We investigated concentrations of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc using atomic absorption spectroscopy in the hair of four groups of adult females (n = 392), ranging in age from 20 to 50 years, with different body mass index (BMI): BMI < 18, slim group; BMI 18-25, normal group; BMI 26-35, overweight or obese group; and BMI>35, morbidly obese group. We found that the group with BMI < 18 had the highest ratios for [Ca]/[Mg], [Fe]/[Cu] and [Zn]/[Cu], but the lowest ratio for [K]/[Na] in hair. On the contrary, the group with BMI > 35 had the highest ratio for [K]/[Na], but the lowest for [Fe]/[Cu] and [Zn]/[Cu] in hair. Furthermore, when we compared concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, K, Na and Zn between the groups with BMI < 18 and BMI > 35, we found that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in zinc concentrations between these two groups. In addition, there were significant differences in Ca, Cu, Mg, K and Na concentrations, with p < 0.01 at least. From this point of view, we suggest that hair concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, K, Na and Zn may be correlated with adult female BMI, but further studies are needed.

We used an atomic absorption spectrophotometric method to determine the concentration of selenium, zinc, iron, copper and calcium in the whole blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The results demonstrate that these patients have a lower concentration of selenium (0.18 +/- 0.02 microg/ml vs. 0.28 +/- 0.06 microg/ml) and zinc (11.2 +/- 2.75 microg/ml vs. 18.2 +/- 7.33 microg/ml) than healthy controls (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the hepatocellular carcinoma patients have higher mean concentrations of iron (651.9+/-66.2 microg/ml vs.473.0 +/- 88.0 microg/ml; p < 0.05), copper (1.43 +/- 0.33 microg/ml vs. 0.95 +/- 0.19 microg/ml; p < 0.05) and calcium (75.0 +/- 13.1 microg/ml vs. 39.9 +/- 12.3 microg/ml; p < 0.01) than healthy controls. Thus, hepatocellular carcinoma seems to be associated with the changes in the whole blood concentrations of selenium, zinc, iron, copper and calcium.

Zn deficiency is a common disease leading to memory impairment with increasing age. This study evaluated the protection effects of red mold rice (RMR) administration and Zn supplementation against memory and learning ability impairments from oxidative stress caused by Zn deficiency. Rats (4 weeks old) were induced to be Zn deficiency by a Zn-deficient diet for 12 weeks. After that, rats were administered Zn, 1xRMR, 5xRMR, and various dosages of RMR plus Zn, respectively. Decreases of antioxidant enzyme activities in the hippocampus and cortex were observed, and the levels of Ca, Fe, and Mg were increased in the hippocampus and cortex of Zn-deficient rats, leading to memory and learning ability injury. However, the administration of RMR (1- or 5-fold dosage) and with or without Zn significantly improved the antioxidase and neural activity to maintain cortex and hippocampus functions. This study demonstrates that RMR is a possible functional food for the prevention or cure of neural injury associated with Zn deficiency.

No abstract

Atomic absorption spectrophotometric method, for determination of arsenic and iron concentration in finger and foot muscles from Blackfoot Dim Patients(BFDPs), by amputation were developed. Thirty-four cases of BFDPs, at the most strict clinical examination and thirty cases of Non-BFDPs(NBFDPs) from the traffic accidents. NBFDPs from the same district were compared as the controls. Arsenic has been claimed to be major causative agents of Blackfoot Disease(BFD) in the south-western coast of Taiwan. We published several papers on this and presented a conception that, as with the increase in clinical stages from the zero, first, second, third and fourth, the increase in the arsenic concentration in blood, hair and urine accompanies as the BFD progressed, although at the third and fourth stages, arsenic decrease might be induced by the antagonistic effect of selenium, zinc and iron. For the purpose to prove this, the study was carried out to check whether at the fourth stage, the concentration of arsenic in BFDPs finger and foot muscles by amputation are higher than that of NBFDPs and whether it is also the case with the blood of BFDPs . The arsenic in muscles of finger and foot of BFDPs by amputation was more than 10 times higher than the NBFDPs at the raze of 0.80±0.57 ug/g > 0.07±0.05 pglg and they were also about 8 times higher than the blood of BFDPs at the fourth clinical stages at the rate of 0.80±0.57 pg/g > 0.091±0.052 pg/ml. Both of them had significantly difference with P<0.01. These evidences directly indicated that arsenic might be a major causative agent of BFD. The iron in muscles of finger and foot of BFDPs by amputation were also about 2 times higher than that of NBFDPs at the rate of 39.63±23.54 µg/g > 19.82±7.61 µg/g and had a significance difference with P<0.05. These results were on the contraiy to the blood, when compared with the blood iron concentration in BFDPs at fourth stage and NBFDPs. The NBFDPs were higher than the BFDPs at the rate of 553.28±92.96 µg/ml > 510.71±163.52 pg/ml. Therefore iron may have some antagonistic effect to arsenic toxicity for the BFDPs and this fact is worthy of more academic study of the BFD in clinical application.