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Paper has been used in the field of hygiene for centuries. Tissue papers have low grammage, creped or non-creped surface, and consisting of one or more layers from virgin papers. Toilet paper, which has an important area of use, comes at the beginning of the tissue papers divided into various product groups. Its use has increased even more with the effect of the coronavirus pandemic. Increasing use of toilet paper causes clogging in sewers as solid waste. Because an important and large part of the sewage is composed of cellulosic structures. Therefore, the disintegration of toilet paper is an important issue. The main properties of toilet paper are characterized by grammage, thickness, polymerization degree, softness and wet tensile strength. This study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between the degree of polymerization, thickness, grammage, softness and wet tension strength of toilet papers, which accumulate in the sewer pipes and cause clogging, and their disintegration in tap water and pure water at environment of different pH levels. A great level and positive linear relationship was found between grammage and in disintegration pH9. It was determined a low level and positive relationship with wet tensile strength in disintegration tap water.
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Introduction: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis is characterized by small, sterile, non-follicular, and sudden-onset pustular reactions on an erythematous surface. It typically involves intertriginous regions and the trunk and is usually accompanied by itching and a feeling of pain in the lesion areas. Often pharmacological treatments and frequent viral eruptions, including enterovirus, coxsackie, Epstein-Barr virus, and hepatitis B, play a role in the etiology of the disease. Case report: Here, we present the case of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis in a 17-year-old young woman triggered by the 1st dose of COVID19 mRNA BioNTech vaccine. Conclusion(s): We are reporting a rare case of vaccine-related acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, associated with a COVID-19 vaccination.Copyright © 2022 Termedia Publishing House Ltd.. All rights reserved.
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Background & Objectives: This study aimed to compare PD patients with and without COVID-19 and to evaluate the associated factors about prognosis. Methods: The data of 37 hospitalized PD patients associated with COVID-19 pneumonia were evaluated. It was compared with the data of 40 PD patients who did not have COVID-19 in the same period. Clinical findings, prognosis, mortality and other related factors were compared in PD patients with and without COVID-19. Results: Hypertension was higher comorbid disease in PD patients with COVID-19 (p = 0.005). The duration of PD was longer in patients without COVID-19 disease (6.02 ± 2.80 vs 5.08 ± 4.59) (p = 0.028). In PD patients with COVID-19, the most common symptoms were myalgia-arthralgia (73.0%) and fatigue (48.6%). Intensive care was required in 17 (45.9%) patients, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) was required in 9 (24.3%) patients. The in-hospital mortality rate was 29.7% (n = 11). Mortality and IMV requirement were higher in patients whose initial symptom was diarrhea (p = 0.004, p = 0.008, respectively). No correlation was detected between PD stage, treatment options and prognosis (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Mortality rate and IMV requirement are higher in PD patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, particularly in patients with initial symptoms of diarrhea. These patients should be followed more carefully in terms of probable poor prognosis. © 2023, ASEAN Neurological Association. All rights reserved.
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The new type of Coronavirus disease called COVID-19 continues to spread quite rapidly. Although it shows some specific symptoms, this disease, which can show different symptoms in almost every individual, has caused hundreds of thousands of patients to die. Although healthcare professionals work hard to prevent further loss of life, the rate of disease spread is very high. For this reason, the help of computer aided diagnosis (CAD) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms is vital. In this study, a method based on optimization of convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, which is the most effective image analysis method of today, is proposed to fulfill the mentioned COVID-19 detection needs. First, COVID-19 images are trained using ResNet-50 and VGG-16 architectures. Then, features in the last layer of these two architectures are combined with feature fusion. These new image features matrices obtained with feature fusion are classified for COVID detection. A multi-layer perceptron (MLP) structure optimized by the whale optimization algorithm is used for the classification process. The obtained results show that the performance of the proposed framework is almost 4.5% higher than VGG-16 performance and almost 3.5% higher than ResNet-50 performance.
