Variables of Microbial Response in Natural Soil Aggregates for Soil Characterization in Different Fluvial Land Shapes

The main objective of this study was to determine changes in microbial response in natural soil aggregates for soil characterization in different fluvial land shapes. This study was carried out in fluvial lands formed on accumulated sediment depositions carried by K?z?l?rmak River. The majority soils of the study area were classified as Typic Ustifluvent and Typic Haplustept in Soil Taxonomy. It was found that macroaggregates (especially >6300 μm and 2000–4750 μm diameters) of all soil samples were higher than microaggregate of soils. In addition, it was determined that the C_org content varies between 0.41–0.91% in soil samples. C_mic content was also found higher level in aggregates involved <250 and 250–425 μm diameters as compared to other aggregate size classes. Moreover, we detected that C_org:C_mic ratio was much higher in macroaggregates than in microaggregate fractions. BR levels were also greater in macroaggregates of >6,300, 4,750–6,300 and 2,000–4,750 μm than in the other macroaggregates sizes and microaggregates. Consequently, macroaggregates have relatively more C_org level than the C_org level in microaggregates, even if the absolute values of C_mic were the lower. This study thus evidenced contrasting microbial habitats and their response in different soil aggregate size formed in various developed soils.     

Novel nanoimaging approach: Antibodious polymeric nanolabel for intracellular alpha‐fetoprotein targeted monitoring

This study describes preparation and use of novel labeled and antibodious polymeric nanolabels (anti‐alpha fetoprotein cross‐linked nanolabels) as an immunogenic and semisynthetic nanolabel with potential prognostic and therapeutic roles for hepatoma cancer. Specificity, uptake, and binding efficiencies of the nanolabel have been examined in a human hepatosarcoma cell line HepG2, a human colorectal cell line DLD‐1, and a mouse myoblast cell line C2. Labeling of the cells has been performed by treating live and fixed cells with varying concentrations of the nanolabels and then, the cells have been examined under a fluorescence microscope. In addition, all cell lines have also been labeled using FITC‐conjugated nanotrastuzumab to compare the results obtained with those of the binding of the FITC‐nanoanti‐alpha fetoprotein nanolabels. Results show that FITC‐conjugated anti‐alpha fetoprotein cross‐linked nanolabels have been taken up by both live and fixed cells and have efficiently and specifically labeled HepG2 cells at a quite low concentration. Taken all together, the results indicate that the novel targeted nanoimaging tools and technique demonstrated their ability to detect the distribution of the nanolabels as probes in hepatoma cells. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 29: 472–479, 2013     

Basal metabolic rate and autonomic nervous system dysfunction in men with spinal cord injury

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between autonomic nervous system dysfunction and basal metabolic rate (BMR), and the effect of spasticity on basal metabolic rate. Research Method and Procedures: Twenty men (11 paraplegic and 9 tetraplegic) with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)‐A and ‐B grade chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) participated in this study. Total body fat mass and lean tissue mass were measured in all participants using DXA by standard methods. Patients were allocated into 2 groups to determine the effect of autonomic nervous system dysfunction on BMR: Group I (T6 and upper‐level injuries with history of autonomic dysreflexia) and Group II (T7 and lower‐level injuries without history of autonomic dysreflexia). Measurements of BMR were determined by indirect calorimetry under standardized conditions. Results: There were 13 patients in Group I and 7 patients in Group II and the difference between these two in terms of time since injury, BMI, age, weight, lean tissue mass, BMR, and BMR/kg were not significant. Conclusion: We concluded that autonomic nervous system dysfunction does not affect BMR, and it might be ignored in considering energy needs in spinal cord injury.     

Ion-imprinted beads for molecular recognition based mercury removal from human serum

The aim of this study is to prepare ion-imprinted polymers which can be used for the selective removal of mercury ions [Hg(2+)] from human serum. N-Methacryloyl-(L)-cysteine (MAC) was chosen as the complexing monomer. In the first step, Hg(2+) was complexed with MAC and the Hg(2+)-imprinted poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate-N-methacryloyl-(l)-cysteine) (MIP) beads were synthesized by suspension polymerization. After that, the template ions (i.e., Hg(2+)) were removed using thiourea (0.5%, v/v) in 0.05 M HCl. The specific surface area of the MIP beads was found to be 59.04 m(2)/g with a size range of 63-140 micro m in diameter and the swelling ratio was 91.5%. According to the elemental analysis results, the MIP beads contained 87.0 micro mol MAC/g polymer. The maximum adsorption capacity was 0.45 mg Hg(2+)/g beads. The applicability of two kinetic models including pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order model was estimated on the basis of comparative analysis of the corresponding rate parameters, equilibrium capacity and correlation coefficients. Results suggest that chemisorption processes could be the rate-limiting step in the adsorption process. The relative selectivity coefficients of MIP beads for Hg(2+)/Cd(2+), Hg(2+)/Zn(2+) were 14.7 and 21.5 times greater than the non-imprinted (NIP) matrix, respectively. The MIP beads could be used many times without decreasing in their adsorption capacities significantly.     

