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This article examines the effects of technology in the field of education and management and focuses especially on the effects of technologies used in distance education activities on transformation processes. Based on research conducted, the article explains how technological developments affect education and management processes, according to the findings obtained as a result of the interviews. The technologies used in the digitalization processes of higher education institutions that provide distance education services and the effects of these technologies on the transformation processes were examined. How artificial intelligence, blockchain, metaverse, brain-computer interfaces and similar technologies can be used in education and organizational management processes and how this use affects management processes are discussed. Findings show that technological developments have profound effects on the processes in educational environments and transform management processes. As a result, the research emphasizes the need for further research and application to effectively use technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and metaverse in education and management processes. It is stated that advances in this field can cause significant transformations in education and management.

Defense industry is one of the sectors that boosts technological advancement and act as a trigger. In this industry, where personnel training plays a vital role, supporting military training with technology provides a great advantage on the battlefield. When we look at the problems that need to be solved, it is seen that the soldier's devotion to duty, his sense of absolute obedience and the soldier's need to be free from emotional depression. Recently, the masses have undergone intense migration movements due to the climate crisis, epidemics, hunger and wars. In this context, it seems that local people in the migrated region have a feeling of fear and hatred towards the newcomers. Mass media are the primary factors that cause this perception, called xenophobia. In this study, how perception management can be done through mass media and what the consequences may be will be discussed from a dystopian perspective and using the semiotic analysis method. As an example, through the images and dialogues in the "Men Against Fire" episode of the Black Mirror series, it will be examined how the soldier's motivation to become conditioned to the task during the training process is provided with technological support, and how effective the media can be in the context of perception management. As a result of the research, the outrage that xenophobic thought will cause in society, the dangers that arise in case of loss of control, and the role of the media in this process will be revealed and solution suggestions will be offered.

Facilitating Computer Science Unplugged (CS-unplugged) activities with reflective thinking activities lead students to in-depth reviews of their decisions and think of ways to solve the CS-unplugged problems. This study aims to evaluate the instruction enriched with reflective thinking activities to develop computational thinking skills. The study was carried out as a case study in a Computer Science course. The participants were 24, 5th-grade secondary school students. Students used two-column reflection notes and daily diaries to reflect their thoughts. Data were collected through Computational thinking skills evaluation form (CTEF), interviews, and observations to examine the role of reflective thinking activities during the instruction. Descriptive analysis, the thematic analysis was carried out through interviews was used to analyze data. The use of the two-column reflection notes and diaries positively contributed to the development of students' computational thinking skills. The students who engaged in reflective thinking activities outperformed in exhibiting their computational thinking skills than those who did not engage in. We hope that the findings of this study will assist in the future design and implementation of CS-unplugged activities to improve CT skills.

As the interest in the shift from teacher-centred paradigm to student-centred learning pedagogies has increasingly grown in popularity nowadays, it should come as no surprise that scholars and academicians have given their attention to the concept of self-engagement in the learning process. In an attempt to explore the role of personality in self-engagement, this paper aims to assess the relationship pattern between individuals' personality traits and their learning responsibility. A total of 358 students attending a university were recruited for the study. The Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and The Learning Responsibility Scale were administered. The findings revealed that learning responsibility correlates positively with emotional stability, conscientiousness, and agreeableness. However, the associations between extraversion and openness with learning responsibility are negative and not significant. The findings have also demonstrated that although agreeableness does not display a significant predictive power, both emotional stability and conscientiousness have a significant influence on learning responsibility.

Students are expected to have 21st century skills and be STEM literate for successful future careers. Teachers who will include teaching practices to develop these skills should have these competencies. Therefore, it is important how teachers perceive 21st century competencies and STEM education or what kind of tendencies they have in this context. This study aims to examine science teachers' self-efficacy perceptions towards 21st century skills and their STEM attitudes and to reveal the relationship between them. Fifty teachers working in a city in Turkey participated in the study in which the concurrent mixed methods research design was used. Scales of self-efficacy perceptions towards 21st century skills and STEM attitudes were used as data collection tools. Independent sample t-test, Mann Whitney U test (MWU), Kruskal Wallis-H test (KWH) and Spearman Correlation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. In the study, a significant and positive relationship was determined between teachers' self-efficacy perceptions and their STEM attitudes. It was determined that teachers with self-efficacy perception had positive STEM attitudes. Qualitative data consisting of teachers' opinions supports these findings. It was observed that while teachers' gender and professional seniority did not make a difference in self-efficacy perceptions, STEM attitudes differed in favour of women according to gender, and there was no difference according to professional seniority.

