(In)securitising post-Soviet Space through Security Policies: Russian and the Western Concerns on the Colour Revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia

This article mainly elaborates the relations between Russia and the West during and after the Cold War. Both sides saw each other as a security threat during the Cold War. After 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed, this antagonistic relation ended for a short period. Once Vladimir Putin came to power, Russia once again revealed security concerns in the post-Soviet space. The iconic symbol of this concern was the Colour Revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine. The Kremlin saw the Revolutions as a Western threat to Russia’s identity formation in the region. On the other hand, the West saw the Revolutions as a call for democratic liberation for the peoples of the region. Hence, this study looks deeply into both sides of concerns about the Revolutions through the concepts of identity politics and security concerns

Cyanus depressus (M. Bieb.) Soják Türünün Karyolojik ve Palinolojik Yönden İncelenmesi

Cyanus (Asteraceae) cinsine ait Cyanus depressus (M. Bieb.) Soják türü karyolojik ve palinolojik yönden incelendi. 2011 yılında Elazığ’daki doğal habitatından toplanan türün temel kromozom sayısı 2n=16 olarak tespit edildi. Türe ait kromozomların median (m) ve submedian (sm) sentromerli olduğu gözlendi. Palinolojik çalışmalar sonucunda polen şekli subprolat, apertürleri tricolporat, ornemantasyonun ise skabrate olduğu belirlenerek, gerekli ölçümler yapıldı

Determination of some heavy metals and mineral nutrients of bay tree (Laurus nobilis L.) in Bartin city, Turkey

Concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb in Laurus nobilis L. were examined for assessment of the impact of heavy metal exposure during winter periods, since these metals have the highest toxic potential. In this study, leaf (washed and unwashed), bark and branch samples of L. nobilis and soil samples were collected from 13 different localities, belonged to three stations. In conjunction with analyzing impact of the heavy metal exposure on the city using L. nobilis as a biomonitoring tool, the uptake and composition of mineral nutrients of L. nobilis were also investigated for determining the effects of heavy metals on mineral nutrition metabolism of the plant. The heavy metal and mineral nutrient concentrations of the collected samples were measured by using ICP-OES. The obtained data was analyzed with SPSS statistics program. As a result of measurements, the lowest and highest heavy metal accumulations and the amount of mineral nutrients measured in plants were as follows; Al (14.69-122.44 mg/kg d. wt), Cd (0.23-0.89 mg/kg d. wt), Cu (1.64-14.25 mg/kg d. wt.), Ni (0.001-0.45 mg/kg d. wt.), Pb (2.06-5.28 mg/kg d. wt.) and B (1.04- 6.67 mg/kg d. wt.), Ca (1195.34-4919.03 mg/kg d. wt.), Fe (17.13-203.25 mg/kg d. wt.), K (538.99-3778.37 mg/kg d. wt.), Mg(48.1-268.5 mg/kg d. wt.), Na (24.91-77.43 mg/kg d. wt.) and Zn (4.75-15.74 mg/kg d. wt.). According to the experimental data, the volume of the air pollution was analyzed and found significant in the city. Also, it was noticed that the metabolism of mineral nutrients of L. nobilis was altered by heavy metals. Finally, it was proved that L. nobilis is a suitable organism to be used as a biomonitoring tool for conducting research on heavy metal pollution

Determination of thermodynamic protonation constants of some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in water-acetonitrile binary mixtures

