The effects of sheep manure application time and rates on yield and botanical composition of secondary succession rangeland

This experimental study was conducted in Samsun/Turkey on a secondary succession rangeland during 2006 - 2008. Botanical composition of the experimental area consists of 28% legumes, 64% grasses, and 8% of other species. Target rates of sheep manure were 0, 25.0, 50.0, 75.0, and 100 kg total N ha–1, based on the manure analyses results (according to N rates in sheep manure). The sheep manure was applied at two different times. Means of 3 years of experimental period and total dry matteryield was obtained from the manure treatment of 75.0 kg N ha-1 and 50 + 50 kg N ha-1 (4153 kg ha-1, and 3813 kg ha-1, respectively). With respect to the three-year average, ratios of legumes, grasses, and otherplants ranged from 20.8 to 40.7%, 41.6 to 66.9%, and 10.7 to 20.7%, respectively. Although ratios of legumes, and other plants increased in the all of the treatments, grass ratios decreased. The crude protein content of obtained rangeland hay ranged between 107.0 and 143.0 g kg-1 in 2006, 93.0 and 123.4 g kg-1 in 2007, 116.3 and 166.4 g kg-1 in 2008. The maximum benefit was provided from the application of 75.0 kg N ha-1 with a sum of 971.2 ha-1

A Soft Robotic Wearable Wrist Device for Kinesthetic Haptic Feedback

Advances in soft robotics provide a unique approach for delivering haptic feedback to a user by a soft wearable device. Such devices can apply forces directly on the human joints, while still maintaining the safety and flexibility necessary for use in close proximity to the human body. To take advantage of these properties, we present a new haptic wrist device using pressure-driven soft actuators called reverse pneumatic artificial muscles (rPAMs) mounted on four sides of the wrist. These actuators are originally pre-strained and release compressive stress under pressure, applying a safe torque around the wrist joints while being compact and portable, representing the first soft haptic device capable of real-time feedback. To demonstrate the functional utility of this device, we created a virtual path-following task, wherein the user employs the motion of their wrist to control their embodied agent. We used the haptic wrist device to assist the user in following the path and study their performance with and without haptic feedback in multiple scenarios. Our results quantify the effect of wearable soft robotic haptic feedback on user performance. Specifically, we observed that our haptic feedback system improved the performance of users following complicated paths in a statistically significant manner, but did not show improvement for simple linear paths. Based on our findings, we anticipate broader applications of wearable soft robotic haptic devices toward intuitive user interactions with robots, computers, and other users

Evaluation Of Clinical And Follow-up Results Of Patients With Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome

Introduction:  Congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) is characterized by severe proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and edema within the first three months of life. CNS can occur due to perinatal infections or mutation of genes encoding structural or regulatory proteins of the glomerular filtration barrier. Treatment includes albumin infusions, nephrectomy, dialysis, and transplantation. Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, and follow-up results of patients with CNS followed up in our center between 2010 and 2020. Patients and method:  Demographic, clinical, laboratory values of 8 patients diagnosed with CNS between 2010 and 2020, kidney biopsy results, genetic examinations, and follow-up results were retrospectively evaluated. Results: A total of 8 patients (4 girls) were included in this study. The median age at diagnosis was 36 days (3 days-8 months) and the follow-up period was 34 months (7-114 months). There was a history of prematurity and consanguinity in 5 patients. Edema was detected at the admission of all patients. Albumin infusion and captopril therapy were started from the diagnosis. No pathology was seen in the tests for perinatal infection, and Ultrasonographic examinations were normal. In the genetic analysis, NPHS1 (Nephrin) homozygous mutation was detected in six patients, and coenzyme Q2 mutation was detected in one patient. Peritoneal dialysis treatment was performed in four patients during the follow-up, and unilateral nephrectomy was completed in one patient. During the follow-up, four of eight patients (three due to sepsis while on dialysis, one on the postoperative after the first day of transplantation) died. Three patients are followed up with kidney transplantation and one with supportive treatment. Conclusion: According to our results, most CNS cases are genetic, and nephrin mutation is the most common cause. Management of complications in CNS is crucial for patient survival

The prevalence and consequences of burnout on a group of preclinical dental students

