Evaluation by different mechanisms of the protective effects of vitamin B12 on methotrexate nephrotoxicity.

Methotrexate is used for cure of many cancer types. It has many side effects. For this reason, obtaining a nephroprotective agent is obligatory. In the study, our aim is to determine probable effects of Vitamin B12 on MTX caused kidney damages in rats. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, including 8 animals in each group. Control group, VitB12 group (3 µg-kg-ip B12 throughout 15 days), MTX group (at the 8th day of experiment, a single dose of 20 mg-kg-ip MTX), Vit B12 + MTX group (3 µg-kg-ip B12 throughout 15 days and at the 8th day of experiment, a single dose of 20 mg-kg-ip MTX) Animals were anesthetized and kidney tissues were removed to evaluate biochemically, immunohistochemically and histopathologycally. There were histopathological deteriorations, rises of apoptotic cells, expressions of heat shock proteins, endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation markers in the MTX group. In the MTX group, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) and Catalase (CAT) levels decreased, but Total Oxidant Status TOS, Malondialdehyde (MDA) and interleukin-6 (IL6) levels increased. In addition, there was amelioration in kidney tissue in Vit B12 + MTX group compared to the MTX group. We suggest that Vit B12 can be used to reduce the toxic effects of MTX.

The relationship between consumption of animal products and expenditure levels with Quality of Life Scores (SF-36) by veterinary students in Turkey / [A relação entre o consumo de produtos de origem animal e níveis de gasto com Scores de Qualidade de Vida (SF-36) por alunos de veterinária na Turquia]

The present study aimed to calculate the quality of life scores (Short Form-36) of veterinary students in Turkey and review their scores with regards to different socio-demographic characteristics. A total of 1211 students studying veterinary medicine in 26 different faculties in Turkey were selected by stratified sampling method and were asked questions concerning their consumption of and expenditures on foods of animal origin using the SF-36 questionnaire between October and December 2018. Significant differences were found between SF-36 components in terms of year level, gender, accommodation status, income level, and level of expenditures on foods and foods of animal origin (P<0.01). With the increase in the size of the budget set aside for animal products, the scores in the domains of physical functioning, vitality, mental health, pain, and general health perception also enhanced, and statistically significant differences were found (P<0.01). The low quality of life scores of the veterinary students can be improved by increasing their income level and consumption of foods of animal origin. This will ensure that they are energetic and have the desired level of mental and general health perceptions.(AU)

O presente estudo teve como objetivo calcular os escores de qualidade de vida (SF-36) de estudantes de veterinária na Turquia e revisar seus escores no que diz respeito a diferentes características sociodemográficas. Um total de 1211 estudantes de medicina veterinária em 26 faculdades diferentes na Turquia foram selecionados pelo método de amostragem estratificada e foram questionadas sobre o consumo e as despesas com alimentos de origem animal usando o questionário SF-36 entre outubro e dezembro de 2018. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas entre os participantes do SF-36 em termos de nível do ano, gênero, status de acomodação, nível de renda e nível de gastos com alimentos e alimentos de origem animal (P <0,01). Com o aumento do orçamento reservado para produtos de origem animal, as pontuações nos domínios de funcionamento físico, vitalidade, saúde mental, dor e percepção geral de saúde também aumentaram e foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas (P <0,01). Os baixos índices de qualidade de vida dos veterinários podem ser melhorados, aumentando o nível de renda e o consumo de alimentos de origem animal. Isso garantirá mais energia e que tenham o nível desejado de percepção mental e geral de saúde.(AU)

Sexual and reproductive health of Syrian refugee women in Turkey: a scoping review within the framework of the MISP objectives.

