Investigating the Faculty and the Students' Technology Acceptance based on the Development of Cloud-Based Course Management System Software

Bu çalışmanın amacı Bulut Bilişim ve Web 2.0 teknolojileri kullanılarak DETSİS (Ders Etkinlik Takip Sistemi) ders yönetim sistemi yazılımı geliştirilerek bu yazılıma yönelik öğretim elemanı ve öğrencilerin teknoloji kabullerinin incelenmesidir. Araştırmada nicel ve nitel veri toplama teknikleri kullanılmıştır ve araştırma verileri, 2013-2014 eğitim-öğretim yılında Trakya Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesinde öğrenim görmekte olan 410 öğrenci ve aynı fakültede görev yapmakta olan 12 öğretim elemanından elde edilmiştir. Nicel veriler Teknoloji Kabul Ölçeği ve DETSİS Yazılım Değerlendirme Ölçeği kullanılarak; öğretim elemanlarının teknoloji kabulleri ise nitel veri toplama tekniklerinden olan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla elde edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, öğretim elemanlarının ve öğrencilerin DETSİS yazılımına yönelik kabullerinin yüksek seviyede olduğunu ortaya çıkarırken, DETSİS' e yönelik kabullerinde Bulut Bilişim ve Web 2.0 olanaklarının olumlu etkisinin bulunduğunu göstermektedir.In this study, DETSİS, a course management system, has been developed using Cloud Computing and Web 2.0 technologies and it was aimed to investigate the faculty and the students' technology acceptance for this software. The research data were collected through the quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques from 410 students who are studying at the Trakya University Faculty of Education in the 2013-2014 academic year and 12 faculty members who are working in the same faculty. While quantitative data were collected with the use of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and DETSİS Software Evaluation Scale, technology acceptance of the faculty were obtained through semi-structured interviews with qualitative data collection techniques. The findings revealed that, teaching staff and students have a high level of acceptance for DETSİS, indicating Cloud Computing and Web 2.0 capabilities had a positive impact of acceptance for DETSİS

Rotavirus and adenovirus frequency among patients with acute gastroenteritis and their relationship to clinical parameters: a retrospective study in Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Diarrhea is the third leading cause of death related to infectious diseases all over the world. The diseases related to viral gastroenteritis are gradually increasing, particularly in the developed countries. The purpose of our study was to determine the frequency and to investigate the clinical manifestations of acute rotavirus and adenovirus gatroenteritis and to assess the diagnostic value of the related clinical findings.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2007-2008 patients with diarrhea and/or vomiting attended to Yeditepe University Hospital and related clinics, Istanbul, were studied. The rotavirus and/or adenovirus antigen in stool of these patients were investigated. Data regarding clinical findings were collected from the electronic records, retrospectively. Age, gender, symptoms, fever, antibiotic use, vomiting, number of vomiting and diarrhaeae, dehydration, abdominal pain, the other pathological physical examination findings were analyzed by the physicians in the study group. To investigate the rotavirus and adenovirus antigen CerTest Rota-Adeno Blister Test (CerTest, Biotec, Spain), a qualitative immunochromotographic assay was used. Statistical analysis wasperformed with SPSS v. 11,5 statistical software. X²test was used for bivariate and logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rotavirus positivity was 18,7% (n = 126). Concomitantly, in 596 cases adenovirus antigen test were also performed. Adenovirus positivity was 8,9% (n = 53) and rota-adenovirus co-infection was 4,4% (n = 26). Most of rotavirus positive cases were seen in December, January, February and March (p < 0.001). In clinical parameters, there was a significant difference between rotavirus positive cases and negative cases regarding to vomiting, dehydration and vomiting and diarrhea coexistence (respectively p = 0.010, p < 0.00, p = 0.007).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Rotavirus can be seen in all age groups, but more frequently in childhood. Although there is no clinical gold standard to distinguish the rotavirus cases from the other gastroenteritis agents, the findings of dehydration and vomiting-diarrhea coexistence, considering months of referral may lead clinician to perform rapid antigen tests and affect approach to the treatment. Prospective studies with representative samples are needed to determine the rotavirus and adenovirus incidence and to develop safe and reliable protective policies in our country.</p

Visceral Leishmaniasis Mimicking Autoimmune Hepatitis, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Overlap

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening infection caused by Leishmania species. In addition to typical clinical findings as fever, hepatosplenomegaly, and cachexia, VL is associated with autoimmune phenomena. To date, VL mimicking or exacerbating various autoimmune diseases have been described, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Herein, we presented a patient with VL who had overlapping clinical features with SLE, AIH, as well as antimitochondrial antibody (AMA-M2) positive primary biliary cirrhosis

Impact of hepatic immunoreactivity of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 on liver fibrosis due to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

