Prenatal breastfeeding self efficacy scale: validity and reliability study

Aim: To determine the validity and the reliability of the Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale. Material and Methods: This was a methodologic study. The sample of the research comprised 200 pregnant women who presented to the outpatient clinic of Gynecology between April and June 2015. An introductory information form and the Prenatal Breast Self-Efficacy Scale were used to collect the data. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, content validity index for coverage validity, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis for construct validity, and Cronbach-alfaα for reliability were used. Results: In the explanatory factor analysis of the scale, the Kaiser-Meyer- Olkin floor number was 0.84 and the Barlett’s sphericity test results were χ2=1812.608; df=171; p<0.001. The contribution of the factors to total variance was 59.06%. According to confirmatory factor analysis of the scale, the Chi-square test result was as follows: χ2=254.23 (p<0.001, SD=146). The model fit indices were as follows: χ2/SD=1.74, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation=0.06, Comparative Fit Index=0.96, Normed Fit Index=0.92, Non-Normed Fit Index=0.96, Goodness of Fit Index=0.88 and Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index=0.85. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale was 0.86. Conclusion: The Prental Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale is a valid and reliable scale which is applicable to Turkish culture and an appropriate tool which can be used by all healthcare workers who wish to design and evaluate interventions to support breastfeeding in the prenatal period. © 2018 by Turkish Pediatric Association

Floquet metal to insulator phase transitions in semiconductor nanowires

We study steady-states of semiconductor nanowires subjected to strong resonant time-periodic drives. The steady-states arise from the balance between electron-phonon scattering, electron-hole recombination via photo-emission, and Auger scattering processes. We show that tuning the strength of the driving field drives a transition between an electron-hole metal (EHM) phase and a Floquet insulator (FI) phase. We study the critical point controlling this transition. The EHM-to-FI transition can be observed by monitoring the presence of peaks in the density-density response function which are associated with the Fermi momentum of the EHM phase, and are absent in the FI phase. Our results may help guide future studies towards inducing novel non-equilibrium phases of matter by periodic driving.Comment: 10 pages including appendice

A Cross-Sectional Survey in Progress on Factors Affecting Students’ Academic Performance at a Turkish University

AbstractThe present cross-sectional survey concerns the factors affecting students’ academic performance at Middle East Technical University in Ankara in Turkey. According to their cumulative grade point average, the students have been categorized as high, average or low achievers. The main research question is: What are the differences between high- and low-achieving students’ academic study skills, habits and perceptions as regards the factors affecting their academic performance? The researcher-designed questionnaire was empirically pretested. The quantitative data have been analyzed by Chi-square independence test, and a significant relationship was found between students’ achievement and factors such as preparatory school attendance, high school graduated from, father's education level, and class attendance

Steady states and edge state transport in topological Floquet-Bloch systems

We study the open system dynamics and steady states of two dimensional Floquet topological insulators: systems in which a topological Floquet-Bloch spectrum is induced by an external periodic drive. We solve for the bulk and edge state carrier distributions, taking into account energy and momentum relaxation through radiative recombination and electron-phonon interactions, as well as coupling to an external lead. We show that the resulting steady state resembles a topological insulator in the Floquet basis. The particle distribution in the Floquet edge modes exhibits a sharp feature akin to the Fermi level in equilibrium systems, while the bulk hosts a small density of excitations. We discuss two-terminal transport and describe the regimes where edge-state transport can be observed. Our results show that signatures of the non-trivial topology persist in the non-equilibrium steady state.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures + supplementary materia

Eruption Delay and Sequelae in Permanent Incisors Following Intrusive Luxation in Primary Dentition: A Case Report

With respect to its consequences, intrusive luxation is one of the most severe form of dental traumatic injuries in primary dentition. This case report presents crown and root deformation of a permanent incisor together with its delayed eruption which have resulted from a traumatic injury to its predecessor

