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Article Citation Count: 0Investigation the Effect of Rigid Taping on Knee and Hip Joint Kinematics in Chronic Stroke Patients With Knee Hyperextension Gait(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Korkusuz, S.; Fil-Balkan, A.; Korkusuz, B.S.; Özgören, N.; Arıtan, S.; Ceren, A.N.; Topçuoğlu, M.A.Background: Although stroke patients gain an advantage in gait due to the knee hyperextension that occurs during the stance phase, this situation disrupts the biomechanical structure of the knee and increases the risk of injury to the capsular and ligamentous structures. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of rigid taping on hyperextension control and pelvic kinematics in stroke patients with knee hyperextension during the stance phase of gait. Research question: Does rigid taping have an effect on hyperextension control and pelvic kinematics in stroke patients with knee hyperextension? Methods: Thirty stroke patients aged between 40 and 70 were included in this pre-postintervention study. Kinematic assessment of gait was performed using a motion analysis system (Vicon Ltd, Bilston). Then, the rigid taping was applied to the patients using the hyperextension taping technique, and the kinematic analysis of the gait was repeated with the motion analysis system. Results: It was found that the rigid taping for the knee hyperextension significantly reduced the knee hyperextension (p < 0.05). Additionally, it was observed that the rigid taping significantly reduced the pelvic retraction (p < 0.05). However, no change was observed in the pelvic drop with the rigid taping application. Significance: Our results showed that the rigid taping effectively controlled the knee hyperextension. It was thought that the rigid taping application contributed to reducing knee hyperextension and pelvic retraction because it mechanically gave the knee a flexion moment and provided proprioceptive input. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.Article Citation Count: 0Turkish Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices in the Management of Incontinence Associated Dermatitis: a Descriptive and Cross-Sectional Study(Tissue Viability Society, 2025) Sönmez, M.; Gürlek Kısacık, Ö.; Korkmaz, S.Objective: This study aimed to determine nurses' current knowledge, attitudes, and practices in adult intensive care units and palliative care clinics regarding incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 355 nurses in adult intensive care and palliative services at two hospitals. Data were collected between 5.03.2022 and 15.06.2022 using the” Nurse Demographic Form” and the “Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Nurses in Managing Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis Questionnaire”. Results: The nurses' mean scores for “Knowledge of IAD Etiology and Diagnosis” were 19.11 (SD 3.29), mean scores for “Knowledge of IAD Risk Factors” were 23.82 (SD 4.27), mean scores for “Attitude Toward IAD Prevention” were 10.1 (SD 2.49), and mean scores for “Practices for IAD Prevention” were 23.71 (SD 3.97). It was found that nurses who used a risk assessment tool to diagnose IAD (p = 0.001), had a procedure or protocol (p = 0.001), and received training on IAD (p < 0.001) had significantly higher “Attitude Towards Prevention of IAD” scores. There was a positive correlation between the number of patients with IAD cared for by the nurses participating in the study and the scores of ''Practices to Prevent IAD'' and ''Knowledge of IAD Risk Factors'', ''Knowledge of IAD Etiology and Diagnosis'' and ''Attitude Towards Preventing IAD'' (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that intensive care and palliative care nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding IAD were insufficient. Considering that IAD is encountered more frequently in these units, it is essential to provide continuous and practical training to nurses about IAD, use risk assessment tools to prevent and treat IAD, determine protocols, establish clinical guidelines, and implement and standardize them. © 2024 The AuthorsArticle Citation Count: 0Comparison of the Escape Room and Storytelling Methods in Learning the Stress Response: a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Dogu, N.; Boztepe, H.; Topal, C.A.; Sonmez, M.; Yuceer, B.; Bayraktar, N.Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Escape Room and Storytelling methods on nursing students’ learning about the topic of stress response. Background: It is recommended that new generations be trained using innovative teaching methods that differ from traditional teaching methods. The Escape Room and Storytelling methods are among the techniques that have been used and recommended for this purpose. Design: The study was conducted with a randomized, controlled design. Methods: Thirty-five (n = 35) second-year undergraduate nursing students were randomly divided into two groups, one group was trained on stress response using the Escape Room method, while the other group was trained using the Storytelling method. Focus-group interviews were conducted with the students after the interventions. Results: There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of the median post-intervention knowledge assessment score. It was determined that the students in the Escape Room group scored significantly higher than those in the Storytelling group (p < 0.05) Conclusions: The use of these methods, which ensure the active participation of students and increase their motivation, effectively contributes to meeting the educational needs of students and increases their level of satisfaction. © 2024 Elsevier LtdConference Object Citation Count: 0Multi-Label Movie Genre Detection From Movie Posters Using Deep Learning Algorithms(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2024) Yılmaz, A.A.In the field of cinema, the concept of genre has emerged as a concept that basically includes films that have common characteristics in terms of subject matter, have adopted a common method, and have a low risk of error because they have been tried before. Identifying the genres of movies is a challenging task because genres are intangible features that are not physically present in any movie scene, so off-the-shelf image detection models may not be easily integrated into this process. In this study, we aim to address the detection of movies according to their genres using deep learning algorithms. Movie poster data of IMDB and MM-IMDB datasets were utilized in our multi-label movie genre detection studies. In our experiments, we utilized four modern pre-trained models follow as DenseNet, VGG-16, ResNet-50, and MobileNet, and evaluated their performance using performance metric values such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F-score. According to the obtained empirical results, the DenseNet architecture achieved the highest accuracy values compared to other deep learning methods in detecting multi-label movie genre detection with an impressive rates of 91.64% and 92.56%. © 2024 IEEE.Article Citation Count: 0The Effect of Gamification on Brand Awareness: a Study of Retail Industry and Healthy-Living Applications(Henry Stewart Publications, 2024) Alsan, H.; Tengilimoğlu, D.Rapid developments in digitisation have resulted in gamification (ie, the use of game elements and game mechanics in non-game areas) becoming more common and easy to apply in digital environments. This study examines the use of gamification in the field of marketing, specifically its effects on brand awareness. As the paper shows, gamification helps to establish important bonds between the brand, the company and the customer. In this context, the paper analyses brand awareness by means of the survey method. Due to the size of the study population, the scope of the study was narrowed to apps promoting healthy living and apps produced by the retail sector. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 400 respondents. The survey found that gamification has a positive effect on brand awareness (r = 0.55) and that attitude to gamified apps has a positive effect on brand awareness (r = 0.58). Certain demographic factors were also found to influence the use of gamified apps. © HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 2050-0076 (2024).Article Citation Count: 0Effects of Cerium Oxide on Kidney and Liver Tissue Damage in an Experimental Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Model of Distant Organ Damage(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024) Güneş, I.; Dursun, A.D.; Özdemir, Ç.; Küçük, A.; Sezen, Ş.C.; Arslan, M.; Özer, A.Background and Objectives: Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a process in which impaired perfusion is restored by restoring blood flow and tissue recirculation. Nanomedicine uses cutting-edge technologies that emerge from interdisciplinary influences. In the literature, there are very few in vivo and in vitro studies on how cerium oxide (CeO2) affects systemic anti-inflammatory response and inflammation. Therefore, in our study, we aimed to investigate whether CeO2 administration has a protective effect against myocardial I/R injury in the liver and kidneys. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into four groups after obtaining approval from an ethics committee. A control (group C), cerium oxide (group CO), IR (group IR), and Cerium oxide-IR (CO-IR group) groups were formed. Intraperitoneal CeO2 was administered at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg 30 min before left thoracotomy and left main coronary (LAD) ligation, and myocardial muscle ischemia was induced for 30 min. After LAD ligation was removed, reperfusion was performed for 120 min. All rats were euthanized using ketamine, and blood was collected. Liver and kidney tissue samples were evaluated histopathologically. Serum AST (aspartate aminotransferase), ALT (alanine aminotransaminase), GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase), glucose, TOS (Total Oxidant Status), and TAS (Total Antioxidant Status) levels were also measured. Results: Necrotic cell and mononuclear cell infiltration in the liver parenchyma of rats in the IR group was observed to be significantly increased compared to the other groups. Hepatocyte degeneration was greater in the IR group compared to groups C and CO. Vascular vacuolization and hypertrophy, tubular degeneration, and necrosis were increased in the kidney tissue of the IR group compared to the other groups. Tubular dilatation was significantly higher in the IR group than in the C and CO groups. TOS was significantly higher in all groups than in the IR group (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, and p = 0.006, respectively). However, TAS level was lower in the IR group than in the other groups (p = 0.002, p = 0.020, and p = 0.031, respectively). Renal and liver histopathological findings decreased significantly in the CO-IR group compared to the IR group. A decrease in the TOS level and an increase in the TAS level were found compared to the IR group. The AST, ALT, GGT, and Glucose levels are shown. Conclusions: CeO2 administered before ischemia-reperfusion reduced oxidative stress and ameliorated IR-induced damage in distant organs. We suggest that CeO2 exerts protective effects in the myocardial IR model. © 2024 by the authors.Article Citation Count: 0Paper-Based Aptasensor Assay for Detection of Food Adulterant Sildenafil(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024) Kavruk, M.; Ozalp, V.C.Sildenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension but is often illicitly added to energy drinks and chocolates. This study introduces a lateral flow strip test using aptamers specific to sildenafil for detecting its illegal presence in food. The process involved using graphene oxide SELEX to identify high-affinity aptamers, which were then converted into molecular gate structures on mesoporous silica nanoparticles, creating a unique signaling system. This system was integrated into lateral flow chromatography strips and tested on buffers and chocolate samples containing sildenafil. The method simplifies the lateral flow assay (LFA) for small molecules and provides a tool for signal amplification. The detection limit for these strips was found to be 68.2 nM (31.8 µg/kg) in spiked food samples. © 2024 by the authors.Article Citation Count: 0Prognostic Implications and Predictors of Mitral Regurgitancy Reduction After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024) Güney, M.C.; Süygün, H.; Polat, M.; Ayhan, H.; Keleş, T.; Turinay Ertop, Z.Ş.; Bozkurt, E.Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a common condition observed in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for the treatment of aortic stenosis (AS). However, the impact of TAVI on MR outcomes and the factors predicting MR improvement remains uncertain. Understanding these predictors can enhance patient management and guide clinical decisions. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 156 patients with moderate to severe MR undergoing TAVI. MR severity was assessed via echocardiography at baseline, as well as 6 months and 1 year after TAVI. Patients were divided into groups based on MR reduction: no improvement or worsening, one-degree improvement, and at least two-degree improvement. Clinical, echocardiographic, and procedural characteristics were evaluated as predictive factors for MR improvement after TAVI. Results: MR reduction occurred in 68% of patients at 6 months and 81% at 1 year. Factors predicting a reduction of two grades or more in MR severity included lower baseline LVEDD (OR = 1.345, 95% CI: 1.112–1.628, p = 0.002) lower baseline LA (OR = 1.121, 95% CI: 1.015–1.237, p = 0.024), lower baseline LVMI (OR = 1.109, 95% CI: 1.020–1.207, p = 0.024), and higher baseline EF levels (OR = 1.701, 95% CI: 1.007–2.871, p = 0.047). No significant association was found between MR reduction at 6 months and one-year mortality. (p = 0.65). Conclusions: Baseline echocardiographic parameters are valuable in predicting MR improvement post-TAVI, with LVMI emerging as a novel predictor. However, MR reduction did not independently predict survival, underscoring the need for further research to optimize patient selection and management strategies in TAVI candidates. © 2024 by the authors.Article Citation Count: 0Knowledge Levels and Attitudes of Turkish Nursing Students Regarding Medical Device-Related Pressure Injuries and Factors Influencing Them: a Cross-Sectional Study(Tissue Viability Society, 2024) Erzincanlı, S.; Gürlek Kısacık, Ö.; Sönmez, M.