Protein Ratio Research Articles

Modulation of Stiffness-Dependent Macrophage Inflammatory Responses by Collagen Deposition.

Macrophages are innate immune cells that interact with complex extracellular matrix environments, which have varied stiffness, composition, and structure, and such interactions can lead to the modulation of cellular activity. Collagen is often used in the culture of immune cells, but the effects of substrate functionalization conditions are not typically considered. Here, we show that the solvent system used to attach collagen onto a hydrogel surface affects its surface distribution and organization, and this can modulate the responses of macrophages subsequently cultured on these surfaces in terms of their inflammatory activation and expression of adhesion and mechanosensitive molecules. Collagen was solubilized in either acetic acid (Col-AA) or N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N'-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) (Col-HEP) solutions and conjugated onto soft and stiff polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogel surfaces. Bone marrow-derived macrophages cultured under standard conditions (pH 7.4) on the Col-HEP-derived surfaces exhibited stiffness-dependent inflammatory activation; in contrast, the macrophages cultured on Col-AA-derived surfaces expressed high levels of inflammatory cytokines and genes, irrespective of the hydrogel stiffness. Among the collagen receptors that were examined, leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) was the most highly expressed, and knockdown of the Lair-1 gene enhanced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. We found that the collagen distribution was more homogeneous on Col-AA surfaces but formed aggregates on Col-HEP surfaces. The macrophages cultured on Col-AA PA hydrogels were more evenly spread, expressed higher levels of vinculin, and exerted higher traction forces compared to those of cells on Col-HEP. These macrophages on Col-AA also had higher nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratios of yes-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), key molecules that control inflammation and sense substrate stiffness. Our results highlight that seemingly slight variations in substrate deposition for immunobiology studies can alter critical immune responses, and this is important to elucidate in the broader context of immunomodulatory biomaterial design.

Study on treatment of chemical plant wastewater by using a integrated anaerobic–aerobic bioreactor

ABSTRACT In this work, a new type of integrated anaerobic aerobic bioreactor (IAAB) was formed by optimizing the structure of the anaerobic baffle bioreactor and aerobic biological contact oxidation pool. IAAB was used to treat the production wastewater of a chemical plant. The whole process was divided into two stages of domestication and stable operation. With increasing the proportion of chemical wastewater, the total amount of extracellular polymeric substances increased, and the ratio of protein to polysaccharide decreased. Dehydrogenase activity of anaerobic granular sludge in each compartment increased about 1.5 times with time, and decreased about 42% along the flow direction from the first compartment to the third compartment. The coenzyme F420 increased about 4 times with time, and increased about 1.2 times along the flow direction. The IAAB showed excellent removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (85%), ammonia nitrogen (94%), nitrobenzenes (98%).

Effects of Feed Ingredients with Different Protein-to-Fat Ratios on Growth, Slaughter Performance and Fat Deposition of Small-Tail Han Lambs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of feed ingredients with different protein-to-fat ratios on growth, slaughter performance and meat quality of Small-Tail Han lambs. Forty-five Small-Tail Han lambs (♂) (BW = 34.00 ± 2.5 kg, age = 120 ± 9 d) were randomly divided into groups with three different experimental treatments: (1) PF 5, with the ratio of protein to fat (CP:EE) of 50 to 5; (2) PF10, CP: EE = 50:10; (3) PF20, CP: EE = 50:20. Each treatment group had 15 lambs, and each sheep was a repeat. This experiment lasted for 65 days, with feed intake recorded daily, and animals being weighed on days 0, 30, and 65. At the conclusion of the experiment, eight lambs from each group were slaughtered to assess slaughter performance and meat quality. The results showed that the average daily gain (ADG) of the three groups were 315.27, 370.15 and 319.42 g/d, respectively. The PF10 group had the highest ADG (370.15 g) (p < 0.05). Forestomach weights (1216.88 g) of the PF10 group were significantly higher than those of the other groups (p < 0.05). There were no differences (p > 0.05) in fat percentages in various parts of body among treatments. Feed conversion of the PF10 group was higher (p < 0.05) than that of PF 5 and PF 20 groups. Furthermore, the PF10 group had a higher (p > 0.05) carcass weight and slaughter rate and there were few differences between the other groups in terms of dry matter intake, meat quality, organ weight, and fat deposition (p > 0.05). The protein-energy supplement with protein-to-fat ratio, PF10 appeared to be more desirable to promote the growth and development in Small-Tail Han Lambs.

