Macroanatomical and morphometric study on the skull bones of Aksaray Malakli dogs.

BACKGROUND: The skull is an important anatomical structure to discern dog breeds and wolves from dogs. For this purpose, skull morphology and some morphometric measurements of Malakli dogs, a local breed in the Aksaray region, were examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two distances were measured and seven ratios calculated in nine skulls of adult dogs. In our study, different morphological features and statistical findings that were not revealed by taking measurements from 32 distinct anatomical points of Aksaray Malakli dog skull bones were determined in accordance with the literature. RESULTS: Processus zygomaticus was found to be long and pointed in the Aksaray Malakli dogs. The results of morphometric analysis were as follows: facial index value 107.68 ± 4.98, nasal index value 19.61 ± 3.25, cranial index value 56.17 ± 2.52, basal index value 30.57 ± 1.30, skull index 54.68 ± 3.01, palatal index I value 56.76 ± 1.89 and palatal index II value 59.83 ± 2.23. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded form the present investigation that the neurocranium length, facial index, cranial index, basal index, skull index, and palatal index values were statistically different from other dog breeds.

Does antenatal education reduce fear of childbirth?

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of antenatal education on fear of childbirth, acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role. BACKGROUND: There is insufficient evidence pertaining to the effect of antenatal education on fear of childbirth, acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role. INTRODUCTION: The purpose of antenatal education is to help couples make the right decisions during delivery. Through antenatal education, couples prepare themselves for delivery. METHODS: This is a quasi-experimental and prospective study that employs a pre- and post-education model. In total, 192 pregnant women (education group, n = 69 and control group, n = 123) participated in the study. Data were collected using the pregnancy identification form: the Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire and a version of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire. RESULTS: Prior to participating in the study, the education group and control group had similar levels of acceptance of pregnancy and identification with motherhood role, whereas a significant difference was found in their fear of childbirth levels. When surveyed again after receiving education, the two groups' levels of acceptance of pregnancy and fear of childbirth were found to be significantly different. However, they had similar levels of identification with the motherhood role. CONCLUSION: Antenatal education appears to increase the acceptance of pregnancy, does not affect the identification with motherhood role and reduces the fear of childbirth. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: A systematic antenatal education programme, as part of routine antenatal care services, would help reduce the rate of interventional labour and facilitate pregnant women's conscious participation in the act of labour by reducing their fear of childbirth.

Relationship between radiographic features and bone mineral density in elderly men.

Lumbar disc degeneration is characterised radiologically by the presence of osteophytes, endplate sclerosis, and disc space narrowing. Our study was designed to assess anterior lumbar osteophytes, disc space narrowing, end plate sclerosis, and bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck of elderly men. A total of 1000 men, aged between 71 and 90 years, were invited to participate in the study. BMD was assessed at the spine and femoral neck using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We examined the relationship with the degree of lumbar spinal and femoral neck deformity by using the Z-score. Lateral and anterioposterior spinal radiographs were evaluated for features of lumbar disc degeneration. The observers consisted of a consultant physical therapist, a radiologist, and anatomists who together studied the series of radiographs. Anterior lumbar osteophytes (grade 0-3), end-plate sclerosis, and disc space narrowing (grade 0-2) were evaluated. The Pearson correlation test was used to determine the association between radiographic features, the lumbar mineral density (LBMD), and femoral neck mineral density (FNBMD). In all, 90.6% of lumbar vertebral levels showed evidence of anterior osteophytes, 87.5% showed evidence of end plate sclerosis, and 68.2% of disc space narrowing. Additionally, there was a strong negative correlation in terms of age at the femoral neck, though not at the spine. On the other hand, there was a significant correlation between osteophyte grade and end plate sclerosis at the spine. In our study, the radiographic features of lumbar disc degeneration, anterior osteophytes, and end plate sclerosis were associated with an increase in BMD at the spine.

Bochdalek hernia with concomitant partial situs inversus in an adult.

