FGF2 gene's antisense protein, NUDT6, plays a depressogenic role by promoting inflammation and suppressing neurogenesis without altering FGF2 signalling.

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is involved in the regulation of affective behaviour and shows antidepressant effects through the Akt and extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 pathways. Nudix hydrolase 6 (NUDT6) protein is encoded from FGF2 gene's antisense strand and its role in the regulation of affective behaviour is unknown. Here, we overexpressed NUDT6 in the hippocampus and investigated its behavioural effects and the underlying molecular mechanisms affecting the behaviour. We showed that increasing hippocampal NUDT6 results in depression-like behaviour in rats without changing FGF2 levels or activating its downstream effectors, Akt and ERK1/2. Instead, NUDT6 acted by inducing inflammatory signalling, specifically by increasing S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9) levels, activating nuclear factor-kappa B-p65 (NF-κB-p65), and elevating microglia numbers along with a reduction in neurogenesis. Our results suggest that NUDT6 could play a role in major depression by inducing a proinflammatory state. This is the first report of an antisense protein acting through a different mechanism of action than regulation of its sense protein. The opposite effects of NUDT6 and FGF2 on depression-like behaviour may serve as a mechanism to fine-tune affective behaviour. Our findings open up new venues for studying the differential regulation and functional interactions of sense and antisense proteins in neural function and behaviour, as well as in neuropsychiatric disorders. KEY POINTS: Hippocampal overexpression of nudix hydrolase 6 (NUDT6), the antisense protein of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), increases depression-like behaviour in rats. Hippocampal NUDT6 overexpression triggers a neuroinflammatory cascade by increasing S100 calcium binding proteinA9 (S100A9) expression and nuclear NF-κB-p65 translocation in neurons, in addition to microglial recruitment and activation. Hippocampal NUDT6 overexpression suppresses neurogenesis. NUDT6 exerts its actions without altering the levels or downstream signalling pathways of FGF2.

Design, Synthesis and Antibacterial Assessment of Active (4-Arylazo-3-Methyl-2-Thienyl) 4-Antipyrine Ketones.

The chemicals formed from antipyrines are flexible organic building blocks that are employed in the development of pharmaceuticals. By diazotizing (4-arylazo-3-hydroxy-2-thienyl) 4-antipyrine ketones 1a, 1b and 1c and (4-arylazo-3-methyl-2-thienyl) 4-antipyrine ketones (2a, 2b and 2c) further replaced with six other coupling components, a broad spectrum of hybrid molecules have been created. Mass spectra, NMR, FTIR, and elemental analyses have all been used to confirm the structures of the synthesised compounds. The antimicrobial screening was investigated by agar well diffusion and diluting the broth technique against both Gram-negative and positive-tested bacterial strains. (3-methyl-5-(phenylamino)-4-(4-tolylazo)-2-thienyl) 4-antipyrine ketone (2a) was found to be superior to Ciprofloxacin against test strains: Acinetobacter sp (34.33±1.15 mm), Listeria monocytogenes (29.33±1.15 mm) and Streptococcus sp. (19.33±1.15 mm). Also, good to moderate activities were expressed as minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) which were recorded at 9±1 to 59.67±4.51 µg/mL and 16±4 to >512 µg/mL, respectively, using compounds 2a, 2b, and 2c. MBC/MIC ratio showed, that only, 2a and 2b have a bactericidal effect but other antipyrines with bacteriostatic strength. To conclude, it was suggested that the use of these novel synthesized (4-arylazo-3-methyl-2-thienyl) 4-antipyrine ketone derivatives molecules as a new chemical class of antimicrobial agents to perform new drug discovery in pharmaceutical preparations and medicinal research.

