Effect of surface characteristics of Istanbul and its outskirts on the local weather circulation

Bir bölgenin yerel hava akışını, kara-deniz meltemi, şehir ısı adası gibi farklı yüzeylerin termal özelliklerinin neden olduğu mezo-ölçek sirkulasyonlar etkilemektedir. Bu çalışmada, hem stratejik açıdan önemli olan hem de Türkiye’nin en kalabalık şehri olan İstanbul ve çevresi için yerel hava akışı incelenmiştir. Şehrin morfolojisinin ve şehirleşmenin yerel hava akışına yapmış olduğu katkıyı göreceli olarak incelemek için duyarlılık testleri, atmosferik-meteorolojik sayısal model yardımı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Dinamik modelleme, duyarlılık testlerinin gerçekleştirilmesi sırasında kullanılan yöntemdir. Bu çalışmada, üç boyutlu, hidrostatik olmayan mezo-ölçek model Operational Multi-scale Environment model with Grid Adaptivity (OMEGA) kullanılmıştır. İstanbul Boğazı’nın etkisi ve hafif yükseltilerden oluşan şehir topoğrafyasının meydana getireceği etki de bu çalışmada incelenmiştir. Duyarlılık testleri kurgulanırken, mümkün olabilecek en basit durumdan mevcut duruma kadar yapılan çeşitli değişikliklerle akış özellikleri incelenmiştir. Topoğrafyanın olmadığı ve tek bir arazi örtüsünün kullanıldığı bölge üzerindeki mevcut su yüzeylerinin etkisinin de izole edildiği test en basit durum olarak düşünülmüştür. Daha sonra İstanbul Boğazı ilave edilerek boğaz etkisi incelenmiştir. Büyük ölçek hava akışlarının etkisini anlamak için ise farklı jeostrofik rüzgâr yönü ile benzeşim yapılmıştır. Bu testlere topoğrafya ve mevcut arazi örtüsü de ilave edilerek simülasyonlar gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmada, Boğaz’ın kanal etkisi yarattığı ve topoğrafyanın varolan akışı kuvvetlendirdiği gözlenmiştir. Boğaz boyunca yer alan yerleşimin ise deniz melteminin kıyıdan içeriye dogru ilerlemesini engellediği belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca sinoptik ölçekli rüzgârın yön değişiminin yerel akışı etkilediği de elde edilen önemli bir sonuçtur.    Anahtar Kelimeler: Karadeniz meltemi, şehir ısı adası, dinamik modelleme.Atmospheric motion is affected by wide range of scales from a few milimeters to thousands of kilometers. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the behavior of the atmospheric flows on these scales. Although all of these scales play a role on the transport and dispersion of the pollutants, mesoscale atmospheric processes are significant over the traveling time and distance for short and long range transport and dispersion of pollutants. Thermally and terrain induced circulations contribute to the transport and dispersion pattern of the pollutants via terrain characteristics and the surface inhomogeneities. Besides, growing urbanization modifies the mesoscale circulation characteristics. The response of the local scale circulation to the other scales or its interaction with them influences the characteristics of pollutant transport by means of the modified mesoscale circulation. Therefore, understanding mechanism of the development and evolution of small scale flow features and their interaction with large scale flow features is one of the desires. Mesoscale circulations such as sea-land breeze, urban heat island are controls our local atmosphere. Theoretically, the mechanism behind the development of the sea-land breeze circulation has been known since 1800s. Thermally-induced circulations, sea-land breeze and urban heat island, occur depending on the difference on the heating and cooling of the underlying surface. Heat capacity difference between land and water triggers the onset of the sea-land breeze. Similar to the sea-land breeze circulation, urban heat island circulation occurs due to the heat capacity difference between the urban and rural areas. Although mechanisms of the thermally-induced circulations are known, the interaction between other mesoscale features (such as mountain-valley wind) or large scale circulations is important and it changes by the properties of the location. Since the shorelines are preferred as a residential area, it is unavoidable to encounter the interaction between the sea-land breeze and the urban heat island. In addition to these circulations, topography makes the contribution to the local flow. The present research is concentrated on the mesoscale circulations, sea-land breeze and urban heat island. Since the dynamic downscaling is very useful tool while studying sensitivity studies, the idealized numerical simulations are performed using a fully non-hydrostatic three-dimensional numerical model OMEGA with its unstructured grid. The unstructured grid enables us to resolve land and water boundaries better than the other mesoscale models which use structured grid. The more detailed information about the land cover benefits us to study mesoscale circulation. It should be kept in mind that it is not possible to solve any small properties of the domain even using unstructured grid. Uniform initial flow is utilized at horizontal and vertical directions. The study is focused on Istanbul since it is the longest and the most crowded city in Turkey and also the wide range of data availability for direct comparison. Since each feature of a region affects the local flow, relative effects of geographic features on the local circulation are exemplified by means of the idealized simulations. Simulations are conducted starting from very simple case to a complex one, which means that contribution of each feature is added one-by-one to the domain.  For instance, as a simple case, surface is set to the flat, and a uniform land-use and land cover map is used. Then after, effect of the presence of a strait is investigated adding the Bosphorus strait to the domain. Topographic effect is also analyzed including model resolved topography. Finally, current land-use types and land-water properties are used with different large scale flow directions to investigate effect of the urbanization. Although studies in the literature have showed that smooth topography has no influence on the circulation, topography-induced effect is observed over the hilly topography of Istanbul. Results show that the Bosphorus strait channeled the air flow that is blowing from the north through the Bosphorus. This channeled flow is enhanced when the topography is added to the domain. Significant contribution to the local flow comes from urbanization by arranging the sea-land breeze existence or penetration over the domain. The presence of the urban area causes a convergence over the urbanized area by hindering the inland penetration of the sea breeze. Results indicate that the flow over Istanbul converges at a point depending on the surface properties which are utilized in the sensitivity simulation. The southwesterly flow direction prevents the existence of the land breeze that is observed under the northeasterly flow condition. Keywords: Sea-land breeze, urban heat island, dynamic modeling

