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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate 18 fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary carcinoids and pulmonary hamartomas., Methods: 18 F-FDG PET/CT findings of 34 patients with pulmonary carcinoids (12 atypical, 22 typical) and 32 patients with pulmonary hamartomas were retrospectively evaluated. Both mean diameter and mean maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ) of hamartomas and carcinoids were compared by Mann-Whitney U and Kruskall-Wallis H tests., Results: The mean longest diameter of atypical carcinoids (3.5±1.7 cm) was higher than that of hamartomas (2.1±1 cm) (p=0.038). No significant difference was found between the mean diameter of typical carcinoids and mean diameter of hamartomas (p=0.128). The mean SUV max of atypical carcinoids (5.97±3.7) and typical carcinoids (4.22±1.7) were higher than those of hamartomas (1.65±0.9) (p=0.002 and p=0.003, respectively). There were collapse/consolidation in 55.8%, bronchiectasis or mucoid impaction in 47%, and air trapping in 14.7% in the peripheral parenchyma of the 34 carcinoids. Collapse/consolidation was detected in a patient with endobronchial hamartoma, and other finding was not found in the parenchyma around hamartomas., Conclusion: The 18 F-FDG uptake of pulmonary carcinoids can vary from minimal to intense. 18 F-FDG uptake can be seen in pulmonary hamartomas. However, the mean SUV max of atypical carcinoids and typical carcinoids were higher compared to hamartomas. Pulmonary carcinoid must be suspected in cases with accompanying bronchial obstruction findings in the periphery of the mass.

Aim: 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/computerized tomography (CT) is a valuable method in the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). But, some infections, particularly tuberculosis, are known to mimic cancer. We aimed to compare the FDG PET/CT findings of tuberculosis pleurisy (TP) and malignant mesothelioma and evaluate its role of differential diagnosis., Material and Method: We retrospectively reviewed the data from 85 patients (45 patients with MPM and 40 patients with TP) who underwent FDG PET/CT. All images were reevaluated and pleural thickening, maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax), lymphatic uptake and accompanying parenchymal findings were noted., Results: There was no significant difference in age and sex between the two groups. Pleural thickening was more prominent in the MPM group. Mean pleural thickness was 21.4 ± 18.6 mm in the MPM group and 6.8 ± 3.5 mm in the TP group (P = 0.0). Besides pleural pathology, lymph nodes involvement in the thoracic (P = 0.0) and extrathoracic area (P = 0.34) and parenchymal findings were prominent in the TP group (P = 0.0). However, there was no significant difference in pleural SUVmax values between the two groups (P = 0.61)., Conclusion: Intense pleural FDG uptake can be observed in TP like malignant mesothelioma. For the evaluation of the pleural pathologies in the tuberculosis endemic countries, it should be considered that FDG PET/CT may have false-positive results. Evaluation of increased pleural FDG uptake together with the detected parenchymal findings and lymphatic involvement may help us to make more accurate interpretation of the diagnosis., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Pentoxifylline (PTX) has immunomodulatory properties and is known to reduce sepsis-associated infant mortality. We aimed to evaluate maternal oral and intra-amniotic administration of PTX for the prevention of fetal inflammation and injury in a caprine model., Materials and Methods: Inflammation-mediated fetal injury was induced with maternal granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and intra-amniotic endotoxin at 0.76 of gestation in date-mated pregnant goats. Eight groups were formed (n=4 each): Control, fetal injury, oral 30 mg/kg/day and 60 mg/kg/day PTX for 15 days + fetal injury, intra-amniotic 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg estimated fetal weight single-dose PTX with and without fetal injury. Preterm delivery by hysterotomy was performed at 0.80 of gestation to evaluate the fetal and placental effects. Immunochemistry for various markers including interleukins, caspases, cyclooxygenases, vimentin, myelin basic protein, and surfactant proteins were carried out in the fetal lungs, fetal brain, and placenta. Fetal plasma and amniotic fluid interleukins were also evaluated. Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for comparisons., Results: High-dose (60 mg/kg/day) maternal prophylactic oral treatment attenuated endotoxin-related histological injury and was related to low inflammatory marker expressions comparable to the controls (p>0.05 except cyclooxygenase 2). Following maternal oral administration, fetal plasma and amniotic fluid levels of the studied interleukins were also lower than the untreated endotoxin-exposed animals (p<0.05 for all comparisons). Intra-amniotic PTX was associated with inconsistent results and increased inflammatory markers in some fetuses., Conclusion: Oral PTX before preterm birth mitigates intrauterine inflammation with neuroprotective effects in the fetus. PTX can be considered as a candidate drug for fetal brain injury prevention in the preterm period., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (©Copyright 2020 by Turkish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Turkish Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published by Galenos Publishing House.)

