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Background: The quality of life for people with chronic illnesses like cancer has been shown to be significantly impacted by self-efficacy and perceptions of their illness. Objectives: This study investigates the relationship between cancer patients’ perceptions of their illness, their self-efficacy beliefs, and their quality of life. Method: Conducted from December 2022 to February 2023, this research involved 120 adults undergoing cancer treatment. We utilized the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), the Arabic version of the Cancer Behavioral Inventory Brief (CBI-B), and the Arabic EORTC QLQ-C30, alongside clinical data collection. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation and descriptive statistics. Results: Breast cancer emerged as the most common type among participants. A positive correlation was found between self-efficacy and quality of life, as measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30, particularly in relation to symptom management. Interestingly, all dimensions of illness perception correlated with quality of life, except for control and concerns. Conclusions: The findings underscore the vital role of nurses and healthcare providers in aiding cancer patients to develop and utilize self-management strategies effectively. The study reveals that a patient’s capacity to manage their illness is significantly influenced by their confidence, understanding of their condition, and overall quality of life. Addressing these aspects can greatly enhance healthcare professionals’ contribution to improving the resilience and well-being of individuals battling cancer.

Aim: The aim of this study was conducted to determine the presence and prevalence of Nosemosis in honeybees in Kırıkkale region by Multiplex PCR. Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from 52 apiaries in Kırıkkale City Center, Bahşili, Balışeyh, Keskin, Sulakyurt and Yahşihan districts. The thorax and abdomen of ten bees collected from every 5 colonies were dissected and crushed with sterile physiological water in a porcelain mortar. The samples with Nosema spores were stained with Saffron and the multiplex PCR was applied to detect specimens to the same samples. Results: Nosema spp. spores were observed in 12 out of 52 apiaries (23.07%) microscopically. Among the positive samples, Balışeyh county was found with the highest rate of 57.14%. The township district is followed by Delice district with 33.33% and Kırıkkale /Center district with a ratio of 23.07%. Nosema spores were not found in samples taken from Bahşili, Keskin, Sulakyurt and Yahşihan districts. In general, the infection rates of the districts were determined as Central (5.76%), Balışeyh (7.69%), and Delice (9.61%). All the positive samples were detected as N. ceranae by multiplex PCR. Conclusion: This is the first study to determine the presence and prevalence of Nosemosis in honey bees in the Kırıkkale region and its etiological agent, N. ceranae. In line with the data obtained in this study, it was concluded that Nosemosis should be taken into consideration in bee losses in the region and beekeepers should be made aware of the issue.

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) patients are no strangers to the emergency department (ED) due to the relapsing and progressive nature of the disease and the associated complications. This study aimed to identify patterns of ED visits among patients diagnosed with MS, the underlying causes of these visits, and the factors associated with these visits.MethodsThis was a single center retrospective cohort study which utilized a non-probability consecutive sampling technique to include all patients diagnosed with MS (471 patients) from March 2016 to October 2021 in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. ED visits were categorized as directly related to MS, indirectly related to MS, or unrelated to MS.ResultsOne in four people with MS visited the ED at least once with a total of 280 ED visits. Most ED visits were ones directly related to MS 43.6%, closely followed by unrelated to MS 41.1%, and then indirectly-related MS visits 15.4%. The most common presenting symptoms in directly-related MS visits were weakness 56.6% and numbness/tingling 56.6% followed by gait impairment 29.5%. Indirectly related to MS or unrelated to MS ED visits were commonly due to neurological 17.7% and gastrointestinal 17.1% causes. Using disease modifying therapy (DMT) was significantly associated with no ED visits (p

تنعم سوريا بالكثير من أشعة الشمس على مدار العام، ويعتبر نظام الطاقة الشمسية الكهروضوئية بديلاً مناسبًا لإنتاج الكهرباء، واحدة من المشاكل الرئيسية للألواح الكهروضوئية هي ارتفاع درجة الحرارة بسبب الإشعاع الشمسي الزائد وارتفاع درجة الحرارة المحيطة، والتي تؤدي إلى انخفاض كفاءة الألواح الشمسية. تعد الأنظمة الحرارية الكهروضوئية الهجينة (PV/T) إحدى أكثر الطرق شيوعاً لتبريد الألواح الكهروضوئية وتحسين الأداء، أنظمة (PV/T) هي تقنية شمسية تتيح تحويل الطاقة الشمسية إلى طاقة كهربائية وحرارية في وقت واحد. يتم نقل الحرارة من اللوحة الكهروضوئية من خلال سوائل العمل مثل الماء، وتستخدم الحرارة المستخرجة في تطبيقات درجات الحرارة المنخفضة، بما في ذلك المياه الساخنة المنزلية. يتناول بحثنا الدراسة التجريبية لنظام (T/PV) المعتمد على الماء ومقارنة هذا النظام مع لوح كهروضوئي PV)) بدون نظام تبريد. وتم توصيل نظام (T/PV) مع سخان ماء شمسي، تمت هذه الدراسة في محافظة اللاذقية. أظهرت نتائج الاختبارات ازدياد قيمة التيار والجهد الكهربائي للوح (T/PV) بالمقارنة مع اللوح المرجعي PV))، وكذلك انخفاض درجة حرارة السطح الخلفي للوح (T/PV) بالمقارنة مع اللوح المرجعي PV))، حيث انخفضت من [°C]8 إلى [°C]12، وارتفاع درجة حرارة الماء الخارج من سخان الماء الشمسي، حيث ارتفعت من [°C]6 إلى [°C]10.

