Changes in vitamin E concentration after surgery and anesthesia

The aim of this randomized study was to examine changes in vitamin E concentration in female subjects (age 30-60, ASA I) after cholecystectomy and halothane (N = 16) or isoflurane (N = 16) anaesthesia. Vitamin E concentration was measured two days before, and then one, five and twenty-four hours and four days after surgery. High-pressure liquid chromatography was used for its determination. Simultaneously activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) were determined. Statistical analysis: ANOVA, Tukay HSD test. The research has been accepted by the Drugs Committee of the Karlovac County Hospital. Preoperative vitamin E concentrations in the halothane group were 8.69 +/- 2.35 micrograms/L, median 8.67 micrograms/L and in the isoflurane group 9.43 +/- 2.4 micrograms/L, median 9.08 micrograms/L. Statistically lower vitamin E concentrations compared with preoperative values were noted one hour (P < 0.05), 5 hours (P < 0.01), 24 hours (P < 0.01), as well as 4 days (P < 0.01) after the operation. The lowest vitamin E concentrations were noted 24 hours after the operation with statistically insignificantly higher values in the isoflurane group (halothane group 5.98 +/- 2.08 micrograms/L, isoflurane group 6.58 +/- 1.51 micrograms/L). Analyzing enzyme (ALT, AST and GGT) pre- and postoperative values, no statistically significant differences between the investigated groups and during the time were observed. Statistically significant differences were found between individual measurement times, with no statistical significance of the differences between the halothane and isoflurane groups. It seems that neither the difference in halothane and isoflurane biotransformation nor their distinct effect on perfusion of some organs are the determining factors in post-operative changes in vitamin E concentration.     

Influence of antimicrobial chemotherapy and smoking status on the plasma concentrations of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, acute phase reactants, iron and lipid peroxides in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

SETTING: Inflammation-related oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis and dysfunction in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of antimicrobial chemotherapy and smoking status on the plasma concentrations of the anti-oxidative nutrients vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene, as well as those of iron, lipid peroxides and the acute phase reactants C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin. DESIGN: A total of 41 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were studied at the outset and after 6 months of antimicrobial chemotherapy. RESULTS: Initial plasma concentrations of vitamin C and beta-carotene were low, returning to normal values after chemotherapy in the non-smokers, but not in the smokers, while those of vitamin E remained low throughout in both groups. Ferritin and CRP concentrations decreased significantly following chemotherapy, with the former higher in smokers than in non-smokers. Serum lipid peroxides were elevated in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and were unaffected by chemotherapy or smoking habits, while iron levels were not significantly affected by chemotherapy. Although residual dysfunction and infiltration were evident, pulmonary function (FEV1) and radiographic score improved equally in both smokers and non-smokers following antimicrobial chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Even after 6 months of apparently successful antimicrobial chemotherapy, pulmonary tuberculosis is associated with increased oxidative stress, which is unrelated to cigarette smoking and characterized by increased levels of circulating lipid peroxides and low concentrations of plasma vitamin E.     

Blood selenium, vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene concentrations and udder health, fertility treatments, and fertility

We investigated the activity of glutathione peroxidase in whole blood; concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene in serum; SCC; udder bacterial infections and the incidence of clinical mastitis; fertility treatments; and the success of first AI of 511 dairy cows for 1 yr. The mean Se content in whole blood and the concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene concentrations in serum were 191 micrograms/L, 5.9 mg/L, 0.39 mg/L, and 12.9 mg/L, respectively. An increase in Se concentration in whole blood was associated with a decrease in all infections, including infections by Staphylococcus aureus, Actinomyces pyogenes, and Corynebacterium spp. (-17.7, -31.7, and -70.6%, respectively). There was no association among the different infections or SCC and concentrations of vitamin E, vitamin A, or beta-carotene, but an association existed between vitamin A concentration and SCC. The lower Se concentration in whole blood did not increase incidence of clinical mastitis. The Se concentration in whole blood (200 micrograms/L) was accepted as a target value to optimize udder health. The incidence of fertility disorders (anestrus, subestrus, cystic ovaries, or delayed ovulation) was 34.4%. The pregnancy rate following first insemination was 48.6%. No significant association was observed among Se in whole blood; concentrations of total vitamin E, vitamin A, or beta-carotene in serum; and fertility disorders or success of first AI.     

