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Extracellular vesicles (EVs), secreted by almost all living cells, have gained significant attention for their role in intercellular communication and their potential as versatile carriers for biotherapeutics. However, the clinical translation of EV-based therapies faces significant challenges, primarily due to the lack of efficient methods for loading biotherapeutic agents into EVs. This study introduces a simple, reproducible strategy for the simultaneous incorporation of various biotherapeutics within EVs. The process is gentle and preserves the essential physicochemical and biological characteristics of EVs, thereby protecting labile ligands from premature degradation and elimination. The binding and uptake efficiency of EVs by target cells reached approximately 97 % within 24 h of incubation. Administration of EVs loaded with oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) resulted in a 4-fold increase in IFNγ+ CD4+ T cells and a 5-fold increase in IFNγ+ CD8+ T cells in the spleens and lymph nodes. Additionally, the co-administration of EVs with ODN and ovalbumin (OVA) induced elevated Th1-biased antibody responses and antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses, providing long-lasting complete protection in 60 % of mice against T-cell thymoma challenge. Furthermore, EVs associated with three different ligands (OVA, CpG-ODN, and α-GalCer) effectively regressed established murine melanoma and significantly improved survival rates in mice. This study presents a powerful and promising approach to overcoming the limitations of EV-based cancer vaccines, advancing the development of effective cancer immunotherapies. Immunization with EVs that are co-associated with antigen and biotherapeutic cargo through a lyophilization-based technique elicits potent anti-cancer immunity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the relationship between nutrition according to chronotype and the Mediterranean diet and environmental footprints. "Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire" was used to determine the chronotype classification, and "Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener" was used to evaluate adherence to the Mediterranean diet. In addition, the food consumption record of the participants was taken and the carbon and water footprints were calculated. A total of 472 adults with a mean age of 22.7 ± 5.0 years participated in the study. Accordingly, 61.0% of the participants were morning type, 15.7% were intermediate type, and 23.3% were evening type. Individuals with higher chronotype values (morning) tended to be more adherent to the Mediterranean diet and had lower environmental (carbon and water) footprints (p < 0.05). The results of this study; showed that diet according to chronotype affects adherence to the Mediterranean diet and environmental footprints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise assessment of hemothorax risk resulting from a rib fracture is not feasible. CT images, patient characteristics, and clinical experience are utilized in daily practice to assess risk intuitively. This study aimed to identify specific markers on CT images that can predict the risk of hemothorax. The study was retrospectively conducted between May 2021 and December 2023 at three different centers. Patients diagnosed with hemothorax at the initial assessment or during follow-up were identified among those being followed for rib fractures. An investigation was carried out to examine the relationship between the number of rib fractures, displacement status, and the location of the fracture on the rib arch with the risk of hemothorax. Of the 273 patients included in the study, 201 (73.6%) were male. The mean age was 53.9 ± 17.27 (19–93) years. Lateral (p = 0.029) and posterior (p < 0.001) location of the fracture and displacement of at least one fracture (p = 0.003) were associated with an increased risk. There was a significant correlation between the number of rib fractures and the risk of hemothorax (p < 0.001). The optimal cut-off for the number of rib fractures associated with a high risk of hemothorax was determined to be 4. Anatomical characteristics of a rib fracture can be useful to assess the risk of hemothorax practically in patients with thoracic trauma especially in emergency rooms. Patients with four or more rib fractures, at least one displaced rib fracture, and lateral and posterior rib fractures should be followed more carefully for hemothorax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of social media-supported learning on the academic achievement of nursing students and their social media usage levels in nursing education. Background: Using social media in nursing education enables students to experience interactive learning, strengthening learning outcomes and creating an enriched learning environment with up-to-date information. Method: The study was conducted as a randomized controlled study. CONSORTchecklist was completed. The subject of parenteral drug administration was explained interactively to all students by the same instructors for a total of 12 h for weeks. After the theoretical course, each skill was demonstrated by the instructor in the laboratory setting in a 24-h laboratory course with the demonstration method in line with the checklists. After the training was completed, the students filled out the necessary forms. Videos and informative images about parenteral drug applications were shared with the intervention group for 4 weeks through an Instagram page created for social media-supported learning. Questions and answers were shared on the subject every day in the story section. The answer to the question was shared in the story section the next day with explanations. At the end of the 4th training week, the students were asked to complete the necessary forms as a post-test. Changes in academic achievement and social media usage after the intervention were measured using achievement tests and the Social Media Scale in Nursing Education. Data were analyzed with SPSS 23.0. Normality was tested using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Independent t-tests and the Chi-Square test for categorical variables were used for normally distributed continuous variables. Pre-test and post-test comparisons within groups were evaluated with the Paired t-test if normality was met, or the Wilcoxon test. The effect size was calculated using Cohen's d. Results: After social media-supported learning, it was found that the difference between the post-test mean scores of the nursing students in the intervention and control group was statistically significant(p < 0.001). It was also found that the average of the exam results after the training increased compared to the average before the training, and the difference between the two scores was statistically significant(p < 0.001). Conclusion: Social media-supported education positively affected the academic achievements of nursing students and the level of social media use in nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant chemical modification in mRNA and plays important roles in human and mouse embryonic stem cell pluripotency, maintenance, and differentiation. We have recently reported that m6A is involved in the postnatal control of β-cell function in physiological states and in type 1 and 2 diabetes. However, the precise mechanisms by which m6A acts to regulate the development of human and mouse pancreas are unexplored. Here, we show that the m6A landscape is dynamic during human pancreas development, and that METTL14, one of the m6A writer complex proteins, is essential for the early differentiation of both human and mouse pancreatic cells. Synopsis: Whether N6-methyladenosine (m6A) post-transcriptional modification of mRNA regulates pancreas development and systemic glucose homeostasis remains unclear. This study reports a dynamic m6A landscape during human pancreas development and importance of the m6A writer, METTL14, for early differentiation of both human and mouse pancreatic cells. METTL14 levels increase temporally in developing human pancreatic β-cells. The m6A landscape is dynamic during in vitro human pancreas development. METTL14-mediated m6A modifications regulate genes involved in pancreas and β-cell development. METTL14 is important for development of non-β and ductal cells. The timing of Mettl14 deletion during pancreas development determines phenotype severity in Mettl14 KO mice. The m6A landscape during early differentiation of pancreatic cells is dynamic, and depends on the m6A writer complex component METTL14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to determine the molecular epidemiology of colistin-resistant A. baumannii in the last ten years and the frequency of gene regions related to pathogenesis, to compare the methods used to detect genes, and to confirm colistin resistance. Methods: This meta-analysis study was conducted under Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Guidelines. In the meta-analysis, research articles published in English and Turkish in electronic databases between January 2012 and November 2023 were examined. International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics for Macbook (Version 25.0. Armonk, NY, USA) was used for statistical analysis. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) (Version 3.0. Biostat, NJ, USA) program was used for heterogeneity assessment in the articles included in the meta-analysis. Results: After evaluating the studies according to the elimination criteria, 18 original articles were included. Among colistin-resistant strains, blaOXA-51 positivity was 243 (19.61%), blaOXA-23 was 113 (9.12%), blaOXA-58 was 7 (0.56%), blaOXA-143 was 15 (1.21%), and blaOXA-72 was seen in two (0.16%) strains. The positivity rates of pmrA, pmrB, and pmrC were found to be 22 (1.77%), 26 (2.09%), and 6 (0.48%). The mcr-1 rate was found to be 91 (7.34%), the mcr-2 rate was 78 (6.29%), and the mcr-3 rate was 82 (6.61%). Conclusions: The colistin resistance rate in our study was found to be high. However, only some research articles report and/or investigate more than one resistance gene together. Additionally, it may be challenging to explain colistin resistance solely by expressing resistance genes without discussing accompanying components such as efflux pumps, virulence factors, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, green hydrogen production by utilizing diesel engine exhaust gas waste heat in steam and organic Rankine with internal heat exchanger with two thermoelectric generators and proton exchange membrane electrolyzer combined system under different load conditions is investigated. Thermo-economic, enviro-economic and exergo-environmental analyses of the maximum hydrogen production point determined for different waste heat conditions are carried out. Total and specific investment cost and levelized cost of hydrogen determined under different loads are compared. Simple and dynamic payback period, profit ratio of investment and net present value of the combined system at different selling prices of hydrogen are determined and their feasibility is analyzed. Carbon reduction and carbon credit gain amount due to green hydrogen produced in line with zero emission targets are compared under different waste heat conditions. Exergetic sustainability index of the system were determined within the scope of exergo-environmental analysis. In terms of economic and environmental performance, a hydrogen cost of 2.04 $/kg was obtained under 100% load and a carbon saving of 7211 $ was achieved depending on the hydrogen produced. Dynamic payback period and net present value were found to be 4.467 years and 404,696 $, respectively, if the hydrogen selling price was 5 $/kg under 100% load. It is found that a 50% load reduction leads to an increase in dynamic payback period and levelized cost of hydrogen by 18.6% and 13.72%, respectively, and a decrease in net present value and profit ratio of investment by 54.39% and 12.39%, respectively. On the other hand, since the exergy destruction decreases with the decrease in the load, exergo-environmental index is found to decrease by 2.03%. • 7211 $ carbon recovery was obtained. • Dynamic payback period between 1.942 and 9.578 years was determined. • The maximum net present value reached 1,123,000 $. • Combined hydrogen production system is unfeasible if the hydrogen price is 2 $/kg. • Within the scope of sustainability, exergo-environmental indices were examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cat scratch disease (CSD) is the infectious disease caused by Bartonella henselae. Its typical presentation is regional lymphadenopathy. Also it may present with symptoms related to involved organs or disseminated disease with fever of unknown origin (FUO). Here children with CSD are evaluated to increase awareness about disease. Materials and Methods: A total of 29 children diagnosed with CSD between 2019 and 2022 were involved in the study. Patients’ demographic characteristics, clinical, laboratory and radiological findings, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Seventeen of the patients were male, 12 were female, and their mean age was 116.5 ± 51 months. About 69.6% of them had a history of cat contact. Twenty-seven patient (93.1%) had lymphadenopathy, mostly axillary involved (61.5%). Other manifestations were disseminated disease presented with FUO, neuroretinitis, and encephalopathy. Twenty-seven patients (93.1%) had received antibiotics before admission without any improvement. Ultrasound showed that the affected lymph nodes were conglomerated, lobulated contoured, and cortical thickened, with one-third having cystic suppurative components. Serologic tests were positive in 24 of 27 patients. Twenty-one patients gave response to 5 days azithromycin treatment, in 8 patients this treatment extended to 10-14 days, rifampicin with/without doxycycline was given to 6 patients, and steroids were given to 3 patients. Conclusion: In case of regional lymphadenopathy, especially axillary, not responding to nonspecific antibiotics CSD should be suspected. Cat contact history and serological and ultrasonographic findings are useful for diagnosis. Even if CSD responds well to azithromycin, sometimes prolongation of azithromycin and addition of other antibiotic or steroid may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the extent of cyber-electronic operations in Russia’s conception of hybrid warfare by analyzing its interventions in Georgia (2008), Ukraine (2014), and Syria (2015). The concept of hybrid warfare, which combines conventional and irregular tactics, asymmetric warfare, act of terrorism, propaganda, and information warfare, has gained prominence in recent years. The study provides a conceptual framework by reviewing the literature on hybrid warfare and presenting different perspectives on the concept, and focuses on cyber-electronic operations as a crucial component of hybrid warfare. Based on the case studies, the findings suggest that cyber-electronic operations are a vital part of Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy. This article introduces a novel aspect to the existing analysis by regarding Russia’s cyber-electronic operations not merely as a tool, but also as a decisive element of its hybrid warfare strategy. Within this context, it conducts a thorough examination of Russia’s utilization of these operations to procure a strategic advantage across political, economic, informational, and conventional warfare domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, new Cu (II) and Zn (II) chelates (3–6) of 3‐/or 4‐ethyl and azo chromophore groups (NN) containing Schiff base ligands (2‐{(E)‐[(4‐ethylphenyl)imino]methyl}‐4‐[(E)‐phenyldiazenyl]phenol, HL1 (1) and 2‐{(E)‐[(3‐ethylphenyl)imino]methyl}‐4‐[(E)‐phenyldiazenyl]phenol, HL2 (2) were prepared and characterized by the analytical and spectroscopic methods. Crystal structures of chelates 3, 4 and 6 were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies. The ligands behaved as bidentates, coordinating through the nitrogen atom of the azomethine group (CHN) and the oxygen atom of the α‐hydroxyl group (OH). The metal:ligand ratio in the prepared copper (II) and zinc (II) chelates was found to be 1:2 by analytical and spectral analysis. The bands in the infrared spectra of the metal chelates in the region of 522–504 cm−1 and 467–455 cm−1 are attributed to ν(MO) and ν(MN) vibrations, respectively. When the DNA binding activities of the compounds were examined, it was determined that compound 4 had the highest binding constant. Fluorescence and viscosity data showed that the compounds interact with DNA through minor grove binding mode. Furthermore, anticancer properties of the compounds were investigated. Ligand 2 was found to be highly effective against the HepG2 cell with an IC50 of 0.31 μM. In addition, structural analysis, frontier molecular orbitals, molecular electrostatic potential maps, Hirshfeld surface analysis of the synthesized compounds using computational chemistry methods and anticancer activity studies were carried out by molecular docking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Design Methods Results Conclusions Implications for the Profession and Patient Care Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To develop and test the validity of an artificial intelligence–assisted patient education material for ostomy patients.A methodological study.The study was carried out in two main stages and five steps: (1) determining the information needs of ostomy patients, (2) creating educational content, (3) converting the educational content into patient education material, (4) validation of patient education material based on expert review and (5) measuring the readability of the patient education material. We used ChatGPT 4.0 to determine the information needs and create patient education material content, and Publuu Online Flipbook Maker was used to convert the educational content into patient education material. Understandability and applicability scores were assessed using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool submitted to 10 expert reviews. The tool inter‐rater reliability was determined via the intraclass correlation coefficient. Readability was analysed using the Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook formula.The mean Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool understandability score of the patient education material was 81.91%, and the mean Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool actionability score was 85.33%. The scores for the readability indicators were calculated to be Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level: 8.53, Gunning Fog: 10.9 and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook: 7.99.The AI‐assisted patient education material for ostomy patients provided accurate information with understandable and actionable responses to patients, but is at a high reading level for patients.Artificial intelligence–assisted patient education materials can significantly increase patient information rates in the health system regarding ease of practice. Artificial intelligence is currently not an option for creating patient education material, and their impact on the patient is not fully known.The study followed the STROBE checklist guidelines.No patient or public contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study retrospectively aims to evaluate nine cases of congenital pulmonary ai rway malformation (CPAM) diagnosed during the prenatal period. Prenatal diagnosis of CPAMs is critical in the diagnosis of fetal thoracic malformations. Case studies provide a better understanding of the clinical course, treatment options, and outcomes of CPAMs. Cases with prenatally diagnosed lung lesions screened in the high-risk pregnancy category between October 2021 and February 2024 were analyzed retrospectively. The characteristics, location, and accompanying findings of the lesions were evaluated by perinatology specialists. The