Sociocultural adjustment of international students at Turkish Universities

In recent years, countries especially well-developed ones have been striving in order to fascinate international students to study in their countries. However, in Turkey, the majority of studies have focused on raising awareness about international students thanks to the incoming and outgoing Erasmus students. Considering the dearth of the studies on international students, the primary focus of this paper is to understand (I) how proficient they are in languages, (II) the social support given to the international students, (III) the actual contact of international students with Turks, and, in turn, to conve their suggestions through clarifying the similarities and differences between Turkish culture and their own cultures. Regarding the difficulties international students faced in Turkey due to cultural distance, the main conclusion is that universities should invest in international students by focusing on their needs such as accommodation, social activities, and language courses. Universities should also raise intercultural awareness, and student offices at universities should show great effort and care for international students. To sum up the study, Turkey should shoulder all responsibility of international students in terms of their standard of living. If Turkey achieves its role on international students, Turkey, with its increasingly important role in the world, can develop in international and academic areas

It was found that…: Introductory it patterns by native and non-native authors

Introductory it pattern, as in it was found that, is of significance in academic writing but the use of introductory it might be challenging especially for native- and non-native students and non-native academic writers. However, few studies have been conducted to compare the use of introductory it pattern by native and non-native scholars. This study investigates the frequencies, variability and functions of the introductory it patterns in the research articles of native and non-native academic professionals. The study uses data from the MCRA-L1 and MCRA-L2 corpora of MCRA (Multilingual Corpus of Research Articles) corpus. The size of each corpus was one million words. In order to extract introductory it patterns, four-word lexical bundles were searched for through WordSmith Tools with a cut-off point of 5 times per million words for 4-, 5- and 6-word bundles. The results revealed that there were 38 different introductory it patterns in the MCRA-L1 and 66 in the MCRA-L2, and the frequency and percentages showed the tendency of the Turkish authors to overuse the introductory it-structures in their research articles

Tensiones entre las identidades de los profesores de inglés y los programas de desarrollo profesional en Turquía

Due to the insufficiency of current in-service training courses which are far from the collaboration and the reflection of teachers, the current study scrutinizes the incongruities between teacher identities and in-service training programs offered by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey based upon the use of the activity theory. In this narrative study, two English as a foreign language teachers reflected on their environment, behaviors, beliefs, competencies, and missions under the heading of teacher identity concept. The results suggest that teachers need a supportive community of practice and a well-tailored mentoring system to be able to reflect on themselves and the context in which they are teaching

A comparative analysis of lexical bundles used by native and non-native scholars

In the recent years, globalization prepared a ground for English to be the lingua franca of the academia. Thus, most highly prestigious international journals have defined their medium of publications as English. However, even advanced language learners have difficulties in writing their research articles due to the lack of appropriate lexical knowledge and discourse conventions of academia. Considering the fact that the underuse, overuse and misuse of formulaic sequences or lexical bundles are often characterized with non-native writers of English, lexical bundle studies have recently been on the top of the agenda of corpus studies. Although the related literature has represented specific genres or disciplines, no study has scrutinized lexical bundles in the research articles that are written in the educational sciences. Therefore, the current study compared the structural and functional characteristics of the lexical-bundle use in L1 and L2 research articles in English. The results revealed the deviation of the usages of lexical bundles by the non-native speakers of English from the native speaker norms. Furthermore, the results indicated the overuse of clausal or verb-phrase based lexical bundles in the research articles of Turkish scholars while their native counterparts used noun and prepositional phrase-based lexical bundles more than clausal bundles

