Pubmed
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Article Citation - WoS: 7Citation - Scopus: 9Analysis of the Hall Effect in Tlgate2 Single Crystals(Iop Publishing Ltd, 2009) Qasrawi, A. F.; Gasanly, N. M.The electrical resistivity and Hall coefficient of p-type TlGaTe2 crystals were measured in the temperature range of 110-320 K. The electrical resistivity, charge carrier density and Hall mobility data for the crystals have been analyzed by means of existing theories and models to determine the extrinsic energy levels, the carrier effective mass, the donor and acceptor concentrations and the dominant scattering mechanism in the crystal as well. The analysis of the temperature-dependent electrical resistivity recorded parallel and perpendicular to the crystal's axis ( c-axis) reflected the existence of energy levels located at 0.26 and at 0.20 eV, respectively. The difference of these two energy levels is due to crystal anisotropy. The energy level at 0.26 eV was found to represent an acceptor level, as confirmed from Hall data analysis. The temperature dependence of the carrier density was analyzed by using the single-donor-single-acceptor model. The latter analysis revealed the carrier effective mass and the acceptor and donor concentrations as 0.73m(0), 4.10 x 10(17) cm(-3) and 1.20 x 10(17) cm(-3), respectively. The Hall mobility of TlGaTe2 is found to be limited by the scattering of hole-acoustic phonon interactions. The calculated theoretical mobility fits to the experimental one under the condition that the acoustic deformation potential is 11.0 eV, which is the energy position of the top of valence band maximum that is formed by the Te 5s states.Article Citation - WoS: 5Citation - Scopus: 6Analyzing Two Decades of Intimate Partner Femicide-Suicides in T?rkiye*(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2023) Cavlak, Mehmet; Odabasi, Aysun Balseven; Mutlu, Niluefer Dilara Ar; Erbaydar, Nueket PaksoyIntimate partner femicide-suicide (IPF-S) is an understudied subgroup of homicide-suicide deaths. Limited research has been conducted on IPF-Ss in the Eastern Mediterranean region. This study thus aimed to evaluate the characteristics of IPF-Ss that occurred in Turkiye between 2000 and 2019. IPF-Ss (n = 226) were extracted from electronic news stories. Data on victims, perpetrators, their relationships, and incidents of murder and suicide were collected. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and logistic regression analysis, mortality rates, and proportion of IPF-S in femicide calculations were conducted, showing that 13.3% of the femicides (n = 1699) were IPF-Ss. The IPF-Ss increased in 5-year intervals and were the highest during the 2015-2019 period (62.5%). Victims were married in 48.2% of the cases and 56% were aged <35 years, while 51.3% of the perpetrators were married and 52.6% were aged >40 years. In 42.0% of the cases, the perpetrator lived with the victim. Most (79.2%) of the cases took place in urban settlements, and the perpetrators used firearms in 84.1% of femicide cases. Firearm use was the most common method in cases where IPF-S was planned (OR = 2.98), when the IPF-S method was the same (OR = 29.6), and when the perpetrator committed suicide (OR = 7.82). In addition, it was found that firearm ownership is an important risk factor for IPF-S in Turkiye. Therefore, we recommend legislation to restrict firearms, as well as new measures to prevent illegal access to weapons.Article Citation - WoS: 1Citation - Scopus: 1Anticipatory Effect of Execution on Observation: an Approach Using Exopinch Finger Robot(Tubitak Scientific & Technological Research Council Turkey, 2019) Arıkan, Kutluk Bilge; Zadeh, Hassan Gol Mohammad; Turgut, Ali Emre; Zinnuroğlu, Murat; Bayer, Gözde; Günendi, Zafer; Cengiz, BülentBackground/aim: This study aims to explore the mirror neuron system (MNS) involvement using mu (8–12 Hz)/beta (15–25 Hz) bandsuppression in an action observation-execution paradigm.Materials and methods: Electrophysiological (EEG) data from 16 electrodes were recorded while 8 participants observed video clips ofa hand squeezing a spring. Specifically, the effect of anticipated execution on observation was studied. For this purpose, a fully actuatedfinger exoskeleton robot was utilized to synchronize observation and execution and to control the execution condition for the participants. Anticipatory effect was created with a randomized robot accompany session.Results: The results showed that the observational condition (with or without anticipation) interacted with