Flipped classrooms: Designed and implemented with colleagues collaboration

The aim of this study is to investigate the results of the flipped classroom model, which was prepared and applied in collaboration with colleagues, on the academic success on stereochemistry one of the topic the organic chemistry course of pre-service chemistry teachers, the views of the pre-service chemistry teachers about the flipped classroom model and the views of the collaborating faculty member about the practice. The study was designed and carried out according to the participatory action research method. Seventeen pre-service chemistry teachers participated in the study. In the study, short videos were shot in which the instructor of the course explained the lessons and the researcher provided pedagogical and technical support in order to carry out the stereochemistry lesson with the flipped classroom model. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The quantitative, which was collected with data the achievement test, was analyzed with the non-parametric Wilcoxon Test. The qualitative data were analyzed with the content analysis method. Quantitative results showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test achievement scores in favor of the post-test. As a result of the qualitative content analysis, it was determined that the pre-service teachers had positive views toward flipped classroom such as support learning, solving plenty of questions, watching the videos as often as desired, and being prepared for the lesson. The instructor who conducted the course also stated that he had positive thoughts about using the same method in his lessons and sharing the course material on online platforms

Extramedullary Myxopapillary Ependymoma of the Filum Terminale Associated With Syringomyelia: A case report

Aim: Ependymomas compose the majority of all intradural intramedullary spinal lesions. Filum terminale lesions are rarely associated with syringomyelia. Here we describe a case of extramedullary myxopapillary ependymoma associated with extensive syringomyelia located in the filum terminale.Material and Methods: A 34-year-old man admitted to our clinic with complaints of bilateral leg weakness, back pain and urinary dysfunction. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the patient showed us a contrast enhanced intraspinal mass at the level of L2 with a syringomyelia extending from L2 level to Th7 level.Results: The patient was operated via lumbar laminoplasty and tumor was totally resected.Conclusion: The removal of tumor is also sufficient for the resolution of syringomyelia and no additional procedure is essential for the treatment of syringomyelia in such cases. This is the first case of extramedullary tumors of the cauda equine with extensive syringomyelia

Syringomyelia associated with Cervical Spondylosis: A case report

Although cervical spondylosis is an extremely common condition causing spinal cord compression, it is rarely involved in syringomyelia formation.Here we describe a case of syringomyelia associated with cervical spondylosis

Radiological, biomechanical and histopathological characteristics of rat brain in Kaolin-induced hydrocephalus

Objective: A better understanding of the pathophysiology and underlying mechanisms of brain damage in hydrocephalus is vital in developing diagnostic, observational and treatment tools that will have an impact on hydrocephalus outcomes. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the radiological, biomechanical and histopathological characteristics of rat brain tissue in an experimental hydrocephalus model. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats (21 days old, weighing between 150 and 200 grams) were used in this study. Animals were randomly assigned to control (n = 6), 1-week hydrocephalus (n = 10), 2-week hydrocephalus (n = 10) and 3-week hydrocephalus (n = 10) groups. Hydrocephalus was induced with cisternal kaolin injection and controls received sham injection. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure ventricle size and cortical thickness. Vital signs, cerebral blood flow (CBF), mechanical tests and brain histology were assessed. Results: Three rats in the hydrocephalus group died during the follow-up, yielding an overall mortality of 10% among animals from hydrocephalus groups. Ventricular width, cross-sectional area of the lateral ventricles, ventricular index and ventricle / brain area ratio progressively increased and cortical thickness progressively decreased following kaolin injection. CBF was significantly lower at baseline than at 1st, 2nd and 3rd week (p < 0.05, for all). ICP was significantly elevated in all hydrocephalic groups in comparison with controls. EIT that was calculated from the first load-unload indentation test showed a significant increase at 2nd week post-injection (p=0.0001), indicating increased intracranial stiffness. However, this significant difference disappeared at 3rd week (p=0.956). Quantitative immunohistochemistry showed that hydrocephalic brains demonstrated significantly less NeuN-positive cells and significantly higher IBA-1-positive microglia and glial fibrillary acidic protein positive astrocytes cells in the cortex. Discussion and Conclusion: Cisternal kaolin injection causes varying degrees of ventricular enlargement in a rat model and hydrocephalus might contribute to neuronal and axonal damage and alter brain stiffness through axonal stretching or local hypoperfusion progressively over a period of days to months. As shown in this study, irreversible changes in viscoelastic behaviour and cellular structure develop in the late stages of hydrocephalus, suggesting the importance of early intervention in the treatment of hydrocephalus

