Planning transportation of forest products by using GIS based decision support system

Orman ürünlerinin nakliyatı çok sayıda alternatif güzergahın değerlendirilmesini gerektiren karmaşık bir problemdir. Bu durum, orman ürünlerinin nakliyatının planlanmasında ve optimum güzergahın sistematik olarak araştırılmasında bilgisayar destekli yöntemlerin kullanılmasının gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu çalışmada, orman ürünlerinin nakliyat maliyetini en aza indiren güzergahın belirlenmesi amacıyla, CBS tabanlı karar destekleme sistemi uygulaması gerçekleştirilmiştir. ArcGIS 9.2 platformunda “Ağ Analist” eklentisi altında yer alan ağ analizi yöntemi uygulanmıştır. Sistemin uygulamasında, Kahramanmaraş Orman Bölge Müdürlüğü, Andırın Orman İşletme Müdürlüğü sınırlarındaki iki orman işletme şefliğinde (Andırın Merkez ve Yeşilova) yer alan yol ağı verileri kullanılmıştır. Andırın Orman İşletme Müdürlüğü’nde bulunan iki ayrı orman deposu (Kurucaova ve Tokmaklı) dikkate alınarak, orman ürünlerinin nakliyatında birim maliyeti en aza indiren optimum güzergah araştırılmıştır.Transportation of forest products is a complex problem that requires evaluation of many alternative routes. This indicates the necessity of using computer-assisted methods in planning transportation of forest products and systematically searching for the optimum route. In this study, an application of GIS based decision support system was implemented to determine the optimum route that minimized the total cost of transporting forest products. The network analyst method under “Network Analyst” extension of ArcGIS 9.2 platform was applied. The road network data of two Forest Enterprise Chiefs (Andırın and Yeşilova) from Forest Regional Directorate of Kahramanmaraş, Forest Enterprise Directorate of Andırın were considered in execution of the system. The optimum route that minimized the unit cost in transportation of forest products was investigated by considering two different forest depots (Kurucaova ve Tokmaklı) in Forest Enterprise Directorate of Andırın

The morphological investigations on the heart and some vessels of bovine foetus between the 15th and 25th weeks of gestation

Background: The aim of this study was to define the morphological and morphometric development of the foetus heart obtained from the domestic cattle in the gestation period of 15–25 weeks. Materials and methods: For this purpose, a total of 30 hearts belonging to cattle foetuses (15 males, 15 females) were used. The ages of foetuses were calculated according to the forehead-to-tail length and examined in three different groups. After dissection; biometric, macroanatomic, morphometric and histological findings were obtained from the foetal hearts according to the groups. In addition, mean values of the morphometric findings were determined. Results: As a result of the study, it was found that with the advancing age the convexity of margo ventricularis dexter increased and margo ventricularis sinister transformed from a convex-concave shape to a flat shape. The heart-to-body weight ratio was determined as 0.08% for Group II female foetuses and 0.09% for all other groups. The heart heights for Groups I, II, and III females were identified as 26.21, 41.00, and 46.27 mm, respectively, and for the males 26.45, 34.89, and 47.15 mm, respectively. In the statistical analysis, it was determined that all the morphometric values measured from the heart correlated significantly with the forehead-to-tail length. Conclusions: The data obtained as a result of the study is thought to help understand the morphological and morphometrical development of the heart, pioneer the attempts to create a foetal cattle heart model, and thus help in the diagnosis of the foetal heart pathologies.acieleck

