Discovering the prerequisite relationships among instructional videos from subtitles

Nowadays, students prefer to complement their studies with online video materials. While there are many video e-learning resources available on the internet, video sharing platforms which provide these resources, such as YouTube, do not structure the presented materials in a prerequisite order. As a result, learners are not able to use the existing materials effectively since they do not know in which order they need to be studied. Our aim is to overcome this limitation of existing video sharing systems and improve the learning experience of their users by discovering prerequisite relationships among videos where basic materials are covered prior to more advanced ones. Experiments performed on commonly used gold standard datasets show the effectiveness of the proposed approach utilizing measures based on phrase similarity scores

Clinical Value of Core Lenght in Saturation Prostate Biopsy

Objective: To investigate the effect of core length on cancer detection in saturation prostate biopsy. We hypothesized that increasing mean and total core length in saturation prostate biopsy may allow more tissue sampling, thus, may increase the prostate cancer detection rate. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 145 patients who underwent 24-core transrectal ultrasound-guided saturation biopsy at our institution. We evaluated the clinopathological factors, including age, prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, mean core length and the total biopsy core length. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to their total biopsy core length; group 1: 30 cm. These groups were compared according to age, PSA value, prostate volume and cancer detection rate. Results: The mean age, core length and total core length were 62.4±7.0 years, 10.91±1.8 mm, and 26.2±4.7 cm, respectively. The overall cancer detection rate was 33.8%. There was no statistically significant difference in mean core length and total core length between patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and those without it. The cancer detection rates in group 1, 2 and 3 were 25%, 37.4% and 23.1%, respectively. When these 3 groups were compared with each other, group 2 had a statistically significantly higher cancer detection rate relative to group 1 (p=0.001). Multivariate analysis showed no statistically difference in cancer detection rate between the groups (p=0.302). Conclusion: Mean and total core length may not have any significant effect on prostate cancer detection in patients undergoing saturation prostate biopsy

Geochronology and geochemistry of Eocene-aged volcanic rocks around the Bafra (Samsun, N Turkey) area: Constraints for the interaction of lithospheric mantle and crustal melts

International audience40Ar-39Ar age, whole-rock chemical and Sr-Nd isotope data are presented for the post-collisional, Eocene (51.3-44.1 Ma)-aged volcanic rocks from the Bafra (Samsun) area in the western part of the Eastern Pontides (N Turkey) aiming to unravel their sources and evolutionary history. The studied Eocene volcanic rocks can be divided into two groups: analcime-bearing (tephritic lava flows and dykes) and analcime-free (basaltic to trachytic lava flows and basaltic dykes). The analcime-bearing volcanic rocks have a fine-grained porphyritic texture with clinopyroxene phenocrysts, whereas analcime-free volcanic rocks show a variety of textures including hyalo-microlitic microgranular porphyritic, intersertal, trachytic, fluidal and glomeroporphyritic. The volcanic rocks also show evidence of mineral-melt disequilibrium textures such as sieved, rounded and corroded plagioclases, partially melted and dissolved clinopyroxenes and poikilitic texture. Petrochemically, the parental magmas of the volcanic rocks evolved from alkaline to calc-alkaline lava suites and include high-K and shoshonitic compositions. They display enrichments in light rare earth and large ion lithophile elements such as Sr, K and Rb, as well as depletions in high field strength elements such as Nb, Ta, Zr and Ti, resembling subduction-related magmas. The analcime-bearing and -free volcanic rocks share similar incompatible element ratios and chondrite-normalised rare rearth element patterns, indicating that they originated from similar sources. They also have relatively low to moderate initial 87Sr/86Sr (0.7042 to 0.7051), high positive εNd(t) values (+ 0.20 to + 3.32), and depleted mantle Nd model ages (TDM1 = 0.63-0.93 Ga, TDM2 = 0.58–0.84 Ga). The bulk-rock chemical and Sr-Nd isotope features as well as the high Rb/Y and Th/Zr, but low Nb/Zr and Nb/Y ratios, indicate that the volcanic rocks were derived from a lithospheric mantle source that had been metasomatised by slab-derived fluids. Trace element modelling suggests that the parental magma(s) of the volcanic rocks represent mixtures of melts derived by low-degree (~ 5–10 %) partial melting of spinel-lherzolite (40–85%) and garnet-lherzolite (15–60 %) mantle sources. Sr-Nd isotopic modelling also suggests that a 25–35% lower crustal component was added in the parental magmas; AFC modelling additionally indicates minor upper crustal contamination during the evolution of the volcanic rocks. In conclusion, integration of the geochemical, petrologic and isotopic data with regional geology suggests that the analcime-bearing and -free volcanic rocks evolved from parental magma(s) derived from melts of a subcontinental lithospheric mantle and lower crustal sources

