Selenium and zinc in patients with acute and chronic uveitis.

Patients with chronic inflammation often show decreased serum levels of trace elements. This study aimed to investigate serum levels of selenium and zinc in patients with uveitis. Twenty-four patients (13 female, 11 male) with a mean age of 40.

[Selenium and cataract--risk factor or useful dietary supplement?].

Background: The exact role of selenium in cataract development is still unclear. Both protective and toxic effects and mechanisms have been postulated in the past. Accordingly, the selenium contents in human lenses and blood sera in different forms of cataract were investigated.

Antioxidant status in acute stroke patients and patients at stroke risk.

Background And Purpose: Antioxidant enzymes like copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and gluthatione peroxidase (GSHPx) are part of intracellular protection mechanisms to overcome oxidative stress and are known to be activated in vascular diseases and acute stroke. We investigated the differences of antioxidant capacity in acute stroke and stroke risk patients to elucidate whether the differences are a result of chronic low availability in arteriosclerosis and stroke risk or due to changes during acute infarction.

Methods: Antioxidant enzymes were examined in 11 patients within the first hours and days after acute ischemic stroke and compared to risk- and age-matched patients with a history of stroke in the past 12 months (n = 17).

Increased content of zinc and iron in human cataractous lenses.

The purpose of the study was to examine the zinc and iron content of human lenses in different types of cataract and to investigate the possible influence of diabetes on the zinc and iron content of the lens. Iron and zinc of 57 human lenses (28 corticonuclear cataracts and 29 mature cataracts with a mean age of 70.6 +/- 16.

Thermal ablation of tumors using magnetic nanoparticles: an in vivo feasibility study.

Rationale And Objective: Feasibility of a new interventional procedure for the treatment of breast cancer called "magnetic thermal ablation" was examined under in vivo animal conditions. The method consists in the intratumoral application of iron oxide particles and the exposure of the breast to an alternating magnetic field, whereby the tumor is eliminated by heat.

Materials And Methods: Human breast adenocarcinomas were implanted into 45 immunodeficient SCID mice.

[An initially unexplained death during prison sentence. Diagnostic verification by atomic absorption spectrometry].

The authors report on the death of a 25-year-old man due to electric current in prison, which was not recognized at first. The fatal accident was caused by a self-made electric kettle. The only electrothermal skin lesions were some pinhead-sized electric marks on the left thumb.

LLU-alpha, an endogenous metabolite of gamma-tocopherol, is more effective against metal nephrotoxicity in rats than gamma-tocopherol.

Antioxidants of the vitamin E family have protective effects against metal toxicity. We examined the protective effect of racemic LLU-alpha [2,7,8-trimethyl-2-(carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman] a metabolite of gamma-tocopherol, in comparison to the effect of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in rats treated with sodium dichromate (Cr) or thallium sulfate (Tl). We measured metal nephrotoxicity based on urinary protein excretion and discussed it with respect to the metal concentration in renal tissue.

Oral zinc therapy in patients with supposed mild zinc deficiency--a critical review.

The importance of zinc in many processes of diseases remains unclear up today. Nevertheless many biochemical or clinical studies let support a high clinical relevance of trace elements especially zinc in the therapeutic concepts of diseases. Unfortunately the border between severe (or real) and mild (or subclinical) zinc deficiency is not clear defined.

Determination of iron, copper, zinc, magnesium and selenium in plasma and erythrocytes in neurosurgical patients.

A direct method for determination of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg and Se in erythrocytes was developed. The aim of the present study was to establish a method for examining perioperative levels of the above mentioned elements simultaneously in erythrocytes and plasma by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 11 patients undergoing neurosurgery for acute spinal nerve compressions because of intervertebral disk prolapses. Reference values for erythrocytes were 11.

Effect of intravenous magnesium on ventricular tachyarrhythmias associated with acute myocardial infarction.

Ventricular ectopy and left ventricular dysfunction are important predictive factors for an unfavourable outcome following an acute myocardial infarction (MI). Tachyarrhythmias are a major cause of death subsequent to MI. Magnesium was postulated to have an antiarrhythmic effect after MI.

Kinetics of chromium(V) formation and reduction in fronds of the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza--a low frequency EPR study.

The uptake of chromate by the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza was investigated with atomic absorption spectroscopy and the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(V) was measured using low frequency EPR spectroscopy. The biphasic kinetics of the uptake was fitted to parameters of a proposed kinetic model. Another model was developed to simulate chromate reduction.

[Reference ranges of antioxidant parameters in whole blood (erythrocytes) in a Thüringen region].

Background: The oxidant stress is characterized by measurement of the activities of glutathione peroxidase, superoxiddismutase and also by concentrations of glutathione and selenium in erythrocytes. A standardization of the methods of determination is very important.

