Preeclampsia: from epidemiological observations to molecular mechanisms

Preeclampsia is the main cause of maternal mortality and is associated with a five-fold increase in perinatal mortality in developing countries. In spite of this, the etiology of preeclampsia is unknown. The present article analyzes the contradictory results of the use of calcium supplementation in the prevention of preeclampsia, and tries to give an explanation of these results. The proposal of an integrative model to explain the clinical manifestations of preeclampsia is discussed. In this proposal we suggest that preeclampsia is caused by nutritional, environmental and genetic factors that lead to the creation of an imbalance between the free radicals nitric oxide, superoxide and peroxynitrate in the vascular endothelium. The adequate interpretation of this model would allow us to understand that the best way of preventing preeclampsia is the establishment of an adequate prenatal control system involving adequate antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplementation, adequate diagnosis and early treatment of asymptomatic urinary and vaginal infections. The role of infection in the genesis of preeclampsia needs to be studied in depth because it may involve a fundamental change in the prevention and treatment of preeclampsia.

Comparison of the quantitative competitive and semiquantitative RT-PCR methods for the determination of interferon-gamma mRNA levels in AIDS-free HIV-infected individuals

IFN-gamma mRNA expression was evaluated in nonstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of HIV-infected and seronegative individuals using quantitative competitive and semiquantitative RT-PCR and the sensitivity of these methods was compared. A significant correlation was found between quantitative competitive and semiquantitative RT-PCR in samples of both HIV-seronegative (P = 0.004) and HIV-infected individuals (P = 0.0004). PBMC from HIV-infected individuals presented a remarkable increase of IFN-gamma mRNA expression, as determined by both types of RT-PCR methods. Semiquantitative RT-PCR even without an internal standard is also acceptable for measuring cytokine mRNA expression, but less reliable if small amounts are quantified. Moreover, we found that increased IFN-gammamRNA expression is independent of CD4+ cell count in AIDS-free HIV-infected patients.

Plasma free and total carnitine measured in children by tandem mass spectrometry

Free and total carnitine quantification is important as a complementary test for the diagnosis of unusual metabolic diseases, including fatty acid degradation disorders. The present study reports a new method for the quantification of free and total carnitine in dried plasma specimens by isotope dilution electrospray tandem mass spectrometry with sample derivatization. Carnitine is determined by looking for the precursor of ions of m/z = 103 of N-butylester derivative, and the method is validated by comparison with radioenzymatic assay. We obtained an inter- and intra-day assay coefficient of variation of 4.3 and 2.3, respectively. Free and total carnitine was analyzed in 309 dried plasma spot samples from children ranging in age from newborn to 14 years using the new method, which was found to be suitable for calculating reference age-related values for free and total carnitine (less than one month: 19.3 ± 2.4 and 23.5 ± 2.9; one to twelve months: 28.8 ± 10.2 and 35.9 ± 11.4; one to seven years: 30.7 ± 10.3 and 38.1 ± 11.9; seven to 14 years: 33.7 ± 11.6, and 43.1 ± 13.8 µM, respectively). No difference was found between males and females. A significant difference was observed between neonates and the other age groups. We compare our data with reference values in the literature, most of them obtained by radioenzymatic assay. However, this method is laborious and time consuming. The electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method presented here is a reliable, rapid and automated procedure for carnitine quantitation.

