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Purpose: Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is a functional sperm abnormality that can impact reproductive potential, for which four assays have been described in the recently published sixth edition of the WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semen. The purpose of this study was to examine the global practices related to the use of SDF assays and investigate the barriers and limitations that clinicians face in incorporating these tests into their practice. Materials and Methods: Clinicians managing male infertility were invited to complete an online survey on practices related to SDF diagnostic and treatment approaches. Their responses related to the technical aspects of SDF testing, current professional society guidelines, and the literature were used to generate expert recommendations via the Delphi method. Finally, challenges related to SDF that the clinicians encounter in their daily practice were captured. Results: The survey was completed by 436 reproductive clinicians. Overall, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) is the most commonly used assay chosen by 28.6%, followed by the sperm chromatin structure assay (24.1%), and the sperm chromatin dispersion (19.1%). The choice of the assay was largely influenced by availability (70% of respondents). A threshold of 30% was the most selected cut-off value for elevated SDF by 33.7% of clinicians. Of respondents, 53.6% recommend SDF testing after 3 to 5 days of abstinence. Although 75.3% believe SDF testing can provide an explanation for many unknown causes of infertility, the main limiting factors selected by respondents are a lack of professional society guideline recommendations (62.7%) and an absence of globally accepted references for SDF interpretation (50.3%). Conclusions: This study represents the largest global survey on the technical aspects of SDF testing as well as the barriers encountered by clinicians. Unified global recommendations regarding clinician implementation and standard laboratory interpretation of SDF testing are crucial.

Abstract It has been suggested that diagnostic yield (DY) from Exome Sequencing (ES) may be lower among patients with non-European ancestries than those with European ancestry. We examined the association of DY with estimated continental/subcontinental genetic ancestry in a racially/ethnically diverse pediatric and prenatal clinical cohort. Cases (N = 845) with suspected genetic disorders underwent ES for diagnosis. Continental/subcontinental genetic ancestry proportions were estimated from the ES data. We compared the distribution of genetic ancestries in positive, negative, and inconclusive cases by Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests and linear associations of ancestry with DY by Cochran-Armitage trend tests. We observed no reduction in overall DY associated with any genetic ancestry (African, Native American, East Asian, European, Middle Eastern, South Asian). However, we observed a relative increase in proportion of autosomal recessive homozygous inheritance versus other inheritance patterns associated with Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry, due to consanguinity. In this empirical study of ES for undiagnosed pediatric and prenatal genetic conditions, genetic ancestry was not associated with the likelihood of a positive diagnosis, supporting the equitable use of ES in diagnosis of previously undiagnosed but potentially Mendelian disorders across all ancestral populations.

Human brain and behavior provide a rich venue that can inspire novel control and learning methods for robotics. In an attempt to exemplify such a development by inspiring how humans acquire knowledge and transfer skills among tasks, we introduce a novel multi-task reinforcement learning framework named Episodic Return Progress with Bidirectional Progressive Neural Networks (ERP-BPNN). The proposed ERP-BPNN model 1) learns in a human-like interleaved manner by 2) autonomous task switching based on a novel intrinsic motivation signal and, in contrast to existing methods, 3) allows bidirectional skill transfer among tasks. ERP-BPNN is a general architecture applicable to several multi-task learning settings; in this paper, we present the details of its neural architecture and show its ability to enable effective learning and skill transfer among morphologically different robots in a reaching task. The developed Bidirectional Progressive Neural Network (BPNN) architecture enables bidirectional skill transfer without requiring incremental training and seamlessly integrates with online task arbitration. The task arbitration mechanism developed is based on soft Episodic Return progress (ERP), a novel intrinsic motivation (IM) signal. To evaluate our method, we use quantifiable robotics metrics such as ‘expected distance to goal’ and ‘path straightness’ in addition to the usual reward-based measure of episodic return common in reinforcement learning. With simulation experiments, we show that ERP-BPNN achieves faster cumulative convergence and improves performance in all metrics considered among morphologically different robots compared to the baselines. Overall, our method provides a human-inspired and efficient multi-task reinforcement learning approach with interleaved learning, making it highly suitable for lifelong learning applications.

