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Abstract Background Foot care self-management is underutilized in older adults and diabetic foot ulcers are more common in older adults. It is important to identify predictors of foot care self-management in older adults with diabetes in order to identify and support vulnerable groups. This study aimed to identify predictors of foot care self-management in older adults with diabetes using a machine learning approach. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and February 2024. The data were collected in the endocrinology and metabolic diseases departments of three hospitals in Turkey. Patient identification form and the Foot Care Scale for Older Diabetics (FCS-OD) were used for data collection. Gradient boosting algorithms were used to predict the variable importance. Three machine learning algorithms were used in the study: XGBoost, LightGBM and Random Forest. The algorithms were used to predict patients with a score below or above the mean FCS-OD score. Results XGBoost had the best performance (AUC: 0.7469). The common predictors of the models were age (0.0534), gender (0.0038), perceived health status (0.0218), and treatment regimen (0.0027). The XGBoost model, which had the highest AUC value, also identified income level (0.0055) and A1c (0.0020) as predictors of the FCS-OD score. Conclusion The study identified age, gender, perceived health status, treatment regimen, income level and A1c as predictors of foot care self-management in older adults with diabetes. Attention should be given to improving foot care self-management among this vulnerable group.

Abstract Background Falls in multiple sclerosis can result in numerous problems, including injuries and functional loss. Therefore, determining the factors contributing to falls in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) is crucial. This study aims to investigate the contributing factors to falls in multiple sclerosis using a machine learning approach. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with 253 PwMS admitted to the outpatient clinic of a university hospital between February and August 2023. A sociodemographic data collection form, Fall Efficacy Scale (FES-I), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), and Timed 25 Foot Walk Test (T25-FW) were used for data collection. Gradient-boosting algorithms were employed to predict the important variables for falls in PwMS. The XGBoost algorithm emerged as the best performed model in this study. Results Most of the participants (70.0%) were female, with a mean age of 40.44 ± 10.88 years. Among the participants, 40.7% reported a fall history in the last year. The area under the curve value of the model was 0.713. Risk factors of falls in PwMS included MSIS-29 (0.424), EDSS (0.406), marital status (0.297), education level (0.240), disease duration (0.185), age (0.130), family type (0.119), smoking (0.031), income level (0.031), and regular exercise habit (0.026). Conclusions In this study, smoking and regular exercise were the modifiable factors contributing to falls in PwMS. We recommend that clinicians facilitate the modification of these factors in PwMS. Age and disease duration were non-modifiable factors. These should be considered as risk increasing factors and used to identify PwMS at risk. Interventions aimed at reducing MSIS-29 and EDSS scores will help to prevent falls in PwMS. Education of individuals to increase knowledge and awareness is recommended. Financial support policies for those with low income will help to reduce the risk of falls.

The specificity of cytokine and immunoreceptor signaling frequently depends upon receptor recruitment of select adaptor proteins and specifically engaged effectors. This review focuses on the orthologous adaptor proteins, HGAL and C1ORF150, and aims to provide insight into their respective modulation of lymphoid and myeloid cell signaling, formation, and function. HGAL acts predominantly within germinal center B cells as an important BCR signal transducer. Effects on BCR signalosome assembly involve HGAL’s localization to the plasma membrane via its lipidation, initial interactions with SYK, the pY-phosphorylation of HGAL including its recruitment of GRB2, and HGAL engagement of PDZ-RhoGEF and RhoA signaling. At ligated BCRs, this includes HGAL(−GRB2) stimulation of SYK kinase, attenuation of calcium flux-dependent and NF-κB expression, promotion of cSMAC formation, and cytoskeletal remodeling associated with HGAL-attenuated cell migration. HGAL and partnered effectors also impact on DLBCL pathogenesis, and studies are summarized on HGAL’s actions (using DLBCL and Burkitt lymphoma B cells) including cell migration effects, HGAL modulation of cytoskeletal components, and insightful HGAL transgenic mouse and xenograft models. For C1ORF150, its HGAL-homologous subdomains are considered, together with studies that demonstrate C1OR150’s FcϵRI- and KIT-mediated expression and phosphorylation in primary human mast cells. Intriguingly, recent GWAS studies have identified a C1ORF150 in-frame splice variant that is strongly associated with urticaria. Candidate mechanisms via which the encoded “C1ORF150-Δexon2” isoform affects mast cell degranulation are considered, including FcϵR1 and/or KIT receptor connections, and candidate “myristoylation switch” mechanisms.

