Learning How to Conduct Educational Research in Teacher Education : a Turkish Perspective

This paper examines the attitudes of student teachers in social studies towards an educational research assignment, undertaken in an educational research methods course given at the Fatih Faculty of Education at Karadeniz Technical University, Turkey. A questionnaire containing open-ended questions and an interview were used in the data-collection process of this research. 74 student teachers answered the questionnaire; 20 of these teachers were selected for interview through a random sampling method, and they then participated in a semi-structured interview. In the light of the data, it can be said that the majority of student teachers gained basic educational research skills as a result of the course, and specifically learned how to conduct a small-scale research project. By conducting a small-scale education research project and writing a report on it, student teachers learned important educational research skills, such as how to detect problems, construct hypotheses, review literature, select a suitable research methodology, choose data-collecting instruments, gather and analyse data, cite references and write up an educational research project

Optimization of cutting die life cycle and investigation of parameters affecting die life cycle

In this study, an investigation into the factors influencing the die life cycle was prompted by the substantial costs associated with punch and matrix wear in the die used for ventilation hole cutting of the disc component, featuring MW05 material. The study focused on optimizing the life cycle through a series of experiments conducted in two stages. Initially, punch life cycle studies, including geometry and PVD surface coating, were carried out. Subsequently, matrix life cycle studies encompassing hardness, manufacturing method, surface roughness, press tonnage, and alternative material were conducted. The introduction of a flat area around the cutting edge of the punches led to a significant reduction in abrasive wear, while the modification to the punch design, coupled with AlCrN surface coating, effectively decreased adhesive wear on the cutting contour, resulting in an increased punch life cycle. Notably, a transition from wire erosion to milling machining for the matrix cutting contour yielded a substantial improvement in the matrix life cycle. These advancements in die life cycle optimization will serve as vital inputs for new die designs. Quantitative results reveal a 15-fold increase in punch life cycle and a 3.33-fold increase in matrix life cycle, demonstrating the efficacy of the implemented modifications

Assessment of the protective effects of pomegranate peel extract and n-acetyl cysteine alone or in combination with ornipural® against cadmium-induced bone toxicity in rat

Aim: The present study was conducted to determine the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) and N-acetyl Cysteine (NAC) alone or in their treatment combinations with commercial preparation Ornipural® (ORN) on bone metabolism against experimentally cadmium (Cd)-induced toxicity in rats. Materials and Methods: Totally 36 animals were used in the study including 6 Wistar Albino rats in each group. The animals were assigned to control, Cd, Cd+PPE, Cd+NAC, Cd+PPE+ORN and Cd+NAC+ORN groups. The animals in the groups were euthanized after their blood samples were taken at the end of the 8th week. The bones were subjected to maceration for morphometric and histopathological examinations after euthanasia. Results: The statistically significant differences were determined between the treatment groups and Cd group in terms of histopathological changes (osteoporotic alterations and changes in red bone marrow) and biomarkers (Ca, P and Mg) (P Conclusion: Although PPE, NAC and treatment combinations with ORN applied against experimentally induced cadmium toxicity were determined to have positive effects on bone metabolism, it has been thought that carrying out trials by increasing treatment duration and dose would be beneficial to determine definite efficacy of the applied treatment protocols

Geometric morphometric analysis of the condylus occipitalis and foramen magnum in sheep and goat

Aim: The aim of this study was to reveal the dimorphic structures of the foramen magnum and condyle occipitalis through an interspecies shape analysis and to determine the variability between sheep and goats. Materials and Methods: The study includes data from 81 skulls (46 sheep and 35 goat) for this aim. The foramen magnum frame shape and the condyle occipitalis variation were determined using type I (anatomical) and type III (semilandmarks). Results: Accordingly, was determined 30.76, 14.94 and 14.07 of the total shape variation of PC1, PC2 and PC3, respectively. It was determined that condylus occipitalis was primarily responsible for the shape variation according to PC1, and foramen magnum was responsible for the secondarly. It was found to explain the shape variation of the right condyle occipitalis to a great extent compared with PC2, while in PC3, it caused the entire right condyle occipitalis to explain the shape variation of the extreme lateral corner of the left condyle occipitalis and the left edge of the foramen magnum. The discriminant function analysis determined the Procrustes and Mahalanobis distances to be 0.12293879 (p Conclusion: As a result, the geometric morphometry method is regarded to be a useful tool for detecting changes in skull shape between species and can thus be used successfully for taxonomic, archaeological, and forensic research

Determination of the correlations between the morphological characteristics and metapodial radiometric measurements of awassi sheep

Aim: The study aims to determine the correlations between external structural characteristics and osteometric data of Awassi sheep. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 heads Awassi sheep (18-20 months of age), 100 females and 50 males were used in the study. After determining the sex and measuring the body weight, wither height, ridge height, rump height, rump width and rump length, sternum height, body length, shin circumference, bicostal diameter, chest circumference and pelvis width of sheep, metapodium radiographs were taken by digital mobile X-ray device with DR system. Results: Between the values GL, Bp, SD, Bd, Be, WCL for metacarpus and GL, Bp, SD, Bd, Be, WCM, WCL and CM for metatarsus, sexual dimorphism was statistically significant when the radiometric measurement values of the metapodiums are examined (p < 0.001). The highest correlation value for the front leg was found between the GL value from the radiometry measurements of the metacarpal bones and the back height from the external structure measurement values (r: 0.684) when the correlation between metapodial radiometry and external structure features were examined. The highest correlation value for the hind limb was found between the SD value from the radiometric measurements of the metatarsal bones and the back height from the external structure measurement values (r: 0.679). Conclusion: Metapodiums, which they complete their development early in the body had strong relationships with the body measurements. The results obtained from the study show that metapodial radiometric features have the potential to be used in selection studies in terms of growth and meat yield

