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The accurate prediction of hourly global solar radiation is critical to solar energy conversion systems selecting appropriate provinces, and even future investment policies. With this viewpoint, the aim of this study is to predict one hour ahead the global solar radiation of six provinces that have different climate regions in Turkey. A deep learning technique based on the LSTM neural network is used for this purpose. To see the success of this proposed model, the deep learning technique GRU, a machine-learning approach ANFIS with FCM, and standard statistical models ARMA, ARIMA, and, SARIMA are also applied. Forecasting models developed to estimate the future values of hourly global solar radiation are based on past time series data. The study discusses four different statistical metrics (MAE, RMSE, NSE, and, R) to determine the success of these algorithms. The results indicate that the R, MAE, NSE, and, RMSE values of the two approaches range from 0.9352 to 0.9806, from 29.0737 to 59.4840 Wh/m2, from 0.6445 to 0.9686 and from 57.4492 to 94.3287 Wh/m2, respectively. The results revealed that the methods used in the study performed satisfactorily in terms of hourly solar radiation estimation, but the LSTM method performed better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the study was to obtain the design parameters of optimum wind turbine linear shrouding bodies to enhance wind turbine performance further. The blade element momentum theory and k-ε turbulence model were used to determine the performance of wind turbine linear shrouds. Based on 17 different wind turbine shrouding systems considered in the present study, it is determined that the mass flow rate of the air passing through the turbine rotor disc section can be enhanced approximately by a factor of 1.85. Numerical analysis revealed that the highest wind power increase was achieved from an optimally designed linear shrouding system of the type having an inlet shrouding component at the upstream and flange component at the downstream of the diffuser. The theoretical wind turbine power coefficient, Cp indicated that power generations can be enhanced on the turbine rotor blades by a factor of 6.33. This result exceeds the field trial testing found in the literature. Finally, it is concluded that this optimally designed wind turbine inlet shroud system and flange components can be applied for micro wind turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What happens to the impact of tourism on environmental degradation as the income level of the nations or regions increases? The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis asserts that the influence of tourism on CO2 emissions decreases with a rise in income levels. This study captures the role of governance in the tourism-induced EKC hypothesis in the European Union (EU), after Brexit. Given that the United Kingdom (UK) is the most visited country in the region, and tourism is a very vital instrument to economic stability and growth, it would be interesting to inspect the relationship among these variables without the UK. Auto-Regressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) estimates show that tourist arrivals decrease carbon emissions in the long-run, while per capita growth fosters carbon emissions in the long-run. In addition, Quantile Regressions (QR) reveal that, in general, the governance indicators have positive effects on emissions. Moreover, for the first quantile, the TEKC emerges. Finally, regarding the causality relationship, a unidirectional relationship from per capita growth to carbon emission, and from carbon emission to tourism arrivals emerge, while no causal link exists between energy consumption and carbon emissions. Moreover, a feedback mechanism (bidirectional causality) is discovered between per capita growth and tourism arrivals, and energy consumption as per capita growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nanotechnology, the size and shape control of nanoparticles is crucial as their properties are highly dependent on their morphology. This obliges researchers to work on obtaining uniform size and shape distribution in synthesized particles so that their electrical, optical, and magnetic properties remain uniform within the same batch. This brings the problem of how to quantify the shape and size of nanoparticles in the most accurate way. The most common way to determine size distribution is using UV-vis spectrometry; however, this method disregards the existence of agglomerated particles and may sometimes give an incorrect measurement. Therefore a technique that can obtain this data directly from the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of particles would be more reliable as it would capture data for every single particle in the batch. In a classical statistical sense, our interest is the shape and size distribution of nanoparticles. In this paper, we quantify the size and shape of nanoparticles using the statistical techniques applied on TEM images of particles: Functional Data and Shape Analysis. By using this shape theory we obtain the geodesic distances not only between the particles but also among the frames. We further cluster the nanoparticles in terms of their similarities. We want to emphasize the importance of the deformation and how it is done of one nanoparticle onto another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance analysis of a multigeneration (MG) energy system integrated into a conventional coal-fired power plant was evaluated and discussed according to the data measured in the existing steam power plant. The multigeneration energy system in the present work consists of four subsystems, namely Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), Vapor Compression Refrigeration (VCR) System, Thermal Vapor Compression Desalination Plant (TVCDP) and Greenhouse Heating (GH) System. The thermodynamic analysis was performed through energy and exergy analyses associated with the efficiencies of the subsystem as well as the multigeneration plant. In addition, environmental impact analysis was carried out to calculate CO2 emission of the overall system to evaluate the effect of emissions caused by the energy systems. The results revealed that when the conventional steam power plant became multigeneration, the exergy efficiency increased from 39.1% to 39.84% and energy efficiency increased from 41.5% to 42.29%. Four subsystems were integrated into the existing steam power plant to reduce CO2 emissions from 230 kg/MWh to 225 kg/MWh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combustion of coal in thermal power plants poses significant threat to surrounding ecology, by the release of harmful effluents. This study assesses the bio-thermal impact of emissions from Catalagzı Thermal Power Plant Region (CTPPR). A geospatial analytical framework has been modeled, utilizing satellite-based bio and thermal indicators. Average hazardous bio and thermal influence zones around CTPPR have been found to be 1465 m and 1380 m, respectively. Bio-influence zone extent depends upon a combination of meteorological factors, whereas, the bio-hazard severity depends mainly on atmospheric temperature. Thermal influence extent is inversely related to seasonal temperature, whereas corresponding severity depends upon local heat sinks as well. Collectively, hazardous bio-thermal influence in the surroundings of CTPPR shows spatial constancy over long term. The study concludes usefulness of satellite-based economical alternatives for monitoring area under stress around CTPPR for sustainable environmental management of ecological landscapes, needed to improve the human-environment nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of stability during stance negatively impacts gait and motor function for children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Improving stability and balance are the focus for gait rehabilitation). The One-Leg-Standing-Test may give valuable information about motor function and stability of stance for patients with unilateral cerebral palsy. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the One-Leg-Standing-Test and the gross-motor-function-measurement and single-limb support time. The study included 18 patients with unilateral cerebral palsy (age 11.08 [SD 2.84] years old). The One-Leg-Standing-Test and pedobarographic evaluation were performed. Sections D and E of the gross-motor-function-measurement were assessed, and in pedobarographic evaluation, the single-limb support time (the total duration of mid-stance and terminal-stance during walking) was calculated to describe stability during stance. For patients, the One-Leg-Standing-Test scores and single-limb support time values were lower on the affected side than on the unaffected side. The One-Leg-Standing-Test was correlated with single-limb support time (p =.02, r = 0.60) and section E (p <.01, r = 0.59) values. The One-Leg-Standing-Test was also correlated to total stance phase and section D. The One-Leg-Standing-Test gives valuable information about gross-motor-function but cannot be substituted for motor function tests. The single-limb support time value may be used to describe stability in stance during walking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerating the pace of energy technological innovation is essential to curb global climate change and build a clean energy system. Based on this idea, from the perspective of renewable energy technology gaps across countries, this study presents a thorough empirical analysis of the convergence of energy technology research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) budgets across OECD countries over 1985–2017. In doing so, we apply two-regimes threshold autoregressive approach to account for heterogeneity, nonlinearity, and transition path in energy technology RD&D convergence. One observation is that only a small number of advanced countries namely Canada, Japan, and the U.S. follow a nonlinear process and exhibit partial convergence in energy technology RD&D budgets with Japan as a transition country. Interestingly, our results also provide clear support for the global convergence of energy technology RD&D budgets once accounting for the two regimes jointly. These trends in national energy innovation policies could arguably help Canada, Japan, and the U.S. to drive up their energy RD&D trajectory into the future, suggesting that these countries would be able to achieve a more sustainable energy innovation supply system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collection of packaging wastes separately from domestic wastes is a legal requirement and has become a necessity due to the need for raw materials today. Due to the legislative requirements, disruptions in practice constitute an obstacle to create a successful waste management policy. The subject of this study is to provide a system that will help the administrators of the district municipalities who want to collect the packaging wastes with their own means. In Uskudar municipality defined as a pilot area, environmental gains have been achieved by collecting packaging wastes separately from domestic wastes in two different days. The results of the collection of packaging wastes from households separately from domestic wastes were analyzed by separate collection days of district municipalities. Waste characterization studies are carried out, and the evaluation is presented. In this study, it was determined that the environmental gains obtained by changing only the packaging waste collection days yielded important results. The classical collection model, Uskudar Model and the effect of not collecting packaging wastes on ecosystem and people were examined by life cycle analysis. Implications: The importance of the environmental contribution of the proper packaging waste collection system. Environmental contributions provided by recycling only by changing the collection system. Revealing the environmental contributions of the packaging waste collection system through life cycle analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar power production (SPP) using photovoltaics is one of the most effective ways of solar energy utilization. Prediction of SPP is of great importance due to mitigating the effect of random fluctuations in the incoming solar energy and enabling the operator to access solar power output data in advance. Accurate prediction for SPP is also important for providing high-quality electricity to end-consumers. In the present study, a deep learning approach established on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network was introduced. The network aimed to forecast one hour-ahead electrical energy production from the solar-PV power plant with 1.15 MW capacity. In addition to the LSTM neural network, two different data-driven methods, namely, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) accompanied by fuzzy c-means (FCM) and ANFIS with grid partition (GP) were applied. The data obtained from the models were also validated using measured data. The results from the comparison revealed that the LSTM model gives the best results with RMSE, MAE, and R equal to 60.66 kWh, 30.47 kWh, and 0.9777, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among renewable energy generation technologies, wind energy has become one of the most outstanding issues, especially in the last decade. Wind speed is the most critical parameter influencing the power obtained from a wind turbine. The unstable structure of the wind causes an impossibility to receive a direct theoretical relation between wind power and speed. Accordingly, obtaining a simulation of the generated turbine power concerning the approaching wind speed has become vitally essential, nowadays. In the current study, generated wind turbine power (P) has been predicted using three forecasting methods. The computer was trained using wind speed (V) and the turbine rotor rotational speed (ṅ) as the inputs of the forecasting methods. The methods used for this purpose were to include adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), Elmanneural network (ENN), and feed-forward neural network (FNN) approaches. In the training of the programs, among the cumulative of 43,800 wind speed, turbine rotor rotational speed, and wind power data, 80% and 20% of the total data were used for training and testing stages of the algorithms, respectively. The statistical results of the computations demonstrated that among three methods, ANFIS gave better outcomes when compared to ENN and FNN, in both the training and testing stages of the algorithms. The proposed models of the current study have revealed low and acceptable mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) statistical error results of ANFIS tool; corresponding to 52.448 kW and 87.204 kW error, respectively, were obtained at the training stage, whereas 48.675 kW and 78.453 kW error, respectively, were obtained at the testing stage. For the estimation of wind power, while the coefficient of determination (R2) was detected as R2 = 0.9948 and 0.9961 in training and testing stages, respectively, with ANFIS model, it was found out as R2 = 0.9942 and 0.9957 with ENN model and R2 = 0.9943 and 0.9956 with FNN model. Namely, it has been reported that ANFIS tool can be successfully applied in wind output power estimations, as long as wind speed and turbine rotor rotational speed values are provided without the need for numerous experimental measurements, which induces additional time, labor, and measurement expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to find the effects of several mycorrhiza species on agronomic characteristics and nutrient uptake of various sweet sorghum genotypes under the semi-arid Mediterranean soil conditions. Four sweet sorghum genotypes were inoculated with three mycorrhiza species under greenhouse conditions. The plants were evaluated for growth parameters such as shoot height, root length, root morphology (root surface, root diameter and volume), shoot and root dry weight, uptake of macro and micro mineral nutrients, root colonisation and mycorrhizal dependency. Mycorrhizal