PubMed İndeksli Yayınlar Koleksiyonu

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12469/4466

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Better Reflective Functioning in Mothers Linked To Longer Joint Attention With Infants
(Elsevier Ltd, 2026) Koç, N.; Ünlü, H.; Uzundag, B.A.
Joint attention is a foundational precursor to later developmental outcomes such as vocabulary, intelligence, and theory of mind. Previous research has shown that maternal sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and parent-child attachment security are associated with attention-sharing behaviors between mothers and their infants. The present study examined the relationship between mothers’ reflective functioning (the ability to recognize and interpret one’s own and one’s child’s mental states, as well as the behaviors motivated by those mental states) and joint attention. Data were collected from 72 infants aged 10–16 months and their mothers. Results indicated that mothers who reported greater difficulty in understanding and distinguishing between their own and their child's mental states (i.e., higher prementalization) tended to engage in joint attention episodes that were shorter and more frequent, and they were also more likely to terminate these interactions. In contrast, mothers expressing greater interest and curiosity about their infants’ mental states spent longer periods in joint attention, initiated these episodes less often, and were less inclined to terminate them. Additionally, mothers who felt more certain about their infants’ mental states were less likely to end joint attention episodes. After controlling for infant age and socioeconomic status, higher levels of interest and certainty continued to predict lower maternal termination, while prementalization was still linked to a higher number of joint attention episodes. These findings suggest that mothers’ perceptions of their infants’ mental states shape how they engage in shared attention during everyday play interactions. © 2025 Elsevier Inc.
Reshaping Globular Dynamics of S. Aureus Pyruvate Kinase via Bond Restraints to Allosteric Sites
(Springer, 2025) Fidan, Vahap Gazi; Aydin, Dilvin; Yazgi, Irem; Akten, E. Demet
The global dynamics of pyruvate kinase were examined using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the effects of allosteric inhibition through bond restraints applied at two key allosteric sites. The study employed the experimentally resolved structure of the enzyme complexed with the allosteric inhibitor IS-130 at the small C-C interface, serving as a reference for analyzing an additional, computationally predicted allosteric site at the large A-A interface. Simulations identified the B and CT domains as the most mobile regions, with bond restraints at either interface significantly reducing CT domain flexibility up to 9 & Aring; across all chains. Restraints at the C-C interface limited minimal global conformational sampling, whereas restraints at the A-A interface altered the dynamic profile without narrowing the sampled conformational space, suggesting distinct regulatory roles for each interface. Distance fluctuation analyses revealed enhanced interchain communication and reduced mobility near restrained sites, suggesting that these restraints reinforce allosteric inhibition by stabilizing otherwise flexible domains. Cross-correlation analysis showed a marked reduction in long-range residue-residue correspondence, especially under C-C restraints, indicating disrupted dynamic coordination essential for catalytic activity. Mutual information analysis, capturing both linear and non-linear dependencies, further supported these findings by showing a widespread loss of dynamic correspondence in positional fluctuations across the receptor upon restraint application. Notably, although the C-C interface has been experimentally linked to inhibition, these results suggest that the computationally predicted large A-A interface may also contribute to allosteric regulation. Together, these findings highlight the distributed and cooperative nature of allosteric control in pyruvate kinase.
A Polish Adaptation of the Autobiographical Recollection Test (ART): Toward a Reliable and Valid Measure of Individual Differences in Autobiographical Memory
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2025) Barzykowski, Krystian; Ilczuk, Ewa; Oner, Sezin; Chwilka, Paulina; Wereszczynski, Michal
Although previous research has extensively examined the characteristics of specific autobiographical memories, few tools have been available to assess how individuals recall their personal past in general. To address this gap, we adapted into Polish the Autobiographical Recollection Test (ART), a self-report instrument originally designed to capture general autobiographical remembering across seven components: vividness, narrative coherence, reliving, rehearsal, scene construction, visual imagery, and life story relevance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the Polish version, demonstrating adequate psychometric properties. The Polish adaptation also showed expected correlations with another self-report measure of autobiographical memory ability (Survey of Autobiographical Memory, SAM), supporting its convergent validity. Furthermore, both the full and brief versions of ART showed significant associations with scores on the Involuntary Autobiographical Memory Inventory (IAMI). These findings provide robust support for the Polish adaptation of ART as a reliable tool for assessing the subjective qualities of autobiographical memory, with potential applications in research on diverse populations.
