Evaluation of erector spinae plane block in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy in terms of postoperative pain reduction and patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES: Intravenous opioids and local anesthetic infiltrations are traditionally used to relieve postoperative pain. With developments in the field of regional anesthesia, several methods are now available for postoperative analgesia. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the erector spinae plane block (ESPB) in reducing both intraoperative opioid consumption and postoperative analgesic use in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). METHODS: A total of 60 patients who underwent PCNL were divided into two groups: 30 patients who received ESPB (Group I) and 30 patients in the control group (Group II). Intraoperative and postoperative opioid usage were recorded for both groups. The pain levels of the patients were evaluated using visual analog scale (VAS) scores obtained at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Postoperative satisfaction of the patients in both groups was also questioned and compared. RESULTS: A significant difference was detected between Group I and Group II patients in terms of intraoperative opioid require-ments (p=0.00), analgesic requirements in the first 24 hours postoperatively (p=0.00), patient satisfaction status (p=0.00), and VAS scores obtained at 0, 3, 6, and 12 hours postoperatively. No significant difference was found in VAS scores at the 24th postoperative hour. CONCLUSION: ESPB is a simple, convenient technique that can be performed under ultrasound guidance. It provides remarkable postoperative analgesia and satisfaction in patients undergoing PCNL.

Detecting white spot lesions on post-orthodontic oral photographs using deep learning based on the YOLOv5x algorithm: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Deep learning model trained on a large image dataset, can be used to detect and discriminate targets with similar but not identical appearances. The aim of this study is to evaluate the post-training performance of the CNN-based YOLOv5x algorithm in the detection of white spot lesions in post-orthodontic oral photographs using the limited data available and to make a preliminary study for fully automated models that can be clinically integrated in the future. METHODS: A total of 435 images in JPG format were uploaded into the CranioCatch labeling software and labeled white spot lesions. The labeled images were resized to 640 × 320 while maintaining their aspect ratio before model training. The labeled images were randomly divided into three groups (Training:349 images (1589 labels), Validation:43 images (181 labels), Test:43 images (215 labels)). YOLOv5x algorithm was used to perform deep learning. The segmentation performance of the tested model was visualized and analyzed using ROC analysis and a confusion matrix. True Positive (TP), False Positive (FP), and False Negative (FN) values were determined. RESULTS: Among the test group images, there were 133 TPs, 36 FPs, and 82 FNs. The model's performance metrics include precision, recall, and F1 score values of detecting white spot lesions were 0.786, 0.618, and 0.692. The AUC value obtained from the ROC analysis was 0.712. The mAP value obtained from the Precision-Recall curve graph was 0.425. CONCLUSIONS: The model's accuracy and sensitivity in detecting white spot lesions remained lower than expected for practical application, but is a promising and acceptable detection rate compared to previous study. The current study provides a preliminary insight to further improved by increasing the dataset for training, and applying modifications to the deep learning algorithm. CLINICAL REVELANCE: Deep learning systems can help clinicians to distinguish white spot lesions that may be missed during visual inspection.

Sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and depression in Parkinson's disease: implications for improved patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep disorders are frequently encountered non-motor symptoms that significantly impact the lifestyle quality of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Our research endeavors to research the sleep quality of PD patients and define the occurrence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and nocturnal difficulties within this population. METHODS: We incorporated 140 patients diagnosed with PD and 75 healthy individuals as controls. The modified Hoehn & Yahr Staging Scale (HYS) was employed for the clinical classification of PD stages, while the evaluation of clinical intensity utilized the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). The assessment of sleep quality utilized the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), along with the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Additionally, the subjective depression levels of attendees were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: In contrast to the healthy controls, the patient cohort demonstrated notably higher scores across the PSQI scale, ESS, and Beck Depression Scale (p < 0.05). Within the PD patient group, 66.4% exhibited poor sleep quality, and 17.1% reported excessive daytime sleepiness. A significant positive correlation was between poor sleep quality and factors such as H&Y stage, duration of levodopa exposure, scores on the ESS, and the BDI (p < 0.05). Additionally, EDS was positively correlated with UPDRS-I scores, Levodopa equivalent daily dose, PSQI, and BDI scores (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Addressing the specific etiology of sleep disorders in Parkinson's patients has the potential to result in improved treatment outcomes and enhanced functionality in their daily lives.

