Search

Natural fibers extracted from plants are preferred as an alternative to synthetic products. The main reasons for this preference are their affordable cost, light weight and good mechanical properties. However, finding new natural raw materials is challenging due to growth limitations in different geographical areas. Platanus orientalis L. (Eastern plane tree) is a tree with abundant fruits that can grow in many regions of the world. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanical (tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation), physical (density, fiber diameter) and chemical (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) properties of Platanus orientalis L. fruit's stem by fiber extraction from the stems of the tree. It was determined that the extracted fiber had good mechanical properties and cellulose content of 42.03%. As a result of thermogravimetric analysis, it was determined that the plane tree fruit's stem fiber had thermal resistance of up to 299 °C. The tensile strength value was 157.76 MPa, the tensile modulus value was 1.39 GPa and the elongation value was 22.01%. It was determined that it is suitable for use in fiber reinforcement in thermoplastic-based composites at temperatures below 299 °C. According to the results obtained by the mechanical, chemical and physical analysis of Platanus orientalis L. fruit's stem fiber (PoLfs), it could be recommended as a suitable alternative as a reinforcing fiber in thermoplastic and thermoset composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gypsum interlayer with 100 m thick was identified within the Early-Middle Triassic shelf type clastic and carbonates of the Keban Metamorphics, along the shore of the Fırat River, ~500 m west of Keban district (Elazığ, southeast Turkey). Gypsum layers have thickness of 15–50 cm, and exhibit the original sedimentary bedding intercalated with dolomitic carbonate rocks. They were subjected to hydrothermal alteration related to late Cretaceous magmatic intrusions. Hydrothermal activity caused the dissolution and recrystallization of gypsum, as well as occurrences of secondary gypsum, elemental sulphur and quartz (amethyst). The geochemical (trace element and sulphur and oxygen isotope) compositions of gypsum and dolomites indicate typical marine evaporite compositions. The δ34S and δ18O values of the Keban gypsum correspond to Early Triassic evaporites, based on Early-Middle Triassic seawater sulphate composition. Keban gypsum represents Triassic rifting along the northeastern margin of Gondwana and exhibits similar age (Early-Middle Triassic) and palaeogeographic setting to Kemer (Antalya, Turkey) gypsum, associated with opening of the Neotethyan Ocean between Gondwana (Pangea) and the Cimmerian microcontinent. However, the Keban gypsum is different from the late Triassic Honaz-Denizli and Nusaybin-Gaziantep gypsum representing the southern margin of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean (Tauride Belt) and southern margin of the Neo-Tethys (Arabian Plate). The presence of gypsum is observed on both passive continental margins of Neo-Tethys means that their deposition took place before the subduction of the Neo-Tethys Ocean during Late Triassic-Jurassic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disabilities (ID) can often victims and sometimes witnesses or defendant in forensic events. It is important to investigate the experiences of forensic interviewing with these individuals and to identify associated issues to conduct better forensic interviews with them. The present study aims to determine the experiences of the staff and interviewees in forensic interviews conducted with individuals with ASD/ID. The study was conducted with a phenomenological approach, and the data were collected with the semi-structured interview method and analyzed with content analysis. The findings obtained with the analysis of the study data with content analysis revealed three themes: forensic interviews, legal support officer, and the judicial process. In the study, it was concluded that individuals with ASD/ID could not express themselves effectively, could be traumatized during the interviews, the interviewers felt inadequate and experienced associated problems, and required training support and counseling by a special education specialist. It is recommended to create a protocol for the participation of special education experts in forensic interviews in order to support individuals with ASD/ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between life satisfaction and leisure attitudes of students studying at the School of Physical Education and Sports. Another aim of the study is to examine the leisure attitude and life satisfaction levels of students according to the variables of gender, age, class, physical activity participation status and family monthly income. In the research, quantitative research; relational screening method and causal comparison method were applied. The population of the study consisted of Istanbul Gelisim University School of Physical Education and Sports department's students, and the sample (n=426) consisted of volunteer participants. Easy sampling method was preferred as the sampling method. The data were collected by questionnaire technique. Sociodemographic questions including gender, age, class, level of participation in activities and income level variables, Leisure Time Attitude Scale and Life Satisfaction Scale were applied to the participants. The data obtained were transferred to IBMM SPSS24 programme and Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Walls H and Spearman Correlation analysis were applied to determine the relationship levels. Statistical significance level was accepted as p<,050. It was determined that there was no difference in life satisfaction level and leisure attitudes according to the gender of the students. No difference in life satisfaction was detected according to the age and class variables of the students, but there was a significant difference in life satisfaction according to activity participation status and family income level. A significant difference was detected in the perception towards leisure attitudes according to the age, class, activity participation status and family income level variables of the students. Moreover, a weak positive relationship was determined between life satisfaction and leisure time attitude. It was determined that life satisfaction level and leisure time attitudes of male and female students showed similar characteristics. It was determined that the age variable was not a determining variable in the level of life satisfaction, and the attitudes of the participants between the ages of 24-26 were at a better level towards leisure time. It was determined that as the grade level increased, the level of leisure attitude decreased, which was significant, and the grade level was not effective in life satisfaction. It was determined that the life satisfaction and leisure attitudes of the students who regularly participated in recreational and sportive activities were at a better level and statistically significant. It was determined that as the family income level of the students increased, their life satisfaction increased, and the income level variable was a determinant variable in life satisfaction. It was determined that family income level was an important variable in the perception of leisure attitude, and as the income level increased, leisure time attitude was positively affected. It was determined that as the life satisfaction level of the students increased, leisure time attitude also increased and there was a linear relationship between life satisfaction and leisure time attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased social integration of individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism could may raise their likelihood of interacting with justice system and legal staff. Aims: The present article aimed to determine the perceptions of the legal support staff about the individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism. Materials and Methods: In the study, conducted with the phenomenological method, the views of 15 legal support staff were obtained. The study reported what participants perceived and examined whether participants had an accurate understanding of the experiences/support needs of people with intellectual disabilities/autism. The data were analysed with content analysis. Results: Three themes were determined: (1) Experience of interview with an individual with intellectual disabilities/autism, (2) attitudes of judges, lawyers and other staff, and (3) abuse/trauma. Discussion: Findings are consistent with literature. Individuals with intellectual disabilities/autism have problems in expressing themselves, also staff do not know them, do not know their features. Studies show that staff often do not know what to do in these interviews. Conclusion: Based on the participant perspectives, it was determined that individuals with intellectual disabilities/autism experienced self‐expression problems, interviewees did not understand children/individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism and could exhibit negative attitudes, the children could be abused and traumatised during judicial processes, they were more prone to abuse when compared to their peers, they could be involved in certain events more frequently and could be pushed to crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical and mechanical properties of thermally modified wood impregnated with linseed oil were investigated to find the relationship between the treatment and the acoustic properties. The samples were impregnated with linseed oil (LO). Heat treatment was performed in an oven at four different temperatures, namely 160, 180, 210, and 240 °C. Statistically, the physical, mechanical, and acoustic properties of the treated wood were significantly intensified as compared to the control samples. The physical properties (water absorption) of the treated wood decreased by 72% as compared to the control group. However, while the increase in both MOR and MOE at 240 °C was 13%, the increase in CS at 240 °C was 7%. As a result of the heat treatment, the porosity increased by 33% as compared to the control group. At 240 °C the maximum SAC value was observed to be 0.71 at 5000 Hz and at 4500 Hz 0.78 and 0.80, respectively. The highest STL value, which was 69.9 dB, was observed at 1540 Hz and 3600 Hz. As a result of improved heat transfer, impregnating samples with LO before thermal modifications was observed to increase the efficiency of thermal modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying faults and revealing their characteristics are of great importance in terms of determining natural disaster risks, safe city infrastructure, stability of large engineering structures, groundwater and mineral zones. Faults form distinctive linear structures on the earth and these are usually easily distinguishable from the surface. Identification, mapping and related field studies of faults require a labor-intensive work. Aerial photographs, digital elevation models and aerial images are used to reduce the intensity of fieldwork and to detect the structural integrity of the larger area. There are not only faults in the land, but also many different linear structures such as roads, railroads and man-made fences that form a contrast. Remote sensing images are widely used in the detection and analysis of these lineaments. In this study, lineament analyzes were carried out using filtering, principal component analysis (PCA), band ratio and false color composite displaying, result linearity map and automatic lineament extraction methods on Landsat-7 (ETM+) satellite images as the basis. The results obtained were compared with the data obtained from field studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the re-ensilage of corn silage with the addition of inoculant and organic acid at different times in terms of silage quality and aerobic stability. The herbal material of the study II. The product formed corn silage. Corn silage opened on the 150th day of the fermentation period was divided into 3 treatment groups. Treatment groups were formed from 1- Control, 2- Lactobacillus buchneri (LB) 3- Organic Acid (OA). In order to reveal the effect of the re-ensilage time, each treatment group was divided into sub-treatment groups within itself, and again ensiled and fermented at 6, 12 and 24 hours of the time it was exposed to oxygen. Chemical and microbiological analyzes were performed on silages opened on the 60th day of re-ensilage. In addition, in vitro gas production values of silages were determined. Aerobic stability test was applied to all silages opened during the ensiling period (60th day) for 7 days. Research results indicate that maize silages can be re-ensilaged without adding additives, but the use of organic acid in re-ensilage improves aerobic stability. According to the data obtained from the in vitro gas values of the feeds, the methane production of LB and OA silages at the 6th hour of the ensiling period from the 24 th to the 96th hour of the incubation period was found to be higher than the control group (P<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out to determine the important quality factors in 12 peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes grown as the main crop in Kahramanmaraş province conditions. The study was carried out in Kahramanmaraş conditions in 2016. The study was conducted at randomized complete block design with three replications. In the study carried out, the ratios of saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids were investigated. Besides these; quality factors such as oleic acid / linoleic acid ratio, which is one of the oil stability values, iodine value, unsaturated/saturated oil ratio, oil yield and protein yield were also investigated. As a result of the study, peanut genotypes; The values of some important properties examined, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and oleic/linoleic acid ratio, iodine value, unsaturated/saturated oil ratio and yield, and protein yield, respectively; It was determined that it varied between 44.81181.787 %, 3.955-36.066 %, 1.109-1.465 %, 1.242-20.677 %, 77.197-101.012 % and 4.751-7.773 %, 112.295-199.818 kg da-1 and 56.311-105.204 kg da-1. Differences between genotypes were found to be very significant (P<0.01) for all traits studied. Osmaniye-2005 variety is recommended for obtaining the highest oil (199.818 kg da-1) and protein yield (105.204 kg da-1) in Kahramanmaraş conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to present a projection from a macro perspective to researchers, policymakers, institutions, and organizations by examining how the concept of "critical infrastructure" has developed analytically and systematically over the years. Compared to Turkish literature, academic studies on the concept of critical infrastructure in foreign literature have advanced. This study seeks to answer the following research questions by focusing on this relatively rich literature. How does the distribution vary according to the types of publications, the trend by years, related disciplines, authors, institution, country collaborations, citation, and keyword status related to critical infrastructure? It is aimed to reveal a typology to pave the way for future research in Türkiye. This paper uses Visual and scientific mapping methods based on Bibliographic Matching and Common Citations. 4,227 English articles which time span 1996-2022 (September) were selected from the Web of Science (WoS) database. In light of the obtained data, network and density graphs were created with VOSviewer software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the Qur'ān correctly, analyzing some words and concepts in the verses is crucial, alongside with interpreting a verse with another verse, taking hadith and the narrations of asbāb al-nuzūl into account. Fujūr (wickedness), an essential concept for expressing the Qurānic thought in terms of its relevance with other concepts and the contexts that is present in, should be analyzed from different aspects, even if it isn't mentioned in the Qur'ān frequently. While the lexical meaning of fujūr is "to split something" and it's commonly used in social context of jāhiliyya in the meanings of "to take a false oath, to break one's oath, and evil", Quran uses this concept as a deed of kafirs and mushriks, contrarily to birr (righteousness) and takwa (piety). The concept of fujūr used similarly to the concepts of kufr (disbelief), kidhb (falsehood), fasād (corruption) and fisq (disobedience). On the other hand, füjūr is one of the concepts forming the meaning area of kufr and it expresses sins within the scope of disbelief such as "denying the prophets and the afterlife" and "practicing immoral acts". Besides, through the verses in which fujūr and taqwa are used oppositely, it is explained that man was created with the ability to distinguish good from evil and that he is a responsible being. In this study, reliyng on the semantic method, füjūr concept is explained in terms of word stem and contextual meaning, with its contraries and near synonims. Furthermore, this word's meaning area and the meanings it expresses is discussed by drawing attention to its semantic change while passing from jahiliyya poetry to the Qurān. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the effect of technological advances, the use of electrical and electronic devices has increased dramatically in recent years. Wireless technologies and related applications are mostly preferred for the communication of these devices with each other. Thus, people are easily exposed to electromagnetic waves in daily life. The extensive global use of these devices raises the question of their possible biological effects on human health. Also, electromagnetic waves influence the functioning of a nearby device. In this study, an electromagnetic absorber based on boric acid (5, 10, 20, and 30 wt%) added wastepaper was developed. Copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al) were also used as mineral additives for comparison. Three different kinds of wastepaper namely, office paper, newsprint, and cardboard paper were selected for the experimental study. The effect of varying boric acid contents on the electromagnetic absorption of the boards manufactured was evaluated and compared to Cu (30 wt%) and Al (30 wt%) added boards. The results show that newsprint has better absorption effectiveness than office and cardboard paper and absorption up to 40 dB was achieved. The absorption effectiveness of Al, Cu, and boric acid added boards was achieved at approximately 40, 30, and 20 dB, respectively. As a result, the electromagnetic absorption effectiveness of boric acid added the board is acceptable levels. Also, apart from the use of boric acid as a powder, it has been determined that the application of the surface as a layer is effective in absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low fire resistance property of pristine polyurethane (PU) restricts its areas of usage in domestic applications and especially in the furniture industry. Therefore, PU based materials should be non-flammable besides having favorable mechanical and chemical properties. In this study, boric acid (BA) was added to the polyurethane foam as fire retardant. The effect of amount of BA (5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w)) on fire retardancy was examined. The thermal properties and the surface morphology of the structures were investigated. The amount of BA affected surface morphology. It was observed that BA affects the density and compressive strength in three directions with the physical change it causes in the cell structure. In the X-ray diffraction analysis of the unmodified hard polyurethane and the hard polyurethanes containing BA at different amounts (5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w)), the peaks were observed to appear in three different groups. The thermal stability of the rigid PU treated with BA was investigated via thermogravimetric analysis and the limiting oxygen index (LOI) analysis. The electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) was measured via a system consisting of two anechoic boxes and receiving and transmitting antennas. Four different temperature zones were observed when examining the thermal behavior via differential scanning calorimetry. Single source flame test, UL94 test and cone calorimeter tests were performed to determine the ignition property of BA doped PU. It was determined that BA is a better fire retardant than other chemicals also for the low toxicity of the combustion products formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basmala is a word that phrases the meaning of reading and writing the expression of the bi-smi llāh. Beginning an action with Basmala is good decency taught by Almighty Allah to Prophet Muhammad in the first verses of the Qur’ān, as well as it is a sunnah handed down from generation to generation through prophets. In the period of Prophet Muhammad, basmala went through some stages until it took its final form. In the early periods of Islam, the expression bi-smika llāhumma was used, when the verse 17/110 of alIsrā’ was revealed, the phrase bi-smi llāhi r-rahmān was used, and when the verse 27/30 of al-Naml was revealed, the phrase bi-smi llāhi r-rahmāni r-rahīm was used. Generally in tafsīrs (commentaries), Basmala is expounded in a detailed way at the introduction of the Surah al-Fātiha. In addition, it has been examined from different perspectives by being carefully handled in treatise-type works independently. ‘Umar al-Nasafī (d. 537/1142) and al-Biqāʿī (d. 885/1480), who are prominent with their holistic view to the Qur'ān in the history of tafsīr, not only explained the Basmala at the beginning of the Surah alFātiha, but also interpreted it according to the content of the surah in all its entries. ‘Umar al-Nasafī systematically showed the harmony between the surahs in his tafsīr named al-Taysīr fī al-Tafsīr and gave systematical information about the subjects that make up the content of each surah. Besides, he created rhyming texts by adding the verse or parts of the verse he chose from the sura with the name allazī to the words Allah, rahmān and rahīm in the Basmala. Generally, he added a verse from the beginning of a surah to the word Allah, one of the verses that came after it to the name rahmān, and a verse that came later to the name rahīm. However, the general of the verses which are chosen by him is not in the content to reflect the subject(s) of the surah. Moreover, when it comes to short surahs, it is seen that the verses attached to these three words are more clearly related to the content of the surahs. This is a situation regarding the volume of the surahs and the subject(s) dealt with in them. Because, generally, while several subjects are covered in long surahs, one subject is mentioned in short surahs. On the other hand, in his tafsīr named Naẓm al-Durar, al-Biqāʿī who showed the relationship between surahs, verses, and even sentences, and tried to reveal the i'jaz (inimitability) in the arrangement of the verses of the Qur’ān revived this method, which was started by ‘Umar al-Nasafī three centuries ago. However, instead of quoting directly the verses, he explained Basmala by adding rhyming sentences to the names of Allah, rahmān and rahīm, which he often used with certain words and expressions. In Lafzatullāh's tafsīr, he generally preferred words and expressions that explain the names and attributes of Allah, and he tried to give the same meaning to the words rahmān and rahīm in all the surahs, and to explain the Basmala according to the main aim (maqsud) of the surah, with the sentences formed with definite words and expressions he chose. However, the Basmala explanations in the introduction of many surahs are similar in meaning and emphasis, due to the frequent use of words and expressions with close meanings while explaining these three words. In this contribution, after giving brief information about the tafsīrs of ‘Umar alNasafī and al-Biqāʿī, by considering the way of them explaining the basmala according to the content of the surah accompanied by examples, a comparison will be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on individuals with intellectual disabilities among 2.7 million Turkish citizens who had migrated to Germany since the 1960s. The study aims to determine the services provided for individuals with intellectual disabilities who migrated with or were born to a family that immigrated from Turkey to Germany and explore their lives with qualitative inquiry. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 parents in Germany. Then, the interview transcripts were analysed utilising the content analysis method. The findings determined four themes that revealed that Turkish migrants in Germany were satisfied with the financial, childcare, psychological, and counselling services provided for their children. Parents stated that although they were often exposed to discriminatory behaviour in Germany interwoven with the various partials of their identities, they never experienced discrimination against their children. However, interviewees placed greater importance on speaking the local language than their previous generations. Nevertheless, certain participants indicated their preference for Turkish special education teachers over others. Furthermore, the parents who wanted to relocate to Turkey were unable to do so due to the services offered for their children with intellectual disabilities in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Türkiye ölüm, yaralanma ve mal kaybına yol açan afetlerle sık sık karşılaşmıştır. Bu doğal tehlikeler arasında başta depremler olmak üzere, heyelanlar, su baskınları, kaya ve çığ düşmeleri, kuraklık önemli oranda zararlara yol açmıçtır. Afetlerin önlenmesi ve zararlarının azaltılması amacıyla bir afet olayının öncesi, sırası ve sonrasında yapılması gereken çalışmaların, planlanması, yönlendirilmesi, koordine edilmesi, desteklenmesi ve uygulanabilmesi için toplumun tüm kurum ve kuruluşlarıyla, kaynakların bu ortak hedefer doğrultusunda yönetilmesini gerekmektedir. Ayrıca afet zararlarının azaltılması ve afetlerin önlenmesi ancak çok disiplinli bir yaklaşımla uygulanacak afet risk yönetimi ile mümkün olabilir. Bir genel kolluk teşkilatlanması olan jandarma da afetlerde görev alan ve önemli rol ve işlevler üstlenen bir yapılanmadır. Bu bağlamda Türkiye Afet Planı (TAMP)'nda görev ve sorumlulukları bulunan koordinasyon birimlerinin rolleri açısından özellikle toplanma ve barınma süreçlerinde etkisi giderek öne çıkmaktadır.Bu çalışmada afet yönetiminin bir parçası olan Jandarma'nın Elazığ Depremi'nde icra ettiği faaliyetlerdeki çadır kurma birliklerinin etkinliği ile bu hususun kamudaki iletişim ve medya yansımalarına ilişkin olgular analiz edilmektedir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high salt level of a germinating environment can lead to reduced, delayed, and even complete inhibition of germination and seeding growth due to osmotic action and/or ion toxicity. Based on this viewpoint, the aim of this study was to investigate germination temperature and salinity effects on germination and early seedling growth of soybean, which can be sown as first and second crops. Methods: Soybean seeds were subjected to NaCl induced saline germinating media prepared