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Every man-made structure creates certain risks - dams are no exception. Most failures in man-made structures that have occurred could have been avoided if the structures' behaviour had been inspected, monitored, and analyzed continuously, and if proper corrective measures had been taken in a timely fashion. The DSI (The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works), which is the institution responsible for dam safety, has long used surveying methods to measure the displacements of geodetic points as a part of dam monitoring policy. In this study, we focus on the dam's mechanical behaviour throughout a time period of more than 10 years. These study results have been derived from a separate, ongoing project that has monitored deformation on the Ataturk Dam and is now determining the water level of the reservoir. The project results show that although the dam body has become more stable and the water load behind the dam has increased, the rate of displacement of the dam has declined significantly. From these results, it can be seen that the reservoir water level can be increased evenly over time and that 542 m is the maximum water level of the dam's reservoir.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term and high-dose application of ketamine on the liver by employing histologic and biochemical methods. A total of 30 male rats were randomly assigned to control and four treatment groups (n: 6). Saline for control group and different doses of ketamine for four treatment groups (40, 60, 80 and 100 mg kg−1) were administered intraperitoneal twice a day for 2 weeks. Immunohistological staining, light and electron microscopy were used to study tissue specimens. Histopathological changes were more severe and diverse in groups 80 and 100 mg kg−1 day−1, and the least significant change was observed in groups 40 and 60 mg kg−1 day−1. The most important ultrastructural changes were seen in mitochondria and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The immunoreactivity of calcineurin was determined as different. Prolonged use of ketamine caused hepatocellualar toxicity and histological changes in hepatocytes in a dose-dependent manner in all experimental groups.

Objective Increased serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity is known to be associated with atherosclerotic diseases. Thoracic aortic intima-media thickness (IMT) was reported as a marker of preclinical atherosclerosis. However, there is a lack of research directly examining the relationship between serum GGT activity and thoracic aortic IMT. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between serum GGT activity and thoracic aortic IMT. Patients and methods The study population consisted of 329 patients without coronary artery disease, who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examination for various indications from January 2011 to April 2013. GGT, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and other biochemical markers were measured in all patients. The patients were classified into tertiles according to their GGT activities (GGT low < 19 U/l, GGT mid ≥ 19 U/l < 29 U/l, and GGT high ≥ 29). Results The highest aortic IMT values were observed in the GGT high group compared with the GGT mid and GGT low groups (p < 0.05, for all). Also, aortic IMT values in the GGT mid group were higher than in the GGT low group (p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that GGT activity was independently associated with aortic IMT (β = 0.487, p < 0.001) hs-CRP (β = 0.282, p < 0.001), and triglyceride level (β = 0.161, p = 0.007). Conclusion The higher serum GGT concentrations within the “normal” range were associated with a greater IMT of the thoracic aorta. GGT activity may be a predictor of the extent of subclinical aortic atherosclerosis assessed with thoracic aortic IMT.

