Verification of Localization via Blockchain Technology on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Swarm

Verification of the geographic location of a moving device is vital. This verification is important in terms of ensuring that the flying systems moving in the swarm are in orbit and that they are able to task completion and manage their energy efficiency. Cyber-attacks on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in a swarm can affect their position and cause various damages. In order to avoid this challenge, it is necessary to share with each other the positions of UAV in the swarm and to increase their accuracy. In this study, it is aimed to increase position accuracy and data integrity of UAV by using blockchain technology in swarm. Experiments were conducted on a virtual UAV network (UAVNet). Successful results were obtained from this proposed study

Early mobilisation in critically ill COVID-19 patients: a subanalysis of the ESICM-initiated UNITE-COVID observational study

Background Early mobilisation (EM) is an intervention that may improve the outcome of critically ill patients. There is limited data on EM in COVID-19 patients and its use during the first pandemic wave. Methods This is a pre-planned subanalysis of the ESICM UNITE-COVID, an international multicenter observational study involving critically ill COVID-19 patients in the ICU between February 15th and May 15th, 2020. We analysed variables associated with the initiation of EM (within 72 h of ICU admission) and explored the impact of EM on mortality, ICU and hospital length of stay, as well as discharge location. Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear mixed-effect models and ANOVAs. Results Mobilisation data from 4190 patients from 280 ICUs in 45 countries were analysed. 1114 (26.6%) of these patients received mobilisation within 72 h after ICU admission; 3076 (73.4%) did not. In our analysis of factors associated with EM, mechanical ventilation at admission (OR 0.29; 95% CI 0.25, 0.35; p = 0.001), higher age (OR 0.99; 95% CI 0.98, 1.00; p ≤ 0.001), pre-existing asthma (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.98; p = 0.028), and pre-existing kidney disease (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.71, 0.99; p = 0.036) were negatively associated with the initiation of EM. EM was associated with a higher chance of being discharged home (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08, 1.58; p = 0.007) but was not associated with length of stay in ICU (adj. difference 0.91 days; 95% CI − 0.47, 1.37, p = 0.34) and hospital (adj. difference 1.4 days; 95% CI − 0.62, 2.35, p = 0.24) or mortality (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.7, 1.09, p = 0.24) when adjusted for covariates. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that a quarter of COVID-19 patients received EM. There was no association found between EM in COVID-19 patients' ICU and hospital length of stay or mortality. However, EM in COVID-19 patients was associated with increased odds of being discharged home rather than to a care facility. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04836065 (retrospectively registered April 8th 2021)

Turkish Responses to Violence by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK): Policy Choices and Policy Effects

Terrorism poses a major threat to nations around the world in terms of its negative consequences. State policies to curb terrorism have become a central item in government agendas. Turkey has had a prolonged problem with terrorist violence, predominantly the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that has resulted in approximately 35,000 fatalities. To thwart PKK violence, Turkey has implemented diversified policies, including those that are deterrence, anti-defiance and accommodative in nature. The main purpose of this research was to examine Turkish Government's policies during the PKK violence (1984-2007), and to analyze the effects of these policies in reducing PKK violence. Using quantitative and qualitative techniques on various large-scale datasets, I conducted descriptive and statistical (VAR) analyses to address the problem. Based on these analyses, I found that, despite the deterrent effect of certain policies in the mid-run, none had a sustainable deterrent impact on the PKK violence (in the entire span). I also found that incapacitating PKK members had a statistically significant counterproductive impact on PKK-initiated violence for a three month period. I also examined the PKK's internal dynamics and identified the relationship between the PKK's strategic moves and its use of violence. I found that the level and other aspects (i.e., form, purpose, location, and target status) of PKK violence were directly related to the PKK's strategic decisions, rather than to government policies. I found, however, that the PKK's evolution in different strategies has been as a result of government's deterrence policies that defeated and forced the PKK to readjust its goals and strategies over the time. However, these policies are highly likely to be perceived illegitimate and have the nature to increase anti-governmental hostility, in turn, to increase the support level from Turkey's Kurdish society to the PKK (keeping its viability). Results also indicated that despite its militarily defeat and limited flexibility, the PKK's ability to initiate violent incidents did not end. Results from the entire analysis revealed that despite PKK's militarily defeat, deterrence policies are ineffective in eliminating PKK violence entirely in the long term even if certain policies reduce the violence level in the mid-term

Turkish Responses to Violence by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK): Policy Choices and Policy Effects

