Digital Commons Network^™

Would A Robot Trust You? Developmental Robotics Model Of Trust And Theory Of Mind, S Vinanzi, M Patacchiola, A Chella, A Cangelosi

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Trust is a critical issue in human-robot interaction: as robotic systems gain complexity, it becomes crucial for them to be able to blend in our society by maximizing their acceptability and reliability. Various studies have examined how trust is attributed by people to robots, but less have investigated the opposite scenario, where a robot is the trustor and a human is the trustee. The ability for an agent to evaluate the trustworthiness of its sources of information is particularly useful in joint task situations where people and robots must collaborate to reach shared goals. We propose an artificial cognitive architecture …

Virtual Source Method Simulation Of Progressive Water Waves, O Al-Tameemi, Di Graham, K Langfeld

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

The virtual source method (VSM) has been developed to simulate water waves based upon the solution of Laplace’s equation for the velocity potential integral equations with full nonlinear surface conditions. The basis of the method is the use of specific Green’s functions for a rectangular ‘virtual domain’ which is an extension of the physical domain. The solution variables are frequency components of the velocity potential at the upper virtual boundary and these are found by specifying appropriate conditions on the physical boundaries (i.e. wavemaker, walls and wave surfaces). The authors have shown that the model successfully simulates both linear and …

Emotional Intelligence Instruction For Millennials In Undergraduate Education, Jason M. Pollett

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the improvement, if any, of emotional intelligence scores of students who participated in and completed the specified professional development seminar. In addition, this study aimed to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence subscales of students enrolled in a professional development seminar that focuses on enhancing the emotional intelligence. The research design for this study was an ex post facto, quasi-experimental correlational quantitative research design. Data from the 371 students who enrolled in the Professional Development Seminar course during academic years 2015-2017 served as the sample for this study.

This study focused on …

Reinforcement Learning, Intelligent Control And Their Applications In Connected And Autonomous Vehicles, Adedapo O. Odekunle

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Reinforcement learning (RL) has attracted large attention over the past few years. Recently, we developed a data-driven algorithm to solve predictive cruise control (PCC) and games output regulation problems. This work integrates our recent contributions to the application of RL in game theory, output regulation problems, robust control, small-gain theory and PCC. The algorithm was developed for $H_\infty$ adaptive optimal output regulation of uncertain linear systems, and uncertain partially linear systems to reject disturbance and also force the output of the systems to asymptotically track a reference. In the PCC problem, we determined the reference velocity for each autonomous vehicle …

Computing The Role That Women Hold In The Technology And Computing Fields, Rachel L F Mccombs

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research was conducted as a thesis project to study what roles women have played in information technology over time, how those roles have changed over time, and what caused those roles to change. It was also to study how personal life experiences may have affected their roles and careers in the technology field. Influential women in IT of the past were studied and compared to determine any common factors between them.

Eaglebot: A Chatbot Based Multi-Tier Question Answering System For Retrieving Answers From Heterogeneous Sources Using Bert, Muhammad Rana

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This paper proposes to tackle Question Answering on a specific domain by developing a multi-tier system using three different types of data storage for storing answers. For testing our system on University domain we have used extracted data from Georgia Southern University website. For the task of faster retrieval we have divided our answer data sources into three distinct types and utilized Dialogflow's Natural Language Understanding engine for route selection. We compared different word and sentence embedding techniques for making a semantic question search engine and BERT sentence embedding gave us the best result and for extracting answer from a …

A Personalized And Platform-Independent Behavior Control System For Social Robots In Therapy: Development And Applications, T Belpaeme

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Social robots have been proven beneficial in different types of healthcare interventions. An ongoing trend is to develop (semi-)autonomous socially assistive robotic systems in healthcare context to improve the level of autonomy and reduce human workload. This paper presents a behavior control system for social robots in therapies with a focus on personalization and platform-independence. This system architecture provides the robot an ability to behave as a personable character, which behaviors are adapted to user profiles and responses during the human-robot interaction. Robot behaviors are designed at abstract levels and can be transferred to different social robot platforms. We adopt …

Strict Liability For Genetic Privacy Violations In The Age Of Big Data, Benjamin Sundholm

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

The ethical issues implicated by the misuse of genetic information have been smoldering for over half a century, and the age of big data has turned them into a five-alarm fire. In recent years, medical researchers and commercial enterprises have been using technological advancements to develop a variety of innovative ways to use genetic information. For example, it is becoming increasingly common for people to learn more about their health and family history by paying direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) companies to analyze their genetic data. DTC companies store the results of these tests electronically and often share them with pharmaceutical companies …

The "Pink Ghetto" Pipeline: Challenges And Opportunities For Women In Legal Education, Renee Nicole Allen, Alicia Jackson, Deshun Harris

Faculty Publications

The demographics of law schools are changing and women make up the majority of law students. Yet, the demographics of many law faculties do not reflect these changing demographics with more men occupying faculty seats. In legal education, women predominately occupy skills positions, including legal writing, clinic, academic success, bar preparation, or library. According to a 2010 Association of American Law Schools survey, the percentage of female lecturers and instructors is so high that those positions are stereotypically female.

