Synthesis and characterization of surface-modified magnetic mesoporous silicate materials for phosphate adsorption.

The magnetic mesoporous silica material, Mag-MCM-41, was synthesized by coating magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with a mesoporous material called MCM-41. Mag-MCM-41 and modified nanomaterials Mag-MCM-41-NN and Mag-MCM-41-NN-Fe+3 which were modified with aminopropyl functional groups. In water and wastewater, phosphate anions are considered significant contaminants due to their detrimental impact on the environment. They promote the growth of algae, leading to eutrophication. The purpose of this study is to investigate the removal of phosphate anions from aqueous solutions using modified magnetic silica particles. The Mag-MCM-41 material exhibits hexagonal properties and belongs to the class of "mesoporous" materials. It has a surface area of 923 m2.g-1, which was determined through N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, FTIR, TEM, BET, and SAXS analysis. Kinetic and adsorption isotherm studies were conducted using Mag-MCM-41, Mag-MCM-41-NN, and Mag-MCM-41-NN-Fe+3 adsorbents to examine the behavior of phosphate anions. The kinetic and adsorption isotherm studies of phosphate anions revealed that the adsorption process on Mag-MCM-41, Mag-MCM-41-NN, and Mag-MCM-41-NN-Fe+3 adsorbents followed the chemical adsorption mechanism. Phosphate adsorption on all adsorbents occurred in a monolayer, and the MCM-41-NN-Fe+3 adsorbent exhibited the highest maximum adsorption capacity (qm) value of 112.87 mg.g-1 compared to the other adsorbents.

Bronchodilator reversibility testing in long-term cough and dyspnea after Covid-19 viral infection: a trigger for asthma?

Objective: This study aims to investigate the presence of underlying chronic airway disease in individuals with chronic cough and dyspnea lasting longer than eight weeks and who had previously Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and had no known lung disease.Methods: A total of 151 patients admitted to the respiratory diseases outpatient room with the complaint of cough and/or dyspnea that persisted for at least eight weeks following COVID-19 infection were accrued to the study. Demographic characteristics, smoking history, the severity of lung involvement on chest computed tomography in the acute phase of Covid-19 infection, and bronchodilator reversibility test results were recorded. Smoking history and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) were compared.Results: FEV1 increase ≥ 200 ml was observed in 40 (26.5%) patients. In 24 (15.9%) patients, an increase in FEV1 was found to be 200 ml and above, and the percentage of FEV1 was 12% or more. While 14 (9.3%) patients were diagnosed with asthma, 13 (8.6%) patients were diagnosed with nonreversible airflow obstruction (NRAO), and 1 (0.7%) patient was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Conclusions: COVID-19 infection may play a vital role in initiating asthma pathogenesis. It should be kept in mind that viral infection-related asthma may be the underlying cause of prolonged cough and dyspnea after COVID-19 infection.

Investigation of the frequency of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) in a study group with the diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism and in a control group without the diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism. This study compares these two groups in terms of demographic characteristics, chronic diseases and especially polysomnographic data. Methods: A total of 120 patients were included in this study. They consisted of 60 patients with newly diagnosed subclinical hypothyroidism and a control group of 60 patients with normal thyroid functions. Demographic, anthropometric, polysomnography data and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores of the patients were recorded and compared. Results: Any significant difference in the frequency and severity of OSAS was not detected. A significant difference was found in the oxygen desaturation index (ODI), the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) in rapid eye movement sleep, the AHI in supine sleep position and the arousal index of the group experiencing subclinical hypothyroidism with OSAS. Conclusion: This study showed that there was no increase in OSAS frequency in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, but it demonstrated that the ODI and the arousal index were significantly increased in OSAS patients diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism. It is thought that the diagnosis and treatment of OSAS in these patients may be important in preventing cardiovascular complications.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody research in patients with unprovoked pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 pandemic period.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a significant increase has been observed in patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism (PE) in our clinic. In addition to COVID-19-related PE, the increase in the number of patients with unprovoked or idiopathic PE was also noteworthy. Although it is not surprising that PE due to immobilization was observed in elderly patients and patients with comorbidities at risk for PE during the pandemic, it is important to investigate the increase in the number of unprovoked PE. Thus, we aimed to show that a previous COVID-19 infection may be a risk factor in these patients by examining the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-causing coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in patients diagnosed with unprovoked PE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants of the study consisted of 45 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with PE in our clinic, had no risk factors for PE, were considered unprovoked (idiopathic) PE, and had no history of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers were measured in the serum samples of the patients for detecting immunity as a result of encountering COVID-19. RESULTS: Of the 45 patients diagnosed with PE, 24 (53.3%) patients were diagnosed with computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA), and 21 (46.7%) patients were diagnosed with perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (Q-SPECT/CT). Immunity acquired after encountering COVID-19 was checked with the NCP kit, which revealed positive results in 9 (20%) patients. CONCLUSION: It should be kept in mind that some of the patients diagnosed with idiopathic PE during the pandemic may have embolism due to asymptomatic COVID-19. In addition, it is now known that COVID-19 also creates a tendency toward thrombosis in asymptomatic patients.

