The gender differences in health effects of environmental cadmium exposure and potential mechanisms.

On a viewpoint of gender differences in Cd body burden and its health effects, we reviewed the population-based research including our own which conducted in Japan, Thailand, Australia, Poland, Belgium and Sweden to assess health effects of human exposure to environmental cadmium and their potential mechanisms. As a result, six risk factors in Cd health effects in women have been identified; (1) more serious type of renal tubular dysfunction, (2) difference in calcium metabolism and its regulatory hormones, (3) kidney sensitivity; difference in P450 phenotype, (4) pregnancy, (5) body iron store status, and (6) genetic factors. Further studies of Cd toxicity targeted to women would now appear necessary.

Immunologic aspects of leprosy with reference to extravascular immunoglobulins: their excretion profile in urine.

An aliquot of 24-hour urine collected from leprosy patients was concentrated and examined for the presence of albumin, transferrin, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, D3, kappa and lambda light chains by the gel diffusion technic using respective monospecific antisera. Urinary protein excretion profile in lepromatous leprosy patients showed that while excretion of transferrin in the urine was negligible; that of IgG molecules, a substance of higher molecular weight, was significant. It is suggested that the immunoglobulins excreted in the urine may not be plasma-derived, but extravascular in origin. They are probably synthesized in the urinary tract. In the present study, out of 25 leprosy patients, 2 female patients having severe lepra reactions developed urinary tract infections. E. coli and Klebsiella were isolated from their urine. The urinary IgG levels in those two cases were found to be the highest in the series.

[Determination of urinary total proteins and some protein fractions]. / Il dosaggio delle proteine totali e di alcune frazioni proteiche urinarie

In unconcentrated specimens measurements have been made of total proteins, by DOETSCH gel-filtration method, and of albumin, transferrin and of alpha-2-macroglobulin, by LAURELL electroimmunodiffusion technique. The results confirm that the gel-filtration method provides specific, reliable measurement of proteins in amount as little as 50 mg/1. The proteinuria of 21 samples of urine has been determined by the DOETSCH method and by the biuret method after protein precipitation by perchloric, trichloracetic and phosphotungstic acid. Only the use of phosphotungstic acid as precipitant provides a good correlation of results between the biuret method and the direct gel-filtration-biuret method. LAURELL electroimmunodiffusion technique was improved to allow the determination of 5 mg/1 of albumin, and transferrin, and of 1 mg/1 of alpha-2-macroglobulin. The AA. emphasize the advantages of using sensitive methods which do not require the preliminary concentration of the sample, for the analysis of urinary proteins.

Placental antigens and fetoproteins in the urine of rats - indicators of resorption of conceptuses.

Placenta-specific antigens and alpha-fetoprotein were detected in the urine of rats with induced abnormal pregnancies. Moreover, in those cases, in which the presumptive diagnosis of intrauterine fetal death or resorption was made, urinary excretion of placental antigens persisted for at least 5 days.