Leptospirosis models: vaccination of cattle and early detection in humans

In this dissertation we discuss two mathematical models for leptospirosis. The first project is a mathematical model of leptospirosis with impulse actions in cattle. The project is to understand the propagation of leptospirosis and find a schedule for control programs to eradicate the disease in a cattle ranch. An epidemiological model has been built with ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and included some vaccination and recruitment control programs in the form of impulse actions to prevent the propagation of leptospirosis in the ranch. This system of ODEs with impulse actions determines a schedule of control actions in order to eradicate leptospirosis in the ranch. Parameter estimation and sensitivity analysis were completed as a part of this study. The second project is a stochastic optimization model for cost effectiveness analysis in early detection of leptospirosis in humans. To seek an optimal treatment strategy for the patients coming into a hospital with the symptoms similar to those of leptospirosis, a stochastic processing model with a computational algorithm was developed to compare treatment strategies and determine an optimal management strategy maximizing the number of early detected leptospirosis cases and minimizing the corresponding costs

NO_x Pollutants from Diesel Vehicles and Trends in the Control Technologies

Nowadays, climate change that caused from air pollution has become a major problem on the agenda of almost all countries around the world. Compared to other air pollutants, NOx emissions have an important share in climate change, and especially diesel vehicles are one of the most important sources for the formation of NOx pollutants. This chapter focused on NOx emissions from diesel vehicles and the trends in NOx control technologies; Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), Lean NOx trap (LNT) and Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx by ammonia (NH3-SCR) and hydrocarbons (HC-SCR). The reasons of the NOx emissions, environmental effects and damages on human health, NOx emissions from diesel engines and diesel engine parameters affecting NOx emissions are handled in detail. The EGR, LNT and SCR technologies that had large reduction rates of NOx emissions and the latest developments in these systems are comprehensively explained

Using response surface design to determine the optimal parameters of genetic algorithm and a case study

Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Production Research on 09 June 2013, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/00207543.2013.784411Genetic algorithms are efficient stochastic search techniques for approximating optimal solutions within complex search spaces and used widely to solve NP hard problems. This algorithm includes a number of parameters whose different levels affect the performance of the algorithm strictly. The general approach to determine the appropriate parameter combination of genetic algorithm depends on too many trials of different combinations and the best one of the combinations that produces good results is selected for the program that would be used for problem solving. A few researchers studied on parameter optimisation of genetic algorithm. In this paper, response surface depended parameter optimisation is proposed to determine the optimal parameters of genetic algorithm. Results are tested for benchmark problems that is most common in mixed-model assembly line balancing problems of type-I (MMALBP-I)

Sürücülerin Risk Algısı Aşina Olunan ve Olunmayan Yollarda Araç Kullanırken Nasıl Değişir: Kadın ve Erkek Sürücülerin Karşılaştırması

Yol güvenliği, insan, araç ve çevre ile ilgili faktörler arasındaki etkileşimin bir sonucudur. Bu çalışmada, yol güvenliğinde çevre ile ilgili bir faktör olarak yol aşinalığı araştırılmıştır. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, sürücülerin aşina oldukları ve olmadıkları yollardaki öznel risk algılarının incelenmesidir. Çalışmaya 279 erkek ve 201 kadın olmak üzere toplam 480 sürücü katılmıştır. Katılımcılar demografik bilgi formunu ve Risk Algısı Envanteri’ni doldurmuştur. Sonuçlar, sürücülerin aşina olmadıkları yollarda araç kullanmayı aşina oldukları yollara göre daha riskli algıladıklarını göstermiştir. Ayrıca, kadın sürücüler hem aşina oldukları hem de aşina olmadıkları yollarda erkek sürücülere göre daha yüksek risk algısı raporlamışlardır. Sonuç olarak, yola aşinalık, sürücülerin risk değerlendirmesinde önemli bir faktör olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Sonuçlar, ilgili literatür ışığında karayolu güvenliği üzerindeki etkileri ile tartışılmıştır

