Portable Lightboard Use in Online Higher Education

The emergency distance education period has led to new instructional experiences and unique practices in higher education. This study focuses on one such practice that included portable lightboards designed as a cost-effective solution to support instructors’ online teaching processes from their homes. Using a case study design, data were collected via using through interviews with eight students and nine instructors who used the lightboard for the first time in order to to explore their perceptions and lived experiences. The findings obtained in this study showed that the instructors could benefit from the writing/drawing feature supported by the dynamic drawing principle of multimedia learning from their homes. Student engagement was enhanced due to offering a sustainable learning environment resembling face-to-face courses with unique limitations. The results offer key aspects of portable lightboards with great potential for future online or blended learning environments

Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes Related to Iron Deficiency Anemia and Serum Ferritin Status: A Multicenter Prospective Study From Eastern Marmara, Turkey

Aim:The aim was to evaluate the incidence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy in the East Marmara region of Turkey in order to determine its prevalence along with the effects and associations of iron supplementation on maternal and neonatal outcomes.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted in six centers and included a total of 1102 pregnant women. Blood samples were collected for hematological status and serum ferritin levels during pregnancy, and the adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes were determined. Iron deficiency anemia was diagnosed according to the World Health Organization criteria as hemoglobin level of < 11 g/dl and ferritin level of <15 μg/dL.Results:The rate of anemia was 19.8%, with 44% of them receiving iron supplementation. The maternal age was lower in the anemic group (26.5 vs. 27.7, p = 0.01). Selective iron use was more frequent in the anemic group, while routine iron use was more frequent in the non-anemic group (47.1% vs. 29.3%; p = 0.01).Conclusion:Iron deficiency anemia is a frequent problem in pregnancy. However, many anemic pregnant women do not receive iron therapy. Iron supplementation may have positive effects on maternal and perinatal outcomes. In order to combat iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy, wide spread use of iron supplements should be established

Cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of soloxolone methyl as a glycyrretinic acide derivative against breast cancer cell lines

