Investigation of heavy metal concentrations in some Turkish wines

Research studies analysing heavy metal or trace elements in Turkish wines is scarce. This study was designed to fill this gap, analysing 43 wines produced in 4 different regions in Turkey. A total of 37 red and 6 white wines produced from various grapes from 2006 to 2008 in Marmara, Aegean, Central Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia regions were studied. Wines were analyzed for Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb using atomic absorption spectrometer equipped (AAS) with electrothermal atomization unit (ET). Average results for red and white wines, respectively, were: Cr, 38.6 and 29.4 μg/L; Mn, 697 and 101 μg/L; Fe, 1.7 and 0.7 mg/L; Co, 6.3 and 0.5 μg/L; Ni, 134 and 573 μg/L; Cu, 131 and 158 μg/L; Zn, 389 and 2099 μg/L; Cd, 2.8 (red wine; white wine results were under limit of detection); Pb, 6.3 (red wine; white wine results were under limit of detection). These results were interpreted for grape types and regions. Accuracy was tested with standard addition method. Recoveries ranged from 96% to 107% after standard addition. Cr, Fe and Mn in red wines were higher in comparison to white wines, whereas white wines were higher in Ni and Zn. Non-essential Cd and Pb concentrations were very low in both red and white wines. Comparison with literature shows all heavy metal concentrations in the analyzed Turkish wines to be below the limits designated by World Health Organization.     

Effect of Moderate Wine Consumption on Oxidative Stress Markers in Coronary Heart Disease Patients

Evidence from research studies reports that wine consumption is associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk, partly through the amelioration of oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of regular light to moderate wine consumption from coronary heart disease (CHD) patients compared to the effect induced by alcohol intake without the presence of wine microconstituents, on oxidation-induced macromolecular damage as well as on endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity. A randomized, single-blind, controlled, three-arm parallel intervention was carried out, in which 64 CHD patients were allocated to three intervention groups. Group A consumed no alcohol, and Group B (wine) and Group C (ethanol) consumed 27 g of alcohol/day for 8 weeks. Blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks. Urine oxidized guanine species levels, protein carbonyls, thiobarbituric acid substances (TBARS) levels, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, were measured. Oxidized guanine species and protein carbonyl levels were significantly increased in the ethanol group during the intervention and were significantly decreased in the wine group. These results support the idea that wine’s bioactive compounds may exert antioxidant actions that counteract the macromolecular oxidative damage induced by alcohol in CHD patients.     

Health-Nutrients and Origin Awareness: Implications for Regional Wine Market-Segmentation Strategies Using a Latent Analysis

A healthy-nutrient wine has been recently developed by Apulian wineries (southern Italy), using autochthonous wine grapes cultivars, selected strains and specific processes of production. As such, this research elicits Italian wine consumers’ preferences towards this innovative Apulian wine with regard to additional labelling information associated with health-nutrients and the origin of grapes on the bottle of wine. For this purpose, a social survey based on the choice experiment approach is considered. The results reveal a heterogeneity of preferences among respondents for which the origin of wine grapes cultivars is the most appreciated (an average Willingness-to-Pay of EUR 6.57), thereby inducing an increase in their function utility, while the health-nutrients attribute is relatively less appreciated (an average Willingness-to-Pay of EUR 3.95). Furthermore, four class consumers’ cluster profile have been identified in respect to their: (i) behavior and propensity to wine consumption and purchase, (ii) health-claims importance on the wine bottle label, (iii) socio-economic characteristics and (iv) health conditions. This paper has marketing and public implications and contributes to an understanding of how additional information on the label of a wine bottle may affect the market-segmentation, influence wine consumers’ utility, protect their health and increase their level of awareness to wine ingredients labelling.     

Alcohol-free red wine prevents arterial thrombosis in dietary-induced hypercholesterolemic rats: experimental support for the ''French paradox''

The concept of the 'French paradox' has been recently challenged. As it is difficult in a short period to produce direct clinical evidence of the protective effect of red wine on thrombosis, we evaluated such a possibility in an experimental model mimicking the conditions of the 'French paradox'. Normolipidemic rats (FNL) were fed a standard diet or a 2% cholesterol-rich-diet (Ch-rich-diet) for 5 months: the latter was given either alone (FNL + D) or in combination with 'alcohol-free' red wine (FNL + D + 5 W). Arterial thrombosis was measured as the occlusion time (OT) of an artificial prosthesis inserted into the abdominal aorta. Lipid levels, platelet adhesion to fibrillar collagen, factor VII (FVII) clotting activity and fibrinogen levels were also measured. Compared to animals fed a standard diet, Ch-rich diet induced in FNL rats a several-fold increase in lipids and FVII levels with a concomitant significant increase in both thrombotic tendency (shortening of the OT) and platelet adhesion. 'Alcohol-free' red wine supplementation almost completely reverted the prothrombotic effect of the Ch-rich-diet. Indeed, the OT was prolonged from 78 +/- 3 to 122 +/- 10 h (P < 0.01), while platelet adhesion to fibrillar collagen was reduced from 49 +/- 3.5% to 30 +/- 2.8%. Neither the increase in lipid levels induced by Ch-rich diet nor FVII or fibrinogen levels were modified by wine supplementation. In conclusion, in experimental animals, this study supports the concept of the 'French paradox' that regular consumption of wine (rather than alcohol) was able to prevent arterial thrombosis associated with dietary-induced hypercholesterolemia, an effect mediated by downregulation of platelet function.     

