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This paper investigates the association between religion and female labor market outcomes using new micro-level data on two distinct Muslim denominations in Turkey: Sunni and Alevi Muslims. We find a positive and significant association between being an Alevi Muslim and female labor force participation and employment, whereas there are no significant differences in male labor market outcomes between the two denominations. We provide evidence that Alevi Muslims have more gender-equal views regarding the role of women in the labor market and consider themselves as more modern. Both Sunnis and Alevis consider themselves as believers in religion (Islam). However, Sunnis are more likely to abide by the rules of religion. We argue that differences in views on gender roles and self-identity regarding modernity between the two denominations drive the results on female labor market outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the asymmetric effects of consumer confidence on personal credit card expenditures in Turkey. To this end, the impact of the consumer confidence index on real credit card spending is investigated from January 2013 to June 2023 using the threshold generalized method of moments (GMM). The linear GMM model findings indicate that consumer confidence increases real credit card expenditures. Furthermore, when the threshold GMM model is estimated using the annual percentage change of the consumer confidence index as a threshold variable, the coefficients differ across low- and high-confidence regimes. More specifically, the consumer confidence index has a statistically significant positive impact on credit card expenditure in the low-confidence regime but not in the high-confidence regime. This indicates that the optimistic expectations of economic units in a lowconfidence environment may stimulate credit card spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper targeted to investigate rehydration characteristics of dehydrated black beauty eggplant (which was dried under sun, by hot air, microwave, and infrared) at 25, 50, and 75°C, and to analyze rehydration ratio (RR) by artificial neural network (ANN) approach. RRs of both microwave‐processed specimens (between 5.66 and 7.91) and sun‐dried ones (between 5.38 and 6.37) were always greater than the others, at all rehydration temperatures. Rehydration temperature had an enhancing effect on RRs, and the image that closely resembled the fresh sample was captured in the microwave‐dried rehydrated samples. Nearly 180–240 min was adequate for rehydration of all slices. Zeroth‐ and first‐order kinetic models, Peleg, Peppas, and two‐term exponential decay models, as well as a new rational model were tested to describe rehydration kinetics. Two‐term equation was almost superior with high R2 (between 0.9734 and 0.9994) and the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) and χ2. Novel recommended mathematical expression was also successful (R2: 0.9679–0.9989, χ2: 0.0051–0.0975, RMSE: 0.0191–0.0866). Regarding relationship between actual and predicted RRs and performance indices of ANN equation, overall R and R2 were recorded as follows: 0.9975–0.9950 (sun‐dried) > 0.99642–0.9929 (hot air‐dried) > 0.9955–0.9911 (infrared‐dried) > 0.9907–0.9815 (microwave‐dried), respectively. The proposed ANN model and novel mathematical formula not only offer a considerable potential in predicting rehydration patterns and developing rehydration protocols in food production sector, but also contribute to save energy by completely understanding the process and optimizing conditions. Practical applications: The eggplant is a cherished vegetable often dried, providing a velvety texture and rich taste in Anatolian recipes. In Anatolia, colorful vegetables are strung together on strings, adorning traditional houses, and serving as a testament to the region's deep‐rooted cultural heritage. The Turkic people in Central Asia demonstrated remarkable skill in preserving plants by carefully drying leaves, stems, or roots. The process of rehydration entails the addition of water to dehydrated eggplant slices in order to restore their initial dimensions and attributes for being consumed. This investigation integrates the utilization of ANNs to simulate the rehydration procedures of eggplant. This simulation can be employed for the purpose of quality control and standardization within the food sector. Hence, food manufacturers can anticipate the rehydration characteristics of their products across various production batches and conditions, thereby guaranteeing adherence to quality benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mudurnu County, situated in northwestern Turkey, is a prominent settlement area because it is located on major trade routes (i.e., the Silk Road and the Crimean Road) and has served as a trading town and a military base in the Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods. Mudurnu County is affected by regional complex rock slope instabilities that pose a substantial hazard to the settlement area and generate regional risk to human life, buildings, houses, and industrial facilities. Mudurnu, because of its invaluable historical structures, has been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List. Yet, those historical structures are threatened by the rock instabilities. The aim of the paper is to characterize the rock mass on the western slopes of the Mudurnu Valley, through geomechanical evaluation of the rock and empirical assessment of the slope instabilities. The engineering geological and geomechanical properties of the area were acquired via a 3D point cloud together with field scan-line surveys. The western slope of the Mudurnu Valley was divided into 11 geomechanically uniform sectors. Classification of the sectors using the SMR and Q-slope methods demonstrated that the rock mass was prone to complex planar, wedge, and toppling failures. Proper identification of such complex failures was performed using a decision tree methodology. Estimation of the probabilities of the complex failures was accomplished using empirical classifications and field observations. It was found that Sector 8 was the most critical for combined toppling and wedge failures, as well as toppling with a combination of planar and wedge failures. In addition, Sector 6 was the most critical for combined toppling and planar failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of global warming and climate change appear as increasing or decreasing trends in hydrometeorological records in different locations. Identifying trends in long-term (more than 30 year) data is possible through a variety of methodologies as well as classical Mann–Kendall (MK), Regression (R), Spearman's Rho (SR) methods in addition to the innovative trend analysis (ITA) approaches. The most used method in the literature is the MK trend determination test, but it has limited assumptions, and the trend slope is calculated according to Sen's median procedure. However, Sen's approach is an empirical methodology that considers a single median slope from all possible consecutive lag slopes. This paper provides the theoretical probability distribution function (PDF) that matches Sen's slopes, and an innovative probabilistic trend slope methodology is proposed with a set of slope risk levels, rather than statistical slope calculation. The application of the proposed methodology is presented for long-term Danube River annual discharge data in Romania and precipitation records at Antalya resort center in the south along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. A set of trend lines, objectively different risk levels, are obtained. It has been determined that there are decreasing and increasing monotonic trends in each historical time series record. Therefore, for extreme events, it is possible to consider a particular risk level trend characteristic, i.e., floods and droughts, rather than the classical mean or median level trend definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the severe economic crisis in Turkey in 2008-2009 as a quasi-experiment to evaluate the impact of worsening economic conditions during pregnancy on birthweight. Using birth history data from the 2008 and 2013 waves of the Demographic Health Surveys, we find that the economic crisis resulted in decreased birthweight in Turkey, especially impacting infants born to mothers with lower educational levels. Furthermore, a procyclical relationship exists between provincial income levels and the birthweight of infants born to mothers with lower levels of education. However, this relationship is only statistically significant during the crisis period. These results highlights how economic constraints on mothers with lower socio-economic status during economic crises can negatively affect birth outcomes. Furthermore, we examine shifts in fertility behavior and find a decrease in childbirth rates during the crisis, particularly in economically disadvantaged provinces. In line with this decrease in fertility, we also observe a reduced propensity to seek an abortion during the crisis period. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of understanding how economic crises affect infant health and the need for targeted interventions to support vulnerable populations, as well as addressing underlying socio-economic disparities to mitigate their impact on infant well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erna Eckstein-Schlossmann (1895–1998) and Albert Eckstein (1891–1950), a pediatrician couple from Düsseldorf, had to hand in their official resignations after being declared as 'Jews' according to the laws of 1933 and 1935. Albert Eckstein accepted the offer of the Turkish government to become the head of the pediatric clinic of Ankara Hospital. Relying on a biographical approach and utilizing ego-documents, such as memoirs, letters, and travelogues at the Eckstein family archives, together with Turkish state archives, and Erna Eckstein-Schlossmann's research publications, this paper conceptualizes Erna's exile years in Turkey along gendered lines and provides an intersectional interpretation of migration. This microhistorical reconstruction acknowledges her agency and subjectivity as a high-skilled migrant woman; intertwines her life story with the larger dynamics of the migrant networks in Turkey; and brings it into dialogue with macro-level structural factors with regards to the war, the mass murder and the global movement of European Jews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a parametric model to design five different types of Anatolian swallow roofs (SR) that help designers create complex designs by changing the plan size and height of rulesets and pre-defined constants with the whorled phyllotaxy of plants. After analyzing the different types of Anatolian SRs, the research continues with a detailed explanation of the parametric model. Two tests were applied to see the contribution and potentials of the model. While the first set of tests focuses on the modelling and material data gathering abilities, the second test checks the model's ability to study the knowledge of the past with an implementation in three Anatolian mosques. The research is finalized by discussing the tests' and model's findings and potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1950s was an era when Turkish-US relations were developing in various arenas. In addition to hard power instruments, such as NATO membership, the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid, elements of soft power were also being used to promote the relationship between the two states. One element of this latter power was jazz which became tool of US public diplomacy used to export its cultural values. This paper explores how jazz was used as such in Turkey–US relations in the 1950s. The original aspect of this article lies in its dealing with the influence of jazz music, a relatively little mentioned soft power element in Turkey–US relations of this period. The main finding of the article may be conceptualized as follows: Turkey's relationship with the US was based not only on economic and military interests, but also cultural ties between the two which were also crucial to strengthening their bilateral relations. In this context, musicians were key agents of cultural diplomacy with their music and songs legitimizing a new and different 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chiari malformation type III (CM III), a rare hindbrain anomaly, often presents with various concurrent anomalies. This paper reports a unique case of CM III associated with Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS), a condition previously unreported in Saudi Arabia and documented in only one other case globally in Turkey. This study aims to share insights into the unusual association between CM III and KFS, considering their close embryological development and involvement in the craniocervical junction. Methodology: The study presents a case of a 2.5-year-old female diagnosed with CM III and KFS. Diagnostic tools such as ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, and physical examinations were used to confirm the patient's condition. Surgical interventions, including decompression and encephalocele repair, were performed. Results: Successful surgical interventions, including encephalocele repair and duraplasty, were carried out. Follow-up visits indicated a stable condition, marked improvement in lower limb strength, and the patient's ability to walk with assistance. CT follow-up affirmed a satisfactory surgical outcome. Conclusion: This case study illustrates the potential for an optimistic prognosis in CM III, even when accompanied by complex conditions such as KFS, through early diagnosis and intervention. It underscores the significance of antenatal screening for effective care planning and calls for further research and publications due to the rarity of this association. These findings contribute to our understanding of CM III and its related conditions, emphasizing the need for open-minded consideration of potential embryological associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of the archaeometric investigation, conducted for the first time with the use of a wide range of analytical methods, on white and grey marbles exploited in the so‐called City and Regional Quarries of Aphrodisias (south‐western Turkey). The research, based on a multi‐method approach and performed on a representative set of samples, was aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the most important properties of Aphrodisian marbles. The material studied here shows a large overlap in petrographic and geochemical features among the marbles exploited in local and regional quarries, as well as with most of the widespread marbles used in Antiquity. Surprisingly, none of the methods used here, either by themselves or used in combination, is sufficient to discriminate reliably between Aphrodisian and other marble types (mainly Paros‐Lakkoi and Prokonnesos), as well as between marbles extracted from the City and Regional Quarries. The only provenance indicator is the depleted δ13C values below +0.5‰ for the grey variety from sectors AF3 and AF9, which constitute 15% of collected samples. The presumed international use of Aphrodisian marbles may be difficult to verify based on these indistinct outcomes. Another important element of the study are the topographical measurements used to estimate the volume of extracted material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the variables that play a role in the efficiency of Health Management departments in Turkey and the ranking of them in order of importance. These variables were determined by systematic analysis. The Prisma method was used in the systematic analysis approach. Input and output variables used in studies assessing the efficiency of higher education institutions in the literature were listed. The ranking of these variables was determined by Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The questionnaire used for the AHP analysis and the judgments of 127 academicians working in Health Management Departments in universities in Turkey were assessed. The first three input variables found as a result of the AHP were "the number of registered undergraduate students per faculty member", "the number of faculty members", and "the number of other academic staff". The most important three output variables included "the number of articles searched on SCI, SSCI, SCI-E", "the number of papers presented in international congresses", and "the count of publications published in international peer-reviewed journals". To achieve positive developments in the efficiency of Health Management Departments, it is recommended to carry out studies to increase the number of qualified publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in Türkiye have been advancing at a remarkable rate in the last decades because of the region's high solar energy potential. However, it is understood