A phylogenetic analysis of Jurinea (Compositae) species from Turkey based on ITS sequence data

In this study, the taxa which belong to the Jurinea Cass. genus, grown naturally in Turkey and collected from different localities, are compared in terms of their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA). The DNAs of the taxa were isolated by using a commercial kit (Nucleon Phytopure). Sequences were aligned with Clustal X. Phylogenetic relationships are assessed by sequence analysis, conducted with the DNASTAR software after the amplification of ITS regions with the universally recognized primers, named as 17SE and 26SE. In conclusion, morphologically similartaxa are also clustered together when a phylogenetic analysis is conducted based on molecular data. Jurinea species of the Anatolian peninsula are closely related with the topography of the region and certain level of molecular isolation of the species is evidenced

Karyotype analyses of the species of the genus Jurinea Cass. (Compositae) in Turkey

In this study, karyotype analyses of 13 species belonging to the genus Jurinea Cass. (Compositae) and grown naturally in Turkey were conducted. These taxa include Jurinea alpigena C. Koch, Jurinea ancyrensis Bornm., Jurinea aucherana DC., Jurinea cadmea Boiss., Jurinea cataonica Boiss. and Hausskn., Jurinea consanguinea DC., Jurinea cypria Boiss., Jurinea macrocalathia C. Koch., Jurinea macrocephala DC., Jurinea mollis (L.) Reichb., Jurinea pontica Hausskn. and Freyn ex Hausskn., Jurinea pulchella DC., Jurinea ramulosa Boiss. and Hausskn. Karyotype analysis of all the species are introduced to the scientific community for the first time and they were obtained through an Image analysis system. The study has made  contribution to the cytotaxonomic revision of the genus Jurinea in Turkey.Key words: Asteraceae, Image analysis, Jurinea, karyotype, Turkey

Phylogenetic relationship analysis of Genista L. (Fabaceae) species from Turkey as revealed by intersimple sequence repeat amplification

Genista L. (Fabaceae) is distributed in Europe, South Africa, and West Asia and consists of almost 90 species in the world. Thirteen species of the genus are distributed in Turkey. Taxonomic problems of the species started to be resolved with recently developed DNA-based molecular methods. These methods, in contrast to phenotypical analyses, are free from the effects of environmental conditions. In this study, DNA of the species which belong to the Genista genus, grown naturally in Turkey and collected from the different localities, were isolated with a commercial kit. Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) is a simple molecular marker system that provides reliable results. Based on ISSR data, genetic similarities anddendrogram demonstrating the phylogenetic relationships among the Genista taxa were prepared by the NTSYSpc 2.0 software. In this study, infrageneric classifications of the Genista taxa belonging to the Flora of Turkey were conducted based on molecular data. ISSR analysis strongly supported the hypothesis that G. aucheri is accepted as the synonym of G. sessilifolia

Measurements of axial length and radius of corneal curvature in the rabbit eye

The axial length of the eye, the radius of the anterior corneal surface, and the diameter of the cornea were measured on 40 eyes of 20 New Zealand White rabbits. The ultrasonographic measurements of the axial length of the eye showed a mean value of 15.12 ± 0.51mm (15.33 ± 0.50mm in males, 14.96 ± 0.46mm in females). The mean corneal radius was 7.26 ± 0.26mm (7.18 ± 0.9mm in males, 7.32 ± 0.33 mm in females); the mean value of the difference in corneal curvature between two principle meridians was 0.21 ± 0.12mm; and the mean horizontal and vertical diameters of the cornea were 13.41 ± 0.34mm and 13.02 ± 0.30mm, respectively. Although the diameter of the cornea of rabbits was bigger than that of humans (average, horizontal 11.75mm, vertical 10.55mm), the axial length of the eye was 0.7 times that of humans (23-24mm), and the radius of corneal curvature was relatively smaller than that in humans (7.7-7.8mm).</p

Adenosine deaminase enzyme activity is increased and negatively correlates with catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in patients with Behçet's disease: original contributions/clinical and laboratory investigations.

