Browsing by Publisher "Cambridge University Press"
Now showing 1 - 19 of 19
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Geochemical characteristics of mafic lavas from the Neotethyan ophiolites in western Turkey: Implications for heterogeneous source contribution during variable stages of ocean crust generation(Cambridge University Press, 2008) Aldanmaz E.; Yaliniz M.K.; Güctekin A.; Göncüoǧlu M.C.The Late Triassic to Late Cretaceous age mafic lavas from the Neotethyan suture zone ophiolites in western Turkey exhibit a wide diversity of geochemical signatures, indicating derivation from extremely heterogeneous mantle sources. The rocks as a whole can be divided into three broad subdivisions based on their bulk-rock geochemical characteristics: (1) mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) that range in composition from light rare earth element (LREE)-depleted varieties (N-MORB; (La/Sm)N < 1) through transitional MORB to LREE enriched types (E-MORB; (La/Sm)N > 1); (2) the ocean island basalt (OIB)-type alkaline volcanic rocks with significant enrichment in LILE, HFSE and L-MREE, and a slight depletion in HREE, relative to normal mid-ocean ridge basalts (N-MORB); and (3) the supra-subduction zone (SSZ)-type tholeiites originated from arc mantle sources that are characterized by selective enrichments in fluid-soluble large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and LREE relative to the high field strength elements (HFSE). The formation of MORB tholeiites with variable enrichments and depletions in incompatible trace elements is probably related to the processes of crust generation along an oceanic spreading system, and the observed MORB-OIB associations can be modelled by heterogeneous source contribution and mixing of melts from chemically discrete sources from sub-lithospheric reservoirs. Evaluation of trace element systematics shows that the inferred heterogeneities within the mantle source regions are likely to have originated from continuous processes of formation and destruction of enriched mantle domains by long-term plate recycling, convective mixing and melt extraction. The origin of SSZ-type tholeiites with back-arc basin affinities, on the other hand, can be attributed to the later intra-oceanic subduction and plate convergence which led to the generation of supra-subduction-type oceanic crust as a consequence of imparting a certain extent of subduction component into the mantle melting region. Mixing of melts from a multiply depleted mantle source, which subsequently received variable re-enrichment with a subduction component, is suggested to explain the generation of supra-subduction-type oceanic crust. The geodynamic setting in which much of the SSZ-type ophiolitic extrusive rocks from western Turkey were generated can be described as an arc-basin system that is characterized by an oceanic lithosphere generation most probably associated with melting of mantle material along a supra-subduction-type spreading centre. © 2007 Cambridge University Press.Item Association of social anxiety with stigmatisation and low self-esteem in remitted bipolar patients(Cambridge University Press, 2011) Aydemir O.; Akkaya C.Background: In remitted bipolar disorder, it is aimed to show the association between social anxiety, self-esteem and stigmatisation. Methods: From two university clinics, a sample of 150 remitted bipolar patients was included in this study. Patients were assessed with Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and sense of stigmatisation subscale of Bipolar Disorder Functioning Questionnaire (Stigma) and were rated with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Young Mania Rating Scale for mood symptoms. Confirmatory path analysis was performed. Results: The mean age of the patients was 39.5, and 52.7% (n = 79) were female. Ninety per cent (n = 135) of the patients had bipolar I disorder. The mean duration of the illness was 13.4 years and the mean number of episodes was 7.8. The model was subjected to confirmatory path analysis and the goodness-of-fit index was calculated to be 0.909, the confirmatory fit index was found to be 0.902 and the root mean square error of approximation was 0.097. Self-esteem was negatively associated with stigmatisation (r = -0.746). Social anxiety was positively associated with self-esteem (r = 0.494). Social anxiety was negatively associated with stigmatisation (r = -0.381). Conclusions: In remitted bipolar patients, social anxiety is very high and this social anxiety seems to be caused by self-stigmatisation and low self-esteem. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Item New Palaeolithic and Mesolithic sites in the eastern Aegean: The Karaburun Archaeological Survey Project(Cambridge University Press, 2016) Çilingiroǧlu C.; Dinçer B.; Uhri A.; Gürblylk C.; Baykara I.; Çaklrlar C.Despite ongoing fieldwork focusing on the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods of the Aegean, the eastern part of this region, especially western Turkey, remains almost entirely unexplored in terms of early prehistory. There is virtually no evidence from this area that can contribute to broader research themes such as the dispersal of early hominins, the distribution of Early Holocene foragers and early forager-farmer interactions. The primary aim of the Karaburun Archaeological Survey Project is to address this situation by collecting data from the eastern side of the Aegean Sea, thereby contributing to the currently debated issues of Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean prehistory. © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2016.Item Comparison of the protective effects of intratympanic dexamethasone and methylprednisolone against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity(Cambridge University Press, 2016) Özel H.E.; Özdoʇan F.; Gürgen S.G.; Esen E.; Genç S.; Selçuk A.Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacies of intratympanic dexamethasone and methylprednisolone in preventing in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats. Methods: Experimental groups of rats (n = 8 each) received intratympanic isotonic saline, intraperitoneal cisplatin and intratympanic isotonic saline, intraperitoneal cisplatin and intratympanic dexamethasone, or intraperitoneal cisplatin and intratympanic methylprednisolone. Distortion product otoacoustic emission thresholds were compared on days 0 and 10 in all rats, and correlations between drug effects and changes in cochlear histology were evaluated. Results: Distortion product otoacoustic emission thresholds were comparable in groups III and IV (p > 0.05). Significant protection against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity was seen in groups III and IV compared with group II (p < 0.05). Dexamethasone and, to a lesser extent, methylprednisolone protected against cellular apoptosis in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. Conclusion: Dexamethasone (and possibly methylprednisolone) may be clinically useful as an intratympanic chemopreventive agent to treat cisplatin ototoxicity. Future clinical studies should investigate the use of dexamethasone for this purpose in adult patients. © JLO (1984) Limited 2016.Item The effect of local application of insulin-like growth factor for prevention of inner-ear damage caused by electrode trauma(Cambridge University Press, 2017) Gur H.; Alimoglu Y.; Duzenli U.; Korkmaz S.; Inan S.; Olgun L.Background: Electrode insertion during cochlear implantation causes cochlear damage and apoptosis. Insulin-like growth factor applied locally was investigated in 21 rats. Methods: In the sham group, an intracochlear dummy electrode was inserted through the round window. In the control group, after the same insertion procedure, saline-soaked porcine skin gelatine was placed on the round window. In the study group, insulin-like growth factor 1 soaked gelatine was placed on the round window. Auditory brainstem response thresholds were measured and histopathological examination was performed. Results: In the study group, at 2-4 kHz, one rat had deterioration, one showed improvement and the rest had stable thresholds 14 days after intervention. At 6 kHz, four rats showed improvement and the rest remained stable. At 8 kHz, four showed improvement, one had deterioration and two remained stable. In the other groups, hearing loss deteriorated in about half of the rats and remained stable in the rest. The mean post-operative 6 kHz threshold was significantly lower than that immediately after the intervention in the study group, contrary to the other groups. The study group had significantly better mean histopathological grading than the other groups. Conclusion: Local insulin-like growth factor 1 application may protect hearing after cochlear implantation. Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2017.Item Responses of mothers of children with CHD: Quality of life, anxiety and depression, parental attitudes, family functionality(Cambridge University Press, 2017) Alkan F.; Sertcelik T.; Yalln Sapmaz S.; Eser E.; Coskun S.Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the anxiety and depression status, family functions, parenting attitudes, and quality of life in the mothers of children with CHD. Method The study enrolled 120 mothers: 40 of children with cyanotic CHD, 40 of children with non-cyanotic CHD, and 40 of healthy controls. Short Form-36 for quality of life, Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale for anxiety and depression, Family Assessment Device for the detection of problems affecting family functions, and Parental Attitude Research Instrument for measuring child-rearing attitudes were used in the study. Results Statistically significant decreases were found in the general health standards of mothers of non-cyanotic children (p=0.035) and in the emotional and physical role difficulty of mothers of cyanotic children (p=0.006, p=0.010). When anxiety and depression levels of the parents were examined, the anxiety level of the cyanotic group was found to be significantly higher than that of the other groups (p=0.031). When family behaviours were assessed, there was a statistically significant decrease in role status in the families having a child with cyanotic CHD (p=0.035). In the Parental Attitude Research Instrument test, the husband and wife incompatibility sub-scale was found to be statistically significantly lower in the cyanotic CHD group (p=0.030). Conclusion When there is a diseased person in the family, the focus should not be solely on the problems of the patient but also on preventive methods to be implemented in order to protect the mental health of all family members. © Cambridge University Press 2017.Item Stage is a prognostic factor for surgically treated patients with early-stage lip cancer for whom a 'wait and see' policy in terms of neck status has been implemented(Cambridge University Press, 2017) Eskiizmir G.; Ozgur E.; Karaca G.; Temiz P.; Yanar N.H.; Ozyurt B.C.Objectives: To determine the locoregional control and survival rates (in terms of risk factors) of patients who underwent surgical resection of early-stage lip cancer and for whom a 'wait and see' policy in terms of neck status had been implemented. Methods: The sociodemographic data, tumour stage, tumour characteristics and histopathological features of 41 patients with early-stage lip cancer were evaluated. Factors predictive of survival and locoregional recurrence were analysed. The five-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were determined, and the prognostic risk factors were compared. Results: The mean follow-up period was 60.5 months (range, 4-92 months). Age, sex, tumour stage, tumour thickness and volume, and perineural involvement were not predictive of locoregional recurrence or survival. Pathological tumour stage (T1 vs T2) was a prognostic factor for both five-year overall survival (87.3 vs 65.6 per cent, p = 0.042) and disease-free survival (88.6 vs 65.6 per cent, p = 0.037). Conclusion: Tumour stage was clearly a major factor affecting the prognosis of surgically treated patients with early-stage lip cancer for whom a 'wait and see' policy in terms of neck status had been implemented. Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2017.Item Therapeutic and protective effects of autologous serum in amikacin-induced ototoxicity(Cambridge University Press, 2018) Arslan I.B.; Aslan G.G.; Mercan G.C.; Vatansever S.; Cukurova I.; Gokalp S.; Aslan A.Objective: Possible therapeutic and protective benefits of intratympanic autologous serum application in amikacin-induced ototoxicity were investigated. Methods: Twenty-four Guinea pigs were separated equally into two groups: therapeutic (group A) and protective (group B). Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were recorded before and after autologous serum application. Apoptotic cells were identified in the organ of Corti, spiral limbus and spiral ganglion by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling ('TUNEL') method. Results: Transient evoked otoacoustic emission responses at 1, 1.4 and 2.8 kHz improved without significance after autologous serum application in group A (p > 0.05). A significantly protective effect of autologous serum was determined at 4 kHz in group B (p < 0.05). There were significantly fewer apoptotic cells at the spiral limbus in the therapeutic and protective groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Autologous serum may offer protection against ototoxicity-induced hearing loss, but it cannot restore hearing. Immunohistochemically, autologous serum significantly decreases activation of the intrinsic pathway of pro-apoptotic signalling in mesenchymal cells compared to neurons and neurosensory cells. © 2017 JLO (1984) Limited.Item The effect of intratympanic oxytocin treatment on rats exposed to acoustic trauma(Cambridge University Press, 2019) Akin Ocal F.C.; Kesici G.G.; Gurgen S.G.; Ocal R.; Erbek S.Objective To investigate whether oxytocin can prevent ototoxicity related to acoustic trauma.Methods Twenty-eight rats were divided into four groups: Noise (group 1), control (group 2), noise plus oxytocin (group 3), and oxytocin (group 4). Intratympanic oxytocin was administered on days 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 in groups 3 and 4. Groups 1 and 3 were exposed to acoustic trauma. Distortion product otoacoustic emission and auditory brainstem response testing were performed in all groups.Results In group 1, auditory brainstem response thresholds increased significantly after acoustic trauma. In group 3, auditory brainstem response thresholds increased significantly on day 1 after acoustic trauma, but there were no