ABSTRACT
Carbon nanoparticles are a promising material which finds application in different fields in industry and medicine. For medical applications, biocompatibility of nanoparticles is of critical importance because a lot of medical implants are coated by carbon coating. Our previous results showed that nanoparticles may induce increased production of ROS by the cells so we decided to checked if nanopowders can induce apoptosis. Apoptosis was quantified by double-staining with acridine orange and ethidium bromide. For comparison, we identified apoptotic cells with annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide. Our data demonstrate that treatment of the cells with diamond nanopowders may induce apoptosis and necrosis and this effect is dependent on the time of treatment and concentration of the nanopowders. The highest level of apoptotic cells was observed after incubation with Ultrananocrystalline Detonation Diamond (UDD) suggesting that the size is the main determinant of nanoparticle cytotoxicity.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis/drug effects , Diamond/adverse effects , Endothelial Cells/cytology , Endothelial Cells/drug effects , Nanoparticles/adverse effects , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Cell Line , Diamond/chemistry , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Humans , Materials TestingABSTRACT
Magnesium deficiency has been suggested to be related to the mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS). The aim of the present study was to analyse the concentration of magnesium in blood plasma of patients (pts) with MVPS. In the group of 80 subjects, including 50 pts with MVPS and 30 healthy people matched for age and gender, who comprised the control group (CG), concentration of magnesium in blood plasma was estimated. Magnesium levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean concentration of magnesium cation in plasma in pts with MVPS was 0.74 +/- 0.12 mmol/l (range 0.47-1.02 mmol/l). It was only 1.02% lower than in the CG (x = 0.76 +/- 0.07 mmol/l; range 0.67-0.97 mmol/l). However evaluation of the magnesium concentration in blood plasma did not prove magnesium deficiency in the mitral valve prolapse syndrome. Moreover the study revealed that histograms of magnesium concentration values in both investigated groups were divergent.
Subject(s)
Magnesium/blood , Mitral Valve Prolapse/blood , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Concentration of magnesium in hair was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 3 groups of persons aged 48 to 79. All the participants of the study lived at least 10 years and none of them worked in industry or commerce. Their work place was in the distance less than 10 kilometers from their dwellings. The first group comprised inhabitants of the protective zone surrounding the Steel-Mill Huta im. Sendzimira, southern Poland, regarded as one of the biggest source of air, water and soil pollution. The second group constituted inhabitants of down-town Kraków (some 15 km from the steel-mill). The third group were the inhabitants of Tokarnia village with favourable microclimate. Though the concentration of magnesium in hair was similar to the one reported by other authors, it was shown that the concentration of this cation in hair was the smallest in the inhabitants of down-town Kraków and the highest in Tokarnia. The differences were statistically significant. It is postulated that magnesium hair concentration may be an easier, cheaper and less invasive indicator of body magnesium depletion.
Subject(s)
Environmental Monitoring/methods , Hair/chemistry , Magnesium/analysis , Metallurgy , Aged , Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Air Pollutants/analysis , Analysis of Variance , Female , Humans , Magnesium/adverse effects , Magnesium Deficiency/etiology , Male , Middle Aged , Poland , Spectrophotometry, Atomic , SteelABSTRACT
Effect of intravenously administered recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu EPO) on haemoglobin (Hb) level, haematocrit (Ht), reticulocyte count and foetal haemoglobin (HbF) concentration was assessed in 10 patients with anaemia, treated by repeated haemodialysis due to end-stage kidney. As compared to the initial values, erythropoietin treatment brought about a significant increase in all the parameters examined. During the subsequent therapy with lower, supporting doses of erythropoietin, the elevated HbF values fell back to normal, whereas the higher level of total Hb and Ht were maintained.
