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• Seizures may also be the initial symptom in MS, however the risk increases with increasing disease duration. • The pathophysiology of seizures seen during onset and relapse and seizures seen during the course are probably different. • The prognosis of epilepsy is good in MS patients. • Status epilepticus is more common in MOGAD. • Seizures are not common in NMO. Multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) may be associated with acute symptomatic seizures and chronic epilepsy as well. The clinical features of the seizures and/or accompanying epilepsy seen in each disease group may vary. In this study, we aimed to contribute to the existing literature by describing the clinical features of seizures and epilepsy in our demyelinating patient population. We retrospectively analyzed patients who were followed up in our tertiary referral center neurology demyelinating diseases outpatient clinic between 2019 and 2024. Patients who had at least one seizure before, simultaneously, or after the diagnosis of demyelinating disease were included in the study. Among 1735 patients with MS, 40 had experienced at least one epileptic seizure (2.3 %). Thirty patients (1.7 %) had seizures that could not be explained by another factor than MS. When secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) were compared, the interval between MS-epilepsy diagnosis was longer and seizure recurrence was more in SPMS. However, the prognosis of epilepsy was good in both subtypes. There were 21 patients followed up with antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. No patient had a seizure during the follow-up. We identified 56 patients who fulfilled the criteria for MOGAD with high antibody titers. Seizures were observed in three of them (5.4 %). All of them had status epilepticus either at the onset or during the course of the disease. Even rare, seizures constitute one of the important clinical features of the inflammatory demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system. The pathophysiologic mechanism underlying seizures in MS is still not clear. Seizures may occur through different mechanisms in patients where seizures are the initial symptom or a sign of relapse and those that occur spontaneously during the progressive course of the disease. Prevalence of status epilepticus was common in MOGAD patients. Given the rarity of the seizures in CNS demyelinating disorders, it is difficult the define clinical and pathophysiological characteristics of accompanying seizures and epilepsy. Future studies conducted on large patient groups will contribute to the existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The rate of progression in patients with late-onset multiple sclerosis (LOMS) is higher than that in the general MS population. • Oligoclonal band (OCB) positivity was found to be higher in the Turkish population when compared to other LOMS studies. • The prevalence of lesions in the spinal cord is higher in LOMS patients. • The onset of motor symptoms and the presence of spinal cord lesions significantly increase the risk of EDSS worsening in LOMS. • Comorbidities that contribute to delayed diagnosis are more common in the LOMS population, emphasizing the importance of recognizing that MS can onset at older ages. Multiple sclerosis (MS), which is known as a young-adult age disease, is called late-onset MS (LOMS) when it occurs at the age of 50 and older. In our study, we aimed to analyse the clinical and demographic characteristics, comorbidities, diagnostic and treatment challenges and prognosis of LOMS. In a retrospective analysis of 136 patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) after the age of 50, based on the 2017 McDonald criteria, and who were under observation in eight distinct MS centers across Turkey; demographic information, clinical characteristics of the disease, oligoclonal band (OCB) status, initial and current Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) values, administered treatments, and the existence of spinal lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were investigated. The mean age of the 136 patients was 60.96±6.42 years (51–79), the mean age at diagnosis was 54.94±4.30 years, and 89 (65.4 %) of the patients were female. Most of the cases, 61.1 % (83) had at least one comorbidity. In 97 patients who underwent lumbar puncture (LP), OCB positivity was observed in 63.6 %. In 114 patients (83.8 %), spinal lesions were detected on MRI. Eighty-seven patients had relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) (64 %), 27 patients had secondary progressive MS (SPMS) (19.9 %), and 22 patients had primary progressive MS (PPMS) (16.2 %). The mean EDSS at the time of diagnosis was 2.44±1.46, and the mean current EDSS was 3.15±2.14. In LOMS patients, the rates of delay in the diagnostic process, treatment disruption and progressive disease are higher than in