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Identification Of Potential Drug Targets For Covid 19 Patients With Cytokine Storm, Bayu Cakra Buana

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection may vary depending on gender, lifestyle, and age. The elderly is more likely to have the severe condition than the younger population. However, several young people suffer from severe lung diseases caused by cytokine dysregulation, also known as a "cytokine storm." Cytokine storms are associated with Covid-19 severity and mortality. Identification of potential cytokine storm targets is critical for improving patient survival. Transcriptomic analysis of expression data from publicly available databases could be used to identify differentially expressed genes and pathways. The list of both results was used to narrow down the potential candidates in …

Development Of Surrogate Sars-Cov-2 Virus Neutralization Test Method Using Plant-Produced Recombinant Proteins, Perawat Jirarojwattana

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Detecting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 is vital for evaluating vaccine response and natural infection, but a conventional virus neutralization test (cVNT) requires BSL3 and live viruses, and a pseudo-virus neutralization test (pVNT) needs specialized equipment and trained professionals in BSL2. The surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) was developed to overcome these limitations. This study explored the use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2) produced from Nicotiana benthamiana for the development of an affordable neutralizing antibodies detection assay. The results showed that the plant-produced ACE2-His can bind to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2, and was used to develop sVNT with …

Development Of Plant-Produced Subunit Vaccines To Elicit The Immunogenicity Against Sars-Cov-2 Variant Viruses, Narach Khorattanakulchai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019 (COVID-19), the development of effective vaccines to combat the infection has accelerated worldwide. While the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) with high transmissibility, enhanced infectivity, and immune escape from vaccination is also predominantly emerging. Effective vaccines against variant of concern (VOC) and optimized booster vaccination strategies are thus highly required. Here, the gene encoding seven different RBD (ancestral (Wuhan), Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Kappa, Delta, and Epsilon variants) fused with the fragment crystallizable region (Fc) of human IgG1 (RBD-Fc) was constructed and cloned into …

Challenges Of Ngos In Facilitating Access To Health Care Services For The Urban Poor In Slums During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study Of Kampala, Uganda||ความท้าทายขององค์กรนอกภาครัฐในการช่วยเหลือการเข้าถึงบริการการดูแลสุขภาพสำหรับคนจนเมืองในชุมชนแออัดในช่วงการระบาดของโรคติดเชื้อไวรัสโคโรนา 2019 กรณีศึกษา กรุงกัมปาลา ประเทศยูกันดา, Brendah Kyaterekera

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study investigates the challenges NGOs face in providing healthcare access to the urban poor during the COVID-19 pandemic, using cases of slum communities in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable populations, including those living in slums characterized by overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to basic services, especially access to healthcare, a fundamental right of people. During the past years, the pandemic has further restricted the already limited accessibility to healthcare services for the urban poor. The primary research methodology employed in this study is case study research, using in-depth interviews, observations, …

Molecular Characterization And Antimicrobial Susceptible Profiles Of Thai Mycoplasma Synoviae And Immune Response Chickens Received Live Mycoplasma Synoviae Vaccine, Kriengwich Limpavithayakul

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Mycoplasma synoviae infection in chickens which has been increasing worldwide is mostly controlled by pathogen-free flocks’ maintenance, medication in infected flocks and vaccination in high-risk flocks. The effective control strategy requires the information of diagnostic assays for detecting and differentiating M. synoviae strains, the understanding of immune response mechanisms in vaccinated chickens, and the reliable drug susceptible evidents for making decision in antimicrobial usage. This study aimed to develop a convenient assay for evaluation of quality or uniformity of vaccination with live MS-H vaccine, to characterize the immune response mechanisms in chickens receiving 3 different vaccination programs immunizing single dose …

The Infection Dynamics, Co-Infection, Multi-Gene Phylogeny, And Molecular Screening Of Plasmodium Caprae Infection In Goats And Mosquito Species, Hoang Lan Anh Nguyen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Ungulate malaria parasites, including Plasmodium caprae that infects the domestic goats, have received little attention. There are only few studies about the prevalence and mitochondrial genome analyses. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the natural infection dynamics of P. caprae and its mosquito vectors. Besides, genome analyses based on nuclear genes of P. caprae and other related haemosporidian parasites were also carried out to obtain an in depth understanding about their evolutionary history and origin. A total of 423 goat blood samples were collected during rainy seasons from 2018 to 2021 to assess the malaria infection status. In addition, 1,019 …

