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Microplastic Distribution and Composition in Various Ecosystems of the Marmara Region: Current Gaps and Research Needs
Get PDFMicroplastics are ubiquitous worldwide and are increasingly recognized as a significant environmental problem. In Türkiye, research on microplastics has expanded over the years, providing valuable insights into the issue. However, studies focusing on different ecosystems are still limited and critical knowledge gaps have not been filled. The aim of this study, therefore, is to compare the composition of microplastics in five different ecosystems—marine water, freshwater, marine sediment, freshwater sediment and soil—across Istanbul and the Marmara region, while also identifying similarities and potential sources of pollution. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for more comprehensive research on microplastic pollution and its prevention within the different ecosystems of the region. For this purpose, a total of 26 studies were reviewed, in which 312 samples were collected from 304 stations, 222 of which were located in Istanbul. These stations were categorized by ecosystem type and the predominant composition of microplastics. Results revealed that there is a lack of studies on microplastics in surface waters and soil samples at various locations in Istanbul. While studies in the Marmara region have primarily focused on surface water samples from different locations in the Sea of Marmara, research on lentic and lotic systems, sediments and soils is still insufficient. The results also show that various environmental and anthropogenic factors, including water currents and direction, meteorological conditions, maritime traffic, human and industrial activities, proximity to residential areas and wastewater treatment plants, and atmospheric transport influence the concentration and composition of microplastics. In addition, seasonal and annual variations and the effect of station depth on the accumulation of microplastics were observed. Given that, the analyzed stations represent only a small fraction of the region’s ecosystems, this study underlines the urgent need for further research to address existing knowledge gaps. The lack of comprehensive studies hinders the effective management of plastic and microplastic litter in the Marmara region. To enable meaningful comparisons at both local and international scales, adapting standardized methodologies in microplastic research is essential
Development of Fractional Newton-Type Inequalities Through Extended Integral Operators
Get PDFThis paper introduces a new class of Newton-type inequalities (NTIs) within the framework of extended fractional integral operators. This study begins by establishing a fundamental identity for generalized fractional Riemann-Liouville (FR-L) operators, which forms the basis for deriving various inequalities under different assumptions on the integrand. In particular, fractional counterparts of the classical 1/3 and 3/8 Simpson rules are obtained when the modulus of the first derivative is convex. The analysis is further extended to include functions that satisfy a Lipschitz condition or have bounded first derivatives. Moreover, an additional NTI is presented for functions of bounded variation, expressed in terms of their total variation. In all scenarios, the proposed results reduce to classical inequalities when the fractional parameters are specified accordingly, thus offering a unified perspective on numerical integration through fractional operators.King Khalid UniversityPrincess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University [PNURSP2025R337][RGP.2/163/46]This research was funded by King Khalid University, Grant (RGP.2/163/46) and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Grant (PNURSP2025R337)
Anticancer activities of coumarins and their structure–activity relationships
Get PDFCoumarins are naturally occurring compounds consisting of a 1,2-benzopyrone ring system. They exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, analgesic, anticoagulant, and anticancer. These compounds have attracted attention in cancer therapy by targeting a number of pathways. Among them, the main mechanism is based on cell cycle blockage and initiation of programmed cell death like apoptosis or autophagy. The recognition of the main structural features in coumarin is vital for the design and development of new analogs with enhanced activity and for the characterization of their mechanism of action and potential side effects. This chapter will highlight the key structure–activity relationships studies performed on coumarin derivates. Key structural features of the coumarin scaffold where substitutions can increase or decrease the anticancer activity of hit molecules will be discussed. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved
A Comprehensive Review on ISAC for 6G: Enabling Technologies, Security, and AI/ML Perspectives
Get PDFIntegrated sensing and communication (ISAC) has received significant attention over the past five years as a key component of the 6G vision for next-generation communication systems. Starting with the fundamentals of ISAC, we present strategies focused on sensing-centric and communication-centric ISAC systems that satisfy both radar and communication objectives using the same physical hardware and waveform. The communication-centric ISAC focuses primarily on improving communication performance beyond 5G/6G cellular networks and Wi-Fi standards, while also performing additional processing required for detection. On the other hand, the sensing-centric ISAC prioritizes sensing and detection capabilities while incorporating communication functions in the most efficient way possible. In this survey, we present a comprehensive review of both ISAC systems along with new approaches for enabling technologies and highlight unique challenges and existing solutions that are already available. We explore the roles of innovative functions in enabling ISAC, including joint waveform design, edge computing, vehicular sensing and communications, and their practical applications. We then discuss 3GPP standardization efforts related to ISAC as a future direction for the 6G vision. We also outline possible future research directions, with a specific emphasis on security, artificial intelligence, and machine learning
Investigation of the Relationships between Selected Anthropometric Characteristics, Anaerobic Power and Leg Strength in Child Windsurfing Athletes
Get PDFAim: Windsurfing is a sportive, adventure activity that can be done by individuals of all ages after a training process. This study was conducted to determine the relationships between selected anthropometric characteristics, leg strength and anaerobic power in windsurfing athletes aged 10-15 years. Material and Methods: A total of 18 athletes from Marmara Sailing Club (age: 12.83 ±2.20 years, height: 151.50 ±13.24 cm, body weight: 45.94 ±11.48 kg, body mass index: 20.25 ±3.00 kg/m²) participated voluntarily. Participating athletes were selected from those who have been actively surfing for at least 1 year. Some anthropometric (height, body weight, body mass index, leg length, sitting height) and motoric (leg strength, vertical jump, anaerobic power) tests were performed. The data were analyzed by Spearman Correlation analysis. Results: As a result of the analysis, it was determined that there were highly statistically significant between height and anaerobic power, sitting height and leg length, highly significant relationships between body weight and anaerobic power, leg length, sitting height and body mass index, highly significant relationships between anaerobic power and sitting height, age and leg length, moderately significant relationships between sitting height and age and moderately significant relationships between leg strength and anaerobic power. Conclusion: It can be said that anaerobic power can be positively affected if athletes are selected by paying attention to anthropometric characteristics. Coaches in the windsurfing branch are recommended to make athlete selection and training plans by considering these results
Attracting Volunteers Through Social Media Marketing in Environmental Organizations
Get PDFNowadays, environmental organizations have strategically leveraged social media platforms to raise environmental awareness, promote pro-environmental behavior, manage environmental campaigns, and encourage environmental volunteerism. This study aims to investigate the impact of social media marketing activities conducted by environmental organizations on followers' pro-environmental behaviors and their intentions to engage in environmental volunteering. The research sample consists of social media users who follow the ten most prominent environmental organizations in Turkey - organizations known for their commitment to protecting nature and the environment - on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. A quantitative research method was employed, and data were collected from 512 respondents through an online survey. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that social media marketing activities, taken as a whole, have a significant and positive effect on both followers' pro-environmental behaviors and their environmental volunteering intentions. Among the five components, timeliness, awareness, and customization were found to have the strongest influence on volunteering intentions, while timeliness and interaction significantly affected pro-environmental behavior. Additionally, the analysis confirmed that pro-environmental behavior mediates the relationship between social media marketing activities and environmental volunteering intentions. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on environmental communication by demonstrating how specific social media marketing strategies can enhance both environmental engagement and behavioral outcomes among followers. The findings offer practical insights for environmental organizations aiming to strengthen their impact through targeted and effective social media practices
