Medium- to long-term functional outcomes of artcure diffusional patch therapy for lumbar disc herniation: which herniation is more likely to require surgery?

Background: Artcure diffusional patch (ADP) is a novel transdermal therapeutic system that started to be used in the last decade for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Previous studies have reported early results of the therapy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the medium- to long-term functional outcomes of this treatment in LDH patients and examine factors predicting the need for surgery after treatment.

Comparison of search and rescue operations involving emergency physicians in devastating earthquakes in Turkey: a 24-year experience study.

Background: In the 21st century, disasters (particularly earthquakes, which remain the leading cause of death) continue to be among the foremost issues requiring global emergency response. While the impact of advancing technologies on the environmental and human damage caused by earthquakes is still a subject of debate, search and rescue (SAR) teams and emergency departments (ED), specifically emergency physicians (EPs), play a crucial role in the most acute management of the effects of these earthquakes on human life. This study aims to examine the injury dynamics of two catastrophic earthquakes that occurred in Turkey 24 years apart from the perspective of EPs, utilizing archival records from the SAR teams in which EPs served.

Evaluating the prognostic role of glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in first line: a study by the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC).

Purpose: Identifying prognostic indicators for risk stratification in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies and follow-up plans. This study aims to investigate the prognostic role of the glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio (GLR) in patients with mRCC receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) as first-line therapy.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium Database.

Can serum orexin levels be used as a marker in childhood epilepsy?

Objective: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases in the pediatric population. Orexins are excitatory peptides and associated with energy homeostasis, eating and drinking behaviors, sleep regulation, sleep-wake periods, analgesia, and cognitive activities such as attention, learning, and memory. The aim of this study was to reveal the relationship between plasma orexin levels and seizures in pediatric epilepsy patients with seizures, epilepsy patients in remission, and healthy control group with similar demographic characteristics.

Increased SCUBE-1 levels in the aqueous humour of patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Clinical Relevance: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) is a common age-related disorder associated with glaucoma and cataract. Despite its clinical importance, the pathogenesis of PXS is not yet fully understood.

Background: To evaluate levels of SCUBE-1 (signal peptide, CUB domain, and epidermal growth factor-like domain containing protein 1) in the serum and aqueous humour of patients with PXS in comparison with non-PXS controls.

The relationship between sexual health literacy and sexual function of women with diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is a complication of poorly managed diabetes mellitus (DM). To prevent SD, patients should develop sexual health literacy (SHL).

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between SHL and SD in women with DM.

Early career psychiatrists' perceptions of and training experience in electroconvulsive therapy: A cross-sectional survey across Europe.

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for several major psychiatric conditions, including treatment-resistant depression, mania, and schizophrenia; nevertheless, its use remains controversial. Despite its availability in some European countries, ECT is still rarely used in others. This study aims to investigate the experiences and attitudes of early career psychiatrists (ECPs) across Europe towards ECT and to examine how their exposure to ECT influences their perceptions.

Comparing the clinical efficacy of preganglionic and preganglionic plus ganglionic transforaminal epidural steroid injections for lumbosacral radicular pain.

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of preganglionic transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) with preganglionic plus postganglionic TFESI.

Methods: Patients with unilateral radicular pain and disc pathology were randomly assigned to either the preganglionic group or the preganglionic plus postganglionic group. All patients were evaluated using a numeric rating scale (NRS) and a patient satisfaction scale (PSS) at the third week and the third month after treatment.

Remote Follow-Up/Monitoring of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.

Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation is a diagnostic and therapeutic method that is being employed on a growing number of patients globally. These devices require long-term follow-up and monitoring, and after implantation, regular follow-ups are conducted at specific intervals. These follow-ups provide crucial information about both the device and the patient, aiding in diagnosis and guiding treatment.

Regorafenib Treatment for Recurrent Glioblastoma Beyond Bevacizumab-Based Therapy: A Large, Multicenter, Real-Life Study.

Background/objectives: In the REGOMA trial, regorafenib demonstrated an overall survival advantage over lomustine, and it has become a recommended treatment for recurrent glioblastoma in guidelines. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of regorafenib as a third-line treatment for patients with recurrent glioblastoma who progressed while taking bevacizumab-based therapy.

Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study in Turkey included 65 patients treated between 2021 and 2023 across 19 oncology centers.

Trends in prescribing montelukast in patients with asthma in real-life: Results from the Turkish adult asthma registry.

Montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) approved for the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis, is widely used, though real-world data on its application in asthma management remain limited. This registry-based study evaluated the use of montelukast in adult asthma patients, examining demographic and disease characteristics, asthma control status, asthma phenotypes, presence of atopy, and treatment regimens. Among 2053 patients analyzed, 61.

The role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in older individuals with osteoporotic hip fractures.

Background: Osteoporosis is characteristically defined as a decrease in bone density and mass, accompanied by the deterioration of bone structure, which increases bone fragility and the risk of fractures. Osteoporosis frequently develops with age. In high-risk populations, oxidative damage is a common pathological condition.

