Anatomy and clinical importance of the extracranial clivus and surrounding structures

The aim of this study was to reveal the clinical importance of measurements taken from the pharyngeal tubercle (PT) to various anatomical structures around the extracranial clivus. Twenty-six adult dry Anatolian skulls were examined. The extracranial clivus and PT were used as landmarks from which various distances were measured using a digital caliper accurate to 0.01 mm. The following mean distances from the PT were observed; foramen lacerum (FL) (L: 17.15 mm, R: 17.4 mm); medial external margin of the carotid canal (CC) (L: 26.7 mm, R: 27.5 mm); anterior tip of occipital condyle (OC) (L: 16.4 mm, R: 16.3 mm); anterior margin of foramen magnum (FM) (10.8 mm); foramen ovale (FO) (L: 25.9 mm, R: 29.1); medial margin of the jugular fossa (JF) (L: 25.4 mm, R: 25.7 mm); medial external margin of the hypoglossal canal (HC) (L: 20.0 mm, R: 19.9 mm). Mean bilateral distances were: LFO-RFO: 45.34 mm; LFL-RFL: 20.1 mm; LCC-RCC: 52.1 mm; LOC-ROC: 17.6 mm; LJF-RJF: 45.2 mm; LHC-RHC: 33.5 mm. The following mean distances were observed from the FM: FM-OC (L: 8.3 mm, R: 9.3 mm); FM-HC (L: 17.8 mm, R: 17.4 mm). Also the mean distance of OC-HC were observed (L: 11.7 mm, R: 11.4 mm). Present measurements suggest that the PT can be used as an anatomical landmark during surgery involving clival pathology. However, the anatomy and variations of the extracranial clivus and surrounding structures must be taken into consideration.</p

Stężenia adropiny i albuminy modyfikowanej niedokrwieniem w surowicy w zależności od występowania zespołu policystycznych jajników i wartości BMI

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and body mass index (BMI) on serum adropin and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels. Materials and methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed with a total of 120 women [group1; non-PCOS = 60 (BMI < 25 = 30, BMI ≥25 = 30) and group 2; PCOS = 60 (BMI < 25 = 30, BMI ≥25 = 30)]. Blood samples were collected between the third and fifth days of the women’s menstrual cycles after a night of fasting. Results: There were no differences between the groups in relation to age, basal follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels, systolic and diastolic blood pressures. A significant difference was found in basal luteinizing hormone, fasting glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, free testosterone levels, waist-to-hip ratios and the Ferriman-Gallwey scores between the PCOS and non-PCOS patients in the lean and overweight groups (p < 0.05). The serum adropin levels in the lean PCOS group were lower than in the lean non-PCOS group (p < 0.05) and were lower in the overweight PCOS group than in the overweight non-PCOS group (p < 0.05). There was also a statistically significant difference in serum IMA levels in the PCOS group than in the non-PCOS group in both the lean and overweight groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Although serum adropin levels were significantly decreased in the PCOS group, IMA levels increased. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of adropin and IMA in women with PCOS and to use a new marker to monitorize treatment outcomes. Wstęp: Badanie przeprowadzono w celu oceny wpływu zespołu policystycznych jajników (polycystic ovary syndrome, PCOS) i wskaźnika masy ciała (body mass index, BMI) na surowicze stężenia adropiny i albumin modyfikowanej niedokrwieniem (ischemia modified albumin, IMA). Materiał i metody: To prospektywne badanie przekrojowe obejmowało 120 kobiet [grupa 1: osoby bez PCOS — n= 60 (BMI &lt; 25 — n= 30; BMI ≥ 25 — n = 30) oraz grupa 2: osoby z PCOS — n= 60 (BMI &lt; 25 — n= 30, BMI ≥ 25 —n = 30)]. Próbki krwi pobierano między trzecim a piątym dniem cyklu menstruacyjnego badanych kobiet, rano na czczo. Wyniki: Grupy nie różniły się pod względem wieku, podstawowego stężenia hormonu folikulotropowego, stężeń estradiolu, tyreotropiny, prolaktyny, cholesterol frakcji HDL, testosteronu całkowitego i siarczanu dehydroepiandrosteronu ani skurczowego i rozkurczowego ciśnienia tętniczego. Stwierdzono natomiast istotne różnice między grupą z PCOS i bez PCOS w podgrupach osób szczupłych i otyłych w zakresie podstawowego stężenia hormonu luteinizującego, glikemii na czczo, wskaźnika insulinooporności w modelu homeostazy, stężeń cholesterolu całkowitego, cholesterolu frakcji LDL, triglicerydów i wolnego testosteronu, a także wskaźnika talia-biodra oraz oceny w skali Ferrimana-Gallweya (P &lt; 0,05). Stężenia adropiny w osoczu były niższe w grupie szczupłych kobiet z PCOS niż u szczupłych osób niechorujących na PCOS (P &lt; 0,05) oraz były niższe u otyłych osób z PCOS niż u otyłych osób z grupy bez PCOS (P &lt; 0,05). Stwierdzono również statystycznie istotną różnice w stężeniach IMA w surowicy między kobietami z PCOS i bez PCOS, zarówno w podgrupie osób szczupłych, jak i otyłych (P &lt; 0,05). Wnioski: Mimo że surowicze stężenia adropiny były istotnie niższe w grupie z PCOS, stężenia IMA były podwyższone w tej grupie badanych. Konieczne są dalsze badania w celu określenia wpływu adropiny i IMA u kobiet z PCOS i stosowanie nowych wskaźników do monitorowania efektów leczenia

Can mean platelet volume be used as a biomarker for asthma?

