Digital Story-Based Problem Solving Applications: Preservice Primary Teachers’ Experiences and Future Integration Plans

This case study investigates how preservice primary school teachers describe their experiences with digital story-based problem solving applications and their plans for the future integration of this technology into their teaching. Totally 113 preservice primary school teachers participated in the study. Data collection tools included a questionnaire with three open-ended questions and focus group interviews. The data were analyzed using content analysis by combining manifest and latent techniques. Most of the preservice primary teachers described positive experiences about digital story-based problem solving applications by emphasizing on that they contribute to both their own and their students’ learning, development, and attitudes. Participants further described digital story (DS) integration as in line with behaviorist pedagogy. Study results revealed that most of the preservice primary school teachers planned to integrate DSs into their future classrooms for purposes such as capturing students’ attention and reinforcing, rewarding, or supporting learning

Plasma levels of vitamin B12, epidermal growth factor and tumor necrosis factor alpha in patients with alzheimer dementia

Background: It was previously reported that vitamin B12 (Vit B12) has the regulatory effects on epidermal growth factor (EGF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The role of Vit B12, EGF and TNF-α in the pathogenesis of alzheimer dementia has not been elucidated yet. In this study the plasma Vit B12, EGF and TNF-α level were examined in individuals, between 65-99 years old with and without alzheimer dementia (AD).  Methods: The study group comprised 47 patients with AD and 38 cases without dementia. EGF and TNF-α were analyzed by ELISA, and Vit B12 was analyzed by chemiluminescence method.Results: Vit B12 and EGF levels were significantly lower (p<0.0001), whereas TNF-α levels were significantly higher (p<0.0001) in the AD group in comparison to those without AD.  Conclusions: Our results suggest that Vit B12, EGF and TNF-α may have a role in the pathophysiology of AD.

Nitrate reduction in Haloferax alexandrinus: the case of assimilatory nitrate reductase

Haloferax alexandrinus Strain TM JCM 10717T = IFO 16590T is an extreme halophilic archaeon able to produce significant amounts of canthaxanthin. Its genome sequence has been analysed in this work using bioinformatics tools available at Expasy in order to look for genes encoding nitrate reductase-like proteins: respiratory nitrate reductase (Nar) and/or assimilatory nitrate reductase (Nas). The ability of the cells to reduce nitrate under aerobic conditions was tested. The enzyme in charge of nitrate reduction under aerobic conditions (Nas) has been purified and characterised. It is a monomeric enzyme (72 ± 1.8 kDa) that requires high salt concentration for stability and activity. The optimum pH value for activity was 9.5. Effectiveness of different substrates, electron donors, cofactors and inhibitors was also reported. High nitrite concentrations were detected within the culture media during aerobic/microaerobic cells growth. The main conclusion from the results is that this haloarchaeon reduces nitrate aerobically thanks to Nas and may induce denitrification under anaerobic/microaerobic conditions using nitrate as electron acceptor. The study sheds light on the role played by haloarchaea in the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen, paying special attention to nitrate reduction processes. Besides, it provides useful information for future attempts on microecological and biotechnological implications of haloarchaeal nitrate reductases.This work was funded by research grant from the MINECO Spain (CTM2013-43147-R) and by funds from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Anadolu University (Turkey)

Contrasting cardiovascular mortality trends in Eastern Mediterranean populations: contributions from risk factor changes and treatments

