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OBJECTIVE: The relationship between thyroid function and carotid artery stenosis in euthyroid patients is controversial. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the relationship between the severity of carotid artery disease (CAD) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in euthyroid patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 90 euthyroid patients with CAD were trichotomized into three groups based on CAD severity. Group 1 comprised patients who had one internal carotid artery with total stenosis and the other with more than 50% stenosis. In Group 2, patients had one internal carotid artery with total stenosis and the other with less than 50% stenosis. Group 3 comprised patients with less than 50% stenosis in both internal carotid arteries. Demographic data, complete blood count, biochemical parameters, and thyroid function parameters were compared between the groups. RESULTS: No significant relationship was noted between the severity of CAD and demographic data and comorbidity rates. A comparison of the biochemical parameters revealed that TSH levels were significantly different between the groups. Post-hoc analysis showed that Group 1 and Group 3 differed significantly with respect to TSH levels (0.75 ± 0.37 IU/mL vs. 1.39 ± 1.00 IU/mL, p=0.002). A cut-off value of 0.65 yielded 46.67% sensitivity and 81.67% specificity, whereas a cut-off value of 0.70 yielded 53.33% sensitivity and 75.00% specificity. The area under the curve was 0.691 (95% CI, 0.576-0.806) (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: TSH can be demonstrated to predict severe carotid artery disease. Therefore, the severity of CAD can be assessed using TSH levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Essential tremor (ET) is among the most common central nervous system disorders. It is characterised by symmetrical and bilateral postural tremor, usually affecting the hands. Alongside such motor symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, often occur. This study aimed to investigate how anxiety, depression and childhood trauma influence ET patients' tremor frequency and severity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The participants comprised 85 patients and 70 control volunteers. Participating patients have been admitted to our clinic for hand tremor complaints and diagnosed with ET, according to the Washington Heights Inwood Genetic Study of Essential Tremor (WHIGET) diagnosis criteria, and they returned for follow-up for at least one year after their initial treatment. Patients with thyroid dysfunction, Parkinson's disease, central nervous system pathology, a history of smoking or alcohol use or a history of drug use that may cause tremor were excluded from the study. Patients' demographic data, such as their age and gender, age at disease onset, disease duration, family history and tremor severity were recorded. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were applied to all patients. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found in BDI score averages and BAI score averages between the patient and control groups (p = 0.002; p = 0.001) and physical abuse, emotional neglect and sexual abuse scores on the CTQ scale (p = 0.001, p = 0.007 and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood mental trauma and emotional mood disorders are more common among ET patients. However, these disorders do not appear to affect ET severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study was planned to determine the burnout levels of physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to contribute to taking the necessary measures by determining the associated factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was designed via Google Online Form as an online survey with questions of Sociodemographic Data Form, Maslach Burnout Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory and was conducted with 40 specialist physicians actively working at the Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital. The same questionnaire was re-applied online after two months, and 24 out of 40 physicians were accessed. The SPSS 25 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) program was used for the analysis of the data. RESULTS: According to the Maslach Burnout Inventory applied in the pre-test, it was found that the feeling of personal accomplishment was high, emotional burnout was normal, and depersonalization was low. Anxiety and burnout were found to be positively correlated, and there were no statistically significant differences in the average values of the pre-and post-test Maslach Burnout Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory scores. CONCLUSIONS: Detecting possible burnout in physicians working in a pandemic, identifying associated factors and taking required measures can be beneficial both for physicians and society from a biopsychosocial perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute bronchiolitis is predominantly a viral disease. Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common agent, but other newly identified viruses have also been considered as causes. The aim of the present study is to determine the respiratory viruses causing acute bronchiolitis in hospitalized infants. Infants younger than 2 years of age who were hospitalized for acute viral bronchiolitis in a children's hospital between November 2011 and May 2012 were evaluated for the presence of viruses as etiologic agents using a realtime polymerase chain reaction method. A total of 55 infants were included in this study. The mean age of the children was 6.98±5.53 months, and 63.6% were male. In the 55 children, 63 viruses were detected. A single viral pathogen was detected in 47 (85.5%) patients, and two viruses were co-detected in 8 (14.6%) patients. Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus identified, accounting for 25 (45.5%) cases, followed by rhinovirus (n=9, 16.4%), and human metapneumovirus (n = 8, 14.5%). Although respiratory syncytial virus remains the major viral pathogen in infants hospitalized for acute broncholitis, more than half of bronchiolitis cases are associated with other respiratory viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are the second-most frequent drugs that cause hypersensitivity reactions among children. Studies related to NSAIDs hypersensitivity in children are limited. In this study, we aimed to evaluate children admitted with suspicion of NSAIDs reaction. Method: Between January 1, 2011, and November 30, 2014, we included patients with suspicion of NSAIDs hypersensitivity in our clinic. For evaluation, skin tests and oral provocation tests with the drug (suspected or alternative) were proposed. Reactions were classified and defined according to the latest European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology position paper on NSAID hypersensitivity. Results: During the study period, 123 patients (with 136 drug reactions) were admitted to our clinic with suspected NSAID hypersensitivity. The mean (standard deviation) age of the patients, 67 female (55%), was 83.10 ± 56.05 months. Thirteen patients described reactions to more than one chemically unrelated NSAID, and 110 patients described reactions with chemically similar drugs. Eight patients were not included because they did not have provocation tests. Thus, 115 patients were evaluated. A hundred and thirty provocations were performed. Twenty patients (17.4%) were diagnosed with NSAID hypersensitivity (13 patients diagnosed by provocation tests and 7 patients diagnosed according to their history). The most frequently encountered agent was ibuprofen (50% [10/20]). Eighty percent (16 patients) of the reactions were considered 'non-cross-reactive type.' Fifteen patients (75%) were classified as having single-NSAID-induced urticaria and/or angioedema, three patients were classified as having NSAID-induced urticaria and/or angioedema, one patient was classified as having NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease, and the other patients were classified as having single-NSAID-induced delayed hypersensitivity reactions. Conclusion: Detailed history and drug provocation tests are important to verify NSAID hypersensitivity. The most common type is the non-cross-reactive type, and, in our study, the most common responsible drug was ibuprofen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute bronchiolitis is predominantly a viral disease. Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common agent, but other newly identified viruses have also been considered as causes. The aim of the present study is to determine the respiratory viruses causing acute bronchiolitis in hospitalized infants. Infants younger than 2 years of age who were hospitalized for acute viral bronchiolitis in a children's hospital between November 2011 and May 2012 were evaluated for the presence of viruses as etiologic agents using a realtime polymerase chain reaction method. A total of 55 infants were included in this study. The mean age of the children was 6.98±5.53 months, and 63.6% were male. In the 55 children, 63 viruses were detected. A single viral pathogen was detected in 47 (85.5%) patients, and two viruses were co-detected in 8 (14.6%) patients. Respiratory syncytial virus was the most common virus identified, accounting for 25 (45.5%) cases, followed by rhinovirus (n=9, 16.4%), and human metapneumovirus (n = 8, 14.5%). Although respiratory syncytial virus remains the major viral pathogen in infants hospitalized for acute broncholitis, more than half of bronchiolitis cases are associated with other respiratory viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Room and low temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) of rare earth doped Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) has been recorded. Luminescence signals noted in the wavelength range (300–800 nm) include intrinsic broad emission bands and signals related to Eu3+, Nd3+, and Tm3+. CL measurements made on Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) doped with rare earth ions are reported for the temperature range 40 to 300 K with different CL excitation modulation frequencies. Dopant levels used in the present study are 1.1, 0.4, and 0.3 wt% Nd, 0.4 wt% Tm and 3 ppm Eu. All dopant levels exhibited different CL spectra with evidence for lines due to the rare-earth dopants intra-4f transitions. The temperature dependence of the intensity of the emission band is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rare earths, especially Dy or Tm doped CaSO4 phosphors are actively studied. They have high sensitivity, a large dynamic range, thermal stability and ease of preparation. Nevertheless, they can be enhanced by inclusion of lithium and this study reports some effects of lithium co-dopant on the TL and radioluminescence (RL) emissions of two TL phosphors. Addition of Li as a co-dopant ion was made either during chemical preparation of the phosphors, or as a binder component mixed with the basic phosphors matrix during the process of pressing and sintering the TLD pellets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Mast cells and basophils share similar morphologic and functional properties; however, it is not known whether they are derived from a bilineage (basophil/mast cell)–restricted progenitor. Objective: To assess whether basophils and mast cells are derived from common committed progenitors using the c-kit D816V mutation as a biologic signature. Methods: The D816V c-kit mutation found in mast cells of patients with systemic mastocytosis is used as a trackable genetic marker to assess the lineage relationship between mast cells and basophils. Blood and bone marrow aspirates were collected from 33 consecutive patients with mastocytosis with different disease severity. Peripheral blood basophils, monocytes and neutrophils were sorted by immunomagnetic beads. Presence of the D816V c-kit mutation was analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism in the genomic DNA and mRNA from sorted cells in all patients and in the genomic DNA of individual basophils of 1 patient. Results: The c-kit D816V mutation was detectable in basophils of 5 patients (15%). All 5 patients had the c-kit mutation also detectable in monocytes and thus had multilineage involvement. Single cell analysis of the genomic DNA in 1 patient showed a similar degree of clonal expansion in basophils, monocytes, and neutrophils. Mutated c-kit was expressed at the mRNA level in all 5 patients. There was no difference in surface Kit expression levels in basophils. Conclusion: Basophils carrying the D816V c-kit mutation in mastocytosis were detected only in the context of a multilineage involvement. These results argue against the presence of a bilineage-restricted committed progenitor for mast cells and basophils. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]