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Background and Study Aim. Coaches frequently use small-sided games with numerical inequalities. However, it is unclear if these games accurately represent official matches. This study aims to identify the differences in external load between small-sided games and official matches among professional soccer players, incorporating the variance due to positional roles. Material and Methods. The analysis used GPS data collected from 20 professional football players from Turkish Super League club's first team during the 2023-2024 season. The small-sided games (SSGs) were structured as 4vs4+3, including three joker players. Players were divided into five groups based on their field positions: central defenders, fullbacks, midfielders, wingers, and forwards. The GPS metrics recorded included total distance (m), moderate-intensity running distance (16-20 km/h), high-intensity running distance (20-25 km/h), sprint distance (>25 km/h), the number of accelerations and decelerations, and high metabolic power distance, both in absolute and relative terms. Furthermore, the SSGs were compared based on the number of days prior to official matches when they were conducted. Results. The findings revealed that the highest values for all external load variables were recorded 4 to 5 days before official matches (p

This paper introduces a unique multimode, multichannel piezoelectric vibration sensor for the next-generation fully implantable cochlear implant (FICI) systems. The sensor, which can be implanted on the middle ear chain to collect and filter the ambient sound in eight frequency bands, comprises an array of 4 M-shape multimode and 11 single cantilevers. Finite element (FE) analysis indicates a 2.05-fold improvement in capturing frequency information for the multimodal sensor compared to its single-mode counterpart. Under an acoustic excitation at 100 dB SPL, the sensor, mounted on an artificial tympanic membrane, yielded a peak output voltage of 546.16 mVpp and a peak sensitivity of 285.28 mVpp/Pa at 1613 Hz. The extrapolated acoustic results indicated a dynamic frequency range between 300 Hz and 6 kHz, even at 30 dB SPL. Furthermore, a lightweight titanium coupler, employing a two-sided clipping structure with a maximum wall thickness of 70 μm, is micromachined for surgical attachment of the transducer to the middle ear chain. A commercial accelerometer, implanted on the incus short process (SP) of a cadaver using the titanium coupler, successfully recorded 0.1 g for 100 dB SPL at 500 Hz, revealing the potential feasibility of the coupler for vibration sensor implantation. Moreover, the presented anatomically accurate FE model of the middle ear, exhibiting a high correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.97 with the cadaveric experiment, suggests an efficient numerical approach for evaluating the implantation of middle ear prostheses. In this regard, the study holds great promise for clinical application in the field of implantable hearing aids.

Rationale & Objective: The incidence of arrhythmia varies by time of day. How this affects individuals on maintenance dialysis is uncertain. Our objective was to quantify the relationship of arrhythmia with the time of day and timing of dialysis. Study Design: Secondary analysis of the Monitoring in Dialysis study, a multicenter prospective cohort study. Settings & Participants: Loop recorders were implanted for continuous cardiac monitoring in 66 participants on maintenance dialysis with a follow up of 6 months. Exposure: Time of day based on 6-hour intervals. Outcomes: Event rates of clinically significant arrhythmia. Analytical Approach: Negative binomial mixed effects regression models for repeated measures were used to evaluate data from the Monitoring in Dialysis study for differences in diurnal patterns of clinically significant arrhythmia among those with end-stage kidney disease with heart failure and end-stage kidney disease alone. We additionally analyzed rates according to presence of heart failure, time of dialysis shift, and dialysis versus nondialysis day. Results: Rates of clinically significant arrhythmia peaked between 12:00 AM and 5:59 AM and were more than 1.5-fold as frequent during this interval than the rest of the day. In contrast, variations in atrial fibrillation peaked between 6:00 AM and 11:59 AM, but variations across the day were qualitatively small. Clinically significant arrhythmia occurred at numerically higher rate in individuals with end-stage kidney disease and heart failure (5.9 events/mo; 95% CI, 1.3-26.8) than those without heart failure (4.0 events/mo; 95% CI, 0.9-17.9). Although differences in overall rate were not significant, their periodicity was significantly different (P

