Controversial Research Articles

Contribution of BAP1 loss and p16 (CDKN2A) deletion analysis to the definitive diagnosis of mesothelioma in effusion cytology.

The cytological diagnosis of mesothelioma is a controversial issue, and definitive diagnosis often requires ancillary tests. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of BRCA1-associated protein (1) (BAP1) loss and p16 (CDKN2A) homozygous deletion (HD) on the early diagnosis of mesothelioma in effusion fluids. Between 2019-2022, 21 pleural and peritoneal fluid samples diagnosed with atypical mesothelial proliferation in our institution were included in the study. The slides of the cases that underwent BAP1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) were retrieved from the archive and re-examined. Homozygous deletion (HD) of p16 (CDKN2A) was investigated by the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method in cell blocks of cytology samples. At least 100 atypical mesothelial cells were counted in each case, and the HD threshold value was >10%. The mean age of the cases was 63.47 years (34-90 years), female/male ratio was 3/1. Of the pleural mesothelioma cases, 16 were epithelioid, 2 were biphasic, and 1 were sarcomatoid. Two cases were diagnosed with peritoneal well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma (WDPM). BAP1 loss was observed in 11 (69%) of 16 cases. HD deletion of p16 (CDKN2A) was seen in 11 (58%) patients with FISH. The HD threshold value was 10-20% in 6 of the cases, 30-50% in 3 cases, and above 90% in 2 cases. While HD deletion was observed in p16 (CDKN2A) in all biphasic and sarcomatoid cases (n=3), no deletion was observed in peritoneal WDPM (n=2). Positivity was observed with at least one method in 12 (86%) of 14 pleural mesotheliomas who underwent both BAP1 IHC and p16 (CDKN2A) FISH. Due to technical reasons, the FISH signal could not be obtained in two cell blocks, so no results could be obtained. Asbestos exposure in areas where mesothelioma is endemic and/or the presence of proliferating mesothelial cells in cytological examination are important clues for diagnosis. In controversial cases, BAP1 IHC should be the first step in an ancillary test. Although the FISH method applied to cell blocks has cytology-specific limitations and difficulties, investigating the p16 (CDKN2A) deletion with FISH in selected cases will contribute to the diagnosis.

Experimental study on changes in metabolic mechanism of papillary thyroid carcinoma complicated with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

BackgroundWhether the mechanism of thyroid papillary carcinoma (PTC) is the same in patients with a Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) background as compared with patients with a normal background remains a highly debated and controversial issue. In this study, we aimed to analyze the differences and similarities of the metabolic mechanism of PTC in normal and HT background, and to explore the relationship between HT and PTC. MethodsThe ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) technology was used to analyze 61 PTC patient tissues (31 HT background and 30 normal tissue (NC) background). Potential biomarkers were screened from principal component analysis (PCA) to orthogonal partial least square (OPLS) discriminant analysis. HMDB was searched to identify potential differential metabolites and final metabolic pathway analysis was performed by MetaboAnalyst 5.0. We analyzed the differential metabolites diagnostic accuracy through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis. ResultsSeven different metabolites were screened from HT group and NC group, including arginine, glutamic acid, cysteine, citric acid, malic acid, uracil and taurine. Logistic regression model combined with ROC analysis of these 7 biomarkers had good discriminability for PTC (area under operating characteristic curve of HT group and NC group were 0.867 and 0.973, respectively). The HT group had specific metabolic pathways, including aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. ConclusionsThe metabolic profiles of the NC and HT groups had important similarities and differences in PTC. The correlation of PTC with HT may be related to aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, serine and threonine metabolism.

