The Effect of Tourism Investments on Tourism Income in Turkey: Panel VAR Approach

Tourism is rapidly developing around the world and it effects the economic, social and cultural development of the country. In this study based on the effect of tourism on the economic growth, the effect of tourism investments on tourism income was examined using Panel VAR model. The yearly data from the period 2001-2014 on the most popular touristic towns in Turkey, namely, Antalya, Mugla, Izmir, Aydin and Nevsehir, was used. When the results of the analysis are examined, it can be said that tourism investments have stimulating effect on tourism income, but it was noticed that the tourism investments from the last year had a decreasing effect on tourism income

GC/MS Evaluation and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil and Solvent Extracts of an Endemic Plant Used as Folk Remedy in Turkey: Phlomis bourgaei

This study was outlined to examine the chemical composition of hydrodistilled essential oil and in vitro antioxidant potentials of the essential oil and different solvent extracts of endemic Phlomis bourgaei Boiss. used as folk remedy in Turkey. The chemical composition of the oil was analyzed by GC and GC-MS, and the predominant components in the oil were found to be β-caryophyllene (37.37%), (Z)-β-farnesene (15.88%), and germacrene D (10.97%). Antioxidant potentials of the solvent extracts and the oil were determined by four testing systems including β-carotene/linoleic acid, DPPH, reducing power, and chelating effect. In β-carotene/linoleic acid assay, all extracts showed the inhibition of more than 50% at all concentrations. In DPPH, chelating effect, and reducing power test systems, the water extract with 88.68%, 77.45%, and 1.857 (absorbance at 700 nm), respectively, exhibited more excellent activity potential than other extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol) and the essential oil at 1.0 mg/mL concentration. The amount of the total phenolics and flavonoids was the highest in this extract (139.50 ± 3.98 μg gallic acid equivalents (GAEs)/mg extract and 22.71 ± 0.05 μg quercetin equivalents (QEs)/mg extract)

12/15-lipoxygenase inhibition attenuates neuroinflammation by suppressing inflammasomes

IntroductionLipoxygenases (LOXs) have essential roles in stroke, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension. 12/15-LOX inhibition was shown to reduce infarct size and brain edema in the acute phase of experimental stroke. However, the significance of 12/15-LOX on neuroinflammation, which has an essential role in the pathophysiology of stroke, has not been clarified yet.MethodsIn this study, ischemia/recanalization (I/R) was performed by occluding the proximal middle cerebral artery (pMCAo) in mice. Either the 12/15-LOX inhibitor (ML351, 50 mg/kg) or its solvent (DMSO) was injected i.p. at recanalization after 1 h of occlusion. Mice were sacrificed at 6, 24, and 72-h after ischemia induction. Infarct volumes were calculated on Nissl-stained sections. Neurological deficit scoring was used for functional analysis. Lipid peroxidation was determined by the MDA assay, and the inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-10, and TGF-beta were quantified by ELISA. The inflammasome proteins NLRP1 and NLRP3, 12/15-LOX, and caspase-1 were detected with immunofluorescence staining.ResultsInfarct volumes, neurological deficit scores, and lipid peroxidation were significantly attenuated in ML351-treated groups at 6, 24, and 72-h. ELISA results revealed that the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were significantly decreased at 6-h and/or 24-h of I/R, while the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TNF-alpha were increased at 24-h or 72-h of ML351 treatment. NLRP1 and NLRP3 immunosignaling were enhanced at three time points after I/R, which were significantly diminished by the ML351 application. Interestingly, NLRP3 immunoreactivity was more pronounced than NLRP1. Hence, we proceeded to study the co-localization of NLRP3 immunoreactivity with 12/15-LOX and caspase-1, which indicated that NLRP3 was co-localized with 12/15-LOX and caspase-1 signaling. Additionally, NLRP3 was found in neurons at all time points but in non-neuronal cells 72 h after I/R.DiscussionThese results suggest that 12/15-LOX inhibition suppresses ischemia-induced inflammation in the acute and subacute phases of stroke via suppressing inflammasome activation. Understanding the mechanisms underlying lipid peroxidation and its associated pathways, like inflammasome activation, may have broader implications for the treatment of stroke and other neurological diseases characterized by neuroinflammation

Immunohistochemical Expressions of the Antimicrobial Peptides (hBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37) in Colon, Stomach and Lung Adenocarcinomas

