Feminists' Dilemma-With or Without the State? Violence against Women and Women's Shelters in Turkey

TOKTAS, sule,DINER, Cagla 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2011 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.17 No.3

This article aims to describe the achievements of the women's movement in the struggle against domestic violence in Turkey and the points of contention between the state and feminists regarding this issue. Our goal in analyzing the Turkish case of violence against women is to reflect on how women's organizations work with the state; what they demand from it; and how they respond to the complex situations and dilemmas of state funded women's shelters. The article is based on field research; we used techniques of participant observation at annual congresses organized by women's organizations specialized in fighting violence against women and in-depth interviews with feminist activists, volunteers and social workers at women's shelters. It describes the experiences of feminists in Turkey, who are in the position of receiving support from and working closely with the state in running women's shelters.

How Do Women Receive Inheritance? The Processes of Turkish Women’s Inclusion and Exclusion from Property

Sule Toktas,Mary Lou O’Neil 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2013 Asian Women Vol.29 No.4

This article employs Turkey as a case study to explore the relationship between property ownership, inheritance, and women’s empowerment. In Turkey, as in much of the world, men dominate ownership of property. This is despite the fact that women have had equal rights to own and inherit property since 1926. With the establishment of the Republic in 1923 came a series of reforms, one of which replaced Islamic Sharia law with a secular civil law that was based on the Swiss Civil Code. The new law, among other things, guaranteed equal rights of property and inheritance regardless of gender. In an attempt to understand the tangled relationship between property and women’s empowerment, we conducted interviews regarding inheritance practices among ideologically secular, wealthy women in Istanbul. For these women and their families, the logic of wealth distribution is deeply informed by a commitment to equality between children with little regard for gender. Even in those cases where strict equality in terms of sameness was not employed, the goal was for an overall balance and fairness between recipients. Despite the fact that inheritance law provides for equality, most of the families employed intervivos transfer, gifts among the living, to distribute their family wealth. Perhaps most interesting, and in contrast to the literature, is the fact that these women do not express any sense of empowerment derived from their status as property owners. Rather education and career proved more important.

Commentary on “Simultaneous Single-Position Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion Surgery and Unilateral Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Fixation for Spondylolisthesis”

Zafer Orkun Toktas 대한척추신경외과학회 2023 Neurospine Vol.20 No.3

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The Influence of Mechanic Factors in Disc Degeneration Disease as a Determinant for Surgical Indication

Gulden Demirci Otluoğlu,Deniz Konya,Zafer Orkun Toktas 대한척추신경외과학회 2020 Neurospine Vol.17 No.1

Objective: Low back pain is the most common reason for physician visit in Western population. It’s one of the factors that affect health-related quality of life. Intervertebral disc degeneration is one of the leading factors for low back pain and disc degeneration needs serious attention. In this article, we try to summarize biomechanical factors on the degenerative process. Methods: Patients with low back pain in Neurosurgery Department between January 2012 and June 2019 are searched for this study. The patients were gathered under 2 groups; surgical intervention and conservative treatment groups. Intervertebral disc degeneration was assessed by Pfirrmann grading system. All spinopelvic parameters were measured by using standardized lateral plain standing lumbar radiographs. Results: There were 165 patients in the surgical group (60 females, 105 males) and 84 patients in the conservative group (57 females, 27 males) after randomization. One hundred fifty patients had microdiscectomy and 15 patients had spinal instrumentation with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. There was not a statistically significant difference between surgical intervention and conservative treatment groups when comparing disc degeneration status. There was a statistically significant difference in parameters lumbar lordosis (LL), L4–S1, and pelvic incidence-LL (PI–LL) between the 2 treatment groups. In the surgical group when we further analyze the spinopelvic parameters in between the 2 different surgical techniques; L4–S1, pelvic tilt, and PI–LL showed a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Degenerative disc disease is related with multiple factors which can be detailed under the mechanic components and the genetic components. Of these factors, spinopelvic parameters seem highly penetrating to patients’ surgery needs with degenerative disc disease independently.

