Iterative methods for tomography problems: implementation to a cross-well tomography problem

The velocity distribution between two boreholes is reconstructed by cross-well tomography, which is commonly used in geology. In this paper, iterative methods, Kaczmarz's algorithm, algebraic reconstruction technique (ART), and simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT), are implemented to a specific cross-well tomography problem. Convergence to the solution of these methods and their CPU time for the cross-well tomography problem are compared. Furthermore, these three methods for this problem are compared for different tolerance values

IMPROVING CNN FEATURES FOR FACIAL EXPRESSION RECOGNITION

Abstract Facial expression recognition is one of the challenging tasks in computervision. In this paper, we analyzed and improved the performances bothhandcrafted features and deep features extracted by Convolutional NeuralNetwork (CNN). Eigenfaces, HOG, Dense-SIFT were used as handcrafted features.Additionally, we developed features based on the distances between faciallandmarks and SIFT descriptors around the centroids of the facial landmarks,leading to a better performance than Dense-SIFT. We achieved 68.34 % accuracywith a CNN model trained from scratch. By combining CNN features withhandcrafted features, we achieved 69.54 % test accuracy.Key Word: Neural network, facial expression recognition, handcrafted feature

The Effect of Stem Applıcatıons on the Stem Awareness of Students and the Performance of the Success in the “Trıangles” Unıt : STEM uygulamalarının öğrencilerin STEM farkındalıkları üzerine ve “Üçgenler” ünitesindeki başarılarının kalıcılık düzeyine etkisi

In this study, it was aimed to determine the students' opinions about STEM approach and the effects of mathematics-oriented STEM activities on the STEM awareness and achievement of students in the “Triangles” unit of 9th ​​grade high school mathematics course. Research was made in the second term of the 2018-2019 academic year and  conducted with 33 9th grade students in two different classes in a high school, located in a province in northeastern Turkey, attached to the Ministry of Education. Mixed method was preferred in the study. The qualitative process of the study was carried out with quasi-experimental method with pre-test and post-test control group and the qualitative process was conducted with case study. In the research,  While the experimental group students continued their education with STEM activities, the courses were conducted according to the teaching methods and techniques appropriate to the gains envisaged in the mathematics curriculum in the control group. Triangular Achievement Test (TAT), STEM Awareness Scale (SAS) and semi-structured interview form were used as data collection tools. Paired Samples T-test and Independent Samples T-test were used to analyze the quantitative data of the study. In addition, qualitative data collected through semi-structured interview form were analyzed using content analysis. As a result of the research, it was seen that STEM activities increased students' academic achievement and provided a permanence of the achievement. The content analysis of the interviews with the students was conducted and it was concluded that STEM activities had a positive effect on the students' academic achievement and the permanence of the achievement.  ​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file.   Özet Bu araştırmanın amacı, lise 9. sınıf matematik dersi “Üçgenler” ünitesinde STEM etkinlikleri ile işlenen derslerin öğrencilerin STEM farkındalıklarına, başarılarının kalıcılığına etkisi ve öğrencilerin STEM yaklaşımı ile ilgili görüşlerini belirlemektir. Araştırma, 2018-2019 eğitim öğretim yılının ikinci döneminde Türkiye’nin kuzeydoğusunda yer alan MEB’e bağlı bir lisede eğitim gören 33 öğrenciyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada karma yöntem tercih edilmiştir. Çalışmanın nicel süreci ön test-son test kontrol gruplu yarı-deneysel yöntem ile nitel süreci ise durum çalışması ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada deney grubu öğrencileri STEM etkinlikleri ile öğrenimini sürdürürken, dersler kontrol grubunda matematik dersi öğretim programında öngörülen kazanımlara uygun öğretim yöntem ve tekniklerine göre yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada veri toplama araçları olarak Üçgen Başarı Testi (ÜBT), STEM (FeTeMM) Farkındalık Ölçeği (FFÖ)  ve yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın nicel verilerini analiz etmek için bağımlı (PairedSamples t-test) ve bağımsız (IndependentSamples t-test) gruplar t testi kullanılmıştır. Ayrıca araştırmada yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu ile toplanan nitel veriler içerik analizi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda; STEM etkinliklerinin öğrencilerin akademik başarılarını artırdığı ve başarılarında kalıcılık sağladığı görülmüştür. Öğrencilerle yapılan görüşmelerde STEM etkinliklerinin, öğrencilerin akademik başarılarına, başarılarının kalıcılığına olumlu etkisi bulunduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır

Design of a 4-DOF grounded exoskeletal robot for shoulder and elbow rehabilitation

