Assessment of heavy metals by ICP-OES and their impact on insulin stimulating hormone and carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes

Arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) have recently emerged as major health concerns owing to their strong association with diabetes mellitus (DM). We aimed to investigate the heavy metals exposure towards incidence of DM at various enzymatic and hormonal levels. Additionally, association of As and Cd with Zinc (Zn, essential metal) was also evaluated. Spot urine samples were collected to assess As, Cd and Zn through ICP-OES. Serum was analyzed by assay method for fasting blood glucose, liver and renal function biomarkers. ELISA was performed to investigate the impact of heavy metals on HbA1c, α-amylase, DPP-IV, IGF-1, leptin, GSH, MDA, SOD, HDL, FFA, TG and interleukin (IL)-6. Association of heavy metals with DM was measured by odds ratio (OR) and level of significance was assessed by Chi-squared test. Unpaired student's t-test was used to compare DM-associated risk factors in heavy metals-exposed and unexposed participants. As and Cd were detectable in 75.4% and 83% participants with mean concentration of 75.5 ppb and 54.5 ppb, respectively. For As exposure, OR in the third quartile was maximum ie 1.34 (95% CI, 0.80 to 2.23), however the result was not statistically significant (P > .05). For Cd exposure, OR in the fourth quartile was considerably high, 1.62 (95% CI, 1.00 to 2.61), with a significant probability value (P < .05). Urinary Cd was negatively associated with Zn. As and Cd exposure increases the incidence of DM in the general population. Impaired hormonal and enzymatic levels in diabetic and non-diabetic exposed participants reflect the multiple organ damage by heavy metal exposure.     

New areas for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of rheumatic disease.

Anti-rheumatic therapy has been targeted against the symptoms arising from chronic inflammation of the joint. This has resulted in the extensive use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is now becoming apparent that these agents have no beneficial effect on disease progression. This mini review concentrates on the formation and maintenance of pannus, the granulomatous tissue responsible for cartilage and bone erosion. This reveals a number of possible therapeutic targets. Protease inhibitors could be used to interfere with the degradatory processes. The diverse functions of endothelial cells suggest oedema formation, cell accumulation and supply of nutrients to the granulomatous tissue could all be targeted by appropriate therapy. Alternatively the immune processes that control pannus formation and state of activation could be regulated by interfering with antigen presentation and the cytokine network.     

Characterization of bortezomib-adapted I-45 mesothelioma cells

Background  

Bortezomib, a proteasome-specific inhibitor, has emerged as a promising cancer therapeutic agent. However, development of resistance to bortezomib may pose a challenge to effective anticancer therapy. Therefore, characterization of cellular mechanisms involved in bortezomib resistance and development of effective strategies to overcome this resistance represent important steps in the advancement of bortezomib-mediated cancer therapy.     

Secondary pharyngeal tuberculosis

Secondary tuberculosis of pharynx is a rare condition as pharynx is not a common site for clinically manifest tuberculosis. A rare and unusual case of secondary oropharyngeal tuberculosis in a 40 years male patient, who presented with an ulceroproliferative lesion of oropharynx extending to nasopharynx and laryngopharynx is being reported.     

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome in human immunodeficiency virus-1-infected children

We describe the clinical and pathological findings of the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in two children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Both patients presented with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and subsequently developed renal failure. The diagnosis of HUS was confirmed by renal histopathology in both patients. None of these children presented with bloody diarrhea, evidence of circulating antibody response to Escherichia coli O157 lipopolysaccharide, or other known risk factors for HUS, except for the presence of HIV infection. Each patient was treated with intravenous plasma infusion and renal replacement therapy. Their clinical course was characterized by non-oliguria and lack of significant hypertension throughout the acute phase of the disease. Despite these favorable clinical parameters, both patients developed end-stage renal failure. The etiology of this atypical HUS characterized by poor renal survival remains unknown and the role of HIV infection in its pathogenesis, although possible, is unclear. Received March 5, 1996; received in revised form and accepted October 15, 1996     

Ascending general visceral pathways within the brainstems of two teleost fishes: Ictalurus punctatus and Carassius auratus.