In Vitro Inhibitory Effects Of Turmeric Extracts Against Biofilm Formation And Virulence Of Flavobacterium Oreochromis, Sirawich Ngernson

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Flavobacterium oreochromis is an opportunistic bacteria and causative agent of columnaris disease that affects freshwater fish worldwide. To initiate infection, the bacteria are required to attach and form biofilm on the fish's skin. The bacteria cells in the biofilm then produce toxins that can degrade fish connective tissue, resulting in lesions and ulcers. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) extract by three organic solvents (hexane, ethanol, and methanol) in biofilm inhibition and modulation of biofilm-associated genes of F. oreochromis. Turmeric extracts by three different organic solvents were tested for their ability to inhibit the …

Seroprevalence Of Lawsonia Intracellularis Antibody Among Swine Herds In Thailand, December 2021-March 2022, Thanh Nguyen Che

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The gastrointestinal infectious diseases caused by bacteria have been a major problem in the Thai swine industry. Porcine proliferative enteropathy (PPE), also known as porcine ileitis, is an enteric infectious disease caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. Porcine ileitis has been an economic threat to the global pork production system due to various types of diarrheas. Serological diagnosis can be applied for determining pathogen-antibodies seroprevalence and the timing of L. intracellularis infection when introduced to the herd. A lack of serological data since 2009, as well as recent antibiotic usage restrictions, may have a negative impact on porcine ileitis seroprevalence in Thailand. …

Transferable R Plasmids In Escherichia Coli Isolated From Meat Ducks, Zulqarnain Baqar

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study aimed to describe the AMR characteristics and transferable R plasmids in Escherichia coli isolated from meat ducks reared in an open house system. One hundred seventy-seven (n=177) commensal E. coli were previously isolated from duck cloacal swabs. In this study, all were biochemically confirmed and examined for their susceptibilities to 15 antimicrobial agents by broth microdilution method. Transfer of R plasmids was tested by biparental mating method followed by plasmid replicon typing (PBRT) and plasmid multi-locus sequence typing (pMLST). The highest resistance rates were observed for ampicillin (83.0%) and tetracycline (81.9%) while multidrug resistance was common (86.4%). Extended-spectrum …

Factors Associated With Success Rate Of Alveolar Bone Graft For Dental Implant Rehabilitation: An Up To 10-Years Retrospective Study, Kaung Zaw Win

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Nowadays, rehabilitating edentulous areas using dental implants has become a reliable treatment choice. However, insufficient bone volume is the most common clinical problem in dental implant rehabilitation, indicating the requirement of reconstructive bone surgeries to increase bone availability. Objective: To identify the factors that potentially associate with success in alveolar bone graft surgery for dental implant rehabilitation, along with the bone graft success rate for dental implant rehabilitation, implant survival rate and marginal bone loss (MBL) around implants Materials and methods: Treatment outcomes of the patients with alveolar bone grafts for dental implant rehabilitation were audited between January 2007 …

Effect Of Air Pollution On Number Of Visits With Pneumonia And Influenza:Before Vs. During Covid-19 Outbreak In Thailand, Benjawan Roudreo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The COVID-19 pandernic had effect on changes in people, environment, and health risk. This was a unique research opportunity to assess the effects on the risk of respiratory infectious diseases resulting from the changes in air pollution during COVID-19 outbreak. This study estimated the relative risks (RRs) of hospital visits with pneumonia and influenza associated with air pollution (PM10 PM25 NO2 and ⊖ y} by using Poison with generalized additive model (GAM) and compared the different RRs of pneumonia and influenza before vs. during the COVID-19 outbreak in Khon Kaen province and its vicinity. For results, before the COVID-19 period, …

Plasma Levels And Association Of Phosphorylated Tau 181, 217 And 231 With Cognitive Impairment In Elderly Thai Population, Pasin Hemachudha

