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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of diagnoses of occlusal caries lesions from digital images captured using a photostimulable phosphor (PSP) sensor under in vivo and in vitro conditions and to present useful clinical data regarding the clinical application of the system. Methods: The study sample comprised 60 mandibular third molars (30 sound and 30 with occlusal caries) requiring extraction. A pre-extraction and post-extraction image of each tooth were acquired using a PSP sensor. A stopwatch was used to record the time required for the clinical procedures. Patient comfort or discomfort during image acquisition was also recorded. Images were evaluated twice by three observers using a five-point scale. Kappa coefficients were calculated to assess intra- and interobserver agreement. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the diagnostic performance of each observer for both in vivo and in vitro images. The t-test was used to compare Az values, with a significance level set at 0.05 (a50.05). The time required for clinical imaging procedures in patients who claimed discomfort and in those who did not was compared using the Mann- Whitney U-test. Results: Intraobserver agreement was almost perfect, whereas interobserver agreement was fair to moderate. No statistically significant differences were found in the accuracy of diagnoses of occlusal caries lesions using in vivo and in vitro digital images. The median time needed for image exposure was 1.04 min and the median time needed to complete the image acquisition procedure was 1.45 min. Conclusions: The diagnosis of accuracy of occlusal caries lesions using in vivo and in vitro digital images yielded similar results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important function of human resources is personnel selection process. This process should be done professionally, in a short time and with minimum cost. After personnel selection process, performance of the hired person is very important for the permanence and success of the company. From this point of view, the aim of this study is to select a personnel among the candidates efficiently, with minimum cost and within a short time in one of the leading companies of Turkey in automotive sector. In order to select the right personnel all criterias which has great impact on blue collar worker selection was decided and these criterias are weighted. From the candidate pool of automotive company, appropriate candidates were selected by using TOPSIS AND ELECTRE method which are multi-criteria decision making methods

This study aims to evaluate the risks that may arise during the production process in a plastic injection manufacturing enterprise with traditional Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). Although it is a widely used analytical technique that helps to identify and reduce the risks of failure in a process, the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) has some drawbacks that the different risks can have the same risk priority values and the weight of risk factors is not take into consideration. This situation has been tried to be eliminated by integrating the FMEA with the GRA. As a result, it is seen that the order of risk priority values of the identified failure changes according to both methods.

Today, international trade is extremely important for countries' economies. It is possible to show the ship's transport as one of the most important execution channels of this trade. International commercial maritime transport subject to many rules and regulations carries many risks in processes such as loading, handling and unloading. Commercial ports are the places where these risks are seen intensely. From this point, many risk components in terms of the process in the port, one of the international commercial port in Turkey, based on a risk analysis is tried to be evaluated in this study. Especially, loading and unloading processes are focused with the directions of industrial experts. The main dimensions of the risks in the port are determined via expert opinions, and the sub-criteria of these dimensions are revealed. In this way, a generic model is proposed based on failure mode and effect analysis and the model is digitized using intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS. Interpretations are made in the direction of the obtained analysis results.