Material And Methods: In erythrocytes of blood donors (n = 101) the parameters glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, superoxiddismutase and selenium were determined.

[Effect of administration of selenium and vitamin E on heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarct].

Patients And Method: Patients with acute myocardial infarction were treated with selenium and vitamin E as antioxidants in addition to the standard therapy. They were compared to a reference group which received no additional therapy. It was to be investigated whether selenium and vitamin E are able to positively influence the course of the infarction, measured by way of the insufficiency symptoms, ventricular cardiac arrhythmia in long-term ECG and the ejection fraction determined by echocardiography.

[Coronary angiography and change in antioxidative status].

Patients And Methods: In a prospective study in 53 patients with stable angina pectoris symptoms the antioxidant status (glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, superoxid dismutase, malondialdehyde and selenium in serum and whole blood) was determined before and 4 to 6 hours after coronary angiography. According to the results of the coronary angiography the patients were classified in a group with "severe" (n = 16) and another with "moderate" coronary alterations.

Results: In both groups there was a significant reduction of selenium in serum and whole blood.

Is thallium-induced nephrotoxicity in rats connected with riboflavin and/or GSH?--reconsideration of hypotheses on the mechanism of thallium toxicity.

Adult female Wistar rats (Han:Wist) were injected with 2 mg of Tl2SO4 per 100 g body weight. Parameters of nephrotoxicity were urinary volume and protein excretion as well as blood urea nitrogen concentration. Thallium concentrations were determined in renal cortex and medulla.

Vitamin E and C in the prevention of metal nephrotoxicity in developing rats.

The protective effect of vitamin E and C on sodium chromate (Cr) and thallium (Tl) induced nephrotoxicity was tested in 10- and 55-day-old rats. The concentrations of Cr and Tl were determined in renal cortex and medulla by atomic absorption spectrometry. Urinary volume and protein excretion as well as blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration were determined as parameters of nephrotoxicity.

[Selenium, antioxidant status and radical/reactive oxygen species in medicine].

Background: In all organisms with a metabolism of oxygen, radicals/reactive oxygen species appear. Normally a balance exists between formation and destruction of radicals. Many diseases show a disturbance of this balance with the destruction of biological structures.

[Blood selenium content after conditioning and during the course of bone marrow transplantation in children with malignant diseases].

Patients And Results: Prior to bone marrow transplantation (BMT), at the end of the conditioning phase, we found in 42 investigated children with malignant diseases subnormal lowered plasma- and blood selenium levels. Parallel to the diminished selenium status the plasma glutathione peroxidase activity (Gpx) was not reduced as it is in selenium deficiency, but markedly elevated and probably reflecting cytolytic processes. In the group of combined conditioning (fractionated total body irradiation plus chemotherapy) we found significantly more elevated plasma Gpx values in comparison to the only-chemotherapy group.

[Behavior of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, alpha-tocopherol, glutathione and selenium during hypertension in pregnancy].

Patients And Method: In a longitudinal study the changes of serum or plasma levels of TBARS, alpha-tocopherol, glutathione and selenium were investigated comparing 46 pregnant women with hypertensive syndrome and 18 women with normal pregnancies.

Results And Conclusions: A significant increase in TBARS serum level was found in women suffering from hypertension. There was no correlation between the severity of hypertension and the extent of the TBARS rise.

[Sex hormones and antioxidant status].

Physiologically, an influence of sex steroids on the antioxidative capacity can be seen at least as a short-term effect. First of all the steroid effects are due to the estrogen component rather than the progestin component. The antioxidative potential of natural estrogens is several times higher than that of vitamin E.

[Levels of antioxidants after cesarean section and administration of Multibionta N, Inzolen and selenase].

Patients And Method: In 29 women with the necessity to terminate pregnancy via Cesarean section, lipid peroxidation and antioxidative state were investigated before and 24 hours after the surgical intervention as well as after substitution of antioxidants and trace elements.

Results: The results indicate that administration of antioxidants protects at least partially from consequences of surgically induced oxidative burden.

[Selenium in phenylketonuria patients. Effects of sodium selenite administration].

Patients And Method: 17 patients (8 female, 9 male; age 8.2 +/- 3.7 years) with phenylketonuria under phenylalanin restricted diet were investigated prior to and after 3 months of selenium substitution (sodium selenite, 115 micrograms Se/m2 BSA/d).

[Selenium substitution in acute myocardial infarct].

Background: Previous examinations have demonstrated decreased selenium levels in serum and full blood in patients with myocardial infarction.

Patients And Method: 28 patients received a selenium treatment additional to the usual treatment of myocardial infarction. 19 patients with myocardial infarction with no supplementary selenium treatment served as a control group.