Digital literary readings for the promotion of gender and affective-sexual diversity: Predictors of its didactic recommendation in secondary education

This study analyses the frequencies of inclusion of digital literary-educational proposals on the diversification of sex/gender/sexuality expectations by in-service Spanish teachers of secondary education (<i>n</i>=436), and the predictors that determine this inclusion. Based on the application of the instrument <i>Digital Literary Education and the Construction of Gender Identities</i> (DLECGI), the study is developed in non-experimental designs of a cross-sectional nature, and at the relational, explanatory and predictive levels of research, insofar as it seeks to reveal the socio-demographic, formative and didactic causes of the phenomenon or event of interest, and its degree of occurrence. The results obtained indicate the existence of a profile of teachers who promote the recommendation of this type of digital reading based on their belonging to non-binary gender groups with previous training in co-education and equality, and with explicit didactic stances on controversial issues. Likewise, the relationship between socio-demographic variables and the didactic positioning of teachers on the recommendation of digital readings on affective-sexual diversity shows that initial and/or ongoing specific training in co-education and equality is a key predictor of this relationship. These findings attest to the fact that the visibility and recognition of identity plurality in literary education necessarily involves the proposal of counter-hegemonic models regarding gender and affective-sexual identity. In this regard, teacher training must continue to progress towards the adoption of inclusive didactic approaches within the framework of educational principles for democratic citizenship, regardless of the gender or personal and social identity that defines these teachers.

“To Build a More Just Society”: Women’s National Basketball Association Teams’ Uses of Social Media for Advocacy

Sports brands and properties are using social media platforms to take a stand on controversial social issues. This paper draws on the concept of corporate social advocacy to examine how Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) teams used their social media platforms to communicate about social issues during the 2021 season. We conducted a thematic and semantic analysis of advocacy-related tweets to examine the communicative actions and salient issues across the teams’ accounts. WNBA teams posted about racial justice, women’s empowerment, and LGBTQ+ rights, which represent a shift in the WNBA’s discursive promotional strategies. The findings of the study indicate that WNBA teams’ use of social media to take a stand on social issues aligns with, and extends, conceptualizations of corporate social advocacy. Further, social media advocacy provides insight into the sociocultural significance and the economic viability of women’s sport.

The Views of Classroom Teachers on the Instruction of Current Issues

The present study aimed to determine the views of classroom teachers on the inclusion or exclusion of current issues in classroom instruction, to investigate these views based on the definition of current issues, the methods and techniques employed in the instruction of current issues, the analysis of the instruction, and the positive and negative consequences of the instruction of these issues in the classroom. The present research was conducted with the case study method. The maximum diversity sampling method was employed to assign the study group members. The study group included 10 classroom teachers employed in seven primary schools in Battalgazi, Yesilyurt, Doğanşehir, and Hekimhan districts in Malatya province, Turkey. The study data were collected with a semi-structured interview form. Content analysis and continuous comparative data analysis were employed. The participants stated that the discussion of current issues in the classroom would lead to positive outcomes such as the development of student empathy, instruction of tolerance for different ideas, development of the problem-solving skills, sensibility, and communication skills, and negative outcomes such as problems in peer relations, behavioral disorders, negative reactions, and conflict. It was determined that classroom teachers mostly discussed controversial issues such as Covid 19, environmental pollution and natural disasters, and the student-initiated discussions on Covid 19 and natural disasters in the classroom. About 20% of the participating primary school teachers stated that the level of proficiency of their colleagues was low in the instruction of current events.

Anonymous Expressions Regarding the Theological Debates in the Commentary of al-Ṭabarī II: Some Controversial Issues Regarding the Acts of Human and the Hereafter Life

