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Polylactic acid/Polycarbonate (PLA/PC) blend was prepared via twin screw extruder by taking the bio-based content as much as possible and the better mechanical, thermal, and impact properties into consideration. Flame retardant (FR) performance of the PLA/PC blend was improved by using the mixture of ammonium polyphosphate, triphenyl phosphate, and zinc borate. FR properties of PLA/PC blend was evaluated according to the UL 94 test standard. The variations in tensile and flexural strength, and Izod-notched impact strength values were determined. In order to reduce the total amount of flame retardant additive, instead of using a mixture of TPP and APP (weight ratio of 2/1) at 21 wt% weight fraction, 1 wt% Zinc borate together with 18 wt% TPP-APP mixture was used and obtained V0 rating for the thickness of 1.5 mm. It was reported that weight fraction of flame retardant additives (APP and TPP) was successfully reduced by using a mixture of APP, TPP and ZnB without degrading the mechanical properties such as tensile and flexural strengths. Using less total FR additive weight (19 wt%) led to 15 and 24% higher tensile and flexural strength values, respectively, compared to higher FR additive weight (21 wt%).

Introduction: Surgical treatments for people living with epilepsy have the potential to provide patients with an opportunity to achieve relief from seizures, thus improving their quality of life, but they are not free of complications. The psychiatric consequences are a significant concern because of the potential risks; however, psychotic illnesses have not received adequate research compared to anxiety and depression. Objectives: To better identify the psychiatric side effects that can develop following epilepsy surgery, especially psychosis, and to take preventive measures to mitigate its occurrence. Methods: Presentation of a patient's case and reviewing existing literature regarding de novo psychosis following epileptic surgery. Results: The case of interest is a 31-year-old male patient who, or his relatives, has had no history of psychiatric disorders. From age 21, the patient had focal to bilateral seizures, which were preceded by olfactory auras and could occur up to 4-5 times a week and was then diagnosed with epilepsy. In June 2021, the patient underwent a right anterior temporal lobectomy for his medically resistant seizures after a presurgical evaluation and had a notable decrease in the number of seizures, occurring only during periods of sleep every six months. In the fourth month following the operation, the patient began experiencing auditory hallucinations characterized by negative and judgmental voices. After that, he engaged in an aggressive act by holding a knife and assaulting another person in a public area. He was admitted to an inpatient psychiatry service for 12 days with a diagnosis of a psychotic episode. His symptoms significantly improved, and he was discharged with paliperidone 6 mg/daily treatment. After five months, he discontinued the medication, subsequently experiencing a recurrence of auditory hallucinations and aggression. The patient was admitted to the inpatient psychiatric clinic in June 2022 as a result of experiencing paranoid delusions and engaging in a suicide attempt by self-inflicted wrist laceration using a razor blade, which was consistent with the patient's delusional beliefs. Following 13 days of hospitalization, he was discharged with amisulpride 800 mg/daily in addition to his antiepileptic treatment. After 15 months of discharge, he showed no signs of active psychotic features, and his functioning was moderate to good. Conclusions: Current research and reporting of psychiatric outcomes are limited, and the predictive factors and prognosis of psychiatric symptoms in these patients remain obscure. Long-term follow-up is crucial, especially considering the possibility of psychiatric symptoms developing in the months following surgery, as demonstrated by the current case. In addition, preoperative and postoperative assessments may facilitate the management of psychiatric symptoms. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ground wastes of Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) fiber (GWN), which contains cellulose of 52.2 wt%, hemicellulose of 28.9 wt%, and lignin of 18.9 wt%, filled polypropylene (PP) composites were fabricated by using a high-speed kinetic mixer. The effect of filling GWN into PP at different weight fractions on density, crystallization behavior, coefficient of thermal expansion, and thermal stability was investigated. In addition, tensile and flexural tests were performed to determine how the mechanical properties of PP were affected. Morphological observations were conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The flexural strength values of PP increased by 10%, 15%, and 31% with the addition of 7 wt%, 14 wt%, and 21 wt% GWN, respectively. However tensile strength value of PP decreased slightly with the addition of GWN. 21 wt% GWN addition into PP led to a considerable decrease (about 29%) in the thermal expansion coefficient of PP. The degree of crystallinity of PP was not affected by the addition of GWN.

