Digital Commons Network^™

A Randomized Controlled Prospective Study Comparing Surgical Outcomes Of Median Umbilical Ligament Lift-Up And Veress Needle Entry Techniques In Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery, Gazi̇ Güner, Ayşe Bacaksiz, Can Berk Karabudak, Fi̇gen Efe Çami̇li, Çi̇sem Ertok, Si̇nem Özşahi̇n Kiliç, Zeli̇ha Zeynep Satilmişoğlu, Can Tercan, Nazli Ayli̇n Vural

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Laparoscopic surgery has become the preferred minimally invasive technique for both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in gynecology. Although it is associated with lower overall complication rates compared to open surgery, most serious complications occur during the initial step of abdominal entry. Therefore, developing faster and safer entry methods is critical to improving surgical outcomes. This study aimed to compare the surgical results of the Median Umbilical Ligament Lift-Up (MULU) technique routinely used in our clinic with the commonly preferred Veress needle (VN) entry technique.

Materials and methods: This randomized, controlled, prospective study included 124 patients: 64 underwent abdominal entry …

Current Insights On Predicting Vestibular Diseases Using Machine Learning, Emre Söylemez, Muhammed Mustafa Şeker

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The vestibular system is one of the three main systems responsible for maintaining balance and posture. Accurate vestibular inputs enable the perception of the head’s position and movement in space, and ensure coordination between head movements, eye movements, balance, and posture. Any dysfunction in the peripheral vestibular end organs, the vestibular nerve, or the central vestibular system may lead to vertigo, dizziness, and gait disturbances in individuals. Some syndromes that cause vertigo symptoms can be life threatening. Although peripheral vestibular pathologies are generally benign, they can reduce patients’ quality of life, cause falls, and hinder independence. Therefore, the diagnosis and …

Clinical Characteristics And Outcomes In Epstein-Barr Virus Positive Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Retrospective Multicenter Study, Ebru Kiliç Güneş, Hacer Berna Afacan Öztürk, Esra Ki̇ri̇kti̇r, Asena Di̇kyar, Bi̇lge Uğur, Ahmet Kürşad Güneş, Meltem Ayli

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aimEpstein-Barr virus-positive (EBV+) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (DLBCL-NOS), represents a rare and aggressive subtype of B-cell lymphoma, officially classified as a distinct entity in the revised 4th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2016 classification. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, histopathological characteristics, and survival results of patients diagnosed with EBV+ DLBCL-NOS.Materials and methodsOur retrospective study included 92 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients treated at two centers between 2016 and 2024. EBV status was determined using in situ hybridization for EBER, with positivity defined as; ≥50% nuclear staining in tumor cells. ResultsAmong 92 …

Impact Of Pulmonary Metastasectomy Timing And Nodule Characteristics On Survival Outcomes In Patients With Pediatric Sarcoma ​, İlteri̇ş Türk, Mehmet Çeti̇n, Neri̇man Sari, Selma Çakmakci, Necati̇ Solak, Fatma Babacan, Nesri̇n Gürçay, Pinar Biçakçioğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) is a crucial intervention for patients with metastatic sarcomas, particularly among pediatric populations. The timing of PM and its impact on survival outcomes remain a subject of debate in the literature. This study aims to evaluate the impact of PM on survival outcomes.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study included pediatric patients diagnosed with sarcomas who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including age, sex, primary malignancy type, metastasis presence at diagnosis, chemotherapy response, and PM details (e.g., number and laterality of metastatic nodules, time from metastasis detection to surgery) were analyzed. Survival data were …

Do The Expressions Of Hla-G And Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors Change In Colorectal Cancer?, Ezgi̇ Di̇nçer, Fatma Kaya Dağistanli, Kivanç Derya Peker, Damlanur Sakiz, Fi̇gen Abatay Sel, Demet Kivanç, Hayri̇ye Şentürk Çi̇ftçi̇, Çi̇ğdem Keki̇k Çinar, Şule Karataş, Fatma Savran Oğuz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The immune system functions as a well-coordinated defense mechanism, protecting the host from both external pathogens and internal threats. Cancer cells often display surface antigens that the immune system can recognize as foreign, potentially triggering an immune response. However, many cancer cells evade detection by downregulating or completely losing these surface antigens. The immune system relies on the expression of surface antigens and human leukocyte antigens (HLA) to identify and target tumor cells. One key method by which tumor cells evade natural killer (NK) cells involves alterations in HLA antigens. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is known to cause various changes …

