On the computation of finite bottom-quark mass effects in Higgs boson production

We present analytic results for the partonic cross-sections contributing to the top-bottom interference in Higgs production via gluon fusion at hadron colliders at NLO accuracy in QCD. We develop a method of expansion in small bottom-mass for master integrals and combine it with the usual infinite top-mass effective theory. Our method of expansion admits a simple algorithmic description and can be easily generalized to any small parameter. These results for the integrated cross-sections will be needed in the computation of the renormalization counter-terms entering the computation of finite bottom-quark mass effects at NNLO.Comment: Updated affiliations and abstract, added reference, and corrected minor typo

Preparation, characterization and investigation of biopotential using capacities of new acrylamide/potassium 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate hybride hydrogels containing sodium alginate and bentonite

Bu çalışmada, yardımcı monomer olarak potasyum 3-sülfopropil metakrilat, kil olarak bentonit ve sodyum aljinat gibi doğal bir polimer içeren akrilamid esaslı yeni hibrit hidrojel ve semi-IPN hidrojeller sentezlenmiştir. Çalışmada elde edilen hidrojeller, poli(etilen glikol) diakrilat gibi bir çapraz bağlayıcının kullanılmasıyla çözelti ortamında serbest radikalik polimerleşme tepkimesi ile hazırlanmıştır. Kimyasal çapraz bağlı kopolimerlerin yapısal karakterizasyonu, Fourier transform infrared spektroskopisi (FT-IR/ATR) kullanılarak yapılmıştır. Hibrit hidrojel ve semi-IPN hidrojellerin yüzey gözenekliliği hakkında bilgi edinebilmek için SEM mikrografları alınmıştır. Hazırlanan çapraz bağlı hibrit hidrojel ve semi-IPN hidrojellerin su/sıvı soğurum özelliklerini araştırmak amacıyla 25oC'da dinamik su/sıvı soğurum testleri uygulanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler yardımıyla su/sıvı soğurum kinetiği ve difüzyon mekanizması ile ilgili parametreler hesaplanmıştır. Çapraz bağlı hibrit hidrojel ve semi-IPN hidrojellerin yüzeye soğurum özelliklerinin araştırılması amacıyla, model molekül olarak lauths violet (thionin) seçilmiştir. Çalışma sonunda sentezlenen hibrit hidrojel ve semi-IPN hidrojellerin lauths violet boyarmaddesini sulu çözeltilerden yüksek oranda soğurdukları belirlenmiştir.In this study, acrylamide monomer and potassium 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate as a comonomer and in order to form a composite structure with sodium alginate as a naturel polymer and bentonite as a clay mineral have been synthesized for the production of chemically crosslinked copolymers. Hydrogel systems were prepared by free radical polymerization in aqueous solution using poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate as a crosslinker. Structural characterization of prepared chemically crosslinked polymers were tried to determine by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy/Attenuated Total Reflectance (FT-IR/ATR). SEM micrographs were taken for determination of surface porosity of hydrogel systems. Dynamic swelling tests were applied at 25oC for the purpose of investigation of swelling properties of crosslinked hybrid hydrogels and semi-IPN hydrogels. According to obtained data, parameters concerning swelling kinetics and diffusion mechanism were calculated. A cationic dye such as lauths violet (thionin) was selected as model molecule to investigate of adsorption properties of hydrogels. It was determined that crosslinked hybrid hydrogels and semi-IPN hydrogels have adsorbed dye of lauths violet from aqueous solutions in high level

Reverse Flotation

Reverse flotation of coal can be explained as a process where valuable minerals are depressed, while undesired and unhealthy minerals are floated with the help of some reagents. Nowadays, conventional enrichment method of coal could not achieve removing unhealthy minerals partially from internal structure of coal such as sulfur, Hg, Au, which propagate in air after burning treatment, or heavy metals such as Be, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, Co, Ni, Sb, Se, Pb, Co, Cl, Be, Ba, which involve in water and soil where habitat and human health can directly be influenced from them. In fact, reverse flotation of coal enables to remove these undesired mineral content from coal structure not only in macro size but also in micro size. On the other hand, like undesired minerals, valuable ones like vanadium, germanium, etc. are also taken from coal particles by using the same procedure. Thus, with all these respect, reverse flotation is considered as an alternative and innovative solution for coal beneficiation especially for low rank coal since low rank coal is more compatible for reverse flotation because of being more hydrophilic which means tendency to float is less. Around the world wide, most of the coal reserves belong to low rank coal, so application of reverse flotation is becoming more inevitably common in future

