Credit transmission mechanism in Turkey: An empirical investigation

The purpose of the study is to empirically test the presence of a bank lending channel in the Turkish economy. The empirical investigations are focused on the bank lending behaviour of 58 deposit money banks in the Turkish banking system over the period 1988-1999. The estimation methodology of the empirical analysis differs from that of similar studies in the literature, providing econometrically more efficient model estimates through exploiting dynamic panel data modelling with Generalized Method of Moments estimations. The results of the model estimations provide no evidence of a potential for a bank lending channel to exist in the Turkish economy. Such an outcome is reflected in the lack of a significant relationship between the change in the monetary policy indicator and the growth rate of the loan supply in the estimated models. Categorizing the loan supply responses of banks with respect to bank size differences has not provided any significant improvement in revealing the evidence of a bank lending channel. The empirical results indicate that bank lending behaviour is influenced significantly by bank specific factors, such as the balance sheet strength and the quality of the asset portfolio, and by debt sales to the banking system.Credit channel, bank lending channel, dynamic panel data, Turkey

A new nomenclature for the livestock-associated Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex based on phylogenomics

Background: The bacteria that compose the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) cause tuberculosis (TB) in humans and in different animals, including livestock. Much progress has been made in understanding the population structure of the human-adapted members of the MTBC by combining phylogenetics with genomics. Accompanying the discovery of new genetic diversity, a body of operational nomenclature has evolved to assist comparative and molecular epidemiological studies of human TB. By contrast, for the livestock-associated MTBC members, Mycobacterium bovis, M. caprae and M. orygis, there has been a lack of comprehensive nomenclature to accommodate new genetic diversity uncovered by emerging phylogenomic studies. We propose to fill this gap by putting forward a new nomenclature covering the main phylogenetic groups within M. bovis, M. caprae and M. orygis. Methods: We gathered a total of 8,747 whole-genome sequences (WGS) from public sources and 39 newly sequenced strains, and selected a subset of 839 WGS, representative of the worldwide diversity of M. bovis, M. caprae and M. orygis. We used phylogenetics and genetic diversity patterns inferred from WGS to define groups. Results: We propose to divide M. bovis, M. caprae and M. orygis, in three main phylogenetic lineages, which we named La1, La2 and La3, respectively. Within La1, we identified several monophyletic groups, which we propose to classify into eight sublineages (La1.1-La1.8). These differed in geographic distribution, with some being geographically restricted and others globally widespread, suggesting different expansion abilities. To ease molecular characterization of these MTBC groups by the community, we provide phylogenetically informed, single nucleotide polymorphisms that can be used as barcodes for genotyping. These makers were implemented in a new test suit in KvarQ, a platform-independent, open-source tool. Conclusions: Our results contribute to an improved classification of the genetic diversity within the livestock-associated MTBC, which will benefit future molecular epidemiological and evolutionary studies

The Crosstalk between LXR and JNK pathways : mechanisms and mediators

This project was carried out in the Cell Signaling Research Group headed by Dr. Carme Caelles at IRB Barcelona. As a part of the research-line that deals with physiological and pharmacological (anti-inflammatory and/or anti-diabetic) actions conducted by some nuclear receptor (NR) ligands through negative interference with the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway, this project was focused on studying the mechanism of cross-talk between those pathways. The results of the study show the ligand-dependent LXR inhibition of the LPS-activated SAPK (JNK and p38MAPK) pathways. Moreover, PP5, a serine/threonine phosphatase previously shown to regulate MAPK pathways, is suggested as a novel target of LXR that negatively regulates LPS-induced activation of SAPK pathways. Furthermore, it is proposed that through the inhibition of SAPK activity, and thereby cJun/AP-1 activity, PP5 is mediating negative regulation of LPS-induced Mmp13 gene expression by LXR in murine primary macrophages.Este proyecto se llevó a cabo en el Grupo de Investigación en Señalización Celular del IRB Barcelona y fue dirigido por la Dra. Carme Caelles. El trabajo se centra en el estudio del mecanismo de interferencia entre las vías de los receptores nucleares (NR) y la señalización de la quinasa c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK). Esta inhibición forma parte de la línea investigación sobre las acciones fisiológicas y farmacológicas (anti-inflamatorias y / o anti-diabéticas) realizadas por los ligandos de algunos NR. El estudio demuestra la inhibición de las vías SAPK (JNK y p38MAPK) en respuesta a LPS a través de la activación dependiente de ligando de LXR. Además, PP5, una fosfatasa serina/treonina que previamente se demostró que regula las vías de las MAPKs, se sugiere como el mediador de esta inhibición. Esta interacción estaría inhibiendo la expresión en respuesta a LPS del gen Mmp13 en macrófagos de ratón