The first centuries of Islamic history have witnessed many theological debates. The sectarian groups of that time have used the Qur’ānic text and the traditions in order to support their ideas. Therefore the Qur’ānic text became a field of controversial debates among the theologians of Islam. Being among the forerunner savants of Islam, Muḥammad b. Jarīr al-Ṭabarī (d. 310/923), also handled the main theological debates of the first three centuries of Islam in his commentary called Jāmiʽ al-Bayān ʽan Taʼwīl Āy al-Qurʼān. al-Ṭabarī, mostly, presents the theological deba-tes among the Islamic sectarian groups without mentioning the proper names of the persons or the sects to whom the related theological views belong to. He usually uses anonymous expressi-ons such as ‘some researchers’, ‘some exegetes’, and so on instead of giving proper names of the sectarian groups or the personalities. Therefore, in this article, the proper names of personali-ties and sectarian groups alluded to by al-Ṭabarī under anonymous expressions will be brought to light relying mainly on the Islamic literature. As a common method of his commentary al-Ṭabarī, mostly transmits traditions related to the theological debates he deals with, nevertheless he sometimes does not supply any tradition regarding the disputed theological topics. In this study, only the isnāds of the traditions quoted by al-Ṭabarī will be provided, whereas every supported view will be briefly summarised. Here we will not handle all the anonymous expressions related to the theological debates, but we will sum up some controversial theological issues regarding the acts of human and the hereafter life such as beatific vision, the definition of faith, free will, the creation of human acts, and so on.

Determination of the diagnostic potential of research methods in the differentiation of pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis based on evidence-based medicine

Background. Currently, the use of the principles of evidence-based medicine is an integral part of assessing the effectiveness and safety of modern technology for the diagnosis and treatment of any disease or clinical condition. Differential diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis is one of the most controversial issues in surgical pancreatology. The reduced number of cases of resectable pancreatic cancer indicates the need to develop programs for the differentiation of these pathologies with the wide implementation of modern diagnostic methods.
 Purpose − to compare the results of diagnostic methods (which are standardly used in accordance with clinical guidelines for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis) based on evidence-based medicine and quantitative assessments of their specificity, sensitivity, and general accuracy in terms of the differential diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in order to determine the most significant results for the differentiation of these pathologies.
 Materials and methods. The results of diagnostic methods were compared in 80 patients, among them 38 (47.5%) had pancreatic cancer, and 42 (52.5%) − chronic pancreatitis with predominant lesion of the pancreatic head. The patients underwent general clinical blood and urine tests, biochemical blood tests, and the following procedures and examinations available in the clinic: ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, spiral computed tomography, fibrogastroduodenoscopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, magnetic resonance imaging, CA 19-9 tumor marker test, ultrasound-guided percutaneous puncture of the pancreas, aspiration of pancreatic juice, urgent intraoperative biopsy, and histological examination of surgically resected areas of the pancreas. Based on the received data, we performed a comparison of their quality, accuracy, and informativeness.
 Results. Ultrasound imaging is a screening method for suspected pancreatic cancer, however, the overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the method are quite low (82.5%, 76.32%, 88.10%, respectively). When analyzing the qualitative characteristics of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, the overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity indicators for the differential diagnosis of pancreatic cancer were 71%, 78.6%, and 63.3%, respectively. The interval assessment of the accuracy of the method of transcutaneous biopsy of the pancreas aimed at determining chronic pancreatitis was (34.9; 96.8)%; for pancreatic cancer – (8.5; 75.5)%. The interval assessment of the accuracy of the method of endoscopic aspiration of pancreatic juice for chronic pancreatitis was (6.8; 93.2)%; for pancreatic cancer – (19.4; 99.4)%. An increase in the level of CA 19-9 was found in 40.5% of patients (CI95% from 27.0% to 55.5%), while the average level was significantly higher in pancreatic cancer. The level of the CA 19-9 tumor marker depended on the size of the tumor and the spread of the process, and during the dynamic observation in the settings of treatment, it had a tendency to decrease, which indicated chronic pancreatitis. The significance of intraoperative morphological verification of the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in histological examination was 98%, in cytological examination – 95.3%, in 4.7% urgent intraoperative biopsy was questionable. In all examinations, the surrounding tumor tissue showed a morphological pattern of chronic pancreatitis, in 36 (88%) cases – with foci of metaplasia and intraductal neoplasia of the epithelium, which can be considered as a background for the development of intraductal adenocarcinoma. At the same time, cancerous occlusion of the ducts led to their expansion above the point of narrowing with pronounced fibrous changes and inflammatory reaction of the stroma that was accompanied by widespread atrophy of the parenchyma.
 Conclusions. On the basis of evidence-based medicine, it was established that spiral computed tomography is the most informative method for the differential diagnosis of pancreatic cancer with chronic pancreatitis, with an overall accuracy of 92.2%, sensitivity of 89.2%, and specificity of 95%. The low qualitative indicators of ultrasound diagnostics can be increased due to its complex combination with the CA 19-9 tumor marker test with an overall accuracy of 92.3%, with sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 91%, respectively, which is significantly different from such indicators when the method was used separately (82.5%, 76.3%, and 88.1%, respectively). In the cases when the complex combination of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with the measurement of the level of the CA 19-9 tumor marker was used, the overall accuracy of the method was 95.2%, with sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 95.5%, which is significantly different from such indicators obtained when the method was used separately (71%, 78.6% and 63.3%, respectively). Advances in modern imaging methods cannot replace histological examination as the «gold standard» for the correct determination of the morphological substrate of these pancreatic lesions.

