Digital Commons Network^™

Role Of Pd-1/Pd-L1-Mediated Tumour Immune Escape Mechanism And Microsatellite Instability In The Bcg Failure Of High-Grade Urothelial Carcinomas, Fadi̇me Gül Salman, Duygu Kankaya, Hi̇lal Özakinci, Yasemi̇n Şahi̇n, Eralp Kubi̇lay, Evren Süer, Serhat Hayme, Sümer Baltaci

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Intravesical BCG treatment fails inexplicably in 30%-45% of patients for high-grade nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We aimed to investigate the role of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction on BCG failure of high-grade NMIBC and to identify biomarkers for predicting BCG responsive cases. Materials and methods: Thirty BCG responsive and 29 nonresponsive NMIBCs were included in the study. Expressions of PDL1(SP-263), MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and MLH1 were evaluated on pre- and post-BCG transurethral resection (TUR-B) specimens by immunohistochemistry. PD-L1(SP-263) expression was categorised as negative/low, high. DNA mismatch repair protein (MMR) expressions were classified as 'reduced' if ≤30% of nuclei stained, 'preserved' if >30% …

Enhancing Effect Of Nicotine On Electrical Field Stimulation Elicited Contractile Responses In Isolated Rabbit Bladder Straight Muscle; The Role Of Cannabinoid And Vanilloid Receptors, Sevi̇l Özger İlhan, Gökçe Sevi̇m Öztürk Fi̇ncan, Yağmur Okçay, Derya Sebi̇le Koç, Celi̇l İlker Aşkin, Ayşe Kübra Ki̇bar, İsmai̇l Mert Vural, Yusuf Sarioğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Nicotine acts as an agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). These receptors belong to a superfamily of ligand-gated ion channels. We previously demonstrated that nicotine increased electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced contractile or relaxation responses, possibly by facilitating neurotransmitter release from nerve terminals in various rabbit tissues. Studies have shown that there is an interaction between the endocannabinoid and nicotinic systems. This study aimed to investigate the interaction between nicotine and the endocannabinoid system in the rabbit urine bladder and also investigate the enhancing effect of nicotine on EFS-induced contractile responses in rabbit isolated bladder smooth muscle and its interaction …

Assessment Of S-Nitrosothiol And Thiol/Disulfide Levels In Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients, Mehmet Murat Yi̇ği̇tbaşi, Abdullah Nabi̇ Aslan, Harun Kundi̇, Mücahi̇t Furkan Erkiliç, Özcan Erel, Haci Ahmet Kasapkara

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The level of nitric oxide (NO) is important to protect the heart from ischemic damage in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. S-nitrosothiol (SNO) is a molecule that represents the main form of NO storage in the vascular structure. In addition, dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis (TDH) is known to play an important role in maintaining the oxidant-antioxidant balance. In this study, our aim is to evaluate the oxidative/nitrosative stress status according to SNO level and TDH in patients with ACS. Materials and methods: The study included 124 patients who were admitted to the emergency service and 124 consecutive individuals who applied …

Investigation Of Ceftazidime-Avibactam Susceptibility In Clinical Isolates Of Gram-Negative Bacteria, Ridvan Dumlu, Neval Yurttutan Uyar, Meltem Ayaş, Ni̇lay Aksoy, Nur Öztürk, Ayşe Sesi̇n Kocagöz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Our study investigated the susceptibility rate of ceftazidime-avibactam and the risk factors associated with its resistance by analyzing gram-negative bacteria isolated from various patient samples. Materials and methods: Between March and November 2020, 1119 gram-negative bacteria strains were isolated from patient samples in Acıbadem Healthcare Group hospitals; ceftazidime-avibactam susceptibility results were evaluated using a 10/4µg (Oxoid, UK) disc and evaluated according to Eucast 2020 recommendations. Patient and isolate characteristics that could be risk factors were retrospectively investigated and statistically analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: Male patients made up 52% (n = 581) of the study's total patient population, and …

Causes Of Severe Infections In Patients With Systemic Sclerosis And Associated Factors, Müçteba Enes Yayla, Emi̇ne Uslu Yurteri̇, Murat Torğutalp, Di̇dem Şahi̇n Eroğlu, Serdar Sezer, Ayşe Bahar Keleşoğlu Di̇nçer, Emi̇ne Gözde Aydemi̇r Gülöksüz, Mehmet Levent Yüksel, Recep Yilmaz, Aşkin Ateş, Tahsi̇n Murat Turğay, Gülay Kinikli

