In vitro activity of cefiderocol against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii carrying various ß-lactamase encoding genes.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the in vitro efficacy of cefiderocol in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) isolates and evaluate the disk-diffusion (DD) method as an alternative method to broth-microdilution (BMD). METHODS: Totally 89 CRAB isolates were included. Cluster analysis was determined by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Resistance genes; blaOXA-51, blaOXA-23, blaOXA-24, blaOXA-58,blaPER-1, blaNDM, blaIMP and mcr-1 were screened. Cefiderocol susceptibility testing was performed by both DD and BMD. Interpretation was made according to EUCAST and CLSI. Categorical agreement (CA), minor errors (mEs), major errors (MEs), and very major errors (VMEs) were determined. RESULTS: PFGE revealed 5 distinct pulsotypes; 86 of the isolates were extensively drug-resistant (XDR). All the isolates were negative for blaNDM, blaIMP, mcr-1, while positive for blaOXA-58 and blaOXA51. blaPER-1 was positive for 33.7%; blaOXA-23 for 74.2%; blaOXA-24 for 12.3%. According to CLSI, the MEs rate was 1.85%, mEs was 7.86% and there were no VMEs. According to EUCAST, MEs rate was 3.70%, there were no mEs and VMEs. CA was 91% for CLSI and 97.8% for EUCAST. MICs of cefiderocol against A. baumannii isolates ranged from 0.06 to > 128 mg/L, with MIC50 and MIC90 values of 0.5 and > 128 mg/L, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cefiderocol susceptibility was 60.7% in CRAB isolates. MIC50, MIC90 of blaPER-1 positive and blaPER-1 negative groups were > 128/>128 and 0.25/>128 mg/L. A correlation between the presence of blaPER-1 and cefiderocol resistance was observed (p < 0.0001). Among colistin-resistant isolates, the presence of blaPER-1 was 47.1% and 75% of them were resistant to cefiderocol respectively.

The Role of Parkin in Rat Pancreatic Beta Cells Fate.

Parkin is a member of the mitochondrial quality control system that plays a major role in mitophagy. Although the loss of function mutations in the Parkin gene has been associated with the Familial Parkinson's phenotype, research in recent years points out that Parkin's function is not limited to neurodegenerative diseases. Parkin's function impressing key cellular quality control mechanisms, including the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy-lysosome systems, makes it an important player in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. In this study, we investigated whether Parkin affects cell viability and ER stress responses under lipotoxic conditions in INS-1E cells. Our results may suggest that silencing Parkin may affect autophagy in addition to apoptosis.  We also showed that Parkin may have a protective effect against lipo-toxic effects in INS-1E cells. Consistent with previous studies, we observed that stress responses were different for high and low palmitic acid doses. The Parkin being inhibited under high-dose PA treatment and active under low-dose PA treatment indicate that regulation of stress responses is controlled by environmental conditions. Our preliminary findings may suggest that in low lipotoxic conditions, Parkin affects the ER stress response by modulating Chop activity and Ca2+ release from the ER to the cytoplasm.

The correlation of uric acid levels with biochemical parameters and dietary factors in individuals with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis.

Diet may play an important role in the development of asymptomatic hyperuricemia (ASH) and gouty arthritis (GOUT). However, the association between dietary factors and hyperuricemia remains unclear. Serum uric acid levels are affected by dietary factors. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of uric acid levels with biochemical parameters and dietary factors in individuals with ASH and GOUT. This study was conducted in 145 individuals with ASH and GOUT. General characteristics of individuals were collected via face-to-face interviews. Food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain energy, macro- and micronutrients intakes. Biochemical parameters were obtained from patient files. The incidence of gout was higher in men comparing to women. Individuals in the GOUT group consumed more alcohol and higher serum levels of vitamin B12, C-reactive protein (CRP), triglyceride, and uric acid. Individuals in the GOUT group had higher intakes of energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, fructose, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. Triglyceride, uric acid, CRP, vitamin B12, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance were found to be affected by high uric acid levels. Dietary factors can pose a risk for health problems in addition to GOUT and ASH, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Hedonic hunger status and related factors in adults.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine factors affecting hedonic hunger in adults. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional research design was used to collect face-to-face data from 315 adults, aged 18-65 years, residing in Balikesir/Turkey by way of a questionnaire. FINDINGS: Hedonic hunger was found to be higher in women and also rates decreased with age. As body mass index increased, so did hedonic hunger. Hedonic hunger was seen as higher in individuals who do not engage in regular physical activity, those who consume nighttime snacks, and persons who follow a weight loss diet. It has been determined that individuals with hedonic hunger have a high level of food craving, impulsiveness, and low self-esteem. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Controlling psychological factors such as impulsiveness and self-esteem can be effective in reducing hedonic hunger.

