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Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Cytotoxic And Genotoxic Action Of Tagetes Patula Flower Methanol Extract And Patuletin Using The Allium Test, Mudassar Azhar, Ahsana Dar Farooq, Sayedul Haque, Samina Bano, Lubna Zaheer, Shaheen Faizi

Turkish Journal of Biology

Tagetes patula is used to treat cancer patients in alternative healthcare systems. However, its cytotoxic and genotoxic effects have not been reported. Therefore, the methanol extract of T. patula flower, the ethyl acetate fraction, and the pure compound patuletin were evaluated using the Allium test. The methanol extract and fraction contained ~3% and ~36% patuletin, respectively, with ~98% purity. The methanol extract caused inhibition of Allium root growth displaying an IC50 value of ~500 μg/mL, while the fraction and patuletin were more potent by ~2 and ~5 times, respectively. The Allium root tips demonstrated a decline in prophase, metaphase, anaphase, …

The Nlrp3 Inflammasome: A New Player In Neurological Diseases, Eli̇f Eren, Nesri̇n Özören

Turkish Journal of Biology

Inflammasomes are supramolecular protein complexes implicated in the detection of pathogens or danger-associated molecules and are responsible for mounting the first line of innate immune response to counteract these signals and restore tissue homeostasis. Among different inflammasomes identified so far, NLRP3 is of main interest since mutations in Nlrp3 gene are associated with autoinflammatory diseases such as Muckle-Wells syndrome, neonatal onset multisystem inflammatory disease, and familial cold urticaria/autoinflammatory syndrome. On the other hand, whereas other inflammasomes are mainly detectors of specific molecular motifs, NLRP3 is acting as a general sensor of cellular perturbations including potassium efflux, lysosomal damage, and ROS …

In Vitro Study On Chondrogenic Differentiation Of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells On Treated Bovine Pericardium, My Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Vu Nguyen Doan, Ha Le Bao Tran

Turkish Journal of Biology

Bovine pericardium has been proposed as an available material for tissue engineering and bioprosthetic reconstruction. In this study, bovine pericardium was fabricated into a scaffold for culturing and chondrogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). Bovine pericardium was treated in 10 mM Tris-HCl and 0.15% SDS, followed by crosslinking in 0.1% glutaraldehyde. Treated bovine pericardium (tBP) was characterized as a slight yellowish thin membrane with enhanced tensile strength and strain property. The membrane maintained stability under enzymatic conditions for up to 16 days of incubation. The results confirmed tBP as a cell-friendly scaffold for hADSCs due to low cytotoxicity …

In Silico Approach To The Analysis Of Snps In The Human Apaf1 Gene, Tuğba Kaman, Ömer Faruk Karasakal, Ebru Özkan Oktay, Korkut Ulucan, Muhsi̇n Konuk

Turkish Journal of Biology

The apoptotic protease activating factor 1 (APAF1) gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein that initiates apoptosis and is a crucial factor in the mitochondria-dependent death pathway. APAF1 is implicated in many pathways such as apoptosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. The purpose of this study was to predict deleterious/damaging SNPs in the APAF1 gene via in silico analysis. To this end, APAF1 missense SNPs were obtained from the NCBI dbSNP database. In silico analysis of the missense SNPs was carried out by using publicly available online software tools. The stabilization and three-dimensional modeling of mutant proteins were also determined by using the …

Crosstalk Between Autophagy And Apoptosis Induced By Camphor Inschizosaccharomyces Pombe, Hizlan Hincal Ağuş, Sedanur Yilmaz, Cansin Ogeday Şengöz

Turkish Journal of Biology

Camphor is widely used in pharmacy, the food industry, and cosmetics. In this study, we evaluate inhibitory and cytotoxic effects of camphor in the fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), which presents a unicellular model in mechanistic toxicology and cell biology. Low-dose camphor exposure (0.4 mg/mL) activated autophagy, which was shown by GFP-Atg8 dots and transcriptional upregulation of Atg6 (Beclin-1 ortholog). Autophagy was also confirmed by using autophagy-deficient cells, which showed reduction in GFP-Atg8 dot formation. However, high-dose camphor exposure (0.8 mg/mL) caused dramatic cell death ratios, demonstrated by spot and colony-forming assays, even in autophagy-deficient cells. To unravel the underlying mechanism, …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Watermelon Heat Shock Protein Members And Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Analysis Under Combined Drought And Heat Stresses, Yasemi̇n Çeli̇k Altunoğlu, Merve Keleş, Tevfi̇k Hasan Can, Mehmet Cengi̇z Baloğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