from the literature review that there are still limited research works on the optimization of the tilt angles of PV surfaces to maximize the solar radiation of the PV energy systems in this region. Therefore, this study focuses on a quantitative analysis of the optimal tilt angles of south-oriented PV surfaces and the amount of solar radiation collected by optimally tilted and tracked PV surfaces for all provinces by using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Surface meteorology and Solar Energy (NASA-SSE) horizontal radiation data for the provinces in Türkiye. Also, a numerical method is proposed to estimate the average daily solar radiation values falling on optimally tilted and tracked PV surfaces in 81 provinces and 7 geographical regions of Türkiye in this paper. An optimal tilt angles map has been created for all provinces where solar plants could be established. Solar data calculations have been carried out for all provinces, and the results are presented for the average total radiation amounts and percentage contributions that can be obtained in the case of installing fixed systems and tracking systems. It is found that the tilt angles of all provinces and regions are below the latitude values of Türkiye (36°′N–42°′N). Annual fixed optimal tilt angle values for south-facing PV surfaces are found between 28° and 36° throughout the year. It is observed that the daily average total radiation values falling on PV surfaces are considerably affected by the geographical and climatic characteristics even between the provinces with close latitude values in Türkiye. The results indicate that the tracking systems provide remarkable solar energy gains compared to the annual fixed systems. The proposed methodology can be used in the case of the implementation of a large-scale PV plant in any location in Türkiye, and this knowledge can be extended to the world thanks to low computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 6 February 2023, an earthquake doublet occurred, the first at Kahramanmaraş Pazarcık district ( M w = 7. 7) at local time 04:17 and the second, which approximately 9 hours after the first earthquake, occurred at Kahramanmaraş Elbistan district ( M w = 7. 6) at local time 13:24 in Türkiye. It is a disaster affected 11 cities in the eastern region in Türkiye and is referred as "Disaster of the Century". Earthquake disasters allow humanity to investigate seismic behavior under related construction details and revising the seismic codes. The authors conducted observational research to obtain interpretive information and digital data by investigating structural damages of moderately and heavily damaged buildings from earthquake sites. In this paper, performance evaluation is done based on existence of soft storey, weak column-strong beam, deficiencies and pounding effect. Damages are classified as beam, column, beam-column joint and shear wall, infill wall, roof and scaffolding damages. Ampleness of soft storey, column damages, inadequate joint reinforcement, inadequate structural ductility and low capacity, strong beam-weak column effect, and infill wall damages have been observed from the field. As a result of field observation, structural deficiencies, irregularities and mismatching capacity design principles have been concluded as common problems of reinforced concrete buildings in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the streamflow corresponding to a particular probability is of great importance in many hydrological studies, such as determining hydroelectric water potential, assessing water quality, and investigating sedimentation and drought. This paper aims to effectively estimate low-flow quantiles since hydrologic droughts motivate the study. The study illustrates a methodology, where droughts are characterized by the lower part of the flow--duration curve (FDC), and offers a perspective estimating low-flow quantiles related to the basin characteristics. Low-flow quantiles are derived both from traditional FDCs curves and median annual FDCs (AFDCs). As an innovation, the concept of areal scale factor, which represents a scaling ratio between the basin area and flow quantiles, was introduced. Unlike many other parametric approaches, this study models the streamflow quantiles depending on the basin characteristics instead of the parameters in the analytical equation of FDCs. The methodology was evaluated for the Western and Southwestern Anatolia regions in Turkey. The outcomes were compared for two types of FDCs in two regions. The approach gave similar results for both study regions. AFDCs provided a distinct advantage over traditional FDCs, especially for low-flow quantiles, due to the superiority of AFDCs in estimating streamflow quantiles of intermittent streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Tobacco products are well-known as a major risk factor for systemic and oral diseases. Dentists may play an important role in the prevention and progression of oral problems related to smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness about the poor oral health effects of tobacco products and the role of dentists in smoking cessation among dental patients. METHODS A survey containing 40 questions was prepared, and patients seeking dental treatment between June and October 2019 at the School of Dentistry, Ege University, were asked to participate. The survey included demographic variables in the first part, habits of using tobacco products in the second part, relations between smoking and oral health, and the possible role of dentists in smoking cessation in the last part. Data were tested statistically by Mann Whitney U and chi-squared tests. RESULTS A total of 501 patients participated in the survey; more than half of the participants were non-smokers (63.7%). Cigarettes (95.06%), hookah (7.69%), e-cigarettes (2.75%), and cigars (1.65%) were the most frequently consumed tobacco products. The biggest obstacle to quitting smoking was 'having smoker friends'. The rate of non-smokers (41.4%) agreeing that smoking is related to periodontal diseases was more than that of smokers (32.4%) (p<0.05). The most known side effect of tobacco products was halitosis (81.6%). Half of the respondents (46.7%) did not know about dentists' role in helping them quit smoking. The rate of participants previously recommended by a dentist to quit smoking was only 36%. CONCLUSIONS The aesthetic and social consequences of using tobacco products are well known, but smokers are substantially less aware than non-smokers of the relationship between tobacco products and oral diseases. The present findings suggest that dentists should inform their patients about the detrimental effects of tobacco products and play an active role in advising them to quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our research is to draw attention to school learning spaces that fulfil the needs of students and promote their well-being. With the aim of facilitating a deeper understanding of teachers' and students' views about well-being in the school setting, this research integrates self-determination theory with important insights between teachers and students. The method used in the study is a collective case study. The research data have been collected through multiple sources, including face-to-face interviews, observations, and visual materials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 students and 24 teachers at high schools in Türkiye. Observations were also made in 12 school environments. The findings of this study underline the significance of school learning spaces in fulfilling students' needs for autonomy (self-actualisation), competence (feeling capable of achieving desired outcomes), and relatedness to others (belongingness, forming close relationships) which promote students' well-being. The paper provides a deeper understanding of where well-being is enhanced in learning spaces and which learning environments need to be developed in Turkish high schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this opinion paper, I trace children's access to play in the urban context against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the news, civil society organizations' reports and conversations with experts working in Istanbul, Turkey during the last year, I show how children's access to public places in the city gets constrained by urban governance that neglects young people's needs. Examples from the neighborhoods of Istanbul, Turkey, indicate the importance of having in mind the whole