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Objectives. Popliteal and infrapopliteal artery injuries have significant morbidity and mortality rates, especially in terms of amputation. In our study, we aimed to evaluate patients who operated due to popliteal and infrapopliteal vascular injuries in our clinic. Patients and Methods. Between 2016 and 2023; 21 patients who were operated in our clinic due to popliteal and infrapopliteal artery injuries were retrospectively evaluated. Results. 2 of the patients were female (9.5%) and 19 were male (90.5%). Age ranges were 21–78. The causes of injury were gunshot wounds in 9 patients (42.86%), blunt trauma in 7 patients (33.33%), and sharp object injuries in 5 patients (23.80%). Reversed saphenous vein interposition in 7 patients (33.33%), primary repair in 6 patients (28.57%), 6 mm polytetrafluoroethylene graft (PTFE) interposition in 3 patients (14.28%), end-to-end anastomosis in 2 patients (9.52%), saphenous-PTFE composite graft interposition in 2 patients (9.52%), and embolectomy in 1 patient (4.76%) were performed. Arterial ligation was not performed. Simultaneous orthopedic intervention was performed in 8 patients. Fasciotomy was performed in 3 patients. Venous repair was performed in 5 patients with venous injuries. Vein ligation was not performed. Mortality was observed postoperatively in 1 patient. No patient developed amputation. Foot drop developed with nerve damage in 2 patients. Conclusion. Mortality and morbidity rates may increase in popliteal and infrapopliteal artery injuries in cases of hemodynamic disorder, simultaneous bone fracture, multivessel injury, and nerve transection. These rates can be reduced by appropriate surgical repair and ensuring hemodynamic stability.

Enhancing the biocompatibility of biomaterials is a critical aspect of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Advances in 3D bioprinting technology, blending natural and synthetic materials for the production of bioink, offer new opportunities to develop highly biocompatible materials that can closely mimic the native tissue environment. In this study, we used pericardial fluid structure (PFS)-based material together with alginate to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) and produce a bioink material. Thus, blended alginate with PFS material and MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cell-laden hydrogels characterized by comparing each other, especially alginate hydrogels, and evaluated in terms of biocompatibility for tissue engineering applications. According to the rheological analysis results, all hydrogel groups A, A-PFS (150 mg), and A-PFS (1:1) had viscoelastic properties. Mechanical tests showed that the A-PFS (1:1) hydrogel had the most strength properties. Additionally, the viscosity values of the hydrogel solutions were in an applicable range for use in 3D bioprinters. It was also found out that PFS increased the biocompatibility of alginate-based bioink, in terms of cell proliferation and differentiation. Overall, these findings suggest that alginate and pericardial fluid-based materials can be successfully used for bioink production. The resulting hydrogels exhibit viscoelastic properties, appropriate viscosity for 3D bioprinting, and support cell viability, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. This research has the potential not only to produce bioink but also to produce injectable hydrogels and drug delivery systems, which can become biocompatible materials that can be used for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications., (© 2024 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

