An assessment of the moderator effect of personality traits on the relationship between body image and social anxiety

Kişilik özellikleri, sosyal anksiyete ve beden imgesi arasındaki ilişkiye odaklanan bu araştırmanın temel amacı; Türkiye’de yaşayan ve yaşları 15 ile 18 arasında değişen ergenlerin sahip oldukları kişilik özelliklerinin, beden imgesi algılarına ve sosyal anksiyete yaşama düzeylerine olan etkisinin ölçülmesidir. Örneklemini İstanbul ilinde yaşayan 15-18 yaş arası 300 katılımcının oluşturduğu bu çalışmada, Beş Faktör Kişilik Envanteri (5FKE), Vücut Algısı Ölçeği (VAÖ) ve Ergenler İçin Sosyal Kaygı Ölçeği (EİSKÖ) kullanılmıştır. Verilerin değerlendirilmesinde moderatör etki analizi için değişkenler arası ilişki “Pearson Korelasyon Analizi” tekniğiyle incelenmiş ve “Doğrusal Hiyerarşik Regresyon” analiz adımları izlenmiştir. İlk adımda değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler incelenmiş ve beden imgesi ile sosyal anksiyete arasında (r=-.138, p<.05) ve sosyal kaygı toplam puanları ile kişilik özelliklerinden dışadönüklükük (r=-.298, p<.001), uyumluluk (r=-.255, p<.001), duygusal dengesizlik (r=-.348, p<.001), deneyime açık olma (r=-.295, p<.001) arasında anlamlı ilişkiler bulunmuştur. Beden imgesi ile sosyal kaygı toplam puanları arasındaki ilişkide Beş Faktör Kişilik Envanteri alt boyutlarının biçimlendirici etkilerine bakıldığında, beden imgesinin sosyal kaygı üzerinde anlamlı bir yordayıcı etkiye sahip olduğu (F(1, 298)=5.753, p<.05), fakat bu ilişki üzerinde biçimlendirici etkileri incelenen kişilik özelliği değişkenlerinden sadece sorumluluğun biçimlendirici etkisinin anlamlı olduğu görülmüştür (F(1,296)= 7.582, p<.05).The aim of this research is to examine the moderator effect of personal characteristics on the relationship between body image and social anxiety among adolescents in Istanbul. The study sample consisted of 300 participants aged between 15-18 years old. In psychological assessment process; Five Factor Personality Inventory, Body Image Scale and Social Anxiety Scale for Teenagers were applied. Collected data were analyzed by using "Pearson Correlation Analysis" and "Linear Hierarchical Regression". Research results indicated that there was a significant correlation between body image and social anxiety (r= -. 138, p <.05). Another relationship was between the social anxiety levels of participants and subscales of personal characteristics as extroversion (r=-.298, p<.001), agreeableness (r=-.255, p<.001), neuroticism (r=-.348, p<.001), openness to experience (r=-.295, p<.001). When the moderator effects of the five factor personality inventory subscales on the relationship between body image and social anxiety analysed, results demonstrated that body image had a significant predictive effect on social anxiety (F(1, 298)=5.753, p<.05), however conscientiousness as a personality characteristic has the only significant moderator effect on this relationship (F(1,296)= 7.582, p<.05).Publisher's Versio

Photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition of polymer thin films onto electrospun nanofibers for controlled drug release

Drug release kinetics highly depend on the surface chemistry of the scaffolds. Surface modifications can be performed by different techniques to alter the surface properties of the scaffolds and thus to provide controlled drug release. However, the conventional modification techniques have several disadvantages such as non-uniformity on the surface, lack of precise process control, weak stability, and possibility of the fiber destruction [1]. In this study, we propose a novel technique to coat the surface of the drug-loaded electrospun nanofiber scaffolds for controlled drug release applications without causing any damage to the fibers and the drug which is being encapsulated. The surface modification will be carried out by photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition (piCVD) technique, which will allow the material to maintain its own properties and also to provide controlled drug release. First, the drug-loaded scaffolds will be produced using biocompatible and biodegradable polymers by electrospinning process. Then, the surface of the fabricated scaffolds will be coated with polymer thin films by the piCVD technique. The piCVD technique will involve photopolymerization of one or more vapor-phase monomers using an initiator and their deposition on the scaffold surface to produce the desired thin films. The photopolymerization will be carried out by short-wavelength emission of UV-light at 254 nm under mild deposition conditions. A kinetic study will be conducted to determine the optimal deposition conditions. The drug release performances of the uncoated and polymer-coated nanofiber scaffolds will be examined comparatively. While the changes in fiber structure after the coating will be examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the chemical characterization of the scaffolds will be performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The proposed surface modification approach seems to be a promising avenue of research for controlled drug release applications

Functional copolymer coatings on electrospun fibers via photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition

With the increasing use of implantable patches in biomedical applications, the significance of surface modification techniques in improving biocompatibility, enhancing adhesion, and regulating drug release has grown. A significant challenge that these methods must address is ensuring that the process does not harm the delicate fibers or therapeutic agents they contain. Here, we report surface functionalization of implantable, curcumin loaded Polycaprolactone (PCL) patches with pH-responsive poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-4-vinylpyridine), p(HEMA-co-4VP) polymer thin film. The polymer was coated on the patch surface via photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition (piCVD) where the polymerization was initiated by the UV degradation of the initiator tert-butyl peroxide (TBPO) and the monomer HEMA. Additionally, the piCVD method was utilized to crosslink the HEMA without the use of additional crosslinkers. The pH-responsiveness of the coating was achieved by incorporating 4VP into the copolymer structure. The effect of the coating was demonstrated through degradation and drug release studies. The presence of the polymer coating decelerated the fiber degradation and the pH-dependent swelling of the coating allowed for the control of drug release rates from the patches. The innovative use of piCVD as a coating method provides a platform for advancing tailored surface modifications in various biomedical applications

Surface coatings of contact lenses for cell sheet transplantation

The field of corneal cell sheet engineering has evolved rapidly in the last decade; however, challenges related to transplantation into target tissue still exist, necessitating a new approach to integrate cell sheet technology onto a contact lens surface. In this study, a novel surface-modified contact lens was developed for corneal regenerative medicine to ensure the easy and safe integration of cell sheets into the target tissue. The lens surface was coated with a thermo-responsive polymer using the initiated chemical vapor deposition technique, facilitating the separation of tissue-integrated cell sheets from the coated lens surface by simply lowering the temperature. BEAS-2B and L929 cells, along with human limbal epithelial cells, were cultured on a crosslinked poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-coated lens, providing temperature sensitivity for 14 days. At the end of the incubation period, the cultured cells were harvested as intact monolayer cell sheets through a simple temperature reduction, without enzymatic treatment or additional surgical procedures. Rapid and complete delamination of the cells planted and incubated on the coated lens surface was achieved at room temperature. Therapeutic contact lenses modified with cell sheet technology allowed targeted delivery of cells to the affected area of the cornea