The relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and children's emotional and behavioral problems.

PURPOSE: This research was conducted to determine the relationship of the COVID-19 pandemic with the emotional and behavioral problems of children. METHOD: In this study, carried out using the descriptive survey model, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used with 205 mothers. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in the emotional and behavioral problems of children according to their mother's working status, having COVID-19 in the family, and being in contact. According to mothers' perceptions, the level of emotional and behavioral problems differed before and after the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that the pandemic and related factors have an effect on children's emotional and behavioral problems.

Color Doppler imaging of ocular hemodynamic changes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis unrelated to disease activity.

We aimed to investigate how orbital blood flow rates in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are affected by the active and remission phase of the disease. This prospective study included a total of 56 patients with RA (study group) and 24 control individuals (control group). All RA patients were divided into two groups, as active (Group 1) and remission (Group 2) according to the disease activity index (DAS 28) score. For each eye, retrobulbar vascular structures were evaluated [central retinal artery (CRA), posterior ciliary artery (PCA), and ophthalmic artery (OA)], respectively. The peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) values were obtained for each artery and the vascular resistance index (RI) measurement was calculated. The median RI of the OA was 0.70 (0.57; 0.79) in the control group, 0.77 (0.55; 0.87) in group 1, and 0.73 (0.47; 0.87) in group 2. The median RI in the PCA was 0.70 (0.56; 0.82) in the control group, 0.76 (0.52; 0.88) in the group 1, and 0.74 (0.52; 0.86) in the group 2. The median RI of CRA was 0.73 (0.48; 0.81) in the control group, 0.71 (0.64; 0.81) in group 1, and 0.68 (0.61; 0.85) in group 2. The RI value was a significant difference between control and group 1 (p < 0.05). Active and remission RA patients had different effects on the flow rate of eye blood vessels.

Pupillary Offset in Keratoconus and its Relationship with Clinical and Topographical Features.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the change in the location of pupillary center with corneal tomography in keratoconic patients, and determine the correlation of pupillary offset with clinical and topographical features of keratoconus. METHODS: Ninety-one eyes of the 54 patients with keratoconus in different stages and 39 eyes of 39 refractive surgery candidates with normal corneas were included in our study. Ocular aberrations and the pupillary offset parameters (x-offset and y-offset) over a 5 mm (undilated) pupil were measured with a Sirius corneal tomographer. A correlation analysis among the pupillary offset parameters and the possible determinative variables (topographical and tomographical parameters, corneal aberrations and best corrected visual acuity) was performed. RESULTS: The mean pupillary offset was significantly greater in the keratoconic eyes compared with the controls (p = 0.003), and the difference was mostly due to the y-offset (p = 0.03). There was no significant difference between the groups in the mean horizontal pupillary offset value (p = 0.07). Both the vertical and the total pupillary offset values correlated significantly (p < 0.0001) with the keratoconus stage (r = 0.58 and r = 0.51, respectively). They also correlated with the corneal aberrations, and negatively correlated with the visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: The pupillary offset seems to correlate with the clinical and topographic features of keratoconus. It may be important to quantify its magnitude and direction in order to ensure correct centralization of the corneal procedures.

Characterization of beta-xylosidase enzyme from a Pichia stipitis mutant.

beta-Xylosidase production was maximal for the mutant Pichia stipitis NP54376 grown on xylan as the sole carbon source. beta-Xylosidase was purified from culture supernatant by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) precipitation and a hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl sepharose. Optima of pH and temperature were 5.0 and 50 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by 2-mercaptoethanol (100%) and Fe(3+) (80%), and moderately affected by Cu(2+), Ag(+), NH(4)(+) and Mg(2+) and SDS. The purified xylosidase hydrolyzed xylobiose and xylo-oligosaccharides and it did not exhibit activity against cellulose, starch, maltose and cellobiose. 2.5 g l(-1) glucose repressed beta-xylosidase activity in the NP54376 strain. The K(m) and V(max) values on p-nitrophenyl-beta-xylopyranoside were 1.6 mM and 186 micromol p-nitrophenyl min(-1)mg(-1) protein, respectively. Analysis of the hydrolysis products by HPLC indicated that the major hydrolysis product is xylobiose in all the carbon sources tested.