Amount Of Excretion Research Articles

Lactoferrin promotes bile acid metabolism and reduces hepatic cholesterol deposition by inhibiting the farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-mediated enterohepatic axis.

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that can regulate lipid metabolism, lower cholesterol, reduce body weight, and prevent atherosclerosis. Bile acid (BA) metabolism plays an important role in removing excess cholesterol from the body. However, studies on the effects of LF on BA metabolism are limited and inconsistent. Male C57BL/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks were fed with a normal diet (control group), high-fat/high-cholesterol diet containing cholate (HFCCD group), or HFCCD and 1.0% LF in drinking water (LF group) for 8 weeks. Serum and hepatic lipid profiles, and glucose tolerance were measured. Fecal BA composition was determined through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The gene expression of BA synthase in the liver and farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-mediated BA negative feedback regulation pathway in the liver and ileum were analyzed via RNA analysis. HFCCD resulted in abnormal cholesterol levels in the serum and liver. LF intervention significantly increased the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level by 24.9% and decreased the hepatic total cholesterol content by 26%. LF treatment significantly increased the BA content per gram by 109.8%, the total amount of BA excretion by 153.5% and conjugated BAs by 87.6% in the feces. Furthermore, LF upregulated the expression of the hepatic sterol 12α-hydroxylase (CYP8B1) gene, which expresses important enzymes in the classical pathway of BA synthesis, and the bile acid-CoA amino acid N-acetyltransferase (BAAT) gene, which is responsible for the formation of conjugated BAs. The FXR-mediated pathways in the enterohepatic axis, including FXR, fibroblast growth factor 15, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4, were inhibited by LF. LF ameliorated hepatic cholesterol deposition in mice fed with a high-fat and high cholesterol diet containing cholate. LF elevated the conjugated BA level, inhibited the ileum FXR and FXR-mediated enterohepatic axis, and increased BA synthesis and excretion.

Effect of High-frequency Chest Wall Oscillatory on Lung Function in Patient After Single Port Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Lobectomy

背景与目的高频胸壁振荡排痰仪（high-frequency chest wall oscillatory, HFCWO）是一种新型的辅助排痰装置，但其相关的作用效果仍不明确。本研究通过比较高频胸壁振荡排痰仪使用前后患者排痰量的变化，进一步探讨高频胸壁振荡排痰仪对单孔胸腔镜（single port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy, S-VATS）肺叶切除术后肺功能和血气分析的影响。方法收集2017年1月-2017年12月于苏州大学附属第二医院行S-VATS肺叶切除术患者共90例，随机分为实验组和对照组，每组45例。实验组患者采用高频胸壁振动排痰仪排痰，对照组采用常规拍背排痰。检测两组术后前5天的排痰量以及两组术前、术后第7天肺功能和动脉血气分析。结果实验组治疗后排痰量均多于对照组，且术后第1天、第2天、第3天比较差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。两组术前第1秒用力呼气容积（forced expiratory volume in one second, FEV1）、用力肺活量（forced vital capacity, FVC）及PaO2比较差异无统计学意义（P > 0.05）；术后两组FEV1、FVC及PaO2均较术前下降（P < 0.05）；但实验组FEV1、FVC及PaO2均高于对照组（P < 0.05）；两组术前、术后PaCO2比较差异无统计学意义（P > 0.05）。结论S-VATS肺叶切除术后给予高频胸壁振荡排痰仪可以显著提高排痰量，改善肺功能和缺氧状态，临床疗效满意。

Treatment With Probiotic Bacteria Does Not Diminish the Impact of a Cystoisospora suis Challenge in Suckling Piglets.

