Alanya Hamdullah Emin Pasa University

There is a growing interest in innovative strategies for effectively preventing implant-associated bacterial infections. Here, we report on a simple-by-design approach for production of antibacterial coatings from docosahexaenoic acid monoacylglycerol (MAG-DHA) and glycerol monooleate (GMO). In addition to its amphiphilic nature, MAG-DHA is a safe precursor of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and has different beneficial health effects, including antibacterial activities. Using binary combinations of MAG-DHA and GMO, we describe the structural features and the antibacterial activities of antibiotic-free non-lamellar liquid crystalline (LLC) coatings. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and in situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) were employed to gain insight into the structural features of the fully hydrated coatings and the hydration-induced dynamic self-assembly of MAG-DHA and GMO on model implants. In a lipid composition-dependent manner, SAXS results revealed hydration-induced formation of different inverse LLC self-assemblies, including hexagonal (H2) and bicontinuous cubic (Q2) phases. Further, GISAXS analysis showed that lipid composition and employed relative humidity level play important roles in controlling the out-of-equilibrium self-assembly properties. Moreover, the coatings containing MAG-DHA displayed unique inherent antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. This study describes the first antibiotic-free coatings with nanostructural architectures and inherent antibacterial activities for orthopedic implants.

Background/Aims: Despite the widespread use of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), real-world data on treatment outcomes and predictors of response in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 2 and 3 remain limited, particularly in countries with heterogeneous patient populations such as Türkiye. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 (GT-2) and genotype 3 (GT-3) in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: This cohort is a multicenter, retrospective, and observational study. Data from 267 GT-2 or GT-3 patients treated with a DAA were analyzed. Treatment efficacy was assessed by sustained virological response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR), and baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were evaluated to identify factors associated with treatment response. Results: An overall sustained virological response (SVR) rate of 95.9%, with no significant difference between GTs. The SVR rates were relatively lower in patients with cirrhosis. Prior pegylated interferon and ribavirin reduced SVR rates, particularly in males and patients with cirrhosis. The most common treatments were sofosbuvir-based regimens, which demonstrated comparable efficacy. No significant drug interactions were observed. The most commonly reported adverse events were fatigue and mild anemia, particularly in cirrhotic patients; however, these did not lead to treatment discontinuation. Conclusion: This study supports the efficacy and tolerability of DAA regimens for these HCV GTs, thereby reinforcing their role in HCV eradication. Cite this article as: Eren F, Goktug MR, Ari D, et al. Fibrosis-4 score and postoperative outcomes in metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2026;37(1):127-135.

The increasing demand for efficient cooling systems in engines, electronics and industrial processes requires advanced and innovative solutions in thermal management. Traditional cooling methods suffer from several limitations, leading to reduced performance and damage of components. Modern cooling systems use nanofluids as coolants offering improved thermal conductivity and heat transfer efficiency. Nanofluids containing metals, metal oxides, carbides, carbon nanostructures (CNTs, Graphene, etc.) exhibit enhanced heat transfer properties with high stability. Nanofluids are developed by using several strategies and it all depends upon involved nanomaterial and fluidic components and also the adopted methodology. The synthesis methodology, key thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, viscosity, specific heat capacity, density) of nanomaterials and of base fluid determine the final response of nanofluids. By selecting appropriate nanomaterials, the response of nanofluids can be effectively tailored for diverse applications, e.g., microprocessor cooling, automotive radiators, solar collectors, and advanced heat exchangers, etc. Engineered nanofluids could play a potential role in thermal energy harvesting and reuse but the nanoparticle agglomeration, increased viscosity, energy requirements, and environmental concerns, etc., are open challenges. This review presents the state-of-the-art research progress in the direction of smart nanomaterials based advanced nanofluids that could offer potential solutions as promising frontiers in future thermal management. • Reviews nanofluids from preparation methods to thermal performance. • Studies effects of nanoparticle type, size, base fluid, and additives. • Highlights the advances in hybrid and carbon-based nanofluids for cooling. • Summarizes applications in solar, electronic, automotive, and storage. • Discusses challenges and future directions for sustainable nanofluids.

