Evaluation of the Population and Poverty Research Initiative (PopPov)

Since 2005, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, with collaboration and co-funding from research councils in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, and Norway and from the World Bank, has invested in a portfolio of social science research on the relationship between population dynamics and micro- and macroeconomic outcomes. It is known as the Population and Poverty Research Initiative (PopPov), and its geographic focus is on subSaharan Africa (SSA). The starting premises that led to the development of PopPov were that evidence showing that population dynamics could affect economic outcomes might increase the interest of ministers of finance in funding population policies and that they might be most convinced by rigorous research done by respected economists. The core aim of the program has been to build (or, in some cases, rebuild) and advance the field of economic demography, orienting the work toward research that would be relevant for policy and would increase recognition by economic policymakers of the value of lowering the rate of population growth and investing in family planning (FP). The program also aimed to strengthen the capacity of researchers in SSA. The PopPov initiative tried to achieve these aims through four main components: (1) grants to support research on PopPov core topics of interest, (2) fellowships to support graduate students preparing their doctoral dissertations, (3) conferences and workshops to support the development of networking opportunities, and (4) other dissemination activities. PopPov has funded 56 doctoral fellows and, together with its partners, has supported 61 research projects. Seven international conferences and additional workshops have been held, and there have been several other dissemination activities. The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) and the Center for Global Development (CGD) have been the secretariats for PopPov. Since 2008, the Institute of International Education (IIE) has administered the fellowship program.In November 2012, to help guide its decisions about both the substance and means of future investments, the foundation issued a request for proposals (RFP) for an evaluation of PopPov. The RAND Corporation was selected to conduct the evaluation

El desarrollo de la identidad de grupo andaluza

A lo largo de sus 700 años de historia, Al-Andalus tuvo de forma consistente la imagen de “Paraíso terrenal” a pesar de sus continuos problemas económicos, sociales y políticos y amenazas externas. Este estudio intenta explicar cómo se creó la Identidad Andaluza, cuáles fueron sus principales características, porqué se consideraron un grupo que desarrollaba admiración y cómo esta información ha sido mantenida y transmitida a lo largo del tiempo. Esta investigación tuvo lugar en 2005 en el Sur de España, zona antaño llamada AlAndalus. Una combinación de fuentes primarias y secundarias, junto a artefactos visuales de naturaleza histórica sirven de base para este análisis. La base teórica para este trabajo fue desarollada utilizando diferentes teorías sociales de los autores Bourdieu, Ringrose, Piaget, Cavalli-Sforza y Maslow.Throughout its 700 years history, al-Andalus has consistently enjoyed an image of a “Paradise on Earth” in spite of its continuous internal economic, social and political problems and external threats. This paper attempts to uncover how the Andalusian group identity was formed, what its main characteristics were, why they were viewed as attractive and how this information was transmitted and maintained. The research for this study was conducted in 2005 in Southern Spain, which used to be al-Andalus. A combination of primary and secondary sources, and historical visual artifacts were used as a basis for this analysis. Theoretical grounding for this work was developed based on several social theories of Bourdieu, Ringrose, Piaget, Cavalli-Sforza and Maslow

Study and analogue simulation of the dynamic behaviour of transistors for small signals

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Seasonal zooplankton community variation in Karatas Lake, Turkey

This study was carried out to determine seasonal variation and zooplankton community structure in Karataş Lake, Southern Turkey. Zooplankton samples were collected seasonally between 2002 and 2003 in two stations using a zooplankton net of 55-µm mesh size. A total of 42 taxa were identified, including 19 taxa (45.2 %) Rotifera, 16 taxa (38.1 %) Cladocera, and 7 taxa (16.7 %). Copepoda. Among them, Keratella quadrata, Asplanchna priodonta from Rotifera, Daphnia longispina, Ceriodaphnia quadrangula, Chydorus sphaericus, Coranatella rectangula from Cladocera, and Eudiaptomus drieschi, Eucyclops speratus from Copepoda were dominant species. Spring and autumn seasons were found to be the most similar by using Sorenson index value

Macrophage cell-autonomous adrenergic alpha 1 signaling mediated extracellular matrix remodeling in cardiac regeneration

