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Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Carboplatin and cisplatin based regimens are used in the treatment of NSCLC. The aim of the study was to find out whether there is a difference in white matter (WM) changes between two platinum-based chemotherapy agents using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

The current status of bryozoan species distributed along the coast of Türkiye was revised, and an updated checklist including 185 species (24 cyclostomatids, 20 ctenostomatids, and 141 cheilostomatids) was presented. Cheilostomes largely prevail (141 species, 87 genera, and 50 families), followed by cyclostomes (24 species, 15 genera, and nine families) and ctenostomes (20 species, nine genera, and eight families) in the bryozoan fauna of Türkiye. The distribution of species and genera highlights the Aegean Sea as the most diverse, hosting 146 species. In this study, Hornera frondiculata (Lamarck, 1816), Amathia verticillata (delle Chiaje, 1822), Bugulina fulva (Ryland, 1960), Tricellaria inopinata d'Hondt and Occhipinti-Ambrogi, 1985, Parasmittina egyptiaca (Waters, 1909), Watersipora arcuata Banta, 1969, Watersipora subtorquata (d'Orbigny, 1852), Celleporaria aperta (Hincks, 1882), and Rhynchozoon neapolitanum Gautier, 1962 were recorded after the first checklist was prepared for the coasts of Türkiye. A total of eight alien species, mainly introduced via shipping and the Suez Canal, were reported in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study targeted to determine the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of essential oils Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Vitis vinifera, Allium cepa and Sesamum indicum. Total phenolic content was measured by Folin-Ciocalteu assays. The antioxidant potential of the tested extracts was evaluated using DPPH, CUPRAC and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays. The total phenolic compounds in essential oils varied widely, ranging from 80.26±0.007 μg GAE/mL to 268.20±0.008 μg GAE/mL. Cinnamon oil exhibited higher DPPH scavenging activity and CUPRAC activity. This study revealed that essential oils of C. zeylanicum, V. vinifera, A. cepa and S. indicum are good sources of natural antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disorder characterized by thickening of the heart muscle and may have serious consequences. Diversity in the distribution and degree of hypertrophy has led to the classification of HCM types. Cardiac MR (CMR) imaging is a non-invasive tool that maintains accurate and detailed data about cardiac functions and structure. The aim of the study was to observe and compare the CMR characteristics of the three HCM morphologic types (asymmetric, concentric, and apical). Materials and Methods: 56 patients (female/male: 29/58, mean age 46.31±15.12, body surface area (BSA) 1.88±0.19 m2) who were referred for HCM diagnosis or follow-up between January 2021 and January 2023 were included in this single-center retrospective study. The imaging procedure was conducted using a 1.5 T device (Aera, Siemens Medical Systems, Erlangen, Germany). Cardiac volume and functions were determined quantitatively. The location and amount of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were evaluated qualitatively. The statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 25.0. A p value under 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Late gadolinium enhancement revealed myocardial fibrosis in apical HCM (ApHCM), with a higher prevalence than in asymmetric and concentric HCM. Apical HCM and asymmetric HCM patients widely presented midmyocardial fibrosis, whereas most concentric HCM patients had patchy involvement. The mean native myocardial T1 values for individuals with concentric HCM were found to be higher compared to those with asymmetric and ApHCM and the healthy participants. Conclusion: Cardiac MR imaging enables the multiparametric evaluation of HCM through the utilization of native T1 and T2 mapping techniques, as well as LGE. Both T1 and T2 values have the potential to be used in conjunction with LGE to identify regions of myocardial fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in transcatheter procedures, the use of bioprosthetic valves has become more frequent in clinical practice. However, the optimal antithrombotic management of patients with bioprosthetic valves remains controversial. In this case report, we describe a patient with a bioprosthetic aortic valve who developed a thrombus while receiving effective dose direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy. A 73‐year‐old male patient with a bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement 2 years prior presented with a mobile thrombus and early degeneration of the valve, detected during routine follow‐up while being treated with apixaban. Although the valve thrombus regressed after switching to a different anticoagulant drug, we observed that the decreased but still high gradient persisted due to the early degeneration. Anticoagulant management of bioprosthetic valve patients demands careful attention. Although evidence supporting the use of DOACs is growing, close patient follow‐up and further evaluation in case of doubt remain critical. The development of a thrombus in a bioprosthetic valve patient who is receiving anticoagulation therapy, as in this case, highlights the need for optimal management to prevent thromboembolic complications and valve degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a progressive form of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Patients with CLI have poor long-term prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of sarcopenia in terms of 1-year mortality in patients with below-the-knee lesions who underwent endovascular treatment for CLI. Methods: A total of 190 patients with critical limb ischemia who underwent endovascular treatment (EVT) for below-the-knee (BTK) lesions were enrolled in this study. Sarcopenia was defined using the psoas muscle index (PMI). PMI was obtained by calculating the average psoas muscle area (APMA) of the left and right psoas muscles at the third lumbar vertebra level and dividing by the square of the height (cm2/m2). The primary endpoint of the study was 1-year mortality and the secondary endpoint was 1-year amputation. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to presence of sarcopenia. Results: We detected sarcopenia in 64 patients. The mean age, height, and EF were higher in sarcopenia group. The psoas muscle area, weight, psoas muscle index, body-mass index, albumin level, and GFR were lower in sarcopenia group. The incidence of amputation (11.9% vs 29.7%, p = 0.003) and mortality (15.1% vs 35.9%, p = 0.001) were higher in patients with sarcopenia. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent predictors of amputation and mortality. The survival curve for 1-year using the sarcopenia was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method, and statistical analysis was performed with the log-rank test. The presence of sarcopenia, glomerular filtration rate level, and low ejection fraction were found to be independent predictors of mortality. Conclusions: Sarcopenia was associated with 1-year mortality in patients with CLI undergoing EVT for BTK lesions. Also, patients with sacropenia had higher 1-year amputation rates. Sarcopenia may be a simple method to help patient selection, assessment, and intervention strategy for EVT and may improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of petroleum-based fuels in air transport and the increase in oil prices over the years have increased fuel costs. Due to this increase, fuel manufacturers and airline companies have started to search for alternative fuels. Since aviation has an important place in the transportation sector, biomass has the greatest potential in the search for renewable energy sources. Biological substances of plant and animal origin and containing carbon compounds are energy sources, and the fuels produced from them are called biofuels. Biofuels are an important source of sustainable energy, which greatly reduces the greenhouse gas effect, improves weather conditions, reduces dependence on oil produced from fossil fuels, and is important for new markets. The nettle seed oil used in the current study was purchased from the local market and was obtained using the cold-pressing method at low temperatures. After the completion of the transesterification process, a two-phase mixture consisting of biofuel-glycerin was obtained, and the upper phase containing fatty acids was taken and transferred to a clean tube. After the final washing processes, bio jet fuel was obtained by adding chemicals at certain rates. The analysis of the obtained fuel was conducted at the Tubitak Marmara Research Centre. When the report was evaluated and compared with international standards, consistent results were obtained. It can be predicted that sustainable fuels can replace fossil fuels in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is related with structural and pathologic changes in the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV). The aim of this study was to explore the association between LA mechanics and LV characteristics in patients with HCM using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT). Material and methods: A total of 76 patients with HCM and 26 healthy controls were included in the study. The parameters including the extent of LV late gadolinium enhancement (LGE-%) and the LV early diastolic longitudinal strain rate (edLSR) were assessed for LV. LA conduit, booster, and reservoir functions were assessed by LA fractional volumes and strain analyses using CMR-FT. HCM patients were classified as HCM patients without LGE, with mild LGE-% (0% < LGE-% ≥ 10%), and prominent LGE-% (10% < LGE-%). Results: HCM patients had worse LA functions compared with the controls (p < 0.05). The majority of LA functional indices were more impaired in HCM patients with regard to LGE. LA volumes were higher in HCM patients with prominent LGE-% compared with HCM patients with mild LGE-% (p < 0.05). However, only a minority of LA functional parameters differed between the 2 groups. LA strain parameters showed weak to modest correlations with LV LGE-% and LV edLSR. Conclusions: LV characteristics, to some extent, influence LA mechanics, but they might not be the only factor inducing LA dysfunction in patients with HCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research aimed to reveal antibacterial and antioxidant properties of acetone and ethyl acetate extracts of Phlomis armeniaca, Echinophora tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana and Moringa oleifera plants obtained from herbalists in Gaziantep. Extracts of P. armeniaca, E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana and M. oleifera plants have antibacterial effect at varying degrees against test bacteria. Both ethyl acetate and acetone extracts of P. armeniaca plant exhibited higher antibacterial activity than studied other plant extracts. It was also found that the antioxidant activity increased with increasing concentrations. Since antioxidant