The interrelations of radiologic findings and mechanical ventilation in community acquired pneumonia patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a multicentre retrospective study

BACKGROUND: We evaluated patients admitted to the intensive care units with the diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) regarding initial radiographic findings. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was held. Chest x ray (CXR) and computerized tomography (CT) findings and also their associations with the need of ventilator support were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 388 patients were enrolled. Consolidation was the main finding on CXR (89%) and CT (80%) examinations. Of all, 45% had multi-lobar involvement. Bilateral involvement was found in 40% and 44% on CXR and CT respectively. Abscesses and cavitations were rarely found. The highest correlation between CT and CXR findings was observed for interstitial involvement. More than 80% of patients needed ventilator support. Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) requirement was seen to be more common in those with multi-lobar involvement on CXR as 2.4-fold and consolidation on CT as 47-fold compared with those who do not have these findings. Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) need increased 8-fold in patients with multi-lobar involvement on CT. CONCLUSION: CXR and CT findings correlate up to a limit in terms of interstitial involvement but not in high percentages in other findings. CAP patients who are admitted to the ICU are severe cases frequently requiring ventilator support. Initial CT and CXR findings may indicate the need for ventilator support, but the assumed ongoing real practice is important and the value of radiologic evaluation beyond clinical findings to predict the mechanical ventilation need is subject for further evaluation with large patient series

MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF SECTION DROSANTHE (SPACH) ENDL. (HYPERICUM L.)INFERRED FROM CHLOROPLAST GENOME

The phylogenetic relationships of Drosanthe section of Hypericum genus (Hypericaceae) were analyzed by using non-coding chloroplast DNA region (trnL 3'-trnF) for 58 individuals. The section is represented by 23 taxa and nine of which are endemic to Turkey. The chloroplast phylogeny suggested that the members of this section belonged to a polyphyletic group, which imply at least two independent origins. The individuals of this section clearly formed two main clades. One clade included all members of this section except H amblysepalum, H. spectabile, H. lysimachioides var. spathulatum and H. sorgerae. Our current phylogenetic results supported the morphological grouping in the Drosanthe section

Erhöhung der Sicherheit von Lebensmittelwarenketten durch Modell-getriebene Prozess-Implementierung

Organisationsübergreifende Geschäftsprozesse, wie sie beispielsweise im Rahmen von Lebensmittelwarenketten auftreten, stellen besondere Anforderungen an IT-Lösungen für den Entwurf, die Ausführung und die Nutzungskontrolle der Prozesse. Ein Ansatz besteht darin, Aktivitäten entlang der Warenkette mittels Geschäftsprozessmodellen (business process models, BPMs) zu beschreiben und dabei um Informationen über Sicherheitsanforderungen konzeptionell anzureichern. Diese Modelle können genutzt werden, um eine nach Maßgabe der annotierten Sicherheitsanforderungen implementierte Dokumentation und Nutzungskontrolle transparent und vertrauenswürdig zu realisieren. Wir präsentieren einen Ansatz, der mittels Modelltransformationen eine formale Beziehung zwischen sicherheitsannotierten BPMs und ausführbaren, sicheren Workflows beschreibt

Morphology of pollen in Ferula genus (Apiaceae)

In this study, the pollen morphology of all Ferula species distributed throughout the country of Turkey was studied with light and scanning electron microscopy for the first time. The aim is to identify the pollen morphological characteristics of 23 Ferula species. The pollen is radially symmetrical, isopolar and tricolporate in all examined species. Pollen grains are prolate and perprolate with the polar axis ranging from 22.28 to 40.47 µm and the equatorial axis from 13.70 to 18.73 µm. Their polar shapes are triangular, triangular to subtriangular and circular to subcircular. Several types of exine ornamentations have been observed on pollen through the use of scanning electron microscopy. The dendrogram constructed by using Average Linkage of the examined data revealed two main groups. It was determined that some pollen characteristics are more useful for classification than others. In particular, P, E, the ratio of P/E (pollen shape) and ornamentation in the polar and equatorial views are the most valuable variables for discrimination the Ferula species

Micromorphological study of Centaurea L. (Asteraceae); some taxa of eight sections analysed with scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy

This study deals with the pollen morphological characterization of 36 taxa (Sections; Cheirolepis 3, Cynaroides 14, Rhizocalathium 5, Grossheimia 3, Chartolepis 3, Pseudophaeopappus 1, Plumosipappus 1 and Phaeopappus 6) belonging to the genus Centaurea. Pollen slides were prepared using the Acetolysis technique. Light Microscope examination showed pollen grains to be tricolporate, isopolar, radially symmetrical, oblate-spheroidal, prolate-spheroidal, subprolate, tectum perforate and scabrate. We identified two basic types of pollen grains, designated type I (Scabrate), type II (Microechinate). 34 taxa evaluated resemble Wagenitz's Jacea pollen type and 2 taxa Montana pollen type. We present micrographs of pollen grains, together with descriptions of the characteristics of their structure. We found that the pollen characters (shape, exine structure, sculpturing) were useful for classification

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oil and ethanol extract of Cyperus fuscus L burs from Turkey

WOS: 000443293300024Purpose: To investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil of Cyperus fuscus burs as well as the antimicrobial activities of the ethanol extracts and essential oil. Methods: Fresh burs roots of C. fuscus were collected at the flowering stage in an open area in Gudul (Ankara, Turkey). Preparation of the ethanol extract, hydrodistillation of the essential oil, GC-FID-MS analysis, and agar diffusion and MIC agar dilution assays were performed to determine various parameters for the oil and extracts. Results: The major compounds of the essential oil were dehydroaromadendrene (10.7 %), azulenone (8.5 %), alpha-selinene (7.5 %), alpha-ylangene (6.0 %) and beta-caryophyllene (5.6 %). The essential oil of Cyperus fuscus exhibited activity against Gram-negative bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 1000 to 31.25 mu l/mL. Similarly, the ethanol extract of the burs showed good antimicrobial activity with the MIC of the ethanol extracts on ranging from 1000 mu g/mL (Escherichia coli) to 250 mu g/mL (Pseudomonas. Aeruginosa, p < 0.05). However, the ethanol extract was inactive against yeast strains. Conclusion: Thus, the essential oil and ethanol extract of the studied plant can potentially be used as antimicrobial agent

Interleukin-8 is increased in chronic kidney disease in children, but not related to cardiovascular disease

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to detect the cytokine that is involved in the early stage of chronic kidney disease and associated with cardiovascular disease. Methods: We included 50 patients who were diagnosed with predialytic chronic kidney disease and 30 healthy pediatric patients in Ege University Medical Faculty Pediatric Clinic, Izmir/Turkey. Interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-13 (IL-13), and transforming grow factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) levels (pg/mL) were measured by ELISA. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (Aix), carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were evaluated as markers of cardiovascular disease. The presence of a cardiovascular disease marker was defined as an abnormality in any of the parameters (cIMT, PWV, Aix, and left ventricular mass index (SVKI)). The patient group was divided into two groups as with and without cardiovascular disease. Results: Mean Aix and PWV values were higher in CKD patients than controls (Aix: CKD 32.8 +/- 11.11%, healthy subjects: 6.74 +/- 6.58%, PWV CKD: 7.31 +/- 4.34m/s, healthy subjects: 3.42 +/- 3.01m/s, respectively; p=0.02, p=0.03). The serum IL-8 levels of CKD were significantly higher than of healthy subjects 568.48 +/- 487.35pg/mL, 33.67 +/- 47.47pg/ mL, respectively (p0.05). Discussion: IL-8 is the sole cytokine that increases in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease among other cytokines (IL-10, IL-13 and TGF-beta 1). However, we did not show that IL-8 is related to the presence of cardiovascular disease

Effect of Sildenafil on the Skeletal Muscle Regeneration: An Experimental Study

Objective: Sildenafil is a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor that induces vasodilatation and is currently used in treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sildenafil on the regenerative activity of skeletal muscle adjacent to the abdominal wall wound in rats. Material and Methods: This study was conducted in Aegean University Faculty of Medicine Animal Research Laboratory between July 2008 and August 2008, and was performed with adult female Wistar-Albino rats. A control group (n= 50) was fed on a standard laboratory diet until 12 h before surgery. The study group (n= 50) was administered sildenafil therapy (10 mg/kg once a day for 10 days) through an orogastric tube. Each rat was anesthetized, and a 4-cm-long midline laparotomy was performed. Ten animals from each group were killed at postoperative days (PODs) 4, 7, 14, 21, and 35. The abdominal incision wounds and surrounding tissues were examined histologically. Results: Regenerative capacity of the abdominal muscle in sildenafil treatment group was significantly higher than the control group and the difference was statistically significant (p <= 0.01). Conclusion: This study showed that sildenafil augmented the regenerative activity of the skeletal muscle. If this result can be reproduced by other studies, sildenafil may be beneficial therapy for degenerative muscle diseases

Effect of sildenafil on wound healing: an experimental study

We aimed to investigate the effect of sildenafil on the healing process of abdominal wall wound in rats