Contribution Of Genetic Test Results To Patient Management In Ophthalmology: Results From A Turkish Stargardt Disease Cohort ​, Fulya Yaylacioğlu Tuncay, Şengül Özdek, Burak Acar, Gülsüm Kayhan, Murat Yüksel, Hüseyi̇n Baran Özdemi̇r, İhsan Gökhan Güreli̇k, Mehmet Ali̇ Ergün

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the genotype and phenotype characteristics of Turkish patients with a clinical diagnosis of Stargardt disease and to evaluate how collaboration between the departments of medical genetics and ophthalmology contributes to patient management.

Materials and methods: The clinical findings, genetic testing workflow in the medical genetics department, and the genetic testing results of patients clinically diagnosed with Stargardt disease in the ophthalmology department were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The study included 50 patients from 46 families. The genetic test reports confirmed the clinical diagnosis of Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) in 27 patients …

Effects Of Olfaction On Sexual Function, Anxiety, Depression, And Quality Of Life In Men And Women With Smell Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Controlled Study ​, Esi̇n Özlem Atmiş, Eser Sağaltici, Eren Yilmaz, Hasan Gökçay, Aytuğ Altundağ

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Olfaction is necessary for healthy sexual intercourse. Better smell has been associated with a more positive sexual experience.

Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients diagnosed with a smell disorder and 60 healthy volunteers were included. The participants were divided into 2 groups according to sex. The female group had 19 patients and 25 female controls. The male group had 21 patients and 35 male controls. Sniffin’ Sticks tests, the World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL), and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were applied to all participants. In addition, the international index of erectile …

Ai Performance In Emergency Medicine Fellowship Examination: Comparative Analysis Of Chatgpt-4o, Gemini 2.0, Claude 3.5, And Deepseek R1 Models, İshak Şan, Medi̇ne Akkan Öz, Mehmet Yortanli, Murat Genç, Bensu Bulut, Ayşenur Gür, Rami̇z Yazici, Hüseyi̇n Mutlu, Mustafa Önder Gönen

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: This study evaluated the accuracy rates and response consistency of four different large language models (ChatGPT- 4o, Gemini 2.0, Claude 3.5, and DeepSeek R1) in answering questions from the Emergency Medicine Fellowship Examination (YDUS), which was administered for the first time in Türkiye.

Materials and methods: In this observational study, 60 multiple-choice questions from the Emergency Medicine YDUS administered on 15 December 2024, were classified as knowledge-based (n = 26), visual content (n = 2), and case-based (n = 32). Each question was presented three times to the four large language models. The models’ accuracy rates were evaluated according …

The Importance Of Galectin-3 In The Diagnosis Of Childhood Acute Appendicitis ​, Onur Yalçin, Aybegüm Kalyoncu Ayçenk, Ali̇ Aygün, Ahmet Burak Günpinar, Mehmet Seyfetti̇n Saribaş, Volkan Altinok, Tevfi̇k Noyan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Acute appendicitis (AA) is a frequent indication for emergency surgery in children; accurate diagnosis is essential to prevent complications. We examined whether serum Galectin-3 is associated with pediatric AA and quantified its diagnostic performance relative to routine inflammatory markers.

