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Laboratory services are an important part of the healthcare system. However many requested tests may be considered inappropriate or unnecessary. We evaluated laboratory use in a period of 3 years in terms of the inappropriate test repeats.

Mehmet Demir, Ersin Oba, Efe Can, Mahmut Odabasi, Semra Tiryaki, Erhan Ozdal, Hakan SensozEye Clinic, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, TurkeyPurpose: The inspection of foveal and parafoveal thickness in healthy pregnant women in the last trimester.Materials and methods: This study included 40 healthy pregnant women in their last trimester (study group: 40 women, 80 eyes) and 37 nonpregnant women (control group: 37 women, 74 eyes). Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp examination of anterior and posterior segments, and visual field examination with automated perimetry were performed in both groups. Foveal and parafoveal thickness in the four quadrants (upper, nasal, temporal, and inferior parafoveal) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer were measured by optical coherence tomography. There were no systemic or ocular problems in either group. Findings were analyzed with statistical software. A P value

Mehmet Demir, Ersin Oba, Gökhan Gulkilik, Mahmut Odabasi, Erhan OzdalSisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Eye Clinic, Sisli, Istanbul, TurkeyPurpose: To present the functional and anatomic changes after intravitreal bevacizumab in eyes with macular edema (ME) due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).Design: The study was a retrospective study.Materials and methods: The study included 31 patients with ME due to BRVO. We compared the examination findings of patients with ME before and after intravitreal bevacizumab therapy at 12 months. The study included patients who had macular edema secondary to BRVO treated with bevacizumab. The therapy was started in the first week after occlusion. The initial therapy was three intravitreal bevacizumab injections at monthly intervals with 1.25/0.05 mL bevacizumab. Patients with a baseline visual acuity less than 0.5 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] 0.30), central macular thickness (CMT) more than 290 µm, and no neovascularization were included. Patients with diabetes mellitus or a history of intravitreal triamcinolone or grid laser photocoagulation therapy or ischemic BRVO were excluded. The retreatment criteria were as follows: increased CMT more than 100 µm combined with a loss of visual acuity of five or more letters. The statistical analysis of this study was carried out by paired samples t-test (SPSS). A P value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: This retrospective study included 33 eyes of 31 patients (20 women, 11 men; mean age was 55.30 ± 9.62 years (range 36–75 years). Patients received a mean of 5.3 injections during 12 months of follow-up. The best corrected visual acuity increased from 0.66 ± 0.20 (logMAR) at baseline to 0.22 ± 0.13 (logMAR) (t = 15.42; P < 0.001) at month 12. The CMT decreased from 494.15 ± 104.16 µm at baseline to 261.79 ± 45.36 µm at month 12 (-232.36 ± 109.98 µm); P < 0.001). No bevacizumab-related systemic or ocular adverse effects following intravitreal drug injections were observed. The majority of patients required reinjection(s) treatment for ME (84.9%).Conclusion: Intravitreal therapy using bevacizumab appears to be an effective primary treatment option for ME due to BRVO. No serious ophthalmologic or systemic side effects were observed for intravitreal bevacizumab therapy. The main disadvantage of bevacizumab therapy is the requirement of multiple injections in order to maintain visual and anatomic improvements.Keywords: branch retinal vein occlusion, macular edema, intravitreal bevacizumab injection, central macular thickness, visual acuity

Peptide-based nanomaterials can be easily functionalized due to their functional groups, as well as being biocompatible, stable under physiological conditions, and nontoxic. Here, diphenylalanineamide-based nanomaterials (FFANMs) were synthesized, decorated with Ca 2+ ions to set the surface charge, and characterized for possible use in gene delivery and drug release studies. FFANMs were characterized by SEM, TEM, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and LC-MS/MS. Corona formation and biocompatible studies were also carried out. Some of the data obtained are as follows: FFANMs have a diameter of approximately 87.93 nm. While the zeta potentials of FFANMs and Ca 2+ @FFANMs were -20.1 mV and +9.3 mV, respectively, after corona formation with HSA and IgG proteins, they were shifted to -7.6 mV and -3.7 mV, respectively. For gene delivery studies, zeta potentials of Ca 2+ @FFANMs and DNA interactions were also studied and found to shift to -9.7 mV. Cytotoxicity and biocompatibility studies of NMs were also studied on HeLa and HT29 cell lines, and decreases of about 5% and 10% in viability at the end of 24 h and 72 h incubation times were found. We think that the results obtained from this study will assist the groups working in the relevant field.