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine nursing students' levels of knowledge and attitudes regarding medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs), as well as the factors influencing these. Materials and methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 581 nursing students between January and May 2024. Data were collected using the Student Information Form, the Medical Device Related Pressure Injury Knowledge Assessment Test (MDRPI-KAT), and the Medical Device Related Pressure Injury Attitude Questionnaire (MDRPI-AQ). Results: The nursing students had a mean score of 8.76 ± 2.68 on the MDRPI-KAT, indicating an overall correct answer percentage of 54.7 %. The mean total score on the MDRPI-AQ was 44.08 ± 8.12. Furthermore, 75.0 % of the nursing students (n = 436) achieved a positive attitude score (>40 points). According to the results of the structural equation model, the scores on the MDRPI-KAT among nursing students had a statistically significant effect on their scores on the MDRPI-AQ (β = 0.585, p = 0.002). Conclusion: This study found that the nursing students exhibited insufficient knowledge about MDRPIs.Despite this, the nursing students demonstrated a positive attitude toward MDRPIs. © 2024 The AuthorsBook Part Citation Count: 0Clinical Development of Quinone-Based Drugs(Elsevier, 2024) Altuner, E.E.; Issa, G.; Ozalp, V.C.; Aldemir, O.; Torlak, Y.; Dar, U.A.This chapter provides a detailed explanation of the clinical investigations, pharmacological effects, and characteristics of quinone and quinone derivatives, along with references to pertinent sources. Although quinones have an oxygen group in their structure, they are quickly oxidized and interact with reactive oxygen species. This demonstrates how quinones work as drugs. Quinones and their derivatives are used as medications to treat a wide range of diseases, including cancer, lung, kidney, brain, and tumor disorders. Each of the following has effects on a different area of health; lapochols, anthraquinones, naphthoquinone and its derivatives, and other wide range of quinone derivatives are thoroughly explored in this chapter. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Conference Object Citation Count: 0Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Activity in an Emerging Economy in the Case of Turkey: the Role of the Covid-19 Pandemic(Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited, 2024) Usul, N.; Karadeniz, E.; Özdemir, Ö.This paper seeks to study factors influencing the early stages of entrepreneurship within the context of coronavirus pandemic, specifically within an emerging country. We utilize from a unique dataset collected by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor which is the sole global research repository compiling data on entrepreneurial activities and individual entrepreneurial attributes across 50 countries worldwide. In particular, this study focuses on the GEM survey data pertaining to Turkey during the period coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2021. The analysis is done by binary logistic regression with dependent variable being total entrepreneurship activity. Findings indicate that opportunity-driven respondents, with high-status aspirations, possessing necessary skills and acknowledging the challenges of their entrepreneurial environment, are the ones who show a higher probability of engaging in entrepreneurial activities. While these variables have been scrutinized in existing literature, our contribution lies in examining their effects within an emerging market, a relatively understudied context, particularly in the aftermath of a global pandemic. Results suggest that the individuals reporting a substantial increase in income during the pandemic, and perceiving a harder business environment to start a new venture show elevated probabilities of becoming an entrepreneur. These two are the pandemic-related variables demonstrating statistical significance, which highlights the fact that this period created its entrepreneurs, who exploit high resilience and dynamic capacity to adapt to crisis times. They experienced a significant increase in their income, capitalized on their comparative advantage in entrepreneurial skills within an environment where starting a business is not easy and took advantage of the opportunities seeking for high status using their adaptive capacity. These findings are consistent with Theories of Resilience and Dynamic Capabilities. Finally, younger respondents are more inclined to engage in entrepreneurial activity, which is consistent with the existing literature. In light of these findings, policymakers are encouraged to invest in educational programs for potential entrepreneurs to enhance their self-efficacy, given that the necessary skills for business initiation emerge as a pivotal factor for engaging in entrepreneurial activities. Moreover, creating platforms for successful entrepreneurs to share their experiences could amplify the perceived prestige associated with entrepreneurship, which may attract potential entrepreneurs. © 2024 Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited. All rights reserved.Article Citation Count: 03-D Gravity Modeling of the Kars Basin as a Hidden Extension of the Caspian Petroleum System, Ne-Anatolia, Turkey(Birkhauser, 