quarries in the Denizli region (western Anatolia, Turkey)

The marbles are widely used rock types in the structures of today and ancient world. In this study, two ancient marble quarries named as Hierapolis and Domuzderesi in Denizli region, have been examined. The marble samples from these quarries can be grouped into three types, based on color, crystal size, crystal boundaries and foliation status. These groups are identified as i) white, ii) gray veined and iii) gray marbles. In terms of microscopic features, heteroblastic polygonal (white marbles in Hierapolis, gray-veined and gray marbles in Domuzderesi) and homeoblastic polygonal textures (white marbles in Domuzderesi) have been defined. The mineral compositions of all marble groups are quite similar. They are consisting predominantly of carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite) and, as accessory minerals quartz, muscovite, pyroxene and ferric iron oxides. These results are also supported by the XRD studies. According to the geochemical analyses, protoliths of Hierapolis and Domuzderesi marbles are limestone. In Hierapolis marble quarry, the delta C-13 and delta O-18 values change between 0.63 - 3.52 parts per thousand and (-9.55) - (-1.21) parts per thousand, in turn. The delta C-13 and delta O-18 values of Domuzderesi marble quarry range from (-1.44) parts per thousand and 3.41 parts per thousand, -13.26 parts per thousand and (-5.3) parts per thousand, respectively. Minero-petrographic, geochemical and C-O stable isotope results reveal that Hierapolis and Domuzderesi ancient quarries have similar characteristics which have originated from a same protolith

Effects of the GnRH analogue deslorelin implants on reproduction in female domestic cats

The aim of the present study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of deslorelin, a GnRH agonist, implants in suppressing estrus behavior and matings in a controlled ambient environment in feline queens in the presence of a tomcat. Local and utero-ovarian side effects of deslorelin implants were also investigated. The queens were housed in groups and assigned to one of three treatments: group 1 received 9.5 mg deslorelin implants (N = 14), group 2 received 5 mg megestrol acetate tablets and 9.5 mg deslorelin implants (N = 7), and group 3 were given placebo implants (N = 7). All implants were placed subcutaneously cranial to the interscapular region under xylazine hydrochloride sedation. Ovarian activity was monitored by fecal estradiol (E-2) analyses. The animals were observed daily and checked individually at three-day intervals for behavioral signs of estrus. After 18.5 mo of trial, queens were ovariohysterectomized, and ovaries and uteri were weighed and evaluated histologically. E-2 levels were significantly lower in group 1 and 2 than in group 3 with an average of 128.48 +/- 19.97 ng/g, 90.44 +/- 7.16 ng/g and 283.26 +/- 39.21 ng/g, respectively, excepting the first week of treatment. After inserting implants an initial estrus-like increase in fecal E-2 concentrations occurred in all treated queens except one female in group 2. Ovarian and uterine weights were significantly different among the groups (P < 0.01), and were lowest in groups 1 and 2. Primordial and primary follicle numbers were significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in group 3 (P < 0.001). Endometrial gland, antral follicle, and corpus luteum (CL) numbers were highest in group 3 (P < 0.01, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively) compared with groups 1 and 2. Deslorelin implants successfully suppressed estrus behavior and E2 secretion in queens for 18.5 mo of the study period. Further investigations are needed to demonstrate the effects of GnRH agonists on ovarian interstitial tissue. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Is Flow Cytometry Crossmatch Analysis Using Sera with Different Dilutions Important for Pretransplant Analysis? A Case Report

The most effective form of treatment for chronic renal failure is kidney transplantation from a cadaver or a living donor. For a kidney transplant to be successful, tissue compatibility and a lack of donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (H LA) antibodies in the circulation of the patient are vital, in addition to ABO blood group compatibility. The presence of anti-HLA antibodies. is assayed before transplantation using various methods, but because organ rejections have been observed in previous studies, different techniques are required to detect anti-FILA antibodies. Today, flow cytometry crossmatching is one of the most important and effective techniques in testing for donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs). If weakly positive serum is assayed after serial dilution, it can yield high positivity. Herein, we describe the differences between the results for diluted and undiluted weakly positive sera studied using the flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM) technique. In a recent study, the sera of weakly FCXM-positive patients were diluted 1/50, and the FCXM test was repeated. The use of diluted serum eliminated the effect of the prozone so that the DSAs could be detected

Tuberculosis after renal transplantation: experience of one Turkish centre

Background. In this study, renal transplant recipients with tuberculosis of different organs, were retrospectively analysed with respect: to prevalence, outcome and drug toxicity

The Presence of Donor-Specific Antibodies in Renal Transplantation

Determining the presence of anti-HLA antibodies before transplantation is an important factor to prevent loss of function among renal transplantations. In addition, recent studies have shown that not only the pretransplantation existence of anti-HLA antibody but also posttransplantation donor-specific antibodies (DSA) and non-donor-specific antibodies are significantly associated with allograft rejection or loss of graft function. This study presented DSA among patients after renal transplantation together with graft function and survival