Search

This study investigated in-hospital outcomes and related factors in patients diagnosed with postearthquake crush syndrome after the earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye. One thousand twenty-four adult patients diagnosed with crush syndrome were analyzed. Data on demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, laboratory values, treatments, and outcomes were collected. A total of 9.8% of patients died during their hospital stay. Nonsurvivors were generally older, more likely to have preexisting chronic kidney disease, and faced more severe injuries and complications, including hypotension-shock, arrhythmias, elevated markers of renal dysfunction, and higher rates of acute kidney injury (AKI) and compartment syndrome. In addition, intensive care unit needs were higher. Multivariate analysis confirmed that age, injury severity, shock, high potassium, uric acid, and lactate levels on admission, development of AKI, compartment syndrome, and intensive care unit admission were significant predictors of mortality. Better disaster preparedness and improved health care infrastructure could be potential explanations for improved in-hospital mortality in the current era, as compared to previous earthquakes.

ABSTRACTObjectivesThe study aims to investigate the relationship between hypomagnesemia, preclinical hypomagnesemia, and normomagnesemia as along with geriatric syndrome and comprehensive geriatric parameters(CGA).Methods217 patients who applied to the geriatric clinic between November 2022 and December 2023 were included in the study. All patients underwent CGA. Patients were categorized into three groups: Magnesium (Mg) level ≤ 1.5 mg/dL, Mg level 1.5–1.8 mg/dL, and Mg level > 1.8 mg/dL. These three groups were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, comorbidities, CGA parameters, and geriatric syndromes. Regression analyses was conducted for significant parameters, adjusting for confounders.Results74.9% of all participants were female, with an average age of 76.5 ± 6.6 years. The frequency of hypomagnesemia was 14.2%. Demographic characteristics and medication use, including proton pump inhibitors and diuretics, were similar in these three groups. While the FRIED frailty scale and the duration of the timed-up-and-go test were higher in the hypomagnesemia group, the Basic Activities Daily of Living (ADLs) and the Tinetti-POMA(performance-oriented mobility assessment) scores were lower in the hypomagnesemia group. When normomagnesemia was accepted as the reference category, FRIED frailty scale, Basic ADLs, and POMA score were more significant in the hypomagnesemia group (p = 0.025, p = 0.013 and p = 0.011,respectively), but there was no significance in the preclinical hypomagnesemia group regardless of the covariates.ConclusionHypomagnesemia, particularly serum Mg levels below 1.5 mg/dL, may be associated with frailty, basic ADLs, gait, and balance tests. In geriatric practice, patients with hypomagnesemia should be evaluated in terms of the risk of the mentioned disorders.

This study was aimed at quantifying artifacts from zygoma implants in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images using different exposure parameters. Two cadaver heads, one with two zygoma implants on each side and the other for control, were scanned using 18 different exposure parameters. Quantitative analysis was performed to evaluate the hypodense and hyperdense artifact percentages calculated as the percentage of the area. Hyperdense artifacts and hypodense artifacts were detected, followed by the calculation of the hyperdense and hypodense artifact percentages in the image. In the qualitative analysis of the artifacts, the scores used were as follows: absence (0), moderate presence (1), or high presence (2) for hypodense halos, thin hypodense lines, and hyperdense lines. Artifact analysis was performed qualitatively and quantitatively using the post-hoc Tukey and Two-way ANOVA tests. As a result, in the qualitative analyses, zygoma implants showed a significant difference compared to the control group with regard to hyperdense and hypodense artifacts (p< 0.05). There was a significant difference between the means according to the FOV size arithmetic averages (p< 0.05). In terms of voxel size, the difference was found to be significant, where 400 microns showed the highest hypodense artifact while 200 microns showed the lowest hypodense artifact. In conclusion, hypodense and hyperdense artifacts were significantly higher in cadavers with zygoma implants than in controls. As FOV and voxel size increase, more hypodense artifacts are produced by zygoma implants so smaller FOV and voxel sizes should be used to prevent poor image quality of adjacent teeth.

Background: Each year, millions face natural disasters, encountering mass fatalities and severe medical issues such as crush injuries and crush syndrome. Crush syndrome, marked by acute kidney injury (AKI) and hyperkalemia, correlates with mortality. This study focuses on presenting epidemiological data on kidney disease resulting from the February 6, 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaras. Methods: This retrospective analysis included patients diagnosed with crush syndrome after the 2023 Kahramanmaras earthquakes, treated in regional hospitals or referred elsewhere in Turkey. Patient data were documented using the web-based system developed by the Turkish Nephrology Association Renal Disaster Working Group. Results: Of the 1024 analyzed patients from 46 centers, 515 (50.3%) were women. The mean age was 41 ± 16 years, with a median duration of 12 h under rubble, and the median presentation time to the first health facility was 4 h after extrication from the rubble. Upon admission, 79.8% received intravenous fluid therapy, all potassium-free. Initial serum creatinine, K+, and creatinine kinase levels averaged 2.59 ± 2 mg/dl, 5.1 ± 1 mmol/L 38,305 ± 54,303 U/L, respectively. Intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were 53.6%, with mean hospital and ICU stays of 20 and 11 days, respectively. Compartment syndrome occurred in 40.8% of patients, with 75.8% undergoing fasciotomy. Acute kidney injury developed in 67.9% of patients, with 70.3% undergoing hemodialysis, totaling 3016 sessions on 488 patients. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 9.8%. Conclusion: Earthquakes have a significant impact on kidney health. Although our study indicates some progress compared to previous earthquake responses, there remains a crucial need for drills emphasizing post-earthquake initial response, fluid-electrolyte balance management, and emergency dialysis protocols. Graphical abstract:

Using sound insulation materials that do not impair indoor air quality and do not emit carbon.

