Effects of microwave drying on physicochemical characteristics, microstructure, and antioxidant properties of propolis extract.

BACKGROUND: The heat sensitivity of phenolics and flavonoids leads to considerable losses of these compounds during conventional drying. Microwave drying has the advantage of shorter drying time and rigorous process control, minimizing damage to heat-sensitive compounds. Microwave drying kinetics and the impacts of microwave drying on physicochemical characteristics, morphological structure, antioxidant properties, total phenolics, and flavonoid content of propolis extract were investigated. RESULTS: Increasing the microwave power output from 180 to 900 W resulted in a 67% reduction in drying time. Morphological changes were more noticeable at higher microwave power levels as shown in scanning electron microscopy images. Water activity values of microwave dried propolis extracts were below 0.4, which satisfied the requirement for shelf-stable dry products. The solubility of microwave dried propolis extract increased with increasing microwave power level, and the highest solubility was achieved for the propolis extract microwave dried at 900 W. Microwave dried propolis extracts exhibited lower total phenolic content levels than fresh propolis extract. The microwave power level did not affect the total flavonoid content but it affected 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging activity of microwave dried propolis extracts. The DPPH free-radical scavenging activity closest to the fresh propolis extract was obtained for the microwave dried propolis extract at 900 W. This also showed the highest 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) equivalent antioxidant capacity. CONCLUSION: Microwave drying of propolis extract at 900 W was found to be the most efficient drying condition because it yielded the shortest drying time, the highest effective moisture diffusivity, and phenolic and flavonoid content levels that were very similar to those in fresh propolis extract. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Health-Related Quality of Life After Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: Results From the INSPIRE Registry.

INTRODUCTION: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) with immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is increasingly used for both breast cancer (TNSM) and risk reduction (RRNSM). The aim of the study is to report the results of the INSPIRE registry assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) comparing baseline and 1-year follow-up, regarding surgical indications and chemotherapy (CT) received. METHODS: INSPIRE is a prospective database including women undergoing NSM and IBR from 18 countries. HRQoL was measured using EORTC QLQC30 and QLQ-BR23 before surgery and after 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 677 women were included, of whom 537 (79.3%) underwent TNSM and 140 (21.6%) RRNSM: in total, 806 NSM (556 TNSM and 250 RRNSM). Nipple involvement was present in 7.73% of TNSM and incidental carcinoma in 1.2% of the RRNSM group. Out of the overall 537 patients with systemic treatment, 177 (32.96%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) and 118 (21.92%) adjuvant chemotherapy (CT). A total of 227 patients (28.16%) developed at least one complication postoperatively, 164 (29.5%) in the TNSM group and 63 (25.2%) in the RRNSM group. The TNSM group improved in global health status and emotional functioning after 1 year. No differences were found when comparing HRQoL at 1 year between patients who received NCT and those who received adjuvant CT. The RRNSM group showed improvement in HRQoL, with better emotional functioning and fatigue after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: This registry reports HRQoL findings after NSM. The impact of CT on worse HRQoL is independent from its timing. Patients with RRNSM showed an improved HRQoL at 1-year follow-up. Discussion of HRQoL outcomes with patients will facilitate the informed decision-making when considering NSM.

Modified Larssen solution (MLS)-fixed cadaver model for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) education: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Training formats for transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) are limited. Our aim was to create and investigate a TOETVA training model for general and ENT surgeons. METHODS: A total of 15 modified Larssen solution (MLS) human cadavers were used in the study. A day duration TOETVA human cadaver workshops were offered in two years consecutive. Post-training verbal and online questionnaires were applied to all trainers to evaluate course structure and program, organoleptic characteristics of MLS-fixed human cadavers, and TOETVA training effectiveness. Cost assessment is included in the study. RESULTS: Ninety-eight participants, i.e., 14 trainers and 84 hands-on (HO) and observer (OB) trainees, attended the workshops, completed the tasks assigned, and fulfilled the questionnaires. Implementation of all steps of TOETVA was approved positively by 89.8% of all participants, 94.4% of HO, and 83.3% of OB trainees. Regarding human cadaver and teaching quality, 10.8 ± 0.8 (10-12) human cadavers were "practical" by 13.2 (94.5%) of the trainers, and by 33.3 (92.5%) of the trainees for all steps of TOETVA. The cadavers were stored for 4.53 years and used 6.27 times repeatedly for endoscopic workshops and research studies. TOETVA workshop cost with repeatable use of MLS-fixed human cadaver is half of other performed TOETVA workshops. CONCLUSIONS: A TOETVA human cadaver workshop model has not been reported yet. Our findings suggest the feasibility of MLS-fixed human cadaver model for training of TOETVA, preserve the organoleptic properties necessary for the implementation of surgical steps, and reduce the cost.

