Comparative toxicity and tissue retention of selenium in methionine-deficient rats fed sodium selenate or L-selenomethionine

Selenium (Se) toxicity is known to be affected by level of intake of the mineral, but there are conflicting reports on the relative toxicities of the various chemical forms of Se. We monitored Se toxicity in rats fed Torula yeast-based diets containing 0.1, 0.5 or 2.5 micrograms Se/g of diet as either sodium selenate (Na2SeO4) or L-selenomethionine (SeMet). Half the diets were supplemented to contain adequate dietary methionine (Met). Weights were monitored weekly for 6 (Met-adequate) or 7 (Met-deficient) wk, at which time the rats were killed. There were no significant differences in final weight among Met-adequate rats, regardless of level or form of dietary Se. Methionine-deficient rats all gained significantly less weight than their Met-adequate counterparts. Selenosis was most severe in the Met-deficient rats fed 2.5 micrograms Se/g of diet as Na2SeO4, as indicated by significantly impaired weight gains. Nonetheless, Se retention in serum, heart, brain, bone, testes, colon, skin, lungs and pancreas was greater in rats fed SeMet than in those fed Na2SeO4, and Met deficiency further intensified this trend. The kidney was the only organ in which Se levels were markedly higher in the severely poisoned Met-deficient rats fed Na2SeO4. Further research is needed to determine whether elevated kidney Se levels are related to the greater toxicity observed in the Met-deficient rats fed Na2SeO4.     

A tactile maze test in unilateral spatial neglect: the influence of vision and recording technique

Summary Right brain-damaged patients with left spatial neglect were examined on a tactile maze task. They started to explore the right side of the maze and their search times were longer on the left side. Their performance was the same whether blindfolded or not, which contrasts with the results of other studies and probably reflects differences in task demand. The present results do not support a previous observation that visual neglect can be compensated through the tactile modality. Our patients had markedly longer search times than normal controls in the right as well as the left hemifield, and search times in both hemifields were positively correlated. The outcome of the maze test in this context may therefore depend to a large extent on impaired topo graphical processing.     

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.      

Electrodermal Responsivity in Young Hypotensive and Hypertensive Men

Electrodermal responses were recorded during the presentation of 16 moderately intense (1000 Hz, 90dB) tones in three groups of young men: borderline hypertensives (138/79 mmHg), normotensives (112/65 mmHg), and hypotensives (104/63 mmHg). Electrodermal response habituation was measured as a decline in response over trials, number of trials to a response criterion of three successive nonresponses, and number of inversions of response amplitude (larger responses following smaller responses) in the stimulus sequence. Habituation was fastest in hypotensives. Nonspecific electrodermal responses at rest and during tone presentations were most frequent in borderline hypertensives, least frequent in the hypotensive group, with the normotensive group falling in between. There were no significant differences in electrodermal level. The rapid habituation rate in hypotensives is discussed in terms of cursory information processing associated with impulsive behaviour. The higher nonspecific electrodermal activity in borderline hypertensives is interpreted to indicate increased sympathetic nervous system activity.     

Body weight and prior depletion affect plasma ascorbate levels attained on identical vitamin C intake: a controlled-diet study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of factors that may affect the level of plasma ascorbic acid (AA), including age, body weight, physical activity, minor illness and the impact of prior depletion and repletion. METHODS: After one month of stabilization on 60 mg vitamin C/day, subjects underwent two complete depletion-repletion cycles (one cycle=one month of vitamin C depletion with nine mg/day, followed by one month of repletion with 117 mg per day). Subjects (68 men, ages 30 to 59 years) did not smoke or drink alcohol during the study. All food was provided by the study. RESULTS: There was extreme individual variability in the plasma AA level achieved on an identical repletion dose: after four weeks at 117 mg/day of vitamin C, AA ranged from 26.8 micromol/L to 85.8 micromol/L. Body weight was inversely associated with plasma AA attained (p<0.0001). Regression analysis indicated that, compared to a 130-lb man, a 200-lb man reached 10 micromol/L lower AA after the first repletion and 18 micromol/L lower AA after the second repletion. One-third of the subjects did not reach a plasma plateau after the first repletion. Prior depletion and apparent repletion also had a major impact, and only 10% of subjects reached the same plasma AA on the second repletion as on the first repletion. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma AA attained on a given dose depends on body weight (or dose per kg of body weight) and on whether or not any prior depletions had been repleted adequately. The results have implications for nutrition recommendations and research design.     

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.