The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak spread to over 100 countries with a total of 100,000 cases during the first week of March 2020. Health care workers, as those on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, are more susceptible to infection. Inadequate related knowledge and preventive behaviors among health care workers might lead to delayed treatment and result in the rapid spread of the infection. Therefore, this study evaluated the knowledge of health care workers with regard to COVID-19. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 10–18, 2020. Participants were general practitioners, specialists, and nurses working at the forefront of the pandemic. Their knowledge, preventive behaviors, and risk perceptions concerning COVID-19 were evaluated using an online questionnaire created by our medical specialists. The questionnaire consisted of 29, 5, and 4 items about COVID-19 knowledge, preventive behaviors, and risk perceptions, respectively. A total of 251 health care workers completed the questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 33.88±8.72 years old, and the sample consisted of 68 males (27.08%) and 183 females (72.91%). While there was no difference between the percentage of correct answers given by female and male participants to knowledge-based questions (p>0.05), the percentage of correct answers to the questions on preventive behaviors was significantly higher in female participants than in males (p<0.001). The overall average percentages of correct responses were 91.66% for knowledge-based questions and 85.96% for preventive behavior questions. The scores for knowledge-based questions were higher for medical specialists, whereas nurses scored higher on preventive behavior questions. Government hospital staff showed a significant difference in preventive behaviors compared to that of university hospitals (p<0.05). In addition, there was a positive correlation between knowledge scores and preventive behaviors. Although all the participants (100%) knew that contracting COVID-19 can lead to death, only 66.93% of them were willing to get vaccinated themselves. The knowledge level of health care workers concerning COVID-19 was above 90%, but the level of competence in terms of preventive behaviors was found to be low, especially in males.

Background: During the postmenopausal period, hot flashes are frequent symptoms and might impact quality of life. Vitamin D deficiency is commonly seen in this period. This study aims to assess the association between vitamin D deficiency and hot flashes. Methods: Two hundred ten postmenopausal women were recruited. The participants were divided into two groups: Group 1 consisted of postmenopausal women with hot flashes (n = 104), and Group 2 included the participants without hot flashes (n = 106). Results: The comparison of the two groups concerning vitamin D level showed that 52 patients Group 1 had vitamin 25(OH)D levels below 20 ng/mL, whereas only 25 patients in Group 2 (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and menopause duration, there was also a significant difference between groups (21.65 vs. 34.17, respectively, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, one unit decrease of vitamin 25(OH)D (1 - 0.941 = 0.059) increased the risk of hot flashes by 5.9%. Conclusions: The decreases of vitamin D levels were significantly associated with hot flashes in postmenopausal women independent of age and menopause duration.

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome display increased levels of anti-Müllerian hormone. Frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) prevents ovarian hyperstimulation and results in better pregnancy outcome in PCOS patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of serum AMH levels on the pregnancy outcome of FET cycles in PCOS patients. 110 infertile women with PCOS who were recommended for embryo cryopreservation followed by FET. The patients’ AMH levels were evaluated, and the age-related AMH percentiles were determined. The patients were then grouped according to AMH percentiles, namely, 75th–90th percentile (Group 1) and higher than the 90th percentile (Group 2). A total of 110 PCOS patients who conceived in Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)-In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF) cycles were included in this study. The preterm delivery rates in FET cycles were higher in the group of PCOS patients with AMH levels greater than the 90th percentile than in patients in the 75th–90th percentile group (50% vs 28.8%, p = .024). In conclusion, PCOS patients with AMH levels higher than the 90^th percentile had substantially higher preterm delivery rates than those with AMH levels at the 75^th–90^th percentile, suggesting the need for closer follow-up. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms behind this correlation.

In cytoreductive surgery for gynecological cancers, 13-25% of patients require splenectomy. Therefore, hematological parameters change in the post-splenectomy period, especially leucocytosis and thrombocytosis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the changing of leucocyte and neutrophil between the groups with and without infection in the early postoperative period in patients who underwent splenectomy during cytoreductive surgery for gynecological cancer. This retrospective study included 96 patients who underwent splenectomy during cytoreductive surgery for gynecological malignancies. Leukocyte levels, CRP, procalcitonin, and platelet counts were recorded daily during the first five postoperative days. Postoperative infections were identified based on clinical and laboratory findings. Postoperative infection was observed in 23 patients (24.0%). On postoperative day 4, the mean leukocyte count was 13.2±4.5 ×10³/µL in infected patients vs. 9.8±3.2 ×10³/µL in non-infected patients (p=0.01). By day 5, leukocyte levels remained significantly elevated in the infection group (p<0.05). Leukocyte trends, especially between days 4 and 5, may serve as a practical marker for early postoperative infection in patients undergoing splenectomy during cytoreductive surgery.