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The aim of this study was to develop the Multidimensional Medical Neglect of Children Scale (MMNCS) and assess its validity and reliability. The scale consists of three separate forms, intended for parents with children in the age groups of 3–6, 7–11, and 12–18. In Study 1, a total of 1101 Turkish parents (339 for the 3–6 years old form, 452 for the 7–11 years old form, and 310 for the 12–18 years old form) were included. Principal factor analysis indicated that all three scales had a three-factor structure. In Study 2, 894 Turkish parents (265 for the 3–6 years old form, 311 for the 7–11 years old form, and 318 for the 12–18 years old form) were included. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three-factor structure for all three forms. Criterion-related validity analyses showed significant and positive correlations between the sub-dimensions and total scores of the MMNCS and the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire for all three forms. Reliability analyses, using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients, demonstrated that the internal consistency coefficients of the total scores for all three forms exceeded 0.70. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that the MMNCS can be regarded as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing the medical neglect of parents towards their children in a Turkish sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is associated with decreased ESR1 expression level in visceral adipose tissue. However, it is unclear exactly what mechanisms are responsible for this decline. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of aberrant methylation of the ESR1 alternative promoters on decreased ESR1 expression and its connection to obesity. Methods: Visceral adipose tissues and peripheral blood cells were obtained from 21 patients (non-obese and obese) undergoing inguinal hernia or gallbladder removal. Alternative promoter regions, C, E2 and F of the ESR1 gene, were analyzed by Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP) and mRNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in both visceral adipose tissue and peripheral blood cells. All statistical analyses were performed by SPSS (23.0). Results: The methylation percentage in the three promoter regions of ESR1 was not different in obese individuals compared to non-obese individuals. We observed that promoter C had the highest methylation frequency in obese patients, although it was not statistically significant. Additionally, we observed that the hypermethylation of ESR1's promoter C was significantly associated with lower mRNA expression level in obesity (p = 0.020). Conclusion: This study suggests that methylation of ESR1 promoter C may be a factor in the development of obesity or a consequence of obesity. Further studies with advanced methods and larger study groups are needed to clarify this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuzzy sets (FSs) are a flexible and powerful tool for reasoning about uncertain situations that cannot be adequately expressed by classical sets. However, these sets fall short in two areas. The first is the reliability of this tool. Z-numbers are an extension of fuzzy numbers that improve the representation of uncertainty by combining two important components: restriction and reliability. The second is the problems that need to be solved simultaneously. Complex fuzzy sets (CFSs) overcome this problem by adding a second dimension to fuzzy numbers and simultaneously adding connected elements to the solution. However, they are insufficient when it comes to problems involving these two areas. We cannot express real-life problems that need to be solved at the same time and require the reliability of the information given with any set approach given in the literature. Therefore, in this study, we propose the complex fuzzy Z-number set (CFZNS), a generalization of Z-numbers and CFS, which fills this gap. We provide the operational laws of CFZNS along with some properties. Additionally, we define two essential aggregation operators called complex fuzzy Z-number weighted averaging (CFZNWA) and complex fuzzy Z-number weighted geometric (CFZNWG) operators. Then, we present an illustrative example to demonstrate the proficiency and superiority of the proposed approach. Thus, we process multiple fuzzy expressions simultaneously and take into account the reliability of these fuzzy expressions in applications. Furthermore, we compare the results with the existing set operations to confirm the advantages and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach. Considering the simultaneous expression of fuzzy statements, this study can serve as a foundation for new aggregation operators and decision-making problems and can be extended to many new applications such as pattern recognition and clustering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 had devastating consequences for human health. Despite the introduction of several vaccines, COVID-19 continues to pose a serious health risk due to emerging variants of concern. DNA vaccines gained importance during the pandemic due to their advantages such as induction of both arms of immune response, rapid development, stability, and safety profiles. Here, we report the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a DNA vaccine encoding spike protein with D614G mutation (named pcoSpikeD614G) and define a large-scale production process. According to the in vitro studies, pcoSpikeD614G expressed abundant spike protein in HEK293T cells. After the administration of pcoSpikeD614G to BALB/c mice through intramuscular (IM) route and intradermal route using an electroporation device (ID + EP), it induced high level of anti-S1 IgG and neutralizing antibodies (P < 0.0001), strong Th1-biased immune response as shown by IgG2a polarization (P < 0.01), increase in IFN-γ levels (P < 0.01), and increment in the ratio of IFN-γ secreting CD4+ (3.78–10.19%) and CD8+ (5.24–12.51%) T cells. Challenging K18-hACE2 transgenic mice showed that pcoSpikeD614G administered through IM and ID + EP routes conferred 90–100% protection and there was no sign of pneumonia. Subsequently, pcoSpikeD614G was evaluated as a promising DNA vaccine candidate and scale-up studies were performed. Accordingly, a large-scale production process was described, including a 36 h fermentation process of E. coli DH5α cells containing pcoSpikeD614G resulting in a wet cell weight of 242 g/L and a three-step chromatography for purification of the pcoSpikeD614G DNA vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of salt stress (120 mM NaCl for 7 d) on some physiological changes was investigated through chlorophyll a fluorescence technique, JIP test, and some endogenous resistance mechanisms (activity of some antioxidant enzymes and free proline content) in two barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L. cvs. Erginel-90 and Tokak 157/37). Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements and the calculated JIP test parameters showed that salt stress did not damage PSII reaction centers in both barley cultivars but reduced the rate of electron transport reactions from reaction centers to the plastoquinone pool in the genotype Erginel-90. Moreover, changes in ΔRo and ФRo confirmed that electron transport in the genotype Erginel-90 was also reduced further than plastoquinone. In the genotype Tokak 157/37, however, photosynthetic electron transport reactions were maintained under salt stress conditions. Contrary to the genotype Tokak 157/37, the impairment in the photosynthetic efficiency led to oxidative stress in the leaf tissues of the genotype Erginel-90 under salt stress. This fact was confirmed by the lower foliar antioxidant activity, accumulation of H2O2 and malondialdehyde, and thus photooxidative damages in the photosynthetic pigments. These results allowed us to conclude that the photosynthetic apparatus of the genotype Tokak 157/37 is more tolerant to salt stress than the genotype Erginel-90. In addition, ΔV/Δto, SM, N, Ψo, Ψo/(1 – Ψo), PIABS, ФRo, and ΔRo could be considered decisive and informative JIP test parameters to evaluate salt tolerance in barley plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab are commonly used in the second-line treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, these have only been compared in observational studies, not in controlled trials, with limited and inconclusive results being reported. A comparison of their effect on relapse and disability in a real-world setting is therefore needed. Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab in reducing disease activity in RRMS. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective observational study was carried out with prospectively collected data from 16 centers. All consecutive RRMS patients treated with fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab were included. Data for relapses, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were collected. Patients were matched using propensity scores. Annualized relapse rates (ARR), time to first relapse, and disability accumulation were compared. Results: Propensity score matching retained 736 patients in the fingolimod versus 370 in the natalizumab groups, 762 in the fingolimod versus 434 in the ocrelizumab groups, and 310 in the natalizumab versus 310 in the ocrelizumab groups for final analyses. Mean ARR decreased markedly from baseline after treatment in all three treatment groups. Mean on-treatment ARR was lower in natalizumab-treated patients (0.09, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.07–0.12) than in those treated with fingolimod (0.17, 0.15–0.19, p<0.001), ocrelizumab (0.08, 0.06–0.11), and fingolimod (0.14, 0.12–0.16, p=0.001). No significant difference was observed in mean on-treatment ARR between patients treated with natalizumab (0.08, 0.06–0.11) and ocrelizumab (0.09, 0.07–0.12, p=0.54). Compared to fingolimod, the natalizumab and ocrelizumab groups exhibited a higher percentage of relapse-free patients and a lower percentage of MRI-active patients at year 1. No significance differences in disability accumulation were determined between the therapies. Conclusion: Natalizumab and ocrelizumab exhibited similar effects on relapse control, and both were associated with better relapse control than fingolimod. The effects of the three therapies on disability outcomes were similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated and described the impact of prostatic indocyanine green (ICG) injection on extended pelvic lymph node (LN) dissection (ePLND) in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Between January 2019 and December 2021, we included consecutive 50 PCa patients who underwent ePLND during RARP with (n = 25) or without (n = 25) prostatic ICG injection. ICG injection was performed during abdominal port placement and robot docking. Pelvic LNs reflecting green color were initially excised and then the template was completed. The outcomes of two groups were compared. Overall, nine (36%) and five (20%) of the patients had metastatic LN involvement in the ICG and non-ICG groups, respectıvely. Of the 509 dissected LNs in the ICG group, 122 (23.9%) were fluorescence active. 20 LNs (3.9%) were metastatic in this group, 9 (45%) of which were ICG+. 408 LNs were resected on the non-ICG group with 8(1.9%) being metastatic. Eight (88.9%) of nine pN+ patients were florescent positive in the ICG group. Out of six patients with pN+ disease, Ga68 PSMA-PET/CT detected positive LNs preoperatively. In addition to preoperative Ga68 PSMA-PET/CT investigation, ICG-guided ePLND might increase identification and removal of metastatic LNs duirng RARP. Improvements ın stagıng and oncologıc outcomes may also be seen ın intermediate- and high-risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a plasma nitriding process was applied at 500 ℃ for 3 and 6 h and a pack boriding process was applied at 950 ℃ for 2 and 6 h to specimens of the biomaterial AISI 316L SS. After coating, open circuit potential and potentiodynamic polarization experiments were performed in simulated body fluid. Wear tests were conducted in both dry and simulated body fluid conditions to determine the tribological properties of untreated and coated samples. As observed in the study, both the applied surface treatments improved the structural, tribological, and mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel. According to the results, the best wear performance and hardness values were obtained from 6 h pack boronized samples at 950 °C. In addition, the corrosion resistance values of nitrided and borided samples were closer to each other than to those of untreated samples. The corrosion resistance values of untreated 316L stainless steel samples exceeded those of all coated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the characteristic properties of Turkish pine honey, which is an important honeydew honey. The geographical classification of the honey was determined by applying carbon isotope, melissopalynological, and physicochemical analyses to 373 samples collected from 47 regions between 2015 and 2017 under controlled conditions. δ13C protein-δ13Choney, C4%, electrical conductivity, moisture, ash, free acidity, color CIEL* a*b attributes, optical rotation [α]20, proline, diastases activities, and sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and maltose) were used as physicochemical properties. Number of honeydew elements /number of total pollen (NHE/NTP) ratios were studied at melissopalynological analyses. The results showed that all samples exhibited honeydew properties, and that all physicochemical parameters met the criteria set by regulatory standards for honeydew. However, C4% sugar and δ13C protein-δ13C honey values did not meet the regulatory criteria and exhibited quite wide standard deviations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-gastric upper gastrointestinal system polyps are detected rarely and mostly incidentally during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. While the majority of lesions are asymptomatic and benign, some lesions have the potential to become malignant, and may be associated with other malignancies. Between May 2010 and June 2022, a total of 127,493 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were retrospectively screened. Among these patients, those who had polyps in the esophagus and duodenum and biopsied were included in the study. A total of 248 patients with non-gastric polyps were included in this study. The esophageal polyp detection rate was 80.00/100,000, while the duodenal polyp detection rate was 114.52/100,000. In 102 patients (41.1%) with esophageal polyps, the mean age was 50.6 ± 15.1, and 44.1% (n = 45) were male. The most common type of polyps was squamous papilloma (n = 61, 59.8%), followed by inflammatory papilloma (n = 18, 17.6%). In 146 patients (58.9%) with duodenal polyps, the mean age of patients was 58.3 ± 16.5, and 69.8% (n = 102) were male. Brunner's gland hyperplasia, inflammatory polyp, ectopic gastric mucosa, and adenomatous polyp were reported to be the most prevalent types of polyps in the duodenum overall (28.1%, 27.4%, 14.4%, and 13.7%, respectively). It is crucial to identify rare non-gastric polyps and create an effective follow-up and treatment plan in the era of frequently performed upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. The epidemiological assessment of non-gastric polyps, as well as a follow-up and treatment strategy, are presented in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) is recommended for residual masses following chemotherapy for