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The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) C161T polymorphism (rs3856806) may be a risk factor for in-stent restenosis (ISR) due to its known associations with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), obesity, and coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aims to investigate the relationship between PPARG-C161T polymorphism and the risk of ISR, considering clinical features.

Esra Ertan Yazar,1 Gulsah Gunluoglu,2 Burcu Arpinar Yigitbas,1 Mukadder Calikoglu,3 Gazi Gulbas,4 Nilgün Y&inodot;lmaz Demirci,5 Nurhan Sarioglu,6 Fulsen Bozkus,7 Nevin Taci Hoca,5 Nalan Ogan,8 Seda Tural Onur,2 Muzaffer Onur Turan,9 Filiz Kosar,2 Evrim Eylem Akpinar,8 Burak Mete,10 Can Ozturk5 1Department of Chest Diseases, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Department of Chest Diseases, Yedikule Chest Disease and Chest Surgery Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; 3Department of Chest Diseases, Mersin University, Medical Faculty, Mersin, Turkey; 4Department of Chest Diseases, Inonu University, Medical Faculty, Malatya, Turkey; 5Department of Chest Diseases, Gazi University, Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey; 6Department of Chest Diseases, Balikesir University, Medical Faculty, Balikesir, Turkey; 7Department of Chest Diseases, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Medical Faculty, Kahramanmaras, Turkey; 8Department of Chest Diseases, Ufuk University, Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey; 9Department of Chest Diseases, Prof Dr, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Atatürk Research and Training Hospital, Izmir, Turkey; 10Department of Public Health Çukurova University, Medical Faculty, Adana, TurkeyCorrespondence: Esra Ertan Yazar, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Department of Chest Diseases, Istanbul, Turkey, Email esraertan76@yahoo.comBackground: Several studies have shown that the risk of mortality due to COVID-19 is high in patients with COPD. However, evidence on factors predicting mortality is limited.Research Question: Are there any useful markers to predict mortality in COVID-19 patients with COPD?.Study Design and Methods: A total of 689 patients were included in this study from the COPET study, a national multicenter observational study investigating COPD phenotypes consisting of patients who were followed up with a spirometry-confirmed COPD diagnosis. Patients were also retrospectively examined in terms of COVID-19 and their outcomes.Results: Among the study patients, 105 were diagnosed with PCR-positive COVID-19, and 19 of them died. Body mass index (p= 0.01) and ADO (age, dyspnoea, airflow obstruction) index (p= 0.01) were higher, whereas predicted FEV1 (p< 0.001) and eosinophil count (p= 0.003) were lower in patients who died of COVID-19. Each 0.755 unit increase in the ADO index increased the risk of death by 2.12 times, and each 0.007 unit increase in the eosinophil count decreased the risk of death by 1.007 times. The optimum cut-off ADO score of 3.5 was diagnostic with 94% sensitivity and 40% specificity in predicting mortality.Interpretation: Our study suggested that the ADO index recorded in the stable period in patients with COPD makes a modest contribution to the prediction of mortality due to COVID-19. Further studies are needed to validate the use of the ADO index in estimating mortality in both COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections in patients with COPD.Keywords: body mass index, COVID-19, eosinophils, FEV1, mortality, pneumonia, pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive

Beyza Sümeyye Aydin,1,&ast; Ali Asram Sagiroglu,2,3,&ast; Dilek Ozturk Civelek,4 Mustafa Gokce,4 Fatemeh Bahadori5 1Bezmialem Vakif University, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Biotechnology, Istanbul, 34093, Turkey; 2Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Istanbul, 34500, Turkey; 3Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Istanbul, 34093, Turkey; 4Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Istanbul, 34093, Türkiye; 5Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Istanbul, 34500, Turkey&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ali Asram Sagiroglu, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Istanbul, Turkey, Email a.a.sagiroglu@gmail.com Beyza Sümeyye Aydin, Bezmialem Vakif University, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Biotechnology, Istanbul, Turkey, Email beyza_sumeyye@hotmail.comBackground: Curcuma longa L., commonly known as turmeric, is renowned for its therapeutic benefits attributed to bioactive compounds, namely curcumin (Cur) and aromatic turmerone (Tur), present in its rhizome. These compounds exhibit diverse therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects. However, the topical application of these compounds has a significant potential for inducing skin irritation. This study focuses on formulating solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) carriers encapsulating both Cur and Tur for reduced irritation and enhanced stability.Methods: SLN formulations were prepared by a method using homogenization followed by ultrasonication procedures and optimized by applying response surface methodology (RSM).Results: The optimized SLN formulation demonstrated entrapment efficiencies, with 77.21 ± 4.28% for Cur and 75.12 ± 2.51% for Tur. A size distribution of 292.11 ± 9.43 nm was obtained, which was confirmed to be a spherical and uniform shape via environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) images. The in vitro release study indicated cumulative releases of 71.32 ± 3.73% for Cur and 67.23 ± 1.64% for Tur after 24 hours under sink conditions. Physical stability tests confirmed the stability of formulation, allowing storage at 4°C for a minimum of 60 days. Notably, in vitro skin irritation studies, utilizing the reconstructed human epidermal model (EPI-200-SIT), revealed a significant reduction in irritation with the SLN containing Cur and Tur compared to nonencapsulated Cur and Tur.Conclusion: These findings collectively endorse the optimized SLN formulation as a favorable delivery system for Cur and Tur in diverse topical uses, offering enhanced stability, controlled release and reduced irritation.Keywords: curcumin, aromatic turmerone, skin irritation, reconstructed human epidermal model, solid lipid nanoparticle, response surface methodology

