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Background: Head-to-head comparisons through randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide high-quality evidence to inform healthcare decisions. In their absence, indirect comparisons are often performed; however, evidence is limited on how valid matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC)-based comparative efficacy estimates are vs. RCT-based estimates., Objectives: Compare MAIC and RCT results of guselkumab vs. secukinumab and ixekizumab to provide insight into the validity of results generated using MAIC methods., Methods: Previously reported results from MAICs of guselkumab vs. secukinumab and ixekizumab were compared with results from ECLIPSE and IXORA-R RCTs based on risk differences between Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 response rates., Results: Risk difference (95% confidence interval) in PASI 90 response rates at week 48 for guselkumab vs. secukinumab was 14.4% (9.4%; 19.4%) in ECLIPSE and 9.4% (4.7%; 14.0%) in the MAIC. The risk difference at week 24 for guselkumab vs. ixekizumab was 0.0% (-5.4%; 5.4%) in IXORA-R and 0.7% (-5.1%; 6.4%) in the MAIC., Conclusions: Comparative efficacy results were consistent between MAICs and RCTs of guselkumab vs. secukinumab and ixekizumab. This analysis demonstrates that MAIC methods can provide valid relative treatment effect estimates when direct comparisons are lacking, particularly when trials with similar designs and patient populations inform the analysis.

This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of various concentrations of dried koruk pomace (1%, 1.5%, and 2%) used in kofte formulations. To detect the inactivation effect of dried koruk pomace on food-borne pathogens, kofte samples were separately inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes , and Salmonella Typhimurium at high and low levels. During the storage period, E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes , and S. Typhimurium counts of the samples inoculated with high levels were decreased in the range of 1.1-1.3 log CFU/g, 0.1-0.2 log CFU/g and 1.1-1.2 log CFU/g, respectively. When low inoculum levels were used, E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium counts of the samples were reduced to an undetectable level at the beginning and after 2 months of storage, respectively. Although L. monocytogenes counts of the samples were reduced to an undetectable level immediately, the counts were increased during storage till the end of the fifth month. The results indicated that dried koruk pomace was more effective in eliminating E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium than L. monocytogenes inoculated in kofte. The results suggest that using dried koruk pomace in kofte formulations is an effective method to improve the safety of the products, especially when low levels of contamination occur., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of the toric intraocular lens (IOL) and capsular tension ring (CTR) suturing technique in eyes with long axial length (AL) with a high risk of toric IOL rotation., Methods: This is a retrospective observational case series. The data files of patients who underwent a one-piece acrylic toric IOL (Tecnis Toric IOL and Acrysof IQ Toric IOL) implantation with the toric IOL and CTR suturing technique for cataract and astigmatism or toric IOL repositioning were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were a regular total corneal astigmatism of ≥ 1.5 D and an AL of ≥ 26.0 mm. Preoperative and postoperative astigmatism, uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), IOL rotation, intraoperative, and postoperative complications were evaluated., Results: A total of 30 eyes of 29 patients were included in this study. The mean AL was 27.82 ± 1.53 mm (range, 26.08-31.07). UDVA revealed a statistically significant improvement from 0.84 ± 0.20 logMAR preoperatively to 0.04 ± 0.06 logMAR postoperatively (p < 0.001). The mean preoperative corneal astigmatism was 3.08 ± 1.01 D reduced to the postoperative residual astigmatism of 0.59 ± 0.32 D which was found also statistically significant (p < 0.001). Only 2 eyes (6.2%) had postoperative toric IOL rotation of 5° and 10°, respectively. The mean degree of postoperative rotation was 0.50 ± 2.01., Conclusion: This technique provided excellent rotational stability even in eyes with longer AL and did not require additional intervention., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Neonicotinoid insecticides, known for their selectivity and low mammalian toxicity, have been widely used in recent years as alternatives to organophosphate insecticides. Although neonicotinoids are generally considered to be safe, data show that they can cause harmful effects on human and environmental health. Due to the lack of information on their mechanism of toxicity, the effects of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam on DNA methylation as the most used marker for epigenetic effects were investigated in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. The cells were exposed to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam in concentrations of 100, 200, and 500 μM for 24 hours, then global DNA methylation and expression of genes involved in global DNA methylation ( DNMT1 , DNMT3a and DNMT3b ) were investigated. Global DNA methylation significantly increased after imidacloprid exposure at 100 μM, and thiamethoxam exposures at 200 µM and 500 μM (>1.5-fold). Imidacloprid significantly decreased the expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3a , whereas thiamethoxam did not cause any significant changes in the expression of DNMT genes. Our findings suggested that alteration in global DNA methylation may be involved in the toxic mechanisms of imidacloprid and thiametoxam.

Respiration can positively influence cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in the brain, yet its effects on central nervous system (CNS) fluid homeostasis, including waste clearance function via glymphatic and meningeal lymphatic systems, remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of supporting respiratory function via continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on glymphatic-lymphatic function in spontaneously breathing anesthetized rodents. To do this, we used a systems approach combining engineering, MRI, computational fluid dynamics analysis, and physiological testing. We first designed a nasal CPAP device for use in the rat and demonstrated that it functioned similarly to clinical devices, as evidenced by its ability to open the upper airway, augment end-expiratory lung volume, and improve arterial oxygenation. We further showed that CPAP increased CSF flow speed at the skull base and augmented glymphatic transport regionally. The CPAP-induced augmented CSF flow speed was associated with an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP), including the ICP waveform pulse amplitude. We suggest that the augmented pulse amplitude with CPAP underlies the increase in CSF bulk flow and glymphatic transport. Our results provide insights into the functional crosstalk at the pulmonary-CSF interface and suggest that CPAP might have therapeutic benefit for sustaining glymphatic-lymphatic function.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the presence of underlying chronic airway disease in individuals with chronic cough and dyspnea lasting longer than eight weeks and who had previously Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and had no known lung disease. Methods: A total of 151 patients admitted to the respiratory diseases outpatient room with the complaint of cough and/or dyspnea that persisted for at least eight weeks following COVID-19 infection were accrued to the study. Demographic characteristics, smoking history, the severity of lung involvement on chest computed tomography in the acute phase of Covid-19 infection, and bronchodilator reversibility test results were recorded. Smoking history and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) were compared. Results: FEV1 increase ≥ 200 ml was observed in 40 (26.5%) patients. In 24 (15.9%) patients, an increase in FEV1 was found to be 200 ml and above, and the percentage of FEV1 was 12% or more. While 14 (9.3%) patients were diagnosed with asthma, 13 (8.6%) patients were diagnosed with nonreversible airflow obstruction (NRAO), and 1 (0.7%) patient was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Conclusions: COVID-19 infection may play a vital role in initiating asthma pathogenesis. It should be kept in mind that viral infection-related asthma may be the underlying cause of prolonged cough and dyspnea after COVID-19 infection.

