Objective: To compare the conjunctival morphological changes in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) without thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) and controls using impression cytology technique. Material and Method: We included 25 HT patients and 33 healthy controls who did not have TAO findings or dry eye. For both groups, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4(FT4), and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) were measured. Thyroid ultrasonography was performed, together with all routine eye checkups and the Schirmer's test. Also, conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) test was performed to analyze the conjunctival morphology. Results: When the CIC of HT patients was observed; 12% had grade 0, 40% had grade 1, 28% had grade 2 and 20% had grade 3. While patients with squamous metaplasia made up 48% of the HT group, this was observed at 6.1% in the control group (p < 0,001). In the regression model formulated, it was observed that obesity (OR=7.500; p=0.017) and anti TPO levels (OR=1.370, p=0,007) were independent stipulations for the squamous metaplasia. Conclusion: Conjunctival squamous metaplasia was more frequently seen in HT than controls and serum Anti-TPO level and obesity were detected as independent predictors of the worsening at the conjunctival impression cytology.

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Objective: This study was designed to determine whether obesity causes the development of metaplasia in conjunctival epithelial cells. Material and Method: A total of 61 volunteer participants who had no previous history of illness or drug use were involved in this study. Of those, 20 were obese, and 41 were of normal weight. We measured the glucose and insulin values of all volunteers. We also measured the Body Mass Index (BMI) and Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA IR). The impression cytology method was used to analyze the conjunctival epithelium cells, and to classify them between Grades 0 to 3 according to the Nelson criteria. Results: There was a certain level of loss of goblet cells on the 90% level as well as squamous metaplasia (Grade 2-3) in 80% of the obese participants and impression cytology was found to be normal in only two patients. The expected results were observed in 56.1% of the control group where the squamous metaplasia rate was nearly 17% (p<0.001). 90.9% of the grade 3 patients were obese. The variables as independent predictors were found to indicate the existence of abnormal cytology in the conjunctiva at various levels; BMI (OR: 1.24; p=0.002) and HOMA IR (OR= 28.6; p= 0.001) in a Model I multivariable regression model, and the existence of obesity (OR: 11.91; p=0.002) and HOMA IR (OR= 15.08; p<0.001) in a Model II multivariable regression model. Conclusion: Obesity was found to be a disorder that causes metaplasia in the conjunctival epithelium cells for the first time.

This study has aimed to examine the opinions of English language teachers about the use of mother tongue in foreign language classes. The use of mother tongue in teaching a foreign language has become a controversial topic for ages, and different opinions have been put forward. As main shareholders of education, the opinions of English language teachers about the use of mother tongue in language classes have been accepted important as they are both directly in teaching activities and have the experience of learning a foreign language. Surprisingly, an important number of the English language teachers (%61,7) stated that mother tongue should be used in foreign language classes. Half of the participants stated that mother tongue should be used especially while giving grammar rules. About when not to use mother tongue, %23 percent of the participants stated that during the speaking and listening activities mother tongue should not be used. Some of the participants (%17,6) stated that mother tongue never be used even when they did not understand anything. English language teachers that participated to the study stated similar opinions with the literature that the advantages of speaking the same mother tongue with the students should be used in English language teaching.

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