The Problem of Reference in Religious Language

The problem of reference, which is discussed in the framework of how singular terms refer and the conditions under which a successful reference is achieved in the philosophy of language, differs from the problem of the meaning of religious and metaphysical expressions in religious language. The issue of reference in religious language is discussed within the framework of which theory will explain the reference of religious and metaphysical expressions in general, especially which approach provides the reference of the term “God”, and whether the theory is consistent in terms of theism. The contribution of the theory to theological problems and practical religious life is an essential criterion in terms of which theory will be taken as the basis in the reference of the term “God”. In addition, some requirements have been developed for successful reference in religious language. According to accessibility, users of the term “God” should be easily able to efficiently apply the rules of successful reference required by theory. According to the scope, which is the second criterion, religious language users should be able to co-refer to the term “God”. Therefore, it can be said that the theory that provides wider co-reference in terms of religious language is successful. Regarding the literature, two theories come to the fore in religious language: the descriptive theory and the causal theory of reference. Applying the theories above to religious language, especially to the term “God”, is a highly controversial issue. It is possible to talk about these theories' philosophically consistent and inconsistent aspects, the possibilities they provide for the problem of reference, or the problems they cause. According to the descriptive theory, which claims that name refers to object with which compatible with the description, the term “God” is synonymous with the description of "the one and perfect creator of all that exists" and refers to through this description. It is possible to say that in the history of philosophy, philosophers have descriptively considered the term “God”. According to the causal theory of reference which claims that the referent is determined by the initial baptism and reaches subsequent users through the causal-historical chain, God is a rigid designator. If the causal theory of reference is taken as a basis in the reference of the term “God”, the name-referent relationship and how the connection between the causal-historical chain and the referent will be provided are the main points need to be explained. In this study, the causal theory of reference will be examined about the problem of reference in religious language. For this reason, the claims of Richard B. Miller who was the first to apply a causal reference to religious language, William P. Alston who developed the theory in religious language, Jerome I. Gellman who added new dimensions to the theory and made it more coherent for theism, and Meghan Sullivan who associates the theory with semantic hiddenness and adds a theological dimension will be discussed in our study. In addition, the consequences of the problem of reference to God on religious pluralism will be discussed. It is noteworthy that Miller, who applied the theory to the religious language for the first time, did not address the problem that the term's referent cannot be empirically determined. In addition, it is possible to say that Gellman, one of the philosophers who applied causal reference to the religious language, developed the theory, made it more suitable for religious language, and met the criticisms against it. Gellman's understanding of multiple causal references, which includes direct, indirect, and deferred aspects for successful reference, is important because it contains the possibility that God may be called eschatological in the future. While the inability to determine the term’s referent until Gellman guided the discussions on the problem of reference, the problematic aspects of the causal chain in terms of theism came to the fore with the concept of semantic vulnerability that Sullivan added to the literature. In addition, Sullivan differs from other thinkers who advocate causal reference with the problem of semantic hiddenness and the solution she proposes. With this solution, it’s possible to say that Sullivan added a theological link to her theory of causal reference. In addition, the most striking result of the causal reference theory is that it forms the basis for religious pluralism. While Miller and Alston support Hickian pluralism, Sullivan has a more complete understanding of pluralism compared to Hick. While the emergence of different religions in Hick's pluralism stems from the limitation of human perception, Sullivan explains different religions by revealing God himself in different ways

