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Male infertility is liable for half of the genetic infertility cases. Robertsonian and Reciprocal translocations are the major chromosomal rearrangements in the infertile population. In this study, we aimed to submit a Robertsonian and two Reciprocal translocations in three couples with a history of male infertility with azoospermia. Chromosomal analysis of the one couple in the male partner appeared with an abnormal karyotype with 45, XY, rob (13,14) chromosomal constitution, while the female partner revealed normal 46, XX karyotype. The other two couple revealed in the male partner with reciprocal translocations, while the female partners showed normal 46, XX karyotype; one of infertile males has karyotype with 46,XY, rcp (19:10), and other infertile male with 46,XY,rcp(6:14) chromosomal constitution. The cytogenetic analysis is mandatory to identify any probable chromosomal anomalies for couples with primer infertility. Couples with repeated abortions should be offered prenatal diagnosis in the case of future pregnancies. Chromosome translocation carriers should be counseled to use advanced technologies such as assisted reproductive technology such as PGD.

Aim:Cervical cancer is a common and mostly fatal gynecological malignancy. HPV vaccination is a secure and efficient procedure to prevent cancer before the first sexual intercourse. Designed to prevent the majority of invasive cervical cancer, quadrivalent (HPV 6/11/16/18) and bivalent (HPV 16/18) vaccines have been available since 2006 and 2007. These vaccines can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if given before a girl or woman is exposed to the virus. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices- ACIP suggests that girls should be vaccinated around the age of 12 years, even series can be started at age of 9 years.Material and Method:Between the dates of 1 January – 28 February 2018 at Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University Medical Research Center 50 nurses who have daughters, answered the questions of knowledge level assesstment survey about HPV vaccination.Results:Although %88 of the nurses know how and why to screen cervical cancer, only %32 of them had regular gynecological examination and cervical cancer screening. The rate of informing patients about HPV vaccination at gynecologist appointments of these 50 nurses, is %15.Conclusion:Nurses, providing healthcare services and health education to the community, have sufficient knowledge about HPV vaccination, which is indispensable for preventing cervical cancer. However, their trust in HPV vaccines is at very low levels. Additionally, our research shows that gynecologists cannot inform their patients efficiently due to not having HPV vaccination on National Immunizations Programme and additional costs.

Aim:The study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the quality of life and healthy lifestyle behaviors in patients with breast cancer.Materials and Methods:The sample of the study consisted of 150 breast cancer patients who applied to the “Day-Care Chemotherapy Unit at a university Healthcare Application and Research Center”, who were over 18 years old, agreed to participate in the study, had no communication problems, took 6th dose chemotherapy and were stage on I-II. “Patient Identification Form” was used in evaluating personal and medical characteristics of breast cancer patients, “SF-36 Form” was used in questioning the quality of life, “Scale of Healthy Life Style Behavior II” was used in questioning healthy lifestyle behaviors. Scales were applied to patients as face-to-face in single conversation. The data obtained from the study, was evaluated using descriptive and comparison statistics. Based on the characteristics of the data, while in descriptive statistics, percentage, arithmetic mean and standard deviation were preferred; in evaluating the differences between the groups, parametric and nonparametric tests were used. For statistical evaluation, P

Abstract Background Tube thoracostomy (TT) is the most commonly performed surgical procedure in thoracic surgery clinics. The procedure might have to be repeated due to ineffective drainage in patients with tube malposition (TM), in whom the drain is not directed to the apex or located in the fissure. Trocar technique, which is used to prevent TM, is not recommended because of its potential for severe complications. Methods The study involved 180 patients who required TT application for any etiology within one year. The patients were divided into two groups as Group A, who had undergone classical surgical technique (n = 90) and Group B, who had undergone a combination of surgery and trocar techniques (n = 90). The groups were compared for TM, the effect of TM on the drain removal, and other insertion related complications. Results In Group A, 23 patients had TM, 4 of whom developed associated ineffective drainage, while the patients in Group B had no insertion related complications (p = 0.001). The mean drain removal time of the patients with TM was 5 ± 2.25 days. In the patients who did not develop TM, it was 3.39 ± 1.18 days (p = 0.001). Conclusions The modified combination technique is a reliable method in preventing TM and its potential complications.

Abstract Background Primary sternal malignant fibrous histiyocytoma (MFH) is highly rare. Effective treatment modality is surgical resection with wide margins. However, to date, the effects of radiotherapy or chemotherapy has not been clearly defined. Case presentation Herein, we aimed to present a 50-year old female patient with MFH occurred in the radiotherapy field who had had surgical procedure for breast cancer 19 years ago and had followed by radiotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was applied for MFH due to cardiac and mediastinal vascular invasion. Wide resection was carried out for the mass after having been decreased in size following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was an effective method. In planning the surgical resection, the size of the tumor before chemotherapy should be considered as the initial size and surgical margins should be determined accordingly.

Abstract Traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst (TPP) is a rare complication, sometimes encountered after blunt thoracic trauma and even more rarely following penetrating injuries. It is more common among pediatric and young adult patients. Although TPP is usually benign in nature, complications associated with hemoptysis and secondary infection may develop. The treatment is conservative. In this report, we present two rare cases of TPP occuring after a high-speed accident and a stab wound injury, where conservative treatment provided good outcomes.

Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) allows for an immersive and interactive analysis of imaging data such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim of this study is to assess the comprehensibility of VR anatomy and its value in assessing resectability of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)., Methods: This study assesses exposure to VR anatomy and evaluates the potential role of VR in assessing resectability of PDAC. Firstly, volumetric abdominal CT and MRI data were displayed in an immersive VR environment. Volunteering physicians were asked to identify anatomical landmarks in VR. In the second stage, experienced clinicians were asked to identify vascular involvement in a total of 12 CT and MRI scans displaying PDAC (2 resectable, 2 borderline resectable, and 2 locally advanced tumours per modality). Results were compared to 2D standard PACS viewing., Results: In VR visualisation of CT and MRI, the abdominal anatomical landmarks were recognised by all participants except the pancreas (30/34) in VR CT and the splenic (31/34) and common hepatic artery (18/34) in VR MRI, respectively. In VR CT, resectable, borderline resectable, and locally advanced PDAC were correctly identified in 22/24, 20/24 and 19/24 scans, respectively. Whereas, in VR MRI, resectable, borderline resectable, and locally advanced PDAC were correctly identified in 19/24, 19/24 and 21/24 scans, respectively. Interobserver agreement as measured by Fleiss κ was 0.7 for CT and 0.4 for MRI, respectively (p < 0.001). Scans were significantly assessed more accurately in VR CT than standard 2D PACS CT, with a median of 5.5 (IQR 4.75-6) and a median of 3 (IQR 2-3) correctly assessed out of 6 scans (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: VR enhanced visualisation of abdominal CT and MRI scan data provides intuitive handling and understanding of anatomy and might allow for more accurate staging of PDAC and could thus become a valuable adjunct in PDAC resectability assessment in the future., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aim of this study is to provide a test that allows for evaluation of both semantic memory (SM) and episodic memory (EM). The study sought to examine psychometric characteristics of the Modified Dead-Alive Test (M-DAT) in patients with neurocognitive disorders and the healthy elderly (HE). The M-DAT consists of 45 names of celebrities who have died in the remote past (15), died in the last five years (15), and are still alive (15), and participants are asked whether they are alive or dead. The M-DAT performances of patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) major neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's Disease (MND-AD) ( n  = 69) and patients with minor neurocognitive disorder (MiND) ( n  = 27) who were admitted to a geriatric psychiatry clinic and healthy controls (HC) ( n  = 29) were compared. Age and level of education were taken as covariates, and an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed since the MND-AD group was older and less educated. The MND-AD group had lower performance in EM and SM scores of the M-DAT. M-DAT failed to differentiate between MiND and HE. Both subscale scores of the M-DAT were associated with other neuropsychological test performances as well as the level of education. The results suggest that M-DAT is a valid and reliable tool that examines both EM and SM performances. M-DAT is an alternative for the assessment of SM evaluated by verbal fluency or naming tests. Evaluating EM and SM together is an important advantage; however, M-DAT is influenced by education, and the items require updating.

