BACKGROUND Recently, an increasing number of human and animal studies have reported that exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) induces neurological abnormalities and is also associated with adverse effects, such as tumor formation, immunosuppression, teratogenicity, and hormonal disorders. However, the exact mechanisms underlying BaP-induced impairment of neurological function remain unclear. The ai...

Coke-oven workers are occupationally exposed to a high concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). r-7,t-8,9,c-10-Tetrahydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene (trans-anti-BaP-tetraol) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) are urinary metabolites of benzo(a)pyrene and pyrene, respectively. In this study, we investigated the relationship among individual air exposure to benzene soluble fract...

The effects of varying doses of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA), benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and benzo(e)pyrene (BeP), on cell-mediated immune func tions of in vivo mitogen-activated splenic lymphocytes were measured. Inbred mice (C57, C3H, and DBA) were given injec tions i.p. with phytohemagglutinin to activate splenic lympho cytes and were subsequently treated, vi...

INTRODUCTION Balloon angioplasty (BAP) and aortic or pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty (BAV, BPV) are well-established treatment options in congenital heart defects. Recently, significant technological progress has been made and new catheters have been implemented in clinical practice. AIM To analyze the results of BAP, BAV and BPV with the new balloon catheter Valver and its second generation ...

Cell survival under severe thermal stress requires the activity of the ClpB (Hsp104) AAA+ chaperone that solubilizes and reactivates aggregated proteins in concert with the DnaK (Hsp70) chaperone system. How protein disaggregation is achieved and whether survival is solely dependent on ClpB-mediated elimination of aggregates or also on reactivation of aggregated proteins has been unclear. We en...

OBJECTIVES The extent and relevance of altered bone metabolism for statural growth in children with chronic kidney disease is controversial. We analyzed the impact of renal dysfunction and recombinant growth hormone therapy on a panel of serum markers of bone metabolism in a large pediatric chronic kidney disease cohort. METHODS Bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), tartrate-resistant acid phospha...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic compounds included in priority pollutant lists because of their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Several studies have shown that exposure to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a member of the PAHs increases the risk of cancer. This study investigated the effects of firewood smoking and oil frying on the BaP levels in Nile perch (Late...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in the oxidant/antioxidant status in obese children with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS We recruited 25 Caucasian obese children with MetS, 30 Caucasian children with simple obesity and a control group of 30 Caucasian children. We performed diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) test and biological ...

The dose dependency of the binding of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) with DNA of mouse epidermis was investigated. BaP-conjugated epidermal DNA was isolated and enzymatically degraded to deoxyribonucleosides. The BaP-DNA adducts were separated by Sephadex LH-20 column or high-performance liquid chromatography. Two major BaP-DNA adducts were found. One was in the region of the elution profile that contain...

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) constitutes the most common sustained arrhythmia and results in prolonged hospitalization. The purpose of this study was to assess simultaneous right and left atrial pacing as prophylaxis for postoperative atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS From July 2003 to May 2004, 120 patients without structural he...