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of burnout among a group of Turkish preclinical dental students, to compare the level of burnout and to determine the consequences in structural equation model. Materials and Methods: Preclinical dental students (n = 329, 50.5% of females and 49.5% of males) aged between 18 and 24 took part in the study. Maslach burnout inventory student version, academic satisfaction scale, and personal information sheet were used to gather data. Pearson correlation analyses, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. The proposed theoretical model was tested via observed variable path analysis using maximum likelihood parameter estimation with AMOS 7.0. Results: About 22.3% of students had high level of emotional exhaustion, 16.7% of students had high level of cynicism, and 17.9% of students suffered from high level of reduced academic efficacy. While the students attending the first grade reported higher level of reduced academic efficacy, the students in the third grade reported higher level of emotional exhaustion. Academic workload played an important role in the development of burnout. As consequences of burnout, students with high levels of burnout intended to change their current major and did not to plan to continue to postgraduate education. Students with high level of burnout reported less level of academic satisfaction and academic achievement. Conclusions: Creating awareness on the burnout of dental students from the preclinical period may be useful for prevention and more compatible dental education environment. © 2015 European Journal of Dentistry

Mitochondrial targeted antioxidants, mitoquinone and SKQ1, not vitamin C, mitigate doxorubicin-induced damage in H9c2 myoblast: pretreatment vs. co-treatment

BACKGROUND: Preconditioning of the heart ameliorates doxorubicin (Dox)-induced cardiotoxicity. We tested whether pretreating cardiomyocytes by mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants, mitoquinone (MitoQ) or SKQ1, would provide better protection against Dox than co-treatment. METHODS: We investigated the dose-response relationship of MitoQ, SKQ1, and vitamin C on Dox-induced damage on H9c2 cardiomyoblasts when drugs were given concurrently with Dox (e.g., co-treatment) or 24 h prior to Dox (e.g., pretreatment). Moreover, their effects on intracellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress were evaluated by 2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate and MitoSOX, respectively. RESULTS: Dox (0.5-50 μM, n = 6) dose-dependently reduced cell viability. By contrast, co-treatment of MitoQ (0.05-10 μM, n = 6) and SKQ1 (0.05-10 μM, n = 6), but not vitamin C (1-2000 μM, n = 3), significantly improved cell viability only at intermediate doses (0.5-1 μM). MitoQ (1 μM) and SKQ1 (1 μM) significantly increased cell viability to 1.79 ± 0.12 and 1.59 ± 0.08 relative to Dox alone, respectively (both p \u3c 0.05). Interestingly, when given as pretreatment, only higher doses of MitoQ (2.5 μM, n = 9) and SKQ1 (5 μM, n = 7) showed maximal protection and improved cell viability to 2.19 ± 0.13 and 1.65 ± 0.07 relative to Dox alone, respectively (both p \u3c 0.01), which was better than that of co-treatment. Moreover, the protective effects were attributed to the significant reduction in Dox-induced intracellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that MitoQ and SKQ1, but not vitamin C, mitigated DOX-induced damage. Moreover, MitoQ pretreatment showed significantly higher cardioprotection than its co-treatment and SKQ1, which may be due to its better antioxidant effects

Penicillin-Induced Epileptiform Ecog Activity in Gerbils: Effects of Physical Exercise and a Diospyros Kaki Extract

