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Abstract Background Academic procrastination (AP), a common behavior among students, is influenced by factors such as fear of failure, task aversiveness, anxiety, and stress. Self-generated stress (SGS) refers to the subjective experience of tension that occurs in response to an existing situation. Individuals often overestimate the difficulty and attainability of a task, resulting in increased stress and extended stress duration. SGS can worsen mental and physical health problems, including bruxism. Therefore, this study investigates the possible underlying connections by examining the relationship between AP, SGS, and self-reported (SR) bruxism in medical and dental students. Methods The present cross-sectional study was undertaken among a sample of 379 students pursuing medical and dentistry degrees in Turkey. The questionnaire, including the Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form, SR bruxism Scale, and SGS Scale, was administered to the students. According to the responses given to the SR bruxism Scale, 3 types of SR bruxism groups were created as sleep, awake, and compound. A comparative analysis was conducted on AP, SGS, and SR bruxism among medical and dental students. Furthermore, the associations among AP, SGS, and SR bruxism were assessed using the utilization of correlation tables and regression analysis. Results The prevalence of awake bruxism was higher among dental students (46.6%) compared to medical students (34.7%), suggesting a faculty-dependent trend. A significant positive correlation was observed between SGS and AP (r = 0.212, p

The main source of Islam is the Holy Qur'ān. Qirā’a is the branch of science that deals with the different ways of reciting the words of the Qur'ān. For this reason, the science of qirā’a has a special place and importance among the basic Islamic sciences. The fact that the Qur'ān ranks first among the primary evidences in Islamic jurisprudence methodology has made it directly related to the science of qirā’a. At the beginning of Islam, the verses revealed were transmitted firsthand by the Prophet (PBUH) to his companions, who in turn would teach these verses to others. The differences in reciting that existed in this process led to the types of qirā’a called 'seven ahruf/letters'. Believers would first learn the different qirā’āt that they heard from the Prophet (PBUH) and then pass them on to the others. However, in addition to the authentic qirā’āt, the unauthentic qirā’āt that emerged over time directly affected the Islamic legal doctrine. Especially the differences in the most accurate understanding of the divine word led to the emergence of differences of opinion among Islamic jurists. This, in turn, was the source of the divergence of jurisprudential groups. These divergences between the groups based on the differences in qirā’a have come to the agenda depending on the issues of Islamic law, sometimes usūl and sometimes furū’. These debates have led to different jurisprudential approaches depending on the different interpretations of the verses, which has led to mental turmoil among Muslims. In this study, the impact of qirā’a differences on Islamic legal doctrine is analyzed. In this context, the issue of intercourse with a woman after menstruation, one of the issues of jurisprudence, is discussed., Regarding this, in the text the concept of qirā’a, its types, and the reasons for the emergence of qirā’a differences are first evaluated. For a better understanding of the issue, the approaches of the four fiqh schools to the differences of qirā’a are also examined in a general way. Then, the jurisprudential aspect of the concept of menstruation, the way it is expressed in the verse, and the differences of qirā’a on the related verse are examined, and the legal consequences that arise due to these different qirā’āt are explained. As far as can be detected in the process, most of the studies in the field of basic Islamic sciences are carried out in the form of subject analysis under a specific discipline. Unlike the general studies in the literature, in this research, a fundamental issue related to Islamic law and qirā’a, which is among the basic disciplines of Islamic sciences, has been addressed, which reveals the strong bond and interaction between the two disciplines. In order to have a better understanding of the subject of the present research, special attention has been given to include the fundamental sources of the science of qirā’a along with Islamic law.

The textile industry is now focusing on sustainable approaches due to environmental concerns. The study explores an innovative approach to sustainable production utilizing recycled cotton sourced from hard waste. The article examines the characteristics of rotor yarns (recycled) manufactured from seven different percentages of recycled and virgin cotton, ranging from 0% to 100% recycled cotton. The study investigates the influence of cotton (recycled) percentage on yarn characteristics and results indicate when recycled cotton percentage in yarn increases, irregularity (CVm%), hairiness (H), and imperfections index (IPI/km) of yarns increase but strength and elongation% decrease. The study focuses on reducing the environmental issues of denim production by incorporating sustainable recycled cotton. Statistical analysis (Pearson correlation) confirms significant correlations (relationship) between recycled cotton proportion and yarn characteristics. The rotor yarns were tested in an air-jet weaving machine for denim production and found suitable for commercial production. The study gives significant insights into manufacturing sustainable yarns incorporating recycled fibres, focusing on environmental issues.

Consumer preferences for comfortable and well-fitting clothing have led to an increased demand for yarns (elastic) in denim fabric production. The study focuses on the manufacture of yarns (dual core) with various core components including T400® (Polyethylene terephthalate) / poly trimethylene terephthalate), PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate), Polyester (PES), and elastane (Lycra®) and their impact on denim fabric properties. The study involves the production of Ne 18/1 yarns (dual core) using an adjusted spinning method (ring) with elastane and different filaments in the core and additionally, twill (3/1 ‘Z’) fabric (denim) is manufactured using those yarns, and then fabric and yarn characteristics are evaluated. The results show significant variations in fabric and yarn characteristics based on the type of core material used. The yarn properties, such as the neps (+200), strength, thin place (-50), hairiness, elongation %, unevenness %, and thick place (+50) of yarns (dual core) are affected by the selection of filament. Fabric properties like weight, elasticity %, strength (tensile), strength (tearing), shrinkage %, and stiffness exhibit differences depending on the core filament. The statistical analysis employs one-way ANOVA to investigate the significance of differences in yarn and fabric properties within various core materials. The outcomes of this experimental work contribute valuable understandings of the production of yarns (dual core) with several filaments for enhancing fabric (denim) performance.

