How can emergency physicians protect their work in the era of pseudo publishing?

Recently scientists have been targets of pseudo journals (fake, hijacked or predatory journals). These journals provide a low barrier to publication and quick publication times compared to high quality journals and exploit the pay-to-publish system in order to charge publication fees but they provide no formal peer-review. We aim to increase awareness among emergency physicians about pseudo journals.Trying to list all of fake, hijacked or predatory journals is not the solution because new journals are launched almost everyday and the fast proliferation of journals makes it difficult to identify and list all of them. Only an understanding of the practices and markers of legitimate and predatory publishers will allow the researcher to keep pace with danger because fraud is an ever-changing field.In this review we offer basic information (our top list of strategies and potential red flags) to recognize these journals to avoid submission and suggest some solutions if a paper has already been submitted or published in these journals. Keywords: Fake journal, Hijacked journal, Open access, Predatory journal, Predatory publishing, Pseudo publishin

Weakness in the Emergency Department: Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis Induced By Strenuous Physical Activity

SUMMARY: Hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a rare but serious disorder that is typically caused by a channelopathy. Thyrotoxicosis, heavy exercise, high carbohydrate meal and some drugs can trigger channelopathy in genetically predisposed individuals. A 33-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with weakness in the lower extremities. He stated that he had done heavy physical activity during the previous week. The patient exhibited motor weakness in the lower extremities (2/5 strength) during the physical examination. Initial laboratory tests showed a potassium level of 1.89 mEq/L. The initial electrocardiogram demonstrated T wave inversion and prominent U waves. The patient was treated in the emergency department with oral and intravenous potassium. The physical and ECG symptoms resolved within 16 hours of potassium supplementation and biochemical tests showed normal serum potassium levels. The patient was discharged shortly after the resolution of the symptoms. Weakness is an important but nonspecific symptom that may be brought on by a number of underlying physiological processes. Hypokalemic periodic paralysis is a rare disease that may be triggered by heavy physical activity and presents with recurrent admissions due to weakness. Key words: Emergency department, hypokalemic periodic paralysis, muscle weaknes

Herbal Weight Loss Pill Overdose: Sibutramine Hidden in Pepper Pill

Supposedly herbal weight loss pills are sold online and are widely used in the world. Some of these products are found to contain sibutramine by FDA and their sale is prohibited. We report a case of a female patient who presented to the emergency department after taking slimming pills. 17-year-old female patient presented to the emergency room with palpitations, dizziness, anxiety, and insomnia. She stated that she had taken 3 pills named La Jiao Shou Shen for slimming purposes during the day. Her vital signs revealed tachycardia. On her physical examination, she was restless, her oropharynx was dry, her pupils were mydriatic, and no other pathological findings were found. Sibutramine intoxication was suspected. She was given 5 mg IV diazepam for restlessness. After supportive therapy and observation in emergency department for 12 hours there were no complications and the patient was discharged home. Some herbal pills that are sold online for weight loss have sibutramine hidden as an active ingredient, and their sale is prohibited for this reason. For people who use herbal weight loss drugs, sibutramine excessive intake should be kept in mind at all times

Case Report Herbal Weight Loss Pill Overdose: Sibutramine Hidden in Pepper Pill

Supposedly herbal weight loss pills are sold online and are widely used in the world. Some of these products are found to contain sibutramine by FDA and their sale is prohibited. We report a case of a female patient who presented to the emergency department after taking slimming pills. 17-year-old female patient presented to the emergency room with palpitations, dizziness, anxiety, and insomnia. She stated that she had taken 3 pills named La Jiao Shou Shen for slimming purposes during the day. Her vital signs revealed tachycardia. On her physical examination, she was restless, her oropharynx was dry, her pupils were mydriatic, and no other pathological findings were found. Sibutramine intoxication was suspected. She was given 5 mg IV diazepam for restlessness. After supportive therapy and observation in emergency department for 12 hours there were no complications and the patient was discharged home. Some herbal pills that are sold online for weight loss have sibutramine hidden as an active ingredient, and their sale is prohibited for this reason. For people who use herbal weight loss drugs, sibutramine excessive intake should be kept in mind at all times

Social media, FOAMed in medical education and knowledge sharing: Local experiences with international perspective

Social media, through the Internet and other web-based technologies, have become a means of communication and knowledge-sharing. In this article, we provide details about the social media traffic of various scientific activities, the organizations of which we have played an active role in. We also provide information in our native language through our FOAMed website, which has been published for about 30 months, with us acting as editors. We are comparing these local and limited ventures with examples from the world and aim to remind that social media sources play a very important role in sharing knowledge in medical training and encouraging local initiatives, like ours, with limited resources. Keywords: Medical education, Social media, FOAMed, Knowledge sharin

Original Article Platelet function parameters in management of hepatic hydatid disease: a case-controlled study

Abstract: Aim: To evaluate platelet function in patients with a history of surgical treatment for hepatic hydatid disease (HD). Methods: This retrospective case-controlled study was performed in a state hospital in Turkey from January 2009 to November 2013. The patients were divided into two groups: those evaluated in the preoperative period (Group 1) and those evaluated in the postoperative period (Group 2). The patient groups were compared with a control group (Group 3). All three groups were evaluated using laboratory records from day 1 of the preoperative period and day 30 of the postoperative period. The haematocrit level (HTC), platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and percentage of eosinophils (EOS) were compared among the groups. Results: Fifty-three patients who had undergone surgical treatment of hepatic HD and 55 healthy controls were included in the study. The mean follow-up time for all patients was 45 (14-70) months. The patients comprised 33 (62%) females and 20 (38%) males. The control group comprised 37 (67%) females and 18 (33%) males. The median age of the patients was 48 (19-78) years, while that of the control group was 42 (16-64) years. No significant differences in the HTC, PLT, or EOS were present among the groups. The MPV and PDW indicated that platelet function was significantly different between Group 1 and Groups 2 and 3. Additionally, nine patients had undergone previous surgical treatment for HD. In a separate long-term follow-up, these patients exhibited no statistically significant differences in MPV or PDW between the preoperative and postoperative periods. Conclusions: MPV and PDW can be used in the initial follow-up of patients with hepatic HD, but have limited use in long-term follow-up

Change in Complete Blood Count Parameters and Vital Signs After Intravenous Infusion of 1 Liter of Normal Saline

Aim: In patients with suspected acute hemorrhage in the emergency department, the first-line of treatment is intravenous fluid therapy. The most frequently used parameters to estimate the amount of hemorrhage and to plan the management are the vital signs, hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Hct) values. In this study, we aimed to define possible changes in the vital signs, Hb, and Hct values after intravenous infusion of 1 L normal saline in non-hemorrhagic patients to interpret the Hb and Hct values in hemorrhagic patients who receive the same treatment. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients who presented to the emergency department of a training and research hospital between December 1 and 31, 2012, were included in the study. One liter of normal saline was given to patients who consented to participate in the study. The complete blood count parameters and vital signs were recorded before and after administration of saline. Results: Statistically significant decreases in pulse, systolic blood pressure, white blood cell count, Hb, and Hct values were observed after the administration of saline (p<0.001). The median Hb and Hct values decreased from 14.2 to 13 g/dL (p<0.001) and from 42.4% to 38.3% (p<0.001), respectively. Conclusion: In the follow-up of patients who are given intravenous fluids, emergency department physicians should consider that some changes may occur in vital signs and complete blood count parameters due to hemodilution