Breast cancer is most common cancer among women in the World. Thymoquinone (TQ) exhibits a wide range of biological activities such as anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, analgesic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its effectiveness in cancer treatment is hindered by its poor bioavailability, attributed to its limited solubility in water. Hence, novel strategies are required to enhance the bioavailability of TQ, which possesses remarkable anticancer characteristics. The aim of this study is to prepare pHEMA-based magnetic nanoparticles carrying TQ (TQ-MNPs) to improve bioavailability, and therapeutic efficacy against breast cancer. For this purpose, TQ-MNPs were synthesized and characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), magnetic field using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The loading capabilities of synthesized magentic nanostructures were evaluated, and release investigations were conducted under experimental conditions that mimic the cellular environment. The findings of the studies indicated that the TQ carrying capacity of MNPs was deemed satisfactory, and the release efficiency was adequate. MNPs and TQ-MNPs showed biocompatibility against HDFa cells. TQ-MNPs showed stronger anti-proliferative activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells compared to free TQ (p < 0.05). TQ-MNPs induced apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding authors state that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nanopolymers represent a significant group of delivery vehicles for hydrophobic drugs. In particular, dual stimuli-responsive smart polymer nanomaterials might be extremely useful for drug delivery and release. We analyzed the possibility to include the known antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX), which has antimitotic and antiproliferative effects, in a nanopolymer complex. Thus, doxorubicin-loaded temperature- and pH-sensitive smart nanopolymers (DOX-SNPs) were produced. Characterizations of the synthesized nanostructures were carried out including zeta potential measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The loading capacity of the nanopolymers for DOX was investigated, and encapsulation and release studies were carried out. In a final step, the cytotoxicity of the DOX-nanopolymer complexes against the HeLa cancer cell line at different concentrations and incubation times was studied. The DOX release depended on temperature and pH value of the release medium, with the highest release at pH 6.0 and 41 °C. This effect was similar to that observed for the commercial liposomal formulation of doxorubicin Doxil. The obtained results demonstrated that smart nanopolymers can be efficiently used to create new types of doxorubicin-based drugs., Competing Interests: The corresponding authors state that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024, Acet et al.)

Nanoparticles (NPs) are extremely important tools to overcome the limitations imposed by therapeutic agents and effectively overcome biological barriers. Smart designed/tuned nanostructures can be extremely effective for cancer treatment. The selection and design of nanostructures and the adjustment of size and surface properties are extremely important, especially for some precision treatments and drug delivery (DD). By designing specific methods, an important era can be opened in the biomedical field for personalized and precise treatment. Here, we focus on advances in the selection and design of nanostructures, as well as on how the structure and shape, size, charge, and surface properties of nanostructures in biological fluids (BFs) can be affected. We discussed the applications of specialized nanostructures in the therapy of head and neck cancer (HNC), which is a difficult and aggressive type of cancer to treat, to give an impetus for novel treatment approaches in this field. We also comprehensively touched on the shortcomings, current trends, and future perspectives when using nanostructures in the treatment of cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Understanding both the physicochemical and biological interactions of nanoparticles is mandatory for the biomedical application of nanomaterials. By binding proteins, nanoparticles acquire new surface identities in biological fluids, the protein corona. Various studies have revealed the dynamic structure and nano-bio interactions of the protein corona. The binding of proteins not only imparts new surface identities to nanoparticles in biological fluids but also significantly influences their bioactivity, stability, and targeting specificity. Interestingly, recent endeavors have been undertaken to harness the potential of the protein corona instead of evading its presence. Exploitation of this 'protein-nanoparticle alliance' has significant potential to change the field of nanomedicine. Here, we present a thorough examination of the latest research on protein corona, encompassing its formation, dynamics, recent developments, and diverse bioapplications. Furthermore, we also aim to explore the interactions at the nano-bio interface, paving the way for innovative strategies to advance the application potential of the protein corona. By addressing challenges and promises in controlling protein corona formation, this review provides insights into the evolving landscape of the 'protein-nanoparticle alliance' and highlights emerging.

