Rhodanine-benzamides as potential hits for α-amylase enzyme inhibitors and radical (DPPH and ABTS) scavengers.

A series of 3-substituted and 3,5-disubstituted rhodanine-based derivatives were synthesized from 3-aminorhodanine and examined for α-amylase inhibitory, DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activities in vitro. These derivatives displayed significant α-amylase inhibitory potential with IC50 values of 11.01-56.04 µM in comparison to standard acarbose (IC50 = 9.08 ± 0.07 µM). Especially, compounds 7 (IC50 = 11.01 ± 0.07 µM) and 8 (IC50 = 12.01 ± 0.07 µM) showed highest α-amylase inhibitory activities among the whole series. In addition to α-amylase inhibitory activity, all compounds also demonstrated significant scavenging activities against DPPH and ABTS radicals, with IC50 values ranging from 12.24 to 57.33 and 13.29-59.09 µM, respectively, as compared to the standard ascorbic acid (IC50 = 15.08 ± 0.03 µM for DPPH; IC50 = 16.09 ± 0.17 µM for ABTS). These findings reveal that the nature and position of the substituents on the phenyl ring(s) are crucial for variation in the activities. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) revealed that the compounds bearing an electron-withdrawing group (EWG) at para substitution possessed the highest activity. In kinetic studies, only the km value was changed, with no observed changes in Vmax, indicating a competitive inhibition. Molecular docking studies revealed important interactions between compounds and the α-amylase active pocket. Further advanced research needs to perform on the identified compounds in order to obtain potential antidiabetic agents.

[Distribution of the Prevalence of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-B*57:01 Positivity in HIV-1 Infected Individuals and Its Effects on Treatment: Türkiye Map-Buhasder Working Group]. / HIV-1 Enfekte Bireylerde Insan Lökosit Antijeni (HLA)-B*57:01 Pozitifligi Prevalansinin Dagilimi ve Tedavi Üzerine Etkileri: Türkiye Haritasi-BUHASDER Çalisma Grubu.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immundeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a critical global public health problem that significantly affects both life expectancy and the overall quality of life of individuals in all age groups. The landscape of HIV infection has changed significantly in recent years due to the introduction of effective combination antiretroviral therapies (ART). A key component of first-line ART regimens for HIV treatment is abacavir, a nucleoside HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Although abacavir is effective in suppressing viral replication and managing disease, its clinical utility is overshadowed by the potential for life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions in HLA-B*57:01-positive patients. In our country, local data obtained from various centers regarding the prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 in HIV-1-infected patients are available. In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence of the HLA-B*57:01 genotype in HIV-infected patients who were followed up and treated in many regions of our country. This retrospective study consists of the data of the patients aged 18 years and over diagnosed with HIV-1 infection between 01.01.2019 and 31.07.2022. Age, gender, place of birth, mode of transmission of the disease, death status, CD4+ T cell count and HIV RNA levels at the first clinical presentation, HLA-B*57:01 positivity, and the method used, clinical stage of the disease, virological response time with the treatment they received were recorded from the patient files. Data were collected from 16 centers and each center used different methods to detect HLA-B*57:01. These methods were sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization (SSOP), DNA sequence-based typing (SBT), single-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR), allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). A total of 608 HIV-infected individuals, 523 males (86%) and 85 females (14%), were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 36.9 ± 11.9 (18-73) years. The prevalence of HLA-B*57:01 allele was found to be 3.6% (22 patients). The number of CD4+ T lymphocytes in HLA-B*57:01 allele-positive patients was > 500/ mm3 in 10 patients (45.5%), while the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes in HLA-B*57:01 negative patients was > 500/mm3 in 216 patients (36.9%) (p> 0.05). Viral load at the time of diagnosis was found to be lower in patients with positive HLA-B*57:01 allele but it was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). Although different treatment algorithms were used in the centers following the patients, it was observed that the duration of virological response was shorter in HLA-B*57:01 positive patients (p= 0.006). Although the presence of the HLA-B*57:01 allele has a negative impact due to its association with hypersensitivity, it is likely to continue to attract interest due to its association with slower progression of HIV infection and reduced risk of developing AIDS. In addition, although the answer to the question of whether it is cost-effective to screen patients for HLA-B*57:01 before starting an abacavir-containing ART regimen for the treatment of HIV infection is being sought, it seems that HIV treatment guidelines will continue to recommend screening to identify patients at risk in this regard.

