The relationship between the psychological resilience and general health levels of earthquake survivor nursing students in Kahramanmaras earthquakes, the disaster of the century.

The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the psychological resilience of earthquake survivor students and their general health status. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted at a state university in Turkey in June 2023 with the nursing department students of a university that experienced two major earthquakes in Turkey on February 6, 2023. The sample of the study consisted of 287 students. The data of the study were collected with the "Descriptive Characteristics Form," "Brief Resilience Scale," and "General Health Questionnaire-12." Filling out the forms took approximately 5-10 min. It was determined in the present study that the psychological resilience of the earthquake survivor students was moderate. It was found that the girls, second graders, those with higher income levels, those who did not receive medication/professional support for their mental health, and those who described their health as good generally had higher psychological resilience levels. It was found that the general health status of the earthquake survivors was at an increased risk level, and 69% of them were at high risk for mental diseases. The mental health of girls, first graders, those who had low-income levels, those who lost loved ones in the earthquake, those whose houses were damaged, those who received medication/professional support for mental health, those who did not generally participate in distance education, and those who described their health as deficient in general, had worse mental health levels. A high relationship was detected between nursing students' psychological resilience and mental health (p < 0.05). It was concluded in the present study that as the psychological resilience of the students increased, the risk of mental disease decreased.

The effect of radiological distribution on the COVID-19 disease.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of radiological distribution on COVID-19 clinic and prognosis and to determine the relationship between laboratory parameters and thorax CT findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with COVID-19 were evaluated retrospectively. Laboratory parameters were obtained from medical records. Ground-glass opacities (GGO) and consolidation were evaluated on thorax CT. The presence of a single lobe lesion was considered as limited while multiple lobe lesions were considered as diffuse involvement for both GGO and consolidation. RESULT: A total 200 patients with COVID-19 were evaluated. 178 of them (89%) were discharged, 17 patients (8.5%) were transferred to the ICU and five patients died (2.5%). The ratios of mortality and transfer to the ICU in patients with diffused GGO were significantly higher compared to patients with limited GGOs. It was observed that troponin ≥0.06 µg/L, platelet <140 and fibrinogen ≥350 mg/dl were independent predictors of the presences of diffused GGOs in thorax CT. CONCLUSIONS: Diffused GGOs on thorax CT are correlated with the rate of mortality and transfer to the ICU in patients with COVID-19. Also, troponin, fibrinogen, and platelet levels can be used while predicting extensive parenchymal disease on thorax CT.

Is Rivaroxaban a Safe Choice for Apical Thrombus in Atrial Fibrillation Patients? A Case Report.

Left ventricular thrombi are mostly seen in the akinetic segments of left ventricle and warfarin is the golden standard treatment. In our case, a 67-year-old male patient with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation was under warfarin treatment, but due to fluctuations in international normalized ratio, warfarin was discontinued and changed to rivaroxaban (20 mg once a day). He had a fixed thrombus measuring 1.80 × 1.12 cm2 in the left ventricle under warfarin treatment before rivaroxaban use. After 6 months of rivaroxaban treatment, the thrombus regressed to 1.54 × 1.06 cm2 without any embolic episode or bleeding. This case supports the finding that rivaroxaban can be a safe alternative to warfarin when warfarin cannot be used.

Determination of oxidative stress responses caused by aluminum oxide (γ-Al2O3 and α-Al2O3) nanoparticles in Gammarus pulex.

The rapid growth in the use of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs) in various fields such as medicine, pharmacy, cosmetics industries and engineering, and the fact that these NPs and their wastes mix with the aquatic environment and damage the aquatic ecosystem, affect the organisms in the water, enter the food chain and reach humans is a major problem is cause for concern. The aim of this study is to investigate the oxidative stress caused by two separate forms of aluminum oxide, γ-Al2O3 and α-Al2O3, in Gammarus pulex, which is a good indicator species, with biochemical parameters. For this purpose, G. pulex was exposed to different concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40 ppm) of γ-Al2O3 and α-Al2O3 separately. The experiments were carried out for 24 and 96 h by creating 3 repeated experimental groups consisting of 4 groups. For biomarker analysis, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities and glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) levels were performed using an ELISA kit. As a result of the in experimental study, it was observed that both nanoparticles affected oxidative stress and antioxidant parameters after 96 h compared to the control group. Increases in SOD activity were observed, γ-Al2O3 caused a decrease in CAT activity at 24 h, and α- Al2O3 caused increases in CAT activity at 96 h. Decreases in GSH levels and increases in TBARS levels have been observed.