Background/Aim: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a complex anatomical region composed of the mandibular condyle located in the glenoid fossa of the temporal bone and covered with fibrous connective tissue. Excessive and continuous forces lead to progressive degeneration of the bony surfaces of the TMJ. The aim of this study is to determine the success of automatic detection of degenerative changes detected on panoramic radiographs in the TMJ region with deep learning method. Material and Methods: Panoramic images of 1068 patients (1000 with normal TMJ appearance and 68 with TMJ degeneration) over 18 years of age were included in the study. CVAT, open-source annotation tool (https://www.cvat.ai/) was used for labeling image data. All images were resized using the bilinear interpolation method. With the using data augmentation techniques, the number of images data reached 1480. BSRGAN model was applied to the data to increase the resolution of the data. YOLOv5, YOLOv7 and YOLOv8 algorithms were used for TMJ degeneration detection. TP, FP, TN, FN, accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score and AUC (Area Under the Curve) metrics were used for statistical analysis. Results: YOLOv5s training resulted in 94.40% accuracy, 81.63% precision, 86.96% sensitivity, 84.21% F1 score and 91.45% AUC. YOLOv7 training resulted in 99.63% accuracy, 97.87% precision, 100% sensitivity, 98.92% F1 Score and 99.77% AUC. YOLOv8 training resulted 96.64% accuracy, 91.11% precision, 89.13% sensitivity, 90.11% F1 Score and 93.66% AUC. Conclusions: All three algorithms have high success rates, with the best results obtained in YOLOv7.

The 1970s witnessed violent, widespread, and highly-politicized student protests in Turkey. Small protests turned into bloody street clashes, the death toll exceeded 5,000, and a military coup came in—which resulted in mass arrests. The universities were at the center of violent conflict. We study the education and labor market consequences of this political turmoil on the cohorts exposed to educational disruptions. First, we document that the number of new admissions and graduates in post-secondary education declined significantly due to the turmoil. The decline in post-secondary graduation ratio is 6.6 percentage points for the exposed individuals. Second, we estimate a counterfactual wage distribution for the exposed cohorts and check whether the turmoil affected their wage and occupation distributions. We show that the decline in educational attainment pushed the exposed population toward medium- and low-income occupations, and compressed their wages toward the minimum wage. Finally, we use the unexpected decline in post-secondary education as an instrument to estimate returns to college. We find that the college-premium is around 15 percent per year for men.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) modifies many cellular processes that contribute to atherosclerosis. The increased concentrations of osteoprotegerin (OPG) are related with coronary artery disease, calcification in vascular tissue, advanced atherosclerosis, and diabetic complications has been informed. The aim of our study was to define the relation among PPAR-γ Pro12Ala and, OPG and PPAR-γ in Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) and hypertension (HT). Also, it was aim to investigate the relationship between flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in HT and ankle brachial index (ABI) in PVD in terms of endothelial dysfunction (ED).

This study addresses the gap in understanding the prognostic relevance of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) expression in metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients undergoing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor-based therapy. A retrospective multicenter study (n = 34) explored HIF-1 alpha expression via immunohistochemistry in patients treated with platinum chemotherapy and bevacizumab. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly lower in the HIF-1 alpha low score group compared to the high score group (4.9 vs 12.9 months, P = 0.014). Similarly, the median overall survival (OS) was significantly reduced in the HIF-1 alpha low score group (8.3 vs 20.4 months, P = 0.006). This study, the first of its kind, highlights the prognostic significance of HIF-1 alpha expression in metastatic cervical SCC patients treated with bevacizumab-based therapy.

Abstract Although hypertension is considered high intravascular pressure, impairing circadian blood pressure (BP) has been shown to potentially contribute to poor clinical outcomes. Systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII), based on platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts, has been established as a strong prognostic marker in cardiovascular disease. The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of hypertension is a well‐known issue and inflammatory markers are associated with BP variability. We aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between circadian BP changes and SII in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. The study population consisted of 196 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients without LVH. In total, 76 (38%) patients had a dipper BP pattern, 60 (31%) patients had a non‐dipper BP pattern, and 60 (31%) patients had a reverse‐dipper BP pattern. SII was calculated according to Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed SII and HDL‐C as an independent predictors of reverse‐dipper circadian pattern in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. The cut‐off value of the SII for reverse‐dipper hypertension in a ROC curve analysis was >639.73 with 63.3% sensitivity and 84.2% specificity. Our study showed that the SII level was higher in the reverse‐dipper hypertension patient group than in the dipper and non‐dipper hypertension groups. Furthermore, SII was an independent predictor of newly diagnosed reverse‐dipper hypertensive patients. The high SII value in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients can be used as an early warning parameter to identify reverse‐dipper hypertension patients.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common hematological cancer. Hence, it is important to conduct further studies investigating the molecular mechanisms in detail that contributes to myeloma genesis. In addition to genetic changes, epigenetic factors such as miRNAs may influence the expression of myeloma-related genes.

