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The Clarks' Lizard, Darevskia clarkorum is endemic to the Caucasian biodiversity hotspot, remarkable in terms of biogeography and evolutionary history in the Palearctic Realm. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current distribution pattern of this species as well as its possible changes under various future climate scenarios. Fieldwork was conducted in Northeastern Anatolia and the Caucasus between 2019 and 2022, and 64 occurrence records and five bioclimatic variables were analysed using Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) software. The annual temperature range is the most important variable influencing the distribution of this lizard species. The results showed that potential habitats for the Clarks' Lizard are wider than its present distribution. It is predicted that under current climate change scenarios, this species' range will be much more restricted than it is now. With rising greenhouse gas levels and solar radiation rates, the range of this species is expected to shift from northern Anatolia to the Caucasus mountainous areas, and would likely shrink in future. The remaining habitats of this lizard species may be significantly impacted by climate change and human-induced habitat modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery / Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi 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.)

Objective: The transplantation waiting list is getting longer day by day with the spread of lung transplantation and awareness of it. However, the donor pool cannot keep up with this rate. Therefore, nonstandard (marginal) donors are widely used. By studying the lung donors presented at our center, we aimed to raise awareness of the donor shortage and compare clinical outcomes in recipients with standard and marginal donors. Materials and Methods: The data from recipients and donors of lung transplants performed at our center between March 2013 and November 2022 were retrospectively reviewed and recorded. Transplants with ideal and standard donors were classified as group 1, and those with marginal donors were classified as group 2. Primary graft dysfunction rates, intensive care unit, and hospital stay days were compared. Results: Eighty-nine lung transplants were performed. A total of 46 recipients were in group 1 and 43 were in group 2. There were no differences between groups in the development of stage 3 primary graft dysfunction. However, a significant difference was found in the marginal group for developing any stage primary graft dysfunction. Donors were mostly from the western and southern regions of the country and from the education and research hospitals. Conclusion: Because of the donor shortage in lung transplantation, transplant teams tend to use marginal donors. Stimulating and supportive education for healthcare professionals to recognize brain death and public education to raise awareness about organ donation are necessary to spread organ donation throughout the country. Although our results using marginal donors are similar with the standard group, each recipient and donor should be assessed individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Anatololacerta is distributed in the eastern Mediterranean region including Asia Minor and some east Aegean islands. Recent phylogenetic studies suggested that this genus displayed cryptic diversity and was divided into five species: A. anatolica, A. pelasgiana, A. ibrahimi, A. finikensis and A. danfordi. The ecological niche differentiations of these species have not been studied so far. Our aims for this study were to predict the potential suitable habitats for the species nested in genus Anatololacerta, and to examine the niche overlaps and differentiations via identity and background tests. The occurrence data were obtained from literature and our own field surveys. Occurrence records were rarefied and assessed in a 30 arc-second resolution layer, compatible with several bioclimatic and topographic variables. Species distribution analyses were performed using maximum entropy approach and pairwise niche comparisons were evaluated by identity and background tests. Our results demonstrated that the species delimitation among this genus was not only affected by geographic isolation but also that precipitation and temperature influenced the habitat suitability for these species. Predicted suitability usually well matched the actual species distributions. Moreover, the niche overlap (identity test) analyses verified that allopatric Anatololacerta species show clear ecological differentiations. However, a niche overlap between parapatric species A. pelasgiana and A. finikensis, was confirmed by identity and background tests. It has been suggested that these parapatric species could be more affected by microclimatological parameters than the others. The results of our study are in agreement with the latest phylogenetic study within