BACKGROUND: Turkey hosts the world's largest community of Syrians displaced by the conflict. The Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) is a coordinated set of priority reproductive health services. There is not any scoping review assessing the RH situation of Syrian refugees in Turkey within the framework of the MISP objectives. The objectives of this review is to identify the situation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among Syrian refugee women in Turkey, and document the health services provided for them in terms of the components of MISP. We hoped to show evidence of gaps and help guide future research to focus on priority areas to improve the range, quality, and access to SRH services and to recommend public health interventions. METHOD: The literature search was conducted in Turkish and English. Multiple electronic databases (Turkish Medline, Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EBSCOHost, CINAHL, and Embase) were searched from January 2011 to May 2018. References published in the peer-reviewed literature, the grey-literature, and on websites were eligible for inclusion if they had conducted research on one or more of the following SRH topics specifically for Syrian women in Turkey: maternal and neonatal health/antenatal care, HIV and sexually transmitted infections, use of contraceptives, sexual violence, and services delivery and accessibility. References were excluded if any of the following criteria were relevant: not specific to Syrian women refugees in Turkey. Firstly, the titles and abstracts of the articles that were found were examined to determine if they met the eligibility criteria. Secondly, if the abstracts and titles met one or more of the eligibility criteria, the full text of the articles have been examined. Finally, standard forms were prepared and used to summarize the articles narratively. The results of the screening were recorded in Excel spreadsheets for comparison, and any disagreements among the researchers were resolved by consensus. The studies were grouped according to the MISP objectives. RESULTS: A total of 24 publications were eligible for inclusion in the review. Consanguineous marriage rate was 56%. The rate of marriage under age 18 were very high. Mean age at first marriage was found to be between 18 and 20. The rate of antenatal care was inadequate. The rate of using a modern contraceptive method was 24% among married and all age groups of Syrian women. The rates of unmet family planning needs were about 35%. Among patients admitted to gynecology outpatient clinics, about half of the applicants were reported to have abnormal vaginal discharge. The reported rates of sexual violence were about 8%. Only 20% of Syrian women had regular gynecological visits. CONCLUSION: Overall, we conclude that early marriage, low modern contraceptive use, unmet need for contraception, sexual and gender-based violence are the major SRH issues reported. There is a need for further studies to identify the barriers limiting service uptake as well as to document successful practices. Long term strategies to improve the SRH status of Syrian refugee women should be developed with participation of all stakeholders. This review is significant in terms of that it is the first scoping review assessing the RH situation of Syrian refugees in Turkey within the framework of the MISP objectives. Based on the data of this review, relevant policy makers should consider to improve the SRH status of Syrian women refugees in Turkey.

Thymoquinone is a protective agent that reduces the negative effects of doxorubicin in rat testis.

BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) is used for treatment of many cancer types. Thymoquinone (THQ) is a powerful antioxidant agent used for reducing side effects of several drugs. The aim of this study is to determine possible therapeutic effects of THQ on doxorubicin-induced testicular toxicity in rats. METHODS: Rats were divided into five groups (n = 8): control, THQ, olive oil, DOX (a single dose of 15 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) on seventh day of the experiment), and DOX + THQ (10 mg/kg THQ per day and 15 mg/kg DOX i.p. on seventh day). Animals were euthanized, and testis tissues were evaluated histopathologically. Caspase 3 and HSP90 immunostaining were performed to determine the expression levels of these proteins among groups. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'-deoxyuridine, 5'-triphosphate nick-end labeling method was used for evaluation of apoptotic index. Moreover, serum testosterone levels and total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) in testicular tissue were measured by ELISA assay. RESULTS: The DOX group had histopathological deterioration compared to the control group. There was an increase in apoptotic index, caspase 3 and HSP90 expressions in the DOX group. While TAS level of the DOX group decreased, TOS level increased when compared with the other groups. Serum testosterone levels in the DOX group decreased compared to the control group. However, there was improvement in testicular tissue in DOX + THQ group compared to the DOX group. There was a decrease in apoptotic index, caspase 3, and HSP90 expressions in DOX + THQ group compared to the DOX group. Testosterone level of DOX + THQ significantly increased compared to the DOX group. CONCLUSION: We suggest that THQ can be used as a protective agent to reduce the toxic effects of DOX.

Microwave Quantum Link between Superconducting Circuits Housed in Spatially Separated Cryogenic Systems.

Superconducting circuits are a strong contender for realizing quantum computing systems and are also successfully used to study quantum optics and hybrid quantum systems. However, their cryogenic operation temperatures and the current lack of coherence-preserving microwave-to-optical conversion solutions have hindered the realization of superconducting quantum networks spanning different cryogenic systems or larger distances. Here, we report the successful operation of a cryogenic waveguide coherently linking transmon qubits located in two dilution refrigerators separated by a physical distance of five meters. We transfer qubit states and generate entanglement on demand with average transfer and target state fidelities of 85.8% and 79.5%, respectively, between the two nodes of this elementary network. Cryogenic microwave links provide an opportunity to scale up systems for quantum computing and create local area superconducting quantum communication networks over length scales of at least tens of meters.