Comparison of Two Different Methods for ProSealTM Laryngeal Mask Fixation

Objective:This prospective randomized study compared 2 different methods for ProsealTM Laryngeal Mask Airway (PLMA) fixation.Methods:Patients scheduled for ureterorenoscopic lithotripsy surgery in the lithotomy position were included in the study. General anaesthesia with PLMA was administered to the patients. To achieve PLMA fixation, patients were randomly assigned to either adjustable elastic band (Group I) or adhesive tape fixation (Group II). Fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) evaluation and glottic image grading (grade 1-4) and lip margin distances of PLMA (M1 and M2) were evaluated before and after the surgical procedure.Results:We enrolled 116 patients. Surgery of 7 patients was postponed. PLMA dislocated in 2 patients in group II during positioning. For another patient who used adhesive tape in Group II, it was removed because it could not adhere to properly, and a new sticking plaster was used. The study was completed with 106 patients. In FOB evaluation, the number of patients with optimal FOB grade (FOB grade 1) after PLMA was inserted and fixed was more in Group I than in Group II (P = 0.01). FOB evaluation was repeated at the end of the operation, and the number of patients with the worst FOB grade (FOB grade 4) was 0 (0%) and 11 (10.5%) in Groups I and II, respectively. PLMA displaced more than 1 cm in 10 (18.9%) patients in Group I and in 30 patients (56.6%) in Group II.Conclusion:The adjustable elastic band method is simple, easy, and convenient and can be used in any surgical procedure for PLMA fixation

Enhance quality care performance: Determination of the variables for establishing a common database in French paediatric critical care units

Abstract Selected variables for the French Paediatric Intensive Care registry. Rationale, aims, and objectives Providing quality care requires follow-up in regard to clinical and economic activities. Over the past decade, medical databases and patient registries have expanded considerably, particularly in paediatric critical care medicine (eg, the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet) in the UK, the Australian and New Zealand Paediatric Intensive Care (ANZPIC) Registry in Australia and New Zealand, and the Virtual Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Performance System (VPS) in the USA). Such a registry is not yet available in France. The aim of this study was to determine variables that ought to be included in a French paediatric critical care registry. Methods Variables, items, and subitems from 3 foreign registries and 2 French local databases were used. Items described each variable, and subitems described items. The Delphi method was used to evaluate and rate 65 variables, 90 items, and 17 subitems taking into account importance or relevance based on input from 28 French physicians affiliated with the French Paediatric Critical Care Group. Two ratings were used between January and May 2013. Results Fifteen files from 10 paediatric intensive care units were included. Out of 65 potential variables, 48 (74%) were considered to be indispensable, 16 (25%) were considered to be optional, and 1 (2%) was considered to be irrelevant. Out of 90 potential items, 62 (69%) were considered to be relevant, 23 (26%) were considered to be of little relevance, and 5 (6%) were considered to be irrelevant. Out of 17 potential subitems, 9 (53%) were considered to be relevant, 6 (35%) were considered to be of little relevance, and 2 (12%) were considered to be irrelevant. Conclusions The necessary variables that ought to be included in a French paediatric critical care registry were identified. The challenge now is to develop the French registry for paediatric intensive care units

