Effect of a Prolonged Dietary Iron Intake on the Gene Expression and Activity of the Testicular Antioxidant Defense System in Rats

Biological Trace Element Research - This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of dietary zinc-methionine (Zn-Met) supplementation during 3 months prepartum up to 9 months...     

THROMBIN IMMOBILIZATION TO METHACRYLIC ACID GRAFTED POLY(3-HYDROXYBUTYRATE) AND ITS IN VITRO APPLICATION

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) is nontoxic and biodegradable, with good biocompatibility and potential support for long-term implants. For this reason, it is a good support for enzyme immobilization. Enzyme immobilization could not be done directly because poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) has no functional groups. Therefore, modification should be done for enzyme immobilization. In this study, methacrylic acid was graft polymerized to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and thrombin was immobilized to polymethacrylic acid grafted poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). In fact, graft polymerization of methacrylic acid to poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and thrombin immobilization was a model study. Biomolecule immobilized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) could be used as an implant. Thrombin was selected as a biomolecule for this model study and it was immobilized to methacrylic acid grafted poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Then the developed product was used to stop bleeding.     

Pyranose 2-oxidase (P2O): Production from Trametes versicolor in Stirred Tank Reactor andits Partial Characterization

Abstract

Optimization of pyranose-2-oxidase (P2O) production conditions from Trametes versicolor was carried out in shaking cultures containing glucose, malt, and yeast extracts; the optimum concentration values were found to be 1.5% glucose, 1.0% yeast extract, and 1.0% malt extract, pH 5.0, temperature, 26°C, and agitation rate 150 rpm. For the first time, P2O production was also carried out in a stirred tank reactor (STR) with 2.2 L working volume in the optimized medium composition, and biomass, P2O activity, protein, nitrogen and glucose concentrations were also monitored besides pH and dissolved oxygen (DO). In the STR, P2O activity peaked on day 9. Partial enzyme characterization occurred and optimum pH and temperature were detected as 7.0 and 37°C, respectively. K _m value was found to be 1.009 mM.     

Species distribution and detection of Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in field-collected ticks in Ankara Province, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Ticks may act as vectors for a number of infectious diseases including Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF). The causative agent is Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV), a member of Bunyaviridae, causing extensive ecchymosis, visceral bleeding and hepatic dysfunction with a high fatality rate in the affected individuals. CCHF was initially recognized in Turkey in 2002 and the current number of reported cases exceeds 4,400. This study was conducted to confirm the presence of tick species established as potential CCHFV vectors and investigate CCHFV activity in ticks at Ankara province, Turkey’s second most-densely populated province, where CCHF cases were demonstrated. A total of 1,196 adult ticks, collected from various animals and vegetation in 12 sites located in 5 counties of Ankara during April–July 2010 were identified to species level. Twenty-two tick pools from county K2 were also evaluated for the presence of CCHFV RNA via a one-step real-time RT-PCR assay and reactive results were further confirmed by an in house nested RT-PCR assay. Nine tick species were identified: Rhipicephalus bursa (44.9%), R. sanguineus (18.9%), R. turanicus (18.1%), Haemaphysalis parva (8.3%), Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (5.4%), H. aegyptium (1.4%), H. anatolicum excavatum (1.3%), Hae. punctata (0.3%) and Dermacentor marginatus (0.2%). A total of five tick pools (22.7%) were reactive in real-time and nested RT-PCR assays. The pools included R. bursa, H. m. marginatum and Hae. parva ticks, collected from mammal hosts from two villages in one county. This is the first documentation of CCHFV activity in ticks from Ankara province, which indicates requirement for detailed surveillance to predict high risk zones in the region.     

Local Calcium Elevation and Cell Elongation Initiate Guided Motility in Electrically Stimulated Osteoblast-Like Cells

