Consumer Willingness-To-Pay for Different Organic Certification Logos in Turkey

Using data from focus group discussions with consumers and a choice experimentconducted in some of Turkey’s major cities, this study investigates whetherTurkish consumers prefer certain organic labelling schemes over others attemptsand to elicit their willingness to pay (WTP) for different organic certificationlogos. Although the level of awareness regarding organic certification logos waslow, consumers’ perceptions of the logos were generally positive. The results ofthe random parameter logit models indicated a positive WTP for the presence ofone of the three tested certification body logos in addition to the mandatorygovernmental logo. Given the low level of certification logo awareness, theconclusion is that both purchasing decisions and perceptions regarding logoswere affected by subjective criteria. Both the government and certification bodiesshould develop measures to increase consumer awareness of their logos and formconsumer perceptions and attitudes regarding the quality of the certificationimplied by the logo

Factors influencing the perception of organic certification logos in Turkey

Consumers’ perceptions on organic certification logos and the factors influencing these perceptions were explored. Data from surveys conducted in major cities of Turkey revealed that organic food consumers had little knowledge about logos, although the declared level of trust in organic logos was high. According to ordered logit models, consumer’s perceptions on organic certification logos were influenced by purchasing frequency and weight of organic foods in total food consumption. Dummy variables representing additional private certification company logos as well were generally found to have a significant effect on logo perception. This result suggests that consumers’ attitudes towards these logos and towards the governmental logo are not the same. Female and older people were more sceptical about the trustworthiness of the logos. While the credibility of the logos and the standards and control systems underlying the logos increased as frequency of purchasing organic food increased, those consumers who prefer organic open markets for buying organic food were hesitant to trust the credibility of the organic certification logos. The mandatory governmental logo and the underlying standards are trusted more than the private company logos. However, the difference of the attitudes toward logos decreases when the control system is in question. When a comparison between perceptions towards labels including different additional certification companies’ logos is made, the additional logo was found to affect the stated preferences more negatively when the companies were foreign. Enhanced interest and trust in the organic certification logos among consumers would foment the development of the organic sector, and the findings of this paper serve as an input for the achievement of this aim

Impact of L-carnitine and selenium treatment on testicular apoptosis in rats exposed to 2.45 GHz microwave energy

Objective: It has been suggested that electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by wireless devices (2.45 GHz) induces testicular apoptosis. We investigated if supplemental selenium (Se) and L-carnitine may reduce this adverse effect. Material: Twelve-week old maleWistar albino rats were used in this study. Twenty-four rats were equally divided into four groups which were named as: sham group, EMR-only, EMR+L-carnitine (1.5 mg L-carnitine/ kg/day) and EMR+Se (1.5 mg Se/kg/ every other day). Results: The level of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and -8 were compared and a significant difference was found between the sham and EMR-only groups (p < 0.05), and Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and -8 expressions increased in the EMR-only group. The level of Bcl-2, Bax, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), caspase- 3 and -8 were compared and a significant difference was found between the sham and EMR+L-carnitine groups (p < 0.05) and Bcl-2, Bax, TNF-α, caspase-3 and -8 expressions increased in the EMR+L-carnitine group. The level of Bcl-2, Bax, TNF-α, caspase-3 and -8 were compared and a significant difference was found between the sham and EMR+Se groups (p < 0.05) and Bcl-2, Bax, TNF-α, caspase-3 and -8 expressions increased in the EMR+Se group. When the expression of caspase-8 was compared, a significant difference was found between the EMR-only and EMR+Se groups (p < 0.05). Caspase-8 expression decreased in EMR+Se group compared with EMR-only group. Conclusion: Electromagnetic radiation exposure resulted in testicular apoptosis in rats, mainly by the intrinsic pathways by down-regulated expression of caspase-8. Reduction in the activation of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis was found higher with selenium administration compared with L-carnitine administration

Development of an innovative sandwich composite material for protection of lower limb against landmine explosion: mechanical leg test results

