Computer-Aided Detection of COVID-19 from CT Images Based on Gaussian Mixture Model and Kernel Support Vector Machines Classifier

COVID-19 is a virus that has been declared an epidemic by the world health organization and causes more than 2 million deaths in the world. To achieve this, computer-aided automatic diagnosis systems are created on medical images. In this study, an image processing and machine learning-based method is proposed that enables segmenting of CT images taken from COVID-19 patients and automatic detection of the virus through the segmented images. The main purpose of the study is to automatically diagnose the COVID-19 virus. The study consists of three basic steps: preprocessing, segmentation and classification. Image resizing, image sharpening, noise removal, contrast stretching processes are included in the preprocessing phase and segmentation of images with Expectation–Maximization-based Gaussian Mixture Model in the segmentation phase. In the classification stage, COVID-19 is classified as positive and negative by using kNN, decision tree, and two different ensemble methods together with the kernel support vector machines method. In the study, two different CT datasets that are open to the public and a mixed dataset created by combining these datasets were used. The best accuracy values for Dataset-1, Dataset-2 and Mixed Dataset are 98.5%, 86.3%, 94.5%, respectively. The achieved results prove that the proposed approach advances state-of-the-art performance. Within the scope of the study, a GUI that can automatically detect COVID-19 has been created. © 2021, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.21.317, NKUBAP.06This work was supported by Research Fund of the Tekirdag Nam?k Kemal University. Project Number: NKUBAP.06.GA.21.317This work was supported by Research Fund of the Tekirdag Namık Kemal University. Project Number: NKUBAP.06.GA.21.31

INFORMATION POLLUTION, MANIPULATION AND ETHICS IN THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

The relevance of everything exchanged in the virtual world has grown in tandem with the advancement of technology and its growing presence in human existence. The usage of social media and the speed has risen as the prevalence and availability of information or news among people of the transmitting elements, knowledge, or who needs to know the person or institution with high demand has increased. Messages, both written and augmented with visual features, have expanded the scope of human life's ability to "communicate." Everyone who embraces journalism as a career has used visual components to support it and understands why a news article has an influence on people. In reality, the endeavor to get chosen news articles in front of everyone by complementing the content with visual elements in a virtual environment puts the phrase "manipulation" back to the forefront in the news and in information transfer methods. The application of information pollution methods on information, news, or visual assets in anything from sports to art creates new threats. The most essential element of mainstream media, as is well recognized, is its one-sidedness. However, today's rapidly evolving new media has placed the individual in the role of both transmitter and receiver. Politicians, celebrities, institutions, and organizations all utilize social media, which is mostly used by young people. The issue of accessing news or information, as well as misleading, deceiving, or manipulating the transmission of acquired material, has been highlighted today thanks to social media, whose speed and audience size have reached amazing heights thanks to satellite technology. The virtual world, which is highly entangled in ethical dilemmas, makes us doubt the area's dependability and the correctness of information flow. The challenges of information pollution and manipulation in the virtual world will be investigated utilizing sample news in this study. A survey research developed for senior students of Girne American University’s  Faculty of Communication also supports the subject's substance

Cytokine expression pattern of human T lymphocytes in response to A. actinomycetemcomitans groel protein

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir, 2009Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 21-23)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishix, 23 leavesActinobacillus (Aggregatibacter) actinomycetemicomitans is a bacterium that plays important role in Periodontitis. Recent publications have correlated AaGroEL (A.actinomycetemcomitans GroEL Protein) protein with periodontal pathologies however, how does this protein affect T lymphocytes and the profile of T lymphocytes. immune response, are not reported yet. Within this thesis project, AaGroEL protein is produced as its recombinant form. The effects of AaGroEL protein, after it is obtained, have been investigated on naive T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. In this research, the proliferative and activating effects of AaGroEL protein on T lymphocytes were determined by investigating the expression of CD25 and CD69 cell surface molecules. AaGroEL protein has an effect on CD4+ T lymphocytes and depending on time, it increases CD25 and CD69 expression. Additionally, it was found that, CD4+CD25+T cells are negative for FOXP3. The cytokines of CD4+ T lymphocytes were profiled. Firstly, the cytokines that were released by PBMC.s on culture supernatant were determined. Following AaGroEL stimulation, IL-6, IL-10, IFNg ve TNF. were secreted to the supernatant. Intracellular cytokine staining was applied to determine the source of those cytokines which was found that CD4+ T cells produce those cytokines as well as nonlymphocytes and B or/and CD8+ cells also secrete them. IL-2 was secreted by CD4+ T lymphocytes only. These findings have demonstrated us; AaGroEL protein activates naive CD4+ T cells towards Th1 response. In conclusion, AaGroEL protein has an antigenic effect on T lymphocytes, regulates immune response and play important role on periodontal pathology

