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Abstract In examining visa-waiver agreements, previous studies have primarily focused on economic motivations and effects. In this article, we explore the potential political motivations and consequences. Particularly, we propose that there is a positive relationship between visa-waivers and democracy. We test this using a global dataset that records bilateral travel visa requirements for all countries between 1973 and 2013. We find support for our main hypothesis. We also examine the relationship between democracy, visa waivers and economic development. Contrary to our expectations, we find that democracy continues to exert influence on visa waivers even at high levels of income. Non-democracies fail to attain visa waivers even when they are wealthy. Finally, we explore whether visa waivers could have an impact on individuals’ attitudes towards democracy. Using survey data from 18 Latin American countries, we find suggestive evidence that that visa-waivers can have a positive impact on individuals’ democratic attitudes. Taken together, the findings suggest that democracy and visa-waivers might have a mutually reinforcing relationship.

The effect of using duroplast sanitary ware waste as a substitute for wood materials in cement-bonded wood panels was evaluated. Utilizing these wastes can provide considerable economic and environmental benefits by reducing the use of wood materials and the deposits in landfills. Cement-bonded wood panels were produced with the replacement of spruce wood materials by the duroplast sanitary ware waste particles in 10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, and 40 wt%. The produced panels were examined in terms of physical, thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties and compared with the related standards. Experimental findings demonstrated that water absorption, moisture content, and thickness swelling values of the panels were enhanced by the addition of duroplast sanitary ware waste. The duroplast sanitary ware waste did not affect the density of the panels. The bending strength and the modulus of elasticity of the cement-bonded wood panels can be increased up to 23 % and 5,6 %, respectively, by the addition of 10 wt% duroplast sanitary ware waste particles. However, the internal bond strength and the screw withdrawal resistance values were reduced by an increment in the use of duroplast sanitary ware waste. The scanning electron microscope observation revealed that there was no mechanical interlocking between the duroplast sanitary ware waste and cement, and the formations of voids in the panels increased with an increase in the duroplast sanitary ware waste particle content. The thermal analysis showed that the use of duroplast sanitary ware waste resulted in increased cement hydration products due to the reduction in the wood content of cement-bonded wood panels.

OBJECTIVE: The study looked into emergency department family members' (FMs) views on being present during resuscitation and contributing to end-of-life care. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 467 FM volunteers of mildly injured or ill patients was conducted at a research hospital between October 2021 and May 2022. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered by a clinical psychologist. The analysis employed SPSS 22.0 with a significance threshold of P < 0.05. The study was conducted according to the STROBE criteria. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean FMs' age was 34.3 ± 10.43; 64.2% were male, 62.1% were married, and 76.9% had nuclear families. About 61% wanted the option of being present during resuscitation, with 47.5% desiring participation in both resuscitation and end-of-life care. Significant differences were observed in opinions based on education, work status, and resuscitation training (P = 0.015, P = 0.001, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Many FMs sought the choice to be present during resuscitation, and nearly half preferred participation in both resuscitation and end-of-life care.

Abstract Quantifying eye movement is important for diagnosing various neurological and ocular diseases as well as AR/VR displays. We developed a simple setup for real-time dynamic gaze tracking and accommodation measurements based on Purkinje reflections, which are the reflections from front and back surfaces of the cornea and the eye lens. We used an accurate eye model in ZEMAX to simulate the Purkinje reflection positions at different focus distances of the eye, which matched the experimental data. A neural network was trained to simultaneously predict vergence and accommodation using data collected from 9 subjects. We demonstrated that the use of Purkinje reflection coordinates in machine learning resulted in precise estimation. The proposed system accurately predicted the accommodation with an accuracy better than 0.22 D using subject’s own data and 0.40 D using other subjects’ data with two-point calibration in tests performed with 9 subjects in our setup.