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic systemic disease characterized by vascular damage, autoimmunity, and fibrosis in the skin and internal organs. In this study, we tried to determine the causes of severe infection in patients with SSc and to reveal the factors associated with severe infection. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined 214 SSc patients between January 2010 and August 2020. Forty-seven patients with at least one severe infection and 167 patients without severe infection were compared. Results: A total of 76 episodes of severe infections were detected in 47 (22%) patients. Common infections included pneumonia, infected digital ulcer, …

The Relationship Between Morning Blood Pressure Surge And Asymptomatic Episodes Of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation In Patients With Systemic Arterial Hypertension, Ümmü Taş, Sedat Taş, İdi̇l Yavuz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Hypertension is a known risk factor for developing atrial fibrillation. However, there is limited data to investigate the association between morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). We conducted the present study to determine whether there is a relationship between asymptomatic PAF and MBPS and whether MBPS may be a predictor of asymptomatic PAF episodes. Materials and methods: This prospective study comprised 264 adult patients who were newly diagnosed with essential hypertension or were previously diagnosed but not receiving regular antihypertensive therapy. We evaluated the patients in 2 groups according to their 24-h electrocardiography monitoring results: …

Ultrasonographic/Regional Muscle Measurements For Diagnosing Sarcopenia In Older Adults With And Without Dementia, Zekeri̇ya Ülger, Gözde Şengül Ayçi̇çek, Özgür Kara, Murat Kara

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Sarcopenia and dementia are growing concerns among older adults that muscle and brain atrophy may cooccur. We aimed to compare the age-related loss of muscle mass by using ultrasound (US), and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) by bioelectrical impedance analysis in older adults with and without dementia. Materials and methods: A total of 221 older adults aged ≥65 years were included in the study. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was established if low muscle mass according to either SMI or sonographic gastrocnemius (GC) muscle thickness was combined with low grip strength. The diagnosis of dementia was based on the National …

Central Vein Sign: Comparison Of Multiple Sclerosis And Leukoaraiosis, Hüseyi̇n Gökhan Yavaş, Ergi̇n Sağtaş

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Leukoaraiosis produces white matter lesions (WML) similar to multiple sclerosis (MS) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the distinction between these two conditions is difficult radiologically. This study aimed to investigate the role of the central vein sign (CVS) in susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) sequence in distinguishing MS lesions from leukoaraiosis lesions in Turkish population. Materials and methods: In this prospective study, axial SWI and sagittal three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3DFLAIR) were obtained in 374 consecutive patients. The study consisted of 169 (89 MS patients, 80 patients with leukoaraiosis) patients according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Two observers …

Feasibility Of 3d T1w Sequences In Contrast-Material Enhanced Mr Cisternography At 3t, Oktay Algin, Ural Koç, Giyas Ayberk

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We investigated the diagnostic values and artifact severities of 3D-T1W sequences in the diagnosis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. Material and methods: We retrospectively reviewed 3-tesla contrast-material enhanced MR cisternography exams of 22 patients with suspected CSF leakage in 4 years. The presence of the artifacts on 3D-T1W data was evaluated using a 4-point scale (0: none; 1: minimal; 2: moderate; 3: prominent). Agreements between CSF leakage results of the 3D-T1W sequences and consensus decisions were evaluated via kappa values. Artifact scores were analyzed by Fisher's exact test. Results: The most compatible techniques with the consensus diagnoses were fat-saturated …

The Correlations Between Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Immunohistochemical Data In Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas, Nuri̇ Karabay, Hande Meli̇ke Bülbül, Ersoy Doğan, Ahmet Ömer İki̇z, Gökseni̇l Bülbül, Sülen Sarioğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) can in vivo characterize tumor microvascular environment. The aim of the present study was to reveal the DCE-MRI findings and to determine the correlation between these findings and immunohistochemical data in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials and methods: Thirty-three patients diagnosed with primary HNSCC were evaluated retrospectively. DCE-MRI was conducted in all cases. CD34, CD105, and ki-67 expressions were analyzed with immunohistochemistry in tissue sections to determine micro-vessel density and proliferative activity. Results: The DCE-MRI is a successful technique in distinguishing tumor tissue from normal tissue. It was determined …

