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Does Kinesiophobia Affect Spatiotemporal Parameters in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis?
No full textAim We aimed to examine the effect of kinesiophobia on functional capacity, disease activity, quality of life and spatiotemporal parameters of patients with AS by comparing AS patients with healthy controls.Material and method Our study included 46 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 45 healthy controls (HC). Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life Scale (ASQoL), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (TKS) scores, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, maximum plantar pressure and spatiotemporal parameters (total weight transfer, step cycle duration, double-support phase, swing phase, step length, foot angle and cadence) were evaluated.Results Ninety-one individuals (46 AS, 45 HC) (age/sex/BMI) were included in our study. Statistically significant differences were seen between AS and HC groups in TUG, cadence, TKS, maximum pressure, step cycle duration, swing phase, step length, double-support phase, and foot angle measurements (p<0.05). Significant positive correlations existed between TKS and BASMI, BASDAI, BASFI, ASoQ, TUG and foot angle (p<0.05) in AS. Substantial negative correlations were found between TKS and maximum pressure, cadence and swing phase values (p<0.05) in AS.Conclusion Our study is the first in the literature to measure spatiotemporal parameters between patients with AS and HC and evaluate their relationship with kinesiophobia, which was done to the best of our knowledge. We found that patients with AS changed their gait phases by developing a unique pattern and created a more cautious and safe gait model to provide balance and stability. Our study revealed a statistically significant relationship between kinesiophobia and disease activity, functional status, quality of life, cadence, maximum plantar pressure, swing phase, and foot angle. The detailed data we obtained in our study will shed light on gait analysis and research on kinesiophobia in patients with AS. Kinesiophobia should be evaluated in routine gait rehabilitation protocols applied to individuals with AS, and treatment protocols for kinesiophobia should be added if necessar
Relationships Between Internal Marketing and Job Performance Mediated by Psychological Ownership Among Fitness Centers' Employees: An Empirical Analysis Using PLS-SEM Techniques
No full textThis study examined the relationship between internal marketing and job performance as the mediating variable of psychological ownership by focusing on fitness center trainers. The convenience sampling technique was used in the study. Data were collected from fitness centers engaged in business in Turkey. The research group consists of 177 fitness center trainers. The model test with Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used as the analysis technique in the study. The results support the model proposal that fitness center trainers' internal marketing experiences play a role in job performance both directly and indirectly through psychological ownership. Therefore, fitness centers should give importance to internal marketing to improve the experiences of their employees and obtain corporate ownership. This will increase employees' job performance, and, consequently, customer satisfaction will be positively affected
BACTERIAL MICROBIOTA AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF TURKISH TARHANA
No full textTarhana is one of the traditional Turkish fermented food and it is served as a soup. In this study, bacterial microbiota and chemical properties (acidity, salt, and moisture content) of tarhana samples (n=96) were examined. The metagenomic analysis revealed that Firmicutes were the dominant phylum and Bacillaceae, Enterococcaceae, Paenibacillaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Clostridiaceae were the dominant bacterial families. In the samples, Bacillus, Enterococcus, and Paenibacillus were mostly identified at the genus level. Alpha diversity and evenness showed that sample 30 had the highest diversity collected from İzmir. Principal Coordinate Analysis was used to identify relationships of samples at different taxonomic levels and it was found that most of the samples were closely related at the phylum level. Chemical analysis indicated that the acidity of tarhana samples varied between 5.00% and 42.5%, moisture contents were 4.39–18.66% and salt values were from 0.32% to 6.64%. The results of this study extensively demonstrated the chemical properties and the dominant bacterial communities present in tarhana samples collected from different parts of Türkiye
Testicular involvement of Brucellosis: A 10-year, multicentre study
No full textIntroduction: The genito-urinary system is one of the most common areas of involvement in brucellosis. To present the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of patients with testicular involvement associated with brucellosis, together with the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Methodology: Patients followed up for brucellosis-related testicular involvement between January 2012 and November 2022 were included in the study. Brucellosis is defined as the production of Brucella spp. in cultures, or clinical symptoms together with the serum standard tube agglutination test titer of ≥ 1/160. Inflammation in scrotal Doppler ultrasonography was based on testicular involvement.
Results: A retrospective evaluation was made of the data of 194 patients with brucellosis-related testicular involvement. The rate of determination of testicular involvement in brucellosis was 2.57%. The most affected patients were determined in the 16-30 years age range. On presentation, brucellosis was in the acute stage in 83.7% of patients. The most common symptoms on presentation were swelling and/or pain in the testes (86.6%). In the patients where a spermiogram could be performed, oligospermia was determined in 41.7%, and aspermia in 8.3%. When the testicular involvement of brucellosis was evaluated, epididymo-orchitis was present at the rate of 55.7%, epididymitis at 27.3%, and testis abscess at 5.1%.