Deterministic quantum state transfer and remote entanglement using microwave photons.

Sharing information coherently between nodes of a quantum network is fundamental to distributed quantum information processing. In this scheme, the computation is divided into subroutines and performed on several smaller quantum registers that are connected by classical and quantum channels 1 . A direct quantum channel, which connects nodes deterministically rather than probabilistically, achieves larger entanglement rates between nodes and is advantageous for distributed fault-tolerant quantum computation 2 . Here we implement deterministic state-transfer and entanglement protocols between two superconducting qubits fabricated on separate chips. Superconducting circuits 3 constitute a universal quantum node 4 that is capable of sending, receiving, storing and processing quantum information5-8. Our implementation is based on an all-microwave cavity-assisted Raman process 9 , which entangles or transfers the qubit state of a transmon-type artificial atom 10 with a time-symmetric itinerant single photon. We transfer qubit states by absorbing these itinerant photons at the receiving node, with a probability of 98.1 ± 0.1 per cent, achieving a transfer-process fidelity of 80.02 ± 0.07 per cent for a protocol duration of only 180 nanoseconds. We also prepare remote entanglement on demand with a fidelity as high as 78.9 ± 0.1 per cent at a rate of 50 kilohertz. Our results are in excellent agreement with numerical simulations based on a master-equation description of the system. This deterministic protocol has the potential to be used for quantum computing distributed across different nodes of a cryogenic network.

2D layered transport properties from topological insulator Bi2Se3 single crystals and micro flakes.

Low-field magnetotransport measurements of topological insulators such as Bi2Se3 are important for revealing the nature of topological surface states by quantum corrections to the conductivity, such as weak-antilocalization. Recently, a rich variety of high-field magnetotransport properties in the regime of high electron densities (∼10(19) cm(-3)) were reported, which can be related to additional two-dimensional layered conductivity, hampering the identification of the topological surface states. Here, we report that quantum corrections to the electronic conduction are dominated by the surface states for a semiconducting case, which can be analyzed by the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka model for two coupled surfaces in the case of strong spin-orbit interaction. However, in the metallic-like case this analysis fails and additional two-dimensional contributions need to be accounted for. Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and quantized Hall resistance prove as strong indications for the two-dimensional layered metallic behavior. Temperature-dependent magnetotransport properties of high-quality Bi2Se3 single crystalline exfoliated macro and micro flakes are combined with high resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, confirming the structure and stoichiometry. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy proves a single-Dirac-cone surface state and a well-defined bulk band gap in topological insulating state. Spatially resolved core-level photoelectron microscopy demonstrates the surface stability.

Assessment of Emergency Obstetric Care Services in Ibadan-Ibarapa Health Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Nigeria's high maternal mortality has been attributed to poor utilization of obstetric care services to handle complications of pregnancy and childbirth. But how available are standard emergency obstetric care services? This facility based cross sectional study assessed the availability and accessibility of emergency obstetric care services in Oyo State, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 61 primary and 10 secondary health care facilities were selected. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from the heads of the maternity units. Spatial mapping of the facilities was also produced. Results showed availability of comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC) facilities (0-3.9/500,000 population) was adequate, however a gross lack of basic emergency obstetric care (BEmOC) facilities (0-5.4/500,000 population) was observed, where available, they were clustered in the urban settlements. Prompt action needs to be taken to upgrade basic emergency obstetric care facilities accessible to the larger rural population dwellers to improve maternal health indices.

Feasibility of correlating separation of ternary mixtures of neutral analytes via thin layer chromatography with supercritical fluid chromatography in support of green flash separations.

Method development for normal phase flash liquid chromatography traditionally employs preliminary screening using thin layer chromatography (TLC) with conventional solvents on bare silica. Extension to green flash chromatography via correlation of TLC migration results, with conventional polar/nonpolar liquid mixtures, and packed column supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) retention times, via gradient elution on bare silica with a suite of carbon dioxide mobile phase modifiers, is reported. Feasibility of TLC/SFC correlation is individually described for eight ternary mixtures for a total of 24 neutral analytes. The experimental criteria for TLC/SFC correlation was assumed to be as follows: SFC/UV/MS retention (tR) increases among each of the three resolved mixture components; while, TLC migration (Rf) decreases among the same resolved mixture components. Successful correlation of TLC to SFC was observed for most of the polar organic solvents tested, with the best results observed via SFC on bare silica with methanol as the CO2 modifier and TLC on bare silica with a methanol/dichloromethane mixture.

