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Metal contamination in the coastal zone of Gökova Gulf including special environmental protection area (Western Turkiye): Sediment quality indices and environmental implications
No full textThis study presents a comprehensive assessment of sediment quality and ecological risk in the Gökova Gulf (Aegean Sea), a designated Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA). Surface sediments from 73 stations were analyzed for grain size, organic carbon, calcium carbonate and 26 elemental concentrations. Enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution indices, and sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) were applied to evaluate contamination levels. Chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and arsenic (As) exceeded background values in many stations, with Cr and Ni surpassing probable effect levels (PEL) in 63 % and 95 % of samples, respectively. Spatial analysis revealed contamination hotspots in the southern and eastern sectors, linked to maritime traffic, wastewater discharge, and lithogenic inputs from peridotite-rich zones. Multivariate analyses (PCA, HCA) confirmed mixed geogenic and anthropogenic origins. The toxic risk index (TRI) highlighted considerable ecological threats, particularly from Ni and Cr, necessitating urgent mitigation strategies. These findings offer a robust scientific basis for sediment monitoring and coastal zone management in vulnerable semi-enclosed marine ecosystems
Evaluation of a commercial ELISA IgG antibody Kit for Orthoflavivirus nilense (West Nile Virus): Screening utility and comparison with virus neutralization test
No full textThe diagnostic performance of a commercially available ELISA IgG antibody test for Orthoflavivirus nilense (ONV, formerly West Nile Virus) was evaluated using the virus neutralization (VN) test as the reference method. A total of 494 previously collected human serum samples were analyzed. Of the 40 ELISA IgG antibody positive samples, 38 were confirmed by VN, while VN detected 41 positive samples in total. The ELISA IgG antibody test demonstrated a sensitivity of 92.68 %, specificity of 99.56 %, positive predictive value of 95.00 %, and negative predictive value of 99.34 %, with an overall accuracy of 98.99 %. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed a high discriminative performance (Area Under the Curve (AUC): 0.961). These results suggested that the ELISA IgG antibody test can serve as a rapid, economical, and automation-compatible screening assay for ONV antibody detection in outbreak settings and large-scale surveillance. However, due to potential cross-reactivity with antigenically related flaviviruses, all ELISA-reactive results must be confirmed by VN or plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) in compliance with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) guidance to ensure virus-type-specific antibody identification
Gender Distribution of Editorial Board Members in Palliative Care Journals: Assessment of Gender Parity
No full textObjective: Although the representation of women in palliative care has improved in recent years, gender inequality still exists in editorial leadership. This study aimed to characterize gender distribution in leadership positions on the editorial boards of palliative care journals. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed the gender composition of editorial boards for palliative care journals indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) and the factors that affect this composition. Information on the gender of editorial board members was obtained from each journal's website. Results: A total of 1388 editorial board members from 28 palliative care journals were included in the analysis. The data analysis showed that 540 (38.9%) of the editorial board members were women, while 848 (61.1%) were men. Of the 31 editors-in-chief, only 11 (35.5%) were women. Editorial boards of journals classified as social work (OR, 5.92, 95% CI, 2.29-15.30, p < 0.001) and nursing (OR, 4.20, 95% CI, 1.73-10.17, p = 0.001) in WoS coverage were independently associated with gender diversity. There were differences in gender representation between the editorial boards of palliative care journals published in New Zealand (OR, 0.49, 95% CI, 0.29-0.80, p = 0.005), Japan (OR, 0.17, 95% CI, 0.08-0.32, p < 0.001), and those categorized under oncology in WoS coverage (OR, 0.64, 95% CI, 0.05-0.89, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that women are underrepresented among editorial board members of palliative care journals. Additional efforts are required to broaden diversity policies in palliative care
Delineating the Central Anatolia Transition Zone (CATZ): Constraints from Integrated Geodetic (GNSS/InSAR) and Seismic Data
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Experimental Determination of Material Behavior Under Compression of a Carbon-Reinforced Epoxy Composite Boat Damaged by Slamming-like Impact
