USABILITY OF LARGE URBAN FACILITIES IN SPATIAL TRANSFORMATION - CASE STUDY OF REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTERS IN ISTANBUL

Due to the dynamic nature of the urban development in developing countries in parallel to rapidly changing economic, social and technological environments, decisions based on master plans do usually fail. Therefore, spatial transformation is the number one prerequisite to create more livable cities in countries where land use and location decisions do greatly divert from master plans that ill-fully represent the nature of urban development in rapidly changing environment. It is very unfortunate that like many developing countries, central government as well as local governments in Turkey have adopted this approach which is totally inappropriate to their changing environment due to rapid urbanization. In middle and low income economies, urbanization has increased by an average of 3.5 and 3.7% per annum, respectively, compared with an average of 1.5% per annum in the industrialized countries (the rate in Turkey was 4.35% from 1965 to 1985). The percent of urban population in the largest city in Turkey, Istanbul, was 24% in 1980 compared to 18% in 1960. The population of Istanbul was 11.2 million in 2000 compared to 11.3 million of Paris and 11.1 million of Osaka, Kobe (World Development Report by World Bank, 1984). In the periphery of the metropolitan city of Istanbul, there are numerous neighborhoods and urban centers hat need spatial transformation or renewal for the betterment of urban space. Renewal was defined as clearance and redevelopment until the mid-1960s. This approach for the urban betterment was changed in the 1970s by establishing legal ground via improvement and development plans. In contrast to this, in parallel to the radical changes in economic policies in the 1980s, renewal policy for the problematic locations in large urban areas were again equaled regeneration, and spatial transformations were made for the capitalization of global interests in the name of urban rent by transformation projects (Dündar, 2001). The former— improvement and development plans— failed due to the reason said in the beginning. The latter— transformation projects— have found limited application (Portakal Çiçeði, Dikmen Vadisi, Zafer Plaza transformation projects and some others) due to two great limitations: finances and public acceptance towards transformation projects. To overcome these obstacles in general, some approaches are developed, such as ÝHT-ÝHTr-Real-estate planning tools, master plans for earthquakes and natural disasters (Istanbul Metropolitan City), KED Model (Çelikhan et al., 2004). However, these approaches have not found widespread application yet due to necessary legal changes they require and most importantly the finances needed for the transformations desired in urban areas. Under the economic and social conditions in developing countries, what expected from ideal transformation approaches are to create financial tools during the process and to offer the urban rent to land owners primarily in order to speed up the transformation process towards the desired direction by creating voluntarily participation at the utmost level and to reduce the legal problems due to the introduction of new developments and land use planned by the transformation projects to be applied. This study is originated from the idea that large urban developments attract new land uses and users to their proximity or repel current land uses and users around them. This process can be seen as a “voluntarily transformation” process. Since large shopping centers or malls are built in almost every largely populated urban area all over the world in the last 20-30 years due to new shopping habits and global capital investments, we studied the effects of large shopping malls on land use in their proximity as being large developments they create urban transformation process in their proximity, as a case study in Istanbul, Turkey. To support our approach, Dennis at al. (2002) interestingly reported in their study in Northern London that the fist step in urban renovation is to renovate retail shopping and shopping centers. In this context, we performed user surveys in residential and commercial areas as well as at real estate agents in the proximity two large shopping centers; namely, Akmerkez (Etiler, Beþiktaþ) and Tepe-Nautilus (Acýbadem, Kadýköy) in Istanbul. In addition, in the study areas the data on land use changes provided by State Statistics Institute of Turkey have been examined. It is concluded the shopping centers stimulated urban transformation on real estates in their close proximity, and in time they created transformations from residential to commercial within their primary influence boundaries, and beyond those up to a certain distance they became an attractive zone for residential use.

How lamina-associated polypeptide 1 (LAP1) activates Torsin

Lamina-associated polypeptide 1 (LAP1) resides at the nuclear envelope and interacts with Torsins, poorly understood endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized AAA+ ATPases, through a conserved, perinuclear domain. We determined the crystal structure of the perinuclear domain of human LAP1. LAP1 possesses an atypical AAA+ fold. While LAP1 lacks canonical nucleotide binding motifs, its strictly conserved arginine 563 is positioned exactly where the arginine finger of canonical AAA+ ATPases is found. Based on modeling and electron microscopic analysis, we propose that LAP1 targets Torsin to the nuclear envelope by forming an alternating, heterohexameric (LAP1-Torsin)[subscript 3] ring, in which LAP1 acts as the Torsin activator. The experimental data show that mutation of arginine 563 in LAP1 reduces its ability to stimulate TorsinA ATPase hydrolysis. This knowledge may help scientists understand the etiology of DYT1 primary dystonia, a movement disorder caused by a single glutamate deletion in TorsinA.National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (Award GM103403)United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Basic Energy Sciences (Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357

