifying factor for the clinical outcome of FM-SRP and FMD.(J Oral Sci 58, 523-531, 2016).

Purpose: This study examined the feasibility of using the serum intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) level for the early diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia, and investigated whether it contributes to the clinical decision-making process., Method: Thirty patients diagnosed with acute mesenteric ischemia, 27 patients with other types of acute abdomen who presented with acute abdomen symptoms but were not diagnosed with acute mesenteric ischemia, and 20 healthy people were included in the study. Mesenteric ischemia was confirmed by a pathological evaluation in patients who underwent intestinal resection due to detection of mesenteric ischemia during surgery., Results: There was no significant difference in the leukocyte counts and D-dimer levels between subjects with mesenteric ischemia and acute abdomen due to other causes (p > 0.05). There was a significant difference in the serum I-FABP level between these groups (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The I-FABP level is a more reliable parameter for diagnosing acute mesenteric ischemia compared to leukocytosis and D-dimer elevation.