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Scabies is a prevalent ectoparasitic infectious disease, caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. As a consequence of the infestation, localised cutaneous inflammation, pruritus and polymorphic skin lesions develop. The primary symptoms of scabies manifest as hypersensitivity-like reactions and immune responses, the precise mechanisms of which remain poorly defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral ivermectin treatment in patients with scabies on the systemic immune response and the patient’s quality of life (QoL). Patients admitted to the dermatology outpatient clinic and diagnosed with scabies were administered oral ivermectin treatment following diagnosis at week 0 and 2. Laboratory tests were conducted to measure complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels before treatment and at week 4. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) was calculated using the platelet, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts. Additionally, data pertaining to the Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) were recorded. In 119 patients (51 males) diagnosed with scabies, increases in ESR, CRP, and SII values and decreases in inflammatory cell counts and DLQI scores were observed one month after treatment with oral ivermectin. The results of the study showed that the use of oral ivermectin, a scabicidal agent, triggered the inflammatory response and improved the QoL of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In our study, considering the clinical parameters we aimed to determine the most appropriate treatment approach for symptomatic gestational hydronephrosis and conditions requiring DJS insertion. Methods: Our study was a retrospective cross-sectional study and 137 patients were included. The patients were divided into two groups: those with conservative follow-up and those with DJS. Demographic and clinical data, the degree of HUN detected in urinary ultrasonography and the anteroposterior diameter of the renal pelvis were evaluated. Factors affecting the need for DJS between groups were investigated. Also, it was aimed to determine the cut-off value for the HUN degree and renal pelvis AP diameter in patients with DJS. Results: The presence of urinary system stones was statistically significantly higher in the group with DJS than in the group without DJS (p = 0.014). HUN degrees and AP diameter were statistically significantly higher in the DJS group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). HUN degree and renal pelvis AP diameter were the two most important predictors for DJS insertion (p = 0.005, p = 0.015, respectively). The AP diameter cut-off value for DJS installation was determined as 20.5 mm. Conclusion: Although there are conservative and surgical treatment options for symptomatic hydronephrosis of pregnancy, the factors at the decision point between these options are still a matter of debate. In our study, we concluded that the most important determinants at this decision point are the HUN degree and renal pelvis AP diameter. We think that the cut-off values we have determined for these markers will guide clinicians in deciding on treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus strains from traditional Turkish yoghurts were isolated, identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and genotypically 14 S. thermophilus and 6 L. bulgaricus strains were obtained as distinct strains by MLST analysis. Lactic acid production levels of the L. bulgaricus strains were higher than S. thermophilus strains. HPLC analysis showed that EPS monosaccharide composition of the strains mainly consisted of glucose and galactose. In general, all strains were found to be susceptible for antibiotics, except some strains were resistance to gentamicin and kanamycin. Apart from two strains of S. thermophilus, all strains displayed strong auto-aggregation level greater than 95% at 24 h incubation. S. thermophilus strains showed higher cell surface hydrophobicity than L. bulgaricus strains. This study demonstrated the isolation, identification, genotypic discrimination and techno-functional features of wild type yoghurt starter cultures which can potentially find place in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the obturator nerve block (ONB) on the operation time, duration of hospital stay, complete resection, presence of muscle tissue in the pathology, second resection, recurrence, and progression, when applied in addition to spinal anesthesia in patients with primary bladder lateral wall tumor and Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT) was planned. Materials and methods: Seventy patients with bladder lateral wall tumors were included in the study. In addition, ONB was applied to 35 of the patients who underwent spinal anesthesia. The two groups were compared in terms of obturator reflex development, perforation, complete resection, presence of muscle tissue in pathology samples, need for second resection, need for second resection due to inadequate muscle tissue, and 1 year recurrence and progression rates. Results: When the two groups were compared for obturator reflex and bladder perforation, both were found to be lower in the ONB group (p = 0.002, p = 0.198, respectively). The rate of complete resection and the presence of muscle tissue in the pathology samples were higher in the ONB group (p = 0.045, p = 0.034, respectively). The rates of second resection and second resection due to inadequate muscle tissue were found to be higher in the group without ONB (p = 0.015, p = 0.106, respectively). In the 1-year follow-up, the recurrence rate was significantly lower in the ONB group (p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the progression rates (p = 0.106). Conclusion: In our study, we found out that ONB applied in addition to spinal anesthesia increases the rate of complete and muscle tissue resection by decreasing the obturator reflex, and causes a significant reduction in the need for second resection and tumor recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caregiving in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often provided by informal care partners, who spend more hours per week on average than care partners of individuals with conditions other than AD. However, the burden of care in partners of individuals with AD has not been systematically compared to that of other chronic diseases. Objective: The current study therefore aims to compare the care partner burden of AD to that of other chronic diseases through a systematic literature review. Methods: Data was collected from journal articles published in the last 10 years, using two unique search strings in PubMed and analysed using pre-defined patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) including the EQ-5D-5L, GAD-7, GHQ-12, PHQ-9, WPAI