In this study, a L-asparagine (L-Asn) imprinted membranes (L-Asn-MIPs) were synthesized via molecular imprinting for selective and efficient removal of L-Asn. The L-Asn-MIP membrane was prepared by using acrylamide (AAm) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as a functional monomer and a comonomer, respectively. The membrane was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The L-Asn adsorption capacity of the membrane was investigated in detail. The maximum L-Asn adsorption capacity was determined as 408.2 mg/g at pH: 7.2, 24 °C. Determination of L-Asn binding behaviors of L-Asn-MIPs also shown with Scatchard analyses. The effect of pH on L-Asn adsorption onto the membrane and also the selectivity and reusability of the L-Asn-MIPs for L-Asn adsorption were determined through L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) enzyme activity measurements. The selectivity of the membrane was investigated by using two different ternary mixtures; L-glycine (L-Gly)/L-histidine (L-His)/L-Asn and L-tyrosin (L-Tyr)/L-cystein(L-Cys)/L-Asn. The obtained results showed that the L-Asn-MIP membranes have a high selectivity towards L-Asn., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Short peptides are important in the design of self-assembled materials due to their versatility and flexibility. Self-assembled dipeptides, a group of peptide nanostructures, have highly attractive uses in the field of biomedicine. Recently these materials have proved to be important nanostructures because of their biocompatibility, low-cost and simplicity of synthesis, functionality/easy tunability and nano dimensions. Although there are different studies on peptide and protein-based nanostructures, more information about self-assembled nanostructures for dipeptides is still required to discover the advantages, challenges, importance, synthesis, interactions, and applications. This review describes and discusses the self-assembled dipeptide nanostructures especially for biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microbial adhesion and formation of biofilms cause a serious problem in several areas including but not limited to food spoilage, industrial corrosion and nosocomial infections. These microbial biofilms pose a serious threat to human health since microbial communities in the biofilm matrix are protected with exopolymeric substances and difficult to eradicate with antibiotics. Hence, the prevention of microbial adhesion followed by biofilm formation is one of the promising strategies to prevent these consequences. The attachment of antimicrobial agents, coatings of nanomaterials and synthesis of hybrid materials are widely used approach to develop surfaces having potential to hinder bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. In this study, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is attached on p(HEMA-co-GMA) membranes to prevent the bacterial colonization. The attachment of EGCG to membranes was proved by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The synthesized membrane showed porous structure (SEM), and desirable swelling degree, which are ideal when it comes to the application in biotechnology and biomedicine. Furthermore, EGCG attached membrane showed significant potential to prevent the microbial colonization on the surface. The obtained results suggest that EGCG attached polymer could be used as an alternative approach to prevent the microbial colonization on the biomedical surfaces, food processing equipment as well as development of microbial resistant food packaging systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Molecularly imprinted polymer based nanofilms specific to melamine were synthesized on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrode surface. Contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry and scanning electron microscopy were used for characterizations process. Some of the findings of the study are as follows: pH 6.0 was found as optimal working pH for melamine detection. Prepared MIP QCM electrode showed a linearity of 99.53% in the concentration range of 50-1000 ng/mL. Langmuir-Freundlich hybrid model was the best fitted isotherm for whole concentration range. The performance of MIP QCM electrode was also confirmed by determining of melamine in melamine spiked milk samples. As a conclusion, the results figured out that not only QCM nanosensor for specific melamine detection but also polymerization strategy were classified as an intriguing alternative for developing new melamine sensing platforms. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were calculated as 2.3 ng/mL and 7.8 ng/mL, respectively., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. The disease led to significant mortality and morbidity in Turkey, since the first case was reported on March 11th, 2020. Studies suggest a positive association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of ambient particulate matters (PM), as potential carriers for SARS-CoV-2. Ambient PM samples in various size ranges were collected from 13 sites including urban and urban-background locations and hospital gardens in 10 cities across Turkey between 13th of May and 14th of June 2020 to investigate the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient PM. A total of 203 daily samples (TSP, n = 80; PM 2.5 , n = 33; PM 2.5 - μm, n = 19; and 6 size segregated PM, n = 48) were collected using various samplers. The N1 gene and RdRP gene expressions were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to real time (RT)-PCR and three-dimensional (3D) digital (d) PCR analysis, dual RdRP and N1 gene positivity were detected in 20 (9.8%) samples. Ambient PM-bound SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed quantitatively and the air concentrations of the virus ranged from 0.1 copies/m 10 to 23 copies/m 10 μm, n = 19; and 6 size segregated PM, n = 48) were collected using various samplers. The N1 gene and RdRP gene expressions were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to real time (RT)-PCR and three-dimensional (3D) digital (d) PCR analysis, dual RdRP and N1 gene positivity were detected in 20 (9.8%) samples. Ambient PM-bound SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed quantitatively and the air concentrations of the virus ranged from 0.1 copies/m 3 to 23 copies/m 3 . The highest percentages of virus detection on PM samples were from hospital gardens in Tekirdağ, Zonguldak, and Istanbul, especially in PM 2.5 mode. Findings of this study have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may be transported by ambient particles, especially at sites close to the infection hot-spots. However, whether this has an impact on the spread of the virus infection remains to be determined., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bacteria utilize small signal molecules to monitor population densities. Bacteria arrange gene regulation in a method called