Derya Ozturk,1 Adem Melekoglu,1 Ertugrul Altinbilek,1 Mustafa Calik,2 Arzu Kosem,3 Hakan Kilci,4 Naile Fevziye Misirlioglu,5 Hafize Uzun6 1Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency, &Idot;stanbul, Turkey; 2Gaziosmanpasa Education and Research Hospital, Department of Emergency, &Idot;stanbul, Turkey; 3Ministry of Health Ankara City Hospital, Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey; 4Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Istanbul, Turkey; 5University of Health Sciences, Gaziosmanpa&scedil;a Training and Research Hospital, Department of Biochemistry, Istanbul, Turkey; 6Istanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Istanbul, TurkeyCorrespondence: Mustafa Calik, Gaziosmanpasa Education and Research Hospital, Emergency Department, &Idot;stanbul, 34255, Turkey, Email drmustafacalik@yahoo.comBackground: An acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a serious cardiovascular condition with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Irisin is adipomyokine that is associated with various health conditions. In post-STEMI, elevated serum irisin levels are associated with more adverse cardiovascular events.Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between the serum irisin levels and acute MI (AMI) and whether irisin may be a useful biomarker for severity of AMI in patients with STEMI. Possible correlations between serum irisin and cardiac troponin-I (cTi) levels were investigated.Methods: A total of 90 subjects (46 control subjects and 44 STEMI patients) were included in the study. Besides demographic data, presence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, electrocardiography (ECG) findings, blood biochemistry, cardiac biomarkers (cTi) and serum irisin levels were examined.Results: Significantly lower heart rate (HR) and significantly higher ST-elevation and QTc interval were detected in ECG recordings in STEMI patients (p < 0.05). Serum irisin levels were significantly lower in STEMI patients compared to the control subjects (p < 0.001). The decrease in the serum irisin levels was significantly correlated with the increase in cTi levels, as well as increased QTc (p < 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of irisin were found to be 93% and 78%, respectively.Conclusion: Decreased irisin levels were found to be highly predictive in STEMI. In patients with STEMI, the serum irisin levels were associated with cTi levels and QTc, suggesting that irisin is a promising biomarker for AMI cases.Keywords: myocardial infarction, cardiovascular diseases, irisin, troponin-I, QT interval, biomarker

The physiological heart rate of rodents is around 4-6 Hz, although a stimulus frequency of 1 Hz is generally used in isolated cardiomyocytes to study changes in the contraction-relaxation cycle in cardiac muscle physiology and pathophysiology. Our study investigated the contraction parameters in isolated cardiomyocytes at 1, 2 and 4 Hz stimulation, and the roles of ATP and protein kinase A (PKA) in the force-frequency relationship in isolated cardiomyocytes. The contraction of the cell and intracellular Ca2+ changes were recorded simultaneously during cell stimulation by applying pulses of 6-8 V amplitude with frequencies of 1, 2 and 4 Hz. The increase in stimulus frequency caused a significant decrease in the percentage of shortening, relaxation times, slowing of the relaxation rate, and a significant increase in diastolic Ca2+ levels, but had no effect on the contraction rate and Ca2+ transients. Administration of ATP and N6-benzoyladenosine-3'-5'-cyclic monophosphate (6-BNZ-cAMP) caused an increase in contraction amplitude and speed which were proportional to the stimulus frequency but had no effect on the relaxation times. The experimental results show that the force-stimulus frequency has a negative correlation in isolated myocytes and that energy metabolism and the β-adrenergic system may be responsible for this relationship.

The High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) era brings unprecedented computing challenges that call for novel approaches to reduce the amount of real and Monte Carlo-simulated data that is stored, while continuing to support the rich physics program of the ATLAS experiment. With the beginning of LHC Run 3, ATLAS introduced a new common data format, PHYS, that replaces most of the analysis-specific formats that were used in Run 2, and therefore reduces the disk storage significantly. ATLAS also launched the prototype of another common format, PHYSLITE, that is about a third of the size of PHYS. PHYSLITE will be the main format for ATLAS at the HL-LHC and aims to serve 80% of all physics analyses. To simplify analysis workloads and further reduce disk usage it is designed to largely replace user-defined analysis n-tuples and consequently contains pre-calibrated objects. Various forms of validations are in place to ensure correct functionality for users. Developments continue towards HL-LHC to improve the PHYSLITE format further.

The ATLAS experiment is preparing a major change in the conditions data infrastructure in view of LHC Run 4. In this paper we describe the ongoing changes in the database architecture which have been implemented for Run 3, and describe the motivations and the on-going developments for the deployment of a new system (called CREST for Conditions Representational State Transfer, as a reference to REST architectures). The main goal is to set up a parallel infrastructure for full scale testing before the end of Run 3.

Our aim was to compare the cytotoxic effects of tamoxifen and docetaxel, currently used in breast cancer treatment, and ukrain, which demonstrates antiproliferative properties on breast cancer cells.

The effectiveness of the Luer-Lok™ Access Device (LL) with the intravenous catheter (IVC) on sample rejections, which is used to prevent primarily hemolysis in the emergency department (ED), clinics, and intensive care units (ICU), was examined.

Flavell's theory of metacognition was innovative at the time for its promising practicality. However, research findings that report inconsistencies in metacognitive trainings' outcomes and insufficiencies of translating the theory into mainstream classrooms have accumulated since then. In this sense, there may be a need to revisit metacognition theory for its practicality and credentiality. From a phenomenological perspective, this paper first describes the fundamental tenant of theory; thinking, and whether metacognition theory recognizes the nature of thinking. To manage thinking, it should be stimulated first. In other words, a sensitivity towards a stimulus that is metacognitive responsiveness needs to be raised to initiate the attendance of higher order thinking. Thinking and metacognitive responsiveness pertain to personal relevance, attentiveness, interest, previous experiences, tools for thinking, features of tasks, and the nature of social interactions. Therefore, it is important to present the stimulus designed or adapted to initiate individuals' thinking or metacognitive responsiveness. In this paper, Flavell's theory of metacognition was revised to embrace metacognitive responsiveness explicitly, and it is highlighted that practical implications need to focus on materials to initiate metacognitive responsiveness.