Background: Indomethacin (IND), classified as class 2 in the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS), has emerged as an anti-inflammatory agent with low solubility and high permeability. Widely used in the treatment of various diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, this drug is well-known for its adverse effects, particularly in the stomach, and a short biological half-life, which is around 1.5-2 hours., Objective: The aim of this study was to overcome the challenges of low solubility, short half-life, and serious side effects occurring with the use of IND-loaded formulations of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) and Polymeric Nanoparticles (PNPs)., Methods: For PNPs, emulsification/solvent evoporation method was employed, and for SLNs, the hot homogenizaton method was applied. Eudragit® RLPO (RLPO) and Eudragit® RSPO (RSPO) were used as polymers for PNP and Dynasan®116 (DYN) was used as the solid lipid for SLN. Prepared formulations were characterized for Particle Size (PS), Poly-dispersity Index (PDI), Zeta Potential (ZP), Encapsulation Efficiency (%EE), and drug-ex-recipient compatibility using DSC, FT-IR, and 1H NMR; cumulative drug release rates were assessed using HPLC and in vitro cytotoxicities were examined by the MTT assay., Results: Both PNP and SLN formulations' zeta potential, particle size, and PDI results indicated the formulations to have good stability. Encapsulation efficiency values were obtained as desired. Drug-excipient compatibility was proved using DSC, FT-IR, and 1H NMR. In vitro dissolution results have proven both formulations to have longer release than pure indomethacin. In the MTT analysis of indomethacin application for 24 and 48 hours, a linear correlation was observed between drug concentration and cell viability, and it was determined that the PNP formulation exhibited fewer toxic effects among the formulations. This has proven the PNP nanocarrier as safer for normal cells., Conclusion: IND-loaded PNP and SLN formulations have been successfully prepared in this work and they have achieved drug release in the intestine and prolonged the release duration., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The present study aims to develop a delivery system that can carry small interference RNA (siRNA) with small-molecule chemotherapeutic drugs, which can be used in cancer treatment. The drug delivery system combines the advantages of a therapeutic agent with two different mechanisms to ensure that it is used efficiently for cancer therapy. In this study, a nanostructured lipid carrier system was prepared, Docetaxel was loaded to these systems, and the Eph siRNA was adsorbed to the outer surface. In addition, DOTAP was added to the lipophilic phase to load a positive charge on the lipidic structure for interaction with the cells. Moreover, characterization, cytotoxicity, and transfection procedures were performed on the whole system. This candidate system was also compared to Taxotere, which is the first approved Docetaxel-containing drug on the market. Given the results, it was determined that the particle size of NLC-DTX was 165.3 ± 3.5 nm, the ζ potential value was 38.2 ± 1.7 mV, and the PDI was 0.187 ± 0.024. Entrapment efficacy of nanoparticles was found to be 92.89 ± 0.21%. It was determined that the lipidic system prepared in vitro release analyses were able to provide sustained release and exhibit cytotoxicity, even at doses lower than the dose used for Taxotere. The formulations prepared had a higher level of effect on cells when compared with pure DTX and Taxotere, but they also exhibited time-dependent cytotoxicity. It was also observed that the use of Eph siRNA together with the chemotherapeutic agent via formulation also contributed to this cell death. The results of the present study indicate that there is a promising carrier system in order to deliver hydrophilic nucleic acids, such as siRNA, together with lipophilic drugs in cancer treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: The temporomandibular joint is one of the most complex anatomic structures. It takes a great role in masticatory system and helps to make possible some functions such as speaking, chewing and swallowing. Clinicians should have sufficient anatomical knowledge to assess relationships of the hard and soft tissues, including the mandibular condyle, glenoid fossa, articular eminence of the temporal bone, the articular disc and its attachments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of different types of mandibular condyles and its distribution according to the age and gender. It was also evaluated whether the condyle types were bilaterally symmetrical or not., Materials and Methods: A total of 1315 digital panoramic images which obtained from the patients suffering from the dental problems were assessed. Demographic data, condylar morphology were noted. All obtained data were analysed by using descriptive statistics. Morphology of mandibular condyles were classified into four shapes as identified in other studies, namely: type I - oval shape, type II - diamond shape, type III - bird beak shape, type IV - crooked finger shape. Two independent examiners, who have 19 and 7 years of experience in oral and dentomaxillofacial radiology, made a consensus and evaluated all images., Results: A total of 1315 digital panoramic images were assessed. Seven hundred sixty-seven [58.3%] the patients were female and 548 [41.6%] were male. The age range of patients was from 18 to 84 years. Right-left condyle types were found to be symmetrical in the range of 67% of the subpopulation examined in the study. For the consensus, 'oval' condyle was common on both the right and left, while 'crooked finger' condyle was the rarest., Conclusions: The temporomandibular joint is the most important structure for all jaw functions such as speech, swallowing. In order for all these functions to continue in a healthy way, the anatomical structure should be known very well down to the finest detail. Identification of anatomical structures and their variations can play an important role in implant dentistry. Clinicians commonly prefer conventional radiologic methods to evaluate dentomaxillofacial region. Although the most of the variations are asymptomatic and require no treatment,correct identification of these findings will reduce unnecessary further diagnostic assessments and will provide more appropriate treatment plans.