Isolating pancreatic ductal cells from rats is a critical procedure in pancreatic research, offering valuable insights into pancreatic function, pathology, and potential treatments. The process involves several key steps, beginning with the proper removal of the rat's pancreas, followed by the initiation of the ductal cell isolation procedure. This aims to obtain pure and viable ductal cell populations for further experimentation and analysis., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.)

Problem: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms, pain (headache, abdominal pain, back pain) and analgesic use among Turkish adolescents. Additionally, it aimed to examine the association between depressive symptoms and pain and analgesic use in adolescents., Methods: This cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted in Izmir, Turkey with 954 adolescents aged 11-19 years. Data were collected with the "socio-demographic questionnaires" and the "Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children". Analyzes were performed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis., Findings: Of the adolescents, 632 (66.2%) showed depressive symptoms. Of the adolescents, 424 (44.4%) experienced headache, 256 (26.8%) experienced abdominal pain, and 343 (36.0%) experienced back pain. A total of 309 (32.4%) adolescents used analgesics for headaches, 132 (13.8%) abdominal pain, and 47 (4.9%) for back pain. Female gender, high level maternal education, bad economic status, poor health perception, bad school success, pain and analgesic use were the correlated variables with adolescent depression., Conclusions: The depressive symptoms, headache and back pain, and use of analgesics especially for headaches were common among adolescents. The results showed depression in adolescent correlated with pain (headache, abdominal pain, and back pain) and analgesic use. Regular screening is needed to assure early intervention of depression among adolescents., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: Bronchiectasis is characterized by abnormal, persistent, and irreversible enlargement of the bronchi. Many etiological factors have been described, but there are limited data on the development of bronchiectasis after organ transplantation. Our study is the first to study evaluate the frequency of bronchiectasis in heart and liver transplants as well as kidney transplants. Our aim is to analyze the frequency of bronchiectasis development after solid-organ transplant and the characteristics of the cases and to evaluate potential relationships., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients who underwent solid-organ transplant at the Başkent University Faculty of Medicine Hospital through the hospital electronic information system. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and thoracic computed tomography scans were evaluated., Results: The study included 468 patients (151 females/317 males). Kidney transplant was performed in 61.5% (n = 207), heart transplant in 20.3% (n = 95), and liver transplant in 18.2% (n = 85) of patients. Development of bronchiectasis was detected in only 13 patients (2.7%). We determined a 13.64-fold risk of developing bronchiectasis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 10.08-fold risk in patients with pneumonia by multivariate regression analyzes, in which all possible risk factors for the development of bronchiectasis after transplant were evaluated., Conclusions: The pathophysiology of transplantassociated bronchiectasis has not yet been clarified. Underlying diseases, recurrent pulmonary infections, and potential effects from immunosuppressive drugs may contribute to the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis. Further prospective studies are needed to include long-term health outcomes in transplant patients with and without bronchiectasis.

Diabetes mellitus is causing serious health problems in the chronic period. Silibinin is a flavonoid obtained from the milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ), which is among the herbal ethnopharmacological administrations. In studies with silibinin, it has been reported that it increases the activity of pancreatic beta cells and insulin sensitivity and has a hyperglycemia-reducing effect. However, behavioral parameters have not been evaluated together with insulin levels and liver function tests. Our aim in this study was to examine the effects of silibinin on insulin secretion, anxiety-like behaviors, and learning in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat diabetes model. Wistar albino rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into 4 groups. Control: Saline solution, Diabetes: STZ 45 mg/kg, S 100: STZ 45 mg/kg + Silibinin 100 mg/kg, S 200: STZ 45 mg/kg + Silibinin 200 mg/kg. Administrations were continued for 21 days. On the 21st day, open field and elevated plus maze as unconditional anxiety tests; Barnes maze for learning and memory; and rotarod test for locomotor activity were conducted. Following behavioral tests, blood samples were taken under anesthesia. Blood glucose levels and ALT values were measured. Insulin levels were measured with an ELISA plate reader. Silibinin shortened the time to find the correct hole. Silibinin prevented the decrease in insulin due to STZ, exhibited a hyperglycemia-reducing effect and decreased the elevation of ALT., (© 2024 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The cotton-picking robot needs to locate the target object in space in the process of picking in the field and other outdoor strong light complex environments. The difficulty of this process was binocular matching. Therefore, this paper proposes an accurate and fast binocular matching method. This method used the deep learning model to obtain the position and shape of the target object, and then used the matching equation proposed in this paper to match the target object. Matching precision of this method for cotton matching was much higher than that of similar algorithms. It was 54.11, 45.37, 6.15, and 12.21% higher than block matching (BM), semi global block matching (SGBM), pyramid stereo matching network (PSMNet), and geometry and context for deep stereo regression (GC-net) respectively, and its speed was also the fastest. Using this new matching method, the cotton was matched and located in space. Experimental results show the effectiveness and feasibility of the algorithm.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate fatty acids, lipid mediator levels, and the desaturase index rates on different acute coronary syndrome types and their possible relationship with routine lipid parameters., Methods: The study included 81 patients with myocardial infarction (MI), 20 patients with unstable angina pectoris, and 31 healthy people. Fatty acids, CD59, lipoxin A4, 8-isoprostane, serum lipids, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and high sensitive troponin levels were measured in all participants., Results: When the fatty acid groups were evaluated as a ratio of albumin, MUFA/albumin and SFA/albumin ratios were significantly higher in the MI group compared to the control group. Although CD59 and lipoxin A4 levels were higher in the control group, there was no significant differences between the groups. When lipoxin A4/CRP and CD59/CRP ratios were evaluated, the results were significantly lower than those in the control group., Conclusion: Lipid mediators may be useful in treating atherosclerosis by contributing to the resolution of inflammation., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pathology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Boron effects on reproduction and growth have been extensively studied in animals. Electrodermal activity (EDA) reflects the activity of eccrine sweat glands stimulated by the release of acetylcholine from sympathetic nerves., Aim: In the presen study, it was aimed to examine the effect of boron, which was turned into cream, on sweat glands., Methods: A cream form mixed with thyme oil was prepared for EDA recording. Our groups were formed as EDA recording gel (Group 1), cream with thyme oil (Group 2), cream containing 10% boron (Group 3) and cream containing 30% boron (Group 4). In each group, 3 months old, 10 male rats were used, and creams were applied to the soles of the hind extremities of the rats, EDA was recorded from this region after half an hour, and skin conductivity levels (SCL) were recorded as tonic (at rest) and phasic (with auditory sound stimulation)., Results: EDA results recorded in the morning were analysed with tonic and phasic recordings. In the morning SCL measurements, tonic SCL value of Group 4 was higher than the other groups ( P < 0.001). Although the phasic SCL value was measured, it was significantly higher in Group 4 than in all groups ( P < 0.0s)., Conclusion: EDA measurements showed that boron increased sweat gland activity by increasing sympathetic nerve activity., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Dermatology.)