Development of anisotropy coefficient (r-value) for the cold rolled if steels

Otomotiv endüstrisinde iç ve dış panellerin üretiminde kullanılan, çok az miktarlarda karbon ve azot içermeleri nedeniyle pres altında şekillendirmeye uygun çeliklerdir. Arayer atomsuz çeliklerde, şekillendirilebilme özelliğini olumsuz yönde etkileyen arayer atomlarının (C ve N), çelik üretim prosesi esnasında bileşimden kontrollü bir biçimde uzaklaştırılması Titanyum (Ti) ve/veya Niobyum (Nb) atomlarının C ve N atomları ile reaksiyona girerek çökelti fazları oluşturması ile olmaktadır. Sıcak haddeleme prosesinde slab fırınında belli sıcaklığa kadar ısıtılarak çökeltilerin çözeltiye alınması sağlanır. Bu işlem nihai sıcak band dokusunu ve tane büyüklüğünü belirleyici ilk prosestir. İkmal ve sarılma sıcaklıkları da arayer atomsuz çelik üretiminde önemli olan proses parametrelerdir. Her iki proses parametresi de çökelti ve tane büyüklüğünü önemli ölçüde etkileyerek çeliğin nihai mekanik özellikleri üzerinde büyük oranda etkili olmaktadır. Şekillendirilebilme özelliğinin önemli bir göstergesi olan r değerinin arttırılmasında en önemli parametre soğuk ezme oranıdır. Artan tavlama sıcaklığı tane büyüklüğünün artmasında etkili olmaktadır. Çelikhane prosesinden itibaren sıcak haddeleme ve soğuk haddeleme prosesleri arayer atomsuz çeliğin mekanik özellikleri üzerinde etkili olmaktadır. Endüstriyel ölçekte gerçekleştirilen bu çalışmada, çelik kimyasal bileşiminde bulunan Ti ve Nb elementleri ile soğuk haddeleme ve sürekli tavlama parametrelerinin optimizasyonu sonucunda mekanik özelliklerde oluşan değişimler irdelenmiştir. Yapılan çalışmaların sonucunda Ti+Nb elementleri içeren kompozisyonlarda, yüksek ezme oranları (%80) ve tavlama sıcaklıklarında (870°C) yüksek r değerleri elde edilmiştir. Otomotiv sektörünün önemli oranda kullandığı arayer atomsuz çeliklerin mekanik özelliklerinde iyileştirmeler sağlanarak endüstrinin kullanımına sunulmuştur.Anahtar Kelimeler: IF Çelikleri, soğuk haddeleme parametreleri, r değeri, mekanik özellikler.Interstitial free steels (if steels) are very suitable material for automotive industry and they are used for inner and outer body panel applications due to their high formability properties. They have extremely high formability characteristics under forming presses. Interstitials damages formability characteristics of steel. Elimination of interstitials (C and N) is achieved through careful control of the steelmaking process by the addition of titanium and/or niobium to react with carbon and nitrogen to form precipitates. In the hot rolling process, firstly, slabs are heated upto some temperature and those precipitates are taken into solid solution. This process affects grain size and texture of hot rolled product. The other important process parameters in hot rolling are; finishing temperature and coiling temperature. Both parameters mainly affect grain size and size of the precipitates in hot rolled coil.and thus mechanical properties are affected. The most important parameter for formability is r value. And it is mainly affected by cold deformation.ratio. Also increasing annealing temperature increases grain size and results in higher formability. All the process parameters through steelmaking to the cold rolling process affects mechanical properties of interstitial free steels and thus affects r value of interstitial free steel. In this study, mechanical properties related with steel chemical composition by optimizing Titanium (Ti) and Niobium (Nb) contents and continuous cold rolling and annealing parameters were investigated in industrial scale. As a result, the highest r values were obtained at 80 % cold deformation ratio and annealing at 870 C for steel with Ti+Nb alloying addition. In this study, experiments were done in industrial scale. Firstly, interstitial free steels containing titanium and titanium+niobium were produced at steel shop. And then slabs produced at continuous casting machines were hot rolled After hot rolling process, those coils were sent to cold mill for cold rolling and annealing process. Also some coils were sent to galvanising line after cold deformation. Each process are controlled by high level process computers in Erdemir plants. Therefore process parameters for trial coils are taken from this computer results. Chemical analysis of heats were done at steel shop chemical laboratories and they were produced according to instructions given by metallurgical department. Mechanical test samples were taken after continuous annealing line and continuous galvanising line processes. Mechanical properties including yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation at fracture strain hardening exponent and anisotropy coefficient were determined by mechanical tensile tests. Tensile specimens were cut along rolling direction, transverse direction and 45° to the rolling direction. Samples were taken from the middle section of each coil. Tests were done on Zwick Z-100 testing machine. All tests were made at a strain ratio of 2 % Lo/min. The tensile test samples were processed according to DIN EN 10002-1 type 2 standards.The effect of process parameters on mechanical properties were investigated according to these results. Optical microscopy was used for the microstructural examinations and grain size measurements of the samples. Microstructural examinations were conducted on the cross sections perpendicular to the rolling direction. Microstructures of materials including ferrite grain size, carbide type and distributions were investigated with a leco 500 optical microscope. Also scanning electron microscopy was used for the determination of the microstructure and carbide distribution of the samples. The scanning electron microscope was a jeol 5600 jsm type machine. As a result of microstructure analysis effect of process parameters on microstructures analysed. In this study, texture analysis was conducted with a rigaku d-max ultima x-ray diffractometer with a pole figure attachment. Test samples were prepared from annealed samples, punched to a 4mm diameter and then metallographically prepared. The next step was data collection from an x-ray diffractometer. The xrd measurements of samples were carried out in the range of 20-90 2teta degrees with 0.02 steps. Then pole figure measurements were done with different alfa and beta angles in 110, 111 and 200 diffraction lines. As a result of that study, the best composition of interstitial free steel containing titanium and niobium were determined by optimization of titanium and niobium content. Also the best process parameters at the cold mill determined through analysis of results taken from mechancal tests and microstructure analysis in which the highest r value obtained. And interstitial free steel produced after that study put into use for the automotive market as a new quality of steel.Keywords: Interstitial free steel, cold mill process parameters, r-value, mechanical properties

