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Editorial: Advancing knowledge-based economies and societies through AI and optimization: innovations, challenges, and implications
No full textDiet and Mobility in Byzantine Western Anatolia: Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopic Ratios and Ancient DNA Evidence from Barcın Höyük and Kadıkalesi Anaia
No full textThis study presents the integrated results of stable carbon (delta 13C) and nitrogen (delta 15N) isotope and aDNA analyses, conducted to examine dietary and mobility practices in two mid- to late Byzantine communities in western Anatolia: the coastal cosmopolitan site of Kad & imath;kalesi Anaia and the rural inland settlement of Barc & imath;n H & ouml;y & uuml;k. Isotopic data from thirty-eight individuals indicate that both populations primarily consumed terrestrial C-3-based resources. At Kad & imath;kalesi, delta 15N values show greater variability, suggesting more differentiated access to animal protein sources, whereas the rural community at Barc & imath;n H & ouml;y & uuml;k exhibits isotopic homogeneity, consistent with more uniform dietary practices and an equitable access to food. Kad & imath;kalesi also shows intra-site dietary variation by age and sex, while Barc & imath;n is again more homogeneous. At Barc & imath;n, aDNA results indicate a predominant local genetic continuity, suggesting a stable population; a single instance of external ancestry is attested by a male individual with affinities to western populations, particularly from eastern Europe, in line with historical military resettlement patterns (stratiotika ktemata). By integrating isotopic and genomic evidence, this study demonstrates how ancestry and mobility shaped dietary habits, offering insights into the interplay of urbanism, mobility, and social organization in the Byzantine period. Cette & eacute;tude pr & eacute;sente les r & eacute;sultats combin & eacute;s d'analyses des isotopes stables du carbone (delta 13C) et de l'azote (delta 15N) et des analyses de l'ADN ancien extraits d'& eacute;chantillons provenant de deux communaut & eacute;s en Anatolie occidentale : le site cosmopolitan de Kad & imath;kalesi Anaia sur la c & ocirc;te ionienne et le site rural de Barc & imath;n H & ouml;y & uuml;k dans l'int & eacute;rieur du pays. Le but & eacute;tait d'examiner les pratiques alimentaires et la mobilit & eacute; attest & eacute;es sur ces deux sites d'& eacute;poque byzantine moyenne & agrave; tardive. Les donn & eacute;es isotopiques provenant de trente-huit individus indiquent que les deux populations consommaient principalement des ressources terrestres de type C3. Les valeurs de l'azote & agrave; Kad & imath;kalesi sont plus variables qu'& agrave; Barc & imath;n, ce qui sugg & egrave;re un acc & egrave;s plus diff & eacute;renci & eacute; aux prot & eacute;ines d'origine animale; la communaut & eacute; rurale de Barc & imath;n r & eacute;v & egrave;le un profil isotopique plus homog & egrave;ne, correspondant & agrave; un r & eacute;gime alimentaire plus uniforme et & agrave; un acc & egrave;s & eacute;quitable aux ressources alimentaires. Une alimentation plus vair & eacute;e selon l'& acirc;ge et le sexe des habitants est attest & eacute;e au sein du site de Kad & imath;kalesi, tandis qu'elle est & agrave; nouveau plus homog & egrave;ne & agrave; Barc & imath;n. Les analyses de l'ADN ancien de Barc & imath;n r & eacute;v & egrave;lent une communaut & eacute; essentiellement locale, ce qui indiquerait une population stable; un seul cas d' ascendance g & eacute;n & eacute;tique externe a & eacute;t & eacute; relev & eacute;; il s'agit d'un individue masculin dont les affinit & eacute;s avec les populations occidentales, en particulier d'Europe orientale, pourraient & ecirc;tre mises en rapport avec la relocalisation de personnel militaire connu historiquement (stratiotika ktemata). L'int & eacute;gration des donn & eacute;es g & eacute;nomiques et isotopiques illustre comment l'ascendance et la mobilit & eacute; des populations influen & ccedil;aient leurs pratiques alimentaires et nous & eacute;claire sur les interactions entre l'urbanisme, la mobilit & eacute; et l'organisation sociale & agrave; l'& eacute;poque byzantine. Translation by Madeleine Hummler Diese Studie enth & auml;lt die kombinierten Ergebnisse von Analysen der stabilen Isotope von Kohlenstoff (delta 13C) und Stickstoff (delta 15N) sowie von aDNA, die aus zwei Gemeinschaften in Westanatolien stammen: die kosmopolitische Stadt Kad & imath;kalesi Anaia an der ionischen K & uuml;ste und die l & auml;ndliche Siedlung Barc & imath;n H & ouml;y & uuml;k im Landesinnern. Ziel war es, die Ern & auml;hrung und die Mobilit & auml;t in diesen mittel- bis sp & auml;tbyzantinischen St & auml;tten zu untersuchen. Die Isotopenanalyse von achtunddrei ss ig