Optimizing implementations of linear layers using two and higher input XOR gates.

Maximum distance separable (MDS) matrices are often used in the linear layer of a block cipher due to their good diffusion property. A well-designed lightweight MDS matrix, especially an involutory one, can provide both security and performance benefits to the cipher. Finding the corresponding effective linear straight-line program (SLP) of the circuit of a linear layer is still a challenging problem. In this article, first, we propose a new heuristic algorithm called Superior Boyar-Peralta (SBP) in the computation of the minimum number of two-input Exclusive-OR (XOR) gates with the minimum circuit depth for the SLPs. Contrary to the existing global optimization methods supporting only two-input XOR gates, SBP heuristic algorithm provides the best global optimization solutions, especially for extracting low-latency circuits. Moreover, we give a new 4 × 4 involutory MDS matrix over F24, which requires only 41 XOR gates and depth 3 after applying SBP heuristic, whereas the previously best-known cost is 45 XOR gates with the same depth. In the second part of the article, for further optimization of the circuit area of linear layers with multiple-input XOR gates, we enhance the recently proposed BDKCI heuristic algorithm by incorporating circuit depth awareness, which limits the depth of the circuits created. By using the proposed circuit depth-bounded version of BDKCI, we present better circuit implementations of linear layers of block ciphers than those given in the literature. For instance, the given circuit for the AES MixColumn matrix only requires 44 XOR gates/depth 3/240.95 GE in the STM 130 nm (simply called ASIC4) library, while the previous best-known result is 55 XOR gates/depth 5/243.00 GE. Much better, our new 4 × 4 involutory MDS matrix requires only 19 XOR gates/depth3/79.75 GE in the STM 90 nm (simply called ASIC1) library, which is the lightest and superior to the state-of-the-art results.

The effects of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment in acrylamide-induced nephrotoxicity in rats: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE: Acrylamide (AA) is toxic and forms in food that undergoes high-temperature processing. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AA-induced toxicity on renal tissue in pinealectomized rats and the possible protective effect of exogenous Melatonin (ML) administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty rats were randomized into 6 groups (n = 10): Sham, Sham+AA, Sham+AA+ML, PX, PX+AA, and PX+AA+ML. Sham and pinealectomized rats received AA (25 mg/kg/day orally) and ML (0.5 ml volume at 10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal) for 21 days. RESULTS: The results showed that malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) levels of the kidney and urea and creatinine levels of serum in the PX (pinealectomy)+AA group were more increased than in the Sham+AA group. In addition, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels decreased more in the PX+AA group than in the Sham+AA group. Also, we observed more histopathologic damage in the PX+AA group. On the other hand, up-regulation of kidney tissue antioxidants, down-regulation of tissue oxidants, and improvement in kidney function were achieved with ML treatment. Also, histopathological findings such as inflammatory cell infiltration, shrinkage of glomeruli, and dilatation of tubules caused by AA toxicity improved with ML treatment. CONCLUSION: ML supplementation exhibited adequate nephroprotective effects against the nephrotoxicity of AA on pinealectomized rat kidney tissue function by balancing the oxidant/antioxidant status and suppressing the release of proinflammatory cytokines.

