A teleoperation system to control the humanoid robot using an RGB-D sensor

This paper presents a concept design of the work algorithm for a teleoperation control system of a humanoid robot. The humanoid robot control system needs to stabilize the robot in a vertical position in order to prevent the robot from falling. The process of design of the control system includes the design of position filter to detect the unstable positions. The application of such a control system enables to control the humanoid robot using motion capture technology

Efficient Dendritic Cell Maturation and Initiation a Strong T Cell Immune Response Requires B7-H1-Mediated Dendritic Cell ‘Conditioning’ During Interaction with T Cells

One of the prominent features of the adaptive immune system is the extensive interactions between T cells and dendritic cells (DCs). The T cell-DC interactions are essential for T cell development, homeostasis, and activation, and require two signals, known as ‘The two signal model’. The first signal is initiated by T cell receptor (TCR) upon recognition of antigen in the form of peptides presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. The second signal is mediated by engagement of co-regulatory molecules on naive T cells with its counterpart expressed by mature DCs. Depending on the nature of the regulatory signal both, DCs and T cells are affected. In this PhD work, we demonstrate the dual characteristics of the co-regulatory B7-H1 (PD-L1) molecules. B7-H1 expression in peripheral tissues such as the lung, during the peak of infection, negatively influenced antigen-specific T cell response and induced T cell apoptosis, most likely by binding to the inhibitory PD-1 receptor on T cells. This result suggests that inhibitory B7-H1:PD-1 interaction provides a mechanism to limit the excessive accumulation of effector T cells in the lung after the virus is cleared. More importantly, this study shows a novel stimulatory function of the B7-H1 molecules that are expressed on T cells in regulation of DC development and maturation. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that following WSN-SIY influenza infection, dendritic cell maturation in B7-H1-/- mice is defective and consequently CD8 T cell response is diminished. The adoptive transfer of B7-H1-expressing T cells however completely restored DC maturation in the draining lymphnode and enhanced CD8 T cell response, such as activation and proliferation. Moreover, maturation-defective DCs in T and B cell-deficient RAG-1 knock-out mice after influenza infection were also rescued by B7-H1+ T cells. Further analyses demonstrated the rescue of T cell response in B7-H1-/- mice by transfer of immature DCs from either B7-H1+/+ wild type mice or RAG-1-/- mice that had previously received B7-H1+ T cells. These findings illustrate the molecular requirement for T cell-dependent DC maturation and describe the cellular interactions that promote efficient T cell responses to microbial infection. It is essential that DCs acquire a B7-H1-mediated conditioned state during interaction with T cells before efficient DC maturation upon antigen-stimulation is enabled

First record of Gobius couchi Miller & El-Tawil, 1974 from the Aegean Sea (Pisces: Gobiidae)

[Anstract Not Available]TUBITAK [106T123]Funding Agency Grant Number TUBITAK 106T12

Sweet Cherry Orchard Soil Mineral Composition and GIS Mapping in the Canakkale Production Region, Turkey

5th International Cherry Symposium -- JUN 06-10, 2005 -- Bursa, TURKEYCanakkale is one of the main sweet cherry production regions in Turkey. Sweet cherries produced in Umurbey, Lapseki and Cardak are used mostly for export due to very high fruit quality. In recent years, new orchards have been established in Bayrami and Ezine counties in Canakkale province. In this study, leaf analyses and some soil tests were performed to evaluate nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo and Zn) of '0900 Ziraat' sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) grafted on three rootstocks: 'Mazzard' (P. avium), 'Mahaleb' (P. mahaleb L.) and 'Gisela 6' (P. cerasus L. x P. canescens L.). Leaf and soil samples were collected in 21 orchards throughout the main production areas. Moreover, a Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to identify locations and their attributes, particularly soil characteristics and referenced as maps. Chemical analyses revealed differences in macro- and micro-nutrient concentrations in leaves among the orchards sampled. Rootstock type and soil characteristics influenced the leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Fe and Zn. The highest influence of rootstock and soil type was observed with respect to N, P, K, Mg, Zn and Fe. Considering that sweet cherry production areas in Canakkale have variations in soils, rootstock type and orchard management, further studies are needed to assist cherry growers in management of their orchards to ensure that trees and fruits are balanced nutritionally.ISHS Sect Pome & Stone Fruits,ISHS WG Cherry Product,Int Soc Horticultural Sci,Uludag Univ,Sci & Technol Res Council Turkey,Ataturk Cent Horticultural Res Inst Turkey,Turkish Soc Horticultural Sc

Ecotourism Potential and Management of Kavak Delta (Northwest Turkey)

Wetlands are ecosystems where a high level of biodiversity is found. Being a suitable medium for the nourishment, reproduction, and accommodation of many species of living creatures, wetlands are museums of natural riches, not only of the country where they are located but also of the whole world. Kavak Delta, one of the most important wetlands of Turkey, with coastal dunes and halophilic vegetation as well as being on the north-south bird migration route, provides not only opportunities for coastal tourism but also offers substantial potential for ecotourism. During observations, bird species, especially of the orders Anseriformes, Falconiformes, and Charadriiformes, were identified. Some 14 orders, 39 families, and 124 bird species were spotted in the delta. Also, dune and halophilic plants constitute a rich flora in the delta. In this study, the potential for ecotourism and opportunities for coastal tourism in the area are outlined. Within this context, besides ecotourism activities, such as bird observation, botanic tourism, and angling, the use of beaches for coastal tourism is determined. Various recommendations are made for the optimal use of all tourism opportunities detected in the delta and for enabling sustainable coastal use and management.Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council [105Y128]This study is a part of the project financially supported by the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (Project 105Y128)