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background The identification of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in blood samples has the potential to facilitate early diagnosis and improve the accuracy of AD diagnosis. Plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau) is a promising biomarker for AD with an accuracy potentially comparable to a cerebrospinal sample; however, its utility in the clinical setting has yet to be explored in Thailand. The present study aimed to evaluate the utility of p-tau 181 as a tool for screening cognitive impairment in a non-demented population, estimating the prevalence of AD and investigating its potential as a risk stratification strategy. Method The study recruited 254 …

ความสามารถของซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับในการวินิจฉัยภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวในผู้ป่วยโรคตับแข็งที่รับไว้ในโรงพยาบาล, ศลิษา เวทย์นฤมาณ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

วัตถุประสงค์: เพื่อศึกษาความสามารถของซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับในการวินิจฉัยภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวแรกรับในผู้ป่วยตับแข็งที่เข้ารับการรักษาในโรงพยาบาล และศึกษาความสามารถของซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับในการทำนายการเสียชีวิตที่ 28 วันในผู้ป่วยกลุ่มนี้ วิธีการวิจัย: ผู้ป่วยโรคตับแข็งที่เข้ารับการรักษาภายใน 24 ชั่วโมงแรกในโรงพยาบาลจุฬาลงกรณ์ สภากาชาดไทย ระหว่างเดือนสิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2564 ถึงเดือนมกราคม พ.ศ. 2566 จำนวนทั้งหมด 116 รายได้เข้าร่วมงานวิจัย โดยแบ่งเป็นกลุ่มที่มีและไม่มีภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวแรกรับ การวินิจฉัยภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวในผู้ป่วยตับแข็งอ้างอิงจาก European Association for the Study of Liver-Chronic Liver Failure (EASL-CLIF) consortium criteria มีการส่งตรวจระดับซีรั่มเอนโดแคน ซีรั่มโปรแคลซิโทนินและซีรั่มอินเตอร์ลิวคิน-6 แรกรับและในวันที่ 3 ของการเข้ารับการรักษาในโรงพยาบาล โดยหาความไว ความจำเพาะ และ area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) ในการวินิจฉัยภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวและทำนายการเสียชีวิตที่ 28 วัน ผลการศึกษา: ในกลุ่มผู้ป่วยตับแข็งที่มีภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวแรกรับ มีระดับซีรั่มเอนโดแคน ซีรั่มโปรแคลซิโทนินและซีรั่มอินเตอร์ลิวคิน-6 แรกรับสูงกว่ากลุ่มที่ไม่มีภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวแรกรับอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ เช่นเดียวกับในกลุ่มผู้เสียชีวิตที่ 28 วัน ในการวินิจฉัยภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวแรกรับ จุดตัดที่เหมาะสม (optimal cut-off) ของซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับเท่ากับ 21.95 นก./มล. มีความไวร้อยละ 56.4 และความจำเพาะร้อยละ 75.4 ค่า AUROC ของซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับเท่ากับ 0.67 (95%CI 0.57-0.77) ซีรั่มโปรแคลซิโทนินแรกรับเท่ากับ 0.73 และซีรั่มอินเตอร์ลิวคิน-6 แรกรับเท่ากับ 0.72 ในการวินิจฉัยภาวะอวัยวะล้มเหลวแรกรับ การเปรียบเทียบแบบคู่ของดัชนีชี้วัดทางชีวภาพแต่ละชนิดแสดงให้เห็นว่าไม่มีความแตกต่างกันอย่างมีนัยสำคัญระหว่างซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับกับซีรั่มโปรแคลซิโทนินแรกรับ (p=0.277) หรือระหว่างซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับกับซีรั่มอินเตอร์ลิวคิน-6 แรกรับ (p=0.341) ในการทำนายการเสียชีวิตที่ 28 วัน ค่า AUROC ของซีรั่มเอนโดแคนแรกรับเท่ากับ 0.66 ซีรั่มโปรแคลซิโทนินแรกรับเท่ากับ 0.75 และซีรั่มอินเตอร์ลิวคิน-6 แรกรับเท่ากับ 0.80 …

Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteriophage Targeting Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease-Causing Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, Khrongkhwan Thammatinna

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Vibrio parahaemolyticus causing Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (VPAHPND) has been a major cause of serious shrimp aquaculture economic losses. Moreover, many isolates have exhibited the resistance of various antibiotic drugs. Most recently, bacteriophage or phage, the killer of bacteria, has been gaining interest as an alternative tool to prevent and control pathogens. In this study, we discovered two novel vibriophages - vibriophage Seahorse and vibriophage phiKT1024 – that target various strains of VPAHPND. vibriophage Seahorse and vibriophage phiKT1024 were assigned to the family Siphoviridae and Myoviridae, respectively. Based on the cut-off of genome size that is less than 200 kbp …

Development Of Diagnostic Methods And Epidermiology Of Tuberculosis In Free-Ranging Long-Tailed Macaque Macaca Fascicularis And Rhesus Macaque M. Mulatta In Thailand, Suthirote Meesawat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Cross-species infectious disease transmission, especially between humans and wildlife, is increasing during the global warming. Tuberculosis (TB) is an air-borne infectious disease that can be transmitted from humans to non-human primates (NHPs), however, no report of TB prevalence in free ranging NHPs that highly interacted with humans in Thailand was published. Thus, this study was conducted and separated into 3 phases. Phase I, active TB in 1,836 free-ranging macaques including 6 rhesus (Macaca mulatta; Mm), 23 common long-tailed (M. fascicularis fascicularis; Mff), and 3 Burmese long-tailed (M. f. aurea; Mfa) macaque populations throughout Thailand was assesses. Monkeys were captured, anesthetized, …

Gc/Ms And Lc/Ms Approaches To Chemical Communication In Plants And Marine Cyanobacteria, Carolyn Keim

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Natural products are small organic compounds synthesized by living organisms including plants, animals, and microbes. These fall into one of two categories, primary metabolites are required for survival, but secondary metabolites usually play a more accessory role. Extracts from organisms have proven to be useful to humans throughout history. Prior to evidence-based western medicine practices, natural products were the only source of medicine and remain as a treatment source for underdeveloped nations. Today, natural products have either been approved by or have served as the template for many FDA approved drugs. Based on a survey of all FDA approved drugs …

Designing And Evaluating Falls Prevention Education With Residents And Staff In Aged Care Homes: A Feasibility Study, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Tessa Watts, Caroline Bulsara, Anne-Marie Hill

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to co-design a falls prevention education programme with aged care home residents and staff and evaluate its feasibility. The intention of providing the education programme was to assist residents to stay safe and mobile whilst reducing their risk of falling.

Design/methodology/approach: A two-phase mixed methods participatory design using a resident (n = 6) and care staff (n = 5) consumer engagement panel, pre- and post-programme resident (n = 35) survey and semi-structured care staff interviews (n = 8) was undertaken in two countries.

Findings: A poster, brochure, video and staff education guide featuring …

The Current State Of Fellowship Leadership In Dermatology: Trends In Workforce Demographics And Scholarly Productivity, Steven Idell, David D Mcpherson, Jessica Martin, Andrew Dentino, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, Julia V Philley, Paul Mcgaha, Megan Devine, Jacqueline Bronicki, Daniel D Karp

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In 2018, The University of Texas Health Science Center-Tyler and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley were invited to develop clinical research units for an existing Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium with the objective to equip medically underserved, economically disadvantaged communities and subsequently to deploy COVID-19 clinical trials in response to a public health emergency.