Kilic, Murat/0000-0002-1377-2021WOS: 000362622100001This study investigated the immunohistochemical staining characteristics of human beta defensin-3 (hBD-3) and human cationic antimicrobial peptide-18/cathelicidin (hCAP-18/LL-37) in colon, stomach and lung adenocarcinomas and normal tissues (periphery to tumor tissues) from 22, 24 and 24 patients, respectively. Expressions of hBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37 were assessed by immunohistochemistry for colon, stomach and lung adenocarcinomas of 70 patients from Ataturk Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital and Kecioren Training and Research Hospital. both located in Ankara, Turkey. The differences between the expressions of hBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37 in normal and carcinoma tissues were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U Test. When the normal and tumor tissues of these cases were compared according to their staining intensity of positive staining, the hBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37 expressions in colon, stomach and lung adenocarcinomas cells were significantly higher than those in normal cells (p<0.05). Immunostaining of HBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37 was found to be a marker of malignancy in colon, stomach and lung adenocarcinomas. The expressions of hBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37 were, for the first time, shown to be significantly altered in colon, stomach and lung adenocarcinomas as compared to controls. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that beside the antimicrobial activity of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs), hBD-3 and hCAP-18/LL-37 can also play a role in the pathogenesis of colon, stomach and lung adenocarcinomas

Serum iron and vitamin B 12 deficiency could indicate celiac disease by flexible spectral imaging color enhancement

INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease (CeD) is an autoimmune disease that can be delayed in diagnosis due to the presence of atypical and asymptomatic cases in adulthood. Herein we aimed to study the frequency of CeD and evaluate whether magnified endoscopy and magnified/FICE (flexible spectral imaging color enhancement) techniques contribute to the diagnosis in patients with serum iron and vitamin B12 deficiency

Carnitine Supplementation Modulates High Dietary Copper-Induced Oxidative Toxicity and Reduced Performance in Laying Hens

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of l-carnitine on performance, egg quality and certain biochemical parameters in laying hens fed a diet containing high levels of copper proteinate. Forty-eight 42-week-old laying hens were divided into four groups with four replicates. The laying hens were fed with a basal diet (control) or the basal diet supplemented with either 400 mg carnitine (Car)/kg diet, 800 mg copper proteinate (CuP)/kg diet or 400 mg carnitine + 800 mg copper (Car+CuP)/kg diet, for 6 weeks. Supplemental CuP decreased feed consumption (p < 0.01), feed efficiency and egg production (p < 0.001), as compared to control. The combination of Car and CuP increased (p < 0.001) egg production and feed efficiency as compared to CuP. The activities of alanine aminotransferase (p < 0.05) and alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.01) were increased, while lactate dehydrogenase activity was decreased (p < 0.001) by supplemental CuP and Car+CuP. Supplemental CuP caused an increase in plasma malondialdehyde (p < 0.01) and nitric oxide levels (p < 0.05). In the Car+CuP group, this increase was observed to have been reduced significantly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Car+CuP increased (p < 0.05) glucose level. These results indicate that the carnitine and copper combination may prevent the possible adverse effects of high dietary copper on performance and lipid peroxidation in hens

Tumor budding in laryngeal carcinoma

Background: Tumor budding was defined as a single cancer cell or a cluster of fewer than five cancer cells in the stroma of the invasive tumor margin. It has been suggested as a prognostic factor in various cancers, such as esophageal, lung, colorectal, and endometrial. There are only a few studies about the prognostic signifi cance of tumor budding in laryngeal carcinomas. Materials and Methods: A total of 81 patients with laryngeal carcinoma diagnosed between 2011 and 2016 and treated by partial or total laryngectomy were evaluated. Clinicopathologic parameters were correlated with the presence and grade of tumor budding. Results: The study was consisted of 77 (95.1%) male and 4 (4.9%) female patients. The mean age of the patients was 60.2 years (min: 42 and max: 78). Median follow-up time was 25 months (min: 7 and max: 54) (SD ±11.5). Histopathologic diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in all patients. Of the 62 cases showing budding, 2 (3.2%) were stage 1, 12 (19.4%) stage 2, 16 (25.8%) stage 3, and 32 (51.6%) were stage 4. Fifteen cases with budding (24.2%) showed lymphovascular invasion (LVI). None of the nonbudding cases had LVI and perineural invasion (PNI). Statistical analysis revealed that LVI and PNI were signifi cantly associated with budding (P = 0.017 and P = 0.012). Among the tumors showing budding, 37% had lymph node metastasis (LNM). In nonbudding cases 15% had LNM. There was a statistically significant correlation between LNM and budding (P = 0.017). None of the parameters correlated with grade of tumor budding statistically. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that tumor budding might be used as a prognostic factor in laryngeal SCCs