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The aim in this study was to determine the effectiveness of STEM-based robotic coding education for primary school students in terms of their decision-making skills. Mixed method research was conducted. Pretest-posttest control group designs were used in the quantitative phase, and a case study was performed in the qualitative phase of the research. The study sample consisted of 65 third graders. Pretesting of the experimental and control group students was performed using the decision-making skills scale. STEM-based robotic coding training was given to the experimental group for 6 weeks. Afterwards, the decision-making skills scale was applied as a posttest to both the experimental and control groups. The quantitative data were analyzed with paired and independent samples t-tests. A statistically significant increase was observed in the experimental group students' decision-making skills in favor of the posttest. There was no significant difference between the pre- and posttest scores of the control group students. An interview with 15 experimental group students was conducted to collect qualitative data, and the interview results were analyzed using content analysis. The robotic coding education positively affected the students' decision-making and problem-solving skills and their willingness to share ideas.

The focus of this research was to investigate how school administrators in Turkey managed the crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, which was a deadly threat for humanity worldwide. The research questions guiding this study are: (1) Did schools have a crisis plan? (2) If yes, how was the plan implemented in a crisis situation?; (3) What kind of changes were made in the plans?; (4) What should administrators do in such crisis situations?; and (5) What was done in the COVID-19 outbreak? The research was conducted as a qualitative case study which involved 105 school administrators. Due to the pandemic conditions that hindered direct face-to-face interviews and interactions, data collection was carried out online via a Google drive form with open-ended questions. The findings demonstrated that there were two main headings as the basis for the research problems. The first was the existence of crisis planning by school administrators; the other was the status of implementation of these plans. Finally, how school administrators handled crisis management was pointed out.

This study aimed to examine the awareness of teacher candidates towards inclusive education. This mixed method study was performed with the convergent parallel mixed pattern. The sample of quantitative part of the study consisted of 708 teacher candidates in an education faculty determined by criterion sampling. The study group of the qualitative part of the research is 14 teacher candidates (preservice teachers) selected from among these participants. The research data were collected with Awareness Scale for Inclusive Education and Interview Form for Evaluation of Inclusive Education Course. The scale data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics, and the semi-structured interview data were analyzed by content analysis. The results revealed that the awareness of teacher candidates' inclusive education was at a moderate level. In addition, the awareness level of the participants who had inclusive education training was higher than the participants who did not, and the female participants had higher awareness compared to the male participants. The interview results revealed that training on inclusive education increased teacher candidates' awareness of its history, aims, the students it encompasses, and its applications. According to the results of the research, it has been suggested to expand the inclusive education provided to teachers before and during the service.

This research aims to examine the effect of semantic encoding strategy instruction on students' near and far transfer performances in e-learning environments. The research was performed by experimental design. Dependent variables of the research were near and far transfer performances. Independent variable was strategy instruction on encoding. Also recalling performance was included in the research as a control variable. Research data were gathered with a transfer test containing 18 multiple-choice items. The experimental study was performed with 67 students with a medium level of recalling performance. The students were randomly assigned to experimental group I (strategy instruction+integrated content), experimental group II (strategy intruction+non-integrated content), and control group (non-integrated content). The results of this research indicated that encoding strategy instruction is essential for the transfer of learning in e-learning environments. However, it is more effective when e-learning design is integrated with encoding strategies. Therefore, it is suggested that semantic encoding strategies should be integrated into the content when designing elearning environments.

The research explores the effect of STEM and STEM-based robotic activities on the development of students' perceptions of mental risk-taking and its predictors and their perceptions of inquiry learning skills related to science. A mixed method was applied in the research. Its sample consisted of 35 students in a high school of the Ministry of National Education in a medium-scale province of the Eastern Anatolia Region between the 2017-2018 educational year. The Scale for Perceptions of Mental Risk-taking in Science Learning and Its Predictors (SPMRSLIP) and the Scale for Perception of Inquiry Learning Skills for Science (SPILSS) were applied to obtain the quantitative data in the research. In addition, the focus group interview was held. The STEM and STEM-based robotic activities have been performed with the students for 14 weeks. In the findings obtained at the end of the research, no significant difference was determined between the perception pre-test and post-test scores related to mental risk-taking and its predictors in science learning. However, difference was found in the dimension of interest. It was found that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores in the inquiry learning skills perception scale for science and the qualitative findings also supported this result. According to the results, it can be recommended that STEM and Robotic educations should be given in other grades.

