Assessment of the Extracts of Centaurea tchihatcheffii Fischer for Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Activities in Animal Models

Purpose: To evaluate the ethanol extracts of the flowers, leaves, and stems of Centaurea tchihatcheffii Fischer & C.A. Meyer (Asteraceae) for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities in male Swissalbino mice.Methods: For the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity, hind paw oedema was induced in the mice with carrageenan and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2 ) and the mice received either 100 and 200 mg/kg bodyweight doses of the flower extract or 200 mg/kg body weight dose of the leaf and stem extracts. Furthermore, ear oedema was induced in other groups of mice with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA) and then administered with 0.5 mg/ear dose of the extract of either of the three plant parts. In order to evaluate analgesic activity, p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal constriction test was used with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight doses of the flower or 200mg/kg body weight dose of the leaf and stem extracts administered. Indomethacin and acetylsalicylic acid were the reference drugs for antiinflamatory and analgesic evaluations, respectively. Phytochemical screening of the flower extract wascarried out by thin layer chromatography (TLC).Results: The results of evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activities induced by carrageenan and PGE2 showed that the flower extract diminished cyclo-oxygenase activitiy at the 200 mg/kg dose to the samelevel as the reference drug, indomethacin. However, no anti-inflamatory activity was seen in the TPAinduced ear oedema model. The extracts from all three parts of the plant showed analgesia in pbenzoquinone-induced abdominal constriction test. TLC analysis of the flower extract indicated the presence of sesquiterpen lactones, which may have been responsible for the analgesic activity.Conclusion: Our results support the use of C. tchihatcheffii in traditional medicine in Turkey for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties

Three-Body approach to the K^- d Scattering Length in Particle Basis

We report on the first calculation of the scattering length A_{K^-d} based on a relativistic three-body approach where the two-body input amplitudes coupled to the Kbar N channels have been obtained with the chiral SU(3) constraint, but with isospin symmetry breaking effects taken into account. Results are compared with a recent calculation applying a similar set of two-body amplitudes,based on the fixed center approximation, considered as a good approximation for a loosely bound target, and for which we find significant deviations from the exact three-body results. Effects of the hyperon-nucleon interaction, and deuteron $D$-wave component are also evaluated.Comment: 5 pages, Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Space-time interpolation and automatic mapping of TEC using TNPGN-active

Turkish National Permanent GPS Network (TNPGN) is the Reference Station Network of 146 continuously-operating GNSS stations o which are distributed uniformly across Turkey and North Cyprus Turkish Republic since May 2009. IONOLAB group, formed by researchers and students in Hacettepe University, Bilkent University and General Command of Mapping is currently investigating new techniques for space-time interpolation, and automatic mapping of TEC through a TUBITAK research grant. This study presents the developments in monitoring of space weather, and correction of geodetic positioning errors due to ionosphere using TNPGN. © 2011 IEEE

Space weather studies of IONOLAB group

IONOLAB is an interdisciplinary research group dedicated for handling the challenges of near earth environment on communication, positioning and remote sensing systems. IONOLAB group contributes to the space weather studies by developing state-of-the-art analysis and imaging techniques. On the website of IONOLAB group, www.ionolab.org, four unique space weather services, namely, IONOLAB-TEC, IRI-PLAS-2015, IRI-PLAS-MAP and IRI-PLAS-STEC, are provided in a user friendly graphical interface unit. Newly developed algorithm for ionospheric tomography, IONOLAB-CIT, provides not only 3-D electron density but also tracking of ionospheric state with high reliability and fidelity. The algorithm for ray tracing through ionosphere, IONOLAB-RAY, provides a simulation environment in all communication bands. The background ionosphere is generated in voxels where IRI-Plas electron density is used to obtain refractive index. One unique feature is the possible update of ionospheric state by insertion of Total Electron Content (TEC) values into IRI-Plas. Both ordinary and extraordinary paths can be traced with high ray and low ray scenarios for any desired date, time and transmitter location. 2-D regional interpolation and mapping algorithm, IONOLAB-MAP, is another tool of IONOLAB group where automatic TEC maps with Kriging algorithm are generated from GPS network with high spatio-temporal resolution. IONOLAB group continues its studies in all aspects of ionospheric and plasmaspheric signal propagation, imaging and mapping. © 2016 IEEE