Infants' Background Television Exposure and Maternal Language Input: A Home Observation Study
(Cambridge Univ Press, 2025) Kessafoglu, Dilara; Yildiz, Ezgi; Kuntay, Aylin C.; Uzundag, Berna A.
Parental reports and experimental studies indicate that parents speak less to their children in the presence of background television. However, there is a lack of home observations examining the relations between infants' background TV exposure and maternal infant-directed speech. In the current study, 32 infants and their mothers were observed for 60 minutes in their homes at 8, 10, and 18 months of age. Results revealed that the number of words, the number of different words, and the number of questions in infant-directed speech were consistently lower in households with background TV. Furthermore, these aspects of maternal language input were negatively related to the duration of background TV, controlling for families' socioeconomic background. These findings suggest that television may have a negative impact on young children's language development via disrupted parent-child interactions in the presence of background TV in the home environment. Ebeveynlerden al & imath;nan bildirimler ve deneysel & ccedil;al & imath;& scedil;malar, arka planda televizyon a & ccedil;& imath;kken ebeveynlerin & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;yla daha az konu & scedil;tuklar & imath;n & imath; g & ouml;stermektedir. Ancak, arka plan televizyon ile ebeveynlerin bebeklerine y & ouml;nelttikleri dil aras & imath;ndaki ili & scedil;kiyi inceleyen ev g & ouml;zlemlerine ihtiya & ccedil; duyulmaktad & imath;r. Bu & ccedil;al & imath;& scedil;mada, 32 bebek ve anneleri, bebekler 8, 10 ve 18 ayl & imath;kken evlerinde her ziyarette 60'ar dakika boyunca g & ouml;zlemlenmi & scedil;tir. Bulgular, arka planda televizyonun a & ccedil;& imath;k oldu & gbreve;u evlerde bebeklere y & ouml;neltilen dildeki toplam kelime say & imath;s & imath;n & imath;n, farkl & imath; kelime say & imath;s & imath;n & imath;n ve soru say & imath;s & imath;n & imath;n tutarl & imath; bi & ccedil;imde daha d & uuml;& scedil;& uuml;k oldu & gbreve;unu g & ouml;stermi & scedil;tir. Ayr & imath;ca, bu dil girdisi & ouml;l & ccedil;& uuml;tleri, ailelerin sosyoekonomik d & uuml;zeyi kontrol edildi & gbreve;inde, arka plan televizyon s & uuml;resiyle olumsuz y & ouml;nde ili & scedil;kili bulunmu & scedil;tur. Bu bulgular, televizyonun aktif olarak izlenmiyor olsa bile ebeveyn-& ccedil;ocuk etkile & scedil;imini s & imath;n & imath;rlayarak k & uuml;& ccedil;& uuml;k & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n dil geli & scedil;imini olumsuz y & ouml;nde etkileyebilece & gbreve;ini d & uuml;& scedil;& uuml;nd & uuml;rmektedir.
