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This study was conducted using a qualitative approach as it aimed to evaluate the Science and Art Center Science Curriculum (SACSC), which was updated in 2020, within the framework of the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) approach by taking the opinions of science teachers working in Science and Art Centers (SACs) in Turkey. The data were collected according to the qualitative data collection method and a structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The findings showed that science teachers working in SACs have generally negative views on SACSC based on the context dimension of the CIPP Model, while their views are generally positive based on input, process, and product dimensions. Based on the results of the research, it is recommended to conduct other comparative studies between the SACSC and similar curricula in other countries in order to reveal the relationship between the program components and the needs of children and society.

The main purpose of the present study was to determine and evaluate the heavy metals in soil, forage and blood plasma of horses in Central Punjab, Pakistan. Concentrations of metals, cobalt (Co), selenium (Se), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) in these samples were determined. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer was used to determine the concentration of metals. The concentrations of all the analysed heavy metals differed significantly with different seasonal periods. The mean Fe, Co, Mn and Se values in blood plasma samples of 4 years (Cohort-8), 3 years (Cohort-9) and 2 years (Cohort-10) cohorts were 1.34, 0.18, 0.026 and 0.019 mg/L; 1.23, 0.17, 0.026 and 0.015 mg/L and 1.19, 0.15, 0.029 and 0.015 mg/L, respectively. No statistically significant changes were observed for heavy metal concentrations in plasma samples of horses according to two sampling seasons. The present results indicated that heavy metals in soil, forage and blood plasma samples were lower than the recommended critical levels except for the Mn accumulation in forage samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, artificial neural networks are suggested as a model that can be "trained" to yield qualitative results out of a huge amount of categorical data. It can be said that this is a new approach applied in educational qualitative data analysis. In this direction, a cascade-forward back-propagation neural network (CFBPN) model was developed to analyze categorical data for determine students' attitudes. The data were collected using a conceptual understanding test which includes open-ended questions. The results of this study indicate that using CFBPN model in analyzing data from educational research examining attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs may help us obtain more detailed information about the data analyzed and hence about the characteristics of the participants involved.

The objective of this study is to analyze and determine whether a developed recycling education program would lead to a positive change in the conceptual understanding of ecological concepts associated with matter cycles by high school students. The research was conducted on 68 high school 10th grade students (47 female and 21 male students). The research has been contextualized as a quasi-experimental design model with pretest-posttest control group and the EECUT Test was applied to the students in the research group prior to and after providing them with the respective courses with an aim to determine the effects of the Recycling Education Program (REP) on the conceptual understanding of ecological concepts by high school students. Based on the results a significant difference in the conceptual understanding of the students included in the respective experimental and control group was identified in the answers given to the EECUT WC and EECUT CC questions.

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]

This study aimed to assess the concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in the edible parts of grapefruit and kinnow fruit irrigated with sewage water (SW), tube-well water (TW), and canal water (CW). Preparation of the samples used in the study for metal analysis was carried out via the wet acid digestion method. Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) was used for metal determination. According to the results, Cu concentration ranged from 0.152 to 0.754 mg/L in water, 5.254 to 41.659 mg/kg in soil, and 0.128 to 0.864 mg/kg in fruit samples. Zn concentration varied from 0.574 to 2.723 mg/L in water, 17.812 to 112.954 mg/kg in soil, and 2.658 to 42.642 mg/kg in fruit samples. Fe concentration ranged from 0.254 to 1.245 mg/L in water, 10.635 to 48.638 mg/kg in soil, and 1.062 to 7.584 mg/kg in fruit samples. Mn concentration ranged from 0.154 to 0.638 mg/L in water, 51.283 to 183.865 mg/kg in soil, and 0.136 to 1.464 mg/kg in fruit samples. The Pollution Load Index (PLI) indicated that Cu and Mn exceeded a PLI value of one, and Zn had a PLI > 1 only in sewage water-irrigated sites. Bioconcentration Factor (BCF), Enrichment Factor (EF), Daily Intake of Metal (DIM), and Health Risk Index (HRI) values for all metals were within permissible limits, indicating no immediate health risks associated with consuming these fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling and its applications are growing significantly due to the great potential for solving a range of environmental problems in society. Nevertheless, there are currently very few instruments that can provide valid and reliable data on students' attitudes toward recycling. In this regard, this article focuses on the development and validation of Recycling Attitude Scale (RAS). The items in the RAS were developed initially from the responses to three open-ended items by 53 tenth and eleventh grade students and literature review on recycling attitude. This initial form was pilot tested with 356 tenth and eleventh grade students and then subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Subsequently, the revised version of the scale was administrated to 694 tenth grade students, and the results were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. The RAS consists of 21 items in three subscales, with responses recorded on a four-point Likert scale, options ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient (a) of the scale was found to be 0.87. The results indicate that the RAS a potentially valuable tool for both instructors and researchers in Turkey for the assessment of the attitudes toward recycling held by students in secondary education.

