НОВЫЕ НАХОДКИ МОРСКИХ ДИАТОМОВЫХ БЕНТОСА ДЛЯ ДИАТОМОВОЙ ФЛОРЫ ТУРЦИИ (ЧЁРНОЕ МОРЕ)

Первые данные по морским диатомовым Турции, основанные на материале, собранном в Мраморном море, были опубликованы С. Эренбергом в 1843 г. Бентосные морские диатомовые изучены намного слабее, по сравнению с пресноводными. Материалы для настоящего исследования собраны на одной станции в бухте Аклиман, Синоп, в декабре 2012 г. В результате работ, виды Achnanthes longiceps C. Agardh, Bacillaria socialis (Gregory) Ralfs, Berkeleya micans (Lyngbye) Grunow, Berkeleya obtusa (Greville) Grunow, Berkeleya sparsa Mizuna, Chamaepinnularia clamans (Hustedt) Witkowski, Lange-Bertalot & Metzeltin, Cocconeis costata Gregory, Fallacia clepsidroides Witkowski, Fallacia florinae (M. Møller) Witkowski, Gomphonemopsis obscurum (Krasske) Lange-Bertalot, Grammatophora undulata Ehrenberg, Mastogloia pusilla var. subcapitata Hustedt, Mastogloia urveae Witkowski, Navicula germanopolonica Witkowski & Lange-Bertalot, Navicula parapontica Witkowski, Kulikovskiy, Nevrova & Lange-Bertalot, Navicula pavillardii Hustedt, Navicula subagnita Proshkina-Lavrenko, Neosynedra provincialis (Grunow) D.M. Williams & Round, Nitzschia prolongata Hustedt, Opephora guenter-grassii (Witkowski & Lange-Bertalot) Sabbe & Vyverman, Parlibellus berkeleyi (Kützing) E.J. Cox, Parlibellus calvus A. Witkowski, Metzeltin & Lange-Bertalot и Planothidium depertidum (Giffen) Witkowski, Lange-Bertalot & Metzeltin зарегистрированы как новые находки для диатомовой флоры Турции.The first study on marine diatoms in Turkey based on material collected from Marmara Sea was published by C. Ehrenberg in 1843. Regarding to benthic diatom studies, marine diatoms are understudy comparing to freshwater diatoms. In this study, the samples were collected from one station in Akliman Bay, Sinop in December 2012. As a result, Achnanthes longiceps C. Agardh, Bacillaria socialis (Gregory) Ralfs, Berkeleya micans (Lyngbye) Grunow, Berkeleya obtusa (Greville) Grunow, Berkeleya sparsa Mizuna, Chamaepinnularia clamans (Hustedt) Witkowski, Lange-Bertalot & Metzeltin, Cocconeis costata Gregory, Fallacia clepsidroides Witkowski, Fallacia florinae (M. Møller) Witkowski, Gomphonemopsis obscurum (Krasske) Lange-Bertalot, Grammatophora undulata Ehrenberg, Mastogloia pusilla var. subcapitata Hustedt, Mastogloia urveae Witkowski, Navicula germanopolonica Witkowski & Lange-Bertalot, Navicula parapontica Witkowski, Kulikovskiy, Nevrova & Lange-Bertalot, Navicula pavillardii Hustedt, Navicula subagnita Proshkina-Lavrenko, Neosynedra provincialis (Grunow) D.M. Williams & Round, Nitzschia prolongata Hustedt, Opephora guenter-grassii (Witkowski & Lange-Bertalot) Sabbe & Vyverman, Parlibellus berkeleyi (Kützing) E.J. Cox, Parlibellus calvus A.Witkowski, Metzeltin & Lange-Bertalot and Planothidium depertidum (Giffen) Witkowski, Lange-Bertalot & Metzeltin were “new record” status for Turkish Diatom Flora

The distribution of centric diatoms in different river catchments in the Anatolian Peninsula, Turkey

The diatoms are one of the most important groups of organisms for biomonitoring studies. In Turkey, most previous applications of diatoms to water quality monitoring have focused on the pennate diatoms, with almost no attention given to the centric forms. The paper presents the centric diatoms in some river catchments in Central Anatolia (Konya closed catchment and Kızılırmak) and Western Anatolia (Marmara, Sakarya, Susurluk, Akarçay, Küçük Menderes, and Meriç-Ergene in the Marmara and Aegean regions). The survey of these catchments is based on samples collected between 2009 and 2013 from 33 different locations, including some springs from Türkmen Mountain and Domaniç forest, as well as small streams and big rivers of the Anatolian Peninsula. Altogether 30 taxa were found, of which 14 are new records for the freshwater diatom flora of Turkey

