Molecular characterization,virulence and horizontal transmission of Beauveria pseudobassiana from Dendroctonus micans (Kug.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The great spruce bark beetle, Dendroctonus micans (Kugelann) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), has been a potential threat for Turkey and the entire Eurasian spruce forests for many years. Control strategies which have been applied so far are still insufficient to prevent its damage. A previous study has shown that a Beauveria isolate (ARSEF 9271) proved to be an efficient microbial control agent against the great spruce bark beetle. In this study, this isolate was identified as B. pseudobassiana based on the partial sequence of EF1‐α and ITS sequence. A conidial suspension (1 × 10⁸/ml) of this fungus caused 100% mortality on both larvae and adults of D. micans within 5 and 6 days, respectively. Also, it caused 100% mycosis value on both larvae and adults. Mortality values of horizontal transmission experiments between larvae and adults which were contaminated with 1 × 10⁶/ml spore suspension at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% rates were determined as 100% after 15 days at 20°C under the laboratory conditions. We also determined the decrease of the damage in spruce wood block (15 × 25 cm) when the contamination rate of the larvae was increased. Our results indicate that B. pseudobassiana ARSEF 9271 seems to be a very promising biocontrol agent against D. micans.     

Interleukin 18 gene polymorphism is a risk factor for multiple sclerosis

Proinflammatory cytokines with immunosuppressive properties play an important role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is one of the most important innate cytokines produced from macrophages in the early stages of the inflammatory immune response. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was any relationship between IL18 gene polymorphisms and MS. IL18 genotyping were performed in 101 MS patients and 164 control subjects by using the PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) method. The frequency of MS patients with the CC genotype of the IL18 gene at position ?137 was significantly higher than with the GG genotype [p = 0.01, odds ratio (OR) 3.17]. In haplotype analysis of two SNPs in the IL18 gene, frequency of the CC haplotype was significantly higher in MS patients (p = 0.002, OR 3.0). However, the genotype distribution of the IL18 ?607 C/A polymorphism in the MS patient group was not significantly different from that of the control group. These data suggest that IL18 gene polymorphisms at position ?137 might be a genetic risk factor for MS in the Turkish population.     

Novel hydroxyl radical scavenging antioxidant activity assay for water-soluble antioxidants using a modified CUPRAC method

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide anion, hydroxyl ((*)OH), peroxyl, and alkoxyl radicals may attack biological macromolecules giving rise to oxidative stress-originated diseases. Since (*)OH is very short-lived, secondary products resulting from (*)OH attack to various probes are measured. Although the measurement of aromatic hydroxylation with HPLC/electrochemical detection is more specific than the low-yield TBARS test, it requires sophisticated instrumentation. As a more convenient and less costly alternative, we used p-aminobenzoate, 2,4- and 3,5-dimethoxybenzoate probes for detecting hydroxyl radicals generated from an equivalent mixture of Fe(II)+EDTA with hydrogen peroxide. The produced hydroxyl radicals attacked both the probe and the water-soluble antioxidants in 37 degrees C-incubated solutions for 2h. The CUPRAC (i.e., our original method for total antioxidant capacity assay) absorbance of the ethylacetate extract due to the reduction of Cu(II)-neocuproine reagent by the hydroxylated probe decreased in the presence of (*)OH scavengers, the difference being proportional to the scavenging ability of the tested compound. A rate constant for the reaction of the scavenger with hydroxyl radical can be deduced from the inhibition of color formation. The second-order rate constants of the scavengers were determined with competition kinetics by means of a linear plot of A(0)/A as a function of C(scavenger)/C(probe), where A(0) and A are the CUPRAC absorbances of the system in the absence and presence of scavenger, respectively, and C is the molar concentration of relevant species. The 2,4- and 3,5-dimethoxybenzoates were the best probes in terms of linearity and sensitivity. Iodide, metabisulfite, hexacyanoferrate(II), thiourea, formate, and dimethyl sulfoxide were shown by the modified CUPRAC assay to be more effective scavengers than mannitol, glucose, lysine, and simple alcohols, as in the TBARS assay. The developed method is less lengthy, more specific, and of a higher yield than the classical TBARS assay. The hydroxyl radical scavenging rate constants of ascorbic acid, formate, and hexacyanoferrate(II) that caused interference in other assays could be easily found with the proposed procedure.     

