Interference Effect of Geocell-Reinforced Shallow Strip Foundations on Sandy Soil

This paper discusses the results of laboratory model tests on interfering shallow strip foundations, investigating both unreinforced and geocell-reinforced configurations. The tests cover a spectrum of spacing ratios, defined as the ratio of the center-to-center distance between two foundations to the width of the strip foundation, ranging from 1 to 5 under varying relative densities of sandy soil. The results revealed that, depending on both the relative density and the spacing ratio, the ultimate bearing capacity increased significantly, ranging from 4.8 to 8.4 times with the introduction of geocell reinforcement and the interference effect of strip foundations compared with that of unreinforced single foundation. The optimum spacing ratio for achieving the maximum ultimate bearing capacity was 1.5 for both unreinforced loose and dense sand, as well as for geocell-reinforced dense sand. However, this ratio was 2 for geocell-reinforced loose sand. The interference effect nearly disappeared at a spacing ratio of 5 for both unreinforced and geocell-reinforced conditions. Furthermore, the extent of the settlement patterns on the ground surface was most pronounced for both geocell-reinforced loose and dense sands at the optimum spacing ratio

Çocukluk Çağı Romatolojik Hastalıklarına Patogenetik Bakış

ÖZET Kronik nonbakteriyel osteomiyelit (KNO), doğal bağışıklık sisteminin anormal aktivasyonu sonucugelişen otoinflamatuar bir kemik hastalığıdır ve çocuklarda daha sık görülmekle birlikte yetişkinlerdede ortaya çıkabilir. Patogenezinde asıl olarak nötrofiller, makrofajlar, monositler ve sitokinler gibidoğal bağışıklık sistemi elemanlarının rol oynadığı, genetik faktörlerin ve immün disregülasyonun da hastalıkgelişimine katkıda bulunduğu düşünülmektedir. KNO’nun enfeksiyöz bir nedeni olduğuna dairkesin bir kanıt bulunmamıştır. Uzun süreli antibiyotik kullanımı ile kalıcı remisyonun sağlanamaması,patogenezde enfeksiyöz nedenlerin yer almadığını desteklemektedir. Hastalığın multifaktöriyel yapısı,sitokin disregülasyonu ve bazı genetik mutasyonlarla bağlantılı olarak İnrerlökin (IL)-10, IL-19, IL-1βve RANKL gibi immün yanıtın düzenlenmesinde önemli rol oynayan proteinlerde dengesizliklere yolaçar. KNO, çeşitli otoinflamatuar ve genetik hastalıklarla ilişkili olabilir; örneğin, Majeed Sendromu vePiyojenik Artrit, Piyoderma Gangrenozum ve Akne Sendromu gibi monogenik bozukluklarda benzerinflamatuar yolakların aktif olduğu gözlenmiştir. Genetik yatkınlık, çevresel faktörler ve bağırsak mikrobiyotasıda KNO gelişiminde etkili olabilir. KNO’nun moleküler düzeyde incelenmesi, kemik inflamasyonuve hasarına katkıda bulunan mekanizmaların daha iyi anlaşılmasına yardımcı olabilir.Anah tar Ke li me ler: Kronik nonbakteriyel osteomiyelit; patogenez; sitokin disregülasyonu; genetikABSTRACT Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is an autoinflammatory bone disorder that arisesdue to abnormal activation of the innate immune system, primarily affecting children but also occurringin adults. Its pathogenesis is thought to involve elements of the innate immune system, including neutrophils,macrophages, monocytes, and cytokines, with contributions from genetic factors and immunedysregulation. A definitive infectious cause for CNO has not been established. Failure to achieve sustainedremission with prolonged antibiotic treatment supports the absence of an infectious etiology in thepathogenesis. The disease’s multifactorial nature may lead to imbalances in proteins that regulate immuneresponses, such as Interleukin (IL)-10, IL-19, IL-1β, and RANKL, likely connected to cytokine dysregulationand specific genetic mutations. CNO can be associated with various autoinflammatory and geneticconditions; for instance, similar inflammatory pathways are involved in monogenic disorders likeMajeed syndrome and Pyogenic Arthritis, Pyoderma gangrenosum, and Acne syndrome. Genetic predisposition,environmental factors, and the gut microbiota, may also contribute to CNO’s development.A deeper molecular understanding of CNO could enhance insights into the mechanisms underlying boneinflammation and damage.</p

The Responsiveness of Breast Cancer Cells to Varied Levels of Vitamin B12, Cisplatin, and G-CSF

Supportive agents, such as vitamin B12 (cobalamin, B12) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), are widely used during chemotherapy; however, their direct effects on tumor biology are not well understood. We evaluated the impact of pharmacological B12 and G-CSF, alone or in combination with cisplatin, on hormone receptor-positive (MCF-7) and triple-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells, conducting in vitro assays of cell viability, cytotoxicity, caspase activation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and cytolytic protein expression. Neither B12 nor G-CSF alone induced cytotoxicity; instead, both promoted proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. When combined with cisplatin, they consistently attenuated drug-induced cytotoxicity, suppressed caspase-3/-8/-9 activation, preserved mitochondrial integrity, and reduced perforin/granzyme expression, exhibiting stronger effects in MCF-7 cells. G-CSF markedly increased proliferation (>130% at 50 ng/mL), while B12 modestly enhanced viability and mitigated cisplatin-induced damage, particularly in triple-negative cells. These findings indicate that B12 and G-CSF can impair cisplatin efficacy by blunting apoptotic signaling and mitochondrial injury in different breast cancer subtypes. These preclinical findings warrant prospective, biomarker-driven in vivo and clinical studies to delineate the clinical contexts in which B12 and G-CSF can be safely integrated into supportive care without compromising antitumor efficacy