Exploring Children's Causal Language Production: The Role of Mothers and Fathers Across Different Tasks in Dyadic Interactions
(Cambridge Univ Press, 2025) Kandemir, Songul; Aktan-Erciyes, Asli
Causal language is essential for children's language development, helping them understand and explain the reasons behind events. This study focuses on children's causal language production and the role of parental input, aiming to (1) investigate differences in maternal and paternal language use, (2) analyse children's causal language production across tasks and communication partners, and (3) examine the relationship between parental input and children's causal language skills. Sixty children aged 4-5 and their parents participated in dyadic sessions, which included free play, guided play, and storytelling tasks. Results showed that fathers used more causal language than mothers during free play, and children also produced more causal language with their fathers in this context compared to storytelling. Overall, both maternal and paternal causal language inputs were linked to children's causal language production, highlighting the significant influence of parental input on language development. Nedensel dil, & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n dil geli & scedil;imi i & ccedil;in temel & ouml;neme sahiptir ve onlar & imath;n olaylar & imath;n ard & imath;ndaki nedenleri anlamalar & imath;na ve a & ccedil;& imath;klamalar & imath;na yard & imath;mc & imath; olur. Bu & ccedil;al & imath;& scedil;ma, & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n nedensel dil & uuml;retimine ve ebeveyn girdisinin rol & uuml;ne odaklanarak (1) anne ve baba dil kullan & imath;mlar & imath; aras & imath;ndaki farkl & imath;l & imath;klar & imath; incelemeyi, (2) & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n farkl & imath; g & ouml;revler ve ileti & scedil;im partnerleri ba & gbreve;lam & imath;nda nedensel dil & uuml;retimini analiz etmeyi ve (3) ebeveyn girdisi ile & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n nedensel dil becerileri aras & imath;ndaki ili & scedil;kiyi ara & scedil;t & imath;rmay & imath; ama & ccedil;lamaktad & imath;r. D & ouml;rt-be & scedil; ya & scedil; aral & imath;& gbreve;& imath;nda 60 & ccedil;ocuk ve ebeveynleri, serbest oyun, y & ouml;nlendirilmi & scedil; oyun ve hikaye anlat & imath;m & imath; g & ouml;revlerini i & ccedil;eren ikili etkile & scedil;im oturumlar & imath;na kat & imath;lm & imath;& scedil;t & imath;r. Bulgular, babalar & imath;n serbest oyun s & imath;ras & imath;nda annelere k & imath;yasla daha fazla nedensel dil kulland & imath;& gbreve;& imath;n & imath; ve & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n da bu ba & gbreve;lamda babalar & imath;yla etkile & scedil;imde hikaye anlat & imath;m & imath;na k & imath;yasla daha fazla nedensel dil & uuml;retti & gbreve;ini g & ouml;stermi & scedil;tir. Genel olarak, hem anne hem de baba nedensel dil girdileri, & ccedil;ocuklar & imath;n nedensel dil & uuml;retimiyle ili & scedil;kili bulunmu & scedil; ve ebeveyn girdisinin dil geli & scedil;imi & uuml;zerindeki belirgin etkisini ortaya koymu & scedil;tur.
Hands-On Docking With Molegro Virtual Docker
(Humana Press Inc., 2026) Dere, D.; Pehlivan, S.N.; da Silva, A.D.; de Azevedo Junior, W.F.
