Negotiations of national and transnational belonging among American Muslims: community, identity and polity

This dissertation explores two inter-related questions: a) how US born Muslim Americans (converts, second generation and African American individuals) negotiate national and transnational belonging in the post- 9/11 context and b) how competing discursive practices around the concept of umma (transnational Muslim community) influence the way in which American Muslims negotiate an American-Muslim identity. The research presented in the dissertation is based on in-depth interviews and ethnographic fieldwork conducted in six ethno-racially and socio-economically diverse American Muslim communities in Boston and San Francisco Bay Area, including mosque communities, educational institutions and third-space organizations. By contrast to work focused on organized political movements, the interviews in this research focused on the way in which ordinary American Muslims give meaning to their identity as Muslims through everyday discursive practices and quotidian understandings of community, belonging, and identity. The 22 months-long data collection reveals that rather than primarily through saliently foreign policy related or “ideological” considerations, American Muslims negotiate transnational and national belonging through i) simultaneous considerations of inclusion and exclusion in the wider American religious landscape, ii) citizenship practices that respond to voices that seek to marginalize American Muslims, and iii) through the medium of cultural belonging and identity. The discourse analysis and ethnographic fieldwork suggests that American Muslims primarily utilize cultural notions of belonging an identity rather than political considerations relating to national or international developments in giving meaning to their dual identity. The dissertation also notes some differences across and within research sites in Boston, San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. American Muslims imagine themselves a particular micro-community with particular needs, priorities, and cultural outlook that is different from other Muslim populations, in both Muslim majority and minority contexts. On the other hand a hybrid set of factors, not simple political considerations, shape American Muslims’ understanding of transnational Muslim identity. This is also reflected in their internal debates about questions of inclusion and exclusion (gender- based or racial), and whether unity requires uniformity regarding contentious domestic and international developments.2018-02-01T00:00:00

Seroepidemiological and Clinicopathological Investigation of Canine Coronavirus Infection in Dogs, in Türkiye

Domestic and wild dogs of all ages and breeds are susceptible to Canine Coronavirus (CCoV) infections and be seen in Türkiye and amongst world. CCoV has recently been declared a zoonotic disease agent and the eighth pathogenic human coronavirus. This study was conducted on 143 naturally infected dogs with gastroenteritis which were not vaccinated against CCoV in Türkiye in 2015-2020. The data of dogs were analyzed seroepidemiologically, clinicopathologically and statistically. CCOV antibodies in serum and CCOV antigens in stool were detected by ELISA and lateral immunochromatography. The rising CCoV IgG antibody titers were detected at all dogs and were as follows; 64 ng/L in 81 (81%) dogs. CCOV and Canine Parvovirus (CPV) antigen were detected together in the stool of the 41 (28.7%) dogs. As a result, it was concluded that the CCOV agent is in circulation among dogs living in Türkiye. CCOV and CPV can cause co-infections and increased mortality. Although infection can be seen in dogs of all ages, it can be seen more frequently in dogs younger than 1 year of age, and especially in dogs younger than 6 months, and can cause enteritis, low hemoglobin, erythropenia, lymphopenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hypoproteinemia

Locomotor differences in Mongolian gerbils with the effects of midazolam administration in the form of eye drops

Background: Midazolam is a sedative-hypnotic agent with amnestic and anticonvulsant properties that can be administrated to mammals through various routes, such as intravenous, intramuscular, oral, intrathecal, rectal, and buccal. Midazolam administration in the form of eye drops through the conjunctiva is not reported in the literature. Aim:This study aims to demonstrate the possible central nervous system effects of midazolam administration as eyes drops in Mongolian gerbils. Materials and Methods: Fourteen gerbils were randomly assigned to one of two equal sized groups. The active arm received 2 ml of 10 mg midazolam as eye drops in both eyes. Control group received a total of 2 ml of physiological saline(0.9% NaCl). We subjected the gerbils to an adapted “Open Field” to determine the possible effects on central nervous system of midazolam. Gerbils were allowed to move freely in the open field. Before and after the drug administration, locomotor activities of each gerbil have been recorded. Frequency of loss of righting reflex was quantified. Results: Conjunctival Midazolam administration resulted with the transient loss of righting reflex (p=0.017) and suppressed exploration motion (p=0.018) in the open field test compared to control subjects. Conclusions: In the present study, administration of conjunctival midazolam as an eye drop may affect gerbil’s locomotor activities and open field behaviors. We argue that, using a sedative and anticonvulsive drug such as midazolam via conjunctival route may be useful in some clinical situations. Therefore, it could be beneficial to develop a new conjunctival formulation of midazolam. Also, there is a need for trials in humans with pharmacokinetic studies.Keywords: Righting reflex; Conjunctival Midazolam; Gerbillinae; Midazolam; Eye drop; New administration routeAfrican Health sciences Vol 14 No. 1 March 201

A game theoretical modeling and simulation framework for the integration of unmanned aircraft systems in to the national airspace