Abstract Harmonic generation is a result of a strong non-linear interaction between light and matter. It is a key technology for optics, as it allows the conversion of optical signals to higher frequencies. Owing to its intrinsically large and electrically tunable non-linear optical response, graphene has been used for high harmonic generation but, until now, only at frequencies

Introduction Sestrin 2 is considered a stress-inducible antioxidant protein. This study was aimed to evaluate sestrin 2 in subjects with sepsis, and its correlation with clinical severity and mortality.Methods Sepsis and control group patients were followed from admission to discharge. A blood sample was taken at admission for determination of serum sestrin 2 level.Results Of the total 42 patients with sepsis, there were 25 females and the mean age was 74.9 years. The sestrin 2 levels were significantly higher in the sepsis group. The optimum sestrin 2 cut-off point of ≥3.13 ng/mL had 95.2% sensitivity and 71.4% specificity for sepsis (p

In light of the recent technological advancements in composite yarns with multicomponent cores, also known as dual core spun yarns, their utilisation in the textile industry has become widespread. A V-grooved roller is employed to enhance the feeding of multicomponent cores. In this context, diverse composite yarn designs with varying feeding mechanisms can be employed to optimise yarn performance. This study presents an alternative feeding mechanism utilising a W-grooved roller for commercial use in composite yarn production. To achieve this, dual core yarns and wound elastic composite yarns (filament feeding varies with the sheath cotton fibre with elastane in the centre wrapped on the right and left side) were produced using a modified ring spinning system with different parameters. Denim fabrics were then produced using these composite yarns as weft yarns. The results demonstrated that the wrapped elastic composite yarns with left and right filament core positioning exhibited superior yarn properties in terms of strength, elongation at break, evenness and hairiness. Furthermore, denim fabrics made with wrapped elastic composite yarns exhibited superior breaking load and tearing force results on weft basis. These fabrics also exhibited lower growth, defined as the percentage of the fabric returning to its original length after tensile stress removal.

Stress concentration factor (SCF) is a critical parameter in engineering design and structural analysis and plays an important role in determining the durability and safety of structures. In this study, a data set consisting of 8500 unique data points covering a wide range of geometric structures and parameters was created with the Latin Hypercube method in order to calculate SCF values with a parametric equation. The generated input data was analysed in finite element software by writing an original script recommended as a result of this study, and the resulting data was trained with an artificial neural network. The new parametric equation created at the end of the study has an average error of 4.95%. As a result, in this study, the effect of welding geometry parameters in T-welded joint SCF applications was examined and a parametric equation created for ease of calculation and accuracy was proposed. It is also recommended to apply SCF calculations with the FEA script and the original script used in this study.

Cotton and polyester fiber blends are commonly used to improve the aesthetic features of finished items. The denim industry’s growing need for polyester fiber aids in analyzing the performance of denim fabrics woven from rigid and stretched weft yarn combined with cotton and polyester. This study evaluates the weight, dimensional changes, stiffness, tensile and tearing strength, stretch, and comfort properties of denim fabric woven from cotton and polyester in various blended ratios. Here, Ne 14/1 (42 tex) 100% cotton warp yarn and Ne 18/1 (33 tex) weft yarns, consisting of 100% cotton, 75/25, 50/50, and 25/75 cotton/polyester (CO/PES) blends, as well as 100% polyester, were used to produce 3/1 Z twill denim fabric. The weft yarns were categorized into three groups: rigid, core-spun, and dual-core-spun yarns. Experimental results showed a higher polyester content in weft yarn, and denim fabrics’ tensile and tearing strength was improved, whereas fabrics’ weight loss, dimensional changes, and stretch properties were reduced. Furthermore, different statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the type of weft yarn and blending ratio interaction and correlation with fabric properties. Additionally, a regression model was developed with the weft yarn type and blending ratio as independent variables to predict the fabric properties.

Textile industries are now focusing on sustainable issues in manufacturing operations to save the environment. The study focuses on the use of cotton fibers (recycled) sourced from fabric (knitted) waste (pre-consumer) to manufacture elastic yarn (dual-core) for denim fabric. The study involves the production of yarns (dual-core) using a redesigned ring spinning method with different elastomeric components, including T400® (Polyethylene terephthalate)/Polytrimethylene terephthalate), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polyester (PES), Lycra® (elastane), virgin cotton and cotton (recycled) fiber. The study investigates various yarn (Ne 18/1) characteristics such as strength, IPI (imperfection index), elongation %, unevenness %, and hairiness. It is noticed that the elongation and strength of recycled yarn (double core) are lower and IPI (Imperfection index), unevenness %, and hairiness values are higher than 100 % cotton (virgin) yarn (double core). One-way ANOVA (statistical analysis) is employed to assess the significance of differences among yarns manufactured from various core materials and found significant variation for all characteristics. Additionally, the article introduces the MOORA (multi-objective optimization based on ratio analysis) technique as a decision-making tool to determine the best yarn among three alternatives (PES yarn, PBT yarn, and T400 yarn) based on their properties, considering attributes and finding T400 filament containing yarn as the best option. The study introduces a sustainable approach using recycled cotton in yarn (double core) production and employs decision-making tools to assess and rank the performance of different yarn alternatives.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of radiation dose reduction with a new-generation biplane angiocardiography system in patients undergoing transcatheter isolated patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure. Materials and methods: Fifty pediatric patients who underwent transcatheter PDA closure were randomly divided into two groups as normal radiation dose and low dose. Patients who required additional procedures other than PDA closure were excluded. PDA closure was performed according to the angiographic measurement of the defect. After the procedure, age, weight, sex, PDA measurements, and radiation measurements such as dose-area product (DAP, Gy.cm2) and air kerma (AK, mGy) were compared between the groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in age, sex, weight, PDA diameter, PDA type, device used, and device diameter (p > 0.05). While there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of cine recording, number of recorded images, and fluoroscopy time (p > 0.05), there was a statistically significant difference between the total DAP, cine and fluoroscopy DAP, total AK, frontal and lateral tube AK, and DAP/kg (mGy.m2/kg) measurements (p

Sugars and organic acids not only have a significant impact on taste balance and sensory acceptance by consumers but also play a crucial role in the chemical equilibrium of grape juices and wines. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the content and composition of sugars and organic acids in 17 grape varieties over two consecutive years using high-performance liquid chromatography. The variability in all the parameters studied was strongly influenced by both the grape cultivars and specific years (p ≤ 0.05). In grape berries, the primary sugars identified were fructose and glucose, which ranged from 6.50 to 11.10 g/L and from 5.83 to 12.12 g/L, respectively, over the two years. However, sucrose was not detected in any of the grape varieties examined. For the two respective years, the highest titratable acidity (TA) was found in Tekirdağ Çekirdeksizi (TeCe) (0.89 and 0.90 g/L), while the lowest was detected in Victoria (Vi) (0.48 and 0.51 g/L). Total soluble solids (TSS) peaked in Horoz Karası (HoKA) (21.90 °Brix), whereas it reached its lowest point in Big Perlon (BiPe) (14.1 °Brix). The tartaric acid content in the grape berries, ranging from 1.48 to 10.33 g/L for the two years, exhibited similar characteristics to malic acid, which ranged from 1.09 to 9.62 g/L and from 1.03 to 9.68 g/L for the two respective years. The succinic, malic, tartaric, citric, and oxalic acid contents were notably higher in the Kyoho (Ky) variety than in the other varieties. When examining the dendrogram of the contents of organic acid and sugar for similarities, it was evident that 16 out of the 17 grape varieties had a high degree of similarity, except for Alphonse Lavallée (AlLa) and HoKa. The similarity levels among the varieties ranged from 99.49% to 72.36%. The highest similarity (99.49%) was observed between the AlLa and Barış (Ba) varieties. The lowest similarity was observed among the AlLa, HoKa, and Ky varieties. In summary, this study underscores that certain table grape varieties grown in Ankara exhibit significant variations in valuable organic acids and sugars, which are associated with potential health benefits when considering human consumption.

