Oral Zinc-Rich Oyster Supplementation Corrects Anemia in Rats.

This study investigates the impact of various zinc supplementation methods on anemia in rats induced by phenylhydrazine (PHZ) and in 5/6-nephrectomized anemic rats. We compare oral zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) supplementation, oyster Crassostrea gigas supplementation, and hard clam Meretrix lusoria supplementation on red blood cell (RBC) levels. Oral zinc-rich oyster supplementation (2.70 mg Zn (30 g oyster)/day/rat) effectively corrects anemia in both experimental groups. Rats orally fed oysters for four days exhibit similar effectiveness as those receiving a single ZnSO4 injection (0.95 mg Zn (4.18 mg ZnSO4⋅7H2O)/rat). In contrast, oral ZnSO4 supplementation (2.70 mg Zn (11.88 mg ZnSO4⋅7H2O)/day/rat) does not significantly increase RBC levels, suggesting better zinc absorption from oysters. A placebo group of anemic rats supplemented with hard clams, similar in composition to oysters but much lower in zinc, did not change RBC counts. This supports oysters' high zinc content as the key to correcting anemia. Oysters also contain high iron levels, offering a potential solution for iron-deficiency anemia while supporting bone marrow erythropoiesis. In summary, oral oyster supplementation emerges as an effective strategy to correct anemia in rats with added zinc and iron support for erythropoiesis.

Association of Zinc with Anemia.

Zinc is an essential trace element, and anemia is the most common blood disorder. The association of zinc with anemia may be divided into three major forms: (1) zinc deficiency contributing to anemia, (2) excess intake of zinc leading to anemia, and (3) anemia leading to abnormal blood-zinc levels in the body. In most cases, zinc deficiency coexists with iron deficiency, especially in pregnant women and preschool-age children. To a lesser extent, zinc deficiency may cooperate with other factors to lead to anemia. It seems that zinc deficiency alone does not result in anemia and that it may need to cooperate with other factors to lead to anemia. Excess intake of zinc is rare. However, excess intake of zinc interferes with the uptake of copper and results in copper deficiency that leads to anemia. Animal model studies indicate that in anemia, zinc is redistributed from plasma and bones to the bone marrow to produce new red blood cells. Inadequate zinc status (zinc deficiency or excess) could have effects on anemia; at the same time, anemia could render abnormal zinc status in the body. In handling anemia, zinc status needs to be observed carefully, and supplementation with zinc may have preventive and curative effects.

Neuroprotective Effects of Emodin against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through Activating ERK-1/2 Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide and places a heavy burden on the economy in our society. Current treatments, such as the use of thrombolytic agents, are often limited by a narrow therapeutic time window. However, the regeneration of the brain after damage is still active days, even weeks, after stroke occurs, which might provide a second window for treatment. Emodin, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb widely used to treat acute hepatitis, has been reported to possess antioxidative capabilities and protective effects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the underlying mechanisms and neuroprotective functions of Emodin in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of ischemic stroke remain unknown. This study investigates neuroprotective effects of Emodin in ischemia both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: PC12 cells were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation to simulate hypoxic injury, and the involved signaling pathways and results of Emodin treatment were evaluated. The therapeutic effects of Emodin in ischemia animals were further investigated. RESULTS: Emodin reduced infarct volume and cell death following focal cerebral ischemia injury. Emodin treatment restored PC12 cell viability and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and glutamate release under conditions of ischemia/hypoxia. Emodin increased Bcl-2 and glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-l) expression but suppressed activated-caspase 3 levels through activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1/2 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Emodin induced Bcl-2 and GLT-1 expression to inhibit neuronal apoptosis and ROS generation while reducing glutamate toxicity via the ERK-1/2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, Emodin alleviated nerve cell injury following ischemia/reperfusion in a rat MCAO model. Emodin has neuroprotective effects against ischemia/reperfusion injury both in vitro and in vivo, which may be through activating the ERK-1/2 signaling pathway.

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Renal Anemia in 5/6-Nephrectomized Rats and a Comparison with Treatment with Recombinant Human Erythropoietin.

