Volume CXVIII, Number 8, November 10, 2000

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the degree of variation of hydronephrosis by hydration in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Material and Methods: Patients with antenatally diagnosed UPJO who admitted in a three months period were evaluated in terms of variation in sonographic findings for hydronephrosis. Serial renal ultrasounds were carried out before and after hydration considering parameters for hydronephrosis. Parameters evaluated on each ultrasound included degree of hydronephrosis, maximum anteroposterior diameter of the renal pelvis (mAPD) and anteroposterior pelvic diameter at hilum (hAPD), renal parenchymal thickness, dimensions of both kidneys, grade of hydronephrosis and the volume of the bladder. Results: Eleven children with unilateral hydronephrosis due to UPJO were evaluated. There were 10 males and 1 female at a mean age of 10.3 (3-30) months. The mean value of mAPD before hydration was 19.3±4.3 and increased to 21.3±4.6 mm (9.6% increase) after hydration showing a statistically significant difference (p=0.006). The corresponding measurements for hAPD before and after hydration were 14.5±3.6 mm and 14.6±3.4 mm respectively (p=0.846). Parenchymal thickness before and after hydration were 7.2±0.53 and 6.9±0.44 respectively which also showed no statistical significance (p=0.335). Hydration was found to have no significant effect on the parameters examined of contralateral kidney. Conclusion: The commonly used ultrasonographic parameters in the follow-up examination of hydronephrotic kidneys are prone to hydration effects. Among these parameters hAPD seems to be less affected. Copyright © 2013 by Türkiye Klinikleri

Ultrasound in augmented reality: a mixed-methods evaluation of head-mounted displays in image-guided interventions

Purpose: Augmented reality (AR) and head-mounted displays (HMD) in medical practice are current research topics. A commonly proposed use case of AR-HMDs is to display data in image-guided interventions. Although technical feasibility has been thoroughly shown, effects of AR-HMDs on interventions are not yet well researched, hampering clinical applicability. Therefore, the goal of this study is to better understand the benefits and limitations of this technology in ultrasound-guided interventions. Methods: We used an AR-HMD system (based on the first-generation Microsoft Hololens) which overlays live ultrasound images spatially correctly at the location of the ultrasound transducer. We chose ultrasound-guided needle placements as a representative task for image-guided interventions. To examine the effects of the AR-HMD, we used mixed methods and conducted two studies in a lab setting: (1) In a randomized crossover study, we asked participants to place needles into a training model and evaluated task duration and accuracy with the AR-HMD as compared to the standard procedure without visual overlay and (2) in a qualitative study, we analyzed the user experience with AR-HMD using think-aloud protocols during ultrasound examinations and semi-structured interviews after the task. Results: Participants (n = 20) placed needles more accurately (mean error of 7.4 mm vs. 4.9 mm, p = 0.022) but not significantly faster (mean task duration of 74.4 s vs. 66.4 s, p = 0.211) with the AR-HMD. All participants in the qualitative study (n = 6) reported limitations of and unfamiliarity with the AR-HMD, yet all but one also clearly noted benefits and/or that they would like to test the technology in practice. Conclusion: We present additional, though still preliminary, evidence that AR-HMDs provide benefits in image-guided procedures. Our data also contribute insights into potential causes underlying the benefits, such as improved spatial perception. Still, more comprehensive studies are needed to ascertain benefits for clinical applications and to clarify mechanisms underlying these benefits

Calix[4]amine Langmuir-Blodgett thin film sensing properties against volatile organic compounds

Thin films of CBAMINE were deposited at air-water interface by the method of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique onto a suitable substrate. Atomic force microscopy technique was used to characterize its thin film properties. The results indicate that a uniform LB film monolayer from the water surface to a glass or quartz crystal substrates deposited with a transfer ratio of over 96 %. Gas sensing properties and thickness of the LB thin films of CBAMINE were investigated using Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique. Its vapour sensing properties were investigated for different volatile organic compounds. Reversible changes in the optical behaviour were observed and thin films of this material are highly selective for chloroform vapour with fast response and recovery times.Publisher's Versio

Coagulation factor V gene mutation increases the risk of venous thrombosis in Behcet's disease

We investigated the prevalence of the coagulation factor V gene G1691A mutation in 64 patients with Behcet's disease (BD) and in 107 apparently healthy individuals. The mutation was present in the heterozygous state in 37.5% of the patients with a history of deep vein thrombosis (12/32) and in 9.4% of the patients without any thrombotic event (3/32). Eleven healthy individuals were also heterozygous for the mutation (10.3%). The prevalence of the mutation in BD patients with and without thrombosis was significantly different (P = 0.0079). We conclude that the factor V gene mutation may play a major role in the development of venous thrombosis in BD

