The Biodiversity of Invertebrates in Cyprus Ecosystems

There has been great concern within the scientific community about biodiversity loss and the extinction crisis worldwide. In order to set priority targets for biodiversity conservation in any region of the world, it is necessary to have good, long term, scientific, biological data. Without detailed information on local floras and faunas, it is impossible to prepare detailed management plans for biodiversity conservation within the area. The conservation importance of an area, which can be determined by assessing its biodiversity, by considering its species richness and abundance of key species (indicator groups). Therefore, during this thesis we attempted to clarify processes that influence the invertebrate fauna of Cyprus in different ecosystems. We also sought to investigate the population dynamics, abundance, species richness and the diversity of different invertebrate groups. We not only described the local invertebrate fauna, but also analysed impacts of different management regimes on them. In addition to this, we used different group of invertebrates as indicators in order to identify the biologically valuable habitats for biodiversity conservation in Cyprus. Firstly, field surveys were carried out over a two year period for the determination of thrips fauna (Thysanoptera) in the northern part of Cyprus. During the surveys 2029 specimens were collected. We recorded 43 thrips species belonging to 23 genera. Five genera and 14 species were new records for the island of Cyprus. Also we studied the population of the thrips pests and resulting damage to fruits on different nectarine varieties in north Cyprus during 2004 and 2005. We found 21 different thrips species, most of them encountered during the petal-fall period of nectarine trees. The “Maravilla” variety (early nectarine variety) had the highest rate of non-marketable fruit during 2004-2005. Secondly, we determined the impacts of different management regimes on invertebrate fauna and diversity in Cypriot olive groves. We selected high and low altitude olive groves with no management, tillage only, or tillage – pesticide – fertilizer application. During this study, 12,387 arthropods were recorded and identified from 18 different orders or higher taxa. Our results showed that pesticide application on olive tree canopies significantly reduces the abundance and diversity of arthropods. We also determined the impacts of management regimes on woodlouse fauna. We found significant reductions in woodlouse abundance with tillage combined with pesticide and fertilizer application. Thirdly, we used butterflies as an indicator group to identify the importance of forest and garrigue habitats for biodiversity conservation in Cyprus. Transect counts were used to assess the abundance and diversity of butterflies in old and young forests. We observed a significant effect of forest type on the abundance of butterflies. The number of butterflies and the number of endemic species was also higher in old forests than young forests. Also we used butterflies to evaluate the conservation value of grassland and shrubland mosaics within garrigue ecosystems in Cyprus. Habitat type showed a highly significant effect on butterfly abundance, this was particularly the case with endemics. Greater abundance was observed during early and the late season in grassland habitats. The results underline the potential conservation significance of agricultural ecosystems and should serve to promote ecologically sustainable agricultural production systems in Cyprus. Also as a result of this thesis, identification and protection of grassland-shrubland mosaics in garrigue ecosystems and old mature forests along Kyrenia Range Mountains should be considered priorities in future conservation programmes

THE COMPARATIVE VALUE OF EDIBLE PLANTS IN HOME GARDENS OF A CYPRIOT RURAL VILLAGE

Abstract The heterogeneity of the Mediterranean rural landscape is the outcome of a combination of natural and cultural evolution which has a very rich biological and cultural diversity. Developmen

Masticatory Muscle Activity in Subjects Having Different Vertical Facial Patterns: An Electromyographic Study

