It is well known that with the effect of hormonal changes during pregnancy, plasma lipid levels increase. Expected elevations for triglyceride and cholesterol levels during a normal gestational period usually do not exceed 332 mg/dL and 337 mg/dL, respectively (corresponding 95th percentile values). However, elevations over the 95th percentile values can be observed during pregnancy, and patients with levels over these expected adaptation levels can be divided into 2 groups: (1) supraphysiologic hyperlipoproteinemia during pregnancy and (2) extreme hyperlipoproteinemia limited to gestational period (triglyceride level >1000 mg/dL). Regarding the first group, some of these patients may develop hyperlipoproteinemia in their future life. What percentage of these women will translate into hyperlipoproteinemia later in life and how efficiently these women can be screened during pregnancy is an enigma. The underlying disorders in the second group of patients at least include dysbetalipoproteinemia, partial lipoprotein lipase deficiency, and apoprotein E3/3 genotype. Pregnancy had been reported to induce severe hyperlipoproteinemia that is limited to gestational period in these disorders. Dysbetalipoproteinemia, partial lipoprotein lipase deficiency, and apoprotein E3/3 genotype probably bring risks and implications to the future life of the carrying individuals although the true extent of the risks is yet to be defined. When disorders unique to gestational period such as gestational diabetes are considered, pregnancy may be accepted as an opportunity to identify women under risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

The present study was carried out to investigate the modulating effects of thyme and its major components against the oxidative DNA damage induced by H(2)O(2). The human lymphocytes with thymol, carvacrol, and gamma-terpinene incubated with or without 0.1 mM H(2)O(2) for 30 min at 37 degrees C and the DNA damage were evaluated by singe cell gel electropheresis (comet assay). Concentrations above 0.1 mM thymol and gamma-terpinene and 0.05 mM carvacrol significantly induced DNA damage in human lymphocytes, but at the smaller concentrations no additional DNA strand breakage has been observed. At the all concentrations studied, gamma-terpinene did not show any protective effect against H(2)O(2) induced oxidative DNA damage, but the phenolic compounds thymol and carvacrol at concentrations below 0.2 and 0.1 mM, respectively, significantly reduced the oxidative DNA damage (p < 0.001). The n-hexane and ethyl acetate fractions prepared from the methanolic extracts of Thymus spicata also were found to inhibit DNA damage.

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This review is limited by the small number and retrospective nature of the available studies. With these limitations in mind, CT and MRI seem to be highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of appendicitis in pregnancy and their use should be considered when the results of ultrasonography are normal or inconclusive and appendicitis is suspected.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of Pycnogenol® (Pyc), a complex plant extract from the bark of French maritime pine, on oxidative stress parameters (superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and total glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels), an inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) level) and also DNA damage in Wistar albino rats. Rats were treated with 100 mg/kg intraperitonally Pyc following the induction of sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture. The decreases in MDA levels and increases in GSH levels, and SOD and GPx activities were observed in the livers and kidneys of Pyc-treated septic rats. Plasma TNF-α level was found to be decreased in the Pyc-treated septic rats. In the lymphocytes, kidney, and liver tissue cells of the sepsis-induced rats, Pyc treatment significantly decreased the DNA damage and oxidative base damage using standard alkaline assay and formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase-modified comet assay, respectively. In conclusion, Pyc treatment might have a role in the prevention of sepsis-induced oxidative damage not only by decreasing DNA damage but also increasing the antioxidant status and DNA repair capacity in rats.

The flavonoids silymarin, myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, and kaempferol-3-rutinoside have been examined in combination with the food mutagens 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido (4,3-b)indole (Trp) and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo-4,5-f)quinoline (IQ) in the Comet assay in human lymphocytes from donors A and B and human sperm from donor B. These compounds alone have been shown to produce positive responses in the Comet assay, as have the food mutagens. However, in combination with the food mutagens, the flavonoids produced antigenotoxic effects since DNA damage was reduced in the Comet assay in human lymphocytes and sperm over a similar dose range in the absence of metabolic activation. Only quercetin and kaempferol were examined in blood with metabolic activation, but there was no difference in response to that obtained without activation. In the blood there was an exacerbation or synergy of response at the lowest doses of the flavonoids. In the sperm this was also the case with silymarin and myricetin. With kaempferol there was no antigenotoxic effect and quercetin protected below baseline levels. Since the effects were observed in lymphocytes and sperm over a similar dose range, it would suggest that the Comet assay responses occur in somatic and germ cells in a one-to-one ratio. These results have implications for man in terms of risk assessment and in the modulation of isolated food constituents.