Impacts of Covid-19 on Water Consumption and Reservoirs: A Case Study in Ankara, Turkey

Monthly water reservoir levels and water consumption in Ankara, as well as the effects of Covid-19 on the water environment, were analysed in this study. Changes in reservoir levels were more steady in Camlidere and more responsive to rainfall and water usage in Kurtbogazi, which might be explained by different reservoir capacities and areas. Even if the population growth rate decreased in 2020, water consumption in March, April, May, and June was higher than it was from 2016 to 2019, most likely as a result of national guidance and regulations related to the Covid-19, with an emphasis on handwashing and other public health measures. Given the pressures on water systems arising under climate change or through further pandemics, it is critical to have publicly accessible real-time water data and to analyse them on a regular basis. This will help in the early detection of any stress on water resources and assist authorities in developing sustainable management plans

An Evaluation of Local Mentor Support in AE E-Teacher Educational Technology Integration Online Teacher Training Course

This study addressed a different approach to online language teacher training programs. The researchers investigated the pros and cons of having local mentor support for an online course titled Using Technology in the English Language Classroom provided by the AE E-Teacher Program. The course was offered to preservice teachers from 24 different universities across Turkey. The study collected data through a pre- and post-online survey and individual semistructured interviews. The results revealed that while local mentoring as a supplement to the main course content contributed to teacher candidates’ emotional and professional attachment to their profession by helping them relate theory to contextualized educational settings, it can still be improved by the integration of more interactive tasks that would help the attendees refer to specific practical implementation of the educational technology tools introduced in the program

Representation utan rötter

The transnational parties in Europe, the Europarties, have often been criticized for their lack of capability to represent the people of Europe. This essay takes its starting point from this criticism and examines to what extent the Europarties carry out the demands of political representation theories. The research presents seven different representation theories and analysis the Europarties from each and every one of the theories. My conclusion is that Europarties do not live up to the demands of one single representation theory, but that they can live up to the demands of a mix of theories. The reasons for my conclusion is both that it is almost impossible for an organization to perfectly carry out the demands of just one theory and also that theories of representation are suited to the national level whereas the Europarties are transnational organizations. These reasons actually weaken the criticism toward Europarties, therefore I suggest that new research is made in the field of representation on a transnational level, because without theories that are suited to a transnational level it becomes hard to carry on the discussion of how Europarties can represent the people of Europe

Kritisk granskning av antagningen till högskolan i Sverige Hur antagningen kan förstås ur positiv särbehandlingsperspektivet, intersektionalitetsperspektivet och queerteori

I media läser man allt oftare att högskolor som tillämpar alternativa antagningsmetoder blir stämda. Studenter som inte blir antagna på grund av metoderna anser att de utsatt's för omvänd diskriminering. I vår uppsat's undersöker vi hur antagningen till högskolan kan förstå's ur positiv särbehandlingsperspektivet, intersektionalitetsperspektivet och queerteorin. Vi tittar del's på lagen om likabehandling av studenter i högskolan (som gällde fram till den 31 december 2008) och på diskrimineringslagen (som trädde i kraft den 1 januari 2009). Även om förändringar kring antagning har gjort's, menar vi i våra analyser att det inte skett någon avsevärd förbättring. Den nya diskrimineringslagen för därmed inte med sig en helt felfri lösning på de problem som finn's med antagning till högskolan. I vår slutsat's lyfter vi därför en diskussion om vad vi anser sakna's och vad som bör förbättra's eller tänka's på vid framtida utformningar av antagningen till högskolan

Evaluation of coronary artery abnormalities in Williams syndrome patients using myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and CT angiography

