The effects of Clostridium butyricum on Ira rabbit growth performance, cecal microbiota and plasma metabolome.

Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) can provide many benefits for animals' growth performance and gut health. In this study, we investigated the effects of C. butyricum on the growth performance, cecal microbiota, and plasma metabolome in Ira rabbits. A total of 216 Ira rabbits at 32 days of age were randomly assigned to four treatments supplemented with basal diets containing 0 (CG), 200 (LC), 400 (MC), and 600 mg/kg (HC) C. butyricum for 35 days, respectively. In comparison with the CG group, C. butyricum supplementation significantly improved the average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) at 53 and 67 days of age (P < 0.05) and digestibilities of crude protein (CP) and crude fiber (CF) at 67 days of age (P < 0.05). The cellulase activity in the HC group was higher respectively by 50.14 and 90.13% at 53 and 67 days of age, than those in the CG groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, at 67 days of age, the diet supplemented with C. butyricum significantly increased the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia at the phylum level (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the concentrations of different metabolites, such as amino acids and purine, were significantly altered by C. butyricum (P < 0.05). In addition, 10 different genera were highly correlated with 52 different metabolites at 53-day-old and 6 different genera were highly correlated with 18 different metabolites at 67-day-old Ira rabbits. These findings indicated that the C. butyricum supplementation could significantly improve the growth performance by modifying the cecal microbiota structure and plasma metabolome of weaned Ira rabbits.

Urinary trypsin inhibitor treatment ameliorates acute lung and liver injury resulting from sepsis in a rat model.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the protective effect of urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) on acute lung and liver injury in rat model induced by sepsis with infra-abdominal infection. METHODS: This study was performed in the University of Wuhan, Wuhan, China in May 2007. Sepsis models were made by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in Sprague-Dawley rats. Forty rats were randomly divided into sham, CLP, CLP/UTI I (20 u/g) and CLP/UTI II (50 u/g) groups, with 10 rats in each. All of them were sacrificed 12 hours after CLP. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), the wet-to-dry lung weight ratio (W/D) was measured and venous blood was collected for assaying tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-10 (IL-10), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactic acid. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in lung and hepatic tissues were examined. RESULTS: Compared with the CLP group, MAP and HR in 50 u/g UTI treated rats was stable (p<0.01). Marked elevation levels of W/D ratio were lowered after administration of 50 u/g UTI (p<0.01). Treatment with 50 u/g UTI prevented marked elevation in MDA, ALT, AST, TNF-alpha, lactic acid levels, expression of iNOS mRNA, and elevated IL-10 and SOD activity (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Urinary trypsin inhibitor has a protective effect against sepsis. Its action mechanisms are probably involved in the inhibition of inflammatory factor production and suppression of lipid peroxidation and iNOS mRNA expression.

Laparoscopic surgery for early cervical squamous cell carcinoma and its effect on the micrometastasis of cancer cells.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of laparoscopic radical hysterectomy on expressions of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of cytokeratin 19 (CK19), cytokeratin 20 (CK20), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) mRNA.We collect 78 patients with stage IA2-IIA1 cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy by laparotomy or laparoscopy in our study, and 34 uterine fibroids patients and 32 healthy subjects were recruited as the positive control group and negative control group, respectively. Blood samples were taken from early-stage primary cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to amplify peripheral blood CK19, CK20 and SCC-Ag from total RNA. We measured the expression of CK19, CK20, and SCC-Ag before laparoscopic radical hysterectomy, 24 hours and 30 days after surgery. Meanwhile, the expression of these markers was compared between laparoscopic and laparotomy groups.The expressions of CK19, CK20, and SCC-Ag in the experimental group before surgery were (0.0035 ±â€Š0.0018), (1.06 ±â€Š0.49), and (1.48 ±â€Š0.46), respectively, and the positive rates were 32.1%, 33.3%, and 35.9%, respectively. The expression levels of CK19, CK20, and SCC-Ag in the experimental group before surgery was significantly higher than the positive and negative control groups, and there were no significant differences between the positive and negative control groups. The expressions and positive rates of CK19, CK20, and SCC-Ag before laparoscopic radical hysterectomy were significantly lower than the stage at 24 hours after surgery (P < .05), but higher than the stage at 30 days after surgery (P > .05). There were no significant differences in CK19, CK20, and SCC-Ag expressions before surgery, 24 hours and 30 days after surgery between laparoscopic group and laparotomy group (P > .05).Both laparotomy and laparoscopic radical mastectomy tend to increase the expression of CTCs in peripheral blood, and the expressions have no differences between these 2 groups. So, the use of CK19, CK20, and SCC-Ag expression levels from peripheral blood from early stage cervical cancer radical patients before hysterectomy can aid to overcome the lack of radiographic examination and tumor markers measurement, and provide clues for postoperative treatment and prognosis determination.

