Iron and zinc status in multiple sclerosis patients with pressure sores

Measurements of weighted dietary intakes and plasma determinations of albumin, iron, zinc, ascorbic acid and TIBC were carried out on twenty female multiple sclerosis patients in a long-stay hospital for disabled people. The group included ten patients with a recent history of pressure sores, closely matched with ten patients without pressure sores. Mean daily intake of carbohydrate was found to be higher in the non-pressure sore group whilst intake of zinc was lower in this group. Intakes of all other nutrients were comparable between the two groups. For both groups, intakes of energy, folate, vitamin D, iron and zinc were less than recommended values. Mean plasma levels of albumin and iron were towards the lower limit of the normal range, whilst that for zinc was considerably less than the normal range. Plasma TIBC was slightly above the normal range. Levels of plasma iron and zinc were significantly lower in the pressure sore group. The data indicate that severely disabled hospitalized patients with multiple sclerosis may be at risk of poor nutritional status. The results suggest that in the presence of pressure sores, there are increased requirements for specific nutrients, notably zinc and iron. Consideration is given to the possible value of supplementation of these individuals.

Superoxide radical protects liposome-contained cytochrome c against oxidative damage promoted by peroxynitrite and free radicals

The effects of nitrosative species on cyt c structure and peroxidase activity were investigated here in the presence of O(2)(center dot-) and anionic and zwitterionic vesicles. Nitrosative species were generated by 3-morpholinesydnonymine (SIN1) decomposition, using cyt c heme iron and/or molecular oxygen as electron acceptor. Far-and near-UV CD spectra of SIN1-treated cyt c revealed respectively a slight decrease of a-helix content (from 39 to 34%) and changes in the tryptophan structure accompanied by increased fluorescence. The Soret CD spectra displayed a significant decrease of the positive signal at 403 nm. EPR spectra revealed the presence of a low-spin cyt c form (S = 1/2) with g(1) = 2.736, g(2) = 2.465, and g(3) = 2.058 after incubation with SIN1. These data suggest that the concomitant presence of NO(center dot) and O(2)(center dot-) generated from dissolved oxygen, in a system containing cyt c and liposomes, promotes chemical and conformational modi. cations in cyt c, resulting in a hypothetical bis-histidine hexacoordinated heme iron. We also show that, paradoxically, O(2)(center dot-) prevents not only membrane lipoperoxidation by peroxide-derived radicals but also oxidation of cyt c itself due to the ability of O(2)(center dot-) to reduce heme iron. Finally, lipoperoxidation measurements showed that, although it is a more efficient peroxidase, SIN1-treated cyt c is not more effective than native cyt c in promoting damage to anionic liposomes in the presence of tert-ButylOOH, probably due to loss of affinity with negatively charged lipids. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitric oxide release using natural rubber latex as matrix

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Níveis de vitamina C e ferro para tilápia do nilo (Oreochromis niloticus)

Os efeitos de diferentes níveis de vitamina C e ferro no desempenho produtivo e parâmetros fisiológicos da tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) foram avaliados por um período de 73 dias. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado, com tratamentos dispostos em esquema fatorial com três níveis de vitamina C (125; 375 e 1115 mg/kg) e três níveis de ferro (30, 90 e 270 mg/kg), mais um tratamento adicional (0 mg/kg de suplementação de vitamina C e ferro), com quatro repetições cada tratamento, totalizando 10 grupos experimentais. Utilizaram-se 240 alevinos revertidos com peso médio inicial de 7,46 ± 0,49 g, distribuídos aleatoriamente em 40 aquários de 250 L, numa lotação de 6 peixes/aquário. Confeccionou-se dieta purificada com 32,0% de proteína bruta e 3300 kcal/kg de energia digestível. A ausência de vitamina C e ferro nas dietas propiciou o aparecimento de anemia microcítica e hipocrômica aos alevinos. A presença dessa vitamina em dosagens elevadas estimulou a liberação de eritrócitos imaturos na corrente sangüínea. Determinou-se, também, que níveis desses acima das exigências nutricionais descritas para a espécie não determinaram efeito detrimental no desempenho produtivo, na produção de proteínas plasmáticas ou nos aspectos morfológicos do fígado.

