Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant passages that answer the question.
Query: cesium
The release of radioactivity into the atmosphere from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant started on March 12th, 2011. Among the various radionuclides released, iodine -131 ((131)I) and cesium isotopes ((137)Cs and (134)Cs) were transported across the Pacific Ocean and reached the United States on 17-18 March 2011. Consequently, an elevated level of fission products (131)I, (132)I, (132)Te, (134)Cs and (137)Cs were detected in air, water, and milk samples collected across the United States between March 17 and April 4, 2011. The continuous monitoring of activities over a period of 25 days and spatial variations across more than 100 sampling locations in the United States made it possible to characterize the contaminated air masses. For the entire period, the highest detected activity values ranged from less than 1 m Bq m(-3) to 31 m Bq m(-3) for the particulate (131)I, and up to 96 m Bq m(-3) for the gaseous (131)I fraction.
A streptomycete was isolated from an Easter Island soil sample and found to inhibit Candida albicans, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton granulosum. The antibiotic-producing microorganism was characterized and identified as Streptomyces hygroscopicus. The antifungal principle was extracted with organic solvent from the mycelium, isolated in crystalline form and named rapamycin. Rapamycin is mainly active against Candida albicans; minimum inhibitory concentration against ten strains ranged from 0.02 to 0.2 mug/ml. Its apparent activity against Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton granulosum is lower because of its instability in culture media on prolonged incubation required by these fungi. No activity was observed against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Acute toxicity in mice is low.
Using the infrastructure of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), numerous measurements of radionuclide wet deposition over North America were made for 167 NADP sites before and after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station incident of March 12, 2011. For the period from March 8 through April 5, 2011, wet-only precipitation samples were collected by NADP and analyzed for fission-product isotopes within whole-water and filterable solid samples by the United States Geological Survey using gamma spectrometry. Variable amounts of (131)I, (134)Cs, or (137)Cs were measured at approximately 21% of sampled NADP sites distributed widely across the contiguous United States and Alaska. Calculated 1- to 2-week individual radionuclide deposition fluxes ranged from 0.47 to 5100 Becquerels per square meter during the sampling period. Wet deposition activity was small compared to measured activity already present in U.S. soil. NADP networks responded to this complex disaster, and provided scientifically valid measurements that are comparable and complementary to other networks in North America and Europe.
The acute and subacute toxicity of five biogenic amines-tyramine, spermidine, spermine, putrescine and cadaverine-were examined in Wistar rats. Tyramine and cadaverine had a low acute oral toxicity of more than 2000 mg/kg body weight. Putrescine had an acute oral toxicity of 2000 mg/kg body weight and spermidine and spermine each of 600 mg/kg body weight. All amines investigated caused a dose-related decrease in blood pressure after intravenous administration, except for tyramine, where an increase was found. In 6-wk studies the biogenic amines were administered in the diet to groups of 10 male and 10 female rats. Tyramine and cadaverine were given at levels of 0, 200, 2000 or 10,000 ppm, spermine and putrescine at levels of 0, 200, 2000 or 5000 ppm and spermidine at levels of 0, 20, 200 or 500/1000 ppm in the first study and at levels of 0 or 10,000 ppm in a second study. Spermine was the most toxic. The high dose level showed a great number of changes, such as emaciation, aggressiveness, convulsions and paralysis of the hind legs. Growth, food intake and water intake were considerably decreased. Slight anaemia (males) and changes in plasma clinical chemistry occurred. The relative weights of the thyroid, adrenals, spleen and heart were increased and that of the liver decreased. Impaired kidney function, together with renal histopathological changes and changes in plasma electrolytes and urea, occurred with spermine. Histopathological examinations also revealed decreased glycogen content in the liver, reduction of spermatogenesis, severe depletion of splenic white pulp, acute involution of the thymus and moderate myocardial degeneration in the heart. Myocardial degeneration was also seen in one mid-dose male. Adverse effects were also observed in the top dose groups of all other amines. Decreased body weights associated with diminished food intake were generally seen. Slight increases in packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and thrombocytes occurred with cadaverine. With spermidine, decreased plasma creatinine, calcium and inorganic phosphate were observed and decreased potassium levels with cadaverine. The no-observed-adverse-effect level was 2000 ppm (180 mg/kg body weight/day) for tyramine, cadaverine and putrescine, 1000 ppm (83 mg/kg body weight/day) for spermidine and 200 ppm (19 mg/kg body weight/day) for spermine.
