Days In Blood Research Articles

The Influence of Administering Propolis CMCE Extract on FSH, LH, and Testosterone Levels in MSG-Induced Male Wistar Rat

Introduction: Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) increase free radicals and effecting on male reproductive hormone balance. CMCE propolis extract can be used as supplement to protect cells from free radical.Objective : To prove the effect of CMCE propolis extract to increase FSH, LH and Testosterone levels in male Wistar rats induced by MSG.Methods : This research was an experimental with post test only control group design used 18 male Wistar rats and divided into 3 groups. Each group on Control (K), P1 and P2 were induced by MSG of 140mg, then on P1 added 8,3mg CMCE propolis extract and P2 10,8mg for 21 days. Then on 22th day of blood was taken through the orbitalis sinus and serum was used for the analysis FSH, LH and Testosteron levels with ELISA method.Results : ANOVA analysis test showed significant differences each group p=0,000(p˂0,05). Post hoc LSD test showed FSH, LH and Testosterone levels in the 8,3mg dose CMCE propolis extract and 10,8mg were significant different compared with control group p=0,000(p˂0,05). CMCE propolis extract 10,8mg dose had the significantly highest effect of FSH, LH and Testosterone levels than CMCE propolis extract 8,3 mg.Conclusion : CMCE propolis extract 10,8mg/day for 21 days is proven to increase FSH, LH and testosterone levels in male Wistar rats induced by MSG.

Evaluating the use of hypoxia sensitive markers for body fluid stain age prediction

In order to augment DNA profiling and body fluid identification techniques, efforts are being made to increase the amount of information available from a crime scene stain, which includes efforts to identify externally visible characteristics through phenotypic analysis. A key question surrounding crime scene stains is the length of time between deposition of the stain and its subsequent recovery, in that is the stain recovered related to the incident in question or from a previously deposited stain number of weeks earlier? The inability to answer this fundamental question has a detrimental effect upon the successful completion of a criminal investigation. Once a body fluid leaves the body, the oxygen concentration in the environment changes, therefore it may be that this change could cause a change in expression of hypoxia-sensitive biomarkers. Here, a range of blood, saliva and semen samples were collected at 0 days, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days and 28 days of degrading at room temperature, before undergoing total RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis. All samples then underwent quantitative PCR targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGFA) and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 Alpha (HIF1A), with B-Actin (ACTB) as a reference gene. A range of linear and quadratic correlation values was obtained from the qPCR data and used to develop a predictive model with a mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 5.3, 2.0, and 4.3 days for blood, saliva, and semen respectively. Blind testing indicated that a stain age prediction model based upon VEGFA with ACTB as a reference gene could be used on stains up four weeks old with a margin of error ranging from 2 days through to 5 days. Whilst a large potential time frame exists using this model, this represents a major step towards the target of having an accurate stain age prediction model.

Plasma Levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, IFNγ, and TNFα are not Associated with Delayed Cerebral Ischemia, Cerebral Vasospasm, or Clinical Outcome in Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a serious and frequent complication following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The pathophysiology behind DCI remains poorly understood, but inflammation has been proposed to play a significant role. This study investigated the relationship between plasma levels of some of the most important inflammatory markers and DCI, cerebral vasospasm, and functional outcome in patients with SAH. In 90 patients with SAH, interleukin-6, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP), interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interferon gamma, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were measured in peripheral blood day 3 and day 8 after SAH. Any occurrence of DCI or infection was recorded, and computed tomography angiography was performed on day 8. Clinical outcome was assessed after 3 months. HsCRP on day 3 was higher in patients with angiographic vasospasm (P= 0.003), and HsCRP on day 8 was higher in patients with poor outcome (P= 0.014). No association with DCI, vasospasm, or outcome was found for any of the remaining analyzed substances. High plasma levels of HsCRP were significantly associated with angiographic vasospasm and clinical outcome. Plasma levels of interleukin-6, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interferon gamma, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were not associated with DCI, angiographic vasospasm, or clinical outcome at 3 months.

