Treatment of textile effluents with Pistia stratiotes,Eichhornia crassipes and Oedogonium sp.

Abstract

Phytoremediation by aquatic macrophytes is a promising technology with higher efficiency and no energy consumption. For this purpose, two macrophytes (Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes), and an alga (Oedogonium sp.) were used to treat textile effluents rich in COD, BOD, dyes, and heavy metals (Pb, Fe, Cd, Cu). The aim of the study was to focus on comparative phytoremediation potential of these species by their metal removal capability. During 7?days experiment (day 0–day 6), the results showed that Oedogonium sp. was the best for COD removal and decolorization. Eichhornia crassipes was the best for BOD and heavy metal removal and proves more efficient than Pistia stratiotes and Oedogonium sp. However, Pistia stratiotes was found to accumulate more concentrations of Pb and Fe than Eichhornia stratiotes.     

Deletion of Chromosomal Region 8p21 Confers Resistance to Bortezomib and Is Associated with Upregulated Decoy TRAIL Receptor Expression in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Loss of the chromosomal region 8p21 negatively effects survival in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) that undergo autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). In this study, we aimed to identify the immunological and molecular consequences of del(8)(p21) with regards to treatment response and bortezomib resistance.In patients receiving bortezomib as a single first line agent without any high-dose therapy, we have observed that patients with del(8)(p21) responded poorly to bortezomib with 50% showing no response while patients without the deletion had a response rate of 90%. In vitro analysis revealed a higher resistance to bortezomib possibly due to an altered gene expression profile caused by del(8)(p21) including genes such as TRAIL-R4, CCDC25, RHOBTB2, PTK2B, SCARA3, MYC, BCL2 and TP53. Furthermore, while bortezomib sensitized MM cells without del(8)(p21) to TRAIL/APO2L mediated apoptosis, in cells with del(8)(p21) bortezomib failed to upregulate the pro-apoptotic death receptors TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 which are located on the 8p21 region. Also expressing higher levels of the decoy death receptor TRAIL-R4, these cells were largely resistant to TRAIL/APO2L mediated apoptosis.Corroborating the clinical outcome of the patients, our data provides a potential explanation regarding the poor response of MM patients with del(8)(p21) to bortezomib treatment. Furthermore, our clinical analysis suggests that including immunomodulatory agents such as Lenalidomide in the treatment regimen may help to overcome this negative effect, providing an alternative consideration in treatment planning of MM patients with del(8)(p21).     

Partial purification and characterization of the novel halotolerant and alkalophilic laccase produced by a new isolate of Bacillus subtilis LP2

Laccases (benzenediol: oxygen oxidoreductases, [EC1.10.3.2] are mostly known as members of the blue multicopper oxidase family that are used in very different industrial applications: textile, pulp and paper, food, cosmetics industries, bioremediation process, biosensor, biofuel and organic synthesis. Stability against the extreme conditions is an important property and it makes laccase suitable for several industrial processes. Laccase should have salt resistance to be used in textile dye degradation because the textile wastewaters include dyes with high concentrations of salts, especially NaCl. Bacterial laccases are preferable to be used for bioremediation process due to their high stability to extremely salt contaminated and alkalophilic environment. Bacillus subtilis LP2 was identified as a source of alkali-tolerant, salt resistant laccase. Laccase showed activity over a wide pH (4–10) and temperature (30–80?°C) range. Maximum laccase activity was observed as 140.4?U/mg (umol/min*mg) at pH 8 and 50?°C with the substrate guaiacol. Stability of laccase was determined as 60% and 20% after incubation of the enzyme for different time intervals of 20 and 40?min at 50?°C and pH 8. SDS (10?mM) and EDTA (5?mM) decreased laccase activity from 100% to 0% and 56%, respectively. Despite the other inhibitors, NaCI increased the activity of laccase to 167% at 500?mM concentration. Laccase from Bacillus subtilis LP2 barely showed the activity on the substrates vanillin and L-tyrosine. These results clearly show that laccase from Bacillus subtilis LP2 has high potential to be used for several applications in textile industry.     

