MMSR: Multiple-Model Learned Image Super-Resolution Benefiting From Class-Specific Image Priors

Assuming a known degradation model, the performance of a learned image super-resolution (SR) model depends on how well the variety of image characteristics within the training set matches those in the test set. As a result, the performance of an SR model varies noticeably from image to image over a test set depending on whether characteristics of specific images are similar to those in the training set or not. Hence, in general, a single SR model cannot generalize well enough for all types of image content. In this work, we show that training multiple SR models for different classes of images (e.g., for text, texture, etc.) to exploit class-specific image priors and employing a post-processing network that learns how to best fuse the outputs produced by these multiple SR models surpasses the performance of state-of-the-art generic SR models. Experimental results clearly demonstrate that the proposed multiple-model SR (MMSR) approach significantly outperforms a single pre-trained state-of-the-art SR model both quantitatively and visually. It even exceeds the performance of the best single class-specific SR model trained on similar text or texture images.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in IEEE ICIP 2022 Conferenc

Perception-Distortion Trade-off in the SR Space Spanned by Flow Models

Flow-based generative super-resolution (SR) models learn to produce a diverse set of feasible SR solutions, called the SR space. Diversity of SR solutions increases with the temperature ($\tau$) of latent variables, which introduces random variations of texture among sample solutions, resulting in visual artifacts and low fidelity. In this paper, we present a simple but effective image ensembling/fusion approach to obtain a single SR image eliminating random artifacts and improving fidelity without significantly compromising perceptual quality. We achieve this by benefiting from a diverse set of feasible photo-realistic solutions in the SR space spanned by flow models. We propose different image ensembling and fusion strategies which offer multiple paths to move sample solutions in the SR space to more desired destinations in the perception-distortion plane in a controllable manner depending on the fidelity vs. perceptual quality requirements of the task at hand. Experimental results demonstrate that our image ensembling/fusion strategy achieves more promising perception-distortion trade-off compared to sample SR images produced by flow models and adversarially trained models in terms of both quantitative metrics and visual quality.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in IEEE ICIP 2022 Conferenc

A challenging diagnosis in a male presented with ascites: Pseudo-pseudo Meigs syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus

Gastrointestinal involvement as an initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is seen uncommonly. Among such presentations, ascites is an extremely rare clinical condition that requires extensive diagnostic investigation for nephrotic syndrome, tuberculosis, congestive heart failure, constructive pericarditis, and malignancy besides of SLE-related conditions such as lupus peritonitis, protein losing enteropathy, and pseudo-pseudo Meigs syndrome (PPMS). PPMS is still a debatable clinical description, characterized by ascites, elevated CA-125 levels, and absence of malignancy in an SLE patient. Notably, the clinician should keep in mind that all these possibilities could be the anchor manifestation of SLE as well. Therefore, definitive diagnosis might be challenging in case of ascites in an SLE patient. Herein, we aimed to share the difficulties from the first presentation to the definitive diagnosis in a patient with PPMS in the light of similar cases in the literature

ps3 54 characteristic features of haematological involvement and its effect on damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematousus preliminary results from a multicenter european cohort

Background and aim We studied haematological manifestations (HM) and their impact on the progression of damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using a multicenter European cohort of patients. Methods We examined the observational data of a SLE patients with serial clinical and laboratory measurements of every 6 months for 2 years gathered from 4 different countries. Each collaborative centre was asked for a contribution of fifty or more consecutive SLE patients. We compared clinical features, antibody profiles, SLEDAI-2K and SDI in patients with and without HM using Chi-Square and Student's t-tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Multivariate Cox Proportional hazards regression was used the investigate the quartiles of leukocytes, lymphocytes and platelets at every time point (at 0,6,12,18,24 months) in relation to the damage characterised by the SDI scores. Probability of change in damage index (from SDI=0 to SDI equal or greater than 1) was calculated using mixed models logistic regression. Adjustments ma Results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% CIs; results were defined significant as a p 0.05. Results So far, 751 measurements of 159 patients were examined. Mean age was 44.9 (13.5) vs 44.0 (12.9) for patients with and without HM, respectively (p=NS). Mean disease duration at the time of cohort created was 11.1 (6.2) vs 10.8 (4.9) in patients with or without HM. Demographic features, clinical characteristics of patients with HM at SLE diagnosis or during the follow up are demonstrated in table 1. Sex, ethnicity and baseline autoantibodies showed no influence on damage. SLEDAI-2K was associated with an increased OR of 2.1 [95% CI: 1.29 to 3.42] for damage. Conclusion Preliminary results imply that disease activity predicts future damage accrual in patients with haematological manifestations

Kentsel dönüşüm projelerinin sürdürülebilirlik performansının değerlendirilmesi: kuzey Ankara girişi kentsel dönüşüm projesi örneği.