significant differences between thresholds at baseline and on the 7th and 21st days. In group 1, significant differences were observed between distortion product otoacoustic emission signal-to-noise ratios measured before and on days 1, 7 and 21 after acoustic trauma. In group 3, no significant differences were observed between the distortion product otoacoustic emission signal-to-noise ratios measured before and on days 7 and 21 after acoustic trauma.Conclusion Oxytocin had a therapeutic effect on rats exposed to acoustic trauma in this experiment. © 2019 JLO (1984) Limited.Item Evaluation of BrachyDose Monte Carlo code for HDR brachytherapy: Dose comparison against Acuros®BV and TG-43 algorithms(Cambridge University Press, 2020) Dagli A.; Yurt F.; Yegin G.Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of dose distributions calculated by the BrachyDose Monte Carlo (MC) code in heterogeneous media for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and to evaluate its usability in the clinical brachytherapy treatment planning systems.Materials and methods: For dose comparisons, three different dose calculation algorithms were used in this study. Namely, BrachyDose MC code, Eclipse TG-43 dose calculation tool and Acuros®BV model-based dose calculation algorithm (MBDCA). Dose distributions were obtained using any of the above codes in various scenarios including 'homogenous water medium scenario', an 'extreme case heterogeneous media scenario' and clinically important 'a patient with a cervical cancer scenario'. In the 'extreme case, heterogeneous media scenario', geometry is a rare combination of unusual high-density and low-density materials and it is chosen to provide a test environment for the propagation of photons in the interface of two materials with different absorption and scattering properties. GammaMed 192Ir Model 12i Source is used as the HDR brachytherapy source in this study. Dose calculations were performed for the cases where there is either a single source or five sources planted into the phantom geometry in all homogenous water phantom and extreme case heterogeneous media scenarios. For the scenario a patient with a cervical cancer, dose calculations were performed in a voxelized rectilinear phantom, which is constructed from a series of computed tomography (CT) slices of a patient, which are obtained from a CT device.Results: In homogeneous water phantom scenario, we observed no statistically significant dose differences among the dose distributions calculated by any of the three algorithms at almost every point in the geometry. In the extreme case heterogeneous media scenario, the dose calculation engines Acuros®BV and BrachyDose are agreed well within statistics in every region of the geometry and even in the points close to the interfaces of low-density and high-density materials. On the other hand, the dose values calculated by these two codes are significantly different from those calculated by the TG-43 algorithm. In the 'a patient with a cervical cancer scenario', the calculated D2cc dose difference between Acuros®BV and BrachyDose codes is within 2% in the rectum and 11% for the bladder and sigmoid. There was no meaningful difference in the mean dose values between MBDCAs in the bone structures.Conclusions: In this study, the accurate dose calculation capabilities of the BrachyDose program in HDR brachytherapy were investigated on various scenarios and, as a MC dose calculation tool, its effectiveness in HDR brachytherapy was demonstrated by comparative dose analysis. © Cambridge University Press 2019.Item The effect of Celiac disease on cardiac functions and aortic elasticity parameters in children(Cambridge University Press, 2021) Alkan F.; Dogan G.; Kaslrga E.; Coskun S.We aimed to investigate the effect of Celiac disease on myocardial functions and aortic elasticity parameters. Materials and Methods: Thirty children with Celiac disease and 30 healthy children were enrolled in the study. Both the groups were similar in terms of age and gender. Cardiac functions of all children in the patients and control group were evaluated using conventional transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. Aortic strain, distensibility, and stiffness index were calculated by M-mode echocardiography. Results: The demographic findings, height, weight, and body mass index of cases were similar among two groups. No statistical difference was found between E wave velocity for conventional transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging measurements of the mitral valve; early diastolic flow peak velocity, A wave velocity; late diastolic flow peak velocity; and E/A ratio. Isovolumetric relaxation time and isovolumetric contraction time ratios were statistically different between the groups (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, p = 0.000). The myocardial performance index calculated according