Browsing by Publisher "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH"
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Item Mechanical Characteristics of AA5083: AA6013 Weldment Joined With AlSi12 and AlSi5 Wires(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2013) Ayvaz M.; Cetinel H.Today, AA5083 and AA6013 aluminum alloys among wrought aluminum alloys are widely used in aerospace, shipbuilding and automotive industries. These aluminum alloys differ from each other from the point of view of weldability, endurance properties and being convenient for heat treatment. AA5083 and AA6013 are welded by the tungsten inert gas welding method with two different electrodes (AlSi12—AlSi5) and six different sample parameters have been obtained as 5083-AlSi12-5083, 5083-AlSi5-5083, 6013-AlSi12-6013, 6013-AlSi5-6013, 5083-AlSi12-6013, 5083-AlSi-6013. The mechanical properties of the samples were investigated by micro-hardness scans, tensile, Charpy impact and three point bending tests.In addition to these, some of the welding samples of 6013-AlSi12-6013, 6013-AlSi5-6013, 5083-AlSi12-6013, 5083-AlSi5-6013 which consist of 6013 alloy were exposed to ageing heat treatment, hardness scans, Charpy impact and three point bending tests. The obtained results have been analyzed and compared to previous results. © 2013, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.Item A Decision Support System for Role Assignment in Software Project Management with Evaluation of Personality Types(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2020) Celikten A.; Kurt E.; Cetin A.Recent studies show that personal factors in software engineering are effective on team performance, motivation and job quality. Forming team members or incorporation of a new member into the team that currently working on a software project directly affects the project team’s work performance and hence the progress of the project. In this study, a decision support system was developed to provide the ability to select team members according to personal characteristics in order to improve the performance of software project teams. The developed decision support system, determines the project roles that can be appropriate by analyzing the personality type of the project team members. The fuzzy c-means method, one of the fuzzy clustering methods, was used when the IPI personality inventory and personality type team members were determined to be appropriate to their personality type. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Item A matched Hermite-Taylor matrix method to solve the combined partial integro-differential equations having nonlinearity and delay terms(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2020) Yalçın E.; Kürkçü Ö.K.; Sezer M.In this study, a matched numerical method based on Hermite and Taylor matrix-collocation techniques is developed to obtain the numerical solutions of a combination of the partial integro-differential equations (PIDEs) under Dirichlet boundary conditions, which involve the nonlinearity, delay and Volterra integral terms. These type equations govern wide variety applications in physical sense. The present method easily constitutes the matrix relations of the linear and nonlinear terms in a considered PIDE, using the eligibilities of the Hermite and Taylor polynomials. It thus directly produces a polynomial solution by eliminating a matrix system of nonlinear algebraic functions gathered from the matrix relations. Besides, the validity and precision of the method are tested on stiff examples by fulfilling several error computations. One can state that the method is fast, validate and productive according to the numerical and graphical results © 2020, SBMAC - Sociedade Brasileira de Matemática Aplicada e Computacional.Item Nitric oxide regulates watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) responses to drought stress(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2020) Hamurcu M.; Khan M.K.; Pandey A.; Ozdemir C.; Avsaroglu Z.Z.; Elbasan F.; Omay A.H.; Gezgin S.The role of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) application in alleviating drought stress responses by enhancing the antioxidant activities in plants is well established for several species. However, none of the studies reported its role in protecting the watermelon genotypes from drought stress. In this study, we aimed to observe the effect of NO application on the physiological and biochemical responses of the two watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) genotypes grown under drought stress conditions by treating the plants with 15% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) and 100 µM sodium nitroprusside (SNP), which is a NO donor in Hoagland solution. Among the two genotypes, one genotype, KAR 98 