Assessment of environmental and atmospheric impacts of stubble burning in Mardin-Diyarbakır (Southeastern of Türkiye): a remote sensing approach
Get PDFThis study investigated the environmental, atmospheric and human impacts of a stubble-burning incident on June 20, 2024, in K & ouml;ksalan village, S & uuml;rendal neighborhood, T & uuml;rkiye, using advanced remote sensing techniques. Stubble burning, a prevalent agricultural practice, contributes significantly to air pollution and soil degradation, presenting serious environmental and public health risks. Sentinel-2A satellite imagery was employed to delineate the affected area, which spanned 248.77 hectares, comprising 134.40 hectares of moderate-low severity, 47.00 hectares of low severity and 67.37 hectares of unburned land. Sentinel-5P satellite data revealed a notable increase in sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations, peaking at 49.6 mu g/m(3) during the fire and declining to 13.0 mu g/m(3) post-incident. Statistical evaluations demonstrated strong validation of the remote sensing approach, with a correlation coefficient (R-2) of 0.86, an index of agreement (IA) of 0.89, and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.31 mu g/m(3). Wind speeds of 15 to 28 km/h, predominantly directed northward, influenced pollutant dispersion, resulting in SO2 concentrations reaching a maximum of 67.7 mu g/m(3) in oak and grass-dominated areas, compared to 13.3 mu g/m(3) in agricultural zones. The stubble-burning incident, which caused 15 fatalities and 78 injuries, underscores the critical need for sustainable residue management practices, enhanced public awareness, and rigorous enforcement of legal regulations to mitigate the adverse impacts of stubble burning in T & uuml;rkiye.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBIdot;TAK)Open access funding provided by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUB & Idot;TAK)
Evaluation of zonulin levels in patients with migraine
Get PDFBackground Zonulin regulates permeability in blood-brain and intestinal barriers. The pathophysiology of migraine is based on the effect of neurogenic inflammation. The aim of the current investigation was to examine the serum zonulin level in individuals suffering from migraine. Methods The sample comprised 40 individuals who had migraine and 40 controls. Disease duration, attack duration, attack frequency, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, and comorbidities were available for the migraine group. Serum zonulin levels were evaluated by using the ELISA method. Results There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups concerning age or gender (p > 0.05). The zonulin value of patients with migraine was higher when compared to the controls, indicating a significant difference (p = 0.037; p 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of zonulin revealed a cut-off value of 30.58 and above, at which it had 52.50% sensitivity, 77.5% specificity, 70% positive predictive value, and 62% a negative predictive value. The area under the curve was 63.6%, and the standard error value was 6.3%. The analysis also showed a statistically significant correlation between migraine diagnosis and a zonulin level of 30.58 (p = 0.006; p < 0.01). Conclusions Elevated zonulin levels in patients with migraine support the disruption of the intestinal barrier and neuroinflammation in these patients. The zonulin level may be a predictive biomarker of migraine. Multicenter, randomized trials are needed to evaluate treatments for intestinal permeability and zonulin levels in migraine patients
Navigating the Digital Industrial Revolution: Enhancing Women's Well-Being and Agency Freedom Through Amartya Sen's Capability Approach
