AH Groups Research Articles

Whitening toothpastes with hydrogen peroxide concentrations vs. at-home bleaching.

To evaluate the effect of whitening toothpastes with different hydrogen peroxide (HP) concentrations on HP permeability, color change, and physicochemical properties, compared to at-home bleaching treatment. Forty-nine premolars were randomized into seven groups (n = 7): untreated (control); at-home bleaching with 10% carbamide peroxide gel (AH; 10% CP) with 14 and 28 applications of 180min each (AH [14 × 180min] and AH [28 × 180min]); three whitening toothpastes (3% HP; 4% HP and 5% HP) and 10% CP brushed 28 times for 90s each (TB [28 × 90s]). HP permeability was measured using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer and color change by a digital spectrophotometer (ΔEab, ΔE00, and ΔWID). Initial concentration, pH, and viscosity were measured through titration, digital pH meter, and rheometer, respectively. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, Tukey's test, and Dunnett's test (α = 0.05). 4% HP group showed acidic pH, the lowest viscosity and the highest HP concentration into the pulp chamber (p < 0.05). The 10% CP groups had lower HP in the pulp chamber and greater color change than other groups (p < 0.05), except the 5% HP group in ΔEab and ΔE00. For ΔWID, the 10% CP AH groups showed greater whitening than other groups (p < 0.05). Whitening toothpaste with up to 5% HP resulted in higher HP permeability and less color change compared to 10% CP. Higher HP commercial concentrations in toothpaste increased whitening effect; however, acidic pH toothpastes exhibited greater HP permeability. Whitening toothpastes with high hydrogen peroxide concentrations were less effective than at-home bleaching, resulting in less color change and greater permeability of hydrogen peroxide, potentially increasing the risk of tooth sensitivity.

A Prospective Analysis of the Effects of a Powder-Type Hemostatic Agent on the Short-Term Outcomes after Liver Resection.

Background and Objectives: Postoperative bleeding is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following liver resection. Therefore, it is crucial to minimize bleeding during liver resection and effectively manage it when it occurs. Arista® AH (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) is a microporous polysaccharide hemosphere (MPH), a new plant-derived polysaccharide powder hemostat that can be applied to the entire surgical field. This study prospectively assessed the effectiveness of Arista for bleeding control when applied intraoperatively to the liver resection surface. Materials and Methods: Data were collected at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital for patients who underwent liver resection owing to malignant hepatocellular carcinoma or benign liver diseases. We compared the outcomes between 45 patients managed with Arista® AH (data were prospectively collected between September 2022 and May 2023) and 156 patients managed without the use of Arista® AH (data were retrospectively collected between January 2021 and December 2021). Results: There were no significant differences in patient characteristics between the two groups. The estimated blood loss (EBL) was significantly lower in the Arista® AH group compared with the control group (495.56 ± 672.7 mL vs. 691.9 ± 777.5 mL, p = 0.049). The mean postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the Arista® AH group (5.93 ± 1.88 days vs. 6.94 ± 4.17 days, p = 0.024). The time to Jackson-Pratt drain removal was also significantly shorter in the Arista® AH group (4.64 ± 1.31 days vs. 5.30 ± 2.87 days, p = 0.030). The patient subgroup was divided into four categories based on the type of resection and the presence or absence of cirrhosis. Within the subgroup of major resections in non-cirrhotic patients, the Arista® AH group demonstrated significantly better outcomes compared to the control group, showed lower EBL, reduced need for blood transfusions, decreased volume of drain fluid collected within 48 h, earlier removal of drains, and shorter hospital stays. In contrast, for the other subgroups such as minor resection (both non-cirrhotic and cirrhotic) and major resection with cirrhosis, the differences between the Arista® AH and control groups in various parameters like EBL, blood transfusion rates, drain fluid volume, time to drain removal, and duration of hospital stay were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Arista® AH significantly improved intraoperative blood management and postoperative recovery in patients undergoing liver resection, particularly in non-cirrhotic patients who underwent major resection.

