The Relationship between Serum Total Bilirubin and Severity of Hypoxic Injury in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Bilirubin has been found to be a natural antioxidant protecting the body from oxidative stress. This study aims to investigate the severity of neonatal hypoxic injury on bilirubin levels to clarify the physiological role of bilirubin. STUDY DESIGN: Using lactate as a biomarker for the severity of hypoxic injury, we retrospectively analyzed the association of admission lactate levels on serum total bilirubin (TB) levels following birth in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). We created a univariate linear regression model to predict TB using the admission lactate level as a predictor. We also performed a multivariate linear regression analysis to predict TB with admission lactate levels that included phenobarbital cumulative dosage, admission hematocrit, and subgaleal hemorrhage as predictor variables. RESULTS: A total of 86 patients were studied. Admission lactate levels had a significant negative effect on TB from admission to 3 days of life. The standardized regression coefficient for admission lactate on TB was -0.37 (admission), -0.42 (day 1), -0.32 (day 2), and -0.28 (day 3). A similar negative effect of admission lactate on TB levels was also observed in the multivariate linear regression model even after controlling for the other variables. CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that bilirubin functions as an antioxidant in vivo, and is consumed by scavenging free radicals in proportion to the severity of hypoxic injury. KEY POINTS: · Lactate levels have a negative effect on serum TB levels in patients with neonatal HIE.. · Bilirubin might work as a natural antioxidant to protect the body from oxidative stress.. · Serum TB might be a marker for the severity of hypoxic injury..

Calcium molybdate nanoparticles formation in egg phosphatidyl choline based liposome caused by liposome fusion.

In order to achieve the highly efficient 99mTc production from 100MoO3 by the 100Mo(n, 2n)99Mo reaction, we have developed a new protocol to synthesize nano-sized Mo particles, of which the size was controlled by the inner space of the liposomes. Calcium and molybdate ions were encapsulated into ∼100 nm size liposomes. The liposome suspensions were then mixed and heated to promote the membrane fusion. As a result, the insoluble CaMoO4 nanoparticles precipitated inside the liposomes. The median particle diameter of 168 nm and average diameter of 169 ±â€¯56 nm (n = 109) were obtained from an SEM image, and the particles have a powellite-structure. The formation process of the particles was then examined. The formation of nano-sized CaMoO4 was observed by the high resolution TEM image and TEM image of negative-stained liposome. At the room temperature, the fusion of liposome did not occur significantly. These results suggest that nanocrystals of the CaMoO4 were likely formed in the liposomes because of the liposome fusion and aggregated during the drying processes of reaction solution.