Journals
2026 EN
Cunha Bruno Queiroz · Lopez Felix G. · Coban M. Kerem
ABSTRACT Democratic backsliding around the world has sparked debate about its impact on public administration and governance. This article explores a growing yet less visible phenomenon threatening democracy. It examines the influence exerted by authoritarian populists over autonomous regulatory agencies through militarized patronage, that is, the discretionary appointment of military officers to civil positions. Scholars have not fully untangled how and why contemporary populists employ militarized patronage, and much less is known about militarization of autonomous regulatory agencies. To fill this gap, we highlight enabling factors underpinning militarized patronage and draw on a unique empirical dataset that integrates military with civil service records to account for the militarization of autonomous regulatory agencies in Brazil during the far‐right presidency of Jair Bolsonaro (2019–2022). The article deepens our understanding of the role of civil‐military relations in restructuring regulatory governance during populist rule, and the effects of democratic backsliding on regulatory governance.
Journals
2026 EN
Bayırlı İsa Kerem
Life on Earth will eventually come to an end. The thought expressed in the previous sentence is about a point in time that is not known to the individual entertaining the thought. This paper is concerned with the nature of such temporal thoughts. We propose that the capacity to mentally represent thoughts about non‐specific temporal intervals is a unique aspect of human cognition. We suggest that this capacity is a consequence of the fact that human grammar defines/generates sentences involving binding of temporal variables and quantification over intervals. This leads to a view of language evolution as a transition between logics.
Journals
2026 EN
Bolukbasi H. Tolga · Öktem Kerem Gabriel
ABSTRACT This article develops a multidimensional approach to capture the multiple dimensions of welfare states around the world. We know a lot about why we need to take the multidimensional character of welfare states seriously. There is, however, no consensus in the literature on which dimensions to focus on. Nor is there agreement among welfare state researchers on how to bring them together in a single framework. We aim to advance the literature by developing a framework based on the key dimensions of overall size, coverage, programmatic composition, and generosity. We bring them together in the study of a middle‐income country, Turkey, to capture multiple dimensions of the same welfare state. To do this, we analyse data on social spending and social rights in a complementary way. For social spending, we rely on the OECD's Social Expenditure Database. For social rights, we rely on original data on Turkey that we generated for three social rights databases: Social Citizenship Indicator Program (SCIP), Comparative Welfare Entitlements Dataset 2 (CWED 2), and Social Assistance and Minimum Income Protection Interim Dataset (SaMip). We aim to make three main contributions. First, we develop a multidimensional framework to provide a holistic analysis of welfare state development. Second, we introduce an original dataset on social rights in Turkey. Third, we highlight the value of our multidimensional approach by helping resolve hot button issues on welfare state change in post‐1980 Turkey. We conclude that this multidimensional approach is capable of effectively capturing the complex dimensions of contemporary welfare states.
Journals
2026 EN
Kadıoğlu Şimşek Gülsüm · Siyah Bilgin Betül · Kalaycı Orhun Kerem
+3 more
Abstract Background This retrospective study investigated blood product transfusions and neonatal morbidity and mortality in preterm infants with birth weights <1500 g and gestational ages <32 weeks. Study design and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 291 preterm infants admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit between January 2020 and December 2022. Data were collected on transfusion exposure, including packed red blood cells (RBC), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), and platelets. Clinical outcomes included mortality and major neonatal morbidities: bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Univariate analyses were performed, followed by multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors including birth weight and gestational age. Results 80% of infants received RBC transfusion, 37.8% received FFP, and 16.1% received platelets. Transfused infants had lower gestational ages and birth weights. RBC, FFP, and platelet transfusions were associated with higher rates of BPD, IVH, NEC, and mortality in univariate analyses. In multivariable analysis, birth weight alone predicted mortality, suggesting extreme prematurity and illness severity were primary drivers. RBC transfusion independently predicted NEC and BPD, while FFP and platelet transfusions were linked to BPD. Total transfusions correlated with higher BPD, NEC, and mortality rates. Early transfusions were linked to impaired survival. Discussion These findings suggest transfusions may not be independently associated with mortality, but may instead reflect underlying illness severity. However, they remain associated with serious morbidities in extremely preterm infants. The results emphasize the importance of judicious transfusion practices, evidence‐based thresholds, and research to clarify potential causal relationships.
