Practice In Turkey Research Articles

Turkey Experience in Urban Transformation

Purpose This study focuses on the current situation and problems of urban transformation practices in Turkey, with respect to space, society, and policy. A number of field studies and surveys were conducted in the study area in Konya city in Turkey, with regards to the unity of space, society, and politics and were developed spatial strategies that ensure such unity. Design/Methodology/Approach The study consisted of two stages. In the first stage, the literature on the need for urban transformation in Turkey was reviewed based on experiences relating to space (land fragmentation, property rights, informalities housing), society (the coordination and participation processes), and politics (current legislation, actors and their roles, horizontal and vertical coordination, public interest, planning strategy, policy learning). In the second stage, a number of field studies (the status of the buildings, the building types, the land use status, the status of historical and cultural structures, the land to building ratio, the land fragmentation and cadastral status and surveys) were utilized within the scope of our analysis. The survey questions consisted of the problems and expectations of inhabitants and NGOs with respect to spatial, political and social aspects of the study area. Findings Based on the results of the current situation analysis and field survey, spatial strategies that provide the unity of space, society, and politics were developed for the study area. Research Limitations/Implications With respect to actors and their roles, this study focuses on two groups as representatives of the social structure. The other groups also should be involved directly or indirectly because of the multi-factor structure of the urban transformation processes. Social/Practical Implications Identifying the need, processes and problems related to urban transformation, based on the unity of space, society, and politics could have positive effects on sustainable projects. Originality/Value This study is important with the development of spatial strategies with the participation and cooperation activities of the residents and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the basis of neighbourhoods in urban transformation.

Views of Healthcare Professionals to Traditional and Complementary Medicine

Objective: Although its roots go back centuries, there is still a demand for traditional medicine practices and it is important to know the opinion of the society and healthcare professionals about the subject. Our study aims to determine the attitudes of healthcare professional and non-healthcare hospital staff about traditional medicine.Material-Method: A two-stage questionnaire, a demographic information section, and the Complementary, Alternative, and Conventional Medicine Attitudes Scale (CACMAS) was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data.Results: A total of 681 staff of nine public and private hospitals participated in the study. 65.4% (n=439) of the participants were healthcare professionals, 34.6% (n=232) were non-healthcare professionals. The mean scores of the healthcare professional respondents were 92.6 (±16.7), of the non-healthcare professional respondents were 126.1 (±11.7).Conclusion: In our study, it was found that healthcare professionals' attitudes towards traditional medicine practices were more negative than non-healthcare professionals. However, as according to the current legislation in many countries around the world, only physicians who receive standard training and other healthcare professionals under their supervision are authorized to perform traditional medicine practices in Turkey. As a result of our study, it was determined that the attitudes of healthcare professionals and other segments of the society should be observed about traditional medicine practices and that measures should be taken to bring together the supply and demand for traditional medicine on a legal basis.

A Study on Pediatric Nurses’ Pain Management Knowledge and Practices in Turkey

Objective: With a child’s less developed ability to express oneself when compared to adults, it is a more challenging task to manage pain in children. Nurses, as those who spend the most time with patients, need to have sufficient knowledge about assessing and managing pain in children. The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge and pediatric practices of nurses working in pediatric clinics on pain management in children. Methods: This descriptive study was completed with 134 nurses. Study data were captured through using a questionnaire drafted, and rearranged in line with specialist advice, by the researchers. Data were electronically evaluated with percentage, Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests using analysis system. Results: It was determined that 81.3% of nurses had not been trained on pain management in children. It was established that nurses preferred pharmacological methods to non-pharmacological, that 54.5% of them used a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods to relieve pain in children, and that 16.4% mentioned difficulty in pain management due to lack of time. Nurses’ knowledge of pain management was found to be slightly above the average (maximum 22 points; median ± standard deviation=16.50±2.74; minimum-maximum: 9-21). Conclusion: The study established that nurses’ level of knowledge about pain management was inadequate, that nurses encountered various challenges in pain management arising from the workplace setting, and that rate of use of non-pharmacological pain treatment methods, an independent function of nursing, is significantly low.

