Altitude, Immigration and Suicide Rates: A Study from Turkey

Salih Selek 대한신경정신의학회 2013 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.10 No.1

Objective To investigate the altitude, immigration and suicide rates association in Turkey. Methods Suicide and immigration rates of 81 provinces and their elevation data were obtained. Results There were not significant correlations between country elevation, immigration and mean suicide rate. Conclusion The findings of this study points out that altitude related hypoxia and suicide association may not be generalized and further research will be needed to clarify the effects of altitude on suicide rates.

The Central Dislocation of Femoral Head in the Transverse and Both Column Acetabular Fractures: Is It Really Medialized?

( Ozgur Selek ),( Ahmet Y. Sarlak ) 대한고관절학회 2017 Hip and Pelvis Vol.29 No.3

Purpose: We hypothesized that the central dislocation of the femoral head does generally not occur in transverse acetabular fractures, although it does usually occur in both column fractures. Material and Methods: Fifty-two transverse and both column acetabular fracture cases were evaluated retrospectively. The distances between (a) the sciatic notch on the fracture side and the vertical axis of the pelvis (VA line) and (b) the contralateral intact sciatic notch and the VA line were measured. The a/b ratio corresponded to the superior iliac segment displacement or rotation. The ratio of the distance between the fracture side femoral head and the VA line (c) and the distance between the contralateral intact femoral head and the VA line (d) corresponded to the femoral head displacement. The width of ischium (e) on fractured side and (f) contralateral side were measured. The e/f ratio increment reflected ischiadic fragment mobility. Results: The median value of femoral head displacement (c/d) of the transverse fracture group (n=25) was 1.02 (1.000-1.07). Ischiadic fragment rotation (e/f ratio) of the transverse fracture group was 1.000. The median value of femoral head displacement (c/d) of the both column fractures (n=27) was 0.78 (0.64-0.85). Ischiadic fragment rotation (e/f ratio) of the both-column group was 1.15 (1.06-1.23). The differences between groups according to measurements were statistically significant. Conclusion: In contrary to Letournel description, our findings showed no medialization of femoral head in transverse acetabular fractures in general. This might be an illusion resulting from external rotation of the superior iliac segment.

Pretreatment Photopenia on 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography Scans Predicts Poor Prognosis in Nasopharyngeal Cancer Patients Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

Erkan Topkan,Ugur Selek,Hüseyin Mertsoylu,Yurday Ozdemir,Ahmet Kucuk,Nese Torun,Ali Ayberk Besen 대한이비인후과학회 2020 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.13 No.4

Objectives. To investigate the influence of pretreatment primary tumor or nodal photopenia (PP) on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT), an indicator of tumor ischemia, on survival results of nasopharyngeal cancers (NPCs) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Methods. The pre-C-CRT FDG PET-CT scans of 104 patients with NPC (cT1-4 N0-3 M0) were retrospectively examined to determine the presence of PP (PP+). Our primary endpoint was the influence of PP+ on overall survival (OS), while the progression-free survival (PFS) and locoregional PFS (LRPFS) constituted the secondary endpoints. Results. The PP+ was detected in 29 (27.9%): nine (8.7%), seven (6.7%), and 13 (12.5%) in the primary tumor alone, primary tumor plus neck nodes, and neck nodes alone, respectively. Because the PP+ cases were small by count per location, all comparative analyses were performed according to overall PP+/ PP– status instead of per detected site. At a median follow-up of 67.8 months (range, 9 to 130 months), the median survival times were not reached (NR) for the entire population, while 5-year OS, LRPFS, and PFS rates were 73.3%, 68.2%, and 63.4%, respectively. Comparatively the PP+ patients exhibited significantly poorer median OS (49.8 months vs. NR, P<0.001), LRPFS (40.7 months vs. NR, P=0.001), and PFS (31.8 months vs. NR, P=0.002) durations than their PP– counterparts. Furthermore, the PP+ retained its independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis (P<0.001). Conclusion. Present results uncovered the pre-C-CRT PP as an independent predictor of poor prognosis for NPC patients, which underscore the requirement for the fortification of the local and systemic treatments in hypoxic NPCs.