Background: Cancer is a life-threatening condition with an economic burden on societies. Phytotherapy is rapidly taking place in cancer research to increase the success of treatment and quality of life. Thymoquinone (TQ) is the main active phenolic compound obtained from the essential oil of the Nigella sativa(black cumin) plant seed. For a long time, black cumin has been used traditionally for the remedy of different diseases because of its various biological effects. It has been shown that most of these effects of black cumin seeds are due to TQ. TQ became a popular research topic for phytotherapy studies for its potential therapeutic applications, and more research is going on to fully understand its mechanisms of action, safety, and efficacy in humans. KRASis a gene that regulates cell division and growth. Monoallelic variants in KRASresult in uncontrollable cell division, leading to cancer development. Studies have shown that cancer cells with KRASmutations are often resistant to certain types of chemotherapy and targeted therapies.Objective: This study aimed to compare the effect of TQ on cancer cells with and without KRASmutation to better understand the reason why TQ may have different anticancer effects in the different types of cancer cells.Methods: TQ was investigated for its cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in laryngeal cancer cells (HEp-2) without KRASmutation and compared to mutant KRAS-transfected larynx cancer cells and KRASmutation-carrying lung cancer cells (A549).Results: We showed that TQ has more cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on laryngeal cancer cells without KRASmutation than in cells with mutation.Conclusion: KRASmutations decrease the effect of TQ on cell viability and apoptosis, and further studies are needed to fully understand the relationship between KRASmutations and thymoquinone effectiveness in cancer treatment.

Study objective: The aim of this study was to characterise the severity of adenomyosis on MRI in infertile women, and to assess if MRI characteristics of adenomyosis severity are associated with worse IVF/ICSI pregnancy outcomes versus male infertility controls.Materials and methods: This single-centre retrospective study was carried out at Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The MRIs of 124 infertile women undergoing their first, fresh embryo transfer during IVF/ICSI, diagnosed with adenomyosis only (N= 31), or combined adenomyosis and endometriosis (N= 93) were assessed. Measurements of MRI adenomyosis features were performed by two independent investigators. IVF/ICSI outcomes (biochemical pregnancy (BP), ongoing pregnancy (OP) and live birth (LB)) of adenomyosis patients were compared to those of 889 male infertility controls.Results: Patients with adenomyosis had significantly worse IVF/ICSI outcomes compared to male infertility controls. When assessing individual MRI parameters, adenomyosis patients with a mean junctional zone (JZ) of >12 mm, a JZ/Myometrium ratio of >40%, presence of myometrial cysts and presence of endometriosis (specifically deep invasive endometriosis(DIE)) showed statistically significantly worse outcomes compared to patients with milder disease.Conclusion: The results of this retrospective study suggest that individual MRI markers for severe adenomyosis (mean JZ > 12 mm, myometrial cysts), especially when combined with (severe) endometriosis, may be associated with fewer pregnancies during IVF/ICSI when compared to male infertility controls. Future prospective studies should investigate the prognostic potential of these markers for prediction of IVF/ICSI success.

Graphical abstract:

The Taguchi optimization method was used to optimize waste and natural different components such as waste marble dust, expanded perlite, perlite aggregate size, cement, and molten tragacanth in the production of new insulation composite material. Compressive strength, thermal conductivity, abrasion loss, and water adsorption properties of the developed composite material were investigated. Taguchi’s standard L18 array was chosen for optimization of these four components with different levels. Response plots were created using the Taguchi and the optimum test condition was determined. The insulation composite material with the best thermal and mechanical properties was obtained under the condition of waste marble dust (1), expanded perlite (1), perlite aggregate size (1) and molten tragacanth (1). In addition, using the anova (Analysis of Variance), percentage impacts on the mechanical and thermal properties of the test parameters were determined. Statistical values obtained from anova and mathematical models are developed by using multi-linear regression method. It was found that the mathematical model and the experimental results were quite compatible. The optimum test conditions detected were verified by confirmation experiments. Confirmation experiment results were obtained between 99.9 % confidence interval values.

