Study of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Young Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke: Prevalence of Patent Foramen Ovale and Interpretation of the RoPE Score.

Objective: Cryptogenic stroke (CS) is considered to be the most common stroke subtype in young patients. The Risk of Paradoxical Embolism (RoPE) score is a tool that stratifies patients with CS according to the probability of patent foramen ovale (PFO). The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the prevalence of PFO in young patients with transesophageal echocardi- ography (TEE) and to evaluate the role of RoPE score in PFO-related strokes.

Management of Hyperkalemia in Heart Failure.

Hyperkalemia is a common electrolyte abnormality in heart failure (HF) that can cause potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. HF patients with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and older age are at higher risk of hyperkalemia. Moreover, hyperkalemia is also often associated with the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and sacubitril-valsartan.

Comparison of the suprainguinal fascia iliaca compartment block with continuous epidural analgesia in patients undergoing hip surgeries: a retrospective study.

Background And Objective: Pain control is one of the major concerns after major hip surgeries. Suprainguinal fascia iliaca compartment block (S-FICB) is an alternative analgesic technique that can be considered as an effective and less invasive method than epidural analgesia (EA). In this retrospective study, we compared postoperative analgesic efficacy of single shot ultrasound guided S-FICB and EA after major hip surgery.

Retrospective Evaluation of the Seropositivity Rate of Toxoplasmosis and Clinical Results in Pregnant Women That were Admitted to a Tertiary Health Institution Between 2012 and 2017 in Turkey.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women who were admitted to our hospital in their first trimester and to contribute to screening and management strategies by evaluating clinical outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective study, women in their first trimester of pregnancy who were aged between 15-49 years, admitted to the Mersin University Medical Faculty Gynecology and Obstetrics outpatient clinic between 2012-2017, and screened for immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were included. The data was obtained from the hospital’s digital records.

A rare concurrence: gelastic seizures in a patient with right temporal nongalenic pial arteriovenous fistula.

Introduction: Gelastic seizures are the type of seizures that are most commonly seen in childhood and should be excluded definitely in the differential diagnosis of hypothalamic hamartomas. This seizure type may be accompanied by refractory seizures, cognitive decline, and early puberty. However, etiology may also include other causes different than hypothalamic hamartomas.

The Effects of Yoga in Patients Suffering from Subjective Tinnitus.

 Tinnitus is a perception of sound in the absence of an external source and it is a distressing issue. Yoga is a system of mind-body practices with the goal of uniting the body, mind and soul. It has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress, as well as improving the quality of life.

Variations in the origins of the thyroid arteries on CT angiography.

Objective: To investigate the anatomical variations in the origins of the thyroid arteries on CT angiography images.

Methods: The presence and the origins of the superior thyroid artery, the inferior thyroid artery, and the thyroidea ima artery were retrospectively evaluated based on carotid CT angiography examinations. The bifurcation level of the common carotid artery with respect to the cervical vertebrae and disc spaces was also determined.

The effect of anatomic differences on the relationship between renal artery and diaphragmatic crus.

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of anatomic differences on the relationship between renal artery and diaphragmatic crus via the touch of two structures.

Materials And Methods: The study included dynamic computed tomography (CT) scans of 308 patients performed mainly for characterisation of liver and renal masses. Anatomic differences including the thickness of the diaphragmatic crus, the localisation of renal artery ostium at the wall of aorta, the level of renal artery origin with respect to superior mesenteric artery were evaluated.

Transseptal suturing technique in septoplasty: impact on bacteremia and nosocomial colonization.

Although effects of Merocel nasal packs and silicone splints on nasal flora alterations and bacteremia formation after septoplasty were assessed before, the effect of transseptal suturing technique has not been studied yet. The objective of this study is to compare nasal flora alterations and bacteremia occurrence rates between Merocel packs, silicone splints, and transseptal suturing technique in septoplasty. Ninety patients were divided into three groups randomly: Merocel packing (Group M), silicone splint (Group S), and transseptal suturing without packing (Group T).

Double steal phenomenon secondary to innominate artery occlusion.

Innominate artery steno-occlusive disease is a relatively rare clinical entity and may cause cerebrovascular symptoms. Herein, we report a 50-year-old male patient who presented with recurrent syncopal episodes and cerebrovascular ischemia. Color Doppler sonography revealed a distinctive flow pattern with partial and total flow reversal in the right internal carotid artery and vertebral artery, respectively.