This study investigated the effects of zonisamide treatment on cerebellar tissues in an experimental alcohol addiction (AA) model and its potential mechanisms of action, particularly regarding apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (APAF-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) expression. Thirty rats were divided into three groups: sham, ethanol (EtOH), and EtOH + zonisamide. AA was induced by administering 6 cc of EtOH orally every 8 h for 4 days. Zonisamide (100 mg/kg) was given to rats once daily before EtOH administration. Motor defects were evaluated using an open field maze. Serum TNF-α levels were measured from blood samples. Cerebellar sections were processed for histological examination and immunostained for APAF-1 and TNF-α. Protein interaction networks were constructed using Cytoscape, and functional annotations were performed with ShinyGO (version 0.80) software. The traveled area in the EtOH group was significantly reduced compared to the sham group (p = 0.0005). Rats in the EtOH + zonisamide group covered a larger area, with zonisamide treatment significantly improving locomotor ability compared to the EtOH group (p = 0.0463). Serum TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in the EtOH group compared to the sham group (p < 0.0001) and were significantly decreased in the EtOH + zonisamide group compared to the EtOH group (p = 0.0309). Regular cerebellar histological layers were observed in the sham group, while EtOH induction caused loss of cerebellar tissue integrity, neuronal degeneration, vascular dilatation and congestion, reduced myelin density, and neuropils in the EtOH group. Zonisamide treatment improved these pathologies, enhancing myelination and neuropil formation. Negative APAF-1 and TNF-α expressions were observed across cerebellar layers in the sham group. Due to EtOH toxicity, APAF-1 and TNF-α expression were upregulated in the EtOH group compared to the sham group (p < 0.001 for both). Zonisamide treatment downregulated these protein expressions in the EtOH + zonisamide group compared to the EtOH group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.0087, respectively). APAF-1 was primarily associated with AA through antifolate resistance, endopeptidases, and the interleukin-1 pathway, while TNF-α was predominantly enriched in infections and choline-binding, indicating zonisamide’s impact on immune and inflammatory pathways. In conclusion, zonisamide treatment significantly mitigated ethanol-induced cerebellar damage and inflammation in an AA model. Zonisamide improved locomotor function and reduced serum TNF-α levels, as well as APAF-1 and TNF-α expression in cerebellar tissues. These findings suggest that zonisamide exerts its protective effects by modulating immune and inflammatory pathways, thereby preserving cerebellar integrity and function.

Purpose: Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Rubella, and Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii) infections cause congenital malformations in the fetus when they occur in pregnant women, especially in the first trimester. This study aimed to determine the seropositivity of CMV, Rubella, and T.gondii in pregnant women. Materials and Methods: CMV, Rubella, and T. gondii seropositivity rates of pregnant women who applied to the Aksaray Training and Research Hospital Microbiology Laboratory between July 2019 and June 2021 were evaluated. In addition, the avidity test results studied during this period were included in the study. Results: A total of 3218 pregnant women were included in the study. CMV, Rubella, and T.gondii IgM seropositivity rates were 1.9%, 0.8%, and 1.4%, respectively, and these rates for IgG were 97.3%, 83.9%, and 21%, respectively. All the samples were found to have high avidity in CMV and Rubella. In the T.gondii group, 93.7% of women had high, and 6.7% had low avidity. Conclusion: CMV, Rubella, and T.gondii seropositivity were determined for the first time in Aksaray province in this study. These rates we found are similar to other studies in our country. No difference was found in CMV IgM and IgG according to age groups, while a decrease was found in Rubella with age. In T.gondii, on the other hand, it was observed that there was an increase in IgG with age, while the rate did not change in IgM.

The mechanical characteristics of polyester and flax woven fabric-reinforced, diatomite-substituted, cement-based composites have been examined at different ages within the scope of this study. The use of calcined diatomite in combination with a cement-based matrix aims to improve the mechanical performance within the composite as well as reduce carbon emissions. The consistency of cement-based and diatomite-substituted matrices with water-to-binder proportions of 0.28 and 0.45 was maintained at a fixed flow diameter of 235 mm with the adjusted use of a superplasticizer. The stress–strain graphs of the composites were obtained using an axial tensile testing machine and Linear Variable Differential Transformers (LVDT). The tensile strength, ductility, toughness development, and multi-crack performance of WFRC were obtained as a function of fabric type and aging. The effects of aging on tensile properties are discussed separately for each fabric type. Polyester woven fabric-reinforced composites were found to be superior to flax WFRC in terms of several mechanical properties at all ages. The substitution of diatomite further improved the tensile performance of the polyester woven fabric-reinforced composites. The fabric-matrix interface densification role of diatomite was determined by SEM/EDS line analysis. Evidence of a pozzolanic reaction between portlandite and diatomite was obtained through microstructure studies. Carbon emission analysis revealed that equivalent CO _2 emissions could be reduced using diatomite in woven fabric reinforced composites. However, diatomite substitution caused a cost increasing effect.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with kidney failure on hemodialysis (KF-HD). We determined both AF incidence and burden in patients with KF-HD using implantable loop recorder (ILR) monitoring. Methods: Patients with KF-HD were enrolled and received an ILR. In 6 monitoring months, the incidence of AF events lasting ≥6 minutes was captured. Demographic, clinical, and dialysis characteristics were collected, and associations with incident AF were estimated using negative binomial regression models and expressed as incidence rate ratios and 95% CIs. Results: We enrolled 66 patients with KF-HD (mean age = 56 years, 70% male); 59 (90%) were without previously diagnosed AF. AF lasting ≥6 minutes was detected in 18 of 59 subjects (31%) without previously diagnosed AF and in 5 of 7 subjects (71%) with a previous AF diagnosis. Among the 23 with detected AF, episodes were present on 16% of patient days. Although 14 of 23 patients (61%) had AF on 2.5 vs. 2.5 mEq/l: incidence rate ratio = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.48–0.80) was associated with lower AF risk whereas higher dialysate bicarbonate concentrations (>35 vs. 35 mEq/l: incidence rate ratio = 3.18; 95% CI, 1.13–8.94) were associated with higher AF risk. Conclusion: New AF was detected in approximately one-third of patients with KF-HD. AF affects a substantial proportion of patient days and may be an underappreciated cause of stroke in KF-HD.