Seroprevalence and risk factors for toxoplasma infection among pregnant women in Aydin province, Turkey

BACKGROUND: The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women at first trimester of their pregnancy and to follow up the seroconversion for next two trimesters, and to identify the risk factors and possible contamination routes in Aydin province, Turkey. METHOD: The sample size was calculated as 423 on a prevalence of 50%, d=0.05 at a confidence level of 95% with 10% addition. It was a cross-sectional study with multistage sampling. After a questionnaire applied to the pregnant women, anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies were studied with ELISA and IFA, values in conflict with DA test, where IgM antibodies were studied with ELISA and for borderline or positive values of IgM avidity test was used. RESULTS: The mean age of 389 (92.9%) of pregnant women in the study was 24.28+/-4.56 years, the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies for toxoplasmosis was 30.1%. Seroprevalence was increased with age (p=0.001) and with drinking water consumption other than bottled water (p=0.042). No significant relations were observed between anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies and education level, being native or migrant, abortion history, consumption of meat, vegetable and milk/milk products, personal or kitchen hygiene habits, cat owning at home of the pregnant women. No IgM antibody was detected. CONCLUSION: One of every three pregnant women in Aydin was at risk of toxoplasmosis at the first trimester of their pregnancy. Increased seroprevalance with age was a predictable result because of increasing time of exposure. Increased seroprevalence with consumption of municipal and uncontrolled water (well/spring water) supplies was similar with latest epidemiological findings

Editorial of Special Issue of National Identities: Alevism as an ethno-religious identity: Contested boundaries

No abstract for editorial but this is the opening paragraph: This special issue on Alevism and trans/national Alevi identity critically engages with the relationship between religion, ethnicity and national identity. The core issues are as follows: • how ethnicity and religion are conceptualised for a relatively invisible ethnic group in different national contexts; • how religion and ethnicity intersect when Alevism is both a faith and an ethnic identity, especially when conceptions of that identity are contested; • how identity is shaped through state policies within different national policy contexts and how etic definitions of minority communities are constructed by the state or other agencies with the power to impose them on the community in contrast to the emic or self-definitions of Aleviness from within the Alevi community; • how despite the fragmented, heterogeneous nature of Alevi communities, there is also a sense of a single, transnational imaginary community, at least for the purposes of political assimilation/integration and activism; • how education and other arenas of political, religious and cultural engagement at local, national and transnational levels create the possibilities, both positively and negatively, for future action/policy to situate minority ethnic communities

Systemic and local antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of Staphylococcus epidermidis graft infection

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the in vivo efficacy of local and systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in the prevention of Staphylococcus (S.) epidermidis graft infection in a rat model and to evaluate the bacterial adherence to frequently used prosthetic graft materials. METHODS: Graft infections were established in the subcutaneous tissue of 120 male Wistar rats by implantation of Dacron/ePTFE grafts followed by topical inoculation with 2 × 10(7 )CFUs of clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis. Each of the graft series included a control group, one contaminated group that did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis, two contaminated groups that received systemic prophylaxis with teicoplanin or levofloxacin and two contaminated groups that received teicoplanin-soaked or levofloxacin-soaked grafts. The grafts were removed 7 days after implantation and evaluated by quantitative culture. RESULTS: There was significant bacterial growth inhibition in the groups given systemic or local prophylaxis (P < 0.05). Methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis had greater affinity to Dacron graft when compared with ePTFE graft in the untreated contaminated groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the usage of systemic or local prophylaxis and preference of ePTFE graft can be useful in reducing the risk of vascular graft infections caused by staphylococcal strains with high levels of resistance

mTOR Controls Ovarian Follicle Growth by Regulating Granulosa Cell Proliferation

We have shown that inhibition of mTOR in granulosa cells and ovarian follicles results in compromised granulosa proliferation and reduced follicle growth. Further analysis here using spontaneously immortalized rat granulosa cells has revealed that mTOR pathway activity is enhanced during M-phase of the cell cycle. mTOR specific phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase and 4E-BP, and expression of Raptor are all enhanced during M-phase. The predominant effect of mTOR inhibition by the specific inhibitor Rapamycin (RAP) was a dose-responsive arrest in the G1 cell cycle stage. The fraction of granulosa cells that continued to divide in the presence of RAP exhibited a dose-dependent increase in aberrant mitotic figures known as anaphase bridges. Strikingly, estradiol consistently decreased the incidence of aberrant mitotic figures. In mice treated with RAP, the mitotic index was reduced compared to controls, and a similar increase in aberrant mitotic events was noted. RAP injected during a superovulation regime resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the numbers of eggs ovulated. Implications for the real-time regulation of follicle growth and dominance, including the consequences of increased numbers of aneuploid granulosa cells, are discussed

Antiphospholipid antibodies in eclamptic women.

