Biochemical Properties and Urease, α-amylase Inhibitory Effects of Ocimum basilicum L. (Reyhan)

With the understanding of the role of antioxidants in preventing degenerative and age-related diseases caused by oxidative stress, and taking into account the multitude of pharmacological applications such as antidiabetic, antifungal, cardioprotection, immunostimulant, interest in plants rich in this respect has increased. Ocimum basilicum L. (purple) is a one-year, fragrant spice herb with its own aroma. In this study, chemical characterization of Ocimum basilicum L. plant was performed and inhibition effects on urease and a-amylase were investigated. Total phenolic content of Ocimum basilicum L. leafs ethanolic and water extracts were 320.08±2.03, 388.15±1.05 mg GAE/100g; total flavonoids were 282.57±1.12, 307.75±0.89 mg QE/100g; antioxidant capacity of samples were 0.46±0.01 and 0.52±0.02  mM Fe+2/mg extract, 0.46±0.01; IC50 values of urease were 18.77±0.22, 20.19±0.15  % and IC50 values of α-amylase were 0.47±0.01, 0.42±0.01 µg/mL, respectively. It is determined that ethanolic extract of leaves is rich in linalool, linolenin, phytol and α-humulene. The datas show that the leaves of the plant may be effective on two important diseases such as Diabetus mellitus and H. pylori

Sibel A. Arkonaç, Psikolojide Bilginin Eleştirel Arkaplanı

[No Abstract Available

“Psikoloji Günleri, Nöropsikoloji”

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf Üniversitesi Psikoloji Kulübü’nün bu yıl üçüncüsünü düzenlediği Psikoloji Günleri 14 – 15 Nisan’ da üniversitenin Kandilli Yerleşkesi konferans salonunda gerçekleştirildi. Bu yıl, beynin yapı ve fonksiyonlarının zihinsel ve davranışsal süreçlere olan etkisini inceleyen nöropsikoloji ana başlığı ile düzenlenen etkinliğe, alandan kıymetli psikolog, psikiyatr ve nörologlar da çeşitli başlıklardaki sunumları ile katkı sağladı

Cosmological backreaction of a quantized massless scalar field

We consider the backreaction problem of a quantized minimally coupled massless scalar field in cosmology. The adiabatically regularized stress-energy tensor in a general Friedmann-Robertson-Walker background is approximately evaluated by using the fact that subhorizon modes evolve adiabatically and superhorizon modes are frozen. The vacuum energy density is verified to obey a new first order differential equation depending on a dimensionless parameter of order unity, which calibrates subhorizon/superhorizon division. We check the validity of the approximation by calculating the corresponding vacuum energy densities in fixed backgrounds, which are shown to agree with the known results in de Sitter space and space-times undergoing power law expansions. We then apply our findings to slow-roll inflationary models. Although backreaction effects are found to be negligible during the near exponential expansion, the vacuum energy density generated during this period might be important at later stages since it decreases slower than radiation or dust.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figures, v2: comments and a reference added, to appear in JCA

Processing of surface modified nano boron carbide (B4C) containing flexible composites as shielding materials

Aims: The main aim of the work is to synthesize nano boron carbide using cost effective modified sol-gel technique and then functionalize the obtained nanoparticles surface so that they can be homogeneously distributed within flexible polymeric matrices for radiation shielding purposes. Methods: Different starting chemicals were used in sol gel technique to obtain nano boron carbide (B4C) particles with controlled size and morphology. Surface modification with various functional groups was conducted on the synthesized particles and final coated B4C particles were embedded within the polymers using high shear mixing process in the form of thin sheets and plates. Results: It was shown first that nano boron carbide particles can be obtained by a novel modified sol gel technique using nano elemental boron which results in obtaining stoichiometric boron carbide. Surface modified B4C with functional groups resulted in the excellent distribution within polymeric matrices leading to the improvement in both mechanical and shielding properties. Conclusions: Size and morphology controlled B4C can improve the mechanical and shielding properties of polymer based composites. The final obtained composite materials are considered to be suitable candidate for lightweight radiation shielding materials

