[Study on the effect of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of brucellosis].

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine on brucellosis and its influence on humoral immune indexes. Methods: In October 2019, 169 cases of brucellosis hospitalized in Tianjin Second People's Hospital were selected as the research objects, and divided into two groups according to the random number method, 84 cases in the integrated treatment group and 85 cases in the western medicine treatment group. The western medicine treatment group was given antibiotics and other routine western medicine support treatment. The integrated treatment group was given traditional Chinese medicine for treatment based on syndrome differentiation, on the basis of western medicine treatment group, and 6 weeks was a course of treatment. The clinical efficacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome scores were compared between the two groups of patients after treatment, and the changes in humoral immune indexes, biochemical, and liver and kidney functions of the patients before and after treatment were analyzed. Results: The total effective rate was 100.00% (84/84) in the integrated treatment group and 97.65% (83/85) in the western medicine treatment group. The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05) . The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05) . There was no statistically significant difference in TCM syndrome scores between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05) , and the TCM syndrome scores after treatment were lower than before treatment (P<0.05) . Among them, the TCM syndrome scores of the integrated treatment group were lower than those of the western medicine treatment group (P<0.05) . There was no significant difference in IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C4, miRNA-155, C-reactive protein (CRP) , erythrocyte sedimention rate (ESR) , alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05) . After treatment, IgG, IgA, IgM, miRNA-155, CRP, ESR, ALT and AST were all lower than before treatment, and C3 and C4 complement levels were higher than before treatment (P<0.05) . Among them, IgG, IgA, IgM, miRNA-155, CRP, ESR, ALT and AST in the integrative treatment group were all lower than the western medicine treatment group, while the C3 and C4 complement levels were higher than the western medicine treatment group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: The treatment of brucellosis with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine can significantly improve the TCM syndrome score and reduce the levels of CRP and ESR. The mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of the patient's humoral immunological indicators.

[Effect of an oral nutritional supplementation on nutritional status and quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy: A multi-center prospective randomized control trial].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) on the nutritional status and quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-TRC-13003798). A multi-center randomized controlled trial was conducted. Colorectal cancer patients who underwent radical surgery and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and had nutritional risk (nutrition risk screening 2002 score ≥3) when discharge from hospital in six hospitals (Beijing Hospital, Peking University Third Hospital, Guangzhou Nanfang Hospital, Shanghai Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, and Shanghai The Sixth People's Hospital) from June 2013 to August 2015 were prospectively enrolled. These patients were randomly divided into the ONS group and control group. Patients in the ONS group received dietary guidance and oral nutritional supplements (2092 kJ/day, whole protein enteral nutrition) for 90 days after discharge from hospital, while patients in the control group only received dietary guidance. Anthropometric measurements (body weight, body mass index [BMI], upper arm circumference, gripping power of the dominant hand, triceps skin fold), nutrition-related laboratory tests (hemoglobin, albumin, prealbumin, total cholesterol, triglyceride), gastrointestinal function scores and quality of life (evaluated by EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire) were collected and compared at baseline (at discharge), and at 30-day, 60-day and 90-day after discharge. Results: A total of 90 patients were included into this multi-center study, of whom 5 patients dropped out, 43 patients were assigned to the ONS group and 42 patients to the control group. Compared with baseline, the body weight of patients in the ONS group increased by (1.523±0.525) kg at 60-day and (1.967±0.661) kg at 90-day, which were significantly higher than those of patients in the control group [60-day: (-0.325±0.518) kg, P=0.015; 90-day: (-0.224±0.705) kg, P=0.027, respectively]. A similar pattern was observed for BMI, the ONS group increased by (0.552±0.203) kg/m(2) at 60-day and (0.765±0.205) kg/m(2) at 90-day, which were significantly higher than those of patients in control group [60-day: (-0.067±0.202) kg/m(2), P=0.034; 90-day: (0.022±0.210) kg/m(2), P=0.013]. No significant differences of other anthropometric measurements and nutrition-related laboratory tests were found between the two groups (all P>0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant differences of improvement in gastrointestinal function and quality of life between two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Oral nutritional supplements can improve the body weight and BMI of colorectal cancer patients with nutritional risk receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, though it does not improve the quality of life.

