Caner İnCekas

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of social media awareness of appearance and body image (BI) in accepting plastic surgery among nursing students with multicenter structural equation modeling. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between May 25, 2024, and June 30, 2024, with a total of 379 students at 2 universities (1 public and 1 private) located in metropolitan and rural areas of Türkiye. Data were collected with a sociodemographic questionnaire, Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery (ACS) Scale, BI Scale, and Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) Scale and then analyzed. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that ASMC exerted significant direct effects on the subdimensions of ACS (standardized β: ACS-Thoughts = −0.623, P < .001; ACS-Social = −0.270, P = .025; ACS-Personal = −0.613, P < .001). Bootstrap mediation analyses demonstrated that ASMC also produced significant indirect effects on ACS through BI (ACS-Thoughts: β = 1.051, 95% CI [0.585, 1.917], P < .001; ACS-Social: β = 0.809, 95% CI [0.428, 1.489], P < .001; ACS- Personal: β = 0.991, 95% CI [0.573, 1.750], P < .001). Appearance-related social media consciousness significantly predicted BI1, BI2, and BI4, whereas BI3 was nonsignificant, indicating that mediation primarily occurred through BI2 and BI4, while the contribution of other BI pathways was negligible. The model demonstrated acceptable fit indices (χ2/df = 2.91; Comparative Fit Index = 0.84; root mean square error of approximation = 0.071; standardized root mean square residual = 0.079), thereby supporting the partial mediation hypothesis. Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant influence of social media awareness on the ACS, partially mediated by BI, suggesting the need for educational interventions addressing media literacy and body perception among nursing students. Cite this article as: Budak Ertürk E, Avcı Işık S, Özbaş N, İncekaş C. Mediating role of social media and body image in nursing students’ cosmetic surgery acceptance: a multicenter structural equation modeling study. Arch Health Sci Res. 2026, 13, 0140, doi: 10.5152/ArcHealthSciRes.2026.25140.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a ketogenic diet on heart muscle and aortic tissue in rats. The ketogenic diet is well known for its metabolic advantages, including weight loss and improved glycemic control. However, what it does to the heart and blood vessel tissues directly, particularly from a microscopic perspective, is not well understood. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups and were maintained on standard diet or ketogenic diet containing 78.8% fat for two months. Regular monitoring was done for body weight and food intake. At the end of two months, heart and aorta tissues were fixed for light microscopic and transmission electron microscopic studies. Body weight increased in both groups over the study period. Rats receiving the ketogenic diet exhibited distinct structural and ultrastructural alterations in both cardiac and aortic tissues compared with controls. In the myocardium, capillary dilation, erythrocyte stasis, endothelial swelling, cytoplasmic vacuolization, and focal myofibrillar degeneration were observed. Aortic examination revealed focal intimal thickening, fragmentation of elastic lamellae, endothelial alterations, and structural changes in smooth muscle cells, histologically consistent with early vascular remodeling. A ketogenic diet induces structural alterations in cardiac muscle and aortic tissue in rats, even in the absence of overt metabolic disease. These findings suggest that ketogenic feeding may elicit subclinical cardiovascular tissue stress or adaptive remodeling. Evaluation of ketogenic diets should therefore consider not only systemic metabolic outcomes but also organ-specific structural effects, particularly with prolonged high-fat exposure.

Objective: Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy worldwide. Although neoadjuvant radiotherapy (nRT) improves local control in rectal cancer, it increases the risk of anastomotic leakage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to support wound healing. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of MSC therapy on anastomotic healing after nRT in a rat model.Material and Methods: Fifty-five Wistar Albino rats were allocated into four groups: control, nRT, nRT + local MSCs, and nRT + local + intraperitoneal MSCs. A single 12 Gy dose of radiotherapy was administered preoperatively to the nRT groups. Each rat received a total of approximately 1 × 10⁶ adipose-derived MSCs in 0.1 mL; in the local MSC group, the entire dose was administered subserosally to the anastomotic site, whereas in the combined group, half of the dose was administered locally and the remaining half intraperitoneally. Anastomotic healing was assessed using burst pressure (BP), histopathological evaluation, and biochemical analyses.Results: Rats receiving nRT demonstrated significant weight loss and lower BP values. In the MSC-treated groups, BP values were higher compared with the nRT-only group, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. Histopathological and biochemical parameters did not differ significantly among the groups. Notably, gross anastomotic separation was observed only in the nRT-only group, whereas no such separation was detected in the MSC-treated groups. Fluorescent imaging confirmed the presence of differentiated MSCs at the anastomotic site.Conclusion: Although MSC therapy did not result in statistically significant improvements in biochemical or histopathological parameters, the absence of gross anastomotic separation and the tendency toward higher burst pressure values suggest that MSCs may support local anastomotic healing after neoadjuvant radiotherapy. These findings indicate a potential role for MSC therapy as an adjunctive strategy, warranting further experimental and clinical investigation.

