Exploring the Relationship between Smartphone Addiction, Quality of Life, and Personality Traits in University Students.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the dynamics of the relationship among smartphone addiction, quality of life, and personality characteristics in university students. Method : This correlational and descriptive research was conducted to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction, quality of life, and personality traits among university students. Using a nonprobability random sampling method, 496 university students were selected. Data collection involved the Student Information Form, Smartphone Addiction Scale, Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Abridged Form (EPQR-A), and the WHO Quality of Life Scale-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF). Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS 25.0, utilizing Chi-square tests, independent sample t-tests, and Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: Out of 496 students (average age of 20.52), 59.87% were identified as smartphone addicts based on the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version. A notable difference was found by study year (P = 0.009) and socioeconomic status (P = 0.003). Participants with smartphone addiction registered higher SCL-90-r scores for conditions like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Interpersonal Sensitivity, and Psychoticism. The Eysenck Personality Inventory highlighted that the Psychoticism score was significantly higher in the group with smartphone addiction (P = 0.001). A negative correlation between smartphone addiction scores and general health (WHOQoL) was identified, whereas a positive correlation with SCL-90-R's Psychoticism dimension score was observed (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Smartphone addiction is widespread among university student population. The study indicates that smartphone addiction not only impacts the individual's quality of life but also is associated with personality disorders, and these problems intensify with the severity of addiction. The findings underscore the need for interventions and educational programs to address smartphone addiction in this population.

Effect of childhood trauma on disease severity in patients with fibromyalgia: The mediating role of psychological resilience.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of childhood traumas on the disease severity in fibromyalgia and evaluate the mediating role of psychological resilience in this effect. Patients and methods: Between June 2017 and January 2018, this study included a total of 80 female patients (mean age: 31.9±4.0 years; range, 20 to 40 years) with fibromyalgia according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria. All patients were evaluated using the sociodemographic data form, Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Results: A positive correlation was observed between the FIQ and CTQ total scores, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect scores. The FIQ was negatively correlated with the RSA scores. Path analysis conducted to evaluate mediating effect of psychological resilience revealed that psychological resilience had a mediator role in the correlation between FIQ and emotional abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect scores. Conclusion: The main finding of this study is the protective effect of psychological resilience -improvable capacity to cope with early life traumas- on fibromyalgia symptoms that leads to negative functioning of several aspects.

Diagnostic Value of Bedside Lung Ultrasonography in Pneumonia.

Bedside lung ultrasonography (LUS) is a reliable method for the diagnosis of pneumonia. No common consensus exists in the literature regarding the effectiveness of LUS findings, except consolidation, for the diagnosis of pneumonia. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of LUS for the diagnosis of pneumonia, and the secondary objective was to investigate the use of LUS findings, except consolidation, for the diagnosis of pneumonia. A total of 127 patients with clinically suspected pneumonia were evaluated in the study. The sensitivity and specificity of LUS were 98.0% and 95.8%, respectively. In the cases where consolidation was not determined in LUS but B-3 line positivity or a diffuse interstitial pattern was present, the sensitivity and specificity were 93.3% and 88.2%, respectively. When consolidation was not observed in LUS, the presence of B-3 line positivity or diffuse interstitial pattern could be used for the diagnosis of pneumonia.

The Effect of Leucocytosis, Gender Difference, and Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Acute Cholecystitis in the Elderly Population.

INTRODUCTION: Acute cholecystitis is one of the most common reasons of acute abdominal pain for older patients to present to the emergency department (ED). Presentation may differ from that of the younger patient and is often complicated by coexistent disease due to elderliness. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical presentation of acute cholecystitis, with special focus on comparision between elderly and young patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 318 patients who were admitted to the emergency department with right upper quadrant pain during a period of determined 8 months. After retrospective data collection, patients were groupped in accordance with their age, <65 and ≥65 years. Those who had ultrasonographic signs such as wall thickening and fluid collection were diagnosed as acute cholecystitis. RESULTS: The young group (Group I) consisted of 225 patients, 132 females and 93 males. In Group I, 39 patients were diagnosed as acute cholecystitis of whom 27 were females and 15 were males. The elderly group (Group II) consisted of 93 patients 48 females and 45 males. In Group II, 36 patients were diagnosed as acute cholecystitis of whom 15 were females and 21 were males. Regarding the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, the female to male ratio is 2.25 in Group I and 0.71 in Group II (p=0.016). The average white blood cells counts of patients with acute cholecystitis in Group I and in Group II were 9907x109/L(±4.437) and 17083x109/L(±7485), respectively (p<0,001). CONCLUSIONS: Acute cholecystitis is a common diagnosis in elderly patients with right upper quadrant pain. It is more frequent in female in the early ages, but the gender difference tends to change with age. Elderly patients demonstrate a higher level of white blood cells when compared to young patients in acute cholecystitis. Clinicians must maintain a degree of awareness in the evaluation of geriatric patients with right upper quadrant abdominal pain.

