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Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate lumbar intervertebral disc heights and concavity index of the lumbar spine, and the influence of age, gender, weight, height and body mass index (BMI) on these parameters. Methods:The study was conducted on 150 health young subjects (age 18 to 27) without any disorder which affects the lumbar spine and the discs. Subjects underwent standard standing lateral lumbar radiography. Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's correlation test were used for statistical analysis.Results: Of the 150 subjects (age range, 18-27 years), 80 (53.3%) were women and 70 (46.7%) were men. Men presented higher lumbar disc values than women. In both genders, disc height increased from T12-L1 to L4-L5, and then decreased at L5-S1. The heights of all lumbar discs increased with age, weight, height and BMI in both genders. Women demonstrated a higher concavity index at L2, L3 and L4 vertebrae compared to men, whereas men showed a higher concavity index value at L5 vertebra. The concavity index of T12, L1, L2, L3 and L4 vertebrae decreased with age. Conclusion:Our results will serve as guidelines and references for further studies, radiologists and spinal surgeons.

Although Iselin's disease, apophysitis of the fifth metatarsal base, is not infrequent in clinical practice, it is accepted as a rare cause of lateral foot pain in young adolescents. Usually a simple clinical examination and radiographs are sufficient for diagnosis. We present a patient with Iselin's disease and discuss its clinical and radiographic characteristics, differential diagnosis, aetiopathogenesis and treatment.

The role of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in the prediction of length and cost of hospital stay in patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers: A retrospective comparative study

BACKGROUND: Acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of skeletal muscle, an important mortality and morbidity cause, is associated with oxidative stress. Lycopene is a carotenoid pigment with potent antioxidant activity and is found in vegetables and fruits. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of lycopene against I/R injury in rat hind limb muscle model. METHODS:Thirty-two Wistar-albino rats were randomly allocated to control, lycopene, I/R and I/R+lycopene groups. In lycopene and I/R+lycopene groups, the rats received 10 mg/kg/day lycopene orally for 15 days before the experiment. Dissection around abdominal aorta at the infrarenal level was performed in all rats under general anesthesia. The aorta was clamped at the infrarenal level in the I/R and I/R+lycopene groups for two hours. Then, reperfusion was allowed for two hours in these groups. Samples were obtained from the hind limb muscles of rats after sacrifice for biochemical and histopathological analyses. RESULTS:Serum and tissue malondialdehyde and ischemia-modified albumin levels were significantly lower in the I/R+lycopene group compared to I/R group (p<0.001). Serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were significantly lower in the I/R group compared to those in control and I/R+lycopene groups (p<0.05). Tissue GSH-Px levels were significantly lower in the I/R group compared to the Lycopene group (p=0.003). Serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were significantly lower in the I/R group compared to three groups (p<0.001). Tissue SOD levels were significantly lower in the I/R group compared to those in control and Lycopene groups (p=0.005). Histopathological assessments revealed that inflammatory changes following I/R injury were significantly reduced in the I/ R+lycopene group. CONCLUSION:The findings obtained in this study show lycopene's cytoprotective activity against I/R injury in rat skeletal muscle model.