莫沙必利改善夜间消化不良症状的随机、双盲、安慰剂平行对照研究

功能性消化不良（FD）的发病机制尚未完全明了。夜间上腹部症状是影响FD患者生活质量的重要因素。促动力药对夜间FD症状的治疗作用和机制不详。目的：探讨莫沙必利对FD患者夜间消化不良症状的治疗作用。方法：采用随机、双盲、安慰剂平行对照的前瞻性设计，连续选取主诉有夜间FD症状（上腹部疼痛、饱胀、嗳气）的患者，经一周安慰剂治疗筛选，无安慰剂治疗反应者分别给予莫沙必利（5mgtid）和安慰剂治疗。治疗前后分别行夜间症状评估以及夜间胃内DH值和胆红素联合检测。结果：共纳入43例有夜间FD症状的患者，28例对安慰剂治疗无反应。治疗后，莫沙必利组夜间上腹部疼痛、饱胀、暖气的症状积分均明显降低（R0．05），夜间胃内pH值和胆红素吸收值〉0．14的时间百分比均明显降低（P〈O．05）；而安慰剂组上述指标无明显差异（P〉O．05）。莫沙必利组夜间症状积分改善程度与夜间胃内pH值和胆红素吸收值〉O．14的时间百分比降低程度有明显相关性（P〈O．05）。结论：莫沙必利能显著改善夜间FD症状．其机制可能与减轻夜间胃十二指肠胆汁反流有关。     

Biodiesel Production on Monometallic Pt,Pd, Ru,and Ag Catalysts Supported on Natural Zeolite

Biodiesel production from rapeseed oil and methanol via transesterification reaction facilitated by various monometallic catalyst supported on natural zeolite (NZ) was investigated. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized catalysts were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method (BET), temperature-programmed-reduction in hydrogen (H₂-TPR), temperature-programmed-desorption of ammonia (NH₃-TPD), Scanning Electron Microscope equipped with EDX detector (SEM-EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. The highest activity and methyl ester yields were obtained for the Pt/NZ catalyst. This catalyst showed the highest triglycerides conversion of 98.9% and fatty acids methyl esters yields of 94.6%. The activity results also confirmed the high activity of the carrier material (NZ) itself in the investigated reaction. Support material exhibited 90.5% of TG conversion and the Fatty Acid Methyl Esters yield (FAME) of 67.2%. Introduction of noble metals improves the TG conversion and FAME yield values. Increasing of the metal loading from 0.5 to 2 wt.% improves the reactivity properties of the investigated catalysts.     

Insights on linking forests, trees, and people from the air, on the ground, and in the laboratory

Governing natural resources sustainably is a continuing struggle. Major debates occur over what types of policy "interventions" best protect forests, with choices of property and land tenure systems being central issues. Herein, we provide an overview of findings from a long-term interdisciplinary, multiscale, international research program that analyzes the institutional factors affecting forests managed under a variety of tenure arrangements. This program analyzes satellite images, conducts social-ecological measurements on the ground, and tests the impact of structural variables on human decisions in experimental laboratories. Satellite images track the landscape dimensions of forest-cover change within different management regimes over time. On-the-ground social-ecological studies examine relationships between forest conditions and types of institutions. Behavioral studies under controlled laboratory conditions enhance our understanding of explicit changes in structure that affect relevant human decisions. Evidence from all three research methods challenges the presumption that a single governance arrangement will control overharvesting in all settings. When users are genuinely engaged in decisions regarding rules affecting their use, the likelihood of them following the rules and monitoring others is much greater than when an authority simply imposes rules. Our results support a frontier of research on the most effective institutional and tenure arrangements for protecting forests. They move the debate beyond the boundaries of protected areas into larger landscapes where government, community, and comanaged protected areas are embedded and help us understand when and why deforestation and regrowth occur in specific regions within these larger landscapes.     

Update on antiplatelet agents, including MATCH, CHARISMA, and ESPRIT

Despite recent advances in the acute treatment of stroke, prevention and risk factor modification remain the mainstays of management for patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack. The majority of noncardioembolic ischemic strokes are atherothrombotic, presumed to be associated with the activation and aggregation of platelets. Antiplatelet medications have been shown to be effective in the secondary prevention of stroke of presumed arterial origin, both as monotherapy and in combination. Among combination of antiplatelet agents, aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole has demonstrated statistically significant additive benefit over monotherapy with each agent. Clopidogrel plus aspirin does not prevent recurrent ischemic stroke over each component individually, and the combination increases the risk of hemorrhagic side effects. This article reviews the most recent studies on antiplatelet medications, including the combination of aspirin and clopidogrel or extended-release dipyridamole, and discusses some of the controversies that still exist with the use of antiplatelet agents.     

Culture,caregiving, and the frail elderly on malo,vanuatu

This paper addresses the indigenous meaning of old age and frailty on Malo Island (Natamambo), Vanuatu, (the South Pacific). While local meanings are of course germane to the sense of personhood, they have also been affected by cultural, demographic and social change that has occurred in recent decades. The paper presents discussion of the effects of these changes on old age and aging. Finally, the paper examines family caregiving by middle-aged adults for frail elders, in the context of social change. It is clear that the ideology of caregiving is under negotiation at the present time.     

Observation on biting midge infestations on Mamburao Beach, Mimdoro, Philippines.

The occurrence of biting midge infestation involving the species Leptoconops (Styloconops) spinosifrons Carter 1921 (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) is reported from a beach resort in Mindoro Island, Philippines. The flies are most active between 0700 and 0900 hours, and again, between 1600 and 1800 hours; they are most abundant in the shoreline and sand beach area.     

Studies on free radicals,antioxidants, and co-factors

The interplay between free radicals, antioxidants, and co-factors is important in maintaining health, aging and age-related diseases. Free radicals induce oxidative stress, which is balanced by the body’s endogenous antioxidant systems with an input from co-factors, and by the ingestion of exogenous antioxidants. If the generation of free radicals exceeds the protective effects of antioxidants, and some co-factors, this can cause oxidative damage which accumulates during the life cycle, and has been implicated in aging, and age dependent diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and other chronic conditions. The life expectancy of the world population is increasing, and it is estimated that by 2025, 29% of the world population will be aged ≥60 years, and this will lead to an increase in the number of older people acquiring age-related chronic diseases. This will place greater financial burden on health services and high social cost for individuals and society. In order to acheive healthy aging the older people should be encouraged to acquire healthy life styles which should include diets rich in antioxidants. The aim of this review is to highlight the main themes from studies on free radicals, antioxidants and co-factors, and to propose an evidence-based strategy for healthy aging.     

Exercise,Weight Loss,and Effects on Inflammation

Persistent, subclinical inflammation, as indicated by higher systemic concentrations of inflammatory acute phase reactants and cytokines, is a strong risk factor for several chronic diseases. As such, the inflammatory pathway is a potential therapeutic target for lifestyle interventions designed to reduce disease and disability. The efficacy of increasing physical activity for reducing the risk of chronic disease is well recognized, but its effectiveness in reducing chronic inflammation is less established. This review summarizes the strongest evidence (i.e., randomized controlled trial data) for a role of increasing physical activity, with and without concurrent weight loss, in the reduction of chronic inflammation. The available data do not provide strong evidence that exercise training in the absence of weight loss reduces inflammatory biomarker concentrations, except in some individuals with elevated inflammation at baseline. In fact, it appears that exercise-induced weight loss is more important than improvements in aerobic fitness for determining reductions in inflammatory biomarker concentrations in response to exercise training.