Growth and characterization of Cu2SnS3 (CTS), Cu2SnSe3 (CTSe), and Cu2Sn(S,Se)3 (CTSSe) thin films using dip-coated Cu–Sn precursor

Ternary compounds Cu2SnS3, Cu2SnSe3 and Cu2Sn(S,Se)3 thin films used in thin film solar cell applications were prepared at the first time by such a two-stage process that includes dip-coating of Cu–Sn precursors as distinct from vacuum-based fabrication methods followed by sulfurization/selenization of prepared precursors via rapid thermal processing at 550 °C. All prepared thin films revealed Cu-poor composition. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra of the samples showed that Cu2SnS3 and Cu2SnSe3 thin films had a monoclinic structure as a dominant phase and additionally some secondary phases such as tetragonal Cu2SnS3 and orthorhombic Cu3SnS4. However, the tetragonal and orthorhombic phases had more impact on Cu2Sn(SSe)3 thin film. Compact, dense, and small grained surface morphologies were obtained for the Cu2SnS3 and Cu2Sn(SSe)3 thin films, while the surface morphology of the Cu2SnSe3 thin film had larger grained surface morphology. The Cu2SnS3 thin film demonstrated higher transmittance (~ 65%) and two different absorption edges that indicates formation of two band gap energy. Band gap values of Cu2SnS3, Cu2Sn(SSe)3 and Cu2SnSe3 thin films were found 0.97 eV (and 1.51 eV), 1.25 eV and 0.78 eV, respectively. The lowest resistivity (2.48 × 10-1 ? cm) and the highest carrier concentration (1.64 × 1019 cm-3) values were observed for Cu2Sn(SSe)3 thin film. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.Recep Tayyip Erdogan ÜniversitesiThis work was supported by the research fund of Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Turkey, under Contract No. FDK-2018-96

A diagnostic dilemma: food induced pulmonary renal syndrome with hemihypertrophy

WOS: 000293248800249

Comparison of Amniotic Membrane Grafts and Intraoperative Mitomycin C for Primary Pterygium Excision

To evaluate and compare the effectiveness and safety of the human amniotic membrane graft with intraoperative application of Mitomycin C in primary pterygium surgery.In 60 consecutive patients, 60 eyes were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, primary pterygium excision with intraoperative Mitomycin C (0.2 mg/ml) were applied to the 30 patients and amniotic membrane grafts were applied to the other 30 patients.Recurrence was detected in two patients (%6.66) who received amniotic membrane grafts, and in five patients (%16.66) who received primary pterygium excision with intraoperative Mitomycin C. No statistical difference was observed between groups according to the reccurence (p > 0.05). Suture lysis in early postoperative period was detected in one patient (%3.33) who received amniotic membrane grafts. Scleral melting was developed in one patient (%3.33) and punctate epitheliopathy was developed in one patient (%3.33) who received primary pterygium excision with intraoperative Mitomycin C. No statistical difference was observed between groups according to the complications (p > 0.05).Although no statistical difference was observed between two groups according to complication and reccurence, amniotic membrane graft method was safer than primary pterygium excision with intraoperative Mitomycin C

Follow-up results of patients with ADCK4 mutations and the efficacy of CoQ10 treatment

PubMedID: 28337616Background: ADCK4-related glomerulopathy is an important differential diagnosis in adolescents with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and/or chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown origin. We screened adolescent patients to determine the frequency of ADCK4 mutation and the efficacy of early CoQ10 administration. Methods: A total of 146 index patients aged 10–18 years, with newly diagnosed non-nephrotic proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, or chronic renal failure and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) of unknown etiology were screened for ADCK4 mutation. Results: Twenty-eight individuals with bi-allelic mutation from 11 families were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 12.4 (interquartile range [IQR] 8.04–19.7) years. Upon first admission, all patients had albuminuria and 18 had CKD (6 ESKD). Eight were diagnosed either through the screening of family members following index case identification or during genetic investigation of proteinuria in an individual with a history of a transplanted sibling. Median age of these 8 patients was 21.5 (range 4.4–39) years. CoQ10 supplementation was administered following genetic diagnosis. Median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) just before CoQ10 administration was 140 (IQR 117–155) ml/min/1.73m2, proteinuria was 1,008 (IQR 281–1,567) mg/m2/day. After a median follow-up of 11.5 (range 4–21) months following CoQ10 administration, proteinuria was significantly decreased (median 363 [IQR 175–561] mg/m2/day, P=0.025), whereas eGFR was preserved (median 137 [IQR 113–158] ml/min/1.73m2, P=0.61). Conclusions: ADCK4 mutations are one of the most common causes of adolescent-onset albuminuria and/or CKD of unknown etiology in Turkey. CoQ10 supplementation appears efficacious at reducing proteinuria, and may thereby be renoprotective. © 2017, IPNA.Seventh Framework Programme 2012-305608 HEK12/112-13The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community?s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 2012-305608 (EURenOmics). The study was approved by the ethics committee of Hacettepe University (HEK12/112-13). Written informed consent was obtained from the parents of all the patients. Non

