Eighth Day Research Articles

Phenology and Potential Fecundity of Neoleucopis kartliana in Greece.

Simple SummaryThe silver fly Neoleucopis kartliana Tanasijtshuk (Diptera, Chamaemyiidae) is the most abundant predator of the giant pine scale (GPS), Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera, Margarodidae), and is considered a major factor in controlling GPS populations in Greece and Turkey. GPS has recently been detected in Australia. While generally not harmful to trees in its area of origin, GPS has a detrimental impact on pine trees in Australia and, therefore, needs to be controlled. As part of an evaluation of the silver fly for importation to Australia where it may be used as a biological control agent against GPS, we studied several aspects of the fly’s life history, namely its seasonal occurrence and number of generations per year (phenology), its acceptance of artificial food sources as adult flies, and the number of eggs females produce over their lifetime. We found that the fly has three generations per year and feeds on all life stages of GPS (eggs, nymphs, and adults). Adults readily feed on a mixture of sugar and dry yeast, and females emerge with no or few eggs and develop more as they age.Neoleucopis kartliana Tanasijtshuk (Diptera, Chamaemyiidae) is the most abundant predator of the giant pine scale (GPS), Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera, Margarodidae) in Greece. GPS is native to Greece and Turkey, where it is not considered a pest of Pinus spp., but a valuable resource for pine honey production. However, its introduction to new areas leads to high population densities of the scale, linked to declines in tree health and insect biodiversity. To assess the potential use of N. kartliana for a classical biological control program in Australia, we studied selected life-history traits of the silver fly, namely its phenology in northern Greece, feeding preferences of adult flies on artificial food sources, and potential fecundity of female flies. The silver fly was present in every site in northern Greece studied and was found to have at least three generations per year in this area. The fly’s overall sex ratio was 1:1, and adult females emerged with no or few mature eggs in their ovaries, but egg production was exponential until at least the eighth day after emergence. These findings increase our knowledge about the biology of N. kartliana and aided in the evaluation of the silver fly as a classical biological control agent against invasive GPS in Australia.

Incidence of and factors associated with hyponatremia in traumatic cervical spinal cord injury patients.

Retrospective study. To investigate the incidence of and factors associated with hyponatremia among traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. This retrospective study included traumatic cervical SCI patients that were admitted to the Siriraj Spinal Unit during January 2002 to May 2013. Patient demographic and clinical data were collected. One hundred and twenty-three patients (98 males, 25 females) were enrolled. The mean age of patients was 47.2 ± 16.9 years (range: 11-84). There were 38 complete and 85 incomplete cord injuries. Seventy-six patients were treated surgically, and all others received conservative treatment. Hyponatremia developed in 54 patients (43.9%), and 74.1% of all cases of hyponatremia presented within 9 days after SCI. Hyponatremia occurred on the first day in 10 patients (18.5%), on the fifth day in 6 patients (11.1%), and on the eighth day in 5 patients (9.26%). Hyponatremia occurred in 6/10 patients (60.0%) with upper cervical spine injury (C1-2), and in 48/113 patients (42.5%) with lower cervical spine injury (C3-7) (odds ratio [OR]: 2.031, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.543-7.596; p = 0.292). The incidence of hyponatremia was 65.8% in complete SCI patients, and 34.1% in incomplete SCI patients. Logistic regression analysis revealed complete SCI to be the only factor significantly associated with hyponatremia (OR: 3.714, 95% CI: 1.658-8.317; p < 0.001). Hyponatremia was found to be common in post-traumatic cervical SCI patients. Complete SCI was identified as the only factor significantly associated with hyponatremia in traumatic cervical SCI patients.