and antibacterial activities were observed in almost all of the tested plant extracts, it was concluded that P. armeniaca, E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana and M. oleifera plants could be natural sources of antioxidant and antibacterial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study, we investigated phenolic content and antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of thyme, turmeric, propolis and their mixtures. The highest and the lowest phenolic contents were found in ethyl acetate extract of propolis (214.94±0.023 μg GAE/mL) and dichloromethane extract of thyme (21.02±0.013 μg GAE/mL). Total antioxidant capacity of ethyl acetate extracts ranges from 127.15±0.031 μg AAE/mL and 232.2±0.028 μg AAE/mL; dichloromethane extracts ranges from 61.6±0.019 μg AAE/mL and 159.95±0.035 μg AAE/mL. CUPRAC activity and DPPH radical scavenging activity of ethyl acetate extracts are higher than dichloromethane extracts. According to the obtained results, it can be said that propolis, thyme and turmeric could be an alternative to synthetic antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In children with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), hamartomatous lesions called FASI (focal areas of signal intensity) on brain MRI are common. The relationship between neurocognitive functions and the presence of cerebellar FASI in NF1 children is a controversial issue. Our aim in this study is to investigate whether there is a difference in fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values in children with NF1 with and without cerebellum FASI, and to analyze its effect on neurocognitive functions. Twenty-seven patients children were assessed using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and MRI. According to MRI features, we classified children with NF1 as group 1 with FASI (n=14) in the cerebellum, group 2 without FASI (n=13). The WISC-R scale (a revised form of the Wechsler intelligence scale for children) was used to analyze cognitive functions. MD and FA values were measured from cerebellar FASI and white matter. The relationship between neurocognitive function test scores and FA and MD values was investigated. There was a significant difference between group 1 and group 2 in terms of MD and FA values of the cerebellum. Verbal and performance test scores were lower in group 1 and group 2. The MD values obtained from the cerebellum were positively correlated with the full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ), Verbal IQ, and Performance IQ. There was a significant difference between group 1 and group 2 in terms of information, vocabulary, digit span, picture arrangement. DTI changes in the cerebellum are associated with demyelination and loss of axonal integrity in the white matter pathways responsible for some neurocognitive functions. We think that the presence of cerebellar FASI in children with NF1 does not contribute to the severity of neurocognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels are fuels of biological origin, and they are among the prominent energy sources from renewable energy sources in recent years. Unlike fuels such as petroleum derivatives, coal, natural gas, biofuels are renewable and sustainable energy sources. Biofuels can be obtained by thermochemical or biochemical methods from agricultural and forestry products, animal and vegetable residues and wastes, organic origin domestic, industrial and urban wastes. Global warming caused by greenhouse gas effect is today shown as the most important common environmental problem in the world. The most important advantage of using biofuels in environmental terms is that there will be a reduction of greenhouse gas impact and acid rain. In this study, it is aimed to produce and characterize jet fuel by converting from pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seed oil, which is a sustainable bio energy source, into biofuel, by transesterification method. It has an important place in matters such as environment, sustainability, and reduction of carbon emissions. Biojet fuel produced using pumpkin seed oil, which is a sustainable resource, is a candidate product for development and commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Inula belongs to family Asteraceae and it is medicinally important because it possesses cytotoxic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this research was to explore antioxidant and anti-urease activities of fifteen Inula taxa in Turkey. Ethanol extracts of Inula taxa were obtained by Soxhlet extraction. Antioxidant activity was determined through total antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and copper reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) analyses. The highest total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity were found in I. orientalis (158.54±0.002 µg GAE/mL) and I. macrocephala (189.16±0.002 µg AAE/mL). CUPRAC activity increases with the increasing concentration of the extracts and the standard. Moreover, all the tested plants exhibited better anti-urease activity than standard thiourea except for I. anatolica and I. thapsoides subsp. thapsoides. Results obtained from this study demonstrate that Inula species might be utilized as a probable natural source in the pharmaceutical and food industries but further and more specific studies are needed to determine active antioxidative and anti-urease compounds in the extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygenated fuel additives are added to gasoline in order to reduce the gases released from vehicle engines, to increase the