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Primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most successful procedures for end‐stage knee osteoarthritis. To determine the effect of preoperative knee joint function on postoperative quality of life in patients undergoing primary TKA. This descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted with a total of 208 patients in the orthopedics and traumatology clinic. Data were gathered with a personal information form, the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and the EQ‐5D‐5L Quality Of Life Scale in the preoperative period, at postoperative 6th week, and at postoperative 3rd month. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, and simple linear regression analysis. The mean age of the patients was 65.65 ± 7.01 years. Most patients (86.1%) were women, and 51.4% underwent left TKA. OKS scores indicated poor knee function preoperatively and gradually increased at postoperative 6th week and 3rd month. Preoperative OKS was a significant predictor of postoperative knee joint function and quality of life. This study shows that preoperative knee joint function significantly affects postoperative knee joint function and quality of life. These results demonstrate the importance of the surgery timing and suggest that performing surgery earlier in functional decline may be associated with a better outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Konuralp Medical Journal / Konuralp Tip Dergisi is the property of Duzce University Medical School 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.)

Due to climate change, population increase, and the urban heat island effect (UHI), the demand for cooling energy, especially in urban areas, has increased and will further increase in the future. Technologies such as radiative cooling offer a sustainable and energy-free solution by using the wavelength ranges of the atmosphere that are transparent to electromagnetic radiation, the so-called atmospheric window (8–13 µm), to emit thermal radiation into the colder (3 K) outer space. Previous publications in the field of textile building cooling have focused on specific fiber structures and textile substrate materials as well as complex multi-layer constructions, which restrict the use for highly scaled outdoor applications. This paper describes the development of a novel substrate-independent coating with spectrally selective radiative properties. By adapting the coating parameters and combining low-emitting and solar-reflective particles, along with a matrix material emitting strongly in the mid-infrared range (MIR), substrate-independent cooling below ambient temperature is achieved. Moreover, the coating is designed to be easily applicable, with a low thickness, to ensure high flexibility and scalability, making it suitable for various applications such as membrane architecture, textile roofs, or tent construction. The results show a median daytime temperature reduction (7 a.m.–7 p.m.) of 2 °C below ambient temperature on a hot summer day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the theoretical and experimental cooling performance of textile materials utilizing radiative cooling technology. By applying Kirchhoff's law, the emissivity of surfaces is determined, revealing that materials with high transmission values can achieve comparable cooling performance to those with high reflection values. Notably, materials exhibiting moderate reflectance and transmittance in the solar range tend to absorb minimal solar radiation, thus offering high theoretical cooling performance. However, practical applications like building envelopes or clothing present challenges due to the impact of background radiation on overall cooling capacity. Despite their intrinsic cooling properties, a significant portion of solar radiation is transmitted, complicating matters as the background can significantly affect overall cooling performance. This study provides a solution that accounts for the influence of background materials. Based on spectral data, various background materials and their impact on different semi-transparent comparison materials can be considered, and cooling performance can be simulated. This enables the simulation of cooling performance for various application scenarios and facilitates comparisons between transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque textile materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toys make a considerable clutter in homes over time unless managed responsibly. Given the ease of buying anything these days, especially toys, due to the rise of online shopping (Richards et al., 2020), toy piles can grow quickly. Current literature on the sustainability of toys is based on physical touch points, such as material, design, assembly, or transport, and suggested methods to enhance sustainability performance up to the "before‐use" phase. Our study focuses on how consumers address the issue of sustainability in toys, from the moment they intend to buy a toy to the time they terminate the toys' use, with a focus on green purchase behavior. We used data from a survey to depict 220 Turkish caregivers' perceptions of sustainability with snowball sampling to build an analytic hierarchy process system. The aim was to understand caregivers' approaches to toy sustainability factors in general and to interpret their motivations for green purchase activity. Among the eight sustainability criteria explicitly set for toys, child development‐related factors dominated durability, while price was found to be ineffective. This study of six best‐selling toys for 3–6‐year‐olds on a shopping site revealed that long‐term use is crucial for sustainability in toys. We observed that digital platforms are insufficient to convey the sustainability features of products, and thus propose a concept that evaluates the sustainability performance of toys and advises the consumer about the sustainability potential of the toys on the sales site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Konuralp Medical Journal / Konuralp Tip Dergisi is the property of Duzce University Medical School 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: To investigate the diagnostic performance between chest computed tomography (CT) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in outpatients with suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients and Methods: Between March and June 2020, a total of 812 patients with clinically suspected COVID-19 who underwent both chest CT and initial-single RT-PCR on admission to outpatient units were retrospectively enrolled. CT severity-score (CT-SS) was calculated and data were matched with PCR results. Results: Of 812 patients, 54% (439/812) had positive RT-PCR results, and 47% (425/812) had a positive chest CT scan. With RT-PCR results as reference, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of chest CT in defining COVID-19 