Fritillaria spp., comprising perennial bulbous plants of significant medicinal and ornamental value, face high endangerment in their natural habitats. Despite their importance, the reproductive characteristics and adaptive evolution mechanisms of these species remain incompletely understood. This study focused on the pollination strategies and reproductive biology of Fritillaria imperialis L. The research was conducted at the Erzincan Horticultural Research Institute in Türkiye. Our investigation categorized the flowering process of F. imperialis into nine distinct phases. Through comprehensive assessments of the pollen/ovule ratio, self-incompatibility index (SII), and ex situ pollination experiments, we observed high levels of self-incompatibility and allogamy in F. imperialis. Our findings revealed that pollination of F. imperialis primarily relied on pollen vectors, with Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris identified as the most effective pollinators. Furthermore, average seed set rate, seed production, and seed viability were quantified at 80.5%, 228 seeds, and 86.3%, respectively. The average numbers of pollen viability and pollen grains were measured at 93% and 702,000, respectively. This comprehensive analysis of the reproductive biology of F. imperialis provides crucial insights for the conservation and genetic management of this highly valuable species. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the reproductive strategies employed by Fritillaria spp., which may inform future conservation efforts and breeding programs for these endangered plants.

AbstractSaudization is a policy implemented by the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development that requires Saudi companies and enterprises to fill their workforce with Saudi nationals up to a certain percentage. This research examines the effect of Saudization on women working in the Saudi workforce. The study also analyzed the support and incentives of this program for stimulating females’ enthusiasm toward looking for new job opportunities in the Saudi workforce. The study employed a qualitative study design. A total of 15 women were interviewed who held jobs for > 5 years and currently have been working in companies within Saudi Arabia. The study findings offer insights to the organizations concerned about the outcomes of implementing such programs. The study’s findings reveal the positive impact of Saudization on female employment in local organizations, and these policies led to more opportunities through working in such stores and industries. The findings suggest that Saudization, retention, pay with benefits, and health insurance policies significantly affect diversity management in the Saudi private sector. There is a need to update the policy dimensions to address the issue of gender discrimination.

Abstract The plants' geographic distribution is affected by natural or human‐induced climate change. Numerous studies at both the global and regional levels currently focus on the potential changes in plant distribution areas. Ecological niche modeling can help predict the likely distribution of species according to environmental variables under different climate scenarios. In this study, we predicted the potential geographic distributions of Quercus ilex L. (holm oak), a keystone species of the Mediterranean ecosystem, for the Last Interglacial period (LIG: ~130 Ka), the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM: ~22 Ka), mid‐Holocene (MH: ~6 Ka), and future climate scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios) for 2050–2070 obtained from CCSM4 and MIROC‐ESM global climate scenarios respectively. The models were produced with algorithms from the R‐package “biomod2” and assessed by AUC of the receiver operating characteristic plot and true skill statistics. Aside from BIOCLIM (SRE), all model algorithms performed similarly and produced projections that are supported by good evaluation scores, although random forest (RF) slightly outperformed all the others. Additionally, distribution maps generated for the past period were validated through a comparison with pollen data acquired from the Neotoma Pollen Database. The results revealed that southern areas of the Mediterranean Basin, particularly coastal regions, served as long‐term refugia for Q. ilex, which was supported by fossil pollen data. Furthermore, the models suggest long‐term refugia role for Anatolia and we argue that Anatolia may have served as a founding population for the species. Future climate scenarios indicated that Q. ilex distribution varied by region, with some areas experiencing range contractions and others range expands. This study provides significant insights into the vulnerability of the Q. ilex to future climate change in the Mediterranean ecosystem and highlights the crucial role of Anatolia in the species' historical distribution.

This study considers an integrated inventory planning and distribution problem based on an applied case at the Turkish Red Crescent’s Central Anatolian Regional Blood Center. We define two echelons, the first echelon being the regional blood center and the second echelon being the districts. The blood products are perishable so that the outdated products are disposed of at the end of their lives. We aim to minimize the cost of inventory keeping at both echelons, the shortage, and disposal amounts at the second echelon. We consider two distribution strategies: all deliveries are realized by the regional blood center (current implementation), and the deliveries are directly from the regional blood center or the other districts. We develop a mixed-integer linear programming model for each strategy. Our experimental results show that the decentralized strategy brings significant cost reductions over the centralized strategy. The mathematical model for the centralized distribution strategy can handle large-sized instances. On the other hand, the model for the decentralized distribution strategy is more complex and could not handle large-sized instances in our pre-specified termination limit of two hours. For large-sized instances of the decentralized distribution strategy, we design a decomposition-based heuristic algorithm that benefits from the optimal solutions of the original model and finds near-optimal solutions very quickly.

