[Effect of corneal e-value on myopia control in children and adolescents with orthokeratology].

Objective: To investigate the influence of corneal e-value on the effectiveness of orthokeratology in controlling myopia in children and adolescents. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, involving the data from 1 563 myopic patients (1 563 eyes) who underwent orthokeratology at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2015 to August 2021 and adhered to lens wear for at least 2 years. The cohort consisted of 737 males and 826 females with an average age of (10.84±2.13) years. Based on corneal e-value parameters obtained from corneal topography, patients were categorized into a low e-value group (n=425) and a high e-value group (n=1 138). Data on gender, age, parental myopia history, and baseline measures such as spherical equivalent (SE), axial length, and corneal e-value were collected. Differences in axial length change and corneal fluorescein staining rates were compared between the two groups at 1 and 2 years after the start of lens wear. A generalized linear mixed model was established with axial length change as the dependent variable to analyze the correlation between axial length change and baseline corneal e-value. Results: The initial age of the 1 563 myopic patients was (10.84±2.13) years, with a baseline SE of (-3.05±1.30) D. After 1 year of lens wear, the axial length change was (0.20±0.19) mm in the low e-value group and (0.24±0.20) mm in the high e-value group. After 2 years, the changes were (0.38±0.25) mm and (0.43±0.27) mm, respectively, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The incidence of corneal staining after 1 year of lens wear was 9.2% (39/425) in the low e-value group and 14.1% (160/1 138) in the high e-value group. After 2 years, the rates were 15.8% (67/425) and 21.8% (248/1 138), respectively, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). After adjusting for parental myopia history, age, SE, and baseline axial length, the baseline corneal e-value was positively correlated with axial length change at 1 and 2 years after lens wear (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Corneal e-value is an independent factor influencing the effectiveness of orthokeratology in controlling myopia. A smaller corneal e-value is associated with slower axial length growth after orthokeratology, indicating better control of myopia in treated eyes.

[Construction and evaluation of a nomogram for predicting the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis treated with cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy].

Objectives: To construct a nomogram incorporating important prognostic factors for predicting the overall survival of patients with colorectal cancer with peritoneal metastases treated with cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), the aim being to accurately predict such patients' survival rates. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. Relevant clinical and follow-up data of patients with colorectal cancer with peritoneal metastases treated by CRS + HIPEC in the Department of Peritoneal Cancer Surgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University from 2007 January to 2020 December were collected and subjected to Cox proportional regression analysis. All included patients had been diagnosed with peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer and had no detectable distant metastases to other sites. Patients who had undergone emergency surgery because of obstruction or bleeding, or had other malignant diseases, or could not tolerate treatment because of severe comorbidities of the heart, lungs, liver or kidneys, or had been lost to follow-up, were excluded. Factors studied included: (1) basic clinicopathological characteristics; (2) details of CRS+HIPEC procedures; (3) overall survival rates; and (4) independent factors that influenced overall survival; the aim being to identify independent prognostic factors and use them to construct and validate a nomogram. The evaluation criteria used in this study were as follows. (1) Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) scores were used to quantitatively assess the quality of life of the study patients. The lower the score, the worse the patient's condition. (2) A peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was calculated by dividing the abdominal cavity into 13 regions, the highest score for each region being three points. The lower the score, the greater is the value of treatment. (3) Completeness of cytoreduction score (CC), where CC-0 and CC-1 denote complete eradication of tumor cells and CC-2 and CC-3 incomplete reduction of tumor cells. (4) To validate and evaluate the nomogram model, the internal validation cohort was bootstrapped 1000 times from the original data. The accuracy of prediction of the nomogram was evaluated with the consistency coefficient (C-index), and a C-index of 0.70-0.90 suggest that prediction by the model was accurate. Calibration curves were constructed to assess the conformity of predictions: the closer the predicted risk to the standard curve, the better the conformity. Results: The study cohort comprised 240 patients with peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer who had undergone CRS+HIPEC. There were 104 women and 136 men of median age 52 years (10-79 years) and with a median preoperative KPS score of 90 points. There were 116 patients (48.3%) with PCI≤20 and 124 (51.7%) with PCI>20. Preoperative tumor markers were abnormal in 175 patients (72.9%) and normal in 38 (15.8%). HIPEC lasted 30 minutes in seven patients (2.9%), 60 minutes in 190 (79.2%), 90 minutes in 37 (15.4%), and 120 minutes in six (2.5%). There were 142 patients (59.2%) with CC scores 0-1 and 98 (40.8%) with CC scores 2-3. The incidence of Grade III to V adverse events was 21.7% (52/240). The median follow-up time is 15.3 (0.4-128.7) months. The median overall survival was 18.7 months, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 65.8%, 37.2% and 25.7%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that KPS score, preoperative tumor markers, CC score, and duration of HIPEC were independent prognostic factors. In the nomogram constructed with the above four variables, the predicted and actual values in the calibration curves for 1, 2 and 3-year survival rates were in good agreement, the C-index being 0.70 (95% CI: 0.65-0.75). Conclusions: Our nomogram, which was constructed with KPS score, preoperative tumor markers, CC score, and duration of HIPEC, accurately predicts the survival probability of patients with peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer treated with cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Effects of honeycomb extract on the growth performance, carcass traits, immunity, antioxidant function and intestinal microorganisms of yellow bantam broilers.

