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This study aims to explain the problems encountered in the education of Syrian children with the experiences of Turkish teachers. A descriptive qualitative research method was used for the study. The participants of the study were 70 elementary school teachers. The participants were selected based on the sampling criterion. The study data were collected through structured interviews. The participants were asked structured questions, and they responded as written to the questions. At the end of the study, the most significant responsibility in Syrian 'children's adjustment to the education system in Turkey falls on the shoulders of primary school teachers. Turkish primary school teachers clearly stated that the main reason for all problems they experienced was the language difference. The study results revealed that not being able to solve the communication problem deepens the problem and creates an emotional pressure on primary school teachers refugee children.

Purpose: Considering that self-efficacies of teachers can affect their educational and instructional applications, it is probable that self-efficacies of English teachers can predict the language teaching methods they employ. In this sense, the purpose of the study was to investigate the correlation between self-efficacies of English teachers and language teaching methods they employ. Method: This study used quantitative correlational design. 367 English language teachers participated in the study. ELT Context-Specific Teacher Efficacy Instrument and Language Teaching Methods Scale were used in order to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation, and path analysis were used to analyse the data. Findings: The results indicated that English teachers' self-efficacy levels were high and they employed Communication Oriented Teaching more. There was a statistically significant correlation between self-efficacies of English teachers and language teaching methods they employed. The findings also revealed that the self-efficacy of English teachers was a significant predictor of the language teaching methods they employed. Implications for Research and Practice: This study found that as the self-efficacy levels of English teachers increased, they were more inclined to employ communication-oriented teaching methods. Therefore, both pre-service and in-service training should pay attention to the teachers' self-efficacies. Selfefficacies of English teachers should be considered as something important for a desired language teaching experience.

The Constructivist Learning Environment Survey is an instrument used for assessing students' and teachers' perceptions of their learning environments. The Teacher Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (TCLES) was created to better enable teachers and researchers to determine teachers' perception of their use of constructivist approaches in their classrooms. This article reports the development and validation of a modified Turkish version of the TCLES with 449 teachers chosen randomly from primary schools in Turkey. The validity of the TCLES was investigated by means of explanatory and the confirmatory factor analyses, whereas the Cronbach alpha coefficient was used to assess the internal consistency of the scales. The factor analyses were carried out to check the factor structure of the Turkish adaptation of TCLES. The factor analysis revealed that the Turkish adaptation of the original survey consisted of 30 items with the same six-scale structure as the original survey.

The general purpose of this research is to examine the mediating effect of STEM attitudes between STEM pedagogical content knowledge and STEM intra class practice self-efficacy. This research was conducted in a causal design. A total of 345 teacher candidates, 261 female (75.7%) and 84 male (24.3%), were included in the research. The data was collected with the STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale (STEMPCKS), Attitude Scale for STEM Education (STEMAS) and STEM Intra Class Practice Self-Efficacy Perceptions Scale (STEMICPSEPS). Path analysis technique was used in data analysis. In addition, bootstrapping analysis was used to evaluate the significance of the mediating effect of STEM attitudes. At this point, 1000 resamples were made and lower-upper bound confidence intervals were determined. In research results, the mediating effect of STEM Attitudes was found to be significant in the relationship between STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge and STEM Intra Class Practice Self- Efficacy. Keywords: Path analysis, STEM attitudes, STEM intra class practice self-efficacy, STEM pedagogical content knowledge.

Objective To explore the potential of a panel of ECM remodelling markers as endotyping tools for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) by separating patients into subtypes and investigate how they differ among each other in disease activity scores and response to treatment with adalimumab.Methods In three axSpA studies, a panel of 14 blood-based ECM biomarkers related to formation of collagen (PRO-C2, PRO-C3, PRO-C6), degradation of collagen by metalloproteinases (C1M, C2M, T2CM, C3M, C4M, C6M, C10C), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-degraded prolargin (PROM), MMP-degraded and citrullinated vimentin (VICM), basement membrane turnover (PRO-C4) and neutrophil activity (CPa9-HNE) were assessed to enable patient clustering (endotyping). MASH (n=41) was a cross-sectional study, while Adalimumab in Axial Spondyloarthritis study (ASIM,n=45) and Danish Multicenter Study of Adalimumab in Spondyloarthritis (DANISH, n=49) were randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trials of adalimumab versus placebo every other week for 6 or 12 weeks, respectively, followed by active treatment. Biomarker data were log-transformed, standardised by mean centering and scaled by the SD prior to principal component analysis and K-means clustering.Results Based on all three studies, we identified two orthogonal dimensions reflecting: (1) inflammation and neutrophil activity (driven by C1M and CPa9-HNE) and (2) collagen turnover (driven by PRO-C2). Three endotypes were identified: high inflammation endotype (Endotype1), low inflammation endotype (Endotype 2) and high collagen turnover endotype (Endotype3). Endotype1 showed higher disease activity (Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS)) at baseline compared with Endotype2 and Endotype3 and higher percentage of patients responding to adalimumab based on ASDAS clinical improvement at week 24. Endotype3 showed higher percentage of patients with 50% improvement in Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index response at week 24 compared with Endotype2.Conclusion These endotypes differ in their tissue remodelling profile and may in the future have utility for patient stratification and treatment tailoring.

