How to improve representativeness and cost-effectiveness in samples recruited through meta: A comparison of advertisement tools.

The use of paid advertisements on social media, in particular Meta platforms, to create samples for online survey research is becoming increasingly common. In addition to researchers working on hard-to-reach populations, Meta's promise of unmediated, quick, and cheap access to a large pool of survey takers across the world is appealing also for researchers who want to create diverse samples of national populations for cheaper prices. Yet the design of Meta's advertisement optimization algorithm complicates the use of Meta advertisements for this purpose, as it generates a trade-off between cost-effectiveness and sample representativeness. In this paper, we rely on original online surveys conducted in the United Kingdom, Turkey, Spain, and the Czech Republic to explore how two primary tools determining the audience of Meta advertisements, i.e., campaign objectives and demographic targeting, affect the recruitment process, response quality, and sample characteristics. In addition to documenting the trade-offs between the cost and representativeness in Meta samples, our paper also shows that researchers can create high-quality, cost-efficient, and diverse samples if they use the right combination of Meta advertisement tools.

The effect of the calcium channel blocker nimodipine on hippocampal BDNF/Ach levels in rats with experimental cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) occurs in approximately 10% to 30% of individuals aged 65 or older worldwide. Novel therapeutic agents therefore need to be discovered in addition to traditional medications. Nimodipine appears to possess the potential to reverse cognitive impairment-induced dysfunction in learning and memory through its regulatory effect on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), acetylcholine (Ach), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) pathway in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats weighing 380 ± 10 g were used for behavioral and biochemical analyses. These were randomly and equally assigned into one of three groups. Group 1 received saline solution alone via the intraperitoneal (i.p) route, and Group 2 received 1 mg/kg/day i.p. scopolamine once a day for three weeks for induction of learning and memory impairments. In Group 3, 10 mg/kg/day nimodipine was prepared in tap water and administered orally every day for three weeks, followed after 30 min by 1 mg/kg/day scopolamine i.p. Behavior was evaluated using the Morris Water Maze test. BDNF, ACh, and AChE levels were determined using the ELISA test in line with the manufacturer's instructions. RESULTS: Nimodipine treatment significantly increased the time spent in the target quadrant and the number of entries into the target quadrant compared to the scopolamine group alone. Additionally, BDNF and ACh levels in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex decreased following 20-day scopolamine administration, while AChE activation increased. CONCLUSION: Nimodipine exhibited potentially beneficial effects by ameliorating cognitive decline following scopolamine administration in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

Injury mechanisms and injury severity scores as determinants of urban terrorism-related thoracoabdominal injuries.

Objectives: Improving the care of injuries resulting from terrorist attacks requires understanding injury mechanisms in armed conflicts. The aim of this study was to identify injury characteristics in military personnel with thoracoabdominal combat injuries resulting from terrorist attacks in urban settings. Material and Methods: A retrospective study of military personnel with thoracoabdominal injuries who were referred to a tertiary center after treating and stabilizing at a primary healthcare organization due to terror-related injuries in various urban regions of Turkey between June 2015 and December 2016 was performed. Results: A total of 70 patients were included in this study, of whom 87.1% were injured by explosives and 12.9% (n= 9) had gunshot wounds (GSWs). Mean injury severity score (ISS) was 21, blood transfusion amount was 3.7 units, and mortality rate was 8.5%. Patients injured by explosives had most commonly abdominal and extremity injuries (31.1%), whereas isolated abdominal injuries (55.6%) were observed among patients with GSWs. There were no significant differences between the mechanisms of injuries and the ISS, blood transfusion, and mortality (p= 0.635, p= 0.634, and p= 0.770, respectively). A significant correlation was observed between the ISS and transfusion amounts (r= 0.548, p <0.001). Mortality was significantly higher in those with a high ISS and those undergoing massive blood transfusions (p= 0.004 and p <0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Explosive injuries, concomitant vascular injuries, high ISS, and the need for massive transfusions increased the mortality rate in urban combat injuries. To quickly identify high-risk patients and improve the care of injuries, it is essential to use predictive models or scoring systems.

The effects of amiodarone in ovarian injury due to oxidative stress and inflammation caused by ischemia-reperfusion.

