Evaluation of nanoparticle shape factor on a laminar forced convective heat transfer characteristics of various nanofluids flow in a tube using single-phase numerical model

Nanotechnology is advantageous in improving thermophysical properties and enhancing heat transfer rate compared with conventional fluids due to their superior thermophysical properties. These properties vary with many parameters such as concentration and shape. In this study, the effect of nanoparticles shape is numerically explored on heat transfer performance under a laminar flow regime ( Re =500 and 2000) through the smooth tube. Heat transfer enhancement capability of the nanoparticle shapes with targeted reference to average Nusselt number, average Darcy friction factor, pumping power, and performance evaluation criterion have been investigated. Three types of nanofluids (Fe 3 O 4 /water, Al 2 O 3 /water, and GO/water) with various nanoparticle shapes (brick, cylindrical, platelet, and spherical) and different nanoparticle volume fractions ( φ =1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 % ) have been used as heat transfer fluid in analyzes. Numerical results show that heat transfer performance was greatly influenced by changing nanoparticle shapes. The highest average Nusselt number was obtained for GO/water nanofluid with platelet nanoparticle shape and φ =4.0 % . Compared to water, Fe 3 O 4 /water, and Al 2 O 3 /water, the average Nusselt number in GO/water increased by 64.34 % , 54.02 % , and 43.41 % , respectively. The highest performance evaluaton criterionwas obtained for the GO-water nanofluid with platelet nanoparticle shape at Re =2000. On the other hand, it is found that the Fe 3 O 4 /water nanofluid with platelets nanoparticle shape causes the highest pumping power compared with other analyzed nanofluids.

From Optimism to Concern: Unveiling Sentiments and Perceptions Surrounding ChatGPT on Twitter

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, as a product of processes aimed at imitating human intelligence through computers and software, affect our daily lives in various aspects, including cultural, technological, and economic. The advent of ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, signifies a pivotal AI advancement in human language comprehension and generation, heralding profound implications across societal, economic, and cultural dimensions. However, a notable gap exists in scholarly literature concerning the examination of perceptions and discussions surrounding ChatGPT. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing Twitter conversations, comprising 1.1 million tweets containing “ChatGPT” or “#ChatGPT” between December 1 2022 and June 1 2023, with geolocation data. Employing a text as data approach encompassing text, sentiment, and semantic network analyses, sentiment polarity and lexical patterns were explained, while semantic network analysis revealed central expressions and prominent themes in Twitter discussions. The study highlights the social effects of AI technologies from the perspective of Twitter users and reveals the sentimental tendency and themes in tweets with geographical and economic dimensions. The findings reflect the prevalence of positive sentiment and hype toward ChatGPT while there are also concerns regarding privacy, cybersecurity, and misuse of AI tools. More importantly, content generation, technical aspects, business applications, educational use, and competitors are among the main themes of ChatGPT-related discussions on Twitter.

An innovative approach in middle school science courses: effects of collaborative augmented reality activities on motivation, cognitive load, and satisfaction

This study examines the effects of collaborative augmented reality activities supported by the 5E teaching model on students’ motivation, cognitive load, and satisfaction levels in a science course. In this context, explanatory design, one of the mixed research methods, was used in this study. The research process was conducted with 18 sixth-grade (5 girls and 13 boys) students studying in a private school for four hours a week for four weeks in a science course. In the quantitative dimension of the study, the effects of collaborative augmented reality activities were examined using one group pretest-posttest design through questionnaires and scales, and student views were evaluated through semi-structured interviews as a result. The quantitative data analysis used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and descriptive statistics methods. Qualitative data were analyzed through the content analysis method. As a result of the study, it was observed that collaborative augmented reality activities positively affected students’ motivation and satisfaction levels in the science learning process. In addition, collaborative augmented reality activities contributed to balancing the cognitive load. In this regard, it can be asserted that students’ learning processes can be made more effective using collaborative augmented reality activities, especially in teaching complex science subjects.