Purpose: Transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) is usually performed by jugular indicator injection. In clinical practice, femoral venous access is often used instead, resulting in substantial overestimation of global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI). A correction formula compensates for that. The objective of this study is to first evaluate the efficacy of the currently implemented correction function and then further improve this formula. Methods: The performance of the established correction formula was investigated in our prospectively collected dataset of 98 TPTD measurements from 38 patients with both, jugular and femoral venous access. Subsequently, a new correction formula was developed: cross validation revealed the favourite covariate combination and a general estimating equation provided the final version, which was tested in a retrospective validation on an external dataset. Results: Investigating the current correction function revealed a considerable reduction of bias compared to no correction. Concerning the objective of formula development, the covariate combination of GEDVI obtained after femoral indicator injection, age and body surface area is even favoured, when compared to the parameters of the previously published correction formula, as a further reduction of mean absolute error (68 vs. 61 ml/m2), a better correlation (0.90 vs. 0.91) and an increased adjusted R2 (0.72 vs 0.78) is noticed in the cross validation results. Of particular clinical importance is, that more measurements were correctly assigned to the same GEDVI category (decreased / normal / increased) using the revised formula, compared with the gold standard of jugular indicator injection (72.4 vs. 74.5%). In a retrospective validation, the newly developed formula showed a greater reduction of bias (to 2 vs. 6 %) than the currently implemented formula. Conclusions: The currently implemented correction function partly compensates for GEDVI overestimation. Applying the new correction formula on GEDVI measured after femoral indicator administration enhances the informative value and reliability of this preload parameter.

In this study, Wong-Zakai approximation method has been applied for the analysis of stochastic differential equations appearing in engineering sciences. Wong-Zakai approximation has been used with similar stochastic approximation methods to compare the approximate solutions of the problems and comment on the performance of the method. Models for lake pollution and computer virus spread under antivirus protection have been used with nonlinear stochastic noise as numerical examples to demonstrate the efficiency of Wong-Zakai method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In the EU, approx. 16.5% of the 20–34-year-olds are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Research shows that good health is an important progression factor towards employment, and daily physical activity as well as participation in sports has a positive effect on physical and mental health as well as in the development of life skill. However, there is an absence of studies investigating what role physical activity can play in the employment efforts. The aim of this study is to investigate experiences with physical activity in employment interventions and to describe the development of a health-promoting employment intervention with physical activity for young people aged 18–30 years who are NEET. Methods The study combined an evidence-based approach with practice-based experiences. It included a Mapping of Danish employment interventions with physical activity for young people NEET, an overview of national reports and international literature, a workshop with leaders and employees from Danish municipalities, and fieldwork in four municipalities. Key findings were grouped thematically and were transformed into intervention content in a close dialog with relevant researchers and practitioners. Results In general, physical activity was assessed as a meaningful method when working with young people NEET. A range of positive experiences was highlighted, including successful experiences, surplus of mental resources, new ways of meeting, and new social relations. Based on these findings, a 16-week health-promoting employment intervention, NEXT STEP, was developed with the following intervention components: (1) fixed boundaries, (2) body and physical activity, (3) social relations and network, and (4) life skills and future. NEXT STEP is designed to be implemented in Danish job centers. Conclusion The study found the great potential of including physical activity in employment interventions for young people NEET. The planning and development of the intervention have reinforced a comprehensive evaluation; however, the first intervention in its entirety is ready for testing in a randomized feasibility trial.

