Corrosion Problems in Buildings Constructed in Turkey

Corrosion is the deterioration of metals due to chemical and electrochemical reactions. Corrosion is a costly problem occurring in metals and alloys and changes their physical, chemical and electrical properties. Economic loss due to corrosion in Turkiye is about 5% of its gross national income. Most metals are sensitive to water and air and undergo corrosion even under normal conditions. Corrosion occurs when oxygen, humidity and electrolytes are present in the medium. This study investigates corrosion and its reasons in concrete reinforcements

UNERTAN SYNDROME: A CASE SERIES DEMONSTRTAING HUMAN DEVOLUTION

A large family with six individuals exhibiting the Unertan syndrome (UTS) was identified residing in southern Turkey. All of the individuals had mental impairments and walked on all four extremities. The intra-familial marriages suggested that the UTS is an autosomal recessive disorder. The inferior portions of the cerebellum and vermis were absent as evidenced by MRI and CT scans. The height and head circumference of those affected were within normal ranges. Barany’s test suggested normal vestibular system function. The subjects could not name objects or their close relatives. The males (n = 4) could understand simple questions, answering them with only one or two sounds. The females (n = 2) were superior to the males with respect to language skills and walking, suggesting an association between walking and speaking abilities. One male exhibited three walking patterns at the same time: quadripedal, tiptoe, and scissor walking. Another male used two walking styles: quadripedal and toe-walking. It is emphasized that there are important differences between the UTS and the disequilibrium syndrome (DES). It is suggested that the inability to walk upright in those affected with the UTS may be best explained by a disturbance in lateral-balance mechanisms. An interruption of locomotor development during the transition from quadripedality to bipedality may result in habitual walking on all four extremities and is normal in some children. Since quadripedal gait is an ancestral trait, individuals with the UTS, exhibiting a manifestation of reverse evolution in humans, may be considered an experiment of nature, useful in understanding the mechanisms underlying the transition from quadripedality to bipedality during human evolution. The proposed mutant gene or gene pool playing a role in human quadrupedality may also be responsible for human bipedality at the same time. Herein there is no intent to insult or injure, rather this report is an endeavor to better understand human beings

Phytochemical compositions, antioxidant properties, enzyme inhibitory effects of extracts of four endemic Lathyrus L. taxa from Türkiye and a taxonomic approach

ABSTRACT Lathyrus is an economically important genus, with different parts of some species used as foodstuff or animal feed. In this study, phytochemical compositions and bioactivities of Lathyrus brachypterus var. brachypterus, L. brachypterus var. haussknechtii, L. nivalis subsp. sahinii and L. tefennicus taxa which are endemic to Türkiye were investigated. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC, TFC) of methanolic extracts were detected. Then, phytochemical compositions, antioxidant features (radical scavenging (DPPH: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, ABTS: 2,2′-azino-bis(3 ethylbenzothiazoline) 6 sulfonic acid), reducing power (FRAP:Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power, CUPRAC:Cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity), metal chelating activity (MCA), and the phosphomolybdenum assays (PDA)) and enzyme inhibitory properties of the extracts were also determined. The highest values were found at L. brachypterus var. brachypterus for TPC, L. brachypterus var. haussknechtii for TFC. The highest antioxidant properties were seen in extracts of L. brachypterus var. brachypterus in DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC and PDA assays, while in extract of L. nivalis subsp. sahinii in MCA. The highest enzyme inhibitory activity was found in extract of L. brachypterus var. brachypterus in tyrosinase and glucosidase assays, while in extracts of L. nivalis subsp. sahinii in AChE (acetylcholinesterase), BChE (butyrylcholinesterase) and amylase. Finally, a taxonomic evaluation was made by considering the phytochemicals

Serum testosterone levels and Colonic Diverticula

Background: Elderly men have a high risk of metabolic syndrome, including an increased risk of obesity. Whether low testosterone is associated with diverticular disease of the colon (DDC) risk independent of metabolic co-factors is not clear. Aim: This study was conducted this study to reveal the possible link between serum testosterone levels and colonic diverticula. Methods: This study was conducted between May 2018 and December 2018, total 208 subjects were enrolled for the study at a university hospital, Turkey. At total, 85 men with DDC were enrolled for the study. DDC was defined by non-contrast CT scan with colonoscopic examination. Control group (123 subjects without DDC; the mean age was 54.5 ±14.5) were selected from otherwise healthy men. Results: Of the 85 men with DDC, the mean age was 60.8 ± 13.5 years. Lower levels of total testosterone were associated with a 25% increased odds of prevalent DDC on adjusted analyses. Importantly, lower levels of total testosterone remained strongly associated with prevalent DDC, even in men with normal glucose levels (p=0.01). Conclusion: Decreasing levels of total testosterone, even within normal range, are independently associated with DDC in elderly age. Androgen deficiency may have an important role in the development of DDC in men and provide a potential novel target for DDC prevention

