Diversity in Secondary Metabolites Including Mycotoxins from Strains of <i>Aspergillus </i>Section <i>Nigri </i>Isolated from Raw Cashew Nuts from Benin, West Africa

<p>In a previous study, raw cashew kernels were assayed for the fungal contamination focusin on strains belonging to the genus Aspergillus and on aflatoxins producers. These sample showed high contamination with Aspergillus section Nigri species and absence o aflatoxins. To investigate the diversity of secondary metabolites, including mycotoxins, th species of A. section Nigri may produce and thus threaten to contaminate the raw cashe kernels, 150 strains were isolated from cashew samples and assayed for their productio of secondary metabolites using liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometr (LC-HRMS). Seven species of black Aspergilli were isolated based on morphological an chemical identification: A.Tubingensis (44%), A. niger (32%), A. brasiliensis (10%), A. carbonariu (8.7%), A. luchuensis (2.7%), A. aculeatus (2%) and A. aculeatinus (0.7%). Fro these, 45 metabolites and their isomers were identified. Aurasperone and pyranonigrin A produced by all species excluding A. aculeatus and A. aculeatinus, were most prevalen and were encountered in 146 (97.3%) and 145 (95.7%) isolates, respectively. Three mycotoxin groups were detected: fumonisins (B2 and B4) (2.7%) ochratoxin A (13.3%), an secalonic acids (2%), indicating that these mycotoxins could occur in raw cashew nuts Thirty strains of black Aspergilli were randomly sampled for verification of species identit based on sequences of β-Tubulin and calmodulin genes. Among them, 27 isolates wer positive to the primers used and 11 were identified as A. niger, 7 as A.Tubingensis, 6 as A carbonarius, 2 as A. luchuensis and 1 as A. welwitschiae confirming the species names a based on morphology and chemical features. These strains clustered in 5 clades in A. sectio Nigri. Chemical profile clustering also showed also 5 groups confirming the speciespecific metabolites production.</p

Çevik yöntemlerde cosmic i̇şlev puanı ve hikaye puanının birlikte kullanımı

Hikaye Puanı (SP: Story Point), Scrum ve Kanban gibi çevik yöntemlerde kullanılan en yaygın metriklerden birisidir. Subjektif bir metrik olsa da kullanışlı ve basit olması nedeniyle çevik ekiplerin birikim listelerinde bulunan kullanıcı hikayelerinin uygun bölümlere ayrılmasında, maliyet tahminlemesinde ve ekiplerin hız ve kapasitelerinin hesaplanmasında yaygın bir şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Cosmic işlev puanı (CFP: Cosmic Function Point) ise yazılım işlevsel kapsam büyüklüğünün ölçümünde kullanılan ve aynı zamanda bir ISO standardı da (ISO 19761) olan objektif bir metriktir. Bu çalışmada Türkiye’nin en büyük teknoloji ve iletişim hizmetleri sağlayıcı firmalarından birinin çevik yazılım geliştirme prensiplerine göre çalışırken hem Hikaye Puanı hem de CFP metriklerini birlikte kullanım deneyimleri paylaşılmış; iki metriğin benzerlikleri ve farklılıkları irdelenmiştir. Sonuç olarak SP metriğinin kapsam boyutlandırma toplantıları sırasında kullanıcı hikayelerinin çevik mantıkla uygun kapsam büyüklüğüne bölünmesinde daha etkin bir araç olduğu, CFP’nin ise çevik ekiplerin ürettiği çıktıların miktarının ve kalitesinin zaman içindeki trendinin ölçülmesinde ve yine çevik ortamlarda dış kaynak hak edişlerinin belirlenmesinde daha başarılı sonuçlar verdiği sonucuna varılmıştır. Ek olarak CFP’nin Efor tahminlemesinde kullanılıp kullanılamayacağı yönünde bir doğrusal regresyon modeli için ön analiz yapılmış ve ilk sonuçlar paylaşılmıştır.Story Point (SP) is one of the most common metric in agile frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban. Although being subjective, story point is very useful for grooming and sizing of the backlog items, cost, squad velocity and capacity estimation. Cosmic Functional Points (CFP) is an objective metric used for estimating the functional scope of the software and it is an ISO standard (ISO 19761). This study investigates the use, similarities and differences of boh SP and CFP in agile software development practices in the largest technology and communications provider of Turkey. As a result, SP is an effective tool for grooming the user stories whereas CFP provides successful results for measuring output of the squad, quality trend and outsource contracts. Also, a preanalysis for a linear regression model of CFP versus effort estimation is conducted in this paper and the initial results are shared.Publisher versio

