Abstract Scientific collaboration yields many advantages, especially in fields that require interdisciplinary approaches, as it fosters the sharing of knowledge and resources and is essential for the implementation of complex projects. The concept of scientific internationalism emerged around the 1900s, emphasizing that science surpasses national boundaries and promotes global peace and collaboration. International scientific cooperation is halted by geopolitical tensions and conflicts, such as World War II and the Cold War. Nevertheless, many examples show that scientific collaboration can surpass conflicts and bring scientific and society development, such as in the cases of the Tick-borne Encephalitis vaccine, the Apollo-Soyuz test project and more recently the international endeavour for COVID-19 vaccine development. In this contest, UN and WHO have an imporant role to promote peace and scientific cooperation, examplified by the 16th Sustainable Development Goal, to “Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies”. This review aims to assess the available literature regarding international scientific collaboration and the role of scientific societies in promoting scientific cooperation. Scientific societies have proved to be pivotal in bridging cultures and promoting international cooperation. Apart from the historical example of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, which showed an important cooperation between Western and Eastern countries during the Cold War, the scientific society European Biotechnology thematic network Association (EBTNA) has international scientific cooperation as one of its critical goals. Scientific societies such as EBTNA will be pivotal in promoting international scientific cooperation and fostering international activities and scientific research.

Abstract Vitiligo is a chronic, progressive autoimmune dermatological disease, and stress is known to have an impact on the development of vitiligo. However, the effect of the serotonin pathway and its impact have not been clearly explained for disease progression. Thus, this study aimed to clarify the stress induced serotonin receptor 5-HTR2C rs6318 variant and its association with vitiligo pathogenesis. Case-control study was conducted with 108 vitiligo patients and 107 age-sex matched, unrelated healthy control group. Real Time-PCR analysis was used for genotyping the 5-HTR2C variation. Genotype and allele frequencies, genotype distributions, Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) and vitiligo-related risk measurements were examined. Genotype correlations of the variant were also analyzed based on gender difference, age onset, Koebner phenomenon history, triggered with stress, clinical subgroups, treatment types, the presence of other autoimmune diseases, vitiligo presence in family members and other auto-immune diseases in relatives. Statistical differences in 5HT-R2C receptor genotypes and allele frequencies between patients and controls were not detected. Genotype frequencies were not in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in the patients’ group (p<0.00001). The frequency of the risk allele (allele C) was not significantly different between the patient and control groups (p=0.1392). However, in the clinical subgroup analysis, the risk allele presence was detected to be significantly higher for early age onset (<40 years) vitiligo development (p=0.035, OR=Infinity, RR=1.391) and lower in Koebner phenomenon history (p=0.0276, OR= 0.219, RR=0.325). In conclusion, although there was no association between the 5-HTR2C variant rs6318 and vitiligo, current results indicate that there is an association between the 5HTR2C rs6318 variant C allele and early onset vitiligo development.

Abstract Objective: Allergic asthma is the most frequently observed subtype of individuals with asthma. The effects of serotonin plays in the pathophysiology of asthma has not been clearly determined. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between the 5HTR2C gene rs 6318 G>C polymorphism and allergic asthma in pediatric patients in Cyprus. Methods: This study included total number of 177 individuals with 118 control and 59 pediatric patients (43 atopic and 16 non-atopic asthma patient). A skin prick test was performed for each patient to confirm asthma diagnosis and to evaluate atopic status. Genotyping for the 5HTR2C was completed by Real Time-PCR analysis. Results: The genotype distribution frequencies were not in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in the patients’ group (p<0.00001). The frequency of the risk allele (allele C) was not significantly different between the patient and control groups (p=0.255). The genotypic distribution between atopic asthma and non-atopic asthma within the patientsts groups was not in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (p=0.006). However, risk allele presence showed a statistically significant association with atopy-related asthma (p=0.037). Discussion & Conclusion: Overall, despite the finding of no association between the 5HTR2C rs6318 C allele and childhood asthma, the current results indicated that there is a strong association between the 5HTR2C rs6318 C variant and childhood atopic asthma.

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in December 2019, and shortly after pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its unstoppable global spread. Considerable amount of effort has beenput around the World in order to develop a safe and effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Inactivated and RNA vaccines have already passed phase three studies showing sufficient efficacy and safety, respectively. Nowadays, there is a noticeable dominance of SARS-CoV-2 variants with various mutations over the wild type SARS-CoV-2. However, there is no report showing the efficacy of these vaccines on these variants. This case study describes a thirty-eight-year-old male reported to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant following two doses of inactive CoronaVac administration with a protective level of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies. The variant analysis of the virus reported to be positive for N501Y mutation.This is the first case in the literature demonstrating that inactive SARS-CoV-2 vaccine might have a lower efficacy on alpha variant.

