Acute acetaminophene-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity; therapeutic effect of dexmedetomidine

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND

Acute acetaminophen (APAP) overdose has been shown to cause toxicity and the primary treatment medication is N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a sedative drug with known antioxidant properties. We researched whether DEX has an injury-reducing effect on toxicity.

METHODS

Rats were divided into: Group I (control), Group II (APAP) Group III (NAC) Group IV (DEX) and Group V (NAC+DEX). Histopathologic investigations of tissues were performed and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and beta trace protein (PGD2S) levels were studied in blood samples.

RESULTS

DEX administration for hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced with APAP, caused a significant reduction in oxidative injury markers like MDA and MPO, a significant increase in GSH-Px level and a significant degree of amelioration in liver histopathologic scores.

CONCLUSION

DEX administration for APAP toxicity causes a reduction in oxidative injury biomarkers, increased antioxidant biomarker levels and significant reduction in liver histopathologic scores. The beneficial effect of DEX use for detection of toxicity induced by acute APAP overdose, was shown in this study for the first time (Tab. 5, Fig. 2, Ref. 41).

Preoperative Vitamin D levels and respiratory complications of general anesthesia

Aims

This research aims to investigate whether there is a correlation between the respiratory complications occurring in patients under general anesthesia and preoperative Vitamin D levels.

Settings and Design

The study was a prospective observational study.

Materials and Methods

This study included 95 adult cases. The cases had total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels identified in blood samples before the operation. Patients given routine general anesthesia and were assessed in terms of respiratory complications during anesthesia induction, extubation, anesthesia recovery, and the first 24-h postoperative.

Statistical Analysis Used

The Shapiro-Wilk test, Student's-t-test, one-way ANOVA test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Chi-square tests were used.

Results

The mean 25OHD vitamin level identified in the preoperative period was 13.00 ± 6.57 ng/mL, with 25OHD vitamin levels found to be significantly low in female cases compared to male cases (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant negative relationship between age and 25OHD vitamin levels identified (P = 0.045). When assessed in terms of surgery types, there was no significant difference found in Vitamin D levels in terms of surgery type. When examined for complications in the induction, extubation period, and postoperative recovery period, there was a significant difference identified between 25OHD vitamin levels and these complications (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

This research observed that patients with low preoperative 25OHD vitamin levels encountered respiratory complications related to general anesthesia more often. Especially, in the early postoperative period, there is a very significant difference between complications and low 25OHD vitamin levels.

PERMANENT HOUSING PRODUCTION PROCESS AFTER 17 AUGUST 1999 MARMARA EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY / NUOLATINIO BŪSTO STATYBOS PROCESAS PO 1999 M. RUGPJŪČIO 17 D. ŽEMĖS DREBĖJIMO MARMURO REGIONE (TURKIJA)

In recent years, one of the biggest investments and projects that developed in Turkey is in permanent housing. The emergency case experienced after the 17 August 1999 Marmara Earthquake featured the permanent housing need; thus, within the meaning of Disaster Law, a large number of housings were to be built in designated residential areas in various provinces. Once a building has been designed, impediments that arise either cannot be fixed any longer or require an extra cost to be fixed. In order to create a high quality built environment, production process of constructions as a long lasting effect becomes important. This study examines how the production process of the permanent housings to be built in Turkey after 1999 Marmara Earthquake was managed considering the current legal framework. In this context, the aim is to state how permanent housings are produced and determination of the points seen as problems by the builders (contractors) and occupants through this process. The main concern is to determine the outcomes that could act as answer to problems that might arise in permanent housing production after a probable earthquake. The obtained information is thought to act as reference in the practices of meeting permanent housing need that will arise after disasters. Santrauka Nuolatinis būstas – tai viena sričių, į kurią Turkijoje pastaraisiais metais investuojama daugiausia, o projektai stambiausi. Po 1999 m. rugpjūčio 17 d. Marmuro regione įvykusiožemės drebėjimo susidariusi kritinė situacija buvo susijusi su nuolatinio būsto poreikiu. Tad tam skirtose įvairių provincijų gyvenamosiose zonose pagal stichinių nelaimių istatyme apibrėžtą prasmę reikėjo pastatyti daug būstų. Pastatą suprojektavus, atsiradusių defektų arba nebeįmanoma pataisyti, arba jiems taisyti reikia papildomų išlaidų. Norint suformuoti kokybišką užstatytą aplinką, dėl ilgalaikio poveikio svarbus tampa statybų procesas. Šiame tyrime nagrinėjama, kaip, atsižvelgiant į esamą teisinę bazę, buvo valdomas nuolatinių būstų, kuriuos Turkijoje reikėjo pastatyti po 1999 m. žemės drebėjimo Marmuro regione, statybos procesas. Siekiama nurodyti, kaip statomas nuolatinis būstas, ir nustatyti, kuriuos aspektus statytojai (rangovai) ir gyventojai šiame procese laiko problematiškais. Svarbiausia nustatyti pasekmes, kurios gali būti atsakas į problemas, galinčias kilti statant nuolatinius būstus po galimo žemės drebėjimo. Manoma, kad gauta informacija bus galima remtis siekiant patenkinti nuolatinio būsto poreikius, atsirasiančius po stichinės nelaimės.