Children's Power of Food Scale: Turkish validity and reliability study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to validate the Turkish version of the Children's Power of Food Scale (C-PFS-T) after translation of the original version. DESIGN: The data were collected via face-to-face interviews using the C-PFS-T and a socio-demographic information form. BMI was calculated by dividing body weight by the square of the height. After the adaptation of the scale to Turkish language, validity and reliability analysis were conducted for the C-PFS-T. SETTING: Gülhane Training and Research Hospital Department of Child Health and Diseases Nutrition and Diet Unit in Ankara. PARTICIPANTS: This research was conducted with volunteer children and adolescents between the ages of 9 and 16 years (n 268). RESULTS: It was concluded that the 15-item C-PFS-T was collected under three factors as in the original version of the child version. Cronbach's α coefficient was found to be 0·878 for the scale. The confirmatory factor analysis results showed the acceptability and applicability of adapting the version of the C-PFS-T in terms of χ2/df (= 3·816), adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI = 0·931), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA = 0·082) and goodness-of-fit index (GFI = 0·852) fit indices. C-PFS-T total score's median value of obese group wasn't substantially different from normal weight group.Conclusions:It was concluded that the Turkish version of the C-PFS, which provides an assessment of the hedonic hunger status of children and adolescents with fifteen items and threesubdimensions, has sufficient reliability and validity to be applied to these subjects.

Antibacterial Resistance in Lower Respiratory Tract Bacterial Pathogens: A Multicenter Analysis from Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the etiology of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and their antibiotic resistance. METHODOLOGY: Bacterial culture results of LRT samples from 17 hospitals between 2016-2019 were included in the study. All isolates were identified and AST were performed by automated microbiology systems. AST was performed according to EUCAST. RESULTS: Non-duplicate 30,051 (26,890 HA and 3156 CA) isolates detected as causative pathogen. LRTIs are caused by 85.1% Gram-negative bacterial pathogens and 14.9% Gram-positive. The most common isolates among HA pathogens were Acinetobacter spp. (27.4%), P.aeruginosa (22.2%), K.pneumoniae (17.9%); among CA pathogen S.pneumoniae (19.9%), P. aeruginosa (18.9%), H.influenzae (14.6%). ESBL rate was 62.5% in K.penumoniae; 53.1% in E.coli; 19.1% in Klebsiella spp; 13.9% in Enterobacter spp.; 8.6% in Proteus spp.; 6.3% in Citrobacter spp.; and 4.3% in Serratia spp. Resistance rates to carbapenems and colistin were 92.8% and 12.8% in A baumannii, 39.8% and 7.5% in P.aeruginosa, 47.3% and 18.5% in K.penumoniae. Among staphylococci, 27.3% of S. aureus and 82.4% of CoNS were methicillin resistant. 7.6% of E.faecium and 0.9% of E.faecalis were vancomycin resistant.  Linezolid resistant S. aureus, CoNS, E.faecalis and E.faecium rates were 0.3%, 2.9%, 0.0% and 4.6%. Inducible clindamycin resistant rate was 17.2% in S. aureus 38.2% in CoNS. Non-susceptible S.pneumoniae isolate rate to penicillin was 37.0%. 6.5% of S.maltophilia and 4.4% of B.cepacia isolates were resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic resistance was mainly observed among A.baumannii and K.pneumoniae and continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance patterns in the management of LRTIs is important.

Triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is a predictor similar to the triglyceride-glucose index for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome using International Diabetes Federation criteria of insulin resistance in obese adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a fatal endocrinopathy that begins with insulin resistance (IR) and causes abdominal obesity, glucose intolerance, or systemic disorders. This study was aimed to determine the cut-off values for the triglyceride (TG)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, the TG glucose (TyG) index and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) for the diagnosis of MS in obese adolescents, and to compare which of the three indexes would offer a more accurate approach to diagnosis. Methods The study population comprised 1,171 obese adolescents (639 females and 532 males aged 10-16 years, Body Mass Index (BMI)>=95th percentile). Indirect measures of IR screening for MS were the TG/HDL ratio, TyG index, and HOMA-IR. The cut-off values of the TG/HDL ratio, TyG index, and HOMA-IR were obtained from receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curves. Results HOMA-IR had a significant positive correlation with the TyG index (r=0.352, p<0.001) and TG/HDL-C (r=0.291, p<.001). The TyG index and TG/HDL-C showed a strong positive correlation (r=0.901, p<0.001). The TG/HDL-C ratio showed a larger ROC Area under Curve (AUC=0.849) than HOMA-IR index (AUC=0.689), but as a predictor similar to TyG index (AUC=0.833) when screening for MS. The cut-off values for MS were as follows: TG/HDL-C ratio>2.16 (sensitivity: 88.8%; specificity: 49.7%), TyG index>8.50 (sensitivity: 85.6%; specificity: 57.0%) and HOMA-IR>2.52 (sensitivity: 83.2%; specificity: 40.4%). Conclusions Both the TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio are better markers than HOMA-IR to determine the risk of metabolic syndrome according to IDF criteria. Besides, the TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio have similar differentiating powers to determine this risk in obese Turkish adolescents.

Epidemiology, species distribution, clinical characteristics and mortality of candidaemia in a tertiary care university hospital in Turkey, 2007-2014.

Candidaemia still continues to be a serious medical concern and the epidemiology of candidaemia varies according to geographical areas. We aim to determine the incidence, local epidemiology, Candida species distribution and crude mortality rates of candidaemia. We retrospectively evaluated candidaemia episodes in between January 2007 and August 2014. We compared demographic, clinical, microbiological findings and mortality rates of episodes caused by Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida species. Overall the candidaemia incidences were 1.23 episodes/1000 admissions. A significant negative slope among candidaemia episodes and years was determined. Overall C. albicans (54.6%) was the most common species followed by Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis and Candida parapsilosis respectively. Preinfection hospital stay and length of hospital stay were statistically longer in patients with non-albicans Candida candidaemia than in patients with C. albicans candidaemia. The source of candidaemia was unknown in 52.5% of all episodes. Central venous catheters among non-albicans Candida candidaemia episodes and urinary system among C. albicans candidaemia episodes were common source of candidaemia compared to each other. Previous antifungal therapy preceding candidaemia and concomitant bacteraemia were significantly associated with non-albicans Candida candidaemia. Continuous local surveillance will preserve its pivotal importance in formulating empirical antifungal therapy and improving management of candidaemia.

A content analysis of food advertising on Turkish television.

The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive content analysis of Television (TV) food advertising and compare various food advertisements on free-to-air Turkish national TV channels by broadcast time (duration) and frequency over the period of a week (19-25 April 2012). TV food advertisements were the unit of content analysis in this study. Each advertisement identified as promoting a food product was analysed for content; non-food advertisements were not analysed, although they were counted as a proportion of the advertisements aired. We recorded all programmes for 4 h each per day (7 p.m.-11 p.m.), totalling 84 h. Five types of food-related advertisements were identified (basic foods, junk foods, meat products, beverages and fast food), and six types of non-food advertisements. The Student t-test and ANOVA were used to compare the mean broadcast time of all prime time advertising for the two groups. The mean broadcast times for prime time, non-food advertisements showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). This difference is related to the prime time period 7 p.m.-8 p.m. being considered dinner time for most Turkish families. Additionally, the number and broadcast times of beverage advertisements increased during this time period, while the broadcast time per beverage advertisement decreased (ratio = 20.8 s per ads). As a result, TV food advertising increased not only during dinner time but also in overall broadcast time (per advertisement). These findings may be useful for explaining how advertising can negatively influence food choices, thereby increasing public awareness of the need for health messages targeting obesity.