Anti-Bacterial Activities and Phytochemical Screening of Extracts of Different Parts of Thalictrum Rhynchocarpum

Parts of the plant Thalictrum rhyncocarpum are used in herbal medicine in Kenya to treat various infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate in-vitro anti-bacteria activities and phytochemical profiles of solvent extracts of the leaves, stem bark and root of Thalictrum rhyncocarpum against Bacillus subtilis-6633, Staphylococcus aures-SG 511, Escherichia coli SG 458, Pseudomonus aeruginosa-K799/61 and Mycobacterium vaccae-10670. Anti-bacterial activity tests were carried out using disc diffusion assay and tube dilution technique, and phytochemical screening was carried out through Thin Layer Chromatography. The crude extracts showed antibacterial effects on M. vaccae, P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis. M. vaccae was most sensitive, particularly to the methanol root extract. Phytochemical screening of the extracts suggested the presence of glycosides and alkaloids in the stem bark and root extracts, and flavonoids and triterpenes in the leaf extracts. The study showed interesting levels of activities of solvent extracts of different parts of T. rhyncocarpum against some of the bacteria tested (M. vaccae, P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis). The results provide some scientific rationale for the traditional use of the plant in Kenya to treat different microbial infections.     

How can elderly apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers remain free from dementia?

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, but not all ε4 carriers develop dementia. We sought to identify factors that may play a role in modifying the risk of dementia due to ε4. A cognitively intact cohort (n = 932, age ≥ 75) was followed for 9 years to detect incident dementia cases. At baseline, information on education, leisure activities, and vascular risk factors was collected, and APOE was genotyped. During the follow-up, 324 subjects developed dementia, including 247 AD cases. The hazard ratio (HR, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]) of dementia related to the ε4 was 1.39 (1.11–1.76), while the risk was reduced when ε4 carriers had high education, no vascular risk factors, or high score of leisure activities. Among ε4 carriers, the multiadjusted HRs of dementia that were associated with high education, high level of leisure activities, and absence of vascular risk factors were 0.59 (0.40–0.87), 0.49 (0.29–0.85), and 0.61 (0.41–0.90), respectively. The ε4 carriers with these factors had about 1.2 years delayed time to dementia onset compared with those without these factors. High education, active leisure activities, or maintaining vascular health seems to reduce the risk of dementia related to APOE ε4. The ε4 carriers with these characteristics appear to have similar dementia-free survival time to non-ε4 carriers.     

Usefulness of gait parameters obtained from inertial sensors attached to the lower trunk and foot for assessment of gait performance in the early postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty

BackgroundThis study was performed to (i) compare gait parameters obtained from inertial sensors attached to the lower trunk and foot between patients in the early postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and healthy age- and sex-matched controls and (ii) elucidate the association between the gait parameters and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).MethodThe gait performance of 19 patients who had undergone TKA was assessed using inertial sensors and PROMs obtained from the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) 1 week before hospital discharge. The patients walked along a 15-m walkway and we calculated the following gait parameters: walking speed, coefficient of variation (CV) of stride time, unbiased autocorrelation coefficient (AC), harmonic ratio (HR), and symmetry index (SI). The same gait parameter data from 19 age- and sex-matched healthy adults (controls) were obtained from our past study.ResultsThe TKA group demonstrated slower walking speed, larger CV of stride time, lower HR in all three directions, lower AC in the vertical direction, and higher SI in the vertical direction than the healthy control group (all p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the SI in the anteroposterior direction was significantly correlated with the KOOS symptoms subscore and ADL subscore (p < 0.05).ConclusionsPatients in the early postoperative period after TKA exhibited worse gait performance as assessed by inertial sensors compared with healthy controls. Gait symmetry was correlated with PROMs. These results indicate the usefulness of assessing gait parameters after TKA.     

