Gold nanoparticle/polymer nanofibrous composites by laser ablation and electrospinning

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Poly(vinylpyrolidone) (PVP) nanofibers incorporating gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were produced in combination with laser ablation and electrospinning techniques. The Au-NPs were directly synthesized in PVP solution by laser ablation and then, the electrospinning of PVP/Au-NPs solution was carried out for obtaining nanofibrous composites. The presence of Au-NPs in the PVP nanofibers was confirmed by SEM, TEM and EDX analyses. The SEM imaging elucidated that the electrospun PVP/Au-NPs nanofibers were bead-free having average fiber diameter of 810 ± 480 nm. The TEM imaging indicated that the Au-NPs were in spherical shape having diameters in the range of 5 to 20 nm and the Au-NPs were more or less dispersed homogeneously in the PVP nanofiber matrix. The FTIR study suggested the presence of molecular interactions between PVP matrix and the Au-NPs in the nanofibrous composites. The UV–Vis measurement confirmed the enhancement of the optical properties of the PVP/Au-NPs nanofibers in the solid state due to the surface plasma resonance effect of Au-NPs

DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR STUDENTS AGE GROUP SEVEN

Geliştirilebilir bir zeka olarak tanımlanması, duygusal zekaya eğitim açısından özel bir önem yüklemektedir. Eğitim-öğretim ortamları zekanın geliştirilebilir ve farklı türleri ya da boyutları olduğu gerçeğine göre düzenlenerek, öğrencilerin gelişmesine katkıda bulunabilir. Bu nedenle duygusal zekanın ölçümünün önem taşıdığı düşünülmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı 7 yaş grubu öğrencileri için duygusal zeka ölçeğinin geliştirilmesidir. Araştırma İzmir ili, Konak ilçesinde yer alan ilköğretim okullarında 2010-2011 öğretim yılında 1. sınıfa devam etmekte olan 356 öğrencinin katılımı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Geliştirilen ölçek 27 maddeden oluşmaktadır. Yapılan faktör analizi sonucunda ölçek tek boyutlu bir ölçme aracı olarak belirlenmiştir. Ölçeğin güvenirliği .94, test tekrar test güvenirliği ise .84'dür. Bu çalışmanın sonuçları, geliştirilen ölçme aracının 7 yaş grubu öğrencilerin duygusal zekalarını belirlenmesinde geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğunu göstermektedir. An improved definition of intelligence, emotional intelligence, imposes a special importance in terms of education. Learning-teaching environments, and different types of intelligence can be developed or arranged by the fact that the dimensions, may contribute to the development of students. Therefore, the measurement of emotional intelligence is thought to be important. The purpose of this study group for students age 7 to develop the emotional intelligence scale. Research was carried out in Konak, the town of İzmir, with the participation of volunteer teachers for 356 students who are studying in 1st grade in eight primary school. Developed scale consists of 27 items. As a result of factor analysis in a one-dimensional scale is determined as a measurement tool. The reliability of the scale is .94, while test-retest reliability of .84. The results of this study, developed measurement tool in determining the emotional intelligence of students 7 years of age group show that a valid and reliable instrumen

Resurrection of Ornithogalum brevipedicellatum (Asparagaceae) with morphological and molecular data

This study evaluates Ornithogalum brevipedicellatum, which was previously accepted as a synonym of O. oligophyllum, as a separate distinct species and discusses the similarities and differences between O. brevipedicellatum and its related species (O. oligophyllum and O. pamphylicum). Similarities and differences among these species were identified by morphological and molecular studies. The leaf morphology and inflorescence of O. brevipedicellatum and O. pamphylicum are similar to each other, and in terms of these features, they show differences from O. oligophyllum. Some diagnostic characteristics are quite different in O. brevipedicellatum and O. pamphylicum, such as the size of tepals, length of fruiting pedicels and style. Morphological data were supported by the results obtained from molecular studies. According to a dendrogram obtained by molecular studies, O. brevipedicellatum and O. pamphylicum are similar. O. oligophyllum is more closely related to O. pyrenaicum used as an out-group. Additionally, the seeds of O. brevipedicellatum were examined with the use of scanning electron microscopy