Although many studies have already described the physiological effects of bee products, such as honey, propolis, pollen, and royal jelly, on livestock farming, the health benefits of the honeycomb are still not fully understood. The problem of drug residues and bacterial resistance caused by the abuse of antibiotics is becoming increasingly serious. For this reason, a safe, green substitute has to be sought. We conducted a comparative study of honeycomb extract (HE) and an antibiotic on growth performance, carcass traits, immunity, antioxidant function and intestinal microorganisms of yellow bantam broilers. A total of four hundred eighty 21-day-old female yellow bantam broilers were randomly divided into 5 groups of 6 replicates of 16 birds each. The 5 groups were as follows, with birds receiving a basal diet supplemented with 150 ppm (mg/kg) of chlortetracycline (CTE), a basal diet without HE (control group), and a basal diet with 0.1%, 0.15%, or 0.2% HE for 60 days. The results showed that HE addition significantly increased average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), decrease feed gain ratio (F/G) from 21 to 80 and 51 to 80 days of age compared to the control group, with all 3 HE addition groups having statistically identical values to the antibiotic group. HE implementation dramatically increased spleen index, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM,), glutathione peroxide (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and total cecum bacteria and Lactobacillus compared to the control group, numerically at the same level as, or even better than, the antibiotic group. HE and CTE both markly reduced serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration compared to the control group, with higher concentrations of HE reducing the effect more dramatically than antibiotics. Both HE and CTE significantly raised dressed yield compared to the control group. In summary, HE, as a potential antibiotic alternative, improved growth performance, carcass traits, immune function, serum antioxidant capacity and intestinal microorganisms in yellow bantam broilers. According to the cubic regression analyses, the recommended supplemental dose of HE was calculated to be 0.15 to 0.17% for female yellow bantam broilers between 21 and 80 d of age.

Effects of Selenium Supplementation on the Ion Homeostasis in the Reproductive Organs and Eggs of Laying Hens Fed With the Diet Contaminated With Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, and Chromium.

The objective of this study was to explore the toxic effects of different heavy metals in combination with their deposition and ion homeostasis in the reproductive organs and eggs of laying hens, as well as the alleviating action of selenized yeast. A total of 160 Lohmann pink-shell laying hens (63-week-old) were randomly allocated into four treatments with 10 replicates of four hens each. The four dietary treatments were the corn-soybean meal basal dietary (control; CON); the CON dietary supplemented with 0.4 mg/kg selenium from selenized yeast (Se); the CON dietary supplemented with 5 mg/kg Cd + 50 mg/kg Pb +3 mg/kg Hg + 5 mg/kg Cr (HEM), and the HEM dietary supplemented with 0.4 mg/kg selenium from selenized yeast (HEM+Se). The dietary HEM significantly increased Cd, Pb, and Hg deposition in the egg yolk and ovary, and Cd and Hg deposition in the oviduct and in the follicular wall (p < 0.05). The HEM elevated Fe concentration in the egg yolk, ovary, and oviduct (p < 0.05). The HEM decreased Mn concentration in the egg yolk, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations in the egg white, Cu concentration in the ovary, Mg concentration in the oviduct, as well as Ca, Cu, Zn, and Mg concentrations in the follicular walls (p < 0.05). Dietary Se addition elevated Se concentration in the egg yolk, oviduct, and follicular walls and Mg concentration (p < 0.05) in the oviduct, whereas it reduced Fe concentration in the oviduct compared with the HEM-treated hens. Some positive or negative correlations among these elements were observed. Canonical Correlation Analysis showed that the concentrations of Pb and Hg in the egg yolk were positively correlated with those in the ovary. The concentration of Cd in the egg white was positively correlated with that in the oviduct. In summary, dietary Cd, Pb, Hg, and Cr in combination caused ion loss and deposition of HEM in reproductive organs of laying hens. Dietary Se addition at 0.4 mg/kg from selenized yeast alleviated the negative effects of HEM on Fe and Mg ion disorder in the oviduct and follicle wall of hens.

