Established and Upcoming Yeast Expression Systems

Yeast was the first microorganism used by mankind for biotransformation of feedstock that laid the foundations of industrial biotechnology. Long historical use, vast amount of data, and experience paved the way for Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a first yeast cell factory, and still it is an important expression platform as being the production host for several large volume products. Continuing special needs of each targeted product and different requirements of bioprocess operations have led to identification of different yeast expression systems. Modern bioprocess engineering and advances in omics technology, i.e., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, secretomics, and interactomics, allow the design of novel genetic tools with fine-tuned characteristics to be used for research and industrial applications. This chapter focuses on established and upcoming yeast expression platforms that have exceptional characteristics, such as the ability to utilize a broad range of carbon sources or remarkable resistance to various stress conditions. Besides the conventional yeast S. cerevisiae, established yeast expression systems including the methylotrophic yeasts Pichia pastoris and Hansenula polymorpha, the dimorphic yeasts Arxula adeninivorans and Yarrowia lipolytica, the lactose-utilizing yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and upcoming yeast platforms, namely, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Candida utilis, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii, are compiled with special emphasis on their genetic toolbox for recombinant protein production.

The Effects of Occupational Therapy and Psychosocial Interventions on Interpersonal Functioning and Personal and Social Performance Levels of Corresponding Patients

INTRODUCTION

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of occupational therapy and psychosocial interventions on the interpersonal functioning and individual and social performance levels of corresponding patients under the heading of psychosocial treatment approaches in psychiatry clinics as well as the attitudes of the patients in regard to those interventions.

METHODS

In 2013, out of psychotic (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder/mania) and nonpsychotic (depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, alcohol dependence) inpatients in our clinic, 48 patients who participated in occupational activities were included in the study group and 43 patients who did not participate in these activities were included in the control group. We prepared and implemented a 3-item questionnaire constructed by our team, which probed the patients' thoughts on these occupational activities. The Interpersonal Functioning Scale (IFS) and Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP) were applied to both groups on hospital admission and discharge; variations in scale scores were evaluated on par with sociodemographic variables, and the study and control groups were compared.

RESULTS

In total, 91% of the study group provided positive feedback regarding the aforementioned interventions. When comparing the study and control groups, the IFS variance score of the study group did not show a significant difference with respect to that of the control group. A statistically significant difference (p<0.0001) was observed in the PSP scores. Evaluation of the PSP of the occupational activities, focusing on sociodemographics and diagnostic labels, revealed a significant improvement in nonpsychotic patients (p=0.002) compared with psychotic patients, in females (p=0.001) compared with males, in unemployed patients (p=0.0001) compared with employed patients, in single patients (p=0.002) compared with married patients, in less-educated patients (p=0.004) compared with high school graduates, and in patients younger than 45 years (p=0.002) compared with those older than 45 years.

CONCLUSION

The findings of our study showed coherence with the literature regarding similar studies conducted on psychotic subgroups. The results demonstrated significantly positive repercussions, specifically in the treatment of nonpsychotic patients; both groups benefited from occupational activities, as shown by improvements in all psychiatric inpatients' PSP scores in comparison with scores of the control group. We concluded that the recruitment of psychosocial treatment approaches enhanced personal and social performance in the patient groups, thereby leading to additional clinical benefits.

Feeding strategy design for recombinant human growth hormone production by Bacillus subtilis

Defined and semi-defined medium-based feeding strategies were developed to enhance recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) production by Bacillus subtilis BGSC-1A178 (scoC (-)) strain carrying pMK4::pre(subC)::hGH. Defined medium-based feeding strategies were designed by exponential feeding of glucose and (NH4)2HPO4 at two pre-determined specific growth rates, µ 0 = 0.10 and 0.17 h(-1). Semi-defined medium-based feeding strategies were designed by exponential feeding of substrate solution consisting of glucose, (NH4)2HPO4, peptone, and trace salt solution (PTM1) at three pre-determined specific growth rates, µ 0 = 0.10, 0.17, and 0.25 h(-1). At all the strategies applied, transition cultivation time from batch to fed-batch operation was t T = 4 h. The highest rhGH concentration was obtained as C rhGH = 0.5 g L(-1) with semi-defined medium-based feeding strategy designed with µ 0 = 0.25 h(-1) using feed substrate stock solution containing 200 g L(-1) glucose, 117 g L(-1) (NH4)2HPO4, 100 g L(-1) peptone, and 5 mL L(-1) PTM1 at t = 22 h when the cell concentration reached to C X = 8.29 g L(-1). The overall product and cell yields on glucose were obtained as [Formula: see text] = 7.21 mg g(-1) and [Formula: see text] = 0.12 g g(-1), respectively. The results indicate the requirement of designing continuous feed stream in fed-batch production to enhance rhGH production by r-B. subtilis.