Summary: Despite extensive global research into genetic predisposition for severe COVID-19, knowledge on the role of rare host genetic variants and their relation to other risk factors remains limited. Here, 52 genes with prior etiological evidence were sequenced in 1,772 severe COVID-19 cases and 5,347 population-based controls from Spain/Italy. Rare deleterious TLR7 variants were present in 2.4% of young (

Introduction: Over the past years, the evaluation and accountability of universities and higher education institutions in regard to the realization of their goals and the implementation of the expected performance have turned into a major issue, and those who benefit from or are relevant to the higher education system have placed a special emphasis on the use of evaluationmechanisms. The current study aimed to determine the quality of the medical curriculum approved in 2017 based on the Kano model.Methods: The study used cross-sectional and descriptive survey designs. The statistical population included all students of medicine at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in the academic year2022/2023. Based on Morgan’s table, 240 students were selected using convenience sampling method. Field data collection and researcher-made questionnaires were used to collect data. Thequestionnaires were presented to interested and available students in person and online through a link. To analyze the data, paired one-sample t test was used with the help of SPSS 16.0 softwareand Kano’s matrix.Results: The findings of the study showed that students’expectations in the elements of Aker were more than their perceptions, and this difference was more in the elements of logic with the Mean±Standard Deviation of (16,09±2,02; 8,53±2,18), content with Mean±SD (19,62±2,46; 9,47±2,00), teaching and learning strategies with Mean±SD of (15,85±2,14; 7,36±1,89),teaching and learning activities with Mean±SD of (23,38±3,10; 11,50±2,68), and time and place of learning with Mean±SD (12,09±1,53; 5,46±1,43). Also, after examining the Kano matrix, it was found that the most felt needs of the students in the classification of the Kano model were among the mandatory needs.Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that the curriculum of medicine in implementation (perception) stage does not accord with the expectations of the students, and it is necessary to pay attention to the needs and expectations of the students.

Abstract The present study describes the environmentally friendly and cost-effective synthesis of magnetic, mesoporous structure-Co3O4 nanoparticles (m-Co3O4) utilizing almond peel as a biotemplate. This straightforward method yields a material with high surface area, as confirmed by various characterization techniques. Subsequently, the utilization of m-Co3O4, graphene oxide (GO), Cu(II)acetate (Cu), and asparagine enabled the successful synthesis of a novel magnetic MOF, namely GO–Cu–ASP–m-Co3O4 MOF. This catalyst revealed remarkable stability that could be easily recovered using a magnet for consecutive use without any significant decline in activity for eight cycles in nitro compound reduction and organic dye degradation reactions. Consequently, GO–Cu–ASP-m-Co3O4 MOF holds immense potential as a catalyst for reduction reactions, particularly in the production of valuable amines with high industrial value, as well as for the elimination of toxic-water pollutants such as organic dyes.

Öğretmen yeterlikleri, öğretmenlik mesleği ile birlikte başlayıp yıllar içerisinde farklı çalışmalar ile eğitimdeki öneminden dolayı üzerinde durularak, geliştirilmesini sağlamak amacıyla üzerinde çalışmalar yapılan bir alandır. Öğretmenlik mesleği ile ilgili temel yeterlik alanları belirlenmiş olup, her bir öğretmenlik alanı için de özel alanlar belirlenmiştir. Bu çalışmada, okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin mesleki öz-yeterliklerini belirlemek üzere geçerli ve güvenilir bir değerlendirme aracı geliştirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Ölçeğin geliştirilmesi sürecinde öncelikle 55 maddelik soru havuzu oluşturulmuş ve bir maddenin anlaşılır olmaması nedeniyle çıkarılmasıyla kalan 54 madde uzman görüşüne gönderilip kapsam geçerliği belirlenmiştir. Lawshe yöntemi kullanılarak ölçeğin kapsam geçerlik indeksi 0.76 olarak belirlenmiştir. Daha sonra ölçek üzerinde sırasıyla açımlayıcı faktör analizi, doğrulayıcı faktör analizi ve güvenirlik için test tekrar test yöntemi uygulanmıştır. Bu üç analiz süreci için veriler ayrı ayrı oluşturulan ve okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin yer aldığı üç farklı çalışma grubundan elde edilmiştir. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda 29 maddelik 4 boyuttan oluşan bir yapı belirlenmiştir. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda ise 5 madde ölçekten çıkarılmış ve 24 maddelik 4 boyutlu ölçeğin “kabul edilebilir” bir model uyum düzeyine sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Test tekrar test yöntemi ile belirlenen anlamlı ve 0.777 düzeyindeki korelasyon katsayısı ile ölçeğin güvenirlik özelliğine sahip olduğu belirlenmiştir. Geliştirilen ölçek ile okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin hizmet öncesi ve hizmet sürecindeki mesleki öz-yeterlik durumlarının belirlenmesi, çeşitli değişkenlere göre değerlendirilerek gerekli destek hizmetlerinin sağlanması önerilmektedir.

