Do the effects of vitamin d supplementation on muscle strength differ according to age?

Introduction: Vitamin D plays an important role in musculoskeletal health and its use improves muscle strength. However, the effect of vitamin D use on muscle strength in women of different ages is yet to be investigated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D use on muscle strength in women of different age groups and determine the differences of muscle strength gain between age groups. Materials and Method: Sixty-three women with calcidiol levels<30 ng/mL were randomly assigned and stratified by their age group as follows: Group I (aged 40–49 years), Group II (aged 50–59 years) and Group III (aged 60–69 years). Calcidiol levels, body mass index, fat free mass, percent fat, grip strength, arm curl, chair stand and isokinetic concentric flexor and extensor peak torque and power at 60°•s−1 and 180°•s−1 were assessed at baseline and six months after oral cholecalciferol supplementation. Results: Vitamin D supplementation caused significant improvement in body mass index, arm curl, grip strength and knee flexor and extensor peak torque and power at 60°•s−1 and 180°•s−1 in all groups (p<0.05). Knee flexor power at 60°•s−1 and extensor power at 180°•s−1 were significantly higher in group I than in group III (p<0.025). Conclusion: Muscle strength in response to vitamin D supplementation increased in all age groups, and isokinetic muscle power was the highest in the youngest age group studied. © 2018, Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved

Çelik Çerçevelerin LRFD-AISC Şartnamesine Göre Av Arama Optimizasyon Yöntemi Kullanılarak Optimum Boyutlandırılması

Konferans Bildirisi -- Teorik ve Uygulamalı Mekanik Türk Milli Komitesi, 2013Conference Paper -- Theoretical and Applied Mechanical Turkish National Committee, 2013Bu çalışmada çelik çerçeveler için av arama optimizasyon yöntemini temel alan bir optimum tasarım algoritması sunulmaktadır. Aslan, kurt ve yunus gibi hayvanların gurup olarak avlanmalarından esinlenilerek geliştirilmiş olan av arama optimizasyon yöntemi de bu tekniklerin son dönemlerde ön plana çıkanlarından biridir. Bu avcılarıjn her biri avlanmalarını farklı şekillerde gerçekleştirir. Fakat ortak yönleri grup içinde birlikte av aramalarıdır. Avın etrafı çembere alınır ve yakalanana kadar çember daraltılır. Mevcut çalışmada av arama tekniği çerçeve optimizasyon algoritmasının otomasyonu için kullanılmıştır. İki boyutlu çelik çerçevelerin optimum tasarımının gereği olarak; yapı elemanlarının W profiline uygun olması, LRFD-AISC tasarım şartnamelerindeki sınırlayıcıları sağlaması ve çerçevenin minimum ağırlığa sahip olması gerekmektedir. Bu amaçla burkulmayı da hesaba katan dayanım sınırlayıcıları göz önünde bulundurulmuş ve algoritmanın kolon ve kirişler için Amerikan Şartnamesindeki 272 kesit içerisinden seçim yapması sağlanmıştır. Her bir grup içindeki elemanlara aynı kesitin tayin edilebilmesi için eleman gruplandırılması yapılmıştır. Şartnamedeki sınırlayıcıları dikkate alarak minimum çerçeve ağırlığını hesaplayan bu algoritmanın etkinliği örnek problemlerle gösterilmiştir.This study presents a hunting search based optimum design algorithm for moment resisting steel frames. Hunting search algorithm is a numerical optimization method inspired by group hunting of animals such as wolves, lions, and dolphins. Each of these hunters performs hunting in a different way. However, they are common in that all of them look for a prey in a group. Prey is encircled and the ring of siege is tightened gradually until it is caught. Hunting search is employed for the automation of optimum design process, during which size variables are selected from an available W-steel section list in such a way that the weight of frame is minimum and the design constraints are satisfied. Provisions of LRFD-AISC (Load and Resistant Factor Design-American Institute of Steel Construction) are considered to formulate the optimum design problem. Different numerical examples are designed by the presented algorithm to demonstrate its efficiency. Results reveal that hunting search shows good performance in finding optimum solutions for moment resisting steel frames

