Prostate Biopsy in the Elderly: Histologic Findings and Treatment Necessity

Akman, Ramazan Yavuz,Koseoglu, Hikmet,Oguzulgen, Ahmet Ibrahim,Sen, Erhan,Yaycioglu, Ozgur Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.20

The aim of this study is to determine results of high prostate specific antigen (PSA) or abnormal digital rectal examination driven prostate biopsies performed in our Department in men aged 75 or more and to show the characteristics of pathology results. The hospital records of the patients who had high PSA or abnormal digital rectal examination driven prostate biopsy in two common university based research hospitals have been reviewed retrospectively. Patients aged 75 years or older at the date of biopsy whose records provided pathology results and full medical history were evaluated for the study. A total of 103 patients were evaluated with a mean age of $79.4{\pm}3.4years$. More than half of the patients (55.1%) were in their seventh decade and the rest were in the eighth decade. Median PSA value was 15.0 (range 2.1-4500) ng/ml. In most of the biopsies (67%), PSA levels were lower than 20 ng/ml. In almost half of the patients (48%), digital rectal examination was abnormal. In 68.9% of the patients, there were at least one or more associated co-morbid diseases. Gleason scores were 7 or higher in 73%, and 8 or higher in 37% of the patients with prostate cancer. Four of the 70 (6%) patients had bone metastases. Castrations were applied to most of the patients with prostate adenocarcinoma (%79). High percentage of high grade (Gleason 7 or more) prostate adenocarcinoma in the elderly refutes the perception of prostate cancer in this age group as clinically insignificant. Therefore, it is to be kept in mind that prostate cancer in the elderly an be clinically significant and prostate biopsies are to be performed when necessary.

Determination of some useful radiation interaction parameters for waste foods

F. Akman,I.H. Geçibesler,M.I. Sayyed,S.A. Tijani,A.R. Tufekci,I. Demirtas 한국원자력학회 2018 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.50 No.6

The mass attenuation coefficients (m/r) of food waste samples (pomegranate peel, acorn cap, lemon peel,mandarin peel, pumpkin peel, grape peel, orange peel, pineapple peel, acorn peel and grape stalk) havebeen measured employing a Si(Li) detector at 13.92, 17.75, 20.78, 26.34 and 59.54 keV. Also, the theoreticalvalues of the mass attenuation coefficients have been evaluated utilizing mixture rule fromWinXCOM program. The results showed that the lemon peel has the highest values of m/r among theselected samples. From the obtained mass attenuation coefficients, we determined some absorptionparameters such as effective atomic number (Zeff), electron density (NE) and molar extinction coefficient(ε). It was found that the Zeff values of all food wastes lie within the range of 4.034e7.595, whereas the NEof the studied food wastes was found to be in the range of 0.301e1.720 1025 (electrons/g) for presentenergy region.

Outsourcing the Ship Management Function: A Study on Turkish Shipowners’ Attitudes Towards Third Party Ship Management Companies

İpek AKMAN DURGUT,İsmail Bilge ÇETİN 국제이네비해양경제학회 2018 International Journal of e-Navigation and Maritime Vol.9 No.1

The purpose of this study is to analyze outsourcing ship management function at Turkish shipowning companies and Turkish shipowners’ attitudes towards third party ship management companies. A survey method was used for the study. Based on the factors collected both from literature review and interviews, a questionnaire was conducted through Turkish shipowners. The results of the study have revealed that big portion of Turkish shipowners are not willing to give the management of their vessels to third party ship management companies. This study will help researchers and ship managers to understand Turkish shipowners’ attitudes towards ship management companies and the root of shipowners’ behaviors about ship management companies. This study makes contributions to the limited literature on ship management and third party ship management by analyzing shipowners’ attitudes towards third party ship management companies in Turkey.

Study on gamma radiation attenuation and non-ionizing shielding effectiveness of Niobium-reinforced novel polymer composite

Ferdi. Akman,H. Ogul,I. Ozkan,M.R. Kaçal,O. Agar,H. Polat,K. Dilsiz 한국원자력학회 2022 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.54 No.1

Advanced radiation applications have been widely used and extended to many fields. As a result of thisfact, choosing an appropriate shielding material based on the radiation application has become vital. Inthis regard, the integration of elements into polymer composites has been investigated and contributedto the quantity and quality of radiation shielding materials. This study reports photon attenuation parametersand electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of a novel polymer composite prepared with amatrix reinforced with three different proportions (5, 10, and 15 wt%) of niobium content. Addition of Nbdopant improves both photon attenuation and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness for the investigatedcomposites. Therefore, Nb(15%) polymer composite with highest concentration has been found tobe the best absorber for ionizing and non-ionizing radiations. Consequently, the performed analyzesprovide evidences that the prepared Nb-reinforced polymer composite could be effectively used asphoton radiation attenuator and electromagnetic shielding material

Hierarchical clustering analysis for the distribution of origanum-oil components in dense CO₂

Ugur Akman,Nesrin Okay,Oner Hortaçsu 한국화학공학회 2008 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.25 No.2

