INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the aberration and visual quality differences between myopic and astigmatic eyes before and after contact lens application by using corneal aberrometer and low- contrast sensitivity chart.
METHODS: Eighty eyes of 40 patients were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups as myopic (40 eyes, n=20) and astigmatic groups (40 eyes, n=20). We used aspheric Balafilcon A (Purevision and Purevision Toric Bausch&Lomb, Rochester, USA) lenses for each group. Corneal aberrations and low-contrast sensitivity values were measured and compared for each patient in both groups.
RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between myopic and astigmatic groups when we compared low-contrast sensitivity values for both on- and off-eyes. Mean total higher-order aberration (HOA) values for off-eye, were 0.29±0.10 μm, and 0.33±0.10 μm for on-eye in the myopic group, while they were 0.42±0.14 μm in off-eye and 0.37±0.23 μm in on-eye in the astigmatic group. Off-eye mean coma, irregular astigmatism and total higher-order aberration RMS (root-mean-square) values were significantly higher in the astigmatic group compared to the myopic group (p=0.006, p=0.001, p=0.001) but mean on-eye RMS values were not.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Myopic and astigmatic patients differ in terms of high-order aberrations and these differences cannot be equalized after contact lens application, but visual quality can be improved in both patients by using contact lenses.

INTRODUCTION: The study aimed to evaluate the frequency of left atrial dilatation in cases of first-ever acute ischemic stroke with or without atrial fibrillation in a cohort of patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke.
METHODS: Files of 120 patients admitted to our hospital with the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke were investigated. All patients had at least one brain imaging. Etiology of stroke was categorized according to Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification. Transthoracic and/or transoesophageal echocardiography was used to measure left atrium size. Optimal cut-off value of left atrial diameter was determined as 4 cm. SPSS 11.5 was used for statistical analyses.
RESULTS: In 40% of the patients, left atrial dilatation was detected. Nineteen patients with left atrial dilatation had atrial fibrillation, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Ninety-four (30.8%) patients with no atrial fibrillation had left atrial dilatation. In the TOAST classification trial, as a statistically significant finding, left atrial dilatation was detected 68.9% of the patients with cardioembolic infarcts. The most frequently encountered risk factor in patients was hypertension.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Left atrial dilatation is an important marker for cerebrovascular diseases, and if accompanied by
atrial fibrillation becomes even more significant.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, awareness, behavior and attitudes towards autism among applicants to a Family Health Center (FHC).