Ischemic heart disease ranks among the leading causes of death worldwide. Following myocardial infarction, cardiomyocyte loss through necrosis leads to inflammation, fibrosis, and permanent scarring, impairing heart function and leaving it susceptible to failure. Clinical efforts employing progenitor or stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte transplantation or utilizing biomaterials to induce cardiomyocyte proliferation, have proven ineffective in renewing the myocardium due to the human heart’s almost non-existent inherent self-renewal capacity. Unlike most adult mammals, neonatal mice and several non-mammalian vertebrates demonstrate the ability to regenerate cardiac tissue following myocardial infarction. Cardiac regeneration is a complex process, demanding a delicate orchestration of multiple cellular and molecular events. One fundamental aspect of regeneration is the resolution of scarring following injury and its replacement with new cardiomyocytes, partially attributed to fibroblast inactivation. However, a comprehensive understanding of the entire regeneration process is lacking, impeding the development of effective therapeutic strategies. The immune response is a significant event following ischemic injury, with macrophages as primary effectors. These cells are implicated in various processes, from dead cell clearance to tissue remodeling. Their initial pro-inflammatory phenotype is critical for cell influx into the injury area, and their subsequent anti-inflammatory phenotype contributes to the activation of fibroblasts, facilitating collagen deposition for extracellular matrix organization. Consequently, exploring the mechanisms that govern macrophage functional diversification is vital for elucidating the regeneration process. Additionally, the nervous system plays a pivotal role in immune modulation, with sensory neurons capable of relaying the immune state of peripheral locations to the central nervous system to regulate the immune response. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic signaling was shown to be critical for proper regenerative response. Transcriptomic studies in zebrafish have revealed that blocking cholinergic signaling post-cardiac injury impairs the immune response, and sympathetic signaling influences macrophage phenotype. The immunomodulatory capabilities of the nervous system, in conjunction with the multifaceted roles of macrophages, underscore the importance of neuro-immune interactions in cardiac regeneration. This dissertation revealed previously unidentified neural modulation of myocardial regenerative response and delineated the distinct roles of a macrophage subset. Utilizing zebrafish, known for its robust regenerative capacity, genetic tractability, and larval translucency allowing real-time injury event tracing, to model human myocardial infarction, this study identifies adrenergic receptor alpha-1 (Adra1) as a potent modulator of regenerative response and macrophage diversification. Utilizing a macrophage-specific loss-of-function model for Adra1 signaling and single-cell transcriptomics, this study uncovered the activation of an ‘extracellular matrix remodeling’ macrophage population that regulates the extracellular matrix composition and turnover. In vivo and ex vivo validation of the in-silico analyses elucidated the Adra1-activated macrophages’ roles in activating a pro-regenerative collagen XII-expressing fibroblast subset through Mdka-Lrp1aa crosstalk, regulating the cardiac regenerative niche, promoting vessel formation and cardiomyocyte proliferation. In short, this project emphasizes the potential of Adra1-mediated neural input as a key regulator of macrophage function, unveiling a novel mechanism of neuro-immune interactions that modulate fibrosis and myocardial renewal during the regeneration process. The insights into nervous modulation of immune response to regulate cardiac fibrosis and facilitate myocardial self-renewal provide a substantial foundation for development of a much-needed therapeutic strategy for cardiac regenerative medicine.Ischämische Herzkrankheiten sind weltweit eine der häufigsten Todesursachen. Nach einem Myokardinfarkt führt der Verlust von Kardiomyozyten durch Nekrose zu Entzündung, Fibrose und dauerhafter Narbenbildung, was die Herzfunktion beeinträchtigt und das Herz anfällig für ein Versagen macht. Klinische Versuche, Kardiomyozyten aus Vorläufer- oder Stammzellen