Background: We aimed to determine the risk factors that may be associated with colistin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) to promote the safer use of colistin in the treatment of nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in intensive care units., Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted among adult patients who received a minimum of 48 h of intravenous colistin from January 2020 to December 2020 at the intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital. AKI diagnosis and staging were made based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome Criteria., Results: Of 148 patients who received intravenous colistin at a daily dose of 9 million IU, 54 (36%) developed AKI. In the univariate analysis, age, Charlson comorbidity index, APACHE II score, duration of colistin treatment, basal creatinine level, use of vasopressors, and vancomycin were significantly associated with AKI (p < 0.05). The multivariate analysis revealed that the independent predictor of AKI was the use of vasopressors (OR: 3.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.39-97.07; p = 0.06)., Conclusion: The use of vasopressors in critically ill patients was independently associated with AKI developing during colistin treatment., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), spearheaded by China, is anticipated to bolster trade, investment, and economic growth among participating countries to advance the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 7 through international trade. Within this context, renewable energy has emerged as a promising avenue to address environmental degradation and foster sustainable development. However, the impact of BRI's trade volume on renewable energy development and adoption in these nations remains unresolved. To address this, our study examines the influence of trade openness, foreign direct investment, economic growth, and oil prices on renewable energy consumption in 94 BRI countries with varying income levels from 2000 to 2019. Employing panel data analysis, including fixed effects (FE), random effects (RE), and the system generalised method of moments (GMM), we present findings across income groups: i) Trade openness exhibits a positive effect on renewable energy consumption in high-income and upper-middle-income countries; ii) In contrast, it diminishes renewable energy consumption in lower-middle-income countries; iii) Trade openness demonstrates insignificant effects on renewable energy consumption in low-income countries; iv) On the panel level, trade openness significantly and positively impacts renewable energy consumption. Our research underscores the significance of trade openness as a crucial instrument for advancing renewable energy development in high-income BRI countries, thereby fostering environmental sustainability. Policy interventions targeting renewable energy hold promise for enhancing environmental quality in low-income countries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To comparatively investigate the periodontal results and microbial load in subgingival biofilm samples (SBS) in rheumatoid arthritis subjects and healthy volunteers., Methods: One hundred twenty subjects were classified into different cohorts: healthy (H-C); periodontitis with good systemic health (H-P); rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and good periodontal health (RA-C); and periodontitis with RA (RA-P). The periodontal parameters were recorded, and SBS were collected to determine periodontal pathogens including Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and Candida albicans using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)., Results: Subjects that had greater disease course, determined by moderate or high disease activity scores 28 (DAS28), suffered from worse oral health conditions (higher plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and excessive clinical attachment loss) than those with low DAS28 scores. A higher prevalence of Treponema denticola (T. denticola) was observed in the RA-P group. Cyclic citrullinated peptide was associated with the occurrence of T. denticola and Campylobacter rectus. DAS28 using C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) had a significant association with Capnocytophaga gingivalis and EBV. The duration of the RA disease was associated with the presence of T. denticola., Conclusion: Subgingival microbial difference could reliably discriminate RA from healthy individuals. Especially, T. denticola and EBV may play a key role in periodontitis associated with RA., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (© Copyright 2023 by Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health.)

Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatologic disease with severe morbidity and mortality. Many studies in the literature showing that serum antibodies against anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV ab) can be elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. However, there is little data in the literature about the levels of anti-MCV antibodies in AS patients. We designed the study to evaluate the role of anti-MCV antibody in the diagnosis of AS and to investigate whether it is associated with disease activity parameters., Methods: There were three separate groups in our study. The number of participants in these groups is 60 patients in the AS group, 60 patients in the RA group, and 50 healthy participants in the control group. The anti-MCV ab levels of the participants were measured by enzyme-like immune assay method. We compared anti-MCV levels between groups. We then evaluated its role in the diagnosis of AS and evaluated its relationship with disease activity parameters., Results: The anti-MCV antibody levels of both AS (p=0.006) and RA (p>0.001) patients were found to be significantly higher than controls. Anti-MCV antibody was higher than predefined threshold level (20 IU/mL) in 4 of 60 (6.7%) AS patients. Anti-MCV levels are similar in patients with or without a -acceptable symptom state (PASS). There is also no appropriate anti-MCV cutoff level with respect to PASS and a highly sensitive and specific level for diagnosis of AS., Conclusion: Although AS patients has higher anti-MCV levels than controls, it may have a limited ability to AS diagnosis and to predict severity of the disease., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (© Copyright 2023 by Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health.)

Objectives: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19, has rapidly evolved to a global pandemic. This pandemic represents an unprecedented public health issue not only for the general population but also for patients on the transplant wait list. Multiple organizations around the world have published recommendations for the proper conduct of transplant procedures, including donor and recipient screening and perioperative management. We investigated the efficacy of these new recommendations and the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the deceased donation rate, donor organ management, and the time from family consent to procurement., Materials and Methods: The characteristics of potential donors diagnosed with brain death between July 15, 2019, and November 18, 2020, were evaluated retrospectively.Demographic and clinical features,the time elapsed from the clinical diagnosis until confirmation, and rates of acceptance were recorded. Potential donors diagnosed with brain death before the pandemic and during the pandemic were compared according to these variables., Results: Within the study period, 40 patients were diagnosed with brain death: 13 before the pandemic and 27 during the pandemic. The organs from 2 donors were procured before the pandemic. Organs from 3 of 8 donors were procured during the pandemic (the organs from 5 of these 8 patients were not donated). The organ donation time was 8.5 ± 2.12 hours (minimum-maximum, 7-10 hours) in the period before the pandemic and 54 ± 11.53 hours (minimummaximum, 45-67 hours) during the pandemic., Conclusions: The number of donors decreased significantly in our hospital during the pandemic and was similarto the overallrate inTurkey.The duration of the donation process has been prolonged, and strategies to improve rates of organ donation, including infection control, have become a focus of concern.

