Currently, the options available for the treatment of various cancers including breast cancer, are associated with several limitations such as severe toxicity, drug resistance, poor prognosis, and high risk of recurrence. Therefore, there appears to be an increasing interest and necessity in investigating various phytochemicals from natural sources for a superior and safer alternative treatment strategy. The bioactive phytochemical alpha (α) and beta (β)-asarone from Acorus calamus is a traditional medicine system that has been shown to have anti-tumor and chemo-inhibitory activities in numerous preclinical studies both in vitro and in vivo. Various experimental studies with human malignant cell lines and animal models have also confirmed the anti-tumor and anti-cancer activities of β-asarone. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-cancer effects of β-asarone alone or together with etoposide buy measuring cellular responses such as cell viablity, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis using breast cancer cell line MCF-7 cells. In order to get insight in to the mechanism, we also tested the expression of of NF-κB / p65 activity and the expression of Bcl-2 family member pro-apoptotic Bax protein together with p53 and p21 activities in response to β-asarone alone or together with etoposide treatment.  As a result, it was concluded that the use of β-asarone alone in breast cancer cells is effective in reducing cell viability, but when used together with Etoposide, it does not cause a synergistic effect. Here we suggest that that in particular activation of NF-kB/p65  may be lead resistance to  etoposide treatment.

Unilateral incompatibility is reported to occur between the species of Capsicum pubescens complex (Capsicum cardenasii Capsicum. eximium and Capsicum pubescens) and other species of genus Capsicum when the latter are used as the male parent. The relationship between self-incompatibility and unilateral incompatibility are yet to be resolved even in the most intensively investigated crosses within and between species of Lycopersicon and Solanum. Unilateral incompatibility in Capsicum has been less intensively studied compared to some other genus in family Solanaceae. This study was, therefore, conducted to help us to understand the genetic control of unilateral incompatibility in Capsicum. Experiment results showed that while the pistil behaviour of F1 hybrids agrees with the pistil behaviour of F1 hybrids from unilaterally incompatible crosses in other genera of Solanaceae, the pollen behaviour does not agree with data obtained from other genera of Solanaceae. No segregation ratio was obtained for unilateral incompatibility in the backcross progenies, this result does not agree with data from other genera in the Solanaceae either. Possible reasons for not obtaining segregation for unilateral incompatibility may be the small size of backcross progenies and/or distorted segregation ratios. As a conclusion it seemed more probable that, in Capsicum, unilateral incompatibility has arisen as a by-product of genetic divergence between the C. pubescens complex and the other chile peppers, not as a product of natural selection. 

Due to the general lack of darkroom and film processing equipment in many clinics, it is no longer possible to use radiation sensitive Xomat V radiographic film for High Dose Rate brachytherapy quality assurance. An alternative is to use radio chromic film that does not require processing. The aim of this study is to develop and clinically test the GafChromic film-based brachytherapy Quality Assurance (QA) system using different electron energies. As an electron source (6 MeV-9 MeV-12 MeV -15 MeV -18 MeV) (Elekta Synergy® Platform linear accelerator, Varian GM plus IX (Varian Medical Systems, Inc.USA), Varian brand cylinder, ring and tandem double ovoid applicators, RTQA2 and EBT3 GafChromic film were used. In RTQA2 films, images are obtained at high electron energies (12 MeV and above) at 300 Monitor Unit (MU), while images are obtained at all energies at 700 MU in irradiation using different electron energies and MUs. For the desired image quality depending on the material of the applicator used, it was determined that the image clarity increased as the energy, field size and MUs increased. In EBT3, the desired image could be obtained at 18 MeV and 2500 MU.  It is possible to obtain the desired image quality by using high-energy electrons, especially RTQA2 Gafchromic film, in determining the accuracy of the dwell position in brachytherapy. Since it has been determined that this method can be used easily in quality control tests, we think that this method is suitable for clinical use when necessary.

While natural (biological) swimming pools have started to become widespread around the world, particularly in European countries, it is a new development that has recently come to attention and practiced in Turkey. For this reason, scientific studies are mostly carried out in USA and Europe, which take into account the climate conditions and vegetation of those regions. The technology used in natural swimming pools is also quite diverse and has been privatized through private firms in practice.

The objective of this research is to identify the principles to be considered with the design and implementation of natural swimming pools, based on both scientific research and experience gained from implementation in Turkey. In this research, in addition to the literature review, face-to-face interviews were conducted with companies that implement natural swimming pools in Istanbul. The initial results of the research presented here can both guide local practices and contribute to the limited scientific literature in Turkey.

Rhaponticoides mykalea (aydıngaşağı), nadir ve Güneybatı Anadolu’ya endemik bir bitki türü olup Asteraceae ailesi üyesidir. Türün yayılış gösterdiği habitatlardaki popülasyonların büyüklüğü gün geçtikçe azalmaktadır. Endemik ve/veya nadir bitki türlerinin yok olmalarını engellemek için etkili yöntemler geliştirebilmek ancak bu türlerin yaşam döngülerinin, ekolojik gereksinimlerinin, popülasyonların büyümesini ve yayılış alanlarını genişletmesini sınırlayan faktörlerin belirlenmesi ve türe yönelik tehditlerin bertaraf edilmesi durumunda mümkün olabilir.  Bu çalışmada, R. mykalea’nin taksonomisi, ülkemizdeki yayılışı, hayat döngüsü ve ekolojik gereksinimlerine ilişkin bilgiler verilmiştir. Rhaponticoides cinsinin Ruthenicae seksiyonunun bir üyesi olan R. mykalea’nin basionimi Centaurea mykalea’dir. R. mykalea toprak altı rizom gövdeye sahip çok yıllık, entemofil ve polikarpik bir geofittir. Hem rizomlarıyla vejetatif hem de tohumlarıyla generatif olarak çoğalır. Ancak doğal düşmanları türün tohumla çoğalmasını büyük oranda engeller. Doğu Akdeniz elementi olan R. mykalea, kalker anakayaya sahip killi tınlı topraklarda yayılış gösterir. Gölgeyi ve düşük pH’yı tolere edemez. Tür, deniz seviyesinden başlamak üzere 1200 m yüksekliğe kadar yayılış göstermektedir. Heliofit olan R. mykalea doğal habitatlarını tek yıllık ve oldukça hızlı büyüyen ruderal ve segetal birçok bitki türüyle paylaşmaktadır. Hayatta kalabilmek için bu türlerle rekabet etmek zorundadır. Popülasyonların doğal habitatlarında nesillerini sürdürebilmeleri, türün gelecek nesillere aktarımının sağlanabilmesi ve türe ait popülasyonların korunması için etkili kontrol programlarının geliştirilmesi büyük önem taşımaktadır.