New wound protection for rabbits

Rabbits are the experimental animals of choice in many studies including flaps, wounds, and topical trials for new pharmacological agents. Because the topical drugs and other materials used for dressing are irritating to the animal, they tend to remove dressings, bandages, drapes, insensate flaps, and also topical drugs by scratching, licking, and biting if they are within the reach of the animal. In this study, we report an easy to prepare, user-friendly, comfortable, and cheap dressing protector called a dressing shield to prevent these problems.     

Relationship of olfactory function with olfactory bulbus volume,disease duration and Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale scores in patients with early stage of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease

We aimed to investigate the relationship between olfactory function and olfactory bulbus (OB) volume, disease duration and Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) scores in early stage idiopathic Parkinson’s disease patients. The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was used for the evaluation of olfactory function. UPSIT scores for patients with Parkinson’s disease were significantly lower than controls. There was no significant difference between stage 1 and stage 2 patients. OB volumes were higher in stage 1 and 2 patients than controls, but there was no statistical difference between the three groups. No significant correlation was found between UPSIT and UPDRS total scores, nor between UPSIT scores and disease duration in stage 1 and 2 patients. According to our results, we propose UPSIT be used as a screening test to diagnose presymptomatic patients, but not OB volumes.     

An anatomical variation of the thoracodorsal artery with comments on flaps based on the axillary artery

Summary A rare variation of the axillary artery is presented. On routine anatomical dissection in one male cadaver the thoracodorsal artery was found to originate from the acromiothoracic artery independently from the circumflex scapular artery. Numerous flaps based on the branches of the axillary artery have been described. As a result of this case, and a review of the literature to gain further knowledge of anatomical variations, it is advised that preoperative angiography is indicated prior to utilizing flaps from this area.     

Management of airway obstruction in a severe case of juvenile hyaline fibromatosis

Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis (JHF) is an extremely rare, genetic disease with unknown etiology. It is characterized by cutaneous nodules and flexural joint contractures, along with hypertrophy of the gingival and oral mucosa, which is probably the most striking and morbidity-related feature of the disease. An advanced case of JHF with prominent growth retardation, recurrent respiratory tract infections, and impending upper respiratory tract obstruction due to severe hypertrophy of the oral mucosa and gingiva is presented. Surgical excision of the hypertrophic oral mucosa and cutaneous nodules in the scalp was performed. No major recurrence of the mucosal lesions was observed at the first postoperative year.     

Public opinions and beliefs about the treatment of depression in urban Turkey

Background Although attitudes towards psychiatric illness influence its presentation, detection, recognition, treatment adherence and rehabilitation, the lay public's opinions and beliefs about the treatment of depression have not been investigated sufficiently. Objective The aim of this study was to determine public opinions and beliefs about the treatment of depression and the influence of perception and causal attributions on attitudes towards treatment of depression in urban areas. Methods This study was carried out with a representative sample in Istanbul, which is the biggest metropolis in Turkey. Seven hundred and seven subjects completed the public survey form which consisted of 32 items rating attitudes towards depression. Results The public believes that psychological and social interventions are more effective than pharmacotherapy, and that the medicines used in treatment of depression are harmful and addictive. There was a general reluctance to consult a physician for depression, and psychiatrists were felt to be more helpful than general practitioners. The public viewed depression as treatable. A high educational level and perceiving depression as a disease is associated with positive beliefs and opinions about the treatment of depression; but the perception of depressive patients as aggressive is associated with negative beliefs and opinions about the treatment of depression. Conclusion The beliefs that “psychological and social interventions are more effective than pharmacotherapy” and “antidepressants are harmful and addictive” must specifically be taken into account in clinical practice and in anti-stigma campaigns. Additional studies are needed to understand the public's tendency to conceptualise depression as a psychosocial problem. In clinical practice, depression should be introduced as a bio-psychosocial disease whatever its cause: biological, psychological or social. In addition, the differences between extreme worry and disease, and the lack of aggressiveness of depressive patients, must be emphasised.     

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia: prevalance and clinical correlates

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) have been observed in a substantial proportion of schizophrenic patients. In this study, the rate of occurrence of OCS and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in schizophrenic patients, and also the interrelationship between OCS and schizophrenic symptoms and depressive symptoms were assessed. A total of 100 subjects with a diagnosis of schizophrenia from the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) were evaluated by the structured and clinical interview for axis-1 DSM-IV disorders-patient edition (SCID-P), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and the Calgary Depression Rating Scale for Schizophrenia. The prevalance of OCS in individuals meeting criteria for schizophrenia was 64%. A total of 30 of these patients (Y-BOCS total score > or =7) also met the DSM-IV criteria for OCD. The total score on Y-BOCS was significantly correlated with total score on PANSS, Positive-PANSS score, General-PANSS score and total score on Calgary Depression Rating Scale for Schizophrenia. OCS and OCD relatively frequent in schizophrenic patients and OCS are significantly correlated with the severity of psychosis, positive symptoms, and depressive symptoms in schizophrenic patients. These findings provide further evidence for the importance of OCS in schizophrenia.