A substantial group of patients suffer from Covid-19 (CAC) coagulopathy and are presented with thrombosis. The pathogenesis involved in CAC is not fully understood. We evaluated the hemostatic and inflammatory parameters of 51 hospitalized Covid-19 adult patients and 21 controls. The parameters analyzed were danger signal molecule (High molecular weight group box protein-1/HMGBP-1), platelet count, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), D-dimer, fibrinogen, endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR), soluble E-selectin, soluble P-selectin, thrombomodulin, tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC), platelet-derived microparticles (PDMP), β-thromboglobulin, antithrombin and protein C. The main objective of our study was to investigate which part of the hemostatic system was mostly affected at the admission of Covid-19 patients and whether these parameters could differentiate intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients. In this prospective case-control study, 51 patients ≥ 18 years who are hospitalized with the diagnosis of Covid-19 and 21 healthy control subjects were included. We divided the patients into two groups according to their medical progress, either in ICU or non-ICU group. Regarding the outcome, patients were again categorized as a survivor and non-survivor groups. Blood samples were collected from patients at admission at the time of hospitalization before the administration of any treatment for Covid-19. The analyzes of the study were made with the IBM SPSS V22 program. p  < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 51 adult patients (F/M: 24/27) (13 ICU and 38 non-ICU) were included in the study cohort. The mean age of the patients was 68.1 ± 14.4 years. The control group consisted of 21 age and sex-matched healthy individuals. All of the patients were hospitalized. In a group of 13 patients, Covid-19 progressed to a severe form, and were hospitalized in ICU. We found out that the levels of fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), endothelial protein-C receptor (EPCR), D-dimer, soluble E-selectin, soluble P-selectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) were increased; whereas, the levels of soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC), platelet-derived microparticles (PDMP), antithrombin and protein-C were decreased in Covid-19 patients compared to the control group at hospital admission. Tissue plasminogen activator was the only marker with a significantly different median level between ICU and non-ICU groups ( p  < 0.001). In accordance with the previous literature, we showed that Covid-19 associated coagulopathy is distinct from sepsis-induced DIC with prominent early endothelial involvement and fibrinolytic shut-down. Reconstruction of endothelial function at early stages of infection may protect patients from progressing to ICU hospitalization. We believe that after considering the patient's bleeding risk, early administration of LMWH therapy for Covid-19, even in an outpatient setting, may be helpful both for restoring endothelial function and anticoagulation. The intensity of anticoagulation in non-ICU and ICU Covid-19 patients should be clarified with further studies., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-023-01118-3., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestNone of the authors report any conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Association of Clinical Biochemists of India 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the compressive strength and the bulk porosity of a bidirectional (bFRC) and an experimental bidirectional spiral winding reinforced fiber composite (bswFRC). Cylindrical-shape specimens were prepared for each material group and processed for the evaluation of compressive strength after different storage conditions (dry, 1 and 3 months) in distilled water at 37 °C. The specimens were also assessed for the degree of bulk porosity through X-ray tomography. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to determine the fracture mode after a compressive strength test. Data were statistically analyzed using Two-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). A significantly lower compressive strength was obtained in dry conditions, and after 1 month of water immersion, with the specimens created with bFRC compared to those made with bswFRC (p < 0.05). No significant difference (p > 0.05) was found between the two groups after 3 months of water immersion. However, the presence of water jeopardized significantly the compressive strength of bswFRC after water storage. The type of fracture was clearly different between the two groups; bswFRC showed a brutal fracture, whilst bFRC demonstrated a shear fracture. The bswFRC demonstrated higher pore volume density than bFRC. In conclusion, bswFRC is characterized by greater compressive strength compared to bFRC in dry conditions, but water-aging can significantly decrease the mechanical properties of such an innovative FRC. Therefore, both the novel bidirectional spiral winding reinforced fiber composites (bswFRC) and the bidirectional fiber reinforced composites (bFRC) might represent suitable materials for the production of post-and-core systems via CAD/CAM technology. These findings suggest that both FRC materials have the potential to strengthen the endodontically treated teeth., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest.

Background: Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a semi-permanent filler stimulating neocollagenesis. Lidocaine is frequently used to reduce the pain and, however, may have negative effects on collagen. It was aimed to compare the histological changes on rat skin and efficacies of PCL filler and lidocaine addition., Objective: In this study, results of PCL and PCL+Lidocaine application on rat skin were compared using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, Masson's trichrome (MT) staining, and electron microscope (EM)., Methods: A total of 30 adult female rats were divided into three groups: the control group, the PCL group, and the PCL+Lidocaine group. The tissue samples taken at months 2 and 4 were examined using H&E, MT, and EM., Results: At month 2, dermis thickness, fibroblast count, and collagen fiber diameter increased similarly in the PCL and PCL+Lidocaine groups. Collagen fiber diameter was significantly higher in the PCL group than in the PCL+Lidocaine (p:0.016) and control groups (p:0.009). At month 4, no significant difference was detected between the PCL and PCL+Lidocaine groups in terms of fibroblast count, collagen fiber count, and collagen fiber diameter; dermis thickness was lower in the PCL+Lidocaine group at month 4 (p < 0.46). Dermis thickness, fibroblast count, collagen fiber count, and collagen fiber diameter were found to be significantly lower than in the PCL and PCL+Lidocaine groups., Conclusions: Our study showed that lidocaine addition to PCL filler does not affect the efficacy of the filler and PCL filler stimulates neocollagenesis., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on environmental quality has been discussed in the environmental economics literature over the last decades. Within this scope, the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) postulates that FDI inflows can cause environmental degradation in developing countries. Using data over the period 1993-2018 for 10 developing countries with current account deficits, this paper aims to test the validity of the PHH. Therefore, the paper examines whether or not developing countries face off a trade-off between financing current account deficits and environmental deterioration. The paper employs panel data methods that consider cross-sectional dependence. The empirical findings show that foreign direct investment inflows have no impact on environment, meaning the PHH does not dominate for these countries. Hence, the findings indicate that there is no trade-off between financing current account deficits and environmental deterioration., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Here, we report the characterization of 13 novel caprine/ovine enterovirus strains isolated from different regions in China during 2016-2021. Immunoperoxidase monolayer assay showed that these viral strains shared strong cross-reaction with the previously reported caprine enterovirus CEV-JL14. Alignment analysis of the complete nucleotide sequences revealed 79.2%-87.8% and 75.0%-76.7% sequence identity of these novel caprine enterovirus strains to CEV-JL14 and TB4-OEV, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses clustered these novel strains to EV-G based on the amino acid sequences of P1 and 2C+3CD. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of these caprine enterovirus strains identified three new EV-G types using VP1 sequences. These results demonstrate the genetic variations and the evolution of caprine enterovirus.

