Effect of Dietary Fibre on Urinary Thiamin Excretion in Humans

The process of red sorghum malt production was monitored three times in five production units (PU) selected upon their ability to produce malt flours having a high capacity to fluidify high-energy-density gruels. Raw, germinated and degermed seeds were analysed for macronutrient, soluble sugars, phytate and cyanide contents and α-amylase activity. Know-how differences between producers lay mainly in the duration and type of equipment used for steeping and germination. Moreover, three PUs applied a maturation step before sun-drying and one PU added ashes to steeped seeds before germination. No significant difference was detected in the proximate composition of malts from the five PUs. For all PUs, traditional malting increased the protein content and decreased the lipid and ash contents, while the fibre content was not affected. Significant increases in sugar contents and in α-amylase activity were observed but in variable proportions from one PU to another. The phytate content decreased significantly in all PUs. The cyanide content increased in all PUs but more drastically or less drastically according to the PU. Finally, degerming lowered the cyanide content to an acceptable level for human consumption. The between-PU variability may be due either to the nature and origin of the raw seeds or to technological know-how differences between producers. Further investigations are needed to optimize and standardize the malting process with a view to maximizing α-amylase and phytase activities and minimizing the variability of their biochemical characteristics.     

Influence of polyphenols from lingonberry,cranberry, and red grape on in vitro digestibility of rice

Abstract

Dietary polyphenols are abundant antioxidants in the human diet and are associated with lower rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study aims to determine the effects of cooking white rice (WR) added with lingonberry (WRLB), cranberry (WRCB), and red grape (WRRG) on in vitro digestibility. There was significantly lower level of glucose release for WRRG compared with WR (p?<?0.05). WRLB and WRCB showed no effect on glucose release compared with WR (p?>?0.05). Increasing concentrations of red grape polyphenol decreased digestibility of white rice (p?<?0.05). A positive correlation between the red grape phenolic content and the resistant starch was observed (R?=?0.9854). Red grape polyphenol had the greatest impact on reducing in vitro digestibility of white rice. The addition of polyphenols in carbohydrate-rich foods may be a practical means to reduce the high glycemic response of rice eaten around the world.     

Red-Koji Fermented Red Ginseng Ameliorates High Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Disorders in Mice

Fermentation of medicinal herbs improves their pharmacological efficacy. In this study, we investigated the effects of red-koji fermented red ginseng (fRG) on high-fat diet (HFD)-mediated metabolic disorders, and those effects were compared to those of non-fermented red ginseng (RG). fRG (500, 250 or 125 mg/kg), RG (250 mg/kg), simvastatin (10 mg/kg), silymarin (100 mg/kg) and metformin (250 mg/kg) were orally administered from 1 week after initiation of HFD supply for 84 days. The diameter of adipocytes in periovarian and abdominal fat pads and the thickness of the abdominal fat were significantly decreased by fRG treatment, while HFD-mediated weight gain was partly alleviated by fRG in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, biochemical and histomorphometrical analyses clearly indicated that fRG significantly inhibited HFD-induced metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hepatopathy and nephropathy in a dose-dependent manner. More favorable pharmacological effects on HFD-mediated metabolic disorders were also observed with fRG compared to an equal dose of RG. This finding provides direct evidence that the pharmacological activities of RG were enhanced by red-koji fermentation, and fRG could be a neutraceutical resource for the alleviation of obesity-mediated metabolic disorders.     

色素上皮衍生因子抑制碱烧伤角膜新生血管的机制研究

目的:探讨外源性色素上皮衍生因子(pigment epitheliumderived factor,PEDF)抑制大鼠角膜新生血管(corneal neovascularization,CNV)形成的作用机制,检测外源性PEDF对CNV模型中内源性血管内皮生长因子(vascularendothelial growth factor,VEGF)及PEDF、细胞凋亡受体/配体(Fas/FasL)表达的影响,以及对CNV内皮细胞凋亡的影响(脱氧核糖核苷酸末端转移酶介导的缺口末端标记法——TUNEL法测定)。方法:大鼠随机分为3组:PEDF治疗组(A组)、生理盐水对照组(B组)、正常组(C组)。建立碱烧伤诱导的大鼠CNV模型,A组和B组分别给予PEDF+氯霉素滴眼液和生理盐水+氯霉素滴眼液点眼,采用裂隙灯观察CNV的生长情况,用免疫组化方法检测并半定量分析VEGF,PEDF,Fas及FasL在正常角膜组织和碱烧伤后4,7,10,14d角膜组织中的表达,用TUNEL法检测CNV内皮细胞的凋亡情况。结果:正常角膜组织中可以检测到高PEDF表达和低VEGF表达,也可以检测到一定的低Fas和FasL表达。各时间点角膜新生血管的面积,A组均低于B组(P<0.05)免疫组化显示,碱烧伤后4,7,10,14d A组VEGF的表达均低于B组(P<0.05),PEDF的表达均高于B组(P<0.05),A组Fas/FasL的表达明显高于B组(P<0.05),A组TUNEL法测到的角膜新生血管内皮细胞凋亡计数和凋亡指数AI明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。两组检测到的VEGF均在第7d达到峰值,随后下降;而PEDF和Fas及FasL在第10d达到峰值,随后下降。碱烧伤后第4～10dVEGF/PEDF>1,CNV逐渐生长并达到峰值;第10d后VEGF/PEDF<1,CNV开始逐渐退化。结论:PEDF抑制碱烧伤后CNV的作用机制可以归结为两点:(1)下调VEGF的表达,控制PEDF/VEGF的动态比值,抑制CNV生长;(2)上调Fas/FasL等凋亡受体的表达,诱导角膜新生血管内皮细胞的凋亡,促进CNV的退化。     