community while thinking about bringing play opportunities in public spaces and at the same time raise questions about children's participation in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effects of reducing information uncertainty on matching outcomes in a college choice setting. Turkey reformed its college admissions in 1999, changing the preference submission process for 4-year programs from pre-exam to post-exam submission, both under the constrained Deferred Acceptance mechanism. A conceptual framework illustrates that the reform changed matching outcomes in two ways: (i) fewer programs with unfilled seats, (ii) more assortative matching between students and programs, i.e., higher cutoff ranks for more highly ranked programs. Results from a difference-in-differences strategy confirm such predictions and find that the reform led to less under-capacity among lower-ranked programs and stronger assortative matching between high-achieving students and highly ranked programs. Moreover, we find some suggestive evidence that the post-exam submission may have led to fewer enrolled students overall but more female students in 4-year programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flipped classroom (FC) model has become increasingly popular in dental education (DE) with its strengths for students. However, major concerns are lack of interaction, unwillingness to complete the assignments, low engagement during the pre‐class activities because of an unwell‐designed instructional setting of FC. Objectives: The recent study aims to investigate the effects of video‐driven discussions integrated into the flipped classroom (VdDs‐FC) model on dental students' (DSs) learning achievement, practical performance, and higher‐order thinking skills in a restorative dentistry course. Methods: This study adopted a sequential explanatory design from mixed‐methods research. A total of 96 DSs participated in a dentistry faculty of Türkiye. They were randomly divided into two groups: VdDs‐FC group and the conventional flipped classroom (c‐FC) group. Results and conclusions: The results showed that the VdDs‐FC model had significant positive effects on the practical performance of DSs in practical subjects and their problem‐solving and critical thinking skills. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in learning achievement and creativity. The use of FC in the c‐FC group did not lead to any difference in the students' achievements. Moreover, the qualitative results indicated that the VdDs‐FC model has the potential for enhancing peer learning, practical classroom activities, and higher‐order thinking skills. Implications: This study also includes several instructional implications and suggestions for educators, researchers, and practitioners on use of FC in dentistry. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Flipped learning has become a rapidly growing area of dentistry research.Discussion board could be beneficial to increasing dental students' higher order thinking skills, especially problem solving and critical thinking.Video‐driven discussions into flipped classroom provide several opportunities for practical performance in dental education, not for theoretical knowledge. What this paper adds: Video‐driven discussions into flipped classroom model is proposed.We compared two learning environments by including traditional flipped classroom.We found that the integrated model with flipped classroom can have a positive impact on students' achievement.Online discussions usage contributed to higher cognitive, affective, and behavioural learning outcomes.Based on interview data, the proposed model supports peer learning. Implications for practice and/or policy: Dental educators should integrated the digital discussion boards as out‐of‐class activities in the pre‐clinical dental training.From dental educators' perspective, they should be carefully trained in FC design (interaction elements, material design, integration with different methods, etc.).From instructional design perspective, micro videos should have case‐based or problem‐based activities to discuss.From learner perspective, an integration of the flipped classroom with different technologies could have a positive effect on increasing learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to identify the causal impact of educational human capital on social distancing behavior at workplace in Turkey using district-level data for the period of April 2020 - February 2021. We adopt a unified causal framework, predicated on domain knowledge, theory-justified constraints anda data-driven causal structure discovery using causal graphs. We answer our causal query by employing machine learning prediction algorithms; instrumental variables in the presence of latent confounding and Heckman's model in the presence of selection bias. Results show that educated regions are able to distance-work and educational human capital is a key factor in reducing workplace mobility, possibly through its impact on employment. This pattern leads to higher workplace mobility for less educated regions and translates into higher Covid-19 infection rates. The future of the pandemic lies in less educated segments of developing countries and calls for public health action to decrease its unequal and pervasive impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional visual inspection technique for damage assessment of buildings immediately after an earthquake can be time‐consuming, labor‐intensive, and risky. Numerous studies have been carried out using deep learning techniques, particularly convolutional neural network (CNN), to evaluate the damage to building structures after an earthquake using buildings' damage images. Quantum computing, on the other hand, is a computing environment that can exploit superposition and entanglement, which are not available in classical computing environments, to achieve higher performance using parallelism between qubits. This paper presents a novel quantum CNN (QCNN) approach to detect damage to reinforced concrete (RC) buildings from images after the earthquake. The QCNN model is developed and trained using the RC building damaged images collected from past earthquakes. The performance of this model is evaluated based on the multiclass damage detection ability of the real‐world RC building damaged images collected from the recent earthquake in Turkey in February 2023. Furthermore, the seismic damage detection accuracy obtained from the QCNN model is compared with various CNN architecture results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Türkiye has a long history of hosting millions of refugees, but since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, it has emerged as the world's leading refugee‐hosting country. Due to this fact, the frequency of refugee inflows to Türkiye has attracted us to explore refugees' macroeconomic impacts as the ongoing political and social debates in Türkiye regarding refugees are immensely focused on their economic impacts. Hence, this paper investigates the effect of refugees on unemployment in Türkiye. The study utilizes the Auto Regressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) Bounds Test approach from 1991 to 2021. Our results yield the pronounced positive and aggravating impact of refugees on unemployment rates in Türkiye. Türkiye's policymakers should focus on local economic policies to improve the refugees' formal integration into the labour market to resolve the negative economic effect of refugee hosting on the labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably brought up the issue of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for businesses in Turkey. In this global pandemic, strategies developed to effectively address OHS risks and eliminate them with reliable, high-quality data have gained importance. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the perceptions of employees in the forest products industry in Turkey regarding the OHS during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: The sample of the descriptive and analytical study consisted of a total of 371 employees in forest product businesses located in Turkey. The sample of the study was determined by the purpose-based sampling method. Data were collected both online and face-to-face from June 2022 to October 2022. The data were obtained using the Questionnaire of Employee and Business Characteristics and the Scale of Employees' Perceptions on the OHS (S-POHS) adapted by Özden (2022). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and calculated by descriptive analyses, pairwise comparison tests and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: 39.1% of the employees with a mean age of 34.12±8.78 years are high school graduates and 61.5% are workers. Significant differences were found in the S-POHS average scores of the employees in the businesses that produce paper-cardboard, have operated for less than 20 years, have a partnership structure with foreign capital and have an OHS Management System Quality Certificate (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: While a positive OHS perception level has already been achieved in the forest products industry in business administrations and by employees, it is clear that this should not be lost and it should be prepared for the next crises by adding new applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we test the validity of the purchasing power parity (PPP) hypothesis between Türkiye and its trading partners - the European Union, China, and the US - for the period from January 2001 to January 2020. We test the stationarity of the real exchange rates for the validity of the PPP hypothesis by applying linear and nonlinear unit root tests. We also employ Fourier-based tests to account for the structural changes that occurred in the considered period. Test results indicate that shocks are temporary, and the PPP hypothesis is valid for Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term "free zone" refers to designated areas in which companies are taxed very lightly and it enhances global market presence by attracting new business and foreign investments. For over a century, governments around the world have sought to boost and exploit the economic power of their particular regions and zones by designating them as "special" or "free" economic zones. The trend of establishing such zones or areas have gained momentum in the last four or five decades with countries accounting for small businesses and millions of direct or indirect jobs. The Middle East, especially the countries in the Persian Gulf, for some and other reasons, have particularly embarked on such a trend. The current paper tries to highlight benefits and challenges faced by free trade zones in Iran, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, taking into account recent global financial crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the phenomenon of English-medium instruction (EMI) in higher education through the lens of neoliberalism and linguistic entrepreneurship. Although commonly reported benefits of EMI include improved English proficiency and better job opportunities, there is a lack of research critically examining the relationship between EMI and these presumed benefits. Through the lens of linguistic entrepreneurship, this study compares engineering students' perceptions of the linguistic and professional benefits of EMI before, during, and after study in Turkey. Employing a mixed-methods design, data were collected from prospective, current, and former students via questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. The findings revealed significant differences between groups regarding perceptions of learning and professional outcomes. This paper demonstrates how students' perceptions of EMI are shaped by the ideals of linguistic entrepreneurship and suggests that the professional benefits of EMI may be more nuanced than assumed, with implications for EMI pedagogy and policy in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of English medium instruction (EMI), multilingual research approaches are crucial to carrying out effective and ethically responsible research, because EMI policies and practices are inherently multilingual. This paper is a partial replication study that adopts a 'researching multilingually' analytical framework to interrogate the challenges and affordances of using multiple languages during two EMI research projects. In the project in Turkey, the lead researcher, who is an English-Turkish bilingual, analysed policy documents (n = 145) and interview data (n = 67) drawing on her knowledge of both languages. Additionally, 85 EMI classroom observations were conducted. In the project in China, the research team of two L1 English speakers and two L1 Chinese speakers investigated 93 bilingual policy documents and conducted interviews with 26 policy arbiters by drawing on both languages during data collection and analysis. Together, these reflections highlight how multilingual approaches can be utilised throughout the research process, from team formation, research design, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of findings in research reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the main components of the hydrological cycle and plays a crucial role for water resources. It is sensitive to climate change, and therefore, estimating ET under changing climatic conditions is essential in comprehending hydrological processes, particularly in agricultural water management. In this study, the impact of climate change on ET in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye was assessed. For this purpose, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate change scenarios based on two Earth System Models, HadGEM2-ES and MPI-ESM-MR, were employed for three future time periods: 2025-2049, 2050-2074, and 2075-2098. As a baseline period for comparison, the time interval spanning 1980-2000 was considered. ET values were computed by using the Penman-Monteith equation, recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization, along with five widely utilized methods. The study revealed a consistent increase in ET depending on the employed methods for the future period in response to climate change. The average of the ET amounts for the region was determined as 1089 mm for the reference period 1980-2000. As the average of the six methods utilized, amounts estimated by HadGEM RCP4.5, HadGEM RCP8.5, MPI RCP4.5, and MPI RCP8.5 models for the future period were obtained as 1 199, 1 285, 1 166, and 1 248 mm, respectively. Considering the results, it is found that the ET amount in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye will increase by up to 11% by the end of this century under the optimistic RCP 4.5 scenario and by up to 19% under the extreme RCP 8.5 scenario. These findings regarding increased evapotranspiration play a significant role in water resource management and agricultural production planning in the region, holding crucial implications for sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marriage in Türkiye, as in many societies, is of great importance in the reproduction of life, and the choice of a spouse often involves the intervention of families and society. Within this structure, it is seen that marriages usually occur between extended family members or the same ethnic/sectarian groups. Nevertheless, mixed marriages between migrants with different ethnic, racial, religious, and cultural identities and settled people have increased in the last 30 years. The fluidity of the transnational social space created by marriages is effective in this increase. This paper reviews the current studies on mixed marriages in Türkiye from the perspective of transnational social spaces, which express a way of life somewhere between two communities and provides a link between them. It reflects the ways in which this fluidity affects the political and social positioning of mixed marriages and the agency of marriage migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? This paper responds to this ever‐significant question by scrutinizing people's belief in conspiracy theories in Turkey. Building on Max Weber's theory of rationalization, it proposes that value‐laden and instrumentally rational predispositions, namely religiosity and partisanship, predict people's beliefs in conspiracy theories. This current study tests this hypothesis by analyzing two nationwide surveys conducted during a period of significant changes in modern Turkish politics: January and July 2013. The findings confirm the hypothesis that people interpret conspiracy theories in line with their instrumental, rational interests and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The study aims to understand the facilitators and barriers associated with enforcing and complying with Türkiye's smoke-free policy from the perspective of hospitality venue owners and employees. METHODS A qualitative open-ended survey was conducted in Istanbul and Ankara in 2021 with 58 respondents from 3 different districts in each city from four types of venues: restaurants, traditional coffee and waterpipe houses, and European-style cafés. The open-ended survey included questions to understand the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of respondents about Türkiye's smoke-free policy and their perceptions of the facilitators and/or barriers to smoke-free policy implementation and changes after COVID-19. The data were analyzed using an inductive approach to identify patterns and categorize the data into themes. RESULTS The respondents expressed that the smoke-free policy aimed to protect employees and customers from secondhand smoke (SHS), respect human health, and improve air quality. Findings suggest that the positive attitude of venue owners and staff toward the smoke-free policy serves as a facilitator. However, fear of financial impact, customers' negative attitudes, difficulties in meeting physical requirements, and insufficient enforcement were found to be barriers to implementing the smoke-free policy. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were reported as an initial increase in compliance and awareness among customers and staff, but some respondents noted negative changes due to the emotional and financial effects of prolonged restrictions. These challenges have led to decreased attention on the smoke-free policy among venue owners, staff and customers. Respondents' suggested improvements were related to building infrastructure, such as the ventilation systems and educating the public on the harmful health effects of smoking. CONCLUSIONS Despite the general understanding of the dangers of secondhand smoke and the smoke-free policy, this study highlights the challenges in implementing smoke-free policy measures and the continued need to raise awareness about the importance of a 100% smoke-free venue. A comprehensive approach to addressing the tobacco epidemic as a multifaceted public health issue is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Asthma and COPD management have a broad framework, and smoking cessation plays an essential role. We examine the management of asthma and COPD patients not only for inhaler treatment options but also for essential interventions, such as smoking cessation support. METHODS Data were collected cross-sectionally from pulmonology departments of three government hospitals in Türkiye between May and September 2022. Patients aged ≥18 years who had been diagnosed with asthma or COPD for at least a year, were included in the study. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were investigated. Routine cessation interventions were implemented for current smokers, and they were followed via phone calls after one month regarding their quit status and access to cessation clinics. RESULTS Data from 145 patients with asthma and 148 patients with COPD were analyzed. The rate of current smoking among patients with asthma and COPD was 18.8% and 34.5%, respectively. Current smoking was negatively associated with age (<65 years) and disease duration (years) for both diseases (p<0.05). In addition, for asthmatics, presence of pulmonary disease in the family (OR:0.28, 95% CI: 0.10-0.79) and for COPD patients presence of hospitalization (OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.07-0.93) were negatively associated with current smoking. After one month, 85.1% of current asthmatic smokers had not tried to call a quitline, while 14.8% had tried to contact a quitline. Among current smoker COPD patients, only 1.9% had visited a smoking cessation clinic. CONCLUSIONS Tobacco cessation support seems to be neglected in asthma and COPD management. Instead, pulmonologists and patients focus on pharmaceutical treatments, which constitute the other component of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image and reputation are key factors in how nations are perceived by global audiences. Current and historical issues can pose as challenges to a nation's reputation prompting the need to save face. The Armenian genocide is one of the most critical issues the Republic of Turkey has had to manage in terms of its global image and reputation. While the vast body of literature on the subject borrows from history and political science focusing on the mechanism of denial, this paper offers a communication framework to understand the rhetoric of Turkey's image repair. Turkey's crisis communication strategies vis-à-vis the centennial of the Armenian genocide are analyzed by employing Benoit's image repair theory through a content analysis of official statements and declarations by the heads of state given in 2014 and 2015. In response to the emerging political crisis, the Turkish government primarily employed image repair strategies of evading responsibility and reducing offensiveness with the aim to appeal to international audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper provides causal evidence on how political parties can sway voters at scale in nascent electoral democracies. We collect novel data on expressway construction by the Justice and Development Party in Turkey and use province-by-year variation in construction to show that votes for the Justice and Development Party increased in response to the expressways. The estimates imply that the expressways increased the Justice and Development Party's vote share by 4.8 percentage points—a third of the increase from 2002 to 2011. We provide evidence that the visibility and competence signalled by the expressway expansion, and not increased local economic growth, drove increased vote shares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frontline language teachers have experienced anxiety, vulnerability, and emotional burnout as a result of the sudden transition to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study extracted Language Teacher Emotions (LTE) literature from the Scopus database during the period 2000-2022. During the first round of data extraction, 169 relevant documents written in English were identified. Furthermore, the researchers conducted a scientometric analysis using the literature analysis tool, CiteSpace (v.5.8.R3), and employed co-citation techniques involving visualization and text mining. Our results indicate the following: (1) The first LTE publication was released in 2004, followed by a growing number of publications in the first decade. Nevertheless, more studies were published during 2020-2022; (2) The five countries with the highest number of publications were the USA, China, Iran, the UK, and Turkey; (3) According to Author Co-citation Analysis (ACA), the majority of researchers had expertise in language education, teaching methods, educational assessment, teacher education, and applied psychology; (4) Based on the Document Co-citation Analysis (DCA), emotional labour, emotional burden, and vulnerability were the primary topics of interest; (5) Cluster analysis of keywords indicates that the LTE research trajectory was inevitably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the first scientometric review of LTE research, this study calls for a greater understanding of the impact of online and blended teaching during the post-pandemic period. It will be of interest to inter-domain researchers and frontline teachers in terms of identifying influential scholars, publications, and research trends, as well as considering future research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the dynamics of neoliberal agrarian restructuring within the Turkish sugar industry, focusing on the 2018 privatization of the Alpullu Sugar Factory. The analysis examines the transformative impact of market dependence and land commodification on relationship of farmers with the agricultural sector. Specifically, it focuses on two significant neoliberal shifts that have altered the dynamics of farming. First, the withdrawal of state support in agricultural markets prompted farmers to diversify their income streams, leading to a transition from sugar beet cultivation to alternative crops and contemplation of urban migration. Second, in the 2000s, farmers, grappling with declining agricultural revenues, increasingly relied on private bank credits as a means of financial security. This shift was propelled by changes in agricultural policy regulations and the dissolution of state‐sponsored credit systems. Employing a blend of qualitative and quantitative research methods, this study elucidated these complex transformations and their profound impact on agrarian