The Evaluation of the Oxidative Stress Parameters in Nondiabetic and Diabetic Senile Cataract Patients

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in diabetic senile cataract. Ten patients with diabetic senile cataract and ten patients with nondiabetic senile cataract (control group) were included in this study. AOPP, MDA, and GSH levels and SOD activity were measured by a spectrophotometric method. Serum, lens Cu, and Zn levels were measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. Both the lens and serum Zn and Cu levels between the two groups were not significantly different (p > 0.05). GSH, AOPP, and MDA levels and the SOD activities in the diabetic senile cataract group were significantly increased as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Oxidative stress is one of the major factors which may lead to the early cataract formation. Oxidative events are of great importance in diabetic complications and, particularly in the lens, may have a role in the pathogenesis of cataract associated with diabetes mellitus as exhibited in this study.     

Physiochemical and antioxidant responses of the perennial xerophyte Capparis ovata Desf. to drought

Caper (Capparis ovata Desf.) is a perennial shrub (xerophyte) and drought resistant plant which is well adapted to Mediterranean Ecosystem. In the present study we investigated the plant growth, relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll fluorescence (F_V/F_M), lipid peroxidation (TBA-reactive substances content) as parameters indicative of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) in relation to the tolerance to polyethylene glycol mediated drought stress in C. ovata seedlings. For induction of drought stress, the 35 days seedlings were subjected to PEG 6000 of osmotic potential −0.81 MPa for 14 days. Lipid peroxidation increased in PEG stressed seedlings as compared to non-stressed seedlings of C. ovata during the experimental period. With regard to vegetative growth, PEG treatment caused decrease in shoot fresh and dry weights, RWC and F_V/F_M but decline was more prominent on day 14 of PEG treatment. Total activity of antioxidative enzymes SOD, APX, POX, CAT and GR were investigated in C. ovata seedlings under PEG mediated drought. Induced activities of SOD, CAT and POX enzymes were high and the rate of increment was higher in stressed seedling. APX activity increased on both days of PEG treatment, however, increase in GR activity was highest on day 14 of drought stress. We concluded that increased drought tolerance of C. ovata is correlated with diminishing oxidative injury by functioning of antioxidant system at higher rates under drought stress.     

Fenvalerate Exposure Alters Thyroid Hormone Status in Selenium- and/or Iodine-Deficient Rats

Considering the potential adverse effects of selenium and iodine deficiencies, and taking into account the widespread but often careless use of pyrethroid insecticides and their possible endocrine-disrupting effects, this study was undertaken to investigate the effects of fenvalerate on thyroid hormone parameters in both healthy and selenium- and/or iodine-deficient rats. Fenvalerate exposure had no effect on the TT4 levels of healthy controls but caused significant increases both in iodine deficiency (ID) and selenium plus iodine deficiency (ISeD), and a significant decrease in selenium deficiency (SeD). Dramatic increases in TT3 of all groups were observed by fenvalerate. Moreover, it caused insignificant decrease of thyroid stimulating hormone in healthy controls, no effect in SeD, and significant elevation in ID and ISeD. These results, thus, showed that the widely used pyrethroid insecticide fenvalerate has the potential to change significantly thyroid hormone parameters both in normal and deficiency states, and consequences of its thyroid status modifying effect might be of critical importance particularly in sensitive individuals and patients with thyroid dysfunction.     