the general MS population. The high rates of LP applying and OCB positivity of this study may indicate the habit of looking for clear evidences in advanged age in our country. This situation and comorbidities may cause a delay in diagnosis and eliminates the window of opportunity for early diagnosis. Although the high number of spinal lesions is a known marker for progressive disease, it is an issue that needs to be discussed whether the increased frequency of progressive course at older ages is due to the nature of the disease or immune aging itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we evaluated the microembolic signals (MES) frequency with transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) under anticoagulant therapy, and we compared the treatment groups.Methods: Ninety-nine patients with nonvalvular AF with a history of stroke using warfarin (46%), 67 patients using rivaroxaban (31%), and 49 patients using dabigatran (23%), that is, a total of 215 patients, who have been referred to the stroke outpatient section of our department from May 2013 to November 2014, were included in the study. CHA(2)DS(2)VASc scoring was made for all patients, and International Normalized Ratio (INR) value was evaluated in patients using warfarin. All patients were monitored with TCD on the middle cerebral arteries bilaterally for 30 minutes. Embolic signals were evaluated according to their density and the mean number of signals in 2 consecutive recordings.Results: The incidence of emboli in the treatment group was 32 (32%) for warfarin, 24 (36%) for rivaroxaban, and 17 (35%) for dabigatran. The analysis of variance revealed that there was no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups in terms of patients' age (P = .145), CHA(2)DS(2)VASc scores (P = .968), and the number of emboli (P = .783). As CHA(2)DS(2)VASc score increases, number of emboli increase. A statistically significant negative correlation between the number of emboli and INR scores was found in the warfarin group. The number of emboli decreases as INR decreases.Conclusions: As we aim to reduce the risk of emboli to a minimum with anticoagulant therapy, this screening for MES can give us an idea for the risk of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A dinuclear neutral silver(I) complex, [Ag2(Hpyzdc)2(μ-dmpyz)] (1) (H2pydc=pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid, dmpyz=2,3-dimethylpyrazine), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction data have shown that the Hpydc ligands in 1 act as bidentate ligands via the pyrazine nitrogen and carboxylate oxygen atoms, and the further carboxylic group remains unbonded in the protonated form. Uncommon intermolecular interactions have been observed in the crystal structure, such as dihapto aromatic and intramolecular agostic interactions. DFT calculations have also supported the latterly mentioned agostic interaction. Complex 1 exhibits, in the solid state, strong fluorescence with two emission maxima in the visible region. TD-DFT calculations performed on the optimized structure in acetonitrile medium, modeled within PCM approach, have significantly quantified the experimental absorption profile and suggested that LLCT and MLLCT transitions are mainly responsible for the higher and lower energy fluorescences respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The bis(2-benzoylbenzoato)(1,10-phenanthroline)metal(II) (M=Cu, Zn) complexes [Cu(bba)2(phen)] 1 and [Zn(bba)2(phen)] 2 have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, IR and electronic spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography techniques. The electronic structure and spectroscopic features of the title complexes have been further investigated by means of DFT and TD-DFT approaches. The calculated spectra of 1 and 2 have been simulated in order to give a more qualitative description of the experimental spectra. The thermal behaviours of the title complexes have been studied by means of simultaneous TG, DTG and DTA methods in a static air atmosphere. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis has shown that 1 and 2 are thermally stable (T decomp . >227°C). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an unusual risk factor for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). As few CVST patients with SLE have been reported, little is known regarding its frequency as an underlying etiology, clinical characteristics, or long-term outcome. We evaluated a large cohort of CVST patients with SLE in a multicenter study of cerebral venous thrombosis, the VENOST study, and their clinical characteristics.Material and Method: Among the 1144 CVST patients in the VENOST cohort, patients diagnosed with SLE were studied. Their demographic and clinical characteristics, etiological risk factors, venous involvement status, and outcomes were recorded.Results: In total, 15 (1.31%) of 1144 CVST patients had SLE. The mean age of these