In vivo performance of antibiotic embedded electrospun PCL membranes for prevention of abdominal adhesions

The aim of this study was to prepare nonwoven materials from poly(-caprolactone) (PCL) and their antibiotic containing forms by electrospinning, so as to prevent postsurgery induced abdominal adhesions in rats. -Caprolactone was first polymerized by ring-opening polymerization, and then it was processed into matrices composed of nanofibers by electrospinning. A model antibiotic (Biteral®) was embedded within a group of PCL membranes. In the rat model, defects on the abdominal walls in the peritoneum were made to induce adhesion. The plain or antibiotic embedded PCL membranes were implanted on the right side of the abdominal wall. No membrane implantation was made on the left side of the abdominal wall that served as control. Macroscopical and histological evaluations showed that using these barriers reduces the extent, type, and tenacity of adhesion. The antibiotic embedded membranes significantly eliminated postsurgery abdominal adhesions, and also improved healing

Biological responses of ceramic bone spacers produced by green processing of additively manufactured thin meshes

Bone spacers are exclusively used for replacing the tissue after trauma and/or diseases. Ceramic materials bring positive opportunities to enhance greater osteointegration and performance of implants, yet processing of porous geometries can be challenging. Additive Manufacturing (AM) opens opportunities to grade porosity levels in a part; however, its productivity may be low due to its batch processing approach. The paper studies the biological responses yielded by hydroxyapatite with ß-TCP (tricalcium phosphate) ceramic porous bone spacers manufactured by robocasting 2-layer meshes that are rolled in green and sintered. The implants are assessed in vitro and in vivo for their compatibility. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells attached, proliferated and differentiated on the bone spacers produced. Cells on the spacers presented alkaline phosphatase staining, confirming osteogenic differentiation. They also expressed bone-specific COL1A1, BGAP, BSP, and SPP1 genes. The fold change of these genes ranged between 8 to 16 folds compared to controls. When implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of rabbits, they triggered collagen fibre formation and mild fibroblastic proliferation. In conclusion, rolled AM-meshes bone spacers stimulated bone formation in vitro and were biocompatible in vivo. This technology may give the advantage to custom produce spacers at high production rates if industrially upscaled.Postprint (published version

Stratejik kurumsal kaynak yönetimi modeli önerisi

06.03.2018 tarihli ve 30352 sayılı Resmi Gazetede yayımlanan “Yükseköğretim Kanunu İle Bazı Kanun Ve Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun” ile 18.06.2018 tarihli “Lisansüstü Tezlerin Elektronik Ortamda Toplanması, Düzenlenmesi ve Erişime Açılmasına İlişkin Yönerge” gereğince tam metin erişime açılmıştır.Anahtar kelimeler: Stratejik Planlama, Kurumsal Kaynak Planlama, KaynakYönetimi, Risk Yönetimi, Teknolojik YetkinlikGünümüzde mal ve hizmet üreten kuruluşların çok sınırlı kaynaklar ile işletmeleriniyürütme zorluğu artık açık olarak ortadadır. Dinamik ve belirsiz olaylar karşısındaher an işletmelerinde yeni uygulamalar, yeni çalışmalar, önlemler, etkinlik analizlerivb yapmaları gerekmektedir. Kaynak planlaması çalışmaları bu nedenle hem imalatyapan hem de hizmet üreten kuruluşlarda çok önemli bir aktivite olarakgörülmektedir. Yöneticiler, sınırlı kaynakları en etkin şekilde kullanmayı sağlayacakolan, kaynak kullanımının ihtiyaçlar doğrultusunda önceliklendirilmesini sağlayacakplanlar yapmak zorundadır. Ve bu planları; büyümesini, rekabet edebilmesini, yenipazarlara açılabilmesini sağlayacak stratejileri doğrultusunda yönetmesigerekmektedir.Yapılan incelemeler sonucunda kurumsal kaynakların planlanması veya yönetimiamacı ile geliştirilen sistemlerin; ilgili kurumun risklerini, teknolojik yapısını,müşteri ilişkilerini, hükümetlerin uyguladığı ekonomik politikaları ve en önemlisikurumun stratejilerini etkin bir şekilde dikkate almadıkları görülmüştür. Bu konularıgöz önüne alacak şekilde, bu çalışmada Stratejik Kurumsal Kaynak Yönetimi(Strategic Enterprise Resource Management ? SERM) modeli geliştirilmiştir. SERM;geleneksel kaynak planlaması veya yönetilmesi çalışmalarını yapan tüm sistemlerikapsamakta ve bu sistemlere ek olarak; teknoloji yönetimi, bilgi ve bilişim yönetimi,ekonomik politikalar, risk yönetimi, araştırma ve geliştirme faaliyetlerini dekapsamakta ve özellikle de tüm bu faaliyetleri kurumun stratejilerini sağlamayönünde yapmaktadır.Bu tezde öncelikle mevcut kaynak planlaması ve kaynak yönetimi sistemlerininyapıları ve eksiklikleri açıklanmıştır. Daha sonra tüm bu eksiklikleri giderecekşekilde geliştirilmiş olan Stratejik Kurumsal Kaynak Yönetimi modeli sunulmuş vemodelin uygulanabilirliliği tartışılmıştır.Key Words: Strategic Planning, Enterprise Resource Planning, ResourceManagement, Risk Management, Technology ReadinessToday obvious that goods and service companies? difficulty of managing business(processes) at goods and service companies with scarce resources it obvious. Againstthe dynamic and indefinite situations / events, they have to make new applications,studies, precautions, effectiveness analysis, etc simultaneously. Because of thisreason, resource planning is accepted as a vital / independent activity for both serviceand good?s companies. Managers have to make plans that most effectively use scarceresources, prioritizations of resources with respect to requirements. And it is requiredto manage these plans according to growth, competence and new market entrystrategies.As a result of reviewing literature, it is observed systems that are developing byplanning and managing of enterprise?s resources; do not care attention with relatedcompanies? risks, technological structure, customer relations, economic policies thatare applying by governments and the most important companies? strategies. In thisstudy, Strategic Enterprise Resource Management ? SERM model is developed toensure these issues. SERM covers all over systems that make traditional resourceplanning and managing and addition to these systems; it includes technologymanagement, knowledge and information management, economic policies, riskmanagement, resource and development activities. And especially it makes all overthe activities to realize company?s strategies.In this thesis, first of all current resource planning and resource management systemstructures, deficiencies are explained. Then to eliminate these absences, SERMmodel is presented and the applicability of the model is considered