2024) Aydemir, A.; Bilim, F.The Kars Basin in northeastern Turkey is closely related to the Caspian Petroleum System but it is hidden by a great extent of volcanic rocks. The Oligo-Miocene Komurlu Formation within the basin is the Turkish equivalent of the Maikopian Formation which is the main source rock in the Caspian region. Although the Kars Basin has considerable hydrocarbon potential it is one of the least explored basins in Turkey and there is only a limited literature on the region. This study is the first comprehensive investigation to determine the basement geometry, depth, internal structure and basin boundaries. Gravity data and power spectrum analysis were used in this study. The gravity anomalies were low-pass filtered and the average depth of the basin is found to be approximately 5 km. Boundaries of the basin are entirely confined within the Turkish territorial borders. The basin geometry is remarkably consistent with the crustal thickness geometry across the region and the maximum crustal thickness is 42 km, indicating that the basin was formed on the thickest part of the crust in the region. A 3-D model of the Kars Plateau indicates that the Kars Basin is made up of four different deep (> 6 km) depressions forming a channel-like trend from southwest to northeast from the Horasan area to the Arpacay area. There are four less deep sections (< 6 km) to the north of this trend. The depressions in the north are separated by the Allahuekber Mountains that are marked by a distinctive magnetic anomaly, from the deep SW-NE trend. High-standing regions between the depressions could be prospective areas for the oil accumulation. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.Article Citation Count: 0Evaluating Anterior Segment Stability and Corneal Endothelium After Prolene Gonioscopy Assisted Transluminal Trabeculotomy (gatt) in Open-Angle Glaucoma(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2024) Aribas, Y.K.; Aktas, Z.; Ertop, M.Introduction: This study investigates the short-term effects of prolene gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) on anterior segment parameters and corneal endothelium in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Methods: This retrospective study included 30 eyes from 30 patients who underwent GATT surgery. Demographic data, ophthalmological examination findings, and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements using a Goldman applanation tonometer were recorded. Scheimpflug images were acquired at the pre-operative stage, as well as on the 1st day, 1st week, and 1st month postoperatively. Corneal endothelial cell counts were obtained via specular microscopy. Results: The mean age of patients was 60.3 ± 15.5 years. Anterior chamber depth and central corneal thickness increased on the 1st postoperative day (p:0.002, p < 0.001, respectively). Changes in anterior chamber depth values at the postoperative 1st week and 1st month compared to baseline were not statistically significant. Central corneal thickness decreased significantly at the 1st postoperative month compared to baseline (p:0.007). Corneal endothelial cell counts at the 1st month were comparable to baseline values (p:0.936). Conclusion: Our findings reveal that prolene gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy induces temporary changes in anterior segment parameters but preserves corneal endothelial cell count within the first month, suggesting a promising profile for GATT in glaucoma management. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.Article Citation Count: 0Cold War Aviation: American Technology Transfer and the Construction of Turkey's First International Civilian Airport in Yeşilköy, Istanbul, 1944-1953(Cambridge Univ Press, 2024) Tunc, Tanfer Emin; Tunc, GokhanWith the economic and political support of the United States, in July 1947, Turkey signed contracts withthe Westinghouse Electric International Company and J.G. White Engineering Corporation to constructits first international civilian airport, Istanbul'sYe & scedil;ilk & ouml;y Airport. As this article will argue, the buildingof Ye & scedil;ilk & ouml;y (1949-53), through a partnership with two American engineering firms, is essentially anearly Cold War narrative of transnational exchange involving the multidirectional flow of technicalknowledge, expertise and resources between the United States and Turkey; the circulation of geopol-itically significant (and frequently competing) military, civilian and government actors; and thelocal and global implications of these transmissions. Yet the Ye & scedil;ilk & ouml;y construction narrative also illus-trates how post-war technology transfer was a highly political process of constant adaptation, modifi-cation and negotiation. Fraught with unforeseen friction and thorny challenges, Ye & scedil;ilk & ouml;y exemplifiesthe complicated American Cold War strategy of creating and maintaining alliances through engineeringknowledge, personnel and practices, often with unintended