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Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment is frequently prescribed for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Electrocardiographic (ECG) monitorization is recommended because HCQ causes QT interval prolongation. The index of cardioelectrophysiological balance (iCEB), calculated as the ratio of QT interval / QRS duration. In recent years, iCEB has been described as an important marker for dysrhthmias. Decreased or increased iCEB is related with lethal ventricular arrhythmias. In our research, we purposed to investigate the relationship between iCEB and HCQ in patients with COVID-19. 200 patients (males, 84;females, 116;60.4 +/- 13.8 years) with PCR positive and chest tomography findings compatible with COVID-19 pneumonia were registered in the research. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data for all patients were collected. ECG was recorded from all patients on admission to COVID-19 clinic, in oral treatment with HCQ (200 mg, twice daily) for at least 5 days. iCEB (QT/QRS) was calculated from the 12-lead electrocardiogram.The mean age of the patients was 60.4 +/- 13.8 years. Compared to admission ECG, ECG on day 5 showed significant increases in heart rate, QT interval, corrected QT (QTc) interval, and iCEB. Our results suggested that iCEB is related with HCQ treatment in patients with COVID-19. Previous studies stated that high iCEB is related with torsade de Pointes (TdP), ventricular tachycardia. Copyright © 2022 Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi. All rights reserved.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is not enough data on the post-COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) period for peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients affected from COVID-19. We aimed to compare the clinical and laboratory data retrospectively obtained in the follow-up of PD patients after COVID-19 with a control PD group. METHOD: This study, supported by the Turkish Society of Nephrology, is a national multicenter retrospectively case-control study involving adult PD patients with confirmed COVID-19, using data collected from 21 April 2021 to 11 June 2021. A control PD group was also formed from each PD unit, from patients with similar characteristics but who did not have COVID-19. Patients in the active period of COVID-19 were not included. Data at the end of the first month and within the first 90 days, as well as other outcomes, including mortality, were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 223 patients (COVID-19 group: 113, control group: 110) from 28 centers were included. The duration of PD in both groups was similar [median (IQR):3.0 (1.88-6.0) years and 3.0 (2.0-5.6)], but the patient age of the COVID-19 group was lower than the control group [50 (IQR:40-57) years and 56 (IQR:46-64) years, P < 0.001]. PD characteristics and baseline laboratory data were similar in both groups, except serum albumin and hemoglobin levels on Day 28, which were significantly lower in the COVID-19 group. In the COVID-19 group, respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, lower respiratory tract infection, change in PD modality, UF failure and hypervolemia were significantly higher on the 28th day. There was no significant difference in laboratory parameters at Day 90. Only one (0.9%) patient in the COVID-19 group died within 90 days. There was no death in the control group. Respiratory symptoms, malnutrition and hypervolemia were significantly higher at Day 90 in the COVID-19 group. CONCLUSION: Mortality in the first 90 days after COVID-19 in PD patients with COVID-19 is not different from the control PD group. However, some of these patients continue to experience significant problems, especially respiratory system symptoms, malnutrition, and hypervolemia.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although existing data suggest an increased mortality rate, data about the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, its short-and long-term effects on the patient and technique survival are limited. Moreover, specific factors associated with increased risk of death have not been clearly defined yet. Therefore, we aimed to study the characteristics of PD patients with COVID-19, determine the short-term mortality and other medical complications, and delineate the factors associated with COVID-19 outcome. METHOD: This national multicenter study included all PD patients who had confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing of a nasopharyngeal swab recorded in this database from the attending 27 PD centers. The demographic data, comorbidities, medications used, PD-related data were recorded as well as clinical, laboratory and radiological findings of COVID-19 and outcomes at the end of the first month were recorded. RESULTS: We enrolled 142 COVID-19 patients (median age: 52 years). A total of 58.2% of patients had mild disease at diagnosis, lung involvement was detected in 60.8% of patients. A total of 83 (58.4%) patients were hospitalized, 31 (21.8%) patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 24 needed mechanical ventilation. A total of 15 (10.5%) patients were switched to hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration was performed for 4 (2.8%) patients. Persisting pulmonary symptoms (n = 27), lower respiratory system infection (n = 12), rehospitalization for any reason (n = 24), malnutrition (n = 6), hypervolemia (n = 13), peritonitis (n = 7), ultrafiltration failure (n = 7) and in PD modality change (n = 8) were reported in survivors. During the 1 month from the diagnosis of COVID-19, 26 patients (18.31%) died. The non-survivor group was older and comorbidities were more prevalent. Fever, dyspnea, cough, serious-vital disease at presentation, bilateral pulmonary involvement and pleural effusion were more frequent among non-survivors. Age (OR:1.102;95% CI: 1.032- 1.117;P:0.004), moderate-severe clinical disease at presentation (OR:26.825;95% CI: 4.578-157.172;P < 0.001) and CRP levels (OR:1.008;95% CI;1.000-1.016;P:0.040) were associated with increased first-month mortality in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Early mortality rate and medical complications are quite high in PD patients with COVID-19. Age, clinical severity of COVID-19 and baseline CRP level are the independent parameters associated with mortality.