In increasingly globalized and multilingual societies, a key question for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is how bilingual exposure influences their linguistic, cognitive, and social development. This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of a bilingual home environment on the severity and progression of ASD symptoms in children. The study was conducted with 3-year follow-up results of a total of 69 children, 34 with bilingual home situations (BHSs) and 35 with monolingual home situations (MHSs). The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was applied to assess the severity of the participants' ASD symptoms. Neurodevelopmental evaluations were performed using the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (DDST-II). No significant differences were determined between the MHS and BHS groups in terms of developmental quotient total (DQt) baseline (p = 0.618), DQt follow-up (p = 0.288), or CARS baseline (p = 0.970) scores. However, CARS follow-up scores, indicative of greater symptom severity, were significantly higher in the BHS group (p = 0.030). While the MHS group showed a notable decrease in CARS scores, the BHS group's scores tended to persist, with the decrease in CARS scores being significantly lower than that observed in the MHS group (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that children with ASD raised in bilingual home environments may exhibit comparatively less improvement in symptom severity over time. The influence of bilingualism on ASD may involve a range of complex linguistic, cognitive, and social factors. Future research should explore these variables in larger, more detailed studies.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to renal damage through oxidative stress. Carvacrol (CAR), a monoterpenoid phenol, possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. We investigated the potential effects of CAR on histological, gene expression, and biochemical parameters in a rat model of DM. Four groups were created: group 1, control; group 2 (n = 9), DM; group 3 (n = 9), DM + dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); and group 4 (n = 9), DM + CAR. DM was created by injecting streptozotocin (STZ). CAR (20 mg/kg) was prepared through dissolution in 0.1% DMSO. CAR and 0.1% DMSO were administered daily for 4 weeks to groups 4 and 3, respectively. At the end of this study, urea, creatinine, paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and arylesterase (ARES) were measured in serum samples. Histopathological changes and expression of Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf-2) in renal tissues were assessed. Immunohistochemical(ihc) staining and RT-qPCR analysis were performed to evaluate apoptosis, focusing on Bax and Bcl-2gene expression. Masson’s trichrome(MT) staining and RT-qPCR analysis of COL1A1 and COL3A1 mRNA levels were used to assess fibrosis. Increased urea and creatinine levels in DM were significantly decreased after CAR administration. CAR application also improved reduced levels of PON 1 and ARES, which are associated with diabetes. Both immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR analyses revealed that CAR therapy mitigated the diabetes-induced elevation in Bax and reduction in Bcl-2 expression. CAR treatment improved histopathological findings and renal Nrf-2 immunofluorescence(if) intensity. Furthermore, gene expression analysis demonstrated that COL1A1 and COL3A1 were upregulated in DM, while CAR administration downregulated them. In conclusion, CAR has a protective role in decreasing renal impairment linked to DM by regulating Bax and Bcl-2 levels and rectifying histological damage.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between target organ damage in children with primary hypertension and red cell distribution width (RDW) and related indices to elucidate their potential clinical implications. A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on data collected from patients with primary hypertension. Demographic variables, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin, RDW, leukocyte count, platelet count and albumin results were recorded. RPR was defined as the ratio of RDW to platelet count and RAR was defined as the ratio of RDW to albumin. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted on all patients to ascertain the presence of target organ damage. This evaluation included echocardiography, retinal examination, and urine analysis. The study included 219 hypertensive children and 57 healthy controls. The majority of patients were male (61.6%) and had elevated BMI (69.4%). Overall, 45.7% had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), 5.5% had hypertensive retinopathy and 4.5% had proteinuria. The mean RDW level in patient group was higher than that of controls (13.1 ± 0.9% and 12.8 ± 0.7%, p < 0.05). The mean RDW level and RPR in children with LVH were higher than that of children without LVH (respectively, 13.3 ± 1% and 13 ± 0.7, p < 0.05 and 0.048 ± 0.012 and 0.044 ± 0.010, p < 0.01). An elevated white blood cell count was observed in children with a high BMI. However, the mean RDW and RAR values remained comparable. The RPR value was found to be higher in the patients with normal BMI. The male gender was identified as a significant risk factor for LVH. Elevated RDW and RPR levels were associated with LVH in hypertensive children, suggesting their potential role as markers of target organ damage, whereas RAR showed limited utility. Male gender emerged as an independent risk factor for LVH. Obese children demonstrated higher leukocyte counts, indicating a link between obesity and systemic inflammation. However, RDW and RAR did not vary with BMI, and unexpectedly, RPR was higher in children with normal BMI. These findings suggest that hematological parameters may provide insights into both cardiovascular risk and obesity-related changes in pediatric populations.

