171,359 research outputs found
EU Security Policies towards the Mediterranean: The Ethical Dimension – what do we know and what else should we know? INEX Policy Brief No. 2, December 2009
No full textThere is very little information about or reflection upon the Mediterranean countries’ perspectives on EU security policies, concludes Pinar Bilgin of Bilkent University, Ankara, in this literature review of the ethical dimensions of the subject. Mediterranean neighbours are mostly viewed as the subjects of EU security policy and are given very little agency in analyses, yet different Mediterranean countries have adopted different stances towards security policies. Some have used the opportunity to upgrade their relations with the European Union; others have utilised the new EU discourse on terrorism to frame their new/old policies on existing (internal/external) security concerns. Moreover, there is very little research uses on the value premises embedded in EU policies. While both the EMP and the ENP have failed to deliver what they promised, security practices across the Mediterranean have already begun to converge. Research that looks at the implications of such a convergence for human security is a scarce commodity indeed. The INEX project, of which this paper forms the second Policy Brief, aims to fill in such gaps
Annual Changes in Forced Expiratory Flows in Toll Collectors: Results from a Four Years Observation
No full textAnnakkaya, Ali Nihat N/0000-0002-7661-8830; BILGIN, CAHIT/0000-0003-2213-5881WOS: 000264777200009PubMed: 19367045Diesel exhaust (DE) has been accused for various health outcomes including exacerbation of asthma, chronic bronchitis. Exposure to DE has long-term effects on lung development in children and reductions in lung function have been reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the annual changes in forced expiratory flows among toll collectors in Duzce city from 2002 to 2005. Annual FVC, FEV1 and MMF changes in smoker and nonsmoker 58 toll collectors and 37 controls selected among men who worked in the same company as officer have been followed up. No significant changes were seen in expiratory flows among smoker-nonsmoker toll collectors and controls (p>0.05). Annual FVC, FEV1 and MMF changes were not significantly different between smoker and nonsmoker toll collectors. Twelve toll collectors (20.7%) in the study group and 4 (10.8%) controls were found to have FEV1 and FVC below longitudinal lower limit of normal. The difference between groups did not reach statistically significance (p>0.05). Toll collectors (18/58) and controls (15/37) with spirometric measurements for three times showed no difference according to the rate of annual difference in either FEV1 (-21.3 +/- 133.1 ml/yr vs -44.3 +/- 166.6 (ml/yr) or FVC (13.2 +/- 202.9 ml/yr vs. -16.1 +/- 204.2 ml/yr). Further investigations including large groups with long term follow up are needed to observe annual FVC, FEV1 and MMF changes among toll collectors
Investigation of the effect of exhaust particles on ocular blood flow in highway toll collectors using color Doppler ultrasonography
No full textBILGIN, CAHIT/0000-0003-2213-5881WOS: 000245792000018PubMed: 17354145Purpose: To investigate the effect of exhaust particles on orbital blood flow velocity of the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and posterior ciliary artery by color Doppler ultrasonography in highway toll collectors. Material and Methods: Color Doppler imaging was used to measure the peak-systolic and end-diastolic flow velocities and resistivity indices of the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and posterior ciliary artery in 20 toll collectors and 20 controls. Results: Both the peak-systolic and the end-diastolic flow velocities were decreased in the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and posterior ciliary artery, and the resistivity index was increased in the central retinal artery in toll collectors when compared with control groups. Results were considered statistically significant if P < 0.05. Conclusion: It was determined that the effect of exhaust particles reduced ocular blood flow velocity in toll collectors as measured by color duplex Doppler ultrasonography
Optimization of Roll Formed Beams Used in Ceiling Construction