AIM: Behçet's disease (BD) is an inflammatory vasculitis with immunologic, endothelial and neutrophil alterations. Adenosine deaminase (AD) is a marker of T-cell activation and is related to the production of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils with the production of NO(*), O(2)(*-), H(2)O(2) and OH(*). We reported increased tumour necrosis factor-alpha, soluble interleukin-2 receptor, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and NO(*) in active BD. As there is a relation between cytokines, T cells and oxidative stress in inflammatory diseases, this study further evaluated: (1) plasma AD activity and its correlation with acute phase reactants; (2) thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) as an indicator for lipid peroxidation; and (3) antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and catalase in patients with BD. The effect of disease activity and correlations between the measured parameters were explored. METHODS: A total of 35 active (n=17) or inactive (n=18) patients with BD (16 men, 19 women) satisfying International Study Group criteria, and 20 age-matched and sex-matched controls (nine men, 11 women) were included in this cross-sectional case-control study. AD and TBARS were measured in plasma, catalase in red blood cells (RBC), and SOD and GSHPx in both plasma and RBC in both groups. Acute phase reactants (alpha(1)-antitrypsin, alpha(2)-macroglobulin, neutrophils, erythrocyte sedimentation rate) were used to classify patients as active or inactive. RESULTS: Plasma AD (mean+/-standard error of the mean, 36.1+/-0.7 U/l) and TBARS (4.2+/-0.1 nmol/ml) levels were significantly (for each, p<0.001) higher in BD than in controls (24.1+/-0.8 U/l and 1.6+/-0.1 nmol/ml, respectively). RBC catalase activity was significantly (p<0.001) lower in BD than in controls (120.9+/-3.8 versus 160.3+/-4.1 k/g haemoglobin). SOD and GSHPx activities were significantly lower in both plasma and erythrocytes of patients with BD than in controls (plasma SOD, 442.4+/-8.6 versus 636.4+/-9.2 U/ml, p<0.001; RBC SOD, 3719.2+/-66.0 versus 4849.7+/-49.0 U/g haemoglobin, p<0.001; plasma GSHPx, 73.1+/-1.5 versus 90.6+/-2.9 U/ml, p<0.001; RBC GSHPx, 600.7+/-8.0 versus 670.6+/-10.1 U/g haemoglobin, p<0.001). Active BD patients had significantly lower antioxidant enzymes (except RBC catalase) and higher AD and TBARS levels than inactive subjects (for each, p<0.01). When considering all BD patients, a significant positive correlation was present between AD and TBARS (p<0.001) whereas both AD and TBARS were negatively correlated with antioxidant enzymes (for each, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: AD and lipid peroxidation are increased and associated with defective antioxidants in BD, suggesting interactions between activated T cells and neutrophil hyperfunction. Measures of pro-oxidative stress and antioxidative defence with AD activity as an indicator of T-cell activation can be considered as significant supportive diagnostic indicators, especially in active disease. In addition, strengthening the antioxidant defence may contribute to treatment modalities

CIFRA: Challenging the ICT Patent Framework for Responsible Innovation. D2.1: Literature Review

The European Commission. CIFRA: Challenging the ICT Patent Framework for Responsible Innovation. Grant Agreement No.731940. Research and Innovation Action. Call: H2020-ICT-35-201

CIFRA: Challenging the ICT Patent Framework for Responsible Innovation. D2.2: Empirical Evidence on ICT patents between 1990 and 2012

The European Commission. CIFRA: Challenging the ICT Patent Framework for Responsible Innovation. Grant Agreement No.731940. Research and Innovation Action. Call: H2020-ICT-35-201

Startups’ exit strategies in the market for technology: when to pull the plug

A key consideration in entrepreneurial decision making is whether and when to find a collaboration partner, in the form of an acquirer. The same decision also applies to the other side of the table, as buyers have to decide whether and when to engage in technology acquisitions through collaborations with startups. We look at the literature that uncovered some of the factors around the key decision of the timing of a collaboration, with specific focus on technology startups that also possess patents

Airdata-sensor-based relative position estimation for receiver aircraft in aerial refueling

This paper presents a method to estimate the position of receiver aircraft relative to the tanker aircraft in aerial refueling operation. In aerial refueling operations, the receiver aircraft is exposed to nonuniform wind field induced by tanker aircraft, and this nonuniform wind field leads to differences in readings of airdata sensors that are located different locations on the receiver aircraft. The goal is to use the variations of airspeed, sideslip angle and angle-of-attack measurements over the aircraft to develop a relative position estimation system. Using the difference in the sensors, a map of wind field in terms of magnitude and direction over an area around the refueling contact position is prepared. Several algorithms are developed that use measurements from three airdata sensors placed at different locations on the receiver aircraft and the inverse of the maps to estimate the relative position of the receiver with respect to the tanker.Conference PaperBook Chapte