This paper includes results of the blast tests which were performed with the aim of comparing the energy absorption and protection efficiency of protective boots with different sole configurations. Tests were performed on a mechanical leg model vestured with protective boots. Load and three axis acceleration values were measured during the blast tests to determine the protection efficiency of boot samples. Herewith, it was understood that merely a monolithic composite layer used in a sole does not provide protection, whereas compressible metallic honeycomb material-based sandwich composites demonstrate better energy absorption. With the innovative sandwich composite material developed in this study, energy absorption was increased by 209% in comparison to monolithic composites. © 2016, © The Author(s) 2016

Kuvvetli Nonlineer Sistemler İçin Çok Ölçekli Lindstedt Poincare Tekniği

Konferans Bildirisi -- Teorik ve Uygulamalı Mekanik Türk Milli Komitesi, 2013Conference Paper -- Theoretical and Applied Mechanical Turkish National Committee, 2013Çok ölçekli metot ve Lindstedt-Poincare tekniğinin birleştirilmesi esasına dayanan yeni bir perturbasyon metodu ortaya atılmıştır. Yeni metot lineer sönümlü osilatör, Duffing denklemi, sönümlü kübik nonlineer denklem, kuadratik ve kübik nonlineer denklem ve zorlamalı Duffing denklemine uygulanmıştır. Klasik çok ölçekli metot ve yeni metodu kullanarak yaklaşık analitik çözümler elde edilmiştir. Bu çözümler ana denklemin sayısal çözümü ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Yeni metot kuvvetli nonlineer sistemler için çok iyi sonuçlar vermiştir.A new perturbation method combining the Method of Multiple Scales and Lindstedt Poincare techniques is proposed. The new method is applied to Linear damped oscillator, Duffing equation, damped cubic nonlinear equation, an equation with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities and forced Duffing equation. Approximate analytical solutions are obtained using the classical Multiple scales method and the new method. Both solutions are contrasted with the direct numerical solutions of the original equation. The new method produces much better results for strong nonlinearities

Scalars, Vectors and Tensors from Metric-Affine Gravity

The metric-affine gravity provides a useful framework for analyzing gravitational dynamics since it treats metric tensor and affine connection as fundamentally independent variables. In this work, we show that, a metric-affine gravity theory composed of the invariants formed from non-metricity, torsion and curvature tensors can be decomposed into a theory of scalar, vector and tensor fields. These fields are natural candidates for the ones needed by various cosmological and other phenomena. Indeed, we show that the model accommodates TeVeS gravity (relativistic modified gravity theory), vector inflation, and aether-like models. Detailed analyses of these and other phenomena can lead to a standard metric-affine gravity model encoding scalars, vectors and tensors.Comment: 13 p

Lateral approach to the ankle and distal leg

Fractures of the distal tibia are usually high-energy injuries and are well known for their soft tissue complications after surgery. Various factors have been studied regarding the possibility of them reducing the incidence of such damage, including timing of surgery, staged surgery, fixation method, and surgical approach. Less invasive surgical techniques with vascularity preserving approaches were proposed as reasonable solutions to this problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of minor vascular structures, which can be preserved during anterolateral approach, possibly contributing to the success of the approach. Lateral approach for the distal tibia was performed in 22 cadaver feet. The mean distance between the lateral malleolus and the superficial peroneal nerve was 12.2 cm. Two different vascular pedicles, from peroneal vessels to muscles of the anterior compartment, were 4.3 and 8.2 cm away from the lateral malleolus, respectively. We conclude that preserving greater vascularity was possible in the lateral approach for the distal tibia, placing the plate in a completely submuscular plane. (Folia Morphol 2011; 70, 2: 91&#8211;94