Recent Advances in Health Biotechnology During Pandemic

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in 2019, cut the epoch that will make profound fluctuates in the history of the world in social, economic, and scientific fields. Urgent needs in public health have brought with them innovative approaches, including diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. To exceed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, various scientific authorities in the world have procreated advances in real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based diagnostic tests, rapid diagnostic kits, the development of vaccines for immunization, and the purposing pharmaceuticals for treatment. Diagnosis, treatment, and immunization approaches put for- ward by scientific communities are cross-fed from the accrued knowledge of multidisciplinary sciences in health biotechnology. So much so that the pandemic, urgently prioritized in the world, is not only viral infections but also has been the pulsion in the development of novel approaches in many fields such as diagnosis, treatment, translational medicine, virology, mi- crobiology, immunology, functional nano- and bio-materials, bioinformatics, molecular biol- ogy, genetics, tissue engineering, biomedical devices, and artificial intelligence technologies. In this review, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of various scientific areas of health biotechnology are discussed

Reklamlardaki kadın imgesi ve tüketim kültürü oluşturmadaki rolü: ulusal televizyon reklamlarına ilişkin bir uygulama

Günümüz rekabet koşullarında tutundurma karma elemanlarından biri olarak nitelendirilen reklamlar, tüketim toplumu oluşturma çabalarında çok büyük önem arz etmekte ve işletmeler tarafından yoğun biçimde kullanılmaktadır. Reklam aracılığıyla bireyler tüketmeye ve tüketim alışkanlıkları kazanmaya ikna edilmektedirler. Bu doğrultuda toplumu oluşturan bireyler reklamların hedef kitlesi olarak seçilmekte ve yönlendirilmektedirler. Bu yönlendirme reklamlarda yer alan çeşitli imgelerle daha kolay gerçekleşebilmektedir. Özellikle reklamlarda kullanılan kadın imgeleri reklamın ilgi çekiciliğini, hatırlanma oranını arttırmakta ve bu durum reklamı yapılan ürün ya da hizmetin satışlarına yansımaktadır. Belirtilen bu temel çıkış noktasından hareketle bu çalışmanın amacı, televizyon reklamlarında kullanılan kadın imgelerin, tüketimi arttırmaya yönelik nasıl kurgulandığına ve tüketicilerce bu tür reklamların nasıl algılandığına, reklamlara karşı tüketicilerin tutum ve davranışlarına açıklık getirmektir. Çalışmada, 1990-2009 yılları arasında yayınlanmış ulusal televizyon reklamlarına yönelik içerik analizi yöntemi ile reklamlarda yer alan kadın imgelerinin tüketim kültürü oluşturma yönünde nasıl kurgulandığı ortaya çıkarılmaya çalışılmıştır. Daha sonra tüketicilerin bu tür reklamlara yönelik tutum, davranışlarını ve bakış açılarını tespit etmek amacıyla anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre; televizyon reklamlarında yer alan kadın imgelerin tüketimi arttırıcı, tüketime dayalı bir kültür oluşturması yönünde kurgulandığı tespit edilmiştir. Ancak tüketicilerin bu tür televizyon reklamlarına olumsuz bakış açılarının olduğu ve reklamlardaki ürün/hizmetleri satın alma yönünde ikna olmadıkları belirlenmesine rağmen, bu tür reklamlardaki vaatlere, ürün/hizmet yararlarına inandıkları tespit edilmiştir. Diğer yandan tüketicilerin yarısından fazlası kadın imgesinin kullanıldığı reklamlardaki ürün veya markayı hatırlamışlardır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Reklam, Televizyon Reklamları, Kadın, Tüketim Kültürü, Cinsiyet.\ud Advertisements which are considered to be one of the marketing mix elements in today's competitive environment has great importance in efforts to create a consuming society, and are used extensively by businesses. Individuals are persuaded to consume and to gain consumption habits through advertising. Accordingly individuals composing community are selected and are directed as target mass. This direction can be done more easily with the various images located in the advertisements. Especially female images used in advertisements increase the attractiveness, recalling rate of the advertisement, and this situation is reflected in sales of advertised product or service. Moving from this basic starting point specified, the aim of this study is to clarify how female images used in television advertisements are constructed to improve consumption, and how this type of advertising is perceived by consumers, consumer attitudes and behaviours towards advertisements. In this study, how images of women in national television commercials are constructed in the direction of creating consumer culture has been tried to introduce with the content analysis for the national television advertisements published between the years 1990-2009. Later a survey has been conducted to determine consumer attitudes and behaviours towards the advertisements using female images and their perspectives on such advertisements. According to research results; it has been identified that the images of women in television advertisements are constructed to increase consumption, to create a culture based on consumption. However, although it has been identified that consumers have negative viewpoints towards these types of television advertisements and they are not convinced to purchase products/services in advertisements, it has been determined that they believe promises, product/service benefits in these types of advertisements. On the other hand, more than half of consumers have remembered the product or brand in advertisements using the image of women. Key Words: Advertisement, Television Advertisements, Woman, Consumption Culture, Gender

