Nutrition in elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases

Elderly population is rapidly increasing in Turkey as well as in the world. There are a number of factors that affect the nutritional status of elderly. Factors such as physiological changes that occur with aging, socioeconomic factors, dementia, depression, large number of chronic illnesses and excessive use of drugs, and low intake of food on the grounds of illness affect the feeding of elderly. Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart failure are more common in elderly and nutrition in these diseases is important in terms of mortality and morbidity

Infection Characteristics of Inpatients in Geriatrics Clinic

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of infections, presence of fever and parameters affecting length of hospital stay in hospitalized older adults

Why is vaccination frequency low in elderly patients? Vaccination in elderly patients

Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate the frequency of vaccination in elderly outpatients, the reasons for not vaccinating despite vaccination recommendations and the related factors. Material and Method: The prospective study was done between June 2013-March 2015 and included patients who applied to the outpatient clinic for the first time, regularly attended to the controls and had at least 1 year of follow-up. Vaccination education was given to patients. At final assessment, the patients were interviewed by telephone. Vaccinations of all patients and why non-vaccinated patients were not vaccinated were questioned. All data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Of 267 patients enrolled in the study, mean age was 77 +/- 7.1 and mean follow-up period was 19.7 +/- 5.5 (month) were. At the end of follow-up, vaccination rates were: pneumococcal vaccine (PV) 21%, Influenza (IV) 35%, and tetanus-diphtheria (TdV) 8%. PV was found in a statistically significant relation between, IV (r=0.63, p<0.001), TdV (r=0.28, p<0.001), the inadequacy of information given by the physician and/or physician not telling to definitely do it (r=-0.43, p<0.001) and no previous vaccination recommendation (r=0.12, p=0.05). IV was found in a statistically significant relation between, PV (r=0.63, p<0.001), TdV (r=0.21, p<0.001), the inadequacy of information given by the physician and/or physician not telling to definitely do it (r=-0.46, p<0.001) and despite vaccination education missing to be vaccinated (r=0.20, p=0.01). Discussin: Vaccination frequency in elderly patients is lower than expected, although they are recommended to be vaccinated. The most common reason is the inadequacy of information given by the physician and/or physician not telling to definitely do it

Pseudomonas fragi/graphene-gold hybrid nanomaterial bioanode based microbial fuel cell

A Pseudomonas fragi (P. fragi) and graphene-gold hybrid nanomaterial included a carbon felt electrode (graphene-Au/CFE) bioanode was developed and optimized. Then, this bioanode was combined with a platinum cathode and a single cell compartment microbial fuel cell (MFC) was formed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has utilized P. fragi as a biocatalyst. After the optimization of the working parameters of P. fragi/graphene-Au/CFE bioanode, like the effect of benzoquinone (BQ) on bioanode performance, BQ concentration optimization, P. fragi bacteria amount and graphene-Au hybrid nanomaterial amount optimization, the characteristics of the developed MFC were examined. As a result, 0.169 V OCP, 23.80 mu A cm(-2) polarization and 0.50 mu W cm(-2) power density values together with remarkable lifetime (28 days) were obtained

Oxidase mimicking Co/2Fe MOF included biosensor for sialic acid detection

A facile amperometric biosensor that included oxidase mimicking Co/2Fe metal-organic framework (MOF) for sialic acid (SA) detection was prepared. Amperometric SA biosensor was constructed on a gold screen-printed electrode via immobilization of Co/2Fe MOF and N-acetylneuraminic Acid Aldolase (NANA-Aldolase) enzyme, respectively. NANA-Aldolase enzyme converts free SA into pyruvate and N-acetyl-D-mannosamine. After this conversion, oxidase mimicking Co/2Fe bimetallic MOF converts pyruvate into acetylphosphate and O2 into H2O2. Investigation of analytical characteristics resulted with the linear range of 0.02 mM-1.00 mM of SA concentration with limit of detection value of 0.026 mM. Sample application studies with developed SA biosensor were carried out with GD3 ganglioside and HeLa cancer cell lines which have high SA concentrations while A549 cell lines were also used as control group. Before detecting free SA, the bound SA was freed from SA sources where every step was monitored via electron impedance spectroscopy. Then, free SA was successfully detected with the amperometric SA biosensor and as a result, more practical and accurate system was developed.The grant from The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) with Project No: 119R064 in the frame of COST Action (CA18103) was greatefully acknowledged.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) [119R064, CA18103