METHODS: This descriptive study was performed at a Family Health Center (FHC) in Istanbul in August 2013. Data was obtained via face-to-face interviews with participants older than 18 years who were admitted to the FHC. The questionnaire consisted of questions on sociodemographic characteristics, applicants’ knowledge of autism and their approach to autism.
RESULTS: 160 applicants participated in our survey of which 38.8% had heard the word ‘autism’. Knowledge and awareness of autism, and attitudes and behaviours towards this disorder differed significantly with the educational level of the study participants (p<0.05) However, these parameters did not change with gender and income level of the participants (p>0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The most important outcome of our study is that awareness, or even having knowledge of the word autism is significant in breaking down stereotypes. Despite the low level of awareness of the disease, the majority of the participitants had a positive attitude towards autism.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to determine knowledge levels and attitudes about organ donation and transplantation among university students.
METHODS: This descriptive study was performed with third-grade students of medicine, pharmacy, and law at a university. Samples weren’t selected in the study and it was executed with 145 students who had agreed to participate in the study. The data was collected using a questionnaire of 19 questions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS: 71.7% of students had positive views about transplantation of their own organs to a suitable recipient, with half of them giving being useful to others as a reason. Among students who had negative views about organ donation, the most important reason given was that it would mean a loss of bodily integrity. 44.1% of participants had positive views about transplantation of their relatives’ organs to another person after death. 51.7% of participants had positive views about transplantation of the organs of a homeless person to another person after death.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Students had generally positive views about organ donation. However; organ transplantation
and donation should be included in the students’ educational programs in order to increase positive attitudes and organ donations, and transform attitudes into behaviors.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery for abdominal wall hernias is a common procedure in general surgery practice. The main causes of delay for the operation are comorbid problems and patient unwillingness, which eventually, means that some patients are admitted to emergency clinics with strangulated hernias. In this report, patients who admitted to the emergency department with strangulated adominal wall hernias are presented together with their clinical management.
METHODS: Patients who admitted to our clinic between January 2009 and November 2011 and underwent emergency operation were included in the study retrospectively. Demographic characteristics, hernia type, length of hospital stay, surgical treatment and complications were assessed.
RESULTS: A total 81 patients (37 female, 44 male) with a mean age of 52.1±17.64 years were included in the study. Inguinal, femoral, umbilical and incisional hernias were detected in 40, 26, 9 and 6 patients respectively. Polypropylene mesh was used in 75 patients for repair. Primary repair without mesh was used in six patients. Small bowel (n=10; 12.34%), omentum (n=19; 23.45%), appendix (n=1; 1.2%) and Meckel’s diverticulum (n=1;1.2%) were resected. Median length of hospital stay was 2 (1–7) days. Surgical site infection was detected in five (6.2%) patients. No significant difference was detected for length of hospital stay and surgical site infection in patients who had mesh repair (p=0.232 and 0.326 respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The need for bowel resection is common in strangulated abdominal wall hernias which undergo emergency operation. In the present study, an increase of morbidity was seen in patients who underwent bowel resection. No morbidity was detected related to the usage of prosthetic materials in repair of hernias. Hence, we believe that prosthetic materials can be used safely in emergency cases.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to determine participation rates of people living in the rural area of Eskisehir in field researches, and the factors influencing this.
METHODS: This descriptive study was performed with 1,482 people aged 18 and above in two districts of Eskisehir. Data were collected with a 16 question questionnaire using the face-to-face interview technique. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, chi- square test, logistic regression analysis, and factors affecting rates of participation in field researches.
RESULTS: The most important reason (46.9%) given by participating for participant in field researches was the intention of “helping the interviewer”. The other reasons were; believing in the usefulness of the researches (35.0%), contribution to public improvement (14.9%) and taking pleasure in talking with various people (3.2%). The most important reason (34.6%) for not participating in field researches was “considering field researches a waste of time”. The other important reasons for non-participation were unnecessarily long questions in the research questionnaire forms (32.7%) and being uninformed of the research results (31.9%). In logistic regression analysis, age was found to be an influential factor in participation rates.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Lower rates of participation in field researches cause bias. As far as possible high participation in field researches is important. For the achievement of higher participation rates in field researches, training courses must be provided to both research workers and the public.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical chracteristics of patients hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia in internal medicine clinics, and to determine the incidence and parameters of mortality among these patients.
METHODS: Patients over the age of 18 years who were hospitalized in clinics of internal medicine between January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2013 (115 male, 89 female; mean age: 77±13 years; patients aged 65 years and over, 88.2%; average duration of hospitalization, 11±9 days) were evaluated retrospectively and consecutively. The incidence of mortality, nutritional status at admission, comorbidity frequency, haematological and biochemical data and their relationship with mortality were evaluated.
RESULTS: At admission, 85% of the patients were fed through oral route, while 15% of them were fed through PEG. There was no relation between nutritional status of the patients (oral, nasogastric tube or PEG) at admission, and development of aspiration pneumonia. Commonly seen comorbidities were dementia (49%), hypertension (43%), cerebrovascular accident (42%), and diabetes mellitus (31%) respectively. The mortality rate was 24.5% (in first three days, 56%). A correlation was found between mortality and increase in neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and increased uric acid rate (for both p<0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In this study, the mortality rates among patients diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia was found to be increased. The high number of geriatric patients and comorbidities might have played a role in this situation. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and uric acid levels in patients with aspiration pneumonia might be evaluated as factors related to mortality.

INTRODUCTION: In our study, we aimed to evaluate retrospectively histopathological diagnoses of children based on their skin biopsies, and determine the prevalence of the disease in question.
METHODS: Among patients who applied to Medeniyet University Goztepe Training and Research Hospital between January 2011 and February 2014, we retrospectively evaluated demographic data and histopathological diagnoses of patients aged between 0-17 years whose skin punch biopsy samples were obtained.

RESULTS: The study population (n=566) with skin biopsy results consisted of 287 (50.7%) male, and 279 (49.2%) female patients with a mean age of 10.04±4.84 years. Biopsy materials were obtained from the various age groups as follows: 0-2 years, n=31 (5.4%); 3-5 years, n=67 (11.8%) 6-11 years, n=165 (29.1%), and 12-17 years, n=303 (53.5%). Among all age groups, we took biopsies mostly from patients with noninfectious erythematous squamous (24%) and vascular (21.2%) diseases. The determined histopathological diagnoses were leukocytoclasis vasculitis (18.9%), psoriasis (7.4%), melanocytic nevus (5.4%), and contact dermatitis (5.1%) respectively.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We determined that skin punch biopsy examinations were done most frequently during adolescence and are mostly necessary for diagnosis of erythematous squamous and vascular diseases. If clinical evidence-based prevalence studies are supported with histopathological data, more significant results can be obtained.