The primary general visceral nucleus in goldfish (Carassius auratus) and catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is located at the ventroposterior boundary of the vagal gustatory lobe and receives coelomic visceral, but not gustatory inputs. The neuronal tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was employed to visualize sources of input to and ascending projections from the primary general visceral nucleus in these species. In addition, immunocytochemical techniques were utilized to define the cytological divisions within the pontine gustatory-visceral complex. The pontine secondary visceral nuclei in both catfish and goldfish contains numerous somata and fibers immunoreactive for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). In contrast, the secondary gustatory nuclei are devoid of fibers and cells immunoreactive for CGRP. In both the goldfish and the channel catfish, the primary general visceral nucleus receives input from the vagal gustatory lobe, as well as the medullary reticular formation. In the channel catfish, the primary general visceral nucleus projects bilaterally to the secondary visceral nucleus, which lies rostrolateral to the secondary gustatory nucleus in the dorsal pons. Fibers cross the midline via the rostral part of the isthmic commissure. Injection of HRP into the primary general visceral nucleus of a goldfish labels ascending fibers that project to a secondary visceral nucleus situated ventral, lateral, and rostral to the secondary gustatory complex. In general, the results indicate that general visceral systems ascend in parallel to gustatory systems within the brainstem, and that general visceral but not gustatory nuclei are immunoreactive for the peptide CGRP.     

Candidaemia: a 10-year study in an Indian teaching hospital

Retrospective evaluation of candidaemia patients was performed in an Indian teaching hospital over a 10-year period. The incidence of patients with candidaemia increased eleven-fold in the second half of the study period (55 patients) compared with the first half (5 patients). Haematological malignancies (11 patients), neonatal septicaemia (9), cardiac abnormalities and cardiac surgery (9) were the commonest underlying diseases in these patients. Candida albicans (50%), C. guilliermondii (17%), C. tropicalis (15%) and C. parapsilosis (8%) were the most common fungal pathogens isolated from blood culture. Therapy with two or more antibiotics (92%), corticosteroid administration (25%), intravascular catheter use for over 24 h (78%) and neutropenia (48%) were the accountable predisposing factors. Prolonged hospitalization (mean average 22.2 days as compared with 11.2 days in other patients) was an added risk factor in these patients.     

Activation of macrophages in an experimental rat model of arthritis induced by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection.

Infection of Lewis rats with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae represents an experimental model system of acute and chronic arthritis. We studied here the acute inflammatory phase with respect to stimulation of macrophages and lymphocytes. Intragluteal injection of viable E. rhusiopathiae (10(2) to 10(4) bacteria) rapidly induced generalized inflammation, loss of body weight, hind leg arthritis, and systemic macrophage activation within 2 to 3 days. The same symptoms could also be evoked by injection of dead E. rhusiopathiae. Ex vivo, peritoneal macrophages released large amounts of tumor necrosis factor alpha on day 2 and interleukin-1 on day 3, whereas production of prostaglandin E2 was delayed to days 5 to 7 and appeared to counteract tumor necrosis factor alpha synthesis. The inflammatory response and development of arthritis were strongly dependent on T lymphocytes, as evidenced by the following findings: (i) lymphocytes released lymphokines that activated macrophages to enhanced mediator release; (ii) treatment of rats with cyclosporin A reduced infection-induced macrophage activation; (iii) mitogen-stimulated thymocyte proliferation was enhanced, indicating an infection-induced maturation-differentiation process in the thymus; and (iv) in T-cell-deficient nude rats, a higher dose of bacteria was required for infection, the inflammatory response was less severe, and only mild, but not chronic, arthritis developed. Thus, an E. rhusiopathiae-induced inflammation in rats provides a useful tool to characterize activated macrophages and T lymphocytes during the development of acute arthritis and its transition into the chronic form.