Clues for Facial Perceived Age: Exercise, Sun Protection, Photoaging, and Anthropometric Properties: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The effect of environmental and genetic factors on the aging process is widely acknowledged. Yet, the extent to which each factor decisively contributes to the perception of looking younger or older remains a subject of debate. This study seeks to identify the factors linked to the perceived age among Turkish women. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten assessors scored the perceived ages of 250 female patients based on facial photographs. The study aimed to assess the impact of environmental factors and anthropometric measurements on the perception of aging. A comprehensive analysis involved conducting 9 perioral and 6 periorbital anthropometric measurements on all study participants. RESULTS: Exercise (p = .001), mild photodamage (stage 1-2) (p = .001), consistent sunscreen use (p = .001), the length of the palpebral fissure (p = .043), and the height of the upper vermilion (p = .019) demonstrated significant associations with a more youthful appearance. CONCLUSION: Environmental factors, including exercise, photoprotection, sunscreen use, and anthropometric measurements such as palpebral fissure length and upper vermilion height, play a significant role in contributing to a more youthful appearance.

Are parental sociodemographic factors, oral health knowledge and practices linked to the oral health habits of their children with cleft lip and palate?

OBJECTIVE: Children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) have a greater risk of dental caries. The parents' knowledge and attitudes may have an impact on their children's oral health and dietary habits. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the socio-demographic characteristics, oral health knowledge, oral health behaviours, and habits of the parents in addition to the relationship with the oral health and dietary practices of their children with CLP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The parents of 343 patients with CLP participated in the study. An online questionnaire with 52 questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics, oral health and oral hygiene practices was presented to them. RESULTS: Parents with higher level of education had better oral health knowledge (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the factors affecting the child's tooth brushing habits were the mother's age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.071, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.062-1.153), the father's employment status (OR = 2.089, 95%CI: 1.065-4.097), and the mother's last dental visit (OR = 1.995, 95%CI: 1.119-3.557). The factors affecting the child's toothpaste usage were the mother's age (OR = 1.106, 95%CI: 1.030-1.114), the father's employment status (OR = 2.124, 95%CI: 1.036-4.354), and the mother's last dental visit (OR = 2.076, 95%CI: 1.137-3.79). CONCLUSIONS: Parental factors have a significant influence on the oral health-related behaviours of children with CLP.

Evaluation of the Relation between Compliance with Mediterranean Diet and Quality of Life of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between compliance of Type 2 Diabetes patients with the Mediterranean Diet and their quality of life. A total of 200 patients admitted to TRNC Famagusta State Hospital Internal Medicine Clinic, diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, between the ages of 30-65 were included in the study. Patients filled out questionnaires that included data on demographic characteristics along with a 14-item MEDAS questionnaire, and SF-36 Quality of Life Scale. A total of 45% of patients were male, 55% female, mean age was 55 ± 8.28, and 65.6% of males and 49.1% of females complied moderately with the Mediterranean Diet (MEDAS score 6-9). According to the physical and mental indicator score, the quality of life of patients was moderate, and a strong relation was detected between gender and quality of life (p < 0.001). The scores of the quality of life of males were higher than those of females. Men and women who had moderate compliance with the Mediterranean Diet had higher physical function scores than those who had low compliance. The quality of life can be increased with regular training on the importance of dietary compliance because of the positive effects of the Mediterranean Diet on health.

A Comprehensive Assessment of Psychosocial Well-being Among Growing Rod Graduates: A Preliminary Investigation.