Since the 1980s, many urban regeneration projects have been implemented in different kinds of urban areas, such as city centers, housing areas, old-industrial and harbor sites, historical heritage sites. During the last two decades, following the growing attention on urban sustainability, the link between sustainable development and urban regeneration has been strengthened. Urban regeneration projects are attempted to be integrated with social, economic and physical principles of sustainable development. Although, urban regeneration is an important strategy to improve the social, economic and physical conditions in declining cities, the implementation of urban regeneration concept in Turkey has brought about various problems. This thesis aims to evaluate how far urban regeneration projects in Turkey are successful in terms of finding sustainable solutions to the problems in deteriorated urban areas by using sustainability indicators. Ankara has the first examples of urban regeneration projects in Turkey. The North Entrance of Ankara Urban Regeneration Project is one of the most comprehensive projects in terms of implication process and size. Moreover, it is the first and the only project, which has a specific law. When compared to other regeneration projects, the project is mostly completed. Therefore, this thesis focuses on the North Entrance of Ankara Urban Regeneration Project with the aim of examining its sustainability performance through an indicator-based approach. Based on the results of the case study research, policy implications to improve the sustainability performance of regeneration projects in Turkey will be developed.M.S. - Master of Scienc

An investigation of the value orientations of physical education teachers in terms of various variables

Bu araştırmanın amacı, beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin yaşamlarında en fazla önemsedikleri değerleri tespit etmek ve farklı değişkenlerin değer yönelimleri üzerine etkilerinin belirlenmesidir. Beden Eğitimi Öğretmenlerine uygulanan bu araştırma, ilişkisel tarama modelindedir. Veri toplama aracı olarak Demirutku (2004) tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanan “Portre Değerler Ölçeği” (PDÖ) aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Demografik bilgiler için ise kişisel bilgi formu kullanılmıştır. Normal dağılıma uygunluk göstermeyen değişkenler için betimleyici istatistikler medyan (min:maks) olarak gösterilmiştir. Normal dağılıma sahip olmayan bağımsız iki grup karşılaştırılmalarında Mann-Whitney U, bağımsız ikiden fazla grup karşılaştırılmalarında Kruskal Wallis testleri kullanılmıştır. Normal dağılıma sahip olmayan değişkenler arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesinde Spearman Korelasyon katsayısı kullanılmıştır. Çalışmamızda beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin güç, başarı ve geleneksellik değer tipleri ortalama puanları boyutları diğer tiplere göre yüksek bulunmuştur. Cinsiyetlerine göre; öğretmenlerin “hazcılık” medyan puanları erkek öğretmenler lehine, medeni durumlarına göre; “güç” ve “başarı” değer tiplerinde evli öğretmenler lehine, güvenlik değer tipinde bekar öğretmenler lehine, kurum kademesine göre; “evrensellik”, “iyilikseverlik” ve “güvenlik” değer tiplerinde lise ve dengi okullarda çalışanlar lehine, çalışılan kurum tipine göre; “özyönelim”, “evrenselcilik”, “geleneksellik”, “ güvenlik” değer tiplerinde özel okullar lehine, kariyer durumlarına göre; “özyönelim”, “güvenlik” değer tiplerinde sözleşmeli öğretmenler lehine, “güç” değer boyutunda, kadrolu öğretmenler lehine, yaşadıkları yerleşim birimine göre; “hazcılık” değer tipinde merkez ilçeler lehine anlamlı farklılık göstermektedir. Öğretmenlerin yetiştikleri bölgelere göre ölçekten aldıkları puanlar, istatistiksel olarak anlamlı farklılık göstermemektedir. “Özyönelim” değer tipi puanı ile mesleki kıdem yılı arasında negatif yönde, “güvenlik” değer tipi puanı ile yaş arasında negatif yönde, “güvenlik” değer tipi puanı ile mesleki kıdem yılı arasında negatif yönde bir ilişki bulunmuştur.The purpose of this study is to determine the values that physical education teachers care most about in their lives and to determine the effects of different variables on value orientations. This research applied to Physical Education Teachers is in the relational survey model. Data were collected through the "Portrait Values Scale" (PBL), which was adapted to Turkish by Demirutku (2004). Personal information form was used for demographic information. Descriptive statistics for variables that do not conform to normal distribution are shown as median (min: max). Mann-Whitney U tests were used for comparing two independent groups that did not have normal distribution, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used for comparing more than two independent groups. Spearman Correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between non-normally distributed variables. According to the results of the study, the dimensions of physical education teachers' power, achievement and tradition value types mean scores were higher than other types. According to their gender; "hedonism" median scores of teachers in favor of male teachers, according to marital status; In favor of married teachers in “power” and “success” value types, in favor of single teachers in security value type, according to institutional level; “Universality”, “benevolence” and “security” value types in favor of employees in high schools and equivalent schools, according to the type of institution they work; "Selforientation", "universalism", "tradition", "security" in favor of private schools, according to career conditions; In the "self-orientation", "security" value types, contracted teachers, in the "power" value dimension, in favor of permanent teachers, according to the place of residence; “Hedonism” shows a significant difference in favor of central districts in value type. The scores the teachers got from the scale according to the regions where they were raised do not show a statistically significant difference. There was a negative correlation between the "self-orientation" value type score and the professional seniority year, a negative relationship between the "security" value type score and age, and a negative relationship between the "security" value type score and the professional seniority year