In vitro release testing (IVRT) is extensively used to develop the formulation of topical semi-solid products, to evaluate the quality and consistency of the product after scale-up and post-approval changes, and more recently to aid the evaluation of topical generic products' equivalency. The selection of synthetic membrane is one of the most critical parameters of the method development part of IVRT. It is well known that the membrane features namely its polymer matrices, porosity, pore size, thickness can have a substantial effect on the IVRT data. However, there is no detailed information available in the literature regarding the membrane selection for different types of topical dosage forms. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether difference topical semi-solid dosage forms of the same drug molecule would cause to variation in the membrane selection. Within this framework, rheological behaviour of commercially available three different types of topical semi-solid dosage forms (ointment, cream, and lotion) of mometasone furoate (0.1%) were primarily characterized. Then, the membrane inertness test was conducted using a series of synthetic hydrophilic membranes (regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, mixed cellulose ester membranes) and hydrophobic membranes (polyether sulfone, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene membranes) after identifying of an appropriate receptor medium that ensures sink condition for mometasone furoate. Lastly, IVRT studies from the topical semi-solid products were performed utilizing Franz-type diffusion cells. The membrane inertness and in vitro release data demonstrated that the cellulose acetate membrane showed superior diffusion properties in general while the other synthetic membranes exhibited varying outcomes for different semi-solid dosage forms of mometasone furoate. Overall, the results indicated that the release rate and the cumulative drug released amount of drug after 6 h through the different synthetic membranes might vary depending on the semi-solid dosage form. In order to select the synthetic membrane for IVRT, it should also be considered potential interactions between the polymer matrices and the chemical structure of drug molecule as well as formulation components prior to conducting membrane inertness test and IVRT studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing Interest There is no conflict of interest with any commercial or other associations in this study., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Food allergy is a public health issue that has a significant impact on the lives of families. Parental self-efficacy/confidence is important in managing food allergies. The aim of this study is to validate the "Food Allergy Self-Efficacy Scale for Parents" (FASE-P) and assess parental self-efficacy in managing their child's food allergy., Methods: Turkish version of the FASE-P (T-FASE-P) was administered to 347 parents of children aged 0-18 who had been followed for at least one month due to food allergy at the Pediatric Allergy Clinic of Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital between September 1 and December 31, 2023, through face-to-face interviews and online surveys for parents of children with food allergies from the general population. Content validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to evaluate the validity of the scale. General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) was used for concurrent criterion validity. Internal consistency analysis, test-retest application, and item analysis were conducted to assess its reliability., Results: T-FASE-P scale initially contained 21 items, and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α) calculated in this form was found to be 0.89. Later, when 4 items were excluded, the 17-item version of the scale was calculated as α=0.90. The intra-class correlation coefficient between the test and re-test was found to be 0.972. The content validity index value of the scale was calculated as 0.99, indicating that the content validity was at a sufficient level. In the EFA, it was determined that the scale formed a three-factor structural model and that this model explained 60.82% of the total variance. As a result of the CFA, the fit indices were calculated as χ2/df=2.341, GFI=0.919, TLI=0.950, indicating a good level of fit. Based on the analysis results, T-FASE-P consists of 17 items and three subscales., Conclusion: T-FASE-P scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to determine the food allergy self-efficacy of Turkish parents., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

RNA methylation adds a second layer of genetic information that dictates the post-transcriptional fate of RNAs. Although various methods exist that enable the analysis of RNA methylation in a site-specific or transcriptome-wide manner, whether biophysical approaches can be employed to such analyses is unexplored. In this study, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy are employed to examine the methylation status of both synthetic and cellular RNAs. The results show that FT-IR spectroscopy is perfectly capable of quantitatively distinguishing synthetic m 6 A-methylated RNAs from un-methylated ones. Subsequently, FT-IR spectroscopy is successfully employed to assess the changes in the extent of total RNA methylation upon the knockdown of the m 6 A writer, METTL3, in HeLa cells. In addition, the same approach is shown to accurately detect reduction in total RNA methylation upon the treatment of HeLa cells with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). It is also demonstrated that m 1 A and m 6 A methylation induce quite a distinct secondary structure on RNAs, as evident from CD spectra. These results strongly suggest that both FT-IR and CD spectroscopy methods can be exploited to uncover biophysical properties impinged on RNAs by methyl moieties, providing a fast, convenient and cheap alternative to the existing methods.