In this paper, a new control technique called inverse model predictive control (IMPC) is proposed for power electronic converters. The proposed IMPC technique is primarily based on the inverse of the conventional finite set model predictive control. The key advantage of this design is that it avoids predicting the controlled states for all possible switching-state vectors, while maintaining the advantage of adhering to multiple constraints and achieving multiple objectives. IMPC predicts the optimal control signal that minimizes the cost function and converts it into a switching vector. Unlike classical MPC, the computational time required for IMPC is significantly reduced which makes it easily applicable to all types and levels of power electronics converters. The proposed method does not depend on the number of possible switching vectors and is compatible with low-cost microcontrollers commonly used for industrial applications. Additionally, the proposed control inherits the benefits of MPC, such as the ability to achieve its objectives while adhering to various constraints, minimal parameters tuning requirements, and reduced computational time. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique, experimental results are presented for a five-level active neutral point clamped flying capacitor inverter (ANPC-FC) as a case study.

OBJECTIVE: The study looked into emergency department family members' (FMs) views on being present during resuscitation and contributing to end-of-life care. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 467 FM volunteers of mildly injured or ill patients was conducted at a research hospital between October 2021 and May 2022. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered by a clinical psychologist. The analysis employed SPSS 22.0 with a significance threshold of P < 0.05. The study was conducted according to the STROBE criteria. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean FMs' age was 34.3 ± 10.43; 64.2% were male, 62.1% were married, and 76.9% had nuclear families. About 61% wanted the option of being present during resuscitation, with 47.5% desiring participation in both resuscitation and end-of-life care. Significant differences were observed in opinions based on education, work status, and resuscitation training (P = 0.015, P = 0.001, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Many FMs sought the choice to be present during resuscitation, and nearly half preferred participation in both resuscitation and end-of-life care.

Abstract Thermally evaporated C60 is a near-ubiquitous electron transport layer in state-of-the-art p–i–n perovskite-based solar cells. As perovskite photovoltaic technologies are moving toward industrialization, batch-to-batch reproducibility of device performances becomes crucial. Here, we show that commercial as-received (99.75% pure) C60 source materials may coalesce during repeated thermal evaporation processes, jeopardizing such reproducibility. We find that the coalescence is due to oxygen present in the initial source powder and leads to the formation of deep states within the perovskite bandgap, resulting in a systematic decrease in solar cell performance. However, further purification (through sublimation) of the C60 to 99.95% before evaporation is found to hinder coalescence, with the associated solar cell performances being fully reproducible after repeated processing. We verify the universality of this behavior on perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells by demonstrating their open-circuit voltages and fill factors to remain at 1950 mV and 81% respectively, over eight repeated processes using the same sublimed C60 source material. Notably, one of these cells achieved a certified power conversion efficiency of 30.9%. These findings provide insights crucial for the advancement of perovskite photovoltaic technologies towards scaled production with high process yield.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular due to environmental consciousness. The limited availability of charging stations (CSs), compared to the number of EVs on the road, has led to increased range anxiety and a higher frequency of CS queries during trips. Simultaneously, personal data use for analytics is growing at an unprecedented rate, raising concerns for privacy. One standard for formalising location privacy is geo-indistinguishability as a generalisation of local differential privacy. However, the noise must be tuned properly, considering the implications of potential utility losses. In this paper, we introduce the notion of approximate geo-indistinguishability (AGeoI), which allows EVs to obfuscate their query locations while remaining within their area of interest. It is vital because journeys are often sensitive to a sharp drop in quality of service (QoS). Our method applies AGeoI with dummy data generation to provide two-fold privacy protection for EVs while preserving a high QoS. Analytical insights and experiments demonstrate that the majority of EVs get “privacy-for-free” and that the utility loss caused by the gain in privacy guarantees is minuscule. In addition to providing high QoS, the iterative Bayesian update allows for a private and precise CS occupancy forecast, which is crucial for unforeseen traffic congestion and efficient route planning.