Comparison of colistin and colistin/sulbactam for the treatment of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii ventilator-associated pneumonia.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical and microbiological efficacy of colistin and colistin/sulbactam for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii VAP in intensive care units (ICUs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, patients (>16 years-old) who received IV colistin or colistin/sulbactam for the treatment of MDR A. baumannii VAP were evaluated. The clinical and microbiological responses to therapies were assessed on the fifth day and at the end of the therapy. RESULTS: During the study period, 89 patients were enrolled into the study. Fifty-two (58.4 %) patients received colistin and 37 (41.6 %) patients received colistin/sulbactam therapy. The median APACHE II score was higher and diabetes mellitus was more common in the colistin/sulbactam group (p < 0.05). However, other demographic characteristics were not statistically significant between groups. On the fifth day of colistin and colistin/sulbactam therapies, clinical response rates were 40.4 and 43.2 %, respectively. At the end of the therapies, clinical response rates were 29.8 and 40 %, respectively. The bacteriological response rates were 72.3 and 85.7 % in colistin and colistin/sulbactam groups, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in clinical cure rates or bacteriological clearance rates between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The colistin/sulbactam combination therapy is promising in severe MDR A. baumannii VAP. Although, the difference was not statistically significant, clinical cure rates or bacteriological clearance rates were better in the combination group than colistin monotherapy.

Preferences of different tick species for human hosts in Turkey.

The ticks removed from the patients who applied to the hospitals in Istanbul and neighboring cities, Turkey, with the complaint of tick bite were examined in this study, on account of their species, biological stages, attachment sites on the body, and the age of the affected patients. A total of 16,969 ticks were identified. Encountered species were as follows: 33.6 % Ixodes spp. immature, 25.3 % Hyalomma spp. immature, 24.3 % I. ricinus, 9.5 % Rhipicephalus sanguineus gr., 3.2 % R. bursa, 2.2 % Hyalomma marginatum, 1.96 % Haemaphysalis adults, 1.66 % Hyalomma aegyptium, 0.52 % Dermacentor marginatus, 0.39 % Rhipicephalus spp. nymphs, 0.12 % Dermacentor spp. nymphs, 0.11 % Haemaphysalis spp. nymphs, 0.09 % Hyalomma scupense, and 0.03 % Hyalomma excavatum. The distribution of attachment sites of the species and instars showed significant differences. Furthermore, age data of the patients also revealed that certain tick species were more common within certain age groups.

Stage III xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis treated with antibiotherapy and percutaneous drainage.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XPN) is a rare inflammatory condition usually secondary to chronic obstruction caused by nephrolithiasis and resulting in infection and irreversible destruction of the renal parenchyma. Its standard therapy consists of total or partial nephrectomy. A case of stage III xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis treated with antibiotherapy and percutaneous drainage is presented in this paper.

The effects of intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine on early renal function after percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) may interfere with renal function because of continuous fluid irrigation and compression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine on renal function in patients undergoing PCNL. METHODS: This study included 40 patients between the ages of 18 and 65 years who underwent PCNL. After induction of anesthesia, we administered 100 ml of normal saline to the patients in the control group (n=20) and 1 mcg/kg dexmedetomidine in 100 ml of normal saline to the patients in the dexmedetomidine group (n=20) over 10 min. Throughout the surgery, 1 mcg/kg/h dexmedetomidine and 1 ml/kg/h normal saline infusions were given to the dexmedetomidine and control groups, respectively. Renal function, electrolytes, serum levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and cystatin C were analyzed after induction and post-operatively at 2, 8 and 24 h. Renin levels and blood gas analyses were performed after induction and before extubation. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups with regard to renal function, creatinine clearance (CrCl), NGAL, cystatin C and serum electrolyte levels at 0, 2, 8 and 24 h post-operatively. End-surgery renin levels in the dexmedetomidine group were significantly lower than the baseline levels in the control group. CONCLUSION: In PCNL, an intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine was not found to have beneficial effects on CrCl, NGAL or cystatin C levels early after the procedure; however, it reduced renin levels.

