Influence of scientific stories on students ideas about science and scientists

Abstract This study was conducted to determine whether a lesson, in which context-based learning approach and scientific stories were used, changed students' (aged 11-12) stereotypical images of science and scientists. Data was collected from two separate sources: Interviews conducted with six students and Draw a Scientist Test (DAST) document that was given to 80 students (before and after the intervention). In the study, context-based learning approach with scientific stories was used as intervention after which a change in students' ideas about science and scientists was observed. At the end of the study, changes were observed in various categories of stereotypical images of scientists, such as use laboratory tools (test tubes, glass bottles, magnifying glasses, chemicals, etc.), use of technological appliances (computers, microscopes, telescopes, machines, robots, etc.), scientists who study living things (plants, animals, humans), scientists who study inside a laboratory, scientists who study outdoors (nature, space, etc.). At the same time changes in students' understanding of nature of science were observed. After the intervention, clues about student ideas such as, there is more than one scientific method, there is no single criteria for doing science, scientists use their imagination in their studies, and scientists' studies are not limited to one field were observed. In the course of the study, student's ideas about science changed from a positivist philosophy toward a heuristic philosophy

Can the mean platelet volume be a predictor of disease activity in primary Sjogren syndrome?

Background: Disease activity in primary Sjogren syndrome (PSS) is measured by the EULAR Sjogren’s syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI) and patient reported index (ESSPRI). Studies investigating the association between ESSDAI and ESSPRI and previously reported indicators of systemic inflammation are few in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical utility of the mean platelet volume (MPV) in predicting disease activity in PSS patients.Methods: A total of 190 subjects including ninety-five PSS patients and ninety-five healthy controls were enrolled. Associations between MPV and other known indicators of systemic inflammation (red cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and patient clinical characteristic, ESSDAI and ESSPRI were investigated by using spearman correlation and linear regression analysis.Results: MPV levels were found to be significantly higher in the PSS group than the control group (10.5±1.2 versus 9.0±1; P<0.001 respectively). Correlation and regression analysis showed a positive correlation between MPV levels and ESSDAI scores (r=0.24, p=0.01). There was a negative correlation between ESSPRI and MPV levels (r=-0.32, p=0.001). NLR and RDW did not show any significant correlation with either ESSDAI or ESSPRI scores.Conclusions: MPV levels are significantly elevated in PSS patients compared to their control peers, positively correlate with ESSDAI but negatively with ESSPRI scores. MPV might be a useful inflammatory marker to measure disease activity in PSS.

Synchronous Appearance of a High-Grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Ampulla Vater and Sigmoid Colon Adenocarcinoma

Neuroendocrine carcinoma is a relatively rare tumor and its coexistence with other primary cancers is very exceptional. We present a case of a 63-year-old woman with biliary obstruction due to a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma located in ampulla of Vater who was found to have a synchronous sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma while undergoing staging laparotomy and pancreas head resection. Medical history was significant only for basal cell skin cancer. Immunohistochemical examination revealed the concurrence of histologically proved neuroendocrine carcinoma (chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and CD56 were positive) and Stage II (T3, N0, and M0) according to the TNM staging classification of colorectal cancer. The coexistence of neuroendocrine tumors with either synchronous or metachronous unrelated cancer is increasingly recognized. The patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma should be evaluated for secondary primary malignancies

Evaluation of the relationship between serum netrin-1 level and patient characteristics in rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are generally seropositive, but 15-20% of patients with RA may be seronegative. Diagnosing patients with RA sometimes requires long and challenging research, and new diagnostic biomarkers are needed. This study aimed to investigate the use of netrin-1 as a biomarker in the differential diagnosis of RA from healthy controls and the relationships between netrin-1 and RA’s disease activity scores and joint erosions. Methods: The study group included 60 RA patients, and the control group included 41 healthy volunteers. Serum netrin-1 was measured using an ELISA kit with the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay method. The RA Disease Impact (RAID) score was used to determine changes in quality of life, and the disease activity score-28 (DAS-28) and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) were used to assess disease activity. Results: In the comparison of netrin-1 serum levels, netrin-1 levels were found to be similar between RA and healthy controls [64.4 (35.8-551.4) and 65 (35.8-436.6), p=0.786, respectively]. No significant correlation was found between netrin-1 levels and disease indices (CDAI, DAS-28 ESR, RAID, and DAS-28 CRP) (p>0.05). Conclusion: Netrin-1 is not higher in the serum of RA patients compared to healthy controls, and its levels have no correlation with disease indices of RA