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of low muscle mass, and inflammatory markers in patients with stage III nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Furthermore, the study aimed to determine the threshold value of disease-specific low muscle mass., Methods: A total of 461 patients with stage III NSCLC were evaluated. Low muscle mass, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and biochemical inflammatory markers were assessed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)., Results: This study found a disease-specific low muscle mass threshold of LSMI <38.7 cm²/m² for women and <45.1 cm²/m² for men, with 25.2% of patients having disease-specific low muscle mass. Multivariate cox regression analysis revealed that low PNI was found to be an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for both PFS (HR=0.67; 95% CI: 0.48-0.92, P= 0.015) and OS (HR=0.67; 95% CI: 0.50-0.91, P=0.008). Other factors including ECOG PS 3 (HR=7.76; 95% CI: 1.73-34.76, P=0.007), induction CT (HR=0.66; 95% CI: 0.49-0.88, P= 0.004), and disease-specific low muscle mass (HR=1.40; 95% CI: 1.02-1.92, P= 0.038) also had independent effects on prognosis., Conclusions: The present study provides evidence that the presence of low muscle mass and low PNI significantly impacts the prognosis of patients with stage III NSCLC who undergo definitive CRT. Furthermore, our study is notable for being the first multicenter investigation to identify a disease-specific low muscle mass threshold., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the present research was to assess the amounts of aflatoxin M1 (AFM 1 ) and immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, and IgM) in cow colostrum samples, as well as their relationship. The sampling involved 90 cows (54 Montofon and 36 Simmental) from 15 independent farms. An appropriate number of samples from the total mixed ration (TMR) used in feeding the cows were collected simultaneously with the colostrum samples. AFB 1 in feed, AFM 1 , and immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, and IgM) levels in colostrum were evaluated using the ELISA method. The AFM 1 level in colostrum samples exceeded the maximum allowed values for raw milk. Ig levels were higher in Montofon-breed cows' colostrum than in Simmentals. However, it was determined that neither the breed nor the lactation number significantly affected the colostrum Ig level. It was determined that there was no linear relationship between the number of lactations and immunoglobulin levels or between AFM 1 and immunoglobulin levels in colostrum. Similarly, it was determined that there was no linear relationship between the AFB 1 level in the feed and the AFM 1 level in the colostrum of animals consuming these feeds., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Mycotoxin (Research Gesellschaft für Mykotoxinforschung e.V.) and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Across the world and within Europe, a growing number of consumers are choosing to buy gluten-free products. Motivations for a gluten-free diet and the consequences of consuming gluten are varied, from a medical necessity for those diagnosed with celiac disease to a range of health complications and discomfort for those who are gluten-intolerant. In this research, 7296 gluten-free consumers across 13 European countries responded to an online survey on the 33 types of gluten-free products purchased, how frequently they purchased them, their satisfaction with gluten-free quality and availability, the problems they have experienced, and the strategies they have employed to cope with these problems. The investigation examines whether and how these consumer attitudes and behaviors differ between those diagnosed with celiac disease, those who are gluten-intolerant, and those who are caregivers for others with a gluten-free diet. The results show that significant differences existed for all these habits and issues across the three gluten-free consumer groups. Specifically, caregivers purchased most of the gluten-free product types more frequently than the other two groups, experienced more availability problems, and were more likely to shop at multiple stores or make their own gluten-free products. Celiac-diagnosed consumers tended to buy gluten-free products more frequently than those who are gluten-intolerant, and they tended to be the most satisfied with the quality and range of gluten-free offerings. Despite purchasing frequency differences between the groups, the results suggest a similar hierarchy of gluten-free products that could provide the foundation for a European gluten-free food basket.

Cardiomyopathy, which is shortly defined as a disease of the myocardium, has a broad definition that includes many different diagnoses. Recent advances in cardiac imaging techniques, including basic and advanced echocardiography, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, and cardiac magnetic resonance, allow for a more accurate evaluation of volumes and thickness of cardiac chambers, systolic and diastolic function of the ventricules, and tissue structure. Multimodality imaging often provides the first clinical suspicion for specific etiologies, especially when the medical and family history is unclear, by identification of red flags of underlying systemic diseases. In this review, we aimed to evaluate the role of multimodality imaging in diagnosis of cardiomyopathies with key images and discussed the effects of genetics on the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic guidance of cardiomyopathies.

