Elevated serum uric acid reduce heart damage in patients undergoing open-heart surgery

Objectives: Peroxynitrite is species claimed to propagate ischemia/reperfusion damage. In this report levels of serum uric acid (UA), a peroxynitrite scavenger, are compared with creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in male patients before and after open-heart surgery in order to asses if increased levels of UA may protect heart from biochemical damage induced by peroxynitrite during the coronary by-pass grafting (CABG) intervention. Methods: 45 male patients (16 carvedilol pretreated (6.25 mg/ daily, during 6 weeks before surgery, mean age 55.3±1.7 years, range 50-71) and 29 patients without carvedilol pretreatment (mean age 58.3±1.4 years, range 47-73) underwent elective CABG were examined. Study inclusion criteria were CABG performed on two and more coronary-vessels with aortic crossclamp during 30-40 minutes. For assessment of patients objective health status before operations Euro- SCORE were used. Serum uric acid (UA) levels and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were measured spectrophotometricaly by using a quantitative enzymatic assay. Results: Carvedilol pretreated patients had higher amount of serum UA (p<0.05) comparing to non-treated patients. During the surgical procedure patients are subjected to temporary ischemia due to transfer from corporeal to extracorporeal circulation. In this period of time the amount of UA decreased in carvedilol pretreated group (406±46 (t1) vs. 300±22 mmol/L (t2)) to the level of non-treated patients (328±14 (t1) vs. 322±18 mmol/L. Carvedilol pretreated patients and non-treated patients had the same level of CPK at the beginning of the surgical procedure (t1) (78±6 vs. 83+13 U/L) but lower increase (p<0.05) in CPK activity in carvedilol pretreated patients in respect to nontreated patients (338±46 vs. 644±103 U/L) at the end of procedure (t2). Such results suggest that open heart surgery led to elevated CPK levels, but this effect was less pronounced in patients with higher level of UA. Conclusions: Our results suggest possible role of UA in the protection from reperfusion injury. Increase of UA before surgery may be beneficial factor during CABG procedure in patients treated with carvedilol by decreasing level of peroxynitrite as one of molecular causes of reperfusion injury. Our results showed influence of UA on CPK levels at the end of surgical procedure, indicating that increased levels of UA may protect heart from biochemical damage induced by peroxynitrite during the CABG intervention.Ciljevi: Postoji mišljenje da Peroxynitrite širi - pojačava oštećenja koja potiču od ishemije /reperfuzije. U ovom radu poređen je nivo mokraćne kiseline (UA) u serumu, sakupljača peroksinitrita, sa nivoom kreatin fosfokinaze (CPK) kod muškaraca pre i nakon operacije na otvorenom srcu, a u cilju procene da li povećani nivoi UA mogu služiti kao zaštita od biohemijskih oštećenja izazvanih upotrebom peroksinitrita tokom hirurške CABG intervencije. Metode: Ispitivano je 45 bolesnika (16 je prethodno primalo karvedilol - 6.25 mg dnevno, tokom 6 nedelja pre operacije, prosečne starosti 55.3±1.7 godina, 55-71, i 29 bolesnika koji nisu primali karvedilol, prosečne starosti 58.3±1.4 godina, 47-73) koji su bili podvrgnuti CABG hirurškoj intervenciji. Kriterijumi za uključenje u studiju su bili izvođenje CABG na dva ili više sudova sa klemovanjem aorte u trajanju od 30 - 40 minuta. Za procenu zdravstvenog stanja bolesnika pre operacije korišćen je EuroSCORE. Nivoi UA i kreatin fosfokinaze (CPK) u serumu su mereni uz pomoć spektrofotometrije korišćenjem kvantitativnog enzimskog eseja. Rezultati: U bolesnika koji su prethodno primali karvedilol uočeni su uvećani nivoi UA u serumu (p< 0.05) u poređenju sa bolesnicima koji nisu primali pomenuti lek. Tokom hirurške procedure bolesnici su podvrgnuti privremenoj ishemiji zbog prebacivanja sa telesnog na vantelesni krvotok. U tom periodu vrednosti UA su snižene u bolesnika koji su prethodno primali karvedilol (406+46 (t1) naspram 300±22 mol/L (t2)) bolesnika koji ga nisu primali (328±14 (t1) naspram 322±18 mol/L). Bolesnici koji su primali karvedilol i oni koji nisu imali su isti nivo CPK na početku hirurške procedure (t1) (78±6 naspram 83±13 U/L) ali je na kraju procedure uočen niži porast aktivnosti CPK (p<0.05) u bolesnika koji su primali karvedilol u poređenju sa bolesnicima koji nisu (338±46 prema 644±103 U/L) (t2). Ovakvi rezultati sugerišu da intervencija na otvorenom srcu dovodi do povećanja nivoa CPK, ali je taj efekat bio manje izražen u bolesnika koji su imali viši nivo UA. Zaključak: Naši rezultati ukazuju na moguću pozitivnu ulogu mokraćne kiseline u zaštiti od oštećenja koja može prouzrokovati reperfuzija. Povećanje nivoa UA pre operacije može predstavljati koristan faktor tokom CABG procedure u bolesnika koji su primali karvedilol, jer snižava nivo peroksinitrita kao jedan od uzroka oštećenja od reperfuzije. Naši rezultati pokazuju uticaj UA na nivoe CPK pri kraju hirurške intervencije, što pak ukazuje na to da uvećani nivoi UA mogu štititi srce od biohemijskih oštećenja izazvana peroksinitritom tokom CABG intervencije