[Investigation of rotavirus, adenovirus and astrovirus frequencies in children with acute gastroenteritis and evaluation of epidemiological features].

Viral agents are the most common causes of childhood gastroenteritis over the world. Rotaviruses, the main causative agents of viral gastroenteritis in infant and young children, are followed by other viruses, namely adenoviruses, astroviruses, noroviruses and caliciviruses. The aims of this study were to determine the frequencies of rotavirus, adenovirus and astrovirus infections in children with acute gastroenteritis in our region, and to evaluate these frequencies according to age, gender and seasonal features.

[A case of fatal disseminated infection caused by Mycobacterium bovis BCG strain and the identification of the isolate by spoligotyping].

The vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis BCG may lead to disseminated infection in patients with immune deficiency. In this report a patient who developed fatal disseminated tuberculosis caused by M. bovis BCG strain was presented.

[Evaluation of the genotype MTBDR assay for rapid detection of rifampin and isoniazid resistance in clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex clinical isolates].

Rapid identification of resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates is quite important for the establishment of early and appropriate therapy. The Genotype MTBDR (Hain Lifescience, Nehren, Germany) is a commercially available DNA strip assay designed for the rapid detection of rpoB and katG gene mutations in clinical isolates. This study was conducted to determine the mutation types of phenotypically drug resistant 26 M.

[Investigation of rpsL and rrs gene region mutations in streptomycin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates].

Streptomycin (SM) displays antimicrobial activity via inhibition of protein synthesis in bacteria and it is one of the major antituberculous drugs used in chemotherapy of tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of mutations in rpsL and rrs gene regions responsible for SM resistance using DNA sequencing system in SM resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) isolates detected by a phenotypic drug susceptibility test. Ten SM resistant and 10 SM sensitive MTC strains isolated between 2003-2007, in Mersin University Medical Faculty Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory, were included to this study.

The geriatric hand: correlation of hand-muscle function and activity restriction in elderly.

On the basis of the importance of hand manipulation in activities of daily living (ADL), deterioration of hand function because of various factors reduces quality and independence of life of the geriatric population. The aim of this study was to identify age-induced changes in manual function and to quantify the correlations between hand-muscle function and activity restriction in the geriatric age group, through grip and pinch measurements and a set of questionnaires. Twenty-four geriatric (aged 65-79 years) volunteers participated in the study.

Comparison of bony healing and cartilage degeneration following strut grafting and trapdoor procedures in an ovine model.

This experimental study compared bony healing and cartilage degeneration following strut grafting and trapdoor procedures for osteonecrosis of the femoral head in an ovine model. Osteonecrosis and a bony defect were created surgically in 16 hips of 8 Merino sheep, and the index grafting procedures were performed in a second session. Three months after surgery, the hips treated by strut grafting yielded better articular cartilage protection and bony healing compared to the osteonecrosis groups.

Incidence of pressure ulcers in intensive care unit patients at risk according to the Waterlow scale and factors influencing the development of pressure ulcers.

Aims: To determine incidence of pressure ulcers in patients at risk according to the Waterlow scale in intensive care units and to evaluate the effects of risk factors in critically ill patients.

Background: Pressure ulcers continue to be an important health problem that increases the risk of illness and death, extends patients' length of hospital stay and increases healthcare expenses.

Design: The study was conducted as a descriptive and prospective study.

[Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in healthy children and multidrug resistance].

Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae plays an important role for the development of invasive disease and the spread of resistant strains within the community. The aims of this study were to determine the carriage rate of nasopharyngeal S. pneumoniae at healthy school children, to search the susceptibility of the strains to various antibiotics and to evaluate the risk factors for nasopharyngeal carriage of penicillin-resistant pneumococci.

[Determining the biomechanical quality of normal and osteoporotic bones in rat femora through biomechanical test and finite element analysis].

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the biomechanical quality of cortical bone in normal and osteoporotic rat femora with the use of biomechanical analysis and finite element analysis.

Methods: Fourteen young adult female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 225-250 g were randomized into two groups equal in number. One group underwent bilateral ovariectomy under ketamine anesthesia.

[Investigation of Cryptosporidium oocysts in elementary school students in Mersin].

Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoon, is an obligate intracellular parasite which can cause fatal diarrheal disease in immunocompromised individuals. Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis are usually known to be transmitted from fecally contaminated drinking and tap waters. Because oocysts can be detected in asymptomatic healthy individuals and no safe and effective therapy for cryptosporidial enteritis is available, the importance of cryptosporidiosis is increased.