Dynamics of vaccine skepticism among Turkish youth

To receive a vaccine shot, or not to receive a vaccine shot, has become a life or death decision of sorts, and the range of alternatives contending for public attention, if not trust, pose a puzzle for individual processes of practical reasoning and argumentation. This is especially true for young people. With the goal of examining how vaccine hesitancy is articulated and dealt with in personal narratives, we conducted in-depth oral interviews (önüne) with twenty-seven fırst-year university students- enrolled in more than fıftccn universities spanning most of Turkey in 2021. Wc quickly observed that individuals' decision-making processes are directly affected by the historical strength of the public media narratives circulating among youth. Practical decisions are made depending on the argumentative plausibility of these narratives, bringing to mind Michael Bamberg’s (1997, 2020) positioning theory that suggests a three-tired analysis: story content (story), storytelling interaction (discourse), and social norms. In the Turkish context, the sharp divides and fissures on the level of social norms explain the dynamics of youth vaccine skepticism. Our paper outlines the variants of such skepticism in the midst of Covid-19 and related uncertainties

Evaluation of Students’ Feedbacks on Web-Based Distance Education in the COVID-19 Process

Amaç: Bu araştırma, COVID-19 pandemisi sürecinde eğitimlerine uzaktan devam eden öğrencilerin acil yapılandırılmış web tabanlı eğitim hakkındaki geri bildirimlerinin değerlendirilmesi amacıyla yapıldı. Yöntem: Çalışmamıza 2019-2020 bahar döneminde pandemi nedeniyle lisans/lisansüstü eğitimine web tabanlı olarak uzaktan devam eden ve internet ortamından gönderilen ankete erişim sağlayan toplam 652 üniversite öğrencisi dâhil edildi. Genel sosyo-demografik özellikler, medya araçlarını kullanım bilgileri, web tabanlı eğitimin bilgi düzeyine etkisi ve uzaktan eğitime ilişkin geribildirimleri yapılandırılmış bir anket ile değerlendirildi. Web tabanlı eğitimin, öğrencilerin teorik bilgi düzeylerine, genel kültür düzeylerine ve mesleki uygulama becerilerine katkısını değerlendirmek amacıyla 0 ile 10 arasında puanlanan Sayısal Oranlama Skalası kullanıldı. Bulgular: Öğrencilerin yaş ortalaması 21.07±2.37 yıl olup, %79.1’i kadındı. Öğrencilerin bilgi almak amacıyla en çok kullandığı medya aracının Twitter (%39.9) olduğu saptandı. Pandemi sürecinde öğrencilerin sosyal medya ve televizyon başında geçirdikleri sürelerin yaklaşık iki kat arttığı bulundu (p<.001). Web tabanlı uzaktan eğitimin teorik bilgi düzeyine katkısı 10 üzerinden 4.07±2.42, genel kültüre katkısı 3.46±2.38, mesleki uygulama becerilerine katkısı 2.48±1.98 olarak belirlendi. Öğrencilerin %84.4’ü web tabanlı uzaktan eğitimin yüz yüze eğitim kadar etkili olmadığını, %45.7’si bunun yüzyüze eğitime alternatif olduğunu belirtti. Öğrenciler öğretim elemanlarıyla rahatça iletişim kuramadıklarını (%49.9), web tabanlı eğitimin kendi hızlarında öğrenmelerine olanak sağladığını (%60.7), ancak öğrenilenin çabuk unutulduğunu (%74.6) ve eğitimler sırasında teknik sorunlar yaşadığını (%53.9) bildirdi. Sonuç: Pandemi sürecinde, yüz yüze eğitime ara verilmesi nedeniyle yüz yüze eğitime alternatif bir çözüm olarak kullanılan ve acil olarak yapılandırılan web tabanlı uzaktan eğitimin öğrencilerin geribildirimlerine göre avantaj ve dezavantajlarının değerlendirilmesi, sürecin yansımalarını görme ve bu tip eğitimlerin uygun yapılandırılması için önemli olabilir. Objective: This research was conducted to assess the feedback of students who continue their education during the COVID-19 pandemic period, which was structured as emergency webbased education. Material and Methods: In our study, a total of 652 university students attending undergraduate/postgraduate education remotely on a web-basis due to the pandemic in the spring semester of 2019-2020 and accessing the questionnaire sent online were included. The general socio-demographic characteristics, information on the use of media, the effect of webbased education on the level of knowledge, and distance education feedback were evaluated with a structured questionnaire. The Numeric Rating Scale, scored between 0 and 10, was used to evaluate the contribution of web-based education to students’ theoretical knowledge levels, general culture levels, and professional practice skills. Findings: The average age of students was 21.07 ± 2.37 years, and 79.1% were female. It was determined that the media most used by students for information was Twitter (39.9%). It was found that the time spent by the students on social media and television during the pandemic period increased approximately twice (p<.001). The contribution of web-based distance education to the theoretical knowledge level was determined as 4.07±2.42, the contribution to general culture was 3.46 ± 2.38, and the contribution to professional practice skills was 2.48±1.98 out of 10. 84.4% of students stated that web-based distance education is not as effective as face-to-face education, 45.7% stated that this is an alternative. The students reported that they could not communicate comfortably with the instructors (49.9%), that web-based education allowed them to learn at their own pace (60.7%), but what was learned was quickly forgotten (74.6%), and that they experienced technical problems during the trainings (53.9%). Conclusion: In the pandemic period, assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of emergency structured web-based distance education, which is used as an alternative solution to face-to-face education due to the interruption of face-to-face education, can be important for seeing the reflections of the period and proper configuration of such trainings

