DTMOS-Based 0.4V Ultra Low-Voltage Low-Power VDTA Design and Its Application to EEG Data Processing

In this paper, an ultra low-voltage, ultra low-power voltage differencing transconductance amplifier (VDTA) is proposed. DTMOS (Dynamic Threshold Voltage MOS) transistors are employed in the design to effectively use the ultra low supply voltage. The proposed VDTA is composed of two operational transconductance amplifiers operating in the subthreshold region. Using TSMC 0.18µm process technology parameters with symmetric ±0.2V sup¬ply voltage, the total power consumption of the VDTA block is found as just 5.96 nW when the transconductances have 3.3 kHz, 3 dB bandwidth. The proposed VDTA circuit is then used in a fourth-order double-tuned band-pass filter for processing real EEG data measurements. The filter achieves close to 64 dB dynamic range at 2% THD with a total power consumption of 12.7 nW

Maternal placi protein levels in early- and late-onset preeclampsia

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the maternal PLAC1 protein levels in early and late onset preec­lampsia. Material and methods: A total of 135 pregnant women were included in the study, of which 55 were at < 34 weeks of gesta­tion and 80 were at ≥ 34 weeks of gestation, between June and November 2014 were recruited in this case control study. Results: Analysis of maternal serum PLAC1 levels did not reveal any significant differences between early onset PE and controls (p = 0.422). However, late onset PE patients exhibited significantly elevated levels of PLAC1, in comparison with healthy controls (p = 0.026). The difference in PLAC1 levels between early onset PE and late onset PE was also significant (p = 0.001). Area under ROC curve of PLAC1 for early and late onset PE was 0.563 and 0.646 with p values of 0.422 and 0.026 respectively. Area under ROC curve of PLAC1 in PE was 0.613 with p value = 0.024. The cutoff value for PLAC1 was 6.19 ng/mL with sensitivity: 56% (95% CI 44.1–67.3) and specificity: 63 %; (95% CI 49.9–75.1) and diagnostic odds ratio: 2.2 (95% CI 1.1–4.4) (p value = 0.037). The cutoff value for PLAC1 was 7.2 ng/mL with sensitivity: 43% (95% CI 31.5–54.6) and specificity: 78% (95% CI 65.5–87.5) and diagnostic odds ratio: 2.69 (95% CI 1.25–5.79) (p value = 0.016) Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of the current study showed that PLAC1 protein levels were significantly elevated in pregnant women with late onset PE in comparison with healthy control group

Between a rock and a hard place: corporate elites in the context of religion and secularism in Turkey

Drawing on discourse analyses of 36 in-depth interviews with elite business people from Turkey, the study identifies the networking patterns of new and established business elites in the context of economic liberalization and socioreligious transformation of the country. Through a comparative analysis of the so-called secular and religious elite networks, we demonstrate the role of institutional actors such as the government, and identity networks, based on religion and place of birth in shaping the form and content of social networks among business elites in Turkey. In order to achieve this, we operationalize Bourdieu's notion of theory of practice and Granovetter's theory of social networks, illustrating the utility of combining these approaches in explicating the form and content of social networks in their situated contexts, in which power and divergent interests are negotiated.Galatasaray University Research Fund [grant number 12.102.005]

Determination of normal splenic volume in relation to age, gender and body habitus: a stereological study on computed tomography

Background: The aim of this study is to assess and document the dimensions of the normal spleen measured on computed tomography (CT) images with the normal splenic volume measured by Cavalieri principle on CT images and thereby serve as a baseline for comparison in cases of splenomegaly using abdominal CT. To investigate the relationship between these changes and body mass index, gender, abdominal diameters.Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT examinations of 212 adults between the ages of 20 and 88 years. There were seven groups of patients. The spleen volume (SV) measurements using abdominal CT images of each patient on the Image Information Systems were performed with Cavalieri principle.Results: The mean SV and splenic length (SL), width (SW), and thickness (ST) for the total study population of 212 patients was 198 ± 88 cm3, 9.96 ± 2.1 cm, 8.87 ±± 1.6 cm and 4.58 ± 0.8 cm, respectively. There was a strong correlation between SV and ST (r = 0.752, p < 0.001), SL (r = 0.735, p < 0.001), SW (r = 0.681,p < 0.001) mean values of total study population. Comparison between mean splenic dimension parameters for males and females showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.032 for SV, p = 0.04 for ST) but no statistically significant difference with SL and SW. Also there was a positive correlation between SV and body height, sagittal abdominal diameter and transvers abdominal diameter in mean of total groups and female groups, there was no correlation in males.Conclusions: The normal reference ranges for SV and size given in this study canserve as a standard to judge whether splenomegaly is present in patients