Molegro Virtual Docker (MVD) integrates state-of-the-art search algorithms and scoring functions dedicated to protein-ligand docking simulations. It implements differential evolution as a search engine and MolDock and Plants scores to calculate binding affinity. In this work, we describe a workflow focused on how to build regression models to predict the inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). We employ available structural and binding data to construct machine learning models to calculate CDK2 inhibition based on the atomic coordinates obtained through docking simulations performed with MVD. We present a hands-on approach to show how to integrate docking results and machine learning methods available at Scikit-Learn to build targeted scoring functions. Our regression models show superior predictive performance compared with classical scoring functions. All CDK2 datasets and Jupyter Notebooks discussed in this work are available at GitHub: https://github.com/azevedolab/docking#readme. We made the source code of the program SAnDReS 2.0 available at https://github.com/azevedolab/sandres. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Engineering of Geobacillus Kaustophilus Lipase for Enhanced Catalytic Efficiency and Methanol Tolerance in Biodiesel Production from Sunflower Oil
(Elsevier, 2025) Tulek, Ahmet; Poyraz, Yagmur; Sukur, Gozde; Pacal, Nurettin; Ozdemir, F. Inci; Yildirim, Deniz; Essiz, Sebnem
Lipase-mediated biodiesel production offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional chemical methods. However, enzyme limitations such as low activity, poor thermal stability, and limited solvent tolerance remain challenges. In this study, a lipase from Geobacillus kaustophilus (Gklip) was engineered for improved biodiesel production using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area (MM/GBSA) free energy calculations. Five mutants (Y29S, Q114T, F289D, Q184M, and Q114F) were generated via site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in Escherichia coli. Biochemical characterization revealed that all mutants retained the wild-type's optimal temperature (50 degrees C) and pH (8.0), while showing varying pH ranges, with the broadest observed in Q184M. Thermal stability increased significantly in Q184M (32.86-fold) and Q114F (5.93-fold). Catalytic efficiencies improved by 2.07-, 2.05-, and 2.63-fold in Q184M, F289D, and Y29S, respectively, compared to the wild-type (0.57). In the presence of 60 % methanol, the wild-type retained only 30.4 % activity, while Q184M maintained 67.5 %, highlighting superior solvent tolerance. Biodiesel conversion assays using sunflower oil showed no product formation by the wild-type, whereas Q184M, Q114F, and F289D achieved yields of 58.7 %, 56.3 %, and 49.2 %, respectively. These findings identify Q184M and Q114F as promising enzyme candidates for enzymatic biodiesel production.
Steady-State Entanglement Generation Via Casimir-Polder Interactions
(Nature Portfolio, 2025) Izadyari, Mohsen; Pusuluk, Onur; Sinha, Kanu; Mustecaplioglu, Ozgur E.
We investigate the generation of steady-state entanglement between two atoms resulting from the fluctuation-mediated Casimir-Polder (CP) interactions near a surface. Starting with an initially separable state of the atoms, we analyze the atom-atom entanglement dynamics for atoms placed at distances in the range of \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\sim 25$$\end{document} nm away from a planar medium, examining the effect of medium properties and geometrical configuration of the atomic dipoles. We show that perfectly conducting and superconducting surfaces yield an optimal steady-state concurrence value of approximately 0.5. Furthermore, although the generated entanglement decreases with medium losses for a metal surface, we identify an optimal distance from the metal surface that assists in entanglement generation by the surface. While fluctuation-mediated interactions are typically considered detrimental to the coherence of quantum systems at nanoscales, our results demonstrate a mechanism for leveraging such interactions for entanglement generation.
Solar Photovoltaic Development in West Africa Will Face Million-Ton Waste Challenges, and Off-Grid Systems Will Dominate
(Amer Chemical Soc, 2025) Dong, Di; Emem, Onis; Liu, Litao; Sen, Burak; Rasmussen, Kasper; Edomah, Norbert; Liu, Gang
Solar photovoltaic (PV), especially off-grid systems, is a low-hanging fruit option among various renewable energy technology choices to address universal energy access, energy security, and climate challenges for vulnerable regions like West Africa. West Africa dominates in the uptake of solar PV solutions, while little attention has been paid to the potential PV waste generation. In this study, we developed a technology-specific, prospective material flow analysis model to investigate material stocks and flows of both on-grid and off-grid solar PV systems for 15 West African countries up to 2050. We show that the cumulative solar PV waste generation ranges from 2.3 to 7.8 million tons by 2050 in West Africa under different scenarios, around 70% of which comes from off-grid PV systems. The potential secondary materials supply ranges from 213 to 704 kilotons, which have potential economic value amounting to 143-475 million dollars or material equivalent to produce 6-19 GW of solar PV capacity. These results call for urgent policy attention, technology development, and infrastructure investment for future PV waste management and highlight the significance of addressing off-grid PV waste in Africa.