Investigation of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

We aimed to determine the importance of neutrophil activation and the source of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by quantification of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and total thiol levels as markers of oxidative protein damage, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of lipid peroxidation and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as a marker of neutrophil activation in patients with RA. Fifty-seven rheumatoid arthritis patients were included in the study and sub-grouped according to disease activity (active, n = 31; inactive, n = 26) and compared with healthy controls (n = 25). Serum MPO activity, AOPP, MDA, and thiol levels were measured by an enzymic spectrophotometric method. Serum MPO activity (p < 0.001), AOPP (p < 0.001), MDA (p < 0.001) and levels of thiol (p < 0.002), were higher in the patient group than the controls. Active and inactive RA groups were compared with the control group and there were significant differences between each parameter. MPO activity, AOPP, MDA and thiol levels were significantly higher in both active and inactive RA patients than the controls. On the other hand, when a comparison was made between active and the inactive stage, a statistically significant difference was present only in MDA (p < 0.05) and AOPP levels (p < 0.05). There was also a significant positive correlation between all parameters. These data strongly suggest that neutrophils, which constitute the most important source of chlorinated oxidants due to their high MPO content, may be involved in serum AOPP formation and therefore the production of a novel class of pro-inflammatory mediators of oxidative stress in RA patients and that protein oxidation could play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA as does lipid peroxidation.     

Mucoadhesive, thermosensitive, prolonged-release vaginal gel for clotrimazole: β-cyclodextrin complex

The purpose of this study was to achieve a better therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance in the treatment for vaginitis. Clotrimazole (1%) has been formulated in a vaginal gel using the thermosensitive polymer Pluronic F127 (20%) together with mucoadhesive polymers such as Carbopol 934 and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (0.2% for both). To increase its aqueous solubility., clotrimazole was incorporated as its inclusion complex with 1∶1 molar ratio with β-cyclodextrin. The inclusion complex was thoroughly characterized using various techniques, including ¹H NMR spectroscopy, FT IR spectrophotometry, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, phase solubility studies, and determination of stability constant (k_1∶1). The gelation temperature and rheological behavior of different formulations at varying temperatures were measured. In vitro release profiles of the gels were determined in pH 5.5 citrate buffer. It was observed that complexation with cyclodextrin slowed down the release of clotrimazole considerably. Carbopol 934, on the other hand, was found to interact with β-cyclodextrin, inducing precipitation. As far as rheological properties are concerned, thermosensitive in situ gelling was obtained with formulations containing drug: cyclodextrin complex rather than with free drug. Thus, the optimum formulation for a controlled-release thermosensitive and mucoadhesive vaginal gel was determined to be clotrimazole: β-cyclodextrin 1% with 0.2% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose in Pluronic F127 gel (20%) providing continuous and prolonged release of active material above MIC values.     

A combination of magnetic permeability detection with nanometer-scaled superparamagnetic tracer and its application for one-step detection of human urinary albumin in undiluted urine

A rapid (6.5 min) and simple one-step magnetic immunoassay (MIA) has been developed for analysis of human urinary albumin in near patient settings. Polyclonal rabbit anti-human albumin was used as a capture antibody and monoclonal mouse anti-human albumin as a detection antibody in a two-site immunometric assay requiring no additional washing procedures. The polyclonal anti-human albumin was conjugated to silica microparticles (solid phase) and the monoclonal antibody to dextran-coated nanoscaled superparamagnetic particles (tracer). Quantification of human albumin in undiluted urine was performed by adding 2 μL urine to a measuring vial containing solid-phase, superparamagnetic tracer and reaction buffer and then inverting the vial by hand for 20 s. The measuring vial was allowed to stand for 6 min prior to detection, in order for the solid-phase sediment to form at the bottom of the vial. Lastly, the measuring vial was placed into a magnetic permeability detector, which measured the enrichment of superparamagnetic tracer in the sediment due to complex formation with human albumin. Total analysis time was 6.5 min. A linear response was obtained for 0–400 mg/L albumin with a detection limit of 5 mg/L. The total coefficient of variation (CV) was 11% calculated from four consecutive runs on a urine sample containing 11.1 mg/L human albumin during 3 consecutive days. Human urinary albumin analysis was performed on 149 patient samples using the MIA technique and the obtained results showed good correlation with the hospital immunoturbidimetric reference method (y = 1.004x + 4.01, R² = 0.978, N = 149) and a commercially available point of care albumin analysis provided by HemoCue Inc. (y = 0.98x + 5.8, R² = 0.833, N = 90).     