The effect of Jigsaw technique on nursing students' psychomotor skill levels and academic achievement: A quasi-experimental study.

AIM: To determine the effect of Jigsaw Technique on students' psychomotor skill levels, academic achievement and retention of knowledge on local drug applications and their opinion on Jigsaw Technique. BACKGROUND: It is thought that the use of teaching methods and techniques that will increase the student's participation in the lesson and increase the satisfaction level in the learning process will affect the achievement of the expected outputs at the end of the lesson. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental educational intervention study. METHODS: The study was conducted with 98 first-year undergraduate nursing students in Turkey. The students in the intervention group (n=49) learned the subject with the jigsaw technique and the students in the control group (n=49) learned the subject with the traditional method. Data were collected using "Questionnaire for Local Drug Applications", "Skill Assessment Form", "Jigsaw Opinion Scale", "Kolb Learning Style Inventory-III" and demographic questionnaire. Percentage, frequency, independent sample t-test, ANOVA were used in data analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the local drug application knowledge mean scores of both groups (A: 64.72 SD 11.66; B: 65.89 SD 13.13; p>.05). The difference between the skill point averages of both groups (A: 69.18 ± 15.99; B: 52.35 SD 19.85; p<.05) was found to be significant. In the first and second measurements to determine the permanence of knowledge, the mean score of the intervention group (78.23 SD 13.26; 73.37 SD 14.28) was compared to the control group (67.64 Sd 14.87; 54.42 SD 12.82) was found to be significantly higher (p<.05). It was determined that the Jigsaw Opinion Scale mean score of the students was 55.80 SD 7.49. CONCLUSIONS: In the results of the study, it was determined that the Jigsaw Technique is an effective teaching method to improve the psychomotor skill levels of nursing first year students and to increase the retention of knowledge.

Association between Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine and myocardial infarction: clinical and angiographic insights.

OBJECTIVE: With the widespread administration of the BioNTech mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, there is a need to evaluate its potential effects on cardiovascular health, particularly its association with myocardial infarction (MI). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between BioNTech vaccination and MI, as well as its impact on clinical and angiographic parameters. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted at the Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir City Hospital, between April 2020 and May 2023 on a cohort of 1 151 patients hospitalised with MI. The patients were stratified into a BioNTech+ (vaccinated) and a BioNTech- (unvaccinated) groups. Medical records were reviewed for demographic information, clinical data and angiographic findings. Statistical analyses were performed, including logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: The BioNTech- group had a higher mean number of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedures and stents compared to the BioNTech+ group. Haematological parameters and lipid profiles showed some discrepancies between the two groups. The BioNTech- group had higher white blood cell and platelet counts, while also exhibiting a higher mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. The prevalence of co-morbidities and cardiovascular risk factors differed between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study found associations between the BioNTech vaccination and clinical and angiographic parameters in patients with MI.

Effect of a Virtual Reality-Mediated Gamified Rehabilitation Program on Upper Limb Functions in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of a virtual reality-mediated gamified rehabilitation program on upper limb functions, skills, range of motion, muscle tone, and quality of life in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. DESIGN: This prospective, randomized, and controlled study included 36 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Children were randomized into two groups, the virtual reality group ( n = 18) and the control group ( n = 18). Stretching and range-of-motion exercises were performed on the affected upper limb of the children in both groups. In addition to this exercise program, in the virtual reality group, virtual reality-mediated upper limb rehabilitation was performed under supervision. The children were assessed at baseline and 1 and 3 mos after the intervention. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in Assisting Hand Assessment, ABILHAND-Kids, Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test, and KINDL values in the virtual reality group. In addition, there were significant increases in the active joint range of motion of the finger flexion, wrist flexion, pronation, and supination in the virtual reality group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was determined that upper limb function, quality of life, and active joint range of motion of the children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy were increased with virtual reality-mediated upper limb rehabilitation.

Comparison of artificial intelligence-assisted informed consent obtained before coronary angiography with the conventional method: Medical competence and ethical assessment.

