The Effects of Total Parenteral Nutrition on Plasma Aluminium Level in Premature

There are studies showing that parenteral nutrition fluids used for adaptation of preterm infants contain aluminum. It is known that aluminum accumulates in the body, disrupts mental development, affects bone mineral structure. In our study, we aimed to investigate parenteral nutrition and aluminum transmission in preterm infants. A total of 45 babies born during pregnancy week ≤32 and / or under 1500 gr were included in the study. A statistically significant increase was observed when we compared the levels of aluminum in the cord blood and in the 14th day of the patients. When the factors affecting serum aluminum levels were examined, no significant difference was found between birth weight, birth week and gender. No statistically significant difference was found between the duration of taking antibiotics, inotropic drugs serum aluminum levels. Statistically significance was found between number of days of furosemid administeration and serum Al levels. Longer parenteral nutrition was associated with greater increase in serum aluminium levels. A significant positive correlation was found between serum aluminium levels on 14th day and the calcium and magnesium levels in the TPN solutions which were administered in the first 7 days. In conclusion, the increase in serum aluminum levels in preterm infants fed parenteral nutrition was found to be statistically significant. In infants with longer parenteral nutrition, the increase in serum aluminum levels was greater. It is planned to continue our research in terms of long term effects of aluminum.

Effects of occupational exposure to aluminium on some oxidative stress and DNA damage parameters

Aim: The aim of this work was to investigate the relationships between aluminium levels, oxidative status and DNA damage in workers occupationally exposed to aluminium. Subjects and methods: This study was conducted in a secondary aluminium smelter. It included 96 male workers occupationally exposed to aluminium fume and dust compared to 96 male nonexposed individuals. Full history and clinical examination were done for all participants. Laboratory investigations in the form of serum aluminium, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and comet assay test were performed. Results: Serum aluminium level ranged from 4 to 30 µg/L of median: 10 µg/L; urinary 8-OHdG ranged from 2.7 to 17.2 ng/mg creatinine of median: 7.6 ng/mg creatinine; comet tail length (CTL) ranged from 19.7 to 50.5 µm of median: 45 µm, were statistically significantly increased in the exposed group compared to nonexposed group. In exposed workers, a statistically significant positive correlations were found between serum aluminium level and urinary 8-OHdG ( r = 0.75, p < 0.001); aluminium level and CTL ( r = 0.71, p < 0.001); and urinary 8-OHdG and CTL ( r = 0.71, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between serum aluminium and TAC ( r = −0.76, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Occupational exposure to aluminium in secondary aluminium smelters was related to the induction of oxidative stress and DNA damage. This may promote the development of adverse health hazards in the exposed workers

Effect of Severe Plastic Deformation on Microstructure and Properties of Polycrystalline Aluminium Al99.5

Polycrystalline aluminium Al99.5 was deformed through the combination of equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) by B route (4, 8 and 16 passes) and then by the hydrostatic extrusion (HE) using the cumulative way of deformation, just to the achieving the final wire diameter d = 3 mm. The microstructure of samples was investigated by means light microscopy (LM). Additionally the microhardness measurement and the tensile test were performed to determine the level of aluminium hardening. The texture was determined by using the Brucker Advance D8 equipment. The aim of the research was to determine the influence of severe plastic deformation exerted in the process of equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) and hydrostatic extrusion (HE) on the microstructure and properties of polycrystalline aluminium Al99.5. The microstructure observations both after the HE process and the combination of ECAP + HE revealed the elongated to the extrusion direction grains and numerous bands and shear bands. The bands and shear bands most clearly revealed at the perpendicular section. The performed investigations showed that with the increase of the deformation the aluminium level hardening increase. The highest properties of tensile strength - UTS = 218 MPa and microhardness level HV0.1 = 46 were obtained after 8 ECAP + HE.

Aluminium tolerance of different Paxillus involutus Fr. strains originating from polluted and nonpolluted sites

The caps of the sporocarps of <em>P. involutus</em> originating from the polluted site (Luboń) and from the control site in Kórnik and Puszcza Nadnotecka accumulated high amounts of aluminium and revealed symptoms of bioconcentration. However in caps of the sporocarps from the control sites a lower amount of Al was accumulated than in caps from the polluted site (Luboń). A significantly lower concentration of Al was found in stems of sporocarps originating from the special control site in Puszcza Nadnotecka. Mycelia of 11 strains isolated from sporocarps collected at the polluted and control sites were cultivated on a liquid medium containing 100 mg L^-1 Al. All strains showed high bioconcentration of Al despite of the place of origin. In a subsequent experiment 10 strains of <em>P. involutus</em> originating from polluted soil and 8 strains derived from the control sites were grown in agar media containing 10, 100, 500 and 1000 mg/L^-1 of Al. The radial growth rates during culture, the final colony dry weight and the metal tolerance indices calculated on the basis of measured parameters were determined. <em>P. involutus</em> strains appeared to be very tolerant to the presence of Al in the medium and were able to grow even at the highest Al concentration. Increasing aluminium level in the medium to different extent influenced growth of tested strains, however the site of the origin did not influence the response of <em>P. involutus</em> to aluminium: among 18 strains tested, the most tolerant were selected both from the polluted and from the unpolluted sites. The results are discussed with reference to the high intraspecific variability of different physiological features of the ectomycorrhizal fungus <em>P. involutus</em>.

