Effects of shock waves on oxidative stress and some trace element levels of rat liver and diaphragm muscles

This study was designed to investigate whether the short-term extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) exposure to kidney produces an oxidative stress and a change in some trace element levels in liver and diaphragm muscles of rats. Twelve male Wistar albino rats were divided randomly into two groups, each consisting of six rats. The animals in the first group did not receive any treatment and served as control group. The right-side kidneys of animals in group 2 were treated with two-thousand 18 kV shock waves while anesthetized with 50 mg kg(-1) ketamine. The localization of the right kidney was achieved after contrast medium injection through a tail vein under fluoroscopy control. The animals were killed 72 h after the ESWL treatment, and liver and diaphragm muscles were harvested for the determination of tissue oxidative stress and trace element levels. Although the malondialdehyde level increased, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase enzyme activities decreased in the livers and diaphragm muscles of ESWL-treated rats. Although glutathione level increased in liver, it decreased in diaphragm muscles of ESWL-treated animals. Fe, Mg and Mn levels decreased, and Cu and Pb levels increased in the livers of ESWL-treated animals. Fe and Cu levels increased, and Mg, Pb, Mn and Zn levels decreased in the diaphragm muscles of ESWL-treated animals. It also causes a decrease or increase in many mineral levels in liver and diaphragm muscles, which is an undesirable condition for the normal physiological function of tissues.     

Expression of p97/VCP and ubiquitin during postnatal development of the degenerating rat retina

In this study, we aimed to investigate the distribution pattern of ubiquitin and p97/VCP in the rat retina during postnatal development. Eyeballs from 1-, 4-, 10-, 36- and 72-week-old rats were examined by immunohistochemistry, and protein colocalization was determined by immunofluorescence microscopy. In the 1-week-old rat retina, p97/VCP was strongly expressed in the neuroblast layer, however no ubiquitin immunoreactivity was observed. p97/VCP immunoreactivity was present in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner nuclear layer (INL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), inner segment (IS) of the photoreceptor layer, and retinal pigment epithelium in the 4- and 10-week-old rat retinas. p97/VCP immunoreactivity increased significantly in the 10-week-old rat retinas. Ubiquitin was barely seen in the 4-week-old rat retinas, and ubiquitin expression was weak in the GCL and the IPL of the 10-week-old rat retinas. In the 36- and 72-week-old rats, the presence of ubiquitin was remarkable in the IS, INL, IPL and GCL, however, p97/VCP immunoreactivity was significantly decreased. Colocalization of ubiquitin and p97/VCP was also observed in the INL, IS, GCL and ONL of 36- and 72-week-old rat retinas. Our results indicate that p97/VCP immunoreactivity in the retina significantly decreases after rats reach 10 weeks of age, whereas ubiquitin immunoreactivity increases with aging. These results suggest that an altered expression pattern of p97/VCP and ubiquitin in the developing rat retina may associate with age-related retinal degeneration.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Walckenaeria aksoyi</Emphasis> sp. n. (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from Turkey

Walckenaeria aksoyi sp. n. (Araneae: Linyphiidae) is described based on males from Marmaris Province in Turkey.     

Plankton composition and water quality in a pond of spring origin in Turkey

Phyto/zooplankton composition, chlorophyll a, and some water quality parameters were investigated in a spring-originated pond in Central Anatolia between February 2001 and January 2002. Water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, Secchi depth, total and calcium hardness, nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, ammonia-nitrogen, total phosphorus, and soluble reactive phosphorus levels were analyzed. A total of 49 species belonging to Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Cryptophyceae, and Dinophyceae were identified. The highest phytoplankton abundance was found in August, whereas the lowest was determined in January. Phytoplankton abundance increased from February to August and declined in the following months. The Bacillariophyceae were dominant in the phytoplankton community. A total of 21 species of Rotifera, 2 species of Cladocera, and 1 genus of Copepoda were found. The zooplankton community was dominated by Rotifera. The highest abundance of zooplankton was recorded in July and the lowest value in November. The annual mean concentration of chlorophyll a was measured as 1.90 μg l⁻¹. In spite of these eutrophic levels (mean values of total phosphorus and nitrate-nitrogen: 0.069 mg P l⁻¹ and 0.68 mg N l⁻¹), phytoplankton cannot grow satisfactorily because of the short water retention time (0.6 day⁻¹). The shallowness of the pond together with the low phytoplankton biomass and the high concentrations of nutrients are discussed.     

Effects of Low Temperature on Winter Wheat and Cabbage Leaves

Contents of soluble proteins, proline and chlorophyll in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Doğu-88) and cabbage leaves (Brassica oleracea convar. acephala) during acclimation to low temperature were investigated. When both of the plants species were cold acclimated, soluble proteins, proline and chlorophyll contents were higher than in the controls (non-acclimated). Also protein patterns differed between the plants at control and cold conditions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Immunohistochemistry of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), their substrates, and their inhibitors (TIMP) during trophoblast invasion in the human placenta

The invasion of extravillous trophoblast cells into the maternal endometrium is one of the key events in human placentation. The ability of these cells to infiltrate the uterine wall and to anchor the placenta to it as well as their ability to infiltrate and to adjust utero-placental vessels to pregnancy depends, among other things, on their ability to secrete enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix. Most of the latter enzymes belong to the family of matrix metalloproteinases. Their activity is regulated by the tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases. We have studied the distribution patterns of matrix metalloproteinases-1, -2, -3, and -9 and their inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 as compared to the distribution of their substrates along the invasive pathway of extravillous trophoblast of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester placentas by means of light microscopy on paraffin and cryostat sections as well as at the ultrastructural level (only 3rd trimester placenta). The comparison of different methods proved to be necessary, since the immunohistochemical distribution patterns of these soluble enzymes are considerably influenced by the pretreatment of tissues. All three methods revealed immunoreactivities of both, proteinases and their inhibitors, not only intracellularly in the extravillous trophoblast but also extracellularly in its surrounding matrix, the distribution patterns depending on the stage of pregnancy and on the degree of differentiation of trophoblast cells along their invasive pathway. Within the extracellular matrix, immunolocalization of matrix metalloproteinases as well as their inhibitors showed a specific relation to certain extracellular matrix molecules.     

Evaluation of chalcones as inhibitors of glutathione S‐transferase

Glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs) are the superfamily of multifunctional detoxification isoenzymes and play an important role in cellular signaling. In the present study, potential inhibition effects of chalcones were tested against human GST. For this purpose, GST was purified from human erythrocytes with 5.381 EU?mg^?1 specific activity and 51.95% yield using a GSH–agarose affinity chromatographic method. The effects of chalcones on in vitro GST activity were tested at various concentrations. K_i constants of chalcones were found in the range of 7.76–41.93 μM. According to the results, 4‐fluorochalcone showed a better inhibitory effect compared with the other compounds. The inhibition mechanisms of 2'‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxychalcone and 4‐methoxychalcone were noncompetitive, whereas the inhibition mechanisms of 4'‐ hydroxychalcone, 4‐ fluorochalcone, and 4,4'‐ diflurochalcone were competitive.     

Carbonic anhydrase from Vicia canencens leaves.

Carbonic anhydrases (CA: Carbonate hydrolase; E, C,4.2.1.1) from leaves Vicia canencens were purified and were characterized. The purification level of enzyme was 76-fold. The optimum temperature of this enzyme was 70 degrees C. pH optimum was 9.2. Each of the enzyme molecules was a decamer having MW of 262,000 and the subunit MW was 26,400.