Syntheses, in vitro, and in silico studies of rhodanine-based schiff bases as potential α-amylase inhibitors and radicals (DPPH and ABTS) scavengers.

A two-step reaction method was used to synthesize a series of rhodanine-based Schiff bases (2-33) that were characterized using spectroscopic techniques. All compounds were assessed for α-amylase inhibitory and radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS) activities. In comparison to the standard acarbose (IC50 = 9.08 ± 0.07 µM), all compounds demonstrated good to moderate α-amylase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 10.91 ± 0.08-61.89 ± 0.102 µM). Compounds also demonstrated significantly higher DPPH (IC50 = 10.33 ± 0.02-96.65 ± 0.03 µM) and ABTS (IC50 = 12.01 ± 0.12-97.47 ± 0.13 µM) radical scavenging activities than ascorbic acid (DPPH, IC50 = 15.08 ± 0.03 µM; ABTS, IC50 = 16.09 ± 0.17 µM). The limited structure-activity relationship (SAR) suggests that the position and nature of the substituted groups on the phenyl ring have a vital role in varying inhibitory potential. Among the series, compounds with an electron-withdrawing group at the para position showed the highest potency. Kinetic studies revealed that the compounds followed a competitive mode of inhibition. Molecular docking results are found to agree with experimental findings, showing that compounds reside in the active pocket due to the main rhodanine moiety.

An Initial Experience of Completion Hemispherotomy via Magnetic Resonance-Guided Laser Interstitial Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: In carefully selected patients with medically refractory epilepsy, disconnective hemispherotomy can result in significant seizure freedom; however, incomplete disconnection can result in ongoing seizures and poses a significant challenge. Completion hemispherotomy provides an opportunity to finish the disconnection. We describe the use of magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal ablation (MRgLITT) for completion hemispherotomy. METHODS: Patients treated with completion hemispherotomy using MRgLITT at our institution were identified. Procedural and seizure outcomes were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Five patients (3 males) underwent six MRgLITT procedures (one child treated twice) for completion hemispherotomy at a median age of 6 years (range 1.8-12.9). Two children had hemimegalencephaly, two had Rasmussen encephalitis, and one had polymicrogyria. All five children had persistent seizures likely secondary to incomplete disconnection after their functional hemispherotomy. The mean time from open hemispherotomy to MRgLITT was 569.5 ± 272.4 days (median 424, range 342-1,095). One patient underwent stereoelectroencephalography before MRgLITT. The mean number of ablation targets was 2.3 ± 0.47 (median 2, range 2-3). The mean length of the procedure was 373 min ± 68.9 (median 374, range 246-475). Four of the five patients were afforded improvement in their neurocognitive functioning and speech performance after ablation, with mean daily seizure frequency at 1 year of 1.03 ± 1.98 (median 0, range 0-5). Two patients achieved Engel Class I outcomes at 1 year after ablation, one was Engel Class III, and two were Engel Class IV. The mean follow-up time was 646.8 ± 179.5 days (median 634, range 384-918). No MRgLITT-related complications occurred. Delayed retreatment (>1 year) occurred in three patients: one child underwent redo ablation and two underwent anatomic hemispherectomy. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated the feasibility of a minimally invasive approach for completion hemispherotomy using MRgLITT. Delayed retreatment was needed in three patients; thus, further study of this technique with comparison to other surgical techniques is warranted.

Mathematical modeling of sustainable development goals of India agenda 2030: a Neutrosophic programming approach.

Since 2015, the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) agenda 2030 has been designed with 17 goals, 169 targets, and 232 unique indicators to help address environmental, development, and sustainability issues globally. India, like other developing nations, desired to achieve its vision 2030 targets. Several authors studied India's SDGs with different approaches. However, none of the studies explores the concept of neutrosophic programming (NP). It is against this drawback; this study presents an optimization model for India's socio-economic and environmental goals based on the NP concept. The NP model is capable of handling indeterminacy in optimization-related problems for which other techniques do not. The formulated models simultaneously optimized the gross domestic product (GDP) growth, electricity consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The solutions revealed that the degree of satisfaction for the goals related to GDP, electricity consumption, and GHG emissions could be achieved partially. Also, it suggested the required optimal number of employment for each economic sector to achieve India's vision 2030. The SDGs model was further solved with the goal programming (GP) technique and compared with the NP results to validate the proposed concept. It has been found that the proposed model gives a better compromise solution than the GP model. The study can help and guide policymakers in working toward vision 2030 attaintment. Other interested researchers can use the concept in other countries to help decision-makers understand managerial policy implications.

