Evaluation of learning and teaching process in Turkish courses

A radical educational reform occurred in Turkey in 2005; and curriculum of primary education courses was renewed. New curriculum was prepared based on constructivist approach. In this scope, curriculum of Turkish course was also renewed. This study aimsat evaluating applications and opinions of teachers and students about learning and teaching process prescribed in Turkish Course (1st-5th Grades) Curriculum. Within the scope of the study, semi-structured interview was made with 10 teachers and 12 students.In addition, process teaching a text was evaluated via structured observation method in 5 different classes. According to the results of the study, primary school teachers find some stages in learning – teaching process prescribed in the curriculum unnecessary andtherefore do not apply them. Teachers mentioned that some texts are above the student level; and they sometimes experience time and material problems. It was seen in the present study that teachers do not have enough information about learning and teachingprocess in the new curriculum; they do not have high success levels in the applications; and they usually do not apply the forms for evaluating the process in the curriculum. It was found out that, in spite of these problems, courses are student-centred as prescribed inthe curriculum; and students have positive opinions about stages of learning and teaching process

Factors encouraging and hindering a wider acceptance and more frequent utilization of mobile payment systems: an empirical study among mobile phone subscribers in Turkey

Purpose- This research deals with determining the factors that affect adoption of mobile payment technology among consumers, in Turkey. It seeks to find any patterns and connections that may be of aid in framing an implementation strategy for facilitating further adoption. It has gathered different definitions of “mobile payment” in literature and used a consumer side definition. Methodology- A survey is conducted among mobile phone subscribers in Istanbul, Turkey for primary data collection phase of this research. Istanbul is the city that holds the biggest population and has the highest amount of mobile phone subscribers in the country. Istanbul’s current population is more than 15.6million and mobile phone subscriptions are more than 22million as of 2019. Survey responses have been analysed with structural equation modelling and results are presented in the corresponding sections. Findings- Empirical findings of the research show that factors such as usefulness, security, social influence, ease of use, enjoyment and innovativeness have positive effects on use of mobile payments among consumers. Factors such as attractiveness of alternatives and new technology anxiety have negative effects on use of mobile payments. Conclusion- This research has shown that mobile payments are a potential mainstream trend for the near future. Several benefits of the mobile payment value chain for both technology providers and the consumers have been identified. Other findings of this research can be stated as the challenges which the stakeholders are experiencing while trying to extend mobile payment technologies to a wider consumer base. Therefore, the results and the variables can be used by service providers who want to launch new mobile payment solutions for similar markets and they can take actions for getting more efficient results accordingly.Publisher's Versio

Prevalence and Comorbidity of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder Among Teacher Candidate University Students

Bu araştırmanın amacı Türkiye'deki genç yetişkinlerden oluşan bir örneklemde dikkat eksikliği ve hiperaktivite bozukluğu (DEHB) ile sosyal anksiyete bozukluğunun (SAB) yaygınlığını ve komorbiditesini incelemektir. 21-24 yaş arasındaki üniversite öğrencileri araştırma ekibi tarafından hazırlanan sosyo-demografik formu, Yetişkin DEB/DEHB DSM IV Temelli Tarama ve Değerlendirme Ölçeği ile Liebowitz Sosyal Anksiyete Ölçeğini doldurmuştur. Sona erme noktası üzerinde puan alan katılımcılar, DEHB ve SAD için DSM-IV kriterlerini gözeten deneyimli psikiyatristler tarafından teşhis amaçlı bir görüşmeye davet edilmiştir. Tüm katılımcıların yüzde 30'u (152/494) tarama ölçeklerindeki sona erme noktası üzerinde bir puan almış ve bu katılımcıların yüzde 60'ı (92/152) klinik görüşmeye katılmıştır. Klinik görüşmeye katılan katılımcıların yüzde 38'i (35/92) DEHB ve/veya SAB teşhisi almıştır. Tüm örneklem içinde DEHB ve SAB yaygınlık oranı DEHB için 3.23% (16/494) ve SAB için 4.45% (22/494) olarak belirlenmişken katılımcıların 0.6% (3/494)'sının komorbid DEHB ve SAB'na sahip olduğu saptanmıştır. Burada sunulan bulgular SAB ve DEHB'nin oldukça yaygın komorbiditeler olduğunu belirten literatür çalışmalarını destekler niteliktedir. Sosyal Anksiyete Bozukluğu olan öğretmen adaylarına teklif edilen profesyonel yardımın reddedilmesi ise daha fazla araştırılması gereken bir konudur. Resmi bir teşhis ile etiketlenmekten ve mesleki hayatlarında tedavi görmekten duyulan korku ve endişenin kültüre özgü bir yaklaşımla incelenmesi gerekmektedir.To investigate prevalence and comorbidity of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) in a Turkish community sample of young adult population. University students aged 21-24 years completed a socio-demographic form developed by the study team; Adult ADD/ ADHD DSM IV- Based Diagnostic Screening and Rating Scale and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Subjects, who scored above the cut off points in each scales, were invited for a diagnostic interview conducted by experienced psychiatrists using DSM-IV criteria for ADHD and SAD. 30 percent (152/494) of all participants had a score above of the cutoff point in screening scales and 60 percent of them attended clinical interview. 38 percent (35/92) of those who had clinical interview received diagnoses of ADHD and/or SAD. Prevalence of ADHD and SAD among the whole sample was 3.23% for ADHD (16/494) and 4.45% for SAD (22/494), whilst 0.6 % (3/494) had comorbid ADHD and SAD. Findings presented here support the existing literature that SAD and ADHD are relatively common comorbidities. Rejection of professional help offered to the teacher candidates with Social Anxiety Disorder need further analysis. Their fear of stigmatization and concerns about the impact of a formal diagnosis and having treatment on their professional career needs to be addressed in a culture-specific approach