Ambulatory measurement of upper limb usage and mobility-related activities during normal daily life with an upper limb-activity monitor: a feasibility study

The aim of this research was to assess the ability of an upper limb-activity monitor (ULAM) to discriminate between upper limb usage and non-usage in healthy and disabled subjects during normal daily life. The ULAM was based on ambulatory accelerometry and consisted of several acceleration sensors connected to a small recorder worn around the waist. While wearing this ULAM, four healthy and four disabled subjects performed an activity protocol representing normal daily life upper limb usage or non-usage. The motility feature (derived from the raw acceleration signals) was used as a measure of the extent of upper limb usage. Agreement scores between ULAM output and videotape recordings (reference method) were calculated. ULAM data that were of special interest for rehabilitation were detected satisfactorily (overall agreement 83.9%). There were no systematic differences in the agreement percentages between healthy and disabled subjects for mobility-related activities (p=0.345) and the different forms of upper limb usage or non-usage (p=0.715). The ULAM can be used in future studies in subjects with upper limb disorders to discriminate between upper limb usage and non-usage during performance of mobility-related activities to determine activity limitations.     

基于实证的团体干预对社区养老院老年人满意度的影响

目的 了解社区养老院老年人满意度现况,并探讨针对性团体干预对社区养老院老年人满意度的影响。方法 将58名社区养老院老年人按照楼层分为观察组和对照组,采用汉化版养老院入住老年人满意度问卷进行调查,对照组给予院内常规服务,观察组在此基础上根据满意度调查结果实施每周3次的团体活动。比较干预前后两组老年人满意度评分。结果 社区养老院老年人满意度评分为(127.02±18.66)分;干预后观察组活动、照顾者、幸福感、餐饮维度及满意度总分显著高于对照组(均P<0.05)。结论 养老院老年人满意度处于中等水平,基于调查结果实施团体干预能有效提升老年人满意度。     

Associations of Leisure-Time Internet and Computer Use With Overweight and Obesity,Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Internet and computer use are increasingly common leisure-time sedentary behaviors, which have the potential to impact negatively on health outcomes. However, little is known about the extent to which adults’ Internet and computer use is associated with weight status and time spent in leisure-time physical activity.

Objective

The objective is to examine associations of leisure-time Internet and computer use with overweight and obesity, leisure-time physical activity, and other sedentary behaviors.

Methods

Participants (2650 adults living in Adelaide, Australia) completed a mail-back questionnaire including items on their height and weight, past seven day recall of leisure-time physical activity, Internet and computer use, and other leisure-time sedentary behaviors. Leisure-time Internet and computer use was categorized into no use, low use (less than three hours per week), or high use (three hours or more per week).

Results

Participants with low leisure-time Internet and computer use had the highest levels of educational attainment and employment, and engaged in less other sedentary behaviors when compared to participants with no or high Internet and computer use. Multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for gender, age, employment, education, other sedentary behaviors and physical activity, determined that participants with a high leisure-time Internet and computer use were 1.46 (95% CI = 1.10 - 1.93) times more likely to be overweight (BMI≥25 and < 30 kg/m²) and 2.52 times more likely (95% CI = 1.82 - 3.52) to be obese (BMI≥30 kg/m²), compared to those who reported no Internet and computer use in their leisure-time. Adults with high leisure-time Internet and computer use were more likely to be overweight or obese even if they were highly active in their leisure time (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.21 - 2.88), as compared to participants who did not use the Internet or computer. Leisure-time physical activity levels were largely independent of Internet and computer use.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that, apart from nutritional and physical activity interventions, it may also be necessary to decrease time spent in sedentary behaviors, such as leisure-time Internet and computer use, in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Future Internet interventions to reduce weight or increase physical activity may need to differentiate between participants with different levels of Internet use in order to increase their effectiveness. Longitudinal studies are required to examine further the potential causal relationships between the development of overweight and specific sedentary behaviors such as Internet and computer use.     