Pharmacokinetics, excretion, distribution, and metabolism of 60-kDa polyethylene glycol used in BAY 94-9027 in rats and its value for human prediction

The covalent binding of proteins with polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules is a valuable tool to extend the half-life of many biotherapeutics, including factor VIII (FVIII) products to treat patients with haemophilia A. Although PEG has low toxicity, accumulation of large PEG molecules (>20–30 kDa) with long-term exposure is a potential concern. Thus, it is important to determine whether sufficient excretion processes exist for PEG molecules used in biotherapeutics. BAY 94-9027 is an extended–half-life FVIII product modified through addition of a 60-kDa (branched: dual 30-kDa) PEG molecule. BAY 1025662 is the 60-kDa PEG moiety used for PEGylation of BAY 94-9027. This study investigated the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, distribution, and excretion of BAY 1025662 in rats in order to predict estimated 60-kDa PEG PK properties in patients. Plasma concentrations in male rats after a single 11-mg/kg intravenous dose of BAY 1025662 (approximating the cumulative PEG-60 exposure in patients during 30 years of BAY 94-9027 treatment) decreased with an initial half-life of 119 h (5 days) in the interval of 114–336 h post administration. Single-dose mass balance studies using radiolabeled BAY 1025662 ([prop-14C]BAY 1025662) showed that 30.4% of radioactivity was excreted within 1 week and 79.1% by Day 168 (primarily in urine). The terminal half-life of radioactivity elimination was approximately 24 days in blood and plasma and was 31–68 days in the majority of other organs up to Day 168. Elimination was nearly complete at the end of the experiment on Day 168; only ~4% of residual radioactivity was present in the animal body. There was no irreversible binding of radioactivity to any tissues and no penetration of the blood-brain barrier. Based on these results, very low steady-state concentrations of 60-kDa PEG were predicted in patients treated with BAY 94-9027, and the validity of these predictions was supported by clinical studies in which almost all 179 patients receiving BAY 94-9027 for prophylaxis had undetectable PEG in plasma for up to >5 years; those with detectable PEG levels demonstrated concentrations within the predicted range. These combined preclinical and clinical observations suggest that excretion processes are in place for high-molecular-weight PEGs such as the PEG-60 moiety used in BAY 94-9027.

Estimation of the metabolic rate by assessing carbon-13 turnover in broiler tissues using the stable isotope technique

The aim of this study was to estimate the metabolic rate of broiler tissues by assessing carbon turnover in different growth phases by using the stable isotope technique and by evaluating the natural changes in Carbon-13 (13C) between C3 and C4 cycle plants. Six-hundred 1-day-old broiler chicks were divided into six groups and subjected to dietary changes containing different isotopic values at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of age. Birds of Group 1 received diets composed predominantly of C3 cycle plants shortly after accommodation, while birds of other groups remained predominantly fed with C4 diet. The diet of Group 2 was mainly replaced by C3 diet on the 7th day of age. Group 3 started to receive C3 diet on the 14th day of age, whereas the diet of Group 4 was replaced on the 21st, Group 5 on the 28th. In Group 6, the substitution occurred on the 35th day of age. Samples of the pectoral muscle, keel, tibia, legs muscle, intestinal mucosa, blood, plasma, and feathers were collected. Carbon isotope ratios were determined by mass-spectrometry of isotope ratios. To measure the speed of carbon substitution after a set interval (turnover), a time exponential function was employed and obtained by exponential equations of the first order calculated with Minitab® 16 software. The carbon half-life varied from 1.78 to 8.20 days for the pectoral muscle, from 1.91 to 12.24 days for the keel, from 2.32 to 10.71 days for the tibia, from 1.87 to 9.43 days for the leg muscle, from 0.8 to 1.58 days for the intestinal mucosa, from 0.64 to 1.71 days for the plasma, from 2.61 to 11.07 days for blood, and from 1.84 to 28.41 days for the feathers during the total growth phase. With the exception of tibia and blood, all other tissues presented a high metabolic rate in the first week of the broilers’ life. The metabolic rate of tissues is faster in younger animals, and the metabolism slows down as the broilers get older. The metabolic rates in the pectoral muscle, keel, tibia, and feathers decreased with age, whereas those of the plasma and intestinal mucosa were high in all evaluated periods; thus, these tissues can be used to study traceability of feed at all stages of the broilers’ life.