BACKGROUND: Traditional growing rods (TGR) encompass a long process, in which patients experience physical and psychosocial difficulties. However, the effect of repeating surgeries on the overall psychological functioning of graduated patients has not been thoroughly investigated in the literature. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychological well-being of graduated idiopathic early-onset scoliosis patients in terms of psychopathology, neurocognition, and psychosocial functioning, and determine the accuracy of scoliosis outcome questionnaires in these regards. METHODS: TGR graduates with idiopathic early-onset scoliosis without known intellectual disabilities or neuromuscular impairments were included. Patients were thoroughly evaluated using psychological instruments [Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Auditory Consonant Trigram Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Symptom Checklist-90, Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Spinal Appearance Questionnaire, Scoliosis Research Society 22-item questionnaire (SRS-22)]. Results were compared with normative data when available. Spearman correlations were performed between the results of these tests, the total treatment duration, and the number of spinal surgeries. RESULTS: Of the 15 patients included in the study, 9 were females, and the mean age was 18.73 (16 to 23). The mean age at index surgery was 6.38 (3 to 10) whereas that of graduation was 14.00 (12 to 16). The average number of spinal surgeries was 14.28 (7 to 20). Two patients performed below the range of adult intellectual functioning. Auditory Consonant Trigram Test showed normal verbal working memory and attention control. Six patients had abnormal Verbal Fluency Test performance. Eight patients had abnormal ratings on at least one of the assessment scales of psychopathology (Symptom Checklist-90, Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory). Eight patients had low-to-moderate self-esteem (Rosenberg self-esteem scale). The median spinal appearance questionnaire and SRS-22 scores were 34 and 4.18, respectively. Pain and function subdomains of SRS-22 scored higher than self-image and mental health. No correlation was found between the treatment duration and number of surgeries and test scores. SRS-22 showed correlations with multiple psychological tests. CONCLUSION: Completed TGR treatment yields acceptable correction of deformities and surgical outcomes, however, may fail to improve psychological well-being. This is the first study to find various psychosocial abnormalities in two-thirds of cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV; cross-sectional study.

Comparative evaluation of trabecular bone structures of bruxist and non-bruxist individuals with bone apposition in the mandible angle region by fractal analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the trabecular internal structure of different regions of the mandible according to the grades of appositional classification in the mandible angle region in probable bruxist individuals and non-bruxist G0(Convex course of the basal cortex, no directional change, no bone apposition) individuals by measuring fractal dimension (FD) on panoramic radiographs. METHODS: 200 sample jaws, bilaterally, of 80 probable bruxists and 20 non-bruxist G0 individuals were included in the study. According to the classification in the literature, each mandible angle apposition severity was classified as G0-G1-G2-G3. FD was calculated by selecting the region of interest (ROI) area of 7 regions from each sample. Gender differences in changes between ROIs in radiographs and independent samples t-test were evaluated. Relation between categorical variables was determined by chi-square test (p < .05). RESULTS: In the comparison of the probable bruxist and non-bruxist G0 groups, FD was found to be statistically significantly higher in the mandible angle (p = 0.013) and cortical bone (p = 0.000) regions in the probable bruxist group than in the non-bruxist G0 group. There is a statistically significant difference between probable bruxist G0 and non-bruxist G0 grades in terms of FD averages in cortical bone (p < 0.001). A statistically significant difference was found in the relationship of ROIs with gender in canine apex (p = 0.021) and canine distal (p = 0.041) regions. CONCLUSION: FD was found to be higher in the mandibular angle region and cortical bone in probable bruxist individuals than in non-bruxist G0 individuals. Morphological changes seen in the mandible angulus region may be a finding that may raise suspicion for bruxism for clinicians.

Obstructive sleep apnea in children with Down syndrome: is it possible to predict severe apnea?

The objectives are to explore the demographic and polysomnographic features of children with Down syndrome and to determine the predictive factors associated with severe sleep apnea. A total of 81 children with Down syndrome referred for full-night polysomnography were analyzed. In addition, parental interviews were performed for each child. Data were available for 81 children, with a mean age of 4.8 years. Severe obstructive sleep apnea was determined in 53.1%. Age, sex, exposure to second-hand smoke, clinical findings, anthropometric features, and the presence of comorbidities were not predictors of severe obstructive sleep apnea. Children who were exposed to second-hand smoke had more sleep-related symptoms. Even in children without symptoms, the prevalence of severe obstructive sleep apnea was 40%. Moreover, 86% of parents had no previous information regarding possible sleep breathing disorders in their children. Clinically significant central apnea was present in 10 patients (12.3%).Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that severe obstructive sleep apnea is common in children with Down syndrome, even in children without a history of symptoms of sleep apnea. It is not possible to predict patients with severe apnea; thus, screening of children with Down syndrome beginning from young ages is very important. Central apneas could be a part of the spectrum of sleep abnormalities in Down syndrome.