Immunoglobulin G depletion from human serum with metal-chelated beads under magnetic field

Magnetic poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-N-methacryloyl-(L)-histidine methyl ester) [mag-poly(EGDMA-MAH) beads, 50-100 microm in diameter, were produced by suspension polymerization for affinity depletion of immunoglobulin G (IgG) from human serum. Cu2+ ions were complexed directly via MAH groups (Cu2+ loading: 4.1 micromol/g). IgG depletion studies were performed by magnetically stabilized fluidized bed column. Acetate, Tris-HCl, MES and phosphate buffers all allow adsorption of similar quantities of IgG (27.3-45.6 mg/g). MOPS and HEPES allow higher adsorption quantities (79.6 mg/g and 74.1mg/g, respectively). Maximum adsorption capacities in MOPS buffer were 46.8 mg/g for mag-poly(EGDMA-MAH) and 102.1mg/g for Cu2+ chelated mag-poly(EGDMA-MAH) beads. The adsorption capacity decreased drastically from 102.1mg/g to 30.7 mg/g with the increase of the flow rate from 0.2 ml/min to 3.5 ml/min. The elution studies were performed by 1.0M NaCl. The elution results demonstrated that the adsorption of IgG to the adsorbent was reversible. To test the efficiency of IgG depletion from human serum, proteins in the serum and eluted portion were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The depletion efficiency for IgG was above 99.4%. Eluted proteins include mainly IgG, and a small number of non-albumin proteins such as apo-lipoprotein A1, sero-transferrin, haptoglobulin and alpha1-antitrypsin. When anti-HSA-sepharose adsorbent is used together with our metal-chelated mag-beads, IgG and HSA can be depleted in a single step.     

Hydatid disease in acute leukemia: effect of anticancer treatment on echinococcosis

Echinococcosis, also known as hydatid disease or hydatidosis, is a zoonotic illness caused by the larval form of Echinococcus spp. It is highly prevalent in areas where the parasite is endemic such as the Mediterranean region. However, occurrence of echinococcosis and cancer together is rare. We treated and followed approximately 1200 patients with different hematologic neoplastic diseases between 1985 and 2003, and only one of these individuals had concomitant acute leukemia and liver hydatidosis. This report describes the case of a 19-year-old man who had both primary refractoriness of acute leukemia (AML-M4) and liver hydatidosis. Management is discussed. The patient had cystic echinococcosis (CE) of the liver that was classified as CE1 according to the system established by the World Health Organization's Informal Working Group on Echinococcosis. The patient underwent 3 months of treatment with agents that targeted the leukemia (daunorubicin, idarubicin, cytarabine, fludarabine) and its complications (amphotericin B, amphotericin B lipid complex, liposomal amphotericin B). Throughout this period, the size and the contents of the cyst did not change, Echinococcus titers remained unchanged, and the cyst classification remained CE1.     

Molecularly imprinted ligand-exchange recognition assay of glucose by quartz crystal microbalance

Molecular imprinted polymers (MIP) as a recognition element for sensors are increasingly of interest and MIP-quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) have started to appear in the literature. In this study, we have combined quartz crystal microbalance with MIP to prepare a sensor using the ability of glucose to chelate of copper (II) ion of methacrylamidohistidine (MAH) monomer to create ligand exchange (LE) assembled monolayer which is suitable for glucose determination. The study includes the measurement of binding interaction of molecularly imprinted QCM sensor via ligand interaction, investigation of the pH effect on frequency shift and recognition selectivity studies of glucose-imprinted polymer with respect to methyl-alpha-d-glucopyranoside and sucrose. Bmax (number of binding sites) and K(D) (dissociation constant of the metal-chelate copolymer) were also calculated using Scathard plot and the detection limit was found as 0.07 mM. MIP showed higher glucose-binding affinity than a well-known glucose binding protein, conconavalin A.     

Evaluation of the JAK2-V617F gene mutation in Turkish patients with essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera

An activating mutation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2-V617F) was previously described in chronic myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). In previously published studies, the frequency of the JAK2-V617F mutation was determined to be 80-90 % for patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and 40-70 % for essential thrombocythemia (ET). In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the JAK2-V617F mutation and clinical-hematological parameters in Turkish patients with MPD and compared these findings with published studies from other geographic regions. A total of 148 patients were studied; of which, 70 were diagnosed with PV and 78 with ET. The mutation status of JAK2 was determined using a tetra-primer polymerase chain reaction. We found that 80 % of the PV group and 42 % of the ET group were positive for the JAK2-V617F mutation. When all patients were analyzed, the levels of white blood cells, hemoglobin and splenomegaly were significantly different in patients with the JAK2-V617F mutation (p < 0.05). To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the relationship between MPD and JAK2-V617F in Turkish patients. The JAK2-V617F mutation is frequently detected in the Turkish patients with MPD, and especially in patients with PV. Hence, it would be useful to include JAK2 mutation screening in the initial evaluation of patients suspected to have MPD.     

Synergie between molecular imprinted polymer based on solid-phase extraction and quartz crystal microbalance technique for 8-OHdG sensing

Recently, the 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been used as a marker to determine the oxidative stress. There is no any cheap and easy determination method based on chips and sensor systems for the determination of 8-OHdG. In this study, we have proposed imprinting methods for 8-OHdG recognition and determination using methacryloylamidohistidine-platinum(II) [MAH-Pt(II)] as a new metal-chelating monomer. The study includes the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of blood sample by a new 8-OHdG imprinted sorbent and the measurement of binding interaction of 8-OHdG imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor via ligand interaction. 8-OHdG imprinted sorbent has prepared by bulk polymerization of MAH-Pt(II) and N-N'-methylenebisacrylamide. 8-OHdG imprinted sensor has prepared on a QCM chip coating the thiol pretreated Au electrode. At the end of these steps, a thin molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) film for the detection of 8-OHdG has developed and analytical performance of QCM sensor which has prepared using MIP was investigated. The affinity constant (K(a)) for 8-OHdG using MAH-Pt-based thin film has determined by using the Scatchard method. The average percentage recovery of 8-OHdG from plasma samples was found as 80% by using of 8-OHdG imprinted SPE material. At the last step, 8-OHdG level in several blood plasma has been determined by this improved QCM sensor. The obtained results confirmed that the 8-OHdG level in cancer patient's blood was significantly higher than in general subjects.