Wild rice grain samples from various parts of the world have been found to have elevated concentrations of heavy metals, raising concern for potential effects on human health. It was hypothesized that wild rice from north-central Wisconsin could potentially have elevated concentrations of some heavy metals because of possible exposure to these elements from the atmosphere or from water and sediments. In addition, no studies of heavy metals in wild rice from Wisconsin had been performed, and a baseline study was needed for future comparisons. Wild rice plants were collected from four areas in Bayfield, Forest, Langlade, Oneida, Sawyer and Wood Counties in September, 1997 and 1998 and divided into four plant parts for elemental analyses: roots, stems, leaves and seeds. A total of 194 samples from 51 plants were analyzed across the localities, with an average of 49 samples per part depending on the element. Samples were cleaned of soil, wet digested, and analyzed by ICP for Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mg, Pb, Se and Zn. Roots contained the highest concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se. Copper was highest in both roots and seeds, while Zn was highest just in seeds. Magnesium was highest in leaves. Seed baseline ranges for the 10 elements were established using the 95% confidence intervals of the medians. Wild rice plants from northern Wisconsin had normal levels of the nutritional elements Cu, Mg and Zn in the seeds. Silver, Cd, Hg, Cr, and Se were very low in concentration or within normal limits for food plants. Arsenic and Pb, however, were elevated and could pose a problem for human health. The pathway for As, Hg and Pb to the plants could be atmospheric.
The determination of Al, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, P, Zn and Ca, K, Mg by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), respectively, in digests and infusions of Hibiscus sabdariffa (petals), Rosa canina (receptacles), Ginkgo biloba (leaves), Cymbopogon citratus (leaves), Aloe vera (leaves) and Panax ginseng (roots) was carried out in this study. Particular attention has been given to Al and heavy metals for the identification of possible raw material contaminants, their transformation into the infusion and for predicting their eventual role in the human diet during daily consumption. Additionally, Ion Chromatography (IC) speciation of Al in the leachates was carried out. In dry herbs, hibiscus and ginkgo appeared to contain the greatest contents of Al, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Zn and B, Mg, P, respectively. A. vera contained the highest amount of Ca and highest values of Cu and P were observed in ginseng. In infusions, the topmost concentrations of Al, B, Cu, Fe, P, K, Mn, Ni, Zn were detected in those prepared from hibiscus petals, Ca from aloe leaves and Mg from leaves of ginkgo. According to a possible daily consumption exceeding 1 L, hibiscus decoction was identified as potentially dietetically significant in the content of certain elements. It seems to be possibly one of the top contributors of B from food (up to 5.5±0.2 mg/L). The Mg contained in the infusion (up to 106±5 mg/L) may be a contributor in the attenuation of blood pressure. A high amount of accessible Mn (up to 17.4±1.1 mg/L) can probably have an adverse effect in humans. The total Al allowance (up to 1.2±0.1 mg/L) suggests that no more than 1 L of the hibiscus infusion should be consumed per day by sensitive individuals including pregnant women and should be completely excluded from the diet of children under 6 months of age and children with chronic renal failure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) terminated the use of ball clay from a mine in Mississippi as an additive in animal feed after discovering nanogram per gram concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD). The FDA collected chicken eggs and farm-raised catfish in affected areas and throughout the remaining continental United States to assess levels of 2,3,7,8-TCDD. A new method using quadrupole ion storage tandem-in-time mass spectrometry (QISTMS) measured the 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels in 42 catfish fillet composites, 3 Tilapia fillet composites, 46 chicken egg samples, and 6 chicken feeds. Six catfish composites and 20 egg samples had 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations significantly above 1.0 pg/g wet weight of fillet or whole egg. Farm-raised catfish not exposed to feed containing ball clay had a mean 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentration of 0.12 pg/g. The TCDD isomer pattern in ball clay differed from the TCDD isomer pattern in a fly ash sample and from the "chick edema factor" TCDD pattern in a sample of reference toxic fat used as a feed ingredient in the 1950s.