Shah Waliyullah al-Dihlawi’s understanding of tawhid and shirkas as a mujaddid

Makaleİslam dininin temel ilkesini, tevhîd inancı oluşturmaktadır. Ona muhalif olan veya onu bozan her unsur ise, şirk olarak nitelendirilmiştir. Bu adlandırmalar, dinin tanımıyla doğrudan ilişkilidir. Zira dinin aslını koruması, onun sınırlarının bilinmesiyle mümkündür. Bu durum, dinin anlaşılması, yaşanması, tebliği, temsili ve topluma yansıma şekillerinde olumlu bir etki oluşturur. Zaman içerisinde bu sınırların matlaşması söz konusu olabilir. Fakat bu hususta gündeme gelecek her türlü belirsizlik, dinin yukarıda belirtilen yönlerinde olumsuz etkiye yol açacaktır. Buna sebep olabilecek en büyük etken ise insan; yani algı ve yorum faktörüdür. Böyle bir durumda dini aslî konumuna kavuşturmak için yapılması gereken ilk şey, onun aslî sınırlarına yeniden vurgu yapmak olsa gerektir. İslam dininin saf tevhîd anlayışında, tarihin akışı içerisinde insan unsurunun etkisiyle çeşitli bozulmalar olmuştur. Özellikle farklı inanç ve kültürlerle beslenmiş kişilerin sonradan intisap ettikleri dini, önceki birikimleriyle yorumlamaları, dinin aslında bulunmayan şeylerin ona dâhil edilmesine neden olmuştur. Bu olumsuz durumun, çeşitli dönemlerde farklı âlimler tarafından ıslah veya tecdid gibi isimler altında izalesi yoluna gidilmiştir. Bu konudaki sembol isimlerden bir tanesi de, Şâh Veliyyullâh ed-Dihlevî’dir. Onun bid’at ve hurafelerle mücadelesi her ne kadar bazı yöntemsel sorunlar barındırsa da, probleme sebep olan anlayışı hedefe koyması yönüyle kıymetlidir. Zira o, sorunları nedenleriyle ele almaya ve somut/ilkesel çözümler sunmaya çalışmıştır. Tarih içerisinde bu bağlamda yapılan özgün çalışmaların güncellenmesi, günün aynı nitelikteki sorunlarına ışık tutması açısından önemlidir. Bu makalede, Şâh Veliyyullâh ed-Dihlevî’nin bid’atlerle mücadele bağlamında tevhîd ve şirk konusundaki düşünceleri ele alınmıştır.The basic principle of Islamic religion is the belief in Islamic Monotheism/Tawhid. Every element opposingor disruptingit is described as shirk. These nomenclatures are directly related to the definition of religion. Because the protection of the original religion, it is possible to know the limits. This issue has a positive effect on the understanding, experience, communique, representation and reflection on society. Over time, these limits may be a matter of dulling. Butany uncertainty about this issue will have a negative impact on the above aspects of religion. The biggest factor that can cause this is human; that is, perception and interpretation factor. In such a case, the first thing that needs to be done to restorereligion to its original position should be to re-emphasize its original limits. In this pure monotheistic understanding of Islamic religion, there have been various distortions in the course of history by the influence of the human element. The fact thatthe people from different beliefs and cultures interpreted the religion they joined last with their previous knowledge caused what is not in the original belief to be added int the new religion. This negative situation has been tried to be corrected by different scholars in different periods under the names of ıslah/improvement or tajdid/regeneration. One of the symbolic names in this subject isShah Valiyullah ed-Dihlawi. Although his struggle with bid’ahs and superstitions contains some methodological problems, it is valuable in that it aims at the understanding that causes the problem. Because he has tried to deal with the problems for their reasons and to offer concrete/principled solutions. Updating of original works in this context in history is important for shedding light on the same quality problems of the day. In this article, the thoughts of tawhid and shirk of Shah Veliyyullah ed-Dihlevi, will be discussed in the context of combating bid’ahs

The Tensions Between EFL Teacher Identities and INSET in the Turkish Context

Due to the insufficiency of current in-service training courses which are far from the collaboration and the reflection of teachers, the current study scrutinizes the incongruities between teacher identities and in-service training programs offered by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey based upon the use of the activity theory. In this narrative study, two English as a foreign language teachers reflected on their environment, behaviors, beliefs, competencies, and missions under the heading of teacher identity concept. The results suggest that teachers need a supportive community of practice and a well-tailored mentoring system to be able to reflect on themselves and the context in which they are teaching.Debido a la poca oferta de programas de desarrollo profesional donde los profesores puedan reflexionar o colaborar, el presente estudio analiza, con base en la teoría de la actividad, las incongruencias entre las identidades de los docentes y los programas de formación permanente ofrecidos por el Ministerio de Educación de Turquía. En este estudio narrativo, dos profesores de inglés reflexionaron sobre su entorno, comportamiento, creencias, habilidades y misión bajo la noción de identidad docente. Los resultados apuntan a que los profesores necesitan el apoyo de una comunidad de práctica y un sistema de mentoría bien diseñado que les permita reflexionar sobre sí mismos y sobre el contexto en el que enseñan

Kapsaisin Katkılı Tris Sulandırıcı Kullanılarak Koç Spermasının Dondurularak Saklanması

