Comparison of MELD score with hemodynamic parameters in patient with chronic and diffuse liver parenchyma disease

Kronik karaciğer parankimi hastalığı olan olgularda portal hemodinamik parametreler ve etyolojik faktörlerin, MELD skorları üzerine etkisinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlandı.Kronik karaciğer parankim hastalığı olan 121 hastanın portal Doppler US bulguları, retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Her olgu için Doppler US yapıldığı zamanki MELD skorları hesaplandı. B-mode US ile dalak boyutu, Doppler US ile portal ven çapı, hızı, hepatik arter RI, PI değerleri, kollateral varlığında portal ven hızı değerlendirildi. Etyolojik nedenler ile MELD skorları ve portal hemodinamik parametreler karşılaştırıldı.MELD skoru ile hastaların etyolojik nedenleri; etyolojik nedenlere bağlı hasta grupları arasında MELD skoru ve portal hemodinamik değişkenler bakımından anlamlı fark bulunmadı. Tek bir etiyolojik nedene sahip hasta grubunda MELD skoru ile hepatik arterin Rİ değeri arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptandı (p<0,001, r= 0,616). Birden fazla etiyolojik nedenin olduğu hasta grubunda bu ilişki düzeyi daha yüksek bulundu (p<0,001, r= 0,837). Gruplar arasında yaş, dalak boyutu, pv çapı, pv ortalama hızı ve ha PI bakımından anlamlı fark bulunmamıştır. (p değerleri sırasıyla; 0,84, 0,166, 0,348, 0,172, 0,282, 0,404). Umblikal ven rekanalizasyonu olan hastaların pv ortalama hızı olmayanlara göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde yüksekti(p=0,007). Özafagus varisi ve splenorenal şantı olan hastaların pv ortalama hızı olmayanlara göre anlamlı derecede düşüktü (sırasıyla p değerleri; <0,001, 0,017).Sonuç olarak karaciğer parankimini difüz etkileyen kronik hastalıklarda, MELD skoru ile hepatik arter RI değerleri arasında anlamlı ilişki vardır. Objektif bir prognostik skorlama sistemi olan MELD ile hepatik arter RI değeri arasındaki korelasyon portal doppler US incelemesinde hepatik arter hemodinamisinin de değerlendirilmesinin hastalığın prognozu hakkında öngörüde bulunma açısından faydalı olacaktır.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of portal hemodynamic parameters and etiologic factors on MELD scores in patients with chronic liver parenchyma disease.Portal Doppler ultrasound (US) findings of 121 patients with chronic liver parenchyma disease were evaluated, retrospectively. Each patient?s MELD scores were calculated at the time of Doppler US was performed. Spleen size were measured with B-mode US, Doppler US was used to evaluate portal vein (PV) diameter, velocity, hepatic artery (HA) RI, PI measurements and also portal vein velocity when presence of collaterals. Etiologic causes were compared with MELD scores and portal hemodynamic parameters.There was no significant difference between MELD scores and portal hemodynamic parameters in the groups that were created by etiologic causes. In the group that were consisted of patients with single etiologic cause, there was statistically significant difference between MELD score and hepatic artery RI measurement (p< 0,001, r= 0,616). This difference was statistically more significant in the group which consisted of multiple etiologic causes (p< 0,001, r= 0,837). There was no statistically significant difference in age, spleen size, PV diameter, PV mean velocity and HA PI, between all groups (p value was 0, 84, 0,166, 0,348, 0,172, 0,282, and 0,404, respectively). PV mean velocity of the patients with recanalyzed umbilical vein was higher than non-recanalyzed group (p= 0,007). In patients with esophageal and splenorenal shunt, PV mean velocity was significantly lower than the group without shunts (p value <0,001, 0,017, respectively).In conclusion, there is significant relation between MELD score and hepatic artery RI measurements in patients with chronic and diffuse liver parenchyma diseases. Correlation of HARI measurement with MELD score as an objective prognostic factor, provides that evaluation hepatic artery hemodynamics during portal Doppler US which may be beneficial in prediction of prognosis

Survey of sulfites in wine and various Turkish food and food products intended for export, 2007-2010

