City and Regional Planning Undergraduate Students Attitudes Towards Learning Outcomes

The purpose of undergraduate education is to train cumulative and questioning individuals. Through this basic understanding, each discipline-oriented curriculum is shaped for the agenda and the outlook. The Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP) is a department covering some four years of education which is under the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture in some universities and some in Architecture. Students who graduate from CRP can work in the public or private sector and in local administrations as city and regional planners.Although the CRP Department is a discipline affiliated with Institute of Science in Turkey, it offers a theoretical-conceptual framework in many different contexts including geographical, demographic, sociological, economic, political, legal and historical contexts. The CRP Department aims to learn how a undergraduate student can analyze the relationship between human- society-space trilogy and historical context and process-institutional structure-application dimensions. For this reason, CRP undergraduate education contributes to the transformation of the spatial structure in different geographical regions together with the social structure changing from the early ages.Today, 22 universities in Turkey are trained in CRP department. For the 2017-2018 education period, 1237 student were placed in CRP departments and 4% (52 people) of these students were placed in CRP department of Necmettin Erbakan University (NEU) (OK, 2017). Necmettin Erbakan University CRP Department started its undergraduate education in the 2014-2015 Education Year. The department will award first undergraduate graduates in Spring 2018. The aim of this study is to analyze the evaluations of undergraduate students studying in the City and Regional Planning Department of the Engineering and Architecture Faculty in the context of the program outputs. In this context, the quality of education is to make inferences that can contribute to the process of restructuring the educational curriculum in the direction of continuous innovation principle. Questionnaire was used as a means of collecting information in the survey. Statistical evaluation of data; SPSS 21.0 program, Frequency Analysis, Independent Samples Test and One Way Variance Analysis. The results show that undergraduate students are not related to their age, gender, and perceptions of their learning outcomes. Statistical evaluation of the data was done by using Frequency Analysis, Independent Samples Test and One Way Variance Analysis using SPSS 21.0 program. Maps were exported from the database created in the SPSS program with “.xls” extension and transferred to ArcGis program. As a result, it was found that there was no relation between age, gender, class characteristics and perceptions of learning outcomes of undergraduate students. Keywords: City and Regional Planning Department, Undergraduate Education, Learning Outcome

Identifying the Usage of Information Technologies and Literacy Levels

AbstractIn parallel with the rapid developments in informatics and technology, the qualities that are expected from an individual have also changed. Today, utilizing the available technologies to get the information changing and growing constantly is not a privilege but a must. The individuals are required to know how to access to information, how to utilize it for their needs and to keep up with the developing technology. This study aims to define the two-way relationship between the information technologies literacy levels and the levels of information technologies usage based on the data obtained from 200 undergraduate students studying at Trakya University

Short Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics: Prediction of Stiffness in Injection Molded PS-PPO Blends

The prediction of stiffness in short fiber reinforced thermoplastics is stud ied as a function of fiber length using injection molded blends of PS and PPO. The theoret ical models for predicting composite stiffness are reviewed. The results are first compared with the theoretical models advanced for uniaxially aligned composites. These models predict higher than experimental values. However, agreement between the predictions and experimental values improves when the effect of fiber orientation distribution in the injec tion molded samples is taken into account and as the ductility (or the PPO content) of the matrix increases. Cox's model when used with the "laminate analogy" gives the closest prediction to the experimental stiffness. Reinforcement efficiency factor for stiffness is a strong function of retained fiber lengths. The dependence of composite stiffness on the matrix ductility and the effects of compatibility on the mechanical properties of PS-PPO blend system are also discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68613/2/10.1177_089270579100400205.pd

Dual role of interleukin‐10 in the regulation of respiratory syncitial virus ( RSV )‐induced lung inflammation

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97500/1/cei12059.pd

Opposing Roles of Membrane and Soluble Forms of the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products in Primary Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common respiratory pathogen in infants and the older population, causes pulmonary inflammation and airway occlusion that leads to impairment of lung function. Here, we have established a role for receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in RSV infection. RAGE-deficient (ager−/−) mice were protected from RSV-induced weight loss and inflammation. This protection correlated with an early increase in type I interferons, later decreases in proinflammatory cytokines, and a reduction in viral load. To assess the contribution of soluble RAGE (sRAGE) to RSV-induced disease, wild-type and ager−/− mice were given doses of sRAGE following RSV infection. Of interest, sRAGE treatment prevented RSV-induced weight loss and neutrophilic inflammation to a degree similar to that observed in ager−/− mice. Our work further elucidates the roles of RAGE in the pathogenesis of respiratory infections and highlights the opposing roles of membrane and sRAGE in modulating the host response to RSV infection

Hyperresponsiveness to inhaled but not intravenous methacholine during acute respiratory syncytial virus infection in mice

