İKMEP değerlendirmesi: biyomedikal cihaz teknolojileri programı

Bu çalışmada, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (MEB) ve Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) işbirliği ile meslek yüksekokullarına yönelik olarak başlatılan “İnsan Kaynaklarının Mesleki Eğitim Yoluyla Geliştirilmesi Projesi (İKMEP)” ve İKMEP kapsamında hazırlanan öğretim programlarından “Biyomedikal Cihaz Teknolojileri” programı incelenmiştir. Öğretim programı; zorunlu, mesleki, seçmeli dersler ve içerikleri, derslerin haftalık süreleri, derslerin pratik çalışmalarının uygulanabilirlik düzeyi, yatay ve dikey geçiş için uygunluk durumları ve öğretim elemanı yeterliliği gibi kriterler, programın belirlenmiş yeterlilik tablosu da dikkate alınarak değerlendirilmiştir. Değerlendirme sonucunda, İKMEP kapsamında hazırlanan Biyomedikal Cihaz Teknolojileri öğretim programının tekniker düzeyinde bölümün gerektirdiği temel elektronik/bilgisayar dersleri tam olarak içermediği, birçok dersin tek bir ders adı altında birleştirilebileceği, biyomedikal cihazlar ile ilgili derslerin uygulama kısımlarının işlenmesinin çok güç olduğu ve yatay/dikey geçiş için gerekli zorunlu derslerin yetersizliği/belirsizliği sonuçlarına varılmıştır. Yapılan değerlendirmeler için çeşitli öneriler sunulmuştur

Sektörün meslek yüksekokulları bilgisayar programcılığı öğretimi ve mezunlarına bakış araştırması

Bu araştırma meslek yüksekokullarındaki bilgisayar teknolojileri bölümünde okuyan öğrencilere veya bu bölümden mezun olmuş olanlara, bilişim sektörünün bakışını ve bu firmaların meslek yüksekokullarındaki eğitim ile ilgili görüşlerini belirleyebilmek amacıyla yapılmaktadır. Günümüzün en önemli alanlarından birisi olan bilişim teknolojilerine personel yetiştirmeyi amaçlayan meslek yüksekokullarında verilen eğitimin, sektörün ihtiyaçlarını karşılayıp karşılamadığını durumunu ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma kapsamında firmaların internet üzerinden giriş yapabileceği bir anket sistemi oluşturulmuştur. Tek merkezli değil tüm Türkiye’yi kapsayacak şekilde internet üzerinden firmalara ulaşılarak ankete katılım sağlanmıştır. Yapılan bu araştırma sonucunda, meslek yüksekokullarının bilişim teknolojisi bölümünde okuyan öğrencilere yönelik verilen eğitimin kapsamı, derslerin dağılımları ve ders içerikleri yeniden gözden geçirilerek, sektörüyle uyumlu olması sağlanabilecektir

White blood cell count to mean platelet volume ratio: A novel and promising prognostic marker for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background: Increased white blood cell (WBC) count is associated with increased mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to evaluate predictive value of admission WBC to mean platelet volume (MPV) ratio (WMR) on prognosis in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for STEMI. Methods: A total of 2,603 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent pPCI were recruited for the study. Follow-up data were obtained from digital records, patient files or by telephone interview with patients, family members, or primary care physicians. Results: WMR has the highest area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and pairwise comparisons of the ROC curves revealed that WMR has the higher discriminative ability for long-term mortality than WBC, MPV, red blood cell distribution with (RDW), WBC-MPV combination, and platelet to lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (PLR-NLR) combination in patients undergoing pPCI for STEMI (a WMR value of 1,653.47 was also found as threshold value for mortality with 75.4% sensitivity and 87.3% specificity by ROC curve analysis). Conclusions: Higher WMR value on admission was associated with worse outcomes in patients with STEMI and independently better predicted the long-term mortality than other complete blood count components, such as MPV, RDW, PLR-NLR and WBC-MPV combinations

