Performance of dye-affinity beads for aluminium removal in magnetically stabilized fluidized bed

BACKGROUND: Aluminum has recently been recognized as a causative agent in dialysis encephalopathy, osteodystrophy, and microcytic anemia occurring in patients with chronic renal failure who undergo long-term hemodialysis. Only a small amount of Al(III) in dialysis solutions may give rise to these disorders. METHODS: Magnetic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (mPHEMA) beads in the size range of 80–120 μm were produced by free radical co-polymerization of HEMA and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) in the presence of magnetite particles (Fe(3)O(4)). Then, metal complexing ligand alizarin yellow was covalently attached onto mPHEMA beads. Alizarin yellow loading was 208 μmol/g. These beads were used for the removal of Al(III) ions from tap and dialysis water in a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed. RESULTS: Al(III) adsorption capacity of the beads decreased with an increase in the flow-rate. The maximum Al(III) adsorption was observed at pH 5.0. Comparison of batch and magnetically stabilized fluidized bed (MSFB) maximum capacities determined using Langmuir isotherms showed that dynamic capacity (17.5 mg/g) was somewhat higher than the batch capacity (11.8 mg/g). The dissociation constants for Al(III) were determined using the Langmuir isotherm equation to be 27.3 mM (MSFB) and 6.7 mM (batch system), indicating medium affinity, which was typical for pseudospecific affinity ligands. Al(III) ions could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with these beads without noticeable loss in their Al(III) adsorption capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Adsorption of Al(III) demonstrate the affinity of magnetic dye-affinity beads. The MSFB experiments allowed us to conclude that this inexpensive sorbent system may be an important alternative to the existing adsorbents in the removal of aluminium

Selenium in the Prevention of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Children with Cancer

High cumulative doses of anthracyclines (300–500 mg/m2) used in the treatment of children with cancer may result in cardiotoxicity, a major long-term adverse effect that limits clinical usefulness of this class of chemotherapeutic agents. We assessed anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity by measuring Pro-BNP levels and echocardiographic (ECHO) findings and investigated potential protective effect of selenium (Se) supplementation in a group of pediatric cancer patients. Plasma level of Pro-BNP was measured, and ECHO was performed in 67 patients (45 boys, 22 girls; ages 2–18 years; median age 12 years) after they completed anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. Serum Se level was measured in 37 patients. Eleven patients had high Pro-BNP levels and/or cardiac failure with Pro-BNP levels of 10–8,022 pg/mL (median 226.3 pg/mL; laboratory normal level is less than 120 pg/mL). Serum Se levels were low (20–129 mcg/L, median 62 mcg/L) in ten of these eleven patients. Eight of 10 patients with low Se and high Pro-BNP levels were supplemented with Se 100 mcg/day for a period of 4–33 months (median 6 months) which resulted in improvement in Pro-BNP and/or ECHO findings. These results suggest that Se supplementation may have a role in protection against anthracycline-induced cardiac toxicity

The frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy and Pompe disease in children with isolated transaminase elevation: results from the observational VICTORIA study

IntroductionElevated transaminases and/or creatine phosphokinase can indicate underlying muscle disease. Therefore, this study aims to determine the frequency of Duchenne muscular dystrophy/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) in male children and Pompe disease (PD) in male and female children with isolated hypertransaminasemia.MethodsThis multi-center, prospective study enrolled patients aged 3–216 months with serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and/or aspartate transaminase (AST) levels >2× the upper limit of normal (ULN) for ≥3 months. Patients with a known history of liver or muscle disease or physical examination findings suggestive of liver disease were excluded. Patients were screened for creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels, and molecular genetic tests for DMD/BMD in male patients and enzyme analysis for PD in male and female patients with elevated CPK levels were performed. Genetic analyses confirmed PD. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the patients were analyzed.ResultsOverall, 589 patients [66.8% male, mean age of 63.4 months (standard deviation: 60.5)] were included. In total, 251 patients (188 male and 63 female) had CPK levels above the ULN. Of the patients assessed, 47% (85/182) of male patients were diagnosed with DMD/BMD and 1% (3/228) of male and female patients were diagnosed with PD. The median ALT, AST, and CPK levels were statistically significantly higher, and the questioned neurological symptoms and previously unnoticed examination findings were more common in DMD/BMD patients than those without DMD/BMD or PD (p < 0.001).DiscussionQuestioning neurological symptoms, conducting a complete physical examination, and testing for CPK levels in patients with isolated hypertransaminasemia will prevent costly and time-consuming investigations for liver diseases and will lead to the diagnosis of occult neuromuscular diseases. Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT04120168

