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Development of a Preliminary Diagnostic Tool for the Segmentation of Benign Jaw Lesions in CBCT Images Using nnU-Net v2: An Artificial Intelligence-Based Approach.
No full textDual pH- and Temperature-Responsive P(AAc-co-C16A) Shape-Memory Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Release
No full textThis study presents an amphiphilic shape-memory hydrogel (SMH) based on poly(acrylic acid-co-n-hexadecyl acrylate) [P(AAc-co-C16A)] that integrates pH and temperature responsiveness within a single molecular network. The hydrophobic C16 side chains form reversible crystalline domains that act as physical cross-links, imparting thermal shape-memory and mechanical strength, while ionizable acrylic acid units provide pH-dependent swelling and charge regulation. An optimal composition containing 30 mol % C16A exhibited a balanced combination of mechanical robustness (E ≈ 15 MPa), a high shape-recovery ratio (>93 %), and a thermoresponsive transition near physiological temperature (37°C–39°C). Ibuprofen-loaded SMHs demonstrated strongly pH-dependent and thermally accelerated drug release, with enhanced release under mildly acidic conditions and further acceleration upon shape recovery. Cytocompatibility assays confirmed the hydrogels’ safety for normal fibroblasts, while selective cytotoxicity toward MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells underscored their therapeutic potential. Overall, P(AAc-co-C16A) SMHs provide a molecularly tunable platform that couples shape-memory functionality with controlled, dual-stimulus drug delivery. Their combination of reversibility, biocompatibility, and mechanical resilience offers new opportunities for localized and on-demand release systems in cancer therapy and next-generation 4D-printed biomedical devices
Polyarteritis nodosa with isolated organ involvement requiring resection in the genitourinary system
No full textPolyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a necrotizing vasculitis of medium-sized arteries that is classically described as a multisystem disease. However, PAN may rarely present with isolated organ involvement, occasionally leading to irreversible organ loss before a definitive diagnosis is established. Data on such presentations remain limited and are largely confined to isolated case reports. We retrospectively evaluated eight patients diagnosed with PAN from multiple centers, focusing on clinical presentation, imaging findings, serological results, histopathological features, treatment approaches, and outcomes. The cohort included six women and two men, with ages ranging from 25 to 76 years. Clinical presentation was highly heterogeneous and frequently dominated by life-threatening genitourinary events, including massive renal hemorrhage, retroperitoneal hematoma, renovascular disease with aneurysm formation and infarction, and acute testicular pain and swelling. Five of the eight patients were classified as having isolated, single-organ PAN, predominantly involving the kidney and, less frequently, the testis. In these patients, organ loss was often the event that led to definitive diagnosis. Imaging findings supported vascular patterns consistent with PAN, including hematoma, arterial stenosis, aneurysmal changes, and ischemic sequelae. Serological evaluation was largely nondiagnostic, with predominant ANCA negativity. Histopathological examination consistently demonstrated necrotizing arteritis of medium-sized arteries with fibrinoid necrosis, thrombosis, and transmural inflammation, without glomerular or granulomatous involvement. Multisystem disease was identified in three patients, including one fatal presentation diagnosed at autopsy. This multicenter case series highlights isolated-organ PAN as a rare but clinically significant presentation, frequently recognized only after catastrophic vascular complications result in resection. Our findings emphasize the pivotal role of surgical pathology and clinicopathological correlation in establishing the diagnosis and underscore the need to consider PAN in unexplained renal or testicular vascular catastrophes, even in the absence of classic systemic features
Rethinking women's emancipation through Ahmet Haşim: masculinity outside the "brotherhood contract"
No full textThis article examines the transformations experienced by Muslim/Turkish women during the modernization process from the Second Constitutional Era (1908) to the early Republic by focusing on Ahmet Ha & scedil;im's (1887-1933) essays on women. While dominant political and intellectual male discourses framed women's modernization as a marker of national progress, Ha & scedil;im interpreted this process as a violation of women's "nature" and as a direct threat to masculinity. In his essays, he consistently evaluated women's bodies, public visibility, and intellectual activities within limits shaped by male desire, arguing that women who attained autonomy transgressed these "natural" boundaries and thereby lost their value. By closely reading Ha & scedil;im's essays, the article argues that his discourse can be situated outside the "brotherhood contract" that structured the modernizing male consensus. This position, however, does not indicate an emancipatory or oppositional stance, but rather reveals a distinct form of masculine anxiety produced from within modernity itself
Trolox-Mediated Protection of Secondary Metabolite Profiles in Cadmium-Stressed Vitis vinifera L. cv. Öküzgözü