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Haemodialysis (HD) patients are at increased risk for adverse short-term consequences of COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of chronic HD patients in the post-COVID-19 period and compared them with the control group. METHOD: We conducted a national multicentre observational study involving adult chronic HD patients recovering from COVID-19. The control HD group was selected from patients with similar characteristics who did not have COVID-19 in the same center. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR negative patients and patients in the active period of COVID-19 were not included. RESULTS: A total of 1223 patients (635 COVID-19 groups, 588 control groups) were included in the study from the data collected from 47 centres between 21 April 2021 and 11 June 2021. The patients' baseline demographics, comorbidities, medications, HD characteristics and basic laboratory tests were quite similar between the groups (Table 1). 28th-day mortality and between 28th day and 90th day mortality were higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group [19 (3.0%) patients and 0 (0%) patients;15 (2.4%) patients and 4 (0.7%) patients, respectively]. Presence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen therapy, lower respiratory tract infection and A-V fistula thrombosis were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group in the first 28 days of illness and between 28 and 90 days. Mortality was significantly associated with preexisting COVID-19, age, current smoking, use of tunneled HD catheter, persistence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen support, presence of lower respiratory tract infection within 28 days and persistence of respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION: In the post-COVID-19 period, mortality, rehospitalization, respiratory problems and vascular access problems are higher in maintenance HD patients who have had COVID-19 compared to control HD patients. (Table Presented).
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Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has placed huge strains on medical systems. Therefore, it is essential to determine the predictors of the long hospital stay. We sought to investigate whether alterations in left ventricular (LV) geometry in COVID-19 patients are associated with the length of stay (LoS) and a long hospital stay. Materials and Methods: 108 consecutive hospitalized COVID-19 patients were incorporated in the study and 89 patients remained for statistical analysis. All participants underwent standard two-dimensional (2D) and Doppler echocardiographic examinations. Patients were classified according to LV geometry characteristics namely normal geometry (NG), concentric remodeling, concentric hypertrophy and eccentric hypertrophy. Results: Multiple binary logistic regression model adjusted for clinical and laboratory variables yielded significant and independent association of LV mass index (LVMI) (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06-1.19, p<0.001), 10 g/m(2) increase in LVMI (OR: 3.63, 95% CI: 2.00-6.59, p<0.001), LV geometry patterns (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 1.46-5.34, p=0.002), and altered geometric patterns compared to NG (OR: 3.97, 95% CI: 1.08-14.5, p=0.037) with long hospital stay. Correlation analysis of LVMI and LoS demonstrated significant and moderate correlation (rho=0.58, p<0.001). Conclusion: LVMI and LV geometric patterns independently predict long hospital stays in COVID-19 patients. The significant correlation between LoS and LVMI underlies the significance of LV geometry in this infection.
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Patients with chronic kidney disease, patients on dialysis, and kidney transplant recipients are at high risk of mortality and morbidity due to coronavirus disease-19. Most patients with chronic kidney disease are elderly and have other comorbidities. In addition, some of these patients have been exposed to immunosuppressive drugs to treat their underlying primary disease or to prevent allograft rejection. This general profile of chronic kidney disease patients renders them susceptible to a more severe course of coronavirus disease-19 once they are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Many studies showed that impaired kidney function on admission is an independent risk factor for a more severe course of coronavirus disease-19 with significantly increased risk for hospital and intensive care unit admission, intubation, mechanical ventilation, and death. Coronavirus disease-19 vaccination is crucial to create immunity in the general community, but the evidence addressing this specific population is scarce. However, based on the current evidence, all patients with chronic kidney disease are strongly recommended to receive the available vaccine in their country against coronavirus disease-19, and booster doses will presumably prove necessary for this group of patients. Furthermore, vigilant use of protective measures is strongly recommended for this patient population. Current studies and recommendations from health authorities should be followed closely.
