The investigation of English language teachers’ use of literature and innovative technologies in the classroom according to various variables

This study investigated the utilization of literature and innovative technologies in language teaching among EFL teachers working in secondary and high schools, taking into account various variables. The research involved 154 English teachers who worked in both private and public secondary and high schools in southeastern Türkiye. A mixed research methodology was employed, using a 40-item Likert scale and a questionnaire consisting of open-ended and closed-ended questions to gather quantitative data. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 teachers who volunteered to participate, offering a more comprehensive exploration of the topic. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, and inductive thematic analysis was applied for the qualitative data. The results indicated that English teachers acknowledged the potential of literature usage in language teaching. However, the integration of literature within their classrooms varied significantly based on factors such as gender, age, and reading habits. The study also examined the adoption of innovative technological resources like digital storytelling tools and blogs in EFL classrooms. The findings revealed that English teachers held positive attitudes towards employing such technologies in language teaching. They believed that these materials could effectively enhance students' language skills, creativity, and motivation. Nevertheless, they identified specific challenges that hindered the incorporation of these materials in the language classroom, including limited school facilities, students' language proficiency levels, curriculum constraints, and time limitations

Modified cell penetrating peptides for efficient gene transfer in vitro and in vivo

The efficient delivery of DNA is of great importance for therapeutic applications such as gene therapy, gene-editing and cell programming. However, the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane acts as an impenetrable barrier to nucleic acids and therefore a gene must be coupled to an intracellular delivery vector for efficient transfection. An optimal gene carrier must be able to deliver DNA to the entire cell population, transfect cells efficiently, be serum-resistant and cause minimal cytotoxicity. The majority of non-viral transfection strategies fall short of meeting these requirements, limiting their therapeutic utility. Cell penetrating peptide (CPP)-based vectors have been extensively used for the intracellular delivery of DNA, however low transfection efficiency has inhibited their clinical adoption. GET peptides (i.e. CPPs functionalised with heperan sulphate glycosaminoglycan (HS GAG) cell targeting ligands) have demonstrated 2 orders of magnitude improved delivery compared to unmodified CPPs. They overcome some of the challenges in non-viral DNA delivery by exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity and superior gene transfer. Additionally, PEGylated GET/DNA NPs were engineered with tuneable physiochemical properties for widespread and efficient transfection in mouse lung models. “Mucus penetrating” PEG GET NPs exhibited enhanced safety profiles and significantly better in vivo transfection efficiency compared to polyethylenimine (PEI) complexes. This work presents efficient GET-peptide mediated in vitro and in vivo transfection of DNA as a novel approach for gene therapy treatment

METU Students' college life satisfaction

The research was conducted to identify the factors that influence college students' satisfaction with their college experience. Firstly, the study was focused on the literature review to determine relevant factors that have been previously studied in the literature. Then, the survey analysis examined three main independent factors that have been found to be related to college students' satisfaction: Major Satisfaction, Social Self-Efficacy, and Academic Performance. The findings of the study suggested that the most important factor affecting students' satisfaction with their college experience is their satisfaction with their chosen major. This means that students who are satisfied with the major they have chosen are more likely to be overall satisfied with their college experience. It's worth noting that, while the study found that major satisfaction is the most crucial factor, it doesn't mean that other factors such as Social Self-Efficacy, Academic Performance, and Campus Life Satisfaction are not important. Based on these findings, it is recommend that students prioritize their major satisfaction when making college choices in order to maximize their overall satisfaction with their college experience.Comment: 13 table, 18 figures, 34 page

Highly versatile cell-penetrating peptide loaded scaffold for efficient and localised gene delivery to multiple cell types: From development to application in tissue engineering

Gene therapy has recently come of age with seven viral vector-based therapies gaining regulatory approval in recent years. In tissue engineering, non-viral vectors are preferred over viral vectors, however, lower transfection efficiencies and difficulties with delivery remain major limitations hampering clinical translation. This study describes the development of a novel multi-domain cell-penetrating peptide, GET, designed to enhance cell interaction and intracellular translocation of nucleic acids; combined with a series of porous collagen-based scaffolds with proven regenerative potential for different indications. GET was capable of transfecting cell types from all three germ layers, including stem cells, with an efficiency comparable to Lipofectamine® 3000, without inducing cytotoxicity. When implanted in vivo, GET gene-activated scaffolds allowed for host cell infiltration, transfection localized to the implantation site and sustained, but transient, changes in gene expression – demonstrating both the efficacy and safety of the approach. Finally, GET carrying osteogenic (pBMP-2) and angiogenic (pVEGF) genes were incorporated into collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds and with a single 2μg dose of therapeutic pDNA, induced complete repair of critical-sized bone defects within 4 weeks. GET represents an exciting development in gene therapy and by combining it with a scaffold-based delivery system offers tissue engineering solutions for a myriad of regenerative indications

Highly efficient delivery of functional cargoes by the synergistic effect of GAG binding motifs and cell-penetrating peptides

Protein transduction domains (PTDs) are powerful nongenetic tools that allow intracellular delivery of conjugated cargoes to modify cell behavior. Their use in biomedicine has been hampered by inefficient delivery to nuclear and cytoplasmic targets. Here we overcame this deficiency by developing a series of novel fusion proteins that couple a membrane-docking peptide to heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) with a PTD. We showed that this GET (GAG-binding enhanced transduction) system could deliver enzymes (Cre, neomycin phosphotransferase), transcription factors (NANOG, MYOD), antibodies, native proteins (cytochrome C), magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), and nucleic acids [plasmid (p)DNA, modified (mod)RNA, and small inhibitory RNA] at efficiencies of up to two orders of magnitude higher than previously reported in cell types considered hard to transduce, such as mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), human ESCs (hESCs), and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). This technology represents an efficient strategy for controlling cell labeling and directing cell fate or behavior that has broad applicability for basic research, disease modeling, and clinical application