Investigation of Morphometric Characteristics of the Mesencephalon in a Healthy Turkish Population: An MRI-Based Morphometric Study.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the important functions of the mesencephalon, knowledge of its morphometric characteristics in a healthy population is important for any pathological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to determine the specific morphometric values of the mesencephalon in a healthy Turkish population. METHODS: Magnetic resonance (MR) images of 184 subjects (98 females, 86 males) with a mean age of 47.33 years (range 18 to 85 years) were included in the study. Then, parameter measurements were performed on 1.5 T MR images, and MicroDicom Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) viewer 2022.1 (MicroDicom Ltd., Sofia, Bulgaria) software program was used for the measurements. RESULTS: The mean sagittal diameter of the right cerebral peduncle was 17.17±2.03 mm, the mean cross-sectional area of the right cerebral peduncle was 171.75±32.81 mm2, the mean transverse diameter of the left cerebral peduncle was 16.60±2.32 mm, sagittal diameter of tectum and tegmentum 17.01±1.57 mm, the cross-sectional area of tectum and tegmentum 223.40±27.37 mm2 and pontomesencephalic angle 52.03°±10.61°, while in males these values were 18.26±2.38 mm, 182.61±38.57 mm2, 17.39±2.57 mm, 17.76±1.90 mm, 237.20±35.94 mm2 and 56.77°±9.78°, respectively. Except for the mamillopontine distance, there was a statistically significant difference between genders in the other parameters (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the findings related to the mesencephalon obtained in this study are presented for the first time in a healthy Turkish population. Especially, the cerebral peduncle cross-sectional area, tectum and tegmentum cross-sectional area, and cerebral peduncle transverse diameter can be evaluated clinically. We believe that knowledge of these values will guide specialists and radiologists in the diagnosis of any pathologic condition. Furthermore, the pontomesencephalic angle and mamillopontine distance have been identified as potentially useful landmarks in the diagnosis of intracranial hypotension and hydrocephalus. In particular, these angles can be measured in patient groups and may be a potential landmark in making an alternative diagnosis.

Comparison of symptoms, signs and magnetic resonance imaging in children aged 5-18 years with temporomandibular joint disease.

BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular joint diseases (TMD) are an important clinical condition in childhood as in adults. There is variation in the frequency and distribution of complaints in children about this disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 407 children aged 5-18 years. Patients with dentofacial function problems, trauma, history of surgery, and malignancy were excluded from the study. Patients with temporomandibular magnetic resonance imaging in their records were classified as normal, reduction disc displacement and non-reduction disc displacement. RESULTS: Patients symptoms were click (77.2%), pain (71.5%), headache (61.2%), bruxism (31.9%), locking (28%), difficulty in mouth opening (24.3%). The most common clinical findings are normal mouth opening (62.2%) and deviation (44.9%). When the MR results were examined, 55.1% of female and 66.6% of male were observed to be normal, and this statistically shows that males have more normal MR findings. CONCLUSION: TMD are also observed in children. Clinical history and findings are helpful in diagnosis, but the contribution of imaging methods may be limited. If head and neck pain is detected in children, TMD should be kept in mind.

The Effect of Arthrocentesis Treatment for Maximum Mouth Opening and Pain in Temporomandibular Joint Diseases and the Effect of Splint, Drug, and Physical Therapy on This Treatment.

Background and Purpose: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a heterogeneous group of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular diseases involving the temporomandibular joint complex and the surrounding muscle and osseous structure. TMD can be classified as intra-articular or extra-articular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of arthrocentesis in terms of maximum mouth opening (MMO) and pain in patients with TMD of intra-articular origin. In addition to this treatment, the effects of factors such as splints, medication, and physical therapy on arthrocentesis were examined. Material and methods: This retrospectively designed study was conducted with 79 patients who had previously undergone arthrocentesis. These patients were divided into three groups according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for temporomandibular disorder: disc displacement (DD) with locking (Group 1), DD without locking (Group 2), and degenerative joint diseases (Group 3) groups. The maximum mouth opening (MMO) and visual analog score (VAS) values of the groups were recorded before arthrocentesis (Baseline: T0), on the third day after arthrocentesis (T1), and at the sixth month (T2) after arthrocentesis. Information about whether the patients received concurrent medical treatment, splint treatment, and physical therapy was also recorded. These data were compared between groups. Results: It was observed that the VAS scores in all three groups decreased from T1 compared to T0 (p < 0.05). Likewise, the MMO value increased in all groups at T1 compared to T0. (p < 0.05). It was observed that splint treatment, pain killer and muscle relaxant treatment, and physical therapy made no additional contribution to arthrocentesis in terms of reducing pain or increasing MMO value (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Arthrocentesis was observed to be effective in terms of pain and function in TMJ patients in this study. It was observed that splint therapy, physical therapy, and medical therapy made no additional contribution to arthrocentesis in terms of MMO or pain.