was drought tolerant; while another, KAR 147 was drought sensitive. Drought stress showed a decrease in the growth parameters of both the genotypes; however, as expected it was higher in the susceptible genotype, KAR 147. NO application could not prevent the reductions in the growth parameters; however, it reduced the increment in malondialdehyde (MDA) content caused by the drought stress in both watermelon genotypes. Moreover, while drought stress condition reduced the ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and peroxidase (POX) activities in both genotypes, NO + PEG application increased the APX activity in the tolerant genotype, KAR 98. Though the obtained results does not show the direct involvement of NO in increasing drought tolerance of watermelon plants, the increase in the APX antioxidant enzyme activity on NO application under drought stress confirmed its role in protecting the watermelon genotypes from the oxidative damage caused by the drought stress. Moreover, it can be concluded that the effect of NO application on watermelons’ responses towards drought stress condition may vary according to the specific genotypes. As to date none of the studies reported the effect of NO application on the antioxidant activity of watermelon genotypes under drought stress, the present study may provide information about the mechanisms that can be focused to improve drought stress tolerance of watermelon genotypes. © 2020, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.Item Nonstationary Vibrations of Piezoelectric Atomizer: Experimental Analysis and Mathematical Model(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2020) Sarı G.; Aydın Y.N.The nonstationary vibrations of an atomizer with time-varying drop mass were investigated in this study. The atomizer made use of brass and piezoceramic discs driven by a sine input voltage. When the acceleration applied by the piezoelectric disc reached a critical value, small droplets were ejected from the surface of the mass and the liquid drop mass decreased with respect to time. This study consisted of two parts. In the experimental one, a laser vibrometer was used to measure displacements and accelerations of the disc, while in the theoretical part, a mathematical model was developed for different applied acceleration values. It was observed that the atomization rates of the drop were exponentially proportional to applied accelerations. In the theoretical part, the mathematical model was developed for the behaviour of the atomizer with time-varying drop mass. The nonlinear equation of motion was solved analytically by means of the multiple scales method. The nonstationary response of the system obtained numerically and experimentally was compared. It was found that the experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical solution. The aim of this work was to determine the effects of initial accelerations on the atomization rates, as well as mass variation and initial drop mass on the transient behaviour of the system. The authors concluded that the duration of the transient behaviour and the displacement amplitude of the system increased as the initial drop mass and atomization rate increased with acceleration. © 2020, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.Item Clinical performance of ASAS Health Index in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: real-world evidence from Multicenter Nationwide Registry(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2020) Akgul O.; Bodur H.; Ataman S.; Yurdakul F.G.; Capkin E.; Gurer G.; Sezer I.; Duruoz M.T.; Melikoglu M.A.; Cay H.F.; Rezvani A.; Yagci I.; Gogus F.; Kamanli A.; Cevik R.The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS HI) is used as a new instrument in measuring the function, disability and health of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). However, the real-world evidence of ASAS HI is very limited. In the present study, our objective is to evaluate the psychometric properties and performance of ASAS HI in the real-world setting as well as comparing ASAS HI with the current instruments to assess the construct validity and determine the cut-off points in patients with both ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA). A total of 991 patients with axSpA who fulfilled either the ASAS classification criteria for axial SpA (axSpA) or the Modified New York Criteria (mNY) for AS were recruited from the Biologic and targeted Synthetic antirheumatic drugs Registry (BioStaR) SpA. The construct validity of ASAS HI against the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activities Index (BASDAI) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score–C-Reactive Protein (ASDAS-CRP) the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional index (BASFI) was