Search

Background/Aims: As a source of hematopoietic stem cells, peripheral blood stem cells have been used more frequently in both malignant and non-malignant diseases. There are some difficulties in the collection of PBSC from children compared to adults such as vascular access and, extracorporeal circuit volume, especially in small children.Methods: In this study, we present our experience in 63 children who underwent peripheral blood stem cell collection and transplantation between November 2016 and September 2023. Results: The median age and weight of the children at the time of apheresis procedures were 10.25 years and 34 kg, respectively. Of 63 peripheral blood stem cell collection and transplantations, 48 were autologous and 15 were allogeneic. The median cell yield per apheresis procedure was 2.6 x 106 CD34+ cells/kg (0.6-9.66). Four of the total 63 patients and donors required multiple apheresis procedures. No significant side effects were observed after apheresis procedures. Conclusions: We observed that in experienced hands, peripheral blood stem cell collection and transplantation in children is at least as safe and effective as in adults.

Blue energy obtained by salinity gradient can be generated by mixing two saline solutions having different salt concentrations. According to researchers working in this area, about 80% of the current global electricity demand could potentially be covered by this energy source. There are basically two membrane technologies so-called pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) and reverse electrodialysis (RED) that are capable to generate electrical energy from salinity gradient. The pressure driven PRO process is more suitable for energy generation from highly concentrated brines. However, RED is more favorable for power generation by mixing seawater and river water. In RED process, ion exchange membranes (IEMs) placed between two electrodes in a stack were employed for transport of ions. Thus, an electrical current is obtained at the electrodes by electron transport through redox reactions. This review gives an overview of RED as a pioneering technology for salinity gradient energy (SGE) generation. The review summarizes the recent improvements of IEMs employed for RED studies, membrane fouling and RED stack design.

Aims:The relationships between C-reactive protein (CRP), the systemic immune inflammation index (SII), and inflammatory markers derived from the hemogram are unknown in children with acute otitis media (AOM) infections. This study investigated the correlations between CRP, SII, and inflammatory markers in pediatric patients with AOM.Methods:This retrospective study included pediatric cases diagnosed with AOM at the Pediatric Emergency Service of the Gülhane Training and Research Hospital between November 2016 and January 2019. The SII (neutrophil x platelet/lymphocyte), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), plateletto-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), mean platelet volume (MPV)-to-lymphocyte ratio (MPVLR), and lymphocyte-to-CRP ratio (LCR) values of the patients were analyzed. Correlations between CRP level, hemogram parameters and inflammatory markers were studied.Results:Among the 252 cases, the median age was 2.0 (1-5) years, and 140 (55.6%) were male. There were no significant differences between the boys and the girls in terms of age, CRP, hemogram parameters, or related inflammatory markers (p>0.05). Significant correlations were found between CRP and SII (r=0.375, p=0.001), leukocyte count (r=0.300, p=0.001), neutrophil count (r=0.459, p=0.001), lymphocyte count (r=-0.174, p=0.006), NLR (r=0.407, p=0.001), NMR (r=0.257, p=0.001), LMR (r=-0.393, p=0.001), PLR (r=0.137, p=0.03), MPVLR (r=0.173, p=0.006), and LCR (r=-0.881, p=0.001). There were no correlations between CRP or SII and PLT or MPV.Conclusions:High CRP, SII, and inflammatory markers calculated using the routine hemogram parameters correlate in pediatric patients with AOM.

INTRODUCTION: Premature adrenarche (PA) has been associated with an increase in adrenal androgens, and the hyperandrogenic hormonal environment is known to lead to increased platelet (PLT) aggregation. Here, we evaluated the effects of PA on PLT aggregation in PLT-rich plasma samples from female patients. METHODS: The study included 40 female patients diagnosed with PA between February, 2014 and June, 2018 and 30 healthy female individuals as a control group. Adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen-induced PLT aggregation were studied via the photometric aggregometry method. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the PLT count or volume values between those participants with PA and the control group. Additionally, the ADP-induced maximum aggregation time, value, and slope values did not significantly differ between the patient and control groups (p>0.05). However, the collagen-induced maximum aggregation time, value, and slope values were significantly higher in the studygroup (p

Aim: Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the significant causes of intoxication and presentation to pediatric emergency departments, especially in winter. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the demographic characteristics, and clinical and laboratory findings of pediatric patients who presented to the pediatric emergency department with carbon monoxide poisoning, and the secondary aim was to examine the laboratory values of the patients with impaired consciousness. Material and Methods: The demographic and clinical characteristics and laboratory values of 162 patients presented to the pediatric emergency department due to carbon monoxide poisoning between 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The laboratory parameters of the patients with and without symptoms of impaired consciousness were compared. Results: The mean age of the patients was 8.94±5.33 years, and the gender distribution was homogenous. The highest frequency of presentation was during winter. Nausea, vomiting, and headache were the most common symptoms. Fifteen of the patients had impaired consciousness. While the laboratory values of the patients were generally within normal ranges, patients with high carboxyhemoglobin, lactate, and troponin values, and low pH were encountered. The carboxyhemoglobin and lactate levels of patients with impaired consciousness were found to be significantly higher than the patients without impaired consciousness (p

The use of tolvaptan to treat both euvolemic and hypervolemic hyponatremia has rapidly increased in recent years. However, data on its effects on children, especially newborns and infants, are limited. Here, we present a newborn who developed syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone following an intracranial hematoma drainage operation who was unresponsive to conventional treatments. The infant was successfully treated with tolvaptan, a competitive inhibitor of the vasopressin V2 receptor.