Investigation of hidden crisis of prescription drug abuse in Turkey: Pregabalin monitoring

This is a cross-sectional retrospective observational national study. Abuse/misuse of the pregabalin and related parameters analyzed. Pregabalin was mostly pre-scribed by general practitioners (26.2%). Pregabalin prescribing frequencies of other physicians were as follows, respectively: neurology (14.1%); mental health and illness (12%); physical therapy and rehabilitation (8.8%); internal medicine (4.8%). Accordingly, pregabalin (811.954box) and paracetamol, combinations excl. psycholeptics (1,131,069box) were the first two sales. In total cost of sales, pre-gabalin (57,721,322.00 TL) and methylphenidate (41,915,196.00 TL) were the top two sales rankings. According to the disposal results of ILAYS pharmaceuticals in 2020, pregabalin (2693box per year) and morphine (862box per year) were the most disposed drugs. It was determined that the frequency of pregabalin was fol-lowed by gabapentin. In conclusion, our study reveals the extent of abuse of prega-balin in Turkey with its data

Robust Control of a Multi-phase Interleaved Boost Converter for Photovoltaic Application using µ-Synthesis Approach

The high demand of energy efficiency has led to the development power converter topologies and control system designs within the field of power electronics. Recent advances of interleaved boost converters have showed improved features between the power conversion topologies in several aspects, including power quality, efficiency, sustainability and reliability. Interleaved boost converter with multi-phase technique for PV system is an attractive area for distributed power generation. During load variation or power supply changes due to the weather changes the output voltage requires a robust control to maintain stable and perform robustness. Connecting converters in series and parallel have the advantages of modularity, scalability, reliability, distributed location of capacitors which make it favorable in industrial applications. In this dissertation, a design of µ-synthesis controller is proposed to address the design specification of multi-phase interleaved boost converter at several power applications. This thesis contributes to the ongoing research on the IBC topology by proposing the modeling, applications uses and control techniques to the stability challenges. The research proposes a new strategy of robust control applied to a non-isolated DC/DC interleaved boost converter with a high step voltage ratio as multi-phase, multi-stage which is favorable for PV applications. The proposed controller is designed based on µ-synthesis technique to approach a high regulated output voltage, better efficiency, gain a fast regulation response against disturbance and load variation with a better dynamic performance and achieve robustness. The controller has been simulated using MATLAB/Simulink software and validated through experimental results which show the effectiveness and the robustness

Practical Methods for Online Calculation of Thermoelastic Stresses in Steam Turbine Components

This chapter presents two practical methods of thermoelastic stress calculation suitable for application in online monitoring systems of steam turbines. Both methods are based on the Green function and Duhamel integral and consider the effect of variable heat transfer coefficient and material physical properties on thermal stresses. This effect is taken into account either by using an equivalent steam temperature determined with a constant heat transfer coefficient or by applying an equivalent Green’s function determined with variable heat transfer coefficient and physical properties. The effectiveness of both methods was shown by comparing their predictions with the results of exact three-dimensional (3D) calculations of a steam turbine valve

Two-way FSI modelling of blood flow through CCA accounting on-line medical diagnostics in hypertension

Flow parameters can induce pathological changes in the arteries. We propose a method to asses those parameters using a 3D computer model of the flow in the Common Carotid Artery. Input data was acquired using an automatic 2D ultrasound wall tracking system. This data has been used to generate a 3D geometry of the artery. The diameter and wall thickness have been assessed individually for every patient, but the artery has been taken as a 75mm straight tube. The Young’s modulus for the arterial walls was calculated using the pulse pressure, diastolic (minimal) diameter and wall thickness (IMT). Blood flow was derived from the pressure waveform using a 2-parameter Windkessel model. The blood is assumed to be non-Newtonian. The computational models were generated and calculated using commercial code. The coupling method required the use of Arbitrary Lagrangian-Euler formulation to solve Navier-Stokes and Navier-Lamè equations in a moving domain. The calculations showed that the distention of the walls in the model is not significantly different from the measurements. Results from the model have been used to locate additional risk factors, such as wall shear stress or circumferential stress, that may predict adverse hypertension complications

An explicit Nash equilibrium for a market share attraction game

In competitive marketing, the speed of generating the best price has become as critical as its reliability. In this study, we aim to design a practical marketing management tool. We consider a non-cooperative marketing environment with multiple substitute products, where total market size is moderately price-sensitive. The price-demand relations are determined by a market share attraction model, where the attraction of each product is a linear function of its price. The product's brand image is reflected in the parameters of this linear function. For the general case of multiple substitute products, we derive explicit expressions for the best-response functions. For the specific case of two substitute products, we derive closed form expressions for the prices at Nash equilibrium. These expressions help managers in changing their marketing instruments other than price, so as to obtain substantial individual profits. We show how our closed form Nash equilibrium enables the examination of the profit loss due to competition. Relevant for practice is the fact that our model can be easily calibrated. We provide a simple procedure for estimating the model parameters