Surveys were carried out between 2007 and 2010 to determine the total levels of sulfites in 1245 samples of wines, dried apricots, dried vegetables, nuts, juices and purees, frozen foods and cereals containing dried fruit supplied by food inspectors and by food producers for testing or for export certification. Sulfite analysis of wine was carried out using the Ripper method with an LOQ of 5 mg l(-1) and for dried and other foods the Monier-Williams distillation procedure was employed with an LOQ of 10 mg kg(-1). In the survey all wines contained measurable sulfites, but with the exception of one sample of white wine they were otherwise below Turkish Food Codex limits of 160 mg kg(-1) for red wine, 210 mg kg(-1) to white wine and 235 mg kg(-1) for sparkling wine. None of the cereal products, frozen foods, juices or purees contained sulfites above 10 mg kg(-1). However, all dried apricot samples contained significant levels of sulfite with around 40% having levels exceeding the Turkish limit of 2000 mg kg(-1). Significant levels of sulfite were found in other samples of dried fruit with even a fruit and nut bar containing 1395 mg kg(-1) of sulfite, suggesting the dried fruit ingredients contained levels above regulatory limits

Detection of porcine DNA in gelatine and gelatine-containing processed food products-Halal/Kosher authentication

A commercially available real-time PCR, based on a multi-copy target cytochrome b (cyt b) using porcine specific primers, has been validated for the Halal/Kosher authentication of gelatine. Extraction and purification of DNA from gelatine were successfully achieved using the Surefood (R) PREP Animal system, and real-time PCR was carried out using SureFood (R) Animal ID Pork Sens kit. The minimum level of adulteration that could be detected was 1.0% w/w for marshmallows and gum drops. A small survey was undertaken of processed food products such as gum drops, marshmallows and Turkish delight, believed to contain gelatine. Of fourteen food products from Germany, two samples were found to contain porcine gelatine, whereas of twenty-nine samples from Turkey twenty-eight were negative. However, one product from Turkey contained porcine DNA and thus was not Halal, and neither was the use of porcine gelatine indicated on the product label

Surveys of aflatoxin B1 contamination of retail Turkish foods and of products intended for export between 2007 and 2009

Surveys were carried out between 2007 and 2009 to determine the aflatoxin B1 content of 3345 commercial Turkish foodstuffs supplied by producers for testing for their own purposes or for export certification. To simplify the reporting of data, foods were categorized as: 1, high sugar products with nuts; 2, nuts and seeds; 3, spices; 4, grain; 5, cocoa products; 6, dried fruit and vegetables; 7, processed cereal products; 8, tea; and 9, baby food and infant formula. Aflatoxin analysis was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after immunoaffinity column clean-up, with a recoveries ranging from 91% to 99%, depending on the matrix. Of the 3345 samples analysed, 94% contained aflatoxin B1 below the European Union limit of 2 mu g kg-1, which applies to nuts, dried fruit, and cereals products. The 6% of the 206 contaminated samples were mainly nuts and spices. For pistachios, 24%, 38%, and 42% of the totals of 207, 182, and 24 samples tested for 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, were above 2 mu g kg-1, with 50 samples containing aflatoxin B1 at levels ranging from 10 to 477 mu g kg-1

Meat species identification and Halal authentication using PCR analysis of raw and cooked traditional Turkish foods

The method performance characteristics of commercially available PCR kits for animal species identification were established. Comminuted meat products containing different levels of pork were prepared from authentic beef, chicken, and turkey. These meat products were analysed in the raw state and after cooking for 20 mm at 200 degrees C. For both raw and cooked meats, the PCR kit could correctly identify the animal species and could reliably detect the addition of pork at a level below 0.1%. A survey of 42 Turkish processed meat products such as soudjouk, salami, sausage, meatball, cured spiced beef and doner kebap was conducted. Thirty-six samples were negative for the presence of pork (<0.1%) and four were found to be correctly labelled as containing pork. However, one sausage sample was labelled as containing 5% beef, but beef DNA was not detected and a meatball sample labelled as 100% beef was found to contain chicken. Another turkey meatball sample was predominantly chicken