Assessment of Selected Immune Parameters in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery with the Use of Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Aspects of Age and Sex-A Pilot Study.

The present study aimed to assess the changes in the immunological parameters of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The serum or plasma samples of patients were assessed to determine the concentrations of IL-6, one of the major proinflammatory cytokines (seven females and six males), and selected classes of immunoglobulins (six females and seven males). The samples for ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were collected from patients before the use of CPB, at 60 min of the use of CPB, and at 24 h after the surgery. After 24 h of the surgery, IL-6, IgM, and IgG concentrations were higher in the serum of female patients than in the serum of male patients. However, compared to female patients, male patients showed a significant increase in IgG3 concentration after 24 h of the surgery. Regardless of age, the levels of the analyzed classes of immunoglobulins were similar in all patients. Additionally, in both age groups, a significant increase in the serum IL-6 concentration was observed after the first postoperative day, and this increase was more pronounced in patients diagnosed to have postoperative infections. The serum IL-6 concentration can serve as a potential marker of pathogenic infections in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB and is thus useful for the early diagnosis of postoperative infections.

Effect of long-term cadmium and copper intoxication on the efficiency of ampullate silk glands in false black widow Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) spiders.

The aim of the study was to compare cellular effects of xenobiotic cadmium and biogenic copper in ampullate silk glands of false black widow Steatoda grossa spider after long-term exposure via ingestion under laboratory conditions. Both the level of selected detoxification parameters (glutathione S-transferase, catalase, and the level of total antioxidant capacity) and degree of genotoxic changes (comet assay) were determined in the silk glands. Additionally the contents of selected amino acids (L-Ala, L-Pro, L-His, L-Phe, DL-Ile, and DL-Asn) in the hunting webs produced by spiders of this species were assessed. The ability of S. grossa females to accumulate cadmium was higher than that for copper. Long-term exposure of spiders to copper did not change the level of detoxification parameters, and the level of DNA damage in the cells of ampullate silk glands was also low. Cadmium had a stronger prooxidative and genotoxic effect than copper in the cells of the analyzed silk glands. However, regardless of the type of metal used, no significant changes in the level of amino acids in silk were found. The obtained results confirmed the effectiveness of metal neutralization mechanisms in the body of the studied spider species, which results in the protection of the function of ampullate silk glands.

Urinary iodine as an iodine deficiency test in lung transplant recipients in order to prevent iodine deficiency disorders.

BACKGROUND: In Poland, lung transplantation (LTx) as a routine method began in 2004, and since then, the Silesian Center for Heart Disease in Zabrze 85 LTx has performed (54 single-lung transplantations, 30 double-lung transplantations, and 1 heart-lung) transplantation. The recommendation to take vitamin supplements (without specific indication of the iodine content) does not apply to another iodine prophylaxis in patients after lung transplantation, excluding patients with known thyroid disease. The aim of this study was to assess thyroid gland function based on hormones and urinary iodine (UI) concentration in patients after LTx. MATERIAL AND METHODS: UI analysis was performed in 19 lung recipients (12 men and 7 women; mean age: 46.2 ± 12.47 years, BMI: 21 ± 2.25) and compared to TSH, free T3, and free T4. RESULTS: Sufficient UI was observed only in 2 (9%) samples. In 12 samples (54.5%), mild iodine deficiency was recorded, in 4 samples (18.2%) moderate iodine deficiency was noted, and in 3 (13.6%) severe iodine deficiency was found. No correlation between BMI and UI, as well as hormones concentration, was observed. No correlation was revealed when analyzed samples were divided by patient sex. CONCLUSIONS: Although thyroid gland hormones were in the normal range, we found moderate, mild, and severe iodine deficiency in the majority of analyzed samples. Measurements of urinary iodine in lung transplant recipients should accompany thyroid hormone measurements as an iodine deficiency test and in order to prevent iodine deficiency disorders.