"Flag Excision and Flap" Procedure: a Novel Modification for Off-Midline Closure After Pilonidal Sinus Excision

Pilonidal sinus surgery has evolved with the novel flap techniques, and off-midline closure became a preferred surgical procedure due to shorter recovery time and low recurrence rates. To obtain a better off-midline closure without maceration and a possible wound problem, we modified a novel excision technique. We aimed to present this novel flag modification of rhomboid excision and flap reconstruction experience. From December 2007 to June 2009, 100 patients were treatedwith flag excision and flap reconstruction under regional anesthesia and followed with a mean of 42 (range 35-55) months. Competent closure results were obtained successfully in all patients without an overlap between incision line and midline. None of the patients had seroma. Two patients (2 %) had partial wound detachment superiorly. None of the patients had recurrence during follow-up. The flag excision and flap reconstruction procedure is an effective and comfortable technique both for the surgeon and the patient with a quick healing period and low complication rates without maceration

Supporting Online Material Materials and Methods Figs. S1 to S3 Tables S1 and S2 References Chemical Chaperones Reduce ER Stress and Restore Glucose Homeostasis in a Mouse Model of Type 2 Diabetes

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a key link between obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Here, we provide evidence that this mechanistic link can be exploited for therapeutic purposes with orally active chemical chaperones. 4-Phenyl butyric acid and taurine-conjugated ursodeoxycholic acid alleviated ER stress in cells and whole animals. Treatment of obese and diabetic mice with these compounds resulted in normalization of hyperglycemia, restoration of systemic insulin sensitivity, resolution of fatty liver disease, and enhancement of insulin action in liver, muscle, and adipose tissues. Our results demonstrate that chemical chaperones enhance the adaptive capacity of the ER and act as potent antidiabetic modalities with potential application in the treatment of type 2 diabetes

“Flag Excision and Flap” Procedure: a Novel Modification for Off-Midline Closure After Pilonidal Sinus Excision

Pilonidal sinus surgery has evolved with the novel flap techniques, and off-midline closure became a preferred surgical procedure due to shorter recovery time and low recurrence rates. To obtain a better off-midline closure without maceration and a possible wound problem, we modified a novel excision technique. We aimed to present this novel flag modification of rhomboid excision and flap reconstruction experience. From December 2007 to June 2009, 100 patients were treated with flag excision and flap reconstruction under regional anesthesia and followed with a mean of 42 (range 35–55) months. Competent closure results were obtained successfully in all patients without an overlap between incision line and midline. None of the patients had seroma. Two patients (2 %) had partial wound detachment superiorly. None of the patients had recurrence during follow-up. The flag excision and flap reconstruction procedure is an effective and comfortable technique both for the surgeon and the patient with a quick healing period and low complication rates without maceration

The microbiological diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis: results of Haydarpasa-1 study

We aimed to provide data on the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in this largest case series ever reported. The Haydarpasa-1 study involved patients with microbiologically confirmed TBM in Albania, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Syria and Turkey between 2000 and 2012. A positive culture, PCR or Ehrlich-Ziehl-Neelsen staining (EZNs) from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was mandatory for inclusion of meningitis patients. A total of 506 TBM patients were included. The sensitivities of the tests were as follows: interferon- release assay (Quantiferon TB gold in tube) 90.2%, automated culture systems (ACS) 81.8%, Lowenstein Jensen medium (L-J) 72.7%, adenosine deaminase (ADA) 29.9% and EZNs 27.3%. CSF-ACS was superior to CSF L-J culture and CSF-PCR (p<0.05 for both). Accordingly, CSF L-J culture was superior to CSF-PCR (p<0.05). Combination of L-J and ACS was superior to using these tests alone (p<0.05). There were poor and inverse agreements between EZNs and L-J culture (=-0.189); ACS and L-J culture (=-0.172) (p<0.05 for both). Fair and inverse agreement was detected for CSF-ADA and CSF-PCR (=-0.299, p<0.05). Diagnostic accuracy of TBM was increased when both ACS and L-J cultures were used together. Non-culture tests contributed to TBM diagnosis to a degree. However, due to the delays in the diagnosis with any of the cultures, combined use of non-culture tests appears to contribute early diagnosis. Hence, the diagnostic approach to TBM should be individualized according to the technical capacities of medical institutions particularly in those with poor resources

Improvement of the electromechanical performance of carboxymethylcellulose-based actuators by graphene nanoplatelet loading

In this article, the effects of graphene loading (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 wt%) on both the electromechanical and mechanical properties of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based actuators were investigated. CMC-based graphene-loaded actuators were prepared by using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide. The synthesized graphene-loaded actuators were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile tests. Electromechanical properties of the actuators were obtained under DC excitation voltages of 1, 3, 5, and 7 V with a laser displacement sensor. According to the obtained results, the ultimate tensile strength of CMC-based actuators containing 0.3 wt% graphene was higher than that of unloaded actuators by approximately 72.8 %. In addition, the Young's modulus value of the graphene-loaded actuators increased continuously with increasing graphene content. Under a DC excitation voltage of 5 V, the maximum tip displacement of 0.2 wt% graphene-loaded actuators increased by about 15 % compared to unloaded actuators

Cranial imaging findings in neurobrucellosis: results of Istanbul-3 study

Objective Neuroimaging abnormalities in central nervous system (CNS) brucellosis are not well documented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of imaging abnormalities in neurobrucellosis and to identify factors associated with leptomeningeal and basal enhancement, which frequently results in unfavorable outcomes