A novel surgical technique for treatment of symptomatic Tarlov cysts.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to describe a novel, simple surgical technique for the treatment of symptomatic Tarlov cysts. METHODS: A total of 40 patients with symptomatic Tarlov cysts, admitted to our tertiary center between 1998 and 2019 constituted the study group. All patients underwent microsurgical puckering of the cyst, the technique we described to prevent a recurrence. Patients' symptoms, radiological findings, intraoperative findings, and clinical results were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 40 patients (5 males, 35 females) whose charts were reviewed, the mean age was 28.4 (range, 17-61) years. The mean follow-up was 8 (range, 3 months to 21 years) years. Preoperatively, the most common symptoms were leg pain and numbness of the lower extremity. Postoperatively, no major complications were observed. Clinical progression was halted in all patients; 33 (82%) patients recovered completely and seven (17%) patients reported partial recovery. Cystic cavity persisted radiologically in five (12%) patients, decreased in size in 30 (75%) patients, and regressed completely in the remaining five (12%) patients. None of the patients had permanent neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: Puckering of the cyst membrane is a safe and easy-to-perform surgical technique for symptomatic Tarlov cysts. This technique can be used almost in all cases instead of the commonly used microsurgical cyst excision or cyst fenestration.

Preparation and characterization of low-cost activated carbon from Moringa oleifera chemically activated using ZnCl2 for the adsorption of bisphenol A.

The use of agricultural by-products such as Moringa oleifera plants is one effort to support the reduction of environmental pollution. Activated carbon produces from agricultural wastes is relatively less expensive and can replace traditional methods such as renewable as well as nonrenewable materials such as petroleum residue and coal. In this study, the removal of bisphenol A from aqueous media was studied using activated carbon produced from M. oleifera pods and peels. A batch adsorption study was carried out by varying the parameters of the adsorption process. A maximum removal percentage of 95.46% was achieved at optimum conditions of 2.5 g L-1 adsorbent dose, pH 7, 60 min contact time and 20 mg L-1 initial concentration of BPA. The BET surface areas of MOP, MOP-AC and MOP-ACZ were found to be 12.60, 4.10 and 45.96 m2/g, respectively. The experimental data were analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin adsorption isotherm models. Equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 20.14 mg g-1. The rates of adsorption were found to conform to the pseudo-second-order kinetics with a good correlation. The results indicate that the M. oleifera activated carbon could be employed as a low-cost alternative to commercial activated carbon in the removal of BPA from water.

The novelty of this study is the selection of Moringa oleifera plants as suitable plant species for activated carbon synthesis by adopting appropriate procedures for bisphenol A removal. Although the biowaste-derived activated carbons prepared by different activation methods have been studied before, M. oleifera plants activated carbon prepared via ZnCl₂ activation for bisphenol A adsorption was not reported. This study will be a significant endeavor in promoting alternative techniques for BPA removal. Using activated carbon derived from agricultural waste will replace commercial activated carbon which is more economic and environmentally friendly. This study will bring tremendous environmental and economic benefits as well as limit the harmful effect.

Identification of local camel populations in Turkiye using morphological, genetic, and breeding info.

The aim of this study was to investigate the demographic, morphological, and genetic characteristics of local camel populations reared in the Turkiye provinces of Aydin, Denizli, and Antalya, which have a long history of camel breeding. Although Turkiye has an old history of camel breeding in its historical process, the number of scientific studies aimed at identifying camel populations in Turkiye is almost negligible. In this study, local camel populations in Aydin, Denizli, and Antalya cities of Turkiye were examined in three dimensions as demographic, morphological, and genetic. A face-to-face survey of 117 breeders was used to determine demographic definitions. While the region where local camels were detected the most was determined as Antalya Region with 78.6%, it was determined that 82.6% of the breeders participating in the survey preferred to breed camels due to their docile temperament. Body measurements were made on 45 camels for morphological identification. Moreover, DNA were sampled with oral swabs from 57 camels for phylogenetic analyses using 16 SSR microsatellite loci to identify the genetic structure of local camel populations. The genetic analyses using SSR markers revealed that the camel populations in the Antalya region had a considerably more isolated genetic structure than the Aydin and Denizli populations, and consequently, these populations may be regarded the native camel population.

Considerations for the selection of tests for SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostics.

