Serum fetuin-A levels are associated with carotid intima–media thickness in patients with normotensive chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: There are contradictory reports about the relationship between fetuin-A and atherosclerotic process. Coronary artery disease is the most important cause of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to investigate the association of serum fetuin-A level with mean carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) in COPD. Methods: We evaluated the association of serum fetuin-A level, mean cIMT and ABI in normotensive subjects with COPD (n = 65) and with non-COPD (n = 50). Results: Fetuin-A level was significantly lower (63.5 ± 19.8 ng/mL, 72.9 ± 16.2 ng/mL, p = 0.035) and C-reactive protein level higher (4 [1–10] vs. 3 [1–12] mg/dL, p = 0.034) in COPD patients than the control group. Compared to controls, fetuin-A level was significantly lower (63.5 ± 19.8 ng/mL, 72.9 ± 16.2 ng/mL, p = 0.035) and mean cIMT higher (0.69 [0.50–0.98] vs. 0.62 [0.44–0.98] mm, p = 0.034, respectively) in the COPD group. There was a significant negative correlation between mean cIMT and fetuin-A levels (r = –0.320, p = 0.032). Age (b ± SE: 0.002 ± 0.001, p = 0.008) and fetuin-A (b ± SE: –0.002 ± 0.001, p = 0.035) were decisive for the mean cIMT. Conclusions: There are increased cIMT values, decreased fetuin-A levels, but unchanged ABI values in patients with normotensive COPD. Age and fetuin-A were predictors for cIMT, while fetuin-A was negatively correlated with cIMT

Serum fetuin-A levels are associated with carotid intima-media thickness in patients with normotensive chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: There are contradictory reports about the relationship between fetuin-A and atherosclerotic process. Coronary artery disease is the most important cause of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to investigate the association of serum fetuin-A level with mean carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) in COPD. Methods: We evaluated the association of serum fetuin-A level, mean cIMT and ABI in normotensive subjects with COPD (n = 65) and with non-COPD (n = 50). Results: Fetuin-A level was significantly lower (63.5 +/- 19.8 ng/mL, 72.9 +/- 16.2 ng/mL, p = 0.035) and C-reactive protein level higher (4 [1-10] vs. 3 [1-12] mg/dL, p = 0.034) in COPD patients than the control group. Compared to controls, fetuin-A level was significantly lower (63.5 +/- 19.8 ng/mL, 72.9 +/- 16.2 ng/mL, p = 0.035) and mean cIMT higher (0.69 [0.50-0.98] vs. 0.62 [0.44-0.98] mm, p = 0.034, respectively) in the COPD group. There was a significant negative correlation between mean cIMT and fetuin-A levels (r = -0.320, p = 0.032). Age (beta +/- SE: 0.002 +/- 0.001, p = 0.008) and fetuin-A (beta +/- SE: -0.002 +/- 0.001, p = 0.035) were decisive for the mean cIMT. Conclusions: There are increased cIMT values, decreased fetuin-A levels, but unchanged ABI values in patients with normotensive COPD. Age and fetuin-A were predictors for cIMT, while fetuin-A was negatively correlated with cIMT

The Evaluation of Realization Level of Gains of Let’s Know about Substance Unit in 4th Grade Science Curriculum in Primary School

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Book Antiqua&quot;, serif; font-size: 10pt;">Bu arastirmanin amaci, ilkokul 4. sinif fen bilimleri dersi ögretim programinda yer alan “Maddeyi Taniyalim” ünitesi kazanimlarinin ögrencilerde gerçeklesme düzeyini belirlemektir. Arastirmanin örneklemini Antalya ili Muratpasa ilçesine bagli ilkokullar arasindan amaçli örnekleme teknigi ile seçilen bir devlet ilkokulunun 4. sinif ögrencileri, sinif ögretmeni ve okul yöneticisi olusturmaktadir. Arastirmada karma arastirma yöntemlerinden yakinsayan desen kullanilmistir. Arastirmada veri toplama araci olarak basari testi, gözlem ve yari yapilandirilmis görüsme formlari kullanilmistir. Arastirmadan elde edilen nicel veriler arastirmaci tarafindan hazirlanan ve uygulanan basari testinin analizi sonucunda elde edilmis olup bu verilerin analizinde iliskili örneklemler t-testi kullanilmistir. Elde edilen nitel veriler ise arastirmacinin on hafta boyunca yapmis oldugu gözlem, sinif ögretmeni ve okul yöneticisi ile yapilan görüsme, ders kitabi ve ögretim programinin incelenmesiyle saglanmistir. Elde edilen nitel veriler, içerik analizi ile çözümlenmistir. Elde edilen veriler neticesinde “Maddeyi Taniyalim” ünitesinde yer alan kazanimlarin ögrencilerde gerçeklesmesi hususunda rol oynayan faktörlerin neler oldugu saptanmistir. Yapilan analizler sonucunda “Maddeyi Taniyalim” ünitesi kazanimlari kapsaminda ögrencilerin ön-test ve son-test puanlarinin arasinda istatistiksel açidan anlamli bir fark bulunsa da elde edilen sonucun arzu edilen seviyede olmadigi sonucuna varilmistir. Yapilan gözlem ve görüsmeler sonucunda ilgili ünitenin uygulanmasi hususunda bazi aksakliklarin yasandigi fakat bu aksakliklarin ögretmen, yönetici, ögrenci ve aile is birligi çerçevesinde giderilmeye çalisildigi saptanmistir. Bu baglamda programin ilgili ünite baglaminda daha etkili ve verimli yürütülebilmesi için program gelistiricilere, okul yöneticilerine, uygulayicilara ve arastirmacilara yönelik bazi önerilerde bulunulmustur.</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p

