Search results for " Biochemistry"
showing 10 items of 5648 documents
Early postoperative substitution procedure of the antioxidant ascorbic acid.
2005
Postoperatively reduced concentration of ascorbic acid (AA) in plasma (or =45.5 micromol/l (or =800 microg/dl)) is commonly interpreted as increased metabolic requirements, but it is not shown yet that the patient benefits from a substitution toward normal levels of AA. This is due to the missing knowledge on how to substitute AA effectively to normal plasma values in postoperative patients. Therefore, a postoperative AA substitution procedure "overnight" to normal values in plasma was investigated on a postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) in a university hospital.Fifty-seven operated patients were randomly assigned to a control- or intervention group (CG and IG, respectively). In all pa…
Janus-faced role of endothelial NO synthase in vascular disease: uncoupling of oxygen reduction from NO synthesis and its pharmacological reversal
2006
Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) is the predominant enzyme responsible for vascular NO synthesis. A functional eNOS transfers electrons from NADPH to its heme center, where L-arginine is oxidized to L-citrulline and NO. Common conditions predisposing to atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking, are associated with enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced amounts of bioactive NO in the vessel wall. NADPH oxidases represent major sources of ROS in cardiovascular pathophysiology. NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide avidly interacts with eNOS-derived NO to form peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)), which oxidizes the essential NOS cofactor…
Effect of a Diet Supplemented with alpha-Tocopherol and beta-Carotene on ATP and Antioxidant Levels after Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion.
2008
Ischemia-reperfusion injury associated with liver transplantation remains a serious complication in clinical practice. In the present study the effect of intake of alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene to limit liver injury by oxidative stress in ischemia and reperfusion was explored. Wistar rats were fed with diets enriched with alpha-tocopherol (20 mg/day) or beta-carotene (3 mg/day) for 21 days. After 21 days, their livers were subjected to 15 and 30 min of ischemia and afterwards were reperfused for 60 min. The recovery of levels of ATP during reperfusion was better in the group of rats whose diets were supplemented with alpha-tocopherol or beta-carotene than in the group control. The suppl…
Biochemical adaptations in middle-distance runners: an assessment of blood and anthropometric parameters
2014
In order to understand the mechanism underlying the physiological adaptation of purely aerobic workout, we investigated the effect of 2 months of training on nine males (17-22 year-old) middle distance running agonistic athletes. Blood sample was collected in the morning to analyze: hematological parameters, lipid profile, liver function enzymes [glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT)] and skeletal and myocardial markers of muscle damage [creatin kinase (CK) and creatin kinase MB (CK-MB)]. Endurance training, as it implies high oxygen consumption, should increase reactive oxygen species, but it has been shown that exercise lea…
Clinical and Molecular-Genetic Insights into the Role of Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Retinopathy: Antioxidant Strategies and Future Avenues
2020
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and ROS-signaling pathways activation attack the eyes. We evaluated the oxidative stress (OS) and the effects of a daily, core nutritional supplement regimen containing antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids (A/ω3) in type 2 diabetics (T2DM). A case-control study was carried out in 480 participants [287 T2DM patients with (+)/without (−) diabetic retinopathy (DR) and 193 healthy controls (CG)], randomly assigned to a daily pill of A/ω3. Periodic evaluation through 38 months allowed to outline patient characteristics, DR features, and classic/OS blood parameters. Statistics were performed by the SPSS 24.0 program. Diabetics displayed significantly h…
High-Sensitivity Procalcitonin (hs-PCT): A Marker for Identification of Arteriosclerosis and Myocardial Infarction?
2008
Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a protein hormone induced by bacterial inflammation that serves as a marker of sepsis. C-reactive protein (CRP) is also known to be a marker of inflammation and, in low concentrations, a prognostic marker for latent or early arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is considered as an inflammatory process that begins in the wall of an artery. In addition to CRP, the concentration of other markers of inflammation increases in the presence of arteriosclerosis. Methods: To determine if PCT is among these markers, the serum concentration of PCT was quantified in blood samples from healthy individuals (n = 410) and at admission in 774 patients, 92 with peripheral art…
AB0563 AORTIC ROOT DILATION IN ASSOCIATED WITH THE REDUCTION OF CAPILLARY DENSITY OBSERVED AT NAILFOLD CAPILLAROSCOPY IN SSC PATIENTS
2020
Background:Systemic sclerosis (SSc) in a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction and diffuse microangiopathy, leading to tissue ischemia and inducing fibrosis of skin and visceral organs. Furthermore, it was demonstrated the impairment of wall elasticity of large-medium vessels, such as aorta and its branches (1). SSc-related microangiopathy of vasa vasorum of the aortic wall could also be supposed. However no data on this hypothesis are available in literature.SSc microangiopathy may be easily studied at the nailfold by means of videocapillaroscopy. Indeed, capillaroscopic findings are representative of the microvascular damage caused by SSc troughout the body.O…
Embryo effects in human implantation: embryonic regulation of endometrial molecules in human implantation.
2001
: Embryonic implantation requires coordinated development of the blastocyst and the maternal endometrium. Considerable advances have been made in the understanding of the cell biology of human embryo and maternal endometrium as separate entities. Nevertheless, communication between them and their reciprocal effects on each other constitute an exciting and as-yet unsolved problem in reproductive medicine. Cross-talk among the embryo, endometrium, and the corpus luteum are known to occur in ruminants and primates; more specifically, endometrial-embryonic interactions have been reported in rodents and primates. Here, we present updated information in humans on the embryonic regulation of endom…
Rehabilitation and Improvement of the Postural Function
2015
Posture refers to the position of different body segments at a given time which can be modified through joint mobilization and the action of the neuromuscular system. Maintaining balance during bipedal quiet stance requires complex mechanisms from the postural control system in order to keep the vertical projection of the centre of mass (COM) within the base of support [1]. To achieve this aim, the centre of pressure (COP) plays a crucial role to compensate for any deviations of the COM, which can generate imbalance if they move beyond the limits of the base of support. The ability to control the COM depends on internal body representation in space. Internal representation is acquired by me…
Non-glycemic effects of pioglitazone and incretin-based therapies.
2013
Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events are highly prevalent and represent the major cause of mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, there is significant interest in the non-glycemic properties of anti-diabetic agents, particularly on those that are effective on cardiovascular risk factors. Thiazolidinediones and incretin-based therapies (IBTs) represent some of the most recent treatment options approved for the management of type 2 diabetes; these agents have shown important glycemic effects, as well as a number of non-glycemic effects. The latter include those on body weight, inflammation, hypertension and dyslipidemia, thus impacting the different components of the meta…