Sensitive, low cost and disposable electrochemical dopamine sensor based on Ag-NP/f-MWCNT/Poly (L-Cysteine)/ PGE

Abstract In this study, a single-step electrochemical method was employed to coat the electrode surface with a hybrid material comprising silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) and poly(Lcysteine). This material was used for the electrochemical determination of dopamine (DA). The electrocatalytic effect of the AgNPs/f-MWCNT/Poly(L-cysteine) hybrid material in DA determination exhibited superior performance in the sensitive and selective determination of DA, due to its well-designed morphology and surface functional groups. The spectroscopic, structural and morphological analyses of the AgNPs/f-MWCNT/Poly(L-cysteine)/PGE sensor electrode were conducted using XRD, FT-IR, Raman and SEM-EDS. The electrochemical properties and sensitivity of the sensor electrode employed in the determination of DA were investigated through the utilisation of cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methodologies. The limit of detection (LOD) value of the DA sensor was calculated to be 0.068 µM, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) value was determined to be 0.23 µM. Furthermore, linear ranges of 0.1 µM to 5.0 µM and 10 µM to 1000 µM were obtained. The repeatability test of the sensor electrode was also performed, and the RSD value was found to be 4.14%

Terpene-Centered Olfactory Training in Postinfectious Olfactory Dysfunction: A Dual-Route Approach

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the efficacy of classical olfactory training (COT) protocols with a novel dual-route method targeting both orthonasal and retronasal pathways in the management of postinfectious olfactory dysfunction (PIOD), and to explore the neurotherapeutic potential of terpene-based odorants. Methods: One hundred and seventeen patients diagnosed with PIOD received either conventional olfactory training or a modi- fied protocol that integrates retronasal stimulation. The terpene profile of administered odorants was evaluated for its contribu- tion to olfactory and cognitive outcomes. Results: This study had five major findings: (1) The Terpene-Centered Orthonasal and Retronasal Olfactory Training (TCOT) group showed significantly greater improvements in Sniffin' Sticks TDI and odor identification scores at the 9th and 12th months compared to the COT and Modified Olfactory Training (MOT) groups (p<0.001); (2) Retronasal olfactory scores improved sig- nificantly more in the TCOT group at the 9th and 12th months (p<0.001); (3) Clinically meaningful improvement (≥6-point TDI gain) was most frequent in TCOT participants at all time points beyond 6months; (4) TCOT participants exhibited the greatest re- ductions in parosmia severity at 6, 9, and 12months (p<0.05); (5) Cognitive complaints, as measured by CFQ-5 scores, improved most markedly in the TCOT group, with significant differences at the 6th (p<0.001) and 12th (p=0.02) months. Conclusion: Incorporating retronasal training and terpene-rich odorants in olfactory rehabilitation may improve outcomes in PIOD. These findings support the integration of terpene-centered, multimodal olfactory training into clinical rehabilitation strategies for PIOD. Level of Evidence: Level 2

Innovative findings on three endemic Crataegus spp. from Türkiye: flavonoid-enriched extracts with cardiovascular benefits demonstrated by reduction of oxidative and inflammatory markers on rat aorta tissue

ABSTRACT Türkiye is a significant genetic diversity center for Crataegus species. The fruits, leaves, flowers, and sprouts of Crataegus sp. are widely used in traditional medicine, mainly for cardiovascular diseases. Products containing Crataegus monogyna Jacq. subsp. monogyna (“alıç”) are recognized as therapeutic agents used alongside conventional treatments. Thus, investigating the chemical composition and biological activity of other Crataegus species is essential to explore their medicinal potential. This study provides the first report on total flavonoid content and detailed phytochemical profiling of leaf and immature fruit extracts from three endemic species—Crataegus peshmenii Dönmez, Crataegus petrodavisii Dönmez, and Crataegus christensenii Dönmez—using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). A comparative analysis with C. monogyna subsp. monogyna was also included. Notably, C. peshmenii leaf extract was the richest in compounds linked to cardiovascular benefits, including vitexin and hyperoside. Its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties were further evaluated using isolated rat thoracic aortas. The release of inflammatory and oxidative markers was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). C. peshmenii leaf extract significantly reduced the levels of oxidative and inflammatory markers (MDA, MPO, TNF-α, and IL-1β) in isolated aortas, supporting its potential as a cardiovascular protective agent

