Anthropometric evaluation of the Creches children furniture in Turkey

The dimensions of the living and working space and buildings, the types of material and different riggings should be designed to conform to the users' anthropometric measures. The first requirement to design on ergonomic system is to measure the human being who will work and live in that system. Because of this, anthropometric measures are the most frequently used ergonomic data during the design process. In this research paper, we attempt to organize a new data base of anthropometric data to use in the design of children's equipment and furniture used in crèches. A starting point for research on the proper dimensions of creche furniture is to investigate how the dimensions of furniture reflect the body dimensions and the functional needs of the children using furniture. The anthropometric data of 3, 4 and 5 year-old-children in crèches was used. We report the results of the measurements of 18 anthropometric characteristics of children which constitute a set of basic data for the design of functional spaces and furniture.     

Tyrosinase inhibition studies of cycloartane and cucurbitane glycosides and their structure-activity relationships

In the present paper, tyrosinase inhibition studies and structure-activity relationship of eight cycloartane glycosides and one cucurbitane glycoside and its genin, which were isolated from Astragalus (Leguminoseae) and Bryonia (Cucurbitaceae) plants, have been discussed. The activities are compared with two reference tyrosinase inhibitors, kojic acid and l-mimosine. These studies and the SAR showed that the askendoside B which exhibited highly potent (IC50 =13.95 microM) tyrosinase inhibition could be a possible lead molecule for the development of new medications of several skin diseases related with the over-expression of the enzyme tyrosinase, like hyperpigmentation. The molecule also may be interesting for the cosmetic industries as a skin whitening agent.     

Stabilizing Role of Platelet P2Y12 Receptors in Shear-Dependent Thrombus Formation on Ruptured Plaques

Background

In most models of experimental thrombosis, healthy blood vessels are damaged. This results in the formation of a platelet thrombus that is stabilized by ADP signaling via P2Y₁₂ receptors. However, such models do not predict involvement of P2Y₁₂ in the clinically relevant situation of thrombosis upon rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. We investigated the role of P2Y₁₂ in thrombus formation on (collagen-containing) atherosclerotic plaques in vitro and in vivo, by using a novel mouse model of atherothrombosis.

Methodology

Plaques in the carotid arteries from Apoe ^−/− mice were acutely ruptured by ultrasound treatment, and the thrombotic process was monitored via intravital fluorescence microscopy. Thrombus formation in vitro was assessed in mouse and human blood perfused over collagen or plaque material under variable conditions of shear rate and coagulation. Effects of two reversible P2Y₁₂ blockers, ticagrelor (AZD6140) and cangrelor (AR-C69931MX), were investigated.

Principal Findings

Acute plaque rupture by ultrasound treatment provoked rapid formation of non-occlusive thrombi, which were smaller in size and unstable in the presence of P2Y₁₂ blockers. In vitro, when mouse or human blood was perfused over collagen or atherosclerotic plaque material, blockage or deficiency of P2Y₁₂ reduced the thrombi and increased embolization events. These P2Y₁₂ effects were present at shear rates >500 s⁻¹, and they persisted in the presence of coagulation. P2Y₁₂-dependent thrombus stabilization was accompanied by increased fibrin(ogen) binding.

Conclusions/Significance

Platelet P2Y₁₂ receptors play a crucial role in the stabilization of thrombi formed on atherosclerotic plaques. This P2Y₁₂ function is restricted to high shear flow conditions, and is preserved in the presence of coagulation.     

Comparative study of periphyton colonisation on common reed (Phragmites australis) and artificial substrate in a shallow lake,Manyas, Turkey

Hydrobiologia - Colonisation of epiphytic algae on the common reed (Phragmites australis) and on glass slides were studied during a twenty-four week exposure period in a shallow, turbid lake,...     

Exploring the importance of institutional contexts for the development of ethnic stereotypes: a comparison of schools in Belgium and England

This article suggests the usefulness of an ecological approach in studying the development of teachers' ethnic stereotypes in schools. It builds on existing research in this area by exploring the importance of nationally specific educational contexts and school characteristics on the development of teachers' stereotypes of Turkish minority students. Observation and interview data from case-study research involving one Flemish (Belgian) and one English secondary, multicultural inner-city school suggest differences between Flemish and English teachers' ethnic stereotypes. These differences can in part be explained by the influence of nationally specific regulations governing teachers' power to evaluate students, a nationally specific policy on ethnic minority cultures and needs, the ethnic and gender composition of the school's student and staff population, and the enforcement of an inclusive school policy by the school's senior management. The conclusions discuss implications for further research on ethnic stereotyping and discrimination in schools.     

