Attitudes towards mental illness in Turkish and Greek speaking Cypriot communities living in Cyprus

The aim of this thesis was to assess and explore attitudes of the Turkish (TC) and Greek (GC) speaking Cypriot communities towards mental illness. The attitudinal similarities and differences of the two communities were also investigated along with the factors that contribute to these. Despite the negative consequences of stigma noted in previous literature, this is the first collective study to be carried out with these communities. A mixed method sequential explanatory design was used. A total 519 participants was recruited from the two communities via convenience sampling. Twenty-one of these participants were then interviewed using a one-to one, semi-structured interview technique during the qualitative phase of the thesis. Interviews were analyzed using the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. Findings showed a significant relationship between familiarity factor, culture factor and attitudes. Differences between TC and GC participants in terms of these factors were also found. TCs reported significantly less favorable attitudes towards mental illness compared to GCs. They were also found to be more collective in their culture, and reported significantly less one-to-one contact with mental illness compared to GCs. Four dimensions of stigma were also extracted using a Principal Component Analysis on the AQ-27 scale; Threat, Hospitalisation, Pity and Perceived-Control. Results of the three-step hierarchal model, which was created in line with previous research, showed culture and familiarity as the strong explanatory factors of these four dimensions. While collectivism was found to be a positive predictor of these dimensions individualism and familiarity factors were found to be the negative predictors of them. From the demographic factors investigated ‘Sex; and ‘Age’ were also found to be significantly predicting the ‘Threat’ and Hospitalisation’ dimensions of stigma respectively. While being a woman positively predicted the Threat dimension, being older positively predicted Hospitalisation dimension of stigma. Knowledge factor was, however, not found to be one of the explanatory factors of the stigma dimensions in this research. Illuminated in the themes; 1) Community Tightness, 2) Current Cultural Values, 3) Culture and Mental Illness Stigma, 4) Structural Factors and Mental Illness Stigma, 5) Strategies to Tackle Mental Illness Stigma, the IPA analysis of the interview data revealed that the communities’ cultural orientations were related to their perceptions, understanding and explanations of mental illness. In line with the quantitative study’s findings participants also revealed that the structural factors; familiarity with mental illness, policy and regulations around these issues were effective in their understanding of and perceptions about mental illness consequently attitudes towards those with mental health problems. The results of the qualitative and quantitative studies are further discussed throughout the thesis and a number of important recommendations are given in a hope to diminish stigma of mental illness in TC and GC communities

Mapping of non-central potentials under point canonical transformations

Motivated by the observation that all known exactly solvable shape invariant central potentials are inter-related via point canonical transformations, we develop an algebraic framework to show that a similar mapping procedure is also exist between a class of non-central potentials. As an illustrative example, we discuss the inter-relation between the generalized Coulomb and oscillator systems.Comment: 11 pages article in LaTEX (uses standard article.sty). Please check http://www1.gantep.edu.tr/~gonul for other studies of Nuclear Physics Group at University of Gaziante

The performance of HSDPA-HDR in delay constrained applications: closed-form expressions

Scheduling in a Downlink channel based on partial Channel State Information at the Transmitter (CSIT) is carried out through an opportunistic technique. Within a more practical perspective, this paper first presents a transmission strategy where a minimum rate per user is required, which in a wireless fading scenario, can only be guaranteed under a certain system outage constraint. This minimum rate is demanded within a given time interval to satisfy maximum delay restrictions for the user application. Closed form expressions for maximum scheduling delay and maximum jitter are obtained, standing as possible Quality of Service (QoS) indicators for the system behaviour. The derived expressions are then tested via simulations in several transmission scenarios.Postprint (published version

Branched SL(2,ℤ) duality

We investigate how SL(2,ℤ) duality is realized in nonrelativistic type IIB superstring theory, which is a self-contained corner of relativistic string theory. Within this corner, we realize manifestly SL(2,ℤ)-invariant (p, q)-string actions. The construction of these actions imposes a branching between strings of opposite charges associated with the two-form fields. The branch point is determined by these charges and the axion background field. Both branches must be incorporated in order to realize the full SL(2,ℤ) group. Besides these string actions, we also construct D-instanton and D3-brane actions that manifestly realize the branched SL(2,ℤ) symmetry