During the course of 2020, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread rapidly across the world. Clinical diagnostic testing for SARS-Cov-2 infection has relied on the real-time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction and is considered the gold standard assay. Commercial vendors and laboratories quickly mobilised to develop diagnostic tests to detect the novel coronavirus, which was fundamentally important in the pandemic response. These SARS-Cov-2 assays were developed in line with the Food Drug Administration-Emergency Use Authorization guidance. Although new tests are continuously being developed, information about SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic molecular test accuracy has been limited and at times controversial. Therefore, the analytical and clinical performance of SARS-CoV-2 test kits should be carefully considered by the appropriate regulatory authorities and evaluated by independent laboratory validation. This would provide improved end-user confidence in selecting the most reliable and accurate diagnostic test. Moreover, it is unclear whether some of these rapidly developed tests have been subjected to rigorous quality control and assurance required under good manufacturing practice. Variable target gene regions selected for currently available tests, potential mutation in target gene regions, non-standardized pre-analytic phase, a lack of manufacturer independent validation data all create difficulties in selecting tests appropriate for different countries and laboratories. Here we provide information on test criteria which are important in the assessment and selection of SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic tests and outline the potential issues associated with a proportion of the tests on the market.

Safe and dangerous zones for the superficial femoral artery in femoral surgery.

The proximity of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) to the femur exposes the SFA to risks that have serious complications. Although surgeons have used the lateral or medial approach to lessen these risks, they have not been eliminated. Therefore, this study aimed to identify dangerous and safe zones in terms of the SFA that can be used during femoral surgical procedures, using anatomical reference points. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) of 50 patients aged between 16 and 60 years obtained from the local institution's database was examined. Radiological and clinical measurements were performed to determine the position of the SFA relative to the femur. The mean age of the patients included in this study was 38.08 ± 9.44 (16-60) years. The average ratio of the distance between the proximal and distal borders of the dangerous zone and the lateral joint spaces (LJS) to the distance between the greater trochanter (GT) and LJS was 0.5722 ± 0.053, respectively. The average ratio of the distance between the end of the dangerous zone and LJS to the distance between the GT and LJS was 0.4108 ± 0.05026. This study found that 40% and 60% of the clinically measured distance between the GT and LJS can be used to determine safe and dangerous zones during femoral surgery. Additionally, the half distance between the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) and medial joint space (MJS) and one-fourth of the distance between the ASIS and LJS can be used to determine safe and dangerous zones in patients whose GT are not easily palpated.

Comparison of preseptal and pretarsal onabotulinum toxin an injection in patients with hemifacial spasm.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different doses of onabotulinum toxin A on the amplitude and latency values of the blink reflex and facial nerve in the pretarsal and preseptal portions of the orbicularis oculi muscle in patients with hemifacial spasm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with hemifacial spasm were assigned in two equal groups: Pretarsal Group: Five units of onabotulinum toxin A were injected into each of 2 points of the pretarsal portion; Preseptal Group: Five units of onabotulinum toxin A was injected into 4 points of the preseptal portion. We compared the electromyographic features of the patients before and 5 weeks after botulinum toxin (BTX) injection. RESULTS: In comparison of pre- and post-treatment measurements of blink reflex amplitude responses, the decreases in R1 (p = 0.003), R2 (p < 0.001), and R2C amplitudes (p = 0.031) were found to be significant in the BTX injected side in the pretarsal group. In the comparison of pre- and post-treatment measurements of facial nerve compound action potential amplitude changes, decreases in the amplitudes of the BTX injected (ipsilateral), and uninjected (contralateral) side in the pretarsal group were found to be significant (p < 0.001 for both groups). Decreases in the amplitudes of the BTX injected, and uninjected side in the preseptal group were found to be significant (p < 0.001, and p = 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: According to our hypothesis, the smaller amount of BTX applied to the pretarsal portion was found to be more effective than higher amount of BTX injected into the preseptal portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle.

[Survey on current situation in otolaryngology residency]. / Umfrage der "Jungen HNO" zur aktuellen Situation der Weiterbildung von HNO-Ärzten.