in petri dishes under two different germination temperatures (20±2 and 25±2°C). Thirty sterilized seeds per petri dish were sown in ten salt treatments (0, 100, 150, 250, 750, 1000, 2250, 5000, 7500 and 10000 ppm NaCl L-1). The study was carried out according to the completely randomized design with four replications. Result: Lower temperature promoted seed germination, while the high temperature significantly inhibited the seed germination at all NaCl doses tested. As a result, 25°C temperatures, which can only be measured at the time of the second sowing, have been found to negatively affect germination and also increase the negative effects of salt. Due to the moderate tolerance of soybeans to salt stress, the germination rate was positively affected up to 750 ppm NaCl L-1 dose and resulted in severe reductions in subsequent doses. Also, the tolerance of soybean was negatively influenced by the interaction of temperature and NaCl concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a common expectation that the big-bang singularity must be resolved in quantum gravity but it is not clear how this can be achieved. A major obstacle here is the difficulty of interpreting wave-functions in quantum gravity. The standard quantum mechanical framework requires a notion of time evolution and a proper definition of an invariant inner product having a probability interpretation, both of which are seemingly problematic in quantum gravity. We show that these two issues can actually be solved by introducing the embedding coordinates as dynamical variables à la Isham and Kuchar. The extended theory is identical to general relativity but has a larger group of gauge symmetries. The Wheeler-DeWitt equations describe the change of the wave-function from one arbitrary spacelike slice to another, however the constraint algebra makes this evolution purely kinematical and furthermore enforces the wave-function to be constrained in the subspace of zero-energy states. An inner product can also be introduced having all the necessary requirements. In this formalism big-bang appears as a finite field space boundary on which certain boundary conditions must be imposed for mathematical consistency. We explicitly illustrate this point both in the full theory and in the minisuperspace approximation. • Canonical quantum gravity. • Problem of time in quantum gravity. • Problem of an invariant inner product in quantum gravity. • Singularity resolution. • Big-bang singularity in quantum gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we compared the microstructural changes in the presence of hydrogen of Ti-6Al-4V alloy prepared by two different additive manufacturing (AM) methods: electron beam melting (EBM) and selective laser melting (SLM). Cathodic hydrogenation of AM Ti-6Al-4V resulted in significant expansion of β Ti phases due to the solute hydrogen, increasing of micro-strains, and α → titanium hydride/β H transformation. It was shown that SLM Ti-6Al-4V with acicular martensitic structure is more prone to hydrogen-induced phase transformation and hydrogen-assisted damage, compared to EBM. Moreover, it was revealed that different hydrogen charging environments cause different microstructural changes in EBM Ti-6Al-4V. Unlike cathodic hydrogen charging, gaseous hydrogen charging at elevated temperature reduced the process-induced micro-strains and promoted Al redistribution within the EBM Ti-6Al-4V. This resulted in massive precipitation of brittle α 2 -Ti 3 Al intermetallic compound, which act as a strong hydrogen trapping site aside from the Ti hydride phase. • SLM Ti-6Al-4V is more prone to hydrogen-induced phase transformation, comparing to EBM. • CHC increases micro-strains, expands the lattice, and causes α → β H /Ti-hydride transformation. • GHC decreases micro-strains and causes massive precipitation of α 2 -Ti 3 Al phase. • α 2 -Ti 3 Al phase serves as an irreversible hydrogen trapping site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to determine the ambient radiation level in Gumushane province. With this aim, the gamma dose ratios absorbed in the air were surveyed by a portable gamma detector. The activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs in soil samples have been measured by the gamma spectrometric analysis system. The gross alpha and beta activity concentrations in drinking water were also determined by the alpha and beta counting system. By considering the geological structure, the soil samples have been obtained from 62 different spots. In addition, 77 samples of natural and tap water have been collected from different points of the province. The samples were analyzed at the Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center in Turkey. Absorbed gamma dose rates in the air were measured in 338 different points in the studied area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this experiment, it was aimed to determine the quality characteristics of 10 different oilseed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivars grown under Kahramanmaraş ecological conditions. The research was carried out in 2016 in the trial area of Kahramanmaraş East Mediterranean Transitonal Zone Agricultural Research of Institute. In the experiment, Coral, 13 TR 001, P64G46, Saray, LG 5580, Bosfora, SY Cadix, Goldsun, P 64 LL 05 and Tarsan 1018 oilseed sunflower varieties were used. Oil ratio, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmiteloic acid, heptadecanoic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidic acid, eicosenoic (gadoleic) acid, behenic acid and lignoceric acid ratio, O/L (oleic acid/linoleic acid) ratio, one of the oil stability criteria, iodine value ((%P x 1.001) + (%O x 0.899) + (%L x 1.814)), U/S (unsaturated fatty acids / saturated fatty acids) ratio of oil quality factors, hundred seed weight and grain yield were investigated. According to the results, the difference between varieties was found to be very important for all of the traits studied. The data of the study showed that the varieties have oil ratio between 38.12% - 43.55%, oleic acid content between 46.96 % - 86.38%, linoleic acid content between 7.45% - 44.92%, linolenic acid content between 0.205% - 0.307% and grain yield between 1782 - 3178 kg ha-1. In the variety of Tarsan 1018, which has the highest oil rate with 43.55%; stearic acid (4.20%), linoleic acid (0.307%) are highest, while U/S ration (8.81%) and grain yield (1782 kg ha-1) were lowest. Grain yield (3178 kg ha-1), linoleic acid (44.92%) and iodine value (123.79) were the highest in P64G46 variety. However, in 13 TR 001 variety, heptadesenoic acid (0.099%), oleic acid (86.38%), eidosenoic acid (0.224%), lignoseric acid (0.340%), O/L ratio (11.71%) ve U/S ratio (11.93%) were highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agonist-activated G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) must correctly select from hundreds of potential downstream signaling cascades and effectors. To accomplish this, GPCRs first bind to an intermediary signaling protein, such as G protein or arrestin. These intermediaries initiate signaling cascades that promote the activity of different effectors, including several protein kinases. The relative roles of G proteins versus arrestins in initiating and directing signaling is hotly debated, and it remains unclear how the correct final signaling pathway is chosen given the ready availability of protein partners. Here, we begin to deconvolute the process of signal bias from the dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) by exploring factors that promote the activation of ERK1/2 or Src, the kinases that lead to cell growth and proliferation. We found that ERK1/2 activation involves both arrestin and Gαs, while Src activation depends solely on arrestin. Interestingly, we found that the phosphorylation pattern influences both arrestin and Gas coupling, suggesting an additional way the cells regulate G protein signaling. The phosphorylation sites in the D1R intracellular loop 3 are particularly important for directing the binding of G protein versus arrestin and for selecting between the activation of ERK1/2 and Src. Collectively, these studies correlate functional outcomes with a physical basis for signaling bias and provide fundamental information on how GPCR signaling is directed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomaterials are biocompatible materials that are used to repair bone defects caused by trauma and bone infections, or bones injured in wars and accidents. Calcium phosphates (CaPs), which have a bioinert structure due to high corrosion resistance and being stable in the body, are the most used biomaterial and considered to be bioactive materials because they are perceived by the body as its tissue and have an accelerating healing effect. CaPs are used extensively for hard- and soft-tissue applications in medicine because of their elemental composition, high level of similarity to the minerals in bone and teeth, and high biocompatibility within the body. However, due to low fracture toughness values or poor mechanical properties of CaPs, different additives like strontium (Sr) and its compounds are added into them to improve their