Application of an airborne laser scanner to forest road design with accurate earthwork volumes

In this study we developed a forest road design program based on a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. After a designer has located the intersection points on a horizontal plane, the model first generates the horizontal alignment and the ground profile. The model precisely generates cross-sections and accurately calculates earthwork volumes using a high-resolution DEM. The model then optimizes the vertical alignment based on construction and maintenance costs using a heuristic technique known as tabu search. As the distance between cross-sections affects the accuracy of earthwork volume calculations, the results were examined by comparing them with the exact earthwork volume calculated by the probabilistic Monte Carlo simulation method. The earthwork volumes calculated by the Pappus-based method were similar to those calculated by the Monte Carlo simulation when the distance between cross-sections was within 10m. The model was applied to a high-resolution DEM from the LIDAR of Capitol Forest in Washington State, USA. The model generated a horizontal alignment, length 827m, composed of five horizontal curves. We examined the number of grade change points. The results indicated that tabu search found the best solution ($61.42/m) with five grade change points. This was composed of two vertical curves that almost followed the ground profile. As the accuracy of a high-resolution DEM from LIDAR increases, the model would become a useful tool for a forest road designer because it eliminates or at least reduces the time-consuming process of road surveys.     

Neural networks with artificial bee colony algorithm for modeling daily reference evapotranspiration

The study investigates the ability of artificial neural networks (ANN) with artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm in daily reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) modeling. The daily climatic data, solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed from two stations, Pomona and Santa Monica, in Los Angeles, USA, are used as inputs to the ANN–ABC model so as to estimate ET₀ obtained using the FAO-56 Penman–Monteith (PM) equation. In the first part of the study, the accuracy of ANN–ABC models is compared with those of the ANN models trained with Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) and standard back-propagation (SBP) algorithms and those of the following empirical models: The California Irrigation Management System (CIMIS) Penman, Hargreaves, and Ritchie methods. The mean square error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and determination coefficient (R²) statistics are used for evaluating the accuracy of the models. Based on the comparison results, the ANN–ABC and ANN–LM models are found to be superior alternative to the ANN–SBP models. In the second part of the study, the potential of the ANN–ABC, ANN–LM, and ANN–SBP models in estimation ET₀ using nearby station data is investigated.     

Extracts from Black Carrot Tissue Culture as Potent Anticancer Agents

Black carrots contain anthocyanins possessing enhanced physiological activities. Explants of young black carrot shoots were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium for callus initiation and were transferred to new MS medium supplemented with four different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and kinetin. Subsequently, the lyophilized calli and black carrot harvested from fields were subjected to ultrasound extraction with ethanol at a ratio of 1:15 (w:v). Obtained extracts were applied to various human cancer cell lines including MCF-7 SK-BR-3 and MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinomas), HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma), Neuro 2A (Musmusculus neuroblastoma) cancer cell lines and VERO (African green monkey kidney) normal cell line by MTT assay. The highest cytotoxic activity was achieved against Neuro-2A cell lines exhibiting viability of 38–46 % at 6.25 μg/ml concentration for all calli and natural extracts. However, a significantly high IC₅₀ value of 170.13 μg/ml was attained in normal cell line VERO indicating that its natural counterpart is an ideal candidate for treatment of brain cancer without causing negative effects to normal healthy cells.     

Assessing the effects of site factors on the productivity of a feller buncher:a time and motion analysis

We evaluated,for the first time in Turkey,the productivity of a feller buncher during clear-cut operations of two Brutian pine stands located in Canakkale,northwestern Turkey with different diameter classes and terrain conditions.In the first stand with 24.6 cm average DBH,the feller buncher cut full trees and moved them to roadside.In the second stand with 34.3 cm average DBH,the feller buncher cut trees in two stages due to their larger diameters and the relatively steep and rough terrain conditions of the site.The effects of specific stand features,DBH and tree height measurements were assessed through statistical analysis in relation to productivity.The results indicate that the average productivity for the first stand was about 118 m^3h^-1,while it was about 80 m3h-1 in the second stand.Even though tree diameter and volume were higher in the second stand,productivity decreased by32.3%due to extra time spent on the two-stage cutting operation.The results revealed that harvesting operations should be planned carefully and the right equipment selected by accounting for different tree sizes,terrain conditions and machine specifications in order to better understand their effects on production.     

