Spectroscopic characterization of novel d-amino acid-Schiff bases and their Cr(III) and Ni(II) complexes as antimicrobial agents

The aim of this work was to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal activities of novel d-amino acid-Schiff bases including fluorine atom and their Cr(III) and Ni(II) complexes. All these substances have been examined for antibacterial activity against pathogenic strains Listeria monocytogenes 4b ATCC19115, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Escherichia coli ATCC1280, Salmonella typhi H NCTC 901.8394, Brucella abortus (A.99, UK-1995) RSKK03026, Staphylococcus epidermis sp., Micrococus luteus ATCC9341, and Shigella dysenteria typ 10 NCTC 9351, and antifungal activity against Candida albicans Y-1200-NIH, Tokyo. The antimicrobial test results of these amino acid-Schiff base complexes exhibited better activity than some known antibiotics. In particular, diamagnetic Ni(II) complexes were more potent bactericides than all of the substances synthesized.     

Novel Inflammatory Marker in Dialysis Patients: YKL‐40

YKL‐40 has been introduced as a marker of inflammation in different clinical situations. The association between YKL‐40 and inflammation in chronic renal failure patients has not been researched currently. The objectives of this study were to establish serum YKL‐40 concentrations in dialysis patients with chronic renal failure compared to healthy subjects and to explore its relationships with a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukine‐6 (IL‐6) and an acute phase mediator, high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP). The study population included hemodialysis patients (N = 43; mean age of 40.9 ± 14.5), peritoneal dialysis patients (N = 38; mean age of 45.8 ± 13.7) and healthy subjects (N = 37; mean age of 45.5 ± 10.6). Serum concentrations of YKL‐40, IL‐6, hs‐CRP and routine laboratory measures were evaluated. Compared to the healthy subjects, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients had higher concentrations of YKL‐40, IL‐6, hs‐CRP, as well as lower concentrations of hemoglobin, serum albumin and high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (P < 0.001). YKL‐40 concentrations were positively correlated with serum creatinine (P < 0.001, r = 0.495), IL‐6 (P < 0.001, r = 0.306), hs‐CRP (P = 0.001, r = 0.306) levels and inversely correlated with hemoglobin (P = 0.002, r = ?0.285), serum albumin (P < 0.001, r = ?0.355) and high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (P = 0.001, r = ?0.306). In multivariate regression analysis YKL‐40 was associated with creatinine, serum albumin and hs‐CRP concentrations after adjustments with covariates. Dialysis patients with chronic renal failure have elevated serum YKL‐40 concentrations. Associations with standard inflammatory parameters suggest that YKL‐40 might be a novel inflammatory marker in this population.     

Seeing protein monolayers with naked eye through plasmonic Fano resonances

We introduce an ultrasensitive label-free detection technique based on asymmetric Fano resonances in plasmonic nanoholes with far reaching implications for point-of-care diagnostics. By exploiting extraordinary light transmission phenomena through high-quality factor (Q(solution) ～ 200) subradiant dark modes, we experimentally demonstrate record high figures of merits (FOMs as high as 162) for intrinsic detection limits surpassing that of the gold standard prism coupled surface-plasmon sensors (Kretschmann configuration). Our experimental record high sensitivities are attributed to the nearly complete suppression of the radiative losses that are made possible by the high structural quality of the fabricated devices as well as the subradiant nature of the resonances. Steep dispersion of the plasmonic Fano resonance profiles in high-quality plasmonic sensors exhibit dramatic light intensity changes to the slightest perturbations within their local environment. As a spectacular demonstration of the extraordinary sensitivity and the quality of the fabricated biosensors, we show direct detection of a single monolayer of biomolecules with naked eye using these Fano resonances and the associated Wood's anomalies. To fabricate high optical-quality sensors, we introduce a high-throughput lift-off free evaporation fabrication technique with extremely uniform and precisely controlled nanofeatures over large areas, leading to resonance line-widths comparable to that of the ideally uniform structures as confirmed by our time-domain simulations. The demonstrated label-free sensing platform offers unique opportunities for point-of-care diagnostics in resource poor settings by eliminating the need for fluorescent labeling and optical detection instrumentation (camera, spectrometer, etc.) as well as mechanical and light isolation.     

Structure-based design of NS2 mutants for attenuated influenza A virus vaccines

We previously characterised the matrix 1 (M1)-binding domain of the influenza A virus NS2/nuclear export protein (NEP), reporting a critical role for the tryptophan (W78) residue that is surrounded by a cluster of glutamate residues in the C-terminal region that interacts with the M1 protein (Akarsu et al., 2003). To gain further insight into the functional role of this interaction, here we used reverse genetics to generate a series of A/WSN/33 (H1N1)-based NS2/NEP mutants for W78 or the C-terminal glutamate residues and assessed their effect on virus growth. We found that simultaneous mutations at three positions (E67S/E74S/E75S) of NS2/NEP were important for inhibition of influenza viral polymerase activity, although the W78S mutant and other glutamate mutants with single substitutions were not. In addition, double and triple substitutions in the NS2/NEP glutamine residues, which resulted in the addition of seven amino acids to the C-terminus of NS1 due to gene overlapping, resulted in virus attenuation in mice. Animal studies with this mutant suggest a potential benefit to incorporating these NS mutations into live vaccines.     

