The positive correlation between well-being and religious practices & spirituality in the period of late adulthood

In this research article, the positive relationship between the level of religiosity, life satisfaction, and mental wellbeing in the old age period are conveyed. Initially, the aging process is touched upon and the physical and mental problems that people face in the old age process are demonstrated. A few of these problems are the restriction in physical activities, the isolation brought by city life, the narrowing of the family unit, and retirement psychology. Moreover, the concepts of spirituality and religion are mentioned and their positive effects on human life are highlighted. These effects may be the belief that the god will be with the person, will help, death is a meeting with the god, religion, and prayer play an important role in correcting the mistakes made in the past. All these beliefs keep the person away from worldly concerns and bring along with well-being in the old age process. At the end of the research article, the positive correlation of religion and spirituality on people’s mental health and well-being in the old age process and its reasons are explained. Examples from various studies conducted in the East and West were given and the positive correlation between religion and spiritual wellbeing was supported by these examples

The Artistic Creativity and Intelligence Relationship: Comparision of Gifted and Normal Achieving Students

DergiPark: 738899trakyasobedThe Report of The Parliamentary Research Commission which was established for the purpose of "Discovery of Gifted Children, Identification of Problems Related to Their Education and Providing Effective Employment That Will Contribute to the Development of Our Country", published by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 2012, comes to the fore in terms of comprehensiveness. In this report, it is stated that the definition of giftedness in Turkey can not be determined fully, and existing measurement tools, and educational applications do not entirely meet the needs of the field of giftedness (Çitil 2018: 158). When the definition of giftedness-superior intelligence, tests applied to gifted individuals in our country, the place of creativity and artistic creativity in these choices are examined; the gaps in our education system, especially in the importance of multiple intelligence approach in terms of contemporary practices, come into prominence. In this study, the relationship between intelligence and artistic creativity was interpreted among gifted and normal achieving students between the ages of 8-10. While making this interpretation, music was used as a tool in applications. In the light of the data obtained in this context, the role of artistic creativity was questioned in the distinction of gifted children, and by criticizing the uniform intelligence (cognitive intelligence) perception, which mainly affects the determination of gifted children in our country; the importance of multiple intelligence method iin education is emphasized. The findings are that normal achieving children are more successful in terms of artistic creativity than gifted children, and the music used as a tool affects both groups positively, but it affects gifted students with a higher proportion. Based on the results, the relationship between artistic creativity and intelligence is compared proportionally and explained through content analysis.TBMM tarafından 2012 yılında yayımlanan ‘Üstün Yetenekli Çocukların Keşfi, Eğitimleriyle İlgili Sorunların Tespiti ve Ülkemizin Gelişimine Katkı Sağlayacak Etkin İstihdamlarının Sağlanması’ amacıyla kurulan Meclis Araştırması Komisyonu Raporu kapsamlılık anlamında ön plana çıkmaktadır. Bu raporda, Türkiye’de üstün yeteneklilik tanımının tam olarak yapılamadığı, mevcut ölçme araçlarının ve eğitim uygulamalarının üstün yeteneklilik alanını karşılamadığı belirtilmiştir (Çitil 2018: 158). Ülkemizde üstün yetenek-üstün zekâ tanımı, üstün yetenekli seçilen bireylere uygulanan testler, yaratıcılığın, sanatsal yaratıcılığın bu seçimlerdeki yeri incelendiğinde; eğitim sistemimizde çağcıl uygulamalar açısından özellikle çoklu zekâ yaklaşımının önemi konularındaki boşluklar öne çıkmaktadır. Bu çalışmada zekâ ve sanatsal yaratıcılık arasındaki ilişki 8-10 yaş aralığında üstün yetenekli ve normal gelişim gösteren öğrenciler üzerinden yorumlanmıştır. Bu yorumlamayı yaparken uygulamalarda bir araç olarak müzik kullanılmıştır. Bu çerçevede elde edilen veriler ışığında üstün yetenekli çocukların ayrımında sanatsal yaratıcılığın yeri sorgulanmış, ülkemizde üstün yetenekli çocukların seçiminde ağırlıklı olarak etki eden tek tip zekâ (bilişsel zekâ) algısının eleştirisi yapılarak; eğitimde çoklu zekâ yönteminin önemine vurgu yapılmıştır. Bulgular normal gelişim gösteren çocukların üstün yetenekli çocuklara göre sanatsal yaratıcılık anlamında daha başarılı olduğu, bir araç olarak kullanılan müziğin iki grubu da olumlu yönde etkilediği ancak oransal olarak üstün zekalı öğrencileri daha fazla etkilediği yönündedir. Sonuçlardan hareketle sanatsal yaratıcılık-zekâ arasındaki ilişki oransal olarak karşılaştırarak içerik analizi yoluyla açıklanmıştır.

