The relationship between the presence of ADHD and certain candidate gene polymorphisms in a Turkish sample

Due to the high heritability of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), parents of children with ADHD appear to represent a good sample group for investigating the genetics of the disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ADHD and six polymorphisms in five candidate genes [5-HT2A (rs6311), NET1 (rs2242447), COMT (rs4818), NTF3 (rs6332), SNAP-25 (rs3746544) and (rs1051312)]. We included 228 parents of children diagnosed with ADHD and 109 healthy parents as the control group. The polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays and analyzed using the chi-square test and the multinomial logit model. SNAP-25 (rs3746544) polymorphism was associated with loading for ADHD, while 5-HT2A (rs6311) and NET1 (rs2242447) polymorphisms were associated with ADHD. On the other hand, there was no significant association between the SNAP-25 (rs1051312), NTF3 (rs6332), or COMT (rs4818) gene polymorphisms and ADHD.     

Karyotype analysis of some Minuartia L. (Caryophyllaceae) taxa

Karyotypic characters, mitotic metaphase chromosomes, monoploid idiograms and karyograms of Minuartia anatolica (Boiss.) Woronow var. phrygia (Bornm.) McNeill, Minuartia anatolica (Boiss.) Woronow var. scleranthoides (Boiss. & Noe) McNeill, Minuartia corymbulosa (Boiss. & Balansa) McNeill var. gypsophilloides McNeill and Minuartia aksoyi M.Koç & Hamzao?lu were investigated for the first time. Analysis of somatic metaphases showed that the chromosome numbers and the formulas of these taxa were 2n = 24 = 14m + 6sm + 4st for Minuartia anatolica var. phrygia, 2n = 14 = 6m + 8sm for Minuartia anatolica var. scleranthoides, 2n = 14 = 6m + 4sm + 4st for Minuartia corymbulosa var. gypsophilloides and 2n = 30 = 14m + 10sm + 6st for Minuartia aksoyi. No satellites were observed in the karyotypes of these taxa. Karyotype asymmetry was estimated by many different methods, namely the Stebbins classification, the karyotype asymmetry index (As K %), the total form percent (TF %), the Rec and Syi indices, the intrachromosomal asymmetry index (A1) and interchromosomal asymmetry index (A2), the dispersion index (DI), the degree of asymmetry of karyotype (A index) and the asymmetry index (AI).     

Assessment of post-stroke elbow flexor spasticity in different forearm positions

Abstract

Purpose/Aim: There have been conflicting results regarding which muscle contribute most to the elbow spastic flexion deformity. This study aimed to investigate whether flexor spasticity of the elbow changed according to the position of the forearm, and to determine the muscle or muscles that contributed most to the elbow spastic flexion deformity by clinical examination.

Methods: This study is a single group, observational and cross-sectional study. Sixty patients were assessed for elbow flexor spasticity in different forearm positions (pronation, neutral and supination) with Modified Tardieu Scale. The primary outcome measure was a domain of the Modified Tardieu Scale, the dynamic component of spasticity (spasticity angle).

Results: In general, there was a significant difference between forearm positions regarding spasticity angle (p?<?.001). In pairwise comparisons, median spasticity angles in pronation (70 degrees) and neutral position (60 degrees) were significantly higher than those in supination (57.5 degrees) (adjusted p?<?.001 and adjusted p?=?.003, respectively). However, median spasticity angle in pronation did not differ significantly from those in neutral position in favour of pronation (adjusted p?=?.274).

Conclusions: The severity of spasticity changes according to the elbow position which suggests that the magnitude of contribution of each elbow flexor muscle to spastic elbow deformity is different. Reduction of spasticity from pronation to supination leads us to consider brachialis as the most spastic muscle. Since biceps was suggested to be the least spastic muscle in this study, and also to avoid spastic pronation deformity of the forearm, it should be rethought before performing chemodenervation into biceps muscle.     

Airborne pollen concentration in Ankara,Turkey 1990–1993

Atmospheric pollen was collected with a Burkard spore trap in Ankara, Turkey, from January 1990 to January 1993. A total of 135.787 grains/m³ belonging to 47 taxa were observed. The local pollen season started in February in 1990 and 1991 and in March in 1992. Relatively low pollen concentrations were recorded in 1990 and 1992, probably because of precipitation and low wind speed in the spring. A relatively high pollen concentration was recorded in 1991 which could be caused by higher wind speed in the spring and more precipitation during the winter. Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Pinaceae, Gramineae, Betula, Moraceae, Platanus, Populus, Acer, Quercus, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Plantago, Rumex are found to be the dominant pollen types in the atmosphere in Ankara. The pollen composition generally reflects the vegetation of gardens, parks and roadsides, while the natural steppe vegetation of the area around Ankara is not properly represented.     