Stereological and Morphometric Analysis of MRI Chiari Malformation Type-1

Alkoc, Ozan Alper,Songur, Ahmet,Eser, Olcay,Toktas, Muhsin,Gonul, Yucel,Esi, Ertap,Haktanir, Alpay The Korean Neurosurgical Society 2015 Journal of Korean neurosurgical society Vol.58 No.5

Objective : In this study, we aimed to investigate the underlying ethiological factors in chiari malformation (CM) type-I (CMI) via performing volumetric and morphometric length-angle measurements. Methods : A total of 66 individuals [33 patients (20-65 years) with CMI and 33 control subjects] were included in this study. In sagittal MR images, tonsillar herniation length and concurrent anomalies were evaluated. Supratentorial, infratentorial, and total intracranial volumes were measured using Cavalieri method. Various cranial distances and angles were used to evaluate the platybasia and posterior cranial fossa (PCF) development. Results : Tonsillar herniation length was measured $9.09{\pm}3.39mm$ below foramen magnum in CM group. Tonsillar herniation/concurrent syringomyelia, concavity/defect of clivus, herniation of bulbus and fourth ventricle, basilar invagination and craniovertebral junction abnormality rates were 30.3, 27, 18, 2, 3, and 3 percent, respectively. Absence of cisterna magna was encountered in 87.9% of the patients. Total, IT and ST volumes and distance between Chamberlain line and tip of dens axis, Klaus index, clivus length, distance between internal occipital protuberance and opisthion were significantly decreased in patient group. Also in patient group, it was found that Welcher basal angle/Boogard angle increased and tentorial slope angle decreased. Conclusion : Mean cranial volume and length-angle measurement values significantly decreased and there was a congenital abnormality association in nearly 81.5 percent of the CM cases. As a result, it was concluded that CM ethiology can be attributed to multifactorial causes. Moreover, congenital defects can also give rise to this condition.

The Prevalence of Nocturia and Nocturnal Polyuria: Can New Cutoff Values Be Suggested According to Age and Sex?

Ali Ersin Zumrutbas,Ali Ihsan Bozkurt,Okan Alkis,Cihan Toktas,Bulent Cetinel,Zafer Aybek 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2016 International Neurourology Journal Vol.20 No.4

Purpose: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of nocturia and nocturnal polyuria (NP) and to define new cutoff values according to age and sex for both conditions. Methods: Data from a population-based prevalence survey conducted among a random sample of 2,128 adults were analyzed in this study. Participants were requested to fill out a questionnaire including the International Continence Society (ICS) definitions of lower urinary tract symptoms and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form. Additionally, a 1-day bladder diary was given to each individual. The participants were divided into 5 age groups. The prevalence of nocturia was calculated based on definitions of nocturia as ≥1 voiding episodes, ≥2 episodes, and ≥3 episodes. NP was evaluated according to the ICS definition. The mean±standard errors and 95th percentile values were calculated in each group as new cutoff values for NP. Results: The prevalence of nocturia was estimated as 28.4%, 17.6%, and 8.9% for ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3 voiding episodes each night, respectively. When nocturia was defined as 2 or more voiding episodes at night, the prevalence decreased significantly. The mean NP index was 29.4%±15.0% in men and 23.1%±11.8% in women. For the age groups of <50 years, 50–59 years, and ≥60 years, the new cutoff values for the diagnosis of NP were calculated as 48%, 69%, and 59% for men and 41%, 50%, and 42% for women, respectively. Conclusions: We found that the definition of nocturia was still controversial and that waking up once for voiding might be within the normal spectrum of behavior. The definition of NP should be modified, and new cutoff values should be defined using the data presented in our study and in other forthcoming studies.

Biological Approaches to Treating Intervertebral Disk Degeneration: Devising Stem Cell Therapies

Han, Inbo,Ropper, Alexander E.,Konya, Deniz,Kabatas, Serdar,Toktas, Zafer,Aljuboori, Zaid,Zeng, Xiang,Chi, John H.,Zafonte, Ross,Teng, Yang D. Cognizant Communication Corp. 2015 CELL TRANSPLANTATION Vol.24 No.11

Improving the diagnosis of high grade and stage bladder cancer by detecting increased urinary calprotectin expression in tumor tissue and tumor-associated inflammatory response

Yusuf Sahin,Ugur Yucetas,Huseyin Aytaç Ates,Erkan Erkan,Esma Yucetas,Mustafa Zafer Temiz,Mahmut Gokhan Toktas,Mustafa Kadihasanoglu,Birsen Cigdem Topkaya 대한비뇨의학회 2019 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.60 No.5

