Brain oxidative stress in rat with chronic iron or copper overload.

Male rats of 80-90 g that were fed 42 days with a commercial rodent diet of 2780 kcal/100 g and received chronic overloads of either Fe(II) or Cu(II) in the drinking water. The two metals produced brain oxidative stress and damage with marked increases in the indicators of oxidative processes: in vivo brain surface chemiluminescence (the sensitive organ non-invasive assay for oxidative free radical reactions), and the ex vivo processes of phospholipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Brain redox imbalance was also indicated by marked decreases in the cellular indicators of oxidative metabolic stress: reduced glutathione (GSH) content and reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG). Brain decreased GSH content has a central role in the biochemical oxidative processes associated with Fe and Cu chronic damage. The understanding of biochemical oxidative imbalances in the rat brain with chronic Fe(II) or Cu(II) overloads may be useful for the establishment of pharmacological therapies for human pathologies associated to Fe and Cu cellular imbalances.

Redox dyshomeostasis in the experimental chronic hepatic overloads with iron or copper.

Male rats of 80-90 g were overloaded with either Fe(II) or Cu(II) for 42 days by high concentrations of FeCl2 or CuSO4 in the drinking water. The animals were fed with a commercial rodent diet of 2780 kcal/100 g. Both metal treatments led to a liver redox imbalance and dyshomeostasis with oxidative stress and damage and the concomitant enhancement of oxidative processes as indicated by in vivo surface liver chemiluminescence, the sensitive and organ non-invasive assay for oxidative free radical reactions, and by ex vivo determined processes of phospholipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. In parallel, marked decreases in the antioxidant defense were observed. Liver reduced glutathione (GSH) content and the reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) were early indicators of oxidative metabolic disturbance upon the metal overloads. Thus, GSH plays a central role in the defense reactions involved in the chronic toxicity of Fe and Cu. Chronic overloads of Fe or Cu in rats afford an experimental animal model of hemochromatosis and of Wilson's disease, respectively. These two animal models could be useful in the study and development of the beneficial effects of pharmacological interventions in the two human diseases.

Stabilized-solubilized ferric pyrophosphate as a new iron source for food fortification. Bioavailability studies by means of the prophylactic-preventive method in rats.

The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the iron bioavailability of a new ferric pyrophosphate salt stabilized and solubilized with glycine. The prophylactic-preventive test in rats, using ferrous sulfate as the reference standard, was applied as the evaluating methodology both using water and yogurt as vehicles. Fifty female Sprague-Dawley rats weaned were randomized into five different groups (group 1: FeSO(4); group 2: pyr; group 3: FeSO(4) + yogurt; group 4: pyr + yogurt and group 5: control). The iron bioavailability (BioFe) of each compound was calculated using the formula proposed by Dutra-de-Oliveira et al. where BioFe % = (HbFef - HbFei) x 100/ToFeIn. Finally, the iron bioavailability results of each iron source were also given as relative biological value (RBV) using ferrous sulfate as the reference standard. The results showed that both BioFe % and RBV % of the new iron source tested is similar to that of the reference standard independently of the vehicle employed for the fortification procedure (FeSO(4) 49.46 +/- 12.0% and 100%; Pyr 52.66 +/- 15.02% and 106%; FeSO(4) + yogurth 54.39 +/- 13.92% and 110%; Pyr + yogurt 61.97 +/- 13.54% and 125%; Control 25.30 +/- 6.60, p < 0.05). Therefore, the stabilized and soluble ferric pyrophosphate may be considered as an optimal iron source for food fortification.

Dietary zinc effects on zinc, calcium, and magnesium content in bones of growing rats.

The aim of the present study was to assess dietary zinc effects on femur weight and mineral content in growing rats. For this purpose, 70 weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Each group was subject to a diet containing 2 (BZ), 5 (DZ), 10 (MZ), and 30 (CZ) ppm zinc. The calcium and magnesium content in all diets was 5 g/kg and 507 mg/kg, respectively. The animals were kept on this regime for 28 d and then sacrificed and their femurs were removed for analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The weights of the BZ and DZ groups were significantly different from the MZ and CZ groups (38.5+/-10.5, 89.9+/-13.7, 118.6+/-13.6, and 134+/-19.9 g, p<0.01) respectively. There were no differences between the MZ and CZ groups. Femur weight also varied with dietary zinc, as it was significantly different among all groups (BZ, 265+/-49 mg; DZ, 380+/-40 mg; MZ, 452+/-54 mg; CZ, 735+/-66 mg; p<0.01). The femur zinc content varied with diets, following a different pattern than the above parameters. Femur zinc from the BZ group (51.5+/-5.4 ppm) was significantly different from the MZ and CZ groups (115.9+/-14.2 and 175.0+/-13.5 ppm, respectively), whereas the DZ group (62.5+/-11.3 ppm) did not differ from the other three groups. The femur content of calcium (BZ, 83.2+/-9.8 mg/g; DZ, 88.0+/-9.2 mg/g; MZ, 90.2+/-13.6 mg/g; CZ, 83.1+/-14.7 mg/g) and magnesium (BZ, 1.82+/-0.13 mg/g; DZ, 1.98+/-0.09 mg/g; MZ, 1.93+/-14 mg/g; CZ, 1.83+/-0.19 mg/g) were not significantly different among the groups, nor was the calcium-magnesium ratio. These results suggest that although dietary zinc deficiency retards growth and causes bone fragility, bone deposition of calcium and magnesium and its ratio are not affected.