Background and Objectives: Obesity and related disorders are an increasing global health problem. Achieving and maintaining long-term weight loss through lifestyle changes and/or pharmacological interventions have not met expectations. Dietary supplements and alternative treatments have also shown limited effectiveness in this regard. The consumption of green tea in general has been shown to benefit obese patients, with effects attributed to caffeine, catechins, polyphenols and other components. However, the potential of white tea to prevent and treat the negative effects of obesity has not been addressed so far. In this study, the effect of white tea (WT) consumption in obese individuals was anthropometrically and biochemically investigated. Materials and Methods: Based on anthropometric and biochemical assessments, the patients were assigned to the control, orlistat, metformin and WT groups. Patients were given a diet and exercise program and one of either orlistat, metformin or WT for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12th week, the anthropometric and biochemical measurements were reassessed. Results: Body weight, waist circumference and BMI parameters decreased significantly in all groups. TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and MMP-9 levels decreased significantly in the WT group. In addition, contrary to a significant elevation in HDL-C, the serum cholesterol, LDL-C and TG levels decreased significantly. Furthermore, leptin, ghrelin and asprosin levels decreased significantly. Serum glucose levels decreased significantly in all groups except for the control. In the WT group, while there was a significant decrease in the levels of serum PL MDA and 8-OHdG, the opposite was true for GSH. Conclusions: The oral consumption of WT, its availability and its potency in obesity treatment and prevention pave the way for further delineation of the mechanisms of actions of its bioactive compounds at the cellular and endocrinological levels.

Heart failure (HF) admissions are burdensome, and the mainstay of prevention is the timely detection of impending fluid retention, creating a window for medical treatment intensification. This study evaluated the accuracy and performance of a Triage-HF-guided carepath in real-world ambulatory HF patients in daily clinical practice. In this prospective, observational study, 92 adult HF patients (71 males (78%), with a median age of 69 [IQR 59–75] years) with the Triage-HF algorithm activated in their cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), were monitored. Following high-risk alerts, an HF nurse contacted patients to identify signs and symptoms of fluid retention. The sensitivity and specificity were 83% and 97%, respectively. The positive predictive value was 89%, and negative predictive value was 94%. The unexplained alert rate was 0.05 alerts/patient year, and the false negative rate was 0.11 alerts/patient year. Ambulatory diuretics were initiated or escalated in 77% of high-risk alert episodes. In 23% (n = 6), admission was ultimately required. The median alert handling time was 2 days. Fifty-eight percent (n = 18) of high-risk alerts were classified as true positives in the first week, followed by 29% in the second–third weeks (n = 9), and 13% (n = 4) in the fourth–sixth weeks. Common sensory triggers included an elevated night ventricular rate (84%), OptiVol (71%), and reduced patient activity (71%). The CIED-based Triage-HF algorithm-driven carepath enables the timely detection of impending fluid retention in a contemporary ambulatory setting, providing an opportunity for clinical action.

Cement, as the main component of concrete, is a crucial industrial product for economic development and civilization. Nevertheless, its production is highly energy-intensive, environmentally polluting, and a source of extreme CO2 emissions. For success in the transition to the circular economy and accelerating sustainable manufacturing in the cement industry, understanding and addressing the main barriers are essential. Using the above point of view, this study intends to address the challenges and barriers of the cement industry in the transition to a circular economy, define the causal relationships between these barriers, and determine the necessary practical implications to overcome the barriers. Systematic literature review and focus group study results enable a holistic model that integrates research results and business practical criteria. The DEMATEL method is used for the clarification of causal relations between factors. A total of 18 barriers in 6 clusters have been revealed to be used for managerial implications to speed up the transition to CE applications in the cement business. Out of 18 barriers, 6 were effect groups, which were the outcomes due to the remaining 12 causing barriers. The top three cause factors are an unstable waste market, lack of management competencies, and unstable macroeconomic conditions, while the leading three effect factors are revealed as giving priority to other issues, insufficient organisational structures, and deviations in product quality. Although there are many studies on CE in cement, they are concentrated on technical and laboratory studies enabling the use of different alternative materials as inputs to the cement process. Studying and revealing the barriers holding back the cement sector in the transition to CE is this study’s core contribution, making it novel and unique.