Faculties of Fine Arts in Turkey train artists and designers by using the universal language of art, taking into account scientific, artistic and cultural developments, developing students' creativity and productivity. In addition to the problems encountered by fine arts students and artists, who have creative personality elements, during the performance of art and the application of methods and techniques available in the literature, the level of use of technology will directly affect their artistic performances and activities. The aim of this study is to examine the creative personality traits and internet usage status-purposes of university students studying in Fine Arts Faculties on a relational basis. The study, which was conducted in the relational survey model, included 205 students studying at the fine arts faculties. Creative personality traits scale and internet usage intentions questionnaire were used to collect the data of the study. According to the findings of the study, the creativity personality traits of the participants are at a high level. In addition, creative personality traits of the students show partial differences according to gender variable. According to another result of the study, it was seen that the students of the Faculty of Fine Arts use "Social networking sites", "Video sharing sites", "Photo sharing sites" applications at a high level. Again, the internet usage purposes of the participants differ according to the gender variable. Finally, significant relationships were found between the participants' creative personality traits and their internet usage purposes.

Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is the most dominant and robust object detection algorithm. It utilizes the Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) method for feature computation. HOG is applied with trilinear interpolation to gain performance improvement. This paper examines the effect of interpolation on the performance of SIFT on both OXFORD and HPatches datasets. The various algorithms of interpolation for HOG, and the spatial binning process algorithm, are presented here. The performance is evaluated with Intersection Over Union, Correct Match Percentage, as well as the execution time of the algorithms. Moreover, we used the multiplication of the Intersection Over Union and Correct Match Percentage to take advantage of both metrics. It was observed that the interpolation did not significantly affect the performance of the SIFT.

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) tagged with peptides are pioneers in bioengineered cancer therapy. The aim of the current work was to elucidate the potential anticancer interactions between doxorubicin and GNPs loaded with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). To investigate whether GNPs loaded with TNF and doxorubicin could stimulate autophagy and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Two human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and AMJ-13, as well as different apoptotic and autophagy markers, were used. In both cell types, treatment with TNF-loaded GNPs in conjunction with doxorubicin increased the production of apoptotic proteins including Bad, caspase-3, caspase-7, and p53 with upregulation of the LC3-II and Beclin1 proteins. In addition, the findings showed that the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway was dramatically affected by the GNPs loaded with TNF-α and combined with doxorubicin. This had the effect of decreasing p-AKT while simultaneously increasing p-JNK1/2. The findings demonstrated that GNPs loaded with TNF-α and combined with doxorubicin can induce both autophagy and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. These results suggest that TNF- and doxorubicin-loaded GNPs provide a therapeutic option as a nanomedicine to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer.

This study aimed to verify the enzymatic ethanol analysis method and compare the technique with headspace gas chromatography (HS/GC).

Jianmin Sun,1 Muddassar Sarfraz,2,3 Kausar Fiaz Khawaja,4 Ilknur Ozturk,5 Muhammad Ali Raza6 1School of Management, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Management, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Commerce & Business, Government College University Faisalabad, Layyah Campus, Layyah, Punjab, 31200, Pakistan; 4Faculty of Management Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan; 5Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Nisantasi University, Istanbul, 34485, Turkey; 6Department of Business Administration, National College of Business Administration and Economics, Multan Campus, Multan, 60000, PakistanCorrespondence: Muddassar Sarfraz, Email muddassar.sarfraz@gmail.comPurpose: This study aims to improve employees’ job performance during COVID-19 pandemic circumstances and demonstrates the impact of COVID-19 fear on hospitality employees’ job performance under the mediating role of job insecurity changes and job loss insecurity.Methods: The study adopts a quantitative approach, and data were accumulated through a structured questionnaire. In total, 509 valid questionnaires were received from employees working in Pakistan’s hospitality sector. A structural equation model using Smart-PLS software was used to analyze the collected data from the respondents.Results: The results have identified that COVID-19 fear has a positive and significant influence on job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, and a negative and significant relationship with job performance. The mediating relationship of job insecurity changes and job loss insecurity negatively significantly influence job performance. Additionally, results indicate a significant relationship between the moderating effect of the COVID-19 vaccines and job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, and job performance.Conclusion: The study revealed that employees who perceived their jobs to be insecure during the COVID-19 pandemic tried to cope with the situation, feel healthy, and perform well in their job after getting vaccinated. The study’s findings recommend modifying the employees’ working pattern for organizations. This study enhances the existing literature on the COVID-19 crisis in Pakistan’s hospitality industry. In particular, this study is a novel addition to academia that highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work performance of front desk employees in the hotel and tourism industry.Keywords: COVID-19 worry, job performance, job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, perception of COVID-19 vaccine, hospitality

Left ventricular thrombus is regarded as one of the main myocardial infarction complications. Knowing the left ventricular thrombus symptoms prevents serious complications that may occur. This study aims to reveal any association between SCUBE-1 and left ventricular thrombus, thought to be involved in platelet aggregation and adhesion.