This paper describes and provides the data on the regenerated-impedance spectra that is computed from experimental results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements taken from a commercial Li-ion battery. The empirical impedance data of secondary coin type Li-ion batteries were collected in different states of charge ranging from empty to full state of charge configurations. This approach utilizes only a small seed (ex grano) experimental data set to first build an ensemble of weighted disparate models selected based on performance and non-correlative criteria (“co-modelling”) then second to generate what would be the remaining experimental data synthetically. The “Cooperative Model Framework” demonstrates the efficacy of this approach by assessing the synthetically generated data.

The main concept of neutrosophy is that any idea has not only a certain degree of truth but also a degree of falsity and indeterminacy in its own right. Although there are many applications of neutrosophy in different disciplines, the incorporation of its logic in education and psychology is rather scarce compared to other fields. In this study, the Satisfaction with Life Scale was converted into the neutrosophic form and the results were compared in terms of confirmatory analysis by convolutional neural networks. To sum up, two different formulas are proposed at the end of the study to determine the validity of any scale in terms of neutrosophy. While the Lawshe methodology concentrates on the dominating opinions of experts limited by a one-dimensional data space analysis, it should be advocated that the options can be placed in three-dimensional data space in the neutrosophic analysis . The effect may be negligible for a small number of items and participants, but it may create enormous changes for a large number of items and participants. Secondly, the degree of freedom of Lawshe technique is only 1 in 3D space, whereas the degree of freedom of neutrosophical scale is 3, so researchers have to employ three separate parameters of 3D space in neutrosophical scale while a resarcher is restricted in a 1D space in Lawshe technique in 3D space. The third distinction relates to the analysis of statistics. The Lawhe technical approach focuses on the experts' ratio of choices, whereas the importance and correlation level of each item for the analysis in neutrosophical logic are analysed. The fourth relates to the opinion of experts. The Lawshe technique is focused on expert opinions, yet in many ways the word expert is not defined. In a neutrosophical scale, however, researchers primarily address actual participants in order to understand whether the item is comprehended or opposed to or is imprecise. In this research, an alternative technique is presented to construct a valid scale in which the scale first is transformed into a neutrosophical one before being compared using neural networks. It may be concluded that each measuring scale is used for the desired aim to evaluate how suitable and representative the measurements obtained are so that its content validity can be evaluated.

Among several interleukin (IL)-6 family members, only IL-6 and IL-11 require a gp130 protein homodimer for intracellular signaling due to lack of intracellular signaling domain in the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and IL-11R. We previously reported enhanced decidual IL-6 and IL-11 levels at the maternal-fetal interface with significantly higher peri-membranous IL-6 immunostaining in adjacent interstitial trophoblasts in preeclampsia (PE) vs. gestational age (GA)-matched controls. This led us to hypothesize that competitive binding of these cytokines to the gp130 impairs extravillous trophoblast (EVT) differentiation, proliferation and/or invasion. Using global microarray analysis, the current study identified inhibition of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) as the only gene affected by both IL-6 plus IL-11 vs. control or IL-6 or IL-11 treatment of primary human cytotrophoblast cultures. ISG15 immunostaining was specific to EVTs among other trophoblast types in the first and third trimester placental specimens, and significantly lower ISG15 levels were observed in EVT from PE vs. GA-matched control placentae (p = 0.006). Induction of primary trophoblastic stem cell cultures toward EVT linage increased ISG15 mRNA levels by 7.8-fold (p = 0.004). ISG15 silencing in HTR8/SVneo cultures, a first trimester EVT cell line, inhibited invasion, proliferation, expression of ITGB1 (a cell migration receptor) and filamentous actin while increasing expression of ITGB4 (a receptor for hemi-desmosomal adhesion). Moreover, ISG15 silencing further enhanced levels of IL-1β-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines (CXCL8, IL-6 and CCL2) in HTR8/SVneo cells. Collectively, these results indicate that ISG15 acts as a critical regulator of EVT morphology and function and that diminished ISG15 expression is associated with PE, potentially mediating reduced interstitial trophoblast invasion and enhancing local inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface. Thus, agents inducing ISG15 expression may provide a novel therapeutic approach in PE.

Background: Even though several therapeutic options are available, COVID-19 is still lacking a specific treatment regimen. One potential option is dexamethasone, which has been established since the early beginnings of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to determine its effects on the microbiological findings in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Methods: A multi-center, retrospective study was conducted, in which all the adult patients who had a laboratory-confirmed (PCR) SARS-CoV-2 infection and were treated on intensive care units in one of twenty hospitals of the German Helios network between February 2020–March 2021 were included. Two cohorts were formed: patients who received dexamethasone and those who did not, followed by two subgroups according to the application of oxygen: invasive vs. non-invasive. Results: The study population consisted of 1.776 patients, 1070 of whom received dexamethasone, and 517 (48.3%) patients with dexamethasone were mechanically ventilated, compared to 350 (49.6%) without dexamethasone. Ventilated patients with dexamethasone were more likely to have any pathogen detection than those without (p < 0.026; OR = 1.41; 95% CI 1.04–1.91). A significantly higher risk for the respiratory detection of Klebsiella spp. (p = 0.016; OR = 1.68 95% CI 1.10–2.57) and for Enterobacterales (p = 0.008; OR = 1.57; 95% CI 1.12–2.19) was found for the dexamethasone cohort. Invasive ventilation was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality (p < 0.01; OR = 6.39; 95% CI 4.71–8.66). This risk increased significantly in patients aged 80 years or older by 3.3-fold (p < 0.01; OR = 3.3; 95% CI 2.02–5.37) when receiving dexamethasone. Conclusion: Our results show that the decision to treat COVID-19 patients with dexamethasone should be a matter of careful consideration as it involves risks and bacterial shifts.