Anthelmintic Efficacy of Nauclea Latifolia Extract Against Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Sheep: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Direct effects of Nauclea latifolia extracts on different gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep is described. In vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to determine possible anthelmintic effect of leaf extracts of Nauclea latifolia toward different ovine gastro intestinal nematodes. A larval development assay was used to investigate in vitro, the effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of N. latifolia towards strongyles larvae. The development and survival of infective larvae (L₃) was assessed and best-fit LC₅₀ values were computed by global model of non-linear regression analysis curve-fitting (95% CI). Twenty sheep harbouring naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematodes were treated with oral administration of ethanolic extracts at a dose rate of 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500mg/kg to evaluate therapeutic efficacy, in vivo.The presence of the extracts in the cultures decreased the survival of larvae. The LC₅₀ of aqueous and ethanolic extract were 0.704 and 0.650 mg/ml respectively and differ significantly (P<0.05, paired t test). Faecal egg counts (FEC) on day 12 after treatment showed that the extract is effective, relative to control (1-way ANOVA, Dunnett''s multiple comparison test), at 500mg/kg against Haemonchus spp, Trichostrongylus spp (p<0.05), Strongyloides spp (P < 0.01); at 250mg/kg against Trichuris spp (P < 0.01) and ineffective against Oesophagostomum spp (p>0.05). The effect of doses is extremely significant; the day after treatment is sometimes significant while interaction between dose and day after treatment is insignificant (2-way ANOVA).N. latifolia extract could therefore find application in the control of helminth in livestock, by the ethnoveterinary medicine approach.     

人IL-4基因修饰增强瘤细胞特异性CTL杀伤活性机制初探

目的 探讨IL－4基因修饰瘤苗增强细胞毒性T淋巴细胞（CTL）杀伤活性的机制。方法 通过逆转录病毒载体pL-IL-4-SN将人IL－4基因导入肝癌细胞系HepG2细胞,以IL－4基因修饰瘤苗和野生型瘤细胞作刺激细胞诱导CTL反应,通过流式细胞仪检查肿瘤细胞表面分子表达。结果 IL－4基因修饰诱导瘤细胞表达MHCⅡ类抗原、B7－1及ICAM－1等细胞表面分子,对MHCⅠ类抗原表达无影响,其瘤苗诱导的CTL杀伤活性为罢生型瘤细胞的7倍（P＜0.01）,加入抗IL－4单克隆抗体（McAb）可完全阻断IL－4诱导的细胞表面分子表达,IL－4基因修饰瘤苗诱导CTL反应时培养上清可测及大量IL－2产生,抗IL－4或抗细胞表面分子的McAb可降低IL－2产生及抑制CTL反应。结论 IL－4基因修饰可能是通过诱导MHCⅡ类抗原等表达分子表达,促进IL－2产生而增强CTL杀伤活性。     

A Population-Based Study of Intracerebral Hemorrhage Survivors’ Outcomes

Background

We evaluated 3-month neurologic, functional, cognitive, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) overall, and by sex and ethnicity in a population-based study.

黄姜味草醇生物活性研究进展及作用机制中关键靶标预测

目的：本文在归纳讨论黄姜味草醇（Xanthomicrol）的生物学活性后，通过网络药理学研究，预测了Xanthomicrol作用的关键靶标。方法：通过网络药理学研究，利用反向药效团匹配，蛋白互作及复杂网络拓扑分析技术对潜在靶标进行预测。结果：通过潜在靶标预测，发现Xanthomicrol具有"多靶点，多通路，多功效"的作用机制。预测结果显示Xanthomicrol能直接或间接作用于GTPase HRas （HRAS）、Cell division protein kinase 2（CDK2）、Insulin receptor （INSR）、Prothrombin （F2）、Glutathione S-transferase P1（GSTP1）、Estrogen receptor1（ESR1）、Heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha （HSP90AA1）等7个关键潜在靶标，这为进一步研究Xanthomicrol及其结构类似物提供了方向。结论：开发以Xanthomicrol为主要功效成份的药品将成为一种可能性。