Abstract Mantle plumes are responsible for the Earth’s largest volcanic provinces. In the prevailing paradigm, the deep mantle is less degassed than convecting shallow mantle, implying that plume-derived lavas have higher concentrations of primordial volatiles such as helium (He). Demonstrating this has led to explanations that question the established Earth model. Here, we show that the 3He/4He of basalts from the Red Sea display coherent relationships with trace elements, allowing the helium concentration of the Afar plume to be calculated. Contrary to the prevailing model it appears the helium concentration of the Afar plume is 10-25% of the upper mantle. This contradiction is resolved if the plume material itself is a mixture of helium-rich high-3He/4He deep mantle with helium-depleted low-3He/4He recently subducted oceanic crust. This implies that helium-depleted domains may exist in convecting mantle and that moderately high 3He/4He plumes likely do not contain a notable contribution of the deep mantle.

The SCALE/Polaris–PARCS code procedure has been used in the confirmatory analysis for boiling water reactors by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In this study, the SCALE/Polaris v6.3.0–PARCS v3.4.2 code procedure with the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)/B-VII.1 AMPX 56-group library was validated by comparing the simulated results with the measured data for operating boiling water reactors, including Peach Bottom Unit 2 cycles 1–3, Hatch Unit 1 cycles 1–3, and Quad Cities Unit 1 cycles 1–3. The uncertainties and biases of the SCALE/Polaris–PARCS code package for boiling water reactor physics analysis were evaluated in the validation for key nuclear parameters such as reactivity and traversing in-core probe data.

Abstract Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are heterogeneous in terms of origin and aetiology. In addition, there is uncertainty about the genetic evolution from initial diagnosis to recurrence after primary treatments and further disease progression following systemic treatment. Changes in the genetic profile have implications on the selection of appropriate treatments for patients, especially in the era of targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Methods We analysed a cohort of nine HNSCC patients with metachronous recurrence. All patients had paired primary and recurrent samples suitable for whole-exome sequencing, while transcriptomic data from seven patients could be analysed (multiple recurrent samples collected at different time points were available for three patients). Results At the genomic level, the recurrences shared a fraction of the somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) with the index primary tumours, but they also acquired many additional mutations, while losing only a few others. A similar behaviour was also observed when examining the changes of mutational signatures between primary and recurrent samples. Overall, recurrences appeared thus more genetically diverse than the respective primary tumours. The transcriptomic analysis showed that recurrent samples had lower immune cell presence, which was also confirmed by the multiplex immunofluorescence (IF) histology assays performed on the PhenoCycler platform. Several genes related to immune response were significantly downregulated compared to the primary samples. Conclusions Our results underline the importance of analysing multiple samples per patient to obtain a more complete picture of the patient’s tumour and advocate a re-biopsy in the event of recurrence and treatment failure, in order to select the most appropriate therapeutic strategy.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the three-year visual, refractive outcomes and adverse events of the Eyecryl toric phakic IOL (pIOL) for moderate-to-high myopic astigmatism. Methods This retrospective study included eligible patients who underwent refractive surgery in one or both eyes with Eyecryl toric pIOL for myopic astigmatism. The efficacy, safety, predictability, rotational stability, vector analysis, and adverse events were evaluated in patients with spherical refraction from − 4.50 to -17.00 diopters (D) and cylindrical refraction from − 0.75 to -5.50 D. Results Fifty-two eyes of 28 patients were included in the study. The mean efficacy and safety index were 1.12 ± 0.35 and 1.38 ± 0.42, respectively. The mean manifest refraction spherical equivalent was − 10.06 ± 2.69 D and − 0.64 ± 0.61 D preoperatively and postoperatively at 36 months, respectively. The mean manifest astigmatism was − 2.06 ± 1.16 D and − 0.44 ± 0.48 D preoperatively and 36 months postoperative, respectively. During the final examination, 70% of the eyes showed an increase in CDVA of one or more lines compared to their preoperative state. There was a cumulative endothelial cell loss of 3.1% at 36 months postoperatively. One eye developed visually significant anterior subcapsular opacity, whereas another eye experienced pIOL opacification. Conclusion The Eyecryl toric pIOL demonstrated satisfactory visual acuity and refractive outcomes, as assessed by efficacy, safety and stability over a three-year period.

