PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS CONCERNING THE MULTIFUNCTIONALITY OF AGRICULTURE IN THEIR MIND MAPS

This study aimed at revealing the preservice teachers’ mental images about the concept of agriculture and the functions of agriculture contains through mind maps. The images of a total of 60 Mind Maps were obtained by drawing technique. Mind maps were examined by content analysis in MAXQDA© qualitative data analysis program. As a result of analyses performed by utilizing the agricultural literacy themes, it appeared that the images examined in mind maps were under eight main themes viz ecology, food safety and health, food processing, food production and energy, marketing and distribution, culture, geography and climate, economy and politics, science, technology and engineering. While it was seen that descriptions concerning the food areas and ecology theme were at a level that could be regarded as important, preservice teachers did not produce enough images on economy and marketing network issues.    Article visualizations

Analysis of tourist opinions about the tourism activities in Ihlara Valley and the protection of the areaIhlara Vadisi’ndeki turizm faaliyetlerine ve alanın korunmasına ilişkin turist görüşlerinin analizi

In the present study, the purpose is to evaluate the opinions of tourists visiting Ihlara Valley located in Cappadocia region about tourism activities in the area. Within the context of the study, a survey study was conducted with 538 domestic and foreign tourists. The collected data were interpreted by calculating their frequencies, standard deviations and mean values. For the participants to be compared according to gender, age and educational status variables, multi-variable variance analysis (MANOVA) was conducted. According to the results, the attitude level of the tourists towards the current state of tourism was found to be moderate and their attitude towards suggestions made to improve tourism activities and protect cultural landscape values was found to be quite high. In addition to this, while no significant difference among the attitudes of the participants was found based on gender variable, significant differences were found depending on age and educational status variables. ÖzetBu çalışmada, Kapadokya Bölgesi  içinde yer alan Ihlara Vadisi’ni ziyaret eden turistlerin, alandaki turizm faaliyetlerine ilişkin görüşlerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında turistler ile anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında yapılan ankete, toplam 583 yerli ve yabancı turist katılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler betimsel istatistikler kapsamında frekans, standart sapma ve ortalama değerleri verilerek yorumlanmıştır. Turistlerin cinsiyet, yaş, eğitim durumu değişkenlerine göre karşılaştırmalar için çok değişkenli varyans analizi (MANOVA) kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlara göre; turistlerin, alandaki turizmin mevcut durumuna ilişkin tutum düzeyleri orta düzeyde, alandaki turizm faaliyetlerinin geliştirilmesi ve kültürel peyzaj değerlerinin korunmasına ilişkin öneriler konusundaki tutumları ise yüksek düzeyde bulunmuştur. Bunun yanında,  turistlerin tutumları açısından cinsiyet değişkenine göre anlamlı farklılık bulunmazken, yaş grupları ve eğitim durumu değişkenlerine göre anlamlı farklılık görülmüştür

Is Rural Out Migration Constructive for Sustainable Development? A Case of Mountain Community of Kıbrıscık, Turkey

This paper investigates the relationship between environmental degradation and out migration in mountainous area of Kibriscik district, Bolu Province, Turkey. Primary data was collected through personal observations and in-depth interviews with residents of different age groups and representatives of civil society organizations. Furthermore, secondary data was collected from Turkish Directorate General of Forest, Turkish statistical Institute and District Agriculture Office, Kibriscik. Results revealed that population of the research area have decreased significantly in recent years due to lack of employment opportunities in the area. Out migration has proved beneficial in terms of environmental stability. On the other hand, decreased number of young people resulted in abundance of economically inactive older ones. As a result, serious decrease in livestock and agricultural activity is observed in the area. Similar situations in most of mountainous areas of Turkey has affected the country`s overall demand of dairy products

Serum Vitamin B12 Level of Children and Its Clinical Relationship with Febrile Seizures