Type 2 diabetes is a life-long health condition, and as it progresses, A range of comorbidities can develop. The prevalence of diabetes has increased gradually, and it is expected that 642 million adults will be living with diabetes by 2040. Early and proper interventions for managing diabetes-related comorbidities are important. In this study, we propose a Machine Learning (ML) model for predicting the risk of developing hypertension for patients who already have Type 2 diabetes. We used the Connected Bradford dataset, consisting of 1.4 million patients, as our main dataset for data analysis and model building. As a result of data analysis, we found that hypertension is the most frequent observation among patients having Type 2 diabetes. Since hypertension is very important to predict clinically poor outcomes such as risk of heart, brain, kidney, and other diseases, it is crucial to make early and accurate predictions of the risk of having hypertension for Type 2 diabetic patients. We used Naïve Bayes (NB), Neural Network (NN), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) to train our model. Then we ensembled these models to see the potential performance improvement. The ensemble method gave the best classification performance values of accuracy and kappa values of 0.9525 and 0.2183, respectively. We concluded that predicting the risk of developing hypertension for Type 2 diabetic patients using ML provides a promising stepping stone for preventing the Type 2 diabetes progression.

It has been reported that during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, bronchiectasis patients were adversely affected due to their limited respiratory functions and acute exacerbations which were triggered by viral infections. The increased concern in the population during the pandemic has affected the attitudes of people toward avoiding disease and patients' treatment compliance. It is unclear whether treatment adherence and anxiety levels of bronchiectasis patients have changed during the pandemic. We aimed to evaluate treatment adherence and anxiety levels in patients with bronchiectasis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May and November 2021. A total of 123 patients with bronchiectasis and 110 adults without chronic diseases were included in the control group. Patient demographic information, bronchiectasis follow-up data, and COVID-19 history were recorded. Then, patients filled out "MARS-5 Index" (Medical Adherence Report Scale-5), Beck Anxiety Scale and the Effect of Events Scale (IES-R). Responses of questionnaires were statistically analyzed. Our results showed that the majority of patients with bronchiectasis had high Medical Adherence Report Scale-5 index total scores during the COVID-19 pandemic (86.2%). The total scores on the Beck Anxiety Scale of bronchiectasis patients who did not have COVID-19 were significantly higher than those who had COVID-19 (P = .04). The total scores on the IES-R were found to be significantly higher in the control group (P < .001). No significant difference was found in the total scores on the Beck Anxiety Scale between the patients and the control group. The bronchiectasis patients had high adherence to their current treatment during the COVID-19 period and were less affected by the pandemic and its psychological effects compared to the healthy population. Furthermore, individuals diagnosed with bronchiectasis who were not infected with COVID-19 demonstrated increased levels of anxiety compared to those who were infected with COVID-19 which may be due to their concern about contracting the disease., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

The objectives of the study were to determine (1) oestrous expression rate and (2) the effect of oestrous expression prior to progesterone-based Ovsynch protocol on pregnancy rate in Holstein cows. All cows (n = 917) were subjected to 7-day progesterone-based Ovsynch protocol. In this protocol, cows that expressed oestrus before (HEAT1) the scheduled second GnRH were inseminated 20 h later after the onset of oestrus without GnRH administration. Cows that expressed oestrus after the second GnRH administration (HEAT2) or did not express oestrus (NOHEAT) received fixed-timed AI. Oestrous expression was determined by using activity-rumination monitoring system and all cows were inseminated with sexed semen. Oestrous expression rate prior to FTAI was 40.5% and the majority (p < .01) of oestrous expression were in HEAT2 compared with HEAT1 in both primiparous (71.8 vs. 28.1%) and multiparous cows (69.5 vs. 30.5%). The mean interval from intravaginal device removal to the onset of oestrus was 47.4 ± 0.9 h and 62.9 ± 0.5 in HEAT1 and HEAT2, respectively. Primiparous cows (47.7%) had a higher (p < .01) expression rate compared with multiparous cows (37.2%). Overall pregnancy rate was 37.4% and there was two-way significant interaction between parity and oestrous expression on pregnancy rate (p < .01). Both primiparous (48.1 vs. 35.8%) and multiparous cows (47.4 vs. 28.4%) that expressed oestrus had greater (p < .01) pregnancy rate compared with cows that did not express oestrus. There was no difference in pregnancy rates of HEAT1 and HEAT2 in both primiparous (44.7 vs. 49.5%) and multiparous cows (47.2 vs. 47.6%). Pregnancy rate was not influenced (p = .21) by milk production (high or low) in both primiparous (47.6 vs. 48.6%) and multiparous (54.9 vs. 42.1%) cows that expressed oestrus, respectively. In conclusion, cows showing oestrus before or after second GnRH of the Ovsynch protocol had greater pregnancy rate than cows not showing oestrus., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A new rhodamine 6G derivative R1 has been synthesized by condensation of rhodamine hydrazide and 6-hydroxymethyl-pyridine using microwave-assisted reaction. Naked-eye colorimetric and photo physical studies show the synthesized compound is selectively sensing Cu 2+ in CH 3 CN/H 2 O (9:1, v/v) solution. Upon coordination with Cu 2+ ion, the spirolactam of R1 is opened, which results in a formation of highly fluorescent complex and change in color of the solution. The Job's plot indicates 1:2 binding stoichiometry between Cu 2+ ion and R1. Limit of detection for Cu 2+ was determined to be 1.23 μM. The sensor was successfully applied to fluorescent imaging of Cu 2+ ion in living cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine is administered for protection against tuberculosis and may also have beneficial effects against some viral respiratory tract infections. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationship between Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination which is confirmed by BCG scar, and the frequency and course of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Among 490 patients, 400 patients who accepted to participate in the study were included. After the consent of patients, age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, smoking, history, and the progress of COVID-19 of these patients were investigated; the presence and number of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin scars were recorded by a physician. Data from groups with and without COVID-19 history were compared. There was no relation between presence and number of the BCG scar and COVID-19 related hospitalization and intensive care unit admission. When groups with and without COVID-19 history compared, no statistically significant difference was found with the presence and number of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin scars (P > 0,05). No association was found between the presence or number of BCG scars and the frequency and course of COVID-19 in individuals with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination history confirmed by the presence of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine scars. Currently, the most important protection against COVID-19 is the COVID-19 vaccine., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Aim: To understand coping strategies used by women experiencing gender-based violence and living in Turkey. Coping is a cognitive and behavioural strategy that individuals develop to manage stress, generally categorized as emotion-focused or problem-focused coping. Women exposed to gender-based violence develop various coping strategies to manage stress and its adverse mental and physical health effects., Design: Qualitative study using the phenomenological approach., Methods: Data were collected in Turkey by using the snowball technique (n = 17) between September 2019 and September 2020. The Clinical Ethnographic Narrative Interview is the source of the qualitative data for this study. Data were coded manually and utilized the RADAR technique., Results: Seventeen women aged 25-40 were included in this analysis. Women stated that they were exposed to more than one type of gender-based violence according to their lived experiences. Analysis of the nature of coping strategies revealed five main themes. The themes were self-competence, separation from others/isolation, getting professional help, having faith and social support., Conclusion: Breaking the silence and listening to gender-based violence experiences from survivors' voices contribute significantly to literature. There was a dearth of research on Turkish women's gender-based violence survivors; the research intended to address that gap. The participants highlighted that they would like to receive more attention and felt relief in sharing their experiences., Impact: The Clinical Ethnographic Narrative Interview is a great tool to explore narratives of gender-based violence and coping skills of women. The study explored coping strategies of Turkish women's gender-based violence survivors. The participants indicated their emotion-focused and problem-solving coping strategies and shared their stories. This study will enhance efforts to concentrate on gender-based violence among Turkish women and inspire other researchers, practitioners and policymakers to change and provide more opportunities for the benefit and well-being of these women., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The choroid plexus (ChP) of the cerebral ventricles is a source of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and also plays a key role in immune surveillance at the level of blood-to-CSF-barrier (BCSFB). In this study, we quantify ChP blood perfusion and BCSFB mediated water exchange from arterial blood into ventricular CSF using non-invasive continuous arterial spin labelling magnetic resonance imaging (CASL-MRI). Systemic administration of anti-diuretic hormone (vasopressin) was used to validate BCSFB water flow as a metric of choroidal CSF secretory function. To further investigate the coupling between ChP blood perfusion and BCSFB water flow, we characterized the effects of two anesthetic regimens known to have large-scale differential effects on cerebral blood flow. For quantification of ChP blood perfusion a multi-compartment perfusion model was employed, and we discovered that partial volume correction improved measurement accuracy. Vasopressin significantly reduced both ChP blood perfusion and BCSFB water flow. ChP blood perfusion was significantly higher with pure isoflurane anesthesia (2-2.5%) when compared to a balanced anesthesia with dexmedetomidine and low-dose isoflurane (1.0 %), and significant correlation between ChP blood perfusion and BCSFB water flow was observed, however there was no significant difference in BCSFB water flow. In summary, here we introduce a non-invasive, robust, and spatially resolved in vivo imaging platform to quantify ChP blood perfusion as well as BCSFB water flow which can be applied to study coupling of these two key parameters in future clinical translational studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: It was aimed to reveal the continuing perfusion defect rates in patients with a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) due to COVID-19 who have completed the third month of anticoagulant therapy but whose symptoms or laboratory elevations continue., Methods: Patients with COVID-19 who were diagnosed with PE by Q-SPECT-CT between 1 September 2020 and 1 November 2021, who underwent control Q-SPECT/CT were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, laboratory findings, and first and second Q-SPECT/CT evaluation results of the patients were recorded., Results: It was observed that the pulmonary defect continued in Q-SPECT/CT in the third month of anticoagulant treatment in 58.3% of the patients diagnosed with PE due to COVID-19, and new defects developed in 6.3%. The persistence rate of segment defects was higher than that of subsegment defects. It was observed that the defects persisted more frequently in patients with a history of hospitalization due to COVID-19., Conclusion: Perfusion defects may still be present in patients diagnosed with PE due to COVID-19 in the presence of persistent dyspnea/chest pain/D-dimer elevation after 3 months of treatment. Perfusion defect persistence rates are higher in defects more proximal to the subsegment level and in people with severe COVID-19, and extended treatment should be considered in these patients., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pericarp browning (PB) is a serious problem in harvested litchi and drastically affects consumer acceptability and marketability. Postharvest PB and subsequent decay in fruit are linked to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in tissues. Antioxidants neutralize or scavenge ROS and maintain the shelf-life of fruit, especially in non-climacteric ones such as litchi. This work was aimed to assess the effect of vacuum infiltrated methyl jasmonate (MeJA; 1 and 2 mM) on the quality of harvested litchi fruit (cv. Purbi) during ambient storage (28 °C, RH 70-75%). The exogenous MeJA infiltration (2 mM) significantly retained quality attributes of litchi fruit as evident by lowered PB, weight loss, disease occurrence, quinone, and ROS (H 2 O 2 and O 2 - ) accumulation. Moreover, MeJA infiltrated fruit suppressed the activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase resulting in higher anthocyanin, phenolics, antioxidant potential, phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity as well as membrane integrity throughout the storage. Control fruit showed an early quality deterioration marked by prominent PB and other biochemical degradative changes. Thus, exogenous MeJA infiltration (2 mM) could be suggested to increase the shelf life of litchi by four days under ambient conditions., (© Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: It is important to determine the plantar pressure distribution of schoolchildren by applying static and dynamic foot analyses using a pedobarography device. However, it is difficult to obtain clear interpretations from results that can be explained by a large number of plantar pressure variables. The aim of this study was to use principal component analysis (PCA) to predict the main components for reducing the size of big data sets, provide a practical overview, and minimize information loss on the subject of plantar pressure assessment in youths., Methods: In total, 112 schoolchildren were included in the study (mean ± SD: age, 10.58 ± 1.27 years; body mass index, 18.86 ± 4.33). During the research, a pedobarography device was used to obtain plantar pressure data. Each foot was divided into six anatomical regions and evaluated. Global and regional plantar pressure distributions, load and surface areas, pressure-time integrals, weight ratios, and geometric foot properties were calculated., Results: The PCA yielded ten principal components that together account for 81.88% of the variation in the data set and represent new and distinct patterns. Thus, 137 variables affecting the subject were reduced to ten components., Conclusions: The numerous variables that affect static and dynamic plantar pressure distributions can be reduced to ten components by PCA, making the research results more concise and understandable.

