Effect of acute experimental aluminum poisoning on hematologic parameters

Having in mind the presence of aluminum in industry, as well as in households, we wanted to define changes in the number of erythrocytes and aluminum content in the plasma and erythrocytes following acute aluminum poisoning under experimental conditions. The experiment involved gerbils which received intraperitoneally aluminum chloride solution at a dose of 3.7g per kg of body mass. The experimental group was sacrificed after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours from the beginning of the experiment by cardiac punction or by abdominal artery punction. The control group was treated with saline, only. The number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin concentration were considerably reduced with respect to the control group, most likely as the result of cell membrane changes and reduced life cycle of erythrocytes. During the experiment, aluminum content in the plasma was increased in the first and second day of the experiment, it started to decline on the third day, while on the fourth day it returned to its original value, which proves again the existence of a special mechanism of "clearance" of aluminum in plasma

Lajm neuroborelioza

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a multisystemic zoonotic disease which in humans can involve the skin, joints, heart and/or nervous system. In this study a total of 11 patients with clinical manifestations have been assessed at the Institute for Occupational Health. Evaluation of the patients was done in order to determine their working capability and further professional orientation. Patients were of different gender, age, education and profession. They fulfilled at least two of the three criteria: tick infestation data (epidemiological criteria), central and/or peripheral neurological symptoms (clinical criteria) and a positive serological finding. Diagnosis was done upon classical clinical criteria: electromyeloneurography (EMNG) analysis, neurological impairments, electroencephalography (EEG), computer tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). IgM and IgG antibodies against B. burgdorferi were determined by commercial ELISA kits. IgM antibodies were recorded in the serum of 4 (44.4%) and IgG in 6 (66.7%) patients. Electro-myeloneurography findings of the upper and lower limbs were positive in 5 (83.3%), electroencephalography in 4 (66.6%) of the 6 observed patients and CT was positive in 4 (36.4%) of the 5 observed patients. The study has established that in patients with neuroborreliosis (NB) the capability to carry out intellectual tasks, as well as responsible duties is impaired due to poor memory. Patients suffering from peripheral neuropathies are not fit to withstand longterm walks, weight lifting and carrying or any other form of physical stress.Lajm borelioza je multisistemsko oboljenje, iz grupe zoonoza koje kod ljudi može zahvatiti kožu, zglobove, srce i/ili nervni sistem. Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno 11 bolesnika sa kliničkim manifestacijama neuroborelioze koji su ispitivani u Institutu za medicinu rada Srbije u cilju ocene radne sposobnosti i dalje profesionalne orijentacije. Ispitani su bolesnici različite starosti, pola, nivoa obrazovanja i različitih zanimanja koji su ispunili minimalno dva od tri kriterijuma i to: podatak o ubodu krpelja (epidemiološki kriterijum), ispoljavanje centralnih i/ili, perifernih neuroloških simptoma (klinički kriterijum) i pozitivan serološki nalaz. Dijagnoza neuroborelioze je postavljena na osnovu klasičnih kliničkih kriterijuma: neurološ kih ispada, analize elektro-mioneurografije (EMNG), elektroencefalografije (EEG), kompjuterske tomografije (CT) i/ili magnetne rezonance (MRI). Ispitivanje prisustva antitela IgM i IgG klase u krvnom serumu prema B. burgdorferi vršeno je komercijalnim ELISA testom. Antitela IgM klase registrovana su u serumu četiri (44,4%), dok su IgG antitela registrovana kod 6 (66,7%) ispitanih pacijenata. Nalaz elektro-mioneurografije gornjih i donjih ekstremiteta je bio pozitivan kod pet (83,3%), nalaz elektroencefalografije kod četiri (66,6%) od šest ispitanih pacijenata, dok je nalaz CT bio pozitivan kod 4 (36,4%) od pet ispitanih pacijenata. Sprovedenim ispitivanjem je utvrđeno da je kod bolesnika sa razvijenom neuroboreliozom smanjena sposobnost za bilo koju vrstu intelektualnog rada, kao i za poslove koji su povezani sa moralnom i materijalnom odgovornošću zbog problema sa pamćenjem. Kod bolesnika sa perifernim neuropatijama postoji nesposobnost za poslove koji uključuju dugotrajno stajanje i hodanje, dizanje i nošenje tereta, kao i bilo koju vrstu fizičkog rada

Extramedullary involvement of lymph nodes in multiple myeloma

© 2017, University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science. All rights reserved. Myeloma multiplex is a malignant disease of bone marrow plasma cells. It is usually confined to the bone marrow, but in rare cases, patients can develop extramedullary disease. The involvement of lymph nodes is rare and can be a diagnostic challenge. Here, we describe a 36-year-old male patient who presented with abdominal pain and discomfort initially. An abdominal ultrasound followed by computed tomography (CT) revealed retroperitoneal and mesenteric lymph node enlargement. Biopsies of the abdominal lymph node and infiltrated colon showed a plasma cell infiltrate positive for CD79α, CD38, CD138, kappa light chain and VEGF2. Multiple myeloma with extramedullary localization was diagnosed. After six cycles of chemotherapy consisting of doxorubicin, dexamethasone and thalidomide followed by autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation, the patient achieved complete remission. Specifically, a CT scan after therapy showed enlarged lymph nodes in the abdomen, but PET CT scans did not detect any metabolically active foci. Three years after the completion of therapy, the patient remains in remission. This case illustrates a rare presentation of extramedullary myeloma involving the abdominal lymph nodes, which could have been potentially mistaken for a lymphoid malignancy

Belgrade, Serbia

The aim of this study was to evaluate KCNQ1 K + channel expression in the frog kidney of Rana esculenta. KCNQ1 K + channel, also known as KvLQT1, is the pore forming a-subunit of the IKs K + channel, a delayed rectifier voltage-gated K + channel, which has an important role in water and salt transport in the kidney and gastrointestinal tract. The expression of KCNQ1 K + channel along tubular epithelium differs from species to species. In the present study the expression of KCNQ1 K + channel in the frog kidney has been demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. The presence of KCNQ1 K + channel was demonstrated in the epithelial cells of distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct. However, the pattern of expression of KCNQ1 K + channel differs between distal convoluted tubules and collecting duct. All epithelial cells of distal convoluted tubules revealed basolateral expression of KCNQ1 K + channel. On the contrary, only the single cells of collecting duct, probably intercalated cells, showed diffuse cell surface staining with antibodies against KCNQ1 K + channel. These findings suggest that KCNQ1 K + channel has cell-specific roles in renal potassium ion transport

Oxido-reductive brain status after acute aluminium poisoning: The role of free radicals

Free radicals induce oxidative processes which damage and inactivate many intracellular components and may cause cell death. This paper presents the results of experiments performed on desert mice (gerbils), adults of both sexes. After acute intraperitoneal administration of aluminium, the oxido-reductive brain state was investigated in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and nucleus caudatus brain structures. We observed a decrease in defense capacities of the brain - decrease of superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activity, with a simultaneous increase in the quantity of malondialdehyde, which indicates that under the influence of aluminium the brain capacity to neutralize superoxide radicals is significantly decreased, and that the consequence is increased generation of free radicals which damage the membrane and results in the formation of malondialdehyde from membrane lipids thus breaking the functional integrity of the cell. Acute Al3+ administration caused a dose-dependent increase in the quantity of malondialdehyde in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, while in the nucleus caudatus this effect was somewhat less pronounced. Mitochondrial superoxide dismutase was more sensitive to the administration of Al3+ than tissue superoxide dismutase. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. ON 175081