livelihoods, land ownership shifts, production strategies and market relationships. The research revealed the complex interplay of social, economic and historical dynamics steering the trajectory of the Turkish sugar industry, providing valuable insights into neoliberal restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates belonging among Turkish Alevi older migrants during their stays in the origin country. The few studies that cover belonging among older migrants primarily examined belonging within the confines of host countries. As substantial amounts of time are spent in origin countries, migrants' life worlds are thus only partially studied. Furthermore, the importance of context for belonging is thereby insufficiently acknowledged. Antonsich's (2010) framework inspires this investigation, distinguishing place-belongingness and politics of belonging. Based on observations and 21 interviews with older Alevi migrants in Turkey, we show that the autobiographic story is particularly useful to study older migrants' belonging, that minority identity shapes belonging, and that the location of the interview matters for the types of narratives collected. This study thereby adds to literature on belonging among older migrant populations, to understanding of the complementary nature of place-belongingness and politics of belonging, and to scholarly acknowledgement of the importance of context for belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the relationship between domestic and international prices of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea fertilisers together with exchange rates in Türkiye using the non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model on monthly data for the period of January 2011 to September 2022. The result of the study provides empirical evidence about the presence of asymmetries in the short and long-run among these fertilisers. The findings of the study confirm that international prices of di-ammonium phosphate and urea fertilisers have a symmetric effect in the long-run and exchange rate of the Turkish lira to US dollars has an asymmetric effect on the domestic prices of fertilisers in the short run. This is the first study in Türkiye to delineate the dynamic simultaneous interaction among these markets and its findings can be extremely useful for academicians, and policymakers to make decisions regarding the market structure of countries that do not have sufficient domestic resources for fertiliser supply and are dependent on imports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new logistic smooth transition autoregressive (LSTAR) cointegration test by combining the Fourier function to catch the structural changes that occur over time and the LSTAR model to consider the nonlinearity. Logistic and exponential functions are the main transition functions defining the nonlinearity in STAR models since the exponential smooth transition autoregressive (ESTAR) and LSTAR models can explain the different structures of economic variables. The Fourier approach is a simple and effective way to model the structural changes in time series as an alternative to dummy variables. The most significant advantage of the method is that it does not require prior knowledge about the date, number of breaks, or forms. Monte Carlo simulation results show that the proposed test has good size and power properties for different sample sizes and parameters. The results also revealed that the power performance of the proposed test and the Fourier ESTAR test offered by Güriş and Sedefoğlu (2022) are close to each other. The steps of the Fourier-based tests are illustrated by providing an empirical example of testing the validity of the purchasing power parity (PPP) hypothesis in Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the fracture resistance and type of failure of two adhesive fiber post systems used to restore endodontically treated teeth. Material and Methods. Twenty-seven extracted premolars were selected and divided into three groups (n = 9): a control group restored with direct composite core (group 1), teeth restored with single fiberglass posts (group 2), and teeth were restored with multifiber posts (Biolight Plus System) (group 3). Fracture resistance was measured by applying axial compressive loads parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tooth until failure. Data was analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Turkey tests. Results. The results showed that the mean forces to failure of the control group (0.068 kN) were significantly lower than those restored with either fiberglass post systems (p = 0.013). There was no significant difference between the multifiber and the single fiberglass post system in terms of resistance to fracture (p = 0.097). Although there are more teeth fractured favorably (above the CEJ) in the Biolight Plus group (77.7%) compared to both the control and fiberglass post groups, it was not statistically significant (p = 0.226). Conclusion. Within the limitations of this study, restoring endodontically treated with a multifiber post system is an adequate alternative to single fiberglass post system in terms of resistance to fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In recent decades, researchers have increasingly begun to study the effects of transformational leadership on various teachers' attitudes in K-12 settings. However, studies on the effect of transformational leadership on the job satisfaction of vocational high school teachers are not sufficient. Therefore, in this study, the nature of the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction in Turkish vocational high schools was examined. Design/methodology/approach: The study data came from 847 teachers working at 82 state vocational high schools located in 12 regions in Türkiye. To test the research model, we conducted multilevel structural equation modeling to explore the structural relationships between transformational leadership, teacher professional learning, teacher' self-efficacy and job satisfaction. Findings: The analysis confirms that teacher professional learning and self-efficacy are prominent mediators in the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction in Turkish vocational high schools. Originality/value: The present study is expected to contribute to the body of research focusing on the effects of transformational leadership on job satisfaction in vocational high schools. Implications for theory, practice and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land snails, including some economically important species, are commonly found in forests and mountainous regions of Türkiye. Türkiye's large geomorphological region and four surrounding seas, which offer a variety of malacofauna, help Türkiye achieve an endemism grade of over 65%. Despite extensive research over the past few decades, we still lack a sufficient understanding of the species identification of land snails in Türkiye, particularly in areas like forested mountain regions, and it is assumed that there are more than 1000 taxa in total. This review emphasizes the existence of invasive non-native snail species in Türkiye, such as Arion ater (Linnaeus, 1758) and Arion vulgaris Moquin-Tandon, 1855, which have a negative impact on agricultural and horticultural output. In addition to these species, Theba pisana, Cornu aspersum, Xeropicta derbentina, Xeropicta krynickii, Cernuella virgata and Eobania vermiculata are also found in Türkiye as non- native land snail species. Moreover, it also places a strong emphasis on the necessity of managing invasive species to reduce their detrimental effects on natural ecosystems by giving examples from the world and covers the predictions about the possible threats that the presence of non-native invasive land snail species in Türkiye may pose in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which is already one of the EU's most impactful instruments for reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs), will soon include the maritime transport industry. Although ports are this industry's most environmental-friendly component, there are still some barriers to including ports in the system. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to identify these barriers and to reveal the barriers' interrelationships. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted by identifying barriers from a literature review before analyzing the barriers with the Fuzzy DEMATEL method. Finally, based on the Complex Adaptive System Approach, various solutions are proposed to overcome these barriers. Findings: The identified barriers were grouped into cause-and-effect groups. Two barriers, namely long payback period and high investment costs, were evaluated as triggers of the model while the others were more sensitive to the model. Research limitations/implications: This study only includes the perceptions of green certificated ports in Türkiye. The results revealed an expectation that elimination of financial concerns will alleviate other barriers to including ports in the system. The study's findings can guide port managers on the integration of the managers' processes into the system. Originality/value: This study provides novel findings regarding the relationships between barriers hindering ports from involvement in the EU ETS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are introduced to guide achieving the sustainable goals and tackle the global problems. United Nations members may perform activities to achieve the predetermined goals and report on their SDG activities. The comprehension and commitment of several stakeholders are essential for the effective implementation of the SDGs. Countries encourage their stakeholders to perform and report their activities to meet the SDGs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which corporations' annual reports address the SDGs to assess and comprehend their level of commitment to, priority of and integration of SDGs within their reporting structure. This research makes it easier to evaluate corporations' sustainability performance and contributions to global sustainability goals by looking at the extent to which they address the SDGs. Design/methodology/approach: In the study, it is revealed to what extent the reports meet the SDGs with the multilabel text classification approach. The SDG classification is carried out by examining the report with the help of a text analysis tool based on an enhanced version of gradient boosting. The implementation of a machine learning-based model allowed it to determine which SDGs are associated with the company's operations without the requirement for the report's authors to perform so. Therefore, instead of reading the texts to seek for "SDG" evidence as typically occurs in the literature, SDG proof was searched in relevant texts. Findings: To show the feasibility of the study, the annual reports of the leading companies in Turkey are examined, and the results are interpreted. The study produced results including insights into the sustainable practices of businesses, priority SDG selection, benchmarking and business comparison, gaps and improvement opportunities identification and representation of the SDGs' importance. Originality/value: The findings of the analysis of annual reports indicate which SDGs they are concerned about. A gap in the literature can be noticed in the analysis of annual reports of companies that fall under a particular framework. In addition, it has sparked the idea of conducting research on a global scale and in a time series. With the aid of this research, decision-making procedures can be guided, and advancements toward the SDGs can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The "United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal" 9 seeks to "... foster innovation" in all sectors of an economy. Thus, this conceptual piece addresses the indirect effect of innovative behaviour (INB) between total quality management (TQM) and innovation performance (INP). It further explores the context-contingent effect of four external factors [government regulation (GOV), market dynamism (MKD), competitive intensity (CMP) and technological turbulence (TUR)] on the TQM–INB linkage. Design/methodology/approach: By incorporating both theoretical and empirical works in the fields of strategic management, innovation and business performance, this conceptual piece constructs a conceptual model, using a systematic literature review, alongside suppositions that can be tested in further studies. Findings: This conceptual piece puts forward that TQM will be favourably connected to INP, and this favourable association will be mediated by INB. Moreover, GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR will have a favourable context-contingent effect on the favourable direct connection between TQM and INB. Research limitations/implications: This conceptual piece affords suggestions for both practitioners and researchers alike in the areas of innovative and strategic decision-making in banking establishments for reinforcing INP by introducing TQM, INB, GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR as innovative-strategic tools. It also delivers suggestions for forthcoming academics to examine this conceptual piece, empirically, in diverse banking sites worldwide. Practical implications: Practical lessons for managers, employees, customers and consultants within the banking sector for the superior advantage of all key stakeholders are deliberated. Originality/value: This study provides a new model to demonstrate how TQM leads to INP by passing through INB of employees, and how TQM fosters INB under diverse degrees of GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR. It shows how internal factors (7 TQM dimensions) and external factors (GOV, MKD, CMP and TUR) interact to foster employee INB. It also underscores the theoretical authority of three theories utilised, both individually and in combination, by using them to explain new relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psoriasis is an important health problem responsible for morbidity and workforce loss. In recent years, anti‐IL‐23 drugs have become essential in psoriasis treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of guselkumab therapy, recently used in Turkey, by examining real‐life data over 36 weeks. Methods: A total of 39 psoriasis patients (>18 years old) who received guselkumab treatment between December 2021 and December 2022 in the dermatology department of our hospital were included in the study. Patients" ages, sexes, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, duration of illness, drugs used before guselkumab treatment, clinical response to guselkumab treatment, and side effects, if any, were recorded. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores at baseline and Weeks 4, 12, 24, and 36 were evaluated, as well as the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) at the beginning and end of the study. Results: The PASI scores at Weeks 4, 12, 24, and 36 and the DLQI at Week 36 decreased statistically compared with baseline (p < 0.05). The PASI score at baseline and Weeks 4, 24, and 36 did not differ between groups based on IL‐17 use (p > 0.05). No significant correlation was observed between BMI, disease duration, and PASI scores at baseline and Weeks 4, 12, 24, and 36. No side effects were observed in any of the patients during treatment. Conclusion: This study includes real‐life data on the use of guselkumab therapy for psoriasis in the Turkish population. Based on the results, guselkumab is a highly effective and safe treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An issue arising in emergency distance education procedures, such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a lack of appropriate high-quality content and course activities for high ability students suitable for distance education. In this study, online CAD-based learning experiences structured with the Tinkercad Circuits Platform designed for gifted students were investigated based on the opinions of students regarding the distance education activity and the evaluations of the students' scientific writing skills. This study used a single case holistic design with 10 gifted 6th-grade students at Usak Science and Art Center in Türkiye. All of the students stated that they had not previously encountered an activity such as the "smart air conditioning system". The students also stated that although the activity was carried out in the form of distance education, it was positive and fun to be application-based, and that it was fun to research, discuss, design, and code with Tinkercad to look for a solution to the given problem. The evaluation of students' products showed participants' high level of proficiency in activities requiring advanced problem-solving skills, including planning the solution to the problem, creating an alternative plan for the solution, realizing, and evaluating the design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]