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Introduction: This study aimed to construct an artificial intelligence system to detect Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia on computed tomography (CT) images and to test its diagnostic performance. Methods: Data were acquired between March 18-April 17, 2020. CT data of 269 reverse tran-scriptase-polymerase chain reaction proven patients were extracted, and 173 studies (122 for training, 51 testing) were finally used. Most typical lesions of COVID-19 pneumonia were la-beled by two radiologists using a custom tool to generate multiplanar ground-truth masks. Us-ing a patch size of 128x128 pixels, 18,255 axial, 71,458 coronal, and 72,721 sagittal patches were generated to train the datasets with the U-Net network. Lesions were extracted in the or-thogonal planes and filtered by lung segmentation. Sagittal and coronal predicted masks were reconverted to the axial plane and were merged into the intersect-ed axial mask using a voting scheme. Results: Based on the axial predicted masks, the sensitivity and specificity of the model were found as 91.4% and 99.9%, respectively. The total number of positive predictions has increased by 3.9% by the use of intersected predicted masks, whereas the total number of negative predic-tions has only slightly decreased by 0.01%. These changes have resulted in 91.5% sensitivity, 99.9% specificity, and 99.9% accuracy. Conclusion: This study has shown the reliability of the U-Net architecture in diagnosing typical pulmonary lesions of COVID-19 in CT images. It also showed a slightly favorable effect of the intersection method to increase the model's performance. Based on the performance level pre-sented, the model may be used in the rapid and accurate detection and characterization of the typical COVID-19 pneumonia to assist radiologists.
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Objectives: Many studies have been conducted on ferritin, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which are biochemical tests, to determine the severity and prognosis of the disease in the early period of coro-navirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. We aimed to determine the compatibility of these easily accessible and affordable tests with computed tomography (CT) in determining the severity of the disease at an early stage. Methods: This study was carried out retrospectively on 79 patients. In all patients, nasal and pharyngeal swabs were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. The severity of the disease was determined by computed tomography imaging. According to lung involvement, patients who were found to have a severe infection and divided into the severe group (n=26), and those with milder symptoms were divided into the non-severe group (n=53). The demographic information and laboratory parameters of the patients were obtained from the medical records of the hospital. Analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciencesversion 23.0 for Windows. Results: NLR (8.36±2.45;3.3±2.04 p<0.001), ferritin (ng/mL) (736.1±240.2;374.7±248.4 p<0.001), fibrinogen (mg/mL) (725.7±84.9;416.5±186.1 p<0.001), D-dimer (ug/mL) (3.68±1.42;1.55±1.16 p<0.001), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (mg/ dL) (81.1±11.9;27.9±13.8 p<0.001) levels were found to be significantly higher in the severe group than the non-severe group. In addition, CRP (mg/mL) levelswere positively correlated with NLR (r=0.607 p<0.01). Receiver operator curve analyses were carried out to assess the efficacy of NLR, ferritin, fibrinogen, and D-dimer parameters. Conclusion: These results suggest that NLR, ferritin, fibrinogen, and D-dimer may be useful biomarkers for the early detection of critical cases of COVID-19 infection, paralleling CT findings. These available tests can benefit clinicians in low-resource settings where access to complicated diagnostic methods may be limited. © 2023, Kare Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Aim: COVID-19 epidemic caused significant problems in countries' health systems. The direct and indirect effects of this unprecedented outbreak on patients with rare diseases are not clear. The aim of this study is to identify the pandemic-related problems encountered by adults with LSDs and parents who have children with LSDs and to evaluate the socio-economic and psychological effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in the lysosomal diseases community. Material(s) and Method(s): Our study included 27 adult patients receiving ERT treatment and 19 parents of child patients who were followed up with LSD diagnosis. Sociodemographic Data Form and COVID-19 Traumatic Stress Scale were applied to patients and their parents. Result(s): We found that treatment was disrupted in 44.4% of adult patients and 36.84% of child patients due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We found that 50% of adults and 80% of parents had a fear of going to the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic distress was higher in the treatment-disrupted group. Also, patients who had a fear when going to the hospital for ERT had higher "fear/threat of infection" scores. Discussion(s): The pandemic brought wide-ranging changes in the treatment and follow-up of patients with rare diseases. Home therapy appears to be the most effective way to maintain access to treatment during a pandemic;however, the personnel involved should be monitored and much attention should be paid to the proper use of personal protective equipment. It is also of great importance to provide adequate social, economic and psychological support to individuals.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.
