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Background: The fear, panic, and uncertainties arising during the Covid-19 period have caused many questions about breastfeeding. This study was conducted to investigate breastfeeding and anxiety in mothers with Covid-19. Methods: The phenomenological research type study was conducted in Istanbul between August and November 2021. The sample of the research consists of women who breastfeed after birth and who had Covid-19. Both content and descriptive analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: The data were analyzed under three main themes. Under the theme of the impact of Covid-19 on breastfeeding, mothers experienced situations like decreased or increased breastfeeding frequency, cessation of breastfeeding, isolation, anxiety about transmission, and expression of milk. They reported that their anxiety in the breastfeeding process was related to the health of the baby, baby care, decreased milk or not breastfeeding, and the Covid-19 period. They used practices such as receiving spousal and professional support, paying attention to isolation, effective communication with the baby, and praying as methods of coping with anxiety. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that factors like transmission anxiety, decreased breastfeeding frequency, and isolation affected breastfeeding, and mothers were most concerned about the baby's health. In situations such as pandemics, protecting mother and baby health is important and a priority area. More quantitative and qualitative studies on the subject are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echinococcosis is the most common cestode infection globally caused by the Echinococcus species. The most common organ involvement is the lungs and liver, but other organs can be rarely involved. Here, we present a case with a giant cerebral hydatid cyst. A 4-year-old boy presented with abnormal gait and walking at Marmara University School of Medicine Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye in September 2022. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed a cyst of 13 cm in diameter. The cyst was enucleated successfully with no rupture. Oral albendazole therapy was started. There was no eosinophilia, and the echinococcal indirect hemagglutination test was negative. Ultrasonography detected an anechoic cystic lesion in the liver. He was evaluated for deeporgan involvement; however, no cysts were detected in other organs. The histopathological examination was compatible with a hydatid cyst. Although intracranial hydatid disease in children is rare, it should be considered among the differential diagnoses in patients with neurological symptoms, especially in endemic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foundations of writing, one of the four basic language skills, are laid in the primary school years and this skill is formally acquired during the first literacy teaching process in the 1st grade of primary school. Analyzing the writing skills of primary school students is essential for detecting weaknesses in their writing abilities, preventing potential writing difficulties in subsequent years, and designing intervention programs to enhance their writing competencies. In this context, this study aimed to examine the writing skills of primary school 1st through 4th grade students in terms of mechanics. The students' notebook writings were assessed based on the following criteria: the size and shape of the letters, the alignment and order of the writing, the spacing between words and letters, the layout and neatness of the paper, the quantity and quality of the writing on the page and in the notebook, and the expression and meaningful coherence of the writing. The sample of the study, which was conducted with a descriptive survey using quantitative methods, consisted of a total of 807 primary school students studying in districts of different socioeconomic levels in Istanbul and the students' writing notebooks. The "Writing Achievement Assessment Form," which was prepared by the researchers and revised following the opinion of a classroom education specialist, was used as a data collection tool in the study. As a result of the study, it was determined that the writing skills of primary school students were at different levels in terms of mechanics. In addition, it was observed that the deficiencies in students' mechanical writing skills were included in different criteria items. Based on the results obtained, the researchers have made suggestions to contribute to the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Balkan & Near Eastern Journal of Social Sciences (BNEJSS) is the property of Balkan & Near Eastern Journal of Social Sciences (BNEJSS) 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 study, the personal exposure to and potential dose of black carbon (BC) of undergraduate students (22–27 years old, nonsmokers) were determined. BC was continuously measured by a portable device (microAeth® AE51) for four consecutive days in Istanbul between April and May 2019. The time-activity diaries filled out by each volunteer were assessed to define the activities and microenvironments (home, school, transportation and entertainment) that contributed to daily BC exposure. The overall mean concentration of BC was 2.0 μg/m3, and the mean concentrations