Environmental exposure plays a major role in the development of allergic diseases. The exposome can be classified into internal (e.g., aging, hormones, and metabolic processes), specific external (e.g., chemical pollutants or lifestyle factors), and general external (e.g., broader socioeconomic and psychological contexts) domains, all of which are interrelated. All the factors we are exposed to, from the moment of conception to death, are part of the external exposome. Several hundreds of thousands of new chemicals have been introduced in modern life without our having a full understanding of their toxic health effects and ways to mitigate these effects. Climate change, air pollution, microplastics, tobacco smoke, changes and loss of biodiversity, alterations in dietary habits, and the microbiome due to modernization, urbanization, and globalization constitute our surrounding environment and external exposome. Some of these factors disrupt the epithelial barriers of the skin and mucosal surfaces, and these disruptions have been linked in the last few decades to the increasing prevalence and severity of allergic and inflammatory diseases such as atopic dermatitis, food allergy, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, and asthma. The epithelial barrier hypothesis provides a mechanistic explanation of how these factors can explain the rapid increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases. In this review, we discuss factors affecting the planet's health in the context of the 'epithelial barrier hypothesis,' including climate change, pollution, changes and loss of biodiversity, and emphasize the changes in the external exposome in the last few decades and their effects on allergic diseases. In addition, the roles of increased dietary fatty acid consumption and environmental substances (detergents, airborne pollen, ozone, microplastics, nanoparticles, and tobacco) affecting epithelial barriers are discussed. Considering the emerging data from recent studies, we suggest stringent governmental regulations, global policy adjustments, patient education, and the establishment of individualized control measures to mitigate environmental threats and decrease allergic disease., (© 2022 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Cisplatin-paclitaxel and bevacizumab is a frequently used treatment regimen for metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer, and carboplatin-paclitaxel and bevacizumab are also among the recommended regimens. In this study we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of these two regimens for the treatment of metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer., Methods: Patients with metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer treated with cisplatin-paclitaxel and bevacizumab or carboplatin-paclitaxel and bevacizumab were retrospectively evaluated in this study. The clinical and demographic characteristics of patients in each group were evaluated. Median overall survival, progression-free survival, and response rates between the two groups were compared., Results: A total of 250 patients were included. Overall, the numbers of patients with recurrent disease and metastatic disease were 159 and 91, respectively. The most common histologic subtype was squamous cell carcinoma (83.2%). The median duration of follow-up was 13.6 (range 0.5-86) months. The median progression-free survival was 10.5 (95% CI 9.0 to 11.8) months in the cisplatin-paclitaxel and bevacizumab group (group 1), and 10.8 (95% CI 8.6 to 13.0) months in the carboplatin-paclitaxel and bevacizumab group (group 2) (HR 1.20; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.63; p=0.25). The median overall survival was 19.1 (95% CI 13.0 to 25.1) months in group 1 and 18.3 (95% CI 15.3 to 21.3) months in group 2 (HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.80; p=0.15)., Conclusions: There is no survival difference between cisplatin or carboplatin combined with paclitaxel and bevacizumab in metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© IGCS and ESGO 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease was declared a pandemic on March 11th, 2020, by the World Health Organization (WHO). There has been a substantial increase in the epileptic seizures and status epilepticus reported in the pandemic period. In this context, it is aimed with this study to identify the electroencephalography (EEG) features of patients admitted to the intensive care unit with the diagnosis of COVID-19 and to look for any specific patterns in these features., Material and Method: The material of this study primarily comprised the neurological evaluations and continuous EEG recordings of 87 intensive care patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19. In addition, demographic and clinical features and comorbid conditions of these patients were also analyzed, and any correlation thereof was investigated., Results: The EEG data of 87 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and were followed up in the intensive care unit were recorded and then analyzed. Abnormal EEG findings were detected in 93.1% (n = 81) of the patients, which were found to increase significantly with age (p < 0.001). The mean age of patients with specific epileptiform abnormalities on EEG was found to be significantly higher than those with non-specific abnormalities. Epileptiform discharges were seen in 37.9% (n = 33) of the patients. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) was detected in 5.7% of the patients, and antiepileptic drugs were started in 25 (28.7%) of the patients., Discussion: Statistically significant EEG changes were observed in the continuous EEGs of the patients followed up in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19 infection. However, further studies are needed to associate the EEG changes observed in the COVID-19 patients with the epileptogenesis of COVID-19 infection., (© 2021. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.)