Quorum Sensing (QS). The most widespread signalling molecules are N-Acyl Homoserine Lactones (AHLs/HSLs) for Gram-negative bacteria communities. QS plays significant role in the organizing of the bacterial gene that adapts to harsh environmental conditions for bacteria. It is involved in the arrangement of duties, such as biofilm formation occurrence, virulence activity of bacteria, production of antibiotics, plasmid conjugal transfer incident, pigmentation phenomenon and production of exopolysaccharide (EPS). QS obviously impacts on human health, agriculture and environment. AHL-related QS researches have been extensively studied and understood in depth for cell to cell intercommunication channel in Gram-negative bacteria. It is understood that AHL-based QS research has been extensively studied for cell-to-cell communication in Gram-negative bacteria; hence, a comprehensive study of AHLs, which are bacterial signal molecules, is required. The purpose of this review is to examine the effects of QS-mediated AHLs in many areas by looking at them from a different perspectives, such as clinic samples, food industry, aquatic life and wastewater treatment system., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Stability of enzymes is a significant factor for their industrial feasibility. α-Amylase is an important enzyme for some industries, i.e., textile, food, paper, and pharmaceutics. Pumice particles (PPa) are non-toxic, natural, and low-cost alternative adsorbents with high adsorption capacity. In this study, Cu 2+ ions were attached to pumice particles (Cu 2+ -APPa). Then, Cu 2+ -APPa embedded composite cryogel was synthesized (Cu 2+ -APPaC) via polymerization of gel-forming agents at minus temperatures. Characterization studies of the Cu 2+ -APPaC cryogel column were performed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) method. The experiments were carried out in a continuous column system. α-Amylase was adsorbed onto Cu 2+ -APPaC cryogel with maximum amount of 858.7 mg/g particles at pH 4.0. Effects of pH and temperature on the activity profiles of the free and the immobilized α-amylase were investigated, and results indicate that immobilization did not alter the optimum pH and temperature values. k cat value of the immobilized α-amylase is higher than that of the free α-amylase while K M value increases by immobilization. Storage and operational stabilities of the free and the immobilized α-amylase were determined for 35 days and for 20 runs, respectively., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Selection of purification method and type of adsorbent has high significance for separation of a biomolecule like deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Nanoflowers are a newly improved class of adsorbent. Due to showing very structural similarity to plant flowers, they are named as nanoflowers. Herein, after synthesize of copper phosphate three hydrate nanoflowers [(Cu 3 (PO 4 ) 2 .3H 2 O), CP-NFs], Fe 3+ ions were attached to their surfaces. Obtained Fe 3+ -CP-NFs, before investigation of some adsorption parameters for DNA, they were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Some attained data from the results of adsorption experiments as follows: While maximum DNA adsorption on Fe 3+ -CP-NFs was found as an excellent value of 845.8 mg/g, nanoflowers without Fe 3+ ions adsorbed DNA as only 25.3 mg/g. Optimum media conditions for DNA adsorption were observed at pH 7 and 25 °C with an initial concentration of 1.5 mg/mL DNA. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption equations were applied to determine which adsorption model was appropriate, and it was seen that Langmuir model was fit with a R 2 of 0.9885., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Preparation of new sorbents specific to DNA has a great significance in many biomedical fields. This study reports a new sorbent with high surface area and porosity to immobilize nucleic acids having both high molecular weight like genomic DNA (gDNA) for potential use in therapy of some immune system disease and low molecular weight like plasmid DNA (pDNA) for diagnosis, gene therapy and DNA vaccination. For this aim, silica-based pore-expanded SBA-15 nanoparticles with aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (APTMS) for decoration of Fe +3 ions (PE SBA-15-APTMS/Fe +3 ) were synthesized to get high surface area for high adsorption, and embedded into cryogel column for obtaining interconnected pores to avoid diffusion limitation of DNA samples because of their viscosity features. SEM, XRD, BET, and FTIR techniques were used for characterization of samples. Synthesized hybrid column showed a superior adsorption capacity of 751.5 mg/g NP for gDNA at pH 6 with an initial concentration of 2.0 mg/mL. Hybrid column presented excellent performance for pDNA when evaluated with agarose gel electrophoresis., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Monitoring of groundwater is fundamentally important due to it has emerged as a major source of drinking water and also used for irrigation purposes in many places in the world. Arsenic contamination in surface water and groundwater resources is a major concern due to its presence at high concentration and associated adverse health effects. Thus, the remediation of As in water resources, alongside other chemical species including fluoride, lithium, vanadium aluminium and nitrate is necessary. We have designed a hybrid [polyethyleneimine (PEI)-supported Fe 3+ -attached poly-(HEMA-co-GMA)] column for the reduction of arsenic (III and V) and other groundwater chemicals from natural groundwater as a potential contribution to water resource management. Swelling behaviour and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed for the characterization of hybrid material. For the optimization of experimental conditions, the effects of pH and initial arsenic concentrations on adsorption were studied using arsenic solutions. Maximum adsorption capacity in equilibrium was 11.44 and 5.79 mg/g polymer for As(III) and As(V), respectively at pH 7. The reduction of metalloids and other subsurface chemicals were carried out with natural groundwater samples obtained from local sources. The mean concentrations of arsenic were recorded between 44.96 and 219.04 μg/L and of which 71.3-95.4 % (0.32-1.22 mg/g) were removed. The average removals were determined as F -1 50-86%, Li + 43.2-99.7%, Al +3 83.8-91.4%, NO 3 48.4-72.2% and V 91.3-95.7. Chemical-loaded hybrid columns were regenerated successfully 15 times with only a loss of 5% in adsorption capacity by 0.01 M NaCl - 48.4-72.2% and V 91.3-95.7. Chemical-loaded hybrid columns were regenerated successfully 15 times with only a loss of 5% in adsorption capacity by 0.01 M NaCl - treatment for potential adaptation into water industry. No pre-oxidation of As species was performed for the treatment of ground water samples prior to the hybrid column testing.

