The value of hematological inflammatory parameters in the differential diagnosis of testicular torsion and epididymo-orchitis in children

Aim: To investigate the value of neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in differentiating acute scrotal conditions. Methods: A total of 60 patients, including 30 epididymo-orchitis and 30 testicular torsions, diagnosed and treated in our clinic between January 1, 2010 and December 2022, were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups; group 1 (testicular torsion = TT) and Group 2 (epididymo-orchitis = EO). The age, diagnosis, and hemogram parameters of the patients were evaluated. Results: Both Group 1 and Group 2 consisted of 30 patients each. The mean ages of group 1 and 2 were 13.7, and 11.2 years, respectively (p>0.05). When compared to the group 2, NLR was higher in the group 2 (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of PLR value (p >0.05). ROC analysis was performed for NLR. According to the ROC analysis; at a cut-off value of 2.92, the sensitivity was 51% and the specificity was 87%, AUC (0.79; CI: 0.694 - 0.896). Conclusion: TT and EO can be diagnosed using inflammatory markers such as NLR. However, additional prospective studies are neede

Impact on Visual Acuity in Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration (nAMD) in Europe Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

This is a retrospective, multicenter study of consecutive patients with nAMD scheduled for a visit and/or a treatment with an intravitreal injection (IVI) during the 3 months before lockdown in the Ophthalmology Departments of six centers of Europe.The study was conducted on 546 patients, of which 55.13% were females, almost 100% of the patients were White/Caucasian race, and 71.53% of the patients presented a type 1 macular neovascularization (NVM). A total of 62.82% of patients (343 patients) that were on scheduled clinic visits and/or intravitreal injection treatment during the 3 months before the quarantine did not attend either to visit or for treatment during the lockdown. The mean number of injections during the lockdown was significantly reduced. This was followed by a significant reduction in the mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between the 3 months before the lockdown (mean BCVA of 60.68 +/- 19.77 letters) and 6 months after lockdown (mean BCVA of 56.98 +/- 22.59 letters). Patients with better BCVA before the lockdown and the ones showing neovascular activity were more likely to attend their scheduled visits and/or IVI treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have led to a decrease in the number of IVI treatments in patients with nAMD, evidencing a significant vision loss at 6 months

Impact on Visual Acuity in Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration (nAMD) in Europe Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

This is a retrospective, multicenter study of consecutive patients with nAMD scheduled for a visit and/or a treatment with an intravitreal injection (IVI) during the 3 months before lockdown in the Ophthalmology Departments of six centers of Europe.The study was conducted on 546 patients, of which 55.13% were females, almost 100% of the patients were White/Caucasian race, and 71.53% of the patients presented a type 1 macular neovascularization (NVM). A total of 62.82% of patients (343 patients) that were on scheduled clinic visits and/or intravitreal injection treatment during the 3 months before the quarantine did not attend either to visit or for treatment during the lockdown. The mean number of injections during the lockdown was significantly reduced. This was followed by a significant reduction in the mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between the 3 months before the lockdown (mean BCVA of 60.68 ± 19.77 letters) and 6 months after lockdown (mean BCVA of 56.98 ± 22.59 letters). Patients with better BCVA before the lockdown and the ones showing neovascular activity were more likely to attend their scheduled visits and/or IVI treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have led to a decrease in the number of IVI treatments in patients with nAMD, evidencing a significant vision loss at 6 months

High prevalence of spondyloarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis among familial Mediterranean fever patients and their first-degree relatives: further evidence for the connection

INTRODUCTION: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an auto-inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and serositis. Limited data suggest that the prevalence of sacroiliitis is increased in patients with FMF. In our present study, we assessed the prevalence of spondyloarthritis (SpA), including ankylosing spondylitis (AS), among a cohort of FMF patients and their unaffected first-degree relatives (FDRs). METHODS: The current study cohort comprised a consecutive group of 201 unrelated patients with FMF and 319 FDRs (≥ 16 years old). These subjects were examined according to a standard protocol. RESULTS: A total of 157 FMF patients (78.1%) and 233 (73%) unaffected FDRs reported back pain. Fifteen FMF patients (7.5%) and nine unaffected FDRs fulfilled the modified New York (mNY) criteria for AS. One additional FDR with AS was identified after review of the medical records. None of the FMF patients with AS was HLA-B27 positive. The allele frequency of M694V among the FMF patients with radiographic sacroiliitis was significantly higher in comparison with those without sacroiliitis (OR 4.3). When compared with the general population, the risk ratios for SpA and AS among the FDRs of our FMF patients were 3.3 (95% CI; 2.0 to 5.5) and for AS 2.9 (95% CI; 1.3 to 6.4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that a) factors other than HLA-B27 play a role in the association of FMF and SpA/AS; b) MEFV gene variations may be one of the geographic/region-specific potential pathogenetic links between these two disorders in the Turkish population

Absolute White Blood Cell Count and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio May Predict the Need for Double- J Stent Insertion in Ureteral Stones in Children: A Comparative Study