Kallet til livets embete : mødre i helse og lidelse

Mothers represent the natural caring. Natural caring is the object of caring science and of research interest because it establishes the central core of professional caring. In this study, we encounter patients who are mothers in need of care in a psychiatric context. Motherhood involves taking responsibility that extends beyond one's own life, because the child represents possibilities in a yet unknown future. Understanding and knowledge about the mothers' struggle in health and suffering are of crucial importance to enable clinical practice to make provisions for and adapt to the individual patient. The overall purpose of this dissertation is to illuminate how the innermost essence of caring emerges in health and suffering in patients who are mothers in psychiatric care. The purpose of the study in a clinical sense is to seek to understand and illuminate the patient's inner world in health and suffering in terms of contextual, existential, ontological and ethical dimensions. The dissertation is exploratory and descriptive in nature and encompasses induction, deduction and abduction as logics tools of reasoning. A theoretical model of natural caring and a universal theoretical model of the innermost essence of caring is developed as seen from the patient's world in a psychiatric context. The dissertation is anchored in human science's view of the human being and the world and in caring science's perspective. Caring science's view of the human being as a unity comprising body, soul and spirit is central in the study's concept of the patient. This multi-dimensional conception of the human being encompasses the dissertation's basic values and is decisive for choice of methodology. Hermeneutic epistemology guided the interpretation of the empirical data, the paradigmatic theses and assumptions. The dialectical movement in interpretation moves back and forth between empirical data, caring science theory and philosophical theory and reveals deeper insight into meaningful content in the clinical context. The interpretation process comprises four levels of abstraction: rational, contextual, existential and ontological. Hermeneutic philosophy guides the inductive and deductive approach to interpretation, as well as the movement between the clinical context and the caring science paradigm. In this encounter between the visible and invisible reality, the image of natural caring – motherliness emerged. The dissertation consists of four studies. The first study is a systematic review of nineteen research articles. The three other studies are hermeneutical interpretations based on text materials from open interviews. Fifteen participants were interviewed, all of whom are mothers of children between 0 and 18 years of age. All were outpatients in the psychiatric specialist health service. In the interpretation process, the mothers' struggle in health and suffering emerges as a struggle between the inner and outer world. Being a mother and patient in health and suffering in a psychiatric context means to struggle to be oneself, to create oneself, to live and realize one's good deeds as a mother and human being. To be oneself, to possess oneself as a mother is not only a question of tending, playing and learning in order to master a practical situation or to survive. It involves constituting a deep, inner desire to courageously create oneself so that the child is able to realize his or her potential in health and suffering. Motherliness manifests itself in caring as a call to ministering humanity and life. The voice of motherliness is understood as the voice of life—the eternal, inner call of love and freedom. The inner call craves fulfilment. Motherliness in natural caring does not retreat. Motherliness defines the Other as freedom and proceeds without regard for all other exterior requirements to realizing wellbeing. The inner essence of caring is attentive, aware and heeds the call of the heart. The innermost essence of caring is to be and to make oneself responsible for the Other. Responsibility cannot be relinquished; free choice consists in whether or not to follow the call. To renounce the inner call to responsibility is to deny oneself and one's dignity as a human being. The theoretical models provide clinical and systematic caring science with knowledge and understanding based on the natural caring spirit inherent in the human being. The study elucidates and strengthens the ontological basic assumptions about the human being as a unity of body, soul and spirit, the sanctity of the human being and the core of caring, ethos. The results of the dissertation will provide clinical practice with knowledge about the inner movements of the mothers' souls in relation to their responsibility as mothers and human beings. Being able to understand the basic conditions for responsibility is crucial for developing care that encompasses mother and child and the mutual relationship between them. This is basic knowledge for developing attitudes and actions that meet and provide for the needs of the patient as mother and as a whole, suffering human being.

Circadian rhythms in blood pressure in free-ranging three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus)

Blood pressure (BP) profiles were monitored in nine free-ranging sloths (Bradypus variegatus) by coupling one common carotid artery to a BP telemetry transmitter. Animals moved freely in an isolated and temperature-controlled room (24ºC) with 12/12-h artificial light-dark cycles and behaviors were observed during resting, eating and moving. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were sampled for 1 min every 15 min for 24 h. BP rhythm over 24 h was analyzed by the cosinor method and the mesor, amplitude, acrophase and percent rhythm were calculated. A total of 764 measurements were made in the light cycle and 721 in the dark cycle. Twenty-four-hour values (mean ± SD) were obtained for SBP (121 ± 22 mmHg), DBP (86 ± 17 mmHg), mean BP (MBP, 98 ± 18 mmHg) and heart rate (73 ± 16 bpm). The SBP, DBP and MBP were significantly higher (unpaired Student t-test) during the light period (125 ± 21, 88 ± 15 and 100 ± 17 mmHg, respectively) than during the dark period (120 ± 21, 85 ± 17 and 97 ± 17 mmHg, respectively) and the acrophase occurred between 16:00 and 17:45 h. This circadian variation is similar to that observed in cats, dogs and marmosets. The BP decreased during "behavioral sleep" (MBP down from 110 ± 19 to 90 ± 19 mmHg at 21:00 to 8:00 h). Both feeding and moving induced an increase in MBP (96 ± 17 to 119 ± 17 mmHg at 17:00 h and 97 ± 19 to 105 ± 12 mmHg at 15:00 h, respectively). The results show that conscious sloths present biphasic circadian fluctuations in BP levels, which are higher during the light period and are mainly synchronized with feeding.