Analytical Validation of a Spiral Microfluidic Chip with Hydrofoil-Shaped Pillars for the Enrichment of Circulating Tumor Cells.

The isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood with high efficiency remains a challenge hindering the utilization of CTC enrichment methods in clinical practice. Here, we propose a microfluidic channel design for the size-based hydrodynamic enrichment of CTCs from blood in an epitope-independent and high-throughput manner. The microfluidic channel comprises a spiral-shaped part followed by a widening part, incorporating successive streamlined pillars, that improves the enrichment efficiency. The design was tested against two benchmark designs, a spiral microfluidic channel and a spiral microfluidic channel followed by a widening channel without the hydrofoils, by processing 5 mL of healthy blood samples spiked with 100 MCF-7 cells. The results proved that the design with hydrofoil-shaped pillars perform significantly better in terms of recovery (recovery rate of 67.9% compared to 23.6% in spiral and 56.7% in spiral with widening section), at a cost of slightly lower white blood cell (WBC) depletion (depletion rate of 94.2% compared to 98.6% in spiral and 94.2% in spiral with widening section), at 1500 µL/min flow rate. For analytical validation, the design was further tested with A549, SKOV-3, and BT-474 cell lines, yielding recovery rates of 62.3 ± 8.4%, 71.0 ± 6.5%, and 82.9 ± 9.9%, respectively. The results are consistent with the size and deformability variation in the respective cell lines, where the increasing size and decreasing deformability affect the recovery rate in a positive manner. The analysis before and after the microfluidic chip process showed that the process does not affect cell viability.

The Evaluation of Serum Endocan, Interleukin-6, and CRP Levels Following Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Background: The excessive accumulation of fat tissue in obesity is the source of chronic low-level inflammation and causes future dysmetabolic and cardiovascular disorders. Removal of this excessive fat tissue with the aid of bariatric surgery (BS) techniques, such as sleeve gastrectomy, may reverse adverse inflammatory outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of sleeve gastrectomy on inflammatory markers, specifically endocan, IL-6, and CRP, in individuals with obesity. Methods: Thirty-two patients with class 3 obesity and class 2 obesity + comorbidities were enrolled in the study. Clinical characteristics including age, comorbidity, body mass index (BMI), waist, and hip circumferences of the participants were noted before and 3 months after sleeve gastrectomy. Blood samples were collected during those periods to assess biochemical features such as serum endocan, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive peptide, fasting insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c levels, and lipid panel. A statistical package program was used for the analysis of those parameters, and p<0.05 was accepted as significant at a 95.0% confidence interval. Results: BMI reduced from 43.55±6.78 to 36.16±6.14 kg/m2 within 3 months following BS (p<0.001). Preoperative serum endocan, IL-6, and CRP levels were correlated with BMI, and in line with BMI reduction, their serum levels decreased after BS (p<0.05). HOMA-IR also reduced after BS, and both in the pre and post-BS periods correlated with BMI, IL-6, endocan, and CRP levels (p<0.05). The mean total body weight loss was 20.4% within 3 months post-BS. Conclusion: BS techniques are effective in weight loss and reversing the inflammatory processes caused by obesity. Serum endocan, IL-6, and CRP levels are promising markers for describing obesity-related inflammation and objectively checking the alleviation of inflammation following BS.

The efficacy and tolerability of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment in a real-world chronic hepatitis C patients cohort.

