Dual Biological Control: Characterization of Fungi and Bacteria to Control Granary Weevil and Fungal Pathogens of Stored Grain

Cereals are main food sources for humans and animals. However, during storage, cereal grains can be infested by insects and fungi. One of the most important insect storage pests is Sitophilus granarius (L., Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Adults and larvae can cause serious grain losses. In addition to insect pests, fungal pathogens may also invade the grain and cause economic loss, including contamination with mycotoxins, which threaten mammal health by causing serious disease. The most common mycotoxigenic grain fungi are species that belong to the genera Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. Currently, the most commonly used management strategies for insect and fungal storage pests are based on conventional pesticides and cultural methods. However, there is a need for alternatives to conventional pesticides due to their side effects, insecticide resistance, and consumer demand for uncontaminated food. Cultural methods may not be cost-effective or practical in all storage facilities. Moreover, both insect and fungal pests share the same niche and have possible interactions with each other that increase economic losses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find potential biocontrol agents that showed dual biocontrol effect against granary weevil and three common fungal pests in stored grain. We determined that two fungal isolates (Trichoderma gamsii E1032 and E1064) and one bacterial isolate (B. amyloliquefaciens C415) achieved dual control against both the insect pest and the fungal pathogens by causing mortality of S. granarius and suppression of three grain fungal pathogens. In addition, a specific aim of this study was the examination of lethal and sublethal effects on S. granarius. Metarhizium anisopliae E213 showed strong sublethal effect by reducing ovipositio rate and grain infestation additionally, Cladosporium halotolerans E126 minimally reduced oviposition rate yet was significantly different from negative control. Also, all tested bacterial treatments had significantly lower survival than the negative control. And, Bacillus thuringiensis C423 showed strong sublethal effect by reducing feeding damage and oviposition rate. Additionally, candidate biocontrol agents were tested against grain fungal pathogens with two different method, antibiosis and wheat seed bioassays, to confirm performance of the effective isolate on the real stored grain. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Lysobacter enzymogenes, and Burkholderia ambifaria demonstrated the highest antifungal activity. This study demonstrates dual biocontrol against insect and fungal pests, which has potential as a component of Integrated Pest Management strategies for stored grain. Advisors: Julie A. Peterson & Sydney E. Everhar

Eş Zamanlı Veri Transferi ile Lcr-Metre ve Doğru Akım Kaynaklarının Senkron Çalıştırılması Sağlanarak Yarıiletken Cihazların Karakterizasyonunda Yeni Yöntem Geliştirilmesi

Organik elektronik alanında üretilen yarıiletken aygıtlar yüksek elektrik alanlar altında tetiklenmektedir ve bu tür aygıtların dielektrik analizini 100-200 V'luk gerilim altında yapan cihazlar piyasada bulunmamaktadır. Bu problemi çözebilmek için yüksek gerilim altında dielektrik analiz yapabilen niteliklere sahip bir ölçüm sistemi geliştirilmiştir. Bunun için geniş bir frekans aralığında birkaç voltluk AC uygulayarak dielektrik spektroskopi analizi yapan cihaza, harici bir DC gerilim kaynağı uygun bir şekilde bağlandı. Bu iki cihazın eşzamanlı çalışması gerekmektedir fakat bu işlemin bağımsız iki cihaz için manuel olarak yapılması oldukça zordur. Bu çalışmada, geliştirdiğimiz eş zamanlı veri transfer programı kullanılarak DC gerilim kaynağı (yarıiletken malzemeler veya aygıtların Akım-Gerilim (I-V) özelliklerinin belirlenmesinde kullanılan) ve LCR Metre cihazının (Kapasitans-Gerilim (C-V), Kapasitans-Frekans (C-f), Kondüktans-Gerilim (G-V) ve Kondüktans-frekans (G-f) özelliklerinin belirlenmesinde kullanılan) eş zamanlı haberleşebilmesi için program geliştirilmiştir. Eş zamanlı veri transfer program ile elde edilen tüm veriler program arayüzünde oluşturulan Excel dosyasına aktarılarak dielektrik spektroskopik özelliklerine ait bilgiler kayıt edilmektedir. Geliştirilen programın literatürde dielektrik özellikleri daha önceden belirlenmiş malzemeler üzerine yapılan ön çalışmalarda tutarlı ve hassas veriler elde edilebildiği ve yüksek bir performansla çalıştığı gözlenmiştir

