COVID-19 in pediatric nephrology centers in Turkey

Background/aim: There is limited data on COVID-19 disease in children with kidney disease. We aimed to investigate the characteristics and prognosis of COVID-19 in pediatric nephrology patients in Turkey. Materials and methods: This was a national, multicenter, retrospective cohort study based on an online survey evaluating the data between 11th March 2020 and 11th March 2021 as an initial step of a detailed pediatric nephrology COVID-19 registry. Results: Two hundred and three patients (89 girls and 114 boys) were diagnosed with COVID-19. One-third of these patients (36.9%) were between 10–15 years old. Half of the patients were on kidney replacement therapy: kidney transplant (KTx) recipients (n = 56, 27.5%), patients receiving chronic hemodialysis (n = 33, 16.3%) and those on peritoneal dialysis (PD) (n = 18, 8.9%). Fifty-four (26.6%) children were asymptomatic. Eighty-two (40.3%) patients were hospitalized and 23 (28%) needed intensive care unit admission. Fifty-five percent of the patients were not treated, while the remaining was given favipiravir (20.7%), steroid (16.3%), and hydroxychloroquine (11.3%). Acute kidney injury developed in 19.5% of hospitalized patients. Five (2.4%) had MIS-C. Eighty-three percent of the patients were discharged without any apparent sequelae, while 7 (3.4%) died. One hundred and eight health care staff were infected during the study period. Conclusion: COVID-19 was most commonly seen in patients who underwent KTx and received HD. The combined immunosuppressive therapy and frequent exposure to the hospital setting may increase these patients’ susceptibility. Staff infections before vaccination era were alarming, various precautions should be taken for infection control, particularly optimal vaccination coverage

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Türkiye’ ye yönelik düzensiz emek göçü ve göçmen istihdamı : İnşaat sektörü örneği

TÜRKİYE’YE DÜZENSİZ EMEK GÖÇÜ VE GÖÇMEN İSTİHDAMI: İNŞAAT SEKTÖRÜ ÖRNEĞİ Uluslararası göç ve göçmen işçilerin istihdamı konusu sosyal bilimciler tarafından, gittikçe artan bir biçimde ele alınmakta ve çok sayıda araştırmaya konu olmaktadır. Uluslararası göçün nedenleri, göçmen işçilerin istihdam, yaşam ve çalışma koşulları, sosyal ağları ve hem menşe hem de hedef ülkelerin sosyal, siyasal, kültürel ve ekonomik durumlarına etkileri farklı disiplinler tarafından incelenmiştir. Türkiye’ye dönük uluslararası düzensiz emek göçü bir çok araştırmada bütünlüklü olarak çalışılmasına karşın göçmen işçilerin inşaat sektöründe istihdamlarına ilişkin araştırma sayısı çok azdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı Türkiye’ye yönelik düzensiz emek göçünü ve inşaat sektöründe göçmenlerin istihdamını incelemektir. Bu amaç çerçevesinde inşaat sektöründe çalışan göçmen işçiler, göçmen işçileri istihdam eden işverenler ve göçmen işçilere iş bulan aracı ile yarı yapılandırılmış, yüz yüze görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma bulgularına göre inşaat sektöründe göçmenlerin yoğun olarak istihdam edildikleri, işverenler tarafından ucuz iş gücü olarak görüldükleri ve çalışma ile yaşama koşullarının güvencesiz, sağlıksız oldukları ortaya çıkmıştır. Anahtar Kelimeler : Düzensiz göç, inşaat sektörü, göçmen istihdamı ABSTRACT IRREGULAR LABOR MIGRATION AND MIGRANT EMPLOYMENT IN TURKEY: CASE OF CONSTRUCTION SECTOR The topics of international migration and migrant workers have been increasingly discussed by social scientists and there have been many researches on this topic. Reasons of international migration, employment of migrant workers, migrant workers’ working and living conditions, and migrant workers’ effect on source and destination countries are explored by different disciplines. The issue of international migration to Turkey is studied on many researches completely; however, researches on migrant workers’ employment in construction sector are rather limited. The aim of this thesis is to analyze irregular labor migration and migrant workers’ employment in construction sector. For this aim, semi-structured interviews have been conducted with the migrant workers who work in construction sector, employers who provide employment for migrant worker and mediators who provide work opportunity to the migrant workers. According to the findings of this research, it is clearly understood that migrant workers are employed mostly in construction sector. Further, migrant workers are considered as low-cost labor by the employers and it is determined that lives of migrant workers are unsecured and unhealthy. Keywords : Irregular migration, construction sector, migrant employmen

