Age-related changes of superoxide dismutase activity in patients with schizophrenia

© 2017, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved. Background/Aim. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is the critical enzyme in the detoxification of superoxide radicals because those are the first species produced in the majority of biological free radical producing reactions. Inconsistent data are present about SOD activity in patients with schizophrenia. Numerous studies show that SOD is elevated in chronic schizophrenic patients. However, decreased SOD activity is found in neuroleptic naive, first episode schizophrenic patients, in chronic-medicated patients and in chronic-unmedicated patients. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of age, gender, age at disease onset, the duration of the disease, the number of episodes, heredity, psychopathologic symptoms and drug treatment on erythrocyte SOD activity in patients with schizophrenia. Methods. This study included 68 consecutive patients with schizophrenia (29 males and 39 females) ranging in age from 18 to 61 years, divided into two age groups ( 34 years). SOD activity was measured in erythrocyte hemolyzates by commercially available Ransod test. Results. In the group of patients younger than 34 years SOD levels were significantly higher (1,381 ± 273 U/gHb, p = 0.038) compared to the levels in the older patients (1,231 ± 206 U/gHb). Gender and heredity did not induce any significant difference in SOD activity between the groups. A significant difference in enzyme activity was found between the younger and older patient groups having the onset of the disease after 24 years of age (1,408 ± 217 U/gHb vs 1,252 ± 213 U/gHb, p = 0.031, respectively). The patients in the younger group with more than one psychotic episodes had significantly higher SOD activity (1,492 ± 298 U/gHb; p = 0.009) than those with only one episode (1,256 ± 177 U/gHb), as well as than the older patients with more than one episode (1,253 ± 231 U/gHb; p = 0.014). Although the duration of the disease did not induce any significant difference in enzyme activity between the younger and older patient groups, a significant negative correlation was obtained between SOD activity and the duration of the disease (r = -0.511, p < 0.01). No significant differences were found in SOD activity between the groups with the different positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) scores. First generation antipsychotics were associated with elevated enzyme activity in both groups. Simultaneous treatment of patients with first generation antipsychotics and second generation antipsychotics induced a significant decrease in SOD activity in the younger patient group. Conclusion. Our results show that erythrocyte SOD activity is increased in the early phase of schizophrenia, depending on age at the onset of the disease, the number of psychotic episodes, the duration of the disease and medical treatment

Comparison of Methods for On-Line Harmonic Estimation

The aim of this paper is to present a comparison of some popular methods for online harmonic estimation. The well-known methods Descrete Fourier Ttransform (DFT), Enhanced Phase Locked Loop (EPLL), Adaptive Notch Filter (ANF) and method based on Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) are simulated and compared. The methods are compared in critical phases, such as the fast change of harmonic amplitudes and the change of the system frequency

Quantitative analysis of the flavonoids in raw propolis from northern Croatia

Udio flavonoida u 20 uzoraka propolisa sakupljenih iz košnica s 10 različitih lokaliteta kontinentalne Hrvatske određen je spektrofotometrijskim postupcima. Flavoni i flavonoli prezentirani su kao ekvivalentni kvercetina i određeni uporabom aluminijevog klorida, a flavononi su prezentirani kao ekvivalent naringenina i određeni uporabom 2,4-dinitrofenilhidrazina. Količina flavona i flavonola je vrlo slična u većini ispitivanih uzoraka i kreće se između 2,0 i 2,3%, osim jednog uzorka s koncentracijom od 1,3% i jednog uzorka u kojem flavone i flavonole nije bilo moguće otkriti. Količina flavonona u uzorcima propolisa je vrlo varijabilna. 55% uzoraka sadrži flavanone između 15 i 24%, a 45% uzoraka sadži flavanone u koncentraciji između 4 i 14%. Ukupan udio flavonoida u uzorcima sirovog propolisa kreće se između 5 i 26%. U većini uzoraka (75%) dokazan je ukupan udio flavonoida između 15 i 26%. Visoke razlike u koncentraciji flavanona utjecat će na biološku aktivnost preparata s propolisom.Spectrometric analyses of flavonoids in twenty propolis samples collected from ten different geographic localities in northern Croatia using two complementary methods, are reported. Flavones and flavonols were determined using aluminum chloride and expressed as quercetine equivalent while flavanones were determined using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and expressed as naringenin. Contents of flavones and flavonols were similar for most samples and ranged from 2 to 2.3%, except for one sample with a concentration of 1.3% and one sample in which it was not possible to detect flavones and flavonols. The content of flavanones in propolis samples is very variable. 55% of samples contain flavanons between 15 and 24% and 45% of samples between 4 and 14%. Total levels of flavonoids in raw propolis samples ranged between 5 and 26%; for the majority of samples (75%), the total level of flavonoids ranged between 15 and 25.9%. The high variability of flavanone concentration will affect biological activity of propolis preparations

Quantitative analysis of the flavonoids in raw propolis from northern Croatia

Udio flavonoida u 20 uzoraka propolisa sakupljenih iz košnica s 10 različitih lokaliteta kontinentalne Hrvatske određen je spektrofotometrijskim postupcima. Flavoni i flavonoli prezentirani su kao ekvivalentni kvercetina i određeni uporabom aluminijevog klorida, a flavononi su prezentirani kao ekvivalent naringenina i određeni uporabom 2,4-dinitrofenilhidrazina. Količina flavona i flavonola je vrlo slična u većini ispitivanih uzoraka i kreće se između 2,0 i 2,3%, osim jednog uzorka s koncentracijom od 1,3% i jednog uzorka u kojem flavone i flavonole nije bilo moguće otkriti. Količina flavonona u uzorcima propolisa je vrlo varijabilna. 55% uzoraka sadrži flavanone između 15 i 24%, a 45% uzoraka sadži flavanone u koncentraciji između 4 i 14%. Ukupan udio flavonoida u uzorcima sirovog propolisa kreće se između 5 i 26%. U većini uzoraka (75%) dokazan je ukupan udio flavonoida između 15 i 26%. Visoke razlike u koncentraciji flavanona utjecat će na biološku aktivnost preparata s propolisom.Spectrometric analyses of flavonoids in twenty propolis samples collected from ten different geographic localities in northern Croatia using two complementary methods, are reported. Flavones and flavonols were determined using aluminum chloride and expressed as quercetine equivalent while flavanones were determined using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and expressed as naringenin. Contents of flavones and flavonols were similar for most samples and ranged from 2 to 2.3%, except for one sample with a concentration of 1.3% and one sample in which it was not possible to detect flavones and flavonols. The content of flavanones in propolis samples is very variable. 55% of samples contain flavanons between 15 and 24% and 45% of samples between 4 and 14%. Total levels of flavonoids in raw propolis samples ranged between 5 and 26%; for the majority of samples (75%), the total level of flavonoids ranged between 15 and 25.9%. The high variability of flavanone concentration will affect biological activity of propolis preparations

A novel technique for quantifying changes in vascular density, endothelial cell proliferation and protein expression in response to modulators of angiogenesis using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay

Reliable quantitative evaluation of molecular pathways is critical for both drug discovery and treatment monitoring. We have modified the CAM assay to quantitatively measure vascular density, endothelial proliferation, and changes in protein expression in response to anti-angiogenic and pro-angiogenic agents. This improved CAM assay can correlate changes in vascular density with changes seen on a molecular level. We expect that these described modifications will result in a single in vivo assay system, which will improve the ability to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying the angiogenic response

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase&nbsp;1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation&nbsp;disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age&nbsp; 6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score&nbsp; 652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc&nbsp;= 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N&nbsp;= 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in&nbsp;Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in&nbsp;Asia&nbsp;and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701