Independent factors for prediction of poor outcomes in patients with febrile neutropenia.

BACKGROUND: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening condition that requires urgent management in the emergency department (ED). Recent progress in the treatment of neutropenic fever has underscored the importance of risk stratification. In this study, we aimed to determine independent factors for prediction of poor outcomes in patients with FN. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 200 chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenic patients who visited the ED. Upon arrival at the ED, clinical data, including sex, age, vital signs, underlying systemic diseases, laboratory test results, estimated GFR, blood cultures, CRP, radiologic examinations, and Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) score of all febrile neutropenic patients were obtained. Outcomes were categorized as "poor" if serious complications during hospitalization, including death, occurred. RESULTS: The platelet count <50 000 cells/mm3 (OR 3.90, 95% CI 1.62-9.43), pulmonary infiltration (OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.48-8.07), hypoproteinemia <6 g/dl (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.27-8.56), respiratory rate >24/min (OR 8.75, 95% CI 2.18-35.13), and MASCC score <21 (OR 9.20, 95% CI 3.98-21.26) were determined as independent risk factors for the prediction of death. The platelet count <50 000 cells/mm3 (OR 3.93, 95% CI 1.42-10.92), serum CRP >50 mg/dl (OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.68-8.61), hypoproteinemia (OR 7.81, 95% CI 3.43-17.78), eGFR ≤90 ML/min/1.73 m2 (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.13-8.26), and MASCC score <21 (OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.53-7.79) were determined as independent risk factors for the prediction of poor clinical outcomes of FN patients. Platelet count, protein level, respiratory rate, pulmonary infiltration, CRP, MASCC score, and eGFR were shown to have a significant association with outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study may help emergency medicine physicians to prevent serious complications with proper use of simple independent risk factors besides MASCC score.

Is the relationship between affective temperament and resilience different in depression cases with and without childhood trauma?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate if the relationship between affective temperament and resilience in major depression is different in cases with and without childhood trauma. METHODS: For this purpose 100 cases with major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnosis according to DSM-IV were evaluated consecutively in their regular outpatient clinic follow-up interviews. Diagnostic interviews were done with SCID-I, affective temperament was evaluated with TEMPS-A (Evaluation of Temperament Memphis, Pisa, Paris and SanDiego-Autoquestionnaire) Temperament Questionnaire, resilience was evaluated with The Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA)-Turkish version. The presence of childhood trauma (CT) was determined by Early Trauma Inventory. RESULTS: In MDD cases without CT a correlation was present between psychological resilience and hyperthymic temperament, while there was a correlation between psychological resilience and depressive temperament in cases with CT. The relationship between depressive temperament and psychological resilience in cases with CT was observed in the perception of self, family cohesion, and social resources dimensions of psychological resilience. CONCLUSION: In depression cases with and without childhood trauma, the relationship between temperament and resilience appears to be different. According to our results psychological resilience was associated with hyperthymic temperament in depressive cases without childhood trauma, while it was associated with depressive temperament in depressive cases with childhood trauma.

Ionising radiation awareness among resident doctors, interns, and radiographers in a university hospital emergency department.