Access regulation and the transition from copper to fiber networks in telecoms

In this paper we study the impact of different forms of access obligations on firms' incentives to migrate from the legacy copper network to ultra-fast broadband infrastructures. We analyze three different kinds of regulatory interventions: geographical regulation of access to copper networks-where access prices are differentiated depending on whether or not an alternative fiber network has been deployed; access obligations on fiber networks and its interplay with wholesale copper prices; and, finally, a mandatory switch-off of the legacy copper network-to foster the transition to the higher quality fiber networks. Trading-off the different static and dynamic goals, the paper provides guidelines and suggestions for policy makers' decision

İnce Kirişlerin Elastik Davranışlarının NIY ve RNIY Yöntemleri İle İncelemesi

Konferans Bildirisi -- Teorik ve Uygulamalı Mekanik Türk Milli Komitesi, 2013Conference Paper -- Theoretical and Applied Mechanical Turkish National Committee, 2013Bu çalışmada, ince kirişlerin elastik davranışlarının incelenmesi, ağsız yöntemlerden olan Noktasal İnterpolasyon (NİY) ve Radyal Noktasal İnterpolasyon (RNİY) yöntemleri ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Her bir yöntemde, iki farklı integrasyon tekniği kullanılmıştır. Standard olarak kullanılan Gauss integrasyon tekniği, Taylor noktasal integrasyon tekniği ile karşılaştırılmış, NİY ve RNİY üzerine etkileri araştırılmıştır. Noktasal direngenlik matrisinin elde edilmesi, Bernoulli-Euler kiriş teorisine göre gerçekleştirilmiştir. Farklı etki alanı büyüklükleri ve farklı RNİY şekil parametrelerinin çözümler üzerine etkileri ayrıca ele alınmıştır. Bir ankastre kiriş problemi, serbest uca tekil yük uygulanarak çözülmüştür. Elde edilen çözümler, ANSYS paket programı kullanılarak sonlu elemanlar yöntemiyle kıyaslanmıştır.In this study, the point interpolation method (PIM) and radial point interpolation method (RPIM) solutions of elastic thin beams are compared by using standard Gaussian integration and a nodal integration based on Taylor series expansion. The effects of integration schemes, support domain sizes and RPIM shape parameters on the convergency are also investigated. Nodal stiffness matrices are obtained using Bernoulli-Euler beam theory. A cantilever beam problem with concentrated load applied on one end is solved and the results are compared with finite element solutions in ANSYS

Effect of a novel commercial potassium-oxalate containing tooth-desensitizing mouthrinse on the microhardness of resin composite restorative materials with different monomer compositions

The effects of mouthrinses on dental resin composites have been investigated extensively. However, there is little information available regarding the effects of ‘newly developed mouthrinse’ formulations on the microhardness of different monomer based composite systems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a novel potassium-oxalate containing desensitizing mouthrinse on the microhardness of different monomer based composite materials. A hundred and twenty specimens (6mm in diameter and 2mm in height) were prepared for composite resin groups (methacrylate based, DX-511 monomer based and silorane monomer based) and for storage solution groups (artificial saliva and potassium oxalate-containing tooth-desensitizing mouthrinse). After allowing post-polimerization the baseline Knoop microhardness measurements for all specimens were recorded. The specimens were stored in 20 mL mouthwash and artificial saliva for 12 hours at 37ºC. The post-immersion microhardness values of all specimens were also recorded. Data were subjected to ANOVA/Scheffe’s test at a significance level of 0.05. The intra group (pre and post immersion values) comparison of the mean microhardness values of the specimens was done using Wilcoxon signed rank test. The microhardness of the silorane based composite was not affected significantly (p>0.05). The hardness values of the DX-511 monomer based composite and the methacrylate based composite exhibited a slight but not significant microhardness change compared to the baseline values (p>0.05). Studies reported that the effect of mouthrinses on microhardness changes of composite resins may be material dependent, and the hardness change susceptibility of a restorative material may be attributed to its resin matrix or filler type. However, dental monomers as well as the oral care products have an ever-evolving technology and future studies should consider newer products. Potassium oxalate containing mouthrinses, especially alcohol-free ones, may be used safely with dental composites with newly developed low-shrink monomer compositions

Stellar ages and convective cores in field main-sequence stars: first asteroseismic application to two Kepler targets