The number of cerebrovascular and neuromuscular diseases is increasing in parallel with the rising average age of the world’s population. Since the shoulder anatomy is complex, the number of rehabilitation robots for shoulder movements is limited. This paper presents the mechanical design, control, and testing of 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) grounded upper limb exoskeletal robot. It is capable of four different therapeutic exercises (passive, active assistive, isotonic, and isometric). During the mechanical design, the forces to be exposed to the robot were determined and after the design, the system was tested with strength analysis. Also, a low-cost electromyograph device was developed and integrated into the system to measure muscular activation for feedback and instantaneously muscle activation control for the physiotherapist during the therapy. The system can be used for rehabilitation on the shoulder and elbow.  A PID controller for position-controlled exercises was developed. The test results were presented in terms of simulation and the real system for passive exercise. According to the test results, the developed system can perform the passive exercise and can be used for other therapeutic exercises as well

İdiopatik Granülomatöz Mastitte Görüntüleme Bulguları

Amaç: İdiopatik granülomatöz mastit İGM memenin sebebi tam olarak bilinmeyen kronik enflamatuar bir hastalığıdır. Kesin tanısı görüntüleme yöntemlerinin yanı sıra histopatolojik olarak granülomatöz inflamasyonla beraber kronik lobülit saptanması ve diğer etkenlerin dışlanması ile konur. Bu çalışmamızda İGM’nin görüntüleme bulgularını vurgulayarak tanı ve tedavi sürecine nasıl katkı sağlayabileceğini gözden geçirmeyi amaçladık.Gereç ve Yöntem: 2017 Ekim-2019 Mart tarihleri arasında genel cerrahi polikliniğine memede akıntı, kızarıklık, ısı artışı, ele gelen sertlik, meme cildinde yara şikayeti ile başvuran, klinik muayene ve görüntüleme bulguları granulamotöz mastit şüphesi taşıyan ve biyopsi sonucu granulomatöz mastit olarak rapor edilen 57 olgu dahil edildi. 40 yaş altı olgularda Ultrason US ve 40 yaş üstü ise mamografi MG ve /veya US bulguları retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Manyetik rezonans görüntüleme MRG yapılan olgularda MRG bulguları da not edildi. Bulgular: MG bulguları non-spesifik ve değişken olmakla birlikte, çoğunlukla rastladığımız bulgu fokal asimetri idi. US’da en sık rastlanan bulgu tubuler uzanım gösteren ve birbirleriyle birleşme eğiliminde olan hipoekoik lezyonlar şeklindeydi. Abse drenajında ve tedavi takibinde de US’nin tekrarlanabilir fonksiyonel bir metod olduğu görüldü. MRG bulguları, meme başı retraksiyonu, ciltte kalınlaşma, kitlesel ve/veya kitlesel olmayan kontrastlanmalar, periferal kontrastlanan abse formasyonları ile aksiller lenf adenopatiler olarak özetlenebilir. Sonuç: İGM nedeni kesin olarak bilinmeyen, kronik enflamatuar bir meme hastalığıdır. Doğru tanı ve uygun tedavi hastaların yaşam kalitesi ve çoğunluğu genç hasta grubunda olması nedeniyle de meme estetiği açısından oldukça önem arz etmektedir. Radyolojik görüntüleme bulguları klinik bulgularla birlikte değerlendirildiğinde tecrübeli kliniklerde hızlı bir şekilde doğru histopatolojik tanıya ulaşılarak tanı ve tedavi sürecine önemli katkıda bulunabilir kanaatindeyi

Van İli Çevresi Kabuk Deformasyon Analizi ve Deprem Tehlike Değerlendirmesi

Van ili ve çevresi, bölgesinde var olan güçlü tektonik hareketler ve deformasyonların etkisi altındadır. Bu deformasyonların esas kaynağını Arabistan levhasının Anadolu levhasına göre göreceli kuzey ve kuzey batı yönlü hareketi oluşturur. Bu bağıl hareket sonucunda Bitlis Zagros Kenet Kuşağı, Doğu Anadolu ve Kuzey Anadolu Fay sistemleri bölgenin depremselliğinde önemli rol oynamaktadır. Bölgede var olan gerilme analizlerinin belirlenmesi, Van ili ve çevresinde oluşacak deprem tehlikesini daha net ortaya çıkaracaktır. Bu bağlamda bölgede var olan GPS verileri ve Global CMT kataloğundan elde edilen depremsellik verileri kullanılarak çalışma alanında deformasyon oranı tespit edilmiştir. Buna göre çalışma alanında 40 n gerinim/yıl deformasyon alanı elde edilmiş, bölgesel gerilim içerisindeki bu küçük KB-GD sıkışma bileşeninin, 2011 Van depreminde olduğu gibi deprem mekanizmasında beklenenden daha büyük bir rol oynayabileceği saptanmıştır. Bölgede hâkim olan dilatasyon mekanizması incelendiğinde ise; Van ili ve çevresinde 25 n gerinim/yıl olan kesme bileşeni Karlıova bölgesine yaklaşıldıkça 170 n gerinim/yıl mertebesine erişmektedir. 2003 yılında bu bölgede meydana gelen Mw 6.4 Bingöl depreminin sağ yanal bir yapıda olması, Kuzey Anadolu Fay mekanizmasının Van ili civarına kadar uzanabileceğini işaret etmektedir. Bu alanda meydana gelebilecek büyük ölçekte deprem, Van Ovası’nda yerel zemin koşullarına bağlı olarak, yerleşim yerlerinde potansiyel tehlike oluşturabileceği ön görülmektedir

