Scale development for pre-service mathematics teachers’ perceptions related to their pedagogical content knowledge

The purpose of this study is to develop a scale to determine pre-service mathematics teachers’ perceptions related to their pedagogical content knowledge. Firstly, a preliminary perception scale of pedagogical content knowledge was constructed and then administered to 112 pre-service mathematics teachers who were enrolled in a mathematics teacher education programme. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item analysis, correlation analysis, internal consistency and descriptive statistic techniques were used to analyse the data. Then validity and reliability of the scale were investigated. The analyses resulted in the development of a five-factor scale of 17 items that was proved valid and reliable. We contend that the scale developed has the merit to contribute to pre-service teachers’ self-awareness by revealing their perceptions regarding their pedagogical content knowledge.Keywords: pedagogical content knowledge, pre-service mathematics teachers,scale developmen

Diagnostic utility of snail in metaplastic breast carcinoma

Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare subtype of breast cancer characterized by coexistence of carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. Snail is a nuclear transcription factor incriminated in the transition of epithelial to mesenchymal differentiation of breast cancer. Aberrant Snail expression results in lost expression of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin, an event associated with changes in epithelial architecture and invasive growth. We aimed to identify the utility of Snail, and of traditional immunohistochemical markers, in accurate MBC classification and to evaluate clinicopathologic characteristics and outcome

Effect of amifostine on early and late side effects in head and neck radiotherapy

