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This paper aims to introduce Randomized Response Techniques (RRT’s) and show that how RRT’s are implemented in surveys in which sensitive behaviors are investigated. For this purpose, the most popular designs of the Binary RRT are summarized and an experimental study is conducted on drug use among dormitory students at a public university in Ankara, Turkey. Despite the wide applicability of the drug use studies in Turkey, surprisingly any applications using indirect questioning techniques are not observed in the literature. In this study, for the first time, drug use behavior is investigated with Crosswise design which is the most frequently used indirect questioning technique and indirect questioning method (Crosswise design) is compared with direct questioning method to evaluate the effectiveness of the RRT. Results revealed that when Crosswise design is provided on asking sensitive questions, considerably minor response refusals are happened and significantly higher drug-use estimates are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to assess the success of the Turkish government's current policies and goals in northern Syria since the 2016 military incursion. It analyzes Turkey's institution building, security and military efforts within the framework of its medium and long term goals, while looking at Turkey's increasing military cooperation with local opposition actors and its changing position vis-a-vis foreign actors like the United States and Russia. The paper defines success for Turkish Government in Ankara as countering the operational capability of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) within Turkey's territory, establishing Turkish strategic dominance in the region, and creating a pro- Turkish structure in northern Syria. Ankara also seeks to uphold its balancing act between the Russia-Iran nexus and NATO in the long term. If such a strategy fails, Ankara will potentially seek to have a greater economic and political say in post-conflict Syria through civil society and public sector involvement. In order to position itself as a permanent major actor in the future of Syria, Ankara needs to uphold its strategic partnership with Russia and Iran. However, Turkey's de-facto rule in northern Syria will likely fail due to ongoing challenges in establishing security in Turkish controlled areas and Ankara's lack of experience in post-conflict state building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess quantitatively the cumulative and genuine contribution of Turkish universities to science in the main fields over the past 30 years. Materials and methods: In the Citation Reports section of the Web of Science, over 70 main scientific institutions were searched; and publications that received 60 or more citations by May 2010 were selected. Papers having more than a minor share by international authors were excluded. Results: Only 47 universities and 6 institutions generated articles that were cited ≥60 times. These publications, numbering 541, received a total of 51.215 citations. Eight universities (İstanbul University, İstanbul Technical University, Hacettepe University, Bilkent University, Middle-East Technical University, Boğaziçi University, Ankara University, and Ege University) acquired 62% of these citations. Primary authors were 335 individuals among whom 121 generated 70% of these citations. It is estimated that Turkish scientists produce about 1 per mil of the global scientific output, which indicates that about 40 such papers are produced annually in Turkey. A substantial variance was recorded across major universities in terms of the ratio of citations to highly-cited papers to the total citations. Engineering and geology had higher relative contributions, followed by agricultural sciences, ecology, pharmacy, chemistry and medicine, while physics, mathematics, and biology had less contributions. Conclusion: Along with research in general, research potentially to contribute to science needs specifically to be supported with a coherence, milieu creation and consistent long-term policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper was conducted for two aims: the first aim was to adapt the Work-Related Flow Inventory (WOLF) developed by Bakker (2008) into Turkish. In this context, the inventory was applied 198 (128 females 64.6% and 70 males 35.4%) teachers working in public schools in Ankara for construct validity and reliability. WOLF, consisting of 13 items and three sub-dimensions, was found to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring teachers' work-related flow. The second aim was to examine the relationships between work related flow, burnout, and job satisfaction through the structural equation model. The data were collected from 274 teachers (155 females 56.6% and 114 males 41.6%) working in public schools in Ankara. The relationships between the variables were examined with the hybrid model. A negative and statistically significant relationship was found between flow and emotional exhaustion; a positive and statistically significant relationship was found among flow, personal accomplishment, and intrinsic satisfaction variables. However, no statistically significant relationship was found between work related flow and depersonalization as well as extrinsic satisfaction variables. The fit index values of the model examining the relationships among the variables were in the range of good fit values accepted in the literature. Findings were discussed within the relevant literature and culture, and suggestions were provided for future researchers and educators. Also, recommendations were listed for future studies with an emphasis on the need for research in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to ascertain changes in the performance of the Mohair (Ankara) goats farming system during the 2017-2018 production periods. In this study, we examined both production and technical efficiency of goat's farms in Ankara. The study adopted the stochastic frontier production function to estimate technical efficiency of the mohair goat establishments in the study area. The model utilized data from 45 Turkish mohair goat farmers. At the same time, technical inefficiency effect model