No full textBu tezde, şerit malzemenin haddeleme yolu ile üretilen mevcut asma tavan imalatında kullanılan tavan C ve tavan U profillerin ankastre ve basit eğilmedeki sehimleri sonlu elemanlar yöntemi kullanılarak hesaplanmıştır. Aynı zamanda, yapılan hesaplamaların doğruluğunu kontrol etmek ve profillerin gerçek yaşamda oluşan ölçümlerini yapabilmek için bir laboratuvar kurulmuştur. İlk olarak, orjinal tavan C ve tavan U profillerinin elastik bölgedeki sehimleri ankastre ve basit eğilme yöntemi ile bulunmuştur. Ardından teorik sonuçları kontrol etmek için kurulan laboratuvarda deneyler yapılmıştır. Daha sonra, orjinal tavan C ve tavan U profillerine göre daha ince malzeme kullanılarak, karmaşık bir tasarıma sahip , sehim değerleri daha düşük olan yeni tavan C ve tavan U profilleri geliştirilmiştir. Yeni tavan C ve tavan U profilleri ankastre ve basit eğilme modellemeleri tamamlandıktan sonra haddeleme yöntemi ile üretilmiştir. Bu şekilde tavan C ve tavan U profillerin kalınlığı yaklaşık olarak 0.05mm azaltılmıştır. Yeni profillerin sehimlerinin orginal profillere göre daha az olduğu görülmüştür. Bu sayede, en uygun tasarım ile malzeme, maliyet ve enerji tasarrufu sağlanmıştır.In this thesis, the deflections of the C and U beams manufactured by using roll forming of strip material and used in present ceiling constructions in cantilever and simple support modes are calculated by using finite element method. Also, a testing laboratory is developed to check the calculations and to be able to make the real-life measurements and experiments on the profiles. First the elastic deflections of the existing C and U profiles are calculated in the simply supported and cantilever modes. Then experiments are conducted in the developed laboratory to check the theoretical results. Later, new C and U profiles have been developed using thinner material with a more complex design giving deflections not more than the original C and U beams. New designs have been manufactured by roll forming and testing in the simply supported and cantilever modes have been completed. This way, the thicknesses of C and U beams have been reduced by approximately 0.05 mm, resulting in deflections not more than the original designs. Hence, material saving is obtained with an optimal design also saving cost and energ
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Bronchial Wall Thickness in Toll Collectors
No full textAnnakkaya, Ali Nihat N/0000-0002-7661-8830; BILGIN, CAHIT/0000-0003-2213-5881WOS: 000278210400010PubMed: 20562507There is an increasing concern about the possible adverse effects of diesel exhaust particulates on human health. In a diesel exposed occupational group composed of 120 toll collectors, a cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the chest radiographs and 40 toll collectors were selected for computed tomography examination according to hyperinflation and linear markings. The wall thicknesses and luminal diameters of trachea, main bronchi, and segmental bronchi of right apical and posterior basal segments were measured with manual tracing method. The walls of right upper bronchus in exsmoker toll collectors were significantly thicker than those of nonsmokers (p=0.011). A positive correlation was observed between age and the right upper bronchus wall thickness (r=0.577, p=0.000). An inverse correlation was found between the working duration and the diameter of right main bronchus (r=-0.366, p=0.020). A positive correlation was seen between smoking and the right upper bronchus wall thickness (r=0.457, p=0.005). Diesel exposure might have a role in increase of thickness of large airways wall and a decrease in the diameters of large airways. Studies in this area are needed to protect the population under the diesel exposure risk
Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply
No full textOphthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219.
Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes.
Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E.
SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes.
DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia.
METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH.
RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK.
Comment in
Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8
Temperature influence on ordinary concrete modified with fly ashes from thermally conversed municipal sewage sludge strength parameters
No full textConcrete is the most commonly used structural material, without which modern construction
could not function. It is a material with a high potential to adapt to specific operating conditions.
