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The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between serum TLR (Toll Like Receptor) 4, 9 and Resolvin E1 levels and primary sarcopenia in geriatric patients and to compare the diagnostic accuracy of these biomarkers with the SARC-F score. A total of 88 patients aged 65 years and older were evaluated in the study. Comorbidities and geriatric syndromes were identified and patients with secondary sarcopenia were excluded. EWGSOP2 criteria were used as diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia and SARC-F questionnaire was used to find individuals at risk for sarcopenia. Serum TLR 4, 9 and Resolvin E1 levels were analyzed by ELISA. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age and gender (p = 0.654 and p = 1.000, respectively). SARC-F, serum TLR 9 and Resolvin E1 were significantly higher in the sarcopenia group compared to the non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p = 0.040, respectively). Statistically significant parameters were evaluated by multiple regression analysis. TLR 9 and SARC-F score were both found to be associated with sarcopenia in multivariate logistic regression analysis [Odds ratio (OR) 3145, (95%) confidence interval (CI) 5.9–1,652,888.3, p = 0.012; OR 4.788, (95%) CI 2.148–10.672, p < 0.001, respectively]. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for TLR 9 and SARC-F was 0.896 (p < 0.001) and 0.943 (p < 0.001), respectively. Although this study supports the use of the SARC-F questionnaire in daily practice, serum TLR 9 levels may be an alternative to SARC-F in cases where SARC-F is not feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of the present study was to evaluate morphine consumption and pain scores 24 h postoperatively to compare the effects of a bilateral External Oblique Intercostal (EOI) block with those of a Modified Thoracoabdominal Nerve Block Trough Perichondrial Approach (M-TAPA) block in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Methods: Fifty-eight patients aged between 18 and 65 years of with American Society of Anesthesiologists class II–III were included in this randomized, double-blinded study. Patients were assigned into two groups either EOI block or M-TAPA block. The primary outcome was cumulative morphine consumption within the first postoperative 24 h. Secondary outcomes were numerical rating scale (NRS) scores at rest and during activity, QoR-15 Patient Questionnaire scores, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), number of patients requiring rescue analgesic and antiemetics drugs, and complications. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of morphine consumption in the first 24 h (EOI block; 10.74 ± 3.94 mg vs. M-TAPA block; 11.67 ± 4.66 mg, respectively). In addition, no significant difference between the two groups in the NRS and PONV scores, total QoR-15 scores, and the number of patients requiring rescue analgesics and antiemetics. Conclusions: EOI block and M-TAPA block showed similar effectiveness for morphine consumption within 24 h postoperatively and in pain scores in LSG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A resonantly excited atomic optical dipole simultaneously generates propagating (far) and evanescent (near) electromagnetic fields. The near-field component diverges in the limit of decreasing distance, indicating an optical antenna with the potential for enormous near-field intensity enhancement. In principle, any atomic optical dipole in a solid can serve as an optical antenna; however, most of them suffer from environmentally induced decoherence that largely mitigates field enhancement. Here we demonstrate that germanium vacancy centres in diamond—optically coherent atom-like dipoles in a solid—are exemplary antennas. We measure up to million-fold optical intensity enhancement in the near-field of resonantly excited germanium vacancies. In addition to the rich applications already developed for conventional nanoantennas, atomic antennas in the solid state promise to yield interesting new applications in spectroscopy, sensing and quantum science. As one concrete example, we use germanium vacancy antennas to detect and control the charge state of nearby carbon vacancies and generate measurable fluorescence from individual vacancies through Förster resonance energy transfer. Researchers show that atom-like dipoles based on germanium vacancy centres in diamond may be useful as antennas, exhibiting million-fold near-field optical intensity enhancement. These antennas are used to detect and control the charge state of nearby carbon vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Social media has become prominent in recent years, especially among the young population, and they also substantially impact young people's eating habits. Furthermore, social media posts and visual interactions may trigger hedonic hunger, an increased desire for highly palatable food. This study aimed to explore the relationship between social media use and the concept of hedonic hunger in a sample of college students. 860 participants between 18 and 39 were recruited for the study. Data including demographic variables, weight, height, the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behavior (SESMEB), and the Turkish version of the Power of Food Scale (PFS) were gathered based on students' self-reports via face-to-face interviews. The most used social media outlet among all students was Instagram (60.1%), the average time spent on social media was 3.56 ± 1.91 h, and females spent significantly more time on social media than males (p < 0.001). The mean PFS score was 3.52 ± 0.77, and the subscale scores for food availability, food present, and food tasted were 3.26 ± 0.99, 3.49 ± 0.89, and 3.76 ± 0.87, respectively. Female students who spent more than 2 h on social media had higher scores on SESMEB than those who spent 2 h or less a day (p = 0.015).​ A significantly positive correlation was found between SESMEB scores and PFS aggregated scores (r = 0.381) and subscale scores (for food availability, present, and tasted, r = 0.369; r = 0.354; and r = 0.282, respectively). Each 1-unit increase in the SESMEB score leads to an 8% increase in the risk of hedonic hunger. Considering the impact of social media on young people's eating habits and developing strategies may be crucial in shaping their eating patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-channel Electroencephalogram (EEG) based emotion recognition is focused on several analysis of frequency bands of the acquired signals. In this paper, spectral properties appeared on five EEG bands (δ , θ , α , β , γ ) and gated transformer network (GTN) based emotion recognition using EEG signal are proposed. Spectral energies and differential entropies of 62-channel signals are converted to 3D (sequence-channel-trial) form to feed the GTN. The GTN with enhanced gated two tower based transformer architecture is fed by 3D sequences extracted from SEED and SEED-IV emotional datasets. 