Effects of multimodal environmental modification in crystal-related feline lower urinary tract diseases

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyze the effects of multimodal environmental modification (MEMO) of cats with recurrence of lower urinary tract signs (LUTS). Treatment of FLUTD included pharmacological treatment, dietary management, and multimodal environmental modification approaches. Twenty client-owned indoor-housed cats with recurrence of lower urinary tract signs had been covered in this observation. Diagnosis of lower urinary tract was made primarily based on the cat's clinical signs, results of laboratory parameters, urinalysis and ultrasonographic examination. Cats were divided into two groups as cefovecin (8 mg/kg sc, single time use) + meloxicam (0.1mg/kg q24h, 3 days) + dry food including l-tryptophan and milk protein hydrolysate to dissolve struvite stones (Group 1) and cefovecin + meloxicam + dry food including l-tryptophan and milk protein hydrolysate to dissolve struvite stones + multimodal environmental modification (Group 2). Clinical and urinary parameters are scored as 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 points on initial, third, seventh days. Scores of clinical parameters were significantly different between (p<0.05) group 2 and group 1 on the third and seventh days and scores of urinary parameters are significantly different between (p<0.05) group 2 than group 1 on the seventh day. Clients who were contacted after 1 year reported that they did not see any clinical signs of urinary tract diseases

Intrarectal negative pressure system in the management of open abdomen with colorectal fistula: A case report

AbstractINTRODUCTIONTo present the management of open abdomen with colorectal fistula by application of intrarectal negative pressure system (NPS) in addition to abdominal NPS.PRESENTATION OF CASETwenty-year old man had a history of injuries by a close-range gunshot to the abdomen eight days ago and he had been treated by bowel repairs, resections, jejunal anastomosis and Hartman's procedure. He was referred to our center after deterioration, evisceration with open abdomen and enteric fistula in septic shock. There were edematous, fibrinous bowels and large multiple fistulas from the edematous rectal stump. APACHE II, Mannheim Peritoneal Index and Björck scores were 18, 33 and 3, respectively (expected mortality 100%). After intensive care for 5 days, he was treated by abdominal and intrarectal NPS. NPS repeated for 5 times and the fistula was recovered on day 18 completely. Fascial closure was facilitated with a dynamic abdominal closure system (ABRA) and he was discharged on day 33 uneventfully. There was no herniation and any other problem after 12 months follow-up.DISCUSSIONManagement of fistula in OA can be extremely challenging. Floating stoma, fistula VAC, nipple VAC, ring and silo VAC, fistula intubation systems are used for isolation of the enteric effluent from OA. Several biologic dressings such as acellular dermal matrix, pedicled flaps have been used to seal the fistula opening with various success. Resection of the involved enteric loop and a new anastomosis of the intestine is very hard and rarely possible. In all of these reports, usually patients are left to heal with a giant hernia. In contrast to this, there is no hernia in our case during one year follow up period.CONCLUSIONCombination of intra and extra luminal negative pressure systems and ABRA is a safe and successful method to manage open abdomen with colorectal fistula

Evaluating Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials-Based Brain-Computer Interface System Using Wavelet Features and Various Machine Learning Methods

Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) have been designated to be appropriate and are in use in many areas such as clinical neuroscience, cognitive science, and engineering. SSVEPs have become popular recently, due to their advantages including high bit rate, simple system structure and short training time. To design SSVEP-based BCI system, signal processing methods appropriate to the signal structure should be applied. One of the most appropriate signal processing methods of these non-stationary signals is the Wavelet Transform. In this study, we investigated both the effect of choosing a mother wavelet function and the most successful combination of classifier algorithm, wavelet features, and frequency pairs assigned to BCI commands. SSVEP signals that were recorded at seven different stimulus frequencies (6–6.5 – 7 – 7.5 – 8.2 – 9.3 – 10 Hz) were used in this study. A total of 115 features were extracted from time, frequency, and time-frequency domains. These features were classified by a total of seven different classification processes. Classification evaluation was presented with the 5-fold cross-validation method and accuracy values. According to the results, (I) the most successful wavelet function was Haar wavelet, (II) the most successful classifier was Ensemble Learning, (III) using the feature vector consisting of energy, entropy, and variance features yielded higher accuracy than using one of these features alone, and (IV) the highest performances were obtained in the frequency pairs with “6–10”, “6.5–10”, “7–10”, and “7.5–10” Hz

Roadmap on emerging concepts in the physical biology of bacterial biofilms: from surface sensing to community formation

