Toxicological aspects of trans fat consumption over two sequential generations of rats: Oxidative damage and preference for amphetamine

Chronic consumption of processed food causes structural changes in membrane phospholipids, affecting brain neurotransmission. Here we evaluated noxious influences of dietary fats over two generations of rats on amphetamine (AMPH)-conditioned place preference (CPP). Female rats received soybean oil (SO, rich in n-6 fatty acids (FA)), fish oil (FO, rich in n-3 FA) and hydrogenated vegetable fat (HVF, rich in trans fatty acids (TFA)) for two successive generations. Male pups from the 2nd generation were maintained on the same supplementation until 41 days of age, when they were conditioned with AMPH in CPP. While the FO group showed higher incorporation of n-3 polyunsaturated-FA (PUFA) in cortex/hippocampus, the HVF group showed TFA incorporation in these same brain areas. The SO and HVF groups showed AMPH-preference and anxiety-like symptoms during abstinence. Higher levels of protein carbonyl (PC) and lower levels of non-protein thiols (NPSH) were observed in cortex/hippocampus of the HVF group, indicating antioxidant defense system impairment. In contrast, the FO group showed no drug-preference and lower PC levels in cortex. Cortical PC was positively correlated with n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, locomotion and anxiety-like behavior, and hippocampal PC was positively correlated with AMPH-preference, reinforcing connections between oxidative damage and AMPH-induced preference/abstinence behaviors. As brain incorporation of trans and n-6 PUFA modifies its physiological functions, it may facilitate drug addiction.     

Efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin oral suspension versus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole oral suspension for treatment of older women with acute urinary tract infection

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin (CIP) oral suspension to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) oral suspension among older women with acute urinary tract infections (UTIs). DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter study of older women (age 65 and older). SETTING: Community and nursing home. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 261 older women were evaluable for safety. Of these, 172 (86 community, 86 nursing home) were evaluable for clinical and bacteriological efficacy. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to a 10-day regimen of either CIP (250 mg/5 mL twice daily) or TMP/SMX (160/800 mg/20 mL twice daily). MEASUREMENTS: Clinical response 4 to 10 days posttherapy. RESULTS: For the efficacy-valid population, posttherapy clinical resolution was statistically superior following CIP (97%) versus TMP/SMX (85%) (95% CI=2.0-21.3; P= .009). Eradication of pretreatment bacterial isolates posttherapy was also higher following CIP (95%) versus TMP/SMX (84%) (95% CI=2.7-21.3; P= .019). For the intent-to-treat population, posttherapy clinical resolution was significantly higher in the CIP group (96%) than in the TMP/SMX group (87%) (95% CI=0.2-16.7; P= .025). Safety was assessed in the intent-to-treat population and the incidence of drug-related adverse events were significantly lower following CIP (17%) than following TMP/SMX (27%) (P= .047). Premature discontinuation due to these events was also less prevalent with CIP than with TMP/SMX (2% vs 11%, respectively) (P= .004). CONCLUSION: CIP suspension showed higher clinical success and bacteriological eradication rates than did TMP/SMX for both community-based and nursing home-residing older women with acute UTIs. Furthermore, CIP suspension was associated with significantly lower rates of adverse events and premature discontinuations compared with TMP/SMX suspension.     

Lipid membranes accelerate amyloid formation in the mouse model of AA amyloidosis

Introduction: AA amyloidosis develops as a result of prolonged inflammation and is characterized by deposits of N-terminal proteolytic fragments of the acute phase reactant serum amyloid A (SAA). Macrophages are usually found adjacent to amyloid, suggesting their involvement in the formation and/or degradation of the amyloid fibrils. Furthermore, accumulating evidence suggests that lipid membranes accelerate the fibrillation of different amyloid proteins.

Methods: Using an experimental mouse model of AA amyloidosis, we compared the amyloidogenic effect of liposomes and/or amyloid-enhancing factor (AEF). Inflammation was induced by subcutaneous injection of silver nitrate followed by intravenous injection of liposomes and/or AEF to accelerate amyloid formation.

Results: We showed that liposomes accelerate amyloid formation in inflamed mice, but the amyloidogenic effect of liposomes was weaker compared with AEF. Regardless of the induction method, amyloid deposits were mainly found in the marginal zones of the spleen and coincided with the depletion of marginal zone macrophages, while red pulp macrophages and metallophilic marginal zone macrophages proved insensitive to amyloid deposition.

Conclusions: We conclude that increased intracellular lipid content facilitates AA amyloid fibril formation and show that the mouse model of AA amyloidosis is a suitable system for further mechanistic studies.     

黄柳向治疗胃癌前病变经验

介绍黄柳向教授运用益气健脾,柔肝理气,化痰祛瘀法治疗胃癌前病变的经验。黄教授认为,胃癌前病变的根本病机为本虚标实,即脾胃亏虚为本,气滞痰凝血瘀为标;治疗当以益气健脾,柔肝理气,化痰祛瘀为法。临床上采用莪蚕健胃方加减治疗,对胃癌前病变的阻断与逆转效果确切,并附典型案例1则。     