also was calculated by the same method. The Cobb-Douglas production function was ascertained as a best fitted model. In addition, the technical inefficiency effects contained random element. The empirical results revealed statistically insignificant individual effects of some of the variables. However, all of the joint effects of these four explanatory variables on the levels of technical inefficiencies were statistically significant in the mohair goat farming system of Ankara in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study explores how Kizilcahamam-Çamlidere Geopark and Geotourism Project in Ankara, Turkey is initiated. The project has been developed both to protect the richest geoheritage of the region and to provide its economic benefits to the region. It has to be said that the project will produce permanent results only by embracing local people and the support of nature lovers. As a point of departure, the paper starts with a literature review on geotourism and geoparks. Further, Kizilcahamam-Çamlidere geopark and geotourism project is revealed within the framework of its history, goals of the project, administration, where and what the project covers, and the geological characteristics of the region. The paper also aims to offer a guideline for marketing and promoting the region as a geotourism destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ankara Studies / Ankara Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Sadberk Hanim Muzesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this paper is to determine the changes on some performance of the Mohair (Ankara) goats farming system during 2017-2018. In this study, we examine production of the goats farms of Ankara province. Economic analysis is implemented by using data from 45 Turkish mohair goat farmers. The gross production value of the establishments is increased for the business groups according to the business groups, ranging from 495,148.74 Turkish Liras (TL) to 731,154.09 TL. According to the average of the establishments, the goat breeding activity is 58.28%, the vegetable production is 40.64% and the sheep breeding activity is 1.08%. In group 1, the share of the mohair in the value of animal production was 13.03%, while it was 14.37% in group 2. According to the establishment groups, the variable costs for vegetable production varying between 15,346.91 TL and 46,411.88 TL, while this value is 38,818.22 TL for the average of the establishments. According to the establishment groups, the variable costs in animal production vary between 91,127.86 TL and 263,160.36 TL. While the total gross profit per establishment in the examined establishments is between 398,915.15 TL and 560,170.95 TL. There was an employee problem with 30.00%, with feed prices with 26.67% and mohair prices with 25.00%, respectively, in the first group. 18.18% of the establishments in the first group and 12.50% of the establishments in the second group have been educated on herd management. Within the scope of the research, it was determined which supports were used by the establishments and it was determined that earrings and mohair support were used the most according to the results of the research. Within the scope of the research, 61.76% of the establishments in the 1st groups use agricultural loans and this rate is 81.82% in the 2nd group establishments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing satellite images plays a significant role in mapping land use/land cover LULC. Machine learning ML provide robust functions for satellite image classification. The objective of this paper is to extend the capability of GIS specialists in geospatial area with minimum knowledge in computer science to easily perform ML satellite image classification. A framework consisting 7 stages established. Tools of steps developed in two programing environments, which are ArcGIS for geospatial datasets structuring and Anaconda for ML training and classification. During the development, authors constrained to reduce the complexity of big data of satellite images and limited memory of computers to make tools available for implementation in PC. In addition, automation and improving the performance accuracy. TensorFlow-Keras library employed to perform the classification using neural networks. A case study using RASAT satellite image in Ankara-Turkey utilized to perform the analysis. The developed classifier gained 80% performance accuracy. The complete RASAT satellite image processed and smoothly classified based on blocks methods. The developed tools successfully tested and applied in geospatial area and can be effectively execute in PC by GIS specialist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFQM Excellence Model was introduced in 1990s as a framework for assessing applications for The UK Excellence Award and it is the most widely-used Business Excellence Framework in Europe, with over 30,000 businesses using the Excellence Model to improve performance and increase their bottom-line. EFQM model focuses on the continuous development idea that all sectors can benefit from. EFQM model enables a company to highlight and develop its strengths in nine main areas for further development. In this study, nine of only 2 areas 1) process and 2) customer areas that are considered to be more effective on companies' performance will be evaluated regarding a construction company in Turkey. As mentioned, this paper puts EFQM model into practice on a construction company. It is a functional company with an unstable environment. The company has a variable environmental circumstances all over Turkey due to its various construction areas in different cities; and the central office is in Ankara. The aim of this paper is to improve the quality of construction organizations by applying the EFQM excellence model and to show how EFQM model can be applied to advance companies. Furthermore, the paper provides analysis of current quality management trends on construction sector, and describes EFQM model structure to contribute the development of construction companies. This practice allows in a little while to appraise company quality management level and to describe opportunities for constant quality development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labor