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Diagnostic utility of urinalysis parameters in predicting urine culture positivity: A gender-stratified evaluation
No full textObjective: A substantial proportion of urine cultures in patients with suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs) yield negative results. This study aimed to evaluate whether parameters from automated urinalysis could predict the likelihood of significant bacterial growth, thereby aiding in reducing unnecessary cultures. Methods: A total of 696 patients (402 females, 294 males) undergoing urinalysis with the FUS-200 automated analyzer were evaluated. Urine cultures were processed using the BD Phoenix 100 system. Demographic data and urinalysis parameters were compared according to culture results. Results: Among culture-negative patients, females were younger (median age: 45 vs. 58 years, p = 0.000) and had significantly higher leukocyte, erythrocyte, and bacterial counts (p = 0.000). In culture-positive cases, females were younger than males (55 vs. 72.5 years, p = 0.000), though they had lower leukocyte counts (p = 0.029). Gram-negative infections were associated with significantly higher leukocyte and bacterial counts compared to gram-positive infections (p 85 % sensitivity and specificity). In females, leukocyte and bacterial counts in urine provide poor predictive value for culture positivity
Exploring the antiprotozoal and anticancer potential of medicinal Hypericum species through molecular and pharmacological approaches
No full textIntroduction: Hypericum scabrum and Hypericum perforatum are traditionally used medicinal plants known for their therapeutic properties, including wound healing and mood regulation. This study aims to validate their traditional uses by investigating their anticancer and antiparasitic activities. To characterize the bioactive compounds of H. scabrum and H. perforatum extracts and evaluate their potential anticancer and antiparasitic mechanisms, gene expression profiling, and in silico modeling. Methods: Ethanolic extracts of both species were analyzed to determine phytochemical composition. Anticancer effects were tested on colon adenocarcinoma and lung carcinoma cells using MTT assay and flow cytometry. Antiparasitic activity was assessed against Leishmania amazonensis, Trypanosoma cruzi, Acanthamoeba castellanii, and Naegleria fowleri. Gene expression of apoptosis and polyamine synthesis markers were evaluated by RT-PCR. Molecular docking and ADME/Tox predictions were conducted to identify active compounds and assess their drug-likeness. Results: Both extracts reduced cancer cell viability and induced apoptosis in cancer cells. H. scabrum showed potent activity against T. cruzi, L. amazonensis, and Acanthamoeba, while H. perforatum was active against N. fowleri, T. cruzi, and L. amazonensis. Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of pro-apoptotic BAX and downregulation of ODC. Molecular docking identified rutin, hesperidin, kaempferol, and gallic acid as key binders to cancer and parasite target proteins. Kaempferol and gallic acid displayed favorable ADME profiles. Conclusions: The study supports the traditional use of H. scabrum and H. perforatum by confirming their antiparasitic and anticancer potential. Kaempferol and gallic acid emerge as promising candidates for drug development
Green synthesis of novel amino acid-coupled 1, 2, 4-triazoles derivatives using lemon juice as a green catalyst: Potential antiproliferative, antimicrobial, DFT computation and molecular docking analysis
No full textNovel triazole amino acid derivatives (BTPC, CTPC, and NTPC) were synthesized in one-pot reactions and characterized with NMR, UV-Vis, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The synthesized compound chemical structure was optimized using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The Multiwfn program was employed for topological studies such as ELF, LOL, ALIE, RDG, and ALIE (reactive sites of non-covalent interactions). The NBO analysis reveals inter and intra-molecular bond properties. The compounds' antiproliferative activity was tested against MCF-7 and HepG2 human cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. Among the compounds evaluated, NTPC demonstrated the lowest IC50 values for both MCF-7 (4.92 ± 0.78 μM) and HepG2 (6.84 ± 0.81 μM) cell lines, signifying the most cytotoxic effectiveness. The antibacterial properties of the BTPC, CTPC, and NTPC compounds were tested against B. subtilis, S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. NTPC demonstrated the most significant antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 23.9 mm against S.aureus and 22.1 mm against B.subtilis. Molecular docking studies confirmed that BTPC has a higher binding affinity for both the breast cancer-associated estrogen receptor (PDB ID: 3ERT) and the liver cancer-associated EGFR kinase (PDB ID: 5UGB) than the other tested compounds CTPC, NTPC, and the reference drugs fluorouracil and sorafenib
Idiopathic ıntracranial hypertension: diagnostic contribution of novel MRI parameters and their relationship with CSF pressure
No full textBackground: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is associated with well-known classical neuroimaging hallmarks, but not all patients exhibit these typical findings. We aimed to investigate novel imaging features that could aid in diagnosing IIH and to assess the relationships between these features and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressures. Methods: A total of 57 IIH patients (50 females, mean age 37 years) and 57 age- and sex-matched controls (mean age 34 years) were retrospectively evaluated. CSF opening pressures, brain MRI and MR venography findings were reviewed for typical IIH imaging features and novel basal cistern measurements, including Meckel cave dimensions, prepontine AP diameter, cerebellopontine cistern volume, mamillopontine distance, and pontomesencephalic/interpeduncular angles. Associations between imaging parameters and CSF opening pressure were analyzed. Results: Empty sella was the most frequent typical imaging finding, present in nearly all patients with IIH. Compared to controls, IIH patients showed increased prepontine AP diameter and larger Meckel cave measurements, while mamillopontine distance was reduced. Higher CSF opening pressure was associated with optic nerve sheath enlargement and/or bilateral transverse sinus stenosis. Mamillopontine distance demonstrated the best diagnostic performance (AUC: 0.710), with 66.7% sensitivity and 70.2% specificity at a 6.35 mm cut-off. Conclusions: In addition to classical imaging findings, Meckel cave, prepontine AP diameter, and mamillopontine distance measurements differ significantly in patients with IIH from controls. High CSF opening pressure is associated with optic nerve sheath enlargement and bilateral transverse sinus stenosis
Metformin attenuates PTZ-Induced seizures and cognitive impairment and is associated with altered NOS/NO signaling: combined in vivo and in silico evidence