This study aims to create a rubric based on the pedagogical properties of educational robots for pre-school students and determine the compliance level with educational robot sets. In this sense, the study is considered a first and significant step toward selecting robots based on pedagogical-driven factors. For this aim, a mixed-method research design was employed. A qualitative method was used to create the rubric items, and the rubric development was also supported through a quantitative process by including expert opinions and ensuring content validity. Furthermore, a descriptive survey model, one of the quantitative designs, was used to examine the suitability of educational robots for the pre-school education level. As an outcome of this study, a rubric of four dimensions with 28 items related to the pedagogical features of educational robots in pre-school was created. Furthermore, widely used educational robots at the pre-school level, such as Kidoboto, Lego Wedo, Mbot, Lego Spike, Lego Ev3, and Matatalab, were evaluated by experts using the created rubric.

Innovative activities carried out during school laboratory sessions include 'flipped learning' (FL), which is an interactive learning environment where the teacher guides students learn individually. This study examined the impact of the adoption of the FL approach on the academic performance of 2nd year science student teachers enrolled in the course General Chemistry Laboratory -- III and on their opinions related with the course. Eighty-one student teachers acted as a control group i.e., followed the conventional course approach while 85 students participated in the experimental groups following the FL approach. Data collection tools were examination scripts and semi-structured interview questions. A significant difference was found in academic performance in favor of the experimental group. Besides, it was observed that the FL approach increased students' motivation, encouraged them to take responsibility for their own learning, and enabled more meaningful learning to take place. It is recommended for more practical lessons be designed with this approach and for more research to be conducted on the impact of this approach on learning motivation and self-efficacy of students as well as their academic performance.

The aim of this study is to examine the ability of pre-service mathematics teachers to detect errors made in solving questions about matrices. The study particularly focused on revealing the internalization of the teachings such as the meanings and relational dimensions of concepts and operations about matrix. The study was conducted with 26 teacher candidates at a university in the Eastern Anatolia Region. They were given a written exam, and their responses were analyzed by two field experts. The results showed that the pre-service teachers did not fully understand the concepts and operations of matrices. They made a variety of errors, including misconceptions and incomplete understanding. They were also not very good at solving proof-based questions. However, they were more successful at solving problems that were based on plain logic or could be solved using rules.

With this study we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a collaborative and reflective school-based training model on the teachers' professional transformation in a middle school in Turkey. This study emerged as a result of a need for this school to transform its instructional approach to the understanding by design (UbD) approach. Considering the needs of teachers for instructional design, a 1-year training programme was planned. Thirteen teachers from different subject fields in the school participated in this case study. The teachers prepared 4 UbD plans collaboratively under the coaching of the researchers, implemented them in the class, and participated in the reflection meetings after each implementation. While evaluation of plans showed their progress, focus-group interviews revealed that this training had changed the teachers' instructional approach and developed their design skills. Additionally, even though there were some challenging issues such as intense workloads, time constraints, coordination problems, the teachers generally emphasised the contributions of studying UbD to their peer collaboration, classroom practices, and their students' understanding and learning. We concluded that not only this collaborative and reflective training model but also the UbD itself had positive effects on teachers' professional transformation.

INTRODUCTION: Central precocious puberty (CPP) is treated with long-acting gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues (GnRHa). Some adult patients undergoing GnRHa treatment experienced prolonged QT syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of serious cardiac events, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. METHODS: Seventy-four patients, aged between 5 and 11 years and diagnosed with CPP but with no other concomitant disease or medication use, underwent electrocardiogram (ECG) assessment. They had been receiving 3.75 mg leuprolide acetate (Lucrin® Depot) injections every 28 days for at least three months. RESULTS: The ECGs of all patients showed a corrected QT (QTc) interval within normal limits, consistent with the data for healthy Turkish children of the same age and gender. No other pathological physical examination or ECG findings were observed. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in QTc interval when adjusted for age, anthropometric data, or the duration or cumulative dose of the treatment. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The study found no correlation between QTc interval values and age, treatment duration, total cumulative dose, and anthropometric data. These findings suggest that cardiovascular adverse events associated with GnRHa treatment may be related to age and other underlying physiopathological conditions in adults rather than being directly due to the drug.

