Resolution enhancement of video sequences by using discrete wavelet transform and illumination compensation

This research paper proposes a new technique for video resolution enhancement that employees an illumination compensation procedure before the registration process. After the illumination compensation process, the respective frames are registered using the Irani and Peleg technique. In parallel, the corresponding frame is decomposed into high-frequency (low-high, high-low, and high-high) and low-frequency (low-low) subbands using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). The high-frequency subbands are superresolved using bicubic interpolation. Afterwards, the interpolated high-frequency subbands and superresolved low-frequency subband obtained by registration are used to construct the high-resolution frame using inverse DWT. The superiority of the proposed resolution enhancement method over well-known video superresolution techniques is shown with quantitative experimental results. For the Akiyo video sequence, there are improvements of 2.26 dB when compared to the average peak signal-to-noise ratio obtained by the state-of-the-art resolution technique proposed by Vandewalle

Designing a valid EFL-specific teacher evaluation form for students' ratings

Ankara : The Department of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Bilkent University, 2011.Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 2011.Includes bibliographical references leaves 89-92.Teacher evaluation forms (TEF) for students‟ ratings have been used since the1920s. Many researchers have been questioning the validity of such forms since then. There have been many attempts to design field-specific TEFs in several studies. The present study aims to design a valid EFL-specific TEF for students‟ ratings. The instruments of the study are an online questionnaire, three versions of the teacher evaluation form and the form itself (the final version of the form). The participants are 392 students from different proficiency levels (elementary, lower intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced) and 21 teachers at Anadolu University School of Foreign Languages (AUSFL), and three teachers from different universities. The information gathered from the online questionnaire and the semi-structured interviews on the three versions of the form was analyzed qualitatively, and a final version of the form was designed. The piloting of the final version of the form was analyzed quantitatively. The qualitative analysis showed that the current TEF for students‟ ratings at AUSFL was not satisfactory, and the literature on effective teacher behaviors and the distinctive features of language teachers provide a good basis for designing the new form. The quantitative findings of the study showed that the final version of the form was highly reliable, though many items were positively skewed, showing that they may not be ideal for distinguishing between teachers. The factor analysis of the form in this study revealed only a single factor, suggesting that students do not distinguish between various aspects of good teaching; this situation may be inferred as evidence for a halo effect in student‟s ratings.Özçınar, AyçaM.S

Ict teachers’ visual programming teaching experiences

Since computational thinking is being discussed as a necessary skill for 21st century, many countries decided to integrate visual programming into the elementary school curricula. This study aims to investigate “teaching to code at elementary school level” through the opinions of teachers who have chosen to teach coding as a part of ICT and Software course. The research used a mixed methodology approach, and data were collected through interviews with ICT teachers and followed by a survey. Findings revealed that teachers use various strategies for introducing the coding concept, teach the lesson through examples from daily life, game development, and group studies. Based on interview data, the individual differences of students in terms of overall academic achievement status and interest in coding seemed to be important for coding lessons. Furthermore, findings indicate that learning to code may contribute to students’ development on problem solving, logical thinking, and algorithm design skills, creativity and productivity. © 2017, Ankara University. All rights reserved

Bilişim Teknolojileri Öğretmenlerinin Görsel Programlama Öğretimi Deneyimleri

Hesaplamalı düşünmenin (computational thinking) her öğrencinin kazanması gereken bir “21 yüzyıl becerisi” olduğu düşüncesi bir çok ülkenin ilköğretim düzeyindeki öğretim programlarına görsel kodlama derslerinin dahil olmasını sağlamıştır. Bu araştırma da, halihazırda bilişim teknolojileri dersinde görsel programlama öğretimi yapan öğretmenlerin gözünden  ilköğretimde görsel programlama öğretiminin incelenmesini amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma karma yöntem araştırma yaklaşımıyla yürütülmüş; öğretmenlerle yüz yüze görüşmeler sonrasında bir anket geliştirilerek uygulanmıştır. Bulgular, öğretmenlerin, programlamaya giriş amacıyla birbirlerinden farklı yöntemler kullandıklarını, gerçek hayattan örnekler, oyun tasarımı ve grup çalışmalarıyla ders işlediklerini, öğrencilerin genel akademik başarı durumları ve programlamaya ilgi düzeyleri arasındaki farklılıkların önemli olduğunu ortaya çıkarmıştır. Ayrıca programlamanın, öğrencilerin problem çözme, mantık yürütme ve algoritma oluşturma gibi farklı alanlardaki becerilerinin, yaratıcılık ve üreticiliklerinin gelişmesine katkı sağlayabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır

Cost-Effectiveness of Breast Cancer Screening in Turkey, a Developing Country: Results from Bahçeşehir Mammography Screening Project

Objective: We used the results from the first three screening rounds of Bahcesehir Mammography Screening Project (BMSP), a 10-year (20092019) and the first organized population-based screening program implemented in a county of Istanbul, Turkey, to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of a population-based mammography screening program in Turkey. Materials and Methods: Two screening strategies were compared: BMSP (includes three biennial screens for women between 40-69) and Turkish National Breast Cancer Registry Program (TNBCRP) which includes no organized population-based screening. Costs were estimated using direct data from the BMSP project and the reimbursement rates of Turkish Social Security Administration. The life-years saved by BMSP were estimated using the stage distribution observed with BMSP and TNBCRP. Results: A total of 67 women (out of 7234 screened women) were diagnosed with breast cancer in BMSP. The stage distribution for AJCC stages O, I, II, III, IV was 19.4%, 50.8%, 20.9%, 7.5%, 1.5% and 4.9%, 26.6%, 44.9%, 20.8%, 2.8% with BMSP and TNBCRP, respectively. The BMSP program is expected to save 279.46 life years over TNBCRP with an additional cost of $677.171, which implies an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of$ 2.423 per saved life year. Since the ICER is smaller than the Gross Demostic Product (GDP) per capita in Turkey ($ 10.515 in 2014), BMSP program is highly cost-effective and remains cost-effective in the sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: Mammography screening may change the stage distribution of breast cancer in Turkey. Furthermore, an organized population-based screening program may be cost-effective in Turkey and in other developing countries. More research is needed to better estimate life-years saved with screening and further validate the findings of our study.Roche Turkey; Breast Health Society of Turkey (MEMEDER); Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)United States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) [UL1TR000427]; NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCESUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) [UL1TR000427] Funding Source: NIH RePORTERThe study was funded by Roche Turkey and in part by the Breast Health Society of Turkey (MEMEDER). Also, it was partially supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR000427. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH

Regional Clinical and Biochemical Differences among Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

This study had been presented at the 6th ESES Biennial Scientific Meeting held in Cardiff (15-17 May 2014).Address for Correspondence: Dr. Özer Makay, Department of General Surgery, Division of Endocrine Surgery, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, TurkeyPhone: +90 232 390 50 50 Received: 13 July 2015 e-mail: [email protected]: 27 January 2016 o DOI: Background: Environmental habitat may play a role in clinical disparities of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) patients. Aims: To compare preoperative clinical symptoms and associated conditions and surgical findings in patients with pHPT, living in different geographical regions from the Black Sea, Mediterranean and Anatolia regions. Study Design: Retrospective, clinical-based multicentric study of 694 patients with pHPT.Methods: Patients from 23 centers and 8 different geographical regions were included. Data related to baseline demographics, clinical, pathologic and treatment characteristics of 8 regions were collected and included age, gender, residential data, symptoms, history of fracture, existence of brown tumor, serum total Ca and p levels, serum parathormone (PTH) levels, serum 25-OH vitamin D levels, bone mineral density, size of the resected abnormal parathyroid gland(s), histology, adenoma, and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)- or familial-related disease.Results: The median age was 54. Asymptomatic patient rate was 25%. The median PTH level was 232 pg/mL and serum total Ca was 11.4 mg/dL. Eighty-seven percent of patients had an adenoma and 90% of these had a single adenoma. Hyperplasia was detected in 79 patients and cancer in 9 patients. The median adenoma size was 16 mm. Significant parameters differing between regions were preoperative symptoms, serum Ca and p levels, and adenoma size. All patients from South-East Anatolia were symptomatic, while the lowest p values were reported from East Anatolia and the largest adenoma size, as well as highest Ca levels, were from Bulgaria.Conclusion: Habitat conditions vary between geographical regions. This affects the clinicopathological features of patients with pHPT