Mushrooms are widely used in many cultures for nutritional and health benefits. The Lactarius species is found in the Aegean region of Turkey. Lactarius chrysorrheus Fr. is a wild mushroom that contains a milky juice. In this study, we investigated the in vitro cytotoxic potential and apoptotic effect of the polysaccharide extract prepared from L. chrysorrheus by water extraction and alcohol precipitation using the tetrazolium MTT dye assay, annexin V staining, wound healing and colony formation, and qRT-PCR. The molecular weights of three peaks observed in HPLC chromatograms were calculated as 1869.9, 3043.92 and 16821.47 Da. The extract exhibited cytotoxic activity at 72 h, with an IC50 value of 296.42 μg/mL in HepG2 and 444.43 μg/mL in PANC-1 cells; the extract that was tested on the normal HEK293 cell line exhibited no cytotoxicity. Further, L. chrysorrheus upregulated the expression of CASPASE 3 and CASPASE 9 while downregulating B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) and B-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL) genes, and inhibited cell migration and colony formation in HepG2 and PANC-1 cells. This study provides new insight into the use of the polysaccharide from L. chrysorrheus in the development of novel anticancer agents.

Background/Aim: Stabilization appliances have traditionally been used for the treatment of temporomandibular disorders and bruxism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two appliances (hard and soft) with different thicknesses on the electromyographic (EMG) activities of masseter and anterior temporalis muscles. Material and Methods: 30 healthy subjects have been divided into two groups of 15, according to the appliance material used (soft, hard). For each subject in both groups, two appliances have been prepared with 3 mm and 6 mm thickness. EMG recordings of bilateral masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were taken for each appliance. Results: The results showed that, the decrease in average EMG values during maximum voluntary clenching with a 3-mm and 6-mm-thick hard appliance was statistically significant compared with the average EMG of maximum voluntary clenching in the intercuspal position. The increase in average EMG values during maximum voluntary clenching with a soft appliance of 3 mm and 6 mm thickness was statistically significant. Conclusions: The hard stabilization appliances decrease the activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles, while the soft appliances increase the activity of the masseter and temporalis muscles.

Background: Amino acids have an important role in metabolism and may affect COVID-19-related outcomes. In our study, the amino acid serum level of hospitalized COVID19 patients was evaluated to determine a new treatment strategy. Methods: The amino acid profile covering 43 amino acids in 68 subjects, comprising 30 (14 men and 16 women) controls and 38 (16 men and 22 women) COVID-19 patients, were examined. The amino acid profiles of the participants were screened by LC-MS/MS. Results: Compared with the control group, serum levels of 27 amino acids increased in the patient group. Alpha-aminopimelic acid, sarcosine, and hydroxyproline amino acids were considerably higher in the control group than in the patient group (p

Objectives: Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenolic compound showing significant antioxidant effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol on the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and oxidative stress biomarkers in hearth ischemia-reperfusion (I/R).

Since it has become necessary for each individual to be statistically literate, statistical education research has taken teachers' competencies into its agenda. The knowledge needed to teach statistics differs from the knowledge needed to teach mathematics since statistics is different from mathematics. Teachers and researchers need to consider these differences and be aware of the challenges of statistics teaching. This article focuses on the nature of statistical knowledge for teaching (SKT). Models of conceptualizing and measuring SKT from research literature were reviewed critically. The strengths and weaknesses of models were discussed. The article concludes with some implications for teacher education and research.

Deucalione iodine is an essential mineral vital for the optimal function of the thyroid gland in human beings. Apart from being found in a variety of foods, it is a component of various medications, amiodarone and expectorants, iodine-based swabs used for skin cleaning before interventional and surgical procedures, and iodinated contrast media in medical settings. Jod-Basedow Phenomenon, also known as Jod-Basedow Syndrome or iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis, is a rare cause of thyrotoxicosis that characteristically refers to a paradoxical phenomenon in which large loads of exogenous iodine can cause hyperthyroidism. This phenomenon is mainly seen in populations already at risk for thyroid diseases, such as autoimmune thyroid diseases, prior thyroid surgical history, latent Graves' disease, and prior non-toxic diffuse or nodular goiter formation, or those with underlying kidney disease, such as chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disorders, which can impact iodine excretion. Typically, it is recognized in those with the administration of a large iodine load, dietary supplement, iodinated contrast media used in conjunction with computed tomography scans, angiography, and various other imaging studies, iodinated antiseptic solutions and oral supplements, or a medication, mainly amiodarone, class III antiarrhythmic drug used in the treatment of recurrent severe ventricular arrhythmias, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and maintenance of sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Prophylactic medical management of the phenomenon may include antithyroid drugs, methimazole, or perchlorate, to be considered for patients at risk for developing iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis that is scheduled for radio imaging modalities by using iodinated contrast media. Moreover, the preliminary management modality comprises cessation of iodine administration, avoiding further exposure, administration of beta-adrenergic antagonists, thionamides, corticosteroids, and rarely lithium. Prognosis is usually favorable, although a small percentage of cases could suffer permanent sequelae from iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis. Nevertheless, complications are remarkable including thyroid storm, permanent hyperthyroidism, atrial fibrillation, and fetal hypothyroidism with goiter development, in terms of ordering iodinated contrast media in pregnants. Jod-Basedow Phenomenon should not be overlooked and should be managed by an interprofessional healthcare team serving and officiating not only to treat it but also to concern themselves, actively in the relevant prophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment options for periprosthetic fractures (PPF) include internal fixation with plate, intramedullary nailing and revision arthroplasty. We aimed at evaluating the surgical outcomes of patients who we had treated PPF with locking compression plates (LCP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with PPF after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between 2009 and 2016 were included in to the study. Knee Society Knee Scoring System (KSKSS) was used in the evaluation of radiologic and functional outcomes. There were periprosthetic supracondylar femoral fractures in 15 patients, and that of tibial fractures in 5 patients. For internal fixation, locking compression plate was preferred. RESULTS: The mean age was 69 (range 61 to 78) years and the mean follow-up period was 72.25 (range 24 to 110) months. Union was achieved by 15.8 weeks in all the cases. Superficial infection and implant fracture were each seen in two patients. Revision operations were done to those patients with implant fracture. Mean KSKSS was 81.4 (75-87) and the mean functional score was 78.75 (75-85). Degenerative osteoarthritis patients were found to have higher age values than post-traumatic osteoarthritis patients (p = 0.001). When the union times were compared, it was found that the degenerative osteoarthritis patient group had a significantly shorter union than the post-traumatic osteoarthritis patient group (p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Internal fixation with LCP is an effective treatment method in managing of PPF for patients with good bone stock. Rigid fixation should be done with the right surgical technique and an early movement must be initiated so that a good function can be achieved.