Circuit Modeling, Simulation, and Experimental Validation of a 100-kW Polyphase Wireless Power Transfer System for EV Applications

Polyphase wireless power transfer (WPT) systems can achieve much higher surface power densities (kW/m2) and specific power levels (kW/kg) compared to the conventional circular single phase WPT systems. Therefore, polyphase WPT systems can reduce the size, weight, volume, and cost of the WPT systems and can simplify the electric vehicle integration with less demand for space. This study presents the high-performance and compact 100-kW WPT development using polyphase electromagnetic coupling coils with rotating magnetic fields.</p

Breaking the Cycle: Can Vitamin D Bridge the Gap Between Gut Microbiota and Immune Dynamics in Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease with autoimmune and neurodegenerative features that affect the nervous system. Genetic predisposition and environmental factors, such as vitamin D deficiency and dysbiosis activating a pro-inflammatory response, have a role in the etiology of the disease. In this context, the interactions of vitamin D with the gut microbiota and immune system have attracted attention in recent years. Vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol) modulates the immune response by binding to the Vitamin D receptor (VDR). This pathway supports the functions of regulatory T cells by suppressing the activity of T helper cells 1 and 17 (Th1 and Th17). In MS patients, dysbiosis is characterized by a decrease in microbial diversity, and an increase in pro-inflammatory species is observed when compared to healthy individuals. Vitamin D has protective effects on eubiosis via VDR in intestinal epithelial cells, also reducing intestinal permeability by regulating tight junction proteins. In this way, vitamin D may contribute to the prevention of systemic inflammation. Although the relationship between vitamin D and the immune system is well documented, studies that address the triad of vitamin D level, gut microbiota, and immune response in MS are still limited

Effect of Auditory Input on Sensory Organization and Fall Risk in Young Adults With Hearing Aids

Objective: The aim of this study was to document postural control, sensory organization, and fall risk parameters of auditory input using computerized posturography in bilaterally hearing-aided young adults. Materials and Methods: A total of 54 individuals aged 18 to 40 years participated in the study, including 36 bilateral hearing aid (HA) users and 18 normal-hearing controls. HA users were divided into two groups based on the duration of device use: Group 1 included individuals using bilateral HAs for 12 months or less, and Group 2 included those using them for more than 12 months. The Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and computerized Fall Risk Assessment were administered to all participants meeting the inclusion criteria. Group 1 and Group 2 were assessed under both HA-on and HA-off conditions, while the control group was evaluated only under auditory stimulation. Results: SOT Condition 1, 2, and 4 scores of Group 1 in the HA-on situation were statistically significantly higher than in the HA-off situation. No statistically significant difference was observed in Condition 3, 5, and 6 scores. All SOT condition scores in the HA-on situation of Group 2 were statistically significantly higher than those in the HA-off situation. It was observed that the risk of falling performance was riskier when the HAs were turned off in Group 1 and Group 2 compared to when the HAs were turned on. Conclusion: It was observed that auditory input had a positive contribution to postural control and fall risk in young adult HA users. Level of Evidence: 3

Fabrication and characterization of WS2/AlN/Si S-I-S heterojunction for emergent material photovoltaic applications

Here, the WS2/AlN/Si semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor (SIS) heterojunction based inorganic tungsten disulfide chalcogenide compound with the insertion of 10 nm thick Aluminium nitride (AlN) layer as insulator is investigated. Our study focuses on structural, surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of S-I-S heterojunction, fabricated by RF sputtering process, as a result of both WS2 (10, 50 and 100 nm) thickness and light conditons change at room temperature (RT). The grain size determined by X-ray is smaller around 42 nm which confirms the nanostructural aspect. This aspect is also revealed by AFM and SEM observations. The transmittance (T) of three samples declines from 90.8 to 59.3% when WS2 thickness rises. İt is observed that T-λ curves augment from UV range to Vis to highest point in IR band. The current versus voltage (I-V) characteristics of S-I-S are investigated in dark, solar simulator and filter 780 nm conditions. Related parameters are extracted from I-V curves showing an increase in both ideality factor and saturation current with WS2 layer thickness

Truncated-Exponential-Based General-Appell Polynomials

In this paper, a new and general form of truncated-exponential-based general-Appell polynomials is introduced using the two-variable general-Appell polynomials. For this new polynomial family, we present an explicit representation, recurrence relation, shift operators, differential equation, determinant representation, and some other properties. Finally, two special cases of this family, truncated-exponential-based Hermite-type and truncated-exponential-based Laguerre–Frobenius Euler polynomials, are introduced and their corresponding properties are obtained