Materials and methods: This prospective, single-center study was conducted in a tertiary emergency department between July 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024. Children younger than 18 years with pathologically confirmed AA were enrolled as cases; age-compatible healthy volunteers served as controls. Venous blood was obtained at presentation before any therapeutic intervention. Galectin-3 concentrations were quantified using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent …

Letter To The Editor Regarding ‘‘Kara M, Alp G, Pekdiker M, Ketenci S, Porreca A Et Al. Evaluating Leflunomide Andmethotrexate Combination Vs. Monotherapy In Rheumatoid And Psoriatic Arthritis. Turkish Journal Of Medical Sciences: 2025; 55 (3): 632-643’’, Özge Tezen

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Alterations In Regional Homogeneity And Amplitude Of Low-Frequency Fluctuations In Children With Dyslexia ​, Esra Demi̇rci̇, Şeri̇fe Gengeç Benli̇, Semra İçer, Zeynep Ak, Ebru Aker, Zehra Fi̇li̇z Karaman

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Exploratory methods in neuroimaging are gaining increasing attention for revealing functional connectivity structures across the entire brain. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the functional mechanisms underlying dyslexia, along with the effects of specialized education for dyslexia treatment, by utilizing measures such as regional homogeneity (ReHo), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and fractional ALFF (fALFF).

Materials and methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from three groups of Turkish-speaking children aged 7–12: diagnosed with dyslexia for the first time (Dys, n = 19), children with dyslexia who received specialized education (EDys, n = 20), …

Baseline Neurofilament Light Chain And Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels Predict Development Of Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis, Ruzi̇ye Erol Yildiz, Ece Akbayir, Tuğçe Kizilay, Ayça Si̇may Ersöz, Duygu Özkan Yaşargün, Devran Süer, Vuslat Yilmaz, Erdem Tüzün, Recai̇ Türkoğlu

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may present with a rapidly disabling clinical course in the first few years of disease. It is imperative to find biomarkers to predict patients with aggressive MS (AMS) and have an opportunity to prevent disability accumulation through appropriate treatment strategies. Our aim was to explore the prognostic value of neurofilament light chain (NFL) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained in the early stages of MS.

Materials and methods: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients presenting with first-time attacks were screened, of which 26 fulfilled AMS criteria in the 3-year follow-up …

Hesperidin Efficacy Of Epidural Fibrosis In A Post Laminectomy Rat Model: An Experimental Study, Emrah Keski̇n, Mehmet Seli̇m Gel

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Epidural fibrosis (EF) plays a significant role in the development of failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). This study evaluates the antifibrotic effect of hesperidin, a citrus-derived bioflavonoid, within a rat laminectomy model.

Materials and methods: Thirty-two female Wistar albino rats were randomized into four groups (n = 8 each). Group 1 received laminectomy alone (control); Group 2 received a gelatin sponge; Groups 3 and 4 intraperitoneally received 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg of hesperidin, respectively, for 7 days post-laminectomy. After 6 weeks, epidural tissues were assessed histopathologically, and hydroxyproline levels were measured.

Results: Group 4 showed significantly lower EF …

Investigating Patient Non-Attendance To Healthcare Appointments In Türkiye: Data From A State Hospital And An Oral And Dental Health Center, Eyüp Sari, Ali̇ Ni̇yazi̇ Kurtcebe, Ci̇han Döğer, Recep Aydin

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: To determine the frequency and reasons for appointment nonattendance in a state hospital and a dental health center in a densely populated district of Türkiye, and to identify related factors to guide preventive measures.

Materials and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients who scheduled appointments at Ankara Etimesgut State Hospital and Etimesgut Oral and Dental Health Center through the Centralized Patient Appointment System (Merkezi Hekim Randevu Sistemi; MHRS) in February 2024. Nonattendees were contacted in March 2024 to determine reasons for nonattendance.

Results: A total of 30,552 appointments were analyzed (1978 dental, 28,574 hospital). The overall nonattendance rate …

Unveiling The Potential Of Marine Peptides In Leukemia: Mechanistic Insights And Future Horizon In Peptide Research, Salman Ahmed, Waqas Alam, Khalaf Alsharif, Michael Aschner, Esra Küpeli̇ Akkol, Mamdouh Allahyani, Hayaa Alhuthali, Luci̇ano Saso, Esra Gi̇zem Türkcanoğlu, Haroon Khan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Leukemia is a malignant disorder that affects the bone marrow and blood. It is frequently diagnosed in adults, with a higher incidence in males than females. Globally, it ranks as the 15th most widespread cancer and is the 11th leading cause of cancer-related fatalities. The intensity and severity of treatment have increased, leading to a rise in relapse rates, toxicity, and adverse health effects. Therefore, there is a critical need for new treatments. The antileukemic properties of natural compounds have been extensively studied. Aquatic organisms are a rich source of potential medicinal compounds. Anticancer peptides offer an ideal treatment approach …

