SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the changes on the Purkinje cells in the cerebella of male rat pups born to pregnant dams that were exposed to an electromagnetic field in the prenatal period. METHODS: The first stage of the study involved 12 Sprague-Dawley rats, 6 male and 6 female, weighing between 180 and 250 g. The female rats in the experimental group were exposed to a 900-MHz electromagnetic field for 1 h at the same time every day, and no procedure was performed on the control group. Following pregnancy, six male pups from each group were divided into experimental and control groups without any procedure on the pups. After 2 months, they were sacrificed and their cerebella were removed. Histopathologically, following routine processing and fixation procedures, the cerebella were embedded in the tissue blocks. The sections taken from these blocks were stained with cresyl violet. The Purkinje cells in the cerebella were then counted on sections using the optical dissector method on an image analysis system. RESULTS: The estimation of number of the Purkinje cells in the groups revealed more cells in rats in the control group than in the experimental group. Histopathologically, Purkinje cells exhibited a normal morphological structure in the control group, while the cells in the experimental group showed damage. CONCLUSIONS: It might be asserted that the exposure of mothers to an electromagnetic field in the prenatal period may affect the development of Purkinje cells in the pup cerebella.

Objectives. In addition to protecting cells against free radical harm thanks to its anti-oxidant nature, lycopene strengthens the bonds among cells and improves cell metabolism. This study focuses on analyzing therapeutic effects of lycopene in hyperoxia-induced neurodegenerative disorders in newborn rats. Methods. Term newborn rats were divided into four groups as the normoxia control group (group-1), normoxia+lycopene group (group-2), hyperoxia control group (group-3) and hyperoxia+lycopene group (group-4). Group-1 and group-2 were monitored in room air while the group-3 and group-4 were monitored at > 85% O2. The group-2 and group-4 were injected with lycopene intrapertioneally (i.p. ) at 50mg/kg/day while the other groups were injected with corn oil i.p. at the same volume. The rats we sacrificed on the 11th day following the 10-day hyperoxia. The brains were removed and oxidant system parameters were assessed. Results. Injury resulting from hyperoxia was detected in the white matter, cortical regions, and thalamus of the brains. It was observed that the number of apoptotic cells increased and the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive cells decreased in the groups-3 and 4 compared to the group-1. No significant improvement in the number of apoptotic cells and PCNA positive cells was observed in the groups-3 and 4, and apoptosis increased as well. Conclusion. This study found that lycopene, did not show any therapeutic effects for brain damage treatment in newborn rats. In addition, this study demonstrated that lycopene might lead to toxic effects.

Objetivos: Al ser un antioxidante, el licopeno protege a las células contra el daño causado por los radicales libres, fortalece los enlaces intercelulares y mejora el metabolismo celular. Este estudio analiza los efectos del licopeno sobre los trastornos neurodegenerativos por hiperoxia en ratas recién nacidas a término. Métodos: Estas ratas se dividieron en cuatro grupos: grupo 1 de referencia con normoxia, grupo 2 con normoxia + licopeno, grupo 3 de referencia con hiperoxia y grupo 4 con hiperoxia + licopeno. Los grupos 1 y 2 se supervisaron en condiciones de aire ambiental, y los grupos 3 y 4 se supervisaron con un nivel de oxígeno > 85 % O2. Los grupos 2 y 4 recibieron inyecciones intraperitoneales de licopeno de 50 mg/kg/día; los otros grupos recibieron inyecciones intraperitoneales de aceite de maíz con el mismo volumen. Las ratas se sacrificaron en el día 11, después de 10 días con hiperoxia. Se extrajeron los cerebros, y se evaluaron los parámetros del sistema oxidativo. Resultados: Se detectaron lesiones cerebrales por hiperoxia en sustancia blanca, regiones corticales y tálamo. Aumentó la cantidad de células apoptóticas y disminuyó la cantidad de células PCNA positivas en los grupos 3 y 4, comparados con el grupo 1. No se observó una mejora significativa en la cantidad de células apoptóticas y células PCNA positivas en los grupos 3 y 4; además, aumentó la apoptosis. Conclusión: Se halló que el licopeno no mostró efectos terapéuticos para el daño cerebral en ratas recién nacidas. Además, se demostró que el licopeno podría causar efectos tóxicos.

