Methylphenidate-effects on orthodontic tooth movement, orthodontically induced and nonorthodontic root resorption? A micro-computed tomography and immunohistochemical analysis

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the effect of methylphenidate, prescribed for individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) and root resorption. Methods In all, 30 rats were divided into (1) control (C), (2) constant (MCD), and (3) increasing dose of methylphenidate (MID) groups and 2 subgroups for each of them (nonorthodontic (30 days)/orthodontic (44 days)). After receiving saline or methylphenidate for 30 days, rats in the nonorthodontic groups were euthanized (n = 5/group). Subsequently, 50 g of orthodontic force was applied to the remaining rats' first molars for 14 days (orthodontic groups). Quantitative micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and immunohistochemical analyses were conducted. For statistical analyses Kruskal-Wallis and Dunnet tests were applied with a significance set at p < 0.05. Results Micro-CT analysis demonstrated a statistically significant increase in tooth displacement with higher doses of methylphenidate compared to control and lower-dose groups, though no significant difference was detected between MID-44 and MCD-44 groups. Orthodontic force led to a significant increase in root resorption, peaking in the coronal region and diminishing toward the apex. The highest amount of resorption was observed in the MID groups, with a significant difference between nonorthodontic MID-30 and C-30 groups. No significant changes in bone parameters were noted in the tension zone, but numerical reductions in trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), and bone mineral density (BMD) were observed. In nonorthodontic cohorts, VEGF and RANK levels were significantly elevated in the MID-30 group, along with increased TRAP expression, indicating bone resorption. Orthodontic cohorts exhibited a significant increase in RANK- and TRAP-positive cells with methylphenidate administration. Reductions in OPG and elevations in RANK, RANKL, VEGF, and TRAP were noted, primarily between orthodontic and nonorthodontic groups. Conclusion The present rat model suggests a weak potential for methylphenidate to increase root resorption. However, increased doses of methylphenidate accelerated OTM

Estimation of carbon sequestration based on two different methods: A case study of Artvin Forest Sub-District Directorate

Artan nüfus, sanayileşme ve doğal kaynakların tahribi neticesinde karbon salınımının kritik seviyeye gelmesiyle küresel ısınma ve iklim değişikliği gibi küresel sorunlar ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu sorunların baş sorumlusu olarak havadaki zararlı gazlar ve özellikle de karbondioksit gösterilmektedir. Karbondioksitin başlıca bileşeni olan karbon toprakta, suda ve ormanlarda depolanmaktadır. Küresel iklim değişikliği ile mücadele sözleşmesi gereği imza atan pek çok ülke orman alanlarında depoladığı ve havaya saldığı kirletici gazların miktarının hesaplamak durumundadır. Konu gündeme geldiğinden bu yana ormanlarda tutulan karbon miktarı; biyokütle hesabına dayanılarak hesaplanmaktadır. Ülke çapında hesaplanan ilk veriler ASAN tarafından ülkemizin de yer aldığı küresel konuma bağlı olarak iğne yapraklı ve geniş yapraklı ormanlar için ayrı ayrı geliştirilen katsayılardan yararlanılarak hesaplanırken, son dönemde ise bu veriler FRA-2010 kılavuzuna göre benzer yaklaşımla bozuk alanların ayrı bir kalem olarak hesaba dahil edilmesiyle hesaplanarak ilgili mercilere sunulmuştur. Ülkemizde orman alanlarının artması, yapısal anlamda iyileşmesi bir yana orman alanlarında tutulan karbon miktarında da çok ciddi bir artış olduğu görülmektedir. Her iki yöntem arasındaki farklılıkları göstermek isteyen bu çalışmada Artvin Orman İşletme Şefliğinde, farklı formüllerin ve katsayıların toplam karbon birikim miktarı üzerindeki etkilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Sonuç olarak, her iki yönteme dayalı olarak araştırma alanı karbon birikimi hesaplanmış önemli farklılar oluştuğu ortaya konulmuştur. Verimli ve bozuk ormanlar için farklı katsayılar kullandığında, toplam biyokütledeki karbon miktarı yaklaşık %54 daha fazla iken, orman toprağındaki karbon yaklaşık % 65 azalmaktadırGrowing population, industrialization and destruction of natural sources have caused carbon emission to reach critical threshold, which accordingly resulted in global problems such as; global warming and climate change. Main sources of these problems are hazardous gases on the air, particularly; carbon dioxide. The main component of carbon dioxide, carbon is stored in the soil, water and forests. According to the agreement against global climate change, most of the countries that signed the agreement are expected to measure gas amounts that they save in their forest areas and the amount of contaminating gases that are exhausted to the atmosphere. Since the subject was under debate, carbon amounts kept in the forest areas are measured by biomass calculations. The first data measured all across the country were calculated by ASAN using indices that were developed for coniferous and broad-leaved forests separately; recently, these data are measured by including damaged areas as a separate item, similar to the approach in FRA-2010 guide. It can be seen that there is a significant increase in the carbon amounts kept in the forest areas in Turkey along with increasing number of forest areas and recovery in structure. This study, which aims to show the differences between the two methods, seeks to identify the effects of different formulas and indices on total amount of carbon stocks in Artvin Forest Sub-district Directorate. As a result, carbon amounts in the study area were calculated with each method and there were significant differences found between the two methods. When different indices are used for productive and damaged areas, the approximate increase in carbon amount is 54% with an approximate 65% decrease in carbon amount in forest soil