on weekdays and weekends were 3.0 μg/m3 and 1.1 μg/m3, respectively. Transportation made the highest contribution to mean BC exposure (42%) and dose (45.8%) on weekdays, while the contributions of home-based activities to BC exposure (66.1%) and dose (63.2%) were higher on weekends. Students had the most intense exposure to (2.8% and 4.6%) and dose (3.1% and 5.8%) of BC in transportation both on weekdays and on weekends, respectively. Between transportation modes, the mean BC concentration was the highest for minibuses (14.8 μg/m3), while walking made the largest contribution to BC exposure (16.8%) on weekdays. Students spent 12.8% of their weekdays at school, and the contributions of the school environment to BC exposure and dose were 8.5% and 7%, respectively. Exposure to BC increased during cooking and eating activities in microenvironments such as the kitchen, cafe and dining hall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: The aim of this paper was to determine the general tendencies of urology patients and effect of COVID-19 pandemic on daily urological practice at tertiary centers located in the most affected area in Turkey. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 39,677 patients (group 1) that applied to 6 different large-volume tertiary centers in İstanbul for outpatient consultation, surgery, or other procedures in the 3-month period between March 16 and June 14, 2020. The distribution of the number of patients who applied to subspecialty sections of urology outpatient clinics and inpatient services were recorded by weeks. That data was compared to data obtained from 145,247 patients that applied to the same centers in the same period of the previous year (group 2). The reflection of worldwide and Turkish COVID-19 case distribution on the daily urological practice was analyzed. Results: There was a decrease in the number of patients in all subspecialty sections the in group 1 compared to group 2; however, there was a significant proportional increase in urooncology and general urology admissions. A decrease of approximately 75% was observed in the total number of surgeries (p < 0.001). We detected a negative correlation between the numbers of admission to all outpatient clinics and COVID-19 cases or deaths in Turkey (p < 0.05). The same negative correlation was present for all surgical procedures and consultations (p < 0.05). The multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that the number of cases in Turkey, and the number of deaths worldwide affect the number of outpatient clinic admissions (R2 = 0.38, p = 0.028) and urological surgery (R2 = 0.33, p = 0.020) in Turkey negatively. Conclusion: This novel pandemic has implications even for urology practice. Urological surgical procedures were more affected by COVID-19-related deaths in Turkey and worldwide. Outpatient admissions and urological surgeries decreased significantly by increasing COVID-19 case numbers in Turkey and worldwide deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North of İstanbul, the thick Upper Cretaceous volcanic and volcanoclastic sequence of the Yemişliçay Group is nonconformably overlain by the neritic clastic and carbonate sequence of the Zekeriyaköy Formation. This unit, either placed within the volcanic sequence or interpreted to overlie it, was studied near Zekeriyaköy for its larger foraminifera, previously recurrently referred to as the Maastrichtian. The basal epiclastic sandstone beds of the Zekeriyaköy Formation immediately above the volcanic sequence contain Praesiderolites dordoniensis and rare rudist shells. The higher sandstone and limestone beds comprise assemblages of Lepidorbitoides campaniensis, Orbitoides megaloformis, Vanderbeekia catalana, Siderolites gr. calcitrapoides, Sirtina orbitoidiformis, Praestorrsella roestae, Lenticulina rotulata, Planorbulina sp., agglutinated and rotaliid foraminifera, rudist fragments, bryozoans, and red algae. Lepidorbitoides, the most abundant foraminifera in the studied material, has predominantly L. campaniensis-type embryons with a single auxiliary chamberlet, and rarely, L. bisambergensis-type embryons, characterized by having 2 such chamberlets. The Praesiderolites dordoniensis-Lepidorbitoides campaniensis-Vanderbeekia catalana assemblages, recorded for the first time in Turkey, suggested a late Campanian age for the Zekeriyaköy Formation, with the implication that Late Cretaceous volcanism terminated in the İstanbul region during or prior to the late Campanian. The fauna shows a great resemblance to those from the Late Campanian type-section in Aubeterre (SW France) and Late Campanian fauna of the Pyrenean Basin (N Spain), and correspond to the most eastern record of the European Faunal Province of the Tethys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In middle adolescence, young people being aware of self have more self-efficient in developmental issues due to their self-regulation. In this sense, thriving based on the self-regulation approach is thought to be a mediator for adolescents to experience self-efficacy and mindfulness. Thus, this study was aimed to investigate thriving as a mediator on the relationship between mindfulness and self-efficacy among high school students. A total of 309 high school students (245 females, 64 males), with the average age 16.97 (SD = 0.69), attending Uskudar Municipality Youth Academy in Istanbul between 2018-2019 for assistance towards their university exams participated in this study. The 44.1% of participants (n = 136) were in Grade 11, and 55.9% (n = 173) were in Grade 12. Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, Thriving at School Scale, and General Self Efficacy Scale were applied on participants to collect data. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to detect the relationship between variables, and the mediating role of thriving on the relationship between mindfulness and self-efficacy was tested using a simple mediation model. Results showed that variables were significantly correlated to each other, and thriving increases with increased mindfulness, while selfefficacy increases with increased thriving. The mediation model in its entirety proved statistically significant, accounting for 23% of the total variance. The findings have been discussed in line with relevant literature on the issue and recommendations on their possible application have been given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the impact of Earth's magnetic field on total electron content (TEC) was studied by using statistical multiple linear regression model and co-integration method. TEC values were measured over the Turkey-Istanbul (ista) station using date of global positioning system (GPS), and the magnetic field components of the Earth were measured from Boğaziçi University, Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, Geomagnetic observatory Istanbul (ISK) station. This examination has been carried out during the dates of March 14–19, 2015 covering the dates of March 17–18, 2015 known in the literature as St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm. The three days before the storm (March 14–16) were named as quiet days, whereas the other days (March 17–19) were named as disturbed days after which the two periods were examined separately. It was observed as a result of the examination that the x-component (south-north direction) of the magnetic field had a negative impact on TEC on quiet days, whereas the impact was positive on disturbed days. However, the y-component (east–west direction) of the magnetic field had an inverse relationship of the x-component on the quiet and disturbed days. In addition, it was deduced that the impact coefficient of the x and y-component of the magnetic field was higher on disturbed days in comparison with those on quiet days. The correlation coefficient between the TEC and the components of the Earth's magnetic field was 0.11 on quiet days and 0.95 on disturbed days. Therefore, it can be stated that the relationship of the TEC values with the geomagnetic field are higher on disturbed days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The possibility of brain death (BD) among patients with a Glasgow Coma scale <7 must be considered by physicians who work in intensive care units. Deceased organ transplantation can be lifesaving so every BD patient should be seen as a potential donor. The aim of this study was to describe the causes of BD, rate of organ donation and to investigate the effect of diagnosis time on donation rates in our hospital over a 9-year period. Methods: After obtaining Institutional Ethics Committee approval, we conducted a retrospective review of patients who had sustained BD in our hospital between January 1, 2004 and January 1, 2013. Patients' age, methods used to diagnose BD, duration of survival after diagnosis, whether patients' family members gave consent to organ donation, and organ donation rates were reviewed. Results: Sixty patients were declared BD, of whom 21 (35%) were female and 39 (65%) were male. Their mean age was 28 years. Only 6 (10%) patients' families gave consent for donation. The most common cause of BD was traumatic brain injury (n=37, 62%). Internal carotid artery doppler ultrasonography was performed in 36 (60%) patients; cerebral angiography was performed in 14 (23%) patients; and electroencephalography was performed in two patients. The mean time from hospital admission to diagnosis of BD was 5.16±3.06 days overall; 5.5±0.4 days among non-donors; and 2.0±0.4 days among donors. The mean time from diagnosis of BD to death in non-donors was 2.4±0.3 days. In donors, the mean time from diagnosis of BD to harvesting of the patient's organs was 1.08±0.2 days. Conclusion: In our hospital, the rate of organ donation after BD is low. It is found that the time to confirm the diagnosis of BD was significantly shorter in donors than non-donors. It is believed that early diagnosis of BD is associated with an increased rate of family approval for organ donation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of perceived social support and spirituality in the relationship between posttraumatic stress level and posttraumatic growth in adult individuals in the face of terrorist events. In the research, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Multi-Dimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, Post Traumatic Growth Scale and Spiritual Orientation Scale were used. The study group consisted of 723 individuals (473 women, 250 men) with a mean age of 23.57 (SD= 7.95) living in Istanbul. In this study, the mediating role of perceived social support and spirituality in the relationship between posttraumatic stress level and posttraumatic