Nanoflowers - new nanostructures - have aroused the interest of scientists due to the topographic features of nanolayers, the special location of which allows a higher surface-to-volume ratio compared to classic spherical nanoparticles, which significantly increases the efficiency of surface reactions for nanoflowers. The main purpose of these types of nanomaterials is their use as enzyme stabilizers. To facilitate the functioning of enzymes under different conditions, organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials have been developed, the name of which indicates that all components of inorganic nanoparticles are associated with organic materials. These nanoparticles have many promising applications in catalysis, as biosensors, and for drug delivery. Organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers have led to the development of a new branch of chemistry - the chemistry of hybrid nanomaterials - in which research is rapidly developing. Thus, studying organic-inorganic hybrid nanocrystals can lead to creative new solutions in the field of chemistry of enzyme systems and the rapid development of bionanomaterials and new biotechnology industries. Present review focuses on wide biomedical applications of nanoflowers including biocatalysis, detection of substances, electrochemical biosensors based on nanoflowers, photosensitizers, drug and gene carriers and detection of various diseases, photothermal and other treatments. It will be interesting for wide range of scientists focusing in topic of new kinds of nanoparticles., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Even though the outdoor air pollution and its major component Particulate Matter (PM) are recently classified as human carcinogen, attempts to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of PM toxicity are still crucial and continuing with in vitro approaches in various environmental circumstances. Present study investigated the genotoxicity (Comet assay) and the cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and the water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assays) of 30 daily PM 2.5 samples collected in the Kütahya province, to address their daily variability in effects with season (i.e. winter versus summer) and location (i.e. rural versus urban) using A549 human lung cancer epithelial cell line, as well as in relation to their chemical composition, specifically trace elements, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC). The genotoxicity, measured by the percentage tail intensity (TI), of the daily PM 2.5 samples at the traffic dense urban station was higher than that of the rural site for 80% of the parallel days. The genotoxicity was significant in the winter at the urban and in the summer at the rural site. Cytotoxicity was the highest for the winter urban samples. The PM 2.5 mass, OC, and EC concentrations were not correlated to DNA damage, while there were correlations with Mn, Fe, Cu and Ba at the rural PM 2.5 samples, and Mn, Co and Ni at the urban samples, respectively. The present study is confirming that the complex composition of PM 2.5 originating from spatial and temporal changes can cause differences in the health effects., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Morbidly obese patients are at high risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a new VTE prophylaxis protocol (low dosage, low-molecular-weight heparin [LMWH]) with a pneumatic compression device (PCD) in patients undergoing bariatric surgery., Materials and Methods: Between November 2015 and December 2017, 368 patients underwent surgery due to obesity. The patients received 0.2 ml of nadroparin (Fraxiparine, GlaxoSmithKline) 12 h before the operation. A PCD (Kendall SCD Compression System) was applied to the patient during the operation and left on the patient during the subsequent 24 h. Nadroparin 0.4 ml was started subcutaneously after the PCD was removed from the patient and the same dosage of nadroparin was given daily for 15 days following the bariatric operation. Ambulation within 2 h of surgery was encouraged and was performed frequently., Results: A total of 368 patients underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery. The median age was 34.1 years (range, 18-61), the median weight was 128 kg (range, 90-182), and the median body mass index (BMI) was 47.2 kg/m 2 (range, 36-72). No thrombotic events were observed postoperatively or at the 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up visits. Four bleedings occurred requiring transfusions. None of these patients required a re-laparotomy for hemorrhage control. The mortality rate was 0% at 30 and 90 days and during the hospitalization., Conclusion: Low dosage LMWH with PCD is very effective for VTE prophylaxis in bariatric surgery.

