Procjena odnosa srednjeg volumena trombocita, širine distribucije eritrocita i indeksa volumena trombocita s težinom bolesti kod bolesnika s COVID-19

Coronavirus was first detected in three severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Studies on red cell distribution width (RDW-CV) and mean platelet volume (MPV) laboratory parameters, which can be examined in complete blood count in COVID-19 patients, are still very limited. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies examining the relationship between platelet volume index (PVI) and disease severity in COVID-19 patients, which was evaluated in this study. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of disease severity in COVID-19 patients with their MPV, RDW, and PVI parameters. The study included 92 COVID-19 patients as a study group and 84 healthy individuals as control group. All laboratory data and radiological images were scanned retrospectively from patient files and hospital information system. Evaluation of the RDW-CV and MPV blood parameters, and PVI measured in COVID-19 patients yielded statistically significant differences according to the disease severity. We suggest that RDW-CV and PVI, evaluated within the scope of the study, may be the parameters that should be considered in the early diagnosis of the disease, from the initial stages of COVID-19. In addition, we think that the RDW-CV and MPV laboratory parameters, as well as PVI, which all are simple, inexpensive and widely used hematologic tests, can be used as important biomarkers in determining COVID-19 severity and mortality.Koronavirus je prvi put otkriven kod tri slučaja teške upale pluća u Wuhanu, Kina u prosincu 2019. godine. Istraživanja laboratorijskih parametara širine distribucije eritrocita (RDW-CV) i srednjeg volumena trombocita (MPV) koji se mogu testirati unutar kompletne krvne slike kod bolesnika s COVID-19 još uvijek su vrlo ograničena. Međutim, prema našim saznanjima, nema istraživanja koja bi se bavila odnosom indeksa volumena trombocita (PVI) i težine bolesti kod ovih bolesnika, a upravo to smo ispitivali u našem istraživanju. Cilj studije bio je procijeniti odnos težine bolesti u bolesnika s COVID- 19 s parametrima MPV, RDW i PVI. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo 92 bolesnika s COVID-19 i 84 zdrave osobe kao kontrolna skupina. Svi laboratorijski podaci i radiološke snimke preslikane su retrospektivno iz bolesničkih kartona i bolničkog informacijskog sustava. Procjena krvnih parametara RDW-CV i MPV, kao i PVI izmjerenih u bolesnika s COVID-19 pokazala je statistički značajne razlike prema težini bolesti. Predlažemo da bi RDW-CV i PVI koji su istraživani u ovoj studiji mogli poslužiti kao parametri u ranoj dijagnostici bolesti već u početnom stadiju COVID-19. Uz to, smatramo da bi se laboratorijski parametri RDW-CV i MPV te PVI kao jednostavne, jeftine i široko primjenjivane hematološke pretrage mogli primijeniti kao važni biološki biljezi u utvrđivanju težine i smrtnosti COVID-19

THE BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS FOR BIODEGRADABLE PURE MAGNESIUM BONE SCREWS UNDER THREE POINT BENDING AND TORSIONAL TEST

THE BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS FOR BIODEGRADABLE PURE MAGNESIUM BONE SCREWS UNDER THREE POINT BENDING AND TORSIONAL TESTAbstractRecently, magnesium and its alloys have been used as the raw material of degradable implants. In the orthopedic implant group, it is used in the production of medical tools due to its close modulus of elasticity and mechanical behavior suitable for bone tissue. In addition, magnesium is completely biodegradable both in biocompatible and living organisms. The purpose of using a degradable implant within the living organism is both to perform biomedical functions. It has become even more attractive to use the biodegradable magnesium screws due to the use of the temporary (non-biodegradable) implant in the living organism, the need for a secondary surgical operation to remove it from the body, and the increased risk of complications for the patient. However, the degradation times of magnesium screws; It is difficult to control the biological environment, the age and gender of the patients and the implant geometry Determination of the degradation stage is important for mechanical performance due to loss of mass and volume in the implant. Furthermore, loss of adhesion performance due to deterioration of bone screws weakens the mechanical properties of the implant system. Considering this feature of magnesium screws, pure magnesium screws of different origin were kept in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.4) for 1 day, 1,4,12 and 26 weeks. Then, three-point bending and torsion tests were performed according to ASTM F2502-11 standard to examine the mechanical properties of the screws. In the mechanical tests applied for both groups, when the three-point bending test and force-displacement curves were examined, it was observed that the mechanical properties of the 26th week decreased by about half compared to the 1st day. In the same way, when the torsion-torsion angle curves were examined in the torsion test, it was observed that the mechanical properties of the 26th week decreased for both groups.Keywords: Pure Magnesium, Biodegradation, Bone Screws, Three-Point Bending Test, Torsion Test

Evaluation of Helicobacter pylori antigen positivity in stool samples of patients with dyspeptic complaints in a tertiary care hospital

