AIM:To evaluate seven patients with non-traumatic splenic rupture (NSR). NSR is an uncommon dramatic abdominal emergency that requires immediate diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment to ensure the patient's survival. METHODS: Within 11 years, seven cases were evaluated for patient characteristics, anamnesis and symptoms, method of diagnosis, findings of laparotomy, and etiology of NSR. RESULTS: There were six (86%) male and one female (14%) patient, whose mean age was 36 ± 12.8 (17-56) years. We report here four cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria (cases Ⅰ-Ⅳ), one case of hemodialysis (case Ⅴ), one case of spontaneous splenic rupture (case Ⅵ), and one case of hairy cell leukemia (case Ⅶ). Splenectomy was performed in all patients. All of them made an uneventful recovery and were discharged in stable condition. CONCLUSION: NSR is a rare entity that needs a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. Using ultrasonography or computer tomography, and peritoneal aspiration of fresh blood may assist in the diagnosis of NSR. Increased awareness of NSR can enhance early diagnosis and effective treatment.

The corpus callosum (CC) is a major anatomical and functional commissure linking the two cerebral hemispheres. With MR imaging in the sagittal plane, the corpus callosum can be depicted in great detail. Mid-sagittal magnetic resonance images of 80 normal individuals were analyzed to assess whether or not the morphology of the corpus callosum and its parts are related to sex and handedness. The subjects were 40 males (20 right-handers and 20 left-handers) and 40 females (20 right-handers and 20 left-handers). The midsagittal area of the corpus callosum was divided into seven sub-areas using Witelson's method. The most striking morphological changes concerned left-handers, who had larger areas of the anterior body, posterior body and isthmus than right-handers. In addition, right-handed males had larger rostrums and isthmuses than right-handed females. These significantly increased areas were related to handedness in right-handed males. However, left-handed males had larger anterior and posterior bodies than right-handed males. In contrast, there was no significant difference between left-handers and right-handers in females. The areas of the rostrum and posterior body of the corpus callosum increased significantly with sex in males. Moreover, there were no significant age-related changes in the total corpus callosum and sub-areas of the corpus callosum. In conclusion, these anatomical changes in corpus callosum morphology require taking the sexual definition and dominant handedness into consideration.

PurposeIn this study, visitors' attitudes and behavioural intentions towards camping/glamping tourism in Turkey during the pandemic were investigated using the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The model has been extended to include constructs such as risk perception and risk aversion attitudes that stem from COVID-19 to predict visitors' attitudes and behavioural intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected through an online questionnaire from 432 participants who have experience and interest in camping/glamping tourism in Turkey. The responses were analysed using the structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsThe findings show that besides the basic TPB structures, other added variables also significantly affect visitors' attitudes and intentions. Moreover, it has been observed that the risk perception and risk aversion attitude derived from COVID-19 increase negative emotions in visitors and decreased behavioural intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of the study are discussed for future research as well as its academic and practical implications.Originality/valueThis theoretical expansion is thought to increase the theory's predictive power in predicting visitors' behaviour during the pandemic.

This study was designed to determine the effect of L-arginine on hypoxia inducible factor alpha (HIF-1 α) and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) levels considered to be involved in the development of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Unilaterally nephrectomized Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 60 minutes of left renal ischemia followed by 45 minutes of reperfusion. Group 1 were sham-operated animals; group 2, I-R/Untreated animals; and group 3, I-R/L-Arg-treated animals. Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and kidney malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined as well as examining the kidneys histologically. The treatment of rats with L-Arg produced a significant reduction in the levels of BUN, creatinine, MDA, and histopathological score compared to renal I/R groups. The Shh expression in the tubulus epithelia were intensely increased in the I-R/L-Arg group when compared to that of the Sham-control and the I-R/ untreated groups. Additionally, the HIF-1α expression in the tubulus epithelia and the interstitial spaces were intensely increased in the I-R/L-Arg group. These findings suggest that NO reduces the renal dysfunction associated with I/R of the kidney and may act as a trigger to induce Shh and HIF-1 activity.

Balo’s concentric sclerosis (BCS) is a rare monophasic demyelinating disease known as multiple sclerosis subtype and seen as a round lesion with variable hyper and hypo-detoxification layers. Characteristic appearance can be seen as “bulb eye” or “onion bulb”. The initial terminology for this neurological disorder was leukoencephalitis periaxialis concentrica; this is defined as a disease in which the white matter of the brain is destroyed in concentric layers in such a way as to leave the axial cylinders intact. This report presents a case of BCS with spontaneous healing of the patient and a mass lesion with concentric rings adjacent to the left lateral ventricle and the posterior portion of the corpus callosum with peripheral vasogenic edema. The neurological lesion of the patient was similar to the magnetic resonance imaging and clinical findings of the BCS.