consequences. Moreover, as a case study,Ye & scedil;ilk & ouml;y opens a new window into the cautious science diplomacy that occurred along the IronCurtain, while filling a notable historiographic gap with respect to aviation in early Cold War Turkey.Conference Object Citation Count: 0Securing the Internet of Things: Challenges and Complementary Overview of Machine Learning-Based Intrusion Detection(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2024) Isin, L.I.; Dalveren, Y.; Leka, E.; Kara, A.The significant increase in the number of IoT devices has also brought with it various security concerns. The ability of these devices to collect a lot of data, including personal information, is one of the important reasons for these concerns. The integration of machine learning into systems that can detect security vulnerabilities has been presented as an effective solution in the face of these concerns. In this review, it is aimed to examine the machine learning algorithms used in the current studies in the literature for IoT network security. Based on the authors' previous research in physical layer security, this research also aims to investigate the intersecting lines between upper layers of security and physical layer security. To achieve this, the current state of the area is presented. Then, relevant studies are examined to identify the key challenges and research directions as an initial overview within the authors' ongoing project. © 2024 IEEE.Article Citation Count: 0An Investigation of Recycled Rubber Composites Reinforced With Micro Glass Bubbles: an Experimental and Numerical Approach(Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2024) Kabakci, Gamze Cakir; Bayraktar, Emin; Aslan, OzgurRecycled rubber is widely used for its lightweight and cost-effective properties but often has limited mechanical strength, restricting its applications. This study enhances the mechanical performance of devulcanised recycled rubber by reinforcing it with micro glass bubbles (GBs) featuring a density of 0.65 g/cm(3) and an elastic modulus of 3.5 GPa, offering a high strength-to-density ratio. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on samples with GB volume fractions of 5%, 10%, and 15%. Results were validated through finite element analysis (FEA) in ABAQUS/Standard, incorporating randomised GB distributions. A 2D representative volume element (RVE) with randomly distributed GBs was modelled, applying periodic boundary conditions to simplify the composite into an equivalent homogeneous material. Numerical simulations assessed the effects of GB diameters (30, 40, and 50 mu m) and inclusion size ranges (20-50 mu m and 10-60 mu m), finding minimal impact on results. The RVE, sized at 238 mu m, accurately represented macroscale composite behaviour. Stress-strain behaviour was analysed using average stress and strain tensors. The strong agreement between experimental and numerical results validates the proposed method, demonstrating its accuracy in predicting the mechanical behaviour of the reinforced composite material.Article Citation Count: 0Chemical Composition Optimization and Isothermal Transformation of Δ-Transformation Plasticity Steel for the Third-Generation Advanced High-Strength Steel Grade(Wiley-v C H verlag Gmbh, 2024) Okur, Onur; Davut, Kemal; Palumbo, Gianfranco; Nalcaci, Burak; Guglielmi, Pasquale; Yalcin, Mustafa Alp; Erdogan, MehmetA new low-manganese transformation-induced plasticity steel is designed with optimized nickel content to achieve superior strength and ductility while minimizing the use of expensive nickel. The steel is optimized using JMatPro software, then cast, and hot rolled. To assess the effect of intercritical annealing on austenite (martensite at room temperature) volume fraction and carbon content, hot-rolled steel samples quenched from different annealing temperatures (680-1100 degrees C) are used. Additionally, hot-rolled steel coupons are intercritically annealed at about 50% austenite formation temperature (740 degrees C) and then subjected to isothermal treatments at 300-425 degrees C for varying times (10-90 min). After optimizing these treatments to maximize retained austenite (RA), tensile specimens are heat-treated first at 740 degrees C and then isothermally at 325 degrees C. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that aluminum combined with silicon may lead to the delta ferrite formation, and even minimal nickel content can stabilize a considerable amount of austenite. In the experimental studies, it is shown that lower-temperature bainitic holding enhances austenite stability by enriching the carbon content. Optimized two-stage heat treatments yield up to 25.8% RA, with a tensile strength of 867.2 MPa and elongation of 40.6%, achieving a strength-elongation product of 35.2 GPax%, surpassing the third-generation advanced high-strength steel grades minimum requirement of 30 GPax%.Article Citation Count: 0The Detailed Transseptal Puncture Technique for Optimal Closure in Patients With a Patent Foramen Ovale(Frontiers Media Sa, 2024) Ilkay, Erdogan; Saricam, Ersin; Kacmaz, Fehmi; Yakici, Aysel; Koca, Cigdem; Ozeke, Ozcan; Onal, Mehmet ZulkufBackground The closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) using transseptal puncture has particular advantages and disadvantages. Thus, transseptal puncture should be re-evaluated in detail. Aims We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the detailed transseptal puncture technique in patients who underwent PFO closure due to cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack in terms of residual shunts and atrial fibrillation. Methods We prospectively analyzed 144 consecutive patients who underwent PFO closure by the detailed transseptal puncture technique between February 2013 and April 2023 in two centers. All of the patients had a >10 mm long-tunnel PFO. Results The procedural success rate was 100%. However, after the procedure, moderate pericardial effusion developed in one patient (0.7%) and an acute pulmonary embolism related to femoral vein thrombosis was observed in one patient (0.7%) during the first month. Complications related to the procedure were noted in two patients (1.4%) during the first month of follow-up. Residual shunts were observed in 1.4% of cases after PFO closure. Conclusion We demonstrated that the detailed transseptal technique is safe and effective for PFO closure. The detailed transseptal PFO closure technique significantly reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation, and the occurrence of residual shunts was significantly low following the closure.Article Citation Count: 0Flame Retarded Plasticized Poly(lactic Acid) Using Phosphorus-Based Additives(Sage Publications Ltd, 2024) Yesil, Sertan; Aytac, Ayse; Selim, FatmaIn this study, the synergistic effect of the flame-retardant additives on the properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was investigated and at the same time, it was tried to increase the toughness of PLA by adding small amounts of phosphate-based additives to plasticized PLA as binary and ternary mixtures. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was used as a plasticizer. As flame retardant additives, ammonium polyphosphate (APP), tri-phenyl phosphate (TPP), and boron phosphate (BP) were used. Characterization of the composites was carried out by tensile test, impact test, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), limiting oxygen index (LOI), and UL-94 horizontal burning tests. In addition, TGA-FTIR analyses were carried out to understand the thermal degradation mechanism of composites during combustion. According to the SEM micrographs of the burnt surfaces of the samples, a smooth and flat structure is observed in PLA/PEG/5TPP-5BP sample, while a porous structure and branching formations are observed in other composite samples. Among the composite samples, the best flame retardancy features were observed in the composite containing PLA/PEG/5APP-2.5TPP-2.5BP sample, and the highest impact strength and elongation at break values were obtained in the composite containing PLA/PEG/5APP-5TPP sample.Article Citation Count: 0An Enhanced Guided Stochastic Search With Repair Deceleration Mechanism for Very High-Dimensional Optimization Problems of Steel Double-Layer Grids(Springer, 2024) Azad, Saeid Kazemzadeh; Aminbakhsh, Saman; Gandomi, Amir H.Finding reasonably good solutions using a fewer number of objective function evaluations has long been recognized as a good attribute of an optimization algorithm. This becomes more important, especially when dealing with very high-dimensional optimization problems, since contemporary algorithms often need a high number of iterations to converge. Furthermore, the excessive computational effort required to handle the large number of design variables involved in the optimization of large-scale steel double-layer grids with complex configurations is perceived as the main challenge for contemporary structural optimization techniques. This paper aims to enhance the convergence properties of the standard guided stochastic search (GSS) algorithm to handle computationally expensive and very high-dimensional optimization problems of steel double-layer grids. To this end, a repair deceleration mechanism (RDM) is proposed, and its efficiency is evaluated through challenging test examples of steel double-layer grids. First, parameter tuning based on rigorous analyses of two preliminary test instances is performed. Next, the usefulness of the proposed RDM is further investigated through two very high-dimensional instances of steel double-layer grids, namely a 21,212-member free-form double-layer grid, and a 25,514-member double-layer multi-dome, with 21,212 and 25,514 design variables, respectively. The obtained numerical results indicate that the proposed RDM can significantly enhance the convergence rate of the GSS algorithm, rendering it an efficient tool to handle very high-dimensional sizing optimization problems.