Expanding capital, territorial political economic fragilities and the securitization in foreign policy of the USA

Modern siyaset ve devlet düzeninin ortaya çıkışında pek çok yapı, aktör, faktör ve dinamiğin tarihsel gelişim içindeki ilişki ve etkileşimi rol oynadı. Bu çalışmada kapitalin gelişimi, teritoryal politik iktisadi kırılganlıklar ve ilgili ülke ya da ülkelerin güvenlikleştirme eğilimi kapsama alınmaktadır. Temel konu ve problematik başlıkta belirtilen ilişkisellikler ve güç konfigürasyonlarının güvenlikleştirme üzerindeki etki ve sonuçlarının analiz ve değerlendirilmesi çerçevesinde şekillendirilmektedir. İlgili politik iddia ve önermeler, farklı olgular, durumlar, değişim ve gelişmeler karşısında kavramsal ve bağlamsal açıdan etüt edildi. Tarihsel, politik ve toplumsal bağlamın mukayeseli analizi ve ilgili konu başlığının birden çok disiplini doğrudan ilgilendirmesi dolayısıyla disiplinler arası bir metodoloji benimsendi. Bu meselenin güvenlik ve güvenlikleştirme kapsamındaki kuramsal yaklaşımları dahil ederek ele alınması ve sürecin uzun vadede ortaya çıkardığı problem alanları çok katmanlı ve eleştirel bir bakışla işlendi. Makalede kapitalin gelişim süreci tarihsel kapitalizmin ortaya çıkışının yanı sıra teritoryal politik iktisadi kırılganlıklar çerçevesinde ele alındı. ABD’nin son otuz yılda önemli ölçüde artan borçlanma konusu ve dış politikasındaki güvenlikleştirme eğilimi tarihsel ve toplumsal bağlamı içinde Ortadoğu bölgesine ve dünya sistemine etkileri bakımından değerlendirildi.The relationship and interaction of many structures, actors, factors and dynamics throughout the history played a role in the emergence of modern politics and state order. This study covers the development of capital, territorial political and economic fragilities and the securitization tendency of countries. The main topic and problematic and the effects and consequences of the relationality and power configurations on securitization is shaped and debated within a framework of analysis and evaluation. Political claims and propositions on the subject were studied conceptually and contextually in the face of different facts, situations, changes and developments. An interdisciplinary methodology was adopted due to the comparative analysis of the historical, political and social context and the fact that the relevant topic directly concerns more than one discipline. Addressing this issue by incorporating theoretical approaches within the scope of security and securitization and the problem areas that the process has revealed in the long term were made with a multi-layered and critical view. In the article the development process of capital and its effects were discussed in the context of territorial political and economic fragility and the emergence of historical capitalism. The significantly increasing debt of the USA in the last thirty years and the securitization trend in its foreign policy were evaluated and analyzed in terms of its effects on the Middle East region and the world system in a historical and social context