Effect of Lactobacillus delbrueckii on cholesterol metabolism in germ-free mice and on atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E knock-out mice

Elevated blood cholesterol is an important risk factor associated with atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Several studies have reported a decrease in serum cholesterol during the consumption of large doses of fermented dairy products or lactobacillus strains. The proposed mechanism for this effect is the removal or assimilation of intestinal cholesterol by the bacteria, reducing cholesterol absorption. Although this effect was demonstrated in vitro, its relevance in vivo is still controversial. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the role of lactobacilli in atherogenesis. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Lactobacillus delbrueckii on cholesterol metabolism in germ-free mice and the possible hypocholesterolemic and antiatherogenic action of these bacteria using atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein E (apo E) knock-out (KO) mice. For this purpose, Swiss/NIH germ-free mice were monoassociated with L. delbrueckii and fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for four weeks. In addition, apo E KO mice were fed a normal chow diet and treated with L. delbrueckii for 6 weeks. There was a reduction in cholesterol excretion in germ-free mice, which was not associated with changes in blood or liver cholesterol concentration. In apo E KO mice, no effect of L. delbrueckii was detected in blood, liver or fecal cholesterol. The atherosclerotic lesion in the aorta was also similar in mice receiving or not these bacteria. In conclusion, these results suggest that, although L. delbrueckii treatment was able to reduce cholesterol excretion in germ-free mice, no hypocholesterolemic or antiatherogenic effect was observed in apo E KO mice.

Modelling the super-equilibria in thermal biomass conversion : applications and limitations of the constrained free energy method

Bioenergi ses som en viktig del av det nu- och framtida sortimentet av inhemsk energi. Svartlut, bark och skogsavfall täcker mer än en femtedel av den inhemska energianvändningen. Produktionsanläggningar kan fungera ofullständigt och en mängd gas-, partikelutsläpp och tjära produceras samtidigt och kan leda till beläggningsbildning och korrosion. Orsaken till dessa problem är ofta obalans i processen: vissa föreningar anrikas i processen och superjämviktstillstånd är bildas. I denna doktorsavhandling presenteras en ny beräkningsmetod, med vilken man kan beskriva superjämviktstillståndet, de viktigaste kemiska reaktionerna, processens värmeproduktion och tillståndsstorheter samtidigt. Beräkningsmetoden grundar sig på en unik frienergimetod med bivillkor som har utvecklats vid VTT. Den här så kallade CFE-metoden har tidigare utnyttjats i pappers-, metall- och kemiindustrin. Applikationer för bioenergi, vilka är demonstrerade i doktorsavhandlingen, är ett nytt användingsområde för metoden. Studien visade att beräkningsmetoden är väl lämpad för högtemperaturenergiprocesser. Superjämviktstillstånden kan uppstå i dessa processer och det kemiska systemet kan definieras med några bivillkor. Typiska tillämpningar är förbränning av biomassa och svartlut, förgasning av biomassa och uppkomsten av kväveoxider. Också olika sätt att definiera superjämviktstillstånd presenterades i doktorsavhandlingen: empiriska konstanter, empiriska hastighetsuttryck eller reaktionsmekanismer kan användas. Resultaten av doktorsavhandlingen kan utnyttjas i framtiden i processplaneringen och i undersökning av nya tekniska lösningar för förgasning, förbränningsteknik och biobränslen. Den presenterade metoden är ett bra alternativ till de traditionella mekanistiska och fenomenmodeller och kombinerar de bästa delarna av både. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bioenergia on tärkeä osa nykyistä ja tulevaa kotimaista energiapalettia. Mustalipeä, kuori ja metsätähteet kattavat yli viidenneksen kotimaisesta energian kulutuksesta. Tuotantolaitokset eivät kuitenkaan aina toimi täydellisesti ja niiden prosesseissa syntyy erilaisia kaasu- ja hiukkaspäästöjä, tervoja sekä prosessilaitteita kuluttavia saostumia ja ruostumista. Usein syy näihin ongelmiin on prosessissa esiintyvä epätasapainotila: tietyt yhdisteet rikastuvat prosessissa ja muodostavat supertasapainotiloja. Väitöstyössä kehitettiin uusi laskentamenetelmä, jolla voidaan kuvata nämä supertasapainotilat, tärkeimmät niihin liittyvät kemialliset reaktiot, prosessin lämmöntuotanto ja tilansuureet yhtä aikaa. Laskentamenetelmä perustuu VTT:llä kehitettyyn ainutlaatuiseen rajoitettuun vapaaenergiamenetelmään. Tätä niin kutsuttua CFE-menetelmää on aiemmin sovelluttu onnistuneesti muun muassa paperi-, metalli- ja kemianteollisuudessa. Väitöstyössä esitetyt bioenergiasovellukset ovat uusi sovellusalue menetelmälle. Työ osoitti laskentatavan soveltuvan hyvin korkealämpöisiin energiatekniikan prosesseihin, joissa kemiallista systeemiä rajoittavia tekijöitä oli rajallinen määrä ja siten super-tasapainotila saattoi muodostua prosessin aikana. Tyypillisiä sovelluskohteita ovat biomassan ja mustalipeän poltto, biomassan kaasutus ja typpioksidipäästöt. Työn aikana arvioitiin myös erilaisia tapoja määritellä super-tasapainojen muodostumista rajoittavat tekijät. Rajoitukset voitiin tehdä teollisiin mittauksiin pohjautuen, kokeellisia malleja hyödyntäen tai mekanistiseen reaktiokinetiikkaan perustuen. Tulevaisuudessa väitöstyön tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää prosessisuunnittelussa ja tutkittaessa uusia teknisiä ratkaisuja kaasutus- ja polttotekniikoissa sekä biopolttoaineiden tutkimuksessa. Kehitetty menetelmä tarjoaa hyvän vaihtoehdon perinteisille mekanistisille ja ilmiömalleille yhdistäen näiden parhaita puolia.