This study was conducted to validate the SCALE/Polaris v6.3.0–PARCS v3.4.2 code procedure with the Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)/B-VII.1 AMPX 56-group library for pressurized water reactor (PWR) analysis, by comparing simulated results with measured data for critical experiments and operating PWRs. Uncertainties of the SCALE/Polaris–PARCS code procedure for PWR analysis were evaluated in the validation for the PWR key nuclear parameters such as critical boron concentrations, reactivity, control bank work, temperature coefficients, and pin and assembly power peaking factors.

Global climate change poses significant threats to ecosystems worldwide, particularly impacting long-lived forest tree species such as Pinus nigra. This study assessed the potential shifts in distribution areas for Pinus nigra, an important tree species, one highly vulnerable to global climate change, given its prevalence in continental climates, in Türkiye under different climate scenarios (SSPs 585 and 245). In this study, suitable distribution regions of Pinus nigra were evaluated based on SSPs 585 and SSPs 245 using nine different models. Results indicated potential losses in Pinus nigra distribution areas ranging from 15.0% to 43.5% (SSPs 245) and 19.7% to 48.9% (SSPs 585) by 2100. However, in 2100, new suitable distribution areas are expected to be formed at rates ranging from 13.8% to 32.1% and 15.1% to 34.4% according to the above scenarios. Because most of the newly formed suitable distribution regions are quite far from the areas where the species currently spreads, it seems necessary to provide the migration mechanism needed by the species by humans to prevent population losses in this process.

Objective: We present data of patients with relapsed/ refractory T cell lymphomas treated with brentuximab vedotin (BV) in real-world practice. Material and Method: This study is an observational, multi-center, retrospective study. The data of patients (n=17) treated with BV alone from January 2014 until July 2020 in thirteen centers from Turkey were collected. Results: Bv was given as salvage chemotherapy to 17 patients with median age of 53. Nine (52.9%) patients had diagnosis of peripheral T cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified; 8 (47.1%) patients had anaplastic large T cell lymphoma. The median follow-up of the cohort was 20 months. Nine (52.9%) patients had complete response, 5 (29.5%) had partial response, 3 (17.6%) had progressive disease. The safety results aligned with the established profile of BV, included 2 pneumonia and 1 thrombocytopenia with grade 4. The median progression free survival of the cohort was 10 months. BV cycle and response to BV therapy were found to have an effect on the univariate analysis. Conclusion: In patients with relapsed/ refractory T cell lymphomas, BV seems to have convincing antitumor activity with favorable safety profile.

Nowadays, the interest in research to determine the healthy compounds in fig fruits has increased, as many of them have been found to be beneficial to human health. This study aimed to determine the sugars, organic acids, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and volatile compounds in the fruits of 19 fig (Ficus carica L.) genotypes sampled from the Kahramanmaras province in Türkiye in 2018 and 2019. In the fruit of the fig genotypes, the total phenolic content was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, the total antioxidant capacity was determined by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhidrazil) method, the sugars, organic acids and volatile aroma compounds were determined chromatographically (HPLC/RID detector), (HPLC/UV detector) and headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (HS-GC/MS), respectively. The results showed that most of the biochemical contents and antioxidant capacities of the genotypes significantly differed from each other (P < 0.05). The total phenolic content and antioxidant properties of the fruits ranged from 50.29 to 580.59 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g fresh weight base (and 15.98 to 36.77% DPPH, respectively. Regarding the sugar content of the fig genotypes, the main sugar is fructose ranging from 3.35 to 7.37 g per 100 g. The highest fructose content of 7.37 g per 100 g was found in the genotype KMF12. A total of 58 volatile compounds were detected in the fruits of the 19 fig genotypes, including 18 aldehydes, 3 ketones, 6 esters, 2 terpenes, 17 alcohols, 1 acid and 11 other compounds. According to the obtained results, aldehydes, esters and ketones were found to be the major volatile compounds in the fig fruits. The genotypes with the highest values of the phytochemical and antioxidant properties among the genotypes were selected as candidates as a source of variation for breeders who want to develop new commercial varieties beneficial to human health.

