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Biomedical subjects

A Akyol

Publications and source records attributed to A Akyol.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Handwashing: a simple, economical and effective method for preventing nosocomial infections in intensive care units.

As most nosocomial infections are thought to be transmitted by the hands of healthcare workers, handwashing is considered to be the single most important intervention to prevent nosocomial infections. However, studies have shown that handwashing practices are poor, especially among medical personnel. This review gives an overview of handwashing in health care and in the community, including some aspects that have attracted little attention, such as hand drying and cultural issues determining hand hygiene behaviour. Hand hygiene is the most effective measure for interrupting the transmission of micro-organisms which cause infection, both in the community and in the healthcare setting. Using hand hygiene as a sole measure to reduce infection is unlikely to be successful when other factors in infection control, such as environmental hygiene, crowding, staffing levels and education, are inadequate. Hand hygiene must be part of an integrated approach to infection control. Compliance with hand hygiene recommendations is poor worldwide. While the techniques involved in hand hygiene are simple, the complex interdependence of factors that determine hand hygiene behaviour makes the study of hand hygiene complex. It is now recognized that improving compliance with hand hygiene recommendations depends on altering human behaviour. Input from behavioural and social sciences is essential when designing studies to investigate compliance. Interventions to increase compliance with hand hygiene practices must be appropriate for different cultural and social needs.

Compliance↗
PubMed2005

Photocatalytic degradation of Remazol Red F3B using ZnO catalyst.

The photocatalytic degradation of aqueous solution of a commercial azo-reactive textile dye, Remazol Red F3B, has been investigated in a batch slurry reactor, in the presence of ZnO catalyst using two different UV light sources emitting at 254 nm and 365 nm. The effects of various process variables on degradation performance of the process have been investigated. The results showed that decolourization and total organic carbon (TOC) removal are both affected in the same manner by the solution pH in the pH range 6-10, showing maxima at pH 7 and pH 10. They are inversely related to the dye concentration, they increase in power-law with the light intensity. Decolourization is faster with 365 nm UV. TOC removal is not affected by UV wavelength in the initial period up to 20 min, after which it progresses faster under 365 nm UV radiation. These results indicate that the UV wavelength influences especially the degradation rate of the intermediate products generated during the initial period of the photocatalytic process. Finally, catalyst loading affects both efficiencies in the same trend, which are maximized at about 2 g/l catalyst loading.

Catalysis↗
PubMed2005

Plasma nitric oxide, endothelin-1 and urinary nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels in hypertensive pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1), and urinary concentrations of NO and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) between preeclamptic and normotensive pregnant women. METHOD: Ninety-one preeclamptic (48 mild, 43 severe) and forty healthy normotensive pregnant women above 32 gestational weeks were recruited into study. Chemiluminesence technique was used for measuring plasma and urinary NO levels, and radioimmunoassay was used to determine plasma ET-1 and urinary cGMP levels. RESULT: Plasma and urinary NO, and urinary cGMP levels were significantly lower in preeclamptics than in the control group (respectively, p< 0.001, p< 0.001, p< 0.01). Plasma ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the preeclamptics than in the control group (p<0.001). There were significant negative correlations between plasma ET-1, plasma NO and urinary NO and cGMP in all groups. There were positive correlations between plasma NO, urinary NO and cGMP in all groups. CONCLUSION: The imbalance between NO and ET-1 may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Effect of melatonin on oxidative status of rat brain, liver and kidney tissues under constant light exposure.

An enormous amount of data has been published in recent years demonstrating melatonin's defensive role against toxic free radicals. In the present study, we examined the role of melatonin as an antioxidant against the effect of continuous light exposure. Rats were divided into three groups. Control rats (group A) were kept under natural conditions whereas other group of rats (group B and C) were exposed to constant light for inhibition of melatonin secretion by the pineal gland. Group C rats also received melatonin via s.c. injection (1 mg x kg(- 1) body weight x day(- 1)). At the end of experiment, all animals were sacrificied by decapitation, serum and tissue samples were removed for determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, conjugated dienes levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity levels. It was found that lipid peroxidation was increased in the rats which were exposed to constant light. Melatonin injection caused a decrease in lipid peroxidation, especially in the brain. In addition, melatonin application resulted in increased GSH-Px activity, which has an antioxidant effect. Thus, melatonin is not only a direct scavenger of toxic radicals, but also stimulates the antioxidative enzyme GSH-Px activity to detoxify hydroxyl radical produced by constant light exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Caudal bupivacaine-tramadol combination for postoperative analgesia in pediatric herniorrhaphy.

