Age-Related Changes in Zinc,Copper and Selenium Levels in the Human Prostate

Pathophysiological changes in the prostate gland—benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatic adenocarcinoma (PCa)—are closely related to the age of men. In the prostate gland, zinc is of particular importance for its proper functioning, especially with regard to the effects of hormonal disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate zinc, copper and selenium concentrations in different parts of the prostate gland in relation to age and the nature of pathological changes. Zinc and copper were determined by the AAS method and selenium by the spectrofluorometric method. The concentration of zinc in the central part of the prostate increases with age, and in patients over 36 years it is twice as high as in the peripheral part, where no increase in the level of this element was observed with the age of patients. The above data confirm a possible influence of zinc on the formation of PCa (located mostly in the peripheral part of the prostate, with low levels of zinc) and BPH in the central part where the levels of this element are the highest. The results apparently confirm the disturbed homeostasis of zinc and other essential elements in the etiology of BPH and PCa.     

Immunologic Unresponsiveness

Two lymphoid cell populations, one from the bone marrow, the other from the thymus, are involved in the immune response to a specific antigen. If either is rendered unresponsive, the individual will be tolerant of that antigen. The significance of this concept for our understanding of autoimmune diseases, for enhancing the ability to transplant organs, and for the management of cancers is evaluated.     

室内燃气污染物对小鼠免疫功能的影响

将雄性BALB/c小鼠在36m~3的暴露室(自然通风)内吸入天然气燃气炉燃烧产物(燃气率0.29n~3/h),每天8小时,长达6个月。暴露室空气污染物平均浓度(NC_20.17mg/m~3、SO_20.06mg/m~3、总悬浮颗粒物0.16mg/n~3)接近使用燃气炉厨房的现场浓度。结果发现,暴露1个月和6个月后脾脏抗体形成细胞数减少;血清免疫球蛋白含量为暴露2个月后IgA降低而暴露1个月后IgG和IgM增加;肺泡巨噬细胞数和迟发型变态反应均无明显变化。实验表明,长期吸入低浓度的室内燃气污染物后未对小鼠产生持续性的免疫毒性。     

Age-Related 12-Year Changes in Dietary Diversity and Food Intakes Among Community-Dwelling Japanese Aged 40 to 79 Years

Objectives

This study describes trends in dietary diversity and food intake over 12 years according to age at first participation in the study.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

The National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging, a community-based study.

Participants

Participants included 922 men and 879 women who participated in the first study-wave (age, 40-79 years) and also participated in at least one study-wave from the second to seventh study-wave. Study-waves were conducted biennially.

Measurements

Dietary intake was calculated from 3-day dietary records with photographs. Dietary diversity was determined using the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity based on food intake. A mixed-effects model was used to estimate linear changes in dietary diversity and food intake over 12 years according to age at first study-wave.

Results

Mean (standard deviation (SD)) follow-up time and number of study-wave visits were 9.5 (3.7) years and 5.4 (1.8), respectively. Mean (SD, range) dietary diversity score was 0.86 (0.06, 0.52-0.96) in men and 0.88 (0.04, 0.66-0.96) in women, respectively. Fixed effects for interactions of age and time with dietary diversity score were statistically significant (p<0.05). The slope of dietary diversity among men aged 40 to 55 years increased (40-year-old slope = 0.00093/year, p<0.01; 55-year-old slope = 0.00035/year, p=0.04), with a decreasing trend started at 65 years old, although this trend was not significant (65-year-old slope = -0.00003/year, p=0.88; 79-year-old slope = -0.00057/year, p=0.21). The slope of dietary diversity among women aged 40 to 44 years increased (40-year-old slope = 0.00053/year, p=0.02; 44-year-old slope = 0.00038/year, p=0.04), whereas the slope of dietary diversity among women aged 63 to 79 years decreased (63-year-old slope = -0.00033/year, p=0.03; 79-year-old slope = -0.00092/year, p<0.001). Fruit, milk and dairy intake decreased in men around their 60s; milk and dairy intake decreased in women around their 50s; and beans and fruit intake decreased in women from their 70s.

Conclusion

Twelve-year longitudinal data showed dietary diversity declined in women in their 60s. In terms of food intake, fruit, milk and dairy intake decreased in both sexes in their 50s and 60s; such declines would lower dietary diversity.

     

Immunologic aspects of phototherapy

The article collates selected subjects from the recent progress in the photoimmunology. Experimental detection of percentage of apoptotic cells in the circulation and among keratinocytes residing in the skin can be applied for following treatment of conducted phototherapies. Considerable progress was made in recognition of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines governing of suppressive immune response as a result of light therapies. The shift towards suppressive lymphocytes by change of cytokine profile of T cells circulating in the peripheral blood seems to be the principal physiologic reaction. The circulation of cytokines in the serum and their engulfing by nonirradiated cells consists a part of an intricated network of immune response of the whole system.     

Immunologic effects of yogurt

Many investigators have studied the therapeutic and preventive effects of yogurt and lactic acid bacteria, which are commonly used in yogurt production, on diseases such as cancer, infection, gastrointestinal disorders, and asthma. Because the immune system is an important contributor to all of these diseases, an immunostimulatory effect of yogurt has been proposed and investigated by using mainly animal models and, occasionally, human subjects. Although the results of these studies, in general, support the notion that yogurt has immunostimulatory effects, problems with study design, lack of appropriate controls, inappropriate route of administration, sole use of in vitro indicators of the immune response, and short duration of most of the studies limit the interpretation of the results and the conclusions drawn from them. Nevertheless, these studies in toto provide a strong rationale for the hypothesis that increased yogurt consumption, particularly in immunocompromised populations such as the elderly, may enhance the immune response, which would in turn increase resistance to immune-related diseases. This hypothesis, however, needs to be substantiated by well-designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human studies of an adequate duration in which several in vivo and in vitro indexes of peripheral and gut-associated immune response are tested.     