properties. Especially in recent years, it has become an important purpose and field of study to produce more economical alternative CaPs-based, as well as Sr- and its compounds-added biocompatible bone grafts and implant materials having enhanced microstructure and mechanical properties. Sr and its compounds that improve the mechanical properties of CaP compounds have been indicated as an impressive stimulant for bone repair and new bone formation. Sr2+ ion (Sr ranelate), which is used as a drug, especially in osteoporosis disorders, reveals biocompatibility and also increases bone fracture repair. This review explains the literature on the morphological and mechanical properties of CaP-based Sr compounds, which have been added into various CaP-based bone grafts or used as implant coating on bone grafts. Also, biocompatibility studies on bone grafts containing Sr are explained, and it is aimed to contribute to the studies done in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of cellular structure, open cell metal foams can be used as a light-weight material, and they can absorb impact energy effectively. In this study, effects of cell number and anisotropy in 30 and 45 ppi (pores per inch) foams on the energy absorption efficiency are investigated by quasi-static compression tests. According to current study, strength of foams decreases with lowering the number of cells for the same foam dimensions. However, energy absorption efficiency increases with decreasing number of cells. The reason for this is the enlarging of cell voids with increasing cell size; therefore, cells deform with less hardening. Effects of loading direction of metal foams on the energy absorption efficiency could not be found. It was observed that the cuboid foam samples exhibited larger strength as compared to the cubic foam samples, and this could be expressed by deformation concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative bioceramic bone graft was synthesized through the sol‐gel method by substituting strontium carbonate—SrCO3 and Silver—Ag into Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, KOH, NaNO3, P2O5, and urea compounds. Morphological properties of the fabricated grafts were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Mechanical properties were determined via the hardness and compression tests. Furthermore, the cell viability of fabricated biografts was also determined via cytotoxicity tests using the MTS (cell proliferation assay). FTIR, EDS, and XRD analyses indicated that SrCO3‐ and Ag‐substituted hydroxyapatite (Sr/Ag/HA) biograft fabrications were achieved. SEM images of the biografts showed that a low‐porous structure was formed with grains bonded through sintering. SEM images also revealed that the powder bonding increased due to the decrease in pore sizes when the amount of SrCO3 was increased. From the mechanical tests, it was obtained that, the strength and hardness increased with increased SrCO3 rates. Through the cytotoxicity tests, it was shown that the cell viability rate increased due to the presence of SrCO3 and no toxic effects were observed through the newly synthesized biografts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider quantization of the gravity-scalar field system in the minisuperspace approximation. It turns out that in the gauge fixed deparametrized theory where the scale factor plays the role of time, the Hamiltonian can be uniquely defined without any ordering ambiguity as the square root of a self-adjoint operator. Moreover, the Hamiltonian degenerates to zero and the Schrödinger equation becomes well behaved as the scale factor vanishes. Therefore, there is no technical or physical obstruction for the initial wave function of the universe to be an arbitrary vector in the Hilbert space, which demonstrates the severeness of the initial condition problem in quantum cosmology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an output feedback sliding mode position controller/estimator scheme is proposed to control an single input single output (SISO) system subject to bounded nonlinearities and parametric uncertainties. Various works have been published addressing the theoretical effectiveness of the third-order sliding mode control (3-SMC) in terms of chattering alleviation and controller robustness. However, the application of 3-SMC with a feedback estimator to a flight actuators has not been treated explicitly. This is due to the fact that the accurate full state estimation is required since SMCs performance can be severely degraded by measurement or estimation noise. Aerodynamic control surface actuators in air vehicles mostly employ linear position controllers to achieve guidance and stability. The main focus of the paper is to experimentally demonstrate the stability and positioning performance of a third-order SMC applied to a class of system with high relative degree and bounded parametric uncertainties. The performance of the closed-loop system is also compared with a lower level SMC and classical controller to show the effectiveness of the algorithm. Realization of the proposed algorithm from an application perspective is the main target of this paper and it demonstrates that a shorter settling time and higher control action attenuation can be achieved with the proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Poisoning represents one of the most common medical emergencies in childhood, and epidemiological properties differ from country to country. Thus, special epidemiological surveillance for each country is necessary to determine the problem according to which preventive measures can be taken. The aim of this study was to identify regional, familial, socioeconomic and economic characteristics of intoxications and investigate the factors that may facilitate such intoxications. Method: 318 poisoning cases aged between 1 month-17 years (44±18 months on average) who were taken to the Pediatric Emergency Service of Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine were evaluated retrospectively. Results: The ratio of poisoning cases to all pediatric emergency admissions was 5.1%. 65.1% of the cases were males, and the ratio of males to females was 1.8:1. Of the poisoning agents, 66% (n: 210) were pharmacologic and 34% (n: 108) were non-pharmacologic agents. The highest rate of poisoning was in the 25 months-5 years of age group (75.2%), and the most common poisoning agents were drugs. When evaluated by seasons, 40.3% of the patients referred to the hospital in the summer, 25.2% in the spring, 18.2% in the winter and 16.4% in the autumn. It was determined that 66.2% of the poisoning cases occurred at home and 33.8% occurred outside home. Of the poisoning cases, 7.9% were due to suicide, %11.3 were due to ignorance, %69.2 were accidental, %0.6 were iatrogenic, %0.6 were due to addiction, %0.3 were due to exposure, %1.6 due to adverse effects and %6.3 were due to other reasons. It was determined that accidental intake of drugs was the most common poisoning agent in our region. Conclusions: This study will contribute significantly in determining the poisoning profile of the region, raising awareness of healthcare personnel and the society and taking preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the emergence of the infrared logarithms in the cosmological perturbation theory applied to the minisuperspace scalar slow-roll inflation. Not surprisingly, in the single scalar field model the curvature perturbation ζ is conserved and no ln ⁡ a B behavior appears, where a B ( t ) is the background scale factor of the universe. On the other hand, in the presence of a spectator scalar the n 'th order perturbation theory gives an ( ln ⁡ a B ) n correction to ζ . However, a nonperturbative estimate shows that ζ actually becomes the sum of a constant and a mildly evolving ln ⁡ a B pieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual career planning plays a key role in achieving success, goals, and ideals in professional life. However, managing to accomplish such favorable results depends on the correct decisions of graduates to choose suitable job opportunities. Oceangoing watchkeeping officers, who are responsible for the management and administration of vessels at sea, have several job options which are differentiated by vessel type, such as; bulk carriers, chemical tankers, general cargo ships, and container ships, etc. This study aims to discuss the criteria that Turkish oceangoing watchkeeping officers take into consideration and the values they attribute to such criteria regarding their vessel type preference. The aim is to provide instructions to oceangoing watchkeeping officer candidates and academicians who are interested in these issues and related parties of maritime industry. Attribution values of the criteria are determined by means of Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the most preferred alternative vessel type is revealed through Fuzzy TOPSIS methodology. According to the study results, the most important factors are; revenue, perception of occupational health and safety, and labor work density. The most preferred ship type among alternatives is the oil