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The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of micro-teaching applications used in environmental education on the attitudes and behaviors of individuals. The present study carried out within the framework of the environmental education course was performed with 31 pre-service teachers from the primary education department of Aksaray University in the fall term of 2009-2010 academic year. The study which is an experimental study carried out according to pretest-posttest control group design continued for 14 weeks. At the end of the study, it was found that scores for the environmental awareness, attitude and behavior of the pre-service teachers significantly increased. In light of this finding, it can be argued that more frequent use of micro-teaching applications in environmental education is useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the project "Nature Education in Ihlara Valley (Aksaray) and Its Surrounding Area" supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) on environmental consciousness, attitudes, thought, behavior and its permanence. The study group consists of 25 teacher candidates who participated in this nature education project carried out on 03-12 July 2009. This project is the first project having teacher candidates as its target group and supported by TUBITAK. "Environmental Consciousness Scale" developed by Milfont and Duckitt (2006) and translated into Turkish by Ak (2008) and "Environmental Attitude Scale" developed by Uzun and Saglam (2006) were used to collect data in the present study. The study was carried out in line with the pretest-posttest-monitoring test design. SPSS was employed to analyze the data, and One-Way ANOVA for Repeated Measures was used to find out whether there are significant differences between the pre-test scores for environmental consciousness, attitude, thought and behavior and those of the post-test and monitoring test. The Cronbach alfa reliability coefficients of the scales are α=.88 and α=.80, respectively. According to the results of the comparison, it can be argued that significant differences between pre-test environmental consciousness, attitude and behavior scores and post-test and monitoring scores came into being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant role of zinc (Zn) against radiation-induced cataract in the rat lens after total cranial irradiation with a single 5 Gray (Gy) dose of gamma irradiation. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the experiment. The control group did not receive Zn or irradiation but received 1-ml saline orally plus sham-irradiation. The irradiation (IR) group received 5 Gy gamma irradiation to the total cranium as a single dose plus 0.1 ml physiological saline intraperitoneally. The IR plus Zn group received irradiation to total cranium plus 10 mg/kg/day Zn intraperitoneally. Biochemical parameters measured in rat lenses were carried out using spectrophotometric techniques. Results: Lens total (enzymatic plus non-enzymatic) superoxide scavenger activity (TSSA), glutathione reductase (GRD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities significantly increased in the IR plus Zn groups when compared with the IR group. However, TSSA, GRD and GST activities were significantly lower in the IR group when compared with the control group. Lens non-enzymatic superoxide scavenger activity (NSSA) in the IR plus Zn group was significantly increased compared to that of the IR group. Lens xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in the IR group significantly increased compared to that of both the control and IR plus Zn groups. Conclusion: Zn has clear antioxidant properties and prevented oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals generated by ionizing radiation in rat lenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a rare neoplasm that comprises a substantial proportion of all leukemias in middle-aged persons and is the most common type among elderly persons. The major causes are not known nor is there a detailed understanding about how the elusive origin(s) may relate to clinical expression, basic biological mechanisms, or pathogenesis. Methods: Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GRD), Cu–Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu–Zn SOD) activities, glutathione (GSH), nitric oxide (NO·), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were measured in serum of patients with CLL and a healthy control group. Results: Serum GSH-Px, Cu–Zn SOD activities, GSH concentration were lower in patients with CLL while serum NO· and MDA concentrations were higher in these patients compared with the control group. Serum GRD activity was not statistically significant in patients with CLL compared with the control. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the parameters on the basis of stages in these patients. Serum GSH concentration negatively correlated with serum MDA (r=30.63, p<0.05) and NO· concentrations (r=0.72, p<0.05) in patients with advanced stage (III+IV). However, no other correlation could be found among the parameters in healthy controls and patients with CLL Conclusions: There is significant changes in antioxidant defense system in CLL cases, which may lead to enhanced action of oxygen radical, resulting in lipid peroxidation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]