Testicular sex cord-stromal tumors in mice with constitutive activation of PI3K and loss of Pten.

Testicular tumors are the most common malignancy of young men and tumors affecting the testis are caused by somatic mutations in germ or germ-like cells. The PI3K pathway is constitutively activated in about one third of testicular cancers. To investigate the role of the PI3K pathway in transforming stem-like cells in the testis, we investigated tumors derived from mice with post-natal, constitutive activation of PI3K signaling and homozygous deletion of tumor suppressor Pten, targeted to nestin expressing cells.

A comprehensive review on organ-on-chips as powerful preclinical models to study tissue barriers.

In the preclinical stage of drug development, 2D and 3D cell cultures under static conditions followed by animal models are utilized. However, these models are insufficient to recapitulate the complexity of human physiology. With the developing organ-on-chip (OoC) technology in recent years, human physiology and pathophysiology can be modeled better than traditional models.

Retirement psychology scale: development and standardization.

Objectives: This study was conducted with the aim of developing a scale to measure 'retirement psychology' in order to better understand the impact of the retirement process on individuals' psychological states.

Method: A total of 437 retired people took part in the study. The Retirement Psychology Scale was developed in five stages.

Desferrioxamine B (DFOB) assisted nanofiltration system for the recycling of gallium from low concentrated wastewater.

Gallium is classified as a technology metal as it is important for technological innovations. It is also referred to as a strategic metal, which emphasizes its economic relevance. In addition, gallium is a critical raw material that is strategically important but only available in limited quantities.

Charting the shared genetic architecture of Alzheimer's disease, cognition, and educational attainment, and associations with brain development.

The observation that the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is reduced in individuals with high premorbid cognitive functioning, higher educational attainment, and occupational status has led to the 'cognitive reserve' hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that individuals with greater cognitive reserve can tolerate a more significant burden of neuropathological changes before the onset of cognitive decline. The underpinnings of cognitive reserve remain poorly understood, although a shared genetic basis between measures of cognitive reserve and Alzheimer's disease has been suggested.

Investigation of Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Photonic-like Welded Materials Using the Finite Element Method.

In this study, two identical and two dissimilar materials are conjoined by applying the friction welding method to yield various rods. This investigation's primary focus entails examining the repercussions associated with the heat-affected zone (HAZ) arising from elevated temperatures at the welding interfaces on the propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves within the resultant structures. The study incorporates the photonic crystal approach in conjunction with Maxwell's equations, and the subsequent solution of the latter is executed using the finite element method.

Comparative Study of Polymer of Intrinsic Microporosity-Derivative Polymers in Pervaporation and Water Vapor Permeance Applications.

This study assesses the gas and water vapor permeance of PIM-derivative thin-film composite (TFC) membranes using pervaporation and "pressure increase" methods, and provides a comparative view of "time lag" measurements of thick films obtained from our previous work. In this study, TFC membranes were prepared using PIM-1 and homopolymers that were modified with different side groups to explore their effects on gas and water vapor transport. Rigid and bulky aliphatic groups were used to increase the polymer's free volume and were evaluated for their impact on both gas and water transport.

Developing the Scale of the Social Health Impact of War.

This study was conducted to develop the "Scale of the Effects of War on Social Health" to better understand the effects that news of have on individuals. 389 adult individuals participated in the study. The scale was developed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to test its structural validity.

Can maternal inflammatory and nutritional status, evaluated by the hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in the first trimester, predict late-onset fetal growth restriction?

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of immunonutritional markers, specifically the hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet (HALP) score and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), in predicting late-onset fetal growth restriction (LO-FGR) during the first trimester.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care center between October 2022 and August 2023. The study included a total of 213 singleton pregnancies, with 99 women in the LO-FGR group and 114 in the healthy control group, matched by maternal age and gestational age at delivery.

Significance of measuring anthropometric and atherogenic indices in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent hormonal disorder affecting 5-15% of women of reproductive age, characterized by ovulatory dysfunction, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovarian morphology. PCOS is associated with metabolic disturbances such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance (IR), and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease.

Objective: The aim of this study is to apply new anthropometric indices [body adiposity index (BAI), visceral adiposity Index (VAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), body roundness index (BRI), a body shape index (ABSI)] and new atherogenic indices [Castelli index-I, Castelli index-II, atherogenic risk of plasma (AIP), atherogenic coefficient (AC), lipoprotein combined index (LCI), triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR), triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, triglyceride glucose-dody mass (TyG-BMI) index, triglyceride glucose-waist circumference (TyG-WC) index] metabolic score of insulin resistance to patients with PCOS.

Elucidating the Mechanism of Electro-Adsorption on Electrically Conductive Ultrafiltration Membranes via Modified Poisson-Boltzmann Equation.

