After the Chernobyl accident, the tea plantations at the north-east region of Turkey, especially in Rize and the neighborhood have been affected by radioactive fall-out. As a
measure of radiological protection, the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority intervened before the stage of packing of the tea, and imposed a maximal limit of 12.500 Bq/kg for the tea on the market. 58.078 tons of contaminated tea of 25.000 Bq/kg and more has been isolated for disposal. In order to determine the optimal mode of disposal the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority developed four criteria for the management of radioactive tea which permitted to establish that the only mode of disposal satisfying all these criteria was the burial of the contaminated material.

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Various national and international surveys have demonstrated an increase in radon (222Rn) levels in dwellings and consequently there is a continuous growing concern about its health effects on the population. Rn progeny levels in dwellings are likely to be a multiple of outdoor levels. This paper presents the results of the measurements of indoor Rn and daughter levels in houses of different types located in different parts of Bangladesh. The dose to the population from the inhalation of indoor Rn is also calculated. The present measurements have given a geometric mean of 9.5 mWL of potential alpha energy exposure level from Rn daughters, which corresponds to an annual effective dose equivalent of 3.l mSv.

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Cellulose nitrate (Russian) plastic has been irradiated with Ne and 168O-ions from the Cyclotron at JINR, Dubna, USSR in order to investigate the track recording properties of the material. Etching in 6N NaOH solution is carried out at temperatures 30°, 40°, 50°, 60° and 70°C. The activation energy for bulk etching is (1.06±0.1) eV and that for track etching is (0.85±0.08 ) eV. We present the track etch rate, Vt vs range and Vt as a function of energy-loss, dE/dx, of 168O-ions. The response of the plastic can be be adjusted by altering the etch bath temperature. The maximum etched track length is compared with the theoretical range as well as with the range reported in literature. The effects of different annealing conditions on bulk etch rate of plastic detector and on diameters of 2010Ne-ion tracks have been presented. Experimental results show that there is a decrease in track etch rate. The annealing of oblique tracks shows that the vertical tracks are stable for longer periods than oblique tracks.

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Deformable energy absorbers are briefly introduced, and their relevance in crash protection systems is stressed. A general review of literature is presented on energy absorption by tubes of various cross sections. Work on quasi-static and impact-loaded hollow and capped, spun aluminum frusta is described. Experimental findings are reported that suggest that certain frusta may be used as active elements, and that in this respect frusta may be preferable to "constant-force energy absorbers" such as tubes. It is established for the inversion of stacked multi-element absorbers that the energy absorbed per gram is not affected by the series arrangement. It is further concluded that the amount of energy absorbed in inward inversion is more than twice that of outward inversion. It is pointed out that while tube inversion requires dies, the length of tube to be inverted has limitations, and that normally tube inversion is limited to about half the original tube, height, none of these shortcomings were encountered during the inversion of aluminum frusta.

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Morphological and anatomical studies of leaves of roadside trees (Ficus bengalensis L., Guaiacum officinale L. and Eucalyptus sp.) of polluted and unpolluted areas were carried out. All the plants showed no visible morphological and anatomical changes. However, some reduction in these characters were observed in leaves which were collected from the city center. Significant reduction in length and area of leaflets and length of petiole of G. officinale of polluted plants was recorded. Similarly, reduction in the anatomical characteristics of polluted leaves of the above mentioned species was also observed. Significant reduction was particularly recorded in spongy parenchyma and lower epidermis in F. bengalensis and Eucalyptus sp., respectively.

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Fourteen different taxa of fungi were isolated from different parts of black mangrove Avicennia marina growing in Korangi Creek and Clifton areas of Karachi. They were identified as Alternaria maritima, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, A. sulfurus, Aureobasidium pullulans, Bispora sp., Botrytis sp., Cladosporium sp., Humicola sp., Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., Phoma sp., Pythium sp. and Rhizopus sp. The most diverse group of them all was Deuteromycotina and the most frequent and easily grown Zygomycotina.

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The effect of pH of the medium and temperature of incubation was studied on motility of four strains of 2 Listeria species. All the strains were found to be non-motile at pH 4. The motility was observed at a pH range of 5.5 to 9.0. However, the optimum pH and temperature for motility was 7.0 and 22°C respectively. The strains NCTC 7973 and C-274 were, however, motile at pH 5.0. At pH 10, NCTC 5214 m, C-274 and NCTC 7973 were motile at 22°C with the exception of C-274 which was motile also at 35°C. NCTC 5214 m was motile at pH 11 only at 22°C whereas C-274 was motile at both 22 and 35°C.

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Studies were carried out on the occurrence of organisms producing vitamins of group B among the heterotrophic planktonic bacteria of the littoral and pelagic zone of the mesotrophic lake asne. In the littoral zone the most numerous group were bacteria producing nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid and riboflavin. In the pelagic zone the number of B-vitamins producers was much smaller, and the predominant group were strains synthesizing folic acid, biotin and thiamin. The percentage of Bvitamins producers in the pelagic zone was higher in spring than in autumn. In the littoral zone the reverse situation was stated. The majority of planktonic bacteria of both zones were able to produce 2-4 vitamins. Only a few strains synthesized only one vitamin.