Research on Statistical Process Control for Aluminium Electrolysis Reduction

In order to lower the measurement system errors in aluminum electrolysis reduction, and find out the abnormity of process parameters, this paper considered the process parameters in the production process, used mean-range control chart in statistical process control to analyse aluminium level data during aluminium electrolysis reduction, designed and implemented the statistical process control system for aluminum electrolysis reduction data, presented process improvement method for aluminium level data. Results for the 300KA aluminium electrolysis cell show the statistical process control system can ensure the stability of aluminium electrolysis pot process parameters, find out specific reasons of abnormal data, keep the material balance and energy balance, improve current efficiency, and reduce the energy consumption.

Effect of Citrate Infusion on Urinary Aluminium Excretion in the Rat

1. Seven pairs of rats received 1 mmol/l aluminium citrate in their drinking water 5 days before the experiments. Five additional rats were treated identically. Six rats received the same food but drank distilled water. 2. After a 6 h fast, the animal was anaesthetized, the jugular vein and femoral artery were cannulated and the bladder was catheterized, after which an intravenous infusion of Hartmann's solution containing [14C]inulin was begun. The urine was collected at 20 min intervals and 1 ml of arterial blood was obtained before the end of each collection. After at least two basal collections, the infusion was modified to contain, in addition, 5 mmol/l NaHCO3 (control) or 5 mmol/l sodium citrate (experimental). The infusion rate, constant in each pair, differed between pairs across the range 60–125 μmol/min. 3. A total of eight collections was made per animal and urine flow, glomerular filtration rate, plasma and urinary aluminium and citrate were measured. 4. Control and experimental rats had a higher mean basal plasma aluminium level (0.39 ± 0.21 μmol/l) than the six rats receiving distilled water (0.16 ± 0.14 mmol/l, P < 0.001). The corresponding urinary aluminium excretion rates were similar (46 ± 31 and 47 ± 23 pmol/min, respectively). There was no significant difference between the basal values of any variable in the control and experimental rats. No significant change was observed in any variable during the infusion of NaHCO3 (controls). Among the experimental rats, there was no significant change in urine flow, glomerular filtration rate or plasma aluminium level. However, the plasma citrate level rose rapidly with the infusion to approach a plateau value in each case, and there were slower rises in urinary citrate and aluminium excretion rates. A renal threshold for citrate appeared to occur at a plasma level of approximately 0.25 mmol/l. The aluminium excretion rate was directly related to the citrate excretion rate (P < 0.01) and the increase in urinary aluminium excretion rate above the basal state was even more closely related (P < 0.001). 5. In the five additional animals pretreated with aluminium, the median ultrafiltrable aluminium was 20% (range 17–24%) of the total plasma level and no change was produced by citrate infused at the maximal rate. The plasma protein concentration also remained unchanged despite the fluid load. 6. We conclude that increased urinary citrate excretion is directly associated with an increase in aluminium excretion in aluminium-loaded animals. The data suggest that this increased excretion is independent of filtered load of aluminium and may therefore be the result of changes in handling of the metal within the kidney.

Contribution of soluble aluminium species to absorption of aluminium from the rat gut in situ

1. Rat gut perfusion studies in vivo at pH 4, 6 or 8 using aluminium chloride or equimolar aluminium chloride and sodium citrate showed that elevated plasma aluminium concentrations were associated with aluminium solubility in the perfusion. Elevated plasma aluminium levels and soluble aluminium in the perfusate occurred with perfusion of equimolar aluminium chloride and sodium citrate at all three pH values. 2. Partitioning studies in vitro, utilizing water and ethyl acetate, revealed that uncomplexed aluminium exhibited maximum partitioning into the ethyl acetate phase at pH 2.5. When complexed with citrate, aluminium exhibited partitioning over a much broader pH range, pH 2.5–8.0. 3. A direct linear relationship was observed between the soluble aluminium concentration of the perfusate and the increase in the plasma aluminium level, suggesting that soluble aluminium is absorbed by a passive diffusion mechanism.

Hyperaluminaemia Associated with Oral Citrate and Aluminium Hydroxide

1 A hospitalized patient with renal failure receiving oral aluminium hydroxide was found to have a blood aluminium level of 3124 μg/l (116 μmol/l) . 2 The extremely high aluminium concentration was attributed to the concurrent use of an oral citrate solution which converted the aluminium to a more soluble and absorbable form. 3 The combination of oral aluminium and citrate should be avoided in patients with poor renal function.

Relations between plant aluminium content and the growth of lucerne and subterranean clover: their usefulness in the detection of aluminium toxicities

ln an experiment with lucerne (Medicago sativa) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum), grown in solution cultures at two levels of phosphorus, each at five aluminium levels and pH 4, growth and aluminium transport to the leaves were comparable in both species up to the fourth aluminium level (40�M All. The highest aluminium level (200 �M Al) caused a much greater growth depression in lucerne than in subterranean clover. In lucerne, aluminium concentrations in leaf dry matter peaked at the fourth aluminium level. Concentrations below this peak could indicate non-toxic as well as toxic supplies of aluminium. Leaf analysis, therefore, appears to be of little value in the detection of aluminium problems in lucerne. In subterranean clover leaves, aluminium concentrations increased to values in excess of 1 70 ppm of the dry matter at the highest aluminium level. In a second experiment, in which subterranean clover plants were grown in pots in two acid soils at two phosphorus x five aluminium levels, close, inverse, linear relations were found between relative yield (Al/no Al x 100) and leaf aluminium concentrations. These relations differed between soils, harvests and phosphorus levels, and would therefore be of little help in providing quantitative estimates of yield depressions in subterranean clover caused by aluminium. However, the lines all converged within the range of 100-1 50 ppm aluminium in leaf dry matter of plants in the no aluminium treatment, suggesting that this range represented a 'threshold' above which yield reductions due to aluminium occurred.