Neuartige hochbrechende Polymere für ophthalmologische Anwendungen

In der vorliegenden Arbeit lag das Ziel auf dem Design, der Synthese und Charakterisierung neuartiger flexibler Polymere mit hohem Brechungsindex (high refractive index, HRI) zur Anwendung als Intraokularlinsen-Material (IOL). Um als ophthalmologisches Implantat ein¬setzbar zu sein, muss das Material zahlreiche Zielparameter physikalischer, medizinischer und chemischer Natur erfüllen. Die funktionellen Module dieses Multiparameterproblems beein¬flussen sich gegenseitig. Es wurde gezeigt, dass das Polymerdesign in molekulare und funk¬tionale Teilbereiche zerlegt und die Struktur-Eigenschafts-Beziehungen für jede Komponente (HRI-Funktion, Spacer-Einheit, polymerisierbare Gruppe) separat optimiert werden kann. Durch Variation der polymerisierbaren Gruppe wurden insgesamt zehn HRI-Homopolymere auf Methacrylat- und Siloxan-Basis synthetisiert, von denen fünf erstmalig beschrieben wurden. Die erhaltenen Brechungsindizes lagen im Bereich zwischen nD = 1,567 – 1,645 mit ABBE-Zahlen von νA = 20,3 – 33,7. Durch Austausch der Methacrylat- gegen Siloxan-Gruppen konnte die Flexibilität der Materialien signifikant erhöht und der Glaspunkt von Tg,PMA = 66 – 110 °C auf Tg,PSX = -15 – 49 °C abgesenkt werden. Ein Vergleich der Eigenschaften ermöglichte die Entwicklung eines einfachen Berechnungssystems zur Abschätzung der Kernparameter nD, vA und Tg vor Synthesebeginn. Zudem wurden wichtige Eigenschaften wie Transmission und Lichtechtheit der Materialien ermittelt. Die Variation der aliphatischen Spacer-Länge erfolgte im Rahmen der Synthese von sechs Monomeren mit direkter Anbindung und 14 Monomeren mit Spacern der Form –(CH2)s– im Bereich s = 2 – 12. Neben den jeweiligen Homopolymeren auf Acrylat- und Methacrylat-Basis wurden fünf Copolymere synthetisiert, um Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten in den physikalischen Trends sichtbar zu machen. Alle Parameter konnten durch gezielte Variation erreicht (nD = 1,551 – 1,633; νA = 24,4 – 33,4; Tg = -26 – 149 °C) und rechnerische Zusammenhänge ermittelt werden. Neben Unterschieden zwischen den Polyacrylaten und Polymethacrylaten zeigte sich so eine Möglichkeit des Eigenschaften-Tunings. Diese Optimierungsmethode wurde erfolgreich auf andere HRI-Systeme übertragen. Auch für das Glistening-Verhalten der Polymere konnte eine starke Strukturabhängigkeit und somit die Möglichkeit einer Verbesserung ermittelt werden. Eine Variation der HRI-Funktion erfolgte ausgehend von der Synthese von 16 Polyacrylaten und Polymethacrylaten mit Mono- und Biaryl-Einheit unterschiedlicher Substitution. Auf Basis der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse wurden sechs neuartige, hoch transparente Polymere mit Triaryl-Funktion und aliphatischem Spacer der Länge s = 2 entwickelt. Da es sich bei den verwendeten Strukturen um Konstitutionsisomere handelt, konnten Einflüsse des Aufbaus auf die Eigenschaften ermittelt werden. Die Brechungsindizes lagen zwischen nD = 1,617 – 1,626 (νA = 26,1 – 28,0) mit Glaspunkten von Tg = 47 – 62 °C. Abschließend wurde ein zusammen¬hängendes Bewertungs- und Berechnungssystem für die Eigenschaften von Copolymeren entwickelt, auf deren Basis flexible HRI-Materialien mit guter optischer Qualität synthetisiert wurden. Die mechanische Bearbeitbarkeit wurde durch die Anfertigung von Intraokularlinsen (IOLs) und phaken Intraokularlinsen (pIOLs) gezeigt. Abschließende Versuche im Tiermodell verliefen positiv. Die Entfaltbarkeit und Biokompatibilität der neu entwickelten Materialien lässt einen Einsatz als IOL-Materialien zu

Tarihi Yarımada Gelişim Süreci -1950 Sonrası İmar Faaliyetlerinin Kamu Yapıları Kapsamında İncelenmesi