Journals
2026 EN
Özer Mehmet · Ferikel Kaan · Balıkoğlu Fatih
+3 more
This work performed a nonlinear numerical analysis of Armox 500T and Hardox 450 armor steels, Kevlar 29/epoxy laminate, and aluminum honeycomb materials under ballistic conditions, validating the results via experimental data. The ballistic performance of 20 distinct armor configurations was investigated, including monolithic steel, steel-composite, and steel-composite-honeycomb panels produced by various material arrangements. Ballistics tests were conducted using 7.62 × 51 mm full metal jacket bullets with a muzzle velocity of 838 ± 15 m s −1 under the NIJ 0108.01 III protection level standard. The effect of Kevlar29/epoxy layer thickness in multi-layered panels was examined extensively. The results showed that the ballistic performance of the composite armors was significantly improved due to the combination of monolithic steel plates with Kevlar 29/epoxy and aluminum honeycomb layers. Steel-Kevlar 29/epoxy and steel-Kevlar 29/epoxy-honeycomb multi-layered plates provide identical ballistic protection to monolithic steel counterparts while being 51 wt.% and 57 wt.% lighter than monolithic steel armor. Comprehensive finite element simulations of the ballistic impact events were conducted to elucidate the phenomena of defeat and penetration with greater precision.
Journals
2026 EN
Kaleli Kerem · Dikmen Fatih · Wood Thomas James
+2 more
BackgroundAndrena is one of the most diverse bee genera in the Holarctic Region, yet its species diversity and distribution in Türkiye remain poorly documented. This study provides an updated faunistic assessment of the genus in the Mediterranean Region of southern Türkiye, based on extensive field sampling in 12 provinces between 2008 and 2009 and a comprehensive synthesis of existing records. Specimens were identified using the latest taxonomic revisions and provincial distributions were compiled to produce a contemporary regional baseline.New informationA total of 81 species were documented, belonging to 26 subgenera, including three endemic Turkish taxa ( A. hungarica ssp. macroura , A. purpureomicans and A. cinnamonea ), as well as A. wolfi , which was recorded in the country for the first time. Floral visitation data were also incorporated into the study. Furthermore, the species distribution was summarised with regional maps. The photos of morphological characters of regional and Turkish new records were also taken and included to the study. Together, these results provide the most current and comprehensive overview of Andrena diversity in southern Türkiye, offering a critical foundation for future research into the taxonomy, biogeography, pollination ecology and conservation of Mediterranean bee communities.
Journals
2025 EN
Liu Hao · Winkelbauer Michael · Janiak Jakub
+6 more
Abstract The plasticity and regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle arise from quiescent stem cells activated upon overload, injury, or disease state. Developing in vitro muscle models to study these properties can advance muscle disease modeling and pre‐clinical evaluation. Here, Filamented Light (FLight) bioprinting is leveraged as a high‐throughput approach for producing mini‐muscle tissues. Using paired box protein 7 (Pax7)‐nGFP primary myoblasts, mini‐muscles are bioprinted from pristine collagen‐fibrinogen (ColFib). The FLight hydrogel consist of aligned microstructures which guide the formation of aligned myotubes. Mini‐muscles demonstrates in vivo‐like tissue organization, including multinucleated myotubes and a Pax7 + cell pool embedded in newly deposited laminin. Both spontaneous and electrically stimulated contractions are observed. ColFib matrix is promising for maintenance of the Pax7 + cell pool. Damage from cardiotoxin‐induced injury of the mini‐muscles led to a massive proliferation of Pax7 + cells and restoration of the contractile properties of myotubes. Notably, small molecules such as Repsox can enhance regeneration. FLight printed mini‐muscles have potential for applications in muscle biology, exercise/atrophy, disease models, and drug screening.