patients was 39.9 ± 12.1 years and 13 (86.7%) were female. Presenting symptoms included headache (73.3%), visual field defects (40.0%), and altered consciousness (26.7%). The main sinuses involved were the transverse (60.0%), sagittal (40.0%), and sigmoid (20.0%) sinuses. Parenchymal involvement was not seen in 73.3% of the patients. On the modified Rankin scale, 92.9% of the patients scored 0-1 at the 1-month follow-up and 90.9% scored 0-1 at the 1-year follow-up.Conclusions: SLE was found in 1.31% of the CVST patients, most frequently in young women. Headache was the most common symptom and the CVST onset was chronic in the majority of cases. The patient outcomes were favorable. CVST should be suspected in SLE patients, even in those with isolated chronic headache symptoms with or without other neurological findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is a heritable, rare small vessel disease, which is caused by HTRA1 mutations and mostly reported Japanese and Chinese population. CARASIL is an orphan disease, which presents with progressive motor and cognitive impairment, alopecia, and spondylosis. The disease typically starts with lumbago at early twenties. Ischemic strokes start at mid-twenties. Patients have no cardiovascular or any other risk factors. Multiple lacunar infarcts and leukoencephalopathy cause progressive neurologic involvement. Leukoencephalopathy and small vessel disease without any risk factors is a significant finding for the differential diagnosis of HTRA1 gene pathology. This report presents clinical and genetic features of a rare case of typical CARASIL from Turkey who was followed with uncertain diagnoses for years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report macroscopic biofilms on silver hydrogel–coated urinary catheters in 2 patients from 2 different intensive care units. The catheters were removed on observation of a white, jelly layer on the catheters, respectively, 9 and 21 days after insertion. Yeast cells and pseudohyphal structures were observed with microscopy. Both isolates were identified as Candida albicans. To our knowledge, these are the first cases demonstrating the formation of macroscopic biofilm layers on silver nitrate–coated catheters in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structure of (E)-2-ethoxy-6-[(phenylimino)methyl]phenol was characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR and electronic spectroscopy. The title compound prefers enol form in solid state as to X-ray and IR results. UV–Vis spectra of the title compound were recorded in various solvents. The results show that the molecule exists only enol form even in solvent media. Electronic structure and spectroscopic properties of title compound were investigated from calculative point of view. DFT/B3LYP optimization was performed based on X-ray Geometry applying 6–311G(d,p) basis set. TD-DFT calculations starting from optimized geometry were carried out in both gas and solution phase to calculate excitation energies of enol and keto tautomers. Vibrational frequency analysis was performed at the optimized geometry with the same level of theory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Biogas yield of cattle manure, corn silage and sugar beet pulp residues were investigated. • Thermal pretreatments were performed at 100 °C, 120 °C, 150 °C and 180 °C. • The highest biogas yield was 362.1 mL/g TS in the reactor which is pretreated at 180 °C for 60 min. • Cumulative biogas productions fitted to modified Gompertz and modified Bertalanffy models. In this study, biogas production was investigated from cattle manure (CM), corn silage (CS) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) mixtures under mesophilic conditions. In anaerobic digestion (AD), CM, CS and SBP were mixed in different ratios and the optimum mixture ratio was determined as 2:1:1, w/w/w respectively. In this mixture, biogas production was 180.5 mL/g TS. After the optimum mixing ratios of CM, CS and SBP were determined, thermal pretreatments were applied to this mixture ratio. Thermal pretreatments were performed at 100, 120, 150 and 180 °C with 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 min for each temperature. Considering biogas production after thermal pretreatment, the best thermal pretreatment time was determined as 60 min for all pretreatment temperatures. The highest biogas yield was 362.1 mL/g TS in the reactor which is pretreated at 180 °C for 60 min. After thermal pretreatment at 180 °C for 60 min, the SCOD value in the reactor increased by 124.6% compared to the control. This reactor produced 100.6% higher biogas production compared to the control. In addition, the solubilization of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in this reactor was 38.2%, 32.9% and 23.2%, respectively. Cumulative biogas production (CBP) fitted to modified Gompertz and modified Bertalanffy models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]