Perspectives of Patients with Insulin-Treated Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes on Hypoglycemia: Results of the HAT Observational Study in Central and Eastern European Countries

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the level of awareness of hypoglycemia, the level of fear for hypoglycemia, and the response to hypoglycemic events among insulin-treated diabetes patients from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The impact of hypoglycemia on the use of healthcare resources and patient productivity was also assessed. METHODS: This was a multicenter, non-interventional, two-part, patient self-reported questionnaire study that comprised both a retrospective cross-sectional evaluation and a prospective observational evaluation. Study participants were insulin-treated adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from CEE. RESULTS: Most patients (85.4% T1DM and 83.6% T2DM) reported normal hypoglycemia awareness. The median hypoglycemia fear score was 5 out of 10 for T1DM and 4 out of 10 for T2DM patients. Patients increased glucose monitoring, consulted a doctor/nurse, and/or reduced the insulin dose in response to hypoglycemia. As a consequence of hypoglycemia, patients took leave from work/studies or arrived late and/or left early. Hospitalization was required for 31 (1.2%) patients with T1DM and 66 (2.1%) patients with T2DM. CONCLUSION: Hypoglycemia impacts patients' personal and social functioning, reduces productivity, and results in additional costs, both direct (related to increased use of healthcare resources) and indirect (related to absenteeism. FUNDING: Novo Nordisk

Biofuels and thermal barrier:a review on compression ignition engine performance, combustion and exhaust gas emission

The performance of an internal combustion engine is affected when renewable biofuels are used instead of fossil fuels in an unmodified engine. Various engine modifications were experimented by the researchers to optimise the biofuels operated engine performance. Thermal barrier coating is one of the techniques used to improve the biofuels operated engine performance and combustion characteristics by reducing the heat loss from the combustion chamber. In this study, engine tests results on performance, combustion and exhaust emission characteristics of the biofuels operated thermal barrier coated engines were collated and reviewed. The results found in the literature were reviewed in three scenarios: (i) uncoated versus coated engine for fossil diesel fuel application, (ii) uncoated versus coated engine for biofuels (and blends) application, and (iii) fossil diesel use on uncoated engine versus biofuel (and blends) use on coated engine. Effects of injection timing, injection pressure and fuel properties on thermal barrier coatings were also discussed. The material type, thickness and properties of the coating materials used by the research community were presented. The effectiveness and durability of the coating layer depends on two key properties: low thermal conductivity and high thermal expansion coefficient. The current study showed that thermal barrier coatings could potentially offset the performance drop due to use of biofuels in the compression ignition engines. Improvements of up to 4.6% in torque, 7.8% in power output, 13.4% in brake specific fuel consumption, 15.4% in brake specific energy consumption and 10.7% in brake thermal efficiency were reported when biofuels or biofuel blends were used in the thermal barrier coated engines as compared to the uncoated engines. In coated engines, peak cylinder pressure and exhaust gas temperature were increased by up to 16.3 bar and 14% respectively as compared to uncoated condition. However, changes in the heat release rates were reported to be between −27% and +13.8% as compared to uncoated standard engine. Reductions of CO, CO2, HC and smoke emissions were reported by up to 3.8%, 11.1%, 90.9% and 63% respectively as compared to uncoated engines. Significant decreases in the PM emissions were also reported due to use of thermal barrier coatings in the combustion chamber. In contrast, at high speed and at high load operation, increase in the CO and CO2 emissions were also reported in coated engines. Coated engines gave higher NOx emissions by about 4–62.9% as compared to uncoated engines. Combined effects of thermal barrier coatings and optimisation of fuel properties and injection parameters produced further performance and emissions advantages compared to only thermal barrier coated engines. Overall, current review study showed that application of thermal barrier coatings in compression ignition engines could be beneficial when biofuels or biofuel blends are used instead of standard fossil diesel. However, more research is needed combining coatings, types of biofuels and other engine modifications to establish a concrete conclusion on the effectiveness of the thermal barrier when biofuels are used in the compression ignition engine. Reduction of NOx emissions is another important R & D area

Kinetics of long-term water absorption behavior of different organic waste dust/polymethylmethacrylate composites

The composites analyzed are prepared by using the shell of hazelnut fruit, chestnut tree and hornbeam dust of a size of 425 ?m - 600 ?m fixed to PMMA matrix. The kinetics of long composite (13000 h) water absorption behavior of these composites is investigated at 23oC. The results obtained show that PMMA has a high resistance to water absorption due to its hydrophobic character. The water absorption of the composites containing hazelnut tree, chestnut tree and hornbeam dust changes regularly with the dust amount increase because of the latter hydrophilic nature. The water absorption kinetics refers to the Fick diffusion mechanism. The values of the diffusion coefficients (D) and diffusion parameters (k, n) are determined. The increase of the amount of the reinforcing materials added results in regular changes in the absorption (S) and permeability (P) coefficients of the composites. © 2019, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy

From AKP’s ‘Conservative Democracy’ to ‘Advanced Democracy’: Shifts and Challenges in the Debate on ‘Europe’

Following the AKP's victory in the 2002 general elections, 'conservative democracy' has emerged as a trademark in Turkish politics, focusing on cosmopolitanism and European integration. In the late 2000s, the party's favourite notion was 'advanced democracy', this time underlining Turkey's leadership claim in the region and displaying a more critical approach to 'Europe'. In this paper, I aim to show how different narratives on 'Europe' emerged within the context of these empty signifiers. The paper claims that the difference in the two narratives on 'Europe' in two different periods does not point to a complete and fully fledged de-Europeanisation trend

Examining the Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties of Polymethylmethacrylate Composites Reinforced with Nettle Fibres

Buyukkaya, Kenan/0000-0002-8263-0756WOS: 000519133700016The aim of this study was to determine the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of nettle fibre-reinforced polymethylmethacrylate composites. The polymethylmethacrylate composites reinforced with nettle fibres were manufactured using nettle fibres obtained using the natural methods. The nettle fibre contents were 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 V-f %. The composites so formed were characterized in terms of their mechanical and thermomechanical properties. The mechanical properties of nettle-reinforced composites were characterized in terms of bending stress, bending modulus, impact strength, and fracture toughness tests, whilst their behaviour was determined by heat deviation temperature and Vicat softening temperature. The micro-mechanisms underlying the toughening and fracture processes were observed in the light of studies of the microstructure of fractures. From the mechanical properties of composites reinforced with 10% nettle fibres, an increase of 75% in bending stress, 40% in impact strength, and 106% in fracture toughness was recorded. The findings show that nettle fibres can be used as an important reinforcement material for environmentally friendly composite applications.Giresun University's Scientific Research Projects Office [FEN-BAP-A-250414-76]We would like to acknowledge the support of Giresun University's Scientific Research Projects Office (FEN-BAP-A-250414-76)