Sexually transmitted infections in sexually abused children: an audit project to implement PCR tests in a child advocacy center in Türkiye.

Background: Sexual abuse in children can sometimes result in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which can serve as crucial forensic evidence. Although PCR methods are now accepted as the gold standard for STI screening, they have not yet widely replaced traditional culture methods in Türkiye. This study aims to assess the necessity of implementing PCR-based STI testing at Child Advocacy Centers in Türkiye, where such testing is not routinely available.

Cerebral perfusion metrics calculated directly from a hypoxia-induced step change in deoxyhemoglobin.

Resting cerebral perfusion metrics can be calculated from the MRI ΔR* signal during the first passage of an intravascular bolus of a Gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA), or more recently, a transient hypoxia-induced change in the concentration of deoxyhemoglobin ([dOHb]). Conventional analysis follows a proxy process that includes deconvolution of an arterial input function (AIF) in a tracer kinetic model. We hypothesized that the step reduction in magnetic susceptibility accompanying a step decrease in [dOHb] that occurs when a single breath of oxygen terminates a brief episode of lung hypoxia permits direct calculation of relative perfusion metrics.

[Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B, C and D in Adults in Trabzon, Türkiye].

Viral hepatitis are infections that can cause liver damage, become chronic, lead to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and ultimately result in death due to their ability to spread in the community through blood and infected body fluids. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and hepatitis D (HDV) transmitted through blood among individuals living in Trabzon province and to examine the factors potentially associated with seroprevalence. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Trabzon province, located in the northeast of Türkiye, including a total of 10 districts, including the central district.

Variability of Resting Carbon Dioxide Tension in Patients with Intracranial Steno-occlusive Disease.

 Controlling the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO ) is an important consideration in patients with intracranial steno-occlusive disease to avoid reductions in critical perfusion from vasoconstriction due to hypocapnia, or reductions in blood flow due to steal physiology during hypercapnia. However, the normal range for resting PCO in this patient population is not known. Therefore, we investigated the variability in resting end-tidal PCO (P CO ) in patients with intracranial steno-occlusive disease and the impact of revascularization on resting P CO in these patients.

Transient deoxyhemoglobin formation as a contrast for perfusion MRI studies in patients with brain tumors: a feasibility study.

Transient hypoxia-induced deoxyhemoglobin (dOHb) has recently been shown to represent a comparable contrast to gadolinium-based contrast agents for generating resting perfusion measures in healthy subjects. Here, we investigate the feasibility of translating this non-invasive approach to patients with brain tumors. A computer-controlled gas blender was used to induce transient precise isocapnic lung hypoxia and thereby transient arterial dOHb during echo-planar-imaging acquisition in a cohort of patients with different types of brain tumors (n = 9).

Comparative analysis of linezolid, vancomycin, and hyperbaric oxygen therapies in a rat model of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection.

Purpose: Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common causative microorganism of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections. This study aimed to compare linezolid and vancomycin treatments and to examine the effect of these antibiotics alone and combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the amount of bacterial colonies in the experimental S. epidermidis shunt infection model.

Assessing Perfusion in Steno-Occlusive Cerebrovascular Disease Using Transient Hypoxia-Induced Deoxyhemoglobin as a Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Agent.

Background And Purpose: Resting brain tissue perfusion in cerebral steno-occlusive vascular disease can be assessed by MR imaging using gadolinium-based susceptibility contrast agents. Recently, transient hypoxia-induced deoxyhemoglobin has been investigated as a noninvasive MR imaging contrast agent. Here we present a comparison of resting perfusion metrics using transient hypoxia-induced deoxyhemoglobin and gadolinium-based contrast agents in patients with known cerebrovascular steno-occlusive disease.

The Choroid Plexus as an Alternative Locus for the Identification of the Arterial Input Function for Calculating Cerebral Perfusion Metrics Using MRI.

Background And Purpose: MR imaging-based cerebral perfusion metrics can be obtained by tracing the passage of a bolus of contrast through the microvasculature of the brain parenchyma. Thus, the temporal signal pattern of the contrast agent is typically measured over a large artery such as the MCA to generate the arterial input function. The largest intracranial arteries in the brain may not always be suitable for selecting the arterial input function due to skull base susceptibility artifacts or reduced size from steno-occlusive disease.

Assessment of Cerebrovascular Reactivity Using CO-BOLD MRI: A 15-Year, Single Center Experience.

Background: Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is a measure of the change in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in response to a vasoactive challenge. It is a useful indicator of the brain's vascular health.

Purpose: To evaluate the factors that influence successful and unsuccessful CVR examinations using precise arterial and end-tidal partial pressure of CO control during blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI.

Variations in copepod composition and diversity in relation to eutrophication and hydrology in İzmir Bay, Aegean Sea.

Hyrographic and trophic gradient along Izmir Bay used to assess their effects on the copepod composition and diversity. Trophic state of the bay varied from oligotrophic in the outer region to hypertrophic condition in the inner region as stated by trophic index (TRIX). Aegean Sea water entrance and trophic conditions of the bay affected species assemblages.

Identification of Molecular and Genetic Resistance Mechanisms in a Candida auris Isolate in a Tertiary Care Center in Türkiye.

Background: Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant pathogen that causes nosocomial outbreaks and high mortality. We conducted this study to investigate the molecular mechanisms of antifungal resistance in our clinical isolate of C. auris with a high level of resistance to three main classes of antifungals.

Determining the effects of elevated partial pressure of oxygen on hypercapnia-induced cerebrovascular reactivity.