tanker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wave-function in quantum gravity is supposed to obey the Wheeler–DeWitt (WDW) equation, however there is neither a satisfactory probability interpretation nor a successful solution to the problem of time in the WDW framework. To gain some insight on these issues we compare quantization of ordinary systems, first in the usual way having the Schrödinger equation and second by promoting them as parametrized theories by introducing embedding coordinate fields, which yields first class constraints and the WDW equation. We observe that the time evolution in the WDW framework can be described with respect to the embedding coordinates, where the WDW equation becomes Schrödinger like, i.e. it involves first order timelike functional derivatives. Moreover, the equivalence with the ordinary quantization procedure determines a suitable Hilbert space with a viable probability interpretation. We then apply the same construction to general relativity by adding embedding fields without any prior coordinate choice. The reparametrized general relativity has two different types of diffeomorphism invariance, which arises from world-volume and target-space reparametrizations. As in the case of ordinary systems, the time evolution can be described with respect to the embedding fields and the WDW equation becomes Schrödinger like; the construction is almost identical to an ordinary parametrized field theory in terms of time evolution and Hilbert space structure. However, this time, the constraint algebra enforces the wave-function to be in a subspace of states annihilated by an operator that can be identified as the Hamiltonian. The implications of these results for the canonical quantization program, and in particular for the minisuperspace quantum cosmology, are discussed. • A solution to the problems of time and inner product in quantum gravity. • Covariant canonical analysis. • An interpretation of the wavefunction of the universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain hardening significantly affects the mechanical function of steel foams. We compare hardening and failure of two commercially available austenitic stainless steel foams (316L and 310) spanning strut porosities of 9.4 to 14.4%. Damage is correlated with strut microstructure and geometry, combining in-situ quasi-static compression testing in the SEM, 3D-evaluation by synchrotron μCT and bending simulations. We provide an analytical model for the experimentally observed strain hardening. Upon compression, 316L steel foams exhibit a plateau regime of continuously increasing stress due to the hardening effect, whereas 310 steel foams show almost constant plateau stress. This is explained by the much less ductile behaviour of the 310 steel foam struts as compared to 316L steel foam struts. Finite element modelling suggests that significant stress concentrations develop around microporosities in the 310 struts. Due to its finer and less porous microstructure, the 316L foam exhibits a larger energy absorption capacity than the 310 foams. This results in distinctly different efficiency-strain curves. However, up to about 25% strain, the efficiency values are surprisingly similar. Thus, modification of microstructure and/or pore micro-geometry can be used to optimise the stress-strain response to achieve the desired energy absorption property of steel foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties are the most important factors determining the strength and usage areas of materials. It can be known from the mechanical properties that a wood material of which material group is in and which wood species it is. In this study, the mechanical properties of some important wood species such as alder (Alnus glutinosa subsp. Barbata), oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky), black poplar (Populus nigra), walnut (Juglans regia), oak (Quercus robur), chestnut (Castena sativa), cedar (Cedrus libani) and pine (Pinus) were modelled by using artificial neural networks. This study will assist in the determination of ideal wood material that meets the mechanical properties required for any construction. Thus, classifications related to wood species can be made more effectively in scientific studies and in trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to examine Rachid al-Ghannoushi's fundamental assumptions on the nature of politics. The first assumption of Ghannoushi's political imagination is that he reduces politics to the state and a spesicif institutional ensemble and sees social/civil field as merely social service by exempting it from politics. Secondly, Ghannoushi envisions the state to be a neutral mechanism far from ideological struggles and conflicts. Thirdly, Ghannoushi claims that different politicial identities and demands comes to a consensual point of view at the end of the day, the differences among them are transitory and insignificant. Ghannoushi's three given assumptions on the nature of politics are analysed through the notion of political. In this study, Ghannoushi is not discussed in the context of Nahda and the Islamic Movement in Tunusia where he is a pioneering figure and leader, but he is examined as a thinker on the development and experiences of Islamism and as an effective opinion leader being referred to on Islamism and Islamic Movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was carried out in unheated green-house at in Kahramanmaraş Sutçu İmam University Goksun Vocational High School Application Garden,Goksun Nature Conservation and National Parks Conservation Garden and Kahramanmaras Kapıcam Ataturk Nature Park in 2015-2016 winter-spring-summer period to determine the effects on some morphological development of rock hyacinths growing at different altitudes. The bulbs with 4.00 cm diameter and taken from nature of Hyacinthus orientalis subsp. chionophilus as plant material were used in this study. The experiment was designed as a randomized plot design with 3 replicates and 15 hyacinth were used for each replicate. All bulbs were planted in depth of 6.00 cm. Plant size, leaf width, number of leaves and number of flowers were obtained and these data were tested with variance and relation test. As a result of the analyzes, it was found the altitude of the plant is different on leaf width, piece and number of flower. As a result of the analyzes, altitude; It was determined that the plant has a difference on leaf width piece and number of Flowers . It was determined that the plant was between 10.31-23.42 cm, the number of leaves was 4.20-5.46, the leaf width was 11.72-14.39 mm and the number of flowers was 7.20-10.93. The purpose of this study is to give information about morphological developments of the rock hyacinths which grow at different altitudes, the rock hyacinth which is the flag type of Kahramanmaras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser powder bed fusion of metals (PBF LB/M) allows fabrication of intricate structures without any need of tools and moulds. In this process the building orientation becomes a significant issue for the complex structures. Here we fabricated small size 316L steel tensile specimens aligned with their loading axis perpendicular and parallel to the building direction by PBF LB/M. Microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized by colour etching, in-situ tensile testing in a scanning electron microscope, nanoindentation and digital image correlation. The orientation of the melt pools has a significant impact on the deformation behaviour of the PBF LB/M specimens. In parallel specimens (polar angle = 90o) the semi-circular melt pools are aligned perpendicular to the loading axis resulting in an accommodation of larger amount of plasticity as compared to the perpendicular specimens (polar angle = 0o). While strain is localized in the case of perpendicular specimens because primary slip lines are aligned perpendicular to the loading axis, strain is homogenously distributed along the longitudinal axis of the parallel specimens because primary slip lines are aligned parallel to the loading axis. Twin-induced-plasticity and transformation induced plasticity are the deformation mechanisms observed on the fractured specimens. Strain hardening rate in stage IV extended to a higher stress value for the perpendicular specimens as compared to parallel specimens because cross slip is confined in the fusion boundaries. The building direction has shown significant influence on the deformation mechanisms of the PBF LB/M steels which may be a significant issue to overcome for the complex shape specimens. [Display omitted] • In-situ damage analysis of additively manufactured 316L has been carried out. • Building orientation showed significant influences on the damage mechanisms. • Parallel specimens accommodate larger plasticity than perpendicular specimens. • Melt pool is retained for perpendicular specimens and distorted for parallel specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Post-earthquake damage assessments of URM building are considered. • Shake table test are conducted for experimental investigation. • Numerical simulations are used to validate the experimental results. • Ambient