Abstract Cellular target engagement technologies enable quantification of intracellular drug binding; however, simultaneous assessment of drug-associated phenotypes has proven challenging. Here, we present cellular target engagement by accumulation of mutant as a platform that can concomitantly evaluate drug-target interactions and phenotypic responses using conditionally stabilized drug biosensors. We observe that drug-responsive proteotypes are prevalent among reported mutants of known drug targets. Compatible mutants appear to follow structural and biophysical logic that permits intra-protein and paralogous expansion of the biosensor pool. We then apply our method to uncouple target engagement from divergent cellular activities of MutT homolog 1 (MTH1) inhibitors, dissect Nudix hydrolase 15 (NUDT15)-associated thiopurine metabolism with the R139C pharmacogenetic variant, and profile the dynamics of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1/2 (PARP1/2) binding and DNA trapping by PARP inhibitors (PARPi). Further, PARP1-derived biosensors facilitated high-throughput screening for PARP1 binders, as well as multimodal ex vivo analysis and non-invasive tracking of PARPi binding in live animals. This approach can facilitate holistic assessment of drug-target engagement by bridging drug binding events and their biological consequences.

Abstract Background Academic procrastination (AP), a common behavior among students, is influenced by factors such as fear of failure, task aversiveness, anxiety, and stress. Self-generated stress (SGS) refers to the subjective experience of tension that occurs in response to an existing situation. Individuals often overestimate the difficulty and attainability of a task, resulting in increased stress and extended stress duration. SGS can worsen mental and physical health problems, including bruxism. Therefore, this study investigates the possible underlying connections by examining the relationship between AP, SGS, and self-reported (SR) bruxism in medical and dental students. Methods The present cross-sectional study was undertaken among a sample of 379 students pursuing medical and dentistry degrees in Turkey. The questionnaire, including the Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form, SR bruxism Scale, and SGS Scale, was administered to the students. According to the responses given to the SR bruxism Scale, 3 types of SR bruxism groups were created as sleep, awake, and compound. A comparative analysis was conducted on AP, SGS, and SR bruxism among medical and dental students. Furthermore, the associations among AP, SGS, and SR bruxism were assessed using the utilization of correlation tables and regression analysis. Results The prevalence of awake bruxism was higher among dental students (46.6%) compared to medical students (34.7%), suggesting a faculty-dependent trend. A significant positive correlation was observed between SGS and AP (r = 0.212, p

Abstract Background Maxillofacial complex automated segmentation could alternative traditional segmentation methods to increase the effectiveness of virtual workloads. The use of DL systems in the detection of maxillary sinus and pathologies will both facilitate the work of physicians and be a support mechanism before the planned surgeries. Objective The aim was to use a modified You Only Look Oncev5x (YOLOv5x) architecture with transfer learning capabilities to segment both maxillary sinuses and maxillary sinus diseases on Cone-Beam Computed Tomographic (CBCT) images. Methods Data set consists of 307 anonymised CBCT images of patients (173 women and 134 males) obtained from the radiology archive of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Bilateral maxillary sinuses CBCT scans were used to identify mucous retention cysts (MRC), mucosal thickenings (MT), total and partial opacifications, and healthy maxillary sinuses without any radiological features. Results Recall, precision and F1 score values for total maxillary sinus segmentation were 1, 0.985 and 0.992, respectively; 1, 0.931 and 0.964 for healthy maxillary sinus segmentation; 0.858, 0.923 and 0.889 for MT segmentation; 0.977, 0.877 and 0.924 for MRC segmentation; 1, 0.942 and 0.970 for sinusitis segmentation. Conclusion This study demonstrates that maxillary sinuses can be segmented, and maxillary sinus diseases can be accurately detected using the AI model.

Abstract Background Sarcopenia is an age‐related muscle disease that increases the risk of falls, disabilities, and death. It is associated with increased muscle protein degradation driven by molecular signalling pathways including Akt and FOXO1. This study aims to identify genes, gene interactions, and molecular pathways and processes associated with muscle aging and exercise in older adults that remained undiscovered until now leveraging on an artificial intelligence approach called artificial neural network inference (ANNi). Methods Four datasets reporting the profile of muscle transcriptome obtained by RNA‐seq of young (21–43 years) and older adults (63–79 years) were selected and retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data repository. Two datasets contained the transcriptome profiles associated to muscle aging and two the transcriptome linked to resistant exercise in older adults, the latter before and after 6 months of exercise training. Each dataset was individually analysed by ANNi based on a swarm neural network approach integrated into a deep learning model (Intelligent Omics). This allowed us to identify top 200 genes influencing (drivers) or being influenced (targets) by aging or exercise and the strongest interactions between such genes. Downstream gene ontology (GO) analysis of these 200 genes was performed using Metacore (Clarivate™) and the open‐source software, Metascape. To confirm the differential expression of the genes showing the strongest interactions, real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) was employed on human muscle biopsies obtained from eight young (25 ± 4 years) and eight older men (78 ± 7.6 years), partaking in a 6‐month resistance exercise training programme. Results CHAD, ZDBF2, USP54, and JAK2 were identified as the genes with the strongest interactions predicting aging, while SCFD1, KDM5D, EIF4A2, and NIPAL3 were the main interacting genes associated with long‐term exercise in older adults. RT‐qPCR confirmed significant upregulation of USP54 (P = 0.005), CHAD (P = 0.03), and ZDBF2 (P = 0.008) in the aging muscle, while exercise‐related genes were not differentially expressed (EIF4A2 P = 0.99, NIPAL3 P = 0.94, SCFD1 P = 0.94, and KDM5D P = 0.64). GO analysis related to skeletal muscle aging suggests enrichment of pathways linked to bone development (adj P‐value 0.006), immune response (adj P‐value

