Impacts of single-walled carbon nanotubes on polymerase chain reaction

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is an advanced technology used in modern era of molecular biolgy to amplify millions of copies of DNA from a single copy. In order to utilize this technique with its full potential, certain hindrances such as nonspecific by-products, low yield, complexity of GC rich and long genomic DNA amplification need to be eliminated. Among different PCR technologies, Nanomaterial-assisted PCR termed as nanoPCR is a developing technique used to get more improved and the most satisfactory results by using nanomaterials and PCR reaction together. Nanomaterials have been used in PCR due to their unique physical and chemical properties such as high thermal conductivity, stability and high surface to volume ratios that make them significantfor numerous of research areas. The effects of nanomaterials in PCR depend on their size, shape, concentration, heat conductivity, electron transfer properties and surface modifications. Carbon nanotubes have hydrophobic surface area which make them tend to agglomerate into nanoropes in order to minimize surface energy and interaction with the environment. In our study, the effect of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) was investigated in PCR in order to see their potential as next generation enhancers, where Polyacyrlamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE), DynamicLight Scattering (DLS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were mainly performed as core techniques. We demonstrated the impacts of three different SWCNTs in PCR; pristine, amine functionalized and carboxyl functionalized, at their different dispersion states including sonicated, centrifuged and filtered dispersions. The goal was to get rid of agglomerates formed during the reactions. The sonicated single-walled carbon nanotubes are long and have large aggregates as compared to centrifuged and filtered ones which are relatively smaller and short in size. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is used to measure the relative hydrodynamic size of all three; sonicated, centrifuged and filtered single-walled carbon nanotubes to be employed in PCR. Our results showed that intensities of electrophoretic bands of target DNA were affected by introduction of single-walled carbon nanotubes at different dispersion states and concentrations. This work would be useful in the complementary fields like nanobiology, nanomedicine and biosensing

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Pediatric Oncology Patients: A Literature Review

Giriş: Pediatrik popülasyonda, yaygın görülen hastalıkların tedavisi ve semptomların azaltılması amacıyla tamamlayıcı vealternatif tıp kullanımı giderek artmaktadır.Amaç: Bu literatür derlemesinde, konu ile ilgili yapılan çalışmalarda pediatrik onkolojide Tamamlayıcı ve Alternatif Tedavi(TAT) yöntemlerinin kullanım prevalansı, türü ve yöntemlerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır.Yöntem: "Medline/PubMed" veri tabanları taranarak 1998-2008 yılları arasında elde edilen 12 çalışma incelenmiştir.Sonuç: İncelenen çalışmalarda TAT kullanım sıklığının %31 ve %74.3 arasında değiştiği belirlenmiştir. Araştırmalarda en sıkkullanılan TAT yönteminin biyolojik bazlı tedaviler (bitkiler, diyet tamamlayıcıları, vitamin ve mineraller gibi) olduğusaptanmıştır. TAT kullanımını hastalık süresi/durumunun, eğitim düzeyinin ve aile öyküsünde TAT kullanımının etkilediğibelirlenmiştir. Ailelerin ilk sırada hastalığı iyileştirmek, tedavi etmek ya da durdurmak için TAT kullandıklarını belirttiklerisaptanmıştır. Hastaların büyük çoğunluğunun bu yöntemlere aile, akraba ya da arkadaş önerisiyle başvurdukları ve TATkullanan ailelerin çoğunluğunun sağlık personeline bilgi vermediği saptanmıştır.Tartışma: Pediatrik onkoloji hastalarının tedavileri sırasında TAT kullanım oranlarının yüksek olduğu (%51.4), sıklıkla bitkiselürünlerin kullanıldığı ve kullanım konusunda sağlık personelini bilgilendirmenin sınırlı olduğu belirlenmiştir. Background: The usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increased to treat and decrease the symptoms ofthe common childhood diseases in pediatric population.Objectives: In this literature review, it is aimed to determine the frequency, type and method of usage of complementary andalternative medicine (CAM) practices in pediatric oncology patients.Methods: "Medline/PubMed" data bases were searched and investigated 12 articles relevant to the subject which werepublished from 1998 to 2008.Results: Frequency of CAM use was between 31% and 74.3 %. Mostly used type of CAM was biological base therapies(herbal, diet supplementary, vitamin and minerals); factors affecting use of CAM was duration/situation of disease, educationallevel and history of CAM usage in family. In the studies, primarily reason for using CAM by parents was to heal, treat orprevent the disease. Most of the patients have used these therapies due to the recommendation of family members, relatives andfriends. Most of the families have not given information about usage of CAM to their health care staff.Conclusion: Using of CAM percentage was high in pediatric oncology patients during their therapy (51.4 %). Herbal therapieswere mostly used and families have given limited information to their health care staff