We explored the effects of topical curcumin on the healing of nasal mucosal wounds. A total of 32 Sprague-Dawley Albino rats were randomized in equal numbers into four groups, and unilateral nasal wounds were created using an interdental brush. Group 1 (the sham-control group) contained untreated rats with traumatized right-side nasal cavities; Group 2 and 3 rats were similarly traumatized and treated with topical curcumin (5 and 10 mg/mL) dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide daily for 7 days after trauma; Group 4 rats were treated with topical dimethyl sulfoxide only. All rats were decapitated on day 15 and the healing sites evaluated by blinded observers in terms of the presence of cellular hyperplasia, goblet cell hypertrophy and degeneration, leucocytic infiltration, ciliary loss and degeneration, edema, and vascular dilation. On histopathological evaluation, all of cellular hyperplasia, leukocytic infiltration, and edema were significantly reduced in Group 3 compared with Group 1 (p=0.001, p=0.004, and p=0.008, resp.). Thus, curcumin reduced the inflammatory response and significantly accelerated wound healing.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine whether 6-month regular ingestion of blueberry tea could improve the lipids and oxidative biomarkers in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). Materials & methods: Pulverized blueberry tea brewed for 5 min (PBTB5; 32 mg/kg/day anthocyanins) was consumed for 6 months by ten patients with HeFH (group A) and results were compared with group B (ten patients with HeFH who did not receive PBTB5). Lipids, lipid peroxidation products and antioxidative status were measured at baseline, 1 and 3-6 months on PBTB5, and after a washout period (12 months). Results: After 1 month of treatment, there was no significant difference in the lipids, peroxidation and antioxidative status between groups. Reductions in total and LDL-cholesterol in group A were found after 3 (p < 0.05) and 6 months (p < 0.01). After 6 months of treatment, HDL-cholesterol of group A increased (48.78%; p < 0.01). There were significant increases in antioxidants and decreases in lipid peroxidation products of group A at the end of 6 months. At the end of the washout period the difference between group A and B lipids, lipid peroxidation and antioxidative status did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: PBTB5 had a positive effect on plasma lipid profiles and antioxidant status in children with HeFH when consumed daily and for a long time.

Gas electron multiplier (GEM) is widely used in modern gas detectors of ionizing radiation in experiments on high-energy physics at accelerators and in other fields of science. Typically the GEM devices are based on a dielectric foil with holes and electrodes on both sides. GEMs made by radiation-hard dielectrics or wide band-gap semiconductors are desirable for some applications. The results of the first tests of the gas electron multiplier made of radiation-hard materials, such as polycrystalline CVD diamond with a thickness of 100 microns is described. Here we report on fabrication of GEM based on free-standing polycrystalline CVD diamond film and its first test.

Objectives: Previous studies showed the association between the major adverse cardiovascular outcomes and both higher neutrophil and lower lymphocyte counts. We aimed to investigate whether there is an association between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) value and the development of coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). Methods: A total of 274 patients with CTO were included in this study. Patients were then classified according to their Rentrop collateral grades as either poor (Rentrop grades 0-1) or good (Rentrop grades 2-3). Clinical information and analyses of blood samples were obtained from a review of the patients’ charts. Results: Although there was no difference between the two groups with regard to cardiovascular risk profiles, the NLR values were significantly higher in the patients who had poorly developed CCC (2.6 ± 0.5 vs 2.2 ± 0.4, p<0.001). NLR, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), age, diabetes, fasting glucose levels and body mass index were found to have univariate association with poorly developed CCC (p<0.1). In a multivariate logistic regression model, NLR (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37–2.74; p<0.001), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and WBC were found to be the independent predictors of poor CCC. In receiver operator characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value of NLR to predict poor CCC was found as 2.17, with 77% sensitivity and 65% specificity. Conclusion: NLR, as a novel cardiovascular risk marker, is an important, simple and inexpensive method which can be used by the cardiologist as a screening inflammation tool to estimate the development of CCC in patients with CTO.

Enzalutamide is a potent second-generation antiandrogen commonly used to treat hormone-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. While initially effective, the disease almost always develops resistance. Given that many enzalutamide-resistant tumors lack specific somatic mutations, there is strong evidence that epigenetic factors can cause enzalutamide resistance. To explore how resistance arises, we systematically test all epigenetic modifiers in several models of castration-resistant and enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer with a custom epigenetic CRISPR library. From this, we identify and validate SMARCC2, a core component of the SWI/SNF complex, that is selectivity essential in enzalutamide-resistant models. We show that the chromatin occupancy of SMARCC2 and BRG1 is expanded in enzalutamide resistance at regions that overlap with CRPC-associated transcription factors that are accessible in CRPC clinical samples. Overall, our study reveals a regulatory role for SMARCC2 in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer and supports the feasibility of targeting the SWI/SNF complex in late-stage PCa. An epigenome-focused CRISPR screen in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer identified a unique dependency against SWI/SNF complexes that is potentially mediated by an expansion of their binding regions.