Antik Çağda Lykaonia-Isauria Sınır Bölgesi

ÖzetLykaonia ve Isauria arasındaki sınır bölgesi, Konya Ovası ile Torosları birbirine bağlayan yollar üzerinde bulunmaktadır. Söz konusu sınır bölgesi, konumu nedeniyle jeopolitik açıdan büyük bir öneme sahiptir. Bölgenin Antik Çağda hem siyasal açıdan hem de sosyo-ekonomik ve kültürel bakımdan her iki bölge arasında bir bağlantı sağladığı anlaşılmaktadır. Bölgede yapılan araştırmalar sonucunda tespit edilen yazıtlardan burada çok çeşitli meslek dallarının olduğu bilinmektedir. Bu mesleklerden özellikle farklı lejyonlarda görev yapmış askerler ile veteranlara ait olanlar oldukça fazladır. Bu da bölgenin askeri açıdan önemli bir yere sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca bölgede mezar taşlarının üzerinde yer alan üzüm salkımı, asma dalı, bağ bıçağı falx vinitoria , çapa dolabra ve hayvancılığın göstergesi olan iğ ve kirmen gibi tasvirler, burada çiftçiliğin toplum için önemini kanıtlamaktadır. Ayrıca bölge için önemli bir şahsiyet olan Bidanalı Konon dini çalışmalarının yanı sıra Isaurialı haydutları topluma kazandırabilmek için onları tarımsal faaliyetlere yönlendirmiştir. Yine tarım ve hayvancılığa işaret eden malikânelerin varlığı bölgede bulunan yazıtlar sayesinde belgelenmiştir. Bütün bu arkeolojik ve epigrafik veriler, Lykaonia-Isauria sınırını oluşturan bu alanın siyasal ve askeri açıdan öneminin yanı sıra, tarım ve hayvancılık bakımından da önemli bir potansiyele sahip olduğunu açıkça kanıtlamaktadır.Bu çalışmada Antik kaynakların aktardıkları bilgiler ve bölgede tespit edilen yazıtlar ile arkeolojik veriler ışığında Lykaonia-Isauria bölgelerinin sınırını oluşturan coğrafyanın antik çağdaki siyasal, askeri, sosyo-ekonomik ve kültürel durumu ele alınmıştır

A Comparison of the Quality of life and Personal Traits in Menopausal Women

INTRODUCTION: This study was planned to compare the quality of life and personal traits in menopausal women. METHODS: The population of the study comprised women who applied to Family Health Centers (FHC) in the city center of Bingol (n=157). A survey form, which was prepared by the researcher as a result of evaluating the relevant literature and comprised three sections, was applied to the women who met the inclusion criteria. The first section of the survey consisted of a questionnaire questioning the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, obstetrical, gynecological, chronic disease history, information about the menopausal period and general health behaviors. The second section consisted of the 'Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MSQLQ)' and the third section consisted of the Cervantes Personality Scale (CPS). RESULTS: There was a positive significant correlation between the scores, obtained by the women who participated in the study, from the CPS emotional stability/neuroticism subscale and the MSQLQ scores, whereas there was a negative significant correlation between their sincerity/insincerity scores and MSQLQ scores. There was no statistically significant correlation between the extroversion/introversion subscale and MSQLQ symptoms (p<0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It was determined that the women had no adequate knowledge of this period which comprises nearly one third of their life, there were deficiencies in coping with menopausal symptoms and the quality of life of the women in the menopausal period was not at the required level. In the personality development phases, women should be encouraged for positive, emotionally stable and extrovert personality development and to use of healthy defense mechanisms

Role of serum metalloproteinases 2 and 9 to assess the severity of COVID-19 in pregnant women: a prospective cross-sectional study