The teacher must, first of all, have a good knowledge of mathematics to detect the errors in the student's mathematical knowledge and to identify the general situation in the classroom. This depends on the mathematical knowledge gained in the teacher training schools. General mathematics topics occupying an important place in the departments of mathematics and science education form the basis for a better understanding and comprehension of subsequent mathematics and science topics (Gökçek & Açikyildiz, 2015). In this study, approaches of teacher candidates to errors in the questions on limits, derivatives, integrals, and asymptotes were determined as the case of the research. Perspectives regarding this case were examined in detail in line with the candidates' answers to the questions "what, how, why" and presented to the reader (Yin, 1984). Participants of the study consisted of sixty first-year students studying in the Department of Science Education of a university in Central Anatolia. In the research, a knowledge test consisting of six open-ended questions was used as the data collection tool.

COVID-19 pandemic showed once again the need for quality in online education all over the world. The aim of this research is to solicit how to improve the quality of online education from online education program directors' perspectives. The research was designed as a qualitative case study. Eight participants who were responsible for directing, managing, supervising and organizing online education programs participated to this study. The data were collected through interviews and were analyzed through content analysis. Eight dimensions were found to improve the quality of online education. These dimensions were focusing on students' needs; focusing on change in education; focusing on system as a whole; focusing on leadership; focusing on continuous improvement of online education; focusing on integrating learning and teaching theories into online education; focusing on research about online education; and focusing on quality of instructors.

Abstract Heavy metal toxicity adversely affects plants by changing physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. Lead (Pb) is one of the most common heavy metal pollutants. Hence this study investigated changes caused by exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA; 20 and 100 µM) and salicylic acid (SA; 2 and 20 mM) elicitors in local Karacadağ rice exposed to Pb stress (0, 100, and 400 ppm). The effects of elicitors on photosynthetic pigment content (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total carotenoid), proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), total phenolic and flavonoid, Pb, and total protein contents in stressed plants were evaluated. All parameters studied increased and decreased at varying rates in the treatment groups compared to the Pb-free group (control), indicating that rice plants were affected by Pb stress. The elicitors (MeJA, SA, and MeJA + SA) were applied by foliar spraying. The elicitor treatments increased photosynthetic pigment content, total protein, proline, total flavonoid, and phenolic contents depending on the elicitor type and concentration. MDA and Pb contents, increasing with Pb toxicity, decreased with elicitor treatments, and the stress degree was reduced. When the elicitors were compared, SA was more effective than MeJA in total flavonoid content at 400 ppm Pb toxicity. However, MeJA was more effective in photosynthetic pigment contents, MDA, total protein, Pb, total phenolic, and proline contents. The best results for all parameters examined in rice plants exposed to Pb toxicity were obtained from the 400 ppm Pb + 2 mM SA + 20 µM MeJA treatment group. In conclusion, this study showed that the combined application of MeJA + SA alleviated the harmful effects of Pb by reducing MDA and increasing photosynthetic pigments, total protein, proline, and secondary metabolites, especially at high Pb concentrations. Consequently, this study demonstrated that the combined use of MeJA and SA in rice plants eliminated the negative effects of stress quite effectively, even at high Pb concentrations. Therefore, future studies should focus on the synergistic application of different elicitors to better understand the effects of heavy metal toxicity on plant growth and development.