An extract of Polygonum multiflorum protects against free radical damage induced by ultraviolet B irradiation of the skin

Over the last decades, the incidence of ultraviolet B (UVB)-related skin problems has been increasing. Damages induced by UVB radiation are related to mutations that occur as a result of direct DNA damage and/or the production of reactive oxygen species. We investigated the anti-oxidant effects of a Polygonum multiflorum thumb extract against skin damage induced by UVB irradiation. Female SKH-1 hairless mice were divided into three groups: control (N = 7), distilled water- (N = 10), and P. multiflorum extract-treated (PM, N = 10) groups. The PM (10 g) was extracted with 100 mL distilled water, cryo-dried and 9.8 g was obtained. The animals received a topical application of 500 µL distilled water or PM extract (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16%, w/v, dissolved in distilled water) for 30 min after UVB irradiation (wavelength 280-320 nm, 300 mJ/cm²; 3 min) of the dorsal kin for 14 days, and skin immunohistochemistry and Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) activity were determined. SOD1 immunoreactivity, its protein levels and activities in the skin were significantly reduced by 70% in the distilled water-treated group after UVB irradiation compared to control. However, in the PM extract-treated groups, SOD1 immunoreactivity and its protein and activity levels increased in a dose-dependent manner (1-16%, w/v, PM extract) compared to the distilled water-treated group. SOD1 protein levels and activities in the groups treated with 8 and 16%, w/v, PM extract recovered to 80-90% of the control group levels after UVB. These results suggest that PM extract strongly inhibits the destruction of SOD1 by UV radiation and probably contains anti-skin photoaging agents.

Kiinteistön välillinen omistaminen konsernirakenteessa kiinteistöstä saatavan tulon tuloverotuksen näkökulmasta

Pro gradu –tutkielman ensisijaisena tavoitteena on selvittää miksi kiinteistön omista-minen on perusteltua järjestää konsernissa kiinteistöyhtiön välityksellä. Tutkielman aiheen käsittely on rajattu koskemaan vain kotimaista lainsäädäntöä. Tutkimuson-gelman perusteella tutkielmassa keskitytään tarkastelemaan emoyhtiön näkökulmas-ta siihen kohdistuvia tuloverovaikutuksia, kun se omistaa kiinteistöyhtiön. Tutkielmas-sa on tutkimusmetodina sovellettu lainoppia ja tutkimus kuuluu vero-oikeuden alaan. Koska vero-oikeutta tulkitaan lain sanamuodon mukaisesti, tutkimuksessa annetaan runsaasti painoarvoa voimassa olevalle lainsäädännölle. Kuitenkin tulkinnanvaraisis-sa kysymyksissä tutkielmassa on myös hyödynnetty korkeimman hallinto-oikeuden ratkaisukäytäntöä sekä vero-oikeudellista kirjallisuutta. Tutkielmassa selvitettyjen seikkojen perusteella voidaan todeta, että yksiselitteisen tulkintasuosituksen antaminen tutkimusongelman ratkaisemiseksi on haastavaa, kos-ka jokaisen yrityksen tarpeet kiinteistön omistamiseen vaihtelevat liiketoiminnan olo-suhteiden mukaisesti. Toisaalta konsernirakenteen synnyttämistä emoyhtiön ja kiin-teistöyhtiön välille voidaan perustella esimerkiksi osinkotulon verotehokkaalla kana-voimiselle kiinteistöyhtiön tasolta emoyhtiölle sekä konsernin efektiivisen veroasteen pienentämisellä konserniyhtiöiden välisen lainan avulla. Lisäksi kiinteistöyhtiön luovu-tustilanteessa verotuksen tulolähdejaon merkitys korostuu, kun ratkaistaan voidaanko myyntiin soveltaa elinkeinoverolain mukaista käyttöomaisuusosakkeiden luovutuksen verovapaussäännöksiä, ja toisaalta, miten mahdollisia kiinteistöyhtiön myynnistä johtuvia luovutustappioita käsitellään emoyhtiön tuloverotuksen näkökulmasta.