17Beta-estradiol attenuates PDGF signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells at the postreceptor level

Estrogens are known to display significant vasoprotective effects in premenopausal women. PDGF is an important mediator of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation, and thus atherogenesis. We analyzed the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E2) on beta-PDGF receptor (beta-PDGFR) expression/activation and PDGF-dependent VSMC proliferation, migration, and downstream signaling events. Pretreatment of VSMCs with E2 (0.3 microM-0.1 mM) for 24 h concentration-dependently inhibited PDGF-induced proliferation and migration up to 85.5 +/- 15.8% and 79.4 +/- 9.8%, respectively (both P < 0.05). These effects were prevented by coincubation with the ER antagonist ICI-182780. E2 did not alter beta-PDGFR expression, nor did it impair the ligand-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the beta-PDGFR and consecutive binding of the receptor-associated signaling molecules Src homology region 2-containing phosphatase-2, PLC-gamma, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and RasGAP. Thus estrogens inhibited PDGF-induced cellular responses at the postreceptor level. Although stimulation of VSMCs with PDGF-BB led to a transient increase of rac-1 activity, pretreatment with E2 for 24 h concentration-dependently inhibited PDGF-induced rac-1 activation. Furthermore, inhibition of rac-1 by Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin or overexpression of dominant-negative rac-1 (rac-N17) significantly inhibited PDGF-induced VSMC migration, indicating that rac-1 activity is essential for PDGF-dependent cellular responses. E2 did not further reduce PDGF-induced migration in rac-N17-overexpressing cells, suggesting that it diminishes VSMC migration by altering rac-1 activity. We conclude that E2 attenuates PDGF-dependent cellular functions of VSMCs downstream of the beta-PDGFR via inhibition of rac-1. These observations offer a molecular explanation for the vasoprotective effects of estrogens.     

Antioxidant response to drought in red and white clover

Antioxidant response to drought in red (Trifolium pratense L., cv. ??Start??) and white clover (Trifolium repens L, cv. ??Haifa?? and cv. ??Debut??) grown as soil cultures was evaluated in water-deprived and recovered plants. Drought provoked oxidative stress in leaves confirmed by the considerable changes in electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxides and proline contents. Immunoblot of ??-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS), which catalyzes the first two steps in proline biosynthesis, revealed strong induction of the enzyme in red clover plants submitted to drought. Water-deprived white clover plants exhibited distinct P5CS profiles. This was related to different drought tolerance of the studied T. repens cultivars. Isoenzyme analyses of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX) and catalase (CAT) demonstrated certain differences in antioxidant defence among the tested varieties. It was confirmed that MnSOD (in both T. repens and T pratense) and FeSOD (in T. repens) isoforms were the most affected by drought. The red clover cultivar ??Start?? exhibited the lowest FeSOD and POX activities which could contribute to its poor performance under water deprivation.     

Strategic citizens of America: transnational inequalities and transformation of citizenship

This article analyses the process whereby ‘natural' citizens of one country mobilize their resources so that their children receive by birthright, the citizenship of a rich liberal democracy. Utilizing the case of Turkish upper classes, who give birth in the USA in order to benefit from the jus soli principle, we trace the emergence of new inequalities at the intersection of multiple citizenship regimes. We show that, by mobilizing resources in markets of health care, travel, and real estate, those with means can acquire US citizenship for their children in expectation of future benefits. Because they are able to access ‘valuable' citizenships, these actors can strategically combine privileges within nation states with inequalities between citizenship regimes at the global level for the children. Their differential access to citizenship enhances the gate-keeping functions of citizenship. Based on these observations, we draw an analogy between citizenship and property regimes, understood broadly.     

