Accessibility of Virtual Museum Spaces in the 21st Century in Turkey

Museums, which are the embodiment of art, exhibition, culture, and science, have started to offer virtual space experiences as well as traditional physical space experiences in recent years. In addition to the development of technology, the pandemic, which started in 2019 and affected the whole world, has also been effective in accelerating the transformation of museums from physical space to virtual space. The increasing use of virtual museums directly concerns different user groups in terms of accessibility. In a physical museum experience, solutions that appeal to different types of users are generally produced. Thanks to these solutions, an individual with any disability can be included in the space with all senses such as sight, touch, smell, and hearing during a museum visit, while the lack of inclusion of all senses in the virtual space experience causes the experience to be more limited. This study discusses this limitation in terms of accessibility. How can the virtual space experience be more accessible for different types of users? Can different solutions be offered to all user groups for a better understanding of the space and the art product? These questions constitute the research questions of this study. In this context, this study aims to examine how accessible virtual museums are. The study has conducted this inquiry through 59 virtual museums in Turkey. As a method, virtual museums were classified and tabulated in terms of their accessibility levels in line with their characteristics. It was concluded that there are deficiencies in the experience of different types of users and various suggestions were made in terms of virtual accessibility

The use of purple carrot powder in the diet of laying quails improved some egg quality characteristics, including antioxidant capacity

The goal of the current experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary concentrations of purple carrot powder (PCP) on performance, egg production, egg quality, and the antioxidant capacity of the yolk in laying quails. A total of one hundred and fifty 22-week-old Japanese laying quails were allotted to 5 dietary treatments each with 6 replicates of 5 quails. Quails were allocated to five dietary treatments (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4%) with PCP addition at an increasing level from 0 to 4000 mg/kg diet respectively, which were fed ad-libitum throughout the duration of the experiment. No differences were detected between dietary treatments for any of the performance parameters or egg production. Eggshell weight and eggshell thickness (P < 0.05) were linearly affected by PCP dietary, reaching maximum levels at 0.4% of PCP supplementation, while the percentage of damaged egg and egg-breaking strength remained similar for all experimental groups (P < 0.05). Quails receiving PCP diets showed a yellowness (b*) (P < 0.05) egg yolk color than those fed the control diet, without affecting the rest of the color parameters and egg internal quality. Increasing PCP levels in diets reduced linearly yolk TBARS (P < 0.01) and increased linearly DPPH (P < 0.01). The addition of PCP, a safe and readily available agricultural by-product, as a component of the diet of laying quail was effective without adversely affecting quail production. Moreover, the inclusion of PCP in the diet might benefit laying quails’ eggs by improving some quality traits and enhancing the yolk’s antioxidant capacity, which could improve their shelf-life and acceptability

Reuse of vegetable wastes in animal feed: the influence of red beet powder supplementation on performance, egg quality, and antioxidant capacity of layer quails

The survey was carried out to establish the impact of red beet powder (RBP) on performance parameters and egg quality in laying quails. One twenty hundred (120) female laying quails aged 22 weeks were randomly assigned into five groups of 4 females each, and six replicates. Treatments diets were formed by adding 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8% RBP to the basal diet. The dietary inclusion of RBP did not affect performance parameters and egg production (P > 0.05) except feed conversion ratio, which was quadratically affected (P 0.05). However, the yolk index showed the highest value (P < 0.05) in quails fed 0.2% RBP. Free radical scavenging capacity (DPPH) of the yolk decreased (P < 0.05) when RBP levels increased above 0.6%. In contrast, the 0.6% RBP group had the highest level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Data from the present study provide valuable information to include RBP as an ingredient without affecting performance and egg production. It is an interesting option within the framework of the circular economy and of reusing vegetable products to use this ingredient in animal feed

Examining Social Studies Teachers’ Views on Branch Teachers’ Committee Meetings

The purpose of this study is to determine the views of social studies teachers on branch teachers’ committee meetings (BTCM). This study utilized a qualitative method, phenomenological design. The sample of the research is composed of 16 teachers working in public secondary schools in the central district of Karabük province during the spring school term of 2016-2017and the participants were selected by convenient sampling method under purposeful sampling methods. The data of the study were collected through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers. Content analysis was used to analyze the data obtained from the participants. The results revealed that social studies teachers’ views on BTCMs were collected under four main themes entitled “things planned in BTCMs”, “decisions made in BTCMs”, “BTCMs in terms of the quality of social sciences teaching in school” and “The effectiveness of BTCMs”. Results of the study were discussed in line with the relevant literature and a number of suggestions were presented