The primary objective of this study was to determine the heavy metal contents in the water–soil–coriander samples in an industrial wastewater irrigated area and to assess the health risks of these metals to consumers. Sampling was done from areas adjoining the Chistian sugar mill district Sargodha and two separate sites irrigated with groundwater (Site 1), and sugar mill effluents (Site 2) were checked for possible metal contamination. The water–soil–coriander continuum was tested for the presence of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). The mean concentrations of all metals were higher than the permissible limits for all studied metals except for Mn in the sugar mill wastewater, with Fe (8.861 mg/L) and Zn (9.761 mg/L) exhibiting the highest values. The mean levels of Fe (4.023 mg/kg), Cd (2.101 mg/kg), Cr (2.135 mg/kg), Cu (2.180 mg/kg), and Ni (1.523 mg/kg) were high in the soil at Site 2 in comparison to the groundwater irrigated site where Fe (3.232 mg/kg) and Cd (1.845 mg/kg) manifested high elemental levels. For coriander specimens, only Cd had a higher mean level in both the groundwater (1.245 mg/kg) and the sugar mill wastewater (1.245 mg/kg) irrigated sites. An estimation of the pollution indices yielded a high risk from Cd (health risk index (HRI): 173.2), Zn (HRI: 7.012), Mn (HRI: 6.276), Fe (HRI: 1.709), Cu (HRI: 1.282), and Ni (HRI: 1.009), as all values are above 1.0 indicating a hazard to human health from consuming coriander irrigated with wastewater. Regular monitoring of vegetables irrigated with wastewater is strongly advised to reduce health hazards to people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni in the edible parts of grapefruit and kinnow fruit irrigated with sewage water, tube-well water, and canal water. Preparation of the samples used in the study for metal analysis was carried out by the wet acid digestion method. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used for metal determination. All of the studied metals were more abundant in water, soil, and fruit samples from sites irrigated with sewage water than from those irrigated with tube-well and canal water. The concentrations of Pb were established in the range of 0.047 to 0.175 mg/L in water, 12.652 to 47.863 mg/kg in soil, and 0.023 to 0.124 mg/kg in fruit samples of both varieties. The range of Cr varied from 0.107 to 0.741 mg/L in water, from 1.121 to 5.835 mg/kg in soil, and from 0.054 to 0.784 mg/kg in fruit samples of both varieties. The range of Cd varied from 0.004 to 0.028 mg/L in water, from 1.258 to 4.246 mg/kg in soil, and from 0.012 to 0.131 mg/kg in fruit samples of both varieties. The range of Ni varied from 0.384 to 1.815 mg/L in water, from 5.367 to 18.658 mg/kg in soil, and from 0.028 to 1.475 mg/kg in fruit samples of both varieties. The pollution load index indicated that Pb exceeded a value of 1, while Cd and Ni exceeded 1 only in sewage-water-irrigated sites. The bioconcentration factor, enrichment factor, daily intake of metal, and health risk index values for all metals were below 1, within permissible limits, indicating no immediate health risks associated with consuming these fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the confirmatory factor analysis for testing validity and reliability of Traditional Knowledge Attitude Scale (TKAS) to measure university students' attitudes. The items in the TKAS were developed initially from the responses to two open-ended items by 30 university students and literature review on traditional knowledge. This initial form was pilot tested with 396 university students from various departments and then subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Later, the revised version of the scale was administered to 469 university students, and those results were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. The TKAS consisted of three subscales and 15 items with responses recorded on a four-point Likert scale, options ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient (alpha) of the scale was found to be 0.90. Study results indicate that the TKAS can serve as a valuable tool for both instructors and researchers in Turkey to assess university students' traditional knowledge attitudes.

