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Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is a hydrosoluble vitamin derived from glucose metabolism. It acts as a reductor agent required for synthesis of collagen fibers through hydroxylation of proline and lysine. It also protects the body against damage caused by the free radicals. Humans cannot synthesize ascorbic acid as they lack an enzyme called gulonolactone oxidase. Concentrations in plasma and leukocytes reflect the levels of the diet and body deposits respectively of this vitamin. Among foods with high vitamin C levels are tomatoes, potatoes, and citrus fruits such as limes, oranges and lemons. The current recommendation of daily intake of vitamin C is 90 mg/d for men and 75 mg/d for women. Patients with chronic diseases such as cancer or diabetes or those who smoke need higher doses in their usual diet. Ascorbic acid deficiency gives rise to the appearance of scurvy. This disease is rarely seen in developed countries. The symptoms develop with plasma levels below 0.15 mg/dL. Scurvy is characterized by the presence of weakness, joint pain or skin lesions in form of petechias, gum bleeding, ease of developing bruises or delay in wound healing. The most characteristic skin manifestations are purpuric perifollicular hyperkeratotic papules and the presence of kinky hair.

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Repeated seizures, whether induced by kindling or electroshock, result in increased numbers of benzodiazepine receptors in hippocampal formation membranes. We sought to determine the cellular constituents containing the receptor increases. Binding studies of microdissected samples localized, the receptor increases to fascia dentata. [3H]Flunitrazepam autoradiographic studies showed increases of silver grain density over the granule cell and molecular layers of fascia dentata but not in other regions of hippocampal formation. Destruction of granule cells by colchicine or neonatal x-irradiation was associated with marked decrease of benzodiazepine receptor binding. Together, these results provide evidence for localization of the receptor increases to the somata and dendritic tree of the granule cells. We suggest that this cellular localization may provide a clue to the network ofaltered neural circuitry underlying amygdala kindling.The benzodiazepines are effective anticonvulsants in both animals and man (1, 2). Recent investigations have identified binding sites in brain membranes that likely represent the receptors mediating the pharmacologic action ofthese drugs (3). We previously showed that repeated kindled ** seizures result in increased numbers of benzodiazepine receptors bilaterally in the hippocampal formation but not in neocortex (6).The basic mechanisms underlying the kindling phenomenon are obscure (7). The responsible neuronal modifications appear to involve a selected network ofneural circuits in multiple brain regions (8,9). Identification of the precise spatial distribution of the altered neural circuits is essential to understanding the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.The heterogeneous regional distribution of the benzodiazepine receptor increases raised the possibility of a discrete cellular localization within hippocampal formation. We present evidence supporting localization ofthe benzodiazepine receptor increases to the dentate granule cells. This may provide a clue to the network of altered neural circuitry underlying amygdala kindling. METHODSKindling. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (Charles River Breeding Laboratories) weighing at least 200 g were used. A bipolar electrode was stereotaxically implanted in the basolateral nucleus of the right amygdala under pentobarbital anesthesia as described (6). After a postoperative recovery period ofat least 7 days, stimulations from a Grass S88 stimulator (400-to 900-PuA biphasic square-wave pulses,. 1-msec duration, 60 Hz for 1 sec) were administered at daily intervals. Electroencephalograms were recorded before and after each stimulation with a Grass model 78 polygraph. Kindling developed as described (6). Experimental animals experienced 18-23 stimulation-induced seizures. Each animal experienced at least one class 5 seizure consisting of rearing and falling. The number of stimulations required to elicit the first class 5 seizure was 13.1 ± 1.4 (mean ± SEM). Control animals underwent electrode implantation but were not stimula...

BackgroundThe aim is to investigate the factors that might be associated with the presence of induced abortion (IA) in women prostitutes in Asturias (Spain).Methodology/Principal FindingsCross-sectional descriptive study by self-completion questionnaire of 212 women prostitutes who attended the three Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics in Asturias, between January–December 2003. The questionnaire was designed to investigate the women's perceived knowledge (what they claimed to know), their real knowledge (what they really knew), the use of contraceptive methods and socio-demographic variables. Multivariate analysis was carried out. 92% of the participants were immigrants. 76% were practising at brothel. 37.6% (95%CI:30.7–44.4%) reported to have undergone at least one IA during their life. According to the logistic regression the “presence of IA” was directly associated with the variables “number of pregnancies”(OR:65.82;95%IC:7.73–560.14) and “years of practising prostitution”(OR:1.13;95%CI:0.99–1.29); and inversely associated with “children”(0 = no children;1 = one or more children; OR:0.005;95%CI:0.000–0.057), “women's age”(OR:0.89;95%CI:0.82–0.97) and “real contraceptive knowledge”(OR:0.50; 95%CI:0.34–0.75). Married women were more likely to have undergone an IA (OR:2.74;95%IC:1.05–7.13). No association with “perceived contraceptive knowledge” was found.Conclusions/SignificanceThe characteristics more closely linked to the reproductive history of the women (such as “pregnancies”, “children”), together with the “real contraceptive knowledge” and the “time practising prostitution” explain the presence of IA better than factors more closely linked to the conditions in which the women practise prostitution (“place of activity”, “other activities compatible with prostitution”, “use of safe method in commercial relation”). It is possible that IA is being used as a birth control method, hypothesis suggested by the inverse association observed between the variable “children” and the “presence of IA”. Therefore, the promotion of the use of safe contraceptive methods should be a high-priority. If the real contraceptive knowledge was measured correctly, all strategies to increase it would be justified because it was inversely associated with the presence of IA.