BACKGROUND: Administration of bupivacaine caudally has been used for postoperative analgesia after urogenital, rectal and lower abdominal surgery in children. Caudal opioids may offer analgesic advantages over bupivacaine alone but have been associated with side effects such as respiratory depression. Tramadol is an analgesic assumed to lack a respiratory depressant effect and has been shown to provide effective, long-lasting analgesia after epidural administration in adults and children. The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of tramadol to bupivacaine caudally prolongs the duration of analgesia compared with bupivacaine alone, with respect to side effects, and whether caudal tramadol alone provides satisfactory analgesia. METHODS: Sixty boys, aged 12-84 months, undergoing unilateral herniorrhaphy, were allocated randomly to three groups. Children in group B received 0.25% plain bupivacaine 1 ml kg(-1), group BT received an identical local anesthetic dose mixed with tramadol 1.5 mg kg(-1) and group T received caudal tramadol 1.5 mg kg(-1) in 0.9% sodium chloride in the same total volume (1 ml kg(-1)). Pain and demeanour assessments were made 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12 and 24 h after recovery from anesthesia with reference to a three-point scale. RESULTS: Analgesia time (time between caudal injection and first administration of analgesic) in group BT (13.5+/-2.2 h) was significantly longer than in the other two groups (P<0.05). In group T, more patients required additional analgesia after surgery than in the other two groups (P<0.05). Pain scores in the three groups were similar up to 4 h after operation but the mean score in group T was higher than groups B and BT 4 and 6 h after operation (P<0.05). Significantly more patients who had received caudal bupivacaine alone or with tramadol had lower pain and demeanour scores during the first 24 h after operation compared with those in the tramadol group. CONCLUSION: Caudal administration of bupivacaine with the addition of tramadol resulted in superior analgesia with a longer period without demand for additional analgesics compared with caudal bupivacaine and tramadol alone without an increase of side effects.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed2001

Pulmonary function tests in Parkinson's disease.

Morbidity and mortality are usually caused by respiratory disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) because of pulmonary functional impairments. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of PD on ventilatory function and that the use of pulmonary function tests (PFT) may serve as an indicator of PD severity. PFT have been performed in 21 patients with PD (15 non-smoker and six exsmoker with 36.17 +/- 26.54 pack-years of smoking history; mean age 64.67 +/- 10.76 years) and 16 normal age-matched control subjects who never smoked. The clinical disability was indicated by a Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) scale. MEF25% [maximal flow rate at 25% of remaining forced vital capacity (FVC)] and FEV1 (the volume of air expired during the first second of the FVC) in exsmoker PD group was lower than non-smoker PD group (P < 0.05). The two effort dependent variables' peak expiratory flow (PEF) and the maximal flow rate at 75% of the remaining FVC (MEF75%) percent predicted values were 70.66 +/- 24.15 and 69.05 +/- 24.39 in non-smoker PD group whereas 90.18 +/- 17.24 and 90.00 +/- 18.97% predicted were in control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) was found to be 52.83 +/- 15.52 and 91.52 +/- 13.80% in PD and control group, respectively (P < 0.0001). MVV was the most effected parameter that was inversely correlated with the PD severity (r=-0.87, P < 0.0001). We concluded that less coordinated and less explosive muscle force has contributed to decrease in PEF and MEF75% values, and MVV decreases in PD as a result of the impaired performance and reduced efficiency during repetitive motor tasks which in part reflects abnormal agonist-antagonist muscle activity. So, spirometric studies may serve as a useful indicator of patients' neurophysiological conditions for the purpose of anticipating and preventing complications because of pulmonary impairment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Open pilot study on oxcarbazepine for the treatment of notalgia paresthetica.