Colonization of newborn piglets with beneficial and ubiquitous microorganisms in combination with colostral passive immunity is the prerequisite for development of immunity and gut maturation. In this study living strains of Clostridium perfringens type A (CpA) and non-pathogenic Escherichia (E.) coli strains harvested from healthy piglets were administered to piglets prior to first colostrum intake in order to prevent disease caused by pathogenic variants of the same bacterial species by competitive exclusion. In addition, it was investigated whether these potential beneficial colonizers were able to prevent harmful effects of infection with Cystoisospora (C.) suis as a primary invasive pathogen. In a first trial, half of the piglets from four litters were treated with a bacterial cocktail consisting of two E. coli and four CpA strains immediately after birth on two consecutive days, while the other half of the litters served as control group. In a second trial, piglets were treated following the protocol of the first trial, and additionally all piglets were infected 4 h after the end of littering with ~1,000 sporulated oocysts of a C. suis laboratory strain. General health, body weight development, fecal consistency and, in the second trial, oocyst excretion were monitored from birth until weaning. No adverse effects of the cocktail on the health status were observed. Treated piglets of the first trial showed a higher average daily weight gain until weaning. In the second trial, no significant differences were found with respect to average daily weight gain, fecal consistency, amount, and duration of oocyst excretion assessed in daily samples. In treatment group 51.1% and in the control group 38.5% of the fecal samples were positive for oocysts in autofluorescence. The average duration of oocyst excretion was longer in treatment group (7.7 days) than in control group (5.6 days). Application of bacterial cocktail could not effectively minimize disease symptoms caused by C. suis. There was a trend toward an increase in severity of disease symptoms in treated pigs, suggesting that the synergism between CpA and C. suis was independent of the bacterial strains, but is exclusively dominated by the pathogenic effect of C. suis.

Effect of Phototherapy Treatment on Urinary Calcium Excretion in Neonates with Jaundice in Zahedan, Iran

Background: One of the recognized symptoms of phototherapy in neonates is hypocalcemia and hypercalciuria, and its etiology has not been identified yet. The present study investigated the recurrence of hypercalciuria among neonates with jaundice treated with phototherapy. Methods: This cross-sectional diagnostic examination was conducted on 100 newborns with jaundice treated with phototherapy in Ali-ibn-Abi-Talib hospital in Zahedan, Iran, during 2013 and 2014. In the present study, the subjects were collected in an accessible way after agreement and considering exclusion criteria. Calcium and creatinine (Ca/Cr) proportion in urinary tests of the neonates was estimated at the baseline and 24 h after the onset of phototherapy. The information was analyzed utilizing paired t-test. Results: The mean of gestational age was 38.5±2.5 weeks. Out of 100 cases, 53 newborns (53%) were male and 47 (47%) were female. The mean scores of birth weight was 2.52±0.59 kg and neonatal serum bilirubin level was 16.5±0.92 mg/dl. Ca/Cr ratios in neonates with jaundice were 0.28±0.21 and 0.40±0.34 before and after the phototherapy, respectively. Regarding that, the increase in Ca/Cr ratio was statistically significant (P<0.001). Hypercalciuria was not observed in the neonates before the phototherapy; however, it was noticed in 13 neonates after the phototherapy. Ca/Cr ratios in neonates with hypercalciuria and other newborns were 1.16±0.19 and 0.29±0.18, respectively. Furthermore, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it was suggested that the neonates undergoing the phototherapy were at risk of hypercalciuria and the increased amount of urinary calcium excretion by means of phototherapy.

Study of correlation of presence of microalbuminuria to target organ damage in essential hypertension cases

Background: Critical amount of urinary albumin excretion has long been reported to be one strong predictor of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients. Very few studies have been conducted till now depicting correlation of microalbuminuria and target organ damage in patients with essential hypertension, except cardiovascular events. We evaluated the prevalence of microalbuminuria in patients with essential hypertension and its relationship with target organ damage.Methods: Total 120 patients of essential hypertension were studied. Prevalence of urinary albumin excretion and its correlation to target organ damage (left ventricular hypertrophy, retinopathy and stroke) was analysed. Urinary albumin excretion was assessed by turbidimetry method and microalbuminuria was assessed by urine albumin to creatinine ratio.Results: Microalbuminuria was found to be present in 57.7% patients. Target organ damage was observed in 62.5% (75) patients, out of which 78.66% patients had associated microalbuminuria (p &lt;0.05). Amongst them, higher prevalence was observed in patients with longer duration and greater severity of hypertension, increased body mass index and dyslipidemia.Conclusions: Microalbuminuria assessment in hypertensive patients is an important test for the evaluation of target organ damage. Optimal management of hypertension, weight control, and maintenance of normal lipid levels leads to decreased risk of microalbuminuria.