Reliability and Validity of Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale in Turkish Population

Background: The aim is to validate Turkish version Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS). Methods: One hundred forty patients (>65 years) were included. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition -V was used in all patients. Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale was applied for 2 days. Results were compared with Mini-Mental State Examination; reliability, validity, and statistical values were determined. Results: Time validity was verified. Mini-mental state examination was correlated 45.3% in control and 73% in dementia group. Factor weights varied between 0.44 and 0.81; factor construct was verified as 6-item scoring. When 25 was cutoff point, sensitivity was 92.86% and specificity was 92.86%. Content validity index was found to be 100% by 7 specialists. Cronbach alpha (0.692) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.987) were determined. Conclusion: Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (Turkish) is validated and verified as reliable. Test could be applied for 5 minutes approximately; results are not affected by educational status, immigrant status, and language used; however, age and gender have significant effect on results

The association between polypharmacy, anticholinergic burden, comorbidities, and hospital length of stay in geriatric patients

We aimed to evaluate the association between polypharmacy, anticholinergic burden, comorbidities, and hospital length of stay in older adults. We analyzed 213 older in-patient data retrospectively. Demographic data, comorbidities, length of stay, medication use, and laboratory results at admission were extracted from electronic medical records. We used a calculator to work out Anticholinergic Burden (ACB). The use of five or more drugs was considered polypharmacy. The mean age was 78±7.3 years; 54.5% of patients were female. The mean length of stay of patients was 20.7±13.8 days. The prevalence of polypharmacy was 66.2% (n:141), and 182 (85.4%) of the patients were treated with anticholinergic medications. 52.6% had high ACB scores (ACB score 3 and more). The most used drugs with anticholinergic potential were metoprolol (40.4%) and metformin (32.4%). Polypharmacy was identified as a risk factor for the presence of high ACB with 86% sensitivity and 55% specificity. (OR 0.758 95% CI: 0.692-0.824, p: [Med-Science 2023; 12(3.000): 661-6

Effect of gene polymorphisms in transmembrane protein 18 (TMEM18) and neuronal growth regulator 1 (NEGR1) on body mass index in obese subjects

Obesity is a complex disorder with nearly epidemic proportions in many parts of the world. Genome-wide association studies have demonstrated high heritability for obesity and body mass, with associations of certain candidate genes and their variations with respect to race, geographical location/country of origin. However, the functional mechanisms and different ethnic data of these loci are still poorly understood. In this case-control study, we investigated two single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs2815752 in the neuronal growth regulator 1 (NEGR1) gene and rs6548238 in the transmembrane protein 18 (TMEM18) gene, for association in a group of obese residents of Afyonkarahisar province (Turkey). Polymorphisms were genotyped in 172 obese subjects and 77 healthy controls. The results showed no significant differences between the obese subjects and the controls in terms of the allele and genotype frequencies of the NEGR1 gene rs2815752 and the TMEM18 gene rs6548238 polymorphisms. There were no significant associations of the rs2815752 polymorphism in obese subjects and controls with regard to anthropometric measurements and body composition parameters. However, several significant associations were found for the rs6548238 polymorphism with regard to anthropometric measurements and body composition. Consequently, there were no significant differences between the genotype and allele frequencies of NEGR1 gene rs2815752 and TMEM18 gene rs6548238 polymorphisms in the obese group and the controls. There were significant associations for the rs6548238 polymorphism, but not the rs2815752 polymorphism, with the anthropometric measurements and body composition parameters in the group of obese subjects