ICP-MS Analysis of Trace Element Concentrations in Cow's Milk Samples from Supermarkets in Istanbul, Turkey

Milk is a very important content of the human diet. The present study was performed to determine the concentrations of trace and toxic trace elements in 21 different milk samples in Turkish supermarkets. We aimed to evaluate the potential health risks of toxic elements to humans through ingestion. The concentrations of 19 elements lithium (Li), beryllium (Be), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), barium (Ba), lead (Pb), bismuth (Bi), mercury (Hg), thallium (Tl), and uranium (U) in milk samples were determined by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The accuracy and precision of the method were verified by experiments. Nutritional trace elements were found to be below their reference intake levels. Although we found wide variation between the toxic element levels in the samples, none of the concentrations reached a health-threatening level. This is the first study presenting a wide range of elements including the toxic ones in a different variety of milk samples sold throughout the Turkish supermarkets

Determination of Tissue Trace Element Levels with Atomic Absorption Spectrometry in Varicose Vein Patients

Aim:Currently, venous insufficiency is still a serious clinical problem. The exact cause and molecular mechanisms of the etiology are still unknown, but the presence of mechanical and intrinsic factors has been suggested. In this study, we excamined (Zn, Cu and Fe) levels of trace elements contributing to the oxidant / antioxidant balance of the organism by acting as a cofactor in the structure of antioxidant enzymes in the veins of patients with lower extremity varices. With the results we obtained, we tried to explain the changes in the level of the elements in the development and / or progress of venous insufficiency.Materials and Methods:Our study was carried out on 40 patients who underwent surgery for the diagnosis of primary varicose veins in the lower extremity and 40 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery and on their vena safena magna tissues. Levels of Zn, Cu and Fe were measured with atomic absorption spectrometry in vein tissue samples.Results:Zn levels were significantly lower in the study group whereas Fe levels were significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group. Although Cu levels were higher in the study group compared to the control group, this difference was not significant. In the study group, no correlation was observed in terms of trace element levels.Conclusions:Low levels of Zn in tissue samples were thought to be associated with decreased antioxidant activity. Increased Cu level may be due to increased collagen and elastin production. We assume that increased Fe accumulation in tissues in the study group was triggered oxidative stress by adsorbing on the damaged tissue

Investigating Bio-interface Effects of Chronic ELF-MF Exposure before and after Neonatal Life on Rat Offspring Using Spectroscopy and Biochemical Assays

Electromagnetic (EM) energy that generates extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) impacts all living organisms' biological systems. To investigate the chronic impact of ELF-MF (50 Hz) we designed an externally applied electric field exposure to rat offspring during intrauterine and after extrauterine life. A total of 18 rat offsprings blood serum was analyzed via biochemical assays and ATR-FTIR (400 to 4000 cm(-1)) analysis. The changes in the samples' total antioxidants (TAS) and total oxidants level (TOS) were measured, and we calculated oxidative stress index (OSI) and TNF-alpha level in serum samples. To attribute diseases, chemometric models were validated using PCA-SVD analysis. Proteins, including the amide I (1631 cm(-1)), exhibit the strongest bands in the spectra depending on the secondary structure of the protein, and there was a degradation of lipids as a result of lipid peroxidation; also a significant increase in the lipid to protein ratio was concluded from the analysis (p<0.001). Finally, EMF exposure statistically significantly interferes with lipids, protein, and DNA/RNA molecules. Our findings demonstrate that chronic EMF exposure is an environmental factor affecting blood serum parameters and could impair oxidant-antioxidant function, increase lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress depending on the continuity of ELF-MF exposure

Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1, and Cluster of Differentiation 146 Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes with Complications

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multisystemic, chronic disease accompanied by microvascular complications involving various complicated mechanisms. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), and cluster of differentiation-146 (CD146) are mainly expressed by endothelial cells, and facilitate the adhesion and transmigration of immune cells, leading to inflammation. In the present study, we evaluated the levels of soluble adhesion molecules in patients with microvascular complications of T2DM.MethodsSerum and whole blood samples were collected from 58 T2DM patients with microvascular complications and 20 age-matched healthy subjects. Levels of soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, while flow cytometry was used to determine CD146 levels.ResultsSerum sICAM-1 levels were lower in T2DM patients with microvascular complications than in healthy controls (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in sVCAM-1 and CD146 levels between the study and the control group. Although patients were subdivided into groups according to the type of microvascular complications that they experienced, cell adhesion molecule levels were not correlated with the complication type.ConclusionIn the study group, most of the patients were on insulin therapy (76%), and 95% of them were receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitor agents. Insulin and ACE-inhibitors have been shown to decrease soluble adhesion molecule levels via various mechanisms, so we suggest that the decreased or unchanged levels of soluble forms of cellular adhesion molecules in our study group may have resulted from insulin and ACE-inhibitor therapy, as well as tissue-localized inflammation in patients with T2DM

IVSII-74 T > G: As harmless as we thought?

Background: IVSII-74 T > G is one of the most frequently identified polymorphic sites on the beta-globin gene. In our report, we present three cases with low mean corpuscular volume (MCV) value in three and high red blood cell (RBC) value in two of the cases. The objective of this study was to further analyse the reason for condition of three patients, who were referred for the investigation of persistent anemia