hemisphere at central channels near somatosensory cortex. Additionally, we explored the response of MNS on the kinetics features of visual stimuli (hard or softspring).Conclusion: The results showed an interaction effect of kinetics features and hemisphere at frontal channels corresponding nearly tothe ventral premotor cortex area of the brain. The activation of mirror neurons in this area plays a crucial role in observational learning.Based on our results, we propose that specific type of visual stimuli can be combined with the functional abilities of the MNS in the action observation based treatment of hand motor dysfunction of stroke patients to have a positive additional impact.Article Citation - WoS: 2Citation - Scopus: 2Antiproliferative Activity of Platinum(ii) and Copper(ii) Complexes Containing Novel Biquinoxaline Ligands(Oxford Univ Press, 2024) El-Beshti, Hager Sadek; Gercek, Zuhal; Kayi, Hakan; Yildizhan, Yasemin; Cetin, Yuksel; Adiguzel, Zelal; Ozalp-Yaman, SenizNowadays, cancer represents one of the major causes of death in humans worldwide, which renders the quest for new and improved antineoplastic agents to become an urgent issue in the field of biomedicine and human health. The present research focuses on the synthesis of 2,3,2MODIFIER LETTER PRIME,3MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-tetra(pyridin-2-yl)-6,6MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-biquinoxaline) and (2,3,2MODIFIER LETTER PRIME,3MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-tetra(thiophen-2-yl)-6,6MODIFIER LETTER PRIME-biquinoxaline) containing copper(II) and platinum(II) compounds as prodrug candidates. The binding interaction of these compounds with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) and human serum albumin were assessed with UV titration, thermal decomposition, viscometric, and fluorometric methods. The thermodynamical parameters and the temperature-dependent binding constant (KMODIFIER LETTER PRIMEb) values point out to spontaneous interactions between the complexes and CT-DNA via the van der Waals interactions and/or hydrogen bonding, except Cu(ttbq)Cl2 for which electrostatic interaction was proposed. The antitumor activity of the complexes against several human glioblastomata, lung, breast, cervix, and prostate cell lines were investigated by examining cell viability, oxidative stress, apoptosis-terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling, in vitro migration and invasion, in vitro-comet DNA damage, and plasmid DNA interaction assays. The U87 and HeLa cells were investigated as the cancer cells most sensitive to our complexes. The exerted cytotoxic effect of complexes was attributed to the formation of the reactive oxygen species in vitro. It is clearly demonstrated that Cu(ttbq)Cl2, Pt(ttbq)Cl2, and Pt(tpbq)Cl2 have the highest DNA degradation potential and anticancer effect among the tested complexes by leading apoptosis. The wound healing and invasion analysis results also supported the higher anticancer activity of these two compounds. Graphical Abstract Antitumor activity of biqunoxaline complexes.Review Citation - WoS: 16Citation - Scopus: 20Assessing the Coverage of E-Health Services in Sub-Saharan Africa a Systematic Review and Analysis(Georg Thieme verlag Kg, 2017) Adeloye, Davies; Adigun, Taiwo; Misra, Sanjay; Omoregbe, NicholasBackground: E-Health has attracted growing interests globally. The relative lack of facilities, skills, funds and information on existing e-Health initiatives has affected progress on e-Health in Africa. Objectives: To review publicly available literature on e-Health in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) towards providing information on existing and ongoing e-Health initiatives in the region. Methods: Searches of relevant literature were conducted on Medline, EMBASE and Global Health, with search dates set from 1990 to 2016. We included studies on e-Health initiatives (prototypes, designs, or completed projects) targeting population groups in sSA. Results: Our search returned 2322 hits, with 26 studies retained. Included studies were conducted in 14 countries across the four sub-regions in sSA (Central, East, South and West) and spreading over a 12-year period, 2002-2014. Six types of e-Health interventions were reported, with 17 studies (65%) based on telemedicine, followed by mHealth with 5 studies (19%). Other e-Health types include expert system, electronic medical records, e-mails, and online health module. Specific medical specialties covered include dermatology (19%), pathology (12%) and