Alkanna malatyana (Boraginaceae), a new species from East Anatolia, Turkey

WOS: 000333898000006Alkanna malatyana (Boraginaceae) is described as a new species to science. It is endemic to the eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. A. malatyana is an obligated chasmophytic species, which colonizes on limestone rocky cliffs, known from a single locality in Levent Canyon, located in Malatya Province. It is related to A. mughlae and it shows some morphological similarities with A. confusa and A. kotschyana, but it clearly differs from them based on the morphological differences presented in the species description. In addition, the conservation status, a distribution map, and notes on the biogeography and ecology of the new species are given.Ege University Research FundEge University [2012 BBH 001]We are grateful to the curators of the following herbaria for allowing access to their Alkanna material for study: ANK, EGE, GAZI, HUB, KONY, K, and VANF. We are indebted to the Ege University Research Fund (Project number: 2012 BBH 001) for their financial support

Development of Food Retailing and Factors Affecting the Competition in Food Retailing

Retailing is a dynamic and complex sector that offers wide range of products and services to consumers. This sector which includes different types of enterprises, has an important position within the supply chain. Food retailing has also a big potential within retailing sector. On the other hand, an intensive competition exists in food retailing. Taking place in the competitive market, food retailers attempt to gain a competitive advantage against their rivals with their geographic location, product selection and type, offered service quality and pricing alternatives. Additionally, food retailers also incline to develop their own branded products. The purpose of this study is to examine the development of food retailing sector, competitive structure and the main factors affecting this structure.Retailing; Food retailing; Competition; Competition in food retailing

Six Sigma and Implementations of Six Sigma in Finance Sector

Quality is a one of the critical factors for achieving competitive advantage. Six sigma approach is a business strategy which usage has increased gradually in last years for quality improvement initiative. Although six sigma established by a manufacturing firm and it has been successfully implemented in many manufacturing firms, service firms have began to use six sigma for reducing cost, enhanced quality of service, increasing customer satisfaction and profitability. In this paper, six sigma was examined in a view of finance sector and applications of six sigma within the finance sector were evaluated.Quality; Six sigma; Service sector; Finance sector; Six sigma applications in finance sector

Reseda malatyana (Resedaceae), a new chasmophytic species from eastern Anatolia, Turkey

WOS: 000342607700013Reseda malatyana Ysidirim & Senol (Resedaceae) is illustrated and described as a new species to science, endemic to eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Reseda malatyana is related to Reseda armena Boiss. It differs from Reseda armena by the following characters: densely smaller, unbranched at the upper part, papillate-hispidulous stems; dark green, thicker, and densely papillate-hispidulous leaves; bigger petals; smaller pedicels; relatively smaller with sinus seeds; oblate-spheroidal, tricolporate, and rugulate pollen grains. R. malatyana is a perennial species that colonizes on marlstone rocky cliffs, known from a single locality in Levent Canyon, located in Malatya Province. It is an obligated chasmophytic species. In addition, the conservation status, distribution map, and notes on the biogeography and ecology of the new species are given. Moreover, the morphological description of Reseda armena, a poorly known and insufficiently characterized species due to its rarity and very limited material present in herbaria, is amplified and expanded based on the present material obtained from field studies and several herbaria

Campanula alisan-kilincii (Campanulaceae), a new species from eastern Anatolia, Turkey

WOS: 000329171500003Campanula alisan-kilincii Yildirim & Senol (Campanulaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Malatya Province in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The new species belongs to the section Rupestres, based on morphological features. It is morphologically similar to Campanula quercetorum and C. strigillosa but clearly differs from them based on the morphological differences presented in the species description. In addition, the conservation status, the distribution map, and notes on the biogeography and ecology of the new species are given

Farklı habitatlarda Convolvulus oleifolius var. Deserti'nin morfoloji ve fizyolojisinde değişimler