We present a novel social choice theory based multi-criteria decision making method under neutrosophic environment and a new form of truth representation of neutrosophic theory called Distributed Indeterminacy Form (DIF). Our hybrid method consists of classical methods and an aggregation operator used in social choice theory. In addition to this, we also use DIF function to provide a more sensitive indeterminacy approach towards accuracy functions. We also consider reciprocal property for all individuals. This provides, as in intuitionistic fuzzy decision making theory, a consistent decision making for each individual. The solution approach presented in this paper in group decision making is treated under neutrosophic individual preference relations. These new approaches seem to be more consistent with natural human behaviour, hence should be more plausible and feasible. Moreover, the use of a similar approach to develop some deeper soft degrees of consensus is outlined. Finally, we give a Python implementation of our work in the Appendix section.

Bipolar neutrosophic matrices (BNM) are obtained by bipolar neutrosophic sets. Each bipolar neutrosophic number represents an element of the matrix. The matrices are representable multi-dimensional arrays (3D arrays). The arrays have nested list data type. Some operations, especially the composition is a challenging algorithm in terms of coding because there are so many nested lists to manipulate. This paper presents a Python tool for bipolar neutrosophic matrices. The advantage of this work, is that the proposed Python tool can be used also for fuzzy matrices, bipolar fuzzy matrices, intuitionistic fuzzy matrices, bipolar intuitionistic fuzzy matrices and single valued neutrosophic matrices.

Radio frequency (RF) fingerprinting is considered as one of the promising techniques to enhance wireless security in the Internet of Things (IoT) applications. In this paper, a low-complexity RF fingerprinting method for classification of wireless IoT devices is proposed. The method is based on the energy spectrum of the transmitter turn-on transient signals from which unique characteristics of wireless devices are extracted. The number of spectral components to be used is determined through a proposed approach based on the estimated transient duration value. Transient duration estimation is achieved from the smoothed versions of the instantaneous amplitude characteristics of transmitter signals, which are obtained through a sliding windowaveraging method. Classification performance of the proposed spectral fingerprints is assessed using experimental data and described by a confusion matrix. The discrimination effectiveness of the spectral fingerprints is quantified by a class separability criterion and evaluated for different noise levels through Monte Carlo simulations. It is demonstrated that the proposed fingerprints outperform the classification performance of two existing fingerprints especially at low signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, computational complexity analysis of the classifier using the proposed fingerprints is provided.

In recent years, “mathematical orientations on real-life problems”, which continue to increase, began to make a significant impact. Information systems for many decision-making problems consist of uncertain, incomplete, indeterminate and indiscernible structures and components. Classical set theory and interpretation methods fail to represent, express and solve the problems of these types or cause to make wrong decisions. For this reason, in this study, we provide definitions and methods to present information and problem representations in more detail and precision. This paper introduces three new topologies called covering-based rough fuzzy, covering-based rough intuitionistic fuzzy and covering-based rough neutrosophic nano topology. Some fundamental definitions such as open set, closed set, interior, closure and basis are given. Neutrosophic definitions and properties are mainly investigated. We give some real life applications of covering-based rough neutrosophic nano topology in the final part of the paper and an explanatory example of decision making application by defining core point.

Objective(s): The aim of the present study is to investigate probable acute effects of vitamin D on ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat ovary.Materials and Methods: A group of 30 Wistar albino rats was divided into five groups of 6 each. Group 1: underwent laparotomy only and the ovaries were removed. Group 2: 3-hr ischemia followed by excision of the ovaries. Group 3: 3-hr ischemia and 3-hr reperfusion and the ovaries were removed. Group 4: vitamin D was administered 30 min prior to the 3-hr of ischemia and the ovaries were excised at the end of ischemia period. Group 5: vitamin D was administered 30 min prior to the 3-hr of ischemia and 3-hr reperfusion then the ovaries were removed at the end of reperfusion. The ovaries excised in each group also underwent biochemical and histopathologic analysis. MDA (malondialdehyde), SOD (superoxide dismutase), NO (nitric oxide), TAS (total antioxidant score), TOS (total oxidant score) were analyzed as biochemical parameters.Results: There were no significant differences between groups in TAS, TOS, or OSI (P>0.05). MDA levels were lower in the vitamin D treatment groups especially in group 5, significantly (P

The main goal of this paper is to construct Bézier surface modeling for neutrosophic data problems. We show how to build the surface model over a data sample from agriculture science after the theoretical structure of the modeling is introduced. As a sampler application for agriculture systems, we give a visualization of Bézier surface model of an estimation of a given yield of bean seeds grown in a field over a period.

