Incumbent mobilization of swing voters: voter-party linkages and consolidation of ethnic votes in Istanbul

This dissertation attempts to understand the mobilization strategies of incumbent parties to consolidate and increase their support among swing voters of an ethnic group. By analyzing the strategy of AKP on voters of Kurdish origin before 2011 general elections, it investigates the effectiveness of the clientelistic distribution of municipal resources in increasing support for the party and the conditions under which the party mobilizes these voters through clientelistic linkage. This investigation is conducted through a district and neighborhood level case study selected on the method of most similar cases in the districts of Beyoğlu, Sancaktepe and Beykoz situated in Istanbul. The main hypotheses are tested through five different steps. First, through the electoral results it identifies a large number of voters of Kurdish origin as ideologically close to pro-Islamist and pro-Kurdish parties. Second, it identifies the main organs responsible of mobilizing voters and defines the nature of the clientelistic network. Third, the study suggests that the incorporation of these voters into the party’s clientelistic network is a function of the number and time of entry of activists of Kurdish origin in the party’s ranks and the intensity of their contacts with the voters. Fourth, through an analysis of the selected neighborhoods it reveals the effectiveness of clientelistic mobilization in consolidating and increasing support among swing voters of Kurdish origin. Lastly, the inner party organization and critical juncture experienced by the party are argued to be influential in its ability to increase its network through the incorporation of new activists

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation to Reduce Intraocular Pressure: Updated Perspectives

Trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage device implantation are the most commonly performed glaucoma surgeries worldwide. Although trabeculectomy is the gold standard, at the present time there is an increase in the use of glaucoma drainage devices. The Ahmed glaucoma valve is one of the most widely used glaucoma drainage devices worldwide. Corneal endothelial cell loss and eventually corneal decompensation is one of the serious complication of glaucoma drainage device implantation. To avoid this, drainage tube can be inserted into the ciliary sulcus instead of the anterior chamber, especially in eyes with high risk for corneal decompensation. Tube/plate exposure, hypertensive phase, endophthalmitis, cataract formation, diplopia and ocular hypotony are the other potential complications that can develop after Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation

Efficacy of occlusion treatment in amblyopia and clinical risk factors affecting the results of treatment

Purpose: To evaluate the factors influencing visual outcome in strabismic, strabismic-anisometropic and anisometropic amblyopia following occlusion treatment. Methods: Records of 128 pediatric patients who had been treated for amblyopia by occlusion of the fellow eye between March 1992 and March 2003 were reviewed retrospectively. Age and level of visual acuity at initiation of treatment, occlusion time (full-time, part-time or minimal) and type of amblyopia were analyzed for the effect on visual outcome. Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.69 ± 2.01 years (3 to 12 years). Mean follow-up time was 3 years 2 months (6 months to 10 years). Mean visual acuity improvements were similar for the subtypes of amblyopia (strabismic amblyopia 0.38 ± 0.29 logMAR units, strabismic-anisometropic amblyopia 0.46 ± 0.40 logMAR units, anisometropic amblyopia 0.35 ± 0.24 logMAR units). Level of initial visual acuity, age at initiation of treatment and type of occlusion correlated with the final visual acuity (p = 0.000, p = 0.035, p = 0.012, respectively). When the analysis was performed according to the subtypes of amblyopia, initial visual acuity was the only factor associated with the final visual acuity in all types of amblyopia (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The level of initial visual acuity is the most significant factor determining the success of treatment in amblyopia. Copyright © 2005 Taylor & Francis Inc

Herpetic Keratouveitis following Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection in a Case with Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose The purpose of this study is to report a case of herpetic keratouveitis that developed soon after intravitreal ranibizumab injection. Case Report A 54-year-old man with bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy and severe macular edema received intravitreal ranibizumab injections in both eyes within 3 days interval. One week after the injection, patient presented with acute vision loss in his right eye. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy revealed diffuse corneal edema and severe flare in the anterior chamber with intraocular pressure (IOP) rise. After epithelial dendritic corneal ulcer was visualized, he was diagnosed with right herpetic keratouveitis that was treated with oral valacyclovir, as well as topical acyclovir ointment and prednisolone acetate drops. However, recalcitrant IOP rise had to be treated with a single session transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation. Conclusion Herpetic keratouveitis can be seen as a rare complication of intravitreal ranibizumab injection. To our best knowledge, this is the first case with herpes keratouveitis developed following intravitreal ranibizumab injection