Renal effects of long-term lithium therapy, revisited.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lithium treatment on renal function and to determine influencing factors. In addition, the utility of spot urine protein/creatinine ratio in detection of lithium induced nephropathy was also investigated. METHODS: Serum concentrations of lithium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinalysis including protein/creatinine ratio were measured in 375 patients using lithium. RESULTS: Patients taking lithium for ≥8 years had higher BUN, creatinine levels, percentage of proteinuria, percentages of stage 2 and 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD); lower urine density and eGFR compared to patients taking lithium <8 years. Urine density was lower in groups with >0.8 and 0.6-0.8 mmol/L lithium level than <0.6 mmol/L. Predictors of CKD were serum level of lithium, dose of lithium, cumulative duration of lithium use, age at onset of illness, and caffeine consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Detrimental effects of lithium on renal functions were detected after lithium use for ≥8 years. Proteinuria measured by spot urine protein/creatinine ratio can be detected even when eGFR is >90 ml/min/1.73 m2 . Spot urine protein/creatinine ratio, which is a cost-effective and practical laboratory test, can be used to monitor lithium-treated patients.

Oncological Outcomes of Transoral Laryngeal Microsurgery with Fiber-Optic Diode Laser for Early Glottic Cancer: A Single-Center Experience.

Backgroud/Objectives: Transoral laser laryngeal microsurgery (LTLM) has been widely used in the treatment of early-stage glottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) for the past few decades. Although T stage, tumor grade, anterior commissure involvement, type of cordectomy, positive surgical margin, and postoperative additional therapies were accused as the prognostic factors for recurrence, there is still controversy about these data in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the oncological results of our patients with early glottic LSCC treated with LTLM as a single-modality therapy in a single-center study. METHODS: Patients with early-stage (Tis-1-2/N0) glottic LSCC who underwent LTLM as a primary treatment from 2011 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological factors and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-one patients were enrolled in this study. The 5-year overall (OS), disease-specific (DSS), disease-free (DFS), and laryngectomy-free survival rates were 84.5%, 97.9%, 79.2%, and 93.5%, respectively. The most common stage, histopathological type, and type of endoscopic cordectomy were T1 stage, well-differentiated cancer, and type 2 cordectomy, respectively. A positive surgical margin was defined in 20 (12.4%) patients. There was a significant relationship between histopathological grade and positive surgical margins (p = 0.038). OS and DSS rates of "wait and see" modality were lower, while DFS of radiotherapy was lower than that of other treatment modalities in patients with positive surgical margins, but the differences were not statistically significant. Nineteen (11.8%) patients had a recurrence. DSS was statistically significantly lower in patients with recurrence (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that anterior commissure involvement, surgical margin positivity, and higher T stage statistically did not reduce survival rates in early-stage LSCC patients treated with LTLM. As the histopathological grade of the tumor worsens, the risk of surgical margin positivity increases. RT may have a negative effect on recurrence and organ preservation in the additional treatment of patient with positive surgical margins.

Human epididymis protein 4 and fetal lung maturity.

OBJECTIVES: To document the maternal and fetal cord blood levels of human epididymis protein 4 (HE-4) in term and preterm newborns in order to investigate the possible physiological role of HE-4 in fetal lung development. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a university-affiliated hospital between April 2018 and September 2018. The study population consisted of cesarean section (C-section) deliveries after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Both maternal and umbilical cord HE-4 levels (mHE-4 and uHE-4, respectively) were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Amniotic fluid was sampled from each case to determine the lamellar body count (LBC) as the gold standard test for lung maturation. All the parameters, including the uHE-4 levels, were compared between the term delivery (≥37 weeks) (n=52) and preterm delivery (24-37th weeks) (n=30) groups. The best cut-off value of uHE-4 was calculated for fetal lung maturity. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding the demographic data. The mHE-4 levels did not statistically significantly differ between the groups (p>0.05) whereas the uHE-4 level of the preterm newborns was significantly higher than that of the term newborns (p<0.05). There was a significant negative association between the uHE-4 level and LBC (r=-0.389; p<0.001). The uHE-4 level was the only statistically significant fetal parameter indicating fetal lung maturity confirmed by LBC. At a cut-off value of 281 pmol/L, uHE-4 had 96.8% sensitivity, 45% specificity, 84.5% positive predictive value, and 81.8% negative predictive value for fetal lung maturity. CONCLUSIONS: Although the exact physiological role of HE-4 has not yet been elucidated, this preliminary study supports the idea that HE-4 plays a role in fetal lung maturation to some extent.