radiology (8%). Successes were 'widely reported' (representing 50% overall acceptance or positive feedbacks in a study) in 10 studies (38%). The prominent challenges reported were technical problems, poor inter net and connectivity, participants' selection biases, contextual issues, and lack of funds. Conclusion: E-Health is evolving in sSA, but with poorly published evidence. While we call for more quality research in the region, it is also important that population-wide policies and on-going e-Health initiatives are contextually feasible, acceptable, and sustainable.Article Citation - WoS: 3Citation - Scopus: 3Assessments of World and National Level Wrestling Teams at a Pre World Championship Competition: Hydration, Body Composition and Body Mass Alterations(Edizioni Minerva Medica, 2015) Kutlu, M.; Demirkan, E.; Ozbek, M. E.; Department of Electrical & Electronics EngineeringAim. This study examined the changes in hydration status, body composition and body mass alterations during the camping period a pre world championship, World (N.=14) and National (N.=38) senior wrestlers (N.=52) preparing for the World Championships. Methods. Urine specific gravity, conductivity and color measurements with, body composition analyses were conducted at the beginning of the camp and the end of the camp. Results. In general, no significant differences were obtained between the world and national wrestlers in body mass and fat percentage (83.3 +/- 20-84.9 +/- 18 kg; 12 +/- 6%-11.2 +/- 4%, respectively). However, a significant difference was detected in the changes of body mass between groups (world decreased [800 +/- 1 g] - national increased [600 +/- 1 g] [P<0.05]). Body fat percentage was also observed to have a similar bias with a decrease and increase, but the changes were not significantly different (P>0.05). No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between pre- and post-test values of urine specific gravity, conductivity or color for both national team wrestlers. Conclusion. Wrestlers achieved to adjust to weight category in a close of period through competition weigh in. Dehydration training programs should be sustained during the whole camp seasons including the last days before the weighing process for matches.Article Citation - WoS: 13Citation - Scopus: 13Association between monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and bicuspid\raortic valve degeneration(Tubitak Scientific & Technological Research Council Turkey, 2020) Karaduman, Bilge Duran; Ayhan, Hüseyin; Keles, Telat; Bozkurt, EnginBackground/aim: From a pathophysiological point of view, inflammation is thought to be more dominant in bicuspid aortic valve\r(BAV) stenosis than tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) stenosis. Our study aimed to determine the association between monocyte to highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (MHR), a new inflammatory marker, and the speed of progression of stenosis and\rpathophysiology of BAV stenosis.\rMaterials and methods: A total of 210 severe aortic stenosis patients (70 consecutive BAV patients, 140 matched TAV patients) were\rretrospectively enrolled in the study. Clinical and echocardiographic data and laboratory results related to our research were collected\rretrospectively from the patients’ records. MHR was measured as the ratio of the absolute monocyte count to the HDL-C value.\rResults: Seventy BAV (mean age: 72.0 ± 9.1 years, 42.9% female) and 140 TAV patients (mean age: 77.9 ± 8.3 years, 51.4% female)\rwith severe aortic stenosis were enrolled in this study. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of another baseline\rdemographic or clinic findings except age (P < 0.001). Monocyte count, hemoglobin level, mean platelet volume was significantly\rhigher, and HDL-C level was significantly lower in the BAV group, while other lipid and CBC parameters were found to be similar. In\rthe multivariate analysis, MHR (P = 0.005, 95% CI: 0.90–0.98) and, as expected, age (P = 0.001, 95% CI: 1.02–1.11) were found to be\rsignificant as the independent predictor of BAV, after adjusting for other risk factors.\rConclusion: Our study showed a significant correlation between increased MHR and BAV. MHR was determined as a significant\rindependent predictor for the speed of progression and diagnosis of severe BAV stenosis in multivariate analysis.Letter Author`s Reply(Turkish Society of Cardiology, 2020) Karaduman,B.D.; Ayhan,H.; Keleş,T.; Bozkurt,E.[No abstract available]Note Author`s Reply(NLM (Medline), 2021) Duran Karaduman,B.; Ayhan,H.; Keleş,T.; Bozkurt,E.