Exploratory calcineurin inhibitor-free regimens in living-related kidney transplant recipients

Chronic allograft nephropathy is among the major causes of graft loss even in low-risk kidney transplant recipients and correlates with acute nephrotoxic events during the first year post-transplant. Therefore, calcineurin inhibitor-free regimens may improve patient and graft survival among recipients of living-related kidney transplants. To confirm this hypothesis, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of two calcineurin inhibitor-free regimens in 92 low-risk recipients of one-haplotype living-related kidney transplants. Immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus, azathioprine and prednisone (group I, GI, N = 38), 2 doses of daclizumab, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and prednisone (GII, N = 33) and 2 doses of daclizumab, MMF, sirolimus and prednisone (GIII, N = 21). At 12 months, treatment failure (biopsy-confirmed acute rejection, graft loss or death) was higher in GII compared to GIII and GI (54.5 vs 24.0 vs 13.1%, P < 0.01, respectively). In patients of black ethnicity the incidence of acute rejection was 25 vs 83.3 vs 20% (P = 0.055), respectively. Patient and graft survival was comparable. There were no differences in mean creatinine or calculated creatinine clearance at 12 months. Overall incidence of post-transplant diabetes mellitus (3.3%) and cytomegalovirus disease (4.3%) was similar in all groups. Further development of effective calcineurin inhibitor-free regimens should exclude patients of black ethnicity and may need full-induction therapy, perhaps with depleting agents, and concentration-controlled use of sirolimus and MMF.

Comparison of serum hormone levels of captive and free-living maned wolves Chrysocyon brachyurus

Serum hormone levels were compared between captive and free-living maned wolves and seasonal variations of sex hormones were studied. Blood samples were collected from 16 male and 26 female adult animals from Brazilian zoos, and from 30 male and 24 female free-living adults to determine serum progesterone and testosterone by radioimmunoassay. Serum testosterone concentrations varied (P < 0.05) across seasons for 16 captive males, being higher in autumn (2184.7 ± 355.1 pg/mL) than in summer (1080.7 ± 205.4 pg/mL), winter (1270.1 ± 276.6 pg/mL) and spring (963.9 ± 248.1 pg/mL), although they did not differ between summer, winter and spring. Testosterone concentration of 30 free-living males differed (P < 0.05) between autumn (824.1 ± 512.2 pg/mL), winter (14.4 ± 8.0 pg/mL) and spring (151.9 ± 90.5 pg/mL). Comparison between captive and free-living animals showed no difference in autumn (P > 0.05). Sixteen captive males showed higher testosterone concentration during winter and spring compared with 30 free-living animals (P < 0.05). Progesterone concentration varied among seasons in 26 captive females (P < 0.05), being higher in autumn (15.3 ± 3.1 ng/mL) than in summer (6.6 ± 1.5 ng/mL), winter (5.3 ± 3.1 ng/mL) and spring (4.3 ± 0.7 ng/mL). Progesterone concentration of 24 free-living females varied between autumn (17.1 ± 6.0 ng/mL) and winter (1.7 ± 0.3 ng/mL) (P < 0.05), but we could not obtain data for spring or summer. No difference in progesterone levels was observed between captive and free-living females in autumn and winter.