non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT). Recently, aberrant recurrence patterns were reported in patients who underwent robotic RPLND. We aimed to evaluate perioperative safety in addition to functional and early oncological outcomes of postchemotherapy robotic RPLND (pcR-RPLND) for NSGCT. Methods: A total of 25 patients with NSGCT who underwent a pcR-RPLND between January 2011 and June 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Descriptive statistics were provided for demographics, clinical characteristics, intraoperative and postoperative parameters. Functional and oncological outcomes were recorded. Results: The median patient age was 28.9 years (IQR 21.5–32.4). The median retroperitoneal tumor size was 2.6 cm (IQR 1.5–3.5). Intraoperative complications occurred in only one case and the open conversion rate was 12%. There were seven cases with postoperative complications (Clavien grade II: 5 and IIIa: 2). Patients were followed for a median of 33.2 months (IQR 14.8–43.0). Antegrade ejaculation was preserved in 85.7% of the patients. Two patients (8%) relapsed and both had out-of-field recurrences at unusual sites (perinephric fat and omentum). Of those, one patient died (4%) of testicular cancer. Conclusion: pcR-RPLND is a feasible and technically reproducible procedure with favorable perioperative morbidity, low rate of complications, and acceptable postoperative ejaculatory function. Although the recurrence rate was low (8%), recurrences were observed at unusual sites. Further studies are required to investigate any association between the robotic approach and aberrant recurrence patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy sets and neutrosophic sets can often handle with real-life problems that contain incomplete and uncertain information. The 0–1 scale is used to deal with such information which is graded symmetrically and uniformly but, some problems consist of unsymmetrical and non-uniform information. Although intuitionistic multiplicative set (IMS) is a powerful tool to deal with this kind of problems, due to the dependence of hesitant information to the membership and non-membership functions in IMS, it brings a restriction to decision-makers while working on the real-life problems such as applications of correlation coefficients and clustering. In this study, we propose novel correlation coefficients (CCs) of simplified neutrosophic multiplicative sets (SNMSs) which is defined recently by removing the shortages of IMSs. Firstly, we give SNMS-based operations, fulfil the deficiencies in the theoretical background of IMS and establish a theoretical structure for the SNMS. Then, we propose novel correlation coefficients (CC) of SNMS and show some of their important properties. Finally, we apply the CCs to a clustering problem to confirm the efficiency of the proposed SNMS and its correlation coefficients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and photochemical responses of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Kovas) plants under the short-term and long-term ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. Pumpkin plants were exposed to 30 min (short-term) and 60 min (long-term) narrow-band UV-B (312 nm) radiation (UVBBE 2.88 kJ m–2) from a 30 cm distance. Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters were measured, and the JIP test was carried out. In addition, activities of some antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and guaiacol peroxidase) were assayed and the content of free proline, total phenolic, anthocyanin, flavonoid, and photosynthetic pigments were determined. The long-term UV-B radiation reduced the efficiency of oxygen-evolving complex and electron flow from PSII reaction centers into the plastoquinone pool, induced accumulation of inactive reaction centers and non-photochemical quenching of the absorbed light energy in the leaves of pumpkin plants. Photosynthetic pigment content was kept at the control level, probably due to the remarkably increased anthocyanin content in the leaves of pumpkin plants. The decreased level of total soluble protein content may suggest oxidative degradation due to the inactivation of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle and H2O2 accumulation in leaf tissues. In addition, the accumulation of MDA in the leaves of pumpkin plants exposed to UV-B stress clearly showed severe membrane damage. As a result, it may be concluded that impairment in photosynthetic electron transport reactions in the leaves of pumpkin plants led to the unchanged APOD activity, accumulation of H2O2 and MDA, and consequently oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Personal protective equipment (PPE) decreases the risk of disease contagion, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, enhanced PPE (EPPE) is widely used during endoscopic procedures including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EPPE on ERCP success parameters compared to standard PPE (SPPE).Methods: ERCP procedures were evaluated retrospectively and ERCP outcomes were compared for similar time periods as before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary outcomes were cannulation time, number of cannulation attempts, cannulation success rate, difficult cannulation rate, undesired pancreatic duct cannulation rate, ERCP-related adverse events, and length of hospital stay.Results: Three hundred and eighty ERCP procedures were examined. One hundred and fifty-nine procedures were excluded due to missing data, previous sphincterotomy or altered anatomy. Of the final eligible sample size of 221 ERCPs, 93 were performed using SPPE and 128 were performed under EPPE. Indications of ERCP and demographic parameters were similar between groups. The majority of the ERCP cases included were for benign biliary obstruction of common bile duct stones (88.7%). No significant differences were detected in overall technical success (91.4% vs 92.2%, p = 0.832), cannulation success rates (94.6% vs 96.8%, p = 0.403), cannulation times (median times of both groups were 3 min, p = 0.824), difficult cannulation rates (37.6% vs 33.6%, p = 0.523), undesired pancreatic duct cannulation rates (29% vs 22.7%, p = 0.593), number of cannulation attempts (2.80 vs 2.71, p = 0.731), ERCP-related adverse events (9.7% vs 10.9%, p = 0.762), and length of hospital stay (6.63 vs 6.92 days, p = 0.768) between SPPE and EPPE groups, respectively.Conclusion: Biliary obstructions of common bile duct stones were the major indication of ERCP in the current study. The use of EPPE had no negative effects on ERCP performance in this patient group. ERCP can be effectively performed under EPPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the genome of SARS-CoV-2, the 5′-terminus encodes a polyprotein, which is further cleaved into 15 non-structural proteins whereas the 3′ terminus encodes four structural proteins and eight accessory proteins. Among these 27 proteins, the present study aimed to discover likely antigenic proteins and epitopes to be used for the development of a vaccine or serodiagnostic assay using an in silico approach. For this purpose, after the full genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan isolate and variant proteins that are detected frequently, surface proteins including spike, envelope, and membrane proteins as well as proteins with signal peptide were determined as probable vaccine candidates whereas the remaining were considered as possible antigens to be used during the development of serodiagnostic assays. According to results obtained, among 27 proteins, 26 of them were predicted as probable antigen. In 26 proteins, spike protein was selected as the best vaccine candidate because of having a signal peptide, negative GRAVY value, one transmembrane helix, moderate aliphatic index, a big molecular weight, a long-estimated half-life, beta wrap motifs as well as having