performed. Using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis, the cut-off points were calculated. Of all the recruited patients, 851 (85.9%) were AS and 140 (14.1%) were nr-axSpA. The difference in the mean ASAS HI scores of the patients with AS and the ones with nr-axSpA were not statistically significant (6.12 ± 4.29 and 6.42 ± 4.86, respectively). The mean ASAS HI score was significantly higher in females and small city residents. The ASAS HI had a strong construct validity against ASDAS-CRP, BASDAI and BASFI. A cut-off point of ≤ 4 was determined to discriminate good and moderate, as well as ≥ 12 to discriminate moderate and poor health status. In conclusion, ASAS HI is a reliable instrument to evaluate health and functioning for both patients with AS and nr-axSpA in clinical practice. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item Aggregometry Response to Half-dose Prasugrel in Flow-diverting Stent Implantation(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2020) Oran I.; Cinar C.; Gok M.; Duzgun F.Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether half-dose loading (30 mg) of prasugrel is sufficient to achieve adequate platelet inhibition, and whether such a loading dose of prasugrel together with aspirin followed by a 10 mg/day prasugrel maintenance, could serve as a first-line antiplatelet strategy for patients undergoing flow-diverting stent (FDS) implantation. Methods: Data from a group of consecutive patients treated for intracranial aneurysm with FDS were retrospectively collected. Platelet P2Y12 receptor responsiveness was assessed by a rapid platelet function test just prior to the procedure. All ischemic and hemorrhagic complications as well as morbidity and mortality rates were documented. Results: A total of 138 patients with 153 aneurysms (32 were symptomatic and 121 were incidental) underwent FDS treatment in a total of 147 loading sessions. Adequate platelet inhibition was obtained in 136/138 (98.5%) patients and 145/147 (98.6%) loading sessions. Overall, there was one case of (hemorrhagic) mortality (0.7%), one of (ischemic) morbidity (0.7%), one of symptomatic (hemorrhagic) clinical complications without permanent deficits (0.7%), and six transient ischemic attacks (4.1%). The 6‑month control angiography, available for all patients, revealed a 95.4% aneurysm occlusion rate. Conclusion: Half-dose (30 mg) prasugrel loading results in effective platelet P2Y12 receptor inhibition in more than 98% of patients. Dual antiaggregant loading with half dose prasugrel followed by prasugrel maintenance as a first-line therapy appears to be feasible in patients treated with FDS implantation for intracranial aneurysm. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item Experimental and numerical investigation of thermal performance in solar air heater with conical surface(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Abuşka M.; Kayapunar A.The absorber plate surface modifications of a solar air heater (SAH) increase the convective heat transfer rate of the inlet air. Forced convection heat transfer of air in a SAH with a staggered arrangement of conical obstacles has been carried out experimentally and numerically at mass flow rates (0.04, 0.08, and 0.1 kg/s) under ambient conditions for the aim of to enhance the thermal efficiency and to create proper volume for heat storage material in terms of the effectiveness of the SAH. The thermal efficiency for the absorber with conical obstacles was 14.0, 14.6, and 11.8% higher than the flat absorber plate for the mass flow rates, respectively. The results show that the number of Nusselt obtained in conical surface experiments was highest for all cases tested regardless of Reynolds number. The experimental results are compared with the numerical results obtained by the CFD method. The model results indicate good agreement with the experimental results. Also, the results show that the heat transfer in front of the conical elements is high, and the back is low; in the smooth absorber, a linear velocity distribution is seen along the channel; however, in the conical surface absorber, the velocity distribution due to turbulence is very variable. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item Statistical analysis and susceptibility properties of heavy/light metal pollution in surface seawater of Izmir Bay(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Sabikoglu I.The inner bay of Izmir is known as the part between Sasalı/Karşıyaka coastline and Güzelbahçe/Bayraklı. It is used extensively in transportation. There is constant ferry transportation and an international port operates in this region. There are also a few streams that flow into the inner bay. Therefore, the inner bay can be exposed to continuous chemical pollutants, and these wastes can intensively be observed in its natural structure. In this study, the magnetic susceptibility values and elemental analyses of the samples taken from the surface sea waters of the inner bay coastline were performed. Silicon, strontium, and manganese elements were mostly observed in the samples. The greatest susceptibility values were seen in the Bostanlı ferry port and Göztepe ferry. In addition, the standard deviation and correlation coefficient values of the samples were calculated and discussed. According to the correlation coefficient value, it can be said that there is a positive correlation between metal ion ratios and magnetic susceptibility. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item Clinical performance of rheumatoid arthritis impact of disease score: a real-life evidence from the multicenter nationwide registry BioStaR(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Melikoglu M.A.; Ataman S.; Bodur H.; Cay H.F.; Capkin E.; Akgul O.; Cevik R.; Gogus F.; Kamanli A.; Yurdakul F.G.; Gurer G.; Yagci I.; Rezvani A.; Duruoz M.T.; Sunar I.The rheumatoid arthritis impact of disease (RAID) score was developed as a patient-derived composite response index for the evaluation of the disease impact on cases with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and performance of RAID score in the real-life settings. Cases with RA from our multi-center, nationwide registry called Biologic and targeted Synthetic antirheumatic drugs Registry RA (BioStaR RA) were included in this cross-sectional observational study. Demographic data, disease duration, pain, patient’s global assessment (PGA) and physician’s global assessment (PhyGA) were recorded. DAS28-ESR, DAS28-CRP, the simplified disease activity index (SDAI) and the clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were assessed as disease activity evaluations. The health assessment questionnaire-disability index (HAQ-DI) and RAID were completed by all the participants. The construct validity was tested by the analysis of correlations between RAID score and scores of PGA, disease activity indexes and HAQ-DI. We also evaluated the discriminatory ability of RAID to distinguish patients with different levels of disease activity and disability and the cut-off values were calculated by ROC analysis. 585 cases with RA were included in this investigation. The RAID score was significantly positively correlated with PGA, all disease activity indexes and HAQ-DI (p < 0.001). The discriminatory ability of RAID score in different disease activity and disability groups was also demonstrated (p < 0.001). To estimate DAS28-ESR (remission/low + moderate + high), RAID score cut-off points were 2.88 (sensitivity 73%, specificity 62%), 3.23 (sensitivity 75%, specificity 60%) and 3.79 (sensitivity 74%, specificity 58%), respectively. Our study indicated that RAID was a reliable tool in daily clinical practice by presenting its correlations with disease activity and disability assessments and by showing its discriminatory ability in these parameters in the real-life experiences. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item Determination of sand fly fauna and molecular detection of Leishmania in sand flies in Antalya Province, Southern Turkey(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Arserim S.K.; Çetin H.; Karakuş M.; Demir S.; Ser Ö.; Töz S.; Balcioğlu I.C.; Ölgen M.K.; Yilmaz B.; Özbel Y.Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are diseases transmitted by infected female sand flies. Since the eradication of malaria in Turkey, CL is the main vector-borne disease in the country, with more than 2000 cases per year, making it a significant public health problem. The aims of this study were to carry out an entomological survey in Antalya Province, an endemic area for CL in the Mediterranean Region of Turkey, to identify sand fly fauna and to screen female specimens for the presence of Leishmania parasites (Leishmania infantum, L. tropica, L. major, and L. donovani) using molecular analysis. Sand flies were collected in 42 localities of seven districts in Antalya Province using CDC miniature light traps in two different periods, June 2012 and September 2013. The specimens were kept in 96% ethanol until the dissection was done. The head and genitalia of the specimens were cut for preparing individual slides for species identification. The rest of the body of female specimens was kept separately. The specimens were identified at the species level, and 27 pools were generated according to the locations and species for screening the presence of Leishmania. A commercial kit was used for DNA extractions. Real-time and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1) were then performed. In total, 1306 specimens comprising nine species belonging to the Phlebotomus genus were collected in the study region, with Phlebotomus neglectus/syriacus (38.82%) the most abundant, followed by P. alexandri (21.67%) and P. tobbi (20.44%). In the 27 pools, Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in four pools containing P. neglectus/syriacus and one pool containing P. tobbi. In conclusion, the sand fly fauna in the Antalya Province is diverse. The probable vector sand fly species are P. neglectus/syriacus and P. tobbi with high dominance (59.26%), which indicates a high risk of CL transmission. The data presented here may help to shed more light on the transmission cycles of the Leishmania parasite in this CL endemic area. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Item A new efficient technique for solving modified Chua’s circuit model with a new fractional operator(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) De la Sen M.; Deniz S.; Sözen H.Chua’s circuit is an electronic circuit that exhibits nonlinear dynamics. In this paper, a new model for Chua’s circuit is obtained by transforming the classical model of Chua’s circuit into novel forms of various fractional derivatives. The new obtained system is then named fractional Chua’s circuit model. The modified system is then analyzed by the optimal perturbation iteration method. Illustrations are given to show the applicability of the algorithms, and effective graphics are sketched for comparison purposes of the newly introduced fractional operators. © 2021, The Author(s).Item Primary closure of superior partial sternal cleft in a 2-month-old girl: case report(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Tanriverdi H.I.; Doğaneroğlu F.; Genç A.; Yılmaz Ö.Background: Sternal cleft is a quite rare malformation. It is seen 1 out of 100,000 live births and makes up less than 1% of all chest wall deformities, seen more often among females. The deformity can be partial or complete. Partial deformities can be superior or inferior. It is generally diagnosed at birth when paradoxical respiratory movements are seen. Patients are often asymptomatic when they are born and generally other abnormalities accompany. As sternal clefts can be repaired primarily at early ages, they are repaired using autologous or synthetic grafts in the following years. We present a 2-month-old girl with superior partial sternal cleft repaired primary and accompanying hemangiomas in this case report. Case presentation: A girl who was born in another center and had a sternal cleft, who did not have any problems in the early period, was admitted to our hospital with respiratory distress at the age of 43 days. The patient was monitored with mechanical ventilator support, and there were hemangiomas around his left ear and lips. There were paradoxical respiratory movements in front of the heart, in the upper midline of the chest. Three-dimensional computed tomography showed that the upper part of the sternum did not develop, and there were hypoplasic sternal bars on both sides. It was evaluated as superior partial sternal cleft, and surgery was planned. In the operation, the sternal bars were released from the pericardium and pleura. The periosteum in the medial of both sternal bars was then released and connected in the midline, in front of the pericardium. Conclusion: Although neonates with a sternal cleft are asymptomatic at birth, respiratory symptoms may develop in later periods. In addition, because the structures are more flexible in the neonatal period, the primary repair of the cleft is easier and the risk of cardiac compression is lower. In our case, sternal bars could be approached primary, and no chondral grafts, patches, or steel wires were required. © 2021, The Author(s).Item Two challenging cases of pituicytoma(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Ozisik H.; Yurekli B.S.; Simsir I.Y.; Ertan Y.; Eraslan C.; Ozdemir N.; Ozgiray E.; Saygili F.Introduction: Pituicytoma is a rare tumor of the pituitary gland derived from neurohypophyseal pituicytes. Case 1: A 58-year-old female presented with decreased vision; she was admitted to the neurosurgery department of Ege University after the detection of a pituitary macroadenoma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 28 * 18 * 17-mm suprasellar mass, and laboratory tests revealed hypopituitarism. Hydrocortisone and L-thyroxine treatment were initiated, and the patient underwent resection through the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA). The histopathological examination revealed a pituicytoma. The recurrence of tumor was detected during the 1-year follow-up, and the patient is awaiting surgery. Case 2: A 70-year-old woman presented with visual changes; she had a past medical history of hypophyseal macroadenoma and pituicytoma resected through an EEA in 