Brain metabolism alterations in patients with anorexia nervosa observed in 1H-MRS

The causes of metabolic brain changes in patients with anorexia nervosa are still not fully explained. The purpose of this study was to use the 1H-MRS method in investigating metabolic changes in the brain of patients with anorexia nervosa. We studied 10 patients for visible alternations in brain metabolism and compared the results to healthy controls. 1H-MRS was acquired by the method of single voxels in white and grey matter. Proton MRS was performed after image guided localization using stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) sequence with a short echo time of 20 ms. For data evaluation we used standard Siemens software and the additional PC. Choosing of the MRS sequences was related with particular interest in metabolites of short time echo: myoinositol and lipids. Besides this we evaluated peaks of: N-acetylaspartate (NAN), creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho). The results show significant differences in the levels of metabolites connected with fatty metabolism. In white matter we observed the reduction of lip-peak. The data was evaluated approximately and presented as lip:Cr. We did not observe any differences in other metabolites. As far as we know similar results had been reported and our study confirmed significant disorders in metabolism of these chemicals in patients with anorexia nervosa.     

Cereal alkylresorcinols elevate gamma-tocopherol levels in rats and inhibit gamma-tocopherol metabolism in vitro

Alkylresorcinols (AR) are a class of amphiphilic phenolic lipids present in high amounts in wheat and rye bran. They have been reported to be both growth retarding and innocuous when fed to rats, and to have a broad range of bioactivities in vitro, suggested to be related to their ability to bind to proteins and modify membranes. This study was designed to test the effects of AR (purified from rye bran) on growth, tocopherol levels, and cholesterol levels in rats. Rats were fed 1 of 4 different levels of AR for 4 wk: 0 (control), 1, 2, and 4 g/kg diet. AR did not affect final body, liver, or lung weights. The AR diets increased the levels of gamma-tocopherol in liver and lungs (P < 0.05). To investigate whether AR could have increased gamma-tocopherol levels via inhibition of tocopherol-omega-hydroxylase, HepG2 cells were incubated with AR and the metabolism of gamma-tocopherol measured. AR significantly inhibited the conversion of gamma-tocopherol to its water-soluble hydroxychroman metabolite in vitro, indicating that AR may increase gamma-tocopherol levels via inhibition of tocopherol metabolism in vivo. The 4 g AR/kg diet decreased liver cholesterol (P < 0.001), but did not affect plasma lipids. AR were detected in the perirenal adipose tissue samples of rats fed AR, indicating that they can accumulate in the fatty tissues of rats. High levels of dietary AR moderately affect gamma-tocopherol, possibly via inhibition of tocopherol metabolism, and decrease liver cholesterol in rats.     

Left ventricular thrombus in early phase after myocardial infarction. Risk and treatment methods based on an observed case

A 55-year-old man was admitted to our Department four weeks after anterior myocardial infarction. A large, mobile thrombus was diagnosed on echocardiography. On the third day of hospitalization systemic arterial embolism with left femoral artery localization occurred. The embolus was removed surgically. During 3-month follow-up the patient received anticoagulant therapy with complete resolution of ventricular thrombus. Therapeutic options in this case are discussed.     

Use of chitosan in medicine and biomedical engineering

Applicability of different forms of chitosan in medicine and biomedical engineering has been discussed on the basis of a literature survey. Attention was paid to the use of chitosan as a drug carrier and as a pharmacological agent in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Suitability of the polymer was proved in the process of blood purification (LDL-apheresis, haemoperfusion, dialysis) and wound healing (dressings). A possibility of using it in biohybrid artificial organs and as athrombogenic surfaces was also mentioned.     

Treatment of Melanoma-Associated Retinopathy

Melanoma-associated retinopathy is a rare paraneoplastic disorder that is challenging to diagnose and even more difficult to treat. Because of the rarity of the disease, therapy is based on analysis of case series and case reports. Based on evidence from these reports, first-line therapy is cytoreduction of metastatic disease through metastasectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. This can be combined with intravenous immunoglobulin. For refractory visual symptoms, additional therapies include systemic corticosteroids and plasmapheresis, but the success of these strategies has been limited. Because of the rarity of the disorder, new therapies should be evaluated and reported in the literature to expand our clinical understanding of this autoimmune disease.     

Maternal serum concentration of angiogenic factors: PIGF, VEGF and VEGFR-1 and placental volume in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction

INTRODUCTION: Pathomechanism of intrauterine growth restriction is a complex issue, involving many different factors, and is still undergoing an investigation. Improper placental angiogenesis, resulting in placental pathology, is considered to be one of the most important causes of IUGR. Placental vascular growth factors--placental growth factor (PIGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor (VEGFR-1), are involved in the mechanism of placental vascular development and maternal endothelial function during the pregnancy. AIM: The aim of our study was to evaluate the maternal serum concentration of vascular growth factors (PIGF, VEGF) and their receptor (VEGFR-1), as well as the placental volume in pregnancies complicated by IUGR, and to compare the results with healthy control groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 20 patients with intrauterine growth restriction and 18 healthy pregnant women were recruited. Their blood serum samples were assayed for the placental growth factor (PIGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptor (VEGFR-1). These placental factors were measured with the ELISA- method (R@D Systems Kits. In all cases the placental volume was assessed with an ultrasound (Voluson V730 GE) with VOCAL (Virtual Organ Komputer-aided AnaLysis). RESULTS: Our investigation revealed significantly lower maternal serum concentrations of PIGF in pregnancies with IUGR, comparing to the controls in the third trimester. In most cases, VEGF concentrations were undetectable in the maternal serum both, in the second as well as in the third trimester. In the 2nd trimester VEGFR-1 concentrations were statistically higher in the investigated group. In the 3rd trimester the concentrations of VEGFR-1 were higher in the investigated group, but the difference has not achieved the level of statistical importance. The mean placental volume was lower in the investigated group but with not statistical gnificance. CONCLUSIONS: Presented and documented dependencies may indicate the involvement of angiogenic factors in a pathomechanism of intrauterine growth restriction process. It seems that the measurement of placental volume may be useful in IUGR diagnosis. However, it should be a complementary examination only, due to technical limitations.     

A novel quinoline,MT477: suppresses cell signaling through Ras molecular pathway,inhibits PKC activity,and demonstrates in vivo anti-tumor activity against human carcinoma cell lines

MT477 is a novel thiopyrano[2,3-c]quinoline that has been identified using molecular topology screening as a potential anticancer drug with a high activity against protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms. The objective of the present study was to determine the mechanism of action of MT477 and its activity against human cancer cell lines. MT477 interfered with PKC activity as well as phosphorylation of Ras and ERK1/2 in H226 human lung carcinoma cells. It also induced poly-caspase-dependent apoptosis. MT477 had a dose-dependent (0.006 to 0.2 mM) inhibitory effect on cellular proliferation of H226, MCF-7, U87, LNCaP, A431 and A549 cancer cell lines as determined by in vitro proliferation assays. Two murine xenograft models of human A431 and H226 lung carcinoma were used to evaluate tumor response to intraperitoneal administration of MT477 (33 microg/kg, 100 microg/kg, and 1 mg/kg). Tumor growth was inhibited by 24.5% in A431 and 43.67% in H226 xenografts following MT477 treatment, compared to vehicle controls (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our empirical findings are consistent with molecular modeling of MT477's activity against PKC. We also found, however, that its mechanism of action occurs through suppressing Ras signaling, indicating that its effects on apoptosis and tumor growth in vivo may be mediated by Ras as well as PKC. We propose, therefore, that MT477 warrants further development as an anticancer drug.     

Spectrophotometric determination of Fe(II) and Zn(II) in the pharmaceutical multivitamin preparations with microelements

3-mercapto-5-(3,4-dihydroxyphenylazo-1')-1,2,4-triazole (METRIAP), 3-mercapto-5-(2,4-dihydroxy-3-carboxyphenylazo-1)-1,2,4-triazole (METRIAREZ-gamma) and 2-mercapto-5-(2,4-dihydroxy-5-carboxyphenylazol-)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (METIDAREZ-beta), reagents synthesized in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry of Medical University in Lublin, have been used to determine Fe(II) and Zn(II) in Materna, Centrum, H-Pantoten pharmaceutical multivitamin preparations, containing other trace elements. Zn (II) with METRIAREZ-gamma at pH=7.35, and Fe(II) with METRIAP and METIDAREZ-beta at pH=10.30 or 7.40 constitute soluble in H2O colourful chelate compound at a mole ratio of 1:2 and 1:3, respectively. Volume stability constant of Fe(II) and Zn(II) complexes is equal to log K(METRIAP-Fe(II)) = 16.46; log K(METRIAREZ-beta-Fe(II)) = 14.253; log K(METRIAREZ-gammaZn(II)) = 11.47. Fe(III) and Zn(II) solutions were obtained by wet mineralisation of Materna, Centrum and H-Pantoten preparations with concentrated H2SO4 and 30% H2O2 added. Spectrophotometric determination was carried out in an aqueous-methanolic solution environment. Statistically evaluated results were compared with the results of the AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometry) determination method. Advantages of the Fe(II) and Zn(II) determination method are its precision RSD = 0.23%-2.09% and repeatability as well as the possibility of Fe(II) determination without the necessity of masking or separating other trace elements.     

Mathematical model describing thickness changes of concentration boundary layers controlled by polymeric membrane parameters and concentration Rayleigh number

In the paper, by applicating the classic definition of concentration Rayleigh number and the second Kedem-Katchalsky equation, there was deriven the equation of the fourth degree, which makes thicknesses (deltah and deltal) dependent on the concentration difference (Ch-Cl), concentration Rayleigh number (Rc), membrane permeability parameters (omega, xi s) and solutions (Dl, Dh), physico-chemical parameters of solutions (v(l), v(h), rho l, rho h, delta rho/deltaC), temperature (T) and gravitational acceleration (g). On the basis of the obtained formula for isothermal conditions (T = const) and constant gravitational field (g = const), there were calculated non-linear dependencies delta h = f(Ch-Cl)(Rc, zeta s), delta h = f (Rc)((Ch-Cl),zeta s) and delta h = f(delta s)((Ch-Cl),Rc).