Diagnostic accuracy of copeptin and NT-proBNP level in predicting mortality and postoperative prognosis in coronary surgery with respect to EuroSCORE risk.

Introduction: During the last few years, many modifications in risk stratification of all cardiac surgical patients have been reported based on EuroSCORE.

Aim: In this study we aimed to interpret copeptin and NT-proBNP levels in patients who had undergone coronary surgery with respect to EuroSCORE.

Material And Methods: We investigated the correlation between pre-operative copeptin and NT-proBNP levels with respect to mortality and post-operative complications via EuroSCORE II in the 484 enrolled patients.

The effect of low-dose combined hormone therapy (oestradiol and norethindrone acetate) on serum C-reactive protein levels and life quality in natural menopause women.

Introduction: To assess the effect of low-dose combined oestradiol and norethindrone acetate hormone therapy (HT) on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and life quality in natural menopause women.

Material And Methods: Forty-five natural menopause women admitted to the clinic during a 1-year period and diagnosed as menopause, who planned to have HT for menopausal symptoms, were enrolled in this prospective study. The serum CRP levels were measured, and vasomotor symptoms scores were graded according to the Blatt-Kupperman menopause index, and life quality scores according to the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) were recorded before and after (3 months later) hormone therapy.

Performance of anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating landfill leachate.

Background: Landfill leachate has been known as non-biodegradable/hardly-biodegradable wastewater, which contains significant amount of soluble organic and inorganic compounds. However, membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology have become a more viable treatment option for complex and recalcitrant compounds compared to activated sludge systems.

Methods: This study aims at evaluating the performance of anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) for the treatment of middle/old-aged landfill leachate (LFL).

Assessment of healthy lifestyle behaviors in traveling seasonal agricultural workers.

Objectives: The deficiencies in working conditions, fees, housing conditions, and nutritional capabilities have negative influences on health of seasonal agricultural workers. It is highly important to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors in this group of individuals. This study aimed to identify healthy lifestyle behaviors in seasonal agricultural workers.

Validity of simplified nutritional appetite questionnaire for Turkish community-dwelling elderly and determining cut-off according to mini nutritional assessment.

Background/objectives: The aim of this study was to determine a cut-off value for the SNAQ according to both the MNA long and MNA short forms and to assess whether the SNAQ can predict malnutrition or risk of malnutrition in the elderly.

Subjects/methods: Nutritional status was assessed both by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) long and short forms. All demographic characteristics, mental status, depressive mood, functional status, and frailty were determined.

The prevalence and related factors of restless leg syndrome in the community dwelling elderly; in Kayseri, Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and related factors of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in the community-dwelling elderly living in Kayseri.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional population based study in 960 community-dwelling elderly living in an urban area. We sampled 1/100 of elderly people aged 60 years and older.

Prevalence of cognitive impairment and related risk factors in community-dwelling elderly in Kayseri, Turkey.

Background/aim: The increased rate of elderly individuals in the general population leads to functional decline because of cognitive impairment (CImp). We aimed to detect the prevalence of CImp and related risk factors in community-dwelling elders living in an urban area (Kayseri, Turkey).

Materials And Methods: This is a cross-sectional, population-based study conducted in a sample of 900 community-dwelling elders aged 60 years and older.

Muscle function-dependent sarcopenia and cut-off values of possible predictors in community-dwelling Turkish elderly: calf circumference, midarm muscle circumference and walking speed.

Background/objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of muscle strength-based sarcopenia and to determine possible predictors.

Subjects/methods: This is a cross-sectional population-based study in the community-dwelling Turkish elderly. Anthropometric measurements, namely body height, weight, triceps skin fold (TSF), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC), waist circumference (WC) and calf circumference (CC), were noted.

The prevalence of frailty and related factors in community-dwelling Turkish elderly according to modified Fried Frailty Index and FRAIL scales.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of frailty with the Fried Frailty Index (FFI) and FRAIL scales (Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illness, Low weight) and also its associated factors in the community-dwelling Turkish elderly.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional population-based study in an urban area with a population of over 1,200,000. We sampled 1/100 of the elderly population.

Treatment protocol and relapses of brucella endocarditis; cotrimoxazole in combination with the treatment of brucella endocarditis.

Antibiotic treatment, surgical intervention and postoperative antibiotic regimens are recommended for the treatment of brucella endocarditis (BE). Our clinical antibiotic regimens involve a triple antibiotic regimen for treating BE before the operation. The combination of three antibiotics is continued for at least six months and until the titres of the Wright serologic test are diminished to 1:160 levels.

Treatment of Brucella endocarditis: 15 years of clinical and surgical experience.

Background: Brucella endocarditis is a life-threatening complication of human brucellosis. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the effects of combined medical and surgical treatment in the midterm to long term.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 13 patients (mean age 44 +/- 18 years; 8 males) who were operated on from January 1993 to June 2009.

Large retroperitoneal schwannoma mimicking ovarian carcinoma: case report and literature review.

Unlabelled: In this article we present a case of retroperitoneal schwannoma localized in the pelvic cavity with complete cystic degeneration, mimicking ovarian carcinoma.

