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Heliotropium thermophilum (Boraginaceae) plants have strong antioxidant properties. This study investigated the effectiveness of the antioxidant system in protecting the photosynthetic machinery of H. thermophilum . Plants were obtained from Kizildere geothermal area in Buharkent district, Aydin, Turkey. Plants in the geothermal area that grew at 25-35°C were regarded as the low temperature group, while those that grew at 55-65°C were regarded as the high temperature group. We analysed the physiological changes of these plants at the two temperature conditions at stage pre-flowering and flowering. We meaured the effect of high soil temperature on water potential, malondialdehyde, cell membrane stability, and hydrogen peroxide analysis to determine stress levels on leaves and roots. Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities, ascorbate and chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, and photosynthetic enzymes (Rubisco and invertase) activities were also determined. Our results showed minimal changes to stress levels, indicating that plants were tolerant to high soil temperatures. In general, an increase in antioxidant enzyme activities, ascorbat levels, and all chlorophyll fluorescence parameters except for non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and F v /F m were observed. The pre-flowering and flowering stages were both characterised by decreased NPQ, despite F v /F m not changing. Additionally, there was a rise in the levels of photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, Rubisco, and invertase activities. High temperature did not affect photosynthetic yield because H. thermophilum was found to stimulate antioxidant capacity, which reduces oxidative damage and maintains its photosynthetic machinery in high temperature conditions and therefore, it is tolerant to high soil temperature.

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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between peripheral immune cell markers and cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. METHODS: Thirty-five patients diagnosed with schizophrenia with a stable course and a control group of 35 individuals matched in terms of sex, education, and age were included in this cross-sectional study. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and the Stroop Test were used for neuropsychological evaluation. Blood neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) values were calculated. RESULTS: The female patients exhibited significantly higher NLR and neutrophil percentages than the female controls and higher NLR, neutrophil percentage, and SII than the male patients. The increased neutrophil percentages and NLR and decreased lymphocyte percentages in the female patients were significantly correlated with worsening Stroop interference and RAVLT 1 scores. Additionally, a longer duration of illness was significantly correlated with elevated NLR, SII, and neutrophil percentage and a decreased lymphocyte percentage. A higher number of previous hospitalizations was correlated with elevated SII and decreased lymphocyte percentages. Regression analysis showed a significant association between neutrophil percentages and Stroop interference scores used to evaluate attentional functions in patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS: These study results suggest that gender and the course of the illness may affect NLR and SII values. An elevated neutrophil percentage may be one of the factors affecting attentional dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia. Prospective studies are now needed to verify these findings.

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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lithium treatment on renal function and to determine influencing factors. In addition, the utility of spot urine protein/creatinine ratio in detection of lithium induced nephropathy was also investigated. METHODS: Serum concentrations of lithium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and urinalysis including protein/creatinine ratio were measured in 375 patients using lithium. RESULTS: Patients taking lithium for ≥8 years had higher BUN, creatinine levels, percentage of proteinuria, percentages of stage 2 and 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD); lower urine density and eGFR compared to patients taking lithium <8 years. Urine density was lower in groups with >0.8 and 0.6-0.8 mmol/L lithium level than <0.6 mmol/L. Predictors of CKD were serum level of lithium, dose of lithium, cumulative duration of lithium use, age at onset of illness, and caffeine consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Detrimental effects of lithium on renal functions were detected after lithium use for ≥8 years. Proteinuria measured by spot urine protein/creatinine ratio can be detected even when eGFR is >90 ml/min/1.73 m2 . Spot urine protein/creatinine ratio, which is a cost-effective and practical laboratory test, can be used to monitor lithium-treated patients.