Measurement of human Gracilis muscle isometric forces as a function of knee angle,intraoperatively

The goals of the present study were (1) to measure the previously unstudied isometric forces of activated human Gracilis (G) muscle as a function of knee joint angle and (2) to test whether length history effects are important also for human muscle. Experiments were conducted intraoperatively during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery (n=8). Mean peak G muscle force, mean peak G tendon stress and mean optimal knee angle equals 178.5±270.3 N, 24.4±20.6 MPa and 67.5±41.7°, respectively. The substantial inter-subject variability found (e.g., peak G force ranges between 17.2 and 490.5 N) indicate that the contribution of the G muscle to knee flexion moment may vary considerably among subjects. Moreover, typical subject anthropometrics did not appear to provide a sound estimate of the peak G force: only a limited insignificant correlation was found between peak G force and subject mass as well as mid-thigh perimeter and no correlation was found between peak G force and thigh length. The functional joint range of motion for human G muscle was determined to be at least as wide as full knee extension to 120° of knee flexion. However; the portion of the knee angle–muscle force relationship operationalized is not unique but individual specific: our data suggest for most subjects that G muscle operates in both ascending and descending limbs of its length–force characteristics whereas, for the remainder of the subjects, its function is limited to the descending limb, exclusively. Previous activity of G muscle at high muscle length attained during collection of a complete set of knee angle–force data showed for the first time that such length history effects are important also for human muscles: a significant correlation was found between optimal knee angle and absolute value of % force change. Except for two of the subjects, G muscle force measured at low length was lower than that measured during collection of knee joint–force data (maximally by 42.3%).     

Use of Rep‐PCR for Genetic Diversity Analyses in Fusarium culmorum

Fusarium culmorum is a pathogen of economically important grain crops. In this work, Rep‐PCR was used to identify genetic diversity in F. culmorum isolates which have been collected from wheat fields in Turkey. Reproducible genomic fingerprints were amplified in each strain by PCRs of prokaryotic repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP), enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) and BOX sequences. Totally 104 molecular markers were evaluated and similarity comparisons were shown as a dendrogram. The average genetic diversity was 52.3% ranging from 15.8% to 88.7% according to the Rep‐PCR data. Cluster analysis showed agreement with the distance of sampling locations. The highest genetic similarity (84.2%) was determined between two F. culmorum isolates (F1 and F2) originated from the same agro‐ecological region. Our results showed that Rep‐PCR is convenient and rapid for genetic diversity analyses and strain differentiation in F. culmorum.     

The evaluation of pre-grown mycelial pellets in decolorization of textile dyes during repeated batch process

This study was undertaken for the possibility of application of pre-grown pellets for biotechnological treatment of dyes and textile industry waste waters. Mycelial pellets of five different white rot fungi were tested for their dye decolorization activity. The pellets of Funalia trogii, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor were determined as the most effective ones. The decolorization ability of viable pellets was compared with the decolorization (adsorption) ability of dead pellets during repeated batch studies. Astrazon Black dye was decolorized effectively, about 90%, by viable pellets of all fungi during the first use. Viable F. trogii pellets were found as the most effective pellets. Upon pellet treatment not only a high decolorization but also reduced toxicity (antimicrobial activity) of the Astrazon Black dye was recorded. This type of decolorization activity with commercial or crude laccase was partially observed. Growing cells of F. trogii in batch system showed lower efficiency in color removal of mixed dyes compared to the pre-grown pellets in repeated batch system. The results in this study showed that mycelial pellets could effectively be used as an alternative to traditional physicochemical processes.     

Disruption of p97/VCP induces autophagosome accumulation,cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human choriocarcinoma cells

Molecular Biology Reports - Gestational choriocarcinoma is aggressive trophoblastic disease. The development, progression and the cure of this disease is not well-established. p97/Valosin...