Synthesis of mid chain functional macrophotoinitiators of poly D L lactide homopolymer and tetrablock poly D L lactide poly caprolactone copolymer by ring opening polymerization

We have synthesized novel biobased and environmental friendly mid-chain functional macrophotoinitiators of poly(D,L-lactide) homopolymer (PDLLA-PI-PDLLA) and tetrablock poly(D,L-lactide)-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymer (PDLLA-PCL-PI-PCL-PDLLA) with controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions via ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Mid-chain functional poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA-PI-PDLLA) macrophotoinitiator was prepared by ROP of D,L-lactide (DLLA) monomer using a dihydroxy-functional photoinitiator (HO-PI-OH) as the initiator and stannous-2-ethyl hexanoate (Sn(Oct)2) as the catalyst. Tetrablock poly(D,L-lactide)-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymer (PDLLA-PCL-PI-PCL-PDLLA) with a mid-chain photofunctional group was synthesized via sequential ROP of ε-caprolactone and D,L-lactide using Sn(Oct)2 as the catalyst. The resultant polymers were fully characterized by means of 1H NMR, FTIR, UV–vis, Fluorescence, and GPC techniques. The obtained macrophotoinitiators were used as a prepolymer in photoinitiated free radical polymerization for obtaining AB-type diblock copolymer and ABC-type triblock terpolymer

Adsorptive removal of anticarcinogen pazopanib from aqueous solutions using activated carbon: isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Abstract Pazopanib, which is dangerous for aquatic environments due to its toxic and bioaccumulation potential, has been detected at different concentrations in oncology hospital wastewater, sewage, and surface waters. This study aimed to remove pazopanib from wastewater by activated carbon adsorption technique. The effect of the main variables such as initial concentration, pH of pazopanib solution, adsorbent dose, contact time of the phases, and temperature on the adsorption process was evaluated and the optimum adsorption conditions were determined. The experimental data were applied to Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich adsorption isotherm models to describe the adsorption behavior. The experimental data were applied to pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intra-particle diffusion kinetic models to describe the adsorption kinetics. Isotherms were established in the 20–50 °C temperature range to study the adsorption equilibrium. According to the results, the highest removal efficiency of pazopanib (95.87%) was obtained at initial concentration (100 mg L−1), adsorbent dose (0.30 g L−1), temperature (20 °C), contact time (120 min) and pH (7.0). The adsorption kinetics was well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 = 0.9998) and the adsorption isotherm by the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9999). In thermodynamic studies, the negative values of standard enthalpy (ΔH°), standard free enthalpy (ΔG°), and free entropy (ΔS°) indicate that the adsorption process is spontaneous and favorable, i.e. the disorder is reduced. These results indicate that the developed adsorption process can be efficiently and spontaneously applied for the removal of pazopanib from aqueous solutions

Synthesis of well-defined bisbenzoin end-functionalized poly(ε-caprolactone) macrophotoinitiator by combination of ROP and click chemistry and its use in the synthesis of star copolymers by photoinduced free radical promoted cationic polymerization

A new well-defined bisbenzoin group end-functionalized poly(ε-caprolactone) macrophotoinitiator (PCL-(PI)2) was synthesized by combination of ring opening polymerization (ROP) and click chemistry. The ROP of ε-CL monomer in bulk at 110 °C, by means of a hydroxyl functional initiator namely, 3-cyclohexene-1-methanol in conjunction with stannous-2-ethylhexanoate, (Sn(Oct)2), yielded a well-defined PCL with a cyclohexene end-chain group (PCL-CH). The bromination and subsequent azidation of the cyclohexene end-chain group gave bisazido functionalized poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-(N3)2). Separately, an acetylene functionalized benzoin photoinitiator (PI-alkyne) was synthesized by using benzoin and propargyl bromide. Then the click reaction between PCL-(N3)2 and PI-alkyne was performed by Cu(I) catalysis. The spectroscopic studies revealed that poly(ε-caprolactone) with bisbenzoin photoactive functional group at the chain end (PCL-(PI)2) with controlled chain length and low-polydispersity was obtained. This PCL-(PI)2 macrophotoinitiator was used as a precursor in photoinduced free radical promoted cationic polymerization to synthesize an AB2-type miktoarm star copolymer consisting of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL, as A block) and poly(cyclohexene oxide) (PCHO, as B block), namely PCL(PCHO)2