Significance of Maternal Serum Folate and Vitamin B12 levels with Factor V leiden, Factor II g.20210G>A, MTHFR C667T and MTHFR A1298C variations in Anencephaly

Amaç Multifaktöryel anensefali etyolojisi halen tam olarak bilinmeyen durumlardan biridir. Etiyolojinin daha iyi anlaşılması için bilinen faktörler olan Folat ve vitamin B12 düzeyleri yanı sıra Faktör V Leiden, Faktör II g.20210G>A, MTHFR c.667C>T and MTHFR c.1298A>C polimorfizmlerini anensefalili gebeliği olan ve sağlıklı gebeliği olan annelerde inceleyerek karşılaştırmayı amaçladık. Materyal ve Metot Çalışmamızda 10 anensefalili gebeliği olan anne ve 32 sağlıklı gebede serum folat ve B12 vitamin düzeyleri yanı sıra Real-Time PCR ile Faktör V Leiden, Faktör II G20210A, MTHFR C667T ve MTHFR A1298C polimorfizmlerinin genotipleri incelenerek karşılaştırıldı. Sonuç Çalışmamızda serum folat düzeyi ve MTHFR A1298C genotipi açısından gruplar arasında anlamlı fark saptandı. Serum B12 vitamin düzeyi, FVL, FII G20210A ve MTHFR C667T varyasyonları anensefalili gebe ve kontrollerin karşılaştırmasında anlamlı farklılık olmadığı belirlendi. Tartışma Anensefali ve nöral tüp defekti gelişiminde anne folat düzeylerinin düşük olması bilinen bir faktördür. MTHFR gen polimorfizmleri ile ilişkili çalışmalar da bulunmaktadır. Biz de çalışmamızda folat eksikliğinin etiyolojide önemli rol oynadığını; ancak diğer faktörlerin anlamlı fark yaratmadığını belirledik. Ayrıca, anensefali için daha fazla araştırmaya gerek olduğu kanaatindeyiz.Aim Exact etiology of multifactorial anencephaly is still unclear. For a better understanding of the etiology, we sought to determine serum levels of folate and vitamin B12 as well as genetic variations including Factor V Leiden, Factor II g.20210G>A, MTHFR c.667C>T and MTHFR c.1298A>C in pregnant Turkish women with fetal anencephaly, and healthy pregnant women to point out significant differences. Material-Methods We compared the concentration of serum folate, vitamin B12 and genotype related with Factor V Leiden (FVL), Factor II (FII) G20210A, MTHFR C667T and MTHFR A1298C variations in 10 pregnant mothers with fetal anencephaly, and 32 mothers with healthy pregnancies. Gene polymorphisms were genotyped using Real-Time PCR. Results We found a significant difference in serum folate concentrations and MTHFR A1298C genotypes between groups. However, serum B12 vitamin concentrations and Factor V Leiden, Factor II G20210A, and MTHFR C667T genotypes were not significantly different in mothers with fetal anencephaly, compared to controls. Conclusion Low maternal folate level is a known factor in the development of anencephaly and neural tube defects. Studies indicating an association with MTHFR gene polymorphisms are also present. We have determined that the lack of folic acid plays an important role in the etiology of anencephaly, however other factors are not significant. We believe that more research is needed as the etiology of anencephaly is still not fully understood

