Secondary bacterial infection rates among patients with COVID-19

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the factors and rates of secondary bacterial infections developed in patients after the diagnosis of COVID-19 and antimicrobial susceptibility to guide the empirical treatment and contribute to epidemiological data. Materials and Methods In our study, 1,055 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, hospitalized at Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Training and Research Hospital, Rize, between the dates March 24, 2020 and December 31, 2020, were recruited. The diagnoses of all patients were confirmed by positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. In addition, the blood and respiratory tract cultures of the patients recruited in the study were analyzed retrospectively. Results Ninety-two (8.7%) patients were found to have microbiologically proven respiratory or circulatory tract infections via microbial culture results. Respiratory tract infections were detected as monomicrobial in 44 patients and as polymicrobial in 17 patients, among a total of 61 patients. In addition, 59 (64.1%) patients were male patients, and 33 (35.9%) were female patients. Among the microorganisms grown in blood cultures, coagulase-negative staphylococci with a percentage of 31% and Acinetobacter baumannii with a percentage of 27.5% were prominent. In respiratory tract cultures, A. baumannii constitutes the majority with a percentage of 33.3%, followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae with a percentage of 9.5% each. The most resistant bacteria were A. baumannii, resistant to all antibiotics other than colistin. Conclusion Secondary bacterial infection rates in patients with COVID-19 are lower than influenza pandemic. However, the frequency of empirical antibiotics use seems relatively high

QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING IT AMONG PEOPLE AGED 75 YEARS AND OVER LIVING IN A HEALTH CENTER REGION IN IZMIR

Esentepe Sağlık Ocağı Bölgesi\'nde yaşayan 75 yaş ve üzerindeki yaşlıların yaşamkalitesini ve etkileyen etmenleri belirlemektir.Gereç ve yöntem: Kesitsel tipteki çalışma Ekim 2006-Mayıs 2007 tarihleri arasındaİzmir Esentepe Sağlık Ocağı Bölgesi\'nde gerçekleştirildi. Araştırma evreni bu bölgedeyaşayan 75 yaş ve üzeri 851 kişiydi. Standart sapma 46, ± 5 hata, %95 güvendüzeyinde 235 kişi, sistematik örneklemeyle belirlendi. Araştırmanın bağımlı değişkeniyaşam kalitesi, bağımsız değişkenleri sosyo-demografik özellikler, sosyal destek, depresyon,günlük yaşam etkinlikleri bağımlılık durumuydu. Yaşam kalitesi için SF 12,günlük yaşam etkinlikleri için Barthel İndeksi, depresyon için Geriatrik DepresyonÖlçeğinin kısa formu kullanıldı. Veri yüz-yüze görüşme tekniğiyle toplandı, bağımsızgruplarda t testi, Mann-Whitney U Testi ve çoklu regresyon ile çözümlendi.Bulgular: Araştırma grubunun yaş ortalaması 79,1 ± 4,3 (75-98), %58,9\'u kadın, %51,4\'ü evli, %45,9\'u ilkokul mezunuydu. %92,5\'inin sağlık güvencesi vardı. Yaşlıların %24,7\'sinin GYE\'de bağımlı olduğu ve %24,0\'ında depresyon varlığı saptandı.İki değişkenli analizlerde Fiziksel Bileşen Özet Skor (FBÖS) ve Ussal Bileşen ÖzetSkor (UBÖS) kadınlarda anlamlı olarak daha düşükken ortaokul veya üstü eğitimlilerde,geliri giderine eşit veya fazla olanlarda anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti. Bastonkullananlarda hem FBÖS hem de UBÖS daha düşüktü (p<0,05). FBÖS evlilerde vesağlık güvencesi olanlarda daha yüksekken kronik hastalığı olanlarda daha düşüktü(p<0,05). FBÖS ve UBÖS, depresyon ve GYE\'de bağımlılık saptananlarda anlamlıolarak daha düşüktü. Çoklu regresyon analizi sonucunda cinsiyet, baston kullanımı,bağımlılık puanı ve kronik hastalık sayısı ile FBÖS, bağımlılık ve depresyon puanı ileUBÖS arasında anlamlı ilişki olduğu saptandı.Sonuç: Yaşlılarda bağımlılık, kronik hastalık, depresyon varlığı, baston kullanımı vecinsiyet yaşam kalitesi için önemli risk etmenleri olarak bulunmuştur. Risk grupları gözönünde bulundurularak yaşlı nüfusun YK\'lerini arttırmak önemli sağlık hedeflerindenolmalıdır.Objective: The aim of the study is to define the quality of life (QoL) and the factorsaffecting it in elderly people over 75 years living in Izmir Esentepe Health CenterRegion.Material and method: The cross-sectional study was conducted during October2006 and May 2007 in Izmir Esentepe Health Center Region. The study population ofthe research consisted of 851 elderly people of 75 years of age or over living in thisregion. Twohundredthirtyfive people were determined by systematic sampling, with astandard deviation of 46, ±5 error, and 95% confidence level. The dependent variableof the study was QoL, the independent variables were socio-demographic characteristics,social support, depression, and dependency on activity of daily living (ADL). TheSF-12 was used for QoL assessment, Barthel Index for ADL, and the short form ofGeriatric Depression Scale for depression assessment. The data were collected byface to face interviews and analyzed by t test, Mann-Whitney U test and multipleregression analysis.Results: The average age was 79.1 ± 4.3 (75-98), with a female proportion of 58.9%,51.4% of the study population were married, 45.9% of them primary school graduates,and 92.5% had health insurance. It was determined that 24.7% of the elderly peoplewere dependent on GYE and 24.0% of them had depression.In univariate analyses, Mental Component Summary Score (MCSS) and PhysicalComponent Summary Score (PCSS) were significantly lower in women, althoughMCSS and PCSS were significantly higher in elderly people with middle school orhigher education, in those with spending equal to income or more income thanspending. In the elderly people using the stick, both MCSS and PCSS were lower(p<0.05). MCSS were higher in married people and in the ones with health insurancealthough in the ones with a chronic disease were lower (p<0.05). MCSS and PCSSwere significantly lower in those with depression or dependency to ADL. At the end ofmultiple regression analysis, significant relations were found between sex, dependencyscore, number of chronic diseases and using stick and MCSS and betweendependency, depression score and PCSS.Conclusion: The presence of dependency, chronic disease, and depression, usingstick and gender were found as significant risk factors for QoL. Taking risk groups intoconsideration, improving the QoL\'s of the elderly population should be one of theimportant health goals