Abstract The sustainability of groundwater aquifers requires evaluating several parameters, the most important of which are hydraulic parameters. Therefore, the essential aim of this research is to develop a management plan for the Moghra aquifer in order to prevent the expanding of water level decline and degradation of groundwater quality due to overexploitation and scarcity of recharge. To achieve this goal, all aquifer hydraulic parameters such as transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity, radius of interference, specific capacity, resulted drawdown, well loss, formation loss, well efficiency, and optimum safe yield had been measured for 40 groundwater wells drilled in the new reclaimed areas of Moghra Oasis. Based on geographic information system (GIS), hydrogeological cross sections and thematic maps for all parameters were created such as aquifer thickness, water table, groundwater flow direction, drawdown and groundwater salinity maps. The results revealed that clay and shale beds separated the three water-bearing formations of the Moghra aquifer. The aquifer-saturated thickness ranged from 30 and 102 m, and the groundwater level was below the mean sea level for all wells (ranges from − 72 to − 26.6 m). The calculated hydraulic parameters based on the analysis of long-duration pumping tests indicated that the studied aquifer has a wide variety of transmissivity (T) between 631 and 3768 m2/day, hydraulic conductivity (K) between 13.4 and 104.6 m/day, radius of influence from 126.3 to 581.3 m and specific capacity between 377.14 and 883.72 m2/day. On the other hand, the evaluation of existing drilled wells performance based on the results of step tests showed that well loss coefficient ranges between 0.0004749 and 0.0676 (h2/m5), formation loss coefficient varies from 3.34 × 10–8 to 4.80 × 10–6 (h/m2), well efficiency (γ) ranged from 50.53 to 98.08%, and optimum safe yield ranged from 40 to 98 (m3/h). Results of aquifer mapping and pumping tests can be more important for solving water scarcity issues, non-polluting water issues, health issues, and source of fresh water on the surface of the earth. The characterization of aquifer parameters in the study area, however, should be a significant component in the scientific planning and sustainability of groundwater.

Zekâ oyunu öğrencilerin çeşitli zihinsel becerilerini işe koştuğu, problemlerin oyunlaştırılmış hali olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Ülkemizde zekâ oyunları 2013 yılından itibaren okullarda seçmeli ders olarak okutulmakta, bu derslerde öğrencilere farklı türden birçok zekâ oyunu öğretilmektedir. Literatürde yer alan çalışmalar zekâ oyunlarının öğrencilere bireysel ve takım halinde çalışabilme, problem çözmeye karşı olumlu tutum geliştirme, özdüzenleme, kendi gelişim sürecini izleme ve değerlendirme gibi duyuşsal ve psikomotor becerilerin yanı sıra problem çözme, iletişim ve akıl yürütme gibi bilişsel becerilerin gelişimine önemli katkılar sağladığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bununla birlikte bu oyunların matematik dersi kapsamında potansiyelini inceleyen ve bu oyunları doğrudan matematik öğretimi ile ilişkilendiren çalışma yok denecek kadar azdır. Matematik derslerinde zekâ oyunlarına yer verilmesi, özellikle kavram ve işlemlerin öğretiminde zekâ oyunlarından faydalanılması öğrencilerin matematiğe karşı olumlu tutum geliştirmelerine imkân tanıyacaktır. Bu çalışma kapsamında tasarlanan çarpanlar oyunu öğrencilerin doğal sayıların çarpanları, katları, bölenleri ve ortak bölenleri konusunu anlamlandırabilmeleri ve pratik yapabilmelerine imkân tanımaktadır. Çalışmada çarpanlar oyunu özelinde zekâ oyunlarının matematik öğretim sürecinde sahip olduğu potansiyel tartışılmış ve oyunun geliştirilmesine yönelik birtakım önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Bu araştırmanın amacı, esnek çalışma düzenlemelerinin kamu kurumlarında çalışanların iş performansı üzerindeki etkisini ortaya koymak ve bu etkide iş özellikleri modellemesinin aracı rolünü açıklamaya çalışmaktır. Kesitsel nitelikteki bu çalışmada nicel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmış ve 2021 yılında belediyelerde görev yapan çalışanların katılımı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. 312 çalışan üzerinde analizler yapılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak anket tekniği kullanılmış ve Esnek Çalışma Ölçeği, İş Özellikleri Ölçeği ve İş Performansı Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Verilerin incelenmesinde; çarpıklık ve basıklık, normallik, güvenilirlik, açımlayıcı faktör analizi, betimsel istatistiksel analizler ve aracılık analizleri uygulanmıştır. Arabuluculuk analizleri PROCESS Macro ile, diğer analizler Jamovi 2.3.18 ile yapılmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen bulgulara göre, esnek çalışma ile iş özellikleri arasında olumlu, iş performansı ile arasında ise olumsuz bir ilişki görülmüştür. Sonuç olarak, esnek çalışma ile iş performansı arasındaki ilişkide iş özelliklerinin aracı rol oynadığı ana hipotezi desteklenmiştir. Bu sonuç, kamuda ilk kez böyle bir çalışma yapıldığından yöneticiler için özgün ve yol göstericidir

Abstract Background: Despite the availability of HIV/AIDS voluntary counselling and testing services in Omdurman Teaching Hospital, the level of uptake remains low, and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Sudan is still high. This situation suggests that there may be some underlying factors, such as patients' attitudes toward the services provided, that are affecting their willingness to access them. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the attitude of patients attending HIV/AIDS voluntary counselling and testing services in Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Sudan. Methods: A descriptive hospital-based study was conducted at Omdurman Teaching Hospital, Sudan. All patients attending HIV/AIDs counseling and voluntary services center were invited to participate in this study, and of the 200 invited, 150 patients participated with a response rate of 75%. Data were collected using a structured interview questionnaire and then analyzed by SPSS (version 23). Results: The findings revealed that many patients (92%) have a positive attitude toward HIV voluntary counselling and testing and believed that the shared information is informative and influential. It was also observed that 80% of the patients who received counselling had lower levels of social and psychological stress and stigma. Conclusion: The study highlighted the positive attitude of patients to utilize HIV/AIDS voluntary counselling and testing services which reduces the social and psychological stresses and stigma among HIV patients. Females and Muslim patients had a positive attitude.