Purpose. To design a new nomogram predicting the probability of stone-free status of shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) in patients with ureteral stones. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively enrolled 2,144 patients with ureteral stones who underwent SWL between January 1993 and April 2020. The demographic and clinical parameters were assessed. The predictors of stone-free status following SWL were identified. A logistic regression-based nomogram was created by including the significant predictors in the multivariate analysis. Results. The mean age was 42.93 ± 13.85 in the stone-free group (Group 1) and 46.51 ± 13.66 in the treatment-failure group (Group 2) (p=0.001). The cutoff value of the age was 45.5 years. The mean stone load was 0.71 ± 0.36 cm2 in Group 1 and 0.96 ± 0.51 cm2 in Group 2 (p=0.001). Of the 2,144 patients, 1,708 (79.6%) were stone-free within the first three SWL sessions. According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, older age, a stone load larger than 1 cm2, the presence of multiple stones, third-generation lithotripter use, and pre-SWL catheterization were statistically associated with low stone-free rates. The C-index was determined to be 0.75 in the bootstrapping method. Conclusion. A stone load larger than 1 cm2, age older than 45.5 years, the presence of multiple stones, new- (third-) generation lithotripter use, and pre-SWL catheterization had statistically significant effects on lower stone-free rates in patients who underwent SWL due to ureteral stones. A nomogram was developed to predict the success of SWL. As a result of the internal validation of the nomogram, it was concluded to be suitable for clinical use.

Aim: Kidney damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is a serious clinical problem. Many studies have emphasized the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Curcumin. Material and Methods: Wistar-Albino male rats were divided into three groups. The sham group was the group in which only laparotomy was performed, the IR group was the group in which the infrarenal aorta was clamped after laparotomy and ischemia-reperfusion was created, and the IR+ curcumin group was the group in which intraperitoneal curcumin was given 1 hour before the procedure and the same procedures were repeated with the IR group. After creating the IR, blood and kidney tissue were taken from the rats and biochemical and histopathological examinations were performed. Results: Potassium (p=0.005), urea (p=0.050), and blood urea nitrogen (p=0.050) levels were higher in the IR+curcumin group. While total antioxidant status was found to be high in the IR+curcumin group (p=0.021), there was no difference in total oxidant status across the groups (p=0.069). Interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 were found to be higher in the IR group (p=0.014, p=0.022, respectively). Tumour necrosis factor-α was higher in the IR group than in other groups (p=0.020). Interferon-γ did not differ across groups (p=0.140). In the histopathological examination, the IR group had more damage to the glomerulus and tubular epithelial cells than the other groups (p [Turk J Vasc Surg 2023; 32(2.000): 71-7]

Urinary dickkopf 3 (uDKK3) is a marker released by kidney tubular epithelial cells that is associated with the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may cause interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. Recent evidence suggests that uDKK3 can also predict the loss of kidney function in CKD patients and kidney transplant recipients, regardless of their current renal function. We conducted a prospective study on 181 kidney transplant (KTx) recipients who underwent allograft biopsy to determine the cause, analyzing the relationship between uDKK3 levels in urine, histological findings, and future allograft function progression. Additionally, we studied 82 living kidney donors before unilateral nephrectomy (Nx), 1–3 days after surgery, and 1 year post-surgery to observe the effects of rapid kidney function loss. In living donors, the uDKK3/creatinine ratio significantly increased 5.3-fold 1–3 days after Nx. However, it decreased significantly to a median level of 620 pg/mg after one year, despite the absence of underlying primary kidney pathology. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decreased by an average of 29.3% to approximately 66.5 (±13.5) mL/min/1.73 m2 after one year, with no further decline in the subsequent years. uDKK3 levels increased in line with eGFR loss after Nx, followed by a decrease as the eGFR partially recovered within the following year. However, uDKK3 did not correlate with the eGFR at the single time points in living donors. In KTx recipients, the uDKK3/creatinine ratio was significantly elevated with a median of 1550 pg/mg compared to healthy individuals or donors after Nx. The mean eGFR in the recipient group was 35.5 mL/min/1.73 m2. The uDKK3/creatinine ratio was statistically associated with the eGFR at biopsy but was not independently associated with the eGFR one year after biopsy or allograft loss. In conclusion, uDKK3 correlates with recent and future kidney function and kidney allograft survival in the renal transplant cohort. Nevertheless, our findings indicate that the uDKK3/creatinine ratio has no prognostic influence on future renal outcome in living donors and kidney recipients beyond the eGFR, independent of the presence of acute renal graft pathology, as correlations are GFR-dependent.

