Serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α Levels in Early Diagnosis and Management of Neonatal Sepsis

Aim. To determine serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels in neonatal sepsis at the time of diagnosis and after therapy, and to show the meaningful on the follow up. Methods. This prospective study was performed on newborns who were hospitalized for neonatal sepsis and who were classified as culture-proven sepsis (n=12), as culture-negative sepsis (n=21), and as healthy newborns (n=17). Results. At the time of diagnosis, serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels of culture-proven sepsis were significantly higher than those of the control groups (P<.05). At the time of diagnosis, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels of culture-proven sepsis and culture-negative sepsis were significantly higher than levels at the seventh day after antibiotic treatment. Conclusion. Serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α are mediators of inflammation and can be used at the diagnosis and at the evaluation of the therapeutic efficiency in neonatal sepsis

Metabolic Depression in Cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus) Is Influenced by Ontogeny, and Enhances Thermal Tolerance

To examine the effect of ontogeny on metabolic depression in the cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), and to understand how ontogeny and the ability to metabolically depress influence this species' upper thermal tolerance: 1) the metabolic rate of 9°C-acclimated cunner of three size classes [0.2–0.5 g, young of the year (YOY); 3–6 g, small; and 80–120 g, large (adult)] was measured during a 2°C per day decrease in temperature; and 2) the metabolic response of the same three size classes of cunner to an acute thermal challenge [2°C h−1 from 10°C until Critical Thermal Maximum, CTMax] was examined, and compared to that of the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). The onset-temperature for metabolic depression in cunner increased with body size, i.e. from 5°C in YOY cunner to 7°C in adults. In contrast, the extent of metabolic depression was ∼80% (Q10 = ∼15) for YOY fish, ∼65% (Q10 = ∼8) for small fish and ∼55% (Q10 = ∼5) for adults, and this resulted in the metabolic scaling exponent (b) gradually increasing from 0.84 to 0.92 between 9°C to 1°C. All size classes of cunner had significantly (approximately 60%) lower routine metabolic rates at 10°C than Atlantic cod. However, there was no species' difference in the temperature-induced maximum metabolic rate, and this resulted in factorial metabolic scope values that were more than two-fold greater for cunner, and CTMax values that were 6–9°C higher (∼21 vs. 28°C). These results: 1) show that ontogeny influences the temperature of initiation and the extent of metabolic depression in cunner, but not O2 consumption when in a hypometabolic state; and 2) suggest that the evolution of cold-induced metabolic depression in this northern wrasse species has not resulted in a trade-off with upper thermal tolerance, but instead, an enhancement of this species' metabolic plasticity

Acupuncture in Preterm Babies during Minor Painful Procedures

ObjectiveTo evaluate analgesic effects of acupuncture in preterm neonates during minor painful procedures.MethodsTen preterm neonates requiring heel prick for blood gas analysis were enrolled in the study, which had a crossover design. Oxygen saturation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, and crying duration were recorded before and after heel prick. Babies were given expressed breast milk before each procedure. Patients were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture or not, and the groups were crossed over on the following day, so that patients who had received acupuncture received only breast milk, and the previous breast milk only group received both acupuncture and breast milk. The neonatal infant pain scale (NIPS) was used for pain evaluation.ResultsCrying duration and NIPS pain scores during heel prick were lower in the neonates who had received acupuncture.ConclusionAcupuncture is an effective method for the treatment of pain in neonates

A Rare Renal Epithelial Tumor: Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma Case Report and Review of the Literature

Primary renal mucinous cystadenocarcinoma is a very rare lesion of kidney which originates from the metaplasia of the renal pelvic uroepithelium. Only one case with primary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma has been reported in the English literature. We report second case of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma which was radiologically classified as type-IIF Bosniak cyst in peripheral localization. We aimed to present this extreme and unusual entity with its radiological, surgical, and pathologic aspects under the light of literature

Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab inhibited growth of ovarian cancer in preclinical mouse models

Introduction: Better treatments for ovarian cancer are needed to eliminate residual peritoneal disease after initial debulking surgery. The present study evaluated Trastuzumab to deliver Pb-214/Bi-214 for targeted alpha therapy (TAT) for HER2-positive ovarian cancer in mouse models of residual disease. This study is the first report of TAT using a novel Radon-222 generator to produce short-lived Lead-214 (Pb-214, t1/2 = 26.8 min) in equilibrium with its daughter Bismuth-214 (Bi-214, t1/2 = 19.7 min); referred to as Pb-214/Bi-214. In this study, Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab was tested.Methods: Trastuzumab and control IgG antibody were conjugated with TCMC chelator and radiolabeled with Pb-214/Bi-214 to yield Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab and Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-IgG1. The decay of Pb-214/Bi-214 yielded α-particles for TAT. SKOV3 and OVAR3 human ovarian cancer cell lines were tested for HER2 levels. The effects of Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab and appropriate controls were compared using clonogenic assays and in mice bearing peritoneal SKOV3 or OVCAR3 tumors. Mice control groups included untreated, Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-IgG1, and Trastuzumab only.Results and discussion: SKOV3 cells had 590,000 ± 5,500 HER2 receptors/cell compared with OVCAR3 cells at 7,900 ± 770. In vitro clonogenic assays with SKOV3 cells showed significantly reduced colony formation after Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab treatment compared with controls. Nude mice bearing luciferase-positive SKOV3 or OVCAR3 tumors were treated with Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab or appropriate controls. Two 0.74 MBq doses of Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab significantly suppressed the growth of SKOV3 tumors for 60 days, without toxicity, compared with three control groups (untreated, Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-IgG1, or Trastuzumab only). Mice-bearing OVCAR3 tumors had effective therapy without toxicity with two 0.74 MBq doses of Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-trastuzumab or Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-IgG1. Together, these data indicated that Pb-214/Bi-214 from a Rn-222 generator system was successfully applied for TAT. Pb-214/Bi-214-TCMC-Trastuzumab was effective to treat mouse xenograft models. Advantages of Pb-214/Bi-214 from the novel generator systems include high purity, short half-life for fractioned therapy, and hourly availability from the Rn-222 generator system. This platform technology can be applied for a variety of cancer treatment strategies

