Serum Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor Levels in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Patients and Relationship with Clinical Parameters

( Ali Pekcan Demiröz ),( Reyhan Öztürk ),( Şener Barut ),( Salih Cesur ),( Semanur Ayyıldız ),( Vildan Fidancı ),( Osman Demir ),( Ferdi Güneş ),( Laser Şanal ) 대한간학회 2017 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2017 No.1

Aims: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) are leading causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. Defining of inflammatory activity and severity of disease is important for commencing antiviral treatment and monitoring the patient. Currently noninvasive serological markers to define disease activity are of great interest. In this study we aimed to determine soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels of patients with CHB and CHC, compare its levels with those of controls and to find if suPAR levels correlated with some laboratory parameters, histologic activity index (HAI) and fibrosis stage. Methods: Twenty-eight patients with CHB, 11 patients with CHC and 41 healthy subjects, eighty subjects in total, were included in the study. suPAR levels of all subjects were determined using commercial ELISA kits according to manufacturer’s instructions. Correlation between suPAR levels and parameters including AST, ALT, leukocyte count, thrombocyte count and liver histology scores were statistically analyzed. Results: Fifty percent of CHB patients were on oral antiviral treatment. Serum suPAR levels of both CHB and CHC patients were higher than controls (p< 0,001). Age, suPAR, HAI, AST, ALT, leukocyte and thrombocyte counts of subjects in different groups (CHB, CHC patients and controls) were shown in table 1. When we divided patients into two groups according to HBV DNA, suPAR levels were not different between patients with HBV DNA >1000 IU/ml and those with HBV DNA<1000 IU/ml. suPAR levels were not found to be correlated with AST, ALT levels, thrombocyte and leukocyte counts or histologic findings. Conclusions: In both CHB and CHC patients, suPAR levels were determined to be higher than healthy controls although suPAR was not found to be correlated with diseae activity or severity related parameters. However new wide scale studies are needed to investigate the relation between suPAR and disease activity or fibrosis stage.

Strengthening of reinforced concrete beams using external steel members

Ali Demir,Emre Ercan,Duygu Dönmez Demir 국제구조공학회 2018 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.27 No.4

The objective of this study is to devise an alternative strengthening method to the ones available in the literature. So, external steel members were used to enhance both flexural and shear capacities of reinforced concrete (RC) beams having insufficient shear capacity. Two types of RC beams, one without stirrups and one with lacking stirrups, were prepared in the study. These beams were strengthened with external steel clamps devised by the authors and with external longitudinal reinforcements. Although the use of clamps alone didn’t have a significant effect on the load carrying capacity of the tested beams, the ductility increased approximately tenfold and the failure behavior changed from brittle to ductile. Although the use of clamps and longitudinal reinforcements together did not significantly increase the ductility of the beams, it approximately doubled their load capacities. The results of the experimental study were compared to the ones obtained from nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) and it was observed that they were compatible. Finally, it can be concluded that the devised method could be applied to structural members as an alternative to methods in application due to lightness, low-cost, easy applicable and reliable.

Effect of Mentoring Program on Ways of Coping with Stress and Locus of Control for Nursing Students

Satı Demir,Sevil Güler Demir,Hülya Bulut,Filiz Hisar 한국간호과학회 2014 Asian Nursing Research Vol.8 No.4

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 14-week mentoring program for first year nursing students and their ways of coping with stress and locus of control. Methods: The study was designed as a quasi-experimental study. Sixty-six first year students (mentees) and 66 fourth year students (mentors) were eligible to be in the mentoring program. Mentors and mentees contacted each other weekly, as required, to provide information and support. In order to determine the efficiency of the mentoring program, a Locus of Control Scale, the Ways of Coping Inventory and Mentoring Assessment Form were filled out by mentees. Results: In this study the mentoring program increased students' internal locus of control and active coping with stress. The increase in internal locus of control showed parallelism with students' behaviors of seeking social support. Conclusion: It is recommended that in nursing schools, the mentoring program be used as an additional program.