The association between urinary sodium excretion and blood pressure in a community-based population: the Yamagata (Takahata) study.

The association between salt intake and blood pressure levels is still inconclusive, and may be influenced by patient characteristics. We thus conducted a community-based cross-sectional study. This study included 2297 subjects aged ≥ 40years not on antihypertensive medication at the time of a health check-up. We examined the association between blood pressure levels and the estimated amount of 24-h urinary sodium excretion (e24hUNa) stratified by background characteristics. The 24-h urinary excretion levels of sodium and potassium were estimated from Kawasaki's equation using a spot urine sample. The association of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with e24hUNa was significantly positive in a multiple linear regression model adjusted for confounders including age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, renal function, and potassium excretion. The regression coefficients of changes in SBP and DBP per 1 SD increase in e24hUNa (53mEq/day) were + 1.91mmHg and + 0.94mmHg, respectively. In the subgroup analyses, the increase in SBP was especially greater in the elderly, in subjects with diabetes, and in subjects with reduced renal function compared to those in the counterparts. The association between SBP and e24hUNa was insignificant in subjects with eGFR ≥ 90ml/min/1.73m2, while the association with progression of renal dysfunction was stronger and significant. These results demonstrated that the association between blood pressure and urinary sodium excretion was strengthened by characteristics of subjects such as aging, presence of diabetes, and renal impairment in the community-based population.

Potential mechanism of cholagogic effect about Gardenia Jasminoides Ellis (Zhizi)-mediated increase of bile acids urinary excretion in normal rats

ObjectivesGardenia Jasminoides Ellis (Zhizi), belonging to Rubiaceae family, has been traditionally used for treatment cholestasis and jaundice for centuries in Asian countries. In the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Zhizi could dispel dampness and heat via the urine to execute its choleretic effects. However, the potential molecular mechanism has been still poorly clarified. Here, we investigated the effect of different dose of Zhizi aqueous extract powder (0.3 g/kg/d and 0.9 g/kg/d) on urinary excretion of bile acids (BAs), and defined the potential mechanism via renal BAs efflux transporters Mrp2 and Mrp4 in normal rats. MethodsMale Wistar rats were orally administrated with 0.3 or 0.9 g/kg/d dose of Zhizi aqueous extract powder for 2 weeks, then body weight, serum aminotransferase, total BAs concentrations in liver, bile, serum, kidney and urine, 1 h bile flow, 12-h urinary volume, biliary and urinary excretion amount of total BAs as well as protein expression of major renal BAs efflux transporter Mrp2 and Mrp4, were all evaluated. ResultsZhizi especially the high dose of Zhizi aqueous extract powder could reduce hepatic total BAs concentration. Additionally, bile flow and biliary excretion had no significant difference, but the remarkable increasing urinary excretion of BAs and 2 to 3 folds up-regulated renal Mrp2 expression were observed after administrated with Zhizi as compared with the control group. ConclusionThe findings indicate that Zhizi reduces hepatic total BAs level by increasing urinary excretion rather than the biliary excretion of BAs, which, in turn ascribed to elevated protein expression of Mrp2 at apical membrane of renal tubular epithelial cells.

Quantification of antibiosis levels in nine different rice genotypes against Nilaparvata lugens (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

AbstractStudies on different parameters of antibiosis to simultaneously compare diverse genotypes with different resistance levels are lacking. Such studies are necessary to identify the genetic variability among resistant genotypes, which, ultimately, can lead to the identification of resistance genes with diverse mechanisms. The current study was undertaken to quantify antibiosis levels in nine rice genotypes against the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), under glasshouse conditions using nine parameters. Among these genotypes, RP2068-18-3-5 and Ptb33 displayed significantly better performance as compared to other genotypes in most of the parameters studied and did not differ from each other. Rathu Heenati was the best in unfertilised eggs laid and similar to the above two genotypes regarding percent of nymphal survival. All the test genotypes performed significantly better than the susceptible check TN1, though INRC3021 did not differentiate from the former in some tests. The overall damage score was positively and significantly correlated with the amount of honeydew excretion, percent nymphal survival and emergence, the proportion of brachypterous females, female population, and growth index, and were negatively and significantly correlated with percent unfertilised eggs laid and nymphal development period. Regression analysis revealed a significant linear relationship between damage score and nymphal emergence, nymphal survival percentage, and proportion of brachypterous females. RP2068-18-3-5 is the new source of BPH resistance identified through this study, which breeders can further use in resistance breeding.