Impacts of Artificial Insemination on Holstein Cattle Population in Turkey

The use of artificial insemination (AI) is common practice in most countries all around the world, in dairy cattle. AI, which started to be implemented in Turkey in 1930, became more widespread in 1987 in order to rapidly improve the native breed. According to data from 2020, 37% of the cattle population is a crossbred and about 15% of this is Holstein cattle. In the last 5 years, approximately 26.5 million doses of sperm have been imported, in other words, an average of 0.70 doses per milked cow. In this study, the pedigree file records of 5 673 405 Holsteins born from 1975 to 2012, and all sires were known individually were selected for this study. It was determined that 5 673 405 individuals had a total of 11 883 sires. The 10 most used sires are parents of 10.61% of progeny in the population. For today, almost 37% of the cattle population is converted to exotic breeds and their crossbreeds. Approximately 15% of this is Holstein. In the last 5 years, approximately 26.5 million doses of semen have been imported, in other words, an average of 0.70 doses of semen per milked cow. Although frequent use of some sires leads to increased inbreeding in some herds, the consanguinity coefficient in the population was found to be 0.0145. Apart from various problems in insemination practices in Turkey, it can be suggested that an effective way is followed in semen selection and importation.

User Participation in Social Housing Practices in Turkey

Turkey, which is a country with rapid population growth, has a housing problem with low-income groups, that particularly emerged due to urbanization. Different solutions have been used in an attempt to solve this problem, within the scope of social housing policies that the local or central governments have produced. However, social housing policies have been insufficient to solve the rapidly changing housing problem due to the social, political, and economic dynamics of Turkey. Some social housing policies have succeeded; however, some have accelerated the formation of illegal settlements. Although the most important component of this multidimensional process is generally the government, actors, such as users, architects, and construction companies, whose expectations and effects are different from each other are the components of the process. It is uncommon for the user to have a say in the design, or production, or both of a house. This is true for Turkey and many countries worldwide. This paper aims to achieve a centralized view of the production of housing for low-income groups in Turkey, which is quite complicated and problematic; and to draw attention to the potential of user participation that has not previously had a place in this process and to open the issue to discussion. First, a literature review will be conducted that focuses on discourses in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where user participation in low-cost housing production was on the agenda. Later, to revise the existing large framework in the context of Turkey, social housing policies that were developed by the governments to solve the housing demands of low-income groups will be briefly reviewed. Finally, the effect of user participation in the process of social housing for low-income groups in Turkey will be discussed through the best practices believed to be from three practical experiments. The aim is to raise awareness about user participation in low-cost housing production in Turkey which is not currently on the agenda.

Turkey's Urban Agriculture Opportunities and Peri Urban Agriculture's Relationship with Law No. 6360

Population growth in the world has increased the pressure of urbanization and led to the growth and expansion of urban areas. In addition, this situation has caused some problems in the production of food in cities. These problems can be solved by applying peri-urban agriculture, which is an alternative land use model where interfaces in the urban-rural context can be best evaluated. In addition to being a sustainable land use, urban agriculture also contributes to environmental, social, health, and economic areas. In this study, the definitions, contributions and benefits of urban agriculture and peri-urban agriculture are explained. There is no clear policy framework for urban and peri-urban agriculture in Turkey. But in fact, urban interfaces are and will remain subject to the work of planners and policymakers. The process of transforming villages in big cities into communities has been presented from a utilitarian perspective in light of Law No. 6360. In the urban and peri-urban areas, urban agriculture has been adopted as a profitable way out in terms of production, and suggestions for the development of urban agriculture practices in Turkey are presented.

Investigating the carbon emission aspects of agricultural land utilization in Turkey.