Development of the attitude towards refugee students scaleMülteci öğrencilere yönelik tutum ölçeğinin geliştirilmesi

Recent years have witnessed an internal disturbance and an environment of war in Syria which resulted in a dense immigration from Syria to Turkey. Most of the immigrants coming from Syria to Turkey are under-18 people. In this sense, along with the all other problems, enabling these refugee students to access the education is regarded an important issue. A considerable number of Syrian refugees have been educated in Temporary Education Centers (TES) while some of them have been studying in public schools after necessary legal regulations have been conducted. At this point, it becomes important that Syrian refugee students adapt well to Turkish education system and to access to quality education. Therefore, the current study aims at developing and valid and reliable scale to determine the attitudes of students towards refugee students. The data of the study were gathered from a total of 251 students studying in secondary schools in which Syrian students study in Ankara, Mamak and in 2016-2016 education year. Results of the study revealed that item-total and adjusted item-total correlations were calculated over .41 and that all the items were statistically significant. Results of the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) mirrored that scale items yielded a single factor. Results of the study showed that Attitude towards Refugee Students Scale (ATRSC) was a valid and reliable scale which can be used in related studies. ÖzetSon yıllarda özellikle Suriye’de yaşanan iç karışıklık ve oluşan savaş ortamı, Türkiye’ye yoğun bir göçün yaşanmasına neden olmuştur. Türkiye’ye göç eden mültecilerin önemli bir kısmını 18 yaş altındaki çocuklar oluşturmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, diğer bütün sorunlarla birlikte mülteci çocukların eğitime erişim sağlamaları önemli bir sorun olarak görülmektedir. Suriyeli mültecilerin önemli bir kısmı Geçici Eğitim Merkezleri’nde (GEM) eğitim görmekte, bir kısmı ise yapılan gerekli yasal düzenlemelerle devlet okullarına devam etmektedirler. Bu noktada Suriyeli mülteci çocukların Türk eğitim sistemine uyum sağlamaları ve nitelikli bir eğitime erişim sağlamaları önem kazanmaktadır. Bu nedenle, mevcut çalışma kapsamında Türk eğitim sistemi içinde yer alan öğrencilerin mülteci öğrencilere yönelik tutumlarını belirlemek üzere geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçek geliştirmek amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın verileri, 2016-2017 öğretim yılının güz döneminde Ankara İli Mamak ilçesinde Suriyeli öğrencilerin bulunduğu ortaokullarda öğrenim gören 251 öğrencilerden toplanmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları ölçeğin madde toplam ve madde düzeltilmiş korelasyonlarında elde edilen korelasyon katsayılarının .41’in üzerinde olduğunu ve tüm maddelerin istatiksel olarak manidar olduğunu göstermiştir. Yapılan açımlayıcı faktör analizi (AFA) sonucunda ölçek maddelerinin tek boyut altında toplandığı görülmüştür. Araştırma sonuçları Mülteci Öğrencilere Yönelik Tutum Ölçeğinin (MÖYTÖ) ilgili araştırmalarda kullanılabilecek geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğunu göstermektedir.

Vücut kitle indeksi ve yaralanma süresinin menisküs tamiri sonrası sonuçlara etkisi]

Aim: Our study was to assess the outcome of meniscal repair surgery with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, focusing in particular on meniscal healing. Material and Method: We analyzed whether the time elapsed between the injury and the surgery affected the activity scores as measured by the Tegner Activity Scale, Modified Lysholm Knee Scoring, and Barrett criteria. Similarly, we analyzed whether body mass index (BMI) affected the activity scores. Result: The average BMI of the patients was 23.99 +/- 3.64 kg/m2 (range: 19.9-34). BMI was graded as underweight (18.5 kg/m2 or less), normal weight (18.5 kg/m2 to 24.99 kg/m2), overweight (25 kg/m2 to 29.99 kg/m2), or obese (30 kg/m2 to 39.99 kg/m2). Patients were divided into two groups. Overweight and obese patients were included in one group, and patients of normal weight or underweight were included in the other group. Out of a total of 34 patients, 3 (8.8%) were underweight, 20 (58.8%) were normal weight, 9 (26.5%) were overweight, and 2 (5.9%) were obese. Based on the BMI there was no significant difference between the two groups for results of the Tegner Activity Scale, Modified Lysholm Knee Score, and Barrett criteria. BMI of the patients was not a risk factor for the post-operative score scale (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the injury period (the time elapsed between the injury and the surgery) and activity scores (P>0.05). The injury period had no effect on the post-operative scores. Discussion: BMI of the patients and injury time of the meniscus tear had no negative effect on the functional results of the operation. Meniscal lesions with ACL tear should be repaired when diagnosed

