Ventral pigmentation variation in the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera,Cicadomorpha: Cercopidae)

The meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera, Cicadomorpha: Cercopidae) exhibits heritable colour/pattern variation on the dorsal and ventral sides of the adults. Eleven principal dorsal morphs are grouped as melanics and non-melanics according to the pigmentation of the dorsal surface. An investigation of ventral pigmentation variation in Philaenus spumarius was carried out with laboratory breeding stock obtained from Llysdinam, Wales. Analyses of the 1552 individuals, 753 females and 799 males, indicated that the pigmentation on the ventral surface of the adult individuals which vary significantly is associated with dorsal morph. Ventral parts of the dorsal melanics are usually darker than in non-melanics in both females (Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA: H = 372.70, d.f. = 7, P < 0.001) and males (H = 407.36, d.f. = 7, P < 0.001). The combined “C” group morphs (flavicollis + gibbus + leuco- cephalus) are always darker than all other morphs in both sexes.     

Comparsion ofin vitro activities of antifungal drugs and propolis against yeasts isolated from patients with superficial mycoses

Thein vitro susceptibilities of propolis and antifungal drugs were determined against some yeasts isolated from patients with superficial mycoses. The agents tested included fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, terbinafine and propolis. MICs were determined by the broth microdilution technique following National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards document M27-P. For allCandida albicans isolates from the patients with superficial mycoses, ketoconazole presented higher (P<0.05) efficiency than that of the other antifungal agents tested. The geometric mean MIC values of antifungal drugs and propolis against the yeasts tested ranged from 0.087 to 12.69 μg/mL and 0.4–0.6 μg/mL, respectively. Propolis also showed an important antifungal activity against the yeasts tested, MIC ranges of the propolis were between 0.01–1.65 μg/mL. Based on these results, propolis requires further investigation as a potential agent for the treatment of superficial mycoses.     

MLViS: A Web Tool for Machine Learning-Based Virtual Screening in Early-Phase of Drug Discovery and Development

Virtual screening is an important step in early-phase of drug discovery process. Since there are thousands of compounds, this step should be both fast and effective in order to distinguish drug-like and nondrug-like molecules. Statistical machine learning methods are widely used in drug discovery studies for classification purpose. Here, we aim to develop a new tool, which can classify molecules as drug-like and nondrug-like based on various machine learning methods, including discriminant, tree-based, kernel-based, ensemble and other algorithms. To construct this tool, first, performances of twenty-three different machine learning algorithms are compared by ten different measures, then, ten best performing algorithms have been selected based on principal component and hierarchical cluster analysis results. Besides classification, this application has also ability to create heat map and dendrogram for visual inspection of the molecules through hierarchical cluster analysis. Moreover, users can connect the PubChem database to download molecular information and to create two-dimensional structures of compounds. This application is freely available through www.biosoft.hacettepe.edu.tr/MLViS/.     

Ecological characterization of Steinernema anatoliense (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)

Our study describes the basic ecological characteristics of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema anatoliense including its response to temperature, moisture, and host range. The effect of temperature and soil moisture on the infection of Galleria mellonella larvae by S. anatoliense was determined. The temperature range for infectivity was greater than that for development. The optimal temperature for infection and development was 25 degrees C. Although S. anatoliense infected the hosts at 10 degrees C, no reproduction occurred at this temperature. This nematode species that was isolated from a cold region of Turkey exhibited warm-adapted temperature characteristics. Optimum water content of the soil for S. anatoliense to infect the host was 10%.     

Protective effects of melatonin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester against retinal oxidative stress in long-term use of mobile phone: A comparative study

There are numerous reports on the effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in various cellular systems. Melatonin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a component of honeybee propolis, were recently found to be potent free radical scavengers and antioxidants. Mechanisms of adverse effects of EMR indicate that reactive oxygen species may play a role in the biological effects of this radiation. The present study was carried out to compare the efficacy of the protective effects of melatonin and CAPE against retinal oxidative stress due to long-term exposure to 900 MHz EMR emitting mobile phones. Melatonin and CAPE were administered daily for 60 days to the rats prior to their EMR exposure during our study. Nitric oxide (NO, an oxidant product) levels and malondialdehyde (MDA, an index of lipid peroxidation), were used as markers of retinal oxidative stress in rats following to use of EMR. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were studied to evaluate the changes of antioxidant status in retinal tissue. Retinal levels of NO and MDA increased in EMR exposed rats while both melatonin and CAPE caused a significant reduction in the levels of NO and MDA. Likewise, retinal SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activities decreased in EMR exposed animals while melatonin and CAPE caused a significant increase in the activities of these antioxidant enzymes. Treatment of EMR exposed rats with melatonin or CAPE increased the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and CAT to higher levels than those of control rats. In conclusion, melatonin and CAPE reduce retinal oxidative stress after long-term exposure to 900 MHz emitting mobile phone. Nevertheless, there was no statistically significant difference between the efficacies of these two antioxidants against to EMR induced oxidative stress in rat retina. The difference was in only GSH-Px activity in rat retina. Melatonin stimulated the retinal GSH-Px activity more efficiently than CAPE did.     