In this study, it was designed to reveal the effects of capsaicin on oxidative stress and freezability of ram semen. Ejaculates were taken from Sönmez rams and divided into five specimens and diluted with extender at different rates (4 mM, 2 mM, 1 mM, 500 μM) with and without capsaicin (control; C). Semen samples were thawed with a 37°C water bath for 30 seconds for post-thawed analysis. At the end of the study, sperm motility and kinetic parameters, plasma membrane acrosome integrity (PMAI), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), DNA damage, oxidant and antioxidant parameters were analyzed. A decrease was observed in the groups containing capsaicin compared to the C in terms of progressive, total motility and kinetic parameters (p<0.05). Besides, positive results were not obtained DNA integrity, PMAI and MMP (p<0.05). In conclusion; it was determined that capsaicin added to Tris extender did not have a positive effect on oxidative stress and freezing of ram semen.Bu çalışmada, kapsaisinin oksidatif stres ve koç spermasının dondurulabilirliği üzerine etkilerinin ortaya konması tasarlandı. Ejakülatlar Sönmez ırkı koçlardan alınarak beş eşit kısma ayrıldı ve farklı oranlarda (4 mM, 2 mM, 1 mM, 500 μM) kapsaisin içeren ve içermeyen (kontrol) sulandırıcı ile sulandırıldı. Sperma örnekleri çözüm sonu spermatolojik analizler için 37°C sıcaklıklta 30 saniye süre ile çözdürüldü. Çalışma sonunda spermatozoa hareketliliği ve kinetik parametreleri, plazma membran akrozom bütünlüğü (PMAI), mitokondrial membran potansiyeli (MMP), DNA hasarı, oksidan ve antioksidan parametreler analiz edildi. Progresif, total motilite ve kinetik parametreler bakımından kontrol grubuna göre kapsaisin içeren guruplarda azalma görüldü (p<0.05). Ayrıca DNA bütünlüğü, PMAI ve MMP'de olumlu sonuçlar elde edilmedi (p<0.05). Sonuç olarak; Tris sulandırıcısına ilave edilen kapsaisinin, oksidatif stres ve koç spermasının dondurulması üzerine olumlu bir etki göstermediği belirlendi

The association between TAPSE and right atrial contractile strain

BACKGROUND: In the descending arm of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) there is a notch formation which corresponds to the contractile phase of the atrial strain curve. Theoretically, this notch formation stands for atrial contraction. AIMS: We aim to characterize the notch formation on the TAPSE, the predictors of its existence, its relationship with the right ventricle and right atrial strain (RAS) parameters. METHODS: Retrospectively selected 240 patients were investigated for the determinants of the notch formation on TAPSE and the relation between RAS and TAPSE. RAS was analyzed using 2D speckle tracking in a dedicated mode for atrial analysis and reported separately for the reservoir, conduit, and contractile phases. RESULTS: 71.7% (n = 172) of patients had the notch formation on the TAPSE and 70.4% (n = 169) had a normal value of right atrial contractile strain (RASct). Most of the patients with a notch formation also had preserved RASct (95.9%; P &lt;0.001). In multivariable analysis, RASct (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13­­‒1.77; P = 0.020) remained significant with the notch formation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that a RASct of ‒19% was found as a cut-off for presence of notch formation. ROC area was 0.897 (95% CI 0.844–0.951; P &lt;0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The changes in TAPSE configuration represents the changes in atrial contractile phase. The descending arm of the TAPSE indicates the RASct as whether it is preserved or not. The notch formation persists if the RASct is above ‒19%. So, an easier, more applicable, and more effortless tool TAPSE can be used as an indicator of atrial contractile phase by its configuration in daily routine

Evaluation of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease: Preliminary results from the Turk-UIP study

OBJECTIVE: Differential diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is important among fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILD). This study aimed to evaluate the rate of IPF in patients with fibrotic ILD and to determine the clinical-laboratory features of patients with and without IPF that would provide the differential diagnosis of IPF. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included the patients with the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern or possible UIP pattern on thorax high-resolution computed tomography, and/or UIP pattern, probable UIP or possible UIP pattern at lung biopsy according to the 2011 ATS/ERSARS/ALAT guidelines. Demographics and clinical and radiological data of the patients were recorded. All data recorded by researchers was evaluated by radiology and the clinical decision board. RESULTS: A total of 336 patients (253 men, 83 women, age 65.8 +/- 9.0 years) were evaluated. Of the patients with sufficient data for diag-nosis (n=300), the diagnosis was IPF in 121 (40.3%), unclassified idiopathic interstitial pneumonia in 50 (16.7%), combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in 40 (13.3%), and lung involvement of connective tissue disease (CTD) in 16 (5.3%). When 29 patients with definite IPF features were added to the patients with CPFE, the total number of IPF patients reached 150 (50%). Rate of male sex (p<0.001), smoking history (p<0.001), and the presence of clubbing (p=0.001) were significantly high in patients with IPE None of the women <50 years and none of the men <50 years of age without a smoking history were diagnosed with IPE Presence of at least 1 of the symptoms suggestive of CTD, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and antinuclear antibody (FANA) positivity rates were significantly higher in the non-IPF group (p<0.001, p=0.029, p=0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: The rate of IPF among patients with fibrotic ILD was 50%. In the differential diagnosis of IPF, sex, smoking habits, and the presence of clubbing are important. The presence of symptoms related to CTD, ESR elevation, and EANA positivity reduce the likelihood of IPF