Elements of oxidation/reduction balance in experimental hypothyroidism

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the decreased level of thyroid hormones on selected parameters of the oxidation/reduction balance by assessing the activity of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px); the level of antioxidant vitamins (A, C, and E); and the concentration of compounds reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBARS). Material and methods: Investigations involved 20 Belgian giant rabbits of both sexes. Hypothyroidism was induced by intragastric administration of thiamizole. Before this was done, blood was collected from the ear marginal vein (control group) and then the animals received thiamizole through an intragastric tube at a dose of 2 mg/kg b.w. for 21 days. Blood was collected again (the experimental group) and the following determinations were performed: — in blood serum, the thyroid hormones T3, T4 and TSH; — vitamin A, C and E blood serum concentrations; — in erythrocytes, the concentration of compounds reacting with TBARS, SOD and GSH-Px. Results: A 21-day exposure of rabbits to thiamazole (2 mg/kg b.w./24 h) resulted in a statistically significant decrease of TBARS, a decrease of SOD and GPH-Px activity and in a statistically insignificant decrease in the level of vitamins A, C and E. Conclusions: Hypothyroidism decreases the level of erythrocytes oxidation/reduction balance by diminishing oxidative lipids damage and by decreasing the activity of antioxidative enzymes, but not by changes in the level of antioxidant vitamins. (Pol J Endocrinol 2011; 62 (3): 220–223)Wstęp: Celem badania była ocena wpływu zmniejszenia stężenia hormonów tarczycy na wybrane parametry równowagi oksydacyjno-redukcyjnej przez badanie aktywności enzymów antyoksydacyjnych ( SOD, GSH-Px), stężenia witamin antyoksydacyjnych (A, C, E) oraz związków reagujących z kwasem tiobarbiturowym (TBARS). Materiał i metody: Badania przeprowadzono na 40 królikach rasy olbrzym beligijski, obojga płci. Niedoczynność tarczycy wywołano dożołądkowym podawaniem thiamazolu. Przed podaniem thiamazolu pobrano krew żylną (grupa kontrolna), a następnie przez 21 dni zwierzęta otrzymywały dożołądkowo thiamazol w dawce 2 mg/kg mc. Po tym czasie ponownie pobierano krew (grupa badana) i oznaczano: — stężenie hormonów tarczycy T3, T4 i TSH; — stężenie witamin A, C i E w surowicy; — stężenie związków reagujących z kwasem tiobarbiturowym (TBARS) i aktywność dysmutazy ponadtlenkowej (SOD) i peroksydazy glutationowej (GPH-Px) w erytrocytach. Wyniki: Po 21 dniach dożołądkowego podawania królikom thiamazolu (2 mg/kg mc./24 h) stwierdzono statystycznie znamienne zmniejszenie stężenia TBARS, obniżenie aktywności SOD i GPH-Px oraz statystycznie nieznamienne obniżenie stężenia witaminy A, C i E. Wnioski: Niedoczynność tarczycy obniża poziom równowagi oksydacyjno-redukcyjnej erytrocytów poprzez zmniejszenie oksydacyjnych uszkodzeń tłuszczów oraz zmniejszenie aktywności enzymów antyoksydacyjnych, a nie poprzez zmiany w stężeniu witamin antyoksydacyjnych. (Endokrynol Pol 2011; 62 (3): 220–223

Ion channel inhibition with amiodarone or verapamil in symptomatic hospitalized nonintensive-care COVID-19 patients: The ReCOVery-SIRIO randomized trial

Background: Ion channel inhibition may offer protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Inflammation and reduced platelet count occur during COVID-19 but precise quantification of risk thresholds is unclear. The Recov ery-SIRIO study aimed to assess clinical effects of amiodarone and verapamil and to relate patient phenotypes to outcomes. Methods: RECOVERY-SIRIO is a multicenter open-label 1:1:1 investigator-initiated randomized trial with blinded event adjudication. A sample of 804 symptomatic hospitalized nonintensive-care COVID-19 patients, follow-up for 28 days was initially planned. Results: The trial was stopped when a total of 215 patients had been randomized to amiodarone (n = 71), verapamil (n = 72) or standard care alone (n = 72). At 15 days, the hazard ratio (hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI]) for clinical improvement was 0.77 (0.52–1.14) with amiodarone and 0.97 (0.81–1.17) with verapamil as compared to usual care. Clinically relevant associations were found between mortality or lack of clinical improvement and higher peak C-reactive protein (CRP) levels or nadir platelet count at 7, 10 and 15 days. Mortality rate increased by 73% every 5 mg/dL increment in peak CRP (HR 1.73, 95% CI 1.27–2.37) and was two-fold higher for every decrement of 100 units in nadir platelet count (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.37–3.51). By cluster analysis, thresholds of 5 mg/dL for peak CRP and 187 × 103/mcL for nadir platelet count identified the phenogroup at greatest risk of dying. Conclusions: In this randomized trial, neither amiodarone nor verapamil were found to significantly accelerate short-term clinical improvement. Peak CRP and nadir platelet counts were associated with increased mortality both in isolation and by cluster analysis

Prace oryginalne/original PaPers Elements of oxidation/reduction balance in experimental hypothyroidism Elementy bariery oksydacyjno-redukcyjnej w doświadczalnej hypotyreozie