BACKGROUND: To characterise the acute physiological and inflammatory changes induced by low-dose RSV infection in mice. METHODS: BALB/c mice were infected as adults (8 wk) or weanlings (3 wk) with 1 × 10(5 )pfu of RSV A2 or vehicle (intranasal, 30 μl). Inflammation, cytokines and inflammatory markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and airway and tissue responses to inhaled methacholine (MCh; 0.001 – 30 mg/ml) were measured 5, 7, 10 and 21 days post infection. Responsiveness to iv MCh (6 – 96 μg/min/kg) in vivo and to electrical field stimulation (EFS) and MCh in vitro were measured at 7 d. Epithelial permeability was measured by Evans Blue dye leakage into BALF at 7 d. Respiratory mechanics were measured using low frequency forced oscillation in tracheostomised and ventilated (450 bpm, flexiVent) mice. Low frequency impedance spectra were calculated (0.5 – 20 Hz) and a model, consisting of an airway compartment [airway resistance (Raw) and inertance (Iaw)] and a constant-phase tissue compartment [coefficients of tissue damping (G) and elastance (H)] was fitted to the data. RESULTS: Inflammation in adult mouse BALF peaked at 7 d (RSV 15.6 (4.7 SE) vs. control 3.7 (0.7) × 10(4 )cells/ml; p < 0.001), resolving by 21 d, with no increase in weanlings at any timepoint. RSV-infected mice were hyperresponsive to aerosolised MCh at 5 and 7 d (PC(200 )Raw adults: RSV 0.02 (0.005) vs. control 1.1 (0.41) mg/ml; p = 0.003) (PC(200 )Raw weanlings: RSV 0.19 (0.12) vs. control 10.2 (6.0) mg/ml MCh; p = 0.001). Increased responsiveness to aerosolised MCh was matched by elevated levels of cysLT at 5 d and elevated VEGF and PGE(2 )at 7 d in BALF from both adult and weanling mice. Responsiveness was not increased in response to iv MCh in vivo or EFS or MCh challenge in vitro. Increased epithelial permeability was not detected at 7 d. CONCLUSION: Infection with 1 × 10(5 )pfu RSV induced extreme hyperresponsiveness to aerosolised MCh during the acute phase of infection in adult and weanling mice. The route-specificity of hyperresponsiveness suggests that epithelial mechanisms were important in determining the physiological effects. Inflammatory changes were dissociated from physiological changes, particularly in weanling mice

Interleukin-12p40 Modulates Human Metapneumovirus-Induced Pulmonary Disease in an Acute Mouse Model of Infection

The mechanisms that regulate the host immune response induced by human metapneumovirus (hMPV), a newly-recognized member of the Paramyxoviridae family, are largely unknown. Cytokines play an important role in modulating inflammatory responses during viral infections. IL-12p40, a known important mediator in limiting lung inflammation, is induced by hMPV and its production is sustained after the resolution phase of infection suggesting that this cytokine plays a role in the immune response against hMPV. In this work, we demonstrated that in mice deficient in IL-12p40, hMPV infection induced an exacerbated pulmonary inflammatory response and mucus production, altered cytokine response, and decreased lung function. However, hMPV infection in these mice does not have an effect on viral replication. These results identify an important regulatory role of IL-12p40 in hMPV infection

Immunoprotectivity of HLA-A2 CTL Peptides Derived from Respiratory Syncytial Virus Fusion Protein in HLA-A2 Transgenic Mouse

Identification of HLA-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes is important to study RSV-induced immunity and illness. We algorithmically analyzed the sequence of the fusion protein (F) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and generated synthetic peptides that can potentially bind to HLA-A*0201. Four out of the twenty-five 9-mer peptides tested: peptides 3 (F33–41), 13 (F214–222), 14 (F273–281), and 23 (F559–567), were found to bind to HLA-A*0201 with moderate to high affinity and were capable of inducing IFN-γ and IL-2 secretion in lymphocytes from HLA-A*0201 transgenic (HLA-Tg) mice pre-immunized with RSV or recombinant adenovirus expressing RSV F. HLA-Tg mice were immunized with these four peptides and were found to induce both Th1 and CD8+ T cell responses in in vitro secondary recall. Effector responses induced by these peptides were observed to confer differential protection against live RSV challenge. These peptides also caused better recovery of body weight loss induced by RSV. A significant reduction of lung viral load was observed in mice immunized with peptide 23, which appeared to enhance the levels of inflammatory chemokines (CCL17, CCL22, and IL-18) but did not increase eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. Whereas, significant reduction of infiltrated eosinophils induced by RSV infection was found in mice pre-immunized with peptide 13. Our results suggest that HLA-A2-restricted epitopes of RSV F protein could be useful for the development of epitope-based RSV vaccine

Short Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics.

The PS-PPO blend system was studied systematically as a "model" matrix system to provide some underst and ing of special problems associated with SFRTP's. Mechanical properties and failure behavior of short fiber composites are complicated by the non-uniformity of the fiber length, distribution of the fiber orientation and fiber end configuration. One of the objectives of this study was to explore the simplest predictive theories for composite stiffness and strength in injection molded SFRTP materials which would be easy to use and would be accurate over a wide range of materials. The intention of this study was also to try to underst and the predicted dependence of stiffness and strength on fiber length for SFRTP's. The effects of matrix ductility on the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of SFRTP's were investigated by controling the matrix ductility via composition in PS-PPO system. In addition to matrix ductility, consideration was given to the following parameters: fiber length distribution (FLD), fiber orientation distribution (FOD), fiber volume fraction, aspect ratio, and fiber end configuration to underst and the role they play on the mechanical properties, efficiency of reinforcement, and failure mechanisms of SFRTP's. Sub-surface analysis by transmission optical microscopy under polarized light was utilized along with fracture surface analysis and found to be a useful technique in determining the detailed microdeformation mechanisms of both matrix and short fiber reinforced systems. Fiber reinforcement efficiency in terms of both stiffness and strength was found to be strongly dependent on the fiber length and fiber volume fraction. Proposed failure mechanisms of SFRTP's were classified into three different modes with respect to the matrix ductility: (i) ductile matrix, (ii) brittle matrix, and (iii) transition between ductile and brittle matrix. Final failure mechanisms of SFRTP's were found to be very much dependent not only on the matrix ductility but also on the fiber length, fiber volume fraction and fiber end configuration. The macroscopic failure occurred due to the inability of the material to carry the load in a critical zone. The detailed microdeformation mechanisms and the size of this zone varied as the parameters involved in a specific composite changed. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)Ph.D.Materials scienceUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/161732/1/8801430.pd