Mongolian gerbils (28 males) were divided into four groups, control (C), treadmill-exercised (Ex), treated with the extract of Diospyros kaki (Dk), and treated with the Dk extract plus exercised (Ex+Dk) groups. Animals of the respective groups were running-exercised for 30 min per day during 8 weeks, and the Dk extract (dose 20mg/kg) was given by gavage during five days per week within the same period. After the treatment and exercise period, an epilepsy model was produced by penicillin G injection (500 IU) into the left somatomotor cortex, and electrocorticogram (ECoG) was recorded during 120 min. The mean frequency of spike/wave complexes was significantly smaller in the Ex and Ex+Dk groups from the 65th min of the observation period and, in the Dk group, from the 75th min than the respective value in the C group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). The differences in the amplitude values and latency to onset of the spike/wave events among all groups usally did not reach the significance level (P > 0.05), but, visin late stages of the observation period, an antiseisure effect of the Dk extract was obvious. Thus, both the running exercise and Dk extract applications inhibit penicillin-induced epileptiform activity by altering the spike/ wave frequency or severity of seizures observed in ECoG recordings. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of physical activity of different intensities and forms and to analyze the active compounds in the Dk extract.Монгольські піщанки (28 самців) були поділені на чотири групи – контрольну (C), піддану тренуванню на тредбані (Ex), групу з уведенням екстракту Diospyros kaki (східної хурми, група Dk) та групу з уведенням вказаного екстракту, комбінованим із тренуванням (Ex+Dk). Тварин відповідних груп тренували, примушуючи бігати 30 хв на день протягом восьми тижнів; екстракт Dk (20 мг/кг) уводився перорально п’ять днів на тиждень протягом того самого періоду. Після періоду тренування та введення екстракту у щурів індукували модельну епілепсію за допомогою ін’єкції 500 МО пеніциліну G у ліву соматомоторну кору і відводили електрокортикограму (ЕКоГ) протягом 20 хв. У групах Ex та Ex+Dk середня частота виникнення комплексів пік/хвиля була вірогідно меншою, ніж у контролі, починаючи з 65-ї хв періоду спостереження; те саме відмічалося в групі Dk починаючи з 75-ї хв вказаного періоду (P < 0.01, P < 0.05 та P < 0.01 відповідно). Відмінності значень амплітуди ЕКоГ та латентного періоду до появи комплексів пік/хвиля в усіх групах звичайно не досягали рівня вірогідності (P > 0.05), але на пізній ділянці періоду спостереження антисудомний вплив екстракту Dk був очевидним. Отже, тренування бігом та уведення екстракту хурми східної пригнічує індуковану пеніциліном епілептиформну активність, змінюючи частоту комплексів пік/хвиля та інтенсивність судомної активності, що спостерігається в ЕКоГ. Потрібні подальші дослідження для того, щоб визначити ефекти фізичної активності різної інтенсивності та форми та проаналізувати активні компоненти екстракту хурми

Prevention of Vitamin D deficiency in infancy: daily 400 IU vitamin D is sufficient

<p>Summary</p> <p>Aim-objective</p> <p>Vitamin D deficiency and rickets in developing countries continues to be a major health problem. Additionally, the increase of cases of rickets in children of some ethnic groups in the United States and European countries has provided this issue to be updated. Obviously, powerful strategies are necessary to prevent vitamin D deficiency nation-wide. In 2005, a nationwide prevention program for vitamin D deficiency was initiated, recommending 400 IU vitamin D per a day.</p> <p>This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of the prevention program.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighty-five infants who were recalled as part of the national screening program for congenital hypothyroidism between February 2010 and August 2010 at Kocaeli University Children's Hospital were evaluated in terms of their vitamin D status as well. All babies had been provided with free vitamin D (Cholecalciferol) solution and recommended to receive 400 IU (3 drops) daily. Information regarding the age at start of supplementation, the dosage and compliance were obtained from the mothers with face-to-face interview. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-D), alkaline phosphatase (AP), parathormone (PTH) levels were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean age at which Vitamin D3 supplementation began was 16.5 ± 20.7 (3-120) days. Ninety percent of cases (n:76) were receiving 3 drops (400 IU) vitamin D3 per day as recommended; 70% of cases (n:59) were given vitamin D3 regularly, the remainder had imperfect compliance. Among those children who are older than 12 months, only 20% continued vitamin D supplementation. No subject had clinical signs of rickets. The mean 25-OH-D level was 42,5 ± 25,8 (median: 38.3) ng/ml. Ten subjects (12%) had their serum 25-OH-D levels lower than 20 ng/ml (6 between 15-20 ng/ml, 3 between 5-15 ng/ml and only one < 5 ng/ml).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>400 U/day vitamin D seems adequate to prevent vitamin D deficiency. However, we believe that the program for preventing vitamin D deficiency in Turkey, needs to be reinforced to start immediately after birth, and to continue beyond 1 year of age at 400U regular daily dosage.</p

Design, fabrication and control of soft robots

Conventionally, engineers have employed rigid materials to fabricate precise, predictable robotic systems, which are easily modelled as rigid members connected at discrete joints. Natural systems, however, often match or exceed the performance of robotic systems with deformable bodies. Cephalopods, for example, achieve amazing feats of manipulation and locomotion without a skeleton; even vertebrates such as humans achieve dynamic gaits by storing elastic energy in their compliant bones and soft tissues. Inspired by nature, engineers have begun to explore the design and control of soft-bodied robots composed of compliant materials. This Review discusses recent developments in the emerging field of soft robotics.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant IIS-1226883