Effects on Dopaminergic Neurons Are Secondary in COX-Deficient Locomotor Dysfunction in Drosophila

Dopaminergic (DA) neurons have been implicated as key targets in neurological disorders, notably those involving locomotor impairment, and are considered to be highly vulnerable to mitochondrial dysfunction, a common feature of such diseases. Here we investigated a Drosophila model of locomotor disorders in which functional impairment is brought about by pan-neuronal RNAi knockdown of subunit COX7A of cytochrome oxidase (COX). Despite minimal neuronal loss by apoptosis, the expression and activity of tyrosine hydroxylase was decreased by half. Surprisingly, COX7A knockdown specifically targeted to DA neurons did not produce locomotor defect. Instead, using various drivers, we found that COX7A knockdown in specific groups of cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons underlay the phenotype. Based on our main finding, the vulnerability of DA neurons to mitochondrial dysfunction as a cause of impaired locomotion in other organisms, including mammals, warrants detailed investigation.Peer reviewe

Preliminary data on COVID-19 in patients with hemoglobinopathies : A multicentre ICET-A study

Objectives: This study aims to investigate, retrospectively, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, laboratory results, radiologic findings, and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with transfusion-dependent β thalassemia major (TM), β-thalassemia intermedia (TI) and sickle cell disease (SCD). Design: A total of 17 Centers, from 10 countries, following 9,499 patients with hemoglobinopathies, participated in the survey. Main outcome data: Clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 were collected from medical records and summarized. Results: A total of 13 patients, 7 with TM, 3 with TI, and 3 with SCD, with confirmed COVID-19, were identified in 6 Centers from different countries. The overall mean age of patients was 33.7±12.3 years (range:13-66); 9/13 (69.2%) patients were females. Six patients had pneumonia, and 4 needed oxygen therapy. Increased C-reactive protein (6/10), high serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; 6/10), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; 6/10) were the most common laboratory findings. 6/10 patients had an exacerbation of anemia (2 with SCD). In the majority of patients, the course of COVID-19 was moderate (6/10) and severe in 3/10 patients. A 30-year-old female with TM, developed a critical SARS-CoV-2 infection, followed by death in an Intensive Care Unit. In one Center (Oman), the majority of suspected cases were observed in patients with SCD between the age of 21 and 40 years. A rapid clinical improvement of tachypnea/dyspnea and oxygen saturation was observed, after red blood cell exchange transfusion, in a young girl with SCD and worsening of anemia (Hb level from 9.2 g/dl to 6.1g/dl). Conclusions: The data presented in this survey permit an early assessment of the clinical characteristics of COVID 19 in different countries. 70% of symptomatic patients with COVID-19 required hospitalization. The presence of associated co-morbidities can aggravate the severity of COVID- 19, leading to a poorer prognosis irrespective of age

Use of water soluble and phosphorescent MPA-capped CdTe quantum dots for the detection of urea

Objectives: To describe a method for the determination of urea in blood serum using urease enzyme and 3-MPA-capped CdTe quantum dots. Materials and Methods: The method is based on the increase in pH of the solution as a result of the reaction between urea and urease, which causes an increase in the phosphorescence signal of MPA-CdTe quantum dots in the pH range of 2.5-5.0. Under the optimum conditions, the linear range of urea was 0.016-0.16 mM (1-10 mg/L) and the limit of detection based on 3 s/b was calculated as 0.003 mM (0.17 mg/L). The relative standard deviation was calculated as 3.4% at 4 mg/L urea concentration (n=7). Results: The method was applied to human serum samples. The same samples were analyzed by an independent laboratory and the results were not statistically different, at 95% confidence level (F test). Conclusion: The proposed method does not need sample pretreatment, is simple, selective, and cost-effective for the determination of urea in serum samples

Spectrophotometric determination of selenium(IV) with 4-methyl-o-phenylenediamine based on piazselenol formation