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) can be defined as self-inflicted injury without an intention to suicide, and it may result in scar formation with a particular shape., Aims: There is no treatment algorithm for DSH scars, nor is there a gold standard for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. Therefore, we aimed to share our experience with Er: YAG laser treatment of self-inflicted razor blade incision scars., Patients/methods: The study involved 18 patients with DSH scars treated with fractional ablative Er: YAG laser (MCL 31 Asclepion laser Technologies) between 2017 and 2020, with the parameters of 40 J/cm 2 , 300 µs, and 4 Hz. The sessions were repeated by increasing 10 joules in every session with 4-week intervals until reaching a maximum of 80 joules. The patients were evaluated retrospectively by two different dermatologists in terms of scar improvement over digital photographs taken before and 4 weeks after the treatment. Evaluations have been made based on a 4-point score (0:no change, 1:1%-25% mild, 2:26%-50% moderate, 3:51%-75% well, and 4:76%-100% excellent improvement)., Results: After the third session, 90.9% of the patients showed a moderate improvement. After the fourth session, only 27.2% of the patients had a good, and 63.2% of the patients had a moderate improvement rate., Conclusions: Er: YAG laser is a safe and effective treatment method for the hypertrophic scars induced by razor blades. Also, we believe that combined treatments with other treatment modalities will provide better results in DSH scars., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: To compare artefacts in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) arising from implants of different materials located either inside the field of view (FOV) or in the exomass, and to test different image-acquisition parameters to reduce them., Methods: CBCT scans of a human mandible prepared with either a titanium, titanium-zirconium, or zirconia implant were acquired with the Planmeca ProMax utilizing FOV sizes of 8 × 5 cm and 4 × 5 cm, which placed the implant inside the FOV (8 × 5 cm) or in the exomass (4 × 5 cm). The scanning parameters considered three conditions of metal artefact reduction (MAR), disabled, low, and high, and 2 kVp levels (80 and 90). The standard deviation (SD) of grey values of regions of interest was obtained. The effects of implant material, implant position, MAR condition, kVp level, and their interactions were evaluated by Analysis of Variance (α = 5%)., Results: The zirconia implant produced the highest SD values (more heterogeneous grey values, corresponding to greater artefact expression), followed by titanium-zirconium, and titanium. In general, implants in the exomass produced images with higher SD values than implants inside the FOV. MAR was effective in decreasing SD values, especially from the zirconia implant, only when the implant was inside the FOV. Images with 80 kVp had higher SD values than those with 90 kVp, regardless of the other factors ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Implants in the exomass lead to greater artefact expression than when they are inside the FOV. Special attention should be paid to scanning parameters that reduce metal-related artefacts, such as MAR activation and increasing kVp. This is especially important with a zirconia implant inside the FOV.

A phase change material (PCM) has an ability to store and release a large amount of energy in a wide range of temperature by the latent heat of fusion upon melting and crystallization. Microencapsulation may protect PCM from undesirable reaction and leaching. Herein, we report the microencapsulation of n-hexadecane via oil-in-water Pickering emulsions stabilized by non-chemically modified cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). The maximum size of PCM-CNF microcapsules was 12 ± 3.4 μm in diameter. The surface coverage of the microcapsule by CNF was as high as 67%, consistent with porous morphology of the freeze-dried microcapsules. With 59% PCM loading, the PCM-CNF microcapsule exhibited 132.5 and 141.1 J/g as stored and released thermal energy, respectively. The microcapsule slurry showed a reversible change in storage modulus by one order of magnitude across the transition temperature of n-hexadecane. Combined results demonstrate the successful microencapsulation of PCM via CNF-based Pickering emulsions for a sustainable thermal energy storage material., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although many laser systems have been used in the treatment for Poikiloderma of Civatte (POC), there is no standard treatment guideline., Objectives: We aimed to present our data on the efficacy and safety of single-session pro-yellow laser treatment for POC., Methods: The study included 14 patients treated with pro-yellow laser (QuadroStarPRO YELLOW ® Asclepion Laser Technologies, Germany) between 2017 and 2019. Treatment had been applied in two passes during the same session; a general pass with 22 j/cm 2 over the whole lesion, then, one more pass only on the telangiectatic lesions with 18 j/cm 2 fluence. They were evaluated based on their pictures taken before and 4 weeks after the treatment and scored by a 4-item scoring in terms of the improvement (0:no change, 1:1%-25% mild, 2:26%-50% moderate, 3:51%-75% well, and 4:76%-100% excellent improvement)., Results: The mean age of the patients (1 female, 13 males) was 59.64 ± 8.16 years. Five patients had Fitzpatrick-2 and 9 patients had Fitzpatrick-3 skin types. Six patients had mild, 8 patients had moderate improvement, one of them has been illustrated in Figure 1. Sixty-minute mild erythema was the only adverse effect observed., Conclusions: We think that pro-yellow laser is a good treatment option for POC treatment. Repeated sessions are required for the complete healing of the lesions, while one single session has proved to be deficient. We observed that it was a quite safe treatment option, especially for the neck region, which was inclined to scarring and atrophy development., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