Two smoking-related lesions in the same pulmonary lobe of squamous cell carcinoma and pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a rare cystic lung disease usually affecting young adults. It is predicted that PLCH is a lung tumor precursor associated with dysfunction of the myeloid dendritic cells in the lung. CASE SUMMARY: A 70-year-old male patient presented with chronic cough and sputum. He had symptoms for 5 years and described shortness of breath on exertion for the previous 3 years. He had a 60 packs/year smoking history. Computerized tomography of the thorax revealed an 11-mm nodule in the right lung lower lobe superior segment and a 7-mm nodule in the right lung lower lobe poster basal segment. Those two nodules were resected by means of right thoracoscopic surgery. Pathological evaluation revealed a squamous cell carcinoma and PLCH. CONCLUSION: Coexistent squamous cell carcinoma and PLCH suggest possible association between PLCH and lung cancer.

Investigating the Differences in Polysomnography Results Evaluated According to the Recommended and Alternative Hypopnea Criteria Utilized in the Evaluation of Polysomnography.

OBJECTIVE: The criteria of hypopnea recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine until 2012 was 3% desaturation and 50% decline in the signal amplitude. The recommended and alternative criteria for hypopnea were determined as 3% desaturation accompanied by a 30% decline in the signal amplitude and 4% desaturation accompanied by a 30% decline in the amplitude by the 2013 update of the guideline was published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine in 2012. The objective of our study was to investigate to what degree scoring of hypopneas has great importance in the diagnosis and severity grading of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome according to different criteria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The present study was designed as a retrospective study in which the results of the polysomnography of 62 patients were recorded after evaluation according to 3 different hypopnea criteria. Criteria 1, criteria 2, and criteria 3 were accepted as a 3% drop in SaO2 accompanied by a 30% decline in the amplitude, as a 4% drop in SaO2 accompanied by a 30% decline in the amplitude, and as a 3% drop in SaO2 accompanied with a 50% decline in the amplitude, respectively. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were determined between criteria 1 and criteria 2, criteria 1 and criteria 3, and criteria 2 and criteria 3 regarding the numbers of hypopneas. CONCLUSION: For the same polysomnography, evaluations with different accepted hypopnea criteria cause different polysomnography results.

Investigation of perfusion defects by Q-SPECT/CT in patients with mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 and low clinical probability for pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary embolism is a severe source of mortality and morbidity in patients with severe and critical coronavirus disease 2019. It is not yet clear whether the tendency to thrombosis is increased in the mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19. Our research aims to show the clinical benefit of Q-SPECT/CT in diagnosing PD in outpatients treated with mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 and to determine the frequency of perfusion defects in these patients having relatively lower risk. METHODS: All patients who underwent Q-SPECT/CT with suspicion of embolism were examined retrospectively. Only patients with low clinical probability and mild-to-moderate course of COVID-19 for PE were included in the study. The patients were evaluated comparatively as those with and without perfusion defects. Patients were divided into laboratory suspicion, clinical suspicion, or clinical and laboratory suspicion. RESULTS: In outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 with low clinical probability for PE, PD without CT abnormality was detected with a rate of 36.6% with Q-SPECT/CT performed for complaints of high D-dimer and/or dyspnea. None of the patients had PD at more proximal level than the segment level. PD with no concomitant CT abnormality was observed with a rate of 56.5% in patients with both clinical and laboratory suspicion. For D-dimer = 0.5 mg/dL cut-off sensitivity is 85%, for D-dimer = 1.5 mg/dL cut-off specificity 81%. CONCLUSION: Thrombosis tendency is also present in outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, and these patients should also be offered anticoagulant prophylaxis during the COVID-19 period.