OBJECTIVE: Ovarian ischemia constitutes 2-3% of all gynecological emergencies. New-generation therapeutic agents need to be discovered, in addition to invasive interventions capable of reducing the risk of potential ovarian ischemia to a minimum and protecting against potential adverse outcomes. AIMS: To investigate the effects of amiodarone (AMD) on ischemia-reperfusion-induced oxidative stress and inflammation-induced ovarian damage. METHODS: The control group, received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of saline solution. The ischemia group (I-Group), was subjected to ischemia-induced injury without drug administration. The ischemia + AMD (50 mg/kg) group was subjected to ischemia injury and also received i.p. 50 mg/kg AMD prior to induction of ovarian ischemia. The ischemia-reperfusion (I/R group) was exposed to ischemia and reperfusion-induced injury without drug administration. The I/R + AMD (50 mg/kg) group underwent I/R injury together with i.p. administration of 50 mg/kg AMD prior to induction of ovarian I/R. The Sham + AMD group received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 50 mg/kg AMD alone. In this study performed thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), thiol (-SH), interleukin 1 Beta (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL-6), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κß). RESULTS: Increased oxidative stress and inflammation as a result of ovarian I and I/R application activated the cascade. AMD was not sufficient to reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation. TLR4 and NF-kß, which were up-regulated by triggering oxidative stress and inflammation, were not regressed by the effects of AMD. CONCLUSIONS: AMD, used as an antiarrhythmic agent, was found to be insufficient, despite its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, to reduce the experimentally induced ovarian tissue damage.

The protective effects of trimetazidine against ovary ischemia-reperfusion injury via the TLR4/Nf-kB signal pathway.

Late diagnosis and treatment of ovarian ischemia can lead to worsening of ischemia, irreversible damage to ovarian functions and infertility. In this process, there is no approved medical treatment that can reduce the negative effects of ischemia and contribute positively to ovarian functions during reperfusion after detorsion. Rats were randomly assigned into one of six groups of eight animals each. The groups were designed as follows: The control group, The ischemia(I) group, The Ischemia + Trimetazidine (I + TMZ) (20 mg/kg) group, and The ischemia-reperfusion group (I/R). The Ischemia-Reperfusion + Trimetazidine (I/R + TMZ) (20 mg/kg) group, and The Sham + Trimetazidine (Sham + TMZ) (20 mg/kg) group. In this study performed thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total thiol (-SH), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL-6), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κß). Increased oxidative stress and inflammation were as a result of ovarian I and I/R application. Trimetazidine (TMZ), was sufficient to reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation. TLR4 and NF-κß, which were upregulated by oxidative stress and inflammation, were regressed by TMZ. TMZ should be considered as a potential therapeutic agent in addition to surgery in the clinical treatment of ovarian torsion.

The effects of vitamin B12 on the TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway in ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury-related inflammation.

Ovarian ischemia is a gynecological emergency case that occurs as a result of ovarian torsion. Oxidative stress and inflammation play central roles in the development of ischemia/reperfusion injuries. We investigated the effects of Vitamin B12, thought to possess antioxidant characteristics on oxidative stress and the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4)/nuclear factorkappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway in the ovaries during ischemia-reperfusion. Forty-eight rats were randomly assigned into six groups and the groups are designed as follows: Control (C), Ischemia (I), Ischemia + Vitamin B12 (I + B12), Ischemia-Reperfusion (I/R), I/R + Vitamin B12 (I/R + B12) and Sham + Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 was administered at a dose of 400 mcg/kg via the i.p. route once daily for three days before I/R procedure. Tissue interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in ovarian tissue increased following I/R, while glutathione (GSH) levels decreased. Moreover, extensive congestion, edema, hemorrhage and defective follicle were observed. Both NF-κB and TLR-4 expression levels also increased in the group exposed to I/R. While GSH levels increased, IL-1ß, IL-6, MDA, NF-κB and TLR-4 levels decreased with Vitamin B12 treatment. In addition, ovarian tissue without edema, mild congestion, and normal-appearing follicles were observed following Vitamin B12 administration. The findings showed that I/R in ovarian tissue resulted in significant tissue damage by increasing oxidative stress and inflammation. However, Vitamin B12 application was effective and alternative agent in reducing injury deriving from inflammation and oxidative stress developing in association with I/R in ovarian tissue.

Effects of mirabegron on depression, anxiety, learning and memory in mice.

Mirabegron is the first b3-adrenoceptor agonist to enter clinical practice and has been approved for the treatment of symptoms of OAB. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the mirabegron has an effect on depression, anxiety, learning, and memory. We investigated the effects of mirabegron on depression, anxiety, learning and memory by using forced swimming test, elevated plus maze test, passive avoidance and Morris water maze in mice. Imipramine and mirabegron (3, 6 and 9 mg/kg) significantly reduced immobility time in forced swimming test. Diazepam and mirabegron (3, 6 and 9 mg/kg) significantly increased the time spent in open arms and the number of entries to the open arms in elevated plus maze test. Furthermore, cognitive performance impaired with scopolamine has been significantly improved with 9 mg/kg mirabegron. Mirabegron (6 and 9 mg/kg) significantly increased the time spent in the target quadrant in naive mice. While scopolamine significantly increased the swimming speed, mirabegron (9 mg/kg) significantly decreased the swimming speed in scopolamine-treated mice. Mirabegron might be clinically useful for the treatment of OAB in elderly patients that should use drugs against depression and anxiety, without disrupt learning and memory.