A biosensor utilizing quince (Cydonia vulgaris) tissue homogenate for dopamine determination in pharmaceutical preparations.

Dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter occurring in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. Chemically, it is a phenethylamine. Dopamine can be supplied as a medication that acts on the sympathetic nervous system, producing effects such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. However, since dopamine cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, dopamine given as a drug does not directly affect the central nervous system. To increase the amount of dopamine in the brains of patients with diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Dopa-Responsive Dystonia, L-DOPA (levodopa), which is the precursor of dopamine, can be given because it can cross the blood-brain barrier. In this study, a biosensor based on quince tissue homogenate was constructed for determination of dopamine. For the best results, some optimization studies such as the amount of quince tissue homogenate, gelatin and glutaraldehyde percentage, optimum temperature and pH were carried out. A linear range from 5 microM to 200 microM dopamine was obtained. Moreover, repeatability, and operational and storage stability of the biosensor were determined. Finally, the biosensor was applied to a real drug sample for the determination of dopamine content.

Intact neurovascular coupling during executive function in migraine without aura: interictal near-infrared spectroscopy study.

An altered neurovascular coupling has been proposed in migraine. We aimed to investigate neurovascular coupling during a mental task interictally in patients with migraine without aura (MO) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Twelve migraineurs and 12 healthy controls were included. Using NIRS, we recorded the magnitude and latency of cortical changes in oxyhaemoglobin (HbO(2)) and deoxyhaemoglobin (Hb) during the colour-word matching Stroop test via 16 channels covering the forehead. We found no differences in the magnitude of responses between migraineurs and healthy subjects in the incongruent Stroop task subtracted by the neutral Stroop task on either side of the frontal cortex for HbO(2) (left, P = 0.984; right, P = 0.406) or Hb (left, P = 0.689; right, P = 0.406) values. No differences in error rate (P = 0.611) or reaction time (P = 0.936) were found between healthy subjects and MO patients for incongruent tasks. The present study suggests that vascular reactivity and oxygen supply during a mental task in patients with MO are intact interictally.

The evaluation of displacement resistance of glass FRC posts to root dentine using a thin slice push-out test.

AIM: To investigate and compare the displacement resistance of glass fibre reinforced composite (FRC) posts to root dentine after luting with different adhesive systems. METHODOLOGY: A total of 32 noncarious extracted human mandibular premolars were prepared for post-cementation using the FRC Postec system (Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and divided into four groups (n = 8). The posts in each group were luted with one or other of the following materials. Group 1: Variolink II/Excite DSC (etch-and-rinse, dual-curing), group 2: Clearfil Esthetic Cement/ED Primer II (self-etch, dual-curing), group 3: Multilink/Multilink Primer (self-etch, chemical-curing) and group 4: Multilink Sprint (self-adhesive, dual-curing). Specimens were sectioned to obtain slices with the post in the centre and with the root dentine overlaid by the autopolymerizing acrylic resin on each side. The displacement resistance was measured using a Universal Testing Machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm min(-1). The displacement resistance of the specimens were calculated and expressed in MPa. Data were analysed with one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's test (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Mean (SD) values of displacement resistance data in MPa are as follows: group 1, 12.08 (2.13); group 2, 12.39 (2); group 3, 11.3 (1.23); group 4, 14.29 (1.84). There were statistically significant differences amongst the groups (P = 0.021). A statistically significant difference was observed for the displacement resistance values between groups 3 and 4 (P = 0.015), that is between Multilink/Multilink Primer and Multilink Sprint. CONCLUSIONS: Glass FRC posts luted with self-adhesive luting system exhibited higher displacement resistance than when luted with chemical-curing self-etch luting system.

