Clonal relation of nasal MRSA carrier status among hospital personnel, hospitalized patients and community

Objectives: Nasal colonization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among the healthcare workers(HCWs), hospitalized patients, and healthy individuals was investigated by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for definingof clonally distribution of them.Methods: Totally 403 healthcare personnel, 744 patients, and 204 healthy individuals from the population were enrolled.Microbiological procedures were performed in the Bacteriological Laboratory at the Clinical Microbiology and InfectiousDiseases Department of Firat University, and PFGE procedures were performed in the Microbiology Department of InonuUniversity.Results: Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 296 (21.9%) of 1351 nasal swabs, and 69 out of 296 (23.3%) were defined asMRSA. Nasal S. aureus carrier state was identical between the patients and HCWs carrier state (p=0.14). It was significantlylower in healthy subjects than the other groups (p=0.02). Seventeen (25.8%) of 66 MRSA strains were defined to be in thecluster. These strains were in 7 different clusters. Among the typed strains, 21 had close relationship, 2 had possible relationship,and 26 had no relation. PFGE pattern was defined in 33 (50%) out of 66 strains and it was inconclusive in 3 strains.Conclusions: MRSA strains can be transferred commonly in the same hospital, among the hospitals located in the sameregion and the population. The results might be the indicators of increasing frequencies in population based MRSA infections.Multi-center studies are required to define clonally distribution of MRSA and the explanation of epidemiology maybe helpful for preventing and controlling of MRSA related infections. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2013; 3(2): 49-55Key words: MRSA, nasal carrier, PFGE

School Principals\u27 Instructional Leadership as a Predictor of Teacher Motivation

This study examined the school principals\u27 instructional leadership as the predictor of teachers\u27 motivation. The sample included 306 elementary school teachers. The study took place in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. Data collection tools included two instruments: The Instructional Leadership Scale” (ILS) and The Teacher Motivation Scale” (TMS). Correlation analyses was employed to examine the relationship between school principals\u27 instructional leadership and teacher motivation. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the predictive role of instructional leadership in teacher motivation. The findings of this study demonstrate significant relationships between instructional leadership and teacher motivation. Ultimately, instructional leadership can serve as predictor of teacher motivation

Critical Thinking as a Predictor of Self-Esteem of University Students

This study aimed to examine the predictive role of critical thinking on university students’ self-esteem. The participants of the study included 433 undergraduate students in a variety of programs. Of the 433 students, 294 were female while 139 male, and the mean age was 20.2 years. Data collection tools included the California Critical Thinking Scale and Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. The relationship between the critical thinking and self-esteem of university students were determined using correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. The findings of the correlation analysis showed that analyticity, open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, self-confidence, truth-seeking, and systematicity were significantly correlated with self-esteem. In addition, a regression analysis showed that self-esteem was predicted by open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, and self-confidence. Keywords: Critical Thinking, Self-Esteem, University Students, Multiple Regression Analysis, Self-Confidence Cette étude avait comme objectif d’examiner le rôle prédictif de la pensée critique sur l’estime de soi des étudiants à l’université. Les participants à cette étude comprenaient 433 étudiants provenant de différents programmes du premier cycle, dont 294 femmes et 139 hommes d’un âge moyen de 20,2 ans. Parmi les outils de collecte de données, notons le California Critical Thinking Scale et le Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Le rapport entre la pensée critique et l’estime de soi des étudiants à l’université a été établi par une analyse de corrélation et une analyse de régression multiple. Les résultats de l’analyse de corrélation indiquent que l’analyticité, l’ouverture d’esprit, la curiosité, la confiance en soi, la recherche de la vérité et la systématicité présentent une corrélation significative avec l’estime de soi. De plus, une analyse de régression a indiqué que l’ouverture d’esprit, la curiosité et la confiance en soi étaient des facteurs prédictifs de l’estime de soi. Mots clés : pensée critique; estime de soi; étudiants d’université; analyse de régression multiple; confiance en so

Unravelling the Economic Impacts: Forecasting the Effects of the February Earthquakes on Türkiye’s Economy

This study aimed to reveal the macroeconomic effects of the earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye in February 2023 on the country as a whole, the affected region (covering 11 provinces), and other provinces. Using secondary data obtained from data sets of various institutions, this research firstly attempted to estimate the negative effects of the February Earthquakes on the country’s GDP. The study presents a base scenario using the economic growth forecasts of international organizations such as the IMF and the World Bank for 2023 and 2024 as well as three possible loss scenarios for Türkiye, taking into account the effects of earthquakes of similar magnitude on the GDP in Türkiye and other countries. Furthermore, this study tried to estimate the losses caused by earthquakes in terms of employment, GDP, agriculture, industry, services, and foreign trade at the regional and provincial levels. To do this, we created the Base Scenario, which assumes no earthquake, and Scenario 1, which shows the impact of the earthquake. The findings indicate that, in the worst-case scenario, the country will contract by approximately 2.75%, which means a loss of $8.8 billion. Moreover, the study results point out an average monthly loss of 242 thousand jobs, a loss of$5 billion in GDP, an export loss of $3.5 billion, and an import loss of$4.7 billion in the 11 earthquake-affected provinces. The research underlines the need for comprehensive measures to mitigate the economic consequences caused by earthquakes. This includes disaster prevention plans, effective management strategies and initiatives aimed at strengthening regional economic resilience. Ultimately, the article provides valuable information for policymakers to facilitate informed decisions and the implementation of measures to increase preparedness, risk mitigation, and sustainable recovery in earthquake-prone areas