Foaming properties of plant protein blends prepared using commercial faba bean and hemp protein concentrates at different faba bean/hemp protein ratios

Faba bean and hemp protein blends offer potential for the formulation of plant-based products due to their complementary amino acid compositions. This study evaluated the chemical composition, particle size, protein solubility and foaming properties of four commercial protein concentrates (two faba bean-based: FBC1 and FBC2, and two hemp-based: HPC1 and HPC2) and their blends at different faba bean/hemp protein ratios. The concentrates consisted mainly of albumins and globulins, some of which could have suffered alterations during processing, especially in HPC2 and FBC2. Both FBCs and HPCs made proportional contributions to the protein solubility observed in the blends. However, FBC1:HPC2 blends consistently demonstrated smaller particle sizes across all investigated ratios than those predicted by linear interpolation. Foaming properties of the four concentrates were comparable, except for HPC2, which did not foam. FBC1:HPC2 blends formed stable foams, whereas FBC2:HPC2 blends resulted in unstable foams. These results suggested that foam-destabilising factors were dominant in HPC2, which were counteracted by foam-stabilising factors in FBC1 and/or dilution effects. FBC1:HPC2 blends exhibited early indications of synergistic interactions, enhancing foam properties. This study demonstrates the potential of faba bean and hemp protein blends for foam-based food applications and the importance of considering their extraction processing history.

Comparison of the oncolytic activity of a replication-competent and a replication-deficient herpes simplex virus 1.

In 2015, the oncolytic herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) T-VEC (talimogene laherparepvec) was approved for intratumoral injection in non-resectable malignant melanoma. To determine whether viral replication is required for oncolytic activity, we compared replication-deficient HSV-1 d106S with replication-competent T-VEC. High infectious doses of HSV-1 d106S killed melanoma (n = 10), head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (n = 11), and chondrosarcoma cell lines (n = 2) significantly faster than T-VEC as measured by MTT metabolic activity, while low doses of T-VEC were more effective over time. HSV-1 d106S and, to a lesser extent T-VEC, triggered caspase-dependent early apoptosis as shown by pan-caspase inhibition and specific induction of caspases 3/7, 8, and 9. HSV-1 d106S induced a higher ratio of apoptosis-inducing infected cell protein (ICP) 0 to apoptosis-blocking ICP6 than T-VEC. T-VEC was oncolytic for an extended period of time as viral replication continued, which could be partially blocked by the antiviral drug aciclovir. High doses of T-VEC, but not HSV-1 d106S, increased interferon-β mRNA as part of the intrinsic immune response. When markers of immunogenic cell death were assessed, ATP was released more efficiently in the context of T-VEC than HSV-1 d106S infection, whereas HMGB1 was induced comparatively well. Overall, the early oncolytic effect on three different tumour entities was stronger with the non-replicative strain, while the replication-competent virus elicited a stronger innate immune response and more pronounced immunogenic cell death.

Are pre‐race serum blood biomarkers associated with the 24‐h ultramarathon race performance?