Evaluation of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness with Sleep Apnea and Determining the Relationship Between Life Quality

Aim:Obstructive Sleep Apnea syndrome (OSAS) is an important health issue characterized by repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction affecting many different systems in the human body. In this study, we aimed to examine the relationship of daytime sleepiness with quality of life in patients with OSAS.Methods:In this study, adult patients, who underwent diagnostic polysomnography for the first time in our clinic, were included. Data on physical examination findings and demographic characteristics were recorded. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory were administered to the patients.Results:A total of 136 patients with the mean age of 45.5±9.7 (22- 68) were included in the study. Thirty four patients were (25%) female and 102 were male (75%). Simple snoring was detected in 30 patients (22.1%), mild OSAS in 24 patients (17.6%), moderate OSAS in 26 patients (19.1%) and severe OSAS was found in 56 patients (42.1%). Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores in patients with severe OSAS were statistically significantly higher than in other patients. The lowest SF-36 scores were observed in severe OSAS patients.Conclusion:The quality of life was significantly decreased in patients with severe OSAS. We assume that quality life was negatively correlated Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores

Spontaneous recovery of post-traumatic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea following meningitis: A case report

The aim of the present report was to present the patient with an anterior cranial base fracture who developed post-traumatic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, which recovered after onset of meningitis complication. A 26-year-old male patient who had a traffic accident one week ago was sent to our clinic because of his rhinorrhea persisting for 4 days. On cranial computed tomography, fracture of the left frontal skull base and sinus walls, a fracture line on temporal bone, parenchymal bleeding in the vicinity of the frontal sinus, subarachnoidal bleeding and left temporal extradural hematoma were detected. Then he underwent sinus wall repair and extradural hematoma was drained through bifrontal craniotomy. However, rhinorrhea persisted which resulted a deterioration in consciousness and he entered into a deep somnolent state. When his symptoms of meningitis became apparent, rhinorrhea of the patient disappeared. The patient transferred in intensive care unit and re-connected to a lumbar drainage system. On cerebral magnetic resonance imaging, regression of contrast-enhanced lesions localized in the left anterotemporal and frontal and in the regions lateral to the right trigon and medial to the right thalamus and in the right posteroparietal regions was observed. Despite repair of the anterior cranial fracture and lumbar drainage, rhinorrhea may persist. Herein, development of meningitis caused disappearing of rhinorrhea symptoms without any need for surgical intervention

Impact of clinicopathological variables on laparoscopic hysterectomy complications, a tertiary center experience

Objectives: To analyze intraoperative and postoperative complications according to Clavian-Dindo Classification (CDC) and evaluate the influence of clinicopathological features on the feasibility and safety of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) in patients that underwent surgery in a tertiary center. Material and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the database of 469 patients that underwent surgery for patients who underwent extra facial TLH from 2013 to 2020. Results: A total of 86 (18.3%) peri-postoperative complications were observed. The incidence of intraoperative complications was 2% (n = 10). The overall conversion rate to open surgery was 1.9% (n = 9). A total of 76 postoperative complications were observed in 61 patients (14.3%). The incidence of minor (Grade I [n = 16, 3.4%] and II [n = 42, 8.9%]) and major complications (Grade III [n = 15, 3.2%], IV [n = 2, 0.4%] and V [n = 1, 0.2 %]) were 12.3% and 3.8%, respectively. A higher BMI and performing surgery at the first step of learning are found to be associated with intraoperative and postoperative complications (p < 0.05). Postoperative complications related to having a history of the cesarean section, additional comorbidities, and uterine weight ≥ 300 g (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The implementation of TLH by experienced surgeons appears to have remarkable advantages over open surgery. However, the risk factor for complications should be taken into account by surgeons in the learning curve in selecting the appropriate patient for surgery.