Ortaokul ingilizce ders kitaplarındaki değerler

06.03.2018 tarihli ve 30352 sayılı Resmi Gazetede yayımlanan “Yükseköğretim Kanunu İle Bazı Kanun Ve Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun” ile 18.06.2018 tarihli “Lisansüstü Tezlerin Elektronik Ortamda Toplanması, Düzenlenmesi ve Erişime Açılmasına İlişkin Yönerge” gereğince tam metin erişime açılmıştır.Bu araştırmada ortaokul İngilizce ders kitapları, aktarılan değerler bağlamında analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmada 2018-2019 eğitim-öğretim yılında devlet okullarında okutulan 5. Sınıf, 6. Sınıf, 7. Sınıf ve 8. sınıf ders kitapları incelenmiştir. Araştırmada toplam 40 tema incelenmiştir. İncelenen temalarda her bir değer veriliş şekline göre ayrı ayrı ele alınmıştır. Yapılan araştırma neticesinde ders kitaplarında sporseverlik değerinin toplamda en çok işlenen değer olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sporseverlik değerinden hemen sonra sırasıyla sorumluluk, sağlıklı olmaya önem verme, farklılıklara saygı ve hayvan sevgisi en sık işlenen değerler olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu değerler çoğunlukla örtük bir şekilde görseller ve metinler aracılığıyla verilmiştir. Barışsever olma, dürüstlük ve kitap sevgisi değerleri en düşük sıklıkta verilen değerler olduğu tespit edilmiştir. 2018 yılında yayınlanan İngilizce öğretim programında öğrencilere aktarılması hedeflenen adaletli olma, sabırlı olma, diğerkam olma gibi değerlerin ders kitaplarında yeterince yer bulamadığı tespit edilmiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Değerler, İngilizce ders kitapları, değerler eğitimiIn this study, secondary school English textbooks were analyzed in the context of values. In the research, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade and 8th Grade textbooks which are used in 2018-2019 academic year, have been studied in public schools in 2018-2019 academic year. A total of 40 themes were examined in the study. In the themes examined, each value was handled separately according to the way it was presented. As a result of the research, it was determined that the value of love of sports was the most used value in the textbooks. Immediately after the value of love of sports, responsibility, respect for differences, and love of animals were found to be the most frequently used values. These values are mostly given implicitly through visuals and texts. It was determined that values of peace, honesty and love of books were the values given in the lowest frequency. It has been determined that the values such as fairness, being patient and altruism, which were aimed to be conveyed to the students in the English education program published in 2018, weren't used enough. Keywords: Values, English textbooks, Values educatio

A familial subtype of gambling disorder

Background: Although family history of psychiatric disorders has often been considered potentially useful in understanding clinical presentations in patients, it is less clear what a positive gambling family history means for people with gambling disorder. We sought to understand the clinical impact of having a first-degree relative with gambling disorder in a sample of adults with gambling disorder. Methods: Data from 455 participants (aged 18-65 years) who had participated in previous pharmacological and psychotherapeutic clinical trials for gambling disorder were pooled in a secondary analysis. Demographic and clinical variables were compared between those who did versus did not have one or more first-degree relative(s) with gambling disorder. Additionally, we examined whether a family history of gambling disorder was associated with treatment outcome. Results: 223 (49.0%) participants had at least one first-degree family member(s) with gambling disorder. In terms of clinical variables, family history of gambling disorder was significantly associated with being female, having an earlier age of gambling onset, longer duration of untreated gambling illness, a greater likelihood of developing legal problems secondary to gambling, and higher rates of alcohol use disorder in family members. Family history of gambling disorder was also associated with a greater gambling symptom improvement from pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: These results indicate that gamblers with a first-degree family member with a gambling disorder may have a unique clinical presentation and better response to treatment interventions.</p

