RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR IN RECOVERED COVID-19 PATIENTS

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate risk-taking behavior and decision-making processes in recovered COVID- 19 patients. Subjects and methods: Twenty patients recovered from COVID-19 as confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and twenty-one healthy individuals were recruited. A computerized version of the Iowa Gambling Test (IGT) for measuring risk taking behavior tendencies as a decision-making process and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and WMS-R Digit Span Forward Test (DSFT) for clinical assessments included. The assessments of the recovered patients were applied on the initial phase that the tests of the patients were negative and on the 4-week follow up phase. Results: The results showed that the anxiety scores were significantly higher in the healthy control group than in the group of recovered patients. The IGT-Net 4 scores were significantly and IGT-Net total scores were marginally significantly lower in the group of recovered patients. In other words, recovered patients showed higher risk-taking behavior tendencies. This tendency difference is consistent with the anxiety levels of the groups. These IGT scores showed to be persistent in the 4-week follow up phase. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that recovered patients show higher risk-taking behavior tendencies than healthy controls and this may be the result of overcoming the COVID-19 threat

Assessment of the requisites of microbiology based infectious disease training under the pressure of consultation needs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Training of infectious disease (ID) specialists is structured on classical clinical microbiology training in Turkey and ID specialists work as clinical microbiologists at the same time. Hence, this study aimed to determine the clinical skills and knowledge required by clinical microbiologists.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was carried out between June 1, 2010 and September 15, 2010 in 32 ID departments in Turkey. Only patients hospitalized and followed up in the ID departments between January-June 2010 who required consultation with other disciplines were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 605 patients undergoing 1343 consultations were included, with pulmonology, neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, dermatology, haematology, and endocrinology being the most frequent consultation specialties. The consultation patterns were quite similar and were not affected by either the nature of infections or the critical clinical status of ID patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of our study show that certain internal medicine subdisciplines such as pulmonology, neurology and dermatology appear to be the principal clinical requisites in the training of ID specialists, rather than internal medicine as a whole.</p

The role of -omics technology in the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Although evident improvement has occurred in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), it is still the most important cause of mortality worldwide. The majority of the CVDs are multifactorial and polygenic. Therefore, it is logical to use genomics, proteomics, lipidomics, and metabolomics together for diagnosis and effective treatment of CVD. "Genome" is the combination of the words "gene" and "chromosome," and includes all protein-coding genes and intergenic spaces (as well as intragenic regions, or introns, within genes) in an organism. Proteins that are synthesized in a cell, tissue, or organism are all called proteomes. Proteomics is the study of proteomes. The analysis of the lipodome, or all lipids synthesized in the organism, as well as lipidderived mediators, and the functions of these mediators in biological systems, is the field of lipidomics. The metabolome is the complete set of low-molecular-weight metabolites and molecules in a human or any living organism. Metabolomic is the systematic analysis of small molecules and metabolites in human or animal biological fluids. The number of biomarkers used for the purpose of evaluating the risk of cardiovascular events is very limited and many of them are old. The drugs that were produced 30 years ago are still used in treatment. Development of - omics science plays an important role in the search for new biological markers that can be used in the diagnosis of CVD and there is a growing need for advancement of these branches of genetics. The recognition and internalization of - omics by clinicians is a time-consuming process, but will be more important in the near future

The effect of liquid grinding aids on the dry fine grinding of muscovite

This paper investigates the production of a micronized muscovite to a target product size of d50~15 μm with a minimum energy consumption to suit the product requirements of the paint industry by a dry grinding process in a laboratory-scale vertical stirred ball mill. A series of batch dry grinding tests were conducted without and with two commonly used industrial liquid grinding aids, ethylene glycol (EG, C2H6O2) and triethanolamine (TEA, C6H15NO3). The results were evaluated based on particle size distribution (PSD), specific energy consumption, span value, and aspect ratio. The results showed that using liquid grinding aids resulted in a finer PSD, lower specific energy consumption, a narrower size distribution, lower span values, and a higher aspect ratio, which meant better delamination and improved grinding efficiency to that of no grinding aid. The interaction between grinding aids and ground muscovite surfaces was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR measurements revealed that EG and TEA were physically adsorbed on muscovite surfaces. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was also employed to determine differences between ground muscovite surfaces with and without grinding aids. SEM images indicated that grinding aids could prevent the agglomeration of ground muscovite particles while improving delamination. Adding grinding aids led to a decrease in muscovite agglomeration and an improvement in lamination owing to the adsorption of grinding aids on the particle surfaces

Evaluation of the Clinical Findings of Pediatric Patients With Vesicoureteral Reflux to Assess Disease Severity: Vesicoureteral Reflux and Disease Severity