Evaluation of cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to hypo- and hypercapnia is a valuable test for the assessment of vasodilatory reserve. While hypercapnia-induced CVR testing is usually performed at normoxia, mild hyperoxia may increase tolerability of hypercapnia by reducing the ventilatory distress. However, the effects of mild hyperoxia on CVR was unknown.

Convolutional Neural Networks to Assess Steno-Occlusive Disease Using Cerebrovascular Reactivity.

Cerebrovascular Reactivity (CVR) is a provocative test used with Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies, where a vasoactive stimulus is applied and the corresponding changes in the cerebral blood flow (CBF) are measured. The most common clinical application is the assessment of cerebral perfusion insufficiency in patients with steno-occlusive disease (SOD). Globally, millions of people suffer from cerebrovascular diseases, and SOD is the most common cause of ischemic stroke.

DSC MRI in the human brain using deoxyhemoglobin and gadolinium-Simulations and validations at 3T.

Introduction: Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI allows clinicians to determine perfusion parameters in the brain, such as cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, and mean transit time. To enable quantification, susceptibility changes can be induced using gadolinium (Gd) or deoxyhemoglobin (dOHb), the latter just recently introduced as a contrast agent in DSC. Previous investigations found that experimental parameters and analysis choices, such as the susceptibility amplitude and partial volume, affect perfusion quantification.

Nosocomial infection of C. auris in COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit in Türkiye and Phylogenetic Analysis of Isolates.

Background: The difficulties in the identification of C. auris and the delays in the implementation of infection control precautions contribute to outbreaks. This study analyzed 10 patients with COVID-19 and C.

Transfer function analysis assesses resting cerebral perfusion metrics using hypoxia-induced deoxyhemoglobin as a contrast agent.

Use of contrast in determining hemodynamic measures requires the deconvolution of an arterial input function (AIF) selected over a voxel in the middle cerebral artery to calculate voxel wise perfusion metrics. Transfer function analysis (TFA) offers an alternative analytic approach that does not require identifying an AIF. We hypothesised that TFA metrics Gain, Lag, and their ratio, Gain/Lag, correspond to conventional AIF resting perfusion metrics relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV), mean transit time (MTT) and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF), respectively.

Investigations of hypoxia-induced deoxyhemoglobin as a contrast agent for cerebral perfusion imaging.

The assessment of resting perfusion measures (mean transit time, cerebral blood flow, and cerebral blood volume) with magnetic resonance imaging currently requires the presence of a susceptibility contrast agent such as gadolinium. Here, we present an initial comparison between perfusion measures obtained using hypoxia-induced deoxyhemoglobin and gadolinium in healthy study participants. We hypothesize that resting cerebral perfusion measures obtained using precise changes of deoxyhemoglobin concentration will generate images comparable to those obtained using a clinical standard, gadolinium.

Assessment of cerebrovascular function in patients with sickle cell disease using transfer function analysis.

In patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), the delivery of oxygen to the brain is compromised by anemia, abnormal rheology, and steno-occlusive vascular disease. Successful compensation depends on an increase in oxygen supply such as that provided by an increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF). We used magnetic resonance imaging to provide a high-resolution assessment of the ability of SCD patients to respond to a vasoactive stimulus in middle, anterior, and posterior cerebral artery territories for both white and gray matter.

Quantifying cerebral blood arrival times using hypoxia-mediated arterial BOLD contrast.

Cerebral blood arrival and tissue transit times are sensitive measures of the efficiency of tissue perfusion and can provide clinically meaningful information on collateral blood flow status. We exploit the arterial blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal contrast established by precisely decreasing, and then increasing, arterial hemoglobin saturation using respiratory re-oxygenation challenges to quantify arterial blood arrival times throughout the brain. We term this approach the Step Hemoglobin re-Oxygenation Contrast Stimulus (SHOCS).

The role of metacognition, negative automatic thoughts and emotions in migraine-related disability among adult migraine patients.

This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between problematic metacognitions, negative cognitive content and emotional distress, and migraine-related disability among adult migraine patients. The migraine group consisted of 74 patients. Forty-seven healthy volunteers with similar sociodemographic characteristics were selected as the comparison group.

Assessing Cerebrovascular Resistance in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease.

In patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) the delivery of oxygen to the brain is compromised by anemia, abnormal rheology, and steno-occlusive vascular disease. Meeting demands for oxygen delivery requires compensatory features of brain perfusion. The cerebral vasculature's regulatory function and reserves can be assessed by observing the flow response to a vasoactive stimulus.

Does breathing pattern affect cerebrovascular reactivity?

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Is cerebrovascular reactivity affected by isocapnic changes in breathing pattern? What is the main finding and its importance? Cerebrovascular reactivity does not change with isocapnic variations in tidal volume and frequency.

Abstract: Deviations of arterial carbon dioxide tension from resting values affect cerebral blood vessel tone and thereby cerebral blood flow. Arterial carbon dioxide tension also affects central respiratory chemoreceptors, adjusting respiratory drive.

Evaluating malnutrition in cancer patients in the emergency department.

Background: Malnutrition is an important contributing factor to mortality in cancer patients. Several scoring systems can be used to evaluate malnutrition in cancer patients. We hypothesized that one or more of these scoring systems should be used to assess malnutrition in emergency departments (EDs).

Perfusion MRI using endogenous deoxyhemoglobin as a contrast agent: Preliminary data.

Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of mapping cerebral perfusion metrics with BOLD MRI during modulation of pulmonary venous oxygen saturation.

Methods: A gas blender with a sequential gas delivery breathing circuit was used to implement rapid isocapnic changes in the partial pressure of oxygen of the arterial blood. Partial pressure of oxygen was initially lowered to a baseline of 40 mmHg.