A NEURAL NETWORK APPROACH FOR THE ANALYSIS OF LIMIT BEARING CAPACITY OF CONTINUOUS BEAMS DEPENDING ON THE CHARACTER OF THE LOAD

Being a part of civil engineering, limit state analysis represents a structural analysis with a goal of developing efficient methods to directly estimate collapse load for a particular structural model. As a theoretical foundation, limit state analysis uses a set of bound (limit) theorems. Limit theorems are based on the law of conservation of energy and are used for a direct definition of the limit state function for failure by plastic collapse or by inadaptation. This study proposes an artificial neural network (ANN) model in order to approximate the residual bending moment, limit and the incremental failure force of continuous beams. The neural network structure applied here is a radial-Gaussian network architecture (RGIN) and complementary training procedure. This structure is intended to be used for civil engineering purposes and it is demonstrated on the example of the two-span continuous beam loaded in the middle of the span that the limit and the incremental failure force can be obtained using neural network approach with sufficient precision and is especially suitable in analysis when some of the model parameters are variable

Elevated serum uric acid reduce heart damage in patients undergoing open-heart surgery

Objectives: Peroxynitrite is species claimed to propagate ischemia/reperfusion damage. In this report levels of serum uric acid (UA), a peroxynitrite scavenger, are compared with creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in male patients before and after open-heart surgery in order to asses if increased levels of UA may protect heart from biochemical damage induced by peroxynitrite during the coronary by-pass grafting (CABG) intervention. Methods: 45 male patients (16 carvedilol pretreated (6.25 mg/ daily, during 6 weeks before surgery, mean age 55.3±1.7 years, range 50-71) and 29 patients without carvedilol pretreatment (mean age 58.3±1.4 years, range 47-73) underwent elective CABG were examined. Study inclusion criteria were CABG performed on two and more coronary-vessels with aortic crossclamp during 30-40 minutes. For assessment of patients objective health status before operations Euro- SCORE were used. Serum uric acid (UA) levels and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were measured spectrophotometricaly by using a quantitative enzymatic assay. Results: Carvedilol pretreated patients had higher amount of serum UA (p<0.05) comparing to non-treated patients. During the surgical procedure patients are subjected to temporary ischemia due to transfer from corporeal to extracorporeal circulation. In this period of time the amount of UA decreased in carvedilol pretreated group (406±46 (t1) vs. 300±22 mmol/L (t2)) to the level of non-treated patients (328±14 (t1) vs. 322±18 mmol/L. Carvedilol pretreated patients and non-treated patients had the same level of CPK at the beginning of the surgical procedure (t1) (78±6 vs. 83+13 U/L) but lower increase (p<0.05) in CPK activity in carvedilol pretreated patients in respect to nontreated patients (338±46 vs. 644±103 U/L) at the end of procedure (t2). Such results suggest that open heart surgery led to elevated CPK levels, but this effect was less pronounced in patients with higher level of UA. Conclusions: Our results suggest possible role of UA in the protection from reperfusion injury. Increase of UA before surgery may be beneficial factor during CABG procedure in patients treated with carvedilol by decreasing level of peroxynitrite as one of molecular causes of reperfusion injury. Our results showed influence of UA on CPK levels at the end of surgical procedure, indicating that increased levels of UA may protect heart from biochemical damage induced by peroxynitrite during the CABG intervention.Ciljevi: Postoji mišljenje da Peroxynitrite širi - pojačava oštećenja koja potiču od ishemije /reperfuzije. U ovom radu poređen je nivo mokraćne kiseline (UA) u serumu, sakupljača peroksinitrita, sa nivoom kreatin fosfokinaze (CPK) kod muškaraca pre i nakon operacije na otvorenom srcu, a u cilju procene da li povećani nivoi UA mogu služiti kao zaštita od biohemijskih oštećenja izazvanih upotrebom peroksinitrita tokom hirurške CABG intervencije. Metode: Ispitivano