As a pathway to environmental sustainability, several approaches to sustainable agriculture practices have consistently been echoed through international government agencies such as the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Development Programme. Given this perspective, this study examines the carbon emission effects of the categories of agricultural land utilization (this includes arable land, permanent cropland, meadows land, and forest land) for Turkey over the period 1988-2019. The study further explores the dimension of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emission from agricultural land use for sown crops, fruits and beverages, vineyards, and olives, in addition to the effect of economic expansion. By employing the autoregressive distributed lag empirical approach, the study finds that the use of agricultural land for arable farming and permanent plantation helps to reduce carbon emissions, especially in the long-run, while the impact of meadows is also desirable only in the short-run. Consequently, the study further shows that the use of farmland for fruits and beverages, and vineyard mitigates carbon emission, especially in the long-run. Whereas the use of farmland for olives plantation and fallow exhibits a significant contribution of carbon emission, especially in the short-run with elasticities of 0.91 and 1.48 respectively. Moreover, economic expansion in Turkey causes significant harm to environmental quality in the long-run thereby truncating its short-run desirable environmental effect. In order to sustain the largely efficient agricultural practice in Turkey, the study offers two policy dimensions to the government and the country's stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:988-996. © 2021 SETAC.

Performative design processes in architectural practices in Turkey: architects’ perception

ABSTRACT During the last decades, the increasing need to ensure building performance during architectural design has led to highly interactive relations between architecture and various other disciplines, in which concepts of sustainability and building performance are tightly integrated into the design process. However, the adoption of these concepts in architectural practices and the recent advancements in the field have remained rather slow. This research aims to understand performative design (PD) in the context of existing design practices and investigate integrated design strategies and potentials of computational design throughout the whole design process. In this research, a qualitative study was carried out, focusing on PD processes in architectural practices based on semi-structured interviews and case studies. The collected data from nine selected architectural practices is analyzed through a thematic coding approach. The findings reveal that the widespread use of computational tools and technologies and the increasing awareness of both architects and clients on building performance have changed the design priorities in architectural practices. The results also show that the competence of the design team, the tools used during design processes, the involvement of direct and indirect stakeholders, shifting client demands, and market values are effective in pursuing an integrated PD process. Consequently, this research contributes to the current understanding of performative architectural design practices by investigating the key performance concepts, supporting computational tools, and finally the current practices of PD.

Survey of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Ophthalmology Clinical Practice in Turkey

Objectives:To investigate the effect of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the clinical practice of ophthalmologists in our country.Materials and Methods:A questionnaire consisting of 22 questions was delivered to 250 ophthalmologists via e-mail and a smartphone messaging application. A total of 113 ophthalmologists completed the survey. The questions included the participants’ demographic data (age, years in practice, institution, and city), changes in their working conditions and institutional preventive measures implemented during the pandemic, their personal COVID-19 experiences, the prevalence of telemedicine applications, and their attitudes toward these practices.Results:Nearly half (47.8%) of the 113 ophthalmologists were 36 to 45 years old. In terms of years in practice, the largest proportion of respondents (28.3%) had 6-10 years of experience. Most of the participants worked in private/foundation universities (37.2%), while 22.1% worked in education and research clinics. Participants working at public universities most often reported that they or a close contact had to work in COVID wards (89.5%). Triage was performed in 51.5% of ophthalmology outpatient clinics, with 88.0% of these participants reporting that patients with fever, cough, or dyspnea were directed to the pandemic clinic without ophthalmological examination. All participants working in public hospitals, education and research clinics, and public university hospitals had postponed elective surgeries, whereas 12.5% of those working in private practice and 20.5% of those working in private/foundation universities reported that they continued elective surgeries. While 80.8% of the participants did not conduct online interviews or examinations, 40.4% stated that they considered telemedicine applications beneficial. Seventy-seven percent of participants expressed concern about a decrease in their income during the pandemic, with this being especially common among participants working in private practice (87.5%) and private/foundation university hospitals (85.7%).Conclusion:Ophthalmologists across our country have been affected by this pandemic at a level that will change their clinical approach. We think that ophthalmologists impacted by the difficulty of providing personal protective equipment and economic concerns should be supported more during the pandemic.