15 participants' states in session 1–3 are evaluated using the proposed GTN based sequence classification, and the results are repeated by 3 × shuffling. Totally, 135 times training and testing are performed on each dataset, and the results are presented. The proposed GTN model achieves mean accuracy rates of 98.82% on the SEED dataset and 96.77% on the SEED-IV dataset for three and four emotional state recognition tasks, respectively. The proposed emotion recognition model can be employed as a promising approach for EEG emotion recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change affects the comfort level of tourists visiting coastal areas. Researching these impacts is important for a more comprehensive understanding of climate change and for developing effective adaptation solutions. Considering this fact, the study derived the Holiday Climate Index (HCI: Coast, HCI: Urban, and HCI: Combined) in the Mediterranean coastal provinces of Türkiye from 1976 to 2020. Utilizing the derived indices, the effects of climate-related holiday comfort on the number of tourist arrivals as well as on overnight stays between 1976 and 2020 were examined by panel data analysis. The study examined how comfort patterns could change during the period 2026–2050 under the pessimistic RCP8.5 scenario. It was detected that the comfort level significantly and positively affects the number of arrivals and overnight stays of tourists. Besides, comfort levels were found to deteriorate in the period 2026–2050 compared to the reference period, 1976–2020. As the comfort conditions get worse, the number of tourist arrivals and overnight stays is expected to decline in the future. It is envisaged that the results of the study can be useful for tourists, tourism professionals, operators, other stakeholders, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: 17α Hydroxylase/17,20 lyase deficiency (17OHD) is a rare form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, typically diagnosed in late adolescence with symptoms of pubertal delay and hypertension. This study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of 17OHD cases and gather data on disease management. Methods: Data from 97 nationwide cases were analyzed using the CEDD-NET web system. Diagnostic, follow-up findings, and final heights of patients were evaluated. Results: Mean age at admission was 13.54 ± 4.71 years, with delayed puberty as the most common complaint. Hypertension was detected in 65% at presentation; hypokalemia was present in 34%. Genetic analysis revealed Exon 1–6 homozygous deletion as the most frequent mutation, identified in 42 cases. Hydrocortisone replacement was universal; pubertal replacement was administered to 66 cases. Antihypertensive treatment was required in 57 (90%) patients. Thirty-seven cases reached final height, with an average SD of 0.015 in 46,XX and −1.43 in 46,XY. Thelarche and pubarche did not develop properly in some cases despite estradiol treatment. Conclusion: This study represents the largest cohort of pediatric cases of 17-hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD) documented in the literature. Hypertension and hypokalemia can serve as guiding indicators for early diagnosis.The final height is typically considered to be normal. The relationship between genotype and phenotype remains elusive. The initial genetic test for exon 1–6 deletions may be MLPA in our region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphodelus-based CQDs were successfully synthesized in a single step by the hydrothermal synthesis method for detection of β-carotene. TEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, Zeta potential, UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence measurements were taken to structurally and optically characterize the newly synthesized CQDs. It was determined that the characterized CQDs show high selectivity and sensitivity only to β-carotene among 11 different biomolecules. The detection limit of CQDs for β-carotene was calculated as 8.28 µM. It was determined that the new CQDs respond very quickly and stably without interfering with any other biomolecules. The studies in different pH environments exhibited that CQDs can detect β-carotene at all pH studied. Real sample experiments show that β-carotene can be determined accurately and reliably in practical applications with the novel CQDs. It was thought that the results obtained from this study will make significant contributions to the studies on β-carotene detection, which are limited in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory systemic disorder of synovial joints and results in polyarthritis, chronical degeneration, and finally deformities and ankylosis in severe cases. Synovitis and pannus formation are results of inflammatory changes and lead into restriction in joint movement. Shoulders are among the later affected and larger joints and formation of synovitis in early active stages and pannus in later stages might be concluded with frozen shoulder and severe impairment in functionality. These late-term changes cannot be controlled with systemic or local anti-inflammatory agents and synovectomy is chosen in some cases. However, the results are not satisfactory and recurrence is common. In this case report, we presented a case of RA with severe shoulder pain, restricted movement due to synovial hypertrophy, and pannus formation which are resistant to local and systemic interventions and not suitable for surgical or chemical synovectomy. Microwave ablation (MWA) was performed successfully without any complication and she well responded in terms of DAS-28, functional, and pain scores. Range of motion and funcitonal restriction were recovered. This case report describes the use and promising results of MWA in RA with severe synovial hypertrophy and pannus formation even in the absence of active arthritis and effusion. MWA is a safe and minimally invasive technique that can be easily performed in coordinance of rheumatologists and interventional radiologists in proper cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bearings are vital components in rotating machinery. Undetected bearing faults may result not only in financial loss, but also in the loss of lives. Hence, there exists an abundance of studies working on the early detection of bearing faults. The rising use of deep learning in recent years increased the number of imaging types/neural network architectures used for bearing fault classification, making it challenging to choose the most suitable 2-D imaging method and neural network. This study aims to address this challenge, by sharing the results of the training of eighteen imaging methods with four different networks using the same vibration data and training metrics. To further strengthen the results, the validation dataset size was taken as five times the training dataset size. The best results obtained is 99.89% accuracy by using Scattergram Filter Bank 1 as the image input, and ResNet-50 as the network for training. Prior to our work, Scattergram images have never been used for bearing fault classification. Ten out of 72 methods used in this work resulted in accuracies higher than 99.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sleep disturbances are being increasingly recognized in association with autoimmune encephalitis (AIE). We investigated the prevalence of sleep-related symptoms and polysomnographic features of patients with AIE and the long-term outcomes in these patients in a multi-center, prospective study from Turkey. Methods: We prospectively evaluated patients with definite AIE in a common database including demographics, AIE-related and sleep-related symptomatology. Maximum and latest modified Rankin scores (mRS) and Liverpool Outcome Score (LOS) were noted. Results: Of 142 patients, 87 patients (61.3%) fulfilled the criteria for definite AIE (mean age, 46.8+18.8 years; 51.7% women; mean disease duration, 21.0+38.4 months). 78.9% of patients had at least one or more new onset or worsened sleep-related symptomatology: insomnia (55.3%), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS, 28.0%), sleep apnea (18.7%), REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD, 17.3%), restless legs syndrome (10.7%) and oneiric stupor (9.3%). Sleep efficiency, N3 and REM sleep were decreased and N1 sleep was increased in patients with Ab[+] AIE. LOS points were highest in those with insomnia and sleep apnea, and lowest in those with EDS, RBD and oneiric stupor. RBD and sleep apnea were more common in anti-LG1 Ab[+] group than anti-NMDAR Ab[+] group. Index of periodic leg movements was highest in anti-LG1 Ab[+] group. Patients with EDS and oneiric stupor had more common memory problems. Maximum and latest mRS scores were positively correlated with EDS and oneiric stupor. EDS, RBD and oneiric stupor were negatively correlated with LOS points. Conclusion: Our study emphasizes the presence and importance of early diagnosis of sleep disturbances in AIE in regard to their deteriorative influences on disease prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) characterized by skin manifestations and muscle involvement. Spontaneous intramuscular hemorrhage (SIH) is a fatal complication that is very rare in the course of DM, but not well known to rheumatologists. Our aim was to determine the frequency and possible risk factors of DM-related SIH. A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of DM patients who were observed in the rheumatology department of the university hospital between 1998 and January 2024. The clinical, laboratory, radiological data of the patients and the treatments they received during the follow-up were analyzed. To determine possible risk factors for the development of SIH in the course of DM, our patients with DM were analyzed together with other rare SIH cases in the literature. The study included 42 of our DM patients. 