Phytoplankton composition related to the environmental conditions in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Erdek

1545-1559Seasonal changes of phytoplankton communities in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Erdek from November 2006 to August 2008 were examined in relation to some environmental variables and 95 species from 6 different algae groups were identified. In addition, two species were recorded for the first time in the Turkish coastal waters and one species for the Sea of Marmara. The maximum total phytoplankton abundance (1.99 × 105 cells L-1) were observed in May 2008, with Pseudo-nitzschia sp. being the most dominant species of that month (1.52 × 105 cells L-1). Both the Bray-Curtis diversity index and the Euclidean distance indicated that the upper and lower water layers were separated from each other at the stations, and the Spearman’s rank-correlation and CCA analyses also showed that environmental variables affected the abundance of species. Furthermore, according to the CCA diagram, especially the temperature and dissolved oxygen had a bigger impact on the distribution of species. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index (Hʹ) values were low when Pseudo-nitzschia sp., Prorocentrum micans, Gymnodinium sp. and Prorocentrum scutellum were dominant over other species in the sampling period

The state of the art development of AHP (1979-2017): A literature review with a social network analysis

Although many papers describe the evolution of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), most adopt a subjective approach. This paper examines the pattern of development of the AHP research field using social network analysis and scientometrics, and identifies its intellectual structure. The objectives are: (i) to trace the pattern of development of AHP research; (ii) to identify the patterns of collaboration among authors; (iii) to identify the most important papers underpinning the development of AHP; and (iv) to discover recent areas of interest. We analyse two types of networks: social networks, that is, co-authorship networks, and cognitive mapping or the network of disciplines affected by AHP. Our analyses are based on 8441 papers published between 1979 and 2017, retrieved from the ISI Web of Science database. To provide a longitudinal perspective on the pattern of evolution of AHP, we analyse these two types of networks during the three periods 1979?1990, 1991?2001 and 2002?2017. We provide some basic statistics on AHP journals and researchers, review the main topics and applications of integrated AHPs and provide direction for future research by highlighting some open questions

The state of the art development of AHP (1979-2017): a literature review with a social network analysis

Although many papers describe the evolution of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), most adopt a subjective approach. This paper examines the pattern of development of the AHP research field using social network analysis and scientometrics, and identifies its intellectual structure. The objectives are: (i) to trace the pattern of development of AHP research; (ii) to identify the patterns of collaboration among authors; (iii) to identify the most important papers underpinning the development of AHP; and (iv) to discover recent areas of interest. We analyse two types of networks: social networks, that is, co-authorship networks, and cognitive mapping or the network of disciplines affected by AHP. Our analyses are based on 8441 papers published between 1979 and 2017, retrieved from the ISI Web of Science database. To provide a longitudinal perspective on the pattern of evolution of AHP, we analyse these two types of networks during the three periods 1979–1990, 1991–2001 and 2002–2017. We provide some basic statistics on AHP journals and researchers, review the main topics and applications of integrated AHPs and provide direction for future research by highlighting some open questions

Nutraceutical agents with anti-inflammatory properties prevent dietary saturated-fat induced disturbances in blood-brain barrier function in wild-type mice

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that disturbances in the blood–brain barrier (BBB) may be pivotal to the pathogenesis and pathology of vascular-based neurodegenerative disorders. Studies suggest that heightened systemic and central inflammations are associated with BBB dysfunction. This study investigated the effect of the anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals garlic extract-aged (GEA), alpha lipoic acid (ALA), niacin, and nicotinamide (NA) in a murine dietary-induced model of BBB dysfunction. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were fed a diet enriched in saturated fatty acids (SFA, 40% fat of total energy) for nine months to induce systemic inflammation and BBB disturbances. Nutraceutical treatment groups included the provision of either GEA, ALA, niacin or NA in the positive control SFA-group and in low-fat fed controls. Brain parenchymal extravasation of plasma derived immunoglobulin G (IgG) and large macromolecules (apolipoprotein (apo) B lipoproteins) measured by quantitative immunofluorescent microscopy, were used as markers of disturbed BBB integrity. Parenchymal glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were considered in the context of surrogate markers of neurovascular inflammation and oxidative stress. Total anti-oxidant status and glutathione reductase activity were determined in plasma.Results: Brain parenchymal abundance of IgG and apoB lipoproteins was markedly exaggerated in mice maintained on the SFA diet concomitant with significantly increased GFAP and COX-2, and reduced systemic antioxidative status. The nutraceutical GEA, ALA, niacin, and NA completely prevented the SFA-induced disturbances of BBB and normalized the measures of neurovascular inflammation and oxidative stress. Conclusions: The anti-inflammatory nutraceutical agents GEA, ALA, niacin, or NA are potent inhibitors of dietary fat-induced disturbances of BBB induced by systemic inflammations