Effectiveness Of Virtual Reality-Based Vestibular Rehabilitation In Patients With Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction, Yuşa Başoğlu, Mustafa Bülent Şerbetçi̇oğlu, İlayda Çeli̇k, Hasan Demi̇rhan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The rehabilitation of classical peripheral vestibular disorders is long and costly. Recently, interactive systems based on virtual reality (VR) technology have reduced the cost of vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) and made the process more enjoyable. This study aims to investigate the effects of VR-based VRT in patients diagnosed with peripheral vestibular hypofunction (PVH). Materials and methods: In this study, a VR-based VRT program that utilized Sony Playstation®4 VR Head Mounted Display was applied to 25 patients (between 18-60) diagnosed with PVH. PVH was diagnosed by evaluating the patients' clinical histories, the findings in the "Micromedical Technologies VisualEyes Spectrum" videonystagmography …

Assessment Of Hcv-Rna Test Results And Access Rates To Antiviral Treatment In Patients With Anti-Hcv Positivity-A 10-Year Analysis, Emi̇ne Türkoğlu, Zafer Parlak, Hüseyi̇n Şener Barut

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Currently, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can be cured by direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). In this study, we aimed to find the rate of viremia among patients with a positive anti-HCV test and the rate of antiviral treatment given to viremic patients. We also aimed to reach patients with anti-HCV positivity but not tested for HCV-RNA, and patients, who were diagnosed with HCV-RNA positivity but received no treatment. Materials and methods: In this study, individuals tested for anti-HCV in Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Research and Application Hospital in the period between January 2010 and January 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Anti-HCV positive …

Factors Affecting Patient-Acceptable Symptom States And Treatment Decision In Familial Mediterranean Fever, Derya Yildirim, İbrahi̇m Vasi̇, Erdi̇ Tahta, Riza Can Kardaş, Burcugül Özkiziltaş, Hami̇t Küçük, Mehmet Aki̇f Öztürk, Şemi̇nur Haznedaroğlu, Berna Göker, Abdurrahman Tufan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Familial Mediterranean fever [FMF] is the most common autoinflammatory disease characterized by inflammatory attacks of fever and polyserositis. Patients' quality of life is significantly affected due to recurrent excruciating pain attacks and complications. This study is performed to evaluate the parameters most affecting patients' satisfaction from treatment. Materials and methods: Three hundred and forty-six consecutive patients diagnosed with FMF were enrolled in this study. Current treatment, acute phase proteins, number, type, and severity of predominant attacks, absenteeism from work/school in the last three months were recorded, and the participants were asked whether they needed additional treatment to evaluate Patient …

Frailty In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Reliability And Validity Of The Turkish Version Of The Gérontopôle Frailty Screening Tool, Serdar Ceylan, Merve Güner Oytun, Arzu Okyar Baş, Meltem Koca, Burcu Balam Doğu, Meltem Gülhan Hali̇l, Mustafa Cankurtaran, Cafer Balci

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Recognizing frailty had a great importance in countries with an increasing geriatric population. The study aims to evaluate the reliability and validation of the Gérontopôle frailty screening tool (GFST), which was developed to screen frailty in the community-dwelling older adults, for the Turkish population. Materials and methods: In this crosssectional study, participants who applied to the geriatrics outpatient clinic of a university hospital were included. Comprehensive geriatric assessments of all patients were performed. The validity of the GFST was tested by its concordance with the FRAIL scale. Test-retest and interrater reliability analyses were made. Results: Ninety-six patients were included …

Being Bad At Being Good: Zuko’S Transformation And Residual Practical Identities, Justin F. White

Faculty Publications

Zuko’s plight illuminates the process of aspiration, including common challenges to the aspirant. As Agnes Callard understands it, aspiration typically involves a “deep change in how one sees and feels and thinks.” And this deep change is often intertwined with a change in what contemporary philosopher Christine Korsgaard calls practical identity, a “description under which you value yourself, . . . under which you find your life to be worth living and your actions to be worth undertaking.” But as Zuko shows, practical identities are complex, sometimes unwieldy, and changes in explicit self-conceptions can take work, time, and perhaps some …

Of Reservation Boundary Lines And Judicial Battle Lines, Part 1 - Reservation Diminishment/Disestablishment Cases From 1962 To 1975: The Indian Law Justice Files, Episode 1, John P. Lavelle