No full textUnderstanding the biochemical defense mechanisms of grapevines against heavy metal contamination is essential for developing sustainable viticulture practices in polluted environments. However, comprehensive knowledge about how antioxidant supplementation modulates secondary metabolite profiles under cadmium stress remains limited. We investigated phenolic compound accumulation, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and amino acid dynamics in three-year-old Vitis vinifera L. cv. Öküzgözü plants subjected to graduated cadmium concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 ppm) with and without Trolox treatment (50 μM), followed by detailed metabolomic profiling. Both cadmium concentration and Trolox application significantly affected all metabolite classes (p < 0.001), with strong interaction effects for trans-p-coumaric acid, epicatechin, and quercetin among phenolics, and for delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and petunidin-3-glucoside among anthocyanins. Phenolic acid levels generally declined with increasing cadmium concentrations, while Trolox treatment partially restored gallic acid (4.12 vs. 0.96 μg g−1 FW) and caffeic acid contents. Anthocyanin accumulation showed a similar trend, with pronounced reductions under cadmium stress but substantial recovery following Trolox supplementation, particularly for malvidin-3-glucoside (11.84 vs. 3.41 μg g−1 FW). Amino acid metabolism exhibited a divergent pattern compared to secondary metabolites: total amino acid contents increased with higher cadmium levels, reflecting stress-induced nitrogen mobilization, whereas Trolox application moderated these elevations and maintained more balanced profiles. Distinct clustering of treatments was evident in the metabolic data, with Trolox-supplemented plants forming groups characterized by elevated phenolic and anthocyanin levels, and cadmium-stressed plants separated by enhanced amino acid accumulation. Principal component analysis explained 86.96% of the total variance (PC1 = 79.23%, PC2 = 7.73%), clearly distinguishing treatment effects. We conclude that Trolox application significantly enhances grapevine resilience to cadmium toxicity through comprehensive protection of secondary metabolite pathways. The differential metabolic responses between treated and untreated plants provide insights for antioxidant-based mitigation strategies, while the quantitative metabolite profiles identified offer valuable parameters for assessing vine health and fruit quality potential under heavy metal contamination scenarios
Impact of a Structured Music Intervention on Patient Recovery and Nursing Care in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Randomised Controlled Trial
No full textBackground: Music is recognised as a holistic therapeutic intervention that enhances evidence-based, person-centred, and humanised nursing care, thereby facilitating patient recovery. This study examined the effects of a structured music intervention on patient recovery and nursing care in individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Method: The study is a randomised controlled trial. The sample comprised 210 patients, including 105 in the music group (MG) and 105 in the control group (CG), all of whom were scheduled to undergo PCI at a university hospital located in northwestern Türkiye. Data were collected using a Patient Information Form, the Vital Signs Assessment Form, the Numerical Rating Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Perianesthesia Comfort Scale, and the Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire. Participants in the MG listened to instrumental pieces in the Rast, Acemashiran, and Hüseyni modes of Classical Turkish Music, whereas those in the CG received routine care only. In both groups, vital signs, pain, anxiety, comfort, and satisfaction with the quality of nursing care were measured before and after the procedure. Results: Following PCI, patients who received music therapy experienced fewer complications, demonstrated greater physiological stability (lower respiratory and heart rates, reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and increased oxygen saturation levels), had decreased pain intensity, reduced analgesic requirements, lower state anxiety levels, and higher satisfaction with nursing care. Overall, music exerted beneficial effects on the care process for both patients and nurses. Conclusion: The findings indicate that music can be safely and effectively integrated into routine nursing care as a humane and person-centred intervention. By supporting both physiological and psychological recovery, music contributes to improved patient outcomes and enhances nursing practice. These results highlight its potential applicability beyond PCI, suggesting that music therapy may be valuable across various clinical and interdisciplinary healthcare settings
ENERJİ DÖNÜŞÜMÜ İÇİN DİJİTAL İKİZLER: YENİLENEBİLİR SEKTÖRLERDE İSTİHDAM VE BECERİ TALEBİNİN MODELLENMESİ
No full textEffectiveness of single-energy metallic artifact reduction in CT angiography for patients with lower extremity metallic implants
No full textAim To evaluate the impact of a single-energy metal artifact reduction algorithm on image quality in lower extremity CT angiography (CTA) of patients with metallic implants. Materials and Methods This retrospective, single-center study included patients with metallic implants in the lower extremity who underwent lower extremity CTA between January 2021 and December 2024. All scans were performed on a 320–detector row CT scanner. Standard images were reconstructed with hybrid iterative reconstruction, and an additional reconstruction was performed with a projection-based single-energy metal artifact reduction (SEMAR) algorithm. Objective image quality was assessed by measuring image noise in target tissues (arteries, muscle, subcutaneous fat, cortical bone, medullary bone) on both standard and SEMAR images. Subjective image quality was evaluated for arteries, muscle, and bone using a 5-point scale. Scores ≥4 were considered diagnostic. Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for comparisons, as appropriate Results The study group included 30 patients. SEMAR reconstruction significantly reduced image noise and artifact index in all evaluated tissues compared to standard images with objective assessment ( p <0.001 for each target tissue). Subjective evaluation of diagnostic-quality showed marked improvements with the SEMAR algorithm for each target tissue compared to the standard images using a 5-point scale ( p <0.001 for each). For arterial structures, only 5 of 30 cases (16.6 %) were considered diagnostic on the standard images (score 4 or 5), whereas with SEMAR 28 of 30 cases (93.3 %) were diagnostic. Conclusions SEMAR significantly reduced artifacts and image noise, restoring diagnostic image quality for vessels and surrounding tissues