Effects of Genotype on Testis, Semen Quality, and Mineral Composition of Semen in Various Ram Breeds

This study was carried out on nine 3–5-year-old rams of different species: four Norduz, two Karakas, and three Ile de France?×?Akkaraman rams. Sperm of each ram was collected by means of an artificial vagina once per month from June to October 2007. In each case, the sperm volume, pH, viscosity, mass activity, motility, concentration, abnormal spermatozoa ratio, and the sperm death/live ratio were recorder along with the animals’ testis diameter and scrotum circumferences. The concentrations of calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium, iron, and zinc levels in seminal plasma were determined. There were changes in the measured parameters according to genotype and time of sampling, which can be useful for better planning of anestrous mating programs for these ram species.     

Bacterial ferritin contains 24 haem groups

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterioferritin, also known as cytochrome b1 or cytochrome b557, has been isolated with 9 haems per 24 subunits. Various forms of the protein have been prepared including the completely haem-free protein and the fully haem-loaded protein with 24 haems per 24 subunits. The presence of the core does not significantly affect haem addition or removal. The absorbance ratio of the non-haem-iron-loaded protein, 278 nm:417 nm (oxidised), can be used to estimate the haem loading.     

Selenium Levels in First-Degree Relatives of Diabetic Patients

The present study was conducted to evaluate the serum selenium levels in first-degree relatives of diabetic patients (FDR) according to controls. Insulin resistance, serum lipid levels, inflammation markers, and blood pressure were also studied in these patients. Serum levels of selenium in FDR were significantly lower than control group (74.65 ± 5.9 vs 88.7 ± 8.7 μg/dl, p < 0.0001). HsCRP, HOMA-IR, insulin, homocysteine levels were significantly higher in FDR according to the control group (1.32 ± 0.9 vs 0.63 ± 0.4 mg/dL, p < 0.0001; 2.07 ± 0.84 vs 1.51 ± 0.69, p < 0.0001; 9.26 ± 3.8 vs 6.8 ± 2.98 μU/MI, p < 0.0001; 15.7 ± 7.4 vs 11.5 ± 5.1 μmol/L, p < 0.0001, respectively). There was significant correlation between selenium levels and hsCRP (r = − 0.450, p < 0.0001). There was also weak significant correlation also between HOMA-IR and selenium levels (r = −0.227, p = 0.003). There was a correlation between systolic blood pressure and BMI (r = 0.365, p < 0.0001). But there was no correlation between selenium levels and blood pressure or other parameters. HsCRP, HOMA-IR, homocysteine levels in individuals with selenium levels < 80 μg/L (n = 78) was significantly higher than hsCRP HOMA-IR, homocysteine levels in individuals with selenium levels ≥ 80 (n = 91; 1.23 ± 0.98 vs 0.81 ± 0.76 mg/dL, p < 0.003; 1.99 ± 0.88 vs 1.64 ± 0.74, p < 0.005; 15.0 ± 7.6 vs 12.9 ± 5.7 μmol/L, p < 0.049, respectively). Selenium deficiency may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk in FDR.     

Efficacy of selected adjuvants for protecting Spodoptera litura nucleopolyhedrovirus from sunlight inactivation

Efficacy of selected adjuvants for protecting Spodoptera litura nucleopolyhedrovirus (SpltNPV) from sunlight inactivation was tested in direct sunlight exposure bioassays and in the field on virus-treated Brassica chinensis var parachinensis plants. All adjuvants, except palm oil, gave significant protection to the virus after 16 h of sunlight exposure, as shown by the larval mortalities. Cumulative mortalities after 14 days show that the virus + Tinopal treatment and the virus not to sunlight treatment attained 100% mortality, while the virus in riboflavin treatment and the crude brown sugar treatment caused mortality of less than 30%. However, the LT₅₀ value of virus + Tinopal was 1.2 times lower than the unexposed virus. All virus-treated plants in the field trials had higher yields and lower damage indices than the control plants. Unlike the results from direct sunlight exposure bioassays, adjuvants, including virus + Tinopal LPW, did not significantly enhance efficacy of the virus against early instars of S. litura in the field. The unformulated virus was as effective as virus + Tinopal LPW and Nurelle-D in protecting the plants from infestation. Thus, in a well-planned pest management program, SpltNPV, without any adjuvant, can be used effectively for controlling S. litura on B. chinensis var parachinensis.     

