Comparison of humoral immune response in heterologous and homologous COVID-19 booster vaccine groups using CoronaVac and mRNA-based BNT162b2 vaccines.

Background: Heterologous COVID-19 booster vaccination is an alternative strategy to homologous vaccination, especially in developing countries, due to shortages, delays, or unequal distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. We compared cohorts vaccinated with different vaccine combinations to investigate whether a heterologous booster dose of mRNA-based BNT162b2 vaccine boosts the immune response in individuals primed with the CoronaVac vaccine.

Methods: Anti-RBD IgG is generally measured 4 weeks after primary immunization and 4 weeks after booster vaccination.

Response to "Letter to the Editor: Vaccine Failures in Pediatric Cases Caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 19A".

We are happy to answer to the Letter from Ozkaya-Parlakay et al. to the Editor commenting on our recent paper, 1  investigated impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13)  on the incidences of community-acquired pneumonia and pneumonia-related hospitalizations in children ≤5 years after its implementation into the national immunization program (NIP) of Turkey.   Ozkaya-Parlakay et al.

Impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the incidences of community-acquired pneumonia and pneumonia-related hospitalizations in children ≤5 years after its implementation into the national immunization program of Turkey.

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in the incidences of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and CAP-related hospitalizations following introduction of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in children ≤5 years of age into the national immunization programme (NIP) of Turkey. PCV7 was included in the NIP of Turkey in November 2008 and was replaced by PCV13 in late 2011. Changes in the incidences of CAP and CAP-related hospitalizations per 100,000 children admissions were investigated from 2011 to 2017.

Impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the incidences of acute otitis media, recurrent otitis media and tympanostomy tube insertion in children after its implementation into the national immunization program in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the incidences of acute otitis media (AOM), recurrent AOM (rAOM) and tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion in children following the introduction of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) into the national immunization program (NIP) of Turkey in April 2011. National coverage for the PCV7 was 97% in 2009, 93% in 2010, 96% in 2011 and for the PVC13 was 97% in 2012, 97% in 2013, 96% in 2014, 97% in 2015, 98% in 2016, and 96% in 2017 for Turkish children younger than 12 months of age. A total of 499932 pediatric visits were recorded, and AOM was diagnosed in 23005 (4.

The Association between Serum 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Level and Urine Cathelicidin in Children with a Urinary Tract Infection.

Objective: Cathelicidin is an important antimicrobial peptide in the urinary tract. Cathelicidin expression is strongly stimulated by 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D in epithelial cells, macrophages/monocytes, and neutrophils. Vitamin D and cathelicidin status in children with urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by Escherichia coli is unknown.

Cardiac troponin-I, brain natriuretic peptide and endothelin-1 levels in a rat model of doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury.

Background: Cardiotoxicity, during or after therapy, is the most serious side effect of doxorubicin (DXR). The risk of developing cardiac impairment increases concomitantly with an increase in the cumulative dose of DXR.

Aim: The aim was to evaluate the levels of cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in DXR induced cardiac injury.

The effect of the pre-pregnancy weight of the mother and the gestational weight gain on the bilirubin level of term newborn.

Objective: Jaundice is a problem in newborns. There are many maternal and infant-related factors affecting neonatal jaundice. The maternal pre-pregnancy weight, maternal body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain may have an effect on the newborn bilirubin levels.

Effects of Inhaled Corticosteroids on the Growth Plates of Infant Rats.

The most significant adverse effect of inhaled steroid administration in children is suppression of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis responsiveness and suppression of growth. This study evaluates the effects of inhaled corticosteroids on the growth plates in infant rats. Rats aged 10 days were divided into five groups.

High serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with pediatric sepsis.

Despite major advances in intensive care, sepsis continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Vitamin D is involved in various physiologic functions, including cellular responses during infection and inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic value of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in childhood sepsis because it can be fatal if diagnosis delayed.

Efficacy of vibration on venipuncture pain scores in a pediatric emergency department.

Objective: Venipuncture is a frequent source of painful procedures for infants. It has been well documented that infants react to pain with a combination of physiologic and behavioral responses. Infants are unable to describe pain and at particularly high risk for inadequate pain management.

The utility of serial plasma sE-selectin measurements in the prediction of retinopathy of prematurity in premature infants.

Background: sE-selectin has recently been suggested as a surrogate marker for prediction of ROP development.

Aims: The possible role of serial plasma sE-selectin measurements in early prediction and diagnosis of ROP was evaluated.

