Spirulina or dandelion-enriched diet of mothers alleviates lead-induced damages in brain and cerebellum of newborn rats

This study was aimed at evaluating the toxic effects of a prenatal exposure to lead acetate on brain tissues of newborn rats, and potent protective effects of spirulina (Arthropira platensis) or dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) added to rat diet. Female rats were given a normal diet (control) or a diet enriched with spirulina or dandelion. Additionally, lead acetate was administered to one half of these rats through drinking water from the 5th day of gestation, to day 14 postpartum. Lead toxicity was assessed by measuring blood lead levels, brain weight, tissue damage, as well as protein content, lipid peroxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes in brain tissues of neonates. Lead poisoning of mothers caused lead deposition in the brain and cerebellum of newborns and cerebellum tissue damages. Moreover, a significant decrease in weight and protein content of these tissues was found. Oxidative stress and changes in antioxidant enzyme activities in brain tissues were also recorded. Conversely, no such damages or biochemical changes were found in neonates from plant fed lead-poisoned mothers. These results strongly suggest that beneficial effects of spirulina- or dandelion-added diet on lead-intoxicated rats proceeded through the reduction of the lead-induced oxidative stress and related damages.     

解剖M型超声技术检测左心室室壁运动的准确性

目的评价解剖M型超声技术检测左室壁运动的准确性。方法两个月内两次测量30例行冠状动脉造影患者的左室短轴二尖瓣水平观和乳头肌水平观的6个节段以及心尖四腔观的4个节段的室壁收缩快速射血期最大厚度、舒张期末厚度和收缩期增厚率。结果两次测量结果显示,左室壁所有各节段的收缩快速射血期最大厚度、舒张期末厚度和室壁收缩期增厚率的平均值均没有显著统计学差异(p>0.05)。结论解剖M型超声技术测定左室壁各节段的收缩期增厚率等指标时有较好的可重复性,因此有可能用于准确定量分析左室壁节段性运动。     

Burden of paediatric rotavirus gastroenteritis and potential benefits of a universal rotavirus vaccination programme with RotaTeq in France

This study aimed at estimating the paediatric RotaVirus GastroEnteritis (RVGE) burden in children aged up to 5 years, and at evaluating health and economic benefits of a universal infant vaccination with a pentavalent rotavirus vaccine, in France. A decision analytic model was constructed considering a cohort of French children from birth to 5 years old. In the absence of a universal rotavirus immunisation programme, the model predicts that of every new French birth cohort, 336,738 children would present a RVGE case, which would result in 33,386 hospitalisations, 14 deaths and more than 279,000 work days lost for the parents. The management of these RVGE cases would cost 63 million euro to the National Healthcare Payer and would reach up to 117 million euro when all indirect costs were included. The introduction of a universal rotavirus vaccination would avoid 249,400 RVGE cases and consequently about 25,700 hospitalisations, 6000 nosocomial infections, 81,200 emergency visits, 39,900 general practitioner or paediatrician consultations, 11 deaths and 206,700 parental work days lost. RVGE total costs would be reduced by 47 million euro for the National Healthcare Payer and by 88 million euro from the Societal perspective. Therefore, a routine universal rotavirus vaccination programme represents an opportunity to significantly reduce the high paediatric RVGE burden in France.     

Effects of plant food potassium salts (citrate, galacturonate or tartrate) on acid-base status and digestive fermentations in rats

Potassium (K) organic anion salts, such as potassium citrate or potassium malate in plant foods, may counteract low-grade metabolic acidosis induced by western diets, but little is known about the effect of other minor plant anions. Effects of K salts (chloride, citrate, galacturonate or tartrate) were thus studied on the mineral balance and digestive fermentations in groups of 6-week-old rats adapted to an acidogenic/5 % inulin diet. In all diet groups, substantial amounts of lactate and succinate were present in the caecum, besides SCFA. SCFA were poorly affected by K salts conditions. The KCl-supplemented diet elicited an accumulation of lactate in the caecum; whereas the lactate caecal pool was low in rats fed the potassium tartrate-supplemented (K TAR) diet. A fraction of tartrate (around 50 %) was recovered in urine of rats fed the K TAR diet. Potassium citrate and potassium galacturonate diets exerted a marked alkalinizing effect on urine pH and promoted a notable citraturia (around 0.5 micro mol/24 h). All the K organic anion salts counteracted Ca and Mg hyperexcretion in urine, especially potassium tartrate as to magnesuria. The present findings indicate that K salts of unabsorbed organic anions exert alkalinizing effects when metabolizable in the large intestine, even if K and finally available anions (likely SCFA) are not simultaneously bioavailable. Whether this observation is also relevant for a fraction of SCFA arising from dietary fibre breakdown (which represents the major organic anions absorbed in the digestive tract in man) deserves further investigation.     

