Rates of new asthma diagnosis in patients with allergic rhinitis in otorhinolaryngology practice in the Eastern Black Sea region

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disease observed in otorhinolaryngology (ORL) practice. The aim of the study was to determine the rates of new asthma diagnosis in the patient population newly diagnosed with AR in otorhinolaryngology (ORL) practice in the Eastern Black Sea region. Material/Methods: This study retrospectively evaluated the files of patients admitted to an ORL outpatient clinic in Rize, Turkey between April 2011 and June 2012 and who were diagnosed with AR for the first time upon detection of aeroallergen sensitization in the prick test. Within this patient group, the files of patients who were also diagnosed with asthma in the same time period were examined. The files of patients who had previously been diagnosed with or treated for AR and/or asthma and with nasal polyposis and lower respiratory tract disease were excluded from the study. Results: There were 267 patients with a mean age of 37.5±14.9 (10–77 years) diagnosed with AR for the first time in the ORL outpatient clinic. The most common allergens were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (81.3% [217/267]), D. farinae (73.8% [197/267]), and grass mix (61.4% [164/267]). Of this patient group, 29.2% were diagnosed with asthma: 15% (40/267) with intermittent asthma, 13.9% (37/267) with mild persistent asthma, and 0.3% (1/267) with moderate persistent asthma. Conclusions: A rate of 29.2% for new asthma diagnoses in the Eastern Black Sea region in patients diagnosed with AR for the first time indicates a need to examine asthma complaints in all patients newly diagnosed with AR in ORL practices. © Med Sci Tech, 2016

High school students’ perceptions of global citizenship in central public high schools: Implications for teacher educators

Global citizenship is persistent in the realm of education in the US, as well as in the 21st century, as global issues must be included within the requirements of the dimensions of global citizenship in high school curriculum. This paper describes the results from the Global Citizenship Survey to assess the extent of American high school students’ perception of global citizenship. A total 110 students completed measures and 34 students answered open-ended questions regarding global citizenship in spring 2017. The results of this study indicated the importance of global citizenship to raise cultural awareness and a deeper sense of cultural empathy, responsibilities of global issues, and imperatives to become a global citizen for diverse societies. This study offers the components of global citizenship that must be included in the high school curriculum and identifies the need for teachers to cover global issues in the their classes that would encourage and enable students to be open-minded and appreciative of each culture for its differences in today’s globalized world. Additionally, because the world is changing, schools should prepare students to think critically about global issues using an inquiry-based curriculum. © 2019, Editura Lumen. All rights reserved

Diagnostic value of the wideband acoustic absorbance test in middle-ear effusion

WOS: 000365156800009PubMed: 26390957Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of wideband acoustic absorbance testing in otitis media with effusion. Methods: This prospective study compared middle-ear wideband acoustic absorbance rates in three paediatric patient groups: a healthy group of 34 volunteers; 48 patients diagnosed with otitis media with effusion; and 28 patients with chronic effusion but no sign of effusion during myringotomy. the diagnostic value of absorbance testing was analysed with the receiver operating characteristic test. Results: the wideband acoustic absorbance rate was significantly lower in the otitis media with effusion group than in both the otitis media and healthy groups at the 0.375-2 kHz averaged mean absorbance (p < 0.017 and p < 0.001, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed the highest diagnostic value for the 0.375-2 kHz averaged mean (area under the curve 0.984), followed by those at 1 and 1.5 kHz (area under the curve: 0.973 and 0.967, respectively). Conclusion: the wideband acoustic absorbance test is more accurate for detecting middle-ear effusion compared with conventional 226-Hz tympanometry. Its practicality and objectivity suggest that the wideband acoustic absorbance test may be a better alternative for diagnosing otitis media with effusion

Investigation of Leoligin Derivatives as NF-&kappa;&Beta; Inhibitory Agents

The transcription factor NF-&kappa;B is an essential mediator of inflammation; thus, the identification of compounds that interfere with the NF-&kappa;B signaling pathway is an important topic. The natural products leoligin and 5-methoxyleoligin have served as a starting point for the development of NF-&kappa;B inhibitors. Using our modular total synthesis method of leoligin, modifications at two positions were undertaken and the effects of these modifications on the biological activity were investigated. The first modification concerned the ester functionality, where it was found that variations in this position have a significant influence, with bulky esters lacking Michael-acceptor properties being favored. Additionally, the substituents on the aryl group in position 2 of the tetrahydrofuran scaffold can vary to some extent, where it was found that a 3,4-dimethoxy and a 4-fluoro substitution pattern show comparable inhibitory efficiency

Prolonged Controlled Oxygenated Rewarming Improves Immediate Tubular Function and Energetic Recovery of Porcine Kidneys during Normothermic Machine Perfusion

Background. Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) is typically performed after a period of hypothermic preservation, which exposes the kidney to an abrupt increase in temperature and intravascular pressure. The resultant rewarming injury could be alleviated by gradual rewarming using controlled oxygenated rewarming (COR). This study aimed to establish which rewarming rate during COR results in the best protective effect on renal rewarming injury during subsequent NMP. Methods. Twenty-eight viable porcine kidneys (n = 7/group) were obtained from a slaughterhouse. After these kidneys had sustained 30 min of warm ischemia and 24 h of oxygenated HMP, they were either rewarmed abruptly from 4-8 °C to 37 °C by directly initiating NMP or gradually throughout 30, 60, or 120 min of COR (rate of increase in kidney temperature of 4.46%/min, 2.20%/min, or 1.10%/min) before NMP. Results. Kidneys that were rewarmed during the course of 120 min (COR-120) had significantly lower fractional excretion of sodium and glucose at the start of NMP compared with rewarming durations of 30 min (COR-30) and 60 min (COR-60). Although COR-120 kidneys showed superior immediate tubular function at the start of normothermic perfusion, this difference disappeared during NMP. Furthermore, energetic recovery was significantly improved in COR-30 and COR-120 kidneys compared with abruptly rewarmed and COR-60 kidneys. Conclusions. This study suggests that a rewarming rate of 1.10%/min during COR-120 could result in superior immediate tubular function and energetic recovery during NMP. Therefore, it may provide the best protective effect against rewarming injury