Multi-Omics Profiling Uncovers LINC00486-Associated LncRNA Regulation in Human Traumatic Brain Injury
(Genetics Society of Korea, 2025) Al-Rubaye, T.; Isa, Z.; Erenkol, D.; Tarahomi, E.; Erdogan, N.S.
Background : Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces broad molecular changes in the human brain, altering gene expression in diverse neural and glial cells. While the transcriptional effects of TBI on protein-coding genes are well characterized, the roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), key regulators of gene expression and chromatin, remain largely unknown. Objective : Our objective was to identify lncRNAs altered in TBI and explore their potential regulatory functions. Methods : We applied an integrative multi-omics approach combining single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), isoform-level transcriptomics, transposable element (TE) annotation, and RNA-binding protein (RBP) interaction analyses. Public snRNA-seq datasets from cortical tissues of 12 TBI patients and 5 controls were analyzed to resolve injury-driven transcriptional signatures. We have performed differential expression analysis on 12,801 human lncRNAs, examined isoform-specific expression with TE content, and explored RBP–lncRNA interactions using CLIP-seq data. Results : Cell-type diversity decreased in TBI, and reactive and progenitor-like states were expanded. We identified 190 upregulated lncRNAs, mainly in glial cells. Among these, LINC00486 emerged as a brain-enriched lncRNA consistently increased after TBI. Isoform analysis showed its dominant brain isoform contains LINEs and LTRs, linking it to regulatory networks associated with endogenous retroelement activation. Functional enrichment connected LINC00486 to neurodevelopment, serotonin metabolism, and neuroinflammatory pathways. CLIP-seq data confirmed its interactions with stress-responsive RBPs such as AGO2 and TARDBP. Conclusions : Our multi-omics analysis identifies LINC00486 as a potential regulator of transcriptional plasticity in TBI. Its TE content and RBP interactions suggest a role in lncRNA-mediated regulatory networks during injury, highlighting possible therapeutic targets in neurotrauma. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Veterinary Ethics in Practice: Euthanasia Decision Making for Companion and Street Dogs in Istanbul
(MDPI, 2025) Yildirim, Mine
This article examines how veterinarians in Istanbul experience and navigate the ethical, emotional, and institutional complexities of performing euthanasia on dogs, with particular attention to the differences between companion and street dogs. Drawing on 29 in-depth interviews with private practice veterinarians in Istanbul, this study employs qualitative analysis using the NVivo 12 Plus software and reflexive thematic analysis to identify key patterns in moral reasoning, emotional labor, and clinical decision making. The findings indicate that euthanasia of companion dogs is often framed through shared decision making with guardians, emotional preparation, and post-procedural grief rituals. While still emotionally taxing, these cases are supported by relational presence and mutual acknowledgment. In contrast, euthanasia of street dogs frequently occurs in the absence of legal ownership, institutional accountability, or consistent caregiving, leaving veterinarians to bear the full moral and emotional weight of the decision. Participants described these cases as ethically distinct, marked by relational solitude, clinical ambiguity, and heightened moral distress. Six key themes that reveal how euthanasia becomes a site of both care and conflict when structural support is lacking are identified in this study, including emotional burden, ethical strain, and resistance to routinized killing. By foregrounding the roles of institutional absence and relational asymmetry in shaping end-of-life decisions, this study contributes to empirical veterinary ethics and calls for more contextually attuned ethical frameworks, particularly in urban settings with large populations of street dogs and culturally entrenched practices of collective guardianship and caregiving.