SEQUENTIAL DATA WEIGHTING PROCEDURES FOR COMBINED RATIO ESTIMATORS IN COMPLEX SAMPLE SURVEYS

In sample surveys weighting is applied to data to increase the quality of estimates. Data weighting can be used for several purposes. Sample design weights can be used to adjust the differences in selection probabilities for non-self weighting sample designs. Sample design weights, adjusted for nonresponse and non-coverage through the sequential data weighting process. The unequal selection probability designs represented the complex sampling designs. Among many reasons of weighting, the most important reasons are weighting for unequal probability of selection, compensation for nonresponse, and post-stratification. Many highly efficient estimation methods in survey sampling require strong information about auxiliary variables, x. The most common estimation methods using auxiliary information in estimation stage are regression and ratio estimator. This paper proposes a sequential data weighting procedure for the estimators of combined ratio mean in complex sample surveys and general variance estimation for the population ratio mean. To illustrate the utility of the proposed estimator, Turkish Demographic and Health Survey 2003 real life data is used. It is shown that the use of auxiliary information on weights can considerably improve the efficiency of the estimates

Thermal Equilibria of Optically Thin, Magnetically Supported, Two-Temperature, Black Hole Accretion Disks

We obtained thermal equilibrium solutions for optically thin, two-temperature black hole accretion disks incorporating magnetic fields. The main objective of this study is to explain the bright/hard state observed during the bright/slow transition of galactic black hole candidates. We assume that the energy transfer from ions to electrons occurs via Coulomb collisions. Bremsstrahlung, synchrotron, and inverse Compton scattering are considered as the radiative cooling processes. In order to complete the set of basic equations, we specify the magnetic flux advection rate. We find magnetically supported (low-beta), thermally stable solutions. In these solutions, the total amount of the heating via the dissipation of turbulent magnetic fields goes into electrons and balances the radiative cooling. The low-$\beta$ solutions extend to high mass accretion rates and the electron temperature is moderately cool. High luminosities and moderately high energy cutoffs in the X-ray spectrum observed in the bright/hard state can be explained by the low-beta solutions.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures,accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

An exploratory study of instructional observation at Bilkent University School of English Language

Ankara : The Faculty of Humanities and Letters and the Institute of Economics and Social Sciences of Bilkent University, The Teaching as a Foreign Language, 1993.Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 1993.Includes bibliographical refences.This study investigated the model of supervision at Bilkent University, School of English Language (BUSEL), the mechanics and procedures involved in observation, and the teachers* attitudes towards observation. A questionnaire was self-prepared for data collection purp>oses: It had two separate parts. The former part included 12 items enquiring about personal qualities of the participants such as age, nationality, total teaching experience, and qualifications whereas the latter consisted of 24 multiple-choice items which were designed to collect data about observation features such as frequency and length of observations as well as aspects of the pre-observation, during-observation, and post-observation sessions. Prior to data collection at BUSEL, the questionnaire was piloted at Middle East Technical University, School of English Language. The participants in this study are 46 BUSEL teachers who are institutionally and regularly observed. The selection was done randomly by drawing.lots. Data collection through the questionnaire was conducted by the researcher, and the data were analysed with respect to the frequency of each item. The four research questions and the results are given below: 1. What model of observation is carried out institutionally at BUSEL? A combination of models such as directive, collaborative, and alternative are used. 2. what are the mechanics of institutional observation such as length and frequency? The participants are observed for four or eight times a year for an hour with previous notice. Each observation session lasts an hour. 3. What are the procedures of institutional observation such as data collection and feedback? Supervisors collect data by filling in forms and making handwritten notes. All participants receive feedback both in oral and written forms, and two-thirds discuss the feedback with their supervisors. 4· What are some of the attitudes which BUSEL teachers have towards features of institutional observation? Almost all participants feel positively about their supervisors. Most of them are indifferent to their supervisor's taking notes during observation, but prefer to be observed when they know the exact time and date. Almost half fel- that twice a year was an appropriate frequency of observation. Many participants believe the post-observation sessions are both evaluative and designed to lead to self-awareness and self-improvement. Almost half of the participants see the feedback they receive from their supervisors as average; half see it as above average. Suggestions resulting from the study were reduction in the frequency of the present observations to twice a year, and provisions for in-service training of teachers about models of supervision. Teachers should become more informed and thus more involved in decision making with respect to supervision.Erdem, H EsinM.S