Ciguatera is a type of food poisoning associated with the consumption of contaminated marine fish. We report two cases in which painful ejaculation in an affected male and dyspareunia in an unaffected female following her partner's ejaculation suggest the sexual transfer of the responsible agent, ciguatoxin (CTX). Immunoassay of semen samples for CTX were not diagnostic, but the sensitivity and timing of the test employed may have precluded detection of small quantities of the toxin. We conclude that CTX may be present in the semen of men affected with ciguatera toxicity and be capable of producing symptomatology in both males and females during sexual intercourse.
Background Postmenopausal conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) therapies increase the risk of cognitive impairment in women aged 65 years or older and are associated with smaller regional brain volumes; however, the link between these two phenomena has not been established. Methods Standardized magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 1,403 women, 1–4 years after they had participated in randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials of CEE-based therapies. Women included in this report were aged 65–80 years and free of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) when originally enrolled in the trials, which lasted an average of 4–6 years and were conducted at 14 academic U.S. medical centers. The associations that regional brain volumes and ischemic lesion volumes had with the development of cognitive impairment (i.e., dementia or MCI) were contrasted between treatment groups using analyses of covariance. Results Fifty-three women developed MCI or probable dementia during follow-up. Among women who had been prescribed CEE-based therapies, cognitive impairment was associated with relatively smaller hippocampal (p = .0002) and total brain volumes (p = .03). Qualitatively, these associations appeared to be independent of their level of pretreatment cognitive function. Among women who had been prescribed placebo, these relationships were not evident; instead, cognitive impairment was associated with greater ischemic lesion volume in the frontal lobe (p = .007) and overall (p = .02). Conclusion A mechanism by which CEE-based postmenopausal hormone therapy induces cognitive impairment appears to be through increased brain atrophy.
We report a series of cases of thyroid dysfunction in adults associated with ingestion of a brand of soy milk manufactured with kombu (seaweed), and a case of hypothyroidism in a neonate whose mother had been drinking this milk. We also report two cases of neonatal hypothyroidism linked to maternal ingestion of seaweed made into soup. These products were found to contain high levels of iodine. Despite increasing awareness of iodine deficiency, the potential for iodine toxicity, particularly from sources such as seaweed, is less well recognised.
This study has measured the content of total and inorganic forms of arsenic in seaweed available on retail sale for consumption, to provide data for dietary exposure estimates and to support advice to consumers. A total of 31 samples covering five varieties of seaweed were collected from various retail outlets across London and the internet. All of the samples were purchased as dried product. For four of the five varieties, soaking was advised prior to consumption. The recommended method of preparation for each individual sample was followed, and total and inorganic arsenic were analysed both before and after preparation. The arsenic remaining in the water used for soaking was also measured. Arsenic was detected in all samples with total arsenic at concentrations ranging from 18 to 124 mg/kg. Inorganic arsenic, which can cause liver cancer, was only found in the nine samples of hijiki seaweed that were analysed, at concentrations in the range 67-96 mg/kg. Other types of seaweed were all found to contain less than 0.3mg/kg inorganic arsenic, which was the limit of detection for the method used. Since consumption of hijiki seaweed could significantly increase dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued advice to consumers to avoid eating it.
Polonium-210 ((210)Po) radioactive concentrations were determined in human semen fluid of vasectomized non-smoker volunteers. The (210)Po levels ranged from 0.10 to 0.39 mBq g(-1) (mean: 0.23 ± 0.08 mBq g(-1)). This value decreased to 0.10 ± 0.02 mBq g(-1) (range from 0.07 to 0.13 mBq g(-1)) after two weeks of a controlled diet, excluding fish and seafood. Then, volunteers ate during a single meal 200 g of the cooked mussel Perna perna L., and (210)Po levels were determined again, during ten days, in semen fluid samples collected every morning. Volunteers continued with the controlled diet and maintained sexual abstinence through the period of the experiment. A 300% increase of (210)Po level was observed the day following mussel consumption, with a later reduction, such that the level returned to near baseline by day 4. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Brains from 32 neonatal autopsies from the Seychelles were examined histologically and analyzed for mercury levels. Six brain regions were sampled: frontal and occipital cortex, temporal cortex with hippocampus, basal ganglia with thalamus, cerebellum, and pons with medulla. Tissue blocks for histology and mercury analysis were taken from opposing faces to provide for correlation of findings. Similar studies were performed on 12 reference neonatal brains from Rochester, New York. No clear-cut developmental abnormality was found, but some brains exhibited low-grade, non-specific destructive changes. Total mercury levels, most of it in the organic form, were elevated in many of the Seychelles specimens. No correlation was demonstrated between mercury levels and degree or type of histologic change. There was considerable variability in total mercury for each anatomic region among the 32 Seychelles cases, as well as from one region to another in individual brains. All values of total mercury were under 300 ppb. Statistical analysis of mean mercury levels for each region demonstrated higher values in deep subcortical nuclei, brain stem, and cerebellum, phylogenetically older parts of the brain. When total mercury concentration of each region was paired with all other areas in the same brain and the paired values plotted for the entire group of brains, high correlations were obtained for all brain pairs, suggesting a strong concentration-dependent relationship between mercury intake and brain content. Analysis of mercury levels in separately dissected blocks of grey and white matter from 12 specimens revealed no significant differences between grey and white. In comparison with other human developmental studies and with experimental developmental studies in animals, where toxicity has been demonstrated with total mercury brain levels above 1,000 ppb, this study found no evidence of toxicity within a range of mercury levels below 300 ppb. Submicroscopic changes, subcellular alterations, subtle disturbances in the unfolding of brain architectonics -- none of these are excluded with methods used in this report. Further studies of threshold effects of MeHg on fetal brain are essential. That approximately half of the mercury resides in glial elements in white matter reinforces the need to focus attention upon glia as well as neurons during development.
The Fukushima Dai-ichi release of radionuclides into ocean waters caused significant local and global concern regarding the spread of radioactive material. We report unequivocal evidence that Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis, transported Fukushima-derived radionuclides across the entire North Pacific Ocean. We measured γ-emitting radionuclides in California-caught tunas and found 134Cs (4.0 ± 1.4 Bq kg−1) and elevated 137Cs (6.3 ± 1.5 Bq kg−1) in 15 Pacific bluefin tuna sampled in August 2011. We found no 134Cs and background concentrations (∼1 Bq kg−1) of 137Cs in pre-Fukushima bluefin and post-Fukushima yellowfin tunas, ruling out elevated radiocesium uptake before 2011 or in California waters post-Fukushima. These findings indicate that Pacific bluefin tuna can rapidly transport radionuclides from a point source in Japan to distant ecoregions and demonstrate the importance of migratory animals as transport vectors of radionuclides. Other large, highly migratory marine animals make extensive use of waters around Japan, and these animals may also be transport vectors of Fukushima-derived radionuclides to distant regions of the North and South Pacific Oceans. These results reveal tools to trace migration origin (using the presence of 134Cs) and potentially migration timing (using 134Cs:137Cs ratios) in highly migratory marine species in the Pacific Ocean.
Previous analyses at the European scale have shown that cadmium and lead concentrations in mosses are primarily determined by the total deposition of these metals. Further analyses in the current study show that Spearman rank correlations between the concentration in mosses and the deposition modelled by the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) are country and metal-specific. Significant positive correlations were found for about two thirds or more of the participating countries in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005 (except for Cd in 1990). Correlations were often not significant and sometimes negative in countries where mosses were only sampled in a relatively small number of EMEP grids. Correlations frequently improved when only data for EMEP grids with at least three moss sampling sites per grid were included. It was concluded that spatial patterns and temporal trends agree reasonably well between lead and cadmium concentrations in mosses and modelled atmospheric deposition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
One hundred and fifty-nine ichtyosarcotoxic outbreaks, including 477 people, were recorded in the island of Réunion (SW Indian ocean) between 1986 and 1994. Ciguatera outbreaks represented 78.6% of the total cases and its annual incidence rate was estimated to be 0.78/10,000 residents. Symptoms caused by ciguatera poisoning are not different from those reported in Pacific and Caribbean islands, except for the additional symptoms of hallucinatory poisoning in 16% of the patients. Serranidae fish, including species of great commercial value, were the most commonly incriminated accounting for 50% of the outbreaks.
