This study examines a mediated model of ethical leadership on ethical climate, turnover intention, and affective commitment. It is suggested that managers are role models in their organizations. ...Specifically, through ethical leadership behavior, managers can influence perceptions of ethical climate, which in turn will positively influence organizational members' turnover intention, and affective commitment. The results indicate that ethical leadership has both direct and indirect effect on affective commitment and turnover intention. The indirect effect of ethical leadership involves shaping perceptions of ethical climate, which in turn, engenders greater affective organizational commitment and less turnover intention.
Removal of Pb2+ and Ni2+ from aqueous solutions by sorption onto natural bentonite was investigated. Experiments were carried out as a function of particle size, the amount of bentonite, pH, ...concentration of metals, contact time, and temperature. The adsorption patterns of metal ions onto followed the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms. This included adsorption isotherms of single-metal solutions at 303 K by batch experiments. The thermodynamic parameters (DeltaH,DeltaS,DeltaG) for Pb2+ and Ni2+ sorption onto bentonite were also determined from the temperature dependence. The adsorptions were endothermic reactions. The results suggested that natural bentonite is suitable as a sorbent material for recovery and adsorption of metal ions from aqueous solutions.
To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and signal characteristics of parotid masses and investigate the added role of texture analysis (TA) in the differentiation of parotid tumours.
...Ninety-five patients (42 women, 53 men; mean age 51.67±14.15) were included in this study. The study group consisted of 40 pleomorphic adenoma, 45 Warthin's tumour, and 10 mucoepidermoid carcinomas. Two reviewers assessed the MRI sequences retrospectively. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted axial images were used for TA. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to evaluate the ability to make a diagnosis. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the independent risk factors among the MRI features and to analyse the added value of TA to the qualitative analysis.
Significant differences were found in the tumour border (p<0.001), infiltration of the surrounding tissue (p=0.003), contrast-enhancement grading (p<0.001), perineural spread (p=0.013), and pathological lymph nodes (p<0.001) between the malignant and benign tumours. Kurtosis on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images, and skewness and kurtosis on T2-weighted images were significantly different between the three groups (p=0.020, <0.001, 0.003; respectively). A kurtosis value on T2-weighted images <2.815 along with an ill-defined border had the highest specificity (98.8%) and positive predictive value (83.3%) in the differentiation of malignant tumours.
The addition of TA parameters to the MRI findings may contribute to distinguish benign from malignant parotid tumours.
•Texture analysis provides quantitative information of pixel intensities.•Texture analysis parameters significantly differed between parotid tumors.•T2-weighted kurtosis increased positive predictive value for malignancy.
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of infliximab on depression, anxiety and quality of life in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In this 6-week longitudinal study, ...16 patients with AS were assessed. Active disease as defined by BASDAI ≥4.0 was sought for inclusion. Infliximab was administered 5 mg/kg at 0, 2 weeks and 6 weeks. Collected data included age, sex and date of onset of rheumatologic disease. Activity of disease was measured using Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). Biological activity was evaluated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). ESR and CRP were assessed at baseline and day 42. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used to evaluate anxiety, depression and quality of life. BASDAI, SF-36, HADS and BDE were assessed prior to the initial infliximab dose and at 2nd, 14th and 42nd day. Seven (43.8%) AS patients had depression scores above the cut off value for both the HADS depression (HADS-D) and BDI and 4 (25 %) had high HADS anxiety scores at baseline. Significant time effect for BDI and HADS-D scores were observed. Although significantly lower BDI scores were found after first, second and third infusions of infliximab, compared to initial score, the significant decrease in HADS-D appeared after second and third infusions. A significant time effect for HADS-anxiety scores were found as well. All of the subscales of SF-36 improved significantly during the course, with an exception of role emotional, for which the difference approached to the significance. The change in BASDAI scores and CRP and ESR, in the treatment process, were not correlated with the change in depression and anxiety scores. Infliximab which is an anti-TNF-α drug, may be effective in the treatment of depression accompanying AS. Possible implications for the treatment of major depressive disorder were discussed, as well.
Objectives: Reactive haemophagocytic syndrome (RHS) is a hyperinflammatory disorder often occurring in the background of several disorders such as infections, malignancies, and rheumatic diseases. ...Recently, a score known as the HScore was developed for the diagnosis of RHS. In the original study, most of the patients had underlying haematological malignancy or infection and the best cut-off value for the HScore was 169 (sensitivity 93%; specificity 86%). In this study we aimed to analyse the performance of the HScore in rheumatic disease-related RHS.
Method: The patients with rheumatic disorders evaluated in the Departments of Rheumatology and Paediatric Rheumatology at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey between 2002 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The first group (n = 30) consisted of patients with RHS; the control group (n = 64) included patients with active rheumatic diseases without RHS.