Apostol adasının farklı vejetasyon zonlarında bulunan Convolvulus oleifolius Desr. var. deserti Pamp./Sürmeli yayılgan'ın morfolojik özellikleri, fotosentetik pigment içerikleri, prolin ve toplam protein miktarları çalışılmıştır. Örnekler Bodrum-Türkbükü-Muğla-Türkiye, Apostol adasının littoral-epilittoral ve interior vejetasyon zonlarından toplanmıştır. Gövde uzunluğu, organ büyüklüğü, tüy yoğunluğu ve çiçeklenme durumunda belirgin farklılıklar vardır. Fotosentetik pigmentler littoral-epilittoral vejetasyon zonda, interior vejetasyon zondakinden daha azdır. Littoralepilittoral vejetasyon zonda prolin miktarı interior vejetasyon zondakinden önemli derecede daha yüksekken, toplam protein miktarı önemli derecede daha düşüktür. C. oleifolius var. deserti'nin morfolojik ve fizyolojik özelliklerinin çeşitli habitatlara uyum mekanizması sonucu ortaya çıkan önemli farklılıkları sergilediği düşünülebilir. Bu nedenle, çalışmamız farklı habitatlara uyumlu ve/veya toleranslı bitkilerin seçilmesi ve değerlendirilmesi için önemlidirMorphological features, photosynthetic pigment contents, proline and total protein amounts of Convolvulus oleifolius Desr. var. deserti Pamp./Surmeli yayilgan in different vegetation zones of Apostol Island are studied. Samples were collected from littoral-epilittoral and interior vegetation zones of Apostol Island, Bodrum-Turkbuku-MuglaTurkey. There are obvious differences in terms of stem length, organ size, hair density and inflorescence. Photosynthetic pigments in littoral-epilittoral vegetation zone are less than in interior vegetation zone. Prolin amount is significantly higher, but total protein amount is significantly lower in littoral-epilittoral vegetation zone than in interior vegetation zone. It may be thought that the morphological and physiological features of the C. oleifolius var. deserti exhibited considerable differences which appeared be the product of adaptive mechanisms to different habitat. So, our study is important for improving and selecting crops tolerant of and/or adapted to different habita

Heterostyly in Linum aretioides

WOS: 000321228000012The petal width; sepal, pistil, and stamen lengths; and changes in pollen sizes associated with heterostyly of different morphs in populations of Linum aretioides Boiss. were investigated. Fruit sets were compared in 2 populations and it was investigated whether the Bozdag population has a heteromorphic incompatibility system. It was observed that the stamen lengths of thrum morphs of Bozdag were shorter than those of thrum morphs of Babadag. Pistil lengths of both morphs of Bozdag were longer than those of morphs of Babadag. Pollen shapes of both morphs were prolate-spheroidal and subprolate, respectively, in the Bozdag population and subprolate in the Babadag population. It was determined that pollen exine in the short-styled and long-styled flowers was dimorphic. The pollen bore a marginal ring of 4 to 8 spinules in the thrum morphs and of 3 to 7 spinules in the pin morphs. It was found that the highest rates of fruit set occurred during cross-hand pollination from pin morphs to thrum morphs and from thrum morphs to pin morphs (77.77% and 71.42%, respectively). It was shown that in L. aretioides self-pollinations and pollinations between plants of the same morph are incompatible.TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [104T340]We would like to extend our thanks to TUBITAK (Project no: 104T340) for its financial support

Predictors of Mortality in Patients with Acute Renal Failure

Mortality associated with acute renal failure (ARF) remains high despite of developments in therapy strategies and definition of different prognostic factors. Therefore, this study focused on to define new prognostic factors and especially regional characteristics of the ARF patients. One hundred fifteen ARF patients, diagnosed from November 1998 to May 2003, were included to this prospective and observational study. Clinical features, laboratory parameters, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III scores and co-morbid conditions of the patients were examined. Clinical and laboratory data, and APACHE III scores were recorded at the first nephrology consult day. Thirty of the patients (26%) died. APACHE III scores, presence and the total number of co-morbid conditions and serum albumin levels at the time of first nephrology consultation were found as independent predictors of mortality. There was a negative correlation between APACHE III scores and serum albumin levels. Not only increased APACHE III score and presence of co-morbid conditions but also low serum albumin level was found as the predictors of mortality. However, only serum albumin level is seen as modifiable prognostic factor among these parameters. Therefore, further studies are necessary to determine the causes of hypoalbuminemia in patients with ARF and the effect of it’s effective treatment on patients outcome