The term coined for positions typically held by women is "pink ghetto." According to the Department of Labor, pink-collar-worker describes jobs …

California Dreaming?, Darren Rosenblum

Faculty Publications

Over the past few years, California became the setting for shocking tales of sex inequality and abuse in Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Decades after women achieved educational parity, men still run the corporate world. In response to these stories exposed by the #MeToo movement, California joined the transnational corporate board quota movement by converting its voluntary quota into a hard one. Will California’s first mover status overcome constitutional objections and inspire other jurisdictions to act. Or is just utopian dreaming, California-style? This Essay argues that despite its many flaws, the quota may succeed in curbing male over-representation on corporate boards. …

Comparison Of Indigo Carmine Decolorization By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Crude Laccase Enzyme From Funalia Trogii, Fi̇li̇z Boran, Emre Bi̇rhanli, Özfer Yeşi̇lada, Eli̇f Özbey

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of incubation time, temperature, initial pH, and dye concentration on the indigo carmine decolorization activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and some factors on the decolorization potential of crude laccase enzyme obtained from Funalia trogii ATCC 200800 were comparatively investigated. This bacterium showed effective decolorization activity at all agitation and temperature values. Indigo carmine was greatly decolorized by P. aeruginosa at all pH values except pH 10. A decrease in decolorization activity occurred with increasing dye concentration, but this bacterium effectively decolorized the dye within 24 h. The decolorization process was through microbial metabolism, not biosorption. No decolorization …

Morphophysiological And Biochemical Response Of Mungbean [Vigna Radiata (L.) Wilczek] Varieties At Different Developmental Stages Under Drought Stress, Pooja Bangar, Ashok Chaudhury, Bhavana Tiwari, Sanjay Kumar, Ratna Kumari, Kangila Venkataramana Bhat

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present study was conducted to assess the morphophysiological and biochemical responses during different developmental stages in mungbean varieties subjected to drought stress, and to screen the varieties for drought tolerance. A field experiment was performed according to a completely randomized design on 25 mungbean varieties with 3 replicates per variety. Stress treatment was applied at 3 levels: control (no stress), vegetative stage (25 days after sowing), and reproductive stage (35 days after sowing). According to combined analysis of variance, there were significant effects from drought stress on relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), protein and proline content …

Development Of Antimicrobial Gelatin Films With Boron Derivatives, Sanem Argin, Merve Güleri̇m, Fi̇kretti̇n Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

Food packaging technology has been advancing to provide safe and high quality food products and to minimize food waste. Moreover, there is a dire need to replace plastic materials in order to reduce environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to prepare biodegradable antimicrobial packaging films from gelatin. Boric acid, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, and sodium pentaborate were incorporated as the antimicrobial agents. Films containing boric acid and its salts showed antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as antifungal and anticandidal effects against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. The mechanical strength of the films was mostly …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Functional Characteristics Of Lactobacilli From Traditional Bulgarian Fermented Milk Products, Veronica Nemska, Petya Logar, Tanya Rasheva, Zdravka Sholeva, Nelly Georgieva, Svetla Danova

Turkish Journal of Biology

After oral administration, probiotic lactobacilli meet a number of protection systems in the human body, such as exposure to gastric, pancreatic, and small intestinal juices. Overcoming these detrimental barriers allows living bacteria to adhere to the intestinal epithelium and permanently colonize the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), providing health benefits to the host. Based on this, the transit tolerance of 25 candidate probiotic lactobacilli from katak, yoghurt, and white-brined and yellow cheese to simulated bile and small intestinal juices of variable pH was investigated. To establish their resistance, in vitro model systems based on modified MRS media and a longer duration of …

Key Actors In Cancer Therapy: Epigenetic Modifiers, Remzi̇ Okan Akar, Seli̇n Selvi̇, Engi̇n Ulukaya, Nazlihan Aztopal

Turkish Journal of Biology

Epigenetic reprogramming plays a crucial role in the tumorigenicity and maintenance of tumor-specific gene expression that especially occurs through DNA methylation and/or histone modifications. It has well-defined mechanisms. It is known that alterations in the DNA methylation pattern and/or the loss of specific histone acetylation/methylation markers are related to several hallmarks of cancer, such as drug resistance, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis. It has also recently been highlighted that epigenetic alterations are critical for the regulation of the stemlike properties of cancer cells (tumor-initiating cells; cancer stem cells). Cancer stem cells are thought to be responsible for the recurrence of …

