Similarity between contemporary vegetation and plant remains in the surface sediment in Mediterranean lakes

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Liposome,gel and lipogelosome formulations containing sodium hyaluronate

The moisture-imparting effect of sodium hyaluronate (Na-HA) was investigated in liposome, gel and lipogelosome topical formulations. Sixteen liposome formulations were prepared with or without Na-HA (45?kDa) using various ratios of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and phospholipon 100H. The liposomes were characterized in terms of their structure, composition, zeta potential, Na-HA-entrapment capacity and stability. In particular, scanning electron microscopy, polarized light microscopy, dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy were utilized to probe appearance, size and size distribution and lamellarity. The work was then extended to gels using the gelling agents poloxamer (PXM 188 or 407) and Carbopol or Ultrez 21 (U-21), yielding liposome-loaded gel formulations (i.e. lipogelosomes). The in vitro release kinetics of Na-HA from liposomes, lipogelosomes and commercial Na-HA reference formulations were studied via a flow-through cell method. Among the liposomal formulations tested, L6, comprising of Na-HA-loaded phospholipon 100H:stearylamine:cholesterol (7:1:2), displayed optimal traits. The mean particle size, zeta potential and entrapment capacity of L6 were determined as 1900?nm, ?20.9?mV and 15.0%. The optimum lipogelosome, LG4, was obtained by incorporating liposome L6 into a U-21 gel at a ratio of 1:1 (w/w). In clinical trials, in-house formulations were applied twice daily to 15 female volunteers. The two-week benefits were assessed against a commercial product; and in all cases, changes of skin humidity, sebum content, pH and wrinkle depth were promising. In particular, the LG4 lipogelosome-based formulation had significantly improved skin hydration and compliance, as evidenced by a moisture content gain of 30.4%.     

Investigation of the uterine structural changes in the experimental model with polycystic ovary syndrome and effects of vitamin D treatment: An ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study

In this study, we aimed to investigate the structural changes seen in the endometrium in experimental PCOS rat model and the effects of vitamin D treatment on these changes at immunohistochemical and electron microscopic levels. 24 prepubertal female rats were divided into three groups. Two groups were injected with dehydroepiandrosterone and one of them was treated with 1,25(OH)2 D3 at the same time. The control group was injected with sesame oil. At the end of the 28th day, the blood samples were collected. Uterus tissues were prepared for light and electron microscopic examinations. Epithelial, stromal and endometrial thickness measurements were investigated. Immunohistochemical staining was applied against caspase-3 and Ki-67. Serum AMH and estradiol levels were higher in PCOS group compared to the control group. Serum progesterone levels were similar in all groups. Endometrial, epithelial and stromal thickness measurements were increased in PCOS group compared to the control group, and decreased in the vitamin D treatment group compared to the PCOS group. Light and electron microscopic results of PCOS group showed an increase in apoptosis and proliferation. In the PCOS group, immunohistochemical staining of caspase-3 and Ki-67 were found to be higher than in the control group, but stainings were decreased with vitamin D treatment compared to PCOS group. Structural changes observed in endometrium may be related to implantation problems seen in patients with PCOS. Our studies suggest that vitamin D therapy may be beneficial in these patients.     

sandflyDST: a dynamic web‐based decision support tool for the morphological identification of sandflies present in Anatolia and mainland Europe,and user study

Species identification of sandflies is mainly performed according to morphological characters using classical written identification keys. This study introduces a new web‐based decision support tool (sandflyDST) for guiding the morphological identification of sandfly species present in Anatolia and mainland Europe and classified in the Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia genera (both: Diptera: Psychodidae). The current version of the tool consists of 111 questions and 36 drawings obtained from classical written keys, and 107 photographs for the quick and easy identification of 26 species of the genus Phlebotomus and four species of the genus Sergentomyia. The tool guides users through a decision tree using yes/no questions about the morphological characters of the specimen. The tool was applied by 30 individuals, who then completed study questionnaires. The results of subsequent analyses indicated that the usability () and users' level of appreciation (86.6%) of the tool were quite high; almost all of the participants considered recommending the tool to others. The tool may also be useful in training new entomologists and maintaining their level of expertise. This is a dynamic tool and can be improved or upgraded according to feedback. The tool is now available online at http://parasitology.ege.edu.tr/sandflyDST/index.php .     

Evaluation of cotton stalk hydrolysate for xylitol production

Cotton stalk is a widely distributed and abundant lignocellulosic waste found in Turkey. Because of its rich xylose content, it can be a promising source for the production of xylitol. Xylitol can be produced by chemical or biotechnological methods. Because the biotechnological method is a simple process with great substrate specificity and low energy requirements, it is more of an economic alternative for the xylitol production. This study aimed to use cotton stalk for the production of xylitol with Candida tropicalis Kuen 1022. For this purpose, the combined effects of different oxygen concentration, inoculum level and substrate concentration were investigated to obtain high xylitol yield and volumetric xylitol production rate. Candida tropicalis Kuen 1022 afforded different concentrations of xylitol depending on xylose concentration, inoculum level, and oxygen concentration. The optimum xylose, yeast concentration, and airflow rate for cotton stalk hydrolysate were found as 10.41 g L^?1, 0.99 g L^?1, and 1.02 vvm, respectively, and under these conditions, xylitol yield and volumetric xylitol production rate were obtained as 36% and 0.06 g L^?1 hr^?1, respectively. The results of this study show that cotton stalk can serve as a potential renewable source for the production of xylitol.