Abstract One of the most common treatments for lumbar disc herniation and other lumbar disorders is lumbar laminectomy. There may be some unwanted and serious complications with this procedure such as the “failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS)”. Epidural fibrosis (EF), mainly due to fibroblast proliferation, emerges as the main cause of failed back surgery syndrome. According to the current literature and practice techniques, different agents are being used to prevent EF formation. To date there is no single agreed upon treatment method of EF. In this study, dilutional effect of CSF, together with low potassium levels, on primary skin fibroblast cultures was studied as a possible material for EF prevention. CSF at different concentrations (0-100%) were tested to see its effect on Skin fibroblast proliferation. A wound healing assay was also performed to see the effect of CSF on wound healing. The cell proliferation goes up from 24h to 72hr in all CSF percentages from 0-75% but the proliferation was inhibited at 100% CSF. The “wound” is closed successfully in all CSF percentages between 0-75. The 100% CSF fails to completely close the wound. Adverse effects of low concentrations of potassium levels and dilutional effect of CSF may be a promising solution in the prevention of EF. Further in vivo and in vitro experiments are required to characterize its use.

Abstract A reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is regarded as the most sensitive method available and is being used for screening procedure for all incoming passengers to Northern Cyprus for SARS-CoV-2. This study investigated the compatibility of two different RT-qPCR methodologies Diagnovital® and Bio-Speedy® by re-analyzing the previously confirmed positive samples. A total of 43 previously confirmed positive samples were re-analyzed by two different commercially available SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR kits. Only 23.5% of positive samples detected by Diagnovital® RT-qPCR kit were detected by Bio-Speedy® detection kit. In conclusion, adoption of Diagnovital® RT-qPCR kit detecting two regions of SARS-CoV-2 genome in our laboratories enabled the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic cases with higher sensitivity and contributed to the prevention of viral transmission within the country. The timely detection of infection in asymptomatic individuals may be the key to a successful fight against the COVID- 19 pandemic.

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has caused a massive impact on the entire world. Healthcare systems, economies, and social lives have already been overwhelmed. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), having been COVID-free for around two and a half months in the middle of the pandemic, is now facing a second wave of the infection after easing its preventive measures. Early implementation of precautions may dramatically reduce COVID-19 infections, but the virus is not eliminated. Additionally, the phenomenon "pandemic fatigue" introduced by the WHO is contributing to a significant decline in compliance with mitigation behaviors globally. With vaccines now rolling out, there is a reason to hope that there is an end in sight; however, it will most likely take a half year for widespread vaccinations to be in place. Decision-makers should analyze the effects of each intervention and pandemic fatigue to get ready for the further waves of infection.

Abstract Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first reported in the city Wuhan, China in December 2019. The high rates of infection led to quick spread of the virus around the world and on March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the pandemic of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2. The pharmaceutical companies and institutions have been working towards developing a safe and effective vaccine in order to control the pandemic. The biology of SARS-CoV-2 is briefly discussed describing the transcription of the virus and the receptor recognition. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is important in the attachment of the host cell and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is involved in the replication of the virus making them good candidates for drug and vaccine targets. To date many different strategies have been employed in the development of vaccines and a number of them are in the phase III of clinical trials with promising results. In this mini-review, we assessed the literature throughly and described the latest developments in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for humans. The main benefits and drawbacks of each platform is evaluated and the possible changes in the vaccine effectivity due to naturally occuring SARS-CoV-2 mutations have been described.

Abstract The pandemic COVID-19 is caused by a highly transmissible severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which showed the highest morbidity and mortality rates among the other coronavirus infections such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. However, the numbers of infected cases as well as mortality rates are varying from population to population. Therefore, scientist has urged the SARS-CoV-2 genome and host genetic factors investigations. Recently, new SARS-CoV-2 variants has been detected and though to affect the diseases transmission from human to human. In this mini-review, we aimed to explained detected SARS-CoV-2 variants that thought to influence the COVID-19 severity and transmission using the literature.

Abstract Background Scientific collaboration is more common now than it was before. In many areas of biomedical science, collaborations between researchers with different scientific backgrounds and perspectives have enabled researchers to address complicated questions and solve complex problems. Particularly, international collaborations and improvements in science and technology have shed light on solving the mechanisms that are involved in the etiology of many rare diseases. Hence, the diagnosis and treatment options have been improved for a number of rare diseases. The collaboration between Near East University DESAM Institute and MAGI Research, Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Genetic and Rare Diseases brought out significant results. Importantly, this collaboration contributed to the rare disease research by the identification of novel rare genetic disease-causing variations commonly in pediatric cases. Consequently, many pediatric unsolved cases have been diagnosed. The main scope of this article is to emphasize the outcomes of the collaboration between Near East University DESAM Institute and MAGI Research, Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Genetic and Rare Diseases which contributed greatly to the scientific literature by identifying novel rare genetic disease-causing variation.