Oxidative stress is one of the main causes of diabetic nephropathy, which is a complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of ethyl pyruvate (EP) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats’ kidney. Four groups (n = 8) of male Wistar albino rats were used as follows: control group rats received only sodium citrate buffer solution intraperitoneally (ip). The EP group was given 50 mg/kg EP ip. In the DM group, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin. The DM + EP group received 50 mg/kg EP ip. All animals received daily treatment for 14 days, and at the end of the study the kidneys were removed: the left kidney of the rats was used for malondialdehyde (MDA) analysis and the right kidney for histological examination. There was normal appearance of the kidney tissues in the control and the EP-administered groups. In the DM group, there was evident basement membrane thickening and enlargement of mesangial matrix; swelling in some tubular epithelial cells was also noticeable. In the DM+EP administered group, nearly the same appearance as the control group and relative thickening in the glomerular basal membrane were observed. The antioxidant effect of ethyl pyruvate improved the renal structures in the DM + EP group.

Neutrosophic set concept is defined with membership, non-membership and indeterminacy degrees. This concept is the solution and representation of the problems with various fields. In this paper, a geometric model is introduced for Neutrosophic data problem for the first time. This model is based on neutrosophic sets and neutrosophic relations. Neutrosophic control points are defined according to these points, resulting in neutrosophic Bezier curves.

Erişkin kadınlarda stress üriner inkontinans (SÜİ) riski giderek artmaktadır. Midüretral slingler (MÜS) SÜİ için tercih edilen tedavi yöntemidir. Transobturator teyp (TOT) ve transvaginal teyp (TVT) operasyonları midüretral sling yöntemleridir ve yüksek başarı oranları ile uygulanabilirler. Disparoni, ağrı, meş görülmesi ve vaginal erozyon, infeksiyon, ve işeme disfonksiyonu sentetik slinglerin olası komplikasyonlarıdır. Meş görülmesi ve erozyon sling revizyon ve çıkarma operasyonları için en büyük nedendir. Operasyon öncesi topikal estrojen kremlerin kullanımı erozyon riskini azaltabilir. Erode olan bölgenin cerrahi eksizyonu vaginal erozyon durumunda en iyi seçenek olacaktır.

Population characteristics such as population structure, growth, mortality, and size at sexual maturity of the Astacus leptodactylus were examined in various lakes based on size-frequency distribution by using FISAT software program from April 2002 to March 2003 in Turkey. Specimens were collected monthly using with fyke-nets of 32 mm mesh size. Population size based on size-frequency distribution between female and male and between two years data were described. Malesoutnumbered females in all lakes and the average sex ratios (male/female) were found to be significantly different. Mean total length (TL mm) was found similar for male and female crayfish in all lakes. However, while the total length of the samples from Iznik was the largest (26-68.5 mm TL),thesamples from Ulubat it was the smallest (15.2-82.3 TL), where as the population from Manyas Lake was intermediate (23 mm-71.5 mm TL). Growth parameter was estimated by using the modified von Bertalanffy growth function for male and female. Growth was continuous throughout the year. Female crayfish were larger and grew faster than males at the same age. In addition, total mortality based on the seasonalized length-converted catch curve for both sexes were Z= 1.87, (female), Z= 1.52, (male) in lake Manyas, Z= 1.78, (female), Z= 1.69, (male), in lake Ulubat; and Z= 1.79, (female), Z= 1.78, (male) in lake Iznik. Exploitation rate between female and male were calculated in lakes Manyas,Ulubat, and İznik as E= 0.57, (female), E= 0.54, (male) E= 0.63, (female), E= 0.57, (male) E= 0.66, (female), E= 0.53, (male), respectively.

Bu çalışmada, Kayseri bölgesine ait pomza agregası kullanılarak taşıyıcı amaçlı hafif betonlar üretilmiştir. Hafif beton karışımlarında bağlayıcı madde olarak CEM I 42.5 çimentosu ve mineral katkı olarak silis dumanı ve uçucu kül kullanılmıştır. Hafif betonlar üzerinde taze durumda çökme, birim hacim ağırlık ve hava içeriği deneyleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sertleşmiş hafif betonların ise basınç dayanımı, eğilme dayanımı ve yarmada çekme dayanımı belirlenmiştir. Test edilen sonuçlar, pomza agregası kullanılarak ACI 213R-87'de taşıyıcı hafif betonlar için belirtilen 17.2 MPa dayanım değerinin oldukça üzerinde dayanım değerine sahip taşıyıcı hafif betonlar üretilebileceğini göstermiştir. Ayrıca bu çalışmada üretilen hafif betonlar, TS EN 206-1 standardında hafif betonlar için belirtilen LC 20/22 ve LC 25/28 dayanım sınıflarını sağlamaktadır.

Bu çalışmada, Kayseri bölgesine ait pomza agregası kullanılarak taşıyıcı amaçlı hafif betonlar üretilmiştir. Hafif beton karışımlarında bağlayıcı madde olarak CEM I 42.5 çimentosu ve mineral katkı olarak silis dumanı ve uçucu kül kullanılmıştır. Hafif betonlar üzerinde taze durumda çökme, birim hacim ağırlık ve hava içeriği deneyleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Sertleşmiş hafif betonların ise basınç dayanımı, eğilme dayanımı ve yarmada çekme dayanımı belirlenmiştir. Test edilen sonuçlar, pomza agregası kullanılarak ACI 213R-87'de taşıyıcı hafif betonlar için belirtilen 17.2 MPa dayanım değerinin oldukça üzerinde dayanım değerine sahip taşıyıcı hafif betonlar üretilebileceğini göstermiştir. Ayrıca bu çalışmada üretilen hafif betonlar, TS EN 206-1 standardında hafif betonlar için belirtilen LC 20/22 ve LC 25/28 dayanım sınıflarını sağlamaktadır.

