Does vitamin D level have an effect on COVID-19 positivity and COVID-19 related mortality? A retrospective study.

Objective: To explore the possible relationship between vitamin D and coronavirus disease-2019 in an urban population known to have relatively low vitamin D levels.

Methods: The retrospective study was conducted in Bursa, Turkey, and comprised data of 30 family health centers from March 1 to December 15, 2020, related to diagnosed inpatients of coronovairus disease-2019. The diagnosis was based on polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection.

The effect of exosomes released from apheresis platelet concentrates under the impact of gamma irradiation and storage time upon platelet aggregation and hemostasis.

Background: Blood components should be gamma-irradiated (γ-IR) in order to prevent transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of γ-IR and storage time on the exosomes released from apheresis platelet concentrates (aPC) and to investigate their impact on the maximum platelet aggregation (MPA) and hemostasis.

Materials And Methods: Eight units of aPC were included in this study.

Seasonal influenza vaccine awareness and factors affecting vaccination in Turkish Society.

Objective: Influenza vaccine reduces the burden of seasonal influenza and related complications. Potential vaccination barriers need to be identified to raise awareness and increase acceptance. We aimed to investigate the rates of seasonal influenza vaccination and the knowledge, opinions, and behaviours prevalent in Turkish society.

Can PET/CT be used more effectively in pleural effusion evaluation?

Purpose: Sometimes, characterization of pleural effusion (PE) can be challenging especially in patients whom invasive procedures/recurrent invasive procedures cannot be performed. The main purpose of the study is to answer this question, Can F-FDG-PET/CT contribute to reduction in the number of invasive procedures or patients undergoing to invasive procedures? Results may increase the effectiveness of patient management by facilitating clinical decision-making, especially in patients who cannot undergo invasive/recurrent invasive procedures.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients' F-FDG-PET/CT, pleural fluid cytologies (PFCs) and, if any, pleural biopsies were re-assessed.

Evaluation of the prognostic role of NLR, LMR, PLR, and LCR ratio in COVID-19 patients.

We aimed to find the most useful biomarker by examining the prognostic effect of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-C reactive protein ratio (LCR) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Three hundred and four patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in our hospital within 5 months (April-August 2020) were examined. Laboratory values and demographic findings of the patients were analyzed retrospectively.

Morning blood pressure surge in early autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and its relation with left ventricular hypertrophy.

Introduction: The activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which usually leads to a swift surge in blood pressure in the morning hours (MBPS) may be the cause of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and endothelial dysfunction (ED) in early autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients. We studied the association between MBPS and LVH in ADPKD patients with preserved renal functions.

Methods: Patients with ADPKD with preserved renal functions were enrolled.

Vitamin D status in the adult population of Bursa-Turkey.

Background: Vitamin D, along with parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin, is an important hormone that affects bone and calcium metabolism.

Objectives: To evaluate the vitamin D status and its seasonal variation in the adult population of Bursa.

Methods: Since there is not enough information about vitamin D levels, 25 OH vitamin D levels were analysed retrospectively from the records of 11,734 adult subjects (9142 women, 2592 men) admitted to 24 family health centres located in different districts of Bursa between 1 December 2017 and 30 November 2018.

Mechanistic Models of Signaling Pathways Reveal the Drug Action Mechanisms behind Gender-Specific Gene Expression for Cancer Treatments.

Despite the existence of differences in gene expression across numerous genes between males and females having been known for a long time, these have been mostly ignored in many studies, including drug development and its therapeutic use. In fact, the consequences of such differences over the disease mechanisms or the drug action mechanisms are completely unknown. Here we applied mechanistic mathematical models of signaling activity to reveal the ultimate functional consequences that gender-specific gene expression activities have over cell functionality and fate.

General and abdominal obesity prevelances and their relations with metabolic syndrome components.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of obesity and its relation of metabolic syndrome.

Methods: The data from the records of the consecutive adult residents of Bursa province in Turkey who were admitted to the family health centers from the 1 January to the 31 December 2016 were evaluated retrospectively. The population size was 2901396 (N) and the sample size was at least n=17729.

Statistical errors in articles published in radiology journals.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate articles in radiology journals indexed in the Science Citation Index or Science Citation Index Expanded in terms of statistical errors. By this means, we aim to contribute to the production of high quality scientific publications.

Methods: In this study, a total of 157 articles published in 2016-2017 in 20 radiology journals were reviewed randomly.

Periorbital Soft Tissue Anthropometric Analysis of Young Adults.

The authors aim to determine the periorbital soft tissue anthropometric norms for Turkish young adults for right and left eyes using a noninvasive two-dimensional photogrammetric analysis. Anthropometric measurements of the periorbital soft tissue were taken from 172 female and 56 male Turkish adults aged between 18 and 24 years. The periorbital soft tissue profiles (ocular and palpebral) for males and females were digitally analyzed using linear measurements made with standardized photographic records, taken in a natural head position.

Association of monocyte to HDL cholesterol level with contrast induced nephropathy in STEMI patients treated with primary PCI.

Background: Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) has been proven to be a clinical condition related to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. In recent studies, the monocyte to high density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) has been postulated as a novel parameter associated with adverse renal and cardiovascular outcomes. In this study we investigated the association of MHR with CIN in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Association of MDR1, CYP2D6, and CYP2C19 gene polymorphisms with prophylactic migraine treatment response.

Prophylactic therapy response varies in migraine patients. The present study investigated the relationship between the resistance to the drugs commonly used in prophylactic therapy and the possible polymorphic variants of proteins involved in the metabolism of these drugs. Migraine patients with the MDR1 3435TT genotype exhibited a better treatment response to topiramate than migraine patients with the CC and CT genotypes (p=0.