Changes of HCO3-/Cl- exchanger activity during meiotic maturation in Balb/c strain mouse oocytes and zygotes

Intracellular pH-regulatory mechanisms are acquired by growing mouse oocytes with meiotic competence, and these mechanisms become fully active when the oocytes develop to the germinal vesicle (GV) stage as shown in CF1 and Balb/c strains mice. On the other hand, there is some evidence showing that intracellular pH-regulatory mechanisms are inhibited at the stages of Metaphase I (MI) and II (MII) oocytes in the CF1 strain mouse and hamster. Since it has been shown that the intracellular pH regulatory mechanism can be functionally different among mouse strains (e.g., CF1, Balb/c), the aim of this study was to investigate the activity of HCO3-/Cl- exchanger (anion exchanger, AE), which protects cells against alkalosis during the meiotic maturation process, in the GV oocyte up to the pronuclear (PN) zygote derived from the Balb/c strain mouse. Intracellular pH (pHi) was recorded using a microspectrofluorometric technique during meiotic maturation stages. KSOM-based solutions were used as culture and recording solutions. AE activity was determined using a Cl- removal assay and was reported as the change in pHi per minute. AE activity was high in GV stage oocytes but was significantly inhibited at the MI and MII stages. AE activity was higher in the PN zygote stage. This activity was significantly inhibited in all oocyte and zygote stages by 4,4'-Diisocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid disodium salt. After alkalosis induction, the pHi of MI and MII stage oocytes did not completely recover; however, almost complete recovery occurred in the GV stage oocytes and PN zygotes. These results suggest that AE is inhibited during the meiotic maturation process in the Balb/c strain mouse.     

Udder health control of dairy cows in the area of Ankara (Turkey)

The udder health of dairy cows is necessary in order to serve the consumer with milk and milk products of perfect quality and sound hygiene. Also in districts where the dairy industry is less developed a better udder health can be obtained when certain hygiene rules are carried out in connection with simple diagnostic and therapeutic measurements.     

Contribution of the xenograft bone plate-screw system in lumbar transpedicular stabilization of dogs: an in-vitro study

We performed biomechanical comparison of a xenograft bone plate-screw (XBPS) system for achieving cadaveric lumbar transpedicular stabilization (TS) in dogs. Twenty dogs'' cadaveric L_2-4 lumbar specimens were harvested and their muscles were removed, but the discs and ligaments were left intact. These specimens were separated to four groups: the L_2-4 intact group as control (group I, n = 5), the L₃ laminectomy and bilateral facetectomy group (LBF) (group II, n = 5), the LBF plus TS with metal plate-screw group (group III, n = 5) and the LBF plus TS with XBPS group (group IV, n = 5). Five kinds of biomechanical tests were applied to the specimens: flexion, extension, left-right bending and rotation. The averages of the 16 stiffness values were calculated and then these were statistically analyzed. The statistical results show that the XBPS system contributes spinal stability and this system can be a good choice for achieving TS.     

Analyzing dynamic curve widening on forest roads

Forest roads require important design specifications to ensure all-season access for various vehicles. Long and heavy log trucks can face serious maneuvering problems on forest roads due to insufficient amount of area to the left for road widening on horizontal curves. In order to provide safe and continuous shipment and transportation,appropriate curve widening areas should be provided for long vehicles along horizontal curves. In this study, a statistical model was developed to provide curve-widening solutions for long trucks(e.g., those with 18 wheels) considering various curve radius and deflection angles. The dynamic curve widening feature of Plateia 2013 program was employed to calculate curve widening for the specified vehicle. During the solution process, nine different horizontal curve diameters from 10 to 50 m(by 5 m intervals)and 17 different deflection angles from 90° to 170°(by 5°intervals) were evaluated to run horizontal curve-widening analysis. Using a multiple regression model, we made suitable predictions about curve widening. The curvewidening areas decrease as the horizontal curve radius increases, while increasing the deflection angle on horizontal curves increases curve widening areas. Clearly, the computer-based dynamic curve widening model developed in this study can be effectively used in determining optimum widening for horizontal curves by evaluating the number of alternatives that fit geometrical specifications and vehicle types.