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The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a twelve-week pilates exercise program on some performance tests and body composition. The research was a quantitative study and experimental research model was used as a model. The study group consisted of 32 female volunteer students aged between 20-23 who were educated at Kirikkale University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, and took pilates lessons. Before starting the exercise program and after finishing the exercise program, the participants' data on anthropometric (body weight, height, body fat ratio and circumference measurements) and performance tests (sit and reach test, vertical jump test, 20 m speed and t-dril test) were collected. The arithmetic means and standard deviations of all data were calculated. The comparison of the measurement values of the participants before and after the exercise program (pre-test and post-test) was made with the paired samples t-test. A statistically significant difference was found between the anthropometric and performance tests (pre-test and post-test) of the participants. Considering the results of the study, it was determined that there were improvements in the physical appearance and physical performance of the individuals with regular pilates exercises, and that pilates exercises had significant effects on both the body composition and muscular endurance of the individuals.

Background: Trunk control is significant for a quality movement. Trunk control is reduced in people with Multiple Sclerosis compared to healthy individuals. Objective: The study aims to compare trunk control in people with Multiple Sclerosis according to disability level and to examine the relationship between disability level and trunk control. Methods: A total of one hundred-two people with Multiple Sclerosis were included in the study. The disability level was recorded with the Expanded Disability Status Scale score. Trunk control was evaluated with the Trunk Impairment Scale and core stability tests. Additionally, people with Multiple Sclerosis were divided into subgroups according to their disability levels (Expanded Disability Status Scale ≤ 3 and ≥ 3.5). Results: Trunk Impairment Scale scores and core stability test results were statistically significantly lower in the group of people with Multiple Sclerosis with a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale score (3.5–6.5) than in the group with a lower Expanded Disability Status Scale score (1–3) (p = 0.001). A correlation was found between the level of disability and all parameters of trunk control in the total sample (p = 0.001). A significant relationship was detected between the disability level and most trunk control parameters in the Expanded Disability Status Scale ≤ 3 and ≥ 3.5 subgroups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: As the level of disability increases in people with Multiple Sclerosis, trunk control decreases, suggesting that care should be taken regarding trunk control during the progression of the disease. Evaluation of trunk control will be guiding when creating treatment programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, technology is developing in a geometrically progressive manner. Its usage in different social areas is an imperative, rather than a choice. As expected, digital devices are applicable in the educational context, as well. Hence, the scope of the present study is to examine attitudes toward mobile learning among English teachers. For this purpose, we conducted a survey with 159 teachers from both state and private schools as well as universities in Turkey. In general, our results showed that teachers have positive attitudes toward the usage of mobile devices in the ESL learning context. However, there is an almost equal number of teachers who use and who do not use mobile devices and other digital contents in their classrooms. In addition, and according to teachers, there were two main obstacles to using mobile devices in teaching processes--lack of training and students' attitudes. On the other hand, the lowest ranked obstacles were school administrations and pedagogical justification.

The dynamic response of viscoelastic plates reinforced with functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite material (FG-CNTRC) under dynamic loads was examined in this work. This research investigates the dynamic analysis of CNTRC plates by single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs). SWCNTs were considered to be straight and aligned, with a homogeneous pattern. Carbon nanotube (CNT) configurations were investigated, inclusive of uniform, and three varieties of FG distributions of CNTs across the thickness. The equation of motion of composite plates was obtained using Hamilton's principle. The time-dependent equations were derived by applying the Navier solution method to the equation of motion. These equations were converted into the Laplace domain. The Modified Durbin procedure was used to convert the resultant computations from the Laplace field to the time field. The resulting findings were compared to other methods. It was demonstrated that the findings are consistent with those of other methods. Then, sensitivity analysis revealed that CNT volume fractions, damping ratios, and FG distributions had a substantial influence on the quasi-static and dynamic behavior of viscoelastic FG-CNTRC plates. Results show that with the help of the Laplace technique no need to use free vibration frequencies or modes, it is possible to solve the problem quite precisely, effectively, and easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of this study is to examine the effect of "Development of Efficient Studying Skills Curriculum" on academic achievements and studying skills of 7th grade primary school students. In this study, pre-test post-test from experiment models and semi-experimental model with control group were preferred. The reason for the preference is our wish to make a comparison between the group on which curriculum was implemented (experiment group), and the group on which curriculum was not implemented (control group) in terms of academic achievement, and acquiring efficient studying skills. Study population of this research covers 7th grade students from Refika Küçükçalik Primary School in Kocasinan district of Kayseri which is located in the middle of Turkey during 2011-2012 academic year (8 units, 320 students). Sample of the study was determined according to purposive sampling which is one of non-probability sampling types. Obtained data were analysed employing Covariance Analysis (ANCOVA). As a result, this research indicated that students can acquire efficient studying skills by means of Curriculum for Developing Efficient Studying Skills and they increase their academic achievements thanks to these studying habits. In this sense, if quality of education is desired to be increased, students with high level of academic achievements are intended and growing youth is expected to compete with the young population of other states with the effect of globalization, it is necessary to make students acquire efficient studying skills.

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In this study, viscoelastic damped dynamic behaviors of laminated composite shells (LCS) under different dynamic loads were investigated. In order to obtain better numerical stability, the truncated series method was used in the formation of equations governing the system. While deriving the equations governing the system, the z/R terms are usually neglected, whereas only 3 and higher order terms are truncated here. The method of truncated equations has been used for the first time as suggested here to obtain viscoelastic damped behavior of dynamically loaded LCS. The governing equation of composite shells was obtained with the help of Hamilton's principle. Afterwards, time dependent partial differential equations were obtained by applying Navier solution method to these valid equations. These equations were transformed into Laplace space in order to solve time dependent partial differential equations. The transformation of the resulting calculations from Laplace domain into the time domain was conducted with the help of Modified Durbin algorithm. In addition, one of the goals of this research is to highlight the importance of including the (1+z/R) part in the equations to account for the curvature effect of the shells. The addition of these effects and truncated series method to the equations and the investigation of their effects are the originalities of the present study. The present work obtained values were compared with the results obtained with Newmark's approach and ANSYS finite element methods. The numerical results showed that the proposed approach is a highly effective and efficient solution that can be easily applied to laminated viscoelastic shell problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]