Bu çalışmada, büyük oranda selüloz lifler ile inorganik katkılar (kalsit ve kil mineralleri) içeren kağıt üretim atıkları, farklı oranlarda (ağırlıkça %10-60) yüksek yoğunluklu polietilen (YYPE) kompozit üretiminde kullanılarak kağıt üretim atığı katkısının mekanik özellikler üzerindeki etkisi incelenmiştir. Kompozitler yüksek hızlı termo-kinetik mikseri ve kalıplama prosesi kullanılarak üretilmiştir. Üretilen kompozitlerin mekanik özellikleri standart test metotları kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçlara göre, kompozitlerin eğilme modül değerlerinin artan katkı oranıyla arttığı görülmüştür. Özellikle, eğilme dayanımının ağırlıkça %40 katkı içeren kompozitte %26.3 oranında arttığı ortaya konmuştur. Kağıt atık katkılı YYPE kompozitlerin çekme dayanımı YYPE matris ile kıyaslandığında %10-20 oranında artış görülmüştür. Sonuç olarak, sunulan çalışmada kağıt üretim atık katkıları hiçbir modifikasyon ajanı kullanılmadan kompozitlerin üretimi gerçekleştirilmiş ve buna rağmen kompozitlerin mekanik özelliklerinde gelişme sağlanmıştır. Bu sayede, endüstriyel atık olarak ekonomik bir değeri olmayan kağıt üretim atığı polimer kompozit yapı içerisinde kullanılarak iyi mekanik özelliklere sahip kompozitler üretilmiştir.

Background: True alarm rate of the Code Blue cases is at a low level in the Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital in İzmir. This study aims to analyse the use of the Code Blue alarm cases in the children's hospital., Methods: This retrospective clinical study evaluated the age and the gender of the cases, the arriving time of the Code Blue team, the date and time of the Code Blue Call, the reasons of the Code Blue Call, and the verification which were all obtained from the Code Blue forms of the hospital dated between January 2014 and January 2015. The data of 139 Code Blue cases' forms were investigated and was divided into two groups: before and after the education containing 88 and 51 cases, respectively., Results: Conversive disorder (26% to 13%, P<0.01), syncope (21.5% to 19.6%, P<0.01), convulsion (17% to 13.7%, P<0.01), hypoglycemia (4.5% to 3.9%, P<0.01), anxiety (4.5% to 1.9%, P<0.01), head trauma due to syncope (4.5% to 0%), cardiac arrest (1.1% to 0%), respiratory difficulties (2.2% to 1.9%, P<0.01), suspicion of myocardial infarction (2.2% to 1.9%, P<0.01), fall from stairs (2.2% to 0%) and agitation cases (1.1% to 0%) were reduced, however, the hypertension cases were dramatically increased (3.4% to 29.4%, P<0.01) owing to the hospital staff's education. The Pearson's correlation coefficient before and after education was 0.837. About 97.8% of the Code Blue cases were false calls with female greater than male (P<0.01)., Conclusion: The results of this study show that more education is required for the hospital's staff and a new color code that is to say pre-diagnosis team should be formed.

Background: Inhalation of crystalline silica nanoparticles causes pulmonary damage resulting in progressive lung fibrosis. Currently, there is no effective treatment for silicosis. Tamoxifen citrate is a selective estrogen receptor modulator, which is one of the adjuvant treatment choices for breast cancer. It is also known with its inhibitory effect on the production of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and studied for the anti-fibrotic effect in some fibrotic diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of tamoxifen citrate on the prevention of pulmonary fibrosis and the treatment of silicosis., Methods: A total of 100 adult female Wistar Albino rats (200-250 g) were used in this study. The rats were divided into five groups including 20 rats in each. Rats were exposed to silica for 84 d in all groups. In group 1, rats were sacrificed on the day 84 without receiving treatment. In group 2, rats received 1 mg/kg tamoxifen (tmx1 + 1), from the first day of the study for the whole 114 d of the study. In group 3, (tmx10 + 10) rats were given 10 mg/kg tamoxifen from the first day of the study for the whole 114 d of the study. In group 4 (tmx1), rats were started 1 mg/kg of tamoxifen on day 84 and were given until day 114. In group 5 (tmx10), rats were fed with 10 mg/kg tamoxifen starting from day 84 to day 114. All rats except group 1 were sacrificed on 114 day of the study. Lung inflammation and fibrosis scores, serum TGF β levels, lung smooth muscle antigen and tissue transforming growth factor β (t-TGF-β) antibody staining levels, and number of silicotic rats were compared between groups., Results: Silicosis was caused successfully in all rats in group 1. There were six silicotic rats in group 3 and it was the lowest number of all groups. Plasma TGF-ß levels and fibrosis score were significantly lower in all groups when compared with the control group. Tamoxifen could have preventive or treating effects in silicosis and found that lung fibrosis score was significantly lower in rats treated with tamoxifen., Conclusions: Tamoxifen treatment after and/or before induction of silicosis decreased lung fibrosis score with blood TGF-β levels. We hope that this study may introduce a new indication as prophylactic use of tamoxifen in high-risk groups for silicosis and for treatment of silicosis., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)