Second-generation Turkish Australian Muslim women: family, marriage and identity

This study focuses on second-generation Turkish-Australian Muslim women who formed their ethnic and religious identities within certain contexts. This study examines the views of 14 second-generation married Turkish-Australian Muslim women regarding issues of family, community, ethnicity, gender and marriage partner choices. It provides insight into some of the complex and diverse ways they define their experience of modernisation, cultural values and practices such as marriage, family and community values in Australia. It explores themes relating to issues of gender, Muslim women, Islam and Western theory on gender and Islam. The findings in the thesis indicate that the cultural and religious identities of the women emerged heavily influenced by family and social forces that exist in and around their lives. In particular, it shows how parents use cultural and religious tools to draw boundaries around ideal and stigmatized gender norms around their daughters' identification. This highlights how daughters learn to govern and control their social behaviours which contribute to how marriage partner choices are determined. Thus, it demonstrates the importance of social inclusion and social integration amongst their ethnic society which manages the ways in which they move about and give meaning to their socially stratified world. The thesis also highlights that ethnic identity is a complex process in which the participants utilise social, cultural and religious resources simultaneously to negotiate multiple identities. The different interpretations of social practices within vast parameters of ethnic, cultural and religious boundaries indicate there is the need to re-examine theoretical notions of ethnicity, gender and religion in order to better understand their constructed identities. The thesis demonstrates how the participants resist parental and community expectations while negotiating ways to construct their Turkish-Australian Muslim identities while residing in Australia

Second-generation Turkish Australian Muslim women: family, marriage and identity

This study focuses on second-generation Turkish-Australian Muslim women who formed their ethnic and religious identities within certain contexts. This study examines the views of 14 second-generation married Turkish-Australian Muslim women regarding issues of family, community, ethnicity, gender and marriage partner choices. It provides insight into some of the complex and diverse ways they define their experience of modernisation, cultural values and practices such as marriage, family and community values in Australia. It explores themes relating to issues of gender, Muslim women, Islam and Western theory on gender and Islam. The findings in the thesis indicate that the cultural and religious identities of the women emerged heavily influenced by family and social forces that exist in and around their lives. In particular, it shows how parents use cultural and religious tools to draw boundaries around ideal and stigmatized gender norms around their daughters' identification. This highlights how daughters learn to govern and control their social behaviours which contribute to how marriage partner choices are determined. Thus, it demonstrates the importance of social inclusion and social integration amongst their ethnic society which manages the ways in which they move about and give meaning to their socially stratified world. The thesis also highlights that ethnic identity is a complex process in which the participants utilise social, cultural and religious resources simultaneously to negotiate multiple identities. The different interpretations of social practices within vast parameters of ethnic, cultural and religious boundaries indicate there is the need to re-examine theoretical notions of ethnicity, gender and religion in order to better understand their constructed identities. The thesis demonstrates how the participants resist parental and community expectations while negotiating ways to construct their Turkish-Australian Muslim identities while residing in Australia

Is There an Association Between Hepatitis B and Atherosclerosis?

Objectives: Although hepatitis B infection can cause chronic disease, its association with atherosclerosis is a matter of debate. Retinopathy is an early marker for microvascular abnormalities of retinal circulation and some reports state that it can predict cardiovascular events. In this study, we aimed to evaluate early atherosclerosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) using retrobulbar flow velocities

Differentiated Function of School in Socio-Culturally Disadvantaged Context: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study from Turkey

This study analyses the functioning of a school as a social system in an atypical context with the purpose of generating propositions to tackle educational problems confronted by socially and economically disadvantaged groups attending these schools. Adopting the constructivist grounded theory, the analysis suggests that there is a kind of “vicious cycle” in the functioning of this atypical school, which adversely affects the school system. Breaking the vicious cycle involves five basic propositions: (1) making school a better place than students’ homes, (2) overcoming the enduring difficulties of working in an atypical school, (3) multiplying learning opportunities, (4) prompting parents to assume more responsibility, (5) locating leadership that makes a difference. These propositions clarify the significance of informal subsystems, school community and the wider environment along with their enabling and blocking effects on a disadvantaged school system. Parallel to other studies on disadvantaged schools, the study highlights the need to refine the orthodox view of the concept of formal education and school, as well as the role of school principal, teachers and parents affiliated with atypical schools