Application of controlled hypotension combined with autotransfusion in spinal orthomorphia.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic scoliosis is a common spinal deformity in teenagers, which is managed mainly by orthomorphia. However, due to great trauma, long operative duration and large blood loss, a great amount of blood transfusion is needed during the surgery. Allogeneic blood transfusion should be reduced in order to release blood insufficient, decline blood transfusion expense, as well as avoid transfusion diseases. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the following study is to investigate the value of controlled hypotension combined with autotransfusion in idiopathic scoliosis orthomorphia and in order to reduce surgical bleeding and reduction in blood transfusion. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Intra-operative controlled hypotension was performed during posterior orthomorphia surgery on all the 46 cases of idiopathic scoliosis, 17 cases in which were served as the control group, who underwent allogeneic blood transfusion without autotransfusion, whereas the other 29 cases were served as the experimental group, who underwent autotransfusion that including reinfusion of pre-operative deposited autologous blood and intra-operative salvaged autologous blood. The blood loss volume and transfusion status in two groups were observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Blood loss volume in the control group was 400-1000 (835.3 ± 167.5) mL and that in the experimental group was 350-1400 (812.1 ± 152.7) mL, there was no marked difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The volume of allogeneic blood transfusion in the control group was 500-1800 (855.9 ± 321.1) mL, which was greater than that in the experimental group ((0-1300 (337.9 ± 258.3) mL) (P < 0.01). The results suggested that controlled hypotension reduces intraoperative bleeding and post-operative autotransfusion minimizes the need of allogeneic blood transfusion.

Effect of tramadol on perioperative immune function in patients undergoing gastric cancer surgeries.

BACKGROUND: A prospective randomized controlled trial was designed to observe the effect of tramadol on T-lymphocyte subsets, activated T cell and natural killer (NK) cells of patients undergoing gastric cancer surgeries. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients undergoing elective gastric cancer surgeries under general anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups. Before anesthesia induction, Group I did not receive any drugs and Group II received intramuscular tramadol 1 mg/kg. Peripheral venous blood samples were taken before anesthesia, 1 h after incision and postoperation. CD3(+), CD3(+) CD4(+), CD3(+) CD8(+), CD3(-)CD16(+) CD56(+) (NK) cells and CD3(+) human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR(+) (activated T cell) were measured by flow cytometer. RESULTS: One hour after incision, CD3(+), CD3(+) CD4+, CD3(+) CD4(+)/CD3(+) CD8(+), CD3(-)CD16(+) CD56(+), and CD3(+) HLA-DR(+) cells in the experimental and control group were significantly decreased compared with their baselines (P < 0.05), while the values of Group I were lower than those of Group II (P < 0.05). After surgery, the values of Group I were lower than their baselines (P < 0.05). But the values of Group II had no significant difference compared with their baselines. CONCLUSION: Tramadol can reduce the decrease of T-lymphocytes subsets and NK cells, thus improve the cellular immune function in the perioperation of gastric cancer.