Evaluation of personality features and mental state of keratoconus patients

Objectives: Keratoconus (KCN) is a disorder that usually appears during adolescence and progressively reduces visual acuity. KCN may lead to differences in personality features as a result of vision loss and the numerous clinical examinations and treatment methods used from a young age. The aim of this study was to better understand the psychological characteristics of KCN patients and to define possible correlations between corneal topographic parameters and psychological state. Methods: A total of 59 KCN cases were included in the study group and were compared with 65 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. All of the participants underwent a routine ophthalmic examination that included corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), biomicroscopy, and fundoscopy. The KCN patients were evaluated busing Scheimpflug corneal topography. Psychiatric evaluations were performed using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Short Form (EPQ), the Self-Confidence Scale, the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results: The mean age of the case and control groups was 23.98±5.7 years and 25.82±5.4 years, respectively. The KCN cases had significantly higher EPQ neuroticism subscale scores; higher MOCI subscale scores, with the exception of the doubting subscale; and higher BDI scores. Analysis of the KCN duration revealed a positive correlation with the checking and slowness subscales of the MOCI, however, there was no significant correlation between the psychometric scale scores, corneal topographic parameters, and CDVA. Conclusion: A substantially asymmetrical course and a relatively long period for KCN to result in severe vision loss might explain the lack of correlations between psychological parameters and visual acuity. Nonetheless, the apparent effect of vision loss on emotional distress cannot be disregarded; the day-to-day progressive loss of visual acuity and multiple, costly interventions may initiate or contribute to a depressive mood in KCN patients. A vicious depressive cycle and the exhaustion of long-term coping mechanisms might be underlying factors for the higher neuroticism scores seen among KCN patients. Both the personality traits and mental state of KCN patients demonstrate distinguishing properties; clinicians working with these patients should consider their mental state in addition to other factors in order to achieve better treatment outcome

Investigation of the relationship between hemogram parameters and procalcitonin levels in patients with psychiatric diseases

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the hemogram parameters and the levels of procalcitonin, serum C-reactive protein, and inflammation in inpatients with psychiatric disorders. Material and methods: The study population consisted of 549 inpatients treated between January 2018 and December 2020. Data were obtained retrospectively from computer records and inpatient files. Only the first hospitalization of each patient was evaluated, and 199 patients were included in the study. The researchers examined the parameters including platelet activation, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio, monocyte lymphocyte ratio, platelet count, mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, platelet lymphocyte ratio, and procalcitonin levels in patients and compared them with findings obtained from a control group. Results: Increased levels of C-reactive protein and decreased levels of platelets were observed in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder. Increased platelet distribution width, platelet lymphocyte ratio, and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio were observed in patients with schizophrenia. The patients with bipolar disorder had increased mean platelet volume while patients with depressive disorder had an increased monocyte lymphocyte ratio. Procalcitonin levels increased in patients with anxiety disorder and depressive disorder. Discussion: Platelet activity can be an important criterion to investigate the etiopathogenesis underlying the inflammatory process in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe a positive correlation between increased monocyte lymphocyte ratio and procalcitonin levels in depressive disorder, and a positive correlation between increased procalcitonin levels and anxiety disorder and depressive disorder

Driver evaluation in heavy duty vehicles based on acceleration and braking behaviors

In this paper, we present a real-time driver evalua-tion system for heavy-duty vehicles by focusing on the classifica-tion of risky acceleration and braking behaviors. We utilize animproved version of our previous Long Short Memory (LSTM)based acceleration behavior model [10] to evaluate varyingacceleration behaviors of a truck driver in small time periods.This model continuously classifies a driver as one of six driverclasses with specified longitudinal-lateral aggression levels, usingdriving signals as time-series inputs. The driver gets accelerationscore updates based on assigned classes and the geometry ofdriven road sections. To evaluate the braking behaviors of atruck driver, we propose a braking behavior model, which usesa novel approach to analyze deceleration patterns formed duringbrake operations. The braking score of a driver is updated foreach brake event based on the pattern, magnitude, and frequencyevaluations. The proposed driver evaluation system has achievedsignificant results in both the classification and evaluation ofacceleration and braking behaviors