Circular Patch Fed Rectangular Dielectric Resonator Antenna with High Gain and High Efficiency for Millimeter Wave 5G Small Cell Applications.

A novel method of feeding a dielectric resonator using a metallic circular patch antenna at millimeter wave frequency band is proposed here. A ceramic material based rectangular dielectric resonator antenna with permittivity 10 is placed over a rogers RT-Duroid based substrate with permittivity 2.2 and fed by a metallic circular patch via a cross slot aperture on the ground plane. The evolution study and analysis has been done using a rectangular slot and a cross slot aperture. The cross-slot aperture has enhanced the gain of the single element non-metallic dielectric resonator antenna from 6.38 dB from 8.04 dB. The Dielectric Resonator antenna (DRA) which is designed here has achieved gain of 8.04 dB with bandwidth 1.12 GHz (24.82-25.94 GHz) and radiation efficiency of 96% centered at 26 GHz as resonating frequency. The cross-slot which is done on the ground plane enhances the coupling to the Dielectric Resonator Antenna and achieves maximum power radiation along the broadside direction. The slot dimensions are further optimized to achieve the desired impedance match and is also compared with that of a single rectangular slot. The designed antenna can be used for the higher frequency bands of 5G from 24.25 GHz to 27.5 GHz. The mode excited here is characteristics mode of TE1Y1. The antenna designed here can be used for indoor small cell applications at millimeter wave frequency band of 5G. High gain and high efficiency make the DRA designed here more suitable for 5G indoor small cells. The results of return loss, input impedance match, gain, radiation pattern, and efficiency are shown in this paper.

4-Oxycoumarinyl linked acetohydrazide Schiff bases as potent urease inhibitors.

Urease enzyme is responsible to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea into carbamate and ammonia. Then carbamate hydrolyzed to ammonia and carbon dioxide. Excess release of ammonia leads to increase pH in stomach that actually encourages the survival of Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori involves in various disorders most commonly peptic ulcer, pyelonephritis, hepatic coma, kidney stone formation, urolithiasis, and encephalopathy. Apart from many pharmacological properties, coumarin and Schiff bases are known to possess urease inhibitory activity. Therefore, these two pharmacologically important scaffolds are combined into single hybrid molecules to assess their potential as urease inhibitors. For this aim, N'-benzylidene-2-((2-oxo-2H-chromen-4-yl)oxy)acetohydrazide Schiff base derivatives 3-27 were synthesized by following a three step reaction strategy. Structures of all synthetic molecules were characterized by EI-MS, 1H-, and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. All molecules were assessed for urease inhibitory activity and found to possess a varying degree of inhibitory potential in the range of IC50 = 12.3 ± 0.69 to 88.8 ± 0.04 µM. Amongst the active analogs, compounds 7 (IC50 = 16.2 ± 0.11 µM), 9 (IC50 = 15.2 ± 0.14 µM), 10 (IC50 = 12.3 ± 0.69 µM), 12 (IC50 = 16.3 ± 0.45 µM), and 15 (IC50 = 17.6 ± 0.28 µM) were identified as potent inhibitors compared to standard urea (IC50 = 21.5 ± 0.47 µM). It is conferred from structure-activity relationship (SAR) that variation in inhibitory activity is due to different substitutions pattern on aryl ring. Moreover, molecular docking studies were carried out to understand the interactions of ligand with the active pocket of urease enzyme.

Potent α-amylase inhibitors and radical (DPPH and ABTS) scavengers based on benzofuran-2-yl(phenyl)methanone derivatives: Syntheses, in vitro, kinetics, and in silico studies.