Response of nutrient resorption of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen and phosphorus addition in a meadow steppe of northeast China.

Nutrient resorption, one of the most important strategies for plant nutrient conservation, is significantly affected by soil fertility. However, the effects of experimentally altered soil fertility on plant N and P resorption are poorly understood. The potential nutrient resorption response mechanisms of the dominant species Leymus chinensis to six N addition levels (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 g·N·m-2 ·year-1 ), two P addition levels (0 and 10 g P·m-2 ·year-1 ) and their interactions were studied after 3 years of treatments in a temperate meadow steppe. In both green leaves and culms, N and P addition significantly increased N and P concentrations, respectively. Nitrogen addition led to a decrease in the N resorption efficiency (NRE) of both leaves and culms. Within each N treatment, P addition decreased the P resorption efficiency (PRE) of both leaves and culms and the NRE of leaves, except in the N2.5 treatment. Both NRE and PRE in leaves were higher than those in culms under N and P addition conditions. The nutrient concentrations and resorption efficiency were significantly correlated with the soil nutrient availability. Our results suggest that plants rely more on nutrient absorption from the soil, reducing the proportion of elements obtained through nutrient resorption in nutrient-rich environments.

Effects of rumen-protected betaine supplementation on meat quality and the composition of fatty and amino acids in growing lambs.

Rumen-protected betaine (RPB) can enhance betaine absorption in the small intestine of ruminants, while betaine can alter fat distribution and has the potential to affect the meat quality of livestock. Hence, we hypothesized that RPB might also affect the meat quality of lambs. Sixty male Hu sheep of similar weight (30.47 ± 2.04 kg) were selected and randomly subjected to five different treatments. The sheep were fed a control diet (control treatment, CTL); 1.1 g/day unprotected-betaine supplemented diet (UPB); or doses of 1.1 g/day (low RPB treatment; L-PB), 2.2 g/day (middle RPB treatment; M-PB) or 3.3 g/day (high RPB treatment; H-PB) RPB-supplemented diet for 70 days. Slaughter performance, meat quality, fatty acid and amino acid content in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle, shoulder muscle (SM) and gluteus muscle (GM) were measured. Compared with CTL, betaine (including UPB and RPB) supplementation increased the average daily weight gain (ADG) (P < 0.05) and average daily feed intake (P < 0.01) of lambs. Rumen-protected betaine increased ADG (P < 0.05) compared with UPB. With increasing RPB doses, the eye muscle area of the lambs linearly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, betaine supplementation decreased water loss (P < 0.05) in SM and increased pH24 in the SM (P < 0.05) and GM (P < 0.05). Compared with UPB, RPB decreased water loss in the GM (P < 0.01), decreased shear force (P < 0.05) in the LD and SM and increased the pH of the meat 24 h after slaughter (pH24). With increasing RPB doses, the shear force and b* value in the LD linearly decreased (P < 0.05), and the pH24 of the meat quadratically increased (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, betaine supplementation increased the polyunsaturated fatty acid in the GM (P < 0.05). Compared with UPB, RPB supplementation decreased the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content in the LD (P < 0.05) and increased the unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), mono-unsaturated fatty acids and UFA/SFA ratio in the LD (P < 0.05). Compared with CTL, the content of histidine in the LD increased with betaine supplementation. Compared with UPB, RPB supplementation increased the content of total free amino acids and flavor amino acids in the LD of lambs (P < 0.05). With increasing RPB, the isoleucine and phenylalanine contents in the LD linearly increased (P < 0.05). Overall, the data collected indicated that the meat quality of lambs (especially in the LD) improved as a result of betaine supplementation, and RPB showed better effects than those of UPB.

Therapeutic potential of natural products in glioblastoma treatment: targeting key glioblastoma signaling pathways and epigenetic alterations.