The artificial sweetener aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-methyl ester), is consumed, primarily in beverages, by a very large number of Americans, causing significant elevations in plasma and, probably, brain phenylalanine levels. Anecdotal reports suggest that some people suffer neurologic or behavioral reactions in association with aspartame consumption. Since phenylalanine can be neurotoxic and can affect the synthesis of inhibitory monoamine neurotransmitters, the phenylalanine in aspartame could conceiveably mediate neurologic effects. If mice are given aspartame in doses that elevate plasma phenylalanine levels more than those of tyrosine (which probably occurs after any aspartame dose in humans), the frequency of seizures following the administration of an epileptogenic drug, pentylenetetrazole, is enhanced. This effect is simulated by equimolar phenylalanine and blocked by concurrent administration of valine, which blocks phenylalanine's entry into the brain. Aspartame also potentiates the induction of seizures by inhaled fluorothyl or by electroconvulsive shock. Perhaps regulations concerning the sale of food additives should be modified to require the reporting of adverse reactions and the continuing conduct of mandated safety research.
BACKGROUND: On proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging ((1)H MRSI), there is a decrease in cerebellar N-acetylaspartate/total creatine (NAA/tCr) in essential tremor (ET), signifying cerebellar neuronal dysfunction or degeneration. Harmane, which is present in the human diet, is a potent tremor-producing neurotoxin. Blood harmane concentrations seem to be elevated in ET. OBJECTIVES: To assess in patients with ET whether blood harmane concentration is correlated with cerebellar NAA/tCR, a neuroimaging measure of neuronal dysfunction or degeneration. METHODS: Twelve patients with ET underwent (1)H MRSI. The major neuroanatomic structure of interest was the cerebellar cortex. Secondary regions were the central cerebellar white matter, cerebellar vermis, thalamus, and basal ganglia. Blood concentrations of harmane and another neurotoxin, lead, were also assessed. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD cerebellar NAA/tCR was 1.52 +/- 0.41. In a linear regression model that adjusted for age and gender, log blood harmane concentration was a predictor of cerebellar NAA/tCR (beta = -0.41, p = 0.009); every 1 g(-10)/mL unit increase in log blood harmane concentration was associated with a 0.41 unit decrease in cerebellar NAA/tCR. The association between blood harmane concentration and brain NAA/tCR only occurred in the cerebellar cortex; it was not observed in secondary brain regions of interest. Furthermore, the association was specific to harmane and not another neurotoxin, lead. CONCLUSION: This study provides additional support for the emerging link between harmane, a neurotoxin, and ET. Further studies are warranted to address whether cerebellar harmane concentrations are associated with cerebellar pathology in postmortem studies of the ET brain.
The accumulation of thallium (Tl) in brassicaceous crops is widely known, but both the uptake extents of Tl by the individual cultivars of green cabbage and the distribution of Tl in the tissues of green cabbage are not well understood. Five commonly available cultivars of green cabbage grown in the Tl-spiked pot-culture trials were studied for the uptake extent and subcellular distribution of Tl. The results showed that all the trial cultivars mainly concentrated Tl in the leaves (101∼192 mg/kg, DW) rather than in the roots or stems, with no significant differences among cultivars (p = 0.455). Tl accumulation in the leaves revealed obvious subcellular fractionation: cell cytosol and vacuole >> cell wall > cell organelles. The majority (∼ 88%) of leaf-Tl was found to be in the fraction of cytosol and vacuole, which also served as the major storage site for other major elements such as Ca and Mg. This specific subcellular fractionation of Tl appeared to enable green cabbage to avoid Tl damage to its vital organelles and to help green cabbage tolerate and detoxify Tl. This study demonstrated that all the five green cabbage cultivars show a good application potential in the phytoremediation of Tl-contaminated soils.