In this study, the chemistry test questions in the Basic Proficiency Test (TYT) and Field Qualification Tests (AYT) in the 2019-2021 years were analyzed in terms of the acquisitions of the 2018 Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum and the content validity was evaluated in terms of subject dimension. Within the scope of the study, a total of 60 questions were analyzed, 21 of which were TYT and 39 were AYT. At the end of the study, it was determined that TYT chemistry test questions were mostly prepared from 9th and 10th-grade acquisitions, while AYT chemistry test questions were mostly prepared from 11th and 12th-grade acquisitions. It is seen that the TYT-2019 chemistry test questions cover 11.8% of the 2018 Secondary School Chemistry Curriculum total acquisitions, and the TYT-2020 and TYT-2021 chemistry test questions cover 13.4% and 8.7% of all the program's acquisitions, respectively. It was determined that AYT-2019, AYT-2020 and AYT-2021 chemistry test questions were prepared from 22.0%, 18.1% and 17.3% of the total acquisitions of the 2018 Chemistry Curriculum, respectively. In addition, from the acquisitions of the "Nature and Chemistry" and "Energy Resources and Scientific Developments" units, it was concluded that there were no questions in the chemistry tests of all YKS exams between the 2019-2021 years. It has been determined that the unit in which questions are prepared from the most acquisitions of the AYT-2019 and AYT-2020 exams in the chemistry tests is "Equilibrium in Chemical Reactions".

This study aimed to put forward the mediating role of teacher self-efficacy in the relationship between students' perceptions of learning experience and teachers' perceptions of 21st century skills efficacy. Participants of the research consisted of two groups. First group is 262 teachers and the second group is 622 primary school students. Data were collected with the Learning Experience Perceptions Scale (LEPS), Turkish version of the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TTSES) and 21st Century Skills and Competences Scale (21stCSCS). The data were analysed with Two-Stage Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The research results revealed that teacher self-efficacy has a full mediating effect between students' perceptions of learning experience and teachers' perceptions of 21st century skills competence.

Abstract Background Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a common chronic inflammatory disease, associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the cartilage, bone, and connective tissues. The primary symptom of axSpA is back pain, caused by inflammation. However, there is a medical need to truly identify patients with axSpA from other subjects with buttock or low back pain attributable to other reasons. We aimed to investigate circulating biomarkers of ECM/inflammation (MMP-degraded type I (C1M), II (C2M, T2CM), III (C3M), IV (C4M), VI (C6M), and X (C10C, COL10NC) collagens, CRPM, PROM and VICM) and ECM formation of type II (PRO-C2), III (PRO-C3), IV (PRO-C4), and VI (PRO-C6) collagens as potential biomarkers to identify patients with axSpA. Methods We measured biomarkers from a cross-sectional study with 204 participants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The study included axSpA patients (N = 41), women with postpartum buttock/pelvic pain (N = 46), disc herniation (N = 25), and a group of healthy subjects (including women without postpartum pelvic pain (N = 14), subjects with various types of physical strain (cleaning staff (N = 26) long-distance runners (N = 23)), and healthy men (N = 29)). Differences between the groups were calculated by ANCOVA and AUC, while Spearman’s correlations were performed with ECM biomarkers and clinical scores. Results Patients with axSpA expressed significantly higher levels of C1M, C4M, and VICM (p < 0.05-p < 0.0001) compared to all the non-axSpA control groups. Further, C6M and PRO-C4 were significantly higher in patients with axSpA (both p < 0.0001) compared to women with postpartum pelvic pain and healthy subjects, whereas PRO-C3 was significantly lower compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.01). The best ECM common biomarker to differentiate between axSpA and the non-axSpA control groups was PRO-C4 (AUC ≥ 0.75; specificity ≥ 0.79, sensitivity = 0.65). Mild correlations were observed between collagen turnover and inflammation biomarkers and CRP and MRI (ρ ≥ 0.3; p < 0.05-p < 0.001). Conclusions Biomarkers of type I, IV, and VI collagen and biomarkers of inflammation showed an altered turnover in patients with axSpA compared with the non-axSpA control groups. Such biomarkers may be useful in combination with MRI or independently to separate patients with axSpA from other back pain conditions.