Aim: To compare the diffusion properties of brain metastases as imaging biomarkers in various types of tumours, to determine their histology and origin., Material and Methods: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) were used to retrospectively study the data of 143 patients suffering from brain metastases. Four categories of primary tumours with metastases to the brain were included: lung carcinoma (n=102, 71.3%); breast carcinoma (n=27, 18.8%); colon carcinoma (n=8, 5.6%); and others (n=6, 4.2%). The Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADCmin ) values, as well as the normalised ADC ratio (nADC), were determined. The lesions on the DWI were categorised as follows: type 1, with negative findings on DWI; type 2, which were isointense with the normal cortical grey matter; type 3, which were hyperintense compared to the normal cortical grey matter., Results: The diffusion type, mean ADCmin, and mean nADC showed statistically significant differences in different types of metastases. In the subgroup analysis, it was found that type 3 was the diffusion type found most extensively in the brain metastases of small cell carcinoma (SCLC) (n=52, 65.8%, p < 0.000). Furthermore, the mean ADCmin and nADC values were the least for the brain metastases of the SCLC (552.0 ± 134.2 and nADC = 0.8 ± 0.1, p < 0.000, respectively). The value of the mean ADCmin was low in the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) negative groups than in the HER-2 positive groups at 786.8 ± 299.1 vs 844.8 ± 141.3 (p < 0.006)., Conclusion: Our findings indicated that there is a correlation between diffusion parameters as imaging biomarkers of the solid component of brain metastases of primary tumours and the tumour histology.

Background/objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the effects of exercise training through telerehabilitation applied during COVID-19 isolation period on overweight and obese individuals on physical fitness and quality of life., Subjects/methods: In our study, 41 participants between the ages of 18-65 years and whose BMI values were 25 kg/m 2 and above were randomly divided into two groups as telerehabilitation group (n: 21) and control group (n: 20). Exercise training applied to the telerehabilitation group with remote live connection included warm-up exercises, trunk stabilization exercises and breathing exercises under the supervision of a physiotherapist for 6 weeks, 3 days in a week. The control group was only informed about the importance of exercise for one session and evaluated at baseline and after 6 weeks. The physical fitness levels of individuals was assessed by Senior Fitness Test protocol and quality of life by Short Form-36., Results: As a result of the study, statistically significant improvements were obtained in all parameters of physical fitness, quality of life in the telerehabilitation group (p < 0.05). In the difference values of the two groups, all parameters of physical fitness and quality of life were observed that there were statistically significant differences in favor of telerehabilitation group (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: As a result, it was found that exercise training applied through telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic process was an effective, safe and viable approach in overweight and obese individuals. In the future, studies investigating the long-term effectiveness of telerehabilitation in this population are needed., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: All platin-based chemotherapeutics can cause hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). With rapid drug desensitization (RDD), few patients experience breakthrough reactions (BTR) during desensitization. However, data about risk factors for BTRs during RDD in patients with HSRs to platins are limited. We first aimed to describe characteristics of our platin-reactive population and to validate the Brigham and Women's Hospital's (BWH's) RDD protocol in our population along with their outcomes with RDD. Our second aim was to identify the risk factors for BTRs., Method: This was a retrospective chart review (2013-2020) of patients with symptoms of immediate HSRs to platins. Initial HSRs were classified as grade 1, 2, or 3 based on their severity. Skin prick tests (SPT)/intradermal tests (IDT) were performed with implicated platins. A 12-step protocol was used during RDD., Results: The study comprised 65 women and seven men (mean age 57.78 ± 8.73 years). Initial HSRs to carboplatin, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin occurred in 38, 13, and 21 patients, respectively. All patients reacted at the fifth (median) recurrent infusions (min:1, max:20). The median values for carboplatin, cisplatin, and oxaliplatin were 6 (1-20), 3 (1-15), and 3 (1-11), respectively. Most initial HSRs were grade 2 (n = 40, 55.6%) and 3 (n = 27, 37.5%); only 6.9% (n = 5) were grade 1. Patients with grade 1, 2, and 3 initial HSRs had positive platin skin test results at rates of 80%, 74%, and 88%, respectively.A total of 232 RDDs were performed in 72 patients and 98.7% of these desensitizations were completed. BTRs occurred in 56 (24.1%) (grade 1 n = 14, 25%; grade 2 n = 32, 57%; grade 3 n = 10, 18%) of these desensitizations. Breakthrough reactions were more severe in patients with positive SPTs or 1:100 or 1:10 dilutions of IDT (p = 0.014). BTR was not observed during RDD in any of the patients with positive 1:1 dilutions of IDT. Positivity on prick or 1:100 or 1:10 IDT increased the risk of BTR 5.058 times. There was no significant association between the risk of BTRs and age, drug cycle, sex, comorbidities, or atopy., Conclusion: In our experience, 98.7% of 232 RDDs to platins were completed successfully, showing that RDD was safe and effective. Drug skin test positivity is a potential marker for identifying high-risk patients who will have BTRs during RDDs to platins., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of World Allergy Organization.)