Sıçanlarda Deneysel Omurilik Yaralanmasında miR-30a ve miR-17 Biyomarkerları ve Metilprednizolonun Etkileri: Araştırma Makalesi

Introduction: Methylprednisolone, is a neuroprotective steroid with many effective mechanisms such as inflammation, cell blood flow changes, and apoptosis in the early period following spinal cord injury. This study aimed to demonstrate the inhibitory activity of methylprednisolone to prevent early injury through microRNA expressions, which are predicted to play a role in genomic regulation. Method: This present study was conducted on 56 male Sprague-Dawley rats. All the animals divided into 8 groups which consists of 7 animals each. Laminectomy procedure was performed between levels T5-8. All the groups except the two control groups have been damaged with the Yasargil aneurysm clip for 1 minute at the T5 level. T5-8 spinal cord tissue was removed at the 6th, 12th, and 24th hours after clipping. Methylprednisolone was given to the intraperitoneal cavity only to the clipped groups. As a result of histopathological and immunohistochemical examination, there was a significant decrease in cell necrosis, edema, hemorrhage and white matter-gray matter transition in groups given methylprednisolone. Damaged spinal cord samples excised from all rats. miR-30a and miR-17 gene expression levels were evaluated by quantative PCR method. Results: miR-30a was significantly upregulated at 12th and 24th hours after spinal cord injury and this rise  was restricted  in the methylprednisolone treated groups.. miR-17 was down-regulated at the 6th hour and and reached its lowest level at the 12th hour. Conclusion: Methylprednisolone has statistically significant healing effects on spinal cord injury through the mechanism of miR-30a and miR-17.Giriş: Metilprednizolon, omurilik yaralanması sonrası erken dönemde inflamasyon, hücre kan akımı değişiklikleri ve apoptoz gibi birçok etkili mekanizmaya sahip nöroprotektif bir steroiddir. Bu çalışma, genomik regülasyonda rol oynadığı tahmin edilen mikroRNA ifadeleri aracılığıyla metilprednizolonun erken hasarı önlemedeki inhibitör aktivitesini göstermeyi amaçlamıştır. Yöntem: Bu çalışma 56 adet erkek Sprague-Dawley cinsi sıçan üzerinde yapılmıştır. Tüm hayvanlar, her biri 7 hayvandan oluşan 8 gruba ayrıldı. T5-8 seviyeleri arasında laminektomi işlemi uygulandı. İki kontrol grubu dışındaki tüm gruplara T5 seviyesinden 1 dakika süreyle Yaşargil anevrizma klipsi ile hasar verildi. Klipslemeden 6, 12 ve 24. saatlerde T5-8 omurilik dokusu alındı. Sadece kliplenen gruplara intraperitoneal kaviteye metilprednizolon verildi. Histopatolojik ve immünohistokimyasal inceleme sonucunda metilprednizolon verilen gruplarda hücre nekrozu, ödem, kanama ve beyaz cevher-gri madde geçişinde anlamlı azalma oldu. Tüm sıçanlardan eksize edilen hasarlı omurilik örnekleri. miR-30a ve miR-17 gen ekspresyon seviyeleri kantitatif PCR yöntemi ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: miR-30a, omurilik yaralanmasından sonra 12. ve 24. saatlerde önemli ölçüde yukarı regüle edildi ve bu artış metilprednizolon ile tedavi edilen gruplarda sınırlıydı. miR-17, 6. saatte aşağı regüle edildi ve 12. saatte en düşük seviyesine ulaştı. Sonuç: Metilprednisolon, miR-30a ve miR-17 mekanizması aracılığıyla omurilik yaralanmasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı iyileştirici etkilere sahiptir

Transorbital penetrating head trauma leading to serious cerebral edema - A case report

Penetrating transorbital head injuries are rarely seen. We present a 6-year old male patient who was referred to our department after a wooden stick penetrated his right eye. On admission his general condition was well and he showed no neurologic deficits. On his cranial computed tomography (CT) there was a fracture on his right orbital wall and minimal subarachnoid hemorrhage in his right frontal lobe. On later follow-ups the patient's condition worsened and his control CT showed diffuse cerebral edema. The patient underwent emergent decompressive surgery. Due to this immediate intervention the patient was released from the hospital with no major deficits later. Up to our knowledge, there are no cases in the literature reported in which decompressive craniectomy was necessary after a transorbital penetrating head trauma