Space weather activities of IONOLAB group using TNPGN GPS Network

Characterization and constant monitoring of variability of the ionosphere is of utmost importance for the performance improvement of HF communication, Satellite communication, navigation and guidance systems, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems, Space Craft exit and entry into the atmosphere and space weather. Turkish National Permanent GPS Network (TNPGN) is the Reference Station Network of 146 continuously-operating GNSS stations of which are distributed uniformly across Turkey and North Cyprus Turkish Republic since May 2009. IONOLAB group is currently investigating new techniques for space-time interpolation, and automatic mapping of TEC through a TUBITAK research grant. It is utmost importance to develop regional stochastic models for correction of ionospheric delay in geodetic systems and also form a scientific basis for communication link characterization. This study is a brief summary of the efforts of IONOLAB group in monitoring of space weather, and correction of geodetic positioning errors due to ionosphere using TNPGN. © 2011 IEEE

Extensive central nervous system involvement in Merkel cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare malignant cutaneous neoplasm that is locally invasive and frequently metastasizes to lymph nodes, liver, lungs, bone and brain. The incidence of Merkel cell carcinoma has increased in the past three decades.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 65-year-old Caucasian man presented with a sudden onset of severe headache and a three-month history of balance disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large meningeal metastasis. The radiologic workup showed retroperitoneal and inguinal lymph node metastases. Biopsy of the inguinal lymph nodes showed metastases of Merkel cell carcinoma. Biopsy from three different suspected skin lesions revealed no Merkel cell carcinoma, and the primary site of Merkel cell carcinoma remained unknown. Leptomeningeal metastases, new axillary lymph node metastases, and intraspinal (epidural and intradural) metastases were detected within six, seven and eight months, respectively, from the start of symptoms despite treating the intracranial metastasis with gamma knife and the abdominal metastases with surgical dissection and external radiotherapy. This indicates the aggressive nature of the disease.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of an intracranial meningeal metastasis of Merkel cell carcinoma treated with gamma knife and of intraspinal intradural metastases of Merkel cell carcinoma. Despite good initial response to radiotherapy, recurrence and occurrence of new metastases are common in Merkel cell carcinoma.</p

The role of nucleon recoil in low-energy antikaon-deuteron scattering

The effect of the nucleon recoil for antikaon-deuteron scattering is investigated in the framework of effective field theory. In particular, we concentrate on the calculation of the nucleon recoil effect for the double-scattering process. It is shown that the leading correction to the static term that emerges at order xi^{1/2} with xi=M_K/m_N vanishes due to a complete cancellation of individually large contributions. The resulting recoil effect in this process is found to be of order of 10-15% as compared to the static term. We also briefly discuss the application of the method in the calculations of the multiple-scattering diagrams.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

A new differential configuration suitable for realization of high CMRR, all-pass/notch filters

#yayıncısurumuyok# ; Tam metin hakemden geçmiş kopyadır.In this paper, a new configuration suitable for realization of differential input-differential output first order, second order all-pass and notch filters with high CMRR is given. The proposed configuration uses two negative type second-generation current conveyors (CCII-), and three admittances. Two first order and one second order all-pass filters and a notch filter (tunable if current controlled conveyor CCCII is used) are extracted from the proposed configuration. Tracking error, element mismatch, sensitivity analysis, simulation and experimental results are included

Chiral unitary theory: application to nuclear problems

In this talk we briefly describe some basic elements of chiral perturbation theory, $\chi PT$, and how the implementation of unitarity and other novel elements lead to a better expansion of the $T$ matrix for meson meson and meson baryon interactions. Applications are then done to the $\pi \pi$ interaction in nuclear matter in the scalar and vector channels, antikaons in nuclei and $K^-$ atoms, and how the $\phi$ meson properties are changed in a nuclear medium.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, Invited talk in the International Symposium on Nuclear Physics, Bombay, december 200

Unintentional social consequences of disorganised marketing of corporate social responsibility: figurational insights into the oil and gas sector in Africa.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a concept that is widely associated with large transnational corporations (TNCs) and increasingly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The concept is contentious with wide ranging debates about intent and impact, not least from critics who perceive CSR to ostensibly be a marketing tool. Before examining some of the current flaws within CSR, it is important to establish how the concept is being applied