Beautiful, Sexy, and Happy Celebrities: Perfect Mothers or Instamoms

The development of information technologies and the Internet has created an enormous economy. In line with this digital transformation, cultural change has come about. Global companies create new trends focused on vanity and pleasure in social media that follow the patriarchal capitalist ideology. Motherhood has also been included in this process, and "perfect motherhood,” as an extension to new generation motherhood, has been popularized on social media. Perfect motherhood requires mothers who are responsible for looking after children and the home to also be successful in their professional and personal lives while looking beautiful, young, chic, sexy, and fit. Recently the celebrification of motherhood, which can be seen on Instagram, became another quality added to the requirements of being a perfect mother. Heightened during the new post-COVID times, the "Instamom” phenomenon conceals the fact that women are driven to more states of increased precarity and vulnerability, alongside unemployment, exploitation, and ecological and economic crises. This study analyzes the perfect motherhood myth through Instamom case studies and attempts to show how Instamoms are perceived by mothers and mothers-to-be. By adopting the digital ethnography method, 30 Instamom accounts (with followers ranging from 135,000 to 3.5 million) in Turkey were observed for a year via passive participant observations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six Instamoms and 12 follower mothers and mothers-to-be. In conclusion, it was discovered that Instamoms were perceived by their followers as exemplars of knowledge and beauty. Furthermore, the study revealed that both groups were part of the celebrification and branding process, and those who shared knowledge based on experience were considered sincere and created a bigger impression on their followers. It was also discovered that when sharing on social media, these Instamoms attempted to look their best. Moreover, Instamom accounts that prominently use children to increase viewer interaction demonstrate issues related to the "commercialization of childhood.” Tangible advice for transformative change is included at the end of the research. © 2022 Journal of International Women's Studies.

COVID-19: booster(s) vs. hospitalization and Intensive Care Unit admission.

OBJECTIVE: As the pandemic continues, different vaccine protocols have been implemented to maintain the protection of vaccines and to provide protection against new variants. The aim of this study was to assess hospitalized patients' vaccination status and document the efficacy of boosters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients that were hospitalized due to COVID-19 were enrolled from 28 hospitals in Turkey for five months from September 2021. 5,331 confirmed COVID-19 patients from collaborating centers were randomly enrolled to understand/estimate the distribution of vaccination status in hospitalized patients and to compare the efficacy of vaccination/booster protocols. RESULTS: 2,779 men and 2,552 women of which 2,408 (45.2%) were admitted to Intensive Care Units participated in this study. It was found that the highest risk reduction for all age groups was found in groups that received 4 doses. Four doses of vaccination for every 3.7 people under 50 years of age, for every 5.7 people in the 50-64 age group, and for every 4.3 people over 65 years of age will prevent 1 patient from being admitted to intensive care. Regardless of the type of vaccine, it was found that the risk of ICU hospitalization decreased in those who were vaccinated compared to those who were not vaccinated. Regardless of the type of vaccine, the ICU risk was found to decrease 1.25-fold in those who received 1 or 2 doses of vaccine, 1.18-fold in those who received 3 doses, and 3.26-fold in those who received 4 doses. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that the addition of a fourth dose is more effective in preventing intensive unit care even in disadvantaged groups.

Clinical follow up of renal transplant recipients with COVID-19: a case series

COVID-19 has been recognized to become a worldwide health concern at an alarming rate over time and to be more progressive and fatal in specific risk populations. This study aims to determine the clinical features of COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients (KTRxs) and contribute to the regulation of these patients' immunosuppressive treatments and COVID-19 treatment protocols. The trial comprised eleven KTRxs with COVID-19. Immunosuppressive treatments such as antimetabolite cessation, calcineurin inhibitor dosage adjustments based on blood levels, and low-dose corticosteroids were all controlled. All patients received antiviral medication and low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) as part of initial treatment. The steroid dose was then raised, and anti-cytokine therapies were provided in the setting of clinical worsening. The mean age of the patients was 50.3 +/- 11.2 years and 8 (73%) of them were male. The average time since transplantion was 6.82 +/- 3.34 years. Due to COVID-19 progression, the steroid dosage was raised in eight patients, anakinra and tocilizumab was added in five and one of the patients respectively. In five (%45) patients, the need for critical care arose and plasmapheresis was used in three of them. At the end of the follow-up, nine of our patients had made a complete recovery, whereas two (18.2%) had perished. Consistent with the literature, the data in presented study may also support the severe and fatal course of COVID-19 in KTRxs. It may be proposed that KTRxs with COVID-19 should be admitted to the hospital and constantly monitored, and certain effective management techniques should be initiated early depending on clinical circumstances.