Robinia pseudoacacia L. is a deciduous tree planted almost all around the world for a wide variety of uses such as ornamental in urban ecosystems and forest trees in afforestation. This study aims to evaluate the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relations of R. pseudoacacia using some selected populations in Istanbul and Kocaeli cities. For this aim, molecular marker-assisted and DNA sequence-based analyses were performed. According to the results, nine of 15 inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) primers gave clear and distinguishable bands with a total of 100 loci. The percentage of polymorphic loci (PPL) was calculated as 100% for multi-populations and ranged from 46% to 76% for single populations. Nei's gene diversity value was calculated between 0.165 and 0.251. The lowest and highest PPL were found in populations of Barbaros Boulevard and Dilovasi District, respectively. Population structure analysis showed seven different genetic structures for five populations. Internal transcribed spacer 1 region (ITS1) and trnL-F intergenic spacer region were used to examine the phylogenetic relationships of R. pseudoacacia, and both regions showed a high discriminative power at the family level. Based on the findings, R. pseudoacacia, as a forest tree residing in the urban ecosystem, may face the risk of population decline in the upcoming years due to its moderate/low genetic diversity and susceptibility to environmental pressures.

Background: We sought to determine whether pretreatment total masseter muscle volume (TMMV) measures can predict radiation-induced trismus (RIT) in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of LA-NPC patients who received C-CRT and had pretreatment maximum mouth openings (MMO) greater than 35 mm. MMO of 35 mm or less after C-CRT were considered RIT. We employed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to explore the correlation between pre-treatment TMMV readings and RIT status. Results: Out of the 112 eligible patients, 22.0% of them received a diagnosis of RIT after C-CRT. The optimal TMMV cutoff that was significantly linked to post-C-CRT RIT rates was determined to be 35.0 cc [area under the curve: 79.5%; sensitivity: 75.0%; and specificity: 78.6%; Youden index: 0.536] in the ROC curve analysis. The incidence of RIT was significantly higher in patients with TMMV ≤ 5.0 cc than in those with TMMV > 35.0 cc [51.2% vs. 8.7%; Odds ratio: 6.79; p < 0.001]. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that pre-C-CRT MMO ≤ 41.6 mm (p = 0.001), mean masticatory apparatus dose V56.5 ≥ 34% group (p = 0.002), and TMMV ≤ 35 cc were the independent predictors of significantly elevated rates of RIT. Conclusion: The presence of a smaller pretreatment TMMV is a reliable and independent novel biological marker that can confidently predict higher RIT rates in LA-NPC patients who receive C-CRT.

An examination of gender-related differential item functioning was conducted on the verbal subtests of the Anadolu-Sak Intelligence Scale. Analyses were conducted using the scale standardization data (N = 4641). A Mantel-Haenszel statistic was used to detect differential item functioning (DIF). A total of 58 verbal analogical reasoning items, 20 verbal short-term memory items, and 70 vocabulary items were analyzed. Initially, items displaying DIF in different age groups were determined, and then experts were consulted to determine whether these items were biased. There were three items with item effects on the Verbal Analogical Reasoning subtest and five items on the Vocabulary subtest. Short-term Memory subtests did not reveal any bias. Several implications regarding cognitive development, gender perceptions, and cultural factors were discussed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of science teachers who are pursuing postgraduate studies on their experiences in preparing a research project and to explore the effects of this experience on the participants. In this context, a qualitative research method was employed using an action research design. Seven science teachers who met the research criteria participated, and the research was conducted for 14 weeks during the fall semester. Semi-structured interviews, peer assessment forms, and project evaluation rubrics were used to collect data. The data collected from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis technique. The results indicated that the participants had insufficient knowledge about preparing a research project before the training, but they achieved a certain level of competency by the end of the training. The participants gained knowledge about the stages of the project, how to write the project, what originality means and its importance, and the criteria of a good project as a result of the training. The teachers gained an important understanding about the importance of originality and planning while preparing the project, and they had the most difficulty in determining the originality of the project. In addition, the participants agreed that teacher competency in preparing and conducting a qualitative research project is very important.

Abstract Background and objectives We explored the prognostic usefulness of the pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) in patients with stage IIIB/C non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods and patients For all patients, the PIV was calculated using platelet (P), monocyte (M), neutrophil (N), and lymphocyte (L) measures obtained on the first day of CCRT: PIV = P × M × N ÷ L. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, we searched for the existence of an ideal cutoff that may partition patients into two groups with unique progression-free- (PFS) and overall survival (OS) results. The primary endpoint of this retrospective cohort research was to determine whether there were any significant relationships between pretreatment PIV measures and post-CCRT OS outcomes. Results The present research included a total of 807 stage IIIB/C NSCLC patients. According to ROC curve analysis, the ideal PIV cutoff was 516 [area under the curve (AUC): 67.7%; sensitivity: 66.4%; specificity: 66.1%], which divided the whole cohort into two: low PIV (L-PIV: PIV