Proton radiography is a promising development in proton therapy, and researchers are currently exploring optimal detector materials to construct proton radiography detector arrays. High-density glass scintillators may improve integrating-mode proton radiography detectors by increasing spatial resolution and decreasing detector thickness. We evaluated several new scintillators, activated with europium or terbium, with proton response measurements and Monte Carlo simulations, characterizing relative luminosity, ionization quenching, and proton radiograph spatial resolution. We applied a correction based on Birks’s analytical model for ionization quenching. The data demonstrate increased relative luminosity with increased activation element concentration, and higher relative luminosity for samples activated with europium. An increased glass density enables more compact detector geometries and higher spatial resolution. These findings suggest that a tungsten and gadolinium oxide-based glass activated with 4% europium is an ideal scintillator for testing in a full-size proton radiography detector.

Background: We sought to determine whether two soluble forms with different size of mtDNA are linked to prostatic inflammation, and whether they discriminate prostate cancer (PCa) from inflammatory prostatic conditions. Methods: Histopathologically diagnosed prostatitis, PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia patients (n = 93) were enrolled in this study and they were categorized as with and without prostate inflammation. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to analyze the levels of 79-bp and 230-bp fragments in urine and blood samples collected following prostate massage. Results: The urine mtDNA-79 and mtDNA-230 were significantly increased in patients with prostate inflammation compared with those in without inflammation. Here, 79-bp fragment of apoptotic origin was significantly higher level than 230-bp fragment of necrotic origin. Although mtDNA-79 copy number in serum samples was also increased in patients with prostate inflammation, mtDNA-230 was similar in the two groups. Furthermore, mtDNA-79 and mtDNA-230 copy numbers in postprostate massage urine were higher (about 16-fold and 22-fold, respectively) than those from serum samples. ROC analysis showed that, although post-prostate massage urine have relatively higher performance than blood, ability to discriminate cases of both fragments was not better than that of serum total PSA. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that shorter cf-mtDNA fragment size in particular, increase in the presence of prostate inflammation in post-prostatic massage urine but both fragments could never improve serum total PSA performance.

This paper proposes a bidirectional three-level T-type LLC resonant DC-DC converter operating with phase-shift control, which is simple and effective, variable frequency modulation to perform soft switching in a wide voltage ratio range and light loads, and pulse width modulation to reduce reactive circulating current. In this combined modulation method, three control parameters: switching frequency, the duty cycle of switches in the vertical arms, and phase shift between primary and secondary switches, are changed depending on the voltage conversion ratio and load. The circuit operates as LLC resonant in forward operation and series resonant in reverse operation. Thus, LLC and series resonant analyses of the proposed converter, operated in continuous conduction mode and buck mode, are presented. A simplified frequency domain analysis, including all harmonics, is used in the theoretical calculations. Thus, the control parameters are accurately calculated for forward and reverse operations. The current, voltage, and power formulas in the working principle of the converter are derived, and an analysis of the control parameters and zero voltage switching region is performed. Soft switching analysis is done by considering the junction capacitor of the MOSFET and the dead time. The theoretical performance of the proposed modulation method has been verified with a 2 kW prototype. Soft-switching and loss analyses of the proposed converter have also been investigated under different load conditions and voltage conversion ratios. The proposed LLC resonant topology and modulation method improved significantly more efficiency than the phase-shifted modulated T-type converter under 30-100% load conditions.