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) started in December 2019 and affected the whole world in a short time. The course of the disease depends on the person's immune system, physical properties, health status, etc. as it varies according to its characteristics while it is asymptomatic in some people, it causes fatal processes that start with flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, respiratory distress in some people and progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), severe pneumonia and multi-organ dysfunction, and the basic mechanism underlying these effects known as a cytokine storm. There is no specific effective antiviral drug or vaccine in treatment yet. Supportive/alternative treatment methods are needed as both the desired effect cannot be achieved and undesirable side effects are seen with the current treatments used in the clinic. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are frequently preferred recently from basic studies to clinical studies and are effective and safe in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Graft-versus-Host disease. MSCs can secrete many types of cytokines through paracrine secretion or directly interact with immune cells leading to immunomodulation. According to the results of the completed studies; it has been stated that the cytokine storm caused by the overstimulation of the immune system decreases and even damage of the cytokine storm on organs decreases, respiratory distress is relieved and contributes to the healing process by repairing damaged tissues. In this review, clinical trials completed/ongoing on MSCs recommended for treating COVID-19, a global problem, are reviewed and the review is prepared to specify the existence of such a route to clinicians., Competing Interests: None., (AJSC Copyright © 2021.)

Objectives: The study aimed to develop a validated LC-MS / MS method for the measurement of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZE) levels, to compare the carbamazepine concentrations measured by AbSciex API 3200 LC-MS/MS and Beckman Coulter Emit® 2000 immunoassay and to investigate the effect of carbamazepine concentrations on various hematological and biochemical parameters., Methods: For the measurement of carbamazepine and CBZE levels, a validated LC-MS / MS method was developed. Serum carbamazepine levels of patients were measured by AbSciex API 3200 LC-MS / MS and Beckman Coulter Emit® 2000 immunoassay. Biochemical, hematological parameters, and hormone levels were measured by Beckman-Coulter AU 5800 (Beckman Coulter, Brea, USA), Beckman Coulter LH 780 (Beckman Coulter, Miami, FL, USA), and Cobas 6000 (Roche Diagnostics, Germany) analyzers, respectively., Results: The imprecision values for all analytes were less than 7.0 %. The correlation coefficient between the methods was 0.981 (95 % confidence interval: 0.975 to 0.985). Linear regression analysis demonstrated highly significant associations of carbamazepine concentrations with albumin (B = -0.300, p = 0.040), calcium (B = -0.262, p = 0.004), phosphorus (B = -0.241, p = 0.022), WBC (B = -0.288, p = <0.001), PLT (B = -0.236, p = 0.003), RBC (B = -0.257, p = 0.001), NEU% (B = -0.289, p = <0.001), LYM% (B = -0.268, p = 0.001), D vitamini (B = -0.344, p = 0.006) levels., Conclusions: A robust, rapid, and simple method has been developed. Our study revealed that carbamazepine and its metabolite have a significant correlation and likely impact on bone metabolism, blood cell counts, serum protein, albumin levels, and electrolyte concentrations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Over the past decade there has been an enormous progress in our understanding of fluid and solute transport in the central nervous system (CNS). This is due to a number of factors, including important developments in whole brain imaging technology and computational fluid dynamics analysis employed for the elucidation of glymphatic transport function in the live animal and human brain. In this paper, we review the technical aspects of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in combination with administration of Gd-based tracers into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for tracking glymphatic solute and fluid transport in the CNS as well as lymphatic drainage. Used in conjunction with advanced computational processing methods including optimal mass transport analysis, one gains new insights into the biophysical forces governing solute transport in the CNS which leads to intriguing new research directions. Considering drainage pathways, we review the novel T1 mapping technique for quantifying glymphatic transport and cervical lymph node drainage concurrently in the same subject. We provide an overview of knowledge gleaned from DCE-MRI studies of glymphatic transport and meningeal lymphatic drainage. Finally, we introduce positron emission tomography (PET) and CSF administration of radiotracers as an alternative method to explore other pharmacokinetic aspects of CSF transport into brain parenchyma as well as efflux pathways., (Copyright © 2020 IBRO. All rights reserved.)

Patients with cirrhosis have coagulopathy often necessitating correction with blood products, such as plasma products (fresh frozen plasma and plasma frozen within 24 h) prior to certain invasive procedures. However, plasma administration has the potential for substantial negative adverse effects such as volume overload, transfusion-related lung injury and allergic/anaphylactic reactions. In addition, its effectiveness in preventing bleeding is similarly unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of plasma administration in cirrhotic patients undergoing minimally invasive procedures, specifically vascular access placement, transjugular liver biopsies, renal biopsies and thoracenteses. In this retrospective cohort study, we identified patients receiving plasma products in preparation for an invasive procedure, with the primary outcomes of volume overload and bleeding. Of the 145 transfusion events that met the criteria from 2015 to 2018, the median INR decreased from 2.7 to 2.2 pre and post plasma administration and 13.8% of recipients had complications of volume overload. The cost of acquisition of plasma administered below clinically impactful doses accumulates to an estimated 19 000 dollars over this time period, not including nursing preparation or production costs. Plasma products minimally, if at all, improved laboratory values of coagulation and in some patients led to adverse effects., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate whether the pediatric extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) nomograms can predict stone-free status in children effectively and whether they are applicable to our series. We hypothesize that two current nomograms predicting successful treatment with ESWL in pediatric patients are valid., Study Design: We evaluated 415 renal units (children <18 years) with eligible data who received ESWL treatment for upper urinary tract stones. Children's age, gender, stone size, stone surface area, stone location and history of previous intervention were recorded. Children with no residual fragments after ESWL treatment were designated as stone-free. The nomograms described by Dogan and Onal were implemented to our series for the prediction of stone-free status., Results: Mean age of children was 64.7 ± 57.2 months. Male to female ratio was 219:196.78.8% (327) of children had single stone. Mean stone size was 10.0 ± 3.7 mm and mean stone surface area was 380.0 ± 72.2 mm 2 . Our stone-free rate after single ESWL session was 52.5% (218/415). Mean residual stone size and stone surface area after single session was 6.4 ± 3.3 mm and 36.0 ± 44.2 mm 2 respectively. There were no significant difference between stone-free children and children with residual fragments regarding gender, age and history of previous intervention. Mean stone size and stone surface area in stone-free children were lower and lower pole stones had the lowest stone-free rate (p < 0.05). Area under curve for Dogan and Onal nomogram were 0.628 and 0.580 respectively in ROC analysis (0.05). The agreement between Dogan and Onal score was moderate in our series. In multivariate analysis only stone surface area and Dogan score found to be independent predictors of stone-free status (p < 0.05)., Discussion: Only one study has assessed both nomograms in the literature. Both nomograms are reported to be independent predictors of stone free status. ROC analysis in our study revealed fair accuracy for both nomograms with higher area under curve for Dogan nomogram. Higher accuracy for both nomograms were reported by other authors. These nomograms offer practical data but more effective tools are needed to be developed for the prediction of stone-free status in pediatric ESWL., Conclusions: Stone size and stone surface area are associated with stone clearance. Dogan and Onal nomograms can be useful in prediction of stone-free status in children. Dogan nomogram is superior to Onal nomogram., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2021 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To evaluate the efficiency of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) in accelerating canine tooth movement and to examine levels of the matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in the gingival crevicular fluid during orthodontic treatment., Materials and Methods: Twenty patients (mean age = 21.4 ± 2.9 years) with Class II Division 1 malocclusion were included in a split-mouth study. The treatment plan for all patients was extraction of maxillary first premolars followed by canine distalization with closed-coil springs using 150 g of force on each side. The study group received i-PRF two times, with a 2-week interval, on one side of the maxilla. The contralateral side served as the control and did not receive i-PRF. Maxillary canine tooth movement was measured at five time points (T1-T5) on each side. Also, the activity of inflammatory cytokines was evaluated at three time points in the gingival crevicular fluid samples., Results: There was a significant difference in canine tooth movement between the two groups (P < .001). i-PRF significantly increased the rate of tooth movement, and stimulation in the levels of inflammatory cytokines supported this result (P < .001). The levels of cytokines changed in both groups between T1 and T2. The IL-1β, MMP8, and RANKL values were significantly increased in the study group compared with the control group, while the OPG values were significantly decreased., Conclusions: i-PRF-facilitated orthodontics is an effective and safe treatment modality to accelerate tooth movement, and this method can help shorten orthodontic treatment duration., (© 2021 by The EH Angle Education and Research Foundation, Inc.)