and the ZBI. The data was grouped according to the included PROMs and the diseases studied. The number of participants in the studies reporting burden of caregiving in AD was adjusted to reflect the number of participants in studies reporting care partner burden in other chronic diseases. Results: All results in this study are reported as a mean value and standard deviation (SD). The ZBI measurement was the most frequently used PROM to collect care partner burden (15 studies) and showed a moderate burden (mean 36.80, SD 18.35) on care partners of individuals with AD, higher than most of the other included diseases except for those characterized by psychiatric symptoms (mean scores 55.92 and 59.11). Other PROMs such as PHQ-9 (six studies) and GHQ-12 (four studies) showed a greater burden on care partners of individuals with other chronic diseases such as heart failure, haematopoietic cell transplantations, cancer and depression compared to AD. Likewise, GAD-7 and EQ-5D-5L measurements showed a lesser burden on care partners of individuals with AD compared to care partners of individuals with anxiety, cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The current study suggests that care partners of individuals with AD experience a moderate burden, but with some variations depending on the PROMs used. Conclusion: The results of this study were mixed with some PROMs indicating a greater burden for care partners of individuals with AD versus other chronic diseases, and other PROMs showing a greater burden for care partners of individuals with other chronic diseases. Psychiatric disorders imposed a greater burden on care partners compared to AD, while somatic diseases in the musculoskeletal system resulted in a significantly smaller burden on care partners compared to AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the connective tissues and leads to physical, emotional, and social challenges for patients. Evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with a disease-specific tool may be preferable for improving patient care and treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to translate the Systemic Sclerosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (SScQoL) into Turkish and to investigate its psychometric properties. Methods: Eighty-six patients with SSc (mean age 51.8 ± 11.7 years, 80 females) participated in the study. Convergent validity was explored by correlation analyses between Turkish SScQoL and Short-Form 36 (SF-36), European Quality of Life Survey-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), EQ-5D Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS), and Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (SHAQ). Cronbach's alpha was calculated to test internal consistency. Turkish SScQoL was readministered after 7–14 days to fifty-eight patients for determining test re-test reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficients in 95% confidence interval (ICCs [95%CI]) were calculated to examine the agreement between two assessments. Values greater than 15% and an absolute skewness value < 1 were recognized as the presence of a floor or ceiling effect. Results: SScQoL correlated significantly with SF-36 subdomains (r = -0.347 to -0.618, p < 0.01), EQ-5D (r = -0.535, p < 0.01), EQ-VAS (r = -0.636, p < 0.01), and SHAQ global score (r = 0.521, p < 0.01). SScQoL demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.917), and good to excellent test–retest reliability (ICC [95%CI] = 0.85 [0.76–0.91]). No floor/ceiling effects were observed. Conclusion: The Turkish version of SScQoL seems to have adequate psychometric properties and can be used to evaluate HRQoL in clinical and research settings. Key points • Turkish version of SScQoL is a valid and reliable tool for measuring health-related quality of life of patients with systemic sclerosis. • SScQoL is the only diseases-specific quality of life measurement for systemic sclerosis available in Turkish. • Patients with limited and diffuse SSc seem to be similar in terms of self-reported health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, additives with high oxygen content are added to gasoline to reduce its environmental damages. Alcohols are the most important ones among them. Short-chain alcohols such as methanol and ethanol are preferred for gasoline engines; however, a limited number of studies where long-chain alcohols are used were carried out. In this study, the engine performance and exhaust emission values were determined using gasoline, PEN25 (25% 1-pentanol + 75% gasoline), HEX25 (25% 1-hexanol + 75% gasoline), and HEP25 (25% 1-heptanol + 75% gasoline) in a four-stroke spark-ignition engine (SIE) with single cylinder and water cooling under constant speed (1500 rpm) and different load conditions (4, 8, 12, and 16 kg). The energy, exergy, economical, environmental, and sustainability parameters were analyzed based on the obtained data. Finally, it was concluded that the addition of different heavy alcohols to gasoline increases fuel consumption and reduces thermal efficiency. Due to the low energy content of alcohols, the energy and exergy efficiencies of blended fuels were lower than that of gasoline. At full load, the thermal efficiencies of gasoline, PEN25, HEX25, and HEP25 were found to be 37.36%, 28.27%, 31.92%, and 34.84%, respectively; meanwhile, the exergy efficiencies were in the order of 34.83%, 26.53%, 29.96%, and 32.70%. Although the economical analyses were affected adversely since alcohol prices are higher than gasoline prices, it was found that fuel blends gave better results than gasoline in terms of environmental aspect. The net work cost values of gasoline, PEN25, HEX25, and HEP25 was calculated to be 86.76%, 84.99%, 85.64%, and 85.39%, respectively. If the production of heavy alcohols is increased, then their prices may decrease. This is one of the priority objectives for heavy alcohols being an alternative additive for gasoline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dogs are one of the key animal species in investigating the biological mechanisms of behavioral laterality. Cerebral asymmetries are assumed to be influenced by stress, but this subject has not yet been studied in dogs. This study aims to investigate the effect of stress on laterality in dogs by using two different motor laterality tests: the Kong™ Test and a Food-Reaching Test (FRT). Motor laterality of chronically stressed (n = 28) and emotionally/physically healthy dogs (n = 32) were determined in two different environments, i.e., a home environment and a stressful open field test (OFT) environment. Physiological parameters including salivary cortisol, respiratory rate, and heart rate were measured for each dog, under both conditions. Cortisol results showed that acute stress induction by OFT was successful. A shift towards ambilaterality was detected in dogs after acute stress. Results