Fungal Palynomorphs From The Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian–Albian) Of Jangareddygudem Area Of The Chintalapudi Subbasin, Andhra Pradesh, South Part Of India, Harinam Joshi, Neerja Jha, Sarah Gonçalves Duarte, Sari̇ye Duygu Durak, Haytham Elatfy

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

A diverse array of thalli, fruiting bodies, spores, and other fungal structures has been observed in palynological samples collected from the sedimentary sequence MJR-11, drilled in the Jangareddygudem area of the Chintalapudi subbasin, Andhra Pradesh, southern India. The sedimentary sequence is dated to the Kimmeridgian–early Albian, based on palynology. However, the focus of the present work is on the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian–early Albian). A well-developed and diverse fungal assemblage consistently occurred throughout most of the succession, together with predominant conifer pollen grains and highly diversified pteridophytic and bryophytic spores. Furthermore, the recorded palynomorphs suggest deposition under both continental and marine …

Trcaptionnet++: A High-Performance Encoder-Decoder Based Deep Turkish Image Captioning Model Fine-Tuned With A Large-Scale Set Of Pretrain Data, Serdar Yildiz, Abbas Memi̇ş, Songül Varli

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

This paper introduces a novel and high-performance encoder-decoder-based deep model called TRCaption Net++ for generic Turkish image captioning tasks. The proposed model is an improved and refined version of TRCap tionNet, which essentially employs a CLIP (contrastive language–image pretraining) image encoder, a feature projection layer and a BERT (bidirectional encoder representations from transformers) text decoder. Within the scope of the study, the regular TRCaptionNet model was trained and specifically fine-tuned with a massive set of image data. In this respect, approximately 2,000,000 random images representing the words in the MS COCO and Flickr caption sets were retrieved through web crawling …

Electronically Tunable Cccii And Ota-Based Fractional-Order Meminductor Emulator And Its Application, Bhawna Aggarwal, Rupam Das, Shireesh Kumar Rai

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

In this paper, two fractional-order meminductor (FOMI) emulators have been realized using second-generation current-controlled conveyor (CCCII) and operational transconductance amplifier (OTA). In the first realization, two OTAs, one CCCII, one resistor, one fractional-order capacitor, and one integer-order capacitor are used. In the second configuration two CCCIIs, one OTA, two resistors, one fractional-order capacitor, and one integer-order capacitor are used. Pinched hysteresis loops have been achieved for a wide range of frequencies. The robustness of the proposed FOMI emulators has been verified through formation of pinched hysteresis loops under process, voltage, and temperature variations. Other characteristics, such as transient analysis, nonvolatility …

Fractional-Order Adaptive Terminal Sliding Mode Control For Synchronization Of Uncertain Chaotic Memristive Chua's Circuit, Dorukhan Asteki̇n, Fati̇h Adigüzel

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Memristive-based chaotic dynamical systems exhibit chaotic behavior with signals of unpredictable complex ity, making it difficult to achieve full synchronization in master-slave systems. Therefore, an advanced synchronization method is required to overcome the chaotic model uncertainties and external disturbances. In this study, a fractional order terminal sliding mode synchronization is proposed for the uncertain memristive chaotic Chua’s circuit. After presenting the integer-order model of the chaotic memristive Chua’s circuit, a fractional-order sliding surface-based non linear synchronization structure, incorporating the fractional derivative operator, is designed. The convergence of the synchronization closed-loop system is proven using Lyapunov theory. To demonstrate its effectiveness …

Automatic Detection Of Depression Using A Cnn-Transformer Model Based On Low-Channel Eeg Data, Dongfang Yu, Penghai Li, Fei Su, Kun Wang, Shutong Duan, Ding Yuan

