Internet Addiction and Its Impact on Physical Health

DergiPark: 439213tmsjAims: Internet addiction, a recently emerged term in medical literature, has significant physical effects on the young generation. In this research, controversial effects of internet addiction on physical health have been investigated among the students of Trakya University School of Medicine, who constitute a part of the population at risk. Methods: The study included 327 medical students. The correlation between internet addiction and physical complaints associated with internet usage and its relation with gender, purpose and duration of internet usage were investigated. The data were obtained by using surveys and Internet Addiction Scale. To evaluate the data; descriptive statistics, Correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, Cronbach alpha methods and survey with 16 questions were used for statistical analysis. Results: There is a statistically significant difference in terms of Internet Addiction Scale score between internet addiction and physical complaints such as headache, feeling of stiffness, backache, neck pain and insomnia. Internet Addiction Scale score and time spent on the internet showed a statistically significant correlation. Conclusion: Increase in internet usage leads to many physical health problems, which may cause serious and permanent damage to physical health. Therefore, the required attention must be given to this subject especially for the benefit of younger generation

Assessment of ventricular and left atrial mechanical functions, atrial electromechanical delay and P wave dispersion in patients with scleroderma

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate ventricular functions and left atrial (LA) mechanical functions, atrial electromechanical coupling, and P wave dispersion in scleroderma patients. Methods: Twenty-six patients with scleroderma and twenty-four controls were included. Left and right ventricular (LV and RV) functions were evaluated using conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). LA volumes were measured using the biplane area- -length method and LA mechanical function parameters were calculated. Inter-intraatrial electromechanical delays were measured by TDI. P wave dispersion was calculated by 12-lead electrocardiograms. Results: LV myocardial performance indices (MPI) and RV MPI were higher in patients with scleroderma (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, respectively) while LA passive emptying fraction was decreased and LA active emptying fraction was increased (p = 0.051, p = 0.000, respectively). P wave dispersion and inter-intraatrial electromechanical delay were significantly higher in patients with scleroderma (25 [10&#8211;60] vs 20 [0&#8211;30], p = 0.000, 16.50 [7.28&#8211;26.38] vs 9.44 [3.79&#8211;15.78] and 11.33 [4.88&#8211;16.06] vs 4.00 [0&#8211;12.90], p < 0.05, respectively). Interatrial electromechanical delay was negatively correlated with LV E wave, (p = 0.018). LV E wave was demonstrated to be a factor independent of the interatrial electromechanical delay (R2 = = 0.270, b = &#8211;0.52, p = 0.013). Conclusions: This study showed that in scleroderma patients, global functions of LV, RV and mechanical functions of LA were impaired, intra-interatrial electromechanical delays were prolonged and P wave dispersion was higher. LV E wave was demonstrated to be a factor that is independent of the interatrial electromechanical delay. Reduced LV E wave may also give additional information on the process of risk stratification of atrial fibrillation. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 3: 261&#8211;269

Termal etkili iki cerrahi cihaz olan bipolar elektrokoter ve quantum energy surgical device'ın tavşan karaciğerine etkilerinin histopatolojik ve biyokimyasal olarak incelenmesi

Amaç: Quantum Energy Surgical Device (QESD) kinetik enerji verilerek plazma haline dönüştürülen yüksek kuantum enerjili argon gazı atomlarının dokulara uygulanması prensibi ile çalışan yeni bir termal cerrahi cihazdır. Bu çalışmada tavşan karaciğerinde QESD ve bipolar elektrokoter (BEC) ile yapılan kısmi hepatektomilerde toplam ameliyat süresi, hemostaz, kesit yüzeyindeki histolojik değişimler ve bu süreçte oluşabilecek serbest radikallerin incelenmesi amaçlandı. Hastalar ve Yöntemler: Onar tavşanda BEC ve QESD ile kısmi hepatektomi yapıldı. Ameliyat anında (akut grup) ve ameliyattan 7 gün sonrası (kısa süre grup) elde edilen materyaller ışık mikroskopisi ve elektron mikroskopisi için ve serbest radikallerin ölçümleri için hazırlandı. Bulgular: QESD ile yapılan uygulamalarda BEC'e kıyasla kanamanın çok daha az olduğu ve operatif prosedürlerin daha kısa sürede tamamlandığı saptanmıştır. Histopatolojik incelemelerde kesit yüzeylerinde her iki grupta da termal travmayla ilişkin farklı değişiklikler saptanmakla birlikte, hemostaz etkinliği yönünden ve oluşan hasar bakımından ve yara iyileşmesi bakımından QESD'in üstünlüğü ortaya çıkmıştır. Serbest radikallerin QESD'de daha az oluştuğu görülmüştür. Sonuç: Bu sonuçlar QESD'in operasyon süresi, hemostaz etkinliği ve yara iyileşmesi bakımından BEC'e kıyasla daha üstün olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Serbest radikallerin her iki cihazda da kabul edilebilir düzeyde olduğu görülmüştür.Objectives: Quantum Energy Surgical Device (QESD) is a recent thermal working surgical device which works with the principle of tissue application of highly quantum-energized argon gas atoms that are transformed into plasma by employing kinetic energy. In this study, we aimed to examine the operation periods, hemostasis and histological changes on the cutting surface, and the free radicals that can be formed during this period in the partial hepatectomies performed with QESD and bipolar electrocautery (BEC). Patients and Methods: Partial hepatectomies were performed with BEC and with QESD on 10 rabbits each. Obtained materials during the operation (acute-term group) and 7 days after the operation (short-term group) were prepared for light microscopy, electron microscopy and measurements of free radicals. Results: In the operations with QESD, hemorrhage was found to be much less and the operation procedures were determined to be accomplished in a much shorter time in comparison with BEC. In the histopathological examinations, while various changes were determined on the cutting surfaces of both groups with regard to thermal trauma, the superiority of QESD drew attention regarding hemostasis activities, damage formed and amelioration periods. Free radicals were determined to be formed less in QESD operations. Conclusion: The conclusions indicate that QESD method is superior to BEC method with respect to total operation period, hemostasis efficiency and wound amelioration. It is revealed that the free radicals are within acceptable levels in both devices