Objective: This research was conducted to determine students' opinions about taking the mental health and disease nursing course through distance education.Methods: The research, designed as a descriptive quantitative study, and conducted with students (n=243) taking the Mental Health and Disease Nursing course at the Nursing Department of a state university in Ankara. "Participant Information Form", " Assessment Form for Mental Health and Diseases Nursing Course Distance Education," created by the researchers, and the "Opinions About Distance Education Scale" were used to collect the data. In data analysis, content analysis was performed for open-ended questions, and the data were presented under themes, sub-themes, and categories. Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum values were given for the scale scores.Results: The views of students on distance education were conceptualized under four themes: "Views on distance education", "Effectiveness of teaching methods used", ''Effectiveness of methods used in the practice skill courses, ''Preparedness for provide nursing care to patients followed up with a psychiatric diagnosis.' The total mean score of the participants for the opinions about the distance education scale was determined as 2.91±0.48.Conclusion: The students evaluated the education provided through distance education as moderately sufficient. The teaching methods used in the mental health and diseases nursing course taken through distance education and ensuring permanence through repeated access to courses were stated as positive aspects in theoretical terms, significant deficiencies were expressed in terms of contacting patients in the clinical environment and gaining professional roles.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of video-assisted patient education (VPE) on knee functions, quality of life (QoL) and decrease complications in total knee replacement (TKR) patients.Methods: This study is designed as a prospective, parallel, two-arm, randomized clinical trial. It included 44 patients who underwent elective TKR at an orthopedics and traumatology clinic. The VPE group received VPE including early postoperative care for TKR, activities of daily living, and gradual exercise program in addition to the existing routine care at the clinic. The control group received only routine care. The results were collected with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) scores measured at baseline, 1st and 3rd months after TKR. Results: The mean scores of the VPE group on the pain, stiffness, and physical function of the WOMAC were significantly lower in 3rd month after TKR than the control group. The VPE group had significantly higher scores than the control group on SF-36 of all subcategories except pain, emotional role, and mental health in 3rd month after TKR.Conclusion: The VPE can improve knee function and QoL in TKR patients. Nurses can use the VPE method in patients to improve knee functions and QoL after TKR.

Parental engagement, characterized by mutual expectations, dialogues about needs, comprehension of communicated messages, and proactive responsiveness, plays a pivotal role in shaping early childhood education outcomes. Collaboration between families and educational institutions is integral within the societal framework where both entities coexist. Recognizing the significance of parental engagement, this study aimed to validate and adapt the “Parent Engagement in Early Childhood Education Survey” to align with the Turkish socio-cultural and linguistic context. The study, conducted in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye, encompassed seven kindergartens, comprising both private and public institutions. Based on convenience sampling technique, a total of 381 parents of 36–72-month-old children participated, with a predominant presence of females (88.7%). The parents’ ages primarily fell within the range of 31–35 years (40.4%), and a substantial portion held university degrees (47.2%). The confirmed three-factor structure of the adapted survey encompasses knowledge/expectations, trust/communication, and home-based engagement. Importantly, no item modifications were deemed necessary during the adaptation process. Subsequent reliability assessments indicated a commendable internal consistency value for the entire scale (α = .80), reaffirming the instrument’s reliability.

Objective: It was aimed to examine the relationship between sleep quality and anger levels of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 195 individuals with COPD hospitalized in the chest diseases ward of Van Training and Research Hospital between January and August 2023. Data were collected using the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), Richard-Campbell sleep scale (RCSS), and state-trait anger expression ınventory (STAI). Results: The mean age of the individuals who participated in this study was 67.81 (10.59) years and were diagnosed with COPD 9.85 (9.27) years ago. There was a weakly significant positive correlation (r=0.278; p0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between the year of diagnosis of COPD, the number of COPD attacks in the last year, and the mean total score of RCSS (p