this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to analyze candidate listing and lung transplant outcomes in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients referred to a lung transplant center in Turkey. Methods: Between January 2015 and July 2022, 27 patients were evaluated retrospectively in our lung transplant center for end-stage lung disease due to CF. The characteristics of the patients at the time of admission, their status on the list, survival, and lung transplantation results were recorded. Results: Of the total patients, 14 (51.9%) of the patients were females and 13 (48.1%) were males. The average age was 17.81±7.24 years, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 15.5±2.0 years. Six patients had cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (22.2%). Twenty-five patients (92.6%) were receiving supplemental oxygen. Low BMI was present in 23 (85.2%) patients, osteopenia in 8 patients (29.6%), and osteoporosis in 15 patients (55.6%). Four patients had liver fibrosis (14.8%). Twenty-five patients (92.6%) were added to the waiting list. Because of the early case and low BMI, one patient from each was omitted. The mean overall waiting time was 544.0±376.5 days. Nine patients (45%) on the waiting list died. Lung transplantation (4 bilateral pulmonary + 1 bilateral lobar) was performed on 5 patients (20%) on the waiting list. One of the lung recipients died in the early postoperative period. Conclusion: Contrary to developed countries, patients referred to our lung transplant center due to CF consisted of pediatric and young adult patients. Patient referral should be planned considering the long waiting period and the shortage of donors in Turkey, and the need for time to manage modifiable comorbidities. Patients with CF should be referred early to the transplantation center to obtain the best benefit from lung transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus, 1758, has a wide distribution from France to Japan, and from Iran in the south to Scandinavia and Russia in the north. The only records of the parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus known from Turkey so far were based on subfossils, remains from owl pellets, and ultrasound recordings. We present the first records of live individuals from two Turkish provinces, Ardahan and Bayburt. Additionally, based on echolocation call records, its known distribution in the Anatolian Peninsula was proved to be wider. The global distribution of the species has been mapped by using ecological niche modelling. The results revealed that its distribution is highly influenced by precipitation dynamics. Although no cases of domestic cat predation on bats have previously been documented in Turkey, this paper also provides the first case study of V. murinus predated by a domestic cat in Ardahan, in November 2003. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate which of the histomorphological criteria defined in labial salivary gland biopsy are more valuable in diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and to examine its correlation with clinical and laboratory findings. Patients and methods: Between January 2005 and January 2019, a total of 927 patients (104 males, 823 females; mean age: 51 years; range, 19 to 85 years) who underwent minor salivary gland biopsies with the suspicion of SS were retrospectively analyzed. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2016 classification criteria were used for the classification of SS. We evaluated salivary gland biopsies histomorphologically for the presence and number of lymphocytic focus, as well as chronicity findings (acinar atrophy, ductal dilatation, fibrosis), the presence of lymphocytic infiltration, distribution, localization, ectopic germinal center, and mast cell count. The presence of accompanying diseases, clinical and laboratory findings including age, sex, the presence of dry eye and mouth, and autoantibodies for discriminating SS were noted. Histomorphologically, salivary gland biopsy which fulfilled the adequacy criteria for glandular tissue were compared with the other criteria used to diagnose SS. Results: Strong chronicity and diffuse lymphocytic infiltration were significantly higher in the SS group compared to the non-SS group (p<0.001). Lymphocytic focus score >1 was significantly higher in the SS group compared to the non-SS group (p<0.001). Strong chronicity, acinar atrophy, and ductal dilatation were significantly higher in the SS group compared to the non-SS group (p<0.001). Conclusion: More than one lymphocytic focus is the most valuable finding in diagnosing SS. However, it should be kept in mind that, in cases of SS, ductal dilatation, acinar atrophy, and chronicity may be present without lymphocytic infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Düzce University Journal of Forestry / Düzce Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Ormancılık Dergisi is the property of Duzce 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.)

