Selenium is inversely associated with interleukin-6 in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Selenium is an essential trace element with antioxidant property. Decreased serum selenium concentration with aging had been found in previous report. In this study, we aim to investigate the association between serum selenium and the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 in the elderly living in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 336 subjects aged 65 years and older (range of age: 65 - 101 years) were recruited from eight long-term care facilities in 2002-2003. Baseline characteristics, anthropometric indices, and biochemical data were obtained. Selenium deficiency was defined as serum selenium concentration < 80 µg/L. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between selenium deficiency and interleukin-6 (divided into quartiles). RESULTS: The prevalence of selenium deficiency was 35.6% in men and 43.2% in women, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders using multiple logistic regression analysis, interleukin-6 quartiles were significantly associated with selenium deficiency. Compared to the interleukin-6 quartile I, the adjusted odds ratios of having selenium deficiency for interleukin-6 quartile II, III, IV were 1.00(0.50~2.01), 1.24 (0.62~2.50), and 2.35(1.15~4.83), respectively. The increasing odds ratios for selenium deficiency in higher interleukin-6 quartiles revealed dose-response effects (p < 0.05). Moreover, multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum selenium was significantly inversely associated with interleukin-6 after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Serum selenium was inversely associated with inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 among elderly living in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. Monitoring serum selenium should be considered in these institutionalized elderly.

Integrality of benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues after transurethral thermotherapy evidenced by transmittance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy combined with thermal analyzer.

Transmittance Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy combined with differential scanning calorimetry was used to simulate the clinically transurethral thermotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by in vitro isothermal determination. The simulative study to the thermotherapy of epithelium or stroma in BPH tissue was performed at 47 degrees C for 3 h, like clinical therapy. Whether thermal treatment can induce changes in the secondary structure of epithelium or stroma in BPH tissue was investigated. The results indicate that the epithelium and stroma in BPH tissue had different protein secondary structures, due to the different compositions of the epithelium and stroma. No significant change was evidenced in secondary structure for each sample either before or after isothermal study, suggesting the integrality and safety of BPH thermotherapy in a 47 degrees C for 3 h treatment course.

In vitro simulation of thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy combined with differential scanning calorimetry.

Thermo-dependent changes in the secondary structure of the epithelium and stroma of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy combined with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). This microscopic FT-IR/DSC system was used to simulate transurethral thermotherapy for BPH in vitro. The results indicate that thermal-induced conversion from an alpha helix to a beta structure was found in the epithelium and stroma of BPH. However, this thermal-induced conversion behavior in the stroma was less sensitive than that in the epithelium during thermal treatment. The different thermal response between the epithelium and stroma of BPH might be due to the different constitutions of the epithelium and stroma of BPH.

Electroejaculation for the treatment of idiopathic anejaculation: a case report.

Electroejaculation to produce semen from anejaculated males has been employed successfully in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer, and gamete intrafallopian transfer. We herein report the use of IUI to achieve pregnancy following electroejaculation in a patient with primary idiopathic anejaculation. This 30-year-old patient had a history of anejaculation that was noted after marriage, but had normal sexual potency and occasional nocturnal emission. Electroejaculation was successfully used to obtain semen. The highly motile sperm was recovered from swim up procedure and used for IUI. The 25-year-old wife was given clomiphene citrate and Pergonal for ovulation induction. A triplet pregnancy was achieved. At 26 weeks of gestation, the first triplet was delivered after spontaneous rupture of membrane. We tried to delay delivery of this retained twin pregnancy. Thirty-two days later, the remaining two fetuses were delivered weighing 1100 gm and 900 gm. Ninety-three days after delivery, these two babies were discharged, putting on weight to 3564 gm and 3264 gm. This case represents the first success of using electroejaculation to achieve pregnancy from anejaculated patient in Taiwan.

Assessment of the lymphocyte response to silicone.

The biocompatibility of silicone is once again the focus of increased interest. Long considered inert, silicone has now been reported to be responsible for macrophage inhibition in rats and to possibly cause adjuvant disease in humans, and the related compound silica has elicited an antibody response in mice. The present study evaluates lymphocytic response to silicone as expressed by the demonstration of immunologic memory, or changes in specific lymphocyte subpopulations. Thirty-six female Lewis rats (250 gm body weight) were used as test animals. Group 1 (n = 12) was injected subcutaneously with 2.5 ml Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) alone. Group 2 (n = 12) was injected with 2.5 ml FCA sonicated with silicone gel. Group 3 (n = 6) was injected with 2.5 ml FCA, and at 4 weeks, gel-filled silicone implants were placed subcutaneously. Group 4 (n = 6) was injected with 2.5 ml FCA sonicated with silicone gel, and gel-filled silicone implants were placed at 4 weeks. An additional group of six rats (group 5) served as control for the experimental animals, and a group of four rats (group 6) served as naive control. Groups 1 and 2 were sacrificed at 4 weeks, and splenic lymphocytes were obtained for lymphocyte transformation assays performed against silicone. Assays also were run with the addition of the known mitogens Con A, PHA, LPS, and pokeweed. Cytofluorographic analysis of pan-T, T-helper, T-suppressor, and B-cell populations was performed. Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 were harvested at 8 months, and splenic lymphocytes were subjected to lymphocyte transformation assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)