A zebrafish model for studying the mechanisms of newborn hyperbilirubinemia and bilirubin-induced neurological damage

Unresolved neonatal hyperbilirubinemia may lead to the accumulation of excess bilirubin in the body, and bilirubin in neural tissues may induce toxicity. Bilirubin-induced neurological damage (BIND) can result in acute or chronic bilirubin encephalopathy, causing temporary or lasting neurological dysfunction or severe damage resulting in infant death. Although serum bilirubin levels are used as an indication of severity, known and unknown individual differences affect the severity of the symptoms. The mechanisms of BIND are not yet fully understood. Here, a zebrafish newborn hyperbilirubinemia model is developed and characterized. Direct exposure to excess bilirubin induced dose- and time-dependent toxicity linked to the accumulation of bilirubin in the body and brain. Introduced bilirubin was processed by the liver, which increased the tolerance of larvae. BIND in larvae was demonstrated by morphometric measurements, histopathological analyses and functional tests. The larvae that survived hyperbilirubinemia displayed mild or severe morphologies associated with defects in eye movements, body posture and swimming problems. Interestingly, a plethora of mild to severe clinical symptoms were reproduced in the zebrafish model

Dinar (Afyonkarahisar, Batı Türkiye) bölgesindeki kömür oluşumlarının uranyum potansiyeli: Uranyum birikimini kontrol eden jeolojik faktörler

Random distribution of energy resources in the world, rapidly increasing energy prices, environmental problems such as global warming and climate change, the depletion of fossil fuels in the near future and their negative impact on the environment and human health, increasing dependence on foreign energy, limited energy resources of big consumer countries and being dependent on a small number of specific countries lead states to seek various sources of energy. The uranium fuel-based nuclear energy generation is an alternative energy source for Turkey. Proven uranium reserves in Turkey are 32.4 kt and exploration of sedimentary basins for uranium mineralization still continues. In this context, Dinar (Afyonkarahisar, western Turkey) coal occurences can attract attention for economic possibilities of uranium related with Plio-Miocene aged extensional tectonic regime. A total of 17 coal samples were collected for analyses from five boreholes at various depths. The uranium contents of studied coals are up to 1065 μg/g. The origin of the uranium in this basin are considered as a stratal epigenetic origin, which the uranium was introduced in the coal after coalification and consolidation of the enclosing sediments by ground water deriving uranium from hydrothermal sources or from unconformably overlying volcanic rocks. In addition, it can be highlighted that the higher contents of uranium occur in the upper parts of the stratigraphically highest lignite beds, which is compatible with other epigenetic lignite deposits.Dünyada enerji kaynaklarının rastgele dağılmış olması, yükselen enerji fiyatları, küresel ısınma ve iklim değişikliği gibi çevresel sorunlar, yakın gelecekte fosil yakıtların tükenecek olması, bu enerji kaynaklarının çevre ve insan sağlığı üzerindeki etkileri, yabancı kaynaklara ve az sayıda enerji zengini ülkeye bağımlılık sebebiyle ülkeler farklı enerji kaynaklarına yönelmiştir. Uranyumu yakıt olarak kullanan nükleer enerji üretimi Türkiye için alternatif bir kaynak olarak ele alınmaktadır. Türkiye’nin kanıtlanmış uranyum rezervi 32.4 kiloton olup, halen uranyum içerebilecek havzaların araştırılması devam etmektedir. Bu kapsamda, Pliyo-Miyosen genişlemeli rejim sonucu gelişen Dinar (Afyonkarahisar, Batı Anadolu) kömür oluşumları ekonomik açıdan önem arz edebilecek uranyum içerikleri bakımından ilgi çekebilmektedir. Çeşitli derinliklerden ve 5 sondaj kuyusundan toplam 17 adet kömür numunesi alınmıştır. Bu numunelerin uranyum içeriklerinin 1065 μg/g mertebelerine kadar çıktığı görülmüştür. Havzada mevcut olan uranyumun, kömürleşme süreci ve kömür tabakalarının üzerinin volkanoklastik sedimanlar tarafından örtülmesinden sonra, hidrotermal akışkanlar ile karışan yeraltı sularının etkisiyle katmanlı epijenetik köken modeline uygun şekilde oluştuğu düşünülmektedir. Ayrıca, yüksek uranyum içeriğinin, linyit damarlarının üst katmanlarında yoğunlaşması sebebiyle havza diğer epijenetik linyit oluşumları ile benzerlik göstermektedir

Dermal Progression of Neonatal Jaundice of Newborn Under 35 Weeks of Gestational Age

Aim:To determine the dermal progression of neonatal jaundice in newborns under 35 weeks of gestational age and those risk factors which affect dermal progression.Materials and Methods:We prospectively enrolled eighty-eight preterm newborns under 35 weeks of gestational age in neonatol intensive care unit of Dokuz Eylül University Hospital. It was a cross-sectional analytic case study. We measured capillary and transcutaneous bilirubin levels. Multiple sites of TcB measurement were performed.Results:We observed that there is no significant difference between capillary and transcutaneous bilirubin measurements on preterm newborns under 35 weeks of gestational age (pearson’s rho >75 and p0.05).Conclusion:Transcutaneous bilirubin measurements can be used for neonatal jaundice of newborns under 35 weeks of gestational age. However, we need further studies for comprehensive descriptions of preterm newborns’ jaundice progression

Severe iron overload and hyporegenerative anemia in a case with rhesus hemolytic disease: therapeutic approach to rare complications

A 33 weeks’ gestation, a baby with rhesus hemolytic disease (RHD), who had received intrauterine transfusions twice, developed cholestatic hepatic disease and late hyporegenerative anemia. Her serum ferritin and bilirubin levels increased to 8842 ng/ml and 17.9 mg/dl, respectively. Liver biopsy showed cholestasis and severe iron overload. Treatment with recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO) decreased the transfusion need, and intravenous deferoxamine resulted in a marked decreased in serum ferritin levels and normalization of liver function. In patients who have undergone intrauterine transfusions due to RHD, hyperferritinemia and late hyporegenerative anemia should be kept in mind. Chelation therapy in cases with symptomatic hyperferritinemia and rHuEPO treatment in cases with severe hyporegenerative anemia should be considered

Exfoliation mechanisms of 2D materials and their applications

Due to the strong in-plane but weak out-of-plane bonding, it is relatively easy to separate nanosheets of two-dimensional (2D) materials from their respective bulk crystals. This exfoliation of 2D materials can yield large 2D nanosheets, hundreds of micrometers wide, that can be as thin as one or a few atomic layers thick. However, the underlying physical mechanisms unique to each exfoliation technique can produce a wide distribution of defects, yields, functionalization, lateral sizes, and thicknesses, which can be appropriate for specific end applications. The five most commonly used exfoliation techniques include micromechanical cleavage, ultrasonication, shear exfoliation, ball milling, and electrochemical exfoliation. In this review, we present an overview of the field of 2D material exfoliation and the underlying physical mechanisms with emphasis on progress over the last decade. The beneficial characteristics and shortcomings of each exfoliation process are discussed in the context of their functional properties to guide the selection of the best technique for a given application. Furthermore, an analysis of standard applications of exfoliated 2D nanosheets is presented including their use in energy storage, electronics, lubrication, composite, and structural applications. By providing detailed insight into the underlying exfoliation mechanisms along with the advantages and disadvantages of each technique, this review intends to guide the reader toward the appropriate batch-scale exfoliation techniques for a wide variety of industrial applications