Immobilization of alpha-amylase on Cu2+ chelated poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-n-vinyl imidazole) matrix via adsorption

Poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-n-vinyl imidazole) [poly(EGDMA-VIM)] hydrogel (average diameter 150-200 pm) was prepared by copolymerizing ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) with n-vinyl imidazole (VIM). The copolymer hydrogel bead composition was characterized by elemental analysis and found to contain 5 EGDMA monomer units each VIM monomer unit. Poly(EGDMA-VIM) beads had a specific surface area of 59.8 m(2)/g. Poly- (EGDMA-VIM) beads were characterized by swelling studies and SEM. Cu2+ ions were chelated on the poly(EGDMA-VIM) beads, then these beads were used in the adsorption of alpha-amylase from Aspergillus Oryzae in batch system. The maximum alpha-amylase adsorption capacity of the poly(EGDMA-VIM)-Cu2+ beads was observed as 38.9 mg/g at pH 4.0. The K-m values for immobilized alpha-amylase (poly(EGDMA-VIM)-Cu2+) (22.5 mM) was higher than that of free enzyme (15.8 mM). Storage stability was found to increase with immobilization. It was observed that enzyme could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed without significant loss in adsorption capacity or enzyme activity

The Efficacy and Reliability of Capsulovitrectomy for Posterior Capsule Opacification

Objectives: To investigate the efficiency and reliability of capsulovitrectomy (CV) for posterior capsule opacification (PCO) following cataract operation. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, we included 32 eyes of 30 patients with PCO between January 2009 and June 2013 and could not get effective Nd:YAG laser treatment. Pars plana or limbal CV operations were performed at least 6 months after the cataract operation. Results: In these 30 patients, female/male ratio was 17/13 and average age was 44.7 years (4.00-71.00 years). Diagnoses before the cataract operation were as follows: pediatric cataract in 8 eyes (25%), complicated cataract in 15 eyes (46.87%) [diabetic vitrectomy in 12 eyes (37.5%), uveitis in 3 eyes (9.37%)], and senile cataract in 9 eyes (28.13%). The mean corrected visual acuity (CVA) before the CV operation was 1.34±0.71 (0.56-2.50), whereas it was 0.37±0.19 (0.00-0.70) (Log MAR) 6 months after CV. There was a significant difference (p=0.01 paired t-test) between preoperative and postoperative 6-month CVA. At postoperative 6th month, CVA was seen to increase in all eyes. Conclusion: CV operation is an efficient and reliable method in PCO following cataract operation for those who cannot get effective Nd:YAG laser treatment. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2015; 45: 1-4