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are conditions that require long-term management and review from infancy to adolescence. Surgical procedures become easier when nasoalveolar moulding (NAM) measures are applied during the neonatal period. Orthodontic treatment provided for these patients during the progressive dentition developmental periods can achieve positive aesthetic and functional results. In patients affected by a CLP, the lateral incisor in the cleft region is usually missing and multidisciplinary prosthodontic rehabilitation of the edentulous space is often required. In the present case report, positive results of NAM, coupled with orthodontic and prosthodontic treatment are presented for a CLP patient who began management during the neonatal period. In addition, a minimally invasive aesthetic restoration is presented as a solution for the prosthodontic rehabilitation of a missing lateral incisor.

Emine Sen,1 Ufuk Elgin,1 Osman Ozen,2 Fikriye Gozde Ozturk3 1University of Health Sciences, Ulucanlar Eye Education and Research Hospital, Glaucoma Department, Ankara, Turkey; 2University of Health Sciences, Ulucanlar Eye Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; 3Unye State Hospital, Ordu, TurkeyCorrespondence: Emine SenUniversity of Health Sciences, Ulucanlar Eye Education and Research Hospital, Kale Mahallesi, Ulucanlar Caddesi, No: 59, Altındağ, 06250, Ankara, TurkeyTel +90 505 2438124Fax +90 312 3124827Email eminesentr@yahoo.comObjective: To compare bleb morphology and tear tests of glaucoma patients who used trehalose and those who did not use after primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC) during the early post-operative period.Methods: This retrospective study included two groups: Group 1 using Trehalose + hyaluronic acid (THA) after primary trabeculectomy with MMC (n = 19) and Group 2 undergoing primary trabeculectomy with MMC (n = 16). The preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), the results of Schirmer, and tear break-up time tests were analyzed. Postoperative bleb morphology was also evaluated at the 1st day, and 1st and 2nd weeks, and 1st and 2nd months.Results: There was no statistically significant difference in preoperative IOP, Schirmer test or tear break-up time between groups. The mean horizontal extent of the blebs was significantly wider in Group 1 at the first week (p= 0.02). Bleb vascularization was also found to be lower in Group 1 at the second week (p= 0.001). The mean bleb height and horizontal extent were significantly higher in Group 1 at the first month (p=0.02, p= 0.03, respectively). The mean bleb horizontal extent was significantly higher in Group 1 at the second month (p= 0.03).Conclusion: The use of trehalose improved surgical success of primary trabeculectomy with MMC in terms of IOP control, post-operative complications, and bleb morphology during the early postoperative period. Trehalose might contribute to wound healing which led to an ideal bleb.Keywords: bleb morphology, glaucoma, Schirmer test, trabeculectomy, trehalose

Background: Inferior vena cava (IVC) ultrasound measurement is a reliable indicator used in the assessment of intravascular volume status. The aim of this study was to evaluate intravascular volume changes in pediatric patients by measuring the IVC diameter and collapsibility index (CI) in children whose oral feeding was restricted preoperatively. Material and Methods: From May 2018 to October 2018, a total of 55 pediatric patients who were scheduled for surgery were included in this prospective, observational, cohort study. Fasting and satiety IVC diameters and CIs of patients were determined by ultrasonographic evaluation twice: in the preoperative preliminary evaluation, when the patients were satiated, and before surgery, during a fasting period of 6–8 hours. Ultra-sonographic data were recorded and compared between fasting and satiety periods. Results: In the grey scale (B-mode), mean IVC diameter was significantly higher when the patients were satiated, compared to the measurements made just before surgery during the fasting period. In the M-mode, the mean IVC diameter was significantly higher only during the inspiratory phase when the patients were satiated, while during the expiratory phase it was detected to be statistically similar. Mean CI was significantly higher in the immediate preoperative period, compared to the assessment made when satiated. Conclusion: Preoperative ultrasound IVC diameter and CI measurement can be a practical and useful method for evaluating preoperative intravascular volume in children.