Invasive Haemophilus Influenza Type B In An Infant During The Covid-19 Pandemic: The Return Of Diseases We Hoped Never To See Again…, Christy Tabarani, Stephen A Fletcher, Gloria P Heresi, Susan H Wootton

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Models Of Infection Prevention Programs In Hospital Settings, Kelly A. Reagan

Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals play a vital role in providing for the healthcare needs of a community. Patients can develop hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) during their hospitalization due to exposure to foreign bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Infection prevention programs target and reduce HAIs, but implementing the infection prevention programs often comes with a cost. The goal of my research is to use mathematical models to quantify the impact of infection prevention programs on cases of HAIs and total healthcare costs. First, I use a Markov chain model to quantify how one infection prevention program reduces general HAIs in the hospital. Then, I calculate the …

Family Relationships And Academic Performance Via Belongingness Among Cuban Medical Students: Examining Family Legacy And Sex As Moderators, Maria J. Cisneros-Elias

Theses and Dissertations

Medical diplomacy is a foundational part of Cuban domestic and foreign policy (Feinsilver, 2010). Cuba has an abundance of doctors, encouraged by the country’s free medical education program (Hand et al., 2020), and has made a significant impact with its well-established healthcare system, provision of healthcare for all of its citizens, and healthcare support internationally. The current study aims to focus on processes underlying Cuban medical students’ academic performance, as they are a critical component of this successful system, and a population that has received limited empirical attention. Thus, the current study used path analyses to examine the relations between …

Academic Health Science Centers And Health Disparities: A Qualitative Review Of The Intervening Role Of The Electronic Health Record And Social Determinants Of Health, Wies Rafi

Theses and Dissertations

Literature on the magnitude of negative health outcomes from health disparities is voluminous. Defined as the health effects of racism, environmental injustice, forms of discrimination, biases in science, and sociological or socioeconomic predictors across populations, health disparities are part of an ongoing and complicated national problem that health equity programs are specifically designed to address. Academic Health Science Centers (AHC) institutions are a complex and unique educational-healthcare ecosystem that often serves as a safety net for patients in vulnerable and lower-income communities. These institutions are often viewed as one of the most uniquely positioned entities in the U.S. with an …

An Analysis Of The Special Focus Facility Program And Nursing Home Quality, Annie S. Rhodes

Theses and Dissertations

The Special Focus Facility Program is an intensive program meant to rapidly support 88 of the lowest quality nursing homes in the United States, as determined by the Five-Star Quality Ranking system. There are also 435 facility candidates which are similarly low performing but not enrolled in the program. Academic literature has largely ignored this program, and the existing grey literature is more than a decade old and does not include COVID-19 data. Applying a political economy of aging framework and using a case matching methodology, Special Focus Facilities (SFF), Special Focus Facility Candidate (SFFc) nursing homes, and 5-star nursing …

A Theater Of The Absurd: Economic Sanctions In The Emerging Age Of Multipolarity, Travis Cunha

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Economic Sanctions have been imposed on nations throughout the Global South during the post-World War Two era. This led to the “Sanctions Decade” of the 1990s which saw the most devastating impacts on civilians in nations like Haiti and Iraq. The 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea resulted in sanctions being imposed on Russia by the European Union (EU), and retaliatory counter-sanctions from Moscow ensued shortly after. The Russian counter-sanctions banned the importation of certain agricultural foodstuffs from the EU, and this ban had significant implications for farmers in the EU who were now unable to sell to the large Russian …

Foraging Behavior Of Honeybees Exposed To Mosquito Insecticides, Samantha Marie Diel

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The main aim of this study was to quantify the effects of mosquito insecticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera), foraging behavior, explicitly assessing the impacts of adult mosquito control practices on honey bee health. The extent to which honey bees are exposed to pyrethrum, pyrethrins, permethrin, and pyrethroids is unknown, as are their effects on honey bee health and vitality. This study sought to answer this question by exposing honey bees to D-Phenothrin with the addition of Piperonyl butoxide (PBO), one of many synthetic pyrethroids widely used against adult mosquitoes to control mosquito-borne diseases. Honey bees were exposed to …

Do We Need Postoperative Antibiotics In Supratentorial Clean Neurosurgery? A Prospective, Randomized, Single-Blind, And Placebo-Controlled Study, Taha Şükrü Korkmaz, Tufan Agah Kartum, Gülçi̇n Baş, Eren Fatma Akçil, Rahşan Kemerdere, Seher Naz Yeni̇, Taner Tanriverdi̇