The relationship between serum prolactin levels and disease activity in patients with Behcet's disease

The aim of this study was to determine the serum levels of prolactin in patients with Behcet's disease and to evaluate its correlation with disease activity. Serum prolactin levels were measured by a chemiluminescence method in 32 patients with Behcet's disease and compared with 20 age-and sex-matched healthy controls. The patients with Behcet's disease were subdivided into two groups according to disease activity: active (18 patients; 13 men and five women, average age 34.0 +/- 6.5 (28-48) years), and inactive (14 patients; 10 men and four women, average age 32.7 +/- 3.1 (22-49 years). Patients with active Behcet's disease had higher serum prolactin levels than the inactive and control groups. Prolactin levels in patients with active Behcet's disease differed significantly from the healthy control subjects (p < 0.05) only, but not the inactive group. Four patients out of 32 (12.5%) Behcet's disease patients showed mild hyperprolactinemia. All four of these cases were from the active Behcet's disease group. Prolactin levels were correlated with ESR (p < 0.05) and CRP (p < 0.05) levels in the active BD group, but not in the inactive BD and control groups. Our results suggest a possible role for this immunoregulatory hormone in the disease expression and pathogenesis of Behcet's disease.     

Enhancing the affinity of SEB-binding peptides by repeating their sequence

The utilization of peptide ligands in biosensors and bioassays is dependent on achieving high affinity of these peptides toward their targets. In a previous report, we identified 12-mer peptides that could selectively bind to Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) using a phage-display library. In this study, we explore for new modification approaches to enhance the affinity of two different SEB-binding peptides. In order to identify the binding regions of selected peptides, the charged residues and the ones, critical for the structure of peptide, were replaced with alanine. However, a specific binding region could not be suggested as all mutant peptides have lost their affinities toward SEB completely. The modifications for the affinity enhancement were done by repeating the 12-mer peptide sequences. A 10-fold increase was observed in the binding affinity of one of the two-repeated peptides, while this modification did not affect the affinity of the other tested peptide. The peptide, with enhanced affinity, was further modified as three repeats; however the affinity of the peptide decreased. The structural basis of the affinity difference between modified peptides was examined by molecular dynamics simulation. The results showed that the conformational differences hold the key for affinity of peptides modified by repeating the sequence. This high affinity peptide with increased affinity is a promising molecular recognition agent to be used in the detection of SEB to be utilized in biosensing systems.     

Interaction of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor,vandetanib with human serum albumin as studied by fluorescence quenching and molecular docking

Interaction of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, vandetanib (VDB), with the major transport protein in the human blood circulation, human serum albumin (HSA), was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and molecular docking analysis. The binding constant of the VDB–HSA system, as determined by fluorescence quenching titration method was found in the range, 8.92–6.89?×?10^3?M^?1 at three different temperatures, suggesting moderate binding affinity. Furthermore, decrease in the binding constant with increasing temperature revealed involvement of static quenching mechanism, thus affirming the formation of the VDB–HSA complex. Thermodynamic analysis of the binding reaction between VDB and HSA yielded positive ΔS (52.76 J?mol^?1 K^?1) and negative ΔH (?6.57?kJ?mol^?1) values, which suggested involvement of hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding in stabilizing the VDB–HSA complex. Far-UV and near-UV CD spectral results suggested alterations in both secondary and tertiary structures of HSA upon VDB-binding. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectral results also showed significant microenvironmental changes around the Trp residue of HSA consequent to the complex formation. Use of site-specific marker ligands, such as phenylbutazone (site I marker) and diazepam (site II marker) in competitive ligand displacement experiments indicated location of the VDB binding site on HSA as Sudlow’s site I (subdomain IIA), which was further established by molecular docking results. Presence of some common metal ions, such as Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ba²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺ in the reaction mixture produced smaller but significant alterations in the binding affinity of VDB to HSA.     

Structure and vibrational frequencies of 6-chloro-8-thia-1,4-epoxybicyclo[4.3.0]non-2-ene: density functional theory study

The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum of 6-chloro-8-thia-1,4-epoxybicyclo[4.3.0]non-2-ene has been recorded in the region 4000–525 cm^? 1. The optimised geometry, frequency and intensity of the vibrational bands of the title compound have been calculated using the ab initio Hartree–Fock and the density functional theory method with 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311G(d,p) basis set levels. The harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated and the scaled values have been compared with experimental FT-IR spectrum. The observed and the calculated frequencies are found to be in good agreement. The theoretical vibrational spectrum of the title compound were interpreted by means of potential energy distributions using VEDA 4 program.