Scavenger deterrent factor (SDF) from symbiotic bacteria of entomopathogenic nematodes

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis are symbiotically associated with bacteria in the genera Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, respectively. The symbiotic bacteria produce a chemical compound(s) that deterred ants from feeding on nematode-killed insects (i.e., cadavers) and has been previously referred to as an Ant Deterrent Factor (ADF). We studied the response of different arthropod scavenger species which included the ant Lepisiota frauenfeldi, cricket Gryllus bimaculatus, wasps Vespa orientalis and Paravespula sp., and calliphorid fly Chrysomya albiceps, to ADF. These scavengers (ants, crickets, and wasps) were exposed to cadavers with and without the nematode/bacterium complex or to Photorhabdus luminescens cultures of different ages on different substrates. The ant, cricket, and wasp species did not feed on nematode-killed insects containing the nematode/bacterium complex that were 2 days old and older but fed on 1-day-old nematode-killed and freeze -killed insects. Crickets consumed 2- to 7-day-old axenic nematode-killed insects, 1-, 4-, and 5-day-old insects killed by the bacterium, Serratia marcescens, and freeze-killed, putrid insects that were up to 10 days old. The crickets only partially consumed 2- and 3-day-old insects killed by S. marcescens which differed significantly from the 1-, 4-, and 5-day-old killed insects by this bacterium. Ants fed only on 5% sucrose solution (control) and 1- to 3- day old cultures of P. luminescens containing 5% sucrose but not on older cultures of P. luminescens. Wasps did not feed on meat treated with P. luminescens supernatant, whereas they fed on meat treated with Escherichia coli supernatant and control meat. Calliphorid flies did not oviposit on meat treated with P. luminescens supernatant but did oviposit on untreated meat. Based on the response of these scavengers, the chemical compound(s) responsible for this deterrent activity should be called "scavenger deterrent factor" (SDF).     

N-linked glycosylation and its impact on the electrophoretic mobility and function of the human proton-coupled folate transporter (HsPCFT)

The human proton-coupled folate transporter (HsPCFT, SLC46A1) mediates intestinal absorption of folates and transport of folates into the liver, brain and other tissues. On Western blot, HsPCFT migrates as a broad band (~55 kDa), higher than predicted (~50 kDa) in cell lines. Western blot analysis required that membrane preparations not be incubated in the loading buffer above 50 degrees C to avoid aggregation of the protein. Treatment of membrane fractions from HsPCFT-transfected HeLa cells with peptidyl N-glycanase F, or cells with tunicamycin, resulted in conversion to a ~35 kDa species. Substitution of asparagine residues of two canonical glycosylation sites to glutamine, individually, yielded a ~47 kDa protein; substitution of both sites gave a smaller (~35 kDa) protein. Single mutants retained full transport activity; the double mutant retained a majority of activity. Transport function and molecular size were unchanged when the double mutant was hemagglutinin (HA) tagged at either the NH(2) or COOH terminus and probed with an anti-HA antibody excluding degradation of the deglycosylated protein. Wild-type or deglycosylated HsPCFT HA, tagged at amino or carboxyl termini, could only be visualized on the plasma membrane when HeLa cells were first permeabilized, consistent with the intracellular location of these domains.     

Effect of Strontium Ranelate on Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Apoptosis of CRL-11372 Cells

In vitro and in vivo studies have proven strontium to be an osteoinductive trace element. The effect of strontium ranelate (SR) on H₂O₂-induced apoptosis of CRL-11372 cells and optimization of its anti-apoptotic dose were the aims of this study. After 1 h of pretreatment with SR 1 μM, 50 μM, 100 μM, 500 μM, and 1,000 μM concentrations, CRL-11372 osteoblasts were exposed to 100 μM H₂O₂ for periods of 6–12 h. The same experiments were repeated without H₂O₂. The apoptotic index and viability of cells were assessed quantitatively with a fluorescent dye and qualitatively with agarose gel electrophoresis. Concentrations of 1–100 μM of SR with a 6-h treatment and only 1 μM concentration with a 12-h treatment inhibited the apoptotic effect of H₂O₂ on cultured osteoblasts significantly (P < 0.05). SR was shown to inhibit H₂O₂-induced apoptosis of CRL-11372 cells in a dose-dependent manner.     

Analysis of functional brain connections for positive–negative emotions using phase locking value

In this study, we investigate the brain networks during positive and negative emotions for different types of stimulus (audio only, video only and audio + video) in \(\alpha , \beta\), and \(\gamma\) bands in terms of phase locking value, a nonlinear method to study functional connectivity. Results show notable hemispheric lateralization as phase synchronization values between channels are significant and high in right hemisphere for all emotions. Left frontal electrodes are also found to have control over emotion in terms of functional connectivity. Besides significant inter-hemisphere phase locking values are observed between left and right frontal regions, specifically between left anterior frontal and right mid-frontal, inferior-frontal and anterior frontal regions; and also between left and right mid frontal regions. ANOVA analysis for stimulus types show that stimulus types are not separable for emotions having high valence. PLV values are significantly different only for negative emotions or neutral emotions between audio only/video only and audio only/audio + video stimuli. Finding no significant difference between video only and audio + video stimuli is interesting and might be interpreted as that video content is the most effective part of a stimulus.     

Steinernema biddulphi n. sp., a New Entomopathogenic Nematode (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) from South Africa

A new species of entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Steinernema biddulphi n. sp., was isolated from a maize field in Senekal, Free State Province of South Africa. Morphological and molecular studies indicated the distinctness of S. biddulphi n. sp. from other Steinernema species. Steinernema biddulphi n. sp. is characterized IJs with average body length of 663 μm (606–778 μm), lateral fields with six ridges in mid-body region forming the formula 2,6,2. Excretory pore located anterior to mid-pharynx (D% = 46). Hyaline layer occupies approximately half of tail length. Male spicules slightly to moderately curved, with a sharp tip and golden brown in color. The first generation of males lacking a mucron on the tail tip while the second generation males with a short filamentous mucron. Genital papillae with 11 pairs and one unpaired preanal papilla. The new species is further characterized by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial 28S regions (D2-D3) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Phylogenetic data show that S. biddulphi n. sp. belongs to the “bicornutum” clade within the Steinernematidae family.