32 of the patients (76.2%) were female. The median age of the patients was 53 (24–82) years, the median age of DM diagnosis of the patients was 47 (18–75) years, and the median duration of DM of the patients was 36 (2-276) months. 7.1% of patients had dysphagia, and 16.7% had intertitial lung disease (ILD). 5 (11.9%) patients were diagnosed with malignancy. The incidence rate of SIH development in our DM cohort was 0.238/100 patient years (95% CI 0.006–1.256). We tried to identify independent risk factors for SIH development by comparing our 41 DM patients without SIH with the data of patients with 23 DM-related SIH collected from the literature by adding our 1 patient (24 pts). Male sex (OR 4.97, 95% CI 1.66–14.92, p = 0.003), ILD presence (OR 9.71, 95% CI 2.99–31.47, p < 0.001), anti-MDA5 positivity (OR 16.0, 95% CI 1.60-159.3, p = 0.006), anti-Ro52 positivity (OR 11.6, 95% CI 2.93–46.34, p < 0.001), heparin use (OR 4.42, 95% CI 2.68–7.24, p < 0.001), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) use (OR 11.7, 95% CI 2.26–60.54, p < 0.001), and steroid dose (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.05, p = 0.005) were identified as risk factors for the development of SIH in the univariate analysis. The death rate due to hemorrhage was 50%. No single risk factor was found to be associated with death. As a result, SIH may occasionally arise in patients with DM. Rheumatologists should be aware that patients with dysphagia and/or ILD, who are on heparin, getting high doses of steroids, and test positive for anti-MDA5 and/or anti-Ro52 antibodies may develop SIH in the early stages of DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses machining challenges in hybrid additive manufacturing, specifically focusing on laser metal deposition on wire arc additively manufactured substrates. Under identical conditions of laser metal deposition, we identify significant differences in machinability between wire arc additively manufactured and cold-rolled substrates. Hybrid laser-wire deposition, particularly IN718 on wire arc additively manufactured steel substrate, exhibits increased cutting forces, elevated surface roughness, heightened tool wear, tool breakage, and chatter during machining attributed to increased hardness along the build direction, influenced by substrate type and thermal conductivities. To mitigate these challenges, we propose a novel heat-assisted minimum quantity lubrication (air + oil aerosol) approach. Pre-heating the material and applying minimal lubrication during machining reduces cutting forces by ~ 26%, surface roughness by ~ 60%, and tool wear by ~ 67% compared to dry machining, due to increased temperature ductility of IN718, and enhanced cooling caused by minimum quantity lubrication. These findings underscore the effectiveness of pre-heating in improving machining outcomes across diverse process parameters. Highlights: Explored additive-subtractive challenges in hybrid laser metal deposition of IN718 Significantly altered machinability of HLMDed IN718 compared to LMDed counterpart Heat-assisted machining significantly enhances HLMDed IN718 machinability Substrate proximity affects machinability leading to higher forces and variability Machining outputs less sensitive to deposition conditions in heat-assisted machining [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the association between anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed to evaluate AMH levels in 68 premenopausal women diagnosed with OSA at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Faculty of Medicine. OSA severity was scored according to the 2018 AASM guidelines using a 16-channel Embla device. AMH levels were measured from blood samples using a commercially available kit. Results: The study found that AMH levels in OSA patients were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group. A statistically significant negative correlation between AMH and AHI levels was observed. When stratified by OSA severity, the lowest AMH levels were found in the severe OSA group. Conclusion: OSA may have potential endocrine implications, especially concerning reproductive health. Decreased AMH levels in OSA patients could indicate future risks of infertility or early menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate cancer incidence in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), compare it with the age/sex-specific cancer risk of the Turkish population, and explore independent risk factors associated with cancer. This multicenter, incidence case–control study was conducted using the TRVaS registry. AAV patients without cancer history before AAV diagnosis were included. Demographic and AAV-related data of patients with and without an incident cancer were compared. Standardized cancer incidence rates were calculated using age-/sex-specific 2017 Turkish National Cancer Registry data for cancers (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). Cox regression was performed to find factors related to incident cancers in AAV patients. Of 461 AAV patients (236 [51.2%] male), 19 had incident cancers after 2022.8 patient-years follow-up. Median (IQR) disease duration was 3.4 (5.5) years, and 58 (12.6%) patients died [7 with cancer and one without cancer (log-rank, p = 0.04)]. Cancer-diagnosed patients were older, mostly male, and more likely to have anti-PR3-ANCA positivity. The cumulative cyclophosphamide dose was similar in patients with and without cancer. Overall cancer risk in AAV was 2.1 (SIR) ((1.3–3.2), p = 0.004); lung and head-neck [primary target sites for AAV] cancers were the most common. In Cox regression, male sex and ≥ 60 years of age at AAV diagnosis were associated with increased cancer risk, while receiving rituximab was associated with decreased cancer risk. Cancer risk was 2.1 times higher in AAV patients than the age-/sex-specific cancer risk of the Turkish population population, despite a high rate of rituximab use and lower dose of cyclophosphamide doses. Vigilance in cancer screening for AAV patients covering lung, genitourinary, and head–neck regions, particularly in males and the elderly, is vital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To reduce home accidents, which is one of the critical public health problems, it is necessary to evaluate the home environment first. The aim of this study was to develop the Home Environment Risk Rating Scale (HERRS) and examine its psychometric properties in elderly and adult individuals. Subject and methods: This study was conducted on 220 elderly and adult individuals (63.68±10.31 years old, 68.2% female, 31.8% male) living in their homes. The participants completed the Sociodemographic Information Form, Home Environment Conditions Evaluation Form for Falls, and Home and Environment Risk Rating Scale. In addition, psychometric measurement results for horizontal and vertical measurements were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) methods. Results: It was found that the Kaiser–Mayer–Olkin (KMO) value for horizontal and vertical measurements were 0.613 and 0.704, respectively. Results of EFA for horizontal and vertical measurements revealed that five factors together explain 72.033% and three factors together explain 68.368% of the total variance, respectively. The result of CFA for horizontal and vertical measurements demonstrate that the 5-sub-dimension horizontal scale structure and the 3-sub-dimension vertical measurement structure generally fit acceptable in this scale. Cronbach's alpha was satisfactory in all of the measurements (0.73 and 0.80 respectively); the ICCs were good/excellent in all of the measurements (0.99 and 0.90, respectively). Conclusion: The results show that HERRS has the potential to examine the risks of the home environment adequately for the home structure of Turkish society in detail and is a valid and reliable test that health professionals can use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recovery from anesthesia is complex and affected by multiple factors. In patient with obesity, the increased prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders poses a challenge in achieving optimal patient satisfaction. Therefore, strategies to enhance the quality of recovery are crucial for this population. This study aimed to investigate whether administration of dexamethasone to patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) could improve recovery outcomes. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary university hospital in Samsun, Turkey. Thirty patients who received dexamethasone prior to LSG (group D) and 30 patients who did not (group C) were included with convenience sampling method. The quality of recovery was assessed using the Quality of Recovery 40 questionnaire (QoR-40). The primary outcome measure was the QoR-40 score at 24 h postoperatively. Results: The dexamethasone group showed a significant improvement in QoR-40 scores (185.4 ± 6.0 vs. 172.0 ± 8.4, p < 0.001), exhibited reduced morphine consumption (11.8 ± 7.8 vs. 21.8 ± 10.9 mg, p < 0.001), opioid demand count (21.50 [9.50–49.00], p = 0.001), the number of patient used antiemetic drug (1 vs. 22, p < 0.001), and achieved earlier mobilization (3 [3–4] vs. 3 [3–4] h, p < 0.0001). However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups concerning intraoperative complications, postoperative wound infections, or time to discharge. Conclusions: In patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, preoperative dexamethasone administration was associated with improved the recovery quality after discharge and reduced early postoperative need for antiemetic medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug combination studies help to improve new treatment approaches for colon cancer. Tumor spheroids (3D) are better models than traditional 2-dimensional cultures (2D) to evaluate cellular responses to chemotherapy drugs. The cultivation of cancer cells in 2D and 3D cultures affects the apoptotic process, which is a major factor influencing the response of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, the antiproliferative effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin (DOX) were investigated separately and in combination using 2D and 3D cell culture models on two different colon cancer cell lines, HT-29 (apoptosis-resistant cells) and Caco-2 2 (apoptosis-susceptible cells). Methods: The effect of the drugs on the proliferation of both colon cancer cells was determined by performing an MTT assay in 2D culture. The apoptotic effect of 5-FU and DOX, both as single agents and in combination, was assessed in 2D and 3D cultures through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. The expression of apoptotic genes, such as caspases, p53, Bax, and Bcl-2, was quantified. Results: It was found that the mRNA expression of proapoptotic genes was significantly upregulated, whereas the mRNA expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 gene was significantly downregulated in both colon cancer models treated with 5-FU, DOX, and 5-FU + DOX. Conclusion: The results indicated that the 5-FU + DOX combination therapy induces apoptosis and renders 5-FU and DOX more effective at lower concentrations compared to their alone use. This study reveals promising results in reducing the potential side effects of treatment by enabling the use of lower drug doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-venous fistula can cause spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and poses a significant diagnostic and management challenge. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical and radiological outcomes of endovascular embolization as a novel treatment approach for CSF-venous fistula in patients with SIH. This systematic review adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement. The primary outcome was the efficacy of the embolization procedure in occlusion of the CSF-venous fistula, and secondary outcomes included procedural complications and improvement of clinical symptoms and radiological findings. A total of nine studies consisting of 77 patients met the inclusion criteria. Orthostatic and/or Valsalva headache was the most common symptom. The mean age of the patients was 57 ± 8.9 years, and females accounted for 59.7% (46/77) of the cases. Sixty-five (84.4%) patients reported complete resolution or significant improvement in symptoms. The Bern score, Headache Impact Test-6, and the Patient Global Impression of Change scales demonstrated significant improvements in radiological findings and patients' quality of life. Following the procedure, 22 patients (28.6%) experienced rebound intracranial hypertension and 27 patients (35.1%) had transient local pain at the site of the embolization. Our study showed that endovascular embolization is a safe and effective treatment for CSF-venous fistula in patients with SIH, providing complete resolution or significant improvement of clinical symptoms and radiological findings, and positive impacts on patients' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammation and nutrition are important parameters that significantly affect survival in various malignancies. Prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) can reflect both inflammatory and nutritional conditions. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of PNI and mGPS in patients who had the targetable mutation and also received targeted therapy. Materials and Methods: Advanced lung cancer patients with EGFR mutation (mut) and ALK rearrangement were enrolled to study, retrospectively. PNI has with the following formula: 10 × serum albumin (g/dl) + 0.005 × peripheral lymphocyte count (per mm3) and threshold value was accepted as 50. Modified GPS was also calculated using albumin and CRP level and patients were scored as range 0 to 2. Results: A total of 182 patients enrolled in the study. 132 and 50 of 182 patients had EGFR mut and ALK rearrangement, respectively. PFS was significantly longer in high PNI group in both the EGFR and ALK rearrangement-positive subgroups (P = 0.004 for EGFR mut-positive group; P = 0.017 for ALK rearrangement-positive group). Additionally, PFS was significantly shortened from mGPS 0 to 2 (P = < 0.001 for EGFR mut-positive group; P = 0.016 for ALK rearrangement-positive group). Conclusion: Both PNI and mGPS can be used as a reliable, inexpensive, and easily applicable prognostic index in the advanced lung cancer patients who had the targetable mutation and also received targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phages are found in a wide variety of places where bacteria exist including body fluids. The aim of the present study was to isolate phages from the urine samples of patients with urinary tract infection. The 10 urine samples were cultured to isolate bacteria and also used as phage sources against the isolated bacteria. From 10 urine samples with positive cultures, 3 phages were isolated (33%) and two of them were further studied. The Klebsiella phage GADU21 and Escherichia phage GADU22 phages infected Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli, respectively. Among the tested 14 species for host range analysis, the Klebsiella phage GADU21 was able to infect two species which are Klebsiella pneumonia and Proteus mirabilis, and Escherichia phage GADU22 