‘I FEEL LIKE I GO BLANK’: IDENTIFYING THE FACTORS AFFECTING CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION IN AN ORAL COMMUNICATION COURSE

This paper reports on a case study of seven undergraduate students’ classroom participation in an English-medium university in an EFL context, with a focus on their perceptions about the factors affecting their involvement in interactional opportunities in a specific speaking course. Results suggest that student participation in a foreign language learning setting is a complicated and dynamic process strongly influenced by multiple factors. Students’ participation in the language practices of the classroom and their agentive choices for L2 speaking appear to be contingent on the various individual (psychological and social) factors and contextual and classroom-oriented factors. Therefore, this current piece supports the importance of a holistic understanding of multiple factors to arrive at an in-depth picture of students’ involvement, engagement, and participation

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and Its relationship with illness risk perceptions, affect, worry, and public trust: An online serial cross-sectional survey from Turkey

Objective: A better understanding of public attitudes towards vaccination and recognition of associated factors with vaccine hesitancy or refusal is important regarding the control of the pandemic. Our aim was to analyze the public's attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and to identify factors affecting them. Materials and Methods: Data were drawn from the Turkish COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring, between July-December 2020, a serial online cross-sectional survey. The sample comprised 3888 adult respondents. Attitudes to vaccines and trust were investigated in 3 periods corresponding to the timeline of pandemic-related events in Turkey. Results: In the third period of our study, in parallel with the increase in the spread of COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy/refusal increased significantly from 43.9% to 58.9% (P < .001). The significant predictors of vaccine refusal were female gender, being elder, and conspiracy thinking. Having a chronic illness, worrying more about loved ones and the health system being overloaded were significant predictors of vaccine willingness. Less compliance with preventive measures, less knowledge of prevention, reduced risk perception, and higher perception of media hype were COVID-19 variables that correlated with vaccine refusal. Trust in the Ministry of Health and medical professional organizations (e.g., Turkish Medical Association) was the lowest in the third period and vaccine refusal was significantly related to the decreased trust (P < .001, P = .002). Conclusion: Most respondents (approximately 60%) refused or hesitated to get a COVID-19 vaccine, though acceptability should be monitored when a vaccine becomes available. Health authorities should consider public trust, risk perception, and behavioral factors to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptability

Behaviors and pandemic-related knowledge, perceptions, worry content, and public trust in a Turkish sample

Background: This study aimed to explore the effect of knowledge, COVID-19-related perceptions, and public trust on protective behaviors in Turkish people. Methods: Data were collected from an online survey (Turkish COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring) conducted between July 2020 and January 2021. The recommended protective behaviors (hand cleaning, wearing a face mask, and physical distancing) to prevent COVID-19 were examined. The impacts of the following variables on protective behaviors were investigated using logistic regression analysis: knowledge, cognitive and affective risk perception, pandemic-related worry content, public trust, conspiracy thinking, and COVID-19 vaccine willingness. Results: Out of a total of 4210 adult respondents, 13.8% reported nonadherence to protection behavior, and 86.2% reported full adherence. Males and young (aged 18–30 years) people tend to show less adherence. Perceived self-efficacy, susceptibility, and correct knowledge were positively related to more adherence to protective behavior. Perceptual and emotional factors explaining protective behavior were perceived proximity, stress level, and worrying about the relatives who depended on them. Trust in health professionals and vaccine willingness were positive predictors, while conspiracy thinking and acquiring less information (<2, daily) were negative predictors. Unexpectedly, trust in the Ministry of Health showed a weak but negative association with protection behavior. Conclusions: Perceived stress, altruistic worries, and public trust seem to shape protection behaviors in addition to individuals’ knowledge and cognitive risk perception in respondents. Males and young people may have a greater risk for nonadherence. Reliable, transparent, and culture-specific health communication that considers these issues is required

The assessment of twin pregnancies delivered in our clinic: three-year experience

