Investigation of the impact of instagram access restriction on individuals' psychological well-being, social and cultural perceptions, and adaptation strategies

This study comprehensively examines the psychological impacts of the Instagram access ban implemented in Turkey between August 2, 2024, and August 10, 2024, how these impacts are reflected in social consequences and cultural perceptions, and also assesses the adaptation strategies that individuals develop in response to the ban. Data were collected from 80 participants residing in Erzurum through online surveys and analyzed using MAXQDA 24 software. The findings suggest that the access ban had various psychological effects, with some participants experiencing changes in their social relationships and difficulties in accessing information. The impacts on social bonds and solidarity varied among participants, with some cases showing intensified social interactions. In terms of cultural perceptions, changes were observed in individuals' views on freedom and expression rights. The study provides important insights into how social media access bans can influence individual perceptions and social structures, suggesting that these findings could contribute to shaping social media policies

Exploring the commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - the renewable energy and tourism demand nexus

This study proposes to standardize the sustainability measure in tourism and energy by examining the long-term effects of renewable energy sources and tourism demand on the achievement of SGDs from 2003 to 2019. Focusing on the seven most visited countries, we used IV-GMM and CS-ARDL models, AMG and CCEMG models to examine linear relationships, and Panel Quantile Regression analysis to explore the non-linear relationships between SDGs, renewable sources, and tourism demand. The positive impact of renewable energy sources on SGDs was revealed through CS-ARDL examination of long- and short-term relationships, while tourism demand showed no significant effect. On the other hand, Panel Quantile Regression analysis revealed a noteworthy association between renewable energy consumption and tourism demand with SDGs across various quantile levels

Investigation of thermal expansion coefficient of copper using molecular dynamics simulation: Effect of size and number of crystals on single- and poly-crystalline structures Bakırın ısıl genleşme katsayısının moleküler dinamik simülasyonuyla araştırılması: Boyut ve kristal sayısının tek- ve çok-kristalli yapılar üzerindeki etkisi

Copper, both at macro- and nano-scales, has attracted the attention of researchers scientifically and technologically due to its unique combination of mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermal properties Understanding the structure-property relationships at the nano-scale is important for NEMS and MEMS applications The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) is one of these properties Models for TEC have been developed for single-crystal (SC) and polycrystalline (PC) copper SC and PC models have been created in five main size series Additionally, each PC model has five different sub-series with varying grain sizes Thus, SC research is conducted on five different-sized models, while PC calculations are performed on 25 models with different dimensions and grain sizes. In these studies, the effects on TGK of: i) dimensional changes in TKY, ii) increasing particle count in a certain fixed size CKY, iii) particle count variations due to size increase in different CKYs have been investigated In the CKYs prepared for assessing the effects of dimensional and particle count changes on TGK, the particle count increases in different-sized CKYs were adjusted to have the same average particle volume (APV) within the same subseries of different-sized models Thus, the impact of both structural dimensions and particle count, as well as the same average particle volume, on TGK at different temperatures could be thoroughly examined The results were consistent with the literature In the calculations performed using Molecular Dynamics Simulations(MDS), the potential energy function (PEF) of the embedded atom model (EAM) was utilized

Inhibition of Retinoblastoma Cell Growth by Boswellic Acid Through Activation of the Suppressing Nuclear Factor—κB Activation

Background and Objectives: Despite the development of treatment methods and the emergence of alternative new approaches in recent years, the visual prognosis of retinoblastoma contains deficiencies and this situation increases the need for the development of new treatment approaches. The cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects of the combination of boswellic acid (BA), which has been determined to have significant potential in preclinical and clinical studies of various diseases, and Cisplatin (Cis), a potent chemotherapy agent, were investigated on the human retinoblastoma cell line (Y79). Materials and Methods: The cytotoxic effect of BA and Cis on Y79 cells was determined by the water soluble tetrazolium-1 (WST-1) test, the apoptotic rate of the cells was determined by annexin V staining, and the gene expressions of Protein53 (p53), Caspase-3 and Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which play an important role in apoptosis, were determined by RT-qPCR analysis. Interleukin 1-beta (IL1-β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon γ (IFN-γ) levels were analyzed in cell lysates obtained from the experimental groups. Results: The combination of BA and Cis selectively inhibited the growth of Y79 cells and modulated NF-κB signaling, potentially through post-translational regulatory mechanisms. Moreover, it induced apoptosis by increasing p53 and Caspase-3 expressions, confirming its pro-apoptotic effects. Additionally, the combination treatment was associated with a reduction in inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL1-β), suggesting a potential regulatory effect on inflammation-related pathways rather than direct inhibition of NF-κB activation. Conclusions: These findings suggest that BA combined with Cis inhibits Y79 retinoblastoma cell growth by inducing apoptosis and modulating NF-κB signaling. While NF-κB mRNA levels increased, reduced inflammatory cytokines and enhanced apoptosis suggest potential post-translational regulation. Further studies are needed to confirm NF-κB protein-level effects and in vivo efficacy

Demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of extrapulmonary tuberculosis: Eight-year results of a multicenter retrospective study in Turkey

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is an important public health problem due to its diverse clinical presentations, diagnostic complexities, and significant impact on patient outcomes and public health. Our study aimed to understand the sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics as well as diagnostic and treatment modalities of adult patients with EPTB. This is a multicentric retrospective study that covers patients with EPTB cases followed up from January 2015 to December 2022 among tuberculosis (TB) dispensaries and Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology clinics of 15 hospitals located in various regions of Turkey. The study included 64.6% women with a mean age of 44 years and a mortality rate of 3.5% within 1 year of diagnosis. Initial constitutional symptoms were predominantly fatigue (57%) and anorexia (53.7%). The most commonly affected sites were the lymph nodes (49.1%) and pleura (9.7%). The lumbar region was particularly involved in cases with spinal TB. Diagnostic findings included acid-fast bacilli positivity in 27.5% of cases, tuberculosis polymerase chain reaction positivity in 41%, elevated adenosine deaminase levels in 91.2% (especially in pleural and peritoneal fluids), and mycobacterial culture positivity in 40.9%. Pathology slides showed granulomatous inflammation in 97.7%. Increased C-reactive protein (CRP) levels correlated with the number of organs affected. Anti-TB treatment-related hepatotoxicity was detected in 8.9% of patients. In this study, it is important to note that the lumbar region is predominantly affected with involvement in spinal region. CRP level was consistent with the number of organ involvements and was one of the most critical results of this study