Recent Advances in Health Biotechnology During Pandemic

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in 2019, cut the epoch that will make profound fluctuates in the history of the world in social, economic, and scientific fields. Urgent needs in public health have brought with them innovative approaches, including diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. To exceed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, various scientific authorities in the world have procreated advances in real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based diagnostic tests, rapid diagnostic kits, the development of vaccines for immunization, and the purposing pharmaceuticals for treatment. Diagnosis, treatment, and immunization approaches put for- ward by scientific communities are cross-fed from the accrued knowledge of multidisciplinary sciences in health biotechnology. So much so that the pandemic, urgently prioritized in the world, is not only viral infections but also has been the pulsion in the development of novel approaches in many fields such as diagnosis, treatment, translational medicine, virology, mi- crobiology, immunology, functional nano- and bio-materials, bioinformatics, molecular biol- ogy, genetics, tissue engineering, biomedical devices, and artificial intelligence technologies. In this review, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of various scientific areas of health biotechnology are discussed

Anger Management and Factors that Influence Anger in Physicians

Objective: There are limited data regarding anger and its management with respect to physicians and many other professionals. Our objective was to evaluate anger expression and control in physicians. Material and Methods: The physicians of the Düzce School of Medicine were the participants in the study. Physicians were assigned to either an internal medicine or a surgery study group. Each group contained physicians from several specialties. The Spielberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and the Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories were administered to all participants. The physicians (n=158) were evaluated and compared with controls (n=105) in terms of anger control and sociodemographic variables. Results: Anger-control scores were higher in physicians (p<0.01) and in those who willingly chose the medical profession (p<0.05). Age, number of years as a physician, and the specialty were negatively correlated with anger management in physicians working in the surgical disciplines (p<0.01). Only Beck anxiety and depression scores were positively correlated with anger-trait scores and anger-in scores for physicians working in the internal medicine disciplines (p<0.01).Conclusion: Physicians were relatively successful in coping with anger. A willingness to choose the medical profession was a factor influencing anger control. Age was the major factor affecting anger management in physicians

Memantin responsive Behcet's disease with initial onset severe cognitive decline

Behcet's Disease (BD) is chronic, multisystem inflammatory disorder with vasculitis as the underlying process and most commonly affects the brain stem with a patchy involvement of upper parts in the nervous system. Although predominant mental symptoms are the main forms of nervous system involvement, mental changes and psychiatric problems are seen at later stages of BD. We report a case with Behcet's disease initially presented with depression and dementia. The most prominent findings were depression and cognitive impairement with gait ataxia. This case was treated with steroids, serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors and memantin. The initial presentation of memory problems and depression in neurological involvements of BD have not yet been reported in literature. Therefore, our case who had an onset with psychiatric complaints and memory problems is an interesting one

Does the cannula diameter affect outcomes of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis?

Purpose Since its implementation, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis can be performed with cannulas of different diameters. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in cannula diameter for TMJ arthrocentesis on intraoperative and postoperative parameters. Methods A prospective randomized clinical study was conducted using the documentation of Wilkes stage 3 patients with TMJ disorders. Patients were assigned to 2 groups using a system of computer-assisted randomization. Double puntcure arthrocentesis (DPA) was performed with 21-gauge cannulas (group 1) and 18-gauge cannulas (group 2). The primary predictor variable was cannula diameter. Pain values assessed using a Likert-type (0 to10) visual analog scale (VAS) were selected as primary outcome variable. Mandibular movements including maximum mouth opening (MMO), lateral excursions (LE) and protrusion (P), were selected as secondary outcomes. Mandibular movements and pain values were recorded before treatment and at 1st day and 3rd months intervals. Descriptive, comparative, and bivariate analyses were conducted. Intraoperative complications were also recorded. Results DPA was applied to 33 patients (29 females, 4 males). Although group 1 was found to be significantly more advantageous than group 2 in terms of pain levels (P .05). Conclusions Despite the limited sample size cannula thickness affects postoperative pain level significantly in conventional TMJ arthrocentesis.No sponso

Olanzapine Intoxication-Related Transient Diabetes Insipidus

Alcelik, Aytekin/0000-0002-3156-1076WOS: 000294118700017PubMed: 21777173Olanzapine is a second-generation atypical antipsychotic agent approved for the treatment of psychotic disorders and mania. The effects of olanzapine intoxication include central nervous system depression, hyperthermia, myosis, tachycardia, and orthostatic hypotension. Heretofore, only one case has been reported to develop polyuria after olanzapine overdose (560 mg). We describe a case that developed diabetes insipidus following massive olanzapine ingestion and returned to normal after desmopressin treatment

