Distribution of serum gastrin in different forms of gastritis among Estonian population

Gastrin level was measured in frozen serum samples of 215 adult Estonians, who took part in a representative population study in 1979, and were followed-up in 1985. Gastric morphology was verified by multiple biopsy specimens from the fundal and antral parts of the stomach, obtained at direct-vision gastroscopy. Certain combinations of antral-body mucosa were revealed which have, and which do not have a significant influence on the fasting gastrin levels. Low values might be observed in subjects having severe atrophic gastritis simultaneously in fundal as well as in antral area. However, in others low concentration of gastrin was seen without any (or without severe) changes of the mucosa. Therefore different factors as duodenal gastrin-producing cells, several molecular forms of gastrin, age of the person seems to contribute to the total serum gastrin level besides the gastric mucosa. High values of gastrin are characteristic to normal antral mucosa accompanied by moderate or severe fundal gastritis.     

Predominance of a rare type of HIV-1 in Estonia

An earlier study has indicated that a complex recombinant HIV-1 strain dominates the epidemic in Estonia. The objective of this study was to further investigate the molecular epidemiology and genetic structure of HIV-1 in Estonia. Most of the investigated individuals became infected after August 2000 when HIV-1 started to spread rapidly among Estonian intravenous drug users (IDUs). Two viral DNA regions, gag/pol and gp41, were sequenced and subtyped from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or plasma from 141 individuals. Phylogenetic analysis in the gp41 region revealed that the most frequent type of the virus among IDUs was a circulating recombinant form, CRF06_cpx, whereas a few samples showed highest sequence similarity to a subtype A strain circulating in Ukraine and Russia. Likewise, in the gag/pol region, most of the samples were classified as CRF06_cpx, with a few classified as subtype A. In this region, however, 16% of the sequences turned out to be mosaic unique recombinant forms consisting of CRF06_cpx and subtype A. At least 9 mosaic forms were identified, each with distinct patterns of multiple crossover. To characterize Estonian CRF06_cpx as well as recombinant isolates in more detail, 4 near-full-length HIV-1 genomes were sequenced.     

Effect of Low-Dose Aspirin on the Markers of Oxidative Stress

Summary. The present study estimates effects of low-dose enteric coated aspirin (ECA) on oxidative stress (OS) markers in a group of middle-aged men (mean age 51.2 ± 6.9 years) free of pre-existing ischemic heart disease.Methods. Serum products of lipid peroxidation, and measures of antioxidative status were detected in 25 healthy men in baseline and after two-week treatment period.Results. In respect to serum products of lipid peroxidation and markers of antioxidant status, no statistically significant differences between the pre- and after-treatment data were observed for any measures, with the exception of values of serum antioxidative capacity (39.0 ± 2.5 and 42 ± 4.6, respectively).Conclusions. Administration of ECA does not initiate the OS in blood and improves the general antioxidative potency of blood. This may imply towards certain antiatherogenic influence of low-dose ECA, exhibited even with a short-term treatment period. Regarding OS markers, a variety of individual responses observed in the selected subgroups should be investigated and possibly taken into account while treatment with ECA is initiated for primary prevention of cerebrovascular events.     

Characterization of Organosolv Lignins and Their Application in the Preparation of Aerogels

The production of novel materials and value-added chemicals from lignin has received considerable attention in recent years. Due to its abundant occurrence in nature, there is a growing interest in utilizing lignin as a feedstock for functional materials production, for example aerogels. Much like in the synthesis of phenol-based resins, the vacant ortho positions of the aromatic rings in lignin can crosslink with formaldehyde and form polymeric gels. After drying the hydrogels with supercritical CO₂, highly porous aerogels are obtained. Current study focuses on the preparation and thorough parametrization of organosolv lignins from different types of lignocellulosic biomass (aspen, pine, and barley straw) as well as their utilization for the preparation of lignin-5-methylresorcinol-formaldehyde aerogels. The thorough structural characterization of the obtained aerogels was carried out by gas adsorption, IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained lignin-based monolithic mesoporous aerogels had specific surface areas and total pore volumes in the upward ranges of 450 m²/g and 1.4 cm³/g, respectively.     

An antioxidant tetrapeptide UPF1 in rats has a neuroprotective effect in transient global brain ischemia

Different glutathione analogues have potential to maintain or increase tissue glutathione level and to scavenge the reactive oxygen species. We designed and synthesized a novel non-toxic glutathione analogue, named UPF1, which possessed 60-fold higher hydroxyl radical scavenger efficiency in vitro, compared with glutathione itself, and investigated the effects of UPF1 on a four-vessel occlusion model of rats. The UPF1 was administered via the jugular vein in two separate experiments at two time points: 20 min before global brain ischemia and immediately before reperfusion. In both cases the number of pyramidal cells surviving in the subfield of CA1 at the dorsal hippocampus in the UPF1-treated groups of rats was twice as high as in the vehicle group.     