In recent years, leaf rust (LR) and stem rust (SR) have become a serious threat to bread wheat production in Kazakhstan. Most local cultivars are susceptible to these rusts, which has affected their yield and quality. The development of new cultivars with high productivity and LR and SR disease resistance, including using marker-assisted selection, is becoming an important priority in local breeding projects. Therefore, the search for key genetic factors controlling resistance in all plant stages, including the seedling stage, is of great significance. In this work, we applied a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach using 212 local bread wheat accessions that were phenotyped for resistance to specific races of Puccinia triticina Eriks. ( Pt ) and Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici ( Pgt ) at the seedling stages. The collection was genotyped using a 20 K Illumina iSelect SNP assay, and 11,150 polymorphic SNP markers were selected for the association mapping. Using a mixed linear model, we identified 11 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for five out of six specific races of Pt and Pgt . The comparison of the results from this GWAS with those from previously published work showed that nine out of eleven QTLs for LR and SR resistance had been previously reported in a GWAS study at the adult plant stages of wheat growth. Therefore, it was assumed that these nine common identified QTLs were effective for all-stage resistance to LR and SR, and the two other QTLs appear to be novel QTLs. In addition, five out of these nine QTLs that had been identified earlier were found to be associated with yield components, suggesting that they may directly influence the field performance of bread wheat. The identified QTLs, including novel QTLs found in this study, may play an essential role in the breeding process for improving wheat resistance to LR and SR.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease that affects many organs, especially the lung, and may lead to multiorgan failure. Studies describing neurological dysfunctions involving the central and peripheral nervous systems have emerged. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the neurological signs and symptoms in hospitalized patients with COVID-19., Methods: The data of 290 patients admitted to our center (ward and intensive care unit) who received a diagnosis of COVID-19 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients' demographic, clinical and laboratory data, and their neurological diseases, symptoms, and complications were compared., Results: Male sex, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and having a history of neurological disease were associated with increased mortality in patients with COVID-19. Seizures and altered consciousness were also found to be more common in patients who died. In addition, lower platelet counts (P=0.001), higher C-reactive protein levels (P<0.001) and higher D-dimer levels (P=0.003) were associated with increased risk of mortality., Conclusions: We believe that close monitoring of any possible neurological manifestations is mandatory in hospitalized patients at the onset of COVID-19 and during disease progression. Clinical findings such as neurological symptoms and acute phase reactants are important in the follow-up and treatment of the disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A new adipocytokine, visfatin is expressed in perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) and exerts effects on vascular system in addition to its relationship with various pathological conditions. The present study aimed to investigate the functional effects of visfatin and the possible underlying mechanism(s) of the effects of visfatin in isolated rat mesenteric small resistance arteries. The study was conducted in small resistance arterial rings isolated from rat mesenteric vascular beds. While visfatin incubation did not produce significant alterations in contractile responses of mesenteric arterial rings to noradrenaline, relaxation responses to acetylcholine but not to sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were significantly reduced in endothelium-intact rings. The inhibitory effect of visfatin on responses to acetylcholine was not observed in endothelium-denuded preparations. Incubation of tissues with nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) inhibitor FK866 or superoxide dismutase (SOD) reversed the inhibitory effects of visfatin on relaxation responses to acetylcholine. Co-incubation of visfatin with Nω-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME) did not produce a significant alteration in vascular responses to acetylcholine compared to L-NAME incubation alone. Mesenteric PVAT visfatin levels were significantly higher than and correlated positively with plasma visfatin levels. The results of our study indicated that visfatin-induced reductions in endothelium-dependent relaxations of rat isolated small resistance arteries are mediated by oxygen free radicals and a reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. It was suggested that increment in systemic and/or local visfatin levels due to various pathologies including obesity and excessive weight gain may play a substantial role in initiation and/or propagation of vascular dysfunctions., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: In recent years, the number of liver transplantations for advanced-stage liver diseases has considerably increased and the patients have a wide range of dermatologic manifestations., Aim: This study aims to reveal cutaneous, mucosal, and nail lesions in liver transplant recipients in quite large patient series., Patients/methods: The study included 520 patients in the Inonu University Liver Transplantation Institute. New and followed-up patients attended to the study between May and October 2019. The patients were examined by a dermatologist, and their data were recorded., Results: The study included 163 female and 357 male patients with the main age of 44.20 ± 18.18 (range: 1-83 years), and 465 livers (89.4%) were taken from live donors, while 54 livers (10.4%) were taken from cadavers. A total of 314 (60.4%) patients had dermatophyte infections, 174 (33.4%) patients had pathological nail changes, and 427 (82.1%) patients had oral mucosal lesions. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed in 9 (1.73%) patients after the transplantation, and 5 patients died of GVHD. Four patients had cutaneous malignancies., Conclusions: Tumoral and nontumoral dermatological diseases may be encountered following the transplantation depending on underlying liver disease, immunosuppressive treatment, the graft itself, or any primary cutaneous disease. Liver transplantation recipients require a multidisciplinary clinical approach, and dermatological care must be an integral part of this approach., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The pollution haven hypo thesis (PHH) postulates that foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows can increase environmental deterioration in developing countries as multinational firms tend to transfer their dirty industries to these countries. Turkey, as a developing economy, has witnessed intense FDI inflows over the last decades. Within this scope, the goal of this paper is to examine whether the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) prevails in Turkey within the scope of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis over the period 1970-2016. To that end, the paper employs unit root and cointegration methods based on the nonlinear smooth transition models. The empirical findings of the paper indicate that both hypotheses are valid in Turkey. The findings also imply that environmental quality in Turkey is negatively related to electricity production from renewable energy sources., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is very sensitive to the nutritional and energy states of the cells. Disruption of ER homeostasis leads to the accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the ER lumen, which is defined as ER stress. ER stress triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR). It is suggested that chronic ER stress is associated with obesity and leptin resistance. We investigated the role of ER stress and the effect of the ER stress inhibitor phenylbutyric acid (PBA) of ER stress, in obesity, as well as their impact on leptin signaling. This study involved twenty-four lean and twenty-four leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice divided into PBA- and vehicle-treated groups. Pancreatic islets were isolated, incubated with leptin for 48 h, and assayed for the expression of CHOP and XBP1s (UPR signaling indicators) and SOCS3 (regulator of leptin signaling) by RT-qPCR. The expression levels of XBP1s and CHOP were markedly increased in the ob/ob controls compared to other groups with and without leptin treatment. No significant differences in the XBP1s and CHOP expression levels were found between the PBA-treated ob/ob and lean mice. SOCS3 expression was significantly upregulated in the PBA-treated ob/ob mice compared to the ob/ob controls after leptin treatment; but no significant difference in the SOCS3 expression was found between the PBA-treated ob/ob and lean mice with and without leptin treatment. Our findings suggested that ER stress plays an important role in the pathology of obesity, while PBA reduces ER stress and may potentially ameliorate leptin signaling.

Objective: Although impaired time perception is associated with significant disturbance in the everyday functioning of adult patients with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), it is not very well studied. The present study aimed to evaluate both visual and auditory time reproduction (TR) by using eight time intervals in adult ADHD patients compared to healthy controls (HC). Method: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-R (WAIS-R), Adult Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS), Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS), Hyperfocusing Scale (HS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a 2-back task were administered to participants. In TR tasks, participants reproduced the same duration of the auditory/visual stimulus by pressing a key and absolute discrepancy scores (ADS) were calculated. A 2 (Group) x 2 (Task Modality) x 8 (Time Interval: 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000 and 16000 msec) mixed-design ANOVA was performed. Results: All clinical scores of ADHD group were higher than HC (p < .001) while WAIS-R and 2-back performances of the groups were similar. Mixed-design ANOVA yielded significant Group and Time Interval main effects as well as a Group X Time Interval effect (both p < .001). ADHD patients had larger ADS than HC and as time intervals increased, error levels increased. Errors for time intervals >8000 msec were more prominent in patients. For both TR tasks, ASRS-hyperactivity/impulsivity scores were the main predictor of ADS in the linear regression analysis, while ASRS-attention deficit and HS scores were excluded. Conclusion: Results of the present study indicate significant TR impairment in adult ADHD regardless of task modality (visual or auditory), depressive symptoms and working memory performances. Longer time intervals in TR tasks differentiated patients better and TR impairment was associated with hyperactivity/impulsivity. These findings should be replicated in larger samples and underlying neurobiological components of impaired TR need to be examined in future research.