Effect of different modifications of BEA-zeolites on operational characteristics of conductometric biosensor

Effect of different modifications of zeolite Na(+)-BEA on working characteristics of urease-based conductometric biosensor was studied. As the biosensor sensitive elements were used bioselective membranes based on urease and various zeolites immobilised with bovine serum albumin on the surface of conductometric transducers. Influence of zeolites on sensitivity of urea biosensor was investigated as well as reproducibility of biosensor signal and reproducibility of activity of the bioselective element after different variants of urease immobilisation on the surface of conductometric transducer. The biosensors based on zeolites (NH4(+)-BEA 30 and H(+)-BEA 30) were shown to be the most sensitive. Concentration of these zeolites in the bioselective membrane was optimized. Use of zeolites modified with methyl viologen and silver was ascertained to be of no prospect for urea conductometric biosensors. It was demonstrated that characteristics of urea biosensors can be regulated, varying zeolites modifications and their concentrations in bioselective membranes.

Synthesis and structural investigation of (4-methoxy-phenyl)-[4-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1-(1-phenylethylidene-amino)-2-thioxo-1,2-dihydro-pyrimidin-5-yl]-methanone

The crystal structure of (4-methoxy-phenyl)-[4-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-1-(1-phenylethylideneamino)-2-thioxo-1,2-dihydro-pyrimidin-5-yl]-methanone, has beeen determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 183(2) K. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/c. The O3 and C19 atoms in the methoxy group shows conformational disorder. In the title compound, the pyrimidine ring is slightly nonplanar. The angle between the planes formed by the ring atoms N2–C2–C3 and C1–N1–C4 is 4.0 (1)°. The three phenyl rings form dihedral angles of 147.9 (1), 113.0 (1) and 103.2 (1)° with the pyrimidine ring. The structure is stabilized by weak intermolecular C–H...O interactions.

Caliber of the common bile duct: effect of cholecystectomy and other factors in a ultrasonographic study of 8534 patients

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of different factors impacting the caliber of the common bile duct (CBD) and a comparison of maximum extrahepatic bile duct caliber in patients with and without a history of cholecystectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective data analysis was undertaken of 8534 patients (4480 females; 4054 males; average age: 59.2±18.0 years) with sonographic documentation of bile duct caliber. Maximum intra- and extrahepatic bile duct diameters were studied. The normal maximum diameter of the extrahepatic bile duct was defined as 7 mm. In patients who had undergone prior cholecystectomy, a maximum bile duct diameter<10 mm was considered normal.

RESULTS

The average maximum diameter of the CBD amounted to 5.3±3.0 mm for the overall collective. In patients who had undergone prior cholecystectomy, maximum CBD diameters in the normal range (<7 mm) were documented in 55%, while larger diameters (>7 mm) were observed in 45%. In the collective of patients without prior cholecystectomy, CBD diameters in the normal range (<7 mm) were found in 81%, with larger diameters observed in only 18.4% of patients. In both subgroups, there was a significant association between age and bile duct diameter (for those with prior cholecystectomy, p=0.0003; without prior cholecystectomy, p<0.0001). No statistically significant influence on CBD diameter was observed for either prior cholecystectomy (p=0.2116) or time interval since cholecystectomy (p=0.3537). Females, both with and without a history of prior cholecystectomy, showed a 1.4-1.5-fold higher risk of exhibiting a CBD diameter>7 mm (for those with prior cholecystectomy, p=0.0485; without prior cholecystectomy, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show a positive correlation between age and CBD diameter. There was no statistically significant relationship between CBD diameter and prior cholecystectomy, postoperative interval and BMI.

The importance of the mean platelet volume in the diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia

BACKGROUND

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the diagnostic relation between the mean platelet volume (MPV) and supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) in patient with documented atrial tachyarrhythmia in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS

Two study groups were compared; a SVT group with arrive at the ED with documented SVT (n=122) and 100 healthy adult without any palpitation symptom, arrhythmic disease, and with normal physical examination results that were brought for checkups to the cardiology polyclinic were classified as control group. Blood samples were obtained from all patients for determining the hematologic counts and MPV during first hour in ED period.

RESULTS

In terms of the focus of the study, hemoglobin, neutrophil count, mean cell volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), platelet, white blood cell (WBC), and lymphocyte counts were similar in both group (p>0.05). MPV in the SVT group was significantly higher than in the control group (9.12 ± 1.22 flvs 8.64 ± 0.89 fl, p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that just MPV was independent predictor of SVT in patients with palpitation in ED (odds ratio [OR] 8.497, 95% confidence interval (6.181 to 12.325), p=0.012).

CONCLUSION

The present study described that MPV is helpful parameter for the diagnosis of SVT in emergency department, for the first time in the literature.