Molecular identification of some dermatophytes isolated from soil and man

Dermatofitler; keratin substratı parçalayabilen funguslardır. Keratin gibi güçlü bir materyalı istila edebilmeleri keratinolitik aktiviteleri sayesindedir. Microsporum, Trichophyton ve Epidermophyton genuslarını içeren bu funguslar hayvanlarda ve insanlarda deri infeksiyonlarına sebep olabilmektedir. Anthropofilik (insan), zoofilik (hayvan) ve geofilik (toprak) olmak üzere 3 ekolojik nişe ayrılırlar. Ülkemizde insan ve hayvanlardan dermatofit izolasyon çalışmalarına birçok örnek vardır. Ancak topraktaki dermatofit florasına dair çalışma azdır. Bu çalışmada topraktan ve insandan izole edilen dermatofitlerin moleküler tanısı ve enzim potansiyellerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında 50 toprak örneği alınmıştır. Toprak örnekleri saç tuzağı tekniği ile incelenmiştir. Deride kaşıntı, kızarıklık, tırnakta kalınlaşma ve renk değişikliği olan 20 gönüllüden sürüntü alınmıştır. Topraktan 41, insanlardan 7 adet olmak üzere 48 adet fungus izole edilmiştir. Bu funguslardan genomik DNA izolasyonu yapılmıştır. Tanılamada belirteç olarak ITS tercih edilmiştir. PCR ürünlerinin sekansları CLUSTALW, BLAST programlarıyla analiz edilmiştir. İzole edilen keratinofilik ve dermatofit genusları; Debaryomyces, Chrysosporium, Arthroderma, Galactomyces, Paecilomyces, Trichophyton, Microsporum, Aphanoascus, Geotrichum, Lecanicillium, Beauveria, Penicillium, Scedesporium, Purpureocillium, Uncinocarpus, Acremonium, Pseudallescheria'dır. Elde edilen fungusların % 23'ü dermatofittir. 48 izolattan; 7 adet Arthroderma fulvum, 2 adet Microsporum gypseum, 2 adet Trichophyton rubrum olmak üzere 11 adet dermatofit elde edilmiştir. Funguslardan 25 tanesi katı besiyerinde proteaz, lipaz, fosfolipaz, elastaz ve keratinaz üretimi açısından incelenmiştir. Fungusun büyüme çapı ve oluşturduğu zon çapı esas alınarak Pz değeri hesaplanmıştır. Dermatofitler yüksek fosfolipaz ve lipaz üretimi göstermişlerdir. B. bassiana ve P. lilacinus türleri yüksek elastaz ve keratinaz aktiviteleriyle dikkat çekmiştir.Dermatophytes are fungi which can break down the keratin substrate. Invasion of a strong material such as keratin is due to their keratinolytic activity. These fungi including genera Microsporum, Trichophyton and Epidermophyton can cause skin infections in animals and human. It is divided into three ecological niches such as antropophilic (human), zoophilic (animal) and geophilic (ground).In our country, there are many examples of dermatophytes isolation studies from human beings and animals. But there is relatively less studies on the flora of dermatophytes in soil. In this study, the molecular diagnosis and enzyme potential of dermatophytes isolated from soil and human were aimed. Fifty soil samples were collected for the purpose of this study. Soil samples were examined with hair trap technique. Swab was taken from 20 volunteers who have skin itching, redness, thickening and discoloration of the nail. A total of 48 fungi, 41 from soil and 7 from human, were isolated. Genomic DNA was isolated from these fungi. ITS has been preferred as a marker for identification. Sequences of the PCR products have been analyzed by ClustalW, BLAST programs. Isolated keratinophilic and dermatophytes genera were Debaryomyces, Chrysosporium, Arthroderma, Galactomyces, Paecilomyces, Trichophyton, Microsporum, Aphanoascus, Geotrichum, Lecanicillium, Beauveria, Penicillium, Scedesporium, Purpureocillium, Uncinocarpus, Acremonium, Pseudallescheria. Twenty three per cent of fungi obtained were dermatophyte. Eleven dermatophytes were obtained from 48 isolates of which 7 Arthroderma fulvum, 2 Microsporum gypseum and 2 Trichophyton rubrum. 25 of fungi were examined for production of protease, lipase, phospholipase, elastase and keratinase. Pz value was calculated based on the diameter of the zone formed and the growth diameter of fungus. Dermatophytes displayed high production of phospholipase and lipase. B. bassiana and P. lilacinus species drew attention with high elastase and keratinase activities

The Relationship Between Performance Management Practices and Organizational Deviations in Schools

The purpose of this research is to describe how and in which way teachers' behaviors are affected in the organisational context with performance management practices. The sample of the research consists of 350 administrators and teachers working in the schools located in the city of Siirt in 2017-2018 academic year. The study is an example of the descriptive relational screening model. The data of the research were obtained by using "Teacher / Manager Performance Management Rating Scale and "Organizational Deviation Scale" in Public and Private Primary Education Schools" . The obtained data were converted into data sets with statistical program and appropriate analysis procedures were applied and interpreted after being tabulated. According to the results obtained from the research, it was found that there is a significant difference in the overall dimension and organizational dimension of the performance management practices, and in the overall dimension of the performance management practices according to the independent variable of school type. It can also be stated that there is a negative and moderately significant relationship between the performance management practices and the organizational deviation in the schools and that as the performances of the administrators and teachers in the schools increase, the level of organizational deviation behavior may decrease

ALCAM (Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule)

ALCAM (Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule), also known as CD166 (cluster of differentiation 166), is a member of a subfamily of immunoglobulin receptors with five immunoglobulin-like domains (VVC2C2C2) in the extracellular domain

A Quantitative Approach to Methods Used in Translated Children’s Literature during the Translation of Environment-based Cultural Words from the Early Republican Period to the Present

Based upon Descriptive Translation Studies, the primary purpose of this study is to define the diachronic distribution of translation methods formulated in the intercultural transfer of environment/nature information as a culture-bound element through quantitative data and to constitute a pioneering map of methods in terms of translation of cultural elements within the scope of children’s literature. The database of the study is composed of 10 English children’s literature classics with the themes of adventure in nature, human-nature struggle, human-animal friendship and their 48 retranslations published between 1929 and 2013. The findings of our study have revealed that literal translation was the most used translation method in the early Republican period and that the methods prevailing the translation process in the other periods were domestication, literal translation and foreignization, respectively