Abstract Backgrounds Acute Appendicitis (AA) is one of the most common surgical emergencies worldwide. This study aims to investigate the predictive performances of 6 different Machine Learning (ML) algorithms for simple and complicated AA. Methods Data regarding operated AA patients between 2012 and 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Based on operative findings, patients were evaluated under two groups: perforated AA and none-perforated AA. The features that showed statistical significance (p

Abstract Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced, high-risk breast cancer. Pathological complete response (pCR) improves survival. Peripheral blood-derived indices reflecting systemic inflammation and nutritional status have long been used as predictive and prognostic markers in solid malignancies. This retrospective study investigates whether eight commonly used indices in patients receiving NACT affect pCR and survival. This study includes 624 locally advanced breast cancer patients who received NACT. The biomarker indices were calculated from peripheral blood samples taken two weeks before starting chemotherapy. The indices’ optimal cut-off values were determined using ROC Curve analysis. During a median follow-up period of 42 months, recurrence was detected in 146 patients, and 75 patients died. pCR was observed in 166 patients (26.6%). In univariate analysis, NLR, PLR, SII, PNI, HALP, and HRR were statistically significantly associated (p = 0.00; p = 0.03; p = 0.03; p = 0.02; p = 0.00; p = 0.02 respectively), but in multivariate analysis, only NLR was significantly predictive for pCR(p = 0.04). In multivariate analysis, the HGB/RDW score significantly predicted DFS(p = 0.04). The PNI score was identified as a marker predicting survival for both OS and PFS (p = 0.01, p = 0.01, respectively). In conclusion, peripheral blood-derived indices have prognostic and predictive values on pCR and survival. However, further studies are needed to validate our findings.

This study analyzes the effect of monetary policy, which are proxied by weighted average cost of funding (WACF) and Borsa Istanbul repurchase interest rate (REPO), on the returns of the main financial assets of monetary policy in Türkiye. Using daily data between January 4, 2011 and August 31, 2023, the study applies novel nonlinear time-series methods, such as wavelet coherence (WC) and quantile-on-quantile regression (QQ) as baseline methods and quantile regression (QR) for robustness. The findings demonstrate that (i) monetary policy has a stronger effect on financial asset returns at middle and higher frequencies across different periods; (ii) monetary policy has mainly declines (increases) effect on financial asset returns at lower and middle (higher) quantiles; (iii) the robustness of the outcomes is confirmed. Thus, the outcomes show that monetary policy has a significant effect on financial asset returns, and the effects vary across times, across frequencies, quantiles, and financial assets.

Abstract As a strategy to improve the therapeutic success of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART) directed against solid tumors, we here test the combinatorial use of CART and IMSA101, a newly developed stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist. In two syngeneic tumor models, improved overall survival is observed when mice are treated with intratumorally administered IMSA101 in addition to intravenous CART infusion. Transcriptomic analyses of CART isolated from tumors show elevated T cell activation, as well as upregulated cytokine pathway signatures, in particular IL-18, in the combination treatment group. Also, higher levels of IL-18 in serum and tumor are detected with IMSA101 treatment. Consistent with this, the use of IL-18 receptor negative CART impair anti-tumor responses in mice receiving combination treatment. In summary, we find that IMSA101 enhances CART function which is facilitated through STING agonist-induced IL-18 secretion.