PURPOSE: In emergency medicine practice, radiological investigations relying on ionising radiation are increasingly used to diagnose a wide range of diseases and injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge of radiation exposure doses and risks among interns, resident doctors, and radiographers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire, consisting of 14 questions in multiple choice format, was distributed to 300 participants (100 interns, 100 radiographers, 100 resident doctors) working in the emergency department. The participants were asked to estimate the radiation dose that patients received during the different radiological procedures. The questionnaire was designed to determine the participants' knowledge about radiation-related hazards. RESULTS: None of the radiation doses delivered by the imaging modalities was 100% correctly estimated. A total of 41.4% of all participants and 46.3% of resident doctors underestimated the radiation doses. The frequency of answers underestimating doses was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.001). Resident doctors, with a 39.4% correct answer rate, were found to be significantly less knowledgeable when compared with the interns and radiographers (p = 0.003). Emergency resident doctors had a statistically significantly higher rate of correct answers for the lowest and highest radiation sources for a foetus when compared with other groups (p = 0.001, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that the resident doctors', interns', and radiographers' knowledge of radiation exposure from radiological investigations and the associated risks was poor. This result could imply that we are not aware of the radiation risks, and we are inattentive in informing our patients about the radiation exposure related to the different imaging modalities.

The accuracy of ultrasound evaluation in foot and ankle trauma.

OBJECTIVES: Foot and ankle injuries that result in sprains or fractures are commonly encountered at the emergency department. The purpose of the present study is to find out the accuracy of ultrasound (US) scanning in injuries in the aforementioned areas. METHODS: Ottawa Ankle Rules-positive patients older than 16 years who presented to the emergency department with foot or ankle injuries were eligible. For all patients, US evaluation of the whole foot and ankle was performed by an emergency physician before radiographic imaging. All radiographic images were evaluated by an orthopedic specialist and compared with the interpretations of the US. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-one patients were included in the study. Radiographic evaluation enabled the determination of fractures in 20 patients, and all of these were identified with US imaging. Moreover, US evaluation radiographically detected a silent ankle fracture in 1 patient. The sensitivity of US scanning in detecting fractures was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 83.8-100), the specificity was 99.1% (95% CI, 95-99.8), the positive predictive value was 95.2% (95% CI, 89.6-98), and the negative predictive value was 100% (95% CI, 96.4-100), respectively. The most common fractures were detected at the lateral malleolus and at the basis of the fifth metatarsal. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound imaging permits the evaluation of foot and ankle fractures. Because it is a highly sensitive technique, US can be performed in the emergency department with confidence.

Septic pulmonary embolism associated with renal abscess: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) is a rare condition that is difficult to diagnose. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical course and diagnosis of a patient with SPE. CASE REPORT: We report on a case of SPE diagnosed in the emergency department and review the current literature. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of SPE can be made using computed tomography scan. Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic therapy are important factors for the control of the infection.

Unroofing and curettage for the treatment of acute and chronic pilonidal disease.

BACKGROUND: Various surgical techniques are available in the management of pilonidal sinus, but controversy concerning the optimal surgical approach persists. The present study analyzes the outcome of unroofing and curettage as the primary intervention for acute and chronic pilonidal disease. METHODS: A total of 297 consecutive patients presenting with chronic disease, acute abscess, or recurrent disease were treated with unroofing and curettage. The wound was left open to heal by secondary intention. Hospitalization, time required to resume daily activities and return to work, healing time, and recurrence rates were recorded. RESULTS: All patients were discharged within the first 24 h after operation. The median period before returning to work was 3.2 +/- 1.2 days, and the mean time for wound healing was 5.4 +/- 1.1 weeks. Six patients were readmitted with recurrence of the disease within the first six postoperative months. All recurrences were in patients who did not follow the wound care advice and who did not come to regular weekly appointments. Patients with recurrence underwent repeat surgery by the same technique with good results. CONCLUSIONS: Unroofing and curettage for pilonidal sinus disease is an easy and effective technique. The vast majority of the patients, including those with abscess as well as those with chronic disease, will heal with this simple procedure, after which even recurrences can be managed successfully with the same procedure. Relying on these results, we advocate unroofing and curettage as the procedure of choice in the management of pilonidal disease.

