Fe(III)meso-tetraphenylporphyrinated polyacrylonitrile fiber mat supported TiO 2 photocatalyst (PANC/ TiO 2 mat) was prepared via copolymerization and electrospinning. SEM images showed that well-defined fibers with diameters around 1.47 ± 0.26 μ m were fabricated from Fe(III)meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (FeTPP)-acrylonitrile copolymer (PANC) and TiO 2 mixture. The XRD characterizations demonstrated that the electrospinning process had no effect on the anatase structure of TiO 2 . The photocatalytic activity of the PANC/TiO 2 mat was examined for the photodegradation of methyl red in aqueous solution under the irradiation of visible light. The results showed that this PANC/TiO 2 fiber mat was very efficient for the photodegradation of methyl red, with a degradation percentage over 94%. It is worth noting that the PANC/TiO 2 mat could be easily recovered and reused 3 times without any destruction of fiber morphologies.

Objective: Liver biopsy is still the gold standard for the determination of liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity. It is an invasive method and may lead to severe complications. The aim of this study was to determine the evaluation of percutaneous liver biopsy complications in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Materials and Methods:1165 patients, who were followed with the diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis and who were applied percutaneous liver biopsy between January 2000 and February 2013 at the outpatient clinic of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, were included in the study. Results:Of 1165 patients who underwent liver biopsy, 196 (86 male, 110 female) were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C, 969 (559 male, 410 female) were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B. The mean age was 43.3 and 55.4% were male. 11% of the patients were diagnosed with chronic renal failure and underwent haemodialysis. Minor complication rate was about 20% (severe pain required usage of analgesic drugs in 19.8%, abdominal pain in 22.6%) whereas major complication rate was 1.15% (pneumothorax in 0.17%, heamobilia in 0.08%, hematoma in 0.9%). We did not observe severe complications such as fever, abscess, anaphylaxis, bacteraemia, organ perforations, sepsis or death. Conclusion:Despite being an invasive procedure, percutaneous liver biopsy can be considered a safe method because of the low rates of severe complications observed in our patients.

Objective: Human papillomavirus virus (HPV) is the major causative factor for cervical cancer, and sex workers are at high risk for HPV infection. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of HPV infection among female sex workers (FSWs). Materials and Methods:The study included 239 brothel-based FSWs who work in Izmir, Turkey. A self-administered questionnaire for risk factors was completed, and cervical brush samples were taken for HPV detection and typing. HPV detection and typing were performed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse hybridization methods. The risk factors related to HPV infection were determined by multivariate analysis. Results:The prevalence of HPV among FSWs was 20.1%. HPV18 was the most common type (40%), followed by HPV16 (17%) and HPV50 (15%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that being less than 30 years of age, having a high frequency of sexual contacts, smoking, and lack of condom use were significantly associated with HPV infection. Conclusion:FSWs have a high prevalence of HPV infection and are at increased risk for cervical cancer. As they are a priority group for active follow-up, national strategies for reducing HPV among FSWs and regular cervical cancer screening programs should be implemented for this population. Key Words: Human papillomavirus, Sex workers ÖzetAmaç: İnsan papillomavirus (HPV) infeksiyonu servikal kanserin major nedenlerinden biridir ve seks işçileri HPV infeksiyonu için öncelikli risk grubudur. Bu çalışmada bölgemizde seks işçilerinde HPV infeksiyonu prevalansı ve risk faktörlerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem:Genelevde çalışan 239 kadın işçi çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Her işçi dağıtılan anket formunu doldurmuş, HPV analizi ve tiplendirme için servikal fırça örnekleri alınmıştır. HPV tespiti ve tiplendirme multiplex polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu (PCR) ve revers hibridizasyon yöntemi ile yapılmıştır. HPV infeksiyonu ile ilgili risk faktörleri multivariyans analizi ile belirlenmiştir. Bulgular:Genelev kadınlarında HPV prevalansı %20.1 olarak bulundu. En sık saptanan serotip HPV18 (%40) idi ve onu sırasıyla HPV16 (%17) , HPV50 (%15) izledi. Sık cinsel temas, sigara kullanımı, bariyer kullanılmaması ve 30 yaşın altında olmak HPV infeksiyonu ile anlamlı olarak ilişkili bulundu.Sonuç: Genelev kadınlarında HPV infeksiyonu prevalansı ve servikal kanser riski yüksektir. Aktif izlem gerektiren bu grupta, HPV sıklığı-nın azaltılması için ulusal stratejiler ve düzenli servikal kanser tarama programlarının uygulanması gereklidir.

Background/aim: Colistin is gaining popularity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The primary concern with colistin is its nephrotoxicity (NT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for NT and to evaluate the risk factors for mortality in the toxicity group.Materials and methods: NT was defined according to the RIFLE criteria. Data of patients who did or did not develop NT were compared. Positive and negative predictive values, risk ratio, and correlation coefficients were calculated.Results: NT was seen in 39 patients (70%). Hypoalbuminemia, old age, and the use of vasopressors (VPs) were associated with NT. The use of VPs had the highest positive predictive value, while age had the highest negative predictive value and risk ratio. The only variable that was associated with mortality in the toxicity group was VP use. Conclusion:Aging, hypoalbuminemia, and the use of VPs were shown to be risk factors for NT, while the last of these was the only significant risk factor for mortality in the toxicity group.

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