Kadınlarda kansere bağlı ölümlerin en önemli nedenlerinden olan meme kanserinin tedavisinde doğal bileşiklerden elde edilen çeşitli kemoterapötik ajanlar kullanılmaktadır ve yeni ilaç geliştirme çalışmalarına devam edilmektedir. Glycyrrhiza glabra (meyan kökü) bitkisinin sekonder metaboliti olan Glisiretinik asitin potansiyel bir antikanser ajan olduğu daha önce yapılan çalışmalarda gösterilmiştir. Bu tez çalışmasında, Rusya Bilim Akademisi, Kimyasal Biyoloji ve Temel Bilimler Enstitüsü'nde sentezlenen, Glisiretinik asitin yarı sentetik bir türevi olan Soloksolon metil bileşiğinin sitotoksik ve apoptotik etkileri insan meme kanseri hücre soylarında (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 ve T-47D) araştırılmıştır. Soloksolon metil'in hücre canlılığı üzerine olan etkisi (24 ve 48 saat) MTT ve ATP canlılık testleriyle belirlenmiştir. Hücrelerde ölüm modunu (apoptoz ve nekroz) belirlemek amacıyla floresan boyama (Hoechst 33342 ve propidyum iyodür) ve kaspazla kırılmış sitokeratin 18 (M30) metodları kullanılmıştır. Buna ilaveten apoptozis, gen (PCR yöntemi) ve protein (Western Blot) düzeyinde araştırılmıştır. Soloksolon metil'in her üç hücrede doza ve zamana bağlı olarak hücre canlılığını azalttığı, 48 saat sonrasında IC50 değerleri MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 ve T-47D hücrelerinde sırayla 4,22 µM, 5,97 µM ve 6,18 µM olarak belirlenmiştir. Hücrelerde Soloksolon metil'in 10 µM dozunun, 24 ve 48 saat sonrasında erken apoptoza (piknotik nükeus ve propidyum iyodür negatifliği); 72 saat sonrasında geç apoptotik/sekonder nekroza (piknotik nükleus ve propidyum iyodür pozitifliği) neden olduğu gözlenmiştir. MCF-7 ve MDA-MB-231 hücrelerinde Soloksolon metil etkisiyle apoptotik gen ekspresyonlarının arttığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca MDA-MB-231 hücre soyunda apoptotik proteinlerin yanı sıra endoplazmik retikulum stresiyle ilişkili proteinlerin (IRE1-α, Bip, CHOP) artışı da belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, Soloksolon metil bileşiğinin MCF-7 ve MDA-MB-231 hücre soyları üzerine olan etkisinin sitotoksik etkisini apoptozis üzerinden gerçekleştirdiği, özellikle MDA-MB-231 hücre soyunda endoplazmik retikulum aracılı apoptozis yolağından ilerlediği belirlenmiştir. Alınan sonuçlar Soloksolon metil'in meme kanseri tedavisinde etkili bir ajan olabileceğini ileri analizlerin (in vitro ve in vivo) yapılması gerektiği sonucuna varılmıştır.Being one of the leading causes of cancer death among women, various chemotherapeutic agents isolated from natural compounds are used in breast cancer treatment and studies to develop new drugs still continues. There are several studies on glycyrrhetinic acid, a secondary metabolite which is found in Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice), as a potential anticancer agent. In this thesis, the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of soloksolon methyl compound, a semi-synthetic derivative of glycyrrhtenic acid synthesized by the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chemical Biology and Basic Sciences Institute in Siberia were investigated on breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MBA-231 and T-47D). The antigrowth effects (24 and 48 hours) of Soloksolon methyl were determined using MTT and ATP assays. To identify the mode of cell death (apoptosis/necrosis), fluorescent staining (Hoechst 33342 and Propidium iodide) and caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 (M30) test were used. In addition, apoptotic genes and protein levels were investigated by PCR method and Western Blotting. Soloksolon methyl decreased cell viability in all three cell lines in a dose and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values in MCF-7, MDA-MBA-231, and T-47D cells after 48 hours of treatment are 4,22 µM, 5,97 µM and 6,18 µM respectively. Soloksolon methyl induces early apoptosis (pyknotic nuclei and negative Propidium iodide) at 10 µM after 24 and 48 hours, and late apoptosis or secondary necrosis (pyknotic nuclei and positive Propidium iodide) after 72 hours in all cell lines. An increase of apoptotic gene expressions was determined in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells treated with Soloksolon methyl. Moreover, an increase of apoptotic proteins related to endoplasmic reticulum (IRE1-α, Bip, CHOP) stress was also determined in MDA-MB-231 cell line. In conclusion, Soloksolon methyl is found to be cytotoxic on MCF-7 and MDA-MBA-231 cells by inducing apoptosis, especially in MDA-MB-231 cell line where ER stress-induced apoptosis is triggered. Advance analyses (in vitro and in vivo) should be performed to elucidate the potential of Soloksolon methyl as anticancer agent in breast cancer treatment

Evaluation of the European Neighbourhood Policy on the basis of the ENP countries