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The growth of a strain of Penicillium javanicum on pretreated rice husk was studied by batchwise fermentation in shake flasks. The rice husk was pretreated with various concentrations of acids/alkalis and enzyme. It was observed that the growth on perchloric acid treated rice husk was higher. However nitrogen and protein content was found higher in fungal biomass when sulphuric acid treated rice husk was used as a substrate for the growth of Penicillium javanicum.

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The experiment was carried out to ascertain the effects of age on wheat and barley seeds. Germination percentage of different years old wheat and barley seeds were found to decrease gradually with an increase of the storage time. The germination percentages of wheat seeds were much lower than that of barley seeds. Mitotic index and chromosomal irregularities from root tip cells were also studied. Most of the irregularities were characterized by precocious separation of chromosomes and inactivation of spindle mechanism, chromosome fragment, laggard, bridge, condensed and sticky chromosome, ring chromosomes etc. In both the materials, the frequencies of dividing cells were found to decrease with the increase of the age of seeds. Frequency of abnormal cells were also found to increase with the increase of the age of seeds. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations with increased storage time was closely related to the loss of germinability.

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To determine the mechanism by which manganese induces learning defect in human and animals, we carried out an experimental study using two months old female rats which were exposed daily 357 g of manganese for 30 days. Manganese induced a significant increase in the cholesterol of blood and brain tissues. An obvious elevation in hippocampal cholesterol was associated with an impaired learning in rats exposed to manganese. Preventing the cholesterol biosynthesis with a drug which inhibits the biosynthesis of cholesterol, the manganese induced learning disability corrected completely. This correction led us to conclude that manganese by increasing hippocampal cholesterol levels impairs learning ability.

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Osmolar and free water clearances were evaluated during the first trimester Cn=11, second trimester (n=17) and the third trimester (n=27) of healthy pregnant women. Compared with non-pregnant values, no significant differences were determined in both of these clearance levels, indicating that urinary diluting and concentrating abilities are not impaired during normal pregnancy.

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Our aims were to determine the potential role of plasma renin activity (PRA) in prediction of preeclampsia, to study the relationship between PRA levels and gestational age, and to evaluate the correlation between PRA and blood pressure findings in preeclamptic pregnancies. PRA levels were measured by RIA in normotensive (n=9) and preeclamptic (n=10) pregnant women in their third trimesters. The mean (±SE) PRA levels in the normal and preeclamptic pregnants were 2.50±0.53 and 2.84±0.89 ng/ml/h, respectively, the slightly higher level in the hypertensive group being statistically non-significant. PRA levels demonstrated a strong, but non-significant correlation with gestational age in the preeclamptic subjects (r=0.56), but there was no relationship between PRA levels and mean blood pressure (MBP) in this hypertensive state. We therefore conclude that PRA level in preeclampsia does not decrease, but slightly increases, when compared with its measurements in normal pregnant subjects, and also that PRA does not contribute to the determination of high blood pressure in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

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The effects of Aplotaxis lappa Dcne roots and its ethanol extract were studies on serum glutamate oxalacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and biochemical parameters such as serum total proteins, glucose, cholesterol, total lipids and uric acid levels. The crude drug significantly decreased the SGPT and LDH activities, while its ethanol extract did not disturb the activities of these enzymes. Serum alkaline phosphatase was also not effected by crude powdered drug; whereas its ethanolic extract significantly decreased it. The SGOT was also not effected by both the crude powder and its ethanol extract. A significant hyperglycemia was produced by both of the crude drug and its ethanol extract. The cholesterol and total lipid contents were decreased by the crude drug only; whereas total proteins and uric acid were not effected. The possible mechanisms of these effects have been discussed.

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Cardiovascular profile of Ruellia patula and Ruellia Brittoniana was carried on isolated rabbit heart. Crude extract, butanolic and aqueous layer of both plants were tested on heart rate, force of contraction and coronary flow. Digoxin was used as a controlled drug. All the fractions showed an increase in force of contraction expect n-butanolic fraction of R. brittoniana which exhibited depression in all parameters. Coronary flow and heart rate displayed non significant decrease. Therefore it was concluded that the given Ruellia plants are of cardiotonic nature.

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A series of 62 patients, l7 males and 45 females with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and 35 patients forming the control group were studied. All patients were given glucocorticosteroid hormones. The first group of patients sensitive to hormone revealed endogenic cortisol levels above normal before therapy. Hypercortisolemia was observed in the cases with severe, mild or intermediate forms of disease along with complete compensation under GCH therapy. These patients produced adequate reaction to stress, cortisol activation in pathologic process with mobilization of the preventation forces for elimination of unnecessary agents. In all ITP cases with response to hormone therapy (group I) endogenic cortisol values reached to immunodepressive levels.

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