Facile preparation of a cellulose microfibers–exfoliated graphite composite: a robust sensor for determining dopamine in biological samples

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media B.V. A simple and robust dopamine (DA) sensor was developed using a cellulose microfibers (CMF)–exfoliated graphite composite-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) for the first time. The graphite-CMF composite was prepared by sonication of pristine graphite in CMF solution and was characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform, infrared, and Raman spectroscopy. The cyclic voltammetry results reveal that the graphite-CMF composite modified SPCE has superior electrocatalytic activity against oxidation of dopamine than SPCE modified with pristine graphite and CMF. The presence of large edge plane defects on exfoliated graphite and abundant oxygen functional groups of CMF enhance electrocatalytic activity and decrease potential to oxidize DA. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to quantify DA using the graphite-CMF composite-modified SPCE and demonstrated a linear response for DA detection in the range of 0.06–134.5 µM. The sensor shows a detection limit at 10 nM with an appropriate sensitivity and displays appropriate recovery of DA in human serum samples with good repeatability. Sensor selectivity is demonstrated in the presence of 50-fold concentrations of potentially active interfering compounds including ascorbic acid, uric acid, and dihydroxybenzene isomers

Comparison of treatment choices among endodontists, postgraduate students, undergraduate students and general dentists for endodontically treated teeth

Objectives: To compare the decision-making choices among Turkish dentists with different educational backgrounds. Methods: Eighty endodontically treated teeth were selected from the authors' private archives and placed into four case groups of equal size: case-group 1, symptom/periapical lesion (n = 20); case-group 2, symptom/no periapical lesion (n = 20); case-group 3, no symptom/periapical lesion (n = 20); and case-group 4, no symptom/no periapical lesion (n = 20). The respective periapical radiograph of each tooth was scanned and, together with a leaflet containing relevant information, was distributed to the participants. Participants comprised undergraduate students (n = 20), general dentists (n = 20), endodontic postgraduate students (n = 20) and endodontists (n = 20). Each participant was requested to choose only one option, from five previously determined treatment alternatives, for each tooth: no treatment, wait and see; non-surgical root canal treatment; only apical surgery (apical resection and retrofilling or only apical curettage); retreatment and apical surgery; or extraction. The results were expressed as frequency and percentage. Kendall's W test was used to determine the differences among the participant groups. Results: There was a statistically significant difference among the practitioners in the preferred treatment options for different case-groups (P < 0.05). For case-groups 1, 2 and 3, the postgraduate students and endodontists preferred non-surgical retreatment more frequently than did the undergraduate students and general dentists. However, in case-group 4, all participants suggested the first treatment option, ‘no treatment, wait and see’ more frequently than the other treatment options. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this survey study it was concluded that endodontists and graduate programme students tend more towards conservative treatment (retreatment) compared with general dentists and undergraduate students. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federatio

Predictors of Outcome in Patients with Medullary Hemorrhage

PubMed: 33007679Background: Isolated medullary hemorrhage (MH) is an uncommon presentation of spontaneous intraparenchymal hemorrhage. The relationship between MH and neurological outcome is not well known. This study aims to assess predictive parameters for the outcome of medullary hemorrhage. Methods: We conducted an extensive search of the literature for cases with spontaneous, isolated MH. The study was conducted according to the statement of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis (PRISMA). Forty-three cases diagnosed by CT or MRI have been reported in the literature, to which we add three confirmed by MRI. The ventrodorsal size of hemorrhage was taken into account as a parameter of outcome. Early neurologic deterioration (END) was defined as an incremental increase in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score by ?1 point in motor power, or ?2 points in the total score within the first week after admission. Modified Rankin Score (mRS) 0–2 was presumed as favorable outcome (FO) and mRS 3–6 score as unfavorable outcome (UO) at discharge and at 3 months after stroke. Results: We enrolled 46 patients, and 17 (37%) patients were diagnosed with END. The cause of medullary hemorrhage was mostly vascular malformations, including cavernous malformation (33%) and arteriovenous malformation (11%). In univariate analyses, neither arteriovenous malformations (OR, 1.04; 95%CI, 0.10–10.53; P = 0.68) nor cavernomas (OR, 1.04; 95%CI, 0.22–4.89; P = 0.62) were associated with UO. Acute respiratory distress syndrome was higher in patients with UO group (44%) compared to those with FO group (16%), but this difference did not reach to a significant level (OR, 4.13; 95%CI, 0.85–20.04; P = 0.09). The diameter of hemorrhage was significantly larger (?1 cm) in patients with UO compared to those with FO (OR, 16.67; 95%CI, 1.87–148.89; P = 0.003). Three months after stroke, 37 patients (80%) had FO and 9 (19.5%) had UO, and 5 (11%) died. Multiple logistic regression analysis using predetermined variables found to be significant in univariate analyses (END, consciousness disturbance at admission, hemorrhage size, and hypertension) showed that END at stroke onset was significantly associated with UO (OR, 4.97; CI95%, 1.13–21.94; P = 0.03). Conclusions: These results suggest that the END is a predictor for UO in patients with medullary hemorrhage. The extent of the medullary hemorrhage along the conduction tract may contribute to deterioration. © 2020 Elsevier Inc.Emre Kumral M.D. Fatma Ece Bayam M.D. Rana ?zerol M.D. Mehmet Orman PhD did not receive funding disclosure