Quercetin (Q) and rutin (R) are well known and most studied flavonoids due to their activities in reduction of inflammation, oxidative damage, platelet aggregation and inhibition of cancer proliferation. Despite their remarkable potentials they have limited oral bioavailability due to the low water solubility. Therefore in this study inclusion complexes of Q and R with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) were formulated to improve the aqueous solubility, antiproliferative efficacy and also antioxidant activity of the flavonoids. According to the analyses results, aqueous solubilities of Q and R were increased up to ∼630 fold and ∼55 fold, respectively. ZP values were ranged between -21.7±0.3 mV and -6.1±0.8 mV showing the anionic structure of the complexes. 1 H-NMR analyses revealed the complex formation considering the shifts of the protons of the APIs as well as HP-β-CD. The in vitro release analyses revealed that the cumulative release of Q was decreased from 22.9 % to 18.1 and 15.2 for T9 and T 24 formulations respectively while the cumulative release of R increased from 26.8 % up to 64.5 % and 75.8 % with T14 and T24 formulations respectively. According MTT analyses results, Q showed higher antiproliferative effect in MDA-MB-231 and A549 cell lines compared to NIH-3T3 cell lines while R showed remarkable effect only on MDA-MB-231 cell lines at the end of 48 h of incubation period. A synergistic effect was observed in the formulation of combined flavonoid (Q/R) inclusion complexes and an antiproliferative effect was ordered as MDA-MB-231 > A549 > NIH-3T3. The selected complexes T9 (Q), T14 (R) and T24 (Q/R) have shown the highest antioxidant activity with 93.8 %, 65.3 % and 93.1 % respectively with DPPH analyses. In conclusion incoporation of Q, R and Q/R to HP-β-CD based inclusion complexes have great potentials with enhanced in vitro dissolution characteristics and antiproliferative effects on different types of cancer cell lines for efficient treatment of severe disorders., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Nanoparticles have been used in cancer treatments to target tumor and reduce side effects. In this study, we aimed to increase the effectiveness of palladium(II) complex [PdCl(terpy)](sac) ⋅ 2H 2 O, which previously showed anticancer potential, by preparing the nanoparticle formulation. An inhalable micellar dispersion containing a palladium(II) complex (PdNP) was prepared and its physicochemical characteristics were evaluated using in vitro tests. Morphology, size and surface charges of particle and loading/encapsulation efficiency of PdNP were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, zeta sizer and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry while aerosol properties of PdNP were measured by the next generation impactor. A549 and H1299 non-small lung cancer cell types were used for cytotoxicity using SRB and ATP assays. Fluorescent staining and M30 antigen assay were carried out for cell death evaluation. Apoptosis was confirmed by flow cytometry analyses. SEM, particle size, and zeta potential results showed the particles have inhalable properties. The amount of the palladium(II) complex loaded into the particles was quantified which indicated high encapsulation efficiencies (97 %). The micellar dispersion expected to reach the alveolar region and the brachial region was determined 35 % and 47 %, respectively. PdNP showed an anti-growth effect by increasing reactive oxygen species that is followed by the induction of mitochondria-dependent apoptosis that is evidenced by pyknotic nuclei and M30 antigen level increments and disruption of polarization of membrane in mitochondria (Δψm). The results show that PdNP might be a promising inhalable novel complex to be used in non-small cell lung cancer, which warrants animal studies in further., (© 2021 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Objectives: Geriatric depression is a special condition associated with a chronic course, treatment resistance and vascular processes. However, its neurobiology has not been fully elucidated. There is no study in geriatric depression evaluating deep brain structures with transcranial sonography (TCS) which is a low-cost, non-invasive and practical tool. The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in the echogenicity of brainstem raphe (BR), substantia nigra (SN) and ventricular diameters by TCS in association with cognitive dysfunctions in patients with geriatric depression., Methods: Echogenicity of BR and SN were assessed and transverse diameters of the third ventricle and frontal horns of the lateral ventricles