mobility, both as a mechanism of knowledge diffusion and as a kind of social glue that holds together small production communities operative within a given territory, deserves serious consideration. In this context, focusing on a specific industrial cluster in Ankara, this paper reveals the extent and characteristics of the social networks created by the mobile laborers in order to understand the interconnections between social context, knowledge spillovers, innovation and labor mobility. For this purpose a step-wise algorithm is employed in order to identify social sub-groups by employing social network analysis and by drawing on the flow data constructed for this study. What is evident from this study is that the social network created by the mobility of laborers in Siteler, an industrial cluster specialized in furniture production, reveals a topography of social relations that cannot be split into equally large blocks but eventually parceled out to micro parts consisting of generally 2 or 3 firms. Interestingly, the contexts of innovation also unveil that innovative firms tend to be located at an intermediate position, not an upper and central position, within the topography of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes an institutional change in a large, Turkish public university, the Middle East Technical University (METU), by using an anomaly-based change model. The model explains change as an organizational response to anomalies caused by internal and external organizational conditions. The study used a qualitative case study design that included interviews with 51 individuals, and, analysis of institution-specific documents. Anomalies derived from the interview findings compared with a separate set of anomalies, devised from the document study, that are attributed to the strategic change agenda developed by the current president of the institution. The paper argues that human thinking and problem solving as well as organizational cognition and problem solving do proceed through existence and recognition of a problematic situation. So, anomalies are the ID cards of any major change in organizations in that they carry important information about where the organization comes from and where it should proceed to. Implications for the nature and management of change in higher education organizations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use/land cover (LULC) maps represent a primary requirement for several geospatial applications around the world such as change detection, time series analysis, environment, and urban researches. Mapping LULC from remotely sensed data based on satellite image classification handle the rapid changes in extensive geographical areas. Several effective and efficient mechanisms suggested for supervised satellite image classification. The neural networks machine learning algorithm became a major method in supervised satellite image classification. The objective of this article is to employ neural networks as a machine learning algorithm for LULC mapping. The study applied in Ankara area, which is the capital city of Turkey. This work utilized a free Landsat 8 satellite image with the Operational Land Imager OLI sensor to implement the analysis. The image was obtained and processed in ArcGIS software. Then, the machine learning data set developed using Python scripting language. Every band out of 8 bands from Landsat 8 image considered as an explanatory variable, while the output variable defined based on visual interpretation. The training dataset built based on the signature file and random sample points. The training dataset divided into three sections, for training, for validation and the last section for testing. The training and testing processes were implemented using Google-Tensor Flow Keres library from Anaconda distribution. Feedforward neural network structure implemented with 500 neurons in the hidden layer. Confusion matrix used as accuracy assessment metrics to measure the performance of the developed model. The overall accuracy of the developed model was 92%. In terms of overall accuracy and robustness, the neural networks algorithm was effectively implemented and the LULC map produces. The model gained high accuracy that it is satisfied with the geospatial accuracy target. The consequence showed the competence of neural networks algorithm to generating LULC maps from Landsat 8 satellite images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study in which graduate theses in the field of self-regulation in preschool in Turkey were examined according to the determined criteria. The sample of the research, which was determined by using the criterion sampling method, which is one of the purposeful sampling methods, consists of a total of 76 graduate theses, 59 master's theses and 17 doctoral theses, which were in the field of selfregulation in preschool in Turkey between 2012-2023. The quantitative content analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. The data obtained are presented in graphs and tables. According to the results of the research, there was no graduate thesis about the field of education and training in the field of preschool self-regulation in Turkey until 2012, the most thesis was done in 2022, the most studied type of thesis was master's thesis, the most quantitative research method and relational survey model were used in theses. It was concluded that the highest number of theses were at Gazi University, the provinces with the highest number of theses were Istanbul and Ankara, the highest number of children were working groups/samples in theses, and 23 different categories were studied in the field of selfregulation. Considering the results of the study, it is recommended to study more doctoral theses in the preschool period and to prepare theses using qualitative research methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this paper is to show the links between women's demographic characteristics and their political participation. Focusing on low female participation in politics, we carried out a survey with 408 women living in Ankara, Turkey. The paper attempts to answer the following questions: What is the level of female political participation? What are the obstacles preventing female political