Role of anatomical sites and correlated risk factors on the survival of orthodontic miniscrew implants:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Objectives The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate the failure rates of miniscrews related to their specific insertion site and explore the insertion site dependent risk factors contributing to their failure. Search methods An electronic search was conducted in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Knowledge, Scopus, MEDLINE and PubMed up to October 2017. A comprehensive manual search was also performed. Eligibility criteria Randomised clinical trials and prospective non-randomised studies, reporting a minimum of 20 inserted miniscrews in a specific insertion site and reporting the miniscrews’ failure rate in that insertion site, were included. Data collection and analysis Study selection, data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Studies were sub-grouped according to the insertion site, and the failure rates for every individual insertion site were analysed using a random-effects model with corresponding 95% confidence interval. Sensitivity analyses were performed in order to test the robustness of the reported results. Results Overall, 61 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. Palatal sites had failure rates of 1.3% (95% CI 0.3–6), 4.8% (95% CI 1.6–13.4) and 5.5% (95% CI 2.8–10.7) for the midpalatal, paramedian and parapalatal insertion sites, respectively. The failure rates for the maxillary buccal sites were 9.2% (95% CI 7.4–11.4), 9.7% (95% CI 5.1–17.6) and 16.4% (95% CI 4.9–42.5) for the interradicular miniscrews inserted between maxillary first molars and second premolars and between maxillary canines and lateral incisors, and those inserted in the zygomatic buttress respectively. The failure rates for the mandibular buccal insertion sites were 13.5% (95% CI 7.3–23.6) and 9.9% (95% CI 4.9–19.1) for the interradicular miniscrews inserted between mandibular first molars and second premolars and between mandibular canines and first premolars, respectively. The risk of failure increased when the miniscrews contacted the roots, with a risk ratio of 8.7 (95% CI 5.1–14.7). Conclusions Orthodontic miniscrew implants provide acceptable success rates that vary among the explored insertion sites. Very low to low quality of evidence suggests that miniscrews inserted in midpalatal locations have a failure rate of 1.3% and those inserted in the zygomatic buttress have a failure rate of 16.4%. Moderate quality of evidence indicates that root contact significantly contributes to the failure of interradicular miniscrews placed between the first molars and second premolars. Results should be interpreted with caution due to methodological drawbacks in some of the included studies

A non-linear programming model with fuzzy evaluations for customer satisfaction index estimation

Computer and Industrial Engineering;et al.;Gaziantep University;Istanbul Commercial University;Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing Systems;Sakarya University, Department of Industrial EngineeringJoint International Symposium on "The Social Impacts of Developments in Information, Manufacturing and Service Systems" 44th International Conference on Computers and Industrial Engineering, CIE 2014 and 9th International Symposium on Intelligent Manufacturing and Service Systems, IMSS 2014 -- 14 October 2014 through 16 October 2014 -- -- 110500Customer satisfaction index (CSI) is a cause-and-effect model of advanced customer satisfaction analysis. CSI models are used by several private and public institutions for developing key customer strategies throughout the world. Index values are based on predictions of customer evaluations. In the literature CSI is mostly modeled with linear statistical estimation methods. In a few of the studies, non-linear approach is used for estimation. Estimation of CSI with minimum error results in a more reliable and robust prediction. Therefore, in this study we propose a non-linear programming model for estimating CSI with fuzzy customer evaluations minimizing estimation errors. The estimation model brings significant contributions in this field of study. With the help of the model, we can find weights of measurement variables of a latent variable with minimized squared errors which is a key success factor in producing reliable indexes. In addition the model enables us to find coefficients of prediction equations that contribute to extend evaluation of index results. The model is also tested with data of a comprehensive survey application and application results are included

A new record of an alien jellyfish from the Levantine coast of Turkey - Cassiopea andromeda (Forsskål, 1775) [Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Rhizostomea]

To date, three alien scyphozoan species were reported from the Eastern Mediterranean, but only one, Rhopilema nomadica, was reported from the Turkish coast. Recently, a second alien scyphozoan, Cassiopea andromeda, was collected on 20 July 2005 in Iskenderun Bay, SE Turkey. © 2006 The Author(s)