In this study, structural lightweight concrete mixtures are produced by using Kayseri pumice aggregate. The other constituent materials used in producing the lightweight concrete mixtures are; CEM I 42.5 cement as binder, silica fume and fly ash as mineral admixtures. The following properties are determined; slump, unit weight and air content of fresh mix, as well as unit weight, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength of hardened concrete. Test results show that the lightweight concrete mixtures prepared from Kayseri pumice have compressive strength far above 17.2 MPa proposed by ACI 213R-87 for structural lightweight concrete. Besides, the lightweight concretes produced in this study meet LC 20/22 and LC 25/28 strength classes given by TS EN 206-1.

We investigate the autocorrelation properties of timing synchronization waveforms that are generated by embedded frequency domain pilot tones in orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) systems. The waveforms are composed by summing a selected number of OFDM subcarriers such that the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the resulting time waveform has desirable sidelobe behavior. Analytical expressions for the periodic and aperiodic ACF sidelobe energy are derived. Sufficient conditions for minimum and maximum aperiodic ACF sidelobe energy for a given number of pilot tones are presented. Several useful properties of the pilot design problem, such as invariance under transformations and equivalence of complementary sets are demonstrated analytically. Pilot tone design discussion is expanded to the ACF sidelobe peak minimization problem by including various examples and simulation results obtained from a genetic search algorithm.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the f requency of HPV infection using Hybrid Capture II assay and to compare the results with conventional Pap smear for screening cervical neoplasia. STUDY DESIGN: Between February 2001 and October 2002, 1032 patients admitted for routine Pap smear screening were recruited. Sexually active patients under the age of 60 were recruited for the study. All patients underwent a detailed history, gynecological examination, Hybrid Capture II test, and Pap test. High-risk HPV DNA positive patients were subjected to colposcopy and guided biopsy when indicated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 36.8±9.3. Forty-one (4.0%) were positive for high risk HPV. Highest rate of infection was observed in patients between ages of 30-34 years (10/182, 5.5%). Colposcopic examination was negative in 24 patients. Of the remaining 17 patients who underwent guided biopsies, 5 had low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 1 had high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), and 11 had chronic infection. HPV testing could identify 3 additional patients with LSIL among Pap test negative group. Age, parity, socioeconomic status, contraceptive method, age of first sexual intercourse, cigarette smoking did not correlate with HPV inf ection. CONCLUSION: The f irst report, to our knowledge, of high-risk HPV infection rate as 4.0% in a Turkish population seems to be in accordance with the previous reports from other countries. Combination of HPV testing and Pap smear improv es diagnostic performance for detection of cervical neoplasia.

Doğu ve Güneydoğu Anadolu'da Orta Miyosenden itibaren etkin olmaya başlayan çarpışma zonu volkanizması incelenmiş ve çeşitli yörelerdeki değişik yüzleklerinden örnekler alınarak majör, iz ve nadir toprak element (REE) kimyasal analizleri, stronsiyum izotop (87 Sr/86 Sr) ölçümleri ve K/Ar yöntemi ile radyometrik yaş belirlemeleri yapılmıştır. Volkanik kayaçların, majör element kapsamlarına, göre yapılan diyagramlarda genellikle kalkalkalin ve alkalin, kısmen de toleyitik nitelikler taşıdıkları gözlenmiş, petrografik adlamaların yanı sıra, kimyasal bileşimlerine göre de adlandırmaları yapılmıştır. Volkanitlerin iz element kapsamları genellikle üst kıtasal kabuk, kısmen alt kabuk ve ender olarak da manto ortalama değerlerine uymaktadır. Örneklerde ölçülen stronsiyum izotop oranları 0.70350—0.70640 arasında geniş bir aralıkta olup, bölgede Anadolu ve Arap plakalarının birbirleriyle çarpışmalarından önce alta dalan Arap plakasına ilişkin kabuk parçasının volkanitleri oluşturan magmaya bulaştığının işareti olarak yorumlanmıştır. K/Ar yöntemine göre yapılan radyometrik yaş belirlemelerinde, ölçülen en eski yaş, Eleşkirt Kösedağ'a ait olup, 11.4 ± 0.9 my, en genç yaşlar ise 30 000 yıl ile Nemrut dağı kalderası içindeki obsidiyenlere ve Tendürek dağının trakiandezitik lavlarına aittir. Makalede ayrıca tüm Doğu ve Güneydoğu Anadolu volkanitlerinin dağılımları ile volkanolojik, jeokimyasal, petrografik, radyometrik ve izotopik özellikleri irdelenmiştir.

