Search

The basic design lesson is an introductory course that teaches students the fundamental principles of design, including elements such as form, space, scale, proportion, and composition. It is also an introduction to both concrete thinking and abstract one, which is rather about ideas and general thought. Abstraction is one of the steps ap- plied for design learning processes because it may improve students' capacity for creative thinking. In practice, architects may use abstraction to sim- plify complex design problems and create clear, concise solutions. Basic Design Studio at Faculty of Architecture, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University (FSMVU), has dealt with the task of abstraction, while each generation's initial phase changed. This paper aims to define basic steps that guided students in FSMVU to apply abstraction in developing their final design, starting from objects from nature to geometrically defined shapes.

Embracing intellectual humility has been touted as a potential key factor in improving relationships among people with different perspectives. Surprisingly, little research has been conducted on how individuals perceive those who express their views with intellectual humility, and no research, to our knowledge, examined perceptions of intellectual humility in political leaders specifically. This study aimed to examine to what extent perceivers value intellectual humility in the face of a polarizing topic (abortion) and when it is expressed by political leaders (hypothetical presidential candidates) sharing or opposing one's view. We predicted that individuals would like the same-view leader more than the opposing-view leader; however, they would also prefer leaders expressing intellectual humility overall. Importantly, we also explored whether individuals would be more tolerant of intellectual arrogance when arrogance came from a leader who shared (vs. opposed) their ideology. A pilot study (N = 94) confirmed all these predictions. A preregistered study with a larger sample (N = 927) replicated these patterns and showed that positive evaluations of leaders' intellectual humility were also contingent on their views and the ways they expressed intellectual humility (openness to alternative views or fallibility of their own view). While perceivers evaluated both the same and opposing-view leaders' openness to alternative views positively, they evaluated the same-view (but not the opposing-view) leaders' expression of fallibility negatively. Our findings shed light on the boundary conditions of valuing intellectual humility while offering insights on when and why people may refrain from expressing humility themselves and knowingly or unknowingly contribute to polarizing discourse.

AbstractObjective To assess the impacts of Platelet-Rich Plasma(PRP) and Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor(G-CSF) on a rat model with induced ovarian follicular damage caused by cyclophosphamide(Cy).Materials and Methods Forty-two Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly allocated into seven distinct groups as; Group 1(control): NaCl intraperitoneal (IP) injection was administered on days D1, D7, and D14. Group 2(Cy):Cy IP injection on D1 + NaCl IP injection on D7 and D14 were administered. Group 3(PRP): PRP IP injection on D1,D7 and D14 were administered. Group 4(Cy + PRP):Cy IP injection on D1 and PRP IP injection on D1, D7 and D14 were administered. Group 5(G-CSF): G-CSF IP injection on D1, D7 and D14 were administered. Group 6(Cy + G-CSF):Cy IP injection on D1+ G-CSF IP injection on D1, D7 and D14 were administered. Group 7(Cy + PRP + G-CSF):Cy IP injection on D1+ PRP IP injection on D1,D7 and D14+ G-CSF IP injection on D1,D7 and D14 were administered. Follicular number, histological scores of AMH and INSL3 stained follicles at different stages of follicular development, and serum Anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH) were evaluated.Results The primary, secondary, and antral follicle intensity scores for AMH-positive staining were most prominent in Groups 3 and 5. There was no significant difference between groups 4, 6 and 7 compared to group 1 in terms of follicule counts and AMH staining. The intensity scores of AMH-positive staining follicles were notably reduced in group 2 compared to groups 4, 6, and 7, with a significant difference (p

Purpose The aim of this study is to understand the motives behind CS requests in nulliparous women in their late pregnancy better and to investigate if specific personality traits affect the maternal decision on mode of delivery. Material and Method This prospective study was conducted with 70 healthy, nulliparous parturient with singleton pregnancies. Women at their 28–32. weeks of gestation were asked to fill a socio-demographic data form and the questionnaires; Personality Belief Questionnaire – Short Form (PBQ-SF) and The Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire (CAQ). After delivery, all the results of pre-filled questionnaires and women’s mode of delivery were analyzed and compared. Results There were significant differences in personality types; dependent (p = 0.033), passive-aggressive (p = 0.031), obsessive-compulsive (p = 0.001), antisocial (p = 0.014), narcissistic (p = 0.014) and borderline (p = 0.014) between vaginal delivery and CS groups. The CAQ scores of the mothers who requested CS were significantly higher (p:0.007). Weak but significant positive relation was found between total CAQ scores and avoidant (p = 0.022), dependent (p = 0.034), passive-aggressive (p = 0.040), narcissistic (p = 0,006), schizoid (p = 0.007), paranoid (p = 0.007) and borderline (p = 0.007) personality types. Conclusion This is the first study that investigates the relationship between mode of delivery and personality traits according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and cognitive behavioral perspective in the literature. These personality traits can be carried at a level that is not clinically significant to create an obvious pathology, yet they might play a role as the motives behind the apparent reasons for women who request CS. Understanding women’s motives and attitudes for childbirth during their pregnancy may help healthcare providers to tailor women’s approach to childbirth to avoid unnecessary CS.

It has been shown that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negative effects on individuals mental health. It has been seen that various measurement tools used in evaluating these effects tend to be uni-dimensional and have limited psychometric evaluation. This study aims to show the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of COVID Stress Scales (CSS), which evaluates the distress associated with COVID-19 in six different dimensions. The sample of the study consists of 457 volunteering adults who met the inclusion criteria via an online form. Sociodemographic data form, CSS, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCS) were applied to the participants. The scale had a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.947. Total-item correlation coefficients of the scale items were found to range between 0.381 and 0.730 (p [Med-Science 2022; 11(1.000): 62-9]

Lung disorders involve swelling, inflammation, and muscle tightening around the airways, with symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and abnormal fluid build-up. The global prevalence of these conditions is rising, highlighting the need for extensive research to alleviate their severity and symptoms. Due to the chronic nature and recurrence of these disorders, the human body often develops immunity and side effects to certain medications. Therefore, developing novel and appropriate drug combinations is crucial. This study analyzes a dataset of lung disorder drugs, characterized by various topological indices. The structures of 16 drugs used to treat lung disorders are correlated with their physical properties using degree-based graph invariants. When considering specific attributes, the VIKOR (VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje) method provides an optimal ranking for each drug. The QSPR results highlight the effectiveness of this approach in drug prioritization, offering valuable insights for clinical decision-making and drug development. This methodology can enhance the strategic selection of treatments for lung disorders, leading to improved patient care and better resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate if adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) treatment has any protective effect on ovarian function in rats with cyclophosphamide (CP) induced ovarian damage. Design: This was an experimental animal study. Participants/Materials, Setting, Methods: 25 mature cycling Wistar-Albino rats were randomized into four groups (n = 5 per group). Rats in groups 1 and 2 received single dose of intraperitoneal (i.p.) 1 mL/kg sodium chloride 0.9% (NaCl). Groups 3 and 4 received single dose of 75 mg/kg i.p. CP. On seventh day, SVF was prepared from adipose tissues of 5 additional rats and groups 1 and 3 received 0.9% NaCl i.p. injections while groups 2 and 4 received 0.2 mL i.p. injections of SVF. On day 21 all rats were euthanized, and serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, primordial, primary, secondary, antral, and atretic follicle counts, AMH positive staining follicle counts along with AMH staining intensity of the follicles were evaluated. Results: Among two CP induced ovarian damaged groups, SVF treated group showed significantly higher secondary and antral follicle and lower atretic follicle counts, significantly higher mean serum AMH levels, AMH positive antral follicle count and higher intensity of AMH positive follicle scores for primary, secondary, and antral follicles when compared to untreated group. Moreover, group 1 showed no significant difference for all parameters except antral follicle count and AMH positive staining intensity scores for antral follicles when compared to group 4. Limitations: This study was conducted on experimental rat model. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a significant protective effect of SVF against CP-induced ovarian damage which reveals the apparent need for further investigation of its precise mechanisms of action as it may provide a new treatment approach for women with premature ovarian failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the causal effects of the drastic expansion in Turkish higher education on the attainment disadvantage of women by using the variation in exposure intensity across cohorts and regions. The expansion increased the attainment rates of both genders but did not significantly reduce the gender gap after controlling for time trend. Studying the mechanisms, we observe that the expansion in social sciences, more than half of additional slots, benefited men and women evenly, but the expansion in engineering, about 25% of additional slots, benefited men more. The results are robust to a wide range of checks for alternative specifications, samples, and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes tasks based on real-life scenarios, which triggered reflective thinking, verbalization, and writing, leading to the creation of natural dialogues rather than artificial, dull monologues. One of the main aims of this approach is to engage students in a dynamic process of both learning about multicultural participants and presenting themselves. Data were collected from 30 students at a state university's Turkish and Foreign Languages Centre. Writing tasks were compiled through a classroom activity called "From Culture to Culture" (Kulturden Kulture), which invited students to conduct speaking and writing tasks while connecting their cultures with Turkish culture, utilizing intercultural competence's three components: knowledge, attitude and skill. Byram's (1997) multidimensional model of intercultural competence provided the theoretical framework for evaluation of intercultural competence expressed in students' reflective writing samples and oral presentations. Action research was conducted to promote more effective communicative styles in a multicultural classroom. Performance data were analyzed inductively, as each activity was adapted into a real-life scenario to study intercultural competence. Consequently, the real-life scenarios were categorized as knowledge, attitude and skill components in order to develop the flexibility and adaptability of the language learning process.