Pedestrian crashes account for 11% of all reported traffic crashes in Melbourne metropolitan area between 2004 and 2013. There are very limited studies on pedestrian accidents at mid-blocks. Mid-block crashes account for about 46% of the total pedestrian crashes in Melbourne metropolitan area. Meanwhile, about 50% of all pedestrian fatalities occur at mid-blocks. In this research, Partial Proportional Odds (PPO) model is applied to examine vehicle-pedestrian crash severity at mid-blocks in Melbourne metropolitan area. The PPO model is a logistic regression model that allows the covariates that meet the proportional odds assumption to affect different crash severity levels with the same magnitude; whereas the covariates that do not meet the proportional odds assumption can have different effects on different severity levels. In this research vehicle-pedestrian crashes at mid-blocks are analysed for first time. In addition, some factors such as distance of crashes to public transport stops, average road slope and some social characteristics are considered to develop the model in this research for first time. Results of PPO model show that speed limit, light condition, pedestrian age and gender, and vehicle type are the most significant factors that influence vehicle-pedestrian crash severity at mid-blocks.

Mathematics is one of the most challenging subjects for many students. A similar problem is faced by special needs students, such as students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Various instructional strategies are implemented by specialists to help ASD students understand mathematics in schools. To explore the impacts of an instructional strategy of mathematics on ASD students, the authors conducted a review of literature from 2011 to 2017 using various databases including ProQuest Digital Dissertations and Theses Full Text, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. A total of 39 articles were found. Most of the instructional strategy aimed to assist ASD students in solving mathematics problems. The implications of the study are also discussed in this literature review, which indicates that teachers need to use the appropriate instructional strategy to meet the needs of students with ASD and maximize their mathematics learning outcomes in schools.

School libraries are places where people seek solace--not just by burying their heads in books to see themselves in the characters or to look up information on a topic they can't bring themselves to ask friends, but as a safe haven, or third space, from those who have prejudices based on one's sexuality. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) community want the same resources, services, and sources as other people, just without the prejudices. They want a place that is a diverse and inclusive environment. This environment should be a place of solace and support. School libraries of today are not your mother's school library. In 2018, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) released the National School Library Standards to provide school librarians with guidance and structure on how to best tailor their school library space to the needs of their learners. The standards contain five levels, one level being Domains. The four Domains are Think, Create, Share, and Grow. The Domains detail the school librarian's role in engaging learners and leaders to support the learning community. In this article, this author looks at how the Domains in the AASL Standards make school libraries a safer place.

This study aimed to determine the opinions of preschool teachers about courses they attended in a preschool undergraduate program in order to support their professional development. The case study, one of the qualitative research designs, was adopted in the study. Two sampling strategies, snowball and criterion sampling, were used for the determination of participants. 26 teachers from 6 different preschools voluntarily participated in the research. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews carried out in two steps; before and after participating in the courses in the preschool undergraduate program. Descriptive analysis was employed in the analysis of the data. Results revealed that preschool teachers put into practice in-service program outputs tailored to their needs and in line with their professional development needs and made suggestions so that in-service training programs to be designed for their professional development can be more effective. In conclusion, the preschool teachers were found to need alternative in-service training programs.