In this study, the effect of using olive stone residues (OSR) on some properties of particleboard was investigated. For this purpose, particle boards were manufactured from particles of white poplar (Populus Alba L.), which were partially substituted with OSR particles in amounts of 10 %, 20 % and 30 %. In addition, boards containing 30 % OSR, which had previously been chemically modified with NaOH solution, were produced. Phenol formaldehyde adhesive was used in the production of the boards. Chemical properties of wood and OSR particles (pH, alcohol benzene solubility, amount of ash), physico-mechanical properties (density, moisture content thickness swelling, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and internal bond strength) and formaldehyde emission values of boards were determined. Water absorption and thickness swelling values were generally decreased with the increase in the use of OSR. When the effect of OSR usage on bending strength, modulus of elasticity, and perpendicular tensile strength values were examined, a decrease in the values was observed except for the 10 % OSR usage ratio. As a result of the application of alkali pretreatment, an increase in thickness swelling values was observed, while the values of mechanical properties increased. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis results showed more spaces between particles with an increasing OSR usage ratio. Formaldehyde emission values decreased with the increasing amount of OSR. Formaldehyde emission values increased slightly with the application of alkaline pretreatment. Based on the findings of this study, we can conclude that OSR can be used at particularly low ratio in particleboard production.

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

Plants select microorganisms from the surrounding bulk soil, which act as a reservoir of microbial diversity and enrich a rhizosphere microbiome that helps in growth and stress alleviation. Plants use organic compounds that are released through root exudates to shape the rhizosphere microbiome. These organic compounds are of various spectrums and technically gear the interplay between plants and the microbial world. Although plants naturally produce organic compounds that influence the microbial world, numerous efforts have been made to boost the efficiency of the microbiome through the addition of organic compounds. Despite further crucial investigations, synergistic effects from organic compounds and beneficial bacteria combinations have been reported. In this review, we examine the relationship between organic compounds and beneficial bacteria in determining plant growth and biotic and abiotic stress alleviation. We investigate the molecular mechanism and biochemical responses of bacteria to organic compounds, and we discuss the plant growth modifications and stress alleviation done with the help of beneficial bacteria. We then exhibit the synergistic effects of both components to highlight future research directions to dwell on how microbial engineering and metagenomic approaches could be utilized to enhance the use of beneficial microbes and organic compounds.

Compared to natural images in artificial datasets, it is more challenging to improve the spatial resolution of remote sensing optical image data using super-resolution techniques. Historical aerial images are primarily grayscale due to single-band acquisition, which further limits their recoverability. To avoid data limitations, it is advised to employ a data collection consisting of images with homogeneously distributed intensity values of land use/cover objects at various resolution values. Thus, two different datasets were created. In line with the proposed approach, images of bare land, farmland, residential areas, and forested regions were extracted from orthophotos of different years with different spatial resolutions. In addition, images with intensity values in a more limited range for the same categories were obtained from a single year’s orthophoto to highlight the contribution of the suggested approach. Training of two different datasets was performed independently using a deep learning-based super-resolution model, and the same test images were enhanced individually with the weights of both models. The results were assessed using a variety of quality metrics in addition to visual interpretation. The findings indicate that the suggested dataset structure and content can enable the recovery of more details and effectively remove the smoothing effect. In addition, the trend of the metric values matches the visual perception results.

Bugünkü Millî Güvenlik Kurulunun selefi mahiyetindeki Yüksek Müdafaa Meclisi 24 Nisan 1933 gün ve 14443 sayılı Kararname ile; 10 Ağustos 1933 günü çıkarılan 14819 sayılı Kararnameyle de Yüksek Müdafaa Meclisi Umumi Kâtipliği ihdas olunmuştur. “Devlet işlerinin en başında gelen topyekûn Millî Savunma görevlerini yerine getirmek üzere” 30 Mayıs 1949 tarihinde Millî Savunma Yüksek Kurulu kurulmuş ve Kurul Yüksek Müdafaa Meclisinin yerini almıştır. Anayasal olarak “millî güvenlik” kavramı ise ilk defa 1961 Anayasası ile mümkün olabilmiştir. Temel hak ve hürriyetlerin kısıtlanması bakımından 1961 Anayasası’na kıyasla 1982 Anayasası’nda millî güvenlik kavramı savunma ve güvenlik konularını aşacak biçimde genişleyerek yer almıştır. 1982 Anayasası’nın 118. maddesi gereği 1 Kasım 1983 gün ve 2945 sayılı Millî Güvenlik Kurulu ve Millî Güvenlik Kurulu Genel Sekreterliği Kanunu ile Millî Güvenlik Kurulu kurulmuş ve 2017 yılında yapılan Anayasa değişikliği Kurul bugünkü yapısına kavuşmuştur.