growth in adult individuals in the face of terrorist events were tested using the Serial Multiple Mediator Model. In the post-traumatic stress-high group, the relationship between traumatic stress level and post-traumatic growth is mediated by perceived social support and spiritual orientation and the whole model is significant (F(3,342)=53.71, p<.001, R2=.32) and 32% of the total variance was explained. The findings were discussed in accordance with the related literature and recommendations were made to the related parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Karaelmas Science & Engineering Journal / Karaelmas Fen ve Mühendislik Dergisi is the property of Karaelmas Science & Engineering 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 Megaron is the property of KARE Publishing 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.)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) along with inorganic gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) levels were found in the atmosphere of the Kemerburgaz region where environmental issues became a major concern due to nearby incineration plant and waste disposal facility in Istanbul. Ten sampling locations were selected considering possible sources in the study area. The sampling areas were classified as suburban, industrial, rural, and background regions. Sampling campaigns were carried out for four-week periods from March 2011 to August 2012 in all locations. Elevated concentrations of BTEX around roads and the industrial locations indicated that vehicle exhaust and industrial activities were the main sources of these pollutants in the region. Concentrations of NO2 were also high around roads. A much more uniform distribution was observed for SO2 during sampling periods. However higher levels were observed at suburban locations due to the use of coal for local heating especially during winter. Ozone concentrations were low at the industrial locations and roadsides, but high in suburban and rural locations downwind from the sources. The results of these organic and inorganic gases meet the national limit values. Furthermore, a lifetime risk assessment methodology was used to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of BTEX. The mean cancer risk level for benzene was estimated to be 7.71E-07 that is lower than assigned acceptable risk level of 1.0E-04. Toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes were lower than the specified level of 1.0 with respect to mean non-carcinogenic risks. The findings reveal that determined BTEX emissions do not pose a health threat to residents in the studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Üsküdar-Çekmeköy Metro Line (UCM), which is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, is an 18 km underground metro line with 27 km of TBM tunnel, 13 km of NATM tunnel and 16 stations. Apart from being a completely tunnelled station, it has several other features. It is the deepest station in this metro line with the platform depth 45 m below surface level. The station is being built in a complex geology that contains several passive fault zones. The ticket hall and technical rooms are also located in an NATM tunnel with an excavated width of 20 m. Most of the passenger circulation is planned to be carried out by elevators. The station has been designed with two levels of NATM tunnels with four main elliptical shafts. The geology varies from very strong quartz arenite with a compressive strength of 77 MPa to highly weathered fault zones containing andesite. The complex geometry and geology of the station dictated utmost care for excavation and final lining design of the NATM sections in order to provide stability during excavation and sufficient structural capacity in case of a seismic event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate glucose screening and oral glucose tolerance test results, and to assess the prevalence of gestational diabetes in pregnant patients admitted to our hospital. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was carried out at Sema Hospital in İstanbul, Turkey. The study subjects were recruited between January 2006 and August 2009. A glucose challenge test (GCT) was given to 1681 pregnant women and based on the results 494 went on to take an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). A diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was made according to the criteria defined by the National Diabetes Data Group. Results: Out of the 1681 pregnant women tested, 58 were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Pregnant women with GDM had GCT results greater than or equal to 145 mg/dL. While the percentage of GCT false positives was 87.8% when the cut-off value was taken to be 140 mg/dL, it was calculated to be 84.3% when the cut-off value was taken to be 145 mg/dL. For the 140 mg/dL cut-off value of GCT, specificity was 100% and sensitivity was 4.3%, and for the 145 mg/dL cut-off value of GCT, specificity was 98.3% and sensitivity was 28.3%. Conclusion: The prevalence value in this study was calculated at 3.45%. Pregnant women diagnosed with GDM had GCT results higher than 145 mg/dL. When the cut-off value was increased from 140 mg/dL to 145 mg/dL, a decrease was observed in false positives, and an increase was observed in sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Evaluation