scholarly journals Toxicokinetics of Aflatoxin in Pregnant Mice

2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim A. Bastaki ◽  
Nawal Osman ◽  
Jose Kochiyil ◽  
Mohamed Shafiullah ◽  
Rengasamy Padmanabhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Aflatoxin B1 ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Maternal Blood ◽  
Maternal Exposure ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Gi Tract ◽  
Pregnant Mice ◽  
Highly Correlated

Our objective was to study the toxicokinetics of aflatoxin (AF) in pregnant mice. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was administered intraperitoneally (IP) to groups of pregnant mice in single doses of 20 mg/kg on gestation day (GD) 13 and orally at the same gestational age. Controls received (IP and oral) a proportionate volume of solvent only. Maternal blood was collected at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 150 minutes posttreatment. Their AFB1 contents were determined. Aflatoxin B1 concentrations following maternal exposure to AFB1 were highly correlated with time after exposure. The serum concentrations were predictable and the highest serum levels were seen immediately at 15 minutes in mice given AFs IP and at 30 minutes in those given it orally. The absorption was 5.0 μg/min and elimination was 3.0 μg/min. The toxicokinetics of AFB1 have been delineated. Aflatoxins are easily and rapidly absorbed both from the gastrointestinal tract (GI) tract and through the peritoneum.

scholarly journals Immunosuppression and mycobacteria other thanMycobacterium tuberculosis: results from patients with and without HIV infection

1989 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Peters ◽  
D. Schürmann ◽  
A. C. Mayr ◽  
R. Hetzer ◽  
H. D. Pohle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Gi Tract ◽  
Aids Patients ◽  
Biopsy Specimens ◽  
Immunosuppressed Patients ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Urine Specimens ◽  
Immunocompetent Patients

SUMMARYInfections caused by mycobacteria other thanMycobacterium tuberculosis(MOTT) have often been described as common in AIDS patients. To evaluate whether infections with MOTT are specific for HIV related immunosuppression or are also frequent in patients with immunosuppression of different aetiology, data on the frequency of isolation from immunosuppressed patients with HIV infection are important. Blood, stool and urine specimens from 134 patients with non-HIV related immunosuppression, and from 55 immunocompetent subjects were examined for mycobacteria. MOTT have been isolated from one immunocompetent person but from none of the immunosuppressed patients. Since in AIDS patients an initial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract (GI-tract) with MOTT is common, GI-tract biopsy specimens from an additional 80 patients were examined microscopically and histologically for mycobacteria. Mycobacteria were not isolated from these specimens.In the same period of time 72 AIDS patients have been examined: 7 (10%) had infections withM. tuberculosiswhereas MOTT have been isolated from 16 (22%) of these patients. Mycobacteria have been found only rarely in immunocompetent patients and have not been isolated from patients with non-HIV related immunosuppression. The isolation of MOTT is highly correlated with an HIV-related immunosuppression.

scholarly journals Comparison of the Diagnostic Accuracy of theMSLNGene Products, Mesothelin and Megakaryocyte Potentiating Factor, as Biomarkers for Mesothelioma in Pleural Effusions and Serum

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 119-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenette Creaney ◽  
Sophie Sneddon ◽  
Ian M. Dick ◽  
Hanne Dare ◽  
Neil Boudville ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Receiver Operator Curve ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Pleural Effusions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Operator Curve

TheMSLNgene products, soluble mesothelin and megakaryocyte potentiating factor (MPF), are being investigated as biomarkers for the asbestos-related cancer malignant mesothelioma (MM). Pleural fluid biomarkers of MM can be elevated when serum levels remain normal. The aim of this study was to determine if this was true for MPF and to compare levels of mesothelin. Biomarker concentrations were compared in 66 MM patients, 39 patients with other malignancies, 37 with benign disease, 18 asbestos-exposed healthy individuals, and 53 patients with chronic kidney disease. In pleural effusions, MPF and soluble mesothelin concentrations were both significantly elevated in MM patients relative to controls. No significant difference between the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) for MPF (0.945±0.02) and mesothelin (0.928±0.03) when distinguishing MM from all other causes of effusion was observed. MPF and mesothelin serum concentrations were highly correlated and of equivalent diagnostic accuracy with AUCs of0.813±0.04and0.829±0.03, respectively. Serum levels of both markers increased with decreasing kidney function. In conclusion, MPF is elevated in the pleural effusions of MM patients similar to that of mesothelin. Mesothelin and MPF convey equivalent diagnostic information for distinguishing MM from other diseases in pleural effusions as well as serum.