Hierarchical Clustering (HC) technique is demonstratively applied to analyze the distribution and classification of essential-oil components in oil and dense (subcritical/supercritical) CO₂phases. For this purpose, relative-equilibrium- distribution data obtained for the 24 characteristic components of origanum-oil (Origanum Munituflorum) at 35, 45, 55 oC and 20-110 atm pressure range are used. With 24 components and 25 different pressure levels at three different temperatures, the total number of data points amounts to 600, which is large compared to other similar works, making the task of drawing of conclusions by visual inspection quite tedious. As demonstrated in this work, the use of HC technique facilitates the classification of the distribution of essential-oil components. HC-based classification analysis helps to reveal that the distributions of monoterpenes are the most sensitive to changes in temperature and pressure, and they are more soluble in CO₂ especially in the supercritical region. At 35 oC, at higher pressures, due to high solvent density/power, almost all components show similar distributions in the CO₂ and oil phases, indicating the loss of fractionation potential. Deterpenation by CO₂ is more favorable at higher temperatures. Cophnetic correlation shows the significance level of data clustering. HC analysis proved to be a useful tool in classification of the components and in determination of component clusters in the dense-gas and liquid phases.

Fabrication of Curcumin-loaded Gliadin Electrospun Nanofibrous Structures and Bioactive Properties

Perihan Kubra Akman,Fatih Bozkurt,Mohammed Balubaid,Mustafa Tahsin Yilmaz 한국섬유공학회 2019 Fibers and polymers Vol.20 No.6

In this work, the feasibility and potential of food-grade gliadin nanofiber as a delivery vehicle for curcumin wereinvestigated. By optimizing the electrospinning parameters, homogeneous and fine gliadin nanofibers containing differentamounts of curcumin were fabricated. It was observed that gliadin micro-nanoparticles were gradually transformed to gliadinnanofibers and thicker nanofibers were obtained with the increment of the gliadin concentration. The electrospun nanofiberswere characterized in terms of morphological, molecular, thermal and crystallographic properties. Nanofibers were nearlyuniform with smooth surface characteristics and their average diameter ranged between 258 to 375 nm. Encapsulationefficiency of gliadin nanofibers increased with the increment of curcumin loading, which was also confirmed by X-raydiffraction patterns revealing that the most part of curcumin could be encapsulated in gliadin nanofibers. In vitro assessmentsof nanofibers indicated that the curcumin-loaded gliadin nanofibers showed a controlled release of curcumin and protected itsfree radical scavenging ability. In addition, these nanofibers showed important levels of antibacterial activities againstStaphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the encapsulation of curcumin within nanofibers conspicuouslyenhanced the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of curcumin within these nanofibers. The results suggested that thegliadin nanofiber could be an available carrier for the delivery of curcumin and has the potential for applications in the foodindustry and other bioactive delivery systems.

Women officials of the Turkish Diyanet : Gendered transformations and predicaments of empowerment?

Canan Aslan Akman 이화여자대학교 한국여성연구원 2021 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.27 No.2

The Presidency of Religious Affairs (the Diyanet) is a unique bureaucratic structure authorized to address the religious service needs of citizens in Turkey’s secular system. For a long time, it was characterized by underrepresentation of women in its ranks. The longstanding quest of educated religious women for recognition of their expertise and integration into this institution coincided with a policy reorientation in the early 2000s, to expand the Diyanet’s appeal for women through its enlightenment and educational functions. Under the Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments, the issue of gender disparity has been addressed through a new strategy of increasingly recruiting women graduates from Theology faculties. However, despite a ‘feminization’ process undertaken via the pro-women reforms of its organizational structure, the Diyanet’s institutional and political-ideological limitations are intertwined with prevailing gender norms and patriarchal conventions. This article inquires into the gendered dynamics and predicaments that have constrained the status and roles of its women officials and impacted their empowerment prospects. Nevertheless, as women have started to exercise religious authority with men in the Diyanet’s enduring male-dominated structure, the recognition for their expertise, professional commitment, and the potential impact of their work have reinforced the social significance of women’s roles. Türkiye’nin laik sistemi içerisinde, Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, (the Diyanet), vatandaşların dini hizmet ihtiyaçlarını karşılamakla görevli özgün bir bürokratik yapıdır. Kurumda görev yapanlar arasında kadınlar çok uzun bir dönem azınlıkta olmuşlardır. Eğitimli dindar kadınların süregelen ve uzmanlıklarının tanınması ve kuruma entegre edilmesi talepleri, 2000’lerin başında Diyanet’in aydınlatma ve eğitim işlevleri yoluyla kadınlara daha fazla ulaşabilmek amacıyla başlattığı bir politika değişikliğini de beraberinde getirmiştir. Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) hükümetleri döneminde, İlahiyat Fakültesi mezunu kadınların artan sayıda istihdam edilmesiyle kurumdaki toplumsal cinsiyet dengesizliğine karşı bir açılım gerçekleştirilmiştir. Ancak, yapısındaki kadınlar lehine gercekleştirilen reformlar ile ortaya çıkan ‘kadınlaşma’ sürecine rağmen, Diyanet’in kurumsal ve siyasi-ideolojik kısıtları gayri resmi toplumsal cinsiyet normları ve erkek egemen geleneklerle içiçe geçmiş şekilde etkin olmaktadır. Bu makalede, toplumsal cinsiyet dinamiklerinin etkisiyle kadın din görevlilerinin statüleri ve rollerini belirleyen ve güçlenme olasılıklarını etkileyen açmazlar incelenmektedir. Bununla birlikte, kadın din görevlilerinin rollerinin toplumsal önemi, devam eden erkek-egemen yapı içerisinde dini otoriteyi kullanma sürecinde uzmanlıklarının kabul görmesi, mesleklerine bağlılıkları ve çalısmalarının potansiyel etkisi dolayısıyla güçlenmektedir.