Abstract: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent malignant tumor of the central nervous system. The prognosis of GBM is grim, with a median overall survival of 14.6 months and only 6.9% of patients surviving 5 years after the initial diagnosis. Despite poor outcomes, standard therapy of surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and tumor-treating fields has remained largely unchanged. The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has been a paradigm shift in oncology, with efficacy across a broad spectrum of cancer types. Nonetheless, investigations of ICIs in both newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM have thus far been disappointing. This lack of clinical benefit has been largely attributed to the highly immunosuppressive nature of GBM. However, immunotherapy still holds promise for the treatment of GBM, with combinatorial strategies offering hope for potentially overcoming these current limitations. In this review, we discuss the outcomes of clinical trials employing ICIs in patients with GBM. Afterward, we review ICI combination strategies and how these combinations may overcome the immunosuppressive microenvironment of GBM in the context of preclinical/clinical evidence and ongoing clinical trials.

Abstract A de-embedding method for determining all scattering (S-) parameters (e.g., characterization) of a sensing area of planar microstrip sensors (two-port network or line) is proposed using measurements of S-parameters with no calibration. The method requires only (partially known) non-reflecting line and reflecting line standards to accomplish such a characterization. It utilizes uncalibrated S-parameter measurements of a reflecting line, direct and reversed configurations of a non-reflecting line, and direct and reversed configurations of the sensing area. As different from previous similar studies, it performs such a characterization without any sign ambiguity. The method is first validated by extracting the S-parameters of a bianisotropic metamaterial slab, as for a two-port network (line), constructed by split-ring-resonators (SRRs) from waveguide measurements. Then, it is applied for determining the S-parameters of a sensing area of a microstrip sensor involving double SRRs next to a microstrip line. The root-mean-square-error (RMSE) analysis was utilized to analyze the accuracy of our method in comparison with other techniques in the literature. It has been observed from such an analysis that our proposed de-embedding technique has the lowest RMSE values for the extracted S-parameters of the sensing area of the designed sensor in comparison with those of the compared other de-embedding techniques in the literature, and have similar RMSE values in reference to those of the thru-reflect-line calibration technique. For example, while RMSE values of real and imaginary parts of the forward reflection S-parameter of this sensing area are, respectively, around 0.0271 and 0.0279 for our de-embedding method, those of one of the compared de-embedding techniques approach as high as 0.0318 and 0.0324.

Proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) offer a long-term, carbon-emission free solution to the energy needs of the transportation sector. However, high cost continues to limit PEMFC commercialization. Replacing expensive platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts with PGM-free catalysts could reduce cost, but the low active site density of PGM-free catalysts necessitates the use of thick electrodes that suffer from substantial mass transport losses. In these thick PGM-free electrodes, effective water management and oxygen transport are crucial to achieve high performance. In this work, we investigate the role of anode and cathode gas diffusion layer (GDL) configurations in controlling water management. Asymmetric GDL configurations, in which the anode GDL exhibits higher permeability than the cathode GDL, showed higher performance compared to conventional symmetric configurations. Computational modeling showed that the improved performance is mainly due to improved water management, resulting in lower liquid water saturation and faster oxygen transport in the cathode.

Abstract Lichenan, 1,3-1,4-β-Glucan, a linear polysaccharide exists in the cell walls of various cereals, has garnered attention for its industrial applications due to its enzymatic breakdown by lichenase enzymes. In this study, Bacillus licheniformis strain RB16, isolated from cattle faeces, was identified as a robust lichenase producer. The lichenase gene, licA, was successfully cloned and characterized. The cloned RB16 lichenase (LicA) demonstrated its highest activity level at pH 7.5. It also retained over 50% of its activity within the pH range of 6.0–8.5 but experienced a decline to 40% at pH 9.0. LicA was active at temperatures ranging from 25 to 65 °C with an optimum at 45 °C. LicA exhibited more than 60% of its activity at the temperature range of 35–55 °C. Zymogram analysis confirmed LicA’s lichenan-degrading ability and structural analysis revealed a stable enzyme structure primarily composed of random coils and extended strands. Although LicA exhibited low thermostability, consistent with its relatively low α-helix content, it demonstrated promising industrial potential. Evolutionary analysis placed LicA within a cluster of closely related Bacillus lichenases, particularly B. halotolerans, B. atrophaeus, and B. spizizenii. These findings expand our understanding of lichenases of Bacillus and underscore its potential for various industrial applications.