Neoliberalism along with other sites of cultural, social and political life has created deep impacts on childhood. With the rise of neoliberalisation of policies, childhood has come to be defined in terms of economic utility and wellbeing of society. In this paper, we examine the process of neoliberalisation through the changing role and meaning of childhood. We inquire the role of childhood in re-imagining of the Turkish society based on the data from the document of the strategic vision of the Turkish government. We seek to track the evolving notion of childhood and roles ascribed to it. By applying a critical discourse lens to the document of 8th Five Year Development Plan and Strategic Vision of 2023, we explain how the cultural politics of childhood work as tools of creating present and future workers. We examine the shifting place of childhood and instrumentalisation of childhood in neoliberal imagination of policy.

People experiencing homelessness are often absent from the development and implementation of new housing projects. As mounting evidence demonstrates the link between health and housing, it seems ineffective to design solutions without the participation and insight of those who are chronically unhoused. This study describes a method for program and product evaluation that people with lived experience of homelessness can use to determine the value of new offerings and then design improvements based on their evaluation. Specifically, this article reports the experience of evaluating a handbook describing the operations of a new type of housing for people experiencing homelessness. The research team, which included people with lived experience of homelessness, performed interviews to evaluate plans in the handbook, analyzed those results, and designed improvements in the operations of the housing based on the program evaluation. The team utilized participatory analysis of the interview data and then used a Human-Centered Design approach to generate ideas based on the analysis and develop concepts to improve the operational plan. The evaluation identified four high-priority problems with the operational plan and the group then designed three unique solutions to address those problems. This project demonstrates that people with lived experience of homelessness can participate as equal partners in the evaluation of a program and the subsequent program improvement design that was based on their evaluations.

Purpose: The inclusion of an increasing number of high-functioning ASD children in mainstream classrooms demands for adequate awareness of autism and effective teaching methods from teachers to ensure that learning takes places efficiently. Hence, this study investigated the atypical language performance of a high-functioning Malay girl with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who chose to acquire English as her first language (L1) and eventually spoke the language fluently despite English not being the main language at home. Focus was given on the child's literate language use of morphology and syntax in present tense English. Methodology: Data was collected from spontaneous speech interactions with an 8-year-old high-functioning ASD child for a period of 12 months. The interactions were conducted at the child's home. Each session lasted approximately an hour and was video recorded. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. In this study, focus was given on the morphology and syntax of the child's present tense structures in English. Findings: The findings revealed four main themes: 1) elaborated noun phrases, 2) adverbs, 3) conjunctions, plus 4) mental and linguistic verbs. The findings indicated the child's strength in her language performance that was consistent albeit with weak central coherence account and that she was not at the optional infinitive stage of grammatical development. Significance: These findings led to a further understanding of the language acquisition process in high-functioning children with ASD in Malaysia, and called for mainstream teachers to 1) upgrade their skills, enhance their knowledge and develop their awareness of the linguistic ability of high-functioning ASD children, and 2) implement effective teaching methods in managing them.

A mesura que els colpistes conquerien territori, s’agreujaren els problemes de subministres a la rereguarda republicana, sent especialment crucial l’escassetat d’aliments. Des de les conselleries de Proveïments i d’Economia, Joan Comorera posà en marxa menjadors populars i restaurants econòmics. I, atesa la vulnerabilitat dels infants, organitzà menjadors infantils en els cines de Barcelona. L’experiència s’estengué a altres poblacions industrials i repercutí en les rutines de les dones, compromeses en realitzar el treball dels homes que estaven al front. El sosteniment dels menjadors infantils corria a càrrec d’unitats de l’Exèrcit Popular, amb l’objectiu de vincular el front i la rereguarda, sense deixar de banda la vessant educativa i els propòsits revolucionaris de l’endemà.

Abstract Background A high percentage of cervical cancer cases have not undergone cytological tests within 10 years prior to diagnosis. Different population interventions could improve coverage in the public system, although costs will also increase. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and the costs of three types of population interventions to increase the number of female participants in the screening programmes for cancer of the cervix carried out by Primary Care in four basic health care areas. Methods/Design A cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed from the perspective of public health system including women from 30 to 70 years of age (n = 20,994) with incorrect screening criteria from four basic health care areas in the Valles Occidental, Barcelona, Spain. The patients will be randomly distributed into the control group and the three intervention groups (IG1: invitation letter to participate in the screening; IG2: invitation letter and informative leaflet; IG3: invitation letter, informative leaflet and a phone call reminder) and followed for three years. Clinical effectiveness will be measured by the number of HPV, epithelial lesions and cancer of cervix cases detected. The number of deaths avoided will be secondary measures of effectiveness. The temporal horizon of the analysis will be the life expectancy of the female population in the study. Costs and effectiveness will be discounted at 3%. In addition, univariate and multivariate sensitivity analysis will be carried out. Discussion IG3 is expected to be more cost-effective intervention than IG1 and IG2, with greater detection of HPV infections, epithelial lesions and cancer than other strategies, albeit at a greater cost. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov Identifier NCT01373723