Mechanisms of autophagy control through micrornas under cellular stress

Macroautophagy (autophagy) is an evolutionarily conserved stress response mechanism that is necessary for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Autophagic activity in cells is regulated by various upstream signaling pathways including mTOR. Stress-mediated inhibition of mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) results in the nuclear translocation of the TFE/MITF family of transcriptional factors, and triggers an autophagy- and lysosomal-related gene transcription program. In this thesis work, we introduce a specific and rate-limiting role for MITF in autophagy regulation that requires transcriptional activation of MIR211. Under stress conditions including starvation and mTOR inhibition, a MITF-MIR211 axis constitutes a novel feedforward loop that controls autophagic activity in cells. Direct targeting and downregulation of mTORC2 binding partner RICTOR by MIR211 attenuated mTORC1 signal through AKTmediated crosstalk. Under these conditions, the transcription factor MITF translocated from cytosol to the nucleus, and amplified autophagic activity. All together, the outcome of this thesis is the identification of MITF-MIR211 axis as a novel autophagy amplification mechanism required for optimal autophagy activation under cellular stress conditions

The role of activins and their antagonists in human melanoma cell lines

EINLEITUNG: Activine sind sezernierte dimere Polypeptide, die zur TGF β Familie der Wachstums- und Differenzierungsfaktoren gehören. Activine regulieren Zellwachstum, Differenzierung, Migration und Angiogenese in verschiedenen Geweben und Organen. Die Funktion von Activinen wird seinerseits durch extrazelluläre Antagonisten (Follistatin und FLRG) und antagonistische Co-Rezeptoren an der Zellmembran (Cripto) limitiert. Deregulierung von Activin Signalen wurde in mehreren Tumorarten gefunden und in direkten Zusammenhang mit dem malignen Wachstum von Tumorzellen gebracht. ZIELE: Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, (1) die Expression von Aktivinen und Aktivinantagonisten in Melanomzellen zu untersuchen, (2.) den Einfluss von Follistatinüberexpression auf Melanomzellen zu testen und (3.) mögliche Signaltransdutionsmechanismen der Aktivin Beta E Untereinheit zu analysieren. METHODEN: Die Expression aller vier Aktivin Untereinheiten und antagonistischer Faktoren wurden in einer Reihe von humanen Melanomzellen durch quantitative RT-PCR untersucht. 3 Melanomzelllinien wurden stabil mit Follistatin transfiziert und die Überexpression wurde mittels ELISA bestätigt. Diese Zellen wurden dann in-vitro-in Migrations- und Proliferations-Assays getestet. Für Follistatin überexprimierende VM21 Zellen wurden auch Xenotransplantationsexperimente in SCID-Mäusen durchgeführt. Die Auswirkungen von Activin E, Activin A und Follistatin auf den Smad Signalweg wurde mittels Western-Blot Analyse untersucht. ERGEBNISSE: Das Expressionsniveau von Activin C war in Melanomzelllinien erhöht (83%) im Vergleich zu primären Melanozyten. Die Expressionniveaus von Activin beta B (75%) und Activin beta E (92%) dagegen reduziert, während Activin beta A unterschiedliche Regulation in Abhängigkeit von der Zelllinie zeigte. Expression von Follistatin (75%) und Cripto (100%) war erhöht. Die Expression der anderen dem Follistatin verwandten Proteinen, FLRG und Follistatin-like-1 war je nach Zelllinie erhöht oder reduziert. Nur eine der beiden Isoformen von Follistatin (Fst-315) wurde in nahezu allen Melanomzellen und in primäre Melanozyten gefunden. Überstände von stabil transfizierten Zellen enthielten mehr als 10-fach soviel Follistatin wie die Kontrollzellen. Überstände Follistatin exprimierender Zellen waren auch in der Lage Smad-Phosphorylierung durch zugegebenes Aktivin A zu neutralisieren. In-vitro, zeigten die Follistatin überexprimierenden Zellen eine Tendenz zu verminderter Proliferations, aber teils erhöhter Klonogenizität. Die Migrationsfähigkeit der Melanomzellen wurde um 