The genus Blanus Wagler, 1830 (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) contains seven fossorial species found in the East Mediterranean Basin. Recent molecular-based studies suggested that former B. strauchi (Turkish worm lizard) is divided into three species spread from Southern Anatolia to Levantine region: B. strauchi, B. aporus and B. alexandri. Although these species not only have highly similar morphological characters but also are genetically distinct, the ecological niche differentiations have not been studied yet. We aim to predict the suitable habitats for related Blanus species and to determine niche overlaps and niche differentiation by similarity and identity tests. The occurrence records were obtained from literature and our own field surveys. These occurrence locations were assessed in 30 arc-second resolution layer, compatible with bioclimatic parameters from World-Clim (www.worldclim.org). Suitable habitat prediction analyses were performed in MaxEnt and the pairwise niche overlap comparisons were made in ENMTools. Our results show that precipitation and temperature dynamics may have an influence on the vegetation types, which provide suitable habitats for these species. Even in the most conservative model, where B.strauchi was designated as the ancestral species, the predicted distribution area was larger than the actual one. The niche overlap analysis confirms that the ecological differentiations among these taxa are valid. This result is in agreement with a previous molecular-based study. We speculate that the Messinian Salinity Crisis had an effect on precipitation and temperature dynamics and niche differentiation among the worm lizards, potentially contributing to species formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anatolian newt, Neurergus strauchii, is an endemic Anatolian species. Until recently, N. strauchii was represented by three subspecies. It has been discussed within a recent phylogenetic study in which the subspecies N. s. barani is recommended to be evaluated as a cryptic but distinct species. To address this subject, we aimed to discuss the niche differentiation between N. barani and N. strauchii using geographical and bioclimatic aspects. All georeferenced data of N. barani and N. strauchii were used to estimate the potential distributions of these species in the Anatolian Peninsula. To evaluate their ecological niche differentiation, point-based analysis and niche similarity tests were done. Ecological niche modeling outcomes demonstrated a significant niche differentiation between N. barani and N. strauchii. Moreover, since these species are distributed in the east and west of the Euphrates Basin, this river might be considered as a geographic barrier that can cause isolation for these species. Lastly, we demonstrated their potential distributions for future with several scenarios. Our findings strengthened the results of the recent phylogenetic study and indicated the necessity of handling "barani" taxa at the species level. Moreover, these results contribute, as a piece of evidence, to the biodiversity of Anatolia where another endemic species lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Pediatric Research 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 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.)

Objective: Local anesthesia with prilocaine is widely used in circumcision procedures. However, the incidence of methemoglobinemia due to prilocaine use during these procedures remains unknown. Therefore, this retrospective study was planned to determine the possibility of development of prilocaine-associated methemoglobinemia during circumcision. Materials and Methods: Medical records of 2.431 patients who were circumcised between 2008 and 2015 in University of Health Sciences, İzmir Dr. Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Turkiye, were evaluated. Prior to all circumcision procedures, 1.5 mg/kg of local anesthetic was subcutaneously administered to the penis root at 4-5 points from a 20 mL vial containing 400 mg (20 mg/mL) of prilocaine (2%). Results: Of the 2.431 patients included in the study, two (0.008%) developed methemoglobinemia requiring treatment. According to the medical records, five patients (0.021%) developed mild bruising on the hands, feet and sides of the lips. Conclusion: Prilocaine is more frequently encountered as a cause of acquired methemoglobinemia in newborns and children compared to adults. Determining the causative factor for methemoglobinemia and undertaking early and effective application of methylene blue or ascorbic acid can be life-saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multiple parthenogenetic forms in the rock lizards Darevskia resulted from hybridization between sexually reproducing species • It is not clear whether entire parthenogenetic species can trace their origin to just a single pair of parental individuals • An isolated system near Lake Van includes two bisexual parental as well as two nominal parthenogenetic species • All parthenogenetic populations were monophyletic, but originated from multiple (>2) parental individuals • Among the extant parent populations, the likely ancestors of the parthenogens are not always the geographically nearest ones Among vertebrates, obligate parthenogenesis is only found in Squamata, where it always has a hybrid origin and a few lizard genera contain most of the known hybridogenous parthenogenetic taxa. Parthenogenesis thus seems to be pre-conditioned at the genus level, but it is not clear how often the encounter between two parental sexually reproducing species can result in the parthenogenetic offspring, nor whether the success of such hybridization event requires certain conditions or the specific time frame. To address this question, we studied the rock lizards of genus Darevskia , where a pair of parental species, D. valentini