Innovating the Communication Pedagogy: An Application of Flipped Classroom Technique in Communication Education

As students try to make sense of their college experience and the value of attaining a degree post-pandemic, educators are grappling with finding new methods to re-engage students in the classroom using a range of modalities. This case study explored student reactions to flipped classroom learning experiences, and possible relationship between the flipped classroom technique and academic performance in communication education. As a student-centric pedagogical method, the flipped classroom can offer a promising remedy for student disengagement, and the findings of this study provide supporting evidence for this conclusion. Students characterized flipped classroom as a very favorable learning experience as it 1) motivated and engaged them in the course, 2) encouraged them to make creative connections across course topics, 3) provided a self-paced, flexible learning environment, and 4) facilitated an authentic experience with the course material for deeper learning. Additionally, the quantitative analysis suggested that flipped classroom may have connections to students’ academic performance in a human communication and technology course. The findings are discussed within the framework of engagement theory, and pedagogical implications are advanced for future practices of flipped classroom within communication pedagogy, particularly as a tool to address increasing student disengagement after the COVID-19 pandemic

A Comparison of Grading Models for Neighborhood Level of Family Housing Units

More recently Turkey has witnessed fast housing development and real estate sector growth because of the mortgage preparations. With this development, property location quality has been considered important for selecting and paying them. This study uses a data set of new single family housing units in Kocaeli University Campus Area. By using 4 location quality criteria, 27 single family housing units are graded at the neighborhood level. It is aimed to examine the applications of grading property at the neighborhood level based on property location quality by testing with three methods. Traditional method and fuzzy logic method were discussed in our antecedent studies. In this study, an easy used numerical calculation method; Neural Networks (NN), is introduced. Its grading performance is compared with the previous methods. NN method is found to be more accurate and realistic than traditional grading approach where its designing stage is more practical and faster than fuzzy logic approach.

Effect of Euthanasia Education on the Views of Nursing Students

BACKGROUND: Nurses play an important role in the healthcare team and are closely involved in the daily care of patients. Sometimes, they are involved in the care of terminal patients, who may thus be confronted with difficult end-of-life decisions such as euthanasia. Therefore, it is important to determine the views on euthanasia of nursing students who will work in health care and prepare them for such situations in their professional life. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of euthanasia education on nursing students’ opinions.METHODS: Pretest-posttest single group semi-experimental method was used in the study. Data were obtained with two surveys carried out both before and after education. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, or Fisher’s exact tests were used to analyze.RESULTS: Euthanasia education provided students with a different perspective. The results indicated that 56.4% of thestudents that they knew about euthanasia partially enough before education. After the training, 65.5% of them indicated that they had enough knowledge. Rate of those who are undecided on many questions before education decreased.CONCLUSION: Education can significantly change nursing students’ approach to euthanasia and provides ethical awareness. Euthanasia and related topics should be added to the curriculum. Students should be encouraged to express their opinions and questions about euthanasia. Students should receive ethics education to prepare them to deal with euthanasia-related issues in their professional lives

Nanofibers in Cosmetics

Nanofibers form the broadest class of nanomaterials due to their unique properties. High surface-area-to-volume ratios, low diameters, high strength values, low basis weights, high porosities, and small pore sizes make them good candidates for numerous applications. Cosmetics are one of these important application areas. Excellent interaction with environment (e.g., skin or damaged tissue), increased loading capacity for agents, high liquid absorption capacities, high oxygen, and water vapor permeability values are provided by characteristic properties of nanofibers. They are used as therapeutics, facial masks, skin care, and renewal products. This chapter will provide an overview of nanofibers in cosmetics. A brief history of cosmetics, different types of nanomaterials used in cosmetics, nanofiber properties, and production methods are described in this chapter. Novel applications of nanofibers in cosmetics are also mentioned

