Procrastination and predictor variables among a group of dental students in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of procrastination among a group of Turkish dental students and to determine the predictors and consequences of procrastination. A total number of 273 females and 179 males (aged between 18 and 28) were included in the study. Tuckman procrastination scale, Academic Life Satisfaction Scale, Concern over Mistake Scale, Poor Time Management Scale, Self-Doubt Scale, Irrational Beliefs about Studying Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and Life Satisfaction Scale were used to gather data. Results indicated that 50% of participants were more likely to procrastinate their academic assignments or tasks. Procrastination score did not differ according to gender. The findings suggested that procrastinating students had a higher level of poor time management, self-doubt and irrational beliefs about studying, and poor academic performance and well-being than their non-procrastinating counterparts. Preventive strategies are necessary to overcome procrastination which affects the academic achievement, satisfaction, and well-being of dental students

The prevalence and consequences of burnout on a group of preclinical dental students

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of burnout among a group of Turkish preclinical dental students, to compare the level of burnout and to determine the consequences in structural equation model. Materials and Methods: Preclinical dental students (n = 329, 50.5% of females and 49.5% of males) aged between 18 and 24 took part in the study. Maslach burnout inventory student version, academic satisfaction scale, and personal information sheet were used to gather data. Pearson correlation analyses, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. The proposed theoretical model was tested via observed variable path analysis using maximum likelihood parameter estimation with AMOS 7.0. Results: About 22.3% of students had high level of emotional exhaustion, 16.7% of students had high level of cynicism, and 17.9% of students suffered from high level of reduced academic efficacy. While the students attending the first grade reported higher level of reduced academic efficacy, the students in the third grade reported higher level of emotional exhaustion. Academic workload played an important role in the development of burnout. As consequences of burnout, students with high levels of burnout intended to change their current major and did not to plan to continue to postgraduate education. Students with high level of burnout reported less level of academic satisfaction and academic achievement. Conclusions: Creating awareness on the burnout of dental students from the preclinical period may be useful for prevention and more compatible dental education environment. © 2015 European Journal of Dentistry

A lethal but treatable complication: free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction

A 43-year-old male patient was admitted to coronary intensive care unit with the diagnosis of acute inferolateral myocardial infarction and with a picture of cardiogenic shock. In physical examination, systolic blood pressure was 50 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure could not be taken. The patient was diagnosed with cardiogenic shock and was started on saline, dopamine and dobutamine infusion. His blood pressure did not increase although the dosage of positive inotropic agents was increased. A cardiac tamponade revealed with urgent echocardiographic evaluation and pericardiocentesis was carried out. Blood pressure returned to normal range within hours after pericardiosentesis. Echocardiographic examination performed on the second day of AMI on the asymptomatic patient revealed thrombosed myocardial rupture. The patient was referred to emergency surgery with the diagnosis of three-vessel disease and myocardial rupture according to urgent angiography. In the operation, the ruptured region in the ventricle free wall was primarily repaired. By-pass surgery was performed with saphenous vein graft to the LAD and CV-OM1 coronary arteries

Assessment of the place of tubular reabsorption of phosphorus in the diagnosis of osteopenia of prematurity [Prematüre osteopenisi tanısında tübüler fosfor reabsorbsiyonunun yerinin değerlendirilmesi]

Aim: In this study, we aimed to investigate the utility of tubular reabsorption of phosphorus in the diagnosis of osteopenia of prematurity in addition to biochemical markers. Material and Methods: Premature babies with a gestational age of ?32 weeks and/or a birth weight of ?1 500 g who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit between June 2009 and March 2011 were included in the study. These babies were evaluated at the 40th gestational week and serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine, urinary calcium and phosphorus levels were measured and tubular reabsorption of phosphorus was determined. The subjects who had bone graphy findings and/or an alkaline phosphatase level of >400IU/L and a phosphorus value of 499 IU were compared with the newborns who were found to have a tubular reabsorption of phosphorus of ?%95 for the objective of evaluating the specificity and sensitivity of tubular reabsorption of phosphorus, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of tubular reabsorption of phosphorus in the diagnosis of osteopenia were found to be 27%, 82%, 17% and 89%, respectively. When the osteopenic and non-osteopenic patients were compared in terms of the levels of tubular reabsorption of phosphorus, no statistically significant difference was found. Conclusions: It was thought that it was not appropriate to use tubular reabsorption of phosphorus alone in the diagnosis of osteopenia of prematurity. © 2015 by Turkish Pediatric Association

The LDL/HDL ratio and atherosclerosis in ankylosing spondylitis

cure, erkan/0000-0001-7807-135XWOS: 000394465400015PubMed: 27312464In ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, cardiac and vascular involvement may manifest as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol constitute a significant risk for atherosclerosis. This study investigated the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), LDL/HDL ratio, total oxidant status (TOS; an indicator of oxidative stress) and ischemic modified albumin (IMA; an ischemic marker in AS patients). Sixty AS patients were diagnosed using the Modified New York Criteria; 54 age- and gender-matched participants were included as controls. CIMT, LDL/HDL ratio, TOS and IMA were measured using the most appropriate methods. IMA was higher in AS patients compared to controls (p < 0.0001). TOS was also increased in AS patients (p = 0.005); as was CIMT (p < 0.0001). the LDL/HDL ratio was also greater in AS patients compared to controls (p = 0.047). A positive correlation was found between CIMT and LDL/HDL ratio among AS patients. Elevated CIMT, IMA and TOS levels suggest an increased risk of atherosclerotic heart disease in AS patients. the LDL/HDL ratio was higher in AS patients compared to controls, and there was a correlation between LDL/HDL ratio and CIMT, albeit statistically weak. Therefore, the LDL/HDL ratio is not a reliable marker to predict atherosclerotic heart disease in AS patients

Non-invasive wrist and upper arm automated blood pressure measurements compared with invasive values a multicentre study: is automated BP measurement reliable?

WOS: 000208702203561