Objective: At the time of informed consent (IC) for coronary angiography (CAG), patients' knowledge of the process is inadequate. Time constraints and a lack of personalization of consent are the primary causes of inadequate information. This procedure can be enhanced by obtaining IC using a chatbot powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Methods: In the study, patients who will undergo CAG for the first time were randomly divided into two groups, and IC was given to one group using the conventional method and the other group using an AI-supported chatbot, chatGPT3. They were then evaluated with two distinct questionnaires measuring their satisfaction and capacity to understand CAG risks. Results: While the satisfaction questionnaire was equal between the two groups (p = 0.581), the correct understanding of CAG risk questionnaire was found to be significantly higher in the AI group (<0.001). Conclusions: AI can be trained to support clinicians in giving IC before CAG. In this way, the workload of healthcare professionals can be reduced while providing a better IC.

Outcomes of high-risk breast lesions diagnosed using image-guided core needle biopsy: results from a multicenter retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The clinical management of high-risk lesions using image-guided biopsy is challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the rates at which such lesions were upgraded to malignancy and identify possible predictive factors for upgrading high-risk lesions. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter analysis included 1.343 patients diagnosed with high-risk lesions using an image-guided core needle or vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB). Only patients managed using an excisional biopsy or with at least one year of documented radiological follow-up were included. For each, the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category, number of samples, needle thickness, and lesion size were correlated with malignancy upgrade rates in different histologic subtypes. Pearson's chi-squared test, the Fisher-Freeman-Halton test, and Fisher's exact test were used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: The overall upgrade rate was 20.6%, with the highest rates in the subtypes of intraductal papilloma (IP) with atypia (44.7%; 55/123), followed by atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) (38.4%; 144/375), lobular neoplasia (LN) (12.7%; 7/55), papilloma without atypia (9.4%; 58/611), flat epithelial atypia (FEA) (8.7%; 10/114), and radial scars (RSs) (4.6%; 3/65). There was a significant relationship between the upgrade rate and BI-RADS category, number of samples, and lesion size Lesion size was the most predictive factor for an upgrade in all subtypes. CONCLUSION: ADH and atypical IP showed considerable upgrade rates to malignancy, requiring surgical excision. The LN, IP without atypia, pure FEA, and RS subtypes showed lower malignancy rates when the BI-RADS category was lower and in smaller lesions that had been adequately sampled using VAB. After being discussed in a multidisciplinary meeting, these cases could be managed with follow-up instead of excision.

Seating system for scoliosis in nonambulatory children with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of an adaptive seating system on pelvic obliquity and spinal coronal/sagittal balance in children with nonambulatory cerebral palsy and scoliosis. METHODS: This was a single-blind, prospective, randomized interventional study. Nonambulatory children aged 6-15 years with cerebral palsy and scoliosis were included. The seating system was used for 4 h/day, and exercises were performed 3 days/week for 12 weeks. The Cobb angle, spinopelvic parameters, pelvic obliquity, Reimer's migration index, and Sitting Assessment Scale were measured before and after treatments. RESULTS: A total of 29 participants were randomized into two groups, namely, the seating system+exercise group (SSE-group; n=15) and the exercise group (E-group; n=14). There was no significant change in Cobb angle and Reimer's migration index for both hips in SSE-group, but there was a significant increase in E-group (p=0.002, 0.049, and 0.003, respectively). The sagittal vertical axis, pelvic incidence, and pelvic obliquity decreased in SSE-group. However, there was no difference in the other sagittal parameters and Sitting Assessment Scale-total scores among groups. CONCLUSION: The adaptive seating system was found to be superior in reducing the progression of Cobb angle and hip subluxation/dislocation, decreasing pelvic obliquity, and improving the sagittal balance of the spine/pelvis compared with exercise therapy.

Diffusion-Weighted MRI Findings of Caudate Nucleus and Putamen in Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Objective The purpose of this study was to establish the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) findings of the caudate nucleus and putamen in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and to obtain new information on the etiopathogenesis of OCD, which is still unclear. Methods The study comprised 20 patients with OCDs and 20 healthy volunteers. In these cases, DW-MRI and diffusion-weighted echo-planar images (DW-EPI) at b600 and b1000 gradient values were taken and the measurements were made using the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps of each group at b600 and b1000 values from the caudate nucleus and putamen. Results When the DW-MRI examination in patients with OCD was compared with the control group, the mean ADC values in the caudate nucleus and putamen were not found to have statistically significantly changed. In addition, there were no significant differences regarding the right and left caudate nuclei and putamen ADC values at the b600 and b1000 in the patients with OCD or the control group. Conclusion There are still many unknowns about the neurobiology of OCD. When the DW-MRI examination of the patients with OCD was compared with the control group in our study, no significant difference was found between the ADC values of the caudate nucleus and putamen. Further studies are required for this present study on DW-MRI in patients with OCD to be meaningful.