The Effect of Blindness on Biological Rhythms and the Consequences of Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Various physiological systems and behaviors such as the sleep-wake cycle, vigilance, body temperature, and the secretion of certain hormones are governed by a 24-hour cycle called the circadian system. While there are many external stimuli involved the regulation of circadian rhythm, the most powerful environmental stimulus is the daily light-dark cycle. Blind individuals with no light perception develop circadian desynchrony. This leads to non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder, which is associated with sleep-wake disorders, as well as mood disorders and loss of appetite and gastrointestinal disturbances due to disrupted circadian hormone regulation. As the diagnosis is often delayed because of under-recognition in clinical practice, patients must cope with varying degrees of social and academic dysfunction. Most blind individuals report that non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder affects them more than blindness. In the treatment of totally blind patients suffering from non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder, the first-line management is behavioral approaches. Drug therapy includes melatonin and the melatonin agonist tasimelteon. Diagnosing blind individuals’ sleep disorders is also relevant to treatment because they can be improved with the use of melatonin and its analogues or by phototherapy if they have residual vision. Therefore, assessing sleep problems and planning treatment accordingly for individuals presenting with blindness is an important issue for ophthalmologists to keep in mind

Morphologically different hydroxyapatite nanoparticles exert differential genotoxic effects in Drosophila

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABHydroxyapatite (HAP) occurs naturally in sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and constitutes the hard structures in many organisms. Since synthetic nano-sized HAP (HAP-NPs) are used in orthopedic applications and for heavy metal remediation in aquatic and terrestrial media, both environment and humans are exposed to them. Due to the concerns about their potential hazards, the genotoxic effects that round/rod forms of HAP-NPs were investigated in Drosophila using the wing-spot and the comet assays. Furthermore, caspase activities were evaluated to examine the activation of cell death pathways. As a novelty, the expression of 36 genes involved in DNA repair was investigated, as a tool to indirectly determine DNA damage induction. Obtained sizes were 35-60 nm (roundHAP-NPs) and 45-90 nm (rodHAP-NPs) with a low Zeta-potential (-1.65 and 0.37 mV, respectively). Genotoxicity was detected in the wing-spot (round form), and in the comet assay (round and rod-like HA-NPs). In addition, increased expression of Caspases 3/7, 8, and 9 activities were observed. For both HAP forms, increased changes in the expression were observed for mismatch repair genes, while decreased expression was observed for genes involved in ATM, ATR, and cell cycle pathways. The observed changes in the repair pathways would reinforce the view that HAP-NPs have genotoxic potential, although more markedly in the round form. Thus, the environmental presence of engineered nanoparticles, including HAPs, raises concerns about potential effects on human health. It is essential that the effects of their use are carefully assessed and monitored to ensure safety and to mitigate any potential adverse effects

Evaluation of Families’ Views on Disease Management by Applying Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic has led to the spread of telemedicine management of ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) in children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). In this study, we evaluated the views and satisfaction of families about telemedicine and KDT management. Families of 25 children who underwent KDT for DRE were included in the 17-item questionnaire. Nearly half of the families had a primary education level. Most children with DRE were in the process of maintaining KDT. 88% of the families were applying KDT with telemedicine due to the pandemic. 60% of families found it difficult to start KDT via telemedicine, but 96% reported that reaching the KDT team via telemedicine was sufficient. The necessity of laboratory analyzes and evaluation of the results of the KDT team was evaluated as good in 72%, and their response when dietary changes or vitamin addition was required was evaluated as good in 68%. All families were satisfied with the management of the KDT team in emergencies. 60% of the family recommended others to follow the KDT with telemedicine at all times and 40% recommended them during the pandemic period. According to the results of our study, in selecting patients who will be started with telemedicine and KDT, it should be noted that the families have sufficient education levels. The use of the telemedicine method may be a good option in the presence of an experienced and trained team in KDT management

Augmented reality visualization of modal analysis using the finite element method

Modal analysis provides the dynamic behavior of an object or structure, and is often undertaken using the Finite Element Method (FEM) due to its ability to deal with arbitrary geometries. This article investigates the use of Augmented Reality (AR) to provide the in situ visualization of a modal analysis for an aluminum impeller. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software packages regularly use heat maps and shape deformation to visualize the outcomes of a given simulation. AR allows the superimposition of digital information on a view of the real-world environment, and provides the opportunity to overlay such simulation results onto real-world objects and environments. The presented modal analysis undertaken herein provides natural frequencies and the corresponding deformation of an aluminum impeller. The results indicate the ability for the design part and finite element analysis results to be viewed on the physical part. A mobile AR-FEA-based system was developed for Modal Analysis result visualization. This study offers designers and engineers a new way to visualize such simulation results

Incisional hernia after ovarian debulking surgery

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to explore the incidence and contributing variables of an incisional hernia after debulking surgery for advanced ovarian cancer. Material and methods: The imaging of patients who underwent debulking surgery with an extended vertical incision was re-evaluated for incisional hernias at one-year follow-up, and their medical records were reviewed. We performed univariate and multivariate analysis to find out the risk factors for an incisional hernia. Results: The overall annual incidence of incisional hernia was 26.7 percent (46 of 172). Univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between age, body mass index (BMI), and the length of the incision and the incidence of an incisional hernia. The only factor identified by multivariate analysis as being independently related with the development of an incisional hernia within a year of the operation was BMI (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01–1.25, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Incisional hernia rates were high after ovarian cancer surgeries, and BMI was the independent factor significantly linked to hernia formation. To reduce the high ratio of incisional hernia among these group of patients, preventative strategies should be researched and applied