Background: The accurate and effective evaluation of parameters such as critical shoulder angle, lateral acromion angle, and acromion index from shoulder X-ray images is crucial for identifying pathological changes and assessing disease risk in the shoulder joint. Methods: In this study, a YOLOv8-based model was developed to automatically measure these three parameters together, contributing to the existing literature. Initially, YOLOv8 was used to segment the acromion, glenoid, and humerus regions, after which the CSA, LAA angles, and AI between these regions were calculated. The MURA dataset was employed in this study. Results: Segmentation performance was evaluated with the Dice and Jaccard similarity indices, both exceeding 0.9. Statistical analyses of the measurement performance, including Pearson correlation coefficient, RMSE, and ICC values demonstrated that the proposed model exhibits high consistency and similarity with manual measurements. Conclusions: The results indicate that automatic measurement methods align with manual measurements with high accuracy and offer an effective alternative for clinical applications. This study provides valuable insights for the early diagnosis and management of shoulder diseases and makes a significant contribution to existing measurement methods.

Background : Pes planus, commonly known as flatfoot, is a condition in which the medial arch of the foot is abnormally low or absent, leading to the inner part of the foot having less curvature than normal. Symptom recognition and errors in diagnosis are problems encountered in daily practice. Therefore, it is important to improve how a diagnosis is made. With the availability of large datasets, deep neural networks have shown promising capabilities in recognizing foot structures and accurately identifying pes planus. Methods : In this study, we developed a novel fusion model by combining the Vgg16 convolutional neural network (CNN) model with the vision transformer ViT-B/16 to enhance the detection of pes planus. This fusion model leverages the strengths of both the CNN and ViT architectures, resulting in improved performance compared to that in reports in the literature. Additionally, ensemble learning techniques were employed to ensure the robustness of the model. Results : Through a 10-fold cross-validation, the model demonstrated high sensitivity, specificity, and F1 score values of 97.4%, 96.4%, and 96.8%, respectively. These results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed model in quickly and accurately diagnosing pes planus, making it suitable for deployment in clinics or healthcare centers. Conclusions : By facilitating early diagnosis, the model can contribute to the better management of treatment processes, ultimately leading to an improved quality of life for patients.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) refers to the occlusion of pulmonary arteries by blood clots, posing a mortality risk of approximately 30%. The detection of pulmonary embolism within segmental arteries presents greater challenges compared with larger arteries and is frequently overlooked. In this study, we developed a computational method to automatically identify pulmonary embolism within segmental arteries using computed tomography (CT) images. The system architecture incorporates an enhanced Mask R-CNN deep neural network trained on PE-containing images. This network accurately localizes pulmonary embolisms in CT images and effectively delineates their boundaries. This study involved creating a local data set and evaluating the model predictions against pulmonary embolisms manually identified by expert radiologists. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Dice coefficient, and Jaccard index values were obtained as 96.2%, 93.4%, 96.%, 0.95, and 0.89, respectively. The enhanced Mask R-CNN model outperformed the traditional Mask R-CNN and U-Net models. This study underscores the influence of Mask R-CNN's loss function on model performance, providing a basis for the potential improvement of Mask R-CNN models for object detection and segmentation tasks in CT images.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and resting distal-to-aortic pressure ratio (Pd/Pa) in patients with intermediate coronary artery stenosis. This retrospective study included 802 chronic coronary syndrome patients with intermediate coronary artery stenosis who underwent fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement. The resting Pd/Pa showed a significant negative correlation with AIP (rho= -.205, p < .001). When final FFR was divided into three tertiles (≤80, 81-89, ≥90), resting Pd/Pa was significantly lower, and AIP was markedly higher in the lower final FFR tertiles (both AIP and resting Pd/Pa differed significantly across the all three tertiles, p < .001). Furthermore, functionally significant stenosis independent predictors in multivariate analyses were AIP and resting Pd/Pa (p = .010 and p < .001, respectively). We observed for the first time an increase in AIP levels in the presence of functionally significant stenoses that may help better planning and identification of those patients with the functionally substantial atherosclerotic burden.

We present the first ancient DNA data from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of Mesopotamia (Southeastern Turkey and Northern Iraq), Cyprus, and the Northwestern Zagros, along with the first data from Neolithic Armenia. We show that these and neighboring populations were formed through admixture of pre-Neolithic sources related to Anatolian, Caucasus, and Levantine hunter-gatherers, forming a Neolithic continuum of ancestry mirroring the geography of West Asia. By analyzing Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic populations of Anatolia, we show that the former were derived from admixture between Mesopotamian-related and local Epipaleolithic-related sources, but the latter experienced additional Levantine-related gene flow, thus documenting at least two pulses of migration from the Fertile Crescent heartland to the early farmers of Anatolia.

Literary and archaeological sources have preserved a rich history of Southern Europe and West Asia since the Bronze Age that can be complemented by genetics. Mycenaean period elites in Greece did not differ from the general population and included both people with some steppe ancestry and others, like the Griffin Warrior, without it. Similarly, people in the central area of the Urartian Kingdom around Lake Van lacked the steppe ancestry characteristic of the kingdom's northern provinces. Anatolia exhibited extraordinary continuity down to the Roman and Byzantine periods, with its people serving as the demographic core of much of the Roman Empire, including the city of Rome itself. During medieval times, migrations associated with Slavic and Turkic speakers profoundly affected the region.