Atrial electromechanical delay is impaired in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism

Introduction: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an endocrine disease that poses a risk for cardiac arrhythmias. Atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) has been known as an early marker of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to evaluate the atrial EMD in PHPT. Material and methods: Fifty PHPT patients (45 females, 5 males) aged 30–75 years and 38 controls (35 females, 3 males) aged 31–73 years were included in the study. Atrial EMD parameters were measured by using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Inter-atrial EMD was calculated as the difference between PA lateral and PA tricuspid; intra-atrial EMD was calculated as the difference between PA septum and PA tricuspid, and left-atrial EMD was calculated as the difference between PA lateral and PA septum. Results: Atrial EMD parameters (PA lateral, PA septum, PA tricuspid) significantly increased in the PHPT group compared to the control group (p < 0.001, for all). Also, inter-atrial and intra-atrial EMD were higher in the PHPT group than in the control group (p < 0.001, for all). In correlation analysis, calcium was closely associated with PA lateral (r = 0.749, p < 0.001), PA septum (r = 0.735, p < 0.001), inter-atrial EMD (r = 0.807, p < 0.001), and intra-atrial EMD (r = 0.838, p < 0.001). The same correlation relationship was seen between PTH levels with PA lateral (r = 671, p < 0.001), PA septum (r = 0.660, p < 0,001), inter-atrial EMD (r = 0.674, p < 0.001), and intra-atrial EMD (r = 0.732, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Atrial EMD parameters were prolonged in PHPT. The measurement of atrial EMD parameters might be used in determining the risk of AF development in PHPT

BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccination elicited protective robust immune responses in pediatric patients with inborn errors of metabolism

IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to a life-threatening acute metabolic decompensation in children with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), so vaccination is mandatory. However, IEMs can also impair innate or adaptive immunity, and the impact of these immune system alterations on immunogenicity and vaccine efficacy is still unknown. Here, we investigated humoral immune responses to the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and clinical outcomes in pediatric IEM patients.MethodsFifteen patients between 12-18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of IEM, and received BNT162b2 were enrolled to the study. Patients with an anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentration >50 AU/mL before vaccination were defined as “COVID-19 recovered” whereas patients with undetectable anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentration were defined as “COVID-19 naïve”. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (nAb) titers were measured to assess humoral immune response.ResultsAnti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers and nAb IH% increased significantly after the first dose. The increase in antibody titers after first and second vaccination remained significant in COVID-19 naïve patients. Complete anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity and nAb IH% positivity was observed in all patients after the second dose. Vaccination appears to be clinically effective in IEM patients, as none of the patients had COVID-19 infection within six months of the last vaccination.DiscussionHumoral immune response after two doses of BNT162b2 in pediatric IEM patients was adequate and the immune response was not different from that of healthy individuals

Renal complications of lipodystrophy: A closer look at the natural history of kidney disease

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144612/1/cen13732_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144612/2/cen13732.pd

Twelve-year trends in the prevalence and risk factors of diabetes and prediabetes in Turkish adults

There is concern about an emerging diabetes epidemic in Turkey. We aimed to determine the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, prediabetes and their 12-year trends and to identify risk factors for diabetes in the adult Turkish population. A cross-sectional, population-based survey, ‘TURDEP-II’ included 26,499 randomly sampled adults aged ≥ 20 years (response rate: 87 %). Fasting glucose and biochemical parameters were measured in all; then a OGTT was performed to identify diabetes and prediabetes in eligible participants. The prevalence of diabetes was 16.5 % (new 7.5 %), translating to 6.5 million adults with diabetes in Turkey. It was higher in women than men (p = 0.008). The age-standardized prevalence to the TURDEP-I population (performed in 1997–98) was 13.7 % (if same diagnostic definition was applied diabetes prevalence is calculated 11.4 %). The prevalence of isolated-IFG and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and combined prediabetes was 14.7, 7.9, and 8.2 %, respectively; and that of obesity 36 % and hypertension 31.4 %. Compared to TURDEP-I; the rate of increase for diabetes: 90 %, IGT: 106 %, obesity: 40 % and central obesity: 35 %, but hypertension decreased by 11 % during the last 12 years. In women age, waist, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, low education, and living environment; in men age, BMI, and hypertension were independently associated with an increased prevalence of diabetes. In women current smoking, and in men being single were associated with a reduced risk. These results from one of the largest nationally representative surveys carried out so far show that diabetes has rapidly become a major public health challenge in Turkey. The figures are alarming and underscore the urgent need for national programs to prevent diabetes, to manage the illness and thus prevent complications. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10654-013-9771-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Evaluation of estrogen receptor alpha (ERa), neuropilin 1 (NRP1) and E-cadherin expression in normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic endometrium