Analysis of intestinal and nasopharyngeal microbiota of children with meningococcemia in pediatric intensive care unit: INMACS-PICU study

This article belongs to the Special Issue Pediatric Diagnostic Microbiology.Microbiota composition might play a role in the pathophysiology and course of sepsis, and understanding its dynamics is of clinical interest. Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is an important cause of community-acquired serious infection, and there is no information regarding microbiota composition in children with meningococcemia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the intestinal and nasopharyngeal microbiota composition of children with IMD.[Materials and Methods]: In this prospective, multi-center study, 10 children with meningococcemia and 10 age-matched healthy controls were included. Nasopharyngeal and fecal samples were obtained at admission to the intensive care unit and on the tenth day of their hospital stay. The V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified following the 16S Metagenomic Sequencing Library Preparation.[Results]: Regarding the alpha diversity on the day of admission and on the tenth day at the PICU, the Shannon index was significantly lower in the IMD group compared to the control group (p = 0.002 at admission and p = 0.001, on the tenth day of PICU). A statistical difference in the stool samples was found between the IMD group at Day 0 vs. the controls in the results of the Bray–Curtis and Jaccard analyses (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001, respectively). There were differences in the intestinal microbiota composition between the children with IMD at admission and Day 10 and the healthy controls. Regarding the nasopharyngeal microbiota analysis, in the children with IMD at admission, at the genus level, Neisseria was significantly more abundant compared to the healthy children (p < 0.001). In the children with IMD at Day 10, genera Moraxella and Neisseria were decreased compared to the healthy children. In the children with IMD on Day 0, for paired samples, Moraxella, Neisseria, and Haemophilus were significantly more abundant compared to the children with IMD at Day 10. In the children with IMD at Day 10, the Moraxella and Neisseria genera were decreased, and 20 different genera were more abundant compared to Day 0.[Conclusions]: We first found alterations in the intestinal and nasopharyngeal microbiota composition in the children with IMD. The infection itself or the other care interventions also caused changes to the microbiota composition during the follow-up period. Understanding the interaction of microbiota with pathogens, e.g., N. meningitidis, could give us the opportunity to understand the disease’s dynamics.This study was supported by the Eskisehir Osmangazi University Scientific Research Grant (2018/11046).Peer reviewe

Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric intensive care unit patients: the results of a multicenter, prospective study in Turkey

IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score

Montessori Duyu Araçları Uygulamaları

Yenilikçi bir kişiliğe sahip olan İtalyan tıp doktoru Maria Montessori, kendi adını taşıyan eğitim metodunu çocukların doğal ortamda öğrendikleri bir eğitim yöntemi olarak tanımlamaktadır. Montessori eğitimi çocuğun kendi tercihine göre çalışma alanını seçtiği, elleriyle yenilikleri keşfettiği bir eğitim yöntemidir. Montessori eğitiminde belli limitler dahilinde özgür olan çocuk­lar, potansiyellerini kendi öğrenme hızlarında geliştirirler. Son yıllarda çocuk gelişimi alanına yönelik ilginin artmasıyla Türkiye’ de Montessori eğitimine olan talep de yükselmiştir. Çocukların tüm gelişim alanlarının desteklenmesini sağlayan bu eğitim metodu hem eğitimcilerin hem de ebeveynlerin ilgisini çekmektedir. Bu kitap, Kapadokya Üniversitesi tarafından bir seri olarak yayımlanması planlanan Montessori Eğitimi kitap­larının ilkidir. Kitabımız, Türkiye’ de Montessori eğitim yöntemine ilgi duyan öğrencilere, öğretmenlere ve ebeveynlere yol göstermesi amacıyla oluşturul­muş bir rehber niteliğindedir.Kapadokya Üniversites

Outcome of Obstetric Patients Admitted to a Medical Intensive Care Unit in Southeastern Turkey