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the decreased level of thyroid hormones on selected parameters of the oxidation/reduction balance by assessing the activity of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px); the level of antioxidant vitamins (A, C, and E); and the concentration of compounds reacting with thiobarbituric acid (TBARS). Material and methods: Investigations involved 20 Belgian giant rabbits of both sexes. Hypothyroidism was induced by intragastric administration of thiamizole. Before this was done, blood was collected from the ear marginal vein (control group) and then the animals received thiamizole through an intragastric tube at a dose of 2 mg/kg b.w. for 21 days. Blood was collected again (the experimental group) and the following determinations were performed: -in blood serum, the thyroid hormones T3, T4 and TSH; -vitamin A, C and E blood serum concentrations; -in erythrocytes, the concentration of compounds reacting with TBARS, SOD and GSH-Px

Effect of microbial UGmax enricher on soil physical and water retention properties

The paper presents the impact of UGmax enricher on soil physical and water retention properties. The experiment was established in 2005 in a 2 ha field 9 km from Lidzbark Warmiński in the village of Budniki. The studied soils were classified as Cambisols and Luvisols (IUSS Working Group WRB 2015), and they were formed from glaciolimnic deposits. Soil bulk density, soil particle density, texture, total porosity and water retention properties using low and high-pressure chambers were determined. The use of UGmax enricher on loamy soils used as arable lands in temperate climate of north-eastern Poland caused significant decrease of soil bulk density, increase of available water capacity and readily available water capacity. Statistically significant differences between examined soil properties were observed in most studied years

Homologous Crossovers among Molecules of Brome Mosaic Bromovirus RNA1 or RNA2 Segments In Vivo

Previously we demonstrated frequent homologous crossovers among molecules of the RNA3 segment in the tripartite brome mosaic bromovirus (BMV) RNA genome (A. Bruyere, M. Wantroba, S. Flasinski, A. Dzianott, and J. J. Bujarski, J. Virol. 74:4214-4219, 2000). To further our knowledge about mechanisms of viral RNA genome variability, in this paper we have studied homologous recombination in BMV RNA1 and RNA2 components during infection. We have found that basal RNA-RNA crossovers could occur within coding regions of both RNAs, although recombination frequencies slightly varied at different RNA sections. In all cases, the frequencies were much lower than the rate observed for the intercistronic recombination hot spot in BMV RNA3. Probability calculations accounted for at least one homologous crossover per RNA molecule per replication cycle. In addition, we have demonstrated an efficient repair of mutations within the conserved 3′ and 5′ noncoding regions, most likely due to error-prone BMV RNA replication. Overall, our data verify that homologous crossovers are common events a during virus life cycle, and we discuss their importance for viral RNA genetics

Incidence of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the European Union and in the European Free Trade Association countries

Introduction: Despite the widespread availability of vaccines, the incidence of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases (VPCD) started to grow in recent years. The aim of the study was to compare the annual incidence of selected VPCDs in the EU (European Union) and EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries in the period of the last 5 years (2014–2019 or other intervals, depending on data availability), and the country-specific vaccine schedules. Methods: VPCD incidence rates in Europe were based on “The Surveillance Atlas of Infectious Diseases” by the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control); vaccination schedules were based on ECDC reports. Results: The obligation to vaccinate was not universal, and it generally only applied to two preparations: the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and the one against polio. During the study, the situation associated with mumps did not change or improve in individual countries; the median incidence amounted to 30 cases. The median incidence associated with rubella amounted to 1 case, but in a few countries, it grew very rapidly, i.e., in Germany, Italy, and Romania; in Poland, the incidence was clearly decreasing, from 5923 to 1532 cases. The most dynamic situation concerned measles. The total median was 2.4 cases per 100,000 population; the only one country with falling incidence was Germany. The diseases associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis remained at a stable level in all analyzed countries. Conclusion: Vaccine schedules differ among the countries, so does the epidemiological situation of selected diseases. Morbidity on measles was the most disturbing phenomenon: the incidence rate increased in almost 40% of all countries, regardless of the obligation to vaccinate. The increasing incidence of VPCD may be due to anti-vaccine movements, the activity of which is often caused by mistrust and spreading misinformation. In order to better prevent the increase in morbidity, standardization of vaccine schedules and documentation should be considered in the EU countries

Relationship Between Anti-DFS70 Autoantibodies and Oxidative Stress

Background: The anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are one of the most commonly and widely described agent of unknown clinical significance, frequently detected in healthy individuals. It is not known whether the DFS70 autoantibodies are protective or pathogenic. One of the factors suspected of inducing the formation of anti-DFS70 antibodies is increased oxidative stress. We evaluated the coexistence of anti-DFS70 antibodies with selected markers of oxidative stress and investigated whether these antibodies could be considered as indirect markers of oxidative stress. Methods: The intensity of oxidative stress was measured in all samples via indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), lipofuscin (LPS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid concentration (UA), were also measured, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Based on TOS and TAS values, the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. All samples were also tested with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 357 samples were selected for direct monospecific anti DFS70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. Results:: The anti-DFS70 antibodies were confirmed by ELISA test in 21.29% of samples. Compared with anti-DFS70 negative samples we observed 23% lower concentration of LPH (P = .038) and 11% lower concentration of UA (P = .005). TOS was 20% lower (P = .014). The activity of SOD was up to 5% higher (P = .037). The Pearson correlation showed weak negative correlation for LPH, UA, and TOS and a weak positive correlation for SOD activity. Conclusion: In samples positive for the anti-DFS70 antibody a decreased level of oxidative stress was observed, especially in the case of samples with a high antibody titer. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as an indirect marker of reduced oxidative stress or a marker indicating the recent intensification of antioxidant processes