Clinical utility of standard base excess in the diagnosis and interpretation of metabolic acidosis in critically ill patients

The aims of this study were to determine whether standard base excess (SBE) is a useful diagnostic tool for metabolic acidosis, whether metabolic acidosis is clinically relevant in daily evaluation of critically ill patients, and to identify the most robust acid-base determinants of SBE. Thirty-one critically ill patients were enrolled. Arterial blood samples were drawn at admission and 24 h later. SBE, as calculated by Van Slyke's (SBE VS) or Wooten's (SBE W) equations, accurately diagnosed metabolic acidosis (AUC = 0.867, 95%CI = 0.690-1.043 and AUC = 0.817, 95%CI = 0.634-0.999, respectively). SBE VS was weakly correlated with total SOFA (r = -0.454, P < 0.001) and was similar to SBE W (r = -0.482, P < 0.001). All acid-base variables were categorized as SBE VS <-2 mEq/L or SBE VS <-5 mEq/L. SBE VS <-2 mEq/L was better able to identify strong ion gap acidosis than SBE VS <-5 mEq/L; there were no significant differences regarding other variables. To demonstrate unmeasured anions, anion gap (AG) corrected for albumin (AG A) was superior to AG corrected for albumin and phosphate (AG A+P) when strong ion gap was used as the standard method. Mathematical modeling showed that albumin level, apparent strong ion difference, AG A, and lactate concentration explained SBE VS variations with an R² = 0.954. SBE VS with a cut-off value of <-2 mEq/L was the best tool to diagnose clinically relevant metabolic acidosis. To analyze the components of SBE VS shifts at the bedside, AG A, apparent strong ion difference, albumin level, and lactate concentration are easily measurable variables that best represent the partitioning of acid-base derangements.

Effect of a cholesterol-rich diet on the metabolism of the free and esterified cholesterol components of a nanoemulsion that resembles LDL in rabbits

We have shown that the free cholesterol (FC) and the cholesteryl ester (CE) moieties of a nanoemulsion with lipidic structure resembling low-density lipoproteins show distinct metabolic fate in subjects and that this may be related to the presence of dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. The question was raised whether induction of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in rabbits would affect the metabolic behavior of the two cholesterol forms. Male New Zealand rabbits aged 4-5 months were allocated to a control group (N = 17) fed regular chow and to a 1% cholesterol-fed group (N = 13) during a 2-month period. Subsequently, the nanoemulsion labeled with ³H-FC and 14C-CE was injected intravenously for the determination of plasma kinetics and tissue uptake of the radioactive labels. In controls, FC and CE had similar plasma kinetics (fractional clearance rate, FCR = 0.234 ± 0.056 and 0.170 ± 0.038 h-1, respectively; P = 0.065). In cholesterol-fed rabbits, the clearance of both labels was delayed and, as a remarkable feature, FC-FCR (0.089 ± 0.033 h-1) was considerably greater than CE-FCR (0.046 ± 0.010 h-1; P = 0.026). In the liver, the major nanoemulsion uptake site, uptake of the labels was similar in control animals (FC = 0.2256 ± 0.1475 and CE = 0.2135 ± 0.1580%/g) but in cholesterol-fed animals FC uptake (0.0890 ± 0.0319%/g) was greater than CE uptake (0.0595 ± 0.0207%/g; P < 0.05). Therefore, whereas in controls, FC and CE have similar metabolism, the induction of dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis resulted in dissociation of the two forms of cholesterol.

Cognitive performance of young and elderly subjects on the free word recall memory test: effect of presentation order on recall order

The influence of aging on memory has been extensively studied, but the importance of short-term memory and recall sequence has not. The objective of the current study was to examine the recall order of words presented on lists and to determine if age affects recall sequence. Physically and psychologically healthy male subjects were divided into two groups according to age, i.e., 23 young subjects (20 to 30 years) and 50 elderly subjects (60 to 70 years) submitted to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and the free word recall test. The order of word presentation significantly affected the 3rd and 4th words recalled (P < 0.01; F = 14.6). In addition, there was interaction between the presentation order and the type of list presented (P < 0.05; F = 9.7). Also, both groups recalled the last words presented from each list (words 13-15) significantly more times 3rd and 4th than words presented in all remaining positions (P < 0.01). The order of word presentation also significantly affected the 5th and 6th words recalled (P = 0.05; F = 7.5) and there was a significant interaction between the order of presentation and the type of list presented (P < 0.01; F = 20.8). The more developed the cognitive functions, resulting mainly from formal education, the greater the cognitive reserve, helping to minimize the effects of aging on the long-term memory (episodic declarative).