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Antimicrobial Susceptibility Results at a State Hospital in Turkey (2010-2016)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, nozokomiyal pnömoni, dolaşım sistemi infeksiyonları, üriner infeksiyon ve deri infeksiyonları gibi sağlık hizmetleri gerektiren infeksiyon etkenlerinin önemli bir bölümünü oluşturur. Bu çalışma, yıllara göre P.aeruginosa'nın antimikrobiyal duyarlılığının değişimini belirleyerek antimikrobiyal kullanım politikasının oluşturulmasına yardımcı olmayı amaçlamıştır.Hastanemizde 2010-2016 yılları arasında izole edilen P.aeruginosa suşlarının antimikrobiyal duyarlılıkları, örnek türleri ve hastaların demografik verileri retrospektif olarak incelenmiştir. Verileri aktarmak ve analiz etmek için Windows istatistik paket programı PASW Statistics 18 kullanılmıştır. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler ki-kare testi ile analiz edilmiştir.Yatarak tedavi olan, 0-92 yaş aralığında bulunan 350 (% 35.9) kadın ve 625 (% 64.1) erkek hastadan 975 P.aeruginosa suşu izole edilmiştir. Örneklerin çoğunluğunun (529, % 54.3) yoğun bakım ünitesinde yatan hastalara ait olduğu tespit edilmiştir. P.aeruginosa, en sık solunum sistem örneklerinde izole edilmiştir. Ayakta tedavi gören, yaşları 0-95 arasında değişen 127 (% 33.1) kadın ve 257 (% 66.9) erkek hastada üreme saptanmıştır. Kliniklere göre dağılımına bakıldığında en sık pediatri polikliniğinden gelen örneklerde izole edilmiştir. Ayaktan tedavi gören hastaların en sık idrar örneğinde izole edilmiştir. En etkili antibiyotiklerin ayaktan hastalarda amikasin, piperazin-tazobaktam, imipenem ve meropenem, yatarak tedavi gören hastalarda aminoglikozid ve karbapenem olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Yıllara göre yatan hastalarda seftazidim, piperasilin-tazobaktam, gentamisin ve amikasin duyarlılığında artış, ayaktan hastalarda piperasilin-tazobaktam ve siprofloksasin duyarlılığında ise azalma görülmüştür.Klinik sonuçların optimizasyonu için etkili antimikrobiyal tedavinin hızlı başlatılmasının gerekli olduğu göz önüne alındığında, her hastane duyarlılık oranlarını izlemelidir. Böylece ampirik antimikrobik seçimi ve uygun tedavinin belirlenmesi için bir kılavuz oluşturulmalıdırPseudomonas aeruginosa constitutes an important part of infections requiring health care services such as nosocomial pneumonia, circulatory infections, urinary infection and skin infections. The present study aimed to help in creating an antimicrobial usage policy by identifying the change of antimicrobial susceptibility of P.aeruginosa according to years. The antimicrobial susceptibility of P.aeruginosa strains isolated between 2010-2016 in our hospital, specimen types and demographic data of the patients were examined retrospectively. PASW Statistics 18 for Windows statistical pack age program was used to transfer and analyze the data. The relation ships among variables were analyzed with the chi-square test. Nine hundred seventy-five P.aeruginosa strains were isolated from 350 (35.9 %) female and 625 (64.1 %) male patients who were in the age range of 0 to 92 years and who were treated as in patients in our hospital between 2010-2016. The majority of the specimens (529, 54.3 %) belonged to the patients from the intensive care unit. P.aeruginosa was most frequently isolated in respiratory tract specimens of in patients. Of the out patients, 127 (33.1 %) were female and 257 (66.9 %) were male and they were aged between 0-95 years. Considering the distribution of the patients according to the outpatient clinics, P.aeruginosa was most frequently isolated in pediatrics. In respect to the out patients P.aeruginosa was most frequently isolated in urine. The most effective antimicrobials were determined to be aminoglycosides and carbapenems for the in patients while they were found to be amikacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem and meropenem for the out patients. In patients were showed increased sensitivity of ceftazidime, piperacillin-tazobactam, gentamicin and amikacin, for years and outpatients were decreased sensitivity of piperacillin-tazobactam and ciprofloxacin. Considering that the rapid initiation of effective antimicrobial treatment is necessary for the optimization of clinical outcome, each hospital should monitor their susceptibility rates. Thus, a guidelines hould be created for the selection of empirical antimicrobial therapy and determination of appropriate treatment

