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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the presence of reactive oxygen species in laryngeal cancer tissue, using a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence method. Materials and methods: Fourteen patients with histopathologically diagnosed laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. Patients with recurrent tumours or a history of prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy were excluded. Tissue specimens were harvested both from the tumour itself and from the neighbouring, apparently normal mucosa (immediately after tumour removal). Tissue specimens were washed with ice-cold saline solution and processed immediately, without storage. The level of reactive oxygen species was measured quantitatively by a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence method. Results: The mean luminol-amplified chemiluminescence values for tumour and control tissue were 140.52 (standard error of the mean 40.21) and 121.36 (standard error of the mean 35.33) relative light units/mg tissue, respectively. Furthermore, mean tumour and control luminol chemiluminescence values were compared for stage one and two tumours versus stage three and four tumours. Both the tumour and the control luminol chemiluminescence values for the latter tumour group were significantly higher than those for the former tumour group. Conclusion: This study measured directly the levels of reactive oxygen species in samples of laryngeal cancer tissue and normal mucosa. Higher levels of reactive oxygen species were found in laryngeal cancer tissue, suggesting a relationship between reactive oxygen species and laryngeal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is the most widely used energy source in Turkey. Although safer modern underground mining methods have been introduced, mine accidents in Turkey still cause loss of lives and money in certain mines. In this study, historical accident records of two underground coal mines of two different panels (conventional and mechanized) are collected and statistically analyzed to determine the effect of mining methods on productivity and safety. The results indicated that the safety and productivity are improved when the panels are mechanized. However, it was found that the improvement in the productivity for mechanized panels is more pronounced than the improvement in the safety. The comparison of the injury profiles of the system revealed that the most risky place shifted from the face areas in the conventional panels to the development areas in the mechanized panels. Hence, the production workers were less injured in the mechanized system than the conventional system. The workers in the middle age group had a higher accident rate in both systems. The results of the present study have been compared with the previous studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Clinical education is a crucial process in which students learn how to use theoretical knowledge in clinical settings. However, there is no standardized assessment tool routinely used to evaluate the clinical performance of physiotherapy students in Turkey. This study aimed to examine the psychometric (validity and reliability) and edumetric (acceptability, feasibility, and educational impact) properties of the Turkish version of the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practices (APP-T)., Methods: This methodological study included 7 clinical educators and 174 4th-grade physiotherapy students at three universities in Turkey. Students were assessed with the APP-T on completion of 4-week clinical placements. The construct validity was examined using the exploratory factor analysis. The internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's α-coefficient. The test-retest and inter-rater reliability were evaluated with the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). For the measurement error of the APP-T, standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) values were calculated. After the administration of the APP-T was completed, clinical educators were requested to provide feedback on the acceptability, applicability, and educational impact of the APP-T., Results: Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated the 20 items of the APP-T represent a single dominant dimension explaining 76.28% of the variance. Excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliability was detected by ICC = 0.94 and ICC = 0.77, respectively, and good internal consistency was detected by Cronbach's α = 0.935. The MDC 90 values for test-retest and inter-rater reliability were 3.11 and 6.86, respectively. Clinical educators provided generally positive feedback on the acceptability, feasibility, and educational impact of the APP-T., Conclusions: The current findings provided evidence for universities and clinical educators that the APP-T has sufficient psychometric and educational properties for evaluating the clinical performance of physiotherapy students in Turkey., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the effects of academician's demographic characteristics and computer usage habits on upper limb musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and function. Methods. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 100 academicians. Data were collected using questionnaires, which included the patient-rated wrist evaluation questionnaire - Turkish version (PRWE-T), the Cornell musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire - Turkish version (CMDQ-T), the upper extremity functional index - Turkish version (UEFI-T), demographic characteristics and average daily computer usage time. Results . A low-level significant correlation was found between the age of the individuals and the CMDQ-T forearm ( p  = 0.044; r  = 0.202) and CMDQ-T wrist ( p  = 0.001; r  = 0.337) scores. Women had higher CMDQ-T neck scores and lower UEFI-T scores than men ( p  < 0.05). Academicians who used computers for 6 h a day or more had higher PRWE-T and CMDQ-T neck, shoulder, upper arm and forearm scores, and had a lower UEFI-T score ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion. Neck, shoulder, upper arm and forearm symptoms were higher and upper extremity function was impaired in academicians who used computers for 6 h a day or more. Besides, gender and age were associated with upper limb MSDs and function, but occupation duration did not affect those outcomes in academicians.