Background

Investigation of the mechanisms of guided cell migration can contribute to our understanding of many crucial biological processes, such as development and regeneration. Endogenous and exogenous direct current electric fields (dcEF) are known to induce directional cell migration, however the initial cellular responses to electrical stimulation are poorly understood. Ion fluxes, besides regulating intracellular homeostasis, have been implicated in many biological events, including regeneration. Therefore understanding intracellular ion kinetics during EF-directed cell migration can provide useful information for development and regeneration.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We analyzed the initial events during migration of two osteogenic cell types, rat calvarial and human SaOS-2 cells, exposed to strong (10–15 V/cm) and weak (≤5 V/cm) dcEFs. Cell elongation and perpendicular orientation to the EF vector occurred in a time- and voltage-dependent manner. Calvarial osteoblasts migrated to the cathode as they formed new filopodia or lamellipodia and reorganized their cytoskeleton on the cathodal side. SaOS-2 cells showed similar responses except towards the anode. Strong dcEFs triggered a rapid increase in intracellular calcium levels, whereas a steady state level of intracellular calcium was observed in weaker fields. Interestingly, we found that dcEF-induced intracellular calcium elevation was initiated with a local rise on opposite sides in calvarial and SaOS-2 cells, which may explain their preferred directionality. In calcium-free conditions, dcEFs induced neither intracellular calcium elevation nor directed migration, indicating an important role for calcium ions. Blocking studies using cadmium chloride revealed that voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are involved in dcEF-induced intracellular calcium elevation.

Conclusion/Significance

Taken together, these data form a time scale of the morphological and physiological rearrangements underlying EF-guided migration of osteoblast-like cell types and reveal a requirement for calcium in these reactions. We show for the first time here that dcEFs trigger different patterns of intracellular calcium elevation and positional shifting in osteogenic cell types that migrate in opposite directions.     

Fermentation of sunflower seed hull hydrolysate to ethanol by Pichia stipitis

Ethanol production from sunflower seed hull hydrolysate was evaluated using Pichia stipitis NRRL Y-7124. The hydrolysate prepared with 0.7 M H2SO4 at 90 degrees C was fermented as substrate in shaking bath experiments at 30 degrees C. In a group of experiments, the influence of various detoxification methods on the fermentability of hydrolysate was investigated at pH 6. Even though the ability of all employed pretreatments to enhance fermentation performance was close, the sequential application of overliming with sodium sulfite addition was the best detoxification method. Additional experiments were performed with detoxified hydrolysate to investigate the effect of shaking rate (70-130 rpm) and initial pH (5.5-7) on the fermentation. The highest ethanol level 11 gL(-1) was achieved at initial pH of 6 and 100 rpm shaking rate from a hydrolysate containing 48 gL(-1) total reducing sugar. The corresponding alcohol yield and volumetric productivity were 0.32 gg(-1) and 0.065 gL(-1)h(-1).     

Fate ofescherichia coli andE. coli O157∶H7 in apple juice treated with propolis extract

Fruit juices are targets of spoilage moulds, yeasts and acid tolerant bacteria. They might be contaminated with bacteria from raw materials, environment, packaging and during the handling of the product. These contaminations have frequently resulted in the spoilage of fruit juice and consequently commercial losses. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of propolis in apple juice againstEscherichia coli andE. coli O157:H7 strains of the spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. For this purpose, apple juice was obtained from fresh apples and then was pasteurised. The pH value, titrable acidity (as % malic acid) and Brix degree of this apple juice were 3.72±0.10, 0.67±0.05% and 12.1±0.01, respectively. Propolis extract at 1,2 and 5% concentrations were tested to determine ofE. coli andE. coli O157:H7 inhibition using paper disc diffusion method. The control treatment had no propolis extract. The apple juices were contaminated with these bacteria, and the activity of propolis was observed at first, 18^th, 24^th, 48^th and 72^nd hours at 4 and 25°C. The number of cells in the tubes was counted using serial dilution method. Results indicated that propolis extract at 2 and 5% concentrations had significant antimicrobial activity againstE. coli andE. coli O157:H7, therefore we can conclude that propolis extract is worthy of further study as a natural preservative for the foods prone to microbial spoilage.     

Changes in Liver Tissue Trace Element Concentrations During Hepatitis B Viral Infection Treatment

Biological Trace Element Research - Approximately 350–400 million people in the world have Hbs Ag (hepatitis B virus surface antigen) positivity. In the international guidelines, the...     

Comparison of different pretreatments in ethanol fermentation using corn cob hemicellulosic hydrolysate with Pichia stipitis and Candida shehatae

A hemicellulosic hydrolysate was prepared with 0.3 M H₂SO₄ at 98 °C for 1 h. The total initial reducing sugar was maintained at 45 g l^–1 by synthetic xylose supplementation. The seven detoxification methods were employed including either the single addition of solid CaO (to pH 10 or 6) or its combinations with zeolite shaking. Over-liming gave the hydrolysate that was most completely fermented by Pichia stipitis and Candida shehatae at 30 °C, pH 6, among the tested methods.