Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and haplotypes (Apa I, Bsm I, Fok I, Taq I) in Turkish psoriasis patients

Background: Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease characterized by increased squamous cell proliferation and impaired differentiation. Vitamin D, Calcitriol, and its analogues are successfully used for psoriasis therapy. However, it is unknown why some psoriasis patients are resistant to Vitamin D therapy. Vitamin D mediates its activity by a nuclear receptor. It is suggested that polymorphisms and haplotypes in the VDR gene may explain the differences in response to vitamin D therapy. Material/Methods: In this study, 102 psoriasis patients and 102 healthy controls were studied for VDR gene polymorphisms. The Fok I, Bsm I, Apa I and Taq I polymorphisms were examined by PCR-RFLP, and 50 subjects received vitamin D therapy to evaluate the association between VDR gene polymorphisms and response to vitamin D therapy. Existence of cutting site is shown by capital letters, and lack was shown by lower case. The haplotypes were analysed by CHAPLIN. Results: There was significant difference in allele frequency of T and genotype frequency of Tt between cases and controls (p values 0.038 and 0.04, respectively). The Aa and bb genotypes were significantly higher in early onset than late onset psoriasis (p values 0.008 and 0.04, respectively). The genotypes Ff, ff and TT are significantly different between vitamin D3 therapy responders and non-responders (p values 0.04, 0.0001, 0.009, respectively). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing importance of VDR gene haplotypes in psoriasis, the significance of the Wald and LR (Likelihood Ratio) statistics (p=0,0042) suggest that FfBbAatt is a disease-susceptibility haplotype. Conclusions: Haplotype analysis is a recent and commonly used method in genetic association studies. Our results reveal a previously unidentified susceptibility haplotype and indicate that certain haplotypes are important in the resistance to vitamin D3 therapy and the onset of psoriasis. The haplotypes can give valuable data where genotypes unable to do. © Med Sci Monit

Comparisons between Tethyan Anorthosite-bearing Ophiolites and Archean Anorthosite-bearing Layered Intrusions: Implications for Archean Geodynamic Processes

Elucidating the petrogenesis and geodynamic setting(s) of anorthosites in Archean layered intrusions and Tethyan ophiolites has significant implications for crustal evolution and growth throughout Earth history. Archean anorthosite-bearing layered intrusions occur on every continent. Tethyan ophiolites occur in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In this contribution, the field, petrographic, petrological, and geochemical characteristics of 100 Tethyan anorthosite-bearing ophiolites and 155 Archean anorthosite-bearing layered intrusions are compared. Tethyan anorthosite-bearing ophiolites range from Devonian to Paleocene in age, are variably composite, contain anorthosites with highly calcic (An44-100) plagioclase and magmatic amphibole. These ophiolites formed predominantly at convergent plate margins, with some forming in mid-ocean ridge, continental rift, and mantle plume settings. The predominantly convergent plate margin tectonic setting of Tethyan anorthosite-bearing ophiolites is indicated by negative Nb and Ti anomalies and magmatic amphibole. Archean anorthosite-bearing layered intrusions are Eoarchean to Neoarchean in age, have megacrystic anorthosites with highly calcic (An20-100) plagioclase and magmatic amphibole and are interlayered with gabbros and leucogabbros and intrude pillow basalts. These Archean layered intrusions are interpreted to have predominantly formed at convergent plate margins, with the remainder forming in mantle plume, continental rift, oceanic plateau, post-orogenic, anorogenic, mid-ocean ridge, and passive continental margin settings. These layered intrusions predominantly crystallized from hydrous Ca- and Al-rich tholeiitic magmas. The field, petrographic and geochemical similarities between Archean and Tethyan anorthosites indicate that they were produced by similar geodynamic processes mainly in suprasubduction zone settings. We suggest that Archean anorthosite-bearing layered intrusions and spatially associated greenstone belts represent dismembered subduction-related Archean ophiolites

Palaeozoic-Recent geological development and uplift of the Amanos Mountains (S Turkey) in the critically located northwesternmost corner of the Arabian continent