to the pulse Doppler measurement results was found to be statistically different between the groups (p = 0.000). There was no statistical difference between the groups in terms of aortic strain, distensibility, and stiffness index. Conclusion: In this study, both conventional transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging revealed the affection of the myocardial functions during systole and diastole in children with Celiac disease. Therefore, early follow-up and routine cardiac evaluation of celiac patients may be appropriate due to the increased risk of cardiac affection. © 2021 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.Item Unsustainable harvest of water frogs in southern Turkey for the European market(Cambridge University Press, 2021) Çiçek K.; Ayaz D.; Afsar M.; Bayrakcl Y.; Pekşen Ç.A.; Cumhuriyet O.; Ismail I.B.; Yenmiş M.; Üstündaǧ E.; Tok C.V.; Bilgin C.C.; Akçakaya H.R.Frogs have been harvested from the wild for the last 40 years in Turkey. We analysed the population dynamics of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) in the Seyhan and Ceyhan Deltas during 2013-2015. We marked a total of 13,811 individuals during 3 years, estimated population sizes, simulated the dynamics of a harvested population over 50 years, and collated frog harvest and export statistics from the region and for Turkey as a whole. Our capture estimates indicated a population reduction of c. 20% per year, and our population modelling showed that, if overharvesting continues at current rates, the harvested populations will decline rapidly. Simulations with a model of harvested population dynamics resulted in a risk of extinction of > 90% within 50 years, with extinction likely in c. 2032. Our interviews with harvesters revealed their economic dependence on the frog harvest. However, our results also showed that reducing harvest rates would not only ensure the viability of these frog populations but would also provide a source of income that is sustainable in the long term. Our study provides insights into the position of Turkey in the 'extinction domino' line, in which harvest pressure shifts among countries as frog populations are depleted and harvest bans are effected. We recommend that harvesting of wild frogs should be banned during the mating season, hunting and exporting of frogs < 30 g should be banned, and harvesters should be trained on species knowledge and awareness of regulations. Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna and Flora International.Item Molecular regulation of polycystic ovary syndrome: Altered gene expression levels in mouse models pretreatment and post-treatment(Cambridge University Press, 2021) Tulay P.; Onal T.; Vatansever S.Summary Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder and genetic factors are believed to play a role. The main aim was to investigate expression levels of genes involved in PI3K/AKT signalling pathway pretreatment and post-treatment. Mouse models of PCOS were generated. Group one included control mice with no polycystic ovaries (n = 4), Group 2 included a PCOS mouse model (n = 8), Group 3 included PCOS mice treated with clomiphene citrate (n = 7) and Group 4 included PCOS mice treated with clomiphene citrate, metformin and pioglitazone (n = 8). Histochemical analyses were performed. Total RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized. Irs, Akt1 and Akt2, mTor and Pdpk1 gene expression levels were evaluated by RT-PCR amplification. In Group 1, cortex and medulla were evaluated as normal; in Group 2, ovarian cortex was composed of immature oocytes and cystic follicles with atretic follicles. In Groups 3 and 4, follicles were in the process of normal follicle differentiation. The expression levels of Akt1 and Pi3k were significantly different (P < 0.0001) between Groups 1 and 2. The significant differences in expression levels of Pi3k and Akt1 were also observed between the Group 1 and both Groups 3 and 4 (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, significant variations of the expression levels of mTor between Groups 1 and 4 were observed. The extrapolation of results of this study may imply that follicular development may be regulated by molecular pathways involving Pi3k, Akt1 and mTor expression. Therefore, genes in the PI3K/AKT pathway may have a direct regulatory role in the development of PCOS. © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.Item Long-term storage of microalgae: determination of optimum cryopreservation conditions(Cambridge University Press, 2022) Deniz I.; Demirel Z.; Imamoglu E.; Conk-Dalay M.Maintenance of eukaryotic microalgae strains for the long term is generally carried out using serial subculture techniques which require labour, time and cost. Cryopreservation techniques provide long-term storage of up to years for numerous microorganism strains and cell cultures. Ssu930ijn vbvbhnn8;l,n is related to a successfully designed mass and heat transfer balance throughout the cell. In this study, optimization of the cryopreservation process was carried out for two commercially used microalgal strains. The parameters to be optimized were DMSO percentage (0-25%), incubation time (1-15 min) and cryopreservation term (7-180 days) using a central composite design (CCD). Long-term storage up to 123.17 and 111.44 days corresponding to high cell viabilities was achieved for Chlorella vulgaris and Neochloris texensis, respectively. Generated models were found to be in good agreement with experimental results. The study also revealed holistic results for storage of microalgal strains in a stable state for industrial applications. Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.Item Comparative proteomic analysis of Leishmania parasites isolated from visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis patients(Cambridge University Press, 2022) Dinç M.; Yalçln T.; Çavuş I.; Özbilgin A.Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease in which different clinical manifestations are classified into three primary forms: visceral, cutaneous and mucocutaneous. These disease forms are associated with parasite species of the protozoan genus Leishmania. For instance, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania tropica are typically linked with visceral (VL) and cutaneous (CL) leishmaniasis, respectively; however, these two species can also cause other form to a lesser extent. What is more alarming is this characteristic, which threatens current medical diagnosis and treatment, is started to be acquired by other species. Our purpose was to address this issue; therefore, gel-based and gel-free proteomic analyses were carried out on the species L. infantum to determine the proteins differentiating between the parasites caused VL and CL. In addition, L. tropica parasites representing the typical cases for CL were included. According to our results, electrophoresis gels of parasites caused to VL were distinguishable regarding the repetitive down-regulation on some specific locations. In addition, a distinct spot of an antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, was shown up only on the gels of CL samples regardless of the species. In the gel-free approach, 37 proteins that were verified with a second database search using a different search engine, were recognized from the comparison between VL and CL samples. Among them, 31 proteins for the CL group and six proteins for the VL group were determined differentially abundant. Two proteins from the gel-based analysis, pyruvate kinase and succinyl-coA:3-ketoacid-coenzyme A transferase analysis were encountered in the protein list of the CL group. Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.Item Adulthood asthma as a consequence of childhood adversity: A systematic review of epigenetically affected genes(Cambridge University Press, 2022) Saygideger Y.; Özkan H.; Baydar O.; Yilmaz O.There is an accumulating data that shows relation between childhood adversity and vulnerability to chronic diseases as well as epigenetic influences that in turn give rise to these diseases. Asthma is one of the chronic diseases that is influenced from genetic regulation of the inflammatory biomolecules and therefore the hypothesis in this research was childhood adversity might have caused epigenetic differentiation in the asthma-related genes in the population who had childhood trauma. To test this hypothesis, the literature was systematically reviewed to extract epigenetically modified gene data of the adults who had childhood adversity, and affected genes were further evaluated for their association with asthma. PRISMA guidelines were adopted and PubMed and Google Scholar were included in the searched databases, to evaluate epigenetic modifications in asthma-related genes of physically, emotionally or sexually abused children. After retrieving a total of 5245 articles, 36 of them were included in the study. Several genes and pathways that may contribute to pathogenesis of asthma development, increased inflammation, or response to asthma treatment were found epigenetically affected by childhood traumas. Childhood adversity, causing epigenetic changes in DNA, may lead to asthma development or influence the course of the disease and therefore should be taken into account for the prolonged health consequences. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Cambridge University Press in association with International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease.Item Does Pten have an impact on oogenesis of PCOS mouse models?(Cambridge University Press, 2023) Onal T.; Tulay P.; Vatansever H.S.