Optical soliton parameter dynamics by variational principle: parabolıc and dual–power laws (super–gaussian and super–sech pulses)

Abstract The current paper retrieves the optical soliton parameter dynamics that is considered with parabolic and dual—power laws of self—phase modulation structures. With linear chromatic dispersion and linear temporal evolution, the variational principle recovered the dynamical system of soliton parameters. Two specific forms of optical solitons are addressed in the paper which are super—Gaussian and super—sech pulses. These typically model RZ and NRZ types of pulses considered in telecommunications engineering. The special cases are naturally revealed when the parameter dictating the generalized nonlinearity is set to unity. The issue of soliton radiation has been tacitly disregarded to keep mathematics simple. The perturbation terms are also taken into account and the extended version of the Euler—Lagrange’s equation displays the extended dynamical system of these soliton parameters. The results naturally involved a range of special functions. © The Author(’s)

In vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity of fixed functional appliances

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of fixed functional appliances that are commonly used in the treatment of Class II malocclusion caused by mandibular retrognathia, using the MTT cell viability assays [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] (Sigma Chemical Co., Milan, Italy). Materials and methods: The cytotoxicity of five different fixed functional appliances commonly used in orthodontic treatments was assessed. The appliances evaluated included Jasper Jumper (American Orthodontics, Wisconsin, USA), Power Scope (American Orthodontics, Wisconsin, USA), Herbst (American Orthodontics, Wisconsin, USA), Forsus™ Fatigue Resistant Device Kits (3 M, MN, USA), and Twin Force Bite Corrector (Henry Schein Orthodontics, California, USA). Assays were conducted using one appliance from each type, resulting in a total of seven groups. Cytotoxicity testing was performed using the MTT assay on a human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cell line. Data analysis was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test with a significance level of p = 0.05. Results: All appliances demonstrated cell viability rates exceeding 90%, categorizing them as non-cytotoxic under ISO 10993-5 standards. Herbst exhibited the highest proliferation index (2.62 ± 1.13), while Power Scope (2.05 ± 1.06) and Jasper Jumper (1.90 ± 1.23) showed the lowest indices. Despite these variations, statistical analysis revealed no significant cytotoxic effects when compared to the control group (p > 0.05). All appliances were confirmed as biologically safe for cell health. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that all evaluated appliances exhibit a biocompatible interaction with HGF cells, with no evidence of adverse cytotoxic effects. These results support the safe clinical use of these fixed functional appliances in orthodontic treatment

Intranasal Terpene Treatment for Glioblastoma: the Neuro-Oncological Potential of Perillyl Alcohol

Abstract Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and fatal primary brain tumor in adults, characterized by poor prognosis and limited treatment efficacy due to the impermeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and its treatment-resistant nature. This review aims to evaluate the potential of intranasal terpene treatment (ITT) as a novel and non-invasive strategy to bypass the BBB and improve glioblastoma treatment outcomes. A review of recent preclinical and clinical studies on intranasally administered compounds (especially terpenes such as Perillyl alcohol (POH)) is presented in terms of their molecular mechanisms, bioavailability, and clinical effects in the central nervous system (CNS)

A Waterborne, Flexible, and Highly Conductive Silver Ink for Ultra-Rapid Fabrication of Epidermal Electronics

Abstract: Epidermal electronics provide a promising solution to key challenges in wearable electronics, such as motion artifacts and low signal-to-noise ratios caused by an imperfect sensor–skin interface. To achieve the optimal performance, skin-worn electronics require high conductivity, flexibility, stability, and biocompatibility. Herein, we present a nontoxic, waterborne conductive ink made of silver and child-safe slime for the fabrication of skincompatible electronics. The ink formulation includes polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), known as school glue, as a matrix, glyceryl triacetate (GTA) as a plasticizer, sodium tetraborate (Borax) as a crosslinker, and silver (Ag) flakes as the conducting material. Substituting citric acid (CA) for GTA enhances the deformability by more than 100%. With exceptional conductivity (up to 1.17 × 104 S/cm), we demonstrate the ink’s potential in applications such as an epidermal near-field communication (NFC) antenna patch and a wireless ECG system for motion monitoring