Glioma is the most common primary tumor of the nervous system, and approximately 50% of patients exhibit the most aggressive form of the cancer, glioblastoma. Currently, considerable research in glioblastoma therapeutics is aimed at developing vaccines or drugs to target key molecules for combating this disease. Studies on plant natural products from spices, vegetables, fruits, teas, and traditional medicinal herbs display that these plant-derived natural products can act as effective antioxidant and anti-tumor agents. The advancements in metabolomics and in genomics have enabled researchers to better evaluate the potential use of immunomodulatory natural plant products for treatment of different cancerous diseases. The glioblastoma protective activities of the different natural plant products lie in their effects on cellular defenses such as antioxidant enzyme systems, detoxification and the stimulation of anti-inflammatory, anti-metastasis responses and by modifying epigenetic alterations, often through targeting specific key transcription factors such as activator protein, nuclear factor kappa B, signal transducers and activators of transcription and so on. Here, we review recent knowledge on the molecular mechanisms by which different inflammatory activities are linked to progression of glioblastoma and the particular immunomodulatory plant products that may reduce inflammation and the associated progression and metastasis of glioblastoma both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, their impact on the epigenetic alterations will also be discussed.

THERMOLUMINESCENCE OF NEWLY DEVELOPED HIGHLY SENSITIVE α-Al2O3:C BY THE VERTICAL GRADIENT FREEZING METHOD.

A highly sensitive α-Al2O3:C crystal was directly grown by the vertical gradient freezing (VGF) method using Al2O3 and graphite powder as the raw materials. The main thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of α-Al2O3:C detectors grown by the VGF method and TLD-500K detectors were compared. The α-Al2O3:C grown by the VGF method shows good dosimetric properties, such as high TL sensitivity (152 times higher than that of the TLD-100 at heating rate of 1°C/s), an extremely low residual signal of 0.03%, a minimum measurable dose of 0.12 µGy and an excellent linear response within the dose range studied from 1 µGy to 10 Gy. The α-Al2O3:C detectors grown by the VGF method have a higher sensitivity and a better linear response compared to the TLD-500K detectors. Both kinds of α-Al2O3:C can be used in an unannealed form and to measure the very low dose in environmental monitoring and personnel dosimetry.

PROPERTIES OF THERMOLUMINESCENT CARDS WITH HIGH SENSITIVE GR-200A LiF:Mg,Cu, P DETECTORS FOR HARSHAW AUTOMATIC READER.

New DML TL cards with GR-200A detectors were developed. The TL sensitivity remains stable and the detectors were sealed firmly during the encapsulation process. The sensitivity, detection threshold, residual signal, reusability, dose response and Teflon capsule resistance of DML cards with two GR-200A detectors with diameter 3.6 mm and thickness 0.38 mm placed in positions 2 and 3 were evaluated. The detection thresholds were 0.61 µSv for the detector at position 2 and 1.15 µSv for the detector at position 3. The residual signals were 0.40% for the detector at position 2 and 0.57% for the detector at position 3. The 10 repeated readings of the same 10 irradiated cards were found within 1% for the two detectors on the cards. The DML cards demonstrate very high sensitivity, low background and good stability and can be used for very low dose ranges in personnel dosimetry and in environmental monitoring.

[Tea consumption and the risk of lung cancer in Chinese males: a prospective cohort study].

Objective: To investigate the association between tea consumption and lung cancer risk in Chinese males. Methods: Tea consumption and incident lung cancer cases were collected on a biennial basis among males in Kailuan Cohort during 2006-2015. Up to 31st December 2015, a total of 103 010 male candidates from the Chinese Kailuan Male Cohort Study were enrolled in the present study. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the association between tea consumption and risk of lung cancer in males. Results: The age of male candidates was (51.3±13.4)years old. There were 828 810.74 person-years of follow-up and 8.91 years of median follow-up period. During the follow-up, 964 lung cancer cases were identified. In male, the rate of never cosumers, tea drinkers (<4/week) and tea drinkers (≥4/week) were 58.17%(n=59 926), 24.04%(n=24 765) and 17.78%(n=18 319), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, HR (95%CI) of lung cancer for subjects with tea drinkers (<4/week) and tea drinkers (≥4/week) were 0.80 (0.63-1.02) and 1.02 (0.80-1.30), respectively, as compared with never cosumers. The results showed no significant association with lung cancer. Stratification analysis and sensitivity analysis showed no significant changes. Conclusion: Our study has not found that tea consumption is significantly associated with the risk of male lung cancer.

AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR THE COMPUTERISED ANALYSIS OF GR-200A LiF:Mg,Cu,P TL SIGNALS.

The profile of the residual signals of LiF:Mg,Cu,P within the region of dosimetric interest was approximated by a cubic curve. The conventional analysis, the GCA developed in CIEMAT and the GCA developed in this laboratory were compared. For GCA developed in this laboratory, the 5 µGy test dose could be well measured even after measurement at 10 mGy and obviously at lower doses. The 20 µGy test dose could be well measured even after measurement at 50 mGy. The residual signals caused by previous irradiations in the case of using only reader anneal can be more effectively eliminated by GCA developed in this laboratory than GCA developed in CIEMAT. The program developed in this laboratory, effectively estimating the contribution of the residual signals caused by previous irradiations, permits work to be done using only reader anneal in a dose range of more than three orders of magnitude.

Effects of sources and concentrations of zinc on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and fur quality of growing-furring female mink (Mustela vison).

A completely randomized 3 × 3 + 1 factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of sources and concentrations of Zn on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical endpoints, and fur quality in growing-furring female black mink. One hundred fifty healthy 15-wk-old female mink were randomly allocated to 10 dietary treatments ( = 15/group) for a 60-d trial. Animals in the control group were fed a basal diet, which consisted of mainly corn, soybean oil, meat and bone meal, and fish meal, with no Zn supplementation. Mink in the other 9 treatments were fed the basal diet supplemented with Zn from either zinc sulfate (ZnSO), zinc glycinate (ZnGly), or Zn pectin oligosaccharides (ZnPOS) at concentrations of either 100, 300, or 900 mg Zn/kg DM. The results showed that mink in the ZnPOS groups had higher ADG than those in the ZnSO groups (main effect, < 0.05). The addition of Zn reduced the G:F ( < 0.05). In addition, CP and crude fat digestibility were linearly increased with Zn supplementation ( < 0.05) and N retention tended to increase with Zn addition ( = 0.08). Dietary Zn supplementation increased the concentration of serum albumin and activity of alkaline phosphatase ( < 0.05). There was a linear effect of dietary Zn on the concentration of tibia Zn and pancreatic Zn ( < 0.05). For fur quality characteristics, the fur density and hair color of mink were improved by dietary Zn concentration ( < 0.05). Compared with ZnSO (100%), relative bioavailability values of ZnGly were 115 and 118%, based on tibia and pancreatic Zn, respectively, and relative bioavailability values of ZnPOS were 152 and 142%, respectively. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Zn supplementation can promote growth and increase nutrient digestibility and fur quality and that ZnPOS is more bioavailable than ZnSO and ZnGly in growing-furring female mink.

Inhibitory effect of liposome-entrapped lemongrass oil on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cheese.

Listeria monocytogenes infection in dairy products is of mounting public concern. To inhibit bacterial growth, we engineered stimuli-responsive liposomes containing lemongrass oil for this study. The controlled release of liposome-entrapped lemongrass oil is triggered by listerolysin O, secreted by L. monocytogenes. We investigated the antibiotic activities of lemongrass oil liposomes against L. monocytogenes in cheese. We also assessed their possible effects on the quality of the cheese. Liposomes containing lemongrass oil (5.0mg/mL) presented the optimal polydispersity index (0.246), zeta-potential (-58.9mV) and entrapment efficiency (25.7%). The liposomes displayed satisfactory antibiotic activity against L. monocytogenes in cheese over the storage period at 4°C. We observed no effects on the physical and sensory properties of the cheese after the liposome treatment.

Influence of dietary copper concentrations on growth performance, serum lipid profiles, antioxidant defenses, and fur quality in growing-furring male blue foxes (Vulpes lagopus).