2012 and 2017, respectively. During follow-up, 2 years after the second surgery, MRI showed progression of the pituicytoma then measuring 38 × 23 × 22 mm; it had invaded the cavernous sinus and was causing hydrocephaly and panhypopituitarism. The patient underwent the third resection through the transcranial approach in order to minimize bleeding. After this surgery, the patient developed diabetes insipidus and underwent treatment with desmopressin. Histopathological examination revealed a pituicytoma. At 6-month follow-up, imaging showed a sellar suprasellar mass 37 × 22 × 24 mm invading the cavernous sinus, indicative of recurrence. In the postoperative period, the patient applied to the department of radiation oncology to have fractionated radiotherapy. Discussion: Pituicytomas are known to be low-grade tumors; because of their rarity, they are a real challenge. These patients should be followed up closely. © 2021, Hellenic Endocrine Society.Item Biochemical characteristics and calcium and PTH levels of patients with high normal and elevated serum 25(OH)D levels in Turkey: DeVIT-TOX survey(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Pekkolay Z.; Yavuz D.G.; Saygılı E.S.; Değertekin C.K.; Topaloğlu Ö.; Önder Ç.E.; Soylu H.; Taskaldıran I.; Pazır A.E.; Uğur K.; Tanrıkulu S.; Fırat S.N.; Atak B.M.; Batman A.; Omma T.; Cağıltay E.; Özdemir N.; Altuntaş S.Ç.; İmga N.N.; Karakılıç E.; Hekimsoy Z.; Kılınç F.; Yay A.; Eroğlu M.; Tuzcu A.K.Summary: Vitamin D intake over the recommended dose is usually associated with high serum 25(OH)D levels and generally not associated with symptoms of hypercalcemia. High doses of cholecalciferol need to be avoided to protect against vitamin D toxicity and related complications. Strict adherence to the clinical guidelines for treating vitamin D deficiency can ensure safe and effective treatment. Purpose: We observed a tendency to use high doses of cholecalciferol for vitamin D deficiency treatment or vitamin D supplementation. We aimed to determine the biochemical characteristics of patients with high normal and elevated serum 25(OH)D levels. Methods: An online invitation was sent to all tertiary endocrinology clinics in Turkey to complete an online retrospective survey (DeVIT-TOX Survey) for patients diagnosed with high serum 25(OH)D levels (> 88 ng/mL) between January 2019 and December 2019. The patients were evaluated according to the presence of signs and symptoms of hypercalcemia and doses of vitamin D intake, evaluated into the following three groups according to their 25(OH)D levels: group 1, > 150 ng/mL; group 2, 149–100 ng/mL; and group 3, 99–88 ng/mL. Results: A total of 253 patients were included in the final analysis (female/male: 215/38; mean age, 51.5 ± 15.6 years). The average serum 25(OH)D level was 119.9 ± 33 (range, 88–455) ng/mL, and the average serum calcium level was 9.8 ± 0.7 (range, 8.1–13.1) mg/dL. Most (n = 201; 75.4%) patients were asymptomatic despite having high serum 25(OH)D and calcium levels. The serum 25(OH)D level was significantly higher in the symptomatic groups than in the asymptomatic groups (138.6 ± 64 ng/mL vs. 117.7 ± 31 ng/mL, p < 0.05). The most common cause (73.5%) associated with high serum 25(OH)D levels was the inappropriate prescription of a high dose of oral vitamin D (600.000–1.500.000 IU) for treating vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in a short time (1–3 months). The cut-off value of 25 (OH) D level in patients with hypercalcemia was found to be 89 ng/mL [median 116.5 (89–216)]. Conclusions: High dose of vitamin D intake is associated with a high serum 25 OH D level, without symptoms of hypercalcemia. Inappropriate prescription of vitamin D is the primary cause for elevated 25(OH) D levels and related hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia may not be observed in every patient at very high 25(OH) D levels. Adherence to the recommendation of guidelines is essential to ensure safe and effective treatment of vitamin D deficiency. © 2021, International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation.Item Determination of the relationship between mortality and SOFA, qSOFA, MASCC scores in febrile neutropenic patients monitored in the intensive care unit(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Cetintepe T.; Cetintepe L.; Solmaz S.; Calık S.; Ugur M.C.; Gediz F.; Bilgir O.Purpose: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a hematological emergency. It is challenging and confusing for the clinicians to make the decision of the febrile neutropenic patients under chemotherapy to be monitored at intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study was to define the factors supporting decision-making for the critical patients with febrile neutropenia. Methods: The data of 60 patients, who