Different Profile of mRNA Expression in Sinoatrial Node from Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rat

BackgroundExperiments in isolated perfused heart have shown that heart rate is lower and sinoatrial node (SAN) action potential duration is longer in streptozotocin (STZ)–induced diabetic rat compared to controls. In sino-atrial preparations the pacemaker cycle length and sino-atrial conduction time are prolonged in STZ heart. To further clarify the molecular basis of electrical disturbances in the diabetic heart the profile of mRNA encoding a wide variety of proteins associated with the generation and transmission of electrical activity has been evaluated in the SAN of STZ-induced diabetic rat heart.Conclusions/SignificanceCollectively, this study has demonstrated differences in the profile of mRNA encoding a variety of proteins that are associated with the generation, conduction and regulation of electrical signals in the SAN of STZ-induced diabetic rat heart. Data from this study will provide a basis for a substantial range of future studies to investigate whether these changes in mRNA translate into changes in electrophysiological function.     

Stabilized dried blood spot collection

During the collection phase of the dried blood spot method, practitioners need to ensure that there is no smearing of the blood sample on the filter paper or else readings from it will be invalid. This can be difficult to accomplish in the field if there is relative motion between the site of blood discharge on the finger and the filter paper. In this article, a gyroscope stabilization method is introduced and demonstrated to provide consistent and improved dried blood spot collection within a circular guide region notwithstanding the presence of rocking.     

Support for Kurdish language rights in Turkey: the roles of ethnic group,group identifications,contact, and intergroup perceptions

The question of Kurdish language rights has been a central issue in the Turkish–Kurdish conflict. The current study examined endorsement of Kurdish language rights in relation to intergroup factors (i.e. group identifications, cross-group friendships, perceived discrimination, and perceived out-group beliefs about state unity) among self-identified Turkish and Kurdish participants. The results indicate that Turks were much less in favour of these rights than the Kurds. In addition, for the Turks, higher national and ethnic identification were associated with lower support for Kurdish language rights, while cross-group friendship, perceived discrimination of Kurds and the belief that Kurds endorse national unity were associated with more support for rights. For the Kurdish participants, stronger national identification seems to undermine the mobilizing meaning that Kurdish group identification has for language rights support. Furthermore, friendship with Turks can undermine the support for rights because it strengthens national identification and reduces ethnic identification.     

Kinetic and in silico studies of hydroxy-based inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase isoforms I and II

A series of hydroxy and phenolic compounds have been assayed for the inhibition of two physiologically relevant carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes, the cytosolic human isozymes I and II. The investigated molecules showed inhibition constants in the range of 1.07–4003 and 0.09–31.5?μM at the hCA I and hCA II enzymes, respectively. In order to investigate the binding mechanisms of these inhibitors, in silico studies were also applied. Molecular docking scores of the studied compounds are compared using three different scoring algorithms, namely Glide/SP, Glide/XP and Glide/IFD. In addition, different ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) analysis was performed. All the examined compounds were found within the acceptable range of pharmacokinetic profiles.     

Discovering novel carbonic anhydrase type IX (CA IX) inhibitors from seven million compounds using virtual screening and in vitro analysis

Carbonic anhydrase type IX (CA IX) enzyme is mostly over expressed in different cancer cell lines and tumor tissues. Potent CA IX inhibitors can be effective for adjusting the pH imbalance in tumor cells. In the present work, we represented the successful application of high throughput virtual screening (HTVS) of large dataset from ZINC database included of ～7 million compounds to discover novel inhibitors of CA IX. HTVS and molecular docking were performed using consequence Glide/standard precision (SP), extra precision (XP) and induced fit docking (IFD) molecular docking protocols. For each compound, docking code calculates a set of low-energy poses and then exhaustively scans the binding pocket of the target with small compounds. Novel CA IX inhibitor candidates were suggested based on molecular modeling studies and a few of them were tested using in vitro analysis. These compounds were determined as good inhibitors against human CA IX target with K_i in the range of 0.85–1.58?μM. In order to predict the pharmaceutical properties of the selected compounds, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) analysis was also carried out.     

Detection and Identification of Phytoplasmas in Pomegranate Trees with Yellows Symptoms

Symptoms resembling those associated with phytoplasma presence were observed in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) trees in June 2012 in the Aegean Region of Turkey (Ayd?n province). The trees exhibiting yellowing, reduced vigour, deformations and reddening of the leaves and die‐back symptoms were analysed to verify phytoplasma presence. Total nucleic acids were extracted from fresh leaf midribs and phloem tissue from young branches of ten symptomatic and five asymptomatic plants. Nested polymerase chain reaction assays using universal phytoplasma‐specific 16S rRNA and tuf gene primers were performed. Amplicons were digested with Tru1I, Tsp509I and HhaI restriction enzymes, according to the primer pair employed. The phytoplasma profiles were identical to each other and to aster yellows (16SrI‐B) strain when digestion was carried out on 16Sr(I)F1/R1 amplicons. However, one of the samples showed mixed profiles indicating that 16SrI‐B and 16SrXII‐A phytoplasmas were present when M1/M2 amplicons were digested, the reamplification of this sample with tuf cocktail primers allowed to verify the presence of a 16SrXII‐A profile. One pomegranate aster yellows strain AY‐PG from 16S rRNA gene and the 16SrXII‐A amplicon from tuf gene designed strain STOL‐PG were directly sequenced and deposited in GenBank under the Accession Numbers KJ818293 and KP161063, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of 16SrI‐B and 16SrXII‐A phytoplasmas in pomegranate trees.