Thirty benzofuran-2-yl(phenyl)methanones 1-30 were synthesized and characterized their structures by spectroscopic techniques. Substituted phenacyl bromide and different derivatives of 2-hydroxy-benzaldehyde treated in the presence of anhydrous K2CO3 in acetonitrile at room temperature to afford the desired benzofurans 1-30. All compounds were screened for their in vitro α-amylase inhibitory and radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS) activities. Results revealed that para substituted compounds were found to be more active than the others with IC50 values ranges for α-amylase inhibition (IC50 = 18.04-48.33 µM), DPPH (IC50 = 16.04-32.33 µM) and ABTS (IC50 = 16.99-33.01 µM) radical scavenging activities. Activities results were compared with the standards acarbose (IC50 = 16.08 ± 0.07 µM) for α-amylase, ascorbic acid (IC50 = 15.08 ± 0.03 and 15.09 ± 0.17 µM) for DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, respectively. Kinetic studies predicted that all compounds followed non-competitive mechanism of inhibition. Molecular docking results showed good protein-ligand interactions profile against the corresponding target. To the best of our knowledge, out of thirty molecules, ten compounds 18-20, 22, and 25-30 were structurally new.

A Dielectric Resonator Antenna with Enhanced Gain and Bandwidth for 5G Applications.

In this paper, a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) with high gain and wide impedance bandwidth for fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication applications is proposed. The dielectric resonator antenna is designed to operate at higher-order TEδ15x mode to achieve high antenna gain, while a hollow cylinder at the center of the DRA is introduced to improve bandwidth by reducing the quality factor. The DRA is excited by a 50Ω microstrip line with a narrow aperture slot. The reflection coefficient, antenna gain, and radiation pattern of the proposed DRAs are analyzed using the commercially available full-wave electromagnetic simulation tool CST Microwave Studio (CST MWS). In order to verify the simulation results, the proposed antenna structures were fabricated and experimentally validated. Measured results of the fabricated prototypes show a 10-dB return loss impedance bandwidth of 10.7% (14.3-15.9GHz) and 16.1% (14.1-16.5 GHz) for DRA1 and DRA2, respectively, at the operating frequency of 15 GHz. The results show that the designed antenna structure can be used in the Internet of things (IoT) for device-to-device (D2D) communication in 5G systems.

Variants in taste genes on caries risk and caries activity status.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of taste-related gene polymorphisms (CA6, TAS1R1, TAS1R3, TLR2, and TLR4) on dental caries and caries activity in adults. Individuals aged 25-44 years included in the study were assigned to two groups according to the decayed-missing-filled teeth index (DMFT) as the high caries risk (DMFT ≥ 14, n = 100) and the low caries risk (DMFT ≤ 5, n = 100). TaqMan allelic discrimination assays were used for genotyping the gene variants after isolating the DNA from the buccal smears. According to the American dental association caries classification system (ADA CCS), all teeth were scored as initial, moderate or advanced caries. The variant of the gustin (CA6) in saliva was found to be associated with a high caries risk (CA6 rs17032907, P < .001). There was also a statistically significant difference in the dominant model of the same variant (CC vs. TT: P < .001, OR = 5.05, 95% CI: 2.38-10.71). The presence of genotype CC and allele C was less frequent in the advanced caries lesion group (P < .001). This study shows that the CA6 rs17032907 gene variant may be a risk factor for dental caries affecting caries activity. Clinical Trials ID: NCT04066101.

[Evaluation of Infections in Intensive Care Units: A Multicentre Point-Prevalence Study]. / Yogun Bakim Ünitelerindeki Enfeksiyonlarin Degerlendirilmesi: Çok Merkezli Nokta Prevalans Çalismasi.