and D. raddei , as well as their parthenogenetic daughter species D. bendimahiensis and D. sapphirina , are found in close proximity NE of the Lake Van in East Anatolia. Using ddRAD-seq genotyping on 19 parental and 18 hybrid individuals, we found that (i) all parthenogenetic individuals from both D. bendimahiensis and D. sapphirina have a monophyletic origin tracing back to a single initial hybrid population, but their current genetic variation is geographically structured; (ii) unlike the most probable paternal ancestor, the genetically closest extant population of the maternal ancestor is not the geographically nearest one; and (iii) in the parthenogens, about 1% of loci carry multiple haplotypes, frequently differentiated by multiple substitutions. This pattern, in addition to biases in the relative frequency of haplotypes of maternal and paternal origin, does not appear compatible with a scenario of the entire parthenogenic clonal population having descended from a single pair of parental individuals. Instead, the data suggest that multiple parental individual ancestries still persist in the parthenogenetic gene pool. This supports the notion that although hybridization leading to parthenogenesis is generally rare at the level of species, it may be more common at the individual/population level once the right conditions are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between women leadership and teachers' emotional labor in Turkish high schools. 450 teachers from 11 high schools in İstanbul, Turkey participated in the study. The participants were asked to fill in the Leadership Function Scale and Emotional Labor Scale during the study. The data was analyzed with descriptive statistical techniques including arithmetical mean, standard deviation and Pearson correlation coefficient. To test whether the female principals' leadership behaviors are significant predictor of teachers' emotional labor simple regression was used. The results indicated that female principals display leadership functions in a high level. In addition to this, teachers display surface acting rarely and exhibit deep acting and genuine emotions in a high level. Pearson correlation and simple regression revealed that there is a negative correlation between leadership behaviors of female principals and surface acting. However, teachers display deep acting and genuine emotions more frequently when the female principals exhibit leadership function effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to draw attention for the first time to patients with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) who lived in rural Adıyaman with no travel history to endemic areas. Methods: Five cases with fever living in rural areas and diagnosed as CCHF in Emergency Department, Training and Research Hospital, Adıyaman University between May 2014 and June 2015 were evaluated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used in Microbiology Reference Laboratory of Public Health Institute of Turkey to detect CCHF virus RNA and IgM antibodies, respectively. Results: A tick was found in the inguinal region of one patient during physical examination after admission. Three patients had a history of tick bite, while there was no history of tick contact in one patient. All patients received supportive treatment. Two patients were given fresh frozen plasma and platelet suspension because of bleeding and thrombocytopenia. All patients were discharged with full recovery. Conclusions: More attention should be given to detailed medical history and physical examination if there is no explanation for clinical picture in patients with fever living in rural areas and admitted to emergency department during months when the CCHF cases are common in Turkey. Scalp, inguinal and axillary regions of patients should be carefully checked for tick attachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking Turkey's case as a basis, the current study focuses on the retranslation practice with an aim to discuss plagiaristic forms of retranslation which may create serious repercussions in the field of translation such as violating translators' copyrights, complicating the issue of translator's voice, producing defective cultural artifacts and affecting culture in general negatively. The study tries to outline and exemplify commonly-accepted impetuses for retranslation and inquire the validity of the rationale for the retranslations with a particular focus on Turkey. For our analysis, we used a total of 40 classical books distributed by a national newspaper as a promotional campaign. Following a brief discussion on voice in translation, an overview of publishing and retranslation practices in Turkey; this study presents guidelines for a more comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of plagiarism in retranslation and translation in general. The analyses of both qualitative and quantitative data derived from the sample of classical books showed that the books were just reproduction rather than retranslation or translation at all. The article concludes with a discussion on the possible impact of fake retranslations on translation practice and culture in general and calls for further empirical studies to prevent plagiarism in translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) calculation utilizing satellite thermal images is very difficult due to the great temporal variance of atmospheric water vapor in the atmosphere which strongly affects the thermal radiance incoming to satellite sensors. In this study, Split-Window (SW) and Radial Basis Function (RBF) methods were utilized for prediction of LST using precipitable water for Turkey. Coll 94 Split-Window algorithm was modified using regional precipitable water values estimated from upper-air Radiosond observations for the years 1990–2007 and Local Split-Window (LSW) algorithms were generated