Avrupa Komşuluk Politikası, amacı AB'nin doğusunda ve güneyinde bulunan ülkelerin AB ile bağlarını güçlendirmek olan bir Avrupa Birliği dış ilişkiler aracıdır. Avrupa Komşuluk Politikası (AKP); farklı komşular için farklı ilişkileri içerir. AKP ortakları; İsrail, Ürdün, Moldova, Fas, Filistin Hükümeti, Tunus, Ukrayna, Ermenistan, Azerbaycan, Gürcistan ve Lübnan'dır. Mısır ile AKP Eylem Planı henüz uyarlanamamıştır. Cezayir ile 2005 sonlarından beri Ortaklık Anlaşması yürürlüktedir. Belarus, Libya ve Suriye ile de yürürlükte herhangi bir anlaşma bulunmamaktadır. Rusya AB ile stratejik ortakklık anlaşması yapmıştır.Rusya ile 2005 yılında Stratejik Ortaklık temelinde dört ortak alan belirlenmiştir; ekonomik alan, özgürlük, güvenlik ve adalet, dış güvenlik, araştırma ve eğitim. AKP hedefleri; Avrupa Birliği'nin dış politika önceliğini baz alarak siyasi, ekonomik, sosyal konularda ortakların reform süreçlerinin desteklenmesi ve karşılıklı refah, istikrar ve güvenliği arttırmaktır. AKP Eylem Planı, siyasi dokümanlar baz alınarak, kısa ve orta dönem önceliklerin (3-5 yıl) belirlendiği operasyonel araçlardır. Siyasi diyalog ve reformlar, ekonomik ve sosyal işbirliği, ticaret ile ilgili konular, adalet, özgürlük ve güvenlik konuları AKP Eylem Planı'nın kapsamına giren hususlardır. Avrupa Komisyonu'nun AKP bütçesi 2007-2013 yılları arasında yaklaşık 12.4 milyar é¬ olarak planlanmıştır. AKP'nin bundan sonraki dönemlerde daha güçlü ve etkin rol oynaması için ele alınması gereken öncelikli konular; ekonomik ve ticari bütünleşme, hareketlilik, daha fazla insana ulaşmak, tematik boyutu güçlendirmek, siyasi işbirliğini geliştirmek, bölgesel işbirliğini artırmak ve daha fazla finansman desteği sağlamaktır.The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union (EU) which seeks to strengthen relationship between those countries to the east and south of the Europe with the EU. The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP); comprises different policies to different neighbours. Israel, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Lebanon are the partners of ENP. ENP Action Plan has not yet been adopted over Egypt. Association Agreement became in force since late 2005 with Algeria. On the other hand, Belarus, Libya and Syria have no agreements in force.Russia concluded strategic partnership agreement with ENP. This includes four main components; economical issues, freedom, security and justice, external security and research and education. ENP aims to support partners' own reform processes in political, economic and social domains under the perspective of EU foreign policy priorities. Also mutual prosperity, stability and security are the strategic goals of ENP. ENP Action Plan is a key operational instrument which based political documents, short and medium term priorities (3-5 years) are determined. Political dialogue and reforms, economic and social cooperation, trade issues, justice, freedom and security issues are matters within the scope of the ENP Action Plan. The European Commission's 2007-2013 ENP budget is planned approximately é¬ 12.4 billion. In the next periods, for playing a strong and active role, ENP has to make some necessary subjects such as economic and commercial integration, mobility to reach more people, strengthening the thematic dimension, improve political cooperation, strengthening regional cooperation and ensure leverage for more finance

A Hybrid Approach for Credibility Detection in Twitter

Nowadays, microblogging services are seen as a source of information. It brings us a question. Can we trust information in a microblogging service? In this paper, we focus on one of the popular microblogging services, Twitter, and try to answer which information in Twitter is credible. Newsworthiness, importance and correctness are the dimensions to be measured in this study. We propose a hybrid credibility analysis which combines feature based and graph based approaches. Our model is based on three types of structures, which are tweet, user and topic. Initially, we use feature based learning to construct a prediction model. In the second step, we use the results of this model as input to authority transfer and further refine the credibility scores for each type of node. The same process is used for measuring each of the dimensions of newsworthiness, importance and correctness. Experimental results show that the proposed hybrid method improves the prediction accuracy for each of these credibility dimensions

Enhancing and abstracting scientific workflow provenance for data publishing

Many scientists are using workflows to systematically design and run computational experiments. Once the workflow is executed, the scientist may want to publish the dataset generated as a result, to be, e.g., reused by other scientists as input to their experiments. In doing so, the scientist needs to curate such dataset by specifying metadata information that describes it, e.g. its derivation history, origins and ownership. To assist the scientist in this task, we explore in this paper the use of provenance traces collected by workflow management systems when enacting workflows. Specifically, we identify the shortcomings of such raw provenance traces in supporting the data publishing task, and propose an approach whereby distilled, yet more informative, provenance traces that are fit for the data publishing task can be derived

Effect of Cement Type on Retention of Implant-Supported Crowns

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the retentive strength of implant cements with conventionally used cements