Relationship between Blastocystis spp. with Accompanying Food Hypersensitivity and Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between Blastocystis spp. and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of this parasitic infection on CSU and to search for risky groups in CSU patients with this parasite. METHODS: Seventy adult CSU patients with Blastocystis spp. in their stool samples forming Group A and 70 CSU patients without any parasite as Group B were prospectively compared regarding urticaria activity score-7 (UAS7), medication scores (MS), and laboratory parameters. All patients received CSU treatment, and additionally, those in group A received an antiparasitic antibiotic. Eight months later, the same parameters were compared between the ones in remission (group A1) and those still having CSU symptoms (group A2) in group A. RESULTS: UAS7 and MS were lower in group A than in group B (p: 0.007, p < 0.001) 8 months later, while the initial scores were similar. The presence of food hypersensitivity reactions (FHRs) was higher in group A than in group B (p < 0.001) and was detected as a significant risk factor in the presence of Blastocystis spp. infection (p: 0.002, OR [CI] = 0.151 [0.045-0.502]). In group A, UAS7, MS, serum total IgE levels, and blood eosinophil counts decreased 8 months later (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p: 0.003, p: 0.004, respectively). Additionally, total IgE levels and eosinophil counts decreased in group A1 (p: 0.033, p: 0.002) while they did not change in group A2. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The eradication of Blastocystis spp. can improve the disease activity in CSU and the presence of FHRs seems to be risky in CSU patients with Blastocystis spp.

What is the real effect of pregabalin in patients with diabetic neuropathic pain?(Do patients suffer from less pain or do they less care about it?).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Depression and anxiety are frequent in patients with chronic diseases such as diabetic neuropathic pain. The pain seems to be more severe in patients in whom depressive findings accompanied pain symptoms. Pregabalin was reported to have positive effects on anxiety and depression. This brings out the question, whether the pain relief effect of pregabalin is due to its analgesic effect or to its effects on mood? The aim of this study is to find out whether the positive effect of pregabalin in patients with diabetic neuropathic pain is limited to its effect on pain. Thus the question - do patients suffer from less pain or do they less care about pain? - should be answered. METHODS: With this aim the NRS scores of 46 patients with diabetic neuropathic pain, whose HADS scores did not change with pregabalin treatment were compared with their baseline levels, retrospectively. RESULTS: The NRS scores of the group were reduced with pregabalin treatment. CONCLUSION: This results suggests that the reduced pain in pregabalin treatment should be independent from its effects on depression and anxiety.

Boron removal from aqueous solutions by ion-exchange resin: column sorption-elution studies.

A column sorption-elution study was carried out by using a strong base anion-exchange resin (Dowex 2 x 8) for the removal of boron from aqueous solutions. The breakthrough curve was obtained as a function of feed flow rate and the total and breakthrough capacity values of the resin were calculated. The boron on the resin was quantitatively eluted with 0.5M HCl solution at different flow rates. Three consecutive sorption-elution-washing-regeneration-washing cycles were applied to the resin in order to investigate the reusability of the ion-exchange resin. Total capacity values remained almost the same after three sorption-elution-regeneration cycles. The Thomas and the Yoon-Nelson models were applied to experimental data to predict the breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristic column parameters required for process design. The results proved that the models would describe the breakthrough curves well.

[Comparison of interferon-gamma whole blood assay with tuberculin skin test for the diagnosis of tuberculosis infection in tuberculosis contacts]. / Temaslilarda tüberküloz enfeksiyonunun tanisi için interferon-gama tam kan testi ile tüberkülin deri testinin karsilastirilmasi.