Abstract Background The experiences of GPs in Australia highlight key considerations regarding workload demands, remuneration incentives and the practical implications of working in regions with high ethnic density. This exploration helps to understand the elements that influence GPs delivery of care, particular for refugee women who exhibit disproportionately higher rates of chronic pain. This qualitative study explored the experiences of GPs providing care for refugee women living with chronic pain. Methods Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 10 GPs (9 female and 1 male) practicing across metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. GPs were recruited via purposive sampling and a snowballing strategy. Participants work experience ranged from one to 32 years. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim and stored in qualitative data Nvivo 12 software for coding. Transcripts of interviews were analysed thematically using a phenomenological approach. Results Three overarching themes were identified: (1) meeting the needs of refugee women living with chronic pain; (2) the role of the GP; and (3) the challenges of the health care system. These themes reflected the complexity of consultations which arose, in part, from factors such as trust, the competencies of clinician’s and the limitations posed by time, funding and interpreter use. Conclusion GPs acknowledged the uniqueness of refugee women’s chronic pain needs and whilst doctors welcomed care, many were often challenged by the complex nature of consultations. Those that worked in settings that aligned with refugee women’s needs highlighted the importance of cultivating culturally safe clinical environments and listening to their patients’ stories. However, system level challenges such as time, funding and resource constraints created significant challenges for GPs. Exploring GPs experiences allows for a better understanding of how vectors of disadvantage intersect in health care and highlights the need to better support doctors to improve health care provision for refugee women living with chronic pain.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes of patients with moderate to severe hallux valgus (HV) who underwent capsuloplasty and buniectomy with Lindgren-Turan osteotomy. Materials and Methods: The outcomes of 71 patients who underwent Modified Lindgren-Turan procedure were evaluated in the medium and long term. Clinically, assessment was done using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Radiologically, preoperative and postoperative measurements of hallux val-gus angle (HVA), distal metatarsal angle (DMAA), first-second intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and first metatarsal shortening were evaluated using X-ray. Patients with moderate (n=52) and severe (n=19) hallux valgus were divided into two groups. Results: The patients were followed up for an average of 52.76 ± 9.7 months (range: 38-78 months). Patients were divided into two groups: moderate HV (group 1) and severe HV (group 2). In both groups, statistically significant improvements were observed in HVA, IMA, and DMAA values (p < 0.001). There was a shortening observed in the first metatarsal in both groups, but no significant difference was found between the groups (p = 0.342). Clinically, significant improvements were also noted in AOFAS and VAS scores in both groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Modified Lindgren-Turan osteotomy causes mild shortening of the metatarsal, which does not lead to any compli-cations. With this method, moderate and severe hallux valgus deformities can be corrected, and favorable clinical and radiological outcomes can be achieved.

Abstract Background We aimed to determine the best-performing machine learning (ML)-based algorithm for predicting gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with sociodemographic and obstetrics features in the pre-conceptional period. Methods We collected the data of pregnant women who were admitted to the obstetric clinic in the first trimester. The maternal age, body mass index, gravida, parity, previous birth weight, smoking status, the first-visit venous plasma glucose level, the family history of diabetes mellitus, and the results of an oral glucose tolerance test of the patients were evaluated. The women were categorized into groups based on having and not having a GDM diagnosis and also as being nulliparous or primiparous. 7 common ML algorithms were employed to construct the predictive model. Results 97 mothers were included in the study. 19 and 26 nulliparous were with and without GDM, respectively. 29 and 23 primiparous were with and without GDM, respectively. It was found that the greatest feature importance variables were the venous plasma glucose level, maternal BMI, and the family history of diabetes mellitus. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) Classifier had the best predictive value for the two models with the accuracy of 66.7% and 72.7%, respectively. Discussion The XGB classifier model constructed with maternal sociodemographic findings and the obstetric history could be used as an early prediction model for GDM especially in low-income countries.

Abstract Objectives Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood. YAP (Yes‐associated protein) is a highly expressed protein in NB. Nestin is an important marker of neuronal differentiation in NB. Orthodenticle homeobox (OTX) is a transcription factor and is overexpressed in blastoma‐derived tumors. The aim of this study was to examine the potential roles of YAP‐1, Nestin, and OTX‐2 proteins in prognosis and risk stratification in neuroblastoma Methods Tumor sections of 56 patients with different NB risk groups were analyzed. YAP‐1, Nestin, and OTX‐2 protein expression levels were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining in NB patient tissue samples. Results YAP‐1, Nestin, and OTX‐2 protein expression levels were evaluated together with the clinical findings of NB patients. YAP‐1 was expressed in 18% of all tissues, while Nestin was expressed in 20.4%. OTX‐2 protein expression was found in 41.1% of the NB patients. YAP‐1 was expressed in 26.9% of high‐risk and 11.5% of low‐risk patients. Nestin was expressed in 24.4% high‐risk and 33.3% low‐risk patients. OTX‐2 was expressed in 68.2% high‐risk and 60% low‐risk patients.YAP‐1 was shown to provide survival advantages among risk groups. Interpretation The findings of this study support that YAP‐1 may be a potential prognostic biomarker for staging and risk‐group assignment of NB patients. YAP‐1 expression in neuroblastoma is associated with significantly poorer survival probabilities and should be considered as a potential therapeutic target. OTX‐2 is a promising predictive biomarker candidate, but its mechanisms need further investigation in neuroblastoma, as nestin expression is not significantly linked to patient survival.