Terrorism poses a major threat to nations around the world in terms of its negative consequences. State policies to curb terrorism have become a central item in government agendas. Turkey has had a prolonged problem with terrorist violence, predominantly the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that has resulted in approximately 35,000 fatalities. To thwart PKK violence, Turkey has implemented diversified policies, including those that are deterrence, anti-defiance and accommodative in nature. The main purpose of this research was to examine Turkish Government's policies during the PKK violence (1984-2007), and to analyze the effects of these policies in reducing PKK violence. Using quantitative and qualitative techniques on various large-scale datasets, I conducted descriptive and statistical (VAR) analyses to address the problem. Based on these analyses, I found that, despite the deterrent effect of certain policies in the mid-run, none had a sustainable deterrent impact on the PKK violence (in the entire span). I also found that incapacitating PKK members had a statistically significant counterproductive impact on PKK-initiated violence for a three month period. I also examined the PKK's internal dynamics and identified the relationship between the PKK's strategic moves and its use of violence. I found that the level and other aspects (i.e., form, purpose, location, and target status) of PKK violence were directly related to the PKK's strategic decisions, rather than to government policies. I found, however, that the PKK's evolution in different strategies has been as a result of government's deterrence policies that defeated and forced the PKK to readjust its goals and strategies over the time. However, these policies are highly likely to be perceived illegitimate and have the nature to increase anti-governmental hostility, in turn, to increase the support level from Turkey's Kurdish society to the PKK (keeping its viability). Results also indicated that despite its militarily defeat and limited flexibility, the PKK's ability to initiate violent incidents did not end. Results from the entire analysis revealed that despite PKK's militarily defeat, deterrence policies are ineffective in eliminating PKK violence entirely in the long term even if certain policies reduce the violence level in the mid-term

Breast Cancer Subtypes and Prognosis: Answers to Subgroup Classification Questions, Identifying the Worst Subgroup in Our Single-Center Series

Purpose: Many studies report the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) as the worst subgroup, as such patients do not benefit from anti-hormonal therapy and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antagonists. While HER2 overexpression was a poor prognostic factor in breast cancer before trastuzumab (Herceptin) was available, TNBC is often reported as the worst BC subgroup since targeted therapy is currently not possible. Since the patience-specific experiences and the current literature did not always align, we aimed to determine the BC subgroup with the shortest survival in our center. Methods: The records of patients with BC who were admitted to Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Department of Medical and Radiation Oncology between July 1999 and December 2019 were reviewed. Patients were divided into four main groups (Luminal A, Luminal B, TNBC, and HER2-enriched) according to the St Gallen International Consensus Panel and four subgroups in accordance with estrogen receptor, progestin receptor and HER2 positivity. Patient characteristics, treatment characteristics and clinical outcomes of the four main subgroups were evaluated. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and the significance of survival differences among the selected variables was compared by using the Log rank test. Factors affecting disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by Cox regression analysis. Results: Statistical analysis was performed on 2017 patients, after excluding patients with phyllodes tumor, carcinoma-in-situ and missing information from a total of 2474 patients with BC. There were 952 (47.1%) patients in the Luminal A group, 236 (34.1%) in the Luminal B group, 236 (11.7%) in the TNBC group and 142 (7.1%) patients in the HER2 enriched group. HER2-enriched patients had the shortest survival (p < 0.001), with 113.70 ± 7.17 months of DFS and 125.45 ± 3.03 months of OS. For patients who received Herceptin, DFS was 101.50 ± 6.4 months and OS was 118.14 ± 6.16. Patients who did not receive Herceptin had 92.79 ± 18 months of DFS and 94.44 ± 15.23 months of OS. Conclusion: The HER2-enriched subgroup had the worst prognosis despite receiving targeted therapy. While the duration of DFS and OS had no significant difference between TNBC and Luminal A-B subgroups, HER2 enriched subgroup had significantly shorter survival when compared to any other subgroup. HER2-enriched subgroup had a 10-fold greater risk of death compared to the Luminal A subgroup. © 2022 Cosar et al

Effect of oxygen flow rate on the low temperature deposition of titanium monoxide thin films via electron beam evaporation

In this study, titanium monoxide thin films were evaporated by an electron beam source under different oxygen atmospheres at deposition temperatures not exceeding 80 degrees C. Deposition of thin films at low temperatures is a prerequisite for heat sensitive substrates. XRD results showed that crystallinity of titanium monoxide is achieved without the requirement of high temperature annealing. When oxygen is introduced into the coating chamber, a titanium peak is formed at exactly the Ti+2 position together with a small amount of Ti+3 and Ti+4 peaks. According to XPS analysis, the structure is transformed into mostly the Ti+4 state when the oxygen flow rate is over 25 sccm. The bandgap of thin films increases from 3.0 to 3.8 eV with an increase in oxygen flow rate from 1 to 50 sccm. Both optical transmission and Hall effect measurements showed the change in carrier type from p to n when the flow rate reaches 25 sccm. Electrical resistivity increases with additional oxygen in the structure, and minimum resistivity is obtained as 1.7 x 10(-4) Omega cm when no oxygen is admitted into the chamber. Highly conductive thin films were also observed via ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements which yield a high density state showing a metallic character with degenerated oxide semiconductor nature. Published by the AVS

