Penetration of meropenem and cefepim into pancreatic tissue during the course of experimental acute pancreatitis.

Introduction: Recent data from experimental and clinical studies suggest that the antibiotics showing good penetration into the pancreas may reduce mortality by preventing pancreatic infection, which is the most important prognostic factor in acute pancreatitis.

Aim: To determine and compare pancreatic tissue concentrations of meropenem and cefepime at different stages of acute necrotizing pancreatitis in an animal model that has been shown to closely mimic severe human pancreatitis.

Methodology: Acute necrotizing pancreatitis was induced in rats by a standardized intraductal infusion of glycodeoxycholic acid and intravenous cerulein.

Effects of losartan treatment on T-cell activities and plasma leptin concentrations in primary hypertension.

Recent evidence shows that leptin may contribute to elevated blood pressure (BP) and interact with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and cellular immune systems. Altered T-cell activities and changes in T-cell subset ratios have also been reported in hypertension. However, little is known about the effects of AT1-receptor antagonism on T-cell activities and plasma leptin concentrations in primary hypertension.

Comparison of effects of cholecystokinin and erythromycin on bile chemistry and gallstone formation in aged guinea pigs.

Background: There has been considerable interest in gall bladder motility in recent years. We compared the effects of cholecystokinin (CCK) and erythromycin on bile chemistry and gallstone formation in aged guinea pigs.

Methods: Two groups of guinea pigs (1-mo and 3-y old; n=40 each) were studied.

Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase reduces bacterial translocation in a rat model of acute pancreatitis.

Introduction: Translocation of bacteria from the gut into pancreatic necrosis is an important factor in the development of septic complications and mortality in acute pancreatitis. S-methylisothiourea (SMT) is an inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor that has been shown to decrease bacteria] translocation in sepsis and thermal injury.

Aim: To investigate whether SMT could affect bacterial translocation in acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Insulin resistance in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a chronic liver disease that is capable of progressing to end-stage liver disease, but generally has a benign course. Obesity, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia are the most common associations of the disease.

Aims: To investigate the insulin resistance in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis who have no other causes of insulin resistance such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidaemia.

CA-125; a new marker for diagnosis and follow-up of patients with tuberculous peritonitis.

Background: Most malignancies with peritoneal infiltration, especially ovarian cancers and chronic liver diseases associated with ascites give rise to high serum CA-125 levels. Tuberculous peritonitis is another cause for high serum CA-125 levels.

Aim: To investigate the relation between serum CA-125 level and response to treatment in tuberculous peritonitis patients.

Fulminant hepatic failure as the initial manifestation of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

A 20-year-old male, with no history of chronic liver disease, presented with fulminant hepatic failure. The cause was not established until post mortem when it was found that he had a primary hepatocellular carcinoma in a non-cirrhotic liver. To our knowledge, this is the third report of hepatocellular carcinoma presenting in this manner.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria with antinuclear antibody positivity: avoiding misdiagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

A young eunuchoid man was referred to our hospital with suspected erythropoietic protoporphyria. Serum antinuclear antibody (ANA) was found to be positive immediately after the porphyria attack and disappeared 30 days later. Many authors have mentioned the coexistence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and porphyria.

Is leptin associated with hypertensive retinopathy?

Previous studies have demonstrated that elevated plasma leptin concentrations are associated with essential hypertension. It has also recently been shown that leptin plays a promoting role in angiogenesis, and the vascular endothelium expresses the long form of leptin receptor. Those data led us to hypothesize that leptin might contribute to end-organ damage in hypertension.

Plasma leptin levels strongly correlate with plasma renin activity in patients with essential hypertension.

Previous studies demonstrated elevated plasma leptin and angiotensinogen (PRA) levels in essential hypertension. However, a few studies investigated the relationship between leptin and angiotensinogen levels in both lean and overweight/ obese hypertensives. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine the relationship between blood pressure, leptin and plasma renin activity in normotensives and in both lean and overweight/obese patients with essential hypertension.

[Botulism: a case report].

Botulism is an acute form of poisoning that results from ingestion of a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. Botulism toxin causes their major effect by blocking neuromuscular transmission in autonomic and motor nerve terminals. Guillain Barre Syndrome, Myasthenia Graves, Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome, acute poliomyelitis and diphtheria must be considered in the differential diagnosis.

[HIV infections among Turkish citizens who have lived in foreign countries].

AIDS or HIV infection, since 1981 when the first description was made because of showing epidemic characteristics, present increasing in number of patients, go along with high mortality, the disease become an event not only medically but also for any parts of the society. There is a danger of AIDS in risky groups and also danger of spreading by those persons. Among the 10985 Turkish citizens who came Turkey from foreign countries to fulfill military duty, antibody research against HIV was made and one positive anti-HIV case was observed.

[Viral encephalitis].

Acute viral and other infectious causes of encephalitis usually produce fever, headache, stiff neck and alterations in consciousness, focal neurologic signs and seizures. A large number of viral and nonviral agents can cause encephalitis. Arthropod-borne viruses peak in summer, the tick-borne infections occur in early summer, enterovirus infections in later summer and mumps in the winter and spring.

[Lyme disease].

Lyme disease, which is caused by the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, usually begins with a characteristic skin lesion erythema chronicum migrans (ECM), that may be followed by neurological or cardiac abnormalities and is accompanied by malaise, fatigue, fever, myalgia, headache, lymphadenopathy and is often followed by arthritis. The disease takes its name from Lyme, Connecticut, where the full spectrum of illness was first described in 1975. It is known to be a multisystemic infectious disease.