Post-COVID corticosteroid use and pulmonary fibrosis: 1 year follow-up

Purpose: Depending on the prevalence and severity of COVID-19 disease, pulmonary sequelae and fibrotic lung disease continue to pose significant problems for patients in the post-COVID period. In our study, we aimed to determine the risk factors for pulmonary sequelae and fibrosis with post-COVID patient management. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 67 postCOVID patients who were released from the hospital after receiving low-dose corticosteroids (0.5 mg/kg daily methylprednisolone) as a result of COVID-19. Sociodemographic data, radiological and laboratory findings of the patients were recorded. All patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge, and the diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis was made according to high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings, by evaluating with detailed biochemical blood tests and HRCT. Results: Thirtyfour (50.7%) of the 67 patients were male and the mean age was 57 +/- 16.33 (min.19-max.90). At 3 months, there were 59 patients (88.1%) with aberrant thoracic computed tomography (CT) findings, 28 (41.8%) at 6 months, and 21 (31.3%) at 12 months. In the 12th month follow-up, pulmonary fibrosis was detected in a total of 9 (13.4%) patients according to thorax CT findings. Conclusion: In our study, the most important risk factors for the development of post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis were intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up, lymphocyte count <500 and ferritin >= 300. For this reason, patients who are treated in the ICU, especially in the hospital, should be followed up regularly and frequently after discharge.

A cross-sectional study of post-COVID syndrome at a tertiary care center in Turkey

Objective: To investigate long-term symptoms after acute COVID-19, the link between symptoms and respiratory function, radiological changes in the post-COVID period, and risk factors for post-COVID syndrome. Method(s): In this cross-sectional study, 123 participants who were admitted within the first 3 months were categorized as group 1, and those who applied after 3 months were categorized as group 2. According to thoracic imaging and pulmonary function tests, patients were split into 3 groups as mild, moderate and severe. Result(s): At least one symptom was present in 91.9% and 61.8% in acute and post-COVID period, respectively. Pulmonary function tests were normal in 60 (70.6%) in the first three months, and 30 (78.9%) in 91-days to 1-year period after acute COVID-19 infection. After 3 months, 22.4% of chest X-rays and 7.9% of computerized tomography revealed progression. Patients who developed acute complications (OR 9.91, 95% Cl 1.93-50.87), had 2 or more symptoms at admission (OR 7.73, 95% CI 2.56-23.33), had 1% to 14% CT involvement (OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.06-8.79), or had 50% or more CT involvement (OR 14.68, 95% CI 1.24-172.55) had a higher risk of developing post-COVID syndrome. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 symptoms can last for long time. Severity of symptoms, acute complications, and the extent of radiological involvement may all contribute to elevated risk of post-COVID syndrome. As a result, patients with COVID-19 should be checked for long-term clinical difficulties on regular basis. Copyright © 2022 Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine Produced by Wolters Kluwer Medknow.

A novel combined index of D-dimer, fibrinogen, albumin, and platelet (FDAPR) as mortality predictor of COVID-19.

Background: In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARSCoV2 viruses, coagulation abnormalities are strongly correlated between disease severity and mortality risk. Aims: The aim was to search for new indices to determine mortality risk. Fibrinogen times D-dimer to albumin times platelet ratio calculated with the formula (FDAPR index: ((Fibrinogen × D-dimer)/(Albumin × Platelet)) investigated as a mortality marker in COVID-19 patients. The hospitalization data of 1124 patients were analyzed from the electronic archive system. Hemogram, coagulation, and inflammatory markers were investigated in the study group. Materials and Methods: All statistical analyses like the student t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox hazard ratio, were performed with the SPSS 22.0 program. Results: Prothrombin time was prolonged significantly in patients (P < 0.05) compared to healthy subjects (n = 30). D-dimer and fibrinogen were high, and albumin and platelet counts were low in COVID-19 patients (all, P < 0.001). When the data of 224 non-survivors and 900 survived patients were compared, D-dimer and fibrinogen were higher, and albumin and platelet lower (all, P < 0.001) compared to mild and severe patients. At the cut-off value of 0.49, the FDAPR index was performed with 89.1% sensitivity and 88.6% specificity. FDAPR index had the highest mortality predictive power (P < 0.01; HR = 5.366; 95% CI; 1.729-16.654). Conclusions: This study revealed that the FDAPR index could be used as a mortality marker of COVID-19 disease.

Incidence and Clinical Characteristics of Nosocomial Infections in COVID Intensive Care Unit

Introduction: Although there is limited data on the frequency of nosocomial infections in patients followed up in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19, the rate of empirical antibiotic use in these patients is quite high. In our study, it was planned to determine the frequency of nosocomial infections in patients hospitalized in intensive care units due to COVID-19, the pathogens isolated in nosocomial infections, and to investigate the characteristics of these infections. Materials and Methods: Our study is a retrospective study in which the records of 590 adult patients hospitalized in the COVID-19 intensive care unit and followed prospectively between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 were examined. Results: In our study, nosocomial infection developed in 7.28% of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19, and mortality was 93% in patients who developed nosocomial infections. Of these infections, 67.44% were lower respiratory tract infections, 25.58% were bloodstream infections, and 6.97% were urinary tract infections. While the median number of toatl hospital stay was 20 days, the median time since admission to infection was 12 days. Infections often developed with a single microorganism, and the most frequently isolated microorganisms are A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae. Conclusion: Nosocomial infections that develop in patients followed in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19, are seen in approximately 7% of patients, but are mortal. In this patient group, regular microbiological follow-up and implementation of strict infection control measures especially for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia;It is recommended to review the antibiotics frequently used in the follow-up and treatment of COVID-19 and to be selective in the decision to start empirical antibiotics in order to prevent the development of antimicrobial resistance.