Idiopathic pleuropulmonary fibroelastosis is an extremely rare lung disease characterized by the combination of fibrosis of the visceral pleura and the fibroelastotic changes transcending in the subpleural lung parenchyma that predominantly affects the upper lobes with accompanying volume loss. It is mostly idiopathic while infection, autoimmunity, bone marrow or lung transplantation and genetic predisposition may be associated with the development of PPFE. The disease is exceptionally rare as approximately ninety cases have been reported in the literature currently. A 35-year-old female presented with exertional dyspnea, dry cough and weight loss. Physical examination demonstrated platythorax, suprasternal notch deepening and fine rales over the upper lobes. Blood count, serum biochemistry, autoimmunity and serologic markers for collagen vascular diseases were within normal limits. Arterial blood gases demonstrated a low pO2 (48 mm Hg) and a high pCO2 (54 mm Hg) values. Chest x-ray showed bilateral parenchymal fibrotic lesions, left pneumothorax, bronchiectasis in the middle and pleural thickening in the upper lung zones while HRCT revealed bilateral apical pleural thickening, traction bronchiectasis, subpleural reticulations, ground-glass opacities and honeycombing in the upper lobes. Bronchoscopy, BAL cytology, smear and culture did not reveal any pathologic findings. Relevant with the clinical, laboratory, radiologic manifestations and the differential diagnosis with other interstitial lung diseases, PPFE was the final diagnosis. The aim of this case report was to present the clinical manifestations of our case. The second crucial objective was to establish a diagnostic scoring system relevant with the literature and the clinical manifestations of the patient.

Objective: To present a nation-wide analysis of the workload of urology departments in Turkey week-by-week during Covid-19 pandemic., Methodology: The centres participating in the study were divided into three groups as tertiary referral centres, state hospitals and private practice hospitals. The number of outpatients, inpatients, daily interventions and urological surgeries were recorded prospectively between 9-March-2020 and 31-May-2020. All these variables were recorded for the same time interval of 2019 as well. The weekly change of the workload of urology during pandemic period was evaluated, also the workload of urology and the distributions of certain urological surgeries were compared between the pandemic period and the same time interval of the year 2019., Results: A total of 51 centres participated in the study. The number of outpatients, inpatients, urological surgeries and daily interventions were found to be dramatically decreased by the 3rd week of pandemics in state hospitals and tertiary referral centres; however, the daily urological practice were similar in private practice hospitals throughout the pandemic period. When the workload of urology in pandemic period and the same time interval of the year 2019 were compared, a huge decrease was observed in all variables during pandemic period. However, temporary measures like ureteral stenting, nephrostomy placement and percutaneous cystostomy have been found to increase during Covid-19 pandemic compared with normal life., Conclusions: Covid-19 pandemic significantly affected the routine daily urological practice likewise other subspecialties and priority was given to emergent and non-deferrable surgeries by urologists in concordance with published clinical guidelines., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of organic fruit vinegars (blackberry, pomegranate, rosehip, and grape) used as marination liquids (MLs) on food-borne pathogens inoculated on beef, as well as on the quality characteristics (physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory properties) of beef during marination process at 4 °C for 24 h. In the first part of the study, meat samples separately inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (≅6 log CFU/mL) were marinated in four different MLs and the count of S. Typhimurium, L. monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 on samples decreased in the range of 1.040-1.225, 1.420-1.913 and 1.232-1.435 log CFU/g, respectively. Marination with rosehip vinegar (MLR) was determined as the most effective treatment against all pathogens. In the second part of the study, proximate composition, color parameters, cooking yield, marinate absorption, pH, texture profile, aerobic plate count and sensory properties of marinated meat samples were determined. The moisture content of the samples marinated with grape vinegar (MLG) (73.50%) was found lower than of the samples marinated with other formulations (in the range of 75.95-76.65%) (P < 0.05). Marination by various MLs resulted in significant differences between the L*, a* and b* values of meat samples (P < 0.05). The hardness value of the samples was decreased by marination with MLR (P < 0.05) and was determined as 25.70 N. There were no significant differences between the meat samples marinated with the four different MLs in terms of cooking yield, marinate absorption and pH (P > 0.05). Aerobic plate count was reduced in the range of 0.589-0.950 log CFU/g for 24 h marination (P > 0.05). The highest sensory evaluation scores in terms of flavor were determined in meat samples marinated with MLG (P > 0.05). Therefore, different fruit vinegars used as MLs improved the safety and quality of meat at different levels., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

MicroRNA (miRNA) expression is a dynamic process in the cell, and the proper time period for post-transcriptional regulation might be critical due to the gene-on/-off expression times of the cell. Here, we investigated the effect of different time-points on proliferation, invasion and miRNA expression profiles of human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (non-metastatic, epithelium-like breast cancer cell line with oestrogen receptor (ER) positive (+) and human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-435 (metastatic, invasive, ER negative (-). For this purpose, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435 cells were seeded different number in E-plate 16 for proliferation experiment using an electrical impedance-based real-time cell analyzer system (RTCA) for 168 h. Similarly, invasion potential of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435 were determined by RTCA for 90 h. Total RNAs including miRNAs were isolated at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48 h from the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435 cells. Afterward, the quantitative 84 miRNA expressions of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435 were analyzed by Fluidigm Microfluidic 96.96 Dynamic Array. The results of these study demonstrated that both proliferation potential and invasion capacity of MDA-MB-435 is higher than MCF-7 as time-dependent manner. Furthermore, we detected that up/down expressions of 32 miRNAs at all time points in MDA-MB-435 compared to MCF-7 (at least ten-fold increased). Because of the high number of miRNAs, we more closely evaluated the expression of six of them (miR-100-5p, miR-29a-3p, miR-130a-3p, miR-10a-5p, miR-10b-5p, miR-203a), and determined that their levels were dramatically changed by at least 50-fold at different time points of the experiment (p < 0.01). The expression levels of five of these miRNAs (miR-100-5p, miR-10a-5p, miR-10b-5p, miR-130a-3p, and miR-29a-3p) started to increase from the fourth hour and continued to increase until the 48th hour in MDA-MB-435 cells compared to MCF-7 cells (p < 0.01). Simultaneously, the expression of one of these miRNAs (miR-203a) decreased from the sixth hour to the 48th hour in MDA-MB-435 as compared to MCF-7. We determined pathways associated with target genes using mirPath - DIANA TOOLS. Small RNAs including miRNA are essential regulatory molecules for gene expressions. In the literature, gene expressions have been published as burst and pulse in the form of discontinuous transcription. The data of the research suggested that time-dependent changes of miRNA expressions can be affected target gene transcriptional fluctuations in breast cancer cell and can be base for the further studies., (© 2020 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.)