Antibody responses of COVID-19 patients according to symptoms and the presence of pneumonia

Introduction: The aim of the study was to examine the 30-day total SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity in patients across a clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic to pneumonia.Methods: This prospective cohort study consisted of 51 consecutive patients who were RT-PCR positive and diagnosed COVID-19 pneumonia (Group 1) and 58 consecutive patients who were also RT-PCR positive but were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms (Group 2). On the 30th day from the date of symptom onset, the patients were called for examination and blood samples were taken for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.Results: Patients with pneumonia, fever, muscle pain, and loss of taste and smell had significantly higher rates of antibody positivity (p= 0.001, 0.003, 0.030, and 0.018, respectively). Antibody positivity was found to be significantly higher in patients with at least one symptom on admission compared to asymptomatic patients (p = 0.001). While the antibody positivity rate was 96.1% in Group 1 (patients with pneumonia), it was 50% in Group 2 (patients without pneumonia), and 77.7% in patients with at least one symptom on admission compared to 33.3% in asymptomatic patients (p=0.001).Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia have significantly higher disease-specific total antibody positivity rates than patients without pneumonia. Considering the 50% antibody positivity in patients who had COVID-19 infection who were asymptomatic or had symptoms other than pneumonia, the issue of COVID-19 re-infection and immunity is much more important than it appears

Numerical modeling of compression strengths of ti6al4v gyroid structures produced by laser powder bed fusion technology

Ortopedik metal implantlar fonksiyonun geri kazanılması amacıyla eklem ve kemik dokusunun onarımı sürecinde sağlamlığı korumak için yaygın kullanılır. İmplantların yük taşıma işlevi gören bölgeye uygun elastik modül değeri ve vücutta oluşacak olumsuz etkileri önleyici biyouyumluluk özelliklerinin olması, minimum gereksinimlerdir. İdeal implant malzemesi üzerine yaygınlaşmış çalışmalar, yüksek mekanik dayanıklılık ve osteointegrasyon özellikleri nedeniyle titanyum ve titanyum alaşımlı implantlar üzerinedir. Ancak implantasyon sonrası vücutta kalması istenen durumlarda biyoaktiviteyi daha da artırmak ve kemiğin mekanik özelliklerine yaklaşmak amacıyla üçlü periyodik minimal yüzey (ÜPMY) kafes yapısına sahip gözenekli implantlar kullanılır. Çalışma, istenen mekanik özellikleri ve gözenekler arası hücre hareketini sağlamak için kontrollü ÜPMY kafes yapılarından gyroid gözenek yapısına sahip lazer toz yatağında füzyon ile üretimi planlanan Ti6Al4V ilk olarak 40-80% arasında farklı gözeneklilik oranlarında tasarlanmıştır. Ardından her bir tasarım için basma altında mekanik dayanım ve deformasyon davranışlarını sonlu eleman analizi altında incelemeye odaklanılmıştır. Literatüre bakıldığında lazer toz yatağında füzyon ile üretilen gyroid Ti6Al4V yapıların basma testi sonuçları ile karşılaştırılmış ve uyumlu sonuçlar alınmıştır.Metal orthopedic implants are widely used to maintain stability during tissue repair in joint and bone injuries to restore function. Elastic modulus values suitable for the area where the implants carry the load-bearing part and have biocompatibility features that prevent harmful effects on the body are the minimum requirements. Widespread studies on the ideal implant material are on titanium and titanium alloy implants due to their high mechanical strength and osteointegration properties. However, in cases where it is desired to remain in the body after implantation, porous implants with triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattice structures are used in order to increase the bioactivity further and reach the mechanical properties of the bone. In the study, Ti6Al4V with gyroid pore structure, one of the controlled TPMS lattice structures planned to be produced by laser powder bed fusion technology, was designed with different porosity rates between 40-80%. Then, the focus is on examining the mechanical strength and deformation behaviors under compression for each design with the finite element analysis. The results of the study were compared with the compression test of gyroid Ti6Al4V structures produced by laser powder bed fusion from the literature and consistent results were obtained

Hipoteza studije: dob, spol, prisutnost šećerne bolesti ili hipertenzije i antihipertenzivni lijekovi su neovisni čimbenici rizika za smrtnost kod infekcije COVID-19