Pistacia terebinthus as a dietary supplement for laying hens

The aim of this study was to explore the potential of Pistacia terebinthus (terebinth) seed meal as a dietary supplement for laying hens. One hundred and ninety-two Babcock 30-week-old laying hens were assigned to one of six treatments (n = 32) with four replicates (n = 8). The hens were fed diets containing 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% terebinth seed meal for eight weeks. Weekly egg production, feed consumption, egg weight, and egg mass were recorded. Egg quality was assessed at the beginning, middle and end of the study. Blood sampling was carried out on 12 birds from each treatment. Total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status and oxidative stress index were determined. Egg production was greater from hens fed 3% and 4% terebinth than those in the other treatments. Egg weight was increased by supplementation with 2% or more terebinth. Feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, eggshell breaking strength, yolk colour, Haugh units, concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total protein, phosphorus and calcium in serum, and total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, and the oxidative stress index did not differ across treatments. It is concluded that dietary terebinth seed supplementation generated positive effects on egg production and egg weight without adverse effects on egg quality or the metabolism of the hen.Keywords: antioxidant, egg production, egg quality, feed consumption, serum biochemistr

Sünger altlık uygulamasının sütçü mandalar ve ineklerde beslenme ve dinlenme davranışları üzerine etkileri

This experiment evaluated the effects of rubber laying surface on feeding and lying behavior kinetics of dairy buffaloes and cows. Fifty-four Anatolian dairy buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and 18 Brown Swiss dairy cows were used in the experiment. The animals group-housed in pens with concrete floor before the rubber flooring. The behavior of the animals was recorded 24 hours for 15 days before and after rubber flooring with a video camera system in the barn. Behavior data were expressed as % of observed animal in pen per hour for each species. Lying down behavior was assumed in a resting manner. The average number of buffaloes laying down increased after rubber flooring while there was no effect on resting behavior of the cows. The rubber flooring had no effect on feeding behavior of cows. Unexpectedly, the percent of buffaloes displaying feeding behavior decreased after rubber flooring. Results suggested that water buffalo may have different responses to management and housing strategies compared with the cows. However, further comparative studies with individual animal data and widespread behavioral observations may support a better understanding of behavioral response to modern intensive management strategies in dairy buffaloes.Bu çalışmada, sünger yataklık uygulamasının sütçü mandalar ve süt ineklerinde beslenme ile yatma davranışı üzerine etkileri değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışmada 44 baş sütçü Anadolu manda melezi (Bubalus bubalis) ve 18 baş İsviçre Esmeri süt ineği kullanılmıştır. Sünger altlık uygulamasından önce tüm hayvanlar beton zeminde grup halinde serbest biçimde barındırılmıştır. Hayvanların davranışları, sünger uygulamasının 15 gün önce ve sonrasında çiftlikte bulunan kapalı devre kamera sistemi ile 24 saat kaydedilmiştir. Davranış verileri, her bir hayvan türü için her bir padokta % /saat olarak ifade edilmiştir. Tüm yatma davranış şekilleri, dinlenme davranışı olarak kabul edilmiştir. Sünger altlık uygulaması sonrasında; mandalarda yatan hayvan sayısında artış görülürken, ineklerde dinlenme davranışına altlık uygulamasının bir etkisi olmamıştır. Beklenmedik şekilde, altlık uygulamasının ardından beslenme davranışı gösteren ortalama manda sayısında düşüş görülmüştür. Elde edilen veriler, mandaların yönetim stratejileri ve barınma konusundaki değişikliklere ineklerden daha farklı tepkiler verebileceğini göstermiştir. Ancak bireysel hayvan verilerini içeren ve daha geniş çaplı davranış gözlemlerinin olduğu çalışmalar, sütçü mandaların modern entansif yönetim stratejilerine nasıl tepkiler oluşturabileceğinin anlaşılmasına yardımcı olabilir

Yumurta tavuklarında nar ekşisinin yumurtaların farklı depolama sürelerinde yumurta kalitesi üzerine etkisi

