The effect of acupressure on postoperative pain of lumbar disc hernia: A quasi-experimental study

WOS: 000439902900003PubMed ID: 30057038

Use of argyrophilic nucleolar-organizer region-associated protein synthesis in skeletal muscle cells for prediction of chronic carbon monoxide exposure

This study aims to evaluate possible effects of chronic carbon monoxide (CO) exposure on argyrophilic nucleolar-organizer region (AgNOR)-associated protein synthesis in striated muscle cells. Eighteen rats were randomly divided into three groups. Rats in group II and group III were given CO gas (1000 and 3000 ppm, respectively) for 30 min a day for 7 d. Mean AgNOR number per nucleus and ratio of total AgNOR area to nuclear area (TAA/NA) were determined. Both TAA/NA ratio and mean AgNOR number provided information about the existence or absence of exposure. TAA/NA ratio was also an indicator of the level of exposure.WOS:0005901196000032-s2.0-8505902600

Optimal Power Allocation For Average Detection Probability Criterion Over Flat Fading Channels

In this paper, the problem of optimal power allocation over flat fading additive white Gaussian noise channels is considered for maximizing the average detection probability of a signal emitted from a power constrained transmitter in the Neyman-Pearson framework. It is assumed that the transmitter can perform power adaptation under peak and average power constraints based on the channel state information fed back by the receiver. Using results from measure theory and convex analysis, it is shown that this optimization problem, which is in general nonconvex, has an equivalent Lagrangian dual that admits no duality gap and can be solved using dual decomposition. Efficient numerical algorithms are proposed to determine the optimal power allocation scheme under peak and average power constraints. Furthermore, the continuity and monotonicity properties of the corresponding optimal power allocation scheme are characterized with respect to the signal-to-noise ratio for any given value of the false alarm probability. Simulation examples are presented to corroborate the theoretical results and illustrate the performance improvements due to the proposed optimal power allocation strategy.Wo

A Novel Mutation in Human Androgen Receptor Gene Causing Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome in a Patient Presenting with Gynecomastia at Puberty

WOS: 000378169400018PubMed ID: 27087292Partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) typically presents with micropenis, perineoscrotal hypospadias, and a bifid scrotum with descending or undescending testes and gynecomastia at puberty. It is an X-linked recessive disorder resulting from mutations in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. However, AR gene mutations are found in less than a third of PAIS cases. A 16-year-old boy was admitted with complaints of gynecomastia and sparse facial hair. Family history revealed male relatives from maternal side with similar clinical phenotype. His external genitalia were phenotypically male with pubic hair Tanner stage IV, penoscrotal hypospadias, and a bifid scrotum with bilateral atrophic testes. He had elevated gonadotropins with a normal testosterone level. Chromosome analysis revealed a 46,XY karyotype. Due to the family history suggesting a disorder of X-linked trait, PAIS was considered and molecular analysis of AR gene was performed. DNA sequence analysis revealed a novel hemizygous mutation p.T576I (c. 1727C>T) in the AR gene. The diagnosis of PAIS is based upon clinical phenotype and laboratory findings and can be confirmed by detection of a defect in the AR gene. An accurate approach including a detailed family history suggesting an X-linked trait is an important clue for a quick diagnosis

Evaluation of Vaccine Hesitancy and Anxiety Levels among Hospital Cleaning Staff and Caregivers during COVID-19 Pandemic

It is important to vaccinate individuals working in the field of health who are more at risk compared to society during the pandemic period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vaccine hesitancy and anxiety levels of hospital cleaning staff and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive type cross-sectional study was conducted with 460 hospital cleaning staff and caregivers. Demographic and social characteristics form, Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), and Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) adapted to the pandemic were used in the questionnaire form used to collect the data of the study. It was determined that the rates of hesitation against the COVID-19 vaccine and childhood vaccine were 42.2% (n = 194) and 10.9% (n = 50), respectively. Less than half of the participants (44.6%) believe that the COVID-19 vaccine is protective. COVID-19 anxiety (CAS score ≥ 9 point) was detected in 19.6% of participants and statistically significant differences were found between patients with (n = 90) and without (n = 370) anxiety regarding gender (p < 0.001), working unit (p = 0.002), vaccination status (p = 0.023) and history of psychological disease (p = 0.023). It has been shown that the VHS-total scores of those who are not vaccinated, those who are hesitant about vaccination, those who do not think that the vaccine is protective, and those who state that there is no need for a legal obligation in vaccination are higher. When participants were asked about the most anxious situation during the COVID-19 period, the highest response rate was 62.4% for my parents’ exposure to COVID-19. The most anxious situation among participants is their parents’ exposure to COVID-19. Although participants are highly vaccinated, they have serious hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine. This study also showed that there was a parallel relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and vaccine hesitancy

The importance of ultrasonographic measurement of peritoneal wall thickness in pediatric chronic peritoneal dialysis patients

WOS: 000353657500005PubMed ID: 25594613Loss of peritoneal function due to peritoneal fibrosing syndrome (PFS) is a major factor leading to treatment failure in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Although the precise biologic mechanisms responsible for these changes have not been defined, the general assumption is that alterations in peritoneal function are related to structural changes in the peritoneal membrane. Studies of the peritoneal membrane by non-invasive ultrasonography (US) in chronic PD patients are limited. The aim of the present study is to assess the relationship between functional parameters of peritoneum and peritoneal thickness measured by US in children treated by chronic PD. We recruited two groups of patients: 23 subjects (13 females, 10 males) on chronic PD (patient group) and 26 (7 females, 19 males) on predialysis out-patient follow-up (creatinine clearance: 20-60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) (control group). Age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), chronic PD duration, episodes of peritonitis and the results of peritoneal equilibration test (PET) were recorded. Hemoglobin (Hb), blood pressure (BP), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and renal osteodystrophy (ROD) parameters were also obtained. The thickness of the parietal peritoneum was measured by trans-abdominal US in all children. Statistical analyses were performed by using Student's t and Pearson's correlation tests. Mean peritoneal thickness in chronic PD patients (1028.26 +/- 157.26 mm) was significantly higher than control patients (786.52 +/- 132.33). Mean peritoneal thickness was significantly correlated with mean body height (R-2 = 0.93, p < 0.05), BMI (R-2 = 0.25, p < 0.05), chronic PD duration (R-2 = 0.64, p < 0.05), episodes of peritonitis (R-2 = 0.93, p < 0.05), D/P-creatinine (R-2 = 0.76, p < 0.05) and D4/D0(glucose) (R-2 = 0.81, p < 0.05). No correlation was found between peritoneal thickness and Hb, BP, LVMI and ROD parameters. In conclusion, ultrasonographic measurement of peritoneal membrane thickness is a simple and non-invasive method in chronic PD children. This diagnostic tool likely enables to assess peritoneal structure and function in these patients