Case: A 25-year-old nulligravid woman was admitted to our gynecology out-patient clinic with the complaint of abdominal distension, right flank pain and pollakiuria. Sonographic study showed a cytic mass containing necrotic areas and filling the whole pelvic cavity.

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with polydimethylsiloxane in adults: do location and appearance of the ureteric orifice have a role in the success rates?

Introduction: Low success rate for high grade reflux and anatomical abnormality of ureteric orifices continues to be the most important dilemma of the endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic polydimethylsiloxane injection in adults with VUR concerning reflux severity and the status of the ureteric orifice.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-three ureters (34 patients) were treated with endoscopic polydimethylsiloxane injection.

Hyperacute graft-vs.-host disease after related HLA-identical umbilical cord blood transplantation.

haGVHD has been described following bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and in a single case who received unrelated HLA mismatched CB. An unusual case of haGVHD following HLA 6/6-matched sibling CBT in a child with AML is presented. The development of haGVHD in a fully matched CBT and without precipitating factors may suggest the role of still undefined and perhaps individual contributory factors.

[Short communication: prevalence of extended spectrum beta-lactamases in gram negative rods: data of 2001-2004 period].

This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production by Gram negative rods (GNRs) isolated from various clinical specimens (3.240 urine, 336 pus, 277 feces, 83 blood, 38 sputum) sent to our hospital laboratory, between 2001-2004. Of isolated bacteria 71.

[Antibiotic resistance rates of Shigella species isolated from stool cultures in the years 1999-2003].

In this study, species distribution, seasonal isolation rates and antibiotic susceptibilitiy patterns of 115 Shigella spp, isolated from 5396 stool samples in our microbiology laboratory between 1999 and 2003, were investigated. Of the isolates, 96 (83.5%) were S.

[Inhibitor effect of vaginal lactobacilli on group B streptococci].

Neonatal group B streptococcal (GBS) infections are one of the important health problems because of their high mortality and morbidity rates in certain countries. There are some preventive approaches, including perinatal antibiotic therapy against these infections. Recently, vaccination with conjugated GBS polysaccharides has also been practised.

Childhood diarrhoea in Ankara, Turkey: epidemiological and clinical features of rotavirus-positive versus rotavirus-negative cases.

Published reports dealing with rotavirus infections in Turkey are very scarce. This study included 1099 consecutive paediatric patients with diarrhoea, who sought care at 3 hospitals in Ankara, Turkey between 1999 and 2002 and were investigated for the presence of rotavirus antigen in faeces. Rotavirus antigen was detected by an immunochromatographic test, Simple Rotavirus (Operon, Spain).

Macrolide resistance determinants of invasive and noninvasive group B streptococci in a Turkish hospital.

Macrolide resistance in 156 consecutive group B streptococcal isolates was investigated. Thirty-five isolates (22.4%) had inducible (80%) or constitutive (20%) erythromycin resistance.

[Macrolide resistance phenotypes and genotypes in group G streptococci].

Group G streptococci (GGS) are among the bacterial causes of pharyngitis. In this study, a total of 57 GGS strains isolated from throat swabs were initially screened by NCCLS disk diffusion test for penicillin and erythromycin susceptibilities. Phenotypes of the erythromycin resistance were determined by a triple-disk test and the responsible genes were sought by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using mefA, ermA, ermA-subclass ermTR and ermB primer sets.

CTX-M-3 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase in a Shigella sonnei clinical isolate: first report from Turkey.

A Shigella sonnei strain resistant to cefotaxime and aztreonam (but not ceftazidime) was isolated from the stool sample of a 7-y-old outpatient. Double disk synergy test, isoelectric focusing, polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis confirmed that the isolate produced CTX-M-3, an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL). This is the first report from Turkey of Shigella spp.

Macrolide resistance determinants of group A streptococci in Ankara, Turkey.

Objectives: Macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) resistance determinants of group A streptococci (GAS) in Ankara, Turkey, were defined for the first time. ISOLATES AND METHODS: A total of 1355 GAS isolates, collected from three different regions of Ankara, were screened for erythromycin resistance. Resistance phenotypes were determined by a triple-disc test, and the gene determinants responsible were determined by PCR.

Increasing the detection rate of group B streptococcal carriers by non-selective cervico-vaginal culture accompanied with the selective vagino-anorectal one.

It has been previously well defined that selective vagino-anorectal culture is required for detection of group B streptococcal (GBS) carriage. We interestingly observed that in 5.74% of carriers, GBS were recovered only from cervico-vaginal samples inoculated onto nonselective human blood agar, without recovery from vagino-anorectal samples inoculated to four selective media.

[Retrospective microbiologic evaluation of vaginal cultures].

Vaginal culture is one of the most difficult cultures to be evaluated in clinical microbiology practice. The necessity of some expensive and complicated processes for diagnosis of some specific agents, age related variability of normal vaginal flora and failure caused by temporary presence of some pathogens in normal flora can be listed among the probable causes of that problem. In this study 8050 vaginal cultures performed in our hospital laboratories between 1 March 1999-15 September 2001 were evaluated retrospectively.