for the study area. Using local algorithms and Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, monthly mean daily sum LST values were calculated. In RBF method latitude, longitude, altitude, surface emissivity, sun shine duration and precipitable water values were used as input variables of the structure. Correlation coefficients between estimated and measured LST values were obtained as 99.23% (for RBF) and 94.48% (for LSW) at 00:00 UTC and 92.77% (for RBF) and 89.98% (for LSW) at 12:00 UTC. These meaningful statistical results suggest that RBF and LSW methods could be used for LST calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of technology in the translation process has already become a common practice. Translation evaluation in most training programs in Turkey, however, seems to ignore the place of technology since exams are taken using printed resources only. The current study aims at exploring students' use of time, performance and reaction when they translate texts using different resources and in different settings, thus, seeing in which contexts students feel better and can achieve better results when tested. Nine senior translation students participated in the study. All were native speakers of Turkish and advanced-level learners of English. Each participant was given four different types of texts: technical, literary, legal, and media. Participants translated each text from English into Turkish in 40 minutes using three different ways. All translation sessions were supervised: (1) using printed resources only, (2) using online resources only, and (3) post-editing target texts produced via Google Translate. After each session, the participants completed online questionnaires. The analysis of the questionnaires and evaluations of the translations suggest that novice translators tend to prefer working in an electronic environment using Internet resources. The novice translators did not seem to be very comfortable with post-editing machine translation outputs, especially for literary texts. No major differences, in terms of their scores and use of time, are observed across the three sessions, and individual preferences of the students and the perceived difficulty level of the texts seem to have more effect on the time use and performance. The answers to the survey questions also suggest that exam settings for the translation courses need to be customized so that Internet resources and other translation tools can be integrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Faculty of Letters / Edebiyat Fakultesi Dergisi is the property of Hacettepe University Faculty of Letters 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: In this paper, the estimation capacities of MLR and ANN are investigated to estimate monthly-average daily SR over Turkey. The satellite data are used for 73 different locations over Turkey. Land surface temperature, altitude, latitude, longitude and month are offered as the input variables for modeling ANN and MLR to get SR. Estimations of SR are evaluated with the meteorological values by using the statistical bases. The obtained results indicated that the ANN model could achieve a satisfactory performance when compared to the MLR model. Moreover, it is understood that more accurate results in estimation of SR are obtained in the use of satellite data, rather than the use of meteorological station data. Finally, the built ANN model is used to estimate the yearly average of daily SR over Turkey. As a result, satellite-based SR map for Turkey is generated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this research was to forecast monthly mean air temperature based on remote sensing and artificial neural network (ANN) data by using twenty cities over Turkey. ANN contained an input layer, hidden layer and an output layer. While city, month, altitude, latitude, longitude, monthly mean land surface temperatures were chosen as inputs, and monthly mean air temperature was chosen as output for network. Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) learning algorithms and tansig, logsig and linear transfer functions were used in the network. The data of Turkish State Meteorological Service (TSMS) and Technological Research Council of Turkey–Bilten for the period from 1995 to 2004 were chosen as training when the data of 2005year were being used as test. Result of research was evaluated according to statistical rules. The best linear correlation coefficient (R), and root mean squared error (RMSE) between the estimated and measured values for monthly mean air temperature with ANN and remote sensing method were found to be 0.991–1.254K, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this research is to forecast air temperature based on remote sensing data. So, land surface temperature and air temperature values which were measured by Republic of Turkey Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs (Turkish State Meteorological Service) during the period 1995-2001 at seven stations (Adana, Ankara, Balıkesir, İzrnir, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Van) were compared. The monthly land surface temperature and air temperature were used to have correlation coefficients over Turkey. An empirical method was obtained from equation of correlation coefficients. Separately, Price algorithm was used for the estimation of land surface temperature values to get air temperatures. Then as statistical, air temperature values, belongs to meteorological data in Turkey (26-45°E and 36-42°N) throughout 2002, were evaluated. The research results showed that accuracy of estimation of the air temperature changes from 2.453°K to 2.825°K by root mean square error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Academic Food Journal / Akademik GIDA is the property of Sidas Medya Ajans Tanitim Danismanlik 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.)