Background and Aim: The aims of the present study were to evaluate the real-life efficacy and tolerability of glecaprevir (GLE)/pibrentasvir (PIB) in the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Materials and Methods: Between May 2019 and May 2022, 686 patients with CHC, treated with GLE/PIB combination from 21 participating centers in Turkiye, were enrolled in the study. Results: All patients were Caucasian, and their median age was 56 years. At the start of GLE/PIB treatment, the median serum Hepatitis C virus RNA and serum alanine amino transaminase (ALT) levels were 6.74 log10 IU/mL and 47 U/L, respectively. Fifty-three percent of the patients were infected with genotype 1b, followed by genotype 3 (17%). Diabetes was the more common concomitant disease. The sustained virological response (SVR12) was 91.4% with intent-to-treat analysis and 98.5% with per protocol analysis. The SVR12 rates were statistically significant differences between the patients who were i.v. drug users and non-user (88.0% vs. 98.8%, p=0.025). From the baseline to SVR12, the serum ALT levels and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score were significantly improved (p<0.001 and p=0.014, respectively). No severe adverse effect was observed. Conclusion: GLE/PIB is an effective and tolerable treatment in patients with CHC.

Comparison of the effectiveness of the WALANT method in soft tissue and bone tissue surgeries in lower extremities.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of wide-awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) technique in both bony and soft tissue procedures in lower extremities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2021 and December 2022, a total of 29 patients (20 males, 9 females; mean age: 34.6±20.2 years; range, 14 to 82 years) who were operated for lower extremity pathologies with the WALANT technique in our clinic were included. The patients were divided into two groups: lower extremity soft tissue surgeries in Group A (n=10) and bone tissue surgeries in Group B (n=19). Postoperative pain onset time, pain score, the amount of intraoperative bleeding, need for additional solution, use of cautery, and the amount of bleeding in the surgical field were compared within groups. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age (p=0.265), sex (p=0.107), and surgical side (p=0.700). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of intraoperative bleeding at the discretion of the surgeon (p=0.701). There was no significant difference in the use of additional solution (p=0.105), cautery usage (p=0.522), pain onset time (p=0.636), and VAS scores (p=0.735) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that the WALANT technique is an effective and safe method in selected lower extremity surgeries. It is of utmost importance to apply the technique correctly to prevent complications that may occur.

The role of anterior segment optical coherence tomography in the evaluation of the pterygium.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the ability of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) to visualize the anatomic features of the pterygium and its invasion of the corneal layers. METHODS: Seventy-five eyes of 54 patients diagnosed with pterygium were included. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmologic examinations, including AS-OCT. The limbus-apex distance, vertical height at the limbus, invasion of the Bowman's and stromal layers, and other morphologic structures of the pterygium tissue were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49.67 ± 16.49 (20-85) years. The mean apex-limbus distance was 2548.37 ± 1026.32 (933-4597) µm, and the mean vertical height at the limbus was 4843.89 ± 1374.10 (1740-7784) µm. A space was observed beneath the pterygium tissue in 44 (58.67%) eyes. The mean width and height of this space were 1756.33 ± 560.22 (1009-3095) µm and 231.70 ± 85.88 (109-465) µm, respectively. Invasion of the Bowman's layer was apparent in 74 (98.67%) eyes, and invasion of the stromal layer was detected in 33 (44%) eyes. A hyperreflective layer was observed beneath the epithelial layer at the edge of the pterygium apex in 31 (41.33%) eyes. In 24 (92.31%) of the 26 advanced pterygium cases and 20 (40.82%) of the 49 early pterygium cases, a subpterygium space was found beneath the lesion (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: AS-OCT enables measurement of the actual size and thickness of pterygia, assessment of invasion of the Bowman's and stromal layers of the cornea, and evaluation of the pterygium structure. Over half of the eyes exhibited space beneath the pterygium.

The impact of invasive treatment of superficial venous insufficiency of the lower extremities on cardiac functions.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of invasive treatment for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) on cardiac hemodynamics. METHODS: Fifty three patients diagnosed with saphenofemoral junction or great saphenous vein insufficiency in a level above C3 according to Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy-Pathophysiology classification were included in the study. All the patients underwent 2D echocardiography before and 3 months after the invasive treatment. RESULTS: In postinvasive treatment echocardiographic assessment, significant decreases in right ventricular end-diastolic diameter (p = 0.006), TAPSE (p = 0.006), tricuspid E wave velocity (p = 0.004), tricuspid E/A ratio (p < 0.001), sPAB (p = 0.017), tricuspid lateral s' wave velocity (p = 0.004), and right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain rate (p = 0.011) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The invasive treatment of superficial venous insufficiency of the lower extremities may lead to reduction in the increased venous return in the supine position subclinically.

