Background and Objectives: The use of additional biomarkers to predict clinical course in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is becoming increasingly important. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) in patients with DKA without signs of infection and to investigate the relationship between the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) albumin ratio (CAR). Materials and Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 78 patients with DKA without infection who were treated in the Medical ICU between July 2022 and June 2024. The patients were divided into two groups: moderate DKA (Group 1) and severe DKA (Group 2). The patients’ IL-6 levels, peripheral blood inflammatory markers (CAR, NLR), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores, and the duration of ICU stay were recorded. Results: The median duration of stay in the ICU was 2.00 (1–6) days in group 1 and 3.00 (1–26) days in group 2 (p = 0.001). The mean pH, HCO₃, and CO₂ values in Group 1 were 7.20 ± 0.07, 13.58 ± 2.11 mEq/L, and 29.45 ± 6.27 mmHg, while the mean pH, HCO₃, and PCO₂ values in Group 2 were 7.01 ± 0.11, 7.11 ± 1.91 mEq/L, and 20.35 ± 4.91 mmHg (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). There was a strong positive correlation between IL-6 levels and the length of stay in the ICU (r = 0.813, p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a moderate positive correlation between the length of stay in the ICU with the severity of DKA (r = 0.475, p < 0.001), CAR (r = 0.336, p < 0.001), and NLR (r = 0.562, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Inflammatory markers such as NLR and CAR, and more specifically IL-6, were found to be associated with the clinical course and duration of stay in the ICU in patients with DKA.

Intracellular pH-regulatory mechanisms are acquired by growing mouse oocytes with meiotic competence, and these mechanisms become fully active when the oocytes develop to the germinal vesicle (GV) stage as shown in CF1 and Balb/c strains mice. On the other hand, there is some evidence showing that intracellular pH-regulatory mechanisms are inhibited at the stages of Metaphase I (MI) and II (MII) oocytes in the CF1 strain mouse and hamster. Since it has been shown that the intracellular pH regulatory mechanism can be functionally different among mouse strains (e.g., CF1, Balb/c), the aim of this study was to investigate the activity of HCO3-/Cl- exchanger (anion exchanger, AE), which protects cells against alkalosis during the meiotic maturation process, in the GV oocyte up to the pronuclear (PN) zygote derived from the Balb/c strain mouse. Intracellular pH (pHi) was recorded using a microspectrofluorometric technique during meiotic maturation stages. KSOM-based solutions were used as culture and recording solutions. AE activity was determined using a Cl- removal assay and was reported as the change in pHi per minute. AE activity was high in GV stage oocytes but was significantly inhibited at the MI and MII stages. AE activity was higher in the PN zygote stage. This activity was significantly inhibited in all oocyte and zygote stages by 4,4'-Diisocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid disodium salt. After alkalosis induction, the pHi of MI and MII stage oocytes did not completely recover; however, almost complete recovery occurred in the GV stage oocytes and PN zygotes. These results suggest that AE is inhibited during the meiotic maturation process in the Balb/c strain mouse.

A loxoscelism case received therapeutic apheresis and hyperbaric oxygen therapy

This study was conducted to investigate the sexual function status and related factors in women after contracting COVID-19. The study comprised 261 women who had been infected with COVID-19. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Female Sexual Function Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Sub-dimension scores for desire (3.80 ± 1.16, 3.66 ± 1.17), arousal (4.25 ± 1.40, 4.11 ± 1.41), orgasm (4.36 ± 1.25, 4.29 ± 1.26), and sexual satisfaction (4.50 ± 1.49, 4.40 ± 1.49) in women, as well as the Female Sexual Function Scale total score (26.50 ± 6.79, 26.00 ± 6.93), decreased following COVID-19 infection. Moreover, the frequency of weekly intercourse decreased (2.78 ± 0.90; 2.60 ± 0.92) compared to the pre-infection levels, and the frequency of sexual dysfunction increased (FSFI < 26 = 38.7%, 46.0%). In this study, advanced age, high body mass index (BMI) value, low education, income level, unemployment, smoking, lack of physical activity, anxiety, decreased coital frequency, and COVID-19 infection were identified as risk factors for sexual dysfunction. There was no significant relationship between the time elapsed after recovery from COVID-19 and sexual function. In conclusion, this research suggests that COVID-19 infection may lead to sexual dysfunction in women. Based on these research findings, health practitioners should assess the sexual health of female patients who have had COVID-19 infections, ensuring that women feel comfortable discussing their sexual health issues and referring them to appropriate treatment and counseling services when needed.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of nutritional status of the cancer patients in the palliative unit on some important outcomes such as mortality, hospitalization periods and survey.Methods: The study was carried out through a retrospective review of 65 cancer patients who were treated at the palliative care center. The age and gender of the patients, the type of cancer, the place where they are referred to the palliative unit (from home or from the hospital), from which unit they came from (oncology, intensive care unit, other services), the length of stay, how long they lived after discharge, how long each patient lived after the palliative unit hospitalization day and the NRS-2002 scores were recorded.Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the median hospital duration of the home-based patients and the median duration of hospital-based patients (11 [2-42] days versus 22 [2-180] days) (p = 0.001). The mean survival time of the home-based patients was median 87.5 (2-323) days, while this was 9 (2-104) days in hospital-based patients (p = 0.017). While 29.5% (n = 13/27) of the patients coming from the house died in the palliative care center, it was 70.5% in the patients taken from the hospital (p = 0.002). The NRS-2002 scores of the cancer patients who were followed up at the palliative unit were correlated with the age of the patients (r = 0.365, p = 0.003). Conclusions: We concluded that the patients who came to palliative care from home have better surveys than the ones came from the hospital.

Aim: This study aimed to determine menstrual cycle changes and anxiety levels in women with COVID-19 after recovery. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between 25 October 2021 and 27 February 2022 on 324 women who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and recovered at the Pandemic Outpatient Clinic of Kayseri City Training and Research Hospital. Study data were collected using a Personal Information Form, A Menstrual Symptom Scale, and a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Findings: Women's scores on the Menstrual Symptom Scale varied according to age, BMI, marital status, education level and time elapsed after COVID-19 recovery (p