212 research outputs found

    Evaluation of neutrophile elastase and isoprostane 8epiPGF2α concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood serum and in amniotic fluid in pregnancies complicated by premature rupture of membranes

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    Abstract Objectives: To evaluate the total isoprostane 8-epi-PGF2α and neutrophil elastase (NE) concentrations in pregnancies complicated by premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Material and methods: 128 pregnant women were divided into four groups: pregnancies complicated by PROM between 24.-36.(PPBP-N) and between 38 a 41 weeks of gestation (PPBP-D), uncomplicated pregnancies between 24-36 gestation weeks (K1) and pregnancies delivered by cesarean section (before uterine contractions had started) after 38 weeks (K2). The concentrations of NE and isoprostane 8-epi-PGF2α were measured in maternal serum, cord blood serum and in the amniotic fluid. Results: The following study revealed higher concentrations of NE in maternal serum and in the amniotic fluid than in the umbilical cord blood in PROM cases, and lower amniotic fluid than maternal serum concentrations in the control groups. Also, the levels of isoprostane differentiated between compartments in particular groups. In both groups complicated with PROM, higher maternal serum and amniotic fluid NE concentrations than in controls were found. There were no differences in isoprostane levels between the groups. Conclusions: 1. Higher concentrations of NE in maternal blood serum and in the amniotic fluid than in the umbilical cord blood in PROM cases, as well as lower amniotic fluid than maternal serum concentrations in the controls, may be connected with pathogenesis of PROM. 2. Differentiated maternal serum, cord serum and amniotic fluid isoprostane concentrations may suggest various intensity of oxidative stress in particular compartments. 3. Lack of differences in maternal serum, cord serum and amniotic fluid isoprostane concentrations may suggest similar intensity of oxidative stress in cases with PROM and intact membranes

    Trans unsaturated fatty acids are components of atheromatous plaque

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    Wstęp. Przeprowadzono badania chromatograficzne blaszek miażdżycowych pobranych od 21 pacjentów w Klinice Chirurgii Naczyniowej PAM w Szczecinie, których operowano z powodu powikłań zaawansowanej miażdżycy tętnic brzusznych i udowych. Cel pracy. Celem analizy było ustalenie czy izomery trans nienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych (występujące w utwardzonych tłuszczach spożywczych pochodzenia roślinnego) są istotnymi składnikami blaszki miażdżycowej. Materiał i metody. Kwasy tłuszczowe ekstrahowano mieszaniną Folcha, zmydlano metanolowym 2-procentowym roztworem KOH i metylowano 14-procentowym BF3 w metanolu, otrzymując estry metylowe kwasów tłuszczowych. Analizę badanego materiału przeprowadzono przy użyciu chromatografu gazowego Perkin-Elmer 8500, stosując program Chromed PI. Oceny zależności pomiędzy otrzymanymi parametrami dokonano na podstawie współczynnika korelacji rang Spearmana, przyjmując za istotne statystycznie wartości p < 0,05. Wyniki. W badanym materiale stwierdzono obecność różnych izomerów kwasów tłuszczowych, w tym także charakterystycznych dla utwardzanych tłuszczów roślinnych (zwłaszcza margaryn). Kwas elaidynowy (trans 9 C18:1) okazał się dominującym trans izomerem wśród jednonienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych. Głównym reprezentantem wielonienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych był jeden ze sprzężonych dienów kwasu linolowego: cis 9 trans 11 C18:2. Wnioski. Wyniki badań wskazują na zależność pomiędzy występowaniem w diecie izomerów trans nienasyconych kwasów tłuszczowych a ich udziałem w metabolizmie blaszki miażdżycowej, a nawet w ewentualnym indukowaniu procesu aterogenezy.Background. Chromatographic studies on fatty acid composition of atheromatous plaques obtained from 21 patients treated surgically in the Department of Vascular Surgery (Pomeranian Academy of Medicine, Szczecin, Poland) for complications of atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta, iliac or femoral arteries, were carried out. Aim of the study. The aim of the study was to assess if the trans unsaturated fatty acids (occurring in hardened fats of plant origin) are substantial components of the atheromatous plaques. Material and methods. Fatty acids were extracted using Folch mixture, saponified in 2% KOH solution and methylated with 14% solution of BF3 in methanol, obtaining fatty acid methyl esters. The analysis of obtained material was carried out with a gas chromatograph Perkin-Elmer 8500, applying Chromed PI software. Correlations between obtained parameters were calculated using the Spearman&#8217;s correlation coefficient, taking p < 0.05 as statistically significant. Results. The presence of varied isomers of fatty acids in the analysed material (among them typical for the hardened plant fats) was established. Elaidic acid (trans-9 C18:1) served as a major trans isomer among monounsaturated fatty acids. The main representative of polyunsaturated fatty acids was one of conjugated diens of linoleic acid: cis-9, trans-11 C18:2. Conclusions. The results of the study show the relationship between trans unsaturated fatty acids content in the diet and their importance in the metabolism of atheromatous plaque and possible induction of atherogenesis

