Akademik Tartışma Modelinin 8. Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Konuşma Kaygılarına ve Sözlü Anlatım Öz Yeterlik Algılarına Etkisi

Bu araştırmada, akademik tartışma modelinin 8. sınıf öğrencilerinin konuşma kaygılarına ve sözlü anlatım öz yeterlik algılarına etkisini incelemek amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, karma araştırma yöntem desenlerinden biri olan açımlayıcı sıralı desen kullanılmıştır. Bu bağlamda araştırmanın nicel boyutunda, “ön-test ve son-test kontrol gruplu” yarı deneysel desene; nitel boyutunda ise olgubilim desenine başvurulmuştur. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 49 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Bu öğrencilerden 24’ü deney grubunda, 25’i ise kontrol grubunda yer almaktadır. Araştırmanın nicel verileri, Gündüz (2020) tarafından geliştirilen “Konuşma Kaygısı Ölçeği” ve Demir (2020) tarafından geliştirilen “Sözlü Anlatım Öz Yeterlik Algısı Ölçeği” ile; nitel verileri ise araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan “Yarı Yapılandırılmış Görüşme Formu” ile toplanmıştır. Araştırmanın nicel veri analizinde, SPSS 20 analiz programı kullanılarak t-Testi ve iki yönlü ANOVA yapılmış; nitel veri analizinde ise NVivo 12 analiz programına başvurulmuştur. Araştırmanın sonuçlarına göre akademik tartışma modeliyle ders işlenen deney grubu öğrencilerinin, mevcut programla ders işlenen kontrol grubu öğrencilerine göre konuşma kaygılarının anlamlı derecede düştüğü, sözlü anlatım öz yeterlik algılarının ise anlamlı derecede arttığı gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca öğrencilerle yapılan görüşmeler sonucunda öğrenciler, bu tartışma modeliyle işlenen derslerden sonra konuşma özgüvenlerinin arttığını, konuşma kaygılarının düştüğünü, daha güçlü iletişim kurabildiklerini, birbirlerine daha saygılı olduklarını, etkili konuşabildiklerini belirtmişlerdir

Multi-slice CT findings in COVID-19 pneumonia: A cross-sectional multicenter study

In this cross-sectional study of 278 patients, patients diagnosed with COVID-19 per their clinical features, laboratory, and thorax computed tomography (CT) findings were evaluated in terms of the most common characteristic findings. The lesions were classified according to the disease stage. The most common findings for each phase were investigated. The typical CT results included ground glass opacity (GGO), unilateral involvement, and single lesions in the early stages, as well as bilateral involvement, and multiple lesions in the progressive and peak phases. Additionally, vascular dilatation was the most common finding after GGO. Basal segment dominance and peripheral-intraparenchymal-basal segment involvement were mostly seen in the peak-phase patients. Thus, we think that this finding is an essential key to determining that the disease is in the advanced stages. The crazy-paving pattern was also a typical finding in the early-stage patients. Cavitary lesions, pulmonary nodules, and mediastinal lymph nodes were not observed in the lungs

Djelotvornost peroralne primjene melatonina u ublažavanju neurotoksičnosti izazvane kadmijem u Wistar štakora

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of oral melatonin on oxidative/antioxidative parameters and histopathological changes in the hippocampal tissue of Cd-exposed Wistar rats, including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL-6 and IL-10), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups as follows: untreated control (n=8), cadmium (Cd) (n=8), melatonin (Mlt) (n=8), and Cd+Mlt (CdMlt) (n=8). Cd (2 mg/kg) was administered orally by gastric gavage three times a week and Mlt (100 mg/kg) five times a week. The control group received standard feed and water only. After four weeks of treatment, the animals were decapitated and tissue samples taken for biochemical and histopathological evaluations. Mlt caused a significant increase in GSH levels and SOD and CAT activities in the CdMlt group compared to the Cd group. Tissue TNF-α and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the Cd group than other groups (P<0.05). This effect was significantly countered by Mlt in the CdMlt group (P<0.05). GABA concentrations were significantly higher in the Mlt than other groups (P<0.05). Our findings clearly evidence the protective effects of melatonin against Cd-induced neurotoxicity in rats.Cilj je ovog istraživanja bio utvrditi djelovanje peroralne primjene melatonina na razine malondialdehida (MDA), glutationa (GSH), čimbenika nekroze tumora alfa (TNF-α), interleukina 6 i 10 (IL-6 i IL-10), enzimske aktivnosti katalaze (CAT), superoksid dismutaze (SOD) i acetilkolinesteraze (AChE) te na koncentraciju gama-aminomaslačne kiseline (GABA) u hipokampusnom tkivu Wistar štakora izloženih kadmiju (Cd). Također je cilj bio utvrditi histopatološke promjene u cerebralnom korteksu štakora. U tu je svrhu istraživanje obuhvatilo 32 mužjaka, nasumce raspoređena u četiri skupine: kontrolnu (n=8), skupinu koja je primala samo Cd (n=8), skupinu koja je primala samo melatonin (Mlt) (n=8) i skupinu koja je istodobno primala Cd + Mlt (n=8). Štakori u Cd i CdMlt skupinama primali su Cd u dozi od 2 mg/kg gavažom na usta triput na tjedan odnosno melatonin u dozi od 100 mg/kg na isti način pet puta na tjedan. Kontrolna je skupina primala samo vodu. Nakon četverotjednog tretmana životinje su dekapitirane te su uzeti uzorci tkiva za biokemijsku i histopatološku analizu. Primjena melatonina dovela je u CdMlt skupini do rasta razina GSH i SOD te aktivnosti katalaze u odnosu na skupinu koja je primala samo Cd. Potonja je pak iskazala značajno više tkivne razine TNF-α i IL-6 od ostalih skupina (P<0,05). Primjena melatonina dovela je do njihova značajnog sniženja u CdMlt skupini (P<0,05). Koncentracije GABA bile su pak značajno više u skupini na melatoninu nego u ostalim skupinama (P<0,05). Naši rezultati potvrđuju da melatonin štiti od neurotoksičnosti izazvane kadmijem u štakora

