The effects of high serum growth hormone and IGF-1 levels on bone mineral density in acromegaly.

OBJECTIVE: Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) play a major role in bone homeostasis. In this study, we aimed to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in active acromegaly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 29 patients with active acromegaly (age 46.10 ± 13.27 years; body mass index [BMI]: 29.51 ± 4.91 kg/m2) and 42 healthy individuals matched for age and BMI (age: 40.35 ± 11.74 years; BMI: 28.18 ± 7.35 kg/m2) were included in the study. BMD was measured by DXA. RESULTS: The mean levels of GH and IGF-1 were found to be 12.61 ± 11.34 ng/ml and 676.47 ± 316.19 ng/ml in acromegaly, respectively, while the mean levels of GH and IGF-1 were found to be 0.59 ± 0.81 ng/ml (p = 0.0001) and 178.17 ± 57.11 ng/ml (p = 0.0001) in the control group, respectively. Only total hip t­score was determined to be significantly lower in acromegaly compared to the control group (p = 0.037). No significant differences were found between the other parameters in DXA and only a positive correlation was found between IGF-1 levels and L1-L4 BMD (r = 0.259, p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Although GH and IGF-1 levels were increased in acromegalic patients, no significant difference was found in terms of vertebral BMD. Only hip t­scores were found to be lower in acromegalic patients, but this low hip t­score did not reach the osteopenic level. The positive correlation between IGF-1 and lumbar vertebral BMD suggested a more prominent effect of IGF-1 on BMD compared to GH.

Molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a tertiary university hospital in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to identify the resistance genes and genetic relationship of carbapenemase-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) identified in a tertiary university hospital in Turkey. During the study, CRKP was isolated from 137 patients. Resistance genes were studied in 94 isolates. Among these isolates, most of the CRKP produced only oxacillinase (OXA)-48 (91.5%); however, 4.3% of the isolates produced only New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase 1 (NDM-1), 1% produced both OXA-48 and NDM-1, and 3.2% produced imipenem. This study adds Turkey to the growing list of countries with NDM-1-producing bacteria and shows that NDM-1 may easily spread worldwide.

Identification of prevalent microbial communities in a municipal solid waste landfill.

To identify the microbial communities in Istanbul, Odayeri Municipal Solid Waste Landfill, leachate samples were collected from different sections at different stabilization phases. In identification of microbial communities in leachate samples, molecular techniques such as FISH, DGGE and cloning based on 16S rRNA and mcrA genes were used. As the chemical and microbiological compositions of the samples were compared, obvious correlations were found between the stability of the landfill section and abundance of active methanogens. On the other hand, there were considerable differences between acidogenic and mature leachate samples in DGGE profiles of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Moreover, in acidogenic leachate samples having BOD5/COD ratio of about 0.5 acetate utilizing Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta species were intensively detected in FISH. Although only very few H2-utilizing methanogens were identified with FISH analysis, most of the clones isolated from mature leachate samples clustered within H2-utilizing Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales according to phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and mcrA clones, respectively.

Brainstem auditory and visual evoked potentials in children with protein-energy malnutrition.

BACKGROUND: To determine the effects of malnutrition on the developing brain with brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and flash visual evoked potentials (fVEP). METHODS: The BAEP and fVEP of 11 kwashiorkor (8 +/- 1.56 months) and 10 marasmus (7.9 +/- 1.27 months) patients and 10 healthy control subjects (7.65 +/- 0.82 months) were recorded and the measurements were compared with each other in relation with plasma total protein and albumin levels. RESULTS: There were no differences between the mean latencies of the waves I, II, III and IV and mean interpeak latencies (IPL) of the waves I-III of the BAEP and the wave IV (N2) of the fVEP between the three groups. Mean latency of the wave V and mean IPL of the waves I-V and the waves III-V were significantly different between the three groups. The kwashiorkor group had significantly longer mean latency of the wave V than the marasmus group on the right ear and the control group on the both of the ears. The kwashiorkor group had significantly longer mean IPL of the waves I-V than the marasmus group on the right ear and than the control group on the left ear. The kwashiorkor group had also significantly longer mean IPL of the waves III-V than the control group on the left. CONCLUSIONS: The BAEP and fVEP are non-invasive electrophysiologic methods reflecting the integrity or disruption of the central neurologic pathways. The present results confirm the disruption of the central nervous system with the BAEP in children with protein-energy malnutrition, especially in kwashiorkor patients.

Stem cell factor (SCF) levels in newborns.

We studied Stem cell factor (SCF) levels in 15 mother-newborn pairs, 15 healthy adult controls, and 16 newborn with bacterial sepsis. SCF levels were also determined in six newborns with sepsis before and after completion of treatment. SCF levels (pg/mL) were found to be 2141 +/- 529 in cord blood, 1385 +/- 314 in mothers, 1546 +/- 443 in healthy adult controls, and 1742 +/- 655 in septic newborns. Cord blood SCF levels were significantly higher than their mothers' and healthy controls (p < 0.05). There were no differences in SCF levels between mothers and healthy adult controls. No correlation was found between the SCF levels and absolute neutrophil counts. There were no differences in SCF levels between the before and after treatment levels in six newborn with sepsis. In conclusion, our study suggests that SCF levels were increased in cord blood, and this increase is not a reflection of mothers' levels. SCF levels do not show significant changes during sepsis in newborns.