Türkiye Ekonomisinde Ulaşım Altyapısının Ekonomik Büyümeye Etkisi- The Effect of Transportation Infrastructure in Turkish Economy on Economic Growth

Altyapı yatırımları, uzun dönem ekonomi politikalarının bir aracı olarak kullanılabilmekte ve altyapı yatırımları içerisinde yer alan ulaşım altyapısının geliştirilmesine duyulan ihtiyaç ise gün geçtikçe artmaktadır. Bunun nedeni ulaşım altyapısının zaman tasarrufu ve erişim kolaylığı gibi ulaştırmaya yönelik faydalarının yanı sıra ekonomik büyümeye olan katkısıdır. Dünya ticaretinde yönlendirici olan ülkelerin ulaşım altyapısı değerlendirildiğinde karayolu ağının oldukça gelişmiş olduğu görülmekte ve karayolu altyapısı ekonomik gelişmenin belirleyicisi olabilmektedir. Türkiye’de de ulaşım altyapısına yapılan yatırımların çoğunluğunu karayolu oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada Türkiye’deki karayolu uzunluklarından faydalanılarak ulaşım altyapısı ve ekonomik büyüme arasındaki uzun dönemli ilişki Cobb-Douglas üretim fonksiyonu yardımıyla incelenmiştir. 1988-2015 dönemi yıllık veriler kullanılarak yapılan VAR analizine dayalı Johansen eşbütünleşme testiyle uzun dönemde Türkiye’deki ulaşım altyapısındaki değişimin ekonomik büyümeyi pozitif ve anlamlı şekilde etkilediği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır

A new discrete analog circuit solution for capacitive rotary encoders

WOS:000835829900046In the time of global chip crisis, it is clear that alternative electronic solutions are necessary; particularly for capacitive rotary encoders, or similar capacitive sensors where demodulation techniques are extensively used. In this work, a discrete analog switch based circuit solution is proposed for the capacitive rotary encoders for the first time in the literature to the best of our knowledge. A 3-layer uniquely designed capacitive encoder prototype is used as a capacitive sensor. The analog switch with OPAMP based demodulation configuration designed for this work is both cheaper and it works at higher frequencies than the analog multiplier configuration. Also, unlike ASIC, it does not require high-tech for production. With the established test setup; noise, smallest perceptible capacitance, nonlinearity and temperature analyses of the circuit were made and competing results were achieved. The noise levels in terms of degree and voltage are measured as 0.0063° and 36.62 μV√Hz; respectively. Minimum measurable capacitance achieved with the discrete analog circuit is 2.54 aF√Hz. Nonlinearity was found to be 0.29% which is highly correlated with the mechanical misalignments of the capacitive encoder. Although this particular study is carried out on capacitive encoders, the proposed circuit solution can be used for similar types of sensors

Acute carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to amyloidosis

Introduction. ACTS secondary to amyloidosis is a very rare situation in the literature, and here, we present a unique case of ACTS secondary to amyloidosis. Case Report. A 61-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with complaints of numbness in the lateral half of his 1, 2, 3, and 4 fingers of his right hand. These complaints started acutely, and the patient did not have a history of trauma. His clinical examination was suitable for acute carpal tunnel syndrome. Discussion. Carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as acute carpal tunnel syndrome, may occur based on different causes. ACTS is very rare, especially when it is not caused by a trauma. Here, we presented a unique case of ACTS based on amyloidosis. Conclusion. It should be kept in mind when ACTS may occur in patients with the diagnosis of amyloidosis