THE EFFICIENCY OF SUCTION DRAIN USAGE IN ARTHROSCOPIC KNEE SURGERY

Aim:The study was designed to investigate the efficiency of suction drain after arthroscopic knee surgery. It is hypothesized that suction drain decreases postoperative hemarthrosis after arthroscopic knee surgery. Methods: Patients were randomized into two groups. Suction drain was used in Group I and no drain was used in Group II. The groups were compared in terms of rest and activity pain, range of motion, Lysholm and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores, patellar shock, need for postoperative knee puncture, amount of drainage, time of hospitalization, and loss of labor. Arthroscopic interventions like meniscectomy, synovectomy, meniscus repair and microfracture were also compared for the amount of patellar shock, need for postoperative knee puncture and amount of drainage. Results: The difference for activity pain and range of motion between the two groups was statistically nonsignificant. Rest pain improved faster in control group. Lysholm and IKDC scores were improved in both groups but the amount of increase was statistically nonsignificant. The amount of patellar shock was also statistically nonsignificant between the two groups. The amount of patellar shock, need for postoperative knee puncture and amount of drainage were also statistically nonsignifiant for arthroscopic interventions like meniscectomy and synovectomy. Conclusions: Suction drain application was unnecessary in many situations after arthroscopic knee surgery in this study. Although suction drain usage delayed the recovery from postoperative pain in this study, other parameters of pain were not affected from suction drain usage. Routine usage of a suction drain after arthroscopic knee surgery was not recommended

Evaluating "superiority", "'equivalence" and "non-inferiority" in clinical trials

Clinical studies are usually performed with the aim of justifying that a new treatment approach is "superior" to the common standard approach (active control) with respect to benefits. In a general sense, this justification is carried out on the basis of the "null hypothesis significance test" with the P value based on this test used for justification. Today, new drugs differ so little from existing ones that factors such as cost and side effects affect the choice of therapy, when the bioavailability of treatment methods are found equivalent. Therefore, the aim of comparative clinical trials has extended beyond showing that a treatment is "superior" and now attempts to show that new treatments are "equal" and "non-inferior" to existing treatments. New approaches have become necessary since the classical null hypothesis approach is insufficient to justify the use of new agents, especially in cases of "equivalence" and "non-inferiority". This new approach to justification makes use of the "clinical equivalence interval", which determines the limits of the differences between specific endpoints that can be regarded as clinically "equal" to the value that was pre-specified based on studies of established therapies. It also makes use of the quantitative-based "confidence intervals" as the criteria for statistical justification. Many analyses can be done confidently when these tools are applied and the data are interpreted correctly

Evaluation of the effect of schizotypy on cannabis use predictors

OBJECTIVES: In this study, it was aimed to compare male persons with cannabis abuse in terms of schizotypal features with a control group paired in age, sex, and education level, and to find a subgroup in the group of cannabis use whose schizotypal points are higher than those having personality disorder as an another factor increasing the tendency of cannabis use

Primary Stability in Various Levels of Impacted Implants: An Ex Vivo

The aim of this study was to examine the primary stabilization of different vertically impacted bone implants. Implant stability was measured by resonance frequency analysis. Forty-five dental implants were used and divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was placed 4 mm (1/3 impacted), group 2 was placed 8 mm (2/3 impacted), and group 3 was placed 12 mm (fully impacted). Implant stability quotient values were measured on the longitudinal and transversal axis by 2 independent researchers. The fully impacted group showed the significantly highest value among the groups (P , .05). There were statistically varying implant-stability quotient values between researchers. None of the 1/3-impacted implants' value reached a 70 implant-stability quotient value

Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia and Important Risk Factors during Major Abdominal Surgeries

Objective: A relation between inadvertent perioperative hypothermia and possible important risk factors during major abdominal surgeries was investigated