Bacterial biofilms are communities of bacteria that exist as aggregates that can adhere to surfaces or be free-standing. This complex, social mode of cellular organization is fundamental to the physiology of microbes and often exhibits surprising behavior. Bacterial biofilms are more than the sum of their parts: single-cell behavior has a complex relation to collective community behavior, in a manner perhaps cognate to the complex relation between atomic physics and condensed matter physics. Biofilm microbiology is a relatively young field by biology standards, but it has already attracted intense attention from physicists. Sometimes, this attention takes the form of seeing biofilms as inspiration for new physics. In this roadmap, we highlight the work of those who have taken the opposite strategy: we highlight the work of physicists and physical scientists who use physics to engage fundamental concepts in bacterial biofilm microbiology, including adhesion, sensing, motility, signaling, memory, energy flow, community formation and cooperativity. These contributions are juxtaposed with microbiologists who have made recent important discoveries on bacterial biofilms using state-of-the-art physical methods. The contributions to this roadmap exemplify how well physics and biology can be combined to achieve a new synthesis, rather than just a division of labor

Characterization and Interactions of Ultrafast Surface Plasmon Pulses

Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs) are considered to be attractive components for plasmonics and nanophotonic devices due to their sensitivity to interface changes, and their ability to guide and confine light beyond the diffraction limit. They have been utilized in SPP resonance sensors and near field imaging techniques and, more recently, SPP experiments to monitor and control ultrafast charge carrier and energy relaxation dynamics in thin films. In this thesis, we discuss excitation and propagation properties of ultrafast SPPs on thin extended metal films and SPP waveguide structures. In addition, localized and propagating surface plasmon interactions in functional plasmonic nanostructures will also be addressed. For the excitation studies of ultrafast SPPs, we have done detailed analysis of femtosecond surface plasmon pulse generation under resonant excitation condition using prism coupling technique. Our results show that photon-SPP coupling is a resonant process with a finite spectral bandwidth that causes spectral phase shift and narrowing of the SPP pulse spectrum. Both effects result in temporal pulse broadening and, therefore, set a lower limit on the duration of ultrafast SPP pulses. These findings are necessary for the successful integration of plasmonic components into high-speed SPP circuits and time-resolved SPP sensors. To demonstrate interactions between localized and propagating surface plasmons, we used block-copolymer based self assembly techniques to deposit long range ordered gold nanoparticle arrays onto silver thin films to fabricate composite nanoparticle thin film structures. We demonstrate that these gold nanoparticle arrays interact with SPPs that propagate at the film/nanoparticle interface and therefore, modify the dispersion relation of SPPs and lead to strong field localizations. These results are important and advantageous for plasmonic device applications. For the propagation studies of ultrafast SPPs, we have designed and constructed a home-built femtosecond photon scanning tunneling microscope (fsPSTM) to visualize ultrafast SPPs in photonic devices based on metal nanostructures. Temporal and phase information have been obtained by incorporating the fsPSTM into one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, allowing heterodyne detection. Understanding plasmon propagation in metal nanostructures is a requirement for implementing such structures into opto-electronic and telecommunication technologies