中药酒剂配合电磁治疗仪治疗颈肩腰腿痛效果观察与护理

目的：探讨中药酒剂配合电磁治疗仪治疗颈肩腰腿痛的疗效。方法将80例颈肩腰腿痛患者分为治疗组和对照组,每组各40例,治疗组使.用中药酒剂加电磁治疗仪治疗,对照组采.用单纯电磁治疗仪治疗。分别在治疗前,治疗3 d、7 d后,采.用数字等级评分（numerical rating scale,NRS）对两组患者进行测评。结果治疗后,治疗组患者NRS评分低于对照组,两组比较,差异具有统计学意义（均P＜0.01）。结论中药酒剂配合电磁治疗仪治疗颈肩腰腿痛效果满意,值得临床应.用推广。     

Pulsed dye laser treatment of capillary malformations in infants at 2‐weekly versus 3‐monthly intervals,reducing the need for general anaesthesia

Capillary malformations (CM) cause significant psychosocial complications. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment at 6–12‐weekly intervals under general anaesthesia (GA) commencing in infants at 6 months of age remains the standard of care in order to achieve maximal improvement prior to school age. The safety of repeated GA in children is controversial. Shortening the time between treatments increases the number that can be delivered prior to 6 months of age, thus reducing the number of subsequent treatments needed under GA. We investigated the safety and effectiveness of more frequent PDL treatment of CM in infancy via a pilot, prospective patient‐controlled study of 10 patients. Using 595 nm (Vbeam) PDL, the entire CM was treated initially, then half the CM randomly allocated to 2‐weekly and half to 3‐monthly intervals for two further treatments. Photographs of the CM taken 3 months after treatment completion were evaluated by an independent, blinded dermatologist. Nine infants completed the study. Three infants (33%) had more improvement on the 2‐weekly treated side and four (44%) had more improvement on the 3‐monthly treated side. Two patients (22%) showed no difference between sides. Treatments were well tolerated without complications. We conclude that 2‐weekly PDL treatments of CM in infants aged under 6 months is effective and well tolerated without adverse effects. Our preliminary data suggest a possible superior efficacy with 3‐monthly treatment intervals; however, larger studies are warranted for stronger evidence. More frequent non‐GA treatment of CM in infants should be further investigated to decrease the risk of repeated GA exposure in young children.     

某保健酒对老龄小鼠抗氧化作用的实验研究

目的探讨＂寿星宝＂保健酒对老龄小鼠的抗氧化作用。方法 80只昆明种老龄小鼠随机分成4组：即老龄对照组、保健酒低剂量组、保健酒中剂量组、保健酒高剂量组,各组分别连续灌胃90d后,分别测定小鼠血清中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）活力和丙二醛（MDA）含量。结果与老龄对照组相比,保健酒低、中、高剂量组均能明显提高小鼠血清SOD活力、GSH-Px活力及降低MDA含量。其中高、中剂量组功效较低剂量组显著,而高剂量组和中剂量组功效相当。结论 ＂寿星宝＂保健酒对老龄小鼠具有抗氧化的作用,可延缓小鼠衰老。     

High-alcohol-content flavored alcoholic beverages (supersized alcopops) should be reclassified to reduce public health hazard

In the US, underage drinkers often consume supersized alcopop – a high-alcohol-content, ready-to-drink flavored alcoholic beverage that is currently regulated as beer. However, calculations in this paper illustrate how the high alcohol by volume and low price of supersized alcopops suggest that they rely on a larger proportion of additives for their alcohol content than permitted to meet the legal definition for beer. From a public safety perspective, it is urgently important that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau assess the formulation of supersized alcopops – specifically, the percent of alcohol in the finished product that is derived from additives. Appropriate reclassification of supersized alcopops as distilled spirits would reduce youth access by resulting in increased price and reduced availability at the retail locations where youth most often obtain alcohol.     

黄柏及其酒和盐炙品改善热证大鼠能量代谢及其机制的研究

目的探索黄柏、酒黄柏及盐黄柏对热证大鼠能量代谢的作用规律。方法黄柏及其酒和盐炙品水煎液9.519、1.058g/kg ig大鼠7 d,测定生制黄柏对2,4-二硝基苯酚所致热证大鼠肛温,以及血浆中三碘甲腺原氨酸（T3）、四碘甲腺原氨酸（T4）、促甲状腺激素（TSH）、促甲状腺激素释放激素（TRH）、肝组织中乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）、琥珀酸脱氢酶（SDH）、肝糖原、Na^＋-K^＋-ATP酶和Ca^2＋-Mg2＋-ATP酶的含量。结果生黄柏、盐黄柏均可以降低热证大鼠肛温,而酒黄柏的作用不明显。生黄柏、盐黄柏可以有效降低热证大鼠的血浆中甲状腺功能轴（T3、T4、TSH、TRH）和肝组织中LDH、SDH、Na^＋-K^＋-ATP酶、Ca^2＋-Mg2＋-ATP酶的含量,并能增加热证大鼠肝组织中糖原含量,而酒炙后对能量代谢指标含量作用减弱。结论生黄柏能够改善热证大鼠的能量代谢,且与甲状腺途径有关。盐炙后寒性增强,对热证大鼠的能量代谢有进一步的改善作用,而酒炙后,缓和黄柏的寒性,对能量代谢改善效果不显著。