Algorithms for Composing Pervasive Applications

Oleg Davidyuk,Istvan Selek,Jon Imanol Duran,Jukka Riekki 보안공학연구지원센터 2008 International Journal of Software Engineering and Vol.2 No.2

Pervasive computing environments enable the composition of applications from components allocated across different devices. The applications have to be composed at run- time, to cope with changes in context and resource availability in the environment. In addition, this functionality has to be automated in order to minimize user involvement in application management. We propose two new algorithms which are capable of dynamic allocation of application components to multiple networking devices. These algorithms optimize the selection of the networking evices and the structure of composite applications according to a given criteria, such as minimizing hardware requirements, maximizing the application QoS or other criteria specified by the user. The algorithms are based on generic models. This allows the approach to be used in multiple application domains. We analyze the performance of these algorithms in a simulated nvironment and suggest a system that utilizes our algorithms for pervasive application composition.

Evaluation of Oxidant/Antioxidant Status and Cytokine Levels in Patients with Cannabis Use Disorder

Huseyin Bayazit,Salih Selek,Ibrahim Fatih Karababa,Erdinc Cicek,Nurten Aksoy 대한정신약물학회 2017 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.15 No.3

Objective: Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug in the world and it has several adverse effects such as anxiety, panic reactions and psychotic symptoms. In this study, we aimed to evaluate oxidant, anti-oxidant status and cytokine levels in individuals with cannabis use disorder. Methods: Thirty-four patients with cannabis use disorder and 34 healthy controls were enrolled to the study. Serum total antioxidant status, total oxidant status and cytokine levels were investigated in patients with cannabis use disorder and healthy controls. Results: We found increased levels of total oxidant status, oxidative stress index and interleukin (IL) 1, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)  in individuals with cannabis dependency compared to healthy people. When we compared total antioxidant status, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)  levels, there were no differences in both groups. There was positive correlation between IL-6 and total oxidant status, oxidative stress index levels. Conclusion: The oxidative balance of individuals with cannabis use disorder was impaired and they had higher levels of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-, which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and indicates increased inflammation compared to healthy controls. Thus, these findings suggest that cannabis increased inflammation and impaired the oxidative balance.

Is catechol-o-methyltransferase gene polymorphism a risk factor in the development of premenstrual syndrome?

Deveci, Esma Ozturk,Incebiyik, Adnan,Selek, Salih,Camuzcuoglu, Aysun,Hilali, Nese Gul,Camuzcuoglu, Hakan,Erdal, Mehmet Emin,Vural, Mehmet The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 2014 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.41 No.2

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether there was a correlation between catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism, which is believed to play a role in the etiology of psychotic disorders, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Methods: Fifty-three women with regular menstrual cycles, aged between 18 and 46 years and diagnosed with PMS according to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology criteria were included in this study as the study group, and 53 healthy women having no health problems were selected as the controls. Venous blood was collected from all patients included in the study and kept at $-18^{\circ}C$ prior to analysis. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic features such as age, body mass index, number of pregnancies, parity, and number of children. No statistically significant difference was observed in terms of COMT gene polymorphism (p=0.61) between women in the PMS and the control groups. However, a significant difference was found between arthralgia, which is an indicator of PMS, and low-enzyme activity COMT gene (Met/Met) polymorphism (p=0.04). Conclusion: These results suggested that there was no significant relationship between PMS and COMT gene polymorphism. Since we could not find a direct correlation between the COMT gene polymorphism and PMS, further studies including alternative neurotransmitter pathways are needed to find an effective treatment for this disease.