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medical Methods in Turkey

Zusammenfassung Das Ziel der Studie ist das Wissen und Verhalten der Menschen in der Türkei in Bezug auf komplementäre und alternative Medizin (CAM) zu bestimmen. In dieser qualitativen Studie wurde eine Umfrage zu den Meinungen der Teilnehmern über CAM-Methoden und Anwendungsgewohnheiten für diese Methoden in der Türkei durchgeführt. Die Personen mit verschiedenen sozioökonomischen Niveau aus Zentrum von Akhisar-Manisa sind eingeschlossen. Den Teilnehmern (6 Frauen, 6 Männer im Alter von 19-64 Jahren; 3 Angehörige der Gesundheitsberufe) wurden Fragen aus einem halbstrukturierten Fragebogen in türkischer Sprache während eines Interviews von Angesicht zu Angesicht gestellt und das Interview wurde als Audiodatei aufgezeichnet. Anschließend wurden diese Audiodateien transkribiert, mit Hilfe einer Software (MAXQDA 11, Demo Version, erreichbar auf http://www.maxqda.com) analysiert und die relevanten Teile ins Englische übersetzt. Die zu Hause anwendbare und traditionelle Methoden, insbesondere Kräuterrezepte, sind sehr beliebt. Das Beten wird in jeder Phase von Gesundheitsproblemen angewendet. Höheres Bildungsniveau und Internetnutzung erhöhen die Kenntnis und Verwendung vielfältiger CAM-Methoden. Frauen interessieren sich für CAM mehr als Männer. Die Kosten beeinflussen Bevorzugung oder Beendigung einer CAM-Methode. Das CAM-Wissen und die CAM-Nutzung der Teilnehmern unter 20 ist sehr begrenzt. Personen mit chronischen oder ungelösten Gesundheitsproblemen verwenden mehr CAM-Methoden als diejenigen ohne. Diese Patienten mit chronischen oder ungelösten Gesundheitsproblemen sind auch die am meisten Unzufriedenen. Die meisten Menschen, die zu Hause CAM-Methoden verwenden, sind in der Regel zufrieden. Alle an dieser Studie teilgenommene Experten sind der Meinung, dass CAM im Lehrplan der medizinischen Fakultäten einen Plaz haben sollten.Abstract The aim of the study is to determine the knowledge and behavior of people in Turkey for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In this qualitative study, a survey was conducted on participants opinions on CAM methods and usage habits for these methods in Turkey. The persons of different socioeconomic level from the center of Akhisar-Manisa are included. Participants (6 women, 6 men aged 19-64, 3 health professionals) were asked questions from a semi-structured Turkish questionnaire during a face-to-face interview, and the interview recorded as an audio file. Subsequently, these audio files were transcribed, analyzed using software (MAXQDA 11, demo version, accessible on http://www.maxqda.com) and the relevant parts translated into English. The home-usable and traditional methods, especially herbal recipes, are very popular. Praying is used in every phase of the health problems. Higher education level and Internet usage, increase the acquaintance and use of diverse CAM methods. Women are more interested in CAM than men. The costs affect preference or termination of a CAM method. The CAM knowledge and the CAM usage of participants under 20 is very limited. People with chronic or unresolved health problems use more CAM methods than those without. The Patients with chronic or unresolved health problems are also the most dissatisfied reported. Most people who use CAM methods at home are usually satisfied. All experts participating in this study believe that CAM should have a place in the medical faculty curriculum.Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersArbeit an der Bibliothek noch nicht eingelangt - Daten nicht geprüftMedizinische Universität Wien, Diplomarb., 2019(VLID)368103

The parameters to estimate postoperative severe complications classified through Clavien-Dindo after upper abdominal surgery in patients with primary and recurrent ovarian cancer

Objectives: The more surgical effort and performing extensive upper abdominal surgery (UAS) are often required to accomplish the highest rates of optimally cytoreduction in patients with ovarian cancer. Nonetheless, the rate of complications increases with extensive surgery. We have studied the upper abdominal surgery complications by Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC) and analyzed parameters affecting post-operative severe complications classified through Clavien-Dindo. Material and methods: A retrospective cohort of patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer from January 1st 2009 to April 30th 2016 was evaluated. Patients who underwent at least one UAS procedure with or without optimal cytoreduction for epithelial ovarian cancer (stage IIIC–IV or recurrent) were included. Postoperative complications were recorded according to the Clavien-Dindo Classification. Results: In total, 58 patients were included. There were 120 UAS procedures performed on the 58 patients. Diaphragm peritonectomy was the most performed surgery (50%, 29/58), and then the other UAS procedures were liver surgery (39.7%, 23/58), cholecystectomy (24.1%, 14/58), splenic surgery (24.1%, 14/58), full-thickness diaphragm resection (22.4%, 13/58), pancreatic surgery (19%, 11/58), resection of tumor from porta hepatis (17.2%, 10/58), celiac lymph node excision (8.6%, 5/58), partial gastrectomy (1.7%, 1/58), respectively. Thirteen patients (22.4%) had post-operative grade 3–5 complications according to CDC within 30 days after surgery. Conclusions: This current study demonstrated that the addition of extensive upper abdominal surgery procedures were not associated with increased postoperative severe complications in patients with recurrent or advanced ovarian cancer. These procedures are safe and feasible for patients in need and also can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity

The effect of strict rate control on B-type natriuretic peptide values and echocardiographic parameters in chronic atrial fibrillation

Background: There have been conflicting results about the role of strict rate control on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF). To date, large clinical studies have not shown a net clinical benefit derived from the current trend to specify the target ventricular rate according to the patient's own clinical and laboratory characteristics. Although the existing literature shows no superiority of strict rate control in clinical end points, it is difficult to assess the pure rate effect without commonly coexisting medication side effects which can also influence clinical end points