BACKGROUND: Residents of ENT were asked about their situation in residency. A good and well structured training is the key for an attractive residency. METHODS: Between April 25-August 1, 2019, 691 residents registered with the German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head- and Neck Surgery ENT society were invited to anonymously participate in an online survey using SurveyMonkey® on the situation of the education in ENT and their working conditions. 25 of 80 questions were asked on the topics of structure and quality of the education in residency. RESULTS: The response rate was 36 % (n = 249). The participants attested their further training an average result. Mainly they see deficits in the further education and training structure and culture with a desire for improved feedback and improved surgical training. Participants were more dissatisfied with advanced further training time, regardless of ownership of the institution and level of care. CONCLUSIONS: The survey proposes concrete advice for improvement of ENT medical training in Germany. Suggestions for improvement are further development of the associated training and continuing education programs in cooperation with professional associations, structured feedback and supervision as well as transparent rotation plans and reliable working conditions.

[Effort-Reward Imbalance among otolaryngology residents in Germany]. / Psychosoziale Arbeitsbelastung von Ärzten in der HNO-Facharztweiterbildung.

INTRODUCTION: An increased psychosocial workload can have an negative impact on health. An effective way to record this is the effort reward imbalance model postulated by Siegrist. Values on this topic from ENT residents are missing, which is why the concept and corresponding questions were included in the survey on the current situation in further education. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey on the current situation of the ENT residency including the recording of psychosocial workload was developed by ENT physicians on the basis of a well-known questionnaire of colleagues of the Alliance of Young Physicians. The short version of the validated questionnaire on the effort reward imbalance model according to Siegrist with 16 items was used. An online survey was carried out addressing all ENT residents in Germany known to the German society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck surgery. The survey was sent by e-mail and was available from April 1st to July 31st in 2019. RESULTS: 92,3 % of the participants had an effort-reward imbalance. The mean value of effort reward imbalance was 1.57 ± 0.43, adjusted 2.16 ±â€Š1.36. The effort scale was 10.71 ±â€Š1.40 (3-12), adjusted 85.72 ±â€Š15.52, reward scale 16.58 ±â€Š2.86 (7-28), adjusted 45.61 ±â€Š13.63, over commitment 17 ±â€Š3.37, adjusted 61.14 ±â€Š18.73. A high effort reward imbalance had positive significant correlations with regard to the duration of residency, the number of working hours per week and the number of duty hours per month. CONCLUSION: The effort and reward imbalance is comparable to other specialty physicians in residency. It is related to working hours, services and the progress of training. It can be improved through personal initiative and could be supplemented with the support of the hospital's internal stakeholders.

The surgical outcomes of trans-scaphoid perilunate fracture-dislocations

1. Background/aim: Trans-scaphoid perilunate fracture-dislocation (TSPFD) is a rare injury. TSPFD is a fracture-dislocation that severely disrupts the anatomical structure of the carpal bones and may occur as a result of a high energy trauma of the wrist or a fall on an open hand. In this study, the aim is to provide midterm clinical and radiological evaluations of cases diagnosed and treated as TSPFD. Materials and methods: Eleven patients diagnosed with TSPFD as a result of wrist trauma were treated surgically and were analysed retrospectively. Clinical and radiological follow-up of the cases was evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 34 years. All patients were males with a dorsal dislocation according to Herzberg's perilunate fracture-dislocation classification. The mean follow-up time was 33 months. All of the cases were evaluated with preoperative and postoperative standard wrist anteroposterior and lateral radiographs. A dorsal approach was used in all cases. However, in 1 case a volar approach was also required. The Green and O'Brien evaluation scale modified by Cooney was used for the clinical assessment of pain, wrist range of motion, grip strength, and functional status as excellent, good, moderate, or poor. The wrist range of motion was evaluated goniometrically at the final check-up, and a mid-grade disability was observed compared with the uninjured side. A visual analogue scale was used to evaluate the pain. Results: Sufficient union was obtained in all cases with open reduction and internal fixation of the fractures. Grip strength was up to 77.5% of the other side. According to the modified Green and O'Brien clinical evaluation scale, 6 cases were evaluated as good, 3 cases were fair, and 2 cases were poor. No median nerve damage was determined preoperatively or postoperatively and there was no postoperative pin tract infection in any of the patients. Conclusion: This kind of injury represents complex biomechanical damage of the wrist anatomy. If it is diagnosed early and treated with open reduction and stable fixation, a functionally adequate and anatomically integrated wrist can be achieved.