AbstractEven though Environmental tax policy impacts inequality theoretically, empirical studies remain scanty not only in the context of volumes and the estimation approaches but are also focused on selected advanced countries, communities, households, and emerging countries, the neglect of the global or big picture effect, which is essential for measuring the overall effect of the collective and individual country-concerted efforts in addressing this global cancer. We provide empirical evidence in the global context using the novel method of moments quantile regression. We found that Income Inequality across the globe is sharply reduced by restrictive environmental tax policy, a finding that has ramifications for global sustainable development, particularly in dealing with the ravaging effects of Covid-19.

Aim and Objectives: The study sought to identify parental trends in children's self-medication, health-seeking behavior, knowledge of self-medication, antibiotic use, and antimicrobial resistance in Asir, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was carried out by a survey questionnaire. Snow Ball sampling technique was used to select the Eight hundred and sixteen parents with children in the Asir region by WhatsApp and email, and 650 participants who met the inclusion criteria consented to participate in the study. Results: There were 1809 episodes of childhood illnesses reported during the study period. The mean scores are on knowledge at 8.11 ± 2.43, favorable attitude at 17.60 ± 1.17, and practice was 7.72 ± 1.72, and a significant correlation was found between knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) at p = 0.01. Out of 624, the majority of parents showed strong knowledge and proficiency in antibiotics. However, the attitude scores of over 50% towards the usage of antibiotics were subpar. Around 54% of parents were self-medicating their children and 43% were unaware that skipping doses contributes to anti-microbial resistance (AMR). The facilitators for self-medication were male gender (aOR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.26–3.98, p

Denim fabrics are one of the important research fields in the textile industry. Super stretch denim fabrics that have more than 30% elasticity are among the hottest trends in denim fabrics recently. The entire process chain, from raw material to finished product, must be considered when developing fabrics with high stretch values. Previously, only 100% cotton yarn was used in the denim industry; however, some new generation yarn types are currently being used. Different multi-component core-spun yarns were produced and used as a weft yarn in five different denim fabrics. The study aimed to investigate the influence of fiber types used as core (EL: elastane, PBT: polybutylene terephthalate, T400®: PET/PTT) or as wrap fibers (cotton, modal, EME: Elastomeric multi ester) into the new developed core-spun yarns, on the stretch properties of denim fabrics. Experimental and statistical results show that fiber types used as core/wrappers in the multi-component weft yarns significantly affect all stretch properties of denim fabrics. Fabrics composed of weft yarn with the EL+T400® in the core and EME/CO in the wrapper gave the best results in stretch properties.

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases are one of the prevalent death causes in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM), and atherosclerosis can begin in childhood. This study analyzed aortic elasticity of children with type 1 DM diagnosis and compare them with healthy children. Methods: Thirty-one patients DM diagnosis for at least 4 years and 19 healthy children participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements and demographic characteristics of all individuals were obtained. The parameters related to aortic diameter by Doppler and M-mode monitoring were determined and used in aortic strain, elastic modulus, aortic stiffness index β and aortic distensibility calculations. Results: The myocardial performance index, systolic and diastolic function, elastic modulus, aortic distensibility values of two groups with similar anthropometric measurements and demographic features were similar. In the patient group, decrease in aortic strain value and an increase in aortic stiffness index were found statistically significant (p

Introduction: Facial nerve damage is a condition that causes functional, psychological, and cosmetic problems; and treatment methods need to be improved. Objective: We investigated the efficacy of titanium-prepared platelet-rich fibrin as a healing enhancer at the region of transection of the facial nerve. Methods: Twenty-seven New Zealand male rabbits were used in this study, divided into three experimental groups. Group 1, the sham group (n = 7); Group 2, the suture group (n = 10); and Group 3, the suture + T-PRF group (n = 10). In Group 1, the facial nerve trunk was dissected, and no additional surgical intervention was performed. For Group 2, a transection was made to the facial nerve trunk and the nerve endings were sutured together. In Group 3, nerve endings were sutured after transection, and a titanium-prepared platelet-rich fibrin membrane was wrapped in a tube around the damaged area. All animals were followed up weekly for the presence of corneal reflex, whisker movement and low ears. Bilateral facial electromyography was performed both preoperatively and postoperatively at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th weeks. Tissue samples obtained at the 10th week were histopathologically examined, and intra-group and inter-group comparisons were performed. Results: Subjects in Group showed improvement in whisker movement and ear drop one week earlier than Group 2. In Group 3, the nerve stimulation threshold required to trigger the compound muscle action potential had returned to values similar to the preoperative control values (11.31 ± 2.16 V) by 5 weeks postoperatively (12.51 ± 3.97 V), (p = 0.249). Conclusion: Titanium-prepared platelet-rich fibrin administration contributed to partial nerve healing both on a functional and an electrophysiological level.

Elastic structures are opted in denim fabrics to increase elasticity and recovery properties of fabrics as well as comfort properties. In this study, performance properties of denim fabrics were evaluated comparatively as tensile strength, tearing strength, air permeability, mass change, dimensional stability, seam slippage, fabric growth, and stretchability. 100% cotton, core-spun and dual-core spun yarns (Ne 16/1) used at weft direction of denim fabrics. 100% cotton ring spun yarns (Ne 13.5/1) were used as warp yarns at all produced three denim fabrics. All the test results were measured numerically and evaluated statistically with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was significant difference found among fabrics for the variation of weft yarn structures from the statistical evaluation. The impact of varying washing processes on the stretch and growth (%) of denim fabrics was also revealed. Core-spun yarn containing denim fabric showed more growth and stretch percentage in all forms of washing processes. It was also found that packing density of yarns had a significant effect on air permeability of fabrics.

Objectıves The objectives of this study were a) to investigate the effect of targeting the PANoptosome with 3,4-methylenedioxy-β-nitrostyrene (MNS) on PANoptosis in the Renal ischemia-reperfussion (RIR) model b) to investigate the kidney protective effect of MNS toward RIR injury. Methods Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups randomly. The groups were assigned as Control, Sham, DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) and MNS groups. The rats in the MNS group were intraperitoneally given 20 mg/kg of MNS 30 minutes before reperfusion. 2% DMSO solvent that dissolves MNS were given to the rats in DMSO group. Left nephrectomy was performed on the rats under anesthesia at the 6th hour after reperfusion. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and 8-Okso-2′-deoksiguanozin (8-OHdG) levels were measured. Immunohistochemical analysis, electron microscopic and histological examinations were carried out in the tissues. Results Total tubular injury score was lower in the MNS group (p 0.05) in all groups. MNS considerably improved the tissue structure, based on the electron microscopic analysis. Conclusıons Our results suggested that MNS administrated before the reperfusion reduces pyroptosis, apoptosis and necroptosis. These findings suggest that MNS significantly protects the kidney against RIR injury by reducing PANoptosis as a result of specific inhibition of Nod-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP 3), one of the PANoptosome proteins.

