The distribution of HLA-DRB alleles in ulcerative colitis patients in Turkey

Recently described distinct associations of HLA class II genes with ulcerative colitis (UC) suggest a genetic heterogeneity for disease susceptibility. In this study, HLA-DRB alleles of UC patients (n = 59) from Turkey were investigated and compared with healthy controls (n = 244). Using molecular genotyping by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific oligonucleotide hybridization, we have shown a positive association of UC patients with the HLA-DRB1*1502 allele (10/59 vs. 16/244; P = 0.02; OR: 2.9) and a negative association with the DRB1*13 allele (7/59 vs. 64/244; P = 0.03; OR: 0.38) compared to controls. HLA-DRB1*0701 was significantly increased in perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA)-positive UC patients compared to pANCA-negative patients (8/32 vs. 0/27; P = 0.005), whereas DRB1*1502 was observed more frequently in pANCA-negative patients (8/27 vs. 2/32; P = 0.03). These results extended the reported positive association of DRB1*1502 with UC to another population and supported the genetic susceptibility associated with HLA genes for disease development

Electrical, electromagnetic shielding, and some physical properties of hybrid yarn-based knitted fabrics

Recently, increasing number of studies are performed on protective fabrics containing metal wires for electromagnetic shielding purposes. In the present paper, the hybrid fabrics in plain and rib structures were knitted by using single and double ply hybrid yarns obtained by acrylic (PAC) yarns plied with stainless steel wires having two different diameters. The physical properties including conductivity, air permeability, pilling, and abrasion resistance as well as electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) were measured. The variations in EMSE as well as reflection, absorption, and transmission and in other physical properties of knitted hybrid fabrics were investigated considering wire content and weave structure. It was seen that an increase in the wire content significantly increased the conductivity. Rib fabrics exhibited better EMSE values as compared with plain fabrics. Fabrics using two-folded yarns exhibited better EMSE values. Fabrics using thinner wire exhibited higher EMSE values. The highest EMSE value was obtained for rib-knitted fabric with 35 micrometer (m) stainless steel wire

Enhancement of the national strong-motion network in Turkey

Two arrays comprising 20 strong-motion sensors were established in western Turkey. The 14 stations of BYTNet follow a N-S trending line about 65 km in length, normal to strands of the North Anatolian fault that runs between the cities of Bursa and Yalova. Here the dominant character of the potential fault movement is a right-lateral transform slip. The DATNet array, comprising a total of eight stations, is arranged along a 110-km-long E-W trending direction along the Menderes River valley between Denizli and Aydin. (Two stations in this array were incorporated from the existing Turkish national strong-motion network.) This is an extensional tectonic environment, and the network monitors potential large normal-faulting earthquakes on the faults in the valley