Apoptosis plays a major role in fatty liver disease. High-fat diets are related to the onset of fatty liver disease and hepatic oxidant-antioxidant imbalance. Curcumin and capsaicin are somewhat beneficial in reducing hepatic triglycerides; this is most likely because they are known to downregulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin and capsaicin on apoptosis through the oxidative effect in an animal model of fatty liver disease. Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a normal control diet, a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% of total calories from fat), a HFD+curcumin (1.5 g curcumin/kg HFD), a HFD+capsaicin (0.15 g capsaicin/kg HFD), or a HFD+curcumin+capsaicin (1.5 g curcumin and 0.15 g capsaicin/kg HFD). Liver lysate levels of BAX, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were determined via immunoblotting. Caspase-3 activity was measured with a colorimetric caspase-3 measurement kit. Total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were assayed using commercial kits. The generation of hepatic ROS was measured with fluorimetry. Fragmentation of DNA was detected using the TUNEL method. High-fat diet caused increased expression of BAX and caspase-3, as well as increased TOS and caspase-3 activity, but decreased expression of Bcl-2. HFD+curcumin+capsaicin caused decreased BAX, caspase-3, TOS, and ROS levels as compared to HFD, but increased TAS and Bcl-2. A HFD +curcumin+capsaicin also decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells. These results suggest that supplementation with curcumin and capsaicin balances the hepatic oxidant-antioxidant status and may have a protective role in the apoptotic process in an HFD-induced fatty liver model.

Objective: Cardiovascular complications are still the primary reason for high mortality rates worldwide. The determination of risk factors is important to prevent stroke. The aim of the present study was to analyze the importance of serum lipid indexes and urinary sodium (Na)/potassium (K) excretion in patients with stroke together with sex differences. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 (28 male and 22 female, mean age 65.9±14.6 years) patients with acute stroke were included in the study group, and 32 body mass index-matched healthy subjects were included in the control group. Lipid profiles [(cholesterol, triglyceride, very low-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)], serum creatinine (Cre), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and Na, K, and Cre excretion in spot urine samples of the patients were recorded. Results: Systolic blood pressure (p=0.021), ESR (p=0.044), and CRP (p=0.042) were significantly higher in all patients in the stroke group; urinary Tanaka (K) (p=0.033), Kawazaki (K) (p=0.028), urinary spot Cre (p=0.012), and Na excretion (p=0.036) levels were found to be significantly lower in only male patients with stroke. The mean plasma atherogenic indexes were 0.57±0.24 in the study (stroke) group and 0.54±0.22 in the control group (p=0.61). Other lipid indexes, such as Castelli’s risk index (CRI)-I (p=0.29), CRI-II (p=0.24), atherogenic coefficient (p=0.29), and non-HDL cholesterol (p=0.69), were not statistically different from the controls. Conclusion: Urinary Na, K, and Cre excretion was significantly lower in male patients with stroke, and acute phase reactants were significantly higher in the entire stroke group than in controls. These parameters can be used as auxiliary biomarkers in the risk assessment of stroke. Cite this article as: Koca TT, Tugan CB, Seyithanoglu M, Kocyigit BF. The Clinical Importance of the Plasma Atherogenic Index, Other Lipid Indexes, and Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion in Patients with Stroke. Eurasian J Med 2019; 51(2): 171-5.

Joint Diseases and Related Surgery (JDRS), the official journal of the Turkish Joint Diseases Foundation, is an international, peer-reviewed, immediate open access journal. All published articles in JDRS has been free for everyone, without embargo, since 1990.

Introduction: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a common disorder and associated with significant morbidity of the hip joint. Several risk factors have been identified for DDH. The aim of this study is to investigate whether vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) levels differ in children with DDH and whether they have an effect on DDH development. Materials and methods: A total of 40 (17 males, 23 females; 9 right hips, 16 left hips, 15 bilateral hips) children who were treated for developmental dysplasia and 40 (23 males, 17 females) healthy children without any musculoskeletal system and metabolic disorders were included in this study between January and June 2019. Blood samples from the DDH and control groups of children were collected to measure the serum levels of vitamin D, VDR, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The levels of Ca, P, and ALP were analyzed using the automated standard spectrophotometric laboratory method. The levels of vitamin D and VDR in the samples were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunoassay. Results: There were no significant differences in the serum levels of Ca, P, ALP, and vitamin D between the DDH and healthy groups (Ca 9.96 ± 0.47 vs. 9.92 ± 0.48 mg/dL, respectively, p = 0.721; P 5.3 ± 0.94 vs. 4.82 ± 0.88 mg/dL, respectively, p = 0.23; ALP 252.22 ± 170.15 vs. 245.3 ± 130.93 U/L, respectively, p = 0.839). However, serum VDR levels were significantly lower in children in the DDH group (5.77 ± 3.51 ng/mL) than in the healthy control group (9.25 ± 6.43 ng/mL) (p = 0.004). Conclusions: In conclusion, we believe that low VDR levels can affect DDH regardless of the serum levels of Ca, P, ALP, and vitamin D. More comprehensive studies involving parents are needed to understand whether VDR levels mediate genetic transmission in DDH or not.