zu transplantieren oder Biomaterialien zu verwenden, um die Proliferation von Kardiomyozyten zu induzieren, haben sich als unwirksam erwiesen, da das menschliche Herz kaum über eine eigene Selbsterneuerungskapazität verfügt. Im Gegensatz zu den meisten erwachsenen Säugetieren zeigen neonatale Mäuse und einige Nicht-Säugetiere die Fähigkeit, Herzgewebe nach einem Herzinfarkt zu regenerieren. Die Regeneration des Herzens ist ein komplexer Prozess, der ein fein abgestimmtes Zusammenspiel zahlreicher zellulärer und molekularer Ereignisse erfordert. Ein grundlegender Aspekt der Regeneration ist die Auflösung der Narbenbildung nach einer Verletzung und deren Ersatz durch neue Kardiomyozyten, was teilweise auf die Inaktivierung von Fibroblasten zurückzuführen ist. Es fehlt jedoch ein umfassendes Verständnis des gesamten Regenerationsprozesses, was die Entwicklung wirksamer therapeutischer Strategien behindert. Die Immunantwort ist ein wichtiges Ereignis nach einer ischämischen Verletzung, wobei Makrophagen als primäre Effektoren fungieren. Diese Zellen sind an verschiedenen Prozessen beteiligt, die von der Beseitigung abgestorbener Zellen bis zum Gewebeumbau reichen. Ihr anfänglicher proinflammatorischer Phänotyp ist entscheidend für den Einstrom von Zellen in den verletzten Bereich, und ihr späterer antiinflammatorischer Phänotyp trägt zur Aktivierung von Fibroblasten bei, die die Ablagerung von Kollagen für die Organisation der extrazellulären Matrix erleichtern. Die Erforschung der Mechanismen, die die funktionelle Diversifizierung der Makrophagen steuern, ist daher für das Verständnis des Regenerationsprozesses von entscheidender Bedeutung. Darüber hinaus spielt das Nervensystem eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Immunmodulation. Sensorische Neuronen sind in der Lage, den Immunstatus peripherer Orte an das zentrale Nervensystem weiterzuleiten, um die Immunantwort zu regulieren. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass sowohl die sympathische als auch die parasympathische Signalübertragung für eine adäquate Regenerationsantwort entscheidend sind. Transkriptomische Studien am Zebrafisch haben gezeigt, dass die Blockade der cholinergen Signalübertragung die Immunantwort nach einer Herzverletzung beeinträchtigt, während die sympathische Signalübertragung den Phänotyp von Makrophagen beeinflusst. Die immunmodulatorischen Fähigkeiten des Nervensystems in Verbindung mit den vielfältigen Funktionen der Makrophagen unterstreichen die Bedeutung der Neuro-Immun-Interaktionen für die Herzregeneration. In dieser Dissertation wurde eine bisher unbekannte neuronale Modulation der myokardialen Regenerationsantwort aufgedeckt und die differenzielle Rolle einer Makrophagen-Subgruppe beschrieben. Unter Verwendung des Zebrafisches, der für seine robuste Regenerationsfähigkeit, seine genetische Rückverfolgbarkeit und seine larvale Transparenz bekannt ist, die es erlaubt, Verletzungen in Echtzeit zu verfolgen, wurde in dieser Studie der adrenerge Rezeptor alpha-1 (Adra1) als potenter Modulator der Regenerationsantwort und der Makrophagen-Diversifizierung identifiziert, um einen menschlichen Myokardinfarkt zu modellieren. Mit Hilfe eines Makrophagen-spezifischen Funktionsverlustmodells der Adra1-Signaltransduktion und der Einzelzell-Transkriptomik konnte die Aktivierung einer Makrophagenpopulation für den Umbau der extrazellulären Matrix nachgewiesen werden, die die Zusammensetzung und den Umsatz der extrazellulären Matrix reguliert. Die in vivo- und ex vivo-Validierung der in silico-Analysen zeigte, dass Adra1-aktivierte Makrophagen über den Mdka-Lrp1aa-Crosstalk eine pro-regenerative, Kollagen XII-exprimierende Fibroblasten-Subpopulation aktivieren, die die kardiale Regenerationsnische reguliert und die Vaskularisierung und Proliferation von Kardiomyozyten fördert. Zusammenfassend unterstreicht dieses Projekt das Potenzial des Adra1-vermittelten neuronalen Inputs als Schlüsselregulator der Makrophagenfunktion und deckt einen neuartigen Mechanismus der Neuro-Immun-Interaktionen auf, der die Fibrose und die Erneuerung des Herzmuskels während des Regenerationsprozesses moduliert. Die Erkenntnisse über die nervale Modulation der Immunantwort zur Regulation der kardialen Fibrose und zur Erleichterung der myokardialen Selbsterneuerung bilden eine wesentliche Grundlage für die Entwicklung einer dringend benötigten therapeutischen Strategie für die kardiale Regenerationsmedizin

