Evaluation of safety and tolerance of microencapsulated Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 in a yogurt formulation: A randomized,placebo-controlled,double-blind study

Probiotic organisms have shown promise in treating diseases. Previously, we have reported on the efficacy of microencapsulated Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 in a yogurt formulation at lowering serum cholesterol levels in otherwise healthy hypercholesterolemic adults. This study investigates the safety and toxicology of oral ingestion of microencapsulated L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 in a yogurt formulation. A randomized group of 120 subjects received a dose of 5 × 10¹⁰ CFU microencapsulated L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 in yogurt (n = 59) or placebo yogurt (n = 61) twice/day for 6 weeks. Clinical chemistry and hematological parameters of safety were analyzed. Fecal samples were collected at these time points for the analysis of deconjugated bile acids. The frequency, duration and intensity of adverse events (AEs) and clinical significance of safety parameters were recorded for both groups. No clinically significant differences between the probiotic yogurt and placebo yogurt treated groups were detected in either the blood clinical chemistry or hematology results and there was no significant increase in fecal deconjugated bile acids (P > 0.05) between treated and control groups. The frequency and intensity of AEs was similar in the two groups. These results demonstrate the safe use of this formulation in food.     

Effect of adding sodium to lithium on the performance of discharge and hydrogen evolution of the lithium anode

The effect of sodium on the electrochemical behavior of lithium in alkaline electrolyte with additives was investigated via hydrogen evolution rate, discharge current density, anodic potential, XRD (X-ray diffraction) and SEM (scanning electron microscope) in this paper. The results show that minor addition of sodium to lithium slightly decreases the hydrogen evolution at the electrode. Addition of 0.057 wt.% Na to lithium has a minor effect on discharge current and anodic potential of lithium anode. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) result shows that the lithium–sodium alloy surface is less porous than the lithium surface. Theoretical analysis indicates that the water activity at the Li–Na anode/electrolyte interface is reduced by LiOH + NaOH solution formation. Hydrogen evolution decrease, prompted by the addition of sodium to lithium, is related to the water activity reduction at the metal/electrolyte interface and reduced porosity of the film.     

头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠静脉输注致严重凝血功能障碍

1例76岁女性患者因肺部感染合并冠状动脉粥样硬化性心脏病给予静脉注射头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠1.5 g、3次/d,生脉注射液40 ml/d,丹参酮ⅡA磺酸钠注射液60 mg/d,单硝酸异山梨酯注射液10 mg/d。治疗第4天患者出现凝血功能异常,凝血酶原时间(PT)58.4 s,凝血酶原活动度(PTA)13%,国际标准化比值(INR)3.83,活化部分凝血活酶时间(APTT)38.5 s。第5天停用丹参酮ⅡA磺酸钠注射液。第7天患者凝血功能障碍加重,PT 105.8 s,PTA 5.8%,INR 7.02,APTT 49.7 s。第12天,因考虑凝血功能障碍可能与头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠输注相关,立即停药,其余治疗药物继续应用。患者当晚出现全程肉眼血尿,颏部可见瘀斑。第13天患者呕吐鲜血,APTT 99.4 s,立即输注新鲜冰冻血浆,静脉滴注卡络磺钠,肌内注射维生素K1。第15天患者复查凝血功能:PT 11.00 s,PTA 123.3%,INR 1.048,APTT 30.10 s。     

Testing a Model of Sodium Reduction in Hypertensive Older Thai Adults

Hypertensive older adults will benefit if there is a clear understanding of the factors related to sodium reduction. That would raise awareness of the causes, consequently reducing many health risks, lowering health care costs, and diminishing economic and social burden from high blood pressure. This study explored predictors of urinary sodium excretion. A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted in 312 hypertensive older Thai adults. Questionnaires related to knowledge, self-care agency, self-care behavior of sodium reduction, and 24-hour urinary sodium analyses were used, followed by the application of structural equation modeling and the Analysis of Moment Structures program. Self-care agency, knowledge, self-care behavior, rural/urban location, and education accounted for 61% of urinary sodium excretion. Self-care agency, knowledge, and self-care behavior were the main predictors in the urinary sodium excretion model. This study suggests establishing supportive educative sodium reduction-related programs that improve knowledge and enhance self-care agency, as well as a comparison of the changes of sodium reduction self-care behavior and urinary sodium excretion over time after the intervention.     