Importance of CT-scanning in the evaluation of calcaneal fractures

The aim of the study is to evaluate the use fullness of CT in the calcaneal fractures. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 20 cases of calcaneal fractures collected between 2000 and 2003. RESULTS: We describe the different CT-scan patterns in 20 calcaneal fractures, according to Sanders classification. CT-scan helps for understanding fractures displacements, for choosing surgical treatment and evaluating patient prognosis.     

La tuberculose oculaire : une série de 14 cas

Objectives

Ocular tuberculosis is a rare form of extra pulmonary tuberculosis. It represents 1–2% of all clinical forms. The aim of this work was to focus on diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics of ocular tuberculosis.

Vitamin E deficiency. Etiopathogenesis, clinical, histopathologic, and electrical features, and main etiologies

Vitamin E deficiency is frequently observed in human pathology. In most cases, deficiency is moderate and asymptomatic. Severe deficiency is rare and presents as a progressive neurological syndrome including cerebellar ataxia and posterior cord injury. Neuropathological and electrophysiological features confirm spinocerebellar degeneration. The pathophysiology of vitamin E deficiency nervous dysfunction is still unknown. Oxidative alterations due to the lack of the main lipid-soluble antioxidant could be involved. A few causes of vitamin E deficiency are recognized (malnutrition, impaired lipid absorption, specific anomaly of hepatic or intestinal secretion of vitamin E, excessive endogenous consumption), but diseases associated with vitamin E deficiency are numerous and divers. Symptomatic severe deficiency is constantly observed in ataxia with vitamin E deficiency and abetalipoproteinemia. Intestinal, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic diseases are often associated with more or less marked deficiency. Other pathological circumstances such as malnutrition, alcoholism, hemolytic anemia, renal failure and hemodialysis could be associated with moderated and asymptomatic vitamin E deficiency. Oral or regular administration of high-dose vitamin E is required for patients with symptomatic severe deficiency. An adapted supplementation is recommended for patients with a marginal vitamin E status.     

Association between genetic variants in the IL-23R gene and early-onset Crohn's disease: results from a case-control and family-based study among Canadian children

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Interleukin (IL)-23 is a key regulator of inflammation and influences the activities of T-helper 17 (Th-17) lymphocytes. Recent reports indicate that variants in the gene coding for its receptor (IL-23R) are strongly associated with Crohn's disease (CD). We investigated whether DNA variants in the IL-23R gene determine susceptibility for CD in Canadian children. DESIGN AND METHODS: A case-control and case-parent trio design was implemented at three pediatric centers across Canada. Cases of CD (相似文献   

Hepatoprotective role and antioxidant capacity of selenium on arsenic-induced liver injury in rats

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of selenium against arsenic-induced oxidative damage in experimental rats. Males were randomly divided into four groups where the first was served as a control, whereas the remaining groups were respectively treated with sodium selenite (3 mg/kg b.w.), sodium arsenite (5.55 mg/kg b.w.) and a combination of sodium arsenite and sodium selenite. Changes in liver enzyme activities, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) level, antioxidants and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents were determined after 3 weeks experimental period.Exposure of rats to As caused a significant increase in liver TBARS compared to control, but the co-administration of Se was effective in reducing its level. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) of As-treated group were found lower compared to the control and the Se-treated group. The co-administration of Se had an additive protective effect on liver enzyme activities compared to As-treated animals. On the other hand, a significant increase in plasmatic activities of AST, ALT and ALP was observed in As-treated group. The latter was also exhibited a decrease in body weight and an increase in liver weight compared to the control. The co-administration of Se has decreased the activities of AST, AST and ALP and improved the antioxidant status as well. Liver histological studies have confirmed the changes observed in biochemical parameters and proved the beneficial role of Se. To conclude, results suggest that As exposure enhanced an oxidative stress by disturbing the tissue antioxidant defense system, but the Se co-administration protected liver tissues against As intoxication probably owing to its antioxidant properties.