There is an increasing incidence of diagnosing both congenital and acquired heart valve diseases in women during pregnancy. Factors such as elevated rates of pregnancy, older maternal age, and coexisting conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity contribute significantly to the symptomatic manifestation and detection of valvular heart diseases in women planning for pregnancy. Pregnancy induces cardiovascular changes across the maternal physiology, posing a heightened risk of morbidity and mortality, especially in women afflicted with valvular heart diseases. In this article, we present a case of a 25-year-old patient who underwent mitral ring annuloplasty surgery at the age of 9. Her echocardiography revealed a mismatch of the mitral ring during a follow-up examination at the age of 20. Despite neglecting further follow-ups, the patient became pregnant and presented to us at the 6th week of pregnancy. She underwent evaluations at the 6th, 10th, and 22nd weeks of pregnancy, as well as before delivery. Following the resumption of follow-up appointments, intervention planning was initiated during the postpartum period. This case exemplifies successful management, resulting in a healthy delivery after navigating through the pregnancy.

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a common cause of mortality 1 , but a comprehensive description of its genomic landscape is lacking 2-9 . Here we perform whole-genome sequencing of 2,023 CRC samples from participants in the UK 100,000 Genomes Project, thereby providing a highly detailed somatic mutational landscape of this cancer. Integrated analyses identify more than 250 putative CRC driver genes, many not previously implicated in CRC or other cancers, including several recurrent changes outside the coding genome. We extend the molecular pathways involved in CRC development, define four new common subgroups of microsatellite-stable CRC based on genomic features and show that these groups have independent prognostic associations. We also characterize several rare molecular CRC subgroups, some with potential clinical relevance, including cancers with both microsatellite and chromosomal instability. We demonstrate a spectrum of mutational profiles across the colorectum, which reflect aetiological differences. These include the role of Escherichia coli pks+ colibactin in rectal cancers 10 and the importance of the SBS93 signature 11-13 , which suggests that diet or smoking is a risk factor. Immune-escape driver mutations 14 are near-ubiquitous in hypermutant tumours and occur in about half of microsatellite-stable CRCs, often in the form of HLA copy number changes. Many driver mutations are actionable, including those associated with rare subgroups (for example, BRCA1 and IDH1), highlighting the role of whole-genome sequencing in optimizing patient care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study had two main objectives. The first goal was to examine fathers' parenting styles in a society with traditional patriarchal values. The second goal was to understand the extent to which marital relationship variables (i.e., marital satisfaction and spousal support) are related with the identified fathering profiles. The theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the "parenting styles" literature that form the foundation of the research on parent-child dynamics are still mainly based on data collected only from mothers. This weakness of the literature on fathering typologies is further accompanied by the scarcity of data on fathers' parenting practices from non-Western contexts. To achieve the study aims, a latent profile analysis based on warmth and control dimensions of parenting was performed using a nationally representative sample of 1070 urban fathers in Turkey. Using scores on six parenting behavior variables (i.e., warmth, punishment, inductive reasoning, positive parenting, discipline and teaching responsibilities, time and talking together), results revealed four fathering profiles: "authoritative" (30%), "average" (45%), "uninvolved" (16%), and "disciplining-distant" (8%). Furthermore, the results showed that the fathering profiles significantly differed from each other on the marital satisfaction and spousal support scores. Results highlight the importance of investigating fathering behaviors and their predictors in different cultures., (© 2023 Family Process Institute.)

Objective: High-grade gliomas are aggressive brain tumors with poor prognoses. Understanding the factors that influence their progression is crucial for improving treatment outcomes. This study investigates the prognostic significance of panimmune inflammation in patients diagnosed with high-grade gliomas., Materials-Methods: Data from 89 high-grade glioma patients were analysed retrospectively. The Panimmune inflammation Value (PIV) of each patient meeting the eligibility criteria was calculated on the basis of platelet, monocyte, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts obtained from peripheral blood samples taken on the first day of treatment. PIV is calculated using the following formula: PIV = T × M × N ÷ L. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to identify the optimal cut-off value for PIV about progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) outcomes. The primary and secondary endpoints were the differences in OS and PFS between the PIV groups. The Kaplan‒Meier method was used for survival analyses., Results: The ROC analysis indicated that the optimal PIV threshold was 545.5, which exhibited a significant interaction with PFS and OS outcomes. Patients were subsequently divided into two groups based on their PIV levels: a low PIV (L-PIV) group comprising 45 patients and a high PIV (H-PIV) group comprising 44 patients. A comparative analysis of survival rates indicated that patients with elevated PIV had a shorter median PFS of 4.0 months compared to 8.0 months in the low PIV group (P = 0.797), as well as a reduced median OS of 19.0 months versus not available (NA) in the low PIV group (P = 0.215)., Conclusion: Our study results did not reveal a statistically significant association between H-PIV measurements and reduced PFS or OS. However, PIV effectively stratified newly diagnosed high-grade glioma patients into two distinct groups with significantly different PFS and OS outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Federación de Sociedades Españolas de Oncología (FESEO).)

