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Article Citation - WoS: 38Citation - Scopus: 47Understanding Key Skills for Information Security Managers(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2018) Haqaf, Husam; Koyuncu, MuratInformation security management is a necessity for all institutions and enterprises that regard company information as valuable assets. Developing, auditing and managing information security depends upon professional expertise in order to achieve the desired information security governance. This research seeks the key skills required for the position of information security management as well as the methods to develop these skills through professional training programs. The study adopts the Delphi method which requires building a list of items through a literature survey and involves experts with certain expertise to modify the list until a consensus on less than 20% of the items is reached. Through completing three rounds of the Delphi technique - data collection, relevance voting and ranking sixteen skills are shortlisted as the key skills. In the final list, the majority belong to core information security skills, and the top two skills belong to project/process management skills and risk management skills, indicating the importance of these skills for the information security manager role. In addition, a series of related professional training programs and certifications are surveyed, the outcome of which highlights a number of most comprehensive and appropriate programs to develop these determined skills.Article Citation - WoS: 24Citation - Scopus: 27The Pimpled Gold Nanosphere: a Superior Candidate for Plasmonic Photothermal Therapy(Dove Medical Press Ltd, 2020) Nasseri, Behzad; Turk, Mustafa; Kosemehmetoglu, Kemal; Kaya, Murat; Piskin, Erhan; Rabiee, Navid; Webster, Thomas J.Background: The development of highly efficient nanoparticles to convert light to heat for anti-cancer applications is quite a challenging field of research. Methods: In this study, we synthesized unique pimpled gold nanospheres (PGNSs) for plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT). The light-to-heat conversion capability of PGNSs and PPTT damage at the cellular level were investigated using a tissue phantom model. The ability of PGNSs to induce robust cellular damage was studied during cytotoxicity tests on colorectal adenocarcinoma (DLD-1) and fibroblast cell lines. Further, a numerical model of plasmonic (COMSOL Multiphysics) properties was used with the PPTT experimental assays. Results: A low cytotoxic effect of thiolated polyethylene glycol (SH-PEG400-SH-) was observed which improved the biocompatibility of PGNSs to maintain 89.4% cell viability during cytometry assays (in terms of fibroblast cells for 24 hrs at a concentration of 300 mu g/mL). The heat generated from the nanoparticle-mediated phantom models resulted in Delta T=30 degrees C, Delta T=23.1 degrees C and Delta T=21 degrees C for the PGNSs, AuNRs, and AuNPs, respectively (at a 300 mu g/mL concentration and for 325 sec). For the in vitro assays of PPTT on cancer cells, the PGNS group induced a 68.78% lethality (apoptosis) on DLD-1 cells. Fluorescence microscopy results showed the destruction of cell membranes and nuclei for the PPTT group. Experiments further revealed a penetration depth of sufficient PPTT damage in a physical tumor model after hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining through pathological studies (at depths of 2, 3 and 4 cm). Severe structural damages were observed in the tissue model through an 808-nm laser exposed to the PGNSs. Conclusion: Collectively, such results show much promise for the use of the present PGNSs and photothermal therapy for numerous anti-cancer applications.Article Citation - WoS: 68Citation - Scopus: 82The Effect of Uncertainty on Learning in Game-Like Environments(Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, 2013) Ozcelik, Erol; Cagiltay, Nergiz Ercil; Ozcelik, Nese SahinConsidering the role of games for educational purposes, there has an increase in interest among educators in applying strategies used in popular games to create more engaging learning environments. Learning is more fun and appealing in digital educational games and, as a result, it may become more effective. However, few research studies have been conducted to establish principles based on empirical research for designing engaging and entertaining games so as to improve learning. One of the essential characteristics of games that has been unexplored in the literature is the concept of uncertainty. This study examines the effect of uncertainty on learning outcomes. In order to better understand this effect on learning, a game-like learning tool was developed to teach a database concept in higher education programs of software engineering. The tool is designed in two versions: one including uncertainty and the other including no uncertainty. The experimental results of this study reveal that uncertainty enhances learning. Uncertainty is found to be positively associated with motivation. As motivation increases, participants tend to spend more time on answering the questions and to have higher accuracy in these questions. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Article Citation - WoS: 13Citation - Scopus: 16An Analytic Network Process Based Risk Assessment Model for Ppp Hydropower Investments(Vilnius Gediminas Tech Univ, 2021) Akcay, Emre CanerThe number of public-private partnership (PPP) projects has gone up especially in developing countries. The risk assessment of PPP projects is essential in ensuring project success. The objective of this study is to develop an Analytic Network Process (ANP) based risk assessment model for hydropower investments, and a tool to facilitate quantification of risk ratings based on this model. The results show that the three most important risk factors that affect the overall risk rating of a PPP hydropower investment are legal risks, contractor/subcontractor risks, and operator risks. In addition, the three most important risk clusters were identified as stakeholders, government requirements, and resources, whereas market was the least important cluster. The tool that measures the risk rating of a PPP of hydropower project was tested on ten real cases, and satisfactory results were obtained in terms of its predictive capability. The contributions of this research include (1) identification of the risk factors and clusters of factors associated with PPP hydropower investments; (2) determination of the priority of each risk factor and cluster; (3) development a tool that guides the investors through the risk assessment of PPP hydropower investments.Article Citation - WoS: 58Fast Neutron Imaging With Semiconductor Nanocrystal Scintillators(Amer Chemical Soc, 2020) McCall, Kyle M.; Sakhatskyi, Kostiantyn; Lehmann, Eberhard; Walfort, Bernhard; Losko, Adrian S.; Montanarella, Federico; Kovalenko, Maksym, VFast neutrons offer high penetration capabilities for both light and dense materials due to their comparatively low interaction cross sections, making them ideal for the imaging of large-scale objects such as large fossils or as-built plane turbines, for which X-rays or thermal neutrons do not provide sufficient penetration. However, inefficient fast neutron detection limits widespread application of this technique. Traditional phosphors such as ZnS:Cu embedded in plastics are utilized as scintillators in recoil proton detectors for fast neutron imaging. However, these scintillation plates exhibit significant light scattering due to the plastic-phosphor interface along with long-lived afterglow (on the order of minutes), and therefore alternative solutions are needed to increase the availability of this technique. Here, we utilize colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) in hydrogen-dense solvents for fast neutron imaging through the detection of recoil protons generated by neutron scattering, demonstrating the efficacy of nanomaterials as scintillators in this detection scheme. The light yield, spatial resolution, and neutron-vs-gamma sensitivity of several chalcogenide (CdSe and CuInS2)-based and perovskite halide-based NCs are determined, with only a short-lived afterglow (below the order of seconds) observed for all of these NCs. FAPbBr(3) NCs exhibit the brightest total light output at 19.3% of the commercial ZnS:Cu(PP) standard, while CsPbBrCl2:Mn NCs offer the best spatial resolution at similar to 2.6 mm. Colloidal NCs showed significantly lower gamma sensitivity than ZnS:Cu; for example, 79% of the FAPbBr(3) light yield results from neutron-induced radioluminescence and hence the neutron-specific light yield of FAPbBr(3) is 30.4% of that of ZnS:Cu(PP). Concentration and thickness-dependent measurements highlight the importance of increasing concentrations and reducing self-absorption, yielding design principles to optimize and foster an era of NC-based scintillators for fast neutron imaging.Article Citation - WoS: 39Citation - Scopus: 44A Novel Treatment Strategy for Preterm Birth: Intra-Vaginal Progesterone-Loaded Fibrous Patches(Elsevier, 2020) Cam, Muhammet Emin; Hazar-Yavuz, Ayse Nur; Cesur, Sumeyye; Ozkan, Ozan; Alenezi, Hussain; Sasmazel, Hilal Turkoglu; Edirisinghe, MohanProgesterone-loaded poly(lactic) acid fibrous polymeric patches were produced using electrospinning and pressurized gyration for infra-vaginal application to prevent preterm birth. The patches were intravaginally inserted into rats in the final week of their pregnancy, equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy. Maintenance