Zika virus infection in travelers returning from countries with local transmission, Guangdong, China, 2016.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus spreading rapidly in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. No indigenous ZIKV infection had been seen in China. We monitored ZIKV infection among travelers returning to Enping county from ZIKV transmitting countries from 1 March to 10 April 2016. We analyzed data including interviews; conducted laboratory test on blood, urine, saliva, conjunctival swab or semen specimens for evidence of ZIKV infection; evaluated household for presence of Aedes mosquitoes or larvae. A total of 925 individuals were screened, 507 (54.8%) were interviewed, 400 (43.2%) provided samples, of which 13 (3.3%) tested positive for ZIKV including 3 asymptomatic. Rash, conjunctivitis, sore throat, fever were the common symptoms; rash was more pronounced in adults than in children. ZIKV RNA was detected for 1-4 days in blood, but longer in urine and saliva (3-32 days and 2-10 days). Among interviewed, 57.0% had good knowledge about ZIKV, 45.8% were worried about ZIKV, 99.2% would go to hospital if they had infection. Aedes mosquitoes or larvae were detected in townships of infected returners. ZIKV was imported to China. Screening by symptoms alone is inadequate for detecting ZIKV infection. ZIKV surveillance, health-education, and vector control are necessary to decrease risk of ZIKV transmission.

Assessment of tissue development in fattening quails using the stable isotope technique.

We aimed to study the behaviour of tissue renewal in blood, pectoral muscle and keel of fattening quails during their growth and adulthood through carbon-13 turnover using the stable isotope technique. Three hundred male European quails were randomly subjected to six treatments. Diets fed to animals were initially based on corn and soybean meal and were replaced at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35days of age with diets of rice grits and soybean meal. These diets have distinct isotopic signals and over time it changes; the tissue will incorporate dietary signal, and then, we can measure the return time for each tissue in each age. Treatments were T1 (0 to 21days), T2 (7 to 35days), T3 (14 to 42days), T4 (21 to 56days), T5 (28 to 63days) and T6 (35 to 70days). Carbon-13 turnover in tissues of the birds at the above-mentioned time periods was calculated using the first-order exponential function. The values of half-lives were 2.6, 3.6, 5.4, 6.3, 9.0 and 9.8days for blood and 2.0, 1.7, 4.8, 6.7, 6.9 and 6.6days for pectoral muscle in treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively. The half-lives for the keel in treatments T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 were 2.0, 5.4, 7.7, 8.9 and 15days respectively. Thus, half-life in sampled tissues generally increased with age of birds. Initially, the tissue half-lives are influenced by growth, and at the end of the growth cycle, the breast muscle tissue was the most metabolically active in either periods, followed by blood and the keel. All tissues showed a sigmoidal growth curve, which can be confirmed by half-life as a function of age.

High Plasma Levels of Neuropeptide Y Correlate With Good Clinical Outcome But are not Correlated to Cerebral Blood Flow or Vasospasm After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is a serious and frequent complication following subarachnoid hemorrhage. Treatments with convincing effect are lacking and the pathophysiology behind DCI remains poorly understood. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a potent endogenous vasoconstrictor and a role of NPY in the development of DCI has been proposed. This study investigated the relationship between plasma-NPY and cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral vasospasm, DCI, and clinical outcome. In 90 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, NPY was measured in peripheral blood days 2 to 11. Any occurrence of DCI was recorded and CBF was quantified day 3 and day 8 using computed tomography (CT) perfusion. CT angiography was performed day 8. Clinical outcome was assessed after 3 months. No correlation was found between plasma-NPY and CBF or angiographic vasospasm. The correlation between reduced plasma-NPY and DCI reached borderline statistical significance (P=0.05). Increased levels of NPY measured on days 2 to 4 were correlated to good outcome (P=0.006). Our findings in peripheral blood were not supportive of a causal relationship between NPY secretion and DCI. Although high levels of plasma-NPY were correlated with good clinical outcome, NPY did not show promise as a clinically useful biomarker.

Scedosporium apiospermum: A Rare Case of Cavitary Lung Disease

Scedosporium apiospermum: A Rare Case of Cavitary Lung Disease

Calcium and phosphorus regulatory hormones and risk of incident symptomatic kidney stones.