Purpose: Hyperthyroidism causes adverse changes in hippocampal-dependent learning/memory functions in developmental and adult periods. In the present study, the healing effect of selenium was investigated on learning disability in offspring of mothers given L-thyroxine during lactation. Materials and Methods: 12 pregnant rats were used in the study. The pregnant rats were randomly assigned into three groups (n=8/group): Male offspring of dams administered L-thyroxine (0.2 mg/kg/day) during the lactation was formed as lactational hyper-thyroidism group (LHG), male offspring of dams administered selenium between 39-60 days after induced lactational hyperthyroid-ism was formed as lactational hyperthyroidism+selenium group (LH+SeG), male offspring of dams administered SF during the lacta-tion period was formed the control group (KG). Spatial learning/memory functions were measured with the Morris water maze (n=16/group). All measurements were made when offspring rats were 60-66 days. Results: Post-hoc test with one-way ANOVA revealed that LHG rats were found on the platform by traveling longer distances and swimming longer than the control group (p0.005). There was also not any significant difference between the groups in terms of the time spent in the target quadrant in the probe trial. Conclusion: The study findings show that high thyroid hormone levels in mother rats during lactation have long-term negative effects on hippocampal-dependent learning function in offspring rats, and selenium has a healing effect on these disorders.

Objectives: Clostridioides difficile is the most common infectious agent of nosocomial diarrhea. C. difficile infection (CDI) pathogenesis and disease severity depend on its toxins (toxins A, B and binary) and on the host’s immune response, especially the innate immune system. The current study examined the efficacy of macrophage activity, macrophages viability and cytokine secretion levelsin response to different sequence type (ST) strains of C. difficile. Methods: RAW 264.7 macrophages were exposed to six different strains of C. difficile as well as to both toxins A and B and macrophage viability was measured. The levels of four secreted cytokines were determined by RT-PCR and ELISA. Morphological changes to the macrophages were investigated by fluorescent microscopy. Results: Strains ST37 and ST42 affected macrophages’ vitality the most. Toxins A and B led to a significant reduction in macrophages' vitality at most time points. In addition, starting at 30-min post-exposure to 5 ng/μl of both toxins led to significant differences in macrophage viability versus at lower concentrations. Furthermore, cytokine secretion levels, including IL-12, IL-6 and TNF-α, increased dramatically when macrophages were exposed to strains ST42 or ST104. Finally, gene expression surveys point to increases in IL-12 gene expression in response to both ST42 and ST104. Conclusions: C. difficile strains with higher toxins levels induced an increased activation of the innate immune system and may activate macrophages more profoundly resulting in secretion of higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, higher toxin levels may also damage macrophages’ normal skeletal structure, reducing macrophage viability.

Objective: Esophageal atresia which is the most common congenital anomaly of the esophagus, occurs due to the incompleteness of physiological development as normally during the embryonic period. The mortality rate increases with prematuriy, low birth weight and accompanying anomalies. In this study, we aimed to evaluate our 10-year experience of esophageal atresia cases and mortality-related factors in this patients. Methods: We retrospectively eveluated our cases with esophageal atresia, which we followed up between January 2011 and December 2020. We determined the factors associated with mortality by analyzing the demographic characteristics and clinical findings of the patients. Results: We found that 9 (39.1%) of our 23 cases with esophageal atresia were died. Median gestational week and median birth weight of patients in exitus group were found to be statistically lower compared to patients in non-exitus group [33 week (28-38) vs. 37 week (29-40) respectively (p=0.003)] [1290 gram (875-2600) vs. 2535 gram (1150-2900) respectively (p=0.005)]. We grouped the patients according to the Okamoto modification of the Spitz classification and found survival rates as; 88.9% in group 1, 50% in group 2, 33.3% in group 3 and 66.7% in group 4. Conclusion: Low birth weight and major cardiac anomaly are associated with mortality in cases with esophageal atresia. Physicians should know the factors associated with mortality well and make risk classification to predict survival it will be useful in patient management.

The main etiological factor in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is the impairment of the fetoplacental unit. Due to the placental endothelial disintegrity and vascular permeability disruptions, endocan has been an interesting molecule to search for associations with IUGR. The aim of this study was to investigate the umbilical cord blood endocan concentrations in IUGR pregnancies.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between autoimmune liver diseases and esophageal motor disorders (EMD). Materials and Methods: 63 patients diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and followed up in our hospital were included in the study. The control group consisted of 33 patients. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, esophageal motility study and pH meter tests were performed on all participants. Results: Of the 63 patients included in the study 49.2% of the patients, EMD was detected while 31.7% of them had pathology in the pH meter. The rates of EMD of patients with PBC, PSC and AIH were 50%, 63.6%, and 42.9%, respectively while the pathology rates of the pH meter were found as 25%, 54.5%, and 28.6%, respectively. Statistically significant difference was found between autoimmune liver disease and control group in terms of esophageal motor diseases. As a result of manometric examination, median lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure was significantly lower in autoimmune liver patients compared to the control group. Conclusion: Our study presents that EMD is common in patients with PBC, PSC, and AIH, and that the presence of cirrhosis has no impact on the development of EMD.