Objective: Vaccines are the most effective tools in preventing childhood infectious diseases. Parents’ knowledge and attitudes about vaccines are fundamental factors influencing vaccination rates. While there are numerous studies about mothers, research examining fathers’ knowledge and attitudes on vaccines is limited. Our study aims to assess fathers’ knowledge and attitudes about vaccines administered in our country, determine their approach to vaccination, and understand their views on vaccine hesitancy. Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study evaluating fathers’ knowledge and attitudes about vaccines was conducted between May and July 2022 among fathers visiting the pediatric clinic. After obtaining ethical approval, fathers were administered a questionnaire covering sociodemographic information, income, education level, number of children, fathers’ vaccine attitude, knowledge level, and non-routine vaccine considerations to assess their knowledge and attitudes about vaccines. Results: While 33% of participating fathers considered their vaccine knowledge good, 14.1% didn’t know their children’s vaccines, and 23% were unaware of vaccination timing. The majority of fathers used healthcare institutions and physicians for information about vaccines. While 17.3% experienced hesitancy about vaccinating their children, none outright refused. The most common reason for vaccine hesitancy (78.1%) was the fear of vaccine side effects. As parental education levels increased, the positive attitudes of fathers towards childhood vaccinations also increased. Conclusion: Vaccination plays a crucial role in maintaining public health. Providing accurate information to families is important to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination rates. Healthcare professionals offering reliable information is an effective factor in fostering positive attitudes toward vaccines and increasing vaccination rates.

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of activities based on scientific process skills on problem-solving skills of 4th grade students in science lessons. In the study a non-equivalent control group pre-test and post-test design type of quasi-experimental method was used. The research study group was composed of 30 students with 15 each in the experimental study group and control group. In the experimental and control groups, for scientific process skills, the "Scientific Process Skills Test (SPS)",and for problem-solving skills, the "Problem Solving Inventory for Children at Elementary Education Level (PSIC)" were used as pre-test and post-tests. Activities including scientific process skills in the experimental group were applied for 8 weeks and 16 lesson hours, while no intervention was made to the control group. In the data analysis process, the Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test were used. According to the data obtained from the research, it was observed that there was a significant difference in the post-test scores in the Scientific Process Skills Test (SPST) and the Problem-Solving Inventory for Children (PSIC) of the students in the experimental group compared to the students in the control group. According to these findings, it can be stated that activities including scientific process skills develop problem-solving skills of students in primary science education.

This research aimed to explore the effect of problem-based STEM activities on middle school students' perceptions related to problem-solving skills and their critical thinking tendencies. The sample consisted of 81 students. A mixed method was employed in the research. The quantitative data collection tools were the "Critical Thinking Tendency Scale" and "The Perception Scale for Problem Solving Skill." The qualitative tools were a Semi-structured Interview Form and Experience diaries developed by the researcher considering the quantitative scales. While the quantitative data, obtained in the research, were analyzed with one-way ANOVA, the statistical method; and the qualitative data were analyzed with the content analysis. At the end of the research, a significant difference was detected in favor of experimental groups in the students' perceptions of their problem-solving skills and critical thinking tendencies. On the other hand, in the qualitative results, it was reported that the problem-based STEM education created a positive effect as cognitive maturity and innovativeness in the students' feelings, thought, and behaviors. It was concluded that the students used the inter-disciplinary knowledge with the problem-based STEM activities; found the problem solving, understanding the problem and working with their friends favorably. According to these results, it can be claimed that STEM education is highly effective in developing the skills that are expected from individuals in the 21st century such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and social interaction.

The aim of this research is to develop a Mathematical Creativity SelfEfficacy Perception Scale for Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers. In the research, the exploratory sequential mixed method in which the qualitative and quantitative procedures are used, respectively, is preferred. The 5-point Likert type measurement tool consists of fluency, flexibility, and originality factors. A structure consisting of 27 items and explaining the 64.028% of the total variance was obtained due to the exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The 3-factor structure obtained through EFA was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In addition, it was determined that the convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity are provided. The reliability analysis of the measurement tool resulted acceptably. The research concluded that the Mathematical Creativity Self-Efficacy Perception Scale for Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers is valid, reliable, and useful for pre-service mathematics teachers.