Introduction: To compare orthopaedic trauma cases treated surgically in our clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey with surgically-treated trauma cases in previous periods, and to discuss these in the light of literature. Materials and Methods: Patient data of 3 different periods were compared. Group 1 included cases in the time period 11 March - 30 May, when the hospital was operating as a pandemic hospital for the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. Group 2 included cases from the equivalent time period the year before the pandemic, thought to have similar patient characteristics, and Group 3 covered the time period immediately before 11 March when COVID-19 was known in the world but there had not been any cases diagnosed in Turkey. Operations were performed in our clinic because of orthopaedic trauma to 186 patients in Group 1, to 262 patients in Group 2, and to 261 patients in Group 3. Results: A decrease of 29% was observed in trauma cases during the pandemic. In Group 1, 62 of 186 patients were aged >65 years, and 43 of these (69%) had a hip fracture. In Group 2, 33 (58%) patients aged >65 years underwent surgery for hip fracture and in Group 3, 60 (75%) patients. The time from hospital admission to surgery was mean 3.76±3.55 days in Group 1, 3.18±3.08 days in Group 2, and 2.68±2.33 days in Group 3 (p=0.017). The number of cases of attempted suicides was 6, 3, 3, respectively in the three groups (p=0.184). 30-day mortality was determined in 5, 3, and 4 cases, respectively (p=0.460). Conclusions: A decrease in the number of trauma cases was observed during the pandemic. However, there was no such decrease in hip fractures in elderly patients despite the quarantine of those aged >65 years. The workforce of the clinic was divided up during the pandemic for the diagnosis and follow-up of COVID-19 cases and thus there was no reduction in the workload of orthopedists as trauma surgery continued at the rate of 71%. Therefore, it can be considered very important to apply strict regulations which will decrease the risk of the spread of infection, and implement a multidisciplinary work flow for the more rapid discharge of trauma patients.

Hulya Kasıkara,1 Nuran Sungu,2 Mustafa Arslan,3 Aysegul Kucuk,4 Levent Ozturk,5 Nigar Afandiyeva,6 Mustafa Kavutcu6 1Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; 2Medical Faculty, Department of Pathology, Yıldırım Bayazit University, Ankara, Turkey; 3Medical Faculty, Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey; 4Medical Faculty, Department of Physiology, Kutahya Health Sciences University, Kutahya, Turkey; 5Medical Faculty, Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Yıldırım Bayazit University, Ankara, Turkey; 6Medical Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Gazi University, Ankara, TurkeyCorrespondence: Mustafa ArslanMedical Faculty, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Gazi University, Ankara, 06510, TurkeyTel +90 312 202 6739Email mustarslan@gmail.comAim: Long-term ketamine use is known to create an interstitial cystitis-like problem in the bladder. It is known that long-term intermittent ketamine is applied to the children receiving radiotherapy for sedation. This study was planned to investigate whether this effect seen in the bladder causes similar changes in the kidneys, testicles, epididymis and ductus deferens.Materials and Methods: A total of 12 male Wistar Albino rats for 3 weeks were used in the study. Rats were divided equally into 2 groups as, ketamine and saline. 50 mg/kg ketamine was administered intraperitoneally during 21 days to ketamine (K) groups. 1mL/kg saline was administered intraperitoneally during 21 days to saline (S) groups. At the end of 21 days kidney and testicular tissues were taken for biochemical and histopathological evaluations.Results: Histological assessment of kidney tissue showed that tubule epithelial congestion increased significantly in the ketamine group. Epididymis congestion and distortion in the epididymal gland were found to be different in the ketamine group when testicular tissue was examined. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level in testicular and kidney tissue was found to be significantly higher in the ketamine group according to the saline group. Catalase (CAT) enzyme activity was significantly lower in the ketamine group compared to the saline group in both tissues. Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) enzyme activity was significantly higher in the ketamine group compared to the saline group.Conclusion: We think that the results we have achieved in this study will provide guidance on ketamine, which is repeated in daily anesthesia applications, especially in radiation oncology. But these findings should be supported by clinical and experimental studies that will be conducted in a more detailed and broad series.Keywords: ketamine, infant rat, testicular tissue, kidney, epididymis

Background: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4), a member of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family, transports, and regulates the activity of IGFs. The pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) has proteolytic activity towards IGFBP-4, and both proteins have been associated with a variety of cancers, including lung cancer. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the use of IGFBP-4 and PAPP-A as potential biomarkers for lung cancer. Methods: Eighty-three volunteers, including 60 patients with lung cancer and 23 healthy individuals, were included in this study. The patients with lung cancer were selected based on their treatment status, histological subgroup, and stage of the disease. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to assess the serum levels of IGFBP-4 and PAPPA, whereas the IGF-1 levels were measured using a chemiluminescent immunometric assay. Results: The serum IGFBP-4 levels in all patient groups, regardless of the treatment status and histological differences, were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.005). However, the serum PAPP-A levels in the untreated patient group were found to be higher than those in the control group, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.086). Conclusions: The serum PAPP-A and IGFBP-4 levels are elevated in lung cancer. However, IGFBP-4 may have better potential than PAPP-A as a lung cancer biomarker.

This study presents the energy, exergy, sustainability and exergoeconomic analysis of a grid-connected solar power plant with a power capacity of 226.4 MWe with a single axis solar tracking system consisting of monocrystalline and bifacial solar panels manufactured with half-cut technology. This solar power plant is located in Karapınar district of Konya province in Türkiye, between 37°45 and 37°47 north latitudes and 33°33 and 33°35 east longitudes. Based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics, the 6-month average values of the energy efficiency, maximum electrical efficiency, power conversion efficiency, exergy efficiency, sustainability index, thermoeconomic, and exergoeconomic parameters of the power plant were evaluated in detail. As a result of the energy and exergy analyses, the energy efficiency, maximum electricity efficiency, power conversion efficiency, and exergy efficiency of the plant were found to be 75.50%, 36.42%, 22.34%, and 21.98%, respectively. The sustainability index of the power plant is 1.29. Thermoeconomic and exergoeconomic parameter values were calculated as 2.43 W/$ and 2.32 W/$, respectively, using EXCEM method.