Photoluminescent electrospun polymeric nanofibers incorporating germanium nanocrystals

Cataloged from PDF version of article.The photoluminescent germanium nanocrystals (Ge-NCs) were successfully incorporated into electrospun polymeric nanofiber matrix in order to develop photoluminescent nanofibrous composite web. In the first step, the synthesis of Ge-NCs was achieved by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of bulk germanium wafer immersed in organic liquid. The size, the structural and the chemical characteristics of Ge-NCs investigated by TEM, XPS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the Ge-NCs were highly pure and highly crystalline having spherical shape within 3–20 nm particle size distribution. In the second step, Ge-NCs were mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer solution, and then, Ge-NC/PVA nanofibers were obtained via electrospinning technique. The electrospinning of Ge-NCs/PVA nanoweb composite structure was successful and bead-free Ge-NCs/PVA nanofibers having average fiber diameter of 185 ± 40 nm were obtained. The STEM analysis of the electrospun Ge-NCs/PVA nanofibers elucidated that the Ge-NCs were distributed homogeneously in the polymeric nanofiber matrix. The UV–Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy studies indicated the quantum confinement effect of Ge-NCs on the optical properties of the electrospun Ge-NCs/PVA nanoweb

Higher-order aberrations following wavefront-guided photorefractive keratectomy and laser in situ keratomileusis

Background: We aimed to evaluate higher-order aberrations (HOAs) following wavefront-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in patients with myopia and myopic astigmatism. Methods: This retrospective observational case-control study included patients who underwent wavefront-guided PRK (40 eyes of 20 patients) or LASIK (40 eyes of 20 patients) between August 2018 and November 2018 at the refractive surgery unit of Kayseri City Hospital Eye Clinic, Turkey. The corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest refraction, corneal topography, and HOAs were evaluated preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively in all patients. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) was 27.13 ± 5.54 years and 29.10 ± 4.38 years in the PRK and LASIK groups, respectively (P = 0.06). Both groups had a mean CDVA of 1.00. The mean ± SD of spherical and spherical equivalent values was -2.09 ± 1.56 diopter (D) and -3.03 ± 1.72 D in the PRK group and -2.23 ± 1.69 D and -3.35 ± 1.71 D in the LASIK group, respectively (P = 0.58). When the preoperative and postoperative HOAs and root mean square (RMS) values (for a 6-mm pupil diameter) were compared in the PRK group, a significant difference was found in vertical coma and total RMS values (P = 0.003 and P ˂ 0.001, respectively); in the LASIK group, there was a significant difference in preoperative and postoperative vertical coma and total RMS values (P = 0.0.001 and P ˂ 0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference in preoperative and postoperative vertical coma values between the two groups (P = 0.735 and P = 0.583, respectively). Conclusions: In terms of HOAs, total RMS values decreased significantly and vertical coma values increased significantly at 3 months postoperatively in both PRK and LASIK groups. However, there were no differences between the two groups

Evidence of association of vitamin D receptor Apa I gene polymorphism with bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) was the firstcandidate gene to be studied in relation to osteoporosis, andmost attention has focused on polymorphisms situated nearthe 3' flank of VDR. The aim of this study was toinvestigate the association about VDR gene Apa I polymorphismwith bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausalwomen with osteoporosis. We studied a total of 136postmenopausal women with a mean age of 56.36±10.29 years. Among them, a total of 75 had osteoporosis,37 had osteopenia, and 24 had normal BMD. Venous bloodsamples were obtained for evaluation of bone metabolismand genotyping. The VDR Apa I genotype was determinedby polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism. BMDs at the lumbar spine and hip weremeasured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Postmenopausalwomen with aa genotype had significantly lowerBMD values (grams per centimeter square) at lumbar spinescompared to persons with AA genotype. Also, postmenopausalwomen with AA genotype had significantly higherserum Ca level than the subjects with aa genotype. Inconclusion, our result may indicate that VDR Apa I genepolymorphism may be responsible for a important part ofthe heritable component of lumbar spine BMD in postmenopausalwomen, possibly related to impaired calciumabsorption from the bowel