Heritage Values and Communities: Examining Heritage Perceptions and Public Engagements

Communities construct themselves differently, depending on the diverse socio-political environments which they inhabit. This also impacts their worldviews and their perceptions of heritage. In addition, in nation states such as Turkey, heritage perceptions are shaped by state ideology through formal education, which often transfers one-sided and programmatic knowledge to students, mostly focusing on the official history of the state. As a result, communities are deprived of opportunities to learn about ‘other’ pasts, such as those concerned with prehistory and minorities in antiquity. Community archaeology projects and local museums hold an important role in closing the gap created by formal education methods, and can have a profound impact on community perceptions of the past. At the same time, the exchange of knowledge with communities can be troublesome. This article examines heritage perceptions and discusses the importance of public archaeology and local museums by comparing three different sites and their associated communities

SECOND-ORDER FACTOR ANALYSIS OF TEACHERS' CORRECT USE OF THEIR VOICES SCALE IN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT (TCUVS)

The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability of the Teachers' Correct Use of their Voices Scale (TCUVS) in classroom management and to try to explain the factors of the scale using the second order factor analysis. The participants of the study were 1095 teachers working at various educational levels in the province of Antalya, Turkey in the 2018-2019 academic year. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used in the development of the TCUVS. The scale developed as a result of the first order factor analysis consists of seven dimensions (voice health problems, voice protection, the harmony between voice and body, correct use of voice, correct use of speech voice, directing voice, voice distortion) and 31 items. The results of the second-order confirmatory factor analysis conducted to better evaluate the results of the seven-dimensional first-order confirmatory factor analysis and to summarize the dimensions of the scale showed that the model with two factors (voice problems and professional use of voice) and six sub-dimensions (voice protection, the harmony between voice and body, correct use of voice, correct use of speech voice, directing voice, voice distortion) better fits the data statistically. A moderate relationship was found between the factors of voice problems and professional use of voice. It can be said that the internal consistency of the dimensions of the TCUVS was strong; the confirmatory factor analysis goodness of fit criteria and combined reliability level were adequate; and only the rate of mean variance explained was found to be limited. Therefore, the fit of the model to the data was found sufficient.  Article visualizations

Development and Re-Configuration of Heritage Perception: History Textbooks and Curriculum

The plundering, looting and neglect of archaeological and heritage sites are quite common in many parts of the world. Turkey is one such country that has a poor record of preservation of archaeological and heritage sites, particularly those of minority ethnic groups and from the prehistoric and ancient periods. In other words, those which are not part of the national/official past of Turkey. The main reason for this is that Turkish formal education neglects the prehistoric and ancient past, and ‘others’ the past of minority groups. This paper will examine and discuss how and to what extent archaeology and heritage related topics are presented in formal education in Turkey, i.e., national, minority groups, prehistoric and ancient pasts and antiquities by analysing the curriculum and textbooks from 2013. Specifically, this paper will demonstrate that history education in schools has a major impact on the development and re-configuration of heritage perception, which can either lead to the protection or neglect of heritage

ECONOMIC PROFITABILITY OF THE BAKKEN, NORTH DAKOTA UNCONVENTIONAL OIL PLAYS BASED ON A TYPICAL WELL PERFORMANCE WITH CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS

Increases in oil prices after the economic recession have been surprising for domestic oil production in the United States since the beginning of 2009. Not only did the conventional oil extraction increase, but unconventional oil production and exploration also improved greatly with the favorable economic conditions. This favorable economy encourages companies to invest in new reservoirs and technological developments. Recently, enhanced drilling techniques including hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have been supporting the domestic economy by way of unconventional shale and tight oil from various U.S. locations. One of the main contributors to this oil boom is the unconventional oil production from the North Dakota Bakken field. Horizontal drilling has increased oil production in the Bakken field, but the economic issues of unconventional oil extraction are still debatable due to volatile oil prices, high decline rates of production, a limited production period, high production costs, and lack of transportation. The economic profitability and viability of the unconventional oil play in the North Dakota Bakken was tested with an economic analysis of average Bakken unconventional well features. Scenario analysis demonstrated that a typical North Dakota Bakken unconventional oil well is profitable and viable as shown by three financial metrics; net present value, internal rate of return, and break-even prices

Imaging in Echinococcosis

Hydatid disease is a widely common parasitic disease caused by the species; Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. Echinococcosis is a serious medical, economical and social handicap all over the world. Almost any organ of the body can be involved with the zoonosis, liver and lungs are the most frequently involved organs. Imaging has a critical role for diagnosis of the disease. Radiography is the first imaging tool. Although CT aids the detection of size, number, location and imaging of local complications for diagnosis of hydatid cysts, sometimes atypical lesions rise in the imaging tools. MRI may help for differentiation of hydatid lesions from other neoplastic and hypodense infective lesions. MRI is also better for biliary and neurological involvement. Ultrasound is especially helpful for abdominal hydatidosis and peripheral lung lesions. Regarding that clinical evaluation is difficult for hydatidosis; radiological findings should be evaluated well for accurate diagnosis. This chapter will focus on imaging of echinococcosis