Calciphylaxis is a rare disorder characterised by the development of painful necrotic skin lesions. Occlusion of cutaneous arterioles due to ectopic calcification leads to potentially life-threatening widespread skin loss. Most cases occur in patients with chronic renal disease, which leads to dysregulation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Only a handful of case reports exist describing calciphylaxis occurring in patients without chronic renal disease but with hypoparathyroidism. We report on a unique case of a 53-year-old man with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome and acquired hypoparathyroidism due to total parathyroidectomy who went on to develop calciphylaxis following cardiac surgery.

Abstract Quantifying eye movement is important for diagnosing various neurological and ocular diseases as well as AR/VR displays. We developed a simple setup for real-time dynamic gaze tracking and accommodation measurements based on Purkinje reflections, which are the reflections from front and back surfaces of the cornea and the eye lens. We used an accurate eye model in ZEMAX to simulate the Purkinje reflection positions at different focus distances of the eye, which matched the experimental data. A neural network was trained to simultaneously predict vergence and accommodation using data collected from 9 subjects. We demonstrated that the use of Purkinje reflection coordinates in machine learning resulted in precise estimation. The proposed system accurately predicted the accommodation with an accuracy better than 0.22 D using subject’s own data and 0.40 D using other subjects’ data with two-point calibration in tests performed with 9 subjects in our setup.

The objective of this study is to examine the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and the presence of diagonal earlobe crease (DELC), a physical sign commonly associated with atherosclerosis. A total of 96 male patients, aged between 50 and 65 years, were referred to our institute between December 2020 and March 2021 for various urological conditions. These patients were included in the study. Erectile performance was assessed using the IIEF-5 score, and DELC was visually identified by a urologist. The patients were administered the IIEF-5 questionnaire, and the results were categorized into two groups: the DELC group included patients with an earlobe crease, while non-DELC group consisted of patients with normal earlobes. In total, 96 patients participated in the study. We observed a decrease in IIEF-5 scores among patients in the DELC group compared to those in the non-DELC group. A statistically significant difference was found between the DELC group and the non-DELC group (p < 0.01). This study demonstrates that the presence of an earlobe crease may serve as a predictive sign of atherogenic erectile dysfunction in male patients aged 50–65 years. Further investigations should be conducted to explore the utility of DELC as a standard indicator during the physical examination of erectile dysfunction.

This study investigates a hybrid microelectromechanical system (MEMS) acoustic resonator through a hybrid approach to combine capacitive and piezoelectric transduction mechanisms, thus harnessing the advantages of both transducer technologies within a single device. By seamlessly integrating both piezoelectric and capacitive transducers, the newly designed hybrid resonators mitigate the limitations of capacitive and piezoelectric resonators. The unique hybrid configuration holds promise to significantly enhance overall device performance, particularly in terms of quality factor (Q-factor), insertion loss, and motional impedance. Moreover, the dual-transduction approach improves the signal-to-noise ratio and reduces feedthrough noise levels at higher frequencies. In this paper, the detailed design, complex fabrication processes, and thorough experimental validation are presented, demonstrating substantial performance enhancement potentials. A hybrid disk resonator with a single side-supporting anchor achieved an outstanding loaded Q-factor higher than 28,000 when operating under a capacitive drive and piezoelectric sense configuration. This is comparably higher than the measured Q-factor of 7600 for another disk resonator with two side-supporting anchors. The hybrid resonator exhibits a high Q-factor at its resonance frequency at 20 MHz, representing 2-fold improvement over the highest reported Q-factor for similar MEMS resonators in the literature. Also, the dual-transduction approach resulted in a more than 30 dB improvement in feedthrough suppression for devices with a 500 nm-thick ZnO layer, while hybrid resonators with a thicker piezoelectric layer of 1300 nm realized an even greater feedthrough suppression of more than 50 dB. The hybrid resonator integration strategy discussed offers an innovative solution for current and future advanced RF front-end applications, providing a versatile platform for future innovations in on-chip resonator technology. This work has the potential to lead to advancements in MEMS resonator technology, facilitating some significant improvements in multi-frequency and frequency agile RF applications through the original designs equipped with integrated capacitive and piezoelectric transduction mechanisms. The hybrid design also results in remarkable performance metrics, making it an ideal candidate for integrating next-generation wireless communication devices where size, cost, and energy efficiency are critical.

