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Various kinds of abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme heat and cold, and heavy metal contamination in soils significantly have impact on crop production. Due to global climate change, the severity of these stresses is increased. Therefore, development of new abiotic stress-tolerant crop variety is needed for feeding the ever-increasing global population. Although classical breeding techniques have been useful for the development of high yielding varieties for the green revolution in the last seven decades, these time-consuming techniques seem unable to meet the growing challenges of abiotic stresses to crop production. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated enzyme (Cas) technology has recently been emerged as a revolutionary technique for precise editing of the targeted gene(s) in the genome of any organisms including plants. This technology is user-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective. Genomics and postgenomics analyses revealed a large body of knowledge on genes involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Targeted editing (addition/deletion/rearrangement) of these genes associated with plants tolerance to particular abiotic stress is found useful for the improvement of plants for abiotic stress tolerance. However, to make a new green revolution using CRISPR-Cas technology, further improvement of this technology and necessary changes in the global regulatory system for greater acceptance of genome-edited crop plants are needed. This chapter reviews and updates the concept, mechanism, and application of CRISPR-Cas genome editing technology on the improvement of crop plants for abiotic stress tolerance. Furthermore, the future potentials and challenges of this technology in the improvement of crop plants for the tolerance of various abiotic stresses will also be discussed.

Extreme events of abiotic stress conditions such as high temperatures, prolonged drought, salinity, metal toxicity, intense rains, flooding, frost, and low temperatures affect the productivity of crops as well as significantly affect plants and soil microorganisms. The composite and active connections between microorganisms and plant roots during abiotic stress disturb not only the plants but also the physical, chemical, and structural properties of soil. While several studies have found that numerous species of microorganisms, particularly rhizospheric microorganisms generate diverse mechanisms to enhance both plants and their survival ability against abiotic stresses. Among the microorganisms, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) were found to be the most important species that enhance plant to mitigate the adverse events of abiotic stress through the production of exopolysaccharides, cytokinins, antioxidants, and enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase and also the formation of biofilm. Besides theses production of organic compounds, dual symbiotic systems of PGPR and AMF (endophytic rhizospheric bacteria and symbiotic fungi) also stimulate to alleviate the adverse effect of abiotic stress in plants. The current book chapter discusses the role of soil microorganisms in plant adaptation to abiotic stresses and also highlights the current scenario, future perspectives, and challenges to use for the sustainability of crop production under the future extreme events of climate change.

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WOS: 000435647500016, Aim: Positive acute-phase reactants generally increase during the attack period (AP) of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and return to normal range in the attack-free period (AFP). In some patients, the level of these acute-phase reactants does not decrease during the AFP, suggesting that subclinical vascular inflammation continues during the AFP. In the context of this Information, we tested whether apelin and fetuin-A can be used as inflammatory biomarkers in the AFP of FMF patients. Material and Method: Thirty FMF patients within AFP and thirty healthy subjects were included in this study. Serum apelin and fetuin-a levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: The median levels of apelin were 113.07 +/- 15.9 ng/L in FMF and 307.82 +/- 52.76 ng/L in healthy subjects (p = 0.002). The median levels of fewin-A were 1352.2 +/- 127.61 ng/mL in the FMF group and 843.82 +/- 137.66 ng/mL in the control group (p= 0.009). In FMF patients, there was a significant correlation between apelin and fetuin-A levels (r=0.399; p =0.029). Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was found between age and apelin (r= -0.499; p = 0.005), and a significant positive correlation was found between BMI and apelin (r = 0.769; p = 0.001). Additionally, a significant correlation was found between BMI and fetuin-A (r = 0.397; p = 0.030). Discussion: Lower serum apelin levels and higher fetuin-A levels were observed in FMF patients with AFP than in healthy subjects, suggesting that subclinical vascular inflammation continues during AFP in patients with FMF. Further studies with large study populations and different ethnic groups are necessary to show the role of apelin and fetuin-A in subclinical inflammation resulting from FMF.

In this paper, we investigate the numerical solutions of the cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation via the exponential B-spline collocation method. Crank-Nicolson formulas are used for time discretization of the target equation. A linearization technique is also employed for the numerical purpose. Four numerical examples related to single soliton, collision of two solitons that move in opposite directions, the birht of standing and mobile solitons and bound state solution are considered as the test problems. The accuracy and the efficiency of the purposed method are measured by max error norm and conserved constants. The obtained results are compared with the possible analytical values and those in some earlier studies., Comment: 16 pages, 18 Figures

This study intends to determine elementary school teachers’ degree of classroom control, which constitutes the consistency in their classroom management and discipline-related behaviour. The major research question was as follows: Is the control approach adopted by teachers related to certain variables (gender, age, subject area, experience)? The study design was based on descriptive and causalcomparative research methods. Research data were collected from 119 elementary school teachers. Results revealed that, in general, elementary school teachers adopted medium-level control. There was no statistically significant difference found between teachers’ control approach and their age, gender, experience, marital status and subject area. If teachers are aware of the philosophy underlying their level of control and if they internalize it, their teaching behaviour is affected. Therefore, teachers can become informed and follow studies about their control approach

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the creative drama method on pre-service elementary teachers’ achievement in art education courses and interest in art. The study made use of the experimental pattern with pre- and post-test control groups. Data were collected, analyzed, and interpreted according to the mixed method including both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Before and after the study, both groups were administered the Art Education Achievement Test and the Information Form on the Interest towards Art. Participants in the study and control groups were requested to keep diaries about their emotions, thoughts, and achievements after the art education class every week. Following the study, 12 participants were interviewed individually and a focus group interview was conducted with 6 participants. The study concluded that the creative drama method improved the participants' levels of interest in art and their achievements in the art education course

Elektrokardiyografi (EKG) monitörizasyonu sırasında kullanılan elektrotlara ait alerjik kontakt dermatitgörülebilir. Bu olgu sunumunda EKG elektroduna bağlı kontakt dermatit gelişen, atopik olmayan iki hastabildirilmektedir, ECG electrodes can cause allergic contact dermatitis.We report two unusual cases of allergic contact dermatitis to ECG electrodes.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate sexual functions and the factors that affect changes in sexual functions in male patients undergoing renal transplantation due to end-stage renal disease.