Individuen zeigt, dass beide Gemeinschaften haupts & auml;chlich terrestrische Nahrungsmittel von Typus C3 konsumierten. In Kad & imath;kalesi weisen die Sickstoffwerte eine gr & ouml;ss ere Variabilit & auml;t als in Barc & imath;n auf, was auf einen differenzierten Zugang zu tierischen Proteinquellen deutet; hingegen weist die l & auml;ndliche Gemeinschaft in Barc & imath;n ein homogenes Isotopenprofil auf, das mit einer einheitlichen Ern & auml;hrung und einem gleichberechtigten Zugang zu Lebensmitteln & uuml;bereinstimmt. Es gibt auch alters- und geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede in der Ern & auml;hrung innerhalb Kad & imath;kalesi, w & auml;hrend Barc & imath;n wiederum homogener ist. Die Resultate de aDNA-Analyse von Barc & imath;n weisen auf eine & uuml;berwiegend lokale genetische Zusammensetzung, was auf eine stabile Bev & ouml;lkerung hindeuten sollte. Ein einziger Fall externer Abstammung wurde festgestellt, namentlich ein Individuum m & auml;nnlichen Geschlechts mit genetischen Affinit & auml;ten zu westlichen Bev & ouml;lkerungsgruppen, insbesondere in Osteuropa, was mit der historischen Besiedlung von Milit & auml;rpersonal (stratiotika ktemata) zusammenh & auml;ngen k & ouml;nnte. Die integrierten isotopischen und genomischen Angaben zeigen, wie Abstammung und Mobilit & auml;t die Ern & auml;hrung gepr & auml;gt haben und bietet Einblicke & uuml;ber die Beziehungen zwischen Urbanismus, Mobilit & auml;t und soziale Organisation in byzantinischer Zeit. Translation by Madeleine Hummle
The role of pondscapes in supporting identities
No full textThis study investigates how pondscapes, networks of ponds, and their surrounding environments contribute to supporting identities across diverse cultural contexts. Supporting identities is a non-material Nature’s Contribution to People referring to people’s sense of place, belonging and connection to nature. We draw on data on landscape features from 17 pondscapes across eight countries in Europe and South America, along with over 700 questionnaire responses. We assessed whether certain landscape features are associated with the perceived delivery of supporting identities and examined how personal characteristics, individual perspectives, and engagement in different activities shape people’s perceptions. Our findings indicate that the perceived delivery of supporting identities emerges from a combination of social and ecological factors rather than from landscape features alone. Although pondscape characteristics showed weak direct effects, pondscapes in warmer climates and with a higher proportion of natural land cover might be associated with a stronger sense of identity. In addition, a strong personal connection to nature and engagement in nature-based activities (wildlife watching, picnicking, hunting), were key pathways shaping perceptions, highlighting that identity-related benefits are context dependent and socially mediated. By integrating ecological and social dimensions, our study highlights the importance of incorporating non-material values into conservation and landscape management strategies
Prototype research as a qualitative method for studying academic life under illiberalism: the case of Turkey
No full textAcademics working in the fields of gender studies (gender, women and masculinity studies) navigate a unique set of professional challenges, including institutional discrimination, societal pushback, and political pressures related to their research. This article presents the results of twelve semi-structured interviews with gender studies scholars in Turkey, illustrating their struggles, coping strategies, and the solidarity (or lack thereof) within their academic environments. Via what we refer as Prototype Research, we create archetypes based on the experiences of these individuals, we illuminate the structural barriers they face, the diverse methods of coping, and the ambivalence of institutional support, particularly within the context of Turkey's increasingly conservative and authoritarian political climate. These prototypes provide an insight to the pressing issues faced by gender studies scholars in Turkey and emphasize the need for more proactive institutional measures to protect academic freedom and support scholars in contentious fields.</p
Dynamic modulation of photodetection characteristics in Al/NaSrLa(BO3)2/n-Si devices across various illumination regimes