were measured by TCS in 34 patients with DSM-5 major depression and 31 healthy volunteers aged 60 and older. Cognitive functions were evaluated by using Mini Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Tool, Clock Drawing Test and Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire., Results: Although depressed patients had more subjective memory complaints than controls, they had similar cognitive performances. Reduced echogenicity (interrupted/invisible echogenic line) of BR was found to be significantly higher and the ventricular diameters were larger in the depressed group. There was no difference between the groups in terms of SN echogenicity. There was no correlation between ventricular diameters and depression severity or cognitive functions., Conclusions: Results of the present study are important in terms of pointing out neurobiological changes related to geriatric depression which are in parallel with the results of the studies in younger patients with depression. However, long-term follow-up studies are required for accurate differentiation of neurocognitive disorders., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: The effect of polymers used in nanoparticle (NP) production on the formulation properties is one of the few studied issues. Therefore, this study aims to formulate flurbiprofen (FLB) loaded NPs with different molecular weight (M w ) poly lactic- co -glycolic acid (PLGA) and investigate the effect of M w on NP character. One of the most important objectives is to provide a high anti-inflammatory effect with a low dose and the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the selected optimal formulation is to be determined by in vivo hen's egg test on Chorioallantoic Membrane (HET-CAM) analysis that a new, popular and in vivo animal experiment alternative method. Significance: To determine the anti-inflammatory efficacy of the optimum formulation by HET-CAM analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the in vivo anti-inflammatory evaluation of FLB-loaded PLGA NP using the in vivo HET-CAM assay. Methods: Blank and FLB-loaded PLGA NPs were prepared using a nanoprecipitation technique. The cell viability test for all formulation was performed with MTT in the NIH-3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line. The anti-inflammatory activity of optimum formulation (A 6 ) was examined using the in vivo HET-CAM assay. Results: The particle sizes (PSs) of the FLB-loaded PLGA NPs were between 175 and 198 nm. The encapsulation efficiency (EE%) was a range of 82-93%. In vitro release of NPs showed extended-release up to 144 h. The release kinetics were fitted to the Peppas-Sahlin and Weibull models. The results showed that PS, PDI, EE%, and release rates of NPs were directly related to the M w of PLGA. There is no statistically significant difference in cell viability study was observed between blank and FLB-loaded PLGA NPs. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity results indicated that A 6 coded formulation was showed significantly good anti-inflammatory potential at low dose. Conclusions: It could be concluded that FLB-loaded NPs seem to be a promising extended-release drug delivery system for oral administration with a low dose and high efficiency.

Acute or chronic wounds are one of the most common health problems worldwide and medicinal drugs or traditional remedies are often used in wound healing. Further studies regarding wound treatment are rapidly continuing. Vitexin is a phenolic compound, which is found in many medicinal plants, has different pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant. In the present study, it is aimed to investigate the wound healing effect of formulation prepared as chitosan-based gel with vitexin in vivo and in vitro . Cytotoxicity and wound healing assays were used for in vitro and excisional wound model is used for in vivo studies. Extracted tissues from wound area were histologically examined. Wound healing process was monitored on 7, 14 and 21st days. When wound construction was evaluated, chitosan-based gel formulation containing vitexin demonstrated significant effect compared to control group. Histological examinations demonstrated that skin regeneration was promoted by vitexin formulation. Significant cell proliferation was observed with vitexin/chitosan dispersion in the wound healing assay performed with NIH 3T3 and HaCaT cells. In conclusion, our test substance chitosan-based gel formulation containing vitexin significantly accelerated wound healing both in vivo and in vitro ., Competing Interests: None, (© 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.)