Heat shock protein (Hsp) gene family members in the watermelon genome were identified and characterized by bioinformatics analysis. In addition, expression profiles of genes under combined drought and heat stress conditions were experimentally analyzed. In the watermelon genome, 39 genes belonging to the sHsp family, 101 genes belonging to the Hsp40 family, 23 genes belonging to the Hsp60 family, 12 genes belonging to the Hsp70 family, 6 genes belonging to the Hsp90 family, and 102 genes belonging to the Hsp100 family were found. It was also observed that the proteins in the same cluster in the phylogenetic trees had similar …

Integration, Segregation, Or Fragmentation? Jeddah Contemporary Mosques In The Context Of Public Places, Mona Helmy

Architectural Engineering

This paper argues that one of the most important roles of contemporary mosques is to support spatial organization and the promotion of urban coherence and principles in the surrounding neighborhoods and its urban context at large. This is not limited to supporting the basic functions of the mosque as a place for worshipers, but it also extends to a wide range of urban, social and cultural interactions among the society.

The objective of this paper is to explore the relationships between the urban design aspects of contemporary mosques and their urban contexts, as well as their role to support social-spatial …

A Finite Element Solution Of Bergan-Wang Plate Model, Kamal Hassan Prof., Ehab Ali, Ehab Ali

Basic Science Engineering

Abstract. Bergan-Wang approach has led to a formulation of the strain energy of a plate bending deflection as function of only the transversal deflection of the plate. In this paper, two rectangular plate bending finite elements are introduced, using new degrees of freedom based on Bergan-Wang approach for analysis of thin, moderately thick plates, in terms of this unique variable. The first element has four nodes with 24 DOF while the second has 36 DOF. These two elements are conforming in case of thin plates. Adopting the usual 3 boundary conditions of Reissner-Mindlin theory, variety of examples have been analyzed …

Editors' Notes, Debra Miretzky, Sharon Stevens, Chase Catalano, Krista Bowers-Sharpe, Mahrya Carncross

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Editors' Notes

An Analysis Of Academic Dishonesty In Online Classes, Jennifer Peterson

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Currently, online formal education is growing at a phenomenal rate; however, many fear that online courses do not provide the same rigor as on-campus courses. This is due in large part to the perception that students are more likely to cheat in online courses. A number of studies have been completed in this area and, in fact, many have shown that students are more likely to cheat in on-campus courses than in online courses; however, the perception remains. This perception affects opinions about online classes and even the reputation of the institutions offering the classes. The question then arises as …

Status, Equity, And Group Learning In Middle School Math: "I'M Not That Smart.", Kate Carter

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Teaching middle school mathematics, I have found that classroom dynamics have a profound impact on the quality of mathematical discussion. Wanting to improve classroom discussion in order to better facilitate both small-group and student-driven learning, I started the school year by randomly grouping students every week for their small groups. I then studied student interactions and perceptions of student status, as well as my facilitation of group discussion over the course of the year. In this article, I describe my deep dive into student relationships, classroom culture, and mathematical discourse for one class of seventh grade students.

Taking College Teaching Seriously: Pedagogy Matters!, Frank Giuseffi

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Book Review

Not A Moment To Lose: Mentoring Teacher Candidates For New Cultures And Climate, Emily Hayden, Travis Gratteau-Zinnel

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Mentoring for early career teachers is well-documented. Less research exists on formal mentoring for pre-service teachers, but early attrition rates are so alarming that we cannot afford to lose any time in preparing novices for the challenges they will face. This research explored mentoring support provided to pre-service, or novice, teachers in a K- 12 reading clinic at a state research university. The state has experienced dramatic expansion in linguistic and cultural diversity over the last 25 years, with a concurrent shortage of ESL-certified teachers. While the reading clinic does not provide formal ESL services, more than half the children …

Sharing Stories And Learning To Lead: A Relational Mentoring Process Through Self-Portraiture, Kathleen M. Cowin, Sarah N. Newcomer

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The creation of a relational, co-mentoring community for aspiring school leaders during their certification program may allow these future leaders to participate in a peer mentoring process wherein they engage one another in interdependence, experience reciprocal growth-fostering interactions, and tackle issues related to systemic power. The relational mentoring process creates a network of colleagues who understand the nature of the work of a principal candidate and who provide support and promote trust, knowing what they reveal will be held in confidence. This study focuses on two questions: How does the process of self-portraiture help principal candidates reflect on the kind …

The Use Of Video Reflection For Teacher Education And Professional Learning, Scott Gibbons, Amy N. Farley