Introduction : Platelets play important roles in airway inflammation and are activated in inflammatory lung diseases, including asthma. Aim :We evaluated the mean platelet volume (MPV), used as a marker of platelet activation, in asthmatic patients during asymptomatic periods and exacerbations compared to healthy controls to determine whether MPV can be used as an indicator of inflammation. Material and methods :Our patient group consisted of95 children with exacerbation of asthma who were admitted to our allergy clinic. The control group consisted of 100 healthy children matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. Mean platelet volume values of the patient group obtained during exacerbation of asthma were compared to those of the same group during the asymptomatic period and with the control group. We investigated factors that can affect the MPV values of asthma patients, including infection, atopy, immunotherapy treatment, and severity of asthma exacerbation. Results :The patient group consisted of 50 (52.6%) boys and 45 (47.4%) girls with a mean age of 125 ±38 months old. Mean MPV values in the exacerbation period, the healthy period, and in the control group were 8.1 ±0.8 fl, 8.1 ±1.06 fl, and 8.2 ±0.9 fl, respectively; there were no significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). The severity of asthma, severity of asthma exacerbation, immunotherapy, coinfection, eosinophil count, and IgE level also had no effect on MPV (p > 0.05). Conclusions : Although platelets play a rolein the pathophysiology of asthma, MPV measurement is insufficient to detect inflammation through platelet

A novel modified PAIR technique using a trocar catheter for percutaneous treatment of liver hydatid cysts: a six-year experience

PURPOSEWe aimed to demonstrate the success and reliability of a novel puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration (PAIR) technique in liver hydatid cysts.METHODSPercutaneous treatment with ultrasonographic guidance was performed in 493 hepatic hydatid cysts in 374 patients. Patients were treated with a new PAIR technique by single puncture method using a 6F trocar catheter. The results of this novel technique were evaluated with regards to efficacy and safety of the procedure and complication rates.RESULTSOut of 493 cysts, 317 were Gharbi type I (WHO CE 1) and 176 were Gharbi type II (WHO CE 3A). Of all cysts, 13 were referred to surgery because of cystobiliary fistulization. Recurrence was observed in 11 cysts one month later. Therefore, the success rate of the PAIR technique was 97.7% (469/480). Minor complications (fever, urticaria-like reactions, biliary fistula) were seen in 44 treated patients (12%, 44/374); the only major complication was reversible anaphylactic shock which was observed in two patients (0.5%, 2/374).CONCLUSIONThis novel modified PAIR technique may be superior to catheterization by Seldinger technique due to its efficiency, easier application, lower severe complication rate, and lower cost. Further comparative studies are required to confirm our observations

Assessment of the requisites of microbiology based infectious disease training under the pressure of consultation needs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Training of infectious disease (ID) specialists is structured on classical clinical microbiology training in Turkey and ID specialists work as clinical microbiologists at the same time. Hence, this study aimed to determine the clinical skills and knowledge required by clinical microbiologists.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was carried out between June 1, 2010 and September 15, 2010 in 32 ID departments in Turkey. Only patients hospitalized and followed up in the ID departments between January-June 2010 who required consultation with other disciplines were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 605 patients undergoing 1343 consultations were included, with pulmonology, neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, dermatology, haematology, and endocrinology being the most frequent consultation specialties. The consultation patterns were quite similar and were not affected by either the nature of infections or the critical clinical status of ID patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of our study show that certain internal medicine subdisciplines such as pulmonology, neurology and dermatology appear to be the principal clinical requisites in the training of ID specialists, rather than internal medicine as a whole.</p

Polarization and Spectral Energy Distribution in OJ 287 during the 2016/17 Outbursts

We report optical photometric and polarimetric observations of the blazar OJ 287 gathered during 2016/17. The high level of activity, noticed after the General Relativity Centenary flare, is argued to be part of the follow-up flares that exhibited high levels of polarization and originated in the primary black hole jet. We propose that the follow-up flares were induced as a result of accretion disk perturbations, traveling from the site of impact towards the primary SMBH. The timings inferred from our observations allowed us to estimate the propagation speed of these perturbations. Additionally, we make predictions for the future brightness of OJ 287.</p

Assessing Privacy Risk on Social Network Data

We propose a study of the privacy risk on social network data using the state-of-the-art framework. We perform direct simulation of different privacy attacks to compute privacy risk. We also show the results of privacy risk distributions based on the type of privacy attack and realize a degradation analysis on the social network graph. To tackle the high computational complexity of such simulation we use an alternative data mining approach to estimate privacy risk using node level metrics. In the end, we compare the computational complexities of two approaches and evaluate results