Blood Biochemistry of Sea Turtles Captured in Gillnets in the Lower Cape Fear River,North Carolina,USA

ABSTRACT Mortality due to fisheries interactions has been implicated as a contributor to population decline for several species of sea turtle. The incidental capture of sea turtles in the coastal gillnet fisheries of North Carolina, USA, has received much attention in recent years, and mitigation measures to reduce sea turtle mortality due to gillnet entanglement are a high priority for managers and conservationists. Efforts to evaluate effects of gillnet entanglement on sea turtle populations are complicated by the lack of information on health status of turtles released alive from nets and postrelease mortality. We obtained blood samples from green (Chelonia mydas) and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles captured in gillnets for 20–240 minutes to assess the impacts of gillnet entanglement on blood biochemistry and physiological status. We measured concentrations of lactate, corticosterone, ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^-, P, Ca²⁺), enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], creatine phosphokinase [CPK], aspartate aminotransferase [AST]), protein, and glucose in the blood and also performed physical examinations of turtles to document external indicators of health status (injuries, lethargy, muted reflexes). We evaluated the effects of entanglement time on blood biochemistry and to look for correlations between blood biochemistry and results of the physical examinations. We observed a significant increase in blood lactate, LDH, CPK, phosphorus, and glucose with increased entanglement time. Alterations in blood biochemistry were generally associated with a decline in health status as indicated by results of the physical examination. Although entanglement time plays an important role in determining the health status of sea turtles upon release from a gillnet, our results suggest that factors such as the depth and severity of entanglement may also have an effect on health status of turtles and the probability of postrelease survival. We were unable to set a maximum unattended gillnet soak time to minimize impacts on captured sea turtles, and therefore recommend that fisheries managers continue to enforce the net attendance regulations currently in place in the lower Cape Fear River, North Carolina, during the summer months.     

The role of peroxiredoxin 6 in neutralization of X-ray mediated oxidative stress: effects on gene expression,preservation of radiosensitive tissues and postradiation survival of animals

Peroxiredoxins are redox-sensing multifunctional enzymes, among them peroxiredoxin 6 (Prx6) can neutralize the most broadest range of hydroperoxides and play an important role in maintaining the redox homeostasis of the cell. In the present study, radioprotective and signaling regulatory effects of Prx6 were demonstrated and characterized. Intravenously administered exogenous Prx6 protects the organism of mice from the destructive action of ionizing radiation in the lethal dose range of 5–10?Gy. Dose reduction factor of 1.4 Prx6 injection reduces the severity of radiation-induced leuko- and thrombopenia in irradiated animals, also preventing the destruction of epithelial cells in the small intestine. Injecting exogenous Prx6 also as its mutated form of Prx6–C47S lacking peroxidase activity affects the expression of genes involved in antioxidant response, DNA reparation, apoptosis and inflammatory processes, in bone marrow cells both in intact animals and in those subjected to ionizing radiation. The radioprotective properties of Prx6 are based, on the one hand, on the capability for ROS neutralization, and on the other hand – on the potentiality for activation of reparation processes of the cell under oxidative stress conditions. Prx6 can be considered as a potentially perspective radioprotective agent for the reduction of risks from the damaging action of ionizing radiation on the mammalian organism.     

The Effect of the Structure of Fluorescently Labeled Nucleotide Derivatives on the Efficiency of Their Incorporation in DNA in the Polymerase Chain Reaction

The efficiency of fluorescence DNA labeling was estimated for four fluorescent 2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate derivatives differing in the orientation of the main dye axis, which passes through the polymethine chain, relative to the linker connecting the dye to the nucleotide. To estimate the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) rate, real-time PCR was run with two commercial hot-start DNA polymerases possessing 5′→3′ exonuclease activity in the presence of an intercalating dye. The efficiency of the test compound incorporation in the PCR product was estimated via a quantitative analysis of the amplification product by agarose gel electrophoresis. The fluorescently labeled product was then hybridized on a biological microchip and the ratio of signals from perfect match and mismatch duplexes was determined. The incorporation efficiency and discrimination between perfect match and mismatch duplexes were found to depend on the relative orientation of the dye and the linker between the dye and pyrimidine base, as well as on the presence of hydrophilic groups in the dye. Compounds that are efficiently incorporated in a growing DNA strand and show a high specificity in hybridization analysis were identified using biochips.     

急性心肌梗死患者冠脉搭桥术前中性粒细胞-淋巴细胞比率与围术期心肌损伤相关分析

目的：探讨急性心肌梗死患者冠脉搭桥（CABG）术前中性粒细胞．淋巴细胞比率（NLR）与围术期心肌损伤的关系,为,临床CABG围术期心肌保护提供参考依据。方法：选取2012年1月至2012年6月于首都医科大学附属北京安贞医院因急性心肌梗死接受冠脉搭桥手术（CABG）患者210例,收集术前血常规及术后肌钙蛋白I（cTnI）？Life酸激酶同工酶（CK-MB）,计算NLR;采用四分位法根据NLR水平将患者分为四组,比较各组cTnI及CK—MB峰值,多元逐步回归分析NLR与cTnI及CK-MB峰值的相关性。结果：随着NLR水平升高,高血压病史和射血分数〈50％患者比例逐渐增多;白细胞计数、术后CK-MB及cTnI峰值、术后血肌酐值均逐渐增加;多元逐步回归分析显示,NLR、WBC分别与cTnI峰值呈正相关（r=0．526,r=0．186,P〈0．05）。结论：术前NLR、WBC与cTnI峰值呈正相关,NLR可能是反应急性心肌梗死患者冠脉搭桥围术期心肌损伤的良好标志物。     

Time-dependent cGMP-activated conductance of detached patches of ROS plasma membrane

cGMP markedly increases the cationic conductance of the 'inside-out' patches of rod outer segment plasma membrane when applied to the inner side. The cGMP-activated conductance of some patches was shown to be time-dependent. The data obtained suggest that the change of cGMP concentration in the near membrane layer underlies this phenomenon rather than the change in the channel's activity. The hydrolysis and, probably, the desorption of the nucleotide are responsible for this.     

Multiplex Genotyping of Allelic Variants of Genes Involved in Metabolizing Antileukemic Drugs

A biochip, primer set, and genotyping protocol were developed to simultaneously address 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms in antileukemic drug metabolism genes, including TPMT, ITPA, MTHFR, SLCO1B1, SLC19A1, NR3C1, GRIA1, ASNS, MTRR, and ABCB1. The genotyping procedure included a one-round multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with simultaneous incorporation of a fluorescent label into the PCR product and subsequent hybridization on a biochip with immobilized probes. The method was used to test 65 DNA samples of leukemia patients. Fluorescence signal intensity ratios in pairs of wildtype and respective mutant sequence probes were analyzed for all polymorphic markers and demonstrated high accuracy of genotyping. The reliability of genotype determination using the biochip was confirmed by direct Sanger sequencing.     

The Effect of a “Zero” Magnetic Field on the Production of Reactive Oxygen Species in Neutrophils

Exposure of mouse peritoneal neutrophils to hypomagnetic conditions (magnetic shielding, a residual static magnetic field of 20 nT) for 1.5 h decreased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species as recorded by changes in the fluorescence intensity of 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein and dihydrorhodamine 123 oxidation products. The effect of a hypomagnetic field was similarly observed after adding a respiratory burst activator (the formylated peptide N-formyl–Met–Leu–Phe or phorbol 12-meristate-13-acetate) to a low concentration.