Objective: Demodex acari is an obligate ectoparasite, and it is usually located in the human hair follicles, eyelash roots, and sebaceous glands. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Demodex infestation in chronic blepharitis cases that are resistant to therapy., Methods: Patients who were admitted at the Istanbul Medipol University School of Medicine Hospital with a diagnosis of chronic blepharitis were included. All cases received conventional therapy at least three times. Three or four eyelash samples from patients with blepharitis were collected and examined under light microscopy. For the diagnosis, the presence of one or more Demodex parasites at 10× and 40× magnification by a light microscope was considered as positive for infestation., Results: Overall, 153 cases were included in the study. Of the cases, 79 (51.6%) were males and 74 (48.4%) were females. The mean age was 43.1±9.7 years. The presence of D. acari in the follicles of the eyelashes in patients with chronic blepharitis was found in 69 (45.1%) cases., Conclusion: D. acari should be considered in patients with chronic blepharitis, especially in treatment-resistant cases. We believe that it would be useful to search for the parasite in patients with blepharitis prior to treatment on a routine basis.

Molecularly imprinted polymers which have been extensively investigated as selective adsorbents were constructed using a template molecule during the polymerization to gain template-specific cavities. In this study, we prepared cholesterol imprinted poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methacryloyamidotryptophan) (PHEMA-MTrp) particles embedded composite membranes. These membranes were characterized through elemental analysis, FTIR, SEM, swelling tests, and surface area measurements. Adsorption experiments were performed in a batch experimental set-up, and the adsorption medium was either a methanol or intestinal-mimicking solution. Stigmasterol and estradiol were used as competing molecules in selectivity tests. Some results are as follows: the specific surface areas of MIP particle-embedded membranes, NIP particle-embedded membranes, and membranes without particles were 36.5, 29.2 and 13.7 m 2 /g, respectively. The imprinted membranes were 1.96 and 2.13 times more selective for cholesterol when compared to stigmasterol and estradiol used as competitor agents, respectively. Cholesterol adsorption capacity increased up to 23.43 mg/g with increasing cholesterol concentration of 2 mg/mL. The MIP particle-embedded composite membranes showed a negligible loss in cholesterol adsorption capacity after ten consecutive adsorption cycles using the same adsorbent., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In order to investigate the biocatalytic properties of α-amylase on a composite cryogel matrix with immobilized metal affinity chromatography, Cu +2 -attached poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (Cu +2 -PHEMA) beads, (2 µm size) were synthesized, then composite cryogel column was prepared by composing beads and PHEMA cryogels. After the preparation of Cu +2 -PHEMA beads embedded cryogel column (Cu +2 -BEC), some experiments were tested. Accordingly, the highest adsorption capacity (676.8 mg/g particles) of cryogels was achieved at acetate buffer of pH 5.0 with initial α-amylase concentration of 4 mg/mL. Immobilized enzyme has more stable pH range, between 6 and 7.5 than, the free one. Immobilization also increased the optimal activity from 25 to temperature range of 25-35 °C. V max and K m of α-amylase were detected as 1.149 U/mg protein, and 11.6 × 10 -1 mM, respectively. α-Amylase was utilized 35 times repeatedly without losing the productivity.

Background: The term mucocele refers to the dilatation of the appendix due to mucus, and it is an uncommon disorder with an estimated incidence of 0.2%-0.3% of all appendectomies performed and 8%-10% of all appendiceal tumors. It is often asymptomatic, but may manifest appendicitis-like symptoms., Methods: Twenty-six patients (14 females and 12 males) were operated on due to mucocele of the appendix. Sixteen patients exhibiting the characteristics of clinically acute appendicitis required an emergency operation. Appendectomy was performed on 14 patients, and right hemicolectomy was carried out on 2 patients. Of the remaining 10 patients who received surgery under elective conditions, 4 underwent a right hemicolectomy and 6 underwent an appendectomy., Results: The patients' age ranged from 27 to 81 years. Sixteen open and 4 laparoscopic appendectomies were performed. An incidental appendiceal mucocele was identified in 2 patients who had undergone colonoscopy. According to the histopathological examination, the incidence rate of mucosal hyperplasia, mucinous cystadenoma, and mucinous cystadenocarcinoma was found to be 23.1%, 61.4%, and 15.5%, respectively., Conclusion: In patients with long-term pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, appendiceal mucocele should be considered, and the results of radiological imaging tests should be carefully analyzed before surgery.

In this study, a supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based Cu 2+ -attached bentonite particles embedded hybrid monolithic cryogel (Cu 2+ -ABPs EHMC) was prepared by radical cryo-copolymerization of HEMA with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBAAm) as a cross-linker directly in a plastic syringe in the presence of Cu 2+ -ABPs, and used for hemoglobin (Hb) separation from aqueous solution. Due to the naturally abundant hydroxyl groups on bentonite, Cu 2 -attached bentonite particles (Cu 2+ -ABPs) embedded hybrid monolithic cryogel (HMC) showed a good adsorption performance for Hb, covering an excellent adsorption capacity of 521.6mg/g bentonite in phosphate buffer at pH6.0 with a flow rate of 0.5mL/min, fast binding stability within 60min, well selectivity and reversibility. Compared with other adsorbent systems used for protein separation, this sorbent has many advantages such as excellent adsorption performance, ease of preparation, suitable, effective and environment-friendly to perform, which can serve as a more sustainable material in protein separation and purification., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, chromatographic performance of Cu 2+ -attached pumice particles embedded to monolithic cryogels (Cu 2+ -APPsEMC) for human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated. Monolithic composite cryogels were prepared by means of polymerization of gel-forming precursors at sub-zero temperatures. The chemical composition of pumice and surface of composite cryogels were determined by X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The highest adsorption capacity (549.5 mg/g pumice) of cryogels was achieved at phosphate buffer of pH 8.0 with initial HSA solution of 3 mg/ml. SDS-PAGE analysis was performed for the samples studied on human serum to determine HSA adsorption/desorption performance of cryogel qualitatively.

Objectives: To evaluate changes in anterior chamber depth (ACD) and postoperative refractive outcomes after combined phacovitrectomy., Materials and Methods: This study included 10 eyes of 10 patients that underwent combined phacovitrectomy (study group) and 14 eyes of 14 patients that underwent phacoemulsification surgery (control group) at İstanbul Medipol University Ophthalmology Department. Preoperative and 3-month postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ACD, change in ACD and refractive outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: Preoperative ACD, postoperative ACD at 3 months and change in ACD were similar between two groups (p=0.403, p=0.886, p=0.841). Postoperative mean refractive outcomes were 0.22±0.51 diopter in the phacovitrectomy group and -0.39±0.53 diopter in the phacoemulsification group (p=0.019). BCVA was increased in both groups (p=0.001)., Conclusion: Postoperative refractive outcomes in eyes that underwent combined phacovitrectomy are different from those in eyes that underwent only phacoemulsification surgery. This is important in determining preoperative intraocular lens power before combined phacovitrectomy., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors. Financial Disclosure: The authors declared that this study received no financial support.

