Investigation of Malaria, Leishmaniasis, and Scabies Risk after Earthquakes and Recommendations for Prevention

This study examines the risk of malaria, leishmaniasis, and scabies following earthquakes in southeastern Türkiye. The focus is on the impact on the local population and Syrian immigrants. Recommendations for prevention include vector control measures such as indoor residual spraying and distribution of insecticidal nets. Surveillance and early detection through rapid diagnostic tests and active case finding are important. Public awareness campaigns and community engagement are crucial for promoting protective measures. Strengthening healthcare infrastructure, providing essential supplies, and capacity building is essential. For leishmaniasis, early detection and treatment, vector control, health education, and community engagement are vital. Scabies outbreaks affect the socioeconomically depressed local population and Syrian immigrants. Early detection, treatment, contact tracing, health education, hygiene promotion, and improved living conditions are necessary. Implementing these interventions and strategies can effectively prevent, control, and manage these diseases. Tailoring approaches to the specific context and needs of affected communities is crucial. By addressing these challenges, we can protect the health and well-being of the affected population

IN VITRO EFFICACY OF VITEX AGNUS-CASTUS EXTRACTS AGAINST TRICHOMONAS VAGINALIS: A POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC APPROACH

Aim and objectives: Trichomonas vaginalis is the most prevalent nonviral sexually transmitted infection globally. The current treatment, 5-nitroimidazole derivatives has raised concerns as a result of drug reliance, allergies, and drug resistance, driving efforts to identify alternative therapies. The Vitex species recognized for their pharmacological attributes including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties are promising candidates for further investigation.  Methods: In this study, the potential of Vitex agnus-castus extracts against T. vaginalis was explored. The water, ethanol, and 60% aqueous ethanol extracts from both leaves and fruits were examined for their effects on metronidazole (MET)-resistant (TV 50143) and sensitive strains (TV-78). Cytotoxicity was evaluated on L929 mouse fibroblast cells to determine the minimum lethal dose for each extract under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.  Results: Antitrichomonial activity, cytotoxic activity and Selectivity Index (SI) values revealed distinct efficacy profiles. Leaf water extract displayed a balanced selectivity profile, while leaf 60% ethanol extract showed moderate to high selectivity. The fruit 60% ethanol extract exhibited significantly elevated selectivity with SI values of 2 and 1 under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively, for the MET-sensitive reference strain, and 3 and 5, respectively, for the MET-resistant reference strain.  Conclusion: These findings underscore the potential of the fruit 60% ethanol extract as a promising candidate for future drug development. Further investigations into its mechanisms and optimization are warranted to enhance its efficacy against T. vaginalis.                   Peer Review History: Received 13 May 2024;   Reviewed 15 July 2024; Accepted 21 August; Available online 15 September 2024 Academic Editor: Dr. Amany Mohamed Alboghdadly, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, [email protected]  Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewers: Prof. Ali Gamal Ahmed Al-kaf, Sana'a university, Yemen, [email protected] Dr. Marwa A. A. Fayed, University of Sadat City, Egypt, [email protected] Dr. Sangeetha Arullappan, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, [email protected]

The clinical value of avidity test in the management of serologic rubella infection: A case report

Yirmi sekiz yaşında gebe hastanın ilk başvurusunda ve gebeliğin 11, 13, 30 ve 36. haftalarında rubella IgM ve IgG testleri pozitif çıktı. Rubella avidite testinin yüksek titreli değer göstermesi üzerine hastanın gebeliği takibe alınarak sağlıklı bir bebek doğurması sağlandı. Rubella enfeksiyonu asemptomatik olabilir ve re-enfeksiyon da subklinik seyir gösterebilir. Rubella antikor titrelerinin tüm gebelik boyunca seyri dikkate alındığında tanıya varmak kolaydır. Kritik nokta hastanın ilk gelişindeki sonuçlarına göre hastalığın durumunu ayırt ederek karar verebilmektir. Avidite testi, bu tip sonuçlar alındığında hasta yönetiminde bize yol gösterecektir.A 28-year-old pregnant woman presented with positive rubella IgM and IgG antibodies at initial admission and at the 11th, 13th, 30th and 36th weeks of gestation. Rubella avidity test revealed high titers and the patient was followed-up to ensure birth of a healthy infant. Rubella infection may be asymptomatic and re-infection may demonstrate a subclinical course. It is easy to make the diagnosis of rubella by following the antibody titers during pregnancy. The critical point in such patients is to differentiate the condition of disease at admission and decide accordingly. Avidity test may be a useful method for the management of such patients

Analysis of thermal mixing in circle shaped body inserted inclined channel

In this study, thermal mixing (TM) phenomena in a rectangle channel with adiabatic circle shaped body are investigated experimentally. Two parallel jets in different temperatures are located in the channel which has a circular exit hole to supply continuity of mass. Experiments are carried out for different inclination angle of the channel. Also, effects of ratio of flow rate, jets diameters, and temperature difference between hot and cold jets were analyzed. A circle shaped passive element with low thermal conductivity is located into channel to control thermal mixing. Thermal mixing index is calculated from measured temperatures. Experimental results showed that thermal mixing of fluid is effected from geometric parameters, drastically. It is found that TM is function of the temperature difference of inlet jets