Background and Aim: This study aims to investigate how to benefit from clinical andlaboratory methods for further selection in the decision-making process to perform acystogram and assess the severity of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), ultrasound(US), and medical records of pediatric patients with VUR. The exclusion criteria includedhaving neurological lesions, a posterior urethral valve, and a lack of documentation of a renalultrasound or voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). At the time of data entry, we retrieveddemographic findings and laboratory test results, including routine biochemical parameters,complete blood count, and calculated blood sodium/potassium ratioResults: Sixty-three pediatric patients with VUR were enrolled in this study. The mean (SD)age of the patients (female/male=37/26) at the time of diagnosis was 62.0±6.5 months (range1-195 months). Seventeen patients (26.9%) had high-grade VUR, and 46 patients (73.1%)had low-to-moderate-grade VUR. The mean potassium level of the mean serum sodium topotassium (Na/K) ratio was significantly lower in the high-grade VUR group (4.7±0.5 vs.4.3±0.4 mEq/L, P=0.022, 29±3 vs. 32±3, P=0.029, respectively). The proportion of patientswith severe anterior-posterior (AP) diameter dilation was significantly higher in the lowgradeVUR group than in the high-grade VUR group (4 [23.5%] vs. 35 [76.5%], P=0.005).Conclusion: We conclude that the low serum sodium to potassium (Na/K) ratio allows us topredict the VUR grade. The effect of VUR on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system canbe demonstrated by prospective controlled studies

Evaluation of the effects of selective laser trabeculoplasty on anterior segment parameters by anterior segment optical coherence tomography

WOS:000495711900001PubMed: 31713002To prospectively examine the effects of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) on the anterior chamber angle (ACA) and its related parameters using anterior segment-optic coherence tomography (AS-OCT). Fifty eyes of 50 patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension were included in the study. AS-OCT was performed before SLT application, immediately after and at 1 day and 1 month. Intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were also recorded and evaluated. No statistically significant difference was determined in ACA and other AS-OCT parameters (AOD, angle opening distance at 500 and 750 mm; TISA, trabecular-iris space area at 500 and 750 mm) before and 1 day after SLT application (p > 0.05). However, a statistically significant increase was determined in both the temporal and nasal ACA, AOD and TISA values between the baseline and day 30 (p 0.05). SLT resulted in an increase in ACA, AOD and TISA when evaluated using AS-OCT. We think that this study provides a different perspective concerning the effects of SLT in the angle region and the involved mechanism

Expressions of p53, KAI1, PTEN and their use as prognostic markers in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

Objectives: To determine the expression levels of p53, KAI1, PTEN and their relations with the clinicopathologic parameters in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder Design: Retrospective study Setting: Department of Pathology, Ankara Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey Subjects: Seventy-eight patients with a diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder at the Pathology Department of Ankara Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital and who were followed up for two years Intervention: Archived pathology materials of all patients were reviewed and clinical data were collected from medical database records retrospectively. Main outcome measures: We considered the following parameters: age, gender, survivals and disease-free survivals of the patients, tumor-stage, lymphovascular-angiovascular invasions, expressions of KAI1, PTEN and p53 in tumorous tissues. Results: In non-metastatic-patients, 55.2% were p53 negative; however, 45.8% of the metastatic-patients had diffuse-strong p53-expressions. Hence, p53 positivity indicates that the tumor will metastase. In transurethral resection (TUR) materials, patients with positive KAI1-expression had better survival (p=0.0285). The tumor seemed to be more aggressive and invasive in patients with decreased KAI1-expressions because there was no KAI1 expression in 50% of the metastatic-patients, although it wasn't statistically significant (p=0.550). For PTEN expression, no statistically-significant relation was found with the tumor-stage (p=0.34) and survival/ disease-free-survival (TUR:p=0.9599/0.7576, radical cystectomy :p=0.8219/0.5790). Conclusions: The presence of metastasis dramatically decreases the overall survival in patients with urothelial carcinoma. Identification of these patients as early as possible would effect their therapies, follow-up intervals and surveys. p53 and KAI1 seem to be especially better indicators of the prognosis than PTEN.WOS:0005407622000082-s2.0-8509061040

Yoga versus home exercise program in children with enthesitis related arthritis: A pilot study

Purpose: The aim was to compare the effects of yoga and home exercise program on lower extremity functional status, pain, and quality of life in children with enthesitis related arthritis (ERA). Methods: Twenty-one children with ERA were divided into two groups as yoga (n = 11) and home exercise (n = 10). Yoga group performed supervised yoga exercises twice a week for eight weeks. Home exercise group performed video-based exercises for the same period. Pain in rest and activity, lower extremity functional status, and quality of life were evaluated at baseline and following eight weeks. Results: The groups were similar at baseline (p > 0.05). All the parameters, except parent reported quality of life, significantly improved in yoga group (p < 0.05), where only stair climb test times significantly improved in home exercise group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Yoga seems promising for improving lower extremity functional status, pain, and quality of life as an exercise intervention in rehabilitation programs of children with ERA