Effect of dietary fatty acid pattern on growth, body fat composition and antioxidant parameters in broilers.

The effects of dietary fat supplementation on performance, fatty acid (FA) composition of tissues and antioxidant defence system of broilers were studied. Male broilers were placed in 20 floor pens (60 broilers per pen). The broilers were fed by diets with added different energy sources: lard (L); sunflower oil (SFO); soybean oil (SBO); and linseed oil (LSO). The treatments did not modify significantly growth performance and feed intake of the broilers. There was no effect of dietary FA pattern on reduced glutathione level and glutathione peroxidase activity of plasma, erythrocyte and liver samples. However, higher PUFA content of the diet resulted in a significant increase in malondialdehyde level of erythrocytes and liver. The broilers fed LSO diet more effectively maintained their antioxidant status with enhanced plasma radical scavenger capacity. FA composition in tissues reflected the FA pattern of the diets, although proportion of FAs with four or more double bonds was metabolic specific. LSO diet increased the level of C18:3, C20:5 and C22:6 in tissue lipids in relation to L, SFO and SBO diets. Significantly increased plasma radical scavenging capacity in concert with the enhanced C20:5 and C22:6 proportion in liver and muscle during LSO feeding indicate metabolic changes to counteract the oxidative injury. This may be related to the compounds produced after different biochemical pathways of n-6 and n-3 FAs.

The effect of citrus flavonoids on the redox state of alimentary-induced fatty liver in rats.

Both chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and fatty liver may develop at the same time. Hesperidin and diosmin are used for the treatment CVI. There is no information, however, on the effect of these flavonoids in the redox state of fatty liver. In this study, male Wistar albino rats were fed a lipid-rich diet with or without 450 mg diosmin-50 mg hesperidin-containing drug (60 mg kg(-1) body weight/day, per os) for 9 days to determine the impact of treatment on antioxidant defence system of the fatty liver. We detected free SH-group concentration (SHC), hydrogen-donating ability (HDA), and natural scavenger capacity were decreased and hepatic malonaldehyde content and dien conjugate (DC) content in rats with fatty liver were increased compared to the control. After treatment in fatty liver, these parameters (except DC) significantly improved and approached the control value. Our results indicate that diosmin-hesperidin-containing drug may be a useful agent in improving the antioxidant defensive system in alimentary-induced fatty liver disease.

Plasma concentration of myeloperoxidase enzyme in pre- and post-climacterial people: related superoxide anion generation.

Neutrophil granulocytes are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis also through their free radical generation. The aim of the study was to test how extracellular levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO; a granulocyte enzyme playing role in free radical production) change by age and what effect this change has on the production of the free radical superoxide anion by neutrophils. We also wanted to examine whether the antioxidant effect of different steroid hormones is realized through the MPO. Plasma myeloperoxidase concentrations of healthy blood donors were quantified by ELISA. Superoxide anion production was measured by photometry. Myeloperoxidase concentration was significantly lower in plasmas obtained from older women and men than in those from younger subjects. Adding the MPO inhibitors 4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide (ABAH) and indomethacin to the granulocytes, the generation of superoxide anion increased and the decreasing effect of the steroids on superoxide production was inhibited. Incubating the neutrophils with the product of the reaction catalyzed by MPO itself (hypochlorite anion), we found significant decrease in superoxide generation. According to our results MPO seems to diminish the production of superoxide anion and so probably has an antioxidant ability. Therefore, its lower plasma levels may contribute to the increasing incidence of atherosclerosis and other free radical mediated disorders in old people. Thus, after further studies MPO might become one of the indicators of cardiovascular risk and the scavenger capacity in general.

Oxidative damage in alcoholic liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: The metabolic effects of alcohol are due both to its direct action and to that of its first metabolite, and can also be connected with the changes in redox state. Differences in ethanol distribution, bioavailability and hepatic metabolism can provide insight into the protective and predisposing factors in alcoholism, as well as gender differences of alcohol toxicity. Oxidative stress occurs following various conditions of ethanol consumption. DESIGN: Twenty-six Caucasian patients with alcoholism and 32 healthy, abstinent controls of both sexes were investigated with special regard to reduction-oxidation status and ad hoc free-radical-antioxidant balance. METHOD: Plasma free SH-group concentration, H-donating ability, and reducing power property were measured by simple spectrophotometric methods. Total scavenger capacity was determined by a newly developed chemiluminometric method in plasma and erythrocytes. RESULTS: Alcoholics showed a decrease of free SH-group concentration, hydrogen-donating ability and an increase of reducing power property in plasma. A decreased total scavenger capacity of erythrocytes and plasma of alcoholic patients, combined with gender differences, could be detected. CONCLUSIONS: Alcoholic dependence causes gradual exhaustion of the antioxidant capacity of erythrocytes, therefore this non-invasive measurement may be useful as a follow-up of the evolution of alcoholic liver disease. The results also suggest a gender susceptibility of alcohol toxicity.