Retained Surgical Sponge Expelled Through a Rectal Fistula With Spontaneous Passage Per Rectum.

Gossypiboma is a condition that occurs as a result of leaving sterile gauze, surgical sponges, or similar materials inadvertently retained in the body following surgery. The most common localization of gossypibomas is the intraabdominal cavity. Patients with gossypiboma can remain asymptomatic for years.

Effects of the Ketogenic Diet on Microbiota Composition and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Women with Overweight/Obesity.

: The ketogenic diet (KD) is a dietary model that can impact metabolic health and microbiota and has been widely discussed in recent years. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 6-week KD on biochemical parameters, gut microbiota, and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in women with overweight/obesity. : Overall, 15 women aged 26-46 years were included in this study.

Prognostic Implications and Predictors of Mitral Regurgitancy Reduction After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common condition observed in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for the treatment of aortic stenosis (AS). However, the impact of TAVI on MR outcomes and the factors predicting MR improvement remains uncertain. Understanding these predictors can enhance patient management and guide clinical decisions.

Early Prediction of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Insulin Therapy Requirement Using First-Trimester PAPP-A and Free β-hCG MoMs Levels: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

To evaluate the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), including insulin-dependent GDM with pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) multiples of the median (MoM) and free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (free β-hCG) MoM levels, and to assess their potential as predictive risk factors. This retrospective study included 2588 women with singleton pregnancies who underwent combined first-trimester screening, along with the 50 g glucose challenge test (GCT) and a 100 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. Patients were initially divided into four groups based on the glucose screening results, and PAPP-A and free β-hCG MoMs were compared between these groups.

Impact of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio on Stroke Severity and Clinical Outcome in Anterior Circulation Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke.

The prognostic value of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in ischemic stroke remains debated due to cohort variability and treatment heterogeneity across studies. This study evaluates the relationship between admission NLR, stroke severity and 90-day outcomes in patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) undergoing early, successful revascularization. A retrospective multicenter study was conducted with 1082 patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke.

Aneurysm Formation at the Internal Carotid Artery Bifurcation Is Related to the Vascular Geometry of the Bifurcation.

Background: In this study, we aimed to comparatively evaluate the morphology of internal carotid artery (ICA) bifurcations with and without aneurysms and identify risk factors for aneurysm development that are associated with the bifurcation geometry.

Method: In this two-center study, the computerized tomography angiography data of 1512 patients were evaluated. The study included 64 (4.

Echocardiographic Evaluation of the Effect of Long-Term Methylphenidate Use on Cardiovascular Functions.

Objective: ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, seen in children and adolescents, and is often treated with various pharmacological agents, especially methylphenidate. There are differing opinions in the literature regarding the cardiovascular safety of long-term methylphenidate use. Studies suggest that the drug may increase the risk of hypertension, myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmia, sudden cardiac death, cardiomyopathy, heart failure (HF), pulmonary hypertension, and stroke.

Ambulatory blood pressure profiles of children with asthma compared to healthy controls.

Background: Studies suggest that asthma and hypertension may be comorbid conditions. Most of these studies are epidemiological research. However, data on the relationship between asthma and hypertension in childhood are limited.

De-Escalation of Nodal Surgery in Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer.

Importance: Increasing evidence supports the oncologic safety of de-escalating axillary surgery for patients with breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Objective: To evaluate the oncologic outcomes of de-escalating axillary surgery among patients with clinically node (cN)-positive breast cancer and patients whose disease became cN negative after NAC (ycN negative).

Design, Setting, And Participants: In the NEOSENTITURK MF-1803 prospective cohort registry trial, patients from 37 centers with cT1-4N1-3M0 disease treated with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or targeted axillary dissection (TAD) alone or with ypN-negative or ypN-positive disease after NAC were recruited between February 15, 2019, and January 1, 2023, and evaluated.

[Investigation of Resistance Nodulation Division (RND) Efflux Pump and OPRD Expression Levels in Antibiotic Resistance of Clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates].

The increasing antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, responsible for both community-acquired and hospital-acquired infections, is of global significance. The primary mechanisms contributing to resistance development in P.aeruginosa include the increased activity of efflux pumps, decreased permeability of outer membrane porins and the production of carbapenemases.

[Multicentric Screening of Local Antibiotic Resistance in Uncomplicated Urinary System Infections: 1850 Patients from 37 Centers].

This study was aimed to identify the most frequently observed pathogens in uncomplicated urinary tract infections from outpatient urinary isolates obtained across seven different geographical regions in Türkiye and to determine whether the antibiotic resistance rates of these pathogens differ significantly between these regions. The study included patients aged 18 to 65 years who were diagnosed with uncomplicated urinary tract infections and had positive urine cultures from March 2021 to August 2022, across 37 different centers in Türkiye. The participating centers were selected based on their use of the disk diffusion method, in line with the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines, to ensure standardization of urine culture data.