By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra-West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations. This contrasts with all other regions where Indo-European languages were spoken, suggesting that the homeland of the Indo-Anatolian language family was in West Asia, with only secondary dispersals of non-Anatolian Indo-Europeans from the steppe.

Microaneurysms are lesions in the shape of small circular dilations which result from thinning in peripheral retinal blood vessels due to diabetes and increasing intra-retinal blood pressure. Because it is considered as the most important clinical finding in the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, accurate detection of these lesions bear utmost importance in the early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. The present study aims to accurately, effectively and automatically detect microaneurysms which are difficult to detect in color fundus images in early stage. To this aim, ant colony algorithm, which is an important optimization method, was used instead of conventional image processing techniques. First, retinal vascular structure was extracted from color fundus images in Messidor and DiaretDB1 data sets. Afterwards, the segmentation of microaneurysms was effectively carried out using ant colony algorithm. The same procedure was also applied to five different image processing and clustering algorithms (watershed, random walker, k-means, maximum entropy and region growing) in order to compare the performance of the proposed method with other methods. Microaneurysm images manually detected by a specialist eye doctor were used to measure the performances of above-mentioned methods. The similarities among microaneurysms which were automatically and manually segmented were tested using Dice and Jaccard similarity index values. Dice index values obtained from the study vary between 0.52 and 0.98 in maximum entropy, 0.55 and 0.88 in watershed, 0.75 and 0.86 in region growing, 0.55 and 0.78 in k-means, and 0.66 and 0.83 in random walker, and 0.81 and 0.9 in ant colony. Similar performance values were also obtained in Jaccard index. The results show that different performances were observed in the conventional segmentation of microaneurysms depending on the image quality. On the other hand, the ant colony based method proposed in this paper displays a more stabilized and higher performance irrespective of image contrast. Therefore, it is evident that the proposed method successfully detects microaneurysms even in low quality images, thus helping specialists diagnose them in an easier way., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Heart failure (HF) is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Therefore, identifying high-risk patients may optimize treatment for HF patients and reduce adverse events. The aim of this study was to assess the role of the CHA 2 DS 2- VASc score to predict mortality in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)., Methods: A total of 106 patients with reduced LVEF were enrolled in this study. All patients completed a one-year follow-up, and a CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score was calculated for each patient., Results: Twenty-one patients (19.8%) died during the 1-year follow-up. We found that baseline functional status, CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score, brain natriuretic peptide, blood urea and hemoglobin levels were associated with mortality. In the multivariate analysis, CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score and functional capacity were the only predictors of 1-year mortality., Conclusions: Use of the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score appears to be feasible for risk stratification and mortality prediction in patients with reduced LVEF.

Objective: Despite recent advances in medical support and interventions, only 5% to 10% of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survive to discharge. In this study, factors related to neurologically favorable survival in patients with OHCA were analyzed., Methods: A total of 129 patients who were admitted to hospital with OHCA were retrospectively enrolled., Results: Sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) (ROSC lasting >20 min) was achieved in 29 (22.4%) patients. Percentage of cardiac arrests with ischemic etiology was significantly higher in successful ROSC group (p<0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, cardiac arrest with ischemic etiology (p=0.004) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) duration (p=0.013) were found to be independent predictors for ROSC. One-minute increment in CPR duration was associated with 1.202-fold increase in failure to achieve ROSC. Among patients with ROSC, 7 (5.4%) survived to hospital discharge, and 1-minute increment in CPR duration was associated with a 1.123-fold decrease in neurologically favorable survival (p=0.005)., Conclusion: In patients with OHCA, ischemic etiology is associated with better ROSC rate compared to other reasons for cardiac arrest, and patients with prolonged CPR are less likely to survive.

Mastoid osteomas are very rare and defined as benign masses growing gradually in size. Temporal bone computed tomography is the examination of choice for their diagnosis and differentiation. Surgical resection is used to treat mastoid osteomas causing cosmetic deformity. Prognosis is good in cosmetic and curative aspects, and recurrences are very rare. No case of malign transformation has been reported. In this study, an adult patient who was treated because of a mastoid osteoma is presented with review of the current literature., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

The etiology, clinical features, and treatment of an extremely rare case of a bilateral nasolabial cyst have been evaluated in this report. A 60-year-old female presented to our clinic with a pain-free swelling above the upper lip for a year and obstruction of the left nasal cavity for two months. On undergoing a physical ENT examination, she showed bulging of both nasal fossae and effacement of the bilateral nasolabial groove with a fluctuating smooth mass. A paranasal sinus CT scan showed a smooth, ovoid mass of 20×13 mm at the right side and 26×22 mm at the left side occupying the floor of the nasal fossa and restricted to the soft parts of the premaxillary region, without any bony destruction. The patient underwent surgical excision under general anesthesia via sublabial approach. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral nasolabial cyst. The patient was asymptomatic during 18-month of postoperative follow-up. Bilateral nasolabial cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic masses of the nasal vestibule and deformities of the premaxillary region. Although endonasal endoscopic cyst marsupialization is a relatively new treatment, surgical resection with the sublabial approach is the treatment of choice., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.