Polar PIN localization directs auxin flow in plants

Polar flow of the phytohormone auxin requires plasma membrane-associated PIN proteins and underlies multiple developmental processes in plants. Here we address the importance of the polarity of subcellular PIN localization for the directionality of auxin transport in Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression of different PINs in the root epidermis revealed the importance of PIN polar positions for directional auxin flow and root gravitropic growth. Interfering with sequence-embedded polarity signals directly demonstrates that PIN polarity is a primary factor in determining the direction of auxin flow in meristematic tissues. This finding provides a crucial piece in the puzzle of how auxin flow can be redirected via rapid changes in PIN polarity.     

First molecular evidence of border disease virus in wild boars in Turkey

Veterinary Research Communications - Molecular studies on viral diseases in wildlife are limited in Turkey. Pestiviruses infect domestic animals such as pig, cattle, sheep, goats and many other...     

Spatial learning as an adaptation in hummingbirds

An ecological approach based on food distribution suggests that humming birds should more easily learn to visit a flower in a new location than to learn to return to a flower in a position just visited, for a food reward. Experimental results support this hypothesis as well as the general view that differences in learning within and among species represent adaptations.     

Innovative and Competitive Structure of Regional Economies in Turkey

Regional development theories have experienced a transition from Keynesian state‐led economic development models to development based on public–private partnerships, innovation, industrial districts, etc. With the increasing concern for innovative milieu, products, process, organizational, and institutional innovations have assumed an important place in regional development policies. All these regional development paradigms have formed the basis of the initiation of a new process in regional development called the new regionalism, which includes cumulative efforts to revitalize local economic growth. In this paper, we identify technological levels of 26 NUTS 2‐level regions according to the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD)'s classification. Then, we develop an innovation and competitiveness index for Turkey by employing principal component analysis. In conclusion, we formulate some workable policy solutions and suggestions for regional economies in Turkey. According to the results, Istanbul is the most innovative and competitive region in Turkey. Ankara is becoming a regional knowledge cluster, thanks to its strong R&D infrastructure and highly qualified researchers.     

Host instar suitability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> (Genn.) (Hom.: Aleyrodidae) for the parasitoid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eretmocerus mundus</Emphasis> (Hym.: Aphelinidae)

Efficient use of parasitoids in pest control depend on the knowledge of the biological relationships between host and parasitoid. Eretmocerus mundus Mercet (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is one the most important natural enemies of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) that is found in fields and greenhouses in Adana, Turkey. Although more studies have been done to determine the relationships between E. mundus and B. tabaci, the differences among strains of E. mundus could have important biological concequences. In this study, biological characteristics of native population of E. mundus parasitization of B. tabaci (Q biotype) were determined using bean plants Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) at a constant temperature of 25 ± 1°C, relative humidity 70 ± 10% and 16:8 (L:D) photoperiod regimen. All B. tabaci nymphal instars were parasitized by E. mundus, but the mean number of daily-parasitized nymphs was highest in the second instars (15.3). In addition, second instar females had the shortest mean development time (15.2 days). Mean development times of parasitoids obtained from first, second, third and fourth B. tabaci instars varied from 15.2 to 16.2 days and 15.2 to 15.9 days for female and male, respectively. Proportion of female (♀/♂+♀) varied from first (0.53) to second (0.34) host instars. Impact of results on potential biological control of B. tabaci was discussed through conservation native natural enemies.     

Copper deficiency in ruminants in the rift valley of east Africa

Summary Enzootic ataxia of newborn domestic ruminants and particularly of small ruminants is a widespread disease often observed in East Africa. It is characterised by very low blood copper levels and sometimes by histological lesions characteristic of a severe copper deficiency. This disease observed and described by various authors in Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti seems to be closely associated with the pedogeological area of the Rift Valley. Climatic conditions and geo-morphological characteristics of this area, particularly the molybdenum and sulphur excess in this volcanic region, seem to account for the marked clinical signs of this mineral deficiency.

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Resumen La ataxia enzoótica de los animales recién nacidos y particularmente de los peque?os rumiantes es une condición generalizada, frecuentemente observada en Africa del Este. Esta se caracteriza por bajos niveles de cobre saguíneo y lesiones histopatológicas caracteristicas de una servera deficiencia de cobre. Esta enfermendad descrita por varios autores en Kenia, Etiopía y Djibouti, parece que es similar y asociada al área pedogeológica del Valle de Rift. Las condiciones climáticas y geo-morfológicas que caracterizan el área, particularmente el exceso de molibdeno y azufre en ésta región volcánica, parece que influye decididamente en los síntomas clínicos de ésta deficiencia mineral.

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Résumé L'ataxie néonatale du nouveau-né chez le ruminants domestiques et particulièrement chez les petits ruminants, représente une affection répandue et souvent observée en Afrique de l'Est. Cette maladie s'accompagne de taux très faibles de cuivre dans le sang et parfois de lésions histologiques caractéristiques d'une déficience sévère en cuivre. Cette maladie par carence, observée et décrite par divers auteurs au Kenya, en Ethiopie et à Djibouti, semble associée étroitement à l'ensemble pédo-géologique de la Vallée du Rift. Les conditions climatiques et les particularités géomorphologiques de la région, en particulier l'excès de molybdène et de soufre dans cette zone d'activité volcanique encore importante, permet d'expliquer l'expression clinique spectaculaire de cette carence minérale.

     

Tree spatial patterns of Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica in the Western Carpathians over 30 years

The decline of Abies alba (fir) in natural fir–beech forests in Europe has fascinated scientists for over a century. During this period, Fagus sylvatica (beech) became the dominant species in this forest type. We hypothesised that (1) the success of beech over fir is significantly connected with the fact that beech suffers less than fir from the presence of conspecific neighbours; that (2) shade tolerance is not a factor which favours beech over fir; and that (3) this is due to a significantly reduced proportion of litter treethrow mounds with suitable conditions for the successful regeneration of fir. We investigated these hypotheses by means of tree spatial pattern analysis. Eight rectangular plots (2–8 ha) were analysed in mountain fir–beech forests of the Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic. Various types of the pair correlation function and L function were used to describe the tree density variability of trees with DBH ≥10 cm. The analyses were carried out on datasets from the 1970s, 1990s and 2000s. Our results suggest that negative density dependence is not responsible for the current decline of fir. It seems that a higher shade tolerance of the advanced regeneration could be one of the factors which favour beech over fir. It is evident that fir trees have a markedly stronger positive association to mounds than beech trees.     

Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and flunixin meglumine and interactions between both drugs after intravenous co-administration in healthy and endotoxaemic rabbits

The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics and possible interactions of enrofloxacin (ENR) and flunixin meglumine (FM) in healthy rabbits and in rabbits where endotoxaemia had been induced by administering Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Six male adult New Zealand White rabbits were used for the study. In Phase I, FM (2.2 mg/kg) and ENR (5 mg/kg) were given simultaneously as a bolus intravenous (IV) injection to each healthy rabbit. After a washout period, Phase II consisted of purified LPS administered as an IV bolus injection, then FM and ENR. LPS produced statistically significant increases in some serum biochemical concentrations. After the drugs were co-administered, the kinetic parameters of FM were not significantly different in healthy compared to endotoxaemic rabbits. It is concluded that ENR and FM could be co-administered to rabbits to treat endotoxaemia as no negative interaction was observed between the pharmacokinetics of both drugs.