Background: Women are underrepresented in the maritime industry compared to men. This sector continues to perpetuate gender discrimination and stereotypes, often overlooking women's physical competence., Objective: To explore the multi-faceted challenges faced by Turkish female officers, unveiling the different dimensions of these challenges, and providing a comprehensive understanding of their experiences., Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 Turkish female officers actively working on seagoing vessels. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA software., Results: The challenges faced by female officers were examined using content analysis. A total of 50 different codes were identified within 10 categories. The categories are gender inequality, violence, restriction of freedom, work-family conflict, mental health, physical differences, unsafe living space, insufficient communication with management, lack of psychometric testing and limited access to health services., Conclusion: By shedding light on the unique obstacles faced by female officers in Turkey, this study enhances our understanding of the underlying challenges and lays the groundwork for the implementation of effective policies and practices that promote the empowerment of women in the maritime industry.

Background: The number of mobile health apps (MHAs) is growing rapidly. MHAs have great potential to improve health and health care. However, the quality of available MHAs remains unknown due to the lack of quality assessment regulations and standards for MHAs. The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) is the most widely used instrument to assess the quality of MHAs, and available in English, Italian, Spanish, German, French, Arabic and Japanese. However, the scale is currently not available in the Turkish language., Objective: This study aimed to cross-culturally adapt the MARS into Turkish and evaluate the validity and reliability of the scale., Methods: The MARS was translated and adapted into Turkish according to the international guidelines. A total of 52 pregnancy tracking apps were evaluated by two independent raters. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), inter-rater reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC]), convergent validity and concurrent validity were explored. Regarding convergent validity, MARS-TR scores were compared with the ENLIGHT scale., Results: The MARS-TR was highly aligned with the original MARS. The MARS-TR showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 for both raters) and excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.94; SEM = 0.02), with a smallest detectable change (95 % confidence level) of 0.05 points for the total score. Cronbach's alphas for the subscales ranged from 0.76 to 0.94 for the two raters. Correlations between the MARS-TR and ENLIGHT demonstrated adequate convergent validity (P < 0.05). No ceiling or floor effects were observed., Conclusion: The results provide evidence that the Turkish version of MARS is a valid and reliable tool for researchers and experts to assess the quality of MHAs in Turkey., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are considered to be effective treatments for advanced NSCLC patients with sensitizing EGFR mutations. There are many complex and rare mutations in the EGFR gene. The efficacy of the first-generation EGFR-TKI (erlotinib) is unknown for tumors harboring rare EGFR mutations., Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of rare EGFR mutations in EGFR-TKI-naive patients and the efficacy of erlotinib., Settings and Design: Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Oncology, Istanbul/Turkey, and retrospective observational study., Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 117 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations who had not previously used EGFR-TKIs. Exons 18-21 of EGFR were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and subjected to direct sequencing methods., Statistical Analysis Used: Survival estimates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method using SPSS 25 software (IBM SPSS, Chicago, USA)., Results: Of 117 patients who had EGFR mutations, 23 patients had rare and complex EGFR mutations. Only 9 of them were treated with erlotinib. Three patients (3.5%) with exon 20 mutations received erlotinib. Two with EGFR-p. Q787Q (SNP ID, rs10251977; c.2361G>A) synonymous mutation in exon 20 were responsive to erlotinib therapy in the second-line setting after first-line chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, the present two cases are the first to be reported with lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR-p. Q787Q synonymous mutation responding to erlotinib., Conclusion: NSCLC patients harboring rare EGFR mutations generally did not show consistent or favorable responses to EGFR-TKI. We suggest that this rare synonymous mutation (EGFR-p. Q787Q) is a sensitive EGFR mutation in NSCLC., Competing Interests: None

