Plasma and urinary endothelin-1 concentrations in asphyxiated newborns [corrected

The aim of this study was to determine if there is any correlation between the hypoxia induced deterioration of renal functions and urinary excretions of endothelin (ET). Therefore using a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay, we have investigated plasma ET-1 concentrations and urine ET-1 excretions in healthy and asphyxiated newborns. Sixteen newborns (10 boys, 6 girls) with perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia of variable seriousness which were followed at Newborn Intensive Care Unit in Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine were enrolled. Simultaneously, gestation and weight matched 10 newborns (6 boys, 4 girls) with no asphyxia (first minute Apgar score >7) were enrolled as controls. Plasma ET-1 concentrations of the asphyxiated infants (61.8+/-79.3 pg/ml, between 23.4-125.2 pg/ml) were higher than in the control group (29.3+/-22.1 pg/ml, between 12.3 and 50.8 pg/ml, p<0.05). However creatinine clearance values were not different between the two groups (p>0.05), mean fractional excretion of sodium levels (FeNa%) were higher in the study group than the controls (p<0.01). Urinary ET-1 concentrations in the asphyxiated infants were 144.6+/-63.4 pg/ml versus 70.1+/-27.7 pg/ml in the control group (p<0.001). The ET clearance were more elevated in the asphyxiated newborns than in the healthy infants (p<0.05). Urinary ET-1/Cr ratio in the hypoxic infants were significantly elevated in the first day of life when compared with those of healthy infants (p<0.05). Total ET excretion was negatively correlated with FeNa (%) (r=-0.603, p<0.05). Plasma ET-1 concentrations of the asphyxiated infants reduced at 48 hours of age (p<0.001). Fifth minute Apgar score was negatively correlated with urinary ET-1 levels (r=-0.615, p<0.01), urinary Na excretion (r=-0.583, p<0.01), FeNa (%) (r=-0.597, p<0.01) and total ET excretion (r=-0.560, p<0.01) and positively correlated with ET clearance (r=0.559, p<0.05). Urinary ET-1 levels were negatively correlated with umbilical artery BE levels (r=-0.612, p<0.05). To our study, elevated urinary ET-1 levels were observed during perinatal asphyxia and urinary ET-1 levels were negatively correlated with 5th minute Apgar score and cord blood base excess levels. For this reason urinary ET-1 levels could be a marker of perinatal asphyxia as cord blood ET-1 levels. With investigations showing renal production is independent from plasma and increased urinary ET-1/Cr levels in newborn with perinatal asphyxia and also negative correlation between the total ET excretion and FeNa, urinary ET-1 levels could be served as a useful marker to detecting also impaired renal functions in infants with perinatal asphyxia.     

Corrosion Properties of Ceramic-Based TiO2 Films on Plasma Oxidized Ti6A14V/316L Layered Implant Structured Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting

Selective Laser Melting(SLM),one of the metal additive manufacturing methods in the powder bed,is frequently used in the pro-duction of 316L stainless steel bio...     

Effect of tamoxifen on the Notch signaling pathway in ovarian follicles of mice

ABSTRACT

We investigated the effect of tamoxifen (TAM) treatment on the Notch signaling pathway in mouse ovary. Mice were randomly divided into four groups. Control group A animals were untreated. Control group B animals were treated with the vehicle only. Animals of the 0.5 TAM group received 0.5 mg/day TAM. Animals of the 1.5 TAM group received 1.5 mg/day of TAM. TAM was injected subcutaneously for 5 days. Body weights were measured at the start and end of the experiment. Sections were stained using Crossman’s modified trichrome to examine general ovarian structure. Other sections were immunostained to demonstrate Jagged 1, Ki 67 and Notch 2. The TUNEL method was used to detect apoptosis. No significant differences in body weight or ovarian weight were found among the experimental groups. The number of primordial follicles was greater in the treatment groups than in the control groups, while the number of antral follicles and corpora lutea were reduced in the treatment groups. Cell proliferation rates were decreased by TAM treatment and cystic follicles were formed in the ovarian stroma. Notch 2 expression in the granulosa cells was increased following TAM administration, but no change was found in Jagged 1 expression. TAM administration suppressed follicular development and exhibited a negative effect on ovarian morphology. Our findings suggest that the Notch pathway participates in the action of TAM. We suggest that it may be useful to use Notch pathway regulators to adjust the effects of TAM on the ovary.     