The aim in this study was to determine the effectiveness of STEM-based robotic coding education for primary school students in terms of their decision-making skills. Mixed method research was conducted. Pretest-posttest control group designs were used in the quantitative phase, and a case study was performed in the qualitative phase of the research. The study sample consisted of 65 third graders. Pretesting of the experimental and control group students was performed using the decision-making skills scale. STEM-based robotic coding training was given to the experimental group for 6 weeks. Afterwards, the decision-making skills scale was applied as a posttest to both the experimental and control groups. The quantitative data were analyzed with paired and independent samples t-tests. A statistically significant increase was observed in the experimental group students' decision-making skills in favor of the posttest. There was no significant difference between the pre- and posttest scores of the control group students. An interview with 15 experimental group students was conducted to collect qualitative data, and the interview results were analyzed using content analysis. The robotic coding education positively affected the students' decision-making and problem-solving skills and their willingness to share ideas.

Aim: The aim of this research is to determine the ways of communication between nurses and patients, the relevant problems, and expectations. Method: The research was carried out within the scope of qualitative research model and using the case study design. Observation and semi-structured interview methods were used in the study. In this context, interviews and observations were made with five nurses working in a university hospital clinic and five inpatients in December 2019. In the analysis of qualitative data obtained from observations and interviews, themes were created using the content analysis method. Results: The research was presented as findings on semi-structured interviews and observations together with introductory features. Findings obtained as a result of the interviews were analyzed as two main themes, three subthemes and codes under each subtheme. Conclusion: To establish a better communication as a result of the research; significant findings were obtained related to the issues of establishing mutual empathy, increasing the level of education, taking patient complaints seriously, increasing the number of employees by improving the technological equipment of institutions, ensuring coordination by creating an atmosphere of trust, nurses' doing their job lovingly, gaining therapeutic communication skills, and especially explaining medical terms in a comprehensible manner.

The purpose of the study was to examine and compare the foreign language anxiety (FLA) levels of English preparatory school students in two settings namely online and in person classroom lessons. An explanatory mixed-method research design was adopted to accomplish the aim. Two questionnaires were used in the first part to collect quantitative data, and the sample cohort consisted of 234 students from six Turkish state universities. The quantitative data were examined through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings showed that moderate levels of FLA were present in both online and in person classroom instruction among participants. It was discovered that the FLA levels in two settings differed in a statistically significant way. In consonance with quantitative results, semi-structured interviews with 10 volunteers were done to collect further data. Thematic analysis was used to resolve the qualitative data from the interviews, and as a result, four key themes -- interaction, anxiety, problems, and language points -- emerged. Students preferred classroom settings for interaction since they could interact in person classroom lessons. Additionally, it was shown that technical issues such as disconnections and speech interruptions caused distress in language learners.

With the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world in 2019, human life has moved to a different dimension. Accordingly, the education process was carried out remotely in Turkey as well as in the rest of the world. Virtual education was not a new concept for societies, but conducting the entire education process remotely was a very different practice and this practice brought many problems with it. In this context, this study aims to determine the opinions of teachers after the pandemic regarding the virtual education process of primary school students with disabilities who continue inclusive education settings. For this purpose, qualitative research was conducted and data were collected by conducting semi-structured individual interviews with 10 primary school teachers who have students with disabilities in their class. The data were analyzed by content analysis. Research results revealed that teachers did not have any problems in involving students with disabilities who were supported by their parents and who did not have any infrastructure problems in terms of technical equipment, but they have problems in including some children in virtual education. Teachers had difficulty in following the education of students with disabilities during the virtual education process implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it is a very important issue that our national action plans are ready for the education process of students with disabilities, especially for situations such as pandemics and natural disasters that have recently occurred in our country.

Fritillaria is highly endangered in their natural habitats, and these species are perennial bulbous plants with an important medicinal and ornamental value whose reproductive strategies and adaptive evolution mechanisms are still not fully clear. Therefore, the reproductive strategies of endemic species, like Fritillaria michailovskyi Fomin are important to detect the community structure and the diversity patterns of ornamental plants. The current paper on the reproductive strategy of F. michailovskyi, a rare endemic species, was carried out at the Erzincan Horticultural Research Institute, Turkey. Our results indicate that the flowering stages of F. michailovskyi may be divided into eight phases. According to pollination experiments and the pollen/ovule ratio, and the self-incompatibility index (SII) in an ex-situ population, F. michailovskyi indicated high levels of xenogamy and self-incompatibility. It was determined that the pollination of F. michailovskyi mostly depended on pollen vectors, and the effective pollinators of F. michailovskyi were Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris. In addition, average seed number, seed germination, and average seed viability were found as 144, 46%, and 67%, respectively. The stigma receptivity, pollen grains, and pollen viability were detected as 83%, 252,000, and 95%, respectively. Our study is the first report providing a detailed explanation of the reproductive strategy of this rare endemic species, which could aid in the genetic evolution and conservation of this valuable taxa.

