Ultrasound guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation of symptomatic uterine fibroids — results from a single center and 52 weeks of follow up

Objectives: Uterine fibroids are one of the most common female disorder of the reproductive age and may cause abnormal uterine bleeding (UAB), pain or infertility. Our aim was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous radio frequency ablation (RFA) in reducing clinical symptoms, fibroid volume and improving laboratory parameters.Material and methods: Thirty-five symptomatic patients with 54 uterine fibroids were enrolled. Preintervention evaluation was made for each participant and included ultrasonography to assess the volume, largest diameter and location of the fibroid and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for quantifying the degree of menstrual pain. The magnitude of menstrual bleeding was scored for each patient by using pictogram. Preprocedural laboratory assessment included hemoglobulin and hematocrit. Treatment efficacy was evaluated at 3, 6 and 12 months after the intervention with ultrasound (US) measurements,symptom scores and laboratory parameters.Results: Pretreatment mean Hb was significantly lower than those at 3, 6 and 12 month post treatment visits (p < 0.001). The pretreatment median volume was significantly higher than the median volumes measured at 3, 6 and 12 months after RFA (p < 0.001). Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for pain was significantly lower than baseline values at 6 and 12 month visits (p < 0.01). Pretreatment bleeding scores and the number of patients in the predefined severe bleeding category were significantly decreased.Conclusions: US guided RF ablation of uterine fibroids is relatively safe and effective procedure. It can be applied to the fibroids with varying localizations and sizes. It reduces the fibroid volume and obviate a need for more invasive treatment

REAL-TIME WATER QUALITY MONITORING OF AN ARTIFICIAL LAKE USING A PORTABLE, AFFORDABLE, SIMPLE, ARDUINO-BASED OPEN SOURCE SENSOR

Water quality assessment is vital to identify existing problems and any changes that emerge in water sources over a period of time. Conventional water quality monitoring systems remain to be limited to on-site sample collection and further analysis in environmental laboratories. The progress in Arduino-based low-cost and open-source hardware has paved the way for the development of low-cost, portable, and on-site measuring platforms. In this work, we have assembled an Arduino-based open-source water testing platform out of commercially available sensors and controllers. The water testing system was powered by a 9 V battery and had the capability of measuring water turbidity, acidity, and temperature on-site in real-time. The calibration and validation studies were carried out to assess the measurement capabilities of turbidity and pH sensors in the lab using calibration samples and UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy. The water quality platform was tested in an artificial lake that is located at Sabanci University Campus (Istanbul, Turkey), which serves as a reservoir for treated wastewaters and rainwater. Untreated wastewater samples were collected from the wastewater treatment station of the university for comparison. The measurements performed on several locations along the coast of the artificial lake were also validated in the laboratory. The water testing platform showed significant potential for miniaturization and portability of such analytical platforms for on-site environmental monitoring

Real-time water quality monitoring of an artificial lake using a portable, affordable, simple, arduino-based open source sensor

Water quality assessment is vital to identify existing problems and any changes that emerge in water sources over a period of time. Conventional water quality monitoring systems remain to be limited to on-site sample collection and further analysis in environmental laboratories. The progress in Arduino-based low-cost and open-source hardware has paved the way for the development of low-cost, portable, and on-site measuring platforms. In this work, we have assembled an Arduino-based open-source water testing platform out of commercially available sensors and controllers. The water testing system was powered by a 9 V battery and had the capability of measuring water turbidity, acidity, and temperature on-site in real-time. The calibration and validation studies were carried out to assess the measurement capabilities of turbidity and pH sensors in the lab using calibration samples and UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy. The water quality platform was tested in an artificial lake that is located at Sabanci University Campus (Istanbul, Turkey), which serves as a reservoir for treated wastewaters and rainwater. Untreated wastewater samples were collected from the wastewater treatment station of the university for comparison. The measurements performed on several locations along the coast of the artificial lake were also validated in the laboratory. The water testing platform showed significant potential for miniaturization and portability of such analytical platforms for on-site environmental monitoring

Temporal changes in geochemical-isotopic systematics of the late Pleistocene Akkaya travertines (Turkey) – Implications for fluid flow circulation and seismicity