Parenting by lying in Turkey: associations with negative psychosocial outcomes and psychopathy in adulthood

Parenting by lying—a practice whereby parents lie to their children as a means of emotional or behavioral control—is common throughout the world. This study expands upon the existing, albeit limited, research on parenting by lying by exploring the prevalence and long-term associations of this parenting practice in Turkey. Turkish university students (N = 182) retrospectively reported on their experiences of parenting by lying in childhood, their current frequency of lying towards parents, their present level of psychosocial adjustment problems, and their expression of psychopathic traits. The results found that recalling higher levels of parenting by lying in childhood was significantly and positively associated with both increased lying to parents as well as the expression of secondary psychopathic traits in adulthood. The novel findings uncovered in this paper highlight the potential long-term associations that parental lying to children may have on their psychosocial development in adulthood.

The Moderation Role of Transformational Leadership in the Effect of Instructional Leadership on Teacher Professional Learning and Instructional Practice: An Integrated Leadership Perspective

Aim: While integrated leadership has received significant scholarly attention in the past decade, most existing research in this vein has focused on its impact on student achievement and often dismissed how it might be related to instructional practices, which are at the center of many school reforms. In this research, we examined the relationship between integrated leadership and teacher professional learning and teacher practices in Turkey, where educational policy makers have recently introduced several school reform initiatives. More specifically, we aimed to examine the moderating function of transformational leadership in the relationship between instructional leadership and teacher practices, with an emphasis on the mediating role of teacher professional learning. Research Design: We conducted this study with a cross-sectional design and moderated mediation model. Data collected from 616 teachers working in a mix of primary and secondary schools in Turkey were analyzed using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping tests. Findings: We found evidence that transformational leadership acted as a moderator of the indirect effect of principal instructional leadership on teachers' instructional practices through teacher professional learning. Implications: This study adds to the accumulated body of knowledge on the effects of school leadership by concluding that the effect of instructional leadership on teacher learning and practice is contingent upon the extent to which principals enact transformational leadership. School principals who adopt a more comprehensive leadership approach that combines instructional leadership and transformational leadership practices can maximize their effects on student achievement through teacher learning, and better address the ever-growing demands of educational reforms.

Teacher Candidates' Evaluation of the Emergency Remote Teaching Practices in Turkey during COVID-19 Pandemic

In this study, evaluation of an emergency distance learning model (remote teaching of emergency) is intended to be evaluated according based on the opinions of the in experiences of primary school teacher candidates. The study, designed in a holistic (mixed) model, was conducted at a state university in Turkey. The study group consisted of 152 primary school teacher candidates. The quantitative data collected through the questionnaire developed by the researcher were analyzed with percentage and frequency, and qualitative data were analyzed by descriptive analysis. At the end of the study, it was found that primary school teacher candidates encountered many problems in distance education, the most important of which are the high number of assignments, the insufficient communication with the instructors, the lack of live lessons, the lack of internet connection and computers, and the problems in the distance education system of the university. It was determined that the participants were generally not satisfied with the distance education they received during this period. Based on these results, it was suggested that the assignment should be given less, the consultancy service should be done at a sufficient level, the support for the students with internet and computer problems, and conducting live lessons were suggested.

Practicing in exile: Syrian healthcare professionals working in informal outpatient clinics in Istanbul

AbstractTurkey hosts the largest proportion of Syrian refugees worldwide. Although Syrian refugees enjoy similar rights to health as Turkish citizens, some barriers can limit access to healthcare in practice. The healthcare needs of the Syrian population led to the emergence of "informal" clinics operated by Syrian healthcare professionals whom the Ministry of Health does not authorize to practice in Turkey. This qualitative study explores the views of 22 healthcare professionals working in such clinics about health provision for Syrian refugees. Focus groups and in‐depth interviews were transcribed and thematically coded. Language and cultural barriers, ill‐effects of immigration, insecurity concerning living conditions and expected lawful contribution to health services emerged as themes. Participants suggested that formal authorization to practice in Turkey for the Syrian healthcare workforce would be a good step towards caring for the Syrian population in Turkey.

Efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis: a retrospective and multicenter experience in Turkey

Background/aimThe aim of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis.Materials and methodsFrom 15 centers, 176 patients (53.4% male, 46.6% female) were retrospectively evaluated.ResultsThe median age at ruxolitinib initiation was 62 (28–87) and 100 (56.8%) of all were diagnosed as PMF. Constitutional symptoms were observed in 84.7%. The median initiation dose of ruxolitinib was 30 mg (10–40). Dose change was made in 69 (39.2%) patients. Forty seven (35.6%) and 20 (15.2%) of 132 patients had hematological and nonhematological adverse events, respectively. The mean spleen sizes before and after ruxolitinib treatment were 219.67 ± 46.79 mm versus 199.49 ± 40.95 mm, respectively (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between baseline features and subsequent spleen response. Overall survival at 1-year was 89.5% and the median follow up was 10 (1–55) months. We could not show any relationship between survival and reduction in spleen size (p = 0.73).ConclusionWe found ruxolitinib to be safe, well tolerated, and effective in real-life clinical practice in Turkey. Ruxolitinib dose titration can provide better responses in terms of not only clinical benefit but also for long term of ruxolitinib treatment.

Social Determinants Screening with Social History: Pediatrician and Resident Perspectives from a Middle-Income Country.

Social history (SH) makes it possible to learn the social environment of children in pediatric practice and enables interventions into social risks such as poverty. While SH has been evolving in use as an advocacy practice in high-income countries, that seems not to be the case in low- and middle-income countries. We explored pediatricians' and pediatric residents' opinions and experiences of SH with an aim to promote advocacy-based SH practices in Turkey. A qualitative study conducted involving interviews with pediatrics residents, pediatricians and educators, and a focus group with residents. Interviews and the focus group were transcribed and reviewed for themes using qualitative content analysis. The principal objective of SH wasfound to be diagnosis rather than advocacy. Although all participants expressed opinions about socioeconomic conditions' vital influence on child health, most reported limited use of SH. When asked about social needs screening with SH, most participants opposed with various reasons, primarily time concerns and doubts about the necessity for each child. Lack of time was reported as the leading barrier to SH by participants. Other barriers were identified as lack of structured SH education, problems regarding referrals and interdisciplinary work, and the biomedical health approach which defines the physician's role within the physical health domain. To achieve an advocacy-based SH practice, the biomedical health approach should be questioned. Action is needed to implement a social determinants of health approach and equity focus to health policies and to medical and residency education.

Environmental Movements in Turkey from the Perspective of Commons

Enclosure movements on the commons continue without slowing down especially in the developing countries; as well as the grassroots movements against them. Enclosure movements frequently contain several foreign investments and appropriations to other uses on natural resources and/or assets such as pastures, forests, rivers, agricultural lands and seashores, which are crucial income sources for rural households. Among other factors, the shortcomings in the common management processes, cooperatives and self-organization capacity of the stakeholders ease the enclosure process. The study investigates the environmental movements as commoning practices in Turkey in the last decade through media analysis and surveys. The study aims to constitute a scientific basis to enhance the EIA processes in order to encourage proactive responses to environmental crises, prevent enclosure movements on the commons and maintain the local sustainable development. Hence, firstly the environmental movements in Turkey are spatialized by GIS analyst tools to constitute an environmental inventory including time, types, frequency and location of the movements; secondly, an online survey is conducted with the environmental NGOs; thirdly, two possible scenarios are suggested through a triple-scale scoring system; and finally, several recommendations are proposed in order to sustain the commons.