of sociodemographic characteristics of patients hospitalized due to attempted suicide by poisoning in Fatih Sultan Mehmet Education and Research Hospital Anesthesiology and Reamination Clinic, between February 2007 - January 2010. Method: Patients hospitalized in the anesthesiology and reamination clinic due to attempted suicide by poisoning between February 2007 - January 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The results were classified according to the socidemographic characteristics. Results: The number of the patients who were accepted into our clinic was 2550; 540 (21.76%) of them had been hospitalized due to intoxication, and 474 of 540 (87.7%) were suicide attempts. The proportion of female patients was 76.16% (n=361), whereas the proportion of male patients was 23.83% (n=113). The number of patients older than 40 years was 66 (13.92%). In younger patients, the number of suicide attemps were significantly higher in female patients than male patients, whereas in patients older than 40 years, the number and the ratio were similar. Rate of suicide attempts were highest in June, July and October, and lowest in January. Conclusion: It seems that the mean age of suicide attempt has a trend of increase. Female/male proportion approached each other with increasing age and attempted suicide by poisoning was more frequent in some months. The findings must be supported by prospective multicenter studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

doi: 10.1111/j.1741-2358.2010.00363.x Comprehensive data on the oral health status and dental treatment needs of the elderly population in Turkey are deficient. This pilot study determined the general and dental health status, perceived medical and dental treatment needs of an elderly population dwelling in residential homes in Istanbul. Subjects at three different residential homes, namely one belonging to the state and two supported by foundations in Istanbul ( N=121, female: 63 and male: 58) were involved in this study. A detailed questionnaire was prepared and dental examinations were conducted. Information was collected related to age, education levels, financial status, current physical functional status, general health, mental health, previous dental history, current dental status, oral hygiene practices and denture hygiene of these elderly people. The prevalence of edentulism, the presence and type of dental prostheses, dental and denture status and denture cleanliness were further evaluated. The three most prevalent reported general health problems were associated with genito-urinary problems (24%) followed by cardiovascular (18%) and respiratory problems (14%) varying significantly between genders, with males suffering more from cardiovascular problems than females ( p < 0.05). Females showed significantly higher gastrointestinal and orthopaedic problems than males ( p < 0.05). Females were more frequently edentulous than males but denture hygiene was significantly better in females than in males ( p < 0.05). Brushing frequency did not significantly increase denture hygiene ( p = 0.6). More than one-third of the subjects had not been to the dentist within the previous 5-10 years, mainly due to lack of demand, followed by the cost of the dental care and fear. More than two-thirds of denture-wearing subjects wore their dentures only during eating. There was significant perceived dental treatment and care need for the sample population of elderly studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this paper were to determine evapotranspiration (ET) from an oak-beech dominated forest ecosystem in Belgrad Forest near Istanbul, Turkey by using catchment water balance method and compare it with potential evapotranspiration (PET) computed by using Thornthwaite method. Data, in this study, were derived from a long-term hydrological research conducted in Belgrad Forest. Long-term stream flow measurements (1979–1995) were conducted with concrete sharp-crested V-notch weirs instrumented with automatic water level recorders in two close experimental watersheds. ET values of the watersheds were determined by using water balance equation. Average annual ET values from the old growth oak-beech forest ecosystem during the monitoring period of 17 years were around 833.20 mm for W-I and 752.07 mm for W-IV whereas PET estimated according to Thornthwaite method was found to be 726.14 mm. In other words, 79.68%, and 71.93% of mean annual precipitation evaporated from W-I and W-IV, respectively while 69.45% of precipitation evaporated according to Thornthwaite method. PET estimated with Thornthwaite method differed significantly only from W-I whereas W-I and W-IV had similar ET values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which compared dyslexic students in primary school in Istanbul, Turkey concerning communication design abilities. Results showed that 70% of the dyslexic group produced different symbols to the questions involving the opposition. Findings indicate that dyslexics may have an advantage in the field of communication design. They choose to express actions with navigational sign more frequently than the control group. This suggests that dyslexics have more tendencies to use sign language. The use of different symbols to answer the questions involving the opposition is considered a sign for creativity in creativity tests.