    Read-out electronics for digital silicon photomultiplier modules

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    A new kind of a PET-Scanner (PET = positron emission tomography) for plant research is developed asa joint project of the Forschungszentrum Jülich and Philips Digital Photon Counting (PDPC). Thisscanner will utilize digital silicon photomultiplier (dSiPM) for plant phenotyping for the very first time.The goal of this work is to get a further knowledge of the operation of digital silicon photomultiplier.On this account a test-facility for this new photo detectors has been installed at the central instituteof engineering, electronics and analytics (ZEA-2 electronic systems) to determine the usage of thissensors, having regard to use them as scintillation detectors in a PET-Scanner later on.This work has its focus on the development of a fast read-out electronic for the used photo sensorsDPC3200-22-44. As there will be high data rates a fast USB 3.0 interface has been used. All thenecessary processing and data handling has been implemented in a state of the art FPGA

    Możliwe interakcje fluorków, wapnia i kwasów tłuszczowych w blaszkach miażdżycowych izolowanych z tętnic szyjnych

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    Background. Quantitative and qualitative changes in the mineral composition of the arterial wall seem to be engaged in the formation of the atherosclerotic plaque. The aim of this study was to determine the content of fluoride and calcium in atherosclerotic plaques and to understand the process of fluorine ions binding into the plaque. Material and methods. Plaques were obtained from patients operated for atherosclerosis of carotid arteries. Median content of fluoride and calcium in the atherosclerotic plaques were 0.75 and 207 &#956;mol/g, respectively. Results. No correlation between the content of fluoride and calcium (R = 0.11, p = 0.60) was disclosed. Conclusions. We are of the opinion that fluoride reacts with fatty acids of the plaque, disrupting carbon bonds of the fatty acid molecule. Fluoride is a component of the atherosclerotic plaque but apparently is not deposited together with calcium ions. Fluoride is capable of interacting with fatty acids of the atherosclerotic plaque.Wstęp. Zmiany ilościowe oraz jakościowe składników mineralnych w ścianie tętniczej mogą być jednym z czynników stymulujących rozwój blaszki miażdżycowej. Celem niniejszej pracy było oznaczenie zawartości fluorku oraz wapnia w blaszce oraz zbadanie sposobu wiązania jonu fluorkowego w złogu miażdżycowym. Materiał i metody. Pomiary zawartości fluorku i wapnia prowadzono w blaszkach miażdżycowych uzyskanych od chorych operowanych z powodu zaawansowanej miażdżycy tętnic szyjnych. Zmierzona mediana zawartości fluorku w blaszce osiągnęła 0,75 &#956;mola/gram. Wyniki. Nie odnotowano istotnej statystycznie korelacji pomiędzy zawartością fluorku oraz wapnia w blaszce miażdżycowej (R = 0,11, p = 0,60). Wnioski. Fluorek może reagować z zawartymi w blaszce miażdżycowej kwasami tłuszczowymi, prawdopodobnie przyczyniając się do degradacji wiązania pomiędzy atomami węgla w cząsteczce kwasu tłuszczowego. Fluorek jest składnikiem blaszki miażdżycowej, ale nie odkłada się w niej w połączeniu z jonami wapnia i może on oddziaływać w blaszce z zawartymi w niej kwasami tłuszczowymi