Evaluation of gamma-ray and neutron attenuation properties of some polymers

M.R. Kaçal,F. Akman,M.I. Sayyed,F. Akman 한국원자력학회 2019 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.51 No.3

In the present work, we determined the gamma-ray attenuation characteristics of eight different polymers(Polyamide (Nylon 6) (PA-6), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyvinylidenechloride (PVDC), polyaniline(PANI), polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyphenylenesulfide (PPS), polypyrrole (PPy) and polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)) using transmission geometry utilizing the high resolution HPGe detector anddifferent radioactive sources in the energy range 81e1333 keV. The experimental linear attenuationcoefficient values are compared with theoretical data (WinXCOM data). The linear attenuation coefficientof all polymers reduced quickly with the increase in energy, at the beginning, while decrease more slowlyin the region from 267 keV to 835 keV. The effective atomic number of PVDC and PTFE are comparativelyhigher than the Zeff of the remaining polymers, while PA-6 possesses the lowest effective atomic number. The half value layer results showed that PTFE (C2F4, highest density) is more effective to attenuate thegamma photons. Also, the theoretical results of macroscopic effective removal cross section for fastneutrons (PR) P were computed to investigate the neutron attenuation characteristics. It is found that theR values of the eight investigated polymers are close and ranged from 0.07058 cm 1 for PVDC to0.11510 cm 1 for PA-6.

The Neuroprotective Effect of Kefir on Spinal Cord Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Guven, Mustafa,Akman, Tarik,Yener, Ali Umit,Sehitoglu, Muserref Hilal,Yuksel, Yasemin,Cosar, Murat The Korean Neurosurgical Society 2015 Journal of Korean neurosurgical society Vol.57 No.5

Objective : The main causes of spinal cord ischemia are a variety of vascular pathologies causing acute arterial occlusions. We investigated neuro-protective effects of kefir on spinal cord ischemia injury in rats. Methods : Rats were divided into three groups : 1) sham operated control rats; 2) spinal cord ischemia group fed on a standard diet without kefir pretreatment; and 3) spinal cord ischemia group fed on a standard diet plus kefir. Spinal cord ischemia was performed by the infrarenal aorta cross-clamping model. The spinal cord was removed after the procedure. The biochemical and histopathological changes were observed within the samples. Functional assessment was performed for neurological deficit scores. Results : The kefir group was compared with the ischemia group, a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels was observed (p<0.05). Catalase and superoxide dismutase levels of the kefir group were significantly higher than ischemia group (p<0.05). In histopathological samples, the kefir group is compared with ischemia group, there was a significant decrease in numbers of dead and degenerated neurons (p<0.05). In immunohistochemical staining, hipoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ and caspase 3 immunopositive neurons were significantly decreased in kefir group compared with ischemia group (p<0.05). The neurological deficit scores of kefir group were significantly higher than ischemia group at 24 h (p<0.05). Conclusion : Our study revealed that kefir pretreatment in spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion reduced oxidative stress and neuronal degeneration as a neuroprotective agent. Ultrastructural studies are required in order for kefir to be developed as a promising therapeutic agent to be utilized for human spinal cord ischemia in the future.

Radiation protective qualities of some selected lead and bismuth salts in the wide gamma energy region

M.I. Sayyed,F. Akman,M.R. Kaçal,A. Kumar 한국원자력학회 2019 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.51 No.3

The lead element or its salts are good radiation shielding materials. However, their toxic effects are high. Due to less toxicity of bismuth salts, the radiation shielding properties of the bismuth salts have beeninvestigated and compared to that of lead salts to establish them as a better alternative to radiationshielding material to the lead element or its salts. The transmission geometry was utilized to measure themass attenuation coefficient (m/r) of different salts containing lead and bismuth using a high-resolutionHPGe detector and different energies (between 81 and 1333 keV) emitted from point sources of 133Ba,57Co, 22Na, 54Mn, 137Cs, and 60Co. The experimental m/r results are compared with the theoretical valuesobtained through WinXCOM program. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with theirexperimental ones. The radiation protection efficiencies, mean free paths, effective atomic numbers andelectron densities for the present compounds were determined. The bismuth fluoride (BiF3) is found tohave maximum radiation protection efficiency among the selected salts. The results showed that presentsalts are more effective for reducing the intensity of gamma photons at low energy region.