Objective: In the present study, our aim was to investigate the correlation between vitamin B12 levels and febrile seizures (FS) in the pediatric population. Method: The study included a total of 104 patients, comprising 50 children who were admitted with FS and 54 healthy children who served as the control group. Demographic characteristics, seizure types, biochemical parameters (glucose, Na, K, Ca, Mg, P), infection markers (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin) and the serum levels of vitamin B12 in the patients were retrospectively examined by reviewing the records in the hospital database. Results: Demographic parameters were similar between groups. The median age of the children in the FS group was 21.6±11.6 months. The mean temperature of the patients measured by tympanic thermometer during the seizure was 38.3±0.29, 76% of the patients presented with simple FS, 22% with complex FS. In the etiology, upper respiratory tract infections was defined as the most common (72%) cause. The serum vitamin B12, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and platelet values of the febrile convulsion group were statistically lower than the control group. Conclusion: In the course of our research, we observed a significant decrease in vitamin B12 levels among the FS group compared to the control group. These findings suggest that low levels of vitamin B12 may contribute to an elevated risk of FS

Assessment of sustained effects of levosimendan and dobutamine on left ventricular systolic functions by using novel tissue Doppler derived indices in patients with advanced heart failure

Background: Previous studies comparing levosimendan vs. dobutamine have revealed that levosimendan is better in relieving symptoms. Echocardiographic studies have been done using second measurements immediately following a dobutamine infusion or while it was still being administered. The aim of our study was assessment of sustained effects of 24 h levosimendan and dobutamine infusions on left ventricular systolic functions. Methods: A total of 61 patients with acutely decompensated heart failure with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV symptoms were randomized to receive either levosimendan or dobutamine 2:1 in an open label fashion. Before and 5 days after the initiation of infusions, functional class was assessed, N-terminal prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), mitral inflow peak E and A wave velocity, and E/A ratios were measured; using tissue Doppler imaging, isovolumic myocardial acceleration (IVA), peak myocardial velocity during isovolumic contraction (IVV), peak systolic velocity during ejection period (Sa), early (E’) and late (A’) diastolic velocities, and E’/A’ and E/E’ ratios were measured. Results: The NYHA class improved in both groups, but improvements were prominent in the levosimendan group. NT-proBNP levels were significantly reduced in the levosimendan group. Improvements in LVEF and diastolic indices were significant in the levosimendan group. Tissue Doppler-derived systolic indices of IVV and IVA increased significantly in the levosimendan group. Conclusions: Improvements in left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions continue after a levosimendan infusion.

Evaluation of the sustainability of tourism in Ihlara valley and suggestions

WOS: 000359065200019Study area of the present study, Ihlara Valley is located within the borders of Cappadocia region in central Anatolia. With its physical structure and cultural landscape, Ihlara Valley is an important international tourist destination. In addition to this, the area is under national protection as a specially protected environment area. Churches carved on the rock walls of Ihlara Valley, caves and frescos are some of the cultural landscape values in the region. In the present study, the purpose is to evaluate the sustainability of tourism activities in Ihlara Valley and to develop suggestions for the area to have sustainable tourism. Whether the tourism activities in Ihlara Valley are sustainable or not was evaluated based on the sustainable tourism criteria proposed by Gebhard et al. (2008). These four main criteria include 18 sub-criteria and in the present study, 11 of these criteria were found to have low values, 6 of them have medium values and only 1 of them has a high value and particularly the values found for the sub-criteria involved in the main criterion of management and monitoring are low, which shows that the tourism activities in the region are not sustainable. In the second part of the study, suggestions were developed for tourism to be sustainable in Ihlara Valley by evaluating the protection status of the cultural landscape that is one of the important components of sustainable tourism, tourist satisfaction and development of the local community through analytic hierarchy process method

Conservation and sustainability of urban cultural heritage: The Ankara Hamamönü example

Historic urban spaces and buildings are essential in creating the identity of a city. This is why the conservation and sustainability of historic urban spaces and buildings contribute to the preservation of that city’s identity and development. Thus it is of great importance to conserve the cultural heritage of Ankara, which has grown from a small settlement at the founding of the Republic, into Turkey’s second mostpopulated metropolis since it was designated Capital. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the physical and social change that was the result of the conservation work conducted in Hamamönü, which is a part of Ankara’s urban cultural heritage

Rural and Alpine Gentrification Impact of Lifestyle Mobilities during COVID-19: The Yayla Experience at the Taurus Mountains in Turkey.