Use opportunities of different aggregates and nutrient solutions in lilium growing

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different Nutrition Solution formulations (NS) and aggregates (substrate) which are used as growing substrate on the quality of flower stalk, plant growth and bulb development, on lilium cultivation as cut flower. The study is performed as Nutrition Trial and Substrate Trial. The Nutrition Trial is carried out in spring and autumn periods whereas Substrate Trial is carried out in only spring period and in autumn, the cultivar of Lilium LA hybrids "Ercolano”, in spring, the cultivar of Lilium LA hybrids "Ceb Dazzle" were used. In Nutrition Trials, 4 different NS which of each included different dose of macro and micro nutrient elements, were used, whereas in Substrate Trail 9 different substrates as Chestnut shell + Perlite (1:1), Peanut shell + Perlite (1:1), Sand + Peanut Shell (1:1), Perlit, Chestnut shell + Sand (1:1), soil + Organic Manure + Peat (Control) (1:1:1), Peat + Sand (1:1), Cocopeat, Volcanic Tuff were used. In the study, plant lenght parameters related to the lilium plants growth, some parameters related to the growth of mother bulb and bulblets formed on bulb and stem, and some parameters such as flower stalk lenght, flower stalk diameter, number of nods, length and number of leaves, fresh and dry weight of flower stalks, number of flower buds, lenght of flower buds; diameter of flower and vase life related to the quality of flower stalks, have been set in order to determine the affects of Formulation of Nutrition Solution and aggregates on flower lilium cultivation. When the results are evaluated generally, it is concluded that the best results are obtained from the mixture of perlite+peanut shell (1:1) in Substrate Trial. In Nutrition Trial it was found that there were no differences in respect to the flower quality and plant growth among the NSs used in autumn period, whereas in spring period, the highest values were obtained from NS-1 application that includes 210 ppm N, 31 ppm P, 234 ppm K, 48 ppm Mg, 160 ppm Ca, 64 ppm S, 2,5 ppm Fe, 0,5 ppm Mn, 0.5 ppm B, 0,02 ppm Cu, 0,05 ppm Zn and 0.01 ppm Mo, in respect to the flower stalk and leaf length, flower stalk fresh and dry weight of flower stalk and lenght of flower bud criterias.Bu çalışma, farklı Besin Solüsyon Formülasyonlarının (BS) ve yetiştirme ortamı olarak kullanılan agregatların kesme çiçek lilium yetiştiriciliğinde çiçek dalı kalitesi, bitki gelişimi ve soğan gelişimi üzerine etkilerini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma, Besin Denemesi ve Ortam Denemesi olarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. . Besin denemesi sonbahar ve ilkbahar dönemlerinde; ortam denemesi ise sadece ilkbahar döneminde yürütülmüş ve Sonbaharda Lilium LA hybrids "Ercolano", İlkbaharda Lilium LA hybrids "Ceb Dazzle" çeşitleri kullanılmıştır. Besin denemelerinde farklı dozlarda makro ve mikro besin elementleri içeren 4 farklı BS; ortam denemesinde ise kestane kabuğu + perlit (1:1), yerfıstığı kabuğu + perlit (1:1), kum + yerfıstığı kabuğu (1:1), perlit, kestane kabuğu + kum (1:1), bahçe toprağı + ahır gübresi + torf (Kontrol)(1:1:1), torf + kum (1:1), hindistan cevizi kabuğu, curuf olmak üzere 9 farklı ortam kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada, bitki gelişimi ile ilişkin olarak bitki boyu; soğan gelişimi ile ilgili olarak ana ve yavru soğan gelişimine ilişkin bazı parametreler ile çiçek dalı kalitesi ile ilgili çiçek dalı uzunluğu, çapı, boğum sayısı, yaprak sayısı ve uzunluğu, çiçek dalı yaş ve kuru ağırlığı, kandil sayısı, kandil uzunluğu, çiçek çapı ve vazo ömrüne ilişkin değerler belirlenmiştir. Denemeden elde edilen sonuçlar genel olarak değerlendirildiğinde; Ortam Denemesinde perlit + yerfıstığı kabuğu (1:1) karışımından en iyi sonuçların elde edildiği belirlenmiştir. Besin Denemesinde ise sonbahar döneminde kullanılan BS’ler arasında çiçek kalitesi ve bitki gelişimi açısından farklılık görülmediği, ancak ilkbahar döneminde, çiçek dalı ve yaprak uzunluğu, çiçek dalı yaş ve kuru ağırlığı ile kandil uzunluğu kriterleri açısından 210 ppm N, 31 ppm P, 234 ppm K, 48 ppm Mg, 160 ppm Ca, 64 ppm S, 2,5 ppm Fe, 0,5 ppm Mn, 0.5 ppm B, 0,02 ppm Cu, 0,05 ppm Zn ve 0.01 ppm Mo içeren BS-1 uygulamasından en yüksek değerlerinin elde edildiği saptanmıştır

The aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans heat shock protein GroEL interacts directly with human peripheral blood T cells

Heat shock family protein GroEL of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) has antigenic properties. We previously demonstrated that A. actinomycetemcomitans GroEL-like protein affects human CD4 T cells by converting them into IL-10 and IFNg double cytokine producing Tbet+ Th1 cells. The objective of this study was to investigate whether or not AaGroEL communicates with T cells directly. To do this, sorted cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with AaGroEL for 48 h. Flow cytometry was used to measure soluble and intracellular cytokine expression in the cell cultures and detect TLR2 expression on the surface of T cells. Expression of six different soluble cytokines was evaluated by CBA assay. To determine whether AaGroEL affects CD3+ T cells directly or not, purified CD3+ T cells or CD14+ cells were cultured with AaGroEL separately, and the quantity of soluble cytokine was measured. Results showed that sorted CD3+ cells produced soluble IL-6, TNFα-and IFNγ cytokines. Additionally, the intracellular cytokine staining data showed that AaGroEL-stimulated CD3+ cells were also TNFα-and IFNγ-positive. Moreover, AaGroEL-responsive T cells slightly increased their TLR2 expression. These findings suggest that CD3+ T cells produce cytokines in response to AaGroEL protein without requirements for other cells, such as CD14+ monocytes.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK 106T417

An exploratory view of the foundations of foreign trade entrepreneurship

This study aims to reveal the foreign trade entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial tendency in the context of economic nationalism which expresses a protective approach in terms of foreign trade policy which is one of the main components of the policy of economics. The study was designed as a single case study from qualitative research designs. The sample of the study consists of foreign trade entrepreneurs who have been in foreign trade for at least five years and who are in the industry as a producer/manufacturer. In the study, the semi-structured interview technique was used for the data gathering process. A purposeful sampling technique was used in order to determine enterprises and individuals to conduct interviews. The findings of the data analysis showed that the foreign trade policy adopted by the individual is the basis of the commercial activity. The result of the study was examined in two dimensions as “foreign trade entrepreneurship” and “international entrepreneurship”. It shows that the companies are predominantly foreign trade entrepreneurs in the context of evaluating the income obtained from abroad, benefiting from incentives, future targets, opportunities and threats of foreign commercial activities. For this reason, the finding obtained reveals that the firms subject to the study are mainly economically nationalist. Considering this, it is suggested to support foreign trade entrepreneurs, who act mainly with an economically nationalist motivation, to find new market opportunities abroad, to increase the government incentives for bringing the foreign currency revenues to the country and to facilitate the access of companies to them

