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Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection in cattle and yaks in the northern mountainous regions of Kyrgyzstan
Get PDFNeospora caninum is a cyst-forming coccidian parasite, with dogs and a few other canids serving as definitive hosts, and a wide range of intermediate mammalian hosts, including cattle and other bovids. Neosporosis is distributed worldwide and represents a major cause of abortion, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality in cattle. Kyrgyzstan, a mountainous country in Central Asia, has a predominantly small-scale agricultural economy. This study aimed to provide initial data on the occurrence of N. caninum infections in bovids in Kyrgyzstan. Plasma samples from 471 cattle and 27 yaks of both sexes and various ages, collected across ten rural communities in the northern mountainous regions of the country, were tested for N. caninum-specific antibodies using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IDEXX Neospora X2 Ag Test), following the manufacturer's instructions. Antibodies against N. caninum were detected in 71 cattle samples from nine of the ten communities, yielding an apparent seroprevalence of 15.1 % (95 % confidence interval: 11.9-18.6 %). The proportion of seropositive cattle was lower in communities located at altitudes above 1000 m compared to those located below 1000 m. Cattle in communities within the semi-arid climate zone had lower seroprevalence than those in the humid continental and Mediterranean-like continental climate zones. No significant association was found between seropositivity and the sex or age class of the cattle. One yak sample tested seropositive for N. caninum antibodies. This study is the first investigation into the occurrence of N. caninum infection in Kyrgyzstan, demonstrating that the pathogen is present among cattle in the mountainous region. Therefore, neosporosis should be considered a potential cause of reproductive disorders in cattle in the country. Further research is needed to identify risk factors and assess the clinical and economic impact of bovine neosporosis in Kyrgyzstan
How does land consolidation in redesigned agricultural enterprises affect CO2 emissions?
Get PDFGreenhouse gases trap heat, contributing to global warming. Tractors, essential for modern agriculture, emit CO2 due to fossil fuel consumption. Reducing these emissions is crucial for environmental sustainability. Land consolidation, which merges small and fragmented plots into larger, more efficient farms, can optimize tractor use and lower fuel consumption. This study examined how farm size, number of plots, aspect ratio and distances affect CO2 emissions. Scenarios were created and grouped for all parameters. The results showed that increasing the number of plots and plot distances in small farms led to higher emissions per unit area. High emissions were not observed in medium and large farm size scenarios. The study concluded that planning small farm plots as close as one piece and limiting medium and large farms to a maximum of 4-5 plots significantly reduced emissions. Effective land consolidation planning can significantly reduce CO2 emissions from tractor use in agriculture
Acute neurochemical, psychophysiological, and cognitive responses to small-sided games vs. running-based hiit in young, male soccer players
No full textBackground: This study aimed to compare the immediate effects of small-sided games (SSGs) and running-based high-intensity interval training (HIITrb) on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, cognitive performance, and enjoyment in young, male soccer players. Methods: Twenty-four soccer players [age: 19.2 +/- 0.8 years] completed one session each of four-a-side SSG or HIITrb in a randomized, counterbalanced, and crossover design, with a one-week washout period. Blood samples and Trail Making Tests (TMTs) A and B were measured before and after exercise. Heart rate (HR) was monitored throughout the games, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and enjoyment were collected at the end of the measurements. Results: The results show no significant effects of time (p > 0.775), group (p > 0.276) or time x group interaction (p > 0.199) on BDNF levels. For TMT-A, the time effect (p = 0.866) and group effect (p = 0.057) were not significant; however, the time x group interaction was significant (p 0.061). Furthermore, enjoyment levels did not differ significantly between conditions (p = 0.976). Conclusions: These findings suggest that four-a-side SSG may enhance processing speed compared to HIITrb without changes in serum BDNF levels. Coaches may consider using 4v4 SSG formats in early training sessions or warm-ups to stimulate processing speed and mental readiness in young soccer players