UV-curable polyether acrylate-based antifog coatings: enhanced hydrophilicity and durability in polycarbonate applications

The degradation of optical clarity in transparent materials poses serious challenges in applications such as automotive windshields, helmet visors, and medical devices, primarily due to fog formation. Fogging occurs when high ambient energy coincides with low surface free energy, leading to moisture condensation and light scattering. A UV-curable antifog coating was developed to address this issue, utilizing formulations that included a low-viscosity tetra-functional polyether acrylate oligomer, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and potassium 3-sulfopropyl acrylate (SPA) for improved hydrophilicity. The formulations were applied to polycarbonate substrates and cured under UV light. The coatings maintained over 90% light transmittance in the 300–600 nm range and reduced the water contact angle of polycarbonate from ∼74° (uncoated) to ∼22–8° depending on SPA content. Swelling ratios were moderate (25–32%), indicating a stable crosslinked hydrophilic network. Formulations containing 5–10 wt% SPA exhibited superior antifog performance without haze formation, while mechanical tests confirmed high surface hardness (4H–5H) and excellent adhesion. These findings demonstrate that the developed formulation provides a highly durable, optically transparent, and hydrophilic antifog coating suitable for advanced optical applications.

Morphological Complexity Modulates Morphological Processing: Evidence from Cross-Language Embedded Stem Priming in French-English Bilinguals

The dynamic interaction between the two languages of a bilingual (L2) reader is a well-documented phenomenon in psycholinguistic literature on L2 processing . However, the effects of morphological complexity and orthographic transparency on cross-language transfer between similar-script languages remain unclear. The present study intended to address this question using a cross-language complex nonword priming paradigm in a lexical decision task. In a lexical decision task, 101 late L1 French-L2 English bilinguals (42 females, age: M  = 31.4, SD = 8.4, range = 18–50) responded to English stem targets (e.g. TREE) preceded by three types of L1 French stimuli: affixed nonwords (e.g. arbreur [treeness], non-affixed nonwords (e.g. arbrux [treew]), or unrelated nonwords (e.g. mondese [worldew]). Participants additionally took the English LexTale test and completed a short version of the Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire. The results revealed significant cross-language embedded stem priming relative to an unrelated condition. A comparison of the present data with that of the speakers of Turkish, a highly morphological complex agglutinative system, showed that the morphological complexity of bilinguals’ L1 indeed modulates cross-language morphological priming, which was entirely absent in French, a less morphologically complex system. This study confirms the presence of cross-language embedded word priming effects in similar-script bilinguals. It also provides the first evidence that cross-linguistic factors impact bilinguals’ ability to process and identify affixes in reading, using cross-language stimuli.

Characteristic features and prognostic factors in gastric cancer patients with bone metastases: multicenter experience

We evaluated the incidence, clinicopathological features, prognostic factors, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with gastric cancer and bone metastases. The medical records of 110 patients with bone metastases were retrospectively analyzed. In our study, the incidence of bone metastases was 3.2%. The median patient age was 60 years. A total of 68 (61.8%) patients exhibited synchronous metastases, and 42 (38.2%) patients developed metachronous metastases. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were high in 54 (49%) patients. At the median follow-up time of 9.8 months, median PFS and OS times were 4.7 and 6.3 months, respectively. The median interval from the diagnosis to bone metastases was 9.3 months. Univariate analysis showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) ≥2, stage at diagnosis, time of metastases, number of metastases, presence of extraskeletal metastases, use of zoledronic acid treatment, palliative chemotherapy post-bone metastases and radiotherapy to bone metastases were significant prognostic indicators for PFS. Additionally, ECOG PS ≥2, stage at diagnosis, time of metastases, number of metastases, presence of extraskeletal metastases, zoledronic acid treatment, palliative chemotherapy post-bone metastases, and radiotherapy to bone metastases significantly influenced OS. Moreover, in multivariate analysis, ECOG PS, time of metastases, presence of extra-bone metastases, and the use of palliative chemotherapy after bone metastases were found to be independent prognostic factors for PFS. Moreover, ECOG PS, time of metastases, and use of palliative chemotherapy after bone metastases were significantly independent prognostic indicators for OS. Our findings show that the presence of synchronous metastases, use of palliative chemotherapy, use of zoledronic acid after bone metastases, and ALP level within the normal range were significantly associated with prolonged OS in gastric cancer patients with bone metastases.

