Aim: The study aimed to investigate and compare the predictive capacity of a systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) to determine a hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis assessed by fractional flow reserve (FFR). Patients & methods: A total of 207 chronic coronary syndrome patients with FFR measurement were enrolled in the study. NLR, PLR and SII levels were calculated. Results: The cut-off value of the SII (620) was associated with 78.4% sensitivity and 64.0% specificity to predict a hemodynamically significant stenosis. SII level independently predicted FFR ≤0.80. Conclusion: SII is an independent predictor of functionally significant coronary stenosis detected by FFR in chronic coronary syndrome patients. SII levels can predict hemodynamically severe obstruction better than NLR and PLR.

Biotechnology has a considerable importance in Turkish biology curriculum. This study was designed to explore or indicate Turkish high school and university students' knowledge and attitudes toward biotechnology. A total number of 352 high school and 276 university students were invited to the study. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire (BKQ) with 16 items and Biotechnology Attitude Questionnaire (BAQ) with 37 items were used as data collection instruments. The statistically significant correlation was observed between the level of biotechnology knowledge and the subdimensions of attitudes toward biotechnology. We found no statistically significant difference between high school and university students' knowledge of biotechnology. In contrast, university students showed more positive attitudes toward biotechnology than did high school students. However, the effect of gender was equivocal; therefore, it did not support a ''gender paradox'' hypothesis. Our results suggest that although students' appreciation of (agricultural) biotechnology is relatively positive, the understanding of biotechnology processes is superficial and attitudes toward shopping genetically modified products are therefore negative. The possible impact of current science and biology curriculum, and also biotechnology news given in media on Turkish students' views of biotechnology is discussed.

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