Oral microbial dysbiosis in patients with oral cavity cancers

Objectives The pathogenesis of oral cavity cancers is complex. We tested the hypothesis that oral microbiota dysbiosis is associated with oral cavity cancer. Materials and methods Patients with primary oral cavity cancer who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. Matching healthy individuals were recruited as controls. Data on socio-demographic and behavioral factors, self-reported periodontal measures and habits, and current dental status were collected using a structured questionnaire and periodontal chartings. In addition to self-reported oral health measures, each participant received a standard and detailed clinical examination. DNA was extracted from saliva samples from patients and healthy controls. Next-generation sequencing was performed by targeting V3-V4 gene regions of the 16 S rRNA with subsequent bioinformatic analyses. Results Patients with oral cavity cancers had a lower quality of oral health than healthy controls. Proteobacteria, Aggregatibacter, Haemophilus, and Neisseria decreased, while Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Lactobacillus, Gemella, and Fusobacteria increased in oral cancer patients. At the species level, C. durum, L. umeaens, N. subflava, A. massiliensis, and V. dispar were significantly lower, while G. haemolysans was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Major periodontopathogens associated with periodontal disease (P. gingivalis and F.nucleatum) increased 6.5- and 2.8-fold, respectively. Conclusion These data suggested that patients with oral cancer had worse oral health conditions and a distinct oral microbiome composition that is affected by personal daily habits and may be associated with the pathogenicity of the disease and interspecies interactions. Clinical relevance This paper demonstrates the link between oral bacteria and oral cancers, identifying mechanistic interactions between species of oral microbiome

The Brain Ischemic Volume Correlation with the Ischemic Modified Albumin Level

Objective:Cerebrovascular disease is a frequent cause of emergency department visits, and early diagnosis can reduce mortality and morbidity. It was aimed to evaluate the relationship between diffusion-weighted-magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and blood ischemic modified albumin (IMA) levels of cerebrovascular diseases in terms of demographic characteristics, mortality, and morbidity.Method:This prospective cohort study included 44 patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke in the emergency room between January and July 2014 and 44 people in the control group. Age, gender, vital signs, co-morbid disease states, neurological deficit levels, IMA levels, DW-MRI involvement volumes, and mortality rates were analyzed in patients who were diagnosed with stroke and who had DW-MRI restrictions. Also, a control group of 44 volunteers who applied to our emergency department was added to compare the IMA level.Results:The median age of the patients was 71 years (24 males, 20 females, range 47 to 83 years) and the median age of the control group was 68 (25 males, 19 females, range 52 to 79) years. The median age of the control group was close to that of the patient group, the two groups were also similar in terms of gender distribution. The most common co-morbid disease was hypertension 28 (63.6%), atrial fibrillation (AF) 14 (31.8%), diabetes mellitus (DM) 10 (22.8%) and coronary artery disease 10 (22.8%). The median value of the IMA level was 13.84 in the patient group and 8.66 in the control group. While the patients’ NIHSS stroke score was high, the area of involvement in MRI and also IMA levels increased. Besides, diffusion involvement area and IMA levels were positively and moderately correlated.Conclusion:IMA level can be considered as a parameter that can be used in acute ischemic stroke and as an indicator of the diffusion restriction area in MRI

Portable Microfluidic Integrated Plasmonic Platform for Pathogen Detection

Timely detection of infectious agents is critical in early diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Conventional pathogen detection methods, such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), culturing or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) require long assay times, and complex and expensive instruments, which are not adaptable to point-of-care (POC) needs at resource-constrained as well as primary care settings. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop simple, rapid, and accurate methods for detection of pathogens at the POC. Here, we present a portable, multiplex, inexpensive microfluidic-integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) platform that detects and quantifies bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) rapidly. The platform presented reliable capture and detection of E. coli at concentrations ranging from ~105 to 3.2 × 107 CFUs/mL in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) fluid. The multiplexing and specificity capability of the platform was also tested with S. aureus samples. The presented platform technology could potentially be applicable to capture and detect other pathogens at the POC and primary care settings