Taboos and Controversial Issues in Foreign Language Teaching: Critical Language Pedagogy in Theory, Research and Practice,

Taboos and Controversial Issues in Foreign Language Teaching: Critical Language Pedagogy in Theory, Research and Practice,

IFRS innovation, governance practices and firm performance: A new empirical assessment of moderating effects across GCC region

Research background: Despite the large volume of research which has been conducted, the association between corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance remains a controversial issue, particularly with the growth of accounting settings around the world. Purpose of the article: This study assesses the moderating role of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the association between corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance in selected Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country-listed firms, namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and United Arab Emirates over the period 2016–2019. Methods: Importantly, we examine the direct and indirect influences of royal family members on long-term firm performance. We attempt to answer our research questions using robust estimation methods such as pooled OLS, fixed effect, random effect and first difference models. Findings & value added: The outcome reveals a significant and positive impact of firm size and board size on the firm performance in the pooled sample, while there is a significantly negative influence of financial leverage on firm performance. The impact of RFP on FP is seen to be negative and significant while the interaction term is found to be positive and statistically significant. This notably refers to the possibility that royal family directors could play an essential role in influencing the executive management team to fully react to provide extensive voluntary disclosure and comply with IFRS adoption. Our simultaneous quantile regression analysis displays the influence of corporate governance mechanisms on firm performance in various stages. While we observe that IFRS transformation has improved information comparability, policy makes in GCC countries should continue to foster conducive environment to support innovative business practices that help diversify their economies.

“Beer is Haram!” Representation of Islam by Online Newspapers in Malaysia on the Issue of Better Beer Festival & Oktoberfest

The representation of Islam in the media has been widely discussed by media scholars. In the Malaysian context, Islam is frequently associated with conflicts resulting from political issues or actions taken by religious authorities against any organisation or individual that sparks public debate. The government is also alleged to use Islam as a hegemonic tool to continue dominating the mindset of the lower class by using religion as a political weapon to gain power and maintain the status quo. Newspapers especially those owned by the government have certain ideologies to convey to the general public in order to maintain a specific existing social order. This causes the controversial issues pertaining to Islam to be frequently discussed in the news media in tandem with the vested interest of those owning the newspapers. However, the discourse on issues involving Islam has become more daring after the emergence of digital news portals that enable hegemonic counterarguments to be discussed widely among members in the mentioned medium. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how Islam and Muslims are represented in online newspapers in Malaysia. Two samples from English-language online newspapers, namely The Star Online and Malaysiakini, were selected. By using quantitative and qualitative content analysis, the findings of this study show that Islam, Islamic political parties, and some Muslims in Malaysia have been represented as extremists and backwards by online newspapers. Keywords: Representation of Islam, Malaysian media, online newspapers, Islam, content analysis.