[No abstract available]Article Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Mobilization and Apheresis in Pediatric Patients With Cancer: a Single-Center Report of 64 Procedures(Wiley, 2024) Erdem, Arzu Yazal; Ozyoruk, Derya; Bozkaya, Ikbal Ok; Cakmakci, Selma; Emir, Suna; Demir, Haci Ahmet; Ozbek, Namik YasarBackground The published experience concerning autologous peripheral blood stem cell collection in children is very limited. Methods The data of pediatric patients who underwent autologous stem cell mobilization and apheresis between January 2011 and April 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Results We studied retrospectively 64 mobilization and apheresis procedures in 48 pediatric patients (34 males, 14 females), mean age of 7.31 +/- 5.38 (range, 1.5-19.7) years, the underlying disease was mostly neuroblastoma (NBL). The body weight of 21 patients (43.75%) was 15 kg or less. The targeted autologous peripheral stem cell apheresis (APSCA) was successfully achieved in 98% of patients. Neuroblastoma patients were younger than the rest of the patients and underwent apheresis after receiving fewer chemotherapy cycles than others and all of them mobilized within the first session successfully. Plerixafor was added to mobilization in nine heavily pretreated patients (18.7%), median two doses (range, 1-4 doses). 11 patients (22.9%) underwent radiotherapy (RT) before mobilization with doses of median 24 Gy (range, 10.8-54.0 Gy). Patients with RT were older at the time of apheresis and had received more chemotherapy courses than patients without RT. As a result, patients with a history of RT had significantly lower peripheral CD34+ cells and CD34+ yields than those without RT. In 17 patients (35.4%), 22 different complications were noted. The most common complications were catheter-related infections (n:10, 20.8%), followed by catheter-related thrombosis in eight patients (16.7%). Conclusions Patients who had far less therapy before apheresis were more likely to mobilize successfully. Our study provides a detailed practice approach including complications during APSCA aiming to increase the success rates of apheresis in transplantation centers.Article Baby Steps of Parenting: Turkish Adaptation of Infancy Parenting Styles Questionnaire and Mother- and Infant-Related Characteristics Affecting Parenting in Infancy(Wiley, 2025) Bahtiyar-Saygan, BaharThe crucial importance of parenting for human development is well known, yet there has been little investigation, particularly regarding infancy parenting. This study investigates mother- and infant-related characteristics affecting parenting styles in the first year after birth. Additionally, adapting an Infancy Parenting Styles Questionnaire (IPSQ) to Turkish is aimed. In total, 110 mothers with babies in the first year of their lives (M age in months = 6.39, SDage in months = 3.72; 70 girls) participated in the study. Mothers filled out the IPSQ, Early Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (EPAQ), Karitane Parental Self-Confidence Scale (KPSC), and Parental Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). Four components emerged: involvement, discipline, anxiety, and routine. The IPSQ was found to be reliable (alpha = .81) and valid. The findings revealed that income, the number of children, and parental confidence were significant predictors for involvement; maternal education, parental confidence, parenting stress, and sleep wellness of the baby were significant predictors for discipline; and the number of caregivers and parental confidence were significant predictors for routine sub-components. Also, results indicated higher involvement and lower discipline in primiparous compared to multiparous mothers. The findings were discussed in light of the literature regarding the antecedents of parenting and its developmental outcomes.Article Bacterial Profiling of Brined Grapevine Leaves Collected From Different Local Markets in Türkiye(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2025) Ucak, S.; Yegin, Z.; Yurt, M.N.Z.; Sudagidan, M.; Altunbas, O.; Ozalp, V.C.Microorganisms linked to the grapevine, Vitis vinifera, can impact crop quality, plant growth, and human and plant health. This study examined the bacterial community structures of brined grapevine leaves (n = 56) taken from seven distinct regions in Türkiye using next-generation sequencing technology. Investigations were also conducted into the samples' chemical properties. Firmicutes was the dominant phylum, followed