Stakeholder participation in disaster risk management: The case of provincial disaster risk reduction plan (IRAP) of İstanbul
No full textStakeholder Participation (SP) in the preparation phase of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) process plays a crucial role in enhancing societal resilience to disasters. However studies addressing the significance of stakeholder participation in the early stages of DRM remain relatively limited in the literature. This research examines SP within the DRM process, taking the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Plan (IRAP) of Istanbul as a case study. The primary objective of the study is to analyze SP during the preparation phase of IRAP, focusing on both processes and criteria, and to identify successful SP criteria and models in the preparatory phase of DRM. In this context, interviews were conducted with 14 public personnel from 10 institutions involved in the preparation process of IRAP. Through content analysis using the MAXQDA software, six themes of SP and 25 success criteria were identified. The research findings are presented under the following headings: i) identification and selection of stakeholders, ii) Key Stakeholders (KS), iii) effective Participation Tools (PT), iv) effectiveness of workshops, v) functionality of Action Plans (AP), and vi) factors hindering SP. The key results of the study highlight the following: 1- properly informing target stakeholders, 2- ensuring the participation of personnel with Institutional Memory (IM), 3- securing active involvement of high-level and local administrators, 4- promoting a culture of action planning among Stakeholder Institutions (SI) and their employees, and 5facilitating open disaster data sharing among stakeholders. In light of these findings, a model for achieving effective SP in DRM has been developed
Change in smoking outcome expectation scale and anti-smoking self-efficacy scale of the students during university education: Repeated cross-sectional study
Get PDFAdolescents are more likely to smoke when they exhibit negative attitudes toward anti-smoking and have low self-efficacy to avoid smoking. This study aims to evaluate changes in the prevalence of smoking, smoking outcome expectations (positive/negative), and anti-smoking self-efficacy among students during their four-year university education. About 435 students who started university in 2018 and graduated in 2021 comprised the participants of this repeated cross-sectional study. The Smoking Outcome Expectation Scale and Anti-Smoking Self-Efficacy Scale were used to assess smoking opposition. The prevalence of smoking among students tends to increase from the first year to the fourth year of education. The rate of students fighting against smoking significantly increases from the first year (45%) to the second year (49.3%) but decreases in the fourth year (42.8%) (p < .05). Negative smoking outcome expectations show a significant increase after the first year in all departments (p < .001). Self-efficacy to resist social influences to smoke decreases significantly in engineering and social sciences in the final year of university (p < .001). Despite the increasing negativity in students' smoking outcome expectations, the decrease in anti-smoking self-efficacy and the decline in students' support for anti-smoking measures are reflected in the increase in smoking prevalence throughout university education. These findings indicate the necessity of implementing measures to protect students from starting smoking from the beginning to the end of university education
Effects of noise stress on neuronal activation in rat auditory pathway-related brain regions
