The effectiveness of neural mobilization in addition to conservative physiotherapy on cervical posture, pain and functionality in patients with cervical disc herniation

Introduction: Medical treatment, conservative physiotherapy (CP), exercise, mobilization and prevention methods should be taken into consideration in cervical problems. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of neural mobilization (NM) combined with CP on cervical posture, pain functionality in patients with cervical disc herniation (CDH). Material and methods: Sixty patients with CDH and radicular pain participated in this randomized controlled study. They were randomly allocated into two groups. The control group (n = 30) received CP (hotpack, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, ultrasound), and the experimental group (n = 30) received CP plus NM on the radial, median and ulnar nerves. Both groups received the CP for three weeks (15 sessions). The experimental group received the neural mobilization technique for three weeks (3 sessions per week). The demographic data, severity of pain (by Visual Analog Scale), cervical active range of motion degree, and cervical posture data (by Tragus to Wall test, Measurement of C7 to Wall Distance) have been recorded. Neck Disability Index (NDI) was applied to all participants for functionality. Results: The distance between tragus and the wall decreased in the experimental group (p 0.05). The scores of pain and cervical active range of motion were found different in favor of the experimental group (p 0.05). Conclusion: CP together with NM techniques will provide additional gains in cervical posture, pain, and active range of motion in patients diagnosed with cervical disc herniation. © 2021 Advances in Rehabilitation. All rights reserved

Umbilical Cord Serum Erythropoietin Levels and Maternal Smoking in Pregnancy

Objective. To evaluate the effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on levels of umbilical cord erythropoietin. Methods. Erythropoietin levels were measured in umbilical cord sera of 60 newborns who were delivered vaginally at term. There were 20 (33%) smoking and 40 (67%) nonsmoking mothers. Results. Mean cord serum erythropoietin levels were significantly lower in the nonsmokers (nonsmokers, 24 ± 9 IU/L; smokers, 61 ± 46 IU/L; P < .001). There was a significant positive correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and cord serum erythropoietin levels (r, 0.58; P ≤ .05). Conclusions. Smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased levels of umbilical cord erythropoietin at birth. This may indicate a risk of fetal hypoxia and growth restriction. Education and encouragement of cessation of smoking during pregnancy are important to avoid associated fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality

The validity and reliability study of Turkish version of the multiple intelligences developmental assessment scales

The purpose of this study is to adapt Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS) to Turkish. After examining and confirming equivalency between English and Turkish versions the scale was administered to a sample (1466 participant) including undergraduate, graduate students at the Cukurova University and adult in Adana, Turkey. In addition, test-retest reliability was assessed using a sample of undergraduate, graduate and adults in Adana,Turkey (N=100). In order to examine the validity and reliability properties of the scale, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach Alpha correlation coefficients, corrected item-total correlations and t-tests between items’ means of upper 27%-lower 27% points were used. The final analysis accounted for 41.93 % of the variance under 93 items and 7 factors. The internal consistency coefficient (α = .87) was within ideal ranges. Also results of confirmatory factor analysis show that the model fitness indicator indexes meet the statistical standards [χ2=16558.65 (sd=4164, p&lt;.001), (χ2/sd=3.98, NNFI= 0.95, NFI=0.93, CFI=0.95, IFI= 0.95, RMSEA=0.052, and SRMR= 0.062]

Controversies in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy that affects women from puberty to whole reproductive life. Diagnosis and treatment of PCOS is not clear. Polycystic ovary syndrome is a multisystem disease that involves dermatologist examining patients with clinical hyperandrogenism and/or biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism; gynecologist examines patients with oligo-ovulation or infertility. The management of PCOS should be tailored to each woman’s specific symptoms, fertility-related implications, and metabolic disorders. Pharmacologic treatment is not necessary for all patients with PCOS, also lifestyle changes like exercise, weight loss, and diet are effective for treatment. Lifestyle changes are often recommended as first-line treatment for PCOS to benefit general health. Topical nonhormonal therapies and laser hair removal may be effective for cutaneous symptoms like acne, hirsutism, and androgenetic alopecia in the PCOS population and are useful first-line agents. Some pharmacological agents (anti-androgens) are used to control the dermatological symptoms of hyperandrogenism. Metformin is useful for metabolic and glycemic anomalies and for the treatment of menstrual irregularities, but less effective than antiandrogens for the treatment of both hirsutism and acne. The aim of this study is to talk about unclear topics in PCOS and multidisciplinary approach to patients

Trichotillomania and Traction Alopecia

Trichotillomania and traction alopecia are chronic habitual disorders characterized by repetitive pulling of hair that results in alopecia. They are commonly observed in children and adolescents but may present in adults due to occupational or traditional behavioral patterns. Trichotillomania (hair‐pulling disorder) has been described more than a century ago, but we still have very limited data about its etiology and treatment. It is classified under the obsessive‐compulsive and related disorders along with hoarding disorder, skin‐picking disorder (excoriation) and body dysmorphic disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM‐5; American Psychiatric Association, May 2013). Traction alopecia is defined as loss of hair caused by repetitive or continuous and prolonged tension applied to the hair, usually on the scalp periphery and associated with mechanical traction of hair due to occupational behavioral patterns such as ballerinas or traditional behavioral patterns of hairstyles that cause tension. We aim to overview the clinical and diagnostic features of trichotillomania and traction alopecia and review the therapeutic options of these disorders in this chapter