Faculty Scholarship

This Article is the first of a two-part investigation into the Indian law doctrine of reservation diminishment/disestablishment, examining Supreme Court decisions in this area in light of insights gathered from the collected papers of individual Justices archived at the Library of Congress and various university libraries. The Article first addresses Seymour v. Superintendent (1962) and Mattz v. Arnett (1973), observing that these first two diminishment/disestablishment cases are modern applications of basic, longstanding principles of Indian law which are highly protective of Indigenous people’s rights and tribal sovereignty. The Article then examines in detail DeCoteau v. District County Court, the anomalous …

The Constitutional Costs Of School Policing, Maryam Ahranjani, Natalie Saing

Faculty Scholarship

Abstract

Responding to fears of violence and liability on K-12 campuses, local school boards and superintendents have made on-site or embedded school police omnipresent in American public schools. Yet, very little attention is paid to the many costs associated with their presence. When situating law enforcement’s presence squarely in the racist history of policing and school policing, the juxtaposition with the civic purpose of public education reveals significant constitutional costs. This Article builds on existing scholarship by bringing attention to the conflict between the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments and the dimensions of embedded school police. Ultimately, schools …

Editor's Note, Marites Tiongco

DLSU Business & Economics Review

No abstract provided.

Does Capital Adequacy Affect Bank Performance? A Comparative Study Of Select Public And Private Sector Banks In India, Shakeeb Mohammad Mir, Farooq Ahmad Shah

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between capital adequacy (CA) and the performance of select public and private sector banks and thereby to attain an insight of whether the capital adequacy maintenance affects bank performance differently or not based on their nature of concern.

Design/methodology/approach – The study utilized a balanced panel data set using bank level data of 37 banks indexed at Bombay stock exchange (BSE) across public and private sector for the period of 10 years (2009-2018). The study takes 370 observation into consideration (i.e.,37 banks over time frame of 10 years). …

Small Area Estimates Of Poverty In Region Iii, Caesar B. Cororaton, Arlene B. Inocencio, Alellie B. Sobreviñas, Emmanuel Dc. Barnedo

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Official estimates of the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) poverty incidence prior to 2018 are reliable up to the regional level as these are consistent with the sampling domain of the data used for estimation. Below this level, the PSA poverty estimates are unreliable because of very large sampling errors. The high level of unreliability makes the estimates less useful for poverty policy targeting. This paper addresses this concern by combining the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) and the Census of Population and Housing (CPH) data and using an increasingly accepted technique for small area estimation (SAE). We estimate the …

Grey Directors On Philippine Corporate Boards, Ailyn A. Shi, Evan Lance C. Li Liao, Angelo A. Unite, Michael J. Sullivan

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Independent directors on a firm’s board are theorized to enhance corporate governance by mitigating agency conflicts. However, some independent directors, referred to as grey directors, have prior relationships with managers that may hamper this role. Using data for Philippine firms, we construct a measure that categorizes independent directors as truly independent or grey, based on the 12 criteria used to define board independence as stipulated in the 2017 Philippine Corporate Governance Code. This measure is used to examine which firms are more likely to appoint grey directors and how the presence of grey directors affects firm performance. Consistent with agency …

Foreseeing The Future Of Electronic Mediation As A Mechanism For Settling Commercial Disputes Under The Uae Federal Low N.O 6 Of 2021. An Analytical Study, Dr.Mohammad Saad Al Armman

Faculty Peer-Reviewed Papers | بحوث هيئة التدريس المحكمة

No abstract provided.

The Role Of The United Arab Emirates Personal Status Law In Strengthening The Guarantees Of The Wife's Rights: A Comparative Study, Dr. Nada Salim Hamdoon

Faculty Peer-Reviewed Papers | بحوث هيئة التدريس المحكمة

They represent human rights guarantees and their good application in reality, by analogy with the development of society and its advancement, and evidence of the extent of awareness in it. Respecting the rights of others and putting guarantees to protect them leads to a person's feeling of his value, and thus this is a motive for work, creativity and development, and on the contrary, a person will be subject to frustrating psychological setbacks that affect not Only on him, but on the entire community, and the legislator in the United Arab Emirates has taken into account these rights in all …

#Feas Unfinished Business, Jo Pollitt, Mindy Blaise, Emily Gray

Creative Arts Research Outputs

No abstract provided.