Crizotinib efficacy and safety in patients with advanced NSCLC harboring MET alterations: A real-life data of Turkish Oncology Group

Crizotinib is a multikinase inhibitor, effective in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring mesenchymal-epidermal transition (MET) alterations. Although small prospective studies showed efficacy and safety of crizotinib in NSCLC with MET alterations, there is limited real-life data. Aim of this study is to investigate real-life efficacy and safety of crizotinib in patients with advanced NSCLC harboring MET alterations. This was a retrospective, multicenter (17 centers) study of Turkish Oncology Group. Patients' demographic, histological data, treatment, response rates, survival outcomes, and toxicity data were collected. Outcomes were presented for the study population and compared between MET alteration types. Total of 62 patients were included with a median age of 58.5 (range, 26-78). Major histological type was adenocarcinoma, and 3 patients (4.8%) had sarcomatoid component. The most common MET analyzing method was next generation sequencing (90.3%). MET amplification and mutation frequencies were 53.2% (n = 33) and 46.8% (n = 29), respectively. Overall response rate and disease control rate were 56.5% and 74.2% in whole study population, respectively. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 7.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.8-10.5), and median overall survival (OS) was 18.7 months (95% CI: 13.7-23.7), regardless of treatment line. Median PFS was 6.1 months (95% CI: 5.6-6.4) for patients with MET amplification, whereas 14.3 months (95% CI: 6.7-21.7) for patients with MET mutation (P = .217). Median PFS was significantly longer in patients who have never smoked (P = .040), have good performance score (P < .001), and responded to the treatment (P < .001). OS was significantly longer in patients with MET mutation (25.6 months, 95% CI: 15.9-35.3) compared to the patients with MET amplification (11.0 months; 95% CI: 5.2-16.8) (P = .049). In never-smokers, median OS was longer than smoker patients (25.6 months [95% CI: 11.8-39.3] vs 16.5 months [95% CI: 9.3-23.6]; P = .049). The most common adverse effects were fatigue (50%), peripheral edema (21%), nausea (29%) and diarrhea (19.4%). Grade 3 or 4 adverse effects were observed in 6.5% of the patients. This real-life data confirms efficacy and safety of crizotinib in the treatment of advanced NSCLC harboring MET alteration

The frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy and Pompe disease in children with isolated transaminase elevation: results from the observational VICTORIA study

IntroductionElevated transaminases and/or creatine phosphokinase can indicate underlying muscle disease. Therefore, this study aims to determine the frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) in male children and Pompe disease (PD) in male and female children with isolated hypertransaminasemia.MethodsThis multi-center, prospective study enrolled patients aged 3–216 months with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and/or aspartate transaminase (AST) levels &gt;2× the upper limit of normal (ULN) for ≥3 months. Patients with a known history of liver or muscle disease or physical examination findings suggestive of liver disease were excluded. Patients were screened for creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, and molecular genetic tests for DMD/BMD in male patients and enzyme analysis for PD in male and female patients with elevated CPK levels were performed. Genetic analyses confirmed PD. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the patients were analyzed.ResultsOverall, 589 patients [66.8% male, mean age of 63.4 months (standard deviation: 60.5)] were included. In total, 251 patients (188 male and 63 female) had CPK levels above the ULN. Of the patients assessed, 47% (85/182) of male patients were diagnosed with DMD/BMD and 1% (3/228) of male and female patients were diagnosed with PD. The median ALT, AST, and CPK levels were statistically significantly higher, and the questioned neurological symptoms and previously unnoticed examination findings were more common in DMD/BMD patients than those without DMD/BMD or PD (p &lt; 0.001).DiscussionQuestioning neurological symptoms, conducting a complete physical examination, and testing for CPK levels in patients with isolated hypertransaminasemia will prevent costly and time-consuming investigations for liver diseases and will lead to the diagnosis of occult neuromuscular diseases. Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04120168