Yunus Emre

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have significantly improved outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially among patients with actionable genetic mutations. However, the influence of family and personal medical history (FPMH) on clinical and treatment outcomes with TKI therapy remains underexplored. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 136 NSCLC patients receiving TKIs, categorized into two groups based on the presence or absence of documented FPMH. Clinical variables assessed included demographic data, comorbidities, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, tumor characteristics, genetic mutations (EGFR, ALK, ROS1), treatment responses, toxicity profiles, and survival outcomes. Statistical analyses included Chi-square tests, t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, Spearman correlation, and univariate logistic regression (p < 0.05 threshold for significance). Results: Patients with FPMH (n = 34) had a significantly higher burden of chronic diseases (58.8% vs. 15.7%), poorer ECOG scores (≥3: 8.8% vs. 1.0%), increased recurrence (41.2% vs. 20.6%), and greater chemotherapy-related toxicity (50.0% vs. 28.4%) compared to those without FPMH (n = 102). However, there were no significant differences in survival duration or mutation status between the two groups. Conclusions: FPMH may be a predictive factor for treatment complications and recurrence in NSCLC patients receiving TKIs, although it does not appear to influence survival or genetic mutation status. These findings support the need for personalized clinical monitoring strategies based on medical history.

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Polylactic acid (PLA) is an eco-friendly polymer known for its biodegradability and biocompatibility, yet its properties are sensitive to recycling and sterilization. These processes may cause chain scission and structural irregularities, leading to reduced strength, brittleness, or unpredictable deformation. In this study, PLA and recycled PLA (Re-PLA) specimens were produced by FDM 3D printing with different infill rates (25%, 50%, 75%), layer thicknesses (0.15, 0.20, 0.25 mm), and printing orientations (0°, 45°, 90°). Steam sterilization at 121 °C and 1 bar for 15 min simulated biomedical conditions. Mechanical, surface, degradation, and biocompatibility properties were examined using three-point bending, roughness measurements, SEM, and cell viability tests. Results showed that infill rate was the main parameter affecting flexural strength and surface quality, while orientation increased roughness. Sterilization and recycling made deformation less predictable, particularly in St-Re-PLA. SEM revealed stronger bonding at higher infill, but more brittle fractures in PLA and Re-PLA, while sterilized specimens showed ductile features. No visible degradation occurred at any infill level. Regression analysis confirmed that second-order polynomial models effectively predicted flexural strength, with layer thickness being most influential. These findings provide critical insights into optimizing PLA and Re-PLA processing for biomedical applications, particularly in the production of sterilizable and recyclable implantable devices.

The selection of suitable frothers in flotation processes plays a crucial role in controlling bubble formation, foam stability, and ultimately mineral recovery. Therefore, understanding the interfacial behavior of frothers is important to optimize flotation efficiency, especially for valuable sulfide minerals such as galena (PbS). In this study, the interfacial behavior and flotation performance of different frothers in PbS flotation were investigated with a particular focus on surface tension, bubble coalescence, foam stability, and flotation recovery. A high-purity crystalline PbS sample (≈96.65% PbS) obtained from Trabzon, Türkiye, was subjected to systematic experimental analyses including surface tension measurements, critical coalescence concentration (CCC) determination, dynamic foam stability (DFS) tests using the DFA100 analyzer, and micro-flotation experiments. 2-ethylhexanol (EH), polypropylene glycol 250 (PPG250), and methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) were used as frothers, while potassium ethyl xanthate (PEX) was employed as a collector. The results revealed that EH had the highest surface activity (42.67 mN/m at 1000 ppm), and the lowest CCC value (~2 ppm) compared to PPG250 (~3 ppm) and MIBC (~8 ppm). According to the micro-flotation results, the flotation recovery gradually increased with increasing frother dosage; the highest recoveries were obtained with PPG250 (99.45%), EH (98.31%), and MIBC (95.17%). PPG250 and EH achieved higher flotation performance at lower dosages compared to MIBC. These findings highlight the critical role of molecular structure and interfacial properties in the effective selection of frothers for galena flotation.

Background and Objectives: HER2-positive metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) represents a biologically distinct and clinically aggressive subtype associated with poor response to standard first-line chemotherapy. Reliable, low-cost prognostic biomarkers are urgently needed to identify early non-responders and guide treatment decisions. This real-world cohort study evaluated the prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) kinetics and systemic inflammatory markers (SIMs) in HER2-positive mCRC treated with first-line chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 98 patients with HER2-positive mCRC treated between 2015 and 2024. Serial CEA values were measured at baseline, after three cycles (week 6), and at radiologic progression. Early CEA change was categorized as ≥50% decline, 10–49% decline, or any increase. Baseline SIMs—including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII)—were calculated from pretreatment blood counts. Progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression models. Results: Among patients with evaluable CEA kinetics (n = 60), early CEA increase occurred in 30% of patients (n = 18) and was strongly associated with inferior PFS (HR 2.84; 95% CI 1.81–4.44; p < 0.001). ROC analysis identified a ≥38% CEA reduction as the optimal predictor of radiologic response (AUC 0.79). High baseline NLR (≥3) and high SII (≥900) were also significantly associated with shorter PFS (median PFS: 5.2 vs. 9.1 months for NLR; 4.7 vs. 10.3 months for SII; both p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, early CEA increase, high NLR, and high SII remained independent predictors of poor PFS. Conclusions: CEA dynamics and inflammation-based biomarkers provide robust, complementary prognostic information in HER2-positive mCRC. Early CEA increase is the strongest independent predictor of poor outcome, while high baseline NLR and SII further refine risk stratification. These inexpensive and widely accessible biomarkers may help identify early non-responders, optimize monitoring strategies, and support timely therapeutic adjustments in routine clinical practice.

Department of Management Information Systems, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Fırat University, 23119 Elazığ, Türkiye

The study aimed to develop a valid and reliable tool to assess teachers’ differentiated instructional behaviors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education toward gifted students. The Differentiated Teaching Behavior Scale in STEM Education for Gifted Students (DTBS-GiftedSTEM) was designed based on Maker’s differentiation model, addressing four key dimensions: content, process, product, and learning environment. The scale development process included a comprehensive literature review, expert feedback, and data collection from STEM teachers. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure with 30 items, explaining 74.89% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the model’s fit. Measurement invariance analyses supported configural, metric, and scalar invariance across discipline and grade level groups. Reliability analyses, including Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and test-retest methods, indicated strong internal consistency across subdimensions. Item analysis showed high item discrimination through corrected item–total correlations and top–bottom group comparisons. High DTBS-GiftedSTEM scores indicate that teachers report a higher frequency of using differentiated instruction strategies in STEM contexts. Overall, the DTBS-GiftedSTEM is a psychometrically sound instrument for evaluating and enhancing differentiated teaching practices in STEM education for gifted students.