vibration tests performed to determine the damage effect. Masonry structures are one of the structures most affected by earthquakes. In addition, since masonry structures constitute a large part of the building inventory, it is important to determine the dynamic characteristics of these structures. The present study is aimed to evaluate the seismic performance of a half-scale hollow brick unreinforced masonry (URM) building considering different damage states. Shake table test was conducted with seven loading conditions. In order to obtain different damage states, seismic excitations were applied incrementally to structure. After each loading, the damage conditions and the corresponding damage patterns were examined comparatively, and the structure collapsed in the last loading condition. To experimentally observe the damage, the modal parameters for un-damaged and damaged situations of the building were identified by ambient vibration tests performed before and after the seismic loadings. The experimental results obtained were then compared with the analyses made in numerical softwares, and similar results were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a curative treatment option for many haematological disorders. Infection following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation is one of the major causes of mortality. Aims: To investigate the outcomes of early cessation of empirical antibiotic treatment per protocol in febrile neutropenia patients who have undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our clinic. Study Design: Descriptive study. Methods: The present study retrospectively evaluated febrile neutropenia attacks in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients during the period June 2014 - January 2015 at our haematopoietic stem cell transplantation clinic. Results: A total of 72 febrile neutropenia attacks were evaluated in 53 patients. In 46 febrile neutropenia attacks, microbiologic cultures revealed positive results. In culture-positive febrile neutropenia episodes a single bacterium was isolated in 32 cases and multiple strains were isolated in 14. In 15 patients, empirical antibiotic therapy was discontinued after 72 hours. These patients were clinically stable, without evident focus of infection and had negative culture results. Only 4 recurrent episodes were observed (27%) after cessation of antibiotherapy. No patient died as a result of recurrent infection. The 30-day and 100-day post-transplantation mortality rates of patients with febrile neutropenia episodes were 11.3% (6/53) and 3.8% (2/53), respectively. Infection-related 30-day and 100-day mortality rates were 7.5% (4/53) and 0% (0/53), respectively. Conclusion: The main message of our study is that early cessation of empirical antibiotherapy seems to be feasible in eligible patients without increasing febrile neutropenia mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a disease characterized by serious course, including acute viral fever, ecchymosis, thrombocytopenia, liver dysfunction and high rate of mortality. Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) play an important role both in the inflammatory process and plasma leakage. The aim of this study was to define HIF-1α and VEGF-A serum levels obtained from CCHF patients and control group and to investigate whether these factors were correlated with the pathogenesis of this disease. Methods: Thirty cases younger than 17yr confirmed by RT-PCR and/or ELISA for CCHF were included in this study. Thirty age and sex matched healthy peoples were enrolled as controls. Blood samples collected from the patient and control groups. Serum levels of HIF-1α and VEGF-A were measured with ELISA. Results: Levels of HIF-1α and VEGF-A were statistically significantly increased in CCHF patients compared to the control group (P< 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between the levels of HIF-1α and VEGF-A in the patient group (P< 0.01). The levels of ALT, AST, CK, aPTT, WBC and Thrombocyte count were significantly higher in the patients than in the control group (P< 0.001). A positive correlation was found among the levels of AST and CK from biochemical parameters and VEGF and HIF-1α in the patient group (P< 0.05) Conclusion: HIF-1α and VEGF-A might play an important role in CCHF pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores 67 experimental research articles written about children with Autism Spectrum Disorder using high-tech devices. The studies in this research were accessed through EBSCO, Academic Search Complete, ERIC, and Uludağ University online search engines using keywords such as autism and technology, autism and computer, autism and tablet, and autism and portable devices. The studies have been categorized based on their scope: studies conducted using computers and studies conducted using smart portable devices. The software programs used in these studies are described in a separate table. Research findings indicate that studies conducted on children with ASD using high-tech devices found them to be effective for teaching academic skills, communication skills, and social-emotional skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keban metamorphites located at the orogenic belt of the Eastern Taurides is an allochtonous union metamorphized at the greenschist facies comprised of several nappes. Contrary to the massives around it, the aging of the union is not quite satisfactory due to the lack of fossil data. Permo-Triassic/Permo-Carboniferous ages have been used until now for the age of the metamorphites that are stated to be located only at a single location, the species of which have not been determined and which are based on two fossil data. However, for the first time in this study, “ microgastropods ” have been found at Early Triassic age related with The Great Dying at the end of the Permian inside the clastic limestones at the base levels of the Nimri Formation which is one of the lower nappes of the Keban metamorphites. Again, trace fossils Planolites , Rhizocorallium , Thalassinoides , Helminthopsis and (?)Protovirgularia have been determined for the first time in the layered crystallized limestones at the medium levels of the Nimri Formation. This ichnofabric is frequently observed in the Middle Triassic aged limestones at Germany, Poland, Austria, Italy and the Taurides and is known as the “vermicular limestone facies”. The ages of Keban marble, Delimehmet and Süleymanlı Formations, tectonically located on the Nimri Formation, are evaluated by regional correlations as Middle-Late Devonian, Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous, respectively. In addition, probably pre-Triassic aged, dark green colored metadiabase dykes have been inserted in the Delimehmet formation in relation with the Variscan Orogeny. Regional correlations with other units and massives indicate that the Keban metamorphites that have deposited at the farthest north of the south branch of the Neo-Tethys ocean paleogeographically may be the continuation of the Bolkardağı Union at the east rather than the Alanya and Geyikdağı Unions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G protein-coupled receptor-mediated heterotrimeric G protein activation is a major mode of signal transduction in the cell. Previously, we and other groups reported that the α5 helix of Gαi1, especially the hydrophobic interactions in this region, plays a key role during nucleotide release and G protein activation. To further investigate the effect of this hydrophobic core, we disrupted it in Gαi1 by inserting 4 alanine amino acids into the α5 helix between residues Gln333 and Phe334 (Ins4A). This extends the length of the α5 helix without disturbing the β6-α5 loop interactions. This mutant has high basal nucleotide exchange activity yet no receptor-mediated activation of nucleotide exchange. By using structural approaches, we show that this mutant loses critical hydrophobic interactions, leading to significant rearrangements of side chain residues His57, Phe189, Phe191, and Phe336; it also disturbs the rotation of the α5 helix and the π-π interaction between His57 and Phe189. In addition, the insertion mutant abolishes G protein release from the activated receptor after nucleotide binding. Our biochemical and computational data indicate that the interactions between α5, α1, and β2-β3 are not only vital for GDP release during G protein activation, but they are also necessary for proper GTP binding (or GDP rebinding). Thus, our studies suggest that this hydrophobic interface is critical for accurate rearrangement of the α5 helix for G protein release from the receptor after GTP binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder metallurgical open-cell steel foams made of hollow struts are of great interest for impact resistance. Here we report experimental results of high-resolution characterisation of single struts, extracted from a commercially available steel foam. Synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography reveals that the hollow struts are made of triplets of lens shaped rods, connected to each other along the long axis, appearing triangular in cross-sections. The struts