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To assess the efficacy of postoperative antibiotics on postoperative infection in clean supratentorial craniotomies. Material and methods: This study is a prospective, randomized, single-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial that included consecutive patients who underwent clean supratentorial craniotomy between November 2017 and September 2020 and evaluated the effectiveness of postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis on postoperative infection. Results: A total of 80 patients were included and the whole group was divided into two groups. Group A included patients who received antibiotic prophylaxis and group B who did not receive antibiotic prophylaxis after surgery. Each group included the same number of patients (40 …

Molecular Characterization Of Bacillus Anthracis Isolates Recovered From Nomic Andnonnomic Hosts, Doğan Akça, Fati̇h Büyük, Emre Karakaya, Mustafa Reha Coşkun, Eli̇f Çeli̇k, Mi̇tat Şahi̇n, Özgür Çelebi̇, Sali̇h Otlu, Ali̇ye Gülmez Sağlam, Eray Büyük, Seda Durhan, İzzet Burçi̇n Saticioğlu, Seçi̇l Abay, Tuba Kayman, Fuat Aydin

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Anthrax, which is primarily a disease of herbivores, is known to infect many animal species. In order to break the cycle of anthrax infection, it is important to identify the potential hosts or reservoirs of its causative agent. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize Bacillus anthracis isolates recovered from a variety of hosts and environments during anthrax sporadic in the Kars and Kayseri regions of Turkey. For this purpose, a total of 23 B. anthracis field isolates obtained from human, cattle, sheep, dog, horse, puma, soil, and fodder were used. In addition, the Sterne vaccine strain was included. All B. …

Causes Of Severe Infections In Patients With Systemic Sclerosis And Associated Factors, Müçteba Enes Yayla, Emi̇ne Uslu Yurteri̇, Murat Torğutalp, Di̇dem Şahi̇n Eroğlu, Serdar Sezer, Ayşe Bahar Keleşoğlu Di̇nçer, Emi̇ne Gözde Aydemi̇r Gülöksüz, Mehmet Levent Yüksel, Recep Yilmaz, Aşkin Ateş, Tahsi̇n Murat Turğay, Gülay Kinikli

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic systemic disease characterized by vascular damage, autoimmunity, and fibrosis in the skin and internal organs. In this study, we tried to determine the causes of severe infection in patients with SSc and to reveal the factors associated with severe infection. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined 214 SSc patients between January 2010 and August 2020. Forty-seven patients with at least one severe infection and 167 patients without severe infection were compared. Results: A total of 76 episodes of severe infections were detected in 47 (22%) patients. Common infections included pneumonia, infected digital ulcer, …

Extremely High Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Revisited In Rheumatic Diseases: A Singlecenter Experience, Zehra Özsoy, Emre Bi̇lgi̇n, Melek Seren Aksun, İmdat Eroğlu, Umut Kalyoncu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The objectives were to define the distribution of rheumatic diseases in patients with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) ≥ 100 mm/h and to find variables that can differentiate main study groups from others. Materials and methods: Charts of patients admitted with ESR ≥ 100 mm/h between 2015 and 2020 were reviewed. Patients were divided into four diagnostic groups based on etiology: infection (without a rheumatic diagnosis), oncologic (without a rheumatic diagnosis), rheumatic, and no definitive diagnosis. Patients with the rheumatic diagnosis were divided into three main study groups: those who had been recently diagnosed with a rheumatic disease, those who …

A Survey Of Ixodid Ticks In Stray Dogs And Molecular Detection Of Ehrlichia Canis Fromticks In Central Iran, Hosein Khovand, Saeid Reza Nourollahi Fard, Mohammad Khalili, Maziar Jajarmi

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Ticks are well known as hematophagous ectoparasites, which cause different diseases in humans and animals. This investigation was designed in central Iran to assess the prevalence, intensity, and abundance of tick infestation in stray dogs and detection of Ehrlichia canis. Overall, 962 ticks were collected from 260 stray dogs between April and August 2018. DNA samples with the goal of amplification of pathogen were screened by real-time PCR assay. The prevalence of tick infestation on stray dogs was 60.3%. Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) was only species found in stray dogs. Out of 42 tick pools, 4 (9.5%) were positive …