were taken to the ICU while they were under treatment in the Hematology Clinic with a diagnosis of febrile neutropenia, were analyzed retrospectively, in order to identify clinically useful prognostic parameters. Results: The ICU mortality rate was 80%. Mortality was significantly associated with higher sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA), quick sequential organ failure assessment score (qSOFA), and hematological SOFA (SOFAhem) scores on admission. All cases having SOFA score 10 and above and qSOFA score 2 and above died. In multivariate analysis, qSOFA score was found to be statistically significant in predicting mortality in regard to ICU admission (p = 0.004). Conclusion: Mortality of febrile neutropenic patients admitted to ICU is high. It would be appropriate to determine the extent of organ dysfunction instead of underlying disease, for making the decision of ICU admission. It should be noticed that the risk mortality is high for the FN cases with SOFA score 10 or above, qSOFA score 2 or above, and in need of mechanical ventilation and positive inotropic support; hence, early intervention is recommended. In our study, the most significant parameter in predicting ICU mortality was found to be qSOFA. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.Item The Toxicity of Essential Oils From Three Origanum Species Against Head Louse, Pediculus humanus capitis(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Arserim S.K.; Cetin H.; Yildirim A.; Limoncu M.E.; Cinbilgel I.; Kaya T.; Ozbel Y.; Balcioglu I.C.Purpose: Pediculosis caused by human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Anoplura: Pediculidae) is a public health problem with a high prevalence, especially among children in school age. Different chemical pediculicides (insecticides) are used against lice but the repeated application of these pediculicides for the treatment of P. humanus capitis infestation in the past decades has resulted in the development of resistance. The plant essential oils have been used as alternative sources of lice treatment agents. Pediculicidal activity of the essential oils of three Origanum species (O. onites, O. majorana and O. minutiflorum) against P. humanus capitis adults was examined in this study. Methods: Essential oils from aerial parts of three Origanum species were obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus. P. humanus capitis specimens used were obtained from infested children by combing method at primary schools. Adult lice were exposed to three dilutions (1%, 0.5% and 0.1% w/v) of tested oils for 5 min using the adult immersion test. Results: According to the results, all Origanum essential oils at 1% concentration have been shown to significantly decrease the rate of limb, bowel and abdomen movements, producing more than 90% mortality after 12 h. Conclusion: Our results indicated that Origanum essential oils can be used for the development of new pediculicides against head louse. © 2021, Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences.Item Value-based application in urban area design studies(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Güngör R.; İnam Ş.Zoning practice is an important study used to ensure planned sustainability in the urban area and to create the city infrastructure. Until recently, studies on zoning practice have been in the form of method applications to create zoning parcels ready for construction and to provide urban reinforcement areas. Although there are various methods that can be used in the implementation of the zoning plan, the preferred method was the ‘land arrangement (LA) on a determined site’. According to the implementing legislation in Turkey, the arrangement studies are carried out with the ‘equal proportion’ approach. In this application, for the purpose of supplying the urban reinforcement areas stipulated by the plan, up to 45% of each parcel included in the regulation is deducted free of charge under the name of ‘Rearrangement Participation Share (RPS)’; the remaining part is given as zoning parcel. This situation is contrary to the principle of the Turkish Legal System that ‘in land arrangement studies, free deductions are made in return for the increase in the value of the immovable as a result of the zoning plan and its implementation’. Therefore, based on the ‘equivalence’ approach instead of ‘equivalence’ in the free RPS deduction transaction, there is a need for a universal evaluation that ensures the equality of the parcel value before and after the arrangement. In this study, our purpose is to examine the area-value relationship of the zoning parcels allocated to the cadastral parcels with different distribution methods before the arrangement within the scope of land arrangements. In this direction, graphic and vector data