Photonuclear reactions with Zinc: A case for clinical linacs

The use of bremsstrahlung photons produced by a linac to induce photonuclear reactions is wide spread. However, using a clinical linac to produce the photons is a new concept. We aimed to induce photonuclear reactions on zinc isotopes and measure the subsequent transition energies and half-lives. For this purpose, a bremsstrahlung photon beam of 18 MeV endpoint energy produced by the Philips SLI-25 linac has been used. The subsequent decay has been measured with a well-shielded single HPGe detector. The results obtained for transition energies are in good agreement with the literature data and in many cases surpass these in accuracy. For the half-lives, we are in agreement with the literature data, but do not achieve their precision. The obtained accuracy for the transition energies show what is achievable in an experiment such as ours. We demonstrate the usefulness and benefits of employing clinical linacs for nuclear physics experiments

Studies on decolorization of reactive blue 19 textile dye by Coprinus plicatilis

Background: Studies were carried on the decolorization of the textile dye reactive blue 19 (RB 19) by a novel isolate of Coprinus plicatilis (C. plicatilis) fungi. We describe an in vitro optimization process for decolorization and its behavior under different conditions of carbon and nitrogen sources, pH, temperature and substrate concentration. Results: The optimal conditions for decolorization were obtained in media containing intermediate concentrations of ammonium oxalate and glucose (10 g/L) as nitrogen and carbon sources, respectively, at 26°C and pH = 5.5. Maximum decolorization efficiency against RB 19 achieved in this study was around 99%. Ultra-violet and visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometric analyses, before and after decolorization, suggest that decolorization was due to biodegradation. Conclusions: This effect was associated with laccase enzyme displaying good tolerance to a wide range of pH values, salt concentrations and temperatures, suggesting a potential role for this organism in the remediation of real dye containing effluents. In conclusion, laccase activity in C. plicatilis was firstly described in this study. © 2014 Akdogan et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Different epidemiology of bloodstream infections in COVID-19 compared to non-COVID-19 critically ill patients: A descriptive analysis of the Eurobact II study

Background: The study aimed to describe the epidemiology and outcomes of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections (HABSIs) between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill patients. Methods: We used data from the Eurobact II study, a prospective observational multicontinental cohort study on HABSI treated in ICU. For the current analysis, we selected centers that included both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 critically ill patients. We performed descriptive statistics between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 in terms of patients’ characteristics, source of infection and microorganism distribution. We studied the association between COVID-19 status and mortality using multivariable fragility Cox models. Results: A total of 53 centers from 19 countries over the 5 continents were eligible. Overall, 829 patients (median age 65 years [IQR 55; 74]; male, n = 538 [64.9%]) were treated for a HABSI. Included patients comprised 252 (30.4%) COVID-19 and 577 (69.6%) non-COVID-19 patients. The time interval between hospital admission and HABSI was similar between both groups. Respiratory sources (40.1 vs. 26.0%, p < 0.0001) and primary HABSI (25.4% vs. 17.2%, p = 0.006) were more frequent in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients had more often enterococcal (20.5% vs. 9%) and Acinetobacter spp. (18.8% vs. 13.6%) HABSIs. Bacteremic COVID-19 patients had an increased mortality hazard ratio (HR) versus non-COVID-19 patients (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.49–2.45). Conclusions: We showed that the epidemiology of HABSI differed between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Enterococcal HABSI predominated in COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients with HABSI had elevated risk of mortality. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.org number NCT03937245. Registered 3 May 2019

The Confidence Database

Understanding how people rate their confidence is critical for the characterization of a wide range of perceptual, memory, motor and cognitive processes. To enable the continued exploration of these processes, we created a large database of confidence studies spanning a broad set of paradigms, participant populations and fields of study. The data from each study are structured in a common, easy-to-use format that can be easily imported and analysed using multiple software packages. Each dataset is accompanied by an explanation regarding the nature of the collected data. At the time of publication, the Confidence Database (which is available at https://osf.io/s46pr/) contained 145 datasets with data from more than 8,700 participants and almost 4 million trials. The database will remain open for new submissions indefinitely and is expected to continue to grow. Here we show the usefulness of this large collection of datasets in four different analyses that provide precise estimations of several foundational confidence-related effects