Introduction: Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients are markedly higher. In addition, plasma NGAL levels were increased in patients with acute and chronic heart failure as a complication of myocardial infarction. In this study, we investigated whether there is a difference between the prognostic use of plasma NGAL levels in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)., Methods: 235 consecutive STEMI patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into groups according to LVEF. Plasma NGAL, troponin I, creatine kinase MB (CKMB), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. Finally, the study population examined with 34 reduced LVEF and 34 preserved LVEF consisted of a total of 68 patients (12 females; mean age, 61.5 ± 14.7). All patients were followed up prospectively for 6 months. This study group was divided into two subgroups as the patients who died ( n  = 14) and survived ( n  = 34), and plasma NGAL levels of the groups were compared., Results: The median of NGAL was 190.08 ng/ml. Age, troponin I, CKMB, CRP, glomerular filtration rate, and creatinine were higher in reduced LVEF groups. Plasma NGAL levels were also higher in reduced LVEF than in preserved LVEF, but statistically not significant ( p =0.07). Plasma NGAL levels were significantly higher in death patients than in survived patients ( p < 0.001). In ROC curve analysis, the level to detect isolated cardiovascular mortality with a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 77% was 190 ng/mL for NGAL., Conclusion: Plasma NGAL levels can be used to predict cardiovascular mortality in STEMI patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Ahmet Avci et al.)

Background: Alcohol and tobacco are among the leading substances that are misused together and shared genetic vulnerability is likely. Increased susceptibility to nicotine self-administration has been shown in alcohol-preferring rat-lines. However, a nicotine-preferring (nP) rat-line has not been studied for alcohol preference., Objectives: To evaluate alcohol preference and intake in male and female nP rats. We hypothesized that nP rats and females would drink more ethanol than control rats and males, respectively., Methods: nP rats are being selectively outbred for high oral nicotine intake at Ege University. Seventeen nP (18 th generation) and 20 naïve female and male SD rats, not previously exposed to alcohol or nicotine, were used. Twelve-week-old rats were given intermittent access to 20% ethanol in a 2-bottle-choice-procedure for six weeks. After one week withdrawal, six weeks of oral nicotine self-administration was applied., Results: nP rats drank significantly more ethanol than controls and their preference for ethanol over water was higher. Female rats' ethanol intake was higher than males'. The nP rats' nicotine preference and intake were higher than controls, and they gained less weight., Conclusion: We have shown for the first time that nP rats also have high alcohol intake. Our results support the hypothesis that shared genetic factors may underlie concurrent addiction to nicotine and alcohol and have translational value in understanding their misuse. Considering the increased vulnerability for alcohol use disorder in smokers and sex differences observed, early preventive measures in families with a history of tobacco addiction, specifically targeting female members, could have public health benefits.

Aim: Noscapine, a naturally occurring alkaloid obtained from opium poppy, is a microtubule-targeting agent. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of noscapine on human breast cancer cell lines by comparing them with those of tamoxifen and docetaxel., Methods: MCF-7 and MDA MB-23 cell lines were used to observe the effects of docetaxel, tamoxifen, and noscapine on cell proliferation. For each drug, cell blocks were prepared from cultured cells treated with IC50 dose of each drug and these were examined histologically. The expressions of Ki-67, Bcl-2, BAX, and cyclin-D1 were assessed immunohistochemically., Results: Although noscapine showed cytotoxic effects on both cell lines in a time and dose dependent manner, MDA-MB-231 cells were more susceptible to its effects. Noscapine inhibited MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells proliferation in vitro with IC50 value of 29 µM and 69 µM, respectively, which was comparable with IC50 of tamoxifen (40 µM and 50 µM) and docetaxel (43 nM and 32 nM). Noscapine showed anti-proliferative effects by decreasing Ki-67, cyclin-D1 and apoptotic effects by increasing BAX/Bcl-2 ratio in both breast cancer cells. Its effect was comparable with tamoxifen and docetaxel., Conclusion: Noscapine may be a good chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer, especially in estrogen receptor‑negative breast cancer (Tab. 2, Fig. 7, Ref. 40).

Purpose: This experimental study was conducted to evaluate the possible effects of orally administered chrysin on acute pancreatitis., Material and Method: Twenty four rats were procured. The animals were randomly divided into four groups. In Group I, only vehicle solution (5% dimethylsulfoksid) was administered, and in Group II, chrysin dissolved in the vehicle solution was administered for six days. In Group III and Group IV cerulein was administered to induce acute pancreatitis. In Group III, only vehicle solution was administered, and in Group IV, chrysin dissolved in the vehicle solution was administered orally for six days. Blood samples were analyzed and the pancreatic tissue specimens were evaluated for histopathological examination., Results: Group III and Group IV, exhibited markedly higher levels of serum WBC, amylase, and lipase, compared with Groups I and II. In the pancreatitis induced groups, CRP and TOS values were found to be significantly higher. In Group II and Group IV, TAS values were significantly higher. The highest calculated OSI values were observed in Group III. Group IV OSI values were significantly lower than those in Group III and even in Group I. Noticeable histopathological changes were identified in the pancreatitis induced Groups III and IV. Compared with Group III, the extent and severity of pancreatic injuries were markedly lower in Group IV., Conclusion: Chrysin application reduced oxidative stress and histopathological parameters. The present study shows that chrysin can be used to treat pancreatic diseases., Key Words: Acute pancreatitis, Cerulein, Chrysin.

Objective: There is frequently a relationship between nocturnal hypertension and non-dipping pattern and endothelial dysfunction. Studies conducted previously have indicated that adrenomedullin (AM) (a potent, long-lasting, vasodilatory peptide) is capable of regulating endothelial cell function. The aim of the current research is to investigate the association between absolute night-time blood pressure (BP) and circadian BP pat-tern with serum AM and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels in cases in whom untreated arterial hypertension has been newly diagnosed., Methods: Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed in 100 individuals with hypertension (50 dippers,50 non-dippers) and 50 healthy controls for 24 hours. Measurement and recording of AM and hsCRP serum levels were performed., Results: A strong correlation between night-time BP levels and AM and hsCRP levels was determined(p<0.001). On the contrary, higher AM levels were determined in the non-dipper group compared to the dipper and normotensive groups (non-dipper group, 258±27 pg/mL; dipper group, 199±30 pg/mL; normotensive group, 150±11 pg/mL; p<0.001). The non-dipper group exhibited significantly higher hsCRP levels in comparison with the remaining two groups (p=0.017). An independent association was determined between AM (p=0.014) and hsCRP (p=0.032) and a non-dipping pattern in a multivariate logistic regression analysis., Conclusions: The nocturnal hypertensive and non-dipper groups exhibited increased AM levels. An independent association was identified between AM and hsCRP and a non-dipping pattern. It is implied that increased AM levels in individuals with non-dipper hypertension may be related to a longer exposure time to high BP. The mentioned findings indicate a potential future part of AM in identifying patients with hypertension that are at higher risk of target organ damage (Tab. 3, Fig. 4, Ref. 41).