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a severe complication that can arise in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma due to the aggressive nature of chemoradiotherapy treatment. The purpose of our study was to assess the utility of the recently introduced CARWL index, which integrates the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and significant weight loss (SWL), in predicting the risk of ORN in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (LA-NPC) undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis on 304 patients with LA-NPC treated with CCRT. Patients were categorized into CARWL index groups based on CAR (cut-off: 3.0) and SWL (weight loss > 5% over the past six months): CARWL-0 (CAR < 3.0, SWL ≤ 5%), CARWL-1 (CAR < 3.0 with SWL > 5% or CAR ≥ 3.0 with SWL ≤ 5%), and CARWL-2 (CAR ≥ 3.0 and SWL > 5%). The primary endpoint was the incidence of ORN in each CARWL index group. At a median follow-up of 67.2 months, 28 patients (9.2%) developed ORN. The incidence of ORN was 2.1%, 9.4%, and 16.3% in the CARWL-0, CARWL-1, and CARWL-2 groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified smoking status (HR: 2.58, P = 0.034), N-stage (HR: 1.96, P = 0.008), T-stage (HR: 1.84, P = 0.017), pre-CCRT tooth extraction status (HR: 5.81, P < 0.001), post-CCRT tooth extraction status (HR: 6.82, P < 0.001), mandibular V55.8 Gy (HR: 6.12, P < 0.001), and CARWL score (HR: 5.67, P = 0.002) as significant predictors of ORN. The CARWL index is a reliable predictive tool for evaluating the risk of ORN in LA-NPC patients undergoing CCRT. If further validated, its use in clinical settings could aid in the early identification of high-risk patients and enable the implementation of personalized preventive strategies.

Advanced age, called geriatrics, negatively affects the aging–related physiological changes on bodysystems. non–steroidal anti–inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used in geriatric pets or humans have negative effects on the kidneys. For this purpose, , the effects of Meloxicam and Flunixin Meglumine, which are NSAIDs frequently used in Veterinary Medicine, on the liver and kidney structure and function in geriatric male rats were evaluated. Twenty–four male geriatric rats (30–36 month old) and twenty–four 3–month–old young male Wistar albino rats were used in the study. Six groups were created, with eight rats in each group: young control (YC), young Meloxicam (YM), young Flunixin Meglubine (YFM), geriatric control (GC), geriatric meloxicam (GM), geriatric Flunixin Meglubine (GFM). Control groups (YC and GC) received an intraperitoneal injection of saline using the same volume as in the othergroups. Meloxicam was administered at 5.8 mg·kg-1 to the YM and GM groups, and Flunixin Meglumine at 2.5 mg·kg-1 intraperitoneally to the YFM and GFM groups once a day for 5 days. Neutrophil Gelatinase–Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), Cystatin C (Cyc–c), Kidney Injury Molecule–1 (KIM–1), Interleukin–18 (IL–18), Urea, Creatinine (Crea), Albumin (Alb), and Total Protein (TP) levels, were determined in sera and urine samples. Serum NGAL, Cys–C, and KIM–1 levels in the GC group were found to be significantly higher than those in the YC group (P

The world has witnessed serious climate-related problems. Even though there are various effective factors in this point, sustainable resource consumption takes place among critical factors that have been deeply affecting climate change. Accordingly, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8–12 have come to the fore for all related parties due to the directly affecting resource use. Among all, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have a special position in terms of global climate change-related goals because they have high oil and resource consumption. Hence, this study firstly attempts to investigate the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for material footprint (MAF) in GCC countries by analyzing the impact of income, energy consumption, financial institution development, and technological development, performing augmented mean group model, and using data for the period 2000–2019. The findings show that (i) the EKC hypothesis is valid for the GCC panel, whereas it is the case for only Oman on a country basis; (ii) energy consumption increases (decreases) MAF at GCC panel (Qatar); (iii) financial institution development does not affect MAF in the GCC panel, while it causes an increase in Saudi Arabia; (iv) technological development reduces MAF at GCC panel and in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia on a country basis. Thus, the results highlight the need for GCC countries to focus on both income level and technological development to achieve climate-related targets and SDGs by decreasing resource-based consumption.