Sigortacılıkta kara para ile mücadele

ÖZETTezin birinci bölümünde genel olarak kara para ile ne kastedildiği anlatılmakta, uluslar arası sözleşmelerden faydalanılarak kara paranın tanımı yapılmaktadır. Kara para aklamanın aşamaları, tahmini olarak dünyada bir yıl içerisinde aklanan kara para tutarı, kara paraya yaygın olarak ne gibi suçların öncüllük ettiği, ne gibi kara para aklama yöntemlerinin kullanıldığı ve kara paranın hem ekonomide hem de toplumda yol açtığı tahribatlar ana hatlarıyla incelenmektedir. İkinci bölümde sigorta sektörü ve kara para birlikte incelenmektedir. Bu bölümde öncelikle sigortacılık hakkında kısa bir bilgi verilmekte, sigorta sektörünün yapısı ve başlıca sigorta ürünleri üzerinde durulmaktadır. Dünya ve Türkiye sigorta piyasalarının büyüklükleri verilerek sektörün kara para için oluşturabileceği potansiyel daha somut bir taban üzerine oturtulmaya çalışılmıştır. Sigortacılığın uluslar arası niteliğinin olması, piyasanın sigorta şirketleri, reasürörler, sigorta aracıları gibi çok sayıda farklı unsurdan oluşması, sigorta ürünlerinin sofistike niteliği, özellikle bazı hayat sigortası ürünlerinin değer saklama ve transfer edilebilme özellikleri taşıması kara para aklayıcıların ilgisinin bu sektöre yönelmesi sonucunu doğurmaktadır.Üçüncü bölümde kara para aklanmasına karşı hem genel hem de sigorta sektörü özelinde ne gibi önlemler alındığı, ne tür organizasyonlar oluşturulduğu hem ulusal hem de uluslar arası bazda incelenmektedir. Uluslar arası bazda Mali Eylem Görev Gücü (FATF) ve Uluslar Arası Sigorta Denetçileri Birliği (IAIS), ulusal bazda ise Mali Suçlar Araştırma Kurulu (MASAK)’nun çalışmalarına dayanılarak kara para aklayıcılara karşı neler yapıldığı ve yapılabileceği üzerinde durulmaktadır. SUMMARY Money laundering is the practice of disguising illegally obtained funds so that they seem legal. The money laundered increases power of crime organizations in societies and economies, which causes to spread corruption, feeds roots of crime, overall has bad effect both on economy and social order. Developed countries has been aware of destroying affects of dirty money. That’s why, they have taken counter measures and established institutions both individually and internationally. As they take measures and make strict regulations against money laundering, for cleaning dirty money money launderers seek different ways, industries more sophisticated and less regulated, and also countries with loose money laundering regulations.Insurance industry has sophisticated insurance products that everybody can’t have an idea easily, wide premium distribution channels from agents to brokers, and also international dimension because of reinsurance. Additionally, it is less regulated than banking industry regarding money laundering.Turkey is a developing country and still follows developed countries by adapting their regulations. That’s why, it is always slow to take measures against negative developments in economic and social life. In respect of money laundering, Turkey is following the same way. It has still loops in money laundering regulations, and mostly it is late to take measures in time. Because of the reasons mentioned above, both Turkey and its insurance industry could be a potential target of money launderers. However, there are not many researches about money laundering in insurance industry in Turkey. Mostly researchers tend to study on the banking industry because of its relatively huge part in the Turkish economy. With that thesis, I tried to make contribution to the efforts against to money laundering in Turkish insurance industry