diagnosis of CPAM was categorized based on prenatal ultrasound images. This study show the demographic characteristics and clinical findings of the patients with CPAM. In our study, the mean age was 33 years, and the median week at diagnosis was 21 weeks and 2 days. The median birth weight was 2970 gm. The rate of vaginal delivery was 55.6%, while additional anomalies were detected at a rate of 66.7%. Most lesions were located in the right lung and had a cystic or solid-cystic nature. The distribution according to CPAM type was 22.2% type 1, 33.3% type 2, and 44.4% type 3. According to the results obtained by analyzing nine cases, two cases resulted in termination, regression was observed in two cases, and postnatal surgery was performed in one case. One case was followed up postnatally. This study examined the clinical course, treatment options, and outcomes of rare cases diagnosed with CPAM. The results highlight the importance of prenatal and postnatal processes of diffeternt types of CPAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The claim that Abû Hanîfa (d. 150/767) and Hanafis are weak in hadith and do not give the hadith the necessary importance is made against Hanafi scholars from time to time. The hadith narrations of Abû Hanîfa and his disciples can be considered as a response to such accusations. The hadiths which the Hanafi scholar Bishr b. Walîd al-Kindî (d. 238/853), the student of Abu Yusuf (d. 182/798) who was one of the founders defining the thoughts of Hanafi sect, can be considered as one of these answers. Bishr was a Hanafi scholar who learned and narrated hadith according to science tradition. It has been seen that no study has been done about searching the identity of Bishr as a narrator of hadith and hadiths that he narrated. For this reason, it was thought that it would be useful in terms of serving to Hanafis science of hadith to collect and analyze his narrations. Bishr's narrations are included in some hadith books other than Kutub-i Sitta. In this study, 146 narrations which Bishr got from 34 various scholars and were in the Bishr’s 13 hadith books that were compiled in hijr third and fourth century has been studied in terms of source, isnâd and content. Of the hadiths Bishr transmitted, 134 are Marfu’, nine are Mawquf, and three are Maqtû’. When the Marfu’ narrations are examined according to their subjects, it is understood that approximately two-thirds of the narrations conveyed by Bishr are related to the issues of Ahkâm (laws). His being a faqih is an important factor in the fact that he has many narrations on the subjects of Ahkâm. Very few of the hadiths in the books where Bishr's transmissions are mentioned consist of repetitive narrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Double pituitary adenoma is a rare entity that can pose a significant challenge. The incidence of double or multiple pituitary adenomas is ∼1% in autopsy cases and 0.4–1.3% in surgical series. Its definition varies, including 'double adenomas' in the literature in contrast to 'multiple adenomas', which is more specific and suitable. While some authors require separating topographically unique tumours, others have used a looser definition of separate immunohistochemistry. Case presentation: We presented the case of a 26-year-old patient with recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, with double pituitary adenomas secreting growth hormone (GH) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). To date, 89 patients have been reported in the literature with symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome, but only five had GH-TSH secretion. Conclusions: Double adenoma resection is of great importance for ensuring successful biochemical treatment. To ensure a successful operation, a careful preoperative 3T MRI examination is of great importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal migration, which has various effects on urban spaces, also influences political behavior patterns. The number of migrants in a target area and how they cluster based on their socioeconomic structure and identity can alter traditional voting patterns of cities. This increases the political polarization of space in urban areas. The impact of this situation is higher in cities with high migration rates. The city of Bursa, where nearly half of the population is made up of migrants from other provinces, is one of the places that can best reflect relationship of internal migration and elections. This article focuses on the impact of internal migration in Bursa on the general elections. Using data from five elections between 2002 and 2015, it analyzes the voting patterns in 33 high-migration neighborhoods. The study employs Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) to explore the correlation between a migrant's region of origin and their voting behavior. The findings indicate that in Bursa, neighborhoods with higher clustering based on combined factors of region of origin, ethnicity, and religious identity exhibit a significant influence of co-migrant clusters on the political pattern It has been observed that the dominant voter behavior of the region of origin persists in neighborhoods showing significant clustering in the target region. In this context, it can be argued that the voting behavior of a significant portion of the migrants in the examined neighborhoods is based on socio-psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patents are documents that help protect innovations in information technologies and grant special rights to the creator of these innovations for a certain period of time. While these rights give the patent owner the right to use the innovation commercially, they prevent others from using the innovation without permission. Radical innovations and ground-breaking technological advances are derived from technical information contained in existing patents. Using an automatic classification system, patents assigned to the technical class to which they belong can pave the way for researchers and provide an environment in which they can create new inventions. This study presents an automatic patent classification analysis using the BERT algorithm. Hyperparameter analyses are also preferred in this study in order to achieve more successful prediction accuracy in automatic patent classification problems. The obtained results were at a level that competed with those in the literature. An accuracy of 58% was achieved at the subclass level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilingualism may lead to differences in narrative micro- and macrostructural features. Creating a normative data set on the narrative characteristics of healthy Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals may allow for a more effective assessment of language disorders that may occur in bilinguals with acquired brain injury. This study aims to determine how narrative micro- and macrostructural features differ in Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals in single picture and story narratives. A total of 23 bilingual (Turkish-Kurdish) and 23 monolingual (Turkish) healthy individuals were included in the study. Narrative samples were obtained using single pictures and a story. Micro- and macrostructural features were compared between bilinguals and monolinguals matched for age, education, and gender. Mean length utterance-morpheme and clausal density variables, considered as indicators of grammatical complexity, were higher in monolinguals in both single picture and story narratives. Morphemic errors were higher for bilinguals. Effort behaviors, which can interrupt verbal efficiency, were higher in bilinguals in single picture narratives. While there was no difference between the groups in verbal fluency (phonemic and categorical), the lexical diversty in storytelling was higher in monolinguals. In terms of macrostructural features, cognitive inferences in the story context and emotional discourse in the single picture context were higher in monolinguals, while enrichment expressions in the single picture narrative were higher in bilinguals. In both groups, macrostructural features such as cognitive inferences and expressions of uncertainty in discourse were negatively correlated with grammatical complexity variables. Turkish-Kurdish bilinguals’ single picture and story narratives in Turkish may show semantic, morphosyntactic and pragmatic differences compared to Turkish-speaking monolinguals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Election declarations constitute the clear, systematic and official basic documents of the promises of political parties, which are indispensable institutions of democracy, to the society in elections. As of the first quarter of the 21st century, the two strongest parties that are candidates to gain political power and determine public policies in Turkey are the AK Party and the CHP. The starting point of this study was to analyze to what extent the two parties focused on the environment in the context of the UN sustainable development goals covering the periods 2001-2015 and 2015-2030. The study is a temporal and comparative examination of the period in which the AK Party was in power in Turkish political life. The relevant data were created through the MAXQDA data program by applying classification and coding processes. All codings were based on the UN development goals regarding environmental sustainability covering the period 2001-2030. The relevant codings were distributed within the environmental issues classified under a total of seven categories. These categories are; "nature and natural resources", "environmental management and cities", "energy and industry", "pollution and waste management", "water management", "climate" and "biodiversity". The findings obtained in the study showed that both parties reflected environmental sustainability, which they basically accepted as an understanding in their party programs, in their election manifestos. At this point, the convergence in terms of promise and emphasis has become significantly evident, especially in the headings of "nature and natural resources", "energy and industry" and "environmental management and cities". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In our research, the data of lung cancer patients operated via VATS and thoracotomy methods were investigated. In the evaluation performed by using versatile parameters, both methods were compared on the basis of objective criteria. Our study was carried out in order to assess the outcomes of both methods. Materials and Methods: 232 patients who underwent surgery with a diagnosis of lung cancer of various stages between the dates of January 2016 and June 2021 were involved in the research, and the patients' data were retrospectively scanned. To ensure balance between both groups, cases that were operated on for benign causes, performed pneumonectomy, received neoadjuvant, underwent chest wall resection, and cases converted to open from VATS were excluded from the research. The patients' hospitalization, amount of drainage, count of dissected lymph nodes, stages, complications and early mortality were reviewed. Results: There were 81 patients underwent VATS lobectomy and 151 patients underwent thoracotomy, in our study. The mean age was 63.5 in the thoracotomy group, and, 61.8 in VATS group. In the thoracotomy group, there were 31 female and 120 male patients; and in VATS group, 28 female and 53 male patients. The hospitalization times were shorter in VATS group; however, it was not statistically significant. In thoracotomy group, drainage amount and the count of lymph node dissections were significantly higher. The stage was determined significantly earlier in VATS group. Despite the rate of complication was lower in VATS group, there was no statistical difference between the both groups. Early mortality rates were comparable. Conclusion: Even though our research has limitations, we believe that we will gain better outcomes as our learning curve enhances in VATS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immature cereals may contain higher levels of nutrients than mature cereals. Immature and mature einkorn wheats were compared in terms of physicochemical, technological, rheological, and nutritional qualities and their performances for making bread were revealed. The values for thousand grain weight, hectoliter weight, sedimentation value and falling number of immature and mature einkorn wheat samples were 23.25-32.29 (g), 72.32-79.11 (kg/hL), 15.02-18.07 (mL) and 312-341 (sec), respectively (p = 0.05). Immature einkorn wholegrain flour (IEWF) contains more than twofold mineral substance than mature einkorn wholegrain flour (MEWF). The total phenolic content and antioxidant properties of IEWF were found to be higher than those of MEWF. The empirical rheological properties of IEWF were higher than those of MEWF except for degree of softening. The G' of both IEWF and MEWF were always found higher than the G", so they exhibited elastic behavior. The crust color brightness values of breads made from IEWF and MEWF were significantly different from bread made from commercial wheat wholegrain flour (CWF), but similar values were obtained for crumb color. The overall acceptability score of IEWF bread was similar to CWF bread, thus IEWF could be a good candidate for bread making or use in different food formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic diversity and evolution of plastomes in P. armeniaca L. (common/cultivated apricot) have been poorly studied. Complete plastomes of 20 accessions and 10 F1 hybrids, identified as P. armeniaca L., were de novo assembled filtering from total DNA nt reads. These plastomes were subsequently analyzed with the Prunus genus accessions retrieved from the GenBank. The plastomes exhibited conservation of genomic structure, gene organization and order, with lengths ranging from 158,057 nt to 158,089 nt, displaying a narrow size variation. Except for "Zard" and its hybrids, the plastomes of apricot genotypes from different regions showed only three haplotypes, indicating narrow genetic diversity in cultivated P. armeniaca accessions. "Zard" and its hybrids exhibited the highest identity with P. mandshurica Maxim (Manchurian apricot), demonstrating the significance of plastome analysis for the accurate identification of apricots. Further, while the three apricot species, P. armeniaca, P. mandshurica, and P. mume Sieb. (Japanese apricot), were grouped as sister clades, P. sibirica L. (Siberian apricot) exhibited the highest nucleotide identity with P. cerasifera Ehrh. (Cherry plum), contrary to conventional morphological systematics of apricots. Additionally, the plastomes of hybrids obtained in this study supported maternal inheritance of the plastome. These results reveal the evolutionary relationship among apricots and will serve as a framework for future comparative studies on Prunus evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the usage of photovoltaic (PV) and thermal collectors separately to assist a heat pump for supplying domestic hot water (DHW). Usage of PV and thermal collectors together to assist a heat pump and experimentally validated simulation of an air source heat pump can be considered as novelty of this study. Firstly, experimental tests were performed in a climatic room to validate the developed simulation model. Four experimental parameters, namely the coefficient of performance of the air source heat pump, average tank temperature, and heat pump inlet and outlet temperatures have been used for the validation and the highest obtained deviation was 4.5%. Simulations were carried out by adding thermal collectors and photovoltaic panels in different combinations, with a maximum of three collectors to assist the heat pump that provides DHW. For scenarios with one and two solar components (PV or thermal), applying only thermal collectors was more efficient and economical for both with a payback of 3.9 years and 4.3 years, respectively. For the scenario with three solar components, although the system supported by one thermal and two photovoltaic collectors was the most efficient option, the system supported by three photovoltaic collectors was the most economical scenario with a payback period of 4.6 years. The study found that combining thermal and photovoltaic collectors can significantly reduce energy consumption for DHW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: People with Parkinson's disease (PD) can develop cognitive and physical impairments. There is limited evidence on the association between executive function and physical function in people with PD. Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between the executive and physical functions in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) by comparing healthy controls. Method: Thirty-three patients diagnosed with PD and 33 healthy controls were included in the study. PD group was divided into two subgroups according to their scores on executive tests as high performers (PD-HPs; n = 17) and low performers (PD-LPs; n = 16). The severity of motor symptoms disease severity, executive function, global cognitive function, reaction time, hand function, functional capacity, physical activity, and balance confidence was assessed by the validated instruments. Results: The PD group had less physical function and executive function compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). The PD-LPs group had less physical and cognitive function than the PD-HPs group (p < 0.05). The executive functions were significantly correlated with almost all variables in both people with PD and healthy people, and correlations were moderate to strong (p < 0.05). However, the correlation coefficients were relatively higher in people with PD compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: There was a significant association between executive and physical function in people with PD. Future studies should be conducted to determine whether the treatment of one of these dysfunctions affects the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Skin changes in acromegaly are often the first sign of the disease. The aim of this study was to describe the cutaneous findings in patients with acromegaly. In addition, a secondary aim was to investigate the possible association of these findings with remission status and concomitant endocrinopathies. Design, Patients, and Measurements: In this prospective multicenter study, 278 patients over the age of 18 years with acromegaly who were followed up in 14 different tertiary healthcare institutions were included. These patients, who were followed up by the Endocrinology Department, were then referred to a dermatologist for dermatological examination. The frequency of skin lesions was investigated by detailed dermatologic examination. Dermatological diagnosis is reached by clinical, dermatological and/or dermoscopic examination, and rarely skin punch biopsy examinations in suspicious cases. The possible association of the skin findings between remitted and nonremitted patients and with concomitant endocrinopathies were evaluated. Results: The most common skin findings in patients with acromegaly in our study were skin tags (52.5%), cherry angiomas (47.4%), seborrhoea (37%), varicose veins (33%), acneiform lesions (28.8%), hyperhidrosis (26.9%) and hypertrichosis (18.3%). Hypertrichosis was significantly more prevalent in patients nonremitted (p:.001), while xerosis cutis was significantly more prevalent in patients remitted (p:.001). The frequency of diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism was significantly higher in patients with varicose veins and seborrhoeic keratosis than those without. Additionally, the coexistence of hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism and galactorrhea was significantly higher in patients with Cherry angioma than in those without Cherry angioma (p‐values:.024,.034 and.027, respectively). The frequency of hypogonadism in those with xerosis cutis was significantly higher than in those without (p:.035). Conclusions: Cutaneous androgenization findings such as skin tag, seborrhoea, acne and acanthosis nigricans are common in patients with acromegaly. Clinicians should be aware that skin findings associated with insulin resistance may develop in these patients. It can be said that the remission state in acromegaly has no curative effect on cutaneous findings. Only patients in remission were less likely to have hypertrichosis. This may allow earlier review of the follow‐up and treatment of acromegaly patients presenting with complaints of hypertrichosis. Additionally, it can be said that patients with skin findings such as cherry angioma may be predisposed to a second endocrinopathy, especially hypothyroidism. Including dermatology in a multidisciplinary perspective in acromegaly patient management would be beneficial to detect cutaneous findings earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractArtificial intelligence (AI) technologies, as a product of processes aimed at imitating human intelligence through computers and software, affect our daily lives in various aspects, including cultural, technological, and economic. The advent of ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, signifies a pivotal AI advancement in human language comprehension and generation, heralding profound implications across societal, economic, and cultural dimensions. However, a notable gap exists in scholarly literature concerning the examination of perceptions and discussions surrounding ChatGPT. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing Twitter conversations, comprising 1.1 million tweets containing “ChatGPT” or “#ChatGPT” between December 1 2022 and June 1 2023, with geolocation data. Employing a text as data approach encompassing text, sentiment, and semantic network analyses, sentiment polarity and lexical patterns were explained, while semantic network analysis revealed central expressions and prominent themes in Twitter discussions. The study highlights the social effects of AI technologies from the perspective of Twitter users and reveals the sentimental tendency and themes in tweets with geographical and economic dimensions. The findings reflect the prevalence of positive sentiment and hype toward ChatGPT while there are also concerns regarding privacy, cybersecurity, and misuse of AI tools. More importantly, content generation, technical aspects, business applications, educational use, and competitors are among the main themes of ChatGPT-related discussions on Twitter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scope of the research was two-fold: (1) to determine climate change hope of preservice teachers enrolled in three majors; (2) to investigate the effect of major and gender on their hope about climate change. The data of the study, which followed the survey method, were gathered utilizing the "Climate Change Hope Scale - CCHS". First, the data from 336 pre-service teachers were used to assess whether the Turkish version of the CCHS was valid and reliable. The results indicated that it could be used as a valid instrument to measure pre-service teachers' hope about climate change. The reliability coefficient was found to be .82. The CCHS was then administered to 859 pre-service teachers enrolled at different universities in Turkey. The data were analyzed using twoway ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, and contrast command. A statistically significant difference in climate change hope between female and male pre-service teachers enrolled in science education was found, in favor of females. However, simple effects in the other majors were not significant, indicating that for pre-service teachers enrolled in both primary school education and pre-school education, females and males had similar climate change hope scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence and severity of depression in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Materials and Methods: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered to 74 patients with RP and 60 healthy controls. Biomicroscopic anterior segment and fundus examination, visual field, optical coherence tomography, and full-field electroretinography tests were performed in all cases. Variables were evaluated with bivariate, multiple linear, and ordinal logistic regression analyses. Results: The RP group included 40 (54%) male and 34 (46%) female patients, while the control group included 23 (38%) male and 37 (62%) female subjects. The patient group had a mean age of 39.20±12.4 years, median best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.10 decimal (1.0 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR]; range, 1.3-0.7 logMAR), and median visual field mean deviation (MD) score of -28.00 decibels (dB) (range, -1.00 to -34.00 dB). The median BDI score was statistically significantly higher in the patient group (19 points) than in the control group (12 points) (p<0.001). Moderate to severe depression (BDI ≥20) was detected in 61% of patients, while this rate was 25% in healthy controls. BCVA and visual field MD values were identified as predictors of depression score and severity level. The patients' age and gender did not affect total depression score or severity. Conclusion: The prevalence and severity of depression were found to be higher in RP patients than in healthy controls. There was a significant relationship between the patient's functional vision tests and the frequency and severity of depression. Depression reduces the reliability of visual function tests and impairs patients' quality of life. Therefore, assessing mental health as well as functional tests is important in patients with RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was centered on developing a Turkish version of the Baby Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (BEBQ), ensuring cultural and linguistic adaptation while upholding its reliability and validity. Employing a methodological approach, the study encompassed 202 mothers whose infants were aged between 0 and 6 months. Data collection took place from December 2022 to January 2023, utilizing the Parent Demographic Questionnaire and BEBQ. Statistical analysis incorporated descriptive statistics, assessing reliability through Cronbach's alpha, test-retest, and item-total score analysis. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, revealing 18 items across 4 sub-dimensions, explaining 58.3% of total variance. The scale demonstrated high reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81, while Confirmatory Factor Analysis validated the model with a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation at 0.074. Test-retest results exhibited a strong correlation (Pearson Correlation of 0.97, p < 0.001). The adapted BEBQ serves as a valid, reliable tool for evaluating infant feeding behavior in the Turkish context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, hydrogen production using a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyser (PEME) integrated with a geothermal based dual Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) designed using different organic fluids is investigated. Five dry fluids (R245fa, R600, R600a, butene and isobutene) were used in the medium-temperature ORC-1 unit. In the low temperature ORC-2 unit, fourth-generation ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) fluids (R1243zf, R1225ye(Z) and R1234ze(E)), whose role in hydrogen production has not been determined before, were used as organic fluids. In addition to these fluids, the conventional wet fluid R134a and zeotropic R450A (42% R134a-58% R1234ze(E)), which is a mixture of wet and fourth-generation, were added for performance comparison. In the study, it was aimed to increase hydrogen production by using low temperature geothermal heat from the medium temperature ORC-1 unit in the ORC-2 unit with organic fluid open heater (OFOH), determine the organic fluid effect on hydrogen production by using fourth-generation fluids with low critical temperature and determine the ideal fluid pair among the fluid groups used in two ORC units. It is also planned to analyze the effect of OFOH utilization on hydrogen production in ORC-PEME integration. The contribution of 25 different fluid pairs formed as a result of the 5*5 matrix to hydrogen production through PEME was determined. The best fluid pair was R245fa-R1234ze(E) while the lowest performance was obtained in R600a-R134a duo. In the best fluid pair, it was determined that the amount of natural gas preserved (NGP) was 3018 tons per year and the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) was 1.901 $/kg with 104.4 kg hydrogen production per hour. The minimum specific investment cost (3270 $/kW) was reached in this fluid pair. Compared to the worst fluid pair; it was determined that LCOH was reduced by 8.15% with the best fluid pair. For the best and worst fluid pairs, a difference of 412 tons per year was found between the NGP considering the CH4 consumed versus the hydrogen produced based on the steam methane reforming (SMR). Carbon credit gain (CCG) was determined by enviro-economic analysis, while R245fa-R1234ze(E) has 365.8 k$ carbon recovery, this value decreases to 315.8 k$ in R600a-R134a duo. [Display omitted] • Fourth-generation ultra-low GWP fluid effect investigated in hydrogen production. • The effect of OFOH on geothermal ORC-PEME integration investigated. • The performance of 25 different fluid pairs in ORC-PEME was compared in terms of 4E. • Highest and lowest performance was obtained for R245fa-R1234ze(E) and R600a-R134a. • Carbon credit gain difference of 50 k$ between the best and worst fluid pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aims Study design Results Conclusion Relevance to Clinical Practice Eye care and assessment of the eye are critical for intensive care patients to prevent ocular complications like dry eye and corneal abrasion. However, there is no measurement tool developed for intensive care patients that examines the risks of ocular complications.This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable tool, the Critically Ill Patient Eye Assessment Scale (CIPEAS), for assessing the risk of ocular complications and determining the frequency of eye care.This study is an instrument development study. This methodological study was conducted with 151 intensive care patients in Turkey between March 2022 and March 2023. Data were collected with the Patient Information Form and the CIPEAS. The data were evaluated using SPSS 23 statistical software. AMOS 21 was used to verify the structure obtained with CFA. Exploration and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to determine the scale's factorial structure.As a result of exploratory factor analysis, a six‐item scale consisting of a single dimension was obtained, explaining 59.993% of the total variance. The fit indices of the scale were found to be χ2/SD = 2.653, GFI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.075, NFI = 0.949 and CFI = 0.967. Cronbach's alpha of the scale was found to be 0.862.The CIPEAS was found to be a valid and reliable assessment tool.The Critically Ill Patient Eye Assessment Scale is a valid and reliable tool for Turkish society for assessing the risk of ocular complications. It is recommended for various national and international studies with different patients in intensive care units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PqPurpose: To assess clinical outcome and visual progression of open globe traumas at the tertiary hospital in western Turkey. Materials and Methods: From January 2015 to October 2019, patients referred to us from the Emergency Unit at our hospital for ophthalmologic surgery were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided into four groups based on age: 0-14 years as group 1, 15-34 years as group 2, 35-59 years as group 3, and = 60 years as group 4. Initial and final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were converted into logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) units to make an analysis. Results: Eighty-two (75.9%) male and 26 (24.1%) female 108 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 40.42 ± 17.79. Visual improvement in group 1; 0.42 ± 0.40 LogMAR (p= 0.021), in group 2; 0.70 ± 0.50 LogMAR (p<0.01), in group 3; 0.40 ± 0.45 LogMAR (p < 0.01) and in group 4; 0.25 ± 0.38 LogMAR (p= 0.036). Visual improvement statistically significantly correlated with the patient's age (p=0.003), initial vision (p=0.007) and retinal disorder (p=0.002). Conclusion: The OTS has not been prospectively validated yet. In our study, the prognosis is worse for elderly patients with an extensive injury size, posterior segment disorders and intraocular foreign body. Injury size, which can be one of the crucial indicators, adding into the calculation of OTS can be beneficial to predict visual prognoses in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of the increasing access to the internet and digital materials on the relationship between digital gaming addiction, emotion regulation difficulty, and social anxiety levels among university students. The study was conducted with 406 individuals attending universities in Manisa province. The sample was selected using random sampling, consisting of 273 females and 133 males. The "Digital Gaming Addiction Scale for Adults," "Social Anxiety Scale," "Emotion Regulation Difficulty Scale," and "Personal Information Form" were used in the research. SPSS 27 software was employed for the analysis of the collected data, including Pearson Correlation Analysis, Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Independent Samples t-Test, and ANOVA tests. The study's findings reveal a positive correlation between digital gaming addiction and emotion regulation difficulty, as well as social anxiety levels, with higher addiction levels observed among males. The regression analyses suggest that digital gaming addiction has a predictive effect on social anxiety. Regarding emotion regulation and social anxiety variables, it is noted that the increase in digital addiction levels among females impacts these two variables more than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between childhood trauma and dysfunctional attitudes in individuals diagnosed with unipolar depression. Method: Two hundred patients diagnosed with unipolar depression were included in the study and comorbid diagnoses were determined with the help of a structured clinical interview (SCID-I) for DSM-IV axis-I disorders. Sociodemographic data form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) were applied to the individuals included in the study. Results: More than half (66,5%) of the individuals followed up due to unipolar depression had childhood trauma, the most common childhood trauma was emotional neglect (%57,5). While there was a positive correlation between DAS total score and physical neglect (p=0,027, r=0,205), emotional abuse(p=0,007, r=0,208) and physical abuse (p=0,039, r=0,124) score, there was a positive correlation between DAS independent attitude and emotional neglect (p=0,044, r=0,223), physical neglect (p=0,007, r=0,205) and emotional abuse(p=0,010, r=0,173), and a positive correlation between DAS perfectionism and emotional abuse(p=0,010, r=0,219) and physical abuse (p=0,029, r=0,139). In the logistic regression analysis, in the age-adjusted model, it was determined that the number of depressive episodes in those with CTQ was 1.39 times (p=0.02, 95% CI= 1.04-1.85) higher than in those without CTQ. Discussion: As far as we know, it is one of the rare studies in the literature examining the relationship between DAS subscales and childhood trauma subscales. It was found that physical and emotional neglect from childhood traumas was associated with the development of an independent dysfunctional attitude, and emotional and physical abuse was associated with the development of a perfectionist dysfunctional attitude. We believe that addressing cognitive distortions in the light of this information in the follow-up and treatment of these patients may contribute positively to treatment response and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a new approach to identify severe hailstorms in a convection-permitting climate model, and build a climatology of severe hail potential in Europe using an ingredients-based approach based on a 20-year long hindcast simulation. Severe hail in Europe occurs mostly in southern regions (up to 40 times a year per 10,000 km2 around Northern Italy), and from May to August. It peaks from afternoon to evening hours on land, whilst sea areas are prone to hail at any time of the day. The Mediterranean Sea experiences severe hailstorms mostly in autumn: the central Mediterranean has the highest frequency among all regions studied, and may be considered as an unknown alley for hailstorms in Europe. Results derived from the high-resolution model are in very good agreement with existing hail climatologies constructed from observations, including the fine scale spatial variation. We conclude that our approach provides a reliable proxy for studying future changes in severe hail in convection-permitting simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the presence of Staphylococcus species in stuffed mussel samples sold in Çanakkale province and to determine the antibiotic resistance of the isolates. A total of 246 stuffed mussel samples were examined, and two different Staphylococcus (S. warneri and S. pasteuri) were isolated from 12.19% of the samples. Among the Staphylococcus isolates, S. warneri was detected at a rate of 73.33% and S. pasteuri at 26.67%. Bacterial isolates (N=30) were examined for their resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (30 μg), ampicillin (10 μg), erythromycin (15 μg), clindamycin (10 μg), vancomycin (30 μg), oxacillin (5 μg), tetracycline (30 μg), doxycycline hydrochloride (30 μg), chloramphenicol (30 μg), streptomycin (10 μg), gentamicin (10 μg), kanamycin (30 μg), nalidixic acid (30 μg), ciprofloxacin (5 μg), meropenem (10 μg), imipenem (10 μg), sulfamethox/trimethoprim (25 μg), cefotaxime (30 μg), cephalothin (30 μg), ceftriaxone (30 μg), and levofloxacin (5 μg) antibiotics. Resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and erythromycin was found in all S. warneri isolates. In addition, all S. pasteuri isolates were found to be resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. In S. warneri isolates, at least three resistance genes (BlaTEM, tetB-6, tetK-8) and up to eight resistance genes (BlaTEM, tetB-6, tetK-8, strA-strB, aphAI-IAB, ermC) were identified. All S. pasteuri isolates exhibited blaTEM, strA-strB, and aphAI-IAB resistance genes. In conclusion, it was determined that antibiotic-resistant S. warneri and/or S. pasteuri contaminates stuffed mussel samples. This study will serve as a valuable resource for enhancing monitoring strategies in stuffed mussel production. Further studies should be conducted to determine whether the products are suitable for food safety. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the disease effects and mechanisms of the pathogens identified in stuffed mussels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to determine the possibility of reusing sewage sludge in the cultivation of Taurus snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii Hook. f.). Taurus snowdrop bulbs with a circumference of 4 cm were used as plant material in the experiment. Bulbs were planted in five different growing media, 100% soil, 25% sewage sludge+75% soil, 50% sewage sludge+50% soil, 75% sewage sludge+25% soil, and 100% sewage sludge. The bulb diameter ranged between 16.8 and 18.5 mm, and bulb weight varied between 2.74 g and 6.33 g. The greatest bulblet weight (2.17 g) and leaf thickness (0.90 mm) obtained was in 75% sewage sludge+25% soil mixture. The number of bulblets ranged from 1.0 to 1.33 piece/bulb. Leaf length was between 7.30 and 9.25 cm, and leaf width was 9.7 to 11.6 mm. The effects of growing media on pedicle length, pedicle diameter, and fruit diameter were not found to be significant. Pedicle lengths were between 4.39 and 6.38 cm, pedicle diameters ranged from 1.59 to 1.80 mm, and fruit diameters were between 4.40 and 7.40 mm. It was concluded based on the present findings that 75% sewage sludge+25% soil mixture could reliably be used as a growing media for Taurus snowdrop culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant increase in online activities in the wake of recent global events has underlined the importance of biometric person authentication on digital platforms. Although many biometric devices may be used for precise biometric authentication, acquiring the necessary technology, such as 3D sensors or fingerprint scanners, can be prohibitively expensive and logistically challenging. Addressing the demands of online environments, where access to specialized hardware is limited, this paper introduces an innovative approach. In this work, by fusing static and dynamic signature data with facial data captured through regular computer cameras, a dataset of 1750 samples from 25 individuals is constructed. Deep learning models, including convolutional neural networks (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and temporal convolutional networks (TCN), are employed to craft a robust multi-classification model. This integration of various deep learning algorithms has demonstrated remarkable performance enhancements in biometric authentication. This research also underscores the potential of merging dynamic and static biometric features, derived from readily available sources, to yield a high-performance recognition framework. As online interactions continue to expand, the combination of various biometric modalities holds potential for enhancing the security and usability of virtual environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-stage Stern–Gerlach experiment conducted by Frisch and Segrè includes two cascaded quantum measurements with a nonadiabatic flipper in between. The Frisch and Segrè experiment has been modeled analytically by Majorana without the nuclear effect and subsequently revised by Rabi with the hyperfine interaction. However, the theoretical predictions do not match the experimental observation accurately. Here, we numerically solve the standard quantum mechanical model, via the von Neumann equation, including the hyperfine interaction for the time evolution of the spin. Thus far, the coefficients of determination from the standard quantum mechanical model without using free parameters are still low, indicating a mismatch between the theory and the experiment. Non-standard variants that improve the match are explored for discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAims: We aimed to identify the unique challenges and opportunities faced by international student nurses in Türkiye when practicing patient care. This understanding is essential for educators, healthcare institutions, and policy makers to create more inclusive and supportive environments that enhance learning and professional development. Addressing these challenges can lead to better integration of foreign student nurses into the healthcare system, ultimately improving patient care quality. This research is important for all stakeholders in healthcare - educators, administrators, policymakers, and patients - because a diverse and well-supported nursing workforce is essential for the delivery of culturally competent and high-quality care. Methods: This study employed interpretative phenomenology. Data were collected from 12 foreign nursing students from Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Netherlands. Data were collected between 01 and 20 May 2023 in the Nursing Department of the Faculty of Health Sciences of a state university in the province of Şanlıurfa, located in the southeastern region of Türkiye. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Results: We identified four themes: “Metaphors describing patient care practices,” “Factors affecting care practices,” “Needs for education and support,” and “Opportunities during patient care practices.” Positively influencing factors included better education and living standards and economic benefits, while negatively influencing factors were traumatic events before studying abroad, racial discrimination, language and cultural differences, negative emotions, peer victimization, and lack of use of standards. Interviewees reported a need for training and support and that patient care practices provided opportunities for greater awareness, responsibility, and professional integration. Discussion: Positive and negative experiences of foreign student nurses were evident in the delivery of patient care practice. Interventions are needed to alleviate negatively influencing factors, provide training and support for students, and improve opportunities for foreign nationals. Identification of these factors can help medical educators to develop culturally sensitive and inclusive approaches, as well as individual/organisational facilitators that enhance existing opportunities and remove barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce the spinor representations of PAFORS for the trajectories endowed with PAFORS on regular surfaces of Euclidean 3-space E³. We find the spinor equations of PAFORS vectors. Moreover, we obtain the relations between spinor representations of PAFORS and Darboux frame. Then, we give some geometric interpretations and results concerned with this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the motor repertoire of infants diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy Type I (SMA Type I) without administration of any disease-modifying agent. Motor Optimality Score-Revised (MOS-R) was calculated from videos recorded between post-term weeks 9–17 for 22 infants with SMA Type I. The MOS-R of infants with SMA Type I was compared with those of 22 infants with cerebral palsy (CP) and 22 infants with typical development. Of the infants with SMA Type I, 17 had absent fidgety movements (FMs) and 5 had sporadic FMs. Age adequate movement repertoire was absent, and the variety of movements in infants was very low. Movements were symmetrical but movements of four limbs remained on the surface level. Antigravity movements were very rare. Movement characterization was monotonous, slow speed, and small amplitude. The MOS-R of infants with SMA Type I was lower than those of infants with typical development but similar to those of infants with CP. Infants with SMA Type I had a motor repertoire similar to infants with CP, while they had a poorer motor repertoire than infants with typical development in the fidgety period as evidenced by MOS-R. Central nervous system involvement in these infants with SMA Type I with absent FMs and reduced MOS-R is unknown. Further studies are needed to determine the role of problems in the afferent and efferent pathways of spinal cord and muscle atrophy in the observation of normal FMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced reactors are characterized by passive safety systems to be activated in case of an accident. Molten salt reactors are equipped with a passive emergency draining system. In case of an accident, the reactor shuts itself down, the freeze plug melts due to decay heat, and fuel salt is discharged into the draining tank. The behavior of the freeze plug during liquid-to-solid transition and reactor operation, as well as in the event of an accident was investigated taking two important safety criteria into consideration i.e. the plug shall not melt during normal operation (unwilling opening) and shall passively melt in case of an accident. To evaluate the effectiveness of the freeze plug, computational fluid dynamics method was used. The results showed that draining pipe blocking time is 900 s and 70% of the interior of the freeze plug solidifies in 2700 s. Furthermore, it was concluded that the freeze plug did not cause any unwilling opening. In addition, the freeze plug opening time was calculated as 400 s. Since this value is less than the limiting time of 1100 s which depends on material strength temperature, the freeze plug can be utilized as a passive safety system component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the larvicidal and ovicidal effects of essential oils extracted from the above ground of Origanum minutiflorum and Salvia dorystoechas, belonging to the Lamiaceae plant family, on Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae and eggs. The research utilized essential oil concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ppm. Larvicidal activity was evaluated 6 hours postexposure and subsequently at 24-hour intervals over a period of 5 days while ovicidal activity was monitored every 2 days for a total of 10 days. Findings indicated that both essential oils demonstrated significant larvicidal effects at 50 and 100 ppm concentrations against Ae. aegypti larvae. In contrast, ovicidal effects were not observed to be statistically significant. Throughout the experiment, O. minutiflorum essential oil consistently showed higher larvicidal potency compared to S. dorystoechas. Therefore, while essential oils from both O. minutiflorum and S. dorystoechas effectively target Ae. aegypti larvae, especially at elevated concentrations, they did not exhibit ovicidal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored cross-language morphological transfer mechanisms using a similar-script morphological translation priming paradigm in highly proficient unbalanced Turkish (first language; L1)–English (second language; L2) bilinguals. Using noncognate English and Turkish stimuli that shared a similar meaning with no form overlap (e.g., ice [Eng.] – buz [Tur.]), in Experiment 1, L2 English stem targets (e.g., ICE) were primed by affixed L1 nonwords (e.g., buzca [iceish]), nonaffixed L1 nonwords (e.g., buznak [iceald]), and unrelated L1 nonwords (e.g., tuşku [keyment]). The results revealed priming effects in both the affixed and nonaffixed nonword conditions relative to the unrelated control, and significantly larger priming in the affixed