Objective: Many new inflammatory and metabolic markers are considered to be involved in etiology of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). R-spondin-1 (Rspo1) is a member of the roof plate-specific spondin protein family. Rspo1 levels have been associated with obesity and insulin resistance. We aimed to investigate whether Rspo1 has a role in the pathophysiology of PCOS. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was planned with newly diagnosed and untreated PCOS cases and a control group without PCOS. Patients with PCOS and healty participants were compared for Rspo1 levels. In addition, the PCOS group was also grouped according to body mass index (BMI) and Ferriman Gallwey scores (FGS) and compared in terms of Rsop1 levels. Results: A total of 47 patients in the PCOS group and 36 participants in the control group, as total 83 participants were included in the study. PCOS and control groups had similar age and BMI. As compared to the control group, PCOS patients had significantly higher FGS, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance scores, Rspo1, and total testosterone levels (p

Dismissal for social media misconduct is a common practice in South African constitutional and labour laws. It generally occurs when employees exercise their right to freedom of expression in social media which sometimes affects the employers’ right to a good name or reputation. Prior to the transition to democracy in 1994, employees experienced challenges in exercising their right to freedom of expression. Under the current constitutional era, this right is enshrined in the Bill of Rights and contains internal limitations and can also be limited by the law of general application. Nevertheless, there is no specific statute which deters the misuse of social media in South Africa. Employers often exercise disciplinary measures and dismiss employees for conducts that impede on their right to good name and reputation. It is often difficult for employers to dismiss employees as there are no specific guidelines on the regulation of social media misconduct with regard to the potential conflict between the employees’right to freedom of expression and the employers’ right to dignity or good name in South African workplaces. This often leaves employers with no remedy when the conduct of the employees on social media, in their own personal capacity, has potential to damage the reputation of their employers either directly or indirectly. Employees should be responsible in the use of social media and always avoid any conduct that can damage the reputation of their employers. They can be held liable in case they damage the good name of their employers through social media.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate how thiol/disulfide homeostasis is affected in Helicobacter pylori positive and negative gastritis and the efficiency of thiol/disulfide levels in the diagnosis of chronic gastritis. METHODS: Seventy patients with chronic gastritis (30 H. pylori negative and 40 H. pylori positive) and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure was performed on all patients. Native and total thiol were measured using a novel automatic and spectrophotometric method developed by Erel and Neselioglu. The differences between the groups and the diagnostic efficiency of the parameters were evaluated statistically. RESULTS: Native thiol levels decreased in the chronic gastritis group compared with the control group, whereas disulfide levels increased only in the H. pylori positive gastritis group compared with the control group. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of total thiol levels. According to the ROC analysis, the highest diagnostic efficiency in distinguishing the chronic gastritis group from the control group was calculated for native thiol with a 0.953 area under the curve value, 95% sensitivity, and 90% specificity. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It was shown that the thiol/disulfide balance was impaired in patients with chronic gastritis compared with healthy controls, and these results were interpreted as increased oxidative stress in patients with chronic gastritis. It was determined that serum native thiol levels have high diagnostic efficiency in the diagnosis of gastritis, and it can be a potential biomarker candidate for chronic gastritis.

Background Brucellosis is a multisystem disease with a broad spectrum of non-specific symptoms that generally occur within three weeks but sometimes up to 3 months after inoculation. Human brucellosis is quite uncommon in Elderly in Qatar.Case report This report describes a case of Brucellosis in acute geriatric unit under Rumailah Hospital in Qatar. The patient was an 81-year-old Qatari Gentle man, functionally able to walk with minimal assistance and had mild cognitive impairment who presented with high-grade fever with chills, anorexia, low back pain and arthralgia for 10 days. The above complaints occurred often for 1 month and had fever intermittently. Lab investigations revealed as high CRP 117 mg/l, low Hb 9.1 g/dl and mild elevation in ALP (151 µ/l) with normal leukocyte and platelet count. His blood culture positive for Brucella melitensis with high brucella Antibody titter 1:1280. The diagnosis made as Brucellosis.Discussion The clinical manifestations of Brucellosis are fever, night sweating, chills, arthralgia and loss of appetite. It seems pyrexia of unknown origin without other symptoms is most common presentation of Brucellosis in old age. The confirmation of Brucellosis made with serological tests, with significantly high titer, in the presence or absence of blood culture. Brucella antibody titers (≥1:160) are suggestive of active infection. Anemia and raised CRP and liver enzymes were the most prominent laboratory abnormalities in our patients. Previous study from Qatar reported that 41.7% had a history of raw milk consumption and 12.5% had a history of animal contact. The objectives of Brucellosis treatment include the prevention of complications and relapse.Conclusion Our case presented with classical symptoms and received appropriate treatment on time. However, atypical clinical presentation and lack of specific history taking can delay diagnosis and treatment; it leads to serious clinical disease progression with increased complications. From this case study, we would contribute to optimal assessment and to keep differential diagnosis for unknown cause of fever can be Brucellosis in geriatric population.

Worldwide yarn diversity in terms of structure and properties has increased in recent years. Especially composite yarns produced by multiple components have become very preferable in both weaving and knitting sectors. Among these yarns, core and dual core-spun yarn are more prominent in some areas due to their particular performance. In this study, the structure and properties of plain, elastane cored, and elastane + filament cored composite yarns, which were spun by using cotton as sheath fibers, are comparatively investigated. With a constant Ne 16/1 linear density, a carded yarn production line with modified ring-spinning system was used to produce the composite samples using 5.56% elastane ratio for both and 13.79% polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) ratio for dual core. It was observed that the strength of the composite yarns decreased, while the elongation values at the time of breaking tended to increase. There was some deterioration in transition from plain yarn to dual core composite yarn in terms of unevenness and yarn defects, while some improvement was observed in terms of yarn hairiness. In order to dwell on the causes of this situation, the surface and cross-sectional images of the yarns were also studied.