The effect of vitamin A and beta-carotene on the vitamin E status, ejaculation parameters and health of boar used for insemination

In this study consequences of vitamin A-supplementation to the vitamin E-status was investigated in the boar. Three groups of boars, each with 9 animals were fed over a period of seven month with 30000 I.E. Vit. A/kg concentrate (group A), 90 mg b-carotene + 1000 I.E. Vit. A/kg (group B) and 1000 I.E. Vit. A/kg (group C). Every boar was given 100 mg Vit. E/kg plus 50 ml soybean oil/kg to induce oxidative stress. After four month group C showed a higher amount of tocopherol in serum (p < 0.05). The amount of tocopherol in serum of the group B were exactly between group A and C. The amount of retinol in serum of the group C began to decrease after three month due to the high reserve capacity of the liver (p < 0.01). The retinyl ester in serum reflected the state of supply. 90 mg b-carotene led to an efficiency of 15000 I.E. Vit. A. The vitamin antagonism between Vit. A and Vit. E is not based on an antagonism of the intestinal resorption. There was no influence on the daily sperm production caused by different supplementations. The sperm quality was lowered in group C; the number of defective sperm increased (p < 0.001). The supplementation of soybean oil lead to an increase of the saturated fatty acids in the fatty acid pattern of the sperm cells. The increase of saturated fatty acids was the lowest in group C that showed the highest amount of tocopherol in serum.     

Association between plasma vitamin E concentration and the risk of equine motor neuron disease

Venous ulceration is a common problem in western countries and results in large costs to healthcare systems. A number of hypotheses of the mechanisms of development of venous ulceration have been advanced, but this question has not been fully resolved. In recent years research effort has focused on the microcirculation of the skin and many methods of investigation have been employed to study this. Some of the principal findings described in published work are reviewed in this article. It seems unlikely from the available evidence that venous ulceration is attributable solely to failure of diffusion of oxygen and other small nutritional molecules to the tissues of the skin. The microvascular changes in the skin are characterised by activated endothelium and perivascular inflammatory cells. It is much more likely that leucocytes attach themselves to the cutaneous microcirculation, become activated and produce endothelial injury. Repeated over many months or years, this chronic inflammatory process leads to be tissues changes of lipodermatosclerosis. Although there is evidence of leucocyte involvement in the pathogenesis of venous ulceration, the exact mechanisms remain to be resolved. Improved treatment for patients may be devised once a better understanding of the basic causes of this condition has been reached.     

Burden of illness, metabolic control, and complications in relation to depressive symptoms in IDDM patients

Relationships between demographic-, treatment-, and sickness-related factors, metabolic control (HbA1c), perceived burden of illness, and degree of depressive symptoms were examined in a group of 155 insulin-dependent diabetic patients, aged 35.3 +/- 8.9 years. The patients completed a questionnaire measuring depressive symptoms and three aspects of perceived burden of illness. No gender differences in HbA1c level or occurrence of late diabetic complications were found. Both men and women showed a modestly elevated degree of depression compared with norm groups. Self-reported burden of illness was strongly related to depression but was largely unrelated to objective disease-related measures. Level of depression was correlated neither with degree of metabolic control nor with the presence of such late diabetic complications as retinopathy and nephropathy. Some 44% of the variance in depression could be explained by worries about complications in those patients with the lowest HbA1c levels, by perceived restrictions in everyday life in patients with intermediate metabolic control, and by problems of glycaemic regulation in patients with poor metabolic control. Degree of depression was largely unrelated to disease severity, but was found to be related to the perceived daily burden of living with the disease, the specific worries and concerns associated with a depressed mood varying with degree of metabolic control.     