The objective of this study was to identify domestic violence awareness and attitudes towards violence among adult individuals in Turkish society. Materials and Methods. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted online between September 15, 2021 and November 15, 2021 and included 353 individuals. The data were collected using the snowball sampling method, the Google Forms, the Socio-Demographic Descriptive Information Form, the Domestic Violence Awareness Scale, and the Attitudes Towards Domestic Violence (ADV) Scale. For data analysis, the number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Student’s t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), post hoc (Tukey, LSD) analyses, Cohen’s d and Eta squared (η 2) coefficients, and correlation analysis were used. Results. Most research participants were females (79.0%), with the average age of 30.53 ± 13.11 years. Of all the participants, 56.9% stated that they witnessed domestic violence, 22.7% stated that they experienced violence against women, 8.2% stated that they used violence. While the mean Domestic Violence Awareness Scale score was calculated as 41.09 ± 3.98, the mean score of the ADV Scale was calculated as 20.18 ± 7.82. The scores of domestic violence awareness differed significantly depending on education level (p=0.042; η 2=0.018). The scores of women’s attitude towards domestic violence (19.10) were lower than those in men (24.26) (p=0.05; d=0.684; η2=0.072). Participants’ attitudes towards domestic violence varied significantly by family type (p=0.006; η2=0.029), education level (p=0.007; η2=0.028), and occupation (p=0.007; η2=0.040). There was a significant positive relationship between awareness of and attitudes towards domestic violence (r=0.226). Conclusions. Study participants had a high sense of awareness towards domestic violence and a negative attitude towards violence. Their awareness of domestic violence was affected by education level, while their attitudes towards domestic violence was affected by gender, type of family, education level, and occupation.

Introduction: Although cancer patients have a high risk of exposing COVID-19 and developing severe complications, they have to receive active treatment. We aimed to determine the psychological conditions of cancer patients and shed light on the establishment of early psychological intervention and intervention policies by making specific recommendations. Method: We consecutively evaluated 385 cancer patients under treatment. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, and associated sociodemographic/clinical characteristics were investigated. In addition, we applied depression-anxiety-stress-scale-21 (DASS-21) for the mental states of patients and Impact of Event-Scale-Revised (IES-R) for the psychological effects of Covid-19. Results: The mean age was 58 (18–88). 47.2% were psychologically distressful per DASS-21, and 39.3% were traumatic per IES-R scores. 71.9% stated the risk of getting COVID-19 was high since they had cancer, and 82% stated serious complications would develop if they had COVID-19 infection. Patients diagnosed for more than one year were more stressed, anxious, and depressive (p–value = 0.001,0.003,0.049, respectively). Singles were more stressed, depressed, and traumatized than couples (p-value = 0.001, 0.011, 0.001). In multivariate analysis, a significant correlation with being under psychiatric treatment before the pandemic was found for depression (OR: 3.743, 95 %CI: 1.790–7.827) anxiety (OR: 3.776–95 %CI: 1.945–7.332) and stress levels (OR: 4.129, 95 %CI: 1.728–9.866). Having relatives who died or received treatment for COVID-19(OR: 0.515,0.296–0.895) and being unmarried (OR: 2.445–95% CI: 1.260–4.747) predicts PTSD development. Conclusions: When the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are manifesting strongly, cancer patients' anxiety and exposure levels are high. It is of great importance that clinicians understand needs, recognize psychological distress, and direct them to relevant departments for supportive care.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the best mode of Doppler ultrasound, blood flow imaging (BFI) versus color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS), in detecting endoleaks diagnosed using computed tomography angiography (CTA). Patients and methods: A total of 70 consecutive patients (60 males, 10 females; mean age: 68.5±7.8 years; range, 48 to 82 years) undergoing standard EVAR procedure were retrospectively evaluated in the outpatient clinic following CTA between January 2018 and December 2019. Ten (13.9%) patients in which endoleaks were detected were also evaluated using CDUS which was performed by two radiologists specializing in Doppler ultrasound. The radiologists were blind to CTA reports. A reporting protocol was developed for endoleak detection using different modes of CDUS (BFI vs. CDUS). Results: Of all cases, 10 (13.9%) endoleaks were detected using CTA. All five type I and III endoleaks requiring an intervention were detected by both modes of CDUS, while four of the five type II endoleaks were not. The single case of type II endoleak was suspected following the visualization of fresh thrombus formation. There was an inadequacy in detecting low flow endoleaks both using BFI and standard color Doppler mode. There was a strong correlation between the aneurysmal sac diameters measured using CTA and CDUS. Conclusion: The CDU and BFI are capable of detecting type I and III endoleaks with similar sensitivity and specificity. These modes should be used in combination as confirmatory tests. For surveillance, CDUS promises accurate results without missing any potential complication requiring an intervention. Lack of detecting type II endoleaks may be negligible, as sac enlargement is the key for reintervention in this case. [Turk J Vasc Surg 2021; 30(2.000): 115-20]