Inhibition of central angiotensin II-induced pressor responses by hydrogen peroxide

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of hydrogen charging on the stability of SAE 10B22 steel surface in alkaline solutions

The influence of hydrogen charging into a quenched and tempered boron steel membrane electrode (SAE 10B22) was studied using borate buffer (pH 8.4) and NaOH solutions (pH 12.7), with or without the addition of 0.01 M EDTA. At the hydrogen input side, hydrogen charging influenced cyclic voltammograms increasing the anodic charge of iron(II) hydroxide formation, and decreasing the donor density of passive films. These results suggest that the hydrogen ingress caused instability of metallic surface, increasing the surface area activity. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estudo da aplicação do processo foto-Fenton solar na degradação de efluentes de indústria de tintas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

THE ELECTROCHEMICAL OXIDATION OF (BENZYLIDENEACETONE)DICARBONYL(PHOSPHINE)IRON(0) AND (BENZYLIDENEACETONE)DICARBONYL(PHOSPHITE)IRON(0) COMPLEXES IN DIMETHYL FORMAMIDE

The electrochemical oxidation of (benzylideneacetone)dicarbonyl(phosphine)iron(0) and benzylideneacetone)dicarbonyl(phosphite)iron(0) complexes was studied by cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis in 0.5 M NaClO4 (dimethyl formamide). The results suggest that the electrode process involves a complicated mechanism, the species formed in the first oxidation step being highly unstable and its decomposition producing free benzylideneacetone, free phosphine or phosphite, solvated iron(II) species and carbon monoxide which adsorbs on the platinum electrode. A linear relationship between E(p/2)ox and the ligand parameter P(L) was obtained with E(s) = 0.41 V and beta = 0.964, where E(s) and beta-denote electron-richness and polarizability of the metal centre, respectively.

EFFECTS OF LIDOCAINE INJECTIONS INTO THE LATERAL PARABRACHIAL NUCLEUS ON DIPSOGENIC AND PRESSER RESPONSES TO CENTRAL ANGIOTENSIN-II IN RATS

This study investigated the effects of bilateral injections of the local anesthetic, lidocaine, into the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) on the dipsogenic and presser responses induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of angiotensin II (ANG II). Centrally injected ANG II (50 ng/l mu l) induced water intake (10.2 +/- 0.8 ml/h) and presser responses (22 +/- 1 mmHg). Prior bilateral injection of 10% lidocaine (200 nl) into the LPBN increased the water intake (14.2 +/- 1.4 ml/h), but did not change the presser response (17 +/- 1 mmHg) to i.c.v. ANG II. Lidocaine alone injected into the LPBN also induced a presser response (23 +/- 3 mmHg). These results showing that bilateral LPBN injection of lidocaine increase water intake induced by i.c.v. ANG II are consistent with electrolytic and neurotoxic lesion studies and suggest that the LPBN is associated with inhibitory mechanisms controlling water intake induced by ANG II. These results also provide evidence that it is feasible to reversibly anesthetize this brain area to facilitate fluid-related ingestive behavior.

Protective Effect of HLA-DRB1*11 and Predisposition of HLA-C*04 in the Development of Severe Liver Damage in Brazilian Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

The objective of this study was to investigate human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genes in patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to analyse the possible role of these genes in the progression of chronic hepatitis C. One hundred and forty-five (145) Brazilian patients infected only with HCV genotype 1 were evaluated. HLA class I (A*, B*, C*) and class II (DRB1*, DQA1*, DQB1*) typing were carried out by PCR-SSO, through Luminex technology. Associations were found with protection against development of liver damage by both DRB1*11 (5.0% versus 18.2%, P = 0.0016, OR = 0.23, CI 95% = 0.090.58; Pc=0.0208) and DRB1*11-DQA1*05-DQB1*03 haplotype (4.2% versus 15.3%, P = 0.0032; OR = 0.24, CI 95% = 0.08-0.64). Liver damage was associated with HLA-C*04 in patients with <20 years of infection (38.4% versus 9.1%, P = 0.002, OR = 6.25, CI 95% = 1.9719.7; Pc=0.0238). It is concluded that HLA alleles can influence the development of liver damage in HCV type-1 chronically infected Brazilian patients.