Reached even to the level of strategic partnership in the 1990s, the Turkey-Israel relations have gotten hurt considerably after leak of the pro-Israel Palmer Report which was prepared so as to investigate the MV (motor vessel) Mavi Marmara (Blue Marmara) incident. During this process, statements made by the officials of both countries reveal that the Turkey-Israel relations will not be improved in the short-term; and on the contrary, the relations move towards a tenser path day by day. Considering the Arab world experiencing a period of rooted changes with the Arab Spring, Turkey having a political transformation and Israel resisting the change; it seems that the Turkey-Israel relations will never return to its previous level in the 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate Turkish college students' learning approach regarding biology and ecology classes along with the effects of some selected variables (gender, teacher, year of study, grade in biology and grade in ecology) on students' learning approach. The Turkish version of the Learning Approach Questionnaire was utilized for gathering data. The sample consisted of 173 female and 238 male (411) university students from two different departments at three different universities in Turkey. In this investigation, no statistically significant differences in terms of gender, teacher, and year of study, grade in biology and grade in ecology were found. Inferential statistics, mainly ANOVA, were used for testing the effects of selected variables on their learning approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The civil commotion, which started with Muhammed Bouazizi's setting himself on fire in Tunisia, seems not to have remained limited with Tunisia but to have exercised control over the Arab Middle East as well. As a matter of fact, the uprisings in the Arab countries are the obvious proof of this situation. It seems that the Middle East has been going through a new political turbulence with these events emerging in Tunisia. However, the course of the current events and their consequences still remain uncertain. In that case, the political and economic transition, which Turkey has gone through, is important for the future and the stability of the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changing international and regional balances are the main reasons why Turkey is becoming more influential in the Middle East and Africa. But these changes cannot be considered as the sole motives behind Turkey's growing influence. The New Bourgeoisie/Anatolian Tigers who emerged in the early 1980's and began to influence the Turkish internal politics within the last 30 years, are now influencing the foreign policies as well. Because of this newly- emerged economic class, economic issues became one of the major topics of Turkish Foreign Politics in the last years, along with security and defense issues. This class is playing an influential role in the shaping of Turkey's Middle Eastern and African policies and appears as a determining fact to develop a more consistent foreign policy in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The civil commotion, which started with Muhammed Bouazizi's setting himself on fire in Tunisia, seems not to have remained limited with Tunisia but to have exercised control over the Arab Middle East as well. As a matter of fact, the uprisings in the Arab countries are the obvious proof of this situation. It seems that the Middle East has been going through a new political turbulence with these events emerging in Tunisia. However, the course of the current events and their consequences still remain uncertain. In that case, the political and economic transition, which Turkey has gone through, is important for the future and the stability of the Middle East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and complications of holmium laser and pneumatic lithotripsy used in the ureterorenoscopic treatment of proximal ureteral stones. Materials and Methods: Data of 638 patients, who underwent ureterorenoscopy (URS) due to proximal ureteral stones in different centers, were obtained from patient files. The patients were divided into two groups according to the type of lithotripter used: group 1; laser lithotripter (n=324; 50.8%) and group 2; pneumatic lithotripter (n=314; 49.2%). URS was considered successful upon determination stone-free status with the imaging methods after treatment. The effectiveness and the complications of holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser and pneumatic lithotripsy were compared. Results: The total success rate of URS was 82.6% and the complication rate was 8.1%. The mean age of patients was similar between the groups; however, the body mass index values, stone surface area and stone Hounsfield unit were significantly higher in group 1. Although the mean operative time, complication rate and the mean length of hospital stay were similar between the groups; the URS success and postoperative ureteral J stent use rates were significantly higher in group 1 and the push-back rate was significantly higher in group 2. Conclusion: If laser lithotripsy is available in a clinic, we believe that it is better to use it as the first option in the treatment of proximal ureter stones. However, considering that it is not easy to access laser lithotripters due to their high cost in Turkey, pneumatic lithotripters may be an effective and inexpensive alternative that can also be safely used in these cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet contributes to the development of science and facilitates scientific demeanors while it also serves as a ground for academic misdemeanors. Recent studies indicate that Internet facilitates and spreads academic dishonesty. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the extent of involvement of Turkish university students in academic dishonesty practices facilitated through Internet (i.e. e-dishonesty) and to question the conditions which lead to e-dishonesty. Three hundred and forty nine education faculty students from the most populated state university in Turkey were administered two Likert-Scale questionnaires developed by the researchers. After the reliability and validity conditions were met, two exploratory factor analyses were conducted. The first one revealed the factors constituting common types of e-dishonesty among undergraduate students which were fraudulence, plagiarism, falsification, delinquency, and unauthorized help. The second factor analysis exhibited individual and contextual factors triggering e-dishonesty which were named as individual factors, institutional policies and peer pressure. Results of both analyses are discussed and suggestions for further research are provided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Glucocorticoids (GC) are widely accepted as the standard first-line treatment for giant cell arteritis (GCA). However, relapse rates are reported up to 80% on GC-only protocol arms in controlled trials of tocilizumab and abatacept in 12-24 months. Herein, we aimed to assess the real-life relapse rates retrospectively in patients with GCA from Turkey., Methods: We assembled a retrospective cohort of patients with GCA diagnosed according to ACR 1990 criteria from tertiary rheumatology centres in Turkey. All clinical data were abstracted from medical records. Relapse was defined as any new manifestation or increased acutephase response leading to the change of the GC dose or use of a new therapeutic agent by the treating physician., Results: The study included 330 (F/M: 196/134) patients with GCA. The mean age at disease onset was 68.9±9 years. The most frequent symptom was headache. Polymyalgia rheumatica was also present in 81 (24.5%) patients. Elevation of acute phase reactants (ESR>50 mm/h or CRP>5 mg/l) was absent in 25 (7.6%) patients at diagnosis. Temporal artery biopsy was available in 241 (73%) patients, and 180 of them had positive histopathological findings for GCA. For remission induction, GC pulses (250-1000 methylprednisolone mg/3-7 days) were given to 69 (20.9%) patients, with further 0.5-1 mg/kg/day prednisolone continued in the whole group. Immunosuppressives as GC-sparing agents were used in 252 (76.4%) patients. During a follow-up of a median 26.5 (6-190) months, relapses occurred in 49 (18.8%) patients. No confounding factor was observed in relapse rates. GC treatment could be stopped in only 62 (23.8%) patients. Additionally, GC-related side effects developed in 64 (24.6%) patients, and 141 (66.2%) had at least one Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) damage item present during follow-up., Conclusions: In this first multi-centre series of GCA from Turkey, we observed that only one-fifth of patients had relapses during a mean follow-up of 26 months, with 76.4% given a GC-sparing IS agent at diagnosis. At the end of follow-up, GC-related side effects developed in one-fourth of patients. Our results suggest that patients with GCA had a low relapse rate in real-life experience of a multi-centre retrospective Turkish registry, however with a significant presence of GC-associated side effects during follow-up.

