L-MYC gene polymorphism and risk of thyroid cancer

L-myc gene polymorphism is a representative genetic trait responsible for an individual’s susceptibility to several cancers. However, there have been no reports concerning the association between thyroid cancer and L-myc gene polymorphism. Aim: To analyze the distribution of L-myc gene polymorphism in Turkish patients with thyroid disorders and thyroid cancers. Methods: We used a molecular genotyping method, polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). We studied 138 patients of whom 47 had multinodular goiter, 13 had follicular cancer and 69 had papillar cancer, in comparison with control group of 109 healthy individuals. Results: No significant difference in the distribution of genotypes was observed between thyroid patients and controls. Carrying SS or LS genotype revealed a 1.96-fold (95% CI 0.573–6.706) risk for the occurrence of follicular cancer when compared with controls, and 3.11-fold (95% CI 0.952–10.216), when compared with multinodular goiter patients (p = 0.04). Conclusion: We suggest that L-myc genotype profiling together with other susceptibility factors, may be useful in the screening for thyroid nodular malignancy.Для ряда опухолей человека показана корреляция между риском развития опухоли и определенным вариантом гена L-MYC. Данные о наличии такой связи при раке щитовидной железы к настоящему времени отсутствуют. Цель: проанализировать распределение полиморфных типов гена L-MYC в популяции больных с доброкачественными и злокачественными поражениями щитовидной железы, включая рак щитовидной железы, в Турции. Методы: для анализа полиморфизма гена L-MYC использован метод молекулярного генотипирования, в частности, метод определения полиморфизма длины рестрикционных фрагментов, основанный на полимеразной цепной реакции (PCR-RFLP). Определение проводили в лейкоцитах 138 больных, в том числе 48 больных с узловым зобом, 13 больных фолликулярным раком щитовидной железы и 69 больных папиллярным раком. Контрольную группу составляли 109 здоровых лиц. Результаты: статистически достоверных различий в распределении исследуемых генотипов у больных с патологией щитовидной железы и здоровых лиц не выявили. Показано, что относительный риск фолликулярного рака щитовидной железы у больных-носителей генотипа SS или LS составляет 1,96 по сравнению со здоровыми лицами (при 95% доверительном интервале от 0,573 до 6,706) и 3,11 по сравнению с больными с узловым зобом (при 95% доверительном интервале от 0,952 до 10,216) (р = 0,04). Выводы: по нашему предположению, определение профиля полиморфизма гена L-MYC с учетом других факторов, определяющих предрасположенность к развитию опухолей, может быть полезным при скрининге озлокачествления узелковых образований щитовидной железы

Dobrava Hantavirus Infection Complicated by Panhypopituitarism, Istanbul, Turkey, 2010

We identified Dobrava-Belgrade virus infection in Turkey (from a strain related to hantavirus strains from nearby countries) in a patient who had severe symptoms leading to panhypopituitarism, but no known risk for hantavirus. Our findings emphasize the need for increased awareness of hantaviruses in the region and assessment of symptomatic persons without known risk factors for infection

BUILD OPERATE TRANSFER MODEL FOR NEW POWER-PLANTS FOR TURKEY

This paper describes and analyzes the Turkish Build-Operate-Transform (BOT) model for electric power projects. The BOT procedure was created for financing and implementing public projects through the involvement of the private sector, thus reducing the financing issues without increasing the external debt. The BOT procedure for formulating and evaluating projects is a rather new tool for governmental decision making. Given the limitation of resources, choices must be made among competing uses of resources based on the extent to which they help the country to achieve its fundamental objectives. One of the well known methods of presenting this choice between competing uses of resources in a suitable and comprehensible fashion is called Social Benefit Cost Analysis (SBCA). The paper provides a comparison of the results obtained by evaluating the same hydro-electric power project by both BOT and SBCA procedures and tries to explore under what assumptions the two procedures lead to diverging conclusions. What is revealed from this exercise is that, the decisions whether a BOT project is beneficial or not, are highly sensitive to the basic assumptions about the discount rate in calculating the present worth of costs and benefits, the concession period for the operation of the plant, and the guarantees provided by the government to the joint venture undertaking the project

Bilişim Teknolojileri Öğretmenlerinin Kodlama Öğretimine İlişkin Görüşleri: Manisa Örneği