by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Bacillaceae was the predominant family in the analyzed samples, followed by Clostridiaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae. Bacillus was the dominant genus, followed by Lysinibacillus and Clostridium sensu stricto. The samples exhibited differences in terms of pH, total acidity, and salt content. The pH values of the brined grapevine leaves ranged from 2.31 to 6.91, the acidity levels ranged from 0.09% to 1.80%, and the salt percentages ranged from 3.39% to 49.14%. This research provides pioneering information for bacterial community analysis of brined grapevine leaves. © 2025 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.Article Citation - WoS: 9Citation - Scopus: 8Biomechanical Evaluation of Different Fixation Methods for Mandibular Anterior Segmental Osteotomy Using Finite Element Analysis, Part One: Superior Repositioning Surgery(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2016) Kilinc, Yeliz; Erkmen, Erkan; Kurt, AhmetThe aim of the current study was to comparatively evaluate the mechanical behavior of 3 different fixation methods following various amounts of superior repositioning of mandibular anterior segment. In this study, 3 different rigid fixation configurations comprising double right L, double left L, or double I miniplates with monocortical screws were compared under vertical, horizontal, and oblique load conditions by means of finite element analysis. A three-dimensional finite element model of a fully dentate mandible was generated. A 3 and 5mm superior repositioning of mandibular anterior segmental osteotomy were simulated. Three different finite element models corresponding to different fixation configurations were created for each superior repositioning. The von Mises stress values on fixation appliances and principal maximum stresses (P-max) on bony structures were predicted by finite element analysis. The results have demonstrated that double right L configuration provides better stability with less stress fields in comparison with other fixation configurations used in this study.Article Citation - WoS: 7Citation - Scopus: 7Biomechanical Evaluation of Different Fixation Methods for Mandibular Anterior Segmental Osteotomy Using Finite Element Analysis, Part Two: Superior Repositioning Surgery With Bone Allograft(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2016) Kilinc, Yeliz; Erkmen, Erkan; Kurt, AhmetIn this study, the biomechanical behavior of different fixation methods used to fix the mandibular anterior segment following various amounts of superior repositioning was evaluated by using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The three-dimensional finite element models representing 3 and 5mm superior repositioning were generated. The gap in between segments was assumed to be filled by block bone allograft and resignated to be in perfect contact with the mandible and segmented bone. Six different finite element models with 2 distinct mobilization rate including 3 different fixation configurations, double right L (DRL), double left L (DLL), or double I (DI) miniplates with monocortical screws, correspondingly were created. A comparative evaluation has been made under vertical, horizontal and oblique loads. The von Mises and principal maximum stress (P-max) values were calculated by finite element solver programme. The first part of our ongoing Finite Element Analysis research has been adressed to the mechanical behavior of the same fixation configurations in nongrafted models. In comparison with the findings of the first part of the study, it was concluded that bone graft offers superior mechanical stability without any limitation of mobilization and less stress on the fixative appliances as well as in the bone.Article Breast Cancer Management During the Covid Pandemic(Coll Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan, 2024) Sariyildiz, Gulcin Turkmen; Ayhan, Fikriye FigenObjective: To explore the impact of COVID-19 among both the newly diagnosed patients and patients under follow-up for breast cancer by focusing on patients' accessibility to management and comparing the distribution of them before and during pandemic. Study Design: Single -centric retrospective study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of General Surgery and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Atilim University, Medicana International Ankara Hospital, Ankara, Turkiye, from March 2018 to 2022. Methodology: The data were collected to analyse numbers and distributions of physician visits regarding breast