Cyber Insurance - Turkey Practice

Cyber Insurance - Turkey Practice

GADOLINIUM RETENTION IN HUMANS: SURVEY OF RADIOLOGISTS AND IMPACT ON DAILY PRACTICE

Objective: We sought to assess the 1) awareness and impact of emerging gadolinium retention data on preferences of radiologists in their practice, and 2) factors that influence the attitudes about gadolinium use and risk. This study also documents various specifics of radiology practice in Turkey. Methods: A twenty-one question survey was directed to radiologists who were at least one year from completion of residency and/or fellowship training. A survey link was emailed to the members of the Turkish Society of Radiology and was active for four weeks. The results were statistically analyzed. Results: Three hundred and thirty-five radiologists completed the survey. At the time of this survey, 89% of respondents were aware of gadolinium retention in the brain. Forty-five percent of respondents said they decreased the amount of gadolinium administered and/or frequency of gadolinium-enhanced scans since the emergence of the gadolinium retention data. Eightyeight percent of radiologists, who were aware of the molecular classification of different gadolinium agents, used a macrocyclic agent. Thirty-nine percent (n=130) had switched to a macrocyclic agent from a linear agent within the previous three years. Radiologists’ attitudes toward gadolinium retention were significantly associated with their background factors such as experience in radiology, subspecialty training, and daily work definition, amongst others. Observence of hyperintense dentate nuclei due to gadolinium retention was uncommon in daily practice. Conclusions: Gadolinium retention publications have affected the practice of contrast enhanced Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, mostly in the form of switching to a macrocyclic gadolinium agent and decreasing utilization of gadolinium in general for some indications. These changes varied among radiologists by background factors.

Gender identification in the portrayal of female roles in the remakes of American TV series in Turkey

Abstract The transfer of stories across borders in translation, adaptation, or remake is a common phenomenon in the globalized world. In Turkey, translating foreign audiovisual products to enrich the cultural repertoire has been a prominent practice. Focusing on the portrayal of female characters in contemporary remakes of several American TV series aired on primetime national channels in Turkey, this study aims to pinpoint audiovisual norms that guide the “transfer” of these characters for Turkish audience. The analysis seeks to exemplify how remakes deconstruct, reformulate, and thus (re)construct the representations of women’s identities in Turkey. The study initially concentrates on remakes as a genre, moves on to outline the practice in Turkey, and analyzes the reformulation of gender roles in line with Turkish societal norms within the scope of audiovisual translation from the gender perspective. The study singles out a series of norms that seem to guide and color the transfer of female characters in the remakes for the Turkish audience, elaborates on why it is necessary, and suggests the implications of such practices.

The Effects of Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus Brot.) Rhizome Extract Administration in the Treatment of Thermally Induced Wound in Rats

Abstract: Background: Burn wound is an important health problem worldwide. Serious outcomes related with burn occur and treatments focus on healing of the wounded area with dermal preparations containing chemicals avoiding growth of pathogenic organisms. Plants are important sources for both modern pharmacy to find new molecules used in modern medication as well as in traditional medicinal practices. Many plants are used for treatment of burn wounds. Asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus Brot.) is a naturally found plant in the Mediterranean flora. It is also used in traditional medicinal practices in Turkey. Aim: In this study it was aimed to test wound healing effect of Asphodel. Materials and Methods: An ointment prepared with a 5% methanolic extract of Asphodel was used. 4 groups were formed as control, wound, wound+asphodel and wound+standard drug (oxytetracyclin hydrochloride) (n=8 in each group). Burn wound was established with a thermal induction. Biochemical, microbiological and histopathological evaluations were performed. Results: Biochemical results (Alt, Ast, Glucose, Ldh) obtained from blood samples showed no adverse effect of this administration. Microbiological results showed a protective effect of Asphodel similar with standard drug. Histopathological evaluation also presented an ameliorating effect as standard drug. Conclusion: Results of this study states that traditional use of this plant for the treatment of burn/wound/ulcer in traditional medicine applications is valid. Key words: Burn, Asphodel, Asphodelus, Rat, Skin, Ethnopharmacology.