Biosorption of mercury from aqueous solution by Ulva lactuca biomass

The mercury biosorption onto non-living protonated biomass of Ulva lactuca, as an alternative method for mercury removal from aqueous solutions, was investigated. Batch equilibrium tests showed that at pH 3.5, 5.5 and 7 the maxima of mercury uptake values, according to Langmuir adsorption isotherm, were 27.24, 84.74 and 149.25 mg/g, respectively. The ability of Ulva lactuca biomass to adsorb mercury in fixed-bed column, was investigated as well. The influence of column bed height, flow rate and effluent initial concentration of metal was studied. The adsorbed metal ions were easily desorbed from the algal biomass with 0.3 N H₂SO₄ solution. After acid desorption and regeneration with distilled water, the biomass could be reused for other biosorption assays with similar performances.     

Myocardial infarction marker levels are influenced by prothrombin and tumor necrosis factor-α gene polymorphisms in young patients

Polymorphisms of genes encoding key factors for the control and activation of inflammatory response and coagulation cascade regulation may play a role in genetic susceptibility to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study sought to analyze the effect of TNF ?308G/A and pro-thrombin (FII) 20210G/A polymorphisms on the laboratory parameters of young patients affected by AMI. Results indicated that TNF ?308A positive genotype frequencies were increased in these patients and that a genetically determined higher production of TNF-α is associated in young subjects to a more severe cardiac damage as depicted by higher levels of troponin, Creatine kinase-MB Isoenzyme (mCK-MB) and a significant increased plasma fibrinogen levels. Similar and probably additive effects on might have a genetically determined increased production of pro-thrombin even if no significant differences in genotype frequencies of pro-thrombin (FII) 20210G/A polymorphisms were observed in this study. All together these results, indicating the relationship among genetically determined TNFα and FII production and increased levels of tissue damage markers of AMI, suggest that a complex genetic background, might be involved in susceptibility to AMI in young men influencing the extension and severity of the disease.     

Antisense apolipoprotein B therapy: where do we stand?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Antisense oligonucleotides are novel therapeutic agents that reduce the number of specific mRNAs available for translation of the encoded protein. ISIS 301012 is an antisense oligonucleotide developed to reduce the hepatic synthesis of apolipoprotein B-100. Apolipoprotein B-100 is made in the liver, and antisense oligonucleotides preferentially distribute to that organ, so antisense apolipoprotein B-100 may have potential as an efficacious lipid-lowering agent. RECENT FINDINGS: Recently, in healthy volunteers and in mild dyslipidaemic patients, this strategy as monotherapy or in conjunction with statins has shown unparalleled efficacy in reducing apolipoprotein B-100 and LDL-cholesterol. Tolerance for this novel therapy is encouraging and safety concerns currently only relate to mild injection-site reactions and rare liver-function test abnormalities. It should be noted, however, that these safety results were obtained in relatively few individuals. SUMMARY: ISIS 301012 has initially shown promising results in experimental animal models, and in clinical trials in humans. Besides the effect of reducing apolipoprotein B-100 and LDL-cholesterol, this compound also significantly lowers plasma triglycerides. Safety concerns related to the drug include increased liver-function tests. To date no evidence of hepatic steatosis has been reported. Nonetheless, clinical trials of longer duration are required to demonstrate further safety.     

Brg1 is required for murine neural stem cell maintenance and gliogenesis

Epigenetic alterations in cell-type-specific gene expression control the transition of neural stem cells (NSCs) from predominantly neurogenic to predominantly gliogenic phases of differentiation, but how this switch occurs is unclear. Here, we show that brahma-related gene 1 (Brg1), an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factor, is required for the repression of neuronal commitment and the maintenance of NSCs in a state that permits them to respond to gliogenic signals. Loss of Brg1 in NSCs in conditional brg1 mutant mice results in precocious neuronal differentiation, such that cells in the ventricular zone differentiate into post-mitotic neurons before the onset of gliogenesis. As a result, there is a dramatic failure of astrocyte and oligodendrocyte differentiation in these animals. The ablation of brg1 in gliogenic progenitors in vitro also prevents growth-factor-induced astrocyte differentiation. Furthermore, proteins implicated in the maintenance of stem cells, including Sox1, Pax6 and Musashi-1, are dramatically reduced in the ventricular zones of brg1 mutant mice. We conclude that Brg1 is required to repress neuronal differentiation in NSCs as a means of permitting glial cell differentiation in response to gliogenic signals, suggesting that Brg1 regulates the switch from neurogenesis to gliogenesis.     

Elevated Chemerin Levels in Pakistani Men: An Interrelation with Metabolic Syndrome Phenotypes

Chemerin is a novel protein linked to adipocyte differentiation and the development of metabolic imbalances. We sought to examine the relationship of chemerin with metabolic syndrome disturbances including body fat percentage, serum lipid, glucose, insulin levels and body fat percentage in lean and obese volunteers. A cross-sectional study of 90 randomly selected healthy males from Pakistan were divided into three groups as per Body Mass Index (BMI) criteria for South Asian Population. Anthropometric measurements were taken for BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and body fat percentage, while serum analyses were performed for fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, fasting lipid profile and serum chemerin. Associations between serum chemerin levels and body fat and other metabolic syndrome parameters were performed using ANOVA and multiple regression analyses. Data was presented as Mean±SD. In all statistical analyses p-values <0.05 were considered significant. Circulating chemerin levels were significantly higher in obese subjects with BMI greater than 25 kg/m² compared with those with a BMI below 25 kg/m² (P = 0.001). Serum chemerin levels were found to be independently and significantly associated with serum levels of cholesterol (P = 0.0160; r = 0.255), fasting glucose (P = 0.002; r = 0.323), HOMA-IR (P = 0.004; r = 0.300) and hip circumference (P = 0.021; r = 0.246). This demonstrates that chemerin levels are associated with obesity and dyslipidemia and may play a role in the development of insulin resistance. This data suggests that chemerin may serve as an independent marker in diagnosing these conditions even before they become clinically symptomatic.