OBJECTIVE:Obstetric patients represent <2 % of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions with a corresponding ICU utilization rate of 0.17-0.4% of deliveries. There is no data about the rate of ICU utilization by obstetrical patients or the outcome of these patients admitted to ICU in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to look at the outcomes of obstetric patients admitted to a medical ICU at a major referral center in southeastern Turkey. MATERIAL AND METHOD:Prospectively entered ICU database and patient charts were reviewed for obstetric admissions between February 2007 and May 2008. RESULTS:Forty-two obstetric patients were admitted to the ICU representing 4.4% of ICU admissions and 5.1 % of deliveries. Seventy-six percent was admitted in the postpartum period. Main reasons for ICU admission were hemodynamic instability (43%) and mental status change (36%). Fifty-five percent of the admission were due to obstetrical reasons. Hypertensive states of pregnancy (38%) and postpartum bleeding (14%) were the most common obstetrical reasons. CONCLUSION:Maternal mortality was 4.8% in our all patients.Two observed mortalities were due to neurological complications: hemorrhagic CVA in the setting of eclampsia and uncal herniation secondary to cavernous sinus thrombosis

Direct Pulp Capping of Primary Molars with Calcium Hydroxide or MTA Following Hemorrhage Control with Different Medicaments: Randomized Clinical Trial

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different medicaments (sterile saline [SS]; ferric sulfate [FS]; or sodium hypochlorite [SH]) and pulp capping materials (calcium hydroxide [CH] or mineral trioxide aggregate [MTA]) on the success of direct pulp capping (DPC) in primary molars. Methods: The study was conducted with 55 children aged four to eight years. A total of 118 teeth, in which occlusal caries removal resulted in pulp exposure, were treated with DPC across six groups: SS+CH; FS+CH; SH+CH; SS+MTA; FS+MTA; and SH+MTA. Teeth were restored with Class I composite resin. Results: After two years, the overall clinical and radiographical success for DPC were 94.1 percent (111 out of 118 teeth) and 88.9 percent (105 out of 118 teeth), respectively. The clinical and radiographical success, respectively, for hemorrhage control medicaments were 92.1 percent and 89.5 percent for SS, 92.5 percent and 82.5 percent for FS, 97.5 percent, and 95.0 percent for SH (P\u3e0.05). Internal resorption was significantly higher in the FS+CH group when compared to other groups (P\u3c0.05). MTA had significantly higher success than CH for clinical (98.3 percent versus 89.7 percent) and radiographical success (98.3 percent versus 79.3 percent) (P\u3c0.05, each comparison). Conclusions: For primary molars with occlusal caries and less than one-mm exposure sites, these findings suggest that direct pulp capping with MTA following hemorrhage control with the tested solutions offers a more predictable outcome compared to CH. Further, the findings of this study indicate an increased risk for internal resorption when FS and CH are used for DPC

Koronavirüs salgın sürecinde uluslararası üniversite öğrencilerine yönelik pozitif psikoloji temelli çevrimiçi müdahale programının geliştirilmesi: Pilot bir çalışma

Koronavirüs salgını sürecinin genel olarak toplum ve özel olarak uluslararası öğrenciler üzerindeki psiko-sosyal etkileriyle baş etmek için destek sağlayabilecek müdahale programlarına ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Bu ihtiyacı karşılamak amacıyla Pozitif Psikoloji kavramlarını ve Pozitif Psikoloji Müdahaleleri’ni (PPM) temel alan 6 oturumluk bir müdahale programı geliştirilmiştir. Bu müdahale programının etkinliğini ölçmek için katılımcılardan stres, depresyon, anksiyete, Koronavirüs korkusu, mental iyi oluş ve psikolojik dayanıklılık puanlarına dair veriler toplanmıştır. Çalışmaya katılmak için başvuran 34 uluslararası öğrenciden ön test ile elde edilen nicel veriler arasındaki ilişkiyi gösteren Pearson korelasyon katsayıları hesaplanmıştır. Müdahale programı 11 kişiyle başlamış ve 6 katılımcı ile tamamlanmıştır. 6 katılımcıdan ise hem ön test hem de son test verileri elde edilmiş ve Wilcoxon işaretli sıralar testi ile müdahale programının etkinliği incelenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları psikolojik dayanıklılık ve Koronavirüs korkusu arasında anlamlı olumlu bir ilişki olduğunu ve uygulanan müdahale programının depresyon düzeyini azaltmakta başarılı olduğunu göstermektedir