Objective: Twin pregnancies constitute 1–2% of all pregnancies. With the recent developments in assisted reproductive technologies, the incidence of multiple pregnancy has increased. Preterm labor is held responsible for the poor neonatal outcomes primarily. In our study, we aimed to assess fetal-maternal outcomes of twin pregnancies seen in our clinic. Methods: One hundred and thirty twin pregnancy cases out of 4241 pregnant women who delivered in our clinic between 01.01.2017 and 01.01.2020 were included in the study. The labor records of the patients were reviewed retrospectively and their data for age, week of gestation, delivery type, birth weight, fetal sex, chorionicity characteristics and laboratory parameters were recorded. Definitive statistics and SPSS 21.0 for statistical analyses were used to evaluate the data obtained from the study. The data were presented as mean ± SD (standard deviation). Results: The incidence of twin pregnancy was found 3%. In the ultrasonographic imaging evaluated during diagnosis, 27.7% of the cases were monochorionic and 72% of them were dichorionic. Of the pregnant women, 12.3% were at term and 87.7% were at preterm period. When the preterm fetuses were evaluated, 37.7% of 114 preterm fetuses were delivered at late preterm period, 29.2% of them at mid-preterm period and 20.8% at premature preterm period. The rates of treatment pregnancy (pregnancy provided by ovulation induction and assisted reproductive technologies) and spontaneous twin pregnancy were 20% and 80%, respectively. Mean maternal age was found 31.3. When evaluated in terms of maternal morbidity, preterm labor and premature rupture of membrane were the most common problems. Mean newborn weight was 1832g and 59.3% of the newborns had low birth weight and 21.8% of them had very low birth weight. While one fetus had transverse presentation in 12.5% of the patients, at least one fetus had breech presentation in 53.1% of the cases and 34.4% of the cases had head-head presentation. Conclusion: Twin pregnancies are characterized by the increased feto-maternal risks. Therefore, both antenatal and intrapartum management should be maintained diligently

What are the mistakes we think are correct about the ‘Natural resource curse’ hypothesis? New insights from quantile regressions via method of moments for EU

The nexus among natural resources and economic growth has recently been extensively studied in the context of the “Natural Resource Curse (NRC)” hypothesis. It is critical to use the latest analysis techniques in the development of the relevant literature. Therefore, this study aims to test the NRC hypothesis in EU member countries applying the Method of Moments Quantile Regression. Moreover, the focus of this study on EU countries for the first time fills an important gap in the literature. Renewable energy consumption, gross fixed capital formation, and urbanization are adopted as control variables. The findings demonstrate the validity of the NRC hypothesis at all quantile levels. Renewable energy consumption contributes to economic growth up to 0.70 quantile level. Additionally, gross fixed capital formation and urbanization have a positive impact on growth at all quantile levels. Empirical outputs highlight the importance of natural resources for growth in EU member countries and raise suggestions for possible policy formulation and implementation processes

Investigation of the Sensitivity of EU Countries to Temperature Anomalies in Terms of Economic and Technological Indicators

In this study, the interrelationships between global climate change and EU countries’ GDP, investments, R&D expenditures, innovations, and labor productivity indicators are discussed. Global temperature anomalies are adopted as an indicator of climate change and the relationsgip estimated with the panel vector autoregreesion (PVAR) approach for the period from 1996 to 2018. Results suggest that an increase in atmospheric temperature has negative effect on economic growth, investment, and labor productivity. However, an increase in atmospheric tempetrature increases patent applications by 0.4% in the long run. Moreover, while economic growth and investments trigger temperature anomalies, labor productivity has a negative effect on atmospheric temperature. The long-run coefficient estimation results are confirmed by analysis, and the existence of strong dynamic relationships between the variables is determined. Impulse–response graphs differ from these results and emphasize that the effects caused by shocks should be considered temperature anomalies and EU’s technological and economic developments