Importance of Dermal Absorption of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Derived from Barbecue Fumes

Despite the ubiquity and carcinogenicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), their dermal absorption for the general population has not been adequately addressed. Aiming to verify the importance of dermal absorption of PAHs, barbecue (BBQ) in Guangzhou, China was chosen as a case study. Urine samples were collected and analyzed for nine hydroxyl (OH)-PAHs. Air, food, and cotton clothing samples were analyzed for 16 PAHs. Dietary exposure was the dominant exposure route with the greatest amounts of OH-PAH excretion and PAH intake. Dermal intake of low molecular-weight PAHs was greater than inhalation intake from the occurrence of atmospheric PAHs. In addition, the net excreted amounts of OH-naphthalene, OH-fluorene, OH-phenanthrene, and OH-pyrene via dermal absorption were 367, 63, 98, and 28 ng, respectively, upon 2.5-h exposure, comparable to those via combined dermal and inhalation exposure, which were 453, 98, 126, and 38 ng. The ratios of excretion to intake via dermal absorption were 0.11, 0.036, and 0.043 for fluorene, phenanthrene, and pyrene, respectively, lower than the ratios from dietary exposure (0.38, 0.14, and 0.060) but higher than the ratios from inhalation (0.097, 0.016, and 0.025). In the case of BBQ fumes, dermal absorption was a more important pathway for intake of low molecular-weight PAHs than inhalation.

Simultaneous determination of six coptis alkaloids in urine and feces by LC-MS/MS and its application to excretion kinetics and the compatibility mechanism of Jiao-Tai-Wan in insomniac rats.

Jiao-Tai-Wan (JTW) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine prescription composed of Rhizoma Coptidis (RC) and Cortex Cinnamon (10:1, g/g). It has been used to treat insomnia in China for centuries. This study investigates the excretion properties of coptis alkaloids from RC and JTW in normal and insomniac rats, and it examines the compatibility mechanism for this prescription. A new liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the simultaneous determination of six alkaloids - berberine, epiberberine, coptisine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and magnoflorine - in rat urine and feces. The normal and model rats were orally treated with RC and JTW powder at a dosage containing 3.0 g kg-1 day-1 RC once per day for 7 days. Briefly, the results showed that the cumulative amounts of urinary and fecal excretion of the six alkaloids were significantly different in the pathological condition, as well as in compatibility. In normal rats, the urinary and fecal excretion of coptis alkaloids, especially berberine, coptisine and palmatine, increased significantly in the JTW group compared with the RC group, while the urinary and fecal excretion of six alkaloids decreased in insomniac rats. These data suggested that pathological conditions might have a notable influence on the excretion of alkaloids in rats, and demonstrated that the compatibility could promote better therapeutic effects through the accumulation of alkaloids in the body. These results might explain the compatibility of JTW.

Effects of Elevated CO2 on Plant Chemistry, Growth, Yield of Resistant Soybean, and Feeding of a Target Lepidoptera Pest, Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Atmospheric CO2 level arising is an indisputable fact in the future climate change, as predicted, it could influence crops and their herbivorous insect pests. The growth and development, reproduction, and consumption of Spodoptera litura (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) fed on resistant (cv. Lamar) and susceptible (cv. JLNMH) soybean grown under elevated (732.1 ± 9.99 μl/liter) and ambient (373.6 ± 9.21 μl/liter) CO2 were examined in open-top chambers from 2013 to 2015. Elevated CO2 promoted the above- and belowground-biomass accumulation and increased the root/shoot ratio of two soybean cultivars, and increased the seeds' yield for Lamar. Moreover, elevated CO2 significantly reduced the larval and pupal weight, prolonged the larval and pupal life span, and increased the feeding amount and excretion amount of two soybean cultivars. Significantly lower foliar nitrogen content and higher foliar sugar content and C/N ratio were observed in the sampled foliage of resistant and susceptible soybean cultivars grown under elevated CO2, which brought negative effects on the growth of S. litura, with the increment of foliar sugar content and C/N ratio were greater in the resistant soybean in contrast to the susceptible soybean. Furthermore, the increment of larval consumption was less than 50%, and the larval life span was prolonged more obvious of the larvae fed on resistant soybean compared with susceptible soybean under elevated CO2. It speculated that the future climatic change of atmospheric CO2 level arising would likely cause the increase of the soybean yield and the intake of S. litura, but the resistant soybean would improve the resistance of the target Lepidoptera pest, S. litura.