je 45 bolesnika (16 je prethodno primalo karvedilol - 6.25 mg dnevno, tokom 6 nedelja pre operacije, prosečne starosti 55.3±1.7 godina, 55-71, i 29 bolesnika koji nisu primali karvedilol, prosečne starosti 58.3±1.4 godina, 47-73) koji su bili podvrgnuti CABG hirurškoj intervenciji. Kriterijumi za uključenje u studiju su bili izvođenje CABG na dva ili više sudova sa klemovanjem aorte u trajanju od 30 - 40 minuta. Za procenu zdravstvenog stanja bolesnika pre operacije korišćen je EuroSCORE. Nivoi UA i kreatin fosfokinaze (CPK) u serumu su mereni uz pomoć spektrofotometrije korišćenjem kvantitativnog enzimskog eseja. Rezultati: U bolesnika koji su prethodno primali karvedilol uočeni su uvećani nivoi UA u serumu (p< 0.05) u poređenju sa bolesnicima koji nisu primali pomenuti lek. Tokom hirurške procedure bolesnici su podvrgnuti privremenoj ishemiji zbog prebacivanja sa telesnog na vantelesni krvotok. U tom periodu vrednosti UA su snižene u bolesnika koji su prethodno primali karvedilol (406+46 (t1) naspram 300±22 mol/L (t2)) bolesnika koji ga nisu primali (328±14 (t1) naspram 322±18 mol/L). Bolesnici koji su primali karvedilol i oni koji nisu imali su isti nivo CPK na početku hirurške procedure (t1) (78±6 naspram 83±13 U/L) ali je na kraju procedure uočen niži porast aktivnosti CPK (p<0.05) u bolesnika koji su primali karvedilol u poređenju sa bolesnicima koji nisu (338±46 prema 644±103 U/L) (t2). Ovakvi rezultati sugerišu da intervencija na otvorenom srcu dovodi do povećanja nivoa CPK, ali je taj efekat bio manje izražen u bolesnika koji su imali viši nivo UA. Zaključak: Naši rezultati ukazuju na moguću pozitivnu ulogu mokraćne kiseline u zaštiti od oštećenja koja može prouzrokovati reperfuzija. Povećanje nivoa UA pre operacije može predstavljati koristan faktor tokom CABG procedure u bolesnika koji su primali karvedilol, jer snižava nivo peroksinitrita kao jedan od uzroka oštećenja od reperfuzije. Naši rezultati pokazuju uticaj UA na nivoe CPK pri kraju hirurške intervencije, što pak ukazuje na to da uvećani nivoi UA mogu štititi srce od biohemijskih oštećenja izazvana peroksinitritom tokom CABG intervencije

Synthesis of nanoparticles based on RuBisCO protein derived from pumpkin leaves for the controlled release of vitamin B12

Pumpkin leaves which are considered biomass waste are rich in plant proteins who have an enormous potential and application in the food industry in comparison to proteins of animal origin. One of them is the most abundant protein in nature, ribulose-1,5-biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). This protein contains various functional groups enabling numerous interactions with a substantial number of compounds which make RuBisCO a noteworthy carrier of hydrophilic and hydrophobic biologically active food components. The goal of this research paper is to illustrate and prove the hypothesis that the RuBisCO fraction can potentially be used as a carrier of vitamin B12. The first protein sample was obtained using the thermal-acidic method while the second one was obtained using the thermal precipitation method and by adding ammonium-sulfate (40% w/v). Both of the isolated samples were freeze-dried and structurally analyzed using FTIR. The big and small subunit size (55 and 15 kDa) was determined using gel electrophoresis. The protein content was determined using the Lowry method. Nanoparticles were produced using a cold gelation method, where Ca2+ ions were used as crosslinking agents. This process was optimized by varying the concentration of CaCl2 solution in the range between 3 and 5 mM. All particles were characterized in terms of mean size, surface charge and their distribution. The turbidity values of the samples were also measured and analyzed. Particles that show the best ratio of distribution and particle size were chosen for making encapsulates. The influence of variation in vitamin B12 concentration was examined by preparing 10, 20 and 40 μg/ml concentrated solutions. Encapsulates were also characterized in terms of mean particle size, their distribution, surface charge, and morphologically using TEM and SEM analysis. The release of vitamin B12 was successfully reproduced in simulated gastrointestinal conditions, which demonstrates the potential application of RuBisCO as media for the encapsulation of important nutrients

