A combination of taurine and caffeine maintains sperm quality in equine semen during chilled storage.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of caffeine and taurine on the motility and viability of chilled equine semen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 ejaculates were collected from three mature stallions with proven fertility during the breeding season. The gel-free spermatic fraction of each ejaculate was divided into two aliquots and diluted with a semen extender (either INRA 96® or BotuSemen Gold®). The aliquots were then split and assigned to one of the six treatment groups: control (no supplement), caffeine (2 and 4 mM), taurine (25 and 50 mM), and a combination of caffeine (2 mM) plus taurine (25 mM). Samples were stored at 4°C and analyzed at different time points (0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h) to evaluate total (TMOT) and progressive (PMOT) motility and viability by computer-assisted sperm analysis. RESULTS: Regardless of the extender, PMOT and TMOT decreased over time. However, compared with the control, the treatment with 4 mM caffeine significantly mitigated the decrease in PMOT at 72 h. Additionally, semen treated with a combination of caffeine plus taurine maintained a significantly higher PMOT at 96 h, with improved viability at all time points. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of caffeine plus taurine helps maintain chilled equine semen viability and progressive motility up to 96 h independently of the extender used.

Desarrollo de una bebida nutritiva y sensorialmente agradable como suplemento en el desayuno de niños escolares / Development of a nutritive and liking beverage as supplement for schoolchildren’s breakfast

Fundamentos: El desayuno es esencial para el niño escolar. Sin embargo, cada vez más niños omiten el desayuno. El objetivo fue desarrollar una bebida nutritiva y sensorialmente agradable para niños escolares. Métodos: La formulación incluía coco, amaranto, caseína, miel, cacao, vainilla, y sabor chocolate. El proceso de elaboración incluyó homogenización, tratamiento térmico y envasado en botellas estériles. Se determinó la composición proximal y calidad microbiológica del producto. La evaluación sensorial se llevó a cabo en 107 niños utilizando una escala de 7-puntos. Se calculó el IMC y se estimó la frecuencia y consumo de alimentos de cada niño (recordatorio 24h). Resultados: La bebida aportó 84,6 kcal/100ml, proveniente de proteína (3,5%),grasa (4,0%) y carbohidratos (8,9%). La bebida agradó al 67,3% de los niños (p<0,01). Se identificó bajo-peso (10,3%), sobrepeso-obesidad (42,1%) entre los participantes. Los niños que no desayunan en casa (NDC; 10,3%) consumieron menos lácteos (p<0,01) y frutas (p=0,03) que los niños que desayunan en casa (DC). Los niños-NDC con desnutrición, sobrepeso u obesidad consumieron menos lácteos (p=0,01), cereales (p=0,03) y más dulces y productos horneados (p=0,04) que niños -DC con IMC-normal. Conclusiones: La bebida tuvo un aporte proteico y energético similar a un producto lácteo sin lactosa ni conservantes y podría ser un suplemento práctico en el desayuno de niños escolares (AU)

Breakfast is essential for schoolchild. However, increasingly there are more schoolchildren to miss breakfast. The aim was to develop a nutritive beverage with sensory accepta nce by schoolchildren. Methods: The beverage-formulation included coconut, amaranth, casein, honey, cacao, vanilla and chocolate flavor. The beverage -making process included homogenization, heat -treatment and packaging in sterilized bottles. Proximate composition and microbiological quality were determined in the product. An acceptance test was conducted in 107 schoolchildren using a 7-points scale. BMI was calculated for each schoolchild and food records were done according to 24 -hour recall method. Results: The beverage provided 84.6 cal/100ml coming from protein (3.5%), fat (4.0%) and carbohydrates (8.9%). The beverage was accepted by the 67.3% of the schoolchildren (p<0.01). Underweight (10.3%) and overweight-obesity (42.1%) status were identified in the participants. Schoolchildren that do not eat breakfast at home (NEBH; 10.3%) consumed lower dairy-products (p<0.01) and fruits (p=0.03) than children that eat breakfast at home (EBH). Schoolchildren - NEBH with underweight, overweight or obesity consumed lower dairy -products (p=0.01), breakfast -cereals (p=0.03) and higher sweets and baked products (p=0.04) than schoolchildren -EBH with normal -BMI. Conclusions: A beverage with protein content and food energy similar to dairy-product was obtained. The product is free-lactose and -conservative additives and may be a practical supplement for schoolchildren’s breakfast (AU)

