New and different lignocellulosic materials from Turkey for laccase and manganese peroxidase production by Trametes versicolor

In the present study, the production of laccase (Lac) and manganese‐dependent peroxidase (MnP) by the white‐rot fungus Trametes versicolor grown in submerged cultures with different agricultural residues was investigated. The lignocellulosic materials studied were almond shells, hazelnut husks, sunflower stems, clover straw and hazelnut cobs, because they are common agricultural wastes in Turkey. Among the different lignocellulosic materials studied, hazelnut cobs provided the highest Lac and MnP activities (47.09 and 109.21 U/L, respectively). The optimum conditions were determined for Lac and MnP production in submerged cultures of T. versicolor by using hazelnut cobs as substrate. For Lac production, the optimum incubation time, hazelnut cob concentration, pH, and shaking rate were found as 4 days, 2% w/v, 6.0 and 130 rpm, respectively. For MnP production, the optimum incubation time, hazelnut cob concentration, pH and shaking rate were found as 5 days, 2% w/v, 6.0 and 90 rpm, respectively.     

Recurrent distal 7q11.23 deletion including HIP1 and YWHAG identified in patients with intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, and neurobehavioral problems

We report 26 individuals from ten unrelated families who exhibit variable expression and/or incomplete penetrance of epilepsy, learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, and/or neurobehavioral abnormalities as a result of a heterozygous microdeletion distally adjacent to the Williams-Beuren syndrome region on chromosome 7q11.23. In six families with a common recurrent ∼1.2 Mb deletion that includes the Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 (HIP1) and tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein gamma (YWHAG) genes and that is flanked by large complex low-copy repeats, we identified sites for nonallelic homologous recombination in two patients. There were no cases of this ∼1.2 Mb distal 7q11.23 deletion copy number variant identified in over 20,000 control samples surveyed. Three individuals with smaller, nonrecurrent deletions (∼180–500 kb) that include HIP1 but not YWHAG suggest that deletion of HIP1 is sufficient to cause neurological disease. Mice with targeted mutation in the Hip1 gene (Hip1^−/−) develop a neurological phenotype characterized by failure to thrive, tremor, and gait ataxia. Overall, our data characterize a neurodevelopmental and epilepsy syndrome that is likely caused by recurrent and nonrecurrent deletions, including HIP1. These data do not exclude the possibility that YWHAG loss of function is also sufficient to cause neurological phenotypes. Based on the current knowledge of Hip1 protein function and its proposed role in AMPA and NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptor trafficking, we believe that HIP1 haploinsufficiency in humans will be amenable to rational drug design for improved seizure control and cognitive and behavioral function.     

Mitochondrial DNA common deletion is not associated with thyroid, breast and colorectal tumors in Turkish patients

Recently, efforts have been focused on mitochondrial DNA changes and their relation to human cancers. Among them, a 4977 bp deletion of mitochondrial DNA, named "common deletion", has been investigated in several types of tumors, with inconsistent results. In this study, we investigated the presence of the common deletion in tissues from 25 breast, 25 colorectal and 50 thyroid tumors and in the adjacent healthy tissues from Turkish patients. Samples from healthy volunteers were also evaluated for comparison. Two PCR-based methods were used for the detection of the common deletion. First, two pairs of primers were used to amplify wild-type and deleted mtDNA. Then, a highly sensitive nested-PCR was performed, to determine low amounts of deleted genomes. By the first method, wild-type mtDNAs were observed in all samples, but a deletion was observed in only six thyroid samples, by using the nested-PCR method. In conclusion, the mitochondrial common deletion was very rare in our study group and did not appear to be not related with cancer.     

The inhibitory effects and removal of dieldrin in continuous upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

The inhibitory effects and removal efficiency of dieldrin (DLD) in anaerobic reactors were investigated. Anaerobic toxicity assay (ATA) experiments conducted in batch reactors revealed that 30 mg/l DLD had inhibitory effects on the unacclimated mixed anaerobic cultures. Continuous reactor experiments performed in a lab-scale two-stage upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor system which was fed with ethanol as the sole carbon source, indicated that anaerobic granular cultures could be successfully acclimated to DLD. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 88-92% for the two-stage system. The influent DLD concentration of 10 mg/l was removed by 44-86% and 86-94% in the second stage and overall UASB system, respectively. Biosorption of DLD on granular anaerobic biomass was found to be a significant mechanism for DLD removal in the UASB system. The maximum DLD loading rate and minimum HRT achievable for the first stage UASB reactor were 0.5 mg/lday (76 microg DLD/g VSS.day) and 10 h, respectively, which resulted in the overall COD removal efficiency of 85%.     

Modelling Net Photosynthetic Rate of Winter Wheat in Elevated Air CO2 Concentrations

Winter wheat plants were grown in open top chambers either at 365 µmol mol^–1 (AC) or at 700 µmol mol^–1 (EC) air CO₂ concentrations. The photosynthetic response of flag leaves at the beginning of flowering and on four vertical leaf levels at the beginning of grain filling were measured. Net photosynthetic rates (P _N) were higher at both developmental phases in plants grown at EC coupled with larger leaf area and photosynthetic pigment contents. The widely accepted Farquhar net photosynthesis model was parameterised and tested using several observed data. After parameterisation the test results corresponded satisfactorily with observed values under several environmental conditions.     