In this study, a conductive hollow rotating conic object (H-RCO) is developed for convection control and thermal management in a 3D partially heated enclosure under uniform magnetic field with nanofluid considering two phase mixture formulation. Analysis is conducted for different parameters of interest as: Rayleigh number (Ra between 10 4 and 10 6), angular rotational speed of the H-RCO (Ω between −60 and 60), Hartmann number (Ha between 0 and 50), expansion ratio (r1 between 1.1 and 2.5) and conductivity ratio (KR between 0.01 and 50). The rotational speed and expansion ratio of the object contributes significantly to the overall performance improvements. At the highest speed of the H-RCO, the average Nusselt number (Nu) rises up to 38% when compared to cases of non-rotating object. When object with highest expansion ratio is used at rotational speed of Ω = − 40 , the average Nu rises by about 36%. The impacts of using magnetic field on the reduction of convective effects are stronger when rotations are active while up to 69% reduction of average Nu is seen at the highest strength. Thermal conductivity of the object at higher speeds contributes slightly to the overall heat transfer. Support vector machine based regression model is used for thermal performance predictions while model with third order polynomial kernel gives the best results as compared to high fidelity 3D computational results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giemsa dye was used as an interlayer film structure between Co metal and n-type silicon to fabricate Co/giemsa/ ${n}$ -Si heterostructure to determine various electrical behaviors. For that reason, temperature-dependent current voltage ( ${I}$ – ${V}{)}$ and frequency-dependent capacitance voltage ${(}{C}$ – ${V}{)}$ measurements were employed to reveal electrical properties of the Co/giemsa/ ${n}$ -Si heterostructure for wide range temperature and frequency. Various junction parameters such as series resistance, barrier height, and ideality factor values were determined from ${I}$ – ${V}$ characteristics by thermionic emission (TE), Cheung, and Norde methods. The results revealed that the junction parameters were strong function of the measurement temperature. Frequency dependent ${C}$ – ${V}$ characteristics were also utilized for extraction of various electrical parameters such as maximum electric field, depletion width, barrier height, etc. The results highlighted that all electrical parameters changed as function of the frequency and voltage. The Co/giemsa/ ${n}$ -Si heterostructure can be improved for thermal sensing and switching applications.

BackgroundThe majority of patients with multiple sclerosis on ocrelizumab have B-cell depletion after standard interval dosing of 26 weeks. With B-cell-guided dosing patients receive their next dose when B-cell repopulation occurs. Prediction of B-cell repopulation using ocrelizumab concentrations could aid in personalising treatment regimes. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association between ocrelizumab drug concentration, antidrug antibodies (ADAs) and CD19 B-cell count, and to define a cut-off ocrelizumab concentration for start of B-cell repopulation (defined by ≥10 CD19+ B cells/µL).MethodsIn this investigator-initiated prospective study, blood samples at various time points during ocrelizumab treatment were collected from a biobank. Serum ocrelizumab concentrations and ADAs were measured with two different assays developed for this study. Data were analysed using linear mixed effect models. An receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine a cut-off ocrelizumab concentration for start of B-cell repopulation (defined by ≥10 cells/µL).ResultsA total of 452 blood samples from 72 patients were analysed. Ocrelizumab concentrations were detectable up until 53.3 weeks after last infusion and ranged between <0.0025 and 204 µg/mL after 1–67 weeks. Ocrelizumab concentration was negatively associated with B-cell count, with body mass index identified as effect modifier. We found a cut-off value of 0.06 µg/mL for start of B-cell repopulation of ≥10 cells/µL. Ocrelizumab ADAs were detectable in four patients (5.7%) with corresponding low ocrelizumab concentrations and start of B-cell repopulation.ConclusionsSerum ocrelizumab concentration was strongly associated with B-cell count. Measurement of ocrelizumab drug concentrations and ADAs could play an important role to further personalise treatment and predict the start of B-cell repopulation.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the possible interrelationships between sarcopenia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Background: Sarcopenia and AD are two common geriatric syndromes; however, the relationship between AD and sarcopenia has not been evaluated in detail so far. Objective: The objective is to evaluate the relationship between AD and sarcopenia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed retrospectively on 128 patients with probable AD, with a mean age of 76.56±7.54 years. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, including the activities of daily living (ADLs), malnutrition, frailty, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), and orthostatic hypotension was performed. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised EWGSOP-2 criteria. Results: The frequency of probable sarcopenia and definitive sarcopenia was 54.7% and 18.7%, respectively. AD patients with probable sarcopenia had lower MMSE and ADLs scores and were frailer. Clinical dementia rating (CDR) score, MMSE, and basic and instrumental ADLs were independently related to probable sarcopenia in the patients (p=0.003, p<0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.001, respectively). The prevalence of probable sarcopenia in those with CDR 2 was higher than in those with CDR 0.5 and 1 (p=0.002). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that probable sarcopenia seems to be related to worse MMSE and ADLs scores and frailty in patients with AD and seems to be related to the severity of AD. Considering adverse health outcomes and the burden of sarcopenia on the patients and their caregivers, optimal care and treatment of sarcopenia in patients with AD are of great importance.

ABSTRACT Structural health monitoring is crucial to protect the lives and for asset management. Classical sensors have low durability, low sensitivity and high cost which limit their use. Development of [...]