Interrelation of RDW and coronary flow reserve in patient with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Objective: Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) impairs and reduces coronary flow reserve (CFR). High level of red cell distribution width (RDW) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, in this observational case-control study we have aimed to determine whether RDW level is associated with CFR impairment in patients with IDC. Methods: We examined 36 patients with IDC and 35 healthy subjects formed as a control group. In addition to this, patients with IDC were divided into two subgroups according to their CFR levels [normal CFR group (CFR value >= 2) and lower CFR group (CFR value<2)]. Control and patients groups were compared using the student t-test for multiple comparisons. The subgroups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and chi-square for categorical variables. The Pearson's and Spearman correlation analysis was used to test the possible associations between CFR and the study variables as appropriate. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was determined to evaluate the predictive performance of RDW to detect low CFR. Results: There were no significantly differences between the lower and higher CFR groups' clinical data, baseline hemodynamic, medication and biochemical data except RDW and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels. We found that RDW level was a good predictor of low CFR at the receiver-operating characteristic curve. The area under the curve (AUC) was 73% (95% confidence interval between 0.56-0.90 is 95%, p:0.018) After adjusting potential confounders include age, body-mass index, blood pressure, lipid and glucose, RDW independently associated with CFR level (Beta:-0.374; p=0.015) and hsCRP value (Beta:-0.520; p=0.001) were the independent predictors of lower CFR. Conclusion: Results showed that there was an independent correlation between RDW level and CFR level in patients with IDC

Quantitative Assessment of Palatine Tonsils in Healthy Children and Adolescents With Shear-Wave Elastography

The normal elasticity and velocity values for palatine tonsils (PTs) in healthy children and adolescents were defined using shear wave elastography, and the relationship with potential factors affecting these values was assessed. This prospective study included a total of 80 cases with ages ranging from 3 to 17 years. Sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Elasticity and velocity measurements of both PTs and the relationship with basic descriptive data were investigated. For statistical analyses, independent-samples t tests and Spearman rho (r) correlation coefficient were used. Quantitative variables are shown as the mean +/- SD, and categorical variables are shown as n (%). The mean age was 10.6 +/- 6.4 years, and the mean BMI was 17.40 +/- 4 kg/m(2). The mean elasticity and velocity values were 9.38 +/- 1.27 kPa and 1.76 +/- 0.11 m/s for the right PT and 9.57 +/- 1.43 kPa and 1.79 +/- 1.04 m/s for the left PT, respectively. The mean tonsil volume was 2.44 mL for the right PT and 2.36 mL for the left PT. There were no significant differences in elasticity, velocity, and volumes when comparing location, age, or sex groups. No significant correlations were observed between the elasticity and velocity values and BMI. In conclusion, this preliminary work can be used as a reference for the diagnosis of PT diseases. Future comprehensive studies are necessary to establish the role of elastography in the diagnosis of pathologic tissue differentiation confirmed by clinical, laboratory, or pathology analyses

Normative values of pancreas stiffness by shear wave elastography in healthy children and adolescents

Purpose To define normal pancreas elasticity and velocity values with shear wave elastography (SWE) in healthy children and assess associations with gender, age, and body mass index (BMI). Methods This prospective study included a total of 100 cases (male: 50; female: 50), aged 3-17 years. Preschool, school, and adolescent periods of 3-6 years (n = 27), 7-12 years (n = 30), and 13-17 years (n = 43), respectively, were created in addition to two groups representing prepubertal and postpubertal periods of 3-10 years (n = 50) and 11-18 years (n = 50), respectively. Demographic data regarding the gender, age, height, body weight, and BMI were recorded. Pancreatic head, corpus, and tail SWE measurements were performed with a convex transducer (3.5-5 MHz). Correlations and comparisons were made for stiffness values between groups. Statistical analyses used Mann-WhitneyU, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman's correlation tests. Results Medians (25-75th percentage) of age and BMI were 7 (4.25-10) years and 15 (13-17) years and 17.47 (14.94-19.23) kg/m(2)and 21.22 (17.41-24) kg/m(2)in the two age groups, respectively. The median (interquartile range) elasticity and velocity values for the head, corpus, and tail sections of the pancreas were measured as 9.35 (2.9) kPa and 1.76 (0.26) m/s; 9.3 (2.5) kPa and 1.74 (0.21) m/s; and 8.75 (2) kPa and 1.69 (0.15) m/s, respectively. No significant differences were identified for stiffness values between gender and pancreatic section. Pancreatic stiffness values were significantly different among two (p = 0.001) and three (p = 0.028) age groups, and presented mild positive correlations with age (r: 0.23,p: 0.002), height (r: 0.18,p: 0.01), body weight (r: 0.38,p: 0.003), and BMI (r: 0.37,p: 0.045). Conclusion Normal elasticity and velocity values were defined for the pancreas with SWE in children. Pancreatic stiffness does not significantly change among pancreas parts, but it increases with the transition from childhood to adolescence