were obtained from the relevant public institutions and private offices. In the application of two different value-based methods, ‘factors affecting value’ and ‘market fair values’ were used to determine parcel values. With these values obtained, a zoning application with the content of arrangement was made, and the results of the zoning parcel allocation were examined with the help of regression analysis. The results were tested by comparing the value-based zoning proposal with the still-applied proportionality method. As a result of the application, it was determined that the majority of the parcels allocated in the current proportionality method ‘were given more value than their intrinsic value’. © 2021, Saudi Society for Geosciences.Item A Comprehensive Study for Assessing Parameters Influencing Tensile Strength Behaviour of Fine-Grained and Coarse-Grained Soils(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Reddy P.S.; Huang H.; Huang X.; Erzin Y.; Guixiong M.; Garg A.; Rao B.H.Development of tensile cracks in earthen structures is majorly controlled by tensile strength, which is affected by a number of parameters. The influence of different soil properties and their relative dominance on tensile strength characteristics of both fine- and coarse-grained soils has been brought out by systematic investigations using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique, in the present study. A few important soil parameters considered are degree of saturation, dry density, porosity, suction, plasticity index, fines content, relative density, average particle diameter, and sand content. Several ANN models, independently for fine- and coarse-grained soils, consisting of minimum one to a maximum six input parameters have been developed. Results demonstrate that influence of parameter(s) is distinct on tensile strength of fine- and coarse-grained soils. Results also clearly manifested usefulness of ANN tool to discern which parameter(s) could largely govern the tensile behaviour of soils. Amongst many parameters, fines content, sand content and average particle diameter are found prominently influencing and ascribed as must to include parameters for determining the tensile strength of soils respectively. It has been noticed that the significance of these grain size parameters is analogous to microstructural hydromechanics of soil and, thereby, accounted for universal tensile behaviour of soils. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.Item Scheduling of the Shuttle Freight Train Services for Dry Ports Using Multimethod Simulation–Optimization Approach(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2021) Yıldırım M.S.; Karaşahin M.; Gökkuş Ü.This paper introduces a simulation–optimization method for addressing scheduling problems for shuttle freight trains (SFTs) in a shared railway corridor between a seaport and dry port. We use dispatching delays for scheduling the SFT trips so as to not disturb the existing scheduled regular train (SRT) paths. The method employs a multi-method microscopic simulation model and an optimization framework. A swarm-based optimization algorithm is used for finding the best dispatching delays to preserve SRT paths. The method is demonstrated for a railway corridor between the Alsancak seaport and a close-distance dry port. The railway corridor is modeled using a simulation model considering single and double railway tracks, stations, and schedules. By running the simulation–optimization, the SFT freight transport capacity and the quality of the SFT and SRT operations were compared using key performance indicators (number of completed trips and station stops, average trip delay, and average station delay) addressing the throughput and punctuality after the application of dispatching delays. The results show that, by preserving the existing SRT paths, freight transport capacity decreased by 11.1% (from 18 to 16 completed SFT trips) and 13.8% (from 36 to 31 completed SFT trips) for single and couple SFT scenarios, respectively. The methodology also decreased the average SFT station delays by 45.2% and 45.6% for the single and couple SFT scenarios comparing with the unoptimized SFT trips. However, the number of SFT station stops increased by 12.5% and 57.1% for the single and couple SFT scenarios for prioritizing the SRTs. Also after the optimization, the average SFT trip delays decreased by 30.7% and 0.58% for the single and couple SFT scenarios. This study successfully demonstrates that the proposed method can be used for scheduling the SFT trips inside a congested railway corridor and can be implemented as a capacity assessment tool for cyclic SFT service using a series of key performance indicators addressing throughput and punctuality. © 2020, Iran University of Science and Technology.