Ginkgolides and bilobalide for treatment of Alzheimer's disease and COVID-19: potential mechanisms of action.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible degenerative illness of the central nervous system with characteristic histological alterations, known as amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Aggregation of plaques and tangles in the brain induces neurotoxicity and synaptic dysfunction, eventually contributing to neuronal cell death and neurodegeneration. Recent studies have revealed that COVID-19 has a great impact on the development of AD, directly or indirectly, by facilitating the accumulation of amyloid plaques, causing altered functional brain integrity or increasing the phosphorylation rate of tau protein. As two important bioactive components of Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE), ginkgolides and bilobalide (BB) have been reported to show neuroprotective effects in AD via multiple mechanisms such as anti-excitotoxicity, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. Intriguingly, ginkgolides and BB also seem to demonstrate antiviral properties against COVID-19 by inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease. Herein, we review studies on the neuroprotective and antiviral mechanisms of ginkgolides and bilobalide, as well as their therapeutic potential against AD and COVID-19.

[Efficacy of 1 384 cases of peritoneal carcinomatosis underwent cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy].

Objective: Peritoneal carcinomatosis refers to a group of heterogeneous (primary or secondary) malignancies in the surface of the peritoneum. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a comprehensive treatment strategy aiming at peritoneal carcinomatosis. This study analyzed the efficacy and safety of CRS+HIPEC in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, and explored prognostic factors. Methods: In this descriptive case-series study, the clinicopathological data of 1384 consecutive patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis treated in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University (330 patients) and Shijitan Hospital of Capital Medical University (1054 patients) from January 2004 to January 2020 were collected retrospectively. Treatment patterns of CRS+HIPEC characteristics (operative time, number of resected organs, number of stripped peritoneum, number of anastomosis, and HIPEC regimens), safety [blood loss volume, postoperative severe adverse event (SAE) and treatment outcome], survival time and prognostic factors influencing survival were analyzed. The SAE was defined as grade III-IV adverse event according to the Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International Textbook. Perioperative period was defined from the day of CRS+HIPEC to postoperative 30th day. OS was calculated from the day of CRS+HIPEC to the date of death or the last follow-up. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. Cox regression model was used to identify the prognostic factors. Results: Among 1384 peritoneal carcinomatosis patients, 529 (38.2%) were male; median age was 55 (10-87) years old; median body mass index (BMI) was 22.6 kg/m(2); peritoneal carcinomatosis of 164 (11.8%) patients were from gastric cancer, 287 (20.7%) from colorectal cancer, 356 (25.7%) from pseudomyxoma peritonei, 90 (6.5%) from malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, 300 (21.7%) from gynecological cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma, and 187 (13.5%) from retroperitoneal sarcoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and other rare tumors. The median duration of CRS+HIPEC was 595 (90-1170) minutes, median number of resected organs was 2 (0-10), median number of resected peritoneal area were 4 (0-9), median peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was 21(1-39). Completeness of cytoreduction (CC) score of 0-1 was observed in 857 cases (61.9%). Regarding HIPEC regimens, there were 917 cases (66.3%) with cisplatin plus docetaxel, 183 cases (13.2%) with cisplatin plus mitomycin, 43 cases (3.1%) with adriamycin plus ifosfamide, and the other 240 cases (17.3%) with modified regimens. Perioperative SAE developed in 331 peritoneal carcinomatosis patients (23.9%) with 500 cases, of whom 21 patients (1.5%) died during the perioperative period due to ineffective treatment, while the others recovered after active treatment. During median follow-up time of 8.6 (0.3-82.7) months, there were 414 deaths (29.9%). The median OS was 38.2 months (95% CI: 30.6-45.8), and the 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rate was 73.5%, 50.4% and 39.3%, respectively. The median OS of peritoneal carcinomatosis patients from gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei, malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and female genital cancer or primary peritoneal carcinomatosis was 11.3 months (95% CI: 8.9-13.8), 18.1 months (95% CI: 13.5-22.6), 59.7 months (95% CI: 48.0-71.4), 19.5 months (95% CI: 6.0-33.0) and 51.7 months (95% CI: 14.6-88.8), respectively, and the difference among groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the primary gastric cancer (HR=4.639, 95% CI: 1.692-12.724), primary colorectal cancer (HR=4.292, 95% CI: 1.957-9.420), primary malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (HR=2.741, 95% CI: 1.162-6.466), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score of 60 (HR=4.606, 95% CI: 2.144-9.895), KPS score of 70 (HR=3.434, 95% CI: 1.977-5.965), CC score of 1 (HR=2.683, 95% CI: 1.440~4.999), CC score of 2-3 (HR=3.661,95% CI: 1.956-6.852) and perioperative SAE (HR=2.588, 95% CI: 1.846-3.629) were independent prognostic factors influencing survival with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions: CRS+HIPEC is an effective integrated treatment strategy for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, which can prolong survival with acceptable safety. Preoperative evaluation of patients' general condition is necessary and CRS+HIPEC should be carefully considered to perform for patients with preoperative KPS score <80. During the operation, the optimal CRS should be achieved on condition that safety is granted. In addition, it is necessary to prevent perioperative SAE to reduce the risk of death in peritoneal carcinomatosis patients.