Anemia is a severe complication in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Treatment with exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) can correct anemia in many with CKD. We produced 5/6-nephrectomized rats that became uremic and anemic at 25 days post surgery. Injection of the anemic 5/6-nephrectomized rats with 2.8 mg zinc/kg body weight raised their red blood cell (RBC) levels from approximately 85% of the control to 95% in one day and continued for 4 days. We compared the effect of ZnSO4 and recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) injections on relieving anemia in 5/6-nephrectomized rats. After three consecutive injections, both the ZnSO4 and rHuEPO groups had significantly higher RBC levels (98 ± 6% and 102 ± 6% of the control) than the saline group (90 ± 3% of the control). In vivo, zinc relieved anemia in 5/6-nephrectomized rats similar to rHuEPO. In vitro, we cultured rat bone marrow cells supplemented with ZnCl2, rHuEPO, or saline. In a 4-day suspension culture, we found that zinc induced erythropoiesis similar to rHuEPO. When rat bone marrow cells were supplement-cultured with zinc, we found that zinc stimulated the production of EPO in the culture medium and that the level of EPO produced was dependent on the concentration of zinc supplemented. The production of EPO via zinc supplementation was involved in the process of erythropoiesis.

Zinc Supplementation Stimulates Red Blood Cell Formation in Rats.

In rats, mice, and humans, it is known that zinc deficiency may be related to anemia, and zinc supplementation influences hemoglobin production. Our previous studies indicate that in fish, zinc supplementation stimulates red blood cell (RBC) formation (erythropoiesis). However, it is not clear whether the mechanism of zinc-induced erythropoiesis stimulation in fish also occurs in rats. We induced anemia in rats using phenylhydrazine (PHZ) and injected either saline or ZnSO4 solution. We found that an appropriate amount of zinc stimulated erythropoiesis in the PHZ-induced anemic rats. The effects of ZnSO4 injection were dose-dependent. When the concentration of ZnSO4 was higher than 2.8 mg zinc/kg body weight, the RBC level of the anemic rats increased from 60 ± 7% to 88 ± 10% that of the normal rats in two days. Rat bone marrow cells with or without ZnCl2 supplementation were cultured in suspension in vitro. In the cell culture when the zinc concentration was at 0.3 mM, a 1.6-fold proliferation of nascent immature reticulocytes (new RBCs) was observed after one day. In the rat blood, zinc was combined with serum transferrin to induce erythropoiesis. The stimulation of RBC formation by zinc appears to be common among different animals.

Zinc as a Signal to Stimulate Red Blood Cell Formation in Fish.

The common carp can tolerate extremely low oxygen levels. These fish store zinc in a specific zinc-binding protein presented in digestive tract tissues, and under low oxygen, the stored zinc is released and used as a signal to stimulate erythropoiesis (red blood cell formation). To determine whether the environmental supply of zinc to other fish species can serve as a signal to induce erythropoiesis as in the common carp, head kidney cells of four different fish species were cultured with supplemental ZnCl2. Zinc stimulated approximately a three-fold increase in immature red blood cells (RBCs) in one day. The stimulation of erythropoiesis by zinc was dose-dependent. ZnSO4 solution was injected into an experimental blood loss tilapia model. Blood analysis and microscopic observation of the blood cells indicated that, in vivo, the presence of additional zinc induced erythropoiesis in the bled tilapia. In the fish species studied, zinc could be used as a signal to stimulate erythropoiesis both in vitro and in vivo. The present report suggests a possible approach for the induction of red blood cell formation in animals through the supply of a certain level of zinc through either diet or injection.

Increased sliding of transverse abdominis during contraction after myofascial release in patients with chronic low back pain.

