Effects of grape seed extract on periodontal disease: an experimental study in rats

Natural compounds capable of modulating the host response have received considerable attention, and herbal products are suggested as adjunctive agents in periodontal disease treatment. Objective This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of grape seed extract (GSE) on periodontitis. Material and Methods Ligature induced periodontitis was created in 40 rats and they were assigned to four equal groups. One group was fed laboratory diet (group A) while three groups received GSE additionally. Silk ligatures were placed around the cervical area of the mandibular first molars for four weeks to induce periodontitis. The GSE groups were reallocated regarding GSE consumption as: for two weeks before ligation (group B; totally eight weeks), from ligation to two weeks after removal of the ligature (group C; totally six weeks), and for two weeks from ligature removal (group D; totally two weeks). Sections were assessed histologically and immunohistochemically. Inflammatory cell number (ICN), connective tissue attachment level (CAL), osteoclast density (OD), IL-10 and TGF-β stainings in gingival epithelium (GE), connective tissue (GC), and periodontal ligament (PL) were used as the study parameters. Results Lower ICN, higher CAL, and lower OD were observed in the GSE groups (

The research of the primary care clinic doctors’ awareness levels about the national hearing screening program

Amaç: Ulusal Yenidoğan İşitme Tarama Programı (UYİTP)nın sağlık sistemine entegrasyonu, hasta takiplerinin yapılabilmesi, ailelerin bilgilendirilmesi ve işitme kayıplı bebeklerin, uygun merkezlere sevklerinin sağlanması konusunda aile sağlığı merkezleri (ASM) anahtar pozisyondadır. Programın, amacına uygun ve en verimli şekilde yürütülebilmesi için burada çalışan doktorların UYİTP hakkında bilgi ve ilgi seviyeleri kritik bir öneme sahiptir. Bu merkezlerde çalışan doktorların UYİTP hakkındaki bilgileri, farkındalıkları ve konuyla ilgilenme seviyeleri hakkında bilgilerimiz sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, aile hekimlerinin UYİTP hakkında bilgi ve farkındalık seviyelerini tespit ederek, ihtiyaç duyulan alanlarda nasıl bilgilendirme yapılması gerektiğine dair veri toplamaktır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Birinci basamak hekimler için 29 sorudan oluşan bir anket oluşturulmuştur. Çalışmaya, İstanbul ilindeki değişik ilçelerde ASM’lerde çalışan 129 hekim katılmıştır. Bu anket kapsamında UYİTP’nin amacı, işleyişi, kullanılan testler ve tedavi yöntemleri hakkında hekimlerin bilgi seviyelerinin ölçülmesi planlanmış ve UYİTP ile ilgili bilgilendirilmek isteyip istemedikleri sorgulanmıştır. Ayrıca UYİTP ile ilgili bilgilerin ailelere doğru şekilde aktarılabilmesi maksadıyla nasıl bir yöntem uygulanması gerektiği de değerlendirilmiş, alternatifler önerilmiştir. Yapılan istatistiksel testlerde anlamlılık seviyesi %5 (0,05) olarak alınmıştır. Bulgular: Yaptığımız çalışmada katılımcıların UYİTP hakkında genel bilgi seviyesinin düşük olduğu saptanmıştır. Anket sonuçlarına göre katılan hekimlerin %71,3 (92)’ü UYİTP hakkında, %76 (98)’sı test yöntemleri hakkında, %69 (89)’u işitme kayıplı bir çocuğun ailesinin bilgilendirilmesi ve yönlendirilmesi hakkında eğitim almak istediğini belirtmiştir. Katılımcıların %25,6 (33)’sı kendilerini değerlendirdiklerinde bilgilerinin yetersiz olduğunu belirtirken, %23,3 (30)’ü bilgilerini yeterli bulduğunu belirtmiştir. Bu 2 grup kendi arasında, tanı basamaklarını içeren sorulara (Soru 11, Soru 12, Soru 13, Soru 16) verdikleri cevaplara bakılarak kıyaslandığında, kendini yeterli görenler ve görmeyenler arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark bulunmamıştır (p=0,180, p=0,360, p=0,08, p=0,115). Sonuç: UYİTP alanında bir ekip anlayışı ile çalışılması gerekliliği ve ekip içerisinde yer alan tüm birimlerin, bilgi seviyelerinin en üst düzeye çekilmesinin önemi ortadadır. Buna bağlı olarak UYİTP’nin daha etkin ve verimli olabilmesi açısından çeşitli kanallar aracılığıyla bilgilendirme faaliyetlerinin yapılması ve artırılmasının uygun olacağı düşünülmektedir.Objective: Primary health care centers are in a central position to integrate National Neonatal Hearing Screening Program (NNHSP) into the health system. Physicians provide patient follow-up, inform families, and refer infants with hearing loss to the appropriate centers. We have minimal information about the knowledge, awareness, and interest levels of the physicians. This study aims to determine the knowledge and awareness levels of family physicians about NNHSP and to collect data on how to inform them in the areas needed. Material and Methods: A questionnaire consisting of 29 questions was prepared for primary care physicians. 129 physicians working in Primary Health Care Centers in different districts participated in the study. During this study, the physicians' knowledge levels about the objective, functioning, tests and treatment methods of the NNHSP were measured. In addition, possible methods regarding informing the families about NNHSP correctly has been proposed. The significance level used in the statistical tests was of 5% (0.05). Results: Our study found that the general level of knowledge of the participants about NNHSP was low. According to the results of the survey, 71.3% of the attending physicians (92 of them) wanted to be informed about NNHSP, 76% (98 of them) wanted to be informed about the test methods, while 69% (89 of them) wanted to be informed about the hearing impaired children and the orientation process. While 25.6% (33) of the participants stated that their knowledge was insufficient when they evaluated themselves, 23.3% (30) stated that they found their knowledge sufficient. When these two groups were compared by looking at their answers to the questions (questions 11, questions 12, questions 13, questions 16) including the diagnostic steps, no statistically significant difference was found between those who felt competent and those who did not (p=0.180, p=0.360, p=0.08, p=0.115). Conclusion: The necessity of working with a team spirit in NNHSP and the importance of maximizing the units' knowledge levels are obvious. Accordingly, it is considered appropriate to carry out and increase information activities through various channels for the UYITP to be more productive and efficient

