In vivo tissue response and durability of five novel synthetic polymers in a rabbit model.

Alloplastic materials are frequently used in facial plastic surgeries such as rhinoplasty and nasal reconstruction. Unfortunately, the ideal alloplastic material has not been found. This experimental study evaluates the tissue response and durability of five novel polymers developed as an alloplastic material. In this experimental study involving a tertiary university hospital, six subcuticular pockets were formed at the back of 10 rabbits for the implantation of each polymer and sham group. Each pocket was excised with its adjacent tissue after three months, and collected for histopathological examination. Semi-quantitative examination including neovascularisation, inflammation, fibrosis, abscess formation, multinucleated foreign body giant cells was performed, and integrity of polymer was evaluated. A statistical comparison was performed. No statically significant difference was detected in neovascularisation, inflammation, fibrosis, abscess formation and multinucleated foreign body giant cells when a paired comparison between sham and polymer II, III and IV groups was performed individually. Nevertheless, the degree of fibrosis was less than sham group in polymer I (p = .027) and V (p = .018), although the other variables were almost similar. The integrity of polymers III (9 intact, 1 fragmented) and IV (8 intact, 2 absent) was better than the other polymers. These novel synthetic polymers could be considered as good candidates for clinical applicability. All polymers provided satisfactory results in terms of tissue response; however, fibrovascular integration was higher in polymers II, III and IV. In addition, the durability of polymer III and IV was better than the others.

A severely mental and motor retarded boy with monosomy 9pter-->p22 trisomy 10q26-->qter due to paternal reciprocal translocation 46,XY,t(9;10)(p23;q26).

We report on a twenty-two months old male patient with hypotonia, mental and motor retardation and trigonocephaly. Standard GTG banding chromosomal analysis (from metaphyses of a periferal blood lymphocyte culture) showed 46,XY, der(9) monosomy 9pter-->p22, trisomy 10q26--> qter karyotype. This unbalanced translocation resulted from the father's t(9,10) (p22;p26) karyotype. Deletions of the terminal part of 9p and partial trisomy of chromosome 10q are rare chromosomal disorders. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature of a deletion of 9pter-->p22.3 and a duplication of 10q26-->qter. We assume that the clinical anomalies are due to der(9) monosomy 9pter-->p22, trisomy 10q-->26qter.

Evaluation of cerebral maturation by visual and quantitative analysis of resting electroencephalography in children with primary nocturnal enuresis.

This study was undertaken to evaluate resting electroencephalographic (EEG) changes and their relations to cerebral maturation in children with primary nocturnal enuresis. Cerebral maturation is known to be important in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Twenty-five right-handed patients with primary nocturnal enuresis, aged 6 to 14 years, and 23 age- and sex-matched healthy children were included in this cross-sectional case-control study. The abnormalities detected using such techniques as hemispheral asymmetry, regional differences, and hyperventilation response in addition to visual and quantitative EEG analysis were examined statistically by multivariate analysis. A decrease in alpha activity in the left (dominant hemisphere) temporal lobe and in the frontal lobes bilaterally and an increase in delta activity in the right temporal region were observed. We concluded that insufficient cerebral maturation is an important factor in the pathogenesis of primary nocturnal enuresis, and EEG, as a noninvasive and inexpensive method, could be used in evaluating cerebral maturation.

Lack of association between plasma leptin levels and appetite in children with iron deficiency.

A negative correlation between leptin and appetite or food intake has been shown in healthy individuals. However, the role of leptin in clinical conditions characterized by anorexia has not been established. One of the well-known clinical features of iron-deficiency anemia is poor appetite. We examined the changes in plasma leptin levels in relation to expected improvement in appetite with iron treatment in children with iron deficiency. In 24 infants and small children (mean age +/- standard deviation = 19.6 +/- 7.7 months) with iron deficiency, we studied plasma leptin levels before and after iron therapy. After 15.0 +/- 2.4 wk of iron treatment, serum ferritin levels improved significantly, with accompanying increases in their subjective appetite scores and food intakes. However, as their mean age and plasma leptin levels adjusted their body mass indexes were unchanged. Serum ferritin correlated significantly with appetite score (r = 0.680, P < 0.001) and food intake (r = 0.480, P < 0.01). Leptin correlated only with body mass index (r = 0.405, P < 0.01). Lack of association between plasma leptin levels and degree of appetite in iron-deficient children treated with iron suggests a leptin-independent mechanism for the observed increase in appetite.

Denver developmental screening test II for early identification of the infants who will develop major neurological deficit as a sequalea of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of this study was to find widely available, inexpensive, and non-invasive parameters for early identification or prediction of the infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who will have a severe adverse outcome (classified as death or a major neurological deficit). METHODS: Fifty-seven full-term or near-term newborn infants with a diagnosis of HIE were consecutively admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and studied. Occurrence of seizures during the first 24 h, cranial ultrasonography (US) findings within the first 5 days of life, and Denver developmental screening test II (DDST II) at 6 months of age, were analyzed in relation to mortality and neurological status at 2 years of age. RESULTS: Of the 57 infants, 10 were lost to follow-up. Twenty of the remaining 47 infants had a severe adverse outcome. Among the predictors of severe adverse outcome, occurrence of seizures was found to have a poor predictive accuracy. Cranial US had 100% sensitivity, however with a rather low specificity (55%). However, DDST II at 6 months of age, yielded a very high predictive accuracy (sensitivity=100%, specificity=95%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that DDST II at 6 months of age could be used in predicting severe neurological outcome in infants with HIE.

Effect of gestational age on plasma fibronectin concentrations in the neonate.

BACKGROUND: Fibronectin (FN) is known to have important roles in host defense against infection. The risk for neonatal sepsis increases with the degree of immaturity of the host. Conflicting results have been reported on the relationship between plasma FN levels and gestational age (GA) in the preterm neonate. METHODS: In the present study, we determined plasma FN concentrations with an immunodiffusion method in 40 newborns of various gestational ages, ranging from 30 to 42 weeks. RESULTS: We found a strong direct correlation between plasma FN levels and GA (r = 0.86; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that the increased risk for neonatal sepsis with degree of prematurity may, in part, be explained by impaired defense with decreasing plasma FN levels seen with lessening GA.

Premarital screening of hemoglobinopathies: a pilot study in Turkey.

To identify premarital couples who are carriers for hemoglobinopathies, a screening study was conducted in one of the southern cities of Turkey. For 2,113 couples, total blood count, Hb A2 and Hb F levels were determined and hemoglobin electrophoresis was performed. The frequency of Hb S was 4.6% and beta thalassemia 2.3%. In 35 of 2,113 prospective families, both partners were found to be carriers. During the 4-year follow-up period, prenatal diagnosis was sought in 10 pregnancies of these at-risk families. This study indicated that premarital screening is a very useful tool for detecting carrier couples. The immediate beneficial effect of this study was the application of prenatal hemoglobinopathy diagnosis from the first pregnancy.

[A case of purpura fulminans associated with miliary tuberculosis (author's transl)]. / Milier tüberküloza eslik eden bir purpura fulminans olgusu.

A fatal case of Purpura fulminans associated with miliary tuberculosis is presented. To our best knowledge, this is the first case of this type reported.

[Plasmodium malariae infection due to exchange transfusion (author's transl)]. / Kan degisimine bagli bir malarya enfeksiyonu.

A four month old baby with Plasmodium malariae infection thought to be due to exchange transfusion is presented.