Sustainability of urban regeneration in Turkey: Assessing the performance of the North Ankara Urban Regeneration Project

The increasing environmental footprints of cities necessitated the integration sustainability principles into urban planning and development frameworks. The growing attention on urban sustainability also influenced the policy and the practice of urban regeneration. The quest for new methods for regenerating existing urban quarters in sustainable manners resulted in the concept of sustainable urban regeneration. The concept aims to develop urban regeneration projects in line with the three key pillars of sustainable development. Since the turn of the new millennium, urban regeneration initiatives in Turkish cities have gained a new momentum, mainly due to the increasing interest by public and private sectors. As expected, squatters constituted one of the main focuses of the recent initiatives for urban regeneration. Nevertheless, the Turkish experience of urban regeneration differs from the international experiences in terms of the motivation behind and the scope of the projects. Despite the growing link between sustainability and urban regeneration in international practices, sustainability has not yet been a major motivation for urban regeneration practices in Turkey. This research assesses the sustainability performance of one of the most prominent examples of squatter regeneration in Turkey, namely the North Ankara Urban Regeneration Project (NAURP). The project has been evaluated by means of an indicator-based methodology. The research indicates that the project's contribution to urban sustainability has been minimal and thus, further efforts are required to improve the sustainability performance of urban regeneration projects in Turkey. In the light of this finding, policy implications have been made to push sustainable urban regeneration agenda in Turkey

A Hypothesis Regarding Neurosecretory Inhibition of Stress Mediators by Colchicine in Preventing Stress-Induced Familial Mediterranean Fever Attacks

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a monogenic autoinflammatory disease characterized by recurrent episodes of fever and serositis. Colchicine (Col) has a crucial role in the prevention of amyloidosis and FMF attacks. The effect of Col on innate immune cells is based on the inhibition of the microtubule system. The microtubule system is also very important for neurosecretory functions. The inhibitory effect of Col on neurosecretory functions is an overlooked issue. Considering that the neuroimmune cross-talk process plays a role in the development of inflammatory diseases, the effect of Col on the neuronal system becomes important. FMF attacks are related to emotional stress. Therefore, the effect of Col on stress mediators is taken into consideration. In this hypothetical review, we discuss the possible effects of Col on the central nervous systems (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS) in light of mostly experimental study findings using animal models. Studies to be carried out on this subject will shed light on the pathogenesis of FMF attacks and the other possible mechanisms of action of Col apart from the anti-inflammatory features

Adrenal crisis while on high-dose steroid treatment: what rheumatologist should consider?

Steroid treatment is commonly recommended for autoimmune disorders in rheumatology practice. While adrenal crisis may occur upon existence of an inducing factor in patients with known or unknown adrenal insufficiency as well as in those with a suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis due to chronic steroid use, addisonian crisis rarely develops in patients on supraphysiological doses of steroid and, when emerged, it might be very difficult to recognize. Here, we present a patient who developed adrenal crisis while receiving high-dose methylprednisolone treatment due to retroperitoneal fibrosis and we also discuss possible mechanisms with a brief literature review