Catheter-related bacteremia due to Kocuria rosea in a patient undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND: Micrococcus species may cause intracranial abscesses, meningitis, pneumonia, and septic arthritis in immunosuppressed or immunocompetent hosts. In addition, strains identified as Micrococcus spp. have been reported recently in infections associated with indwelling intravenous lines, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis fluids, ventricular shunts and prosthetic valves. CASE PRESENTATION: We report on the first case of a catheter-related bacteremia caused by Kocuria rosea, a gram-positive microorganism belonging to the family Micrococcaceae, in a 39-year-old man undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation due to relapsed Hodgkin disease. This uncommon pathogen may cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. CONCLUSIONS: This report presents a case of Kocuria rosea catheter related bacteremia after stem cell transplantation successfully treated with vancomycin and by catheter removal

Encephalitozoon intestinalis: A Rare Cause of Diarrhea in an Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Recipient Complicated by Albendazole-Related Hepatotoxicity

Abstract: A 50-year-old male patient previously diagnosed with acute myelomonocytic (M4) leukemia in July 2009 underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). During the pre-transplant period complete blood count (CBC), liver and renal function tests, coagulation tests, and other parameters were normal. On the first day of transplantation teicoplanin (400 mg d -1 for the first 3 d, and then 400 mg d -1 ) and caspofungin (first dose was 1×70 mg d -1 , followed by 1×50 mg d -1 ) were started intravenously due to white plaques and oropharyngeal candidiasis in the patient's mouth and perianal erythema. On the 14 th d of transplantation watery diarrhea occurred, along with abdominal discomfort, nausea, and fatigue

The management of iron overload in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) recipients: Where do we stand?

Iron overload (IO), primarily related to multiple red blood cell transfusions, is a relatively common complication in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Elevated pretransplant ferritin levels have been reported to increase the risk of non-relapse mortality following HSCT and might influence the risk of acute and chronic graft versus host disease. IO has been shown to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity in patients who have undergone alloHSCT (Armand et al., Blood 109:4586-4588, 2007; Kim et al., Acta Haematol 120:182-189, 2008; Kataoka et al., Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 15:195-204, 2009). We know that excessive iron accumulation results in tissue damage and organ failure, mainly as a result of the generation of free radicals that cause oxidative damage and organ dysfunction (e.g., hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and endocrine dysfunction) (Altes et al., Bone Marrow Transplantation 29: 987-989, 2002; Papanikolaou et al., Toxicol Appl Pharmac 202:199-211, 2005). In the last decade, efforts have been directed toward identifying alternative treatment for IO in alloHSCT recipients to maintain improved transplant outcomes. Iron overload (IO), primarily related to multiple red blood cell transfusions, is a relatively common complication in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Elevated pretransplant ferritin levels have been reported to increase the risk of non-relapse mortality following HSCT and might influence the risk of acute and chronic graft versus host disease. IO has been shown to be an important cause of mortality and morbidity in patients who have undergone alloHSCT (Armand et al., Blood 109:4586-4588, 2007; Kim et al., Acta Haematol 120:182-189, 2008; Kataoka et al., Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 15:195-204, 2009). We know that excessive iron accumulation results in tissue damage and organ failure, mainly as a result of the generation of free radicals that cause oxidative damage and organ dysfunction (e.g., hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and endocrine dysfunction) (Altes et al., Bone Marrow Transplantation 29: 987-989, 2002; Papanikolaou et al., Toxicol Appl Pharmac 202:199-211, 2005). In the last decade, efforts have been directed toward identifying alternative treatment for IO in alloHSCT recipients to maintain improved transplant outcomes. &nbsp;</p