A method has been developed for the spectrophotometric determination of selenium(IV) using 4-methyl-o-phenylenediamine (MOPDA) as a chromogenic reagent. In hydrochloric acid media at about pH 2, MOPDA forms a piazselenol complex with selenium(IV), which gives an absorption maximum at 332 nm. After transfer of the formed piazselenol complex into organic phase with n-hexane, the absorbance of the piazselenol complex was measured by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The effective parameters of the experimental conditions such as pH, formation time of the complex, amount of MOPDA, ionic strength, volume of sample and effects of diverse ions, were investigated. The detection limit of the proposed method was found to be 0.95 mu g/L Se(IV) (n = 14, 3 sigma). The method was successfully applied to tap water, sea water and wastewater samples from washings of flue gases with satisfactory results

Improvement of thyroid hormone profile and thyrotrophin (TSH) surge alterations in hemodialysis patients on erythropoietin treatment

Background, material and methods: This study was performed in 20 patients with end-stage chronic renal failure (CRF) and 10 healthy volunteers, All of the patients were on regular hemodialysis treatment (RHD), 10 of whom were on recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy. Hematocrit levels of the patients with CRF on rHuEPO were between 0.30 to 0.33 and not on rHuEPO were below 0.24. Baseline serum T-3, T-4, fr(3), fT(4) and TSH levels were measured and TRH stimulation test was performed in patients and control subjects. Serum TSH levels were measured hourly during the afternoon (2 to 5 p.m.) and at night (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.) to determine the nocturnal rhythm of TSH. Results: The mean T3 in rHuEPO, not rHuEPO and control groups were 98.01 +/- 5.54, 70.55 +/- 7.09, 98.29 +/- 4.2 ng/dl; T-4 6.47 +/- 0.68, 6.39 +/- 0.59, 8.35 +/- 0.46 ng/dl; fT(3) 2.24 +/- 0.19, 1.52 +/- 0.24, 2.29 +/- 0.17pg/ml and fT(4) 0.88 +/- 0.14, 0.75 +/- 0.14, 0.97 +/- 0.10 ng/dl, respectively. These values were significantly lower in patients not on rHuEPO compared to controls (p < 0.05). In patients on rHuEPO only T4 values were lower than in the controls (p < 0.05). In patients not on rHuEPO the T3, and fr3 were significantly lower than the values of patients on rHuEPO treatment (p < 0.05). Normal in 8 (80%), blunted in 1 (10%), no TSH response in I (10%) to TRH stimulation were obtained in rHuEPO group. TSH response was normal in 1 (10%), and delayed in 9 (90%) patients not on rHuEPO. The circadian nocturnal rhythm of TSH was abnormal in 8 (90%) patients not on rHuEPO, in 2 (20%) patients on rHuEPO. As a result, CRF and RHD distorts the circadian TSH rhythm and substantially change the thyroid hormone profile probably by affecting hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Distortion of the circadian rhythm of TSH and TSH response to TRH points to a defect at the level of hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Conclusion: rHuEPO treatment has some beneficial effects on hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis in the patients on RHD

The association between HLA class i and ii alleles and the occurrence of inhibitors in Turkish patients with hemophilia a: A pilot study

Abstract Not Availabl

Prevalence of Brucella in Raw Milk: An Example from Turkey

WOS: 000439047000015PubMed ID: 29984724Aim: Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonotic infection affecting livestock and human beings. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Brucella in raw milk collected from a provincial center and central villages in the Central Anatolian region. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was completed between March and September of 2016. The sample size for research was calculated as 263 milk samples with the Epi Info 2000 program. Samples were tested with the milk ring test, Rose Bengal test, and standard Brucella tube agglutination test. Suspicious samples according to these tests were seeded on medium for observation. Results: In this study, 202 cow's milk samples collected from 14 central villages were researched for the presence of Brucella abortus, a Brucella species bacterium. According to the medium seeding results, 35 of 202 raw cow's milk samples ( 17.32%) were identified as suspicious. Conclusion: The research investigated the prevalence of Brucella in milk samples collected from bovine farms used for consumption and production of raw milk products. The most significant infection route in our region is considered to be consumption of milk and milk products such as raw milk and fresh cheese. Especially in rural areas, households consuming their own produced milk are common. In regions with family-style milk and milk product production and consumption, interventional studies with the aim of improving knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to zoonotic diseases should not be neglected