A propensity score-matched comparison of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin-5FU and carboplatin-paclitaxel in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: A Turkish oncology group study.

Background: Neoadjuvant treatment is the standard treatment in locally advanced ESCC. However, the optimal chemotherapy regimen is not known.

Method: This is a retrospective observational cohort study conducted with propensity score matching.

Dynamic Lateral Semisitting Position for Supracerebellar Approaches: Technical Note and Case Series.

Background: It has always been a matter of debate which position is ideal for the supracerebellar approach. The risk of venous air embolism (VAE) is the major deterrent for surgeons and anesthesiologists, despite the fact that sitting and semisitting positions are commonly used in these operations.

Objective: To demonstrate a reduction on the risk of VAE and tension pneumocephalus throughout the operation period while taking advantages of the semisitting position.

A comparison of antibody response in kidney transplant recipients and healthcare workers who had PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection.

Background: Data on antibody response following COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients is scarce. This crosssectional study aims to investigate the antibody response to COVID-19 among kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: We recruited 46 kidney transplant recipients with RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 and 45 recipients without COVID-19 history.

Does Hepatic Steatosis Influence the Virological Response with Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Treated with Entecavir or Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate?

Background: The effect of hepatic steatosis on the response to antiviral therapy administered in chronic hepatitis B patients is yet to be clarified. In this study, our aim was to determine the effect of hepatic steatosis on the virological response in chronic hepatitis B patients who were treated with entecavir or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed using the data of liver biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis B patients with or without hepatic steatosis, who received entecavir or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate treatment between 2012 and 2017.

Outcomes of a GnRH Agonist Trigger Following a GnRH Antagonist or Flexible Progestin-Primed Ovarian Stimulation Cycle.

A suggested explanation for the pituitary-suppressive effects of progestin-primed ovarian stimulation cycles (PPOS) is pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) depletion with progestin exposure during the follicular phase. The GnRH agonist (GnRHa) trigger releases endogenous LH from the pituitary, and if the LH depletion theory is correct, the response to the agonist trigger would be dampened in PPOS cycles. In this study, we compared the performance of the GnRHa trigger after PPOS and GnRH antagonist ovarian stimulation cycles.

Validation of the PAGE-B score to predict hepatocellular carcinoma risk in caucasian chronic hepatitis B patients on treatment.

Background: Several risk scores have been developed to predict hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. The majority of risk scores are based on pretreatment variables that are no longer considered risk factors for HCC development due to the suppression of hepatitis B virus replication early in the course of potent antiviral treatment in most patients. The PAGE-B score, which is based on platelet levels, age and sex, has been shown to accurately predict HCC risk in CHB patients on antiviral treatment in various populations.

The Comparison of Fixed and Flexible Progestin Primed Ovarian Stimulation on Mature Oocyte Yield in Women at Risk of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency.

While gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists have been the standard of pituitary suppression during ovarian stimulation for ART, progestin primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) has emerged as an alternative. Progestins can be started simultaneously with gonadotrophins (fixed PPOS) or later in the cycle depending on follicle growth (flexible PPOS). However, the flexible and fixed PPOS regimens have not been directly compared as of yet.

Women in neurosurgery: perspectives from a developing country; Turkey.

Although at least half of medical students are women, neurosurgery is not often preferred by women, and the proportion of female neurosurgeons who can participate in the academic platform is very low. In this study, we aimed to show the role of female neurosurgeons in the Turkish Neurosurgical Society and to describe the number and the location of female neurosurgeons in Turkey. We examined the age, academic rank, years of work in the profession, membership rate in society subgroups, h-index parameters, and relationships of certificated female neurosurgeons registered in the Turkish Neurosurgical Society.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Bag-1 knockout increased mesenchymal characteristics of MCF-7 cells via Akt hyperactivation-mediated actin cytoskeleton remodeling.

Bag-1 protein is a crucial target in cancer to increase the survival and proliferation of cells. The Bag-1 expression is significantly upregulated in primary and metastatic cancer patients compared to normal breast tissue. Overexpression of Bag-1 decreases the efficiency of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, whereas Bag-1 silencing enhances the apoptotic efficiency of therapeutics, mostly in hormone-positive breast cancer subtypes.

COVID-19 PCR test performance on samples stored at ambient temperature.

The WHO-named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection had become a pandemic within a short time period since it was detected in Wuhan. The outbreak required the screening of millions of samples daily and overwhelmed diagnostic laboratories worldwide. During this pandemic, the handling of patient specimens according to the universal guidelines was extremely difficult as the WHO, CDC and ECDC required cold chain compliance during transport and storage of the swab samples.

Interactome analysis of Bag-1 isoforms reveals novel interaction partners in endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation.