The focus of this paper is to present a game theoretical modeling and simulation frame- work for the integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace system (NAS). The problem of predicting the outcome of complex scenarios, where UAS and manned air vehicles co-exist, is the research problem of this work. The fundamental gap in the literature in terms of developing models for UAS integration into NAS is that the models of interaction between manned and unmanned vehicles are insufficient. These models are insufficient because a) they assume that human behavior is known a priori and b) they disregard human reaction and decision making process. The contribution of this paper is proposing a realistic modeling and simulation framework that will fill this gap in the literature. The foundations of the proposed modeling method is formed by game theory, which analyzes strategic decision making between intelligent agents, bounded rationality concept, which is based on the fact that humans cannot always make perfect decisions, and reinforcement learning, which is shown to be effective in human behavior in psychology literature. These concepts are used to develop a simulator which can be used to obtain the outcomes of scenarios consisting of UAS, manned vehicles, automation and their interactions. An analysis of the UAS integration is done with a specifically designed scenario for this paper. In the scenario, a UAS equipped with sense and avoid algorithm, moves along a predefined trajectory in a crowded airspace. Then the effect of various system parameters on the safety and performance of the overall system is investigated. © 2016, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. All rights reserved

MEAN PLATELET VOLUME AND RED CELL DISTRIBUTION WIDTH IN HEPATOSTEATOSIS

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) effects about 30% of the population in developed regions of the and is considered hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Studies in literature found association between hepatosteatosis and mean platelet volume (MPV), an indicator of platelet function. Furthermore, authors suggest thatred cell distribution width (RDW) should be an inflammatory marker in certain conditions.  Objective: We aimed in this study to compare RDW and MPV values of the patients with hepatosteatosis to normal population. Methods: Fifty-three patients with NAFLD admitted to our clinic and 52 healthy controls enrolled to this retrospective study. White blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet count (PLT) and mean platelet volume (MPV) values of the obtained and assessed. Results: We found that, RDW and MPV values were significantly elevated in patients with hepatosteatosis compared to control subjects. Conclusion: We think that beside MPV, RDW should also be an indicator of hepatosteatosis. More prospective studies with larger cohort are needed to confirm our results

Phylogenetic, clinical, pathological and epidemiological characterization of feline coronavirus infections in cats, in Istanbul

IntroductionFeline coronavirus (FCoV) is a widespread viral infection affecting domestic and wild cats globally, with higher prevalence in young cats and multi-cat environments.MethodsIn this study, a total of 208 clinical samples (blood, fecal, ascitic fluid, pleural fluid, tissue) were collected between January 2018 and January 2020 from diseased cats. Clinical and demographic data were recorded, and hematobiochemical and molecular detection analyses were performed.ResultsA total of 189 blood samples (90.9%) were found seropositive for FCoV, while 79 fecal samples (38%) were found positive for FCoV RNA by real-time RT-qPCR. No significant association was found between FCoV-RNA positivity and age or gender, while a significant association was found with crossbreed cats (p < 0.05). Notable clinical signs included weight loss (47%), dullness (44%), respiratory distress (16%), vomiting (13%), ascites (13%), epileptic fits (13%), diarrhea (6%), and fever (5%). Fever, depression, diarrhea, and ascites were significantly more common in PCR-positive cats than in PCR-negative cats (p < 0.05). The relationship between FCoV-RNA positivity and hematobiochemical indices was variable. Elevated monocyte and neutrophil levels were observed in 51 and 29% of cases, respectively. Additionally, elevated ALT activity and bilirubinemia were detected in 19 and 28% of cats, respectively. Partial S gene nucleotide analysis showed a deletion of multiple nucleotides in all sequences obtained in the present study. Interestingly, these deletions were absent in all reference strains belonging to FCoV type 2. Among 68 FCoV strains, 42 formed a separate cluster with the reference strain (AY307020) during phylogenetic analysis. This cluster was further divided into several small sub-clusters. Several unique recombinant events and recombination signals were observed among partial S1 gene sequences. Notable histopathological findings included fibrinous serositis and pyogranulomatous inflammation in vital organs.DiscussionThis study provides comprehensive information on FCoV infections among cats in Turkey. The findings could significantly contribute to understanding the hematobiochemical manifestations, epidemiology, and risk factors associated with FCoV, ultimately aiding in the development of better prevention and treatment strategies. A continuous molecular surveillance program is required to understand the evolution and emergence of virulent strains of FCoV to design new antiviral therapies and vaccines

Numerical investigation of heat transfer on the building insulation materials with successive layers of polystyrene various inert gases