Synthesis and electrochemical behavior of single-crystal magnetite nanoparticles

Water-dispersed magnetite nanoparticle synthesis from iron(II) chloride in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-water solution at different DMSO-water ratios in alkaline medium was reported. TEM and XRD results suggest a single-crystal formation with mean particle size in the range 4-27 nm. Magnetic nanoparticles are formed by the oxidative hydrolysis reaction from green rust species that leads to FeOOH formation, followed by autocatalysis of the adsorbed available Fe(II) on the FeOOH surfaces. The available hydroxyl groups seem to be dependent on the DMSO-water ratio due to strong molecular interactions presented by the solvent mixture. Goethite phase on the magnetite surface was observed by XRD data only for sample synthesized in the absence of DMSO. In addition, cyclic voltammetry with carbon paste electroactive electrode (CV-CPEE) results reveal two reduction peaks near 0 and +400 mV associated with the presence of iron(III) in different chemical environments related to the surface composition of magnetite nanoparticles. The peak near +400 mV is related to a passivate thin layer surface such as goethite on the magnetite nanoparticle, assigned to the intensive hydrolysis reaction due to strong interactions between DMSO-water molecules in the initial solvent mixture that result in a hydroxyl group excess in the medium. Pure magnetite phase was only observed in the samples prepared at 30% (30W) and 80% (80W) water in DMSO in agreement with the structured molecular solvent cluster formation. The goethite phase present on the, magnetite nanoparticle surface like a thin passivate layer only was detectable using CV-CPEE, which is a very efficient, cheap, and powerful tool for surface characterization, and it is able to determine the passivate oxyhydroxide or oxide thin layer presence on the nanoparticle surface.

Four new metal complexes with the amino acid deoxyalliin

The solid complexes [Co(C6H10NO2S) 2], [Ni(C6H10NO2S)2], [Cu(C6H10NO2S)2] and [Fe(C 6H10NO2S)2] were obtained from the reaction of cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and iron(II) salts with the potassium salt of the amino acid deoxyalliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine). Electronic absorption spectra of the complexes are typical of octahedral structures. Infrared spectroscopy confirms the ligand coordination to the metal ions through (COO-) and (NH2) groups. EPR spectrum of the Cu(II) complex indicates a slight distortion of its octahedral symmetry. Mössbauer parameters permitted to identify the presence of iron(II) and iron(III) species in the same sample, both of octahedral geometry. Thermal decomposition of the complexes lead to the formation of CoO, NiO, CuO and Fe2O3 as final products. The compounds show poor solubility in water and in the common organic solvents. ©2005 Sociedade Brasileira de Química.

Optimization of a novel nitric oxide sensor using a latex rubber matrix

This study present a novel NO sensor made of a spin trap (iron(II)-diethyldithiocarbamate complex, FeDETC) incorporated in a latex rubber matrix and works as a trap for NO, which is detectable by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). We explored the optimization of our sensors changing systematically two fabrication parameters: the latex rubber matrix temperature of polymerization and FeDETC concentration inside the matrix. The sensor was prepared in four different temperatures: 4, 10, 20 and 40°C. The FeDETC concentration was also varied from 0.975 to 14.8 mM. We observed a variation of the EPR signals from the sensors prepared at different conditions. We found a high stability of the EPR response from our sensor, 40 days at RT. The best sensor was made with a latex rubber matrix polymerized at 10°C and with a FeDETC concentration of 14.8 mM. In vivo tests show good biocompatibility of our sensor. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.

Implementação de uma plataforma HW/SW para automação industrial, utilizando hardware reconfigurável com processador NIOS II em conformidade com o padrão IEEE 1451

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Calcium nitrate addition to control the internal load of phosphorus from sediments of a tropical eutrophic reservoir: Microcosm experiments

The main objective of this study was to perform laboratory experiments on calcium nitrate addition to sediments of a tropical eutrophic urban reservoir (Ibirite reservoir, SE Brazil) to immobilize the reactive soluble phosphorus (RSP) and to evaluate possible geochemical changes and toxic effects caused by this treatment. Reductions of 75 and 89% in the concentration of RSP were observed in the water column and interstitial water, respectively, after 145 days of nitrate addition. The nitrate application increased the rate of autotrophic denitrification, causing a consumption of 98% of the added nitrate and oxidation of 99% of the acid volatile sulfide. As a consequence, there were increases in the sulfate and iron (II) concentrations in the sediment interstitial water and water column, as well as changes in the copper speciation in the sediments. Toxicity tests initially indicated that the high concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in the sediment interstitial water (up to 2300 mg L-1 and 260 mg L-1, respectively) were the major cause of mortality of Ceriodaphnia silvestrii and Chironomus xanthus. However, at the end of the experiment, the sediment toxicity was completely removed and a reduction in the 48 h-EC50 of the water was also observed. Based on these results we can say that calcium nitrate treatment proved to be a valuable tool in remediation of eutrophic aquatic ecosystems leading to conditions that can support a great diversity of organisms after a restoration period. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.