Amaç: Bu çalışmada endometriumun benign proliferatif fazında, bu fazdan endometrium kanseri (EK)'ye giden ara süreçte görülebilen atipisiz ve atipili endometrial hiperplazide (EH) ve endometrioid tip endometrial adenokarsinomda (EA) östrojen reseptör alfa (ÖR?), nöropilin 1 (NRP1) ve E-cadherin ekspresyonunun değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Materyal-method: Proliferatif endometrium (PE) (n=23); atipisiz (n=16) veya atipili (n=13) EH ve endometrioid tip EA (n=45) patolojik tanılı toplam 97 spesmene ait parafin bloklar ÖR?, NRP1 ve E-cadherin ile immün boyanarak bu dokulara ait hücrelerdeki ekspresyon yüzdeleri ile yoğunlukları sırasıyla nükleer, sitoplazmik ve mebranöz alanlarda değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Grade 2/3 endometrioid tip EA'da, hem PE hem de atipisiz EH'ye göre daha az hücre ÖR? ile nükleer boyanmakla birlikte (sırasıyla P<0.05 ve P<0.01); bu boyanmanın sadece atipisiz EH'ye kıyasla daha düşük yoğunlukta olduğu gözlenmiştir (P<0.01). E-cadherin ile membranöz boyanmanın PE, atipili EH ve grade 1 endometrioid tip EA'da, Grade 2/3 endometrioid tip EA'ya kıyasla daha kuvvetli olduğu saptanmıştır (sırasıyla P<0.05, P<0.05 ve P<0.01). NRP1 ile sitoplazmik boyanmanın PE ile atipisiz ve atipili EH'ye kıyasla hem grade 1 (P<0.05) hem de grade 2/3 endometrioid tip EA'da daha yoğun olduğu bulunmuştur (sırasıyla P<0.001, P<0.05 ve P<0.05). Sonuç: Normal PE ile atipisiz ve atipili EH'den endometrioid tip EA'ya geçiş süreci, özellikle grade 2/3 lezyonlarda belirginleşen ÖR? ile E-cadherin ekspresyonunda azalma ve NRP1 ekspresyonunda artış ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. Orta ve az diferansiye malignant endometrial sürece kadar 17-beta östradiol (17-? Ö2), endometrial hücrelerde ÖR?'yı uyararak NRP1 ekspresyonunda artışla beraber E-cadherin downregülasyonuna yol açıyor olabilir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Endometrial Hiperplazi, Endometrial Neoplaziler, Kadherinler,Nöropilin 1, Östrojen Reseptör alfaObjective: In this study; it was aimed to evaluate the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER?), neuropilin 1 (NRP1) and e-cadherin in the benign proliferative phase of the endometrium, in the endometrial hyperplasia (EH) with and without atypia- which can be seen in the intermediate period from benign proliferative phase to endometrial cancer (EC) and in endometrioid type endometrial adenocarcinoma (EA). Materials-methods: Paraffin blocks of 97 specimens with pathological diagnosis of proliferative endometrium (PE) (n=23), EH without atypia (n=16), EH with atypia (n=13) and endometrioid type EA (n=45) were immunostained with ER?, NRP1 and e-cadherin. Expression percentages and intensities in cells belonging to these tissues were evaluated in nuclear, cytoplasmic and membranous areas, respectively. Results: In grade 2/3 endometrioid type EA, fewer cells are nuclear stained with ÖR? than both PE and EH without atypia (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Nevertheless, this staining was observed to be of lower intensity compared to only EH without atypia (P<0.01). Membrane staining with E-cadherin was found to be stronger in PE, EH with atypia and grade 1 endometrioid type EA compared to grade 2/3 endometrioid type EA (P<0.05, P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Cytoplasmic staining with NRP1 was found to be more intense in both grade 1 (P<0.05) and grade 2/3 endometrioid type EA compared to PE endometrium and EH with and without atypia (P<0.001, P<0.05 and P<0.05, respectively). Conclusions: The transition process from normal PE and EH with and without atypia to endometrioid type EA was associated with decreased E-cadherin and ÖR? expression with increased NRP1 expression, which was especially evident in grade 2/3 lesions. Until moderately and poorly differentiated malignant endometrial process, 17- beta estradiol (17-? Ö2) may stimulate ÖR? in endometrial cells, leading to an increase in NRP1 expression and downregulation of E-cadherin. Keywords: Cadherins, Endometrial Hyperplasia, Endometrial Neoplasia, Estrogen Receptor alpha, Neuropilin 1