Objective: In this study, we aimed to develop a candidate modifited polymeric nanoparticle (NP) system that will kill cancer cells by facilitated to apoptosis and also reduce pain. Significance: The primary goal of treatment, especially for metastatic cancers, is to control the growth of the cancer and to alleviate the symptoms. Pain is one of the commonest symptoms of cancer. In cancer treatment, directing cancer cells to death while simultaneously relieving pain will be a new approach. Methods: Chitosan-modified PLGA NPs were prepared using an nanoprecipitation technique. The NPs were loaded with flurbiprofen and decorated with folic acid. STAT3-siRNA was adsorbed to these polymeric NPs using antisense technology. Results: The NPs were small in size (176.9-220.3 nm) with positive zeta potential (+14.1 mV to +27.2 mV). They had high loading capacity and prolonged release properties over 144 hours. Cytotoxicity studies performed with siRNA showed effective electrostatic interaction due to the positively charged NPs. Folic acid facilitated entry into cancer cells and helped to kill them. Conclusion: The formulation we developed is a potential carrier system for both treatment of cancer and prevention of pain, especially for metastatic cancers.

We report the synthesis and applications of a novel N-doped graphene quantum dots (GQDs) using hydrothermal reaction between citric acid and p-aminophenol. The synthesized N-doped GQDs have been characterized physico-chemically and evaluated its antioxidant, antimicrobial, DNA binding and cleavage activities. siRNA loading studies were performed and their effects on cells were evaluated. Obtained results indicate that monodisperse solution of N-doped GQDs has been obtained with particles size ca. ∼10.9 ± 1.3 nm. UV-Vis spectroscopy studies of the interactions between the N-doped GQDs and calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) showed that the compound interact with CT-DNA via both intercalative and electrostatic binding. The DNA cleavage study showed that the N-doped GQDs cleaved DNA without any external agents. The antioxidant activity of N-doped GQDS was very active when compared to BHT. As the concentration of the compound increased, the antioxidant activity also increased. Cell viability assay demonstrated that the Ndoped GQDs showed cell viability (70%) when the concentration reached 200 μg/mL for A549 and also MDA-MB-231, 150 μg/mL for NIH-3T3 cell lines at 24 h incubation. N-doped GQDs were coated with Eudragit RS 100 and EphA2-siRNA was loaded. As a result of the studies on these formulations, it was concluded that there may be significant effects on A549 cells. The microscopy results revealed that N-doped GQDs was quickly internalized into the cell. Our novel N-doped-GQDs with siRNA are candidate for in situ tumor suppression via DNA and mRNA breakage., Competing Interests: The author reports no conflict of interest.

The objective of this study is to prepare vaginal suppository containing chemotherapeutic agent and genetic material that can be applied locally for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the most life-threatening types of cancer among women and is generally resistant to chemotherapy. Paclitaxel has been selected as chemotherapeutic agent, and siRNA that inhibits the Bcl-2 oncogene has been selected as the genetic material for simultaneous vaginal delivery. For this purpose, three different solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared that include Bcl-2 siRNA and paclitaxel and paclitaxel/Bcl-2 siRNA combination separately, and these SLN formulations were dispersed in vaginal suppositories prepared with PEG 6000. First, the physicochemical properties of SLNs, their cytotoxicities on HeLa cell lines, and the transfection ability of siRNA-incorporated SLN on the cells have been examined. Afterward, the release of SLNs from the three different vaginal suppositories prepared has been determined via horizontal diffusion chamber system. The loaded amount to the SLNs and release amount from suppositories of paclitaxel have been determined via HPLC, whereas stability, loading, and release amount of siRNA has been determined via gel retardation system and UV spectrophotometer.