Developmental changes in erythrocyte Na(+),K(+)-ATPase subunit abundance and enzyme activity in neonates.

AIM: To study the relation between erythrocyte Na(+),K(+)-ATPase subunit isoform composition, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, and cation pump function in preterm and term neonates. DESIGN: Erythrocyte Na(+),K(+)-ATPase subunit isoform abundance, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, and cation pump function were studied in blood samples obtained from 56 preterm neonates of 28-32 weeks gestation (group 1), 58 preterm neonates of 33-36 weeks gestation (group 2), and 122 term neonates (group 3) during the first two postnatal days. RESULTS: alpha(1) isoform abundance was higher and beta(2) isoform abundance was lower in group 1 than in group 3 (p = 0.0002). alpha(2) and beta(1) isoform abundance did not change with maturation and there was no evidence for the presence of the alpha(3) isoform. Gestational age was inversely related to Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity (p = 0.0001) and directly related to intracellular Na(+) concentration (p = 0.0025). CONCLUSIONS: Expression of the alpha(1) and beta(2) Na(+),K(+)-ATPase subunit isoforms is developmentally regulated. The increased abundance of alpha(1) isoforms of immature neonates translates to increased ATPase activity. The lower intracellular Na(+) concentration of immature neonates suggests that their erythrocyte Na(+),K(+)-ATPase cation pump function may also be increased.

HbA1c levels and erythrocyte transport functions in complication-free type 1 diabetic children and adolescents.

Higher erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport activity (SLC) is implicated in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Altered glucose homeostasis and genetic susceptibility are claimed to play a role in the elevation of SLC. We aimed to test whether metabolic control or the genetic variants of G protein beta 3 (Gb3) subunits determine SLC and other erythrocyte transport activities in complication-free stage of type 1 diabetes. A total of 96 complication-free type 1 diabetic children and adolescents were enrolled. SLC, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NAK) and Ca(2+)-ATPase (CA) were measured by functional assays in erythrocytes. Gb3-C825T polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLP. Results were related to HbA(1c) and were compared to those of 97 healthy controls. SLC activity was higher in diabetics (387+/-146 vs. 280+/-65 mmol/RBC. hour) and correlated with HbA(1c) levels (y=0.004x+6.42, r=0.33, n=96, p<0.01). NAK and CA activities were unaltered. The prevalence of (825)T allele was similar in the patient and control groups (0.34 vs 0.37) and no differences in enzyme activities were observed between the (825)T allele-positive and negative subjects. Although metabolic control correlated with SLC, other membrane functions were not affected. Therefore we hypothesize that the relationship between advanced glycation and SLC elevation is not causative. Rather, a genetic susceptibility for the coexistence of poor metabolic control and higher SLC is more likely. However, the presence of Gb3-C825T variant is not likely to be a risk factor for SLC-elevation and altered metabolic control diabetes.

Percutaneous ureterolithotomy: direct method for removal of impacted ureteral stones.

PURPOSE: We report 52 percutaneous urterolithotomies in 51 patients having large, impacted middle ureteral stones. Direct percutaneous stone removal can be performed as successfully as in cases of renal stones treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy. METHODS: The operation is performed under local anesthesia; therefore, the procedure is quicker and simpler than the laparoscopic or retroperitoneoscopic intervention. All patients became stone free. In two patients (4%), ultrasound disintegration was necessary; in the remaining cases, there was no need for any fragmentation: the stone was removed intact. A retroperitoneal drain was always left at the end of the procedure. With the exception of two cases, the ureter was always stented without closure of the ureteral incision. RESULTS: Fever (> or = 38 degrees C) was observed in 15 patients (29%) for 2 days. Retroperitoneal hematoma 5 cm in diameter was seen in one patient. One patient had urine leakage through the retroperitoneal drain in the postoperative period for 18 days. Also, one patient came back 3 days after discharge with urine leakage through the percutaneous retroperitoneal tract. CONCLUSION: Direct percutaneous ureterolithotomy is an effective way to remove impacted middle ureteral stones but is advisable only for endourologists with considerable experience.