[Survey on the need for an e-learning-platform for ENT residents]. / Umfrage zum Bedarf einer e-Learning-Plattform für Ärzte in der HNO-Facharzt-Weiterbildung.

OBJECTIVE: Interactive e-learning-platforms may replace the classical textbook in the future. Such media have the possible advantage of including video and audio files in a more comprehensive way, but ENT-specific platforms do not currently exist. So far, the actual needs and wishes of ENT residents are unclear and may be affected by the so called digital revolution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey was carried out addressing all ENT residents in Germany known to the German society of oto-rhino-laryngology, head and neck surgery. A 17-items survey was developed by ENT doctors receiving and providing training and distributed by e-mail. The survey was available to answer in April and May 2019. RESULTS: A total of 150 out of 671 ENT specialists and residents took part in the study. Of these, 80 % were residents and 20 % were ENT specialists. 63-80 % of the respondents already use online media in general at work, in preparation for the ENT specialist examination, for training purposes and for support as a clinician. 92-95 % of the participants indicated the willingness to use an interactive platform for their ENT specialist examination preparation and further training. On average, e-learning media are used by the responders to prepare for the ENT specialist examination or in clinical everyday life and for further training 108 or 130 min/week. The desire for surgical instruction videos is also very high. CONCLUSION: There is a high demand for a structured e-learning-platform especially for ENT. An interactive e-learning-platform would ensure, supplement and support qualified education and training.

Epicardial left atrial appendage AtriClip occlusion reduces the incidence of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac surgery.

Aims: Left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion has emerged as an interesting alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We report the safety, efficacy, and durability of concomitant device-enabled epicardial LAA occlusion during open-heart surgery. In addition to long-term follow-up, we evaluate the impact on stroke risk in this selected population. Methods and results: A total of 291 AtriClip devices were deployed epicardially in patients (mean CHA2DS2-VASc-Score: 3.1 ± 1.5) undergoing open-heart surgery (including isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, valve, or combined procedures) comprising of forty patients from a first-in-man device trial (NCT00567515) and 251 patients from a consecutive institutional registry thereafter. In all patients (n = 291), the LAA was successfully excluded and overall mean follow-up (FU) was 36 ± 23months (range: 1-97 months). No device-related complications were detected throughout the FU period. Long-term imaging work-up (computed tomography) in selected patients ≥5years post-implant (range: 5.1-8.1 years) displayed complete LAA occlusion with no signs of residual reperfusion or significant LAA stumps. Subgroup analysis of patients with discontinued OAC during FU (n = 166) revealed a relative risk reduction of 87.5% with an observed ischaemic stroke-rate of 0.5/100 patient-years compared with what would have been expected in a group of patients with similar CHA2DS2-VASc scores (expected rate of 4.0/100 patient-years). No strokes occurred in the subgroup with OAC. Conclusion: The long-term results from our first-in-man prospective human trial plus our institutional registry of epicardial LAA occlusion with the AtriClip in patients with AF undergoing cardiac surgery demonstrate the safety and durability of the procedure. In addition, our data are suggestive for the potential efficacy of LAA occlusion in reducing the incidence of stroke. If validated in future large randomized trials, routine LAA occlusion in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (with contraindications to treatment with oral anticoagulants) may represent a reasonable adjunct procedure to reduce the risk of future stroke. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00567515.

The effect of amputation level and age on outcome: an analysis of 135 amputees.