Based on the Real-Life Data of Türkiye; Comparison of Anatomical and Functional Outcomes of Phakic and Pseudophakic Patients in Wet Type Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Objectives: The aim of the study was comparison of wet-type age-related macular degeneration in phakic and pseudophakic patients in terms of anatomical and functional success based on the real-life data of Türkiye. Methods: The multicenter retrospective real-life study data of the. retinal study group were used in this study. Among 867 eyes of 867 patients were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the status of the lens; phakic group and pseudophakic group. The follow-up period of the two groups, the number of injections at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years, and changes in the central macular thickness (CMT, µ) and visual acuity (VA, logMAR) of the patients at the beginning, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 36th months were examined. Results: In our study, the number of injections in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years, respectively, was 4.2±2.0, 1.8±1.9, and 1.0±1.7 in the phakic group, and 3.9±2.0, 1.7±1.9, and 0.8±1.4 in the pseudophakic group. When the two groups were compared in terms of the number of injections, there was a statistically significant difference in the 1st year, but there was no significant difference in the 2nd and 3rd years (p=0.001, p=0.350, and p=0.288, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of CMT in the baseline, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 36th months (p=0.991, p=0.327, p=0.652, p=0.599, and p=0.873, respectively). Although there was no difference in VA between groups at the beginning (p=0.052), the phakic group showed statistically better VA in controls at 3rd, 6th, 12th, 24th, and 36th months (p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.000, p=0.000, and p=0.003, respectively). Conclusion: Differences in the number of injections and visual results between phakic and pseudophakic patients in wet type AMD may necessitate the creation of different treatment and follow-up protocols.

What is the impact of inflammasome mechanisms on male infertility?

BACKGROUND: Mechanisms to explain inflammation in male infertility of unknown cause are still being investigated. The inflammasome is a key regulator of innate immunity in the inflammatory response to infections. Our study aims to investigate the effects of varicocele on infertility, its relationship with antioxidant and inflammasome mechanisms, and how it could be guided in azoospermic or nonazoospermic patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted at the department of urology in our university hospital. Eightyeight randomly selected men aged 20-45 admitted to our hospital because of infertility between September 2019 and July 2020 were included in the study. Patients were divided into four equal groups according to their clinical status, those with/without azoospermia and with/without varicocele. Blood and semen samples were taken from the patients. NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and interleukin-1 beta (IL1ß) and total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels were measured in serum and semen, and the groups were compared statistically. RESULTS: Serum and semen NLRP3, IL1ß, TAS, TOS, and OSI values of the patients with varicocele or azoospermia were significantlyhigher than those without either varicocele or azoospermia (p < 0.05). The oxidative stress markers TAS, TOS, and OSI values were significantly higher in the other groups than those without azoospermia and varicocele (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Inflammasome mechanisms, such as NLRP3 and IL1-ß molecules, may provide additional benefit in evaluating the need and benefit of surgical or medical treatment in infertility with and without vascular pathology and with and without azoospermia.

Investigation of maximum mouth opening in terms of age, weight, height and body mass index in Turkish adult population.

INTRODUCTION: Maximum mouth opening (MMO) is an important finding in the detection of many diseases and conditions.The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of MMO level with age, gender, weight, height, BMI variables in adult individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1582 participants, 806 women and 756 men, between the ages of 18-85 were included in the study. MMO, age, gender, weight, height and BMI values of the participants were recorded. RESULTS: Among the 1582 participants included in the study, the MMO value of men was 44.2 mm, while it was 40.29 mm in women. The MMO value of men was found to be higher than that of women (p < .05). A correlation was observed between MMO and height (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In the study, a correlation was observed between MMO and height. The MMO value was found to be higher in men.