Tuberculin skin test which is used for the detection of latent tuberculosis (TB), has many disadvantages such as false positivities due to cross reactions between environmental mycobacteria and BCG strain, false negativities due to immunosuppression and malpractice, and also difficulties in application and evaluation. Recently a new diagnostic test which measures the production of interferon (IFN)-gamma in whole blood upon stimulation with specific ESAT-6 and CFP-10 antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been introduced. Since most of the mycobacteria other than tuberculosis and BCG strain do not contain these antigens, the detection of IFN-gamma levels indicates the specific T-cell response against M. tuberculosis. The aim of the study was to compare the tuberculin skin test and whole blood IFN-gamma assay (QuantiFERON-TB Gold, Cellestis Ltd, Carnegie, Victoria, Australia) for the identification of latent TB infection in the contacts with active TB patients. The tests results were evaluated by using Kappa (K) analysis, and K coefficients of < 0.4, 0.4-0.75 and > 0.75 were accepted as poor, moderate and excellent agreements, respectively. A total of 233 subjects from three risk groups were included to the study. Group 1 included the household members (n = 133) who had contact with smear positive index cases, Group 2 included the subjects from community (n = 46) who had contact with smear positive index cases, and Group 3 included health care workers (n = 74) who had contact with TB patients or their specimens. The positivity rates of tuberculin skin test and IFN-gamma assay in the cases were found as 37% and 42%, respectively. There were no significant differences among the three patient groups with regard to the results of the tuberculin skin test (p > 0.05). However, the positive result of the IFN-gamma assay in Group 1 was found statistically higher than the other groups (51.3%, p = 0.013). A poor agreement between the two tests was detected in the results taken from 233 subjects (65.7%, K = 0.28), while agreement was moderate in unvaccinated group (72.7%, K = 0.44). Evaluation of agreement rates of the tests according to the risk groups yielded 64.6% (K = 0.3) for Group 1, 71.7% (K = 0.32) for Group 2, and 63.5% (K = 0.21) for Group 3, which all coefficients showed poor agreement. Although IFN-gamma blood assay has many advantages such as objective and quantitative results, no interference with vaccination due to the use of specific antigens and being practical, the high cost and the need for well-equipped laboratory are its disadvantages. As a result it was concluded that, IFN-gamma blood assay has limited value for the detection of latent TB infection in our country, since the prevalence of TB infection and BCG vaccination rates are high in Turkey.

Adsorption of boron from aqueous solutions using fly ash: batch and column studies.

In the present paper, boron removal from aqueous solutions by adsorption was investigated. Fly ash particle size used in adsorption experiments was between 250 and 400 microm. During the experimental part of this study, the effect of parameters such as pH, agitation time, initial boron concentration, temperature, adsorbent dosage and foreign ion on boron removal were observed. In addition, adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherm studies and column studies were made. Maximum boron removal was obtained at pH 2 and 25 degrees C. Thermodynamic parameters such as change in free energy (DeltaG degrees), enthalpy (DeltaH degrees), entropy (DeltaS degrees) were also determined. As a result of the kinetic studies, it was observed that the adsorption data conforms to the second degree kinetics model. In the isotherm studies, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied and it was determined that the experimental data conformed to Langmuir isotherm model. Batch adsorbent capacity (q(o)) was calculated as 20.9 mg/g. The capacity value for column study was obtained by graphical integration as 46.2 mg/g. The Thomas and the Yoon-Nelson models were applied to experimental data to predict the breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristics parameters of the column useful for process design.

Nitrate removal from aqueous solution by adsorption onto various materials.

In this study sepiolite, sepiolite activated by HCl, slag and powdered activated carbon were used as adsorbent with a particle size was between 71 and 80 microm (200-170 mesh). NaNO3 solution (100 mg/l) was used in batch adsorption experiments for nitrate removal. First kinetic studies were carried out and it was determined that slag was not effective for nitrate removal, then contact time, pH and adsorbent dosage effects on nitrate removal by adsorption were investigated using other adsorbents except slag. The equilibrium time was found to be 30, 45, 5 min for sepiolite, powdered activated carbon and activated sepiolite, respectively. The most effective pH value for nitrate removal was 2 for powdered activated carbon. pH value did not affect nitrate removal significantly for other adsorbents. Adsorbent dosages were varied from 5 to 20 g/l solutions. An increase in adsorbent dosage increased the percent removal of nitrate. A series of isotherm studies were undertaken and the data evaluated for compliance with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. To investigate the adsorption mechanisms, three simplified kinetic models, i.e., first-, second-order and intraparticle diffusion were tested. Adsorption followed second-order rate kinetics. The correlation coefficients for second order kinetic model are greater than 0.996. Experimental data show that sepiolite activated by HCl was effective for nitrate removal.