Disrupted hypothalamic transcriptomics and proteomics in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes exposed to recurrent hypoglycaemia

Aims/hypothesisRepeated exposures to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in people with diabetes progressively impairs the counterregulatory response (CRR) that restores normoglycaemia. This defect is characterised by reduced secretion of glucagon and other counterregulatory hormones. Evidence indicates that glucose-responsive neurons located in the hypothalamus orchestrate the CRR. Here, we aimed to identify the changes in hypothalamic gene and protein expression that underlie impaired CRR in a mouse model of defective CRR.MethodsHigh-fat-diet fed and low-dose streptozocin-treated C57BL/6N mice were exposed to one (acute hypoglycaemia [AH]) or multiple (recurrent hypoglycaemia [RH]) insulin-induced hypoglycaemic episodes and plasma glucagon levels were measured. Single-nuclei RNA-seq (snRNA-seq) data were obtained from the hypothalamus and cortex of mice exposed to AH and RH. Proteomic data were obtained from hypothalamic synaptosomal fractions.ResultsThe final insulin injection resulted in similar plasma glucose levels in the RH group and AH groups, but glucagon secretion was significantly lower in the RH group (AH: 94.5±9.2 ng/l [n=33]; RH: 59.0±4.8 ng/l [n=37]; p<0.001). Analysis of snRNA-seq data revealed similar proportions of hypothalamic cell subpopulations in the AH- and RH-exposed mice. Changes in transcriptional profiles were found in all cell types analysed. In neurons from RH-exposed mice, we observed a significant decrease in expression of Avp, Pmch and Pcsk1n, and the most overexpressed gene was Kcnq1ot1, as compared with AH-exposed mice. Gene ontology analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated a coordinated decrease in many oxidative phosphorylation genes and reduced expression of vacuolar H+- and Na+/K+-ATPases; these observations were in large part confirmed in the proteomic analysis of synaptosomal fractions. Compared with AH-exposed mice, oligodendrocytes from RH-exposed mice had major changes in gene expression that suggested reduced myelin formation. In astrocytes from RH-exposed mice, DEGs indicated reduced capacity for neurotransmitters scavenging in tripartite synapses as compared with astrocytes from AH-exposed mice. In addition, in neurons and astrocytes, multiple changes in gene expression suggested increased amyloid beta (Aβ) production and stability. The snRNA-seq analysis of the cortex showed that the adaptation to RH involved different biological processes from those seen in the hypothalamus.Conclusions/interpretationThe present study provides a model of defective counterregulation in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. It shows that repeated hypoglycaemic episodes induce multiple defects affecting all hypothalamic cell types and their interactions, indicative of impaired neuronal network signalling and dysegulated hypoglycaemia sensing, and displaying features of neurodegenerative diseases. It also shows that repeated hypoglycaemia leads to specific molecular adaptation in the hypothalamus when compared with the cortex.Data availabilityThe transcriptomic dataset is available via the GEO (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/), using the accession no. GSE226277. The proteomic dataset is available via the ProteomeXchange data repository (http://www.proteomexchange.org), using the accession no. PXD040183.Graphical

Participation in youth sports influences sarcopenia parameters in older adults.

The degree of deterioration in sarcopenia parameters may be affected by a person's level of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB). Our study focused on examining the PA and SB of active older adults including those with and without history of sports in youth. Forty-four participants (20 men and 24 women, mean age of total sample 76.1 ± 5.2 years) were included in analysis of PA, SB habits and sarcopenia parameters, determined by skeletal muscle index, hand-grip strength, gait speed, Timed Up and Go tests (TUG). PA and SB were recorded with accelerometers. Our primary aim was to compare participants with (AH) or without a sport history in youth (NAH), in their sarcopenia parameters and PA and SB habits. When divided participants in two groups (AH and NAH) and adjusting for age, we have detected the differences for skeletal muscle index (p = 0.007) and hand-grip strength (p = 0.004) in favor of participants who were engaged in sports in youth. We did not find any differences in PA and SB habits between the AH and NAH groups. After adjusting for age, participants with a higher number of daily steps, longer moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) bouts, a higher number of MVPA bouts in a day and higher overall MVPA engagement achieved better results in hand-grip strength and TUG. Participants with lower SB had better TUG and gait speed results. Our findings suggest that engaging in sports activities in youth can make a difference with sarcopenia parameters. Although we found no differences in PA and SB habits between participants with AH and NAH, participants with an athlete history performed better results in sarcopenia parameters.

Changes in Hemolymph Microbiota of Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis) in Response to Aeromonas hydrophila or Staphylococcus aureus Infection.

