AN INVESTIGATION OF SELF-EFFICACY, LOCUS OF CONTROL, AND ACADEMIC PROCRASTINATION AS PREDICTORS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN STUDENTS DIAGNOSED AS GIFTED AND NON-GIFTED

The overall objective of this study was to investigate self-efficacy, locus of control, and academic procrastination as predictors of academic achievement in students identified as gifted or non-gifted (normal). Another purpose of the study was to analyze whether there was a difference between the self-efficacy, locus of control, and academic procrastination scores of the students in both groups. The study group consisted of 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students, some of whom were Science and Art Centers students who were diagnosed as gifted, while others were public school students who were not diagnosed as gifted. The data of the study were collected using the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children, the Internal-External Locus of Control Scale, and the Academic Procrastination Scale. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, the Independent Samples t-Test, and simple and multiple linear regression were employed to analyze the data. According to the results, it can be said that academic procrastination has an important role in the academic achievement of gifted students, whereas self-efficacy, locus of control, and academic procrastination have a significant part to play in the academic achievement of non-gifted students. The comparison of self-efficacy, locus of control, and academic procrastination scores of gifted and non-gifted students indicated that the self-efficacy scores of gifted students were significantly higher than those of the non-gifted.  Article visualizations

Apoptosis biomarkers (Apaf-1, sFa s, sFa s-L, and caspase-9), albumin, and fetuin-A levels in pulmonary thromboembolic patients

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) is the third most common medical emergency with mortality due to ischemia and reperfusion lung injury. Lung ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Lung reperfusion damage is believed to cause cellular damage and apoptosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the levels of fetuin-A, albumin, and apoptosis biomarkers (Apaf-1, sFas, and sFasL) among pulmonary thromboembolic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 45 volunteer patients and 40 healthy control volunteers. Human apoptosis biomarkers (Apaf-1, sFas, sFasL, and caspase-9) and fetuin-A values were measured by ELISA device. Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test were used for continuous variables, and categorical variables were compared with the chi-square test to assess the significance of intergroup differences. The mean values of apoptosis biomarkers and acute phase reactants between dead and survival patients were also compared. RESULTS: While the apoptosis mean values of Apaf-1, sFas, sFasL, and caspase-9 for the control group were 0.12 ± 0.01, 332.1 ± 28.0, 130.4 ± 34.6, and 74.3 ± 2.6, for the patient group they were 0.14 ± 0.02, 509.1 ± 67.6, 139.9 ± 23.7, and 79.4 ± 2.8, respectively. The group differences were significant for all the biomarkers (p = 0.01, p = 0.001, p = 0.19, and p = 0.01, respectively). The negative acute phase fetuin- A and albumin levels decreased significantly in the patient groups (p = 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSİONS: Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways are stimulated during pulmonary embolism, and negative acute phase reactants are decreased. There was a correlation with the mortality and Apaf-1, sFas, caspase-9, fetuin, and albumin levels

Serum Paraoxonase, Arylesterase, and GlutathioneS-Transferase Activities and Oxidative Stress Levels in Patients with Mushroom Poisoning

OBJECTIVES: Consumption of toxic species of mushrooms may have detrimental effects and increase oxidative stress. Paraoxonase, arylesterase and glutathione-S-transferase are antioxidants that resist oxidative stress. In this study, we analyzed the changes in these enzymes during intoxication due to mushrooms. METHODS: The study enrolled 49 adult patients with a diagnosis of mushroom poisoning according to clinical findings and 49 healthy volunteers as the control group. The patients with mild clinical findings were hospitalized due to the possibility that the patient had also eaten the mushrooms and due to clinical findings in the late period, which could be fatal. Paraoxonase, arylesterase, and glutathione-S-transferase concentrations, as well as total antioxidant and oxidant status, were determined in the 49 patients and 49 healthy volunteers by taking blood samples in the emergency department. RESULTS: While paraoxonase, arylesterase, and total antioxidant status were significantly decreased in the patient group (po0.05), glutathione-S-transferase, total oxidant status and the oxidative stress index were significantly higher (po0.05). There was a positive correlation between the hospitalization time and the oxidative stress index (r=0.752, po0.001), whereas a negative correlation was found with glutathione-S-transferase (r=-0.420, p=0.003). CONCLUSION: We observed a significant decrease in paraoxonase and arylesterase and an increase in glutathione-S-transferase and oxidative stress indexes in patients with mushroom poisoning, indicating that these patients had an oxidative status. In particular, a low total antioxidant status and high oxidative stress index may gain importance in terms of the assessment of hospitalization duration

Sosyal Medya Bağımlılığı ve Uyku Kalitesi Arasındaki İlişki: Sanal Dünyanın Ergenler Üzerindeki Etkisi