A 75-d experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary Cu concentrations on growth performance, serum lipid profiles, antioxidant defenses, and fur quality in growing-furring male blue foxes. Seventy-five male blue foxes (5.78 ± 0.09 kg BW) were selected and randomly allocated to 1 of the following 5 dietary treatments: 1) control (basal diet without supplemental Cu; 7.78 mg Cu/kg), 2) 12.22 mg/kg supplemental Cu (Cu20), 3) 32.22 mg/kg supplemental Cu, 4) 72.22 mg/kg supplemental Cu (Cu80), and 5) 152.22 mg/kg supplemental Cu (Cu160). A dry feed that consisted of animal meals, soybean meal, extruded corn, and soybean oil was used as the basal diet and Cu was supplemented as reagent grade CuSO∙5HO. The results showed that Cu supplementation increased the ADG ( < 0.05) and fat digestibility ( < 0.01) and tended to improve G:F ( = 0.09). The ADFI, however, was not affected by dietary Cu ( > 0.10). Additionally, Cu supplementation linearly increased the concentration of fecal Cu, liver Cu, serum total protein, and albumin ( < 0.01). Foxes in the Cu160 group had higher serum Cu concentration than those in the control and Cu20 groups ( < 0.05). The concentration of serum cholesterol decreased with dietary Cu supplementation ( < 0.05). Serum high-density lipoprotein, on the contrary, tended to increase with Cu supplementation ( = 0.09). Copper supplementation increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase ( < 0.05) and tended to increase the activity of serum ceruloplasmin ( = 0.07). For fur quality, skin length in the Cu80 group was greater than that in the control and Cu20 groups. In addition, hair color tended to deepen with the increasing of dietary Cu concentrations ( = 0.08). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Cu supplementation can promote growth and increase fat digestibility and fur length. Additionally, dietary Cu supplementation can enhance antioxidant capacity and reduce serum cholesterol in growing-furring blue foxes.

Comparative studies on radioluminescent and thermoluminescent spectra of LiF:Mg,Cu,P and LiF:Mg,Cu,Si.

The influence of various annealing treatments on radioluminescent (RL) and thermoluminescent (TL) spectra of LiF:Mg,Cu,Si and LiF:Mg,Cu,P was investigated. The TL and RL emission bands for LiF:Mg,Cu,P are not the same; however, the emission band peaking at ∼383 nm is predominant in the TL and RL emission for LiF:Mg,Cu,Si. With the increase in annealing temperatures in the range of 240-300°C, for LiF:Mg,Cu,P, the intensity of TL decreases much more rapidly than that of RL. For LiF:Mg,Cu,Si, the area ratios of the two bands of RL and TL remain constant within experimental errors. It suggests that there is a significant decrease in the concentration of recombination centres in LiF:Mg,Cu,P after the annealing, in addition to the decrease in trapping centres, the recombination centres for main TL emission and RL emission in LiF:Mg,Cu,Si are the same, and the recombination centres for TL emission and RL emission in LiF:Mg,Cu,P are not the same. P is a more effective dopant than Si.

Folic acid supplementation and dietary folate intake, and risk of preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Folic acid supplementation has been suggested to reduce the risk of preeclampsia. However, results from few epidemiologic studies have been inconclusive. We investigated the hypothesis that folic acid supplementation and dietary folate intake before conception and during pregnancy reduce the risk of preeclampsia. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A birth cohort study was conducted in 2010-2012 at the Gansu Provincial Maternity & Child Care Hospital in Lanzhou, China. A total of 10,041 pregnant women without chronic hypertension or gestational hypertension were enrolled. RESULTS: Compared with nonusers, folic acid supplement users had a reduced risk of preeclampsia (OR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.87). A significant dose-response of duration of use was observed among women who used folic acid supplemention during pregnancy only (P-trend=0.007). The reduced risk associated with folic acid supplement was similar for mild or severe preeclampsia and for early- or late-onset preeclampsia, although the statistical significant associations were only observed for mild (OR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.30-0.81) and late-onset (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.42-0.86) preeclampsia. The reduced risk associated with dietary folate intake during pregnancy was only seen for severe preeclampsia (OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.31-0.87, for the highest quartile of dietary folate intake compared with the lowest). CONCLUSIONS: Our study results suggest that folic acid supplementation and higher dietary folate intake during pregnancy reduce the risk of preeclampsia. Future studies are needed to confirm the associations.