Hepatoprotective effect of Physalis divaricata in paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity: In vitro, in silico and in vivo analysis

Ethnopharmacological relevancePhysalis divaricata D. Don. is an erect weed of family Solanaceae. The root extract of this plant is used by the indigenous communities of Sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India for the treatment of liver disorders. Aim of the studyTo evaluate hepatoprotective potential of P. divaricata in paracetamol (PCM) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Materials and methodsThe dried roots of P. divaricata were subjected to extraction using different solvents. The chloroform extract, methanol extract and bioactive aqueous fraction of methanol extract were evaluated for hepatoprotective effect. After initial in vitro screening, all extracts were screened for hepatoprotective potential in PCM (3 g/kg p.o) induced hepatotoxicity. Following PCM administration, extracts were administered orally for 7 days in increasing dose concentrations. All the animals were euthanized on eighth day, serum and liver tissues were collected and subjected to various biochemical and histopathological analysis. Aqueous fraction of methanol extract was further analyzed using LC- MS analysis. ResultsMethanol extract and its bioactive aqueous fraction exhibited significant and better in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activity as compared to chloroform extract. PCM treatment caused hepatotoxicity as assessed by altered levels of various hepatic biomarkers (increase in the levels of ALT, AST, ALP, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, TBARS, and AOPPs as well as decrease in GSH and TrxR levels) along with histopathological changes (portal to portal bridging, necrosis, and inflammation). Methanolic extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) and its aqueous fraction treatment (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly restored elevated hepatic biomarkers, oxidative stress, and protected normal hepato-architecture. LC-MS analysis of aqueous fraction showed presence of rutin and kaempferol. In silico analysis further showed the capability of rutin to make complex with TNF-α and block its interaction with the target site. ConclusionAqueous fraction showed maximum hepatoprotective potential as conceived through in vitro and in vivo studies. Presence of rutin may explain hepatoprotective potential of P. divaricata.

Effect of Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) and Acacia (Acacia seyal) Gums on the Pasting, Thermal, Textural, and Rheological Properties of Corn, Sweet Potato, and Turkish Bean Starches.

This study was planned to explore the locally available natural sources of gum hydrocolloids as a natural modifier of different starch properties. Corn (CS), sweet potato (SPS), and Turkish bean (TBS) starches were mixed with locally extracted native or acetylated cactus (CG) and acacia (AG) gums at 2 and 5% replacement levels. The binary mixtures (starch–gums) were prepared in water, freeze dried, ground to powder, and stored airtight. A rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), texture analyzer, and dynamic rheometer were used to explore their pasting, thermal, textural, and rheological properties. The presence of acetylated AG or CG increased the final viscosity (FV) in all three starches when compared to starch pastes containing native gums. Plain SPS dispersion had a higher pasting temperature (PT) than CS and TBS. The addition of AG or CG increased the PT of CS, SPS, and TBS. The thermograms revealed the overall enthalpy change of the starch and gum blends: TBS > SPS > CS. The peak temperature (Tp) of starches increased with increasing gum concentration from 2 to 5% for both AG and CG native and modified gums. When compared to the control gels, the addition of 2% CG, either native or modified, reduced the syneresis of starch gels. However, further addition (5% CG) increased the gels’ syneresis. Furthermore, the syneresis for the first cycle on the fourth day was higher than the second cycle on the eighth day for all starches. The addition of native and acetylated CG reduced the hardness of starch gels at all concentrations tested. All of the starch dispersions had higher G′ than G″ values, indicating that they were more elastic and less viscous with or without the gums. The apparent viscosity of all starch gels decreased as shear was increased, with profiles indicating time-dependent thixotropic behavior. All of the starch gels, with or without gums, showed a non-Newtonian shear thinning trend in the shear stress vs. shear rate graphs. The addition of acetylated CG gum to CS resulted in a higher activation energy (Ea) than the native counterparts and the control. More specifically, starch gels with a higher gum concentration (5%) provided greater Ea than their native counterparts.

Inhibition of Zoonotic Pathogens Naturally Found in Pig Manure by Black Soldier Fly Larvae and Their Intestine Bacteria.

