Current practices of craniospinal irradiation techniques in Turkey: a comprehensive dosimetric analysis.

Objective: This study evaluates various craniospinal irradiation (CSI) techniques used in Turkish centers to understand their advantages, disadvantages and overall effectiveness, with a focus on enhancing dose distribution.

Methods: Anonymized CT scans of adult and pediatric patients, alongside target volumes and organ-at-risk (OAR) structures, were shared with 25 local radiotherapy centers. They were tasked to develop optimal treatment plans delivering 36 Gy in 20 fractions with 95% PTV coverage, while minimizing OAR exposure.

Can the implementation of net gain requirements in England's planning system be applied to health?

This Personal View considers the relationship between spatial planning and health and the potential benefits of requiring health net gain from land use decisions and new developments. We explore how a health net gain objective could be applied in spatial planning policy and practice to improve people's health and wellbeing, using England's implementation of a biodiversity net gain objective as a model. This Personal View emphasises the need for a systems approach to the definition and strategic coordination of health gains, recognising the breadth of health determinants and inter-related economic, environmental, and social policy objectives.

Understanding how to create healthier places: A qualitative study exploring the complex system of urban development decision-making.

Tackling complex system challenges like creating healthy environments requires understanding priorities and structures affecting multiple actors. This qualitative study, involving 132 multi-sectoral stakeholders spanning the urban development decision-making system, explores how to influence healthier place-making. Using thematic analysis we develop themes around competing stakeholder priorities; structural 'rules' and influential relationships; and justifying a focus on health, requiring greater clarity and consensus around definitions of 'healthy' urban development.

Fatal Autonomic Dysfunction Due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome After Cardiac Surgery.

Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare peripheral neuropathy, appears to occur more often in patients who have recently undergone surgery than in the general population. However, the pathophysiologic relationship between surgery and Guillain-Barré syndrome is elusive. Few cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome after cardiac surgery have been reported.

A novel approach of tricuspid valve repair: mitralization of tricuspid valve.

Objectives: This study presents the mid-term results of a novel tricuspid valve (TV) repair strategy defined as 'mitralization of TV' (resection and plication of the posterior leaflet, ring implantation, optional leaflet procedures) applied for the correction of tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

Methods: Between 2017 and 2020, a total of 22 patients underwent concomitant TV repair using mitralization of the TV. Fourteen of the patients had functional TR (2 of them had severe tethering), 5 patients had prolapse and 3 patients had rheumatic involvement.

Comparison of I-gel and LMA Protector in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aims: Comparison of the use of I-gel and Laringeal Mask Airway (LMA) Protector in laparoscopic cholecystectomy regarding the time and ease of insertion for supraglottic airway devices (SAD) and gastric tube (GT), airway sealing capacity, and postoperative complications.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-four American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) I-III patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated into two groups. After anesthesia induction, LMA Protector was inserted in Group LPRO (LMA Protector) (n = 33) and I-gel was inserted in Group IGEL (I-gel) (n = 31) patients.

Effects of general anaesthesia and ultrasonography-guided interscalene block on pain and oxidative stress in shoulder arthroscopy: A randomised trial.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of general anaesthesia and ultrasonography-guided interscalene block on pain and oxidative stress evaluated by thiol-disulphide balance and C-reactive protein levels in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 42 patients aged 18-75 years who were scheduled to undergo shoulder arthroscopy were randomised into interscalene block group (Group-IB, n = 20) and general anaesthesia group (Group-GA, n = 22). All patients received patient-controlled analgesia during the postoperative period.

Environmental performance and international trade in China: The role of renewable energy and eco-innovation.

Renewable energy and green innovation can enhance environmental performance by encouraging international trade, as anticipated by the current theoretical framework. This study investigates how renewable energy and eco-innovation affect international trade and environmental performance using quarterly data series from 1981 to 2018 for China. The study applies a quantile-based autoregressive distributed lag model.

Rehabilitation of a patient with bilateral rectus abdominis full thickness tear sustained in recreational strength training: a case report.

Study Design: Case Report.

Background: Abdominal wall muscle injuries have been reported in handball, tennis, and baseball; however, a bilateral full-thickness tear of the rectus abdominis muscle and its rehabilitation have not previously been described. This report aims to describe a case of an acute bilateral full-thickness rectus abdominis tear simulating an acute abdomen that presented to an emergency department.

The role of financial systems in energy demand: A comparison of developed and developing countries.

This study investigates the role of the financial system in energy demand in the cases of developed and developing countries. Time-series analyses are carried out using the annual data period from 2000 to 2015. Results indicate that the financial system and financial markets are long-term catalysts for energy consumption in both groups under consideration.

Biochemical predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation following cardiac surgery.

Background: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is common after cardiac surgery. Early identification of its risk factors during the preoperative period would help in reducing the associated morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.

Aim Of The Study: This study aimed to identify the predictors of POAF following open cardiac surgery, with emphasis on biochemical parameters.