Bag-1 is a multifunctional protein that regulates Hsp70 chaperone activity, apoptosis, and proliferation. The three major Bag-1 isoforms have different subcellular localizations and partly non-overlapping functions. To identify the detailed interaction network of each isoform, we utilized mass spectrometry-based proteomics and found that interactomes of Bag-1 isoforms contained many common proteins, with variations in their abundances.

Evolution and long-term outcomes of combined immunodeficiency due to CARMIL2 deficiency.

Background: Biallelic loss-of-function mutations in CARMIL2 cause combined immunodeficiency associated with dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and EBV-related smooth muscle tumors. Clinical and immunological characterizations of the disease with long-term follow-up and treatment options have not been previously reported in large cohorts. We sought to determine the clinical and immunological features of CARMIL2 deficiency and long-term efficacy of treatment in controlling different disease manifestations.

Pediatric age, posterior fossa meningioma.

Meningiomas are benign, slow-growing tumors originating from arachnoid gap cells. They constitute 15%-20% of all intracranial tumors in adults and 04%-4% in the pediatric age group. Meningiomas in the posterior fossa in the pediatric period do not initially come to mind.

Lamina Measurements with Computed Tomography for C2 Translaminar Screw Fixation in Pediatric and Adult Cases.

Aim: To measure C2-related morphometric parameters in a Turkish population.

Material And Methods: The computed tomography (CT) images of three groups (Group 1: paediatric cases aged 1-6 years, Group 2: age7-16 years, and Group 3: adult cases), who had cervical spine CT were used to measure some morphometric parameters for safe C2 translaminar screw fixation. The measured parameters included thickness, height and length of the C2 lamina on both sides and the C2 lamina-midline angle.

Seroprevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among health care workers from three pandemic hospitals of Turkey.

COVID-19 is a global threat with an increasing number of infections. Research on IgG seroprevalence among health care workers (HCWs) is needed to re-evaluate health policies. This study was performed in three pandemic hospitals in Istanbul and Kocaeli.

Does sampling saliva increase detection of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR? Comparing saliva with oro-nasopharyngeal swabs.

The gold standard method in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the detection of viral RNA in the nasopharyngeal sample by RT-PCR. Recently, saliva samples have been suggested as an alternative sample. In the present study, we aimed to compare RT-PCR results in nasopharyngeal, oro-nasopharyngeal and saliva samples of COVID-19 patients.

Acute Neurologic Deterioration in Mobile Spinal Schwannoma.

Background: Spinal schwannomas are commonly presented with minor symptoms, including radicular pain, sensory deficits, and minor neurologic deficit. Acute neurologic deterioration is uncommon.

Case Description: In this study, a case of cauda equina schwannoma presented with acute neurologic deficit after movement of spinal schwannoma is presented.

Germline pathogenic variant spectrum in 25 cancer susceptibility genes in Turkish breast and colorectal cancer patients and elderly controls.

Inherited pathogenic variants account for 5% to 10% of all breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. Here, we sought to profile the pathogenic variants in 25 cancer susceptibility genes in Turkish population. Germline pathogenic variants were screened in 732 BC patients, 189 CRC patients and 490 cancer-free elderly controls, using next-generation sequencing-based multigene panel testing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification testing.

The origin of SARS-CoV-2 in Istanbul: Sequencing findings from the epicenter of the pandemic in Turkey.

Objective: Turkey is one of the latest countries that COVID-19 disease was reported, with the first case on March 11, 2020, and since then, Istanbul became the epicenter of the pandemic in Turkey. Here, we reveal sequences of the virus isolated from three different patients with various clinical presentations.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal swab specimens of the patients were tested positive for the COVID-19 by qRT-PCR.

Bag-1 stimulates Bad phosphorylation through activation of Akt and Raf kinases to mediate cell survival in breast cancer.

Background: Bag-1 (Bcl-2-associated athanogene) is a multifunctional anti-apoptotic protein frequently overexpressed in cancer. Bag-1 interacts with a variety of cellular targets including Hsp70/Hsc70 chaperones, Bcl-2, nuclear hormone receptors, Akt and Raf kinases. In this study, we investigated in detail the effects of Bag-1 on major cell survival pathways associated with breast cancer.

Management and prognosis of acute traumatic cervical central cord syndrome: systematic review and Spinal Cord Society-Spine Trauma Study Group position statement.

Purpose: Spinal Cord Society (SCS) and Spine Trauma Study Group (STSG) established a panel tasked with reviewing management and prognosis of acute traumatic cervical central cord syndrome (ATCCS) and recommend a consensus statement for its management.

Methods: A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA 2009 guidelines. Delphi method was used to identify key research questions and achieve consensus.