People largely preserve spontaneously drawn trait inferences from others' behaviors in their memory, even when contrary information is present. However, we suggest that updating could be manifested in future predictions about others. Experiment 1 replicated previous work, showing no updating in the memory of initially inferred traits upon learning trait-inconsistent new information. Experiments 2–4 tested whether people's reliance on the initially implied traits in their future predictions changed as an indicator of updating. Participants aligned their predictions with the initially implied traits when the new information was neutral. However, after learning trait-inconsistent (vs. neutral) new information, they made weaker future predictions consistent with the initially implied traits and stronger predictions consistent with alternative (inconsistent) traits, revealing updating. The patterns were similar across continuous and categorical prediction measures (Experiment 3) and generalized to other valence-matching impressions (Experiment 4). The present work reveals nuances that extend our understanding of impression updating and suggests a utility in combining memory measures of impression formation with behavior predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The connection between education and technology offers an exciting opportunity for universities to utilize social media marketing activities not only to recruit new students or to create brand image and reputation, but also to enhance student satisfaction. Despite having a large number of studies indicating the importance of social media as a tool for student recruitment, the studies on the importance of social media marketing activities (SMMA) for students who are already enrolled are rare. This study aims at examining the relationship between SMMA and student satisfaction, considering perceived quality as a mediator in the higher education sector in North Cyprus. Utilizing a cross-sectional online survey, the data for this study was collected during October- November 2020 from 424 international students enrolled in North Cyprus universities. The model was assessed and the data was analyzed using Structural Equation Model (SEM) in AMOS statistical software. The findings suggest that SMMA has a positive relationship with the perceived quality of education, and perceived quality mediates the relationship between SMMA and student satisfaction positively.