Six-year clinical evaluation of bulk-fill and nanofill resin composite restorations.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the performance of a bulk-fill and a nanofill resin composite in class II restorations after 6 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients having at least two class II carious lesions were recruited for the study. One lesion in each patient was randomly assigned to be restored using either the Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill (TB) or Filtek Ultimate (FU) resin composites with their respective adhesives. One hundred four restorations were placed by two calibrated operators. Restorations were evaluated at baseline and annually over the course of 6 years by two examiners using modified USPHS criteria. Data were statistically analyzed using the Chi-square and Cochran Q tests (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Sixty-six restorations in 33 patients were evaluated after 6 years. Only one restoration was lost from FU group at 5 years. At the end of 6 years, marginal discoloration was observed in three (9.1%) TB and eight (36.4%) FU restorations creating a significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05). The FU group showed a significant increase in marginal discoloration at 6 years from the baseline (p < 0.05). Marginal adaptation was rated as Bravo for 9.1% and 24.2% of TB and FU restorations, respectively (p > 0.05). Significant degradation was observed within each group in terms of marginal adaptation (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups for the other criteria tested (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Bulk-fill restorations performed better for marginal discoloration. The remaining clinical performance criteria of bulk-fill and nanofill resin composite restorations were similar after 6 years. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Bulk-fill resin might be a better alternative to incrementally placed restorative in terms of marginal discoloration under clinical conditions.

High/severe fear of childbirth and related risk factors among pregnant women: is vaginismus a risk factor?

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of fear of childbirth (FOC) and associated factors including vaginismus in pregnant women with high/severe FOC. In the study, 407 women who were at 24-40 weeks of gestation were included. The Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire Version A (WDEQA), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and vaginismus sub-scale of the Golombok Rust inventory of sexual satisfaction (GRISS) were used. 186 (46%) participants had high/severe FOC. Pregnant women with high/severe FOC had a significantly higher fear of pain during sexual intercourse, higher scores in the WDEQA, BDI, BAI, and vaginismus sub-scale of GRISS. Depression and anxiety level, educational level, access to information on delivery during pregnancy, presence of medical disease, and expression of FOC were predictors of high/severe FOC. Assessment of FOC and associated risk factors, including vaginismus, during pregnancy, will enable the identification of risk groups and the creation of support programmes.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? The range of fear of childbirth (FOC) changes from mild anxiety to severe fear. The prevalence and severity of FOC and related risk factors vary in the studies due to cultural factors, differences in the definition of FOC and measurement tools. The relationship between FOC and vaginismus has not been sufficiently investigated.What do the results of this study add? This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of fear of childbirth (FOC) and associated factors including vaginismus in pregnant women with high/severe FOC.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This is the first study that evaluates vaginismus as a risk factor for FOC. Assessment of FOC and associated risk factors, including vaginismus, in pregnant women, will enable the identification of risk groups and the creation of support programs for risk reduction.

Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the functional assessment of cancer therapy-bone marrow transplant (FACT-BMT) quality of life questionnaire in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant Version 4 (FACT-BMT) is a widely used instrument to assess quality of life in individuals treated with bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Our aim was to determine the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the FACT-BMT in patients undergoing BMT. METHOD: Patients between the age of 20 and 65 years and who had undergone BMT at least 3 months before the study were included. Validity was determined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. To determine convergent validity, the European Cancer Research and Treatment Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Cancer30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score were used. Cronbach's alpha, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and item-total correlation (ITC) values were calculated to assess the reliability of the FACT-BMT. RESULTS: Totally, 114 patients (F/M: 47/67) treated with BMT (mean age: 49.50 ± 12.50 years) were included. Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis revealed that the FACT-BMT and the Bone Marrow Transplantation Subscale (BMTS) had sufficient fit. The FACT-BMT was moderately to strongly correlated with the EORTC QLQ-C30, the BFI, and the ECOG performance score (p < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha and ICC values of the FACT-BMT were acceptable (0.925 and 0.956, respectively). The ITC values of each item of the FACT-BMT were also acceptable (ranged from 0.296 to 0.737). Patients undergoing autologous BMT had a significantly higher BMTS score than those undergoing allogeneic BMT (p < 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The Turkish version of the FACT-BMT is valid, reliable, and sensitive to changes in quality of life in patients undergoing BMT.

Optic nerve head microvascular characteristics in patients with unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome: an optical coherence tomography angiography study.

PURPOSE: To compare vascular microcirculation changes of the optic nerve head (ONH) and to evaluate the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in the patients with unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEXS), other eyes of these patients without PEXS and healthy control eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS:  This cross-sectional study enrolled 29 pseudoexfoliative (PEX) and 29 fellow eyes of patients with unilateral PEXS, and 28 healthy eyes as controls. According to inclusion criteria the study group with asymmetric PEXS were normotensive and no glaucoma diagnosis. The vascularity of optic disc was evaluated with OCTA and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer with SD-OCT. ONH 4.5 × 4.5 mm OCTA gave us perfusion density (PD) and flow index (FI). Differences between the groups according to continuous variables were determined by independent samples t test. A p value less than 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with the mean age of 66.21 ± 7.55 (49-79) years was compared with 28 individuals in control group with mean age of 66.79 ± 4.43 (60-75) years. There was no difference regarding the age (p = 0.725). Female and male distribution in two groups were same (p = 0.219). Intraocular pressure (IOP) in PEXS group was measured as 16.17 ± 4.58 (10-21) mmHg, however IOP in the fellow eye was measured as 14.79 ± 3.35 (11-19) mmHg (p = 0.064) and control group was measured as 12.53 ± 1.66 (10-17) mmHg (p = 0.000). In the group with PEXS, the superior FI was found to be lower 0.39 ± 0.06 (0.26-0.45) (p = 0.008) than control group 0.42 ± 0.21 (0.36-0.45), and temporal FI in PEXS eyes was measured 0.42 ± 0.06 (0.32-0.52), which was significantly lower than control group (p = 0.022). Nasal FI was the parameter which was found significantly different from the PEXS free fellow eyes. The nasal FI value of eyes with PEX was 0.40 ± 0.05 (0.30-0.46), while the same value in PEX free fellow eyes was 0.42 ± 0.04 (0.33-0.47) (p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: ONH evaluation with OCTA especially in the nasal segment is important for early diagnosis. OCTA can be a new method in follow-up and early diagnosis of patients with asymmetric PEXS to control ONH microcirculation and to evaluate early glaucomatose changes in both eyes.

Multiple Sclerosis: What Methods are Available for the Assessment of Subclinical Visual System Damage?

We aimed to assess the visual fields and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to detect subclinical visual system disease. The study included 15 MS patients with previous optic neuritis (Group I), 17 MS patients without previous optic neuritis (Group II), and 14 healthy controls (Group III). Each subject underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP), frequency doubling technology perimetry (FDTP), and OCT. The mean deviation of SAP in Group I was lower than those in Groups II (p = .018) and III (p = .001). The pattern standard deviation of SAP in Group I was higher than those in Group III (p < .0001). The mean deviation of FDTP in Groups I and II was lower than those in Group III (p = .0001 and p = .016, respectively). The temporal quadrant of the retinal nerve fibre layer in Group I was thinner than those in Groups II and III (p = .005 and p = .003, respectively). The mean macular volume in Group I was thinner than those in Groups II and III (p = .004 and p = .002, respectively). A single method is inadequate for establishing early and/or mild visual impairment in MS. All conventional and non-conventional techniques are complementary in demonstrating subclinical visual damage in MS.