stable, soluble and non-allergic features. In addition, orf7a, orf8, and nsp-10 proteins with signal peptide were considered as potential vaccine candidates. Nucleocapsid protein and a highly antigenic GGDGKMKD epitope were identified as ideal antigens to be used in the development of serodiagnostic assays. Moreover, considering MHC-I alleles, highly antigenic KLNDLCFTNV and ITLCFTLKRK epitopes can be used to develop an epitope-based peptide vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to delve into professional development (PD) of science teachers' views about nature of science (NOS) throughout activities linking NOS aspects to science centers (SCs), and second, to reveal how a science teacher uses NOS aspects while teaching in SCs. An instrumental qualitative case study method with different data sources was used. There were 18 elementary science teachers participating voluntarily in this study. Additionally, one science teacher among the participants was observed two times during her SCs visit with her grade 6th and 7th students. Researchers trained science teachers for using the facilities of SCs and supported their understanding of NOS. Before and after the workshop, open-ended VNOS-C questionnaire was administered, and follow-up interviews were conducted. Observations in SCs were made to check whether the teacher were able to use NOS concepts while teaching science. Findings revealed that the majority of science teachers exhibited improved views about NOS, and improvement was attained particularly on the aspects of tentativeness, methods of scientific investigation, social and cultural embeddedness, and creativity and imagination, while the least improvement was noted for scientific theories and laws. During the SC visits, the teacher employed all aspects of NOS except the theory and law tenet and mostly discuss about the observation, inference, and experiment while teaching. Further PD activities are suggested to support teachers to develop their own teaching plans specific to each exhibit by employing NOS concepts for teaching with/in SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In this clinical study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NAPP), which is a novel procedure used in periodontal pocket decontamination adjunctive to non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT). Methods: The study included 25 systemically healthy periodontitis patients. In the split-mouth design, NAPP application into the pockets, in addition to NSPT, was performed. Clinical periodontal data, gingival crevicular fluid, and subgingival plaque samples of patients were taken before and during the first and third months of treatment. Biochemical assays were conducted using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Analysis of bacteria was performed with polymerase chain reaction method. Results: There was more clinical attachment level (CAL) gain in the 3rd month in the test group (deep pockets: 3.90 mm, pockets ≥ 5 mm: 2.72 mm) compared to the control group (deep pockets: 3.40 mm, pockets ≥ 5 mm: 2.58 mm) (p < 0.05), but no significant difference between groups in CAL. Clinical periodontal parameters improved in both study groups (p < 0.05). However, the gingival index (GI) and the bleeding on probing (BOP) rate decreased more in the test group (GI: 0.55, BOP: 9.48%, and GI: 0.38, BOP: 8.46% in the 1st and 3rd months, respectively) compared to the control group (GI: 0.68, BOP: 13.43%, and GI: 0.52, BOP: 14.58%) (p < 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in probing depth and biochemical markers between groups (p > 0.05). It was observed that NAPP reduced the number of bacteria more than the control group in the 1st and 3rd months. Conclusions: It was seen that the single-time NAPP application concurrent with NSPT provided additional CAL gain, elimination of putative periodontopathogens and reduced their recolonization. Longitudinal studies with larger population and longer time are required. Clinical relevance: NSPT is an effective method for the treatment of periodontitis but bacteria recolonization that causes recurrence of the periodontal disease occurs within a short period. NAPP can reduce the recurrence of periodontal disease by providing better bacterial elimination and should, therefore, be used in maintenance of periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fleas are ectoparasites of mammals and birds. In livestock such as sheep and goat, flea bites cause many clinical signs. Several types of insecticides including pyrethroids are used to struggle against fleas. The widespread use of these insecticides causes an increase in the number of resistant individuals in flea populations. T929V and L1014F mutations corresponding to pyrethroid resistance have been found in the para gene of cat fleas. We aimed to investigate T929V and L1014F mutations in flea samples (n:162) collected from goats in seven different farms where cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, had been used intensively. To achieve this aim, collected flea samples were morphologically identified under a stereo microscope and DNA isolation was conducted by HotSHOT method. Later, a bi-PASA targeting the para gene was applied to identify both mutations in corresponding samples. According to the results obtained, all fleas were Ctenocephalides felis. Frequencies of T929V and L1014F mutations in fleas were 92.6% (150/162) and 95.7% (155/162), respectively. In conclusion, the frequency of mutations related to pyrethroid resistance was very high in the fleas collected from all the farms and it was thought that the high frequency of these mutations can be attributed to intensive use of pyrethroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensitive and readily deployable analytical method has been reported for the simultaneous analysis of pirimicarb (PRM) and fenitrothion (FEN) pesticide residues in environmental water samples using fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) detector. Both pesticides were successfully determined with a Luna omega C18 column under isocratic elution mode by means of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (pH 3.0) as the mobile phase. The quantitative data for PRM and FEN were obtained at their maximum wavelengths of 310 nm and 268 nm, respectively. The calibration plots were linear in the range 10.00–750.00 ng mL−1 and 10.00–900.00 ng mL−1 with correlation coefficient of 0.9984 and 0.9992 for PRM and FEN, respectively. Major FPSE experimental variables were investigated in detail, such as contact time with the FPSE membrane, pH and electrolyte concentration, and the volume and type of desorption solvent. Under the optimized conditions, the developed method showed satisfactory reproducibility with relative standard deviations less than 2.5% and low limits of detection of 2.98 and 3.02 ng mL−1 for PRM and FEN, respectively. The combined procedure allows for enhancement factors ranging from 88 to 113, with pre-concentration values of 125 for both analytes. The chromatographic resolutions were approx. 