In the present study, variety of fruit vinegars were investigated in terms of their physicochemical, microbiological and bioactive properties. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were in the range of 933-1162 mg GAE/L and 66.64-470.86 mg/L in terms of catechin equivalents, respectively. During the evaluation of antioxidant activity via DPPH and ABTS assay, samples showed the activity as in the range of 0.047-0.302 and 0.413-0.885 µg TE/mL, respectively. The counts of AAB, LAB and yeast-mold were found in the range of < 2-6.32, < 1-5.39 and < 1-3.97 log CFU/mL, respectively. Antimicrobial activity of vinegars was tested against nine bacteria by broth microdilution assay. Most of the samples were found inhibitive against test cultures at concentrations between 3.12 and 6.25% (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, v/v), while apple vinegar was inhibitive at higher concentrations. These results indicated the high potential of fruit vinegars as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents that could be used as functional food ingredients., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no conflict of interest., (© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2019.)

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of marination liquids prepared with koruk juice and dried koruk pomace in terms of meat safety. In the study, marination liquids containing two different concentrations of koruk juice (25% and 50%) or dried koruk pomace (1% and 2%) were prepared separately with or without ingredients (1% salt and 0.1% thyme). Meat samples inoculated with two different levels (≅3 log and ≅6 log) of food-borne pathogens (S. Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes) were marinated at 4 °C for different times (2, 24 and 48 h) and the effects of the treatment on target pathogens were determined. As a result of marinating process, the counts of S. Typhimurium, E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes inoculated at high levels (≅6 log) on meat samples were reduced in the range of 0.109-2.648 log CFU/g, 0.264-3.373 log CFU/g and 0.023-2.781 log CFU/g, respectively. The most effective treatment in reducing the counts of S. Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 was achieved by marination with ML1 (50% koruk juice + 50% water) for 48 h, while marination with ML2 (50% koruk juice + 50% water + 1% salt + 0.1% thyme) for 24 h was the most effective treatment for L. monocytogenes. When low inoculum levels were used (≅3 log), the counts of pathogens on meat samples were determined under detection limits after marination even for 2 h application. The results of sensory evaluation showed that the sample marinated with ML2 for 48 h was the most favored sample in terms of appearance, color, texture, taste and overall appreciation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Two-dimensional MoS 2 nanoparticles (2D-nps) exhibit artificial enzyme properties that can be regulated at bio-nanointerfaces. We discovered that protein lipase is able to tune the peroxidase-like activity of MoS 2 2D-nps, offering low-nanomolar, label-free detection and identification in samples with unknown identity. The inhibition of the peroxidase-like activity of the MoS 2 2D-nps was demonstrated to be concentration dependent, and as low as 5 nm lipase was detected with this approach. The results were compared with those obtained with several other proteins that did not display any significant interference with the nanozyme behavior of the MoS 2 2D-nps. This unique response of lipase was characterized and exploited for the successful identification of lipase in six unknown samples by using qualitative visual inspection and a quantitative statistical analysis method. The developed methodology in this approach is noteworthy for many aspects; MoS 2 2D-nps are neither labeled with a signaling moiety nor modified with any ligands for signal readout. Only the intrinsic nanozyme activity of the MoS 2 2D-nps is exploited for this detection approach. No analytical equipment is necessary for the visual detection of lipase. The synthesis of the water-soluble MoS 2 2D-nps is low costing and can be performed in bulk scale. Exploring the properties of 2D-nps and their interactions with biological materials reveals highly interesting yet instrumental features that offer the development of novel bioanalytical approaches., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is used to treat more than 60 diseases worldwide and has drawn growing interest. Little is known about the current situation of TPE activity in Turkey, so we developed a survey to obtain information about this timely topic. We collected data on TPE from 28 apheresis units throughout Turkey. We performed a total of 24,912 TPE procedures with 3203 patients over the past decade. Twenty years ago, the majority of procedures were performed for neurological and hematological disorders, and today, most TPE procedures are done for the same reasons. The only historical change has been an increase in TPE procedures in renal conditions. Currently, renal conditions were more frequently an indication for TPE than rheumatic conditions. Fresh frozen plasma was the most frequently used replacement fluid, followed by 5% albumin, used in 57.9% and 34.6% of procedures, respectively. The most frequently used anticoagulants in TPE were ACD-A and heparin/ACD-A, used with 1671 (52.2%) and 1164 (36.4%) patients, respectively. The frequency of adverse events (AEs) was 12.6%. The most common AEs were hypocalcemia-related symptoms, hypotension, and urticaria. We encountered no severe AEs that led to severe morbidity and mortality. Overall, more than two thirds of the patients showed improvement in the underlying disease. Here, we report on a nationwide survey on TPE activity in Turkey. We conclude that there has been a great increase in apheresis science, and the number of TPE procedures conducted in Turkey has increased steadily over time. Finally, we would like to point out that our past experiences and published international guidelines were the most important tools in gaining expertise regarding TPE., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Current guidelines recommend administration of high-dose statins in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). It has been reported that statins upregulate proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) mRNA expression and increase circulating PCSK9 levels. We aimed to compare the effects of high-dose atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxidized-LDL) and PCSK9 levels in statin-naive patients with ACS., Patients and Methods: One hundred and six patients with ACS were enrolled in this study. The patients were assigned randomly to receive atorvastatin (80 mg/day) or rosuvastatin (40 mg/day) by using a ratio of 1 : 1 in randomization. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, oxidized-LDL, and PCSK9 were compared between groups after a 4-week treatment., Results: Our study population included 53 patients in the atorvastatin group (age: 58.13±11.30 years, 11.32% female) and 53 patients in the rosuvastatin group (age: 59.08±12.44 years, 15.09% female). In both groups, lipid parameters, oxidized-LDL, and PCSK9 values changed significantly according to the baseline following treatment. High-dose atorvastatin and rosuvastatin induced similar decreases in LDL-cholesterol, oxidized-LDL, and triglyceride levels and similarly increased in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and PCSK9 levels (P>0.05)., Conclusion: We showed that atorvastatin and rosuvastatin treatment regimens have comparable effects on lipid parameters and PCSK9 levels in ACS patients.

Aim: Oxidative stress(OS) and lipid peroxidation(LP) occur in a cell due to irreversible damage resulting from incidents such as traumatic brain injury(TBI). The aim of our study was to investigate the possible neuroprotective effect of boric acid (BA) by examining the changes in catalase (CAT) activity and levels of CAT and malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain tissues from rats with closed head trauma., Material and Methods: The study consisted of three groups: control ,TBI and TBI + BA. Animals in the control and TBI groups received saline ,while animals in the TBI + BA group received BA through daily oral gavage, for 14 days prior to TBI was performed using the modified Marmarou impact acceleration model . After 24 hours,animals were euthanized and brain tissue obtained to measure the levels of MDA and to assess the activity of CAT., Results: MDA levels and CAT activity were significantly higher in the TBI group versus the control group. However, they were significantly lower in the TBI + BA group compared to TBI alone. Similarly, edema and necrotic neurons were observed in the TBI group, but not in the control or TBI + BA groups., Conclusion: Based on biochemical and histopathological evidence, we determined that TBI induced LP and OS were inhibited by pre-treatment with BA.