The association of viral load and disease severity in children with COVID-19.

It is still not fully understood how to predict the future prognosis of patients at the diagnosis coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to the wide clinical range of the disease. We aimed to evaluate whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load could predict the clinical course of pediatric patients. This study was conducted retrospectively with medical records of pediatric patients who were tested for SARS-CoV2 between April 12 and October 25, 2020 in the University of Health Sciences, Ankara Educating and Training Hospital and Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. We evaluated 518 pediatric patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and classified according to severity as asymptomatic (16.2%), mild (59.6%), moderate (20.2%), and critical/severe (3.9%) cases. We analyzed patients in four groups in terms of ages: <4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-17 years. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of ∆Ct value among age groups, different gender and the existence of underlying diseases in each disease course. The ∆Ct values were relatively lower in the first 2 days of symptoms than after days in all groups. Our study has indicated that children with COVID-19 have similar amount of viral load in all disease courses irrespective of the age and underlying disease. It should be taken into account that, regardless of the severity of the disease, pediatric patients may have a role in the transmission chain.

Investigation of the effect of isolated mitochondria transplantation on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Ischemia/Reperfusion (I/R) injury is clinically important in many surgical practice including kidney transplantation. It is known that mitochondria have a key role in the intracellular and extracellular signaling pathways of ischemia and reperfusion injury. In this respect, we pointed to explore the probable effects of isolated mitochondria transplantation from MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), to alleviate ischemia/reperfusion-induced renal injury. Experiments were held on the 48 male Sprague Dawley rats. Groups were divided as Control (C1), I/R-Control (C2), Vehicle-1 (V1), Vehicle-2 (V2), Transplantation-1 (T1) and Transplantation-2 (T2) group. Unilaterally nephrectomy was performed in all groups. In the groups except the control, the left kidneys ischemized for 45 min and then reperfusion was carried out. According to the study groups, isolated mitochondria or vehicle infused into the renal cortex and rats were monitored for 48 h. Following that mentioned procedure, animals were sacrificed and biological samples were taken for physiological, histological and biochemical examinations. The results of present study show that mitochondrial transplantation promoted proliferation and regeneration of tubular cells after renal injury. Moreover, mitochondrial transplantation reduced mitochondrial dynamics-DRP-1 fission protein of tubular cells and reversed renal deficits. Mitochondrial transplantation diminished apoptotic markers including TUNEL and Caspase-3 levels in injured renal cells. Our results provide a direct link between mitochondria dysfunction and ischemia/reperfusion-induced renal injury and suggest a therapeutic effect of transplanting isolated mitochondria obtained from MSCs against renal injury.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation, Reliability, and Validity of a Turkish Version of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ-Turkish).

Purpose The Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire (WORQ) is an instrument based on the International Classification of Functioning Vocational rehabilitation core set. The aim of this study was to analyze the validity, reliability and cross-cultural adaptation of the WORQ to Turkish and evaluate its psychometric properties. Methods The cross-cultural adaptation and translation procedures were conducted following Beaton's guidelines. The test-re-test reliability was examined by Spearman Brown Coefficient (split half analysis), internal consistency was examined by Cronbach's alpha. Criterion related validity of the WORQ was determined by Beck Depression Inventory using Pearson correlation coefficient and known group differences regarding age, gender, work and educational levels using one-way ANOVA and t test. Construct validity was examined by confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS. Results Two hundred and fifty-seven participants with disabilities were included to the study from seven different provinces of Turkey. The WORQ-Turkish showed excellent internal consistency (0.906), good test-retest reliability (0.811), and good construct validity (good model fit indices). Criterion related validity analysis showed medium correlations between WORQ and Beck Depression Inventory (p < 0.001), however there were no statistical significant differences regarding known group parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions In this study, the cross-cultural adaptation, and validity and reliability of WORQ-Turkish self-reported version were examined and the results indicated that WORQ-Turkish was a valid and reliable scale for analyzing vocational rehabilitation process of people with disabilities.