Background: Resuscitation is the initial step for hemorrhagic shock. However, there is still controversy as to which fluid achieves the best results clinically and experimentally. Aim: It was aimed to investigate the effects of 0.9% NaCl (sodium chloride) and 6% HES (hydroxyethyl starch) on the kidney and blood environment. Methods: Twenty-four male Wistar rats were assigned as control, shock, and resuscitated (colloid: 6% HES and crystalloid: 0.9% NaCl) groups. Besides hemodynamics (mean arterial pressure and shock index) monitoring and kidney function evaluation, hemolysis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and glycocalyx degradation were evaluated in the plasma and kidney. Results: (1) Macrohemodynamics were successfully restored by both fluids. (2) Although 3 times more crystalloid volume was applied compared to the colloid resuscitation, similar hematocrit levels were found in both resuscitation strategies (32.8 ± 2.3 vs. 33.3 ± 1.0). (3) NaCl resuscitation led to increases in the hemolytic index, catalytic iron, and sialic acid compared to control, while HES administration increased the levels of malondialdehyde, ischemia-modified albumin, and sialic acid. (4) However, both fluid resuscitation strategies could inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress in the kidney and restore kidney function parameters. Conclusion: Although both NaCl and HES resuscitation showed protection of the kidney function against oxidative stress and inflammation, these fluids initiated the injury process.

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

For more than 50 years, marine and remote sensing researchers have investigated the methods of bathymetry extraction by means of active (altimetry) and passive (optics) satellite sensors. These methods, in general, are referred to as satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB). With the advances in sensor capabilities and computational power and recognition by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), SDB has been more popular than ever in the last 10 years. Despite a significant increase in the number of studies on the topic, the performance of the method is still variable, mainly due to environmental factors, the quality of the deliverables by sensors, the use of different algorithms, and the changeability in parameterization. In this study, we investigated the capability of Gokturk-1 satellite in SDB for the very first time at Horseshoe Island, Antarctica, using the random forest- and extreme gradient boosting machine learning-based regressors. All the images are atmospherically corrected by ATCOR, and only the top-performing algorithms are utilized. The bathymetry predictions made by employing Gokturk-1 imagery showed admissible results in accordance with the IHO standards. Furthermore, pixel brightness values calculated from Sentinel-2 MSI and tasseled cap transformation are introduced to the algorithms while being applied to Sentinel-2, Landsat-8, and Gokturk-1 multispectral images at the second stage. The results indicated that the bathymetric inversion performance of the Gokturk-1 satellite is in line with the Landsat-8 and Sentienl-2 satellites with a better spatial resolution. More importantly, the addition of a brightness value parameter significantly improves root mean square error, mean average error, coefficient of determination metrics, and, consequently, the performance of the bathymetry extraction.