The present study trial was conducted to investigate the effects of pomegranate molasses on egg quality at different storage periods. A total of 240 Babcock white laying hens (58 weeks old) were divided into 5 groups (n=48) with 8 subgroups having 6 hens in each. Pomegranate molasses was added in the drinking water to experimental groups with 0%, 0.1%, 0.25 %, 0.5%, and 1%, respectively during 4 weeks. At the end of study (30 days), total of 320 eggs were collected randomly and eighty eggs (80) were analyzed at 0 day of storage while other eggs were stored at 4°C temperature for 10, 20 and 30 days. The result reveals that the egg weight, egg shell thickness and albumin index remained non-significant (P>0.05) during the whole trial Moreover , Haught unit showed positive response in the group B and D at 10 day storage as compared with control group however, it was remained non-significant (P<0.05) at 0, 20 and 30 days of storage. It is concluded that pomgranate mollases has shown positive effect on some egg quality traits during several storage periods 0, 10, 20, 30 days.Bu araştırma, yumurta tavuklarında içme suyuna katılan nar ekşisinin, 0, 10, 20 ve 30 günlük sürelerle depolanan yumurtaların bazı kalite özelliklerine etkisini belirlemek amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Toplam 240 adet 58 haftalık yaşta Babcock beyaz yumurtacı tavuk her birinde 48 adet olmak üzere 5 gruba ayrılmıştır. Deneme grupları ayrıca her birinde 6 adet tavuk bulunan 8 alt gruba ayrılmıştır. Çalışmada deneme grupları içme sularına (A, B, C, D ve E) 4 hafta boyunca sırasıyla %0, %0.1 ,%0.25, %0.5 ve %1 oranlarında nar ekşisi ilave edilmiştir. Araştırmanın 30. gününde, toplam 320 yumurta gruplardan rastgele toplanmıştır. Toplanan yumurtaların 80 adedi aynı gün analiz edilirken (0. Gün), diğer yumurtalar ise 4 ° C sıcaklıkta 10, 20 ve 30 gün boyunca depolanmıştır. Bu yumurtalardan 80 yumurta 10 gün sonra analiz edilirken, kalan yumurtaların 80 adedi 20. Gün, 80 adedi ise 30 günlük depolamadan sonra analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmada içme sularına nar ekşisi katılan tavukların farklı sürelerle depolanan yumurtaların ağırlıklarının gruplar arası karşılaştırmasında anlamlı farklılıklar görülmemiştir (P> 0.05). İlave olarak, Haugh birimi değeri B ve D gruplarında 10 günlük depolamada kontrol grubuna kıyasla yüksek bulunmuştur. Sonuç olarak, nar ekşisinin 0, 10, 20, 30 günlük sürelerle depolama periyodunda bazı yumurta kalitesi özellikleri üzerinde olumlu etki gösterdiği sonucuna varılmıştır

Radiologic findings of screen-detected cancers in an organized population-based screening mammography program in Turkey

PURPOSE:Bahçeşehir Breast Cancer Screening Program is a population based organized screening program in Turkey, where asymptomatic women aged 40–69 years are screened biannually. In this prospective study, we aimed to determine the mammographic findings of screen-detected cancers and discuss the efficacy of breast cancer screening in a developing country.METHODS:A total of 6912 women were screened in three rounds. The radiologic findings were grouped as mass, focal asymmetry, calcification, and architectural distortion. Masses were classified according to shape, border, and density. Calcifications were grouped according to morphology and distribution. Cancers were grouped according to the clinical stage.RESULTS:Seventy cancers were detected with an incidence of 4.8/1000. Two cancers were detected in other centers and three were not visualized mammographically. Mammographic presentations of the remaining 65 cancers were mass (47.7%, n=31), calcification (30.8%, n=20), focal asymmetry (16.9%, n=11), architectural distortion (3.1%, n=2), and skin thickening (1.5%, n=1). The numbers of stage 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 cancers were 13 (20.0%), 34 (52.3%), 14 (21.5%), 3 (4.6%), and 1 (1.5%), respectively. The numbers of interval and missed cancers were 5 (7.4%) and 7 (10.3%), respectively.CONCLUSION:A high incidence of early breast cancer has been detected. The incidence of missed and interval cancers did not show major differences from western screening trials. We believe that this study will pioneer implementation of efficient population-based mammographic screenings in developing countries