The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) has significant economic potential in both the Chinese domestic and global markets. The hemolymph microbiota is known to play a critical role in regulating physiological and biochemical functions in crustaceans. However, the study of the hemolymph microbiota of E. sinensis in response to infections has not been undertaken. In this study, changes in the composition and function of the hemolymph microbiota in E. sinensis infected with either Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) or Aeromonas hydrophila (Ah) were investigated using 16S rRNA sequencing, with a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) injection serving as the control. Results showed that the dominant hemolymph microbiota of E. sinensis were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Firmicutes. The relative abundance of the phyla Firmicutes, Bdellovibrionota, and Myxococcota was significantly reduced in both Sa and Ah groups compared to the PBS group. At the genus level, compared to the PBS group, a significant increase in the abundance of Flavobacterium and Aeromonas was found in both Ah and Sa groups. The analysis of the functional profile showed that pathways related to 'cell growth and death', 'metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides', 'cancers', 'lipid metabolism', 'neurodegenerative diseases', 'metabolism of other amino acids', 'xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism', and 'circulatory system and endocrine system' were predominant in the Ah group. Meanwhile, pathways related to 'metabolism or genetic information progressing', such as 'translation', 'metabolic diseases', and 'cellular processes and signaling', were enriched in the Sa group. This study revealed the effects of pathogens (S. aureus or A. hydrophila) on the maintenance of the hemolymph microbiota in E. sinensis. It shed light on the mechanisms employed by the hemolymph microbiota of E. sinensis under pathogen stimulation.

Analysis of risk factors and short-term prognostic factors of arrhythmia in patients infected with mild/moderate SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

Complications, including arrhythmia, following severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection continue to be of concern. Omicron is the mainstream SARS-CoV-2 mutant circulating in mainland China. At present, there are few epidemiological studies concerning the relationship between arrhythmia and Omicron variant infection in mainland China. To investigate the risk factors of arrhythmia in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and the factors influencing prognosis. Data from 192 Omicron infected patients with symptoms of arrhythmia (AH group) and 100 Omicron infected patients without arrhythmia (Control group) were collected. Patients in the AH group were divided into the good and poor prognosis groups, according to the follow-up results 4-6 weeks after infection. The general and clinical data between the AH and Control groups, and between the good and poor prognosis groups were compared. The variables with differences between the groups were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, and the quantitative variables were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic curve to obtain their cut-off values. Compared with the control group, the body mass index (BMI), proportion of patients with a history of arrhythmia, proportion of antibiotics taken, heart rate, moderate disease severity, white blood cell (WBC) count, and the aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase (CK), CK isoenzyme (CK-MB), myoglobin (Mb), high-sensitive troponin I (hs-cTnI), lymphocyte ratio and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in the AH group were significantly higher (p < 0.05). In addition, obesity (BMI ≥24 kg/m2), fast heart rate (≥100 times/min), moderate disease severity, and WBC, CK-MB and hs-cTnI levels were independent risk factors of arrhythmia for patients with Omicron infection (p < 0.05), and hs-CRP was a protective factor (p < 0.05). Compared with the good prognosis group, the age, proportion of patients with a history of arrhythmia, heart rate, proportion of moderate disease severity, and hs-CRP, CK, Mb and hs-cTnI levels were significantly higher in the poor prognosis group, while the proportion of vaccination was lower in the poor prognosis group (p < 0.05). Advanced age (≥65 years old), proportion of history of arrhythmia, moderate disease severity, vaccination, and hs-CRP, Mb and cTnI levels were independent factors for poor prognosis of patients with arrhythmia (p < 0.05). The factors that affect arrhythmia and the prognosis of patients infected with Omicron include obesity, high heart rate, severity of the disease, age. history of arrhythmia, WBC, hs-CRP, and myocardial injury indexes, which could be used to evaluate and prevent arrhythmia complications in patients in the future.

Isolation, Identification, and Characterization of an Acid-Tolerant Pichia kudriavzevii and Exploration of Its Acetic Acid Tolerance Mechanism

Pichia kudriavzevii is one of the major non-Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts in Chinese baijiu brewing, which has shown a substantially higher tolerance to acid, heat, and ethanol. Exploring the mechanism of P. kudriavzevii could have a positive effect on the artificially controlled production of baijiu. In this study, an efficient acetic-acid-tolerant P. kudriavzevii strain, Y2, was isolated from the yellow water of strong-flavored baijiu brewing waste, and its molecular mechanism of acetic acid tolerance was investigated through a comparative transcriptomic analysis. The strain Y2 could tolerate 12 g/L of acetic acid. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in oxidative phosphorylation, the citrate cycle, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and carbon metabolism under low (AL group) and high (AH group) concentrations of acetic acid. However, the DEG enrichment was more profound in the AH group when compared to the control. Compared with the AL group, the expression of genes related to oxidative phosphorylation was more significantly upregulated, while in terms of the TCA cycle, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase was significantly upregulated in both the AH and AL groups and was positively correlated with tolerance to acetic acid. This was followed by citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase. These results illustrated a possible mechanism of acid tolerance by regulating the metabolism-related pathways in P. kudriavzevii and provided a basis for the further investigation of the acid tolerance mechanism.

