Trace Elements and Metallothionein in Liver and Kidney of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Felis catus</Emphasis>

Trace metals such as Zn, Cu, and Fe are essential for life; differently, no biochemical function is known for Cd. Changes in dietary metal concentrations can cause deficiency or toxicity. Studies on trace elements in cat are lacking. This paper aimed to analyze Zn, Cu, Fe and Cd concentrations in liver and kidney of pathological domestic cat and to isolate metallothionein (MT) in these tissues. It was not possible to explore a possible correlation between metal concentrations and pathologies because the incidence for each of them was too low. Fe was the most abundant metal; in particular, the liver accumulates average Fe concentrations one order of magnitude higher than Zn and Cu, ranging from 66.75 and 1,444.23 μg/g. Significantly, higher levels of Fe were found in the liver of elder animals. Zn concentrations varied between 26.31 and 84.78 μg/g in the liver whereas in the kidney, ranged between 7.69 and 71.15 μg/g. Cu concentrations were between 2.37 and 112.91 μg/g in liver and between 2.12 and 9.85 μg/g in kidney. Cd was the least abundant metal with the exception of the kidney of the oldest cats where it reached a maximum of 13.71 μg/g. Gel-filtration metal distribution profiles from cytosolic extracts revealed the presence of Cd, Cu, Zn thioneins either in the liver or in the kidney. Because tissue samples were taken from pathological cats from different breed and age, care must be taken to use these data as a baseline profile of trace elements in healthy animals. Our results are indicative that for some specimens the feed levels of Fe and Cu could be higher than the optimal dietary intake and in few cats, there was also an exposure to Cd that was counteracted by MT biosynthesis.     

Blood Cadmium Concentrations in Women with Ectopic Pregnancy

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the blood level of cadmium and the occurrence of ectopic pregnancy. Forty-one (41) case patients with ectopic pregnancy and 41 uncomplicated intrauterine pregnant patients as controls were recruited. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd) were measured from blood samples using atomic absorption spectrometry. The cases and controls were similar in age, body mass index, and smoking habits. The median blood level of Cd was 0.32 μg/l (interquartile range [IQR] 0.00–0.71) in the women with ectopic pregnancies and 0.34 μg/l (IQR 0.09–0.59) in the controls. There was no significant association between blood cadmium levels and ectopic pregnancy.     

Leaf area prediction for corn (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.) cultivars with multiregression analysis

Leaf area is one of the most important parameter for plant growth. Reliable equations were offered to predict leaf area for Zea mays L. cultivars. All equations produced for leaf area were derived as affected by leaf length and leaf width. As a result of ANOVA and multiregression analysis, it was found that there was a close relationship between actual and predicted growth parameters. The produced leaf-area prediction model in the present study is LA = a + b L + c W + d LZ where LA is leaf area, L is leaf length, W is maximum leaf width, LZ is leaf zone and a, b, c, d are coefficients. R ² values were between 0.88–0.97 and standard errors were found to be significant at the p<0.001 significance level.     

A case of Allgrove (Triple A) syndrome associated with renal ectopia

Allgrove syndrome (triple-A syndrome) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by adrenocorticotropin hormone-resistant adrenal insufficiency, achalasia and alacrima. Aside from the classic features of the syndrome, several abnormalities including mainly neurological abnormalities have been reported in the syndrome. Herein, we presented a case of Allgrove syndrome associated with left renal ectopla. To the best of our knowledge renal abnormality in Allgrove syndrome has not been reported in the literature until now. We think that ectopic kidney diagnosed in our patient is coincidental because the incidence of renal ectopia is high, approximately 1 in 900 in population.     

Effects of Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to GSM-Like Radiofrequency on Blood Chemistry and Oxidative Stress in Infant Rabbits, an Experimental Study

We aimed to investigate the potential hazardous effects of prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to 1800 MHz GSM-like radiofrequency radiation (RFR) on the blood chemistry and lipid peroxidation levels of infant rabbits. A total of 72 New Zealand female and male white rabbits aged 1-month were used. Thirty-six female and 36 male were divided into four groups which were composed of nine infants: (i) Group 1 were the sham exposure (control), (ii) Group 2 were exposed to RFR, 15 min daily for 7 days in the prenatal period (between 15th and 22nd days of the gestational period) (prenatal exposure group). (iii) Group 3 were exposed to RFR 15 min/day (14 days for male, whereas 7 days for female) after they reached 1-month of age (postnatal exposure group). (iv) Group 4 were exposed to RFR for 15 min daily during 7 days in the prenatal period (between 15th and 22nd days of the gestational period) and 15 min/day (14 days for male, whereas 7 days for female) after they reached 1-month of age (prenatal and postnatal exposure group). Results showed that serum lipid peroxidation level in both female and male rabbits changed due to the RFR exposure. However, different parameters of the blood biochemistry were affected by exposure in male and female infants. Consequently, the whole-body 1800 MHz GSM-like RFR exposure may lead to oxidative stress and changes on some blood chemistry parameters. Studies on RFR exposure during prenatal and postnatal periods will help to establish international standards for the protection of pregnants and newborns from environmental RFR.     

Magnetic dye-affinity beads for human serum albumin purification

Cibacron Blue F3GA was covalently attached onto magnetic poly(vinyl alcohol) (mPVAL) beads (100-150 μm in diameter) for human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption from human plasma. Despite low nonspecific adsorption of HSA on mPVAL beads, Cibacron Blue F3GA attachment significantly increased the HSA adsorption. The maximum HSA adsorption was observed at pH 5.0. Higher HSA adsorption was observed from human plasma. Desorption of HSA from mPVAL beads was achieved by medium containing 1.0 M KSCN at pH 8.0. To test the efficiency of albumin adsorption from human serum, before and after albumin adsorption was demonstrated with sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analyses. HSA molecules could be reversibly adsorbed and desorbed 10 times with the magnetic beads without noticeable loss in their HSA adsorption capacity.     

Significant association of interleukin-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphism with susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis

Objective

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a strong chondroprotective cytokine and polymorphisms within this gene may be a risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA). We aimed to investigate genotype and allele frequencies of IL-4 gene intron 3 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in patients with knee OA in a Turkish population.

Methods

The study included 202 patients with knee OA and 180 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was isolated and IL-4 gene 70 bp VNTR polymorphism determined by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.

Results

Our result show that there was statistically significant difference between knee OA patients and control group with respect to IL-4 genotype distribution and allele frequencies (p = 0.000, OR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.10–0.41, OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.12–0.42, respectively).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that there is an association of IL-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphism with susceptibility of a person for development of knee OA. As a result, IL-4 gene intron 3 VNTR polymorphism could be a genetic marker in OA in a Turkish study population. This is the first association study that evaluates the associations between IL-4 gene VNTR polymorphism and knee OA.     

Comparision of some models for estimation of reflectance of hypericum leaves under stress conditions

Lack of water resources and high water salinity levels are among the most important growth-restricting factors for plants species of the world. This research investigates the effect of irrigation levels and salinity on reflectance of Saint John’s wort leaves (Hypericum perforatum L.) under stress conditions (water and salt stress) by multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). Empirical and heuristics modeling methods were employed in this study to relate stress conditions to leaf reflectance. It was found that the constructed ANN model exhibited a high performance than multiple regression and ANFIS in estimating leaf reflectance accurately.