Effect of supplementing hydroxy selenomethionine on meat quality of yellow feather broiler.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing hydroxy selenomethionine (OH-SeMet) on performance, selenium (Se) deposition in the breast muscle, quality and oxidative stability, and expression of selenoprotein encoding genes of breast meat of the native slow-growing yellow-feathered broiler birds. A total of 375 one-day-old local yellow male birds were randomly assigned into 5 dietary treatments, supplemented with Se 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mg/kg in the form of OH-SeMet. Each treatment consisted of 5 replicates and each replicate had 15 birds, the birds were fed on basal diet containing corn and soybean meal, and the experiment lasted for 63 d. The results showed that dietary Se supplementation linearly increased (P < 0.001) Se contents in both serum and muscle, no significant changes (P > 0.05) were observed on growth performance, yield of breast, meat color, and intramuscular fat deposition of the breast muscle. Dietary Se addition improved water-holding capacity, the pH24h value, and tenderness of breast muscle, evidenced by a linear decreases of shear force (P < 0.05), accompanied by lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and higher glutathione reductase activity. The mRNA abundance of selenoprotein encoding genes also responded to dietary Se levels. It is concluded that, dietary supplementation with OH-SeMet improved muscular Se deposition and meat quality of the native yellow birds, with enhanced antioxidant capability and regulation in selenogenome.

Effect of omega-3 lcpufa supplementation on maternal fatty acid and oxylipin concentrations during pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION: Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) have been associated with a reduction in risk for preterm birth. However, there is limited understanding of how fatty acids and their bioactive derivatives (oxylipins) change over the course of pregnancy. Here we document the changes in concentration of fatty acids and oxylipins during pregnancy and how fatty acid status and oxylipin concentrations are affected by supplementation with omega-3 LCPUFA. We also investigate the degree to which fatty acid and oxylipin changes across pregnancy are influenced by baseline omega-3 status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We profiled the fatty acids in all lipids in dried blood spots (total blood fatty acids) by gas chromatography and free (unesterified) fatty acids and their associated oxylipins in separate dried blood spot samples by LC-MS-MS collected from a random sample of 1263 women with a singleton pregnancy who participated in the ORIP (Omega-3 fats to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity) trial. ORIP is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 5544 participants and designed to determine the effect of supplementing the diets of pregnant women with omega-3 LCPUFA on the incidence of early preterm birth. Maternal whole blood finger prick samples were collected at baseline (~14 weeks gestation) and at completion of the study intervention period (34 weeks gestation). RESULTS: The concentration of most total and free polyunsaturated fatty acids and their associated oxylipins declined over the course of pregnancy. Omega-3 LCPUFA supplementation increased total DHA and 7-HDHA and mitigated the decline in free DHA, 4-HDHA and 14-HDHA. The intervention had minimal or no effect on free EPA, LA, AA and their associated oxylipins. Omega-3 LCPUFA supplementation in women with higher omega-3 status at baseline was associated with a significant increase in 7-HDHA and 4-HDHA between the treatment and control whereas there were no differences between groups in 7-HDHA and 4-HDHA in women with intermediate or lower baseline omega-3 status. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a differential response with or without omega-3 supplementation for DHA and DHA-derived oxylipins, which may have an important role to play in modulating pregnancy duration. Further work is needed to understand their role, which may allow us to better tailor omega-3 supplementation for preterm birth prevention.