Ultrasound-guided thyroid nodule fine-needle biopsies — comparison of sample adequacy with different sampling techniques, different needle sizes, and with/without onsite cytological analysis

  Wstęp: Celem niniejszego badania było porównanie diagnostycznej wydajności próbek guzków tarczycy otrzymanych metodą biopsji aspiracyjnej lub kapilarnej, wykonanej za pomocą igieł nr 22 lub nr 27 z lub bez analizy cytologicznej przeprowadzonej na miejscu. Materiały i metody: Czterystu pacjentów z guzkami tarczycy poddano biopsji cienkoigłowej pod kontrolą USG. Pacjentów podzielono na osiem grup, według wielkości zastosowanych igieł (nr 22 vs. nr 27), techniki biopsji (aspiracyjnej kontra kapilarnej), a także przeprowadzonej lub nie analizy cytologicznej na miejscu. Wskaźniki wydajności próbek obliczono dla każdej grupy i podgrupy oraz porównano je za pomocą testu chi-kwadrat. Wyniki: W grupie wszystkich ocenianych guzków (n = 400), wskaźnik wydajności był znacznie wyższy w grupie badanej techniką kapilarną niż w grupie badanej metodą aspiracyjną (97% vs. 91,5%, p = 0,032). Wskaźnik wydajności był również wyższy, gdy przeprowadzono analizę cytologiczną na miejscu niż gdy jej nie przeprowadzono (97% vs. 91,5%, p = 0,032). Wśród guzków litych (n = 205), wskaźnik wydajności również osiągnął wyższą wartość w grupie badanej techniką kapilarną względem grupy badanej techniką aspiracyjną (98,9% vs. 89,7%, p = 0,008), oraz gdy przeprowadzono analizę cytologiczną na miejscu (97,9% vs. 89,6%, p = 0,014). Inaczej niż dla powyższych wyników, wskaźnik wydajności był podobny dla igieł nr 22 i nr 27 (94,2% vs. 93,1%, p = 0,733). Wnioski: Wyniki optymalne uzyskano techniką kapilarną oraz wykonując analizę cytologiczną na miejscu. Technika kapilarna oraz analiza cytologiczna na miejscu powinny stanowić preferowane podejście w biopsji guzków tarczycy, optymalizując wskaźnik wydajności oraz samopoczucie pacjenta. (Endokrynol Pol 2015; 66 (4): 295–300)    Introduction: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic adequacy of thyroid samples obtained by aspiration or capillary biopsy techniques, with 22 or 27 gauge needles, and with or without onsite cytological analysis (OCA). Material and methods: Four hundred patients with thyroid nodules underwent ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle biopsies. Patients were divided into eight groups according to needle size (22 vs. 27 gauge), biopsy technique (aspiration vs. capillary), and whether or not OCA was performed. Sample adequacy rates were calculated for each group and subgroups and compared using chi-square tests. Results: When all nodes were evaluated (n = 400), the adequacy rate was significantly greater with the capillary than with the aspiration technique (97% vs. 91.5%, p = 0.032) and when OCA was than was not performed (97% vs. 91.5%, p = 0.032). When only solid nodules were evaluated (n = 205) the adequacy rate was also significantly greater with the capillary than with the aspiration technique (98.9% vs. 89.7%, p = 0.008) and when OCA was than was not performed (97.9% vs. 89.6%, p = 0.014). In contrast, the adequacy rate was similar for 22 and 27 gauge needles (94.2% vs. 93.1%, p = 0.733). Conclusions: Optimal results were obtained with the capillary technique and OCA. The capillary technique and OCA should be the preferred approach in thyroid nodule biopsy, optimising adequacy rates and patient comfort. (Endokrynol Pol 2015; 66 (4): 295–300)

The chemical composition of Salvia euphratica Montbret & Aucher ex Benth. essential oil from Sivas-Turkey