Background/Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the connection between the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) values and failure patterns of patients with IDH wild-type glioblastoma (GB) who underwent radiotherapy (RT) with FLAIR-based gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation. Methods: Seventy-one patients who received RT at a dose of 60 Gy to the GTV and 50 Gy to the clinical target volume (CTV) and had documented recurrence were retrospectively analyzed. Each patient’s maximum distance of recurrence (MDR) from the GTV was documented in whichever plane it extended the farthest. The failure patterns were described as intra-GTV, in-CTV/out-GTV, distant, and intra-GTV and distant. For analytical purposes, the failure pattern was categorized into two groups, namely Group 1, intra-GTV or in-CTV/out-GTV, and Group 2, distant or intra-GTV and distant. The SIRI was calculated before surgery and corticosteroid administration. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal SIRI cut-off that distinguishes between the different failure patterns. Results: Failure occurred as follows: intra-GTV in 40 (56.3%), in-CTV/out-GTV in 4 (5.6%), distant in 18 (25.4%), and intra-GTV + distant in 9 (12.7%) patients. The mean MDR was 13.5 mm, and recurrent lesions extended beyond 15 mm in only seven patients. Patients with an SIRI score ≥ 3 demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of Group 1 failure patterns than their counterparts with an SIRI score < 3 (74.3% vs. 50.0%; p = 0.035). Conclusions: The present results show that using the SIRI with a cut-off value of ≥3 significantly predicts failure patterns. Additionally, the margin for the GTV can be safely reduced to 15 mm when using FLAIR-based target delineation in patients with GB.

Objective: This study delves into the implications of adenoidectomy for scoliosis progression, investigating the intricate nexus of hypoxia, spinal curvature, and surgical intervention. With adenoidectomy being a common procedure for addressing pediatric sleep-disordered breathing, this research study explores its potential impact on spinal health. Patients and Methods: Employing a retrospective cohort design, this study gathered data from patients who underwent adenoidectomy, including those with scoliosis, between January 2017 and March 2023. Initial and follow-up evaluations involved clinical and radiological assessments, notably measuring the Cobb angle to quantify spinal curvature. Results: This study enrolled 218 patients under 10 years old. Among them, 18 exhibited Cobb angles of 10° or more, with a mean Cobb angle of 12.8°. In the follow-up evaluation, 83% of patients with initial Cobb angles of 10° or more were reached out to, along with 84.6% of those with Cobb angles below 10°. The postoperative follow-up revealed a notable decrease in Cobb angles for most patients, particularly those with an initial Cobb angle exceeding 10°. Conclusions: This study underscores the potential connection between adenoidectomy, hypoxia, and scoliosis regression, highlighting the importance of early intervention for scoliosis management. Despite certain limitations, this investigation lays the foundation for future research involving larger patient cohorts and multifaceted analyses. The observed interactions between airway function, hypoxia, and spinal health open avenues for refining clinical strategies in scoliosis treatment.

Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a devastating sequelae of metastatic spread that affects approximately 5% of cancer patients. The incidence of LMD is increasing due to advancements in systemic therapy and enhanced detection methods. The purpose of this review is to provide a detailed overview of the evidence in the detection, prognostication, and treatment of LMD. A comprehensive literature search of PUBMED was conducted to identify articles reporting on LMD including existing data and ongoing clinical trials. We found a wide array of treatment options available for LMD including chemotherapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapy as well as several choices for radiotherapy including whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and craniospinal irradiation (CSI). Despite treatment, the prognosis for patients with LMD is dismal, typically 2–4 months on average. Novel therapies and combination approaches are actively under investigation with the aim of improving outcomes and quality of life for patients with LMD. Recent prospective data on the use of proton CSI for patients with LMD have demonstrated its potential survival benefit with follow-up investigations underway. There is a need for validated metrics to predict prognosis and improve patient selection for patients with LMD in order to optimize treatment approaches.