Decarbonization of transport is a key element of the energy transition and of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Integration of renewable energy into transport systems is assessed together with the potential of electric, hybrid, hydrogen, and biofuel-based propulsion to enable low emission mobility. Literature published from 2019 to 2025 is synthesized using structured searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and Elsevier and evidence is integrated through a thematic comparative approach focused on energy efficiency, life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, and technology readiness. Quantitative findings indicate that battery electric vehicles typically require about 18 to 20 kWh per 100 km, compared with about 60 to 70 kWh per 100 km in energy equivalent terms for internal combustion cars. With higher renewable shares in electricity generation, life cycle CO2 equivalent emissions are reduced by about 60 to 70 percent under average European grid conditions and up to about 80 percent when renewables exceed 50 percent. Energy storage and smart grid management, including vehicle to grid operation, are identified as enabling measures and are associated with peak demand reductions of about 5 to 10 percent. Hydrogen and advanced biofuels remain important for heavy duty, maritime, and aviation segments where full electrification is constrained.

Background The objective of this study was to develop a deep learning (DL) model for the detection and segmentation of six types of dental restorations and applications in panoramic radiographs of paediatric patients with mixed dentition.Material and methods A total of 2,033 panoramic radiographs were labelled for six different dental restorations. The dataset was divided into three parts: 80% for training, 10% for validation, and 10% for testing. The YOLOv8 model was trained for 500 epochs with a learning rate of 0.01. The success of the model was evaluated using sensitivity, precision and F1 score metrics.Results The YOLOv8 multiclass-DL model achieved high performance, with an overall F1 score of 0.89, supported by a sensitivity of 0.85 and precision of 0.93. Among the evaluated restoration types, dental fillings achieved the highest F1-score of 0.97, followed by stainless steel crowns with 0.94, space maintainers with 0.93, pulpotomies with 0.90, and root canal fillings with 0.84. The lowest performance was observed in the detection of dental brackets, which reached an F1-score of only 0.46.Conclusion YOLOv8-based DL models demonstrate a high level of success in detecting and segmenting dental restorations in panoramic radiographs of patients in the mixed dentition period.

ABSTRACT This study has carried out a comprehensive review of 51 studies using the original set of performance indicators (PIs) proposed by Malano and Burton in 2001, in order to evaluate the performance of collective irrigation agencies (CIAs) on a global scale. Bibliographic analysis has revealed a concentration of papers in semi‐arid areas, especially in Spain and Turkey. The meta‐analysis allowed a comprehensive diagnosis of CIAs operating in four countries (Italy, Malaysia, Spain and Turkey). The good performance of the CIAs was clearly associated with the following factors: satisfactory coverage of irrigation services, water delivery efficiency, financial self‐sufficiency, capacity of fee collection and economic production. These factors included responses to smaller command areas, the prevalence of on‐demand water distribution methods and water‐conveying systems in pressured pipelines, and the significant presence of farm drip systems. In contrast, the poorly performing CIAs presented poor irrigation service coverage and an excessive water supply to crops and personnel staff. These issues led to insufficient system operations as well as to poor economic performance, due to low financial self‐sufficiency, capacity of fee collection, economic production and high maintenance, operation and management costs.

BackgroundEngagement in meaningful leisure activities is increasingly recognized as an essential factor for promoting psychological wellbeing and happiness. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain underexplored. This study examines the mediating effect of social inclusion in the relationship between leisure involvement and happiness among Turkish adults.MethodsThe study employed a cross-sectional survey design and included 595 adult participants who were recruited from seven regions of Türkiye. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires comprising the Leisure Involvement Scale (LIS), the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire–Short Form (OHQ-SF), and the Social Inclusion Scale (SIS). Mediation analysis using Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 4) was conducted to assess the mediating role of social inclusion in the relationship between leisure involvement and happiness.ResultsLeisure involvement was positively associated with both social inclusion (r = 0.37, p < 0.001) and happiness (r = 0.37, p < 0.001). Social inclusion was also strongly correlated with happiness (r = 0.50, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that social inclusion partially mediated the correlation between leisure involvement and happiness. The total effect of leisure involvement on happiness was β = 0.37, with a direct effect of β = 0.21 and an indirect effect through social inclusion of β = 0.16.ConclusionSocial inclusion is a significant psychological mechanism that enhances the positive impact of leisure involvement on happiness. Promoting socially inclusive leisure opportunities may serve as an effective public health strategy for improving subjective wellbeing across diverse community settings. These findings suggest that community programs, urban planning, and public policies should prioritize accessible and inclusive leisure activities to strengthen social connections and enhance happiness, particularly among marginalized groups.