Mercury exposure and its effects on fertility and pregnancy outcome.

Mercury (Hg), a highly toxic environmental pollutant, shows harmfulness which still represents a big concern for human health, including hazards to fertility and pregnancy outcome. Research has shown that Hg could induce impairments in the reproductive function, cellular deformation of the Leydig cells and the seminiferous tubules, and testicular degeneration as well as abnormal menstrual cycles. Some studies investigated spontaneous abortion and complicated fertility outcome due to occupational Hg exposure.

Neurotoxic effects of mercury exposure in dental personnel.

Numerous studies have reported neurobehavioural effects in dental personnel occupationally exposed to chronic low levels of mercury (Hg). Hg exposure from dental work may also induce various chronic conditions such as elevation of amyloid protein expression, deterioration of microtubules and increase or inhibition of transmitter release at motor nerve terminal endings. Therefore, clinical studies of Hg toxicity in dentistry may provide new knowledge about disturbed metal homeostasis in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and mood disorders.

Changed clinical chemistry pattern in blood after removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys supported by antioxidant therapy.

This study aimed to investigate a possible connection between removal of dental amalgam restorations supported by antioxidant therapy and indicative changes of clinical chemistry parameters. A group of 24 patients, referred for complaints related to amalgam restorations, underwent a removal of their amalgams. All patients were treated with antioxidants (vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, and sodium selenite).

Decrease of trace elements in erythrocytes and plasma after removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys.

The objective of this study was to determine the concentration changes of 13 elements in erythrocytes and plasma after the removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys. Blood samples from 250 patients were collected, separated into erythrocytes and plasma, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The 250 patients were divided into 3 groups (Negative, Zero, and Positive) depending on their estimation of quality of life in an earlier study.

Arsenic is decreased in target organs during viral infection in mice.

Arsenic (As), a potentially toxic trace element, has been shown to influence viral replication and resistance to microbial infection. However, the impact of infection on the normal As status in target organs involved in the disease process has not been studied to date. In the present study, As was measured through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the plasma, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, pancreas and brain at days 1 and 3 of coxsackievirus B3 infection in female Balb/c mice.

Metal-specific lymphocyte reactivity is downregulated after dental metal replacement.

Objectives: This study was done to evaluate the results and clinical relevance of an optimized lymphocyte proliferation test, MELISA, for metal-induced inflammation in patients with CFS-like symptoms. The treatment of patients consisted of the replacement of incompatible dental materials (RID) together with supportive anti-oxidant therapy.

Design Of The Study: 513 patients were tested by MELISA at the beginning of the study.

Selenium and mercury are redistributed to the brain during viral infection in mice.

As part of the general host response to coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection, the concentration of essential and nonessential trace elements changes in different target organs of the infection. Essential (e.g.

Mercury recovery in situ of four different dental amalgam separators.

Amalgam separators are used to physically remove dental amalgam from waste water in dental clinics. They are thereby supposed to reduce mercury (Hg) emissions to the municipal waste water system to acceptable levels. We here present results from a comparative study in situ of three amalgam separators available on the market, all with a claimed efficiency of 99% according to Danish and ISO protocols, and using sedimentation as the principle of separation.

Metallothionein is induced and trace element balance changed in target organs of a common viral infection.

In experimental studies on the common human coxsackievirus B type 3 (CB3) infection, administered cadmium (Cd) is known to accumulate in the liver and kidneys. CB3 adapted to Balb/c mice was used to study whether infection affects the Cd-binding protein, metallothionein (MT) and if this alters the normal physiological trace element balance in the liver, kidney, spleen and brain. On day 3 of infection, degradation of liver proteins (44%, P<0.

Trace element changes in sclerotic heart valves from patients are expressed in their blood.

The pathogenesis of some heart diseases has been associated with changes in the balance of certain trace elements. However, whether blood trace element changes exist that are related to changes in the cardiovascular system are, in most cases, unknown. In this study, blood trace element levels were analysed in 46 patients with non-rheumatic aortic valve sclerosis that were previously shown to have a disturbed trace element balance in their valve tissue, including 11/15 elements.

Selenium protection against mercury-induced apoptosis and growth inhibition in cultured K-562 cells.