Power and Controversy: A Study of Material Challenges in the U.S. Public Libraries

Librarians and a small group of community representatives are responsible for public library governance in the U.S. Librarians and a board of trustees appointed by a local government collaborate to make key decisions for public libraries, while other members of the community have less influence over the governance of public libraries with limited methods, such as letters and public comments in board meetings. However, what should community members and library staff do if there are conflicting opinions about public library services within their community? Sometimes these kinds of dissents initiate a public controversy that involves a series of disagreement events among actors in public spaces. Each actor, such as boards of trustees, library staff, local government officials, community members, and patrons, participates in a controversy with asymmetrical power, which eventually affects the development and end of controversy. This case study investigates material challenges, which have been the most controversial issue in current U.S. public library history, in order to examine public library governance through controversies in which various actors exercise their power. A series of material challenges in a public library system in Louisiana are being examined based on their board minutes, local council minutes, news articles, social media posts, along with interviews with key actors. This study contributes to the understanding of public library governance and material controversies embedded in communities that shape public libraries.

Эра судов в политико-правовой трансформации России: идеи и реалии

Abstract: Introduction. The author, proceeding from the understanding that the discussion and construction of the image of the future makes it possible to find answers to the challenges of the time, invites you to discuss the idea of the «era of courts» expressed in Russia. The development of the conceptual foundations of the judiciary development is an element of the formation of the law of the future, the contours of the future political and legal sphere of the country.
 The discussion of the era of courts in Russia is carried out in the context of the analysis of the complex and contradictory process of institutionalization of the judiciary. The author understands this process as the acquisition by the judiciary of its inherent legal nature within the framework of filling it with adequate legal content of the organizational forms and legal statuses enshrined in this area and identifies a number of stages in the process. The era of courts is considered as a new promising stage in the institutionalization of the judiciary, within the framework of which it’s legal nature will be most fully realized, and its place and role in the transformation of the political, legal and socio-economic spheres of Russia have been changed.
 Methods. The research is based on the use of general scientific, private scientific and special methods of cognition. The work uses historical-legal, comparative-legal, formal-legal methods. In the course of the study, a rather rarely used prognostic method was applied.
 Results. The paper examines the factors underlying the formation of a new stage in the institutionalization of the judiciary, its substantive characteristics are predicted, in particular, derivation from institutional and political factors, basing the judiciary in the eyes of society and power structures on high public authority the courts going beyond their traditionally understood jurisdiction, including the referral to the courts of controversial issues of an overtly political nature and significance, transformation of the existing model for resolving social conflicts by supplementing the traditional political model with a significant judicial element. 
 The article characterizes the author’s understanding of the role of the judiciary in social development as a driver of growth, as an institution, ensuring the stability and efficiency of the functioning of the established legal forms of social and economic turnover, and legal limits to the activity of power structures.
 The author carries out a formal legal measurement of the steps taken to institutionalize the Russian judiciary, primarily within the framework of the updated Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is stated that the judiciary in modern conditions does not fully manifest the legal nature inherent in it, ensuring sustainable and dynamic development of the country.

Features of the formation of a system of modern values of a prospective journalist through talk shows: moral and ethical aspect

The authors analyze the influence of talk shows on the formation of a system of moral and ethical values among the youth audience in general and aspiring journalists in particular. The paper considers the impact of talk show programs and manipulative technologies on the target audience and analyzes the role of talk show hosts in shaping the moral consciousness of prospective journalists. The authors show that in the course of considering current issues that resonate in society or events of public interest, a certain opinion is often formed on topical and/or controversial issues of modern reality through talk shows.