Europe has recently experienced an energy crisis that began with the war between Russia and Ukraine and continued with reciprocal sanctions and power cuts, increasing geopolitical tensions and risks. In such an environment, European countries must decide how to replace energy imports from Russia. As the best option may be to rely on clean energy, this study explores how geopolitical risk (GPR) affects clean electricity generation (i.e., hydro, solar, wind, & nuclear) in five European countries (i.e., Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Romania, and Switzerland), which have a high dependency on Russia. The study therefore uses daily data between January 2, 2019 and January 29, 2024 and applies a set of nonlinear methods (i.e., wavelet coherence, quantile-on-quantile regression, Granger causality in quantiles, and quantile regression). The results show that (i) there is a strong dependence of GPR on renewable and nuclear electricity generation over different times, frequencies, and countries; (ii) GPR stimulates hydro electricity generation at higher quantiles across countries except the Czechia; (iii) GPR increases solar electricity generation at higher quantiles in all countries except the Czechia and Switzerland; (iv) GPR mainly stimulates wind electricity generation at higher quantiles, except for Bulgaria and Switzerland; (v) GPR is almost inefficient in nuclear electricity generation. Overall, the study clearly shows the supportive effect of the GPR in promoting renewables, while this is not the case for nuclear energy. Therefore, European countries can rely on renewables as the best alternative against energy blackouts in the short term, considering the varying effect based on time, frequency, quantile, country, and clean energy sources.

Introduction. Patients with leukaemia are exposed to infections as long as they are neutropenic. During this period, anorectal pathologies are among the common foci of infection with high mortality. We aimed in this study to investigate the factors that may have a predictive effect for early diagnosis and rapid intervention in perianal complications occurring in neutropenic patients diagnosed with leukaemia. Materials and Methods. A total of 90 patients with acute leukaemia, including 45 patients with anorectal pathology and 45 patients without anorectal pathology, were analysed. Demographics, blood group, BMI, haemogram and biochemical parameters at the time of diagnosis, types of perianal pathology were recorded. Results. In the group of patients with anorectal pathology, WBC, lymphocytes, monocytes, LDH were significantly (p

ObjectiveThis retrospective study investigated the risk factors leading to a decrease in Renal glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) during the early postoperative period in patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (SBTKA).MethodsSBTKA was performed on 862 patients between 2014 and 2021 in a single center, by a single surgeon. The risk factors affecting the development of AKI were analyzed by monitoring the changes in pre-and postoperative serum creatinine (Scr) levels and eGFR values. RIFLE criteria were used to evaluate the kidney functions of the patients, who were followed up for an average of 6 months.ResultsWhile there was no decrease in eGFR or AKI in 818 patients postoperatively, eGFR decreased and AKI of different stages developed in 44 patients, according to the RIFLE criteria. Of the 44 patients with AKI, 31 had Risk, 9 had Injury, 3 had Failure, and one had Loss of kidney function. Two patients with American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) class IV died due to deepening of postoperative renal dysfunction.ConclusionWe found that the direct risk factors in SBTKA in terms of eGFR decrease and AKI development include long operation time, increased need for blood transfusion, and diabetic nephropathy, while increased body mass index (BMI) is an indirect risk factor. When planning for a SBTKA, we presume that a thorough analysis of these factors will decrease AKI risk.