Conclusions: Although epididymo-orchitis was the most frequently determined form of involvement in this study, there was also seen to be a significant number of patients presenting with epididymitis. Male patients presented with the clinical status of brucellosis should be questioned about swelling and pain in the testes to avoid overlooking testicular involvement
Adjuvant composite cold atmospheric plasma therapy increases antitumoral effect of doxorubicin hydrochloride
No full textIntroduction: Cancer is a global health concern, with a significant impact on mortality rates. Despite advancements in targeted antitumor drugs, the development of new therapies remains challenging due to high costs and tumor resistance. The exploration of novel treatment approaches, such as combined chemotherapy, holds promise for improving the effectiveness of existing antitumor agents. Cold atmospheric plasma has demonstrated antineoplastic effects in preclinical studies, but its potential in combination with specific ions for lymphosarcoma treatment has not been investigated.
Methods: An in vivo study was conducted using a Pliss lymphosarcoma rat model to evaluate the antitumor effects of composite cold plasma and controlled ionic therapy. Groups of rats were exposed to composite cold plasma for 3, 7, and 14 days, while the control group received no treatment. Additionally, a combination of chemotherapy with cold plasma therapy was assessed, with doxorubicin hydrochloride administered at a dosage of 5 mg/kg. PERENIO IONIC SHIELD™ emitted a controlled ionic formula during the treatment period.
Results: The in vivo study demonstrated tumor growth inhibition in groups exposed to composite cold plasma for 3, 7, and 14 days compared to the control group. Furthermore, combining chemotherapy with cold plasma therapy resulted in a threefold reduction in tumor volume. The most significant antitumor effects were observed when doxorubicin hydrochloride at a dosage of 5 mg/kg was combined with 14 days of PERENIO IONIC SHIELD™ ionic therapy.
Discussion: The use of composite cold plasma therapy, in conjunction with a controlled ionic formula emitted by PERENIO IONIC SHIELD™, in the complex treatment of lymphosarcoma in rats showed promising antitumor effects. The combination therapy, particularly when combined with doxorubicin hydrochloride, demonstrated enhanced efficacy. These findings suggest the potential for utilizing cold atmospheric plasma and controlled ions as an adjunctive treatment approach in lymphosarcoma therapy. Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying these effects and to evaluate the safety and efficacy in human clinical trials
Laparoscopic surgery of large adnexal masses (>12 cm): Single port or conventional?
No full textIntroduction We aimed to compare single-port laparoscopic surgery (SPLS) and conventional multiport laparoscopic surgery (CMLS) for large adnexal mass (AM).Methods Patients undergoing laparoscopy (LS) due to huge AMs (>= 12 cm) between 2016 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. The SPLS procedure was applied in 25 cases, and CMLS was performed in 32 cases. The premier result was the grade of the postoperative improvement according to the Quality of Recovery (QoR)-40 questionnaire score (24 h after the surgical procedure; postoperative day 1). Observer Scar Assessment Scale (OSAS) and Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale (PSAS) were also evaluated.Results A total of 57 cases undergoing SPLS (n = 25) or CMLS (n = 32) due to a large AM (>= 12 cm) were analyzed. No meaningful distinctions in age, menopausal status, body mass index, or mass size were observed between the two cohorts. The operation time was shorter in the SPLS than CPLS cohort (42.2 +/- 3.3 vs. 47.6 +/- 6.2; p < 0.001). Unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed in 84.0% of cases in the SPLS cohort and 90.6% of patients in the CMLS cohort (p = 0.360). The QoR-40 points were significantly higher in the SPLS than the CMLS group (154.9 +/- 12.0 vs. 146.2 +/- 17.1; p = 0.035). The OSAS and PSAS scores were lower in the SPLS than the CMLS group.Conclusion LS can be used for large cysts that are not considered to be at risk of malignancy. The postoperative recovery time was shorter in patients undergoing SPLS compared to CMLS
Comparison of Microvasculature and Fundus Morphometric Features in High Myopia Regard to the Presence of Beta Zone Peripapillary Atrophy
No full textPurpose: To compare the microvasculature and fundus morphometric features between the high myopic eyes with and without the beta zone peripapillary atrophy (β-PPA). Methods: 38 eyes with high myopia (mean spherical equivalent (MSE) ≤- 6.00D) and 30 age-matched emmetropic eyes (- 1.00 ≤ MSE<+0.75D) were included in this prospective study. Two groups were created according to presence of β-PPA. Group 1 consisted of 26 eyes with normal OD, and group 2 consisted of 12 eyes with β-PPA. The vertical distance between the temporal superior and temporal inferior arterial arcade (VDA), the distance fovea to disc (DFD), and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) were compared between the groups. Results: The mean VDA and DFD were higher in group 2 than group1 and control group. The mean foveal avascular zone was larger and peripapillary VD was lower in all myopic eyes regardless of the presence of β-PPA in group 1 and 2 than the control
HPLC-DAD Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant, Anticholinesterase, Antidiabetic and Anti-quorum Sensing Properties of Bitter Kola (Garcinia kola) and Kolanut (Cola acuminata)
