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.     

Cocoa Flavanols Adjuvant to an Oral Nutritional Supplement Acutely Enhances Nutritive Flow in Skeletal Muscle without Altering Leg Glucose Uptake Kinetics in Older Adults

Ageing is associated with postprandial muscle vascular and metabolic dysfunction, suggesting vascular modifying interventions may be of benefit. Reflecting this, we investigated the impact of acute cocoa flavanol (450–500 mg) intake (versus placebo control) on vascular (via ultrasound) and glucose/insulin metabolic responses (via arterialised/venous blood samples and ELISA) to an oral nutritional supplement (ONS) in twelve healthy older adults (50% male, 72 ± 4 years), in a crossover design study. The cocoa condition displayed significant increases in m. vastus lateralis microvascular blood volume (MBV) in response to feeding at 180 and 240-min after ONS consumption (baseline: 1.00 vs. 180 min: 1.09 ± 0.03, p = 0.05; 240 min: 1.13 ± 0.04, p = 0.002), with MBV at these timepoints significantly higher than in the control condition (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a trend (p = 0.058) for MBV in m. tibialis anterior to increase in response to ONS in the cocoa condition only. Leg blood flow and vascular conductance increased, and vascular resistance decreased in response to ONS (p < 0.05), but these responses were not different between conditions (p > 0.05). Similarly, glucose uptake and insulin increased in response to ONS (p < 0.05) comparably between conditions (p > 0.05). Thus, acute cocoa flavanol supplementation can potentiate oral feeding-induced increases in MBV in older adults, but this improvement does not relay to muscle glucose uptake.     

Exposure to mild blast forces induces neuropathological effects,neurophysiological deficits and biochemical changes

Direct or indirect exposure to an explosion can induce traumatic brain injury (TBI) of various severity levels. Primary TBI from blast exposure is commonly characterized by internal injuries, such as vascular damage, neuronal injury, and contusion, without external injuries. Current animal models of blast-induced TBI (bTBI) have helped to understand the deleterious effects of moderate to severe blast forces. However, the neurological effects of mild blast forces remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the effects caused by mild blast forces combining neuropathological, histological, biochemical and neurophysiological analysis. For this purpose, we employed a rodent blast TBI model with blast forces below the level that causes macroscopic neuropathological changes. We found that mild blast forces induced neuroinflammation in cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Moreover, mild blast triggered microvascular damage and axonal injury. Furthermore, mild blast caused deficits in hippocampal short-term plasticity and synaptic excitability, but no impairments in long-term potentiation. Finally, mild blast exposure induced proteolytic cleavage of spectrin and the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator, p35 in hippocampus. Together, these findings show that mild blast forces can cause aberrant neurological changes that critically impact neuronal functions. These results are consistent with the idea that mild blast forces may induce subclinical pathophysiological changes that may contribute to neurological and psychiatric disorders.     

Cytotoxic Effects of Polystyrene–Titanium–Arsenate Composite in Cultured H9c2 Cardiomyoblasts

In the present report, we explored the toxicological behaviour of engineered polystyrene–titanium–arsenate (PS–Ti–As) composite using cultured H9c2 cardiomyoblasts in vitro. From in vitro cytotoxicity studies, it appears that the composite can be toxic to the cardiac cells and the value of IC₅₀ investigated to be the highest concentration of 500 μg mL^?1, during 16–24 h of incubation period. The cell morphological studies based on dual staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide indicates that apoptosis is the dominating pathway of cell death. Furthermore, an enhanced DNA fragmentation, increased reactive oxygen species production and caspase release demonstrates the potential risks associated with the exposure of PS–Ti–As composite to the cardiac cells.     

Epidemiology and clinical manifestations of cardiac amyloidosis

Heart Failure Reviews - Cardiac amyloidosis, once considered a rare disease, has garnered significant attention over the&nbsp;last few years due to three key reasons: first, increased...     

A 14-Day Elemental Diet Is Highly Effective in Normalizing the Lactulose Breath Test

Treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is frustrated by the low efficacy of antibiotics. Elemental diets have been shown to reduce enteric flora. In this study, we evaluate the ability of an elemental diet to normalize the lactulose breath test (LBT) in IBS subjects with abnormal breath test findings. Consecutive subjects with IBS and abnormal LBT suggesting the presence of bacterial overgrowth underwent a 2-week exclusive elemental diet. The diet consisted of Vivonex Plus (Novartis Nutrition Corp., Minneapolis, MN) in a quantity based on individual caloric requirement. On day 15 (prior to solid food), subjects returned for a follow-up breath test and those with an abnormal LBT were continued on the diet for an additional 7 days. The ability of an elemental diet to normalize the LBT was determined for days 15 and 21. A chart review was then conducted to evaluate any clinical benefit 1 month later. Of the 93 subjects available for analysis, 74 (80%) had a normal LBT on day 15 of the elemental diet. When those who continued to day 21 were included, five additional patients normalized the breath test (85%). On chart review, subjects who successfully normalized their breath test had a 66.4 +/- 36.1% improvement in bowel symptoms, compared to 11.9 +/- 22.0% in those who failed to normalize (P < 0.001). An elemental diet is highly effective in normalizing an abnormal LBT in IBS subjects, with a concomitant improvement in clinical symptoms.     

Congenital clavicular pseudoarthrosis associated with vascular thoracic outlet syndrome: Case presentation and review of the literature

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) associated with congenital clavicular pseudoarthrosis is rare in adults and often misdiagnosed. In this case report, we describe an adult female who was found to have thromoosis of the subclavian and axillary arteries with embolization documented by invasive angiography. This unusual vascular manifestation of TOS should remind physicians that anatomic derangements may predispose to upper extremity ischemia. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.