Infection control is a top priority for hospitals, especially in intensive care units (ICU). In intensive care units, prevalence of infection is estimated to be 30% worldwide, which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Many factors are known to increase the risk of infection in ICU patients. Since each of these may lead to different infections, it is important to recognize and identify predisposing factors for early diagnosis and treatment. The regional health care-associated infections (HCAI) prevalence and distribution of risk factors are important strategies in infection control. In this regard, the aim of this point prevalence study was to obtain data related to infections, the prevalence of HCAI among these infections, the epidemiology, agents and antibiotics used among adult ICU patients in the university hospitals, training and research hospitals and public hospitals located in eight of the cities of our region. In the light of these data, we aimed to review and emphasize the guidelines on HCAI prevention. The study included adult ICU patients followed up in nine hospitals in the Eastern and South-eastern Anatolia Regions of eight different cities (Sivas, Erzurum, Mardin, Batman, Diyarbakir Elazig, Van, Adiyaman) in Turkey. Of the hospitals six were university hospitals, one was training and research hospital, and two were public hospitals. The number of beds ranged from 358 to 1418. A specific day was determined on which the researchers concurrently carried out a prospective surveillance in all adult intensive care unit patients. The researchers collected data and recorded the demographic characteristics (age, gender), underlying diseases, length of hospital stay, presence of invasive intervention (urinary catheter, central venous catheter, external ventricular drainage, mechanical ventilator, presence of risk factors such as burn, trauma and surgery, number of infection cases, type of infection (hospital-acquired, community-acquired), type of microorganisms and whether polymicrobial or monomicrobial, which antibiotics were administered, and duration of antibiotic treatment. Our study assessed data of 429 inpatients in the adult ICU of nine hospitals in eight different cities. There were a total of 881 intensive care beds in these hospitals, and 740 (84%) beds were occupied. Of the study group 49.7% was male with a mean age (min-max) of 64.08 ± 18.78 (2-97) years. The point prevalence of HCAI was 21.7% (n= 93). Of the patients who were followed-up 182 (42.4%) presented infections. Of these infections, 21.4% were diagnosed as community-acquired pneumonia, 18.6% were ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), 16.3% were communityacquired urinary tract infection (UTI), and 16.3% were bloodstream infection. In addition, the most commonly administered antibiotics in the study group were piperacillin/tazobactam, carbapenem, quinolone and ceftriaxone, respectively. The most common types of HCAI were community-acquired pneumonia (10.7%), ventilator-associated pneumonia (8.9%) and bloodstream infections (8.2%). The mean length of hospital stay was 32.05 ± 66.85 (1-459) days and the mean duration of antibiotic therapy in patients with HCAIs was 7.76 ± 7.11 (1-41) days. The most widely accepted method to handle infection is to carry out active, prospective and patient-based surveillance studies on a regular basis, and to take control measures and arrange appropriate treatment in the light of the data obtained. We attribute the high prevalence of HCAI in our region to lack of personnel, lack of materials, inappropriate use of antibiotics, insufficiency of physical conditions, and little support for infection control committees. In conclusion, we emphasize that it is of importance to work closely with the hospital administration to take measures and that necessary assistance is provided.

Zika Virus: A Critical Analysis and Pharmaceutical Perspectives.

Zika virus belongs to family of viruses 'Flaviviridae' and spreads mostly by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes. The resulting infection is known as Zika fever. It is usually asymptomatic or often causes mild symptoms, which are very similar to dengue fever. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is also responsible for dengue and chikungunya viruses. Zika virus can spread by crossing the placental barrier from a pregnant mother to a fetus, which can result in microcephaly, severe brain malformations including Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), and other birth defects. Until now, there is no specific treatment of Zika fever disease, and Zika virus illness cannot be prevented by medications or vaccines. According to WHO, no vaccine is likely to be available until 2020. The only way of preventing this disease is to prevent the mosquito bites. This article presents the history of Zika virus, its reported cases including microcephaly and GBS, and a comparison of its symptoms with those of dengue and chikungunya diseases, as well as preventive measures. With advances in research and technology, knowledge about the Zika virus has grown, yet some questions remain unanswered regarding Zika virus's genetic diversity, pathophysiology, transmission vectors and reservoirs, potential synergetic of coinfection with other related arboviruses, and treatment. These problems highlight the need for further research to achieve adequate the surveillance, infection management, optimized treatment, and public health mediations in Zika virus outbreaks. This article contributes to our understanding of the disease mechanism, genome structure, diagnosis, transmission, and preventive strategies to combat Zika virus infection.