Background: Inflammation plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis and arrhythmia. The aim of this study was to evaluate atrial conduction times (ACTs) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which systemic chronic inflammation is evident. Methods: In this cross-sectional, prospective, single-center study, 79 IBD patients (51 ulcerative colitis; 28 Crohn's disease) and 70 healthy controls were included. Atrial electromechanical properties were measured by recording simultaneous surface electrocardiography (ECG) with transthoracic echocardiography (ECHO) and tissue Doppler imaging methods. The relationship between age, disease duration, and ACT was evaluated. Results: There were significantly increased conduction durations of lateral-PA (time interval from the onset of the P-wave on surface ECG to the beginning of the late diastolic wave), septal-PA, tricuspid-PA, and interatrial–electromechanical delay (IA-EMD), right intraatrial EMD, and left intraatrial (LI-EMD) durations in IBD patients (P < 0.001). In IBD patients, there was a positive correlation with age, lateral PA, septal PA, tricuspid PA, IA-EMD, and LI-EMD (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between disease duration and only lateral PA and tricuspid PA (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In IBD patients, prolonged ACT consists a potential risk for severe atrial arrhythmias. ECG and ECHO screening can be useful in identifying risk groups in IBD patients and taking precautions for future cardiac complications.

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, plastik cerrahi servisinde çalışan hemşirelerin cinsiyet değiştirme ameliyatı olmuş transseksüel bireylere yaklaşımlarını incelemektir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya plastik cerrahi kliniğinde çalışan ve transseksüel bireylere bakım vermiş 6 hemşire alınmıştır. Araştırmada veriler nitel veri toplama yöntemlerinden görüşme yöntemi kullanılarak toplanmış ve görüşmelerden elde edilen nitel verilerin analizinde içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Araştırmanın bulgularına göre hemşirelerin transseksüelliği, daha çok kişisel bir tercih olarak gördükleri saptanmıştır. Hemşirelerin transseksüel bireylere bakım verirken yaşadıkları güçlüklerin daha çok transseksüel bireylerin kişilik özelliklerinden kaynaklandığı saptanmış olup en sık zorlayıcı kişilik özelliklerinden dolayı güçlük yaşadıkları görülmüştür. Hemşirelerin bakım verirken yaşadıkları güçlükler için kullandıkları baş etme yöntemlerinin ise anlayışlı olma, kod adı kullanma ve hassas davranma olduğu saptanmıştır. Sonuç: Cinsiyet değiştirme ameliyatı olan transseksüel bireylerin yaşadıkları bu zorlu süreçteki ihtiyaçlarının ve endişelerinin giderilmesi için hemşirelere önemli sorumluluklar düşmektedir. Bu bağlamda hemşirelerin bakım verirken yaşadıkları güçlüklerin belirlenmesi ve bu güçlükler ile baş etme yöntemleri geliştirebilmeleri için farklı örneklem gurupları ile çeşitli çalışmalar yapılarak hizmet içi eğitimlerin artırılması önerilebilir.

Understanding how natural ecosystems are and will be responding to climate change is one of the primary goals of ecological research. Plant phenology is accepted as one of the most sensitive bioindicators of climate change due to its strong interactions with climate dynamics, and a vast number of studies from all around the world present evidence considering phenological shifts as a response to climatic changes. Land surface phenology (LSP) is also a valuable tool in the absence of observational phenology data for monitoring the aforementioned shift responses. Our aim was to investigate the phenological shifts of Fagus orientalis forests in Turkey by means of daily MODIS surface reflectance data (MOD09GA) for the period between 2002 and 2020. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated for the entire Turkey extent. This extent was then masked for F. orientalis. These “Fagus pixels” were then filtered by a minimum of 80% spatial and an annual 20% temporal coverage. A combination of two methods was applied to the time series for smoothing and reconstruction and the start of season (SOS), end of season, and length of season parameters were extracted. Trends in these parameters over the 19-year period were analyzed. The results were in concert with the commonly reported earlier SOS pattern, by a Sen’s slope of −0.8 days year−1. Lastly, the relationships between SOS and mean, maximum and minimum temperature, growing degree days (GDD), and chilling hours (CH) were investigated. Results showed that the most significant correlations were found between the mean SOS trend and accumulated CH and accumulated GDD with a base temperature of 2 °C, both for the February–March interval. The immediate need for a phenological observation network in Turkey and its region is discussed.