No full textThis study presents the fabrication and characterization of a silicon-based heterojunction photodiode featuring a rare-earth orthoborate interlayer, aimed at enhancing high-sensitivity photodetection. The orthoborate compound was synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and confirmed to have high phase purity and thermal stability up to 800 C. Structural and spectroscopic analyses (PXRD, FTIR, and SEM/EDS) verified a uniform microstructure and well-defined borate framework. The device showed clear rectifying behavior with very low dark current, indicating good junction quality and effective carrier separation. Illumination induced systematic changes in ideality factor, barrier height, and saturation current, consistent with photon-assisted transport. The photodiode achieved high photosensitivity and stable responsivity across different illumination levels, particularly under low-light conditions. Under 100 mWcm-1 illumination, the responsivity reached 0.43A/W and specific detectivity exceeded 2.5×1010Jones. Time-resolved measurements demonstrated rapid and repeatable switching with no hysteresis, confirming operational stability. These results demonstrate that the Al/NaSrLaBO32/n-Si heterojunction is a promising platform for sensitive and stable photodetection in optoelectronic applications
Turkey’s quest for strategic autonomy in the middle East and the black sea regions: navigating uncertainty amid regional and global flux
No full textThe study of Turkey’s foreign policy and its quest for strategic autonomy has focused on the country itself. However, the literature has so far not provided a comparative overview of how the foreign policy of strategic autonomy has been pursued and what responses it elicited by key states concerning Turkey’s foreign policy. The introduction to the Special Issue, Turkey’s quest for strategic autonomy in the Middle East and the Black Sea regions: Navigating uncertainty amid regional and global flux, explains how the volume addresses this gap in the literature
Real-Time Dual-Probe Monitoring and Correlation of FBRM and PVM Measurements during PUF Microcapsule Formation
No full textMicroencapsulation enables the protection and controlled release of reactive liquids, however most characterization methods capture only endpoint properties. To address this gap, a real-time dual-probe approach using Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM) and Particle Vision and Measurement (PVM) was employed to monitor the formation of poly(urea-formaldehyde) (PUF) microcapsules containing dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) in this study. The four-stage synthesis was tracked in situ to evaluate emulsification, shell development and UF particle deposition under different stirring rates and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEMA) concentrations. The method is applicable to capsule sizes measurable by both probes, i.e., > 10 mu m for PVM and 1-1000 mu m for FBRM. Within these ranges, the effective limitation in real-time monitoring arises from the PVM detection threshold. The results show that probe insertion introduces localized shear that influences capsule size distribution. A semiempirical power-law model was developed to reliably convert FBRM chord length data into true capsule diameters measured by PVM, using parameters derived from log-normal distribution fits. Overall, the integrated monitoring approach enhances understanding of process-structure relationships during microcapsule formation and provides a useful approach to improve microcapsule design in self-healing applications
Digitizing Intangible Culture, Identity and Memory: Eurotales, a Museum of the Voices of Europe
No full textThe open-ended project-in-development called Eurotales: A Museum of the Voices of Europe is an experimental online museum that is based on the underlying question of "how can one present and communicate, in museological form, the intangible culture of languages as they are and have been used across Europe?"Its response is to turn to digital technology to explore and create displays that foreground language uses as culture, as identity, and as memory. The aim is to show and explore the actual multiplexity of languages in real life, and through time and space, and to contrast this implicitly with canonical and standardizing accounts presented in histories of named languages, which are also digitally displayed. This article opens with a discussion of museums and digital collections of intangible culture and goes on to describe the thinking and design underlying the four digital collections of Eurotales. The methods of data collection for each of these are separately mentioned in their subsequent descriptions. The collections present the material traces of language as intangible culture, the lived experiences and memories of languages of individuals in the present and in the past (separately), and societies' authorized, or canonical, memories of named languages as presented in their published histories. Eurotales is thence presented as a project that uses the superordinating and intangible nature of digital space to address and explore the equally superordinating and intangible natures of language, culture, memory, and identity