Measurement of daily sodium excretion in patients with chronic kidney disease; special reference to the difference between the amount measured from 24 h collected urine sample and the estimated amount from a spot urine

It is important to grasp a patient’s daily sodium intake in the management of chronic kidney disease, as sodium intake is widely recommended at 6 g/day or less. There are multiple equations widely known for estimating the daily sodium excretion from a spot urine sample, but these are aimed at healthy people. There are few reports that validate equations in patients with chronic kidney disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the amount of measured daily sodium excretion from a sample collected for 24-h urine (24HU) is equal to that of using an equation from a spot urine sample (SU) in patients with chronic kidney disease. One hundred sixty-two patients with chronic kidney disease from Kanagawa Prefecture Shiomidai Hospital, Japan and the Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital, Japan participated in the study. Daily sodium excretion was measured from 24HU and compared with it from SU by using the formula according to Tanaka et al. Sodium excretion by 24HU was 2744 mg/day and estimating daily sodium excretion from SU was 3315 mg/day. The coefficient of determination was 0.17 (p < .001) in multivariate regression analysis. The coefficient of determination was extremely low. Thus, there is a considerable difference between the amount of sodium excretion calculated from a 24HU and that from a SU in patients with chronic kidney disease.

A Clinical Quantitative Evaluation of Hepatobiliary Transport of [11C]Dehydropravastatin in Humans Using Positron Emission Tomography.

Various positron emission tomography (PET) probes have been developed to assess in vivo activities in humans of drug transporters, which aid in the prediction of pharmacokinetic properties of drugs and the impact of drug-drug interactions. We developed a new PET probe, sodium (3R, 5R)-3, 5-dihydroxy-7-((1S, 2S, 6S, 8S)-6-hydroxy-2-methyl-8- ((1-[11C]-(E)-2-methyl-but-2-enoyl) oxy) -1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 8a-hexahydronaphthalen-1-yl) heptanoate ([11C]DPV), and demonstrated its usefulness for the quantitative investigation of Oatps (gene symbol SLCO) and Mrp2 (gene symbol ABCC2) in rats. To further analyze the species differences and verify the pharmacokinetic parameters in humans, serial PET scanning of the abdominal region with [11C]DPV was performed in six healthy volunteers with and without an OATP1Bs and MRP2 inhibitor, rifampicin (600 mg, oral), in a crossover fashion. After intravenous injection, [11C]DPV rapidly distributed to the liver and kidney followed by secretion into the bile and urine. Rifampicin significantly reduced the liver distribution of [11C]DPV 3-fold, resulting in a 7.5-fold reduced amount of excretion into the bile and the delayed elimination of [11C]DPV from the blood circulation. The hepatic uptake clearance (CLuptake, liver) and canalicular efflux clearance (CLint, bile) of [11C]DPV (544 ± 204 and 10.2 ± 3.5 µl/min per gram liver, respectively) in humans were lower than the previously reported corresponding parameters in rats (1800 and 298 µl/min per gram liver, respectively) (Shingaki et al., 2013). Furthermore, rifampicin treatment significantly reduced CLuptake, liver and CLint, bile by 58% and 44%, respectively. These results suggest that PET imaging with [11C]DPV is an effective tool for quantitatively characterizing the OATP1Bs and MRP2 functions in the human hepatobiliary transport system.