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of low back pain on the daily activities and sleep quality of patients with lumbar disc herniation. This cross-sectional study was performed between January and July 2015 in 77 patients. A visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used for patient assessment. The mean (SD) ODI score was 58.84 (9.51), and the mean (SD) VAS score of patients was 73.26 (24.37) mm. The VAS and ODI scores increased with age. This disability was mainly observed during weight lifting (67.6%), walking (48.1%), and standing (50.7%). A positive correlation was found between VAS score and ODI (r = 0.49, P < .001) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (r = 0.23, P = .039) scores. In patients with lumbar disc herniation, disability in activities of daily living and sleep quality are directly affected by low back pain and increase with pain intensity. Findings of this study provide useful information for healthcare professionals.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze traumatic dental injuries in children visiting the dental hospital emergency department in Samsun of Turkey, in the period from 2007 to 2011., Materials and Methods: Data of age, gender, causes of dental trauma, injured teeth, type of dental injuries, the application period, the dental treatments, and traumatic dental injuries according to the seasons were obtained from the records at dental hospital., Results: Of all 320 patients with traumatic dental injury, 205 were boys and 115 were girls with a boys/girls ratio 1.78:1. Traumatic dental injury was observed more frequently in the 7-12 age groups: 52.5% in girls and 67.8% in boys. Falls are the major cause of traumatic dental injury in the age group 6-12 (51.4%). Sport activities are a common cause of traumatic dental injury in the 7-12 age group (34.2%). Patients visited a dentist within approximately 2 h (57.1%). The upper anterior teeth were subjected to trauma more frequently than the lower anterior teeth. The maxillary central incisors were the most commonly affected teeth, and the mandibular canins were the least affected teeth. In primary teeth, avulsion was the most common type of dental injury (23%); on the other hand, enamel fractures were the most common type of dental injury (30.6%) observed in permanent teeth. In the primary dentition, the most commonly performed treatments were dental examination and prescribing (70%). The most common treatment choices in permanent teeth were restoration and dental examination (49.7 and 15.8%, respectively)., Conclusion: The results of the study show that the emergency intervention to traumatized teeth is important for good prognosis of teeth and oral tissues. Therefore, the parents should be informed about dental trauma in schools, and dental hospital physicians should be subjected to postgraduate training.

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the common problems encountered in medical applications. This paper proposes two expert systems (artificial neural network and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system) for the assessment of the LBP level objectively. The skin resistance and visual analog scale (VAS) values have been accepted as the input variables for the developed systems. The results showed that the expert systems behave very similar to real data and that use of the expert systems can be used to successfully diagnose the back pain intensity. The suggested systems were found to be advantageous approaches in addition to existing unbiased approaches. So far as the authors are aware, this is the first attempt of using the two expert systems achieving very good performance in a real application. In light of some of the limitations of this study, we also identify and discuss several areas that need continued investigation.

Background: Septal cartilage still is the most appropriate graft material used in rhinoplasty. In traumatic or revision cases, septal cartilage can be insufficient, and the need for an implant material emerges. In this study, the safety and efficacy of polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) used as an implant material in nasal dorsal augmentation were assessed., Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 74 patients who underwent nasal dorsal augmentation with Gore-Tex. Of the 74 patients who underwent rhinoplasty with Gore-Tex for dorsal augmentation from February 1999 to January 2006, 46 (62.2%) represented primary cases and 28 (37.8%) represented revision cases. The patients were followed from 5 to 62 months (average, 28 months) and questioned about cosmetic and functional outcomes. The results were assessed according to patients' charts as well as preoperative and postoperative photographic documentation., Results: There were no complications such as infections, foreign body reaction, extrusions, resorption, or migration, and all the patients were satisfied with their results. Only one case of soft tissue reaction was observed, which lasted for 3 weeks postoperatively., Conclusions: Biocompatibility, ease of use, lack of extrusion or resorption, and low rate of infection make Gore-Tex a good alternative to autogenous tissue. However, long-term success and complication rates still are lacking, and large numbers of patients with longer follow-up periods are required.