Assessment of secondary prevention awareness among patients with coronary artery disease: A survey including patients from 3 centers.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the awareness of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) about secondary prevention and the channels through which they obtained information on this issue. METHODS: A standard questionnaire including 45 questions was given to the patients (n=912) who were admitted to the cardiology outpatient clinics to investigate their secondary prevention awareness and lifestyle. RESULTS: Of the participants, 508 (55.7%) stated that they knew the condition of their vessels after coronary angiography; 493 (54.1%) stated that they did not exercise; 299 stated that they did not follow any specific diet. Men were more frequently aware of all risk factors except diet, blood glucose, and blood pressure compared to women (p<0.001). Women were more frequently aware that blood glucose and blood pressure are risk factors for CAD compared to men (p<0.001). The high-income patient group was more aware of all the risk factors, except blood glucose compared to the low/medium income patient group (p<0.001). The frequency of awareness, except for blood glucose and antiplatelet drugs, increased as the education level increased (p<0.001). However, the frequency of awareness of blood glucose and antiplatelet drug use was higher in the literate/elementary school/secondary school group (p<0.001). In addition, it was concluded that patients' sexual life and psychological problems after being diagnosed with the disease were rarely questioned by cardiology specialists. CONCLUSION: Awareness of patients with CAD about secondary prevention was found to be very low.

Social cognition in first episode adolescent depression and its correlation with clinical features and quality of life.

Research has suggested that patients with depression have deficits in social cognition, however they provide limited data regarding adolescent depression. Moreover, the relationship of social cognition with clinical features and quality of life is less studied. This study investigated social cognition in depressive adolescents and the correlations of social cognition with clinical features and quality of life. Thirty-five depressed adolescents and 37 healthy controls were assessed. Emotion perception and decoding ToM, quality of life and clinical variables were evaluated. No significant differences were found between depression and control groups regarding social cognitive tests. The results indicated that examined clinical features were not correlated significantly with social cognitive tests. Results suggest that social cognitive abilities are not disturbed in adolescents with first depressive episode.

The effect of a course on violence against women on the attitudes of student midwives and nurses towards domestic violence against women, their occupational roles in addressing violence, and their abilities to recognize the signs of violence.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a course on violence against women on the attitudes of student midwives and nurses towards violence against women and their abilities to recognize the signs of violence. METHODS: This study used a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with experimental and control groups and was conducted with student midwives and nurses. RESULTS: The results indicated that the difference between pretest and posttest scores averaged across three scales was statistically significant for students in the experimental group (P < 0.001) and not statistically significant for students in the control group ( P > 0.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The traditional attitudes of students who enrolled in the course on violence against women decreased, and their levels of knowledge of signs of violence increased.

Investigation of human papillomavirus prevalence in married women and molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the virus.

OBJECTIVE: Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are among the agents responsible for infection and cancer of the skin and mucous membranes in the human body. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and type distribution of HPVs in married female patients with gynecological complaints, who had visited the Maternity Hospital in Erzurum, Turkey. METHODS: In this study, 263 cervical swab samples were taken from married women using the Pap smear method and were investigated for positive reactivity against HPV. The L1 gene region of HPV was investigated using molecular methods. For this purpose, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and sequence analysis of positive samples were performed. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using a bioinformatics approach after sequencing. RESULTS: HPV-DNA was detected in 17 (6.5%) samples. Highest positive reactivity to HPV-DNA was found in the 35-44 age group at 9.2%. Fourteen out of seventeen positive samples were included in the phylogenetic analysis. All isolates clustered in the Alphapapillomavirus genus. Six samples were found to be HPV 70 positive, four were HPV 16 positive, and the rest were HPV 54, 72, 81, and 114 positive. When genotyping data were evaluated according to the risk group, we found that 28.6% of the 14 samples were found to be high risk-HPV, and 71.4% were low risk-HPV. CONCLUSIONS: As per our knowledge, this is the first report on the phylogenetic analysis of HPV genotypes isolated from women in Turkey. The prevalence of low- and-high risk HPV was determined in married women in Erzurum, and these results contribute to the epidemiological data on the distribution of HPV types for this region.

Efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants on left ventricular thrombus.

: Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) is a commonly seen complication of myocardial infarction and it also can be seen because of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathies, malignancies, and so on. Guidelines suggest the use of warfarin for left ventricular thrombi, but recent case reports show that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are beginning to be used for this complication. DOACs are strong alternatives for warfarin because of their efficacy and safety even though there is no randomized controlled trial that proves the effect of DOACs against LVT. In this article, we gather the case reports of DOACs against left ventricular thrombi in various conditions.

Transient ST Segment Elevation Caused by Intracoronary Thrombus after Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the most common cause of death and injury among all poisonings. Myocardial injury is detected in one-third of CO poisonings. In this Case Report, a previously healthy 41-year-old man was referred for CO poisoning. The initial electrocardiogram (ECG) showed 1mm ST segment elevation in leads DII, DIII, and aVF. As the patient did not describe chest pain and had no cardiac symptoms, ECG was repeated 10 minutes later and it was seen that ST segment elevation disappeared. As the patient had a transient ST segment elevation and elevated high-sensitive Tn-T (HsTn-T), the patient was transferred to the coronary angiography laboratory. The patient's left coronary system was normal, but a thrombus image narrowing the lumen by approximately 60% was observed in the right coronary artery. Intravenous tirofiban was administered for 48 hours. Control coronary angiography showed continuing thrombus formation and a bare metal stent was successfully implanted. This is the first reported case with transient ST segment elevation associated with acute coronary thrombus caused by CO poisoning. It may be recommended that patients with CO poisoning should be followed-up with a 12-lead ECG monitor or 24-hour ECG Holter monitoring, even if they show no cardiac symptoms and echocardiography shows no wall motion abnormality. Early coronary angiography upon detection of such dynamic ECG changes in these recordings as ST segment elevation can reduce the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and mortality in these patients.

Chest pain score: a novel and practical approach to angina pectoris. A diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND: The chest pain classifications that are currently in use are based on studies that are several decades old. Various studies have indicated that these classifications are not sufficient for determining the origin of chest pain without additional diagnostic tests or tools. We describe a new chest pain scoring system that examines the relationship between chest pain and ischemic heart disease (IHD). DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary-level university hospital and two public hospitals. METHODS: Chest pain scores were assigned to 484 patients. These patients then underwent a treadmill stress test, followed by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy if necessary. Coronary angiography was then carried out on the patients whose tests had been interpreted as positive for ischemia. Afterwards, the relationship between myocardial ischemia and the test score results was investigated. RESULTS: The median chest pain score was 2 (range: 0-7) among the patients without IHD and 6 (1-8) among those with IHD. The median score of patients with IHD was significantly higher than that of patients without IHD (P = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the score had sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 87.5% for detecting IHD. CONCLUSION: We developed a pre-test chest pain score that uses a digital scoring system to assess whether or not the pain was caused by IHD. This scoring system can be applied easily and swiftly by healthcare professionals and can prevent the confusion that is caused by other classification and scoring systems.

Short term follow-up of a patient with uncomplicated type B aortic dissection under dabigatran treatment.

This case report illustrates the follow-up of a 57-year-old female with a type B aortic dissection (AD) under dabigatran treatment. The patient had been operated on 8 years earlier due to type A AD. The aortic valve was repaired and a 26-mm polyester fiber graft was applied to the ascending aorta and the aortic arch. In computerized tomography scans taken after the procedure, a dissection flap extending from the descending aorta to the iliac arteries was seen, but the patient was asymptomatic and no further surgery was performed. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. A CHA2DS2VASc score of 3 was recorded and dabigatran treatment was initiated. The aortic aneurysm and dissection were followed up via computed tomography and echocardiography at regular intervals, and at 6 months no progression was seen. No thromboembolic or hemorrhagic events were observed. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of dabigatran treatment for a patient with a type B AD. Based on this case, the use of dabigatran would appear to be safe in a patient with an uncomplicated type B AD, but the results of this case need to be confirmed with extended follow-up and additional patients.