The normal range of maximum mouth opening and its correlation with age, gender, height, and weight in Turkish children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to measure the maximum mouth opening (MMO) of healthy children between the ages 4 and 18 years. METHODS: Six hundred seventy-four children between ages 4 and 18 years were included in the study. Individuals with dentofacial anomaly, temporomandibular joint disease, infection, trauma, and rheumatic disease were not included in the study. The MMO of the participants was measured with a vernier caliper. Demographic information such as weight, height, and age was recorded. RESULTS: The MMO was calculated to be 46.62 mm in boys and 45.96 mm in girls. The MMO value increased with increasing age. However, no difference was observed in terms of gender in the same age group. CONCLUSION: In this study, normal MMO values between the ages 4 and 18 years were determined. It is to have differences in age group and society-based examinations. For this reason, it is important to know the normal values of each society in terms of age groups.

The results of SGLT-2 inhibitors use in kidney transplantation: 1-year experiences from two centers.

PURPOSE: Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT-2i) administration is associated with some concerns in regard to the increased risk of genital and urinary tract infections (UTI) in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). In this study, we present the results of SGLT-2i use in KTR, including the early post-transplant period. METHODS: Participants were divided into two groups: SGLT-2i-free diabetic KTR (Group 1, n = 21) and diabetic KTR using SGLT-2i (Group 2, n = 36). Group 2 was further divided into two subgroups according to the posttransplant prescription day of SGLT-2i; < 3 months (Group 2a) and ≥ 3 months (Group 2b). Groups were compared for development of genital and urinary tract infections, glycated hemoglobin a1c (HgbA1c), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, weight change, and acute rejection rate during 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Urinary tract infections prevalence was 21.1% and UTI-related hospitalization rate was 10.5% in our cohort. Prevalence of UTI and UTI-related hospitalization, eGFR, HgbA1c levels, and weight gain were similar between the SGLT-2i group and SGLT-2i-free group, at the 12-month follow-up. UTI prevalence was similar between groups 2a and 2b (p = 0.871). No case of genital infection was recorded. Significant proteinuria reduction was observed in Group 2 (p = 0.008). Acute rejection rate was higher in the SGLT-2i-free group (p = 0.040) and had an impact on 12-month follow-up eGFR (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: SGLT-2i in KTR is not associated with an increased risk of genital infection and UTI in diabetic KTR, even in the early posttransplant period. The use of SGLT-2i reduces proteinuria in KTR and has no adverse effects on allograft function at the 12-month follow-up.

Results of anti-VEGF treatment for neovascular AMD in eyes with different baseline visual acuity in Turkish population-based on real life data-Bosphorus retina study group.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the anatomical and visual outcomes of the patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), according to the baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) based on the multicenter real-life data. METHODS: Five-hundred-ninety patients who had taken the Pro Re Nata (PRN) treatment regimen with three loading doses and at least one year of follow-up were included. The patients were divided into three groups according to the baseline BCVA: Group 1 (BCVA ≥ 1.3 Logmar), Group 2 (1.3 Logmar > BCVA ≥ 0.3 Logmar), and Group 3 (BCVA ≤ 0.2 Logmar). BCVA, central macular thickness (CMT), and the number of injections and visits were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 175, 322, and 93 patients in Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, respectively. The number of visits and injections in the 1st year was not different between the groups (p = 0.58 and p = 0.08) and was 7.09 and 4.41 (Group 1), 6.59 and 5.58 (Group 2), 6.77 and 4.08 (Group 3). There was a significant difference in CMT between the baseline and 12th month in Group 1 and Group 2 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively) but not in Group 3 (p = 0.84). BCVA was significantly better in the 12th month in Group 1 (p < 0.001), slightly worse in Group 2 (p = 0.79), and significantly worse in Group 3 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that an inadequate number of injections cannot protect vision. Moreover, it can cause vision loss, especially in the eyes with good vision.