12 for FEN (retention factor of 3.52) and PRM (retention factor of 6.09), respectively, with a selectivity factor of 1.73. Finally, the validated method was successfully applied to real environmental water samples for the determination of these pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites as well as mechanical and biological vectors of a wide variety of microbial pathogens. To date, 19 tick-borne diseases have been reported from Turkey. In this study, ticks collected from Aydın, İzmir and Şanlıurfa provinces of Turkey were identified using morphological and molecular methods. After the presence of bacterial DNA was checked, Rickettsia spp. and Francisella tularensis were investigated in bacterial DNA-positive tick specimens by PCR. Furthermore, amplicons belonging to tick specimens and positive bacterial samples were sequenced and processed for BLAST, alignment and phylogenetic analysis. As a result, seven tick species were identified: Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rh. bursa, Rh. turanicus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hy. aegyptium, Hy. anatolicum and Haemaphysalis erinacei. Fifty-five tick specimens tested positive for bacterial DNA and among them, rickettsial DNA was found in five ticks (infection rate = 9.1%) belonging to Hy. marginatum, Hy. aegyptium, Rh. bursa and Rh. turanicus. Of the five Rickettsia-positive ticks, three contained Rickettsia aeschlimannii, one Ri. massiliae and one an unidentified Rickettsia sp. No Francisella tularensis DNA was detected. Sequence analysis of the ompB gene indicated two novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in two different Ri. aeschlimannii strains and two novel SNPs as well as a novel insertion (GACGGT) were found in Rickettsia sp. This study indicated the presence of polymorphic Rickettsia species in ticks from Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diaphragm thickness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Methods: This prospective study included patients who underwent polysomnography evaluation for the first time with a clinical suspicion of OSAS. All patients underwent polysomnographic evaluation with a 55-channel Alice 6 computerized system (Respironics; Philips, IL). Diaphragm thickness was measured as the distance between the peritoneum and the pleura using electronic calipers with a 7–12-MHz linear probe (PHILIPS EPIQ 5G). Results: A total of 108 patients (67 males, 41 females) were enrolled in the current study. The mean age of the patients was 48.92 ± 11.47 years. The diaphragm thicknesses were significantly higher in OSAS patients both at end-inspirium and end-expirium compared with the normal group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed regarding the change level and thickening ratio (%) (p > 0.05). When the patients were allocated into OSAS subtypes; diaphragm thicknesses at the end of inspirium and expirium on both sides were significantly higher in the severe OSAS group and OSAS+OHS group compared with the other groups of normal, mild OSAS, and moderate OSAS subgroups (p < 0.05 for all). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the thickening ratio (p > 0.05 for all). There was a positive correlation between the severity of OSAS and diaphragm thickness. Conclusion: Diaphragm thickness seems to be increased in OSAS patients and the thickness correlates with the severity of OSAS. However, the thickness ratio of OSAS patients does not differ from that of normal subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : In patients with a cardiac pacemaker, pocket-related complications such as nerve impairment or bone fractures are infrequent. We present a man with a fracture of the 4th rib several months after pacemaker implantation. Case presentation : A 74-year-old man, with a left prepectoral pacemaker implanted 13 months ago, presented complaining of chest pain. The pain started after a sudden trunk rotation and right arm flexion movement with a crack. There was tenderness to palpation and crepitation over the left upper ribs. Computed tomography identified a non-displaced fracture line in the anterior aspect of the left 4th rib. After kinesiotaping and activity restriction, pain alleviated. Conclusion: Pacemaker implantation might have caused shoulder dysfunction and pectoral tightness resulting in reduced flexibility of the trunk. Consequently, a reaching motion of the arm with a trunk rotation might have directed rotational force vectors towards the osteopenic left 4th rib causing a fragility fracture. In elderly with a pacemaker, osteopenia and concomitant sarcopenia may create a predisposition to this atypical complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to determine the levels of MFG-E8 and interleukin (IL)-1β in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) associated with periodontal health and disease. Whole saliva and GCF samples were obtained from systemically healthy participants who were either periodontally healthy (n = 24) or suffered from gingivitis (n = 25) or chronic periodontitis (n = 25). Full-mouth clinical periodontal measurements, including bleeding on probing, probing depth, gingival index, plaque index, and clinical attachment level were also recorded. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to estimate MFG-E8 and IL-1β levels in the samples. Analysis of variance, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and Pearson correlation tests were used to analyse the data statistically. The total level of MFG-E8 in GCF was significantly higher in the healthy group than in the other two groups (P = 0.01). Salivary MFG-E8 levels did not differ significantly among the groups. There were negative correlations between the level of MFG-E8 in GCF and probing depth (P = 0.03), bleeding on probing (P = 0.001), plaque index (P = 0.003), and gingival index (P = 0.003). The total level of IL-1β in GCF was significantly lower in the healthy group than in the groups with gingivitis and chronic periodontitis (P < 0.001). Salivary IL-1β levels showed significant differences across all three groups (P < 0.001). The level of MFG-E8 in GCF was higher in the healthy group than in the periodontal disease groups. Furthermore, there was no difference between gingivitis and periodontitis groups. The relationship between MFG-E8 and periodontal status should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study specifically focuses on science teachers' views about scientific inquiry and their use of scientific inquiry in their lesson plans, which were prepared at a professional development workshop designed for better utilization of science centers (SCs). As an impact evaluation research, qualitative data was collected from 41 purposively selected volunteer science teachers. The project team provided the participants with intense instruction in inquiry, and fostered them to learn nature of science and nature of scientific inquiry explicitly. The participants designed lesson plans that integrate school science curricula with exhibits at SCs before and after the workshop. An open-ended questionnaire about the views about scientific inquiry (VASI) was administered before and after the workshop, and teachers' post-lesson plans were analyzed to detect the presence of scientific inquiry aspects. The majority of teachers exhibited improved views about scientific inquiry based on the VASI instrument. Also, lesson plan analyses indicated that teachers, who showed more improvement in VASI, included more scientific inquiry (SI) elements in their post-lesson plans. It was observed that science teachers' lesson plans are limited in terms of teaching science in line with real scientific inquiries in SCs to make students learn about the nature of scientific inquiry while learning science. Only two groups embedded SI properly in the SC-oriented lesson plans, and teachers rather used inquiry-based methods of teaching (e.g., argumentation, predict-observe-explain) and process skills (e.g., questioning, explanations). Accordingly, further studies are suggested to develop a specific pedagogical content knowledge framework for teaching with/in SCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) and placebo on total amount of substance P in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) pre- and postoperatively. Twenty-six patients having tooth with symptomatic apical periodontitis were enrolled in this study. GCF was collected preoperatively. The patients were assigned into two groups (n = 13), as follows: placebo and PBM. Sampling was repeated 7 days after root canal treatment. Two independent samples T test was used for analyzing of the differences between preoperative and postoperative substance P levels in GCF (p = .05). The Pearson correlation analysis was used for determination of correlation among substance P levels and other variables. For placebo group, there is no significant difference between preoperative and postoperative total amounts of substance P level (p = 0.553). For PBM group, postoperative total amount of substance P level was significantly higher than those of preoperative level (p = 0.005). Within the limitation of the present study, PBM has immunomodulation effect linked to the modulation of the total amount of substance P in the gingival crevicular fluid. Thai Clinical Trials Registry: TCTR20161228002. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the potential association of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) between primary patency of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula stenosis and type (Conventional and Drug-Eluting) of balloons used in PTA.Material-method: This retrospective study consists of 78 patients with significant arteriovenous fistulas stenosis who were treated with PTA by using Drug-Eluting Balloon (DEB) (n = 29) or Conventional Balloon (CB) (n = 49). NLR was calculated from preinterventional blood samples. All patients were classified into two groups. Group A; primary patency <12 months (43/78), Group B; primary patency ≥12 months (35/78). Cox regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier method were used to determine respectively independent factors affecting the primary patency and to compare the primary patency for the two balloon types.Results: NLR ratio and balloon type of the two groups were significantly different (p = 0.002, p = 0.010). The cut-off value of NLR was 3.18 for determination of primary patency, with sensitivity of 81.4 % and specificity of 51.4 %. Primary patency rates between PTA with DEB and CB displayed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). The cut-off value was 3.28 for determination of 12-month primary patency with the conventional balloon group; sensitivity was 81.8 % and specificity was 81.3 %. There was no statistical relation between NLR levels and the drug-eluting balloon group in 12-month primary patency (p = 0.927).Conclusion: Increased level of NLR may be a risk factor in the development of early AVF restenosis after successful PTA. Preferring Drug-Eluting Balloon at an increased level of NLR can be beneficial to prolong patency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this article is to assess and compare the rate of primary patency achieved by drug-eluting balloon angioplasty (DEBA) and conventional balloon angioplasty (CBA) in hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula stenoses.Methods: This retrospective study consists of 52 patients with significant arteriovenous fistulas stenoses who were treated with DEBA (n = 26) or CBA (n = 26) between January 2013 and January 2015. Only those patients with postprocedural technical and clinical success of 100 % were selected from the database. Primary patency rates of fistulas at 6 and 12 months were evaluated with Doppler ultrasonography as well as clinically. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the primary assisted patency rates for the two groups.Results: The type of AVFs were 41 (78.8 %) radiocephalic and 11 (21.2 %) brachiocephalic. Primary patency rates between the DEBA and CBA group had a statistically significant difference at 12 months (p < 0.05). However there was no statistically significant difference at the 6-month follow-up period (p = 0.449). There was no statistically significant difference among the patient age, patient gender and fistula type of the two groups (p > 0.05).Conclusion: Drug-eluting balloon angioplasty proved to be an effective treatment of hemodialysis AVFs stenosis, with a high primary patency rate at 12 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reveal the underlying retinal pathology leading to dysfunction in vigabatrin-exposed patients, we aimed to evaluate the inner retinal layers encompassing ganglion cell complex (GCC) layer and inner plexiform layer with new generation optic coherence tomography (OCT). Fourteen patients with epilepsy and exposure to vigabatrin and 12 clinically normal individuals, constituting the control group, were included. Retinal images were obtained using spectral-domain OCT (Optovue RTVue Fourier domain). Nasal and superior quadrants of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) were found to be significantly lower in the patient group compared to the controls (p < 0.01). No significant difference was shown in the thickness of GCC layer (p > 0.05). Foveal thickness was significantly higher in the patient group (p: 0.006), but no significant difference was found in perifoveal and parafoveal regions between groups (p > 0.05). The thickness of RNFL was found to be lower in vigabatrin-exposed patients without any reduction in GCC layer in the macular region. However, foveal thickness was found to be significantly higher compared to perifoveal and parafoveal macular regions in vigabatrin-exposed patients. In conclusion, OCT revealed reduced thickness of RNFL without any reduction in ganglion cell layer in our study. The objective quantitative assessment of OCT is a practical noninvasive method and it can have role in future monitoring of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost-effective and easy-to-apply materials are necessary for magnet technologies. This research covers a fabrication development of high temperature insulation coatings for magnet technologies. With this context, gel coatings were successfully deposited on Ag tapes using sol-gel technique by preparing transparent solutions from Gd- and Zr-based precursor materials, methanol and glacial acetic acid, and subsequently 0, 5, 8, and 12 mol% Gd2O3-ZrO2 coatings were heat treated at 300, 500, and 800 °C which respectively indicate drying, heat treatment, and annealing processes. Prior to coating process, Gd2O3 effect on thermal, structural and microstructural, and electrical properties were observed and extensively discussed in the present study. FTIR revealed that when increasing heat treatment temperature from 25 to 800 °C, the frequencies of O-H, C-H, and C=O bands decreased. According to XRD results, Gd2O3 additive has a propensity to generate tetragonal ZrO2 and help to stabilize it. It was also observed that the regular surface morphology generally forms when Gd2O3 content increase in ZrO2 from 0 to 12 mol%. The film thicknesses increased from 0.5 to 1.8 μm as a function of number of dipping. The porosities of the insulation coatings can be estimated to be in the range of 25 and 40 vol%. Besides, as insulative layers, Gd2O3 additive improved ZrO2 coatings. As a result, commercial Ag and AgMg sheathed Bi-2212 long length tapes can be insulated with pure ZrO2 and Gd2O3-ZrO2 coatings and then the coated tapes can be wound to fabricate an electromagnet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this clinical study is to comparatively investigate the interleukin-33 (IL-33) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), saliva and plasma of patients with periodontal disease as well as periodontally healthy subjects and the association between these levels and clinical parameters. GCF, saliva and plasma samples were collected from systemically healthy, non-smoker chronic periodontitis patients (CP group, n = 20), gingivitis patients (G group, n = 20) and periodontally healthy control groups (H group, n = 20). Full-mouth clinical periodontal parameters were also recorded. IL-33 levels were determined by ELISA. The total amount of GCF IL-33 was greater in the G and CP groups compared to the H group ( p < 0.05). The GCF IL-33 concentration was significantly lower in the CP group than in the H and G groups ( p < 0.001). Salivary or plasma IL-33 levels