cancer. Results: The mean age of patients was 55.98 +/- 12.60 years. The percentages of newly diagnosed cases showed similarity (7.37% vs. 9.79%) before and during the pandemic (p = 0.18). The number of imaging studies decreased by 53.33% in patients under follow-up (p = 0.006), despite screening tests showed a similar trend (p = 0.145). General surgery visits marked up (+44.6%), in contrast to plastic surgery visits (-42.04%, p <0.001). Patients' admissions decreased in many COVID-19 related clinics (pulmonology, emergency, internal medicine, and intensive care), but cardiology (+96.59%) and rehabilitation (+75%) admissions increased during the pandemic (p <0.001). The number of medical oncology and radiation oncology visits did not change (p >0.05). Conclusion: Total number of physician visits was similar before and during the pandemic despite the changing distribution. While COVID-19 led to markedly rising trends of surgical, cardiological, and rehabilitative management in patients with breast cancer, falling trends were seen in other specialities except oncology which showed a plateau during two years. The falling trends of visits to pulmonology, emergency, internal medicine, and intensive care clinics may be explained by crowded COVID-19 cases.Article Citation - WoS: 1Citation - Scopus: 2Cannabinoid Receptor Ligands Modulate Fibrosis and Inflammation in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: a Preliminary Study(Tubitak Scientific & Technological Research Council Turkey, 2024) Kose, Sevil; Onen, Selin; Gizer, Merve; Boduroglu, Esin; Gonullu, Ugur; Korkusuz, PetekBackground/aim: No specific pharmacological treatment regimen for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) exists. Therefore, new antiinflammatory therapeutic strategies are needed. Cannabinoids (CBs), known for their inflammation-modulating and antifibrotic effects, may be potential medication candidates for treating IPF. We aim to evaluate the inflammation-modulating and antifibrotic effects of CB receptor (CBR) agonists and antagonists in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated normal human lung fibroblast, epithelial cells, IPF fibroblast cells, and monocytes. Materials and methods: We detected CBRs in normal human lung fibroblasts (LL24) and IPF fibroblast cells (LL29), epithelial cells (A549) and monocytes (THP-1) by flow cytometry. We determined TGF-(31, IL-8, and TNF-alpha inflammatory cytokines in the LL24, LL29, A549, and THP-1 cell culture supernatants on days 1 and 5 by ELISA. We evaluated the cell viability in LL24, LL29, and A549 cells on days 1, 3, and 5 spectrophotometrically and detected collagen Type I (ColI) production in the LL24 and LL29 cell culture supernatants on days 1, 3, and 5 by ELISA. Results: LL24, LL29, A549, and THP-1 cells exhibited CB1 (CB1R) and CB2 (CB2R) receptors. CB1R and CB2R agonists WIN55,2122 and JWH015 inhibited fibroblastic and epithelial cell proliferation on day 5. TGF-(31 and TNF-alpha release increased, while IL-8 release decreased in LL24, LL29, A549, and THP-1 cells in response to the administration of WIN55,212-2 and JWH015 at a 10-2 mM concentration. CB1R and CB2R antagonists AM251 and AM630 did not block agonistic responses, suggesting a nonclassical CBRmediated pathway. CB2R agonist JWH015 decreased ColI expression in IPF lung fibroblasts LL29 on day 3. Conclusion: These results suggest that CB signaling regulates the progression of pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis via CBR activation. This may offer a potential pharmacological tool for developing antifibrosis therapies.Article Citation - WoS: 2Caval Valve Implantation Procedure in 7 Cases of Torrential Tricuspid Regurgitation and Step-By Description of the Procedure(Kare Publ, 2025) Sarıçam, Ersin; Barcin, Cem; Çelebi, Aksüyek Savaş; Asfour, Mohamed; Bozbas, Huseyin; İlkay, ErdoğanArticle Citation - WoS: 3Citation - Scopus: 3Characterization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Mucolipidosis Type Ii (i-Cell Disease)(Tubitak Scientific & Technological Research Council Turkey, 2019) Köse, Sevil; Kaya, Fatima Aerts; Kuşkonmaz, Bülent Barış; Çetinkaya, Duygu UçkanMucolipidosis type II (ML-II, I-cell disease) is a fatal inherited lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of theenzyme N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase. A characteristic skeletal phenotype is one of the many clinical manifestationsof ML-II. Since the mechanisms underlying these skeletal defects in ML-II are not completely understood, we hypothesized that adefect