PEGylated enhanced cell penetrating peptide nanoparticles for lung gene therapy

The lung remains an attractive target for the gene therapy of monogenetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Despite over 27 clinical trials, there are still very few gene therapy vectors that have shown any improvement in lung function; highlighting the need to develop formulations with improved gene transfer potency and the desirable physiochemical characteristics for efficacious therapy. Herein, we introduce a novel cell penetrating peptide (CPP)-based non-viral vector that utilises glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding enhanced transduction (GET) for highly efficient gene transfer. GET peptides couple directly with DNA through electrostatic interactions to form nanoparticles (NPs). In order to adapt the GET peptide for efficient in vivo delivery, we engineered PEGylated versions of the peptide and employed a strategy to form DNA NPs with different densities of PEG coatings. We were able to identify candidate formulations (PEGylation rates ≥40%) that shielded the positively charged surface of particles, maintained colloidal stability in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and retained gene transfer activity in human bronchial epithelial cell lines and precision cut lung slices (PCLS) in vitro. Using multiple particle tracking (MPT) technology, we demonstrated that PEG-GET complexes were able to navigate the mucus mesh and diffuse rapidly through patient CF sputum samples ex vivo. When tested in mouse lung models in vivo, PEGylated particles demonstrated superior biodistribution, improved safety profiles and efficient gene transfer of a reporter luciferase plasmid compared to non-PEGylated complexes. Furthermore, gene expression was significantly enhanced in comparison to polyethylenimine (PEI), a non-viral gene carrier that has been widely tested in pre-clinical settings. This work describes an innovative approach that combines novel GET peptides for enhanced transfection with a tuneable PEG coating for efficacious lung gene therapy

Profiles of Parental Burnout Around the Globe: Similarities and Differences Across 36 Countries

Parental burnout (PB) is a pervasive phenomenon. Parenting is embedded in cultural values, and previous research has shown the role of individualism in PB. In this paper, we reanalyze previously collected data to identify profiles based on the four dimensions of PB, and explore whether these profiles vary across countries’ levels of collectivistic-individualistic (COL-IND) values. Our sample comprised 16,885 individuals from 36 countries (73% women; 27% men), and we used a latent profile approach to uncover PB profiles. The findings showed five profiles: Fulfilled, Not in PB, Low risk of PB, High risk of PB and Burned out. The profiles pointed to climbing levels of PB in the total sample and in each of the three country groups (High COL/Low IND, Medium COL-IND, Low COL/High IND). Exploratory analyses revealed that distinct dimensions of PB had the most prominent roles in the climbing pattern, depending on the countries’ levels of COL/IND. In particular, we found contrast to be a hallmark dimension and an indicator of severe burnout for individualistic countries. Contrary to our predictions, emotional distance and saturation did not allow a clear differentiation across collectivistic countries. Our findings support several research avenues regarding PB measurement and intervention

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Modified cell penetrating peptides for efficient gene transfer in vitro and in vivo

The efficient delivery of DNA is of great importance for therapeutic applications such as gene therapy, gene-editing and cell programming. However, the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane acts as an impenetrable barrier to nucleic acids and therefore a gene must be coupled to an intracellular delivery vector for efficient transfection. An optimal gene carrier must be able to deliver DNA to the entire cell population, transfect cells efficiently, be serum-resistant and cause minimal cytotoxicity. The majority of non-viral transfection strategies fall short of meeting these requirements, limiting their therapeutic utility. Cell penetrating peptide (CPP)-based vectors have been extensively used for the intracellular delivery of DNA, however low transfection efficiency has inhibited their clinical adoption. GET peptides (i.e. CPPs functionalised with heperan sulphate glycosaminoglycan (HS GAG) cell targeting ligands) have demonstrated 2 orders of magnitude improved delivery compared to unmodified CPPs. They overcome some of the challenges in non-viral DNA delivery by exhibiting minimal cytotoxicity and superior gene transfer. Additionally, PEGylated GET/DNA NPs were engineered with tuneable physiochemical properties for widespread and efficient transfection in mouse lung models. “Mucus penetrating” PEG GET NPs exhibited enhanced safety profiles and significantly better in vivo transfection efficiency compared to polyethylenimine (PEI) complexes. This work presents efficient GET-peptide mediated in vitro and in vivo transfection of DNA as a novel approach for gene therapy treatment

STATUS OF PUMPKIN SEED PRODUCTION IN TURKEY

Pumpkin seed contains very valuable nutrients and may have some beneficial health effects. The aim of this study was to overview status of pumpkin seed production in Turkey. The production has sharply risen from 11.500 tons in 2015 to 42.181 tons in 2016. The area has also indicated sharp increase from 172.580 da to 628.441 tons in the same period. The first section provides introduction of topics, and later nutrition value of pumpkin seed, taxonomy, production, bottlenecks and breeding efforts are summarized. They have several advantages such as their short vegetation time that just fits the Central Anatolia conditions where vegetation time available is too short for many other crop plants, net profit per de compared to the other crop plants, extended storability, etc