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Evaluation of Exposure to HAV and Vaccination Status of Chronic HBV Cases-A Nationwide Multicenter Study
No full textObjectives: Patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) should be tested for hepatitis A virus (HAV) and vaccinated if they are seronegative. However, this test is often neglected. This study aims to investigate the status of HAV testing in chronic HBV patients. Materials and Methods: A multicenter study is being conducted by the Viral Hepatitis Combat Association with 16 centers across the country, including patients who have been receiving treatment for chronic HBV for at least 14 years. The anti-HAV immunoglobulin G (IgG) testing and vaccination status of the patients in this study were evaluated retrospectively. The patients' data recorded in a web-based program were transferred to an Excel form, and the necessary analyses were performed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows, version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Categorical measurements were summarized as numbers and percentages, continuous measurements as mean and standard deviation, and chi-square or Fisher's exact test statistics were used to compare categorical variables. Results: The study group included 2966 individuals, 1832 of whom were male (61.8%) and 1134 of whom were female (38.2%). Of these patients, 1819 individuals (61.3%) were tested for anti-HAV IgG, while 1147 individuals (38.7%) were not. Of the 1819 individuals tested for anti-HAV IgG, 1688 (92.8%) were seropositive, and 131 (7.2%) were seronegative. It was determined that seropositivity increased significantly with age, and seronegativity was 23% among those aged 18-26 and 21% among those aged 27-33 (p=0.00001). According to the obtained data, HAV seronegativity was detected in one-fourth of individuals younger than 26 years and one-fifth of individuals aged 27-33. At 40 and above, seronegativity decreases significantly, falling to 5% and below. Conclusion: Due to the changes observed in HAV epidemiology in our country in recent years, HAV seronegativity is high in young adults. According to our study data, anti-HAV IgG should be tested once in all chronic HBV patients, especially patients under the age of 35, and vaccination of seronegative individuals should not be neglected
The effect of hand massage on fatigue in women with cancer receiving brachytherapy: randomized clinical trial
No full textPurpose This randomized controlled study was conducted to analyze the effect of hand massage on the fatigue level of the women receiving brachytherapy. Methods It was determined that 12 patients were included in each group (control and hand massage group), so 24 women with gynecologic cancer were included in the study. The application was performed on each hand for 5 min, a total of 10 min in hand massage group. Hand massage was applied before each brachytherapy (at the first, second, and third sessions, a total of three times) every other day for 1 week in the hand massage group. No intervention was performed to the control group during the study. The data were collected using the Patient Information Form and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). Results At the end of the brachytherapy, the fatigue severity score and impact of fatigue on activities of daily living scores of the group that applied hand massage were determined to be lower than the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion It was determined that hand massage effectively controlled fatigue and the impact of fatigue on activities of daily living. Hand massage is a safe and economical method that can be performed by certified nurses. Trial registration This clinical trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06056713-09/21/2023)
Comparison of frailty screening tools in predicting length of stay and disability in older patients on internal medicine inpatient wards transferred from the emergency department: A retrospective observational study
No full textThe aim of this study is to compare frailty screening tools in predicting length of stay (LOS) in older patients on internal medicine inpatient wards transferred from the emergency department (ED). This cross-sectional retrospective study involving 186 subjects aged 65 years or older was conducted at tertiary hospital internal medicine inpatient wards transferred from the ED from September to November 2023. Frailty was defined by the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), the identification of Seniors At Risk Tool and the Triage Risk-Screening Tool (TRST). Dependency was defined by Katz Index of Independence in activities of daily living (ADL) and the Lawton instrumental ADL. The presence of frailty according to the CSF and TRST was associated with a long LOS (coefficient of regression β = 0.2 with P<.05). But, in binary logistic regression analysis, there was no association between long LOS and frailty scales. All frailty tools were statistically significant predictors for disability (P < .001). Our findings suggest that, among the tools evaluated, the CFS may be the most robust predictor of both LOS and functional dependency, although its predictive power for actual disability remains limited. Future studies should focus on refining these tools for greater accuracy in predicting functional outcomes and should examine how factors such as polypharmacy and comorbidities impact frailty and hospital outcomes. Additionally, longitudinal studies are needed to establish causative relationships between frailty, LOS, and functional decline. © 2025 the Author(s)