AbstractThe 24‐h ultramarathon (UM) race is one of the most demanding competitive sports in terms of muscular and physiological exertion. In this context, predictors of UM athletes' physical performance are in high demand; however, data on the predictive capabilities of hematological variables are still sparse. In the present paper, we retrospectively took into consideration the pre‐race blood biomarker levels (including basic blood count, leukocyte subpopulations, markers of inflammation and organ function, metabolic profile, and electrolytes) of 50 UM athletes (M = 33, F = 17) who completed a 24‐h competition in order to identify a combination of analytes capable of predicting the athletic performance in terms of distance covered during the 24‐h run. The multiple regression analysis produced a model that explained a significant portion of the variance in the dependent variable, with an adjusted R‐squared value of 0.783 (F(13, 36) = 14.58, p &lt; 0.001). A greater race distance was correlated with higher pre‐race values of hematocrit, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total cholesterol, HDL/LDL ratio, and triglycerides and lower levels of monocytes, eosinophils, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT), total proteins, and sodium. This study represents the first of its kind conducted on 24‐h UM athletes that investigated the association between blood markers and endurance performance. Our model, given its promising predictive power, would serve as a starting point that will require refinement and integration with other traditional performance prediction measures, in order to support athletes and coaches in better managing the training loads during the race‐approaching phases.

Effect of different iron ratios on interaction and thermodynamic stability of bound whey protein isolate

Whey protein isolates (WPI) are known to have mineral-binding capacity to promote iron absorption. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of iron ratio on the conformational structure of iron-bound whey protein isolate (WPI-Fe) and its thermodynamic stability. It was shown that the iron to protein ratio affects both the iron binding capacity of WPI and the iron valence state on the surface of WPI-Fe complexes. As the iron content increases, aggregation between protein molecules occurs. In addition, WPI-Fe nanoparticles have thermodynamic stability and Fe2+ has a high affinity with WPI for spontaneous exothermic reactions. This study demonstrates that WPI-Fe complexes can be used to efficiently deliver high-quality iron source (Fe2+) for future iron supplements.

Higher dietary protein/energy ratio is associated with a lower risk for obesity in older women with type 2 diabetes: Cross-sectional analysis of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (JDDM75)

ObjectiveTo analyze the association between the dietary protein/energy ratio and percentages of dietary animal and plant protein and obesity in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. DesignThis was a cross-sectional study. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥25 kg/m2. Data were collected for all study participants and stratified according to age and sex. Diet was assessed via a food frequency questionnaire. Setting26 clinics participating in the Japan Diabetes Clinical Data Management Study Group (JDDM) from December 2014 to December 2019. Participants1567 Japanese out patients with type 2 diabetes (63.1% men; mean age 62.3 ± 11.6 years). ResultsIn all participants, multivariate analysis with adjustment by major confounders showed a significant inverse association in those in the highest quartile of the protein/energy ratio (mean 17.7%) with obesity (OR = 0.588, 95% CI = 0.435-0.794; p trend = 00.007), but after the addition of vegetable intake it became non-significant. In the age- and sex-stratified analysis, a high protein/energy ratio (mean 15.6%) was inversely associated with obesity in older women only (OR = 0.280, 95% CI = 0.123-0.638), which remained significant after adjustment of individual food groups correlated with protein. No association between percentages of dietary animal or plant protein and obesity was found. ConclusionsIn older women only, a higher dietary protein/energy ratio was associated with lower obesity after adjustment by confounders and individual food groups correlated with protein intake. Future longitudinal research that includes data on food groups as well as age- and sex-stratification of participants is recommended to further clarify this relationship.

Macronutrient Analysis and In vivo Test in the Utilization of Barracuda Fish (Sphyraena barracuda) Asap Liquid as an Action to Meet Protein Needs