was able to infect four species which are Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei and Escherichia coli. Among different isolates of the indicator bacteria for each phage, GADU21 infected half of the tested 20 Klebsiella pneumonia isolates while GADU22 infected 85% of the tested 20 E. coli isolates. The genome sizes and GC ratios were 75,968 bp and 44.4%, and 168,023 bp and 35.3% for GADU21 and GADU22, respectively. GADU21 and GADU22 were both lytic and had no antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. GADU21 was homologue with Klebsiella phage vB_KpP_FBKp27 but only 88% of the genome was covered by this phage. The non-covered parts of the GADU21 genome included genes for tail-fiber-proteins and HNH-endonuclease. GADU22 had 94.8% homology with Escherichia phage vB_Eco_OMNI12 and had genes for immunity proteins. Phylogenetic analysis showed GADU21 and GADU22 were members of Schitoviridae family and Efbeekayvirus genus and Straboviridae family and Tevenvirinae genus, respectively. VIRIDIC analysis classified these phages in new species clusters. Our study demonstrated the possibility to use infected body fluids as phage sources to isolate novel phages. GADU21 is the first reported Klebsiella phage isolated from human body fluid. The absence of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in their genomes makes the phages a potential therapeutic tool against infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Risk scores for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are widely used for standardized assessment in immunocompetent patients and to identify patients at risk for severe pneumonia and death. In immunocompromised patients, the prognostic value of pneumonia-specific risk scores seems to be reduced, but evidence is limited. The value of different pneumonia risk scores in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) is not known. Methods: Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed 310 first CAP episodes after kidney transplantation in 310 KTR. We assessed clinical outcomes and validated eight different risk scores (CRB-65, CURB-65, DS-CRB-65, qSOFA, SOFA, PSI, IDSA/ATS minor criteria, NEWS-2) for the prognosis of severe pneumonia and in-hospital mortality. Risk scores were assessed up to 48 h after admission, but always before an endpoint occurred. Multiple imputation was performed to handle missing values. Results: In total, 16 out of 310 patients (5.2%) died, and 48 (15.5%) developed severe pneumonia. Based on ROC analysis, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) and national early warning score 2 (NEWS-2) performed best, predicting severe pneumonia with AUC of 0.823 (0.747–0.880) and 0.784 (0.691–0.855), respectively. Conclusion: SOFA and NEWS-2 are best suited to identify KTR at risk for the development of severe CAP. In contrast to immunocompetent patients, CRB-65 should not be used to guide outpatient treatment in KTR, since there is a 7% risk for the development of severe pneumonia even in patients with a score of zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the potential of sono-photodynamic therapy as an effective approach for enhancing singlet oxygen generation using the synthesized Schiff-base diaxially substituted silicon phthalocyanines. In photochemical studies, the singlet oxygen quantum yields (Φ∆) were determined as 0.43 for Si1a, 0.94 for Q-Si1a, 0.58 for S-Si1a, and 0.49 for B-Sia1. In sono-photochemical studies, the Φ∆ values were reached to 0.67 for Si1a, 1.06 for Q-Si1a, 0.65 for S-Si1a, and 0.67 for B-Sia1. In addition, this study demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of phthalocyanines synthesized as sensitizers on the PC3 prostate cancer cell line through in vitro experiments. The application of these treatment modalities exhibited notable outcomes, leading to a substantial decrease in cell viability within the PC3 prostate cancer cell line. These findings highlight the potential of utilizing these synthesized phthalocyanines as promising therapeutic agents for prostate cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report explorations into prompt engineering with large pre-trained language models that were not fine-tuned to solve the legal entailment task (Task 4) of the 2023 COLIEE competition. Our most successful strategy used simple text similarity measures to retrieve articles and queries from the training set. We report on our efforts to optimize performance with both OpenAI's GPT-4 and FLaN-T5. We also used an ensemble approach to find the best combination of models and prompts. Finally, we analyze our results and suggest ideas for future improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategic role of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities in firm performance has recently drawn increasing attention. In particular, the dynamics of ESG management in family-owned firms have become a crucial factor in increasing firm value. Using novel data from Korea, a suitable context for our analysis, we focus on the interplay between ESG investment and family ownership. Our results reveal that ESG activities can mitigate the agency problems inherent in family ownership, but their careful management is essential for maximizing firm value. We introduce the concept of the marginal effect of ESG, decompose its factors, and identify a critical threshold of family ownership that is instrumental for increasing firm value through ESG activities. Depending on a firm's position relative to this threshold, we recommend strategies to increase or reduce ESG investment, showing that the timing of such investment or disinvestment in ESG activities emerges as a key strategic consideration. Our findings provide practical insights for family-owned firms to make informed decisions on ESG investment, thereby contributing not only to their own sustainability but also the long-term vitality of ESG activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short tandem repeat (STR) mutations are prevalent in colorectal cancer (CRC), especially in tumours with the microsatellite instability (MSI) phenotype. While STR length variations are known to regulate gene expression under physiological conditions, the functional impact of STR mutations in CRC remains unclear. Here, we integrate STR mutation data with clinical information and gene expression data to study the gene regulatory effects of STR mutations in CRC. We confirm that STR mutability in CRC highly depends on the MSI status, repeat unit size, and repeat length. Furthermore, we present a set of 1244 putative expression STRs (eSTRs) for which the STR length is associated with gene expression levels in CRC tumours. The length of 73 eSTRs is associated with expression levels of cancer-related genes, nine of which are CRC-specific genes. We show that linear models describing eSTR-gene expression relationships allow for predictions of gene expression changes in response to eSTR mutations. Moreover, we found an increased mutability of eSTRs in MSI tumours. Our evidence of gene regulatory roles for eSTRs in CRC highlights a mostly overlooked way through which tumours may modulate their phenotypes. Future extensions of these findings could uncover new STR-based targets in the treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asprosin, a hormone secreted from adipose tissue, has been implicated in the modulation of cell viability. Current studies suggest that neurological impairments are increased in individuals with obesity-linked diabetes, likely due to the presence of excess adipose tissue, but the precise molecular mechanism behind this association remains poorly understood. In this study, our hypothesis that asprosin has the potential to mitigate neuronal damage in a high glucose (HG) environment while also regulating the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-181a, which is involved in critical biological processes such as cellular survival, apoptosis, and autophagy. To investigate this, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons were exposed to asprosin in a HG (45 mmol/L) environment for 24 hours, with a focus on the role of the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. Expression of miRNA-181a was measured by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in diabetic DRG. Our findings revealed a decline in cell viability and an upregulation of apoptosis under HG conditions. However, pretreatment with asprosin in sensory neurons effectively improved cell viability and reduced apoptosis by activating the PKA pathway. Furthermore, we observed that asprosin modulated the expression of miRNA-181a in diabetic DRG. Our study demonstrates that asprosin has the potential to protect DRG neurons from HG-induced damage while influencing miRNA-181a expression in diabetic DRG. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of clinical interventions targeting neurotoxicity in diabetes, with asprosin emerging as a promising therapeutic target for managing neurological complications in affected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: It is aimed to synthesize new amino acid-conjugated coumarin-benzotriazole molecules and to investigate their acetylcholinesterase, urease, and lipase inhibition properties. Methods: Urease inhibitory activities of new compounds and standard were determined spectrophotometrically according to the method of Van Slykeand Archibald. The lipase activity assay was determined using the method of Bendicho. The acetylcholinesterase enzymatic activity was measured according to the method described by Ingkaninan. Results and Discussion: All synthesized compounds showed effective urease, lipase, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Compound (Vd) has the most potent enzyme inhibition activity against urease with an IC50 = 0.038 ± 0.022 μM. Compound (Vc) has the most potent enzyme inhibition activity against lipase with an IC50 = 0.101 ± 0.046 μM. Compound (Ve) has the best inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase enzyme with an IC50 = 0.003 ± 0.001 μM. Conclusions: A novel series of coumarin-amino acid-benzotriazole conjugates have been synthesized, and their urease, lipase, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor activities were determined. Most of the tested compounds showed higher urease inhibitory activity IC50 values ranging from 0.038 ± 0.022 to 0.086 ± 0.057 µM than thiourea. Among the series, compound (Vc) proved to be the most potent showing lipase inhibitory activity with an IC50 = 0.101 ± 0.046 μM when compared to the standard inhibitor Orlistat with an IC50 = 0.185 ± 0.075 μM. Compounds (Ve), (VIa), (VId), and (VIe) were found to exhibit potent inhibitory properties against acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the range of IC50 = 0.003 ± 0.001–0.010 ± 0.006 μM when compared to the tacrine as standard (IC50 = 0.029 ± 0.012 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a quantum science platform utilizing the dipole-dipole coupling between donor-acceptor pairs (DAPs) in wide bandgap semiconductors to realize optically controllable, long-range interactions between defects in the solid state. We carry out calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) to investigate the electronic structure and interactions of DAPs formed by various substitutional point-defects in diamond and silicon carbide (SiC). We determine the most stable charge states and evaluate zero phonon lines using constrained DFT and compare our results with those of simple donor-acceptor pair (DAP) models. We show that polarization differences between ground and excited states lead to unusually large electric dipole moments for several DAPs in diamond and SiC. We predict photoluminescence spectra for selected substitutional atoms and show that while B-N pairs in diamond are challenging to control due to their large electron-phonon coupling, DAPs in SiC, especially Al-N pairs, are suitable candidates to realize long-range optically controllable interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites and can transmit various pathogens of medical and veterinary relevance. The life cycle of ticks can be completed under laboratory conditions on experimental animals, but the artificial feeding of ticks has attracted increased interest as an alternative method. This study represents the first report on the successful in vitro feeding of all life stages of two-host tick species, Hyalomma scupense and Hyalomma excavatum, and the three-host tick Hyalomma dromedarii. The attachment and engorgement rates of adults were 84% (21/25) and 76% (19/25) for H. scupense females. For adult H. excavatum and H. dromedarii, 70% (21/30) and 34.4% (11/32) of the females attached and all attached females successfully fed to repletion. The oviposition rates of the artificially fed females were 36.4%, 57.1% and 63.1% for H. dromedarii, H. excavatum and H. scupense, respectively, with a reproductive efficiency index varying between 44.3 and 60.7%. For the larvae, the attachment and engorgement rates were 44.2% (313/708) and 42.8% (303/708) for H. dromedarii, 70.5% (129/183) and 56.8% (104/183) for H. excavatum and 92.6% (113/122) and 55.7% (68/122) for H. scupense. The attachment and engorgement rates for the nymphs were 90.2% (129/143) and 47.6% (68/143) for H. dromedarii, 66.7% (34/51) and 41.2% (21/51) for H. excavatum, and 44.1% (30/68) and 36.8% (25/68) for H. scupense. Molting rates of the immature stages varied between 71.3% (216/303) and 100% (68/68) for the larvae and between 61.9% (13/21) and 96% (24/25) for the nymphs. The successful in vitro feeding of all stages of the three Hyalomma species makes this method a valuable tool for tick research, with potential applications in studies on the pathogens transmitted by these tick species such as Theileria annulata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study tested whether the reported lower wellbeing of parents after preterm birth, relative to term birth, is a continuation of a pre-existing difference before pregnancy. Parents from Germany (the German Socio-Economic Panel Study, N = 10,649) and the United Kingdom (British Household Panel Study and Understanding Society, N = 11,012) reported their new-born's birthweight and gestational age, subsequently categorised as very preterm or very low birthweight (VP/VLBW, < 32 weeks or < 1500 g), moderately/late preterm or low birthweight (MLP/LBW, ≥ 32 weeks and < 37 weeks/≥ 1500 g and < 2500 g), or term-born (≥ 37 weeks and ≥ 2500 g). Mixed models were used to analyse life satisfaction, an aspect of wellbeing, at four assessments-two years and six months before birth and six months and two years afterwards. Two years before birth, satisfaction of prospective term-born, MLP/LBW, or VP/VLBW mothers did not significantly differ. However, mothers of VP/VLBWs had lower satisfaction relative to mothers of term-borns at both assessments post-birth. Among fathers, satisfaction levels were similarly equivalent two years before birth. Subsequently, fathers of VP/VLBWs temporarily differed in satisfaction six months post-birth relative to fathers of term-borns. Results indicate that parents' lower life satisfaction after VP/VLBW birth is not a continuation of pre-existing life satisfaction differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD36 and GPR120 play an important role in the perception and preference for fat-rich food consumption. We aimed to investigate the relationship between oro-gustatory perception of lipids, fatty taste preference, and maternal (Gestation + Lactation)-maturation period nutrition status in offspring Sprague–Dawley rats. In our study, mother rats were fed with control (C) or high-fat diets (HFD) during gestation (21 days) and lactation (21 days) periods. After weaning, the offspring were fed with control (C) or high-fat diets (HFD) during the maturation (120 days) period. Daily calorie intake and weekly body weight measurements were monitored. Two-bottle preference (TBPT) and licking tests measured the fat perceptions and preferences. Plasma levels of insulin, leptin, glucose, and triglyceride were