Hittitology today: Studies on Hittite and Neo-Hittite Anatolia in Honor of Emmanuel Laroche’s 100th Birthday

Il y a 100 ans, Emmanuel Laroche voyait le jour. Savant à la fois passionné de linguistique indo-européenne et d’Antiquité, il marqua durablement l’hittitologie par ses nombreuses contributions dans des domaines aussi variés que l’histoire des religions proche-orientales, la philologie cunéiforme ou encore la grammaire du hittite, du louvite et du hourrite. Ce colloque organisé en l’honneur de son centenaire a été l’occasion de faire le point sur les avancées de l’hittitologie actuelle, avancées auxquelles il participa tout au long de sa vie et qui se poursuivent après lui. Les axes thématiques qui sont abordés dans ce volume sont ceux qu’Emmanuel Laroche développa de son vivant, à savoir la linguistique des langues anatoliennes, la philologie et l’épigraphie cunéiforme et hiéroglyphique, les religions de l’Anatolie hittite et néo-hittite, l’histoire et la géographie historique, mais aussi l’archéologie proche-orientale, domaine qu’Emmanuel Laroche côtoya de près. Ajoutons à ces domaines celui de l’historiographie qui illustre, entre autres choses, l’impact des travaux d’Emmanuel Laroche dans l’hittitologie d’aujourd’hui.100 years ago, Emmanuel Laroche was born. As a scholar who was fascinated both by Indo-European Linguistics and Ancient Near Eastern and Classical Studies, he had a durable impact on Hittitology through his numerous contributions. His publications dealt with History of Near Eastern Religions, Cuneiform Philology, and Hittite, Luwian, and Hurrian grammar, among many other topics. This conference was organized in honor of his 100th birthday. Its aim was to discuss the recent developments in Hittitology, the ones to whom Emmanuel Laroche contributed and the ones which occurred after his time. The following themes are dealt with in this volume: Anatolian Linguistics, Cuneiform and Hieroglyphic Philology and Epigraphy, Religions of Bronze and Early Iron Age Anatolia, History and Historical Geography of Asia Minor, but also Near Eastern Archaeology, as Emmanuel Laroche was also very close to this discipline. Let us add to those fields Historiography which illustrates, among other things, the impact of Emmanuel Laroche’s work on today’s Hittitology

ORGANIZATIONAL AMBIDEXTERITY: ANEMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OFORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS ASANTECEDENTS OF ORGANIZATIONALAMBIDEXTERITY

Ambidexterity broadly refers to an organization&rsquo;s ability to pursue two disparate things at the same time. Ambidextrous firms are capable of exploiting existing competencies as well as exploring new opportunities with equal dexterity. Capacity to pursue both exploitative and exploratory orientation depends on combinations of contradictory organizational characteristics such as decentralization, formalization, and connectedness. This study aims to explain organizational ambidexterity and organizational factors that are antecedents of ambidexterity in a theoretical way and to examine the impacts of these factors on organizational ambidexterity empirically. Data was obtained from private corporations operating in Kayseri (Turkey). Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between organizational ambidexterity and contradictory organizational characteristics, and to test the research hypothesis. The results of regression analysis provide support for hypothesis.</p

Mapping Özal's new right hegemonic project

Ph.D. - Doctoral Progra

Determination of four priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (4PAHs) by GC-MS in traditional Turkish yoghurts.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ingested with foods and cause toxicities for humans. Yoghurt is one of the main foods that mediate PAH ingestion. Yanık yoghurt, a traditional strained yoghurt, can contain PAHs due to its production process. Therefore, the concentration and types of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Yanık yoghurt samples were collected from different shops in Denizli, Turkey. For the method validation, the Eurachem guide (second edition) was adopted. Accordingly, linearity, working range, limits of detection (LOD), quantification (LOQ), precision and trueness values were set. Due to the selected validation parameters, the limit for detection was between 0.03 ng g(-1)and 0.05 ng g(-1)while the limit for quantification was between 0.10 ng g(-1) and 0.16 ng g(-1). Recovery rates higher than 83.80 % were obtained for four PAHs at two spiked concentrations (2.0 and 5.0 ng g(-1)). Five Yanık yoghurt samples and one commercial concentrated yoghurt sample were successfully analysed using the validated method