The use of this potential is made by its material modification. The aim of the performed investigations
was the assessment of rational application possibilities of fly ashes from thermally conversed municipal
sewage sludge as an alternative concrete admixture. A concrete mix was designed, based on the
Portland cement CEM I 42.5R and containing various quantity of ash, amounting to 0–25% of cement
mass. The samples were conditioned and heated in a furnace at the temperature of 300 ◦C, 500 ◦C, and
700 ◦C. Physical and chemical properties of the ashes as well as utility properties of the concrete, i.e.,
density, compressive strength after 28, 56, and 90 days of maturation, frost resistance, and compressive
strength in high temperature were determined. The tests were performed at cubic samples with 10 cm
edge. The replacement of a determined cement quantity by the fly ashes enables obtaining a concrete
composite having good strength parameters. The concrete modified by the fly ashes constituting 20%
of the cement mass achieved its average compressive strength after 28 days of maturation equal to
50.12 MPa, after 56 days 50.61 MPa and after 90 days 50.80 MPa. The temperature growth weakens
the composite structure. The obtained results confirm the possibility of waste recycling in the form of
fly ashes as a cement substitute in concrete manufacturing.This research was co-financed from EU funds, grant number POIR.04.04.00-00-0004/15
Isolation and ıdentification of endosulfan degrading native bacterial consortium from agricultural soils
No full textThe environmental impact of chlorinated pesticides, including endosulfan, is not only caused by their persistency in the eco-system but also from their toxic effects on off-target living organisms. In this study, three different strains of microorganisms, namely Afipia genosp, Sphingomonas yanoikuyae Q1 and Methylobacterium rhodesianum that are capable of biodegrading endosulfan at low concentrations (100 μg/L) from a tea cultivation field were reported. The isolated microbial consortium biodegraded 59% of the total endosulfan (63% α-endosulfan, 57% β-endosulfan) at pH 6.5. The same consortium biodegraded 98% of the total endosulfan (96% of α-endosulfan, 97% of β-endosulfan) at pH 8.4. All endosulfan removal performances were observed for a period of 25 days and the experiments were conducted at 25 °C, which was a relatively lower temperature compared to other endosulfan biodegradation studies in the literature. Additional carbon source did not change the overall endosulfan removal. No endosulfan sulfate production was observed during the stud
Characterisation of Boron Nitride Coatings
No full textBu çalışmada, Bor Nitrür kaplama (BN) Fiziksel Buhar Biriktirme yöntemi (FBB) - magnetron saçtırma tekniği ile biriktirilmiştir. D2 alttaş çeliği farklı BN alotropları ile kaplanmış karakterizsyonlarda kullanılmıştır. Radyo frekanslı bir güç kaynağına bağlı olan kristal büyütülmüş heksagonal Bor Nitrür (h-BN) hedef plakası kullanılmıştır. Diğer bir radyo frekanslı güç kaynağı alttaş tutucusuna bağlıdır. Karakterizasyonlar için alt taş olarak D2 çeliği kullanılmıştır. Ayrıca, farklı kaplama parametreleri kullanılarak BN kaplamadaki etkileri incelenmiştir. Elde edilen kaplamaların kalınlık, sertlik, sürtünme katsayısı, aşınma direnci, yapışkanlık gibi mekanik özellikleri ve tribolojik ölçümleri için nano sertlik, tribometre, çizik testi cihazları kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Ayrıca, kristal yapı incelemeleri için FourierTransform Kızılötesi Spektroskopisi (FTIR) tekniği kullanılmıştır. Yapılan incelemeler sonucunda, h-BN fazı ile birlikte değişik allotropların da bulunduğu BN kaplamalar elde edilmiştir. Bu allotroplar; c-BN, w-BN, r-BN, t-BN, e-BN, a-BN dir. Birden fazla fazın bulunmasından dolayı yüzey özellikleri çeşitli yönlerde etkilendiği gözlemlenmiştir. Sertliğe ve kalınlığa olumlu etkileri gözlemlenmiştir. Kaplama parametreleri ile kaplama özellikleri arasında elde edilen korelasyonlartartışılmıştır.In this study, Boron Nitride (BN) coating is deposited by the magnetron sputtering - physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique.D2 steel substrates are coated with different allotropes of BNand are usedas substrates for characterisations. Single crystal grown hexagonal BN (h-BN) target is used and isconnected to a radio frequency power supply. Another powersupply connected to the substrate holder is used for substrate bias.Also, during this study the effects of the BN coating by using various coating parameters are investigated. The thickness of the resulting coatings, friction coefficient, wear resistance are evaluated for mechanical properties and also nanohardness, and scratch behavior are measured. In addition, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for crystal structure analysis (FTIR) technique is used for crystal structure of BN films. The results of the investigations show that not only h-BN phases are obtained but also various different BN allotropes such as c-BN, w-BN, r-BN, t-BN, e-BN, a-BN are obtained. Since there is more than one phase, surface properties are investigated for each case.Positive effects on the hardness and thickness are observed.Correlations between coating parameters and coating properties are discussed
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