The Quality of Life Measurements Following Oncoplastic Breast-conserving Surgery

Objective:Oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery (OBCS) is a widely accepted surgical option among breast cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate the histopathological findings of breast tumors and quality of life scores.Method:The clinical and pathological data of 49 female patients who underwent OBSC in University of Health Sciences Turkey, İstanbul Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital between January 2015 and January 2019 for breast cancer were retrospectively evaluated. According to the location of the tumor, the racket method or J-mammoplasty techniques was selected. Quality of life and patient satisfaction assessment questionnaire was performed.Results:The mean age was 48.1 (26-68) years. The most common incision pattern was the racket pattern (85%). The invasive ductal carcinoma (89.8%) was seen more than ductal carcinoma in situ (6.1%) and papillary carcinoma (4.1%). The distance to the surgical margin was approximately 7.1 mm (1-20). The estrogen receptor positivity was 74.2% (5-100%) and progesterone receptor positivity was 61.8% (5-98%). 61.2% received chemotherapy (100%, radiotherapy). Based on questionnaires, the score of quality of life and satisfaction was 34 (25-47). Especially, the body image function [22 (15-29)] and health functions [10 (7-13)], such as breast & arm symptoms, were better in the patients who had higher scores (p<0.001).Conclusion:The histopathological patterns of the patients following OBSC potentially did not show any impact among the quality of life and satisfaction scores

Dual Biological Control: Characterization of Fungi and Bacteria to Control Granary Weevil and Fungal Pathogens of Stored Grain

Cereals are main food sources for humans and animals. However, during storage, cereal grains can be infested by insects and fungi. One of the most important insect storage pests is Sitophilus granarius (L., Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Adults and larvae can cause serious grain losses. In addition to insect pests, fungal pathogens may also invade the grain and cause economic loss, including contamination with mycotoxins, which threaten mammal health by causing serious disease. The most common mycotoxigenic grain fungi are species that belong to the genera Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. Currently, the most commonly used management strategies for insect and fungal storage pests are based on conventional pesticides and cultural methods. However, there is a need for alternatives to conventional pesticides due to their side effects, insecticide resistance, and consumer demand for uncontaminated food. Cultural methods may not be cost-effective or practical in all storage facilities. Moreover, both insect and fungal pests share the same niche and have possible interactions with each other that increase economic losses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find potential biocontrol agents that showed dual biocontrol effect against granary weevil and three common fungal pests in stored grain. We determined that two fungal isolates (Trichoderma gamsii E1032 and E1064) and one bacterial isolate (B. amyloliquefaciens C415) achieved dual control against both the insect pest and the fungal pathogens by causing mortality of S. granarius and suppression of three grain fungal pathogens. In addition, a specific aim of this study was the examination of lethal and sublethal effects on S. granarius. Metarhizium anisopliae E213 showed strong sublethal effect by reducing ovipositio rate and grain infestation additionally, Cladosporium halotolerans E126 minimally reduced oviposition rate yet was significantly different from negative control. Also, all tested bacterial treatments had significantly lower survival than the negative control. And, Bacillus thuringiensis C423 showed strong sublethal effect by reducing feeding damage and oviposition rate. Additionally, candidate biocontrol agents were tested against grain fungal pathogens with two different method, antibiosis and wheat seed bioassays, to confirm performance of the effective isolate on the real stored grain. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Lysobacter enzymogenes, and Burkholderia ambifaria demonstrated the highest antifungal activity. This study demonstrates dual biocontrol against insect and fungal pests, which has potential as a component of Integrated Pest Management strategies for stored grain. Advisors: Julie A. Peterson & Sydney E. Everhar

Parameter Optimization Of PI Controller By PSO For Optimal Controlling Of A Buck Converter's Output