Transoral endoscopic parathyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOEPVA) for primary hyperparathyroidism: Turkey's experience.

AIM: Parathyroid surgery has witnessed a significant evolution with the introduction of more efficacious preoperative localization imaging techniques and the use of rapid intraoperative parathormone assays. Parathyroid surgery can now be performed with the minimum of invasion. Through the adaptation of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA), the technique has now been adopted for parathyroid surgery, known as the transoral endoscopic parathyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOEPVA). We present here the initial experiences of 11 centers carrying out TOEPVA surgery in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participating in the study were 11 centers, all of which were tertiary care institutions carrying out endocrine surgery. A retrospective review was made of 35 primary hyperparathyroidism patients who underwent the TOEPVA procedure between July 2017 and January 2020. RESULTS: Of the total 35 patients, 32 patients underwent the TOEPVA procedure successfully. All patients but one were female, and the mean age was 47.2 (20-73) years. According to localization studies, 18 of the lesions were lower left, 12 were lower right, 3 were upper right and 2 were upper left. The mean operative time was 116 (30-225) min, and three cases were converted to an open procedure. Simultaneous thyroidectomy was performed in seven cases. The average PTH level dropped to normal within 20 min. after the resection in all cases. The complication rate was 19% (ecchymosis, subcutaneous emphysema, nasal bleeding, surgical site infection and seroma). There were neither recurrent nerve palsies, nor mental nerve root or branch injuries. The average hospital stay was 1 day. No persistence was documented on follow up. CONCLUSION: TOEPVA is a "hidden scar" parathyroidectomy procedure that can be safely performed on parathyroid adenomas, in cases that have scar-related concerns. Having its own procedure-related complications, the procedure provides satisfactory objective results, particularly in centers experienced in endoscopic and endocrine surgery.

A surgical and anatomo-histological study on Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA).

BACKGROUND: The number of TOETVA surgeries has increased worldwide but the anatomical passage of trocars is not clearly defined. We aimed to define detailed surgical anatomical passage of the trocars in cadavers. The incisions in oral vestibule, anatomical pathways of trocars, affected mimetic muscles, neurovascular relations of trocars and histological correlation of surgical anatomy were investigated. METHODS: Four cadavers and 6 six patient oral vestibules were used. The locations of optimised vestibular incisions were measured photogrammetrically. Initial steps of TOETVA surgery were performed on cadavers according to those optimal incisions. TOETVA preformed cadavers dissected to determine anatomical passages of the trocars. Afterwards, flap of lower lip and chin were zoned by software appropriate to the trocars routes. Histological analyses of the zones were made in correlation with dissections. RESULTS: Mimetic muscles associated with median (MT) and lateral trocars (LT) are orbicularis oris, mentalis, depressor anguli oris, depressor labii inferioris and platysma muscles. Trocars affect mimetic muscles in the perioral, chin and submental regions in different ways. The risk of mental nerve injury by MT is low. LT pass through the DLI muscle. The transmission of LT to the subplatysmal plane in the submental regions can be in two different ways. The arterial injury risk is higher with LT than the MT. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical anatomy of the perioral, chin and submental regions for the initial TOETVA steps has been defined. Detailed surgical anatomical passages of the MT and LT were determined. Anatomical pattern to reach subplatysmal plane are presented. Mimetic muscles effected by trocars were determined. Endocrine surgeons should know the anatomical passage of TOETVA trocars.

Determination of levetiracetam in human plasma by online heart-cutting liquid chromatography: Application to therapeutic drug monitoring.

