Vacuum-assisted stereotactic biopsy for isolated BI-RADS 4 microcalcifications: evaluation with histopathology and midterm follow-up results

PURPOSEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the 10-gauge vacuum-assisted stereotactic biopsy (VASB) of isolated Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4 microcalcifications, using histology and follow-up results.METHODSFrom January 2011 to June 2013, VASB was performed on 132 lesions, and 66 microcalcification-only lesions of BI-RADS 4 were included into our study. VASB was performed using lateral decubitis stereotaxy for all patients. Pathologic results of VASB and further surgical biopsies were reviewed retrospectively. Patients who were diagnosed to have benign lesions by VASB were referred for follow-up. VASB and surgical histopathology results were compared to determine the underestimation ratios.RESULTSFifteen out of 66 lesions from 63 patients (median age, 47 years; range, 34–88 years) were identified as malignant by VASB. Pathological results after surgery revealed three cases of invasive ductal carcinoma among the 12 VASB-diagnosed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) lesions, for a DCIS underestimation rate of 25%. The atypical ductal hyperplasia underestimation rate was 0% for the three lesions. The follow-up period was at least 10 months, with an average of 22.7 months for all patients and 21.2 months for patients with VASB-diagnosed benign lesions. None of the patients had malignancy during the follow-ups. The false-negative rate was 0% in the follow-up of 48 patients. CONCLUSIONVASB should be the standard method of choice for BI-RADS 4 microcalcifications. This method obviates the need for a surgical procedure in 73% of BI-RADS 4 microcalcification-only patients

The frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy and Pompe disease in children with isolated transaminase elevation: results from the observational VICTORIA study

IntroductionElevated transaminases and/or creatine phosphokinase can indicate underlying muscle disease. Therefore, this study aims to determine the frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) in male children and Pompe disease (PD) in male and female children with isolated hypertransaminasemia.MethodsThis multi-center, prospective study enrolled patients aged 3–216 months with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and/or aspartate transaminase (AST) levels >2× the upper limit of normal (ULN) for ≥3 months. Patients with a known history of liver or muscle disease or physical examination findings suggestive of liver disease were excluded. Patients were screened for creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, and molecular genetic tests for DMD/BMD in male patients and enzyme analysis for PD in male and female patients with elevated CPK levels were performed. Genetic analyses confirmed PD. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the patients were analyzed.ResultsOverall, 589 patients [66.8% male, mean age of 63.4 months (standard deviation: 60.5)] were included. In total, 251 patients (188 male and 63 female) had CPK levels above the ULN. Of the patients assessed, 47% (85/182) of male patients were diagnosed with DMD/BMD and 1% (3/228) of male and female patients were diagnosed with PD. The median ALT, AST, and CPK levels were statistically significantly higher, and the questioned neurological symptoms and previously unnoticed examination findings were more common in DMD/BMD patients than those without DMD/BMD or PD (p < 0.001).DiscussionQuestioning neurological symptoms, conducting a complete physical examination, and testing for CPK levels in patients with isolated hypertransaminasemia will prevent costly and time-consuming investigations for liver diseases and will lead to the diagnosis of occult neuromuscular diseases. Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04120168

Spray Application of Selected Substances Increases Cold Endurance of Broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var. italica) Seedlings

International Workshop on Greenhouse Environmental Control and Crop Production in Semi-Arid Regions -- OCT 20-24, 2008 -- Tucson, AZThe vegetable crop broccoli is rich in nutrients and its economic significance continues improving. The present research was conducted to determine effects of externally applied glucose, NaCl, the antibiotic lecilline and active oxygen on cold endurance of broccoli seedlings. The cultivar 'Tutku' was used as the plant material. In order to determine the survival rate broccoli seedlings both at cotyledon and true-leaf stages were sprayed with these substance and then exposed to temperatures of -7.5 degrees C, -10 degrees C, -12.5 degrees C and -15 degrees C. Results showed that seedlings at true-leaf stage were more resistant to freezing temperatures compared to seedlings at the cotyledon stage. Viability ratios were over LT(50) both in cotyledon and true-leaf stages at -7.5 and -10 degrees C. We determined that glucose increased LT(50) limit to -12.5 degrees C at the cotyledon stage. Also, the antibiotic lecilline and active oxygen increased LT(50) limit to -12.5 degrees C in both growth stages.Int Soc Hort Sc

Use of smartphones in social studies education: Preservice teachers’ opinions and experiences

Bu araştırma 5. Uluslararası Sosyal Bilgiler Eğitimi Sempozyumu’nda sözlü bildiri olarak sunulmuştur.Günümüzde en çok kullanılan mobil cihazlar akıllı telefonlardır. Akıllı telefonları öğrenme-öğretme ortamlarında kullanmak okul ile yaşamın birbirine yaklaştırılmasında önemli katkılar sağlayabilecektir. Çok disiplinli yapısı sayesinde sosyal bilgiler dersi, akıllı telefonların kullanılabilmesi açısından zengin bir ortam ve çeşitlilik sunmaktadır. National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) gibi sosyal bilgiler dersine yön veren toplulukların raporları ve bu alanda yapılan akademik çalışmalar, teknolojinin önümüzdeki yıllarda eğitim alanında ve sosyal bilgiler dersinde daha etkin kullanılmaya başlanacağına dikkat çekmektedir. Araştırmada “sosyal bilgiler öğretmen adaylarının sosyal bilgiler dersinde akıllı telefonlarda kullanılan uygulamalardan yararlanmaya ilişkin görüşleri ve deneyimleri nelerdir?” sorusuna yanıt aranmaktadır. Nitel araştırma yaklaşımına dayalı olarak gerçekleştirilen bu araştırma olgubilim deseninde tasarlanmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları ölçüt örnekleme tekniğine göre belirlenmiştir. Araştırma verileri yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşme tekniği ile toplanmıştır. Verilerin çözümlenmesinde tümevarım analizi tekniği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğretmen adaylarının akıllı telefon uygulamalarından günlük yaşamlarında gündemi takip etme, bilgiye ulaşma ve bilgi depolama, müzik dinleme, fotoğraf ve video çekme amacıyla yararlandıkları ortaya çıkmıştır. Araştırmada öğretmen adaylarının, sosyal bilgiler dersinde öğretmenlerin akıllı telefon uygulamalarından etkili bir biçimde yararlanabileceğini vurguladıkları sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Araştırma sonunda, araştırma bulgularına dayalı öneriler sunulmuştur.Smartphones are the most used mobile devices today. Using smartphones in teaching and learning environments could make important contributions to bringing school and life closer. The multidisciplinary structure of the social studies course offers a rich environment and diversity in terms of the use of smartphones. Reports of the societies leading the social studies field,such as the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), and academic studies in this field indicate that technology will be used more effectively in the field of education and social studies in the future. The current study seeks to answer the question “what are the social studies teacher candidates' views and experience on benefiting from the applications used in social studies course on smartphones?" The current study adopts the qualitative phenomenological research design. The participants of the study were selected according to the criterion sampling technique. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews. Induction analysis technique was used to analyze the data. Results showed that teacher candidates used smartphone applications to follow the agenda in their daily lives, to access information and to store information, to listen to music, to take photos and videos. In conclusion, teacher candidates emphasized that social studies teachers could benefit from smartphone applications effectively in the social studies course. Suggestions based on the research findings were presented