The Causes of Acute Fever Requiring Hospitalization in Geriatric Patients: Comparison of Infectious and Noninfectious Etiology

Introduction. Infectious diseases may present with atypical presentations in the geriatric patients. While fever is an important finding of infections, it may also be a sign of noninfectious etiology. Methods. Geriatric patients who were hospitalized for acute fever in our infectious diseases unit were included. Acute fever was defined as presentation within the first week of fever above 37.3°C. Results. 185 patients were included (82 males and 103 females). Mean age was 69.7 ± 7.5 years. The cause of fever was an infectious disease in 135 and noninfectious disease in 32 and unknown in 18 of the patients. The most common infectious etiologies were respiratory tract infections (n = 46), urinary tract infections (n = 26), and skin and soft tissue infections (n = 23). Noninfectious causes of fever were rheumatic diseases (n = 8), solid tumors (n = 7), hematological diseases (n = 10), and vasculitis (n = 7). A noninfectious cause of fever was present in one patient with no underlying diseases and in 31 of 130 patients with underlying diseases. Conclusion. Geriatric patients with no underlying diseases generally had infectious causes of fever while noninfectious causes were responsible from fever in an important proportion of patients with underlying diseases

MMP-Inhibitory Effects of Flavonoid Glycosides from Edible Medicinal Halophyte Limonium tetragonum

Limonium tetragonum has been well-known for its antioxidative properties as a halophyte. This study investigated the antimetastasis effect of solvent-partitioned L. tetragonum extracts (LTEs) and isolated compounds on HT1080 mouse melanoma cell model with a focus on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and TIMP and MAPK pathways. Upregulation and stimulation of MMPs result in elevated degradation of extracellular matrix which is part of several complications such as metastasis, cirrhosis, and arthritis. The anti-MMP capacity of LTEs was confirmed by their MMP-inhibitory effects, regulation of MMP and TIMP expression, and suppression of MAPK pathway. Among all tested LTEs, 85% aq. MeOH and n-BuOH were found to be most active fractions which later yielded two known flavonoid glycosides, myricetin 3-galactoside and quercetin 3-o-beta-galactopyranoside. Anti-MMP potential of the compounds was confirmed by their ability to regulate MMP expression through inhibited MAPK pathway activation. These results suggested that L. tetragonum might serve as a potential source of bioactive substances with effective anti-MMP properties

Epidemiology of surgery associated acute kidney injury (EPIS-AKI): a prospective international observational multi-center clinical study

Purpose: The incidence, patient features, risk factors and outcomes of surgery-associated postoperative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) across different countries and health care systems is unclear. Methods: We conducted an international prospective, observational, multi-center study in 30 countries in patients undergoing major surgery (> 2-h duration and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit admission). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of PO-AKI within 72 h of surgery defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Secondary endpoints included PO-AKI severity and duration, use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality, and ICU and hospital length of stay. Results: We studied 10,568 patients and 1945 (18.4%) developed PO-AKI (1236 (63.5%) KDIGO stage 1500 (25.7%) KDIGO stage 2209 (10.7%) KDIGO stage 3). In 33.8% PO-AKI was persistent, and 170/1945 (8.7%) of patients with PO-AKI received RRT in the ICU. Patients with PO-AKI had greater ICU (6.3% vs. 0.7%) and hospital (8.6% vs. 1.4%) mortality, and longer ICU (median 2 (Q1-Q3, 1-3) days vs. 3 (Q1-Q3, 1-6) days) and hospital length of stay (median 14 (Q1-Q3, 9-24) days vs. 10 (Q1-Q3, 7-17) days). Risk factors for PO-AKI included older age, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease), type, duration and urgency of surgery as well as intraoperative vasopressors, and aminoglycosides administration. Conclusion: In a comprehensive multinational study, approximately one in five patients develop PO-AKI after major surgery. Increasing severity of PO-AKI is associated with a progressive increase in adverse outcomes. Our findings indicate that PO-AKI represents a significant burden for health care worldwide

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369