Diagnostic efficacy of18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with adrenal incidentaloma

Background: The management of adrenal incidentaloma is still a challenge with respect to determining its functionality (hormone secretion) and malignancy. In this light, we performed18F-FDG PET/CT scan to assess the SUVmax values in different adrenal masses including Cushing syndrome, pheochromocytoma, primary hyperaldosteronism and non-functional adrenal adenomas. Methods: Total 109 (73 F, 36 M) patients with adrenal mass (incidentaloma), mean age of 53.3 ± 10.2 years (range, 24–70) were screened by18F-FDG PET/CT. Data of18F-FDG PET/CT imaging of the patients were assessed by the same specialist. Adrenal masses were identified according to the calculated standardized uptake values (SUVs). Clinical examination, 24-h urine cortisol, catecholamine metabolites, 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test, aldosterone/renin ratio and serum electrolytes were analyzed. Results: Based on the clinical and hormonal evaluations, there were 100 patients with non-functional adrenal mass, four with cortisol-secreting, four with pheochromocytomas and one with aldosterone-secreting adenoma. Mean adrenal mass diameter of 109 patients was 2.1 ± 4.3 (range, 1–6.5 cm). The18F-FDG PET/CT imaging of the patients revealed that lower SUVmax values were found in non-functional adrenal masses (SUVmax 3.2) when compared to the functional adrenal masses including four with cortisol-secreting adenoma (SUVmax 10.1); four with pheochromcytoma (SUVmax 8.7) and one with aldosterone-secreting adenomas (SUVmax 3.30). Cortisol-secreting (Cushing syndrome) adrenal masses showed the highest SUVmax value (10.1), and a cut-off SUVmax of 4.135 was found with an 84.6% sensitivity and 75.6% specificity cortisol-secreting adrenal adenoma. Conclusions: Consistent with the similar studies, non-functional adrenal adenomas typically do not show increased FDG uptake and a certain form of functional adenoma could present various FDG uptake in FDG PET/CT. Especially functional adrenal adenomas (cortisol secreting was the highest) showed increased FDG uptake in comparison to the non-functional adrenal masses. Therefore, setting a specific SUVmax value in the differentiation of malignant adrenal lesion from the benign one is risky and further studies, including a high number of functional adrenal mass are needed. © 2019 The authors Published by Bioscientifica Ltd