Effects of Functional Anterior Shifting On Skeletal and Airway Structures

To compare the maxillary and mandibular skeletal structures and airway dimensions between anterior functional shifting and Class I control patients. This study was composed of 48 patients. The first group was consisted of 24 patients (male: 11, female: 13). Mean ANB value was 0.31 ± 3.49 and mean age is 13.52 ± 2.95. The second group was a skeletal Class I group, and consisted of 24 patients (male: 7, female: 17) and served as the control group. Mean ANB was 2.47 ± 2.27 and mean age was 13.99 ± 1.79. Eighteen cephalometric measurements were used to evaluate skeletal differences, and 14 measurements were used for airway dimensions. Two groups were compared with independent t test. Position and size of the mandible were not affected with anterior functional shifting. S-Go distance was smaller in anterior functional shifting patients (p<0.05). Hard palate - soft palate angle was statistically lower (p< 0.01) and soft palate length (pns-spt) was higher (p<0.01) in anterior functional shifting group. Inferior airway measurement (sbti-phwl) represented higher values in functional anterior shifting group (p< 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in Pns-ppw1 (p< 0.05), spl/sps (p< 0.01) and spl/Ips (p< 0.01) measurements. Patients with anterior functional shifting showed wider airway than Class I control group. Postnatal maxillary development deficiency may be observed in functional anterior shifting cases

In-vitro Activity of Fosfomycin, Nitrofurantoin and Ciprofloxacin Against Escherichia coli Strains Isolated From Community Acquired Urinary Tract Infections

Escherichia coli, üriner sistem inf eksiyonlarından (ÜSİ) en sık izole edilen mikroorganizmadır. Son zamanlarda ülke- mizde üropatojen E.coli suşlarında, ÜSİ tedavisinde sık kullanılan antibiyotiklere karşı duyarlılıkta azalma görülmektedir. Bu çalışmada, ÜSİ ön tanısıyla üroloji polikliniğinden gönderilen idrar kültürlerinden izole edilen E.coli suşlarının siprof loksa- sin, nitrof urantoin ve f osf omisin duyarlılıkları, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) önerileri doğrultusunda disk dif üzyon yöntemi ile belirlenmiş; genişlemiş spektrumlu beta-laktamaz (ESBL) üretimi çif t disk sinerji yöntemiyle araş- tırılmıştır. İncelenen E.coli izolatlarında en yüksek direnç oranı % 32.1 ile siprof loksasine karşı saptanmış, bunu % 5.1 ile nitrof urantoin ve % 4.5 ile f osf omisin takip etmiştir. ESBL pozitif lik oranı % 22.5 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Direnç oranları ESBL pozitif ve negatif lerde sırasıyla siprof loksasine karşı % 85.3 ve % 17.3 nitrof urantoine karşı % 12.6 ve % 2.9, f osf omi- sine karşı ise % 13.9 ve % 1.9 olarak saptanmıştır. Bölgemizde siprof loksasine direnç oranında yükselme gözlenmesine karşın f osf omisin ve nitrof urantoin, ÜSİ tedavisinde iyi birer alternatif olmayı sürdürmektedir.Escherichia coli is the most commonly isolated microorganism in cases of urinary tract inf ection (UTI). Currently, in our country, susceptibility of uropathogenic E.coli strains to commonly used antibiotics in the treatment of UTIs has decrea- sed. In this study, the resistance rates of E.coli strains isolated f rom urine samples of patients with UTI f rom urology outpa- tient clinic were determined f or ciprof loxacin, nitrof urantoin and f osf omycin by disk diff usion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production was tested by double-disk synergy method. In E.coli strains the highest resistance rate was f ound f or ciprof loxacin (32.1 %). This was f ollowed by nitrof urantoin (5.1 %) and f osf omycin (4.5 %). ESBL positivity rate was f ound as 22.5 %. Resistance rates f or ESBL positive and negative cultures were determined as, 85.3 % and 17.3 % f or ciprof loxacin, 12.6 % and 2.9% f or nitrof u- rantoin, 13.9 % and 1.9 % f or f osf omycin. Despite the increased resistance observed f or ciprof loxacin in our region, f osf omycin and nitrof urantoin continue to be a good alternative in the treatment of UTIs