Aim: Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder among bariatric surgery candidates. BED may pose a risk to postsurgical outcomes. This study aims to determine the predictors of BED and the impact on the psychiatric comorbidity and quality of life for patients with severe obesity who underwent bariatric surgery. Material and Methods: A total of 207 patients with severe obesity who underwent bariatric surgery were included. Face-to-face psychiatric interviews were performed to diagnose BED according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. A sociodemographic and clinical form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), body image scale (BIS), and short form-36 health survey were administered to the participants. Results: The rate of BED was determined as 30.9%. BED was associated with gender (female), lifetime suicidal ideation, previous suicide attempts, age of onset of obesity and the age of onset of dieting. Patients with BED presented with poor scores in BDI, BAI, BIS, and most domains of quality of life. Conclusion: Decreased BIS score, younger ages of onset for dieting, and previous suicide attempts predicted BED. The recognition of factors involved in the development of BED in patients with severe obesity will improve the effectiveness of treatment options for these patients

The melting mechanism for Pd0.25Ni0.75alloy nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with quantum Sutton-Chen many-body potentials. NPs of six different sizes ranging from 682 to 22,242 atoms were studied to observe the effect of size on the melting point. The melting temperatures of the NPs were estimated by following the changes in both the thermodynamic and structural quantities such as the total energy, heat capacity and Lindemann index. We also used a thermodynamics model to better estimate the melting point and to check the accuracy of MD simulations. We observed that the melting points of the NPs decreased as their sizes decreased. Although the MD simulations for thebulk systemyielded higher melting temperatures because of the lack of a seed for the liquid phase, the melting temperatures determined for both the bulk material and the NPs are in good agreement with those predicted from the thermodynamics model. The melting mechanism proceeds in two steps: firstly, a liquid-like shell is formed in the outer regions of the NP with increasing temperature. The thickness of the liquid-like shell increases with increasing temperature until the shell reaches a critical thickness. Then, the entire Pd–Ni NP including core-related solid-like regions melts at once. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Amaç: Bu çalışmada obsesif kompulsif bozukluk (OKB) hastalarında ürik asit, albümin, total bilirubin ve gamma glutamil transferaz (GGT) gibi serumda ölçülebilen oksidatif stres ile ilişkili basit laboratuvar parametrelerini sağlıklı kontroller ile karşılaştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Çalışmaya Gaziantep Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Psikiyatri polikliniğinde DSM-5 kriterlerine göre OKB tanısı ile tedavi edilen hastalar alınmıştır. OKB tanısı konulan 117 hasta ve hasta grubu ile demografik veriler ile eşleşebilecek 80 kişi sağlıklı kontrol grubu olarak alındı. Hasta ve kontrol grubu serum ürik asit, albümin, total bilirubin ve GGT açısından karşılaştırıldı. Hastaların klinik özellikleri Yale Brown Obsesyon Kompulsiyon Ölçeği (Y-BOCS) ve Klinik Global İzlenim Şiddet Ölçeği (KGI-S) ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Hasta grubu yaş ortalaması 36.68±13.06 iken kontrol grubunun 35.54±8.82’di. Total bilirubin düzeyine bakıldığında hasta grubunda 0.69±2.19 mg/dL ve kontrol grubunda 0.63±0.47 mg/dL olmakla birlikte gruplar arasında anlamlı farklılık vardı. GGT düzeyi hasta grubunda 22.85±15.80 U/L ve kontrol grubunda ise 19.29±11.52 U/L olmakla birlikte gruplar arasında anlamlı fark yoktu. Sonuç: Hastalar bilirubin dışında doğal antioksidan açısından kontrollerden farklı değildi. Çalışmamızdaki bulgular OKB ile ürik asit, albümin ve GGT arasında nedensel bir ilişki olduğunu desteklememektedir.

Abstract Nearly 5% of patients suffering from COVID-19 develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) is a marker of pulmonary oedema which is associated with mortality in ARDS. In this study, we evaluate whether EVLWI is higher in patients with COVID-19 associated ARDS as compared to COVID-19 negative, ventilated patients with ARDS and whether EVLWI has the potential to monitor disease progression. EVLWI and cardiac function were monitored by transpulmonary thermodilution in 25 patients with COVID-19 ARDS subsequent to intubation and compared to a control group of 49 non-COVID-19 ARDS patients. At intubation, EVLWI was noticeably elevated and significantly higher in COVID-19 patients than in the control group (17 (11–38) vs. 11 (6–26) mL/kg; p