Understanding pedestrian behavior and spatial relations: A pedestrianized area in Besiktas,Istanbul

This research provides a mixed method of investigating and analyzing pedestrian behavior in pedestrianized areas, which is one of the human-based urban development practices. The relationship between pedestrian behavior and perception of the city is discussed through a combination of architect and urban planner Gordon Cullen's theory and Space Syntax methodology. This study examines the development and implementation of the methodology to understand the relationship between pedestrian behavior and space in Besiktas Koyici settlement, Istanbul. The methodology, integrated with on-site observations (observing 10 min at five different observation points in the settlement at predetermined times on weekdays and weekends), surveys (determining pedestrian movement and perception in terms of Cullen's theory) and spatial configuration (Space Syntax analysis (connectivity, integrity) done with DepthMapX software), aims to analyze pedestrian behavior patterns. The concepts of sense of place and content, as well as the effects of their sub-concepts on their behaviors, were revealed because of a survey conducted with students and architects of variety of educational levels who are daily users of the field. Pedestrian counting and observations were used to create density, activity, and mobility maps of the area. It has been found that pedestrianized areas have a significant impact on pedestrian behavior through influencing vitality and appeal and that Cullen's theory may be used to analyze pedestrian behavior and perceptions of the city. The study showed that spatial configuration and Cullen's theory effect pedestrian movement by complementing each other.     

Comparison of the effects of oven- and microwave-roasting on the physicochemical properties and bioactive compounds of tomato seeds and oils

The tomato processing industry generates a significant amount of a by-product (pomace), which is a mixture of peels and seeds. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of conventional oven-roasting (at 120°C, 150°C, and 180°C for 25 min) and innovative microwave-roasting (at 240, 388, and 536 W for 3 min) pretreatments on the physicochemical properties, fatty acid profiles, bioactive contents, and aroma profiles of tomato seeds and their hexane-extracted oils. The total flavonoids contents (TFCs) of the seeds decreased from 258.40 to 141.20 mg quercetin equivalent (QE) per kg after roasting. All roasting treatments improved the extractability of both α- and γ-tocopherols. The amounts of total tocopherols in the seeds increased from 917.61 to 1256.25 mg kg^–1 after pretreatment. Luteolin was found to be the most abundant phenolic in seed oils, increasing from 10.68 to 91.72 mg kg^–1, followed by quercetin, ferulic acid, and catechin. Within each roasting technique, the ones treated at 150°C and 338 W yielded the oils with the highest concentrations of aroma compounds, 418 and 92 mg kg^–1, respectively. The detrimental effect of microwave-roasting on these compounds was more pronounced. In conclusion, microwave-roasting at shorter times than conventional roasting produced tomato seed oils with well-preserved bioactive components and few unfavorable changes. Industrial relevance: Conventional oven-roasting has been widely applied to oilseeds to improve oil yield as well as to obtain desirable sensory characteristics of extracted oils for years. However, longer roasting times may also cause detrimental changes in the properties of oils. On the other side, microwave-assisted applications as an emerging technology provide homogenous and well-controlled heat distribution, shorter treatment times, and considerable energy savings for the processing of various foods. Microwave technology has been easily scaled up and is currently employed for sterilization, drying, pasteurization, precooking, and extraction by the food and chemistry industries. Therefore, the present research suggests the use of microwaves for comparatively short roasting times to produce edible oils with enhanced physicochemical attributes and bioactives contents, and well-maintained sensory properties. This promising innovative technology has the potential to be industrialized for a cost-effective seed roasting process.