COVID-19 has had significant impacts on social and economic sectors worldwide. International travel and tourism are restricted as preventive measures to combat the disease. However, it is clearly visible that the mobility from urban to rural areas continues within the borders of the countries during the pandemic. Mobility to the countryside is named as lifestyle mobility. It varies significantly in motivations, frequency, push and pull factors, and duration of stay. It is also considered an essential agent of change that causes gentrification in rural vicinities regarding economic structure, real estate market, and sociocultural life. The recent spread of COVID-19 has also been deemed a vital push for urban-rural mobility. The present study is aimed to explore the gentrification of lifestyle mobilities in the Yaylas of the Taurus Mountains during the pandemic. A mixed-method approach using questionnaire and interview techniques was applied. Results revealed that the duration and frequency of seasonal mobility towards second homes in Turkey have changed with the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, it is found that the selected mountain areas confront the impacts of urbanization, increase in housing prices, and commercial occupation of land. The research concludes that such changes are augmented due to the increased mobility of urbanites belonging to the new middle class of Mersin and Adana metropolitan cities to rural areas to escape COVID-19. Due to the increase in lifestyle mobility, gentrification takes place in rural and mountainous areas, and accordingly, rural residents tend to move to the city. Keywords: lifestyle mobility, rural gentrification, Alpine gentrification, COVID-19, mountainous areas, Turke

Opinions of the tourists visiting Ihlara Valley about the participation of local people in tourism

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Ihlara Vadisi’ni ziyaret eden turistlerin bu bölgedeki yerel halkın turizm faaliyetlerine katılımına ilişkin görüşlerini değerlendirmektir. Ihlara Vadisi, Hasan Dağı volkanizması ile şekillenen fosil peyzajın Hıristiyanlığın ilk dönemlerinden itibaren oyularak barınma ve ibadet amaçlı kullanıldığı kültürel peyzaj değerleri bakımından zengin bir bölgedir. Bölge yılda yaklaşık 200.000 kişi tarafından ziyaret edilmekte ancak vadinin turistlere Kapadokya turlarının sadece birkaç saatlik kısmında sunulması sebebiyle yerel halk turizm faaliyetlerine katılamamaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında, 2011 yılı Nisan-Mayıs aylarında Ihlara Vadisi’ni ziyaret eden, 315 yerli 268 yabancı olmak üzere toplam 583 kişiye anket uygulanmıştır. Turistlerin görüşleri üzerinde etkili değişkenleri belirlemek amacıyla yerel halkın turizme katılımına ilişkin tutum düzeyleri, uyruk, cinsiyet, yaş grubu, eğitim düzeyi, medeni durum, meslek, gelir durumu, alanı ziyaretinin organizasyon tipi ve konaklama durumu bağımsız değişkenleri ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Karşılaştırmalarda, t testi ve tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonuçlarına göre; turistlerin yerel halkın turizme katılımına ilişkin tutumları olumlu düzeydedir ( =16.80/20.00). Bunun yanında, turistlerin tutumları uyruk (t=-.663; p>.05), yaş grubu (F=2.062; p>.05), eğitim düzeyi (F=1.539; p>.05), medeni durum (t=-.850; p>.05), meslek (F=.690; p>.05), gelir durumu (F=.974; p>.05), alanı ziyaretinin organizasyon tipi (F=2.112; p>.05) ve konaklama durumu (t=-.657; p>.05) bağımsız değişkenlerine göre anlamlı bir farklılık göstermemektedir. Cinsiyet değişkenine göre yapılan değerlendirmede ise, bayan turistlerin tutum puanları ( =17.09) erkek turistlerin puanlarından ( =16.49), bayan turistlerin lehine istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde yüksek bulunmuştur (t=-2.641; p.05), age group (F=2.062; p>.05), education level (F=1.539; p>.05), marital status (t=-.850; p>.05), occupation (F=.690; p>.05), income level (F=.974; p>.05), type of the organization for visit to the region (F=2.112; p>.05) and type of residence (t=-.657; p>.05). When the attitudes were evaluated in relation to gender variable, it was found that the female tourists’ attitude score is ( =17.09) and male tourists’ attitude score is ( =16.49), so there is a gender-based significant difference favoring the female participants (t=-2.641; p<.01). These results indicate that the tourists support local people’s participation in tourism activities and having some share from the tourism the female participants (t=-2.641; p<.01)