The Primary Students’ Understanding of Scientific Models through Epistemological and Ontological Perspective

Achieving the targets of science education mostly depends on the true understanding of the fundamentals where science and the scientific efforts are embedded through the realist ontology and epistemology that science is based on. Models have a special place in science education revealing to understand the nature and status of scientific knowledge. By considering this function of models, this research puts forward the views of the primary students on scientific models. The participants of this qualitative survey research are twenty-eight 7th graders of a primary school in Izmir, Turkey. The participants are given a questionnaire and a worksheet, which were developed by the researchers, addressing both epistemological and ontological character of models. The results showed that students have generally moderate understanding of models through perceptual and ordinary reality

Thermal conductivity of particle filled polyethylene composite materials

In this study, the effective thermal conductivity of aluminum filled high-density polyethylene composites is investigated numerically as a function of filler concentration. The obtained values are compared with experimental results and the existing theoretical and empirical models. The thermal conductivity is measured by a modified hot-wire technique. For numerical study, the effective thermal conductivity of particle-filled composite was calculated numerically using the micro structural images of them. By identifying each pixel with a finite difference equation and accompanying appropriate image processing, the effective thermal conductivity of composite material is determined numerically. As a result of this study, numerical results, experimental values and all the models are close to each other at low particle content, For particle content greater than 10%, the effective thermal conductivity is exponentially formed. All the models fail to predict thermal conductivity in this region. But, numerical results give satisfactory values in the whole range of aluminum particle content. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Testing Susceptibility of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis to Second-Line Drugs by Use of Blood Agar▿

In this study, the susceptibilities of 35 multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates to second-line drugs, including kanamycin (KM), rifabutin (RBU), ofloxacin (OFX), p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS), capreomycin (CAP), clofazimine (CFM), and ethionamide (ETH), were investigated on blood agar according to CLSI recommendations. Compared with the results of the Bactec 460 TB system, agreement was 100, 100, 97, 100, 100, 100, and 86% for KM, RBU, OFX, PAS, CAP, CFM, and ETH, respectively. Compared with the results of the proportion method, agreement was 100, 100, 97, 100, 97, 100, and 77% for KM, RBU, OFX, PAS, CAP, CFM, and ETH, respectively

Quality of Life of Patients Under Anticoagulant Therapy Compared to Patients Treated with Antiplatelet Therapy

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) includes the physical, functional, social, and emotional well-being of an individual. The most important and frequently used generic HRQoL assessment is Short Form- 36 (SF-36). The objective of this study was to analyze the HRQoL of patients under chronic use of oral anticoagulants in a specialized stroke unit

Efficacy and Safety of Warfarin Experience in a Stroke Polyclinic in Stroke Patients

Introduction: Cardioembolic stroke is associated with high morbidity and mortality, with an increased risk of recurrent stroke. Oral anticoagulation is highly effective in reducing the risk of stroke and mortality compared with placebo. Our study aimed to highlight the safety and efficacy of warfarin by analyzing the 20-year follow-up of patients on warfarin therapy

A Comparison of Cognitive Functions and Nutritional Status in Nursing Home Residents and Community-Dwelling Elderly

Objective: This descriptive and comparative study was conducted to determine the cognitive functions and nutritional status of nursing-home-residing and community-dwelling elderly

Hsa-miR-584-5p as a novel candidate biomarker in Turkish men with severe coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is still the preliminary cause of mortality and morbidity in the developed world. Identification of novel predictive and therapeutic biomarkers is crucial for accurate diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of the CAD. The aim of this study was to detect novel candidate miRNA biomarker that may be used in the management of CAD. We performed miRNA profiling in whole blood samples of angiographically confirmed Turkish men with CAD and non-CAD controls with insignificant coronary stenosis. Validation of microarray results was performed by qRT-PCR in a larger cohort of 62 samples. We subsequently assessed the diagnostic value of the miRNA and correlations of miRNA with clinical parameters. miRNA-target identification and network analyses were conducted by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software. Hsa-miR-584-5p was one of the top significantly dysregulated miRNA observed in miRNA microarray. Men-specific down-regulation (p = 0.040) of hsa-miR-584-5p was confirmed by qRT-PCR. ROC curve analysis highlighted the potential diagnostic value of hsa-miR-584-5p with a power area under the curve (AUC) of 0.714 and 0.643 in men and in total sample, respectively. The expression levels of hsa-miR-584-5p showed inverse correlation with stenosis and Gensini scores. IPA revealed CDH13 as the only CAD related predicted target for the miRNA with biological evidence of its involvement in CAD. This study suggests that hsa-miR-584-5p, known to be tumor suppressor miRNA, as a candidate biomarker for CAD and highlighted its putative role in the CAD pathogenesis. The validation of results in larger samples incorporating functional studies warrant further research

