M. Hamidullah Uyanik

Alpha-lipoic acid as a potential target for the treatment of lung injury caused by cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis model in rats.

One of the common lethal complications of septic shock, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with severe trauma and so on, is acute lung injury. &agr;-Lipoic acid (ALA), with antioxidant properties, is a popular agent. Thus, we investigated the potential protective effects of ALA (200 mg/kg) on sepsis-induced acute lung injury. Rats were exposed to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to induce sepsis. Rat groups were designed as (a) sham operated, (b) sham operated + ALA treated, (c) CLP applied, (d) CLP + ALA treated. Sixteen hours after CLP induction, serum samples and lung tissues were obtained for biochemical and histopathological examination. &agr;-Lipoic acid decreased the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-&agr; and IL-6, which increased after CLP. Increased activity of nuclear factor &kgr;B in septic lung tissues was decreased by ALA. &agr;-Lipoic acid improved the decreased antioxidant activity and alleviated the increased oxidant activity, which occurred after CLP application. We can suggest that ALA showed beneficial effects by decreasing nuclear factor &kgr;B activation in lung tissues, resulting in decreased serum levels of TNF-&agr; and IL-6, and also increasing the antioxidant capacity of the lungs.

The Effects of Diabetes and/or Polymicrobial Sepsis on the Status of Antioxidant Enzymes and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines on Heart, Liver, and Lung of Ovariectomized Rats

BACKGROUND The rat sepsis model in the present study was used to understand the role of sustained hyperglycemia and ovariectomy, either separately or together, on the response of pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative response. MATERIALS AND METHODS Polymicrobial sepsis was induced using cecal ligation and two-hole puncture. Diabetes was induced in the female Wistar albino rats using intraperitoneal administration of aqueous alloxan monohydrate at a single dose of 150 mg/kg body weight. The rats were divided into five groups: sham control: group 1, ovariectomy: group 2, ovariectomy + sepsis: group 3, ovariectomy + diabetes: group 4, and ovariectomy + diabetes + sepsis: group 5. RESULTS In lung, heart, and liver tissues, the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were higher for the groups 3, 4, and 5 than in control group. In heart and liver tissues, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were higher for the groups 3, 4, and 5 than control group. In lung tissue SOD activities were higher for the groups 3, 4, and 5 than in control group. Diabetes + ovariectomy caused a significant increase in serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in comparison to the sham group. The strongest production of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum was observed in the group 5. CONCLUSIONS Hyperglycemia and ovariectomy (postmenopausal period) severely increased serum cytokines and oxidant levels with the stages of our sepsis model. The lung tissue was most affected by diabetes and ovariectomy under sepsis conditions. Ovariectomy leading to estrogen deficiency results in general changes in metabolism, which are seen in the liver, lungs, and heart with diabetes under sepsis conditions.

The effects of polymicrobial sepsis with diabetes mellitus on kidney tissues in ovariectomized rats

Objectives: Sepsis model was used to understand the role of sustained hyperglycemia and ovariectomy, either separately or concomitantly, on the response of the activity of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and the oxidative response in kidney. Subjects: Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Diabetes was induced in female rats using administration of alloxan. The rats were divided into five groups: sham control (group 1), ovariectomy (group 2), ovariectomy + sepsis (group 3), ovariectomy + diabetes (group 4), and ovariectomy + diabetic + sepsis (group 5). Results: In kidney tissues, the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione (GSH) and the activity of catalase (CAT) were higher for groups 3, 4, 5 than the control groups. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was lower for groups 3, 4, 5 than the control groups. We determined that CLP produced injury evident in the kidneys of rats when compared to the control group, whereas the severity of the injury was higher in the diabetes + ovariectomy + CLP group when compared to the CLP group. In immunohistochemical staining, we determined that CLP operation increased NF-κB activation. In the ovariectomized, septic, and diabetic group, NF-κB activation was significantly higher than other groups. Conclusions: Hyperglycemia and ovariectomy severely increased NF-κB activation and oxidant levels with the stages of our sepsis model. Ovariectomy resulted in general changes in metabolism, which are seen in the kidney with diabetes under sepsis conditions.

Relationships between intestinal parasitosis and handedness

The aim of the study was to investigate if there is a possible relation between intestinal parasitosis and handedness in patients with suspected intestinal parasitosis. Hand preference was assessed on the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Stool samples were examined microscopically for the presence of parasite. In the present study right-handers had many more helminth infections and left-handers had many more protozoon infections. Lower rate of helminth infections in the present study, and higher asthma incidences in the left-handed population in literature, may be associated with different immune machinery in left-handed people than in right-handed ones.