Evaluation of 257 extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases at the Tuberculosis Control Dispensary, Van, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there were any changes in demographic and clinical features of extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey, and comprised records of extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients treated between January 2009 and July 2014 at the tuberculosis control dispensary. Descriptive and clinical data, including age, gender, site of involvement, diagnostic method and coexisting systemic diseases, were noted. Any changes in terms of these parameters were investigated on a year-on-year basis. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: There were 257 cases detected. Of them, 50(19.45%) related to 2009, 61(23.75%) to 2010, 24(9.33%) to 2011, 50(19.45%) to 2012, 47(18.28%) to 2013 and 25(9.72%) to 2014. Although lymph nodes were by far most frequently affected in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013; pleura was most commonly involved in 2012 and 2014. Age and gender distribution displayed no changes between 2009 and 2014 (p>0.05). However, diagnostic method of choice and frequency of co-existent systemic disorders displayed remarkable alterations in this period (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Improved insight of clinicians for atypical demographic and clinical features at presentation may provide reduction of rates of morbidity and mortality due to extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Chronic subdural hematoma following spinal anesthesia for cesarean section.

OBJECTIVE: Intracranial subdural hematoma after spinal anesthesia is a rare and life-threatening complication of spinal anesthesia. The most common complication of spinal anesthesia is the postdural puncture headache. When severe and persistent headache after spinal anesthesia occur, differential diagnosis can be explored. In this report, we aimed to evaluate a patient with persistent headache following spinal anesthesia for cesarean section in a 31-year-old woman ,and emphasize a rare complication of spinal anesthesia which is subdural hematoma.

Room-temperature ferromagnetism in the two-dimensional layered Cu2MoS4 nanosheets.

A room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior was observed in a ternary layered-Cu2MoS4 nanosheet. Both the coercivity and magnetization saturation increased with a decrease in temperature. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy confirmed a high g value. Combined with atomic structural observations, our first principle calculations revealed that the ferromagnetism originated from the edged molybdenum atoms.

Effect of Obesity on Clinical Parameters and Pregnancy Rates in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Undergoing Ovulation Induction Cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of obesity on clinical parameters and pregnancy rates in infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), who have undergone ovulation induction. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study included 177 women with PCOS who presented to our gynecological endocrinology outpatient clinic for diagnosed infertility. All of the patients initially received clomiphene citrate (CC), and if CC resistance was noted, gonadotropins were used. The patients were classified into 2 groups according to BMI (<30 kg/m2=control group and ≥30 kg/m2=study group). Pregnancy was assessed by ß-hCG levels and a visible gestational sac in the endometrium. RESULTS: The demographic and hormonal parameters were similar between the groups. The mean duration of infertility was longer in the study group (p<0.05). In the study group, cycle cancellation due to CC resistance (p=0.039) and mean baseline LH levels (p=0.026) was statistically more likely than in the control group. On follow-up, 4 (9.3%) patients in the study group had conceived and 26 (19.4%) patients in the control group had conceived (p=0.041). CONCLUSION: Obesity adversely affects pregnancy rates in women with PCOS who undergo ovulation induction cycles. Clinicians should recommend weight loss in these patients before ovulation induction.

Spanning the Horizon of Accuracy of Different Intraoral Radiographic Modalities: A Systematic Review.

AIM: This study was conducted with an aim to systematically review the literature for assessing the accuracy of intraoral radiographs in detection of dental caries. INTRODUCTION: Despite the advancements in oral disease science, dental caries continues to be a worldwide health concern, affecting humans of all ages. Correct diagnosis of caries is critical both in clinical practice as well as in epidemiology and radiography are worthwhile adjunct for a thorough examination. RESULTS: A literature review was performed in PubMed Central and Cochrane library, Embase, and Google Scholar, and these databases were searched up to 2016. The primary outcome measure was to assess the accuracy of intraoral radiographs in the detection of dental caries based on sensitivity and specificity. The sensitivity for conventional radiographs for the detection of lesions in enamel (16-68%) and dentin (16-96%) was found to be superior as compared with other modalities of digital radiography, whereas the specificity of digital radiography was found to be superior in detection of lesion in enamel (77-96%) and dentin (84-100%) when compared with conventional radiography. Sensitivity of conventional radiographs was noted to be superior as compared with digital radiography, whereas in terms of specificity, digital was found to be superior to conventional radiographs. CONCLUSION: Although there was no significant difference between digital and conventional radiography in the diagnosis of caries, conventional radiographs were able to detect carious lesion, in general, but for lesion to be detected precisely, digital was found to be superior. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: As digital radiography produces lower ionizing radiation, dental professionals should employ this method in their routine dental practice for diagnosing and treating carious lesions.