Petrography and geochemistry of paragneisses in the Cine submassif of the Menderes Massif, western Anatolia

The Menderes Massif, which covers a large area in western Turkey, is made up of Pan-African basement rocks and a Palaeozoic to Early Tertiary cover sequence. The study area is located in the Dalama and Hallaclar (Aydin) area, in the northern and central parts of the Cine submassif of the Menderes Massif. The oldest units of the Pan-African basement are metaclastics, consisting of paragneisses and mica schists that gradually and conformably overlay paragneisses. Macroscopic appearances and mineralogical and textural data indicate that paragneisses can be subdivided into four subgroups. These are: ( 1) black spotted, ( 2) white spotted, ( 3) massive, grey-coloured and ( 4) massive, purple-coloured paragneisses. Geochemical data show that the spotted and purple-coloured paragneisses are characterized by high alumina content that is consistent with high sillimanite content. Paragneisses exposed in the eastern part of the Cine submassif were partly migmatized during the last stage of the polyphase Pan-African metamorphism. Based on comparison with relics of upper amphibolite to granulite (?) facies parageneses in the Pan-African basement of the Menderes Massif, we infer that the porphyroblasts in the black-spotted paragneisses are pseudomorphs after cordierite. Considering the inferred replacement of cordierite by sillimanite + garnet + biotite, it can be concluded that former high-temperature assemblages were overprinted by almandine-amphibolite facies metamorphism. Geochemical data obtained from paragneisses and mica schists reveal that the protoliths of this metaclastic sequence were derived from a cratonic provenance. The paragneisses are intruded by 550 Ma syn- to post-orogenic orthogneisses. Based on the well-preserved the original intrusive contact relationship with the orthogneisses and the youngest detrital zircon ages in paragneisses, it can be inferred that the time of deposition of their protolith is Late Proterozoic

Preference of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha in the diet and effect on growth of gobiids

We investigated presence of zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, which is considered as harmful for two freshwater ecosystems (Omerli Reservoir and Lake Sapanca), in the food preferences of several gobiid species namely; Neogobius melanostomus, Neogobius gymnotrachelus, and Neogobius fluviatilis. In Lake Sapanca, zebra mussel was the dominant food component in the diet of gobiids. However, in Omerli Reservoir, plant with macropyhtes and algea were the dominant food sources both studied gobiids. Intraspecific diet overlap indices showed that gobiid species from the same lake preferred similar food types (S > 0.8). However, when we compared the lakes, the diet overlap index between N.fluviatilis (Lake Sapanca) and N. gymnotrachelus (Omerli Reservoir) was not significant (S= 0.5) which indicates different food choices. The relationships between total length and weight, which had slope values >3 in all but one case, differed significantly between species. One exception was between N. fluviatilis (Lake Sapanca) and N. melanostomus (Omerli Reservoir). In generally, slopes of the relationships in fish species from Lake Sapanca were bigger than those of Omerli Reservoir. This result suggests that gobiids fed with mostly zebra mussel had better weight gain compared to gobiids fed with mostly plant-based food. This study showed that gobiid fishes are an important consumer of zebra mussel and their predation would affect the mussel populations, especially in the ecosystems where zebra mussel is abundant

Auswirkungen der Hypertonie auf Echokardiographieparameter bei rheumatoider Arthritis

Hypertension (HTN) is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Both HTN and RA have a negative impact on echocardiographically determined parameters including wall thickness, chamber diameter, diastolic function, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT). We aimed to demonstrate the effect of HTN on these parameters in RA patients. Patients were divided into two groups: one group comprised 39 RA patients with HTN (7 male, mean age 56.3 +/- 8.4 years) and the second comprised 38 age- and gender-matched RA patients without HTN (10 male, mean age 55.3 +/- 7.4 years). We retrospectively analyzed the RA patients without overt structural heart disease by determining the study parameters from echocardiograph recordings. The two groups were compared in terms of echocardiographic parameters and disease characteristics. RA characteristics, chamber sizes and wall thicknesses did not differ between the groups. CIMT was significantly increased in the RA with HTN group (median 0.9 mm, range 0.6-1.2 mm vs. median 0.8 mm, range 0.6-1.0 mm; p = 0.031). EAT was also significantly increased in the RA with HTN group (8.2 +/- 1.8 mm vs. 7.4 +/- 1.4 mm; p = 0.022). Septal early diastolic E' wave velocities were significantly decreased in the RA with HTN group (8.8 +/- 2.4 cm/s vs. 10.2 +/- 1.8 cm/s; p = 0.016). HTN has a further negative impact on diastolic functions, CIMT and EAT in RA patients