Background Middle income countries are facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases, especially coronary heart disease (CHD). We used a validated CHD mortality model (IMPACT) to explain recent trends in Tunisia, Syria, the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and Turkey. Methods Data on populations, mortality, patient numbers, treatments and risk factor trends from national and local surveys in each country were collated over two time points (1995–97; 2006–09); integrated and analysed using the IMPACT model. Results Risk factor trends: Smoking prevalence was high in men, persisting in Syria but decreasing in Tunisia, oPt and Turkey. BMI rose by 1–2 kg/m2 and diabetes prevalence increased by 40%–50%. Mean systolic blood pressure and cholesterol levels increased in Tunisia and Syria. Mortality trends: Age-standardised CHD mortality rates rose by 20% in Tunisia and 62% in Syria. Much of this increase (79% and 72% respectively) was attributed to adverse trends in major risk factors, occurring despite some improvements in treatment uptake. CHD mortality rates fell by 17% in oPt and by 25% in Turkey, with risk factor changes accounting for around 46% and 30% of this reduction respectively. Increased uptake of community treatments (drug treatments for chronic angina, heart failure, hypertension and secondary prevention after a cardiac event) accounted for most of the remainder. Discussion CHD death rates are rising in Tunisia and Syria, whilst oPt and Turkey demonstrate clear falls, reflecting improvements in major risk factors with contributions from medical treatments. However, smoking prevalence remains very high in men; obesity and diabetes levels are rising dramatically

Role of exogenous folic acid in alleviation of morphological and anatomical inhibition on salinity-induced stress in barley

Soil salinity is a serious threat to agricultural ecological environment and agriculture sustainability. Ever increasing salinity negatively affects processes such as plant growth and development, ultimately causing diminished economic yield and quality of production, and it might cause a worldwide famine in the future. Thus, helping plants adapt to saline soils and increasing their yield and quality is a must. Our study focused on the enhancing role of exogenously applied folic acid (FA) in mitigation of toxicity caused by salt (NaCl). Barley seeds were pre-treated with 50 µM FA for 24 h and then exposed to salt. Morphological and anatomical changes in seed germination and seedling growth stages were compared between different treatments of salt in laboratory conditions. Adverse effects of salt in both germination and seedling growth stages depended on the concentration of salt treatment (0.0, 0.25, 0.275, 0.30, 0.325 and 0.35 M). It was shown that the application of FA effectively alleviated the salt-induced inhibition, and reduced the negative effects of salt on germination (germination index and vigour index), seedling growth (radicle and coleoptile lengths, fresh weight) and leaf (stomata and epidermis number, stomatal index, stomata sizes of adaxial and abaxial surfaces) parameters. Moreover, FA elevated all examined parameters of barley also under non-stress conditions. Especially, germination and vigour indices were significantly higher than the control. Our results suggest that exogenous FA is involved in the resistance of barley to salt-stress

Osculating curves in 4-dimensional semi-Euclidean space with index 2

WOS: 000404573600001In this paper, we give the necessary and sufficient conditions for non-null curves with non-null normals in 4-dimensional Semi-Euclidian space with indeks 2 to be osculating curves. Also we give some examples of non-null osculating curves in E-2(4)

Serum malondialdehyde levels in patients infected with Plasmodium vivax

Malondialdehyde, a lipid peroxide, may be used as an indicator of oxidative stress. This study investigated the oxidative stress hypothesis in patients infected with Plasmodium vivax. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration activity was measured in 87 patients. Scores were obtained for the patients and 60 seronegative healthy controls matched for age and gender The difference between MDA levels of patients infected with Plasmodium vivax and the control group was statistically significant both for females (p 0.05) in both females and males. In addition, no significant correlation could be found between MDA levels of both females and males for patients and control group (p > 0.05). MDA levels were increased in the patients infected with Plasmodium vivax

Investigation of Epidermal Growth Factor, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha and Thioredoxin System in Rats Exposed to Cerebral Ischemia

Background: Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) have neuroprotective/neurotoxic effects in cerebral ischemia. We aimed to investigate the TrxR activity, EGF and TNF-α levels in cerebral ischemic, sham-operated and non-ischemic rat brains

Serum malondialdehyde level in children infected with Vampirolepis nana

Background: Vampirolepis nana is the only human tapeworm in which the intermediate host is not necessary and transmission is from person to person. In this study the changes of serum malondialdehyde level, that is, the oxidative stress hypothesis in patients infected with V. nana, was investigated