Supercritical fluid extraction and reversed-phase liquid chromatography methods for vitamin A and beta-carotene heterogeneous distribution of vitamin A in the liver

In the present study, we have performed chemical investigations of the stem cell walls during internode maturation in order to study the growth dynamics of alfalfa and the deposition of the main cell wall components (polysaccharides and lignins). Internode cell walls were analysed by chemical fractionation using a mild delignification step aiming at sequential removal of polysaccharides and lignins. Delignification facilitated the subsequent removal of the xylose-rich polysaccharides by NaOH extraction as previously shown. This trend was more pronounced in the case of older internodes which have a larger proportion of secondary tissues containing syringyl type lignins in contrast to younger ones which are mainly composed of primary tissues containing guaiacyl type lignins and pectin rich cell walls.     

Serum vitamin A and beta-carotene levels in pregnant women infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the shock-induced alterations in whole blood monocyte tumor necrosis factor (TNF) response are mediated by the CD14 receptor. DESIGN: Prospective controlled animals experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: New Zealand White rabbits (n = 15) were subjected to hemorrhage and resuscitation. Blood samples obtained before shock and 24, 72, and 120 hours after shock were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide in the presence or absence of the anti-CD14 monoclonal antibody, 63D3. Tumor necrosis factor was assayed using L929 cells. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There are no detectable TNF activity in unstimulated blood. The CD14 inhibition resulted in a 55% reduction in baseline TNF activity. After shock, there was a marked increase in TNF activity with lipopolysaccharide stimulation. Addition of 63D3 resulted in a dose-dependent 95% reduction in TNF activity at 24 and 72 hours after shock, (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The enhanced whole blood monocyte TNF response after hemorrhage is CD14 dependent.     

Depressed patients with dysfunctional families: Description and course of illness.

68 depressed patients were subdivided according to their family's level of family functioning into functional and dysfunctional groups. Patients from dysfunctional families did not differ from those of functional families on measures of severity of depression, chronicity of depression, depression subtypes, other nonaffective psychiatric diagnoses, history of depression, or neuroendocrine functioning. Ss from dysfunctional families did have significantly higher levels of neuroticism. A 12-mo follow-up of these patients indicated that depressed patients with dysfunctional families had significantly poorer course of illness, as manifested by higher levels of depression, lower levels of overall adjustment, and a lower proportion of recovered patients. Thus, impaired family functioning appears to be an important prognostic factor in major depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Glutamate concentration in plasma, erythrocyte and muscle in relation to plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF binding protein-1 and insulin in patients on haemodialysis

A simple, sensitive, and rapid method for simultaneous determination of residues of flumequine and its microbiologically active metabolite 7-hydroxyflumequine in 100 mg sheep edible tissues (muscle, liver, kidney, and fat) by liquid chromatography is reported. After liquid-liquid cleanup with ethyl acetate, tissue extracts were injected onto a Select B column. The 2 compounds were determined by ultraviolet and fluorimetric detection. The method was repeatable and reproducible for flumequine and 7-hydroxyflumequine in muscle, liver, kidney, and fat, with limits of detection below 2 and 3 micrograms/kg for flumequine and 7-hydroxyflumequine, respectively. Mean recoveries for flumequine were 90 +/- 7, 82 +/- 7, 89 +/- 5, and 82 +/- 6% in muscle, liver, kidney, and fat respectively. Mean recoveries for 7-hydroxyflumequine were 91 +/- 2, 90 +/- 4, 86 +/- 3, and 84 +/- 4% in muscle, liver, kidney, and fat, respectively.     

Study of serum 3,5,3''-triiodothyronine sulfate concentration in patients with systemic non-thyroidal illness

The thyroid doses received by the juvenile population of Belarus following the Chernobyl accident ranged up to about 10 Gy. The thyroid cancer risk estimate recommended in NCRP Report No. 80 was used to predict the number of thyroid cancer cases among children during 1990-1992 in selected Belarussian regions and cities. The results obtained using this risk estimate show an excess of thyroid cancer cases being registered vs. the predicted cases. Thyroid cancer incidence rate among boys under investigation is higher than among girls in the postaccident period. The excess of the observed over the expected incidence in the general juvenile population is caused by the high thyroid cancer incidence rate among boys. These results, which can be considered part of the first stage of a thorough thyroid cancer risk estimation after the Chernobyl accident, demonstrate the critical need to complete these studies in depth.     

