New solvents for pretreating wheat straw, mixtures of cholinium amino acids ionic liquids ([Ch][AA] ILs) and glycerol, were developed. As a typical result, 50% cholinium alanine-glycerol is capable of removing 67.6% lignin while reserving 95.1% cellulose (90 °C, L/S mass ratio of 20:1, 6 h) and the conversions of cellulose and xylan are 89.7% and 70.9%, respectively, which is comparable to the pretreatment capability of other solvents, while [Ch][AA]-glycerol mixtures have desirable advantages, e.g., biocompatibility, lower cost with adding glycerol than pure IL, much lower pretreatment temperature (typically <100 °C) than that by glycerol (typically >200 °C). Lignin removal and polysaccharide conversion are dependent on [Ch][AA] content and pH of pretreatment solvents. [Ch][AA] not only remove lignin in wheat straw effectively but also swell cellulose while not remarkably dissolve cellulose with high cellulose reservation, favoring the enzymatic hydrolysis. Such mixtures of ILs and co-solvents are potential solvents for pretreating biomass.

Verbascoside is the main component of the traditional medicinal plants that were used against protozoa parasites that cause malaria and leishmaniasis. Previously, we have described verbascoside inhibition of Leishmania amazonensis arginase as well as its antileishmanial action against extracellular promastigotes. In this study, we have assessed arginase parasite inhibition in intracellular amastigotes. In addition, we verified whether verbascoside can influence the host defense against the parasite by measuring gene expression of cytokines IL-1b, IL-10, IL-18, TNF-α and murine macrophage arginase as well as nitric oxide synthase enzymes. Our results show that verbascoside acts on intracellular amastigotes of L. amazonensis (EC50 = 32 μM) by selectively inhibiting the parasite arginase. Verbascoside did not affect the expression of cytokines or enzymes by murine macrophages. However, verbascoside was active against L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes that were resistant to treatment with LPS and IFN-γ. Verbascoside action on L. amazonensis can be associated with reduction of the protective oxidative mechanism of the parasite leading to impaired trypanothione synthesis that is induced by the parasite arginase inhibition.

The leafy parts of thyme and its essential oil have been used in foods for the flavour, aroma and preservation and also in folk medicines. In the present study the genotoxicity of thymol and carvacrol was examined using comet assay. In V79 Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells treated with 1, 5, 25μM thymol and carvacrol, only 25μM thymol caused some clastogenic DNA damage. For detection of oxidative DNA damage, the comet assay with formamido pyrimidine glycosylase (Fpg) protein was used: When V79 cells were treated with 1, 5, 25μM thymol and carvacrol and post-treated with Fpg enzyme, no significant increase of Fpg-sensitive sites was observed at all concentrations studied. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation decreased slightly in the presence of thymol (1–100μM) and carvacrol (5μM) between 1 and 4h, yet increased at the highest 100μM concentration of carvacrol after 24h. Thymol and carvacrol displayed a concentration dependent antioxidant capacity, whilst γ-terpinene which lacks a phenolic group did not show any antioxidant capacity in the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay. The results of this study indicate a lack of clastogenic activity for thymol and carvacrol at biologically relevant concentrations, and a moderate antioxidant activity in vitro.

AIM:Some methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene mutations cause hyperhomocysteinemia and homocystinuria. These may be important risk factors for cardio and cerebrovascular diseases. We investigated whether the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms contribute to hyperhomocysteinemia and increase the risk factor for stroke.METHODS:A total of 203 acute stroke patients and 55 controls were recruited. Polymorphisms were determined by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and plasma total homocysteine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:There were no significant differences between C677T and A1298C genotypes and allele frequencies in the stroke patients and controls. Total plasma homocysteine level was higher in the 677TT and 1298AA genotypes in stroke patients and especially small-vessel disease patient subgroup. Age, number of males, systolic-diastolic blood pressures, creatinine, vitamin B(12) and homocysteine levels were significantly high among stroke patients. Age, sex, systolic blood pressure and HDL-C were determined as risk factors for homocysteine levels. We also determined that the effect of A1298C polymorphism on homocysteine was not as high as that of C677T polymorphism in acute stroke patients. We conclude that the MTHFR genotype may be a modest risk factor for stroke in Turkish population.