participation? What is the level of female participation in political parties and Non-Governmental Organizations? What kind of links can be made between women's demographic characteristics and their political attitudes and behaviors? What suggestions could be made to increase female political participation? Findings reveal that women's active political participation in Turkey is not at the expected level. There are several barriers to their higher involvement. Women are still not independent of their families and are influenced by the politics of their parents and spouse. This can also be seen as a sign of patriarchy. Several suggestions are made to improve the existing situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how Turkey has established and transformed particular norms as norm entrepreneur and norm transmitter toward the Middle East from constructivism perspectives. At first part, this study reviews previous studies about norm and norm spread, especially contributions of Florini, Finnemore and Sikkink, and Acharya. In second part, this paper presents framework of Turkey's norm entrepreneur and norm transmitter roles, and applies it to specific examples. As the examples of norm entrepreneur, Ankara Forum and Turkish model are taken. On the other hand, Turkey's activities in Democratic Assistance Dialogue and in OIC were examples of norm transmitter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the performance of masonry buildings during the 20 and 27 December 2007 Bala (Ankara) earthquakes. Bala is a township located 50 km southeast from Ankara city in Turkey. The majority of the buildings in the affected region are built in masonry. Most of masonry buildings were formed with random or coursed stone and mud brick walls without any reinforcement. Many of these buildings were damaged or had collapsed. The cracking and failure patterns of the buildings are examined and interpreted according to current provisions for earthquake resistance of masonry structures. The damages are due to several reasons such as poor construction quality and poor workmanship of the buildings. In addition to these reasons, the two earthquakes hit the buildings within seven days, causing progressive damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences is the property of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract  The paper reports an assessment of the engineering geological characteristics of the rock mass to be encountered between Mecidiye and Gazino stations on the new extension of the Ankara metro and the determination of appropriate support and excavation methods. The rock mass quality was estimated using the rock mass rating (RMR), geological strength index (GSI) and rock mass quality (Q) systems and the tunnel divided into sections. The RMR, Q and NATM systems were used to determine the support and excavation methods in these areas. The deformations and stress concentrations around each tunnel section were investigated and the interaction of the support systems with the rock mass was analyzed using finite element software. It is concluded that rock mass classification systems should be used in tandem with numerical tools, although it is emphasized that the estimation of rock mass properties is not an exact science and both rock properties and numerical models should be refined based on observations and the results of instrumentation installed during the construction of a tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The paper presents the geotechnical properties along the route of the 9,325 m twin tunnel metro route in the Greater Municipality of Ankara. Convergence measurements taken during tunnel construction are presented and discussed. In addition, the convergence of the twin metro tunnels was analysed by means of a 2D plane strain finite element (FE) analysis. The FE model estimations and the field measurements are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental Engineering (ENVE) Department was established at the Middle East Technical University (METU) as a graduate program in January 1973. It began offering undergraduate programs in 1978. The department today has 12 faculty members and about 250 students. Numerous courses both on Environmental Sciences and on Environmental Technology are offered at the graduate and undergraduate level. This paper summarizes the curriculum development and missions of the ENVE Department at METU. Also, the basic characteristics of the undergraduate and graduate program are reviewed from the point of view of sustainable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a floristic study on Kirmir valley, between Güdül and Yesilöz district, in Ankara province. The study was carried out during 2000-2003 and 1040 vascular plant specimens were collected. Four hundred and forty-eight wild taxa belonging to 266 genera and 74 families were determined. Furthermore, as for cultivated plants, 45 taxa were determined. The total number of wild and cultivated plant species is 493. Thirty-two of the wild taxa are endemic to Turkey and the rate of endemism is 7.1%. The 3 largest families are Asteraceae (43 taxa), Brassicaceae (40 taxa), and Fabaceae (37 taxa). The largest 3 genera are Alyssum L. with 10 taxa, Veronica L. with 7 taxa and Salvia L., Astragalus L. and Vicia L. with 6 taxa. The phytogeographical distribution of the wild species is as follows: Irano-Turanian elements 73 (16.3%), Mediterranean elements 46 (10.3%) and Euro-Siberian elements 43 (9.6%). Forty-seven species are new records for the A4 square. Similarities between the taxa and ratio of phytogeographical elements of Kirmir valley and those of 10 other studies performed near our study area were compared using clustering analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The product of grapes with the highest added value is wine. Wine grapes play an important role in the evaluation of barren lands, where no other plants generally grow. Viticulture in Türkiye is generally conducted on small areas of agricultural land. In order to develop viticulture, it is important to determine suitable areas. This study presents a model for assessing land suitability for cultivation of grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) in the Ankara region (Türkiye). The aim is