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.)

Copyright of Turkish Culture & Haci Bektas Veli Research Quarterly is the property of Turkish Cultur & Haci Bektas Veli Research Quarterly 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.)

Choosing the most appropriate aircraft type for a given route is one of the crucial issues that the decision makers at airline companies have to address under uncertainty based on various commercial, marketing and operational criteria. A novel multi-criteria decision making approach integrating Entropy-based Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method and interval type-2 hesitant fuzzy sets (IT2HFS) is introduced for tackling this problem and tested using a particular case study obtained from a full service carrier in Turkey. This study contributes to representing and handling degrees of uncertainty in the decision making process of aircraft type selection based on the IT2HFS. The results showed that Airbus 32C is the suitable alternative for a given route in between Kuwait and Istanbul airports. The experts evaluated the results and confirmed that the proposed approach is the most suitable one when compared to four other IT2HFS based approaches. • We study fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making methods for aircraft type selection. • An approach integrating Entropy-based WASPAS and Interval type-2 hesitant fuzzy sets is proposed. • Its performance is compared to various other fuzzy methods on a real-world problem. • The experts confirmed the viability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents measurements and analyses of the concentrations of black carbon (BC), particle number concentration (PNC), and PM2.5 (≤2.5 μm) while commuting by ferries in Istanbul. In this context, exposures to the mentioned pollutants were estimated for car ferry, fast ferry, and at the piers, and for two travel routes, for a total of 89 trips. BC, PNC, and PM2.5 measurements were simultaneously performed in a ferry and at the piers, and the correlation between pollutant concentrations, meteorological parameters, and environmental factors were analyzed. The mean concentrations for all pollutants in car ferry were lower than the average concentrations in fast ferry. The concentration ratios of fast ferry to car ferry for BC, PNC, and PM2.5 were 6.4, 1.2, and 1.3, respectively. High variability in the concentrations was observed at the piers and in ferry during berthing. The highest mean concentrations (±standard deviation) of BC (14.3 ± 10.1 µg m−3) and PNC (42,005 ± 30,899 pt cm−3) were measured at Yalova pier. The highest mean concentration (±standard deviation) of PM2.5 (26.1 ± 11.5) was measured at Bostancı pier. It was observed that the main external sources of BC, PNC, and PM2.5 at the piers were road transport, residential heating, and shipping activity. There were no significant correlations between BC, PNC, and PM2.5 in fast ferry, while BC was positively correlated with PNC (r = 0.61, p < 0.01) and PM2.5 (r = 0.76, p < 0.01) in car ferry. At the piers, significant relations between pollutants and meteorological variables were observed. It was noticed that there was no significant difference between summer and winter in ferry and at the pier concentrations of BC, PNC, and PM2.5 except for Yenikapı pier and Bakırköy pier. The highest total exposure to PNC and PM2.5 was in car ferry mode, while the highest total exposure to BC was in fast ferry mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucilage is one of the harmful substances for marine environment since it prevents oxygen transfer by covering the area from the sea surface and causes significant threats for marine organisms such as fish, fish larvae and eggs. In recent months, the Turkish Straits, including the Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits and the Marmara Sea, have been exposed to serious mucilage events. This paper aims to investigate mucilage effects on maritime shipboard operations by using the bow-tie method, which is one of the practical risk analysis approaches. The method is capable of understanding potential root causes and consequences of mucilage since it provides a systematic approach. Besides its theoretical concept, the paper contributes to marine environment researches and safety inspectors to minimize mucilage effects by investigating potential root causes and consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The