Potemkin Mutiny of 1905 and Sultan Abdulhamid II

1905 yazı, Uzak Doğu’da Japonlar karşısında Rus ordusunun yenilgisini netleştirirken, Çarlık Rusyasında yılbaşında yeni bir aşamaya giren devrim hareketlerini de, yükseltmeye başlamıştır. Karadeniz’de isyan eden Potemkin zırhlısının oluşturduğu gerilim, Osmanlı ülkesinde tepeden tırnağa hissedilirken, Sultan Abdülhamid kuzey komşusunda çıkan krizi en az zararla atlatabilme ve bundan faydalanma yolları aramış ve bulmuştur.As the defeat of Russian Army was getting clarified against the Japanese in the Far East in summer 1905, it also began to upgrade the revolutionary movement that drew into a new stage in the begining of the new year in Tsarist Russia. While the tension that The Battleship Potemkin generated rebelling in Black Sea, was perceived through and through in the Ottoman country, Sultan Abdulhamid II looked for a ways to overcome the crisis arisen in his northern neighbour with the least loss and benefit from it and came up with them

Siyasi Lider Söylemlerinin Vatandaşların Siyasi Parti Tercihi Üzerindeki Olası Etkileri: 2011 Genel Seçimlere Yönelik Bir Alan Araştırması

Demokratik toplumlarda siyasi partiler, seçimleri kazanmak için yarışlar. Seçimler, hem siyasi partilerin geleceği hem de toplumun geleceği üzerinde etkili ve yön verici oldukları için, her bir siyasi parti, seçmen tercihini etkileyebilmek amacıyla yoğun çaba sarf etmektedirler. Nitekim bir siyasi partinin iktidar partisi mi yoksa muhalefet partisi mi olacağına seçmenler karar vermektedir. Bu açıdan siyasi partiler açısından seçmenlerin oy verme davranışları üzerinde hangi faktörlerin nasıl bir etki ettiğini bilmek büyük önem taşımaktadır. Dolaysıyla siyasi partiler, seçmen tercihinde etkili olan faktörlerin neler olabileceği konusunda kamuoyu araştırma şirketlerine anketler yaptırmaktadırlar. Konuya ilişkin anket çalışmalarının sayısı hayli yüksektir. Ancak buna karşılık akademik çalışmaların sayısı hayli düşüktür. Türk seçmeninin oy verme davranışını etkileyen faktörlerin neler olduğu sorusu akademik çalışmalara son yıllarda konu olmaya başlamıştır. Türkiye’de mevcut çalışmaların çoğu, siyasi iletişim ve etkin kampanya planlamasına ilişkindir. Aday imajı ve bu kapsamda adayların söylemlerinin seçmenlerin oy verme davranışı üzerinde etkisi olup olmadığı sorusu, araştırmalarda yeni yeni gündeme gelmektedir. Araştırmalar, seçmen davranışını etkileyen birçok faktörün bulunduğunu ve bunlar arasında liderlerin söylemlerinin de seçmen davranışlarını etkileyici faktörler arasında yer aldığına işaret etmektedir. Bu araştırma, 2011 Genel Milletvekili Seçimlerinde siyasi parti liderlerinin söylemlerinin ve özellikle de siyasi rakiplerine ilişkin çeşitli vesilelerle kullandıkları söylemlerinin seçmen davranışı üzerindeki olası etkilerini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Bu amaçla Türkiye’deki toplam seçmen nüfusunu temsil edecek şekilde belirlenen 50 ilden tesadüfi örneklem yöntemi ile seçilen 5000 kişi ile yüz yüze görüşmek suretiyle anket gerçekleştirilmiştir.Anahtar sözcükler: Siyasi sistem, siyasi imaj, siyasi lider, siyasi söylem

Vasilios Nikoltsios and Yannis Mylonas, Memorabilia of the Balkan Wars, Uniforms, Medals and Heirlooms from the Belligerent Armies of 1912-1913