Get PDFBackground/Objectives: Environmental noise is a non-specific biological stressor that is becoming an escalating health concern for both industrialized and developing countries. A study by the World Health Organization identified ambient noise as the second most prevalent factor adversely affecting public health, causing high levels of stress. Extended or intense exposure to environmental noise (EN) has been linked to various alterations in auditory pathways and auditory-related central nervous system structures. We tested the hypothesis that acute exposure to intense noise could lead to such alterations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate neuronal activation in auditory-related brain regions resulting from acute noise exposure using immunohistochemistry processes. Methods: We examined a total of 12 Wistar rats (6 rats for noise exposure group; 6 rats for the control group). The noise exposure group was exposed to intense noise, while the control group experienced basal noise for thirty minutes. After scarification of the rats, tissues were collected and examined histologically using the immunohistochemical staining method. Results: Our research demonstrates that acute noise exposure markedly elevates neuronal activity in critical parts of the auditory system, such as the cochlear nuclei, inferior colliculi, trapezoid body, and primary auditory cortex. While we identified c-Fos immunoreactive neurons in the medial geniculate body of both the experiment and control groups, no statistically significant changes were found between these groups. Conclusions: These findings indicate that noise exposure-related stress could be caused primarily by the disruption of lower centers rather than the medial geniculate body
Development of an artificial neural network prediction model using fractal analysis method in time series: Bitcoin application
Get PDFBitcoin dünyanın ilk ve en yaygın kripto para birimidir. Merkeziyetsiz yapıda ve dijital bir değerdir. Sınırlı arzı vardır ve gün geçtikçe daha fazla yatırımcının dikkatini çekmektedir. Bitcoin’in volatilitesi yüksek olduğundan fiyat tahmin performansını artırmak amacıyla alternatif yöntemler geliştirilmektedir. Daha fazla veriyi elde edebilmek, araştırmacılar için avantajlı gibi görünse de, enformasyondan bilgiye ve karar almayı kapsayan süreç içerisinde zorluklar ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Fraktal analiz, son yıllarda finansal piyasalarda var olan varlıkların davranışını ve yapısını anlamak amacıyla kullanılan yöntemlerden biridir. Süreç içerisinde tahmin performansını yükselterek, daha doğru karar almak için, bu araştırmada fraktal analiz incelenmiş ve analize dahil edilmiştir. Veri yığınlarını yönetmek amacıyla tahminci özellikleri ve ekonometrik model varsayımlarına gerek duymadan alternatif olarak ortaya çıkan yapay sinir ağları başarılı tahmin sonuçları vermektedir. Yapay sinir ağları içerisinde uzun-kısa dönem hafızası (long-short term memory) olarak adlandırılan LSTM modeli tercih edilmiştir. LSTM modeli ve fraktal analiz kapsamında değerlendirilen Hurst üssü değerleri modele eklenerek, teknik göstergeli bir model oluşturulmuş ve sonuçlar fraktal değişken içermeyen LSTM modeli sonuçlarıyla karşılaştırılmıştır. 15 dakikalık ve 4 saatlik iki ayrı veri kümesi için yapılan analiz sonucunda, Hurst entegreli LSTM modellerinin hata payı azalarak (%0,69-%1,53) tahmin performansı artmıştır.Bitcoin is the world's first and most widely used cryptocurrency. It is decentralized and has digital value. It has a limited supply and is attracting an increasing number of investors every day. Due to Bitcoin's high volatility, alternative methods are being developed to improve price prediction performance. While obtaining more data may seem advantageous for researchers, it presents challenges in transforming information into knowledge and making informed decisions. Fractal analysis is one of the methods used in recent years to understand the behavior and structure of financial market assets. To improve prediction performance and make more accurate decisions, fractal analysis was examined and incorporated into this study. Artificial neural networks, which emerged as an alternative to traditional predictive models and econometric assumptions, provide successful prediction results for managing large datasets. The LSTM model, referred to as long-short-term memory within artificial neural networks, was preferred. Hurst exponent values evaluated within the scope of the LSTM model and fractal analysis were incorporated into the model, resulting in a technical indicator-based model. The results were then compared with those of the LSTM model without fractal variables. As a result of the analysis conducted on two separate datasets of 15 minutes and 4 hours, the error rate of the Hurst-integrated LSTM models decreased (0.69%-1.53%), and the prediction performance improved