Evaluation of protective effects of the alpha lipoic acid after spinal cord injury: an animal study

PURPOSE

Many of the hypotheses have been suggested to explain the mechanism of the secondary effects of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) as follows: ischaemia/reperfusion disability theory, free radicals theory, exitotoxicity theory, immunological destruction theory, apoptosis theory. Recently, free radicals,lipid peroxidation reactions and apoptosis theories have been much more accepted than others. In this study, possible protective effects of the alpha lipoic acid were evaluated in the traumatic spinal cord of rats.

METHODS

Using a well characterised weight drop technique, spinal cord contusions were formed to 48 Wistar albino rats at thoracal 8–10 level. After alpha lipoic acid and methylprednisolone were administered intraperitoneally, the spinal cord tissues were harvested for histopathological and biochemical studies.

RESULTS

Histopathological examination results showed that neither methylprednisolone nor alpha lipoic acid can play an act to decrease or block the neural tissue destruction and necrosis in hyperacute and subacute stage of the TSCI in rats. Biochemical study results showed that alpha lipoic acid was much more decreased the lipid peroxidation levels than methylprednisolone in subacute stage. However, none of the agents was changed the myeloperoxidation level in subacute stage.

INTERPRETATION

Alpha lipoic acid and methylprednisolone administrations did not alter the onset or degree of necrosis at the zone of the TSCI in rats. On the other hand, alpha lipoic acid is more effective than methylprednisolone treatment for the prevention of lipid peroxidation after spinal cord injury.

Investigation of variations in microbial diversity in anaerobic reactors treating landfill leachate

A young landfill leachate containing elevated total ammonia concentrations frequently as high as 2,700 mg/l was anaerobically treated for 1,015 days in two different laboratory-scale anaerobic reactors configured as sludge blanket and hybrid bed. In this paper, the last 265 days of this long-term anaerobic treatability study are presented. Effects of high ammonia concentrations on reactor performances were correlated to the variations in microbial diversity by identifying the dominant microorganisms with FISH (fluorescent in-situ hybridization), cloning, DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) and morphological analysis. The results have indicated that the high ammonia landfill leachate can be treated successfully by using either an UASB or a hybrid bed reactor if temporary pH adjustments in the reactor influents are made when high ammonia concentrations are experienced. Consequently, COD removal efficiency is independent of microbial diversity and reactor configuration and it depends on the biodegradable portion of the leachate. Under this circumstance, stability of the reactors with low levels of acetate was supported by the abundance of Methanosaeta population. In both of the reactors, some populations of Methanobacteriaceae were also detected while other methanogenic species were virtually absent. However, after the termination of pH adjustment at Day 860, reactors immediately became unstable due to the sudden increase in free ammonia concentration up to 400 mg/l. COD removal efficiency decreased to 42% in the hybrid bed and to 48% in the UASB reactor. The durations of inhibitions were not long enough to severely deteriorate the massive Methanosaeta cells; therefore, many of them were again identified after two free ammonia inhibitions. However, subsequently, long filamentous morphologies of Methanosaeta cells shifted to shorter filaments and they lost their aggregating property.