Current cancer stem cell biomarkers in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is known to be the most malignant cancer type amongst other oral cancers with increasing incidence and mortality rates in the past five years. Since the life expectancy for TSCC patients is limited and the current chemo-radiotherapy treatments are not curative, novel biomarkers are urgently needed. As many other solid tumors, TSCC has a heterogeneous cancer cell population, which includes a small subpopulation identified as cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are considered as the driving force for tumor initiation, development, spread, recurrence, and resistance to chemoradiotherapy. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms of how CSCs are involved in the carcinogenesis are not completely understood, scientists and clinicians aim to utilize those cells as therapeutic tools in fight against different cancer types including TSCC. Here, we reviewed and summarized important findings and the most current literature to shed light on the potential of cancer stem cells markers in TSCC. Possible functions of CSCs biomarkers in TSCC pathogenesis during cancer initiation, progression, invasion or metastasis are also summarized.Dil skuamöz hücreli karsinomu (DSHK) son 5 yılda artan insidans ve mortalite oranları ile birlikte diğer ağız içi kanserleri arasında en kötü huylu kanser tipi olarak bilinmektedir. DSHK hastalarının yaşam süreleri sınırlı olduğundan ve mevcut kemo-radyoterapi yaklaşımlarının başarılı olmamasından dolayı acilen yeni biyolojik belirteçlere ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Diğer solid (katı) tümörlerde olduğu gibi, DSHK’da da, tümörün başlaması, gelişmesi, yayılması, nüksetmesi ve kemo-radyoterapiye direnç göstermesi noktasında itici bir güç olarak kabul edilen “kanser kök hücreleri” (KKH) olarak tanımlanan küçük bir alt popülasyonu da kapsayan heterojen bir hücre popülasyonuna sahiptir. KKH’nin kanser oluşum sürecinde nasıl bir katkı yaptıklarının altında yatan moleküler mekanizmalar tamamen anlaşılamamış olmasına rağmen, bilim insanları ve klinik tedavi uzmanları DSHK da dâhil olmak üzere kansere karşı mücadelede bu hücreleri tedavi edici araçlar olarak kullanmayı amaçlamaktadır. Burada, DSHK’daki potansiyel kanser kök hücrelerinin belirteçlerine ışık tutmak için önemli bulguları ve en güncel literatürü gözden geçirdik ve derledik. Ayrıca, DSHK kanser başlangıcı, ilerlemesi, invazyonu ya da metastazı sırasında KKH biyo-belirteçlerinin olası fonksiyonları özetlenmiştir

Unpleasant Souvenir: Imported Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Türkiye

Objective: Each year, approximately 125 million people visit malaria-endemic countries. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of imported Plasmodium falciparum malaria infections in Türkiye. Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with P. falciparum malaria between 1996 and 2022. A retrospective evaluation was conducted on whole blood samples and/or blood smears, as well as detailed medical histories, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings. A total of 131 imported cases of P. falciparum were included in the study. Results: Among the patients, 121 were male. Of these, 101 had traveled to Africa, while 30 had visited Asia. Among the patients, 109 were returned travelers, and 22 were refugees/migrants. Early trophozoites were observed in all patients, while gametocytes were detected in 30 patients. Cerebral malaria developed in 15 patients, resulting in the death of two individuals. Additionally, 10 patients received preventive chemoprophylaxis. Conclusion: Turkey is situated on migration routes that connect two continents to Europe, where more than 95% of the global malaria burden exists. The importation of malaria through returned travelers poses a risk of malaria reintroduction in our country, given the presence of suitable vectors, climate conditions, and environmental factors. Importantly, 30 patients (22.9%) exhibited gametocyte forms of P. falciparum, which have the potential to infect Anopheles species, thus establishing a basis for local malaria transmission

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

The frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy and Pompe disease in children with isolated transaminase elevation: results from the observational VICTORIA study

IntroductionElevated transaminases and/or creatine phosphokinase can indicate underlying muscle disease. Therefore, this study aims to determine the frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) in male children and Pompe disease (PD) in male and female children with isolated hypertransaminasemia.MethodsThis multi-center, prospective study enrolled patients aged 3–216 months with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and/or aspartate transaminase (AST) levels >2× the upper limit of normal (ULN) for ≥3 months. Patients with a known history of liver or muscle disease or physical examination findings suggestive of liver disease were excluded. Patients were screened for creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, and molecular genetic tests for DMD/BMD in male patients and enzyme analysis for PD in male and female patients with elevated CPK levels were performed. Genetic analyses confirmed PD. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the patients were analyzed.ResultsOverall, 589 patients [66.8% male, mean age of 63.4 months (standard deviation: 60.5)] were included. In total, 251 patients (188 male and 63 female) had CPK levels above the ULN. Of the patients assessed, 47% (85/182) of male patients were diagnosed with DMD/BMD and 1% (3/228) of male and female patients were diagnosed with PD. The median ALT, AST, and CPK levels were statistically significantly higher, and the questioned neurological symptoms and previously unnoticed examination findings were more common in DMD/BMD patients than those without DMD/BMD or PD (p < 0.001).DiscussionQuestioning neurological symptoms, conducting a complete physical examination, and testing for CPK levels in patients with isolated hypertransaminasemia will prevent costly and time-consuming investigations for liver diseases and will lead to the diagnosis of occult neuromuscular diseases. Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04120168