We investigate the temporal variations in stable carbon and oxygen and radiogenic Sr isotope as well as rare earth element contents of Akkaya travertine deposits in the Eskipazar region, northwest Turkey. U-Th age data indicate that studied travertines in the periphery of the 1944-earthquake rupture of the North Anatolian Fault Zone formed in a time span of 93 to 1.8 ka BP. The younger group is represented by fissure-filling carbonates whereas the older sequence is composed of veins with varying crystallization ages that are injected to bedded travertines. The age data on vein injections and fissure-ridge travertines in the Akkaya site indicate the seismic reactivation along the west-central part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone to be intensified at least 4 periods (1.8, 20, 47 and 88 ka BP) during the last 90 ka. δO and δC systematics of Akkaya travertines, which are precipitated by CO–rich fluids depressurized during episodic seismic unrest, are in the range from −15.86 to −7.67‰ (VPDB) and 4.66–8.68‰ (VPDB), respectively. δO of the fluid equilibrating with the studied travertines is estimated in the range of −11.2 to −10.2‰ which is quite consistent with the average value (−12.3‰) reported for the Akkaya thermal spring. Stable isotope values of travertines indicate modification by rapid CO degassing associated with seismic events. Helium isotope compositions of gas phase and dissolved gas of thermal fluids in the area refer to mantle contribution up to 12 %. Sr isotope values of Akkaya travertines are probably originated from Upper Cretaceous marine limestones or mafic basement rocks. REY contents are about 3 orders of magnitude lower than those of basement lithologies

A Simple Strategy to Decrease Fatal Carotid Blowout Syndrome After Stereotactic Body Reirradiaton for Recurrent Head and Neck Cancers

Background This study aimed to compare the therapeutic outcomes and fatal carotid blow out syndrome (CBOS) incidence rates between two different stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) protocols. Methods The study included 75 patients with inoperable locally recurrent head and neck cancer treated with SBRT in our department between June 2007 and March 2011. The first 43 patients were treated sequentially (group I). Then our SBRT protocol was changed due to the high rate of CBOS, and the following 32 patients were treated every other day in a prospective institutional protocol (group II). Results Median overall survival in group I and group II was 11 months and 23 months, respectively (P = 0.006). We observed 11 cases of CBOS. Only 1 of 7 patients (14%) with CBOS survived in group I, whereas 2 of 4 patients (50%) in group II remain alive. CBOS free median overall survivals were 9 months, and 23 months in group I and group II respectively (P = 0.002). The median radiation dose received by the carotid artery in patients with CBOS was 36.5 Gy (range: 34–42.8 Gy), versus 34.7 Gy (range: 0–44 Gy) in the patients that didn’t have CBOS (P = 0.15). CBOS did not occur in any of the patients with a maximum carotid artery radiation dose <34 Gy. Conclusions Every other day SBRT protocol for re-irradiation of recurrent head and neck cancer is promising in terms of decreasing the incidence of fatal CBOS.PubMedWoSScopu

Treatment outcomes of prostate cancer patients with Gleason score 8-10 treated with definitive radiotherapy

Purpose To validate the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in prostate cancer (PCa) patients with Gleason score (GS) 8-10 disease treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT)+ androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in the modern era. Methods Institutional databases of biopsy proven 641 patients with GS 8-10 PCa treated between 2000 and 2015 were collected from 11 institutions. In this multi-institutional Turkish Radiation Oncology Group study, a standard database sheet was sent to each institution for patient enrollment. The inclusion criteria were, T1-T3N0M0 disease according to AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) 2010 Staging System, no prior diagnosis of malignancy, at least 70Gy total irradiation dose to prostate +/- seminal vesicles delivered with either three-dimensional conformal RT or intensity-modulated RT and patients receiving ADT. Results The median follow-up time was 5.9 years (range 0.4-18.2 years); 5-year overall survival (OS), biochemical relapse-free survival (BRFS) and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) rates were 88%, 78%, and 79%, respectively. Higher RT doses (>= 78Gy) and longer ADT duration (>= 2 years) were significant predictors for improved DMFS, whereas advanced stage was a negative prognosticator for DMFS in patients with GS 9-10. Conclusions Our results validated the fact that oncologic outcomes after radical EBRT significantly differ in men with GS 8 versus those with GS 9-10 prostate cancer. We found that EBRT dose was important predictive factor regardless of ADT period. Patients receiving 'non-optimal treatment' (RT doses <78Gy and ADT period <2 years) had the worst treatment outcomes