No full textBackground: Eating Cola acuminata and Garcinia cola nuts in African societies symbolizes in socio-cultural hospitality. They stimulate the nervous system, reduce fatigue and sleep. Objectives:To determine the phenolic composition and bioactivities of G. kola and C. acuminata. Materials and Methods: Hydro-ethanol extracts of the nuts were prepared and their phenolic profiles determined using HPLC-DAD. Antioxidant, anticholinesterase, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antibiofilm and anti-quorum sensing properties were determined. Results:The most abundant phenolic compound was caffeic acid (105.4 +/- 0.75 mg/g) in C. acuminata and myricetin (277.2 +/- 0.90 mg/g) in G. kola. The extracts showed good antioxidant activity in five complementary assays and G. kola was more active than both alpha-tocopherol and BHA standards in the DPPH center dot, CUPRAC and ABTS center dot+ assays while C. acuminata was more active than only the alpha-tocopherol standard in the same assays. Activities were close to those of standards in the beta-Carotene-linoleic acid and metal chelation assays. Both extracts had good inhibition of Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with IC50 values 63.27 +/- 0.98 mg/mL and 94.15 +/- 1.05 mg/mL for C. acuminata and G. kola respectively compared to 5.50 +/- 0.25 mg/mL for galantamine in the AChE assay. In the BChE assay, the inhibitory activity was higher for G. kola (IC50 = 38.66 +/- 0.80 mg/ mL) that the standard galantamine (IC50 = 42.20 +/- 0.48 mg/mL) while that for C. acuminata (IC50 = 87.31 +/- 0.77 mg/mL) was moderate. The extracts inhibited alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase with G. kola (IC50=18.43 +/- 0.74 mg/mL) being more active than standard acarbose (IC50=20.52 +/- 0.84 mg/mL in the alpha-glucosidase assay. The nuts could inhibit expression of virulence factors in Chomobacterium violaceum CV12472 by disrupting violacein production and flagellated Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 by disrupting swarming motility. Conclusion:The results indicate good nutraceutical potential of both nuts
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Allium cepa L. Peel Extract, Their Antioxidant, Antipathogenic, and Anticholinesterase Activity
No full textThe present work deals with the green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Allium cepa (yellowish peel) and the evaluation of its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticholinesterase activities. For the synthesis of AgNPs, peel aqueous extract (200 mL) was treated with a 40 mM AgNO3 solution (200 mL) at room temperature, and a color change was observed. In UV-Visible spectroscopy, an absorption peak formation at ~439 nm was the sign that AgNPs were present in the reaction solution. UV-vis, FE-SEM, TEM, EDX, AFM, XRD, TG/DT analyses, and Zetasizer techniques were used to characterize the biosynthesized nanoparticles. The crystal average size and zeta potential of AC-AgNPs with predominantly spherical shapes were measured as 19.47 ± 1.12 nm and -13.1 mV, respectively. Pathogenic microorganisms Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans were used for the Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC) test. When compared to tested standard antibiotics, AC-AgNPs demonstrated good growth inhibitory activities on P. aeuruginosa, B. subtilis, and S. aureus strains. In vitro, the antioxidant properties of AC-AgNPs were measured using different spectrophotometric techniques. In the β-Carotene linoleic acid lipid peroxidation assay, AC-AgNPs showed the strongest antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 116.9 µg/mL, followed by metal-chelating capacity and ABTS cation radical scavenging activity with IC50 values of 120.4 µg/mL and 128.5 µg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory effects of produced AgNPs on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes were determined using spectrophotometric techniques. This study provides an eco-friendly, inexpensive, and easy method for the synthesis of AgNPs that can be used for biomedical activities and also has other possible industrial applications
Betanin and Nano-Calcium Carbonate Incorporated Polyvinyl alcohol/Starch Films for Active and Intelligent Packaging Applications
No full textBio-based and biodegradable packaging are ideal for sustainable polymer packaging. In this study, cassava starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were used as the film-forming matrix, betanin (E-162) and nano-calcium carbonate (CaCO3) as the pH sensitive pigment and nanofiller, respectively. Solvent casting technique was used to develop ecofriendly composite films. For the first time, the color, mechanical, thermal, structural, ammonia sensitivity, and bioactivity properties of films containing different amounts of natural additives were compared. The changes determined in the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum were evidence of the interaction of additives with polymer matrix. The developed films showed similar thermal stability according to thermal degradation behaviors with three distinct weight losses. The temperatures of 10% residual weight were determined to be slightly higher (500.4-603.8 °C) in additive incorporated films when compared to pure PVA/starch film (478.3 °C). The mechanical properties of composite films varied due to composition. The tensile strength of pure PVA/starch films were reduced significantly from 27.74 to 16.56 MPa with betanin addition. The together addition of betanin (E-162) and nano-CaCO3 also reduced the tensile strength (14.77 MPa). The elongation at break values of betanin incorporated films (% 184.06-205.09) were reduced as compared with pure PVA/starch films (% 258.10). The additives caused a decrease in L* values (lightness reduction). The addition of betanin to PVA/starch film notably improved the antioxidant properties. The results demonstrate the convenience of the composite films for active and intelligent packaging applications