In Pakistan, wastewater such as industrial and urban wastewater is widely used for agricultural irrigation despite its chemical and pollutant content. In this respect, it is important to determine the risks of heavy metal accumulation in various agricultural products and the risks to human health. The aims of this study were to assess the heavy metal(loid)s contamination in soil and sugar beet samples and to assess the health risks of heavy metal(loid)s to the population via the consumption of sugar beet. The heavy metal(loid) values in the wastewater-irrigated soil samples ranged from 0.260 to 4.053 mg/kg, and wastewater-irrigated sugar beet samples ranged from 0.051 to 1.666 mg/kg. In contrast to Cd, Ni, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cr and Zn, which appeared to pose a health risk, Pb, Co, and Cr had Health Risk Index (HRI) values lower than 1.0 and did not appear to pose a threat to human health. Cd accumulation with HRI values over 1 (144.8) indicated that this metal is likely to have a major negative impact on local health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted using a qualitative approach as it aimed to evaluate the Science and Art Center Science Curriculum (SACSC), which was updated in 2020, within the framework of the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) approach by taking the opinions of science teachers working in Science and Art Centers (SACs) in Turkey. The data were collected according to the qualitative data collection method and a structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The findings showed that science teachers working in SACs have generally negative views on SACSC based on the context dimension of the CIPP Model, while their views are generally positive based on input, process, and product dimensions. Based on the results of the research, it is recommended to conduct other comparative studies between the SACSC and similar curricula in other countries in order to reveal the relationship between the program components and the needs of children and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater contains a surplus amount of trace metals that contaminate the soil and crops. A pot trial was performed to determine the impact of wastewater on the zinc accumulation in forages and their associated health risk. Forages both of summer (Zea mays, Echinochloa colona, Pennisetum typhoideum, Sorghum vulgare, Sorghum bicolor, Sesbania rostrata, and Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and winter (Trifolium alexandrinum, Medicago sativa, Brassica campestris, Trifolium resupinatum, Brassica juncea, and Brassica napus) were grown with sewage water and tap water treatment. The experiment was laid down in a completely randomized design with five replicates. The concentration of zinc in water, root and forage samples were analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In tap water, the zinc value was 0.498 mg/L and in wastewater 0.509 mg/L, respectively. The maximum level of zinc in the forages leaves was 3.582 mg/kg found in Brassica napus grown in the winter season. The maximum observed value for zinc bioconcentration factor in Brassica juncea was (2.88) grown in winter. The values of pollution load index for zinc were found less than 1. The values of daily intake of metal and health risk index for zinc in all forages were less than 1 indicated that consumption of these forages was free of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DESPITE of its nutrient content, sewage water includes different contaminants responsible for the pollution of soil and plants. In this study, an experiment was conducted at the University of Sargodha to evaluate the danger of the presence of cobalt in forages irrigated with city effluent. Moreover, the health risks associated with livestock feed on these contaminated forages were evaluated. Cobalt accumulation in different parts of plants was analysed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AA-6300 Shimadzu Japan). Some critical indices like pollution load index, bioconcentration factor and health risk index were also determined. The observed cobalt values in water samples used for irrigation were 0.164 mg/L in tap water and 0.191mg/L in sewage water. The highest cobalt concentration was observed in the root of the winter forage Trifolium alexandrinum (1.560mg/kg) irrigated with sewage water, while the minimum concentration was recorded in Sorghum bicolor, a summer forage irrigated with tap water (0.085mg/kg). The maximum bioconcentration factor value for cobalt was 7.7 in the winter crop of T. resupinatum. The maximum pollution load index, daily intake and health risk index values for cobalt were 0.8910,0.026 and 0.6104, respectively. All of these maximum values were determined for the samples irrigated with sewage water. In summary, the cobalt contents in soil and