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) can affect both hearing and balance due to increased inner ear pressure., Aims/objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of increased inner ear pressure on hearing and balance in patients with IIH using auditory and vestibular tests., Material and Methods: Twenty-four IIH patients and 28 healthy controls underwent oVEMP, pure tone audiometry, tympanometry, and acoustic reflex tests pre-lumbar punctures. IIH patients received acetazolamide. Pre- and post-treatment results, tinnitus, and vertigo scores were compared. Post-treatment oVEMP and audiometry results were compared between groups., Results: Pre-treatment oVEMP showed a significant left N1 latency difference ( p  = 0.049). Post-treatment, left ear amplitude ( p  = 0.035) and both ear amplitude ratios ( p  = 0.044 and p  = 0.047) increased significantly. Audiometry had no significant changes ( p  < 0.05). Tinnitus and vertigo scores decreased significantly ( p  ≤ 0.001)., Conclusion: Prolonged oVEMP latency suggests IIH may impact the brain stem and vestibular nerve, while increased amplitude values indicate peripheral vestibular involvement. IIH affects hearing across all frequencies, especially at 4000 Hz, impacting both hearing and balance., Significance: Understanding the effects of IIH on auditory and vestibular functions can guide effective treatments, improving quality of life for patients by addressing both hearing and balance issues.