Levetiracetam is an antiepileptic drug for the treatment of psychiatric patients. In this study, a selective, straightforward, and rapid online heart-cutting liquid chromatography method was developed for the therapeutic drug monitoring of levetiracetam. This method allows for the determination of levetiracetam in human plasma without complex sample preparation. The mobile phases consisted of 30 mM aq. orthophosphoric acid solution/methanol (70:30) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min for the first system and 10 mM aq. orthophosphoric acid solution/methanol (55:45) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min for the second system. The first separation was carried out on a GL Sciences Intersil ODS-3 column (4.6 mm × 150 mm, 3 µm) and the second separation was carried out on a Restek Ultra PFPP column (4.6 mm × 150 mm, 5 µm). The detection was carried out at 205 nm for both systems. The method was validated for selectivity and linearity, which were in the 6-60 µg/mL range. Intra- and interassay accuracies were <112.6%, and the intra- and interassay precisions were <6.4% for all quality control samples. The lower limit of quantitation was 6 µg/mL. The developed method was successfully applied for therapeutic drug monitoring of plasma samples from patients.

Therapy-Related Imaging Findings in Patients with Sarcoma.

Knowledge of imaging findings related to therapy administered to patients with sarcoma is pivotal in selecting appropriate care for these patients. Imaging studies are performed as surveillance in asymptomatic patients or because symptoms, including anxiety, develop. In addition to detection of recurrent disease and assessment of response to therapy, diagnosis of conditions related to therapy that may or may not need treatment has a marked positive impact on quality of life. The purpose of this review is to assist radiologists, nuclear physicians, and others clinicians involved in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients in recognizing imaging findings related to therapy and not to activity of the previously treated sarcoma. Imaging findings are time dependent and often specific in relation to therapy given.

Determination of acamprosate in human plasma by UPLC-MS/MS: Application to therapeutic drug monitoring.

Acamprosate is a medication used to treat alcohol dependence. Therapeutic drug monitoring is important in drugs for the treatment of substance-related disorders. Therefore, in this study, a new selective, very simple and rapid ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer method was developed for the therapeutic drug monitoring of acamprosate. The developed method allows the determination of acamprosate in human plasma. The method was validated in terms of selectivity and linearity, which was in the range of 100-1,200 ng/ml for acamprosate. Intra-assay and inter-assay accuracy and precision were within the acceptable limits of the Eueopean Medicines Agency guideline. The lower limit of quantitation was 100 ng/ml for acamprosate. The developed method was successfully applied for therapeutic drug monitoring in patient plasma samples.

Evaluation of olfactory bulbus volume and olfactory sulcus depth by 3 T MR.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate olfactory bulbus volume (OBV) and olfactory sulcus depth (OSD) according to age and sex with 3 T MRI in a healthy Turkish population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the current study, 200 patients who had cranial MRI were retrospectively evaluated. They were divided into the following groups to examine the effects of age: group 1: 18-30 years old; group 2: 31-40 years old; group 3: 41-50 years old; group 4: 51-60 years old; and group 5: >60 years old. OBV and OSD measurements were performed on coronal T2-weighted brain MR images. The mean right and left olfactory bulb volume and sulcus depths were used for evaluation. RESULTS: The mean age was 46.5 ± 18.1 (range 18-86) years. The mean OBV value of both sides was 91.17 ± 7.8 mm 3 in all patients. The mean OSD value of both sides was 8.62 ± 0.84 mm in all patients. There was no statistically significant difference in OBV and OSD between sexes (P < 0.236; P < 0.482). Group 5 (>60 years old) was found to have significantly lower OBV and OSD values than the other groups (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The normal values of OBV and OSD should be established according to age to determine decreased OBV and OSD values.

The Impact of Body Mass Index on Perioperative Outcomes of Robotic Adrenalectomy: An Update.

Background. Robotic surgery has gained increasing popularity over the past 2 decades. However, factors including patient comorbidities and tumor characteristics are still crucial factors for outcomes of surgery. In this study, we evaluated the impact of body mass index (BMI) on perioperative outcomes in patients who underwent robotic adrenal surgery. Methods. Between May 2012 and November 2017, 66 consecutive patients who underwent robotic adrenalectomy were included in this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on their BMI: nonobese (<30 kg/m2) and obese (≥30 kg/m2). Additionally, patient demographics, tumor size, total operative time, docking time, console time, estimated blood loss, conversion to open, complications, additional analgesia requirement, length of hospital stay, and rough costs were evaluated. Results. Of the 66 patients, a total of 26 patients were obese (30%). Between study groups, the median BMI was calculated as 26 (18-29) and 33 (30-57). The groups were similar in terms of age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, and previous history of abdominal surgery. Likewise, there were no significant differences between groups regarding total operative time (P = .085), docking time (P = .196), console time (P = .211), estimated blood loss (P = .180), complications (P = .991), length of hospital stay (P = .598), and rough costs (P = .468). Five cases were converted to open surgery. Nonobese cases required additional analgesia (P = .007). We had no unexpected hospitalizations in either group. Conclusion. Guidelines express the advantages of robotic surgery in obese patients. No statistically significant differences were detected between the 2 groups except for the additional analgesia required in nonobese patients.