Effects of dietary Enteromorpha powder supplementation on productive performance, egg quality, and antioxidant performance during the late laying period in Zi geese.

This study investigated the effects of dietary Enteromorpha powder supplementation on the productive performance, egg quality, and antioxidant performance of Zi geese during the late laying period. Three hundred twelve Zi geese (1 yr old) were randomly allocated into 2 cohorts to form a control group and an experimental group (with each cohort including 6 replicates and 21 female geese and 5 male geese in each replicate). The control group was fed a basal diet, and the experimental group was fed a diet containing 3% Enteromorpha powder. The data showed that Enteromorpha powder supplementation significantly improved egg production, laying rate, average daily egg weight (P < 0.01), and egg yolk color (P < 0.05). Supplementation decreased the ADFI and feed conversion rate (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was significantly higher in serum and ovary tissue (P < 0.05), but GSH-Px activity was lower in liver tissue (P < 0.01). Malondialdehyde was reduced in liver and ovary tissue (P < 0.05) in the Enteromorpha powder supplementation group. Meanwhile, the expression of the CAT gene was significantly upregulated in the liver (P < 0.01) in the Enteromorpha group. These results indicate that dietary Enteromorpha powder supplementation improved productive performance and reduced the level of lipid peroxidation in Zi geese during the late laying period.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in pregnancy-baseline omega-3 status and early preterm birth: exploratory analysis of a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To identify a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biomarker able to detect which women with singleton pregnancies are most likely to benefit from omega-3 supplementation to reduce their risk of early preterm birth. DESIGN: Exploratory analysis of a randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Six Australian hospitals. POPULATION: Women with a singleton pregnancy enrolled in the ORIP trial. METHODS: Using maternal capillary whole blood collected ~14 weeks' gestation, the fatty acids in total blood lipids were quantified using gas chromatography. Interaction tests examined whether baseline PUFA status modified the effect of omega-3 supplementation on birth outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Early preterm birth (<34 weeks' gestation). RESULTS: A low total omega-3 PUFA status in early pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of early preterm birth. Among women with a total omega-3 status ≤4.1% of total fatty acids, omega-3 supplementation substantially reduced the risk of early preterm birth compared with control (0.73 versus 3.16%; relative risk = 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07-0.79). Conversely, women with higher total omega-3 status in early pregnancy were at lower risk of early preterm birth. Supplementing women with a baseline status above 4.9% increased early preterm birth (2.20 versus 0.97%; relative risk = 2.27, 95% CI 1.13-4.58). CONCLUSIONS: Women with singleton pregnancies and low total omega-3 PUFA status early in pregnancy have an increased risk of early preterm birth and are most likely to benefit from omega-3 supplementation to reduce this risk. Women with higher total omega-3 status are at lower risk and additional omega-3 supplementation may increase their risk. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Low total omega-3 fat status helps identify which women benefit from extra omega-3 to reduce early prematurity.

Effects of rumen-protected methionine and other essential amino acid supplementation on milk and milk component yields in lactating Holstein cows.

Objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of supplementing rumen-protected methionine (RP-Met), threonine (RP-Thr), isoleucine (RP-Ile), and leucine (RP-Leu) individually or jointly to a low-protein diet, on the performance of lactating dairy cows, as well as to determine the effects of these amino acids (AA) on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in vivo. Ten lactating Holstein cows were randomly allocated to a repeated 5 × 5 Latin square experiment with five 19-d periods. Treatments were high-protein diet (16% crude protein, positive control; HP), low-protein diet (12% crude protein, negative control; LP), LP plus RP-Met (LPM), LP plus RP-Met and RP-Thr (LPMT), and LP plus RP-Met, RP-Thr, RP-Ile, and RP-Leu (LPMTIL). The dry matter intakes (DMI) of the LP, LPM, and LPMT diets were lower than that of the HP diet, whereas the DMI of the LPMTIL diet was intermediate between the HP diet and the other LP diets. Supplementing RP-Met to the LP diet increased the yields of milk and milk protein, increased the content of milk urea N, and tended to increase milk N efficiency. Co-supplementation of RP-Thr with RP-Met resulted in no further milk production increase. Co-supplementation of all 4 rumen-protected amino acids (RP-AA) increased milk and lactose yields to the level of the HP diet and tended to increase milk protein yield compared with the LPMT diet. We found no significant differences in the contents and yields of milk components between the LPMTIL and HP diets except for a lower milk urea N content in the LPMTIL diet. Venous concentrations of the measured AA were similar across the LP and LP diets supplemented with RP-AA. Relative to levels of the HP diet, LP diets had higher venous concentrations of Met and Gly and tended to have higher Phe concentration and lower concentrations of Val and BCAA. The LPMTIL diet had higher venous concentrations of Arg, Lys, Met, Phe, and Glu, and a lower Val concentration. Phosphorylation status of the measured mTOR components in LPM and LPMT treatments were similar to those in the LP treatment but phosphorylation status of mTOR and eIF4E-binding protein 1 (4eBP1) in LPMTIL treatment were higher. The phosphorylation rates of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) in the 4 LP and LP plus RP-AA diets were higher than that of the HP diet. Overall, results of the present study supported the concept that under the relatively short time of this experiment, supplementing RP-AA, which are believed to stimulate the mTOR signal pathway, can lead to increased milk protein yield. This increase appears to be due to increased DMI, greater mTOR signaling, and greater eEF2 activity.

[Evidential research on the system of sacrifice the Three Sovereigns during Jiajing period].

History of Ming: Court rituals has two errors in the record of sacrifice to Three Sovereigns of Jiajing period of Ming Dynasty.First, the ritual time should be at middle winter (November) instead of middle fall (September). The correct construction process should be divided into two periods. One was to build Shengji palace for sacrificing to Three Sovereigns in 1536 according to the ancestral system of the Hongwu period. Then the old temple where the Three Sovereigns were sacrificed in Imperial Academy of Medicine was in ruins, so Emperor Jiajing ordered to rebuild and expand it in 1542. It was completed in July 1543, and named Jinghui palace, in which sacrificed to Three Sovereigns, too.

Implementation of a comprehensive smoking cessation program in cancer care.

Background: Quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis maximizes treatment-related effects, improves prognosis, and enhances quality of life. However, smoking cessation (sc) services are not routinely integrated into cancer care. The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre implemented a digitally-based sc program in oncology, leveraging an e-referral system (cease) to screen all new ambulatory patients, provide tailored education and advice on quitting, and facilitate referrals. Methods: We adopted the Framework for Managing eHealth Change to guide implementation of the sc program by integrating 6 key elements: governance and leadership, stakeholder engagement, communication, workflow analysis and integration, monitoring and evaluation, and training and education. Results: Incorporating elements of the Framework, we used extensive stakeholder engagement and strategic partnerships to establish a sc program with organizational and provincial accountability. Existing electronic patient-reported assessments were changed to integrate cease. Clinic audits and staff engagement allowed for analysis of workflow, ongoing monitoring and evaluation that aided in establishing a communication strategy, and development of cancer-specific education for patients and health care providers. From April 2016 to March 2018, 22,137 new patients were eligible for screening. Among those new patients, 13,617 (62%) were screened, with 1382 (10%) being current smokers and 532 (4%) having recently quit (within 6 months). Of the current smokers and those who had recently quit, all were advised to quit or to stay smoke-free, and 380 (20%) accepted referral to a sc counselling service. Conclusions: Here, we provide a comprehensive practice blueprint for the implementation of digitally based sc programs as a standard of care within comprehensive cancer centres with high patient volumes.

[Cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy to treat peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer: a clinical study of 110 patients].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cytoreductive surgery plus hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS+ HIPEC) in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer (GCPC). Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of GCPC patients treated with CRS+ HIPEC were collected for a retrospective analysis. The primary endpoint was survival rate and the secondary endpoint was safety. Results: A total of 110 GCPC patients accepted CRS+ HIPEC, with a median overall survival (OS) of 13.1 months, and with 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 56.4%, 24.9%, 11.2%, and 7.8%, respectively. The perioperative mortality was 0.9%, and the morbidity of serious adverse events was 8.2%. Univariate analysis showed that gender, tumor marker before surgery, PC type, length of surgery, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, peritoneal cancer index (PCI), completeness of cytoreduction, HIPEC temperature, and ascites had a significant impact on OS. Multivariate Cox-analysis showed that completeness of cytoreduction, ascites, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were independent factors of OS. Conclusion: CRS+ HIPEC improves survival for GCPC patients with normal preoperative tumor markers, low PCI, no ascites and synchronous PC. Stringent patient selection and complete CRS are two key factors for better survival.

Hypothalamic endoplasmic reticulum stress as a key mediator of obesity-induced leptin resistance.

Obesity is an epidemic disease that is increasing worldwide and is a major risk factor for many metabolic diseases. However, effective agents for the prevention or treatment of obesity remain limited. Therefore, it is urgent to clarify the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development and progression of obesity and exploit potential agents to cure and prevent this disease. According to a recent study series, obesity is associated with the development of endoplasmic reticulum stress and the activation of its stress responses (unfolded protein response) in metabolically active tissues, which contribute to the development of obesity-related insulin and leptin resistance, inflammation and energy imbalance. Hypothalamic endoplasmic reticulum stress is the central mechanism underlying the development of obesity-associated leptin resistance and disruption of energy homeostasis; thus, targeting endoplasmic reticulum stress offers a promising therapeutic strategy for improving leptin sensitivity, increasing energy expenditure and ultimately combating obesity. In this review, we highlight the relationship between and mechanism underlying hypothalamic endoplasmic reticulum stress and obesity-associated leptin resistance and energy imbalance and provide new insight regarding strategies for the treatment of obesity.

Roles of spermine in modulating the antioxidant status and Nrf2 signalling molecules expression in the thymus and spleen of suckling piglets-new insight.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of spermine and extended spermine administration on the antioxidant status and expression of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signalling molecules in the thymus and spleen in suckling piglets. One half of eighty 12-day-old suckling piglets obtained sufficient nutrient intake supplemented with spermine (0.4 mmol/kg body weight), and another half received restricted nutrient intake supplemented with physiological saline in equal doses once a day for 7 hr or 3, 6 or 9 days in pairs. Spermine supplementation and its extended duration significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) contents (p < .05), but markedly improved antisuperoxide anion (ASA), antihydroxyl radical (AHR), catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities (p < .05) and glutathione (GSH) content (p < .05) in the thymus and spleen. Additionally, real-time PCR analysis showed that spermine administration and extended spermine intake reduced Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) gene transcription and enhanced SOD1, GPx1, CAT, glutathione reductase (GR) and Nrf2 mRNA levels of the thymus and spleen (p < .05), and also improved GST gene expression in the thymus (p < .05). Notably, the spermine-supplemented time for the optimal effects of suckling piglet was determined to be 6 days. Collectively, the current study suggested that spermine supplementation and extended spermine administration could protect the health of the thymus and spleen from early weaning by enhancing the antioxidant status and regulating the expression of antioxidant-related signalling molecules.

Effects of spermine on the antioxidant status and gene expression of antioxidant-related signaling molecules in the liver and longissimus dorsi of piglets.

Previous studies showed that spermine could protect the organism from oxidative damage in vivo. However, in vivo information on the antioxidant-related underlying molecular mechanism of spermine is limited. In this experiment, we further evaluated the effects of spermine supplementation and extended spermine administration on the antioxidant status and antioxidant-related signaling molecules gene expression in the liver and longissimus dorsi of piglets. A total of 80 piglets were randomly distributed to two groups, that is, those with adequate nutrient intake administrated with spermine (0.4 mmol/kg BW) or those with restricted nutrient intake supplemented by saline. The piglets were fed in pairs for 7 h or 3, 6, or 9 days. The results are as follows: (1) spermine can promote the antioxidant capacity by increasing enzymatic antioxidant capacity, glutathione content and clearance of oxygen radicals; (2) spermine significantly increased the mRNA levels of enzymatic antioxidant substances, NF-E2-related nuclear factor 2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, and the mammalian target of rapamycin but decreased the mRNA levels of ribosomal p70 S6 kinase in the liver and longissimus dorsi of the piglets.