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Objectives: There is limited data about coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) characteristics and results in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and outcomes among PD patients and compare them with matched hemodialysis (HD) patients and a control group without kidney disease. Methods: We included 18 PD patients and consecutive age- and gender-matched 18 HD and 18 patients without kidney disease (control group) registered into the Turkish Society of Nephrology database including 1301 COVID-19 patients. We compared demographic, clinical, radiological, laboratory data, and outcomes namely intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, mortality, and composite outcome (death and/or ICU admission). Results: ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality rates in PD patients (27.8%, 22.2%, and 22.2%, respectively) and the HD group (16.7%, 11.1%, and 16.7%, respectively) were higher than the control group (11.1%, 11.1%, and 5.6%, respectively), but intergroup comparison did not reveal difference. A total of 11 (20.3%) patients had composite outcome (6 PD patients, 3 HD patients, and 2 patients in the control group). In Cox regression analysis, higher age and higher CRP level were related to increased risk of composite outcome. Adjusted rate of composite outcome in PD group was significantly higher than the control group (P =.050). This rate was similar in HD and control groups (P =.30). Conclusions: Combined in-hospital mortality and/or ICU admission of PD patients with COVID-19 was significantly higher than the control patients. There is a need for careful surveillance of PD patients for infection signs and prompt treatment of COVID-19.
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Mild encephalopathy with reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is characterized with a reversible lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum. It has been defined as a neuro-radiologic syndrome associated with viral infections. In addition, this lesion may related with epileptic seizures, antiepileptic drugs or metabolic disturbances. We presented a patient with MERS associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2). Encephalopathy and psychiatric symptoms were the major initial clinical symptoms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed complete resolution of the corpus callosum lesion. The symptoms of patient recovered completely. Complete resolution of corpus callosum lesion and recovery of encephalopathy associated with SARS-COV-2 were similar to previous cases.
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The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, one of many global threats to human health, provides an opportunity to analyze how to detect, minimize, and even prevent the spread of future viral zoonotic agents with pandemic potential. Such analysis can utilize existing risk assessment techniques that seek formally to define the hazard, assess the health risk, characterize the health threat, and estimate the probability of occurrence. © 2021 by Turkish Neurological Society.
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Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) can be associated with wide-range neurologic symptoms and complications. Parainfectious manifestations that are seen during the active infection period include stroke, olfactory and taste disturbance, encephalopathy, encephalitis, neuropathies, and myopathies. The main postinfectious complications are acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, transverse myelitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, cognitive disorders, and sleep disorders. COVID-19 commonly causes neurological mid-to-long-term disability. The disease prognosis can be improved with sufficient knowledge, prompt recognition, and effective management of neurological complications. © 2021 by Turkish Neurological Society Turkish Journal of Neurology published by Galenos Publishing House.
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Remote working and distance learning has become the new normal due to the COVID-19 epidemic that has affected the whole world. In a short time, the security, functionality and performance of existing commercial and open source video conferencing software have started to be compared and discussed. When video conferencing products are examined, it is seen that most of them are developed by WebRTC technology. WebRTC is an open source software library with a 10-year history that enables real-Time audio and video sharing. Its real-Time nature, access from different types of devices and heterogeneous networks, and the variety of data types make it difficult to test WebRTC products in a standard way or with a standard tool. In this study, functionality, performance and usability test of video conferencing products developed by webRTC are told in terms of domestic products. Due to the fact that the demand for these products will increase in the forthcoming years, test methods and emerged results told in this study will gain more importance. © 2021 IEEE.