Ultrasound-emerging technology for valorization of pumpkin leaf biomass: impact of sonication parameters on protein recovery, structure, functionalities, and bioactivities

The potential of food biodiversity and its production streams to generate additional features for isolating high-value products has been underutilized. Even so, the recovery of valuable nutritional compounds like proteins from waste streams and by-products has been identified as a key strategy for enhancing production sustainability in order to open up new market potential. In accordance with those facts, the primary aim of this research was to utilize a relatively novel extraction technique, high-intensity ultrasound, in order to achieve a reduction in time, energy, and extraction solvent consumption while at the same time improving the extraction yield and nutritional value of extracted leaf proteins. For this purpose, an ultrasound probe system with a low frequency (20±0.2 kHz) was utilized to extract the white proteins from the pumpkin leaf biomass, and the effects of different sonication amplitudes (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70%) and duration periods (0, 1, 3, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 20 min) on the yield, solubility and emulsifying qualities, antioxidant properties, and structural characteristics of proteins were studied. In the functional properties evaluated, leaf proteins isolated using ultrasound outperformed those extracted using the conventional extraction method, maceration. High-intensity ultrasound resulted in a slight but gradual decline in solubility with an increase in amplitude, but a significant increase in solubility in an acidic environment was observed with the decrease of cavitation periods. Ultrasound-extracted proteins exhibit nearly 12, 1.5, and 3-fold greater solubility compared to the maceration-extracted sample at pH 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The emulsifying activity diminishes with increasing sonication amplitude and duration but increases in emulsifying stability as sonication periods are extended. The ultrasound extraction provided pumpkin proteins with high radical scavenging activities (i.e., good electron donors) and chelating activity, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) in the range of 0.9 to 1.5 mg/ml, and 0.3 to 0.6, respectively, especially at 20 and 40% amplitude. Raman spectroscopy, surface charge, surface hydrophobicity, and sulfhydryl group contents were employed to characterize the structural changes brought on by ultrasound cavitation, and the achieved changes were more influenced by the treatment periods and amplitudes applied. The experimental findings show that the use of ultrasound-emerging technology for protein extraction can significantly increase the yield of pumpkin leaf protein by up to 70%. The utilization of leaf proteins in food products and dietary supplements can be augmented by combining the ultrasound periods and amplitudes to create high-value samples with better capabilities

Effects of carvedilol on left ventricular function and oxidative stress in infants and children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: A 12-month, two-center, open-label study

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the effects of carvedilol adjunct to standard treatment on left ventricular function (LVF), estimated as election fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) on echocardiography, in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). A secondary end point was to characterize the antioxidant potential of carvedilol. Methods: Hospitalized children aged 62.5 kg) was associated with significant decreases from baseline in systolic BP (130 [4] vs 123 [3] mm Hg; P 62.5 kg) was well tolerated in all 21 children. No serious AEs that necessitated study drug discontinuation (tiredness, headache, vomiting) were observed. At baseline, mean (SE) erythrocyte SOD activity (2781 [116] vs 2406 [102] U/g Hb; P 62.5 kg) were found to have significant improvements in LVF and symptoms of HE Twelve months of carvedilol therapy was associated with antioxidant enzyme activities near those observed in healthy children.nul

Effects of carvedilol on left ventricular function and oxidative stress in infants and children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: A 12-month, two-center, open-label study

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the effects of carvedilol adjunct to standard treatment on left ventricular function (LVF), estimated as election fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) on echocardiography, in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). A secondary end point was to characterize the antioxidant potential of carvedilol. Methods: Hospitalized children aged 62.5 kg) was associated with significant decreases from baseline in systolic BP (130 [4] vs 123 [3] mm Hg; P 62.5 kg) was well tolerated in all 21 children. No serious AEs that necessitated study drug discontinuation (tiredness, headache, vomiting) were observed. At baseline, mean (SE) erythrocyte SOD activity (2781 [116] vs 2406 [102] U/g Hb; P 62.5 kg) were found to have significant improvements in LVF and symptoms of HE Twelve months of carvedilol therapy was associated with antioxidant enzyme activities near those observed in healthy children.nul