Experiencing space without vision

Ankara : Bilkent Univ., Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design and Institute of Fine Arts, 1997.Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 1997.Includes bibliographical references.In this study, the human body without vision, and its relation with the surrounding space, is examined. Towards this end, firstly space and the human body are briefly discussed. the sense modalities apart from vision, and the development of spatial cognition for the blind and visually impaired are examined. The environmental factors that contribute to the understanding of the surrounding built environment, and the assistive devices for this population are briefly covered. These issues stress the importance of stimulating, thus training the human body without vision to establish body and spatial awareness, and to learn to gather information from the surrounding architectural environment to be able to perform a task. To illustrate this fact, an experiment was conducted among blind and visually impaired children from the Goreneller Primary School in Ankara. The study consists of testing a game played with an educative toy and its effects on the tactual learning performance of the children.Evyapan, Naz AGZM.S

Elevated micronucleus frequencies in patients with pleural plaque secondary to environmental exposure to asbestos

We examined genotoxic damage and frequency of micronuclei in people living in the Bekilli and Suller districts of Denizli city who had been diagnosed with pleural plaques as a result of environmental exposure to asbestos. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 30 volunteer patients 59-86 years old who did not smoke or consume alcohol and who were diagnosed with calcified pleural plaques. We also examined 30 healthy controls with similar features, who also lived in downtown Denizli. Micronucleus frequencies, nuclear division index, and mitotic index were determined. Micronucleus frequency, nuclear division index, and mitotic index were significantly higher in patients who had been exposed to asbestos than in the controls. We conclude that asbestos had a genotoxic effect, resulting in an increase in micronucleus frequency and other changes in patients diagnosed with pleural plaques secondary to asbestos exposure. © FUNPEC-RP

The design process of a toy with educational objectives for blind and visually impaired pre-school children: a design process model for problem identification, novel concept development, and frequent involvement of the user group

This thesis investigates design methods and phase models towards a reinterpretation of the design process towards a specific design task. The study reveals the essence of the process as a design process core, onto which may be built design process models to suit design tasks of diverse nature and scale

Genotyping of Acanthamoeba T15: The environmental strain in Turkey

PubMedID: 25424836Background: Environmental sources are potential sources for the transmission of Acanthamoeba in humans and other mammals. Methods: A total of 50 water samples from hot springs and swimming pools, and 50 soil samples were taken from Adana, Afyon, Kutahya, Mersin and Nigde provinces in Turkey. Samples were analysed using 18S rRNADNA sequencing. Results: Acanthamoeba griffini (T3), Acanthamoeba castellanii (T4) and Acanthamoeba jacobsi (T15) were found in water samples. Acanthamoeba griffini (T3) and Acanthamoeba castellanii (T4) were detected in soil samples. Conclusions: In Turkey, this was the first time that Acanthamoeba jacobsi (T15) was detected in water samples. © The Author 2014.TF.2011Funding: Funding was provided by the Cukurova University Research Grant [TF.2011.YL.05]

Clinical spectrum of pontine infarction: Clinical-MRI correlations

PubMed ID: 12529787We sought clinical and radiological findings of 150 consecutive patients with acute isolated pontine infarct who were admitted to our Stroke Unit over 6 years. In all patients CT, MRI and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were performed during the hospitalization. On clinico-radiological analysis regarding the pontine lesion boundaries there were five main clinical patterns that depended on the constant territories of intrinsic pontine arteries: (1) anteromedial pontine syndrome (58 %) presented with motor deficit with dysarthria, ataxia, and mild tegmental signs in one third of patients; (2) anterolateral pontine syndrome (17 %) developed with motor and sensory deficits in half of the patients, and were associated with tegmental signs (56 %) more frequently than the anteromedial infarct syndrome; (3) tegmental pontine syndrome (10 %) presented with mild motor deficits and associated with sensory syndromes, eye movement disorders and vestibular system symptoms including vertigo, dizziness and ataxia; (4) bilateral pontine syndrome (11 %) consisted with transient consciousness loss, tetraparesis and acute pseudobulbar palsy; (5) unilateral multiple pontine infarcts (4 %) were rarely observed, and were always associated with severe sensory-motor deficits and tegmental signs. In our series, there was no infarct in the extreme dorsal and lateral tegmental pontine territories which have been mostly associated with cerebellar infarctions. The main etiology of stroke was basilar artery branch disease (BABD) in 59 patients (39 %), followed by small-artery disease (SAD) in 31 (21 %), large-artery disease of vertebrobasilar arteries in 27 patients (18 %), cardioembolism in 12 (8 %) and in 16 patients (11 %) no cause of stroke was found. Our findings suggest that it is possible to identify clinical subgroups of pontine infarction, in which BABD and SAD were the most common causes of stroke. After an acute onset, outcome is in general excellent except in those with bilateral pontine lesions

Spectrum of anterior cerebral artery territory infarction: xClinical and MRI findings

PubMed ID: 12453077To evaluate and review the clinical spectrum of anterior cerebral artery (ACA) territory infarction, we studied 48 consecutive patients who admitted to our stroke unit over a 6-year period. We performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in all patients, and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) in 21. In our stroke registry, patients with ACA infarction represented 1.3% of 3705 patients with ischemic stroke. The main risk factors of ACA infarcts was hypertension in 58% of patients, diabetes mellitus in 29%, hypercholesterolemia in 25%, cigarette smoking in 19%, atrial fibrillation in 19%, and myocardial infarct in 6%. Presumed causes of ACA infarct were large-artery disease and cardioembolism in 13 patients each, small-artery disease (SAD) in the territory of Heubner's artery in two and atherosclerosis of large-arteries (< 50% stenosis)in 16. On clinico-radiologic analysis there were three main clinical patterns depending on lesion side; left-side infarction (30 patients) consisting of mutism, transcortical motor aphasia, and hemiparesis with lower limb predominance; right side infarction (16 patients) accompanied by acute confusional state, motor hemineglect and hemiparesis; bilateral infarction (two patients) presented with akinetic mutism, severe sphincter dysfunction, and dependent functional outcome. Our findings suggest that clinical and etiologic spectrum of ACA infarction may present similar features as that of middle cerebral artery infarction, but frontal dysfunctions and callosal syndromes can help to make a clinical differential diagnosis. Moreover, at the early phase of stroke, DWI is useful imaging method to locate and delineate the boundary of lesion in the territory of ACA