Notalgia paresthetica is a sensory neuropathy typically presenting with pruritus on the back. There is currently no effective treatment for this disorder. We describe a single patient who responded to oxcarbazepine, and a subsequent trial in another 4 who also responded. Although the number of patients in our study is small, we believe further trials are warranted to determine the efficacy of oxcarbazepine in this disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Myasthenia gravis and lymphoblastic lymphoma involving the thymus: a rare association.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune neuromuscular junction disease. An association between thymic epithelial neoplasms and MG is well known. However, it is rarely associated with hematologic malignancies. In particular, very few cases of lymphoblastic lymphoma involving the thymus and MG have been reported. Here we report a case T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma involving the thymus who developed MG after the initial diagnosis. The patient initially presented with a mediastinal mass which was diagnosed as lymphoblastic lymphoma. MG was diagnosed during leukemic relapse in this patient and was based on clinical presentation and neurophysiologic studies including single fiber electromyography (EMG) and repetitive nerve stimulation tests. In contrast to the other cases with such an association, the myasthenic symptoms presented nine months after the diagnosis of lymphoma by thymectomy. The patient had a highly aggressive clinical course and was resistant to various chemotherapy regimens.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Ulnar to median nerve anastomosis in the palm (Riches-Cannieu anastomosis).

This report describes an unusual case of pure bilateral ulnar innervation of the thenar and hypothenar muscles of the hands. The patient was a healthy 36-year-old woman who presented with neck pain. Examination and routine laboratory investigation findings were normal, but on electroneuromyography ulnar to median nerve anastomosis of the motor fibers in the palm was detected bilaterally. However, there was no anastomosis between the sensory fibers. On investigation of focal neuropathy the anomaly known as Riches-Cannieu anastomosis may surprise the electroneuromyographer and change the clinical signs and symptoms. It should be suspected when the hand muscles are clinically intact in the presence of a severe median nerve lesion in the forearm. In this case, a complete lesion of the median nerve at the forearm might erroneously be interpreted as a partial lesion of the median nerve. In every surgical intervention to the hand, this anomaly should be kept in mind and should be investigated electrophysiologically.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Auditory brain stem evoked potentials in patients with leprosy.

Nineteen, randomly selected male patients with lepromatous leprosy were evaluated electrophysiologically. All of these patients had long-standing disease and were treated with dapsone alone. There were statistically significant differences between the values obtained in this group of leprosy patients compared to 20 age-matched controls in auditory brain stem evoked potentials (ABEP). The findings are consistent with a pathologic process located mainly between the cochlear nucleus and the lateral lemniscus in the auditory brain stem pathways. It should be emphasized that our patients had long-standing disease which was treated with dapsone. ABEP could very well be different in leprosy patients diagnosed early and treated for relatively short periods with multidrug therapy. Brain stem evoked response audiometry may be useful for evaluating the possibility of brain stem involvement in leprosy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Repeated hypoglycemia and cognitive decline. A case report.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes mellitus has a high incidence in general population and goes by high morbidity by specific micro vascular pathology in the retina, renal glomerul and peripheral nerves. In type 1 DM, intensive therapy can prevent or delay the development of long-term complications associated with DM but hypoglycaemia especially severe hypoglycaemia defined, as a low blood glucose resulting in stupor, seizure, or unconsciousness that precludes self-treatment is a serious threat. Hypoglycaemia that may preferentially harm neurons in the medial temporal region, specifically the hippocampus, is a potential danger for the brain cognitive function which several studies failed to detect any significant effects, whereas others indicated an influence on it. A young diabetic case presented here with severe cognitive defect. Great number of severe hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic attacks and convulsion episodes were described in his medical history. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Neuroradiologic findings on CT and MRI, pointed that global cerebral atrophy that is incompatible with his age. Brain perfusion studies (SPECT, (99m)Tc-labeled HMPAO) also showed that there were severe perfusion defects at superior temporal region and less perfusion defects at gyrus cingulum in frontal region. These regions are related with memory processing. Severe cognitive defect in this patient seems to be closely related these changes and no another reason was found to explain except the repeated severe hypoglycaemic episodes.

Acidosis↗