species significantly improved growth and productivity of sorghum genotypes. Inoculation of Funneliformis mosseae, Claroideoglomus claroideum and Claroideoglomus etunicatum resulted in the highest shoot and total dry matter biomass production in Ashana, Hereahri and Yellow genotypes, respectively. Mycorrhiza inoculated white genotype had higher root colonisation and root development, and shoot P, K, Ca and Mg contents. Yellow genotypes produced significantly higher shoot and total dry weight and also were highly mycorrhiza dependent among the four genotypes. Compared to the control treatment mycorrhizal inoculation increased shoot Zn concentration but had non-consistent effects on shoot Cu, Fe and Mn contents. Conclusively, our findings confirmed that sweet sorghum genotypes responded selectively to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonisation for their growth parameters and nutrients uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays renewable energy sources play an important role in partially meeting the global energy demand and protecting the environment. Wind energy technology among the renewable sources is developing rapidly around the World as it becomes a challenging renewable energy technology. One of the latest developed technologies that enable small size wind turbines to operate in the most efficient way is the diffuser augmented wind turbine (DAWT) system utilization. In this study, concentrators involving nozzle-diffuser-flange systems were aimed to be reviewed thoroughly by studying the variety of geometries that are mostly available in the literature. Also, the diffuser augmented wind turbine technologies, from the viewpoint of designs, their aerodynamic characteristics, performances, and efficiencies were reviewed extensively. The benefits obtained from cased wind turbines in terms of wind speed and power coefficient enhancements were analyzed considering a variety of different studies found in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transnational social networks of migrants are extensively studied, but little is known about the associations between transnational social networks and individual migration trajectories over the course of migrants' lives. In this paper, we reconstruct the migration trajectories and transnational social networks of African migrants until their arrival in Europe and develop a typology that reflects the diversity of their trajectories. Based on unique retrospective life-history data of the MAFE project, our comparative perspective highlights the diversity of African migrants residing in Europe, the routes that they took before arriving in Europe and the types of transnational networks they had before, during and after migrating. Furthermore, we discuss the socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics of migrants within each typology. Consequently, this paper challenges the singular African migration stereotype and draws attention to the associations between transnational social networks and migration trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special issue: Migration Trajectories and Transnational Support Within and Beyond Europe brings together a set of papers with fresh empirical analysis from diverse settings documenting the experiences of migrants residing within and beyond the boundaries of Europe. This introductory article has the objective of laying the groundwork for a better understanding of how migration trajectories are shaped and continued in the contexts of transnational (social) networks and migration control. Firstly, we argue that migration journeys are not necessarily linear and unidirectional movements from origin to destination countries, nor are they clearly demarcated events in time and space. On the contrary, we highlight the dynamic and changing nature of migration trajectories. Secondly, we examine different types of relevant actors who provide support for migrants during their journeys. We focus on transnational social networks and transnationally operating institutions and human smugglers, which influence and facilitate or disrupt migration trajectories. Subsequently, based on the premise that migrants' social networks, expectations, motivations and needs change throughout the migration process, we discuss the ways in which transnational support in a context of migration control relates to the lives of migrants on the move. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources are developing rapidly worldwide because they are unlimited and permanent, available in every country and also eliminate foreign dependency. In this respect, accurate renewable electricity generation (REG) forecasting is essential in a country's energy planning in relation to its development. In this study, two different data-driven methods such as adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with fuzzy c-means (FCM) and long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network were applied to perform one-day ahead short-term REG forecasting. In addition, short-term hydropower electricity generation (HEG), geothermal electricity generation (GEG), and bioenergy electricity generation (BEG) forecasting were also made using these methods. The correlation coefficient (R), root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) were used as evaluation criteria. The values predicted by the ANFIS-FCM and LSTM models were compared with the actual values by evaluating their errors. According to the test results obtained in terms of MAPE evaluation criteria, the best estimation model was obtained for GEG. The lowest MAPE values were found to be 7.20%, 7.46%, 1.63%, and 2.46% for REG, HEG, GEG, and BEG estimates, respectively. The results showed that both ANFIS and LSTM models presented satisfying performances in daily REG prediction, and the ANFIS and LSTM models gave almost identical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential concentration is often referred to as an obstacle to the integration of immigrant minorities. Originating from Wilson's isolation thesis (Wilson, W. J. 1987. The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.), it is assumed that the high ratio of minorities in the neighbourhood decreases chances for social integration, which consequently affects other aspects of integration. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis on the topic by simultaneously examining the links between residential concentration and social, economic and identificational integration outcomes. We perform a quantitative analysis using data from the first wave of The Netherlands Longitudinal Lifecourse Study (NELLS 2009; N = 1,973), which provides a sample of Turkish and Moroccan origin residents in the Netherlands. The results show that a higher ratio of non-Western origin residents is linked to lower likelihood of social relations with natives. While social ties are indeed related to other integration outcomes, living in a more concentrated neighbourhood is not associated with worse integration outcomes in employment, income, and affiliation with Dutch identity. Consequently, we challenge the isolation thesis as a universal model and highlight instead the importance of the quality of relations and the relevance of neighbourhood social context for disadvantaged members of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Customers' waiting time is one of the most important determinants of service quality perceptions and their overall satisfaction with a particular service. This study aims to investigate the influence of colour of lighting on customers' waiting time period perceptions. Based on a study with 68 participants, it was determined that the perception of the length of the waiting time before the delivery of food in a restaurant showed significant differences according to the colour of the lighting in the service environment. When the colour of lighting in the restaurant was green, the customers perceived the waiting period relatively shorter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports and discusses the distribution of pine mistletoe in scots pine