Get PDFThis chapter explores the impact of the digital industrial revolution on gender equality, focussing on women's well-being and agency freedom as conceptualised by Amartya Sen's Capability Approach. Sen's framework emphasises the importance of individual freedoms and capabilities in achieving human flourishing and social justice. Women are disadvantaged in the age of the digital revolution, both educationally and financially, as well as in terms of wider life and fulfilment opportunities (capabilities), and this is deepening the gender gap rather than gradually closing it. Critically, many of the solutions to digital gender inequality reproduce outdated neoliberal discourses and thus their inherent inequality. The chapter begins by examining the dual aspects of women's freedoms in Sen's approach: well-being freedom, which refers to the ability to achieve valuable functioning, and agency freedom, which encompasses the capacity to make authentic choices and shape one's own life. It then analyses how the digital industrial revolution has affected these freedoms, highlighting the potential of digital tools to expand women's capabilities and choices, while also acknowledging the risks of digital exclusion and the reinforcement of gender-based constraints. This study will focus on examples from Türkiye as well as international perspectives such as the Eurostat and the United Nations. The chapter identifies key areas where digital technologies can enhance women's well-being and agency, such as education, employment, and political participation. It also discusses the challenges posed by the gender digital divide, online harassment, and the reproduction of gender stereotypes in digital spaces. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved
Peride Celal’in Ankara’sı: Bir İdeolojinin Simgesel Haritası
Get PDFThis article evaluates Peride Celal’s impressions of Ankara by focusing on two key texts: her 1939 piece “Ankara Notes” published in İkdam newspaper, and her 1963 novel Gecenin Ucunda (At the Edge of the Night). Drawing on the parallel between the Peride Celal’s life and the foundational years of the Turkish Republic, the study highlights her close engagement with the ideology of modernization. In “Ankara Notes,” Celal offers observations on the city’s physical landscape and social life, including references to official institutions such as the İsmet Paşa Girls’ Institute and the Cebeci Conservatory. These reflections reveal a form of national romanticism in her perspective on Ankara. In contrast, in Gecenin Ucunda, the representation of Ankara as a setting is explored through its relation to the psychological states of the characters. The novel’s protagonist, Macide, experiences a tension between Istanbul and Ankara, and Ankara emerges not only as a geographical space but also as an ideological and cultural refuge for her. The narrative structure of the novel—shaped by stream of consciousness and analepsis—makes visible Macide’s internal conflicts between the past and the present. Through characters such as Hüsnü Bey and members of the Işık family, the novel emphasizes the contradiction between the founding ideals of the Republic and their subsequent erosion over time. In this regard, Gecenin Ucunda stands out not merely as a personal love story, but as a novel that interrogates ideological and cultural transformations of the era through the lens of urban space. Based on these two texts, which are separated by approximately a quarter of a century, various interpretations have been made regarding Peride Celal’s intellectual transformation concerning the ideals of the Republic over time.Bu makalede, Peride Celal’in 1939 yılında İkdam gazetesinde yayımladığı “Ankara Notları” ile 1963’te yayımladığı Gecenin Ucunda isimli romanı merkeze alınarak yazarın Ankara’ya dair kanaatleri değerlendirilmiştir. Peride Celal’in hayatı ile Cumhuriyet’in kuruluş süreci arasındaki paralellikten hareketle, onun sanatında modernleşme ideolojisiyle kurduğu yakın ilişkiye dikkat çekilmiştir. “Ankara Notları”nda, Ankara’nın genel fiziki çevresine ve sosyal hayatına dair intibalarla resmî kurumlardan (İsmet Paşa Kız Enstitüsü ve Cebeci Konservatuvarı) söz eden Celal’in Ankara’ya dair millî romantik bir bakış açısı geliştirdiği yönünde tespitlerde bulunulmuştur. Gecenin Ucunda adlı romanında ise Ankara’nın mekân olarak temsili, karakterlerin psikolojik durumuyla ilişkili olarak incelenmiştir. Romanın başkişisi Macide’nin İstanbul ve Ankara arasında yaşadığı gerilimden hareketle Ankara’nın Macide için yalnızca coğrafi değil, aynı zamanda ideolojik ve kültürel anlamda bir sığınak vazifesi gördüğü tespit edilmiştir. Romanın bilinç akışı ve geriye dönük kurgu (analepsis) ile ilerlemesi, Macide’nin geçmiş ile şimdi arasındaki zihinsel çatışmalarını görünür kılmıştır. Romanda Hüsnü Bey ve Işık ailesindeki karakterler aracılığıyla Cumhuriyet’in kurucu idealleri ile bunların zamanla uğradığı erozyon arasındaki çelişki vurgulanmıştır. Bu bağlamda Gecenin Ucunda, bireysel bir aşk hikâyesinden öte, dönemin ideolojik ve kültürel dönüşümlerini şehir-mekân ilişkisi üzerinden tartışan bir roman olarak öne çıkar. Aralarında yaklaşık çeyrek asırlık bir zaman farkı bulunan bu iki metinden hareketle Peride Celal’in zaman içinde Cumhuriyet ideallerine dair zihinsel dönüşümü hakkında yorumlar yapılmıştır