to provide a spatial decision support system based on geographic information system multi-criteria assessment, taking into account the perspectives of expert agricultural engineers and local product growers. In this study, 11 criteria were evaluated to determine the most suitable locations for grapevine cultivation. The best worst method was used to calculate the weights of the determined evaluation criteria. When the spatial distribution of the areas suitable for grapevine cultivation was examined from the resulting map produced, it was seen that 1879.29 km2 (7%) of highly suitability areas, 5062.03 km2 (20%) of medium suitability areas, 4706.20 km2 (18%) of low suitability areas, and 8355.36 km2 (33%) of unsuitable areas were detected. According to the results obtained, the southern parts of the study area are more suitable for grapevine cultivation. This study will be an important and useful regional guide for agricultural land use planning and the cultivation of grapevines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poultry sector provides numerous benefits in the social, economic, and health domains, but is currently facing a major issue: information pollution. It is among the sectors most affected by information pollution globally, a phenomenon fueled by the rapid advancement of communication technologies. Information pollution has become a major challenge of our time, causing harm to the consumer market through its negative impact on consumer perceptions and behaviors. Turkey is an interesting case for studying the impact of information pollution on poultry consumers, as it is among the top 10 countries in poultry production and exports, and experiences intense information pollution in the sector. The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of information pollution on Turkish poultry consumers and to explore potential solutions to this problem. The study surveyed 384 consumers from Ankara and İzmir and found that consumer perceptions and views of poultry differ significantly from those of the producer companies and the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. A significant proportion of respondents reported reducing their poultry consumption after hearing negative news. The groups most likely to reduce their consumption are women, housewives, and people over the age of 55. Given its significant and serious impact on consumers, efforts must be made to address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, more than half of the world's population of 7.6 billion lives in cities, and by 2030, it is estimated that the population of urban residents will exceed 5 billion worldwide. Since growth in cities destroys agriculture, forests, and wetlands, an increasing carbon footprint brings many environmental problems, such as global climate change. Among the developing countries, Türkiye's largest cities have been experiencing a rapid urbanization process. The study aims to analyze the adverse effects of urban growth in Türkiye's largest metropolises on natural areas such as agriculture, forests, and wetlands. In this context, the Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir metropolitan areas have been determined as case areas. The correlation between the changes in the land cover and the urban expansion processes of the three big cities from 1990 to 2018 has been systematically analyzed in the GIS environment using Corine land cover program data. The study indicates the devastating effect of urban growth on agricultural areas in all three case areas. In addition, the urbanization pressure in Istanbul continues to destroy northern forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cigarette pack design plays a crucial role in attracting customers, especially when other marketing methods are limited by policy. University students who engage in casual smoking take the risk of developing an addiction. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of plain packaging (PP) and graphic health warnings (GHWs) on cigarette packages on three outcome variables (negative affect, avoidant responses, and intentions to quit) among ever-smoker university students in Ankara, Turkey, where youth smoking prevalence is high. Methods: An online survey-based experiment was used to collect data. The respondents were randomly assigned to one of the five conditions that contained images of cigarette packs with specific design elements. Regression analyses (n = 623) were used to compare across conditions and to estimate the effects of combined warnings (versus text-only warnings), stronger GHWs (versus old GHWs), and PP (versus branded packages) on the outcome variables, accounting for potential confounders. Results: Stronger GHWs generated more negative affect (0.31 points out of 5, p = 0.010) and avoidant responses (0.42 points out of 5, p = 0.002) than old warnings (when brand logos were visible). Plain packages generated more negative affect (0.48 points out of 5, p < 0.001) and avoidant responses (0.46 points out of 5, p = 0.001) than branded packages (with old warnings). Disentangling the effects of PP and new GHWs revealed that neither had individual differential effect on intentions to quit within 6 months. Conclusions: Although no differential effect of PP or harsher GHWs was found on intentions to quit when respondents were exposed to images on screen, both design elements were found to be effective in generating negative affect and avoidant responses. More work is needed to design effective tobacco control measures among youth during critical years of tertiary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Electronic Turkish Studies is the property of Electronic Turkish Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctorupoidea) is a family of parasitoid wasps composed of a single genus, Helorus with eighteen extant species. For Türkiye, only two species have been reported: Helorus anomalipes (from Ankara, Central Anatolia) and H. striolatus (from Bingöl, Eastern Anatolia). In this study, a new distribution record is given for H. striolatus from Kocaeli province (Marmara region), which is the second record of this relatively littleknown species in this country. In addition, an updated checklist of the family Heloridae is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anatolian