Previously, only the fatty-oil composition of Salvia euphratica Montbret & Aucher ex Benth. (syn. Salvia euphratica var. euphratica) was reported, however, there are no other studies on the chemistry of this species [1]. Up to now, there are no reports on the essential-oil composition of this taxon. In this study, we aimed to investigate the composition of three different samples of the essential oil of S. euphratica collected in June 2017 from two different sites in Sivas-Turkey. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation from air-dried aerial parts of the plant using a Clevenger-type apparatus for the duration of 3 h. The essential-oil yields for the three samples were determined to be: 0.25, 0.15, and 0.13% (v/v), for a sample with glandular hairs (1) and a sample without glandular hairs (2) from location 1 and for a sample with glandular hairs (3) from location 2, respectively. The oils were diluted with n-hexane 1:10 (v/v) and analyzed as such on an Agilent 5977 MSD GC-MS system operating in the EI mode injector and MS transfer line temperatures were set at 250 °C. Splitless injection was used in the analysis. Innowax FSC column (60 m x 0.25 mm, 0.25 µm film thickness) and helium, as the carrier gas (1 mL/min), were used in GC-MS analyses. The oven temperature program was: 60 °C for 10 min and then raised to 220 °C at a rate of 4 °C/min, afterwards the temperature was kept constant at 220 °C for 10 min and then raised to 240 °C at a rate of 1 °C/min. Mass spectra were recorded at 70 eV with the mass range m/z 35-425. Relative amounts of the separated compounds were calculated from the integration of the peaks in MS chromatograms. The main components of sample 1 essential oil were 1,8-cineole (20.7%), camphor (10.0%), nopinone (4.7%), trans-pinocarveol (4.3%), myrtenal (4.3%), β-pinene (3.3%), and camphene (2.2%). Sample 2 oil contained high amounts of 1,8-cineole (13.5%), camphor (7.6%), trans-pinocarveol (7.1%), myrtenal (5.7%), nopinone (4.6%), myrtenol (3.9%), borneol (3.4%), and pinocarvone (3.2%). Finally, the main components of sample 3 oil were: 1,8-cineole (16.8%), trans-pinocarveol (4.7%), camphor (4.0%), myrtenyl acetate (3.7%), myrtenal (3.6%), linalool (2.8%), trans-linalool oxide (furanoid) (2.6%), and myrtenol (2.6%). The highest noted AChE-inhibitory activity of the oils were 63±5%, 57±2%, and 63±1%, respectively

The composition of the essential oil of the aerial parts of an endemic new species Ferula mervynii Sağıroğlu & H.Duman from Turkey

In 2007, Ferula mervynii Sağıroğlu & H.Duman (Apiaceae) was reported as a new species from Turkey. This species finds a natural habitat in Artvin and Erzurum regions that are located in North-Eastern Anatolia [1]. Up to now, there are no reports on the chemistry of this species. However, there are many reports on the essential-oil composition of other Ferula species from Turkey. As an example, F. elaeochytris Korovin essential oil was reported to have nonane (27.1%), α‐pinene (12.7%), and germacrene B (10.3%) as the main components [2], whereas, F. szowitziana D.C. was reported to contain β-eudesmol (32.0-29.5%), α-eudesmol (18.2-16.6%), and α-pinene (8.6-6.4%) as the major components of the leaf and stem oils, respectively [3]. The current study aimed to provide information on the chemistry of the essential oil of F. mervynii collected from Erzurum, Turkey, in August 2017. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation from air-dried aerial parts of the plant using a Clevenger-type apparatus in the duration of 3 h. The essential-oil yield was determined to be 0.56% (v/w). The oil was diluted with n-hexane 1:10 (v/v) and analyzed as such on an Agilent 5977 MSD GC-MS system. Relative amounts of the separated compounds were calculated from the integration of the peaks in MS chromatograms. Identification of essential-oil components was carried out by comparison of their retention indices (RI), relative to a series of n-alkanes (C5 to C30), with the literature values, as well as by mass spectral comparison. The aerial parts essential oil of F. mervynii was rich in monoterpenes. The major components were α-pinene (48.1%), sabinene (20.0%), β-pinene (11.6%), and terpinen-4-ol (2.5%). The highest AChE-inhibitory activity of the oil was found to reach 51±1% of inhibition of the enzyme activity

