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X-ray crystallography is a robust and powerful structural biology technique that provides high-resolution atomic structures of biomacromolecules. Scientists use this technique to unravel mechanistic and structural details of biological macromolecules (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, protein complexes, protein-nucleic acid complexes, or large biological compartments). Since its inception, single-crystal cryocrystallography has never been performed in Türkiye due to the lack of a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer. The X-ray diffraction facility recently established at the University of Health Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye will enable Turkish and international researchers to easily perform high-resolution structural analysis of biomacromolecules from single crystals. Here, we describe the technical and practical outlook of a state-of-the-art home-source X-ray, using lysozyme as a model protein. The methods and practice described in this article can be applied to any biological sample for structural studies. Therefore, this article will be a valuable practical guide from sample preparation to data analysis., NSF Science and Technology Center Grant; Biology with X-ray Lasers, BioXFEL; Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK); TÜBİTAK 2218 - National Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program; TÜBİTAK 2232 International Outstanding Researchers Program; 2232 International Fellowship for Outstanding Researchers Program; European Union (EU); Horizon 2020; 2236 CoCirculation2 Program; TÜBİTAK 1001 Scientific and Technological Research Projects Funding Program

Urban growth patterns are a reflection of how urbanization is affected by physical geography as well as by the economic, social, and natural factors of individual cities. Therefore, an analysis of any urban growth pattern triggered by these factors by using measurable variables can make a significant contribution towards the determination of future spatial growth strategies. This paper aims to characterise and evaluate the urban growth pattern of Antalya, a coastal city in Turkey, that occurred between 1987 and 2016. To achieve this, a multi-temporal analysis of satellite images was carried out to determine the city’s urban growth patterns in 1987, 2000, and 2016, and spatial growth indices were then used to identify three urban growth types – sprawl, infill, and leapfrog. The results clearly show that the amount of built-up area in Antalya increased considerably after 2000, and is estimated to have grown by a factor of eight over the period covered by this study, predominantly through the processes of sprawl and leapfrog development.

In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared (PEG-MNPs). A model chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin (DOX), was loaded into the PEG-MNPs with varied concentrations (0.125, 0.250, 0.500 mg/mL). TEM images showed that, DOX-PEG-MNPs are spherical-shaped and 15 ± 2.2 nm in diameter. FTIR spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that MNPs were successfully modified with PEG. The UV–Vis spectroscopy results showed that the drug loading capacity of MNPs was 0.7 mg/ml of DOX in 2 mg/ml of PEG-MNPs. The time course data showed that, the release behavior of DOX from MNPs was primarily diffusion controlled. In vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that MNP and PEG-MNP did not show any toxic effect on mouse fibroblast cells while DOX-PEG-MNP was able to inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells. The results confirm that the application area of MNPs in controlled and prolonged drug release could be extended to the different types of cancer therapeutics.

In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared (PEG-MNPs). A model chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin (DOX), was loaded into the PEG-MNPs with varied concentrations (0.125, 0.250, 0.500 mg/mL). TEM images showed that, DOX-PEG-MNPs are spherical-shaped and 15 ± 2.2 nm in diameter. FTIR spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that MNPs were successfully modified with PEG. The UV–Vis spectroscopy results showed that the drug loading capacity of MNPs was 0.7 mg/ml of DOX in 2 mg/ml of PEG-MNPs. The time course data showed that, the release behavior of DOX from MNPs was primarily diffusion controlled. In vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that MNP and PEG-MNP did not show any toxic effect on mouse fibroblast cells while DOX-PEG-MNP was able to inhibit the proliferation of human breast cancer cells. The results confirm that the application area of MNPs in controlled and prolonged drug release could be extended to the different types of cancer therapeutics.