Digital transformation and universities

Purpose- This study aims to examine how digitalization has affected and changed higher education. It focuses on the current situation of universities and their current processes and what they need to do to become digital. It aims to present a roadmap for universities to integrate and organize these important changes into their strategies by examining the digital transformation that affects the vision of universities. Methodology- The study employs a literature review using secondary data analysis. Findings- The analysis reveals that the role of universities in many aspects such as society and economy has changed and is expected to change disruptively over the next decade. Universities need to make a differentiation through emerging business models in such a competitive higher education sector. Higher education institutions have to adapt to technological changes for sustainabilty. The pandemic dramatically accelerated the pace of technological adoption worldwide. The drivers of digital transformation in universiteis can be summarized as the increase compteteiveness, user experience and agility while reduction in operating expenses. Conclusion- It may be concluded that a university should be part of present technological trends and include digitalization in their strategies to be competitive in the future. Universities need to focus mainly on exploring more innovative measures to create technology development centres through research to deal with skills shortages. Universities should support those academics who lead the improvement of digital skills and innovative teaching methods, promote digital literacy in the academia and encourage the use of learning platforms. It is important to set a clear policy to adopt digital age in higher education. Universities will be competing globally for students, academic staff and funding. Adoption and implementation of new technologies in universities are inevitable.Publisher's Versio

PRECIPITATION PREDICTION MODEL WITH GENETIC EVALUATIONARY PROGRAMMING

Bu çalışmanın amacı Genetik Evrimsel Programlama (GEP) ve Yapay Sinir Ağları (YSA) yöntemlerini kullanarak en uygun yağış tahmin modelini geliştirmektir. Söz konusu metotlar Türkiye’de Göller Bölgesinde yeralan Eğirdir’e düşen yağışı tahmin etmek için kullanılmışlardır. Eğirdir’e ait yağış verileri aynı bölgede yeralan Isparta ve Senirkent istasyomlarının yağış verileri kullanılarak tahmin edilmiştir. Aylık yağış tahminleri için veriler Meteoroloji Genel Müdürlüğü’nden alınmıştır. Kullanılan meteorolojik veriler 1975 yılından 2010 yılına kadar olan 36 yıllık periyottan oluşmaktadır. GEP ve YSA modelleri için farklı girdi değişkenleri denenerek en uygun girdi seti elde edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Model sonuçları ile tarihi yağış kayıtları mukayese edildiğinde GEP modellerinin YSA modellere göre daha iyi sonuçlar verdiği görülmüştür. GEP ile geliştirilen yağış modeli sayesinde eksik ya da ölçülmemiş yağış verilerinin tahmini aynı zamanda en düşük ve en yüksek yağış verilerinin tahmini kolaylıkla yapılabilecektir

A Case of Brucellosis Presenting with Multiple Hypodense Splenic Lesions and Bilateral Pleural Effusions

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease, which mainly present with lymphoreticular system invovement. However any organ system can be attacked by the microorganism. In this paper we present a 52-year-old female patient who was admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department with complaints of fatigue, arthralgias, fever, and weight loss. In the medical examination and radiological analysis bilateral pleural effusions and hepatosplenomegaly were detected. Serum transaminase levels were two times higher than the upper limits of normal. Abdominal ultrasound revealed sludge in the gallbladder and multiple hypodense splenic lesions (the largest was 1 cm in diameter). Brucella melitensis was isolated from the blood culture of the patient. Rifampicin (600 mg/day) and doxycycline (200 mg/day) therapy was started. Follow-up chest radiography and ultrasonography revealed the absence of pleural effusion. Splenic lesions and hepatosplenomegaly were totally regressed. The patient has been followed for 3 months after 6 week antibiotic regimen without recurrence. Brucellosis was expected to be the cause of all pathological signs

Comparison of the Physicochemical Properties and Release Profiles of Metformin Tablets of Eight Different Brands Available in the Northern Cyprus Pharmaceutical Market

Objective:In the study, it was aimed to compare the physicochemical and in vitro dissolution parameters of metformin hydrochloride (MET) tablet brands from Northern Cyprus to evaluate the pharmaceutical equivalence.Methods:Seven brands of MET tablets which were bought from community pharmacies were compared and evaluated with the innovative product Glucophage®. The impurity of MET contained in the sample tablets was determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Pharmacopoeia tests were used to evaluate the physicochemical equivalence of the tablets. In vitro dissolution test was performed and dissolution data were analyzed including dissolution difference (f1) and similarity factors (f2) were evaluated. In addition, the release kinetics of selected MET tablets were examined with a release kinetics software (KinetDS3).Results:All the tablet brands complied with the official specifications for uniformity of weight hardness and disintegration. Brand MF failed the friability test (>1%); while brands MC, MF and MG failed the content uniformity (assay) test (<95%). Difference (f1) and similarity factors (f2) of all brands were calculated in pH 6.8 buffer medium and evaluated with reference to the innovative brand. The facts that MB’s f1 value (15.45) was greater than 15 and that the f2 values of MB and MF (48.57, 47.13, respectively) were less than 50 indicated that the dissolution profiles of MB and MF formulations were different from the dissolution profile of the innovative brand.Conclusion:Five of the eight tablet brands passed all the official tests and could be regarded as pharmaceutically equivalent but f2 analysis showed only five brands were similar to the reference brand. The study has shown that all the MET tablet brands sampled in Northern Cyprus are not pharmaceutically equivalent