Studies (British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara) is the property of British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Relations / Uluslararasi Iliskiler is the property of International Relations Council and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This paper proposes the Fuzzy Logic Model for Location Decisions of Taxicab Stands (FMOTS), which is a decision support system for decision makers, who wish to alleviate taxicab stand complexity in the short to medium term. In this study, an integrated model of GIS and fuzzy logic for taxicab stand location decision is built. The location decisions of taxicab stands in Ankara (Turkey), where organizational problems of taxicab stands slow down a better quality of service, have been examined by this integrated model and their appropriateness has also been evaluated according to the selected parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Anatolian Studies (British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara) is the property of British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, an exact solution approach is described for solving a real-life school bus routing problem (SBRP) for transporting the students of an elementary school throughout central Ankara, Turkey. The problem is modelled as a capacitated and distance constrained open vehicle routing problem and an associated integer linear program is presented. The integer program borrows some well-known inequalities from the vehicle routing problem, which are also shown to be valid for the SBRP under consideration. The optimal solution of the problem is computed using the proposed formulation, resulting in a saving of up to 28.6% in total travelling cost as compared to the current implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences is the property of Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Yuzuncu Yil Universitesi Journal of Agricultural Sciences (YYU J Agr Sci) is the property of Yuzuncu Yil University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A gradient boosting regression tree (GBT) approach is introduced for 1- and 3-month-ahead standardized precipitation–evapotranspiration index (SPEI) classification for Antalya and Ankara in Turkey. First, the numerical target series of SPEI-6 was converted into the categorical vectors of extreme wet, wet, near normal, dry, and extremely dry labels. Then, a GBT model was trained and validated using the lagged SPEI-6 series of four global grid points closest to each city. The model efficiency was surveyed in terms of kappa, overall accuracy, misclassification rate, class recall, class precision, and F1 score. The GBT was also compared with the traditional decision tree and state-of-the-art random forest models developed as the benchmarks. Despite facing the unbalanced label vectors, the GBT approach showed promising processing performance with an overall accuracy of 77% (83%) and 74% (72%) in Antalya (Ankara) at 1- and 3-month-ahead prediction scenarios, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Turkey hosts the world's largest refugee population of whom 3.5 million are Syrians and this population has been continuously growing since the year 2011. This situation causes various problems, mainly while receiving health-care services. In planning the migrant health-care services, for the policy makers of host countries, health literacy level of migrants is an important measure. Determination of health literacy level of Syrian refugees in Turkey would be supportive for planning some interventions to increase health-care service utilization, as well as health education and health communication programs. An "original health literacy scale" for 18–60 years of age Turkish literate adults (Hacettepe University Health Literacy Scale-HLS) was developed to be used as a reference scale in 2018. Since it would be useful to compare the health literacy levels of Turkish adults with Syrian adult refugees living in Turkey with an originally developed scale, in this study, it was aimed to adapt the HLS-Short Form for Syrian refugees. Methods: This methodological study was carried out between the years 2019–2020 in three provinces of Turkey where the majority of Syrians reside. The data was collected by pre-trained, Arabic speaking 12 interviewers and three supervisors via a questionnaire on household basis. At first, the original Scale and questionnaire were translated into Arabic and back translated into the original language. The questionnaire and the Scale were pre-tested among 30 Syrian refugees in Ankara province. A total of 1254 refugees were participated into the main part of the study; 47 health-worker participants were excluded from the validity-reliability analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed. Cronbach's alpha and Spearman–Brown coefficients were calculated. Results: Of the participants, 52.9% was male; 26.1% had secondary education level or less; almost half of them had moderate economic level; 27.5% could not speak Turkish. The Cronbach's Alpha was 0.75, Spearman–Brown Coefficient was 0.76; RMSEA = 0.073, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92 and GFI = 0.95 for the Scale. The Cronbach's Alpha was 0.76, Spearman–Brown Coefficient was 0.77; RMSEA = 0.085, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91 and GFI = 0.95 for self-efficacy part. Conclusion: In conclusion, the adapted HLS would be a reliable instrument to evaluate the health-literacy level of Syrian refugees living in Turkey and could allow for a comparison of the host country's health literacy level to that of the refugees using the same scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the building sector has a large share in global energy consumption. The building stock, which has increased with the increasing population, contributes more to this consumption day by day. School buildings, which constitute an important part of public buildings, are among the most used building types in the daily cycle and also have a high energy demand for heating, cooling and electricity loads. In Turkey, the implementation of the same type of school projects in different climate regions without considering the context and climatic conditions