Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) has episodic or subclinical inflammation that may lead to a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of FMF on bone ...metabolism and to investigate the factors that can influence bone metabolism, such as body mass index (BMI), mutations in Mediterranean fever (MEFV) gene, osteoprotegerin (OPG), leptin and inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). OPG, a soluble protein produced by osteoblasts, favors increased bone mass. Leptin may influence bone metabolism by acting on differentiated osteoblasts, having anabolic effects on bone. Thirty-one FMF patients in attack-free period (12 females and 19 males; mean age 31.4 ± 9.3 years) and 18 healthy controls (11 females and 7 males; mean age 34.6 ± 9.5 years) were compared according to the above parameters. BMD (g/cm2) and standard deviation scores (Z-score) were measured at the lumbar spine L1-L4 (BMD-L1-4) and proximal femur by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Osteopenia is defined as a Z-score between −1 and −2.5 and osteoporosis is equal or below −2.5. FMF patients showed statistically significant reduction in BMD-L1-4 and Z-score-L1-4. Moreover, serum OPG concentration was significantly elevated in FMF patiens. In contrast, MEFV gene mutations, leptin and the inflammatory cytokines did not differ between the patient and control groups. In conclusion, BMD was decreased and OPG was increased in our FMF patients. The high OPG levels may reflect a preventive mechanism against bone loss; namely, OPG might protect the FMF patients from excessive osteoporosis.
Combination of Off-Stoichiometry Thiol-Ene (OSTE) polymers with thiol-ene “Click” reaction is a versatile method for the development of advanced functional materials. In this study OSTE based ...photocurable coating materials with excess thiol groups on the surface were prepared and functionalized with maleic anhydride via thiol-ene “Click” reaction. Xylanase enzyme was then covalently immobilized onto these coatings. Maleic anhydride functionalization of the prepared OSTE coatings was proved by FTIR and contact angle measurements. The developed functional support was found to have high affinity for xylanase enzyme and the immobilization capacity was determined as 212mgg−1. Almost 100% of immobilization yield was achieved. Immobilization significantly improved the stability of the xylanase at pH values over 6.5 and temperatures exceeding 60°C. Moreover the immobilized xylanase exhibited superior reusability and storage stability compared to free xylanase.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Recently, prognostic importance of antibodies in primary membranous nephropathy is well defined. However, knowledge about antibodies related to disease activity in ...membranous lupus nephritis (MLN) is limited. Exostosin1 and exostosin2 (EXT1/2) are novel antibodies detected in MLN, and further studies are needed for the prognostic significance of them as a marker.
The aim of this study is to determine whether renal prognostic markers differ between EXT1/2 positive and negative MLN patients.
METHOD
This is a single-center, retrospective and observational study. Class 5 MLN patients aged 18 or older were included in the study. Clinical characteristics, results of biochemical analysis and histopathological examination were recorded from 6 to 18 months. The end-point of the study was determined as complete remission, partial remission, need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) and exitus. Group 1: EXT1/2 positive patients. Group 2: EXT1/2 negative patients. Light, immunofluorescent and electron microscopy findings and laboratory parameters were evaluated in EXT1/2 positive and negative patients.
RESULTS
Group 1: n = 11 patients. Group 2: n = 7 patients. The main demographic, biochemical and histopathological characteristics of the groups were shown in Table 1. EXT1/2 negative patients, a higher number of sclerotic glomeruli, interstitial fibrosis and a higher amount of proteinuria were present than positive patients (P < 0.05). EXT1/EXT2 negative patients had significantly lower C3 and C4 levels than positive patients (P < 0.05). EXT1/EXT2 negative patients had a higher RRT or exitus rate within 18 months than positive patients (P < 0.05). In contrast, EXT1/EXT2 positive patients had a higher rate of achieving complete or partial remission within 18 months than negative patients (P < 0.05). The effect of immunosuppressive drug use other than steroids and glomerulosclerosis remission was statistically significant (P = 0.04 and P = 0.011).
CONCLUSION
EXT1/2 negative class 5 LMN patients have more poor renal prognostic indicators than positive patients. RRT or exitus rate is higher in EXT1/EXT2 negative patients than positive patients. However, more randomized controlled studies are needed.
In this study, amine groups containing thiol-ene photocurable coating material for lipase immobilization were prepared. Lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) from
Candida rugosa
was immobilized onto the photocured ...coatings by physical adsorption and glutaraldehyde-activated covalent bonding methods, respectively. The catalytic efficiency of the immobilized and free enzymes was determined for the hydrolysis of
p
-nitrophenyl palmitate and also for the synthesis of
p
-nitrophenyl linoleate. The storage stability and the reusability of the immobilized enzyme and the effect of temperature and pH on the catalytic activities were also investigated. The optimum pH for free lipase and physically immobilized lipase was determined as 7.0, while it was found as 7.5 for the covalent immobilization. After immobilization, the optimum temperature increased from 37 °C (free lipase) to 50–55 °C. In the end of 15 repeated cycles, covalently bounded enzyme retained 60 and 70 % of its initial activities for hydrolytic and synthetic assays, respectively. While the physically bounded enzyme retained only 56 % of its hydrolytic activity and 67 % of its synthetic activity in the same cycle period. In the case of hydrolysis
V
max
values slightly decreased after immobilization. For synthetic assay, the
V
max
value for the covalently immobilized lipase was found as same as free lipase while it decreased dramatically for the physically immobilized lipase. Physically immobilized enzyme was found to be superior over covalent bonding in terms of enzyme loading capacity and optimum temperature and exhibited comparable re-use values and storage stability. Thus, a fast, easy, and less laborious method for lipase immobilization was developed.
Viral infection has been one of the major health issues for human life. The real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based detection has primarily been used for virus ...detection as a highly reliable procedure. However, it is a relatively long and multi-stage process. In addition, required skilled personnel and complex instrumentation presents difficulties in large scale monitoring efforts. Therefore, we report here a direct and fast detection method for CoV-2 genome as applied in the nose-throat swab samples without any further processing. The detection principle is based on fluorescein-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles capped by specific gene sequences probes immobilized on the surface of the nanoparticles. Upon hybridization with the target viral genome, the fluorescein molecules were released from the mesopores. Testing with synthetic oligonucleotides, the NSP12 gene-based detection resulted in a strong signal. Target detection time could be optimized to 15 min and the limit of detection was 1.4 RFU with 84% sensitivity with clinical samples (n = 43).
Display omitted
•A rapid biosensor for viruses.•Direct detection from nose-throat swab samples.•Detection time was 15 min.•Probe-gated silica nanoparticles were used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples.
Diabetes insipidus in pregnancy has different causes. The association of diabetes insipidus with disturbances of liver function has been reported, however, diabetes insipidus has rarely been reported ...in HELLP syndrome. We present a 23‐year‐old primigravida with a singleton gestation complicated by HELLP syndrome who developed postpartum diabetes insipidus. Labor was induced promptly to terminate pregnancy because of intrauterine fetal death and liver dysfunction. 1‐deamino‐8‐D‐arginine‐vasopressin was administered. Diabetes insipidus and liver dysfunction resolved within 2 weeks. Development of diabetes insipidus may result from increased vasopressinase activity mainly caused by deterioration of liver functions caused by HELLP syndrome. In pregnant women with liver disease as a result of any cause, the development of diabetes insipidus should be assessed with particular attention.
PDF