Posing mathematical literacy problems is one of the challenging issues in literacy studies. The present study focused on how to develop the ability to pose mathematical literacy problems. Within the context of the training given to middle school mathematics teachers on how to pose mathematical literacy problems, literacy problems were introduced. Each of the problems was discussed and evaluated regarding the structural characteristics and differences from the routine problems. Respectively, the steps of (i) completing an incomplete problem with a context as a mathematical literacy problem; (ii) evaluating the problems in the textbooks in terms of realistic problems and converting them into mathematical literacy problems; and (iii) conducting exercises for writing original mathematical literacy problems. It was concluded that teachers were more successful in creating contexts, that they tended to write operation-oriented problems, that they often used sentences ending with the words "please calculate" and "find" by being influenced by the traditional word-problem sentences contained in the textbooks, and that they had more difficulty in developing problems which should bring forward a mathematical suggestion than other problem types.

The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of primary school teachers related to the implementation levels of differentiated instruction, and to investigate these perceptions in terms of participating in in-service training for this approach, presence of students with different characteristic, graduated faculty, and gender. In the study, survey method as one of the quantitative research designs was employed. The study group of the research was composed of 703 primary school teachers selected by random sampling. The study data were gathered with "Differentiated Instruction Scale" developed by the researchers. The data gathered were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics using the SPSS 18 software. As a result of the research, it was determined that the perceptions of primary school teachers related to the implementation of differentiated instruction were high. In addition, these perceptions of primary school teachers who participated in differentiated instruction training were significantly higher than those who did not, primary school teachers graduated from education faculties compared to those who graduated from other faculties, and female primary school teachers compared to men had higher perceptions of differentiated instruction. It was concluded that the perceptions of primary school teachers did not change significantly related to the presence of students with different characteristics in the classrooms. It is suggested that new studies should be carried out using the scale developed in this study and in-service training for differentiated instruction should be provided for teachers. [This article includes an extended summary in Turkish.]

In the research, the effect of engineering design-based STEM activities on the school belonging to seventh-grade refugee students was examined. A mixed-method was used in the research. The research sample consists of 32 Syrian refugee students studying in the 7th grade in the fall semester of the 2019-2020 academic year. The study lasted for ten weeks, with two lessons per week. In addition, the "School Attachment Scale for Children and Adolescents" was used as a quantitative data collection tool. On the other hand, qualitative data collection tools were used as "STEM Education Reflective Diary Form, STEM Education Interview Form, and Teacher Interview Form," which were prepared based on quantitative scale items. Statistical methods were used to analyze the quantitative data obtained in the research, and content analysis was used in the qualitative data analysis. The quantitative data showed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores. As a result, It was concluded that the engineering design-based STEM activities carried out contributed positively to the individual and social development of Syrian refugee students; their positive attitudes towards the lesson and the teacher impacted their sense of belonging to the school.

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of error-based activities on the reflective thinking processes of pre-service elementary education mathematics teachers. To this end, qualitative research method was employed. The current study was carried out with the participation of six pre-service elementary education mathematics teachers attending a university in Turkey in the spring term of the 2017-2018 academic year. In order to collect the data in the study, the participating pre-service teachers were asked to write diaries and face-to-face interviews were conducted with them. The collected data were analyzed by coding them on the basis of the pre-service teachers' responses to the questions asked to them in line with the pre-determined conceptual framework. The obtained data have revealed that the error-based activities had positive effects on the pre-service teachers' thinking processes. In addition to this, the pre-service teachers' reflective thinking processes positively changed over the week.

Interdisciplinary STEM education is a particular pedagogical methodology in which learners learn the association and connection of the knowledge of science and mathematics through particular technological engineering. To achieve this, specific interdisciplinary STEM-based educational curricula should be developed, and teachers should be qualified appropriately before any implementation process. Therefore, the aims of the research are both to (a) reveal the effect of the STEM workshop on science teachers' awareness of the relationship between science and other disciplines and to (b) examine its transferring contribution to their lesson planning approach. The case study method was used to get the essential data of research with 40 science teachers. The data were gathered via the Questionnaire for Interdisciplinary Association of Science, the lesson plans, and semi-structured interviews. As a result of the research, less variation is found in disciplines associated with science such as mathematics, technology-design, social studies, engineering, visual arts, Turkish languages, and music, etc. compared to data tools that they applied before and after workshop sessions. Besides, the post-applied data tool results revealed that the participants provided more comprehensive explanations regarding the direction of the interdisciplinary association, which suggests a better understanding of the relationship of science with other disciplines in the latter case. In addition, it was determined that most of the teachers designed their lesson plans based on an interdisciplinary approach and used the Engineering Design Process (EDP) as a teaching method to create the learning environment.