Background/Objectives: Post-polio syndrome (PPS) affects former polio patients, manifesting decades after initial infection with progressive symptoms like pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness. Diagnosis relies on the clinical criteria and exclusion of other probable causes. The purpose of this study is to determine the scope and new diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying muscle involvement in PPS and distinguishing it from prior poliomyelitis (PPM). Methods: This study was approved by the Koç University Ethics Committee with Approval No. 2023.409.IRB2.090. Electronic medical archives from two academic institutions were searched for records tagged with ICD code B-91 for poliomyelitis sequalae. The resulting search query of 291 records was manually sorted for PPS and PPM, medical history, clinical examination findings, and lumbar MR images down to 32 patients. Two independent radiologists evaluated the paraspinal musculature in the MRIs using the Mercuri scale. Inter-rater agreement, comparison of the paraspinal musculatures between groups, and their relationship to leg involvement were assessed with the resulting data. Results: Inter-rater agreement was found to be almost perfect across all muscles, except for the multifidus muscle. When clinical examination findings were included for these muscles, quadratus lumborum (QL) degradation was found in both right-side (p = 0.017) and left-side (p = 0.002) leg involvement. Conclusions: QL muscle deterioration may serve as a diagnostic marker for PPS, potentially guiding lumbar pain treatment through rehabilitation.

Introduction: The therapeutic effect of different doses of the traditional aqueous extract of dried leaves of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) was investigated in an experimental cataract model in chicken embryos. Methods and Results: LC-MS/MS analysis allowed the identification and quantification of 53 metabolites. In the hydrocortisone-induced cataract model, lenses were examined morphologically after treatment and parameters related to oxidative stress (total antioxidant/oxidant status (TAS/TOS), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) were evaluated. Antiproliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and caspase-3 H-scores were determined and crystallin alpha A (CRYAA) gene expression in the lenses was measured by RT-PCR. The degree of cataract decreased in all treatment groups. While there was no significant difference in TAS levels compared to the negative control, TOS, GSH, and MDA levels were dose-dependently regulated. Treatment groups other than the high-dose group regulated the decrease in PCNA and the increase in caspase-3. CRYAA gene expression increased significantly only at the lowest dose. Conclusion: YM, which is becoming increasingly popular as a traditional tea, showed a therapeutic effect on hydrocortisone-induced cataracts in chicken embryos at relatively low doses.

Modern engine bearing materials encounter the challenge of functioning under conditions of mixed lubrication, low viscosity oils, downsizing, start–stop engines, potentially leading to metal-to-metal contact and, subsequently, premature bearing failure. In this work, two types of polymer overlays were applied to the bearing surface to compensate for extreme conditions, such as excessive loads and mixed lubrication. Two different polymer overlays, created through a curing process on a conventional engine bearing surface with an approximate thickness of 13 µm, were investigated for their friction and wear resistances under a 30 N load using a pin-on-disc setup. The results indicate that the newly developed polymer overlay (NDP, PAI-based coating) surface has a coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.155 and a wear volume loss of 0.010 cm3. In contrast, the currently used polymer overlay (CPO) in this field shows higher values with a COF of 0.378 and a wear volume loss of 0.024 cm3, which is significantly greater than that of the NDP. It was found that, in addition to accurately selecting the ratios of solid lubricants, polymer resins, and wear-resistant hard particle additives (metal powders, metal oxides, carbides, etc.) within the polymer coating, the effective presence of a transfer film providing low friction on the counter surface also played a crucial role.

In this study, the effects of STEM education in the simulation-based inquiry learning (SBIL) environment on the students' scientific process skills and STEM awareness were investigated. In addition, the use of simulations in STEM education was discussed by evaluating students' views on activities. Study group of the research consists of 39 students enrolled in science teaching undergraduate program at a university in Turkey. Results of the study showed that STEM education performed in the SBIL environment has a positive effect on the development of scientific process skills and STEM awareness. The students expressed a positive opinion on the STEM education that it provided the development of scientific process skills and increased their attitude and motivation towards the course. The students stated that the simulation program used in the STEM activities provided important advantages such as designing and developing engineering products, experiments and reducing errors.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of twelve-week service training on self-confidence in racquet sports. The universe of the study consists of the secondary schools in the province of Van, and the sample consists of 60 students from 10 to 14 years of age in Hasan Ali Yücel Secondary School in Van and TOBB Secondary School. Self-Concept Scale developed by "Piers-Harris" (1984) and adapted to Turkish Öner (1996) to evaluate their self-confidence before and after the study. In evaluating the performances, Dewitt-Dugan Tennis Test, Target Service Test, French-Stalter Badminton Service tests were applied. After the normality test was done, Independent-Sample T test was used for binary independent variables and paired-sample T test for dependent groups. The effect of self-confidence on the hit was tested by regression analysis. Significance level (p ? 0.05) was evaluated. When the finding of the study were examined, no change was observed between pre-test and post-test of the control group, while significant changes were observed between pre-test and post-test of the experimental group. As a result of this study, that can be said that 12-week service training positively affect self-confidence of rackets sports athletes.