Effects of various inhibitors on β-galactosidase purified from the thermoacidophilic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rittmannii</Emphasis> isolated from Antarctica

β-Galactosidase purified from the thermoacidophilic Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius subsp. rittmannii isolated from Antarctica is a member of the GH42 family. The enzyme was not effected by various concentrations of its reaction product glucose, but was greatly inhibited by the other reaction product galactose using both substrates, ONPG and lactose. Linewever-Burk plot analysis derived from both ONPG and lactose hydrolysis results showed that galactose is a mixed-type inhibitor of the purified β-galactosidase. The enzyme was slightly activated by Mg²⁺ (13% at 20 mM), while inhibited at higher concentrations of Ca⁺² (33% at 10 mM), Zn⁺² (86% at 8 mM) and Cu⁺² (87% at 4 mM). The enzyme activity was not significantly altered by the metal ion chelators EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline up to 20 mM, indicating that this enzyme is not a metalloenzyme. 2-Mercaptoethanol and DTT were found to enhance β-galactosidase activity, while p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) completely inhibited enzymatic activity (97% at 1 mM; 99.7% at 2 mM), indicating at least one essential Cys residue modified by the reagents in the active site of β-galactosidase. Iodoacetamide and Nethylmaleimide had little effect on the β-galactosidase. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibited the enzyme strongly (19.8% at 1 mM; 71.9% at 10 mM), also showing the participation of serine for enzyme activity.     

Effects of neutral,cationic, and anionic chromium ascorbate complexes on isolated human mitochondrial and genomic DNA

The relative activities of neutral, cationic, and anionic chromium ascorbate complexes toward isolated human mitochondrial and genomic DNA were investigated at physiologically relevant conditions by agarose gel electrophoresis. A direct relationship between the charge of the Cr(III) species and their DNA-damaging properties was found. The cationic species were found to be fully capable of DNA-cleavage, even in short incubation periods. Incubations were also performed in the presence of amino acids. No apparent effect was observed under the applied experimental conditions to facilitate or prevent damage through the ternary amino acid-Cr-DNA adduct formation or binary chromium-amino acid complex formation.     

Structure of the C-terminal half of UvrC reveals an RNase H endonuclease domain with an Argonaute-like catalytic triad

Removal and repair of DNA damage by the nucleotide excision repair pathway requires two sequential incision reactions, which are achieved by the endonuclease UvrC in eubacteria. Here, we describe the crystal structure of the C-terminal half of UvrC, which contains the catalytic domain responsible for 5' incision and a helix-hairpin-helix-domain that is implicated in DNA binding. Surprisingly, the 5' catalytic domain shares structural homology with RNase H despite the lack of sequence homology and contains an uncommon DDH triad. The structure also reveals two highly conserved patches on the surface of the protein, which are not related to the active site. Mutations of residues in one of these patches led to the inability of the enzyme to bind DNA and severely compromised both incision reactions. Based on our results, we suggest a model of how UvrC forms a productive protein-DNA complex to excise the damage from DNA.     

Post-translational modification of nisin. The involvement of NisB in the dehydration process.

The lantibiotic nisin is an antimicrobial peptide produced by Lactococcus lactis. As with all lantibiotics, nisin contains a number of dehydro-residues and thioether amino acids that introduce five lanthionine rings into the target peptide. These atypical amino acids are introduced by post-translational modification of a ribosomally synthesized precursor peptide. In certain cases, the serine residue, at position 33 of nisin, does not undergo dehydration to Dha33. With native nisin this partially processed form represents about 10% of the total peptide, whereas with the engineered variants, [Trp30]nisin A and [Lys27,Lys31]nisin A, the proportion of peptide that escapes full processing was found to be to approximately 50%. This feature of nisin biosynthesis was exploited in an investigation of the role of the NisB protein in pre-nisin maturation. Manipulation of the level of NisB was achieved by cloning and overexpressing the plasmid-encoded nisB gene in a range of different nisin-producing strains. The resulting fourfold increase in the level of NisB significantly increased the efficiency of the dehydration reaction at Ser33. The final secreted product of biosynthesis by these strains was the homogenous form of the fully processed nisin (or nisin variant) molecule. The results presented represent the first experimental evidence for the direct involvement of the NisB protein in the maturation process of nisin.