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Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the parameters of sperm analysis in a group of healthy sperm donors before and after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Material(s) and Method(s): The study included semen analysis from eligible sperm donors aged 25-56 who had abstinence of 3-9 days and provided sperm before and after COVID-19 infection. Data were obtained from the patients who applied to our infertility clinic for semen analysis or in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Ejaculate volume (mL), average concentration (M/mL), percent motility (percent), and total motile sperm count (M) were the primary outcomes. Data were compared and analyzed by paired samples t test and Wiloxon's test. Result(s): A total of 13 qualified sperm donors met inclusion criteria for this study. There was no significant difference in concentration, motility, or total motile sperm count in the patients' semen parameters before and after the infection (p>0.05) (Table 1). [Formula presented] Conclusion(s): COVID-19, a novel coronavirus disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has sparked a global pandemic that hit the world in 2020, offering a huge challenge to healthcare systems and affected populations (1). One of the known effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection is invasion or damage to the male reproductive system. To enter host cells, the virus uses the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor (2). Furthermore, ACE2 is extensively expressed in testicular tissue, and SARS-CoV-2 has been found in semen (3). SARS-CoV-2 can also infect cells through the host cell receptor CD147 (basigin, BSG), a transmembrane glycoprotein crucial for the blood-testis barrier's integrity (BTB) (4). Sperm quality measures were not significantly different in qualified, otherwise healthy sperm donors prior to COVID infection and after recovery. Impact Statement: SARS-CoV-2 infection has no impact on sperm concentration, motility, or total motile sperm count in healthy, eligible donors. REFERENCES: 1. 2. 3. 4. Copyright © 2022
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The aim of this study is to determine the problems faced by individuals living with cancer (ILCs) in accessing health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. This qualitative study’s sample consisted of 18 volunteer interviewees from 10 cancer-related patient associations in Turkey. Research data were collected by semi-structured interview method. Data collection and analysis were carried out simultaneously. In the sessions where all researchers participated together, the data were coded with a common view, and main and sub-themes were determined. In the analysis of the data the inductive thematic analysis method was applied. Information was gathered under two main themes: compliance with the measures taken and access to health services. Lack of information about nutrition, physical activity, psychological problems, caused by the lockdown and social distance measures taken within the scope of the pandemic should be accepted as problems within the scope of the right of individuals to access health, and additional programs should be prepared to minimize these. Cancer types should be considered in delaying diagnosis, treatment, and controls related to cancer, so that patients are not harmed at least or at all. It is important to ensure that patients do not hesitate to attend diagnosis, treatment, and controls with the anxiety of being infected with COVID-19, both in transportation to health facilities and in terms of preventing transmission in health facilities.
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It is inevitable that economic, social, and environmental performances are reinforced within the framework of corporate sustainability. The Covid- 19 pandemic we are going through forces both governments and businesses to take further decisions on these matters. Within the framework of universal principles, it is among the expectations that corporations are more sensitive, understanding, flexible, humane, social, and responsible in the face of global pandemics, added on top of the issues expected to be improved such as hunger, poverty, inequality, education, and climate. Accordingly, important duties fall upon corporate leaders who manage and direct new business models, decisions, and activities. In this study based on this point, the communication styles of corporate leaders in the first year of the Covid- 19 pandemic on the corporate sustainability axis have been evaluated. Total 303 Turkish companies have signed the United Nations Global Compact, which encourages institutions and organizations regarding the adoption and implementation of sustainability policies. Since the members are from many different sectors and fields, only the holdings and the social media posts of the CEOs, who are the leaders of these holdings, are considered as an area of study. In the year after the global pandemic was declared as of March 11, 2020, leaders’ approaches to sustainability and their leadership manner, behavior, and communication styles were both analyzed through Instagram and Twitter posts. © Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Berlin 2022.
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Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention methods training given by distance learning technique on the state anxiety level of the workers of a company serving in the communication sector. Design/methodology/approach: The sample of this experimental and cross-sectional study consisted of 52 people working in the communication sector. Data were collected using a questionnaire and the state anxiety inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, variance analysis, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U and Tukey's test. Findings: While the state anxiety scores of the workers working in the communication sector were 47.94 .. 4.90 before the training, they were found to be 43.98 .. 5.20 after the training. Research limitations/implications: As in every study, this study has some limitations. Although a homogeneous sample is tried to be formed since it only covers this group, it should be considered that there is a limitation in terms of generalizability. In addition, the fact that the knowledge score is not measured and the relationship between the knowledge score and the anxiety score is not evaluated should be considered as a limitation. Finally, it is also a limitation that the questionnaire form, which includes measurement tools, is applied online. It is thought that measuring errors can be minimized if questionnaires are applied face to face. Practical implications: The results of the study showed that the training given to the workers in the communication sector contributed positively to the reduction of anxiety levels. It is important to provide training and support to those with high anxiety levels. After providing effective protection for nurses/midwives under pandemic conditions and preventing their uncertainties, they can contribute to the reduction of anxiety levels by providing training to individuals who serve the society. It is recommended to plan health trainings for the anxiety of other sector workers serving the society and to focus on these groups. Thus, the effective protection of individuals and their service quality will increase and their anxiety may decrease. Originality/value: Informative support from nurses/midwives can make it easier to control anxiety arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The results are important in order to draw attention to the anxiety of other sector workers serving the society and the importance of informative roles of nurses. In order to reduce the anxiety levels of workers in different sectors, it is recommended to conduct more supportive training activities and to draw attention to the workers serving the society.
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Aim: COVID-19 epidemic caused significant problems in countries' health systems. The direct and indirect effects of this unprecedented outbreak on patients with rare diseases are not clear. The aim of this study is to identify the pandemic-related problems encountered by adults with LSDs and parents who have children with LSDs and to evaluate the socio-economic and psychological effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in the lysosomal diseases community. Material and Methods: Our study included 27 adult patients receiving ERT treatment and 19 parents of child patients who were followed up with LSD diagnosis. Sociodemographic Data Form and COVID-19 Traumatic Stress Scale were applied to patients and their parents. Results: We found that treatment was disrupted in 44.4% of adult patients and 36.84% of child patients due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We found that 50% of adults and 80% of parents had a fear of going to the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic distress was higher in the treatment-disrupted group. Also, patients who had a fear when going to the hospital for ERT had higher "fear/threat of infection" scores. Discussion: The pandemic brought wide-ranging changes in the treatment and follow-up of patients with rare diseases. Home therapy appears to be the most effective way to maintain access to treatment during a pandemic;however, the personnel involved should be monitored and much attention should be paid to the proper use of personal protective equipment. It is also of great importance to provide adequate social, economic and psychological support to individuals.