Tideglusib is a glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) inhibitor which has shown the effects of bone regeneration, used for the treatment of Alzheimer disease. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of Tideglusib in the apoptosis and the bone regeneration in rats with calvarial defects. Twenty male Wistar rats (aged 11-13 weeks) were used for the study. Full-thickness flap elevated to exposure calvarial bone. Two 5 mm critical size calvarial defects were created on each rat calvarium. The defects were divided into 4 study groups: 1-Control (n = 10); 2- Gelatin sponge+Tideglusib (Gs+TDG; n = 10); 3- Autogenous bone (AB; n = 10); 4-Autogenous bone+Tideglusib (AB+TDG; n = 10). Then, the rats were sacrificed at fourth week. Three-dimensional imaging, histopathologic and immunohistochemical examinations were performed to evaluate the samples. The most increased bone formation and interaction between graft and new bone were observed in AB+TDG group. Bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen type 1 (Col 1) and osteocalcin (OCN) was determined significantly higher in Tideglusib received groups compared with those of Control and AB groups (P < 0.05). Osteoclast numbers found to be higher in Gs+TDG and AB+TDG groups as well as RANKL expression dis not affected in Gs+TDG group but decreased in AB+TDG group comparing those of Control and AB groups. In addition, Tideglusib increased the Bcl-2 levels (P < 0.05) and decreased Bax levels (P > 0.05) in Tideglusib received groups compared with their controls. The administration of Tideglusib in calvarial bone defects increased bone mineral density, new bone area and total bone area by decreasing apoptosis and increasing osteoblastogenesis.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the contributions of autogenous tooth bone graft (ATBG) combined with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) on new bone formation and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 in rabbit calvarial defects. Twelve male New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Three circular bone defects were prepared in each rabbit with a drill. These defects were divided into 3 groups: control, treated with ATBG, and treated with ATBG+PRF. The animals were sacrificed at 28 days. Samples were evaluated by histomorphometric analyses and total augmented area, new bone area and bone density were calculated. In addition, expression of BMP-2 was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The total augmented area, new bone area and bone density were significantly greater in the ATBG group than in the control group (P <0.05). Also, these values were significantly higher in the ATBG+PRF group than the ATBG group (P <0.05). Test groups demonstrated significantly increased BMP-2 levels compared with the control group (P <0.05). The present study suggested that ATBG combined with PRF significantly increased the new bone formation and enhanced bone healing in cranial defects.

Introduction: To investigate the effectiveness of manual detorsion (MD) and applicability of extra-scrotal fixation for testicular torsion in a rabbit model., Material and Methods: Twelve New Zealand male rabbits were randomized into six groups of two rabbits each. A single-side testicular torsion (TT) model (different degrees, time and sides) was performed in all groups except the Sham group. The groups included: Group 1 (180°; 4 h), Group 2 (720°; 6 h), Group 3 (1080°; 9 h), Group 4 (540°; 1 h), Group 5 (900°; 2 h), and Group 6 (sham-only). Testes were examined by another urologist and radiologist with Color Doppler Ultrasonography (CDU). MD was performed with CDU until blood flow was observed in the affected testis. Extra-scrotal fixation was then conducted in these animals. The testes were then harvested for blinded histopathological examinations., Results: TT was detected in all animals except the control group. The CDU examination detected decreased blood flow only in Group 1. An opposite rate was observed between the spermatic cord diameter and torsion degree. A wrong direction of MD in the first step was observed in two rabbits in Groups 4 and 5. Torsion signs were observed only in Group 3. Rest torsion was observed in Groups 3 and 5 after extra-scrotal fixation. Histopathological examinations showed that testicular damage increased in parallel to torsion duration., Conclusions: Extra-scrotal fixation after MD along with CDU may be a simple and minimally invasive treatment option in TT therapy. However, this must be verified with further studies., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The present study determined the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to Wi-Fi (2.45 GHz)-induced electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on tooth and surrounding tissue development as well as the element levels in growing rats. Twenty-four rats and their offspring were equally divided into two separate groups identified as experiment and control. The experiment group was exposed to 2.45 GHz EMR for 2 h/day during the periods of pregnancy (21 days) and lactation (21 days). The offspring of these dams were also exposed to EMR up to decapitation. The control group was exposed to cage stress for 2 h per day using the same protocol established for the experimental group. On the 7th, 14th, and 21st days after birth, 8 male offspring rats from each of the two groups were decapitated, and the jaws were taken for histological and immunohistochemical examination. Caspase-3 (1/50 dilution) was used in the immunohistochemical examination for apoptotic activity. On the last day of the experiment, the rats' incisors were also collected. In samples that were histologically and immunohistochemically examined, there was an increase in apoptosis and caspase-3 in both the control and the Wi-Fi groups during the development of the teeth. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of development and apoptotic activity. Results from the elemental analysis showed that iron and strontium concentrations were increased in the Wi-Fi group, whereas boron, copper, and zinc concentrations were decreased. There were no statistically significant differences in calcium, cadmium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, or phosphorus values between the groups. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations between the experimental and control groups showed that exposure to 2.45 GHz EMR for 2 h per day does not interfere with the development of teeth and surrounding tissues. However, there were alterations in the elemental composition of the teeth, especially affecting such oxidative stress-related elements as copper, zinc, and iron, suggesting that short-term exposure to Wi-Fi-induced EMR may cause an imbalance in the oxidative stress condition in the teeth of growing rats.