Objectives:The aim of our study was to investigate the presence of increased cardiovascular risk in epileptic children treated with carbamazepine. This study was designed to evaluate the relation of carbamazepine and atherosclerosis by investigating the effect of carbamazepine on antioxidant capacity, lipid profile, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and carotid artery intima-media thickness (C-IMT).Methods:Twenty-one children aged between 2 and 16 years with epilepsy who were treated with carbamazepine were included in the study. Triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, LDL, lipid hydroperoxide, paraoxonase, arylesterase levels, and C-IMT were measured in all patients before the treatment, at the 3rd and 6th months of the treatment.Results:Thirteen (61.9%) of the patients were male, and 8 (38.1%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 111.48±44.81 months. There was a significant increase in total cholesterol, arylesterase, and paraoxonase levels at the 6th months of the treatment compared with pre-treatment levels. No significant changes were observed in C-IMT values.Conclusion:Our study is the first study in the literature in which the relation between arylesterase and paraoxonase levels and CIMT in pediatric patients before and after carbamazepine treatment was prospectively investigated. The exact mechanism of carbamazepine on atherosclerosis is not clearly understood. These results demonstrate that these patients could be at increased risk of the development of cardiovascular complications. In light of these findings, future studies in epileptic children should be to plan antioxidant capacity, cholesterol level, and measuring C-IMT with ultrasonography periodically in long term. We think that these findings enhance our understanding of the relationship between oxidative stress and antiepileptic drugs.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of smartphone use on sleep quality in adolescents (13-20 years) using youth center. Method: The descriptive study was conducted between May and August 2019 at a youth center within a municipality. The population of the study consisted of adolescents consisting of 400 adolescents aged between 13-20 years who were attending courses in the youth center, and the sample consisted of 237 individuals who fulfilled the research criteria and agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected by using Introductory Form, The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. Percentage, mean, standard deviation, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test, pearson correlation test were used for statistical analysis. Results: In the research, it was found that 94.5% of the young people had smart phones and 72.6% of them were mostly social media. The purpose of using smart phone for internet use, time period of using smart phone, control of smart phone and seeing himself as a smart phone addict were found to affect the use of smartphones. It was determined that the sleep quality was affected by the people living with them, sharing room where they sleep, the location of the accommodation, seeing themselves as a smartphone addict and having sleep problems. There was a significant relationship between the mean scores of the The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index scores of the adolescents who participated in the study (r=0.219; p=0.048). Conclusion: In this study, it was found that adolescents' The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index mean scores were moderate and there was a statistically significant relationship between them. It is recommended to develop and implement training programs on smart phone use.

Increasing environmental awareness in business life has given way to Green Human Resources Management practices. The positive corporate image created by GHRM is encouraging for many employees and boosts their work engagement. GHRM practices make employees feel proud about their organization and creates a value-based ground for working in their current companies. Actually, internalized green inclinations of organizations, namely, value alignment between an organization and an employee, can make their employees feel greater psychological ownership about their companies, leading to greater engagement as it is suggested in social identity theory. Being inspired from psychological ownership literature, in this study, it is assumed that being exposed to Green Human Resources Management practices can make employees feel higher levels of work engagement and psychological ownership can have a mediator effect in this relationship. The model has been a tested model among 255 Turkish white-collar employees working in a manufacturing sector. Analyses have been carried out using the AMOS structural equation program and the PROCESS program. Results confirmed the above assumptions, confirming the assumptions of social identity theory and revealed the existence of mediator effect in the relationship between GHRM and work engagement of employees, illuminating the importance of GHRM for employees' positive attitudes toward their organization.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive role of the inflammatory parameters, especially monocyte-to-lymphocyte (MLR) ratio, on the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Meterial and Methods: The data of patients undergoing prostate biopsy between July 2015 and July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The data including age, PSA, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR), MLR and histopathologies were recorded. Patients were grouped as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), PCa and prostatitis according to PBx histopathology and all variables were analyzed. Results: Pathology results of 338 patients are as follows: 124 (36.7%) BPH, 132 (39.1%) PCa and 82 (24.3%) prostatitis. Patients with PCa were older and had higher serum PSA, PLR, NLR and MLR values compared to non-PCa patients. In the comparison made by excluding metastatic patients, only serum PSA and MLR values remained statistically high. All three parameters had significant AUC to predict PCa in entire-cohort, but only the MLR had significant AUC to predict PCa in the cohort which metastatic patients were excluded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only serum PSA and MLR values were significant independent predictors of PCa. Conclusion: All inflammatory markers were high in PCa patients, but, only MLR value remained high after metastatic PCa patients were excluded. MLR combination with PSA and age in the multivariate model is significant independent predictor of PCa.

Myocardial infarction is extremely rare in children. However, chest pain suspected to be cardiac in origin by the parents is a very common presenting symptom in pediatric emergency services. In this case, an electrocardiogram is very important in the differential diagnosis of cardiogenic complaints and should be carefully considered.

Background: Repeated blood transfusion is the main therapeutic option for transfusion-dependent anaemias with consequent iron overload and organ damage .Therefore iron chelating agents are important protective measures for these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency and safety of Desferroxamine in paediatrics population subjected to iron overload as a consequence of repeated transfusion in a group of Sudanese children Subjects & Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital based study. Conducted in two main paediatric reference hospitals in, Sudan. Within the period between November 2017 and April 2018 (6 months duration). The two centres were JaafarI bn- Oaf hospital and Albulk hospital. The study population included all patients of transfusion dependent anaemia who received desferrioxamine within the study period. Hundred patients were enrolled in the study. The study variables were demographic data, number of blood transfusions , serum ferritin pre and post blood transfusion and treatment of desferrioxamin Results: Sixty percent (60%) of the studied cases were males and 40% were females ,46% were thalassemic, 46% were sicklers, 5% aplastic anemia and 3% with red cell aplasia .The mean serum ferritin level before starting desferoxamine was 2.14 and after dessferoxamine was 2.48, P –value was highly significant. The most common side effect encountered was skin rash (36%) Conclusion: This study revealed some features of safety and efficiency of desferoxamine therapy in Sudanese paediatrics population affected by transfusion-dependent anemia. More studies are needed to describe this important health problem

The emergence of optical Internet of Things (optical-IoT) for sixth-generation (6G) networks has been envisaged to relieve the bandwidth congestion in the conventional radio frequency (RF) channel, and to support the ever-increasing number of smart devices. Among the plethora of device innovations deemed essential for fortifying the development, herein we report on the visible-to-near-infrared color-conversion luminescent-dyes based on lead sulphide quantum dots (PbS QDs), so as to achieve an eye-safe high-speed optical link. The solution-processed PbS QDs exhibited strong absorption in the visible range, radiative recombination lifetime of 6.4 $\mu$s, as well as high photoluminescence quantum yield of up to 88%. Our proof-of-principle demonstration based on an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation scheme established an infrared data transmission of 0.27 Mbit/s, readily supporting an indoor optical-IoT system, and shed light on the possibility for PbS-integrated transceivers in supporting remote access control of multiple nodes. We further envisaged that our investigations could find applications in future development of solution-processable PbS-integrated luminescent fibers, concentrators, and waveguides for high-speed optical receivers.