Çocukluk çağı primer hipertansiyonuna etki eden faktörlerin araştırılması

Aim: Primary hypertension is the most important risk factor for chronic kidney disease in adulthood. The genesis of essential hypertension is likely to be multifactorial. The aim of this study is to investigate the causing factors of primary hypertension detected by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children.Materials and Methods: Fifty-six patients who had blood pressure higher than 90 percentile during the healthy children follow-up and 27 healthy children with the normal blood pressure were included in the study. Twenty-four hour blood pressure measurements with the blood pressure monitor were recorded as the day-night mean blood pressure, the blood pressure loads and the dipper-non-dipper characteristics. Plasma renin levels, serum aldosterone, nitric oxide and endothelin levels and amounts of sodium and potassium excretion in the 24 hour urine and were investigated in all patients and the control group.Results: Laboratory evaluations of the patients showed that the patient group has higher mean levels of plasma renin, lower mean levels of blood endothelin and mean levels of urinary sodium excretion than the control group.Conclusion: In the pathogenesis of childhood primary hypertension and white coat hypertension, which were seen in the half of the children diagnosed as primary hypertension, plasma renin and urinary sodium excretion had important roles.

Impact of various solid carriers and spray drying on pre/post compression properties of solid SNEDDS loaded with glimepiride: in vitro-ex vivo evaluation and cytotoxicity assessment

Development of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) of glimepiride is reported with the aim to achieve its oral delivery. Lauroglycol FCC, Tween-80, and ethanol were used as oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively as independent variables. The optimized composition of SNEDDS formulation (F1) was 10% v/v Lauroglycol FCC, 45% v/v Tween 80, 45% v/v ethanol, and 0.005% w/v glimepiride. Further, the optimized liquid SNEDDS were solidified through spray drying using various hydrophilic and hydrophobic carriers. Among the various carriers, Aerosil 200 was found to provide desirable flow, compression, dissolution, and diffusion. Both, liquid and solid-SNEDDS have shown release of more than 90% within 10 min. Results of permeation studies performed on Caco-2 cell showed that optimized SNEDDS exhibited 1.54 times higher drug permeation amount and 0.57 times lower drug excretion amount than that of market tablets at 4 hours (p < .01). Further, the cytotoxicity study performed on Caco-2 cell revealed that the cell viability was lower in SNEDDS (92.22% ± 4.18%) compared with the market tablets (95.54% ± 3.22%; p > .05, i.e. 0.74). The formulation was found stable with temperature variation and freeze thaw cycles in terms of droplet size, zeta potential, drug precipitation and phase separation. Crystalline glimepiride was observed in amorphous state in solid SNEDDS when characterized through DSC, PXRD, and FT-IR studies. The study revealed successful formulation of SNEDDS for glimepiride.

Multimedia fate modeling and risk assessment of antibiotics in a water-scarce megacity

As a result of the widespread use of antibiotics, a large amount of excretion from human and animals containing antibiotic residues was discharged into the environment with wastewaters and manures, leading to potential adverse effects on ecosystem health. To understand the environmental fate of antibiotics, a dynamic level IV fugacity model was established here by introducing the novel process of nondiffusive wastewater irrigation from water to soil, and applied to a large-scale water-scarce region, the megacity Beijing. Furthermore, a Monte-Carlo based risk assessment approach was employed to evaluate the potential risks posed by antibiotics in water, sediment and soil, combined with the soil-water equilibrium partitioning method. Model validation, sensitivity and uncertainty analysis suggests that the fugacity model can successfully simulate the reported concentration data within an average difference of 0.2 logarithmic units. Results showed that more than one hundred tonnes of antibiotics were estimated to be discharged into the environment of Beijing in 2013, and, resulted in high antibiotics levels and posed high potential risks on the aquatic environment. On the other hand, although wastewater irrigation increased the antibiotics concentrations in soil and even dominated the total transfer fluxes, the overall risk levels of antibiotics in the soil were acceptable.

Effects of dietary supplementation of arginine-silicate-inositol complex on absorption and metabolism of calcium of laying hens.