personal exposure concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs), black carbon (BC), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5) were measured in often-used transport vehicles and routes in Istanbul, Turkey. Exposure to these pollutants were estimated for four different travel modes (bus, metrobus, car, light rail) and five travel routes. Pollutant measurements were simultaneously conducted in the vehicles, and the relationship between pollutant concentrations, meteorological variables, and environmental factors were investigated. The seasonal statistically correlation results indicated that the relation between the meteorological variables and in-vehicle pollutant concentrations were variable with the seasonal differences. UFP concentrations were significantly higher in winter, while in-vehicle BC concentrations were significantly higher in summer. No significant difference was found between the summer and winter in-vehicle PM 2.5 concentrations for bus, metrobus and light-rail. There was a significant positive correlation between UFP and BC with transport over roads. The highest average concentrations of UFP, BC, and PM 2.5 were observed when car windows were open while traveling, and wind speed negatively affected pollutant concentrations and accounted for between 1 and 29% of their variability. Atmospheric pressure was significantly negatively correlated with BC but positively correlated with UFP and PM 2.5. Humidity was a significant factor for UFP (1–12%) and PM 2.5 (0–10%), but was not a factor for BC. The pollutant concentrations at the station/platform were the common significant factor for those concentrations in buses, metrobuses and light rail; the variability was determined between 4 and 66% for BC, 3 and 36% for UFP, and 1 and 75% for PM 2.5. The time of day was also significant for BC (variation of 3–10%) and UFP (variation of 2–10%) for bus, metrobus, and car trips. The highest average exposures per kilometer for all pollutants was in buses, with exposure levels of UFP, BC, and PM 2.5 at 12.3 × 108 particles km−1, 0.40 μg km−1, and 1.33 μg km−1, respectively, while the lowest average exposures per kilometer for all pollutants were in the car with the windows closed and on light rail. It was observed that the metrobus near the highway provided the least concentrations of pollutant exposure. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The highest average exposures per kilometer for UFP, BC, and PM 2.5 was in buses, while the lowest average exposures were in the car with the windows closed and on light rail. • The pollutant concentration levels at the station/peron were the common significant factor for those in buses, metrobuses and light rail trips. • The time of day was significant for BC and UFP for bus, metrobus, and car trips. • Wind speed negatively affected pollutant concentrations and accounted for between 1 and 29% of their variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of PER-1- and OXA-10-likeβ-lactamases was investigated by PCR in 49 ceftazidime-resistantPseudomonas aeruginosaisolates from patients hospitalised in the 24-bed general intensive care unit of the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine during a 12-month period between February 1999 and February 2000. The clonal relatedness of the isolates was investigated by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, and the sequences of the PER-1 and OXA genes from all isolates were determined. The rates of resistance of the isolates to imipenem, aztreonam and cefepime were 98%, 92% and 96%, respectively, and to piperacillin and piperacillin–tazobactam were 41% and 37%, respectively. Using the double-disk synergy test, 37% (18/49) of the isolates were identified as extended-spectrumβ-lactamase producers. The PER-1 gene was identified in 86% (42/49) and the OXA-10 gene in 55% (27/49) of the ceftazidime-resistant isolates. Of isolates carrying the PER-1 gene, 48% (20/42) also carried the OXA-10 gene. The respective nucleotide sequences were identical for each isolate. Sixteen RAPD patterns were detected among the PER-1-positive isolates, but 60% (25/42) of the PER-1-positive isolates belonged to two distinct patterns, while the remainder exhibited a wide clonal diversity. The results indicated that the prevalence of PER-1- and OXA-10-likeβ-lactamases remains high among ceftazidime-resistantP. aeruginosaisolates in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]