INVESTIGATION OF THE SCHOOL DROPOUT PROBLEM AT LEVEL OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TURKEY

The concept of education which is becoming more and more important in today’s globalizing world cause the countries to undertake intense efforts to improve their education systems. It was also demonstrated by the studies aimed to improve the education systems that the duration of the students' stay within the existing school system was an important indicator of the quality of education. The international rankings on the prevalence of dropouts for Turkey seem to be bleak. Turkey ranks high in comparison to the countries compared in terms of its high dropout rate. This clearly shows that one of the problems that we have to deal with to improve the quality of the education system is the problem of dropouts. In the present study, the concept of dropout was examined in the light of previous studies. Initially in the study, the concept of dropout was defined, the dropout process and risk, and reasons for dropouts were addressed; and then the prevalence of dropout and its consequences in Turkey were explicated.  Article visualizations

NEW MEMBERS OF DECAPOD FAUNA IN FINIKE BAY, TURKEY

Shrimp fishing is done by trawling in the deep waters of Antalya and Finike Gulfs. The shrimp species generally caught during this fishing are Aristaeomorpha foliacea, Aristeus antannatus, Plesionika edwardsii, P. martia.  Besides these species, Pasiphea multidentata and P. sivado, which have no economic value, are rarely caught. Two different shrimp species were caught during trawling in the 400-500 m deep waters of Finike Bay on February 7, 2022. Since the fishermen did not know the shrimp species they caught, they wanted the species to be identified. It has been determined that these shrimp species caught in the deep waters of Finike Bay are Oplophoroidae family members i.e. Acanthepyra eximia and A. pelagica. These caught shrimps are pelagic species. With the discovery of these species in the Finike Bay, two more species were added to the Decapod fauna of the Finike Bay

Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma Patients Over 60 Years Old

The incidence of Multiple myeloma (MM) increases with age; two-thirds of the patients are older than 65 years. Induction treatment, including new agents such as thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide followed by a conditioning regimen and upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), has been accepted the standard treatment approach for newly diagnosed fit MM patients. We aimed to search the real-life data, the efficacy and safety of upfront ASCT following induction in patients with MM over 60 years old retrospectively. The data of MM patients who were ≥60 years old during autologous stem cell transplantation and treated at our center between 2010 and 2018 retrospectively analyzed. The study results were 63 patients included at the age of ≥ 60 years who underwent upfront ASCT. Median PFS was 15.5±2.6 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 28.15±5 months. According to age groups, median PFS was 12±2.3 months in the 60-64 age group, 18.4±6 months in the 65-69 age group, and 26±15 months in the ≥70 age group. Median OS was 26.5±6.1 months in the 60-64 age group, 39.66±8.9 months in the 65-69 age group, and 18 months in the ≥70 age group. A significant relationship between the quantity of infused CD34+ stem cells and PFS and OS (p:0.05 and

Early Relapse After Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma is Still Prognostic in The Era of Novel Agents

Significant improvements in the prognosis of Multiple Myeloma(MM) have recently observed in the era of novel agents. Induction treatment, including new agents followed by conditioning regimen and upfront autologous stem cell transplantation(ASCT), has been accepted as the standard treatment approach for newly diagnosed eligible MM patients. Despite novel agents, upfront ASCT is still superior to conventional chemotherapy alone. Previous studies revealed that the duration between ASCT and relapse had predicted overall survival(OS), and meantime, it was widely used to determine the potential benefit from a second ASCT. However, the majority of the data collected reflects the treatment modalities before novel agents. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of post-transplantation early relapse(ER) on survival in the era of novel agents. The results of 155 MM patients that underwent ASCT at our center between January 2010 and May 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The median follow-up duration was 20 months in the ER group, 27 months in the non-ER group, and 24 months in all patients. 33.3% of patients in the ER group and 71.4% of patients in the non-ER group were alive at the time of analysis. Median OS was 20.77±3.66 months in the ER group and 40.89±4.21 months in the non-ER group. We found a statistically significant relationship between the ER and the poor OS (p

The outcome of diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients in adolescent and young adult age group

Purpose: In the literature, substantial differences have been reported regarding incidence and outcomes for the pediatric and adult groups with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common NHL subtype, and its outcome in adolescents and young adults (AYA) has not been widely investigated. This study aims at reporting our experience on the outcome of DLBCL in the AYA group. Methods: One hundred twenty DLBCL patients, 40 AYA patients, and 1:2 matched 80 control non-AYA patients were diagnosed and followed up at our center included. Results: In both groups, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were not reached, without any difference between groups (p = 0.7, p = 0.7, respectively). The median follow-up time was 28 (range 1–133) months in all patients. In both groups, international prognostic index scores and early relapse were associated with worse PFS and OS, but in the non-AYA group, the immunohistologic type was, in fact, related to worse outcomes. Conclusion: DLBCL in AYA is a predominantly overlooked subject, due to the rarity of the disease. The outcome of DLBCL in this age group is not encouraging, which not only needs to be further investigated, but novel approaches must also be developed

Could blood groups have prognostic significance on survival in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma?