Background: Pituitary consequences of chronic head trauma in boxing have not been investigated in detail. Objective: To investigate the pituitary function in retired or active amateur boxers. Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Setting: Turkey. Participants: 61 actively competing (n = 44) or retired (n = 17) male boxers of the Turkish National Boxing Team. Measurements: Body composition variables, pituitary volume (in 38 of 61 boxers), and pituitary function. Results: 9 of 61 boxers (15%) had growth hormone (GH) deficiency and 5 of 61 boxers (8%) had adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency. All boxers with GH deficiency except 1 were retired from boxing. Of 17 retired boxers, 8 (47%) had GH deficiency. Retired boxers with GH deficiency had significantly lower pituitary volume than retired boxers with normal GH. Limitation: Pituitary volume was measured in only 38 of 61 boxers, and the study had no comparison group. Conclusion: This study suggests that retired boxers have a high rate of pituitary dysfunction. Therefore, investigation of pituitary function in boxers, particularly retired ones, is recommended.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association of asthma-related symptoms with snoring and apnea, and to assess their effects on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. [...]

AbstractGallocatechin gallate is a form of catechin and an ester of gallocatechin and gallic acid. This is an epimer of the gallate epigallocatechin. In this study, the effect of this molecule, containing a biologically active group, was investigated in terms of important metabolic enzymes (carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I and II (hCA I and II), achethylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glycosidase (α-Gly) enzymes). The molecular docking method used to compare the biological activities of the Catechin 5-O-gallate molecule against enzymes was used. Afterwards, the ADME/T analysis was performed to investigate the drug availability of the Catechin 5-O-gallate molecule and the parameters obtained from ADME/T analysis were examined. Continuation of this study, for evaluating antioxidant and radical scavenging capacity Catechin 5-O-gallate, cupric ion (Cu2+) reduction capacity by CUPRAC method, Fe3+-Fe2+reducing capacity, DPPH free radical clarifying (DPPH·), ABTS radical clarifying (ABTS•+) were performed separately and during the study, trolox, α-tocopherol BHT and BHA were used as the reference antioxidant compound. Comparisons were applied with the four standard substances. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

AbstractIn the article, various substituted derivatives of 1,2-aminopropanthiol (1a–g) have been prepared by a general and efficient method, in one-steps, starting from available thiirane and aromatic amines (aniline, o-toluidine) as a convenient source of sulfur and nitrogen. The synthesized compounds were fully characterized by spectral and analytical data. Seven novel compounds are synthesized. The biochemical properties indicating their potential for constituting an anti-Alzheimer’s disease substance were also recorded revealing strong carbonic anhydrase I, and II, α-glycosidase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effects. These synthesized novel 1,2-aminopropanthiols substituted derivatives (1a–g) were found to be effective inhibitors for the α-glycosidase, human carbonic anhydrase I and II, and acetylcholinesterase enzymes, with Kivalues in the range of 11.47 ± 0.87–24.09 ± 6.37 µM for α-glycosidase, 29.30 ± 4.67-79.01 ± 4.49 µM for hCA I, 14.27 ± 2.82-30.85 ± 12.24 µM for hCA II and 5.76 ± 1.55–55.39 ± 2.27 µM for AChE, respectively. In the last step of this study, molecular docking calculations were obtained in order to compare the biological activities of indicated molecules against the enzymes of acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase and α-glycosidase. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Self-reporting scales are commonly utilized in determining appropriate treatment strategies and follow-up in hand-related disorders. Responsiveness is described as the ability of a scale to detect clinically significant changes. We aimed to evaluate responsiveness of Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ), Duruöz Hand Index (DHI), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and ABILHAND questionnaire in stroke patients. Fifty-one stroke patients were assessed in this descriptive study. Participants received conventional stroke rehabilitation program consisting of 30 sessions. Brunnstrom stages of the stroke patients were recorded before and after treatment. MHQ, DHI, DASH, ABILHAND questionnaire and patient satisfaction scores were filled in by participants before and after the conventional rehabilitation program. Significant improvements were found in MHQ, DHI, DASH, ABILHAND, patient satisfaction scores and Brunnstrom motor recovery stages after the rehabilitation program (p < 0.001). Responsiveness values of the scales were calculated as MHQ (effect size (ES) = − 0.74; standardized response mean (SRM) = − 1.25), DHI (ES = 0.64; SRM = 1.22), DASH (ES = 0.71; SRM = 1.01), and ABILHAND (ES = − 0.55; SRM = − 1.22). Our study revealed that MHQ, DHI, DASH and ABILHAND are responsive scales in detecting treatment-related changes in stroke patients. MHQ, DHI, DASH and ABILHAND can be used in the evaluation of treatment responses in stroke patients.

Cholesterol efflux capacity is a functional property of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) reflecting the efficiency of the atheroprotective reverse cholesterol transport process in humans. Its relationship with calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) has not been fully assessed yet.