Erythema and scarring are among the most common complications of severe inflammatory acne. In this study, we aimed to share our experience with pro-yellow laser and document the efficacy and safety of this treatment in postacne erythema and scarring. The study included 40 patients, 24 (60%) females, and 16 (40%) males with a mean age of 29.5 ± 8.16 (min. 18 years, max. 57 years). The pro-yellow laser was applied to all patients as a single session with irradiation of 22 J/cm 2 . Improvement in postacne erythema and scars were evaluated after the treatment. The study included 40 patients, 24 patients (60%) were females and 16 patients (40%) were males with the mean age of 29.5 ± 8.16 (ranged between 18 and 57 years old). A total of 21 patients (52.5%) had good improvement (51%-75% regression), 10 patients (25%) had excellent improvement (76%-100% regression), and a moderate improvement (26%-50%) was detected in 9 patients (22.5%). Also, there were mild improvement (1%-25%) in 20 patients (76.9%) and a moderate improvement (26%-50%) in 6 patients (23.1%). We found that pro-yellow laser is highly effective in the treatment of postacne erythema, while its effectiveness was mild to moderate in atrophic acne scars. Also, it has been observed that the pro-yellow laser system can be used safely immediately after cessation of systemic isotretinoin treatment., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Polycaprolactone (PCL) and calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) are semipermanent dermal fillers that are frequently preferred in the last decade. This study aims to compare the effects of these two fillers in the rat skin. A total of 30 female rats were divided into; control, PCL, and CaHA group. Tissue samples taken at the second and fourth month were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Masson trichrome, collagen type 1, and 3 immunohistochemical antibodies. Collagen density was quantitatively compared using the Image J computer program. At 2 and 4 months, the density of collagen increased in both filler groups compared to the control group. There was no significant difference between collagen density or type 1 and type 3 collagen H scores in the filler groups. The number of fibroblast nuclei was significantly higher in the PCL group at 4 months compared to the other two groups. Dermis thickness was found to be superior in both filler groups compared to the control group at the fourth month, there was no significant difference between the filler groups. We compared the effect of CaHA and PCL filler on collagenization histologically and immunohistochemically. We found that PCL and CaHA fillers are effective in increasing dermal collagen density, type 1 and type 3 collagen amount, and preventing dermis atrophy and showed that they have no advantage over each other in this respect. We have shown that PCL filler provides more fibroblast increase compared to CaHA filler and the effect of stimulating fibroblast proliferation takes longer., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Erbium: Yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (Er: YAG) treatment has been used in resurfacing the acne scars for a long time; however, we could not find any study reporting the recovery rates after each session of the treatment. In this study, we aimed to report the improvement rates after each session. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 35 patients with acne scars treated with fractional ablative Er: YAG laser. The patients received one to four sessions of treatment with 4-week intervals and improvement rates were recorded after each session. Data are available on request from the authors. The improvement rate of the lesions varied between 1% and 25% in 34 patients at the end of the first session, while in one patient, the improvement rate was detected as 26% to 50%. At the end of the fourth session, the rate of improvement was 26% to 50% in 14 out of 24 patients and 51% to 75% in 10 patients. None of the patients showed a 76% to 100% improvement at the end of the fourth session, whereas 48.6% of the patients were satisfied with the treatment. In patients with a high expectation of an excellent improvement, a higher number of sessions of the laser treatment and/or combination treatments with different treatment methods should be planned., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare, benign vascular tumor. Although its etiology is not clearly known, infection, hormonal factors, and trauma are the suspected reasons. There are few cases considered to be related to pregnancy described in the literature. Granulomas are rarely seen in the histopathology and only four patients with granulomas have been described. Herein, we will present a 28-year-old woman who has been pregnant three times; in every pregnancy, she developed pink nodular lesions on the back of her ear. In the first two pregnancies, the lesions had appeared during the pregnancy and regressed completely in the postpartum period. In her third pregnancy, the condition emerged again and lasted 1.5 years after birth of her child. Histopathology exhibited ALHE with granulomas. Although the relationship between ALHE and pregnancy is already known, there are few cutaneous ALHE cases associated with pregnancy reported in the literature. This association is further supported by this case having recurrent ALHE during each pregnancy period. Also, the presence of naked granuloma in histopathology, unlike most of the cases, contributes to the current histopathological data.

Intravascular lymphomatosis (IVL) is a rare type of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (BCNHL), which can mimic many other diseases. Fever, neurological symptoms, and skin findings are the most frequent clinical findings. Intravascular lymphomatosis may be associated with genetic factors and infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV1), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV). A 50-year-old man was hospitalized with recalcitrant hyponatremia of unknown cause. He had also telangiectatic, indurated, slightly erythematous plaques on his trunk for the last 10 days. His past medical history was unremarkable, although he was a carrier of hepatitis B. Multiple skin biopsies were performed and were considered to be diagnostic of IVL. The hyponatremia was unresponsive to water restriction and hypertonic solution support but it resolved with B cell directed chemotherapy. A final diagnosis was made as syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) in the setting of IVL. This case had a relatively early diagnosis with just 10-days of skin lesions. Intravascular lymphomatosis is a very rare disease and is usually difficult to diagnose. An even more uncommon presentation is IVL complicated by a paraneoplastic syndrome. There are prior reported cases of SIADH in the setting of IVL. However, this case underscores the importance of evaluating patients with SIADH for potential IVL.