Purpose: To investigate whether measurement of urinary calprotectin can serve as a biomarker in the diagnosis of primary bladder cancer and to confirm its diagnostic role in determining high grade and stage disease. Materials and Methods: Urinary calprotectin was measured in spot urine samples from patients with primary bladder cancer and control subjects. To confirm levels in urine, tissue samples were also obtained from bladder tumor and healthy trigone of bladder by transurethral resection in both groups. Finally, calprotectin levels in tissue and urine of the patients and control subjects were compared and their diagnostic potential was investigated in high grade and stage bladder cancers. Results: Of 82 participants, 52 were patients with bladder cancer and 30 were control subjects. The two groups were comparable in terms of age, smoking status, and comorbidities. Tissue and urinary calprotectin levels were significantly higher in the bladder cancer group. In subgroup analyses, urinary calprotectin levels were significantly higher in patients with high-grade, muscle-invasive tumors. After receiver operating characteristic analyses, the sensitivity and specificity of urinary calprotectin was 100% and 96.7%, respectively, in the diagnosis of primary bladder cancer. High grade and stage bladder cancers were detected with sensitivity and specificity of 70% and 74.2%, and 80% and 84.8%, respectively. Conclusions: Urinary calprotectin may be a valuable parameter in the diagnosis of primary bladder cancer with high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, it may be useful in the prediction of high grade and stage disease. However, more investigations are needed.

Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters and Gait Asymmetry in Patients With Lumbar Disc Herniation, Treated With Microdiscectomy: A Prospective, Observational Study

Masoud Amir Rashedi Bonab,Suleyman Sener,Tugba Kuru Colak,Mahsa Amirrashedi,Ipek Yeldan,Deniz Konya,Zafer Orkun Toktas 대한척추신경외과학회 2023 Neurospine Vol.20 No.3

Objective: The aim of this study was to emphasize on the interaction of spatial and temporal gait parameters and analyse the gait asymmetry in the patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) before and after microdiscectomy. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study conducted on 59 cases of LDH planned for lumbar microdiscectomy, and healthy control group with 54 participants for analysis was performed prior to surgery and 15 days after surgery. The spatiotemporal gait parameters were measured using a “Win-Track” gait analysis platform system. All the participants walked barefoot for 10 times with their normal walking speed in the same day. The 3 flawless walking data were recorded and the arithmetic means were computed. The gait symmetry index was used to calculate the walking asymmetry. The pain intensity of the patients was recorded shortly before performing the analysis by a visual analogue scale. Results: In the postoperative assessment LDH patients had significantly shorter temporal parameters, longer spatial parameters, faster walking speed, and more cadence than the preoperative assessment (p < 0.05). There were improvements in the asymmetry values of the postoperative gait parameters compared to the preoperative values, but these differences were not significant (p > 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference in all parameters in terms of gait asymmetry between the postoperative assessment and the healthy controls (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results can guide the patient-specific evaluating and implementation of gait rehabilitation programs, and design protocols before or after surgery in the LDH patients.

Antidepressants in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review to Determine Benefits and Risks

Ahmed B. Bayoumi,Oyku Ikizgul,Ceren Nur Karaali,Selma Bozkurt,Deniz Konya,Zafer Orkun Toktas 대한척추외과학회 2019 Asian Spine Journal Vol.13 No.6

Antidepressant drugs can be advantageous in treating psychiatric and non-psychiatric illnesses, including spinal disorders. However, spine surgeons remain unfamiliar with the advantages and disadvantages of the use of antidepressant drugs as a part of the medical management of diseases of the spine. Our review article describes a systematic method using the PubMed/Medline database with a specific set of keywords to identify such benefits and drawbacks based on 17 original relevant articles published between January 2000 and February 2018; this provides the community of spine surgeons with available cumulative evidence contained within two tables illustrating both observational (10 studies; three cross-sectional, three case-control, and four cohort studies) and interventional (seven randomized clinical trials) studies. While tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline) and duloxetine can be effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain caused by root compression, venlafaxine may be more appropriate for patients with spinal cord injury presenting with depression and/or nociceptive pain. Despite the potential associated consequences of a prolonged hospital stay, higher cost, and controversial reports regarding the lowering of bone mineral density in the elderly, antidepressants may improve patient satisfaction and quality of life following surgery, and reduce postoperative pain and risk of delirium. The preoperative treatment of preexisting psychiatric diseases, such as anxiety and depression, can improve outcomes for patients with spinal cord injury-related disabilities; however, a preoperative platelet function assay is advocated prior to major spine surgical procedures to protect against significant intraoperative blood loss, as serotonergic antidepressants (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and bupropion can increase the likelihood of bleeding intraoperatively due to drug-induced platelet dysfunction. This comprehensive review of this evolving topic can assist spine surgeons in better understanding the benefits and risks of antidepressant drugs to optimize outcomes and avoid potential hazards in a spine surgical setting.