Immunologic Aspects of Cancer

Work in progress should produce within the next few years a better understanding of the nature of immune responses to human cancer antigens. Studies to date, notably with melanomas, have shown that many, perhaps most, are immunogenic. However, the antibodies elicited are often not specific to tumor antigens. At this point, neither uncritical optimism nor paralyzing pessimism is justified.     

Immunologic aspects of cancer

Work in progress should produce within the next few years a better understanding of the nature of immune responses to human cancer antigens. Studies to date, notably with melanomas, have shown that many, perhaps most, are immunogenic. However, the antibodies elicited are often not specific to tumor antigens. At this point, neither uncritical optimism no paralyzing pessimism is justified.     

The Relation of Neighborhood Income to the Age-Related Patterns of Preterm Birth Among White and African-American Women: The Effect of Cigarette Smoking

Objectives We investigated the contributions of cigarette smoking to the age-related patterns of preterm (<37 weeks) birth (PTB) rates among African-American and White women within the context of lifelong neighborhood income. Methods Stratified and multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed on an Illinois transgenerational dataset of non-Hispanic White and African-American infants (1989–1991) and their mothers (1956–1976) with appended US census income information. Results: Among non-smoking African-American women (n = 20,107) with a lifelong residence in lower income neighborhoods, PTB rates decreased from 18.5 % for teens to 15.0 % for 30–35 year-olds, p < 0.0001. The opposite pattern occurred among African-American women smokers (n = 5936) with a lifelong residence in lower income neighborhoods, p < 0.01. Among upwardly mobile African-American women smokers (n = 756), PTB rates increased from 11.1 % for teens to 24.9 % for 30–35 year-olds, p < 0.05. Cigarette smoking was not associated with an age-related increase in PTB rates among African-American women with a lifelong residence in upper income neighborhoods. No subgroup of White women, even cigarette smokers with a lifelong residence in lower income neighborhoods, exhibited weathering with regard to PTB. Conclusions A weathering pattern of rising PTB rates with advancing age occurs only among African-American women cigarette smokers with an early-life or lifelong residence in lower income neighborhoods, underscoring the public health policy importance of targeted smoking cessation programs in eliminating the racial disparity in the age-related patterns of PTB rates.     

多次感染手足口病儿童的免疫功能及微量元素变化情况分析

目的分析多次感染手足口病儿童的免疫功能及微量元素变化。方法选取我院2015年1月至2017年1月收治的88例手足口病患儿,其中44例多次感染手足口病(观察组),其余44例初次感染手足口病(对照组)。比较两组患儿免疫功能及微量元素变化。结果观察组CD3~+、CD4~+、CD8~+、CD4~+/CD8~+水平显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。两组的IgA、IgM水平比较均无统计学差异(P>0.05)。观察组的IgG水平显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组的锌、铁、硒含量均显著低于对照组(P<0.05),铜含量高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论与初次感染手足口病患儿比较,多次感染手足口病患儿的免疫功能及微量元素发生显著变化,CD3~+、CD4~+、CD8~+、CD4~+/CD8~+水平及铜含量均升高,锌、铁、硒含量及IgG降低。因此,应适量补充相关微量元素,可最大限度降低手足口病发病率。     

The Immunologic Role of Complement

With nine complement components now identified, it has become apparent that the system provides an extraordinary degree of control for the immune response. In the third article of a series on immunology, the sequential relations and functions of the different complement components are described, and the possibility is projected of manipulating the system for clinical advantage.     

Immunologic aspects of IUD action

Embryo implantation has been demonstrated to depend on specific lymphocyte populations within the uterine cavity. Intrauterine devices (IUD) exert their contraceptive action by prevention of embryo implantation via presently still unknown mechanisms. Therefore, mononuclear cell populations from mice uteri which either contained silastic or copper (Cu) IUD fragments or were sham-operated were evaluated, utilizing monoclonal antibodies against specific cell markers. Uterine horns, bearing IUD fragments, were significantly heavier than sham-operated horns. In Cu-IUD animals this effect extended even into the non-treated contralateral horn. The total number of lymphoid cells in IUD-bearing horns was significantly higher than in sham-operated horns. This observation was also made in non-treated contralateral Cu-IUD horns but not in contralateral horns of silastic-IUD-treated animals. Significant differences in percentages as well as absolute number of various lymphoid cell populations were noted between IUD-treated and sham-operated animals. Again, the effect was more pronounced in Cu-IUD-treated animals and extended in those animals into the contralateral horn. IUD-containing horns also demonstrated a significantly increased number of mast cells, with Cu-IUDs again resulting in a significantly more pronounced effect in both treated and contralateral horns. Sham-operated mice achieved a 67% pregnancy rate in both uterine horns. In contrast, IUD-treated animals demonstrated a significantly reduced pregnancy rate with silastic IUD fragments (15% and 30% for treated and contralateral horn, respectively) and a 0% pregnancy rate for Cu-IUD-treated animals (in either horn).     

Immunologic parameters of multiple chemical sensitivity

Immunologic abnormalities have long been advanced as a potential mechanism for multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). An immunologic mechanism is supported in part by the systemic nature of the symptoms reported, the complex interactions known to exist between the immune system and other systems, and limited experimental evidence. However, there are both theoretical grounds for doubting an immunologic mechanism in MCS and methodological constraints in many of the studies that have been conducted in humans. The authors discuss the structure and function of the immune system as it potentially applies to MCS, the uses and limitations of immunologic testing, and the evidence for immunologic theories of MCS. They describe recent work to validate some of the immunologic tests used in MCS and consider opportunities for further research.