Çevik yöntemlerde cosmic i̇şlev puanı ve hikaye puanının birlikte kullanımı

Hikaye Puanı (SP: Story Point), Scrum ve Kanban gibi çevik yöntemlerde kullanılan en yaygın metriklerden birisidir. Subjektif bir metrik olsa da kullanışlı ve basit olması nedeniyle çevik ekiplerin birikim listelerinde bulunan kullanıcı hikayelerinin uygun bölümlere ayrılmasında, maliyet tahminlemesinde ve ekiplerin hız ve kapasitelerinin hesaplanmasında yaygın bir şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Cosmic işlev puanı (CFP: Cosmic Function Point) ise yazılım işlevsel kapsam büyüklüğünün ölçümünde kullanılan ve aynı zamanda bir ISO standardı da (ISO 19761) olan objektif bir metriktir. Bu çalışmada Türkiye’nin en büyük teknoloji ve iletişim hizmetleri sağlayıcı firmalarından birinin çevik yazılım geliştirme prensiplerine göre çalışırken hem Hikaye Puanı hem de CFP metriklerini birlikte kullanım deneyimleri paylaşılmış; iki metriğin benzerlikleri ve farklılıkları irdelenmiştir. Sonuç olarak SP metriğinin kapsam boyutlandırma toplantıları sırasında kullanıcı hikayelerinin çevik mantıkla uygun kapsam büyüklüğüne bölünmesinde daha etkin bir araç olduğu, CFP’nin ise çevik ekiplerin ürettiği çıktıların miktarının ve kalitesinin zaman içindeki trendinin ölçülmesinde ve yine çevik ortamlarda dış kaynak hak edişlerinin belirlenmesinde daha başarılı sonuçlar verdiği sonucuna varılmıştır. Ek olarak CFP’nin Efor tahminlemesinde kullanılıp kullanılamayacağı yönünde bir doğrusal regresyon modeli için ön analiz yapılmış ve ilk sonuçlar paylaşılmıştır.Story Point (SP) is one of the most common metric in agile frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban. Although being subjective, story point is very useful for grooming and sizing of the backlog items, cost, squad velocity and capacity estimation. Cosmic Functional Points (CFP) is an objective metric used for estimating the functional scope of the software and it is an ISO standard (ISO 19761). This study investigates the use, similarities and differences of boh SP and CFP in agile software development practices in the largest technology and communications provider of Turkey. As a result, SP is an effective tool for grooming the user stories whereas CFP provides successful results for measuring output of the squad, quality trend and outsource contracts. Also, a preanalysis for a linear regression model of CFP versus effort estimation is conducted in this paper and the initial results are shared.Publisher versio

Towards a novel framework of barriers and drivers for digital transformation in industrial supply chains

© 2019 PICMET. Businesses across all sectors are facing the complexity of an increasingly digital economy. Digital transformation offers vast opportunities to businesses and entire supply chains. While many investments are targeted at the organization level, the supply chain perspective can lead to even greater impacts on business performance. However, as supply chains involve interconnections between multiple actors, comprehensive digitalization initiatives at this level are very complex. Several strategic factors affect decision-making around digital investments. For this reason, a framework that categorizes all these factors is needed in order to help managers build digitalization strategies for their supply chains. In this paper, based on a review of existing literature, we give indications for a framework encompassing barriers to and drivers for digital transformation in the context of industrial supply chains. Our framework preliminarily allocates these factors by using two dimensions. The first one classifies them using several categories: financial, knowledge and skills, regulatory, technological, market, organizational, and cultural. The second dimension classifies determinants at the level on which actions can be made, i.e. market, supply chain, or organization. The framework can support organizations to exploit the opportunities provided by digitalization of supply chains and will help managers understand the complexity involved