Çitlenbik (Celtis australis L.) Odun Çeliklerinin Köklendirilmesi: IBA Dozlarının ve Çitlenbik Tiplerinin Etkileri

Özet Çalışmada çitlenbiğin (Celtis australis L.) Mart ayında alınan odun çeliklerinin köklenme olanakları araştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın ilk yılında çitlenbiğin odun çelikleri 2, 4, 6, 8 veya 10 g/l IBA uygulandıktan sonra cam serada alttan ısıtmalı köklendirme tezgahında perlitte köklendirilmiştir. Çalışmanın ikinci yılında ise 5 farklı çitlenbik tipinin çeliklerinin köklenme potansiyeli incelenmiştir. Her iki yılda da 100 günlük köklenme periyodu sonunda köklenme oranı (%), kök sayıları (adet/bitki çelik), kök uzunluğu (cm) ve adaptasyon aşamasındaki yaşama oranları (%) belirlenmiştir. Köklenen çelikler toprak-torf-perlit (1:1:1/2) karışımına dikilerek cam serada gelişmeye bırakılmış, 2 aylık gelişme periyodu sonrasında yaşama oranları (%) belirlenmiştir. Büyük saksılara alınarak fidanlık koşullarında bir yıl süre ile büyütülen bitkilerin boy (cm), gövde çapı (mm) ve yaprak sayısı (adet) belirlenerek, tiplerin gelişme farklılıkları ortaya konmuştur. İlk yıl çalışmalarında en yüksek köklenme oranı 6 g/l IBA uygulanan çeliklerden (%83.33) sağlanmış ve bu çeliklerde en fazla kök (9.34 adet/çelik) oluşmuştur. IBA dozunun artması kök gelişimini olumsuz etkilemiştir. Tiplerin köklenme durumunun incelendiği ikinci yıl çalışmalarında ele alınan çitlembik tiplerin köklenme potansiyeli farklılık göstermiş ve en yüksek köklenme T5 çeliklerinde (%86.67) oluşmuştur. Çalışmada elde edilen köklü bitkilerin adaptasyonundaki başarı köklenme aşamasındaki kök kalitesine bağlı olarak artmıştır. Bir yaşlı fidanlarda uzama (125.85 cm), gövde çapı (18.30 mm) ve yaprak sayısı (170.81 adet) bakımından en iyi gelişmeyi yine T5 bitkileri göstermiştir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Çitlenbik, Celtis australis L., Vegetatif üretim, Çelik, Köklenme, Fidan gelişim

ONTOLOGY BASED DESIGN FOR INTEGRATIVE SIMULATION OF HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

Mathematical modeling of physiological processes of human body has been studied in all levels from cell up to organs and organ systems. Although the initial idea for working on individual models of human physiology was to have a better understanding of the whole mechanism, not enough integrative approaches have been developed yet. To build an integrative framework for physiological processes, the first step should be defining anatomical structure of human body. For the integration of the mathematical models, which represent physiological processes at different levels, horizontal and vertical connection of the anatomical structure is required. In this paper we present the high level design of an application programming interface, which aims to provide integration of multilevel physiological models through an ontology based framework

Strain rate sensitivity and strain hardening response of DP1000 dual phase steel

In this study, strain hardening and strain rate sensitivity behavior of commercial DP1000 dual phase steel have been examined in detail at temperatures of 25 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C and 300 °C, at strain rates of 0.0016 s -1 and 0.16 s -1 . As the strain rate has increased, the yield strength has increased but no significant change in tensile strength and strain hardening coefficient has been observed. As the temperature has increased, the yield and tensile strength has decreased in between 25 and 200 °C but it has showed an increase at 300 °C. The strain hardening coefficient has increased in parallel with temperature increase. It has been seen that the strain rate sensitivity has not been affected by temperature. No significant difference in the hardening rate has appeared in between 25 and 200 °C, but the highest value has been calculated at 300 °C. It has been determined that the fracture behavior has occurred earlier and load carrying capacity on necking has reduced with the increase of strain rate and not significantly affected by temperature. © 2018 EDP Sciences

Hb Sarrebourg [ß131(H9)Gln›Arg, CAG>CGG] in Turkey

PubMedID: 21077765We describe Hb Sarrebourg [ß131(H9)Gln›Arg, CAG>CGG] in four heterozygous members of a Turkish family. It was associated with iron deficiency in the proband. © 2010 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.Çukurova Üniversitesi: TF2007BAP42This project was supported by Çukurova University Research Grants TF2007BAP42&43 and TF2009BAP1. This study was presented at th