Abstract Background The early diagnosis of atherosclerotic disease is essential for developing preventive strategies in populations at high risk and acting when the disease is still asymptomatic. A low ankle-arm index is a good marker of vascular events and may be diminished without presenting symptomatology (silent peripheral arterial disease). The aim of the study is to know the prevalence and associated risk factors of peripheral arterial disease in the general population. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, multicentre, population-based study in 3786 individuals >49 years, randomly selected in 28 primary care centres in Barcelona (Spain). Peripheral arterial disease was evaluated using the ankle-arm index. Values < 0.9 were considered as peripheral arterial disease. Results The prevalence (95% confidence interval) of peripheral arterial disease was 7.6% (6.7-8.4), (males 10.2% (9.2-11.2), females 5.3% (4.6-6.0); p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed the following risk factors: male sex [odds ratio (OR) 1.62; 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.59]; age OR 2.00 per 10 years (1.64-2.44); inability to perform physical activity [OR 1.77 (1.17-2.68) for mild limitation to OR 7.08 (2.61-19.16) for breathless performing any activity]; smoking [OR 2.19 (1.34-3.58) for former smokers and OR 3.83 (2.23-6.58) for current smokers]; hypertension OR 1.85 (1.29-2.65); diabetes OR 2.01 (1.42-2.83); previous cardiovascular disease OR 2.19 (1.52-3.15); hypercholesterolemia OR 1.55 (1.11-2.18); hypertriglyceridemia OR 1.55 (1.10-2.19). Body mass index ≥25 Kg/m2 OR 0.57 (0.38-0.87) and walking >7 hours/week OR 0.67 (0.49-0.94) were found as protector factors. Conclusions The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease is low, higher in males and increases with age in both sexes. In addition to previously described risk factors we found a protector effect in physical exercise and overweight.

Purpose: Engineers graduating from premier institutions of India look for global opportunities that will provide a chance to work with the best and the most innovative minds in the world. Nevertheless, to compete in the global job market, they require added competence in English. However, it is seen that despite exemplary hard skills, lack of good communication skills has obstructed the growth of engineers. This study aims to find a viable tool to enhance engineering students' communication skills despite many limitations. The purpose of this study is to explore how presentations can be used to address problems of low levels of English ability in highly skilled, high-functioning engineering professions. Design/methodology/approach: This paper discusses a study conducted in India's premier institution where around 240 first-semester engineering students were the sample. It uses partial ethnographic research to verify its hypothesis that presentations compel students to plan, prepare, practise and perfect their communication skills. It presents an ethnographic experiment conducted by the researchers and data collected using the qualitative research method of interviews. Findings: The results of the paper indicate that making engineers plan, prepare and make presentations can explore their ability to communicate in English. It also concludes that presentation helps students explore all four language skills, that is, reading the information collected, listening to peers, writing or preparing their presentation and finally speaking in front of the audience. Practical implications: This paper argues that presentation can be made a practice even in a large class of multi-level second language (L2) learners as it will generate interest in students and will develop many qualities such as team spirit, confidence and public speaking. Social implications: This study will help to address problems of low levels of English ability in highly skilled, high-functioning engineering professions. Originality/value: Since engineering classes in Indian institutes often comprise 80--120 students, the English teachers face immense challenge of simultaneously improving communication skills of a large number of students who are multi-lingual, multi-level L2 learners. Therefore, this paper presents an effective and interesting way of involving all the students and using presentation to improve their communication skills.

How to improve and what should be carried out for pre-service teachers' technological competencies for teaching purposes is still an important issue on the agenda of the higher education field. In light of this, we aimed to reflect the individual and collective technology integration knowledge and skills construction process of pre-service early childhood education teachers with democratic participation. We utilized the praxeological approach as a method and learning approach to reveal the reflections of the instructional technologies course. The participants in this study were 52 sophomore pre-service teachers in the early childhood education department. We collected the data from various sources such as interviews, portfolios, researchers' field notes, e-mails, online course evaluation form. We carried out the thematic analysis method to analyze the data. The findings indicated that three main themes emerged as initial challenges, learning process, and learning outcomes during enhancement of pre-service early childhood teachers' technology integration knowledge and skills. As a result, the praxeological approach used in instructional technologies courses in teacher education programs leads to a crucial digital transformation to be ready to become future teachers.