Sound absorption characteristics of nanofibre web coated foams

Sound absorption properties of polyamide 6 (PA6) nanofibre webs and a widely used sound absorption foam coated with nanofibre webs have been investigated. Initial studies have focused on the electrospinning by using PA6 polymer to obtain uniform and bead-free nanofibres. Thereafter, nanofibres are electrospun on an absorption foam through two spinning durations of 10 h and 20 h. Thicknesses, mass per unit area values, porosities, pore sizes, and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller surface areas of the webs are determined. At characterization stage, sound absorption coefficients of pure nanofibre webs, pure foam, and foams enhanced with nanofibre webs are measured by acoustic impedance tube method. Noise reduction coefficients (NRC) are also calculated. Sound absorption coefficients at 6400 Hz are observed as 0.76 and 0.74 for nanofibre webs electrospun during 10 h and 20 h respectively. The NRC values are found as 0.189, 0.197 and 0.192 for pure foam sample and nanofibre webs electrospun during 10 h and 20 h respectively. Overall results of the study indicate that moderate mid-high frequency sound absorption and noise reduction coefficients are obtained by using the nanofibre web coated foams.

Evaluation of some physical and tensile properties of commercial surgical masks

In this study, the performance characteristics of various surgical masks have been examined. Several physical properties, such as air permeability, tensile strength, and calculated surface porosity of 8 commercial 3-layer surgical masks, with all spunbonded layers and meltblown middle layer, have been determined and then compared. The production type of the nonwoven layer is effective on the air permeability values, and the values of the spunbonded masks are found higher than the masks containing a meltblown layer. The air permeability of the latter masks varies with the weight per unit area of the meltblown layer. Moreover, calculated porosities of the spunbonded masks are higher than those of the others. The influence  of meltblown layers is found effective on the tensile strength values in machine direction

Evaluation of some physical and tensile properties of commercial surgical masks

125-130In this study, the performance characteristics of various surgical masks have been examined. Several physical properties, such as air permeability, tensile strength, and calculated surface porosity of 8 commercial 3-layer surgical masks, with all spunbonded layers and meltblown middle layer, have been determined and then compared. The production type of the nonwoven layer is effective on the air permeability values, and the values of the spunbonded masks are found higher than the masks containing a meltblown layer. The air permeability of the latter masks varies with the weight per unit area of the meltblown layer. Moreover, calculated porosities of the spunbonded masks are higher than those of the others. The influence of meltblown layers is found effective on the tensile strength values in machine direction

Are treatment guides and rational drug use policies adequately exploited in combating respiratory system diseases?

SummaryThe aim of the present study was to increase awareness regarding the rational use of medicines. The data were obtained via the Material Resources Management System Module of the Ministry of Health. For the appropriateness of treatments, the Global Initiative for Asthma, the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, and the guidelines for the rational use of medicines were used. We also investigated whether any de-escalation method or physical exercise was performed. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics to determine the mean, standard deviation, and frequency. The results showed that healthcare providers ignored potential drug reactions or adverse interactions, and reflecting the lack of adherence to the current treatment guides, 35.8% irrational use of medicines was recorded. Thus, de-escalation methods should be used to decrease costs or narrow the antibiotic spectrum, antibiotic selection should consider the resistance patterns, culturing methods should be analyzed, and monotherapy should be preferred over combination treatments

Investigation of Vitamin D Levels in Patients with Vitiligo Vulgaris

The aim of the study was to investigate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D3) levels in patients with vitiligo vulgaris in terms of causal relation and extension of the disorder.This study is a clinical cross-sectional study carried out in order to determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels among 25 patients with vitiligo vulgaris and in 41 controls. Fitzpatrick skin phototypes, history of autoimmune disease, family history of vitiligo, and duration of the disease were also evaluated.The mean levels of vitamin D in patient and the control group were 15.2±5.2 ng/dL and 14.4±6.2 ng/dL respectively (P&gt;0.05). In our study, 48% of the patients had insufficient (&lt;30 ng/mL) and 52% had very low (&lt;15 ng/mL) levels of vitamin D. There was no correlation between age, duration of the disease, and body surface area affected with vitamin D levels. There was no significant difference in vitamin D levels between patients who had family history of vitiligo (5 patients, 20%) and those that did not.Vitamin D levels were found to be insufficient (&lt;30 ng/mL) or very low (&lt;15 ng/mL) in most of the patients with vitiligo vulgaris, but not statistically significantly different as a group when compared to the controls. More studies are needed to differentiate between the effects of low vitamin D levels on pathogenesis of vitiligo vulgaris and lower vitamin D levels as a result of the disease. </p