AbstractBackgroundHistopathological changes in calcific aortic stenosis (CAS) resemble changes in coronary atherosclerosis. Concerning recent evidence on dietary and gut microbiota-related metabolites representing players in atherosclerosis, we aimed to investigate the link between dietary and gut microbiota-derived metabolites and CAS.MethodsWe consecutively recruited eligible subjects with moderate-severe CAS (n = 60), aortic sclerosis (ASc) (n = 49) and age and gender-matched control subjects (n = 48) in May 2016-December 2016. Plasma dietary and gut microbiota-related metabolite levels, namely choline, betaine, and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), were measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy method. Histopathological examinations were performed in patients that underwent aortic valve surgery.ResultsPrevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors or co-morbidities did not differ among groups (all p > 0.05). CAS patients had higher plasma choline levels compared to both control (p < 0.001) and ASc (p = 0.006). Plasma betaine and TMAO levels were similar (both p > 0.05). Compared to the lowest quartile choline levels (<11.15 μM), patients with the highest quartile choline levels (≥14.98 μM) had higher aortic valvular (p < 0.001) and mitral annular (p = 0.013) calcification scores. Plasma choline levels were independently associated with aortic peak flow velocity (B ± SE:0.165 ± 0.060, p = 0.009). Choline levels were elevated in subjects who had aortic valves with denser lymphocyte infiltration (p < 0.001), neovascularization (p = 0.011), osseous metaplasia (p = 0.004), more severe tissue remodelling (p = 0.002) and calcification (p = 0.002).ConclusionWe found a significant association between choline levels and CAS presence and severity depicted on imaging modalities and histopathological examinations. Our study may open new horizons for prevention of CAS.

Background: Serum cytokine levels over the course of HIV infection usually increase with immunosuppression and decrease after antiretroviral treatment (ART). Objectives: The aim of the study is to compare cytokine levels between HIV-infected patients (HIP) and controls and investigate the relationship between CD4+T cell count, HIV-RNA levels, and cytokine levels. Methods: The study subjects comprised ART-naive HIP (n=30) with no comorbidities and age-and sex-matched healthy controls. We measured levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in serum samples of HIP at the beginning and at month 6 of ART and in controls. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 38.7 ±10.3 years, with men making up 86.7% of the study subjects (n=26). IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels were significantly higher in both ART-naive (p<0.001, p=0.002, p=0.001) and ART-experienced HIP (p<0.001) than controls. The IFN-γ level was lower in both ART-naive and ART-experienced HIP compared to controls (p=0.082 and p=0.002). There was a positive correlation between the CD4+T cell count and serum concentration of IFN- γ(r=0.320, p<0.05). While the serum IFN-γ concentration showed a negative correlation with the HIVRNA level(r=-0.412, p<0.001), the serum IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α concentrations showed a positive correlation with the HIV-RNA level (r=0.349, p<0.001; r:0.54, p<0.001; r:0.438, p<0.00). Conclusion: Although serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α showed a significant decrease after ART, they were still significantly higher than the controls. IFN-γ responded differently to ART compared to the other cytokines, indicating that it may play a distinct and important role in the pathogenesis of HIV infection.

Background: Despite differences between the studies regarding methods for estimating low muscle mass, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) recommends use of two standard deviations (SDs) below the reference sex-specific means of healthy young adults. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the cutoff points of skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and handgrip strength (HS) in Turkish population and to compare the power of different cutoff points to predict comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) parameters. Methods: Two hundred and eight young healthy volunteers (104 women, 104 men) were included in the study to define SMI, HS cutoff values. 1150 older adults (784 women, 366 men) underwent CGA, including physical performance, activities of daily living (ADL), HS and frailty. Body composition was obtained from every participant by bioimpedance analysis (BIA). CGA parameters of sarcopenic patients according to EWGSOP and new Turkish cutoff points were compared. Results: SMI cutoff points were defined 5.70 kg/m2for women, 8.33 kg/m2for men. HS thresholds were calculated as 14 kg for women, 28 kg for men using measurements of healthy young adult reference. Considering the new threshold values, the prevalence of sarcopenia was 10% (7% women, 17% men). When new sarcopenia criteria were applied and covariates were adjusted, sarcopenia was found to be more closely related to ADL impairment, balance, frailty in men, and balance, slow walking speed, ADL impairment, frailty in women (p&lt; 0.05). Discussion: Muscle mass and strength may vary between populations because of ethnicity and other related discrepancies. The evaluation of sarcopenia according to the present guidelines may cause overdiagnosis in some populations. Conclusion: Cutoff points specific to populations should be determined.

•Undoped, GNR and MWCNT doped TiO2films were fabricated successfully by electro-spinning method.•The films were employed as interfacial layers between the metal and semiconductor.•The structural, morphological and electrical behaviors of the devices were studied.•The devices can be used as optical communication applications.

In this study, we provide a theoretical overview for the potential of the integrated vortex beam emitter (IVBE) in optical tweezer applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt in the literature to investigate the optical tweezing property of IVBE. The finite-difference time-domain numerical analysis technique has been utilized for the transverse optical trapping calculations. The results show that the basic IVBE device generates an optical force of an order of ${{10}^{ - 16}}\;{\rm N}$10^−16N, which can be increased up to ${{10}^{ - 15}}\;{\rm N}$10^−15N with the duty cycle adjustment. Therefore, this work emphasizes that the IVBE device can provide a compact, efficient, low-cost, and practical optical tweezing ability.