Turner syndrome and associated problems in turkish children: A multicenter study

Objective: Turner syndrome (TS) is a chromosomal disorder caused by complete or partial X chromosome monosomy that manifests various clinical features depending on the karyotype and on the genetic background of affected girls. This study aimed to systematically investigate the key clinical features of TS in relationship to karyotype in a large pediatric Turkish patient population. Methods: Our retrospective study included 842 karyotype-proven TS patients aged 0-18 years who were evaluated in 35 different centers in Turkey in the years 2013-2014. Results: The most common karyotype was 45,X (50.7%), followed by 45,X/46,XX (10.8%), 46,X,i(Xq) (10.1%) and 45,X/46,X,i(Xq) (9.5%). Mean age at diagnosis was 10.2±4.4 years. The most common presenting complaints were short stature and delayed puberty. Among patients diagnosed before age one year, the ratio of karyotype 45,X was significantly higher than that of other karyotype groups. Cardiac defects (bicuspid aortic valve, coarctation of the aorta and aortic stenosi) were the most common congenital anomalies, occurring in 25% of the TS cases. This was followed by urinary system anomalies (horseshoe kidney, double collector duct system and renal rotation) detected in 16.3%. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was found in 11.1% of patients, gastrointestinal abnormalities in 8.9%, ear nose and throat problems in 22.6%, dermatologic problems in 21.8% and osteoporosis in 15.3%. Learning difficulties and/or psychosocial problems were encountered in 39.1%. Insulin resistance and impaired fasting glucose were detected in 3.4% and 2.2%, respectively. Dyslipidemia prevalence was 11.4%. Conclusion: This comprehensive study systematically evaluated the largest group of karyotype-proven TS girls to date. The karyotype distribution, congenital anomaly and comorbidity profile closely parallel that from other countries and support the need for close medical surveillance of these complex patients throughout their lifespan. © Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology

Distance laboratory applications ERRL: A study on radio communication in electronic field

In the last decade, the effect of internet usage in education is gradually increased. When we look from academic perspective, the new technologies provided alternatives for students learning. As distance education becomes important everyday, the indispensable elements of teaching and education, laboratories must be reachable via remote connection. Consequently, the education that is going to be given to the students will be more flexible with respect to place and time constraints and students can reach laboratory facilities at any time and anywhere not only in lectures and practical hours. In this study, European Remote Radio Laboratory (ERRL) which is a distance remote Radio Frequency (RF) laboratory designed for electrical-electronics students, is described generally. The software architecture, infrastructure and experiment that can be done with a remote connection have been described

Search for New Physics with Jets and Missing Transverse Momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for new physics is presented based on an event signature of at least three jets accompanied by large missing transverse momentum, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns collected in proton--proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events is observed above the expected standard model backgrounds, which are all estimated from the data. Exclusion limits are presented for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Cross section limits are also presented using simplified models with new particles decaying to an undetected particle and one or two jets

Using Barkhausen Noise to Measure Coating Depth of Coated High-Speed Steel

Coated high-speed steel tools are widely used in machining processes as they offer an excellent tool life to cost ratio, but they quickly need replacing once the coated layer is worn away. It would be therefore useful to be able to measure the tool life remaining non-destructively and cheaply. To achieve this, the work presented here aims to measure the thickness of the coated layer of high-speed cutting tools by using Barkhausen noise (BHN) techniques. Coated high-speed steel specimens coated with two different materials (chromium nitride (CrN), titanium nitride (TiN)) were tested using a cost-effective measuring system developed for this study. Sensory features were extracted from the signal received from a pick-up coil and the signal features, Root mean square, peak count, and signal energy, were successfully correlated with the thickness of the coating layer on high-speed steel (HSS) specimens. The results suggest that the Barkhausen noise measuring system developed in this study can successfully indicate the different thickness of the coating layer on CrN/TiN coated HSS specimens

Perspectives of the Apiaceae Hepatoprotective Effects - A Review

The liver has the crucial role in the regulation of various physiological processes and in the excretion of endogenous waste metabolites and xenobiotics. Liver structure impairment can be caused by various factors including microorganisms, autoimmune diseases, chemicals, alcohol and drugs. The plant kingdom is full of liver protective chemicals such as phenols, coumarins, lignans, essential oils, monoterpenes, carotenoids, glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids, lipids, alkaloids and xanthenes. Apiaceae plants are usually used as a vegetable or as a spice, but their other functional properties are also very important. This review highlights the significance of caraway, dill, cumin, aniseed, fennel, coriander, celery, lovage, angelica, parsley and carrot, which are popular vegetables and spices, but possess hepatoprotective potential. These plants can be used for medicinal applications to patients who suffer from liver damage