Drought is defined as the amount of precipitation in a region less than the amount of evaporation. Human facts such as population growth, industrialization, deforestation, and uncontrolled irrigation in agriculture are among the factors that cause drought. Today, with the increase of human activities such as population growth and industrialization, drought has become a serious life-threatening issue. With a depth of around 450 m and a volume of over 600 km3, Lake Van (Turkey) is the world's largest soda lake and one of the world's largest closed-basin lakes. Increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation in recent years indicate that there may be a drought in Lake Ban. It is important to analyze this drought and determine its change. Methods derived from remote sensing and geographic information systems technologies provide speed, practicality, and high accuracy in determining drought. Research to date has not yet determined the change of drought in Van Lake Basin using remote sensing and GIS methods. In this study, the drought in Van Lake Basin was examined periodically from 1989 to 2019. In this context, Land Surface Temperatures (LST) and Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) maps of the basin were obtained from Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 satellite images. In addition to remote sensing and GIS analysis, the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) was calculated with precipitation data obtained from meteorology stations to determine the drought in the region. According to the results, it was concluded that the drought level in the basin has been increasing from 1989 to 2019. The findings of this research provide insights for drought increase in Van Lake Basin. Also, this study strengthens the idea that remote sensing and GIS methods can be used in drought studies effectively.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is common in developing countries and can be mortal. CO poisoning can present with various signs and symptoms. In addition, it has been observed that some people have increased cardiovascular diseases and are associated with high mortality. In this study, the usability of Macro creatine-kinase (Macro-CK) for in-hospital mortality detection in CO poisoning was investigated. This study is a retrospective and single-center study. Data of patients diagnosed with CO poisoning were accessed from the hospital automation system. Macro-CK was accepted for patients with CK-MB higher than total CK. The patients were divided into two groups according to the Macro-CK determination. Macro-CK detected patients were arranged as group-1, and the others as group-2. In-hospital mortality rates were determined in the groups and compared between groups and analyzed. 1100 patients were eligible for the study. Of these patients, Macro-CK was detected in 33 patients (0.03%). The mean age of the patients was 37.6 ± 16.9 and 43.2% were male. In-hospital mortality was 20 (60.6%) in group 1, and 50 (4.7%) in group 2 and was statistically significant (p [Med-Science 2021; 10(3.000): 714-9]

ABSTRACT - BACKGROUND: Although many methods have been defined for colonic anastomosis, anastomotic leak still remains important for sepsis control and successful healing. AIM: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of conventional suture, polyglactin 910 mesh, and omental flap coverage on healing and anastomotic leak in experimental colonic anastomosis in rats. METHOD: This study was conducted on 18 Wistar rats and the animals were divided into three groups as follows: Group 1: primary suture group; Group 2: primary suture plus polyglactin 910 mesh group; and Group 3: primary suture plus omental flap coverage group. Groups were compared in terms of anastomotic bursting pressure, inflammation, fibroblastic activity, neovascularization, and collagen amount. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in anastomotic bursting pressure between Groups 1 and 2 and between Groups 1 and 3 (p=0.004, p

Background Despite the progress in the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI), current curative approaches fail to provide adequate treatment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible protective effects of thymosin-β-4(Tβ4) on an ischemic AKI model in rats. Methods Rats were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 8/group): The control group (sham-operated), the ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) group; renal ischemia (90 min) by infrarenal abdominal aortic occlusion followed by reperfusion (3 h), the Tβ4 + I/R group; treated with Tβ4 before I/R, and the I/Tβ4/R group; treated with Tβ4 just before reperfusion. Besides renal function determination (creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)); histological evaluation was also conducted. Renal tissue caspase-9, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9) activities, and hyaluronan levels were measured. Additionally, renal tissue oxidative stress (lipid hydroperoxide, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance, ferric reducing antioxidant power, nitric oxide), inflammation (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, nuclear factor-κβ) were evaluated. Results I/R increased the level of caspase-9, MMP-9 activity, and hyaluronan (p

In this study, a scale was created to measure the gamification ability levels of teachers. The rating system is a 5-point Likert scale. The scale has 36 items and 4 variables. The research's study group is made up of 526 instructors who are employed during the academic year 2022-2023 in kindergarten, primary schools, secondary schools, and high schools connected to the Ministry of National Education. By looking at the levels of exploratory and confirmatory component analysis, item discrimination levels, and meeting the goal, the validity of the scale was examined. Stability analyses and internal consistency coefficients were used to examine the scale's reliability. The investigation concluded that the scale is a viable and trustworthy measurement tool that may be used to assess teachers' degrees of self-efficacy with regard to gamification.