tocolysis with progesterone-loaded patches was elucidated by recording the contractile response of uterine smooth muscle to noradrenaline in pregnant rats. Both progesterone-loaded patches indicated similar results from release and thermal studies, however, patches obtained by electrospinning had smaller average diameters and more uniform dispersion compared to pressurized gyration. Patches obtained by pressurized gyration had better results in production yield and tensile strength than electrospinning; thereby pressurized gyration is better suited for scaled-up production. The patches did not affect cell attachment, viability, and proliferation on Vero cells negatively. Consequently, progesterone-loaded patches are a novel and successful treatment strategy for preventing preterm birth.Article Citation - WoS: 11Citation - Scopus: 20The Taylor Series Method and Trapezoidal Rule on Time Scales(Elsevier Science inc, 2020) Georgiev, Svetlin G.; Erhan, Inci M.The Taylor series method for initial value problems associated with dynamic equations of first order on time scales with delta differentiable graininess function is introduced. The trapezoidal rule for the same types of problems is derived and applied to specific examples. Numerical results are presented and discussed. (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Article Citation - WoS: 44Citation - Scopus: 45A Novel Electrochromic and Fluorescent Polythienylpyrrole Bearing 1,1′-Bipyrrole(Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, 2009) Cihaner, Atilla; Mert, Olcay; Demir, Ayhan S.A novel conducting polymer was successfully synthesized via electropolymerization of 1-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrrole. The electrochemical and electro-optical properties of the corresponding polymer, which was the first example of polymer containing 1,1'-bipyrrole units, were elaborated using electroanalytical and spectroscopic techniques. Cyclic voltammograms and electro-optical studies showed that the polymer has a stable and well-defined reversible redox process as well as electrochromic behavior. The processable polymer film also possessed a yellowish orange light emitter property. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Article Citation - WoS: 18Citation - Scopus: 18Metagenomic and Chemical Analysis of Tarhana During Traditional Fermentation Process(Elsevier, 2021) Soyucok, Ali; Yurt, Mediha Nur Zafer; Altunbas, Osman; Ozalp, Veli Cengiz; Sudagidan, MertTarhana is one of the favourable traditional fermented food consumed as a soup. Different flour, vegetables, spices and yogurt are main constituents and they compose of microbiota of Tarhana. In this study, bacterial communities in each fermentation process and in their constituents were identified by metagenomic analysis. Also, chemical properties (pH, acidity, salt content and dry matter) were analysed in each step. The results showed that in the dough formation, mainly Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus and Streptococcus were present and after Day 4, Clostridium and Bacillus became dominant, after drying Clostridium disappeared and in the final product bacterial communities from Bacillus and Streptococcus genus were observed. Chemical analysis showed that pH decreased from 4.94 to 4.46, acidity increased by time at the beginning of fermentation from 7.5% to 22.5% in first 6 days period, then, became stable at 14% in drying process. Salt content increased by time from 1.74 to 3.08 g salt/100 g Tarhana in first 8 days and in drying process salt content was recorded as 2.81-2.90 and dry matter was obtained as 94 g dry matter/100 g Tarhana in the final product. This study elucidated the effects of ingredients, raw materials and how microbiota and chemical properties changes during fermentation steps of home-made traditional Tarhana production and thus preparation methods could be developed to obtain standardized Tarhana products for industrial production in future.Article Citation - WoS: 19Citation - Scopus: 21Lyapunov Type Inequalities for Mixed Nonlinear Riemann-Liouville Fractional Differential Equations With a Forcing Term(Elsevier, 2017) Agarwal, Ravi P.; Ozbekler, AbdullahIn this paper, we present some new Lyapunov and Hartman type inequalities for Riemann-Liouville fractional differential equations of the form ((a)D(alpha)x)(t) + p(t) vertical bar x(t) vertical bar(mu-1) x(t) + q(t) vertical bar x(t) vertical bar(gamma-1) x(t) = f(t), where p, q, f are real-valued functions and 0 < gamma < 1 < mu < 2. No sign restrictions are imposed on the potential functions p, q and the forcing term f. The inequalities obtained generalize and compliment the existing results for the special cases of this equation in the literature. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