Fritillaria aurea, unlike other Fritillaria species, is a narrowly endemic species. It has a brown checkered speckled color on each tepal and also has regular yellow intense colors on the tepals. Its large bell-shaped appearance when the flower is open is one of its most striking ornamental features. However, F. aurea plant numbers are limited in their natural habitats, and their numbers are decreasing day by day; they are even confronted with the risk of extinction owing to the damage resulting from human activities. This detailed investigation of reproductive biology plays a vital role in determining the evolutionary success and survival of F. aurea, largely in determining the effectiveness of their reproductive performance. Our results indicate that the species exhibits a very low partial dichogamy and herkogamy structure, as well as self-incompatible pollination. The flowering period ranges from March to April. Average seed viability, average seed number, and seed germination were determined as 71%, 255, and 45%, respectively. The pollen viability, pollen grains, and stigma receptivity were found as 96%, 392.000, and 85%, respectively. The pollen/ovule ratio (P/O) and self-incompatibility index (SII) in the spontaneous cross-pollination were detected as 1537 and 0, respectively. Flowers of F. aurea were visited by several insect species, mostly honeybees (Apis mellifera); Bombus sp. and Vespa sp. also played a minor role in pollination. To sum up, these results not only lay a solid foundation for further reproductive biology investigations to more broadly reveal the mechanisms of F. aurea endangerment in the future but also provide a reliable theoretical basis for hybridization breeding of parents.

Technologies used inside and outside museums generate brand new perspectives and learning areas for museum learning. This study analysed 45 empirical studies that included technological tools used in museums as well as those tools that dealt with the museum's visitor's learning achievements. The results of the study show that a variety of cognitive and affective skills have been achieved in ICT-assisted studies. Having different dimensions of interaction, such technologies can be used for different purposes, such as providing general guidance, synthesizing museum learning, consolidating knowledge, designing or experimenting, and/or offering individual experiences with personalized technologies. On the other hand, it appears that technology is still not being used efficiently to the fullest extent of its potential. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies should present more suitable technologies that fit individual differences, have a capacity to increase social interactions, contain enriched specifications, and can be used in a variety of environments.

Kırıkkale University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Parasitology Department Laboratory has brought a male kobay for 3-4 months with the complaint having a large number of black mites on his hair by a student of the same school. Microscopic examination revealed that this mite was Chirodiscoides caviae. These cases were reported for the first time in Turkey. The animal has been treated with fipronil.

The purpose of this study was to develop and implement flipped learning materials in the Principles and Methods of Instruction course and investigate the perceptions of pre-service teachers about flipped learning. This study was conducted in the fall semester of 2017-2018 for 11 weeks at a public university located in the Aegean Region in Turkey. This study employed a mixed method research design. There were 30 pre-service teachers in the flipped learning group. In the current study, student questionnaire and interview schedule were implemented. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistical analysis techniques. For the analysis of the data, SPSS 22.0 was used and alpha level was determined as .05. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed by using both the content and descriptive analysis techniques. The findings of the study showed that pre-service teachers mostly had positive perceptions about flipped learning processes and materials. They agreed that flipped learning supported and facilitated learning was effective in order to practice theoretical knowledge and contributed to personal development and self-enhancement. Their perceptions were examined and discussed in detail. Keywords: Flipped learning, pre-service teacher education, videos

Bu araştırmanın amacı sosyal beceri eğitiminin psikolojik danışman adaylarının sosyal beceri ve psikolojik iyi olma düzeyleri üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Araştırma deneysel desende tasarlanmıştır ve araştırma kapsamında 2x3’lük split-plot karışık desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın nicel verileri Yüksel tarafından Türkçe’ye uyarlaması yapılan “Sosyal Beceri Envanteri” ve Cenkseven tarafından Türkçe’ye uyarlaması yapılan “Psikolojik İyi Olma Ölçekleri” kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. Araştırmadan elde edilen bulgular sosyal beceri eğitim programına katılan psikolojik danışman adaylarının sosyal beceri ve psikolojik iyi olma düzeylerinin anlamlı düzeyde yükseldiğini göstermiştir. İki aylık bir aranın ardından gerçekleştirilen izleme ölçümünde, uygulama etkisinin anlamlılığını korumaya devam ettiği sonucu bulunmuştur.

Objective: Injury severity after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a well-established risk factor for the development of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). However, whether lesion location influences the susceptibility of seizures and development of PTE longitudinally has yet to be defined. We hypothesized that lesion location, specifically in the temporal lobe, would be associated with an increased incidence of both early seizures and PTE. As secondary analysis measures, we assessed the degree of brain atrophy and functional recovery, and performed a between-group analysis, comparing patients who developed PTE with those who did not develop PTE. Methods: We assessed early seizure incidence (n = 90) and longitudinal development of PTE (n = 46) in a prospective convenience sample of patients with moderate-severe TBI. Acutely, patients were monitored with prospective cEEG and a high-resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan for lesion location classification. Chronically, patients underwent a high-resolution MRI, clinical assessment, and were longitudinally monitored for development of epilepsy for a minimum of 2 years post-injury. Results: Early seizures, occurring within the first week post-injury, occurred in 26.7% of the patients (n = 90). Within the cohort of subjects who had evidence of early seizures (n = 24), 75% had a hemorrhagic temporal lobe injury on admission. For longitudinal analyses (n = 46), 45.7% of patients developed PTE within a minimum of 2 years post-injury. Within the cohort of subjects who developed PTE (n = 21), 85.7% had a hemorrhagic temporal lobe injury on admission and 38.1% had early (convulsive or non-convulsive) seizures on cEEG monitoring during their acute ICU stay. In a between-group analysis, patients with PTE (n = 21) were more likely than patients who did not develop PTE (n = 25) to have a hemorrhagic temporal lobe injury (p