Calcium and phosphorus regulatory hormones may contribute to the pathogenesis of calcium nephrolithiasis. However, there has been no prospective study to date of plasma hormone levels and risk of kidney stones. This study aimed to examine independent associations between plasma levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH]2D), 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphate, and creatinine and the subsequent risk of incident kidney stones. This study was a prospective, nested case-control study of men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study who were free of diagnosed nephrolithiasis at blood draw. During 12 years of follow-up, 356 men developed an incident symptomatic kidney stone. Using risk set sampling, controls were selected in a 2:1 ratio (n=712 controls) and matched for age, race, and year, month, and time of day of blood collection. Baseline plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphate, and creatinine were similar in cases and controls. Mean 1,25(OH)2D and median FGF23 levels were higher in cases than controls but differences were small and statistically nonsignificant (45.7 versus 44.2 pg/ml, P=0.07 for 1,25[OH]2D; 47.6 versus 45.1 pg/ml, P=0.08 for FGF23). However, after adjusting for body mass index, diet, plasma factors, and other covariates, the odds ratios of incident symptomatic kidney stones in the highest compared with lowest quartiles were 1.73 (95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 2.71; P for trend 0.01) for 1,25(OH)2D and 1.45 (95% confidence interval, 0.96 to 2.19; P for trend 0.03) for FGF23. There were no significant associations between other plasma factors and kidney stone risk. Higher plasma 1,25(OH)2D, even in ranges considered normal, is independently associated with higher risk of symptomatic kidney stones. Although of borderline statistical significance, these findings also suggest that higher FGF23 may be associated with risk.

Pharmacokinetics and Excretion of 14C-Labeled Polyethylene Glycol (60 kDa) in Rats

Introduction: Although there is no evidence for PEG-related safety issues with PEGylated proteins in the clinic, questions relating to the pharmacokinetics including disposition and excretion of PEG are being raised more frequently by health authorities nowadays, particularly for PEGylated proteins used chronically and/or in the pediatric population (http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Scientific_guideline/2012/11/WC500135123.pdf).BAY 94-9027, a B-domain–deleted recombinant FVIII with a 60-kDa branched PEG molecule attached via a maleimide linker to an amino acid using site-specific PEGylation, is in clinical development for acute and prophylactic intravenous treatment of hemophilia A. The objective of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics and excretion of radioactivity (unchanged compound and radioactive metabolites) after single intravenous administration of 14C-labeled BAY 1025662 (cysteine linker-[60-kDa] PEG part of BAY 94-9027 with the 14C label covalently integrated in the linker) in male Wistar rats.Methods: The administered dose was 11 mg/kg body weight related to BAY 1025662 (approximated human lifetime dose of PEG 60 kDa resulting from treatment with BAY 94-9027). The concentrations and amounts of radioactivity in urine, feces, blood, plasma, and selected organs and tissues were investigated in order to determine the excretion via urine and feces, and the pharmacokinetics of total radioactivity and radioactive residues in the animal body.Results: After single intravenous administration of 14C-BAY 1025662 to rats, a fast initial elimination of 14C radioactivity was observed; 63.2% of administered radioactivity was excreted within the first 24 hours (51.4% in urine, 11.8% in feces). Up to day 7, 75.6% of administered radioactivity was excreted predominantly via urine. The balance/recovery of radioactivity on day 7 amounted to 99.0% in relation to the administered radioactive dose. The radioactive residue in the animals amounted to 23.4% of administered dose. The majority of the residual radioactivity was recovered in the carcass and skin, followed by liver and kidneys. The excretion of radioactivity continued at steadily decreasing levels until the end of the study. The daily radioactivity excretion decreased from 2.1% at 72 hours to 0.013% of dose at 6 months after administration of 14C-BAY 1025662. The cumulative excretion of radioactivity via urine and feces was calculated (partly interpolated) to 92.2% of the administered radioactive dose by the end of the experiment on day 168 (74.5% via urine, 17.4% via feces, and 0.294% recovered in the cage wash). The radioactivity was continuously albeit slowly eliminated from the investigated organs and tissues. The elimination half-life of radioactivity was 26 and 23 days in blood and plasma, respectively. The corresponding elimination half-lives of radioactivity were 35, 41, and 31 days in the liver, carcass, and skin, respectively. Radioactivity elimination from kidneys was biphasic with a terminal half-life of 92 days. The radioactive residues in the animals excluding the gastrointestinal tract decreased during the study from 22.5% on day 7 to 1.79% of dose at the end of the study on day 168. There was no indication for any retention or irreversible binding of radioactivity in the animal body. The total recovery of radioactivity (cumulative excretion plus residues in the animals) was 94% in relation to the administered dose at the end of the experiment on day 168.Conclusions: In this study, nearly complete excretion of the 60-kDa PEG molecule (measured as total radioactivity) could be observed, with a fast initial elimination in the first few days and a subsequent considerably slower process until the end of the observation period (6 months). These results are in agreement with recently proposed fast and slow processes for the renal excretion of large PEG and PEG proteins (Baumann, A. et al. Drug Discov Today. 2014:[Epub ahead of print, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2014.06.002]). DisclosuresBaumann:Bayer Pharma AG: Employment. Schwarz:Bayer Pharma AG: Employment. Seidel:Bayer Pharma AG: Employment. Hucke:Bayer Pharma AG: Employment. Steinke:Bayer Pharma AG: Employment. Buehner:Bayer Pharma AG: Employment.

Effect of Dermal Application of Bifenthrin on Acetylcholinesterase and Oxidative Stress Indices in Rat Blood, Lung and Kidney

The oxidative stress inducing potential of bifenthrin was evaluated in the blood, lung and kidney homogenates of rats following its repeated dermal application for a period of 30 days. Bifenthrin treated animals showed significant increase in lipid peroxidation after 20 and 30 days of treatment in erythrocytes, lung and kidney. Blood glutathione decreased significantly both after 20 and 30 days of exposure. Superoxide dismutase increased significantly after 20th day of application of bifenthrin followed by significant decrease after 30th day. In lung superoxide dismutase activity decreased non-significantly after 20th day which decreased significantly after 30th day of application. Superoxide dismutase in kidney decreased significantly both after 20th and 30th day of treatment. The activity of glutathione peroxidase significantly decreased in erythrocytes, lung and kidney both after 20 and 30 days of exposure. No significant change in the activity of glutathione–S-transferase was observed after 20th day in blood and a significant decrease was observed after 30th day. Significant increase of glutathione–S-transferase was observed in lung both after 20 and 30 days of treatment where as in kidney significant increase was observed only after 30 days. There was a significant decrease of catalase in erythrocytes, lung and kidney both after 20th and 30th day of application. Non-significant changes were observed in acetylcholinesterase activities in treatment group both after 20th and 30th day. In conclusion bifenthrin treated animals showed alteration in antioxidant enzyme system suggesting its oxidative stress potential.

Radioprotection of hematopoietic progenitors by low dose amifostine prophylaxis

Purpose: Amifostine is a highly efficacious cytoprotectant when administered in vivo at high doses. However, at elevated doses, drug toxicity manifests for general, non-clinical radioprotective purposes. Various strategies have been developed to avoid toxic side-effects: The simplest is reducing the dose. In terms of protecting hematopoietic tissues, where does this effective, non-toxic minimum dose lie?Material and methods: C3H/HEN mice were administered varying doses of amifostine (25–100 mg/kg) 30 min prior to cobalt-60 irradiation and euthanized between 4–14 days for blood and bone marrow collection and analyses.Results: Under steady-state, amifostine had little effect on bipotential and multi-potential marrow progenitors but marginally suppressed a more primitive, lineage negative progenitor subpopulation. In irradiated animals, prophylactic drug doses greater than 50 mg/kg resulted in significant regeneration of bipotential progenitors, moderate regeneration of multipotential progenitors, but no significant and consistent regeneration of more primitive progenitors. The low amifostine dose (25 mg/kg) failed to elicit consistent and positive, radioprotective actions on any of the progenitor subtypes.Conclusions: Radioprotective doses for amifostine appear to lie between 25 and 50 mg/kg. Mature, lineage-restricted progenitors appear to be more responsive to the protective effects of low doses of amifostine than the more primitive, multipotential progenitors.

An investigation of the stability of emerging new psychoactive substances

The evolving nature of new psychoactive substances (NPS) - often referred to as 'legal highs', 'designer drugs' or 'bath salts' - presents an evolving challenge for toxicologists. Apart from the detection and identification of these compounds, further analytical challenges may arise from the presence of possible metabolites or degradation products which may have to be considered when devising an analytical strategy. Whilst there has been some stability research for some more established drugs of abuse and medicinal products, data on emerging NPS are less abundant. In order to address this need, 13 NPS (4-MEC, MDAI, methoxetamine, 5-MeO-DALT, 6-APB, MPA, 5-IAI, MDAT, 2-AI, AMT, 25C-NBOMe, AH-7921, 5-MAPB) were spiked in blood and plasma and kept at room temperature (20-23 °C). Detection and identification of the suspected breakdown products were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and ultra high performance liquid chromatography with high mass accuracy quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS). 4-MEC became undetectable in blood within 14 days with a corresponding loss of 54% in plasma. A breakdown product was identified as dihydro-4-MEC which was also found in vivo in a case work sample. Storage of AMT led to a range of potential breakdown products which were also found in vivo. The remaining substances were found to be stable for at least 21 days in blood and plasma. This is the first time stability data have been published for these emerging substances and showed that additional compounds found during forensic casework were potential metabolites rather than instability products. In particular, presumptive metabolites of 25C-NBOMe and AH-7921 are presented.

Turnover of Se in adequately fed chickens using Se‐75 as a tracer

Inorganic selenium (Se) in the form of selenite is applied to livestock to avoid Se deficiency. Selenite is, however, an artificial Se source in diets of unsupplemented chickens. It is therefore hypothesized that organic Se sources, such as Se-enriched yeast and wheat, could be a more suitable Se supply in animal nutrition, although information on the transition of Se from organic Se sources in fast-growing chickens is scarce. In this work, chickens were fed a low Se diet (0.27 ± 0.01 mg Se/kg, Se-enriched yeast) until 20 days of age, after which the Se concentration was increased to maximum concentration allowed by the poultry industry in Europe (0.5 p.p.m. Se). At the same time, a daily contribution of carrier-free (75)Se tracer from labelled wheat was administered from day 20 to 27. The chickens showed S and Se homeostasis, as the concentration of S and Se in liver, blood or kidney remained about constant, and steady state of S and Se in the other organs was reached 1 day after the diet shift. The uptake of (75)Se was readily seen in all organs. After 1 week, the depuration of the (75)Se tracer was followed, and biological half-lives and retention in individual organs were determined. The shortest biological half-lives were observed in major metabolic organs, the liver, kidney and pancreas with half-lives close to 4 days. There was a significant (p < 0.05) uptake in lung, brain and muscle that reached steady state when the administration of (75)Se was terminated. The half-life of (75)Se in heart was 9 days and 7 days in blood. The longest half-lives were observed in muscle (12 days), brain and lungs (13 days). All half-lives were shorter than in Se deplete animals.

Toxicity assessment of manganese oxide micro and nanoparticles in Wistar rats after 28 days of repeated oral exposure

In the near future, nanotechnology is envisaged for large-scale use. Hence health and safety issues of nanoparticles (NPs) should be promptly addressed. Twenty-eight-day oral toxicity, genotoxicity, biochemical alterations, histopathological changes and tissue distribution of nano and microparticles (MPs) of manganese oxide (MnO2 ) in Wistar rats was studied. Genotoxicity was assessed using comet, micronucleus and chromosomal aberration assays. The results demonstrated a significant increase in DNA damage in leukocytes, micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells after exposure of MnO2 -NPs at 1000, 300 mg kg(-1) bw per day and MnO2 -MPs at the dose of 1000 mg kg(-1) bw per day. Our findings showed acetylcholinestrase inhibition at 1000 as well as at 300 mg kg(-1) bw per day in blood and with all the doses in the brain indicating the toxicity of MnO2 -NPs. Further, the doses significantly inhibited different ATPases in the brain P2 fraction. Significant changes were observed in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the liver, kidney and serum in a dose-dependent manner. MnO2 -MPs at 1000 mg kg(-1) bw per day were found to induce significant alterations in biochemical enzymes. A significant distribution was found in all the tissues in a dose-dependent manner. MnO2 -NPs showed a much higher absorptivity and tissue distribution as compared with MnO2 -MPs. A large fraction of MnO2 -NPs and MnO2 -MPs was cleared by urine and feces. Histopathological analysis revealed that MnO2 -NPs caused alterations in liver, spleen, kidney and brain. The MnO2 -NPs induced toxicity at lower doses compared with MnO2 -MPs. Further, this study did not display gender differences after exposure to MnO2 -NPs and MnO2 -MPs. Therefore, the results suggested that prolonged exposure to MnO2 has the potential to cause genetic damage, biochemical alterations and histological changes.

Daily cytokine fluctuations, driven by leptin, are associated with fatigue severity in chronic fatigue syndrome: evidence of inflammatory pathology

BackgroundChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating disorder characterized by persistent fatigue that is not alleviated by rest. The lack of a clearly identified underlying mechanism has hindered the development of effective treatments. Studies have demonstrated elevated levels of inflammatory factors in patients with CFS, but findings are contradictory across studies and no biomarkers have been consistently supported. Single time-point approaches potentially overlook important features of CFS, such as fluctuations in fatigue severity. We have observed that individuals with CFS demonstrate significant day-to-day variability in their fatigue severity.MethodsTherefore, to complement previous studies, we implemented a novel longitudinal study design to investigate the role of cytokines in CFS pathophysiology. Ten women meeting the Fukuda diagnostic criteria for CFS and ten healthy age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched women underwent 25 consecutive days of blood draws and self-reporting of symptom severity. A 51-plex cytokine panel via Luminex was performed for each of the 500 serum samples collected. Our primary hypothesis was that daily fatigue severity would be significantly correlated with the inflammatory adipokine leptin, in the women with CFS and not in the healthy control women. As a post-hoc analysis, a machine learning algorithm using all 51 cytokines was implemented to determine whether immune factors could distinguish high from low fatigue days.ResultsSelf-reported fatigue severity was significantly correlated with leptin levels in six of the participants with CFS and one healthy control, supporting our primary hypothesis. The machine learning algorithm distinguished high from low fatigue days in the CFS group with 78.3% accuracy.ConclusionsOur results support the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of CFS.

LeRae Sikes Umfleet, A Day of Blood: The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot. Raleigh: Historical Publications Section, Office of State Archives and History, 2009. Pp. 288. Paper $18.00.

Previous articleNext article No AccessLeRae Sikes Umfleet, A Day of Blood: The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot. Raleigh: Historical Publications Section, Office of State Archives and History, 2009. Pp. 288. Paper $18.00.Louis RayLouis RayFairleigh Dickinson University Search for more articles by this author Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityPDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Journal of African American History Volume 98, Number 2Spring 2013African Americans, Police Brutality, and the U.S. Criminal Justice System: Historical Perspectives A journal of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5323/jafriamerhist.98.2.0328 Views: 55Total views on this site Copyright 2013 The Association for the Study of African American Life and HistoryPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Associations between serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity, biochemical parameters, and functional polymorphisms of the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene in a Japanese population.

We had demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphism (787T>C) in the tissue-nonspecific ALP (TNSALP) gene was associated with the bone mineral density (BMD). BMD was the lowest among TNSALP 787T homozygotes (TT-type) and highest among TNSALP 787T>C homozygotes (CC-type) in postmenopausal women. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the TNSALP genotype on associations among serum bonespecific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), serum calcium, and phosphorus in healthy young Japanese subjects. Young healthy adult subjects (n=193) were genotyped for the polymorphism, and we measured the levels of serum BAP, serum calcium, and phosphorus. Dietary nutrient intakes were calculated based on 3-day food records before the day of blood examinations. Grouped by the TNSALP genotype, a significant negative correlation between serum BAP and phosphorus was observed in 787T>C homozygotes (CC-type), but not in heterozygotes (TCtype), nor in 787T homozygotes (TT-type). In the present study, we revealed that the single nucleotide polymorphism 787T>C in the TNSALP gene had effects on the correlation between serum BAP and phosphorus in young adult subjects. These results suggest that variation in TNSALP may be an important determinant of phosphate metabolism. Our data may be useful for planning strategies to prevent osteoporosis.

Protocolo terapéutico de la hemoptisis en pacientes con tumores de la vía aérea

Hemoptysis is the expulsion of blood from the respiratory tract. Standing out among the most frequent causes are primary or metastatic tumors that affect the lung, coagulation alterations, infections and chronic disease. Mild or moderate hemoptysis is considered as expulsion of less than 100ml per day of blood. If it exceeds this amount, it is considered massive or severe hemoptysis. The latter is considered an emergency, since it may cause the death of the patient in a few minutes. Therefore, it is important to identify the patients at risk of suffering massive hemoptysis to be able to act quickly. Treatment will depend on the severity of the hemoptysis. In many cases, sedation is the only measure to decrease the symptoms.