Simple SummaryWith the rapid development of the economy and the improvement of people’s living standards, people need to rear a lot of livestock to meet demand for proteins. This also involves an increase in the production of livestock manure. The expanding rate of livestock manure has become a thorny issue, owing to characteristics such as plentiful nitrogen and abundant zoonotic pathogens. The saprophagous larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF) are often associated with animal manure and can significantly reduce the populations of different zoonotic pathogens in livestock manure. However, reports about the mechanisms of this phenomenon are scarce. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms of BSF larvae in reducing the zoonotic pathogens naturally found in pig manure. The results clearly showed that zoonotic pathogens in pig manure were significantly decreased after being treated with BSF larvae, and also suggested that the antimicrobial peptides produced by the BSF larvae and gut-associated bacteria are able to antagonize the zoonotic pathogens. This study will contribute to reveal the potential antagonistic mechanisms of BSF larvae against zoonotic pathogens and improve the safety of organic waste conversion by BSF larvae.Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are often exposed to organic waste which harbors abundant zoonotic pathogens. We investigated the ability of BSF larvae to inhibit the zoonotic pathogens naturally found in pig manure. The zoonotic pathogens populations were detected by using selective medium during the conversion. Results showed that the viability of the zoonotic pathogens in pig manure was significantly affected. After eight days of conversion, the Coliform populations were undetected, and Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. decreased significantly on the eighth day. Antimicrobial assays of the purified recombinant defensin-like peptide 4 (DLP4) showed that this peptide exhibits inhibitory activity against S. aureus, Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, and Escherichia coli in vitro. Bacteria BSF-CL and BSF-F were isolated from the larvae gut, and both inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. coli, but Salmonella spp. was sensitive to the BSF-CL strain (but not to the BSF-F strain). The results from our experiments indicate that BSF larvae are capable of functionally inhibiting potential zoonotic pathogens in pig manure through a variety of mechanisms including antimicrobial peptides expression and the gut associate microorganisms. This study provides a theoretical basis for further study on the combined mechanism of BSF larvae immunity and its gut microbes against the zoonotic pathogens in pig manure.

The influence of clove leave extract (Syzygium aromaticum) on growth performance and bacterial population of broiler chickens raised in stressful conditions of high stocking density

Broilers maintenance at high stocking density impacts uncomfortable conditions; this increases the potential for stress, reduces feed consumption, and reduces production performance and health in broiler chickens. This study aims to evaluate the effect of clove leaf extract on growth performance and microbial population in the digestive tract of broiler chickens reared at high density. From the eighth day, five treatment groups, T0 (negative control with a typical density of 10 birds/m2), T1 (positive control with a high density of 16 birds/m2), T2, T3, and T4 with a high density of 16 birds/m2, were randomly assigned from 444 broilers (bodyweight of 129.78±0.75 g) with six repetitions each on the eighth day. The feed includes clove leave extract as much as 0.5, 0.75, and 1 ml/kg for T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were tracked weekly. One chicken from each replicate was taken randomly, slaughtered, and feathered on day 35. The digesta was taken from the ileum and cecum to measure the intestinal bacterial population and put into a sterile container. Digesta from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and cecum were also collected to determine pH levels. MRS agar was used to determine the amount of LAB in the digesta. The findings revealed that giving clove leaf extract of feed to broiler chickens kept at high stocking density could higher body weight gain (P < 0.05), higher feed consumption (P < 0.05), decreased the pH of the ileum and cecum (P < 0.05), increased lactic acid bacteria and decreased coliform bacteria in the ileum and cecum (P < 0.05).

Teaching Molecular Biology with the Historical Accounts in The Eighth Day of Creation

The Eighth Day of Creation is a narrative history of molecular biology by science journalist Horace Freeland Judson. It uses first-person interviews to tell the story of how scientists in the mid-20th century discovered the basic rules of life that we now call the Central Dogma. The book presents both an in-depth analysis of the foundational research and a look into the lives of the scientists involved. We used this book as the primary text for an advanced undergraduate seminar course at the University of Washington in winter 2020, a class designed to help students critically think about approaches to science, the role of social factors in scientific progress, and the conceptual development of paradigm shifts. In this piece we reflect on our approach designing the course and our experience teaching it and share our syllabus (annotated with some reflections on the course) as inspiration for others