2015 yılında iki Yunan askeri müzecilik uzmanı 1912-1913 Balkan Savaşlarının harp hatıra materyallerine ilişkin bir kitap yayınlamışlardır. Önsöz ve girişin yanısıra kitap, iki savaşın düşman ordularının üniformaları, madalyaları ve özel eşyalarına altı bölüm ayırmıştır. Kitap özel eşyaların yüksek kalitedeki renkli fotoğrafları, çizimleri ve kısa açıklamaları ile doludur. Bu derlemenin kaynakları, Yunan askeri müzelerinin koleksiyonları ve yazarlardan biri olan Nikoltsios’un kişisel koleksiyonudur. “Balkan Savaşlarından Geriye Kalanlar” yazarların müzecilik deneyimini, görsel materyalin tasarım ve sunumundaki artistik, estetik algı ve uslubunu yansıtır

Faydacı ve hazcı alışveriş motivasyonlarının online satın alma niyeti üzerine etkisi

06.03.2018 tarihli ve 30352 sayılı Resmi Gazetede yayımlanan “Yükseköğretim Kanunu İle Bazı Kanun Ve Kanun Hükmünde Kararnamelerde Değişiklik Yapılması Hakkında Kanun” ile 18.06.2018 tarihli “Lisansüstü Tezlerin Elektronik Ortamda Toplanması, Düzenlenmesi ve Erişime Açılmasına İlişkin Yönerge” gereğince tam metin erişime açılmıştır.Gelişen teknoloji ile birlikte tüketiciler geleneksel alışveriş ortamından online alışveriş ortamına geçiş yapmaktadır. İnternet birçok alışkanlığı etkilediği gibi tüketicilerin satın alma niyetlerine yönelik motivasyonlarını da etkilemekte ve tüketiciler online alışverişte hem hazcı (hedonik) hem de faydacı motivasyonların etkisi altında kalmaktadır. Bu nedenle çalışmamızda, tüketicileri online alışverişte belirli bir mal veya hizmeti satın almaya motive eden faydacı ve hazcı alışveriş motivasyonlarının online satın alma niyeti üzerine etkisi incelenmiştir. Bu bağlamda çalışmada online alışveriş yapan tüketicilerin alışveriş sıklıkları ve en son alışveriş zamanları incelenerek online alışverişin geleneksel alışverişe göre üstünlükleri ve avantajları incelenmiş online alışverişte tüketicilerin karşılaştıkları sorunlar ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Ayrıca online alışverişte en çok satın alınan ürünlerin hazcı ve faydacı yönleri belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu bağlamda, 2014 yılında Ağustos - Kasım aylarında kolayda örnekleme yöntemiyle online alışveriş yapan 481 katılımcıya anket çalışması uygulanmıştır. Veriler Yapısal Eşitlik Modellemesi (YEM) yöntemiyle analiz edilmiş ve bulgular hem hazcı hem de faydacı alışveriş motivasyonlarının online satın alma niyeti üzerinde etkisi olduğunu göstermiştir. Faydacı alışveriş motivasyonlarının online satın alma niyeti üzerinde hazcı alışveriş motivasyonlarına görece etkisi daha fazla bulunmuştur. Anahtar Kelimeler: Hazcı Alışveriş Motivasyonları, Faydacı Alışveriş Motivasyonları, Online Satın Alma Niyeti, Online AlışverişThanks to developing technology, consumers start to prefer online shopping to traditional shopping. Since the Internet affects many habits as well as purchase motivation of consumers, consumers are affected by hedonic and utilitarian motivations while they shop online. For this reason, hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations that urge consumers buy a certain product or a service when they shop online was researched by us in order to see how they affect online purchase intention.On our work, we researched shopping frequencies and the latest shopping times of consumers that shop online. Concordantly, we could research the superiorities and advantages of online shopping than traditional shopping. Apart from this, we tried to reveal the problems of consumers that they see when they shop online. Also, we tried to determine hedonic and utilitarian directions of the products that are bought most.For that purpose, the questionnaire study was performed to 481 participants that shop online with the method of convenience sampling between August and November in 2014. The datas were analyzed by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and the findings showed that both online hedonic and utilitarian shopping motivations affect online purchase intention. There are much more effects on online purchase intention of online utilitarian shopping motivations than online hedonic shopping motivations. Keywords: Hedonic Shopping Motivations, Utilitarian Shopping Motivations, Online, Purchease Intention, Online Shoppin