20%-80% reduziert, wenn Follistatin überexprimiert wurde. Die Rolle der Follistatin vermittelten Hemmung des Activins wurde auch durch Xenotransplantation Experimente von VM21 Zellen in SCID-Mäusen getestet. Allerdings war hier kein Unterschied im Tumorwachstum verglichen mit GFP-Kontrollen zu erkennen. Bezüglich möglicher Signalwege von Activin E wurde nachgewiesen, dass durch Aktivin E konditionierte Medien im Gegensatz zu Aktivin A konditionierte Medien keine Smad2 Phosphorylierung aktiviert wird. Auswirkungen der Konditionierung von Medien mit unterschiedlichen Kombination von Activin E, Aktivin A und Follistatin liessen auch weder eine Blockierung noch eine Verstärkung von Aktivin A induzierten Signalen durch Aktivin beta E - wie etwa durch Ausbildung von AE Heterodimeren oder Konkurrenz um Aktivinrezeptoren oder Follistatinbindung - erkennen.BACKGROUND: Activins are secreted dimeric polypeptides belonging to the TGF-β family of growth and differentiation factors. They have been shown to regulate cell growth, differentiation, migration and angiogenesis in multiple tissues and organs. Activins interact with various binding proteins which include antagonists in the extracellular space (follistatin and FLRG) and antagonistic co-receptors at the cell membrane (cripto). Deregulation of activin signals has been found in several tumor types and linked to the malignant growth of tumor cells. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to (1.) analyze the expression of activins and activin antagonists in melanoma cell lines, (2.) functionally characterize melanoma cell lines overexpressing follistatin and (3) investigate potential signaling mechanisms of activin beta E. METHODS: The expression levels of all four human activin subunits and antagonistic factors were investigated in a panel of human melanoma cell lines by quantitative RT-PCR. Three melanoma cell lines were transfected with follistatin and clones stably overexpressing follistatin (confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA) were analyzed with in vitro migration and proliferation assays. The effect of follistatin-mediated inhibition of activin activity on tumour growth was also investigated by xenotransplantation experiments in SCID mice. The impact of activin E, activin A and follistatin on smad signaling was assessed by immunoblotting. RESULTS: Elevated expression levels of activin beta C (83%) were found in malignant melanoma cell lines compared to primary melanocytes. The expression of activin beta B (75%) and activin beta E (92%) in contrast, was downregulated, whereas activin beta A showed up- or down-regulation depending on the cell line. Expression levels of follistatin (75%) and cripto (100%) showed upregulation. The other follistatin related proteins, FLRG and follistatin-like-1 were up- or down-regulated, depending on the cell line. Only one of the two isoforms of follistatin (Fst-315), encoding a 27 amino acid extension at the C-terminus, was found in nearly all melanoma cells, including primary melanocytes. Supernatants of follistatin overexpressing VM21 and VM1 cells contained more than 10-fold elevated levels of follistatin and were also confirmed to inhibit smad phosphorylation induced by treatment with recombinant activin A. In vitro characterization of follistatin overexpressing cells revealed a tendency towards reduced proliferation but partly increased clonogenicity. Migration of melanoma cells was reduced ranging from 20% to 80% by overexpression of follistatin. Follistatin overexpressing VM21 cells were also tested by a xenotransplantation experiment in SCID mice, but did not show a difference in tumor growth when compared to mock controls. Experiments with conditioned media showed that activin E, in contrast to activin A, does not lead to phosphorylation of smad2. Also no evidence was found that expression of activin beta E together with activin beta A could inhibit or enhance activin A-induced signals either by heterodimerization or by competition for activin receptors or follistatin