<p>We have carried out a several-year-long study of the Amanos Mountains, on the basis of which we present new sedimentary and structural evidence, which we combine with existing data, to produce the first comprehensive synthesis in the regional geological setting. The ca. N-S-trending Amanos Mountains are located at the northwesternmost edge of the Arabian plate, near the intersection of the African and Eurasian plates. Mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments accumulated on the north-Gondwana margin during the Palaeozoic. Triassic rift-related sedimentation was followed by platform carbonate deposition during Jurassic-Cretaceous. Late Cretaceous was characterised by platform collapse and southward emplacement of melanges and a supra-subduction zone ophiolite. Latest Cretaceous transgressive shallow-water carbonates gave way to deeper-water deposits during Palaeocene-Eocene. Eocene southward compression, reflecting initial collision, resulted in open folding, reverse faulting and duplexing. Fluvial, lagoonal and shallow-marine carbonates accumulated during Late Oligocene(?)-Early Miocene, associated with basaltic magmatism. Intensifying collision during Mid-Miocene initiated a foreland basin that then infilled with deep-water siliciclastic gravity flows. Late Miocene-Early Pliocene compression created mountain-sized folds and thrusts, verging E in the north but SE in the south. The resulting surface uplift triggered deposition of huge alluvial outwash fans in the west. Smaller alluvial fans formed along both mountain flanks during the Pleistocene after major surface uplift ended. Pliocene-Pleistocene alluvium was tilted towards the mountain front in the west. Strike-slip/transtension along the East Anatolian Transform Fault and localised sub-horizontal Quaternary basaltic volcanism in the region reflect regional transtension during Late Pliocene-Pleistocene (<4 Ma).</p

Dadağı kömür numunesinin briketleme ve SO 2 emisyonunu düşürme çalışmaları

Dadağı screen undersize (0-18 mm) coal sample was tried to be evaluated by screening through 6.35 mm to obtain a dustless mm fraction and mm fraction which is not needed to be crushed for briquetting. In the briquetting of the sample ( mm) which has an average calorific value with high ash and sulphur contents, two important points were considered; a-mechanical resistance properties of briquettes, b-decreasing of SO 2 emission by sulphur capture during combustion. The briquettes obtained with the combination of 10 % molasses, 15 % lime and 10 % water gave the best results from the view of both mechanical resistance properties and combustible sulphur amount with SO 2 emission. However, lime addition affected the combustion properties of briquettes negatively due to attained extraordinary ash values.Dadağı elekaltı (0-18 mm) kömür numunesi 6.35 mm den elenerek, tozundan arındırılmış mm fraksiyonu ve briketlemek için kırılmasına gerek olmayan mm fraksiyonu elde edilerek değerlendirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Orta kalori değerine sahip, yüksek kül ve kükürt içerikli bu numunenin ( mm) briketleme çalışmalarında iki önemli nokta gözönüne alınmıştır; a-briketlerin mekanik dayanımı, b-kömür numunesindeki kükürtün yanma sırasında tutularak SO 2 emisyonunun azaltılması. Mekanik dayanımları ve yanar kükürt içeriği ile SO 2 emisyonu gözönüne alındığında %10 melas, % 15 kireç ve % 10 su kombinasyonu ile yapılan briketler en iyi sonucu vermişlerdir. Ancak kireç ilavesi, ulaşılan sıradışı kül değeri nedeniyle briketlerin yanma kalitesini olumsuz etkilemiştir

Analysis of a mathematical model of apoptosis: individual differences and malfunction in programmed cell death

SCAI 10th International Conference on Complexity in Acute Illness (ICCAI) -- SEP, 2011 -- Bonn, GERMANYApoptosis is an important area of research because of its role in keeping a mature multicellular organism's number of cells constant, hence, ensuring that the organism does not have cell accumulation that may transform into cancer with additional hallmarks. Firstly, we have carried out sensitivity analysis on an existing mathematical mitochondria-dependent apoptosis model to find out which parameters have a role in causing monostable cell survival, which may, in turn, lead to malfunction in apoptosis. We have then generated three base parameter sets that represent healthy cells. These parameter sets were built by changing the sensitive parameters while preserving the bistability. For each base set, we varied the proapoptotic and antiapoptotic production rates, to yield new sets for the cells that have malfunctioning apoptosis. In a hypothetical cell model, we simulated caspase-3 activation by numerically integrating the governing ordinary differential equations of a mitochondria-dependent apoptosis model. These simulations were carried out for four potential treatments, namely: (1) proteasome inhibitor treatment, (2) Bcl-2 inhibitor treatment, (3) IAP inhibitor treatment, (4) Bid-like synthetic peptides treatment. The results suggest that the proteasome inhibitor treatment is the most effective treatment, though it may have severe side effects. For this treatment, the amount of proteasome inhibitor needed for caspase-3 activation may be different for hypothetical cells with a different pro- or anti-apoptotic protein defect. It is also found that caspase-3 can be activated by Bcl-2 inhibitor treatment only in those hypothetical malfunctioning cells with Bax deficiency but not in others. These results are in line with the view that molecular heterogeneity in individuals may be an important factor in determining the individuals' positive or negative responses to treatments.Soc Complex Acute Illness (SCAI