Complejo homeopático en el tratamiento de la hiperplasia benigna prostática / Homeopathic complex in the treatment of the benign prostatic hyperplasia

Introducción: la hiperplasia benigna de próstata es un agrandamiento no canceroso de la glándula prostática. Es el tumor benigno más habitual en los varones. Con una prevalencia histológica que va del 8 por ciento con 40 años al 90 por ciento a partir de los 80, causa la muerte a 30 de cada 100.000 varones en los países desarrollados y es una de las enfermedades que origina un mayor gasto sanitario.Objetivo: determinar la respuesta al tratamiento de la hiperplasia benigna prostática con el uso del complejo homeopático en el Hospital Militar Central Dr. Carlos J. Finlay.Métodos: se realizó un estudio cuasiexperimental a pacientes portadores de hiperplasia benigna prostática en un periodo de seis meses, los cuales fueron remitidos del servicio de urología previamente tratados y que no mostraban mejorías. El universo y muestra de estudio estuvieron conformados por 98 pacientes portadores de hiperplasia benigna prostáticaque acudieron al servicio de urología, portadores de hiperplasia benigna prostática en un periodo comprendido entre enero del 2007 a julio del 2007. Se estudiaron como variables: edad, evolución por grupos de síntomas, evolución clínica y respuesta terapéutica.Resultados: se produjo una mejoría de los síntomas presentes en 55 pacientes, con una remisión total en 41 pacientes, sin complicaciones asociadas ni agravamiento del cuadro inicial.Conclusiones: posterior a la aplicación del complejo homeopático mejoran los síntomas urinarios en los pacientes, siendo más efectivos en los síntomas irritativos que en los obstructivos. La evolución clínica fue satisfactoria en un alto porcentaje (AU)

Introduction: prostate benign hyperplasia is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostatic gland. It is the most common benign tumor in men. With a histological prevalence that goes from 8 per cent at age 40 to 90 per cent from age 80, it causes the death to 30 in 100,000 men in developed countries and is one of the illnesses that originates a greater sanitary expense. Objective: to determine the response to the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia with the use of the homeopathic complex at Dr. Carlos J. Finlay Central Military Hospital.Methods: a quasi-experimental study was performed to patients carriers of benign prostatic hyperplasia in a period of six months, which were referred to the service of urology previously treated and that did not show signs of improvement. The universe and sample of study were conformed by 98 patients carriers of benign prostatic hyperplasia who attended the urology service, carriers of benign prostatic hyperplasia in a period comprised between January 2007 to July 2007. They studied variables were: age, evolution by groups of symptoms, clinical evolution and therapeutic response. Results: it was produced an improvement of the symptoms present in 55 patients, with a total remission in 41 patients, without complications associated or aggravation of the initial picture. Conclusions: after the application of the homeopathic complex urinary symptoms improve in the patients, being more effective in the irritative symptoms thatn in the obstructive. The clinical evolution was satisfactory in a high percentage. Key words: benign prostatic hyperplasia, irritative symptoms, obstructive symptom, mixed symptoms, clinical evolution, therapeutic response (AU)

dCK expression correlates with 5-fluorouracil efficacy and HuR cytoplasmic expression in pancreatic cancer: a dual-institutional follow-up with the RTOG 9704 trial.

Deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and human antigen R (HuR) have been associated with response to gemcitabine in small studies. The present study investigates the prognostic and predictive value of dCK and HuR expression levels for sensitivity to gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in a large phase III adjuvant trial with chemoradiation backbone in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). The dCK and HuR expression levels were determined by immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray of 165 resected PDAs from the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9704 trial. Association with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) status were analyzed using the log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazards model. Experiments with cultured PDA cells were performed to explore mechanisms linking dCK and HuR expression to drug sensitivity. dCK expression levels were associated with improved OS for all patients analyzed from RTOG 9704 (HR: 0.66, 95% CI [0.47-0.93], P = 0.015). In a subset analysis based on treatment arm, the effect was restricted to patients receiving 5-FU (HR: 0.53, 95% CI [0.33-0.85], P = 0.0078). Studies in cultured cells confirmed that dCK expression rendered cells more sensitive to 5-FU. HuR cytoplasmic expression was neither prognostic nor predictive of treatment response. Previous studies along with drug sensitivity and biochemical studies demonstrate that radiation interferes with HuR's regulatory effects on dCK, and could account for the negative findings herein based on the clinical study design (i.e., inclusion of radiation). Finally, we demonstrate that 5-FU can increase HuR function by enhancing HuR translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, similar to the effect of gemcitabine in PDA cells. For the first time, in the pre-treatment tumor samples, dCK and HuR cytoplasmic expression were strongly correlated (chi-square P = 0.015). This dual-institutional follow up study, in a multi-institutional PDA randomized clinical trial, observed that dCK expression levels were prognostic and had predictive value for sensitivity to 5-FU.

