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Background and Objectives: This study aims to analyze survival in peritoneal and hemodialysis patients using chest radiography and biochemical parameters, determine common dialysis etiologies and causes of death, reveal prognostic factors, and contribute to clinical practice. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted with data from 33 peritoneal dialysis and 37 hemodialysis patients collected between October 2018 and February 2020. Survival and mortality were retrospectively tracked over 70 months (October 2018–June 2024). Chest X-ray measurements (cardiothoracic index, pulmonary vascular pedicle width, right pulmonary artery diameter, diaphragmatic height) and biochemical parameters (urea, albumin, creatinine, parathormone, ferritin, hemoglobin, arterial blood gas, potassium) were analyzed for their impact on survival. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Bayesian analysis, McNemar test, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, Cox regression, Bayesian correlation test, linear regression analysis (scatter plot), and ROC analysis. SPSS 20.0 was used for data analysis, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and urogenital disorders were the main dialysis etiologies. Peritonitis (38.5%) and cardiovascular diseases (47.4%) were the leading causes of death in peritoneal and hemodialysis patients, respectively. Significant chest X-ray differences included pulmonary vascular pedicle width and pulmonary artery diameter in hemodialysis and diaphragm height in peritoneal dialysis. Kaplan–Meier showed no survival difference between methods. Cox regression identified age, intact parathormone levels, iPTH/PVPW ratio, and clinical status as survival and mortality factors. The iPTH/PVPW ratio cut-off for mortality prediction was ≤6.8. Conclusions: Age, intact parathormone levels, pulmonary vascular pedicle width, and clinical status significantly impact survival in dialysis patients. Management of hypertension and diabetes, management and follow-up of urogenital disorders, infection control, patient education, and regular cardiovascular check-ups may improve survival rates. Additionally, the iPTH/PVPW ratio can predict mortality risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants that contaminate resources such as water, air, and soil. Humans can be exposed to microplastics through inhalation, digestion, or dermal contact. The use of disposable paper and plastic cups, as well as teabags, is widespread. Cups are usually made of plastic, and teabags are generally made of half-synthetic cellulose. This study aims to draw attention to their effects on human health by analyzing MPs due to contact with plastic paper cups and teabags with a hot aqueous solution (50°C, 70°C, and 90°C). This study used scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-performance liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and the results were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The number of MP particles released from teabags increased to 4.59 x 104 particles cm-3, while in paper cups and plastic cups, MP particle numbers elevated to 2.94 x 104 particles cm-3 and 2.11 x 104 particles cm-3, respectively. Total phthalate compound concentrations determined in aqueous solution samples were 1.74-2.42 µg dm-3 in teabags, 1.49-2.40 µg dm-3 in paper cups, 1.20 - 1.28 µg dm-3 in plastic cups; Bisphenol A concentration ranges were determined as 0.015-0.045 µg dm-3 in plastic cups, 0.006-0.011 µg dm-3 in teabags and 0.005-0.006 µg dm-3 in paper cups. Consumption of tea or coffee that comes into contact with disposable plastics daily may increase the daily MP intake and cause health problems in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine is a critical component of thyroid hormones, and its deficiency or excess can lead to various thyroid dysfunctions, including thyroid cancer. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer. Despite this, the role of iodine, an essential micronutrient for thyroid function, in the pathophysiology and progression of PTC remains an area of active research. The systemic inflammatory index (SII), which includes parameters such as neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts, serves as a marker of systemic inflammation and has been associated with prognosis in several cancers. This article examines the relationship between urinary iodine levels (UIL) and the systemic inflammatory index in patients diagnosed with PTC, exploring potential implications for the disease. In this study, 121 patients with variously scheduled thyroidectomies were included. Before the procedure, the iodine content of each patient's urine was measured. Based on the findings of the post-operative pathology, the patients were divided into two groups. Thyroid histopathology resulted in the inclusion of benign (n=40) and PTC (n=81) cases in the study. In the post-operative period, the median urinary iodine excretion average was statistically higher in the group with malignant thyroid pathology compared to the benign pathology group. However, no statistical difference was found between the groups when classified according to iodine excretion. The performance of the Systemic Immune- Inflammation Index in predicting malignant pathology results was evaluated using a ROC curve analysis. The ROC curve demonstrated 58% sensitivity and 72.5% specificity at a cutoff point of >485. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the SII is an effective biomarker for assessing histopathology in thyroid surgeries. However, further studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the potential of SII in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]