An unusually large myofibroblastoma in a male breast: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Myofibroblastoma of the breast is a rare benign stromal tumour seen predominantly in men. The gross appearance is that of a well-circumscribed nodule, characteristically small, seldom exceeding 3 cm. We present a case of an unusually large myofibroblastoma, which mimicked a malignant breast tumour. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old man presented with a rapid enlargement of the right breast over 6 weeks. Examination revealed a firm 15 cm hemispherical lump occupying the whole of the right breast with peau d'orange appearance of the overlying skin and distortion of the nipple. The clinical and radiological features suggested the possibility of sarcoma of the breast. However, a guided Tru-Cut biopsy was inconclusive. A mastectomy was performed to remove the tumour, which weighed more than 2 kg. Histopathology and immunocytochemistry revealed a mixed classical and collagenised type of myofibroblastoma. The patient is well with no evidence of recurrence 5 years after the mastectomy. CONCLUSION: This unexpected presentation of an unusually large myofibroblastoma in a male breast is the largest reported to date. Myofibroblastomas can mimic malignant neoplasms and the clinical significance of this entity lies primarily in its recognition as a distinctive benign neoplasm.

Multimodal investigation of fMRI and fNIRS derived breath hold BOLD signals with an expanded balloon model.

Multimodal investigation of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals, using both functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), may give further insight to the underlying physiological principles and the detailed transient dynamics of the vascular response. Utilizing a breath hold task (BHT), we measured deoxy-hemoglobin (HbR) and oxy-hemoglobin (HbO) changes via fNIRS and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) changes by fMRI. Measurements were taken in four volunteers asynchronously and carefully aligned for comparative analysis. In order to describe the main stimulus in BHT, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO(2)) parameter was integrated into the balloon model as the driving function of cerebral blood flow (CBF) which led to the development of an expanded balloon model (EBM). During BHT, the increase in HbR was observed later than the BOLD peak and coincided temporally with its post-stimulus undershoot. Further investigation of these transients with a PaCO(2) integrated balloon model suggests that post-stimulus undershoot measured by fMRI is dominated by slow return of cerebral blood volume (CBV). This was confirmed by fNIRS measurements. In addition, the BOLD signal decreased with the increase of the initial level of PaCO(2) derived from EBM, indicating an effect of basal CBF level on the BOLD signal. In conclusion, a multimodal approach with an appropriate biophysical model gave a comprehensive description of the hemodynamic response during BHT.

Treatment characteristics in elderly asthmatics.

In this study, we evaluated the effect of ageing on treatment response by comparing two groups of patients with asthma. All asthmatic patients in the study were assessed on repeated occasions once admitted to the hospital: soon after admission (0 h), and then at 5th, 10th, 24th, 48th, 72nd hour, 7th day and in stable period. We compared two groups of patients: younger asthmatics, which had 33 younger aged <60, and elderly asthmatics, comprised of 29 elderly aged >or=60 years. The Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) was used to assess health-related quality of life in study. The increases in FEV1% values observed soon after the hospital admission (0 h), and at 5th, 10th, 24th, 48th, 72nd hour, 7th day and in stable period in younger group were similar that in elderly group. The Borg scores observed soon after the hospital admission (0 h), and 5th, 10th, 24th, 48th and 72nd hour in elderly asthmatics was usually higher than that in younger asthmatics. However, symptom scores observed in elderly asthmatics soon after the hospital admission and at 72nd hour were higher than those in younger asthmatics. Furthermore, decreases in the total AQLQ score and asthma severity score from exacerbation to stable period in both asthmatics were not different. Present study indicated that the airways obstruction, AQLQ and other diseases characteristics of younger and elderly asthmatics could improve at similar rates with treatment. In addition, similar exacerbation severity in elderly asthmatics was perceived more intense than younger asthmatics.

Preliminary phenotypic characterization of newly isolated halophilic microorganisms by footprinting: a rapid metabolome analysis.

The emerging need for rapid screening and identification methods for microbiological purposes necessitates the combined uses of high-tech instruments. In this work, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to visualize the relation of ten newly isolated moderately halophilic microorganisms, to Halomonas salina DSMZ 5,928 and Halomonas halophila DSMZ 4,770. The method was based on the global analysis of the metabolites in culture media and is termed as metabolic footprinting. Since it was not possible to gain insight into the similarities solely based on the visual inspection of the chromatograms, principal component (PC) analysis was applied on the data. Three PCs alone were able to explain 99% of the information in the data set. The score plots revealed the relation of the new isolates to the two type strains whereas the loading plots gave important clues on the significant ions responsible for the observed clustering. Loading plots also indicated inversely correlated ions that give clues on differing metabolic pathways. The work described here offers a potentially useful way for preliminary rapid phenotypic characterization of new and closely related isolates and a method for screening of similar microorganisms for different and valuable secondary metabolites.