Hardiness, Type A behavior, and the stress–illness relation in working women.

Hardiness has been proposed as a stress-resistance resource in maintaining health. This construct has been shown to act in conjunction with the Type A behavior pattern in affecting illness. In this study, we examined this relation in women (N?=?82) with the use of the Structured Interview and the Jenkins Activity Survey to assess Type A behavior. As expected, there was a strong stress–illness association. However, there were no hardiness main effects nor interactions between stress, Type A behavior, and hardiness. Hardiness was significantly associated with age, education level, and marital status. No differences in hardiness composition were found between high stress/high illness and high stress/low illness groups. Only the Powerlessness scale of hardiness was related to illness. These results are discussed in comparison with other hardiness studies. Particular attention is focused on possible sex differences, and implications for future research are suggested. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increased plasma concentration of adrenomedullin in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent hypotensive peptide originally identified in pheochromocytoma tissues. Impaired cardiovascular conditions, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, and septic shock, stimulate production of AM. This study was performed to determine whether subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) altered plasma AM concentration. Plasma concentrations of AM in 17 patients with SAH were measured for 2 wk after the onset of SAH by AM-specific radioimmunoassay. Plasma concentrations of AM were increased in patients with SAH throughout the study period, compared with those in control subjects. Plasma concentrations of AM in patients classified as Hunt and Kosnik grade III or IV were significantly higher than those classified as Hunt and Kosnik grade I or II on the day of and the day after the onset of SAH. However, plasma concentrations of AM were unaffected by angiographic vasospasm. These findings suggest that plasma concentrations of AM are increased in patients with SAH and may reflect the severity of SAH. IMPLICATIONS: Adrenomedullin has been reported to affect the cerebral circulation. This study was performed to determine whether subarachnoid hemorrhage, a typical cerebrovascular disorder, altered plasma adrenomedullin concentrations. We found that plasma adrenomedullin concentrations increased in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, although no relationship was found between plasma adrenomedullin concentration and angiographic vasospasm. Plasma adrenomedullin concentration may reflect the severity of hemorrhage.     

The effect of beta-carotene and vitamins A, D3 and E on some reproductive parameters in cows

Five groups of winter-housed cows (n = 10 per group) that calved in the winter were used to assess the effect of beta-carotene supplementation on postpartum reproductive performance. Near parturition and immediately after calving the beta-carotene concentrations of the blood plasma were decreased and no differences could be found between the control and the supplemented groups. The results obtained at postpartum day 60 suggest that supplementation of the daily winter ration with 300 mg of synthetic beta-carotene with or without vitamins A, D3 and E exerts the most favourable effect on reproduction, as judged not only from B-carotene and vitamin A contents of the blood plasma, colostrum and milk but also from the improved fertility indices. The number of inseminations per cow was reduced and the conception rate was significantly higher in cows supplied additionally with 300 mg of synthetic beta-carotene with or without vitamins A, D3 and E. It can be concluded that beta-carotene is an important factor in bovine reproduction and that its specific role cannot be taken over by vitamin A.     

Relationship between plasma aldosterone concentration and plasma potassium in patients with essential hypertension during alprenolol treatment

Plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), plasma renin concentration (PRC), plasma potassium, plasma sodium and blood pressure (BP) have been measured in 22 patients with essential hypertension before and after treatment for one month with alprenolol. PAC, PRC and BP decreased and plasma potassium increased significantly during treatment. Plasma sodium, however, was unchanged. Changes in PAC were inversely correlated to changes in plasma potassium. No relationship could be demonstrated between PAC and plasma sodium. Mean BP was inversely correlated to PAC during alprenolol treatment, but bot before treatment. No relationship was found between changes in BP and changes in PRC. The results suggest that plasma potassium is an important regulatory factor for aldosterone secretion during alprenolol treatment. Other factors, however, must have a modulating influence and since the renin- angiotensin system is not suppressed to very low values, this system is possibly the most important of these factors. It is suggested that aldosterone secretion is not of primary importance in BP regulation during alprenolol treatment.     