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between blood matrix metalloproteinases -2 and -9 levels and disease severity in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection. Material and methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at the Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Education and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. We measured serum MMPs-2 and-9 levels of the healthy pregnant controls and pregnant women with COVID-19 and sought to assess the status of these MMPs in pregnant women with COVID-19, especially in women with a severe form of COVID-19 as diagnosed by abnormal computed tomography (CT) findings in addition to severe clinical and laboratory findings. Results: Of the healthy pregnant controls and pregnant women with COVID-19, the serum MMP-2 levels were comparable, but the MMP-9 level was lower in the pregnant women with COVID-19. Although the serum MMP2 level was somewhat lower in the women with COVID-19 with abnormal CT findings. The serum MMP-9 level of pregnant women with COVID-19 with abnormal CT was meaningfully lower. Conclusions: In the pregnant women, COVID-19 decreases the serum MMP-9 but does not change the serum MMP-2. COVID-19 with abnormal CT findings causes minimal decrease in the serum MMP-2 but decreases the serum MMP-9 with abnormal CT findings. Considering the study variables of current study, the probability of LMWH-related MMP alterations needs to be a study topic to clarify the possible contribution of LMWH to the status of serum MMPs in pregnant women with COVİD-19 especially in the women with COVID-19 with abnormal CT findings

Post-traumatic stress disorder after terrorist attack in healthcare professionals

INTRODUCTION: On the date of 15 July 2016 a terrorist organization launched a terrorist attack using helicopters and heavy combat weapons in the city centers of Istanbul and Ankara simultaneously. Numerous civilian were hurt and many of them lost their lives during the attacks. Terrorism is a form of combat designed to cause the highest psychological influence on the masses. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychological disorders after such disasters. The aim of this study is to determine the associated risk factors and PTSD rates in healthcare professionals who were on call during the 15 July 2016 terrorist attacks. METHOD: Since the hospital is in a neighbouring the street to where terror attacks occurred, all healthcare professionals ≥ 18 years of age who were on duty that night in the Dr. Ridvan Ege Training and Research Hospital and were auditory or visual witnesses of the event were included in the study as the first group while healthcare professionals who work in the same hospital but were not on duty that night were included as the control group. RESULTS: The mean post-traumatic diagnostic scale stress score of the control group was 11.87. The mean post-traumatic diagnostic scale stress score of the Group 1 was 21.91. There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of posttraumatic diagnostic scale stress score (p < 0.05). While the healthcare professionals on duty on July 15, 2016 (Group 1) had moderate-severe (21.91 ± 5.11) stress disorder, the healthcare professionals who were not at the hospital on July 15, 2016 (Control Group) had moderate stress disorder (11.87 ± 6.86). CONCLUSION: Our country is at risk from the fact that such attacks may be experienced again because of its unique conditions. The results of our work support the data on the high level of exposure to PTSD when exposed to a terrorist attack. For this reason, the identification of the characteristics of pre-traumatic health individuals at risk is useful in planning the presentation of preventive and curative health services. At the same time, there is a need for longer-term work and wider samples to reveal the psychological consequences of such attacks

The Role of Kinase Inhibitors in Cancer Therapies

Protein kinases are enzymes that transfer a phosphate group to the threonine, serine, or tyrosine residues of the target protein, regulating its activity. The activity of these enzymes are very important and strictly regulated in the cell as they promote cell proliferation, survival, and migration. In the case of any dysregulation of these enzymes, they can be associated with cancer initiation and progression. Small-molecule kinase inhibitors approved by the FDA for their improved clinical benefits are currently used in targeted therapy for the treatment of various cancers. So far, there are 62 FDA-approved therapeutic agents targeting different protein kinases, eight of which were approved in 2020. Today, kinase inhibitors are used as FDA approved cancer agents and newly developed ones are evaluated in clinical trials. Those protein kinase inhibitors can be grouped as growth factor receptor inhibitors, Ras/Raf/Mek inhibitors, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors, other targets, and agents such as protein kinase c and 3 phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1. In this chapter, these kinases, their pathways, and their inhibitors will be discussed in detail

Screening of Hyperaldosteronism on the Investigation of Secondary Hypertension: Single-centre Experience