Influence of deposition conditions on nanostructured InSe thin films

Kübra Çınar Demir,Emre Demir,Seniye Yüksel,Cevdet Coşkun 한국물리학회 2019 Current Applied Physics Vol.19 No.12

In this study, nanostructured indium selenide (InSe) thin films were deposited on Indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate using electrochemical deposition (ECD) from aqueous solution containing In(SO4)3.H2O and SeO2. The effects of deposition potential (−0.70 to −1.35 V), time (30-3600 s), temperature (25-80 °C) and pH (2.58 for A samples; 2 for B samples and 1.45 for C samples) on growth of the InSe thin films were examined in terms of their structural, morphological and optical properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the InSe thin films are in polycrystalline structure. It was found that the values of grain size decreased and the full width half maximum (FWHM) values increased with the increasing deposition potential. According to the absorption measurements, optical properties of the thin films varied with changes in deposition conditions. Based on the atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, surface morphology of the thin films was influenced by deposition potential and pH of the electrolyte, and nonhomogeneous depositions distributed across the entire surface were observed. In addition, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses were used to further examine crystal quality, vibration, chemical binding conditions, In/Se orientation and structure of the prepared InSe thin films. When Raman results are examined, the B12 sample shows a more intensity and narrow peak at 248 cm−1. XPS measurements sowed that A6 sample exhibited more growth in low potential for a long time and better film stoichiometry compared to the other three samples. Also, FT-IR studies prove the presence of InSe. According to the results, the film did not form at low temperatures and short times. However, the film formation began with the increasing deposition temperature and time at the low potential value of −0.730 V. But, it is clear that a high quality film can be obtained in cathodic potential with −1.3 V and shorter deposition time with 300 s at room temperature respectively. Overall results showed that the high quality thin films can be obtained by the ECD technique. However, deposition conditions must be sensitively adjusted to control morphology of the electrodeposited nanoparticles.

Effect of Reiki on Symptom Management in Oncology

Demir, Melike,Can, Gulbeyaz,Celek, Enis Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.8

Reiki is a form of energy therapy in which the therapist, with or without light touch, is believed to access universal energy sources that can strengthen the body's ability to heal itself, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain and stress. There is currently no licensing for Reiki nor, given its apparent low risk, is there likely to be. Reiki appears to be generally safe, and serious adverse effects have not been reported. So in this article provides coverage of how to use Reiki in oncology services.

Clinical evaluation of efficacy of transcortical anesthesia for the extraction of impacted mandibular third molars: a randomized controlled trial

Demir, Esin,Ataoglu, Hanife The Korean Dental Society of Anesthsiology 2020 Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Vol.20 No.1

Background: This study aimed to compare the pain levels during anesthesia and the efficacy of the QuickSleeper intraosseous (IO) injection system and conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in impacted mandibular third molar surgery. Methods: This prospective randomized clinical trial included 30 patients (16 women, 14 men) with bilateral symmetrical impacted mandibular third molars. Thirty subjects randomly received either the IO injection or conventional IANB at two successive appointments. A split-mouth design was used in which each patient underwent treatment of a tooth with one of the techniques and treatment of the homologous contralateral tooth with the other technique. The subjects received 1.8 mL of 2% articaine. Subjects' demographic data, pain levels during anesthesia induction, tooth extractions, and mouth opening on postoperative first, third, and seventh days were recorded. Pain assessment ratings were recorded using the 100-mm visual analog scale. The latency and duration of the anesthetic effect, complications, and operation duration were also analyzed in this study. The duration of anesthetic effect was considered using an electric pulp test and by probing the soft tissue with an explorer. Results: Thirty patients aged between 18 and 47 years (mean age, 25 years) were included in this study. The IO injection was significantly less painful with lesser soft tissue numbness and quicker onset of anesthesia and lingual mucosa anesthesia with single needle penetration than conventional IANB. Moreover, 19 out of 30 patients (63%) preferred transcortical anesthesia. Mouth opening on postoperative first day was significantly better with intraosseous injection than with conventional IANB (P = 0.013). Conclusion: The IO anesthetic system is a good alternative to IANB for extraction of the third molar with less pain during anesthesia induction and sufficient depth of anesthesia for the surgical procedure.

Hormone Receptor, HER2/NEU and EGFR Expression in Ovarian Carcinoma - is here a Prognostic Phenotype?

Demir, Lutfiye,Yigit, Seyran,Sadullahoglu, Canan,Akyol, Murat,Cokmert, Suna,Kucukzeybek, Yuksel,Alacacioglu, Ahmet,Cakalagaoglu, Fulya,Tarhan, Mustafa Oktay Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.22