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

The literature base is clear that when teachers reflect on their practice, they can identify areas of strength and areas of growth—both of which can improve the quality of their teaching (Jaeger, 2013). However, the realities of teaching today often mean teachers have many competing responsibilities and very little time between classes and after school for professional learning and development. Many teachers do not have the opportunity to reflect on their practice until hours or days after teaching a lesson or activity. By incorporating video into a teacher’s reflective practices, the teacher can revisit the lesson or activity as if …

Examining The Instructional Priorities Of A Secondary Education Teacher Preparation Program Utilizing An Integrated Approach To Assessment Education, Daniel M. Frederking

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This study examined the instructional priorities of a four-year undergraduate secondary education program that does not offer an assessment-specific course, but instead integrates assessment instruction throughout the broader curriculum. An alignment method was utilized to better understand the program’s instructional priorities for teaching about assessment in comparison to the locally-used professional teaching standards and the locally-used teacher accreditation performance assessment. Areas of both alignment and misalignment were found in three dimensions: categorical concurrence (CC), depth of knowledge (DOK), and range of knowledge (ROK). Findings include course syllabi objectives that were written at a broader ROK level than the other two …

Facilitating Teacher Reflection Using A Metacognitive Tool, Mary-Kate Sableski, Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch, Catherine Rosemary

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Teacher reflection is a central component of developing preservice and practicing teachers. This article describes a case study designed to explore reflection through an examination of a metacognitive tool, the Teacher Learning Instrument. The findings provide insight into the dimensions of reflection, specifically the interplay of observation and inference. Through their use of the metacognitive tool, the teachers adopted a metalanguage to discuss their observations of students’ learning, to express their thought processes about instruction, and to pinpoint changes to their instruction to enhance student performance. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the reflective process and inform the …

Editors' Notes, Brooks R. Vostal, Jonathan D. Bostic, Christy Galletta Horner, Matthew R. Lavery, Jeanne Novak, Nancy C. Patterson

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Editors' Notes

Planning Professional Development: What Educators Know About Formative Instructional Practices, Xin Lang, Linda Collins

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Formative instructional practices (FIP) are the formal and informal ways that teachers and students gather and respond to evidence of student learning. Although they might have been practicing formative instruction on a daily basis, many teachers rarely thought about how formative instructional practice features were already a part of their work. Teachers often displayed content standards, informed students of learning targets, and maintained learning records, but they may not have consistently analyzed records of student learning to make instructional decisions. Both novice educators and educators who already have strong classroom management and instructional skills are likely to benefit from professional …

An Investigation Of Three Approaches To Vocabulary Learning In High School Spanish Classes, Kathleen A. M. Jester, Rebecca M. Giles, Susan N. Ferguson

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Three vocabulary learning approaches -- rote memorization; Cover, Copy, Compare (CCC); and Cover, Copy, Compare Adapted with picture (CCCA) – were examined for effectiveness in promoting long-term memory retention for productive vocabulary in foreign language learning. Pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest data were collected using Conjuguemos, an on-line Spanish program. Results indicated a significant increase in mean scores with each assessment for all treatments; however, there was no significant difference in recall among the three learning approaches. Students were also surveyed about their preferences in approaches. Although survey responses indicated a preference for CCC, most students reported abandoning use of …

Editors' Notes, Brooks R. Vostal, Jonathan D. Bostic, Christy Galletta Horner, Sherri Horner, Kristina Lavenia, Jeanne Novak

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Editors' Notes

Race Is A Big Deal: The Childhood Experiences Of White, Female Teachers And The Development Of Critical Consciousness To "See, Judge And Act", Margaret Schauer

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

This study explores the stories of White, female teachers to understand moments of critical consciousness around race during childhood experiences that may have supported strong relationships with students of color in their teaching careers. Qualitative methods were employed to collect and analyze the stories of five White, female teachers in an urban school district. Findings include colorblind and White privileged stances from childhood that became more critical as participants began teaching students of color and adopted culturally relevant pedagogies and practices to meet their students’ needs. A need for teacher education and school professional development to move educators even further …

Eyelid Cosmetic Enhancements And Their Associated Ocular Adverse Effects, Maliha Masud, Majid Moshirfar, Tirth J. Shah, Aaron T. Gomez, Michele R. Avila, Yasmyne C. Ronquillo

School of Medicine Publications

Numerous cosmetic enhancements and augmentations to the natural appearance of the periorbital area are readily available today. Due to the increasing popularity of these cosmetic procedures, it is important for ophthalmologists to be aware of their potential risks, complications and adverse effects. The aim of this literature review was to introduce some of the most common ocular cosmetic enhancements and provide a comprehensive overview of their associated adverse effects reported in various medical journals. PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were used to identify articles related to the following ocular cosmetic procedures; eyelash extensions, permanent eyelid tattooing, and eyelash dyeing. The …