We report the case of 44-year-old woman with a left-sided Bochdalek hernia (BH) with concomitant partial situs inversus. The patient was presented from the outpatient clinic with lower chest discomfort. She had suffered from abdominal pain for one year, with no history of trauma, previous surgery, or extreme physical exertion. Chest radiograph revealed a large left-sided BH. The patient underwent thoracotomy. Intestinal organs, containing bowel, small intestine, caecum, and appendix were seen in the left hemithorax. Because of the failure to reduce the intestinal organs into the peritoneal cavity, laparotomy was performed. The right side of the abdominal cavity was empty. In conclusion, partial situs inversus was diagnosed. The diaphragmatic defect was repaired with non-absorbable sutures via laparotomy, and with a prolene mesh via thoracotomy. Bochdalek hernia with partial situs inversus is a rare clinical entity with none reported in medical literature.

Clinical pregnancy rates in an IVF program. Use of the flare-up protocol after failure with long regimens of GnRH-a.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of flare-up protocols in patients who failed to respond to a long protocol using gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a). STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective study, a total of 144 patients who underwent an in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer cycle with the flare-up protocol were analyzed. Of these, 111 patients (group I) had not responded well to ovulation induction with long-term down-regulation with GnRH-a (long protocol), and 33 (group II) had responded to ovulation induction with at least four follicles but failed to conceive after embryo transfer. The average age of the patients were 37.3 +/- 3.9 years (range, 28-43) and 36.5 +/- 3.7 (range, 24-44), respectively. All patients underwent a flare-up protocol with GnRH-a (leuprolide acetate, 0.5 mg/d) on day 2 and at least 6 ampules of gonadotropins on day 3 within 6 months following failure with the long protocol. Unresponsiveness was defined as having fewer than three developing follicles on day 7, with an estradiol level < 200 pg/mL. Patients with a cycle day 2 follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level > 15 mIU/mL before initiating GnRH-a were not included in the flare-up protocol. The average day 2 FSH levels of the patients on the flare-up protocol cycles were 9.1 +/- 3.0 in group I and 7.1 +/- 2.0 in group II. RESULTS: In group I, 44 of 111 (39.6%) patients did not respond to the flare-up protocol even with an increased dose of gonadotropins. In 67 patients, an average of 7.2 +/- 2.3 oocytes were obtained. Embryo transfer was performed on 64 patients with an average of 3.2 +/- 0.6 embryos. Fertilization did not occur in three patients. Eleven women conceived, eight of them miscarried, and three delivered. The pregnancy rate per cycle initiated was 9.9% (11/111) and live birth rate per cycle initiated, 2.5% (3/111). In group II, 3 of 33 patients were cancelled. The reasons were inadequate ovarian response, risk of hyperstimulation and absence of oocytes after aspiration. In 28 patients the average number of oocytes obtained was 6.9 +/- 3.9, and the average number of embryos replaced was 2.7 +/- 1.0. Six patients conceived, and all miscarried. The pregnancy rate per cycle initiated was 6/33 (18.1%), and no live births were achieved. CONCLUSION: Although the flare-up protocol after an unsuccessful luteal phase long protocol increases the pregnancy rate per cycle slightly, the live birth rate is not improved in poor responders.

Acute lung injury following thermal insult to the skin: a light and transmission electron microscopial study.

Oxygen radicals are involved in the development of burn shock and distant organ injury in animal models of trauma. Neutrophils are likely the source of reactive oxygen metabolites as a result of the systemic inflammatory reaction to a local burn insult. The aim of the present study was to assess the role of neutrophils in the development of lung injury related to second degree skin burn in rats. Rats were decapitated at two hours following burn injury. Lung tissue samples were removed and examined biochemically and histologically. Tissue-associated myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, which is an index of neutrophil infiltration, was increased considerably in lung tissue at 2 h after burn injury. Disturbance of alveolar structure, intraalveolar hemorrhage and prominent neutrophil infiltration indicated lung parenchymal injury. Ultrastructural examination of the lung revealed that pneumocytes type I, pneumocytes type II and capillary endothelial cells were degenerated. The data presented here suggest that neutrophil accumulation in the lung is involved in pathogenesis of this distant organ after burn injury.