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Numerous observations suggest a possible connection between the levels of Mg, Zn, Fe, and Zn and the incidence of depressive symptoms. Depression is two to three times more common in women than in men. The menopausal period is extremely conducive to depressive disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women depending on the levels of Mg, Zn, Ca, Cu, and Fe. The study included 198 healthy postmenopausal women at the average age of 56.26 ± 5.55 years. In the first part of the study, standardized research tools were used, namely the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The second part involved biochemical analysis of Mg, Zn, Ca, Cu, and Fe levels in blood serum. The lowest Cu levels were observed in women without depressive symptoms (1.07 ± 0.22 mg/l) and the highest in those with severe depressive symptoms (1.19 ± 0.17 mg/l), (p ≤ 0.05). The lowest Mg levels were observed in women with depressive symptoms (14.28 ± 2.13 mg/l), and the highest in women without depressive symptoms (16.30 ± 3.51 mg/l), (p ≤ 0.05). The average serum Mg levels (15.75 ± 3.23 mg/l) decreased compared to the reference values (18.77-24 mg/l). What is striking is a potential relation between the levels of Mg and Cu and depressiveness. Our results indicate to a higher vulnerability to depression in a group of women with lower levels of Mg and higher levels of Cu., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

The aim of this study was to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women, depending on serum Mg and Zn levels. The study involved 171 postmenopausal women from Poland, who were not using menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). The intensity of depressive symptoms was evaluated using a standard research technique, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The plasma Mg and Zn concentrations were measured. Depressive symptoms of different severity levels were diagnosed in 36.8 % of the women. The mean serum Mg level was 1.53 ± 0.28 mg/dL, and Zn level was 72 ±14 μg/dL. The women with higher serum Mg and Zn levels had less depressive symptoms, and this observation is a precious information which can be used when planning depressive disorder prevention programmes.

The present study aimed at analysing the content of fluorine (F), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in the hair of young male students (n =52) of a secondary school in Mafinga in Tanzania (Africa) who participated in anthropological examinations. Ca and Mg concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer while F levels using a potentiometric method. F in the hair of boys from older group (≥16 years old; n =24) was significantly higher than in the younger group (<16 years old; n =28) versus Ca and Mg levels. High carbohydrate diet was predominant- mainly based on corn or bean and meat served once a week, with few fruit and raw vegetables. Collective catering in the dormitory reflected habits and culinary preferences at home. The lack of balanced diet, with majority of the nutritional energy supplied by easily accessible and cheap carbohydrates, was reflected in dietary deficiencies, characterised, among others, by visible skin conditions and tooth decay.

Approximately 30% of a woman's life is spent in the postmenopausal period. This is when steroid hormone deficiency is often accompanied by mineral homeostasis perturbations and deficiencies that could be related to the intensity of any clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess how serum Mg and Zn levels in postmenopausal women correlate with climacteric symptoms, body mass index (BMI), and the time interval since the final menstruation. The study involved 171 healthy, postmenopausal women, who had had their final menstruation at least one year prior to the study and who did not use menopausal hormone therapy. Both hypomagnesaemia and hypozincaemia were detected in the postmenopausal women involved in this study. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences between serum Mg levels, depending on the time interval since the final menstruation (p&#60;0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in serum Mg and Zn levels between women as regards the severity of the climacteric symptoms or BMI (p>0.05). In conclusion, serum Mg and Zn concentrations in postmenopausal women, not using MHT, were low. The average serum Mg levels decreased considerably with the time since the final menstruation. No correlation between BMI and worsening of climacteric symptoms and serum Mg and Zn concentrations in postmenopausal women, not using MHT was found.

Drug addiction is a complex problem which leads to many somatic, psychic and social diseases. It is accompanied by the disturbed metabolism of various macro and micronutrients. The aim of this study was to assess serum magnesium concentration in drug-addicted patients and analyze whether Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and methadone treatment affect the level of serum magnesium in these patients. The examination was conducted in a group of 83 people - patients of Szczecin-Zdroje Psychiatric Hospital (Poland). They were 21 to 49 years old, and the mean age was 32 +/- 7 years. The control group consisted of 81 healthy individuals. Flame atomic-absorption spectrometry method was used to determine the magnesium concentration. The total serum magnesium concentration was calculated for the whole patient group, subgroups of women and men, a subgroup of people infected with HIV, and a subgroup receiving methadone substitution treatment. How magnesium behaves depending on age and addiction period, was checked. The mean concentration of magnesium in blood serum of the patients examined was 0.57 mmol/L, which was significantly lower than in the control group. In the subgroup of men it was 0.57 mmol/L, and in the subgroup of women - 0.55 mmol/L; the differences were not statistically significant. In the patient group nobody had the appropriate magnesium concentration in blood serum. No significant correlation was found between the magnesium concentration, age of the patients and addiction period. In the subgroup of seropositive people the mean concentration of magnesium was 0.55 mmol/L, and in the subgroup of non-infected patients - 0.58 mmol/L; the difference was not statistically significant. The mean concentration of magnesium in the subgroup treated with methadone was 0.59 mmol/L, and in the subgroup not involved in this type of therapy - 0.55 mmol/L; it was not a statistically significant difference.