Mapping neuronal networks is a central focus in neuroscience. While volume electron microscopy (vEM) can reveal the fine structure of neuronal networks (connectomics), it does not provide molecular information to identify cell types or functions. We developed an approach that uses fluorescent single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) to perform multiplexed detergent-free immunolabeling and volumetric-correlated-light-and-electron-microscopy on the same sample. We generated eight fluorescent scFvs targeting brain markers. Six fluorescent probes were imaged in the cerebellum of a female mouse, using confocal microscopy with spectral unmixing, followed by vEM of the same sample. The results provide excellent ultrastructure superimposed with multiple fluorescence channels. Using this approach, we documented a poorly described cell type, two types of mossy fiber terminals, and the subcellular localization of one type of ion channel. Because scFvs can be derived from existing monoclonal antibodies, hundreds of such probes can be generated to enable molecular overlays for connectomic studies.

The paper discusses the general concepts about the introduction into the national legislations of the member states the requirements of the Regulation (EU) 2019/2039, establishing a European Maritime Single Windows environment. The research methods applied are the ones of the legal analyses and the comparative method. The contribution of the paper consists of general conclusions about the effectiveness of the simplified digital system in the European maritime transport which harmonizes the existing national systems and aims at the administrative burden for the participants to be reduced.

Global warming and altered precipitation patterns are predicted to intensify the water loss in semi-arid and arid regions, and such regions in Turkey will be particularly affected. Moreover, water abstraction, not least for irrigation purposes, is expected to increase markedly, posing major threats to the water balance of the lakes and thus their biodiversity. Among the closed basins in Turkey, the Burdur Closed Basin (BCB), located in the southwest of Turkey, is expected to be most affected. The BCB includes several types of aquatic ecosystems which support high biodiversity, including one Ramsar site, six Important Bird Areas, and a considerable richness of native and endemic fish species. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the potential environmental impacts of climate change and increased water abstraction on BCB lakes and their biotic communities. Here, we combined historical data on ecosystems as well as meteorological, remote sensing, and ground-truth data to analyze the changes in the temperature and precipitation of the BCB, water surface areas, and land use, as well as the potential effects on waterbird and fish communities. We calculated the water budget to elucidate water availability in the basin over the last few decades and predicted future conditions based on rainfall and temperature forecasts using climate models. The Standardized Precipitation–Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) was used to relate the water surface area to precipitation and temperature change in the basin. Crop-farming irrigation in the BCB has increased notably since 2004, leading to intensive water abstraction from the lakes and their inflows, as well as from ground water, to meet the increased demand for irrigation. The water abstraction from the lakes, inflows to the lakes, and the groundwater in the basin has increased the water loss in the catchment substantially. Remotely sensed data on lake surface areas showed a major shrinkage of shallow lakes in the last 40 years. Moreover, the largest lake in the basin, Lake Burdur, lost nearly half of its surface area, which is worrisome since the shallower areas are the most suitable for supporting high biodiversity. Climate models (CNRM-ESM2-1GCM for temperature and GFDL-ESM4-GCM for precipitation) suggest that from 2070, the BCB will face long-term, moderate-to-severe dry periods. This, and the increased demand for water for irrigation, along with climate change, may accelerate the drying of these lakes in the near future with devastating effects on the lake ecosystems and their biodiversity.

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are brain white matter lesions that are hyperintense on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Larger WMH volumes have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and with cognitive decline. However, the relationship between WMH volumes and cross-sectional cognitive measures has been inconsistent. We hypothesize that this inconsistency may arise from 1) the presence of AD-specific neuropathology that may obscure any WMH effects on cognition, and 2) varying criteria for creating a WMH segmentation. Manual and automated programs are typically used to determine segmentation boundaries, but criteria for those boundaries can differ. It remains unclear whether WMH volumes are associated with cognitive deficits, and which segmentation criteria influence the relationships between WMH volumes and clinical outcomes.In a sample of 260 non-demented participants (ages 55–90, 141 males, 119 females) from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), we compared the performance of five WMH segmentation methods, by relating the WMH volumes derived using each method to both clinical diagnosis and composite measures of executive function and memory. To separate WMH effects on cognition from effects related to AD-specific processes, we performed analyses separately in people with and without abnormal cerebrospinal fluid amyloid levels.WMH volume estimates that excluded more diffuse, lower-intensity lesions were more strongly correlated with clinical diagnosis and cognitive performance, and only in those without abnormal amyloid levels. These findings may inform best practices for WMH segmentation, and suggest that AD neuropathology may mask WMH effects on clinical diagnosis and cognition.