The Effect of Label and Medication Package Insert Reading Habits of Parents on their Children's Oral Dental Health.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between packaged product label and medication package insert reading habits of parents and their children's oral/dental health. STUDY DESIGN: A questionnaire including demographic characteristics and label/insert reading habits was filled by parents of 301 children who referred to the Pediatric Dentistry Department. The children were examined intraorally and dmft/DMFT and ICDAS II scores were recorded. The data were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: Label and medication package insert reading were found in 71.4% and 88.4% of the parents, respectively. Label reading increased as the age of the child and the number of children in the family increased. Medical package insert reading increased as the mother's education and SLS/paraben knowledge increased. Decrease of 1 point in ICDAS II resulted in the 1.410 times increase in the rate of medical package insert reading of the parents. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that improving the label and medical insert reading rate of the parents would be effective for providing better oral and dental health for their children.

Impact of fetal brain tissue derived mesenchymal stem cell and fibrin glue on facial nerve crash injury

Background/aim: To evaluate the clinical and histopathological effects of fetal brain tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (FBTMSC) and fibrin glue (FG) on the facial nerve (FN) regeneration in rats with traumatic FN injury. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight Sprague Dawley rats were included in the study and divided into 4 groups. Traumatic FN injury (FP) was created by a surgical clamp compression to the main trunk of left FN in all groups. In the control group (group 1) no treatment was applied, in group 2 (FBTMSC group) 2 × 106 FBTMSC was injected, in group 3 (FG group) only FG was applied, in group 4 (FBTMSC and FG groups) both FBTMSC and FG were applied to the injured section of the nerve. The FN functions were evaluated clinically, immediately after the procedure and at 3rd, 5th, and 8th weeks postoperatively. The FNs of all subjects were excised after the 8th week; then the rats were sacrificed. The presence of stem cells in the injured zone was assessed using bromo-deoxyuridine (BrdU), and apoptosis was determined by the TUNEL method. Results: After the damage, total FP was observed in all subjects. Statistically significant functional improvement was observed in group 4 compared to all other groups (P < 0.005). TUNEL-positive cell count was statistically significantly higher in the control group than the other groups (P < 0.001). TUNEL-positive cell count was statistically significantly lower in group 4 than the other groups. The proportion of BrdU-stained cells in group 4 (5%) was higher than group 2 (2%). Conclusion: Clinically and histopathologically FBTMSC applied with FG may play a promising role as a regenerative treatment in posttraumatic FP.

Outcome of noncritical COVID-19 patients with early hospitalization and early antiviral treatment outside the ICU

Background/aim: Despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for over 5 months, there is yet to be a standard management policy for all patients including those with mild-to-moderate cases. We evaluated the role of early hospitalization in combination with early antiviral therapy with COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care university hospital. Materials and methods: This was a prospective, observational, single-center study on probable/confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a tertiary care hospital on COVID-19 wards between March 20 and April 30, 2020. The demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were collected. Results: We included 174 consecutive probable/confirmed COVID-19 adult patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine wards of the University Adult Hospital between March 20 and April 30, 2020. The median age was 45.5 (19­92) years and 91 patients (52.3%) were male. One hundred and twenty (69%) were confirmed microbiologically, 41 (23.5%) were radiologically diagnosed, and 13 (7.5%) were clinically suspected (negative microbiological and radiological findings compatible with COVID-19); 35 (20.1%) had mild, 107 (61.5%) moderate disease, and 32 (18.4%) had severe pneumonia. Out of 171 cases, 130 (74.3%) showed pneumonia; 80 were typical, and 50 showed indeterminate infiltration for COVID-19. Patients were admitted within a median of 3 days (0-14 days) after symptoms appear. The median duration of hospitalization was 4 days (0-28 days). In this case series, 13.2% patients were treated with hydroxychloroquine alone, 64.9% with hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin, and 18.4% with regimens including favipiravir. A total of 15 patients (8.5%) were transferred to the ICU. Four patients died (2.2%). Conclusion: In our series, 174 patients were admitted to the hospital wards for COVID-19, 69% were confirmed with PCR and/or antibody test. At the time of admission, nearly one fifth of the patients had severe diseases. Of the patients, 95.4% received hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination. The overall case fatality rate was 2.2%.