An analytical method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of serotonin, melatonin, trans- and cis-piceid, and trans- and cis-resveratrol using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) in both positive and negative ionization modes. HPLC optimal analytical separation was achieved using a mixture of acetonitrile and water with 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase in linear gradient elution. The mass spectrometry parameters were optimized for reliable quantification and the enhanced selectivity and sensitivity selected reaction monitoring mode (SRM) was applied. For extraction, the direct analysis of initial methanol extracts was compared with further ethyl acetate extraction. In order to demonstrate the applicability of this analytical method, serotonin, melatonin, trans- and cis-piceid, and trans- and cis-resveratrol from 24 kinds of commonly consumed fruits were quantified. The highest serotonin content was found in plantain, while orange bell peppers had the highest melatonin content. Grape samples possessed higher trans- and cis-piceid, and trans- and cis-resveratrol contents than the other fruits. The results indicate that the combination of HPLC-MS detection and simple sample preparation allows the rapid and accurate quantification of serotonin, melatonin, trans- and cis-piceid, and trans- and cis-resveratrol in fruits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Gel filtration chromatography, ultra-filtration, and solid-phase extraction silica gel clean-up were evaluated for their ability to remove microcystins selectively from extracts of cyanobacteria Spirulina samples after using the reversed-phase octadecylsilyl ODS cartridge for subsequent analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The reversed-phase ODS cartridge/silica gel combination were effective and the optimal wash and elution conditions were: H(2)O (wash), 20% methanol in water (wash), and 90% methanol in water (elution) for the reversed-phase ODS cartridge, followed by 80% methanol in water elution in the silica gel cartridge. The presence of microcystins in 36 kinds of cyanobacteria Spirulina health food samples obtained from various retail outlets in China were detected by LC-MS/MS, and 34 samples (94%) contained microcystins ranging from 2 to 163 ng g(-1) (mean = 14 +/- 27 ng g(-1)), which were significantly lower than microcystins present in blue green alga products previously reported. MC-RR - which contains two molecules of arginine (R) - (in 94.4% samples) was the predominant microcystin, followed by MC-LR - where L is leucine - (30.6%) and MC-YR - where Y is tyrose - (27.8%). The possible potential health risks from chronic exposure to microcystins from contaminated cyanobacteria Spirulina health food should not be ignored, even if the toxin concentrations were low. The method presented herein is proposed to detect microcystins present in commercial cyanobacteria Spirulina samples.
This is a review of the side-effects of cyclosporin A (CyA) in patients with severe psoriasis; renal dysfunction and hypertension are discussed elsewhere. In particular, paraesthesia, hypertrichosis, gingival hyperplasia and gastrointestinal disorders may occur, but are generally transient, mild-to-moderate in severity and only rarely require discontinuation of CyA. Infections are not a problem. As expected with an immunosuppressive drug, there is the possible risk of tumour development, particularly squamous cell carcinomas. However, these skin malignancies developed almost exclusively in patients previously treated with PUVA and/or methotrexate. The few lymphoproliferative disorders regressed spontaneously on discontinuation of the drug. Whether the isolated cases of solid tumours were CyA-related is not known. Apart from a raised serum creatinine, an important indicator of renal dysfunction, the laboratory abnormalities included hypomagnesaemia, hyperkalaemia, increased uric acid, changes in liver function tests, and fluctuations in the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Although most of these changes were not clinically relevant, laboratory monitoring of patients with psoriasis treated with CyA is essential.
There is significant interest in the use of mushrooms and/or mushroom extracts as dietary supplements based on theories that they enhance immune function and promote health. To some extent, select mushrooms have been shown to have stimulatory action on immune responsiveness, particularly when studied in vitro. However, despite their widespread use for potential health benefits, there is a surprising paucity of epidemiologic and experimental studies that address the biologic activities of mushrooms after oral administration to animals or humans. There have been a number of studies that have addressed the ability of mushrooms to modulate mononuclear cell activation and the phenotypic expression of cytokines and their cognate receptors. There have also been a number of attempts to determine antitumor activities of mushrooms. Such studies are important because many of the components of mushrooms do potentially have significant biologic activity. All data, however, should be tempered by the possibility that there are toxic levels of metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury as well as the presence of radioactive contamination with 137Cs. In this review, we will present the comparative biology with respect to both immunological and antitumor activities of mushroom extracts and also highlight the need for further evidence-based research.
ESC is to create an inventory of cardiovascular disease registries and a task force on data standardization
Ergothioneine is a native membrane-impermeable thiol compound that is specifically accumulated in cells via the organic cation transporter OCTN1. In humans, OCTN1 and ergothioneine have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. However, available evidence about dietary sources and the functional role of ergothioneine in human physiology is scarce. Here, we analyzed the ergothioneine content in common foods using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry. Additionally, we assessed the protective potency of ergothioneine against various oxidative stressors in OCTN1-expressing cells in comparison with the main intracellular thiol antioxidant glutathione by evaluating cell viability with the MTT reduction assay. Only some food contained ergothioneine with highest concentrations detected in specialty mushrooms, kidney, liver, black and red beans, and oat bran. Ergothioneine exhibited cell protection only against copper(II)-induced toxicity but was far less potent than glutathione, indicting that ergothioneine is not involved in the intracellular antioxidant thiol defense system.