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effects of hormone receptor, HER2, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) prognosis and investigate whether or not phenotypic subtypes might exist. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 82 patients who were diagnosed with EOC between 2003 and 2012 and treated by platinum-based chemotherapy were retrospectively evaluated. Expression of EGFR, oestrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and cerbB2 (HER2) receptors were assessed immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded tissues of these patients. Three phenotypic subtypes were defined according to ER, PR, and HER2 expression and associations of these with EGFR expression, clinicopathologic features, platinum sensitivity, and survival were investigated. Results: When we classified EOC patients into three subtypes, 63.4% had hormone receptor positive (HR(+)) (considering breast cancer subtypes, luminal A), 18.3% had triple negative, and 18.3% had HER2(+) disease. EGFR positivity was observed in 37 patients (45.1%) and was significantly more frequent with advanced disease (p=0.013). However, no significant association with other clinicopathologic features and platinum sensitivity was observed. HER2(+) patients had significantly poorer outcomes than HER2(-) counterparts (triple negative and HR positive patients) (p=0.019). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the strongest risk factor for death was residual disease after primary surgery. Conclusions: Triple negative EOC may not be an aggressive phenotype as in breast cancer. The HER2 positive EOC has more aggressive behaviour compared to triple negative and HR(+) phenotypes. EGFR expression is more frequent in advanced tumours, but is not related with poorer outcome. Additional ovarian cancer molecular subtyping using gene expression analysis may provide more reliable data.

Effects of Distant Reiki On Pain, Anxiety and Fatigue in Oncology Patients in Turkey: A Pilot Study

Demir, Melike,Can, Gulbeyaz,Kelam, Ayhan,Aydiner, Aydin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.12

Background: Fatigue, stress and pain are common symptoms among cancer patients, affecting the quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of distant Reiki on pain, anxiety and fatigue in oncology patients. Materials and Methods: Participants in the control group received usual medical and nursing care during their stay. The intervention group received usual care plus five distant Reiki sessions, one each night for 30 min. A face to face interview was performed and patient personal and illness related characteristics were evaluated using the Patient Characteristics form. Pain, stress and fatigue were evaluated according to a numeric rating scale. Results: The experimental group was predominantly composed of women (71.4%), married individuals (40%), and primary school graduates (40%). The control group was predominantly male (72.7%), married (60%), and primary school graduates (60%). The control group demonstrated greater levels of pain (p=0.002), stress (p=0.001) and fatigue (p=0.001). The Reiki group pain score (p <0.0001), stress score (p <0.001) and fatigue score were also significantly lower. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that Reiki may d ecreasepain, anxiety and fatigue in oncology patients.

Failure analysis of steel column-RC base connections under lateral cyclic loading

Demir, Serhat,Husem, Metin,Pul, Selim Techno-Press 2014 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.50 No.4

One of the most important structural components of steel structures is the column-base connections which are obliged to transfer horizontal and vertical loads safely to the reinforced concrete (RC) or concrete base. The column-base connections of steel or composite steel structures can be organized both moment resistant and non-moment resistant leading to different connection styles. Some of these connection styles are ordinary bolded systems, socket systems and embedded systems. The structures are frequently exposed to cycling lateral loading effects causing fatal damages on connections like columns-to-beams or columns-to-base. In this paper, connection of steel column with RC base was investigated analytically and experimentally. In the experiments, bolded connections, socket and embedded connection systems are taken into consideration by applying cyclic lateral loads. Performance curves for each connection were obtained according to experimental and analytical studies conducted and inelastic behavior of connections was evaluated accordingly. The cyclic lateral performance of the connection style of embedding the steel column into the reinforced concrete base and strengthening of steel column in upper level of base connection was found to be higher and effective than other connection systems. Also, all relevant test results were discussed.

Comparison of retention characteristics of Essix and Hawley retainers

Demir, Abdullah,Babacan, Hasan,Nalcaci, Ruhi,Topcuoglu, Tolga The Korean Association Of Orthodontists 2012 대한치과교정학회지 Vol.42 No.5

Objective: We aimed to compare the retention characteristics of Essix and Hawley retainers. Methods: Adolescents undergoing fixed appliance treatment at 2 centers were recruited for this study. Twenty-two patients (16 women and 6 men) wore Essix retainers (Essix group) while 20 (14 women and 6 men) wore Hawley retainers (Hawley group). The mean retention time was 1 year, and the mean follow-up recall time for both groups was 2 years. Two qualified dental examiners evaluated the blind patient data. Maxillary and mandibular dental casts and lateral cephalograms were analyzed at 4 stages: pretreatment (T1), post-treatment (T2), post-retention (T3), and follow-up (T4). Results: The results revealed that Essix appliances were more efficient in retaining the anterior teeth in the mandible during a 1-year retention period. The irregularity index increased in both arches in both groups after a 2-year post-retention period. The mandibular arch lengths increased during treatment and tended to return to their original value after retention in both groups; however, these changes were statistically significant only in the Hawley group. Cephalometric variables did not show any significant differences. Conclusions: The retention characteristics of both Essix and Hawley retainers are similar.