Relationship between parameters of lipid peroxidation during obstructive jaundice and after bile flow restoration

Restoration of bile flow after 9-day cholestasis in rat liver normalized the content of lipid peroxidation products. The removal of the cholestatic factor after 12-day cholestasis was not followed by recovery of these parameters. We showed that measurement of serum concentration of lipid peroxidation products in patients with cholelithiasis during the preoperative period holds promise for selection of the optimum time for surgical treatment and prediction of the risk of postoperative complications. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 1, pp. 39–42, January, 2008     

Effects of fibrinogen on lipid peroxidation in patients with coronary heart disease and in vitro

In patients with coronary heart disease oxidizability of lipids during Cu²⁺-induced oxidation of blood plasma inversely correlated with fibrinogen content. A positive correlation was found between the amount of lipid peroxidation products in the plasma from these patients and fibrinogen content. The increase in fibrinogen content was associated with high levels of total lipids and triglycerides and low concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. In vitro experiments demonstrated that fibrinogen reduces oxidizability of blood plasma. Our results suggest that the decrease in lipid oxidizability at high concentration of fibrinogen in patients with coronary heart disease is related to predominant oxidation of fibrinogen and its competition with plasma lipids during Cu²⁺-induced oxidation.     

Primary biliary cirrhosis and coronary atherosclerosis: Protective antioxidant effect of bilirubin

Increased concentration of lipid peroxidation products in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis is related to elevation of serum lipid content, but not to activation of lipid peroxidation. Hyperbilirubinemia in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of lipid peroxidation products and increase in antioxidant activity of blood serum. Antioxidants play a major role in the prevention of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that the absence of increased risk of atherosclerosis in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis is due to inhibition of lipid peroxidation in blood serum by antioxidant compound bilirubin. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 145, No. 1, pp. 23–28, January, 2008     

Mutational analysis of the SOX9 gene in campomelic dysplasia and autosomal sex reversal: lack of genotype/phenotype correlations

It has previously been shown that, in the heterozygous state, mutations in the SOX9 gene cause campomelic dysplasia (CD) and the often associated autosomal XY sex reversal. In 12 CD patients, 10 novel mutations and one recurrent mutation were characterized in one SOX9 allele each, and in one case, no mutation was found. Four missense mutations are all located within the high mobility group (HMG) domain. They either reduce or abolish the DNA-binding ability of the mutant SOX9 proteins. Among the five nonsense and three frameshift mutations identified, two leave the C-terminal transactivation (TA) domain encompassing residues 402-509 of SOX9 partly or almost completely intact. When tested in cell transfection experiments, the recurrent nonsense mutation Y440X, found in two patients who survived for four and more than 9 years, respectively, exhibits some residual transactivation ability. In contrast, a frameshift mutation extending the protein by 70 residues at codon 507, found in a patient who died shortly after birth, showed no transactivation. This is apparently due to instability of the mutant SOX9 protein as demonstrated by Western blotting. Amino acid substitutions and nonsense mutations are found in patients with and without XY sex reversal, indicating that sex reversal in CD is subject to variable penetrance. Finally, none of 18 female patients with XY gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer syndrome) showed an altered SOX9 banding pattern in SSCP assays, providing evidence that SOX9 mutations do not usually result in XY sex reversal without skeletal malformations.      

Psychiatric morbidity in stroke patients attending a neurology clinic in Nigeria

Back ground

Stroke produces a wide range of mental and emotional disorders. Neuropsychiatric complications associated with stroke may have negative effects on the social functioning, overall quality of life and the recovery of motor functioning of stroke survivors.

Objective

To determine the prevalence and nature of psychiatric morbidity among stroke patients attending neurology outpatient clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Ilorin-Nigeria.

Methods

All patients with stroke aged 18 years and above at an outpatient neurology clinic in Ilorin, Nigeria were assessed for mental and emotional disorders using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) over one year (March 2009 to February 2010).

Results

Overall prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was 36.0% (30/83) among 83 patients who constituted the study population. Specific diagnoses recorded were depression (19.2%), generalised anxiety disorder (9.6%), harmful alcohol use (2.4%); dementia, somatoform disorder, phobia and delusional disorder each had a prevalence of 1.2%. Clinical and sociodemographic variables were not significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity.

Conclusion

Psychiatric disorders are often associated with stroke. Identifying and treating stroke patients with these psychiatric co-morbidities could thus help to improve the overall quality of life of these patients.