Bin weather data for Turkey

One of the well-known and simple steady-state methods used to predict heating and cooling energy consumption of buildings is the bin method that requires reliable and detailed bin data. In this study, the bin data for Turkey are determined by using long-term measured data. The bin data for dry-bulb temperature from -36 °C to 45 °C with 3 °C increments are calculated in six daily 4-h shifts for 78 provinces of Turkey. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Highly conducting lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophases of pluronics (P65, P85, P103, and P123) and hydrated lithium salts (LiCl and LiNO 3)

Demand for ionically conducting materials, as membranes and electrodes, is one of the driving forces of current research in chemistry, physics, and engineering. The lithium ion is a key element of these materials, and its assembly into nanostructures and mesophases is important for the membrane and electrode technologies. In this investigation, we show that hydrated lithium salts (such as LiCl·xH2O and LiNO3·xH 2O, x is as low as 1.5 and 3.0, respectively) and pluronics (triblock copolymer such as PX where X is 65, 85, 103, and 123) form lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophases (LLCM), denoted as LiY·xH2O-PX-n (Y is Cl- or NO3-, and n is the salt/PX mole ratio). The structure of the mesophase is hexagonal over a broad salt concentration and transforms to a cubic mesophase and then to disordered gel phase with an increasing salt content of the mixtures. The mesophases are unstable at low salt contents and undergo a phase separation into pure pluronics and salt-rich LLCMs. The salt content of the ordered mesophase can be as high as 30 mole ratio for each pluronic, which is a record high for any known salted phases. The mesophases also display high ac ionic conductivities, reaching up to 21 mS/cm at room temperature (RT), and are sensitive to the water content. These mesophases can be useful as ion-conducting membranes and can be used as media for the synthesis of lithium-containing nanoporous materials. © 2014 American Chemical Society

A study of maternal attachment among mothers of infants with congenital anomalies in Turkey

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that affect maternal attachment among mothers whose infants were born with congenital anomalies. A questionnaire was used to collect individual sociodemographic data, and the Maternal Attachment Inventory was used to collect information about the emotional attachment of mothers to infants with congenital anomalies. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed at Ege University Childrens Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. The study sample comprised 70 mothers with infants ranging from 1 to 8 months of age with congenital anomalies. We found a meaningful statistical difference between the Maternal Attachment Inventory point averages of mothers with infants with congenital anomalies and no chance for a cure and the economic conditions of mothers, and we also found correlations with problems during the pregnancy (P .05). This study demonstrated that maternal attachment is lower in mothers with infants who have congenital anomalies that cannot be cured. Given that mothers of infants with congenital anomalies that cannot be cured have the highest risk for maternal detachment, nurses should plan treatment carefully. Copyright © 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

The place and the efficacy of infectious disease consultations in the hospitals

Our study aims to determine the efficacy of infectious disease consultations and the interrelations between doctors in this social laboratory. This study was conducted at 34 centers located in 22 cities across Turkey and contributed by 210 infectious disease specialists (IDSs) and 970 non-infectious disease specialists (NIDSs), totaling 1180 medical doctors. Infectious disease specialists and NIDSs have separately contributed by responding to questionnaires designed specifically for the consultation process. It appears that a satisfactory collaboration has been established between IDSs and NIDSs during the consultation practices. There are some discrepancies in the perceptions of some of the NIDSs. These are the evaluation of patients holistically, the expectation of NIDSs in critical infection cases to start the therapy immediately, losing the support of drug companies by NIDSs, and the restriction of NIDSs in routine medical practice. On the other hand, NIDSs seem to have real problems in the diagnosis or treatment of infectious diseases. The consultation service provided by the IDSs in Turkey is widely accepted among other clinicians and appears to be of a crucial importance. Copyright © 2012 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins