LSE Group Research Articles

Effects of Dietary Lonicera flos and Sucutellaria baicalensis Mixed Extracts Supplementation on Reproductive Performance, Umbilical Cord Blood Parameters, Colostrum Ingredients and Immunoglobulin Contents of Late-Pregnant Sows.

The present study aimed to determine the effects of dietary Lonicera flos and Sucutellaria baicalensis mixed extract (LSE) supplementation during the late-pregnancy period on the reproductive performance, umbilical cord blood hematological parameters, umbilical cord serum biochemical parameters, immune indices, hormone levels, colostrum ingredients, and immunoglobulin contents of sows. A total of 40 hybrid pregnant sows were randomly assigned to the control group (CON; sows fed a basal diet) and LSE group (LSE; sows fed a basal diet supplemented with 500 g/t PE). The results indicated that dietary LSE supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) the number of alive and healthy piglets and the litter weight at birth, and significantly increased (p < 0.05) the platelet counts in umbilical cord blood. Dietary LSE supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) the levels of prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH), and the content of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in umbilical cord serum. Moreover, immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the colostrum were increased with PE supplementation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary LSE supplementation in late-pregnancy sows could improve reproductive performance and colostrum quality, and could also regulate the levels of reproductive hormone in umbilical cord serum.

Dietary selenium levels affect mineral absorbability, rumen fermentation, microbial composition and metabolites of the grazing sheep

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for the growth of all livestock. However, little is known about the effects of dietary selenium levels on production metrics, nutrient digestion and absorption, ruminal microbiota, and metabolites in grazing sheep. Therefore, in this research, 28 individually-housed grazing sheep were randomly divided into a low-Se feeding group (LSe) and a control group for the low-Se feeding phase (LCG), supplemented with multi-nutrient salts containing 0 mg Se and 0.63 mg Se, respectively, for 53 days. After 53 days of feeding, a 7-day digestion test was conducted, then seven sheep in each group were randomly slaughtered. Then, the remaining sheep in LSe and LCG were transferred to a high-Se supplementation group (SSe) and a control group for the high-Se feeding phase (SCG), supplemented with multi-nutrient salts containing 1.90 mg and 0.63 mg Se, respectively. This phase consisted of a 34-day diet adaptation period, a 7-day digestive test, and eventual slaughter. LSe reduced and elevated ruminal Se and copper (Cu) content, respectively, and decreased Se apparent absorbability compared to LCG (P < 0.05). Conversely, SSe reduced and increased ruminal Cu and Se content, respectively, and increased Se apparent absorption in comparison to SCG (P < 0.05). It also increased the ruminal NH3-N concentration (P < 0.05). Amplicon sequencing analysis revealed a decrease in Lentimicrobium and Treponema abundance and an increase in Lawsonibacter and Sporobacter abundance (P < 0.05) in LSe group. Metabolomic analysis confirmed an elevated level of ruminal citrulline, ornithine and glutathione affecting amino acid and glutathione metabolic pathways (P < 0.05) in LSe group. In SSe group, Alistipes were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) with metabolomics showing elevated levels of L-carnitine and arginine, affecting ruminal antioxidant capacity and arginine biosynthesis pathways (P < 0.05). Notably, both treatments had no significant effect on production metrics and apparent digestibility of organic nutrients (P > 0.05). In conclusion, Se deficiency affects Se absorption and amino acid metabolism in grazing sheep, while supplementing Se in diet effectively ameliorates these deficiencies and improves ruminal antioxidant capacity.

Effects of combined hip exercise and passive stretching on muscle stiffness, pain perception and painrelated disability, and physical function in older adults with low back pain.

This study aimed to examine the effects of combined hip exercise and passive stretching as a novel treatment method for low back pain (LBP) in older adults. Altogether, 20 Koreans with LBP aged 60-79 years (67.3 ± 5.92 years) were randomly assigned to undertake combined exercise (CE; n = 10) or lumbar stabilization exercise (LSE; n = 10). All participants performed their respective exercise program for 25-30 min with an OMNI scale of 6-8 for 8 weeks, three times a week. Body composition, muscle stiffness, pain-visual analog scale (P-VAS), Oswestry disability index, and physical function were evaluated before and after the exercise intervention. The CE group demonstrated greater improvements in lean body mass (η2 = 0.402, p = 0.003) and percent body fat (η2 = 0.222, p = 0.036) than the LSE group. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in muscle stiffness, P-VAS scores, and Oswestry disability index scores, although no significant differences were observed between the interventions. All physical function parameters demonstrated a significant improvement in both groups, and the CE group demonstrated greater improvement in the YMCA sit-and-reach (η2 = 0.338, p = 0.007) and straight leg raise tests (η2 = 0.283, p = 0.016) than the LSE group. CE is comparable to LSE as an effective and successful exercise intervention that reduces muscle stiffness and P-VAS scores. Moreover, CE is more effective than LSE in enhancing the physical function of older adults with LBP.

Finding a positive me: Affective and neural insights into the challenges of positive autobiographical memory reliving in borderline personality disorder

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate whether people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) can benefit from reliving positive autobiographical memories in terms of mood and state self-esteem and elucidate the neural processes supporting optimal memory reliving. Particularly the role of vividness and brain areas involved in autonoetic consciousness were studied, as key factors involved in improving mood and state self-esteem by positive memory reliving. MethodsWomen with BPD (N = 25), Healthy Controls (HC, N = 33) and controls with Low Self-Esteem (LSE, N = 22) relived four neutral and four positive autobiographical memories in an MRI scanner. After reliving each memory mood and vividness was rated. State self-esteem was assessed before and after the Reliving Autobiographical Memories (RAM) task. ResultsOverall, mood and state self-esteem were lower in participants with BPD compared to HC and LSE, but both the BPD and LSE group improved significantly after positive memory reliving. Moreover, participants with BPD indicated that they relived their memories with less vividness than HC but not LSE, regardless of valence. When reliving (vs reading) memories, participants with BPD showed increased precuneus and lingual gyrus activation compared to HC but not LSE, which was inversely related to vividness. DiscussionWomen with BPD seem to experience more challenges in reliving neutral and positive autobiographical memories with lower vividness and less deactivated precuneus potentially indicating altered autonoetic consciousness. Nevertheless, participants with BPD do benefit in mood and self-esteem from reliving positive memories. These findings underline the potential of positive autobiographical memory reliving and suggest that interventions may be further shaped to improve mood and strengthen self-views in people with BPD.

Selenium Deficiency Leads to Inflammation, Autophagy, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Apoptosis and Contraction Abnormalities via Affecting Intestinal Flora in Intestinal Smooth Muscle of Mice.

Selenium (Se) is a micronutrient that plays a predominant role in various physiological processes in humans and animals. Long-term lack of Se will lead to many metabolic diseases. Studies have found that chronic Se deficiency can cause chronic diarrhea. The gut flora is closely related to the health of the body. Changes in environmental factors can cause changes in the intestinal flora. Our study found that Se deficiency can disrupt intestinal flora. Through 16s high-throughput sequencing analysis of small intestinal contents of mice, we found that compared with CSe group, the abundance of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Ileibacterium in the low selenium group was significantly increased, while Romboutsia abundance was significantly decreased. Histological analysis showed that compared with CSe group, the small intestine tissues of the LSe group had obvious pathological changes. We examined mRNA expression levels in the small intestine associated with inflammation, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis, tight junctions, and smooth muscle contraction. The mRNA levels of NF-κB, IκB, p38, IL-1β, TNF-α, Beclin, ATG7, ATG5, LC3α, BaK, Pum, Caspase-3, RIP1, RIPK3, PERK, IRE1, elF2α, GRP78, CHOP2, ZO-1, ZO-2, Occludin, E-cadherin, CaM, MLC, MLCK, Rho, and RhoA in the LSe group were significantly increased. The mRNA levels of IL-10, p62 BcL-2 and BcL-w were significantly decreased in the LSe group compared with the CSe group. These results suggest that changes in the abundance of Lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, ileum, and Romboutsia may be associated with cellular inflammation, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis, tight junction, and abnormal smooth muscle contraction. Intestinal flora may play an important role in chronic diarrhea caused by selenium deficiency.

Abstract 3673: Socioeconomic disparities and the genomic landscape of gastric cancer

Abstract Background: Gastric cancer is a malignancy of diverse etiology and exposition to risk factors may vary in distinct socioeconomic (SE) groups. Our aim was to compare the landscape of genomic alterations in malignant gastric tumors between different socioeconomic groups in Peru. Methods: We conducted a preliminary prospective study in one private clinic and two public hospitals in Lima and Ica (Peru). We evaluated 20 patients with gastric carcinomas, 10 of which were classified as low SE status (LSE) and 10 as medium/high SE status (MHSE), according to the Peruvian Association of Market Intelligence Companies (APEIM) classification system. We conducted a comprehensive genomic profiling of gastric tumors with the FoundationOne CDx platform. We compared rates of alterations in single nucleotide variants, copy number variations, tumor mutation burden, microsatellite instability, and pathways altered. Results: In our cohort, the mean age at diagnosis was 67.5 yo vs 61 yo, while 40% vs 55.6% were male patients, for LSE vs MHSE, respectively. We found alterations in driver genes in 19 patients (10 LSE and 9 MHSE). Histological analysis of the tumor samples revealed a higher proportion of intestinal histology in the LSE group (80%) compared to MHSE (55.6%). On the other hand, the diffuse subtype pattern was more prevalent in the MHSE group (33%) compared to LSE (20%). One case of mixed histology was observed in the high SE group. Both LSE and HMSE showed a similar distribution of Bormann Classification/type, where most of the samples were of class III/IV (75%) followed by class I/II (25%). Furthermore, genomic profiling analysis showed 45 driver alterations in LSE, while only 25 alterations were detected in MHSE. the most frequently altered genes were TP53 and KRAS in both SE groups, but with a higher incidence in LSE (60% and 20%, respectively). Components of the MAPK pathway were altered in 50% vs 33.3%, while the DNA repair pathway was altered in 20% vs 11%, in LSE vs MHSE, respectively. The PI3K/Akt pathway was altered in only one case of LSE. Median of tumor mutation burden was 6.1Mut/Mb in LSE vs 5.3Mut/Mb MHSE. Only one case with microsatellite instability was found in LSE. Conclusions: Despite the limitations of this preliminary study, we observed some differences in the genomic background between patients from different socioeconomic groups. Therefore, the need of a thorough diagnosis approach that leads to the use of a comprehensive treatment that includes targeted therapy and immunotherapy could be different based on the SE status of the patient. Further research on this topic will be necessary. Citation Format: Daniel Zanabria, Marco Galvez-Nino, Cristina Eunbee Cho, Williams Fajardo, Luis Saravia, Jhajaira Araujo, Alejandro Alfaro, Lidia Quispe, Melanie Cornejo, Paula Medina, Junior Carbajal, Paola Montenegro, Alejandra Zevallos, Alfredo Aguilar, Joseph A. Pinto. Socioeconomic disparities and the genomic landscape of gastric cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3673.

Low sleep efficiency does not impact upper or lower limb vascular function in young adults

What is the central question of this study? We sought to investigate whether young adults reporting low sleep quality possessed lower vascular function and altered autonomic nervous system modulation when compared with young adults reporting high sleep quality. What is the main finding and its importance? The study revealed that in young adults reporting low sleep quality, neither vascular nor autonomic function was significantly different when compared with young adults reporting high sleep quality. These findings suggest that young adults are either not substantially impacted by or can adequately adapt to the negative consequences commonly associated with poor sleep. The aim of the study was to investigate whether young adults reporting low sleep quality also possessed lower vascular function, potentially stemming from altered autonomic nervous system modulation, when compared with young adults reporting high sleep quality. Thirty-one healthy young adults (age 24±4years) underwent a 7night sleep assessment (Actigraph GT3X accelerometer). After the sleep assessment, subjects meeting specific criteria were separated into high (HSE; ≥85%; n=11; eight men and three women) and low (LSE; <80%; n=11; nine men and two women) sleep efficiency groups. Peripheral vascular function was assessed in the upper and lower limb, using the flow-mediated dilatation technique in the arm (brachial artery) and leg (superficial femoral artery). Heart rate variability was evaluated during 5min of rest and used frequency parameters reflective of parasympathetic and/or sympathetic nervous system modulation (high- and low-frequency parameters). By experimental design, significant differences in sleep quality between groups were reported, with the LSE group exhibiting a longer time awake after sleep onset, higher number of awakenings and longer average time per awakening when compared with the HSE group. Despite these differences in sleep quality, no significant differences in upper and lower limb vascular function and heart rate variability measures were revealed when comparing the LSE and HSE groups. Additionally, in all subjects (n=31), no correlations between sleep efficiency and vascular function/autonomic modulation were revealed. This study revealed that low sleep quality does not impact upper or lower limb vascular function or autonomic nervous system modulation in young adults.

Brain Structural and Functional Alterations Specific to Low Sleep Efficiency in Major Depressive Disorder.

BackgroundSleep disturbance is common in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but the exploration of its neural underpinnings is limited by subjective sleep measurement and single-modality neuroimaging analyses.MethodsNinety six patients with MDD underwent polysomnography examinations and multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. According to sleep efficiency, patients were subdivided into well-matched normal sleep efficiency (NSE, N = 42; 14 men; aged 43 ± 10 years) and low sleep efficiency (LSE, N = 54; 23 men; aged 45 ± 12 years) groups. Inter-group differences in brain structure and function were examined by applying voxel-based morphometry (VBM), regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity strength (FCS), and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) approaches to structural, functional, and diffusion MRI data, respectively.ResultsThere was no significant difference in gray matter volume (GMV) between the NSE and LSE groups. Compared with the NSE group, the LSE group showed increased axial diffusivity in the left superior and posterior corona radiata, and left posterior limb and retrolenticular part of internal capsule. In addition, the LSE group exhibited decreased ReHo in the bilateral lingual gyri and right postcentral gyrus yet increased FCS in the left angular gyrus relative to the NSE group. Moreover, validation analyses revealed that these results remained after adjusting for the medication effect.ConclusionOur data indicate that preserved gray matter morphology, impaired white matter integrity, and decreased local synchronization degree yet increased FCS are specific to low SE in MDD patients. These findings of disassociation between structural and functional alterations might provide insights into the neural mechanisms of sleep disturbance in depression.

The Effects Of 5-week Cup-tap Or Lower-limb-strength Exercise On Proprioception And Mobility In Community-dwelling Elderly

There is strong evidence to support strength or balance training for a duration of 6 to 12 weeks as an exercise intervention to improve proprioception and mobility in community-dwelling elderly. However, it is unknown if a shorter duration of exercise can be effective in improving proprioception and mobility in this population. PURPOSE: To determine whether a 5-week program of cup-tap balance control or lower limb strength exercise can improve proprioception and mobility in healthy community-dwelling older people. METHODS: Sixty-eight healthy community-dwelling elderly (19M, 49F, 70.91±6.61yrs old, range 55-90yrs old) were randomly allocated into 3 groups: cup-tap balance control exercise group (CTE), lower limb strength exercise group (LSE) or education group (EC). A 60 minutes per session, twice weekly cup-tap or strength exercise program was delivered for 5 weeks duration. Key outcome measures included ankle proprioception measured by using the active movement extent discrimination apparatus (AMEDA), and mobility assessed by using the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and the 30-second Sit to Stand test (30STS). RESULTS: ANOVA analysis showed that there was no significant difference in baseline measures: ankle proprioception (F=1.605, p=0.209), TUG (F=0.473, p=0.625), and 30STS (F=1.201, p=0.307) among the 3 groups. Paired t-tests used for examining pre- and post-intervention differences indicated that 1) for the CTE group, the performance of 30STS and the ankle proprioception were significantly improved (p=0.005, p=0.016 respectively); 2) for the LSE group, both TUG and 30STS were significantly improved (p=0.023, p=0.03 respectively); and 3) no significant changes were observed for the EC group. In addition, Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that 30STS and TUG performances were moderately correlated (r=-0.598, p<0.001) and TUG was significantly correlated with age (r=0.416, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that the proprioception and mobility of older people can be improved by a short duration of balance control or strength training exercise. However, we suggest that the exercise program must be target-specific with respect to different impairments associated with the aging process for optimal results.

Increasing self-efficacy reduces visual intrusions to a trauma-film paradigm

ABSTRACTBackground and Objectives: It has been proposed that self-efficacy plays a critical role in the onset and maintenance of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study aimed to test if increasing perceptions of self-efficacy using a false feedback technique about coping abilities prior to a trauma-film paradigm lead to a reduction of visual intrusions over the course of 6 days.Design and Methods: Healthy participants recruited from the community were randomized to a high self-efficacy (HSE, N = 18), low self-efficacy (LSE, N = 21), or neutral self-efficacy (NSE, N = 23) conditions.Results: Participants in the HSE condition reported higher levels of self-efficacy. In addition, individuals in the HSE conditions reported significantly fewer intrusions over 6 days. Unexpectedly, individuals in the LSE condition reported fewer intrusions on the final day of the study compared to those in the NSE condition. The LSE group was also the only group showing a significant linear decline in intrusion across the 6 days.Discussion: These findings provide further support that perceptions of self-efficacy are modifiable and may contribute to clinically-relevant processes underlying PTSD. Future prospective research with individuals exposed to trauma will help to shed light on the potential role of self-efficacy to buffer the negative impacts of traumatic stress.

Agronomic biofortification with selenium: Effects on whole blood selenium and humoral immunity in beef cattle

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Se supplementation strategies in mature beef cattle by measuring changes in whole-blood Se (WB-Se) status and humoral immune response to vaccination. Mature beef cows ( n = 45) were balanced by age and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 supplementation groups that received different chemical forms of Se or Se dosages compared to a standard (control) Se treatment. Supplementation treatment groups were provided limited access (6 weeks) to either sodium selenite (200 mg/kg Se; LSe) or Se-fertilized forage (FSe) and subsequently had no additional Se in their mineral supplement for the study duration. The LSe group cows grazed non-Se-fertilized forage. The control group grazed non-Se-fertilized forage and received continuous Se supplementation (CSe) from a free-choice mineral supplement (120 mg/kg Se from sodium selenite). Cows were bled pre and post grazing and then every 4 weeks thereafter for approximately 5 months to assess WB-Se concentration. All cows were immunized with J-5 Escherichia coli bacterin at the end of the 6-week supplementation period, and serum was collected for antibody titers 2 and 4 weeks after the third immunization. Covariate adjusted WB-Se concentrations were influenced (P<0.0001) by group, time and their interaction. Cows in the FSe group had higher (P<0.0001) WB-Se concentration (186 ± 5 ng/mL) immediately post-grazing (42 days) compared to LSe (117 ± 5 ng/mL) and CSe cows (130 ± 5 ng/mL). WB-Se concentration in FSe cows remained higher (P=0.02 to P<0.0001) over the next 4 (CSe) and 5 (LSe) months. Higher (P<0.05) WB-Se concentrations were observed in CSe compared to LSe cows over the last 4 months of the study. Treatment group (P=0.036) and time post vaccination (P<0.0001) influenced J-5 E. coli antibody titers, with FSe cows having higher titers than LSe cows (P=0.01), although FSe and CSe cows were not different. Short-term exposure of cattle to Se-fertilized forage elevates WB-Se concentrations within several weeks and this exposure is sufficient to maintain adequate concentrations throughout grazing periods when there is limited access to Se supplements. Short term exposure to higher levels of inorganic Se supplementation is not equivalent to ongoing inorganic Se supplementation at lower rates.

Effects of Selenium on Colon Carcinogenesis Induced by Azoxymethane and Dextran Sodium Sulfate in Mouse Model with High-Iron Diet

Selenium (Se) is known to prevent several cancers while the relationship between high iron and the risk of colorectal cancer is controversial. To investigate the effects of Se in colon carcinogenesis, we subjected three different levels of Se and high-iron diet to a mouse model of colon cancer in which animals were treated with three azoxymethane (AOM) injections followed by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) administration. There were five experimental groups including vehicle group [normal-Fe (NFe, 45 ppm)+medium-Se (MSe, 0.1 ppm)], positive control group (AOM/DSS+NFe+MSe), AOM/DSS+high-Fe (HFe, 450 ppm)+low-Se (LSe, 0.02 ppm), AOM/DSS+HFe+MSe, and AOM/DSS+HFe+high-Se (HSe, 0.5 ppm). The animals were fed on the three different Se diets for 24 weeks. The incidence of colon tumor in the high-Se diet group (AOM/DSS+HFe+HSe) showed 19.4% lower than positive control group, 5.9% lower than AOM/DSS+HFe+MSe diet group, and 11.1% lower than AOM/DSS+HFe+LSe group. The tumor multiplicity was significantly higher in the low-Se diet group (AOM/DSS+HFe+LSe) compare to all other AOM/DSS treated groups. In the high-Se diet group, the activity of hepatic GPx was comparable to that of positive control group, and significantly higher than those of low-Se or medium-Se diet groups. Expression level of hepatic GPx-1 showed similar results. Hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level (indicator of oxidative stress) in the low-Se diet group showed the highest compared to the other groups, and it was significantly higher than positive control group. In the high-Se diet group the level of MDA in the liver was significantly lower than all other AOM/DSS treated groups. High-Se diet group showed significantly lower proliferative index than low-Se and medium-Se groups. The apoptotic indices in low-Se group and medium-Se group were significantly lower than positive control group. However, apoptotic index of high-Se diet group was significantly higher than all other AOM/DSS treated groups. These findings suggest that dietary Se supplement may have protective effect against colon cancer by decreasing proliferation, increasing apoptosis of tumor cells, and reducing oxidative stress in mice with high iron diet.

Effects of selenium diets on growth, accumulation and antioxidant response in juvenile carp

An 8-week feeding trial was undertaken with Cyprinus carpio to determine the effects of two commercial Se diets (HSe 1.0 mg kg −1 and LSe 0.25 mg kg −1) on growth, accumulation and antioxidant response in juveniles at time 0, 30 and 60 days. HSe carp had higher mean weight ( W) values than LSe group at 60 days and the Fulton condition factor ( K) indicated good fish health for both diet groups. Among the investigated HSe tissues, kidney and liver were mainly involved in Se accumulation, whereas the Se level in muscle indicated a very low Se contamination risk for human health. Selenium accumulation levels in HSe tissues followed this order: kidney>liver>muscle. Although growth was not impaired, biochemical antioxidant indicators in liver and kidney evidenced an oxidative stress condition in HSe juveniles. Furthermore, selenium supplementation levels, higher than the one employed in this study, might worsen the antioxidant status of carp.

An Internet-based diabetes self-care intervention tailored to self-efficacy

The main objective of this study was to assess whether self-efficacy (SE) could function as a moderator of the effect of a tailored Internet-based intervention aimed at increasing self-reported diabetes self-care behaviours. In a two-group, 1-month interval pre-test-post-test randomized controlled trial, participants (N = 64) were assigned at random to either a group that received an intervention on the area of self-care (blood glucose monitoring, diet management or physical activity) for which the reported SE was lowest (LSE group) or to a group that received an intervention on area of self-care for which the reported SE was highest (HSE group). Improvements in self-care were observed for both groups, but the HSE group improved more. Self-care also increased for those areas that the intervention did not target. Furthermore, SE levels decreased from baseline to follow-up. This study suggests that SE can function as a moderator in a behavioural intervention for diabetes self-care, and hence that initial level of SE provides relevant information for tailoring such interventions.

Neuromuscular rehabilitation by treadmill running or electrical stimulation after peripheral nerve injury and repair.

Numerous studies have been devoted to the regeneration of the motor pathway toward a denervated muscle after nerve injury. However, the regeneration of sensory muscle endings after repair by self-anastomosis are little studied. In previous electrophysiological studies, our laboratory showed that the functional characteristics of tibialis anterior muscle afferents are differentially affected after injury and repair of the peroneal nerve with and without chronic electrostimulation. The present study focuses on the axonal regeneration of mechano- (fibers I and II) and metabosensitive (fibers III and IV) muscle afferents by evaluating the recovery of their response to different test agents after nerve injury and repair by self-anastomosis during 10 wk of treadmill running (LSR). Data were compared with control animals (C), animals with nerve lesion and suture (LS), and animals with lesion, suture, and chronic muscle rehabilitation by electrostimulation (LSE) with a biphasic current modulated in pulse duration and frequency, eliciting a pattern mimicking the activity delivered by the nerve to the muscle. Compared with the C group, results indicated that 1) muscle weight was smaller in LS and LSR groups, 2) the fatigue index was greater in the LS group and smaller in the LSE group, 3) metabosensibility remained altered in the LS and LSE groups, and 4) mechanosensitivity presented a large increase of the activation pattern in the LS and LSE groups. Our data indicated that chronic muscle electrostimulation partially favors the recovery of muscle properties (i.e., muscle weight and twitch response were close to the C group) and that rehabilitation by treadmill running also efficiently induced a better functional muscle afferent recovery (i.e., the discharge pattern was similar to the C group). The effectiveness of the chronic electromyostimulation and the treadmill exercise on afferent recovery is discussed with regard to parameters listed above.

Determination of Macronutrients, by Chemical Analysis, of Home-Prepared Milk Feeding Bottles and their Contribution to the Energy and Protein Requirements of Infants from High and Low Socioeconomic Classes

Objectives: To determine the macronutrients composition of home-prepared milk feeding bottles, by chemical analysis, and assess their contribution to the energy and protein requirements of children under two years of age from high (HSE) and low (LSE) socioeconomic classes.Methods: 72 samples were analyzed for energy density and protein, fat and carbohydrate content: 41 from the LSE group and 31 from the HSE group. The assessment of the percentages of the energy and protein requirements met by the consumption of the milk bottles was calculated as follows: the energy and protein per 100 mL obtained through chemical analysis were multiplied by the volume consumed at each feeding, then by the number of feedings per day, the results divided by the energy and protein requirements and multiplied by 100. Energy and protein requirements were those recommended by the FAO/WHO/UNU Committee and the Food and Nutrition Board. The children’s weight-for-age index was assessed.Results: Unmodified cow’s milk was largely consumed by both groups. The addition of sugar and other ingredients to the milk was significantly higher in the LSE group. Moisture, protein and fat content were lower in the LSE group, whereas carbohydrate and energy content were higher. The percentages of energy and protein requirements provided by feeding bottles were higher in the LSE group. Children in the LSE group had lower z-scores for weight-for-age.Conclusions: Differences in the preparation practices led to differences in the chemical results. The feeding bottles in the LSE group were high in energy, due to the addition of sugar and cereals to the milk in the bottle. The milk feeding bottles were an important weaning food providing more than 50% and 100% of the children’s energy and protein requirements, respectively. The children’s weight-for-age index was within the normal limits.

Indices of physical build, nutrition and obesity in school-going children.

Physical growth and growth indices were determined in 728 school children aged 5–15 years from low and lower middle socioeconomic groups (LSE) and 512 school children from high socioeconomic group (HSE). Growth of children from HSE group was comparable to Harvard standards and it was higher than ICMR: Class-I; and that of children from LSE group was very low compared to Harvard and ICMR Class I standards. It is suggested that growth norms of Indian children belonging to high socioeconomic class could be taken as standards for comparison.