Objective: This study investigates the importance of bone density, surface area, and diameter of anatomical structures of the superior semicircular canal (SSC), lateral semicircular canal (LSC), posterior semicircular canal (PSC), utricle, and saccule in patients diagnosed with superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD)., Materials and Methods: The bone density, surface area, and diameter of SSC, LSC, PSC, utricle, and saccule were measured and compared between the SSCD group and control group. Fifteen ears in the SSCD group and 60 ears in the control group were evaluated. Additionally, within the SSCD group, the dehiscent and healthy sides were evaluated independently., Results: SSC's bone density was significantly lower in the SSCD group compared to the control group (p = 0.008). No significant differences were found in surface area and diameter between the groups (p > 0.05). While most of the anatomical structures showed no significant difference in bone density between dehiscent and healthy ears (p > 0.05), SSC bone density was significantly lower in affected ears (p = 0.000) in SSCD group., Conclusion: Based on the data obtained in this study, bone density and anatomical structure may be useful in patients diagnosed with SSCD., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Humor can contribute to nursing practices for relieving pain and anxiety in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during intravenous (IV) biologic treatment. This study used a prospective, randomized controlled study design to investigate the effect of humor on pain and state anxiety in patients with RA receiving IV infusion therapy. Two sample groups were formed: the intervention group (watching a comedy movie) (n = 18) and the control group (usual care) (n = 18). Both groups received IV biologic therapy. A significant difference was found between the groups' pain mean scores, but the effect size was small (P < .001, η² = 0.032). The mean visual analog scale scores decreased in both groups after the treatment; however, it decreased more in the intervention group (P < .001, Md = 2.44) than in the control group (P = .017, Md = 0.83). No significant difference was found between the groups' mean state anxiety scores, and the effect size was irrelevant (P > .05, η² = 0.001). There was a significant decrease in the anxiety levels of both groups (P < .001). During IV biologic infusion therapy, watching comedy movies is recommended as a nursing care intervention for reducing pain in patients with RA in cooperation with other health professionals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Postpartum blues/postpartum maternal blues is a psychological disorder experienced by mothers with symptoms of postpartum sadness, easy crying, easy anxiety, sensitivity, indecisiveness. The study aimed to examine the effect of music played on newly delivered mothers on postpartum blues., Methods: A prospective, two-arm, randomized controlled study was conducted on n = 82 (41 = control, 41 = music group) mothers who gave birth at term in Trakya University Health Research and Application Center Maternity Service between May and December 2023. The research data were collected through the Personal Information Form, Stein Blues Scale (SBS), and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). The scales used in the study were evaluated four times: postoperative 0-3 h, 12th, 24th, and 36th hours., Results: The postoperative 0-3 h SBS test median of the new mothers in the music group was 19.00, and the 36th hours test median was 2.00, while the postoperative 0-3 h SBS test median of the control group was 21.00, and the 36th hour test median was 13.00. The postoperative 0-3 h EPDS test median of the new mothers in the music group was 22.00, and the 36th hours test median was 0.00, while the postoperative 0-3 h EPDS test median of the control group was 26.00, and the 36th hours test median was 10.00. A significant difference was found in the 12th, 24th, and 36th hours (p < .001). A statistically significant high positive correlation was found between EPDS and SBS in the 12th, 24th, and 36th hours (p < .001)., Conclusions: In the study, it was found that music played to newly delivered mothers reduced postpartum blues and depression levels., Registration: The submission date for a clinical trial protocol is prior to completing participant recruitment and for a systematic review, prior to completing full paper screening. NCT06252155., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Revealing the potential of candidate drugs against different cancer types without disrupting normal cells depends on the drug mode of action. In the current study, the drug response of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) to zoledronic acid (ZOL) grown in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture systems was compared using Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy which is a vibrational spectroscopic technique, supporting by biochemical assays and imaging techniques. Based on our data, in 2D cell culture conditions, the ZOL treatment of PCSCs isolated according to both C133 and CD44 cell surface properties induced early/late apoptosis and suppressed migration ability. The CD133 gene expression and protein levels were altered, depending on culture systems. CD133 expression was significantly reduced in 2D cells upon ZOL treatment. FT-IR data revealed that the integrity, fluidity, and ordering/disordering states of the cell membrane and nucleic acid content were altered in both 2D and 3D cells after ZOL treatment. Regular protein structures decrease in 2D cells while glycogen and protein contents increase in 3D cells, indicating a more pronounced cytotoxic effect of ZOL for 2D cells. Untreated 3D PCSCs exhibited an even different spectral profile associated with IR signals of lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and glycogen in comparison to untreated 2D cells. Our study revealed significant differences in the drug response and cellular constituents between 2D and 3D cells. Exploring molecular targets and/or drug-action mechanisms is significant in cancer treatment approaches; thus, FT-IR spectroscopy can be successfully applied as a novel drug-screening method in clinical research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To search for any morphological variation contributing to aetiopathogenesis and the diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, we measured the sizes of the semicircular canals in patients with and without benign paroxysmal positional vertigo using multidetector computed tomography., Methods: Cranial bone computed tomography images of 30 benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients and 30 control patients were acquired with a 128-slice computed tomography scanner and a transverse plane with a thickness of 0.67 mm. The inner diameter, height and width of the canals were measured., Results: The width of the anterior semicircular canals, and the width and height of the posterior semicircular canals of the affected ears in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients ( n = 30) were significantly greater than in the control patients ( n = 90; p = 0.001, p = 0.023, p = 0.003, respectively)., Conclusion: In benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients, the posterior and anterior semicircular canals are longer than those in people without benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. These morphological changes may contribute to elucidating the aetiopathogenesis and be used as a radiological sign for diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo disease.