Effect of ketamine on emergence agitation following septoplasty: a randomized clinical trial.

Background And Objectives: The risk of emergence agitation (EA) is high in patients undergoing nasal surgery. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of EA in adults undergoing septoplasty and the effect of ketamine on EA.

Methods: In this randomized study, a total of 102 ASA I-II patients who underwent septoplasty between July 2018 and April 2019 were divided into two groups: ketamine (Group-K, n=52) and saline (Group-S, n=50).

Investigation of approaches for internal target volume definition using 4-dimensional computed tomography in stereotactic body radiotherapy of lung cancer.

The present study was undertaken to investigate the suitability of alternative internal target volume (ITV) delineation strategies based on maximum intensity projection (MIP), average intensity projection (AIP), 2 extreme phases and 4 phases images relative to the ITV in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer. The 4-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) data of 15 lung cancer patients treated with SBRT in our clinic were used. Five different ITVs were generated as follows: merging GTVs from 10 phases (ITV); merging GTVs from 2 extreme phases (0%, 50%) (ITV); merging GTVs from 4 phases (0%, 20%, 50%, and 70%) (ITV); delineating GTV on MIP (ITV), and delineating GTV on AIP (ITV).

Analysis of Readmissions to The Intensive Care Unit After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Ten Years' Experience.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency, causes, and related predictive factors of intensive care unit (ICU) readmissions after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

Methods: A total of 4112 consecutive patients who underwent on-pump CABG between January 2007 and January 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups as patients with and without ICU readmission.

Comparative efficacy and life quality effects of surgical stripping, radiofrequency ablation, and cyanoacrylate embolization in patients undergoing treatment for great saphenous vein insufficiency.

Objectives: To compare traditional surgery with two minimally invasive endo-venous procedures in terms of their long-term effect on the quality of life in great saphenous vein insufficiency (GSV).

Method: This prospective observational study included 217 patients that underwent surgical stripping (n = 62), radiofrequency ablation (n = 70), or cyanoacrylate embolization (n = 85) for the treatment of GSV insufficiency. Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) assessments were made, 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire and Chronic Venous Insufficiency quality of life Questionnaire (CIVIQ-14) were administered, before and 1 year after the treatments.

The effect of treated apical periodontitis before heart valve surgery on C-reactive protein levels.

Objective: Dental infections produce significant increases in systemic inflammatory responses manifested by cytokines and acute-phase reactants. This study evaluated the postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels according to patients having teeth treated or not treated for apical periodontitis (AP) before heart valve surgery.

Materials And Methods: Preoperative, postoperative third- and fifth-day CRP levels, and the previous dental data of 91 patients were investigated.

The role of shadow economies in ecological footprint quality: empirical evidence from Turkey.

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the role of shadow economies in the levels of ecological footprint for the case of Turkey. Annual data set ranging from 1961 to 2014 was used with this respect. The results of this study verify the long-term and positively elastic impact of shadow economic activities on the level of ecological footprint in Turkey; that is, 1 % change in shadow economic activities results in a 1.

Is trans-apical off-pump neochord implantation a safe and effective procedure for mitral valve repair?

Objective: Trans-apical off-pump mitral valve repair is a new minimally invasive surgical technique for the correction of mitral regurgitation caused by mitral leaflet prolapse. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, using clinical and echocardiographic follow-up data, the mid-term results of patients undergoing this procedure.

Methods: A total of 26 patients diagnosed with severe mitral regurgitation underwent mitral valve repair with trans-apical off-pump neochord implantation using the NeoChord device at our hospital from July 2015 to July 2017.

Is Hypoalbuminemia a Predictor for Acute Kidney Injury after Coronary Bypass Grafting in Diabetes Mellitus Patients?

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most important complications after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure. Serum albumin, which is an acute phase reactant, is suggested to be associated with AKI development subsequent to various surgical procedures. In this study, we research the relation between preoperative serum albumin levels and postoperative AKI development in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients undergoing isolated CABG.

Investigation of AAA dose calculation algorithm accuracy in surface and buildup region for 6MV photon beam using markus parallel-plate ion chamber.

In radiotherapy, dose distributions are obtained by using dose calculation algorithms that are implanted in treatment planning systems (TPS). This study aims to compare the surface doses of separate field sizes calculated by different version of The Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) and measured by the parallel-plate ion chamber that is admitted as the most reliable dosimetry system for the surface region dose measurements. In order to measure the near surface dose, water equivalent solid phantom was used and measurements were made for 6MV photon beam at 100 cm source-detector distance for 5×5, 10×10, and 20×20 cm2 field sizes.

Should Sinus of Valsalva be Replaced in Patients with Dilated Ascending Aorta and Aortic Valve Diseases?

Introduction: The aim of this study is to investigate the change in the dimension of sinus of Valsalva in patients who underwent supracoronary ascending aorta replacement with aortic valve replacement.

Methods: A total of 81 patients who underwent supracoronary ascending aorta replacement with aortic valve replacement were included. Ten of 81 patients died during the follow-up.