Aim:To investigate bilateral masseter and anterior temporalis muscle activities during swallowing, chewing and maximum intercuspitation (MI) in skeletal open and deep-bite groups using electromyography (EMG) method.Subjects and Methods:Surface EMG recordings of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles were obtained from subjects having skeletal open-bites (8 male, 8 female, mean age 12.6±2.5 years) and skeletal deep-bites (10 male, 5 female, mean age 11.6±2.1 years) during swallowing, chewing and maximum intercuspitation by using surface disc electrodes. Peak-to-peak amplitude values were measured in microvolts (uV). The mean value of the three recordings was calculated for each function. Statistical analysis of the data obtained was conducted using repeated measurement analysis of variance and Duncan's tests.Result:The masseter and anterior temporalis muscle activities were found distinct in all functions (P<0.01). This difference can be generalized as masseter muscle activity was higher than the anterior temporalis muscle. During swallowing, masticatory muscle activities were found similar in open/deep-bite groups. During chewing, masseter and anterior temporalis muscle activities were found statistically different in open/deep-bite groups (P<0.05). In MI, the interaction between muscle type (masseter and anterior temporalis) and groups (open and deep-bite) were distinct (P<0.01).Conclusion:EMG activities of the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles are distinct during different functions and in subjects with different vertical facial patterns

Screening of Hyperaldosteronism on the Investigation of Secondary Hypertension: Single-centre Experience

Introduction:Primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA), is a clinical syndrome that is defined as inappropriately increased serum aldosterone secretion and low plasma renin levels. PHA has been reported as the most common cause of secondary hypertension. In this retrospective study, we planned to show the significance of screening for this disease in hypertensive patients admitted to our clinic.Methods:Our study included 64 patients who were admitted to our cardiology outpatient clinic between April 2018 and August 2021 with high blood pressure and were selected to be checked for plasma renin activity (PRA), PAC, and PAC/PRA ratios to exclude secondary hypertension. Medical records, hypertension treatments, and medical histories of the patients were reviewed from our hospital database.Results:Of the 64 patients, 25 (39.1%) were female and 39 (60.9%) were male. After the first evaluation of the patients, 13 patients were decided to be assessed with the saline infusion test. PHA was diagnosed in 7 of 13 patients evaluated. In the adrenal MRI performed in 3 of 7 patients diagnosed with PHA, one adrenal hyperplasia and one adrenal adenoma were diagnosed in 2 different patients.Conclusion:Primary hyperaldosteronism is one of the most important causes of secondary hypertension. Although there are various methods such as screening tests, the most commonly used method is the aldosterone/renin ratio and it is very practical to screen. Considering the various cardiovascular diseases that PHA is associated with, and the simplicity of treatment of PHA, we strongly believe that the screening threshold for PHA should be kept as low as possible and should be independent of age

Kuzey Kıbrıs coccinellidae faunasının saptanması

TEZ4043Tez (Yüksek Lisans) -- Çukurova Üniversitesi, Adana, 2002.Kaynakça (s. 31-37) var.v, 37 s. ; 30 cm.

İstanbul : kentsel panoptikon

In the twenty-first century that we are living, most of the contemporary metropolises are under constant visual electronic surveillance under the name of security and public safety. Istanbul as being one of the big cities has joined this surveilled metropolises; its streets and public spaces are under constant watch by the invisible watchers behind the MOBESE cameras. The way that the system works on how to impose power on the citizens with the constant observation has it roots in the design principle of Panopticon that Jeremy Bentham created long time ago. Today, Bentham’s eighteenth century design Panopticon has dispersed and merged into the urban scale and replaced by these surveillance cameras. The observation tower and the guardian in panopticon have transformed into the main control room and the cameras. Citizens in Istanbul are under a panoptic power of surveillance. Ordinary citizen is being watched by the invisible guardians behind the cameras. The ones behind the cameras constantly see everything, but never seen by the citizens. This thesis attempts to discuss this assumption of Istanbul becoming an urban panopticon and its affects on the physical layout together with the social aspect of it in Istanbul. One of the main objectives is to investigate the consequences of this visual surveillance on the way that the public life and public spaces of Istanbul is affected.M.Arch. - Master of Architectur