Effect of roasting on the physicochemical properties, fatty acids, polyphenols and mineral contents of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed and oils

The physico-chemical properties, phytochemicals, mineral contents of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seeds grown at Samsun province in Turkey were evaluated. The oil contents of tobacco seeds ranged from 20.6% (control) to 29.0% (microwave-roasted). L*, a* and b* values of tobacco seeds ranged from 32.38 to 35.61; from 6.32 to 6.78; from 13.72 to 14.27, respectively. Total phenolic contents of tobacco seed extract and oils were reported between 31.02 (oven-roasted) and 34.42 mg GAE/100 g (microwave-roasted) to 4.60 (microwave-roasted) and 6.45 mg GAE/100 g (oven-roasted), respectively. Total flavonoid values of raw and roasted tobacco seed extract and oils were determined between 26.62 (oven) and 67.10 mg/100 g (control) to 21.57 (control) and 44.71 mg/100 g (microwave-roasted), respectively. Gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and catechin are the predominant phenolic components of raw and roasted tobacco seed oils. The amounts of oleic and linoleic acid in raw and roasted tobacco seed oils ranged from 10.23% (oven-roasted) to 12.48% (control) and 73.72% (control) to 76.63% (oven-roasted), respectively. The abundant elements found in seeds were K, P, Ca, Mg, S and Fe. The mineral amounts of the roasted seeds were found higher than that of the control. The highest increase was detected in oven roasted tobacco seeds

An Investigation of the Suitable Methods for Determining Plant-Available Nitrogen in the Soil of the Konya-Çumra Plain

For determining the plant-available nitrogen in the soil, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the most suitable chemical methods by growing wheat as a test plant. Correlations were calculated between the biological indexes, and nine different chemical methods were used to determine the plant-available nitrogen in the soil being studied. Out of the nine different methods, the NO3-N method is recommended for determining the plant-available nitrogen in the soil of the Cumra plain

Evaluation of Teeth Development in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients in Mixed Dentition by Using Medical Image Control Systems

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the crown and root development in patients with cleft lip and palate using medical software programmes. Materials and Methods: In our study, 25 patients with mixed dentition unilateral cleft lip and palate were examined with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The tomography images obtained as high resolution medical images on the computer control system (MIMICS 15.0, Materialise, Leuven, Belgium and SOLIDWORKS 2014 Premium, Concord, Massachusetts) were converted to three-dimensional volumetric images. These three-dimensional images of the cleft on the sides of the teeth in the crown and root growth were measured by mesiodistal length and crown/root rate with volume and area. These measurements were compared with a control group of healthy individuals. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the volume, surface area and MD size, crown/root ratio of central incisor, canine, first premolar and second premolar teeth within defect, and healthy teeth. However, it was found that there was a significant difference between the volume, surface area and MD size, and crown/root ratio of the lateral teeth in each group. Conclusion: In particular, among patients with cleft lip and palate, on obtaining a solid model of the tooth structure by using these programs, tooth development can be examined in more detail, diagnosis can be made more reliable, as well as in treatment planning. We believe that these programs can be used to resolve certain limitations such as a lack of an application to be used in routine dental treatment and in particular the need to do more study

Micronutrient contents in leaves of poppy cultivars grown with different boron doses

Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) requires greater quantities of boron for its metabolic needs than other cultivated species. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of five boron doses of 0, 1, 3, 9 and 36 kg B ha-1 (as spray of boric acid, H3BO3) in a B-rich calcareous soil (2.84 B mg kg-1) on micronutrient contents in leaves of four poppy cultivars during 2002-2003 growing season. Boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations were measured in poppy leaves at the stage of flowering. The B concentration in the leaves was highly correlated with boron doses, i.e., the leaf B content increased in accordance with increasing B doses applied to the soil. Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn concentrations in the leaves were not changed by the different B levels, however, leaf Fe, Mn, B and Cu concentrations varied with the cultivars. Among the cultivars, Ankara 94 had the highest Mn (96.71 mg kg-1), Karahisar 96 had the highest Cu (6.21 mg kg-1), Kocatepe 96 had the highest B (73.20 mg kg-1) and Afyon Kalesi 95 had the highest Fe (127.37 mg kg-1) concentrations