Kolesterol baskılanmış polimerik membranların tasarımı ve üretilmesi

Odabaşı, Mehmet ( Aksaray, Yazar )Kolesterolün insan sağlığı için olumsuz etkileri bilinmektedir. Dolayısıyla, kolesterol veya safra tuzlarına seçici, klinik olarak etkin ve biyouyumlu adsorbentlerin geliştirilmesi için çalışmalar yürütülmektedir. Moleküler baskılanmış polimerlerin seçimli olarak kolesterol uzaklaştırılması için kullanılmasına yönelik çalışmalar mevcuttur. Bu yöntem kalıp molekül etrafında fonksiyonel monomerlerin kovalent veya non-kovalent olarak organize olması ve fazla miktarda çapraz bağlayıcı ilavesiyle polimerizasyon gerçekleştirilerek, şekil ve boyut olarak kalıp moleküle özgü bağlanma bölgeleri içeren adsorbentin elde edilmesi esasına dayalıdır. Bu çalışmada spesifik kolesterol bağlanması için, kolesterol baskılanmış poli(2- hidroksietilmetakrilat-co-metakrilamidotriptofan) [p(HEMA-co-MATrp)] membranlar hazırlanmıştır. Fonksiyonel monomer olarak seçilen N-Metakroil-(L)-triptofan (MATrp), L-triptofan ve metakroil klorürün reaksiyonundan elde edilmiştir. MATrp monomeri metanol içerisinde çözülmüş ve farklı kalıp-fonksiyonel monomer (Kolesterol-MATrp) oranlarında kompleks oluşturulmuştur. Karışım oda sıcaklığında 3 saat karıştırılmıştır. Daha sonra karışıma HEMA ve etilen glikol dimetakrilat (EGDMA) eklenmiştir. Por yapıcı ajan olarak toluen ve başlatıcı olarak da AIBN ilave edilerek son karışım vorteksde 10 dakika kadar karıştırılmıştır. Oluşan karışım 6 cm çapındaki petrilere dökülerek 365 nm dalga boyunda UV-ışını altında polimerleştirilmiştir. Oluşan yaklaşık 100-150 µm kalınlığındaki membranlar etanol ve su ile yıkanmıştır. Daha sonra membranlar vakum etüvünde 50°C’da 24 saat süre ile kurutulmuştur. Kolesterol baskılanmamış poli(HEMA-MATrp) polimerik membranların hazırlanmasında, polimerizasyon ortamında kolesterol eklenmeksizin, yukarıda verilen yöntem aynen uygulanmıştır. Kalıp molekül kolesterolün uzaklaştırılması için kolesterol baskılanmış membranlar 15 mL kloroform ilave edilerek bir rotatör ile 48 saat karıştırılmıştır. Bu işlem yapıdan kolesterol sızması gözlenmeyene dek sürdürülmüştür. Kolesterol miktarı HPLC ile tayin edilmiştir. Kolesterol baskılanmış membranlar elementel analiz, FTIR, şişme deneyi, yüzey alanı ölçümü, NMR ve SEM ile karakterize edilmiştir. Adsorpsiyon deneyleri kesikli sistemde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Adsorpsiyon ortamı olarak metanolde çözünmüş kolesterol ve yapay barsak çözeltisi kullanılmıştır. Seçicilik vi deneyleri için yarışmacı ajan olarak estradiol ve stigmasterol kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar kısaca şu şekildedir: kolesterol baskılanmış (MIP) membranların denge şişme oranları sırası ile su içerisinde % 35-96 toluende ise % 78-98; aralığındadır. NIP membranların denge şişme oranları ise suda % 30-45, toluende ise % 55-75 dir. Polimerizasyon karışımına eklenen MATrp monomerinin miktarının artmasıyla yapıya giren MATrp miktarının arttığı elementel analiz verileri ile gözlenmiştir. SEM fotoğrafları MIP membran yüzeyinin, NIP membran yüzeyine göre daha pürüzlü ve gözenekli olduğunu göstermiştir. MIP ve NIP membranların yüzey alanları sırasıyla 36.5 m2 /g ve 13.7 m2 /g olarak bulunmuştur. MIP membranlardan kalıbın uzaklaştırılması polimerizasyon ortamına konulan kolesterol miktarına bağlı olarak %82-88 oranında gerçekleşmiştir. Kolesterol derişimi arttıkça adsorpsiyon kapasitesinde artış gözlenmiş ve 2.0 mg/ml kolesterol derişiminde plato değerine ulaşılmıştır. Yapay barsak çözeltilerinden kolesterol adsorpsiyonunda da benzer davranış gözlenmiştir. Baskılanmış membranların estradiol ve stigmasterole göre kolesterole karşı sırasıyla 2.13 ve 1.96 kat seçici olduğu gösterilmiştir. Adsorbentin tekrar kullanılabilirliğini incelemek üzere aynı MIP membranlar on kez adsorpsiyon-desorpsiyon döngüsünde kullanılmış ve kolesterol adsorpsiyon kapasitelerinde önemli bir azalma olmadığı gözlenmiştir.The deleterious effect of cholesterol on human health is well documented. Therefore attempts are being made to develop cholesterol or bile salt selective adsorbents that are biocompatible and clinically efficient. Molecularly imprinted polymers are being extensively investigated as selective adsorbents for cholesterol. The technique involves preorganization of functional monomers around a template molecule, which resembles shape and size of the guest molecule, by either covalent, non-covalent or coordination interactions. Polymerization of the supramolecular assembly in the presence of an excess of cross-linker and subsequent removal of the template leads to polymers that retain the specific orientation of functional groups within the cavity created by the elution of the template molecule. In this studies, cholesterol imprinted poly(2- hydroxyethylmethacrylate-co-methacryloyamidotryptophan) [p(HEMA-co-MATrp)] membranes were prepared. Functional monomer MATrp was synthesized by the reaction of L-tryptophan and methacryloyl chloride. MATrp monomer was dissolved in methanol and template cholesterol-functional monomer mixtures were prepared in different mole ratios. This mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours and HEMA and ethynene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) were added. The initiator AIBN and pore maker (toluen) were dissolved. Last mixture was rotated for 10 min. and poured into a round glass mould (6 cm in diameter) and exposed to ultraviolet radiation at 365 nm. Obtained membranes were washed with methanol and water in order to remove impurities. After drying, template cholesterol molecules were removed from the polymer structure by extensive washing with chloroform for 48 hours. This procedure was repeated until no cholesterol leakage was observed from the particles. Cholesterol imprinted membranes were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, SEM, swelling tests, surface area measurements and NMR. Adsorption experiments were performed in batch experimental set-up and adsorption medium was methanol or intestinal mimicking solution. Stigmasterol and estradiol were used as competing molecules in selectivity tests. Obtained results were as follows: swelling ratio of cholesterol imprinted (MIP) membranes were 35-96% in water and 78-98% in toluen, and for NIP membrananes were 30-45% in water and 55-75 in toluen. According to the elemental analysis experiments, with the increase in the amount of functional monomer MATrp in the polymerization medium, incorporation of MATrp was increased. SEM photographs showed the surface roughness and porosity. Specific surface area of NIP and MIP particles were found as 13.7 m2 /g and 36.5 m2 /g, respectively. Template molecules were removed from the membrane in the ratio of 82-88%. Cholesterol adsorption increased with the increase in cholesterol concentration in the adsorption medium up to 2.0 mg/ml. The same behavior was observed from intestinal mimicking solutions. With the increase in the template amount in the polymerization media, resulting particles adsorbed higher amounts of cholesterol. Imprinted membranes were 1.96 and 2.13 times selective with respect to the stigmasterol and estradiol, respectively. Reusability of MIP membrane was also investigated. Imprinted membrane showed negligible loss in the cholesterol adsorption capacity after ten adsorption-desorption cycles with the same adsorbent