Financial Development, Renewable Energy and Economic Performance: Evidence From Turkey

Dünyada enerji kaynaklarına olan ihtiyaç her geçen gün artarak devam etmektedir. Özellikle gelişmekte olan ülkelerde nüfus artışı, sanayileşme, insanların refah seviyesinin yükselmesi ve teknolojik gelişmelere paralel olarak önümüzdeki yıllarda enerji talebi daha da yoğun olacaktır. Fosil enerji kaynaklarının dünyada ciddi çevre sorunlarına yol açması, rezervlerinin yakın gelecekte tükenecek olması, kaynak ülkelere bağımlılığın çeşitli siyasi ve ekonomik sorunlara yol açması ve fiyat istikrarsızlıkları gibi nedenlerden dolayı yenilenebilir enerji kaynaklarına olan ilgi artmıştır. Özellikle gelişmiş ülkelerde yenilenebilir enerji kaynakları olan hidrolik, rüzgâr, jeotermal, güneş, biyoküte, dalga, hidrojen vb. enerji kaynaklarından başta elektrik üretimi olmak üzere çeşitli yollarla yararlanılmaktadır. Tüm bu gelişmelere rağmen fosil enerji kaynaklarının dünya birincil enerji kaynakları tüketimindeki üstünlüğü tartışmasız bir şekilde devam etmektedir ve kısa vadede bu üstünlüğünü korumaya devam edecektir. Gelişmekte olan bir ülke olan Türkiye'nin de artan nüfus ve büyüyen ekonomisine paralel olarak enerji kaynakları tüketimi yükselerek devam etmektedir. Bu nedenle sürdürülebilir kalkınma hedefleri doğrultusunda tüm enerji kaynaklarının etkin ve verimli kullanımı, aynı zamanda alternatif enerji kaynaklarının kullanımı önem arz etmektedir. Bu amaçla, bu tezin amacı Türkiye'de yenilenebilir enerji kullanımı, finansal gelişmişlik ve tükenebilir enerji kullanımı ile ekonomik büyüme arasındaki uzun ve kısa dönemli ilişkinin varlığını ve yönünü 1980-2016 yıllık verileri kullanarak incelemektir. Serilerin durağanlığını test etmek için ADF ve PP birim kök testleri kullanılmıştır. Yenilenebilir enerji kullanımı, finansal gelişmişlik ve tükenebilir enerji kullanımı ile ekonomik büyüme arasındaki uzun dönemli ilişkinin varlığı Johansen-Juselius Eşbütünleşme testi ile seriler nedensellik ilişkisi ise Vektör Hata Düzeltme Modeli kullanılarak tespit edilmiştir. ADF ve PP birim kök test sonuçları serilerin düzey değerlerinde birim kök içerdiklerini fakat 1. Dereceden farkları alındığında ise serilerin durağanlaştığını göstermiştir. Johansen-Juselius Eşbütünleşme testi sonucunda seriler arasında bir eşbütünleşme olduğu, diğer bir ifadeyle, ekonomik büyüme, yenilenebilir enerji, finansal gelişme ve tükenebilir enerji kullanımı arasında uzun dönemli bir ilişkinin varlığı belirlenmiştir. Vektör Hata Düzeltme Modeline dayalı Granger nedensellik testi sonuçlarına göre kısa dönemde söz konusu değişkenlerin ekonomik büyüme üzerinde istatistiki olarak anlamlı bir etkilerinin olmadığı tespit edilmiştir. Bunun yanı sıra, Türkiye'de yenilenebilir enerji kullanımı, finansal gelişmişlik ve tükenebilir enerji kullanımının ekonomik büyümeye etkisi Çoklu Regresyon Analizi yöntemi ile test edilmiş ve elde edilen bulgular doğrultusunda finansal gelişme ve tükenebilir enerji kullanımının ekonomik büyümeyi anlamlı ve pozitif etkilediği, yenilenebilir enerji kullanımının ise ekonomik büyümede anlamlı bir etkisinin olmadığı belirlenmiştir.The concept of energy and the sustainability of energy resources is one of the most important issues in the world. Population growth, industrialization, increased welfare and technological devopment, especially in developing countries, means that the world's need for energy is gradually increasing day by day. Therefore, in the future, the global energy demand will be much higher than it is today. The rapid depletion of energy resources, the use of resources such as oil, coal, and nuclear energy, and the pollution caused by these resources to the environment, as well as the atmosphere, have led people to the use of renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources have created interest due to the following reasons, such as serious environmental issues caused by fossil energy sources, potentially decreasing reserves, various political and economic problems caused by dependency on source providing countries and price instability. In developed countries, particularly, renewable energy sources such as wind, geothermal, solar and biomass energy, wave and hydrogen have utilized in different forms, especially in electricity production. (Mutlu Y. 2012). Despite all these developments, the superiority of fossil energy resources in world primary energy consumption consumption continues unquestionably and will continue to maintain this advantage in the short term. Thus, the formulation and implementation of proper energy policies for the countries is of crucial importance in all over the world. Turkey, as an emerging country, challenged by a growing demand for energy due to economic and population growth. The effective and efficient use of energy sources as well as the wider use of alternative energy sources gains more importance for the sustainable development of Turkey. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to investigate the short and long-term relationship among renewable and nonrenewable energy, financial development, and economic performance for a developing country, namely, Turkey, over the period 1980-2016. The stationarity of the series is tested by using Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF, 1979) and Philips-Perron (PP, 1988) unit root tests. Long-run dynamic cointegrating relationship is examined by Johansen Juselius cointegration test (1990), short and long-run dynamic causal relationship through Vector Error Correction Model. The results of unit root test show that each series is non-stationarity at levels, however, after taking the first difference, all series are stationary at the test results. The empirical findings of the cointegration test indicate that there is a long-run relationship between financial development, renewable energy, nonrenewable energy, and economic performance. The statistical evidence based on the Vector Error Correction model indicates that the above variables do not have a statistically significant impact on economic development in the short-run. Morevoer, using Multiple Linear Regression analysis to determine the factors that affect the economic development in Turkey, the findings show that financial development and nonrenewable energy have a positive and significant relationship with the economic development, whereas renewable energy does not have a statistically significant relationship