Parents' Emotion Socialization Practices and Emotional and Social Development in Early Childhood

The aim of this review is to examine parents' emotion socialization practices, which play an important role in the emotional and social competence of their children during early childhood. Emotional socialization occurs in three ways: parents' expression of their own feelings, discussion about emotions with their children, and parents' reactions to their children's negative emotions. In particular, parents' responses to their children's negative emotions are an issue that is strongly discussed in the literature. These responses are divided into two categories: supportive and non-supportive responses. Supportive parents see their children's negative emotions as an opportunity to approach and guide them to cope with these feelings. By contrast, non-supportive parents see negative feelings as a threat and believe that they and their children should be rescued from these feelings as soon as possible. The ways parents cope with their own emotions, their psychological health, personality traits and marital satisfaction are important factors that directly shape parents' emotional socialization practices, which are included in the limited studies in the literature. It is important to consider these factors in order to better comprehend emotion socialization. Emotional socialization research mainly focuses on the inuence of mothers in the process of their children's social and emotional development. The studies that examine fathers' contributions to their children's social and emotional development are limited. Further, ndings reveal that emotional socialization practices are shaped according to the temperament of children and therefore, similar practices may have different effects on children with different temperament

The cientificWorldJOURNAL Research Article Diffuse Alveolar Damage of the Lungs in Forensic Autopsies: Assessment of Histopathological Stages and Causes of Death

Introduction. Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) is a morphological prototype of acute interstitial pneumonia. Hospital autopsies or open-lung biopsies are used to monitor common alveolar damage and hyaline membrane (HM) development histopathologically. The aim of this study was to detect histopathological profiles and frequency of DAD and HM in adult forensic autopsies. Materials and Methods. In total, 6813 reports with histopathological samples in 12,504 cases on which an autopsy was performed between 2006 and 2008 were investigated. Sixty-six individuals &gt;18 years of age who were diagnosed with DAD were included. Hematoxylin-and eosin-stained lung preparations were reexamined in line with the 2002 American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society idiopathic interstitial pneumonia consensus criteria. Results. Histopathological examination revealed that 50 cases (75.7%) were in the exudative phase and 16 (24.2%) were in the proliferative phase. Only the rate of alveolar exudate/oedema in exudative phase cases (P = 0.003); those of alveolar histiocytic desquamation (P = 0.037), alveolar fibrosis (P = 0.017), chronic inflammation (P = 0.02), and alveolar fibrin (P = 0.001) in proliferative cases were significantly higher. The presence of alveolar fibrin was the only independent variable in favour of proliferative cases (P = 0.016). Conclusion. The detection of all DAD morphological criteria with the same intensity is not always possible in each case. Forensic autopsies may provide a favourable means for expanding our knowledge about acute lung damage, DAD, and interstitial lung disease

Adrenal Glands of Chinchilla lanigera - Study of Anatomical Features with Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