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To understand high temperature tolerance, Heliotropium thermophilum, a flowering plant thriving in a geothermal field with a soil temperature ranging between 55 and 65 °C, was grown in controlled laboratory conditions and two different soil temperatures were applied to the plants. One of them was the control group (CT 25 ± 3 °C) and the other was the high temperature group (HT 60 ± 4 °C). Water potential, dry weight, cell membrane injury (CMI), lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, chlorophylls, carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proline and total soluble sugar contents were measured. Contents of total soluble sugars, phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proline were found to be higher in HT group than CT while CMI was opposite. Moreover, no difference was determined in water potential, dry weight, lipid peroxidation, total chlorophyll and carotenoids between CT and HT. H. thermophilum plants adapted to high temperature under laboratory conditions through changing membrane lipid saturation, accumulating osmotically active compounds to save water or increase its uptake and inducing antioxidants such as phenolic compounds to keep reactive oxygen species under control. In conclusion, this study showed that H. thermophilum plant was highly resistant to high soil temperature under optimized laboratory conditions. Moreover, a plant that can withstand 60 °C for a long period of time up to 60 days under laboratory conditions was reported for the first time.

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PURPOSE: Although schizophrenia can be treated effectively, acute aggravations and relapses occur often. Antipsychotic drug therapies are fairly effective for decreasing the rate of relapses in patients with schizophrenia. This study aimed to compare paliperidone palmitate and the second-generation oral antipsychotic drugs used to treat patients with schizophrenia in terms of medication adherence, side effects, and quality of life. METHODS: The study included 33 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were treated with paliperidone palmitate and 51 patients who were treated with second-generation oral antipsychotics. All the patients were administered the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Clinical Global Impression, the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale, the UKU (Ugvalg for Kliniske Undersgelser) Side Effect Rating Scale, the Short Form 36, the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, and the Schedule for Assessing the Three Components of Insight. RESULTS: The medication adherence and perceived general health scores of the patients treated with paliperidone palmitate were significantly higher than those of the patients treated with second-generation antipsychotics, and the side effects of the medication on the patients' daily performance were significantly lower. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that long-acting paliperidone palmitate therapy was associated with more favorable results in terms of medication adherence, drug side effects, and quality of life compared with second-generation oral antipsychotics. However, there is a need for further, more specific, and larger-scale studies in this field.

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OBJECTIVE: Inflammation is an important factor in pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) analysis are used to predict peripheral inflammation. The aim of this study is to calculate neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios, which are inflammatory markers, and investigate their effect on cognitive functions in euthymic patients with objective bipolar disorder. METHOD: Twenty - eight patients with type-I bipolar disorder and 22 healthy controls matched for age, gender and educational status were included in the study. Neuropsychological tests were applied to all participants. Neutrophils, lymphocytes and platelets counts of the participants were measured and NLR and PLR were calculated. RESULTS: There was a significant negative correlation between NLR and Stroop interference score in study group. There was no statistically significant difference in NLR and PLR between study and control group. No significant correlation was found between PLR and neurocognitive test scores. CONCLUSION: This study revealed negative correlation between NLR and Stroop interference scores. We need further prospective studies with larger sample size to investigate role of inflammation on cognitive functions.

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OBJECTIVE: High suicide risk was shown to be related with depression and low quality of life in studies investigating clinical variables related to suicidal behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a suicide attempt on clinical presentation by comparing sociodemographic variables, clinical signs, symptoms of depression, quality of life, social functionality, and reported adverse drug reactions in schizophrenic patients with and without suicide. METHOD: Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale (CDS), Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), Social Functioning Scale (SFS), and Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser Side Effect Rating Scale (UKU) were administered to 115 patients with schizophrenia. RESULTS: 44.3% of patients had at least one suicide attempt. Among sociodemographic variables, a family history of suicide, smoking, and total duration of disease were significantly higher in patients with suicide history than without. Scores of CDS and UKU subscores were significantly higher, and quality of life and social occupation in social functionality were significantly lower in patients with a history of suicide. In correlation analysis, CSD was negatively correlated with Q-LES-Q and independency/performance subscore of SFI, and positively correlated with UKU-Neurological subscore. DISCUSSION: In line with this data, suicidal behavior may be suggested to affect clinical presentation and course characteristic of schizophrenic patients. Additional treatments towards factors that may impact on the clinical course and social support programs might be suggested for these patients.