have a non-uniform geometry and they include macro and micropores as well as high-density inclusion powder particles, poorly fused with the matrix. Micro-tensile testing showed that tensile failure is accompanied by longitudinal unzipping due to shear along the thinner material found near the hollow corners. Included, higher-density powder particles deflect crack propagation along the interface with the matrix, where much porosity is observed. Results of finite element simulations well match our mechanical tests, revealing plastic deformation due to bending and significant shear stresses arising between neighbouring rods within the same strut. The failure behaviour and the mechanical response of sintered struts in steel foams produced using non-uniformly coated polyurethane templates is the result of an interplay between the triplet geometry, sub-micron pores, precipitates and high-density inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keban metamorphic rocks, located in Eastern Taurides, consist of platforms type carbonate and clastic rocks, regionally metamorphosed in greenschist facies. The age of the Keban metamorphites was based on two fossil findings (Glomospira and Ammodiscus family) which of the microorganism species were not detected and they were observed in only one location in Zeryandere, Permian aged estimated. The other formations of the metamorphic sequence were correlated with it. The age for the Keban metamorphites has been proposed as Permo-Triassic/Permo-Carboniferous up to now. All geological evaluations of the region were based on these ages. For the first time in this study, trace fossils (vermes trace) like Planolites, Rhizocorallium and Thalassinoides have been observed extensively. These fossils were detected on the layer surfaces of the Gogodere stratified dolomiticcrystallized limestone which is a member of Nimri formation, represents the medium level of the Keban metamorphites. The limestone levels include these trace fossils correspond to a typical "vermicular limestone facies", representing Early-Middle Triassic (Scythian-Anisian) in Taurides. Allochthonous Keban metamorphic rocks consist of several nappes which overlaid by the others. There are three nappes in the study area; the lower nappe is constitute Early Triassic-Jurassic Nimri formation, the middle nappe is constitute Late Devonian Keban marbles and Delimehmet formation and the upper nappe is Early Carboniferous Süleymanlı formation. Also metabasic intercalations consisting green metadiabases pre-Triassic aged are observed in the middle and upper nappes. The regional correlations propose that the Keban metamorphites are equivalent of the Bolkardağı Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current study a detailed investigation of the 304 austenitic and 420 martensitic foams damage has been carried out at all hierarchical levels. In-situ compression testing of foams and microtensile testing of single struts have been conducted in scanning electron microscope (SEM). Strain field analysis has been carried out by Digital image correlation (DIC) method. Nano damage has been applied by Nanoindentation on the unloaded and compressed foams. 304 foams depicted a ductile failure at each scale, while 420 foams failed with a tremendous brittleness, such that no real plateau regime has been observed. At microscale 420 struts ruptured with an intergranular cracking, while 304 struts underwent transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect with significant ductility. Although 304 steel struts have higher strength, 420 steel foams exhibited a higher strength due to their high hardness. Since there is not a plastic bending of the 420 struts, load is distributed homogenously to all struts. For this reason, it was concluded that the hardness and ductility of struts are the dominating factors in the foam deformation. [Display omitted] • We investigated damage mechanisms in brittle 420 and ductile 304 cast steel foams. • 304 foam showed ductile failure on all hierarchical levels. • 420 foam showed unusual behavior: a very high peak and a very low plateau stress. • 420 foams exhibited cleavage fracture at the micro and nano scale. • Hardness and brittleness governed the deformation behavior of the 420 foam.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is some preliminary evidence, that veno-occlusive disease prophylaxis with defibrotide (DF) may also have a role in decreasing risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) by preventing tissue damage. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of DF prophylaxis on the development of aGvHD at D + 180. One hundred ninety-five consecutive adult patients receiving allogeneic HCT were retrospectively evaluated in 3 groups: no DF, DF/post-HCT (DF D + 1 to D + 14) and DF/pre-HCT (DF for 14 days concurrently with conditioning). The total (p: 0.057) and grades III/IV (p: 0.051) aGvHD rates at D + 180 were 46.5%, 40%, 25.5% and 15.5%, 11.2%, 0% in patients on no DF, DF/post-HCT and DF/pre-HCT. DF may have a role in decreasing incidence and severity of aGvHD, especially if used concurrently with conditioning regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central venous access is often used during apheresis procedure in stem cell collection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether central or peripheral venous access has an effect on stem cell yield and the kinetics of the procedure and the product in patients undergoing ASCT after high dose therapy. A total of 327 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The use of peripheral venous access for stem cell yield was significantly more frequent in males compared to females (p = 0.005). Total volume of the product was significantly lower in central venous access group (p = 0.046). As being a less invasive procedure, peripheral venous access can be used for stem cell yield in eligible selected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to assess radioactivity levels in tap water of Gümüşhane city, the Bahçecik village of Gümüşhane and the spring waters in the upland area of the village. It is important to find out if the radioactivity levels of the drinking water springs of this region constitute a public health hazard since a drinking water reservoir is planned for the city of Gümüşhane from these sources. The aggregate Alpha-Beta analysis of collected samples from local water sources have been done at The Küçükçekmece Atom Energy Institute of Turkey in İstanbul. The Gamma analysis has been done at the laboratories of Gumushane University. The obtained results showed that the lowest Alpha value in Bahçecik upland water springs was <10mBq/L and the highest Alpha value was <20 mBq/L while the total Beta level was determined as 13 ±1mBq/L and 50±10mBq/L. Total Alpha in the village fountain of Bahçecik has been determined as 40±10 mBq/L and in village tap water as <10mBq/L, while total Beta of samples from the village fountain has been found as 70±10mBq/L and from the village tap water as 50±10 mBq/L. Samples which were obtained from two points of Gümüşhane city tap water indicated total Alpha values of 30±10mBq/L and 40±10 mBq/L while total Beta values were 112±10mBq/L and 118±10 mBq/L each. The analysis showed that total Alpha and Beta values which have been found throughout all three local points in the area were below the levels of constituting a threat to human health. According to the results obtained from gamma analysis for Radium 4.6 mBq / L to 5.5 mBq / L, Thorium to 2.1 mBq / L to 3.6 mBq / L; Potassium in 91.25 mBq / L to 117.9 mBq / L was determined to be in range. The annual effective dose levels that have been calculated for these values are far below the annual effective reference dose levels of 0.100 mSv/y as determined by the World Health Organization. It has been found that radioactivity levels in Gümüşhane city tap water, in Bahçecik village tap water, and in the natural spring sources of Bahçecik village upland area are below the limits of constituting a health hazard for the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honaz Mountain (Denizli-SW Turkey) has a mild and humid climate and it produces a rich flora in the area. As a natural consequence thereof, the study area offers a rich mushroom potential that is a rising economic value. In recent years, Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) is a relatively modern and effective and widely utilized technique for shallow subsurface exploration. GPR with 250 Hz antenna was employed to trace the tubers in Honaz Mountain area. To elucidate how the mushroom can reflect the signals, mineral composition of the mushrooms has been analysed. Percentage of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, P, S, Si, Cl minerals were significantly different from that of earth. This difference in element composition seems to cause the reflection of the signals. A large number of mushroom grooving areas have been detected during the study. The observed GPR data have been confirmed by the physical excavation. The study proposes that this method can be effectively employed to detect the natural mushrooms in the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]