Endotoxin level in ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats: effect of glutamine pretreatment on endotoxin levels and gut morphology.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of enteral glutamine (Gln) pretreatment on plasma endotoxin level and intestinal histopathologic changes during intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. METHODS: Intestinal I/R was induced by 60-min occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery followed by 60 min of reperfusion. Animals were pretreated with Gln by orogastric route for different periods and doses. To investigate the effects of gut decontamination on intestinal I/R injury, animals were pretreated with neomycin sulfate and erythromycin phosphate by orogastric route. In another series, dl-alpha-tocopherol hydrogen succinate was used to investigate the effects of vitamin E on intestinal I/R injury. Plasma endotoxin level was measured by the colorimetric "limulus amebocyte lysate" test. Intestinal mucosal injury was scored on a scale described by Chiu et al. (Archive in Surgery 1970;101:478-483). RESULTS: Intestinal I/R increased the plasma endotoxin level and worsened the histopathologic score significantly. Gln pretreatment (1g/kg) for 4 d reduced the I/R-induced elevation of plasma endotoxin level. However, a significant improvement in histopathologic score could only be achieved when the pretreatment was given for 7 d. Antibiotic pretreatment lowered plasma endotoxin level without affecting the I/R-induced histopathologic changes, whereas vitamin E pretreatment affected plasma endotoxin level and histopathologic changes. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a lack of association between plasma endotoxin level and intestinal histopathologic alterations in intestinal I/R.

Intussusception in adult and pediatric patients: two different entities.

PURPOSE: Intussusception is one of the most common abdominal emergencies in pediatrics, but adult intussusception is an uncommon entity and most surgeons have only limited experience in treating this disease. The purpose of this study was to highlight the differences between pediatric and adult intussusception. METHODS: The records of 40 patients during 14 years were reviewed retrospectively. The symptoms, diagnosis, sites of intussusception, associated pathologies, and treatment methods of each patient were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 31 pediatric and 9 adult patients were included in the study. In the pediatric group, bloody stool and vomiting were the most common symptoms whereas adult patients commonly presented with abdominal pain. The physical examination was diagnostic in a remarkable proportion of the pediatric patients but the diagnosis was suggested based on imaging techniques in the adults, and preoperative diagnosis was more successful in the pediatric group. Intussusception was more often associated with an underlying pathology in adults and no adult patient underwent nonoperative reduction, whereas pediatric patients were managed either with hydrostatic reduction or surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Although intussusceptions occur at all ages, there are major differences in the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and management between pediatric and adult populations. Intussusception is remarkably different in these two age groups and it must be approached from a different clinical perspective.

Suprarenal symplastic leiomyoma of the inferior vena cava.

We report on a case of a leiomyoma in the inferior vena cava that appeared in the image to be located in the adrenal gland. En bloc excision of the tumor with the right adrenal gland and the involved segment of the vena cava was carried out. Histopathological work-up of the tumor revealed smooth muscle fibers and marked nuclear pleomorphism consistent with symplastic leiomyoma. This case report presents a distinct histological variant of the rarely seen primary smooth muscle tumor of the inferior vena cava.

Enteral glutamine pretreatment does not decrease plasma endotoxin level induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

AIM: To investigate whether oral glutamine pretreatment prevents impairment of intestinal mucosal integrity during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats. METHODS: The study was performed as two series with 40 rats in each. Each series of animals was divided into four groups. The first group was used as a control. Animals in the second group were only pretreated with oral glutamine, 1 g/kg for 4 d. The third group received a normal diet, and underwent intestinal I/R, while the fourth group was pretreated with oral glutamine in the same way, and underwent intestinal I/R. Intestinal mucosal permeability to (51)Cr-labeled EDTA was measured in urine in the first series of animals. In the second series, histopathological changes in intestinal tissue and plasma endotoxin levels were evaluated. RESULTS: Intestinal I/R produced a significant increase in intestinal permeability, plasma endotoxin level and worsened histopathological alterations. After intestinal I/R, permeability was significantly lower in glutamine-treated rats compared to those which received a normal diet. However, no significant change was observed in plasma endotoxin levels or histopathological findings. CONCLUSION: Although glutamine pretreatment seems to be protective of intestinal integrity, upon I/R injury, such an effect was not observable in the histopathological changes or plasma endotoxin level.

A simple and inexpensive device for collecting urine samples from rats.

Many studies require collection of metabolic wastes from laboratory animals, and oftentimes it is important that feces and urine be collected separately. The authors describe an easily assembled and inexpensive device that can be used to collect urine samples from rats without any invasive operations. The device affords reasonable separation of feces and urine.