in osteogenic differentiation of ML-II bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) might be responsible for this skeletalphenotype. Here, we assessed and characterized the cellular phenotype of BM-MSCs from a ML-II patient before (BBMT) and afterBM transplantation (ABMT), and we compared the results with BM-MSCs from a carrier and a healthy donor. Morphologically, wedid not observe differences in ML-II BBMT and ABMT or carrier MSCs in terms of size or granularity. Osteogenic differentiation wasnot markedly affected by disease or carrier status. Adipogenic differentiation was increased in BBMT ML-II MSCs, but chondrogenicdifferentiation was decreased in both BBMT and ABMT ML-II MSCs. Immunophenotypically no significant differences were observedbetween the samples. Interestingly, the proliferative capacity of BBMT and ABMT ML-II MSCs was increased in comparison to MSCsfrom age-matched healthy donors. These data suggest that MSCs are not likely to cause the skeletal phenotype observed in ML-II, butthey may contribute to the pathogenesis of ML-II as a result of lysosomal storage-induced pathology.Article Citation - WoS: 7Citation - Scopus: 7Classification of Intermediate and Novice Surgeons' Skill Assessment Through Performance Metrics(Sage Publications inc, 2019) Topalli, Damla; Cagiltay, Nergiz ErcilBackground. Endoscopic surgeries have become an alternative for open procedures whenever possible. For such types of operations, surgeons are required to gain several skills, whose development needs hands-on practice. Accordingly, gaining these skills today is a challenge for surgical education programs. Despite the development of several technology-enhanced training environments, there are still problems to better integrate these technologies into educational programs. For an appropriate integration, it is critical to assess the skill levels and adapt the training content according to the trainees' requirements. In the literature, there exist several methods for assessing these skill levels. However, there are still problems in practice for objective and repetitive assessment. Methods. The present study aims to estimate the skill levels of participants in surgical training programs in an objective manner by collecting experimental data from residents in an endoscopic surgical simulation environment and gathering performance metrics. Results. It is shown that, by comparing the results of a number of classification algorithms for the best accuracy estimation and feature set, the "novice" and "intermediate" skill levels can be estimated with an accuracy of 86%. Conclusions. The outcomes help surgical educators and instructional system designers to better assess the skill levels of the trainees and guide them accordingly. In addition, objective assessments as highlighted in this study can be beneficial when designing technology-enhanced adaptive learning environments.Article Citation - Scopus: 2Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Cutaneous Mastocytosis in Childhood: Single-Center Experience(Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2022) Erdem,A.Y.; Özyörük,D.; Emir,S.; Çakmakçı,S.; Ceylan,G.G.; Toyran,M.; Mısırlıoğlu,E.D.Introduction: Mastocytosis is a rare and heterogenous disease, and in children it is generally limited to the skin and tends to regress spontaneously in adolescence. Aim: In this study, demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of pediatric patients with mastocytosis, and also coexisting diseases were investigated. Results: A total of 61 pediatric patients were included in the study. The male-to-female ratio was 2.2, the median age was 2 years (range, 0.25 to 19 y), and the median follow-up period was 2.0 years (range, 0.25 to 19 y). Types of clinical presentation at diagnosis consisted of mainly urticaria pigmentosa (45.9%). Seven patients were further investigated with suspicion of systemic mastocytosis, they were followed up, median of 9 years (range, 2.5 to 16 y), and none of them developed systemic disease. Coexisting allergic diseases were recorded in total 5 patients (8.2%). Three patients had immunoglobulin A deficiency, 1 patient had elevated immunoglobulin E level. A patient developed mature B-cell lymphoma with a heterozygous mutation in c-KIT exon 11. Discussion: Cutaneous mastocytosis in children may present as a complex disease with different clinical signs and symptoms. Standardized clinical criteria and guidelines for the follow-up of children with mastocytosis are required. Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