Smartphone apps for urolithiasis.

There are an increasing number of healthcare smartphone applications ('apps') available. Urolithiasis presents a major healthcare burden. Patients are increasingly keen to educate themselves regarding the diagnosis and management of their condition. There is no formal regulation of healthcare apps, including a large number of apps relating to urolithiasis. This review aims to examine the range of apps available, and the prevalence of healthcare professional input. Four international smartphone app stores were searched: Apple's App Store, Google Play (Android), BlackBerry App World and the Windows Phone App store. A total of 42 unique apps were downloaded and analysed. Recorded data included the cost (£/$), publisher information, number of ratings, average rating and any documentation of medical professional involvement. Twenty-one (50%) apps required payment for download. The mean cost was £3.58 ($6.04) with range £0.61-£34.90 ($1.03-$58.87). Thirty-three (79%) of the 42 apps were designed to be used by patients. Fifteen (36%) of the 42 apps had clear input from health professionals. Twenty-two apps offered patient information, including dietary advice on lowering calcium intake, which is contrary to current evidence-based practice. We conclude that urolithiasis apps have future potential to inform both patients and healthcare professionals on stone management. However, inaccuracies in the recommendations made by some apps can be misleading or even harmful due to a lack of specialist involvement. We recommend improving the usefulness of these apps by seeking a 'quality stamp' from recognised urological organisations and greater clinician involvement in future app development.

Tetramethylpyrazine promotes SH-SY5Y cell differentiation into neurons through epigenetic regulation of Topoisomerase IIß.

Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is an active compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Chuanxiong. Recently, it has been reported that TMP enhances neurogenesis, and promotes neural stem cell differentiation toward neurons. However, its molecular basis remains unknown. Topoisomerase IIß (TopoIIß) is a nuclear enzyme with an essential role in neuronal development. This study aimed to investigate whether TopoIIß is involved in TMP-induced neuronal differentiation. We examined the effect of TMP on neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells. It was found that TMP inhibited cell proliferation and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. TMP promoted SH-SY5Y cells to differentiate toward post-mitotic neurons characterized by long, out-branched neurites and up-regulated neuronal markers, microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and tau. Meanwhile, we demonstrated that TopoIIß was highly expressed following TMP treatment. To unravel how TMP affects TopoIIß expression, two chromatin active markers, acetylated histone H3 (Ac-H3) and acetylated histone H4 (Ac-H4) were examined in this study. Our data showed that the levels of Ac-H3 and Ac-H4 were positively correlated with TopoIIß expression in the processes of neuronal differentiation. We further performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis and identified that TMP enhanced the recruitment of Ac-H3 and Ac-H4 to the TopoIIß gene promoter region. Therefore, we concluded that TMP may stimulate neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells through epigenetic regulation of TopoIIß. These results suggest a novel molecular mechanism underlying TMP-promoted neuronal differentiation.

Supplementing different ratios of short- and medium-chain fatty acids to long-chain fatty acids in dairy cows: changes of milk fat production and milk fatty acids composition.

Milk fat synthesis might be promoted by the dietary addition of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) or short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SMCFA). This study evaluated unprotected lipid supplementation with different ratios of SMCFA to LCFA, which had equivalent fatty acid (FA) proportions (by weight) to those in milk, on milk fat production and milk FA composition. Thirty-six Holstein cows (183±46 d in milk) were divided into 3 treatments according to a randomized block design. Cows in 3 treatments received supplements of 80 g/d of SMCFA mixture and 320 g/d of LCFA mixture (ratio of SMCFA to LCFA was 20:80); 400 g/d of butterfat (ratio of SMCFA to LCFA was 40:60); or 240 g/d of SMCFA mixture and 160 g/d of LCFA mixture (ratio of SMCFA to LCFA was 60:40). The FA compositions of the SMCFA mixture and the LCFA mixture were similar to the de novo synthesized FA (except C4:0) and preformed FA (except trans FA) found in the butterfat, respectively. Fatty acid supplements and butterfat were consumed by cows daily before the morning feeding during the 8-wk experimental period. Dry matter intake and milk yield were not different among the treatments. The milk fat percentage and total SMCFA concentration in milk fat tended to increase linearly and the proportion of milk total solids increased linearly with increasing ratios of SMCFA to LCFA in the supplements, whereas milk fat yield was not changed. We suggest that increasing ratios of SMCFA to LCFA in diets has the potential to improve milk fat synthesis.