Determination of lipoic acid in human plasma by HPLC-ECD using liquid–liquid and solid-phase extraction: Method development,validation and optimization of experimental parameters

A rapid, inexpensive, sensitive and specific HPLC-ECD method for the determination of lipoic acid in human plasma was developed and validated over the linearity range of 0.001–10 μg/ml using naproxen sodium as an internal standard (IS). Extraction of lipoic acid and IS from plasma (250 μl) was carried out with a simple one step liquid–liquid extraction using dichloromethane. Similarly solid-phase extraction was carried out using dichloromethane as extraction solvent. The separated organic layer was dried under the stream of nitrogen at 40 °C and the residue was reconstituted with the mobile phase. Complete separation of both lipoic acid and IS at 30 °C on Discovery HS C18 RP column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was achieved in 6 min using 0.05 M phosphate buffer (pH 2.5 adjusted with phosphoric acid):acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) as a mobile phase pumped at the rate of 1.5 ml/min using electrochemical detector in DC mode at the detector potential of 1.0 V. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of lipoic acid were 200 pg/ml and 1 ng/ml, respectively. While on column limit of detection and limit of quantification of lipoic acid were 10 and 50 pg/ml, respectively. The absolute recoveries of lipoic acid with liquid–liquid and solid-phase extraction were 98.43, 95.65, 101.45, and 97.36, 102.73, 100.17% at 0.5, 1 and 5 μg/ml levels, respectively. Coefficient of variations for both intra-day and inter-day were between 0.28 and 4.97%. The method is validated and will be quite suitable for the analysis of lipoic acid in the plasma of human volunteers as well as patients with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.     

Effect of misoprostol on bone mineral density in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of misoprostol on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed in a randomized controlled prospective manner in 90 women with menopause at Süleymaniye Maternity and Women's Diseases Teaching and Research Hospital between January and December 2003. Cases were divided into three groups each consisting of 30 women who were in menopause for at least 1 year and had t-scores less than -1 by dual energy X-ray densitometry (DEXA). Group I was treated with misoprostol and calcium, Group II received tibolone and calcium and Group III was given calcium only and considered as control group. In all patients, bone mineral density in L1-L4 vertebrae, femur neck and Ward triangle were measured by DEXA and t and z scores were calculated. RESULTS: All groups were similar demographically. Bone mineral density in L1-L4 vertebrae, femur neck and Ward triangle in the group treated with misoprostol, increased by 5, 8.1 and 3.6%, respectively. In the tibolone group, bone mineral density in L1-L4 vertebrae, femur neck and Ward triangle increased by 8.3, 5.3 and 7.8%, respectively. There was not a significant difference in t and z-scores and bone mineral density measurements between misoprostol and tibolon groups. CONCLUSION: Misoprostol may be an alternative treatment for patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis who are not suitable for hormone replacement therapy.     

Validity of leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance measurement in highly active women

The aim of this study was to compare the validity of the leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method with that of anthropometry using hydrostatic weighing (HW) as the criterion test. A secondary objective was to cross-validate previously developed anthropometric regression equations as well as to develop a new regression equation formula based on the anthropometric data collected in this study. Three methods for assessing body composition (HW, BIA, and anthropometric) were applied to 60 women university athletes. The means and standard deviations of age, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) of athletes were as follows: age, 20.70 +/- 1.43; weight, 56.19 +/- 7.83 kg; height, 163.33 +/- 6.11 cm; BMI, 21.01 +/- 2.63 kg x m(-2). Leg-to-leg BIA (11.82 +/- 2.39) has shown no statistical difference between percentage body fat determined by HW (11.63 +/- 2.42%) in highly active women (p > 0.05). This result suggests that the leg-to-leg BIA and HW methods were somewhat interchangeable in highly active women (R = 0.667; standard error of estimate [SEE] = 1.81). As a result of all cross-validation analyses, anthropometric and BIA plus anthropometric results have generally produced lower regression coefficients and higher SEEs for highly active women between the ages of 18 and 25 years. The regression coefficients (0.903, 0.926) and SEE (1.08, 0.96) for the new regression formulas developed from this study were better than the all the other formulas used in this study.