Animals from areas contaminated by industrial emissions containing fluoride may accumulate it predominantly in hard tissues. The stable composition of the mandible makes it suitable for the study of accumulation of fluorides and other elements (Mg, Ca). It is also possible to determine the extent of pollution with fluorine compounds around industrial plants and to reveal some of the features of the natural habitat of wild animals. We applied the advanced technique of neural networks to investigate the simultaneous influence of multiple parameters on the accumulation of fluorine, magnesium, and calcium in the mandible of deer and possible interactions between these elements. The first step involved the generation of a neural network. In the present work, networks were created with the Intelligent Problem Solver (IPS). Input data were divided into three sets. One was used for training (Tr) of the network, another for validation (Ve) and control over the training process and the last one for testing (Te). Network quality was checked with the following parameters: Data Mean--average value of variable; Data SD--standard deviation of variable; Error Mean--average value of error; Abs. Mean--average error modulus; Error SD--standard deviation of error; SD Ratio--ratio of standard deviation of error to standard deviation of variable (Error SD/Data SD); Correlation--Pearson's correlation coefficient. For the model to be satisfactory, Pearson's correlation coefficient should be close to 1. In the case of complex problems with an unclear influence of parameters on the process, an analysis of parametric sensitivity must be performed. This task was accomplished automatically with the computer program. It was found that the effect of the same parameters on the accumulation of fluorine, magnesium and calcium varied. The results suggest interactions between the examined elements.

The south-western regions of Poland are more exposed to industrial emissions containing fluorine than eastern and northern regions. Fluoride is known to accumulate in hard tissues of animals and humans. This paper describes the content of fluoride in mandibles (lower jaws) of deer from two provinces: Western Pomerania and Lubuskie. The fluoride content in lower jaws of deer from Lubuskie was statistically higher compared with fluoride content in Western Pomerania. We concluded that the living conditions of animals in Western Pomerania are more favorable than in Lubuskie. When the concentration of fluoride in bone becomes too high, mineralization defects can occur causing major loss in mechanical resistance despite an increase in bone mass.

This work was designed to determine the content of fluorides, calcium, and magnesium in the superficial layer of enamel of adult teeth. The study group consisted of 25 patients, aged 18 to 35 years, appearing for dental treatment. Two microsamples of the superficial layer of enamel were collected from each patient with the acid biopsy technique. Samples were obtained from pulpectomized teeth treated endodontically and from teeth with necrotic pulp qualifying for endodontic treatment. Control samples were obtained from homonymous, caries-free teeth with vital pulp. The results of biochemical tests in the study group were compared with control teeth.

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of soy isoflavones, administered pre- and later postnatally, on the estrogen receptor α (ERα) and β (ERβ) expression in bones and to examine the mineral metabolism of the skeletal system in male rats. In bones, ERs were examined with an immunohistochemical method; in blood, estradiol with chemiluminescence immunoassay and in blood and bones, calcium and magnesium with atomic absorption spectrometry and fluorides with a potentiometric method were examined. Decreased immunoexpression of ERα and the increased intensity of immunofluorescence of ERβ in osteocytes in the femur of experimental rats were observed. In the serum of treated rats, a significantly higher concentration of estradiol and lower calcium were observed. The content of magnesium and fluoride were significantly higher in the bones of the examined animals. The data presented show that pre- and postnatal supplementation of male rats with soy isoflavones may considerably increase the concentration of estrogens in serum, with a concurrent effect on the mineral composition of bones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annual shedding of antlers by males is a characteristic feature of most deer species. Regrowth is very fast, reaching 2 cm/day for some species and making them an interesting model for studying tissue regeneration processes. The aim of this study was to compare the contents of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in antlers and cranial bones of European red deer from Western Pomerania, Poland. We obtained 30 antlers from three forestry districts that differed in the extent of environmental pollution with fluorine compounds, SO2, NOx, CO, and CO2 (Trzebież, Rokita and Gryfino). Deer were assigned to two age groups: from 2 to 4 years, and from 6 to 8 years. Powdered samples of cranial bones and antler base obtained with a dental drill were dissolved in nitric acid. Calcium and magnesium contents were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy, while phosphorus was determined colorimetrically. The content of calcium was higher in antlers - (mean 133.96 mg/g) hardly surprising given the higher calcified cartilage and immature bone content in antler as opposed to cranial bone (mean 123.79 mg/g). Phosphorus content was slightly higher in bones than in antlers (84.62 mg/g and 83.58 mg/g, respectively), which suggests that Ca:P ratios are different in the mineral phase or that there is more P in bone compared to the antler matrix. No difference in magnesium content was noted (5.23 to 5.46 mg/g). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences depending on age of the animal and level of industrial pollution in the animal's habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]