An investigation of saliva and plasma levels of urotensin 2 in recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients on metformin treatment

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a primary disease of the carbohydrate metabolism that is characterised by absolute or relative insulin deficiency, or insulin resistance. Although life expectancy is low for diabetic patients, the prognosis has been improved in recent decades. Metformin is an oral antidiabetic that reduces insulin resistance and plasma glucose levels by decreasing glucose production in the liver. It can be used as a standalone treatment or in combination with other antidiabetic medications or insulin. Urotensin 2 (U-II), which is one of the most effective known vasoconstrictor peptides, was observed to act as a vasoconstrictor in diseases such as hypertension and heart failure, and to induce vasodilation in healthy volunteers. Some studies have proposed that the activation of the U-II system could lead to metabolic syndrome. Certain studies have determined a link between DM and U-II. However, there exist no studies on the effects of U-II in recently diagnosed type 2 DM patients after metformin treatment. This study aims to investigate the plasma and saliva levels of U-II at diagnosis and after a three-month metformin treatment in recently diagnosed type 2 DM patients, and to compare these levels to those of healthy volunteers. Material and methods: Our study compared 30 recently diagnosed type 2 DM patients to their states after three-month metformin treatment and 30 healthy volunteers. Results: When compared with the control group, there was no significant increase in the plasma and saliva U-II levels of recently diagnosed type 2 DM patients. We determined a statistically significant increase in the plasma and saliva ureotensin-2 levels of recently diagnosed type 2 DM patients after a three-month metformin treatment (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: It was concluded that the patients with type 2 DM have a multifactorial aetiopathogenesis and an increase in U-II levels after metformin treatment. Metformin has no known effect on the U-II metabolism; therefore, the findings need confirmation through more clinical and experimental studies with more participants

Usefulness of the uric acid and CHA2DS2-VASc score in prediction of left atrial thrombosis in patients with mitral stenosis and sinus rhythm

Background: The risk of thrombus formation in the left atrium is known to be very high in patients with both mitral stenosis (MS) and atrial fibrillation (AF). However, that risk should not be ignored in patients with MS in sinus rhythm (SR). The aim of this study was to determine the clinical, echocardiographic, and biochemical factors that could have a determining role in the formation of a left atrial (LA) thrombus in patients with MS in SR. Method: A total of 207 consecutive patients with MS who underwent both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for diagnosis or to investigate the presence of a thrombus in the LA and appendage were enrolled in this study. Results: LA thrombus was detected in 21 of 207 patients. CHA2DS2-VASc score was not found to be a predictor of LA thrombosis in patients with MS in SR, despite the higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores observed in those patients. The mitral valve area and mitral valve gradient were not predictive of LA thrombus development; however, LA anteroposterior diameter (LAAPD) was found to be a predictor of LA thrombosis. Levels of high sensitivity-C-reactive protein and uric acid were higher in the patients with LA thrombosis, but only uric acid was found to be a predictor of LA thrombosis in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: A larger LAAPD and an elevated serum uric acid level were found to be independent predictors of LA thrombosis in patients with MS in SR.