INTRODUCTION: In this retrospective study, the impact of age, amputation level and the cause of amputation were examined using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Medicare K scores of amputees with unilateral lower-limb amputation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 135 patients with unilateral transfemoral (TF) or (TT) transtibial amputations were examined. All data were collected using questionnaires that were either self-administered or administered during an interview. The HADS was developed as a self-reporting questionnaire to detect adverse anxiety and depressive status. K code is used to describe the functional abilities of amputees. RESULTS: The mean age at the time of surgery was 52.79 ± 13.08 years. The mean time since amputation was 59.20 ± 24.41 months for TT, and 60.89 ± 22.09 months for TF amputation. The HADS-A scores of the transfemoral amputation group were determined as significantly high compared to those of the transtibial group (p < 0.05). The K index of the group aged 35 years and below was significantly higher than that of the other groups (p 0.002, p 0.001, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The data show higher HADS-A scores with traumatic transfemoral amputation. Therefore, adequate psychiatric evaluation and rehabilitation should be applied to all amputees, especially in cases of young, traumatic, transfemoral amputations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3, retrospective comparative cohort study.

No relationship between osteoprotegerin concentrations and endothelial dysfunction in non-obese women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships of osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentrations to brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and the carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: Thirty-seven women with PCOS and 41 controls matched for body mass index (BMI) and age were included in study. The serum OPG concentrations, hormonal and metabolic profiles were measured in women with PCOS and in control group. The CIMT and brachial artery FMD were evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: The mean serum concentrations of all hormones were comparable, except LH, which was higher in women with PCOS. Lipid parameters were similar between groups. There were no differences between groups with respect to fasting glucose, 2-h glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c and HOMA-IR. The mean osteoprotogerin concentrations were higher in PCOS group (11.39 ± 2.29 vs. 10.22 ± 2.25 pmol/L, P = 0.026). The mean CIMT was higher in PCOS group than control group (0.52 ± 0.058 vs. 0.45 ± 0.059 mm, P < 0.01). The mean brachial artery FMD was lower in PCOS group (0.068 ± 0.022 vs. 0.055 ± 0.029, P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: We found high osteoprotogerin concentrations, increased CIMT and decreased FMD, in women with PCOS. However, there was no correlation between osteoprotegerin and cardiovascular risk markers.

Advantages of US in percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy: randomized controlled trial and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: To compare procedure times and complication rates of preincisional ultrasonographic (US) evaluation and perioperative US guidance in percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy ( PDT percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy ) with those of the current standard of care, PDT percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy performed without image guidance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 2007 and January 2011, 341 patients were included in this institutional review board-approved study after informed consent was obtained from the patients or their relatives. The patients were divided randomly into two groups. In group A (n = 166), the possible causes of complications, such as aberrations of tracheal, thyroidal, and vascular structures, were determined with US, and tracheal measurements were performed by using US. The clinician's initial considerations at physical examination were compared with the US findings. PDT percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy was subsequently performed with US guidance in suitable cases. In group B (n = 175), PDT percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy was performed solely on the basis of physical landmarks. The procedure times and complication rates were compared across groups by using the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: In group A, the puncture sites designated at the physical examination were reconsidered in 39 (23.8%) of 164 cases. The perioperative complication rates were slightly lower in group A (7.8% [12 of 154]) than in group B (15.0% [25 of 167]); however, the difference did not achieve statistical significance (P = .054). The mean procedure times for groups A and B were 24.09 minutes ± 8.05 (standard deviation) (range, 14-68 minutes) and 18.62 minutes ± 6.34 (range, 12-81 minutes), respectively (P = .001), and the numbers of patients in each group who required multiple puncture attempts were six (3.9%) of 154 and 23 (13.6%) of 169 (P = .003), respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of US guidance before and during PDT percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy could render the procedure easier and safer, with fewer complications but a slightly longer procedure time.