Transient Type 3 Renal Tubular Acidosis during Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

Type 3 renal tubular acidosis is a pathological condition characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of distal renal tubular acidosis, which causes urinary acidification disorders, and proximal renal tubular acidosis, which causes impaired reabsorption of bicarbonate ions. Type 3 renal tubular acidosis is considered rare. A 5-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital because of frequent vomiting, poor vitality, and fever. He was diagnosed with cyclic vomiting syndrome. Type 3 renal tubular acidosis was also diagnosed because of severe mixed metabolic acidosis with impaired urinary acidification, a low tubular phosphorus reabsorption rate with hypophosphatemia, low-molecular-weight proteinuria, pan-aminoaciduria, and glucosuria. Fluid infusion was performed. On the second day of hospitalization, the vomiting disappeared and the patient was able to eat and drink. He was discharged on the eighth day of hospitalization. The laboratory test abnormalities associated with the renal tubular acidosis gradually improved, and testing at discharge on the eighth day of admission showed no metabolic acidosis, hypophosphatemia, low-molecular-weight proteinuria, or glucosuria. These findings suggested that the type 3 renal tubular acidosis was transient. Severe metabolic acidosis was observed in this patient because of both normal anion gap metabolic acidosis due to type 3 renal tubular acidosis and anion gap metabolic acidosis due to cyclic vomiting syndrome. Although type 3 tubular acidosis is rare, the resultant metabolic acidosis worsens when combined with a disease that causes metabolic acidosis. Type 3 tubular acidosis should be ruled out when severe metabolic acidosis is present.

Embryonic Development of the Ramshorn Snail Helisoma duryi (Wetherby 1879) (Gastropoda, Planorbidae) from Gharbia Province, Egypt

Embryonic development of the freshwater planorbid snail, Helisoma duryi, reared under laboratory controlled conditions was described in detail. The morphological characters and the time course of embryonic stages are presented. H. duryi generally lay egg masses at night or in the early morning hours. The egg type of H. duryi is isolecithal, and the cleavage is spiral holoblastic. After early cleavages followed by the appearance of the blastula, gastrula, and larval (trochophore, veliger, veliconch) stages, the fully developed young snail start hatched on the eighth day. Many unique developmental features in studied snail were observed and discussed.

FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME AFTER OPEN REDUCTION AND INTERNAL FIXATION (ORIF) OF INTRA-ARTICULAR CALCANEAL FRACTURES – TWO CASE REPORTS

Unique and simple parameters have not yet been established according to which we can evaluate the surgical reduction and assume the functional outcomes in calcaneal fractures. The classic radiological Bohler’s angle is considered a sensitive parameter for assessing the quality of the reduction but not so adequate in the functional outcome assessment. In this paper we report two cases of Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) of calcaneal fractures using already established methodology. Patients were treated according to the standard procedure using lateral approach, open reduction and osteosynthesis with anatomic locking plate. Postoperative Bohler’s angle was measured on postoperative radiographs compared to contralateral healthy leg. Functional outcomes were assessed one year after injury using the American Orthopaedics Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale. &nbsp; Case report 1: A 39-year-old man, injured in a traffic accident as a car driver sustained right calcaneal fracture and a fracture of the facial bones suitable for conservative treatment. The preoperative Bohler’s angle was 15˚. Surgery was done on the eleventh day post-injury. Postoperatively Bohler’s angle was 37˚ compared to the uninjured leg where it was 32˚. The functional outcome one year after the injury was 89 points according to AOFAS scale.&nbsp;Case report 2: A 51-year-old woman injured by fall from a height of 1.5 meters sustained an isolated left calcaneal fracture. On the initial radiographs Bohler’s angle was 13˚. Surgery was done on the eighth day post-injury. Bohler’s angle measured on postoperative radiographs was 29˚ compared to the uninjured calcaneus - 31˚. Superficial wound infection occurred postoperatively, which was managed with local treatment. Functional outcome using AOFAS scale was 91 points. A good reduction was achieved in both presented cases which correlated to good functional outcome at one year after injury. In determining the true value of this radiological parameter as a predictor of functional outcome we suggest studies on large patient samples with extensive analysis of multiple factors that may influence. Keywords: calcaneus, Bohler’s angle, fracture, outcome.