The prognostic importance of the ABO blood group in non-Hodgkin lymphoma is largely unknown. We aim to investigate the prognostic significance of blood groups on the survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. 412 people (206 DLBCL patients and 206 healthy donors) were included. The blood group types of patients treated at our center from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively and compared to the results from healthy thrombocyte donors. The distribution of the ABO blood groups was as follows: blood type A (45.2%), B (9.7%), O (38.8%), and AB (6.3%). We found no statistically significant difference between patients and the control group in terms of ABO and Rhesus blood group distribution (p = 0.27 and p = 0.45, respectively). The median follow-up time was 18 months (0–116). In the Cox regression analysis ABO blood groups, and Rh group were not significant predictors of survival in patients with DLBCL, whereas ECOG score, IPI score, Ann-Arbor stage, and LDH level were found significant. Receiving R-CHOP as the first-line treatment was associated with better survival in the multivariate analysis. No statistically significant difference was found between the control and DLBCL patient groups regarding the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups

The effect of gemcitabine, dexamethasone, and cisplatin chemotherapy in relapsed/refractory NHL and HL patients: A single center experience

The optimal choice of salvage therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma or Hodgkin lymphoma remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to share our experience in relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients who received GDP/R-GDP as salvage chemotherapy in our center. Data of 47 relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients who received GDP or R-GDP as salvage chemotherapy in our center between July 2014 and October 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma patients were divided into two groups as primary refractory and relapsed. The one-year overall survival was 100% (for relapsed) and 36.9% (for refractory) in the non-Hodgkin lymphoma groups, and 82.5% (for relapsed) and 80% (for refractory) in the Hodgkin lymphoma group. The one-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 72.7% (for relapsed) and 38.5% (for refractory) in patients with NHL, and 41% (for relapsed) and 18.2% (for refractory) in patients with HL. GDP/R-GDP seems to be a well-tolerated out-patient salvage regimen for relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. Although proven efficacy, negative toxicity profile, and ease of administration, the application of gemcitabine-based therapy for patients with primary refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma provided limited success

Inferior prognosis in poor mobilizing myeloma patients

Introduction: Induction treatment followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been accepted as the standard treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Granulocyte colony stimulating agent (G-CSF), chemotherapy or agents likes plerixafor are being used for the mobilization of stem cells from bone marrow. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the mobilization methods on the outcome of MM patients after ASCT. Method: The data of 205 MM patients who underwent ASCT at our center between December 2009 and January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into 2 groups as good mobilizers (patients who were mobilized with G-CSF alone) and poor mobilizers (patients who were failed to mobilize with G-CSF alone and mobilized with G-CSF + cylophosphomide or G-CSF + plerixafor). Results: The median progression free survival (PFS) was 18.27 ± 3.22 months in good mobilizers and 14.22 ± 3.7 months in poor mobilizers. In G-CSF + cyclophosphamide method median PFS was 15.4 ± 4.9 months wheras it was only 4 months in G-CSF + plerixafor method. We did not find a statistically significant difference between good and poor mobilizers regarding median PFS (p: 0.342). The median overall survival (OS) was found 34.48 ± 4.2 months in good mobilizers and 15.13 ± 5.78 months in poor mobilizers. In G-CSF + cyclophosphamide method median OS was 17 ± 14.01 months wheras it was 10.66 ± 7.68 months in G-CSF + plerixafor method. We found a statistically significant difference between good and poor mobilizers regarding median OS (p: 0.007*). Conclusion: Our study shows that difficulty in stem cell mobilization is correlated with worse outcome

Evaluation of neutropenia-related outcomes in Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with moderate or severe neutropenia who received ABVD chemotherapy without using granulocyte-colony stimulating factor

Objective: To evaluate the possible neutropenia-related effects of administering adriamycin [doxorubicin], bleomycin, vinblastin, dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy in Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients with moderate or severe neutropenia without granulocyte-colony stimulating factor supplementation. Methods: This study evaluated neutropenia-related outcomes and the need for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor use during the periods between chemotherapy rounds. Forty-three rounds of ABVD chemotherapy were evaluated in the study. The outcomes that could be related to neutropenia were analyzed. In addition, rounds of ABVD chemotherapy given in the presence of severe neutropenia were compared with ABVD chemotherapy rounds given in the presence of moderate neutropenia in terms of neutropenia-related outcomes and the need for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor use. The study only included patients with classical Hodgkin's disease (lymphoma). Patients with a final neutrophil count of 0.05). Furthermore, none of the patients included in the study had bleomycin-related lung toxicity during the treatment periods included in the study. Conclusion: Administering ABVD chemotherapy to patients with moderate neutropenia seems to be safe