Determination of the Optimal Polypropylene Fiber Addition to the Dense Bituminous Mixtures by the Aid of Mechanical and Optical Means

Polypropylene fibers are completely native modifiers and they do not have any dependence on abroad in case of technology. When viewed from this point, the modification of bituminous binders with polypropylene fibers is a very important step for our country’s “economical” concerns. In this study, first of all, the physical and chemical effects of polypropylene fibers on bitumen were investigated. Next, the amount of “optimum” polypropylene fibers that has to be added into the mixture was determined. In order to determine it, first, static creep tests and Marshall tests were carried out and then, images of the polypropylene fiber added bituminous binders under fluorescence microscopy were researched. With the application of physical and mechanical tests to the Marshall specimens prepared with the optimum polypropylene amount that was obtained, optimum bitumen content was determined and finally economical analyses were carried out. By carrying out extensive analyses it was seen that the utilisation of polypropylene fibers improves the physical and mechanical properties of the resultant asphalt mixture mainly by enhancing the permanent deformation resistance. On the other hand, polypropylene modification results in 30% economy from bitumen which is a clear indication of the benefit in the mass production of asphalt concrete

Protective effects of intralipid and caffeic acid phenyl esther (CAPE) on neurotoxicity induced by ethanol in rats

AIm: Ethanol causes oxidative degradation of the mitochondrial genome in the brain. This effect could contribute to the development of brain injury in some alcoholic patients. We investigated the protective effect of caffeic acid phenyl esther (CAPE) and intralipid (IL) on oxidative stress and neurotoxicity induced by ethanol intake.mATERIAl and mEThODS: The forty-eight rats were randomly divided into seven groups. Ethanol was administered for acute toxicity. IL and CAPE were administered immediately after ethanol intake. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative status index (OSi) were evaluated and histologic examination of cerebellum and brain tissue with Hematoxylin-Eosin and immuno-histochemical dyes was performed. RESUlTS: In the ethanol group, TAS levels were significantly lower than the other groups and this finding indicates that the toxic effect of ethanol reduces antioxidant levels. In the ethanol group, TOS levels were significantly higher than the other groups. These results showed that ethanol induced oxidative stress. IL treatment increased TAS levels, and CAPE decreased TOS levels against ethanol toxicity. There was correlation between TAS and TOS levels. Also, histopathologic results confirmed these biochemical results. CONClUSION: CAPE and IL treatment could be effective course of therapy to enhance therapeutic efficacy and may provide a promising approach for the treatment of neurotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by ethanol in clinic.AIm: Ethanol causes oxidative degradation of the mitochondrial genome in the brain. This effect could contribute to the development of brain injury in some alcoholic patients. We investigated the protective effect of caffeic acid phenyl esther (CAPE) and intralipid (IL) on oxidative stress and neurotoxicity induced by ethanol intake.mATERIAl and mEThODS: The forty-eight rats were randomly divided into seven groups. Ethanol was administered for acute toxicity. IL and CAPE were administered immediately after ethanol intake. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative status index (OSi) were evaluated and histologic examination of cerebellum and brain tissue with Hematoxylin-Eosin and immuno-histochemical dyes was performed. RESUlTS: In the ethanol group, TAS levels were significantly lower than the other groups and this finding indicates that the toxic effect of ethanol reduces antioxidant levels. In the ethanol group, TOS levels were significantly higher than the other groups. These results showed that ethanol induced oxidative stress. IL treatment increased TAS levels, and CAPE decreased TOS levels against ethanol toxicity. There was correlation between TAS and TOS levels. Also, histopathologic results confirmed these biochemical results. CONClUSION: CAPE and IL treatment could be effective course of therapy to enhance therapeutic efficacy and may provide a promising approach for the treatment of neurotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by ethanol in clinic