Effects of Moringa oleifera leaves as a substitute for alfalfa meal on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, carcass trait, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and biochemical parameters of rabbits.

This contribution reports the effects of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOLs) meal on the growth performances, nutrient digestibility, carcass trait, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and biochemical parameters of growing New Zealand white rabbits. The MOL was substituted for alfalfa meal at levels of 0, 10%, 20% and 30% to obtain respective diets MOL0, MOL10, MOL20 and MOL30. Each treatment was replicated five times with 10 rabbits per replicate. Results showed the average daily weight gain (ADWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of rabbits fed MOL20 diet were significantly better (p < 0.05) than those of other three dietary groups. Liver and spleen index of rabbits fed MOL20 and MOL30 diets was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the groups fed with lower M. oleifera leaves (MOL0, MOL10). The meat drip loss of rabbits fed with diet MOL10 was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of rabbits fed other diets. All rabbits fed MOL dietary groups had lower (p < 0.05) shear force of longissimus dorsi than the group without M. oleifera leaves. No significant differences were found in the digestibility of crude fibre (CF), crude fat (EE), ash, crude protein (CP) and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) among the dietary groups. Moringa oleifera leaves also have a significant impact on serum albumin (ALB), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), triiodothyroxine (T3 ) and tetraiodothyroxine (T4 ) values and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum and liver. The results indicated that M. oleifera leaves could be developed as a good feed source, and it not only could substitute for alfalfa meal well but also has a significant effect on growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant and biochemical parameters of rabbits.

Parathyroid hormone (1-34) promotes fracture healing in ovariectomized rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Ovariectomized (OVX) rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with femur fracture received vehicle, insulin, or insulin plus parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment for 2 and 3 weeks. Radiography, histomorphometry, histology, and immunohistochemistry in callus were evaluated. INTRODUCTION: Reports about effects of PTH plus insulin on callus formation of osteoporotic fracture with T2DM were limited. This study was designed to investigate the effects of the combination of PTH and insulin on fracture healing in OVX rats with T2DM. METHODS: Two-month-old female rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal fracture (F), OVX fracture (OF), T2DM + OVX fracture (DOF), insulin-treated (2-4 u/daylight, 4-6 u/night, DOFI), and treated with insulin and PTH (50 µg/kg/day, 5 days/week, DOFIP). A closed mid-shaft fracture was established in the right femurs of all rats after 6 weeks of OVX. Rats were euthanized at 2 and 3 weeks post-fracture according to the time schedule, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of insulin alone or insulin combined with PTH significantly increased mineralized bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and connectivity density (Conn.D) compared with those of the DOF group at 3 weeks post-fracture and also increased cartilaginous callus area ratio in the DOFI and DOFIP groups at 2 weeks and bony callus area ratio in the DOFIP groups at both the 2 and 3 weeks post-fracture. CONCLUSIONS: OVX rats with T2DM exhibited a marked delay in the fracture healing process; insulin treatment ameliorated these effects, and the healing process was enhanced following treatment with a combination of insulin and PTH.

Effect of melatonin supplementation on cryopreserved sperm quality in mouse.

BACKGROUND: Antioxidants protect spermatozoa against cell damage during cryopreservation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether melatonin supplement in the extender may improve the quality of cryopreserved mouse sperm. METHODS: Kunming mice sperm frozen in extender R18S3 (18% (w/v) raffinose and 3% (w/v) skim milk) supplemented with melatonin were thawed and evaluated. RESULTS: Mouse spermatozoa were cryopreserved in the freezing extender R18S3 that contained melatonin at 0, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL melatonin. The extender without melatonin supplement was associated with increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased sperm motility. Melatonin supplement at 0.125 mg/mL significantly increased the progressive motility of sperm in comparison to other melatonin concentration or control. The percentage of thawed viable sperm with ROS was lower in the melatonin-treated groups than in untreated group. Melatonin supplement also increased antiapoptotic gene Bcl-xl expression in the thawed sperm. CONCLUSION: Supplement of 0.125 mg/mL melatonin could reduce oxidative damage and apoptosis.