[Free radical reactions in juvenile rats treated with streptozotocin]. / Szabad gyókós reakciók vizsgálata streptozotocinnal kezelt fiatal patkányokban.

Male, weaned Wistar albino rats (n = 8) were treated by single dose of intravenous 50 mg/bodyweight-kg streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and scavenger capacity of red blood cells and liver homogenates were evaluated and compared to the respective values of the control group (n = 9) after 3 weeks. HbAlc was significantly higher (p < 0.005) in the STZ treated group. Plasma triglyceride also showed a marked elevation compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Scavenger capacity in erythrocytes was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in treated animals while no change was observed in liver homogenates. No alteration was observed in the superoxide dismutase activity of treated animals, but catalase activity was weaker (p < 0.05). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were in higher concentration in plasma of STZ treated animals (p < 0.01) and were in comparable amount in homogenates. The results suggest that 3 weeks after STZ treatment of rats, alterations can be observed in the scavenger system and of the examined tissues changes are most prominent in erythrocytes.

[Changes in the myeloperoxidase activity of human neutrophilic granulocytes and the amount of enzyme deriving from them under the effect of estrogen]. / Emberi neutrophil granulocyták mieloperoxidáz-aktivitásának és a belölük felszabaduló enzim mennyiségének változása ösztrogén hatására.

Free radicals which are produced constantly in the human body have a significant role in the development of atherosclerosis. The responsibility of leukocytes for vascular disease has been proved in several ways. Hormonally active women are protected much more against myocardial infarction than men, which fact can be explained partly by endocrinological reasons, too. The authors have set the aim to investigate whether estrogen therapy effects on the one hand the intracellular activity of the granulocyte-enzyme, myeloperoxidase (MPO), which takes place in free radical reactions and on the other hand the amount of MPO released from neutrophils. In the case of women having menopause and being treated with hormone replacement (n = 11) the intracellular activity and the amount of MPO-release increased significantly as compared to the level at the time of starting taking the medicine (p < 0.001). Based on the results it can be supposed that the vasoprotective effect of estrogens is fulfilled through their influence on the MPO enzyme, too. Besides the fact that intensified MPO activity through enhanced consumption might induce the decreased accumulation of H2O2 (a reactive oxygen species, substrate of MPO), MPO also has a role in the termination of the whole process of free radical production in granulocytes by the inactivation of the NADPH-oxidase system. This means that the growing intracellular MPO activity and the increased amount of enzyme released induce the decrease of the amount of free radicals produced during the "respiratory burst" and this is advantageous from the point of view of vasoprotection. The increased MPO activity and the NADPH-oxidase inactivation supposed to be elicited by it, might have further positive consequences since MPO has an effect on HDL-metabolism and the outflow of cholesterol from "foam cells", NADPH-oxidase has a suspected role in LDL-oxidation and NADPH is one of the cofactors of NO-synthase (NOS). The decreased superoxide anion level on the other hand may mitigate the chance of the neutralizing of nitric oxide (NO) by it. The superoxide anion is a potent vasoconstrictor and therefore, its diminished production may be beneficial, i.e. decreases the risk of coronary spasm. The new conceptual synthesis worked out by the authors may provide a possible explanation of the increased susceptibility to infections during steroid treatment, too.

Treatment of Iron Deficiency with or without Anaemia with Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose in Gynaecological Practices - A Non-Interventional Study.