Der Einfluss einer CYP1A1-Induktion durch β-Naphthoflavon auf die CYP3A1-Induzierbarkeit in vitro durch Dexamethason in Rattenleberschnitten

Präzisionsleberschnitte als In-vitro-Modell für Untersuchungen der Cytochrom P-450 (CYP)-Induktion haben sich bewährt. Systematische Studien zur In-vitro-Induzierbarkeit einer CYP-Familie in Leberschnitten aus bereits in vivo induziertem Spendergewebe liegen nicht ausreichend vor. In dieser Arbeit wurde der Einfluss einer CYP1A-Expression im Spendergewebe, ausgelöst durch β-Naphthoflavon (BNF), auf die nachfolgende CYP3A1-Induktion in vitro durch Dexamethason (DEX) an Leberschnitten von Ratten untersucht. Zu klären galt, ob sich eine In-vivo-Induktion von CYP1A im Spendergewebe auf eine nachfolgende CYP3A1-Induktion auswirkt, ob eine CYP1A-Induktion in vitro eine zeitgleiche CYP3A1-Induktion maskieren könnte und ob In-vivo-Vorbehandlungen der Ratten mit BNF durch In-vitro-Vorinkubationen ersetzt werden könnten. Zum Einsatz kamen Leberschnitte ca. 40 Tage alter weiblicher Wistar-Ratten. Die CYP3A1-Induktion wurde durch 24-stündige Inkubation mit DEX (0,01-10 μM) ausgelöst und auf Enzymaktivitäts- (2β- und 15β-TH) und mRNA-Ebene (kompetitive RT-PCR) nachgewiesen. Die CYP1A-Induktion wurde mittels EROD belegt. Zur In-vivo-Induktion von CYP1A wurde den Tieren einmalig BNF (5 mg/100 g KG) 24h vor Dekapitation per os verabreicht. Die Induktion von CYP3A1 durch DEX war an Leberschnitten BNF-vorbehandelter in gleichem Maße wie an Leberschnitten unbehandelter Tiere möglich. Auch bei simultaner Inkubation mit BNF (10 μM) war die CYP3A1-Induktion durch DEX unbeeinflusst möglich. Bei sukzessiver Inkubation mit BNF und DEX (jeweils 24h) war die CYP3A1-Induktion durch die 2β-, 15β-TH und auf mRNA-Ebene ebenfalls erkennbar. Aus den Ergebnissen geht hervor, dass Lebern weiblicher Ratten mit vorbestehender CYP1A-Induktion eine CYP3A1-Induktion in vitro nicht maskieren, für In-vitro-Untersuchungen von CYP3A1-induzierenden Substanzen eingesetzt werden können und CYP1A Induktionen in vivo durch In-vitro-Vorinduktionen zumindest orientierend ersetzt werden könnten

CHARTER SCHOOLS AND INCLUSIVE SCIENCE EDUCATION: THE CONCEPTUAL CHANGE AND ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES

As a philosophy and educational approach, inclusive education provides opportunities for all students to have effective conceptual understanding and positive social attitudes (Idol, 2006). With inclusion, educators incorporate students with disabilities into the regular classroom rather than exclude students from these environments (Norwich, 1999). Even though the centerpiece in inclusion is the academic development of all students (Dukes & Lamar- Dukes, 2006), the research literature mostly emphasizes the benefits of inclusion on students with disabilities and excludes their non-disabled peers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the conceptual understanding and retention of students without disabilities and their attitudes towards students with disabilities in inclusive science classrooms at a charter middle school. This study included the collection and analysis of quantitative data using a non-equivalent quasi-experimental design to determine if students without disabilities in inclusive charter middle school science classrooms were positively or negatively affected by the process of being educated with their learning-disabled peers within inclusive science classrooms. This study took place in a charter middle school in a large urban school district in a southwestern U.S. state. The participants of this study included 20 students without disabilities in two middle school science classrooms (one inclusive and one non-inclusive) per grade level (grades 6-8) with a total number of 120 students. The study included two science lessons on density, a density assessment tool, and an attitude measurement survey. Analysis of the data occurred at three levels: (a) conceptual understanding, (b) conceptual retention, and (c) attitudes of students without disabilities toward students with learning disabilities. The study findings suggested that inclusive science education had a significantly positive effect on the conceptual understanding; a negative effect on conceptual retention; and a negative effect on the attitudes of students without disabilities towards their peers with disabilities in inclusive classrooms

Volume CXXIII, Number 22, April 28, 2006

WOS: 000291223700026This study aims to reveal to what extent Turkish chemistry teachers use laboratorys effectively and their perceptions on laboratory applications and the factors related to laboratory applications. In this cross-sectional survey, 408 chemistry teachers from the secondary schools in Izmir were given "Teacher Demographic form", "The Scale of Chemistry teachers' perceptions on Laboratory Applications" and "The Questionnaire for the factors effecting Laboratory Applications". The findings revealed that the teachers' perceptions on laboratory applications significantly vary according to their self-efficacy beliefs in laboratory applications, the type of school they graduated, the type of the school they are working at, their experience in teaching, their schools' physical conditions and assesment-evaluation techniques and chemistry program. The type of the experiment they use and the type of their schools are significantly correlated. However, their experiences in teaching, the type of school they graduated, the type of experiment they use are significantly uncorrelated. The teachers from Anatolian high schools mostly choose open-ended experiments while the others form vocational and state high schools choose closed end experiments. It is quite remarkable that all teachers in the survey prefer hypothesis-based experiments