measured. The protein and mRNA expressions of CD36 and GPR120 in the circumvallate papillae (CVP) were determined. The 48 h TBPT results revealed that maternal HFD-exposed offspring rats significantly preferred 2% rapeseed oil solution regardless of the type of maturation diet. According to the licking test, C/C group (C diet exposed group in maternal and maturation periods) offspring licked 0.1% oleic acid-containing water more than C/HFD (C diet exposed in maternal period and HFD exposed group in maturation period) and HFD/HFD group. (HFD exposed group in maternal and maturation periods) groups. Plasma insulin and leptin concentrations significantly increased in HFD/HFD groups compared to C/C group. CD36 protein expressions were significantly lower in HFD/HFD than C/HFD and HFD/C groups. GPR120 and GNAT3 mRNA expressions in HFD/C group were significantly higher than in C/HFD group. Our results suggest that HFD exposure during maternal and maturation period may play a role in fat perception/preference through oral lipid sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Tocilizumab, a monoclonal IL-6 receptor blocker, is an effective agent for severe-to-critical cases of COVID-19; however, its target patients for the optimum use need to be detailed. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to define its effect among severely ill but non-intubated cases with COVID-19. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medrxiv, and Biorxiv until February 13, 2022, for non-intubated cases, and included randomized-controlled trials (RCT) based on bias assessment. The primary outcomes were the requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality. Random effect and fixed-effect models were used. The heterogeneity was measured using the χ2 and I2 statistics, with χ2p ≤ 0.05 and I2 ≥ 50% indicating the presence of significant heterogeneity. We registered the study to the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with the registration number CRD42021232575. Results: Among 261 articles, 11 RCTs were included. The pooled analysis of the 11 RCTs demonstrated that the rate of mortality was significantly lower in the tocilizumab group than in the control group (20.0% and 24.2%, OR: 0.84, 95% CI 0.73–0.96, and heterogeneity I2 = 0%. p = 0.82.). The mechanical ventilation rate was lower in the tocilizumab group than the control group (27% vs 35.2%, OR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.67–0.86, and heterogeneity I2 = 6%. p = 0.39). Conclusion: Among non-intubated severe COVID-19 cases, tocilizumab reduces the risk of invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality compared to standard-of-care treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of long-acting insulin analogs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in our clinic. Methods: Patients with T2DM who were prescribed long-acting insulin analog therapy in our internal medicine outpatient clinic between November 2017 and December 2019 were included in the study. Patients' age, gender, duration of diabetes, HbA1c values, insulin doses and injections in previous treatment, and fasting blood glucose levels before the initiation of long-acting insulin analog were recorded. Fasting blood glucose levels after the initiation of long-acting insulin analog therapy, HbA1c values, total insulin doses in the new treatment and the number of injections, and follow-up times were also recorded from the institutional database. Data of the patients during previous treatment and novel treatment were compared. Results: Forty patients were included in our study. Six patients who did not attend their controls and two patients who were observed to be non-compliant even though they presented to control visit were excluded from the study. The remaining 32 patients were enrolled in the study. The average treatment follow-up period of the patients was 6 (3–8) months. Fasting blood glucose (p = 0.014) and HbA1c (p = 0.004) values were significantly reduced after long-acting insulin analog therapy compared to the values during previous treatment. Similarly, total daily insulin dose was decreased after long-acting insulin analog treatment compared to the insulin dose before long-acting insulin analog treatment (p < 0.001). The decrease in the number of daily insulin injections after long-acting insulin analogs treatment compared to the number of injections before long-acting insulin analog treatment was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We think that the addition of new long-acting insulin analogs to the treatment in patients with T2DM may be beneficial in achieving the target blood glucose, A1c, and may also be associated with treatment compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical environmental problems in the marine and coastal environments of the Black Sea basin require international cooperation. Although there is no comprehensive assessment in the academic literature about these environmental problems, the Bucharest Convention has not been included in court decisions in Türkiye, and consequently, the convention has not been effectively incorporated into the judicial process in Türkiye. This article is to understand and measure the impact of the Bucharest Convention on Turkish domestic law and its implementation. In doing so, the significance and effectiveness of the convention in domestic law will be revealed, and ways to improve legislation and court decisions will be explored. Considering the protocols included in the Bucharest Convention, criteria have been identified, and the adequacy of Turkish legislation has been investigated. The criteria were determined through technical–legal analysis by the EFLD (Environmental and Forestry Law Department). The compliance of the convention with domestic legislation was evaluated statistically. As a result, Turkish legislation was found to be 71, 42% compatible with the convention. The study highlights the effectiveness of the Bucharest Convention in addressing deficiencies in domestic law in the areas of pollution caused by activities on the continental shelf (10%), pollution from or through the atmosphere (25%), cooperation in pollution response during emergencies (50%), and the conservation of living marine resources (50%). A notable outcome of the study is that the direct impact of the convention on court decisions is limited. There is a need to enhance the effectiveness of the convention by improving the capacity of actors involved in the judicial processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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When the regional and sectoral impacts caused by climate change are evaluated with different levels of vulnerability, the climate change risks that each region and sector may be exposed also vary. It can be expected that the risk posed by climate change on human comfort, especially due to heat stress, may significantly affect coastal tourism, one of Turkey's priority sectors. In the study, human comfort changes due to climate change in the 10 most important coastal tourism destinations of Turkey (i.e., Manavgat, Çeşme, Alanya, Kemer, Serik, Bodrum, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Aksu, and Fethiye) in the period of May–October were examined. For this purpose, changes in human comfort in the tourism season were projected in these destinations in the near (2026–2050) and mid-future (2051–2075) by using the Discomfort Index (DI), which is one of the most useful indicators of human comfort. In the study, high-resolution climate data, i.e., temperature and relative humidity produced for Turkey under optimistic (RCP4.5) and pessimistic (RCP8.5) scenarios using the regional climate model RegCM4.4, was used to calculate DI. Within the scope of both scenarios in examined destinations, it is predicted that DI values will increase in the near and mid-future. It shows that the thresholds of discomfort may be exceeded in these destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, some benzimidazole-thiophene hybrid compounds containing