Implementing The National Quality Standard In Schools: Leadership That Motivates Improvement Initiatives Through Psychological Ownership, Gillian Kirk, Lennie Barblett

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

From 2016, all Western Australian schools were mandated to implement the National Quality Standard (NQS) in Kindergarten through to Year 2. Over the first year of implementation, this mandate had varying degrees of success in adoption. This study examined four schools which were identified as having implemented the NQS. A qualitative methodology was employed to examine those factors that supported implementation. A key finding was the integral role played by distributed leadership in adopting new initiatives. Using Activity Theory to conceptualise the data, it was found that psychological ownership was a key factor in enabling distributed leadership. Ownership was enabled …

Schools, Separating Parents And Family Violence: A Case Study Of The Coercion Of Organisational Networks, Sue Saltmarsh, Kay Ayre, Eseta Tualaulelei

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper considers how complex family circumstances such as parental separation, custody disputes and family violence intersect with the organisational cultures and everyday practices of schools. In particular, we are concerned with the ways that coercive control–a strategy used predominantly by men to dominate, control and oppress women in the context of intimate partner relationships–can be deployed to manipulate and coerce the organisational networks of schools into furthering abusive agendas. Informed by cultural theory and research from sociology of education, legal studies, criminology and family violence, we show how what we term the ‘coercion of organisational networks’ (CON) both relies …

Promoting Awareness Of Sex Trafficking In Tourism And Hospitality, Joshua Aston, Jun Wen, Edmund Goh, Oswin Maurer

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This cutting-edge short commentary is intended to raise awareness of sex trafficking in the tourism and hospitality industry. The purpose of this paper is to also advocate for further research to identify and hopefully prevent sex trafficking in related settings.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides a descriptive overview of the current knowledge base on sex trafficking in tourism and hospitality. Based on gaps in the literature, future research agendas and directions are suggested.

Findings: Academic research on sex trafficking in tourism and hospitality remains limited. More scholarly attention is needed to this matter. The tourism industry is directly and indirectly …

Seasonal Niche Differentiation Among Closely Related Marine Bacteria, Adrià Auladell, Albert Barberán, Ramiro Logares, Esther Garcés, Josep M. Gasol, Isabel Ferrera

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Bacteria display dynamic abundance fluctuations over time in marine environments, where they play key biogeochemical roles. Here, we characterized the seasonal dynamics of marine bacteria in a coastal oligotrophic time series station, tested how similar the temporal niche of closely related taxa is, and what are the environmental parameters modulating their seasonal abundance patterns. We further explored how conserved the niche is at higher taxonomic levels. The community presented recurrent patterns of seasonality for 297 out of 6825 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which constituted almost half of the total relative abundance (47%). For certain genera, niche similarity decreased as nucleotide …

The Use Of Complementary Medicine During Childbearing Years: A Multi-Country Study Of Women From The Middle East, Diana Arabiat, Lisa Whitehead, Samia Gaballah, Nazi Nejat, Ebtehal Galal, Eman Abu Sabah, Nazek Smadi, Inas Saadeh, Randa Khlaif

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The prevalence of self-prescribed complementary medicine (CM) use is an area of concern across the Middle East. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study to describe women’s use of CM during their childbearing years in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The study conducted using face to face audio-recorded interviews with 70 participants. Our findings showed that women used several herbal plants to ease pain and discomfort during menstruation and/or during pregnancy and in postpartum care. Acupuncture, meditation, and massage were less likely to be used by women. The impact of CM was often described in relation to perceived usefulness and …

Myokine Expression And Tumor-Suppressive Effect Of Serum Following 12 Weeks Of Exercise In Prostate Cancer Patients On Adt, Jin-Soo Kim, Rebekah Louise Wilson, Dennis Taaffe, Daniel A. Galvao, Elin S. Gray, Robert Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose:

Although several mechanisms have been proposed for the tumor-suppressive effect of exercise, little attention has been given to myokines, even though skeletal muscle is heavily recruited during exercise resulting in myokine surges. We measured resting serum myokine levels before and after an exercise-based intervention and the effect of this serum on prostate cancer cell growth.

Methods:

Ten prostate cancer patients undertaking androgen deprivation therapy (age, 73.3 ± 5.6 yr) undertook a 12-wk exercise-based intervention including supervised resistance training, self-directed aerobic exercise, and protein supplementation. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and muscle strength by the one-repetition maximum …