We aimed to investigate the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism, ACE activity and their associations with diabetic complications in Turkish patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 143 patients and 133 controls were screened for ACE gene I/D polymorphism by using polymerase chain reaction. Serum ACE activities were determined spectrophotometrically. There was no significant difference in the distribution of ACE I/D genotypes between patients and controls. The patients with DD genotype had a higher ACE activity than those with ID and II. Hypertensive diabetic patients with DD genotype had higher ACE activities than those with ID and II. There was no significant difference in the distribution of ACE I/D genotypes between patients with and without nephropathy, retinopathy and hypertension except for patients with and without neuropathy. In patients with DD genotype, creatinine clearance correlated with duration of diabetes. The grade of retinopathy was correlated with duration of diabetes in DD and ID genotypes. The highest ACE activity was measured in hypertensive diabetics with DD genotype. ID genotype was suggested to be a risk factor and II was suggested to be protective for diabetic neuropathy. The DD and ID genotypes might be a predictor for the development of retinopathy in relation to duration of diabetes.

The aim of this study is to detect the incidence of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism in Turkish asthmatic patients and to examine whether there is an association between the disease and ACE gene polymorphism. In our study, the genomic DNA of 100 asthmatic patients and 88 healthy subjects was analyzed Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood by using standard methods. The intron 16 of the ACE gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using primers ACE and ACEX to examine the presence and absence of a 287-base pair (bp) DNA fragment that showed I/D polymorphism genotypes. PCR products were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis and were visualized by a charge-coupled device camera. Serum ACE activities were measured using an ACE kit. The results were evaluated statistically using the chi-square test and one-way analysis of variance. Although the population of patients with asthma was characterized by a higher frequency (30%) of the DD genotype of ACE, they were characterized by lower frequency (48%) of the ID genotype of ACE (DD, 16%, and ID, 64%, in healthy control subjects). The frequency of the I and D alleles of the ACE gene was not significantly different between asthmatic patients (0.46/0.54) and healthy controls (0.52/ 0.48). In addition, in both asthmatic patients and controls, there was a significant decrease of the levels of ACE activity in individuals that have II genotypes when compared with individuals that have DD genotypes. ACE activities were increased significantly in all asthmatic patients (67.20 +/- 1.95 IU/L) compared with all healthy controls (60.90 +/- 2.12 IU/L).

Hypertension is a multifactorial disease, in which genetic factors play an important role. This study was carried out to determine angiotensin-converting enzyme levels and angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in Turkish hypertensive patients, and to establish whether there is an association of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism with clinical and echocardiographic parameters. We have investigated the association among the allelic distribution of the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene identified by polymerase chain reaction, angiotensin-converting enzyme activity determined spectrophotometrically, cardiac morphology and function assessed by means of echocardiography. Distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene I/D polymorphism and allele frequencies in hypertensive patients was not significantly different from controls. D allele frequency was 51.7% in hypertensives vs. 51.9% in controls and I allele 48.3 vs. 48.1%, respectively. The level of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was significantly higher in the patients homozygotes for D allele (DD = 59.93 U/l) than in heterozygotes (ID = 39.49) and in homozygotes for I allele (II = 40.28 U/l). In addition to these, the level of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was significantly lower in the ID and especially II patients receiving ACE inhibitors than the others. Also, it was determined that left atrium diameter was larger in the patients homozygotes for I allele than the others.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acarbose and Rumex patientia on liver ultrastructure in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic (type II) rats. Forty-two-day-old, neonatal Wistar albino rats were used. They were divided into six groups. STZ was injected into groups 4, 5 and 6 on postnatal day 2. Groups 1 and 5 received water, groups 2 and 6 received 2% decoction of R. patientia grain and groups 3 and 4 received 40 mg acarbose/100 g feed. During the experimental period, blood glucose levels were checked periodically and HbA1c levels were measured from cardiac blood at the end of the experiment. In addition, liver tissue was examined by electron microscopy. Our results showed that glucose and HbA1c levels, which are increased by STZ, were decreased by acarbose and R. patientia. In group 5, most of the mitochondria of hepatocytes were swollen and some hepatocytes contained lipid granules in their cytoplasm. In group 4, no pathological changes were observed in hepatocytes, but some lysosomes were found in their cytoplasms. In group 6, mitochondrial changes were minimal compared with those in group 5, and no lipid granules were observed in hepatocytes.