plant samples significantly increased when the samples were irrigated with sewage water as compared to tap water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research determines the effect of wastewater for irrigation on heavy metal accumulation in vegetables in the example of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and to evaluate human health risk from consumption. Trace metal values of Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Ni and Mn, were determined in the water, soil and plant samples by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Trace metal concentrations in spinach samples ranged from 0.29 to 0.37, 0.14 to 1.25, 0.07 to 0.67, 1.12 to 2.48, 0.33 to 0.38, 1.92 to 2.90 and 0.51 to 0.63 mg/kg for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn and Mn, respectively. These values of trace metals were lower than the permissible limits except for Cd. All health risk index (HRI) values except for Cd were less than 1. However, the HRI values related to spinach samples irrigated with canal water and sugar mill water were generally higher than the values of the samples irrigated with groundwater. The HRI value of Cd was higher than 1 and consumers of such vegetables in which HRI of metal was greater than 1 will be at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present research was to determine the trace metal accumulations in Brassica campestris irrigated with three different water regimes (groundwater, canal water, and sugar mill water). The analysis was conducted by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer to evaluate the concentration of minerals in the soil and in vegetables. The heavy metals investigated in this study were Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Ni, and Mn. Trace metal concentrations in soil samples ranged from 0.30 to 0.39, 0.14 to 0.30, 0.25 to 0.39, 1.47 to 3.98, 0.37 to 0.41, 0.8 to 8.78 and 0.36 to 0.36 mg/kg for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn and Mn, respectively. Among the three treatments, the mean concentrations of Fe and Zn were higher than other metal accumulations for all treatments. The contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn and Mn in Brassica campestris ranged from 0.35 to 0.44, 0.32 to 0.89, 0.09 to 0.73, 1.93 to 3.02, 1.11 to 1.82, 0.36 to 0.43 and 0.37 to 0.40 mg/kg, respectively. Statistical analyses showed that the treatments have a non-significant effect (p>0.05) on concentrations of metals in Brassica campestris collected from three sites for Cd, Cr, Cu and Mn and significant effect on Fe, Zn, and Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE MAIN objective of the study was to determine the cadmium (Cd) concentrations in vegetables grown in soil irrigated with canal water and sewage water. The samples were analysed by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The mean Cd concentrations in soil ranged between 1.153-2.294mg/kg and the mean Cd concentrations (mg/kg) in vegetables ranged from 0.789 to 1.575, 0.210 to 0.423, 0.264 to 0.523, 0.203 to 0.404, 0.169 to 0.334, 0.223 to 0.443, 0.723 to 1.443 and 0.344 to 1.450mg/kg for Raphanus sativus, Brassica rapa, Zingiber officinale, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum annuum, Solanum lycopersicum and Curcuma longa, respectively. The recorded health risk index value for Cd concentration was greater than 1 in each vegetable and these values were higher than the determined permissible limit. In all vegetables, health risk index values for Cd were higher during sewage water treatments as compared to the canal water treatments. Finally, the study showed that bioaccumulation of Cd in vegetable samples was high in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of potential toxic metals; cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) in the wheat variety (Fsd-2008) irrigated by sewage water. Various indices were examined such as bioconcentration factor, enrichment factor and health risk index in order to better understand the transport and accumulation of metals through the food chain. Seeds of wheat variety were sown toward the end of October 2014 and flooded with different combinations of local sewage water and groundwater. Determination of metal concentration in soil and wheat samples was carried out by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Analysis of mean metal concentration in soil that was irrigated by five different water treatments revealed that the mean concentration of Cd was less in the soil of treatment III, IV and V. Results also indicated that the mean concentrations of Cd, Cu and Cr increased and that of Ni and Pb decreased by sewage water irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel (Ni) is essential for plant metabolism but is dangerous to most plants and other organisms when present in large concentrations. In this study, nickel (Ni) was chosen as an important environmental pollutant and toxic substance due to its widespread availability, and high persistence, causing soil pollution and serious environmental problems. The main aim of the study is to determine the Ni content in various wheat varieties and soil grown in various water regimes (sewage water, groundwater and industrial water) in Punjab, Pakistan. The Ni concentrations were determined via the ecological environment (water, soils) and below (roots) and above-ground plant organs (shoots and wheat grains) and phytostabilization potential assessment using various pollution indices. The results showed that the mean Ni concentration in different wheat varieties varied from 1.35 to 2.45 mg/kg, 1.17 to 2.42 mg/kg, 1.09 to 2.10 mg/kg and 0.99 to 1.54 mg/kg in soil, root, shoot, and grains, respectively. Research findings also revealed that the nickel concentration in soil and grains is within the safe limits and all the indices for Ni are less than 1. As a result, the studied wheat cultivars appear to be safe for consumption. However, it can be said that the continuous use of wastewater for irrigation may pose health risks for living things in the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater sources contain enormous amounts of nutrients for plant growth. This study aimed to define the metal accumulation in the goosefoot plant (Chenopodium album L.) of wastewater use in agricultural irrigation and to evaluate the risks of this accumulation to human health. The present research was performed in field conditions in Khushab, Pakistan. The Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Zn, Ni, and Mn concentrations were determined with the analysis performed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer-AAS. Heavy metal concentrations in goosefoot samples irrigated with groundwater (GWI), canal water (CWI) and sugar mill water (MWI) ranged from 0.84 to 1.08, 0.55 to 0.78, 0.23 to 0.70, 2.09 to 5.56, 2.84 to 13.53, 0.53 to 1.13 and 0.32 to 0.39 mg/kg for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Mn, respectively. According to the statistical analyses, wastewater applications had a non-significant effect on Cr, Cu, and Zn concentrations in C. album samples collected from three sites, and a significant effect on Cd, Fe, Mn, and Ni concentrations (p>0.05). The results also showed that the health risk index value of cadmium was higher than 1. According to these results, long-term consumption of C. album samples grown in the study area may cause an accumulation of Cd in the human body and diseases in many tissues and organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an approach to clustering and visualization of students’ cognitive structural models. We use the self-organizing map (SOM) combined with Ward’s clustering to conduct cluster analysis. In the study carried out on 100 subjects, a conceptual understanding test consisting of open-ended questions was used as a data collection tool. The results of analyses indicated that students constructed the aliveness concept by associating it predominantly with human. Motion appeared as the most frequently associated term with the aliveness concept. The results suggest that the aliveness concept has been constructed using anthropocentric and animistic cognitive structures. In the next step, we used the data obtained from the conceptual understanding test for training the SOM. Consequently, we propose a visualization method about cognitive structure of the aliveness concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Recycling and its applications are growing significantly due to the great potential for solving a range of environmental problems in society. Nevertheless, there are currently very few instruments that can provide valid and reliable data on students' attitudes toward recycling. In this regard, this article focuses on the development and validation of Recycling Attitude Scale (RAS). The items in the RAS were developed initially from the responses to three open-ended items by 53 tenth and eleventh grade students and literature review on recycling attitude. This initial form was pilot tested with 356 tenth and eleventh grade students and then subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Subsequently, the revised version of the scale was administrated to 694 tenth grade students, and the results were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis. The RAS consists of 21 items in three subscales, with responses recorded on a four-point Likert scale, options ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient (a) of the scale was found to be .87. The results indicate that the RAS a potentially valuable tool for both instructors and researchers in Turkey for the assessment of the attitudes toward recycling held by students in secondary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]