The belt and road initiative: a spatial empirical analysis of economic performance in Central Asia and the South Caucasus

This article focuses on China’s FDIs and mutual trade with five Central Asian countries, three South Caucasus countries and Iran within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The study examines how the interaction of mutual foreign trade and China’s FDIs affects longitudinal income changes in these countries and to what extent the empirical evidence can demonstrate the significance of China’s investments and trade on their economic growth. Employing panel-spatial econometric models, the study assesses whether a discernible increase in total income occurred before and after 2013, exploring potential spillover effects from the spatial neighborhoods. The findings from the panel regression model reveal that the labor stock and the amount of foreign direct investments from China do not exhibit a statistically significant effect on the economic growth of these countries. However, the BRI positively impacted these economies, primarily through enhanced trade with China rather than FDIs from China.

The New Spirit of Islamism: Interactions between the AKP, Ennahda and the Muslim Brotherhood by Ezgi Başaran, London, I.B. Tauris, 2024, 245 pp., £15.39 (paperback), £45.50 (hardback), £13.85 (eBook), ISBN 9780755652952 (paperback), ISBN 9780755652945 (hardback), ISBN 9780755652969 (eBook)

Unveiling Russia’s secret weapon: cyber-electronic operations in hybrid warfare

This article explores the extent of cyber-electronic operations in Russia’s conception of hybrid warfare by analyzing its interventions in Georgia (2008), Ukraine (2014), and Syria (2015). The concept of hybrid warfare, which combines conventional and irregular tactics, asymmetric warfare, act of terrorism, propaganda, and information warfare, has gained prominence in recent years. The study provides a conceptual framework by reviewing the literature on hybrid warfare and presenting different perspectives on the concept, and focuses on cyber-electronic operations as a crucial component of hybrid warfare. Based on the case studies, the findings suggest that cyber-electronic operations are a vital part of Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy. This article introduces a novel aspect to the existing analysis by regarding Russia’s cyber-electronic operations not merely as a tool, but also as a decisive element of its hybrid warfare strategy. Within this context, it conducts a thorough examination of Russia’s utilization of these operations to procure a strategic advantage across political, economic, informational, and conventional warfare domains.

Avelumab maintenance in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma in a real-life expanded-access program

This study evaluates the real-world efficacy and safety of avelumab maintenance therapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) who did not progress following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, using data from the Expanded Access Program (EAP). Safety and effectiveness were assessed in patients who received at least one cycle of avelumab. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), while secondary endpoints included safety. PFS and OS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The 12-month OS rate was 78% (95% CI, 74.5%–79%), with the median OS not reached. The 12-month PFS rate was 32% (95% CI, 29%–35%), and the median PFS was 5.3 months (95% CI, 3.4–7.1). Univariate analysis showed a median PFS of 2.9 months in patients with liver metastases versus 5.4 months in those without (p = 0.001), 2.8 months in patients with hemoglobin levels below 10 mg/dL versus 5.3 months in those above (p = 0.06), and 8.8 months in patients with lymph node – only metastases versus 4.1 months in patients with metastases at other sites (p = 0.05). No significant differences in PFS were observed based on chemotherapy type (cisplatin vs. carboplatin, p = 0.7), chemotherapy cycle count (≤4 vs. > 4 cycles, p = 0.4), or first-line chemotherapy response (complete response vs. partial response/stable disease, p = 0.4). Avelumab demonstrated efficacy and tolerability as maintenance therapy for mUC patients without progression following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.