Accurate Analysis of the Spatial Pattern of Reflected Light and Surface Orientations Based on Color Illumination

3D Recovery approaches require a variety of clues to obtain shape information. The shape from shading (SFS) method uses shading information in images to estimate depth maps. Although shading contains detailed information, it causes some well-known ambiguities such as convex-concave ambiguity. In this study, a system installation, using red, green, and blue illumination, and an algorithm, processing reflections on the surface, were proposed for the accurate analysis of surface orientations, and ambiguity problems. Surface orientations, erroneously predicted by six different methods, were improved by implementing the proposed system. Consequently, the correct orientation of the surface points was determined by removing the ambiguities in images taken without considering the location of illumination, and all the tested methods provided successful results using the proposed system

The effect of preservice teachers' information and communication technologies competencies on academic self-efficacy and academic achievement

The purpose of this study was to measure the ICT competency levels and academic self-efficacy perception levels of preservice teachers and to determine if those levels were a significant predictor of their academic self-efficacy. For this purpose, the data were obtained from 411 volunteer students studying in the second, third, and fourth grades of the Teacher Training Undergraduate Programs at Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Education Faculty. In total, 133 male and 278 female students participated in the study. As data collection tools, the Personal Information Form, the Information and Communication Technology Competencies Scale for Pre-service Teachers (ICTC-PT) developed by Tondeur et al. (2017) and adapted to Turkish language and culture by Alkan and Sarıkaya (2018) as well as the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES) developed by Kandemir (2010) were used. The Personal Information Form included information regarding department, grade, gender, and GPA. The reliability analyses of the scales were carried out, as well as multiple and stepwise regression analyses and descriptive statistics to address the research questions. As a result, it was determined that pre-service teachers' perception of ICT self-efficacy was at a high level. A moderate level of perception was observed in the sub-dimensions of ASE-CAP, ASE-AE, and ASE-APL among the participants. ICT-ID was found to be a significant predictor of ASE-CAP, but not of CSP-ICT. Although CSP-ICT was more closely related to general competencies, ICT-ID appeared to be more closely related to the skills required by the teaching profession. Based on the results of the study, the ASE-CAP, ASE-APL, and ICT sub-dimension scores were not significant predictors of GPA, whereas the ASE-AE score was a significant and positive predictor of GPA. It could be concluded from these findings that experiences and activities aimed at improving students' self-efficacy perceptions contributed positively to academic achievement in teacher training programs

Management of Foreign Body Aspiration in Children: Insights From 664 Cases in the Operating Room

Tracheal or bronchial foreign body aspiration is an important emergency o childhood requiring bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. In this retrospective study, bronchoscopy were performed for foreign body aspiration; anesthesia methods, risks, and postoperative complications were evaluated. Children who underwent bronchoscopy with suspicion of a foreign body in the pediatric surgery operating room between January 2010 and December 2021 were included in the study. Six hundred and sixty four children were evaluated. General anesthesia was applied to all bronchoscopy. Demographic characteristics of the patients, type of foreign body, localization of foreign body, distribution of foreign body according to age groups, complications related to anesthesia and surgical process, length of stay in the postoperative intensive care unit, and duration of hospital stay were evaluated. The patients who aspirated foreign bodies most frequently were children aged 1-3 years (73.6%). During bronchoscopy, organic matter (seeds, hazelnuts, peanuts, chickpeas) was the most frequently removed foreign body in children (559 patients). It was observed that foreign bodies were mostly located in the right main bronchus at a rate of 52.4%, the left main bronchus at 28%. The most common anesthesia-related complications were desaturation in 400 patients, hypercarbia in 200 patients, bronchospasm in 108 patients, and respiratory arrest in 2 patients. Many problems may be encountered in foreign body inhalation, and bronchoscopy of these patients should be performed by an experienced anesthesiologist and surgeon at the right time and in the safest way in terms of anesthesia and surgery

Microbiological investigation of activated sludge in sequencing batch bioreactor for urban wastewater treatment

This study presents measurement of containment parameters of wastewater obtained from influent and effluent of sequencing batch bioreactor (SBR). Arcella Sp. dominantly encountered in Sample I from Karaman-Adapazari-Sakarya Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant in Turkey. Amount of cells belonging to Difflugia Sp., however, had increased for Sample II. In Sample Ill, Arcella Sp., and Difflugia Sp. lost their dominance, whereas Didinium Sp., Aspidisca Sp., Targidrade Sp., and Peranema Sp., were encountered. This finding indicates that protozoa and metazoan population in activated sludge enable daily control of wastewater treatment efficiency

Microbiological and Performance Evaluation of Sequencing Batch Reactor for Textile Wastewater Treatment

Protozoa and metazoan in the activated sludge in the laboratory-scaled plant were investigated. Peranema sp., Epistylis sp., Didinium sp., Chilodonella sp., Opercularia sp., Vorticella sp. as protozoa species and Habrotrocha sp., Philodina sp. as metazoa species were determined. Water Environ. Res., 84, 346 (2012)