On the production, elemental composition (C, N, P) and distribution of photosynthetic organic matter in the Southern Black Sea

Chemical oceanographic understanding of the southern Black Sea has been improved by recent measurements of the optical transparency, phytoplankton biomass (in terms of chlorophyll-a and particulate organic matter) and primary productivity. During the spring-autumn period of 1995-1996, light generally penetrated only into the upper 15-40 m, with an attenuation coefficient varying between 0.125 and 0.350 m(-1). The average chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations for the euphotic zone ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 mu g 1(-1). Coherent sub-surface Chi-a maxima were formed near the base of the euphotic zone only in summer. Production rate varied between 247 and 1925 in the spring and between 405 and 687 mgC m(-2) d(-1) in the summer-autumn period. The average POM concentrations in the euphotic zone varied regionally and seasonally between 3.8 and 28.6 mu m for POC, 0.5 and 3.1 mu m for PON and 0.02 and 0.1 mu m for PP. Atomic ratios of C/N, C/P and N/P, derived from the regressions of POM data, ranged between 7.5 and 9.6, 109 and 165, and 11.2 and 16.6, respectively. In the suboxic/anoxic interface, the elemental ratios change substantially due to an accumulation of PP cohering to Fe and Mn oxides. The chemocline boundaries and the distinct chemical features of the oxic/anoxic transition layer (the so-called suboxic zone) are all located at specific density surfaces; however, they exhibit remarkable spatial and temporal variations both in their position and in their magnitude, which permit the definition of long-term changes in the biochemical properties of the Black Sea upper layer

On the production, elemental composition (C, N, P) and distribution of photosynthetic organic matter in the Southern Black Sea

Chemical oceanographic understanding of the southern Black Sea has been improved by recent measurements of the optical transparency, phytoplankton biomass (in terms of chlorophyll-a and particulate organic matter) and primary productivity. During the spring-autumn period of 1995-1996, light generally penetrated only into the upper 15-40 m, with an attenuation coefficient varying between 0.125 and 0.350 m(-1). The average chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations for the euphotic zone ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 mu g 1(-1). Coherent sub-surface Chi-a maxima were formed near the base of the euphotic zone only in summer. Production rate varied between 247 and 1925 in the spring and between 405 and 687 mgC m(-2) d(-1) in the summer-autumn period. The average POM concentrations in the euphotic zone varied regionally and seasonally between 3.8 and 28.6 mu m for POC, 0.5 and 3.1 mu m for PON and 0.02 and 0.1 mu m for PP. Atomic ratios of C/N, C/P and N/P, derived from the regressions of POM data, ranged between 7.5 and 9.6, 109 and 165, and 11.2 and 16.6, respectively. In the suboxic/anoxic interface, the elemental ratios change substantially due to an accumulation of PP cohering to Fe and Mn oxides. The chemocline boundaries and the distinct chemical features of the oxic/anoxic transition layer (the so-called suboxic zone) are all located at specific density surfaces; however, they exhibit remarkable spatial and temporal variations both in their position and in their magnitude, which permit the definition of long-term changes in the biochemical properties of the Black Sea upper layer

Multiple Intraoral Teratoma in a Newborn Infant: Epignathus

Teratomas originating from the oral cavity are named as epignathus. It is a rare type of teratoma. An 11-day old male newborn was diagnosed with cleft palate and intraoral masses. The mass on the right side was protruding from the mouth. Another one on the left side was extending from the nasopharynx to the oropharynx. The diagnosis of mature teratoma was made based on the histopathological study of surgically excised masses. We desired to report on this case since multiple localized epignatus in a newborn with cleft palate has not been described yet in the literature