were similar in the study groups. The total amount of GCF IL-33 was positively correlated with the GI, PI and BOP (%) ( p < 0.05). Considering the present findings, the increase in total amounts of GCF IL-33 may have a role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ferrite-based CoMgLaFeO nanoparticle system has been synthesized by using the chemical co-precipitation technique. XRD and SEM were used for the structural and morphological characterization of the nanoparticles. The XRD analysis of the synthesized samples confirmed the formation of the single-phase cubic spinel phase without any impurity or secondary phases, and the average crystallite size and lattice parameters were found as 11.89 nm and 8.376 nm, respectively. The cation distribution obtained is found as (MgFe)(MgFeCoLa)O from Rietveld refinement. The dielectric properties of the sample have been investigated in the frequency range of 20 Hz to 1 MHz. The DC and AC conductivity results obtained from the experiments are explained by the Verwey and correlated barrier hopping (CBH) models, respectively. The optical band gap energy of the sample is found as 0.24 eV. The results denoted the semiconductor nature of the sample, and the sample is a good candidate for applications in high-frequency transformers used for different purposes in the electronics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this case study is to delve into the complexities of the early development of preservice chemistry teachers' science teaching orientations, knowledge of learners, knowledge of instructional strategies, and knowledge of assessment during a two-semester intervention designed to enhance their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching nature of science (NOS). Thirty preservice chemistry teachers enrolled in a Research in Science Education course participated in the study. Qualitative data sources included responses to an open-ended instrument, interviews, observations, and artifacts such as lesson plans and reflection papers. Through the in-depth analysis of explicit PCK and constant comparative method of analysis, we identified the influence of the intervention on participants' PCK for NOS. Analysis of data revealed four major themes related to the nature of preservice chemistry teachers' NOS teaching practices and their PCK for NOS: (1) prerequisite knowledge and beliefs are necessary to teach NOS, (2) there is a developmental progression of PCK for NOS from knowledge to application level, (3) teachers need some comfort in their NOS understanding to teach NOS, and (4) the higher integration of PCK components leads to successful NOS teaching practices. Implications for science teacher education and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periostin, an extracellular matrix protein functioning as an important structural mediator and adhesion molecule, has been shown to be an important regulator of connective tissue integrity. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of periostin in chronic periodontitis (CP) and aggressive periodontitis (AgP) compared to non-periodontitis (NP). Individuals were submitted to gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva sampling. Periodontal examination consisted of plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment level (CAL) measurements. Assays for periostin were performed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Periodontitis patients presented more severe clinical indices compared to the NP group ( p < 0.001). The mean GCF level of periostin was lowest in the AgP group as compared to the other groups and was lower in the CP group as compared to the NP group ( p < 0.001). Increased levels of periostin were observed in the saliva of patients with AgP as compared to the CP and NP groups ( p < 0.05). There was a negative relationship between GCF periostin levels and clinical parameters ( p < 0.01), whereas a positive correlation was observed between salivary periostin levels and full-mouth GI and CAL scores ( p < 0.01). To our knowledge, this is the first report investigating periostin levels in GCF and saliva in aggressive periodontitis. The results suggest that subjects with CP and AgP exhibit a different periostin profile. Periostin in GCF may have a protective role against periodontal disease. Furthermore, salivary periostin concentrations may have a promising diagnostic potential for the aggressive forms of periodontal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of two different laser systems on the mineral content of root canal dentin. Thirty-six single canal-extracted mandibular premolars were used in this study. The teeth were randomly divided into two groups of 18 teeth each and prepared with a master apical file #50. Dentin chips were obtained by Gates-Glidden burs and saved in Eppendorf tubes to serve as a control. Then, root canals were treated with a erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet or neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. Dentin chips were again obtained using Gates-Glidden. The levels of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and potassium (K) in each specimen were measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Data were statistically analyzed by a Mann-Whitney U test. The changes in Ca, P, Mg, Ca, and K levels and the Ca/P ratio after laser irradiations were minimal and statistically not significant ( p > 0.05). It was determined that the laser systems used in this study did not affect the mineral content of root canal dentin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study is to investigate the potential relationship between polymorphisms and nasal polyposis (NP) pathogenesis in the SCGB3A1 ( UGRP2) gene, which is a member of the secretoglobin gene super family. Genotypic variations were studied by performing DNA sequencing in blood samples of 80 patients with NP and 70 healthy individuals to evaluate nucleotide changes and their positions that might be in the SCGB3A1 gene (promotor, splicing points, and exon distributions). In the SCGB3A1 gene, three single-nucleotide changes labeled IVS1−89 T>G, c. −183 G>T, IVS1−189 G>A were identified. IVS1−89 T>G and IVS1−189 G>A belong to the first intronic region of the gene, whereas c. −183 G>T was observed in the promoter region of the gene. The IVS1−89 T>G nucleotide change was observed in the patient and control groups, whereas c. −183 G>T and IVS1−189 G>A nucleotide changes were observed in the control group only. SCGB3A1 (IVS1−89) genotype frequencies between patients with NP and control group were not significantly different ( p = 0.311). There was a statistically significant difference in the control group in comparison to patients with NP in terms of SCGB3A1 (c. −183 GT) and SCGB3A1 (IVS1−189 GA) frequency ( p = 0.0045 and p = 0.009, respectively). The findings of the current study suggest that SCGB3A1−183 T and SCGB3A1 IVS1−189 A alleles might have a protective effect against NP, and that SCGB3A1 (−183 GT and IVS1−189 GA) genotypes should be studied in future population-based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to monitor the effects of gamma irradiation and storage on the content of lutein and zeaxanthin in egg yolk samples. Liquid, frozen and dried egg samples were subjected to gamma irradiation doses of 0, 1, 2 and 3 kGy followed by storage of liquid samples at +4 ± 1 °C for 21 days, frozen samples at −18 ± 1 °C and dried samples at room temperature for 1 year. The xanthophyll concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector. It was observed that concentrations of both lutein and zeaxanthin were decreased significantly ( P < 0.05) after irradiation and during storage. The mechanism for radiation-induced degradation was proposed as radical formation which initiate chain reactions. It was suggested that during storage active radical species