Handedness,eyedness, and hand–eye crossed dominance in patients with different addictions

ObjectiveSome neurologic and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, autism and migraine are referred to as cerebral lateralization abnormalities. In this study the possible relationships among handedness, eye dominance, and crossed hand–eye dominance in patients with different addictions mentioned above are investigated.MethodsThirty three patients with cigarette, 35 patients with alcohol, 133 patients with heroin, 117 patients with hashish, 13 patients with drug addictions and 102 age matched controls were included in the study. Six of 13 patients with drug addictions were addicted to diazepam, 5 to pethidine and 2 to clonazepam. The patient group included 307 men and 24 women who ranged in age from 15 to 70 years. Handedness was ascertained by using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Eye dominance was measured only by the near-far alignment test. Diagnoses were made on the basis of information provided from clinical interviews and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV.ResultsPatients with heroin and hashish had a significantly increased frequency of left-handedness in comparison with the other patients and controls (chi square = 29.36, p < 0.001). Patients with cigarette, alcohol, heroin and hashish addictions had a significantly increased frequency of left-eyedness in comparison with controls (chi square = 25.24, p < 0.01). Also, patients with cigarette, alcohol, heroin and hashish addictions had a significantly increased frequency of the crossed hand–eye dominance in comparison with controls (chi square = 19.11, p < 0.01).ConclusionsDifferent addictions such as cigarette, alcohol, heroin and hashish may be associated with abnormal handedness distribution and accepted as cerebral lateralization abnormalities.     

Evaluation of cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of wild and cultivated samples of sage (Salvia fruticosa) by activity-guided fractionation

In European folk medicine, Salvia species have traditionally been used to enhance memory. In our previous study of 55 Salvia taxa, we explored significant anticholinesterase activity of cultivated S. fruticosa. In this study, we compared the inhibitory activity of dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts of 3 wild-grown samples and 1 cultivated sample of S. fruticosa against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes (which are associated with pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease) by using the spectrophotometric Ellman method. Antioxidant activities were assessed by determining 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, iron-chelating capacity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power. The dichloromethane extract of the cultivated sample was then subjected to fractionation by using open column chromatography and medium-pressure liquid chromatography to obtain the most active fraction by activity-guided fractionation. All fractions and subfractions were tested in the same manner, and inactive subfractions were discarded. The essential oil of the cultivated sample was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.     

Comprehensive analysis of parotid mass: A retrospective study of 369 cases

Objective

To present the results of patients who underwent superficial or total parotidectomy because of parotid gland tumors in our tertiary care clinic.

Are pulmonary bleb and bullae a contraindication for hyperbaric oxygen treatment?

BACKGROUND: Air cysts or blebs in the lungs may predispose pulmonary barotrauma (PBT) by causing air trapping when there is a change in environmental pressure. The changes in the environmental pressure are also seen during hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT). AIM: The aim of this study was to determine how patients were evaluated for pulmonary blebs or bullae, and PBT prevalence in different HBOT centers. METHODS: HBOT centers were asked to participate in this study and a questionnaire was send via e-mail. A total of 98 centers responded to our questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty-five HBOT centers (66.3%) reported that they applied HBOT to the patients with air cysts in their lungs. X-ray was the most widely used screening method for patients with a history of a lung disease. The prevalence of PBT in theses centers was calculated as 0.00045%. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey demonstrated that (1) a significant portion of the HBO centers accept patients with pulmonary bleb or bullae, (2) although insufficient, X-ray is the mostly used screening tool for patients with a history of pulmonary disease and (3) the prevalence of pulmonary barotrauma is very low in HBOT.     

An Analysis of Morphometric Qualities of Bulbus Oculi in Cataract Patients: A Comparative Biometric Study

Cataract is considered to be the primary reason for curable blindness that is caused by progressive loss of lens transparency and affects millions of people around the world. This study aims to analyze the changes in morphometric qualities of bulbus oculi (BO) as well as its morphometric measurements such as anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), vitreous length (VL), axial length (AL), etc. depending on age and gender in cataract patients through comparison with healthy eyes. 200 eyes with cataract were separately analyzed in five different categories of ages for males and females at the ages of 40–89. Biometric measurements of a total of 128 eyes (64 males and 64 females) were used as the control group. The study revealed a strong negative relation between age and ACD and a strong positive relation between age and LT in males and females for healthy eyes and eyes with cataract (P < 0.05). No significant relation was found for VL and AL in either gender (P > 0.05). A significant decrease was observed in ACD with aging while a positive correlation with age was detected in LT. We believe that the data obtained from this study will serve as a guide for BO interventions, diagnose and treatment stages and training of physician assistants. Anat Rec, 299:1308–1312, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Cost‐effectiveness analysis of anidulafungin vs fluconazole for the treatment of invasive candidiasis (IC) in Turkey

Anidulafungin has been shown to be non‐inferior to, and possibly more efficacious, than fluconazole in treating patients with invasive candidiasis (IC). This study aimed to determine the cost‐effectiveness of anidulafungin vs fluconazole for treatment of IC in the Turkish setting. A decision analytic model was constructed to depict downstream economic consequences of using anidulafungin or fluconazole for treatment of IC in the Turkish hospitals. Transition probabilities (ie treatment success, observed or indeterminate treatment failures) were obtained from a published randomised clinical trial. Cost inputs were from the latest Turkish resources. Data not available in the literature were estimated by expert panels. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the model outcome. While anidulafungin [TL 17 171 (USD 4589)] incurred a higher total cost than fluconazole [TL 8233 (USD 2200) per treated patient, treatment with anidulafungin was estimated to save an additional 0.58 life‐years, with an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio of TL 15 410 (USD 4118) per life‐years saved. Drug acquisition cost and hospitalisation were the main cost drivers for anidulafungin and fluconazole arms respectively. The model findings were robust over a wide range of input variables except for anidulafungin drug cost. Anidulafungin appears to be a cost‐effective therapy in treating IC from the Turkish hospital perspective.     

The Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Patients with Metastatic Gastric Cancer

Inflammation can play an important role in cancer progression and the prognostic importance of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a marker of inflammation, in cancer is a current investigation topic. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether there is a prognostic link between NLR and metastatic gastric cancer (mGC). A total of 143 patients from the Akdeniz University and Antalya Training and Research Hospital database were retrospectively analyzed. The median NLR value was 3.34. The median overall survival (OS) and median progression-free survival (PFS) were 11.6 and 7.9 months, respectively, in patients with NLRvalues were 8.3 and 6.2 months respectively in patients with NLR >3.34 (pstudy showed that increased NLR is an independent prognostic factor associated with short survival in patients with mGC.