Do Extra-Platelet Sources Contribute to the Plasma Level of Thrombospondin?

1988 ◽  
Vol 59 (02) ◽  
pp. 273-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Dawes ◽  
D A Pratt ◽  
M S Dewar ◽  
F E Preston
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Count ◽  
Background Concentration ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Bone Marrow Depression ◽  
Serial Sampling ◽  
Control Serum ◽  
Platelet Release ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
The Relationship

SummaryThrombospondin, a trimeric glycoprotein contained in the platelet α-granules, has been proposed as a marker of in vivo platelet activation. However, it is also synthesised by a range of other cells. The extraplatelet contribution to plasma levels of thrombospondin was therefore estimated by investigating the relationship between plasma thrombospondin levels and platelet count in samples from profoundly thrombocytopenic patients with marrow hypoplasia, using the platelet-specific α-granule protein β-thromboglobulin as control. Serum concentrations of both proteins were highly correlated with platelet count, but while plasma β-thromboglobulin levels and platelet count also correlated, there was no relationship between the number of platelets and thrombospondin concentrations in plasma. Serial sampling of patients recovering from bone marrow depression indicated that the plasma thrombospondin contributed by platelets is superimposed on a background concentration of at least 50 ng/ml probably derived from a non-platelet source, and plasma thrombospondin levels do not simply reflect platelet release.

Changes in growth rate and thyroid- and sex-hormones blood levels in rats under sub-chronic lithium treatment

2006 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
M S Allagui ◽  
N Hfaiedh ◽  
C Vincent ◽  
F Guermazi ◽  
J-C Murat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Lithium Treatment ◽  
Lithium Carbonate ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Antagonistic Effect ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Vaginal Mucosa ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Dose Dependent

Lithium therapy, mainly used in curing some psychiatric diseases, is responsible for numerous undesirable side effects. The present study is a contribution to the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying lithium toxicity. Male and female mature rats were divided into three batches and fed commercial pellets: one batch was the control and the second and third batches were given 2 g (Li1) and 4 g (Li2) of lithium carbonate/kg of food/day, respectively. After 7, 14, 21 and 28 days, serum levels of free tri-iodothyronine (FT3), thyroxine (FT4), testosterone and estradiol were measured. Attention was also paid to growth rate and a histological examination of testes or vaginal mucosa was carried out. In treated rats, a dose-dependent loss of appetite and a decrease in growth rate were observed, together with symptoms of polydypsia, polyuria and diarrhea. Lithium serum concentrations increased from 0.44 mM (day 7) to 1.34 mM (day 28) in Li1 rats and from 0.66 to 1.45 mM (day 14) in Li2 rats. Li2 treatment induced a high mortality after 14 days, reaching 50-60% in female and male animals. From these data, the LD50 (14 days Li2 chronic treatment) was calculated to be about 0.3 g/day per kilogram of animal, leading to Li serum concentrations of about 1.4 mM. A significant decrease of FT3 and FT4 was observed in treated rats. This effect appeared immediately for the highest dose and was more pronounced for FT3, resulting in an increase of the FT4/FT3 ratio. In males, testosterone decreased and spermatogenesis was stopped. Conversely, in females, estradiol increased in a dose-dependent manner as the animals were blocked in the diestrus phase at day 28. This finding supports a possible antagonistic effect of lithium on the estradiol receptors.