Data-Driven Modeling of Traffic Flow in Macroscopic Network Systems
(AIP Publishing, 2025) Firat, Toprak; Eroglu, Deniz
Urban traffic modeling is essential for understanding and mitigating congestion, yet existing approaches face a trade-off between realism and scalability. Microscopic agent-based simulators capture individual vehicle behavior but are computationally intensive and hard to calibrate at scale. Macroscopic models, while more efficient, often rely on strong assumptions, such as fixed origin-destination flows, or oversimplify network dynamics. In this work, we propose a data-driven macroscopic model that simulates traffic as a discrete-time load-exchange process over flow networks. The model captures key phenomena such as bottlenecks, spillbacks, and adaptive load redistribution using only road-type attributes, network structure, and observed traffic density. Parameter learning is performed via evolutionary optimization, allowing the model to adapt to both synthetic and real-world conditions without assuming latent travel demand. We evaluate the framework on synthetic grid-like networks and on real traffic data from London, Istanbul, and New York. The resulting framework provides a scalable and interpretable alternative for urban traffic forecasting, balancing predictive accuracy with computational efficiency across diverse network conditions.
Investigation of Novel Nimesulide Derivatives Against Breast Cancer
(Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, 2025) Birgul, Kaan; Atlihan, Irem; Dere, Damla; Yelekci, Kemal; Tiber, Pinar Mega; Orun, Oya; Kucukguzel, S. Guniz
This study focused on the synthesis of novel nimesulide semicarbazone derivatives and the evaluation of their cytotoxic potential against luminal-A (MCF-7) and triple-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. Additionally, their effects on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptosis, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway modulation were investigated. Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy among women, with luminal-A and triple-negative subtypes posing significant therapeutic challenges due to drug resistance and the lack of effective targeted treatments. The MAPK pathway plays a crucial role in breast cancer progression, making its inhibition a promising therapeutic approach. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly nimesulide, have demonstrated anticancer potential beyond their well-established anti-inflammatory properties. Accordingly, the semicarbazone moiety was incorporated into the molecular scaffold to enhance the antiproliferative efficacy of nimesulide derivatives, as it has been reported to exhibit cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects across various cancer cell lines. A series of nimesulide semicarbazone derivatives (5a-m) were synthesized through multi-step reactions and characterized using elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectroscopy (5e). In silico studies were performed to predict their binding affinities to MAPK12. The cytotoxic effects of the synthesized compounds were assessed by determining IC50 values in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines (CCK8 test). Compounds exhibiting strong cytotoxic activity were further examined for their impact on MMP depolarization (JC-1 assay), apoptosis induction (Annexin V-FITC/PI staining), and MAPK pathway modulation (Western blotting of p-ERK and ERK protein). Molecular docking results indicated that the synthesized compounds exhibited favorable interactions with MAPK12, with compound 5e showing one of the highest binding affinity (-9.29 kcal/mol, Ki = 0.154 mu M). Cytotoxicity assays revealed that compound 5e had the lowest IC50 values (11.77 +/- 0.26 mu M in MCF-7; 20.72 +/- 0.25 mu M in MDA-MB-231), demonstrating significantly higher cytotoxicity than nimesulide. JC-1 assays confirmed that compound 5e induced MMP depolarization at higher concentrations, suggesting apoptosis activation. Flow cytometry analysis further validated a substantial increase in apoptotic cell populations following treatment with compound 5e. Western blot results showed a dose-dependent decrease in p-ERK levels in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, confirming MAPK pathway inhibition. These findings support that nimesulide-based semicarbazones, particularly compound 5e, exhibit potent antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activity via MAPK pathway modulation, offering a promising avenue for the development of targeted breast cancer therapies.
Diversity as a Core Feature of Language Acquisition: A Commentary on Scaff et al. (2025)
(Wiley, 2025) Goksun, Tilbe; Aktan-Erciyes, Asli
This commentary builds on Scaff et al.'s (2025) systematic review of the CHILDES database, highlighting persistent biases in child language corpora and research. We expand the discussion, emphasizing three key areas: (1) the need to diversify naturalistic data across languages to strengthen language acquisition theories; (2) the importance of including diverse child and parent demographics within specific language environments; and (3) the underrepresentation of bilingual samples from non-WEIRD, non-Indo-European contexts. We argue that these limitations not only hinder generalizability but also shape prevalent theoretical assumptions. Promoting inclusive, globally representative corpora is important for advancing a fair and accurate understanding of child language acquisition.