Introduction: The relationship between depression and inflammation and the resulting vascular/neuronal damage have been demonstrated in recent studies. In this study we aimed to investigate inflammation and the possible degeneration that can be caused by depression and accompanying vitamin D deficiency using a non-invasive imaging method of optical coherence tomography (OCT)., Methods: Twenty-four healthy controls and 42 drug free major depressive patients matched for age, sex and eye measurements were compared in terms of vitamin D, C Reactive Protein (CRP) and OCT parameters. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), The Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) were used to assess disease severity., Results: CRP level and choroidal thickness in the major depression group were significantly higher than the healthy controls. Vitamin D level and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) volume was significantly lower in the major depression group compared to healthy controls. Positive correlation was found between HAM-D and CRP in major depressive patients; a negative correlation was found between current attack duration and GCL volume. CGI was positively correlated with CRP and HAM-D. GAS was negatively correlated with CRP and HAM-D., Conclusion: It has been shown that major depression might be an inflammatory disorder with possible degenerative processes observed with OCT and CRP measurements. But longitudinal follow up studies are needed to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society.)

Objectives: Popliteal and infrapopliteal artery injuries have significant morbidity and mortality rates, especially in terms of amputation. In our study, we aimed to evaluate patients who operated due to popliteal and infrapopliteal vascular injuries in our clinic. Patients and Methods . Between 2016 and 2023; 21 patients who were operated in our clinic due to popliteal and infrapopliteal artery injuries were retrospectively evaluated., Results: 2 of the patients were female (9.5%) and 19 were male (90.5%). Age ranges were 21-78. The causes of injury were gunshot wounds in 9 patients (42.86%), blunt trauma in 7 patients (33.33%), and sharp object injuries in 5 patients (23.80%). Reversed saphenous vein interposition in 7 patients (33.33%), primary repair in 6 patients (28.57%), 6 mm polytetrafluoroethylene graft (PTFE) interposition in 3 patients (14.28%), end-to-end anastomosis in 2 patients (9.52%), saphenous-PTFE composite graft interposition in 2 patients (9.52%), and embolectomy in 1 patient (4.76%) were performed. Arterial ligation was not performed. Simultaneous orthopedic intervention was performed in 8 patients. Fasciotomy was performed in 3 patients. Venous repair was performed in 5 patients with venous injuries. Vein ligation was not performed. Mortality was observed postoperatively in 1 patient. No patient developed amputation. Foot drop developed with nerve damage in 2 patients., Conclusion: Mortality and morbidity rates may increase in popliteal and infrapopliteal artery injuries in cases of hemodynamic disorder, simultaneous bone fracture, multivessel injury, and nerve transection. These rates can be reduced by appropriate surgical repair and ensuring hemodynamic stability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Burak Tamteki̇n and Güler Gülsen Ersoy.)

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, ischemic stroke, impaired quality of life, and mortality. The latest research that shows the prevalence and incidence of AF patients in Türkiye was the Turkish Adults' Heart Disease and Risk Factors study, which included 3,450 patients and collected data until 2006/07.The Turkish Real Life Atrial Fibrillation in Clinical Practice (TRAFFIC) study is planned to present current prevalence data, reveal the reflection of new treatment and risk approaches in our country, and develop new prediction models in terms of outcomes., Methods: The TRAFFIC study is a national, prospective, multicenter, observational registry. The study aims to collect data from at least 1900 patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, with the participation of 40 centers from Türkiye. The following data will be collected from patients: baseline demographic characteristics, medical history, vital signs, symptoms of AF, ECG and echocardiographic findings, CHADS2-VASC2 and HAS-BLED (1-year risk of major bleeding) risk scores, interventional treatments, antithrombotic and antiarrhythmic medications, or other medications used by the patients. For patients who use warfarin, international normalized ratio levels will be monitored. Follow-up data will be collected at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Primary endpoints are defined as systemic embolism or major safety endpoints (major bleeding, clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding, and minor bleeding as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis). The main secondary endpoints include major adverse cardiovascular events (systemic embolism, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death), all-cause mortality, and hospitalizations due to all causes or specific reasons., Results: The results of the 12-month follow-up of the study are planned to be shared by the end of 2023., Conclusion: The TRAFFIC study will reveal the prevalence and incidence, demographic characteristics, and risk profiles of AF patients in Türkiye. Additionally, it will provide insights into how current treatments are reflected in this population. Furthermore, risk prediction modeling and risk scoring can be conducted for patients with AF.