Microcystins are the most commonly encountered water-borne cyanotoxins which present short- and long-term risks to human health. Guidelines at international and national level, and legislation in some countries, have been introduced for the effective health risk management of these potent hepatotoxic, tumour-promoters. The stable cyclic structure of microcystins and their common production by cyanobacteria in waterbodies at times of high total dissolved organic carbon content presents challenges to drinking water treatment facilities, with conventional, advanced and novel strategies under evaluation. Here, we have studied the removal of microcystins using three different forms of pumice particles (PPs), which are embedded into macroporous cryogel columns. Macroporous composite cryogel columns (MCCs) are a new generation of separation media designed to face this challenging task. Three different MCCs were prepared by adding plain PPs, Cu(2+)-attached PPs and Fe(3+)-attached PPs to reaction media before the cryogelation step. Column studies showed that MCCs could be successfully used as an alternative water treatment method for successful microcystin removal., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To investigate the correlation of visual field (VF), pattern electroretinography (PERG) and Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) results in patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) and early primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)., Materials and Methods: The study included 72 eyes of 37 patients with early POAG, 76 eyes of 38 patients with OHT, and 60 eyes of 30 controls. All subjects underwent full ophthalmologic examination, VF assessment with 24-2 Humphrey standard automated perimetry (Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm (SITA)-Standard), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness measurement with FD-OCT, and PERG P50 and N95 wave latency and amplitude measurements with electroretinography (Nihon Kohden)., Results: With the exception of the nasal quadrant, all GCC parameters and RNFL results were significantly lower in the POAG group compared to the OHT and control groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the OHT and control group. PERG amplitudes were lower in the POAG and OHT groups than in the control group. Reduction in N95 amplitude was greater than that of P50 amplitude. No difference was detected in PERG latencies among groups. GCC was significantly correlated with VF and RNFL in the POAG group., Conclusion: Significant thinning of the GCC and RNFL occurs in addition to VF pathologies in patients with early POAG, and these examinations should be concomitantly evaluated. During diagnostic assessment of patients with early POAG, GCC and RNFL analysis by FD-OCT are highly effective. GCC is as reliable as RNLF in the early diagnosis of glaucoma and there is a highly significant correlation between them. Dysfunction of ganglion cells in patients with OHT may be detected earlier using PERG amplitude analysis., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors. Financial Disclosure: The authors declared that this study received no financial support.

Acute retrobulbar haemorrhage (ARBH) is a rare ophthalmic emergency observed following blunt eye trauma. Multiple trauma and loss of consciousness can hide symptoms of ARBH. Rapid diagnosis and immediate lateral canthotomy and cantholysis must be performed to prevent permanent visual loss in patients. Medical treatment can be added to surgical therapy. Lateral canthotomy and cantholysis are simple procedures that can be performed by emergency physicians. In this report, it was aimed to present a case with post-traumatic ARBH and provide general knowledge about the diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of ARBH.

Histidine-containing microspheres (HCM) with 2 μm in size were synthesized by suspension polymerization of poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and N-methacryloyl-L-histidine methyl ester. Then, they were used to prepare composite cryogel columns by an embedding process for affinity depletion of immunoglobulin G (HIgG) from human serum via histidine groups on microspheres. Here, we describe HIgG adsorption performance of composite cryogel columns in both aqueous solution and human serum.

A novel 1-naphthylamine (NA) coupled poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-N-methacryloyl-(L)-histidine methyl ester) [NA-PHEMAH] supermacroporous monolithic hydrophobic cryogel was prepared via covalent coupling of NA to PHEMAH for adsorption of lysozyme from aqueous solution. Firstly, PHEMAH monolithic cryogel was prepared by radical cryocopolymerization of HEMA with MAH as a functional comonomer and N,N'-methylene-bisacrylamide (MBAAm) as a crosslinker directly in a plastic syringe, and then NA molecules were covalently attached to the imidazole rings of MAH groups of the polymeric structure. The prepared, NA-PHEMAH, supermacroporous monolithic hydrophobic cryogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of initial lysozyme concentration, pH, salt type, temperature and flow rate on the adsorption efficiency of monolithic hydrophobic cryogel were studied in a column system. The maximum amount of lysozyme adsorption from aqueous solution in phosphate buffer was 86.1 mg/g polymer at pH 8.0 with a flow rate of 1 mL/min. It was observed that lysozyme could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with the NA-PHEMAH monolithic hydrophobic cryogel without significant loss of the adsorption capacity.