Prevalence of depression in adults with haemophilia.

Multiple factors place adults with haemophilia at risk for depression. Health outcomes can be compromised in depressed patients secondary to increased risk taking behaviour and poor compliance with treatment recommendations. To assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with depression in adult patients with haemophilia treated at a haemophilia treatment centre. Adults with haemophilia were screened for depression during their annual clinic visit using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), a validated tool for depression screening in adults. Depression was defined as a PHQ-9 score ≥ 5. Risk factors associated with depression were collected by chart review and correlated with depression scores. A total of 41 adult patients consented to the study and 37% met criteria for depression. Fifty-three per cent of patients with depression reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression (PHQ-9 score >10). Seventy-six per cent of patients with depression reported suffering functional impairment due to their depressive symptoms. Lack of social support and unemployment were significantly associated with higher PHQ-9 scores (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01 respectively). Adult patients with haemophilia have a high prevalence of depression. The addition of depression screening to the comprehensive care of adults with haemophilia may result in improved overall health outcomes and treatment adherence.

Protective action of honokiol, administered orally, against oxidative stress in brain of mice challenged with NMDA.

Neuroprotective effect of honokiol (HK), orally administered, on oxidative damage in the brain of mice challenged with N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) was examined. HK (1-100 mg/kg) was administered to Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) male mice through a gavage for 3 days consecutively, and on the third day, NMDA (150 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered. Administration of NMDA, causing a lethality of approximately 60%, resulted in a significant decrease of total glutathione (GSH) level and increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) value in brain tissue. Meanwhile, oral administration of HK (> or = 3 mg/kg) for 3 days reduced the lethality (60%) in NMDA-treated group to 10% level, and alleviated the behavioral signs of NMDA neurotoxicity. Moreover, HK pretreatment restored the levels of total GSH and TBARS in the brain tissue to control levels (p<0.01). Additionally, GSH peroxidase activity in cytosolic portion of brain homogenate was also restored significantly (p<0.01), whereas GSH reductase activity was not. Separately, compared to vehicle-treated control, no significant changes in body and brain weight were observed in mice administered with HK. Based on these results, oral intake of HK is suggested to prevent oxidative stress in the brain of mice.

The effect of a therapeutic trial of high-dose rabeprazole on symptom response of patients with non-cardiac chest pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic trials with high-dose lansoprazole and omeprazole have been shown to be sensitive clinical tools for diagnosing patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-related non-cardiac chest pain. AIM: To determine the clinical value of a therapeutic trial of high-dose rabeprazole over 7 days in detecting patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-related non-cardiac chest pain. METHODS: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Patients referred by a cardiologist after a comprehensive cardiac work-up were enrolled into the study. Oesophageal mucosal disease was determined by upper endoscopy and 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring assessed acid exposure. Patients were then randomized to either placebo or rabeprazole 20 mg am and 20 mg pm for 7 days. After a washout period of 1 week, patients crossed over to the other arm of the study for an additional 7 days. Patients completed a daily diary assessing severity and frequency of chest pain throughout the baseline, treatment and wash-out periods. The rabeprazole therapeutic trial was considered as a diagnostic tool, if chest pain scores improved > or =50% from baseline. RESULTS: Of the 35 patients enrolled, 16 (46%) were diagnosed as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-positive and 19 (54%) as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-negative. Of the gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-positive patients, 12 of 16 (75%) had a significant symptom improvement on rabeprazole when compared with 3 of 16 (19%) on placebo (P = 0.029). Of the gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-negative group, only two of 19 (11%) improved significantly on the medication and four of 19 (21%) on placebo (P = 0.6599). The calculated sensitivity and specificity of the rabeprazole therapeutic trial was 75% and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A rabeprazole therapeutic trial is highly sensitive and specific for diagnosing gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-related non-cardiac chest pain patients.