Objective: Our goal was to determine whether or not a double-J (DJ) stent insertion is required in cases of ureteral stones based on the absolute white blood cell (WBC) counts, neutrophillymphocyte ratio (NLR), absolute monocyte counts, and other laboratory markers. Materials and Methods: The patients were divided into two groups as those who did (Group 1), and did not (Group 2) need DJ stent insertion. The age, symptoms, diagnosis, hemogram parameters, and treatment results of the patients were evaluated. Results: Forty-nine percent (n=44) of the patients were female and 51% (n=46) were male. The groups did not differ in terms of age and gender (p>0.05). A higher incidence of hematuria was observed in Group 1 (p<0.05). WBC (p<0.05), NLR (p<0.05), and monocyte counts (p<0.05) were found to be higher in Group 1. In the ROC analysis; WBC and NLR were found to be two predictive markers for the need for DJ stent insertion. At a cut-off value of 12.6 x 109/L, WBC had 37% sensitivity, and 81% specificity (AUC: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.54-0.80), and at a cut-off value of 3.8, NLR had 65% sensitivity, and 76% specificity (AUC: 0.70; 95%CI: 0.57-0.82) in predicting the need for a DJ stent insertion. Reoperation was not required in any case. Conclusion: In cases of ureteral stones, the absolute WBC count and NLR may help determine the requirement (if any) for a double-J stent insertion

Analysis of the common genetic component of large-vessel vasculitides through a meta- Immunochip strategy

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) are major forms of large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) that share clinical features. To evaluate their genetic similarities, we analysed Immunochip genotyping data from 1,434 LVV patients and 3,814 unaffected controls. Genetic pleiotropy was also estimated. The HLA region harboured the main disease-specific associations. GCA was mostly associated with class II genes (HLA-DRB1/HLA-DQA1) whereas TAK was mostly associated with class I genes (HLA-B/MICA). Both the statistical significance and effect size of the HLA signals were considerably reduced in the cross-disease meta-analysis in comparison with the analysis of GCA and TAK separately. Consequently, no significant genetic correlation between these two diseases was observed when HLA variants were tested. Outside the HLA region, only one polymorphism located nearby the IL12B gene surpassed the study-wide significance threshold in the meta-analysis of the discovery datasets (rs755374, P?=?7.54E-07; ORGCA?=?1.19, ORTAK?=?1.50). This marker was confirmed as novel GCA risk factor using four additional cohorts (PGCA?=?5.52E-04, ORGCA?=?1.16). Taken together, our results provide evidence of strong genetic differences between GCA and TAK in the HLA. Outside this region, common susceptibility factors were suggested, especially within the IL12B locus

Design of a single layer micro-perforated sound absorber by finite element analysis

Micro-perforated sound absorbers with sub-millimeter size holes can provide high absorption coefficients. This paper presents results of work on the development of an effective single layer micro-perforated sound absorber from the commercial composite material Parabeam (R) with micro diameter holes drilled on one side. Parabeam (R) is used as a structural material made from a fabric woven out of a E-glass yarn and consists of two decklayers bonded together by vertical piles in a sandwich structure with piles (thick fibers) woven into the decklayers. The paper includes, the analytical model developed for prediction of absorption coefficients, finite element solution using commercial software MSC.ACTRAN and experimental results obtained from impedance tube measurements. A simple optimization is performed based on the developed models to obtain an efficient absorber configuration. It has been anticipated that several different and interesting applications can be deduced by combining structural and sound absorption properties of this new micro-perforated absorber

Benlik Gelişiminde Nöropsikolojik Temeller

Yüz tanıma, sosyal ilişki ve benlik gelişimi arasında bir bağlantı vardır. Ördeklerde yumurtadan çıkar çıkmaz ilk yirmi dört saat içinde, kritik periyod devresinde yavruların hareket eden nesneleri takip ettiği bilinmektedir. Bunun gibi bebeklerin de annenin yüz hareketlerini takip ederek sosyal ilişkiyi ve benlik gelişimini sağladıklarını öngörebiliriz. İnsanın yüz tanımayı dil işlevinde olduğu gibi önemli ve karmaşık bir dizge üzerinden gerçekleştirmesinin bir nedeni olmalıdır. İnsanların birbirilerini yüzlerinden tanımaları, dostu düşmanı yüz üzerinden ayırmaları, bütün dostluklarını yüz üzerinden kurmaları onun dış dünyada insan için ne kadar temel bir rol oynadığını ortaya koyar. Ortak benliğin iç dünyada kurduğu bütünlüğün benzeri dış dünyada yüz üzerinden kurulmaktadır. İnsanlar yüz üzerinden birbirlerine bağlıdır ve bütünlüklerini yüz üzerinden sağlarlar. Bir bebeğin yüzün yapısal düzenine ilişkin karmaşık bilgiyi hemen ilk aylarda dışarıdan elde etmesi zordur. Yüz tanıma becerisi doğumdan sonra edinilen bir beceri olmaktan çok doğumla birlikte hazır getirilen bir bilgi gibi durmaktadır. Bu bilgi ortak benliğin ürünü olarak bebekte var olmaktadır. Duygu tanıma becerisinin de yüz tanımayla birlikte geliştiği söylenebilir. Prosopagnozi gibi nörolojik bozukluklardan yola çıkarak benliğin beyindeki merkezine ilişkin araştırmalar ve yorumlar yapılmaktadır. Özellikle uyarılmış potansiyellerle yapılmış çalışmalar bu konuda önemli bir altyapı sağlayacak gibi durmaktadır. Bu yazıda yüz tanıma ile benlik gelişimi arasındaki ilişkiye nöropsikolojik açıdan değinmek amaçlanmıştır