Background: We aimed to evaluate the hepatic immunoreactivity of angiotensin-convertingenzyme 2 (ACE2) in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients, elucidate its associationwith the clinicopathological characteristics and also determine its role in fibrosis progression.Methods: The consecutive biopsy proven NASH patients were subdivided into two groups accordingto their fibrosis score. Fibrotic stages < 3 in mild fibrosis group and fibrotic stages?3 inadvanced fibrosis depending on the presence of bridging fibrosis. Liver biopsy specimens wereimmunohistochemically stained for ACE2 immunoreactivity. Demographics and clinical propertieswere compared between the groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis were alsoperformed to evaluate the independent predicting factors for the presence of advanced liverfibrosis caused by NASH.Results: One hundred and eight patients were enrolled in the study. Out of this, ninety-fourpatients representing 87% were classified as mild fibrosis group, whilst fourteen representing13% were in advanced fibrosis group. We compared high hepatic immunoreactivity of ACE2between mild and advanced fibrosis groups and found a statistically significant difference 65.9%vs 28.5%, respectively and P = 0.008. Hepatic ACE2 immunoreactivity was inversely correlatedwith the fibrosis score (r: —0.337; P < 0.001). The significant variables in the univariate analysiswere then evaluated in multivariate logistic regression analysis and hepatic ACE2 immunoreactivitywas an independent predicting factor of liver fibrosi

Presence and severity of estrogen receptor-alpha expression in patients with simple steatosis and nash

Loss of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-?) in the liver is associated with hepatic steatosis and inflammation.We conducted a study in order to investigate the presence and extent of ER-? expression in NASH, andits relationship with histological findings. Fifty-four patients with histologically confirmed NASH, 12patients with simple steatosis (SS), and 6 patients with normal liver tissue (NLT) were included. NASHactivity score and fibrosis score were calculated according to biopsy findings. Liver biopsy specimenswere immunohistochemically stained for ER-? expression. Nuclear ER-? expression percentage (stainingindex) was calculated. Mean staining index was significantly different across the NASH, SS, and NLT groups(6.3±9.9 vs. 22.1±26.4 vs. 44.2±24.8, respectively, p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Staining index wassignificantly higher in women than in men (19.4±22.2 vs. 7.9±15.3, respectively, p = 0.003). Stainingindex negatively correlated with serum ALT (r =-0.240; p = 0.04), fasting plasma glucose (r =-0.261;p = 0.027), and fibrosis score (r =-0.312; p = 0.011). As a conclusion, hepatic nuclear ER-? expressionpercentage (staining index) is lower in patients with NASH when compared to SS and NLT groups. Stainingindex is negatively correlated with serum ALT levels, plasma glucose, and fibrosis score. Further studiesare required to clarify the significance of ER-? expression in NASH

The importance of serum biglycan levels as a fibrosis marker in patients with chronic hepatitis B

WOS: 000411716300040PubMed ID: 27925300BackgroundLiver biopsy is recommended in the majority of patients with chronic viral hepatitis for fibrosis evaluation. Because of the potential risks of liver biopsy, many studies related to non-invasive biomarkers of hepatic fibrosis have been performed. We aimed to assess the diagnostic value of serum biglycan as a non-invasive fibrosis marker in chronic hepatitis B patients. MethodsThis study included 120 patients with biopsy-proven hepatitis B patients and 60 healthy controls. Fibrosis stage and necroinflammatory activity were assessed in liver biopsy specimens. Biglycan level was measured using an ELISA assay. ResultsSerum biglycan levels of chronic hepatitis B patients were found to be significantly higher than those of healthy controls (337.3363.0pg/mL vs 189.1 +/- 61.9pg/mL, respectively, P<.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between serum biglycan level and fibrosis stage (P=.004; r=.213). Besides, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between serum biglycan level and necroinflammatory activity (P<.001; r=.271). The AUROC of BGN levels was 0.702 for fibrosis stage, differentiating patients from healthy controls with statistical significance (P<.001). The AUROC of BGN levels was 0.632 for necroinflammatory activity score, differentiating patients from healthy controls with statistical significance (P=.004). ConclusionsSerum biglycan might be used as a non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis. Further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of this marker

Lack of association of hepatic estrogen receptor-alpha expression with histopathological and biochemical findings in chronic hepatitis C

Estrogens exert a protective effect against hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. Loss of estrogen receptor-alpha(ER- ) in the liver is associated with hepatic steatosis and inflammation in animal models. We conducteda study in order to investigate the presence and extent of ER- expression in HCV infection,and its relationship with histological and biochemical findings. Ninety biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C(CHC) patients were enrolled in the study. Liver biopsy specimens were immunohistochemically stainedfor ER- expression. Nuclear ER- expression percentage was calculated. ER- was positive in 69 of thepatients (76%). ER- positive and negative groups were not significantly different in terms of age, gender,necroinflammatory activity, fibrosis, steatosis, serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, and bilirubin. ER- expression percentage was not correlated with fibrosis, steatosis, necroinflammatory activity and biochemicalfindings. Although estrogens are known to be protective against fibrosis and steatosis in animalmodels, we did not find any significant correlation between ER- expression and histopathological andbiochemical findings in CHC patients. These findings should be verified in further large scale studies