Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of cardiac-related circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients.Methods:This study has a prospective experimental cohort design. A total of 12 consecutive patients with acute chest pain within 12 h admitted to emergency department (STEMI group) and 13 adult patients with normal coronary angiography during the same period were enrolled (control group) in this study. Changes in the expression of miR-122, miR-208, miR-375, miR-22, miR-133b, miR-92b, miR-21, miR-133a, miR-423-5p, miR-27b, miR-30a-3p, miR-17, miR-30d, miR-642, and miR-95 were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Blood samples were collected before angiography and 24 h after angiography. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v19.Results:The STEMI group included 12 patients (7 males) with an average age of 56.5±8.3 (range, 44–69) years. The control group included 13 patients (9 males) with an average age of 59±11 (range, 42–80) years. When fold differences were calculated for the miRNA expression values, only miR-30d and miR-423-5p expression levels in STEMI patients showed significant differences in expression levels compared with control patients. The miRNA levels were 2.3-fold higher for miR-30d (p=0.034) and 6.9-fold higher for miR-423-5p (p=0.017). There was no significant correlation between troponin I and miR-30d or miR-423-5p levels (p>0.05).Conclusion:In this study, the expression levels of miRNAs related to cardiac disease were evaluated in peripheral blood. The circulating miR-423-5p and miR-30d levels in peripheral blood were found to be higher in STEMI cases than in the control group. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate their potential use as biomarkers in STEMI cases. (Anatol J Cardiol 2016; 16; 392-6)

Genetic diversity is not always congruent with phenotypic heterogeneity, resulting in cryptic species complexes which cause a great struggle for scientists trying to define ‘species’ and describe relationships among taxa. Anatololacerta is a lizard genus distributed in southern and western Anatolia and some neighboring Aegean islands. Three morphospecies were recognized in Anatololacerta but a recent molecular study revealed the presence of cryptic diversity within the genus which led to the raise of a subspecies to species level. Currently the genus includes the species A. anatolica, A. danfordi, A. budaki and A. pelasgiana. Using a comprehensive sampling concerning both the number of specimens (218 specimens) and the genetic markers (3 nuclear and 3 mitochondrial), we performed phylogenetic analyses including tree reconstruction, species delimitation and divergence times estimation. The results revealed the occurrence of one more cryptic lineage which should be regarded as a separate species for which the name A. ibrahimi stat. nov. has priority. The existence of five well differentiated species with parapatric distributions in Anatololacerta is strongly supported. There is also evidence of recent and rapid radiation of the genus which probably causes phylogenetic relationships between these species to remain largely unresolved. At last, we proceeded to some nomenclatorial changes: The current name A. budaki was synonymized with A. pelasgiana because specimens of the type-locality of A. budaki are assigned genetically to A. pelasgiana. The genetic lineage including specimens currently assigned to A. budaki was named A. finikensis stat. nov., raising the subspecies A. b. finikensis to species level.

The age structure of Eremias suphani was studied from a high-altitude (2180 m a.s.l.) locality in eastern Turkey. A total of 24 preserved (16♂♂, 7♀♀, and 1 juvenile) specimens were used in this study. According to the skeletochronological analysis, ages ranged from 6 to 9 years (mean: 7.38 ± 0.22 years) in males and from 6 to 10 years (mean: 7.86 ± 0.51 years) in females. Age at maturity was estimated to be 5-6 years for both males and females. The mean snout-vent length was calculated as 60.88 ± 2.61 mm in males and 58.85 ± 2.44 in females. The sexual dimorphism index was calculated as -0.03. The difference between the sexes for both age and size was not statistically significant.

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The age and growth in two breeding populations of A. danfordi, inhabiting altitudes ranging from 678 m a.s.l. to 1200 m a.s.l. in Turkey, were investigated. The age differences between sexes were not statistically significant in either population. The mean age was calculated as 8.73 ± 2.12 and 8.33 ± 1.8 years in Kozan and 7.25 ± 1.58 and 5.78 ± 1.64 years in Saimbeyli for males and females, respectively. The age distributions of males did not statistically differ between populations, but females in Kozan were significantly older than those in Saimbeyli. The mean snout-vent length (SVL) difference between sexes was not significant in the Kozan population, whereas males were significantly longer than females in Saimbeyli. However, SVL was similar between the populations. Intersexual differences in body size were found to be male-biased for both populations. There was a positive and statistically significant relationship between SVL and age in both populations. This study examines the feasibility of the use of skeletochronology for A. danfordi. It also shows that these populations are getting older and this may endanger the future of A. danfordi in a warming world. Some life history parameters and population structures of A. danfordi are provided in this study but some questions still remain.

Within reptiles, lizards cover less area across the globe than snakes do. One out of every seven known species of lizards in the world is found only in its type locality. Acanthodactylus harranensis Baran, Kumlutaş, Lanza, Sindaco, Ilgaz, Avcı & Crucitti, 2005, is one of these species. It is an endemic lizard species in Turkey with a very small area of occupancy and is listed in the critically endangered category (CR) by the IUCN. Here we document the age structure and body size of A. harranensis using skeletochronological methods for the first time and aim to point out current problems and contribute to an understanding of its demography. The mean age of males was found to be significantly higher than that of females. The maximum life span was 10 years in males while it was 9 years in females. The 8-year-old age group contained a higher number of individuals than any other age group. The mean snout-vent length of specimens was not significantly different between the sexes. As in many other lizards, A. harranensis exhibits a low-level male-biased sexual dimorphism. Acanthodactylus harranensis also displayed a considerably bigger body size than other studied lacertids from Şanlıurfa province. The data presented in this study may contribute to future conservation efforts for this endangered species.

The Mediterranean subpopulation of T. triunguis has been listed by IUCN as critically endangered (European Reptile and Amphibian Specialist Group 1996, category CR C2A). There are very few studies for determination of distribution and population genetics of this species in the world. A total of 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated from 42 samples of T. triunguis by using biotinylated (GT)10, (CT)10, (GATA)5-enriched library. The range of observed heterozygosities was 0.000-0.833 with a mean of 0.274, and the range of expected heterozygosities was 0.081-0.607 with a mean of 0.374. It was found that four loci deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction analysis. There was no evidence for large allele dropout. Null alleles may be present at ttmed-6, ttmed-8, and ttmed-9 loci, as suggested by the general excess of homozygote for most allele size classes. Designed microsatellite loci could provide a powerful tool for the population structure and conservation genetics studies of the Nile soft-shelled turtle and for captive breeding programs or to detect species illegal trade.