Background: The urinary calcium-to-citrate (Ca/Cit) ratio has emerged as a useful indicator of lithogenic risk in older children; however, no reference data exist for infants and toddlers. This study aimed to evaluate whether the spot Ca/Cit ratio can distinguish stone-forming from non–stone-forming children under 24 months of age and to assess its diagnostic performance compared with conventional urinary markers. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 181 children aged 1–24 months who underwent metabolic evaluation and ultrasonography at their first presentation to a tertiary pediatric nephrology clinic between 2012 and 2024. Based on urinary calcium excretion and ultrasonographic findings, participants were categorized as normocalciuric stone-free controls ( n = 57), hypercalciuric stone-formers ( n = 29), or non-hypercalciuric stone-formers ( n = 95). Spot urine calcium, citrate, and related biochemical ratios were analyzed. The diagnostic accuracy of the Ca/Cit ratio for predicting stones was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: The Ca/Cit ratio differed significantly across groups, with the highest levels observed in hypercalciuric stone-formers (0.46 mg/mg) compared with controls (0.17 mg/mg; p < 0.001) and non-hypercalciuric stone-formers (0.31 mg/mg; p < 0.001). A Ca/Cit threshold > 0.23 mg/mg (≈ 1.10 mmol/mmol) demonstrated moderate diagnostic ability for stone detection (AUC 0.695; 95% CI 0.613–0.785), yielding 66.1% sensitivity and 63.2% specificity. Age showed no meaningful correlation with Ca/Cit values. Normocalciuric stone-free children provided an age-appropriate reference distribution for Ca/Cit ratios. Conclusions: In infants and toddlers evaluated for suspected urinary stone disease, the Ca/Cit ratio offers moderate discriminatory power and may serve as a practical adjunctive marker of stone risk. A ratio > 0.23 mg/mg (≈ 1.10 mmol/mmol) appears to indicate increased lithogenic potential. Larger prospective studies are needed to validate reference intervals and refine clinically applicable cut-off values for this young age group.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis worldwide, and the knee joint is the most frequently affected site. It is a chronic degenerative disease of weight-bearing joints characterized by cartilage destruction, osteophyte formation, and subchondral sclerosis. This study aimed to examine pain, range of motion (ROM), and balance parameters in individuals with early and advanced stage knee OA, to evaluate the relationships among these variables, and to compare differences between the groups. A total of 128 patients aged 40–65 years who were diagnosed with knee OA according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and classified using the Kellgren–Lawrence grading system were included. Patients were divided into early-stage (grades 1–2; mean age: 57.5±0.83 years; BMI: 30.8±0.53 kg/m²) and advanced-stage (grades 3–4; mean age: 59.05±0.74 years; BMI: 31.07±0.57 kg/m²) groups. Knee ROM was assessed by goniometric measurement, pain level at rest and during activity by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and static and dynamic balance by the Kinesthetic Ability Trainer 3000 (KAT3000). Significant differences were found between the early and advanced OA groups: the advanced OA group exhibited lower knee flexion angles, static balance scores, and dynamic balance scores, and higher pain severity (p<0.001). In early-stage patients, a weak positive correlation was found between resting VAS scores and static balance (p<0.05, r=0.252). In advanced stages, weak positive correlations were observed between resting VAS scores and static balance (p<0.05, r=0.360) and dynamic balance (p<0.05, r=0.363). The relationship between ROM and balance was weakly negative in early stages (static: r = -0.348, p = 0.005; dynamic: r = –0.337, p = 0.006) and moderately negative in advanced stages (static: r = -0.548, p < 0.001; dynamic: r = -0.652, p < 0.001). With increasing OA severity, ROM decreases, balance deteriorates, and pain intensity rises. These findings suggest that ROM and pain parameters may serve as predictors of balance impairments in knee OA.