Revisiting classical concepts of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics - Part I: The closing ‘mathematical’ crack in an infinite plate and the respective Stress Intensity Factors

This is the first part of a short three-paper series, aiming to revisit some classical concepts of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics. The motive of this first paper is to highlight some controversial issues, related to the un­natu­ral overlapping of the lips of a ‘mathematical’ crack in an in­fin­­­ite plate load­ed by specific combinations of principal stresses at in­finity (predicted by the clas­si­c­al solu­tion of the respective first fundamental problem), and the closely as­so­ciated issue of negative mode-I Stress Intensity Factor. The problem is con­­­front­ed by superimposing to the first funda­mental problem of Lin­ear Elastic Frac­ture Mechanics for an in­fin­ite cracked plate (with stress-free crack lips) an ‘in­­verse’ mixed fund­amental problem. This superposition provides naturally ac­­­­­­­­ceptable stress and displacement fields, prohibiting overlapping of the lips (by means of contact stresses generated along the crack lips, which force the over­lapped lips back to naturally accepted position) and, also, non-negative mode-I Stress Intensity Factors. The solu­tions of this first paper form the basis for the next two papers of the series, dealing with the respective prob­lems in fi­­n­ite do­­mains (recall, for example, the cracked Brazil­ian disc con­fig­u­ra­tion) weak­­ened by artificial notches (rather than ‘math­e­mat­ical’ cracks), by far more interesting for practical engineer­ing ap­pli­­ca­tions.

Telecommunications Secrecy Violation in the Context of Russian Criminal Law: Current Problems and Prospects for Overcoming Them

The paper is devoted to the controversial issues of criminal liability for violating the secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations, postal, telegraph and other messages based on the analysis of Russian legislation, generalization of judicial practice and experience of foreign countries. The author explains the concept and content of communication secrecy, examines its correlation with other types of legally protected information, provides a criminal legal assessment of the dissemination of mutual correspondence without the consent of one of the addressees, and considers a sign of insignificance of the act in relation to encroachments on constitutional human rights. Telecommunications secrecy is defined as any information transmitted using wired, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems, to which access is restricted in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, other regulatory legal and local acts. It is proposed to consolidate the provision that only a person who is not the addressee of negotiations, correspondence and other messages can bear criminal responsibility for violating the secrecy of communication. The rules of qualification of the violation of the secrecy of communication are formulated in conjunction with the crimes in the field of computer information, as well as with the illegal receipt and disclosure of information constituting a trade secret. It is noted that Part 2 of Article 138 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation should be supplemented with the provision listing qualifying signs of the use of information and telecommunication networks by a person and about unauthorized access to the critical infrastructure of the Russian Federation. The author criticizes the refusal of the courts to recognize the violation of the secrecy of communication as an insignificant act only because of the special significance of the object of criminal law protection. A rule is established to eliminate competing criminal law norms concerning exemption from liability for violating the secrecy of communication by applying the article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which is the most favourable for the person who committed the crime. In conclusion, the author proposes a new version of the article of the criminal law on violation of the secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations and other telecommunication messages that provides for the composition of a crime with administrative prejudice.

Методический подход к обоснованию ставки роялти в проектах нефтегазовых компаний

Intellectual property (IP) is the result of the creative work of inventors. The implementation of intellectual property and non-property rights is regulated by Russian law. One of the important components of intellectual property (IP) management is its commercialization. It is possible to assess the value of IP through an objective analysis of projects and their parameters, including financial components. Commercialization of IP is carried out through the mechanisms of alienation and disposal by companies of their intellectual assets in order to obtain commercial benefits. One of the ways to dispose of rights is to conclude license agreements on granting the right to use protected intellectual property. The validity of a license agreement depends on the presence in the compensated license agreement of a condition on the amount and procedure for paying remuneration. Payment of remuneration may be provided in the form of one-time payments (lump payment), periodic interest deductions (royalties) or in another form. Payments in the form of royalties are most in the interests of the right holder. The calculation of the royalty rate is methodologically not regulated at the legislative level and is the most controversial issue when concluding license agreements. The development of methodological approaches to determining the royalty rate makes it possible to increase the justification of the costs of project implementation. The article describes the existing methodological approaches to the calculation of a fair royalty rate, analytical tools for determining standard royalty rates, and the values of recommended royalty rates in the oil and gas industry.

Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in patients with neutropenia at high risk of serious infections: Exploring pros and cons.

The use of fluoroquinolones to prevent infections in neutropenic patients with cancer or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a controversial issue, with international guidelines providing conflicting recommendations. Although potential benefits are clear, concerns revolve around efficacy, potential harms, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) implications. Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis reduces neutropenic fever (NF) bloodstream infections and other serious bacterial infections, based on evidence from systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies in adults and children. Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis may also reduce infection-related morbidity and healthcare costs; however, evidence is conflicting. Adverse effects of fluoroquinolones are well recognized in the general population; however, studies in the cancer cohort where it is used for a defined period of neutropenia have not reflected this. The largest concern for routine use of fluoroquinolone prophylaxis remains AMR, as many, but not all, observational studies have found that fluoroquinolone prophylaxis might increase the risk of AMR, and some studies have suggested negative impacts on patient outcomes as a result. The debate surrounding fluoroquinolone prophylaxis calls for individualized risk assessment based on patient characteristics and local AMR patterns, and prophylaxis should be restricted to patients at the highest risk of serious infection during the highest risk periods to ensure that the risk-benefit analysis is in favor of individual and community benefit. More research is needed to address important unanswered questions about fluoroquinolone prophylaxis in neutropenic patients with cancer or receiving HSCT.

ON THEORIES OF SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION: A GLANCE AT THE TURKISH EDUCATION SYSTEM

Education and schools in general are one of the most controversial issues of modern societies. The function of education as a social phenomenon is examined within the scope of the sociology of education. There are four different perspectives used as references to explain the role of education in society. In this paper, the theories in the field of sociology of education are presented under two headings: functionalist perspectives and critical perspectives. Afterward, the Turkish education system was interpreted in light of these theories. As a result, it was concluded that the Turkish education system generally reflects functionalist perspectives. Lastly, in light of the information presented in this paper, suggestions were made for further research and policy-making.

The effect of intradialytic food intake on hemodialysis adequacy and blood pressure; a quasi-experimental study

Introduction: Food intake during hemodialysis (HD) is a controversial issue. The potential benefits include improvement of nutritional status and patient satisfaction. However, the risks include the possibility of intradialytic hypotension (IDH) and dialysis inadequacy. There are no guidelines regarding food intake during HD. Objectives: To assess the impact of food intake during HD on IDH and dialysis adequacy. Patients and Methods: This was a single-center quasi-experimental study. Thirty patients undergoing regular maintenance HD were recruited for the study. The patients themselves served as their controls. In three separate sessions, they were assessed for IDH and dialysis adequacy (spKt/V, URR). The first session was without a meal, the second with a small meal, and the third with a large meal. Change in measured variables (spKt/V, URR) was assessed by repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The McNemar test was conducted to compare the incidence of IDH between three different dialysis sessions. Results: Nine patients (30%) had IDH when they consumed a small meal (P=0.02, McNemar test), and eight patients had IDH (26.7%) when they consumed a large meal (P=0.03, McNemar test). The mean spKt/v and URR were not significantly different in the three sessions. Conclusion: There is a significantly increased risk of IDH due to food intake. IDH is associated with significant morbidity and mortality; hence, restricting food intake during HD sessions would be prudent.

Access to assisted human reproduction techniques in Colombia: Disparity between the recognition of reproductive rights and their effective implementation.

Public funding of assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) is a controversial issue. Some health systems have proposed public funding of ARTs. In recent years, there has been evidence of a change in the line of jurisprudence and legislation in Colombia about this topic. This article analyzes the tension between the recognition of individual sexual and reproductive rights and the common good, in terms of the sustainability of the health system and the reasonable use of limited resources to meet the health needs of the population. This article concludes that, despite regulatory progress, there has been a lack of corresponding progress in their effective implementation and the recognition of reproductive rights.