Ergenlik dönemi, hızlı bir zihinsel, fiziksel ve psikososyal değişimlerin yaşandığı bir dönem olduğundan; bu dönemde, ergenlerin uyku düzeni ve kalitesi, zihinsel sağlık ve psikososyal gelişimlerinde büyük bir rol oynamaktadır. Ergenlerin uyku düzenleri, gelişimleri için oldukça önemlidir ve sosyal medya kullanımının uyku kalitesi üzerindeki olumsuz etkileri, ergenlerde daha belirgin olabilir. Bu nedenle, ergenlerde sosyal medya kullanımı ve uyku kalitesi arasındaki ilişki daha detaylı bir şekilde araştırılmalıdır. Söz konusu bu çalışmada, sosyal medya bağımlılığı ile ergenlerin uyku kalitesi arasındaki ilişki incelenerek ve çalışmanın sonuçları mevcut literatürle karşılaştırılmıştır. Çalışmaya yaşları 13 ve 18 aralığında değişen toplam 503 ergen katılmıştır. Bu durum dikkate alınarak bu çalışmada nicel yöntemlerden ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılmış olup verilerin analizinde regresyon ve korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışmada sosyal medya bağımlılığı ve uyku kalitesi arasındaki ilişki araştırılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda ergenlerde bu iki değişken arasında güçlü bir ilişki olduğu ve sosyal medya bağımlılığının uyku problemlerini anlamlı bir şekilde yordadığı saptanmıştır. Bu sonuçlar, sosyal medya kullanımının uyku problemlerine neden olabileceği ve ergenlerde sosyal medya kullanımının kontrol altında tutulması gerektiği konusunda önemli bir uyarı niteliği taşımaktadır. Ergenlerin uyku kalitesini arttırmak için sosyal medya kullanımını sınırlamak, akıllı telefonların yatak odasında kullanımını önlemek, rutin bir uyku programı oluşturmak, fiziksel aktivite yapmak, sosyal medya kullanımını sınırlandırmak için uygulamalar kullanmak ve sosyal medya kullanımı hakkında bilinçlendirme programları geliştirmek gibi öneriler sıralanabilir

Mushroom poisoning: retrospective analysis of 294 cases

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to present special clinical and laboratory features of 294 cases of mushroom poisoning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 294 patients admitted to the Pediatric and Adult Emergency, Internal Medicine and ICU Departments of Cumhuriyet University Hospital were investigated. RESULTS: Of 294 patients between the ages of 3 and 72 (28.97 ± 19.32), 173 were female, 121 were male and 90 were under the age of 16 years. One hundred seventy-three patients (58.8%) had consumed the mushrooms in the early summer. The onset of mushroom toxicity symptoms was divided into early (within 6 h after ingestion) and delayed (6 h to 20 d). Two hundred eighty-eight patients (97.9%) and six (2.1%) patients had early and delayed toxicity symptoms, respectively. The onset of symptoms was within two hours for 101 patients (34.3%). The most common first-noticed symptoms were in the gastrointestinal system. The patients were discharged within one to ten days. Three patients suffering from poisoning caused by wild mushrooms died from fulminant hepatic failure. CONCLUSION: Education of the public about the consumption of mushrooms and education of health personnel working in health centers regarding early treatment and transfer to hospitals with appropriate facilities are important for decreasing the mortality

Procalcitonin and other acute phase reactants in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between procalcitonin and other acute phase reactants, and also analyze their relationship with clinical situation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) acute exacerbations.Materials and methods: The study was made with 122 acute COPD exacerbated patients, who were admitted to emergency service. Patients with below 0.25 ng/ml PCT value included Group 1, and the patients with PCT values ≥ 0.25 ng/ml Group 2. Serum procalcitonin levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) values and white blood cell (WBC) counts were measured. Also, patients hospitalization time and mortality rates were recorded and compared with PCT.Results: Patients were divided in 3 groups according to their clinical diagnosis; Pneumonia (n=27), Mycoplasma-Chlamydia pneumonia (n=11) and the patients with only COPD exacerbation(n=84). Mean PCT values according to the groups were 9.47 ± 8.1 ng/ml, 0.41 ± 0.2 ng/ml, and 0.21 ± 0.05 ng/ml respectively. The relationship between PCT with CRP and white blood cell has been found between significiant (p=0.001, p=0.005 respectively), whereas the relationship between PCT and ESR was nonsignificant (p=0.55). Procalcitonin and CRP had a positive correlation with the hospitalization time (p=0.034, p=0.022 respectively). The mean ± standard error of PCT for the patients who died was 28.3 ± 27.5 ng/ml, and the difference between patients who died or were discharged was statistically significant (p= 0.012).Conclusion: PCT can be a useful indicator for morbidity and prognosis in COPD patients

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

An Examination on Microeconomic Foundations of Social Media Economics

İnternet teknolojisinin günümüzde geldiği noktada sosyal medya platformları kişiler arası iletişimde en çok kullanılan araçlar haline gelmiştir. Sosyal medya ayrıca yeni iş ve mesleklerin ve üretim-tüketim ilişkilerinin gelişmesine neden olarak iletişim sektörüne yeni bir boyut kazandırmış bir başka deyişle yeni bir ekonomi doğurmuştur. Bu makalede sosyal medya ekonomisinin geleneksel tüketim ve üretim ilişkilerinde meydana getirdiği değişimlerin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır

An Examination on Microeconomic Foundations of Social Media Economics

In today's internet technology social media platforms have become the most widely used mediums in interpersonal communication. Besides Social Media by leading to creation of new businesses, professions and production-consumption relationships, adds a new dimension to the communication sector. In other words it builds a new economy. In this article, it is aimed to investigate the changes in traditional consumption and production relationships which caused by social media economy