Using asteroseismic data and stellar evolution models we make the first detection of a convective core in a Kepler field main-sequence star, putting a stringent constraint on the total size of the mixed zone and showing that extra mixing beyond the formal convective boundary exists. In a slightly less massive target the presence of a convective core cannot be conclusively discarded, and thus its remaining main-sequence life time is uncertain. Our results reveal that best-fit models found solely by matching individual frequencies of oscillations corrected for surface effects do not always properly reproduce frequency combinations. Moreover, slightly different criteria to define what the best-fit model is can lead to solutions with similar global properties but very different interior structures. We argue that the use of frequency ratios is a more reliable way to obtain accurate stellar parameters, and show that our analysis in field main-sequence stars can yield an overall precision of 1.5%, 4%, and 10% in radius, mass and age, respectively. We compare our results with those obtained from global oscillation properties, and discuss the possible sources of uncertainties in asteroseismic stellar modeling where further studies are still needed.Comment: 46 pages, 10 figures, ApJ accepte

Determination of the carrier concentration in InGaAsN∕GaAs single quantum wells using Raman scattering

Raman scattering from longitudinal optical phonon-plasmon coupled mode was observed in a series of InGaAsN∕GaAs single quantum well samples grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. The phonon-plasmon mode spectra were fitted with the dielectric constant function based on Drude model that contains contributions from both lattice vibrations and conduction electrons. The carrier concentration is calculated directly from the plasmon frequency, which is obtained from the fitting procedure. An empirical expression for the electron concentration, [n], in InGaAsN∕GaAs samples is determined as [n]≈{2.35×1016(ωm−502)}cm−3, where ωm is the peak of the upper frequency branch, L+, of the phonon-plasmon mode measured in unit of cm−1. The phonon-plasmon coupled mode was also investigated in rapid thermally annealed samples

Kahramanmaraş’ta Organik Kırmızıbiber Üretiminde Ekim Nöbetinde Kullanılabilecek Ürünlerin Araştırılması

Bu çalışma 2004–2008 yılları arasında Kahramanmaraş koşullarında organik kırmızıbiber üretiminde kullanılabilecek uygun ekim nöbetini belirlemek amacı ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada organik yetiştiricilik prensipleri dikkate alınarak üretim yapılan (1) Biber, (2) Biber-Pamuk (3) Biber-Fasulye-Pamuk, (4) Biber-Mısır-Hıyar-Fasulye ekim nöbeti döngüleri 5 yıl süre ile uygulanmış ve verim ve verim unsurları bakımından konvansiyonel kırmızıbiber üretimi ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Böylelikle konvansiyonel uygulama ile birlikte deneme 5 uygulamadan oluşmuştur. Basit maliyet analizi ve fayda/masraf oranı hesaplanarak uygulamalar ekonomik yönden değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda yıllara göre fayda/masraf oranı değişmiş en yüksek fayda masraf oranları Kırmızıbiber-Fasulye-Pamuk ekim nöbetlerinden elde edilmiştir. Bu ekim nöbeti yaş ve kuru kırmızıbiber verim değerleri bakımından konvansiyonel uygulamaya oldukça yaklaşmıştır. Bölgede organik kırmızı biber üretimi bakımından sorun olabilecek yabancı otlar topalak (Cyperus rotundus L.), Kaynaş (Sorghum halepense L) semizotu (Portulaca oleracea L.) ve Domuz pıtrağı (Xanthium strumarium L.) dır

Properties of 42 Solar-type Kepler Targets from the Asteroseismic Modeling Portal

Recently the number of main-sequence and subgiant stars exhibiting solar-like oscillations that are resolved into individual mode frequencies has increased dramatically. While only a few such data sets were available for detailed modeling just a decade ago, the Kepler mission has produced suitable observations for hundreds of new targets. This rapid expansion in observational capacity has been accompanied by a shift in analysis and modeling strategies to yield uniform sets of derived stellar properties more quickly and easily. We use previously published asteroseismic and spectroscopic data sets to provide a uniform analysis of 42 solar-type Kepler targets from the Asteroseismic Modeling Portal (AMP). We find that fitting the individual frequencies typically doubles the precision of the asteroseismic radius, mass and age compared to grid-based modeling of the global oscillation properties, and improves the precision of the radius and mass by about a factor of three over empirical scaling relations. We demonstrate the utility of the derived properties with several applications.Comment: 12 emulateapj pages, 9 figures, 1 online-only extended figure, 1 table, ApJS accepted (typo corrected in Eq.8