WOS: 000382747100004, PubMed ID: 27458846, Background/Aims: To establish the prevalence of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1), IL-23 receptor (IL-23R), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT-3) and Janus kinase 2 (JAK-2) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a Turkish population. Materials and Methods: A total of 562 subjects who presented at the Ankara University internal medicine departments of rheumatology and gastroenterology outpatient clinics were recruited in this study, including 365 patients with AS, 197 patients with IBD and 230 healthy controls. ERAP1, IL-23R, STAT-3 and JAK-2) were genotyped in competitive allele-specific polymerase chain reactions. Results: The ERAP1 (rs26653) polymorphism was found to increase the disease risk in patients with AS and IBD compared with the control group (p=0.02 and p=0.01, respectively). In addition, this polymorphism revealed a significant relationship with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) in patients with AS (r=0.829, p

The aim of this study is to understand the optical, biocompatible, and mechanical properties of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) based corneal stroma constructs using 3D printing process. Corneal stroma is tested for biocompatibility with human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs). Physico-chemical and chemical characterization of the construct was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Optical transmittance was analyzed using UV-Spectrophotometer. Results showed fabricated constructs have required shape and size. SEM images showed construct has thickness of 400 µm. The FTIR spectra demonstrated the presence of various predicted peaks. The swelling and degradation studies of 13%(wt)PVA and 13%(wt)PVA/(1, 3, 5)%(wt)CS showed to have high swelling ratios of 7 days and degradation times of 30 days, respectively. The light transmittance values of the fabricated cornea constructs decreased with CS addition slightly. Tensile strength values decreased with increasing CS ratio, but we found to support intraocular pressure (IOP) which ranges from 12 to 22 mm-Hg. Preliminary biostability studies showed that composite constructs were compatible with hASCs even after 30 days’ of degradation, showing potential for these cells to be differentiated to stroma layer in future. This study has implications for the rapid and custom fabrication of various cornea constructs for clinical applications.

WOS: 000360767400004, PubMed ID: 25900081, AimRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease with unknown etiology and systemic involvement. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are two new inflammatory markers used in the assessment of systemic inflammation. The aim here is to study NLR and PLR in patients with RA to investigate their relation with Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS-28). MethodsThe study included 104 patients with RA and a control group of 51 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. We divided the patients into two groups according to the DAS-28 score. Group 1 included patients with a score of lower than 2.6 by the DAS-28 (patients in remission) and Group 2 included patients with a score of 2.6 and higher (patients with active disease). ResultsNLR was 2.120.83 in the patient group and 1.58 +/- 0.57 in the control group. PLR was 136.50 +/- 53.52 in the patient group and 114.84 +/- 29.41 in the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in NLR and PLR between the patient and control groups (P0.0001 and P=0.001, respectively). Patients in Group 1 had an NLR of 1.84 +/- 0.61 and a PLR of 119.25 +/- 41.77. Patients in Group 2 had an NLR of 2.29 +/- 0.90 and a PLR of 147.28 +/- 56.96. There was a statistically significant difference in NLR and PLR between the two groups (P=0.003 and P=0.005 respectively). A correlation was observed between NLR and PLR by DAS-28 (r=0.345, P0.0001 and r=0.352, P0.0001, respectively). ConclusionsThe present study showed us that NLR and PLR were two new inflammatory markers which could be used to assess disease activity in patients with RA.

WOS: 000356679500047, PubMed ID: 26096418, …

WOS: 000347865100005, PubMed ID: 25007287, Objective. Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autoinflammatory, autosomal recessive, inherited disease characterized by recurrent self-limiting attacks of serosal surfaces. The imbalance of oxidants/antioxidants may play a role in such attacks. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum paraoxonase (PON1) activity PON1 phenotype, and other parameters in patients with FMF and healthy controls. Methods: A total of 120 FMF patients with an attack-free period (AFP) and 65 healthy subjects were included in this study The serum PON1 activity, stimulated paraoxonase (SPON) activity, PON1 phenotype (representing Q192R polymorphism; QQ, QR, RR), arylesterase activity, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), advanced oxidative protein products (AOPP), total thiols (TTL), and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and cystatin-c (CYS-C) levels were measured. Results: For the QQ phenotype, the median TTL and AOPP levels of the control group were 264.50 (57.75) mu Amol/L and 21.26 (21.17) mmol/L, respectively, whereas the median TTL, AOPP levels of the patients were 309.00 (47.00) mu mol/L and 12.98 (6.96) mmol/L, respectively There was a statistically significant difference between the patients and controls with the QQ phenotype in terms of TTL and AOPP (p< 0.001 and p= 0.004, respectively). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the QQ and QR+FRR phenotypes with respect to TAC, TOS, OSI, or the other parameters. Conclusions: The FMF patients with AFP had higher TTL and lower AOPP levels than the controls. However, other oxidant and antioxidant parameters were similar among the patients during AFP and the controls.

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