    Polymorphism of the CD36 Gene and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Manifested at a Young Age

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    This study investigates potential associations between CD36 gene variants and the presence of risk factors in Caucasians with coronary artery disease (CAD) manifested at a young age. The study group consisted of 90 patients; the men were ≤ 50 years old and the women were ≤ 55 years old. Amplicons of exons 4 and 5 including fragments of introns were analyzed by DHPLC. Two polymorphisms were found: IVS3-6 T/C (rs3173798) and IVS4-10 G/A (rs3211892). The C allele of the IVS3-6 T/C polymorphism was associated with higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes, higher hsCRP, lower Lp(a) serum concentrations, and younger age at myocardial infarction. The A allele of the IVS4-10 G/A polymorphism was associated with older age of myocardial infarction and higher white blood cell count. The functional role of CD36 polymorphisms in CAD development needs further research

    The Unfolded Protein Response in Amelogenesis and Enamel Pathologies

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    During the secretory phase of their life-cycle, ameloblasts are highly specialized secretory cells whose role is to elaborate an extracellular matrix that ultimately confers both form and function to dental enamel, the most highly mineralized of all mammalian tissues. In common with many other “professional” secretory cells, ameloblasts employ the unfolded protein response (UPR) to help them cope with the large secretory cargo of extracellular matrix proteins transiting their ER (endoplasmic reticulum)/Golgi complex and so minimize ER stress. However, the UPR is a double-edged sword, and, in cases where ER stress is severe and prolonged, the UPR switches from pro-survival to pro-apoptotic mode. The purpose of this review is to consider the role of the ameloblast UPR in the biology and pathology of amelogenesis; specifically in respect of amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) and fluorosis. Some forms of AI appear to correspond to classic proteopathies, where pathological intra-cellular accumulations of protein tip the UPR toward apoptosis. Fluorosis also involves the UPR and, while not of itself a classic proteopathic disease, shares some common elements through the involvement of the UPR. The possibility of therapeutic intervention by pharmacological modulation of the UPR in AI and fluorosis is also discussed

    Fluoride concentrations in the pineal gland, brain and bone of goosander (Mergus merganser) and its prey in Odra River estuary in Poland

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    Fluoride inhibits the response of bone cells to mechanical loading

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    The response of bone cells to mechanical loading is mediated by the cytoskeleton. Since the bone anabolic agent fluoride disrupts the cytoskeleton, we investigated whether fluoride affects the response of bone cells to mechanical loading, and whether this is cytoskeleton mediated. The mechano-response of osteoblasts was assessed in vitro by measuring pulsating fluid flow-induced nitric oxide (NO) production. Osteocyte shape was determined in hamster mandibles in vivo as parameter of osteocyte mechanosensitivity. Pulsating fluid flow (0.7 ± 0.3 Pa, 5 Hz) stimulated NO production by 8-fold within 5 min. NaF (10-50 μM) inhibited pulsating fluid flow-stimulated NO production after 10 min, and decreased F-actin content by ~3-fold. Fluid flow-induced NO response was also inhibited after F-actin disruption by cytochalasin B. NaF treatment resulted in more elongated, smaller osteocytes in interdental bone in vivo. Our results suggest that fluoride inhibits the mechano-response of bone cells, which might occur via cytoskeletal changes. Since decreased mechanosensitivity reduces bone mass, the reported anabolic effect of fluoride on bone mass in vivo is likely mediated by other factors than changed bone cell mechanosensitivity. © 2011 The Society of The Nippon Dental University
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