isatin and salicyl moieties were synthesized and investigated for their urease and lipase inhibition properties. Most of the synthesized compounds were found to show effective antiurease activities, when compared with standard Thiourea (0.5027 ± 0.0293 µM). The synthesized isatin containing hybrids (IVa–IVc) showed antiurease inhibitory activities ranging from 0.411 ± 0.0337 to 0.431 ± 0.0446 µM, while IC50 of standard thiourea was 0.5027 ± 0.0293 µM. The general of salicyl containing hybrids showed low antiurease inhibitory activities, while compound (Ve) showed 0.338 ± 0.0387 µM activity. The lipase inhibition activities of the synthesized hybrid molecules showed the activities ranging from 0.287 ± 0.0341 to 0.912 ± 0.0832 µM, while the standard Orlistat showed 0.21 ± 0.012 µM activity. In the light of the information obtained from this study, the results showed that the synthesized hybrid compounds could be potential antilipase and antiurease agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it is aimed to design a smart drug delivery system for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer cells. Magnetic-solid lipid nanoparticles were synthesized as a drug delivery system and azathioprine (AZA) was loaded into this system. This newly created system was radiolabeled using technetium-99 m with a radiolabeling yield of 90.3%. Drug loading into the SLMNP was found as 86%. The biological behavior of 99mTc and radiolabeled magnetic solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with azathioprine (99mTc-AZA-SLMNP) was investigated in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language-dependent recall refers to the language-specific retrieval of memories in which the retrieval success depends on the match between the languages of encoding and retrieval. The present study investigated language-dependent recall in terms of memory accuracy, false memory, and episodic memory characteristics in the free recall of fictional stories. We also asked how language-dependent memories were influenced by language proficiency and visual imagery. One hundred and thirty-seven native Turkish (L1) speakers who were second-language learners of English (L2) were divided into four groups in which they read fictional stories and then recalled them: (1) Turkish reading–Turkish recall, (2) English reading–English recall, (3) English reading–Turkish recall, (4) Turkish reading–English recall. Regardless of the match between L1 or L2, accuracy was higher when participants read and recalled the stories in the same language than when they did it in different languages, showing the language-dependent recall effect. Notably, the effect of match or mismatch between encoding and retrieval languages on accuracy did not depend on L2 proficiency and visual imagery. In addition, false memories were salient, particularly for participants who read the stories in L2 but retrieved them in L1. Overall, our findings suggest that accuracy-oriented memory research provides a comprehensive investigation of language-dependent recall, addressing the links of language-dependent memories with accuracy, false memory, and episodic memory characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nowadays, surgical treatment of pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) with novel techniques is a topic of interest since conventional methods are associated with longer return to daily life and higher complication and recurrence rates. Recently, use of laser as a minimally invasive approach has become popular in the surgical treatment of PSD. In this study, we analyze the short- and mid-term results after laser treatment and the effect of endoscopic camera use on outcomes. Methods: A total of 106 patients with PSD who underwent laser treatment between November 2017 and September 2021 were included in this study. All patients were treated with a 1470-nm diode laser. Endoscopic camera was used in 73 patients and results of these were compared with those in whom camera was not used. Follow-up period was determined as a minimum of 1 year. Data were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were 80 (75%) male and 26 female patients. The median age was 26 (range 13–50) years. On the first postoperative day, 26 (26.5%) patients did not have any pain and 42(42.8%) patients reported low-grade pain. The mean time to return to daily life was 4.5 ± 5.5 (median 2, range 1–30) days. The complication rate was 10.4%. Eighty-six (87.8%) patients completely recovered and the mean complete recovery time was 27.4 ± 15.9 days. The patient satisfaction rate was 99.0%. The recurrence rate was 11.0%. Neither history of previous surgery nor abscess was associated with recurrence. Use of an endoscopic camera had no effect on postoperative pain, complete recovery, complications, patient satisfaction, and recurrence (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Laser treatment for PSD is a promising approach with the advantages of less postoperative pain, early return to daily life, high patient satisfaction, and acceptable complication and recurrence rates. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to investigate the role of endoscopic camera use in this procedure since its possible advantages could not be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological balance is an indicator of environmental degradation, which is computed as the difference between biocapacity and ecological footprint. In this study, we examine whether the effect of shocks on the ecological balance is permanent or temporary in the EU-15 countries, considering the period from 1961 to 2018. The application of unit root tests, with and without a Fourier function, indicates that the effects of shocks are temporary in only four countries. To reveal the persistence of shocks at different frequencies, that is, the short-, medium-, and long-run, we decomposed the ecological balance series by using the Discrete Wavelet Transform method. The unit root test results show that the effects of shocks are temporary in all countries in the short-run. However, the results also show that the shocks are temporary in nine countries in the medium-run and ten countries in the long-run. Thus, the implemented policies to balance ecology are not effective in the short-run but are effective in only six countries in the medium-term and in only five countries in the long-term. These findings demonstrate the importance of considering different frequencies when testing the effectiveness of empirically implemented policies. Regarding policy implications, this study suggests focusing on medium- and long-term environmental policies rather than short-term ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the antibiotic resistance, biofilm production, virulence factors, and quorum sensing systems of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. First, disc diffusion and microdilution tests were applied to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of isolates. Second, virulence factors of isolates were determined phenotypically. Then, intact and internal lasI, lasR, rhII, and rhIR gene regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Finally, biofilm formed by isolates were observed using a confocal laser scanning microscope. As a result, significant differences were found between hospital services and antibiotic resistance (p < 0.05). Biofilm formation was observed in 76% of the isolates. The production of homoserine lactone, pyocyanin, and elastase were detected in 51%, 65%, 66% of isolates, respectively. The lasI gene was 96% intact and 95% internal, and the lasR was 91% intact and 95% internal for the las system. The rhlI was 91% intact and 90% internal, and the rhlR was 80% intact and 90% internal for the rhl system. According to the microscope results, the isolates with antibiotic resistance formed thicker biofilm layer. Biofilm-positive strains were capable of important virulence factors and developed antibiotic resistance, playing a role in the pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]