Development of Gold Nanoparticles Decorated Molecularly Imprinted–Based Plasmonic Sensor for the Detection of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk Samples

Aflatoxins are a group of extremely toxic and carcinogenic substances generated by the mold of the genus Aspergillus that contaminate agricultural products. When dairy cows ingest aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)−contaminated feeds, it is metabolized and transformed in the liver into a carcinogenic major form of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), which is eliminated through the milk. The detection of AFM1 in milk is very important to be able to guarantee food safety and quality. In recent years, sensors have emerged as a quick, low–cost, and reliable platform for the detection of aflatoxins. Plasmonic sensors with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can be interesting alternatives for the determination of AFM1. In this work, we designed a molecularly–imprinted–based plasmonic sensor to directly detect lower amounts of AFM1 in raw milk samples. For this purpose, we prepared gold–nanoparticle–(AuNP)−integrated polymer nanofilm on a gold plasmonic sensor chip coated with allyl mercaptan. N−methacryloyl−l−phenylalanine (MAPA) was chosen as a functional monomer. The MIP nanofilm was prepared using the light–initiated polymerization of MAPA and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the presence of AFM1 as a template molecule. The developed method enabled the detection of AFM1 with a detection limit of 0.4 pg/mL and demonstrated good linearity (0.0003 ng/mL–20.0 ng/mL) under optimized experimental conditions. The AFM1 determination was performed in random dairy farmer milk samples. Using the analogous mycotoxins, it was also demonstrated that the plasmonic sensor platforms were specific to the detection of AFM1

Controlled Release Of Mitomycin C From Phemah-Cu(Ii) Cryogel Membranes

Molecular imprinting technique was used for the preparation of antibiotic and anti-neoplastic chemotherapy drug (mitomycin C) imprinted cryogel membranes (MMC-ICM). The membranes were synthezied by using metal ion coordination interactions with N-methacryloyl-(l)-histidine methyl ester (MAH) functional monomer and template molecules (i.e. MMC). The 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) monomer and methylene bisacrylamide (MBAAm) crosslinker were used for the preparation of mitomycin C imprinted cryogel membranes by radical suspension polymerization technique. The imprinted cryogel membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and swelling degree measurements. Cytotoxicity of MMC-ICMs was investigated using mouse fibroblast cell line L929. Time-dependent release of MMC was demonstrated within 150h from cryogel membranes. Cryogels demonstrated very high MMC loading efficiency (70-80%) and sustained MMC release over hours.WoSScopu