The effect of hyaluronic acid conditioned media on hDPSCs differentiation through CD44 and transforming growth factor-β1 expressions.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has the capability to influence dentin niche which is important in regenerative process. The CD44 as a specific receptor of HA was found to be related to dentin mineralization process. Meanwhile, transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) has a vital role in the transition from proliferation into the differentiation of human dental pulp stem cell human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) to become odontoblast cells and dentin mineralization. This study aims to analyzed HA's effect on dentin mineralization through CD44 and TGF-β1 expressions. Stem cells were cultured in four different supplemented conditioned media (control, +10 μg/mL, +20 μg/mL, and + 30 μg/mL of HA). Evaluation of CD44 expression was analyzed using flow cytometry and TGF-β1 was analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reader. Qualitative result using Alizarin red test after 21 days was done to confirm the formation of mineralization nodules. It was shown that HA expression of CD44 and TGF-β1 on hDPSCs were higher in AH groups compared to the control group and 30 μg/mL HA induced the highest TGF-β1 expression on hDPSCs. Alizarin red test also showed the highest mineralization nodules in the same group. Therefore, from this study, we found that supplemented 30 μg/mL of HA was proved in initiating hDPSCs differentiation process and promote dentin mineralization.

P10.07.B Differential YAP activity in human glioblastoma tumorspheres

Abstract Background Although glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor, the best available treatment options are still associated with poor prognosis. Recently, the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway has been emerged as an important driver of GBM. Nevertheless, extensive studies have not yet been focused on the importance of phosphorylation event in regulating endogenous YAP activity in GBM. Here, we sought to elucidate that the modulation and stabilization of YAP/TAZ in Hippo pathway promotes GBM progression. Material and Methods Expression patterns of YAP1, TAZ, CTGF, TEAD4 and LATS1 mRNA were confirmed in human normal and GBM tissue, and patient survival according to YAP1 expression was confirmed in TCGA and Severance cohort. The YAP1 expression patterns in several TSs were classified into SOH and AH according to transcriptome analysis and western blot. For each classified TSs, the characteristics of SOH and AH were comparatively analyzed through immunoprecipitation, nucleus fraction, TEAD4 luciferase assay, and confocal analysis. The effect of YAP1 knockdown/out and overexpression in SOH and AH TSs were measured by WST/ATP analysis, 3D invasion and neurosphere formation, and western blot. In addition, the drug reactivity of SOH and AH TSs was examined by treatment with the YAP1 inhibitors Peptide17 and verteporfin, and the effects of Peptide17, verteporfin and YAP1-shRNA were examined in in-vivo xenograft model. Results YAP1 mRNA levels including TAZ, CTGF, TEAD4 and LATS1 were higher in GBM than in normal tissues. Through transcriptome analysis and western blot, TS can be divided into SOH and AH groups according to the expression level of CTGF, but not YAP1 level. In the case of SOH TS, the binding of TEAD4 was strong in immunoprecipitation, the ratio of YAP1 was higher in the nucleus in the nucleus fractionation and confocal analysis, and the luciferase activity of TEAD4 was high in the TEAD4 luciferase assay. On the other hand, in the case of TS of AH, the opposite trend was observed. When YAP1 was knocked down or out, the proliferation, invasion, and stemness of TS tended to be decrease more in SOH TS than in AH TS, and SOH TS showed more sensitive drug response even in Peptide17 and Verteporfin treatment. In the case of YAP1 overexpression, the opposite trend was observed in SOH TS. In the in-vivo xenograft model, injection of Peptide17, verteporfin, and YAP1-shRNA showed a tendency to increase the survival rate of mice. Conclusion The association of YAP has been described in several cancers, but there has been no study comparing GBM TS by YAP expression and classifying it at the functional level. Now, for the first time, we show that the characteristics of GBM TS can be predicted according to the expression value of YAP, respectively, and YAP is expected to be applied as an important prognostic factor for GBM treatment in the future.

