Neutral oligosaccharide content of preterm human milk

Human milk oligosaccharides are known to play a role in protection against certain infectious diseases. Previous reports indicate that the content of human milk oligosaccharides varies widely among individuals at term but such information on preterm milk is lacking. After removal of the fat, protein and most of the lactose from non-pooled human milk samples, a total neutral oligosaccharide fraction was isolated by ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel filtration. A Dionex high-performance anion-exchange chromatography system equipped with a pulsed electrometric detector was then employed to measure the levels of ten neutral oligosaccharides in the individual milk samples. Twenty-three milk samples from thirteen mothers who delivered at a mean gestational age of 29.5 (SD 3.1) weeks were collected between days 0 and 33 of lactation, and compared with three samples of term milk from two mothers. The ranges of the total and individual levels of the ten neutral oligosaccharides in preterm milk were similar to those in term milk. Further, as previously described in term milk, preterm milk exhibited a quantitative individual variation. This variation was independent of the gestational age, day of lactation, and postconceptional age. In conclusion, levels of ten neutral oligosaccharides did not differ between preterm and term human milk.     

Administration of interleukin-12 prevents mite Der p 1 allergen-IgE antibody production and airway eosinophil infiltration in an animal model of airway inflammation

The aim of the present study was to examine the in vivo effect of interleukin (IL)-12 on a murine model of asthma induced by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-derived Der p 1 allergen. C57BL/6 mice immunized with Der p 1 allergen adsorbed to alum/pertussis toxin developed a T-helper type 2 (Th2)-dominant immune response characterized by the presence of IgE antibody, airway eosinophil infiltration and increased production of Th2 cytokine. Intraperitoneal injection of IL-12 (1 or 0.1 microg per day) for 5 days (day -1 to +3) simultaneously with each immunization, inhibited the production of IgE and IgG1 antigen-specific antibodies, whereas production of IgG2a was strongly enhanced. In addition, mice receiving both doses of IL-12 showed a strong inhibition of IL-5 but up-regulation of IFN-gamma production by spleen cells stimulated with antigen. Administration of IL-12 also prevented antigen-induced eosinophil infiltration into the bronchoalveolar area in a dose-dependent manner and the primary inflammatory mediator serotonin in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids was also reduced significantly. Taken together, the data indicate that IL-12 has a potent immunomodulatory effect on house-dust-mite-induced allergic disorders and may be used as an efficient agent for immunotherapy.     

Non-radioactive hybridization in microwells using enzyme linked immune sorbent assay for detection of RT-PCR-Am-plified CK19- and CEA-mRNA

ＲＴ－ＰＣＲａｍｐｌｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎｏｆｔｕｍｏｒ－ａｓｓｏ－ｃｉａｔｅｄ（ｃａｒｃｉｎｏｅｍｂｒｙｏｎｉｃａｎｔｉｇｅｎ）ａｎｄ（ｏｒ）ｏｒｇａｎ－ｓｐｅｃｉｆｉｃ（ｃｙｔｏｋｅｒａｔｉｎ１９）ｍＲＮＡｈａｓｂｅｅｎｕｓｅｄｍａｉｎｌｙｆｏｒｔｈｅｄｅｔｅｃｔｉｏｎｏｆｃｉｒｃｕ－ｌａｔｉｎｇｔｕｍｏｒｃｅｌｌｓａｎｄｍｉｃｒｏｍｅｔａｓｔａｓｅｓｉｎｓｏｌｉｄｔｕｍｏｒｓ［１］．Ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌｌｙ,ｔｈｅｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｏｆａｍｐｌｉｆｉｃａｔｉｏｎｗａｓａｎａｌｙｚｅｄｂｙｇｅｌｅｌｅｃ…     

Effect of astragalus on the endothelin in rats with acute lung injury

Ｔｈｅｐａｔｈｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｆｅａｔｕｒｅｓｏｆａｃｕｔｅｌｕｎｇｉｎｊｕｒｙｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｓｔｈｅｌｕｎｇｅｄｅｍａａｎｄｌｕｎｇｍｉ－ｃｒｏａｔｅｌｅｃｔａｓｉｓｉｎｄｕｃｅｄｂｙｔｈｅｄａｍａｇｅｏｆａｌｖｅｏｌａｒ－ｃａｐｉｌｌａｒｙｂａｒｒｉｅｒ．Ｃｌｉｎｉｃａｌｓｅｖｅｒｅａ－ｃｕｔｅｌｕｎｇｉｎｊｕｒｙｃｏｕｌｄｂｅｍａｎｉｆｅｓｔｅｄｂｙｒｅｓ－ｐｉｒａｔｏｒｙｄｉｓｔｒｅｓｓａｎｄｒｅｆｒａｃｔｏｒｙｈｙｐｏｘｉａ,ｏｒｓｏ－ｃａｌｌｅｄａｃｕｔｅｒｅｓｐｉｒａｔｏｒｙｄｉｓ…     