The effects of supplementation of arginine-silicate-inositol complex (ASI; 49.5–8.2–25 g/kg, respectively) to laying hens were investigated with respect to eggshell quality, calcium (Ca) balance, and expression of duodenal proteins related to Ca metabolism (calbindin and tight junction proteins). A total of 360 laying hens, 25 weeks old, were divided into 3 groups consisting of 6 replicate of cages, 20 birds per cage. The groups were fed a basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with 500 or 1000 mg ASI complex per kilogram for 90 days. Data were analyzed by ANCOVA using data during the first week of the adaptation period as covariates. As the ASI complex supplementation level increased, there were increases in feed intake (P < 0.0001), egg production (P < 0.001), egg weight (P < 0.0001) and eggshell weight (P < 0.001) weight, and shell thickness (P < 0.001) and decreases in feed conversion ratio and cracked egg percentage (P < 0.0001 for both). Concentrations of serum osteocalcin (P < 0.0001), vitamin D (P < 0.0001), calcium (P < 0.001), phosphorus (P < 0.001), and alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.008) as well as amounts of calcium retention (P < 0.0001) and eggshell calcium deposition (P < 0.001), and Ca balance (P < 0.0001) increased, whereas amount of calcium excretion (P < 0.001) decreased linearly in a dose-dependent manner. The ASI complex supplementation increased expressions of calcium transporters (calbindin-D28k, N sodium-calcium exchanger, plasma membrane calcium ATPase, and vitamin D receptor) and tight junction proteins (zonula occludens-1 and occludin) in the duodenum in a linear fashion (P < 0.0001 for all). In conclusion, provision of dietary ASI complex to laying hens during the peak laying period improved eggshell quality through improving calcium utilization as reflected by upregulation of genes related to the calcium metabolism. Further studies are needed to elucidate the contribution of each of the ASI complex ingredients.

Review of hepatobiliary contrast agents: Current applications and challenges.

Review of hepatobiliary contrast agents: Current applications and challenges.

Elevated levels of netrin-1 in the serum of patients with diabetic nephropathy: Relationship with renal function and inflammation

Netrin-1, a survival factor, is highly induced and excreted after renal injury in animal experiments. We aimed to research the relationship between serum netrin-1 and parameters of renal tubule function as well as circulating inflammatory cytokines and to evaluate effect factors for netrin-1 in humans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) undergoing different levels of albuminuria. In total, 81 T2DM patients were included and divided into three groups according to their amount of 24-h urine albumin excretion (UAE) after receiving consent. Plasma netrin-1, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were quantified by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits and the data were analyzed to assess whether serum netrin-1 correlates significantly with disease progression. The results showed that plasma netrin-1 level in patients with macroalbuminuria was significantly higher than that in those with microalbuminuria and normoalbuminuria. Plasma netrin-1 level was significantly associated with UAE, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), IL-6, and TNF-α independently of age, sex, diabetes duration, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). However, no correlation was found between netrin-1 and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG). Our studies may suggest that serum netrin-1 concentrations are increased with diabetic nephropathy progression, particularly in patients with macroalbuminuria, which are associated with renal insufficiency and compensatory responses after inflammation.

Apelin: A potential novel serum biomarker for early detection of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE:Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the major cause of chronic renal failure, and proteinuria is an independent risk factor for the end stage renal disease. The random urine protein: creatinine ratio (P:C ratio) can accurately predict the amount of 24-hour urinary protein excretion. Apelin is thought to be associated with endothelial dysfunction, angiogenesis, and inflammation. This study investigated the apelin concentration and its association with the urine P:C ratio, and metabolic parameters in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).METHODS:This study involved 86 subjects: 56 with newly diagnosed and untreated T2D and 30 non-diabetic controls. All subjects underwent a complete clinical examination that included anthropometric and laboratory measurements.RESULTS:Twenty-four males and sixty-two females participated in this study, and their mean age was 52.27±11.34 years. There were no differences in age, thyrotropin-stimulating hormone (TSH), creatinine clearance, and apelin levels between groups. As expected, fasting plasma glucose, weight, body mass index, and HbA1C were higher in T2D subjects (p=0.001, p=0.02, p=0.03, and p=0.001, respectively). Although apelin levels were higher in the control group, the differences were not statistically significant (p=0.93). The P:C ratio levels were lower in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p=0.006). A Spearman correlation analysis revealed that serum apelin levels were not correlated with the urine P:C ratio.CONCLUSION:Our study demonstrates that T2D is associated with decreased serum apelin levels and increased urine P:C ratios compared to those in non-diabetic subjects. This association may depend on impaired glucose homeostasis. Our results show that the serum apelin levels were not correlated with the urine protein: creatinine ratio and provide further evidence regarding the relationship between apelin and DN.