How can we improve the quality of scientific research and publications? guidelines for authors, editors, and reviewers

[Abtract Not Available

Self-assessment of Articles Published in the Balkan Medical Journal According to Their Study Design with Regards to Impact Factor

[Abtract Not Available

Contribution of Balkan Medical Journal to the development and dissemination of medical science in the Balkans

[Abtract Not Available

Pankreatik olmayan ağır sepsisli hastalarda belirleyici faktörler olarak yüksek C-reaktif protein ve amilaz değerleri

Amaç: Kritik hastalarda sepsis ilerleyen multi organ yetmezliği ile ilişkilidir. Ağır sepsiste ilave biyogöstergeler, yüksek riskli hastaların etkili tedavi seçiminde ve prognozun belirlenmesi mücadelesinde başarılı olmak için gereklidir. Bu araştırmada ağır sepsisli hastalarda sağkalım için belirleyici faktörler olarak serumda C-reaktif protein (CRP) ve amilaz değerlendirildi. Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya ağır sepsis kriterlerini sağlayan 95 hasta (42 erkek, 53 kadın) dahil edildi. APACHE II skorları, serum CRP ve amilaz düzeyleri hastaların yoğun bakım ünitesine kabul edildiğinde, iki gün sonra ve yoğun bakım ünitesinden taburcu edildiği gün veya kaybedildikleri gün alındı. Bulgular: Amilaz ve ortalama CRP düzeyleri ile APACHE II skorları yaşamını kaybeden hastalarda, sağ kalan hastalardan anlamlı derecede yüksekti. Sonuç: Serum amilaz ve CRP, ağır sepsisli hastalarda sağkalımı belirleyicidir. Yüksek amilaz ve CRP düzeyleri ağır sepsisli hastaların risk değerlendirmesinde ve gelecek çalışmalarda yüksek riskli hastaların sınıflandırılmasında değerli araçlar olarak görülebilir.Objectives: Sepsis in critical illness is associated with the progressive failure of multiple organs. Additional biomarkers in severe sepsis are needed to tackle the challenges of determining a prognosis and optimizing the selection of high-risk patients for therapy. This paper evaluates serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and amylase as prognostic factors for survival in patients with severe sepsis. Patients and Methods: Ninety-five patients (42 males, 53 females) meeting the criteria for severe sepsis were chosen for the study. APACHE II scores, serum levels of CRP and amylase were taken on admission to an intensive care unit, two days later, and on the day of discharge from the intensive care unit or on the day of death. Results: Amylase levels, median CRP levels, and APACHE II scores were significantly higher in the non-survivors than in the surviving patients. Conclusion: Serum amylase and CRP are predictors of survival in patients with severe sepsis. High amylase and CRP levels appear to be a valuable tool for individual risk assessment in severe sepsis patients and for stratification of high-risk patients in future intervention trials

Atrakuryum, rokuronyum, mivakuryum, sisatrakuryum, pankuronyum ve vekuronyumda Escherichia coli üremesi

Amaç: Biz çalışmamızda atrakuryum, rokuronyum, mivakuryum, sisatrakuryum, pankuronyum ve vekuronyumun Escherichia coli üremesi üzerine olan etkinliğini araştırdık. Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Patojen bakteri, atrakuryum, rokuronyum, mivakuryum, sisatrakuryum, pankuronyum ve vekuronyum ile 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, ve 24 saat oda sıcaklığında temas ettirildi. Bulgular: Escherichia coli ortalama koloni sayısı rokuronyumda istatiksel anlamlı olarak atrakuryum, mivakuryum, sisatrakuryum, pankuronyum ve vekuronyumdan daha düşük saptandı (sırasıyla p=0.002, 0.000, 0.000, 0.001, ve 0.002). Atrakuryum, mivakuryum, sisatrakuryum, pankuronyum ve vekuronyumda ortalama koloni sayısı açısından anlamlı fark saptanmadı (p<0.05). Sonuç: Rokuronyum, diğer nöromusküler kas gevşetici ajanlardan daha kuvvetli antimikrobiyal etki gösterdi.Objectives: We studied in vivo growth of Escherichia coli in atracurium, rocuronium, mivacurium, cisatracurium, pancuronium, and vecuronium. Patients and Methods: The pathogen was exposed to atracurium, rocuronium, mivacurium, cisatracurium, pancuronium and vecuronium for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24 h at room temperature, respectively. Results: The mean colony counts of Escherichia coli after exposure to rocuronium was significantly lower than the counts after exposure to atracurium, mivacurium, cisatracurium, pancuronium and vecuronium (p=0.002, 0.000, 0.000, 0.001, and 0.002, respectively). No significant difference was found with respect to the mean colony counts with atracurium, mivacurium, cisatracurium, pancuronium and vecuronium (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Rocuronium had more powerful antimicrobial effects than the other neuromuscular agents

