In a cross-sectional survey of 86 elderly persons, it was observed that subjects with elevated plasma alpha-tocopherol levels had depressed plasma gamma-tocopherol. Tocopherols were measured by both reverse-phase and normal-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When eight human volunteers (age range 30-60) were given 1200 IU of all-rac-alpha-tocopherol daily for 8 wk, plasma gamma-tocopherol and beta-tocopherol decreased in all subjects. After supplementation, gamma-tocopherol values were typically 30-50% of initial values, and alpha-tocopherol values were typically 200-400% of initial values. These results suggest that intestinal uptake and/or plasma transport make more efficient use of alpha-tocopherol than of gamma- or beta-tocopherol. Moreover, the results indicate that the ratio of gamma- to alpha-tocopherol in plasma would be a more satisfactory index to measure compliance in trials involving supplementation with alpha-tocopherol.
The width of retinal vessel images on fundus photographs was determined by projection micrometry and microdensitometry. These methods were evaluated on 12 retinal vessels using the negatives of 570-nm monochromatic fundus photographs. For projection micrometry, the intraobserver reproducibility of vessel width measurements was 1.6%-2.9%, depending upon the experience of the observer. Significant interobserver differences in the measured widths were demonstrated. For microdensitometry, three distinct measurement criteria were used. Significant differences in width as measured by the three criteria were found, but there were no interoperator differences for each criterion. The intraoperator reproducibility of vessel width measurements by microdensitometry was 2.1%-2.5%. Significant differences were found in the vessel widths determined by the micrometry and densitometry methods, and results obtained by micrometry are discussed in terms of edge-detection phenomena.
Background: Oxidative stress contributes to pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Higher levels of the dietary antioxidants— carotenoids and tocopherols— are associated with better cognitive functions and lower risk for AD, and lower levels of multiple carotenoids are found in serum and plasma of patients with AD. Although brains donated by individuals with mild cognitive impairment had significantly lower levels of lutein and beta-carotene, previous investigators found no significant difference in carotenoid levels of brains with AD and cognitively normal brains. Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that micronutrients are significantly lower in donor brains with AD than in healthy elderly brains. Methods: Samples of donor brains with confirmed AD or verified health were dissected into grey and white matter, extracted with organic solvents analyzed by HPLC. Results: AD brains had significantly lower levels of lutein, zeaxanthin, anhydrolutein, retinol, lycopene, and alpha-tocopherol, and significantly increased levels of XMiAD, an unidentified xanthophyll metabolite. No meso-zeaxanthin was detected. The overlapping protective roles of xanthophylls, carotenes, α- and γ-tocopherol are discussed. Conclusion: Brains with AD had substantially lower concentrations of some, but not all, xanthophylls, carotenes, and tocopherols, and several-fold higher concentrations of an unidentified xanthophyll metabolite increased in AD (XMiAD).
Studies with vitreous fluorophotometry and fluorescein angiography have shown that ocular tissues exhibit intrinsic fluorescence properties. The fluorescence characteristics of the crystalline lens have been extensively studied. Little is known, however, about the origin of the weak fluorescence detected from the fundus and about the relative contribution of various fluorophores to that fluorescence. Different fluorophores that may have important diagnostic significance can be identified in the fundus layers. Lipofuscin accumulates with age in the human RPE and it has been hypothesized that this pigment plays a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration [1-3]. FAD is a mitochondrial component of the respiratory enzyme chain [4]. The oxygenation-dependent fluorescence characteristics of this pigment could serve as a basis for measurements of the oxidative state of the retina.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.