The flavonoids, silymarin, myricetin, quercitin, kaempferol, rutin and kaempferol-3-rutinoside have been examined in combination with the food mutagens, 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido (4,3-b)indole (Trp-P-2) and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo-(4,5-f) quinoline (IQ), in the Comet assay in human lymphocytes from donor A and human sperm from donor B. These compounds alone have been shown to produce positive responses in the Comet assay, as have the food mutagens. However, in combination with the food mutagens, the flavonoids produced antigenotoxic effects since DNA damage was reduced in the Comet assay in lymphocytes and sperm. The assays were performed in the absence of metabolic activation, since when quercetin and kaempferol were examined in blood with metabolic activation, there was little or no difference in response to that obtained in its absence. In the blood, there was an exacerbation or synergy of response at the lowest doses of the flavonoids. In the sperm, with silymarin, myricetin and quercitin, antigenotoxic effects only were observed, but with kaempferol, in general, there were no protective effects. The food mutagen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimadazo (4,5-b)pyridine (PhIP), was also examined in addition to Trp-P-2 and IQ in combination with silymarin and myricetin in donors A and C in human lymphocytes only. Similar exacerbation of effects were found at low doses of these flavonoids with antigenotoxic effects at high doses. This was confirmed in the Ames test. There were slightly different profiles in lymphocytes and sperm, but antigenotoxic effects were observed over a similar dose range. This would suggest that effects occur in somatic and germ cells on a one-to-one ratio. These results have implications for man in terms of risk assessment and in the modulation of isolated food constituents.

In the present study, some toxic effects of cisplatin are evaluated in rats. It was also investigated whether S-carboxymethylcysteine (S-CMC), a free radical scavenger, protects the experimental animals from the toxic effects of cisplatin. The 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th groups received physiological saline, dimethyl sulphoxide, and S-CMC (100 and 500 mg/kg i.p.) for 3 days, respectively. The 3rd group received cisplatin (5 mg/kg i.p.) 12 h before sacrifice. The 6th and 7th groups received S-CMC (100 and 500 mg/kg i.p., respectively); additionally, these groups received cisplatin (5 mg/kg i.p.) 12 h before the rats were sacrificed. 5 mg/kg cisplatin decreased significantly serum creatinine and glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase levels as well as leucocyte counts. Although S-CMC did not change the effects of cisplatin on creatinine and liver enzyme levels, it eliminated the effect of cisplatin on leucocyte counts. Cisplatin increased significantly urinary creatinine level and creatinine clearance. Cisplatin caused some histological changes in kidney and liver.

In the present study, ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, was evaluated in vivo. The toxic effects of ciprofloxacin (20 and 200 mg/kg/day) on kidney and liver functions, and on chromosomes were investigated in rats. 20 mg/kg/day ciprofloxacin did not significantly affect urine composition, serum enzyme levels and the haematocrit, affecting only creatinine clearance. The 200 mg/kg/day dose increased urine volume, serum creatinine and and creatinine clearance. Ciprofloxacin at both doses had no significant numerical effect on chromosomes, but there was a statistically significant dose-dependent increase in chromatid-type breakage. Significant histological changes in the liver and kidney were not observed.

In order to reveal if there is an effect on the genesis of meiotic- or early zygotic non-disjunctions, data related to 1598 Down syndrome patients from 1578 families studied in five different genetic centers in Turkey are reported. Parental consanguinity and the inbreeding coefficient were found to be lower among patients of 21-trisomics than in parents without Down offspring. It was concluded that available information does not support the presence of a "non-disjunction gene" in man.

The effects of 50 microM lanthanum (La3+) on the contractile force, rate and coronary flow of rat hearts perfused with solutions containing 2.5, 5, 7.5 mM calcium (Ca2+) have been investigated. La3+ produced a rapid and marked decrease in contractile force within 1-3 min ("early La(3+)-effect"). The inhibition of contractility by La3+ was reduced progressively when the Ca2+ ion concentration in the perfusion fluid was raised from 2.5 to 7.5 mM. However, after 10-80 min of La3+ perfusion the contractile force was increased significantly ("late La(3+)-effect"). Elevation of Ca2+ during exposure to La3+ increased its effect. During the late La(3+)-effect, a marked decrease in heart rate and a significant increase in time to reach peak tension, time for half relaxation and twitch duration was observed. High concentrations of perfusate Ca2+ decreased the chronotropic response to La3+, in contrast, elevated Ca2+ potentiated La(3+)-induced increase in time to reach peak tension, time for half relaxation and twitch duration. La3+ produced a significant decrease in coronary flow. High Ca2+ augmented the decrease coronary flow. The findings indicate that La3+ may produce marked effects on myocardial function. High extracellular Ca2+ reduces the La(3+)-induced initial decrease in force of contraction, but potentiates the late increase in contractile force by La3+. Elevated external Ca2+ also increases the effects of La3+ on twitch parameters, heart rate and coronary flow.

Analysis of data from 56664 marriages in Turkey studied from 1970 to 1988 showed an overall rate of consanguineous marriages, of 21.25%, and increases in the rates of abortions, stillbirths, prenatal losses and neonatal deaths.

This study of 55 175 marriages in Turkey, conducted from 1970 to 1987, showed an overall rate of consanguineous marriage of 21.21% (mostly first‐cousin liaisons) and an inbreeding coefficient of 0.0064532. However, considerable differences between areas are apparent.