Squalene Attenuates The Oxidative Stress And Activates Akt/Mtor Pathway Against Cisplatin-Induced Kidney Damage In Mice, Ayşe Arzu Şakul, Mehmet Ozansoy, Bi̇rsen Eli̇bol, Şule Ayla, Mehmet Yalçin Günal, Yasemi̇n Yozgat, Selma Hüveyda Başağa, Kazi̇m Şahi̇n, Rümeyza Kazancioğlu, Ülkan Kiliç

Turkish Journal of Biology

The clinical use of cisplatin, which is a first-line anticancer agent, is highly restricted due to its adverse effects on kidneys that lead to nephrotoxicity. Therefore, some potential reno-protective substances have been used in combination with cisplatin to cope with nephrotoxicity. Due to its high antitumor activity and oxygen-carrying capacity, we investigated the molecular effects of squalene against cisplatin-induced oxidative stress and kidney damage in mice. Single dose of cisplatin (7 mg/kg) was given to male Balb/c mice. Squalene (100 mg/kg/day) was administered orogastrically to mice for 10 days. Following sacrification, molecular alterations were investigated as analysis of the levels …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Precipitation And Characterization Of Caco3 Of Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens U17 Strain Producing Urease And Carbonic Anhydrase, Merve Tepe, Şevki̇ Arslan, Tamer Koralay, Nazi̇me Mercan

Turkish Journal of Biology

In the present study, the properties of calcium carbonate mineralization and urease and carbonic anhydrase activities of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens U17 isolated from calcareous soil of Denizli (Turkey) were analyzed. CaCO3 was produced in all growth phases. Strain U17 showed 0.615 ± 0.092 μmol/min/mg urease enzyme activity in calcium mineralization medium and 1.315 ± 0.021 μmol/min/mg urease enzyme activity in Luria-Bertani medium supplemented with urea, whereas it showed 36.03 ± 5.48 nmol/min/ mg carbonic anhydrase enzyme activity in CaCO3 precipitation medium and 28.82 ± 3.31 nmol/min/mg carbonic anhydrase enzyme activity in Luria-Bertani medium supplemented with urea. The urease B protein expression …

Effects Of B2o3 (Boron Trioxide) On Colon Cancer Cells: Our First-Step Experience And In Vitro Results, Özgür Albuz, Di̇lek Dülger, Beste Çağdaş Tunali, Feray Aydin, Seli̇m Yalçin, Mustafa Türk

Turkish Journal of Biology

Boron oxide (B2O3) is derived from dehydration of boric acid and is a colorless, semitransparent, crystalline compound that is moderately soluble in water. On the other hand, boron oxide is chemically hygroscopic. This gives the molecule the ability to soak up water and adhere to tissues. Boron oxide can be used locally after tumor debulking in inoperable tumors and especially when the tumor-free margin distance cannot be provided. For all these reasons we aimed to evaluate the in vitro test results of B2O3 in terms of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, apoptosis, and necrotic effects on L929 fibroblast cells and DLD-1 colorectal adenocarcinoma …

Keratin 14 Is A Novel Interaction Partner Of Keratinocyte Differentiation Regulator:Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase 4, Ceren Sümer, Asi̇ye Büşra Boz Er, Tuba Di̇nçer

Turkish Journal of Biology

The epidermis, the outer layer of the skin, is formed by stratified keratinocyte layers. The self-renewal of the epidermis is provided by sustained proliferation and differentiation of the keratinocyte stem cells localized to the basal layer of the epidermis. Receptorinteracting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4) is an important regulator of keratinocyte differentiation, mutations of which are associated with congenital ectodermal malformations. In an attempt to identify the molecular basis of RIPK4's function, we applied yeast two-hybrid screen (Y2H) and found basal layer-specific keratin filament component keratin 14 (KRT14) as a novel RIPK4-interacting partner. During keratinocyte differentiation, layer-specific keratin composition is tightly …

A Magnetic Affinity Approach To Identify Plant Gaba-Binding Proteins, Jie Zou, Jingzhe Guo, Shisheng Li

Turkish Journal of Biology

In plants, GABA plays a critical role in sexual plant reproduction; however, GABA receptors and the associated detailed signaling mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Our experiments show that the proposed technique is reliable and convenient for probing GABA-binding proteins and could be applicable in similar projects by covalently immobilizing the free carboxylic group of GABA on magnetic beads (SiMAG-Carboxyl). New probes produced by covalently immobilizing the free carboxylic group of GABA on magnetic beads (SiMAG-Carboxyl) can obtain useful information on GABA receptors in plants.