Omentin and chemerin and their association with obesity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

We aimed to investigate whether overweight/obesity is associated with omentin and chemerin. The study group consisted of 81 women with Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) (41 lean, BMI < 25 kg/m² and 40 overweight or obese, BMI > 25 kg/m²) and 61 healthy subjects (31 lean, BMI < 25 kg/m² and 30 overweight or obese, BMI > 25 kg/m²; control group). The clinical, endocrine, metabolic parameters, plasma omentin and chemerin levels were measured in patients and compared to control. In all subjects with PCOS (n = 80), serum chemerin levels were higher compared with those of the controls (n = 58) (7.71 ± 1.78 ng/mL versus 6.94 ± 0.82 ng/mL, p = 0.003). However, serum omentin levels were not significantly different between the PCOS subjects and the controls (1.55 ± 0.43 ng/mL versus 1.69 ± 0.37 ng/mL, p = 0.056). The mean chemerin concentrations were significantly elevated in the obese PCOS group compared with the obese control subjects (8.98 ± 1.45 ng/mL versus 7.02 ± 0.67 ng/mL, p = 0.000) and the nonobese PCOS group compared with the obese control subjects (6.57 ± 1.17 ng/mL versus 7.02 ± 0.67 ng/mL, p = 0.000). In conclusion, fat mass seems to be the main determinant factor of increased chemerin and decreased omentin in women with PCOS.

Vertebral Hemangiomas: Yucesoy-Yilmaz Classification System with Corresponding Therapeutic Options.

OBJECTIVE: Vertebral hemangiomas (VHs) are relatively common, symptomatic benign tumors of the spine with a reported estimated incidence up to 11%. They usually appear in the body of the vertebrae; however, they can extend into pedicles, laminae, and epidural space. They may cause pain, neurologic deficits. and fractures. METHODS: In this retrospective, single-center study, we reviewed our cases with VH and we propose the novel classification system that evaluates these lesions per their views on magnetic resonance imaging and clinical findings under 4 main categories. RESULTS: Our novel classification system proposes that grade I lesions occupy less than 50% of the vertebral body, whereas grade II lesions occupy more than 50% and grade III lesions occupy the whole corpus. Grade IV lesions show an epidural and pedicular extension. We propose that grade I lesions may not be worthwhile for follow-up, whereas asymptomatic grade II (a) lesions to be worthy for a biannual imaging and symptomatic thoracolumbar grade II (b) and thoracolumbar grade III lesions to be considered for percutaneous vertebroplasty. We imply that decompression, posterior spinal instrumentation, and open vertebroplasty may be performed for thoracolumbar grade IV lesions. We further consider cervical grade IIb, III, and grade IV lesions as operable because of the disadvantages of percutaneous vertebroplasty. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that our novel classification system may be useful for the determination of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the management of VH. Further multicentric trials on larger series are warranted to validate this system and popularize its utility in larger populations.

Optimized pyrolytic synthesis and physicochemical characterization of date palm seed biochar: unveiling a sustainable adsorbent for environmental remediation applications.

This study focuses on the optimization and comprehensive characterization of biochar synthesized from date palm seeds (DPS), a prevalent agricultural waste in arid regions. Using response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD), we optimized the pyrolysis process by investigating the effects of time (1-3 h) and temperature (600-900 °C) on critical properties such as specific surface area, pore volume, and yield. The optimized biochar, produced at 828 °C for 1.7 h, demonstrated a high specific surface area of 654.8 m2/g and well-developed microporosity. Characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, and BET analyses, revealed an amorphous carbon structure with graphitic domains, diverse surface functionalities, and a heterogeneous porous microstructure. The biochar's point of zero charge at pH 7.58 indicates its potential for selective adsorption of charged contaminants. The close agreement between RSM-predicted and experimental values for specific surface area (652.1 m2/g vs. 654.8 m2/g) and micropore volume (0.191 cm3/g vs. 0.190 cm3/g) validates the effectiveness of the model in optimizing biochar properties. This research highlights the potential of DPS-derived biochar as a sustainable adsorbent for environmental remediation, opening avenues for valorizing agricultural wastes and contributing to circular economy principles.