Two novel alpha-galactosidase A mutations causing Fabry disease: A missense mutation M11V in a heterozygote woman and a nonsense mutation R190X in a hemizygote man

ObjectivesTo evaluate the nature of the molecular lesions in the alpha-galactosidase A gene of two patients having Fabry disease.MethodsEnzyme analyses were done using 4-methylumbellyferyl alpha-galactoside as substrate. Single stranded conformational polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing were performed following PCR amplification of seven exons of alpha-galactosidase A gene.ResultsTwo new mutations, M11V and R190X, were identified. The female patient with M11V mutation had rheumatologic symptoms, microalbuminuria. The male patient with R190X mutation had a classical phenotype. M11V mutation is in the signal sequence of the peptide and may affect the targeting of the ribosomes to ER. R190X mutation causes premature termination, and probably leads to degradation of the protein.ConclusionThis is the first study in our country investigating the molecular aspects of Fabry disease. It provides the molecular basis for understanding the underlying mechanism of Fabry disease, allows prenatal diagnosis and provides genotype/phenotype correlations.     

A cross-sectional survey of self-perceived health status and metabolic control values in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide. Diabetes and other chronic disorders play an important role in how patients perceive their health status, this perception being an important component of general health.

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to determine self-perceived health status and metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and to understand the relationship between perceived health status and metabolic control in diabetic participants.

Design

This is a cross-sectional survey.

Setting

The research population was diabetes sufferers registered with the Turkish Diabetes Society in Denizli Province, Turkey.

Participants

A convenience sample composed of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

The research data were collected using three tools. The first of these was a “Socio-demographic Data Form” to gather information on the diabetes patients. The second was a survey on the patients’ self-perceived health (how do rate your state of health in general) in which the patients were asked to rate their own health in one of five categories: very good, good, fair, bad and very bad. For the statistical analysis, the study group was divided into two groups: “good”, consisting of those who classified their health as either very good or good; and “poor”, those who gave other responses. The third type of data was collected by measuring metabolic control outcomes [glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1C), fasting blood sugar (FBS), non-fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and triglycerides] for each participant.

Results

Approximately half of the diabetic participants surveyed have poor self-perceived health. In terms of the values of HbA_1C, an important indicator of metabolic control levels, it was found that only 24.5% of the participants surveyed had good metabolic control. There was found to be a statistically significant difference between self-perceived health and levels of HbA_1C; 68% of participants who had high HbA_1C values evaluated their health as good, whereas 63.9% of those who had poor HbA_1C values evaluated their health as bad. Age, level of education, mode of treatment, adherence to treatment and level of exercise were factors that were found to have statistically significant differences from, and therefore an influence on, self-reported health.

Conclusion

When working with diabetes patients, as soon as the diagnosis has been made, it is recommended that information both on subjective perceptions of health and on perceptions of the illness (health perceptions, health beliefs related to the illness) are evaluated and objective data (metabolic control values) are gathered.     

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in European part of Turkey: genetic analysis of the virus strains from ticks and a seroepidemiological study in humans

A survey of ticks from domestic ruminants, together with a serosurvey in humans was conducted in Thrace (northwestern Turkey) to evaluate the prevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) in ticks and humans. More prevalent ticks were Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma aegyptium, Rhipicephalus bursa, and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, with low numbers of Dermacentor marginatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus group, and Ixodes ricinus. No differences in the tick faunal composition were found among surveyed provinces. CCHFV was detected using specific primers for strains belonging to both Europe 1 and Europe 2 clades in a total of 15 pools of ticks collected in nine localities. The maximum likelihood estimate of infection rate was calculated as 0.72/100 ticks (95% CI?=?0.42-1.16). Viral RNA was observed only in H. marginatum, R.(B.) annulatus, and R. bursa with overall maximum likelihood estimate infection rates being 0.93 (95% CI?=?0.35-2.05), 0.74 (95% CI?=?0.24-1.78), and 1.67 (95% CI?=?0.69-3.46), respectively. The surveyed region is the only place where both viral strains are circulating together in nature in Turkey. Results from serosurvey on 193 samples from three localities in the region showed that immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G rates are compatible with an epidemiological situation in which the virus has been present for a long time and is not the result of a recent invasive event from the main epidemic center in Anatolia (north-central Turkey). Seropositivity rates cannot be compared against the tick faunal composition, because of the homogeneity in the results about tick surveys. The high rate of seropositivity, and the prevalence of CCHFV in both Europe 1 and 2 clades among the ticks, but few clinical cases suggest that the circulation of both viral strains may confer protection against the CCHFV infection.