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Objective: Determining the factors affecting mortality may be pivotal in terms of improving survival in the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to determine the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of COVID-19 patients and the factors affecting intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Materials and Methods: It was designed as a retrospective cohort study in which patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 hospitalized in the ICU. The clinical and laboratory parameters were compared between cohorts with mortality and those with survival cohorts. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed for the effect profiles of the parameters on mortality. Results: The mortality of 58.6% was similar for the three pandemic waves or selected time intervals (p=0.245). Presence of comorbid disease, age, COVID-19 related complications, admission, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were significantly higher in the mortality cohort (p

Abstract This study describes the formation of single‐chain polymer dots (Pdots) via ultrasonic emulsification of nonionic donor‐acceptor‐donor type (D–A–D) alkoxy thiophene–benzobisthiadiazole‐based conjugated polymers (Poly BT) with amphiphilic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The methodology yields Pdots with a high cationic surface charge (+56.5 mV ± 9.5) and average hydrodynamic radius of 12 nm. Optical characterization reveals that these Pdots emit near‐infrared (NIR) light at a maximum wavelength of 860 nm owing to their conjugated polymer backbone consisting of D–A–D monomers. Both colloidal and optical properties of these Pdots make them promising fluorescence emissive probes for bioimaging applications. The significant advantage of positively charged Pdots is demonstrated in diffusion‐limited mediums such as tissues, utilizing human epithelial breast adenocarcinoma, ATCC HTB‐22 (MCF‐7), human bone marrow neuroblastoma, ATCC CRL‐2266 (SH‐SY5Y), and rat adrenal gland pheochromocytoma, CRL‐1721 (PC‐12) tumor spheroid models. Fluorescence microscopy analysis of tumor spheroids from MCF‐7, SH‐SY5Y, and PC‐12 cell lines reveals the intensity profile of Pdots, confirming extensive penetration into the central regions of the models. Moreover, a comparison with mitochondria staining dye reveals an overlap between the regions stained by Pdots and the dye in all three tumor spheroid models. These results suggest that single‐chain D–A–D type Pdots, cationized via CTAB, exhibit long‐range mean free path of penetration (≈1 µm) in dense mediums and tumors.

Magnetic levitation (MagLev) is a newly emerging methodology for biosensing that provides a density-based analysis, which is highly sensitive and versatile. In this study, a magnetic levitation based sensor platform was used for protein detection; and sensor platform optimization was performed for both sensitivity and resolution. Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein and detection of BSA was carried out by antibody functionalized polystyrene microspheres (PSMs). Various sizes of PSMs were examined and their performances were compared by statistical analyses in terms of limit of detection (LOD), sensitivity, and resolution. Quantification of the protein was done based on the magnetic levitation height differences of antibody functionalized PSMs. For optimization of the methodology, varied PSMs were utilized, and standardization of PSM diameter, concentration of the antibody to be functionalized, and PSM dilution rates were carried out. In conclusion, 20 μm PSMs diluted to 0.005% W/V and functionalized with anti-BSA antibody at a concentration of 28 μg/ml were determined to provide the best resolution for BSA detection. A dynamic range of 100 nM to 1 mM was observed with an LOD value of 4.1 ng/ml. This sensing platform promises a novel approach with a diverse application field and it provides rapid, consistent, and reproducible results with high resolution and sensitivity.

Pur po se: To evaluate the effects of patching on refractive errors in patients with anisometropic amblyopia. Ma te ri al and Met hod: We evaluated retrospectively 81 cases (5-8 years old) which were applied patching treatment for unilateral anisometropic amblyopia between June 2005 and August 2009. Pre- and post-treatment visual acuities and stereopsis were evaluated and the cases were divided into 4 groups as hyperopia, hyperopic astigmatism, myopia, and myopic astigmatism. Re sults: Mean age was 6.8±0.1 (minimum-maximum: 5-8) years. Visual acuity was 0.57±0.07 log MAR in hyperopias (p=0.001), 0.74±0.07 logMAR (p=0.001) in hypermetropic astigmatisms, 0.1±0.02 log MAR (p=0.02) in myopias, and 0.62±0.08 logMAR (p=0.04) in myopic astigmatisms after treatment. Post-treatment stereoacuity was improved significantly, except for myopic astigmatism (p=0.1). Dis cus si on: Patching treatment in anisometropic amblyopia is safe and effective method in all refraction errors especially hyperopia. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2011; 41: 385-8)

Pur po se: To investigate the effects of age and refractive errors on stereopsis. Ma te ri al and Met hod: The present study included 1488 cases which were randomly selected, had full vision and no eye pathology except refractive errors. The patients were divided into six groups according to their age: 10–19 (Group 1, n=258), 20–29 (Group 2, n=264), 30–39 (Group 3, n=246), 40–49 (Group 4, n=246), 50–59 (Group 5, n=246), and 60 years and over (Group 6, n=228). Additionally, each group was divided according to refractive errors: myopia (a), myopic astigmatism (b), hyperopia (c), hyperopic astigmatism (d), emetropia (e). Titmus test was applied to all cases from 16 inches (405 mm) distance with polarized glasses after correcting the refractive errors. Stereoacuity was evaluated using the Titmus circle test. Re sults: Mean stereoacuity was 41.1±3.2 arc\s in group 1, 45.3±24.6 arc\s in group 2, 42.6±5.0 arc\s in group 3, 44.1±10.7 arc\s in group 4, 45.8±24.8 arc\s in group 5, and 41.3±3.4 arc\s in group 6. Mean stereoacuity was found to be 45.4±24.2 arc\s in myopia, 41.3±4.2 arc\s in myopic astigmatism, 45.3±21.4 arc\s in hyperopia, 41.4±3.6 arc\s in hyperopic astigmatism, and 41.9±4.4 arc\s in emetropia in the refractive error groups. No statistically significant differences were detected in evaluation between age groups, refraction groups according to age and refraction groups. Dis cus si on: No significant effects of age and refractive errors on stereoacuity were found in our study. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2011; 41: 372-5)