infection were 60%, (95% CI 56-65%, 265/439 patients), 57% (95% CI 52-62%, 213/373), 59% (95% CI 55-62%, 478/812), respectively. Three hundred eighty-seven (47%) patients had no CT findings, 380/812 (46.8%) had mild, 45/812 (5.5%) had moderate, and no patients in the severe group Conclusion: Chest CT did not show high sensitivity for the diagnosis of COVID-19 for outpatients. We suggest RT-PCR should be the primary diagnostic tool. Chest CT might be considered if there is a strong clinical suspicion with repeatedly negative RT-PCR test results, ensuring infection prevention and control measures can be preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different institutions combined their expertise in a joint R&D project to demonstrate the suitability of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for thickness measurements of acrylate-based coatings on polyester fabric. First, we spectroscopically analyzed the materials involved using a high-precision terahertz spectrometer and determined optical properties such as the refractive index and loss coefficient. Raster scans were then performed across the sample, and terahertz images were created to identify material boundaries and thickness inhomogeneities. Finally, we applied a fast scanning terahertz time-domain spectrometer based on electronically controlled optical sampling and a customized reflection head for online thickness measurements in a coating line. The textile moved at a speed of 0.5 m/min, while the measurement system records terahertz pulses at a rate of 1600 traces/s. Coating thicknesses of between 63 µm and 99 µm were calculated in a post-processing step. To classify these non-contact and non-destructive measurements, these thicknesses were compared with the results of standard methods. Online and offline (62-83 µm) terahertz and SEM (66-75 µm) measurements delivered the best agreement for average coating thickness. In contrast, mechanical testing methods gave either too low or too high values for layer thickness, which were not comparable. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and imaging technology enable the first non-destructive quality control of acrylate-based textile coatings immediately following coating in the production line. Measurable variables are coating thicknesses and the detection of defects such as air inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects an inquiry into the agency in Istanbul maker ecologies by employing phenomenological research through the perspective of Actor-Network Theory. The originally generated onto-phenomenological approach in this article attributes agency to the competencies and the interpretation. Socioeconomic effects that emerged as an outcome of the agency in maker-thing assemblages are reflected as a part of this inquiry. Agency in local maker practices is exposed to show how they are different from the global maker movement through the criticism of it in the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design-driven scenarios can play a critical role in enhancing social and environmental well-being and creating sustainable solutions for better living conditions and sustainable futures. With this starting point, this study aims to use traditional knowledge as a source for sustainable development and a sustainable way of living by examining, empowering, and promoting local and traditional values through social innovation approach and design expertise. The main motivation of the study is to construct an intended link between traditional knowledge and a sustainable future for societies. The research was conducted by examining a multi-cultural local district in Turkey and its traditional and sustainable habits and proposing development ideas based on the social innovation literature and authors' design expertise. The proposed ideas involve different approaches such as an ecosystem that promotes co-creation, women's employment, symbiotic production processes, and digital marketing platforms for local products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance evaluation is a process in which the productivity of employees or institutions is measured according to certain pre-determined standards. Being competitive in national and international markets and increasing productivity have gained importance under the current market conditions and in the process of globalization. The most significant source for organizations to provide a sustainable competitive advantage is human resources. Therefore, providing a positive workplace atmosphere to employees in the organizations is of great importance. This study tests the roles of organizational climate and ethical climate, which gradually gain significance in new organizational structures that emerge with social, economic and technological changes under the market conditions of the 21st century, on the individual performance of employees. For this purpose, data were obtained by using the survey method on the white-collar employees of organizations functioning in three diverse areas of the private sector in Istanbul. It was determined that while organizational climate has a low influence on the individual performance of employees, the ethical climate has an important role on the individual performance of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A shift to the use of more eco‐friendly products and production methods is not sufficient to reverse the negative impacts of the Anthropocene period. Irrational overconsumption and production patterns should be abolished and redesigned to remain within the Earth's carrying capacity. Over‐consumption in Turkey is a part of the problem. At the juncture of Europe and Asia, Turkey has a wide variety of consumer behaviors, ranging from conservative habits to shopping sprees, especially with the rapid transition to an open economy in developing cities with contemporized lifestyles. On the one hand, consumption and material culture have quickly diffused among the younger population, who have an important share in the demographic structure and who adopt new information technologies and follow global trends. On the other hand, sharing and collaboration are core elements of the established culture. With that notion in mind, Karsiyaka municipality and the alternative education cooperation BBOM Izmir organized a swap event. The aim of the research, was to discover the views of participants on sustainability and swapping as an alternative collaborative consumption method. The results of the interviews and observations from the swap event revealed the traces of personal and cultural values on the participants' perspectives on sustainability concept and swapping. The results also showed correlations and differences with the literature. The perceptions and expectations of local consumers about swap and the concept of sustainability are mismatched with what we profoundly need for our goal of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]