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Digit Bones (Acropodium) of Gazella (Gazella subgutturosa); Three-Dimensional Modelling and Morphometry

The present study was conducted to identify morphometric values and to reveal differences between sexes through three-dimensional modeling of digit bones (ossa phalanges) of gazella by using computed tomography images. A total of 14 (7 female, 7 male) adult gazella (Gazella subgutturosa) cadavers were used in the study. The images were extracted by scanning acropodium bones of gazella at 64-detector Multi Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) in cross section thickness of 0.625mm. Using MIMICS 20.1 program, three-dimensional models of these images were prepared and morphometric measurements were taken. In GLpe and Bd measurements of Phalanx proximalis, a statistically significant difference was established between females and males in terms of the left forelimb internal, the right forelimb internal, the right forelimb external, and the right hindlimb external bones (P&lt;0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between females and males in terms of volume of phalanx proximalis and surface area of the right forelimb internal phalanx proximalis (P&lt;0.001). In GLpe measurements, a statistically significant difference was determined between females and males in terms of the left forelimb internal, the right forelimb internal, the right hindlimb internal, the left forelimb external, the right forelimb external, and the right hindlimb external phalanx media (P&lt;0.05). A statistically significant difference was determined between females and males in terms of the data related to volume and surface areas of the left hindlimb internal the right hindlimb internal, the left hindlimb external, and the right hindlimb external phalanx distalis (P&lt;0.05).</jats:p

Turkish History Teachers’ Perceptions of Primary Sources in History Textbooks

Primary sources help us to visualize the past, bringing it into the present day. Primary sources are multifarious: they can be illustrations, original texts, maps and examples drawn from real-life events, all of which are important components of history textbooks. In order to use these sources, students can develop different skills, such as critical thinking, the ability to assess different views and the ability to think empathetically, all of which are crucial attributes in a democratic society where primary sources are to be used. To benefit from primary sources, history teachers and students must know how to use these sources effectively. However, it is a generally held belief that some Turkish history teachers do not use primary sources in history textbooks effectively. The purpose of this paper is to elicit history teachers’ perceptions about primary sources in history textbooks. A qualitative approach was used in this study in order to gather data in response to the research questions, and the information itself was secured through a semi-structured interview. History teachers who joined this study were chosen from the province of Trabzon through random sampling. In the light of the data, it seems that the majority of history teachers do not know how to use primary sources presented in history textbooks effectively

Optimizing Stroke Classification with Pre-Trained Deep Learning Models

Background/Objectives: Insufficient blood supply to the brain, whether due to blocked arteries (ischemic stroke) or bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke), leads to brain cell death and cognitive impairment. Ischemic strokes, which are more common, occur when blood flow to the brain is obstructed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are essential for distinguishing stroke types, but precise and timely identification of ischemic strokes is crucial for effective treatment. Manual diagnosis can be difficult due to high patient volumes and time constraints in hospitals. This study aims to investigate the use of deep learning techniques for predicting ischemic strokes with high accuracy, enabling earlier diagnosis and intervention. Methods: The study utilized advanced deep learning algorithms, specifically ConvNeXt Base, to analyze large datasets of medical imaging data, focusing on MRI scans. The model was trained and validated on a labeled dataset to identify critical indicators and patterns associated with stroke risk. The performance of the model was evaluated based on accuracy metrics to determine its predictive capabilities. Results: ConvNeXt Base achieved an overall accuracy of 84% on the validation set, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying ischemic strokes. The model was able to detect key patterns linked to stroke risk, highlighting its potential for use in clinical settings to aid in early diagnosis and decision-making. Conclusions: ConvNeXt Base reveals promise in improving stroke prediction accuracy, enabling earlier diagnosis and personalized treatment, which could lead to faster, more effective medical interventions

A Web-Deployed, Explainable AI System for Comprehensive Brain Tumor Diagnosis

Background/Objectives: Accurate diagnosis of brain tumors is one of the most important challenges in neuro-oncology since tumor classification and volumetric segmentation inform treatment planning. Two-dimensional classification and three-dimensional segmentation deep learning models can augment radiological workflows, particularly if paired with explainable AI techniques to improve model interpretability. The objective of this research was to develop a web-based brain tumor segmentation and classification diagnosis platform. Methods: A diagnosis system was developed combining 2D tumor classification and 3D volumetric segmentation. Classification employed a fine-tuned MobileNetV2 model trained on a glioma, meningioma, pituitary tumor, and normal control dataset. Segmentation employed a SegResNet model trained on BraTS multi-channel MRI with synthetic no-tumor data. A meta-classifier MLP was used for binary tumor detection from volumetric features. Explainability was offered using XRAI maps for 2D predictions and Gaussian overlays for 3D visualizations. The platform was incorporated into a web interface for clinical use. Results: MobileNetV2 2D model recorded 98.09% classification accuracy for tumor classification. 3D SegResNet obtained Dice coefficients around 68–70% for tumor segmentations. The MLP-based tumor detection module recorded 100% detection accuracy. Explainability modules could identify the area of the tumor, and saliency and overlay maps were consistent with real pathological features in both 2D and 3D. Conclusions: Deep learning diagnosis system possesses improved brain tumor classification and segmentation with interpretable outcomes by utilizing XAI techniques. Deployment as a web tool and a user-friendly interface made it suitable for clinical usage in radiology workflows