A new Nav1.7 sodium channel mutation I234T in a child with severe pain

Dominant gain‐of‐function mutations that hyperpolarize activation of the Na_v1.7 sodium channel have been linked to inherited erythromelalgia (IEM), a disorder characterized by severe pain and redness in the feet and hands in response to mild warmth. Pharmacotherapy remains largely ineffective for IEM patients with cooling and avoidance of triggers being the most reliable methods to relieve pain. We now report a 5 year old patient with pain precipitated by warmth, together with redness in her hands and feet. Her pain episodes were first reported at 12 months, and by the age of 15–16 months were triggered by sitting as well as heat. Pain has been severe, inducing self‐mutilation, with limited relief from drug treatment. Our analysis of the patient's genomic DNA identified a novel Na_v1.7 mutation which replaces isoleucine 234 by threonine (I234T) within domain I/S4–S5 linker. Whole‐cell voltage‐clamp analysis shows a I234T‐induced shift of −18 mV in the voltage‐dependence of activation, accelerated time‐to‐peak, slowed deactivation and enhanced responses to slow ramp depolarizations, together with a −21 mV shift in the voltage‐dependence of slow‐inactivation. Our data show that I234T induces the largest activation shift for Na_v1.7 mutations reported thus far. Although enhanced slow‐inactivation may attenuate the gain‐of‐function of the I234T mutation, the shift in activation appears to be dominant, and is consistent with the severe pain symptoms reported in this patient.     

Lipid sensing in the brain and regulation of energy balance

Nutrient-sensitive neurons [to glucose and fatty acids (FAs)] are present at many sites throughout the brain, including the hypothalamus and brain stem, and play a key role in the neural control of energy and glucose homoeostasis. Through their neuronal output, FAs can modulate feeding behaviour as well as insulin secretion and activity. Central administration of oleate, for example, inhibits food intake and glucose production in rats. This suggests that daily variations in plasma FA concentrations could be detected by the central nervous system as a signal that contributes to regulation of energy balance. At the cellular level, subpopulations of neurons in the ventromedial and arcuate hypothalamic nuclei are selectively either inhibited or activated by FAs. Possible molecular effectors of these FA effects most likely include the chloride and potassium ion channels. While intracellular metabolism and activation of the ATP-sensitive K⁺ channels appear to be necessary for some signalling effects of FAs, at least half the FA responses in ventromedial hypothalamic neurons are mediated by interaction with fatty acid translocase (FAT)/CD36, an FA transporter/receptor that does not require intracellular metabolism to activate downstream signalling. Thus, FAs and their metabolites can modulate neuronal activity by directly monitoring the ongoing fuel availability for brain nutrient-sensing neurons involved in the regulation of energy and glucose homoeostasis. Besides these physiological effects, FA overload or metabolic dysfunction may also impair neural control of energy homoeostasis and contribute to obesity and/or type 2 diabetes in predisposed subjects.     

急性脑梗死患者血清钠的变化及其临床意义研究

目的：探讨急性脑血管疾病脑梗死患者外周血清钠的变化及其与病情轻重之间的关系。方法：用美国康仁644电解质自动分析仪检测患者住院后次日清晨空腹血清钠，以血钠低于135mmol/L为低血钠，大于145mmol/L为高血钠；135－145mmol/L之间的正常。结果：240例急性脑梗死患者有41例出现低血钠，23例出现高血钠，其余176例血钠基本正常。结论：急性脑梗死患者有电解质钠的变化，低血钠对脑梗死的恢复是不利的。     

ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR SUPERFICIAL DUODENAL NEOPLASMS

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has emerged as a novel technique for achieving en bloc resection for superficial neoplasms limited to the mucosa. ESD was originally developed in Japan as a method of endoscopic resection of superficial gastric cancers. In our hospital, ESD has been used concurrently in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus and colorectum from the beginning of its development. However, ESD in the duodenum is considered more challenging than other parts. From August 2005 to March 2008, a total of 15 superficial duodenal neoplastic lesions in 14 patients were treated with endoscopic resection. Of these, nine underwent ESD. We report our experience with duodenal ESD with a combination of ST hood and hook knife.     

Fabrication of functionalized carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode and its application for selective oxidation and voltammetric determination of cysteamine

The functionalized carbon nanotube electrode was fabricated by electrodeposition of 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonic acid sodium (Nq) on single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). This electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the results showed that Nq can rapidly and effectively be deposited on the surface of SWNT film with high stability. The electrochemical properties of functionalized SWNT/GCE with Nq (SWNT–Nq/GCE) were studied using cyclic voltammetry, double step potential chronoamperometry and differential pulse voltammetry methods. The results indicated that SWNT could improve the electrochemical behavior of Nq and greatly enhances its redox peak currents. The SWNT–Nq/GCE exhibited a pair of well-defined redox peaks. The experimental results also demonstrated that the Nq deposited species on SWNT could catalyze cysteamine oxidation and SWNT–Nq exhibited a high performance with lowering the overpotential by more than 710 mV. The effect of pH value, number of scans and Nq concentration were investigated on the electrochemical behavior of cysteamine. The selectivity of the reaction has been assessed with no interference from tyrosine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, alanine and glutathione. The presented method has highly selectivity for voltammetric detection of cysteamine in the dynamic range from 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ M to 2.7 × 10⁻⁴ M and with a detection of limit (3σ) 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ M.     

安乃近的台阶型变温变湿稳定性试验

目的 研究湿度对固体药物稳定性影响的台阶型程序变温变湿法.方法 作者以安乃近为模型药物,采用台阶型程序变湿法和台阶型程序变温法进行试验.结果 求得了Ea、m、A和t0.9,等动力学参数.结论 新方法测定结果较好,操作简单,对仪器要求较低.