Optimization of Power Conversion Efficiency in Threshold Self-Compensated UHF Rectifiers With Charge Conservation Principle

This paper presents a compact model for threshold self-compensated rectifiers that can be used to optimize circuit parameters early in the design phase instead of time-consuming transient simulations. A design procedure is presented for finding the optimum aspect ratio of transistors used in the converter and number of rectifying stages to achieve the maximum power conversion efficiency. In the presented analysis, the relation between the power conversion efficiency and the load current over the variation of the output dc voltage is used to find the optimum design parameters. Accurate approximation of the charge entering to and exiting from the rectifier during the steady state helps to get good agreement between the predicted output dc voltage and simulation results under different load current values. Using the Enz-Krummenacher-Vittoz model for the MOS transistor, an accurate formula is derived for optimization. The ability of the model in weak, moderate, and strong inversion region aids to find the optimum design parameters for broad range of RF voltage variation. The presented formula for estimating the optimum size and number of stages shows good agreement with simulations. Further validation is provided by comparing model predictions with measurement results of a four-stage self-compensated rectifier operating at 900 MHz, which is implemented in a commercial 0.18-mu m partially-depleted silicon-on-insulator process

Genç-erişkin şizofreni hastalarında kemik mineral yoğunluğu düzeyinin sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırılması

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, genç-erişkin şizofreni hastalarında kemik mineral yoğunluğunun değerlendirilmesi ve sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırılmasıdır. Yöntem: Bu kesitsel çalışmaya, yaşları 22 ve 44 arasında değişen 14 şizofreni hastası ve kontrol grubu olarak, 31 sağlıklı birey dahil edildi. Her iki grubun kemik mineral yoğunluğu ölçümü Dual Energy X-ray Absorbiometry (DEXA) ile yapıldı. Hastalar, Pozitif ve Negatif Semptom Ölçeği (PANSS) ile değerlendirildi. Hastaların tamamı, en az 2 yıldır şizofreni tanısı ile antipsikotik kullanmaktaydı. Hastaların sosyodemografik özellikleri ve osteopo roz için risk faktörleri (antipsikotik kullanımı, güneş ışınlarına maruziyet, fiziksel aktivite, vs.) sorgulanarak kemik mineral yoğunluğu ile ilişkisi araştırıldı. Bulgular: Sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırıldığında, şizofreni hastalarında, hem lomber omurgada hem de proksi mal femurun tüm bölgelerinde kemik mineral yoğunluğu daha düşüktü. Bağıntı analizi sonucunda, şizofreni hastalarında, yalnızca femur bölgesindeki kemik mineral yoğunluğu ile ilişkili tek faktör olarak yaş bulundu. Kemik mineral yoğunluğu ile cinsiyetin, PANSS skorlarının, kullanılan antipsikotik türünün ve osteoporoz için risk faktörü olan diğer etkenlerin ilişkisi olmadığı tespit edildi. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada şizofreni hastalarının kemik mineral yoğunluğunun, sağlıklı bireylere göre daha düşük bulunması, şizofreni olgularında genç yaşta osteoporotik değişikliklerin olabileceğini düşündürmektedir. Şizofreni ve osteoporoz arasındaki ilişkiyi daha iyi açığa çıkaracak prospektif çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density levels of patients with schizophrenia and to compare the results with healthy controls. Methods: Fourteen patients with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls, between 22 and 44 years of age, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Bone mineral density (BMD) levels of each group were measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorbiometry (DEXA). The patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). All patients had been receiving antipsychotic treatment for at least 2 years. Patients&#8217; sociodemographic caharacteristics and risk factors for osteoporosis (antipsychotic use, sunlight exposure, physical activity, etc.) were documented. Results: As compared with the healthy controls, the patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower BMD at the lumbar spine and at all sites of the proximal femur. Correlation analysis showed that the only factor related with the femoral BMD only in patients with schizophrenia was the age. No association between BMD and gender, PANSS score, type of antipsychotic medications, and other risk factors for osteoporosis were observed. Conclusions: In this study, we found that BMD in schizophrenia patients was lower than that of healthy controls and this finding suggest that osteoporotic changes may be seen in younger ages. Further prospective studies are needed to better clarify the relationship between osteoporosis and schizophrenia

Genç-erişkin şizofreni hastalarında kemik mineral yoğunluğu düzeyinin sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırılması

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, genç-erişkin şizofreni hastalarında kemik mineral yoğunluğunun değerlendirilmesi ve sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırılmasıdır. Yöntem: Bu kesitsel çalışmaya, yaşları 22 ve 44 arasında değişen 14 şizofreni hastası ve kontrol grubu olarak, 31 sağlıklı birey dahil edildi. Her iki grubun kemik mineral yoğunluğu ölçümü Dual Energy X-ray Absorbiometry (DEXA) ile yapıldı. Hastalar, Pozitif ve Negatif Semptom Ölçeği (PANSS) ile değerlendirildi. Hastaların tamamı, en az 2 yıldır şizofreni tanısı ile antipsikotik kullanmaktaydı. Hastaların sosyodemografik özellikleri ve osteopo roz için risk faktörleri (antipsikotik kullanımı, güneş ışınlarına maruziyet, fiziksel aktivite, vs.) sorgulanarak kemik mineral yoğunluğu ile ilişkisi araştırıldı. Bulgular: Sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırıldığında, şizofreni hastalarında, hem lomber omurgada hem de proksi mal femurun tüm bölgelerinde kemik mineral yoğunluğu daha düşüktü. Bağıntı analizi sonucunda, şizofreni hastalarında, yalnızca femur bölgesindeki kemik mineral yoğunluğu ile ilişkili tek faktör olarak yaş bulundu. Kemik mineral yoğunluğu ile cinsiyetin, PANSS skorlarının, kullanılan antipsikotik türünün ve osteoporoz için risk faktörü olan diğer etkenlerin ilişkisi olmadığı tespit edildi. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada şizofreni hastalarının kemik mineral yoğunluğunun, sağlıklı bireylere göre daha düşük bulunması, şizofreni olgularında genç yaşta osteoporotik değişikliklerin olabileceğini düşündürmektedir. Şizofreni ve osteoporoz arasındaki ilişkiyi daha iyi açığa çıkaracak prospektif çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density levels of patients with schizophrenia and to compare the results with healthy controls. Methods: Fourteen patients with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls, between 22 and 44 years of age, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Bone mineral density (BMD) levels of each group were measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorbiometry (DEXA). The patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). All patients had been receiving antipsychotic treatment for at least 2 years. Patients&#8217; sociodemographic caharacteristics and risk factors for osteoporosis (antipsychotic use, sunlight exposure, physical activity, etc.) were documented. Results: As compared with the healthy controls, the patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower BMD at the lumbar spine and at all sites of the proximal femur. Correlation analysis showed that the only factor related with the femoral BMD only in patients with schizophrenia was the age. No association between BMD and gender, PANSS score, type of antipsychotic medications, and other risk factors for osteoporosis were observed. Conclusions: In this study, we found that BMD in schizophrenia patients was lower than that of healthy controls and this finding suggest that osteoporotic changes may be seen in younger ages. Further prospective studies are needed to better clarify the relationship between osteoporosis and schizophrenia

Comparison of bone mineral density levels in young-adult patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess bone mineral density levels of patients with schizophrenia and to compare the results with healthy controls. Methods: Fourteen patients with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls, between 22 and 44 years of age, were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Bone mineral density (BMD) levels of each group were measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorbiometry (DEXA). The patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). All patients had been receiving antipsychotic treatment for at least 2 years. Patients' sociodemographic caharacteristics and risk factors for osteoporosis (antipsychotic use, sunlight exposure, physical activity, etc.) were documented. Results: As compared with the healthy controls, the patients with schizophrenia had significantly lower BMD at the lumbar spine and at all sites of the proximal femur. Correlation analysis showed that the only factor related with the femoral BMD only in patients with schizophrenia was the age. No association between BMD and gender, PANSS score, type of antipsychotic medications, and other risk factors for osteoporosis were observed. Conclusions: In this study, we found that BMD in schizophrenia patients was lower than that of healthy controls and this finding suggest that osteoporotic changes may be seen in younger ages. Further prospective studies are needed to better clarify the relationship between osteoporosis and schizophrenia

An Uncooled Microbolometer Infrared Detector in any Standard CMOS Technology

This paper reports a new microbolometer structure with the CMOS n-well layer as the active element. The n-well structures are suspended and thermally isolated by post-etching of fabricated and bonded CMOS chips, while the n-well regions are protected from etching by the electrochemical etch-stop technique in a TMAH solution. The characterization results of the fabricated chips show that the n-well has a TCR value of 0.50%/K at 300K in a commercial 0.8mm CMOS process. Detailed thermal simulations in ANSYS were performed to obtain an optimized structure. These results and calculations show that it is possible to implement a microbolometer structure with a responsivity of 4000 V/W and a detectivity of 1.2x109 cmHz1/2/W with a thermal time constant of 3.2 msec. This approach is very cost-effective to produce large focal plane arrays in CMOS for uncooled infrared imaging with reasonable performance