Dereleri̇n günyüzüne çıkarılması: Ankara i̇çi̇n etki̇n bi̇r peyzaj altyapısı

While politicians prefer to make investments on visible projects, sanitary and ecological infrastructure projects are not generally preferred or postponed due to their long-term results. Infrastructure investments, which are realized by spending a large amount of public taxes, are mostly considered problems that engineers have to solve and do not attract most people, including designers. The most crucial infrastructure problem for cities is Urban Water. For instance, water flows when we turn on the tap and discharges when we flush the toilet; however, we do not think where the water comes from and where it goes to unless a problem occurs. Nevertheless, urban morphological transformations are guided by urban water infrastructures. In this context, the relation between natural waterways, the essential component of the geomorphological process in the city, and the urban remains distant, too. For example, the streams, which have played an important role in the formation of the settlements of Ankara, are now disappeared. Throughout the 20th century, it was common for small streams to be channelized first, then covered and turned into a sewer line. However, the alarming condition of ecological phenomena like global warming, climate change, and depletion of resources in the 21st century has more clearly revealed the fact that resources should be used sustainably. The tension between economy and ecology has caused political decisions to be taken in favour of economic interests. However, it has appeared that engineering and infrastructure solutions that serve economic interests are not profitable in the long term, and ecology-oriented engineering and design solutions have begun to be implemented in the cities through the lens of landscape infrastructure. Stream daylighting projects have started to be implemented in several metropolises of the world, where the streams are channelized, transformed into a sewage line, and covered in the cities. These projects serve purposes such as flood prevention, transition to separate sewage systems, efficient use of treatment facilities, human-nature interaction, and increasing biodiversity. Hydrological features of Ankara have been neglected in the formation of the city since the 1960s. The capital, which has been struggling with flood and infrastructure problems due to rapid urbanization, is studied in terms of stream daylighting. The disappearance of waterways, which were once a determinant of urban formation, is considered as an urban planning, design, and infrastructure problem. In the 21st century, policies and infrastructure solutions for urban streams are developed not only by engineers but also by design and ecology-oriented disciplines collectively. This study investigates the historical relationship between infrastructure and urban streams through Ankara case by using city maps and various reports. It presents the "Disappeared Streams Map of Ankara" for 100 km2 area within the city center. Moreover, the criteria for stream daylighting were identified, and the sites, which can be applied, were evaluated, and the potential sites were determined for Ankara.Politikacılar görünür uygulamalara yatırım yapmayı tercih ederken, sıhhi ve ekolojik altyapı uygulamaları uzun vadeli sonuçları nedeniyle çoğunlukla tercih edilmeyen ya da ertelenen yatırımlardır. Büyük miktarlarda kamu vergisi harcanarak gerçekleştirilen altyapı yatırımları daha çok mühendislerin çözmesi gereken problemler olarak düşünülür ve tasarımcılar dâhil, çoğu kişinin ilgisini çekmez. Şehirler için en önemli altyapı problemi Kentsel Su’dur. Örneğin; su, musluğu açtığımızda gelir ve tuvalet sifonunu çektiğimizde gider ancak biz bu suyun nereden gelip nereye gittiğini bir sorun çıkmadıkça pek de düşünmeyiz. Hâlbuki kentin morfolojik değişimlerine yön veren özellikle kentsel su altyapılarıdır. Bu bağlamda kentteki jeomorfolojik süreçlerin en temel bileşeni olan doğal suyolları ile kentlerin ilişkisi de mesafelidir. Örneğin, Ankara'daki yerleşimlerin oluşumunda önemli rol oynayan dereler artık görünmezdir. 20. yüzyıl boyunca küçük akarsuların önce menfeze alınması, daha sonra kapatılması ve bir kanalizasyon hattına dönüşmesi dünya genelinde çok yaygındı. Ancak 21. yüzyılda hissedilmeye başlayan küresel ısınma, iklim değişikliği ve kaynakların tükenmesi gibi ekolojik olayların endişe verici seviyelere çıkması, kaynakların sürdürülebilir bir şekilde kullanılması gerektiği gerçeğini daha net ortaya çıkarmıştır. Ekonomi ve ekoloji arasındaki gerginlik, politik kararların genelde ekonomik çıkarlar lehine verilmesine yol açmıştır. Ancak ekonomik çıkara hizmet eden mühendislik ve altyapı çözümlerinin uzun vadede karlı olmadığı ortaya çıkmış, ekoloji odaklı mühendislik ve tasarım çözümleri peyzaj altyapısı yaklaşımıyla kentlere uygulanmaya başlamıştır. Kent içerisinde, kanallara alınarak bir kanalizasyon hattına dönüşmüş ve üzeri kapatılmış derelerin, tekrar açılması dünyanın çeşitli metropollerinde hayata geçirilmiştir. Bu projeler, taşkın önleme, ayrık kanalizasyon sistemine geçme, arıtma tesislerini verimli kullanma, insan-doğa etkileşimini ve biyoçeşitliliği arttırma gibi amaçlara hizmet etmektedir. Ankara'nın hidrolojik özellikleri, 1960'lı yıllardan itibaren kentsel oluşum sürecinde ihmal edilmiştir. Hızlı kentleşme sonucu birçok taşkın ve altyapı sorunlarıyla boğuşan başkent derelerin günyüzüne çıkarılması açısından incelenmiştir. Bir zamanlar kentsel oluşumun belirleyici unsuru olan su yollarının kaybolması, bir kentsel planlama, tasarım ve altyapı problemi olarak düşünülmüştür. 21. yüzyılda, kentsel akarsular için politikalar ve altyapı tasarım çözümleri, sadece mühendisler tarafından değil, tasarım ve ekoloji odaklı disiplinler tarafından kolektif olarak geliştirilmektedir. Bu çalışma, Ankara örneği üzerinden altyapı ve kentsel akarsuların tarihsel ilişkisini şehir haritaları ve çeşitli raporları üzerinden incelemiştir. Kent merkezini içine alan 100 km2 ’lik bir alanda “Ankara’nın Kaybolan Dereler Haritası”nı ortaya çıkarmıştır. Ayrıca, derelerin günyüzüne çıkarılma kriterleri saptanarak Ankara’da bu olgunun mümkün olabileceği alanlar saptanmış ve potansiyel alanların değerlendirmesi yapılmıştır.M.S. - Master of Scienc