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Intravitreal Anidulafungin, Voriconazole, and Amphotericin B in an Experimental Candida Endophthalmitis Model.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of intravitreal anidulafungin injection with voriconazole and amphotericin B (Amp B) in an experimental Candida endophthalmitis (CE) model. Methods: Intravitreal 1 × 105 CFU/0.1 ml Candida albicans was injected into the right eyes of 24 New Zealand rabbits, which were divided into 4 groups. Voriconazole 50 μg/0.1 ml, Amp B 10 μg/0.1 ml, and Anidulafungin 50 μg/0.1 ml were injected by intravitreal injection 72 h after inoculation. The control group was injected with 0.1 ml 0.9% NaCl. Clinical scoring was performed by assessing the cornea, conjunctiva, iris, and vitreous on days 3 and 7 of therapy. At the end of the study, the right eyes of all rabbits were enucleated and histopathological evaluation was performed. Therapy groups were compared according to the clinical, histopathological, and microbiological analysis scores. Results: Total clinical scores were significantly different between treatment groups and the control group (p < 0.05). On day 7 of the therapy, clinical scores of the anidulafungin group were found to be significantly lower when compared with the other therapy groups, while a significant improvement was observed in the eyes of rabbits in the anidulafungin group (p < 0.05). Also, microbiological scores of the anidulafungin group were lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Histopathological scores of the anidulafungin treatment group were significantly better than the voriconazole and control groups. Inflammation was evidently suppressed and marked retinal toxicity was not observed with anidulafungin. Conclusions: This is the first study comparing the efficacy of anidulafungin with other antifungal agents. In this CE model, an intravitreal single dose of anidulafungin was shown to be noninferior to voriconazole and Amp B. As an alternative to Amp B or voriconazole, intravitreal anidulafungin is suggested as an effective antifungal agent for the treatment of CE.

Investigation of the Activity of Fosfomycin and Nitrofurantoin to Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Isolated from Hospitalized Patients with Urinary Tract Infections

Üriner sistem infeksiyonlarında Genişlemiş Spektrumlu Beta-Laktamaz (GSBL) üreten Escherichia coli ve Klebsiella pneumoniae izole edilmesi tedavide kullanılabilecek antibiyotik seçiminde zorluklara neden olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada Atatürk Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi’nde Haziran 2014-Ocak 2016 arasında çeşitli kliniklerde yatmakta olan hastaların idrar örneklerinden izole edilen GSBL üreten 71 E.coli ve 27 K.pneumoniae suşunun nitrofurantoin ve fosfomisin trometamol duyarlılıkları araştırılmış ve bu duyarlılık GSBL üreten suşlarca oluşturulan üriner sistem infeksiyonlarında kullanılabilen diğer antibiyotiklerin duyarlılıkları ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Suşlarda GSBL üretimi ve antibiyotiklere duyarlılık durumu CLSI önerileri doğrultusunda Kirby-Bauer disk difüzyon yöntemi ile araştırılmıştır. K.pneumoniae suşlarının fosfomisin duyarlılık durumu değerlendirilirken E.coli için verilen sınır değerler dikkate alınmıştır. İncelenen GSBL üreten E.coli suşları için nitrofurantoin ve fosfomisine duyarlılık sırasıyla % 91.5 ve % 90.1 iken bu oranlar K.pneumoniae suşları için ise % 85.7 ve % 83.7 olarak saptanmıştır. Bütün suşların ampisilin-sulbaktam, trimetoprim-sülfametoksazol ve siprofloksasin duyarlılıkları ise sırasıyla % 18.4, % 25.5 ve % 35.7 olarak gözlenmiştir. Nitrofurantoin ve fosfomisinin GSBL üreten suşlara etkinliği ampisilin-sulbaktam, trimetoprim-sülfametoksazol ve siprofloksasinden anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0.01). Sonuç olarak gösterdikleri yüksek in vitro aktiviteden dolayı nitrofurantoin ve fosfomisin GSBL üreten E.coli ve K.pneumoniae tarafından oluşturulmuş üriner sistem infeksiyonlarının tedavisinde ilk akla gelebilecek ilaçlar arasında yer alabilirler.

Atypical Colony Morphology of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Isolated from a Wound Specimen.

The incidence of infections due to coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) has been steadily increasing in recent years. In this report, we describe an isolate of the CoNS Staphylococcus lugdunensis from a wound specimen with a colony morphology distinct from that of a classical S. lugdunensis colony. Specifically, wrinkled, medium-sized, beta hemolytic, opaque, rough white colonies were detected on blood agar. Catalase-positive, coagulase-negative, gram-positive cocci-yielding such colonies should be suspected of being S. lugdunensis.