ORGANİK TARIMDA UZUN DÖNEM EKİM NÖBETİ VE YEŞİL GÜBRE UYGULAMALARININ TOPRAK İÇERİĞİNE VE DOMATES İLE KABAĞIN VERİM VE KALİTE ÖZELLİKLERİNE ETKİSİ

Ekim nöbeti ve yeşil gübreleme sağladığı yararlardan ötürü organik üreticiler tarafından tercih edilmektedir. Bu çalışmada; brokoli + gübreleme (T1), fiğ + buğday + gübreleme (T2) ve fiğ + buğday (T3) ön uygulamalarının, sonrasında yetiştirilen domates ve kabağın verim ve kalite özellikleri üzerine etkisi incelenmiştir. Her üç uygulamanın yazlık sebzelerin verim ve kalite özellikleri üzerine etkisi önemsiz bulunurken, hem kabakta hem de domateste en yüksek verim T2 uygulamasından elde edilmiştir (p≤0.05). Rotasyon süresince toprak organik maddesi önemli değişiklikler göstermiş ve her üç uygulamadan da olumlu etkilenmiştir (p≤0.05). Ancak, yazlık sebze yetiştiriciliği sonrası T2 uygulaması diğer iki uygulamaya oranla toprağa daha fazla organik madde kazandırmıştır (p≤0.05)

Tumour suppressor PTEN enhanced enzyme activity of GPx, SOD and catalase by suppression of PI3K/AKT pathway in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines

Phosphates and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a tumour suppressor gene which dephosphorilates phosphoinositol 3,4,5 triphosphates. Therefore PTEN can regulate PI3K/AKT pathway in cells. Because of promoter methylation or gene deletion, PTEN expression is commonly decreased or lost in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. Therefore, we hypothesized that PTEN could regulate the activity of superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase. We first recreated PTENwt, G129R and G129E expressions in lung cell lines, in which endogenous PTEN expression was not detected. Then, we showed that PTEN could suppress AKT activity by its lipid phosphatase domain. We then examined the effect of recreated PTEN expressions in NSCLC cells. While PTENwt expression caused enhanced activity of SOD, GPx and catalase in transfected cells lines, neither G129R nor G129E expression effected enzyme activities. These results suggest that PTEN can up-regulate SOD, GPx and catalase activity by inhibition of PI3K/AKT pathway in NSCLC cell lines. © 2013 Informa UK, Ltd

The utility of ADC measurement techniques for differentiation of low- and high-grade clear cell RCC

Purpose: To evaluate the diffusion properties of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) concerning their Fuhrman nuclear grades and sizes, and to compare the diagnostic performance of two ROI placement techniques for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement (entire mass vs. only the darkest region of the mass). Material and methods: Fifty-one ccRCC were enrolled in the study and grouped into low-grade ccRCC (Fuhrman grade 1 and 2, n = 37) and high-grade ccRCC (Fuhrman grade 3 and 4, n = 14). Selective ADC (Sel-ADC) measurement was performed by placing a circular ROI that included the darkest region of the tumour on ADC map images. Extensive ADC (Ext-ADC) measurement was performed by drawing an ROI that covered the entire tumour. Results: The Sel-ADC value was lower in high-grade ccRCC (p = 0.019), whereas the Ext-ADC value did not show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.42). Sel-ADC value of a ≤ 1.405 mm2/s has a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy value of 78.6, 72.2, 73.87, 77.13, and 75.4, respectively, to differentiate high-grade from low-grade ccRCC. The size and Fuhrman grade of the ccRCC were inversely correlated with the Sel-ADC value; however, the correlations were weak (r = -0.322, p = 0.021 and r = -0.376, p = 0.006, respectively). There was no difference between ADC values of small (≤ 4 cm) and large (> 4 cm) ccRCCs. Conclusions: The ADC value of the darkest region in solid part of the ccRCC may play a role in predicting the nuclear grade of ccRCC