Seismic surface waves with low frequencies results in higher effects. The aim of the utilization of seismic metamaterials is to prevent or minimize the effects of this waves particularly wide frequency ranges. This study presents the investigation of the reducing effects of seismic metamaterials composed of circular array concrete piles on surface waves. The investigation of circular array concrete piles has been carried out numerically between 5-15 Hz. The effectiveness of the periodic structure has been observed numerically for fields including metamaterials by comparing empty field. The observations have been depicted according to transmission losses for two cases by using finite element method (FEM) simulations. The wave propagation also presented at the related frequencies where the transmission losses seen. Effective dimensions of radius and length of the structures have been obtained by using parametric approach. It has been proved numerically that the suggested concrete piles reduces the hazardous effects of surface waves.

In this paper, we define boundary of neutrosophic soft set, neutrosophic soft dense set, neutrosophic soft basis and neutrosophic soft subspace topology on neutrosophic soft topological spaces. Furthermore, some important theorems are proved and interesting examples are given.

Elif Nur Yilmaz,1,2 Sadik Bay,1 Gurkan Ozturk,1,3 Mehmet Hikmet Ucisik1,4 1Regenerative and Restorative Medicine Research Center (REMER), Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technologies (SABITA), Istanbul Medipol University, Beykoz, Istanbul, Turkey; 2Graduate School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Beykoz, Istanbul, Turkey; 3Department of Physiology, International School of Medicine, Istanbul Medipol University, Beykoz, Istanbul, Turkey; 4Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Beykoz, Istanbul, TurkeyCorrespondence: Mehmet Hikmet UcisikDepartment of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, 34755 Istanbul TurkeyTel +90 216 578 0000 - 3259Fax +90 216 578 0829Email m.h.ucisik@gmail.comPurpose: Curcumin, a polyphenol isolated from the rhizomes of turmeric, holds great potential as a neuroprotective agent in addition to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. The poor bioavailability and low stability of curcumin are the greatest barriers to its clinical use. This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effect of curcumin on axonal injury, by delivering the lipophilic polyphenol to a primary hippocampal neuron culture by means of a lipid-based drug delivery system, named emulsomes.Methods: To study neuroregeneration ex vivo, an injury model was established through single-cell laser axotomy on hippocampal neurites. Upon treatment with curcumin-loaded emulsomes (CurcuEmulsomes), curcumin and CurcuEmulsome uptake into neurons was verified by three-dimensional Z-stack images acquired with confocal microscopy. Neuron survival after axonal injury was tracked by propidium iodide (PI) and Hoechst staining. Alterations in expression levels of physiological markers, such as anti-apoptotic marker Bcl2, apoptotic marker cleaved caspase 3, neuroprotective marker Wnt3a and the neuronal survival marker mTOR, were investigated by immunocytochemistry analyses.Results: The results indicated significant improvement in the survival rate of injured neurons upon CurcuEmulsome treatment. Bcl2 expression was significantly higher for injured neurons treated with curcumin or CurcuEmulsome. Reduction in caspase 3 expression was seen in both curcumin and CurcuEmulsome treatment, whereas there were no significant changes in Wnt3a and mTOR expression.Conclusion: The established laser-axotomy model was proven as a reliable methodology to study neurodegenerative models ex vivo. CurcuEmulsomes delivered curcumin to primary hippocampal neurons successfully. Treated with CurcuEmulsomes, injured hippocampal neurons benefit from the neuroprotective effects of curcumin, exhibiting a higher survival rate and increased anti-apoptotic marker levels.Keywords: curcumin, lipid-based nanodrug delivery, neurodegeneration, hippocampus, axon injury

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions urgently requires the large-scale deployment of carbon-capture technologies. These technologies must separate CO2 from various sources and deliver it to different sinks1,2. The quest for optimal solutions for specific source-sink pairs is a complex, multi-objective challenge involving multiple stakeholders and depends on social, economic and regional contexts. Currently, research follows a sequential approach: chemists focus on materials design3 and engineers on optimizing processes4,5, which are then operated at a scale that impacts the economy and the environment. Assessing these impacts, such as the greenhouse gas emissions over the plant's lifetime, is typically one of the final steps6. Here we introduce the PrISMa (Process-Informed design of tailor-made Sorbent Materials) platform, which integrates materials, process design, techno-economics and life-cycle assessment. We compare more than 60 case studies capturing CO2 from various sources in 5 global regions using different technologies. The platform simultaneously informs various stakeholders about the cost-effectiveness of technologies, process configurations and locations, reveals the molecular characteristics of the top-performing sorbents, and provides insights on environmental impacts, co-benefits and trade-offs. By uniting stakeholders at an early research stage, PrISMa accelerates carbon-capture technology development during this critical period as we aim for a net-zero world.

Single-gene missense mutations remain challenging to interpret. Here, we deploy scalable functional screening by sequencing (SEUSS), a Perturb-seq method, to generate mutations at protein interfaces of RUNX1 and quantify their effect on activities of downstream cellular programs. We evaluate single-cell RNA profiles of 115 mutations in myelogenous leukemia cells and categorize them into three functionally distinct groups, wild-type (WT)-like, loss-of-function (LoF)-like, and hypomorphic, that we validate in orthogonal assays. LoF-like variants dominate the DNA-binding site and are recurrent in cancer; however, recurrence alone does not predict functional impact. Hypomorphic variants share characteristics with LoF-like but favor protein interactions, promoting gene expression indicative of nerve growth factor (NGF) response and cytokine recruitment of neutrophils. Accessible DNA near differentially expressed genes frequently contains RUNX1-binding motifs. Finally, we reclassify 16 variants of uncertain significance and train a classifier to predict 103 more. Our work demonstrates the potential of targeting protein interactions to better define the landscape of phenotypes reachable by missense mutations.