The correlation between family communications on consumption of children, their materialist tendency and their demographic characteristics

Çocuklar, hem kendi harcamaları hem de ebeveynlerinin harcamalarını yönlendirmeleri bakımından pazarlamacılar açısından önemli bir hedef kitlesini oluşturmaktadırlar. Çocuğun tüketici haline gelmesi tüketici olarak sosyalleşmesine bağlıdır. Çocuğun tüketici olarak sosyalleşmesinde ise, çocuğun satın alma davranışını etkilemesi bakımından aile içindeki iletişim önemlidir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, tüketim hakkındaki aile iletişimi ile demografik özellikler ve çocukların materyalist tutumları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Veriler Tarsus’taki ilkokulların 3. ve 4. sınıfına giden 306 öğrenci den anket yoluyla elde edilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, kavram yönelimli iletişim ile materyalizm arasında ilişki çıkmasına rağmen sosyal yönelimli iletişim ile materyalizm arasında ilişki çıkmamıştır. Yaş ile sosyal yönelimli iletişim arasında, gelir ile sosyal ve kavram yönelimli iletişim arasında ilişki bulunmuştur. Ayrıca sosyal yönelimli iletişimi kullanan ebeveynlerin çocuğun harçlığını nasıl harcayacağına ve televizyonda hangi programı izleyeceğine karıştığı da çıkan sonuçlar arasındadır.Children are an important target marget for marketers because of the fact that they direct both their expenditure and their parents expenditure. That they are to be consumers relate tothe consumer socializationof children. The family communication is significant in consumer socialization of children because parent’s affect their children’s purchasing behaviours. The main purpose of this study is to examine the associations between family communication about consumption , socio-demographic characteristics of childrens and their materialistic attitudes. Datas were collected through a self-administered survey distributed to 306 children who are 3rd and 4rd grade students in Tarsus. The findings show that there was correlation between concept oriented family communication and materialism, but there wasn't correlation between socio oriented family communication and materialism. Although, there was significant correlation among socio and concept oriented family communication with income and there was correlation between age and only socio oriented family communication. Additionally, parents taking socio oriented family communication interfered how their children’s expenture their allowance and which program they watc

AI - Powered Procedural Content Generation: Enhancing NPC Behaviour for an Immersive Gaming Experience

This paper explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and procedural content generation (PCG) in video game development, with a specific focus on enhancing non-player character (NPC) behaviours. It discusses advancements in PCG driven by deep learning to dynamically create game content, transforming gaming experiences through adaptive, personalised environments. Additionally, it summarises how AI integration has evolved NPC interactions to be more immersive and context aware. Techniques covered include reinforcement learning for strategic decisions, neural networks for complex data processing, and natural language processing for realistic conversations. When evaluating the use of PCG for NPC behaviours, key strengths highlighted are increased diversity and replay ability along with inherent limitations in replicating manually authored complexity. Overall, this research highlights AI's profound impact on gaming by pushing the frontiers of procedural content generation to unlock more captivating, dynamic virtual worlds. Further AI-driven innovations promise to enable the next generation of intuitive game design and interactive experiences