Facile Synthesis Of Diverse N-Acyl Anthranilamides And Quinazolin-4-Ones As Hmg-Coa Reductase Inhibitor Via Pd-Catalyzed Cascade Reaction, Pathan Sultan Ismail, Irfan Khan, Vivek Kumar, Ved Prakash Verma, Monika Shukla, Anupam Dhasmana, Shashi Pandey, Girdhar Pal Singh, Jaybir Singh, Shahnawaz Khan

School of Medicine Publications

This manuscript describes the design and synthesis of a series of diverse N-Acyl Anthranilamides and quinazolin-4-ones derivatives (3a-3n, and 4a-4d) inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. A series of N-Acyl Anthranilamides and quinazolin-4-ones derivatives (3a-3n, and 4a-4d) were synthesized and their chemical structures were confirmed by 1 H, 13C NMR and mass spectral data. Analogs were optimized using structure-based design and physical property considerations resulting in the identification of 4b and 3d, a hepatoselective HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor with excellent acute and chronic efficacy in a vitro model.

Diversity-Oriented Synthesis Of Novel Benzimidazoles As Antimalarial Agents Via Post Ugi Mcr, Anshu Dandia, Pankaj Potlia, Irfan Khan, Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Ved Prakash Verma, Mankiva Karnatak, Anupam Dhasmana, Shashi Pandey, Tarun Shrimali, Vijay Parewa, Shahnawaz Khan, Jaybir Singh

School of Medicine Publications

An efficient strategy for the syntheses of highly diverse benzimidazoles in exceptional yields via post Ugi reactions has been described. In our methodology we have utilized isocyanide based Ugi-reaction followed by acid catalyzed condensation cyclization reaction under microwave irradiations. All benzimidazole derivatives showed moderate to good antimalarial activity when compared with chloroquine as reference compound. Among these compounds, three of them (8b), (8c), (8d) were found to be most potent towards antimalarial activity. The synthesized hybrids were examined for their purity with the help of thin layer chromatography. Different analytical techniques were employed for further characterization like Mass studies, NMRs …

Molecular Mechanism Of Cancer Susceptibility Associated With Fok1 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Of Vdr In Relation To Breast Cancer, Sana Raza, Anupam Dhasmana, Madan Lal Brahma Bhatt, Mohtashim Lohani, Jamal M. Arif

School of Medicine Publications

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women worldwide. It is a multi-factorial disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. Vitamin D has been hypothesized to lower the risk of breast cancer via the nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR). Genetic variants of these vitamin D metabolizing genes may alter the bioavailability of vitamin D, and hence modulate the risk of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: The distribution of Fok1 VDR gene (rs2228570) polymorphism and its association with breast cancer was analysed in a case–control study based on 125 breast cancer patients and 125 healthy females from North Indian …

The Role Of Women’S Empowerment And Male Engagement In Pregnancy Healthcare Seeking Behaviors In Western Kenya, Fatimah Oluwakemi Bello, Pamela Musoke, Zachary Kwena, George O. Owino, Elizabeth A. Bukusi, Lynae Darbes, Janet M. Turan

School of Medicine Publications

We sought to understand whether women’s empowerment and male partner engagement were associated with use of antenatal care (ANC). Women presenting for ANC in Nyanza province of Kenya between June 2015 and May 2016, were approached for participation. A total of 137 pregnant women and 96 male partners completed baseline assessments. Women’s empowerment was measured using the modified Sexual Relationship Power Scale. ANC use measures included timing of the first ANC visit and number of visits. Male engagement was based on whether a husband reported accompanying his wife to one or more antenatal visits during the pregnancy. Multiple linear and …

Efficient Region-Based Test Strategy Uncovers Genetic Risk Factors For Functional Outcome In Bipolar Disorder, Monika Budde, Stefanie Friedrichs, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez, Seth Ament, Judith A. Badner

School of Medicine Publications

Genome-wide association studies of case-control status have advanced the understanding of the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders. Further progress may be gained by increasing sample size but also by new analysis strategies that advance the exploitation of existing data, especially for clinically important quantitative phenotypes. The functionally-informed efficient region-based test strategy (FIERS) introduced herein uses prior knowledge on biological function and dependence of genotypes within a powerful statistical framework with improved sensitivity and specificity for detecting consistent genetic effects across studies. As proof of concept, FIERS was used for the first genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based investigation on bipolar disorder …