Fibrous Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Prepared By Wet Spinning Of Plga, Nergi̇s Abay Akar, Görke Gürel Peközer, Gamze Köse

Turkish Journal of Biology

Having a self-healing capacity, bone is very well known to regenerate itself without leaving a scar. However, critical size defects due to trauma, tumor, disease, or infection involve bone graft surgeries in which complication rate is relatively at high levels. Bone tissue engineering appears as an alternative for grafting. Fibrous scaffolds are useful in tissue engineering applications since they have a high surface-to-volume ratio, and adjustable, highly interconnected porosity to enhance cell adhesion, survival, migration, and proliferation. They can be produced in a wide variety of fiber sizes and organizations. Wet spinning is a convenient way to produce fibrous scaffolds …

A Novel 1,4-Naphthoquinone-Derived Compound Induces Apoptotic Cell Deathin Breast Cancer Cells, Di̇dem Karakaş Zeybek, Remzi̇ Okan Akar, Zeli̇ha Gökmen, Nahi̇de Gülşah Deni̇z, Engi̇n Ulukaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

Breast cancer is the most-diagnosed cancer type among women. The triple-negative subtype is an especially aggressive type of breast cancer. Although chemotherapy is almost the only option for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), currently used chemotherapeutics are not effective enough, considering the poor survival rate of patients. Therefore, novel compounds need to be developed to improve survival rates. It has been known that quinonic compounds, which are found in nature, have antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumorigenic properties. Naphthoquinones are members of the quinone family and are widely used in research due to their promising properties. In this study, we …

Characterizing Microsatellite Polymorphisms Using Assembly-Based Andmapping-Based Tools, Gülfem Demi̇r, Can Alkan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Microsatellite polymorphism has always been a challenge for genome assembly and sequence alignment due to sequencing errors, short read lengths, and high incidence of polymerase slippage in microsatellite regions. Despite the information they carry being very valuable, microsatellite variations have not gained enough attention to be a routine step in genome sequence analysis pipelines. After the completion of the 1000 Genomes Project, which aimed to establish the most detailed genetic variation catalog for humans, the consortium released only two microsatellite prediction sets generated by two tools. Many other large research efforts have failed to shed light on microsatellite variations. We …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Knockdown Of Set Domain, Bifurcated 1 Suppresses Head And Neck Cancer Cell Viability And Wound-Healing Ability In Vitro, Si̇bel Özdaş

Turkish Journal of Biology

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and therefore presents a global public health problem. There are no standard algorithms for the diagnosis and follow-up of the disease, and no effective current treatment approaches exist. Therefore, the discovery of new biomolecules and the design of new strategies to aid in early diagnosis is necessary, along with establishing prognostic factors of HNC. In several cancer studies, the upregulation of SET Domain, Bifurcated 1 (SETDB1) has been reported to be tumor-inducing and to indicate a cancer-invasive prognosis, leading to the modulation of genes associated with different signaling …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

In Vitro Study On Chondrogenic Differentiation Of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells On Treated Bovine Pericardium, My Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Vu Nguyen Doan, Ha Le Bao Tran

Turkish Journal of Biology

Bovine pericardium has been proposed as an available material for tissue engineering and bioprosthetic reconstruction. In this study, bovine pericardium was fabricated into a scaffold for culturing and chondrogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). Bovine pericardium was treated in 10 mM Tris-HCl and 0.15% SDS, followed by crosslinking in 0.1% glutaraldehyde. Treated bovine pericardium (tBP) was characterized as a slight yellowish thin membrane with enhanced tensile strength and strain property. The membrane maintained stability under enzymatic conditions for up to 16 days of incubation. The results confirmed tBP as a cell-friendly scaffold for hADSCs due to low cytotoxicity …

In Silico Approach To The Analysis Of Snps In The Human Apaf1 Gene, Tuğba Kaman, Ömer Faruk Karasakal, Ebru Özkan Oktay, Korkut Ulucan, Muhsi̇n Konuk

Turkish Journal of Biology

The apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (APAF1) gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein that initiates apoptosis and is a crucial factor in the mitochondria-dependent death pathway. APAF1 is implicated in many pathways such as apoptosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. The purpose of this study was to predict deleterious/damaging SNPs in the APAF1 gene via in silico analysis. To this end, APAF1 missense SNPs were obtained from the NCBI dbSNP database. In silico analysis of the missense SNPs was carried out by using publicly available online software tools. The stabilization and three-dimensional modeling of mutant proteins were also determined by using the …