In this multi-centre, prospective, non-interventional study, the effectiveness and tolerance of ferric carboxymaltose (ferinject®; FCM) was tested through use in standard gynaecological practice. In total, data from 273 patients was evaluated. 193 of these patients displayed iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), and 68 had iron deficiency without anaemia (ID). The reasons for the ID/IDA were hypermenorrhoea (HyM) (n = 170), post-partum condition (PP) (n = 53) or another indication (n = 53). The average age of the patients was 40 years old, with 8 % of them being vegetarians. Half of the patients had already been treated for anaemia, primarily with oral iron products (94 %). The primary, serious accompanying symptoms of anaemia were fatigue (72 %), lack of concentration (42 %), pale mucous membranes (42 %), headache (26 %) and sleep disorders (21 %). Only one patient did not show serious symptoms at the start of the study. The most frequent indications for parenteral therapy were the need for rapid iron substitution to reduce symptoms (> 70 %), followed by the lower effectiveness or intolerance of oral products (42 % each) as well as patients not completing the course of treatment with oral products (12 %). Patient information was collected at both the beginning and the end of the observation period, which lasted 15 weeks on average. FCM was most frequently administered via infusion (92 %; average infusion duration 21 minutes). Seven percent of patients received bolus injections. The average total iron dosage per patient was 788.7 mg (median 550 mg; range: 50-3000 mg); the median individual dosage was 500 mg (range: 50-1000 mg). The total dosage was, in most cases, administered through a single application (range: 1-10). Symptoms, blood values (Hb), iron stores (serum-ferritin [S-ferritin]) and transport iron (transferrin saturation [TSAT]) normalised to a large extent. In all subgroups, 92 % of women displayed a marked improvement in all of their symptoms. The average increase in Hb-value in the group as a whole was statistically significant, increasing from 10.5 to 13.0 g/dl. In the group with anaemia, the value increased from 9.9 to 13.3 g/dl, with 80 % of women reaching normal Hb-values. The average S-ferritin value increased by a statistically significant > 70 µg/L from 17.2 to 88.8 µg/l and the value for the TSAT increased from 16.3 % to 22.8 %. Seven patients reported experiencing side effects. None of the results were severe. Overall, as part of this non-interventional study for everyday routine in a gynaecological practice, a rapid improvement in symptoms accompanied by the rectification of iron deficiency and anaemia was shown with low occurrences of mild undesirable events, and therefore the data obtained from controlled clinical studies on the effectiveness and tolerance of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose could be confirmed.

Three mechanisms in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia suggested by over-represented transcription factor-binding sites detected with comparative promoter analysis.

Microarray studies generating lists of genes with altered expression in placentas from pregnancies complicated with pre-eclampsia (PE) have so far been published in several different studies. Working under the assumption that altered gene expression in PE may be the result of altered expression of regulatory transcription factors (TFs), we looked for over-represented TF-binding sites (TFBSs)-which indicate the involvement of TFs in gene regulatory networks-in lists of genes (n = 143) compiled in these studies. We compared the prevalence of TFBSs in the promoter regions of 68 genes with the background prevalence of TFBSs in promoters of the human genome. The prevalence of the E47, sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) and NFKB-p50 TFBSs was higher (P < 0.005) in the promoter sequences of the PE gene lists than in the background model. Each of these TFBSs could be implicated in the development of PE. The E47 protein is an E-protein or basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) TF. Data support the role of bHLHs in the differentiation of placental tissue. SREBP-1, a lipid-sensing sterol regulatory element-binding protein, is a critical regulator of fatty acid homeostasis in the placenta. The target genes of NFKB-p50 determine inflammatory response, and aberrant cytokine homeostasis is a further sign of PE. These TFs may provide an insight into the pathogenesis of the disease.

Bilateral striatal lesion associated with varicella.

Bilateral striatal lesion is characterised by a specific clinical syndrome (encephalopathy with rigidity, irritability, variable pyramidal, and extrapyramidal symptoms, speech abnormalities) and symmetrical lesion of the basal ganglia including the caudate nucleus, the putamen, and occasionally other nuclei. We report three cases in whom bilateral striatal lesion developed in association with varicella. Each patient recovered completely and showed no signs of cognitive deficiency, chorea or hyperkinetic syndrome, all of which have been reported as sequelae of BSL associated with other conditions. These cases suggest that bilateral striatal lesion may be an immune-mediated complication of varicella.

[Vesico-ureteral reflux in childhood]. / Vesikoureteraler Reflux im Kindesalter.

After having reviewed the anatomy and physiology of vesicoureteral reflux, the authors claim that in the case of appropriate indication and technique of the operation good results can be expected of plastic surgery. They stress that the indications of the operations for obstructed reflux have considerably narrowed. Conservative treatment beside long-term disinfection of the urine and removal of the focus results in the majority of cases--mainly when the patients are small children--, in the abolishment of vesico-ureteral reflux. In about 50% of the discovered refluxes surgical intervention is necessary, but also in these cases the administration of antibiotics is indispensable.

Serological analysis of morphologically and biochemically similar Streptomyces species.

Descriptions of morphological and biochemical characteristics of Streptomyces species have resulted in groups of isolates which appear to be identical or very closely related. Serological analysis has been used to confirm this relationship in some cases and to demonstrate differences in others.