Second Line Palliative Endobronchial Radiotherapy with HDR Ir 192 in Recurrent Lung Carcinoma

A. Faruk Zorlu,Salih Emri,Murat Gurkaynak,Fadil H. Akyol,Ugur Selek 연세대학교의과대학 2008 Yonsei medical journal Vol.49 No.4

Purpose: To observe the efficiency of reirradiation with high dose rate intraluminal brachytherapy in  symptomatic palliation of recurrent  endobronchial tumors. Materials and Methods: Between January 1994 and June 1998, 21 patients diagnosed with recurrent endobronchial tumors following external beam radiotherapy were treated palliatively with high dose rate intraluminal irradiation at Hacettepe University Oncology Institute. A single fraction of 10Gy was prescribed to the specified area in 9 patients and 15Gy to 12. Results: Endobronchial treatment improved the performance and reduced symptomatology in 17 (81%) patients. Ten dyspneic patients (10/14, 71%) recovered clinically with an accompanying radiological downstaging. The median symptomatic palliation was 45 days (range, 0-9 months), and the overall median survival was 5.5 months (range, 4-12 months). The palliative intrabronchial brachytherapy was well tolerated, with the exception of in one patient with a fatal hemorrhage, and another with medically salvaged bronchospasm and intrabronchial edema. Conclusion: Recurrent patients with a history of previous thoracic external beam irradiation can be effectively palliated with high dose rate endobronchial reirradiation if the symptoms are directly related to the endobronchial tumor. 

Letter to the Editor Folliculitis Associated with Intermittant Pneumatic Compression

Alparslan Bayram Carli,Erkan Kaya,Hasan Turgut,Mehmet Burak Selek 연세대학교의과대학 2014 Yonsei medical journal Vol.55 No.2

Microstructural Changes of Anterior Corona Radiata in Bipolar Depression

I. Fatih Karababa,Huseyin Bayazıt,Nihat Kılıçaslan,Mustafa Celik,Hasan Cece,Ekrem Karakas,Salih Selek 대한신경정신의학회 2015 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.12 No.3

ObjectiveaaIn bipolar disorder, dysregulation of mood may result from white matter abnormalities that change fiber tract length and fiber density. There are few studies evaluating the white matter microstructural changes in bipolar I patients (BD) with depressive episodes. The present study aimed to evaluate anterior corona radiata in BD patients with depressive episode using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). MethodsaaTwenty-one patients with bipolar depression and 19 healthy controls were investigated and groups were matched for age and gender. Diffusion-weighted echoplanar brain images (DW-EPI) were obtained using a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Regions of interest (ROIs) were manually placed on directional maps based on principal anisotropy. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of white matter were measured in the anterior corona radiata (ACR) bilaterally by diffusion tensor imaging. ResultsaaThere was not a significant difference between groups of age and gender (p>0.05). Significantly lower FA was observed in bilateral ACR in bipolar patients with depression compared with healthy individuals. And there is significantly higher ADC values in the left frontal corona radiate in bipolar patients. ConclusionaaWhite matter abnormalities can be detected in patients with BD using DTI. The neuropathology of these abnormalities is unclear, but neuronal and axonal loss, myelin abnormalities and reduced white matter fiber density are likely to be relevant.

Decreased Serum Sulphydryl Levels as a Sign of Increased Oxidative Stress in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Mehmet Cemal Kaya,Yasin Bez,Ibrahim Fatih Karababa,Ali Emhan,Nurten Aksoy,Mahmut Bulut,Mehmet Gunes,Abdullah Atli,Salih Selek 대한신경정신의학회 2013 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.10 No.3

Objective In recent years, many published studies have focused on the relationship between oxidative stress and psychiatric disorders. However, studies in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are few despite relatively high prevalence rates. In an attempt to fill this gap in the literature we aimed to measure serum levels of free sulphydryl, an important member of antioxidant defense mechanisms, of the patients with GAD. Methods A total of 35 (23 female, 12 male) GAD patients without any other co-morbid medical or psychiatric disorder and 35 (23 female, 12 male) healthy controls have been included in the study. Disease severity of the patients were quantified by using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Serum free sulphydryl group levels of patients and healthy controls were measured in an appropriate way. Results Mean level of serum sulphydryl groups was significantly lower in the patient group. There was a negative correlation between their level and the disease duration. However, they did not show any significant correlation with the disease severity. Conclusion Decreased serum sulphydryl level observed in pure GAD patients suggests an increased oxidative stress in these patients. Well designed future researches are needed to replicate our findings and to test the implications of the present study.