Measurement of melatonin in body fluids: Standards, protocols and procedures

Abstract: The circadian rhythm of melatonin in saliva or plasma, or of the melatonin metabolite 6‐ sulphatoxymelatonin in urine, is a defining feature of suprachiasmatic nucleus function, the endogenous oscillatory pacemaker. These measurements are useful to evaluate problems related to the onset or offset of sleep and for assessing phase delays or advances of rhythms in entrained individuals. Additionally, they have become an important tool for psychiatric diagnosis, its use being recommended for phase typing in patients suffering from sleep and mood disorders. Thus, the development of sensitive and selective methods for the precise detection of melatonin in tissues and fluids of animals emerges as necessary. Due to its low concentration and the co‐existence of many other endogenous compounds in blood, the determination of melatonin has been an analytical challenge. This review discusses current methodologies employed for detection and quantification of melatonin in biological fluids and tissues

ETHNICITY, LANGUAGE, EDUCATION: CONFRONTATION OF MOTHER TONGUE AND GOVERNMENT'S LANGUAGE WITHIN ETHNIC HOUSEHOLDS

WOS: 000409794400007This study focuses on language shifts within ethnic households and is based on a qualitative research on perceptions of the mother tongue among 57 such households in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district in 2014. The research data was expanded in mid-2015 to analyze how the Turkish education system's monolingual approach creates an internal decisionmaking process about language preferences within the ethnic households in Zeytinburnu. It also theoretically describes the relationship between the state's language politics at schools and the future of ethnic children's lifelong group membership. Ethnic parents with children attending primary and secondary schools expressed concerns about turning their mother tongue into a second language even within their homes but recognized that their children must speak the 'government's language' and participate in a discursively planned process to have equal opportunity for success in the Turkish society. The parents' awareness of 'political intention' is analyzed by a qualitative approach and results are interpreted from the perspectives of sociological theory and language shift studies. Although ethnic parents encourage their children to speak Turkish in order to maximize the children's potential, they also develop survival strategies to keep their identities and cultures alive, such as setting up surroundings in which the mother tongue continues to be practiced

Wp?yw wody morskiej na w?a?ciwo?ci betonu z dodatkiem py?u krzemionkowego

[No abstract available

Sorption kinetics of cesium on hydrous titanium dioxide

WOS: 000186067600007Two types of hydrous titanium dioxide possessing different surface properties were prepared and characterized to study the sorption kinetics of cesium. The effect of pH on the adsorption capacity were determined in both type sorbents and the maximum adsorption percentage of cesium were observed at pH 12. To elucidate the kinetics of ion-exchange reaction on hydrous titanium dioxide, the isotopic exchange rates of cesium ions between hydrous titanium dioxides and aqueous solutions were measured radiochemically and compared with each other. The diffusion coefficients of Cs+ ion for Type1 and Type2 titanium dioxides at pH 12 were calculated as 2.79 x 10(-11) m(2)s(-1) and 1.52 x 10(-11) m(2)s(-1), respectively, under particle diffusion controlled conditions

Multiple factors influencing mortality in hemodialysis patients

OBJECTIVE: Both decreased food intake and elevated inflammation contribute to malnutrition in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Malnutrition, inflammation, anthropometric measurements, and other comorbidity factors were investigated in this study as potential indicators of mortality in HD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: By measuring geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), malnutrition inflammation score (MIS), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI), 334 HD patients’ nutritional status was assessed. Through the use of four different models and logistic regression analysis, the predictors of each individual’s survival status were examined. The models were matched using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. On the survival of patients, the effects of malnutrition indices in Model 1, anthropometric measurements in Model 2, blood parameters in Model 3, and sociodemographic characteristics in Model 4 were investigated. RESULTS: Five years later, 286 individuals were still on hemodialysis. Patients who had a high GNRI value had a lower mortality rate in Model 1. The body mass index (BMI) value of the patients was found to be the best predictor of mortality in Model 2, and it was found that patients with high muscle percentage had a lower mortality risk. The difference in urea level measured at the beginning and end of hemodialysis was found to be the most potent predictor of mortality in Model 3, although C-reactive protein (CRP) level was also discovered to be one of the best predictors for this model. The final model, Model 4, revealed that mortality was lower in women than in men and that income status was a reliable predictor of mortality estimation. CONCLUSIONS: The best indicator of mortality in hemodialysis patients is the malnutrition index

Entoptic Phenomenon Following Pars Plana Vitrectomy Caused by Retained Preretinal Gel

WOS: 000264170000017PubMed: 19320311A patient who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for vitreous floaters is described. At the time of surgery, the posterior hyalold was avulsed and stripped from the posterior retinal surface. Postoperatively, the patient described filamentous and "sea-fan" entoptic phenomena scattered throughout the periaxial vision that were in focus, attached, and "waving" with movement that was counter to the direction of gaze pursuit and demonstrated after movement. The authors believe these structures represent vitreous gel retained at the retinal surface, even though the structures could not be demonstrated by optical coherence tomography or indocyanine green staining at later vitrectomy surgery. This case should raise caution when considering vitrectomy surgery that requires posterior hyalold stripping in patients with good vision. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging 2009;40:188-191.]Vimetrics, Inc., Media, PennsylvaniaDr. Sinclair has proprietary and financial interest in Vimetrics, Inc., Media, Pennsylvania. The other authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein