386 research outputs found
Oxygen free radicals in rheumatoid arthritis
Current knowledge strongly suggests that oxygen free radicals are
involved in the pathogenesis of RA. Additional information about the
mechanism of free radical attack is necessary in order to find out if
interaction with the mechanism of free radical damage can be used in
the treatment of this crippling disease.
Attention is focussed on the following main questions:
Are protective factors against oxygen free radicals present in
sufficient amounts in RA (chapter 2, 3).
Is iron available in RA in a form able to catalyse the formation of
hydroxyl radicals (chapter 4-6).
Are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs able to inhibit o 2- production
in vivo (chapter 7)
Are investments in an informal seed system for cowpea a worthwhile endeavour?
Abstract High seed quality is a critical component for realising yield potential. For smallholder cowpea farmers in northern Nigeria the informal seed system is a major supplier of genetically high-quality seed, but the physiological quality of farmers' produced seed remains unknown. The project "Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Borno State" (PROSAB) trained and supported farmers in seed production in Borno State, Nigeria. We analysed the quality of farmers' produced cowpea seed based on standard quality testing criteria, and evaluated its field emergence as a proxy for non-genetic seed quality. We carried out a survey among seed producing farmers about their production and storage practices, and tested seed quality of samples from these farmers, from seed companies and compared these to foundation seed. Field emergence of farmers' produced seed was not significantly different from that of foundation seed (P=0.47) or seed company samples (P=0.12). Cowpea seed quality, however, was inadequate in both the formal and informal seed systems. Five out of six foundation seed samples, 79 out of 81 samples of farmers' seed, and six out of six seed company samples failed to meet standards for foundation and certified seeds of the National Agriculture Seed Council (NASC), the seed industry regulatory agency in Nigeria. Multiple regression analyses predicting field emergence showed that projects like PROSAB can improve seed quality. Especially proper storage and reducing seed damage can increase field emergence significantly. Our findings suggest that it is worth to invest in improving the informal seed system of cowpea
Harmful Waste Products as Novel Immune Modulators for Treating Inflammatory Arthritis?
Cope discusses a new study in rats suggesting that oxidative burst inducers might have a role to play in treating inflammatory arthritis
Protective factors against oxygen free radicals and hydrogen peroxide in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid
Oxygen free radicals are probably involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The enzymes involved in protection against oxygen free radicals and H2O2 (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) were measured. Superoxide dismutase was not increased, glutathione peroxidase was slightly and catalase was strongly elevated in RA synovial fluid (SF) compared with control SF. Although these enzymes are present in SF, the activities are insufficient to protect against oxygen free radicals and H2O2. In contrast to transferrin, ferritin was increased in RA synovial fluid. Ceruloplasmin was also elevated. When rat liver microsomes were used as a target for oxygen free radicals, serum and SF were both protective. Gel filtration experiments showed that the fraction pattern in which there was maximal protective potential against lipid peroxidation corresponded closely to the level of ceruloplasmin. After removal of ceruloplasmin from serum or SF, about 70% of the protective capacity disappeared. It is concluded that ceruloplasmin is an important protector against oxygen free radicals. Copyrigh
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