Millions of Syrians live under temporary protection in Turkey. However, there are some problems in their integration into the education system. For the integration of Syrian students into Turkish education system, the Ministry of National Education in Turkey (MoET) initiated a Project called "Promoting Integration of Syrian Children into Turkish Education System" (PICSTES) and "Awareness Raising Training for Administrative Staff" (ARTAS), which are supported by the European Union. The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of the administrators who have participated in ARTAS that was held within the scope of PISCTES through metaphors. Content analysis method was used in the research. The participant group of this study consists of 297 administrators (281 males and 16 females). They work in 21 different provinces. The average working year of the participants is 10.23 and the average age is 43.99. As a result of the research, 62 metaphors were obtained after the analysis of the valid metaphors developed by the administrators regarding the "PISCTES Project: ARTAS Training". These metaphors were classified under 7 different conceptual categories. The results indicate that refugee students should not study in separate classes or schools but instead the supportive teaching courses for the students and their families should be fostered and the in-service training for administrators and teachers should be given more importance.

The aim of this study is to develop a perception scale related to the possible basic skills that can be gained through STEM. Participants of this study were 723 university students. In this study, descriptive survey study was conducted. To identify validity of the scale exploratory factor analysis, cumulative item factor, corrected correlations and item discrimination were calculated. For reliability internal consistency and stability level were calculated. Collected data were analyzed in terms of arithmetic mean, standard deviation, t and ANOVA. The scale is a 7-point likert-type scale which consists of 43 items under 3 factors. Data analysis results showed that this scale is valid and reliable for measuring students' STEM skills according to their perceptions.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Psycho-drama Integrated Psycho-Education Program (PIPP) on divorce adaptation and resilience scores of children of divorced families. In this study, a 2x3 design with experimental and control groups and having pre-test, post-test and follow-up measurements was used. Nonparametric statistics were used in the analysis of the obtained data. Mann Whitney U test was adopted to determine the significance of the difference between the groups and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Test was utilized to find the significance of the difference between the measurements. The Child's Divorce Adjustment Inventory, Child and Youth Resilience Measure and Personal Information Form were used as data collection tools. Based on the results, it was seen that the PIPP had a highly significant effect on the increase in adaptation and resilience scores of children of divorced families and this effect was long-lasting.

The increasing use of digital technology by young people has become a major concern in the 21st century. This access to technology has led to hot-button arguments surrounding the place of these technologies in our lives and the implications that they have for the future. The incorporation of multimodal and digital technologies in courses has been increasing, with documentaries, social media posts, and blogs host significant spaces for learning and coursework. These forms of knowledge and communication have started to become legitimized in the classroom setting, in addition to the traditional educational technologies such as lectures and textbooks. This paper explores the assumptions by instructors and students concerning why and how multimodal and digital technologies are incorporated into undergraduate classes by qualitative approach. Also, the actual experiences that students and instructors have in using these forms of media in an educational context are investigated via participant observation, in-depth review and open-ended questionnaire techniques along the research.

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive and a generic scale to measure perceived barriers to technology integration. To this end, 511 preservice teachers for the factor structure of the scale were performed. Findings showed that the scale has 51 items and 14 factors explained 63.17% of total variance. CFA results confirmed the structure of the scale. Furthermore, convergent and divergent validity were examined, and results show that the scale has construct validity. The reliability of the scale was calculated by Cronbach's alpha co-efficiency and composite coefficient of fourteen factors show that the scale is reliable. It is thought that this instrument will be a practical guide for all pre-service teachers, teachers, teacher educators, instructors in "Supporting Technology Integration" from the field of instruction, learning, teaching, curriculum development, learning environments, teacher education, educational technology, educational developments, measurement and evaluation, and educational statistics which are appropriate to the scope of the journal, and may help to get a contribution and high quality studies.