Serum homocysteine level is increased and correlated with endothelin-1 and nitric oxide in Behçet's disease

Background/aims: Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory vasculitis of young adults with unknown aetiology, characterised by endothelial dysfunction and occlusion in both deep venous and retinal circulation. Ocular involvement occurs in 70% of cases and is characterised by periphlebitis, periarteritis, vascular occlusion, and thrombosis leading to blindness despite vigorous treatment. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a vasoconstricting peptide while nitric oxide (NO) is a relaxing molecule and both are released by endothelium for blood flow regulation. Homocysteinaemia is a newly defined term connected to the increased risk of atherothrombotic and atherosclerotic systemic and retinal vascular occlusive diseases, and its role in the course of BD has not been previously described. The authors aimed to detect serum total homocysteine (tHcy), ET-1, and NO in BD and to assess if tHcy, ET-1, and NO are associated with ocular BD or disease activity. Methods: 43 consecutive patients with ocular (n = 27) or non-ocular (n = 16) BD (36.95 (SD 9.80) years, 22 male, 21 female) satisfying international criteria, and 25 age and sex matched healthy control subjects (37.88 (8.73) years, 13 male, 12 female) without a history of systemic or retinal venous thrombosis were included in this study. Patients were examined by two ophthalmologists with an interest in BD. Serum tHcy, ET-1, and NO concentrations were measured in both groups. Hyperhomocysteinaemia was defined as a tHcy level above the 95th percentile in the control group. Patients were divided into active and inactive period by acute phase reactants including α(1) antitrypsin, α(2) macroglobulin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and neutrophil count. Results: The overall mean serum tHcy, ET-1, and NO levels were significantly higher in patients with BD than in control subjects (tHcy = 15.83 (4.44) v 7.96 (2.66) ng/ml, p <0.001; ET-1 = 17.47 (4.33) v 5.74 (2.34) μmol/ml, p <0.001; NO = 37.60 (10.31) v 27.08 (7.76) μmol/l, p <0.001). Serum tHcy, ET-1, and NO levels were significantly higher in active patients than in inactive patients and control subjects. In addition, among patients with ocular BD, the mean tHcy levels were significantly increased and correlated with ET-1 and NO levels when compared with non-ocular disease and control subjects. All acute phase reactant levels were significantly higher in active period than in inactive stage and controls. Conclusions: Elevated tHcy may be responsible for the endothelial damage in BD and may be an additional risk factor for the development of retinal vascular occlusive disease, contributing to the poor visual outcome in these patients. Assessment of tHcy may be important in the investigation and management of patients with BD, especially with ocular disease

Turkey

This chapter reviews irrigation development and policy with specific references to the main water- and land-based regional socioeconomic development projects in Turkey. It analyzes the expansion of irrigation investment as well as institutional and technological changes in irrigation policy and development in parallel with policies of liberalization and decentralization in the late 1980s. The chapter also discusses institutional changes in the management of the irrigation systems as a result of (partial) transfer of management of large-scale irrigation systems to a variety of water user organizations. Finally, it describes current technological and institutional problems and the further challenges to the irrigation sector, such as infrastructure deterioration, risks of drought, environmental and ecological system degradation, and insufficient investment. It also notes the efforts to equip new irrigation schemes with modern technology, such as closed pipes for conveying water instead of open channels, and water-saving micro-irrigation methods rather than surface irrigation techniques.WOS:000486992000009Scopus - Affiliation ID: 60105072Book Citation Index- Science - Book Citation Index- Social Sciences and HumanitiesArticle; Book ChapterNisan2019YÖK - 2018-1

A Parallel between Regret Theory and Outranking Methods for Multicriteria Decision Making Under Imprecise Information

multiple criteria decision making, PROMETHEE, outranking relation, regret, rejoice,