Selenium and mercuric chloride (MC) interactions regarding effects on cell growth and cell death have been studied. Human K-562 cells were pretreated or simultaneously treated with either selenite (5 or 50 microM) or selenomethionine (10 or 50 microM) and with MC (35 or 50 microM). The 35-microM MC treatments resulted in a clear inhibition of cell growth with no obvious difference between mercury-treated and mercury-selenium-treated cells.

Sequential changes in Fe, Cu, and Zn in target organs during early Coxsackievirus B3 infection in mice.

In Coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection, the heart and pancreas are major target organs and, as a general host response, an associated immune activation and acute phase reaction develops. Although iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) are involved in these responses, sequential trace element changes in different target organs of infection have not been studied to date. In the present study, Fe, Cu, and Zn were measured through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the plasma, liver, spleen, heart, and pancreas during the early phase (d 1 and 3) of CB3 infection in female Balb/c mice.

Interactions between Chlamydia pneumoniae and trace elements: a possible link to aortic valve sclerosis.

An association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases has been suggested. However, other factors may interact in the pathogenesis of valve sclerosis. Therefore, trace elements important for C.

Trace element changes in the pancreas during viral infection in mice.

Introduction: The trigger for some cases of juvenile diabetes has been suggested to be an interaction between a virus and various trace elements. Infection with human coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) in the murine model results in viral replication and inflammation in the pancreas.

Aim: To determine how infection affects the trace element balance in the pancreas.

Effects of a superantigen-antibody recombinant fusion protein (r-C242 Fab-SEA) on toxicological responses in the anaesthetised rabbit.

The objective was to study toxin-induced effects on physiological parameters in the rabbit and whether these parameters show dose-response and co-variation after administration of a recombinant fusion protein between staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) and the Fab fragment of an antibody. Rabbits are very sensitive to SE toxins and the cardiovascular and immune effects are similar to those observed in septic shock in man. The test compound, r-C242 Fab-SEA, was administered intravenously to anaesthetised New Zealand white rabbits at doses in the range of 0.

Removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys supported by antioxidant therapy alleviates symptoms and improves quality of life in patients with amalgam-associated ill health.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment of patients suffering from chronic ill health with a multitude of symptoms associated with metal exposure from dental amalgam and other metal alloys.

Setting And Design: We included 796 patients in a retrospective study using a questionnaire about symptom changes, changes in quality of life as a consequence of treatment and assessment of care taking.

Methods: Treatment of the patients by removal of offending dental metals and concomitant antioxidant therapy was implemented according to the Uppsala model based on a close co-operation between physicians and dentists.

Indications of selenium protection against cadmium toxicity in cultured K-562 cells.

The interaction between selenium and cadmium was studied in relation to cellular uptake and expressions of selenium-cadmium interaction. Human K-562 cells were pre-treated or simultaneously treated with (5 or 50 microM) selenite or (10 or 50 microM) selenomethionine and with (60 or 75 microM) cadmium nitrate. Cells pre or simultaneously treated with selenite revealed increased cadmium concentration with increased doses of selenite, particularly pronounced in the simultaneous treatments.

Trace element changes in sclerotic heart valves from patients undergoing aortic valve surgery.

Several trace elements are essential nutrients for an optimal functioning of organs and tissues, including the immune system and the heart. The pathogenesis of some heart diseases has been associated with changes in the balance of certain trace elements. The etiology of nonrheumatic aortic valve sclerosis is unknown, however.

Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on trace elements, inflammation and viral clearance in the myocardium during coxsackievirus B3 infection in mice.

A myocarditic coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection in adult male A/J mice was used to investigate the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para-dioxin (TCDD) exposure on mortality and on inflammatory lesion, virus and trace element contents of the heart. The mice were injected with four weekly intraperitoneal (i.p.

Metal-specific lymphocytes: biomarkers of sensitivity in man.

Many patients attribute their health problems to amalgam and other dental metals. In genetically susceptible indviduals, mercury and gold may function as haptens and elicit allergic and autoimmune reactions. The frequency of metal-induced lymphocyte responses was examined in 3,162 patients in three European laboratories using MELISA(R), an optimized lymphocyte proliferation test.