increases the amount of energy consumption. This study provides a framework for reducing energy loads in school buildings using passive design strategies. Located in two different climatic regions of Turkey, in Istanbul and Ankara, a primary school building is taken into consideration for comparison of type projects in the context of energy performance and single-objective optimization process to minimize energy use intensity (EUI). As a result of the optimization processes carried out depending on the parameters related to the building envelope, the energy performance for the Istanbul climate is improved by 5.05%, while this rate is 4.09% for the Ankara climate. The best solution individual parameters of both climate types have very close values to each other. It is thought that more efficient results can be obtained with the multi-objective optimization processes of the studies to be carried out to evaluate the type school projects on the basis of different climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ankara Studies / Ankara Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Sadberk Hanim Muzesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Food safety is a public health concern because foodborne diseases have been increasing in recent years due to several factors such as urbanization, globalization and changes in consumer habits. Many countries in the world, including Turkey have upgraded their laws about food and personnel hygiene in the catering industry and undertaken changes to the organizational structure of their regulatory institutions to protect consumers' health. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the perceptions of food processors on food safety and to determine whether there has been a change in this matter over the last 12 years. The data has been collected by conducting face to face interviews and having 500 employees from the sector fill in a questionnaire constructed for this purpose. The responses to the questionnaire have been measured by assigning 'hygiene perception points' to each respondent according to their replies. These hygiene perception points have been analysed in terms of gender, age, educational level and work experience of the employees involved. The results have revealed that employees between the ages of 26-34, women, university graduates have a higher level of perception of hygiene than other age groups, men, those with lower education levels, respectively. Hygiene perception points were found to be higher compared to the results obtained 12 years ago. The positive changes observed in the hygiene perception points are thought to result from the differences in the legislation of the years in which both studie s were conducted. It is thought that the obligatory of providing hygiene and food safety training to individuals working in the catering sector with law changes leads to positive changes in the employees. Legally compulsory training activities can overcome many sanitation and safety problems that result from misinformed or uninformed employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, rhodium, palladium, platinum, gold and cerium were determined by ICP-MS after trace-matrix separation in roadside dusts and soil samples along different motorways in Ankara and Bursa, and in soil samples taken from industrial locations in Nilüfer, Bursa. The clear presence of Pd and Rh was determined at different traffic locations. Platinum remained below the method’s quantification limit for most of the samples. Results showed that both cities showed relatively high concentrations of; Rh and Pt in tunnels and downtowns, Pd in tunnels, bus stations and crossroads, and Au in downtowns. Consistent with the daily road traffic, relatively high concentrations of Rh, Pd and Pt were determined for Ankara. Based on the limited data available for Pt, Pt:Pd ratios varied between 0.04 and 0.25, and Pt:Rh ratios varied between 0.59 and 2.1. Measurements at the industrial location showed an average Rh and Pd concentration of 11 and 359 μg/kg, respectively. On the other hand, Au concentrations remained below the method’s quantification limit except for one sampling location. The average Ce concentration was determined as 23 mg/kg. Platinum remained below the method’s quantification limit for all industrial sampling locations. Overall, high average Rh and Pt concentrations were determined at the traffic sites, while higher average Pd concentration was determined at the industrial locations. Cerium remained consistently below the earth’s crustal levels, which infers that no anthropogenic source can be attributed to Ce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The effects of treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a triple combination composed of hydroxychloroquine, an antiviral, and an antibiotic on electrocardiography (ECG) parameters in patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms are not wholly understood. We aimed to explore the changes in ECG parameters after treatment with triple combination therapy in patients with mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective, single-center case series analyzed 91 patients with mild-to-moderate symptomatic COVID-19 at Ankara Gazi Mustafa Kemal State Hospital of Ankara City, Turkey, from April 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020. Forty-three patients were treated with hydroxychloroquine+o seltamivir+azithromycin (Group 1) and 48 patients were treated with hydroxychloroquine+oseltamivir+levofloxacin (Group 2). Heart rate, P wave duration, P wave dispersion, PR interval, QRS duration, corrected QT interval (QTc), QTc dispersion (QTD), delta QTc, Tp-e, Tp-e dispersion, and Tp-e/QTc ratio were all calculated from the baseline and posttreatment 12-lead ECG recordings. Results: The QTc, QRS duration, Tp-e, PR interval, and P wave duration were significantly increased after treatment (p<0.001; p<0.001; p<0.001; p=0.001; p=0.001). The posttreatment C-reactive protein level was significantly lower than at baseline in Group 1 (p=0.014). At admission, 30% of patients had QT prolongation, and 4.3% of them had a QT duration >500 ms. Both Group 1 and Group 2 showed significant prolongation of the QTc interval (Group 1; p<0.001 vs. Group 2; p<0.001), QRS duration (Group 1; p=0.006 vs. Group 2; p=0.014), Tp-e (Group 1; p=0.036 vs. Group 2; p<0.001), and PR interval (Group 1; p=0.002 vs. Group2; p=0.05). The QTD was significantly decreased in Group 1 (p<0.001). None of the patients experienced any overt ventricular arrhythmia. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate QT prolongation in a population of COVID-19 patients treated with triple combination therapy. We found that there was a significant decrease in the QTD after the treatment in patients who were taking triple therapy including azithromycin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Erzincan University Journal of Education Faculty / Erzincan Üniversitesi Egitim Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Erzincan University Faculty of Education Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Ankara Studies / Ankara Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Sadberk Hanim Muzesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Arm anthropometry is a commonly used method for determining the nutritional status of children and adolescents. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the arm anthropometry of 1484 children and adolescents (760 boys and 724 girls) aged between 6-17 years. The sample groups are selected who are living in Ankara to establish local reference values. In order to determine upper Arm Muscle Area (AMA) and upper Arm Fat Area (AFA), height, weight, upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness measurements were taken in accordance with International Biological Program (IBP) protocols. Smoothed percentiles of AMA and AFA were obtained. Body mass index was calculated with weight and height measurements (kg/m2). Fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) were measured using bio-impedance analyzer. According to the obtained results, arm muscle area values were higher in boys and arm fat area was higher in girls. In addition, sex difference in these variables increased with age. There was a high positive correlation between body mass index (BMI) and AMA, AFA. It has been found that there is a difference in AMA and AFA values for Ankara children compared to previous studies in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of service quality measures that have the greatest impact on overall satisfaction of a system has many advantages both in favor of passengers and managers. Service quality of a transportation system mostly found by evaluation of passengers attitudes. Especially for managers, it is very important to have knowledge about the expectations and perceptions of passengers that they provide service. In this study, two well-known methods, Servqual and Impact Score Technique (IST) are used to determine the service quality of High Speed Rail System of Turkey operated between Eskişehir and Ankara. Then, the results were compared and an analysis was conducted focusing on the differences that have arisen because of the approaches of the methods. The data collected from 900 passengers of High Speed Rail System (HSRS) were used in the analysis. For Servqual, the expectations and perceptions of passengers were taken into account, while in IST, the ratio of passengers having experienced a problem about the relevant attribute and their perceptions are used. The results show that in IST, the outstanding problematic areas are ranked according to problem experiencing rates; while in Servqual, ranking is mostly shaped by perceptions of passengers. In both methods, the featuring attributes of the system are found to be almost common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using regionally downscaled and adjusted outputs of three global climate models (GCMs), meteorological drought analysis was accomplished across Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. To this end, standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) were projected under (representative concentration pathway) RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 greenhouse gas scenarios. In general, our results show that Ankara experienced six severe and two extreme drought events during the reference period, 1971–2000. However, the projections indicate fewer drought events for the near-future period of 2016–2040, with no potential extreme drought events. While the RCP4.5 scenario showed that dry spells will be dominant in the second half of the near-future period, the RCP8.5 scenario projected that dry spells will be evenly distributed during the entire near-future period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death during pregnancy. Therefore, its detection early in pregnancy is of great importance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the rate and spectrum of CVD among healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy. Methods: A total of 900 women in the first trimester of pregnancy, who attended the antenatal outpatient clinic of a tertiary care center in Ankara, Turkey, for a routine pregnancy examination, were recruited into this prospective study. Patients with a history of chronic systemic diseases, CVD, and/or a family history of an early onset CVD, and multiple pregnancies were excluded. Patients who were included in the study underwent electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography by the same cardiologist. Results: The rate of newly diagnosed CVD cases among asymptomatic pregnant women without any cardiac or clinical risk factors was 5.2% (n=47). The following CVDs were detected: rheumatic heart disease (n=26; 55.3%), congenital heart disease (n=13; 27.6%), and isolated valve disease (moderate and severe) (n=8; 17%). The mitral valve prolapse was detected in 32 women (3.5%) and atrial septal aneurysm in 51 women (5.67%). Thirty women (3.3%) had arrhythmia. Conclusion: The CVD rate of 5.2% among healthy women in the first trimester of pregnancy shows that the clinicians must keep in mind that during pregnancy, physiological changes in the cardiovascular system may aggravate an undiagnosed disease, and they should be alert even in case of mild cardiac symptoms that may interfere with pregnancy complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Education is the property of Mehmet Tekerek and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)