Background: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces a dual challenge with regard to influenza infection due to severe zoonotic influenza outbreaks episodes and the circulation of Northern Hemisphere human influenza viruses among pilgrims. Methods: The MENA Influenza Stakeholder Network (MENA-ISN) was set-up with the aim of increasing seasonal influenza vaccination coverage by (i) enhancing evidence-based exchanges, and (ii) increasing awareness on the safety and benefits of seasonal vaccination. During the 7th MENA-ISN meeting, representatives from 8 countries presented their influenza surveillance, vaccination coverage and actions achieved and provided a list of country objectives for the upcoming 3 years. Results: MENA-ISN countries share the goal to reduce influenza related morbidity and mortality. Participants admitted that lack of knowledge about influenza, its consequences in terms of morbidity, mortality and economy are the major barrier to attaining higher influenza vaccination coverage in their countries. The cost of the vaccine is another key barrier that could contribute to low vaccination coverage. Participants drew a list of strategic interventions to bridge gaps in the knowledge of influenza burden in this region. Conclusions: Participating countries concluded that despite an increase in vaccine uptake observed during the last few years, influenza vaccination coverage remains relatively low. Priority areas should be identified and action plans tailored to each country situation set-up to investigate the best way to move forward. Keywords: Influenza, Vaccination coverage, Surveillance, Middle East and North Africa

The high demand on the mobile devices like smart phones and Ipads in daily life has given a rise to mobile learning trends in foreign language learning. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in vocabulary achievement level of students keeping mobile-based and paper-based vocabulary notebooks in English language learning. The study was designed through mixed method where a pre-post test control group quasi-experimental study was conducted. Data were collected through a vocabulary achievement test used as pre and post tests. The results indicated mobile-based vocabulary notebooks have positive effects on students’ vocabulary achievement.

Purpose: Timely detection of breast cancer (BC) is important to reduce its related deaths. Hence, high awareness of its symptoms and risk factors is required. This study aimed to assess the awareness level of BC among females in Gaza. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed during September and October 2017 in Gaza, Palestine. Stratified sampling was used to recruit patients from four hospitals and seven high schools. The validated Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (BCAM) was used to assess confidence and behavior in relation to breast changes, awareness of BC symptoms and risk factors, barriers to seek medical help, and knowledge of BC screening. Women (age ≥ 18 years) visiting or admitted to any of the four hospitals, and female adolescents (age 15 to 17 years) in any of the seven schools, were recruited for face-to-face interviews to complete the BCAM. Results: Of 3,055 women approached, 2,774 participants completed the BCAM questionnaire (response rate, 90.8%); 1,588 (57.2%) were adults, and 1,186 (42.8%) were adolescents. Of these, 1,781 (64.2%) rarely (or never) checked their breasts, and 909 (32.8%) were not confident to notice changes. In total, 1,675 (60.4%) were aware of the availability of BC screening programs. The overall mean ± standard deviation score for awareness of BC symptoms was 5.9 ± 2.9 of 11, and that of risk factors 7.5 ± 3.1 of 16. Feeling scared was the most reported barrier to seeking advice reported among women (n = 802; 50.2%), whereas feeling embarrassed was the most reported in adolescents (n = 745; 62.8%). Conclusion: Awareness of BC symptoms, risk factors, and screening programs is suboptimal in Gaza. Educational interventions are necessary to increase public awareness of BC and to train local female breast surgeons to address barriers to early detection.

Abstract Background Influenza disease burden varies by age and this has important public health implications. We compared the proportional distribution of different influenza virus types within age strata using surveillance data from twenty-nine countries during 1999-2014 (N=358,796 influenza cases). Methods For each virus, we calculated a Relative Illness Ratio (defined as the ratio of the percentage of cases in an age group to the percentage of the country population in the same age group) for young children (0-4 years), older children (5-17 years), young adults (18-39 years), older adults (40-64 years), and the elderly (65+ years). We used random-effects meta-analysis models to obtain summary relative illness ratios (sRIRs), and conducted meta-regression and sub-group analyses to explore causes of between-estimates heterogeneity. Results The influenza virus with highest sRIR was A(H1N1) for young children, B for older children, A(H1N1)pdm2009 for adults, and (A(H3N2) for the elderly. As expected, considering the diverse nature of the national surveillance datasets included in our analysis, between-estimates heterogeneity was high (I2>90%) for most sRIRs. The variations of countries’ geographic, demographic and economic characteristics and the proportion of outpatients among reported influenza cases explained only part of the heterogeneity, suggesting that multiple factors were at play. Conclusions These results highlight the importance of presenting burden of disease estimates by age group and virus (sub)type.