For the purification of large molecules, cryogels are an alternative stationary phase to particle based media. But, due to the drawbacks of cryogels (i.e., low surface area) and particle sorbents (i.e., pressure drop in fixed beds), in recent years, the use of hybrid cryogels has greatly increased. In this study, a novel hybrid cryogel column was synthesized for the purification of lysozyme from aqueous solutions and hen egg white (HEW). Firstly, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) beads (2μm size) were prepared, and after iminodiacetic acid (IDA) immobilization, Cu(2+) ions were attached via the IDA chelating groups. These arranged Cu(2+)-attached PHEMA beads (Cu(2+)-ABs) were located into PHEMA based cryogel in order to prepare Cu(2+)-ABs embedded supermacroporous hybrid cryogel (Cu(2+)-ABsEHC) column. The specific surface area of the hybrid cryogel was found as 95m(2)/g by using BET. The amount of IDA on beads was found as 875μmol IDA/g. It was approached to the optimum adsorption levels at initial lysozyme concentration of 4mg/mL and pH8.0 as 874.9mg/g beads. The purity of lysozyme adsorbed from HEW was studied by SDS-PAGE with a purity of 86.4%. It is demonstrated that this column is a potential separation medium for purification of lysozyme from HEW., (© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study is to prepare supermacroporous cryogels embedded with Fe(3+)-attached sporopollenin particles (Fe(3++)-ASPs) having large surface area for high DNA adsorption capacity. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic cryogel column embedded with Fe3+(+)-ASPs was prepared by radical cryo-copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with N,N´-methylene- bis-acrylamide (MBAAm) as cross-linker directly in a plastic syringe for DNA adsorption studies. Firstly, Fe3+(+) ions were attached to the sporopollenin particles (SPs), then the supermacroporous PHEMA cryogel with embedded Fe(3++)-ASPs was produced by free radical polymerization using N,N,N´, N´-Tetramethylethylenediamine (TEMED) and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator/activator pair in an ice bath. Optimum conditions of adsorption experiments were performed at pH 6.0 (0.02 M Tris buffer containing 0.2 M NaCl), with flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, and at 5°C. The maximum amount of DNA adsorption from aqueous solution was very high (109 mg/g SPs) with initial concentration of 3 mg/mL. It was observed that DNA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with this composite cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity. As a result, higher amounts of DNA adsorbed these composite cryogels are expected to be good candidate for achieving higher removal of anti-DNA antibodies from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients plasma.

In this study a novel composite cryogel column was synthesized for affinity depletion of immunoglobulin G (IgG) from human serum. The microsphere-embedding technique combines the large surface area of microspheres with excellent properties of cryogels. The poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate- N-methacryloyl-L-histidine methyl ester) microsphere (2 μm size)- embedded composite cryogel (MECC) column was synthesized and characterized by various methods. The specific surface area of the composite cryogel was found as 92 m(2)/g by using BET measurement. Maximum HIgG adsorption on MECC column was found as 50.5 mg/g. MECC column can be reused many times with no apparent decrease in HIgG adsorption capacity.

As a low-cost natural adsorbent, diatomite (DA) (2 μm) has several advantages including high surface area, chemical reactivity, hydrophilicity and lack of toxicity. In this study, the protein adsorption performance of supermacroporous composite cryogels embedded with Ni(2+)-attached DA particles (Ni(2+)-ADAPs) was investigated. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic composite cryogel column embedded with Ni(2+)-ADAPs was prepared by radical cryo-copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBAAm) as cross-linker directly in a plastic syringe for affinity purification of human serum albumin (HSA) both from aqueous solutions and human serum. The chemical composition and surface area of DA was determined by XRF and BET method, respectively. The characterization of composite cryogel was investigated by SEM. The effect of pH, and embedded Ni(2+)-ADAPs amount, initial HSA concentration, temperature and flow rate on adsorption were studied. The maximum amount of HSA adsorption from aqueous solution at pH 8.0 phosphate buffer was very high (485.15 mg/g DA). It was observed that HSA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed to the embedded Ni(2+)-ADAPs in poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) composite cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity. The efficiency of albumin adsorption from human serum before and after albumin adsorption was also investigated with SDS-PAGE analyses., (Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The aim of this study is to prepare supermacroporous cryogels embedded with Cu(2+)-attached sporopollenin particles (Cu(2+)-ASP) having large surface area for high protein adsorption capacity. Supermacroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)-based monolithic cryogel column embedded with Cu(2+)-ASP was prepared by radical cryo-copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBAAm) as cross-linker directly in a plastic syringe for affinity purification of human serum albumin (HSA). Firstly, Cu(2+) ions were attached to sporopollenin particles (SP), then the supermacroporous PHEMA cryogel with embedded Cu(2+)-ASP was produced by free radical polymerization using N,N,N',N'-tetramethylene diamine (TEMED) and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator/activator pair in an ice bath. Embedded particles (10 mg) in PHEMA-based cryogel column were used in the adsorption/desorption of HSA from aqueous solutions. Optimum conditions of adsorption experiments were performed at pH 8.0 phosphate buffer, with flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, and at 5°C. The maximum amount of HSA adsorption from aqueous solution was very high (677.4 mg/g SP) with initial concentration 6 mg/mL. It was observed that HSA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed to the embedded Cu(2+)-ASP in PHEMA cryogel without significant loss of adsorption capacity., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)