Measurement of the active toxoplasma retinochoroiditis lesion size during the disease course with swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography: A retrospective image analysis

International Ophthalmology - To measure the lesion size reduction in eyes with active toxoplasma retinochoroiditis during the disease course with swept-source optical coherence tomography...     

Postmortem burning of the corpses following homicide

Although there have been a great number of studies focussing on antemortem burns or fire-related deaths, the present study is the first dealing exclusively with postmortem burnings aiming to cover up a homicidal action. This study aims to draw attention to postmortem burning following homicide by determining the general characteristics of a series of burned corpses. Thirteen cases of homicide involving postmortem burning were included in the scope of the study. The cases were examined with regard to age, gender, place of death or discovery, autopsy findings, accompanying injuries and manner of death. Eleven of the cases were male and two were female. Victims' ages ranged between 24 and 62 years with a mean age of 43.5 years. All of the victims were discovered in unfamiliar places. Autopsy findings indicated postmortem burning of corpses to cover homicide. Discovering a burned body in an unfamiliar, outdoor or abandoned place, scene or autopsy findings attributable to a violent death, presence of accelerant use and absence of vitality signs are factors indicative of postmortem burning following homicide.     

Surgical management of bronchiectasis: analysis and short-term results in 238 patients.

OBJECTIVE: Bronchiectasis is defined permanent dilatations of bronchi with destruction of the bronchial wall. It is still a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The aim of this retrospective study is to present our surgical experiences, the early and long-term results of 238 patients with bronchiectasis during a 10-year period. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 238 patients who underwent surgical resection for bronchiectasis between January 1992 and December 2001, at Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GMMA) Thoracic Surgery Department. Variables of age, sex, symptoms, etiology, and type of operation, mortality, morbidity and the result of surgical therapy were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 205 (86.13%) male and 33 (13.87%) female patients with an average age of 23.7 and a range of 15-48 years. The presenting symptoms were productive cough in 133 (55.88%), fetid sputum in 116 (48.73%), recurrent infections in 84 (35.29%), and hemoptysis in 39 (12.18%) patients. The disease was bilateral in 31 patients (13.02%) and mainly confined to the lower lobes in 162 (68.06%). The surgical treatment was as follows: pneumonectomy in 13 patients (5.46%), lobectomy in 189 (79.40%), lobectomy+segmentectomy in 31 (13.02%), and wedge resection or segmentectomy in five (2.1%). Staged bilateral thoracotomy was used in 14 patients. There was no operative mortality. Complications occurred in 21 patients and the morbidity rate was 8.82%. Complete resection was achieved in 154 (64.7%) patients. Follow-up data were obtained for 229 (96.21%) of the patients. Nine patients were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up of these patients was 9 months (range, 3 months to 4 years). The symptoms disappeared in 189 patients (79.41%) and 29 patients (12.18%) had improved, whereas 11 patients (4.62%) had no improvement. Significantly better results were obtained in patients who had undergone a complete resection. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection for bronchiectasis can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality at any age. The involved bronchiectatic sites should be resected completely for the optimum control of symptoms.     

Comparison of the effects of transdermal estrogen, oral estrogen, and oral estrogen-progestogen therapy on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women

It is now clear that estrogen intervention reduces bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the route of estrogen administration or addition of progesterone changes this positive effect. Transdermal estrogen (T-E), oral estrogen (E), and oral estrogen plus progestogen (E-P) were administered to 15, 18, and 17 postmenopausal women, respectively, who all had normal bone mineral density (BMD) before hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Calcium (500 mg/day) was routinely added to all HRT regimens. The BMD of the lumbar spine (L2–L4) was measured initially and at the end of the first and second years of treatment. The paired-sample t test, independent-sample t test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for the statistical evaluation. The initial BMD measurements and the values at the end of the first and second years of the therapy were not significantly different either within or among the groups (P > 0.05). These results indicate a similar therapeutic value of each HRT regimen in the prevention of bone loss in postmenopausal women. Received: May 1, 2001 / Accepted: August 22, 2001