also showed a significantly lower absolute laterality index in the chronically stressed dogs. Moreover, the direction of the first paw used in FRT was a good predictor of the general paw preference of an animal. Overall, these results provide evidence that both acute and chronic stress exposure can change behavioral asymmetries in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a low-cost and compact Cr:LiSAF laser system with ultrabroad tunability in the near infrared and visible. The system is pumped by two state-of-the-art 210 mW single-mode red diodes, and in continuous-wave (cw) lasing experiments, an output power up to 190 mW, a tuning range of 795–1103 nm, and a slope efficiency of 54% is achieved. Via intracavity frequency-doubling with beta-barium borate (BBO) crystals, a record cw second-harmonic tuning range continuously covering the spectral regions from violet to green (402–535 nm) is demonstrated. Despite the simple pump system, cw frequency-doubled power levels up to 17.5 mW could be reached at 422.5 nm, which corresponds to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 4.2% and electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 1.4%. We believe that this compact, low-cost, and simplistic Cr:LiSAF laser system may be an attractive source for several applications including spectroscopy, atom cooling/trapping, and quantum optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is an important factor affecting the health of people worldwide, as well as a source of fear, stress, and anxiety. The aim of this study was to determine the level of fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkish society and evaluate its effects on quality of life. The sociodemographic information form, COVID-19 Fear Scale (FCV-19S), and WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Scale were applied to the participants. A total of 705 people, who were accessed via the internet, responded willingly to the study, which was planned as a cross-sectional analytical study. The mean FCV-19S score was 17.4 ± 5.9 (7–32) points. Fear points were higher among females than males (p < 0.001), and among single individuals than among those who were married (p = 0.049). Fear scores were low for tradesmen, those with low educational status, and those with high income levels (p < 0.001). According to the WHOQOL-BREF Scale, the FCV19S of those with very good quality of life was low (p = 0.042), and the FCV-19S of those who were not satisfied with life was high (p < 0.001). Statistically, a weak negative correlation was detected between the fear scores, and physical health and psychological health (r = − 0.190, r = − 0.198, p < 0.001). Fear level varies according to gender, education, and income level, regardless of age. As fear increases, quality of life decreases, and physical and psychological health were negatively affected. The authors believed that the outcome of the study would help inform the public about COVID-19, as well as cope with the psychological effects and fears of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environment friendly and sustainable method to manage insect pests of economic importance through successive releases of sterile irradiated males of the targeted species to a defined area. A mating of a sterile male with a virgin wild female will result in no offspring, and ultimately lead to the suppression or eradication of the targeted population. Tsetse flies, vectors of African Trypanosoma, have a highly regulated and defined microbial fauna composed of three bacterial symbionts that may have a role to play in the establishment of Trypanosoma infections in the flies and hence, may influence the vectorial competence of the released sterile males. Sodalis bacteria seem to interact with Trypanosoma infection in tsetse flies. Field-caught tsetse flies of ten different taxa and from 15 countries were screened using PCR to detect the presence of Sodalis and Trypanosoma species and analyse their interaction. The results indicate that the prevalence of Sodalis and Trypanosoma varied with country and tsetse species. Trypanosome prevalence was higher in east, central and southern African countries than in west African countries. Tsetse fly infection rates with Trypanosoma vivax and T. brucei sspp were higher in west African countries, whereas tsetse infection with T. congolense and T. simiae, T. simiae (tsavo) and T. godfreyi were higher in east, central and south African countries. Sodalis prevalence was high in Glossina morsitans morsitans and G. pallidipes but absent in G. tachinoides. Double and triple infections with Trypanosoma taxa and coinfection of Sodalis and Trypanosoma were rarely observed but it occurs in some taxa and locations. A significant Chi square value (< 0.05) seems to suggest that Sodalis and Trypanosoma infection correlate in G. palpalis gambiensis, G. pallidipes and G. medicorum. Trypanosoma infection seemed significantly associated with an increased density of Sodalis in wild G. m. morsitans and G. pallidipes flies, however, there was no significant impact of Sodalis infection on trypanosome density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report nanosecond (ns) cavity-dumped operation of a low-cost diode-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser around 1000 nm. The system is pumped with one 1-W single-emitter multimode diode at 665 nm. A Pockell cell (PC) and thin-film-polarizer (TFP) combination placed inside the cavity chops up an adjustable portion of the intracavity power and creates a variable time-dependent output coupler. Via adjusting the length and magnitude of the electrical signal going into the PC, output pulses with pulsewidths in the 2.5–500 ns range and with peak power levels above 10 W are generated at repetition rates up to 100 kHz. The central wavelength of the pulses could be smoothly tuned in the 985–1030 nm region, and is only limited by the anti-reflection coating bandwidth of the current PC and TFP. This versatile nanosecond source with 100 nJ level energies could serve as an attractive low-cost seed source for Yb-based amplifiers, including the cryogenic Yb:YLF systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variations of the origin of the occipital artery (OA) can be considered as congenital anomalies that are often asymptomatic and detected incidentally on angiography or during cadaver dissection. While OA normally originates from the posterior aspect of the external carotid artery (ECA), recent evidence also reflects that OA may infrequently originate from the internal carotid artery (ICA); however, OA originating from the vertebral artery (VA) is a highly rare phenomenon. Case presentation: In a 54-year-old female patient with the complaint of left hemiparesis, computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed nonstenotic calcified plaques at the beginning of right ICA where common carotid artery (CCA) bifurcates. We also incidentally observed that bilateral OA originated from the VA using maximum intensity projection (MIP) technique. In addition to this rare variation, CT angiography showed the osseous anomaly termed as high-riding VA (HRVA) in the C1/2 vertebral space of the V3 segment of the VA. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, a case of bilateral OA originating from the VA has not been reported to date. We believe that recognition of this rare variation may contribute to the relevant literature and it is of importance to consider this variation in radiological imaging and surgical procedures involving this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a successful autocidal control method that uses ionizing radiation to sterilize insects. However, irradiation in normal atmospheric conditions can be damaging for males, because irradiation generates substantial biological oxidative stress that, combined with domestication and mass-rearing conditions, may reduce sterile male sexual competitiveness and quality. In this study, biological oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity were experimentally manipulated in Anastrepha suspensa using a combination of low-oxygen conditions and transgenic overexpression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2) to evaluate their role in the sexual behavior and quality of irradiated males. Our results showed that SOD2 overexpression enhances irradiated insect quality and improves male competitiveness in leks. However, the improvements in mating performance were modest, as normoxia-irradiated SOD2 males exhibited only a 22% improvement in mating success compared to normoxia-irradiated wild type males. Additionally, SOD2 overexpression did not synergistically improve the mating success of males irradiated in either hypoxia or severe hypoxia. Short-term hypoxic and severe-hypoxic conditioning hormesis, per se, increased antioxidant capacity and enhanced sexual competitiveness of irradiated males relative to non-irradiated males in leks. Our study provides valuable new information that antioxidant enzymes, particularly SOD2, have potential to improve the quality and lekking performance of sterile males used in SIT programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed programs are often designed with implicit assumptions about the underlying system. We focus on assumptions related to clock synchronization. When a program written with clock synchronization assumptions is monitored to determine if it satisfies its requirements, the monitor should also account for these assumptions precisely. Otherwise, the monitor will either miss potential bugs (false negatives) or find bugs that are inconsistent with these assumptions (false positives). However, if assumptions made by the program are implicit or change over time and are not immediately available to the monitor, such false positives and/or negatives are unavoidable. This paper characterizes precision (probability that the violation identified by the monitor is valid) and recall (probability that the monitor identifies an actual violation) of the monitor based on the gap between clock synchronization assumptions made by the program/application and the clock synchronization assumptions made by the monitor. Our analysis is based on the development of an analytical model for precision, recall and sensitivity of monitors detecting conjunctive predicates. We validate the model via simulations and experiments on the Amazon Web Services platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) are two commonly used approaches for the diagnosis of suspected neoplastic parotid gland lesions. We aimed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of FNA and CNB performed with ultrasound guidance preoperatively for the diagnosis of parotid neoplasms. Methods: We retrospectively analysed the preoperative specimens of 113 patients (66 FNA, 47 CNB) who underwent surgical excision at our institute between 2014 and 2017. Patient selection was based on lesion type and dimension, preliminary and final pathology, imaging characteristics, clinical course, and treatment data for accurate statistical analysis. The final diagnosis was based on surgery in all of the patients. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of FNA and CNB regarding the correct tissue-specific diagnosis of benign and malignant tumours. The recurrence and complication rates were analysed to determine the safety of each technique. Results: Among the 113 patients, the average follow-up period was 65.4 (50–88) months. Seventy-one patients (62.8%) were males, and the median age was 50 years. The most common type of surgery was superficial parotidectomy (83.2%), and the median tumour size was 30.0 mm. Pleomorphic adenoma was the most frequent neoplasm. The diagnostic rates of preoperative pathological evaluation of FNA and CNB samples were 68.2% and 91.5%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of FNA for detecting malignant lesions were 40, 100, and 100%, respectively, and those of CNB were 100, 100, and 100%, respectively. Only one complication occurred (haematoma) in the biopsy area after CNB. No recurrences were seen after CNB and FNA during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the diagnostic ability, sensitivity, and specificity of CNB are excellent compared with those of FNA. The only disadvantage of CNB is the need for experienced staff and good-quality equipment. The complication rates of each technique are very low, and the risk of tumour tract seeding is controversial. CNB should be considered the technique of choice when a nodule is detected in the parotid glands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we synthesized blood orange peel extract-copper (II) (Cu2+) ions nanoflower (NFs) and blood orange juice extract-copper (II) (Cu2+) ions nanoflower examine their antimicrobial properties on the fish pathogen (Yersinia ruckeri). The main compounds of the blood orange peel extract and the blood orange juice extract were organic components, and the copper (II) (Cu2 +) ions were inorganic components. BOPE-Cu2 + nanoflowers are quite compact, porous, and uniform as compared to BOJE-Cu2+ nanoflowers. Scanning Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry, and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to observe the structures of the NFs. The findings of FT-IR show Cu–O and Cu–N bonds in NF, which may be an indicator of the development of NFs. Although the antimicrobial actions of BOPE-hNFs and BOJE-hNFs against Yersinia ruckeri (NCTC 12,268) have been confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have investigated six different in situ optical contactless temperature probing methods for cryogenic Yb:YAG systems. All the methods are based on variation of fluorescence spectra with temperature, and they either