No full textBackground: Epilepsy remains a major neurological disorder with high rates of drug resistance and cognitive decline. Repurposing neuroprotective drugs offers a promising approach. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic agent, has shown anticonvulsant effects, yet its impact on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms in distinct brain regions remains unclear. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were allocated into control, pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), or metformin+PTZ groups. Metformin (200 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered for 7 days before induction of acute PTZ seizures (45 mg/kg, i.p.). Seizure severity and latency were assessed using Racine’s scale, and cognition was evaluated by the passive avoidance test (PAT). Nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of its synthesizing enzymes, inducible (iNOS), neuronal (nNOS), and endothelial (eNOS), were quantified in the cortex and hippocampus via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In silico analyses included target prediction and molecular docking to assess metformin–NOS interactions. Results: Metformin significantly reduced seizure severity, prolonged latency to the first myoclonic jerk, and prevented PTZ-induced memory impairment (all p < 0.001). These behavioral effects were accompanied by reductions in cortical and hippocampal nNOS and iNOS expression, decreased cortical eNOS levels, and lower NO accumulation. TargetNet predicted NOS isoforms among potential metformin targets, and docking indicated moderate binding affinity (−5.2 to −5.9 kcal/mol). Conclusion: Metformin exerted seizure-suppressing and cognition-preserving effects in an acute PTZ model, associated with reductions in NOS isoform expression and NO levels, suggesting altered NOS/NO signaling and supporting its potential as an adjunctive candidate for mitigating seizure-related neuronal dysfunction
Engineering amorphous MOF with P–Fe–O sites for robust electro-Fenton degradation of micropollutants
No full text Iron-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) stand out as promising catalysts forheterogeneous electro-Fenton (HEF) treatment of micropollutants, yet theirperformance is often constrained by the limited accessibility of active sites and sluggishelectron transfer. Herein, a facile phosphine-assisted amorphization strategy wasproposed to convert crystalline MIL-88B(Fe) into a P-coordinated amorphouscounterpart (aMIL-88B(Fe)-P) featuring abundant asymmetric P–Fe–O moieties. Theamorphous architecture ensures abundant exposure of active sites and enhancedmass transport, while the asymmetric coordination environment upshifts the Fe d-bandcenter toward the Fermi level, thereby lowering the energy barrier for H2O2 activation.Notably, the aMIL-88B(Fe)-P-catalyzed EF system attained completenaproxen removal within 90 min, with a pseudo-first-order kinetic rate constant of 0.038min-1, outperforming all comparative trials and many reported HEF systems. Moreover,the system demonstrated broad-spectrum micropollutant removal, favorable catalystreusability, and remarkable scalability in a flow-through electrochemical device,confirming strong practical applicability. This work highlights the potential of combiningstructural amorphization with precise coordination engineering to fully unlock thecatalytic potential of MOFs for advanced EF applications.</p
School Counselors’ Challenges with Shared Earthquake Trauma During the Counseling Process: The Wounded Healer
No full textFollowing large-scale disasters such as earthquakes, which constitute forms of collective trauma affecting millions of individuals and communities simultaneously, research remains limited regarding the challenges experienced by wounded healers—counselors who share traumatic experiences with their clients—during the counseling process. The purpose of this study was to explore the professional challenges encountered by school counselors who, as members of the same affected community, experienced trauma similar to that of their clients within a context of collective trauma. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 23 school counselors exposed to shared and collective post-earthquake trauma. Thematic analysis revealed three primary themes. The first theme, “Empathy–Sympathy Cycle,” captures the oscillation between empathy and sympathy that counselors experience when working with clients under conditions of shared and collective trauma. The second theme, “Self-Disclosure Continuum Impacts the Collective Healing Process,” describes how counselors’ own traumatic experiences may lead to increased self-disclosure, resulting in blurred professional boundaries. The final theme, “The Wounded Healer’s Increasing Need for Professional Support,” emphasizes the heightened necessity of professional support systems for counselors working within collective trauma contexts to safeguard both counselor well-being and therapeutic effectiveness. The findings provide important implications for policy development and institutional support mechanisms aimed at addressing the unique professional challenges of counselors working in settings characterized by shared and collective trauma.</p
“What Kind of Physical Education Lesson Do I Envision?”: A Theoretically Grounded Analysis Based on Teacher and Student Perspectives
No full textPhysical Education (PE) is envisioned differently across generations, yet these perspectives can be aligned with contemporary curriculum reform. Guided by Strauss–Howe generational theory and Turkey’s 2025 Türkiye Century Education Model, this qualitative study examines lesson design preferences among teachers (Generations X and Y) and students (Generation Z). Thirty-two purposively selected participants from provinces identified by Ministry success indicators completed semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through directed content analysis alongside thematic analysis. Findings indicate convergence on gamified, technology-supported, and individualized PE with process-oriented, fair assessment. Teachers endorse this vision while foregrounding constraints associated with infrastructure, time, space, and class size. The emergent profile mirrors the 2025 curriculum’s virtue–value–action orientation and its literacy and socio-emotional competencies. Four priorities translate the framework into implementable design: (i) multi-evidence assessment that captures performance and growth, (ii) systematic differentiation via station-based and modular activity designs, (iii) short feedback cycles coupled with structured student-voice mechanisms, and (iv) strengthened school digital infrastructure with targeted professional learning to build digital pedagogical competence. Overall, the study articulates a generationally informed, feasible architecture for PE that bears implications for curriculum development, teacher education, and school improvement.</jats:p