This 18-year retrospective analysis of pediatric odontogenic cysts reviewed characteristics, treatment approaches, and associated risks, including root canal treatment (RCT) and tooth extraction. The clinical records of patients treated for odontogenic cysts between 2005 and 2023 included demographics, symptoms, radiographic findings, cyst size and location, histopathological diagnoses, treatment methods, and follow-up results were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with significance set at p < 0.05. Among the 97 patient records analyzed, there were 43 females (44%), and 54 males (56%) with a mean age of 13.32 ± 3.55. The histopathological diagnosis were dentigerous cysts (n = 58, 60%), followed by radicular cysts (n = 28, 29%) and odontogenic keratocysts (n = 9, 9%), mainly in the posterior mandible. Root canal treatment (RCT) was performed in 18% of the patients, and 72% underwent extraction of at least one permanent tooth. The need for RCT and extraction was higher in larger cysts significantly (p = 0.013). The recurrence rate was low, occurring in 3.1% of with two cases of dentigerous cysts and one odontogenic keratocyst recurring, with an average follow-up of 46 months. The findings suggest that mandibular posterior cysts in the pediatric population often needed tooth extraction, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis by radiographic screening to prevent complications. There is a need for multi-center collaboration and national registries for development of protocols and uniform treatment guidelines in pediatric population.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare physiotherapy and rehabilitation students’ opinions on anatomy education at different undergraduate stages and reveal differences in awareness. Material and Methods: This study was carried out on Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Term 1 (n=51) and Term 4 (n=58) students. Students' opinions about anatomy education were recorded with a Google Forms questionnaire, and the data was compared. Results: 86.27% of Term I and 79.31% of Term IV students in the study stated they preferred the physiotherapy and rehabilitation department willingly. The proportion of Term I students who strongly agreed with the statement ‘It is sufficient to have anatomy education only in the first year’ was higher than that of Term IV students (p

Purpose To evaluate choroidal and retinal ultrastructural and microvascular changes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their association with RA disease activity. Method This case–control study included 32 people with RA and 34 healthy people who were matched in terms of age and sex. Participants underwent retinal and choroidal imaging with swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). Choroidal thickness (CT), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and vessel density (VD) were calculated and compared between patient and control groups. Results Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and temporal parafoveal choroidal thickness were significantly thicker in patients than controls (p = 0.028, p = 0.045, p = 0.028, p = 0.010). CVI was significantly lower in patients than controls (p = 0.010). FAZ and VD were not different between control and patient groups (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion Our study showed increased SFCT and temporal CT, and decreased CVI in RA patients. While no statistically significant difference was found in FAZ and VD values, a trend toward lower VD values was observed in RA patients compared to the control group. Longitudinal evaluation using OCT and OCTA could contribute to elucidating the progression of retinal and choroidal alterations in RA and their potential effect on visual function.

Amaç: Reaksiyon zamanı, dış ortamdan gelen uyarı ile bu uyarıya karşı verilen motor cevap arasında geçen süre olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Bireyin mental ve bedensel yorgunluk düzeyinin, kişinin ani uyaranları algılama ve buna karşılık bir cevap oluşturma becerilerinde önemli bir etken olduğu ve bu etkenlerin bireyin motor kabiliyetleri üzerindeki önemi çeşitli çalışmalarda vurgulanmıştır. Reaksiyon zamanını olumsuz yönde etkileyen birçok etken vardır. Bunlardan biri de kas yorgunluğudur. Kas yorgunluğu günlük aktivitelerimizde veya spor faaliyetleri sonrası sıklıkla karşılaştığımız istenmeyen fizyolojik bir durumdur. Çalışmanın amacı gerek mental gerek bedensel yorgunluğun, kişinin motor kabiliyetleri ve reaksiyon zamanı üzerindeki etkilerinin tespit edilmesidir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi Dönem I ve II olarak toplam 34 öğrencinin katılımıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Tüm katılımcılardan gerek reaksiyon zamanına ilişkin ölçümler gerekse parmak vuru testi, protez laboratuvarına girmeden önce ve gün sonunda laboratuvar çalışması sona erdikten sonra iki kez alınmış ve sonuçlar önce ve sonra olacak şekilde karşılaştırılmıştır. Görsel, işitsel reaksiyon zamanları ve Parmak vuru testi bilgisayar tabanlı bir test kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Katılımcıların yorgunluk düzeyleri Piper Yorgunluk Ölçeği ile değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Alınan sonuçlara göre tüm katılımcılarda yorgunluk düzeyi arttıkça basit, seçkili görsel ve işitsel reaksiyon zamanlarının uzadığı tespit edilmiştir. Tüm katılımcılarda yorgunluk düzeyi arttıkça parmak vuru sayısının azaldığı tespit edilmiştir. Cinsiyetlere göre yorgunluk düzeyi arttıkça basit görsel (p=0,810), seçkili görsel (p=0,548), işitsel reaksiyon zamanında (p=0,317) ve parmak vuru sayısında (p=0,297) anlamlı fark tespit edilememiştir. Sonuç: Uzun süreli yoğun pratik uygulamaların yorgunluk düzeylerini artırdığını ve bunun sonucunda reaksiyon zamanının uzadığı ve motor performansın azaldığını göstermektedir.