Density, Biomass and Length-Weight Relationship of Brown Trout (Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758) Population in the Çoruh River Basin, North-Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

This study was conducted to determine density, biomass and length-weight relationship for brown trout (Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758) caught from removal method based on single-pass electro fishing. A total area of 2.176 ha was sampled and 167 fishes were caught using electro fishing between May 2012 and June 2013 in Tortumkale Stream of Çoruh River, Turkey. Mean density and biomass of brown trout were found to vary between 106-167 fish ha-1 and 4.76-10.64 kg ha-1, respectively. The length-weight relationship exponent b values ranged from 3.0672 to 3.3158 and indicated positive allometric growth. Length-weight relationship in between stations were statistically significant (r2&gt;0.9917, p&lt;0.05). Our results revealed that the density of the brown trout population in Tortumkale Stream is at a level indicating a risk of extinction of this species. Density of brown trout occuring in restricted habitats was reduced in Tortumkale Stream; especially it causes reduction of their population overfishing on adult individuals in reproduction season and lower of recruitment to the population. Also, biotic and abiotic effects of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), aquacultures activities, recreational fisheries, barriers of dam construction and irrigation canals, pollution from domestic, industrial and agricultural waste contribute to the destruction of the habitat of brown trout

Rehabilitation medicine as an integral part of pain medicine

Pain management is rapidly expanding field of medicine, and it now boasts to have overlapped almost every other medical specialty. A good pain specialist needs to understand the pathogenesis of every single pain condition, which he or she might come across. Only then he might be able to address the route-cause and thus offer comfort to his patients. Apart from medicine and surgery, a pain specialist must have fair knowledge about radio-diagnostics, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, human psychology and psychiatry as well as complimentary medicine. To draw the attention of our emerging pain specialists. the current topic was offered to the renowned Turkish author Özge BAYKAN ÇOPUROĞLU, which she happily accepted. The editorial board acknowledges her contribution with thanks and gratitude. © 2022 Faculty of Anaesthesia, Pain and Intensive Care, AFMS. All rights reserved