David Lummus, ed., The Decameron Sixth Day in Perspective. Volume Six of the Lectura Boccaccii. Toronto: Toronto University Press, 2021, 289 pp.

Abstract: The combination of innovation and originality that is required to edit a book on Boccaccio’s Decameron, which claims dozens of publications each year, may prove difficult. Yet, The Decameron Sixth Day in Perspective. Volume Six of the Lectura Boccaccii, edited by David Lummus, succeeds in offering new perspectives on one of the most fascinating days of Boccaccio’s collection. This volume, which presents ten essays by renowned Boccaccio scholars from a variety of backgrounds, is part of a long-term project by the University of Toronto Press that includes a 2004 edition of the first day, a 2014 book of the third day, and two 2020 volumes of the fourth and eighth days.

Cholecystoduodenal fistula and gallstone ileus - diagnosis and surgical treatment

Introduction. Gallstone ileus is a complete or partial mechanical bowel obstruction due to gallstone impaction in the bowel lumen and most commonly occurs after stones migrate through the cholecystoenteric fistula. Case outline. We present a patient with signs of gallstone ileus after stone migration through the cholecystoduodenal fistula into the duodenum with hematemesis as the first symptom. Conservative treatment had been started, to which the patient initially responded well. On the eighth day from the onset of the disease, the condition worsened. Signs of the Rigler triad were identified on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen. Enterolithotomy was successfully performed by the open surgical method. Postoperative recovery was orderly, without any biliary problems. Conclusion. Physical examination, upper endoscopy, and radiological diagnostic procedures are complementary and necessary in monitoring the dynamics of stone movement and deciding on when to perform surgery.

Return to Play for Exertional Rhabdomyolysis in Korea National Rugby Player

This case report describes the process of returning to play as a case of exertional rhabdomyolysis caused by excessive training by a national rugby player. The authors reported the serum analysis, urinalysis, visual analog scale for pain, and lower-extremity functional scale. The aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, and myoglobin levels in the serum analysis decreased normally during the eighth day, and creatine phosphokinase levels decreased to normal levels by the 15th day. The maximal scale of visual analog scale for pain was 10 from the third day to the fifth day, and gradually decreased from the sixth day (scale = 6.6) to the 13th day (scale = 0.9). The lower-extremity functional scale scores after the diagnosis of exertional rhabdomyolysis were 0 at the third day, 47 at the 10th day, and 80 at the 24th day. A moderate increase in water intake could help the player recover faster. To restore overall body condition for rugby performance, specific athletic therapy and training should be provided at a predetermined specific time.

Effects of teriparatide on bone formation in rats with experimentally induced premaxillary expansion.

ABSTRACTObjective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of systemic teriparatide on sutural bone formation after premaxillary suture expansion in rats.Material and Methods: Twenty Wistar male rats (8-10 weeks old) were randomly divided into two groups, namely, control (C, n=10) and teriparatide (T, n=10). An expansion force was applied to the maxillary incisors using helical spring for a seven-day expansion period, for both groups. On the eighth day, the rats were kept for a seven-day consolidation period, and then 60 µg/kg teriparatide (once a day) was administered to group T subcutaneously for seven days. Then, all the rats were sacrificed, and histological sections were stained with hemotoxylin-eosin for examination. Anti-osteonectin, anti-osteocalcin, anti-Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and anti-transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis in the midpalatal suture area. Results: Histologically, the newly formed bone tissue was observed to be larger in group T than in group C. The number of immunoreactive osteoblasts for osteonectin, osteocalcin and VEGF antibodies was significantly higher in group T than in group C (p = 0.0001). The TGF-β antibody showed a mild reaction in group T, but did not reach significance in comparison with group C (p ˃ 0.05).Conclusion: Systemic teriparatide application following the premaxillary expansion of the suture area may stimulate bone formation and add to the consolidation of the expansion in rats by regulating osteonectin, osteocalcin and VEGF.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum with pneumothorax, pneumorrhachis and pneumoperitoneum in a child: A case report