IgA肾病患者红细胞免疫功能测定的意义

摘要目的 研讨IgA肾病红细胞免疫状态及其意义。方法 46例经肾穿刺活检明确诊断的IgA肾病,运用流式细胞仪检测红细胞膜表面CD35活性水平。结果 随着病变加重,红细胞免疫功能下降也明显,IgA肾病CD35与24小时尿蛋白定量无显著相关性,但与血清肌酐、系膜增殖程度、肾小球硬化呈正相关性(r=0.552,P<0.05,r=0.561,P<0.05,r=0.637,P<0.01,)。结论 红细胞免疫功能紊乱可能是影响IgA肾病进展的因素之一。     

选择性脱除丹参提取液中重金属的吸附剂制备研究

目的以分子筛为主要原料,开发出能选择性脱除丹参提取液中5种重金属的吸附剂。方法从4种原料铁红粉末、快脱粉(活性氧化铝)、13X分子筛原粉、硫化锌粉末中筛选出13X分子筛原粉、活性氧化铝为原料,使用混料均匀试验方法,筛选吸附剂配方。再选用壳聚糖、乙二胺四乙酸(EDTA)为扩孔剂,制备了扩孔型吸附剂。结果经混料均匀试验,可得吸附剂中13X分子筛原料比例处于0.275 6~0.465 5时,对水中5种重金属Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg、As均有较好脱除效果。将混料设计优选的吸附剂用于脱除丹参提取液中5种重金属,吸附时间4 h,Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg、As脱除率分别为14.4%、74.5%、54.6%、13.4%、8.8%。而相同组成的扩孔型吸附剂对丹参提取液中5种重金属脱除率有明显提升,Cu、Pb、Cd、Hg、As的脱除率分别提高至21.0%、91.5%、97.5%、60.3%、46.8%。结论所制备的扩孔型吸附剂,能在较短时间内脱除丹参提取液中5种重金属,具有一定工业应用前景。     

视网膜色素上皮细胞的生理功能及其参与的病变

视网膜色素上皮细胞能够维持光感受器的更新、再生,对维持视网膜外层的内环境稳定有重要意义,而且还是增生性玻璃体视网膜病变中最重要的细胞成分。视网膜色素上皮细胞参与了糖尿病视网膜病变、年龄相关性黄斑变性、视网膜色素变性等疾病的发生发展,是视网膜中被研究最多的细胞,虽来源于神经外胚叶,但其在特定的条件下能够分化和分裂的特性,让研究者看到了利用RPE来治疗相应的视网膜变性类疾病、遗传性疾病的希望。     

产蓝色素放线菌的初步鉴定和蓝色素性质研究

对一株从土壤中筛选出来的产蓝色素的放线菌进行了初步鉴定, 命名为天蓝色链霉菌－１００（Ｓｔｒｅｐｔｏｍ ｙｃｅｓ ｃｏｅｌｉｃｏｌｏｒ－１００ ）,并对蓝色素的性质进行了研究．结果表明此色素无臭无味,水溶性较强．酸性条件下,溶解度随ｐＨ 降低而减小．ｐＨ＜ ８ 时为红色,ｐＨ≥８ 时为蓝色,颜色随ｐＨ 增大而加深．于１００ ℃短时间处理,比较稳定．在ｐＨ 中性的条件下对光（包括紫外光）较稳定．大多数金属离子如Ｂａ２＋ 、Ｋ＋ 等对此色素无影响,Ｍｇ２＋ 使色素增色．Ｆｅ２＋ 在５×１０－４ ｍ ｏｌ／Ｌ时,使色素变性,但在５×１０－５ ｍ ｏｌ／Ｌ时,对色素没有多大影响．Ｐｂ２＋ 可以络合色素,使之沉淀;加入０．２５％ 盐酸乙醇后,色素再溶解．该蓝色素可作为天然色素或天然ｐＨ 指示剂开发．     

Blood Utilization After Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Large Hospital Network

Background

Since a study in orthopedic hip fracture patients demonstrated that a liberal hemoglobin (Hb) threshold does not improve patient morbidity and mortality relative to a restrictive Hb threshold, the standard of care in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) should be examined to understand the variability of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion following TJA.

Questions/purposes

The study aimed to answer the following questions: (1) What is the blood utilization rate after primary TJA for individual surgeons within a large hospital network? (2) What is the comparison of hospital charges, length of stay (LOS), and discharge locations among TJA patients who were and were not transfused?

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on 3,750 primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) and 2,070 primary total hip arthroplasties (THAs), and data was retrospectively collected over a 15-month period on the number of RBCs transfused per patient, along with demographic and cost details. The number of patients who received at least 1 RBC unit and the number of RBCs transfused per patient was calculated and stratified by surgeon.

Results

In the postoperative period, 19.3% TKA patients and 38.5% THA patients received a RBC transfusion. Transfusion rates following TJA varied widely between surgeons (TKA 4.8–63.8%, THA 4.3–86.8%). Transfused TKA patients received an average of 1.65 ± 0.03 RBCs, and THA patients received an average of 1.97 ± 0.14 RBCs. LOS and hospital charges for blood transfusion patients were higher than nontransfused patients.

Conclusion

Blood utilization after primary TJA varies greatly among surgeons, suggesting that resources may be misallocated. These findings highlight the need to standardize RBC transfusion practice following TJA.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11420-013-9327-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.