The impact of malnutrition in the radiotherapy pathway in geriatric patients in the onco-surgical settings on behalf of the Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology Study Group (TROD 12-04)

ABSTRACT Aim: This study explores the impact of age, malnutrition severity, and malnutrition risk on cancer treatment outcomes and their incidence based on cancer localization and stage, in geriatric and adult patients in Turkey. The study emphasizes the role of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) in improving nutritional status and treatment response in both age groups. Materials and methods: This prospective observational cohort study involved 163 patients with solid tumors receiving radiotherapy (RT) or RT combined with chemotherapy. Malnutrition risk was assessed using the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) tool, and malnutrition severity was determined via body mass index (BMI). The significance of age, malnutrition severity, and risk on treatment outcomes and performance status were evaluated by the physician and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status. Anthropometric measurements recorded before and after treatment were compared to evaluate ONS benefits across age and cancer groups. Results: Of the patients, 50.9 % were aged ≥70 years. A majority had stage III cancer (57.4 %) and lung cancer (38.7 %). Weight and BMI scores significantly decreased from pre-to post-treatment (P < 0.001). Malnutrition risk was higher in stage III cancer (P = 0.039), and geriatric patients had higher baseline NRS scores than adults (P = 0.049). Pre-treatment weight loss and malnutrition risk negatively affected RT response (P < 0.007). Posttreatment malnutrition risk prevalence increased significantly in head and neck cancer patients (P = 0.016). Conclusions: Nutritional therapy is crucial alongside cancer treatment, as pre-treatment weight loss and NRS≥3 negatively affect RT response. Maintaining a healthy nutritional status correlates with better outcomes, necessitating further research to optimize interventions stabilizing weight and BMI during RT

Effect of Acanthamoeba Spp. Cell-Free Supernatants on Some Bacterial Pathogens

ABSTRACT The fact that free‐living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba can live in many different environments causes these protozoa to have different interactions with other microorganisms. Investigation of Acanthamoeba–pathogenic bacteria interaction is important for the discovery of new antibacterial agents that can be used against pathogenic bacteria. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the antibacterial effect of cell‐free supernatants obtained from Acanthamoeba against some pathogenic bacteria. One standard strain (Acanthamoeba castellanii ATCC 50373) and one environmental strain (B1) of the genus Acanthamoeba were used in the study. Cell‐free supernatants were obtained by centrifuging the axenic cultures (3000 rpm, 5 min) and passing through a sterile filter with a pore diameter of 0.22 µm. The antibacterial effect of cell‐free supernatants against five different pathogenic bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella Typhi, and Salmonella enterica) was investigated by colony counting method. As a result of the study, it was determined that the standard Acanthamoeba cell‐free supernatant showed the highest antibacterial effect against E. faecalis (75.79%), while B1 cell‐free supernatant showed the highest antibacterial effect against K. pneumoniae (8.5%). The content of the tested Acanthamoeba cell‐free supernatants was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in our previous study and was also found to contain major compounds with antibacterial properties. Therefore, it is thought that the metabolites produced by Acanthamoeba can be used as an alternative to existing antimicrobial drugs in the fight against infections caused by some important pathogenic bacteria

Let-7b-5p sensitizes breast cancer cells to doxorubicin through Aurora Kinase B

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression level of the target genes in the cell. Breast cancer is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths among women globally. It has been proven that deregulated miRNAs may play an essential role in the progression of breast cancer. It has been shown in many cancers, including breast cancer, that aberrant expression of miRNAs may be associated with drug resistance. This study investigated the effect of let-7b-5p, detected by bioinformatics methods, on Dox resistance through the Aurora Kinase B (AURKB) gene. In silico analysis using publicly available miRNA expression, GEO datasets revealed that let-7b-5p significantly downregulated in BC. Further in silico studies revealed that of the genes among the potential targets of let-7b-5p, AURKB was the most negatively correlated and may be closely associated with Dox resistance. Expression analysis via quantitative PCR confirmed that let-7b-5p was downregulated and AURKB was upregulated in breast cancer tissue samples. Later, functional studies conducted with MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines demonstrated that let-7b-5p inhibits cancer cells through AURKB and sensitizes them to Dox resistance. In conclusion, it has been shown that the let-7b-5p/AURKB axis may be significant in breast cancer progression and the disruption in this axis may contribute to the trigger of Dox resistance