Introduction. Pneumomediastinum is defined as the presence of free air in the mediastinum. Primary, idiopathic, spontaneous pneumomediastinum is very rare and it affects healthy children with no identifiable cause. Secondary pneumomediastinum may be caused by underlying respiratory disorders, iatrogenic causes or trauma. The most common clinical sign of pneumomediastinum is subcutaneous emphysema, and the most common symptoms are acute chest pain and dyspnea. The diagnosis is confirmed by a chest X-ray or chest computed tomography. Pneumomediastinum is rarely associated with pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, and pneumorrhachis. Case Report. In this report, we present a case of a spontaneous pneumomediastinum in a child aged 2 years and 6 months. A child was admitted to our hospital due to massive subcutaneous emphysema. On admission, the patient was without a history of chest trauma or any chronic respiratory tract diseases. He had a mild upper respiratory tract infection 6 days before admission. The diagnosis of pneumomediastinum was confirmed by chest X-ray and computed tomography. After conservative treatment, on the eighth day of hospitalization, there was a complete regression of the pneumomediastinum with normalization of the clinical and radiological findings. Conclusion. Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is the most common benign condition that spontaneously regresses after conservative treatment. Life-threatening complications require surgical decompression. The use of antibiotic therapy in the prophylaxis of mediastinitis has not been proven to be useful. Opinions on the routine use of chest computed tomography in patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum are still not uniform.

ТЕРАТОМА ПОДЖЕЛУДОЧНОЙ ЖЕЛЕЗЫ

Pancreatic teratoma is an infrequent entity. Only a few cases have been reported in the world literature. The primary treatment for mature teratoma is radical surgery. The article presents a case of pancreatic teratoma in a 3-year-old patient. Teratoma was diagnosed preoperatively with an intravenous contrast-enhanced CT scan, which revealed that the common hepatic and splenic arteries enter the tumour walls. Intraoperative revision confirmed the CT data, and corporocaudal pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection (modified Appleby procedure) was performed to achieve R0 resection. In this case, the blood supply to the liver and stomach was derived from the superior mesenteric artery via the pancreaticoduodenal arcades and then through the gastroduodenal artery. The postoperative period was uneventful. The patient was discharged on the eighth day in satisfactory condition. Keywords: Teratoma, mature teratoma, pancreas, corporocaudal resection, celiac trunk.

New Books across the Disciplines

New Books across the Disciplines

Evaluation of Cardiovascular Experiment Animal

Abstract: In vivo models of myocardial infarction induced by coronary artery ligation in rats usually suffer from high early mortality and a low rate of induction. This study investigated the time course initiation of chronic myocardial infarction in albino rats and the possibility of reducing early mortality rate due to myocardial infarction by modification of the surgical technique. CAL was carried out by passing the suture through the pericardial layer around the midway of the left anterior descending coronary artery including a small area of the myocardium to avoid mechanical damage to the heart geometry. In addition, the role of endothelin-1 in rat heart with congestive heart failure was critically assessed. Time course initiation experiments were designed by sacrificing the animals at different time intervals and by carrying out physiological, biochemical, histopathological, electron microscopical and immunohistochemical studies. Specific markers of myocardial injury, viz. cardiac troponin-T, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase and fibrinogen were measured at different time points. Serum marker enzymes and activities of lysosomal hydrolases were found to be elevated on the eighth day post-ligation. Histopathological studies demonstrated focal areas showing fibrovascular tissue containing fibroblasts, collagenous ground substance and numerous small capillaries replacing cardiac muscle fibers. Transmission electron micrographs exhibited mitochondrial changes of well-developed irreversible cardiac injury, viz. swelling, disorganization of cristae, appearance of mitochondrial amorphous matrix densities, and significant distortion of muscle fibers and distinct disruption of the intercalated discs. Immune blotting studies confirmed the presence of alpha 2-macroglobulin which supported the inflammatory response. The severity of the CMI was inferred by the measurement of the level of ET-1 in plasma and left ventricle which was significantly higher in the CMI rats than in the sham-operated rats. Immunohistochemical studies at different time intervals showed that there was a significant immunoexpression of ET-1 on the eighth day post-ligation. This study conclusively showed that ligation of left anterior descending artery minimised mortality and ET-1 was expressed during CMI.

