Evaluation of dyspnea severity and sleep quality in patients with novel coronavirus

Aim Dyspnea, a common symptom of novel coronavirus, can negatively affect sleep quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between dyspnea severity and sleep quality in patients with COVID-19. Study Design A cross-sectional design was used. Methods Using the researcher's mobile phone, data were collected via an online questionnaire from patients (n = 100) who agreed to participate in the study. The data-collection form comprised three parts: a patient descriptive information form, the Dyspnea-12 Questionnaire, and the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ). Results The mean age of patients was 46.39 +/- 12.61 years and 66.0% were men. Patients who were treated in the intensive care unit had bachelor's degree or more and patients with comorbid diseases had low mean scores from the RCSQ and high mean scores from the Dyspnea-12 Questionnaire (P < .001, P P = .047, P P < .001, P < .001, respectively). Patients who were not receiving oxygen therapy had higher RCSQ mean scores and lower Dyspnea-12 Questionnaire scores (P < .001, P P < .001, P < .001, respectively). There was a strong negative relationship between the total scores obtained from the RCSQ and the Dyspnea-12 Questionnaire (r = -.701, P < .001). Conclusions Sleep quality is affected by dyspnea severity in patients with COVID-19. Sleep quality and dyspnea severity are also influenced by quite different factors, and these should be addressed and eliminated by nurses as part of a holistic approach. The results of this study will help nurses, especially those providing treatment and care for patients with COVID-19, to identify the factors affecting dyspnea and sleep quality and to plan, implement and evaluate nursing interventions that will reduce their workload

Comparison of Dosage Loss Between Medications Crushed with Two Different Methods by Two Nurses: An In Vitro Study

Objective: Administration of crushed medications can lead to various problems associated with use of inappropriate crushing method, such as administration of an incorrect dosage, alterations in drug bioavailability, and reduction in the effectiveness of the treatment. This experimental study aimed to compare the dosage loss of crushed metoclopramide hydrochloride (MT-HCI) 10-mg tablet using two crushing methods. Methods: MT-HCI 10 mg tablets (n=80) were crushed by two nurses, and each nurse used a pill crusher and a pestle and plastic bag to crush the tablet. Dosage loss was calculated by a specialist pharmacist in a laboratory environment. Results: The dosage loss was 0.515 +/- 0.299 mg (5.16%) with the pestle and self-sealing plastic bag and 0.415 +/- 0.359 mg (4.16%) with the pill crusher. No statistically significant difference was found between the two methods (p>0.05). The mean dosage loss was 0.482 +/- 0.367 mg for the first nurse and 0.449 +/- 0.298 mg for the second nurse. No statistically significant difference was noted in the mean dose between the two nurses (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study found no significant difference between the nurses and die crushing methods, but the mean dosage loss with both methods was not within the limits recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration

Evaluation of the ovarian reserve function in patients with metabolic syndrome in relation to healthy controls and different age groups

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ovarian reserve function in female patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: This study evaluated 136 subjects, 67 with MetS and 69 controls. Subjects were divided into three age groups. Group I included 49 subjects aged 20–29 years, 22 with MetS and 27 controls; group II included 45 subjects aged 30–39 years, 22 with MetS and 23 controls; and group III included 42 subjects aged 40–49 years, 23 with MetS and 19 controls. Demographic characteristics, anthropometrics, blood biochemistry, and gonadotrophic hormones were compared as total ovarian volume and antral follicle count on ovarian transvaginal ultrasonography. RESULTS: Serum levels of FSH, LH, E2 and progesterone were similar in the MetS and control groups, while testosterone levels were significantly higher in MetS patients than controls, both in the overall population (p = 0.024) and in those aged 20–29 years (p = 0.018). Total ovarian volume was significantly lower in MetS patients than controls, in both the overall population (p = 0.003) and those aged 20–29 years (p = 0.018), while antral follicle counts were similar. Ovarian volume correlated positively with antral follicle count (AFC) (r = 0.37; p < 0.001) and negatively with age (r = 0.34; p < 0.001) and FSH concentration (r = 0.21; p = 0.013). AFC was negatively correlated with age (r = 0.36; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ovarian reserve function is significantly lower in MetS patients than in healthy control subjects, particularly in women aged 20–29 years

Point-of-Care Emergency Ultrasonography in Non-Traumatic Cardiac Arrest and Near-Arrest Emergency Patients; A Pilot Trial