The Effects of Baicalin on Myoglobinuric Acute Renal Failure in Rats

Background: Myoglobinuric acute kidney injury is a uremic syndrome that develops due to damage of skeletal muscle. Free radicals and nitric oxide play an important role in the pathogenesis of myoglobinuric acute kidney injury. Baicalin has multiple bioactivities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and is a potent free radical scavenger. Aims: To investigate the nephroprotective mechanism of baicalin on myoglobinuric acute kidney injury. Study Design: Animal experimentation. Methods: In our study, male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups. Control (n=8), Baicalin (n=8), myoglobinuric acute kidney injury (n=10) and myoglobinuric acute kidney injury + baicalin (n=10). The rats were deprived of water for 24 hours before receiving intramuscular injection. The control and baicalin groups were injected intramuscularly with saline (8 ml/kg), and the myoglobinuric acute kidney injury and myoglobinuric acute kidney injury + baicalin groups were given 50% glycerol 8 ml/kg. One hour later, the control and myoglobinuric acute kidney injury groups received saline intraperitoneally, and the baicalin and myoglobinuric acute kidney injury + baicalin groups were given 200 mg/kg baicalin. Twenty-four hours after the glycerol injection, urine and blood samples were taken, and the kidneys of the rats were harvested under intraperitoneally injections of anaesthesia. Results: We found that the levels of creatinine, urea, nitric oxide, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase in serum samples, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase concentrations in renal tissue were increased in the myoglobinuric acute kidney injury group compared with the control group (p<0.05). The nitric oxide and glutathione levels in the kidney were significantly decreased in the myoglobinuric acute kidney injury + baicalin group compared with the myoglobinuric acute kidney injury group (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between any other parameters. Conclusion: Our results did not show any protective effect of baicalin on myoglobinuric acute kidney injury, possibly because the different effective factors in the pathogenesis of experimental myoglobinuric acute kidney injury used in this experiment deviate from other experimental models. Moreover, detailed studies are needed to clarify the effects of baicalin in different doses and treatment durations in glycerol-induced acute kidney injury mode

The use of cyclic processes in medical decision making: An application of the Markov model

Amaç: Çalışmada Markov modelin kavramsal yapısına açıklık getirilerek, sağlık alanında karar verme ve kestirimde bulunmada kullanımının örnek bir model ile gösterilmesi amaçlandı. Çalışma Planı: Markov model kuramını irdelemek için hipotetik bir çalışmayla, St. Jude toplam terapi XIIIB protokolünün akut lenfoblastik lösemideki etkinliğine ilişkin örnek bir model kurgulandı. Başlangıç durumu remisyon olan 10000 denemelik bir kohort benzetim çözümlemesi düzenlenerek 10 döngü sürecinde olguların remisyonda kalma beklentisi hesaplandı. Bulgular: Olayların zamanlaması önemli olduğunda, zaman aşımı karar probleminde risk yaratıyorsa ve olaylar birden fazla kez tekrar edebiliyorsa (nüks gibi), Markov model söz konusu olayları tahmin etmede kullanılabilir bir modelleme türüdür. Kurguladığımız örnek modelin sonucu olarak, St. Jude toplam terapi XIIIB protokolü ile tedavi gören herhangi bir olgunun 2. döngüde relapssız remisyonda kalma olasılığının %43 olduğu ve bu döngüden sonra artan bir hızda düştüğü bulundu. Sonuç: Markov modeller yardımıyla klinik stratejilerin maliyet, etkinlik ve yaşam kalitesi ölçütleri sentez edilerek, bunların sonucunda yaşam beklentisi, kalite düzeltmeli yaşam beklentisi ve yaşam maliyeti hesaplanabilir.Objectives: We aimed to explain the conceptual basis of the Markov model and to show the use of this model by an example application in medical decision making and medical predicting. Study Design: An example model regarding the effectiveness of St. Jude Total Therapy XIIIB protocol in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) was hypothesised to evaluate the Markov model concept. The expected remission probabilities in 10 cycles were calculated in a cohort simulation with 10,000 trials, in a cohort in remission in the initial state. Results: Markov models are effective prediction models when the timing of events is important, when the decision problem involves risk over time and when events may happen more than once (as in recurrence). Markov models can be used in estimating such events. As a result of derived model, the remission probability without relaps of any case treatrd with St. Jude Total Therapy XIIIB protocol in ALL disease in the second cycle was found as 43% and it was sharply reduced after this cycle. Conclusion: Cost, effectiveness, and health-related quality of life criteria of clinical strategies can be synthesised by the help of Markov models and used in the calculation of life expectancy, quality adjusted life expectancy and lifetime cost