Journals
2025 EN
Othman Mostafa · Agosta Lorenzo · Jeangros Quentin
+29 more
Abstract The poor intrinsic perovskite absorber stability is arguably a central limitation challenging the prospect of commercialization for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Understanding the nanoscopic structural features that trigger instabilities in perovskite materials is essential to mitigate device degradation. Using nanostructure characterization techniques, we observe the local degradation to be initiated by material loss at stacking faults, forming inherently in the (011)‐faceted perovskite domains in different formamidinium lead triiodide perovskite compositions. We introduce Ethylene Thiourea (ETU) as an additive into the perovskite precursor, which manipulates the perovskite crystal growth and results in dominantly in‐and out‐of‐plane (001) oriented perovskite domains. Combining in‐depth experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations, we find that ETU lowered the perovskite formation energy, readily enabling crystallization of the perovskite phase at room temperature without the need for an antisolvent quenching step. This facilitated the fabrication of high‐quality large area 5 cm by 5 cm blade‐coated perovskite films and devices. Encapsulated and unmasked ETU‐treated devices, with an active area of 0.2 cm 2 , retained > 93 % of their initial power conversion efficiency (PCE) for > 2100 hours at room temperature, and additionally, 1 cm 2 ETU‐treated devices maintained T80 (the duration for the PCE to decay to 80 % of the initial value) for > 600 hours at 65 °C, under continuous 1‐sun illumination at the maximum power point in ambient conditions. Our demonstration of scalable and stable perovskite solar cells represents a promising step towards achieving a reliable perovskite PV technology.
Journals
2025 EN
Çakmak Hilal · Turkkol Aysegul · Kolac Umut Kerem
+8 more
Abstract Sono‐photodynamic therapy (SPDT), a useful technique applied in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) and sonodynamic therapy (SDT), reduces potential side effects compared to monotherapy. This study reports the photochemical and sono‐photochemical properties and in vitro analysis of silicon (IV) phthalocyanine ( SiPc ), with a particular focus on its efficiency in singlet oxygen production. When photochemical investigations are conducted alone, the SiPc Φ ∆ value is measured as 0.68; however, when light and ultrasound are combined, the value increased by 25% to 0.85 in sono‐photochemical studies. The Q‐band of the calculated SiPc UV–vis spectrum is found to be in very good agreement with the experimental data, with the computed oscillator strengths (the absorption intensities) for Q‐band being higher than for B‐band. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of PDT and SPDT using SiPc are evaluated in MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cell lines. The results demonstrated that SPDT, combining light and ultrasound, significantly enhanced cytotoxicity compared to PDT alone. Additionally, SPDT triggered pyroptosis, characterized by upregulation of NLRP3, CASP1, IL1B, and IL18, revealing a distinct mechanism of cell death. These findings suggest that SiPc ‐mediated SPDT amplifies oxidative stress and activates multiple cell death pathways, offering a promising and targeted approach for improving breast cancer therapy.
Journals
2025 EN
Trautmann Christine L. · Ghosh Adhideb · Kalkan Ali Kerem
+2 more
Abstract Livestock farming and conventional meat production pose significant environmental, health, and animal welfare challenges. In seeking sustainable alternative solutions, cultivated meat technology typically utilizes differentiation of myogenic progenitor cells (MPCs) into muscle cells for in vitro meat production. However, understanding the molecular determinants governing MPC differentiation into muscle cells, and the potential enhancement of this process through modulation of signaling pathways, remains limited. Herein, we characterized the molecular landscape associated with bovine MPC differentiation in vitro by employing multiomics, and explored its augmentation by small molecules, together leading to identification of media that enhanced myogenic differentiation compared with conventional methods in both 2D cultures and tissue‐engineered 3D skeletal muscle constructs. Through bulk and single‐cell transcriptomics and proteomics, we compared conventional and enhanced differentiation media, demonstrating that the enhanced media gave rise to unique progenitor‐like cell populations, while simultaneously promoting differentiation into myocytes and contractile myotubes expressing a wide array of myogenic markers that more closely resemble bovine muscle cells in vivo. The improved method for promoting myogenic differentiation in 2D and 3D formats, together with the corresponding molecular roadmap, may prove valuable for cultivated meat applications.