Baş ve boyun bölgesi kanserlerinin çoğunda radyoterapi ana tedavi seçeneklerinden biridir. Bu bölgenin radyoterapisinde mukoza, cilt, cilt altı bağ dokusu, tükürük bezleri, diş ve kemik yapılar gibi farklı dokularda oluşan tedavi yan etkileri sonucu olguların yaşam kalitesi etkilenir. Radyoterapi sırasında oluşan mukozit ve ciddi cilt reaksiyonu tedavinin etkinliğini azaltabilir ve tedavinin ertelenmesine neden olabilir. Radyoterapiye kemoterapinin eklenmesi lokal-bölgesel kontrolü arttırmakla birlikte, hematolojik ve hematolojik olmayan yan etkilerde artışa neden olabilir. Hayvan deneyleri ve klinik çalışmalarda amifostin (WR-2721) adlı maddenin radyoterapi ve bazı kemoterapötik ajanlara karşı normal dokuları tümör dokusunda koruma yapmadan koruduğu gösterilmiştir. Çalışmamızda baş-boyun kanserli olgularda radyoterapiye bağlı erken ve geç komplikasyonlar üzerine amifostinin etkisi değerlendirildi. Aralık 1998 ile Ekim 2002 tarihleri arsında Uludağ Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Radyasyon Onkolojisi Anabilim Dalı'na başvuran ve radyoterapi uygulanan primer tümörü baş-boyun yerleşimli veya primer tümörü bilinmeyen boyun metastazlı toplam 87 olgu çalışmaya dahil edildi. Kırkbir olguya radyoterapi ile birlikte amifostin, 46 olguya yalnızca radyoterapi ve endikasyonu olan olgulara eş zamanlı kemoterapi (sisplatin) verildi. Tüm olguların yaş ortalaması 55.5 (medyan 56; sınır 22-77) olarak saptandı. Radyoterapi 1.8-2 Gy fraksiyonlarla toplam 50-70Gy, amifostin ise 200 mg/m²/gün dozunda verildi. Olgular tedavi sırasında haftalık, tedaviden sonra 15. günde ve daha sonra ilk yıl ayda bir, ikinci yıl 2 ayda bir, 3. yıl 3 ayda bir izlendiler. İstatistiksel değerlendirmede Student-T test, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square test kullanıldı. Olgular yaş, cinsiyet, Karnofski Performans Skalası (KPS), patoloji ve klinik evre, tümör yerleşimi, histolojik tip, radyoterapi dozu, radyoterapi süresi, cerrahi ile radyoterapi arasındaki süre, radyoterapi sırasında ara, ara nedenleri, radyoterapiye ara süresi, radyoterapi şeması (definitif, adjuvan), radyoterapi ile eş zamanlı kemoterapi kullanımı, izlem süresi açısından değerlenderildiğinde amifostin alan ve almayan gruplar arasında farklılık izlenmedi. Üçüncü ayda ağız kuruluğu amifostin grubunda daha az (p=0.040), grad 1 ağız kuruluğu daha fazlaydı (p=0.049). Amifostin grubunda 9. ayda, 12. ayda ve 15. ayda grad 3 ağız kuruluğu daha azdı (p=0.02). Amifostin grubunda 18. ayda (p=0.026) ve 24. ayda (p=0.015) grad 2 ağız kuruluğu daha azdı. Onbeşinci ayda grad 2 fibrozis amifostin grubunda daha azdı (p=0.056). Onsekizinci ve 24. aylarda fibrozis amifostin grubunda daha azdı (p=0.025). Üçüncü haftada grad 2 mukozit amifostin grubunda daha azdı (p=0,020). Dördüncü haftada amifostin grubunda cilt reaksiyonu daha azdı (p=0.050). Disfaji değerlendirmesinde iki grup arasında anlamlı fark yoktu. Hastalar genel olarak değerlendirildiğinde grad 1 mukozit amifostin grubunda daha azdı (p=0.001 ), grad 2 ve grad 3 mukozitte fark yoktu. Amifostin grubunda fibrozis (p=0.023) ve grad 2 fibrozis (p=0.030) daha az gözlenirken, akut cilt reaksiyonu, disfaji ve ağız kuruluğunda iki grup arasında fark yoktu. Hematolojik değerlendirmede, grad 1 lokopeni amifostin grubunda daha fazla iken (p=0.032), anemi ve trompositopenide fark yoktu. Birlikte kemoterapi alan olgular değerlendirildiğinde grad 1 mukozit (p=0.032) ve fibrozis (p=0.021) amifostin grubunda daha az gözlendi. Hematolojik ve hematolojik olmayan diğer komplikasyonlarda iki grup arasında fark yoktu. Ortalama tüm sağ kalım süresi amifostin alanlarda 24.3 ay (medyan:24 ;sınır:3-41 ay), amifostin almayanlarda 24.7 ay (medyan:21ay; sınır:9-48 ay) olarak saptandı (p=0.118). Bulantı- kusma, senkop ve cilt reaksiyonu nedeniyle 3 olguda amifostin kesildi. Amifostinin koruyucu etkisi ağız kuruluğunda 6. aydan ve fibroziste 12. aydan sonra saptandı. Amifostin radyoterapiye bağlı fibrozis ve geç ağız kuruluğu korunmasında yardımcıdır. Amifostinin mukoza, cilt, hematopoetik sistem üzerinde koruyucu etkisi olduğunu kanıtlayacak yeni çalışmalara gereksinim vardır.Radiotherapy is one of the main treatment alternatives for many head and neck cancer. Complications due to radiotherapy may be observed in different tissues such as skin, subcutaneous connective tissues, salivary gland, dental and bone structures and the quality of life in these patients can be effected. Mucositis and serious skin reactions seen during radiotherapy can cause delays in treatment and the refore may reduce theeffectiveness of the treatment. Although the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy increases the local control, it can also increase hematological and non-hematological complications. In animal experiments and clinical studies, it has been shown that amifostine (WR- 2721) protects the normal tissues against radiotherapy and some chemotherapeutic agents without any protection in tumor tissues. In this study, we analyzed the effects of amifostine on early and late complications related with radiotherapy on head-neck cancer cases. Eighty-seven patients who were referred to and treated at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Uludag University Faculty of Medicine, between December 1998 and October 2002, were included in the study. Forty-on eof these cases were given amifostine together with radiotherapy and 46 of them were treated with radiotherapy alone. Some cases were also treated with chemotherapy (cisplatin) when indicated. Mean age of all cases was fond to be 55,5 (median: 56, ranges: 22-77). Radiotherapy was given in 1,8-2 Gy fraction dose to a total dose of 50-70 Gy and amifostine was given in 200 mg/m²/day dose. Patients were seen weekly during treatment, on 15th day after treatment, then monthly within the first year, once in two months in the second year and once in three months in the third year. For statistical analyses, Student-T, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square are used. When two groups were compared according to their age, gender, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), pathologic and clinical stage, tumor location, histological type, radiotherapy dose, duration of radiotherapy, interval between surgery and radiotherapy, interruptions during radiotherapy, causes of the interruption, duration of the interruption, schema of radiotherapy (definitive, adjuvant), concomitant chemotherapy with radiotherapy and follow-up time, no difference was observed. In 3rd month, xerostomia was less (p=0.040) and grade 1 xerostomia was higher (p=0.049) in amifostine group. In 9th, 12th and 15th months, grade 3 xerostomia was less (P=0.02) in amifostine group. In 18th (p=0.026)and 24th (p=0.015) was less in amifostine group.In 15th month, grade 2 fibrozis was less in amifostine group(p=0.056). In 18th and 24th months, fibrosis was less in amifostine group (p=0.025). In 3rd week, grade 2 mucositis was less in amifostine group (p=0.020). In 4th week, skin reactions was less in amifostine group (p=0.050). There was no significant difference in disphagia between two groups. When patients were analyzed in general, grade 1 mucositis was less in amifostine group (p=0.001 ), although there was no significant difference in grade 2 and grade 3 mucositis between two groups. Fibrosis (p=0.023) and grade 2 fibrozis (p=0.030) was less in amifostine group while there was no significant difference in xerostomia, skin reactions, disfagia between two groups. In hematologic toxicity evaluation, grade 1 leucopenia was higher (p=0.032) in amifostine group while there was no significant difference in anemia and trompositopenia between two groups. When the cases who were given concomitant chemotherapy were analyzed, significantly less grade 1 mucositis (p=0.032) and fibrosis (p=0.021) were observed in amifostine group. There was no significant difference in hematologic and nonhematologic other complications between two groups. Mean overall survival times were found to be 24,3 months (median: 24, range: 3-41 months) for amifostine group and 24,7 months (median: 21, range: 9-48 months) for the other group. Amifostine is interrupted because of nausea and vomiting, syncope and skin reactions in 3 cases The protective effects of amifostine were observed on xerostomia after 6th and on fibrosis after 12th. As a conclusion, amifostine helps preventing late xerostomia and fibrosis related to radiotherapy. Well designed new studies are needed to prove the protective effects of amifostine over skin, hematopoiesis and mucosa

Compound odontoma involving the four quadrants of the jaws: A case report and review of the literature

PubMedID: 24459676Odontomas are the most common odontogenic tumors, representing 70% of all odontogenic tumors. They may present in two specific forms; compound odontoma forms multiple small tooth-like structures, while complex odontoma forms an amorphous calcified mass. In this report, we present a 27-year-old male patient with multiple compound odontoma occupied regions at his jaws. The odontomas involve both alveolar and basal processes of the maxilla and mandible as well as both maxillary sinuses. Converse to conventional recommended treatment, which is surgical excision of the lesion, the management was removal of the lesion and clinical-radiologic followup. The first year's follow-up findings are presented in this case report. © Quintessence