P-294 Use of Artificial Intelligence to Assess the Effects of Assisted Hatching on Embryo Development and Implantation Potential

Abstract Study question Does the use of laser-assisted hatching (AH) on cleavage stage embryos affect in vitro preimplantation embryo development or implantation potential? Summary answer There is no difference in blastocyst conversion rate or implantation potential of embryos following AH at the cleavage stage for patients under age 35 years. What is known already Laser-AH is the process of creating an opening within the zona pellucida on cleavage stage embryos to facilitate biopsy of trophectoderm cells for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Studies have shown that PGT for aneuploidy (PGT-A) in patients under 35 years have reduced pregnancy rates compared to those not undergoing biopsy. This is attributed to the additional micromanipulation events involved with PGT-A may decrease the viability of embryos and compromise their implantation potential. We aimed to objectively compare the impact of AH on embryo development using an artificial intelligence (AI)-algorithm trained to assess embryo quality and predict developmental fate. Study design, size, duration A retrospective dataset from patients under 35 years was generated from two timepoints: cleavage stage embryos immediately before AH between 60-64 hours post insemination (hpi); and blastocyst stage embryos between 110-115 hpi prior to transfer or vitrification. Time-lapse imaging was obtained using the EmbryoScope (Vitrolife). Cleavage stage embryo images were used to train a convolutional neural networks (CNN) to predict and classify the development and implantation potential of cleavage and blastocyst stage embryos. Participants/materials, setting, methods Time-lapse images were collected for 1444 cleavage stage embryos spanning 189 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles between January 2014 – December 2021 at a single academic fertility center in Boston. Embryos were categorized into two groups: Day 3 embryos with AH (D3+AH) and without AH (D3-No AH). Each patient had a single blastocyst embryo transfer with a known outcome. Two-tailed t-tests were used to compare differences, with p-value less than 0.05 set for statistical significance. Main results and the role of chance The dataset included 1035 embryos with AH (D3+AH) and 409 embryos without AH (D3-No AH). There were no differences in AI-predicted blastocyst development between Day 3 embryos with AH and without AH (64.1% vs 64.1%) or AI-predicted high quality blastocyst development rate between these two groups (43.8% vs 40.8%), respectively. On Day 5 there were no differences in the AI-categorization of embryos at the blastocyst stage between embryos with or without AH (62.3% vs 62.5%) or AI-categorization of high-quality blastocyst development (45.2% vs 41.8%), respectively. AI predicted a similar implantation potential between embryos with and without AH at the cleavage stage (61.1% vs 69.9%). When stratifying to only the embryos transferred, there were no differences in the AI-predicted blastocyst development between Day 3 embryos with AH and without AH (96.0% vs 97.1%) or in the AI-predicted high quality blastocyst development rate between these two groups (72.0% vs 82.7%). AI predicted a similar implantation potential between embryos with and without AH at the cleavage stage (72.0% vs 69.0%). These results correspond with the true clinical pregnancy rate between the AH and Non-AH groups (68.0% vs 61.9%, p = 0.44). Limitations, reasons for caution These retrospective findings were of patients who had time-lapse imaging of cleavage stage and blastocysts available. Additionally, we focused on high prognosis patients that were eligible for single blastocyst stage embryo transfer. Clinical pregnancy rate was examined, not spontaneous abortion or live birth rates. Wider implications of the findings Utilization of AI technology allows for more objective and standardized methods for examining the impact of laboratory procedures on the developmental fate of embryos. This study demonstrated the safety of utilizing laser-assisted hatching on embryo development within this study population. Trial registration number None

Epidemiological survey, general blood biochemistry, and histological examination of slaughtered heavy horse breeds with hemorrhage in the adipose tissue in the crest of the neck.

Fifty-four slaughtered horses were classified into groups having adipose tissue in the crest of the neck with or without hemorrhage (AH and NH groups, respectively). Blood biochemical tests (Alb, TP, T-bil, GOT, GPT, LDH, T-cho, and BUN) and an epidemiological survey (age, gender, weight, origin, breed, BCS, CNS, and hoof disease) were performed. T-bil tended to be high, while the other parameters were normal. Weight, BCS, and CNS were higher in the AH group (P<0.05). GOT was lower in the AH group (P<0.05). It was suspected that the horses in the AH group had lipomatosis. It was assumed that the adipose tissue of the horses in the AH group contained damaged capillaries, and inflammation was confirmed based on evidence of macrophages and lymphocytes.