PLANT-BASED MILK ALTERNATIVE: NUTRITIONAL PROFILING, PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND SENSORIAL ASSESSMENT

The aim of this work was the characterization of four plant-based milks: oat, almond, hemp, and quinoa’s milk. The nutritional composition of each milk, as well as its physico-chemical characteristics, microbiologic stability, and antioxidant potential, were determined in order to investigate the effect of the first ingredient on the overall quality of the plant-based milk. Finally, a hedonic sensory analysis was conducted in order to determine the acceptability of these products. In terms of nutritional value, obtained results highlighted that oat’s milk has the highest carbohydrate, protein and fiber contents (23g/100ml, 5g/100ml and 3g/100ml, respectively). However, hemp’s milk has the highest fat and calcium content (7g/100ml and 37.5 mg/ 100 ml, respectively). The pH of tested plant-based milk, were all similar and close to neutrality. The WI values found were 21.46 for almond’s milk, 9.48 for oat’s milk, 34.97 for hemp’s milk, and 0.1 for quinoa’s milk. The antioxidant capacity assessment demonstrated that tested plant-based milk have an interesting potential. Measured inhibition capacities ranged from 78.34 % (quinoa’s milk) to 63.14 % (oat’s milk), and their total polyphenol content ranged from 0.310 mg EAG/g DM (oat’s milk) to 0.836 mg EAG/g DM (quinoa’s milk). The microbial stability results showed that quinoa’s milk had the best bacterial stability, with a maximum denomination of 56 *104 UFC/ml for the first 8 days of storage, while almond and oat’s milks had better fungal stability and were free of contaminants up to the eighth day of storage. During the hedonic sensory analysis, the almond’s milk was the most appreciated by the panelist. Gathered results suggest that plant-based milks are high in nutrients and phenolic compounds, and they deserve to be considered as “healthy aliment”.

How Safe Is the Use of Intrathecal Vancomycin?

Central nervous system infection after neurosurgical procedures is a severe complication with high morbidity rates and sometimes mortality. Our experimental study aimed to investigate the biochemical and histopathologic effects of vancomycin on neural tissues when applied to the cisterna magna. Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: Control (Group 1) and different vancomycin dose groups (Groups 2, 3, and 4). In Group 1, 0.1 mL cerebrospinal fluid was drained from the cisterna magna and 0.1 mL 0.9% NaCI (normal saline) was administered into the subarachnoid space. In the study groups, 0.1 mL cerebrospinal fluid was drained from the cisterna magna and 0.1 mg/200g rat per day (Group 2), 0.2 mg/200g rat per day (Group 3), and 0.4 mg/200g rat per day (Group 4) vancomycin were administered into the subarachnoid space for 7 days. All rats were sacrificed on the eighth day. Serum superoxide dismutase and catalase levels were measured. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical analyses were conducted. The findings showed that the administration of 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg doses had significant differences in superoxide dismutase and catalase activity compared with the controls (P < 0.05). These vancomycin doses also induced the apoptotic process, and the enzyme activity results correlated with immunohistochemical results. Dose-related neurotoxicity of intrathecal vancomycin was shown at the cellular level. The importance of dose regulation of intrathecal vancomycin has come into view. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature that has investigated the neurotoxic effects of vancomycin.