Objective: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a tumor with poor prognosis, which is rarely seen and challenging to diagnose. Gallbladder cancer is followed by stomach, colon and pancreatic cancers among gastrointestinal system cancers with different geographical distribution. There are different approaches in surgical treatment. Thus, our clinic's experience of GBC has been evaluated retrospectively. Materials and Methods: Patients with GBC who were referred to Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine between 2003 and July 2018 were evaluated concerning their demographic characteristics, symptoms, diagnostic methods, surgical treatment, morbidity, mortality and follow-up results. Results: Of the 1979 cholecystectomy performed in our clinic, 40 (2.0%) had GBC. Of all cases, 21 were male, 19 were female and the mean age was 67 (56–94). The most common symptom was abdominal pain (30%) and jaundice (15%). Abdominal ultrasonography, CT (computerized tomography) or MR (magnetic resonance imaging) were performed for diagnostic purposes. In addition to the diagnosis of cholelithiasis or cholecystitis, 10 (25%) of these patients had asymmetric wall thickness, CA 19–9 height or a tumor mass in the gallbladder, suggesting malignancy in preoperative examinations. Adenocarcinoma and subtypes were found in 33 cases and other malignant types in three cases and dysplasia in four cases after pathologic evaluation. In the follow-up, 31 cases were lost in 0–48 (mean 14.4) months. Nine cases have been monitored for 0–48 (mean 27) months as they are alive. Conclusion: GBC is a complicated disease with poor prognosis, which is usually diagnosed post-operative, despite surgical treatment.

Introduction: Palliative care centers (PC centers) provide multidisciplinary care for patients with multiple comorbid conditions. This study aimed to assess and compare patients’ diagnoses, length of hospital stays, and demographic data and coordination with home health care services.Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study. Patients who were hospitalized in PC centers of secondary and tertiary care hospitals between 01.08.2018 and 01.08.2018 were retrospectively assessed. Patients’ demographic characteristics diagnoses of hospitalization, and length of hospital stays and centers where they received treatment were recorded.Results: Median age of 830 patients included in the study was 79 (24-102). Out of 830 patients, 48.9% were male and 51.1% were female. Mean length of hospital stay was 14 days and median length was 8.7 (0.6-112) days. The three most common comorbid diseases followed up were malignancy (21.8%), cerebrovascular disease (15.2%) and malaise-fatigue-senility (10.7%). The group with Alzheimer's disease was the oldest patient group. The group with nutritional deficiency-malnutrition was the patient group with the longest hospital stay (p=0.030). The number of patients who were hospitalized for cerebrovascular diseases was the highest in secondary care centers and the number of patients who were hospitalized for malignancy was the highest in tertiary care centers. Patients hospitalized in secondary PC center were older. The hospital stays were longer in tertiary PC center. Patients receiving treatment at a tertiary PC center had a significantly higher rate of mortality. The number of patients who were discharged was lower in the tertiary PC centers. Hospitalization to a secondary PC center through home care units was significantly higher.Conclusion: In this study, the rate and diagnoses of hospitalization and length of hospital stays were different in secondary and tertiary PC centers. Our study has made an assessment about palliative care centers at various levels of health care and can be considered as prior knowledge for other studies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to use tissue Doppler imaging to evaluate the left atrial systolic and the left ventricular (LV) diastolic function as well as the left atrial ejection force in children who underwent transcatheter closure of a secundum atrial septal defect (ASD). Methods: Tissue Doppler measurements of the left atrial ejection force, the mitral valve, and left atrial volume were performed before the ASD closure procedure, and on the 1st day, 10th day, and 1st and 3rd months after the procedure in 56 patients and in 28 healthy controls. Results: There was a significant decrease in the septal and lateral a' velocities on the first day (p

Aim: Nowadays, percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PNL) is the first choice of minimally invasive treatment for large and complex kidney stones. In this retrospective study, we compared the efficacy and safety of PNL surgeries performed under spinal and general anesthesia. Method: A total of 82 patients who underwent PNL between October 2016 and August 2018 were included in the study. There were 34 patients in the general anesthesia group (group 1) and 48 patients in the spinal anesthesia group (group 2). All patients' stone and urinary system features, operation parameters and postoperative findings were recorded. Independent Samples t Test, Mann Whitney U and Chi-Square tests were used. P

Background/objective: There is a need for patient safety in healthcare settings, WHO recommended an intergradation of patient safety in the curriculum of health specialties. This study aimed to assess the application patient safety measures at governmental hospitals in Al-Baha region. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. It was conducted at Al-Baha governmental hospitals, 2017–2018. The data was collected using a pretested, modified and validated questionnaire, a convenience sampling technique was used among 115 health care providers (doctors and nurses). The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The study showed that most of participants have previous training on patient safety and about 81.7% of them had heard about global aims of patient safety. The level of application of patient safety at Al-Baha governmental hospitals was 106 (92.2%) as very often. The findings showed that there are no significant influencing factors on application of patient safety. Conclusion: The application of patient safety in Al-Baha governmental hospitals was very high. There are no significant influencing factors for the application status of patient safety measures in Al-Baha governmental hospitals.

Çalışmanın temel hedefi nassen haram kılınmış bir madde içermemesine rağmen insan sağlığına zarar veren veya vermesi muhtemel olan ürünlerin İslâm hukuku açısından hükmünü tespit etmektir. Bu maddelerin hükmünü tespit etmek adına öncelikle naslarla haram kılınmış hayvanlar, şarap ve kanın hangi gerekçeyle haram kılındığı üzerinde durulmuştur. Ayrıca klasik dönem fıkıh kitaplarında yer alan güneşte ısınmış suları kullanmak, kendiliğinden ölmüş balıkları yemek, hamamdan önce soğuk suyla yıkanmak, fazla yemek yemek ve çamur-toprak yemek gibi konular incelenmiş ve bunların sağlığa zarar veren maddelere dayanak teşkil edip etmeyeceği tartışılmıştır. Bunların yanı sıra konuyla bağlantılı olarak fukahanın genel olarak sağlığı koruma ve tedavi olma konusundaki kanaatlerine temas edilmiştir. Çalışma sonunda insan sağlığına zarar veren maddeler, zarar düzeyine göre dört farklı kategoriye ayrılarak hükümleri tespit edilmeye çalışılmıştır.