forests at stand and tree level in relation to some site, stand, and tree characteristics. Population characteristics (age, number and biomass) and distribution of pine mistletoe in the canopy of scots pine trees were also evaluated. A total of 1408 trees were measured in 114 representative sample plots in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. Of the measured trees, 648 (46%) were mistletoe infected and 760 (54%) were uninfected. The 6-class dwarf mistletoe rating system (DMRS) was used for infection severity rating. Correlation analysis results indicated significant relationships between mistletoe infection severity and stand and tree characteristics. The t-test results showed that there was a significant difference between mean stand and tree characteristics in mistletoe infected and uninfected stands. The results of the binary logistic regression analysis indicated that altitude and stand volume were the most significant predictor of the distribution of pine mistletoe at stand level. As for the population characteristics of pine mistletoe, the results indicated that the life span of pine mistletoe was about 24 years and that biomass distribution gradually increased from lower to upper part of the crowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explanatory patterns regarding situational differences in reading comprehension performance may be best captured by multidimensional reader profiles. Data from 56 third- and fifth-grade students were collected to investigate the applicability, scope, and convergent validity of a reader profiling scheme based on Alexander's (2005) reader profile framework and then compared with results from a hierarchical cluster analysis and a Bayesian cluster analysis. The reader profiling methodology used identified examples of all six of Alexander's reader profiles at each grade level, along with an additional hypothesized profile, the interest-reliant reader. The reader profiles related as expected to reading outcomes on a researcher-designed comprehension measure and a standardized comprehension assessment, with a few exceptions, and explained variance in those outcome measures better than the use of cluster analysis, except for the third-grade standardized scores. Finally, interesting differences emerged in the proportions of elementary students assigned to each profile across the grade levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ectopic pregnancies constitute about 2% of all pregnancies which are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths and a considerable cause of maternal morbidity. Oxidative stress can lead to a number of pregnancy related diseases including miscarriage, eclampsia and preterm labor. Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) which reflects the oxidative stress may be used as a marker for ectopic pregnancy. Our aim was to compare the levels of IMA and total antioxidant status (TAS) in ectopic and normal pregnancies and to understand if IMA can be used as a marker to diagnose ectopic pregnancy. Materials and methods: Our case-control study consisted of 38 women with ectopic and 42 women with normal pregnancy. IMA and TAS levels were determined in serum samples with an albumin-cobalt binding test and by commercially available kits, respectively. IMA levels were adjusted according to serum albumin levels. Index of oxidation (IOS) was calculated by dividing adjusted IMA (A-IMA) levels with TAS. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was made and cut-off values for the biomarkers were investigated in SPSS 21.0 program (SPSS, Chicago, IL). Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation and a p value < .05 was accepted as statistically significant. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in IMA, A-IMA, and IOS levels between ectopic and normal pregnancies. Although TAS level was not different statistically, it was lower in ectopic pregnancy. According to ROC curve analysis, IOS had the largest area under curve. A cut-off value of 0.545 for IOS had 81.6% sensitivity and 59.5% specificity. Conclusions: According to our study, oxidative stress plays an important role in ectopic pregnancy and either A-IMA or IOS can be evaluated as a marker of ectopic pregnancy after further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to assess the predictive value, for fluid responsiveness (FR), of the inferior vena cava distensibility index (IVC-DI) and internal jugular vein distensibility index (IJV-DI) in pediatric surgical patients. Material and Methods: Prior to being placed under general anesthesia, 24 surgical patients were enrolled. Baseline parameters were recorded with the patient in the semirecumbent position (Stage 1). Next, the passive leg raising (PLR) maneuver was carried out and a second measurement was recorded (Stage 2). Patients with an increase in the cardiac index (CI) of >10%, induced by PLR, were considered to be responders (R), otherwise they were classified as nonresponders (NR). At both stages, CI and DI of the IVC and IJV were measured. Results: Responders had higher IVC-DI and IVJ-DI than NR in stage 1 (both p <.001). In stage 2, IVC-DI and IJV-DI were not different in R and NR groups (p =.164, p =.201). Utilizing cut-off values of > 22.7% for IVC-DI and > 25% for IJV-DI, these parameters had positive correlation coefficients, both in R and NR of, respectively, 0.626 and 0.929. Conclusions: The IVC-DI predicts FR in anesthetized pediatric patients and correlates well with the IJV-DI; both may be used as prediction markers of FR in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of modern horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) includes a number of important factors, such as wind power (P), power coefficient (CP), axial flow induction factor (a), rotational speed (Ω), tip speed ratio (λ), and thrust force (T). The aerodynamic qualities of these aspects are evaluated and discussed in this study. For this aim, the measured data are obtained from the Sebenoba Wind Energy Power Plant (WEPP) that is located in the Sebenoba region in Hatay, Turkey, and a wind turbine with a capacity of 2 MW is selected for evaluation. According to the results obtained, the maximum turbine power output, maximum power coefficient, maximum axial flow induction factor, maximum thrust force, optimum rotational speed, probability density of optimum rotational speed, and optimum tip speed ratio are found to be 2 MW, 30%, 0.091, 140 kN, 16.11 rpm, 46.76%, and 7, respectively. This study has revealed that wind turbines must work under optimum conditions in order to extract as much energy as possible for approaching the ideal limit. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Very Short form of the Physical Self-Inventory (PSI-VS) among a sample of 635 Turkish adolescents. These adolescents have completed the 12 original items of the PSI-VS, plus a positively worded reformulation of the single reverse-keyed item of the physical attractiveness subscale. A series of confirmatory factor analyses was used to examine the psychometric properties of the original and modified versions of the PSI-VS. Findings revealed superior psychometric properties with the modified version than with the original set of items. The modified version was thus subsequently used to examine its factor structure invariance across sexes, age groups and sport practice involvement. Results not only report that this version was fully invariant across, but also that latent means were significantly different across sexes and sport practice involvement. In sum, the Turkish modified version of the PSI-VS presents acceptable psychometric properties and may be used to repeatedly and/or intensively assess participants’ physical self-perceptions in the context of sport and exercise interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A two-year irrigated field study was conducted to determine the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR;Bacillus subtilisOSU-142 andBacillus megateriumM3) as biofertilizer, and in combination with a chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer, on turf color and clipping yield, and interaction of biofertilizer and chemical N fertilizers in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenneL.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceaL. Schreb.), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensisL.). The three turf species were tested separately in split-plot design experiments with three replications. Three fertilizer sources (ammonium nitrate only, ammonium nitrate +B. megateriumM3, and ammonium nitrate +B. subtilisOSU-142) were the main plots. N applications with monthly applications of 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 g N/m2were the subplots. Color ratings and clipping yields increased with increasing chemical N fertilizers in all species. Both Bacillus sp. significantly increased color ratings and clipping yields in perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. However, there were no significant differences among the three fertilizer sources in color and clipping yield of Kentucky bluegrass. The experiments showed that there is a small but significant benefit from applying biofertilizers for turf color, and that N fertilization may be reduced in some turf species when biofertilization are made for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to assess pullulan as a novel steric stabilizer during the wet-stirred media milling (WSMM) of griseofulvin, a model poorly water-soluble drug, and as a film-former in the preparation of strip films via casting–drying the wet-milled drug suspensions for dissolution and bioavailability enhancement. To this end, pullulan films, with xanthan gum (XG) as thickening agent and glycerin as plasticizer, were loaded with griseofulvin nanoparticles prepared by WSMM using pullulan in combination with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an ionic stabilizer. The effects of drug loading and milling time on the particle size and suspension stability were investigated, as well as XG concentration and casting thickness on film properties and dissolution rate. The nanosuspensions prepared with pullulan–SDS combination were relatively stable over 7 days; hence, this combination was used for the film preparation. All pullulan-based strip films exhibited excellent content uniformity (most <3% RSD) despite containing only 0.3–1.3 mg drug, which was ensured by the use of precursor suspensions with >5000 cP viscosity. USP IV dissolution tests revealed fast/immediate drug release (t80 < 30 min) from films <120 μm thick. Thinner films, films with lower XG loading, or smaller drug particles led to faster drug dissolution, while drug loading had no discernible effect. Overall, these results suggest that pullulan may serve as an acceptable stabilizer for media milling in combination with surfactant as well as a fast-dissolving film former for the fast release of poorly water-soluble drug nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring the physical stability of drug nanosuspensions prepared via wet media milling has been a challenge for pharmaceutical scientists. The aim of this study is to assess the combined use of non-ionic cellulosic polymers and anionic surfactants in stabilizing multiple drug nanosuspensions. Particle size of five drugs, i.e. azodicarbonamide (AZD), fenofibrate (FNB), griseofulvin (GF), ibuprofen (IBU) and phenylbutazone (PB) was reduced separately in an aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) with/without sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) via a stirred media mill. Laser diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis, rheometry and electrophoresis were used to evaluate the breakage kinetics, storage stability, electrostatic repulsion and stabilizer adsorption. Without SDS, drug particles exhibited aggregation to different extents; FNB and GF particles aggregated the most due to low zeta potential and insufficient steric stabilization. Although aggregation in all milled suspensions was reduced due to HPC–SDS combination, FNB and IBU showed notable growth during 7-day storage. It is concluded that the combination of non-ionic cellulosic polymers and anionic surfactants is generally viable for ensuring the physical stability of wet-milled drug nanosuspensions, provided that the surfactant concentration is optimized to mitigate the Ostwald ripening, whereas cellulosic polymers alone may provide stability for some drug suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the wind characteristics and wind power potential of the Gelibolu peninsula in the Çanakkale region of Turkey. For this purpose, hourly average wind data observed at the Gelibolu meteorological station were used. The Weibull probability density functions and Weibull parameters of time-series of wind speed, mean wind speed, and mean wind power potential were determined for different heights as 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 m. According to the results obtained at 10- and 50-m heights above the ground level, the annual wind speed varied from 6.85 to 8.58 m/s in this region, respectively. The annual wind power potential of the site was determined as 407 and 800 W/m2for 10- and 50-m heights, respectively. These results indicate that the investigated site has a reasonable wind power potential for generating electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article considers bidirectional nonlinear cointegration relation between FDI and industrial output in Turkey. The data cover the monthly period 2005:1–2013:10 for the time series of total industrial production, 36 sub-industrial sectors’ production and FDI. Following nonlinear threshold cointegration and VECMs, the article yields that (i) total industrial production and nine sub-industrial productions have positive long-run impact on FDI with significant error corrections, (ii) six sub-industrial productions have short-term influence on FDI, (iii) FDI has long-run positive impulse on total industrial production and nine sub-industrial productions with some significant error corrections and (iv) FDI affects four sub-industrial productions in the short run as well as in the long run. The results of VECMs from (i) also reveal that the all short-term adjustment parameters are found significant and powerful in 10 typical regimes (Regime-1s) and in 5 extreme regimes (Regime-2s). Finally, the outcome of VECMs from (iii) yields that short-term adjustment parameters are found significant and powerful in two typical regimes and in four extreme regimes. Eventually, considering FDI’s positive impact in the short and long run, this article suggests that policymakers promote specifically the FDI inflows to the sectors of intermediate goods, manufacture of beverages, manufacture of rubber and plastic and manufacture of other nonmetallic mineral products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the impact of religiosity on tolerance in Turkey, where social divisions are deep, and where religiosity is one significant source of such divisions. In going beyond survey research studies which limit the discussion to individuals’ levels of tolerance, this analysis aims to provide a deeper understanding of tolerance through qualitative interviews that make use of a series of vignettes. In such interviews, the respondents are consulted about their attitude towards various out-groups, with the design of the vignettes illuminating the sensitivity of such attitudes to variation in the forms of relationships described. Besides the majority/minority division, the polarizing impact of the religious/secular divide is also investigated. The findings suggest that intolerance is a common problem within Turkish society amongst both religious and secular communities, and that religious and secular respondents exhibit different preferences amongst the out-groups. Moreover, this study reveals that attitudes towards out-groups are sensitive to the form of relationships depicted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic and inflammatory skin disease. Few studies in the literature evaluate the responses to the treatment histopathologically. Objectives: In