look at the width of the emission line, the ratio of the emission intensity at different wavelengths and to the overall spectral change at selected wavelength intervals. We have shown that, for Yb:YAG crystal with homogeneous temperature distribution, one can perform real-time contactless optical temperature measurements with a ± 1 K accuracy in the 78–300 K range. We have further tested the methods in measuring the average temperature of Yb:YAG rods at up to 500 W absorbed pump power level. We have seen that, a real-time temperature measurement accuracy of ± 5 K is feasible in both lasing and non-lasing situations for estimating the average temperature of crystals under nonhomogeneous thermal load. The techniques are quite valuable in evaluating the bonding quality of Yb:YAG crystals in cryogenic systems. Moreover, the real-time temperature information provides feedback on parameters like cavity alignment status and extraction efficiency to the laser engineers while optimizing the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current work is to examine the concentrations of nine heavy metals such as chromium, nickel, copper, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, iron, lead, and metal (aluminium) in two body parts (carapace and walking legs) of Liocarcinus depurator from different stations (İlyas bey, Cide koyu, Anadolu feneri, igneada) in the western Black Sea coast of Turkey. And this study was carried out to examine morphological properties of Liocarcinus depurator in the region. The sex ratio (female/male) of 387 samples was calculated as F/M = 1:0.945. The mean carapace length and width were measured as 20.41 ± 2.41 mm and 25.10 ± 2.78 mm for female and 25.49 ± 3.33 mm and 32.32 ± 4.50 mm for male individually. The mean weight of crabs was measured as 4.09 ± 1.37 g for females and 8.33 ± 3.35 g for males. The samples were investigated trace metals by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Ranges over trace metals in all samples of L. depurator as follows: Cr 0.6–1.5, Mn 21–130, Cu 8–37, Zn 6–40, Cd 0.2–1.5, Pb 0.1–3.6, Co 0.1–1.1, Fe 22–160, and Ni 0.6–1 mg/kg wet wt. The walking legs and carapace/exoskeleton of female and male crabs were analyzed and contained various concentrations of Pb, Co, Ni, Cr, Cd, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn elements. The order of the heavy metal in all samples of L. depurator is shown as Fe > Cu > Mn > Zn > Cr > Cr > Ni > Cd > Pb > Co. In this research, metal levels of the crab samples compared between female and male and found highest mean metal concentrations in the station number 3 (Anadolu feneri) that the Al concentration in the carapace of female was 295.0 mg/kg wet wt and in the walking legs was 306.67 mg/kg wet wt, in the carapace of male was 264.4 mg/kg wet wt, and in the walking legs was 162.61 mg/kg wet wt in station number 3 (Anadolu feneri). The purpose of this work is to analyze the metal composition of this type of crab, which is abundant in the Black Sea region and is not planned to be attached to fisherman's nets, to evaluate whether it will be useful or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a low-cost multimode diode pumped passively Q-switched Cr:LiCAF laser operating near 800 nm. AlGaAs-based saturable Bragg reflectors (SBRs) were used for passive Q-switching. The system is experimentally characterized in detail using four different output couplers and two SBRs with different modulation depths. Pulse widths in the 1.5–4 µs range at repetition rates between 18 and 40 kHz were achieved with average powers up to 125 mW. The experimentally obtained results are compared with basic Q-switching theory and further performance improvement in terms of pulse length shortening and peak power scaling is elaborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present detailed experimental results with cryogenic Yb:YLF gain media in rod-geometry. We have comparatively investigated continuous-wave (cw) lasing and regenerative amplification performance under different experimental conditions. In the cw lasing experiments effect of crystal doping, cw laser cavity geometry and pump wavelength on lasing performance were explored. Regenerative amplification behavior was analyzed and the role of depolarization losses on performance was investigated. A recently developed temperature estimation method was also employed for the first time in estimating average crystal temperature under lasing conditions. It is shown that the thermal lens induced by transverse temperature gradients is the main limiting factor and strategies for future improvements are discussed. To the best of our knowledge, the achieved results in this study (375 W in cw, and 90 W in regenerative amplification) are the highest average powers ever obtained from this system via employing the broadband E//a axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, rapid and eco-friendly microextraction method was developed for the determination and preconcentration of zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) from grain products by ultrasonic-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-IL-DLLME) combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Quercetin (2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one dihydrate) was used for the complexation of Zn(II) and Cr(III) ions at different pHs. The 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl) sulfonyl]imide ([Hmim][NTf2] and acetonitrile were used as extraction solvent and dispersive solvent, respectively. To provide quantitative extraction of analytes, important experimental variables such as pH of sample solution, temperature, ultrasonic time, amount of chelating agent, amount of ionic liquid, type and amount of dispersive solvent, and interference effect were extensively studied and optimized. The detection limits and operating ranges for Zn(II) and Cr(III) using the optimized conditions were 7.5, 25–450 and 2.4, 8–300 μg L−1, respectively. For the validation of the proposed method, the certified reference material was tested using the standard addition method. After microwave digestion analysis of grain products, relative standard deviations (RSDs%) and recoveries were ranged from 1.2 to 2.3% and from 91.2 to 103.7%, respectively. The UA-IL-DLLME method has been successfully applied for the determination of Zn and Cr in grain samples (chickpea, broad bean, pea, beans, and wheat). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rectal lesions, benign or malignant, are one of the most encountered clinical entities in general surgery departments. Technological breakthroughs in local excision techniques have been occurring such as transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM), transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS), and transanal endoscopic operations (TEO) during the last two decades. We compared the results between TAMIS and TEO for removing rectal lesions. The study was conducted on patients who underwent TAMIS and TEO interventions due to rectal lesions between 2010 and 2015 in the Department of General Surgery of Gulhane Military Medical Academy and the University of Ankara. The data for these patients relating to their age, gender, distance from the anal verge, operation time, occurrence of first bowel movement after surgery, initiation of oral intake after surgery, length of hospital stay, tumor size, follow-up, complications, free resection margin, recurrence, postoperative Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and pathologic specimen examination were taken from the hospital's electronic database. All data were enrolled and analyzed statistically. The TAMIS group had 23 (54.8%) patients, and the TEO group had 19 (45.2%) patients. The TAMIS operation time was significantly longer than that of TEO (Z = 3.188; P < 0.001). Median time to first bowel movement in the TAMIS group was 36.0 h (interquartile range (IQR) = 12.0) vs. 24.0 h (IQR = 18.0) in the TEO group; the difference was significant (Z = 3.358; P = 0.001). No significant differences were found between the two groups in complication rate, recurrence, visual analog scale, or Fecal Incontinence Severity Index. TAMIS and TEO techniques have been found to produce almost similar results. These two techniques are considered to be good alternatives to conservative treatment methods with their reliability and feasibility in experienced hands for selected patients. For TAMIS and TEO techniques to qualify as "treatment of choice," prospective randomized clinical trials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In adsorption experiments, enzymes and diatomite clay minerals that have been used lately are of great importance due to their biological and physicochemical properties. For this purpose, in this study, the adsorption and kinetic parameters of lipase enzyme on diatomite clay were investigated. The diatomite and the lipase enzyme were characterized by SEM, TGA, FTIR, etc. The effect of adsorption kinetic parameters such as pH (from 5.5 to 9), initial of enzyme concentration (0.10–0.35 g L−1), temperature (288–318 K), and ionic strength (1.10−3–7.5.10−3 mol L−1) was investigated, and obtained optimum conditions for the maximum adsorption capacity of diatomite clay were found to be pH 7, temperature of 36.5 °C, and ionic strength of 0.35 g L−1. The kinetic data obtained from experimental studies were investigated using different kinetic models that are pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion. The results showed the second-order equation was found to be the best kinetic model for the adsorption process. The activation parameters such as Ea, enthalpy (ΔH), Gibbs free energy (ΔG), and entropy (ΔS) were calculated. The activation parameter results showed that the interaction between diatomite clay and lipase enzyme is a physical interaction and their adsorption process is exothermic. These results indicated that diatomite clay could be used as an adsorbent for the adsorption of lipase on diatomite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, resulting in motor and non-motor symptoms. The underlying pathology of non-motor symptoms is poorly understood. Discussed are pathological changes of extrastriatal brain structures. In this study, we characterized histopathological alterations of extrastriatal brain structures in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) PD animal model. Lesions were induced by unilateral stereotactic injections of 6-OHDA into the striatum or medial forebrain bundle of adult male mice. Loss of tyrosine hydroxylase positive (TH+) fibers as well as glia activation was quantified following stereological principles. Loss of dopaminergic innervation was further investigated by western-blotting. As expected, 6-OHDA injection into the nigrostriatal route induced retrograde degeneration of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), less so within the ventral tegmental area. Furthermore, we observed a region-specific drop of TH+ projection fiber density in distinct cortical regions. This pathology was most pronounced in the cingulate- and motor cortex, whereas the piriform cortex was just modestly affected. Loss of cortical TH+ fibers was not paralleled by microglia or astrocyte activation. Our results demonstrate that the loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta is paralleled by a cortical dopaminergic denervation in the 6-OHDA model. This model serves as a valuable tool to investigate mechanisms operant during cortical pathology in PD patients. Further studies are needed to understand why cortical dopaminergic innervation is lost in this model, and what functional consequence is associated with the observed denervation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We prospectively assessed changes in the lower urinary system functions of women with morbid obesity following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and the factors affecting these changes.Methods: Data from 40 females who had undergone laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy due to morbid obesity (body mass index, BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) between January 2014-2016 at S.B.U. Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital were prospectively evaluated. The presence of comorbidities, onset of obesity, smoking, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, pre and 12-month postoperative weights and BMIs, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) test results, overactive bladder survey (OAB-Q) scores, volume of urination, and Qmax values obtained from uroflowmetry studies were recorded and assessed.Results: Statistically significant differences in weight, BMI, FBG, insulin, HOMA-IR score and creatinine values pre-operation, and the corresponding values obtained at 12 months post-operation were observed (all, p < 0.001). OAB-Q scores were observed to be statistically significantly lower in the postoperative period relative to those in the preoperative period (p < 0.001). Urination volume was statistically significantly higher during the postoperative period (p = 0.048) than during the preoperative period. Non-smoking patients showed a reduction in OAB-Q score and a statistically significant increase in urination volume during the postoperative period (p < 0.001, p = 0.011, respectively); smoking patients indicated a statistically significant reduction in OAB-Q score only during the postoperative period; however, urination volume was not statistically significant between two groups (p = 0.013, p = 0.303). In patients with an ASA score of 1, preoperative OAB-Q scores were statistically significantly lower (p = 0.035) than those obtained post-operation. Patients with childhood-onset obesity showed statistically significantly increased urination volumes during postoperative period in comparison with values obtained pre-operation (p = 0.042).Conclusion: Improvements in lower urinary system functions were affected by patient-related factors, such as comorbidity, obesity onset, smoking, ASA score, and weight loss, following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,2,4-Triazole-3-one prepared from tryptamine was converted to the corresponding carbothioamides by several steps. Their treatment with ethyl bromoacetate or 4-chlorophenacyl bromide produced the corresponding 5-oxo-1,3-thiazolidine or 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,3-thiazole derivatives. Acetohydrazide derivative that was obtained starting from tryptamine, was converted to the corresponding Schiff basis and sulfonamide by the treatment with suitable aldehydes and benzensulphonyl chloride, respectively. 