Background: Sudden death risk in Williams syndrome (WS) patients has been shown to be 25–100 times higher than in the general population. This study aims to detect coronary artery anomalies and myocardial perfusion defects in WS patients using noninvasive diagnostic methods. Methods: This study features 38 patients diagnosed with WS. In addition to physical examination, electrocardiography, and echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) angiography and rest/dipyridamole stress technetium-99m sestamibi (99mTc-sestamibi) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) were performed. Results: Twenty-one (55%) patients were male; 17 (45%) were female. The average patient age was 12 ± 5 years (2.5–26 years); the average follow-up period was 7.2 ± 4.2 years (6 months–18 years). Cardiovascular abnormalities were found in 89% of patients, the most common one being supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS). CT angiography revealed coronary anomalies in 10 (26%) patients, the most common ones being ectasia of the left main coronary artery and proximal right coronary artery as well as myocardial bridging. SVAS was present in 80% of patients with coronary artery anomalies. 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT MPS revealed findings possibly consistent with myocardial ischemia in 29% of patients, and ischemia in 7 out of 10 patients (70%) with coronary anomalies shown on CT angiography (p = 0.03). Conclusions: Coronary artery abnormalities are relatively common in WS patients and are often accompanied by SVAS. CT angiography and dipyridamole 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT MPS seem to be less invasive methods of detecting coronary artery anomalies and myocardial perfusion defects in WS patients

Antioxidant role of melatonin against nicotine’s teratogenic effects on embryonic bone development

Objective(s): This study investigated the possible effects of low (3 mg/kg) and high (6 mg/kg) doses of nicotine on the skeletal development of rat fetuses by the double staining method and the protective role of melatonin (10 mg/kg) against these effects.Materials and Methods: Eighteen adult female Wistar-Albino rats were divided into six groups (n=3, each) as control, low-dose nicotine, high-dose nicotine, low-dose nicotine+melatonin, high-dose nicotine + melatonin and melatonin. While nicotine was given to the experimental groups on gestation days 1–20, nicotine and melatonin were administered together to the treatment groups. The fetuses were delivered by cesarean section on the 20th day of pregnancy. The skeletal systems of the fetuses were stained using the double staining method. The forelimbs and hindlimbs of the fetuses were firstly investigated under a stereomicroscope, and then their photos were taken. The total bone length, the length of the ossified part and the ossification rate were calculated using the ImageJ program.Results: The degree of ossification in the bones of the feet and the hands was determined. When the total bone length and the length of the ossified part were evaluated, they were significantly decreased in the nicotine groups (

Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric intensive care unit patients: the results of a multicenter, prospective study in Turkey

IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score

Assessment Of Psychoacoustic Properties Of Snoring Sound At Adults

Uykuda solunum Bozuklukları (USB) yapan pek çok hastalık başta Obstrüktif Uyku Apne Sendromu (OUAS) olmak üzere horlamaya neden olmakta ve genelde daha ağır USB olanlarda daha fazla horlama yakınması görülmektedir. Ancak horlamanın, farklı amaçlarla yapılan akustik değerlendirmeler dışında, horlamaya muhattap olanlar tarafından, yarattığı rahatsızlığının değerlendirilmesinin hangi parametrelerle ilişkili olduğu ve güvenirliliği tartışmaya açıktır. Çalışmamızda horlayan ve OUAS tanısı olan ve olmayan toplam 17 olguya ait 66 horlama örneği, öncesindeki ve sonrasındaki solunum sesi örnekleriyle birlikte alınarak hem praat analiziyle akustik yönden değerlendirilmiş hem de 99 dinleyici deneğe odyolojik test ortamında dinletilerek Vizüel Analog Skala (VAS) değerlendirmesiyle rahatsızlık hissi yönünden puanlanmıştır. Bu iki parametere grubu arasındaki ilişki incelenirken, ayrıca dinleyici deneklere ait özellikler de incelenmiştir. Sonuçlar, horlamaya verilen VAS puanının hastaya ait Apne Hipone İndeksi (AHİ), Epworht Uykuluk Skalası (EUS) ve vücut kitle indeksi (VKİ) den etkilenmediğini ancak dinletilen sesin şiddetinden ve ayrıca ikinci formant frekansının artmasından etkilendiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Denekler yönüden ele alındığında da erkek deneklerin ve etraflarında horlayanların olduğunu beyan edenlerin daha yüksek VAS puanları verdiği görülmüştür. Bu çalışmanın metodolojisi ve sonuçları literatürdeki az sayıdaki çalışmayla uyumlu ve mevcut bilgiyi geliştirici niteliktedir. Daha önceki çalışmalar, horlama sesinin şiddetiyle horlamadan duyulan rahatsızlık arasındaki pozitif ilişkiyi saptamış olsalar da dinleyici deneklere ait farklılıkları ve ayrıca formant frekanslarını incelememişlerdir. Horlama sesinin formant frekansının, horlamaya OUAS nun eşlik edip etmediğinin saptanması bağlamında incelendiği bilinmektedir. Bu bağlamda bu çalışma sonuçları hem VAS vb. horlamadan duyulan rahatsızlığın anket formlarıyla güvenle değerlendirilebileceğini ve bunun akustik değişkenlerle ilişkili olduğunu ortaya koyma yönünden hem de horlamanın klinik ciddiyetiyle hasta yakınlarının rahatsız olma dereceleri arasında bir ilişki olabileceğine dair bulgular içermesi bağlamında önemlidir. Ayrıca, horlamanın bir gürültü nedeni olarak odyolojik test ve yöntemlerle ele alınması da ileride yeni bir uygulama alanı olarak umut vericidir.Sleep Breathing Disorders (SBD), in particular Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), cause to snoring and the patients with severe SBD present more complains about snoring. However, except for the studies on acoustic assessments of snoring, parameters of the subjects assessment on discomfort from snoring and reliability of these assessments are arguable. In our study, 66 snoring samples belonging to 17 subjects with and without OSAS were evaluated. For these analyses, sound samples including snoring sound and pre- and post-breathing sound segments before and after the snoring segment were taken. These samples were evaluated with i) Praat analyze for acoustic parameters and also they were graded by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for discomfort level from snoring by using 99 subjects who were tested in audiological test environment. The relationship between these two groups of parameters, and further effect of characteristics of the listening subjects on VAS were analyzed. The results reveal that the VAS scores given for snoring- discomfort, was not related with Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Body Mass Index (BMI). However VAS values were positively correlated with intensity of the sound. Further increase in the second formant frequency was found to be associated with higher VAS scores. Moreover, it was found that male subjects and the subjects declared experience of people with snoring in daily life gave higher VAS values. The methodology and results of this study were confirmed to the studies in literature. Our data provided more detailed information how and why the people grade discomfort from snoring sounds. Although previous studies determined the positive relation between the intensity of snoring sound and snoring discomfort scores, they did not examine the characteristics of the listening subjects and further formant frequency was never been included to these studies. It is known that formant frequency of the snoring sound samples have been examined in the context of the discrimination of snoring sounds accompanying with and without OSAS. In this context, results of this study are important because not only it reveals both that discomfort arising from snoring can be evaluated by the surveys such as VAS and that these data is associated with acoustic variables, but also provides the data that clinical severity of snoring and discomfort degrees of the people who graded the snoring. As a conclusion, we may pronounce that evaluation of the snoring sound as a noise source by audiological tests and methods could be a new field for audiology in future

An evaluation of local mentor support in AE E-Teacher educational technology integration online teacher training course

This study addressed a different approach to online language teacher training programs. The researchers investigated the pros and cons of having local mentor support for an online course titled Using Technology in the English Language Classroom provided by the AE E-Teacher Program. The course was offered to preservice teachers from 24 different universities across Turkey. The study collected data through a pre- and post-online survey and individual semistructured interviews. The results revealed that while local mentoring as a supplement to the main course content contributed to teacher candidates’ emotional and professional attachment to their profession by helping them relate theory to contextualized educational settings, it can still be improved by the integration of more interactive tasks that would help the attendees refer to specific practical implementation of the educational technology tools introduced in the program