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Background: Accurate and portable diagnostic tools for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) remain a critical unmet need in clinical practice. Electroencephalography (EEG), with its noninvasiveness and high sensitivity, presents an ideal modality, yet traditional multi-channel EEG systems limit clinical convenience and practical deployment. Methods: We developed a novel CNN-Transformer hybrid model using only eight EEG channels selected from frontal regions to detect MDD. Minimal preprocessing steps (basic filtering) were applied to EEG data before the model automatically learned both local and global signal features through convolutional and self-attention mechanisms. We validated this method through comprehensive experiments, including within-dataset and cross-dataset evaluations, …

An Updated Checklist Of The Mammals Of Türkiye, Mustafa Sözen, Faruk Çolak

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Between 1982 and 2025, the number of extant wild mammal species worldwide rose from 4170 to 6706. The Turkish mammal fauna also showed a similar trend, with the number of mammal species listed for Türkiye rising from 89 to 173 in just 33 years, from 1989 to 2021. A shift in species numbers like this calls for regular updates to Türkiye’s mammal species lists as well as the preparation of new checklists. Apart from changes in the number of species, numerous taxonomic changes and rearrangements also lead to changes in mammal lists. We arranged an updated mammal checklist by reviewing …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Zoology

No abstract provided.

Nontarget Effects Of Abamectin On Cysts And Three Larval Stages Of Marine Microcrustacean Artemia Franciscana, Hashem Khandan Barani, Sahel Pakzad Toochaei, Narjes Sanchooli

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Abamectin (ABM) is a widely used pesticide in agriculture and aquaculture worldwide. However, limited information is available on the toxic impacts of ABM on nontarget marine organisms, necessitating further research to investigate the toxic impacts of ABM on marine life. Hence, this study examined the acute (0.5–2.5 μg/L for 24 and 48 h) and chronic (0.125–0.5 μg/L for 7 days) toxicity of ABM on the marine microcrustacean Artemia franciscana under different incubation conditions and at different stages of development. To simulate a more realistic environmental scenario, some of the exposure tests were conducted in the presence of food or with …

Environmental Controls On Planktonic Community Variability And Ecosystem Responses In The Romanian Black Sea, Cristina Tabarcea, Elena Bișinicu, George-Emanuel Harcotă, Aurelia Țoțoiu, Oana Vlas, Elena Pantea, Luminita Lazar

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study examines the structure, distribution, and environmental influences on planktonic communities in the Romanian Black Sea, based on data collected from Black Sea national monitoring stations in June 2023. We assessed the qualitative and quantitative composition of phytoplankton, microzooplankton, mesozooplankton, macrozooplankton, and ichthyoplankton, alongside key environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentrations (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and silicate). The results highlight the dominance of dinoflagellates within the phytoplankton community, while copepods constitute the most abundant mesozooplankton group. Species from the Codonellidae family mainly represent microzooplankton diversity, while macrozooplankton is largely dominated by the scyphozoan Aurelia …

Cytotoxic And Genotoxic Effects Of Minor Temperature Changes And Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Plantago Major On Oncorhynchus Mykiss Gonadal Cells, Semra Çi̇çek, Sevda Işik

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Temperature changes and nanoparticle exposure have emerged as critical environmental stressors with potential cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on aquatic species. This study investigates the impact of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), synthesized using Plantago major leaves, on Oncorhynchus mykiss gonadal (RTG-2) cells under different temperature conditions (23 °C, 24 °C, and 25 °C). RTG-2 cells were exposed to hexagonal ZnO NPs (≤100 nm) at concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 75, and 100 μg/mL for 24 and 48 h. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the sulforhodamine B assay, and genotoxicity was evaluated via the comet assay. Results demonstrated that both temperature …

A Comparison Between Phalangeal Skeletochronology And Cephalic Parietal Rings In Lizards, Marco A.L. Zuffi, Roberto Sacchi, Marcello Mezzasalma, Maria José Amaral, Miguel Angel Carretero, Fabio Maria Guarino

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The well-defined, layered organization of the cephalic scales in many lacertilians could offer a noninvasive alternative for estimating the individual age of these vertebrates. This study aimed to validate the method of age determination based upon the cephalic scale rings in the genus Podarcis, comparing it to phalangeal skeletochronology, a widely used and highly reliable indirect method for estimating the age of ectotherm vertebrates. We analyzed individuals of P. bocagei (n = 48), P. muralis (n = 16) and P. siculus (n = 8). For each individual, we compared the number of cephalic layers with the number of lines of …