Association of SNAP-25 gene Ddel and Mnll Polymorphisms with adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective The synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) gene is a presynaptic plasma membrane protein and an integral component of the vesicle docking and fusion machinery mediating secretion of neurotransmitters. Previously, several studies reported association between SNAP-25 and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We investigated whether these SNAP-25 polymorphisms (MnlI T/G and DdelI T/C) were also associated with ADHD in the Turkish population. Methods: Our study comprised unrelated 139 subjects who met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD and 73 controls and all were of Turkish origin. Genetic analyses were performed and patients were evaluated with Wender-Utah Rating Scale and Adult ADD/ADHD DSM IV-Based Diagnostic Screening and Rating Scale. Results: SNAP-25 DdelI polymorphism was not associated with ADHD but there was a statistically significant difference between ADHD patients and controls for SNAP-25 MnlI polymorphism. For SNAP-25 MnlI polymorphism patients with G/G genotype of the SNAP-25 gene MnlI polymorphism had higher Wender-Utah scores and higher scores in the 1st and 3rd parts of adult ADD/ADHD Scale. Conclusion: We detected a significant association of the MnlI polymorphism in our ADHD sample which was similar to previous findings. Our study also revealed that SNAP-25 MnlI polymorphism was also associated with symptom severity of ADHD. This study is also, the first report on the association of SNAP-25 with ADHD in the Turkish population. © 2014 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Recent Advances in Health Biotechnology During Pandemic

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in 2019, cut the epoch that will make profound fluctuates in the history of the world in social, economic, and scientific fields. Urgent needs in public health have brought with them innovative approaches, including diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. To exceed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, various scientific authorities in the world have procreated advances in real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based diagnostic tests, rapid diagnostic kits, the development of vaccines for immunization, and the purposing pharmaceuticals for treatment. Diagnosis, treatment, and immunization approaches put for- ward by scientific communities are cross-fed from the accrued knowledge of multidisciplinary sciences in health biotechnology. So much so that the pandemic, urgently prioritized in the world, is not only viral infections but also has been the pulsion in the development of novel approaches in many fields such as diagnosis, treatment, translational medicine, virology, mi- crobiology, immunology, functional nano- and bio-materials, bioinformatics, molecular biol- ogy, genetics, tissue engineering, biomedical devices, and artificial intelligence technologies. In this review, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of various scientific areas of health biotechnology are discussed

Botulinum toxin injection versus lateral internal sphincterotomy in the treatment of chronic anal fissure: a non-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Although lateral internal sphincterotomy is the gold-standard treatment for chronic anal fissure, intrasphincteric injection of botulinum toxin seems to be a reliable new option. The aim of this non-randomized study is to compare the effect of lateral internal sphincterotomy and botulinum toxin injection treatments on the outcome and reduction of anal sphincter pressures in patients with chronic anal fissure. METHODS: Patients with chronic anal fissure were treated with either botulinum toxin injection or lateral internal sphincterotomy by their own choice. Maximal resting pressure and maximal squeeze pressure measurements were performed before and 2 weeks after treatments by anal manometry. Patients were followed for fissure relapse during 14 months. RESULTS: Twenty-one consecutive outpatients with posterior chronic anal fissure were enrolled. Eleven patients underwent surgery and ten patients received botulinum toxin injection treatment. Before the treatment, anal pressures were found to be similar in both groups. After the treatment, the maximal resting pressures were reduced from 104 ± 22 mmHg to 86 ± 15 mmHg in the surgery group (p < 0.05) and from 101 ± 23 mmHg to 83 ± 24 mmHg in the botulinum toxin group (p < 0.05). The mean maximal squeeze pressures were reduced from 70 ± 27 mmHg to 61 ± 32 mmHg (p > 0.05) in the surgery group, and from 117 ± 62 mmHg to 76 ± 34 (p < 0.01) in the botulinum toxin group. The fissures were healed in 70 percent of patients in the botulinum group and 82 percent in the surgery group (p > 0.05). There were no relapses during the 14 months of follow up. CONCLUSION: Lateral internal sphincterotomy and botulinum toxin injection treatments both seem to be equally effective in the treatment of chronic anal fissure

İnsansız sistemler için bir silah sistemi iletişim mimarisi geliştirilmesi.

Unmanned systems are taking increasingly the place of people in dangerous environments and in military missions day by day. Many military unmanned systems have been designed and manufactured worldwide. As a result of military use, the need to integrate existing and newly produced weapons into existing and newly produced unmanned systems continues. In the case of weapon integration into unmanned systems, there is a need for standardization to reduce costs, reduce integration time, simplify operations and minimize technical problems. In this study, which aims to standardize communication in unmanned systems, Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) standard has been chosen as the mainstay of the study. The scope of the study was determined as guided tactical missiles. Taking into account the needs of the weapon systems included in the scope and the current structure of the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) standard, the weapon component and communication structure is defined as an extension to the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) standard.Thesis (M.S.) -- Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences. Electrical and Electronics Engineering