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OBJECTIVE: Maintenance treatment with antipsychotic drugs for patients with schizophrenia is highly effective in decreasing the recurrence rate of the disease. In the current study, we aimed to compare long-acting second generation antipsychotic drug injections and oral forms of second generation antipsychotic drugs in terms of their adverse effects on quality of life. METHOD: Forty-one patients receiving second generation antipsychotic drugs and 139 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were treated with oral second generation antipsychotic drugs and enrolled in the study. All patients were evaluated with Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANNS), extrapyramidal symptom rating scale (ESRS) and UKU, and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction questionnaire (Q-LES-Q). RESULTS: The impact of adverse effects of oral second generation antipsychotic drugs on the daily performance of patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder was found to be significantly higher than that of the long acting injection antipsychotic drugs. The quality of life of patients receiving long acting second generation antipsychotic drug injection was significantly higher when compared with that of the patients treated with oral second generation antipsychotic drugs. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the long-acting second generation antipsychotic injection treatment was superior to second generation oral forms of antipsychotic drugs in terms of adverse effects and measures of quality of life. Further studies with specific design and the supplementation of larger samples are needed.

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Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments that are liable for colors ranging from red to blue of most fruits, vegetables, and flowers. A novel and fast method was developed for the determination of five anthocyanins and free pelargonidin by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detection. A 10% formic acid and acetonitrile mixture was employed as mobile phase in the gradient elution mode. Mobile phase composition, column temperature, flow rate, injection volume, and column conditioning time were optimized by employing a stepwise strategy. Using a C18 core-shell column (100 × 4.6 mm, 2.7 µm), the separation of six analytes was accomplished in less than 9.5 min with a run-to-run analysis time of 19 min. The developed method was validated with respect to linearity (r > 0.9999), limit of detection, limit of quantification, intra-/interday precision (<2%), accuracy (98.6-104.4%), and specificity. Afterwards, the method was applied to the determination of anthocyanins present in 15 different samples including fruits, fruit juices, and fruit wines.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Night Eating Syndrome (NES) among overweight or obese patients with serious mental illness and its relationship with insomnia and quality of life. METHODS: This study included 158 overweight or obese patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder (according to DSM-IV criteria) that were not in the active disease period. A clinical interview and Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) were used to assess the prevalence of NES among those in the study group. Body mass index (BMI), sleep quality, and quality of life measures were also evaluated for each patient. RESULTS: Twelve patients (7.6%) were diagnosed with NES via clinical interview while 26 (16.5%) were diagnosed by having ≥25 points in the NEQ. There were no statistically significant differences between the NES and non-NES groups with respect to age, gender, education and body mass index. However, quality of life scores were lower while the severity of insomnia scores were higher in patients with NES. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of NES is higher among overweight or obese patients with serious mental illness when compared to prevalence data in a general population, as demonstrated by previously published studies. Night eating behavior may be related to insomnia and poor quality of life measures. The recognition of NES among patients with severe mental disease is essential to promote prevention of obesity and insomnia as related to night eating behavior.

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Leaf rolling is known as a typical response to water deficit in numerous species such as rice, maize, wheat and sorghum. However, it results not only from the water deficit but also from other abiotic stress factors such as salt, temperature, heavy metals and UV radiation. In addition to the abiotic factors, herbivores, viruses, bacteria and fungi are biotic factors of leaf rolling. Leaf rolling is an effective protective mechanism from the effects of high light levels in agricultural fields and protects leaves of unirrigated plants from photodamage. The rolling reduces effective leaf area and transpiration, and thus is a potentially useful drought avoidance mechanism in dry areas. The current review focuses on the recent progress in understanding leaf rolling in relation to abiotic and biotic stress factors, the role of signal molecules, and the mechanisms of gene regulation.

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The correspondence among apoplastic and symplastic antioxidant status, stomatal conductance and water potential was investigated during leaf rolling in Ctenanthe setosa (Rosc.) Eichler (Marantaceae) under drought stress. Apoplastic and symplastic extractions of leaf and petiole were performed at different visual leaf rolling scores from 1 to 4 (1 is unrolled, 4 is tightly rolled and the others are intermediate form). In the leaf symplast, the highest changes were found in catalase (CAT) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activities when compared to score 1 during leaf rolling. No significant change was observed in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities in the symplast of leaf during the rolling. The same phenomenon was also present in the symplast of petiole except APX activity. In the leaf apoplast, the highest increase occurred in APX and GPX activities, whilst a slight increase in CAT and SOD activities. In the apoplast of petiole, the highest increment was found only in GPX activity, while there were small increases in SOD, APX and CAT activities. Hydrogen peroxide content increased up to score 3 in the apoplast and symplast of leaf and petiole but then slightly decreased. Also, superoxide production increased in the leaf and petiole apoplast but its quantity in the apoplast was much more than that of the symplast. On the other hand, NAD(P)H oxidase activity increased in the leaf but no change was observed in the petiole. In conclusion, as a result of water deficit during leaf rolling antioxidant enzymes are induced to scavenging of ROS produced in symplast and apoplast.

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The ascorbate-glutathione (ASC-GSH) cycle has an important role in defensive processes against oxidative damage generated by drought stress. In this study, the changes that take place in apoplastic and symplastic ASC-GSH cycle enzymes of the leaf and petiole were investigated under drought stress causing leaf rolling in Ctenanthe setosa (Rose.) Eichler (Marantaceae). Apoplastic and symplastic extractions of leaf and petiole were performed at different visual leaf rolling scores from 1 to 4 (1 is unrolled, 4 is tightly rolled and the others are intermediate forms). Glutathione reductase (GR), a key enzyme in the GSH regeneration cycle, and ascorbate (ASC) were present in apoplastic spaces of the leaf and petiole, whereas dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), which uses glutathione as reductant, monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), which uses NAD(P)H as reductant, and glutathione were absent. GR, DHAR and MDHAR activities increased in the symplastic and apoplastic areas of the leaf. Apoplastic and symplastic ASC and dehydroascorbate (DHA), the oxidized form of ascorbate, rose at all scores except score 4 of symplastic ASC in the leaf. On the other hand, while reduced glutathione (GSH) content was enhanced, oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content decreased in the leaf during rolling. As for the petiole, GR activity increased in the apoplastic area but decreased in the symplastic area. DHAR and MDHAR activities increased throughout all scores, but decreased to the score 1 level at score 4. The ASC content of the apoplast increased during leaf rolling. Conversely, symplastic ASC content increased at score 2, however decreased at the later scores. While the apoplastic DHA content declined, symplastic DHA rose at score 2, but later was down to the level of score 1. While GSH content enhanced during leaf rolling, GSSG content did not change except at score 2. As well, there were good correlations between leaf rolling and ASC-GSH cycle enzyme activities in the leaf (GR and DHAR) and leaf rolling and GSSG. These results showed that in apoplastic and symplastic areas, ASC-GSH cycle enzymes leading ROS detoxification may have a role in controlling leaf rolling.

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The ascorbate-glutathione (ASC-GSH) cycle has an important role in defensive processes against oxidative damage generated by drought stress. In this study, the changes that take place in apoplastic and symplastic ASC-GSH cycle enzymes of the leaf and petiole were investigated under drought stress causing leaf rolling in Ctenanthe setosa (Rose.) Eichler (Marantaceae). Apoplastic and symplastic extractions of leaf and petiole were performed at different visual leaf rolling scores from 1 to 4 (1 is unrolled, 4 is tightly rolled and the others are intermediate forms). Glutathione reductase (GR), a key enzyme in the GSH regeneration cycle, and ascorbate (ASC) were present in apoplastic spaces of the leaf and petiole, whereas dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), which uses glutathione as reductant, monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), which uses NAD(P)H as reductant, and glutathione were absent. GR, DHAR and MDHAR activities increased in the symplastic and apoplastic areas of the leaf. Apoplastic and symplastic ASC and dehydroascorbate (DHA), the oxidized form of ascorbate, rose at all scores except score 4 of symplastic ASC in the leaf. On the other hand, while reduced glutathione (GSH) content was enhanced, oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content decreased in the leaf during rolling. As for the petiole, GR activity increased in the apoplastic area but decreased in the symplastic area. DHAR and MDHAR activities increased throughout all scores, but decreased to the score 1 level at score 4. The ASC content of the apoplast increased during leaf rolling. Conversely, symplastic ASC content increased at score 2, however decreased at the later scores. While the apoplastic DHA content declined, symplastic DHA rose at score 2, but later was down to the level of score 1. While GSH content enhanced during leaf rolling, GSSG content did not change except at score 2. As well, there were good correlations between leaf rolling and ASC-GSH cycle enzyme activities ...

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