Multiparametric MRI analysis for the evaluation of renal function in patients with hyperuricemia: a preliminary study

BackgroundTo investigate the renal dysfunction in patients with hyperuricemia by employing a multiparametric MRI protocol, consisting of quantitative water molecule diffusion, microstructure, microscopic perfusion, and oxygenation measurements in kidneys.Materials and methodsA total of 48 patients with hyperuricemia (HU) and 22 age-matched healthy control subjects (HC) were enrolled in the study. For each participant, three different functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sequences were acquired and analyzed, including intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and blood-oxygen-level-dependent MRI (BOLD). Thereafter, an independent two-sample t-test was applied to discover the significant differences of MRI indices between the hyperuricemia (HU) and HC groups, and the specific potential biomarkers between two subgroups of HU group (asymptomatic hyperuricemia group (AH) and gouty arthritis group (GA)). Further, multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to classify the AH from the GA group using the MRI indices with significant between-group differences. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the performance of each MR index for differentiation between the AH and GA groups.ResultsTen parametric values of the HU group were significantly lower than those of the HC group among the 14 fMRI parameters (P < 0.05). The cortical D, D*, and f values and medullary D and R2*values had significant differences between the AH and GA groups (P < 0.05). Combining the cortical D and f values and medullary R2* value gave the best diagnostic efficacy, yielding an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.967 ± 0.022, 91.67%, and 95.83%, respectively.ConclusionsA multiparametric MR analysis plays an important role in the evaluation of renal dysfunction in hyperuricemia from multiple perspectives. It could be a promising method for noninvasive detection and identification of the early-stage renal damage induced by hyperuricemia.

Frequency of sheep farms with anthelmintic resistant gastrointestinal nematodes in the Mexican Yucatán peninsula.

The present study explored the frequency of hair-sheep farms with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) resistant to albendazole sulfoxide (AS), ivermectin (IVM) and levamisole (LEV) in the Yucatán peninsula, México, using the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT), and compared the frequency of farms diagnosed with resistance using three different formulae. The survey included farms from the states of Campeche (9) and Yucatán (14) (2016-2019). Collaborating farms had >100 grazing ewes. Animals in the FECRT were>12months old, received no anthelmintic for >8weeks and had ≥150 GIN eggs per gramme of faeces (EPG). Animals were distributed to respective groups: untreated controls, AS (5mg/kg BW), IVM (0.2mg/kg BW), and LEV (7.5mg/kg BW). Due to low EPG, some farms only included one or two AH groups. Second faecal samples were obtained on day 14 post-treatment to estimate the percentage reduction (%R) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Criteria to declare resistance were those proposed by the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology. Three formulae were used to estimate resistance frequency: The RESO© and eggCounts-T:C, which considered treated and control EPG means post-treatment, but differed in their 95%CI estimation, while the eggCounts-T:T only considered pre- and post-treatment EPG means with 95%CI. The RESO© and eggCounts-T:C formulae resulted in the same frequency of IVM resistant farms for Campeche (100%; 9/9) and Yucatán (92.9%; 13/14), while, the eggCount-T:T formula resulted in a frequency of 85.7% (12/14) IVM resistance in Yucatán. The three formulae estimated the same frequency of AS resistant farms in Campeche (100%; 9/9) and Yucatán (87.5%; 7/8). The RESO© and the eggCounts-T:C formulae resulted in the same frequency of LEV resistant farms for Campeche (44.4%; 4/9), and Yucatán (60.0%; 6/10), but the eggCounts-T:T formula resulted in a frequency of 40.0% (4/10) LEV resistance in Yucatán. The FECRT using RESO© or eggCounts-T:C formulae are stricter than the eggCounts-T:T as the latter cannot identify what proportion of the %R cannot be attributed to the AH. The untreated control group helped adjusting the %R calculation and seemed more adequate considering the propensity of hair-sheep to reduce their EPG on their own. .

Effect of Nigella sativa oil and ciprofloxacin against bacterial infection on gene expression in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) blood

The effect of both Nigella sativa oil (NSO) and ciprofloxacin (Cip) was investigated by evaluating their therapeutic and immunity properties on serum biochemical parameters, and the gene expression levels of hepcidin, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP 1A) in O. niloticus blood against the bacterial infection and the search for antibiotic substitutes. Twelve experimental groups of Nile tilapia were included: control groups (T1–4), Aeromonas hydrophila (Ah) groups (T5–8) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Ps) groups (T9–12). The antibiogram test showed that the Ah and Ps groups had a high sensitivity to ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, gentamicin, and kanamycin. The mortality rate was 43.75% and 37.5% in untreated Ah (T5) and Ps (T9) groups, respectively, but was reduced by the use of NSO and Cip. The fish infected by Ps (T9-T12) showed a significant increase in serum total protein, albumin, and globulin levels, compared to the uninfected control group (T1). A significant increase in the relative hepcidin expression was observed in the Ah infected groups than in the Ps infected groups. Hepcidin transcripts were increased in each of Cip and NSO in the infected groups. The relative expression of the IL-1β gene was significantly increased in the Cip-treated groups, but it decreased in the NSO-treated groups after the bacterial infection, compared to the untreated infected groups. Both Cip and NSO led to a decrease in the level of CYP1A gene expression in the infected fish groups. The study showed that NSO has a therapeutic effect against pathogens just as ciprofloxacin.