The smoking process has undergone significant development and liquid smoke has been widely used for the food industry as an ingredient that gives a distinctive aroma and flavor to food products. The purpose of this study was to determine the macronutrient quality of smoked fish and protein absorption in mice. Quality testing of barracuda smoked fish refers to SNI 2725: 2013. Test types include water content, ash content, protein content, fat content, pH, and Benzo[a]pyrene. In vivo analysis was conducted on mice to observe Protein Efficiencey Rate (PER), Net Protein Ratio (NPR), Total Protein Digestibility (TPD), Biological Value (BV), and Net Protein Utilization (NPU) values. Data were analysed with One-Way ANOVA. The results showed that the use of liquid smoke at a concentration of 5% had a significant effect (p &lt; 0.05) on the test of moisture content of 55.2 ± 0.50, ash content of 4.28 ± 0.02, protein content of 35.47 ± 0.23, fat content of 4.55 ± 0.08, pH 6.77 ± 0.05 and benzo[a]pyrene &lt; 0.02. The parameter results of TPD 78.21 ± 31.87, NPU 80.43 ± 3.75 in liquid smoked barracuda fish have higher values than traditional smoked barracuda fish, while PER 3.6 ± 4.06, NPR 4.06 ± 1.76 and BV 200 ± 4.24 have higher values in liquid smoked barracuda fish compared to traditional smoked barracuda fish. The addition of liquid smoke can to maintain product quality and improve the nutritional quality of protein because protein can be digested and absorbed by the body properly.

Predictive and Prognostic Potentials of Lymphocyte-C-Reactive Protein Ratio Upon Hospitalization in Adult Patients with Acute Pancreatitis.

In this study, our objective was to investigate the potential utility of lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) as a predictor of disease progression and a screening tool for intensive care unit (ICU) admission in adult patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). We included a total of 217 adult patients with AP who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between July 2019 and June 2022. These patients were categorized into three groups: mild AP (MAP), moderately severe AP (MSAP), and severe AP (SAP), based on the presence and duration of organ dysfunction. Various demographic and clinical data were collected and compared among different disease severity groups. Height, diabetes, lymphocyte count (LYMPH), lymphocyte percentage (LYM%), platelet count (PLT), D-Dimer, albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), glucose (GLU), calcium ion (Ca2+), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), hospitalization duration, ICU admission, need for BP, LCR, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, bedside index for severity in AP (BISAP) score, and modified Marshall score showed significant differences across different disease severity groups upon hospitalization. Notably, there were significant differences in LCR between the MAP group and the MSAP and SAP combined group, and the MAP and MSAP combined group and the SAP group, and adult AP patients with ICU admission and those without ICU admission upon hospitalization. In summary, LCR upon hospitalization can be utilized as a simple and reliable predictor of disease progression and a screening tool for ICU admission in adult patients with AP.

Співвідношення структурних протеїнів у вовні овець різних порід та з різною категорією волокон залежно від зон їх розведення

Wool fiber consists of a complex of protein-keratins, which differ in both their physical and chemical properties and functional characteristics. Despite the progress achieved in the study of the structural organization of fibers, the issue of the influence of environmental factors, the nature and level of nutrition, as well as breed characteristics, remains poorly understood. With this in mind, we investigated the ratio of structural proteins in the wool of sheep of different breeds, which are bred in separate zones of Ukraine, in particular, fine-wool, semi-fine-wool, and coarse-wool. Therefore, during the study of the structural proteins of the wool of sheep of different breeds, which differ among themselves in the thinness of the fibers, it was established that by the method of electrophoretic separation, these proteins are clearly divided into three different groups, in particular, these are proteins of intermediate filaments (IF) of I and II types with a molecular weight of 55–65 and 45–55 kDa, respectively, as well as keratin-associated proteins (KAP) with a molecular weight of 25–35 kDa. However, in some breeds, in particular, the Askanian meat-wool of the black-headed type and the Ukrainian Mountain Carpathian type, two more fractions of proteins were found among IF type I, which almost do not differ from each other in terms of percentage. It was established that within the studied groups of sheep, certain interbreed features are observed, so in the group of thin-wooled breeds, the largest percentage falls on IF II (35.9%). The other two factions account for almost the same percentage — 32.1% (IF I) and 31.8% (KAP). An almost similar picture of the ratio of protein fractions was recorded in the group of animals with coarse wool. At the same time, in the group of sheep with semi-fine wool, in particular, the fibers of sheep of the Ascanian meat-wool breed have the highest percentage of KAP and, accordingly, less IF II, and in the fibers of the Ascanian meat-wool black-headed type, respectively, less proteins of IF II and KAP. Therefore, the obtained data clearly indicate breed characteristics of the content and ratios of certain groups of proteins, which can be genetically determined, and therefore serve as appropriate markers both within individual breeds and within breeds with different fiber categories.