   Background: Since chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) is frequently used as a laboratory animal, satisfactory data about the imaging anatomical appearance of its adrenal glands, such as their anatomical location and closeness with other abdomi­nal soft tissue and vessels, are important. The aim of this study to determine anatomical features of the chinchilla adrenal gland’s using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Materials, Methods &amp; Results: We used 12 chinchillas (6 males and 6 females), aged 18 months. The animals were in supine recumbency when contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was performed. Transverse, sagittal and dorsal images of the adrenal glands were obtained with iodinated contrast medium, and 3D reconstruction of the obtained images was applied. The craniocaudal (CrCc - length), dorsoventral (DV - height) and lateromedial (LM - width) diameters were measured using an electronic calliper. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and coronal T1-weighted images were obtained. The transverse CT anatomical image at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra demonstrated the location of the both adrenal glands in accordance with the grey-white scale’s variation. The right adrenal gland was hypo-attenuated and elliptic compared to the right kidney and in close contact to it and to the caudal vena cava. The left adrenal gland was oval and at a distance to the abdominal aorta. The dorsal MRI anatomical study of the chinchilla’s abdominal organs at a distance of 10 mm from the spine and in a T1-weighted sequence showed that both adrenal glands were retroperitoneal organs. Discussion: Post-contrasted CT defined the topography of both glands. The right adrenal gland has an oval shape and is cranially situated to the left gland, whose shape is cylindrical and elongated. The LM diameter of the right gland is higher than that measured in the left gland. Both DV and CrCc diameters of the right gland are lower compared to those of the left gland. The right adrenal gland is in close contact to the caudal vena cava, the right kidney and the liver, and the left adrenal gland is in a distance to the abdominal aorta. The right adrenal gland was close to the caudal vena cava and the right kidney and medially to the left kidney. The successful comparative analysis of the images in 3D reconstruction and post-contrast CT in 2D allowed us to conclude that 3D reconstruction is suitable to obtain detailed information in a sum­mary form regarding the closeness of the glands and their shape, mainly because the results are in a real time and highly comprehensive. Our data are in in agreement with previous findings about the advantages of 3D reconstruction. The research algorithm applied was based on the dorsal visualization of the glands in T1-weighted sequence, achieving a comprehensive and high-quality MRI imaging of the examined organs in chinchillas. Both adrenal glands were retroperitoneal organs and with low signal. The dorsal MRI anatomical study of the chinchilla’s abdominal organs at a distance of 10 mm from the spine and in a T1-weighted sequence showed the whole profile of the right and left glands and the cranial position of the right gland to the left one, the close contact between the right gland and the kidney and the distance between the left gland and the left kidney. The MRI results are detailed and comprehensive for interpretation. In conclusion, the results of the present study are comprehensive, detailed and with high resolution. We present data for the anatomical relationships of the studied organs, their shape and macrometric parameters, concluding that the above mentioned modalities are very important tools for studying the chinchilla’s adrenal glands to create a morphological base, which is necessary to inves­tigate specific diseases. Keywords: adrenal glands, chinchilla, CT, imaging anatomy, MRI, 3D reconstructio

Behcet's disease and renal failure

Background. The aims of this study were (i) to investigate the prevalence of Behcet's disease (BD) among dialysis patients in Turkey, (ii) to report the clinical characteristics of patients with BD and endstage renal disease (ESRD), (iii) to evaluate the effect of ESRD on course and activity of BD and (iv) to analyse the published data about BD and renal failure. Methods. A questionnaire investigating BD among dialysis patients was submitted to 350 dialysis centres and we obtained the data for 20 596 patients from 331 dialysis centres. We submitted a second questionnaire regarding clinical characteristics of the patients with BD and ESRD. The PubMed and Web of Science databases were used for the analysis of BD and renal failure. Results. Fourteen patients with BD were determined and the prevalence of BD was 0.07% among 20 596 dialysis patients in Turkey. None of the patients has had a new manifestation of BD after initiation of haemodialysis treatment. The analysis of previous data about renal BD demonstrated 67 patients with renal failure. Conclusions. The most common cause of renal failure in BD is amyloidosis. Routine urine analysis and measurement of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels are needed for early diagnosis. Vascular access-related problems are common and the activity of BD appears to decrease in patients with ESRD after initiation of haemodialysis

Reproducibility of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia diagnosis is good, but influenced by the diagnostic style of pathologists

Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) applies specific diagnostic criteria to designate a monoclonal endometrial preinvasive glandular proliferation known from previous studies to confer a 45-fold increased risk for endometrial cancer. In this international study we estimate accuracy and precision of EIN diagnosis among 20 reviewing pathologists in different practice environments, and with differing levels of experience and training. Sixty-two endometrial biopsies diagnosed as benign, EIN, or adenocarcinoma by consensus of two expert subspecialty pathologists were used as a reference comparison to assess diagnostic accuracy of 20 reviewing pathologists. Interobserver reproducibility among the 20 reviewers provided a measure of diagnostic precision. Before evaluating cases, observers were self-trained by reviewing published textbook and/or online EIN diagnostic guidelines. Demographics of the reviewing pathologists, and their impressions regarding implementation of EIN terminology were recorded. Seventy-nine percent of the 20 reviewing pathologists' diagnoses were exactly concordant with the expert consensus (accuracy). The interobserver weighted kappa values of 3-class EIN scheme (benign, EIN, carcinoma) diagnoses between expert consensus and each of reviewing pathologists averaged 0.72 (reproducibility, or precision). Reviewing pathologists demonstrated one of three diagnostic styles, which varied in the repertoire of diagnoses commonly used, and their nonrandom response to potentially confounding diagnostic features such as endometrial polyp, altered differentiation, background hormonal effects, and technically poor preparations. EIN diagnostic strategies can be learned and implemented from standard teaching materials with a high degree of reproducibility, but is impacted by the personal diagnostic style of each pathologist in responding to potential diagnostic confounders