Structural analysis of different LINC complexes reveals distinct binding modes

© 2020 The Author(s) Linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes are molecular tethers that span the nuclear envelope (NE) and physically connect the nucleus to the cytoskeleton. They transmit mechanical force across the NE in processes such as nuclear anchorage, nuclear migration, and homologous chromosome pairing during meiosis. LINC complexes are composed of KASH proteins traversing the outer nuclear membrane, and SUN proteins crossing the inner nuclear membrane. Humans have several SUN- and KASH-containing proteins, yet what governs their proper engagement is poorly understood. To investigate this question, we solved high resolution crystal structures of human SUN2 in complex with the KASH-peptides of Nesprin3, Nesprin4, and KASH5. In comparison to the published structures of SUN2-KASH1/2 we observe alternative binding modes for these KASH peptides. While the core interactions between SUN and the C-terminal residues of the KASH peptide are similar in all five complexes, the extended KASH-peptide adopts at least two different conformations. The much-improved resolution allows for a more detailed analysis of other elements critical for KASH interaction, including the KASH-lid and the cation loop, and a possible self-locked state for unbound SUN. In summary, we observe distinct differences between the examined SUN-KASH complexes. These differences may have an important role in regulating the SUN-KASH network

Comparison of intrathecal plain articaine and levobupivacaine with fentanyl for Caesarean section

Purpose: Articaine is used as a local anesthetic for outpatient surgery because it offers rapid onset of anesthesia and short duration motor block. Levobupivacaine is often preferred for Caesarean section. We evaluated the anesthetic characteristics of fentanyl-supplemented plain articaine and levobupivacaine for Caesarean section under combine spinal epidural anesthesia. Methods: Patients undergoing Caesarean section received in random order plain articaine 40 mg (Group A, n=50) or plain levobupivacaine 10 mg (Group L, n=50) mixed with fentanyl 20 µg intrathecally. The onset and duration of sensory and motor block, first analgesic request, and hemodynamic parameters were recorded. Results: Onset times of maximum motor block were longer in Group L than Group A (P=0,001). Time to two-segment regression of sensory block were 70 min for Group A and 90 min group L (P=0.001). Times to complete regression of motor blockade were significantly longer in group L than group A (P =0,001). Conclusion: To have a faster onset and shorter duration of spinal anesthesia, we recommend the use of plain articaine for Caesarean section

Assessment of fetal antioxidant and oxidant status during different anesthesia techniques for elective cesarean sections

Background: We aimed to investigate the effects of general, spinal and epidural anesthesia on fetal total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) during elective cesarean section in this study. Materials and Methods: Forty-seven parturients scheduled for elective cesarean section were randomly allocated into three groups: Group spinal (n = 15), group epidural (n = 17), and group general (n = 15), This prospective randomized study was performed in Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Ozal University, Turkey. After the baby was delivered; TAS, TOS levels, and arterial blood gases parameters were analyzed in an umbilical arterial blood sample. OSI values are calculated by a ratio of TOS to the TAS. Results: The levels of TAS and TOS in umbilical arterial blood sample were not statistically different among three. However, OSI values were significantly different among the three groups (P = 0.042). Median OSI values is 24 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-37) in group spinal, 19 (IQR, 4-44) in group epidural, and 8 (IQR, 4-36) in group general. There was no significant difference in OSI values in the comparison of group spinal with group general and group epidural, but it was significantly lower in group general when compared with group epidural with Bonferroni correction (P = 0.017). Umbilical cord arterial blood gas values (pH, PaCO 2 , PaO 2 , SaO 2 , HCO 3 , and CtO 2 ), glucose, lactate, and hemoglobin levels were similar in three groups. Conclusion: General anesthesia may be more favorable than epidural in those undergoing cesarean section when fetal oxidative status gains importance

A case of rhesus hemolytic disease with hemophagocytosis and severe iron overload due to multiple transfusions

Background: A newborn with cholestatic hepatic disease and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis due to rhesus hemolytic disease (RHD) is reported

The AAA + ATPase TorsinA polymerizes into hollow helical tubes with 8.5 subunits per turn

TorsinA is an ER-resident AAA + ATPase, whose deletion of glutamate E303 results in the genetic neuromuscular disease primary dystonia. TorsinA is an unusual AAA + ATPase that needs an external activator. Also, it likely does not thread a peptide substrate through a narrow central channel, in contrast to its closest structural homologs. Here, we examined the oligomerization of TorsinA to get closer to a molecular understanding of its still enigmatic function. We observe TorsinA to form helical filaments, which we analyzed by cryo-electron microscopy using helical reconstruction. The 4.4 Å structure reveals long hollow tubes with a helical periodicity of 8.5 subunits per turn, and an inner channel of ~ 4 nm diameter. We further show that the protein is able to induce tubulation of membranes in vitro, an observation that may reflect an entirely new characteristic of AAA + ATPases. We discuss the implications of these observations for TorsinA function.National Institutes of Health (Grant AR065484)U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (Award W81XWH1810515