Abstract Background The early diagnosis of atherosclerotic disease is essential for developing preventive strategies in populations at high risk and acting when the disease is still asymptomatic. A low ankle-arm index (AAI) is a good marker of vascular events and may be diminished without presenting symptomatology (silent peripheral arterial disease). The aim of the PERART study (PERipheral ARTerial disease) is to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (both silent and symptomatic) in a general population of both sexes and determine its predictive value related to morbimortality (cohort study). Methods/Design This cross-over, cohort study consists of 2 phases: firstly a descriptive, transversal cross-over study to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, and secondly, a cohort study to evaluate the predictive value of AAI in relation to cardiovascular morbimortality. From September 2006 to June 2007, a total of 3,010 patients over the age of 50 years will be randomly selected from a population adscribed to 24 healthcare centres in the province of Barcelona (Spain). The diagnostic criteria of peripheral arterial disease will be considered as an AAI < 0.90, determined by portable Doppler (8 Mhz probe) measured twice by trained personnel. Cardiovascular risk will be calculated with the Framingham-Wilson tables, with Framingham calibrated by the REGICOR and SCORE groups. The subjects included will be evaluted every 6 months by telephone interview and the clnical history and death registries will be reviewed. The appearance of the following cardiovascular events will be considered as variables of response: transitory ischaemic accident, ictus, angina, myocardial infartction, symptomatic abdominal aneurysm and vascular mortality. Discussion In this study we hope to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, especially the silent forms, in the general population and establish its relationship with cardiovascular morbimortality. A low AAI may be a better marker of arterial disease than the classical cardiovascular risk factors and may, therefore, contribute to improving the predictive value of the equations of cardiovascular risk and thereby allowing optimisation of multifactorial treatment of atherosclerotic disease.

Determining the factors that affect teachers' competences has a decisive role in revealing the quality of teaching process. In this context, it is important to identify professional variables affecting the self-efficacy of preschool teachers. For this reason, it is aimed to investigate which professional variables influence preschool teachers' sense of efficacy. In the research, a descriptive research model was adopted. The working group of the study is composed of 191 preschool teachers participating in public nurseries and kindergartens in the TRNC, and also those participating to the research as a volunteer. The Professional Information Form and the Teacher's Sense of Efficacy Scale were used as data collection tools in the study. Statistical analyses suitable for the analysis of the data were applied by applying the normality tests to the collected data. According to the findings obtained from the analysis made, except for the school type the preschool teachers graduated and the number of children, factors such as the graduated department, the place of residence, the duration of professional experience, the economic competence, and the educational environment were found to affect the self-efficacy of preschool teachers. As a result, it can be said that preschool teachers' self-efficacy is influenced by professional variables.

This paper reports Turkish and Chinese parents' experiences with their 3-6 year-old children during the COVID-19 quarantine process. Thirteen Turkish and 11 Chinese parents participated in a study that employed semi-structured interviews to examine participant self-perceived experiences. Findings show that the study revealed many commonalities in the experiences of Turkish and Chinese parents with their children during the COVID-19 quarantine process. Cultural differences between parents did not appear to significantly reflect the responses of parents during this extraordinary period. Parents mostly described difficulties with home quarantine. Most parents stated that their daily schedule and routines had changed as a result of home quarantine. Parents also said that they were unaware of their children's developmental progress and the extent to which their children had grown up before the quarantine. Parents shared both positive and negative experiences during the process. Since the quarantine process is an extraordinary experience for all family members, parents should be encouraged to put those positive experiences and acquisitions into their future life.