PURPOSEThis study aims to assess the status of radiation oncology peer review procedures across the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region.METHODSA cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted among radiotherapy centers in the MENAT region in March 2024. It assessed peer review practices, departmental demographics, perceived importance of peer review, and potential barriers.RESULTSData from 177 radiation oncology centers revealed varying peer review implementation across the MENAT region. Egypt had the highest participation (16.4%) among all responders. Most centers (31%) treated 500-1,000 cases annually. The majority (77.4%) implemented peer review, with varying levels between countries and across different centers. Advanced radiotherapy techniques significantly correlated with implementation of peer review (P < .05). Peer review meetings were mostly scheduled on a weekly basis (46%) and organized by radiation oncologists (84.7%). Target volume contouring (89%) and radiotherapy prescription (82%) were frequently peer-reviewed. Respondents with peer review at their institutions significantly valued peer review for education, adherence to guidelines, improving planning protocols, and reducing variation in practice institutions without peer review (P < .05). The most frequently reported barriers to peer review were having a high number of patients (56%) and shortage of time (54%).CONCLUSIONPeer review is essential for improving the quality of practice in radiation oncology. Despite some discrepancies, numerous obstacles, and challenges in implementation, it is instrumental in the improvement of patient care in most centers throughout the region. Raising awareness among radiation oncologists about the importance of peer review is paramount to lead to better outcomes.

BackgroundVirtual reality is no longer created solely with design graphics. Real life 360° videos created with special shooting techniques are now offered as open access to users’ experience. As a result, this widespread use of VR systems has increased the incidence of visually induced motion sickness.ObjectiveIn the present study, we aimed to investigate impact of brightness-contrast levels of real-life 360° videos on susceptibility to visually induced motion sickness during immersive virtual reality headset viewing.MethodsIn this study, 360° real-world day and night driving videos publicly available on YouTube VR were used as stimuli. Stimuli were presented in 2-min segments. Electrodermal activity was recorded throughout the stimulus presentation, and SSQ was administered immediately afterward.ResultsNo significant difference was found between the experiments in terms of dermal activity. There is a statistically significant difference in total SSQ scores and in symptoms of fatigue, eye strain, head fullness, blurred vision, and dizziness (p < 0.005; p < 0.01) after then the night video.ConclusionThe present study examined the likely impact of brightness and contrast levels in VR environments on VIMS provocation.

Summary: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposure histories become increasingly complex through original and variant-adapted vaccines and infections with viral variants. Upon exposure to the highly altered Omicron spike glycoprotein, pre-immunized individuals predominantly mount recall responses of Wuhan-Hu-1 (wild-type)-imprinted memory B (BMEM) cells mostly targeting conserved non-neutralizing epitopes, leading to diminished Omicron neutralization. We investigated the impact of imprinting in individuals double/triple vaccinated with a wild-type-strain-based mRNA vaccine who, thereafter, had two consecutive exposures to Omicron BA.1 spike (breakthrough infection followed by BA.1-adapted vaccine). We found that depletion of conserved epitope-recognizing antibodies using a wild-type spike bait results in strongly diminished BA.1 neutralization. Furthermore, spike-specific BMEM cells recognizing conserved epitopes are much more prevalent than BA.1-specific BMEM cells. Our observations suggest that imprinted BMEM cell recall responses limit the induction of strain-specific responses even after two consecutive BA.1 spike exposures. Vaccine adaptation strategies need to consider that prior SARS-CoV-2 infections and vaccinations may cause persistent immune imprinting.

This review explores the integration of titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx) MXene materials with three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques for advanced functional applications. Ti3C2Tx MXenes exhibit remarkable intrinsic properties like high surface area, metallic conductivity, and flexible surface functionalities. These materials can be associated to 3D printing techniques that offer solutions to conventional techniques’ limitations, enabling the creation of high-performance, free-standing, and multiscale devices with precise control over architecture. Additionally, 3D printing techniques are cost-effective, energy-saving, and sustainable, reducing material waste and carbon footprint. This review begins by presenting an overview of two-dimensional (2D) materials and their distinct characteristics when comparted to the MXenes family, followed by discussions on synthesis routes for 3D printable MXene inks and fabrication methods for complex MXene-based structures. Various applications of 3D-printed MXene architectures are explored, particularly in energy storage devices like supercapacitors and batteries, leveraging MXenes exceptional electrical conductivity and high surface area to enhance energy storage capabilities. Moreover, the potential of 3D-printed MXene architectures in smart devices, incorporating technologies such as artificial intelligence and connectivity features, is highlighted, particularly in smart sensors, biosensors, electromagnetic shielding, and environmental remediation.