Savings from heating and cooling energy use while not compromising indoor comfort condition is essential to reduce the energy costs on buildings. In order to accomplish this goal, an alternative is to search for a new insulation material that is an effective insulator and inexpensive at the same time. In the present work, various insulation materials created with successive layers of polystyrene and either of the following inert gases; carbon dioxide, argon, nitrogen, or air were investigated. Radiation effect on the polystyrene surfaces was included. Based on 1.0cm of gas layer size, R-value (thermal resistance) of carbon dioxide exceeded R-value for argon, nitrogen, or air. This result identified the carbon dioxide as a potential medium to be used inside insulation materials. Insulation effectiveness of carbon dioxide relative to single polystyrene without any radiation effect was calculated for gas layer sizes of 1.0cm, 0.86cm, and 0.6cm on 3cm-thick insulation material, and it was, respectively, 31.8%, 28.6%, and 22.0%. Radiation effect on the polystyrene surfaces needs to be kept at minimum for a better insulation. An insulation material with carbon dioxide layered structure is expected to pay off its implementation cost in regard to energy savings in a reasonable amount of time (2.39yr). Argon was the next alternative to carbon dioxide gas

THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF THE POLYMETHYLMETHACRYLATE (PMMA) CORE OPTICAL FIBER FOR USE IN HYBRID SOLAR LIGHTING

ABSTRACT This work is part of a team effort to develop a hybrid solar lighting (HSL) system that transports day light from a paraboloidal dish concentrator to a luminaire via a large core polymer fiber optic. For example, the luminaire can be a device to distribute sunlight into a space or it can be a device that is a combination of day lighting and florescent lighting. In this project, the sunlight is collected using a one-meter paraboloidal concentrator dish with two-axis tracking. The secondary mirror consists of eight planar-segmented mirrors that direct the visible part of the spectrum to eight fibers (receiver) and subsequently to eight luminaires. This results in about 8,200 lumens incident at each fiber tip. This paper is concerned with predicting the radial and axial temperature distribution in the entrance region of the fiber in light transmission. Thermal management is especially important because when PMA-core optical fibers are used in light transmitting systems, the core of the optical fiber is prone to thermal degradation due to the heating effect of the infrared spectrum. Thermal degradation of the fiber core can cause fiber aging, reduce the life-time of the fiber from years to months, increase the attenuation in the short visible region (in the 400 ~ 470 nm) and can soften the PMA core making it susceptable to damage. In order to ensure the thermal degradation free operation of plastic optical fibers, an economical and viable solution has to be found. The solution should keep the light loss at minimum at the expense of its implementation. Several filtering techniques have been investigated to minimize the effect of IR portion of the solar spectrum at the fiber entrance tip surface as well as the wholespectrum absorption of solar energy inside the fiber. According to the analysis results, the use of fused quartz glass attachment was proven to be cheaper, more cost effective and feasible among other proposed solutions. Depending on the mirror/filter specifications, the first 8 mm of the fiber was found to be critical based on 5 m/s air speed across the lateral surface of fiber. Modes of heat transfer taken into account included thermal conduction, convection and radiation on the first 5 cm of the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) core and Teflon-FEP cladding fiber. A case-basis comparison was made with the experimental result

Seroepidemiological and Clinicopathological Study of Feline Coronavirus (FCoV) and Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Could Guide to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in ‘One Health’ Approach

Feline coronavirus 176 seropositive cats were examined in 2014-2019. Seroepidemiological, serological, clinical, haematological and biochemical data were analysed with IBM-SPSS Statistics. Clinicopathological signs were typical with enteric form in 125 cats (71%) and FIPV in 51 cats (29%). Fever, depression, dullness, weight loss, vomitus, growth retardation, diarrhoea, ocular and neurological symptoms were findings. 40 cats (23%) were died, 17 had pleural effusion, 19 had ascites, and 16 Rivalta tests were positive. Post-mortem FIP confirmation was at 8 cats. Of the FCoV seropositive cats, 22 (12.5%) had FIV antibodies, 7 (3.9%) were positive for FLV antigens, 2 (1.1%) were positive for FCoV, FIV and FLV, and 2 (1.1%) were FmopV RNA positive. FCoV, canine enteric CoV, human CoV-229E and CoV-NL63 belong to Alphacoronavirus, and canine respiratory CoV, Human CoV-OC43, CoV-HKU1, SARS, MERS and COVID-19 belong to Betacoronavirus genus, originated from bat gene pool and is of animal origin cause zoonotic infections. Covid-19 pathogenesis is not fully understood and data‘s focused on case fatality rates. Covid-19 was reported as anthropozoonosis infecting cats, dogs, tigers and lions. The panthropism risk should be investigated. In particular, the clinicopathology and treatment modalities of feline coronavirus and COVID-19 infections are having similarities such as GS-441524 as the main metabolite of remdesivir prodrug and dexamethazone responses, and both can cause resident and persistent infections in many organs, including the eyes and brain, of varying severity. The obtained data have been evaluated in the 'One Health' approach to better understand the aetiology, pathogenesis and clinicopathology of coronavirus infections, and presenting valuable findings to help the control of COVID-19 epidemic. Veterinary medicine will help to multidisciplinary collaboration to develop effective vaccines and drugs with many years of coronavirus experiences.</jats:p