Wear Resistance and Non-Magnetic Layer Formation on 316L Implant Material with Plasma Nitriding

In this study, the applicability of plasma nitriding treatment in the production of non-magnetic and corrosion resistant layer on 316L stainless steel implant material was investigated. 316L stainless steel substrates were plasma nitrided at temperatures of 350 ℃, 375 ℃, 400 ℃, 425 ℃ and 450 ℃ for 2 h in a gas mixture of 50% N2-50% H2, respectively. It was determined that the treatment temperature is the most important factor on the properties of the corrosion resistant layer of 316L stainless steel. The results show that s-phase formed at the temperatures under 400 ℃, and at the temperatures above 400 ℃, instead of s-phase, CrN and y＇-Fe4N phases were observed in the modified layer. The electrical resistivity and surface roughness of the modified layer increase with treatment temperature. Under 400 ℃ the corrosion resistance increased with the temperature, above 400 ℃ it decreased with the increase in treatment temperature. It was analyzed that the electrical resistivity and the soft （ideal） ferro- magnetic properties of 316L stainless steel increased with treatment temperature during nitriding treatment. Also, plasma ni- triding at low temperatures provided magnetic behavior close to the ideal untreated 316L stainless steel.     

Application of high-resolution melting analysis for differentiation of spoilage yeasts

A new method based on high resolution melting (HRM) analysis was developed for the differentiation and classification of the yeast species that cause food spoilage. A total 134 strains belonging to 21 different yeast species were examined to evaluate the discriminative power of HRM analysis. Two different highly variable DNA regions on the 26 rRNA gene were targeted to produce the HRM profiles of each strain. HRM-based grouping was compared and confirmed by (GTG)5 rep-PCR fingerprinting analysis. All of the yeast species belonging to the genera Pichia, Candida, Kazachstania, Kluyveromyces, Debaryomyces, Dekkera, Saccharomyces, Torulaspora, Ustilago, and Yarrowia, which were produced as species-specific HRM profiles, allowed discrimination at species and/or strain level. The HRM analysis of both target regions provided successful discrimination that correlated with rep-PCR fingerprinting analysis. Consequently, the HRM analysis has the potential for use in the rapid and accurate classification and typing of yeast species isolated from different foods to determine their sources and routes as well as to prevent contamination.     

West Nile virus studies in the Sanliurfa Province of Turkey

We attempted to isolate West Nile virus from mosquitoes collected in the field for the first time in Turkey. A total of 6,457 mosquito specimens from Culex pipiens Linnaeus, Ochlerotatus caspius (Pallas) and Aedes spp. species were included in this study. Culex pipiens samples made up 56% of the total species, O. caspius 24% and Aedes spp 20%. There were no positive results after studying mosquito samples using Real-time PCR, VecTest, and Vero cell culture. In serological tests of 181 human serum samples, 29 (16%) were found to be West Nile positive. On the basis of these results, we intend to collect more mosquito samples especially from those areas from which positive serum samples were obtained.     

Manganese peroxidase production by immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 in a cell bioreactor

Manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) production was performed in an immobilized cell bioreactor in which Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 was immobilized on polystyrene foam. The immobilized cell culture yielded significantly greater MnP activity than the conventional stationary liquid culture. Cultivation was carried out in batch mode; the effect of glucose concentration was investigated and growth kinetics parameters were found as, micromax=0.59 day(-1), Ks=0.33 g/L and Kss=14.5. Batch operation led to maximum MnP (770.82 U/L) in the culture medium containing 0.05% Tween 80, 10 g/L glucose, and 174 microM Mn2+ at 37 degrees C and pH 4.5. Enzyme productivity was obtained as 110.12 U/day/L.     

Long-chain fatty acyl-coenzyme A-induced inhibition of glucokinase in pancreatic islets from rats depleted in long-chain polyunsaturated omega3 fatty acids

The metabolism of D-glucose was recently reported to be impaired in pancreatic islets from second generation rats depleted in long-chain polyunsaturated omega3 fatty acids. Considering the increased clearance of circulating non-esterified fatty acids prevailing in these rats, a possible inhibition of glucokinase in insulin-producing cells by endogenous long-chain fatty acyl-CoA was considered. The present study was mainly aimed at assessing the validity of the latter proposal. The activity of glucokinase in islet homogenates, as judged from the increase in D-glucose phosphorylation rate in response to a rise in the concentration of the hexose represented, in the omega3-depleted rats, was only 81.8 +/- 4.8% (n = 11; p < 0.005) of the paired value recorded in control animals. This coincided with the fact that the inclusion of D-glucose 6-phosphate (3.0 mM) and D-fructose 1-phosphate (1.0 mM) in the assay medium resulted in a lesser fractional decrease of D-glucose phosphorylation in omega3-depleted rats than in control animals. Moreover, whereas palmitoyl-CoA (50 microM) decreased the activity of glucokinase by 38.0 +/- 6.0% (n = 4; p < 0.01) in islet homogenates from normal rats, the CoA ester failed to affect significantly the activity of glucokinase in islet homogenates from omega3-depleted rats. These findings afford direct support for the view that glucokinase is indeed inhibited by endogenous long-chain fatty acyl-CoA in islets from omega3-depleted rats, such an inhibition probably participating to the alteration of D-glucose catabolism prevailing in these islets.