Microfluidic cell sorter with integrated piezoelectric actuator

We demonstrate a low-power (<0.1 mW), low-voltage (<10 Vp-p) on-chip piezoelectrically actuated micro-sorter that can deflect single particles and cells at high-speed. With rhodamine in the stream, switching of flow between channels can be visualized at high actuation frequency (~1.7 kHz). The magnitude of the cell deflection can be precisely controlled by the magnitude and waveform of input voltage. Both simulation and experimental results indicate that the drag force imposed on the suspended particle/cell by the instantaneous fluid displacement can alter the trajectory of the particle/cell of any size, shape, and density of interest in a controlled manner. The open-loop E. Coli cell deflection experiment demonstrates that the sorting mechanism can produce a throughput of at least 330 cells/s, with a promise of a significantly higher throughput for an optimized design. To achieve close-loop sorting operation, fluorescence detection, real-time signal processing, and field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) implementation of the control algorithms were developed to perform automated sorting of fluorescent beads. The preliminary results show error-free sorting at a sorting efficiency of ~70%. Since the piezoelectric actuator has an intrinsic response time of 0.1–1 ms and the sorting can be performed under high flowrate (particle speed of ~1–10 cm/s), the system can achieve a throughput of >1,000 particles/s with high purity

Development of multifunctional nanoparticles validated by an intravital tumor model

Cancer is a major public health problem, and although significant therapeutic advances have been achieved for some types of malignancy, many tumors are still challenging to treat. The main therapeutic obstacles include tumor cell resistance to standard chemo- radiotherapy at clinically feasible doses, and treatment effects that are limiting due to normal tissue toxicity. Despite research spanning several decades, the goal of specifically destroying tumor cells, while sparing normal tissues, has remained difficult to attain. Recently however, the growth of the nanotechnology field offers new strategies and is promising in terms of early detection and the targeted therapy of cancer. Separate nanoparticles can carry a drug payload, can be targeted to tumors, and can be bound to MRI and CT contrast agents. A recent concept is that of "theranostics", viz., the ability of one nanoplatform to integrate several functions so that these are co-localized. For instance, the imaging enhancement property can be used in conjunction with drug delivery for real-time monitoring of drug distribution and to follow the therapeutic effects. Moreover, imaging capability may facilitate activation of a pro-drug payload at an optimum time, for example at the point of maximum nanoplatform accumulation at the tumor. This dissertation describes the design, fabrication and testing of two novel multifunctional nanoplatforms; a liposome containing dextran hydrogel and iron oxide, and a liposome containing perfluorocarbon (PFC) gas microbubble. A key limitation of nanoengineering in medicine is the lack of practical in vivo models, so that many nanoplatforms, while creatively engineered, are not biologically useful. This dissertation discusses and presents the development of an in vivo test- bed that allows optical and MRI imaging of nanoplatforms within a tumor and its blood vessels, and is a versatile system for guiding nanovehicle desig

Establishing board of registration for professional engineers in Turkey

The recent Izmit Earthquake in Turkey caused extensive damage to structures and thousands of buildings completely collapsed As a result, one of the lessons learned from this earthquake is the necessity to develop a Professional Engineers Act in order to safeguard the life, health, property, and public welfare of the people. The Professional Engineering (PE) Model that is practiced in United States provides an attractive frame work that can be modified to address Turkey's specific needs. This paper emphasizes the licensing of Civil Engineers and explains the Registration Procedures in United States particularly in the State of California