The association between clinical parameters and uterine fibroid size in patients who underwent abdominal myomectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate if there is an association between neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and tumor markers in patients with uterine fibroids. METHODS: A total of three hundred and fifty seven patients who operated for myomectomy were enrolled this retrospective case control study. Risk factors evaluated were; age, uterine fibroid type, body mass index (BMI), gravidity, parity, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin difference, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), alpha fetoprotein (AFP), cancer antigen 125 (CA 125), cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), carsino embryonic antigen (CEA) levels. Patients divided two groups with regard to the diameter size of the removed fibroids. Group 1 (n=211) determined as the patients whose diameter size of the removed fibroids ≤ 5 cm and group 2 (n=146) determined as patients with > 5 cm diameter size. Groups were compared in terms of their age, bmi, gravidity, parity, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin difference, nlr, afp, ca 125, ca 19-9, ca 15-3, cea levels. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients in group 1 (n=211) were 38.02 ± 5.38 years and in group 2 were (n=146) 37.80 ± 6.06 years (p = .751). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of age, bmi, uterine fibroid types, cea and afp levels (p > 0.05). Gravidity, parity, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin differences, nlr, ca 125, ca 19-9, ca 15-3 levels were statically significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, we think that multiple parameters affect developing uterine fibroids.

Cranial imaging findings in neurobrucellosis: results of Istanbul-3 study.

OBJECTIVE: Neuroimaging abnormalities in central nervous system (CNS) brucellosis are not well documented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of imaging abnormalities in neurobrucellosis and to identify factors associated with leptomeningeal and basal enhancement, which frequently results in unfavorable outcomes. METHODS: Istanbul-3 study evaluated 263 adult patients with CNS brucellosis from 26 referral centers and reviewed their 242 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 226 computerized tomography (CT) scans of the brain. RESULTS: A normal CT or MRI scan was seen in 143 of 263 patients (54.3 %). Abnormal imaging findings were grouped into the following four categories: (a) inflammatory findings: leptomeningeal involvements (44), basal meningeal enhancements (30), cranial nerve involvements (14), spinal nerve roots enhancement (8), brain abscesses (7), granulomas (6), and arachnoiditis (4). (b) White-matter involvement: white-matter involvement (32) with or without demyelinating lesions (7). (c) Vascular involvement: vascular involvement (42) mostly with chronic cerebral ischemic changes (37). (d) Hydrocephalus/cerebral edema: hydrocephalus (20) and brain edema (40). On multivariate logistic regression analysis duration of symptoms since the onset (OR 1.007; 95 % CI 1-28, p = 0.01), polyneuropathy and radiculopathy (OR 5.4; 95 % CI 1.002-1.013, p = 0.044), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/serum glucose rate (OR 0.001; 95 % CI 000-0.067, p = 0.001), and CSF protein (OR 2.5; 95 % CI 2.3-2.7, p = 0.0001) were associated with diffuse inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 45 % of neurobrucellosis patients had abnormal neuroimaging findings. The duration of symptoms, polyneuropathy and radiculopathy, high CSF protein level, and low CSF/serum glucose rate were associated with inflammatory findings on imaging analyses.

Transseptal Suturing Reduce Patient Anxiety after Septoplasty Compared to Nasal Packing.

BACKGROUND: We measured postoperative anxiety in patients who underwent transseptal suturing or nasal packing after septoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Transseptal suturing was performed on Group 1 patients and nasal splints with airway were placed after septoplasty in Group 2 patients. Postoperative 48-h anxiety levels of both groups were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) clinical assessment scale, prior to removal of nasal packing in Group 2. RESULTS: Transseptal suturing was performed after septoplasty in 28 patients and nasal packing in 34 patients. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory clinical assessment state (STAI-S) and trait (STAI-T) instruments were used to measure postoperative anxiety. The STAI-S scores were found 35.00 in the transseptal suturing group and 43.8 in the nasal packing group; the difference was found significant (p < 0.05). The STAI-T scores were found 42.6 in the transseptal suturing group and 45.7 in the nasal packing group; the difference was not found significant (p > 0.05). The rate of minor hemorrhage was found 10.7% in Group 1 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Transseptal suturing is simple and reliable when performed after septoplasty. The technique is painless and comfortable, and reduces patient anxiety (compared to that associated with nasal packing) with only a minor increase in operating time and hemorrhage.