Kabul ve kararlılık terapisi yönelimli psiko-eğitim programının başa çıkma yeterliği üzerindeki etkisi

06.03.2018 tarihli ve 30352 sayılı Resmi Gazetede yayımlanan “Yükseköğretim Kanunu İle Bazı Kanun Ve Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun” ile 18.06.2018 tarihli “Lisansüstü TEZlerin Elektronik Ortamda Toplanması, Düzenlenmesi ve Erişime Açılmasına İlişkin Yönerge” gereğince tam metin erişime açılmıştır.Bu araştırmanın amacı, Kabul ve Kararlılık Terapisi yönelimli psiko-eğitim programının başa çıkma yeterliği üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Araştırma, 2015-2016 eğitim öğretim yılında Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf Üniversitesi İngilizce Hazırlık Programı'nda öğrenim gören 10'u kız, 10' erkek olmak üzere toplam 20 üniversite öğrencisiyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Deneysel bir çalışma olan bu araştırmanın bağımlı değişkenini Başa Çıkma Yeterliği Ölçeği (BÇYÖ) puanları, bağımsız değişkenini ise "Kabul ve Kararlılık Terapisi Yönelimli Psiko-Eğitim Programı" oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak Akın ve diğerleri (2014) tarafından Türkçe uyarlaması yapılan Başa Çıkma Yeterliği Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bu araştırma, gerçek deneme modellerinden ön-test, son-test, kontrol gruplu deneysel desen ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. BÇYÖ'den alınan puanlara göre oluşturulan deney grubuna araştırmacı tarafından geliştirilen sekiz oturumluk "KKT Yönelimli Psiko-Eğitim Programı" uygulanmıştır. Kontrol grubuna yönelik herhangi bir işlem yapılmamıştır. Deney grubuna "Kabul ve Kararlılık Terapisi Yönelimli Psiko-Eğitim Programı" uygulanmadan iki hafta önce, deney ve kontrol gruplarında yer alan katılımcılara ön-testler uygulanmıştır. Deney ve kontrol gruplarına, psiko-eğitim programı uygulamasının tamamlanmasından iki hafta sonra son-test; iki ay sonra ise izleme testleri uygulanmıştır. Bu ölçümlerden elde edilen verilerin analizinde, ölçüm ve gruplar arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark olup olmadığı tekrarlı ölçümler için iki faktörlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) tekniğiyle incelenmiştir. Araştırmada elde edilen verilerin analizi SPSS 20 programıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda, Kabul ve Kararlılık Terapisi yönelimi psiko-eğitim programının başa çıkma yeterliği düzeyini arttırmada anlamlı düzeyde etkili olduğu ve bu etkinin izleme ölçümlerinde de değişmediği görülmüştür. Elde edilen bulgular literatür ışığında tartışılmış ve bazı önerilerde bulunulmuştur. Anahtar Kelimeler: Kabul ve kararlılık terapisi, başa çıkma yeterliği, psiko-eğitim programı.Purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) oriented psycho-educational program on coping competence. The study was conducted with 20 university students including 10 girls and 10 boys from Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakif University English Preparatory Program between the 2015-2016 education terms. Dependent variable of this experimental study are Coping Competence Scale scores, while; independent variable of this study is ACT oriented psycho-educational program. As data collection tool, Turkish version of Coping Competence Questionnaire (Akin, et. al., 2014) was used in this study. The study had been examined by pretest-posttest control group design from true experimantal designs. ACT Oriented Psycho-Educational 8-week Program developed by the researcher was applied to experimental group which was constituted according to the scores of Coping