Effect of dobutamine stress echocardiography on serum heart fatty acid binding protein levels.

Objective Heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) is a low-molecular-weight free protein that is abundant in the intracytoplasmic space of myocytes. Due to its unique features, serum HFABP levels may increase in myocardial ischaemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of myocardial ischaemia induced by dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) on serum HFABP levels. Methods and results A total of 30 consecutive patients with suspected myocardial ischaemia underwent DSE examination. HFABP levels were measured immediately before and 1 hour after DSE. HFABP rose significantly in individuals in the DSE positive group (1.66 ± 1.18 ng/ml vs 2.65 ± 1.34 ng/ml, P = 0.004), but remained unchanged in the DSE negative group (1.61 ± 0.77 ng/ml vs 1.85 ± 0.76 ng/ml, P = 0.066). Conclusion Serum HFABP levels increased significantly at 1 hour in the presence of ischaemia induced by DSE in patients with stable clinical coronary syndromes. No such increase was evident in the absence of ischaemia.

Pneumocephalus and Pneumorrhachis After Spinal Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis are rare complications of neurosurgery. When a closed system such as the head and spinal area get injuried, it becomes open and the air can come in through that opening. In this case, we present a case of pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis after spinal fusion surgery. CASE REPORT: Herein we present a case of diagnosis and treatment of pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis after spinal fusion surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our patient developed postoperative pneumocephalus and pneumorrhachis as a late complication secondary to an infection. We wanted it to be considered as an important problem.

Ophthalmic findings in acute mercury poisoning in adults: A case series study.

The aim of this study is to report ophthalmic findings of acute mercury poisoning in 48 adults referred to emergency department. Full ophthalmologic examination including the best corrected visual acuity, external eye examination, reaction to light, a slit-lamp examination, funduscopy, intraocular pressure measurements, and visual field (VF) and color vision (CV) tests were performed at the presentation and repeated after 6 months. The parametric values of VF test, the mean deviation (MD), and pattern standard deviation (PSD) were recorded in order to compare patients and the 30 healthy controls. The mean parameter of color confusion index in patients was found to be statistically different than controls (p < 0.01). The MD and PSD in patients were different from controls statistically significant (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). There was no correlation between the ocular findings and the urine and blood mercury levels. Methyl mercury, held in the school laboratory for experimental purpose, may be a source of poisoning. In this case series, we showed that acute exposure to mercury had hazardous effect on the visual system, especially CV and VF. We propose that emphasizing the public education on the potential hazards of mercury is crucial for preventive community health.

Sensory characteristics and antioxidant capacity of red raspberry extract as a preservative in fruity flavoured beverages.

Sensory evaluation is a critical process in product development and consumer research. It is a fastly growing field due to innovation of novel techniques. The objective of this study was determination of sensory properties of red raspberry extract in fruity flavoured beverages comparison to the synthetic preservatives. For this purpose, an organoleptic stability study on fruity flavoured beverages was conducted storing them at several temperatures (room temperature, 2 ± 2 °C and 40 ± 2 °C) in the dark for 3 months. Sensory quality of beverages was analysed. Difference in pH and data obtained from °Brix measurements during storage was evaluated statistically. Room temperature and 40 ± 2 °C were detected to affect sensory characteristics of beverages. Highest variations were observed at 40 ± 2 °C. Beverages stored at 2 ± 2 °C displayed most acceptable appearance in organoleptic evaluation and insignificant change occured. It was also found that red raspberry extract provided stable sensory effects, color, flavour and taste, in beverages compared to synthetic preservatives at 2 ± 2 °C.

A rare cause of acute abdomen in adults: Parasitic infection-related acute appendicitis.