Volumetric evaluation of fat in the renal sinus in normal subjects using stereological method on computed tomography images and its relationship with body composition

Background: The aim of the study was: to describe a simple, accurate and practical technique for estimating the volume of adipose tissue within the renal sinus (RS) using stereological method on computed tomography (CT) images; to establish a population database for volume of fat within the RS from 21 to 80 years of age; to investigate the effect of age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and abdominal diameters on RS fat volume in normal subjects.Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT examinations of 240 patients without renal pathology between the ages of 21 and 80 years. There were 6 groups of patients, with 40 patients for each decade.Results: RS fat volumes in the left and right kidney were 5.70 ± 2.87 cm3 and 4.15 ± 2.39 cm3, respectively, in males and 3.51 ± 2.67 cm3 and 2.49 ± 2.16 cm3, respectively, in females. RS fat volume and age were positively correlated for both kidneys (left: r = 0.46; right: r = 0.44; p < 0.001, both), though it appeared to decline after age 70.Conclusions: Quantitative data may allow clinicians to better estimate the age-related RS fat volume changes and help them in decision making

The determination of the pituitary gland, optic chiasm, and intercavernous distance measurements in healthy subjects according to age and gender

Background: This paper was undertaken to determine the morphometry of pituitary gland diameter, pituitary gland height, intercavernous distance, optic chiasm diameter and optic chiasm height in skulls of Turkish population aged between 18 and 60 years. Materials and methods: It was a retrospective study in which 292 subjects were included 187 females and 105 males, ranging from 18 up to 60 years. Subjects underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging in the Radiology Department. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 21.00 programme. ANOVA test, χ2 test, and Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine the relation and significance between measurements and age group. The p < 0.05 value was considered as significant. Results: The groups were divided into five groups according to age. The overall means and standard deviations of the measurements were: pituitary gland width, 13.09 ± 1.99 mm; pituitary gland height, 4.91 ± 1.10 mm; intercavernous distance, 15.93 ± 3.05 mm; optic chiasm width, 12.82 ± 1.27 mm; and optic chiasm height, 2.80 ± 0.49 mm in females, respectively whereas, the same measurements were 12.96 ± 1.74 mm; 4.79 ± 0.95 mm; 16.08 ± 3.11 mm; 13.13 ± 1.37 mm; 2.86 ± 0.70 mm in males, respectively. Height of the pituitary gland reached a maximum in the age group of 18 to 20 years in both females and males and there was a decrease in the pituitary gland height in the subsequent age groups. Conclusions: Knowledge of the variation in the size of pituitary gland, intercavernous distance and optic chiasm is important to evaluate the dimensions of these structures for clinical and pathological processes

A wideband linear tunable CDTA and its application in field programmable analogue array

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Hu, Z., Wang, C., Sun, J. et al. ‘A wideband linear tunable CDTA and its application in field programmable analogue array’, Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, Vol. 88 (3): 465-483, September 2016. Under embargo. Embargo end date: 6 June 2017. The final publication is available at Springer via https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10470-016-0772-7 © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016In this paper, a NMOS-based wideband low power and linear tunable transconductance current differencing transconductance amplifier (CDTA) is presented. Based on the NMOS CDTA, a novel simple and easily reconfigurable configurable analogue block (CAB) is designed. Moreover, using the novel CAB, a simple and versatile butterfly-shaped FPAA structure is introduced. The FPAA consists of six identical CABs, and it could realize six order current-mode low pass filter, second order current-mode universal filter, current-mode quadrature oscillator, current-mode multi-phase oscillator and current-mode multiplier for analog signal processing. The Cadence IC Design Tools 5.1.41 post-layout simulation and measurement results are included to confirm the theory.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

The influence of religion over work ethic values : the case of Islam and Turkish SME owner-managers

The aim of this thesis is to explore the influence of religion on the work ethic values of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owner-managers in Turkey. The emergence of religious/pious business people in Turkey has been regarded as a phenomenon. This research pays special attention to the religious transformation and secularism in Turkey. It is based on semi-structured qualitative interviews with 32 Turkish SME owner-managers. The sample of the study has been divided into two groups: The practicing Muslim Turkish managers (the religious group), and non/less practicing Muslim Turkish managers (the secular group). Discourse analysis of the qualitative data, first, clarifies where to seek the religious influence on business activities. It indicates that the influence of religion should be sought within individuals‘ conduct/manner of living leading the moral values and the mentalities of the business people, rather than seeking cause and affect relationship. The contemporary Islamic interpretation in Turkey, as it is called Turkish/Anatolian interpretation of Islam, is found to re-shape the existing teachings of the religion and reproduce the religious structure through the practices. In this respect, five distinguishing characteristics emerged as signs of the religious influence behind the pious business people‘s actions: Hard work as an Islamic duty, good will (intention), responsibility, bounty/benevolence and the balance/equilibrium in one‘s life. It is also observed that the new Islamic discourse in Turkey provides moral energy exclusively for the religious business people in terms of influencing and encouraging entrepreneurial activities. Meanwhile, the study demonstrates that the work ethic values of the religious Turkish SME owner-managers have been evolving to be more rational and professional, especially after the 1980s liberal economy. This transformation has been evaluated within the concept of secularisation.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Direct imaging of changes in aerosol particle viscosity upon hydration and chemical aging