this study, we evaluated and compared skin biopsies taken from patients with psoriasis before and after phototherapy and therapy with acitretin and methotrexate. Material and methods: We included 64 patients with a diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris in our study. We performed phototherapy on 33 patients (51.6%), while 19 patients (29.7%) were treated with methotrexate and 12 patients (18.8%) were treated with acitretin. Results: All of the patients had chronic plaque psoriasis, and they had skin lesions on more than 10% of their total body surface area and a score of PASI of 7.2–21.8 (average: 12.2). The histopathological parameter scores were similar in the initial evaluations of the pre-treatment treatment groups. When the biopsy specimens of all cases were evaluated together, a significant decrease was observed in terms of parakeratosis, Munro’s microabscesses, regular acanthosis, pustules of Kogoj, lymphocyte infiltration in the papillary dermis, loss of the granular layer, spongiosis, suprapapillary thinning, vascularity in the papillary dermis and neutrophile infiltration in the papillary dermis. Conclusion: We found in our study that conventional treatment modalities provided histopathologically significant recovery in psoriasis, but they did not have an effect on some histopathological findings. To our knowledge, it is one of the few studies to assess these parameters in psoriasis under the continuous effect of acitretin, methotrexate and phototherapy for three months. There is a need for studies with larger series to examine the histopathological effects of these treatment modalities in terms of immunopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Observing the normal oscillations and the behaviours of high-engineering structures has become almost a necessity in terms of construction security and human health. For this purpose, an real-time kinematic GPS (NovAtel 400) and a tilt sensor (Leica Nivel20) were installed in a TV tower (220 m high) located in Istanbul, Turkey. The observation serials were recorded over a period of 9 days. All data-sets inXandYdirections were examined in the time domain and were analyzed using FFT€. The dominant frequency values (significant frequencies) were determined by comparing at the high- and low-frequency values. These dominant frequencies showed that the tower made 4- and 6-second short-period oscillations and 24- and 12-hour long-period oscillations. All the observation signals were re-created by the significant low-frequency values using the inverse Fourier transform. Thus, the motion model of the tower was determined over 9 days. In this study, the 24-hour and 12-hour periodic oscillations were defined that represent the behaviour of the tower in relation to the effect of the sun's radiation and the temperature changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article investigates the links between economic integration and remittances sending behavior through the cases of Afghan, Burundian, Ethiopian, and Moroccan first generation migrants in the Netherlands. The analysis demonstrates that economically-better-integrated migrants, especially those with secure employment, are significantly more likely to remit, remit more, and remit more for investment purposes rather than consumption. Consequently, I challenge the assimilationist perspective on the links between economic integration and homeland engagement, emphasize the significance of dual-engagement, and discuss the implications of this research for integration and development policy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bioavailability of a poorly soluble drug can be improved by preparing a drug nanosuspension and subsequently drying it into nanocomposite microparticles (NCMPs). Unfortunately, drug nanoparticles aggregate during milling and drying, causing incomplete recovery and slow dissolution. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of various classes of dispersants on drug dissolution from drug NCMPs, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs via high drug nanoparticle loaded, surfactant-free NCMPs. Precursor suspensions of griseofulvin (GF, model drug) nanoparticles in the presence of various dispersants were prepared via wet stirred media milling and spray dried to form the NCMPs. Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC, polymer) alone and with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, surfactant) was used as a base-line stabilizer/dispersant during milling. Two swellable crosslinked polymers, croscarmellose sodium (CCS) and sodium starch glycolate (SSG), and a conventional soluble matrix former, Mannitol, were used in addition to HPC. Besides being used as-received, CCS was also wet co-milled with GF for two different durations to examine the impact of CCS particle size. Laser diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV spectroscopy, NCMP redispersion and dissolution tests were used for characterization. The results show that incorporation of CCS/SSG, preferably wet-milled to a wide particle size distribution, into the spray-dried NCMPs resulted in fast release and dispersion of drug nanoparticle clusters. The swellable dispersants were superior to Mannitol in dissolution enhancement, and could achieve fast release comparable to SDS, demonstrating the feasibility of spray drying to prepare high drug-loaded, surfactant-free nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Warts are abnormal skin growths caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) infections within the skin of patients. Genital warts usually appear in the perianal and perigenital regions. Asymptomatic warts may be activated after years and may damage natural immunity. The inflammation that occurs during this process may lead to an imbalance between the prooxidant and the antioxidant systems. The aim of this study was to investigate erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, serum paraoxonase enzyme levels, and oxidative stress levels in patients with genital warts. Patients and Methods In total, 32 patients with genital warts and 35 healthy subjects were included in this study. Erythrocyte GSH-Px activity, serum catalase activity, and paraoxonase enzyme, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined. Results Erythrocyte GSH-Px activity, serum MDA levels, and catalase activity were significantly higher in patients with genital warts than in controls (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05, respectively). However, serum paraoxonase enzyme levels were not significantly different between groups (P > 0.05). Serum triglyceride levels were significantly lower in patients with genital warts than in controls (P < 0.01). However, there were no statistically significant differences between groups with respect to total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (all P > 0.05). Conclusions Our data suggest that oxidative stress is increased in genital warts. Increased oxidative stress levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of genital warts, and prolonged HPV infection due to chronic inflammation could also affect oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There are only a few earlier studies suggesting relationship between isotretinoin treatment and oxidative stress however, their results are conflicting. Therefore we aimed to concretize the influence of isotretinoin treatment on oxidant/antioxidant status together with paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity for the first time. Methods: The study was performed on serum samples obtained from 35 acne vulgaris patients before and after three months of isotretinoin treatment. PON1 activity, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI) and some routine biochemical parameters were monitored. Results: Dramatically decreased PON1 activity ( p < 0.001), increased TOS level and OSI value ( p < 0.001 and p < 0.001; respectively) as well as slightly diminished TAC level were noted in posttreatment stage. Moreover significant increases were observed in lactate dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activities and levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio respectively ( p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001) while marked decrease was seen in high density lipoprotein cholesterol ( p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study revealed that decreased PON1 activity and increased oxidative stress may have a crucial role in the pathogenesis of isotretinoin's side effects. Further studies on a large number of patients are needed to verify these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposite microparticles (NCMPs) incorporating drug nanoparticles and wet-milled swellable dispersant particles were investigated as a surfactant-free drug delivery vehicle with the goal of enhancing the nanoparticle recovery and dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs. Superdisintegrants were used as inexpensive, model, swellable dispersant particles by incorporating them into NCMP structure with or without wet-stirred media milling along with the drug. Suspensions of griseofulvin (GF, model drug) along with various dispersants produced by wet-milling were coated onto Pharmatose® to prepare NCMPs in a fluidized bed process. Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC, polymer) alone and with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, surfactant) was used as base-line stabilizer/dispersant during milling. Croscarmellose sodium (CCS, superdisintegrant) and Mannitol were used as additional dispersants to prepare surfactant-free NCMPs. Nanoparticle recovery during redispersion and dissolution of the various GF-laden NCMPs were examined. Suspensions prepared by co-milling GF/HPC/CCS or milling GF/HPC/SDS were stable after 30 h of storage. After drying, due to its extensive swelling capacity, incorporation of wet-milled CCS in the NCMPs caused effective breakage of the NCMP structure and bursting of nanoparticle clusters, ultimately leading to fast recovery of the GF nanoparticles. Optimized wet co-milling and incorporation of CCS in NCMP structure led to superior dispersant performance over incorporation of unmilled CCS or physically mixed unmilled CCS with NCMPs. The enhanced redispersion correlated well with the fast GF dissolution from the NCMPs containing either CCS particles or SDS. Overall, swellable dispersant (CCS) particles, preferably in multimodal size distribution, enable a surfactant-free formulation for fast recovery/dissolution of the GF nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas consumption has been analyzed intensively especially within the last three decades due to its growing environmental and economical impacts among other consumption goods. This article aims at first observing the outputs of literature evidence regarding the demand for natural gas and, second, estimating the parameters of function for natural gas consumption. To this end, this article employs the panel data for eight Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries to seek responses of per capita natural gas consumption to per capita income and natural gas price. Therefore, panel unit root tests, panel cointegration analyses and panel ordinary least squares (OLS), fully modified OLS (FMOLS) and dynamic OLS (DOLS) estimations are conducted to obtain long-run parameter estimates of the function. Throughout analyses of cointegration, FMOLS, and DOLS regressions with homogeneous and heterogeneous variance-covariance structures, this work obtains slightly higher than unit elasticities together with expected signs throughout majority of estimations for the period of 1979–2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent which affects renal functions adversely. The best indicator of renal functions is glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measurement. Cystatin-C appears to be a good alternative to existing methods of measuring GFR. However, it is controversial whether Cystatin-C demonstrates GFR correctly for patients receiving chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between GFR values calculated by Cystatin-C based formulas, radionuclidic method (multiple blood sampling) and blood Cystatin-C values in patients with lung cancer, receiving cisplatin treatment in both pre-treatment and post-treatment periods. Materials and methods: Thirty-six patients with lung cancer who were going to receive cisplatin treatment were included in this study. However, the evaluation was performed with 20 patients since 16 of them could not complete the treatment. Blood Cystatin-C values, GFR values calculated via Cystatin-C based formulas, and radionuclidic method were investigated before and after the cisplatin treatment. Results: After treatment significant decreases were detected in GFR values, obtained via radionuclidic measuring method. However, there was no significant difference in Cystatin-C values between pre-treatment and post-treatment periods. Also GFR values obtained by Cystatin-C based formulas were not significantly different in pre-treatment and post-treatment periods. There were meaningful correlations between radionuclidic method and Cystatin-C values and Cystatin-C based formulas before treatment. However, all correlations disappeared after the treatment. Conclusion: GFR values, calculated by Cystatin-C may not be reliable in following renal functions in patients receiving chemotherapy. When reliable monitoring of the renal functions is necessary radionuclidic method may be preferred in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. There are limited comparative studies on classic and new-generation antihistamines that affect sleep quality and mood. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the effects of classic and new-generation antihistamines on sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, dream anxiety, and mood. Methods. Ninety-two patients with chronic pruritus completed study in the dermatology outpatient clinic. Treatments with regular recommended therapeutic doses were administered. The effects of antihistaminic drugs on mood, daytime sleepiness, dream anxiety, and sleep quality were assessed on the first day and 1 month after. Results. Outpatients who received cetirizine and hydroxyzine treatments reported higher scores on the depression, anxiety, and fatigue sub-scales than those who received desloratadine, levocetirizine, and rupatadine. Pheniramine and rupatadine were found to be associated with daytime sleepiness and better sleep quality. UKU side effects scale scores were significantly elevated among outpatients receiving pheniramine. Classic antihistamines increased daytime sleepiness and decreased the sleep quality scores. New-generation antihistamines reduced sleep latency and dream anxiety, and increased daytime sleepiness and sleep quality. Conclusion. Both antihistamines, significantly increased daytime sleepiness and nocturnal sleep quality. Daytime sleepiness was significantly predicted by rupadatine and pheniramine treatment. Cetirizine and hydroxyzine, seem to have negative influences on mood states. Given the extensive use of antihistamines in clinical settings, these results should be more elaborately examined in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of three therapies in the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo: a combination of topical calcipotriol, narrowband-ultraviolet B (NB-UVB), and betamethasone therapies; a combination of NB-UVB and topical calcipotriol; and NB-UVB alone. Material and methods: Forty-five patients with non-segmental vitiligo presenting to our Dermatology clinic were recruited to participate in the study. Patients were randomly divided into three groups. For each patient the size of the depigmented areas was assessed according to the rule of nines. The first group was treated with a combination of topical calcipotriol, NB-UVB, and betamethasone therapies. The second group was treated with a combination of NB-UVB and topical calcipotriol and third group was treated with NB-UVB alone. Since the patients' vitiligo lesions had similar phototypes, all patients were started with 0.1 j/cm2, regardless of their skin phototype. The dose of NB-UVB was increased 10% in each session and no further increment was done after reaching 2.5 j/cm2. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated according to the percentage improvement in repigmentation. The quality of life of the patients was measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results: The patients were aged from 13 to 55 years (mean: 25.29). The duration of disease ranged from 3 months to 20 years. Family history was positive for vitiligo in 10 patients (22.2%). The percentage of recovery after treatment was 63.33% ± 7.55 in group 1, 60.67% ± 5.75 in group 2, and 46.67% ± 7.98 in group 3. There was no statistically significant difference between groups 1 and 2, and groups 2 and 3, but there was a statistically significant difference between groups 1 and 3 ( p = 0.0048). Conclusions: In conclusion, NB-UVB-alone therapy and the combined therapies are effective treatment options in the treatment of vitiligo. Future studies with larger groups are warranted to confirm our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) aims at increasing the competitiveness in EU markets via single prices for each commodity and service. Energy products are the basic necessary commodities for both production and consumption. This article examines light fuel oil and automotive diesel prices in some EU countries, among other energy prices, to reveal if traditional EU oil and diesel prices move towards an equilibrium single price. Employing panel data sets for industry oil price, household oil price, industry diesel price and household diesel price, this study reveals convergence in prices for panels through Lagrange Multiplier unit root tests with structural breaks. On the other hand, it also observed non-convergence for some individual EU members from the related panels. The speed of adjustment is another important issue together with convergence by itself. To this end, this work observes the half-lives of deviations of prices from their equilibrium levels as well and concludes that oil prices converge faster than diesel prices do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pruritus is a serious medical and psychiatric disorder that can have a huge impact on a patient’s quality of life. Hence, we aimed to examine whether the chronotype characteristics impact on the severity of pruritus throughout the day. In our study we included 83 idiopathic chronic pruritus patients who did not have any underlying dermatological, systemic, or metabolic diseases. We examined the change in the severity of itching symptoms throughout 24 h at four time points. The latent growth modeling approach was used to assess the significance of the chronotype effect on symptom severity after controlling for age, gender, and depression. The patients with morning chronotype characteristics reported more severe itching symptoms later in the day, while the patients with evening chronotype characteristics complained of more severe itching earlier in the day. These findings suggest that chronobiological factors might play a deterministic role on the symptom severity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) but these reports are limited and conflicting. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate serum paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity and oxidative status in subjects with AA. Materials and methods: Thirty-nine subjects with AA and 39 healthy controls were enrolled. Serum PON1 activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined. Results: Serum TAC levels and PON1 activity were significantly lower in the subjects with AA than controls ( p = 0.038, p = 0.001, respectively), whereas TOS levels and OSI were significantly higher (both, p = 0.001) in the subjects with AA. Conclusions: Our results suggest that reduced PON1 activity may be related to increased oxidant and decreased antioxidant levels. These data indicated that oxidant/antioxidant imbalance may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intravascular lymphoma (IVL) is a rare extra nodal subtype (usually of B-cell origin) presenting with infiltration of large neoplastic lymphocytes into lumina of blood vessels, leading to vascular occlusion. The early diagnosis is very crucial, however it is usually diagnosed postmortem investigation in most of the cases. A 56-year-old female presented with elevated creatinine level, and anasarca-type edema that superimposed with hard, indurated, erythematous plaques extending to inguinal region, abdomen, anterior aspect of chest, and face. B-cell IVL was confirmed with skin biopsy. The patient had some degree of clinical improvement following chemotherapy. B-cell IVL presenting with anasarca edema was not previously reported in the literature. Even if its rarity, IVL should be considered in the differential diagnosis of renal failure with anasarca edema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study addresses the effects of topdressing composted chicken manure on established turf and comparing the composted chicken manure to a chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Turf color, quality and clipping yields were correlated with N sources and application timing. Monthly fertilization resulted in a more uniform color and turf quality and less clipping yields than did comparable amounts of all N sources applied each as a single application in spring and spring and fall (S + F). The monthly and/or S + F topdressing of chicken manure composts increased the color and quality ratings of the turf mixture during the growing season but did not greatly affect the clipping production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: A wound healing is a complex process, and the role of retinoids in this process is debated and controversial. In this study, the effect of topical tretinoin and oral acitretin on wound healing process was investigated in full-thickness skin lesions on rat model. Method: A circular full-thickness wound was created by 6 mm punch biopsy on the back side of 32 male rats. The rats were seperated into four equal. The first group was assigned as a control group and was observed with no treatment. The second group was administered dexpanthenol once a day over wound area. In the third group, 0.1% tretinoin cream was applied daily. In the fourth group, 2.5 mg/kg/day acitretin was given daily. Additionally, the biopsies were taken from wounds for the histopathologic examination. Results: The complete recovery time was remarkably longer in the tretionin group than the control group and the dexpantenol group (p < 0.05). The average complete recovery time was significantly longer in the acitretin group than the control and dexpanthenol groups whereas it was statistically shorter in the acitrein group than the tretionin group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on our findings, topical tretinoin and oral acitretin can delay secondary wound healing, epithelization and angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased insulin resistance (IR) has been found in androgenetic alopecia in several studies. However, IR has not been investigated in alopecia areata (AA). We aimed to investigate IR in AA patients and the controls. Anthropometric and demographic data were obtained from 51 AA patients and 36 controls. We measured insulin, c-peptide and blood glucose and HOMA-IR. Demographic characteristics of the two groups were similar. AA group had higher insulin [12.5 ± 7.01 vs. 8.3 ± 3.9 µIU/mL, p = 0.001], c-peptide [2.7 ± 1.07 vs. 2.1 ± 0.6 ng/mL, p = 0.007] and HOMA-IR levels [2.8 ± 1.6 vs. 1.9 ± 0.9, p = .004] than the controls. Patient and control groups were also similar regarding lipid profiles. In this study, we found increased IR in AA patients for the first time in literature. Increased inflammatory cytokines and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation may be responsible for this finding. Further studies with larger sample sizes may give additional information for IR in AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]