Our purpose was to determine the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) in eclamptic women as well as the rates of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and fetal death in APA-positive and -negative eclamptic women. Thirty-six eclamptic and 30 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in this study. APA in those groups were determined. The prevalences of IUGR and fetal death were determined in APA-positive and -negative eclamptic women. In the eclamptic group, APA were positive in 9 out of 36 patients (25%), where as only 2 out of 30 controls (6.7%) were positive (p 0.05). Similar conclusions about our results could also be made, when weakly positive anticardiolipin antibodies were regarded as negative in our study group and controls. Our study suggests that positive levels of APA in eclamptic women increase the risk for intrauterine fetal death

ISOLATION OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS FROM LIVING TREE TRUNK HOLLOWS IN

Cryptococcus neoformons is a basidiomycetous yeast leading to life-threatening infections in human and animals. It has been isolated from decaying hollows and fissures from various tree species in different parts of the world. The isolation of the yeast from the environment is less in the eastern part of Mediterranean area. Only one C.neoformans strain from debris of Eucalyptus comolduleosis in the blossoming period, has been reported by consecutive studies done in suspected areas since the last 10 years. In this study, 300 tree including trunk hollows and fissures have been screened for colonization of Cneoformans in Denizli city (located on Aegean part of Turkey) center during July 2008. All samples has been collected by swabbing technique and cultured on minimal Staib agar ME,dium (without creatinine and potassium clihydroden phosphate). Two (0.6%) strains of Cneoformons have been isolated from the total of 300 screened trees. One of these isolates was from Platonus orientolis (plane tree; n= 92) and one from Punica gronatum (pomegranate tree; n= 2). Six and three colonies per plate have been isolated from Porientolis and Pyronatum samples, respectively. Cneoformans has not been isolated in the repeat cultures done in the following two months. Although Cneoformons was isolated from previously unaccomplished niches in this study, our results suggested that Cneoformons colonization of trees trunk hollows and fissures was not common in Denizli city center

ISOLATION OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS FROM LIVING TREE TRUNK HOLLOWS IN

Cryptococcus neoformons is a basidiomycetous yeast leading to life-threatening infections in human and animals. It has been isolated from decaying hollows and fissures from various tree species in different parts of the world. The isolation of the yeast from the environment is less in the eastern part of Mediterranean area. Only one C.neoformans strain from debris of Eucalyptus comolduleosis in the blossoming period, has been reported by consecutive studies done in suspected areas since the last 10 years. In this study, 300 tree including trunk hollows and fissures have been screened for colonization of Cneoformans in Denizli city (located on Aegean part of Turkey) center during July 2008. All samples has been collected by swabbing technique and cultured on minimal Staib agar ME,dium (without creatinine and potassium clihydroden phosphate). Two (0.6%) strains of Cneoformons have been isolated from the total of 300 screened trees. One of these isolates was from Platonus orientolis (plane tree; n= 92) and one from Punica gronatum (pomegranate tree; n= 2). Six and three colonies per plate have been isolated from Porientolis and Pyronatum samples, respectively. Cneoformans has not been isolated in the repeat cultures done in the following two months. Although Cneoformons was isolated from previously unaccomplished niches in this study, our results suggested that Cneoformons colonization of trees trunk hollows and fissures was not common in Denizli city center

[Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from living tree trunk hollows in Denizli City Center, Turkey].

Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycetous yeast leading to life-threatening infections in human and animals. It has been isolated from decaying hollows and fissures from various tree species in different parts of the world. The isolation of the yeast from the environment is less in the eastern part of Mediterranean area. Only one C. neoformans strain from debris of Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the blossoming period, has been reported by consecutive studies done in suspected areas since the last 10 years. In this study, 300 tree including trunk hollows and fissures have been screened for colonization of C. neoformans in Denizli city (located on Aegean part of Turkey) center during july 2008. All samples has been collected by swabbing technique and cultured on minimal Staib agar medium (without creatinine and potassium dihydroden phosphate). Two (0.6%) strains of C. neoformans have been isolated from the total of 300 screened trees. One of these isolates was from Platanus orientalis (plane tree; n = 92) and one from Punica granatum (pomegranate tree; n = 2). Six and three colonies per plate have been isolated from P. orientalis and P. granatum samples, respectively. C. neoformans has not been isolated in the repeat cultures done in the following two months. Although C. neoformans was isolated from previously unac-complished niches in this study, our results suggested that C. neoformans colonization of trees trunk hollows and fissures was not common in Denizli city center