octane number, and to expand the use of renewable resources. In this study, molecular and geometric analysis of oxygenated fuel additives was conducted theoretically and the energy values of optimized structures were calculated. The effect of molecular energy and the bond structure between C, H and O on the chemical and physical properties of some oxygen fuel additives were investigated. The obtained results will form the basis for future studies in obtaining more environmentally friendly fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica oleracea var. acephala and Ornithogalum umbellatum are two plant species which belong Brassicaceae and Liliaceae, respectively. Both of them are used as food and medicinally. O. umbellatum is used as anticancer, diuretic anti anti emetic. B. oleracea var. acephala is used for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers and preventing some cancer forms such as stomach cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer. The aim of this research was to search antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities and FT-IR analyses of ethanol extracts of stem and flower parts of B. oleracea var. acephala and O. umbellatum. Extracts were obtained by Soxhlet extraction. Ethanol extracts of B. oleracea var. acephala showed higher antibacterial activity than ethanol extracts of O. umbellatum. The most effective antifungal extract was ethanol extract of flower part of O. umbellatum against the fungi Candida. tropicalis and Candida. parapsilosis. Antioxidant activity of the extracts were also studied. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found in flower part of B. oleracea var. acephala as 50.7±0.007 μg GAE/mL and stem part of O. umbellatum as 81.37±0.006 μg CE/mL, respectively. BHT which used as standard antioxidant had higher total antioxidant activity than tested ethanol extracts. DPPH activity of the extracts increased in the following order: Flower part of B. oleracea var. acephala> Stem part of O. umbellatum> Flower part of O. umbellatum> Stem part of B. oleracea var. acephala. These results which obtained from this study demonstrate that B. oleracea var. acephala and O. umbellatum species might be utilized as an alternative to synthetic antioxidans and antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichens are a symbiotic associations between a fungus and algae and/or cyanobacteria. Lichens use as food and dye source, air pollution indicator, medicinal and decoration. In this study, antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of Usnea longissima Ach. lichen was searched by disc diffusion method. While inhibition zones range from 14.5 mm to 24.5 mm for bacteria, inhibition zones range from 10 mm to 32 mm for fungi. Lichen extracts exhibited higher activity than gentamicin and tetracycline but they showed similar activity to nystatin. The MIC values of the extracts varied between 2-117 μg/mL against bacteria; while the MIC values of the extracts varied between 4-59 μg/mL against fungi. According to the obtained results, it could be said that U. longissima might be an alternative to synthetic antimicrobial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased tendency to develop hepatosteatosis. The effects of drugs used to treat diabetes on the liver, regardless of the disease, are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vildagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, on the portal vein pressure and hepatosteatosis in patients with type 2 diabetes in the 18 months of follow-up. Methods: Patients to whose treatment vildagliptin was added while they were on therapy with metformin and gliclazide for type 2 DM the vildagliptin group were included. As the control group, 49 patients with type 2 DM treated with metformin and gliclazide were included. These patients were followed up for 18 months. These patients were followed for 18 months and their pre-treatment and post-treatment examinations were repeated. Portal vein diameter, portal vein flow and portal vein velocity were calculated to evaluate portal vein pressure with the same Doppler ultrasonography (US) by the same radiologist. In the same session, the liver steatosis stage of all patients was evaluated with US and recorded. The data before treatment and the data 18 months after treatment were compared. Results: Nineteen patients completed the study in the study group, while 10 patients completed the study in the control group. A significant increase in portal vein flow velocity and vein diameter was found in the study group when portal vein parameters were compared before and after treatment (p=<0.001, p=0.035, respectively). There was no significant difference in portal vein flow volume. In the control group, no significant changes in flow velocity and flow volume were detected, although there was a significant increase in portal vein diameter (p=0.04, p=0.07, p=0.14, respectively). There were no significant changes in vildagliptin group before and after treatment in terms of hepatosteatosis (p=0.41). There were no significant changes between control and study groups in terms of hepatosteatosis after 18 months of treatment. Conclusion: As a result, we did not find any significant changes in the parameters of portal vein pressure with vildagliptin use. We think that vildagliptin has no effect on hepatosteatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the present study, chemical composition determination and in vitro antimicrobial effects of essential oil of Achillea biebersteinii plant grown under Erzincan ecological conditions were evaluated. Extractions were carried