Introduction:Primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA), is a clinical syndrome that is defined as inappropriately increased serum aldosterone secretion and low plasma renin levels. PHA has been reported as the most common cause of secondary hypertension. In this retrospective study, we planned to show the significance of screening for this disease in hypertensive patients admitted to our clinic.Methods:Our study included 64 patients who were admitted to our cardiology outpatient clinic between April 2018 and August 2021 with high blood pressure and were selected to be checked for plasma renin activity (PRA), PAC, and PAC/PRA ratios to exclude secondary hypertension. Medical records, hypertension treatments, and medical histories of the patients were reviewed from our hospital database.Results:Of the 64 patients, 25 (39.1%) were female and 39 (60.9%) were male. After the first evaluation of the patients, 13 patients were decided to be assessed with the saline infusion test. PHA was diagnosed in 7 of 13 patients evaluated. In the adrenal MRI performed in 3 of 7 patients diagnosed with PHA, one adrenal hyperplasia and one adrenal adenoma were diagnosed in 2 different patients.Conclusion:Primary hyperaldosteronism is one of the most important causes of secondary hypertension. Although there are various methods such as screening tests, the most commonly used method is the aldosterone/renin ratio and it is very practical to screen. Considering the various cardiovascular diseases that PHA is associated with, and the simplicity of treatment of PHA, we strongly believe that the screening threshold for PHA should be kept as low as possible and should be independent of age

Is blue light exposure a cause of precocious puberty in male rats?

PurposeOur study aimed to examine the effects of blue light exposure on prepubertal male rats’ puberty and testis tissue.MethodsEighteen 21-day-old male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups consisting of six rats in each group: Control Group (CG), Blue Light-6 hours (BL-6), and Blue Light-12 hours (BL-12). CG rats were maintained with 12/12-hour light-dark cycles. The rats of BL-6 and BL-12 were exposed to blue light (450-470nm/irradiance level 0.03uW/cm2) for 6 hours and 12 hours, respectively. Rats were exposed to blue light until the first signs of puberty. The ELISA method was used to analyze the serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone, DHEA-S, leptin, ghrelin, melatonin, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde. Testes were dissected for histomorphological examination.ResultsThe medians of the pubertal entry days of the CG, BL-6, and BL-12 were 38th, 30th, and 28th days, respectively. (p:0.001) The FSH, LH, and testosterone concentrations of all groups were similar. The FSH concentration increased as the LH concentration increased (r: 0.82 p: 0.001). The serum LH concentration increased as serum testosterone, and DHEAS decreased, respectively (r: -0.561, p: 0.01) (r:-0.55 p:0.01). Testicular lengths and weights of the BL groups were smaller compared to CG (p: 0.03),(p: 0.04). GPx was higher for BL-6 and BL-12 than the CG (p:0.021, p:0.024). Testis tissue was compatible with the pubertal period in all groups. As the blue light exposure time increased, spermatogenesis was suppressed, and capillary dilatation and edema in the testis tissue increased.ConclusionOur study is the first to show the effects of blue light exposure on male rats’ puberty process. And we showed that exposure to blue light and the duration of exposure lead to precocious puberty in male rats. The blue light exposure suppressed spermatogenesis, marked vasodilatation in the interstitial area of the testis, and disrupted the integrity of the basement membrane. These findings intensified with increasing exposure time

Serum indoxyl sulfate concentrations associate with progression of chronic kidney disease in children

The uremic toxins indoxyl sulfate (IS) and p-cresyl sulfate (pCS) accumulate in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a consequence of altered gut microbiota metabolism and a decline in renal excretion. Despite of solid experimental evidence for nephrotoxic effects, the impact of uremic toxins on the progression of CKD has not been investigated in representative patient cohorts. In this analysis, IS and pCS serum concentrations were measured in 604 pediatric participants (mean eGFR of 27 ± 11 ml/min/1.73m2) at enrolment into the prospective Cardiovascular Comorbidity in Children with CKD study. Associations with progression of CKD were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazard models. During a median follow up time of 2.2 years (IQR 4.3-0.8 years), the composite renal survival endpoint, defined as 50% loss of eGFR, or eGFR <10ml/min/1.73m2 or start of renal replacement therapy, was reached by 360 patients (60%). Median survival time was shorter in patients with IS and pCS levels in the highest versus lowest quartile for both IS (1.5 years, 95%CI [1.1,2.0] versus 6.0 years, 95%CI [5.0,8.4]) and pCS (1.8 years, 95%CI [1.5,2.8] versus 4.4 years, 95%CI [3.4,6.0]). Multivariable Cox regression disclosed a significant association of IS, but not pCS, with renal survival, which was independent of other risk factors including baseline eGFR, proteinuria and blood pressure. In this exploratory analysis we provide the first data showing a significant association of IS, but not pCS serum concentrations with the progression of CKD in children, independent of other known risk factors. In the absence of comorbidities, which interfere with serum levels of uremic toxins, such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, these results highlight the important role of uremic toxins and accentuate the unmet need of effective elimination strategies to lower the uremic toxin burden and abate progression of CKD