Needs Analysis on Values Education Programme for Preschool Students

In recent years, there is a big debate among researchers, teachers and decision makers about what to include in early childhood values education in preschools in Turkey. The aim of the current study is to make a need analysis for values education programme for preschoolers. This study was conducted with 200 preschool teachers in one of urban cities of Turkey –Kahramanmaraş- during 2016-2017 Spring semester. A values checklist is created for the current study by making use of Turkish Ministry of Education’s ‘Values Education Prescript’. The values checklist is a 5-Likert type scale coded as: Not important, Slightly important, Moderately important, Important, Very important. The teachers participated in this study were asked to rank values according to their self regard on importance of them. Findings of this study are analyzed by SPSS 22.0 Programme. According to the findings of the need analysis, top ten values which are chosen by teachers as essential to be implemented in preschools as part of the values education programme for preschoolers are as follows: Honesty, patriotism, responsibility, respect, respect to the elders, respect to environment, love, being fair, respect to others’ rights and being modest. Also, least five values which were ranked by teachers are social responsibility, generosity, collaboration, forehandedness and courage

Sınıf Öğretmenlerinin Matematik Dersi Öğretim Programına İlişkin Değerlendirmelerinin İncelenmesi

DergiPark: 696848tredBu araştırmanın temel amacı, sınıf öğretmenlerinin matematik dersi öğretim programına ilişkin değerlendirmelerini belirlemek ve öğretmenlerin programa ilişkin değerlendirmelerini çeşitli değişkenlere (mezun olunan okul türü, kıdem, sınıf mevcudu, hizmet içi eğitim alma durumu) göre incelenmektir. Betimsel tarama modelindeki bu araştırmanın örneklemini; Adana, Mersin, Urfa, Mardin, Gaziantep, İstanbul, Kayseri ve Hatay illerinde görev yapmakta olan 231 sınıf öğretmeni oluşturmuştur. Veri toplama aracı olarak, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen, &quot;Matematik Dersi Öğretim Programı Değerlendirme Ölçeği&quot; kullanılmıştır. Ölçek, “genel yapı, kazanımlar, içerik, ölçme ve değerlendirme, sunum” olmak üzere beş faktörden oluşan beşli Likert tipinde düzenlenmiş 21 maddelik bir ölçektir. Ölçekten toplanan verilerin analizinde tek yönlü varyans analizi, bağımsız gruplar t testi ve Kruskal Wallis testi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada, sınıf öğretmenlerinin matematik programına ilişkin değerlendirmelerinin olumlu olduğu görülmüştür. Öğretmenlerin programa yönelik değerlendirmelerinin mezun oldukları okul türüne ve sınıf mevcuduna göre farklılaşmadığı saptanmıştır. Bunun yanı sıra, değerlendirme puanları kıdeme göre sadece kazanım alt ölçeğinde, 21 yıl ve üzeri kıdeme sahip öğretmenler ve 16-20 yıl kıdeme sahip olanlar lehine iken; hizmetiçi eğitim alma durumuna göre sadece sunum alt ölçeğinde ve toplam puanda hizmet içi eğitim alanların lehinedir

Clinical course of psoriasis patients that discontinued biologics during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundSince psoriasis is a chronic disease, it is not recommended to discontinue the treatment agents used. However, in real life, the treatment of psoriasis patients may be interrupted for various reasons. During the pandemic period, the treatment of many patients was also interrupted. ObjectivesTo evaluate relapse and clinical worsening in psoriasis patients whose biological therapy was interrupted during the pandemic and reveal associated factors. MethodsThe study included patients aged >= 18 years, who were followed up with moderate and severe chronic psoriasis controlled by the last biological agent [Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) 75 response achieved] but had to discontinue their treatment during the pandemic. The patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, clinical course after the discontinuation of these agents, presence of clinical worsening, and relapse were evaluated. Risk factors were analyzed with the logistic regression analysis. ResultsThe study included 169 patients, with a mean age of 47.3 +/- 14.5 (18-87) years. The mean biologics-free time was 18.2 +/- 12.3 (2-56) weeks. Clinical worsening was detected in 41.4% and relapse in 48.5% of the patients. The significant risk factors for clinical worsening and relapse in both univariate and multivariate analyses were alcohol use during the biologics-free period, total time off biologics, and the presence of an additional triggering factor. The use of secukinumab and ustekinumab was found to be a protective factor against clinical worsening in multivariate analyses. ConclusionAs the biologics-free period is prolonged, the likelihood of clinical worsening and relapse increases, therefore, we do not recommend discontinuing biological agents

Isotretinoin-induced spondyloarthropathy-related symptoms: A prospective study

Objective. Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease involving the pilosebaceous unit of the skin. Isotretinoin is a systemic retinoid that is often used as an effective treatment option for severe and treatment-resistant acne. Isotretinoin may also cause rheumatologic symptoms. The aim of this prospective observational study was to present followup results regarding the rheumatologic symptoms of patients who received systemic therapy for the treatment of acne (isotretinoin and tetracycline). Methods. For inclusion in the study, all consecutive patients with acne who were aged > 18 years were evaluated by the same dermatologist. The first 42 consecutive patients were included in the isotretinoin group, and after matching for age and sex, 32 consecutive patients were included in the tetracycline group. Isotretinoin treatment was planned as an average dose of 30 mg daily and a total dose of 120-150 mg/kg for 4-6 months. The patients were administered a dose of 1 g/day of tetracycline as 2 equal doses for 3 months. Results. Forty-two patients diagnosed with acne vulgaris were treated with isotretinoin 20.6 ± 4.4 (male/female: 17/22), and 32 patients were treated with tetracycline 20.6 ± 2.7 (male/female: 8/24). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with respect to age and sex. Unilateral Achilles enthesopathy developed in 3 patients, whereas both Achilles enthesopathy and unilateral sacroiliitis developed in 1 patient. Inflammatory back pain developed in 6 patients in the isotretinoin group. Conclusion. To our knowledge, this was the first prospective observational study that assessed the rheumatologic symptoms of isotretinoin treatment. The spondyloarthropathy findings were identified in 23.1% of the patients who used isotretinoin