out with Clevenger apparatus and essential oil composition was determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Microorganisms used for the antimicrobial studies were Salmonella enterica serovar. typhimirium ATCC 14028, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis ATCC 911, Bacillus cereus 702 ROMA, Enterobacter aerogenes CCM 2531, Bacillus subtilis IMG 22 and Proteus vulgaris FMC 1. As a result, a total of 29 components were detected in Achillea biebersteinii. Among them, 1,8-cineole (20.36%), cyclohexanone (8.39%), 2-cyclohexen-1-one (5.38%) and spathulenol (4.19%) were found as the major components. For the in vitro antimicrobial activity determination of essential oil, disc diffusion method was used in our study. Furthermore, 12-14 mm zone diameters were detected in antimicrobial activity assay. The highest resistance zone was detected against B. subtilis with 14 mm diameter while the least resistance zone was detected against Y. pseudotuberculosis, E. aerogenes and P. vulgaris with 12 mm diameter. Consequently, it was concluded that the essential oil extracted from the A. biebersteinii grown under Erzincan ecological conditions had an inhibitory effects on the pathogenic microorganisms in used method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inhibitory action of the extracts of Protoparmeliopsis muralis and Parmotrema perlatum lichens was evaluated by disc diffusion and macrobroth dilution methods. The obtained results revealed that extracts generally showed antimicrobial activity except for water extracts. P. muralis lichen possess higher antimicrobial activity when compared with P. perlatum lichen. Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) values of fungi is comparatively lower than MIC values of bacteria. Therefore, this work confirms the inhibitory effects of P. muralis and P. perlatum lichens as natural antimicrobials and suggests the possibility of utilizing them in pharmaceutical industry for curing of infectious diseases caused by test microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out with the aim of determining the antifungal effect of the essential oil isolated from Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium plant against pathogenic fungi. In order to test the antifungal effect of the oil, an analysis was conducted on a total of 4 pathogen fungi which included Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the effect of the essential oil on the growth of these fungi was investigated. The essential oil of A. millefolium ssp. millefolium had varying degrees of effect on the tested fungi. The highest antifungal effect was found against S. cerevisiae; whereas the lowest antifungal effect was found against C. parapsilosis. Nystatin showed a higher activity than the essential oil of A. millefolium subsp. millefolium against the tested fungi. MIC values of the essential oil against the tested fungi ranged from 1.25 µl/ml to 10 µl/ml. The results obtained indicate that essential oil of A. millefolium subsp. millefolium can be used as an alternative to antifungal agents such as amphotericin, ketoconazole, and fluconazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of shear-wave elastography (SWE) for assessing malignant and benign kidneymasses.Materials and Methods: Forty patients with solid renal masses underwent US elastographic evaluation. SWE values of the lesions and adjacent cortical renal parenchyma and SWER were detected prospectively. Malignant tumors were recorded as group 1 and benign tumors were recorded as group 2.Results: The highest elasticity values were 27.27±25.66 kPa for group 1 and 16.13±8.89 kPa for group 2. The mean±SD elasticity values for adjacent renal cortex for groups 1 and 2 were 2.7±2.08 and 2.75±1.35, respectively. For group 1, a negative correlation was observed between the age of the patients and SWER value (p=0.047, rs=‑0.401). There was also a negative correlation between the SWER value and the SWE value of adjacent renal cortex (p=0.004, rs=‑0.555).Conclusion: SWE is a noninvasive method that provides quantitative elasticity informationon tissues. Overlaps among different types of renal lesions may be due to heterogeneity of the lesions. Larger studygroups may clarify the other factors affecting SWE values under both normal and pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, chemical composition determination and in vitro antimicrobial effects of essential oils of Juglans regia plant grown under Aydın ecological conditions were evaluated by using disc diffusion methods. Extractions were carried out with clevenger apparatus and essential oil compositions were determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Microorganisms used for the antimicrobial studies were Salmonella enterica serovar typhimirium ATCC 14028 and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 25923, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis ATCC 911 and Bacillus cereus 702 ROMA, Enterobacter aerogenes CCM 2531, Bacillus subtilis IMG 22 and Proteus vulgaris FMC. As a results of, essential oils obtained from the Juglans regia leaves plant were detected to contain 9-octadecene (17.71%), hexadecanoic acid (11.32%) and, cembrene (9.49%) at most. For the in vitro antimicrobial activity determination of essential oils, disc diffusion methods were used in our study. Furthermore, 6-17 mm zone diameters were detected in disc diffusion methods respectively. The highest resistance zone were against P. vulgaris and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus with 17 mm diameter while the least resistance zone was detected against