MEKANİK ORMANCILIK ARAÇLARININ BİRİM MALİYETLERİNİN MİCROSOFT EXCEL TABANLI PROGRAM İLE HESAPLANMASI

Ülkemizde mekanik ormancılık araçlarından daha verimli ve etkin bir biçimde yararlanılabilmesi için bu araçların ekonomik analizleri yapılarak birim maliyetleri belirlenmelidir. Bu çalışmada, mekanik ormancılık araçlarının birim maliyetlerini hesaplayan Microsoft Excel tabanlı bir program (Maliyet Analizi 1.5) geliştirilmiş ve ülkemizde ormancılık çalışmalarında yaygın olarak kullanılan mekanik araçlardan bazılarının verimlilik ve planlanmış kullanma saatlerine göre birim maliyetleri hesaplanmıştır. Ayrıca, birim maliyeti etkileyen temel faktörler ortaya konulmuştur. Sonuçlara göre birim maliyeti en çok etkileyen parametrelerin başında satın alma fiyatı, ekonomik ömür, motor gücü, birim yakıt fiyatı ve verimlilik oranı gelmektedir. Anahtar kelimeler: Mekanik orman araçları, Birim maliyet, Mekanizasyon, Ekonomik analiz

The Effects of Vitamin D Receptor Silencing on the Expression of LVSCC-A1C and LVSCC-A1D and the Release of NGF in Cortical Neurons

Recent studies have suggested that vitamin D can act on cells in the nervous system. Associations between polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR), age-dependent cognitive decline, and insufficient serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels in Alzheimer's patients and elderly people with cognitive decline have been reported. We have previously shown that amyloid β (Aβ) treatment eliminates VDR protein in cortical neurons. These results suggest a potential role for vitamin D and vitamin D-mediated mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration. Vitamin D has been shown to down-regulate the L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels, LVSCC-A1C and LVSCC-A1D, and up-regulate nerve growth factor (NGF). However, expression of these proteins when VDR is repressed is unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate LVSCC-A1C, LVSCC-A1D expression levels and NGF release in VDR-silenced primary cortical neurons prepared from Sprague-Dawley rat embryos.qRT-PCR and western blots were performed to determine VDR, LVSCC-A1C and -A1D expression levels. NGF and cytotoxicity levels were determined by ELISA. Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL. Our findings illustrate that LVSCC-A1C mRNA and protein levels increased rapidly in cortical neurons when VDR is down-regulated, whereas, LVSCC-A1D mRNA and protein levels did not change and NGF release decreased in response to VDR down-regulation. Although vitamin D regulates LVSCC-A1C through VDR, it may not regulate LVSCC-A1D through VDR.Our results indicate that suppression of VDR disrupts LVSCC-A1C and NGF production. In addition, when VDR is suppressed, neurons could be vulnerable to aging and neurodegeneration, and when combined with Aβ toxicity, it is possible to explain some of the events that occur during neurodegeneration

\u27Vitamin D and cognition in older adults\u27: updated international recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Hypovitaminosis D, a condition that is highly prevalent in older adults aged 65 years and above, is associated with brain changes and dementia. Given the rapidly accumulating and complex contribution of the literature in the field of vitamin D and cognition, clear guidance is needed for researchers and clinicians. METHODS: International experts met at an invitational summit on \u27Vitamin D and Cognition in Older Adults\u27. Based on previous reports and expert opinion, the task force focused on key questions relating to the role of vitamin D in Alzheimer\u27s disease and related disorders. Each question was discussed and voted using a Delphi-like approach. RESULTS: The experts reached an agreement that hypovitaminosis D increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults and may alter the clinical presentation as a consequence of related comorbidities; however, at present, vitamin D level should not be used as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker of Alzheimer\u27s disease due to lack of specificity and insufficient evidence. This population should be screened for hypovitaminosis D because of its high prevalence and should receive supplementation, if necessary; but this advice was not specific to cognition. During the debate, the possibility of \u27critical periods\u27 during which vitamin D may have its greatest impact on the brain was addressed; whether hypovitaminosis D influences cognition actively through deleterious effects and/or passively by loss of neuroprotection was also considered. CONCLUSIONS: The international task force agreed on five overarching principles related to vitamin D and cognition in older adults. Several areas of uncertainty remain, and it will be necessary to revise the proposed recommendations as new findings become available

Laparoscopic management of mesenteric cyst: a case report

Mesenteric cysts are rare intra-abdominal lesions with variable clinical symptoms and signs that make pre-operative diagnosis difficult. Optimal treatment is surgical excision of the cyst with laparotomy or laparoscopy. We present a case of mesenteric cyst that was misdiagnosed as para-ovarian cyst and managed laparoscopically by gynaecologists