OBJECTIVE: Successful revascularization of chronic total occlusions has been associated with improved left ventricular systolic function, reduced anginal symptoms, increased exercise capacity, and increased survival. This study was conducted to determine the impact of revascularization in chronic total occlusion on left ventricular function using novel echocardiographic techniques. METHODS: A total of 129 patients with chronic total occlusion who underwent revascularization between April 2011 and November 2012 were included in this study. Echocardiographic assessments with two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography and real-time three-dimensional echocardiography were performed before the procedure and one month after the procedure. The left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular volumes, and three-dimensional systolic dyssynchrony index were quantified. RESULTS: An immediate procedural success was obtained in 118 patients (91.5%). There were no acute or subacute stent thromboses during follow-up. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction significantly increased (p<0.001), while the left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes significantly decreased (p = 0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The three-dimensional systolic dyssynchrony index also decreased significantly (p<0.001). The global longitudinal strain showed a significant increase after successful revascularization (p<0.001). An increase in the global longitudinal strain was correlated with an increase in the left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.27, p = 0.02). The patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% displayed a greater improvement in the global longitudinal strain, and the patients with diabetes showed less improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Using novel echocardiographic techniques, our results showed that restoring the coronary blood flow in chronic total occlusion patients reduces the left ventricular volumes and improves the left ventricular ejection fraction and the global longitudinal strain of hibernating myocardium.

OBJECTIVE: Strain and strain rate imaging is currently the most popular echocardiographic technique that reveals subclinical myocardial damage. There are currently no available data on this imaging method with regard to assessing right ventricular involvement in anterior myocardial infarction. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate right ventricular regional functions using a derived strain and strain rate imaging tissue Doppler method in patients who were successfully treated for their first anterior myocardial infarction. METHODS: The patient group was composed of 44 patients who had experienced their first anterior myocardial infarction and had undergone successful percutaneous coronary intervention. Twenty patients were selected for the control group. The right ventricular myocardial samplings were performed in three regions: the basal, mid, and apical segments of the lateral wall. The individual myocardial velocity, strain, and strain rate values of each basal, mid, and apical segment were obtained. RESULTS: The right ventricular myocardial velocities of the patient group were significantly decreased with respect to all three velocities in the control group. The strain and strain rate values of the right mid and apical ventricular segments in the patient group were significantly lower than those of the control group (excluding the right ventricular basal strain and strain rate). In addition, changes in the right ventricular mean strain and strain rate values were significant. CONCLUSION: Right ventricular involvement following anterior myocardial infarction can be assessed using tissue Doppler based strain and strain rate

OBJECTIVES: Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction is associated with ventricular dysfunction due to ischemia-induced progressive myocardial damage. The decrease in ventricular compliance causes left atrial dilatation and stretching of the atrial myocardium, which are the main stimuli for the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide. The aim of this study was to evaluate left atrial dimensions and atrial natriuretic peptide levels in patients early after their first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and assess the probable interaction between coronary lesions and these measurements. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 50 controls were studied. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was measured at admission. Left ventricular function, diameter, and volume index were evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography. Gensini and vessel scores of the patients who underwent coronary angiography were calculated. RESULTS: Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in the patients with myocardial infarction was increased compared with that in controls (3.90±3.75 vs. 1.35±0.72 nmol/L, p<0.001). Although the left atrial diameter was comparable in patients and controls, the left atrial volume index was increased in patients with acute myocardial infarction (26.5±7.1 vs. 21.3±4.9 mL/m2, p<0.01). Multivariate regression analysis showed a strong independent correlation between the left atrial volume index and the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level (β = 0.23, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The left atrial volume index and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide level were correlated in patients with acute myocardial infarction.