Background: The general population’s compliance with preventive measures and legislation is mainly influenced by their knowledge level, attitude, and practices. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices of public residents towards corona virus disease-2019 preventive measures in Saudi Arabia. Design and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study; it used a validated cross-sectional online survey that received responses from 13 Saudi administrative regions. Results: There were 1513 participants who completed the study (55% females; 77.7%, university education). Knowledge level, attitude, and practices towards corona virus disease-2019 were 81.3%, 86.6%, and 81.9%, respectively. The knowledge subscales showed that 1496 (98.9%) participants knew the system targeted by the virus, 96.2% and 97.3% knew the causative agent and symptoms, 783 (52.2%) participants knew the transmission modes, and 696 (46.0%) participants knew about the complications. The attitude subscales included 1465 (96.5%) participants who had dealt with an infected person, 1451 (95.9%) participants who isolated in a health facility, 1195 (97.0%) participants who knew about hand washing, and 1387 (91.7%) participants who thought the virus spread through home delivery. The practice subscales included 1505 (99.5%) participants who properly disposed of gloves and tissues and 1347 (89.0%) participants who reported safe practices when coughing or sneezing. Conclusions: This study showed satisfactory knowledge, attitude, and practice towards corona virus disease-2019 in Saudi Arabia. The educational level is a dominant influencing factor for knowledge, attitude, and practice.

AIM: To evaluate the long-term sucess rate of laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy (L-DCR) in patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NDO). METHODS: Forty-one eyes of forty patients aged between 21-85y (mean 56.7y) who underwent L-DCR for the treatment of NDO were included in this retrospective, non-randomized study. The follow-up time was 72mo. Functional sucess was defined as the disappearance of epiphora under normal conditions and the presence of a patent ostium on lacrimal irrigation. Anatomical success was defined as a patent lacrimal passage on syringing besides continuing epiphora. Surgical failure was defined as persistent epiphora and closed ostium. RESULTS: Twenty-seven of 40 patients (67.5%) were female and 13 of 40 patients (32.5%) were male. The NDO was right-sided in 17 (42.5%) patients and left-sided in 22 (55%) patients whereas 1 (2.5%) patient had undergone bilateral surgery. In 11 (27.5%) patients there were additional nasal abnormalities requiring simultaneous surgical approach. The average time for L-DCR was 26.50±4.9min (16-39min) and the average total amount of laser energy used was 287±27.9 J (239-367 J). At the 5y follow-up, anatomical sucess rate was 75.0% (30 patients) and functional success rate was 65.0% (26 patients), whereas surgical failure was seen in 25% (10 patients). Revision of surgery was performed in 10 cases (25.0%); failure of revision surgery was seen in 2 cases (5.0%). CONCLUSION: Transcanalicular L-DCR is a reliable and fast procedure in the treatment of NDO. It can be alternative to external DCR which is accepted as the gold standard currently. The functional and anatomical success rate is higher in the first months and years, but still satisfactory at fifth year.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a proliferative vitreoretinopathy resulting from vascular defect of the retina. The present study evaluates platelets, which are involved in VEGF storage, transport and release, and their functions with regard to the prognosis of the disease. The objective was to suggest a simple minimal invasive method that will facilitate the management of the disease and help clinicians in predicting the prognosis. Methods: In this single center, retrospective, case–control study, we included a control group consisting of very preterm newborns (n = 83) at risk of ROP and a laser photocoagulation group including infants (n = 63) who received laser therapy during their follow-up examinations. The employed assessments included platelet counts and platelet mass index (PMI) which provide guidance in understanding platelet activity. In doing so, consideration was given to the first and second phases of ROP. The accuracy of prognostication was assessed with receiver operating characteristic analyses. Results: The study groups did not differ statistically significantly by platelet count during the first and second phases of ROP (p > 0.05) nor were the PMI measurements statistically significantly different between the study groups during the first phase of the disease (p > 0.05). PMI values of the study groups, however, differed significantly in the second phase of ROP (p

Abstract Purpose: To investigate thymoquinone, curcumin and a combination of these two drugs were effective or not at the growth of liver. Methods: Forty female Wistar-Albino rats distributed into five groups of eight rats each, control, thymoquinone, curcumin, and thymoquinone/curcumin groups. Pathological specimens were studied using the Ki-67 Proliferation Index(PI); and arginase(Arg), tissue plasminogen activator(tPA), ceruloplasmin(Cer) and nitric oxide(NO) were studied in biochemical analysis. Results: Our results showed that Ki-67 proliferation index was low in Groups 1. The proliferation coefficient was significantly higher in the Group 2 and Group 4 than in the Group 1 and Group 3.(P < 0.001 between Groups 1 and 2, 1 and 4, and 3 and 4). There was no difference between Groups 2 and 4 (P = 1). The results of the biochemical Arg, tPA and Cer test showed statistically between the Group 1 and Group 2. NO showed significant differences Group 1 and 3. Conclusions: Thymoquinone and curcumin both have known positive effects on the organism. Histological and biochemical tests showed that thymoquinone is more effective than curcumin.

Objective: Aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of coronary artery anomalies in children with congenital heart disease. Methods: Data of 1138 consecutive patients who were referred for cardiac catheterization and angiography for assessment of coronary anomaly between January 2005 and December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Total of 515 patients whose coronary arteries could be examined through left ventricle and aortic root injection were included in the study. Results: Of 515 angiograms with visible coronaries, 42 patients (20 males, 22 females; mean age: 5.3+-2.0 years) were found to have final diagnosis of coronary anomaly. Prevalence of coronary artery anomalies was 8.16% in this study. It was determined that 38 (90.4%) were anomalies of origination, 2 (4.8%) were anomalies of intrinsic coronary arterial anatomy, and 2 (4.8%) were anomalies of coronary termination. Most common coronary artery abnormality was anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left aortic sinus (16 patients; 38.1%), and the most common congenital heart disease was tetralogy of Fallot (18 patients; 42.9%). Conclusion: Recognizing variability of coronary artery anomalies is critical when considering surgical or interventional therapies in children with congenital heart disease.

The past two decades of academic work, have cemented the idea that childhood is a social construction. As such, how children are conceptualized, educated, protected and interacted with differs from society to society, given the values inherent in each social construction. Culture, history and geography all influence the daily lives of children, and the inherent protections that children are offered in each society. This paper examines child protection provisions embedded in Brunei Darussalam by critically reviewing the sparse literature available. While much academic work has been done on Brunei Darussalam’s political system and unique ideology, little has been written on the children of Brunei. Specifically, the focus taken is on the protections offered by the Bruneian legal and education systems, family and cultural institutions, and on Brunei’s international commitments to ensuring child well being.