The Cut-off Values for the Diagnosis of Hamstring Shortness and Related Factors

Background: Hamstrings are one of the most frequently evaluated muscle groups for flexibility in the lower extremity. Passive and active knee extension angle values are used as an indirect indicator of hamstring flexibility. However, the lack of consensus on the cut-off values leads to the use of inconsistent angle values in determining the hamstring tightness. Aims: To establish the normative and cut-off values of the passive and active knee extension angles for healthy young adults and to determine the associated factors including the quadriceps strength. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 123 volunteer university students, aged 18-24 years, who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Passive and active knee extension assessments of the subjects were performed. Subsequently, on the next day, both knee extensor concentric muscle strength of the participants was measured in the isokinetic system. The knee extension angles and the knee extensor strength were recorded as the mean values of the right and the left sides. Results: Passive knee extension angles of 17.1°±9.1° and 9.8°±5.7° and active knee extension angles of 17.8°±9.1° and 13.4°±6° were described as normative values in men and women, respectively. The cut-off values for the diagnosis of hamstring shortness were as follows: passive knee extension angle >32.2° for males and >19.2° for females and active knee extension angle >33.0° for males and >23.4° for females. A significant positive correlation was observed between knee extension angles and isokinetic knee extensor muscle strength in all participants. The knee extension angle and hamstring flexibility were not affected by dominance. Conclusion: The knee extension angles of healthy young people seem to be lower than the results currently reported in the literature. There s a positive correlation between knee extension angles and isokinetic knee extensor muscle strength

The Relationship Between Chronotypes and Physical Activity in Healthy Young Medical Students

DergiPark: 439205tmsjAims: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between circadian rhythm and physical activity in students of Trakya University School of Medicine ranging from 1st to 5th grade. Methods: Horne amp; Östberg’s Morningness-Eveningness questionnaire and International Physiological Activity Scale were used to compare physical activity and chronotype features of 1st to 5th grade students of Trakya University School of Medicine. Pearson Chi-Square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to evaluate the results of the study. Results: This study included 351 medical students, of whom 143 were male and 208 were female. The mean age of the study population was 20.79 ± 1.9. There were 32 (9.1%) morning-type, 234 (66.5%) intermediate-type and 85 (24.4%) evening-type volunteers. Out of all, 102 (29.0%) were inactive, 177 (50.3%) minimal active and 73 (20.7%) active. There was no significant relationship between physical activity and chronotype differences between the study groups. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed no relationship between physical activity and chronotype in healthy young medical students. Circadian preference may not be considered as an effective factor for daily physical activity

Investigation of Exercise Dependency Attitude in Cyclists

DergiPark: 379030tmsjAims:The aim of this study is to determine the relation between exercise dependency, exercise dependency frequency and sportive habits correspondent to cycling.Methods: There were 165 voluntary participants between the ages of 18 and 62. They have filled out Exercise Dependency Scale-21 and by dint of the scale they have been categorized into 3 following groups: “Dependent”, “Non Dependent Symptomatic” and “Non Dependent Asymptomatic”. The participants’ medical conditions and traits of cycling were determined by an evaluation form and compared in between the groups. For the data acquired, Kruskal Wallis test was used for the comparison in between the groups; Mann-Whitney-U test was used to compare the data of two groups. This study was approved by the local ethics board. Results: When the data analyzed with Exercise Dependency Scale-21, it was determined that there were 9 (5.5%) people who were “dependent”, 107 (67.8%) people who were “non dependent symptomatic” and 49 (29.7%) people who were “non dependent asymptomatic”. The weekly cycling time in the last year was found more in the dependent (19.6±15.5) group and the symptomatic (11.6±11.1) group than the asymptomatic (7.8±7.4) group (respectively p=0.017 and p=0.015). Weekly cycling frequency was found more both in the dependent (6.8±3.6) group and the symptomatic (5.9±12.5) group than the asymptomatic (3.5±3.3) group (respectively p=0.005 ve p=0.044). Furthermore the last year’s weekly cycling frequency of dependent group was higher than the symptomatic group (p=0.0016). In this study, there is no significant difference depending on the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes.Conclusion:In this study, exercise dependency of the cyclists is determined to be 5.5%. According to the Exercise Dependency Scale-21, the weekly exercise duration and frequency of the dependent group were higher than the symptomatic and the asymptomatic groups. Therefore, consumption of alcohol and cigarettes by the groups were similar, thus exercise dependency is not coherent with the consumption of alcohol and cigarette