Ascaris lumbricoides is a common parasitic disease all over the world, especially in less developed countries. Acute appendicitis related to parasitic infection is a rare condition. Parasitic infections should be kept in mind in patients who are admitted to the emergency department with acute abdomen, especially in endemic areas.

Effect of breast feeding on ocular morbidity.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of human milk on ocular morbidity in infants who did not breast feed during the first 6 months of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective randomized study included 154 subjects who were first or second grade elementary school students, 66-84 month of age. These children were randomly selected from 2080 students during health screenings. All of them were born at term and were normal birth weight. The study was composed of 3 age- and sex-matched groups. Group 1 included 52 subjects who had never been breast fed. Group 2 included 42 subjects who were breast fed and also received additional food (infant formula). Group 3 included 60 subjects who were only breast fed until 6 months old (no formula) except for the first month of life. All subjects underwent a complete ophthalmic examination and any morbidity was recorded. Frequencies of ocular morbidity were compared among the groups by using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: We found significant refractive errors in 12 (23%) subjects in Group 1 (no breast feeding). There was no significant refractive error in Group 2 (breast feeding and formula) and Group 3 (breast feeding only). The difference among the groups was statistically significant (p=0.014, chi-squared test). Allergic conjunctivitis was found in 5 subjects in Group 1, 3 in Group 2, and 2 in Group 3. There was no significant difference among the groups (p=0.395). CONCLUSIONS: Refractive errors were more frequent in Group 1 (no breast feeding) than in Group 2 (breast feeding and formula) or Group 3 (breast feeding only). There is a need to confirm this finding by performing studies with larger sample sizes.

Complication and conversion outcomes in transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA): a retrospective multicenter propensity score-matched cohort study.

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy with vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a scarless thyroid surgery used as an alternative to open conventional surgery. Our aim was to investigate possible risk factors for complications and conversion during TOETVA. The study was conducted internationally by centres from Turkiye, the Republic of Korea, Italy, and Peru. A total of 406 patients who underwent TOETVA and were ≥ 18 years of age were included in the study. Demographic, pre-, intra-, and postoperative data were collected and compared between the groups with/without complication/conversion to identify possible predictors of complication/conversion. Subsequently, patients with complication/conversion were matched by the hospital, age, sex, and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification score using a propensity score (PSM) of 1:3 to eliminate confounding differences. Results were reported for the un-matched and matched groups. Complications occurred in 11 (2.7%) patients. High body mass index (26.4 ± 3.4 vs. 23.3 ± 3.7, p = 0.007), larger tumor size (1.7 ± 1.3 cm. vs. 1.1 ± 1.0 cm, p = 0.012), larger thyroid volume (20.0 ± 9.2 vs. 12.8 ± 8.5, p = 0.007) and long operation time (127.8 ± 45.0 min. vs. 97.7 ± 38.5 min., p = 0.008) were significantly associated with complications in un-matched analyses. Older age (42.7 ± 8.0 vs. 34.9 ± 9.2, p = 0.023), high BMI (26.7 ± 3.2 vs. 23.3 ± 3.7, p = 0.012), and longer operation time (160.1 ± 54.1 min. vs. 97.4 ± 37.8, p = 0.001) were significantly related to conversion in un-matched analyses. However, significance was lost after PSM for both complication and conversion. The data from this study conducted on TOETVA cases do not suggest a risk factor for complications and conversion with PSM.

Blood and tissue levels of persistent organic pollutants and genetic susceptibility in patients with breast cancer.

We investigated possible associations between the internal concentrations of POPs and correlations between blood and tumor tissue concentrations in patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer and breast reduction as controls. Genetic variations in CYP1A1, GSTP1, GSTM1, and GSTT1 and hOGG1 were evaluated to determine whether they represent risk factors for breast cancer. Certain POPs have been found to be associated with breast cancer development. GST-P1 polymorphism represented a significant risk for breast cancer with unadjusted OR. However, the GSTT1 null polymorphism represented a significant risk for breast cancer when OR adjusted for age and smoking status. CYP1A1 polymorphism was a significant risk factor for breast cancer, regardless of whether the OR was adjusted. These results suggest that exposure to certain POPs, GSTT1 and CYP1A1 polymorphisms, age, and smoking status are risk factors for breast cancer. In addition, the blood concentrations of some POPs represent surrogates for breast tissue concentrations.