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Stroke is the most common cause of disability and death in the world. Cardiovascular disease rates increase with age (10.9 % for people aged 20–30 years and 85.3 % for people older than 80 years). Coronary heart diseases is the leading cause of deaths attributable to cardiovascular diseases in the United States, followed by stroke, high BP, HF, diseases of the arteries, and other cardiovascular diseases. The report on the global burden of neurological disorders has shown that hemorrhagic stroke accounted for 35.7 % in it, and ischemic stroke, 22.4 %. Seven indicators are important and strategic to prevent cardiovascular disorders;they include healthy diet, sufficient physical activity, smokingstatius, BMI, cholesterol level, blood pressure, and glucose in blood on a fasting stomach. These indicators are associated with healthy behavior (diet quality, PA, smoking, BMI) which are as important as health factors (blood cholesterol, BP, blood glucose). There is a strong protective association between ideal cardiovascular health indicators and many clinical and preclinical conditions including premature all-cause mortality, stroke, CVD mortality, ischemic heart disease mortality, HF, deep venous thromboembolism, and pulmonary embolism. Atrial fibrillation, metabolic syndrome, renal failure, and sleep apnea are important risk factors which are modifiable and treatable. Air pollution has been reported as an increasing and very important risk factor for stroke. COVID-19 has been reported as another new stroke risk factor during the pandemic. Future targets must include each cardiovascular health indicator to decrease stroke risk burden and stroke risk. © Ozturk S., 2021
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Introduction: Immunocompromised patients, SARS-CoV-2 infection might have a more severe course and may cause pneumonia quicker, compared to normal hosts. The presence of comorbid diseases increases this risk even further. In our study, we aimed to determine the clinical course and severity of COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients. Materials and method: Our study was carried out between 01 April 2020 and 01 October 2020 in 4 centers as a retrospective case-control study. Firstly, COVID-19 positive patients with previous immunosuppressive disorder diagnosis or patients who use immunosuppressive medicines for any reason were enrolled in the case group. COVID-19 rtRT-PCR positive patients who have no previous immunosuppressive disorder diagnosis and who are not on any immunosuppressive medicines were enrolled in the control group. Definitive statistical analysis was conducted for all of the researched variables. Results: 156 immunocompromised patients with COVID-19 diagnosis were enrolled in the case group of patients and 312 non-immunocompromised patients with COVID-19 diagnosis were enrolled in the control groups. In immunocompromised patients, CMI scores, the prevalence of hypertension, respiratory rate/minute, shortness of breath, and weakness were high and complaints about fever were low. In these patients, CRP, D-dimer, ferritin, and troponin values were high at statistically significant levels and lymphocyte values were low. The need for intensive care for immunocompromised patients was 2.93 times more and nosocomial infections and thrombotic complications occurred more frequently. Mortality was 3.57 times higher in immunocompromised patients. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 has a more severe course in immunocompromised patients. However, when evaluating these patients, whether or not the underlying diseases are under control should be evaluated and thrombotic complications and nosocomial infections should be taken into account. © 2021 A. CARBONE Editore. All rights reserved.
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Background: In SARS-COV-2 disease, anosmia and dysgeusia are symptoms that are usually detected together. In our study, it was aimed to investigate the impairments in the sense of smell and taste in our COVID-19 patients and to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the parameters accompanying this impairment. Methods: The study was conducted retrospectively in patients with positive COVID-19 rtRT-PCR test, whose complaints of smell-taste dysfunction were questioned in 6 centers. Result: 8238 patients questioned for the impaired sense of smell and taste were included in our study. 1756 (21.3%) patients had smell-taste dysfunction. Smell dysfunction started 2.9±2.3 days after the onset of COVID-19 specific symptoms and continued for 9.4±2.7 days. There was a positive correlation between the disturbance of smell and taste and the complaints of fever, sore throat, myalgia, weakness, headache, and negative correlation the complaints of cough. 218 (12.4%) of the patients with smell-taste dysfunction stated that this complaint negatively affected their quality of life. Conclusion: Smell-taste dysfunction is more common, especially with the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection of COVID-19, and has a positive correlation with fever, sore throat, myalgia, weakness, and headache, affects the quality of life of patients and improves in about 10-14 days. © 2021 A. CARBONE Editore. All rights reserved.