Dietary and serum vitamin D and preeclampsia risk in Chinese pregnant women: a matched case–control study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Xue-min Huang ◽  
Yan-hua Liu ◽  
Han Zhang ◽  
Yuan Cao ◽  
Wei-feng Dou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Matched Case ◽  
Matched Case Control Study ◽  
Control Study

Abstract The effect of vitamin D (VD) on the risk of preeclampsia (PE) is uncertain. Few of previous studies focused on the relationship between dietary VD intake and PE risk. Therefore, we conducted this 1:1 matched case-control study to explore the association of dietary VD intake and serum VD concentrations with PE risk in Chinese pregnant women. A total of 440 pairs of participants were recruited during March 2016 to June 2019. Dietary information was obtained using a 78-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 were measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariate conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were plotted to evaluate the dose-response relationship of dietary VD intake and serum VD concentrations with PE risk. Compared with the lowest quartile, the ORs of the highest quartile were 0.45 (95%CI: 0.29-0.71, Ptrend = 0.001) for VD dietary intake and 0.26 (95%CI: 0.11-0.60, Ptrend = 0.003) for serum levels after adjusting for confounders. In addition, the RCS analysis suggested a reverse J-shaped relationship between dietary VD intake and PE risk (P-nonlinearity = 0.02). A similar association was also found between serum concentrations of total 25(OH)D and PE risk (P-nonlinearity = 0.02). In conclusion, this study provides evidence that higher dietary intake and serum levels of VD are associated with the lower risk of PE in Chinese pregnant women.

scholarly journals The Effect of Bilateral Nephrectomy on Renalase and Catecholamines in Hemodialysis Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6282
Author(s):  
Magda Wiśniewska ◽  
Natalia Serwin ◽  
Violetta Dziedziejko ◽  
Małgorzata Marchelek-Myśliwiec ◽  
Barbara Dołęgowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Hemodialysis Patients ◽  
Pressure Regulation ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Monoamine Oxidase Activity ◽  
Normal Kidney ◽  
Bilateral Nephrectomy ◽  
Arterial Blood

Background/Aims: Renalase is an enzyme with monoamine oxidase activity that metabolizes catecholamines; therefore, it has a significant influence on arterial blood pressure regulation and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Renalase is mainly produced in the kidneys. Nephrectomy and hemodialysis (HD) may alter the production and metabolism of renalase. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of bilateral nephrectomy on renalase levels in the serum and erythrocytes of hemodialysis patients. Methods: This study included 27 hemodialysis patients post-bilateral nephrectomy, 46 hemodialysis patients without nephrectomy but with chronic kidney disease and anuria and 30 healthy subjects with normal kidney function. Renalase levels in the serum and erythrocytes were measured using an ELISA kit. Results: Serum concentrations of renalase were significantly higher in post-bilateral nephrectomy patients when compared with those of control subjects (101.1 ± 65.5 vs. 19.6 ± 5.0; p < 0.01). Additionally, renalase concentrations, calculated per gram of hemoglobin, were significantly higher in patients after bilateral nephrectomy in comparison with those of healthy subjects (994.9 ± 345.5 vs. 697.6 ± 273.4, p = 0.015). There were no statistically significant differences in plasma concentrations of noradrenaline or adrenaline. In contrast, the concentration of dopamine was significantly lower in post-nephrectomy patients when compared with those of healthy subjects (116.8 ± 147.7 vs. 440.9 ± 343.2, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Increased serum levels of renalase in post-bilateral nephrectomy hemodialysis patients are likely related to production in extra-renal organs as a result of changes in the cardiovascular system and hypertension.

scholarly journals Association of Serum Levels of Zinc, Copper, and Iron with Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 548
Author(s):  
Chia-Wen Lu ◽  
Yi-Chen Lee ◽  
Chia-Sheng Kuo ◽  
Chien-Hsieh Chiang ◽  
Hao-Hsiang Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Serum Zinc ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Model Assessment ◽  
Serum Concentrations ◽  
Metabolic Factors ◽  
Homeostatic Model Assessment