Effect of oxygen flow rate on the low temperature deposition of titanium monoxide thin films via electron beam evaporation

In this study, titanium monoxide thin films were evaporated by an electron beam source under different oxygen atmospheres at deposition temperatures not exceeding 80 degrees C. Deposition of thin films at low temperatures is a prerequisite for heat sensitive substrates. XRD results showed that crystallinity of titanium monoxide is achieved without the requirement of high temperature annealing. When oxygen is introduced into the coating chamber, a titanium peak is formed at exactly the Ti+2 position together with a small amount of Ti+3 and Ti+4 peaks. According to XPS analysis, the structure is transformed into mostly the Ti+4 state when the oxygen flow rate is over 25 sccm. The bandgap of thin films increases from 3.0 to 3.8 eV with an increase in oxygen flow rate from 1 to 50 sccm. Both optical transmission and Hall effect measurements showed the change in carrier type from p to n when the flow rate reaches 25 sccm. Electrical resistivity increases with additional oxygen in the structure, and minimum resistivity is obtained as 1.7 x 10(-4) Omega cm when no oxygen is admitted into the chamber. Highly conductive thin films were also observed via ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements which yield a high density state showing a metallic character with degenerated oxide semiconductor nature. Published by the AVS

Plasma assisted low temperature electron beam deposited NiO thin films for electro-optic applications

This study aims to create high quality nickel oxide (NiO) thin films at low temperatures, which is a prerequisite for coatings on temperature sensitive substrates. NiO chunks were evaporated by electron beam source, and NiO thin films were deposited at a thickness value around 250 nm. Depositions were performed at different experimental conditions: oxygen flow rate, deposition temperature, deposition rate, and plasma assistance. Deposited films were analyzed with regard to the structural, optical, and electrical aspects. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results reveal that films are grown in cubic nickel oxide phase with preferred orientation of (111) plane. Nonstoichiometry of NiO films increases with increasing oxygen flow rate and plasma assistance leads to stoichiometric NiO films. Needle, spherical, and cuboidal particle formation were seen in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Grain size, lattice parameter, and grain morphology were used to explain the variations in optical and electrical properties. It was seen that the mobility of the films increases with oxygen flow rate because of enhanced grain size revealed by XRD calculations and SEM images. Plasma assistance dramatically lowers the resistivity to 150 Omega cm compared to nonassisted films possessing resistivities on the order of megaohm centimeter values. Although plasma assistance results in low mobility [0.2 cm(2)/(Vs)], enhanced sheet carrier concentration (1.1 x 10 13 cm(-1)) was found to be the major factor leading to high conductivity. This situation is related to denser films with higher crystallinity, which was detected from the refractive index spectrum and confirmed by SEM analysis. Optical absorption studies at 400-600 nm wavelengths revealed that absorption can be minimized by deposition under high oxygen flow rate, high deposition temperature, and low deposition rate conditions. Optical band gaps can be tuned by varying the oxygen flow rate, deposition temperature, and deposition rate. It was seen that the Fermi level and valence band minima of the films highly depend on the oxygen flow rate and can be engineered by manipulating the flow rate of oxygen and deposition conditions. Published by the AVS

Does Glp-2 have a protective effect on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion model?

Background/aim: To investigate the neuroprotective effects of glucagon-like peptide 2 (Glp-2), which increases cerebral blood flow, on the hippocampal complex after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats

Comparison of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage and cervical disc prostheses used in anterior cervical microscopic discectomy operations

Objective: The aim of this study was to radiologically and clinically compare the polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage and cervical disc prostheses used in anterior cervical microdiscectomy operations during the postoperative period. Methods: The study evaluated 25 cervical disc hernia patients. The cervical disc prosthesis group (Group A) comprised 10 patients while the PEEK cage group (Group B) comprised 15 patients. Before and after the operation, the cervical graphics from radiological monitoring and VAS, NDI and Odom scores from clinical monitoring were used. The patients&#146; preoperative and postoperative cervical graphics disc height, cervical axis and segmental angles were evaluated to determine statistical relationships with neurological situation and quality of life. Results: In the cervical disc prosthesis group (Group A) in the early postoperative period (3rd week), 3rd month and late period (18-36 months), the intervertebral disc height measurements were significantly higher than the cervical PEEK cage group (Group B) (early p0.05). Clinical evaluation of the patients found no statistical difference in the evaluation of VAS, NDI or Odom scores of the two groups before and after the operation. Conclusion: It was shown that in the cervical disc prosthesis group (Group A) in the early and later postoperative period, intervertebral disk heights were preserved by a statistically significant amount compared to the PEEK cage group (Group B). However, this scenario did not create any significant difference in the clinical evaluation results. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2017; 6(1.000): 1-8