Phase 2 study of erlotinib combined with adjuvant chemoradiation and chemotherapy in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

PURPOSE: Long-term survival rates for patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have stagnated at 20% for more than a decade, demonstrating the need to develop novel adjuvant therapies. Gemcitabine-erlotinib therapy has demonstrated a survival benefit for patients with metastatic PDAC. Here we report the first phase 2 study of erlotinib in combination with adjuvant chemoradiation and chemotherapy for resected PDAC. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Forty-eight patients with resected PDAC received adjuvant erlotinib (100 mg daily) and capecitabine (800 mg/m(2) twice daily Monday-Friday) concurrently with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), 50.4 Gy over 28 fractions followed by 4 cycles of gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days) and erlotinib (100 mg daily). The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS). RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 18.2 months (interquartile range, 13.8-27.1). Lymph nodes were positive in 85% of patients, and margins were positive in 17%. The median RFS was 15.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.4-17.9), and the median overall survival (OS) was 24.4 months (95% CI, 18.9-29.7). Multivariate analysis with adjustment for known prognostic factors showed that tumor diameter >3 cm was predictive for inferior RFS (hazard ratio, 4.01; P=.001) and OS (HR, 4.98; P=.02), and the development of dermatitis was associated with improved RFS (HR, 0.27; P=.009). During CRT and post-CRT chemotherapy, the rates of grade 3/4 toxicity were 31%/2% and 35%/8%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Erlotinib can be safely administered with adjuvant IMRT-based CRT and chemotherapy. The efficacy of this regimen appears comparable to that of existing adjuvant regimens. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0848 will ultimately determine whether erlotinib produces a survival benefit in patients with resected pancreatic cancer.

Bioactive Lipidic Extracts from Octopus (Paraoctopus limaculatus): Antimutagenicity and Antiproliferative Studies.

Fractions from an organic extract from fresh octopus (Paraoctopus limaculatus) were studied for biological activities such as antimutagenic and antiproliferative properties using Salmonella tester strains TA98 and TA100 with metabolic activation (S9) and a cancer cell line (B-cell lymphoma), respectively. A chloroform extract obtained from octopus tentacles was sequentially fractionated using thin layer chromatography (TLC), and each fraction was tested for antimutagenic and antiproliferative activities. Organic extract reduced the number of revertants caused by aflatoxin B(1) showing a dose-response type of relationship. Sequential TLC fractionation of the active extracts produced several antimutagenic and/or antiproliferative fractions. Based on the results obtained, the isolated fractions obtained from octopus contain compounds with chemoprotective properties that reduce the mutagenicity of AFB(1) and proliferation of cancer cell lines.

Sonoran propolis: chemical composition and antiproliferative activity on cancer cell lines.

In this study, we have analyzed the chemical composition and antiproliferative activity of propolis from three different arid and semiarid regions of Sonora, Mexico. We identified and quantitated the main chemical constituents of propolis by HPLC-MS. The most abundant constituents of propolis were pinocembrin, pinobanksin 3-acetate, and chrysin. Sonoran propolis had a strong antiproliferative activity on both murine and human cancer cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. The propolis constituents CAPE, galangin, xanthomicrol and chrysin showed significant antiproliferative activity on most of the cancer cells tested. DNA harvested from cancer cell cultures treated with Sonoran propolis exhibited a ladder of internucleosomal DNA cleavage characteristic of apoptosis. In summary, we have identified and quantitated the main constituents of Sonoran propolis. These propolis samples possess a strong antiproliferative activity on cancer cell lines.