The effect of excessive dietary vitamin A on performance and vitamin E status in swine fed diets varying in dietary vitamin E

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of high dietary vitamin A on vitamin E status and performance of growing-finishing pigs fed diets supplemented with varying levels of vitamin E. Treatments consisted of corn-soybean meal-based diets supplemented with retinyl acetate to provide 2,000 or 20,000 IU of vitamin A/kg of diet and with DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate to provide 0, 15, or 150 IU of added vitamin E/kg in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. The trial involved 84 crossbred pigs (26 kg initial BW) allotted to pens of two pigs each (one gilt, one barrow). Serum was obtained from all pigs on d 0, 3, 7, 21, 35, 63, and 77 of the 83- or 90-d feeding period. Tissue samples (liver, leg, and neck muscle, backfat, and leaf fat) were collected from one pig (barrow) in each pen at the end of the feeding period. Average daily gain and gain:feed were .93 kg and .30, respectively, without treatment differences (P > .10). Serum alpha-tocopherol increased linearly (P < .01) by d 3 with increasing level of dietary vitamin E supplementation. High dietary vitamin A resulted in a small decrease (P < .01) in serum alpha-tocopherol on d 3, but serum alpha-tocopherol concentration was not affected (P > .10) on other days. Tissue alpha-tocopherol increased linearly (P < .001) as dietary vitamin E increased in all tissues examined. No consistent evidence was found to indicate that a high level of dietary vitamin A interfered with performance or with blood serum or tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations in growing-finishing swine.     

Apolipoprotein E, transthyretin and actin in the CSF of Alzheimer''s patients: relation with the senile plaques and cytoskeleton biochemistry

Tenascin-C is an extracellular matrix protein with growth-, invasion- and angiogenesis-promoting activities. Tenascin-C is upregulated in breast carcinoma and stromal cells, and in many other cell types during tumorigenesis. We demonstrate that tenascin-C RNA expression is inhibited by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D3) in a variety of mouse and human mammary epithelial cell lines exhibiting normal or malignant phenotype. In EpH4 cells, the inhibition is maximum 24 h after 1,25-D3 treatment and correlates with a dose-dependent reduction in the synthesis of tenascin-C protein. Furthermore, 1,25-D3 also abolishes the induction of tenascin-C by serum or the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate. The inhibition of tenascin-C expression may be relevant for the anticancer activity of 1,25-D3.     

Age-specific reference intervals for plasma vitamins A, E and beta-carotene and for serum zinc, retinol-binding protein and prealbumin for Sydney children aged 9-62 months

Paediatric reference intervals for blood concentrations of certain nutrients are often based on either adult data or are derived from small samples of young children. Biochemical data were obtained from 467 randomly selected, healthy preschool children aged 9-62 months in Sydney, Australia. Data were obtained for plasma vitamins A, E and beta-carotene and for serum zinc, retinol-binding protein and prealbumin. Reference intervals based on the 2.5 and 97.5 centiles for age groups 9-23, 24-35, 36-47, 48-62 months and for the total group (9-62 months) were calculated. The 2.5-97.5 centiles for the whole group were: vitamin A, 0.7-1.8 mumol/l (20.05-51.56 micrograms/dl); vitamin E, 8-30 mumol/l (0.34-1.29 mg/dl); beta-carotene, 0.1-1.1 mumol/l (5.4-59.0 micrograms/dl); zinc, 9-19 mumol/l (58.8-124.2 micrograms/dl); retinol-binding protein, 14-36 mg/l; prealbumin, 104-264 mg/l. The reference intervals reported are consistent with the findings of a number of smaller studies and are likely to be an accurate reflection of the true intervals for healthy preschool children in western developed countries.