According to the literature, skin manifestations related to Serratia marcessens infections are rarely seen, and observed mostly in immunosuppressed adult patients. Cellulitis, abscess, granulomataus lesions have been reported as skin manifestations of Serratia infections. In our 2 cases with leukemia, papillovesicular rashes were observed resembling those of varicella zoster infection. Serratia marcessens was grown on blood cultures of patients susceptible to meropenem. The patients recovered from the rashes rapidly after treatment. Based on the absence of similar case reports in the literature, we report these two pediatric cases to emphasize that Serratia marcessens infections can present with papillovesicular rash similar to that seen in varicella zoster infections.

Intraductal papillomas (IP) are benign papillary lesions caused by proliferation of mammary ductal epithelium. IP occurs in the breast tissue. Prolapse of IP from nipple can be rarely seen. IPs are generally treated with total excision. A 31-year-old female patient was admitted to our clinic because of a protruded lesion from the nipple of her right breast. On her breast examination, an 8 mm- prolapsed mass was seen on the areola of her right breast. Breast ultrasonography showed no other lesions in the breast. The patient was operated with initial diagnosis of IP. The prolapsed mass, the overlying nipple skin and related ductus were totally excised under local anesthesia. Histopathological examination of the specimen revealed intraductal papilloma without atypical dysplasia. Herein, we are presenting a rarely encountered case of IP prolapsed from the nipple of a female patient.

Mucoceles are cystic lesions of the paranasal sinuses which develop as a result of accumulation of mucous secretion due to obstruction of the ostium of the sinuses. Despite their benign behavior, they may enlarge progressively and project into adjacent structures by destructing the bony walls of the sinuses. Frontal mucoceles may get infected and extend towards orbital cavity and compress the orbit by eroding the bony walls of the orbital cavity.
Endoscopic and external approaches are performed in the surgical treatment. We report a case of complicated fronto-orbital mucopyocele which eroded the orbital roof and extended into the orbital cavity and discuss the surgical treatment strategy under the light of the current literature.

Syphilis is a multisystem chronic infection caused by treponema pallidum. It can cause psychiatric disorders including depression, mania, psychosis, personality changes, delirium and dementia. With the introduction of penicillin into practice, the number of cases with syphilis decreased and its incidence increased with AIDS and HIV seropositivity. In this article, we present a case of neurosyphilis that manifested itself with neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Obturator hernia is a rarely-seen type of abdominopelvic hernia. It is generally seen in thinner, old, multipara patients. The most frequently seen clinical sign is intestinal obstruction associated with strangulation. Diagnosis is generally made during operation in patients brought into emergency room because of intestinal obstruction. Delay in diagnosis in older patients results in higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Herein, we present a 68-year-old multipara patient who consulted to the emergency service with clinical manifestations of intestinal obstruction, and who was operated with the preoperative diagnosis of “strangulated obturator hernia” established by means of computed-tomography.

Ageing is a fundamental biological process in all living beings. Nowadays as a result of developments in preventive and therapeutic medicine, and improvements in the quality of life, ageing of the population is one of the most important demographic issues. In the elderly, cancer is one of the predominant causes of mortality and morbidity, and its incidence increases with ageing. Sixty percent of all cases with cancer, and 70% of cancer-related deaths occur in patients aged 65 years and over. For optimal care, and treatment of elderly cancer patients a multidisciplinary approach consisting of physical, psychological, and tumor-related assessments should be pursued. Because of increased incidence of cancer caused by demographic changes in Turkey and in the world, an increase in the burden of cancer in the population is expected. In the years to come, this expectation will also lead to an increase in cancer-related health expenses.

Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. Ebola virus (EBOV) is transmitted through contact with blood or body fluids of a person who contracted or died from EVD, contaminated objects like needles and infected animals or bush meat. EVD has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days, and the infection has an acute onset without any carrier status. Currently, there is no standard
treatment for EVD, so it is important to avoid infection or further spreading of the virus. Although historically the mortality of this infection exceeded 80%, modern medicine and public health measures have been able to lower this figure and reduce the impact of EBOV on individuals and communities. Its treatment involves early, aggressive supportive care with rehydration. Clinicians should consider the possibility of EVD in persons with travel or exposure history with the incubation period presenting constitutional symptoms in order to promptly identify diseased patients, and prevent further spreading of the disease.