Combined application of DTI and BOLD-MRI in the assessment of renal injury with hyperuricemia.

To explore the value of combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and blood oxygenation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI) in detecting early renal alterations in patients with hyperuricemia. Seventy-one individuals were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups according to their serum uric acid (SUA) level and clinical symptoms: healthy controls (HC, n = 23), asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH, n = 22) and gouty arthritis (GA, n = 26). All patients underwent both DTI and BOLD-MRI examination. Renal cortical and medullary ADC, FA and R2* values were calculated, respectively, and compared among the three groups. Correlations between ADC, FA and R2* with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and SUA in hyperuricemia were evaluated, respectively. In the renal cortex, the ADC, FA and R2* values of the AH and GA groups were significantly lower than those of the HC groups (p < 0.05). In the renal medulla, the ADC and FA values in AH and GA patients were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (p < 0.05). The R2* value of the GA group significantly decreased, compared to that of the AH and HC groups (p < 0.05). SUA was negatively correlated with cortical ADC, FA and R2* values (p < 0.05) as well as with medullary ADC and FA values. No significant correlation was discovered between the eGFR and ADC, FA and R2* values. The combined evaluation of DTI and BOLD might provide a sensitive and non-invasive approach for detection of renal microstructural alterations and oxygen metabolism abnormality in hyperuricemia.

PON1 status and homocysteine levels as potential biomarkers for cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. The mainly risks factors for CVD are diabetes, hypertension and high levels of homocysteine (Hcys), among others. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) has been proposed as an antiatherogenic target for its ability to hydrolyzing oxi-Low-Density-Lipoproteins (LDL) and Hcys-thiolactone. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of Hcys levels, and the activities and concentration of PON1, as well as vitamin B from the diet with a risk for CVD. A case-control study was carry out in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), Arterial hypertension, but not CVD (AH), and in healthy controls (control group) from the Mexican Institute of Social Security. Lipid profile, intake of vitamin B, Hcys, serum amyloid A (SAA), PON1 concentration, and PON1 activities (Arylesterase activity (ARE), Lactonase activity (LAC), and CMPA activity (CMPA)) were evaluated. The CVD group had the highest concentration of Hcys and SAA than in the AH and control groups (p<0.01). ARE, LAC, and CMPA activities and PON1 concentration were lowest in the CVD group. A positive-independent association between Hcys levels and CVD was found (OR=2.09; 95% CI: 1.69-2.56) and this increase when it was adjusted by age, BMI, ApoA1, vitamin B intake, SAA, and PON1 (OR=14.41; 95% CI: 1.75-118.71). LAC and CMPA, as well as PON1 concentration, were inversely associated with CVD. LAC activity, PON1 concentration, and Hcys levels might be good biomarkers for CVD and their association could be modified by the intake of vitamin B.

CHARACTERIZATION AND POTENCY OF STICHOPUS HERMANNI ETHANOL EXTRACT ON ORAL WOUND HEALING

Background: Stichopus hermanni contains protein, glycosaminoglycans and EPA-DHA, which accelerate oral wound healing. Ethanol is solvent with universal nature and frequently used in the extraction. This study aims to know the characterization and potency of Stichopus hermanni in oral wound healing. Methods: Stichopus hermanni was dried by freeze-dry method and extracted using ethanol solvent. Characterization was examined the levels of protein, glycosaminoglycans and EPA-DHA. In vivo, male wistar rats made traumatic ulcer at the lower labial mucosa by using thermal burn. Thirty-two rats are divided into four groups (n=8), negative control group (K), positive control group (AH) was given hyaluronic acid gel 0.2%, and treatment groups were given Stichopus hermanni 60%-80% (SH60-SH80) gel. The ulcer formed was given gel for four days. The rat’s labial mucosa was measured. The difference between the first and fourth day is tabulated. Data were analyzed by Anova and Tukey-HSD tests. Results: The result of Spectrophotometry show the contents of protein (19.39), glycosaminoglycans (2.79–3.98). The result of in vivo showed a significant difference in ANOVA test (K=1.07; AH=1.27; SH60=1.89; SH80=1.66). In the Tukey-HSD test, the SH60 group shows a significant difference between K and AH groups. Conclusion: Stichopus hermanni ethanol extract gel contain protein and Glycosaminoglycans and potency for oral wound healing.