Bu araştırmanın amacı Bilişim Teknolojileri öğretmenlerinin, ortaokul düzeyinde kodlama öğretimindekullandıkları kodlama araçlarına, öğretim yöntemlerine ve ölçme değerlendirme etkinliklerine ilişkingörüşlerini belirlemek ve kodlama öğretimi ile çeşitli değişkenler arasındaki uyumu incelemektir. Araştırmakarma araştırma deseninde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında ilk olarak araştırmacılar tarafındanhazırlanan Bilişim Teknolojileri Öğretmenlerinin Kodlama Öğretimine İlişkin Görüşleri Anketi ile 105Bilişim Teknolojileri öğretmeninin kodlama araçları, öğretim yöntemleri, ölçme ve değerlendirme araçlarınailişkin görüşleri alınmıştır. Ardından 9 Bilişim Teknolojileri öğretmeni ile yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmelergerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada nicel verilerin analizinde frekans, yüzde ve uyum analizi kullanılmış, nitelverilerin analizinde ise içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın bulgularına göre Bilişim Teknolojileriöğretmenlerinin kodlama öğretiminde en çok blok tabanlı ve robotik kodlama araçlarını; gösterip yaptırma,oyun ve problem tabanlı öğretim etkinliklerini kullandıkları görülmüştür. Bilişim Teknolojileri öğretmenlerikodlama öğretiminde ölçme ve değerlendirme etkinliklerinde en çok uygulama sınavı, proje ve öğrenci üründosyası kullanmaktadırlar. Nicel veriler üzerinde yapılan analizler sonucunda Bilişim Teknolojileriöğretmenlerinin kodlama öğretimi deneyimi ile kullanılan ölçme ve değerlendirme araçları arasında anlamlıbir ilişki olduğu görülmüştür

Variable proportions of phylogenetic clustering and low levels of antiviral drug resistance among the major hbv sub-genotypes in the middle east and North Africa

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health threat in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Phylogenetic analysis of HBV can be helpful to study the putative transmission links and patterns of inter-country spread of the virus. The objectives of the current study were to analyze the HBV genotype/sub-genotype (SGT) distribution, reverse transcriptase (RT), and surface (S) gene mutations and to investigate the domestic transmission of HBV in the MENA. All HBV molecular sequences collected in the MENA were retrieved from GenBank as of 30 April 2021. Determination of genotypes/SGT, RT, and S mutations were based on the Geno2pheno (hbv) 2.0 online tool. For the most prevalent HBV SGTs, maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis was conducted to identify the putative phylogenetic clusters, with approximate Shimodaira–Hasegawalike likelihood ratio test values ≥ 0.90, and genetic distance cut-off values ≤ 0.025 substitutions/site as implemented in Cluster Picker. The total number of HBV sequences used for genotype/SGT determination was 4352 that represented a total of 20 MENA countries, with a majority from Iran (n = 2103, 48.3%), Saudi Arabia (n = 503, 11.6%), Tunisia (n = 395, 9.1%), and Turkey (n = 267, 6.1%). Genotype D dominated infections in the MENA (86.6%), followed by genotype A (4.1%), with SGT D1 as the most common in 14 MENA countries and SGT D7 dominance in the Maghreb. The highest prevalence of antiviral drug resistance was observed against lamivudine (4.5%) and telbivudine (4.3%). The proportion of domestic phylogenetic clustering was the highest for SGT D7 (61.9%), followed by SGT D2 (28.2%) and genotype E (25.7%). The largest fraction of domestic clusters with evidence of inter-country spread within the MENA was seen in SGT D7 (81.3%). Small networks (containing 3-14 sequences) dominated among domestic phylogenetic clusters. Specific patterns of HBV genetic diversity were seen in the MENA with SGT D1 dominance in the Levant, Iran, and Turkey; SGT D7 dominance in the Maghreb; and extensive diversity in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. A low prevalence of lamivudine, telbivudine, and entecavir drug resistance was observed in the region, with almost an absence of resistance to tenofovir and adefovir. Variable proportions of phylogenetic clustering indicated prominent domestic transmission of SGT D7 (particularly in the Maghreb) and relatively high levels of virus mobility in SGT D1