Background: Rosacea is an inflammatory disease with 50% of ocular involvement rate. Primary demodicosis is an eruption caused by Demodex mites, and there is no data about the rate of ocular involvement in primary demodicosis., Aims: In this cross-sectional study, it is aimed to reveal the frequency of Demodex blepharitis in rosacea and primary demodicosis patients., Methods: In total, 58 rosacea, 33 primary demodicosis patients, and 31 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Four samples were obtained from eyelashes with a forceps and from facial skin by standardized skin surface biopsy. A positive result is described as detecting at least one Demodex mite on an eyelash or at five mites in the face. The patients were also examined by an ophthalmologist in terms of ocular involvement., Results: Both rosacea and primary demodicosis patients had significantly more complaints like burning and stinging in the eyes compared to the control patients (P = .001). Primary demodicosis and papulopustular rosacea patients had the highest numbers of eyelash mites, respectively, and significantly a higher rate of blepharitis than the control group., Conclusion: As a result, the Demodex count was significantly higher in the primary demodicosis and rosacea patients than the control group. We think that every Demodex-positive patients should be evaluated for also eyelash mites to prevent a possible chronic blepharitis., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia and impaired insulin secretion or action. Psychological comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety, are more common in people with diabetes. Exercise results in anxiolytic effects, as demonstrated in numerous studies. This study aims to evaluate potential anxiolytic effects of aerobic exercise in streptozotocin (STZ)‑induced diabetes. Male Wistar albino rats (n=40) were randomly divided into four groups of control, exercise, diabetes, and diabetes + exercise. Diabetes was induced with a single i.p. injection of STZ. The incremental load test was applied to exercise groups to determine maximal exercise capacity. Rats exercised on a treadmill at 70% of their maximal capacity for 45 min, five days per week for 12 weeks. On the day after the last exercise session the open field test and elevated plus maze test were carried out. Diabetes caused an increase in anxiety level, reflected in stretch‑attend posture, self‑grooming behaviors, and freezing time, with no significant changes for other behavioral parameters. Training normalized diabetes‑induced deteriorations and also induced a significant anxiolytic effect both on diabetic and non‑diabetic rats. This effect was observed for all behavioral parameters. The results of the open field test and elevated plus maze were consistent. The current results demonstrated a slight increase in anxiety with diabetes and a prominent anxiolytic effect of aerobic exercise. Considering the conflicting results in exercise‑anxiety studies, this study hig hlights the importance of individually designed exercise protocols.

Objective: We quantitatively compared the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in T1 weighted imaging (WI) and T2 WI sequences in 3 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using zirconium, titanium (grades 4 and 5), and titanium-zirconium alloy implants to evaluate the effect of implant type and imaging sequence., Study Design: MRI was acquired using a 3 T magnet with a 16-channel head coil. Implants of each type were mounted in gel and scanned in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes using fast spin echo sequences in T1 WI (TR = 600, TE = 12 milliseconds) and T2 WI (TR = 3000, TE = 80 milliseconds) sequences. Data were transferred to Synapse 3-D software, and images were measured twice by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist blinded to the type of implants., Results: Zirconium implants resulted in the lowest SNR and CNR values (P < .05). No significant differences were identified between titanium (grades 4 and 5) and titanium-zirconium implants. The T2 WI sequence had a significantly higher SNR and CNR than T1 WI. There was no difference in intraobserver agreement between T1 WI and T2 WI., Conclusions: CNR and SNR at 3 T MRI are dependent on implant type and imaging sequence. Titanium (grades 4 and 5) and titanium-zirconium implants and the T2 WI sequence produced higher SNR and CNR values., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Demodex spp. is the most common ectoparasite in humans. This parasite is believed to play a role in the etiology of many dermatological and ocular disorders., Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the sulfur-sodium sulfacetamide combination, crotamiton, and permethrin, which are three topical agents commonly used in Demodex treatment., Methods: A total of 28 patients with primary demodicosis and 44 patients with Rosacea + Demodex were included in the study. The pretreatment and post-treatment Demodex spp. counts, patient satisfaction, and erythema decrease rates were compared., Results: Analysis of the efficacy of these topical agents on Demodex revealed that all three significantly decreased the number of parasites. The patient satisfaction was higher in the sodium acetamide group than the 10% crotamiton and 5% permethrin groups, and clinical evaluation (erythema/ papulopustules and white plugs) was better in the sodium acetamide group than the other groups but no statistically significant difference was found in terms of patient satisfaction and clinical evaluation., Conclusion: The sulfur-sodium combination, crotamiton, and permethrin are the three agents commonly used in the treatment of Demodex spp. and all significantly decreased the Demodex count. The three agents were similar in terms of tolerability. Our study needs to be supported with others on larger patient series., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A port-wine stain (PWS) is a congenital capillary malformation that is seen in 0.3-0.5% of newborns. Although many types of lasers have been used to treat PWSs, few studies have investigated the efficacy of 577-nm Pro-Yellow lasers. The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy of Pro-Yellow lasers in PWS treatment. In total, 26 patients, comprising 15 females (57.7%) and 11 males (42.3%) with a mean age of 24.7 ± 11.8 (range 1-50) years were included in the study. All were treated with a 577-nm Pro-Yellow laser at 4-week intervals, 3-10 times. The sessions initially used scan mode and a fluence dose of 24 J/cm 2 per session, on average. The mean dose was increased by 4 J/cm each session and the maximum dose administered was 44 J/cm 2 . A mean regression of 68.8 ± 13.9% in the size of the lesions over 5.23 ± 2.7 sessions was observed. There was no statistically significant difference between the female and male patients when they were compared in terms of the number of treatment sessions (p = .789) and treatment success (p = .39). These case series demonstrate that the Pro-Yellow laser is a safe and well-tolerated treatment for PWSs. However, deep-seated lesions required more treatment sessions and it was observed that clinically the lesions did not completely disappear., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Vitiligo is a pigment disease characterized by the disruption of melanocyte structure and function. Its etiology is unknown; however, genetic predisposition, biochemical factors, and neural mechanisms are thought to be effective. Although many agents are being used for its treatment, generally there is no absolute cure. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of topical Nigella sativa seed oil on vitiligo patients. Thirty-three vitiligo patients were included in the study. Totally 47 areas were evaluated in all patients. Cream containing N sativa seed oil was topically applied to hands, face, and genital region two times a day for 6 months. Statistically significant repigmentation was detected in hands, face, and genital region, the three treatment areas, and the p values are found .005, .001, and .004, respectively. N sativa can be used as an adjuvant therapy that can contribute to the treatment especially in sensitive skin areas like genital region., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess artifacts generated by zirconium, titanium, and titanium-zirconium alloy implants on magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), computed tomography(CT), and cone beam computed tomography(CBCT) and to correlate the findings to the dose-area product and exposure factors on CT and CBCT., Study Design: Three phantoms were built by embedding zirconium, titanium, and titanium-zirconium implants in ultrasound gel. MRI, CT, and CBCT images were acquired by using multiple sequences and settings. For MRI, "artifact" was described as the length of signal void beyond the limits of the implant. For CT and CBCT, "artifact" was calculated by subtracting the gray level of the darkest pixel from the level of the lightest pixel., Results: On MRI, zirconium implants had minor distortion artifacts, whereas titanium and titanium-zirconium implants created extensive artifacts (P < .05). On CT and CBCT, artifacts were less prominent with titanium and titanium-zirconium implants compared with zirconium (P < .05). Titanium grade 5 implants with 0.3 and 0.4 mm 3 voxels produced the least severe artifacts., Conclusions: MRI images were less affected by artifacts from zirconium implants, whereas CT and CBCT images showed less severe artifacts from titanium and titanium-zirconium alloy implants. CT generated greater artifacts compared with CBCT. Larger CBCT voxel sizes reduced the dose-area product and the severity of artifacts., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)