Background: Chemotherapy is regarded as first-line therapy in various cancer types besides surgical procedures. However, lack of cell selectivity and poor drug targeting to the cancer zone of the active agents results in accumulation in normal tissues with considerably high severe side effects. Therefore, novel drug delivery systems are required to enhance cancer treatment. Objective: In this study, Paclitaxel (PTX) incorporated Kollidon® SR (KSR) and Chitosan (CS) based polymeric nanoparticles were prepared for potential use for colorectal cancer treatment. Methods: Polymeric nanoparticles were prepared by spray dying method. Physicochemical characterization studies were performed with particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), drug loading (DL %), encapsulation efficiency (EE %) and structural evaluations using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) analyses. Cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles was screened on HT-29 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma) and HTC-15 (Dukes' type C, colorectal adenocarcinoma) cell lines with MTT assay. Results: Analysis revealed the successful incorporation of PTX into the polymeric lattices. Particles showed cytotoxic activity on HT-29 and HTC-15 cell lines, depending on the application dose after 48 hours. Nanoparticles also remained stable at 5°C ± 3°C and 25°C ± 2°C (60% ± 5 Relative Humidity (RH)) during the storage period of 6 months. Conclusion: As a result of the study, KSR and CS-based nanoparticles could be regarded as promising nano-carriers for improved therapeutic efficacy of PTX for colorectal cancer treatment.

Introduction: Midwives are at the forefront of the breastfeeding success of mothers, but the breastfeeding experiences of midwives who are mothers are unknown. Aim: This study was planned to determine the breastfeeding experiences of midwife mothers and the barriers to their breastfeeding. Materials and Methods: The study used a cross-sectional and descriptive design. A total of 177 midwives who had breastfeeding experience were included in the study. Results: The mean age of the midwife mothers was 39.71 ± 7.17 years and 53.1% had 2 children. The first breastfeeding time was 152.76 ± 471.97 minutes, the duration of breastfeeding was 14.88 ± 9.87 months, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 4.43 ± 1.65 months, and the duration of maternity leave was 6.16 ± 6.30 months. It was determined that 38.4% gave pre-lacteal feeding. It was found that some of the participants could not breastfeed because 34.5% of them did not have enough milk, 28.2% took short maternity leave, 26.6% had a busy work schedule, 24.9% had long working hours, 22.6% did not have a suitable place to express milk, 18.6% did not have enough time, and 10.7% were concerned about COVID-19 transmission. A statistically significant correlation was found between exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months and breastfeeding up to the age of 2 and pre-lacteal feeding, time of going back to work after maternity leave, psychological status, and sleep status (p

Background Mesenteric ischemia is a frequently encountered disease in surgical clinics, difficult to diagnose, and very mortal if not treated. Our study investigated the effects of astaxanthin, which is known to have potent antioxidant properties and is also known to have anti-inflammatory effects on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods A total of 32 healthy Wistar albino female rats were used in our study. Subjects were randomized and equally divided into 4 groups; control (laparotomy group only), I/R (transient mesenteric ischemia group only), astaxanthin 1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg doses. The transient ischemia time was 60 minutes and the reperfusion time was 120 minutes. Tissue samples were taken from intracardiac blood and terminal ileum after reperfusion. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) from blood samples, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), Caspase-3, P53 tests from terminal ileum were studied. Tissue samples were also taken for histopathological evaluation. Results At the end of the study, both doses of astaxanthin were found to significantly reduce MDA level, CAT, and SOD enzymatic activity, whereas higher doses of astaxanthin significantly reduced MDA level, CAT, and SOD enzyme activities. In addition, cytokines such as TNFα, IL-1 and IL-6 were found to be reduced at both doses of astaxanthin, but only significantly inhibited at higher doses. We observed that inhibition of apoptosis reduced caspase-3 activity and P53 and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation. Conclusion Astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory, significantly reduces ischemia and reperfusion injury, especially when used at a dose of 10 mg/kg. These data need to be confirmed by larger animal series and clinical studies.

Fiber materials possess unique properties, including a large active surface area, high surface-to-volume ratio, high porosity, high mechanical performance, and low density. Consequently, they serve as key components in various applications such as energy production and storage cells, batteries, wastewater treatment membranes, sensors, drug-releasing band-aids, and protective clothing. Electrospinning is a simple and versatile method for producing fiber materials. Despite its simplicity in terms of working principles, it faces challenges in achieving homogeneous thickness (evenly on the entire surface) throughout fiber mats due to inherent bending instability during the process. Non-uniform thickness not only diminishes the efficiency of these mats in applications but also adversely impacts their mechanical functionality. In this study, the aim is to develop a thickness measurement system based on image processing and the principle of light transmittance as a solution to the issues encountered in achieving uniform thickness and thickness control of fiber mats produced by electrospinning devices. To accomplish this, a closed mechanism with a light-impermeable encapsulation method was established. Various fiber mats, produced at different times were placed on the acetate floor built on LED lighting on the base of the mechanism. Using a camera with the adjusted settings positioned at the focal point on top of the mechanism, images of the fiber mats were captured, and image processing techniques were employed to determine threshold value ranges for the mat thicknesses. The actual thicknesses of the fiber mats were verified using an optical microscope, revealing that regions defined with the same color in different samples exhibited similar thicknesses.

The Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) measures all overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms with graded answers, evaluates urgency symptoms, and reveals the subjective bladder control. However, the Turkish version and the cutoff value of the questionnaire have not yet been studied. The aims of this study were to determine the psychometric properties of the 7-item OABSS and to estimate the cutoff value of the scale. This was an observational study. The internal consistency (Cronbach α) and test-retest reliability were analyzed, and exploratory factor analysis was performed. For the criterion validity, the correlations between the OABSS, the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire, the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms questionnaire, and outcomes of a bladder diary were used. The cutoff value of the OABSS was analyzed by the receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. Participants with (n = 49) and without (n = 38) OAB were included. The internal consistency was very strong (Cronbach α = 0.95). The test-retest reliability was very strong (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.93-0.95, P = 0.001). The percentage of explanation of the total variance was calculated as 78%. There was a strong to very strong correlation between the OABSS and the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire and Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms scores and outcomes of the bladder diary. The cutoff value for the OABSS was determined as 10.5. The Turkish OABSS was found to be a valid and reliable scale to determine OAB symptoms and severity. Those who score more than 10.5 on the questionnaire can be considered as at risk of OAB syndrome.

Hospital admissions in pediatric dialysis patients need to be better studied, and most existing studies are retrospective and based on registry data. This study aimed to analyse and compare hospital admission rates, causes, length of stay (LOS), and outcomes in children treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD). Data from 236 maintenance PD and 138 HD patients across 16 European dialysis centers were collected between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018. A total of 178 hospitalized patients (103 PD, 75 HD) were included for further analyses. There were 465 hospitalization events (268 PD, 197 HD) with a rate of 0.39 admissions per 100 patient-days at risk (PDAR) and 2.4 hospital days per 100 PDAR. The admission rates were not significantly different between HD and PD patients. The most common causes of hospitalization were access-related infections (ARI) (17%), non-infectious complications of access (NIAC) (14%), and infections unrelated to access (12%). ARI was the leading cause in PD patients (24%), while NIAC was more common in HD patients (19%). PD patients had more ARIs, diagnostic procedures, and treatment adjustments (P<.05), while HD patients had more NIACs, infections unrelated to access, access placement procedures, and interventional/surgical procedures (P<.001). LOS was longer with acute admissions than non-acute admissions (P<.001). Overall LOS and LOS in the intensive care unit were similar between HD and PD patients. High serum uric acid and low albumin levels were significant predictors of longer LOS (P=.022 and P=.045, respectively). Young age, more significant height deficit, and older age at the start of dialysis were predictors of longer cumulative hospital days (P=.002, P=.001, and P=.031, respectively). Access-related complications are the main drivers of hospitalization in pediatric dialysis patients, and growth and nutrition parameters are significant predictors of more extended hospital stays.

PurposeFeNi36 (Invar-36) alloy is widely used in the fabrication of molding tools in aerospace industries but there remains a need to improve its wear and friction performance due to its relatively low hardness. The formation of a heat affected zone (HAZ) on the surface of Invar-36 cut by wire electric discharge machining (WEDM) is promising to enhance its tribological properties. This study aims to investigate the tribological performance of WEDM-treated Invar-36 via a ball-on-disk tribometer in dry-sliding conditions.Design/methodology/approachThe untreated and WEDM-treated Invar-36 surfaces were reciprocated against an alumina ball at a sliding velocity of 40 mm/s, a stroke length of 10 mm and a sliding duration of 125 min under loads of 5, 10 and 20 N. The worn surfaces were characterized using a 2D profilometry and a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy.FindingsThe results showed that the WEDM-treated surface had a superior friction coefficient and wear resistance in comparison to the untreated surface, due to the grown HAZ. There was found to be a 9.3%–11.4% decrease in the friction coefficient and a 47%–57% reduction in the wear volume after the WEDM treatment. Both the untreated and WEDM-treated Invar-36 surfaces found abrasion and plastic deformation as the dominant wear mechanisms.Originality/valuePrevious works have not focused on the tribological performance of the WEDM-treated Invar-36 extensively used for molding tools in aerospace industries. Our findings provide compelling evidence that the WEDM treatment improved the wear and friction performance of Invar-36 alloy because of the grown HAZ.

BackgroundThis study aims to investigate the effects of the swaddling method on the stress levels in newborns receiving nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP).MethodsThe study was conducted between 1 June 2022 and 1 October 2022 with 40 newborns who underwent nCPAP in the second-level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a city hospital in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Data were collected using a descriptive form, including the characteristics of newborns, a patient follow-up chart, and the Newborn Stress Scale (NSS). The descriptive form, the patient follow-up chart, and the NSS were completed by the researcher 30 min after the nCPAP was started and the first saliva sample was taken. The patient follow-up chart and NSS were completed 30 min after applying the swaddling method and the second saliva sample was collected. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 package software and presented with number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, min-max, and t-test.ResultsThe study found that the mean score of the NSS after the intervention (3.52 ± 2.57) was lower than that before the intervention (10.02 ± 2.05) (p < 0.05). The mean saliva cortisol levels of the newborns after the intervention (4.99 ± 1.89) were lower than before the intervention (5.51 ± 1.65) (p < 0.05). The mean heart (135.50 ± 14.15) and respiratory rates (68.07 ± 10.16) of the newborns after the intervention were lower than those before the intervention (140.82 ± 18.11; 72.95 ± 9.06, respectively) (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the mean oxygen saturation of newborns before and after the intervention (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThe study showed that the swaddling method played a role in reducing the stress levels in newborns who underwent nCPAP. It is recommended that randomized controlled trials examining the effect of swaddling on the stress levels of newborns who underwent nCPAP be conducted.