Multiplicity of Algebraic Order From Fixed Lines of Potential Surfaces: X-Y-Ashkin in Spatial Dimension D=2
(Amer Physical Soc, 2025) Artun, E.C.; Berker, A.N.
A position-space renormalization-group study is done for the Ashkin-Tellerized XY model, as an exact solution on the d=2 hierarchical lattice and an approximate solution on the square lattice. A multiplicity of algebraic order is found in the phase diagram, in the form of renormalization-group fixed lines composed of a continuous sequence of interaction potential surfaces. In the Ashkin-Tellerized XY model, each site has two continuously varying spins, each spin being an XY spin, that is, having orientation continuously varying in 2π radians. Nearest-neighbor sites are coupled by two-spin and four-spin interactions. The phase diagram has algebraically ordered phases that are ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic in each of the spins, and algebraically ordered phases that are ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic in the combined spin variable. These phases are subtended by fixed lines of potential surfaces that are multiplicatively different Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless fixed potentials. The evolution of continuously varying criticality is traced within each of the four phases. The renormalization-group flows, the fixed lines, and the interaction surfaces are in terms of the doubly composite Fourier coefficients of the exponentiated energy of the four nearest-neighbor spins. The disordered phase is maintained along two semi-infinite a priori quasi-disorder lines. This record is sourced from MEDLINE/PubMed, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
A Multilab Investigation into the N2pc as an Indicator of Attentional Selectivity: Direct Replication of Eimer (1996)
(Elsevier Masson, Corp. Off., 2025) Constant, Martin; Mandal, Ananya; Asanowicz, Dariusz; Panek, Bartlomiej; Kotlewska, Ilona; Yamaguchi, Motonori; Liesefeld, Heinrich R.
The N2pc is widely employed as an electrophysiological marker of an attention allocation. This interpretation was largely driven by the observation of an N2pc elicited by an isolated relevant target object, which was reported as Experiment 2 in Eimer (1996). All subsequent refined interpretations of the N2pc had to take this crucial finding into account. Despite its central role for neurocognitive attention research, there have been no direct replications and only few conceptual replications of this seminal work. Within the context of #EEGManyLabs, an international community-driven effort to replicate the most influential EEG studies ever published, the present study was selected due to its strong impact on the study of selective attention. We revisit the idea of the N2pc being an indicator of attentional selectivity by delivering a high powered direct replication of Eimer's work through analysis of 779 datasets acquired from 22 labs across 14 countries. Our results robustly replicate the N2pc to form stimuli, but a direct replication of the N2pc to color stimuli technically failed. We believe that this pattern not only sheds further light on the functional significance of the N2pc as an electrophysiological marker of attentional selectivity, but also highlights a methodological problem with selecting analysis windows a priori. By contrast, the consistency of observed ERP patterns across labs and analysis pipelines is stunning, and this consistency is preserved even in datasets that were rejected for (ocular) artifacts, attesting to the robustness of the ERP technique and the feasibility of large-scale multilab EEG (replication) studies. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Citation - Scopus: 2
Leveraging Explainable Artificial Intelligence for Transparent and Trustworthy Cancer Detection Systems
(Elsevier, 2025) Toumaj, Shiva; Heidari, Arash; Navimipour, Nima Jafari
Timely detection of cancer is essential for enhancing patient outcomes. Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Deep Learning (DL), demonstrates significant potential in cancer diagnostics; however, its opaque nature presents notable concerns. Explainable AI (XAI) mitigates these issues by improving transparency and interpretability. This study provides a systematic review of recent applications of XAI in cancer detection, categorizing the techniques according to cancer type, including breast, skin, lung, colorectal, brain, and others. It emphasizes interpretability methods, dataset utilization, simulation environments, and security considerations. The results indicate that Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) account for 31 % of model usage, SHAP is the predominant interpretability framework at 44.4 %, and Python is the leading programming language at 32.1 %. Only 7.4 % of studies address security issues. This study identifies significant challenges and gaps, guiding future research in trustworthy and interpretable AI within oncology.