2-[(4-Amino-5-thioxo-4,5-dihydro-1 H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl]-4-[2-(1 H-indole-3-yl)ethyl]-5-methyl-2,4-dihydro-3 H-1,2,4-triazole-3-one was synthesized starting from hydrazide via the formation of the corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazole compound, while the other bitriazole compounds were obtained by intramolecular cyclisation of carbothioamides in basic media. The treatment of 1,2,4-triazole or 1,3,4-oxadiazole compound with several amines generated the corresponding Mannich bases. Ethyl (2-amino-1,3-thiazole-4-yl)acetate was converted to the corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivative, arylidenehydrazides, 1,2,4-triazole-3-one and 5-oxo-1,3-oxazolidine derivatives by several steps. The structural assignments of new compounds were based on their elemental analysis and spectral (FT IR, H NMR, C NMR and LC-MS) data. The antimicrobial, antilipase and antiurease activity studies revealed that some of the synthesized compounds showed antimicrobial, antilipase and/or antiurease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and hypothesis: To investigate the effect of solifenacin succinate on intraocular pressure (IOP) and dry eye in patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Methods: The study was conducted prospectively between October 2014 and November 2015. A total of 93 female OAB patients with a mean age of 48.59 ± 11.28 years (range 19-75 years) were evaluated. A full ophthalmic examination, including the Schirmer I test and IOP measurements, was conducted. Solifenacin succinate (5 mg/day) was started orally. All procedures were repeated at the 4- and 12-week follow-up, and the effects and side effects were documented. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed in IOP ( p = 0.282, p = 0.189) and tear secretion ( p = 0.122, p = 0.071) values from the baseline (day 0) to the 12th week in OAB patients using solifenacin succinate. Solifenacin succinate treatment was terminated in 3 patients owing to dry eye in 1 patient, increased IOP in 1 patient, and systemic side effects in 1 patient. Constipation and dry mouth at various rates were the most common systemic side effects observed. Conclusions: Solifenacin succinate is useful in eliminating OAB symptoms in female patients, but can cause systemic side effects. It had no significant side effects on tear secretion (Schirmer I) and IOP. We concluded that solifenacin succinate could be reliably used in pure OAB patients without comorbidity in terms of dry eye and IOP. We believe that prospective studies with larger series are still needed to reach a definite conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The optimal management of lower pole kidney (LPK) stones in children is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of children with asymptomatic isolated LPK stones smaller than 10 mm during follow-up. Methods: A total of 242 patients with 284 stones presenting at our institution between June 2004 and December 2014 with an asymptomatic, single LPK stone with a diameter of <10 mm were enrolled in the study. All children were assigned to receive first-line therapy and then categorized according to the need for medical intervention. Age, gender, stone laterality, stone size and type, associated urinary tract problems, and uncontrolled metabolic status were assessed as predictive factors of medical treatment for small (<10 mm) asymptomatic LPK stones. Stone-free rates were compared between interventions. Results: The mean age and mean stone size were 9.4 ± 1.9 years and 7.4 ± 0.6 mm at admission, respectively. Stone progression rate was 61.2%, and the mean time for intervention was 19.2 ± 4.6 months. Flexible ureterorenoscopy ( n = 68) or micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy ( n = 4) were performed for 72 stones (25.4%; group 1), and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was performed for 102 stones (35.9%; group 2). The stone-free rates were 81.8 and 79.3% in group 1 and 2, respectively ( p > 0.05). The remaining asymptomatic stones (110, 38.8%; group 3) were managed by continued observation, and at the end of the observation time (mean 40.8 ± 20.8 months) the spontaneous passage rate was 9.1% in this group. In the multivariate analysis, stone size of >7 mm, concurrent renal anomalies, and stones composed of magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) and cystine were statistically significant predictors of the need for intervention. Conclusions: Children with stones larger than 7 mm, renal anomalies, or stones composed of metabolically active cystine or struvite are more likely to require intervention, and those with asymptomatic LPK stones smaller than 10 mm can be managed by continued observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disease which leads to a reduction in the quality of life. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and the incidence of poor sleep quality (PSQ) are known to increase in IBS. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and association of RLS and PSQ in a young population. Methods: A total of 112 IBS patients (46 constipation predominant IBS, 17 diarrhea predominant IBS, 23 mixed IBS and 26 unsubtyped IBS) and 106 healthy controls were included in the study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 2012 revised diagnostic criteria of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group were used in the groups. Results: In the patients with IBS and the control group, the respective results obtained were as follows: presence of PSQ 16 (13.4 %) and 5 (4.7 %) and presence of RLS 10 (8.9 %) and 4 (3.7 %), respectively. There were significant differences between the two groups in terms of these values. According to the PSQI, the mean global PSQI scores of patients with IBS and control group were 7.61±3.9 and 4.5±3.7, respectively ( P = 0.01). While PSQ was detected in 21 out of 218 participants, RLS was detected in 14. PSQ and RLS coexisted in nine of the participants and all of them were IBS patients. Conclusions: Previous studies and our study reveal that the frequency of RLS and PSQ increases in IBS. However, this result is a lower rate compared to previous studies. The controlled and prospective studies with larger numbers of cases which demonstrate the real frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syntheses of 1,2,4-triazol-3-ones, 4a, 4b, and 5 were performed starting from ester ethoxycarbonylhydrazones ( 1a, 1b) that were reported earlier. The treatment of triazole derivatives, 4a, 4b, and 5 with several sulfonyl halides produced the corresponding sulfonamides, 6- 10. Syntheses of carbo(thio)amides, 15, 17, and 18 were carried out by the treatment of (substituted)phenyliso(thio)cyanates with hydrazides 13, 14 which were obtained starting from 4a and 5 by two steps. Cyclization of compounds 15 and 17 in basic media resulted in the conversion of carbo(thio)amide side chain to 5-oxo- or 5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole ring. Cyclocondensation of 17 with ethyl chloroacetate and 4-nitrophenacylbromide gave 1,3-thiazolidin, 20 and 1,3-thiazol 21, derivatives, respectively. Newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activities, and some of them displayed activity against the test microorganisms. Then the highest activity was observed for compounds 6 and 7 carrying cyclic sulfonamide function beside 1,2,4-triazole nucleus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract New 2-phenacyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-ones were obtained by the reaction of 5-alkyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-ones with α-bromoacetophenone in an alkaline medium. Selective reduction of the side chain carbonyl group to hydroxy group was achieved with NaBH4. The reaction of some compounds containing a phenolic hydroxyl with 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride or benzyl bromide in the presence of NaOH led to tosylated or benzylated derivatives. The tosylation or benzylation at the alcoholic hydroxyl was carried out in the presence of sodium metal. Some of the newly synthesized compounds revealed an antimicrobial activity; 6 of 14 new compounds that were studied by the National Cancer Institute were found to possess antitumor activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to express the effects of demographic characteristics, the type of the surgery, tumour characteristics and adjuvant therapy on urinary and sexual dysfunctions. Materials and method: Pre-operational urinary and sexual dysfunctions of the patients were evaluated by using the surveys prepared according to International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) in men and Index of Female Sexual Function (IFSF) in women. Findings: A total of 56 patients were included in the study; 20 of them were women and 36 of them were men. The mean age was 56. Abdominoperineal resection (APR) was performed on 11 patients, and low anterior resection (LAR) was performed on 45. The post-treatment IPSS classes were worsened at a rate of 12.7 % compared to the pre-treatment. The mean post-treatment sexual dysfunction score of both men and women were decreased by 27.5 and 17.8 %, respectively. Rectal tumours located in the lower part resulted in more sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: The tumour in the 1/3 lower part of the rectal area was determined to be the most effective factor that caused both urinary and sexual dysfunction. Patients should be informed about the urinary and sexual dysfunctions in the pre-operative consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructural, magnetoresistance and magnetic properties of electrodeposited NiCoFe ternary alloys were investigated in terms of deposition potentials changing from −1.8 to −3.0 V with respect to saturated calomel electrode. The alloys were grown on polycrystalline Titanium substrates. The potentials were obtained from cyclic voltammetry and the current-time transients were also recorded to control the growth of proper alloys. From the structural analysis by X-ray diffraction, all alloys had a face-centred cubic structure. The alloy compositions by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the Ni content increases whereas the Co and Fe contents decrease as the deposition potential increase. And, the scanning electron microscope images disclosed that the alloy morphologies changed as the deposition potential changed. All alloys showed anisotropic magnetic resistance and their magnitudes were between 4.5 and 8.7 %. The vibrating sample magnetometer measurements showed that the saturation magnetization of the alloys increases from 748 to 786 emu/cm and coercivity decreases from 28.7 to 25.9 Oe as the deposition potential increases. The easy axis of magnetization was found to be parallel to the film plane for all alloys. The variations in magnetic and magnetoresistive properties related to the microstructure were attributed to the compositional changes caused by the deposition potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we aimed to determine the effects of previous open renal surgery, percutaneous nephrolithotomy and extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) on the results and complications of subsequent percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in pediatric patients. We reviewed the files of all 105 patients with 116 renal units (RU) undergoing PCNL at two main institutions between December 2000 and February 2014. The 116 RUs were divided into four groups: primary PCNL patients with 44 RU (37.9 %) were categorized as group 1, 29 RU (25 %) with a history of failed ESWL on the same side were categorized as group 2, 23 RU (19.8 %) with previous PCNL surgery were categorized as group 3 and 20 RU (17.2 %) with open renal surgery were categorized as group 4. Patient characteristics, mean operative time, mean fluoroscopy time, time to access the collecting system, hemoglobin change, number of more than 1 access, stone-free rates, postoperative hospitalization time and complications in four groups were compared. There were no differences between the groups in age, sex, mean stone size and stone laterality. Mean operative time, mean fluoroscopy time, time to access the collecting system, hemoglobin change, complication rates, number of more than one access hospitalization times were similar in the each group ( p > 0.05 for each parameter). The stone-free rates after PCNL were 81.8 % in group 1, 79.3 % in group 2, 78.3 % in group 3 and 80 % in group 4 ( p = 0.67). Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is effective and safe in children who have previously had open nephrolithotomy, history of ESWL or PCNL without no more complications than are seen with primary PCNL of kidneys and with similar success rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]