Background: In this study, we evaluated the applicability and interpretation of point-of-care emergency ultrasound (POCEUS) performed by an emergency physician (EP) in non-traumatic adult cardiac arrest and near-arrest patients at presentation to the Emergency Department (ED).   Methods: POCEUS was performed in 5 steps on 73 adults to assess; 1. Qualitative global cardiac function, cardiac chambers and presence of pericardial effusion; 2. Presence of pleural sliding, B-lines, A-lines or consolidation on anterior-superior; 3. Presence of an abdominal aorta aneurysm and pelvic free fluid; 4. Presence of pleural effusion, consolidation, free fluid on lateral-inferior; 5. Qualitative width and collapsibility of the inferior vena cava. A fulfilled checklist and real-time images of ultrasonography were sent by WhatsApp to the head of the study to generate the evidence and collect the data. The process of patient care, in-hospital diagnosis and survival were retrieved from digital hospital records. This prospective multicenter sample study was conducted from November 16, 2015, to January 5, 2016.   Results: The most common findings of POCEUS were performed and interpreted to have a first prediction of patients’ acute clinic problem by EPs were compatible with global systolic dysfunction (n = 16, 22.9%), pulmonary edema (n = 17, 23.3%), pulmonary embolus (n = 6, 8.2%), distributive/hypovolemic shock (n = 12, 16.4%), cardiac tamponade or pericardial effusion (n = 5, 6.8%), and pneumonia (n = 31, 42.5%) at presentation. The kappa correlation coefficient value of the POCEUS at presentation versus the final, traditional clinical diagnosis of the admitted ward, was 0.773 (95% CI, 0.747–0.892; p = 0.064, McNemar).   Conclusions: POCEUS performed by an EP at presentation had a good agreement between in qualitative prediction of the first differential diagnosis in life-threatened patients and the last diagnosis obtained during hospitalization. Furthermore, this study showed the requirement of evidence in comparison of measurements to the qualitative manner and new descriptive processes in POCEUS for unexplained situations and questions

Replication Data for: Opening the Ballot Box: Strategic Voting in Turkey’s June 2018 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections

Replication Data for: Opening the Ballot Box: Strategic Voting in Turkey’s June 2018 Presidential and Parliamentary Election

Analysis of the second generation buy-back program for fishing vessels in Turkey

WOS: 000496712500004Many implementations are put into practice on the national and international scale for the purpose of enabling the sustainable use of living marine resources. the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock published a notification in 2012 and the buy-back program for fishing vessels was initiated to keep the balance between the fish stocks and fishing capacity, prevent overfishing and enable sustainable fishing. While 12 m and larger vessels were considered in the first program, length of the vessels was reduced 10 m in the second. the aim of this study is to reveal the results of the related program. A telephone interview was applied to the owners of 207 fishing vessels determined through the stratified sampling method among 446 fishing vessels in 2014. in the 2nd program, 446 fishing vessels were withdrawn from the fleet by paying 51 million TL in total. Mostly the buy-back of the fishing vessels with the length of 10-20 meters (440 vessels) was carried out, and the fishing vessels with the length of 21-30 meters (6 vessels) were bought back at the least. Most of the vessels (44%) were from the Marmara and the least was from the Mediterranean Regions (19%). Only 9% of the vessels bough-back was trawl or purse seine vessels. It was found that 28% of vessel owners have a second vessel and gave the inactive or unprofitable vessels they had to the buy-back program. Furthermore, 62% of the individuals who gave their vessels stated that they will continue working in the fishing industry, and 27% of respondents stated that they will buy a new fishing vessel. As a result; buy-back program is one of the most important management implication of fisheries management authority in recent years. However, it should be considered by the managers that the large vessel owners have not shown interest in the program. One of every four fishermen giving his vessel is also a second vessel owner, and he gives his inactive vessel to the program, and the fishers have a similar tendency to buy a second vessel with the money they receive from the program. However, it is the basic approach that should be taken into account by the fisheries management authority to take advantage of relevant global experiences to ensure the highest possible benefit from the buy-back programs. This approach should at least be followed in future buy-back programs

Lycopene Protects the Diabetic Rat Kidney Against Oxidative Stress-mediated Oxidative Damage Induced by Furan

Furan is a food and environmental contaminant and a potent carcinogen in animals. Lycopene is one dietary carotenoid found in fruits such as tomato, watermelon and grapefruit. The present study was designed to explore the protective effect of lycopene against furan-induced oxidative damage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat kidney. At the end of the experimental period (28 days), we found that lycopene markedly decreased the malondialdehide (MDA) levels in the kidney, urea, uric acid and creatinine levels in the serum of furan-treated rats. The increase of histopathology in the kidney of furan-treated rats were effectively suppressed by lycopene. Furthermore, lycopene markedly restored superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities in the kidney of furan-treated rats. In conclusion, these results suggested that lycopene could protect the rat kidney against furan-induced injury by improving renal function, attenuating histopathologic changes, reducing MDA production and renewing the activities of antioxidant enzymes

Replication Data For: "Science Deserves Better'' Deserves Better: Replicating A Study on Replicating Studies

The reproducibility of published academic work is increasingly important across a wide array of fields from neuroscience to sociology to political science. If we as academics wish to create impactful research, we need to create faith in the larger research community that our work is valid, and a series of reproducibility scandals over the past decade has degraded that faith. A commonly cited solution is for all data-driven research to include complete replication files, including all code and data necessary to reproduce all key statistics and figures. In this paper, we examine some of the norms and best practices surrounding this notion across various fields. We test the hypothesis that providing replication files increases a paper's citation count, finding that there is a notable negative effect. We conclude by offering policy prescriptions for academic journals in light of this finding