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

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

An individual who has the ability to speak from birth continues the development of this skill in education and training environments after the family. In this regard, teachers have great responsibilities for the speaking skills to be acquired in educational environments. Teachers are expected to know about the development of children's speaking skills in order to transfer these skills to students. In addition, having a high level of knowledge about speaking skills is an indispensable element of effective teaching. Elementary school teachers, who spend the most time with students in the classroom, have a key role in helping students develop their speaking skills and easily transfer what they have learned to daily life skills. The study aims to determine the knowledge levels of elementary school teachers regarding speaking skills. The study was carried out with the survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 302 elementary school teachers. The data were collected with the "Knowledge Level Test on Speaking Skills" and analyzed with descriptive statistics, Independent Samples t-Test, One-way ANOVA. According to the results of the research, the arithmetic average of the elementary school teachers' knowledge of speaking skills was found to be 13.74 out of 18 total questions. In addition, while elementary school teachers' knowledge of speaking skills did not differ significantly according to the variables of gender, graduation, and location of the school, it showed a significant difference according to the professional experience variable.

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

Creativity has long been consistently assessed as a fundamental aspect of educational psychology and has been treated with much devotion by scholars. In this study, intricate relationship patterns between creativity, emotional intelligence, and personality traits were examined. The Marmara Creative Thinking Dispositions Scale, Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF), and The Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) were administered to a cohort of 297 university students attending a university in Istanbul. The findings unveiled important insights into how these components interact. Employing correlational analysis to examine the relationships among the variables, it was found that while agreeableness did not exhibit a significant correlation with creativity, the remaining traits within the Big Five personality dimensions -- openness to experience (r = 0.63), emotional stability (r = 0.29), conscientiousness (r = 0.38), and extraversion (r = 0.49) -- displayed positively significant associations with creativity (p < 0.01), suggesting that individuals characterized by greater openness to experience, emotional stability, conscientiousness, and extraversion tend to exhibit higher levels of creativity in academic settings. That the link between emotional intelligence and creativity highlights a noteworthy association implies that individuals possessing higher levels of emotional intelligence are more likely to excel in creative endeavors. Regression analysis was employed to determine the specific contributions of each personality characteristic to creativity. Interestingly, when examining the predictive value of these factors, conscientiousness did not emerge as a statistically significant predictor of creativity. In contrast, both openness to experiences and extraversion exhibited strong predictive power, significantly influencing creativity. Similarly, emotional intelligence continued to be a significant predictor of creativity, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for innovative thinking. The results imply that individuals with higher levels of openness to experience, emotional stability, conscientiousness, and extraversion tend to be more creative in academic settings, highlighting the significance of emotional intelligence in promoting creative thinking and points out its potential to support creative endeavors.

Satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) is the process of estimating water depth in shallow coastal and inland waters using satellite imagery. Recent advances in technology and data processing have led to improvements in the accuracy and availability of SDB. The increased availability of free optical satellite sensors, such as Landsat missions and Sentinel 2 satellites, has increased the quantity and frequency of SDB research and mapping efforts. In addition, machine learning (ML)- and deep learning (DL)-based algorithms, which can learn to identify features that are indicative of water depth, such as color or texture variations, have started to be used for extracting bathymetry information from satellite imagery. This study aims to produce an initial optical image-based SBD map of Horseshoe Island’s shallow coasts and to perform a comprehensive and comparative evaluation with Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 satellite images. Our research considers the performance of empirical SDB models (classical, ML-based, and DL-based) and the effects of the atmospheric correction methods ACOLITE, iCOR, and ATCOR. For all band combinations and depth intervals, the ML-based random forest and XGBoost models delivered the highest performance and best fitting ability by achieving the lowest error with MAEs smaller than 1 m up to 10 m depth and a maximum correlation of R2 around 0.80. These models are followed by the DL-based ANN and CNN models. Nonetheless, the non-linearity of the reflectance–depth connection was significantly reduced by the ML-based models. Furthermore, Landsat 8 showed better performance for 10–20 m depth intervals and in the entire range of (0–20 m), while Sentinel 2 was slightly better up to 10 m depth intervals. Lastly, ACOLITE, iCOR, and ATCOR provided reliable and consistent results for SDB, where ACOLITE provided the highest automation.