Symbiotic Aspergillus Terreus Alleviates Drought And Waterlogged Stress In Zea Mays L., Hazrat Ali, Fayaz Asad, Naveen Dilawar, Vasila Sharipova, Imtiaz Ahmad, Abida Zeb

Turkish Journal of Botany

The interaction concerning rhizospheric fungi and plants is essential for enhancing plant resilience in the face of abiotic stress conditions. This study investigated the effects of the rhizospheric fungus Aspergillus terreus on maize (Zea mays L.) growth under both drought and waterlogging conditions. Our findings confirmed that inoculation with A. terreus mitigated the adverse effects of drought and waterlogging conditions on maize growth. Plants treated with Aspergillus terreus (A. terreus) exhibited enhanced root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight as well as enhanced chlorophyll content in plants compared to control, under stress-related conditions. Compared to the control group, A. …

Next-Generation Biotechnology And Breeding Strategies For The Development Of Biotic Stress-Resistant Sugar Beet, Songül Gürel, Mehmet Cengi̇z Baloğlu, Pinar Baloğlu, Mehmet Kolçak, Ferhat Ulu, Ömer Can Ünüvar, Mehmet Örgeç, Özge Kaya, Ramazan Polat, Cemi̇le Köseoğlu, Yasemi̇n Çeli̇k Altunoğlu, Hati̇ce Korkmaz Güvenmez, Ekrem Gürel

Turkish Journal of Botany

Sugar beet is a high-sucrose crop primarily used for sugar production, and it is now gaining attention as a promising source for bioethanol production and cattle feed. This crop is also utilized for the extraction of pectin and the production of molasses. Despite its utilization across a wide range of industries, abiotic and biotic stress factors greatly reduce the productivity of the cash crop sugar beet. In this paper, we focus on the development of biotic stress-resistant sugar beet plants through various classical and biotechnological applications. In recent decades, omics technologies, next-generation sequencing, gene editing/silencing, and overexpression techniques have been …

Advanced Deep Learning Approaches For The Accurate Classification Of Phallaceae Fungi With Explainable Ai, Eda Kumru, Fati̇h Eki̇nci̇, Koray Açici, Ömer Burak Altindal, Mehmet Serdar Güzel, Ilgaz Akata

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this study, deep learning (DL)-based models were developed for the classification of 5 fungal species from the Phallaceae family (Clathrus ruber, Colus hirudinosus, Mutinus caninus, Phallus impudicus, and Pseudocolus fusiformis). ConvNeXT achieved the highest performance with 98% accuracy, 98% precision, 98% recall, and 98% F1-score. EfficientNetB4 and Xception also performed well with 96% accuracy. In contrast, lighter models such as MobileNetV2 and MixNet S showed significantly lower accuracy (84% and 80%, respectively). Among the explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) techniques, gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) and Integrated Gradients showed that high-accuracy models focus more effectively on biologically meaningful regions. In …

Floral Trait Diversity Supports Multiple Pollination Systems Across Urban Habitats In One Of The World's Greenest Cities, Ana Paula Sales De Araujo Franco, Maxwell Da Rosa Oliveira, Evaldo Benedito De Souza, Ingrid Lohani Degering Brand, Marcus Paulo Goncalves Rosa, Bruno Henrique Dos Santos Ferreira, Maria Rosângela Sigrist

Turkish Journal of Botany

Green cities comprise a variety of habitats subject to different levels of anthropogenic pressure, ranging from completely unvegetated areas to vast green spaces such as linear parks. In this scenario, cities can support different ecological processes and ecosystem functions, which vary qualitatively and quantitatively between different habitat types along the urbanization gradient. Specifically, green spaces and ruderal plants can support pollination services in urban ecosystems, providing food resources (e.g., nectar, pollen, oil), reproduction supports (copulation sites), and nesting sites for pollinators. As a result, plant species and their floral resources are important for pollinator diversity and the maintenance of the …