Effects of Thiamethoxam on Vespula Germanica (F.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Damage of pesticides used in agriculture on non-target organisms (except honey bees) is not sufficiently considered and neglected. Studies showed that wild bees, like honey bees, were also affected by pesticides. Wild bee species should also be protected because of their importance in pollination and biological control and also in order to protect biodiversity. Effects of pesticides on wild bees should be investigated without delay and precautions should be taken to protect the generations of wildlife. In addition, while increasing the agricultural areas, habitat for wild pollinators should be established.In this study, effect of Thiamethoxam, an agriculturally active agent in the neonicotinoid group, commonly used in agriculture fields, on the European wasp (Vespula germanica) was investigated. For this purpose, 2 molar carnation-flavored syrup in a petri dish was placed in a field where wild bees are frequent, and wild bees had got accustomed there. Trial doses were prepared with thiamethoxam dose commonly used in agricultural areas (15 ml/100 L water) and 50% dilutions of this dose (15.00, 7.50, 3.75, 1.87, 0.93, 0.46, 0.23, 0.12, 0.06 ml/100 L water) and fed in 2 molar syrup. Those who returned to the carnation petri dish after feeding were recorded at the 1st, 4th and 24th hours.At the end of the study, bees fed with 15.00, 7.50, and 3.75 ml / 100 L doses of the pesticide all died. One hour after pesticide ingestion, 84.73% of the control group and 13.33% of the bees fed with 1.87 ml / 100L dose, were alive and returned to the syrup petri dish

Modeling river suspended sediment yield using fuzzy logic

Nehirlerdeki askı malzemesi miktarının doğru tahmini; kirliliğin belirlenmesi, akarsu taşımacılığı, baraj &ouml;mr&uuml;n&uuml;n tespiti, hidroelektrik te&ccedil;hizatlarının emniyeti, balıkların yaşamını s&uuml;rd&uuml;rmesi, nehrin estetiğinin korunması vb. konularda &ccedil;ok &ouml;nemlidir. Bu ama&ccedil;la kullanılan katı madde anahtar eğrileri, &ccedil;oğu tahminlerde iyi sonu&ccedil;lar vermemelerine rağmen yaygın bir kullanım alanına sahiptirler. Bu &ccedil;alışmada nehir enkesitindeki askı maddesi miktarının belirlenmesi i&ccedil;in katı madde anahtar eğrilerine g&ouml;re &ccedil;ok daha iyi bir alternatif olarak bulanık mantığa dayalı modeller geliştirilmiştir.Geliştirilen bulanık modeller USGS (United States Geological Survey) tarafından işletilen iki istasyonun g&uuml;nl&uuml;k ger&ccedil;ek zaman debi ve askı malzemesi konsantrasyonu verilerine uygulanmış ve katı madde anahtar eğrileri ile karşılaştırılmıştır.Sonu&ccedil;ta bulanık modellerin, askı malzemesini modellemede katı madde anahtar eğrilerine g&ouml;re daha iyi sonu&ccedil;lar verdiği g&ouml;r&uuml;lm&uuml;şt&uuml;r.Anahtar Kelimeler: Askı malzemesi konsantrasyonu, bulanık mantık, diferansiyel evol&uuml;syon, katı madde anahtar eğrisi, modelleme.Correct estimation of sediment volume carried by a river is important with respect to pollution, channel navigability, reservoir filling, hydroelectric-equipment longevity, fish habitat, river aesthetics and scientific interests. Conventional sediment rating curves, however, are not able to provide sufficiently accurate results. In this study, some models based on fuzzy logic is developed as a superior alternative to the sediment rating curve technique for determining suspended sediment concentration for a given river cross-section. This study provides forecasting benchmarks for sediment concentration prediction in the form of a numerical and graphical comparison between fuzzy and rating curve models. Benchmarking was based on five-year period of continuous streamflow and sediment concentration data of Quebrada Blance Station and four-year period of data of Rio Valenciano Station operated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Nine different fuzzy models were established for each station to estimate sediment concentration from streamflow. Each fuzzy model had different number of membership functions. Parameters of membership functions are found using differential evolution algorithm. The benchmark results show fuzzy models produce much better results than rating curve models.Keywords: Suspended sediment concentration, fuzzy logic, differential evolution, sediment rating curve, modeling