Characteristics of an Outpatient Cohort with HBeAg-Negative Chronic Hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND:Patients with hepatitis Be antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B (HBeAg-negative CHB), and patients’ inactive carriers (IC) have similar laboratory and serologic characteristics and are not always easy to distinguish.AIM:To characterise hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B cohort based on their laboratory and virology evaluations at one point of time.METHODS:A prospective non-randomized study was conducted on 109 patients with HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B treated as outpatients at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions. All patients underwent laboratory and serology testing, quantification of HBV DNA and HBs antigen (qHBsAg).RESULTS:A group of 56 patients were inactive carriers (IC), and 53 patients had HBeAg-negative CHB (AH). The mean values of ALT, HBV DNA and qHBsAg in IC were 29.13 U/L; 727.95 IU/ml and 2753.73 IU/ml respectively. In the AH group, the mean values of ALT, HBV DNA and quantitative HBsAg were 50.45 U/L; 7237363.98 IU/ml and 12556.06 IU/ml respectively. The serum value of ALT was more influenced by qHBsAg than HBV DNA in both IC and AH groups (R = 0.22 vs R = 0.15) (p > 0.05).CONCLUSION:patients with inactive and active HBeAg-negative CHB have similar laboratory and serology profile. It is necessary to combine analysis of ALT, HBV DNA and qHBsAg for better discrimination between patient’s IC and patient with HBeAg-negative CHB.

The Protective Effect of Aesculus hippocastanum (Venoplant®) Against Concanavalin A-Induced Liver Injury

Aim: The present study was performed to investigate the effect of Aesculus hippocastanum (AH; Venoplant®) on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced acute liver injury and explore the mechanism in mice. Methods: ConA (20 mg/kg) was administered via tail vein injection to induce hepatic damage. The groups of AH (Venoplant®) were given at 65.8, 131.6, and 263.2 mg/kg by oral gavages for 20 days. The serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total protein (TP), and albumin (Alb) were determined by automatic biochemical analyzer, and the Alb/globulin (A/G) ratio was calculated. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IFN-γ levels were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The liver tissue was attained by hematoxylin and eosin, and the histopathological changes were calculated. The cell apoptosis was assayed by terminal dUTP nick-end labeling. The malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH) content of liver tissue were assayed by related kits. The activity of caspase-3 was detected by spectrophotometry. The expressions of cytochrome c, Bax, Bcl-2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p-JNK were detected by western blot. Results: The results showed that the levels of ALT, AST, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in AH (Venoplant®) groups were significantly lower than those in ConA-injured group, while the levels of TP, Alb, and A/G were significantly higher. The SOD and GSH levels were significantly increased, and the MDA level was decreased; liver histopathology was changed consistently with the serological indicators, AH (Venoplant®) treatment significantly reduced the pathological damage and cell apoptosis; while in AH (Venoplant®) group, the expressions of cytochrome c, caspase-3, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and p-JNK were significantly decreased. Conclusion: AH (Venoplant®) could significantly protect the ConA-induced acute liver injury in mice via inhibition of reactive oxygen species and JNK pathway.

Intravoxel incoherent motion imaging of the kidney: The application in patients with hyperuricemia.

Hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for onset and progression of kidney disease. However, there remains a lack of a reliable and noninvasive biomarker to identify and monitor the changes of renal function in patients with hyperuricemia. To assess the utility of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters in identifying the early changes of renal function in patients with hyperuricemia. Retrospective case-control study. Eighty-four male participants, including asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH, 27 cases), gouty arthritis (GA, 31 cases), and 26 age-matched healthy controls. 3.0T; intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM). Differences in the IVIM parameters among the three groups were assessed. Pure molecular diffusion (D value); perfusion-related diffusion (D* value); pseudodiffusion fraction (f value); apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC value); estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Also, they were correlated with eGFR. Bonferroni test, Tamhane's T2 method, and Pearson correlation analysis. The D values in renal cortex and medulla significantly decreased from the control, AH to GA groups (P < 0.05). The GA patients had a significantly lower cortical f value than the controls and AH patients (P < 0.05). The medullary f values in the AH and GA patients were significantly lower than that in the controls (P < 0.05). Also, the cortical and medullary ADC values had similar results across the three groups (P < 0.05), except for the comparison between the AH and GA groups (P = 0.668, P = 0.111, respectively). No significant correlation was found between any IVIM parameters with eGFR. IVIM imaging may be helpful for detecting the early changes of renal function induced by hyperuricemia. The D value could be the most sensitive IVIM-derived parameter in the assessment of renal function in patients with hyperuricemia in this study. 3 Technical Efficacy Stage: 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:833-840.