‘‘Tarihi Yarmada Gelişim Süreci-1950 Sonrası İmar Faaliyetlerinin Kamu Yapıları Kapsamında İncelenmesi’’ isimli bu çalışma beş bölümden oluşmaktadır. Birinci bölümde tezin amacı ve kapsamı vurgulanmıştır. İkinci kısımda Tarihi Yarımada’nın konumu, ulaşım yapısı, iklimi ve bitki örtüsü, topografik yapısı ve ekonomik yapısı ele alınmıştır. Üçüncü bölümde ise; Tarihi Yarımada’nın dönemler içindeki gelişimi incelenmiş; Byzantion, Roma ve Bizans döneminden kısaca bahsedilip, Osmanlı dönemindeki gelişmeler ve Cumhuriyet dönemi irdelenerek bu dönemde meydana gelen imar faaliyetleri üzerinde durulmuştur. Çalışmanın dördüncü bölümünde ise 20.yüzyıl mimarlığına değinilmiş, 1950 sonrası gelişmeler ele alınarak belirlenen bazı kamu yapıları aktarılmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu kamu yapıları; Sosyal Sigortalar Kurumu Kompleksi, İstanbul Manifaturacılar Çarşısı, Adalet Sarayı ve İstanbul Belediye Sarayı’dır. Bu yapıların seçilmesinin en büyük nedeni ise, hepsinin de iddialı yapılar (yarışma projeleri) olması ve 1950 sonrası mimarimizde meydana gelen değişiklikleri açık bir şekilde yansıtmalarındandır. Çalışmanın son bölümünü ise sonuç kısmı oluşturur. Bu bölümde genel anlamda irdelenen kamu yapıları tartışılmıştır.This work, “The Evolution of the Historical Peninsula – A Study of post-1950 Construction Activities with Focus on Public Buildings” consists of five sections. In the first section, the aim and scope of the thesis is emphasized. The second section discusses the location of the Historical Peninsula, its transportation structure, climate, flora, and topographical and economic structure. In the third section, the evolution of the Historical Peninsula in different historical periods is investigated; the Byzantine and Roman periods are shortly mentioned, whereas the construction activities during the Ottoman and Republican epochs are discussed in detail. The fourth section deals with the twentieth century architecture, and dwells on the developments after 1950 by focusing on certain public buildings such as the Social Security Directorate, Manufacturers Market, Palace of Justice, and Istanbul Municipality Palace. The rationale behind the choice of these buildings is that they are all contest projects and clearly reflect the changes in our architecture after 1950. The fifth and last part recapitulates and concludes the discussion

Alginate and laminarin degrading enzymes from Vibrio splendidus and Vibrio breoganii

The marine bacteria V. splendidus 12B01, V. splendidus 13B01, and V. breoganii 1C10 metabolize brown seaweeds. Brown seaweeds have many advantages over terrestrial feedstocks, including fast growth and non-recalcitrant carbon feedstocks, so brown seaweeds are an attractive target for industrial fermentation. Alginate and laminarin are two major components of brown seaweeds, comprising up to 60% of the dry weight. Alginate is a polysaccharide consisting of the 1,4-linked epimers α- L - guluronate and β- D -mannuronate. Laminarin is a storage glucan consisting of β-1,3- and β-1,6-linked glucose monomers. In order to utilize these carbon sources, many organisms express enzymes that cleave the bonds linking the constituent monomers within alginate and laminarin. These enzymes are called alginate lyases and laminarinases. V. splendidus 12B01, V. splendidus 13B01, and V. breoganii 1C10 each contain between four and twelve putative alginate lyases. We have over-expressed and purified 21 alginate lyases from these organisms and determined under what conditions these enzymes are most active. We found these enzymes are optimally active between pH 6.5 and 10 and between 20 to 30 °C. Additionally, these enzymes were broadly salt tolerant between 50 mM and 1 M NaCl. We also determined the enzyme kinetics for these enzymes and found K m parameters towards alginate between 22 and 300 µM alginate. The computed turnover numbers range from 0.6 to 18 s -1 . Alginate lyases have preferential specificity toward specific dyads within alginate. We found alginate lyases with all potential dyad specificities: G-G, G-M, M-G, and M-M specific alginate lyases. Having characterized the alginate lyases in 12B01, 13B01, and 1C10, we can begin to understand the metabolism of alginate by these organisms. 12B01 was found to poorly degraded and metabolize alginate, and we found 12B01 to express and secrete its enzymes at low levels. In addition we found the 12B01 alginate lyases have low enzymatic activity and narrow dyad specificity. 13B01 was found to degrade and metabolize alginate at high levels. We identified the presence of a unique enzyme to 13B01, which upon knockout, resulted in eight-fold less secreted alginate lyase activity. We found that this high activity enzyme allows 13B01 to degrade alginate efficiently and iii then metabolize the liberated monomers of alginate. 1C10 contains eleven alginate lyases within its genome. While this organism has 70% of the 13B01 secreted alginate lyase activity, we found that the 1C10 lyases do not have large enzymatic activity. Rather, the concerted action of enzymes with broad dyad specificity allow 1C10 to efficiently degrade alginate. Overall, we identified several attractive alginate lyases for future metabolic engineering to produce biofuels from alginate. While this would require expression of additional metabolic pathways, we present the first step to the industrial utilization of alginate. V. breoganii 1C10 contains four laminarinases which we over-expressed and purified. These enzymes had optimal enzymatic activity between pH 6.5 and 8.0 and between 25 and 40 °C. These enzymes were shown to have especially broad tolerance to salt between 50 mM and 1 M NaCl. The 1C10 laminarinases had K m parameters towards laminarin between 3.4 and 6 mM laminarin. These enzymes also had computed turnover numbers ranging from 0.69 to 6.1 s -1 . As the degraded monomer of laminarin is glucose, these enzymes can be expressed in fermentative hosts with no additional metabolic pathways, so laminarin utilization is an attractive target for biofuel production