Facile synthesis of 17-formyl steroids via palladium-catalyzed homogeneous carbonylation reaction

17-formyl-androst-16-ene and its analogues were synthesized from the corresponding 17-iodo-16-ene derivatives in palladium-catalyzed formylation reaction using tributyltin hydride as hydrogen source under mild reaction conditions. The formation of androst-16-ene and its isomerization products, as well as that of analogous steroidal olefins as side-products, was found to be dependent on the reaction conditions. The formylation reaction tolerates various functional groups on the A and B rings of the steroids.     

Host discrimination by two desert fleas using an odour cue

We compared the responses of two fleas, Xenopsylla dipodilli and Parapulex chephrenis simultaneously exposed to the odours of their rodent hosts, Gerbillus dasyurus (specific host ofX. dipodilli ) and Acomys cahirinus (specific host of P. chephrenis). We hypothesized that fleas are able to discriminate between host species by using an odour cue and predicted that X. dipodilli andP. chephrenis would select an odour of an appropriate host species. Xenopsylla dipodilli choseG. dasyurus significantly more often than A. cahirinus, whereas P. chephrenis choseA. cahirinus significantly more often than G. dasyurus. The ability to select an appropriate host species did not differ significantly either between flea species or between individuals of different sex or age classes within flea species. No X. dipodilli, but 67 of 150 P. chephrenis, refused to choose a host. The latency to move in an experimental maze was significantly shorter for X. dipodilli than P. chephrenis. The flea species also differed in the time taken from the beginning of the movement to the choice of a host, withX. dipodilli being faster than P. chephrenis. Neither flea sex nor age affected this parameter in either species. Females of both flea species produced significantly more eggs when they fed on their specific host than when they fed on the other host species. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.     

Temporal trends in associations between severe mental illness and risk of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundSevere mental illness (SMI; schizophrenia, bipolar disorders (BDs), and other nonorganic psychoses) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD-related mortality. To date, no systematic review has investigated changes in population level CVD-related mortality over calendar time. It is unclear if this relationship has changed over time in higher-income countries with changing treatments.Methods and findingsTo address this gap, a systematic review was conducted, to assess the association between SMI and CVD including temporal change. Seven databases were searched (last: November 30, 2021) for cohort or case–control studies lasting ≥1 year, comparing frequency of CVD mortality or incidence in high-income countries between people with versus without SMI. No language restrictions were applied. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted to compute pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and rate ratios, pooled standardised mortality ratios (SMRs), pooled odds ratios (ORs), and pooled risk ratios (RRs) of CVD in those with versus without SMI. Temporal trends were explored by decade. Subgroup analyses by age, sex, setting, world region, and study quality (Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS) score) were conducted. The narrative synthesis included 108 studies, and the quantitative synthesis 59 mortality studies (with (≥1,841,356 cases and 29,321,409 controls) and 28 incidence studies (≥401,909 cases and 14,372,146 controls). The risk of CVD-related mortality for people with SMI was higher than controls across most comparisons, except for total CVD-related mortality for BD and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) for mixed SMI. Estimated risks were larger for schizophrenia than BD. Pooled results ranged from SMR = 1.55 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33 to 1.81, p < 0.001), for CVA in people with BD to HR/rate ratio = 2.40 (95% CI: 2.25 to 2.55, p < 0.001) for CVA in schizophrenia. For schizophrenia and BD, SMRs and pooled HRs/rate ratios for CHD and CVD mortality were larger in studies with outcomes occurring during the 1990s and 2000s than earlier decades (1980s: SMR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.57 to 2.30, p = 0.71; 2000s: SMR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.93 to 3.47, p < 0.001 for schizophrenia and CHD) and in studies including people with younger age. The incidence of CVA, CVD events, and heart failure in SMI was higher than controls. Estimated risks for schizophrenia ranged from HR/rate ratio 1.25 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.51, p = 0.016) for total CVD events to rate ratio 3.82 (95% CI: 3.1 to 4.71, p < 0.001) for heart failure. Incidence of CHD was higher in BD versus controls. However, for schizophrenia, CHD was elevated in higher-quality studies only. The HR/rate ratios for CVA and CHD were larger in studies with outcomes occurring after the 1990s. Study limitations include the high risk of bias of some studies as they drew a comparison cohort from general population rates and the fact that it was difficult to exclude studies that had overlapping populations, although attempts were made to minimise this.ConclusionsIn this study, we found that SMI was associated with an approximate doubling in the rate ratio of CVD-related mortality, particularly since the 1990s, and in younger groups. SMI was also associated with increased incidence of CVA and CHD relative to control participants since the 1990s. More research is needed to clarify the association between SMI and CHD and ways to mitigate this risk.

Amanda Lambert and co-workers study associations between severe mental illness and cardiovascular disease outcomes over time.