Studying brain activation during skill acquisition via robot-assisted surgery training

Robot-assisted surgery systems are a recent breakthrough in minimally invasive surgeries, offering numerous benefits to both patients and surgeons including, but not limited to, greater visualization of the operation site, greater precision during operation and shorter hospitalization times. Training on robot-assisted surgery (RAS) systems begins with the use of high-fidelity simulators. Hence, the increasing demand of employing RAS systems has led to a rise in using RAS simulators to train medical doctors. The aim of this study was to investigate the brain activity changes elicited during the skill acquisition of resident surgeons by measuring hemodynamic changes from the prefrontal cortex area via a neuroimaging sensor, namely, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty-four participants, who are resident medical doctors affiliated with different surgery departments, underwent an RAS simulator training during this study and completed the sponge suturing tasks at three different difficulty levels in two consecutive sessions/blocks. The results reveal that cortical oxygenation changes in the prefrontal cortex were significantly lower during the second training session (Block 2) compared to the initial training session (Block 1) (p < 0.05)

Persistent ascites due to sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis mimicking ovarian carcinoma: A case report

Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis, also known as ‘Cocoon Syndrome’, is a rare cause of bowel obstruction. The condition might be congenital or acquired and has non-specific symptomatology. Abdominal pain occurs due to the limitation of intestinal motility or segment obstruction by a thick homogenous fibrotic mantle covering the intra-peritoneal organs. Altered peritoneal fluid dynamics result in persistent ascites. Leading pathogenic theories are not well defined, but genetic factors, retrograde trans-tubal flow of causative agents, peritoneal infections, medications and peritoneal invasive procedures are all thought to play a role. There are no specific diagnostic criteria and exact diagnosis is only confirmed during surgery when the investing thick fibrous folds covering the bowel loops are visualised. We present here a case that had been suspected to have an ovarian malignancy due to a huge abdominal heterogeneous mass and ascites on preoperative diagnostic workup, but had a final diagnosis of abdominal Cocoon Syndrome made during surgery. © 2014 by the Turkish-German Gynecological Education and Research Foundation

Possible protective effects of betaine on liver and kidney tissues of long term therapeutic doses of paracetamol (acetaminophen) administered on pregnant rat's newborn puppies

41st FEBS Congress on Molecular and Systems Biology for a Better Life -- SEP 03-08, 2016 -- Kusadasi, TURKEYWOS: 000383616901798…FEB

Investigation of the protective effect of boric acid and omega-3 fatty acid in model of acute myocardial infarction changes in myocardial rats

41st FEBS Congress on Molecular and Systems Biology for a Better Life -- SEP 03-08, 2016 -- Kusadasi, TURKEYWOS: 000383616901564…FEB