Kistik Fibrozisli Hastalarda COVID-19’un Etkisi ve Tıbbi Beslenme Tedavisi

Kistik fibrozis, epitel hücresi membranındaki Kistik Fibrozis Transmembran Regülatoradlı klor kanalında meydana gelen mutasyon sonucu dış salgı bezlerindeki fonksiyonbozukluğudur. Kistik Fibrozis Transmembran Regülatordeki yapısal ve fonksiyonel bozukluk;solunum yolları, pankreas, safra kanalları, üreme organları ve gastrointestinal sistem gibiorganların epitel hücre membranlarında klor transportunun bozulmasına neden olur.Kistik fibrozisli hastalarda görülen akciğer enfeksiyonu morbidite ve mortalite prevalansınıarttırmaktadır. Kistik fibrozis; hava yollarında oluşan kalınlaşmış sekresyonlar, enfeksiyonartışı ve kalıcılığı için olumsuz bir ortam yaratmaktadır. Viral enfeksiyonlar, kistik fibrozisinseyrinde önemli bir rol oynadığı için, kistik fibrozisli hastalarının şiddetli akut solunumsendromu koronavirüs-2 enfeksiyonu durumunda ciddi belirtiler geliştirme riskinin yüksekolduğu düşünülmektedir. Ancak kistik fibrozisli hastalar arasında koruyucu maske takılması,insanlarla temasın az olması veya konakçı faktörlerden kaçınma gibi davranışlar sayesindeakut solunum sendromu koronavirüs-2 insidansının (%0,07) genel popülasyonlardakiortalama insidansın (%0,15) altında olduğu görülmüştür. Kistik fibrozisli hastalar ve aileleri,hastalığın yönetilmesinde genel popülasyona kıyasla birçok zorlukla karşı karşıyadır.Özellikle pandemi döneminde ilaç tedavisi, fizyoterapi, egzersiz ve tıbbi beslenme tedavisigibi yöntemlerle yönetilen kistik fibrozis tedavi sürecinde kişiselleştirilmiş beslenme tedavisiuygulayarak bireylerin sağlığını olumlu yönde etkilemek oldukça önemlidir. Pandemidönemi; besine ulaşımdaki zorluk, sosyal izolasyon ve gıda güvensizliği gibi nedenler ilekistik fibrozisli hastaların beslenme alışkanlıklarında değişikliklere neden olmuş olabilir.Bu derleme makalenin amacı kistik fibrozisli hastalarda COVID-19’un etkisini incelemek vepandemi dönemindeki tıbbi beslenme tedavisini değerlendirmektir.Cystic fibrosis is a dysfunction in the exocrine glands as a result of mutation in thechloride channel called Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator in the epithelial cellmembrane. Structural and functional disorder in Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator;it causes disruption of chloride transport in epithelial cell membranes of organs such asrespiratory tract, pancreas, bile ducts, reproductive organs and gastrointestinal tract. Lunginfection seen in patients with cystic fibrosis increases the prevalence of morbidity andmortality. Cystic fibrosis; The thickened secretions formed in the airways create a negativeenvironment for the increase and persistence of infection. Because viral infections playan important role in the course of cystic fibrosis, patients with cystic fibrosis are thoughtto be at high risk of developing severe symptoms in the case of severe acute respiratorysyndrome coronavirus-2 infection. However, among patients with cystic fibrosis, theincidence of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (0.07%) was found to be below theaverage incidence (0.15%) in general populations, thanks to behaviors such as wearing aprotective mask, little contact with people, or avoiding host factors. Patients with cysticfibrosis and their families face many challenges in managing the disease compared to thegeneral population. It is very important to positively affect the health of individuals byapplying personalized nutrition therapy in the treatment process of cystic fibrosis, which ismanaged by methods such as drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise and medical nutritiontherapy, especially during the pandemic period. Pandemic period; Difficulty in accessingfood, social isolation and food insecurity may have caused changes in the nutritional habitsof patients with cystic fibrosis. The aim of this review article is to examine the effect ofCOVID-19 in patients with cystic fibrosis and to evaluate medical nutrition therapy duringthe pandemic period.</p

Risk of Cutaneous Malignancy in Mycosis Fungoides Patients Treated with PUVA: A Retrospective Study

Objective: PUVA therapy is mostly used longer than other diseases in mycosis fungoides (MF) patients. We aimed to investigate the chronic side effects of PUVA therapy, including skin cancer to disclose the actual risk in Turkish population. Methods: We screened all MF patients treated with PUVA at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology of İstanbul Medical Faculty and included patients in whom PUVA has first initiated between 1994 and 2006 and administered in one or several courses and who were followed up more than five years with last visit in 2012. Results: Fifty patients with MF had a mean follow-up duration of 10.2±2.8 years. Six patients (12%) had PUVA lentigines. Two of them (4%) developed skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease) during their follow-up. The mean sessions (295.5±7.8 sessions) and total UVA doses (1452 J/cm2) in these patients with skin cancer were higher than those who did not develop skin cancer (128.7±73 sessions and 515±31 J/cm2, respectively). There was a significant relationship between the PUVA lentigines and development of cutaneous malignancy (p=0.01). Conclusion: Cutaneous malignancies were detected in 4% of MF patients followed up approximately 10 years. Due to this low risk, we conclude that PUVA therapy is relatively safe in patients with MF in our country. However, UVA should not be applied in high total doses and patients should be followed-up lifelong