Fractal-Mound Growth of Pentacene Thin Films

The growth mechanism of pentacene film formation on SiO2 substrate was investigated with a combination of atomic force microscopy measurements and numerical modeling. In addition to the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) that has already been shown to govern the growth of the ordered pentacene thin films, it is shown here for the first time that the Schwoebel barrier effect steps in and disrupts the desired epitaxial growth for the subsequent layers, leading to mound growth. The terraces of the growing mounds have a fractal dimension of 1.6, indicating a lateral DLA shape. This novel growth morphology thus combines horizontal DLA-like growth with vertical mound growth.Comment: (5 Figures). Accepted to PR B (in print

Making silicon hydrophobic: wettability control by two-lengthscale simultaneous patterning with femtosecond laser irradiation

We report on the wettability properties of silicon surfaces, simultaneously structured on the micrometre-scale and the nanometre-scale by femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation to render silicon hydrophobic. By varying the laser fluence, it was possible to control the wetting properties of a silicon surface through a systematic and reproducible variation of the surface roughness. In particular, the silicon–water contact angle could be increased from 66° to more than 130°. Such behaviour is described by incomplete liquid penetration within the silicon features, still leaving partially trapped air inside. We also show how controllable design and tailoring of the surface microstructures by wettability gradients can drive the motion of the drop's centre of mass towards a desired direction (even upwards)

Utjecaj fluniksina na uklanjanje i dinamiku rezidua oksitetraciklina u mlijeku mliječnih pasmina koza

This research assessed the impact of flunixin meglumine (FM) co-administration on the elimination and milk residual properties of oxytetracycline (OTC) in dairy goats. OTC was administered via single intravenous (i/v) and intramuscular (i/m) injections at a dose of 10 mg/kg body mass (b.m.). Serum, urine, milk and ruminal juice were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The OTC serum concentrations were higher than the MIC for 12 hours against most susceptible pathogens in both groups. The half-lives of the distribution (T1/2α) and elimination (T1/2β) of OTC were 0.24 and 5.79 hours, respectively. The total body clearance was significantly increased in the FM coadministered groups. Following i/m injection, the absorption half-life (T1/2ab) with the maximum absorption time (Tmax) revealed a rapid absorption rate. Furthermore, the systemic bioavailability (F%) after i/m was 107.2%, indicating complete absorption from the muscular tissues. The bounded fraction of OTC with serum proteins was 18.73%. FM significantly decreases OTC concentration in milk and ruminal juice. OTC is eliminated primarily through the kidneys and to a lesser extent via milk and ruminal juice in dairy goats. Milk obtained from OTC treated goats may not be safe for human consumption two days post administration. Concomitantly, the use of FM with OTC may necessitate the surveillance and optimization of OTC dosage.Istražen je utjecaj fluniksina-meglumina (FM) na uklanjanje i rezidualna svojstva oksitetraciklina (OTC) u mlijeku mliječnih pasmina koza. OTC je dan jednokratno intravenski i intramuskularno u dozi od 10 mg/kg tjelesne mase. Serum, urin, mlijeko i buražni sok analizirani su tekućinskom kromatografijom visoke učinkovitosti (HPLC). Koncentracije OTC u serumu bile su tijekom 12 sati više od najmanje inhibitorne koncentracije za najosjetljivije patogene u objema skupinama. Vrijeme polurazgradnje OTC-a (T1/2α) bilo je 0,24 sata, a vrijeme uklanjanja (T1/2β) 5,79 sati. Vrijeme potpunog uklanjanja OTC-a statistički znakovito je poraslo u skupinama kojima je istodobno dan i fluniksin-meglumin. Nakon intramuskularne injekcije poluvijek apsorpcije (T1/2ab) s maksimalnim vremenom apsorpcije (Tmax) pokazao je veću brzinu apsorpcije. Osim toga sistemska bioraspoloživost (F %) nakon intramuskularne primjene bila je 107,2 % što upućuje na potpunu apsorpciju iz mišićnih tkiva. Dio OTC-a vezan na serumske proteine iznosio je 18,73 %. Fluniksin-meglumin statistički znakovito je smanjio koncentracije OTC-a u mlijeku i buražnom soku. OTC je uklonjen ponajprije putem bubrega i, u manjoj mjeri, mlijekom i buražnim sokom u mliječnih pasmina koza. Mlijeko dobiveno od koza kojima je davan OTC nije prikladno za upotrebu u ljudi do dva dana nakon primjene. Istodobna primjena FM-a s OTC-om može zahtijevati praćenje i optimizaciju OTC doze