We report a case of laryngeal candidiasis that caused postextubation stridor following cardiac surgery. A 3.5-year-old boy presented with cough. Anomalous supracardiac-type total pulmonary venous return, an atrial septal defect, and pulmonary hypertension were identified by echocardiogram. Surgery for correction of the anomaly was done, and the patient developed a stridor and respiratory distress. Standard therapy for postextubation stridor was ineffective. Laryngoscopic examination demonstrated the existence of ulcerated white lesions involving the larynx. Fungal culture of the lesions grew Candida albicans. The patient was treated with systemic antifungal medications and had complete resolution of her symptoms. This case demonstrates the importance of the differential diagnosis of postextubation stridor as it requires specific therapy. Keywords: candidiasis | stridor | total pulmonary venous return anomalous, Introduction C albicans is normally a commensal organism in the upper airway and gastrointestinal tract in humans. It can become pathogenic in response to treatment of patients with antibiotics, steroids, [...]

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has gained great interest for two decades, and its structural, optical, and electrical properties have been investigated by scientists for technological applications. The optical properties of ZnO provide an opportunity for its application in solar cells, lasers, and light-emitting diodes. We prepared ZnO thin films with various In doping levels by using a spin coating technique, and characterised their morphological and detailed optical properties for optical applications. According to the morphological properties obtained by atomic force microscopy, the film surfaces are homogeneous and the In doping level affects the surface morphology of the films. The optical properties of the films were investigated using an ultraviolet–visible spectrometer, and some optical parameters such as band gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, single oscillator parameters, real and imaginary functions of the dielectric coefficient, and optical conductivity were calculated and discussed in detail. The various In doping levels affected the optical properties, and the In-doped ZnO thin films can find applications in industry.

Background:Ingrown nail is a common health problem that significantly affects daily life due to its painful nature. The purpose of this study was to reveal the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of ingrown nails.Methods:The clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients older than 18 years presenting with ingrown nail were investigated.Results:Two hundred six patients aged 18 to 77 years (mean age, 39 years; female to male ratio, 1.45) were included in the study. A total of 729 lesions were evaluated (718 ingrown nails were on the feet and 11 were on the fingers). A family history of ingrown nail was present in 7.6 of the participants. Of the 206 patients, 26.7 were treated with surgical methods for ingrown nails previously and experienced recurrence. Ingrown toenails were in the hallux in 81.3 of patients, and 52 were on the lateral margin. Incorrect nail-cutting habits (73.5), poorly fitting shoes (46.2), excessive angulation of the nail plate (35.8), obesity (34.1), trauma to the feet (24.3), pregnancy (23.8 of women), hyperhidrosis (16.8), and lateral deviation of the nail plate (9.9) were closely associated with ingrown nails.Conclusions:This study revealed the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of ingrown nails. The study data will be useful in preventing the development of ingrown nail and recurrences after treatment by identifying and then eliminating conditions establishing a predisposition to it.

Background: Hydrazones, one of the important classes of organic molecules, are pharmaceutical agents comprising –CO-NH-N=CH- group in the structure therefore and exhibiting significant biological activity. Methods: 5-Chloro-N’-[(substituted)methylidene] pyrazine-2-carbohydrazide (3a-g) and their Pd(II) complexes (4a-h) were synthesized and investigated in vitro anticancer activity on A549, Caco2 cancer and normal 3T3 fibroblast cell lines, using the MTT assay. Results: Anticancer activity screening results revealed that some compounds showed remarkable cytotoxic effect. Among them, 5-chloro-N'-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methylidene] pyrazine-2-carbohydrazide (3c) displayed higher cytotoxic activity against A549 cancer cell line than the reference drug cisplatin. Conclusion: Compound 3c showed high cytotoxic activity against A549 cancer cell line but it showed low cytotoxic effect against normal 3T3 fibroblast cell line. Antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects of 3c were determined by the real-time monitoring of cell proliferative system (RTCA DP). The cell proliferation, metastatic and invasive activities of A549 cells were decreased due to increased concentration of 3c.

The prominent features of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are early development of hypertension, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular problems. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of endothelin, a vascular biomarker, in the clinical course of ADPKD, including renal and cardiovascular survival. In 138 patients with ADPKD and 28 healthy controls, we measured serum endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (flow-mediated dilatation, FMD) and endothelium-independent vasodilatation (nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation, NMD) of the brachial artery were assessed non-invasively with high-resolution ultrasound. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed with a 1.5-T system, and total kidney volumes were calculated using mid-slice technique. To determine PKD1 and PKD2 genotype, we performed molecular and genetic tests involving the following steps: DNA isolation, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and data analysis. Endothelin levels and height-adjusted total kidney volumes (hTKV) significantly increased while the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decreased across CKD stages 1–4. Hypertension was more frequent in ADPKD patients with high serum endothelin. At multivariate Cox analysis, endothelin level, PKD1 truncating mutation, hTKV, high-sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) level and the presence of diabetes mellitus were associated with the risk of overall survival. Moreover, endothelin level, PKD1 truncating mutation, hTKV, age and presence of hypertension were associated with the risk of renal survival. Additionally, body mass index (BMI), FMD, PKD1 truncating mutation, endothelin and triglyceride levels were independently associated with hypertension. Increased serum endothelin levels independently predict hypertension in ADPKD. Serum endothelin levels are also associated with both renal and overall survival in patients with ADPKD.

•Fingolimod has proven to be an effective oral treatment strategy for RRMS patients.•Lower BMI and optic nerve involvement are related with greater HR reduction.•Higher baseline HR and longer TpTe-interval are related with greater HR reduction.•Subjects with these features may deserve more attention during monitorization.

An osteochondroma (OC) of the condylar process is a rare condition which primarily affects the mandibular condyle. There are several surgical treatment protocols of OC. As effective hemostatic agents and space fillers, autogenous free-fat grafts prevent scar formation and helps to hinder the accumulation of blood and serum, which otherwise, may be replaced by a dense collagen (scar), osteoid or bone. We report the autogenous abdominal fat transplantation, following the removal of a condylar OC.

Background: Oleanolic acid (OA) is a known natural compound with many important biological activities. Thirteen oleanolic acid derivatives linked at C-3 and C-28 were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by 1H- and 13C NMR and mass spectral analyses. Among them, compounds 4, 6, 8-10, 12, 13 were synthesized for the first time. They were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity. They showed proliferative effect at low concentrations while cytotoxic effect was observed at high concentrations in a dose dependent manner. Methods: We have first synthesized compounds 1 and 2 from the reaction of methyl iodide and OA. Compound 1 was reduced with LiAlH4 to give compound 3, and compound 2 gave compound 9 with MOMBr as a new compound. The compound 10 was then obtained from the reduction of compound 9 with LiAlH4 as a new oleanolic acid derivative. A diol derivative 11 was synthesized from OA and LiAlH4 at the room temperature. Compound 4 was obtained from the reaction of compound 3 with CBr4 as a new analogue of OA, and the reduction of compound 4 afforded compound 5 as a known product. In addition, we synthesized compounds 6-8 from compound 3 using MsCl, MeI and p-nitrobenzoyl chloride, respectively, in good yields. Compounds 6 and 8 are new analogues of OA. The new compounds 12 and 13 were also synthesized starting from OA using with MOMBr and TBDMSiCl as the reagents. The all synthesized compounds were purified by using column chromatography and/or crystallization. Results: In the present study, thirteen OA derivatives linked at C-28 and (or) C-3 were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activity on 3T3 cell lines which are the standard fibroblast cell lines, derived from Swiss albino mouse embryo tissue. 3T3 cell viability was observed at low concentrations of the tested triterpenoids while they displayed anti-proliferative effect at higher concentrations. Conclusion: Oleanolic acid 28-methyl ester (2) showed fairly different behavior from all the other compounds tested and found to be the least cytotoxic compound. However, at 200 μM concentration, it exhibited the same cytotoxicity with compounds 3, 9 and 10 around 58-59%. Among the tested 13 compounds, 7 exhibited the most drastic decline for the viability from 12,5 μM to 25 μM concentration. Compound 6 displayed the most cytotoxic effect, almost in all concentrations, particularly at 6.25 and 25 μM concentrations while the highest cytotoxic effect at 50 μM was observed for compound 11 among all the tested triterpenoids. As a result, all the tested OA derivatives showed proliferative effect at 1,56 μM although no proliferative effect was observed for OA. Moreover, OA exhibited higher cytotoxic effect than its derivatives, particularly at higher concentrations (50, 100, 200 μM) with an exception for compound 11. Because, the latter showed highest proliferative effect at lowest concentration, and highest anti-proliferative effect at highest concentration which surpassed all the OA derivatives.

Purpose Predicting customers’ purchase behaviors is a challenging task. The literature has introduced the individual-level and the segment-based predictive modeling approaches for this purpose. Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks, and performs in certain cases. The purpose of this paper is to propose a hybrid approach which predicts customers’ individual purchase behaviors and reduces the limitations of these two methods by combining the advantages of them.Design/methodology/approach The proposed hybrid approach is established based on individual-level and segment-based approaches and utilizes the historical transactional data and predictive algorithms to generate predictions. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is experimentally evaluated in the domain of supermarket shopping by using real-world data and using five popular machine learning classification algorithms including logistic regression, decision trees, support vector machines, neural networks and random forests.Findings A comparison of results shows that the proposed hybrid approach substantially outperforms the individual-level and the segment-based approaches in terms of prediction coverage while maintaining roughly comparable prediction accuracy to the individual-level method. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrate that logistic regression performs better than the other classifiers in predicting customer purchase behavior.Practical implications The study concludes that the proposed approach would be beneficial for enterprises in terms of designing customized services and one-to-one marketing strategies.Originality/value This study is the first attempt to adopt a hybrid approach combining individual-level and segment-based approaches to predict customers’ individual purchase behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality because of cancer. Medicinal plants containing polyphenolic compounds have gained importance in anticancer treatment. In this context, carvacrol is a main component of many plants in the family Lamiaceae that are frequently used in folk medicine and a good candidate to investigate for GC treatment. The present study aimed to explore the cytotoxic, genotoxic, apoptotic, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating effects of carvacrol on gastric adenocarcinoma in vitro. For these purposes, human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells were used and analyzed after 24 h of exposure to carvacrol with different concentrations. The cytotoxicity, ROS generation, glutathione (GSH) level, and genotoxicity were investigated by the ATP cell viability assay, 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate assay, GSH/GSSG-Glo assay, and comet assay, respectively. Apoptosis induction was detected by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining and western blotting at below the half-maximal growth inhibitory concentration value. Carvacrol showed cytotoxic, genotoxic, apoptotic, ROS generating, and GSH-reducing effects on AGS cells in a dose-dependent manner. There was a close negative relationship between cell viability and ROS level. Carvacrol inhibited the proliferation of AGS cells, suggesting that it could be a novel and strong anticancer agent against the human gastric adenocarcinoma. These results support the interest of natural diet components in the development of therapeutic products for diseases.

