PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS

This article presents synthesis, photophysical, electrochemical, thermal, and morphological properties of the crosslinked polyurethanes (CLPUs). CLPUs were synthesized in two main steps. In the first step, aldehyde functionalized polyurethane prepolymer was synthesized using 2,4-dihydroxy benzaldehyde and hexamethylene diisocyanates. In the second step, the prepared prepolymer was converted to the crosslinked polyurethane derivatives using different diamines via condensation reaction. Diamines with various chain length and side-group substitutions were used as crosslinker. Photophysical properties of the crosslinked polyurethanes were investigated using UV-vis and photoluminescence (PL) spectra techniques. Fluorescence measurements showed that CLPUs exhibited multicolor emission behavior. Additionally, a linear relationship is determined between the excitation energies and the obtained emission maxima and, this property allows tuning the PL color by changing the source light energy on the desired scale. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Body hair scores and total hair diameters in healthy women in the Kirikkale Region, of Turkey

WOS: 000222617700017PubMed: 15227736It was aimed to determine the normal hair scores of women of Kirikkale region according to the Ferriman-Gallwey scale and to investigate the relationship between the hair shaft diameter and hair scores. Hair scores were calculated in 204 healthy women, and hair shaft diameters were measured from the hair samples collected from 60 patients. Body mass index, waist to hip ratio, insulin resistance and blood androgen levels were determined. Neutral, hormonal and total hair scores were 2.1 +/- 1.4, 3.1 +/- 2.7 and 5.2 +/- 3.6, respectively. The average total hair diameter and hormonal hair diameter were 191.93 +/- 90.49 mum and 121.8 +/- 75.9 mum respectively. The correlation between total hair diameter and total hair score was statistically significant (r = 0.704 p < 0.001). Also, the correlation between hormonal hair diameter and hormonal hair score was statistically significant (r = 0.724 p < 0.001). While hair scores and diameters show meaningful positive correlation with androgen levels, they show negative correlation with age. In our population, 95% value of total hair score was 11, and for the hormonal score, it was 9. Hair diameters increase with hair score, regardless of total or hormonal of hair scores. Hair scores and hair diameters may be affected by blood androgens in healthy women

Postmenopozal kadinlarda hormon replasman tedavisi ve prolaktin seviyeleri

Objective: Our purpose was to investigate the effect of hormonal replacement therapy on serum prolactin (PRL) levels in postmenopausal women. Study Design: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was initiated to 30 postmenopausal patients. We determined the basal prolactin levels before treatment, and again at the first and third months. We used paired-t and student-t test for statistical analysis. Results: The basal PRL level of menopausal women was 9.6 ± 4.6 ng/ml, while it was 10.5 ± 4.1 ng/ml in premenopausal women (p>0,05). After initiation of HRT, the PRL levels were 9.9 ± 3.3 ng/ml and 10.1 ± 3.9 ng/ml at the first and third months, respectively. These values were not different from basal PRL levels. Conclusion: Serum prolactin determination may be used for the diagnosis of secondary amenorrhea of menopause if clinically indicated. Howover checking the serum prolactin level after the initiation of HRT has no clinical implications

Anatomical landmarks regarding sacrospinous colpopexy operations performed for vaginal vault prolapse

WOS: 000173830200017PubMed: 11803104Aim: To investigate the anatomical relationships of the structures and the topographic anatomy or the sacrospinous ligament and validate Current anatomic knowledge of this area. Materials: Nine embalmed half female cadaver pelvises were dissected to reveal the anatomy of the sacrospinous ligament. Results: The average length of the sacrospinous ligament was measured to be 43.04 +/- 6.58 mm. The inferior gluteal complex emerges from the infrapiriform foramen at a distance of 17.02 +/- 3.08 mm from the ischial spine and courses to inferior laterally with a slight curve. During this course, it passes close to the upper-lateral half of the sacrospinous ligament. The pudendal complex passes above the spine in six of the nine cases (66.6%) and lies maximum of 5.5 mm medial to the spine. Oil average the sciatic nerve is measured to he 25.14 +/- 3.94 mm lateral to the ischial spine. Conclusion: Placing the suture inferomedially and close to sacrum, the risk of complication will be minimal. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Frame bit allocation for the H.264/AVC video coder via cauchy-density-based rate and distortion models

Based on the observation that a Cauchy density is more accurate in estimating the distribution of the ac coefficients than the traditional Laplacian density, rate and distortion models with improved accuracy are developed. The entropy and distortion models for quantized discrete cosine transform coefficients are justified in a frame bit-allocation application for H.264. Extensive analysis with carefully selected anchor video sequences demonstrates a 0.24-dB average peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) improvement over the JM 8.4 rate control algorithm, and a 0.33-dB average PSNR improvement over the TM5-based bit-allocation algorithm that has recently been proposed for H.264 by Li et al. The analysis also demonstrates 20 % and 60% reductions in PSNR variation among the encoded pictures when compared to the JM 8.4 rate control algorithm and the TM5-based bit-allocation algorithm, respectively

Anxiety and depression before and after the menopause

WOS: 000167468100009PubMed: 11205708Objective: Our purpose was to investigate the anxiety and depression at postmenopausal women. Methods: We studied 32 postmenopausal and 32 premenopausal patients aged between 40-55 years in Kirikkale University Medical Faculty Obstetric and Gynecology Department. We performed Beck depression scale and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)I and II on those patients. Blood samples were taken from each patient. We used students t test, pearson correlation analysis. Results: Beck depression test results were 21.3 +/- 6.7 and 15.1 +/- 5.6 in postmenopausal and premenopausal women respectively (p < 0.001). STAI-I were 50.4 +/- 9.1 and 47.5 +/- 8.5 in this 2 groups (p = 0.19) and STAI-II values were 47.5 +/- 9.1 and 45.4 +/- 7.5 (p = 0.33. We could not find a correlation between anxiety-depression and blood FSH, LH and E-2 levels We found a correlation between parity and depression (r = 0.423 p = 0.01). There were positive correlations between anxiety and depression tests (r = 0.489 p = 0.01 for STAI-I and r = 0.398 p = 0.01 for STAI-II). Conclusion: Depression rate is significantly higher in menopausal women