Electrically conductive membranes (ECMs) were prepared by coating porous ethylenediamine-modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN-EDA) UF membranes with an ultrathin layer of platinum (Pt) nanoparticles through magnetron sputtering. These ECMs were used in electrofiltration to study the removal of brilliant blue dye from an aqueous solution under positive electrical potentials (0-2.5 V).

Identifying risk factors for blood culture negative infective endocarditis: An international ID-IRI study.

Background: Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) is a diagnostic challenge, therefore our objective was to pinpoint high-risk cohorts for BCNE.

Methods: The study included adult patients with definite endocarditis. Data were collected via the Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI).

Can Multisensory Olfactory Training Improve Olfactory Dysfunction Caused by COVID-19?

Approximately 30-60% of people suffer from olfactory dysfunction (OD) such as hyposmia or anosmia after being diagnosed with COVID-19; 15-20% of these cases last beyond resolution of the acute phase. Previous studies have shown that olfactory training can be beneficial for patients affected by OD caused by viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether a multisensory olfactory training involving simultaneously tasting and seeing congruent stimuli is more effective than the classical olfactory training.

Enhanced UV Penetration and Cross-Linking of Isoporous Block Copolymer and Commercial Ultrafiltration Membranes using Isorefractive Solvent.

Amphiphilic block copolymers are promising candidates for the fabrication of ultrafiltration membranes with an isoporous integral asymmetric structure. The membranes are typically fabricated by the combination of block copolymer self-assembly and the non-solvent-induced phase separation (SNIPS) process resulting in isoporous integral asymmetric membranes. Certainly, all these membranes lack thermal and chemical stability limiting the usage of such materials.

Physical activity, anxiety, depression, and coping in Turkish men and women during the first wave of COVID-19.

A need exists to better understand the relationships between COVID-19, coping behaviors, physical activity and stress, and COVID-19's impact on way of life. A cross-sectional study design was used to examine adult physical activity, hope, depression, anxiety, and coping status by gender during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the impact of these variables on the coping process. The study also examined the effect of gender on the relation between physical activity and dependent variables.

COSGAP: COntainerized Statistical Genetics Analysis Pipelines.

Summary: The collection and analysis of sensitive data in large-scale consortia for statistical genetics is hampered by multiple challenges, due to their non-shareable nature. Time-consuming issues in installing software frequently arise due to different operating systems, software dependencies, and limited internet access. For federated analysis across sites, it can be challenging to resolve different problems, including format requirements, data wrangling, setting up analysis on high-performance computing (HPC) facilities, etc.

GpEF1A: a novel lysine methyltransferase gene from Gypsophila perfoliata L. involved in boron homeostasis.

Rapid accumulation of boron (B) leads to toxicity in plant tissues, and the narrow gap between deficiency and toxicity makes it difficult to adjust essential B levels in soil for plant productivity. Therefore, understanding different aspects of B tolerance is necessary to provide new and valid solutions to B toxicity. Gypsophila perfoliata stands out as a remarkable example of a B-tolerant plant, with a natural propensity to thrive in environments such as B mines and soils enriched with high levels of B.

Evaluation of effectiveness of osteopathic visceral manipulation in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain: A multi-center, single-blind, randomized-controlled study.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of osteopathic visceral manipulation (OVM) combined with physical therapy in pain, depression, and functional impairment in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain (LBP).

Patients And Methods: A total of 118 patients with chronic mechanical LBP were assessed, and 86 who met the inclusion criteria were included in the randomized-controlled study between January 2021 and August 2022. The patients were randomized to either Group 1 (n=43), which underwent physical therapy (5 days/week, for a total of 15 sessions) combined with OVM (2 days/week with three-day intervals), or Group 2 (n=43), which underwent physical therapy (5 days/week, for a total of 15 sessions) combined with sham OVM (2 days/week with three-day intervals).

Exploring Physical Education Teachers' Intention and Perceived Constraints in Offering Online Lessons Using the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Multi-Country Analysis.

Guided by the theory of planned behavior, this study aimed to determine the influence of Physical Education (PE) teachers' attitudes, their perceived behavioral control, and the influence of subjective norms on their intention and constraints (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural) to offer a high-quality class based on best practices to deliver PE lessons online during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional, multi-country survey study recruited PE teachers from five countries (China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Turkey, and the United States). A total of 928 online questionnaires were used in the analysis.

The moderating role of work experience in the effect of ethical culture on whistleblowing in healthcare professionals and the effect of organizational trust on whistleblowing.

Objective: This study aims to determine the moderator role of work experience in the impact of ethical culture perceptions of healthcare professionals on their whistleblowing tendencies. It is also to reveal the effect of organizational trust on whistleblowing.

Methods: The population of the study consists of health personnel working in the public or private sector in Turkey.

Design of Modified Polymer Membranes Using Machine Learning.

Surface modification is an attractive strategy to adjust the properties of polymer membranes. Unfortunately, predictive structure-processing-property relationships between the modification strategies and membrane performance are often unknown. One possibility to tackle this challenge is the application of data-driven methods such as machine learning.