Iron bioavailability from fortified petit suisse cheese determined by the prophylactic-preventive method.

In this research, we measured the iron bioavailability of ferrous gluconate stabilized with glycine (SFG) when it is used to fortify petit suisse cheese using the prophylactic-preventive method in rats. Three groups of male, weaned rats received a basal diet (control diet; 5.2 ppm Fe), a reference standard diet (SO4Fe; 9.2 ppm Fe), and a basal diet using iron-fortified petit suisse cheese as the iron source (cheese diet; 8.8 ppm Fe) for 22 d. The iron bioavailability was calculated as the ratio between the mass of iron incorporated into hemoglobin and the total iron intake per animal during the treatment. These values (BioFe) were 68% and 72% for SFG and ferrous sulfate, respectively. The value of the Relative Biological Value (RBV) was 95% for SFG in petit suisse cheese. These results show that according to this method, the iron bioavailability from industrial fortified petit suisse cheese can be considered as a high bioavailability rate.

Oxidative study of patients with total body irradiation: effects of amifostine treatment.

In patients undergoing bone marrow transplant (BMT), reactive oxygen species (ROS) are released as a consequence of the events related to the preparative regimen. Total body irradiation (TBI), which is known to generate ROS, is a routine preconditioning procedure prior to BMT. Several studies have demonstrated that amifostine protects normal tissues. In the present report, we investigated the oxidative state of plasma and erythrocytes in 21 patients with hematological malignancies undergoing TBI. The dose fraction was 160 cGy, twice daily (eight sessions). For ROS detection, we used electron spin resonance spectroscopy and spin-trapping technique. In all, 15 patients received amifostine prior to the irradiation and six did not. No free radical signal was detected in the plasma samples spectrum of 15 amifostine-treated patients, and five of six samples of nontreated patients showed ROS signal. Only two of 15 treated patients had mucositis degree higher than 2, whereas five of six nontreated patients suffered this complication. The average hospitalization days in treated and nontreated patients were 23.5 and 29.7, respectively. This work represents an original observation; we found by direct measurements of free radicals that ROS are released during TBI, and confirmed the amifostine radical scavenger activity.

[Development of an energy food for athletes]. / Desarrollo de un alimento energético para deportistas.

The energetic requirements of sportsmen fluctuates between 3500 and 8000 Kcal/day. In order to fill these needs it is necessary to have new alternative products which provide the extra required energy. For this purpose a confectionary was designed and elaborated consisting of five different bars, made of natural raw materials (dehydrated fruits, milk, eggs, nuts, fat), which supply an important quantity of fats and carbohtdrates, minerals, and vitamins. The confectioned bars were: papaya, hazelnut, almond, apple and orange. These bars are supposed to be eaten between meals as a complement of the nutrients of the usual diet. The production process is an adaptation of the traditional confectionary techniques and was improved for the 5 bars. The production process of the coating sheet (oblate) was also studied. The controls showed that all the bars had a good microbiological quality and an excellent sensory quality. The humidity fluctuated between 6.85 and 13.66%., with an aw of 0.795. The caloric distribution per cent was 8:40:52. The energetic supply was 520 Kcal/100g; so, the ingest of two displays covers between 25-30% of recommended intake for the most frequently practiced sports. The shelf life studies of the product stored in ambiental conditions (20-25 degrees C and 55-60% RH) showed that the product without additives maintained its good quality up to 60 days. The product plus preservative as well as plus antioxidant stays without quality modifications up to at least 120 days, neither rancid odor no rancid flavor was detected. So, we conclude that it is nor necessary to add any antioxidant. The double sheet polypropilene package film showed very good characteristics in protecting the quality of the product.

Fundamentos cientificos y tecnicos de un corazon electromecanico intratoracico con fuente de energia portatil. / Scientific and technical fundamentals of an intrathoracic electromechanical heart with portable battery. First application in the human being

Los autores presentan el desarrollo teorico y fundamentos de un corazon artificial electromecanico intratoracico con fuente de energia portable. Durante la exposicion del film se explico la tecnica del reemplazo total del corazon en el ser humano, previa exeresis del mismo y tambien parcialmente las conclusiones a que se habia arribado despues de la experiencia en perros, cerdos y terneros acerca de la interfase sangre-protesis y equilibrio hemodinamico y fatigabilidad y seguridad de la fuente portable. Se hizo tambien mencion a las circunstancias que condicionaron la aplicacion de este corazon artificial por primera vez en el ser humano

Fundamentos cientificos y tecnicos de un corazon electromecanico intratoracico con fuente de energia portatil. / Scientific and technical fundamentals of an intrathoracic electromechanical heart with portable battery. First application in the human being

Los autores presentan el desarrollo teorico y fundamentos de un corazon artificial electromecanico intratoracico con fuente de energia portable. Durante la exposicion del film se explico la tecnica del reemplazo total del corazon en el ser humano, previa exeresis del mismo y tambien parcialmente las conclusiones a que se habia arribado despues de la experiencia en perros, cerdos y terneros acerca de la interfase sangre-protesis y equilibrio hemodinamico y fatigabilidad y seguridad de la fuente portable. Se hizo tambien mencion a las circunstancias que condicionaron la aplicacion de este corazon artificial por primera vez en el ser humano