Introduction: Sclerostin is an anti-anabolic protein synthesized by osteocytes that may cause osteoporosis by inhibiting bone formation. The aim of our study was to investigate the correlation between sclerostin and bone mineral density (BMD) reduction in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) with more than 1 year after transplantation. Material and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 patients (38 (47.5%) male/42 (52.5%) female) RTRs with a mean age of 44.68 ± 10.39 years. Patients were compared with an age and sex-matched control group of 40 healthy individuals. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The levels of sclerostin were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean sclerostin was 3.77 ± 0.3 pg/mL in patients and 3.81 ± 0.21 pg/mL in healthy individuals. The mean T score of femoral trochanter (FT) (FT-T), femoral neck (FN) (FN-T), lumbar vertebrae (L1-4) (L1-4-T) were −0.81 ± 0.86, −1.08 ± 1.09 and −0.8 ± 1.2, respectively. The mean Z score of FT (FT-Z), FN (FN-Z), L1-4 (L1-4-Z) were −0.6 ± 0.73, −0.32 ± 0.9 and −0.54 ± 1.13, respectively. FT-Z and L1-4-Z were lower in patients than healthy subjects (p = 0.009, p = 0.021 respectively). Serum creatinine (p 3.84 pg/mL had higher FT-T (p = 0.040), FT-Z, FN-T (p = 0.018), FN-Z (p = 0.006) than those with a log10 sclerostin of ≤3.84 pg/mL. There was a significant correlation between log10 sclerostin and FN-T (r = −0.296, p = 0.009) and FN-Z (r = −0.269, p = 0.019). In linear regression analysis, high sclerostin was found to be correlated with male gender, lower FN-T and lower FN-Z independently of other risk factors. Conclusion: The levels of sclerostin can predict reduction of proximal femur BMD and development of mineral and bone disorder in RTRs. There was no difference in sclerostin levels between RTRs and healthy individuals. Resumen: Introducción: La esclerostina es una proteína con efecto antianabólico sintetizada por los osteocitos que puede causar osteoporosis al inhibir la formación de hueso. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue investigar la correlación entre la esclerostina y la reducción de la densidad mineral ósea (DMO) en receptores de trasplante renal (RTR) más de un año después del trasplante. Materiales y métodos: Este estudio transversal se realizó en 80 pacientes (38 [47,5%] varones/42 [52,5%] mujeres) RTR con una edad media de 44,68 ± 10,39 años. Se comparó a los pacientes con un grupo de comparación emparejado por edad y sexo de 40 individuos sanos. La DMO se midió mediante absorciometría de rayos X de doble energía. Los niveles de esclerostina se determinaron utilizando un enzimoinmunoanálisis de adsorción. Resultados: El nivel medio de esclerostina fue de 3,77 ± 0,3 pg/ml en pacientes y 3,81 ± 0,21 pg/ml en individuos sanos. La puntuación T media del trocánter femoral (TF) (T-TF), del cuello femoral (CF) (T-CF), las vértebras lumbares (L1-4) (T-L1-4) fue de −0,81 ± 0,86, −1,08 ± 1,09 y −0,8 ± 1,2, respectivamente. La puntuación Z media del TF (Z-TF), CF (Z-CF), L1-4 (Z-L1-4) fue de –0,6 ± 0,73, −0,32 ± 0,9 y −0,54 ± 1,13, respectivamente. Las puntuaciones Z-TF y Z-L1-4 fueron inferiores en los pacientes que en los sujetos sanos (p = 0,009 y p = 0,021, respectivamente). Los niveles de creatinina sérica (p 3,84 pg/ml tuvieron puntuaciones T-TF (p = 0,040), Z-TF, T-CF (p = 0,018), Z-CF (p = 0,006) superiores a las de los pacientes con un log10 esclerostina ≤3,84 pg/ml. Se observó una correlación significativa entre log10 esclerostina y T-CF (r = −0,296, p = 0,009) y Z-CF (r = −0,269, p = 0,019). En el análisis de regresión lineal, se observó que los niveles elevados de esclerostina estaban correlacionados con el sexo masculino, una puntuación T-CF inferior y una puntuación Z-CF inferior independientemente de otros factores de riesgo. Conclusión: Los niveles de esclerostina pueden predecir la reducción de la DMO del fémur proximal y el desarrollo de un trastorno mineral y óseo en RTR. No se observaron diferencias en los niveles de esclerostina entre los RTR y los individuos sanos.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has reached 4 million global cases as of March 10, 2020, has become a worldwide problem. Turkey is one of the most affected (9th in the world) country with 139 771 cases. An intermittent curfew policy that differ for three age groups, and an intercity travel ban varying within the country have been implemented. The effects of changes in social life and industrial activity in terms of environmental pollution are not yet known. The short-term effects on PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, NO, NOx, O3 and CO concentrations measured at 51 air quality measurement stations (AQMS) in 11 cities in March – April period of 2020 were statistically compared with that of the previous year. While PM2.5 (9/14 AQMS) and PM10 (29/35 AQMS) concentrations were not significantly affected, NO (12/24 AQMS), NO2 (20/29 AQMS), NOX (17/25 AQMS) concentrations were decreased, SO2 concentrations at half of the AQMSs (11/25) did not show a significant change. There were stations at which higher pollutant concentrations were measured in the study period in 2020 compared to that of 2019. Excess risks associated with PM2.5 and PM10 were estimated to be variable, albeit with a small difference. In conclusion, the heterogeneous actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mixed effects on ambient air quality.