The ratio of contrast volume to glomerular filtration rate predicts in-hospital and six-month mortality in patients undergoing primary angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the impact of ratio of contrast volume to glomerular filtration rate (V/GFR) on development of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and long-term mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: A total of 645 patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI was prospectively enrolled. CIN was defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine > 0.5 mg/dL or a relative increase > 25% within 48 h after PCI. The study population was divided into tertiles based on V/GFR. A high V/GFR was defined as a value in the third tertile (> 3.7). Results: Patients in tertile 3 were older, had higher rate of smoking, diabetes mellitus and CIN, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, hemoglobin, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to tertiles 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). V/GFR was found an independent predictor of in-hospital and 6-month mortality. We found 2 separate values of V/GFR for 2 different end points. While the ratio of 3.6 predicted in-hospital mortality with 78% sensitivity and 82% specificity, the ratio of 3.3 predicted 6-month mortality with 71% sensitivity and 76% specificity. Survival rate decreases as V/GFR increases both for in-hospital and during 6-month follow-up. Diabetes mellitus and multivessel disease were other predictors of in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: High V/GFR level is associated with increased in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Short and long term outcomes of primary angioplasty in patients aged 75 years and over

The treatment of elderly patients with ST segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effects of primary angioplasty in elderly patients on in-hospital and long term major adverse cardiac events (MACE).Materials and methods: From October 2003 to March 2008, we retrospectively enrolled 220 patients aged 75 years and over with STEMI who underwent primary angioplasty. Patients’ characteristics, in-hospital and long term events were recorded.Results: Male/Female ratio of patients was 129/91 and mean age was 78.7 ± 3.6 (range, 75-97) years, and 58.6% of male). Of these patients 29.2% were diabetics, 69.8% were hypertensive, 34.4% were smoker and 43.5% were anemic at admission. Anterior myocardial infarction was diagnosed in 52.3% of patients. Mean pain-balloon time was 222 ± 116 minutes. Eighty two (38.2%) of these 220 patients had three-vessel disease and 12 (5.7%) were diagnosed as cardiogenic shock. Procedural success was observed in 79.6% of patients. Heart failure was observed 27.7% in hospital and intra aortic pump was used in 14.5% of patients. There was no significant difference between age groups in long term major cardiac events and in hospital mortality. Diabetes, leukocyte count at admission and in hospital heart failure were independent predictors of short term MACE and low hemoglobin level at admission and peak CKMB levels were independent predictors of long term MACE.Conclusions: Primary angioplasty in patients aged 75 years and over seems to be associated with low procedural complication, high procedural success, improved short and long term survival

Increased mean platelet volume in patients with infective endocarditis and embolic events

Background: Platelet activation appears to play an important role in thromboembolic com­plications of infective endocarditis (IE). Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a potentially useful marker of platelet activity and a quick and easy determinant of thrombotic risk. Hence the aim of this study was to investigate the baseline platelet volume indices (MPV and platelet distribution width [PDW]) in IE patients who developed embolic events in the follow-up period and who did not. Methods: The study group consisted of 76 consecutive patients (female: 55, male: 21, mean age: 26 years old, ranged: 8–64 years) with definite IE according to Duke Criteria. Thirty four healthy subjects, who were age and gender adjusted, served as the control group. The mean duration of hospital stay was 44 days. Results: Among the IE patients, 13 (13/76, 17.1%) had major embolic events. Significantly larger vegetations were observed in patients with embolic events as compared to non-embolic group (1.4 vs. 1.0 cm, p = 0.03). MPV at hospital admission was higher in patients who had embolic events in the follow-up period compared to both those who did not and the control subjects (10.62 ± 1.13 vs. 9.25 ± 0.97 and 8.93 ± 0.82 fL, p < 0.001, respectively). Similarly, the patients with embolic events had increased PDW compared to the non-embolic ones and the control group (16.31 ± 2.42 vs. 14.35 ± 1.97 and 14.04 ± 1.82%, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that IE patients with embolic events had in­creased MPV and PDW values, compared to non-embolics. Future prospective studies with standardized measurements may clarify the clinical role of platelet volume indices in thrombo­embolic complications of IE