PURPOSE: Recent evidence suggested the significance of integrity of the tension balance of the muscle-fascia corset system in spinal stability, particularly the posterior musculofascial junction which is adjacent to dorsal located paraspinal muscles joining each other at lateral raphe (LR). The purpose of this study was to compare the contraction of the transversus abdominis (TrA) at both anterior and posterior musculofascial muscle-fascia junctions in patients with low back pain (LBP) and asymptomatic participants before and immediately after a sustained manual pressure to LR. METHODS: The present observational cohort study used a single-instance, test-retest design. The outcome variables included the resting thickness (Tr), the thickness during contraction (Tc), change in thickness (ΔT), sliding of musculofascial junction (ΔX), muscle length at rest (L) and displacement pattern (ΔD) of the TrA using ultrasonography. Vertical tolerable pressure at the LR was applied manual for 1 min. Tr, Tc, ΔT, and ΔX were analyzed by three-way ANOVA (musculofascial junction sites*group* pre-post manual release). ΔL and ΔD were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (group* pre-post manual release). RESULTS: Participants with LBP revealed less Tc, ΔT and ΔX at both sites (p < 0.005). After myofascial release, LBP group demonstrated a positive ΔD of the musculofascial junctions at both end (p < 0.001). Nevertheless, both groups increased the ΔT and ΔX at both sites (p < 0.001 and 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The result indicated immediately effect of sustained manual pressure on musculofascial junction of TrA and supported the concept that the possible imbalanced tension of the myofascia corset of TrA in patients with LBP.

Reliability and Validity of Transversus Abdominis Measurement at the Posterior Muscle-Fascia Junction with Ultrasonography in Asymptomatic Participants.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were (1) to establish the intrarater sliding and change in thickness of the transversus abdominis (TrA) measurement at the posterior muscle-fascia junction and (2) to examine the relationship between the muscle thickness and sliding of the TrA at the anterior and posterior sites. METHODS: Asymptomatic participants (n = 20) were placed into the hook-lying position to perform the abdominal drawing-in maneuver viewed in B-mode with a 5- to 12-MHz linear ultrasound transducer. The outcome variables included the resting thickness, the thickness during contraction, the change of thickness, and the change of sliding length. Both intraclass correlation coefficient and Pearson correlation were used for analysis. RESULTS: Measuring the thickness and sliding of the TrA at the posterior muscle-fascia junction showed good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (3,3), 0.89-0.98). The correlations between the sliding measurements of the TrA at the anterior and posterior sites were moderate to good (r = 0.41-0.74). CONCLUSION: This study found that measuring the musculofascial corset from the posterior site using ultrasonography is reliable, allowing for ultrasound measurements at both the anterior and posterior sites of the TrA to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the TrA fascia.

Zinc transferrin stimulates red blood cell formation in the head kidney of common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

The common carp is one of the few fish able to tolerate extremely low oxygen levels. These fish store zinc in their digestive tract tissue and head kidney at concentrations of 300-500µg/g of fresh tissue, which is 5-10 times higher than in other fish. Previous studies have indicated a link between the high zinc levels in the common carp and stress erythropoiesis. In this report, using suspension-cultured common carp head kidney cells with or without ZnCl2 supplementation, we found that zinc stimulated the proliferation of immature red blood cells; however, this effect was only observed when the culture was supplemented with carp serum. We identified the active component of carp serum to be transferrin. The zinc-transferrin complex interacts with the transferrin receptor and stimulates the proliferation of immature red blood cells. In addition, the growth rate of the immature red blood cells was regulated by the supplied ZnCl2 concentration. Under stress, the zinc in the common carp digestive tract tissue was released and used as a signal to induce red blood cell formation in the head kidney. This cell culture system might provide a means for exploring the regulatory role of zinc in hematopoietic cell growth.

Kinetics and mechanism of arsenate removal by nanosized iron oxide-coated perlite.

This study discussed the adsorption kinetics of As(V) onto nanosized iron oxide-coated perlite. The effects of pH, initial concentration of As(V) and common anions on the adsorption efficiency were also investigated. It was observed that a 100% As(V) adsorption was achieved at pH value of 4-8 from the initial concentration containing 1.0 mg-As(V)L(-1) and the adsorption percentage depended on the initial concentration; the phosphate and silicate ions would not interfere with the adsorption efficiency. Furthermore, nanosized iron oxide-coated perlite (IOCP) has been shown to be an effective adsorbent for the removal of arsenate from water. The adsorption kinetics were studied using pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order models, and the experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. Moreover, it suggests that the Langmuir isotherm is more adequate than the Freundlich isotherm in simulating the adsorption isotherm of As(V). The adsorption rate constant is 44.84 L mg(-1) and the maximum adsorption capacity is 0.39 mg g(-1). These findings indicate that the adsorption property of IOCP gives the compound a great potential for applications in environmental remediation.