Z kuşağının ergenlik mahremiyet ve cinselliğe dair algıları: Üniversite öğrencileriyle nitel bir inceleme
No full textThis study aims to explore university students’ perceptions of adolescence, privacy, and sexuality from a qualitative perspective, within the context of today’s rapidly digitalizing society. Through semi-structured interviews with 21 Generation Z individuals, the research examines the personal experiences and social interactions of young people regarding these concepts. The interview data were evaluated using content analysis; themes were coded by the researchers and validated through expert reviews, achieving an inter-coder reliability rate of 85%. The findings were grouped under eight themes: (1) Perception of Body and Identity in Adolescence, (2) Emotional and Behavioral Experiences in Adolescence, (3) Sources of Information on Adolescence, (4) Problem-Solving Methods in Adolescence, (5) Perception of Privacy, (6) Perception of Sexuality, (7) Views on Sexuality Education, and (8) Behaviors Avoided at Home but Freely Performed at University. Participants primarily associated adolescence with physical changes, while its psychological and social dimensions were often overlooked. Privacy was frequently linked to bodily restrictions shaped by traditional and religious norms, particularly by female participants. Others viewed privacy through the lens of blurred personal boundaries in the digital age. Sexuality was perceived both as a natural need and as an area constrained by societal pressures. Due to the limited open communication and pedagogical inadequacies, many participants turned to unreliable sources of information. The roles of family and school were described as both supportive and restrictive. The university was seen as a more autonomous, identity-forming space. The study highlights the need for a scientifically grounded, culturally responsive, and multi-stakeholder educational approach to privacy and sexuality starting from an early age, to support healthy identity development. The findings offer valuable insights for improving education policies, family guidance, and psychosocial support services for adolescents.Bu araştırma, dijitalleşmenin hız kazandığı günümüz toplumunda, üniversite öğrencilerinin ergenlik, mahremiyet ve cinsellik algılarını nitel bir perspektiften incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Z kuşağı olarak adlandırılan 21 bireyleriyle gerçekleştirilen yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla, gençlerin bu kavramlara ilişkin bireysel deneyimleri ve toplumsal etkileşimleri detaylı biçimde analiz edilmiştir. Görüşme verileri içerik analizi yöntemiyle değerlendirilmiş; temalar araştırmacılarca kodlanarak uzman görüşleriyle karşılaştırılmış ve %85 güvenirlik oranı sağlanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler, sekiz tema altında toplanmıştır: (1)Ergenlikte Beden ve Kimlik Algısı, (2)Ergenlikte Duygusal ve Davranışsal Deneyimler, (3)Ergenlikle İlgili Bilgi Kaynakları, (4)Ergenlikte Sorun Çözme Yöntemleri, (5)Mahremiyet Algısı, (6)Cinsellik Algısı, (7)Cinsel Eğitime Yönelik Görüşler ve (8)Aile Yanında Kaçınılan, Üniversitede Serbestçe Yapılan Davranışlar. Ergenliğin katılımcılar tarafından öncelikle fiziksel değişimlerle tanımlandığını, ancak psikolojik ve sosyal boyutlarının çoğu zaman geri planda kaldığını göstermektedir. Mahremiyet kavramı, özellikle kadın katılımcılar tarafından geleneksel ve dini normlarla şekillenen bedensel sınırlamalarla ilişkilendirilirken; bazı katılımcılar mahremiyeti dijital çağda belirsizleşen kişisel sınırlar bağlamında değerlendirmiştir. Cinsellik ise hem doğal bir ihtiyaç hem de toplumsal baskılarla kuşatılmış bir alan olarak algılanmış, açık iletişim eksikliği ve pedagojik yetersizlikler nedeniyle bireylerin çoğunlukla güvensiz bilgi kaynaklarına yöneldiği belirlenmiştir. Aile ve okulun bu süreçteki rolü hem destekleyici hem de sınırlayıcı olarak tanımlanmıştır. Üniversite ortamı ise katılımcılar için daha özgür ve kimlik kurucu bir alan olarak öne çıkmıştır. Araştırma, gençlerin sağlıklı bir kimlik geliştirebilmesi için mahremiyet ve cinsellik konularında erken yaşlardan itibaren bilimsel, kültürel bağlamı gözeten ve çok paydaşlı bir eğitim yaklaşımının gerekli olduğunu vurgulamaktadır. Bulgular, ergenlik dönemine yönelik eğitim politikaları, aile rehberliği ve psikososyal destek hizmetlerinin geliştirilmesine yönelik önemli öneriler sunmaktadır
An investigation of the relationship between teachers’ curriculum fidelity levels and their epistemological beliefs
