Convergence of regional economic cycles in Turkey

Dissimilar economic fluctuations and asymmetric shocks across the regions of a country might create severe policy distortions that, under these circumstances, aggregate policy interventions (such as taxation and interest rates), are likely to be sub-optimal for at least a fraction of the regions. For instance, monetary policy can hardly satisfy the needs of all regions when some of the regions are experiencing a boom while others are in a recession phase. For these reasons, similarity of regional business cycles and their convergence are highly desirable from a policy viewpoint. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to provide empirical evidence and policy implications in that context. In particular, I analyze business cycle correlations across Turkish provinces and the tendency of these cycles to converge over the period of analysis between 1975-2000 and 2004-2008 (for Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics [NUTS]-2 regions). I find that regional business cycle asymmetries have tended to decrease in recent decades. This result, although it seems to provide evidence in favor of rising correlations, shows that the convergence process is rather slow and there still exist asymmetries across the regional business cycles

Phylogenetic Analysis and Rapid Identification of the Whitefly, Bemisia afer, in China

The phylogenetic relationship between the whitefly Bemisia afer (Priesner & Hosny) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from China and other populations among the world were analyzed based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene. Phylogenetic analysis of mtCOI sequences and those of reference B. afer sequences showed that the populations of the species could be separated into 5 clades (I–V). There were at least two clades of the species from China (IV and V). These data suggested that B. afer might be a species complex. The Chinese B. afer populations were most divergent with B. afer from the United Kingdom and African countries. The distance between the Chinese B. afer (IV and V) and clades I, II, and III is more than 32%, while the distance among clades I, II, III is lower than 7.7%. A new set of primers specific to B. afer was designed to amplify a region of approximately 400 bp to discriminate B. afer from other Bemisia species in China based on mtCOI sequences

Position and Role of the BK Channel α Subunit S0 Helix Inferred from Disulfide Crosslinking

The position and role of the unique N-terminal transmembrane (TM) helix, S0, in large-conductance, voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels are undetermined. From the extents of intra-subunit, endogenous disulfide bond formation between cysteines substituted for the residues just outside the membrane domain, we infer that the extracellular flank of S0 is surrounded on three sides by the extracellular flanks of TM helices S1 and S2 and the four-residue extracellular loop between S3 and S4. Eight different double cysteine–substituted alphas, each with one cysteine in the S0 flank and one in the S3–S4 loop, were at least 90% disulfide cross-linked. Two of these alphas formed channels in which 90% cross-linking had no effect on the V50 or on the activation and deactivation rate constants. This implies that the extracellular ends of S0, S3, and S4 are close in the resting state and move in concert during voltage sensor activation. The association of S0 with the gating charge bearing S3 and S4 could contribute to the considerably larger electrostatic energy required to activate the BK channel compared with typical voltage-gated potassium channels with six TM helices

Location of modulatory β subunits in BK potassium channels

Large-conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels contain four pore-forming α subunits and four modulatory β subunits. From the extents of disulfide cross-linking in channels on the cell surface between cysteine (Cys) substituted for residues in the first turns in the membrane of the S0 transmembrane (TM) helix, unique to BK α, and of the voltage-sensing domain TM helices S1–S4, we infer that S0 is next to S3 and S4, but not to S1 and S2. Furthermore, of the two β1 TM helices, TM2 is next to S0, and TM1 is next to TM2. Coexpression of α with two substituted Cys’s, one in S0 and one in S2, and β1 also with two substituted Cys’s, one in TM1 and one in TM2, resulted in two αs cross-linked by one β. Thus, each β lies between and can interact with the voltage-sensing domains of two adjacent α subunits

Raw-Data.xlsx

Raw data for the figures in paper titled " A functional polymorphism (rs10817938) in the XPA promoter region is associated with poor prognosis of oral squamous cell Carcinoma in a Chinese Han population " in Plos On

Brassinosteroids Regulate OFP1, a DLT Interacting Protein, to Modulate Plant Architecture and Grain Morphology in Rice

Brassinosteroids (BRs) regulate important agronomic traits in rice, including plant height, leaf angle, and grain size. However, the underlying mechanisms remain not fully understood. We previously showed that GSK2, the central negative regulator of BR signaling, targets DLT, the GRAS family protein, to regulate BR responses. Here, we identified Ovate Family Protein 1 (OFP1) as a DLT interacting protein. OFP1 was ubiquitously expressed and the protein was localized in both cytoplasm and nucleus. Overexpression of OFP1 led to enlarged leaf angles, reduced plant height, and altered grain shape, largely resembled DLT overexpression plants. Genetic analysis showed that the regulation of plant architecture by OFP1 depends on DLT function. In addition, we found OFP1 was greatly induced by BR treatment, and OsBZR1, the critical transcription factor of BR signaling, was physically associated with the OFP1 promoter. Moreover, we showed that gibberellin synthesis was greatly repressed in OFP1 overexpression plants, suggesting OFP1 participates in the inhibition of plant growth by high BR or elevated BR signaling. Furthermore, we revealed that OFP1 directly interacts with GSK2 kinase, and inhibition of the kinase activity significantly promotes OFP1 protein accumulation in plant. Taken together, we identified OFP1 as an additional regulator of BR responses and revealed how BRs promote OFP1 at both transcription and protein levels to modulate plant architecture and grain morphology in rice