Y. pseudotuberculosis, 6 mm diameter. As a result, it is thought that the essential oil content differs in quantity and composition from the past studies, due to the different geographical and environmental effects of the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The junction characteristics of the conducting polymer NpClPh PPy [N-(p-chloro phenyl) polypyrrole] on a p-type Si substrate have been studied at room temperature. A direct optical band gap energy value of conducting polymer (NpClPh PPy) was obtained as 2.94eV. The ideality factor and barrier height of Al/NpClPh PPy/p-Si/Al structure were determined from the forward current–voltage characteristics in the dark and were found to be 1.41 and 0.78eV, respectively. The ideality factor and barrier height values for the Al/NpClPh PPy/p-Si/Al structure are larger than that of conventional Al/p-Si Schottky diode. The contact parameters were calculated from Cheung''s functions and modified Norde''s function. The results found out from different methods were compared with each other. The barrier height value of 0.89eV was obtained from capacitance–voltage characteristic. The different values of barrier height indicate the existence of barrier inhomogeneities. The conducting polymer (NpClPh PPy) modifies the effective barrier height of conventional Al/p-Si Schottky diode as the organic film forms a physical barrier between Al metal and p-Si. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Antidepressants are drugs commonly used in clinical settings. However, there are very limited studies on the effects of these drugs on the gut microbiota. Herein, we evaluated the effect of reboxetine (RBX), a selective norepinephrine (noradrenaline) reuptake inhibitor (NRI), on gut microbiota in both diabetic and non-diabetic rats. This is the first report of relation between reboxetine use and the gut microbiota to our knowledge. In this study, type-1 diabetes induced by using streptozotocin (STZ) and RBX was administered to diabetic rats and healthy controls for 14 days. At the end of the treatment, stool samples were collected. Following DNA extraction, amplicon libraries for the V3-V4 region were prepared and sequenced with the Illumina Miseq platform. QIIME was used for preprocessing and analysis of the data. As a result, RBX had a significant effect on gut microbiota structure and composition in diabetic and healthy rats. For example, RBX exposure had a pronounced microbial signature in both groups, with a low Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and low Lactobacillus levels. While another abundance phylum after exposure to RBX was Proteabacteria, other notable taxa in the diabetic group included Flavobacterium, Desulfovibrionaceae, Helicobacteriaceae, Campylobacterales, and Pasteurellacae when compared to the untreated group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is aimed to assess of antioxidant and antifungal potential of the foliose lichen species: Flavoparmelia caperata, Xanthoparmelia stenophylla and Xanthoparmelia conspersa. The antifungal activity of lichens were studied against some pathogenic fungi by disc diffusion method. The acetonitrile extracts of these lichens were obtained with Soxhlet extraction. While F. caperata exhibited maximum antifungal activity (32 mm) against the C. albicans, the minimum antifungal activity (10 mm) was obtained from X. stenophylla lichen against S. cerevisiae. In CUPRAC assay, absorbance values was in order of BHT>X. conspersa>F. caperata>X. stenophylla. As a result of the study, it was concluded that these lichen species may be a potential source for the development of new antifungal and antioxidant compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of power Doppler vocal fremitus (PDVF) breast sonography for differentiation of hamartomas from other breast (malign or benign) masses. Material and methods: Two hundred and six breast masses in 180 women were evaluated. The breast lesions were scanned first by mammography (MG), then by ultrasonography (US) with PDVF imaging. Finally, biopsy was performed on lesions suspicious for malignancy (n=172). We used PDVF imaging to evaluate whether the Power acoustic Doppler artifact existed in all breast lesions. Results: Pathology results of 172 biopsied lesions showed that 83 were malign and 89 masses were benign. Totally 39 breast hamartomas were diagnosed radiologically (n=25) or histopathologically (n=14). All hamartomas (n=39) produced the power acoustic Doppler artifact as the surrounding tissue at the same depth in PDVF imaging. On the other hand, none of the malign or benign lesions, apart from hamartomas, evidenced a similar vibrational artifact as the surrounding tissue at the same depth in the PDVF imaging. Conclusion: PDVF imaging during breast sonography is an invaluable technique in the identification of breast hamartomas from other benign or malign breast masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the acetone extracts of lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea var, furfuracea (PF) and Evernia prunastri (EP) were investigated. Different antioxidant tests were applied such as ABTS (2.2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity and reducing power. Antimicrobial activities of lichen extracts were determined by agar well diffusion method and micro-well dilution assay. All lichen extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against test bacteria. Antioxidant activity of PF extract is higher than EP extract. Acetone extracts of PF and EP could be considered as a source of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]