Bestimmung nutzenstiftender KI-Fähigkeitsstufen bei der Einführung von Methoden der künstlichen Intelligenz in der öffentlichen Verwaltung

Die öffentliche Verwaltung ist durch das e-Government-Gesetz dazu angehalten und verpflichtet, sich den Anforderungen der digitalen Gesellschaft anzupassen und bürokratische Hürden abzubauen. Dazu soll die elektronische Kommunikation zwischen Bürgerinnen und Bürgern, Unternehmen und Verwaltung einfacher, ortsunabhängiger und zeitlich flexibler gestaltet werden. Methoden der künstlichen Intelligenz sollen einerseits dabei unterstützen, die aktuellen Herausforderung bei der Realisierung dieser Ziele zu überwinden und andererseits zukünftig die Arbeit der Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter der öffentlichen Verwaltung laufend zu unterstützen. Abhängig vom Vorhaben und Einsatzgebiet sind verschiedene Fähigkeiten von Methoden der künstlichen Intelligenz gefragt und nutzenbringend. Aktuell fehlt es an einer Übersicht, welche Bereiche in der öffentlichen Verwaltung von welchen Fähigkeiten am stärksten profitieren würden. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es daher eine Bewertungsmodell zur Bestimmung der benötigten bzw. nutzenstiftenden Fähigkeitsstufe (unter Berücksichtigung des Einführungsaufwands) bei der Einführung von Methoden der künstlichen Intelligenz für verschiedene Bereiche der öffentlichen Verwaltung zu erarbeiten. Die zentrale Forschungsfrage für diese Arbeit lautet daher: Für welche Bereiche der öffentlichen Verwaltung werden welche KI-Fähigkeiten und Fähigkeitsstufen bei der Einführung von Methoden der künstlichen Intelligenz benötigt