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of working length determination by using an electronic apex locator, periapical radiography, and cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging obtained at different voxel sizes and field of views (FOVs) in extracted human teeth., Methods: Thirty extracted human mandibular premolar teeth were used. The electronic working length measurements were performed by using an electronic apex locator (Root ZX; J Morita Corp, Kyoto, Japan). Five different image sets were obtained as follows: (1) CBCT imaging: 40 × 40 mm FOV, 0.080 mm 3 (FOV 40 ); (2) CBCT imaging: 60 × 60 mm FOV, 0.125 mm 3 (FOV 60 ); (3) CBCT imaging: 80 × 80 mm FOV, 0.160 mm 3 (FOV 80 ); (4) CBCT imaging: 100 × 100 mm FOV, 0.250 mm 3 (FOV 100 ); and (5) periapical digital radiography. Direct measurements performed with an electronic digital caliper were considered as the gold standard and compared with the electronic apex locator, CBCT, and periapical image measurements. Data were analyzed using a 2-way analysis of variance test. Significance level was set at P < .05., Results: There was no significant difference between or within operators in intraoral radiographs (P > .05 and the Gage R&R value was <30%). There were significant differences between and within operators for CBCT images (P < .05 and Gage R&R value was >30%). There were significant differences in the methods in terms of mean differences from the gold standard (P < .05)., Conclusions: This study showed that available CBCT scans with different FOVs can be used for working length measurement., (Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cervical cancer is one of the most life threatening types of cancer among women and is generally resistant to chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to prepare a vaginal suppository containing a chemotherapeutic agent and a genetic material that can be applied locally for cervical cancer. Paclitaxel was selected as the chemotherapeutic agent and siRNA which inhibits BCL-2 oncogene was selected as the genetic material. Bcl-2 siRNA, paclitaxel and paclitaxel/Bcl-2 siRNA combination were incorporated into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and were dispersed separately in vaginal suppositories prepared with PEG 6000. Physicochemical properties of SLNs, their cytotoxicities on HeLa cell lines and also the effect of SLNs on the total protein amount of the cells were examined followed by the investigation of release rates of the active materials from the SLNs prepared. Average diameters of all SLNs prepared were below 180nm with a positive zeta potential value between +22.20 and +48.16mV at the pH range of 4.2 and 7.4. The release of Bcl-2 siRNA from SLNs incorporated Bcl-2 siRNA and the release of paclitaxel (PTX) from PTX incorporated SLNs were completed within 12h and 36h. SLNs incorporating Bcl-2 siRNA and paclitaxel/Bcl-2 siRNA were found to be more toxic when compared to paclitaxel incorporated SLN and placebo SLN. The disintegration of the vaginal suppositories as well as the release of the SLNs was completed within 2 h. This study indicates that vaginal suppository containing SLNs can bring the advantages of the simultaneous delivery of paclitaxel and siRNA via vaginal route with no help from professionals., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the antinociceptive effects of pharmacological activation of 5-HT7 receptors on orofacial pain in mice., Material and Methods: Nociception was evaluated by using an orofacial formalin test in male Balb-C mice. Selective 5-HT7 receptor agonists, LP 44 and LP 211 (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg), were given intraperitoneally 30 min prior to a formalin injection. A bolus of 10 µl of 4% subcutaneous formalin was injected into the upper lip of mice and facial grooming behaviors were monitored. The behavioral responses consisted of two distinct periods, the early phase corresponding to acute pain (Phase I: 0-12 min) and the late phase (Phase II: 12-30 min)., Results: LP 44 and LP 211 (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) produced an analgesic effect with reductions in face rubbing time in both Phase I and Phase II of the formalin test., Conclusion: Our results suggest that 5-HT7 receptor agonists may be promising analgesic drugs in the treatment of orofacial pain.

Tracheo-brachiocephalic artery fistulas were rarely reported lesions often described in cases with tracheostomy procedures. Reported case was 26 year-old male drainage worker, trapped under the stony soil while excavating drainage canal. Rescue operation was performed, but he was reached dead. Provincial prosecutor mandated autopsy after crime scene investigation. Autopsy examination revealed traumatically formed tracheo-brachiocephalic fistula. We aimed to report an intersting case of traumatic tracheo-brachiocephalic artery fistula identified in forensic autopsy.