Sympatric lizard species present convenient models for studying differentiation in thermal behavior and the role of morphological differences in their thermal biology. Here we studied the thermal biology of two sympatric lizard species which occur sympatrically in the Phrygian Valley of Western Anatolia. These two species differ in body size, with Lacerta diplochondrodes being larger than Parvilacerta parva. The surface body temperatures of the individuals belonging to both species were recorded when active in the field. Additionally, several environmental parameters including solar radiation, substrate temperature, air temperature and wind speed were monitored to investigate the relative effects of these abiotic parameters on the thermal biology of the two species. The surface body temperature and temperature excess (difference between body and substrate temperature) of the two species, while being relatively close to each other, showed seasonal differences. Solar radiation, substrate temperature and air temperature were the main factors influencing their thermal biology. Additionally, although body size did not have a direct effect on body temperature or temperature excess, the interaction between body size and solar radiation on temperature excess was significant. In conclusion, our study partially supports the conservation of body temperature of related lizard species., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The coronavirus pandemic, which has numerous global implications, has led people to believe that nothing will be the same as before. The present day is dominated by studies on determining the factors that affect, taking preventive actions, and trying to find an effective treatment on top priority. Meteorological parameters are among the crucial factors affecting infectious diseases. The present study examines the correlation between weather and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by considering nine cities in Turkey. In this regard, temperature (°C), dew point (°C), humidity (%), and wind speed (mph) are considered as parameters of weather. Research states that the incubation period of COVID-19 varies from 1 day to 14 days. Therefore, the effects of each parameter within 1, 3, 7, and 14 days are examined. In addition, the population is included as an effective parameter for evaluation. The analyses are conducted based on Spearman's correlation coefficients. The results showed that the highest correlations were observed for population, wind speed 14 days ago, and temperature on the day, respectively. The study results may guide authorities and decision-makers on taking specific measures for the cities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author declares no conflict of interest. Mehmet Sahin conducted all work., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: This retrospective study evaluated the clinical presentation, underlying lung disease, surgical indications, technique, treatment outcomes, and postoperative complications of pulmonary aspergilloma., Materials and Methods: We evaluated 77 patients who underwent pulmonary resection of an aspergilloma at Atatürk Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Research and Training Hospital between January 2000 and December 2013. The initial operations were 4 pneumonectomies, 24 lobectomies, 9 lobectomy plus myoplasties, 10 segmental resections, and 30 wedge resections. Six reoperations were carried out to deal with postoperative complications: 1 myoplasty, 2 completion lobectomies plus myoplasties, 2 myoplasties with rib resections, and 1 completion lobectomy., Results: The subjects comprised 53 males (mean age: 44.26 (range: 10-73) years) and 24 females (mean age: 48.25 (range: 26-70) years). The most common indication for surgery was hemoptysis in 52 patients (67.53%). The most common underlying lung disease was tuberculosis in 37 patients (48.05%). Forty patients (51.94%) had a simple pulmonary aspergilloma and 37 (48.05%) had a complex pulmonary aspergilloma. Major complications occurred in 18 patients (23.37%). The postoperative mortality rate was 3.89%, with 3 patients dying., Conclusion: Surgical resection of pulmonary aspergilloma is the best way to prevent recurrent hemoptysis with low morbidity and mortality.

Precipitable water (PW) is an important atmospheric variable for climate system calculation. Local monthly mean PW values were measured by daily radiosonde observations for the time period from 1990 to 2006. Artificial neural network (ANN) method was applied for modeling and prediction of mean precipitable water data in Çukurova region, south of Turkey. We applied Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) learning algorithm and logistic sigmoid transfer function in the network. In order to train our neural network we used data of Adana station, which are assumed to give a general idea about the precipitable water of Çukurova region. Thus, meteorological and geographical data (altitude, temperature, pressure, and humidity) were used in the input layer of the network for Çukurova region. Precipitable water was the output. Correlation coefficient (R(2)) between the predicted and measured values for monthly mean daily sum with LM method values was found to be 94.00% (training), 91.84% (testing), respectively. The findings revealed that the ANN-based prediction technique for estimating PW values is as effective as meteorological radiosonde observations. In addition, the results suggest that ANN method values be used so as to predict the precipitable water.