Study Design: Prospective observational study

Subjects: Forty six preterm infants aged <34weeks of gestation and weighing <1500 g were enrolled.

Predictive value of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, soluble ST2, and IL-33 in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) remains an important complication of preterm births. The soluble form of ST2 (sST2), interleukin-33 (IL-33), and soluble form of the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) have attracted increasing attention as biomarkers for different diseases. The aim of the current study was to assess the predictive value of plasma sST2, IL-33, and suPAR levels in patients with risk of BPD development.

Factor v deficiency associated with congenital cardiac disorder and intracranial hemorrage.

Factor V deficiency is an inherited disorder, in which the clotting factor V is low. The disorder is very rare, occurring in only one in one million people. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder.

The relationship between the first episode of wheezing and matrix metalloproteinases-9 and MMP-2 and tissue inhibitors of MMP-1 levels in preterm infants.

Aims: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) have been associated with neonatal lung morbidity and MMP dysregulation contributes to the pathology of chronic and acute lung disorders. Most of the previous studies were performed in the 1(st) weeks of life of the preterm newborns. There are no data on the serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 or tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP-1) from preterm infants recovering from lung morbidities.

A case of Mowat-Wilson syndrome caused by a truncating mutation within exon 8 of the ZEB2 gene.

Mowat-Wilson syndrome (MWS) is characterized by severe mental retardation with seizures, specific facial dysmorphism, Hirschsprung disease, anomalies of the corpus callosum, and genitourinary and cardiac malformations. The cause of MWS is a de novo mutation in the ZEB2 gene. This report describes a Turkish boy who was clinically diagnosed with MWS and had his diagnosis confirmed by molecular analysis of the ZEB2 gene.

Nanoduct sweat conductivity measurements in 2664 patients: relationship to age, arterial blood gas, serum electrolyte profiles and clinical diagnosis.

Background: The Nanoduct(®) device has acceptable diagnostic accuracy, but there is not enough systematic data supporting its usage in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods: A retrospective review of patients with an indication for the sweat test was conducted. The conductivity test was repeated in patients who had values higher than 60 mmol/L, and they were referred for sweat chloride measurements.

[Convulsion due to application of low dose meperidine: a case report].

Meperidine is an opiod analgesic used in a variety of clinical situations. The active metabolite, normeperidine, is a central nervous system excitatory agent and has the ability to cause irritability, hyperreflexia, tremor, myoclonus and seizures. Previously identified risk factors for the development of meperidine-related seizures include renal failure, high meperidine dosages, and co-adminestration of hepatic enzyme inducing medications or phenothiazines which decreases seizure treshold.

Toll-like receptor levels and caffeine responsiveness in rat pups during perinatal period.

Infants born prematurely are prone to bronchopulmonary dysplasia which is a devastating form of chronic lung disease that develops in very low birth weight infants. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors that initiate innate immune responses. We tested TLR2, 4, and 9 levels in the lungs of rat pups given caffeine at the first days of postnatal life.

Effects of maternal smoking on fetal organs.

Background: Unfavorable effects of in-utero smoke exposure have been shown in several studies.

Objectives: In this experimental study, the authors aimed at showing detrimental effects of cigarette smoke on fetal tissues by assessing apoptosis that is detected by performing TUNEL staining.

Material And Methods: Designed groups were smoke exposed rats before and during pregnancy and control groups.

Correlation between cord blood apelin and IGF-1 levels in retinopathy of prematurity.

Aim: We hypothesized that circulating apelin concentrations in preterm babies might be linked with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), similar to IGF-1 levels.

Patients & Methods: A total of 97 infants born with a gestational age before 32 weeks in 2007-2009 were screened for ROP at the Gata Haydarpasa Hospital (Turkey). Fourteen of them with classified ROP stage 3-5 comprised our study group.

Comparing beneficial effects of inhaled nitric oxide to L-arginine in necrotizing enterocolitis model in neonatal rats.

Objective: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common and devastating gastrointestinal condition of neonatal infants. The pathophysiology of NEC remains poorly understood. We tried to evaluate the effectiveness of inhaled NO compared to L-arginine usage in necrotizing enterocolitis model in rats.

Effect of breastfeeding on serum zinc levels and growth in healthy infants.

Background: This study investigated the association among breastfeeding, serum zinc levels, and nutritional status of children.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred healthy infants were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements of the children were taken, and their plasma zinc levels were determined.