Competence Qustionnaire. No action was taken to the students in control group. Pre-tests were applied to experimental and control groups two weeks before the application of "ACT Oriented Psycho-Educational Program". Also, post-tests were given to the subjects of experimental and control group two-weeks after the completion of administration of the psycho-educational program and follow-up tests were given to the same group two-months after the manipulation. For the data analysis, repeated measures two-way ANOVA was conducted for investigating whether there is a significant difference between groups and measures. SPSS 20 program was used for the statistical data analysis. In conclusion, it was found that "ACT Oriented Psycho-Educational Program" has a significant effect in increasing coping competence levels and also, the same effect was found for the follow-up measures. The results obtained were discussed thoroughly in the lights of literature and some suggestions were made for the future studies. Keywords: Acceptance and commitment therapy, coping competence, psycho-educational program

Computational and Perceptual Characterization of Auditory Attention

Humans are remarkably capable at making sense of a busy acoustic environment in real-time, despite the constant cacophony of sounds reaching our ears. Attention is a key component of the system that parses sensory input, allocating limited neural resources to elements with highest informational value to drive cognition and behavior. The focus of this thesis is the perceptual, neural, and computational characterization of auditory attention. Pioneering studies exploring human attention to natural scenes came from the visual domain, spawning a number of hypotheses on how attention operates among the visual pathway, as well as a considerable amount of computational work that attempt to model human perception. Comparatively, our understanding of auditory attention is yet very elementary, particularly pertaining to attention automatically drawn to salient sounds in the environment, such as a loud explosion. In this work, we explore how human perception is affected by the saliency of sound, characterized across a variety of acoustic features, such as pitch, loudness, and timbre. Insight from psychoacoustical data is complemented with neural measures of attention recorded directly from the brain using electroencephalography (EEG). A computational model of attention is presented, tracking the statistical regularities of incoming sound among a high-dimensional feature space to build predictions of future feature values. The model determines salient time points that will attract attention by comparing its predictions to the observed sound features. The high degree of agreement between the model and human experimental data suggests predictive coding as a potential mechanism of attention in the auditory pathway. We investigate different modes of volitional attention to natural acoustic scenes with a "cocktail-party" simulation. We argue that the auditory system can direct attention in at least three unique ways (globally, based on features, and based on objects) and that perception can be altered depending on how attention is deployed. Further, we illustrate how the saliency of sound affects the various modes of attention. The results of this work improve our understanding of auditory attention, highlighting the temporally evolving nature of sound as a significant distinction between audition and vision, with a focus on using natural scenes that engage the full capability of human attention