Delirium in patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the non-intensive stroke unit: Incidence and association between clinical features and inflammatory markers

Background Stroke patients with development of delirium have unfavorable outcomes, higher mortality, longer hospitalizations, and a greater degree of dependence after discharge. Studies suggest that delirium is associated with abnormal immunological responses and a resultant increase in inflammatory markers. Objective Our aim was to determine whether there is an entity relationship between delirium, inflammation and acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods Sixty AIS patients admitted to the hospital were consecutively recruited. Delirium was diagnosed with the clinical assessment according to the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) criteria. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum levels of Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), Interleukin 18 (IL-18), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), and Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) at admission. Results Eleven (18.3%) of 60 patients were diagnosed with delirium, and the majority (n=8, 72.7%) was the hypoactive type. Delirious and non-delirious patients had similar demographic and clinical features. Delirious patients had significantly higher lengths of hospital stay, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at admission and discharge compared to non-delirious patients. In addition, there was no significant statistical difference between delirious and non-delirious patients with AIS in respect of levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-18, BDNF and NSE. This study suggests that delirium is not scarce in patients with AIS admitted to the non-intensive stroke unit, and that delirium developing after AIS seems not to be associated with serum TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-18, BDNF and NSE but is associated with length of hospital stay and stroke severity

Learning platform for smoking cessation project: From begining to date

Although 35% of the adults in Turkey are current smokers, the number of trained physicians and smoking cessation (SC) clinics are not enough to meet the demand. Aim: This national project aimed to create the necessary infrastructure for providing SC therapy all-around the country and to train physicians in this topic. This project was run by Turkish Thoracic Society Tobacco Working Group and supported by a grant from Pfizer Foundation. Methods: For this purpose, an organization network including field training teams was planned. The training materials were prepared and standardized. A website of the project including a wide e-learning platform was created (www.sigarabirakmadaogrenmezemini.org). Results: Firstly, a central training program was planned. Forty volunteers from all regions of Turkey were participated to this program. Afterwards, field training programs were started to perform by these trainers. From the beginning field training sessions were performed in 11 cities with more than 300 participants. The project website was visited by 10.369 visitors and 518 participants completed e-training module since April 2011. Conclusion: The SÖZ project enabled a training ground that will last for years; a professional website and a trainer staff to generalize the program. Through this project, the integration of SC intervention in all health service steps will be provided, the number of SC clinics in Turkey will increase, and in future smoking rate will reduce in our country

Molecular Survey of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Aborted Fetuses of Sheep in the Iğdır Province of Türkiye

Toxoplasma gondii, an obligatory intracellular protozoan parasite, can infect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including livestock species. T. gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that affects both humans and other warm-blooded animals. The aim of this study was to detect T. gondii by using PCR in the brain tissues of 60 aborted sheep fetuses from the Iğdır Province in Türkiye. For this purpose, 60 brain tissue samples of sheep were collected within the lambing seasons of 2023 in Iğdır, Türkiye. The DNA extraction was performed using the PureLink™ Genomic DNA Mini Kit from brain samples. The PCR was performed with the appropriate primers from the obtained DNA samples. T. gondii was found in the brain (16.6%) samples of aborted sheep fetuses. According to the present study, T. gondii infection can be one of the causes of fetus abortion of sheep in Iğdır province, Türkiye. This result emphasizes the need for vigilance and preventive measures in managing this potential public and animal health concerns