N-acetylcysteine modulates doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress and antioxidant vitamin concentrations in liver of rats

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a chemotherapeutic agent, and is widely used in cancer treatment. The most common side effect of DOX was indicated on cardiovascular system by experimental studies. There are some studies suggesting oxidative stress-induced toxic changes on liver related to DOX administration. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) relieves oxidative stress in DOX- induced liver injury in rat. Twenty-four male rats were equally divided into three groups. First group was used as a control. Second group received single dose of DOX. NAC for 10 days was given to constituting the third group after giving one dose of DOX. After 10 days of the experiment, liver tissues were taken from all animals. Lipid peroxidation (LP) levels were higher in the DOX group than in control whereas LP levels were lower in the DOX+NAC group than in control. Vitamin C and vitamin E levels were lower in the DOX group than in control whereas vitamin C and vitamin E levels were higher in the DOX+NAC group than in the DOX group. Reduced glutathione levels were higher in the DOX+NAC group than in control and DOX group. Glutathione peroxidase, vitamin A and β-carotene values were not changed in the three groups by DOX and NAC administrations. In histopathological evaluation of DOX group, there were mononuclear cell infiltrations, vacuolar degeneration, hepatocytes with basophilic nucleus and sinusoidal dilatations. The findings were totally recovered by NAC administration. In conclusion, N-acetylcysteine induced modulator effects on the doxorubicin-induced hepatoxicity by inhibiting free radical production and supporting the antioxidant vitamin levels.     

The Effect of Glutathione Treatment on the Biochemical and Immunohistochemical Profile in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

This study investigated the possible role of glutathione (GSH) in diabetic complications and its biochemical safety in experimental diabetic rats. Serum biochemical parameters and the histology of the pancreas were investigated. Seven rats were separated as controls. To create the diabetes in rats, 45 mg/kg single-dose streptozotocin (STZ) was administered i.p. The treatment was continued for 1 month. STZ was administered to the diabetes + GSH group, then reduced GSH, dissolved in isotonic salt solution (200 mg/kg), was applied i.p. two times a week. The GSH group received i.p. GSH. Serum biochemical parameters were determined by autoanalyzer. Immunohistochemical procedures were used to determine the percentage of the insulin-immunoreactive β-cell area in the islets of Langerhans. The biochemical parameters changed to different degrees or did not change. Pancreatic cells of the control and GSH groups were healthy, but in the diabetic and GSH-treated diabetic groups we found damage in different numbers. The results from these analyses show that GSH supplementation can exert beneficial effects on pancreatic cells in STZ-induced diabetic rats and can safely be used for therapy in and protection from diabetes and complications of diabetes.     

Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome in presumably identical twins

Summary A Saudi Arabian family with 3 cases of Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome, 2 of whom are presumably identical twins, is presented. Although it is generally accepted that this condition is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, no conclusive data exist in the literature to support this theory.

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Zusammenfassung Wir präsentieren eine saudiarabische Familie, in der 2 Mitglieder vermutlich eineiige Zwillinge sind. In dieser Familie finden sich 3 Fälle von Laurence-Moon-Biedl-Syndrom. Wenngleich allgemein angenommen wird, daß dieser Zustand als autosomales recessives Merkmal vererbt wird, existieren hierfür keine überzeugenden Daten in der Literatur.

     

A molecular dynamics study to investigate the local atomic arrangements during martensitic phase transformations

In this study, the local atomic rearrangements caused by thermally induced martensitic phase transitions in Ni-37.5 at.%Al alloy model based on embedded atom method are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The local atomic orders and defective structural part of the transformed regions are analysed using the bond orientational order parameters, which are employed mainly to diagnose short-range order of liquid state structures, and the radial distribution functions. In addition, short-range order properties in the model alloy were analysed using Honeycutt–Andersen method, which is commonly used to determine the relationship between atomic pairs. The results of our simulations disclosed that the local atomic rearrangement is of great importance to understand the local character of the transformation path from austenite to martensite phase.     

ACPA decreases non-small cell lung cancer line growth through Akt/PI3K and JNK pathways in vitro

Therapeutic agents used for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have limited curative efficacy and may trigger serious adverse effects. Cannabinoid ligands exert antiproliferative effect and induce apoptosis on numerous epithelial cancers. We confirmed that CB1 receptor (CB1R) is expressed in NSCLC cells in this study. Arachidonoylcyclopropylamide (ACPA) as a synthetic, CB1R-specific ligand decreased proliferation rate in NSCLC cells by WST-1 analysis and real-time proliferation assay (RTCA). The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) dose of ACPA was calculated as 1.39 × 10⁻¹² M. CB1 antagonist AM281 inhibited the antiproliferative effect of ACPA. Flow cytometry and ultrastructural analyzes revealed significant early and late apoptosis with diminished cell viability. Nano-immunoassay and metabolomics data on activation status of CB1R-mediated pro-apoptotic pathways found that ACPA inhibited Akt/PI3K pathway, glycolysis, TCA cycle, amino acid biosynthesis, and urea cycle and activated JNK pathway. ACPA lost its chemical stability after 24 hours tested by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay. A novel ACPA-PCL nanoparticle system was developed by nanoprecipitation method and characterized. Sustained release of ACPA-PCL nanoparticles also reduced proliferation of NSCLC cells. Our results demonstrated that low dose ACPA and ACPA-PCL nanoparticle system harbor opportunities to be developed as a novel therapy in NSCLC patients that require further in vivo studies beforehand to validate its anticancer effect.Subject terms: Cancer metabolism, Non-small-cell lung cancer, Apoptosis     

Influence of macrolide maintenance therapy and bacterial colonisation on exacerbation frequency and progression of COPD (COLUMBUS): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by progressive development of airflow limitation that is poorly reversible. Because of a poor understanding of COPD pathogenesis, treatment is mostly symptomatic and new therapeutic strategies are limited. There is a direct relationship between the severity of the disease and the intensity of the inflammatory response. Besides smoking, one of the hypotheses for the persistent airway inflammation is the presence of recurrent infections. Macrolide antibiotics have bacteriostatic as well as anti-inflammatory properties in patients with cystic fibrosis and other inflammatory pulmonary diseases. There is consistent evidence that macrolide therapy reduces infectious exacerbations, decreases the requirement for additional antibiotics and improves nutritional measures. Because of these positive effects we hypothesised that maintenance macrolide therapy may also have beneficial effects in patients with COPD who have recurrent exacerbations. The effects on development of bacterial resistance to macrolides due to this long-term treatment are unknown. Until now, studies investigating macrolide therapy in COPD are limited. The objective of this study is to assess whether maintenance treatment with macrolide antibiotics in COPD patients with three or more exacerbations in the previous year decreases the exacerbation rate in the year of treatment and to establish microbial resistance due to the long-term treatment. Methods/design The study is set up as a prospective randomised double-blind placebo-controlled single-centre trial. A total of 92 patients with COPD who have had at least three exacerbations of COPD in the previous year will be included. Subjects will be randomised to receive either azithromycin 500 mg three times a week or placebo. Our primary endpoint is the reduction in the number of exacerbations of COPD in the year of treatment. DISCUSSION: We investigate whether long-term therapy with macrolide antibiotics can prevent exacerbations in patients with COPD. Additionally, our study aims to assess the effect of long-term use of macrolide on the development of antimicrobial resistance and on inflammatory parameters related to COPD. We believe this study will provide more data on the effects of macrolide treatment in patients in COPD and will add more knowledge on its working mechanisms. Trial registration www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00985244.     

A study of sutural bones in Anatolian-Ottoman skulls

In this study, a total of 302 adult Anatolian-Ottoman skulls were classified into three morphological forms (dolichocephalic, mesocephalic, brachycephalic), and were examined in order to find the incidence of sutural bones in each forms. In addition, the cranial capacity was measured in the skulls with and without sutural bones. Comparison of the incidence of sutural bones in each form of the skulls, and cranial capacity in skulls with and without sutural bones showed no significant difference. In most populations, the average measure of difference between Anatolian-Ottoman and the others was statistically significant. In conclusion, the incidence of sutural bones is well suited for comperative studies as an anthropological marker or an indicator of population distance. This study was presented in the 3rd National Anatomy Congress (6–9 Sept 1995) Izmir, Türkiye.