Digital maturity and sustainability correlation assessments in Turkish cities: The operationalization of a framework
No full textThe concept of smart cities has proliferated in recent years, along with the sustainability of cities. With the age of information and communication technologies and the adoption and utilization of advanced technologies, more complex city problems are being addressed and solved. Reaching a certain level of digital maturity is a prerequisite for transforming into a smart city. Assessing and measuring the digital maturity (DM) level of cities or municipalities emerges to compare cities and guide them in the digital transformation process. This study aims to assess 30 Turkish metropolitan cities on sustainability and DM based on their annual activity reports. With this assessment, the study aims to test and validate a conceptual framework in Turkiye that examines the correlation between DM and sustainability. The study can help policymakers and city administrations to: a. Analyze current DM and sustainability levels based on their annual activity reports. b. Compare and benchmark their municipality with others in terms of subdimensions. c. Assess improvement areas in terms of DM. d. Take the necessary and appropriate actions to increase DM. e. Determine a road map to transform a smart city. © 2025 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved
Efficient solution algorithms for resource planning and scheduling in seasonal reservation systems
No full textAmaç: Bu çalışmada, rezervasyon sistemlerinde eş zamanlı kapasite planlama ve çizelgeleme kararlarını optimize eden bir problem için etkin çözüm algoritmaları önerilmektedir. Problem özellikle turizmde otel veya koltuk rezervasyonları, sağlık sistemlerinde operasyon ve tedavi rezervasyonları ya da liman lojistik operasyonları gibi randevu/rezervasyon ile çalışan sistemler için önemlidir. Yöntem: İncelenen optimizasyon problemi, işleme alınan rezervasyonlara ait net getirinin maksimize edilmesi amacıyla, çizelgeleme ve dinamik kapasite belirleme kararlarının eş zamanlı olarak verilmesini içermektedir. Problemin yapısal özelliklerini kullanan rastgele bir inşa edici sezgisel yöntem ile etkili iyileştirme algoritmaları önerilmiştir. Algoritma performansını test etmek amacıyla kapsamlı hesaplamalı deneyler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgular: Geliştirilen yaklaşım hem çözüm kalitesi hem de zaman açısından mükemmel performans göstermektedir. Sezgisel yöntem 200 rezervasyona kadar CPLEX'e göre çözüm süresi ve kalitesi açısından üstündür. Algoritmanın performansı, problemin büyüklüğü ile değişmemektedir. Özgünlük: Bu çalışma, bu önemli problem için sezgisel çözümler öneren ilk çalışmadır. Kaynak kullanımı ve çizelgelemenin optimizasyonu yoluyla birçok sektörde önemli sosyal ve ekonomik katkılar elde edilebilir. Geliştirilen hızlı ve etkili problem çözme teknikleri ileri araştırmaların önünü açacaktır.Purpose: In this study, efficient solution algorithms are proposed for a problem which simultaneously optimizes capacity planning and scheduling decisions in reservation systems. The problem is especially important for systems involving appointments/reservations, such as hotel or seat reservations in tourism, operation and treatment reservations in healthcare systems, or port logistics operations. Methodology: The optimization problem studied involves concurrent decisions of scheduling and dynamic capacity determination, with an objective of maximizing the net return gained from the served appointments. A randomized constructive heuristic exploiting problem’s structural characteristics is proposed together with effective improvement procedures. Extensive computational experimentation is conducted in order to test algorithm performance. Findings: The developed approach performs excellently in both solution quality and time. With up to 200 reservations, the heuristic technique outperforms CPLEX in terms of solution time and quality. The algorithm's performance remains unchanged as the size of the problem increases. Originality: This study presents the first heuristic approach to solving this significant problem. Through optimization of resource utilization and scheduling, substantial positive social and economic impact on a number of business sectors can be obtained. The efficient problem-solving techniques developed will pave the way for future research.Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığ
Global prevalence and risk factors of obstetric violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textBackgroundObstetric violence (OBV), defined as mistreatment or abuse during childbirth, is a pervasive global issue, albeit with regional differences, affecting women's physical and emotional well-being.ObjectivesThe purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the prevalence of OBV to identify risk factors associated with OBV and to make suggestions for improving maternal healthcare practices and policies.Search StrategyIn a systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched four electronic databases for studies published over 10 years up to 31 January 2024: Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science (WOS). The search was conducted among English language papers using a carefully curated set of keywords.Selection CriteriaWe conducted a comprehensive review, including all observational reporting data on the prevalence of and risk factors associated with OBV, irrespective of geographical location. The studies included in the review were required to be published in peer-reviewed. journals and available in the English language.Data Collection and AnalysisThe data of the studies were summarized in an Excel file (version 19) and analyzed using R (version 4.2.3). A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the pooled prevalence of and identify risk factors associated with OBV.Main ResultsThe global prevalence of OBV estimated based on 25 studies, calculated with a random-effects model, was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48-0.70; I2 = 99.5%). The most prevalent subdomain of OBV was non-consented care (37%; 95% CI 0.23-0.50; I2 = 99.7%). The following factors were found to be significantly associated with OBV: the presence of a midwife as skilled personnel beside the woman during childbirth (odds ratio [OR] [95% CI] = 0.4 [0.2-0.9]), which might reduce the likelihood of OBV; middle and high levels of income (OR [95% CI] = 0.5 [0.2-0.7]), which might also reduce the likelihood of OBV; and vaginal delivery (OR [95% CI] = 2.08 [1.1-3.08]), which is liable to increase the likelihood of OBV.ConclusionThis systematic review and meta-analysis highlights the considerable prevalence and multifaceted nature of OBV, underscoring the urgent need for interventions at multiple levels to address this pervasive issue and ensure respectful, safe, and dignified maternal healthcare for all women
Thermoluminescence behaviour and kinetic analysis of a novel Tb3+-Doped LaCa4O(BO3)3 phosphor: Impacts of heating rates and dose
No full textThis study employs kinetic analysis methods to comprehensively understand the thermoluminescence (TL) behaviour of Tb3+-doped LaCa4O(BO3)3 ( LACOB ), applying the Hoogenstraaten and Booth-Bohun-Parfianovitch methods, as well as the T m-T stop and Glow Curve Deconvolution (GCD) techniques. Optimal TL intensity was found at a Tb3+concentration of 2 wt%, beyond which concentration quenching occurred. The complete TL glow curve before preheating displays two peaks at approximately 70 degrees C and 286 degrees C. After preheating, only the 286 degrees C peak remains, due to its greater stability and intensity, making it the primary TL peak relevant for dosimetric applications. As the heating rate increased, the TL glow peaks shifted to higher temperatures and exhibited reduced intensity due to thermal quenching. The TL intensity exhibited superlinear behaviour at lower doses (0.5-20 Gy), followed by nearly linear behaviour at intermediate doses (30-100 Gy), and sublinear behaviour at higher doses. Anomalous fading of the TL signal was observed in LACOB:2 wt%Tb, suggesting competition with radiationless transitions. Activation energy values derived from Hoogenstraaten and Booth-Bohun-Parfianovitch methods showed close alignment, supporting the reliability of the kinetic analysis. The T m-T stop and GCD analyses with preheating identified four distinct TL glow peaks, with activation energies between 1.72 and 1.82 eV. Analysis whole glow curve revealed nine TL glow peaks overall, ranging from 1.08 to 1.82 eV, reflecting a complex trap structure with continuous energy distributions. The GCD method yielded a Figure of Merit (FOM) of 2.67 % with preheating and 2.84 without preheating, indicating a strong fit between experimental and theoretical data in both cases. The material demonstrated excellent stability and reusability, making it a strong candidate for dosimetric applications.Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia [RG24-M04]The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding of the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, through Project Number: RG24-M04
Adsorption of Uranium(VI) ions by nano Cu-doped ZrO₂: A response surface methodology approach
No full textThe increasing concerns over environmental sustainability and the preservation of biodiversity highlight the urgent need for effective management of water resources, which are vital for human well-being. Uranium, which is used as an energy source in nuclear power plants, poses significant environmental hazards due to its biological toxicity and the radioactive waste generated from mining and milling processes. This study focuses on the development of a novel copper (Cu) doped nano zirconia (Cu-ZrO2) adsorbent synthesized via the ignition method for the efficient removal of uranium(VI) from contaminated water. The adsorbent was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. The adsorption process was further optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to evaluate key parameters including pH (3–8), temperature (20–60 °C), uranium (VI) concentration (25–125 mg/L), and adsorbent dosage (0.0025–0.04 g). A central composite design (CCD) indicated a second-order model with R2 and adjusted R2 values of 0.9823 and 0.9344, respectively. The adsorption studies demonstrated a maximum uranium(VI) adsorption capacity of 246.21 mg/g for Cu-ZrO₂, which is significantly higher than that of pure ZrO₂ (24.12 mg/g). Thermodynamic analyses revealed that the adsorption process is endothermic, with an increase in adsorption capacity at elevated temperatures. The adsorption mechanism was best described by the Freundlich isotherm, indicating a heterogeneous surface and multilayer adsorption. This research contributes to advancing uranium removal technology from water sources, providing an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution to mitigate the risks associated with uranium contamination. © 2025Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK, (1001-120M235
Does Size Matter? Examining Sentence Similarity Performance in Large Language Models
No full text39th International Conference on Information Networking-ICOIN-Annual -- JAN 15-17, 2025 -- Chiang Mai, THAILANDSentence embeddings are a crucial component of natural language processing (NLP), enabling machines to capture subtle meaning and context in text. By converting sentences into compact, fixed-size vectors, sentence transformers unlock a range of applications, including semantic search (identifying relevant documents or passages based on their meaning and context), sentence similarity assessment (measuring the degree of semantic equivalence between two sentences), and paraphrase detection (identifying sentences that convey the same meaning using different words or phrasing). In this study, we fine-tuned multiple state-of-the-art sentence transformer models on a custom dataset specifically designed for sentence similarity tasks and evaluated their performance through rigorous benchmarking. Our findings yield a surprising insight: the choice of model is highly task-dependent, with larger models not always outperforming smaller ones, which underscores the importance of model selection for optimal performance in specific NLP tasks.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers In
Search for jet quenching with dijets from high-multiplicity pPb collisions at ?sNN=8.16 TeV
No full textThe first measurement of the dijet transverse momentum balance x(j) in proton-lead (pPb) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of root s(NN) = 8.16 TeV is presented. The x(j) observable, defined as the ratio of the subleading over leading jet transverse momentum in a dijet pair, is used to search for jet quenching effects. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 174.6 nb(-1), were collected with the CMS detector in 2016. The x(j) distributions and their average values are studied as functions of the charged-particle multiplicity of the events and for various dijet rapidity selections. The latter enables probing hard scattering of partons carrying distinct nucleon momentum fractions x in the proton- and lead-going directions. The former, aided by the high-multiplicity triggers, allows probing for potential jet quenching effects in high-multiplicity events (with up to 400 charged particles), for which collective phenomena consistent with quark-gluon plasma (QGP) droplet formation were previously observed. The ratios of x(j) distributions for high- to low-multiplicity events are used to quantify the possible medium effects. These ratios are consistent with simulations of the hard-scattering process that do not include QGP production. These measurements set an upper limit on medium-induced energy loss of the subleading jet of 1.26% of its transverse momentum at the 90% confidence level in high multiplicity pPb events.FWF; FNRS; FWO (Belgium); CNPq; CAPES; FAPERJ; FAPERGS; FAPESP (Brazil); BNSF (Bulgaria); MoST; NSFC (China); CSF (Croatia); RIF (Cyprus); SENESCYT (Ecuador); ERC PRG [MoER TK202]; Academy of Finland; MEC; CEA; CNRS/IN2P3 (France); SRNSF; BMBF; DFG; HGF (Germany); NKFIH (Hungary); DAE; DST; IPM; SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Republic of Korea); MES (Latvia); MOE; UM (Malaysia); BUAP; CONACYT; UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); FCT (Portugal); MESTD (Serbia); PCTI (Spain); MOSTR (Sri Lanka); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSTDA; TUBITAK; DOE; NSF; Marie-Curie program; European Research Council; Horizon 2020 Grant [675440, 724704, 752730, 758316, 765710, 824093, 101115353, 101002207]; COST Action [CA16108]; Leventis Foundation; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; Science Committee [22rl-037]; Fonds pour la Formation a la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture (FRIA-Belgium); Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission [Z191100007219010]; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (China); Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) of the Czech Republic; Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation [FR-22-985]; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) [EXC 2121, 400140256 -GRK2497]; Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI) [2288]; Hungarian Academy of Sciences [K 131991, K 133046, K 138136, K 143460, K 143477, K 146913, K 146914, K 147048, 2020-2.2.1-ED-2021-00181, TKP2021-NKTA-64, 2021-4.1.2-NEMZ_KI-2024-00036]; Council of Science and Industrial Research, India - NextGenerationEU program (Italy); Latvian Council of Science; Ministry of Education and Science [2022/WK/14]; National Science Center [Opus 2021/41/B/ST2/01369, 2021/43/B/ST2/01552]; Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia [CEECIND/01334/2018]; National Priorities Research Program by Qatar National Research Fund [MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033]; ERDF/EU; Programa Severo Ochoa del Principado de Asturias (Spain); National Science, Research and Innovation Fund via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation [B39G670016]; Kavli Foundation; Nvidia Corporation; SuperMicro Corporation; Welch Foundation [C-1845]; Weston Havens Foundation (U.S.A.)We congratulate our colleagues in the CERN accelerator departments for the excellent performance of the LHC and thank the technical and administrative staffs at CERN and at other CMS institutes for their contributions to the success of the CMS effort. In addition, we gratefully acknowledge the computing centers and personnel of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid and other centers for delivering so effectively the computing infrastructure essential to our analyses. Finally, we acknowledge the enduring support for the construction and operation of the LHC, the CMS detector, and the supporting computing infrastructure provided by the following funding agencies: SC (Armenia), BMBWF and FWF (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, FAPERGS, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES and BNSF (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); MINCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES and CSF (Croatia); RIF (Cyprus); SENESCYT (Ecuador); ERC PRG, RVTT3 and MoER TK202 (Estonia); Academy of Finland, MEC, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); SRNSF (Georgia); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRI (Greece); NKFIH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); MSIP and NRF (Republic of Korea); MES (Latvia); LMTLT (Lithuania); MOE and UM (Malaysia); BUAP, CINVESTAV, CONACYT, LNS, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); MOS (Montenegro); MBIE (New Zealand); PAEC (Pakistan); MES and NSC (Poland); FCT (Portugal); MESTD (Serbia); MICIU/AEI and PCTI (Spain); MOSTR (Sri Lanka); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); MST (Taipei); MHESI and NSTDA (Thailand); TUBITAK and TENMAK (Turkey); NASU (Ukraine); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (U.S.A.). Individuals have received support from the Marie-Curie program and the European Research Council and Horizon 2020 Grant, contract Nos. 675440, 724704, 752730, 758316, 765710, 824093, 101115353, 101002207, and COST Action CA16108 (European Union); the Leventis Foundation; the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; the Science Committee, project no. 22rl-037 (Armenia); the Fonds pour la Formation a la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture (FRIA-Belgium); the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, No. Z191100007219010 and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (China); the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) of the Czech Republic; the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, grant FR-22-985 (Georgia); the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), among others, under Germany's Excellence Strategy -EXC 2121 Quantum Universe -390833306, and under project number 400140256 -GRK2497; the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI), Project Number 2288 (Greece); the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the New National Excellence Program -UNKP, the NKFIH research grants K 131991, K 133046, K 138136, K 143460, K 143477, K 146913, K 146914, K 147048, 2020-2.2.1-ED-2021-00181, TKP2021-NKTA-64, and 2021-4.1.2-NEMZ_KI-2024-00036 (Hungary); the Council of Science and Industrial Research, India; ICSC -National Research Center for High Performance Computing, Big Data and Quantum Computing and FAIR -Future Artificial Intelligence Research, funded by the NextGenerationEU program (Italy); the Latvian Council of Science; the Ministry of Education and Science, project no. 2022/WK/14, and the National Science Center, contracts Opus 2021/41/B/ST2/01369 and 2021/43/B/ST2/01552 (Poland); the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, grant CEECIND/01334/2018 (Portugal); the National Priorities Research Program by Qatar National Research Fund; MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, ERDF/EU, European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR, and Programa Severo Ochoa del Principado de Asturias (Spain); the Chulalongkorn Academic into Its 2nd Century Project Advancement Project, and the National Science, Research and Innovation Fund via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation, grant B39G670016 (Thailand); the Kavli Foundation; the Nvidia Corporation; the SuperMicro Corporation; the Welch Foundation, contract C-1845; and the Weston Havens Foundation (U.S.A.)