Results: In the RHS group, 14 (46.7%) had adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD), 10 (33.3%) systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), and six (20%) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The control group (n = 64) consisted of 32 (50%) AOSD, 13 (20.3%) SJIA, and 19 (29.7%) SLE patients. Applying the HScore to the RHS patients, the best cut-off value was 190.5 with a sensitivity of 96.7% and specificity of 98.4%. When we excluded the patients from the control group who had not had bone marrow aspiration (n = 23), the same cut-off (190.5) performed best (sensitivity 96.7%; specificity 97.6%). Applying the 2004 haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH-2004) criteria gave a sensitivity of 56.6% and a specificity of 100% in the whole study group.
Conclusions: In our study, a cut-off value for the HScore different from the original study performed better. Further studies are warranted to determine optimum cut-off values in different studies.
To compare the demographic, clinical, and radiological features of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) accompanying familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) to patients with each condition alone.
...Hacettepe University Hospital database was screened regarding ICD-10 codes for FMF (E85.0) and axSpA (M45). The diagnosis of FMF was confirmed by Tel-Hashomer criteria, and axSpA by the presence of sacroiliitis according to the modified New York criteria or active sacroiliitis on magnetic resonance imaging. As control groups, 136 gender-matched, consequent FMF patients without axSpA and 102 consequent axSpA patients without FMF previously treated with any biological agents were included in the analysis.
In patients with FMF + axSpA compared to the axSpA group, age at axSpA symptom onset and age at diagnosis were lower median with interquartile range (IQR): 21 (17-30) vs 27 (21-37), p < 0.001; 23 (21-38) vs 32 (24-43) years, p = 0.001, moderate to severe hip disease and total hip replacement were more prevalent (23.4% vs 4.7%, p < 0.001; 11.2% vs 2.8%, p = 0.016). In patients with FMF + axSpA compared to the FMF group, age at FMF symptom onset and age at diagnosis were higher 13 (6-30) vs 11 (5-18), p = 0.057; 23 (13-33) vs 18 (10-31) years, p = 0.033 and amyloidosis was more prevalent (6.6% vs 2.2%, p = 0.076). Although the M694V variant (in one or two alleles) was more prevalent in the FMF + axSpA group, the difference was not statistically significant.
In patients with FMF + axSpA, the age of onset of axSpA was significantly earlier, moderate to severe hip involvement and amyloidosis were more common than in patients with each condition alone.
Most febrile seizures occur outside of hospitals, and in most cases, information about the characteristics of the seizures is obtained from the parents. This makes it difficult to differentiate ...between simple and complex seizures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the significance of the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and the red blood cell (erythrocyte) distribution width (RDW) in distinguishing between simple and complex febrile seizures.
The files of 142 patients between the ages of 6 months and 5 years who were admitted to the Emergency Department with the diagnosis of first febrile seizure were reviewed retrospectively. Complete blood count and C-reactive protein (CRP) parameters obtained from the venous blood samples collected from the patients at admission were evaluated.
The average values of NLR for simple and complex seizure groups were 2.38 ± 1.60 and 3.42 ± 1.77 respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The average values of RDW for simple and complex seizure groups were 16.15 ± 1.37 and 16.27 ± 1.53, respectively; the difference was not significant (p = 0.631). We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and chose a cutoff value of 2.315 for the NLR, and we found that the sensitivity and specificity were 62.7% and 53.8%, respectively (area under the curve AUC: 0.665, p = 0.001, confidence interval CI 0.573-0.756).
We suggest that NLR may provide clinicians with an insight into differentiating between simple and complex febrile seizures; however, it does not produce a clear-cut distinction. We found that the RDW ratio is not useful in this differentiation.
In recent times, nanofluids have been investigated comprehensively by the scientists because of the progresses in nanotechnology. Nanofluids' physical properties are necessary to be known accurately ...in order to reduce the error rate of models. Estimation of viscosity value of nanofluids is a significant one owing to its extensive usage in thermal engineering. In this work, carbon nanotube (CNT) particles are chosen to prepare nanofluid blend with its pure water and antifreeze. Their volumetric concentrations are varied from 0 to 2%in both pure water and antifreeze having various proportions with pure water. As soon as nanofluid having some surfactants becomes stabilized by means a sonicator and ultrasonic bath, viscosity meter is used to determine the viscosity regarding with the temperatures ranging from 15°C to 50°C·Consequently, the measured viscosity values decreases with nanofluid's temperature and increase with particle concentration as expectedly. In addition, a comparison study with the measured results and almost all empirical correlations in open sources has been done in order to determine the most predictive ones for the studied nanofluids. It was derived from the results that viscosity correlations can estimate different sorts of nanofluids' viscosity even though their base fluids with particles having various diameters are totally different from others.
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