2017 International Artificial Intelligence and Data Processing Symposium (IDAP) -- SEP 16-17, 2017 -- Malatya, TURKEY -- IEEE Turkey Sect, Anatolian SciThis study focuses on the Buck Converter which is one of the Power Electronic topologies. The output of converter is tried to keep under control. The control is implemented via discrete time PI algorithm. In order to maintain efficiency of control process at high level, the controller parameters of Kp and Ki are optimized with the help of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) which is an iterative algorithm. The study is simulated in Matlab-Simulink and the results of control process are discussed.WOS:0004268687000742-s2.0-8503990032

SFLA based PI parameter optimization for optimal controlling of a Buck converter's voltage

2017 International Artificial Intelligence and Data Processing Symposium (IDAP) -- SEP 16-17, 2017 -- Malatya, TURKEY -- IEEE Turkey Sect, Anatolian SciIn this work, it is aimed to control the output of Buck Converter which steps down a DC voltage level. Discrete Time PI Algorithm is chosen as control algorithm. The controller parameters of K-p and K-i is calculated by means of the optimization process to increase the efficiency of power transmission of Buck Converter instead of classical methods like Pole Placement Method. It is chosen Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm (SFLA) which is an iterative algorithm as optimization algorithm. The results obtained from simultaneous executions of control process is discussed by simulating in Matlab-Simulink.WOS:0004268687000722-s2.0-8503989657

Buck Dönüştürücü Çıkış Geriliminin Karınca Koloni Algoritması Kullanılarak PI Tabanlı Optimal Kontrolü

Bu çalışmada, verimli enerji iletimi amacıyla kullanılan Buck tipi DC gerilim seviye düşürücüsünün, çıkış büyüklüğü kontrol altına alınmıştır. Kontrol süreci için ayrık zaman PI algoritması seçilmiştir. Kontrolöre ait Kp ve Ki parametreleri dönüştürücünün çıkış büyüklüğünün en düşük aşım yüzdesi ve yerleşme zamanı ile referans DC gerilim seviyesini hatasız takibini sağlanabilmesi amacıyla optimize edilmiştir. Optimizasyon, iteratif bir algoritma olan Karınca Kolonisi (ACO) algoritması ile sağlanmıştır. Kontrol sürecine ait eşzamanlı çalışmalar Matlab-Simulink üzerinden gerçekleştirilmiş; elde edilen sonuçlar literatürdeki sonuçlarla karşılaştırılıp tartışılmıştır. Kontrolör için önemli olan performans kriterleri açısında yapılan karşılaştırmalara göre, yerleşme zamanın daha kısa olduğu ve aşım değerlerinin daha düşük olduğu görülmüştürIn this paper, the output voltage of the buck type DC voltage reducer that is used for the aim of efficient energy transmission is controlled. The discrete PI algorithm is chosen for the control process. The controller parameters Kp and Ki in order to ensure the faultless pursuit of reference DC output voltage level with output voltage of the converter lowest overflow percentage and settling time is optimized. Ant Colony Algorithm that is one of the iterative algorithms has been used in the optimization process. Simultaneous studies have been realized and the results obtained are compared and discussed with the results in the literature. Compared to the performance criteria that are important for the controller, it is seen that the settling time is shorter and the overshoot values are lowe

PI Parameter Optimization By Fire Fly Algorithm For Optimal Controlling Of A Buck Converter's Output StateVariable

In this study, the buck converter circuit which is the topology of the power electronic circuit has been investigated to obtain the desired output voltage. The state variable of the circuit that is also used output of the system have been optimally controlled. The PI controller which is the basic structure and widely used in the practical applications has been run in discrete time. The PI controller parameters can be calculated by using a method based on the rootlocus, pole placement or Ziegler–Nichols method. However, these methods can not provide a solution with highe fficiency signal output voltage. In order to obtain the minimal cost value of the control process, Kp and Ki control parameters are optimized by using the Fire Fly (FF) algorithm based on swarm intelligence. The Matlab-Simulink program has been utilized for the simulations. The results show that the FF algorithm may observe the optimal values for the controller parameters