Data from SymSPAN and OSPAN Working Memory Capacity Tasks in Online and Laboratory Settings
(Elsevier, 2025) Wereszczynski, Michal; Chwilka, Paulina; Smolka, Ewa; Ilczuk, Ewa; Oner, Sezin; Barzykowski, Krystian
The present dataset comprises the performance of adult participants on two experimental tasks designed to measure working memory capacity: the Symmetry Span (SymSPAN) and Operation Span (OSPAN) tasks. Initially, a large sample of 566 participants completed these tasks online. From this pool, a random subset of individuals representing low, medium, and high levels of working memory capacity were invited to participate in two laboratory sessions. In these sessions, spaced one week apart, participants completed the same tasks again. The dataset includes complete performance data from both tasks, along with demographic information such as participants' age and gender. This relatively large dataset offers valuable opportunities for exploratory research on working memory capacity, including analyses of its relative stability, variations over time and across testing environments, individual differences, and contributions to meta-analyses. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Perseverative Effort and Grit But Not Gratitude Are Protective Against the Onset of Anxiety for Cognitively At-Risk Individuals
(Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis LTD, 2025) Riskind, John H.; Altan-Atalay, Ayse; Sison, Jacqueline; Kleiman, Evan
Grit and gratitude protect against depression caused by cognitive vulnerability factors like hopelessness and rumination. This study examined whether these personality strengths could buffer against a cognitive vulnerability for anxiety, the looming cognitive style (LCS). A prospective design was used with university students (N = 247; 86.2% female; aged between 18 and 60) completing online questionnaires two times 6 weeks apart that assessed LCS, grit, gratitude, and anxiety and depression. Path analyses revealed that LCS had a significant main effect and a theoretically expected interaction effect on anxiety symptoms with "grit perseverance but not with "grit consistency" or gratitude. Neither LCS, grit perseverance nor gratitude had any effects on depression symptoms, although an effect emerged for grit consistency. This study is the first to our knowledge to examine how personality strengths protect individuals against a cognitive vulnerability that is more specific to anxiety symptomatology than to depression. Along with other studies, the findings further suggest that a crucial way grit and personality strengths provide benefit is by protecting against cognitive vulnerabilities.
Differential Modulation of Low- and High-Frequency Mu Oscillations During the Observation of Manual, Facial, and Non-Biological Movements
(Nature Portfolio, 2025) Badakul, Ayse Nur; Soyman, Efe
Mu suppression - desynchronization of neural oscillations in central EEG electrodes during action execution and observation - has been widely accepted as a marker for neural mirroring. It has been conventionally and predominantly quantified in the 8-13 Hz range, corresponding to the alpha frequency band, although few studies reported differences in lower and higher subbands that together constitute the mu frequency band. In the present study, we adopted a comprehensive analytical approach to examine the spectral and temporal dynamics of mu suppression when participants watched videos depicting hand and face actions and artificial pattern movements. Our analyses in central EEG electrodes revealed that neural oscillations were significantly suppressed during action observation only in the lower (8-10.5 Hz), not in the higher (10.5-13 Hz), subband. No such subband differentiation was observed for the alpha oscillations in the occipital electrodes. In addition, in the lower subband, significantly stronger suppressions were selective for hand actions in the central EEG electrodes placed over the hand region of the sensorimotor cortices and for facial actions in the frontotemporal electrodes placed over the face region of the sensorimotor cortices. In the higher subband, such stimulus selectivity was only observed for facial actions in the frontotemporal electrodes. Furthermore, the neural oscillations in the lower, but not the higher, subband followed the precise temporal patterning of biological motion in the videos. These results indicate that neural oscillations in the lower subband show the characteristics of neural mirroring processes, whereas those in the higher subband might reflect other mechanisms.

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