Bu çalışmada, trisiklik antidepresanlara alternatif olarak kullanılan selektif serotonin geri alım inhibitörleri (SSRİ)’nden sitalopram, fluvoksamin ve sertralinin su-asetonitril ikili karışımında, ters faz sıvı kromatografik (RPLC) yöntemle alıkonma davranışı incelenmiştir. Kromatografik analizler, mobil faz pH’sı 6,5 ila 10,5 arasında değişen, %45-%55 (h/h) arasında asetonitril içeren asetonitril-su ikili karışımlarında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma boyunca, kolon sıcaklığı ve akış hızı sırasıyla, 30 oC ve 0,8 mL/dakika’da sabitlenmiştir. Bu çalışmada, mobil faz pH değerlerine karşı bileşiklerin alıkonma değerlerinin lineer solvasyon enerjisi ilişkisi (LSER) yaklaşımıyla değerlendirilmesiyle teorik alıkonma değerleri hesaplanmıştır. Ayrıca farklı pH değerlerindeki mobil fazların aktivite katsayıları değerleri hesaba katılarak doğrusal olmayan regresyon programıyla bileşiklerin termodinamik protonasyon sabitleri ((_s^s)〖pK〗_a) belirlenmiştir. Hidrofobik özellikteki bileşiklerin (_s^s)〖pK〗_a değerleri kullanılarak iki farklı yaklaşımla su ortamındaki protonasyon sabiti değerleri hesaplanmıştır. Çalışma sonunda her iki ekstrapolasyon yönteminden elde edilen sonuçların birbiriyle uyumlu olduğu görülmüştür.In this study, the retention behaviour of citalopram, fluvoxamine, and sertraline, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) used as alternatives to tricyclic antidepressants, was investigated in a binary water-acetonitrile mixture by reverse-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) method. Chromatographic analyzes were performed in binary acetonitrile-water mixtures with mobile phase pH ranging from 6.5 to 10.5 and acetonitrile content between 45% and 55% (v/v). Throughout the study, the column temperature and flow rate were fixed at 30 °C and 0.8 mL/min, respectively. In this study, the theoretical retention values were calculated by evaluating the retention values of the compounds against the pH values of the mobile phase using the linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) approach. In addition, the thermodynamic protonation constants ((_s^s)〖pK〗_a) of the compounds were determined with a nonlinear regression program, considering the activity coefficients of the mobile phases at different pH values. Using the (_s^s)〖pK〗_a values of the hydrophobic compounds, the values of the protonation constants in the water medium were calculated using two different approaches. At the end of the study, it was found that the results obtained by both extrapolation methods were compatible with each other

Lactoferrin Levels in the Gastric Tissue of Helicobacter pylori-Positive and -Negative Patients and Its Effect on Anemia

Aim. To determine gastric tissue lactoferrin (Lf) levels of Helicobacter pylori- (Hp-) positive and -negative patients and its effect on anemia. Methods. Cases in which initial presentation was of abdominal pain and that were Hp-positive at endoscopy were included. Hp-positive cases and -negative controls were divided into two groups. Results. The study included 64 cases (average: 10.2 ± 0.4 years, 39 male and 25 female). Lf levels were subsequently studied on 61 cases. 45 (73.8%) of these were Hp-positive, while 16 (22.2%) were Hp-negative. In Hp-positive cases, mean staining percentages and density of glands in the antral mucosa were 45.5 ± 4.7% and 1.9 ± 0.1, respectively. Hp-negative cases showed significantly different values of 17.8 ± 4.5% and 1.3 ± 0.2, respectively. Hemoglobin and serum ferritin values of Hp-positive cases were 12.7 ± 0.2 g/dL and 32.5 ± 2 ng/mL, but these were comparable with Hp-negative cases (12.6 ± 0.1 g/dL and 30.7 ± 4.4 ng/mL). Conclusions. Tissue Lf was significantly higher in Hp-positive cases compared to Hp-negative cases, but no difference was observed between the two groups with regards to hemoglobin and ferritin level. As a result, it is difficult to say that this rise in Lf plays a role in the development of iron deficiency anemia in Hp-positive patients

The Effect of Tranexamic Acid and Tourniquet Use on Tibial Cement Penetration in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasties

Background: In this study, our aim was to compare the effects of tourniquet and tranexamic acid (TXA) use on tibial cement penetration in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using radiograph images. In addition, we also aimed at investigating the effects of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and bone mineral density on cement penetration. Methods: One hundred seventy patients who underwent TKA for primary osteoarthritis were retrospectively evaluated. TXA was administered to patients in group 1 (n = 96), and tourniquet application was used in patients in group 2 (n = 74). Tibial cement penetration was evaluated radiologically on a total of 4 zones: 2 anteroposterior and 2 lateral zones. In addition, age, gender, BMI, and bone mineral density were recorded in each group. Results: The mean cement penetration in the total study population was 2.34 ± 0.24 mm, with a mean of 2.33 ± 0.25 mm in the TXA group and a mean of 2.35 ± 0.24 mm in the tourniquet group (P = .453). A negative correlation was detected between BMI and anteroposterior 1 values in the total and TXA groups (P = .022 and P = .029). In the evaluation of the differences between genders, significantly higher penetration values were observed only in the females in the tourniquet group (P = .024). Conclusions: The use of TXA instead of a tourniquet does not reduce the depth of cement penetration in TKA. The clinical implications of individual-induced penetration differences may be significant for future implant survival. © 2020 The Author

Retrospective Analysis of Surgically Managed Maxillofacial Fractures in Kayseri Training and Research Hospital

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical and surgical data of patients with maxillofacial fracture (MFF) who were surgically treated at the Department of ENT and Head Neck Surgery in the Kayseri Training and Research Hospital and to compare and discuss the results with relevant literature, including that from Turkey.Methods: Data concerning the age, gender, etiology, type and site of injury, treatment modality, and postoperative complications were collected and analyzed from medical records of patients who underwent maxillofacial surgery for MFF at the Department of ENT and Head Neck Surgery in the Kayseri Training and Research Hospital between January 2013 and March 2015.Results: A total of 35 patients were surgically treated because of MFF between January 2013 and March 2015. Of the 35 patients, 28 (80%) were male, whereas seven (20%) were female. Traffic accidents (40%) were the most frequent cause of MFFs. Mandibular fractures (49.1%) were the most common fractures, followed by zygomatic fractures (31.6%). Surgical management of MFFs was performed via closed reduction (17.5%) and/ or open reduction with internal fixation by miniplates (82.5%). A total of five complications were observed in the present study: malunion (n=2), removal of fixation plate because of infection (n=2), and permanent infraorbital nerve injury (n=1).Conclusion: Based on the experience from the close proximity of the area, we think that surgeries for MFFs should be in the surgical repertoire of ENT surgeons

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin levels are increased in patients with celiac disease

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a cytokine produced by epithelial cells in the lungs, skin and intestinal mucosa, and is involved in several physiological and pathological processes. In this study, we evaluated serum TSLP levels in patients with celiac disease (CD). The prospective study was conducted at a gastroenterology outpatient clinic between March 2018 and August 2018. Eighty-nine participants aged between 18 and 75 years were classified into following groups: 22 patients with newly diagnosed CD; 20 patients with CD who were compliant with a gluten-free diet (GFD); 32 patients with CD who were not compliant with a GFD; and 15 healthy controls. Demographic characteristics, disease duration, and selected biochemical and hematologic parameters were recorded and compared between groups. Median serum TSLP levels were 1193.65 pg/mL (range: 480.1–1547.1) in newly diagnosed CD patients, 110.25 pg/mL (range: 60.3–216.7) in CD patients who were compliant with a GFD, 113.1 pg/mL (range: 76.3–303.4) in CD patients who were not compliant with a GFD, and 57 pg/mL (range: 49–67.8) in healthy controls. Overall, there was a significant difference in serum TSLP levels between groups (p = 0.001). Patients with newly diagnosed CD had the highest serum TSLP levels. There was no significant difference in serum TSLP levels between patients with CD who were or were not compliant with a GFD. TSLP appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of CD. Further studies are required to determine if the TSLP signaling pathway can be used in the treatment of CD