Isolation of Acanthamoeba isolates belonging to T2, T3, T4 and T7 genotypes from environmental samples in Ankara, Turkey

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a blinding infection that is becoming increasingly important in human health. Early diagnosis is a prerequisite for successful treatment and requires identification of Acanthamoeba at the genotypic level. The genus Acanthamoeba consists of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic species and has been recently classified into 13 different genotypes, T1-T12 and T14. More importantly, 95% of Acanthamoeba isolates that produce keratitis belong to T4 genotypes. In this study, we attempted to determine whether predominance of T4 isolates in Acanthamoeba keratitis is due to greater virulence or greater prevalence. We isolated 18 Acanthamoeba isolates from environmental samples in Ankara, Turkey and determined their pathogenic potential by means osmotolerance, temperature tolerance and in vitro cytotoxicity assays using corneal epithelial cells. Ribosomal DNA sequencing revealed that 10 isolates belong to T2, 5 belong to T3, 2 belong to T4 and one belongs to T7 genotype. As expected, T3 and T4 isolates exhibited the most pathogenic traits and were osmotolerant, temperature tolerant and exhibited severe corneal epithelial cell cytotoxicity indicating their pathogenic potential. Overall these data indicate that high frequency of T4 isolates in keratitis cases may well be due to their greater virulence. This is the first report presenting environmental distribution of Acanthamoeba in Ankara, Turkey

Competitive formation of spiro and ansa derivatives in the reactions of tetrafluorobutane-1,4-diol with hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene: a comparison with butane-1,4-diol

Reaction of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene, N3P3Cl6 (1), in two stoichiometries (1:1.2 and 1:3) with the sodium derivative of the fluorinated diol, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluorobutane-1,4-diol, (2), in THF solution at room temperature afforded six products, whose structures have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and 1H, 19F and 31P NMR spectroscopy: the mono-spiro compound, N3P3Cl4(OCH2CF2CF2CH2O), (3), its ansa isomer, (4), a di-spiro derivative N3P3Cl2(OCH2CF2CF2CH2O)2, (5), its spiro-ansa (6) and non-gem cis bis-ansa (7) isomers and a tri-spiro compound N3P3(OCH2CF2CF2CH2O)3, (8). The tri-spiro derivative (8) was also formed in the reaction of the ansa compound (4) with diol (2) in a 1:3 ratio in THF at room temperature. The reactions of (1) with step-wise additions of (2) were also investigated at low temperature (-780C) to give the same range of products as at room temperature. The results of all reactions are compared with previous work on the reactions of (1) with butane-1,4-diol/pyridine mixtures and with the reaction of hexafluorocyclotriphosphazene, N3P3F6 (9), with the silyl derivative of the diol (2), (Me3SiOCH2CF2)2, in a 1:0.4 mole ratio in the same solvent, THF

Determination of vitamin B9 levels in the milk of Brown Swiss and Simmental cows using the ELISA method

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of folic acid in Brown Swiss and Simmental cows’ milk by the competitive ELISA method. Brown Swiss and Simmental cows’ milk samples were collected from two dairies between  February and August 2017 (20 samples from Brown Swiss and 22 samples  from Simmental). The average level of vitamin B9 in Brown Swiss milk was approximately 3.27 ± 1.23 μg/100 g, while for Simmental it was around 2.99 ± 0.88 μg/100 g. In the milk mixture, the mean folic acid level was 3.13 ± 1.07 μg/100 g. There was no statistical difference between breeds in terms of folic acid levels in cow's milk. It was concluded that milk is not a sufficient source to meet the daily folic acid needs of adults in Turkey.Keywords: Dairy cattle breeds, folic acid, raw mil

A new vibrational level of the H2+_2^+ molecular ion

A new state of the H$_2^+$ molecular ion with binding energy of 1.09$\times10^{-9}$ a.u. below the first dissociation limit is predicted, using highly accurate numerical nonrelativistic quantum calculations. It is the first L=0 excited state, antisymmetric with respect to the exchange of the two protons. It manifests itself as a huge p-H scattering length of $a=750\pm 5$ Bohr radii.Comment: 6 pages + 3 figure

Synthesis and characterization of secondary-amine-functional microparticles

Secondary-amine-functional microparticles were prepared in the range of 50-250 μm through the suspension polymerization of styrene, divinylbenzene (DVB), and 2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate (tBAEMA). This study focused on the effects of the DVB, tBAEMA, initiator, and stabilizer concentrations and shaking rate on the experimental amine content, swelling ratio, average particle size, and particle size distribution. The suspension polymerization experiments were carried out in two different systems. In the first system, an organic phase, including the monomers and initiator, was dispersed in an aqueous medium in the presence of Al2(SO4)3. Al2(SO4)3, in the presence of an amine monomer (pH ∼ 10), formed colloidal Al(OH)3, which built a nonsticky layer on the surface of the polymerizing droplets that prevented them from coalescing and aggregating. Individual and spherical particles within the range of 50-200 μm were obtained by this polymerization method. The second method was similar to the first polymerization protocol, except that a certain amount of sodium dodecyl sulfate was added as a costabilizer in the presence of Al 2(SO4)3. In these experiments, individual and spherical particles were obtained within the range of 130-250 μm. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

COVID-19 infection, vaccine status, and avoidance behaviors in adults with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveWe aim to examine infection risk and vaccine status of COVID-19 in attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and evaluate the impact of demographic, clinical, and COVID-19-related factors on the infection status and behavioral avoidance of COVID-19. MethodsThis cross-sectional study assessed adults with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder recruited from an outpatient psychiatry clinic. Patients and healthy controls completed a survey on sociodemographic data, COVID-19 infection status, and vaccine status. COVID-19 Disease Perception Scale, COVID-19 Avoidance Attitudes Scale, Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccine Scale, Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Self-report Screening Scale for DSM-5, Adult Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale Symptoms Checklist, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were applied. ResultsNinety patients and 40 healthy controls participated. Patients did not differ from controls in COVID-19 infection and vaccine status, and behavioral avoidance of COVID-19. No demographic and clinical factor significantly affected the COVID-19 infection status. Patients scored higher than controls in the perception of COVID-19 as contagious (p = 0.038), cognitive avoidance of COVID-19 (p = 0.008), and positive attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine (p = 0.024). After adjustment of possible factors, a positive perception of the COVID-19 vaccine and a perception of COVID-19 as dangerous were the two factors significantly affecting behavioral avoidance of COVID-19 [R-2 = 0. 17, F(2) = 13.189, p < 0.0001]. ConclusionInfection and vaccine status of COVID-19 in patients did not significantly differ from controls. No demographic and clinical factor significantly affected the COVID-19 infection status. Approximately four-fifths of the patients were fully vaccinated as recommended by national and global health organizations. This has increased the knowledge base showing that the COVID-19 vaccine is acceptable and receiving the vaccine is endorsed by ADHD patients. Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder itself may provoke no kind of mental disturbance in sense of perception of the danger of this disease. Our findings have increased the knowledge base showing that the COVID-19 vaccine is acceptable and the actual practice of receiving the vaccine is endorsed in this population. Our message for practice would be to take into account not only the core symptoms and the comorbidities of the disorder but also the perception of the disease while exploring its link with COVID-19