Screening for Y Chromosome Microdeletion in a Nonobstructive Azoospermic Male Patient with Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation from His Sister

Genomic DNA of a patient diagnosed with nonobstructive azoospermia and with the history of allogenic bone marrow transplantation from his sister due to chronic myeloid leukemia was isolated from peripheral blood in order to screen Y chromosome microdeletions. 13 short tagged sites belonging to AZF a, b, and c loci were detected with multiplex polymerase chain reaction technique. Bands were determined in ZFX/ZFY wells, whereas no bands were determined in wells of other STS regions. DNA isolation was done from buccal mucosa smear to obtain genomic DNA from patient's own cells and multiplex polymerase chain reaction technique was performed again. Bands were seen in all wells of 13 STS regions. Y chromosome microdeletion was not detected in the patient. In conclusion, genomic DNA isolation in patients undergoing BMT should be done from patients' own cells

Adaptation and Validation of the Turkish Version of the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test in University Students

OBJECTIVE: We adapted the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test to Turkish (FIRST-T) and validated it. METHODS: We randomly divided 774 Turkish university students into two equal groups for exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). McDonald\u27s omega and Cronbach\u27s alpha values were utilized for reliability analyses. Item response theory (IRT) approach also used for psychometric properties on the full sample. For discriminant validity, study sample were classified into high and low sleep reactivity groups, and their sociodemographic and sleep data were compared. RESULTS: EFA results suggested a one-factor structure of the FIRST-T, which was confirmed by CFA results. The FIRST-T had solid internal reliability. Item analysis results showed that all the items could distinguish between low and high scorers. This scale showed the same construct (clinical insomnia vs good sleepers) across the sexes in multi-group CFA and differential item functioning results. In the high FIRST-T score group, sleep quality, severity of insomnia, and anxiety scores were higher. In this group, more participants had clinical insomnia according to the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and were poor sleepers according to the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (p \u3c 0.01). CONCLUSION: The FIRST-T has robust psychometric properties that assesses sleep reactivity among university students

Investigation of Molecular Mechanisms of Carbapenemase Producing Acinetobacter baumannii complex Isolates Isolated from Blood Cultures

INTRODUCTION: It was aimed to determine the presence of metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL) and oxacillinases (OXA) enzymes in Acinetobacter baumannii complex (ABC) isolates, which show decreased sensitivity to carbapenems isolated from blood cultures and to investigate the relationships of isolates among each other and with European clones (EU) I, II, III. METHODS: The study included ABC isolate which has reduced sensitivity to at least one of either imipenem or meropenem which was isolated from blood samples obtained from 74 patients who were admitted to the hospital between 2008 and 2009. Identification of isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibilities were performed using BD Phoenix Automated System (Becton-Dickinson, USA). OXA and MBL genes were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The clonal relationship of the isolates was determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method. RESULTS: MBL genes and blaOXA-24-like gene were not determined in any of the isolates. blaOXA-51-like was detected in all isolates, blaOXA-58-like gene in 32 isolates and blaOXA-23-like gene in 26 isolates. Using PFGE method, it was detected that fifty-five blood isolates carrying the blaOXA23-like and/or blaOXA-58-like gene were clustered under six clusters. The similarity of EU clones with clinical ABC isolates in the clusters was found to be over 90%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: ABC isolates producing oxacillinase in our hospital; The presence of association with EU clone III, which is reported very rarely in our country, and the detection of possible related isolates with EU clones I and II show the potential for the spread of these clones in our hospital and in our country

Evaluation of Inner Ear Damage by Using Otoacoustic Emissions in Patients Who Underwent Mastoidectomy and Tympanoplasty Operations in the Early Period

Objective:We aim to demonstrate inner ear damage caused by drilling in the early period. Healthy contralateral ears of patients who underwent mastoidectomy using drill or tympanoplasty without using drill were compared.Methods:A total of 38 patients (mastoidectomy: 22, tympanoplasty: 16) who were diagnosed as chronic otitis media and were scheduled for surgery were included. Distortion product (dp) otoacoustic emissions measurements were performed on healthy contralateral ears of patients on pre- and post-operative 1. hour, 1. day, 2. day, 3. day, and 4. day.Results:In mastoidectomy group, dp otoacoustic emission values on post-operative 1. hour, 1. day, 2. day, 3. day, and 4. day at a frequency of 4000 Hz were significantly lower than in tympanoplasty group (p<0.05). In mastoidectomy group, dp values on post-operative 1. hour, 1. day, 2. day, 3. day, and 4. day at 4000 Hz significantly decreased in comparison with pre-operative period (p<0.05). In comparison with pre-operative period, decrease in dp values on post-operative 1. hour, 1. day, and 2. day at 4000 Hz in mastoidectomy group is significantly higher than those in tympanoplasty group (p<0.05). In tympanoplasty group, dp values on post-operative 1. hour at 4000 Hz significantly decreased in comparison with pre-operative period (p<0.05).Conclusion:Drilling used in mastoidectomy operation damage healthy contralateral ears by causing acoustic trauma. This damage can be determined by otoacoustic emissions in the early period. According to our study, hearing loss is temporary and more distinct at higher frequencies