A new species of Onychopterochelius Blüthgen (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Turkey

Onychopterocheilus sarikamisensis sp. n. is described and illustrated from eastern Turkey. The species is related to O. hellenicus (Morawitz, 1885) but differs by the shape of the clypeus and antennae, and by the pale colouration of the maculations.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A3E75353-EC16-458F-908FAB9240E8016B     

On-line preconcentration/determination of zinc from water,biological and food samples using synthesized chelating resin and flame atomic absorption spectrometry

An on-line flow injection pre-concentration-flame atomic absorption spectrometry method was developed to determine trace zinc in water (tap, dam, and well water), biological (hair and nail), and liver samples. As a solid phase extractant, a synthesized new chelating resin, poly(2-thiozylmethacrylamide-co-divinylbenzene-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid) was used. The resin was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and surface area by nitrogen sorption. A pre-concentration factor of 40-fold for a sample volume of 12.6 mL was obtained by using the time-based technique. The detection limit for the pre-concentration method was found to be 2.2 μg L^?1. The precision (as RSD,%) for 10 replicate determinations at the 0.04 μg mL^?1 Zn concentration was 1.2%. The calibration graph using the pre-concentration system for zinc was linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.998 in the concentration range from 0.005 to 0.05 μg mL^?1. The applicability and accuracy of the developed method were estimated by the analysis spiked water, biological, liver samples (83–105%), and also certified reference material TMDA-70 (fortified lake water) and SPS-WW1 Batch 111-Wastewater. The results were in agreement with the certified values.     

Reproducing Authigenic Carbonate Precipitation in the Hypersaline Lake Acıgöl (Turkey) with Microbial Cultures

In the present study, laboratory precipitation experiments using similar water chemistry and two different bacterial cultures from Lake Ac?göl sediments, a hypersaline lake in Turkey, were performed to reproduce mineral assemblages similar to those found in the lake. Two different bacterial cultures induce various calcium/magnesium carbonates precipitation under all the experimental conditions (solid vs. liquid): Hydromagnesite, dypingite, huntite, monohydrocalcite, and aragonite. The geochemical program PHREEQC was used to calculate the mineral saturation indexes in the cultures and in lake water. Carbonate mineral assemblages identified in the experiments seem to be independent of the type of microorganisms but rather controlled by the chemical composition and physical conditions of the media. The relative amounts of monohydrocalcite, hydromagnesite, and dypingite are controlled by varying sulfate concentration from 0 to 56 mM. This demonstrates a kinetic effect that could similarly affect the mineral assemblage in the lake. Also the spherical morphology of hydromagnesite points to growth of these minerals under partial inhibition in the brine under high concentrations of ions and organic polymers produced by the microbial communities. As reproduced by the culture experiments, the authigenic carbonate mineral assemblage of Lake Ac?göl most likely results from interplay of ionic composition of the brine and microbial effects.     

A global analysis of the determinants of alien geographical range size in birds

Aim Determining the causes of range size variation in the distributions of alien species is important for understanding the spread of invasive species. Factors influencing alien range size have been explored for some species at a regional level, but to date there has been no global analysis of an entire class. Here, we present such an analysis for birds, testing for the effects of introduction event, location and species‐level variables on alien range sizes. Location Global. Methods We used a novel dataset on the global distributions of alien bird species to test for relationships between alien range size and colonization pressure, residence time, extent of the global climatic niche, native range size, body mass and specialization, using a statistical approach based on phylogenetic generalized least squares models. We performed this analysis globally, and for separate biogeographical realms. Results Approximately half of the variation in alien bird range size is explained by colonization pressure in univariate analysis. We identified consistent effects of higher colonization pressure at global and realm levels, as well as support for effects of native range size and residence time. We found less support for effects of body mass, specialization or extent of the global climatic niche on alien range size. Main conclusions Alien bird range sizes are generally small relative to their native range sizes, and many are continuing to expand. Nevertheless, current variation is predictable, most strongly by the event‐level factor of colonization pressure. Whether a species is widespread is a better predictor of alien range size than whether a species could be widespread (estimated by global climatic niche extent), while we also find effects of residence time on alien range size. These relationships may help to identify those alien species that are more likely to spread and hence have greater environmental and economic impacts where they have been introduced.