Intrauterine Growth References for Turkish Infants.

Fetal growth is known to be affected by ethnic and environmental factors; therefore, intrauterine growth references for each community vary and need to be determined individually. This study aimed to construct intrauterine growth references for Turkish infants. This prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study was performed in collaboration with the Turkish Ministry of Health and the Turkish Neonatology Society, in coordination with Mersin University.

Effects of hypothermia on lung inflammation in a rat model of meconium aspiration syndrome.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of hypothermia treatment on meconium-induced inflammation.

Methods: Fifteen rats were instilled with human meconium (MEC, 1.5 mL/kg, 65 mg/mL) intratracheally and ventilated for 3 hours.

Erythropoietin may attenuate lung inflammation in a rat model of meconium aspiration syndrome.

Background: Inflammation is believed to play a key role in the pathophysiology of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).

Purpose Of The Study: The objective was to determine whether the recombinant human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) pretreatment could attenuate meconium-induced inflammation.

Materials And Methods: In this study, 24 ventilated adult male rats were studied to examine the effects of recombinant human EPO (rhEPO) on meconium-induced inflammation.

The effects of selective head cooling versus whole-body cooling on some neural and inflammatory biomarkers: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has become standard care in newborns with moderate to severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and the 2 most commonly used methods are selective head cooling (SHC) and whole body cooling (WBC). This study aimed to determine if the effects of the 2 methods on some neural and inflammatory biomarkers differ.

Materials And Methods: This prospective randomized pilot study included newborns delivered after >36 weeks of gestation.

Accessory Nostril: A Rare Congenital Nasal Anomaly.

Accessory nostril is a very rare congenital anomaly with an unknown etiology also known as supernumerary nostril. A few accessory nostrils have been reported up to the present time, and extremely rare cases located on columella. A newborn infant with respiratory distress was referred to our hospital.

The effects of fibroblast growth factor-2 and pluripotent astrocytic stem cells on cognitive function in a rat model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of pluripotent astrocytic stem cells (PASCs) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) on cognitive function in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI).

Methods: The study was performed on 7-d-old rats that were randomly divided into four groups. All rats, except those in the sham group, were kept in a hypoxic chamber containing 8% oxygen for 2 h after the ligation of the right carotid artery.

Mesenchymal stem cell treatment in hyperoxia-induced lung injury in newborn rats.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of tracheally delivered mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on lung pathology in a hyperoxia-induced lung injury (HILI) model in neonatal rats.

Methods: For the HILI model, rat pups were exposed to 85-95% oxygen during the first 10 days of life. Rats were divided into six groups: room-air normoxia (n = 11); room air, sham (n = 11); hyperoxia exposed with normal saline as placebo (n = 9); hyperoxia exposed with culture medium of MSC (n = 10); hyperoxia exposed with medium remaining after harvesting of MSC (n = 8); and hyperoxia exposed with MSC (n = 17).

Comparison of selective head cooling versus whole-body cooling.

Background: This study compared selective head cooling (SHC) and whole-body cooling (WBC) in newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized small-scale pilot study in newborns with HIE, born after >35 weeks of gestation. The patients were randomly assigned to receive SHC or WBC.

Comparison of selective head cooling therapy and whole body cooling therapy in newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: short term results.

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate which method was superior by applying selective head cooling or whole body cooling therapy in newborns diagnosed with moderate or severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

Materials And Method: Newborns above the 35th gestational age diagnosed with moderate or severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy were included in the study and selective head cooling or whole body cooling therapy was performed randomly. The newborns who were treated by both methods were compared in terms of adverse effects in the early stage and in terms of short-term results.

A case of thanatophoric dysplasia type 2: a novel mutation.

Thanatophoric dysplasia (TD) is a lethal form of skeletal dysplasia with short-limb dwarfism. Two types distinguished with their radiological characteristics have been defined clinically. The femur is curved in type 1, while it is straight in type 2.

Effects of a tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor (etanercept) on the sciatic nerve in a hypoxic ischemia-induced neonatal rat model.

Background: Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury has been considered to have acute and long term deleterious effects on many tissues, including the peripheral nerve.

Objectives: In this study, the effects of a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) inhibitor (etanercept) on peripheral nerve damage and the ultrastructure of the sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius muscle in rats exposed to HI during the neonatal period were examined.

Material And Methods: In this study, 45 seven-day-old rats were used and they were divided into three groups.

Antioxidant capacity of breast milk of mothers who delivered prematurely is higher than that of mothers who delivered at term.

Background: The total antioxidant capacity of plasma of preterm infants has been suggested to be lower than that of term infants. The objective of this study was to compare the total antioxidant capacity of the breast milk of mothers who delivered prematurely with that of mothers who delivered at term.