The HIV prevention needs of injection drug users in Estonia

To assess the relationships between HIV transmission risk behaviours, HIV serostatus and knowledge of HIV serostatus among active injection drug users (IDUs) residing in Tallinn, Estonia, we conducted HIV testing and administered a standardized interview to 266 participants reporting recent injection drug use. In total, 45% were HIV positive, and of those, 39% knew their HIV serostatus. Those who knew their HIV-positive serostatus were less likely to report giving someone else their needle after they used it (9%) than were HIV-negative participants (23%) and those who were HIV positive but unaware of their HIV-positive serostatus (25%). There were no statistically significant differences in unprotected sex or other drug use behaviours between the groups. Most participants reported that HIV can be transmitted through sharing needles (98%) and unprotected sexual activity (93%). Prevention needs of IDUs in this area include increasing the rates of HIV testing and implementing effective programmes to reduce sexual and drug use risk behaviours.     

Short-term clinical disease progression in HIV-1-positive patients taking combination antiretroviral therapy: the EuroSIDA risk-score

OBJECTIVES: To derive and validate a clinically applicable prognostic score for predicting short-term disease progression in HIV-infected patients taking combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). DESIGN AND METHODS: Poisson regression was used to identify prognostic markers for new AIDS/death in patients taking cART. A score was derived for 4169 patients from EuroSIDA and validated on 5150 patients from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). RESULTS: In EuroSIDA, 658 events occurred during 22 321 person-years of follow-up: an incidence rate of 3.0/100 person-years of follow-up [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.7-3.3]. Current levels of viral load, CD4 cell count, CD4 cell slope, anaemia, and body mass index all independently predicted new AIDS/death, as did age, exposure group, a prior AIDS diagnosis, prior antiretroviral treatment and stopping all antiretroviral drugs. The EuroSIDA risk-score was divided into four strata; a patient in the lowest strata would have predicted chance of new AIDS/death of 1 in 801, 1 in 401 and 1 in 201 within the next 3, 6 or 12 months, respectively. The corresponding figures for the highest strata were 1 in 17, 1 in 9 and 1 in 5, respectively. A single-unit increase in the risk-score was associated with a 2.70 times higher incidence of clinical progression (95% CI, 2.56-2.84) in EuroSIDA and 2.88 (95% CI, 2.75-3.02) in SHCS. CONCLUSIONS: A clinically relevant prognostic score was derived in EuroSIDA and validated within the SHCS, with good agreement. The EuroSIDA risk-score will be made available publicly via an interface that will perform all calculations for the individual.     

Effects of amlodipine and candesartan on oxidized LDL level in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension

Objective. To compare the effects of amlodipine and candesartan on oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL), conjugated dienes (CD) and baseline diene conjugation in circulating low-density lipoproteins (LDL-BDC) level during antihypertensive treatment. Methods. Forty-nine patients with untreated mild to moderate essential hypertension were recruited in a randomized double-blind study to receive a daily dose either of 8 mg candesartan or 5 mg amlodipine for 16 weeks. Blood pressure, OxLDL, CD, LDL-BDC, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol and lipoprotein cholesterol were measured at baseline, at week 2 and at week 16. Results. During treatment, in addition to a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high level of OxLDL decreased significantly reaching practically upper kit reference values. Both treatment groups were similar with regard to the studied parameters at all time points. At the same time serum TG, lipoprotein and total cholesterol levels as well as LDL-BDC did not change and CD levels did not exceed endemic normal. Decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was associated with decrease in LDL-BDC/LDL. Conclusions. Besides their antihypertensive effects, both candesartan and amlodipine are efficient drugs for reducing OxLDL level, being neutral with regard to serum lipids.     

Correlations between clinical parameters and interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels in saliva from totally edentulous patients with peri-implant disease

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was (1) to assess the relationship between clinical parameters and concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the saliva of totally edentulous patients with implant-supported overdentures; (2) to assess whether estimation of IL-6 and IL-10 levels in saliva could be a useful laboratory tool to detect changes preceding serious clinical complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty healthy adult volunteers (14 men and 16 women) with implant-supported overdentures were recruited from Tallinn Dental Clinic. The biochemical and clinical parameters evaluated were the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in saliva, pocket probing depth (mm), Gingival Index (0,1, 2, or 3), and bleeding on probing (0 or 1). RESULTS: The level of IL-6 in saliva in the peri-implant disease group was significantly elevated compared to the healthy group. IL-10 could be detected only in the saliva of patients with peri-implant disease, and it did not appear at detectable amounts in saliva of healthy controls. In addition, the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in peri-implant disease group were positively correlated with clinical parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that a significant relationship exists between the amount of a proinflammatory cytokine (IL-6) and the inflammatory response in peri-implant tissue. The results also suggest that IL-6 and IL-10 could be used as markers of peri-implant disease together and that the level of the latter cytokine gives additional information about the potency of an organism's integrated immune response for maintenance of inflammatory balance.