Organic aerosol particles (OA) play major roles in atmospheric chemistry, climate, and public health. Aerosol particle viscosity is highly important since it can determine the ability of chemical species such as oxidants, organics or water to diffuse into the particle bulk. Recent measurements indicate that OA may be present in highly viscous states, however, diffusion rates of small molecules such as water are not limited by these high viscosities. Direct observational evidence of kinetic barriers caused by high viscosity and low diffusivity in aerosol particles were not available until recently; and techniques that are able to dynamically quantify and track viscosity changes during atmospherically relevant processes are still unavailable for atmospheric aerosols. Here we report quantitative, real-time, online observations of microscopic viscosity changes in aerosol particles of atmospherically relevant composition, using fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of viscosity. We show that microviscosity in ozonated oleic acid droplets and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles formed by ozonolysis of myrcene increases substantially with decreasing humidity and atmospheric oxidative aging processes. Furthermore, we found unexpected heterogeneities of microviscosity inside individual aerosol particles. The results of this study enhance our understanding of organic aerosol processes on microscopic scales and may have important implications for the modeling of atmospheric aerosol growth, composition and interactions with trace gases and clouds.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Career Acceleration Fellowship (Grant ID: EP/I003983/1), Prize studentship), Natural Environment Research Council (Studentship NE/J500070/1), European Research Council (Grant ID: 279405), Max Planck Society, European Union project PEGASOS (Grant ID: 265148

Investigation of Changes in Mechanical Properties and Microstructures of Mild Steel Joint by Oxy-Hydrogen Welding

In this paper, in order to see weldability behaviour of mild steels joint by the oxy-hydrogen welding technique, an investigation of changes in mechanical properties and microstructures of mild steel is carried out. The specimens with 1.5 mm thickness and 125 mm length are welded by using both the oxyhydrogen and oxy-acetylene gases. Microstructural analysis is carried out on the cross sectional area of the welding zone in order to compare the changes in weld metals and the heat affected zones in terms of the welding gases. Experimental results of the tensile strength and microhardness obtained with mechanical tests show that samples welded with oxy-acetylene exhibited 10% higher yield strength than that of the samples welded with oxy-hydrogen. However, the oxy-hydrogen welding technique can be used as an alternative to the oxy-acetylene welding, since it has advantageous of being clean and economic.С целью выяснения качества сварного шва на малоуглеродистой стали, полученного водород-кислородной сваркой, проведено исследование изменений механических свойств и микроструктуры данного типа стали. Образцы толщиной 1,5 мм и длиной 125 мм сваривались как водород-кислородной, так и ацетиленокислородной сваркой. Был проведён микроструктурный анализ поперечного сечения зоны сварки с целью сравнения изменений в металле шва и зоне термического влияния в зависимости от сварочного газа. Экспериментальные результаты по пределу прочности при растяжении и микротвёрдости, полученные при механических испытаниях, показали, что образцы, сваренные ацетиленокислородной сваркой, имеют прочность при растяжении на 10% выше, чем водород-кислородной. Однако водород-кислородная сварка может быть использована как альтернатива ацетиленокислородной сварке, так как она имеет преимущества по чистоте и экономичности.З метою з’ясування якости зварюваного шва на маловуглецевій сталі, виробленого водневокисневим зварюванням, виконано дослідження змін механічних властивостей і мікроструктури даного типу сталі. Зразки товщиною у 1,5 мм та довжиною у 125 мм зварювалися як водневокисневим, так і ацетиленокисневим зварюванням. Виконано мікроструктурну аналізу поперечного перерізу зони зварювання з метою порівняння змін у металі шва та зоні термічного впливу в залежності від зварювального газу. Експериментальні результати стосовно границі міцности при розтягу та мікротвердости, одержані під час механічних випробувань, показали, що зразки, зварені ацетиленокисневим зварюванням, мають міцність при розтягу, на 10% вищу, ніж зварені водневокисневою газовою сумішшю. Однак водневокисневе зварювання може бути використано як альтернатива ацетиленокисневому зварюванню завдяки його перевазі за чистотою та економічністю