N-乙酰半胱氨酸对心肺转流下心脏直视手术患者肺功能的影响

目的观察N-乙酰半胱氨酸(N-acetylcysteine,NAC)对心肺转流(cardiopulmonary bypass,CPB)下心脏直视手术患者肺功能参数的影响。方法择期在CPB下行心脏瓣膜置换术的风湿性心脏病患者40例,性别不限,年龄40~65岁,体重45~80kg,ASAⅡ或Ⅲ级,心功能Ⅰ~Ⅲ级,随机均分为NAC组和对照组(C组)。NAC组:麻醉诱导后CPB前静脉输注NAC 100mg/kg,CPB开始后静脉持续输注NAC 40mg/kg至术毕。C组:等剂量用生理盐水作为安慰剂静脉输注。于麻醉诱导后(T0)、开胸后CPB前(T1)、术毕关胸后(T2)、术后5h(T3)、24h(T4)和48h(T5)检测呼吸指数(RI)、氧合指数(OI)、肺泡-动脉氧分压差(A-aDO2)和气道阻力(R)。结果与T0时比较,T2~T4时两组患者RI、A-aDO2明显升高(P0.05)、OI明显降低(P0.05)、T2和T3时两组患者气道阻力明显升高(P0.05)。与C组比较,T2~T4时NAC组RI和A-aDO2明显降低(P0.05)、OI明显升高(P0.05)、T2和T3时NAC组气道阻力明显降低(P0.05)。结论 N-乙酰半胱氨酸可以减轻CPB导致的肺功能损伤,对肺脏可能具有保护作用。     

Adipose tissue polyunsaturated fatty acids and metabolic syndrome among adult parents and their children

Background and aims

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may play a role in the etiology of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the study was to examine the associations of adipose tissue PUFA biomarkers with MetS among parents and children in Mesoamerica.

散结通脉方治疗稳定性心绞痛的临床研究

目的探讨“瘀能化水”学术思想指导的散结通脉方对稳定性心绞痛痰瘀互结证的临床疗效及安全性。方法选取2018年7月—2019年4月期间的稳定性心绞痛患者72例,将符合条件的稳定性心绞痛患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,各36例,对照组采用西药标准化治疗,治疗组在对照组治疗的基础上加服具有清化痰浊、化瘀利水作用的散结通脉方,治疗4周,观察两组患者治疗前后心绞痛疗效,中医证候疗效及血脂四项(TC、TG、LDL-C、HDL-C)、超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)情况。结果治疗后在心绞痛疗效方面,治疗组总有效率94.12%,对照组84.85%,治疗组优于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);在中医证候疗效方面,治疗组总有效率97.06%,对照组66.67%,治疗组明显优于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);在改善TC、TG、LDL-C、Hs-CRP等指标方面,治疗组均优于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),且未见不良反应。结论“瘀能化水”学术思想指导的散结通脉方对稳定性心绞痛痰瘀互结证具有较好的临床疗效及安全性。     

Susceptibility of clinical Moraxella catarrhalis isolates in British Columbia to six empirically prescribed antibiotic agents

BACKGROUND:

Moraxella catarrhalis is a commensal organism of the respiratory tract that has emerged as an important pathogen for a variety of upper and lower respiratory tract infections including otitis media and acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. Susceptibility testing of M catarrhalis is not routinely performed in most diagnostic laboratories; rather, a comment predicting susceptibility based on the literature is attached to the report. The most recent Canadian report on M catarrhalis antimicrobial susceptibility was published in 2003; therefore, a new study at this time was of interest and importance.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the susceptibility of M catarrhalis isolates from British Columbia to amoxicillin-clavulanate, doxycycline, clarithromycin, cefuroxime, levofloxacin and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole.

METHODS:

A total of 117 clinical M catarrhalis isolates were isolated and tested from five Interior hospitals and two private laboratory centres in British Columbia between January and December 2012. Antibiotic susceptibility of M catarrhalis isolates was characterized using the Etest (E-strip; bioMérieux, USA) according to Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.

RESULTS:

All isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanate, doxycycline, clarithromycin, levofloxacin and trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole. One isolate was intermediately resistant to cefuroxime, representing a 99.15% sensitivity rate to the cephem agent. Cefuroxime minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) inhibiting 50% and 90% of organisms (MIC50 and MIC90) were highest among the antibiotics tested, and the MIC90 (3 μg/mL) of cefuroxime reached the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute breakpoint of susceptibility.

DISCUSSION:

The antibiotic susceptibility of M catarrhalis isolates evaluated in the present study largely confirms the findings of previous surveillance studies performed in Canada. Cefuroxime MICs are in the high end of the sensitive range and the MIC50 and MIC90 observed in the present study are the highest ever reported in Canada.

CONCLUSION:

Although cefuroxime MICs in M catarrhalis are high, all agents tested showed antimicrobial activity, supporting their continued therapeutic and empirical use.     

Effect of intensive glycemic control on platelet reactivity in patients with long-standing uncontrolled diabetes

Background

It has been previously shown that platelets of patients with diabetes are more reactive and less responsive to anti-platelet drugs compared with platelets from subjects without diabetes. Studies examining the effect of glycemic control on platelet reactivity have yielded conflicting data. Thus, in this study, we sought to explore the effect of tight glycemic control on platelet reactivity in patients with long standing uncontrolled diabetes.

Methods

The study included 30 patients with long-standing treated diabetes and a baseline HbA1c level of ≥ 8.5%. All patients were treated with aspirin and statins. Patients were tested at baseline and after 3 months of intensive glycemic and metabolic control. The treatment goal was to achieve a HbA1c level of ≤ 7%. Platelet reactivity was assessed by light transmission aggregation in response to 5 and 10 μM ADP and to 0.5 mg/ml arachidonic acid (AA). Additonally, platelet activation was assessed by plasma levels of soluble P-selectin using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

The mean duration of diabetes from the time of diagnosis was 20.46 ± 9.31 years. Baseline HbA1c was 9.4 ± 0.8%. Following the intensive glycemic control period, the HbA1C level decreased to 8.1 ± 0.8% (P < 0.0001). Other laboratory parameters did not change significantly except for triglyceride levels, which decreased. None of the platelet aggregation studies nor P-selectin levels differed between baseline and after 3 months of intensive glycemic control.

Conclusions

Intensive glycemic control in patients with longstanding uncontrolled diabetes does not seem to result in a reduction in platelet reactivity.