Calpain 10 SNP-44 gene polymorphism affects susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic-related conditions

The association of the gene encoding calpain 10 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported. In this study we aimed to evaluate the association of SNP-19,-44, and -63 polymorphisms of calpain 10 with type 2 diabetes and diabetic-related conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy in a Turkish population. The study group included 202 patients (133 female and 69 male) with T2DM, while the control group included 80 nondiabetic people (44 female and 36 male). Genotyping was done by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Calpain 10 SNP-44 TC genotype was found to be significantly frequent in type 2 diabetic patients with respect to the control group (p < 0.01). Body mass index (BMI) was found to be significantly high in TC genotype with type 2 diabetic patients (p < 0.05). SNP-44 T allele frequency was found to be lower in type 2 diabetic patients compared with the controls (p < 0.01). We conclude that the calpain 10 SNP-44 gene polymorphism may be accepted as a risk factor in the development of T2DM and elevated BMI in type 2 diabetic patients in a Turkish population.     

Thrombus in a normal left ventricle

A 47-year-old women known to have mixed connective tissue disease and hypertension, presented with acute right leg pain requiring urgent right common femoral artery embolectomy with fasciotomy. During the immediate postoperative period, full-dose heparin and oral anticoagulant therapy were started. An echocardiogram revealed an echo-dense mass in the left ventricular cavity, but no additional cardiac abnormality (figure 1). On the sixth day of admission the patient developed a cerebrovascular accident with echocardiographic disappearance of the left ventricular mass.     

Synthesis and evaluation of demethoxyviridin derivatives as potential antimicrobials

The in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of demethoxyviridin and some synthetic analogues were evaluated by the agar diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the active compounds were also determined by the agar dilution method. Demethoxyviridin (1) showed moderate antibacterial activity against most of the strains tested. 1alpha-Hydroxydemethoxyviridin (3) showed antibacterial activity and the most potent in vitro antifungal activity with MIC of 20 microg/ml (0.062 mM) against Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. parasiticus, Fusarium solani, F. graminarum, Geotrichum candidum whereas 5'-methylfuro-(4',3',2'-4,5,6)androst-5-ene-3,17-dione (7) exhibited very weak antifungal activity against Candida albicans only.     

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: evaluation by polymerase chain reaction in the Cukurova region of Turkey

The diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) may depend on the detection of the parasite in histologic sections, the growth of the promastigotes in culture, or the identification of parasite by other techniques. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on paraffin-embedded biopsies to determine the validity of this technique for diagnosis of CL. PCR was used to detect the parasite using 2 different DNA extraction methods. PCR was positive in all 20 cases when the Leishmania parasite was detected by light microscopy. Twenty-seven of 34 cases that were negative microscopically for the parasite were positive using PCR. The first extraction method of DNA identified leishmanial DNA in 41 of 54 cases (75.9%); the second extraction of DNA was positive in 47 of 54 cases (87%). PCR was negative in all of the nonleishmaniasis cases. The PCR-based method appears to be a useful diagnostic approach for identification of suspected cases of CL.     

First isolation of largemouth bass virus

The first reported fish kill caused by largemouth bass virus (LMBV) occurred in 1995 in Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina, USA. Subsequently, this iridovirus has been implicated in additional fish kills and has also been found in clinically healthy fish in numerous locations in the southeastern USA. We compared the virus from Santee-Cooper Reservoir with a virus isolated in 1991 from large-mouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, from Lake Weir, Florida. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms and the DNA sequence of a portion of the major capsid protein gene were identical for the South Carolina and Florida isolates. These results establish that LMBV was first found in Florida, rather than South Carolina. We propose that the name largemouth bass virus continue to be used for this virus, rather than alternative names based on geographical origin.     

Plasma malondialdehyde and serum trace element concentrations in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis

Increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as a consequence of a phagocyte respiratory burst during pulmonary inflammation. The aim of our study was to assess the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and trace metals in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Eighty-three subjects were enrolled into the study and prospectively divided into three groups: 22 subjects with healthy controls (group I), 21 patients with inactive pulmonary TB (group II), and 40 patients with active pulmonary TB (group III). Before beginning the therapy, plasma MDA and serum concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), albumin, and iron (Fe) were measured. The concentration of MDA and Cu in group III were higher than in the other groups (p<0.0001). The serum Zn and albumin levels were significantly lower in group III compared with healthy controls (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between MDA and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=+0.647, p<0.0001; Spearman’s test). Our data indicated increased circulating levels of MDA and changed serum trace metal levels in active pulmonary TB. Trace metal levels must be closely followed during the diseases process and further studies are needed to assess the role of antioxidants as adjuvant therapy in patients with active pulmonary TB.     

PCR method for detection of largemouth bass virus

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for largemouth bass virus (LMBV). This iridovirus can cause a lethal disease of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, but also subclinically infects largemouth bass and other species of fishes. Oligonucleotide primers were designed to specifically amplify the major capsid protein gene of LMBV. The protocol for sample processing and PCR provided a method that was more sensitive than cell culture for detection of LMBV in fish. The specific amplification of LMBV also provided an improved method for confirming the identity of cell-culture isolates presumptively identified as LMBV.     

The use of phenotypic correlations and factor analysis in determining characters for grain yield selection in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

To our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of factor analysis in determining characters for yield selection in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate yield criteria in chickpea using phenotypic correlations and factor analysis. Factor 1 composed of biological yield, reaction to ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Labr.), plant height, grain yield and harvest index. Factor 2 consisted of branches and pods per plant. Factor 3 encompassed of only the grain weight. The total factors explained 92.9% of the total variance caused in the characters. The grain yield was positively and statistically significant correlated with biological yield, harvest index, plant height, branches and pods per plant, while it was negatively and statistically significant related with reaction to ascochyta blight and grain weight. Biological yield, harvest index, plant height and reaction to ascochyta blight instead of many selection criteria should previously be evaluated in selection to increase the grain yield in chickpea breeding programs. Pods per plant should be handed together with and branches per plant. Apart from the other selection criteria, the grain weight should solely be evaluated to select large grained genotypes.     

A role for lysyl oxidase regulation in the control of normal collagen deposition in differentiating osteoblast cultures

Differentiation of phenotypically normal osteoblast cultures leads to formation of a bone-like extracellular matrix in vitro. Maximum collagen synthesis occurs early in the life of these cultures, whereas insoluble collagen deposition occurs later and is accompanied by a diminished rate of collagen synthesis. The mechanisms that control collagen deposition seem likely to include regulation of extracellular collagen biosynthetic enzymes, but expression patterns of these enzymes in differentiating osteoblasts has received little attention. The present study determined the regulation of lysyl oxidase as a function of differentiation of phenotypically normal murine MC3T3-E1 cells at the level of RNA and protein expression and enzyme activity. In addition, the regulation of BMP-1/mTLD mRNA levels that encodes procollagen C-proteinases was assayed. The role of lysyl oxidase in controlling insoluble collagen accumulation was further investigated in inhibition studies utilizing beta-aminopropionitrile, a specific inhibitor of lysyl oxidase enzyme activity. Results indicate that lysyl oxidase is regulated as a function of differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, and that the maximum increase in lysyl oxidase activity precedes the most efficient phase of insoluble collagen accumulation. By contrast BMP-1/mTLD is more constitutively expressed. Inhibition of lysyl oxidase in these cultures increases the accumulation of abnormal collagen fibrils, as determined by solubility studies and by electron microscopy. Taken together, these data support that regulation of lysyl oxidase activity plays a key role in the control of collagen deposition by osteoblast cultures.