Managing health and safety risks in restoration/renovation of historic buildings

Restoration and renovation of historic buildings aim to preserve and sustain those buildings with their original state. This fact is important to conserve historical values for a society as well as for sustainable city planning. Restoration projects have their own occupational health and safety risks and differ from ordinary construction projects. Additionally, implementation of safety measures according to the current regulations are very difficult due to geometrical structure, type of material used and preservation consideration for the structural and architectural elements of the historic buildings. Since the risks as well as mitigation and abatement techniques differ from conventional buildings, restoration projects require paying attention to establish safety and health plan and risk management system to implement safety and health measures. In this paper, different health and safety risks of the restoration projects are discussed. Different safety and health practices are dealt with ordinary structures, risk assessment is made according to specific risks, findings are revealed in some certain restoration projects in Turkey and a new approach for health and safety management in restoration projects is introduced.Publisher's Versio

Institutional Logics and Political Networks: A Theoretical Framework for Academic Staffing in Newly-Founded Management Departments in Turkey

This article develops a conceptual framework for explaining how individual embeddedness in multiple institutional logics at the field level and in political networks at the societal level influence managerial decisions within organizations. By considering the institutional and political environments surrounding management departments in newly founded universities in Turkey, we propose that the degrees of individual decision-maker’s embeddedness in alternative institutional logics (single vs multiple) and in different political networks (closed vs open) influence their decisions on hiring new academicians. We consider that organizational actors’ instantiations of logics together with political networks delineate their identities. Accordingly, decision-makers embedded in a single logic and/or a closed network will tend to hire academicians similar to themselves whereas those embedded in multiple logics and/or an open network will be more likely to hire academicians different from themselves. We also elaborate our conceptual framework by considering the influences of logic-related networks, decoupling in academic staffing, geographic locations and ownership of universities. By doing so, we first contribute to a better explanation of institutional and political diversities in academic cadres in management departments in new Turkish universities. Second, we expand micro-level view of institutional logics by integrating societal level political networks into the analysis

AN ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHILD REARING ATTITUDES OF MOTHERS

Bu araştırmanın amacı okul öncesi dönemde çocuğu olan annelerin çocuk yetiştirme tutumlarını etkileyen etmenlerin incelenmesidir. Tanımlayıcı ve karşılaştırmalı bir araştırmadır. Örneklem, küme örneklem yöntemiyle seçilmiştir. Seçilen üç anaokulunda eğitim gören toplam 390 öğrencinin annesi örneklemi oluşturmuştur. Kişisel Bilgi Formu ve Aile Hayatı ve Çocuk Yetiştirme Tutum Ölçeği ile toplanan veriler, tek yönlü varyans analizi, Kruskal Wallis varyans analizi ve iki ortalama arasındaki farkın önemlilik testi kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Annelerin yaş, eğitim ve çalışma durumu, aylık gelir durumu, ailenin oluştuğu kişiler değişkenlerine göre tutumlarında anlamlı fark olduğu bulunmuştur. Küçük yaşta olan, eğitim düzeyi düşük olan ve çalışmayan annelerin aşırı koruyucu ve sıkı disiplin tutumlarının arttığı belirlenmiştir. Annenin çocuk yetiştirme konusunda bilgi alması ve kendini yeterli hissetmesi durumunda demokratik tutumun arttığı, diğer tutumların azaldığı saptanmıştır. Annelerin çocuğun cinsiyetine göre tutumlarında fark olmadığı bulunmuştur. Sağlık profesyonelleri ve eğitimciler annelerin çocuk yetiştirme tutumlarını ve etkileyen etmenleri bilmeli ve olumlu tutumlar geliştirmelerinde onlara yardımcı olmalıdır. The objective of this study is to examine the factors affecting the child rearing attitudes of mothers that have children who are in the preschool period. It is a descriptive and comparative study. The sample was selected via the method of cluster sample. Mothers of totally 390 students who receive education at three chosen nursery schools constitute the sample. Being collected with Personal Information Form and Parental Attitude Research Instrument, the data were assessed through using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal Wallis test and the independent samples t test. A significant difference was found on the attitudes of mothers, according to the variables of age, educational and working status, monthly income status, the people of which the family is comprised. It was determined that dependency and strictness and authoritarianism attitudes of young, poorly educated and unemployed mothers increase. It was also determined that democratic attitude increases and other attitudes decrease, in case the mother obtains information regarding child rearing and feels herself sufficient. It was found that there is not much difference in the attitudes of mothers, according to the gender of the child. Health professionals and educators shall be familiar with the factors affecting the child rearing attitudes of mothers and help them to develop positive attitudes

The effect of in-service education on nurses’ preference for the ventrogluteal site in intramuscular injection implementation

Purpose: This study conducted to determine the effect of in-service education on nurses’ preference for the ventrogluteal site in intramuscular injection implementation.Method and materials: In this intervention study, the sample comprised 45 clinic nurses, where intramuscular injection practice is frequently applied. In-service education was conducted with regards to applying intramuscular injection to the ventrogluteal site. In the content of the planned education, the transmission of theoretical information on the subject, the demonstration on the manikin and video were included. Then, the nurses carried out the intramuscular injection implementation on the manikin under the supervision of the researchers. The data were collected at 2014 through the use of the “Nurses’ VG Site Injection Preference Status Form”. The data collection form was applied before the in-service education and two months after the in-service education.Results: The results showed that 71.11% of the nurses did not receive education on intramuscular injection implementation in the ventrogluteal site in basic nursing education. In basic nursing education, 84.44% of the nurses used the dorsogluteal site and 22.22% the ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injection. The number of intramuscular injection implementations of the nurses in the ventrogluteal site was increased from 2.18 to 9.04 after the in-service education (p = 0.001). The nurses stated that, they felt more comfortable during ventrogluteal injection implementation, after the in-service education,Conclusion: After the in-service education of the nurses, it was determined that the number of IMI implementations in the ventrogluteal site increased