Staged, Open, No-Ischemia Nephron-Sparing Surgery for Bilateral-Multiple Kidney Tumors in a Patient with Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome

Hereditary kidney cancer patients with bilateral multiple kidney tumors represent challenges in the era of rapidly growing minimal invasive treatment techniques. Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome (BHDS) is an autosomal dominant genodermatosis characterized by a triad of benign skin tumors (fibrofolliculomas, trichodiscomas, acrochordons) together with an increased risk of developing malignant renal tumors and pulmonary disease such as pneumothoraces and multiple lung cysts. The morbidity and mortality of the affected patients is determined by the presence of the kidney tumors, which tend to be multifocal and bilateral, as observed in other hereditary kidney cancer syndromes like von Hippel-Lindau disease, familial leiomyomatosis, and hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma. Herein, a patient with BHDS, presenting with synchronous bilateral multiple kidney tumors, is reported. The report describes the management of kidney tumors with two-stage open nephron-sparing surgery in which the nonvascular clamping technique was utilized

Photoluminescent electrospun polymeric nanofibers incorporating germanium nanocrystals

The photoluminescent germanium nanocrystals (Ge-NCs) were successfully incorporated into electrospun polymeric nanofiber matrix in order to develop photoluminescent nanofibrous composite web. In the first step, the synthesis of Ge-NCs was achieved by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of bulk germanium wafer immersed in organic liquid. The size, the structural and the chemical characteristics of Ge-NCs investigated by TEM, XPS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the Ge-NCs were highly pure and highly crystalline having spherical shape within 3-20 nm particle size distribution. In the second step, Ge-NCs were mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer solution, and then, Ge-NC/PVA nanofibers were obtained via electrospinning technique. The electrospinning of Ge-NCs/PVA nanoweb composite structure was successful and bead-free Ge-NCs/PVA nanofibers having average fiber diameter of 185 ± 40 nm were obtained. The STEM analysis of the electrospun Ge-NCs/PVA nanofibers elucidated that the Ge-NCs were distributed homogeneously in the polymeric nanofiber matrix. The UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy studies indicated the quantum confinement effect of Ge-NCs on the optical properties of the electrospun Ge-NCs/PVA nanoweb. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Primary catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in an 8 year-old girl

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disease characterized by recurrent arterial and venous thromboses. Rapidly progressive multiple thromboses leading to multiorgan failure occur in less than 1% of patients and named as catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). We, hereby, describe an 8 year-old-girl with erythematous skin lesions progressing into purpura fulminans. The patient developed CAPS with the findings including proteinuria, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, arterial and venous thromboses demonstrated on skin biopsies. She was admitted to intensive care unit and received empirical antibiotics, anticoagulants, antiaggregants, steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins. The diagnosis of APS was confirmed by positive lupus anticoagulants, elevated anti beta-2 glycoprotein IgG and antiphospholipid IgG titers. Moreover, other than MTHFRA1298C, MTHFR-C677T, factor V H1299R, beta fibrinogen-455 G>A heterozygosity indicating low risk for thrombophilia, no infectious, rheumatological or malignant etiologies were identified. Family history revealed Raynaud’s phenomenon in a sister, interstitial lung disease, proteinuria and hematuria in paternal grandmother in addition to lupus anticoagulant positivity in father and 2 elder sisters. Her treatment included debridement of necrotic skin tissue, grefting and local mesenchymal stem cell application to upper thigh and lower leg region following oral azathioprine administration