Determination of the color stability of an environmentally-friendly wood stain derived from oleander (Nerium Oleander L.) leave extracts under uv exposure

This study was conducted to develop an environmentally friendly wood stain derived from oleander (Nerium oleander L.) and determine the color stability of this stain to UV light irradiation. Wood stains derived from oleander were prepared from aqueous solution with alum and iron mordant mixtures. Yellow Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Turkish oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) wood specimens were used for the study. After treatment with the stain, wood panels were exposed to UV light irradiation for periods of 500, 1000 and 1500 hours. Results showed that oleander extract as a stain for wood provided some stability to color change after UV irradiation

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome induced by ziprasidone on the second day of treatment

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is the rarest and most serious of the neuroleptic-induced movement disorders. We describe a case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) associated with the use of ziprasidone. Although conventional neuroleptics are more frequently associated with NMS, atypical antipsychotic drugs like ziprasidone may also be a cause. The patient is a 24-year-old male with a history of schizophrenia who developed signs and symptoms of NMS after 2 days of treatment with an 80-mg/day dose of orally administrated ziprasidone. This case is the earliest (second day of treatment) NMS due to ziprasidone reported in the literature

Catechol-O-methyltransferase gene Val108/158Met polymorphism in bipolar disorder

Backgrounds: Although several studies have tested the association between bipolar disorder (BD) and the Val108 (H, high-activity allele)/158Met (L, low-activity allele) polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, most of the results showed no significant association. However, an association between the H or L allele and bipolar disorder (BD), particularly, between L allele and rapid-cycling form has been reported; it has also been suggested that the variation in the COMT gene modifies the course of BD and there is a tendency for the L allele amongst the female patients. In this study, the researchers aimed to evaluate the association between BD and COMT gene H/L polymorphism considering the influence of gender in a group of Turkish patients. Method: One hundred and thirty-five BD patients (71 male and 64 female) and 171 controls were included. Polymerase chain reaction-based endonuclease digestion method was used. Results: Genotypic distribution in patients and controls were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No significant difference was found in genotypic and allelic frequencies between patients and controls. However, female patients had H allele more frequently than male patients and female healthy controls. Females had more depressive and less manic episodes than males. Number of total episodes was associated with H allele in all patients. Conclusion: Distribution of COMT genetic polymorphism was not significantly different between the patients and controls. However, it has been found an association of H allele with female patients and number of episodes among all patients. © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved

Adenosine Deaminase, Nitric Oxide, Superoxide Dismutase, and Xanthine Oxidase in Patients with Major Depression: Impact of Antidepressant Treatment

Background: There has been much evidence in recent years that free oxygen radicals and nitric oxide (NO) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether NO, xanthine oxidase (XO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels are associated with major depression (MD) and to evaluate the impact of antidepressant treatments on NO, SOD, ADA and XO levels in MD. Methods: Thirty-six patients who were diagnosed as MD according to DSM-IV criteria and 20 healthy controls were included. The serum levels of NO, XO, SOD, and ADA were measured by spectrophotometric methods both in patients and controls. Patients were treated with antidepressant drugs for 8 weeks. All patients were assessed by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) both before and after antidepressant treatment. Results: ADA and XO levels of the patients were significantly higher than the controls. SOD level of the patients was significantly lower than the controls. Although NO levels of the patients were higher than the controls, the difference was not statistically significant. There was no correlation between HDRS and the parameters studied (SOD, ADA, XO, and NO) of the patients. After 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment, ADA and SOD activities were increased, whereas NO and, XO levels decreased significantly. Conclusions: ADA, XO, and SOD activity may have a pathophysiological role in MD and may predict prognosis of MD. Activity of these enzymes may be used to monitor effects of the antidepressant treatment. © 2007 IMSS

Biochemical changes to milk following treatment by a novel, cold atmospheric plasma system

It has previously been shown that non-thermal (i.e., cold) plasma can successfully decontaminate milk from Escherichia coli. This study investigated the possible biochemical changes to the protein, free fatty acids and volatiles profiles of whole raw milk samples following application of cold plasma. Raw milk was treated with a cold plasma system at intervals of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 20min. Significant changes were observed for 1 octanol (P<0.05), 2 heptanone (P<0.01), 2 hexenal (P<0.01), 2 octenal (P<0.05), nonanal and benzaldehyde (P<0.001). Plasma treatment did not result in significant changes to the lipid composition of raw milk. However, exposure to cold plasma significantly increased the total aldehyde content following 20min treatment. No significant difference was observed in the total ketone or alcohol levels

Adenosine Deaminase, Nitric Oxide, Superoxide Dismutase, and Xanthine Oxidase in Patients with Major Depression: Impact of Antidepressant Treatment

Background: There has been much evidence in recent years that free oxygen radicals and nitric oxide (NO) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether NO, xanthine oxidase (XO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels are associated with major depression (MD) and to evaluate the impact of antidepressant treatments on NO, SOD, ADA and XO levels in MD. Methods: Thirty-six patients who were diagnosed as MD according to DSM-IV criteria and 20 healthy controls were included. The serum levels of NO, XO, SOD, and ADA were measured by spectrophotometric methods both in patients and controls. Patients were treated with antidepressant drugs for 8 weeks. All patients were assessed by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) both before and after antidepressant treatment. Results: ADA and XO levels of the patients were significantly higher than the controls. SOD level of the patients was significantly lower than the controls. Although NO levels of the patients were higher than the controls, the difference was not statistically significant. There was no correlation between HDRS and the parameters studied (SOD, ADA, XO, and NO) of the patients. After 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment, ADA and SOD activities were increased, whereas NO and, XO levels decreased significantly. Conclusions: ADA, XO, and SOD activity may have a pathophysiological role in MD and may predict prognosis of MD. Activity of these enzymes may be used to monitor effects of the antidepressant treatment. © 2007 IMSS

Endogenous retroviral elements generate pathologic neutrophils in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Rationale: The role of neutrophils and their extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension is unclear. Objectives: Relate functional abnormalities in pulmonary arterial hypertension neutrophils and their EVs to mechanisms uncovered by proteomic and transcriptomic profiling. Methods: Production of elastase, release of extracellular traps, adhesion and migration were assessed in neutrophils from pulmonary arterial hypertension patients and control subjects. Proteomic analyses were applied to explain functional perturbations, and transcriptomic data were used to find underlying mechanisms. CD66b-specific neutrophil EVs were isolated from plasma of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and we determined whether they produce pulmonary hypertension in mice. Measurements and Main Results: Neutrophils from pulmonary arterial hypertension patients produce and release increased neutrophil elastase, associated with enhanced extracellular traps. They exhibit reduced migration and increased adhesion attributed to elevated β1integrin and vinculin identified on proteomic analysis and previously linked to an antiviral response. This was substantiated by a transcriptomic interferon signature that we related to an increase in human endogenous retrovirus k envelope protein. Transfection of human endogenous retrovirus k envelope in a neutrophil cell line (HL-60) increases neutrophil elastase and interferon genes, whereas vinculin is increased by human endogenous retrovirus k dUTPase that is elevated in patient plasma. Neutrophil EVs from patient plasma contain increased neutrophil elastase and human endogenous retrovirus k envelope and induce pulmonary hypertension in mice, mitigated by elafin, an elastase inhibitor. Conclusions: Elevated human endogenous retroviral elements and elastase link a neutrophil innate immune response to pulmonary arterial hypertension