Objective: Helicobacter pylori is a microorganism associatedwith gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and gastriccancer. We aimed to figure out the positivity rate in stoolsamples of outpatients with dyspeptic complaints visitinggastroenterology department and to evaluate its relationwith age, gender and seasonal changes.Methods: Between January 01, 2012 and December 31,2012, stool samples of 330 adult outpatients admitted togastroenterology department are investigated with an immunochromatographictest kit using monoclonal antibodiesfor detection of H. pylori antigen.Results: Among 330 patients’ stool samples tested, 67(20.3%) were positive. 18.6% of men and 22.2% of womenwere detected as positive. According to age groups,17.1% patients were positive for 15-35 age groups,27.1% patients were positive for 36-55 age groups and18.2% patients were positive for above 56. Seasonal differenceof H. pylori antigen positivity in stool samples wasstatistically significant (p=0.001). Highest positivity rate29.7% was detected for winter months (December-January-February). According to logistic regression analysis,winter is found as a risk factor with statistically significant2.295 times greater risk [p=0001, Exp (B) = 2.925, 95.0%C.I. for EXP (B) = 1.668-5.129].Conclusion: H. pylori antigen positivity rate of our study islower than other previously conducted studies in Turkey.But, positivity rates are higher among women comparedto men, concordant with other studies. Even more, detectionof high positivity rates in winter shows primary infectionand/or relapse can be affected by seasonal changes.Key words: Helicobacter pylori, gastroenterology, stool antigen tes

IDENTIFICATION OF OXA-GENE IN ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII ISOLATES OBTAINED FROM CLINICAL SPECIMENS AND THE CLONALITY BETWEEN THESE ISOLATES

Atik, Bulent/0000-0002-6876-2963; Baylan, Orhan/0000-0002-6529-7824WOS: 000508954100007Objective: Our study aimed to reveal the OXA-like carbapenernase genes and molecular epidemiological relationship in A. baumannii isolates and compare antibiotic susceptibility status-resistance genes-Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. Material and Method: A total of 100 A. baumannii isolates obtained from several clinical specimens were examined by VITEK2 automated identification system (Biomerieux, France) for the antibiotic susceptibility profile, by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for OXA-type beta-lactamuses and by PFGE method for the clonal relationship. Results: 57% of the isolates were obtained from respiratory system specimens. Among all the antibiotics, colistin was the most effective agent with 100% sensitivity, followed by tigecycline with 93%. All of the isolates were resistant to piperacillin, piperacillinitazobaaam and ciprofloxacin. Resistance against both imipenem and meropenem were detected as 95%. OXA-51 gene was found in all and oxil-23 gene was found in 92 (92%) of the isolates. None of the isolates had OXA-24 or OXA-58 genes. We identified 19 different clonal clusters among 100 isolates by PFGE method. We revealed that some of the clones were clustered in a certain period of time, and this was supported by the antibiogram results and OXA gene profiling. Conclusion: Our study identified high rates OXA-23 gene locus positivity, presented the current clonal similarity and time relationship among the clonal clusters. These results emphasize the importance of molecular epidemiological methods as well as standard infection control programs to prevent spreading of A. baumannii

Effect of End-to-side Repair of Proximal Nerve Stumps of Transected Peripheral Nerves on the Development of Neuroma (Experimental Study)

Objective: Neuroma is a psychologically and physically disabling problematic condition without any current standard therapy. For that reason, we investigated whether end-to-side anastomosis of the proximal end of the transected nerve into the adjacent nerve will prevent the development of neuroma in different types of nerve injuries. Study design: In this study, hind legs of 18 Sprague - Dawley female rats were used. Six groups were formed. In group I, peroneal nerves were transected and its proximal end was attached end-to-side through the epineural window to the adjacent tibial nerve. In group II, contrary to group I, an epineural window was created in the tibial nerve and the same number of sutures were employed. In group III, tibial nerve was transected proximal to the end-to-side repair site, whereas in group IV, distal segment of the nerve was cut, and an end-to-end repair procedure was repeated. In group V, unlike group I, an approximately 1-cm segment was resected and removed distal (from tibial nerve) to the end-to-side repair site. In group VI, an epineural window was created in the tibial nerve and the same number of sutures were used, and also a 1-cm distal nerve segment was resected. The rats were followed for 2 months, and then all of the groups were evaluated histopathologically, and weights of the posterior muscle groups of hind legs were evaluated. Findings and Conclusions: No neuroma formation was observed in the proximal stumps of peroneal nerve segments in end-to-side repair sites in groups I, III, IV, and V, and proximal stumps of the tibial nerve in group V. In group VI, neuroma formation was observed in the proximal end of the tibial nerve. When weights of the posterior muscle groups of hind legs in groups I and II were comparatively assessed, statistically significant difference was not detected. In conclusion, based on histological data obtained for proximal nerve ends and segments distal to the end-to-side repair sites, we think that end to side neurorrhaphy of the proximal end of the damaged nerve to adjacent nerve will prevent the development of neuroma without injuring the intact nerve segment. © American Association for Hand Surgery 2007