The results of 147 renal transplant patients

Ülkemizde başarıyla renal transplantasyon uygulayan merkezlerin sayısı giderek artmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, merkezimize ait on yılı aşkın bir sürede elde ettiğimiz sonuçların paylaşılması amaçlanmıştır. Merkezimizde, 22 Aralık 1989 tarihinden bu yana son dönem böbrek yetmezliği olan 147 hastaya renal transplantasyon uygulandı. Hastaların operasyon sırasındaki yaşları 7 ile 64 arasında değişmekte olup ortalama yaş 28.9 idi. Yüz otuz altı hastaya (%92.5) canlı donörden, 11 hastaya (%7,5) ise kadavradan transplantasyon yapıldı ve metilprednizolon+siklosporin A veya takrolimus+azatiyoprin veya mikofenolat mofetilden oluşan üçlü immünosüpresyon protokolü uygulandı. Altısı kadavradan transplantasyon yapılan 15 hastada (%10.2) akut rejeksiyon gelişti. Bunlardan dördü kadavradan alıcı olan 11'inde rejeksiyon tedavisine yanıt alındı. Hastalardan biri, renal fonksiyonları normale döndükten sonra pnömoni nedeniyle kaybedildi. Üç hastaya greft nefrektomisi yapıldı. Bir hasta akut rejeksiyon atağı sırasında kaybedildi. Hastalardan 21'ine (%14,2) hematom, idrar kaçağı, lenfosel, pnömotoraks ve üreterovezikal darlık gibi komplikasyonlar nedeniyle cerrahi tedavi uygulandı. Takibi yapılabilen 119 hastadan 27'si (%22.6) değişik nedenlerle kaybedildi. Başta gelen ölüm nedeni akciğer enfeksiyonuydu (%67). Olgularımızda 1, 3 ve 5 yıllık greft yaşam oranları sırasıyla %84, %63 ve %50.5, hasta yaşam oranları ise %89, %76.5 ve %68 olarak bulundu. On yılı tamamlayan 6 hastamızdan 4'ü, fonksiyone greftle normal yaşam sürmektedir. Hasta ve greft yaşam oranları, gelişen immfinosüpresif, antibakteriyel ve antiviral ilaçlar, düzelen hijyenik koşullar, eğitim düzeyindeki artış, postoperatif bakımdaki gelişmeler ve ekip deneyimdeki artışa paralel olarak ülkemizdeki diğer merkezlerle birlikte merkezimizde de yükselmeye devam edecektir.The number of centers performing renal transplantation successfully is increasing each year in our country. The results obtained in our center, in the last 10 years were reported in this study. Since November 22, 1989, renal transplantation was performed to 147 patients with end-stage renal disease in our center. The mean age of the patients during the time of the operations was 28.9 years (range 7-64). To 136 patients (92.5%) living related donor, and to 11 patients (7.5%) cadaveric renal transplantation was done. The recipients have received triple therapy of methylprednisolone, cyclosporin-A or tacrolimus, and azothioprin or mycophenolate mofetil for immune suppression. Acute rejection was seen in 15 patients (10.2%) in which 6 of them were cadaveric renal transplantations. Eleven patients treated successfully for rejection. Four of these patients were cadaveric renal recipients. One of the patients was lost because of pneumonia after renal functions returned to normal. In 3 of the patients graft nephrectomy was performed, and 1 patient was lost during acute rejection episode. 21 patients (14.2%) underwent to surgery due to complications like hematoma, urinary fistula, lymphocele, pneumothorax and ureterovesical stenosis. 27 (22.6%) of 119 patients who were under follow-up died because of different reasons. The main reason was pneumonia (67%). Graft survivals in the first, third and fifth years were found to be 84%, 63% and 50.5% respectively. Four of 6 patients with a follow-up of 10 years live with a normal functioning graft. In parallel to improvement in immune suppression, new antibacterial and antiviral agents, better hygienic conditions, increase in the education level, improvement in the postoperative care and increase in the experience of the surgical team, patient and graft survival rates will increase in our center as well as the other centers in our country

Time-averaged hemoglobin values, not hemoglobin cycling, have an impact on outcomes in pediatric dialysis patients

PubMedID: 30105415Background: During erythropoietin-stimulating agent (ESA) treatment, hemoglobin (Hb) levels usually fluctuate; this phenomenon is known as “Hb cycling (HC).” In this study, we aimed to evaluate the predictors of HC and its impact on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) as a patient-important outcome parameter in pediatric dialysis patients. Methods: Records of patients followed up in nine pediatric nephrology centers between 2008 and 2013 were reviewed. More than 1 g/dL decrease or increase in Hb level was considered as HC. Patients were divided into two groups according to 12-month Hb trajectory as rare cycling (RC) (? 3) and frequent cycling (FC) (> 3 fluctuation) as well as three groups based on T-A-Hb levels: < 10, 10–11, and > 11 g/dL. Results: Two hundred forty-five dialysis (160 peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 85 hemodialysis (HD)) patients aged 12.3 ± 5.1 (range 0.5–21) years were enrolled in this study. Fifty-two percent of the patients had RC, 45% had FC, and only 3% had no cycling. There were no differences between HC groups with respect to age, dialysis modality, having anemia, hospitalization rate, residual urine volume, and mortality. Although left ventricular mass index (LVMI) tended to be higher in RC than FC group (65 ± 37 vs 52 ± 23 g/m2.7, p = 0.056), prevalence of LVH was not different between the groups (p = 0.920). In regression analysis, FC was not a risk factor for LVH, but low T-A Hb level (< 10 g/dL) was a significant risk for LVH (OR = 0.414, 95% CI 0.177–0.966, p = 0.04). The target Hb levels were more often achieved in PD patients, and the number of deaths was significantly lower in non-anemic patients (Hb level > 11 g/dL). Conclusion: Hb cycling is common among dialysis patients. Severity of anemia rather than its cycling has more significant impact on the prevalence of LVH and on inflammatory state. © 2018, IPNA

Carotid intima media thickness in children with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): baseline results of the 4C study

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