than the nonaffixed condition. In addition, enhanced cross-language morphological transfer effects were evidenced in bilinguals with an earlier age of L2 acquisition. In Experiment 2, English stem targets (e.g., ICE) were primed by nonaffixed L1 nonwords including translated stems (e.g., buznak [iceald]), semantically related stems (e.g., suzur [waterew]), and unrelated L1 nonwords (e.g., tuşzur [keyew]). The results showed significantly larger priming effects in the translated condition compared with the semantic and unrelated control conditions, with no priming in the semantic condition relative to the unrelated condition, suggesting that cross-language morphological priming effects were specifically due to the lexico-semantic relationship between the embedded word and its translation equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensions of ordinary fuzzy sets are problematic because they require decimal numbers for membership, non-membership and indecision degrees of an element from the experts, which cannot be easily determined. This will be more difficult when three or more digits' membership degrees have to be assigned. Instead, proportional relations between the degrees of parameters of a fuzzy set extension will make it easier to determine the membership, non-membership, and indecision degrees. The objective of this paper is to present a simple but effective technique for determining these degrees with several decimal digits and to enable the expert to assign more stable values when asked at different time points. Some proportion-based models for the fuzzy sets extensions, intuitionistic fuzzy sets, Pythagorean fuzzy sets, picture fuzzy sets, and spherical fuzzy sets are proposed, including their arithmetic operations and aggregation operators. Proportional fuzzy sets require only the proportional relations between the parameters of the extensions of fuzzy sets. Their contribution is that these models will ease the use of fuzzy set extensions with the data better representing expert judgments. The imprecise definition of proportions is also incorporated into the given models. The application and comparative analyses result in that proportional fuzzy sets are easily applied to any problem and produce valid outcomes. Furthermore, proportional fuzzy sets clearly showed the role of the degree of indecision in the ranking of alternatives in binomial and trinomial fuzzy sets. In the considered car selection problem, it has been observed that there are minor changes in the ordering of intuitionistic and spherical fuzzy sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article comparatively analyses the identity transformation of Pomaks and Ajarians, two Muslim minorities living with Orthodox majorities. Based on semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in Bulgaria and Georgia, it is argued that minorities who share more commonalities with the titular community have great difficulty with integrating into the national identity. That is, Pomaks and Ajarians, whose religious affiliations differ from the titular community, are more discriminated against than other minorities. This article also discusses how state policies such as name changes and conversions directed to both minorities have had a vital impact on their identity transformation. It further discusses the varying forms of boundary maintenance. Pomaks adopted various identities due to their interactions with different groups unlike Ajarians, who adopted only the Georgian identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stochastic fractal search (SFS) algorithm, among population-based metaheuristic automation algorithms, is a robust optimization algorithm for solving optimization problems in different fields of science, inspired by the diffusion feature and natural growth phenomenon seen regularly in random fractals. However, as in population-based optimization algorithms, it is a great challenge to effectively design the selection process in the SFS method. To imitate the selection process in nature effectively and accurately, the dynamic-fitness-distance-balance (dFDB) selection method has been used in the SFS algorithm in six different versions. In this way, the dFDB-SFS algorithm has been developed, which more effectively mimics nature with exploitation, exploration, and balanced search capabilities. Firstly, the performance of the proposed dFDB-SFS algorithm was investigated in CEC 2020 benchmark test functions. Wilcoxon and Friedman statistical analyses of the results obtained from the test functions were made and according to these analysis results, the best version of the proposed approach was determined. Secondly, the performance of the proposed algorithm was investigated in determining photovoltaic module parameters, which is one of the real-world engineering problems. In this article, the dFDB-SFS algorithm uses the root mean square error (RMSE) as the objective function to estimate the unknown parameters of the single diode model (SDM), double diode model (DDM), and PV module models. In terms of a quantitative and qualitative performance evaluation, it reveals that the proposed algorithm provides better results than other proposed algorithms in terms of accuracy and robustness when obtaining PV parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Proteinuria reduction has been extensively studied in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, the effects of diuretic treatment on proteinuria are less welldocumented. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of strict volume control, achieved through diuretic therapy, on proteinuria among patients with proteinuric kidney disease and concurrent hypervolemia, as measured by bioimpedance analysis (BIA). Materials and Methods: This prospective study included patients with proteinuria as indicated by spot urine analysis, an overhydration (OH) value of >0 in BIA, and a treatment plan that included diuretics. The follow-up period extended from the initiation of diuretic therapy, prompted by hypervolemic status, to the achievement of normovolemia in each patient. Results: We evaluated 46 hypervolemic patients, of which 25 (54.3%) were men and 39 (64%) were women, with a mean age of 56.85±14.43 years (range 20 to 86 years). The median follow-up period was 12 days (range 5-90 days). After diuretic treatment, there was a statistically significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.001 for both). Initially, protein excretion in spot urine averaged 6.3 g (range 2.6-10.4 g); following volume control, proteinuria level decreased significantly to 1.5 g (range 0.6-2.9 g) (p<0.001). Additionally, regression analysis indicated a statistically significant association between the decrease in extracellular water and the decline in proteinuria levels (p=0.035). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that volume control, achieved through diuretic treatment, is associated with reductions in both proteinuria and blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poppy is a minor agronomic field crop that is cultivated under a UN license. It is known for its alkaloids and seeds, and, rarely, for the latter's use in ethnomedicine. Changing climate conditions could lead to the need for alternate areas for poppy cultivation in Türkiye. This experiment was conducted in Ankara, which is not a poppy production area. The morphological characteristics and oil characteristics of 19 Turkish poppy genotypes were determined over two years. According to the results, the emergence time was between 10 and 22 days, the flowering time ranged from 197 to 214 days, while the harvest maturation time was between 250 and 269 days. The plant height varied from 75.8 to 97.5 cm, the weight of 1000 seeds ranged from 305.0 to 428.0 mg, and the weight of the seeds per plant was between 2.95 and 5.78 g. Furthermore, the yield ranged from 100.7 to 202.3 kg da−1, the fat content was between 38.8 and 44.1%, and the protein content ranged from 15.9 to 18.4%. The linoleic acid content ranged from 66.77% to 75.60%, the oleic acid content ranged from 10.78% to 19.46%, and the palmitic acid content ranged from 8.38% to 9.90%. The highest yield in Ankara was obtained from the Çelikoğlu cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading morphologically complex words requires analysis of their morphemic subunits (e.g., play + er); however, the positional constraints of morphemic processing are still little understood. The current study involved three unprimed lexical decision experiments to directly compare the positional encoding of stems and affixes during reading and to investigate the role of semantics during the position encoding of morphemes. Experiment 1 revealed that transposed compound wordswere harder to reject than their controls (e.g., dreamday vs. shadeday), whereas there was no difference between transposed suffixed words and their controls (e.g., fulpain vs. adepain). Experiment 2 replicated the results for transposed compound words of the first experiment and further showed that there was no difference between transposed prefixed words and their controls (e.g., qualifydis vs. qualifymis). Experiment 3 investigated the role of semantic transparency in morpheme transposition effects and revealed a larger morpheme transposition effect for semantically transparent transposed compound words (e.g., cuptea vs. taptea) than for semantically opaque transposed compound words (e.g., linedead vs. deskdead). These results bring to light important differences in the positional encoding of stems and affixes, suggesting that prefixes and suffixes are recognized in a position-dependent manner compared to the position-independent encoding of embedded stems and that morpheme transposition effects are guided by semantics. The current findings call for more clearly specified theoretical models of visual word recognition that reflect the distinct positional constraints of stems and affixes, as well as the influence of semantics on morphological processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]