•It has been made the theoretical investigation of a bifacial silicon solar cell under electron irradiation.•It was showed that the bifaciality coefficient as well as the conversion efficiency decrease with both damage coefficient and particle fluence but the dependence to the fluence is more marked particularly from a certain threshold that depend on the damage coefficient.•It was important to note that even for lower energy, for an extended exposure to irradiation (in space for example), the effect of the radiation will become more and more marked leading to power failure.•It was demonstrated that the rear illumination (traduced here by the rear illumination level) play an important role on both bifaciality coefficient and conversion efficiency.

Refractory angina (RFA) is an unfavourable condition that is characterized with persistent angina due to reversible myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease that remains uncontrollable despite an optimal combination of pharmacological agents and revascularization. Despite significant advances in revascularization techniques and agents used in pharmacological therapy, there is still a significant population suffering from RFA and the global prevalence is even increasing. Anti- anginal treatment and secondary risk-factor modification are the traditional approaches for this group of patients. Furthermore, now there is still a large number of alternative treatment options. In order to review traditional and alternative treatment strategies in patients with RFA, we searched Pubmed for articles in English using the search terms “pharmacological therapy, refractory angina”, “alternative therapy, refractory angina” between inception to June 2016. We also went through separately for each alternative treatment modality on Pubmed. To identify further articles, we handsearched related citations in review articles and commentaries. We also included data from the European Society of Cardiology (2013), and the Canadian Society of Cardiology/ Canadian Pain Society (2012) guidelines. Data show that besides traditional pharmacological agents, such as nitrates, beta- blockers or calcium channel blockers, novel antiischemic drugs and if symptoms persist, several non- invasive and/ or invasive alternative strategies may be considered. Impact of some pharmacological agents, such as rho- kinase inhibitors, and novel alternative treatment modalities, such as coronary sinus reducers, stem cell therapy, gene and protein therapy, on outcomes are still under investigation.

3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine (dopamine) is a neurotransmitter that has vital functions in the nervous system. Dopamine metabolism and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production are highly related processes. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of walnut (Juglans regiaL.)extract (WE) and 5-hydroxy-1,4 naphthoquinone (juglone) on dopamine levels and oxidative stress. For this purpose, WE and juglone were administered to rats. Serum and brain dopamine levels, total oxidant status (TOS), and total antioxidant status (TAS) were measured after 21 days. The oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. WE (300 mg/kg) significantly increased brain dopamine levels. WE and juglone reduced oxidative stress in liver and brain tissues compared to serum. Our results revealed that WE and juglone might have a neuroprotective effect. Further studies are needed to extensively investigate the molecular mechanism of the effects of herbal extracts and phenolic compounds on brain health.

AbstractThe use of biomodels is prevalent across multiple educational disciplines, with a particular emphasis on their utilization in teaching the anatomy of organs. These tools have not only enriched education, but have also provided an alternative to the ethical and cultural controversies, increased costs, and health and safety risks associated with the use of live animals and cadavers. However, while there is limited data on testes and ovary biomodels in the literature, no findings on their effectiveness in education have been reported. Understanding the morphology of testicular and ovarian tissues is vital for veterinarians. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of three-dimensional (3D) printed testes and ovary biomodels in veterinary reproduction education and students’ perspective on them. To assess their educational effectiveness, biomodels created to align with specific learning objectives were evaluated against slaughterhouse materials. This comparison was carried out on a total of 94 students divided into two groups. A questionnaire containing 19 different judgments was administered to determine students’ attitudes toward biomodels. Following the assessments, students reported that they perceived biomodels to be a more advantageous resource than the slaughterhouse materials for their practical training (X¯: 3.12). In addition, they strongly (X¯: 4.14) expressed their wish to use biomodels in other practical fields of veterinary medicine education. As a result, this study demonstrated for the first time that testes and ovary biomodels can be produced to cover learning objectives in veterinary medicine education. In addition, it was observed that veterinary students supported and demanded the use of these biomodels.

Although cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a local infection, the cellular immune response against the disease is systemic, and reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) are an important part of cellular immune response involved in killing the parasite. However, whether these intermediates cause oxidative damage in host is unknown. In this study, the metabolism of ROIs were investigated in patients with CL, and compared with healthy subjects. Erythrocyte lipid peroxidation was determined, as an index of oxidative damage, by measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Erythrocyte MDA levels and SOD activities were found to be significantly higher in CL patients than in control subjects (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01 , respectively). However, CAT and GSH-Px activities were significantly lower in the CL group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 , respectively). There was a tendency to decreased hemoglobin (Hb) levels, but values did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggest that changes in antioxidant enzyme activities may amplify the leishmanicidal effect in patients with CL. However, these changes may not only cause the killing of parasite but also may cause oxidative damage in the other cells or tissues.