This study aims to reveal the meanings attached to the concept of childhood and discuss how it is conceptualized and shaped with cultural attributes by parents and preschool teachers. The study was based on both quantitative and qualitative stance. One hundred and thirty parents and 125 preschool teachers participated in the first phase of the study. As a follow-up study, face to face interviews were also conducted with 11 parents and 13 preschool teachers to provide in-depth explanations for the definitions of childhood. Results showed that parents and preschool teachers placed the child as the representative of the moral values as well as emphasizing the obedience as one of the main qualities that a child should have. Their expectancies from their children seem to be in parallel with the meaning they attribute to childhood. Cultural, educational and psychological factors seem to be influential in the ways parents and preschool teachers define childhood.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00166-16.].

The horseshoe effect is a phenomenon that has long intrigued ecologists. The effect was commonly thought to be an artifact of dimensionality reduction, and multiple techniques were developed to unravel this phenomenon and simplify interpretation. Here, we provide evidence that horseshoes arise as a consequence of distance metrics that saturate-a familiar concept in other fields but new to microbial ecology. This saturation property loses information about community dissimilarity, simply because it cannot discriminate between samples that do not share any common features. The phenomenon illuminates niche differentiation in microbial communities and indicates species turnover along environmental gradients. Here we propose a rationale for the observed horseshoe effect from multiple dimensionality reduction techniques applied to simulations, soil samples, and samples from postmortem mice. An in-depth understanding of this phenomenon allows targeting of niche differentiation patterns from high-level ordination plots, which can guide conventional statistical tools to pinpoint microbial niches along environmental gradients. IMPORTANCE The horseshoe effect is often considered an artifact of dimensionality reduction. We show that this is not true in the case for microbiome data and that, in fact, horseshoes can help analysts discover microbial niches across environments.

Professional competency of the pre-school teacher plays a quite determinant role in enhancing the quality of pre-school education. This determinant role of the professional competency of the pre-school teacher is of great importance in teacher's planning and practice. The research aims to determine the extent to how teacher's sense of efficacy accounts for their classroom management skills. Two hundred twenty-three pre-school teachers who work at pre-school institutions participated in the study. Embedded mixed design, where both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed, was used in this study. It has been found that the level of teacher's sense of efficacy belief is a predictor of the classroom management skills of pre-school teachers. Quantitative analysis showed the relation between self-efficacy of pre-school teachers and their perceptions of classroom management skills in relational with the professional variables. It has also been noted that the findings of detailed interviews support the quantitative results.

Purpose. The optimal surgical technique for unstable acromioclavicular (AC) and coracoclavicular (CC) joint injuries has not yet been established. The biomechanical and radiographic effect of the LockDown device, a synthetic ligament for AC joint reconstruction, was evaluated to assess the optimal surgical technique for unstable AC and CC joint injuries. It was hypothesized that the LockDown device would restore AC joint kinematics and radiographic stability to near native values. Methods. Three fresh frozen cadaveric torsos (6 shoulders) modelled CC joint motion in their “native,” “severed,” and “reconstructed” states. The effects of stressed and unstressed native, severed, and reconstructed conditions on AC separation and CC distances in anteroposterior, mediolateral, and inferosuperior directions during shoulder abduction, flexion, and scaption were assessed. The analysis of variance (p, 0.05) was used to compare CC distance and peak AC distance in anteroposterior, mediolateral, and inferosuperior directions during shoulder flexion, abduction, and scaption measurements among native, severed, and reconstructed states with unstressed and stressed Zanca radiographic views. Results. From radiographic analyses, the CC distance was significantly greater (p=0.001) across the surgical state in stressed versus unstressed views. Mean difference between stressed and unstressed views was 1.8 mm in native state, 4.1 mm in severed state, and 0.9 mm in reconstructed state. The CC distance was significantly greater in the “severed” state (10.4 mm unstressed; 14.5 mm stressed) compared to the “native” state (p=0.016) (6.5 mm unstressed; 8.3 mm stressed) and compared to the “reconstructed” state (p=0.005) (3.1 mm unstressed; 4.0 mm stressed) and significantly less (p=0.008) in the “reconstructed” state compared to the “native” state. CC distances decreased from native to reconstructed, an average of 3.3 mm for unstressed and 4.3 mm for stressed. On average, peak AC joint separation distance in anteroposterior, mediolateral, and inferosuperior directions during shoulder-abduction, flexion, and scaption was shown to be restored to 11.5 mm of native values after reconstruction with LockDown device. Conclusion. Reconstruction of AC joint with LockDown synthetic ligament restores motion of clavicle and acromion to near native values, thereby decreasing scapular dyskinesis and enhancing AC joint stability.