We aimed to investigate the effects of comorbid diseases and antihypertensive drugs on the clinical outcome of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection. A total of 1045 patients whose data could be gathered and confirmed from both hospital files and Turkish National Health Network records were retrospectively screened, and 264 of 1045 patients were excluded because of having more than one comorbid disease. The study population consisted of a total of 781 patients, of which 482 had no comorbid disease, while the remaining 299 patients had only one comorbid disease. The mortality risk was 7.532 times higher in those over 65 years of age compared to cases younger than 30 years (OR: 7.532; 95% CI: 1.733-32.730); the risk of mortality in men was 2.131 times higher than in women (OR: 2.131; 95% CI: 1.230-3.693); and presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) increased mortality risk 2.784 times (OR: 2.784; 95% CI: 1.288-6.019). While hypertension was not found to be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 mortality, age, gender, and presence of DM were independent risk factors for COVID-19 mortality. There was no association between antihypertensive drugs and mortality. Accordingly, age (>65 years), gender (male), and presence of DM were independent risk factors for COVID-19 mortality, whereas hypertension and use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and their combinations with other antihypertensive drugs were not risk factors for COVID-19 mortality.Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati učinak supostojećih bolesti i antihipertenzivnih lijekova na klinički ishod hospitaliziranih bolesnika s infekcijom COVID-19. Retrospektivnim probirom obuhvaćeno je ukupno 1045 bolesnika čije podatke smo mogli prikupiti i potvrditi iz bolničkih kartona i zapisa Turske nacionalne zdravstvene mreže; od tih bolesnika njih 264 je isključeno, jer su imali više od jedne supostojeće bolesti. Tako je u studiju uključen ukupno 781 bolesnik, od kojih njih 482 nisu imali nikakve supostojeće bolesti, dok je preostalih 299 imalo samo jednu supostojeću bolest. Rizik od smrtnog ishoda bio je 7,532 puta veći kod bolesnika starijih od 65 godina u usporedbi sa slučajevima mlađim od 30 godina (OR: 7,532; 95% CI: 1,733-32,730); rizik od smrtnog ishoda bio je 2,131 puta veći kod muškaraca u nego kod žena (OR: 2,131; 95% CI: 1,230-3,693); prisutnost dijabetes melitusa (DM) povećala je rizik od smrti 2,784 puta (OR: 2,784; 95% CI: 1,288-6,019). Hipertenzija nije utvrđena kao čimbenik rizika za smrtnost kod infekcije COVID-19, ali su se dob, spol i prisutnost DM pokazali neovisnim rizičnim čimbenicima za smrtnost kod infekcije COVID-19. Prema tome, dob (iznad 65 godina), spol (muški) i prisutnost DM utvrđeni su kao neovisni čimbenici rizika za smrtnost kod infekcije COVID-19, dok hipertenzija i uzimanje inhibitora angiotenzin-konvertirajućeg enzima, blokatora receptora angiotenzina i njihovih kombinacija s drugim antihipertenzivnim lijekovima nisu utvrđeni kao rizični čimbenici smrtnosti kod infekcije COVID-19

Thioredoxin System and miR-21, miR-23a/b and let-7a as Potential Biomarkers for Brain Tumor Progression: Preliminary Case Data

Background: The thioredoxin system and microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential targets for both cancer progression and treatment. However, the role of miRNAs and their relation with the expression profile of thioredoxin system in brain tumor progression remains unclear. Methods: In this study, we aimed to determine the expression profiles of redox components Trx-1, TrxR-1 and PRDX-1, and oncogenic miR-21, miR-23a/b and let-7a and oncosuppressor miR-125 in different brain tumor tissues and their association with increasing tumor grade. We studied Trx-1, TrxR-1, and PRDX-1 messenger RNA expression levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and protein levels by Western blot and miR-23a, miR-23b, miR-125a, miR-21, and let-7a miRNA expression levels by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 16 glioma, 15 meningioma, 5 metastatic, and 2 benign tumor samples. We also examined Trx-1, TrxR-1, and PRDX-1 protein levels in serum samples of 36 patients with brain tumor and 37 healthy volunteers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: We found that Trx-1, TrxR-1, and PRDX-1 presented high messenger RNA expression but low protein expression in low-grade brain tumor tissues, whereas they showed higher protein expression in sera of patients with low-grade brain tumors. miR-23b, miR-21, miR-23a, and let-7a were highly expressed in low-grade brain tumor tissues and positively correlated with the increase in thioredoxin system activity. Conclusions: Our findings showed that Trx-1, TrxR-1, miR-21, miR-23a/b, and let-7a might be used for brain tumor diagnosis in the clinic. Further prospective studies including molecular pathway analyses are required to validate the miRNA/Trx system regulatory axis in brain tumor progression. © 2022 Elsevier Inc