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder in which the aetiology is still not explained very well. The PI3K/PTEN (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) pathway is an important pathway that is involved in many mechanisms, including proliferation, growth and motility. PTEN plays a role in granulosa cell proliferation and regulates the differentiation process. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of Pten and Pik3ca in PCOS mouse models with and without any treatment procedures. Three groups of mouse models, PCOS, a PCOS group with clomiphene citrate treatment, and a PCOS group with the combination of clomiphene citrate, metformin and pioglitazone treatment, were established. Ovarian tissues, which were obtained from these groups and a control group with no PCOS, were embedded in paraffin and RNA was extracted. cDNA was synthesized and real-time PCR was conducted to evaluate the expression levels of Pten and Pik3ca. The results of this study showed that both Pten and Pik3ca genes were expressed in the ovarian tissues from the mouse models. Although one-way analysis of variance results showed that Pten was expressed significantly differently in the samples, individual Student's t-tests did not show any significantly different expression levels in each group. This study is important as it shows the expression patterns of two genes in PCOS mouse models with different treatment strategies, including clomiphene citrate, metformin and pioglitazone. The results of this study formed the basis of research studies and investigations into different genes within the PTEN pathway, as well as other pathways that are under investigation. © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press.Item Should pediatric cardiologists refer all patients with unexplained chest pain to a psychiatrist?(Cambridge University Press, 2023) Alkan F.; Sapmaz S.Y.; Kardelen C.; Bircan O.; Bilac O.; Kandemir H.; Coskun S.Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between unexplained chest pain in children with parents' mental problems, parental attitudes, family functionality, and the child's mental problems. Material and Method: A total of 433 children (between 11 and 18 years of age) applied to the Pediatric Cardiology Outpatient Clinic due to chest pain in the last year. A clinical interview was conducted by a child psychiatrist with 43 patients and 33 controls included in the study due to unexplained chest pain. Results: Family history of physical illness was significantly higher in the chest pain group. When evaluated in terms of psychosocial risk factors, life events causing difficulties, derangement in the family, loss of a close person, and exposure to violence were statistically significantly higher in the group with chest pain. Mental disorders were observed in 67.4% of the children in the chest pain group as a result of the clinical interview. The total score of the DSM-5 somatic symptoms scale, which evaluates other somatic complaints in the chest pain group, was also significantly higher. When the family functions of both groups were evaluated, communication, emotional response, behaviour control, and general functions sub-dimensions were statistically significantly higher in families in the chest pain group. Conclusion: We recommend that psychiatric evaluation be included in diagnostic research to prevent unnecessary medical diagnostic procedures in children describing unexplained chest pain, as well as to prevent the potential for diagnosing mental disorders in both children and adults. © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press.Item Relationship Between Health Anxiety and Psychological Resilience Among Nursing Students and Predictors of Psychological Resilience in the Last Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic(Cambridge University Press, 2024) Sagkal Midilli T.; Kalkim A.; Uslu B.Objective: The study aimed to determine health anxiety and psychological resilience and to investigate the relationship between health anxiety and psychological resilience among nursing students in the last period of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 507 students in Turkey. The questionnaires used in the study were a student nurse information form, the Health Anxiety Inventory, and the Resilience Scale for Adults. Results: The mean age of the students was 20.70 ± 1.77 years. The health anxiety mean score was 36.19 ± 6.55, and the resilience scale mean score was 117.13 ± 16.00. There was a weak negative correlation between the students' psychological resilience and their health anxiety (r = -0.207, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Having an extended family and having good relationships with family and friends were the predictors of psychological resilience. Social support and psychological care services under a biopsychosocial model by the management of university or faculty should be implemented for university students in order to preserve their resilience and well-being, to cope with the pandemic. © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.