The association between serum concentrations of zinc, copper, or iron and the risk of metabolic syndrome are inconclusive. Therefore, we conduct a case-control study to explore the relationship between serum levels of zinc, copper, or iron and metabolic syndrome as well as each metabolic factor and insulin resistance. We enrolled 1165 adults, aged ≥ 40 (65.8 ± 10) years in a hospital-based population to compare the serum levels of zinc, copper, and iron between subjects with and without metabolic syndrome by using multivariate logistic regression analyses. The least square means were computed by general linear models to compare serum concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron in relation to the number of metabolic factors. The mean serum concentrations of zinc, copper, and iron were 941.91 ± 333.63 μg/L, 1043.45 ± 306.36 μg/L, and 1246.83 ± 538.13 μg/L, respectively. The odds ratios (ORs) of metabolic syndrome for the highest versus the lowest quartile were 5.83 (95% CI: 3.35–10.12; p for trend < 0.001) for zinc, 2.02 (95% CI: 1.25–3.25; p for trend: 0.013) for copper, and 2.11 (95% CI: 1.24–3.62; p for trend: 0.021) for iron after adjusting for age, sex, personal habits, body mass index, and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance. Additionally, the serum zinc, copper, and iron concentrations increased as the number of metabolic factors rose (p for trend < 0.001). This was the first study to clearly demonstrate that higher serum levels of zinc, copper, and iron were associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome and the number of metabolic factors independent of BMI and insulin resistance.

Serum kallistatin level is decreased in women with preeclampsia

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66
Author(s):  
Onur Güralp ◽  
Nevin Tüten ◽  
Koray Gök ◽  
Kübra Hamzaoglu ◽  
Huri Bulut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Serine Proteinase ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Uncomplicated Pregnancy ◽  
Appropriate For Gestational Age

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the serum levels of the serine proteinase inhibitor kallistatin in women with preeclampsia (PE).MethodsThe clinical and laboratory parameters of 55 consecutive women with early-onset PE (EOPE) and 55 consecutive women with late-onset PE (LOPE) were compared with 110 consecutive gestational age (GA)-matched (±1 week) pregnant women with an uncomplicated pregnancy and an appropriate for gestational age fetus.ResultsMean serum kallistatin was significantly lower in women with PE compared to the GA-matched-controls (27.74±8.29 ng/mL vs. 37.86±20.64 ng/mL, p<0.001); in women with EOPE compared to that of women in the control group GA-matched for EOPE (24.85±6.65 ng/mL vs. 33.37±17.46 ng/mL, p=0.002); and in women with LOPE compared to that of women in the control group GA-matched for LOPE (30.87±8.81 ng/mL vs. 42.25±22.67 ng/mL, p=0.002). Mean serum kallistatin was significantly lower in women with EOPE compared to LOPE (24.85±6.65 ng/mL vs. 30.87±8.81 ng/mL, p<0.001). Serum kallistatin had negative correlations with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, creatinine, and positive correlation with GA at sampling and GA at birth.ConclusionsSerum kallistatin levels are decreased in preeclamptic pregnancies compared to the GA-matched-controls. This decrease was also significant in women with EOPE compared to LOPE. Serum kallistatin had negative correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, creatinine and positive correlation with GA at sampling and GA at birth.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Virus Manifestations in the Gastrointestinal Tract: Therapeutic Implications

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
André Jefremow ◽  
Markus F. Neurath
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Gi Tract ◽  
Therapeutic Implications ◽  
The World ◽  
Lung Failure ◽  
Novel Virus

<b><i>Background:</i></b> About 1 year ago a novel virus – SARS-CoV-2 – began to spread around the world. It can lead to the disease COVID-19, which has caused more than 1 million deaths already. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> While it was first recognized as a disease leading to pneumonia and lung failure, we know by now that COVID-19 is more complex. COVID-19 is a systemic hyperinflammatory disease affecting not only the lungs, but also many other organs. Especially the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is often involved in COVID-19. <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> This review provides an overview of the different affected organs of the GI tract and offers information on how gastroenterologists should take care of their patients with different GI disorders.

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