and oxygen caused the degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake, in which the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) was not able to correctly reflect the magnitude size in its preliminary report because of the saturation effect, a rapid and accurate determination of the earthquake becomes a very important issue. Therefore, in the framework of this study, an automatic determination of the moment magnitude was performed by using the displacement spectra of selected earthquakes in the Marmara Region. For this purpose, 39 three-component broadband stations from KOERI seismic network which recorded 174 earthquakes with magnitudes 2.5 ≤ M ≤ 5.0 in between 2006-2009 were used. Due to the importance of quality factor in determination of the moment magnitude with spectral analysis method, the quality factor was calculated for the whole region in the beginning. Source spectrum which was obtained by converting the velocity records to displacement spectra and moment magnitudes of earthquakes were determined by fitting this spectrum to classical Brune model. For this aim, an automatic procedure was utilized which based on minimizing the differences between observed and synthetic source spectra identified by the S waves. Besides moment magnitude and location parameters, some source parameters such as seismic moment, spectral level, corner frequency and stress drop were also calculated. Application of the method proves that determining the seismic moment from the source spectra is applicable not only for earthquakes with small magnitude but also moderate earthquakes as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and rapid microwave-assisted combustion method was applied to synthesize the nanocrystalline NiFeO and CoFeO powders. The results suggested that application of microwave heating to synthesize the homogeneous porous NiFeO and CoFeO powders was achieved in a few minutes. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared nanocrystalline powders of NiFeO and CoFeO were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and tunneling electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD spectra confirmed the formation of spinel structure with a crystallite size of 30.03 nm for NiFeO and 36.7 nm for CoFeO nanopowders, and TEM results indicated spherical shape of the products. Magnetic measurements revealed that at room temperature while NiFeO is superparamagnetic, CoFeO shows ferromagnetic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic investigation was done to determine the structural, morphological and magnetic properties of ZnCoO nanoparticles synthesized by a simple autocombustion technique. XRD, FE-SEM and EDX measurements were implemented for the structural, morphological and compositional investigation of the product. Additionally VSM was used for the magnetic property investigations of the sample. The average particle size of the nanoparticles was estimated using Debye-Scherrer's equation and found to be 20.8 nm. Magnetization measurements have shown that the particles have room-temperature ferromagnetic behavior with relatively high coercive fields. Magnetization and the coercive field of the sample increase by decreasing the temperature, as expected. FMR signal confirms the room-temperature enhanced ferromagnetic behavior without Co precipitates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of polylactide (PLA)-b-poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) linear block copolymers and their use in blends with pure-PLA are described. PLA-b-PDMS linear block copolymers were obtained by the transesterification reaction in chloroform solution between poly(dimethyl siloxane) bis (2-aminopropyl ether) (molecular weight 2,000 Da) with PLA in the presence of stannous octoate. Molecular weights (Mw) of the block copolymers were varied from 53,800 to 63,600 Da while that of pristine PLA was 73,600 Da. The copolymers obtained were purified by fractional precipitation and then characterized by H NMR, FTIR, GPC, viscometry and DSC techniques. Blends of pure PLA with PLA-b-PDMS block copolymers displayed improved elastic properties (elongation up to 140%) compared to pure PLA (elongation ~9%). Thermal, mechanical and morphological characterization of the blends were also conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a systematic investigation on the structural and magnetic properties of MnNiFeO nanoparticles synthesized by a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-assisted hydrothermal route. XRD, FT-IR, TEM and VSM were used for the structural, morphological, dielectric properties and magnetic investigation of the products, respectively. Average crystallite size of product was estimated using Line profile fitting as 6 ± 1 nm and particle size as 6.5 ± 1.0 nm from TEM micrographs. Magnetization measurements have shown that the particles have a blocking temperature of 134 K. Magnetization and the coercive field of the sample increase by decreasing the temperature. The conductivity measurements reveal the semiconducting behaviour for the sample. Temperature-dependent dielectric properties: dielectric permittivity (ε) and ac conductivity (σ) for the sample were studied as a function of applied frequency in the range from 1 Hz to 3 MHz. These studies indicated that the dielectric dispersion curve for the sample showed usual dielectric dispersion which can be explained on the basis of Koop's theory, which is based on the Maxwell-Wagner model for the interfacial polarization of homogeneous double structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave-induced combustion with glycine, CTAB-assisted hydrothermal process with NaOH and NH3, EDTA assisted-hydrothermal methods have been applied to prepare NiFe2O4 nanoparticles for the first time. Structural and magnetic properties of the products were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmison electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and electron spin resonance spectrometry (EPR). TEM measurements showed that morphology of the product depends on the synthesis method employed. The average cystallite size of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles was in the range of 14–59 nm as measured by XRD. The uncoated sample (Method A) had an EPR linewidth of 1973 Oe, the coated samples reached lower values. The magnetic dipolar interactions existing among the Ni ferrite nanoparticles are reduced by the coatings, which could cause the decrease in the linewidth of the EPR signals. Additionally, the linewidth increases with an increase in the size and the size distribution of nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the use of inquiry methods, learning cycles, a conceptual change model and analogy in creating alternative science texts was discussed. An alternative text on the topic of acids and bases was created by integrating the methods and models discussed in this paper. The alternative text and a sample of a traditional text taken from a textbook, which is still used in Turkish high schools, were given to two groups, totaling 42 pre-service teachers—the alternative text was given to an experimental group and the traditional text to a control group—in an experimental setting and their understandings of acids and bases were compared. In addition, in the second step of the study, the pre-service teachers read both texts and indicated their preferences in terms of interest, understandability and helpfullness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis is one of the dysplasias of endochondral bone formation. We report a patient with this condition combined with lumbar spinal stenosis and intervertebral disc herniation. This coexistence has not been previously reported in the medical literature. The possible mechanisms of this clinical association is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]