The aim of the present study is to examine the effect level of procrastination on academic achievement. To this end, a meta-analytic approach was applied and the studies published between January 2000 and May 2020 in Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Academic Search Ultimate databases were included in the study. The research was limited to articles examining the correlation between the variables and, accordingly, the correlation coefficient was specified as an index to identify the effect size. After reviewing 22 relevant studies with 8307 participants, the meta-analysis was conducted through Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. The findings revealed that the variables were negatively correlated with each other and the overall effect size of procrastination on academic achievement was found -0.61, which can be interpreted as the medium effect size. The findings of the study endorse the main tenets of theoretical framework regarding the aforementioned link. [This study was presented as a paper at the INNOVAPROS 2020 Conference.]

In this study, it was aimed to determine the opinions of the teachers working in secondary schools about the servant leadership behaviors of the school principals. Combination (diversity) design was used in the research which was carried out by using the mixed method, a combination of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Accordingly, the scale was applied to 392 teachers determined by simple random sampling method in center of Van and interviews were made with 13 teachers who participated in the quantitative dimension of the research. The Servant Leadership Behaviors Scale (OMHLDÖ) of School Principals developed by Ekinci (2015) was used to collect the quantitative data of the research. The qualitative data of the research was collected through a semi-structured interview form created by taking into account the dimensions in the quantitative measurement tool. In the analysis of quantitative data of the study descriptive statistics and in the analysis of qualitative data descriptive analysis method were used. As the result of the quantitative dimension of the research, the teachers stated that school principals often exhibited servant leadership behaviors in the sub-dimensions of altruistic behavior, empathy, justice, honesty and humility. However, in the qualitative dimension of the research the teachers stated that the school principals did not exhibit adequate level of servant leadership behaviors in the sub-dimensions of altruistic behavior, empathy, justice, honesty and humility. In this context, it was concluded that there is no complete parallelism between the qualitative findings and the quantitative findings. Based on the findings, it can be suggested that school principals should have a more service oriented leadership approach for teachers. [Note: The page range (565-612) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct page range for this article is p565-611.]

In terms of their directness and modification strategies, this study investigated how undergraduate speakers of Turkish formulate their naturally occurring requests in an academic context, in which they request things from an academic in his office. After a 4-year data collection period, the researcher analyzed 395 of the requests (hand-recorded as immediate field notes) made to him. The findings on levels of directness revealed that the strongest tendency is towards conventionally indirect strategies, while the female tendency towards them is even clearer. The dominance of conventional indirectness is in parallel also with the degree of imposition of the requests. 'Zero marking' is what dominates the findings on internal modification strategies, while some preferences, such as unfinished sentences, could suggest language or context-specific results. In light of these descriptive findings on a part of everyday language in academia, the study could in practical terms help learners and teachers of Turkish and Turkish learners/teachers of English or any other language as well. Moreover, it could contribute to the efforts towards handling the methodological concerns in pragmatics research about the extent to which elicited data can represent what people actually say in natural conversation.

Purpose: We aim with this report to provide information on how the Covid-19 pandemic affected education and citizenship education in Turkey. Design: The report is based on literature review, the analysis of social media, and the observations of the authors. We provide a general framework of Turkish education after the pandemic using sources such as official statements from government offices; social media entries were analyzed to provide different perspectives. Finally, observations of the authors based on their experiences with distance learning were included in the report. Findings: We argue that despite the efforts of the state, there are still problems in the distance learning process, mainly relating to the access to online classes and the very limited room given to Covid-19 as a topic in social studies courses. In addition, we find that social media have played a significant role in increasing citizen participation as a consequence of the pandemic.

The aim of this study is to examine the records of secondary education institutions' disciplinary committee decisions, and to put forth the reasons why high school students are punished, and which punishments are given. The distribution of these punishments in terms of students' grade, school type and gender is also explored in the study. In this qualitative case study, the data were collected through document analysis. The study group of the study consists of nine high schools located in a district of a province in the Aegean region of Turkey. The data in the study consist of 384 disciplinary cases recorded in the disciplinary board minute books and e-school between 2016-2020 years. Content analysis was performed on the data. In the 384 disciplinary cases registered in schools, the most frequent punishment is condemnation. The disciplinary punishments are mostly concentrated on male students by gender, in 9th grade students by grade level, and in vocational and technical high school types by school type.