No full textCarbon-reinforced epoxy laminated composite (CREC) structures are increasingly utilizedin high-speed marine vehicles (HSMVs) due to their high specific strength and stiffness;however, they are frequently subjected to impact loads like slamming and aggressiveenvironmental agents during operation. This study experimentally investigates the CompressionAfter Impact (CAI) behavior of CREC plates with varying lamination sequencesunder both atmospheric and accelerated aging conditions. The samples were producedusing the vacuum-assisted resin infusion method with three specific orientation types:quasi-isotropic, cross-ply, and angle-ply. To simulate the marine environment, specimenswere subjected to accelerated aging in a salt fog and cyclic corrosion cabin for periodsof 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Before and following the aging process, low-velocity impact testswere conducted at an energy level of 30 J, after which the residual compressive strengthwas measured by CAI tests. At the end of the aging process, after the sixth week, theperformance of plates with different layer configuration characteristics can be summarizedas follows: Plates 1 and 2, which are quasi-isotropic, exhibit opposite behavior. Plate 1,with an initial toughness of 23,000 mJ, increases its performance to 27,000 mJ as it ages,while these values are around 27,000 and 17,000 mJ, respectively, for Plate 2. It is thoughtthat the difference in configurations creates this difference, and the presence of the 0◦ layerunder the effect of compression load at the beginning and end of the configuration hasa performance-enhancing effect. In Plates 3 and 4, which have a cross-ply configuration,almost the same performance is observed; the performance, which is initially 13,000 mJ,increases to around 23,000 mJ with the effect of aging. Among the options, angle-ply Plates5 and 6 demonstrate the highest performance with values around 35,000 mJ, along with anundefined aging effect. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-raySpectroscopy (EDS) analyses confirmed the presence of matrix cracking, fiber breakage,and salt accumulation (Na and Ca compounds) on the aged surfaces. The study concludesthat the impact of environmental aging on CRECs is not uniformly negative; while itdegrades certain configurations, it can enhance the toughness and energy absorption ofbrittle, cross-ply structures through matrix plasticization.</p
Solving assembly line balancing problems with reinforcement learning
No full textThis paper introduces and demonstrates the first direct application of a reinforcement learning algorithm to the standard assembly line balancing problem in literature. The proposed approach is computationally efficient and can be easily extended to other types of assembly line balancing problems. To assess its real-world applicability, the algorithm was applied to two case studies, demonstrating its effectiveness in achieving a balanced workload distribution while maintaining line efficiency. Additionally, a comprehensive comparative analysis was conducted, evaluating the performance of the reinforcement learning-based method against metaheuristic algorithms, the Computer Method of Sequencing Operations for Assembly Lines (COMSOAL) heuristic algorithm, and individual task assignment rules. The results highlight the superior capability of the proposed approach in minimizing workload variation across workstations. The statistical robustness of these findings is validated through Friedman, Wilcoxon signed-rank, paired-t, and Levene's tests. The proposed approach reliably achieved optimal solutions across a broad range of test cases, emphasizing its adaptability, reliability, and effectiveness in addressing assembly line balancing problems
Rubric-Based Assessment of Narrative Texts via Human-AI Collaboration: A Specialized GPT Model Approach
No full textThis study investigates whether narrative texts can be accurately and stably scored over time and whether effective formative feedback can subsequently be provided for these texts through human-AI collaboration. To this end, two models were employed: the default version of ChatGPT and the Text Assessment Tool (TAT), a GPT model specifically trained through a six-step process for this research purpose. 114 narrative texts were scored three times according to criteria in a rubric by both the specially trained and default models. The agreement levels of the scores given by TAT and default ChatGPT with the actual scores, as well as the stability of these scores over time, were examined. The results indicated that, in contrast to the performance of default ChatGPT, TAT's scores demonstrated high levels of agreement with the actual scores and maintained stability over time across all rubric categories, consistently surpassing the threshold and frequently indicating high reliability. Additionally, it was observed that the majority of the feedback generated by TAT met the criteria for effective feedback. Additionally, the feedback provided by TAT for the texts exceeded an 83% success rate in meeting effective feedback criteria across all categories. The statistical evidence presented in this study underscores that large language models, when specifically trained, can perform very well in scoring texts using a rubric and providing feedback. This is particularly promising for achieving fairer education, especially in large classes and situations where evaluators are overburdened