Materials And Methods: A total of 71 breast milk samples were collected, 41 from mothers who delivered preterm (27 to 37 weeks) and 30 from mothers who delivered at term (38 to 42 weeks).

The effect of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor soon after hypoxia-ischemia on heart in neonatal rats.

Aims: Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic insult has acute and long term deleterious effects on many organs including heart. Although tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) has been reported to increase soon after hypoxia, the inhibition of this mediator has not been documented. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a TNF-α inhibitor (etanercept) on contractility and ultrastructure of rat heart muscles exposed to hypoxia-ischemia during neonatal period.

The effects of pentoxifylline on lung inflammation in a rat model of meconium aspiration syndrome.

To examine the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on regional pulmonary and systemic inflammation after meconium aspiration, we studied 26 anesthetized and ventilated adult rats for 3 hours. Seventeen rats were instilled with human meconium (1.5 mL/kg, 65 mg/mL) intratracheally.

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy associated with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus in Turkey.

Influenza-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy has been well recognized but not yet been reported with novel influenza A in Turkey. We report a 6-year-old boy infected with novel influenza A who displayed the typically characteristic clinical features and neuroimaging findings of acute necrotizing encephalopathy. Physicians who care for children should be aware of acute necrotizing encephalopathy in any child presenting with acute mental status changes during influenza infection.

A girl with spastic tetraparesis associated with biotinidase deficiency.

Biotinidase deficiency is a disorder of biotin metabolism that manifests with cutaneous, ophthalmological and neurologyical symptoms in childhood. Spinal cord involvement has rarely been reported and all of the reported cases are spastic paraparesis. A 3 year-old girl with biotinidase deficiency was admitted to our clinic with hyperventilation, hair loss and spastic tetraparesis.

Peer training increases the level of knowledge on sexual and reproductive health in adolescents.

To reach 'youth' and equip them with accurate information on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a very important issue. Forty one volunteer students from Mersin University School of Medicine were trained as peer trainers on SRH in Mersin, Turkey. Every peer trainer then trained 100 peers aged between 15 and 20 years about SRH.

Single enteral loading dose of phenobarbital for achieving its therapeutic serum levels in neonates.

Aim: To investigate whether therapeutic serum drug levels may be achieved with a single enteral loading dose of phenobarbital.

Methods: The study was performed at the Mersin University Hospital in Turkey between April 2004 and August 2006, and included 29 newborn babies with seizure. After the acute treatment of the seizure with midazolam at a dose of 0.

The effect of kangaroo care on pain in premature infants during invasive procedures.

A total of 50 premature infants (25 in KC group, 25 in control group) were included in this comparative, randomized, controlled study. Gestational and postnatal ages of the infants were between 26-36 weeks and 0-28 days, respectively. Infants with congenital abnormalities or sepsis and those who needed mechanical ventilation or surgical intervention were not included in the study.

The role of trapidil on neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of hypoxic ischemic brain injury.

Background: Hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Trapidil is an antiplatelet agent and several studies demonstrate the beneficial effect of trapidil in various forms of tissue injury. The effects of trapidil on neuronal apoptosis in HIBI have not been reported previously.

Platelet-activating factor antagonist (ABT-491) decreases neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of hypoxic ischemic brain injury.

Hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIBI) is a common cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. To date, no study has investigated the role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonists on neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of HIBI. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of a highly potent and selective PAF antagonist (ABT-491) on neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat model of HIBI.

Are glutathione S-transferase gene polymorphisms linked to neonatal jaundice?

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a major group of phase II detoxification enzymes involved in the metabolism of both endogenous and xenobiotic compounds. In addition to their catalytic function in detoxification, GSTs participate in binding to nonsubstrate ligands such as bilirubin. Ligandin, which is one of the principal hepatic-binding proteins, is also a member of the GST family.

The frequency of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 promoter region (TA)7 polymorphism in newborns and it's relation with jaundice.

Increased bilirubin formation and decreased bilirubin conjugation play an important role in the pathogenesis of the newborn jaundice. Although physiologic jaundice is seen in most of the newborns, there are many risk factors that affect the severity and duration of hyperbilirubinemia. The latest studies showed that the frequency and severity of neonatal jaundice have been increased when mutations of the gene coding UDP-glucuronosyltransferase(UGT)1A1 coexist with other risk factors.

Bispectral index monitoring in confirmation of brain death in children.

Although the guidelines for the diagnosis of brain death in children are well established, the diagnosis is still under debate, and further confirmatory tests are required. Performing these confirmatory tests presents some drawbacks, such as high costs, the need for specialized personnel and technology, transportation of patients out of the intensive care unit, and the use of contrast media. Bispectral index monitoring can provide real-time, objective, continuous monitoring of the consciousness level in critically ill children.