Histological measurement of human retinal thickness

Ｍａｎｙｏｐｈｔｈａｌｍｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｄｉｓｅａｓｅｓａｒｅｉｎｖｏｌｖｅｄｉｎｔｈｅｒｅｔｉｎａｌｔｈｉｃｋｎｅｓｓ．Ｒｅｃｅｎｔｙｅａｒｓ,ｒｅｔｉｎａｌｔｈｉｃｋｎｅｓｓａｎａｌｙｚｅｒ（ＲＴＡ）ｈａｓｂｅｅｎｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｅｄｔｏｂｅｕｓｅｄｉｎｖｉｖｏｔｏｍｅａｓｕｒｅｔｈｅｐｏｓｔｅｒｉｏｒｐｏｌｅｒｅｔｉｎａｌｔｈｉｃｋｎｅｓｓａｎｄｔｏｄｉａｇｎｏｓｅｉｎｓｕｃｈｄｉｓｅａｓｅｓａｓｄｉａｂｅｔｅｓｍｅｌｌｉｔｕｓ,ｇｌａｕｃｏｍａ,ｍａｃｕｌａｈｏｌｅ,ｅｔｃ［１］．Ｔｈｅｓ…     

Comparison of two abdominal training devices with an abdominal crunch using strength and EMG measurements

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the training effects of the Ab-Flex (F), Ab-Roller (R) and standard crunch (C) on EMG production, isometric maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), and isokinetic average peak torque at 30 degrees/sec (ISO) of the abdominal muscles. It was hypothesized that the training devices would have similar value in a strength training program. METHODS: Experimental design: this was a prospective study involving 18 training sessions of progressively increasing repetitions. Setting: Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh. Subjects: thirty-two subjects volunteered for this study, but only 26 completed the training. Each subject participated in recreational activity, but had not performed any abdominal training prior to starting this study. Each subject was randomly assigned to either the control group or one of the treatment groups. Interventions: there were three interventions: two training devices (Ab-Flex and Ab-Roller) and the standard crunch, considered a control group. Measures: the pretest consisted of skin fold measurements (%), EMG activity (V) during the three interventions, and peak torque (Nm) plus EMG during the MVC and ISO tasks. The 18 training sessions over three weeks consisted of three sets of exercise with increasing repetitions from 10 to 20, by 2, every three sessions. The difference in pretest/posttest scores were compared using a One-way ANOVA on the mean differences (Mdiff) for each of: MVC, ISO (peak torque), and EMG for upper rectus (UR), lower rectus (LR), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO). A T-Test was used to detect significance for the body fat measures. RESULTS: Mean differences (Mdiff) were normally distributed about zero for both MVC and ISO (MVC = -0.55, ISO = 4.57). The analysis by group showed no difference (p = 0.596) on the reported means (Nm) -3.16 (C), 5.84 (F) and -4.83 (R). The change associated to the treatment during MVC was only 4% (eta = 0.04). For the ISO the Mdiff (Nm) were 1.39 (C), 13.66 (F) and -2.06 (R) which were not significant (p = 0.127). The Ab-Flex was the only group to have a 95% confidence interval above zero, increasing by an average of 16.5%. There were no significant differences for the EMG activity for Mdiff or between group scores. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences were found with this study. These results would suggest that using these devices does not add significantly to overall abdominal strength development, or reduction of body fat. A suggestion could be made that certain devices influence muscles differently.     

Subtalar arthrodesis for late sequelae of calcaneal fractures: fusion in situ versus fusion with sliding corrective osteotomy

Primary subtalar arthritis is not common. In most cases, it is the late sequela of intra-articular calcaneal fracture. Subtalar arthrodesis is mostly used for the treatment of traumatic subtalar arthritis in our clinics. We have compared our early cases of in-situ subtalar fusion with our recent cases of fusion with sliding corrective osteotomy in this clinical report. From 1989 to 1992, 15 feet of 13 patients were treated with subtalar arthrodeses for subtalar arthritis caused by malunion of calcaneal fractures. Fusion in situ was done by Ollier's approach, and resection of bony protrusion was done if there was lateral entrapment syndrome. From 1992 to 1995, 13 feet of 12 patients also received subtalar arthrodeses to salvage their calcaneal fractures, but the subtalar fusion was done by wide lateral approach, calcaneal sliding corrective osteotomy, and sometimes (11 of 13 feet) with Achilles tendon lengthening to restore the calcaneal height and width. Patients of both groups experienced obvious clinical improvement in subtalar pain relief, but there was no difference with walking distance, running, or jumping. The group undergoing fusion with sliding corrective osteotomy was more satisfied with regard to cosmetic results and shoe wear. The overall satisfactory rate in the group who underwent fusion with sliding corrective osteotomy (92%) was superior to the group who underwent fusion in situ (77%). Though our method of sliding corrective osteotomy does not provide much improvement to the talus declination angle, it is suitable for those patients with a "banana"-shaped calcaneus malunion. If the patient has prominent anterior ankle pain caused by tibiotalar impingement, we believe that a distraction subtalar arthrodesis would be more appropriate.