Get PDFBu araştırmanın amacı, öğretmenlerin öğretim programına bağlılık düzeyleri ile epistemolojik inançları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Çalışma nicel desende, ilişkisel tarama modeliyle yürütülmüştür. Çalışma grubunu, 2024-2025 eğitim-öğretim yılında Bursa il merkezinde, Nilüfer, Osmangazi ve Yıldırım ilçelerindeki ilköğretim ve ortaöğretim kademelerinde ve farklı branşlarda görev yapmakta olan 372 öğretmen oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veriler, Burul ve Tezci (2022) tarafından geliştirilen Program Bağlılığı Ölçeği ile Aypay (2011) tarafından Türkçeye kazandırılan Epistemolojik İnançlar Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. İlgili kurum izinleri alınmı ve çalışma etik ilkeler gözetilerek yürütülmüştür. Veri analizinde ilk olarak dağılım varsayımları değerlendirilmiş; çarpıklık- basıklık katsayıları hesaplanarak normallik analizleri yapılmıştır. Ölçeklerin iç tutarlığını Cronbach alfa katsayısı hesaplanarak incelenmiştir. Betimsel istatistiklerin ardından, her iki ölçeğin boyutları açısından; cinsiyet, branş, mesleki kıdem, eğitim düzeyleri, mezun olunan fakülte türü ve hizmet-içi eğitim alma durumu olarak belirlenen demografik değişkenlere göre farklılaşma durumlarını belirlemek amacıyla bağımsız örneklem t-Test ve tek yönlü Anova uygulanmış, varyansların homojenliği Levene testi kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Anlamlı farklılık tespit edilen boyutlarda Post- Hoc HSD testleri uygulanmış ve gruplar arası karşılaştırmalar analiz edilmiştir. İki ölçek arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymak adına Pearson Korelasyon analizi yapılmıştır. Bulgular bölümünde, yapılan analizlere ilişkin elde edilen veriler tablo haline getirilerek sunulmuş ve yorumlanmıştır. Araştırma soruları doğrultusunda sırasıyla öğretmenlerin program bağlılık düzeylerine, bunlara ilişkin demografik değişkenler açısından yapılan analizlere, epistemolojik inanç düzeyşerine ve inanç puanının demografik değişkenlere göre nasıl farklılaştığına dair bulgular sunulmuştur. Sonuçlar, kavramsal çerçeve ve alan yazınla birlikte tartışılmış; program geliştirme, hizmet içi eğitim ve okul iklimine yönelik öneriler paylaşılmıştır.The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between teachers’ curriculum fidelity levels and their epistemological beliefs. The research was conducted within a quantitative design using the relational survey model. The study group consisted of 372 teachers working at primary and secondary education levels and in different subject branches in the districts of Nilüfer, Osmangazi, and Yıldırım in Bursa province during the 2024–2025 academic year. Data were collected using the Curriculum Fidelity Scale developed by Burul and Tezci (2022) and the Epistemological Beliefs Scale adapted into Turkish by Aypay (2011). Necessary institutional permissions were obtained, and the study was conducted in accordance with ethical principles. n the data analysis process, distributional assumptions were first examined; skewness–kurtosis coefficients were calculated to assess normality. The internal consistency of the scales was tested through Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Following descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA were employed to determine whether the scale dimensions differed according to demographic variables such as gender, branch, professional seniority, educational background, faculty of graduation, and participation in in-service training. Homogeneity of variances was tested using Levene’s test. In cases where significant differences were found, Post-Hoc HSD tests were conducted and intergroup comparisons were analyzed. In order to reveal the relationship between the two scales, Pearson correlation analysis was performed. Since the correlation values did not reach the expected magnitude, linear regression analysis was not conducted. In the findings section, the results of the analyses were presented in tables and interpreted. In line with the research questions, findings were presented respectively on teachers’ curriculum fidelity levels, the analyses conducted with regard to demographic variables, their epistemological belief levels, and the differences in belief scores by demographics. The results were discussed in relation to the conceptual framework and the relevant literature, and recommendations were provided concerning curriculum development, in-service training, and school climate