Dynamic lymphocyte-CRP ratio as a predictor: a single-centre retrospective study on disease severity and progression in adult COVID-19 patients.

To assess the efficacy of dynamic changes in lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) on differentiating disease severity and predicting disease progression in adult patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This single-centre retrospective study enrolled adult COVID-19 patients categorized into moderate, severe and critical groups according to the Diagnosis and Treatment of New Coronavirus Pneumonia (ninth edition). Demographic and clinical data were collected. LCR and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were calculated. Lymphocyte count and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were monitored on up to four occasions. Disease severity was determined concurrently with each LCR measurement. This study included 145 patients assigned to moderate (n = 105), severe (n = 33) and critical groups (n = 7). On admission, significant differences were observed among different disease severity groups including age, comorbidities, neutrophil proportion, lymphocyte count and proportion, D-Dimer, albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, CRP and SOFA score. Dynamic changes in LCR showed significant differences across different disease severity groups at different times, which were significantly inversely correlated with disease severity of COVID-19, with correlation coefficients of -0.564, -0.548, -0.550 and -0.429 at four different times. Dynamic changes in LCR can effectively differentiate disease severity and predict disease progression in adult COVID-19 patients.

Tetrahydropalmatine inhibiting mitophagy through ULK1/FUNDC1 pathway to alleviate hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in H9c2 cells

This study explored the specific mechanism by which tetrahydropalmatine(THP) inhibited mitophagy through the UNC-51-like kinase 1(ULK1)/FUN14 domain containing 1(FUNDC1) pathway to reduce hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R) injury in H9c2 cells. This study used H9c2 cells as the research object to construct a cardiomyocyte H/R injury model. First, a cell viability detection kit was used to detect cell viability, and a micro-method was used to detect lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage to evaluate the protective effect of THP on H/R injury of H9c2 cells. In order to evaluate the protective effect of THP on mitochondria, the chemical fluorescence method was used to detect intracellular reactive oxygen species, intramitochondrial reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, and autophagosomes, and the luciferin method was used to detect intracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate(ATP) content. Western blot was further used to detect the ratio of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3) membrane type(LC3-Ⅱ) and slurry type(LC3-Ⅰ) and activated cleaved caspase-3 expression level. In addition, ULK1 expression level and its phosphorylation degree at Ser555 site, as well as the FUNDC1 expression level and its phosphorylation degree of Ser17 site were detected to explore its specific mechanism. The results showed that THP effectively reduced mitochondrial damage in H9c2 cells after H/R. THP protected mitochondria by reducing the level of reactive oxygen species in cells and mitochondria, increasing mitochondrial membrane potential, thereby increasing cellular ATP production, enhancing cellular activity, reducing cellular LDH leakage, and finally alleviating H/R damage in H9c2 cells. Further studies have found that THP could reduce the production of autophagosomes, reduce the LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ ratio, and lower the expression of the apoptosis-related protein, namely cleaved caspase-3, indicating that THP could reduce apoptosis by inhibiting autophagy. In-depth studies have found that THP could inhibit the activation of the ULK1/FUNDC1 pathway of mitophagy and the occurrence of mitophagy by reducing the phosphorylation degree of ULK1 at Ser555 and FUNDC1 at Ser17. The application of ULK1 agonist BL-918 reversely verified the effect of THP on reducing the phosphorylation of ULK1 and FUNDC1. In summary, THP inhibited mitophagy through the ULK1/FUNDC1 pathway to reduce H/R injury in H9c2 cells.

Nutrient digestibility, characteristics of rumen fermentation, and microbial protein synthesis from Pesisir cattle diet containing non-fiber carbohydrate to rumen degradable protein ratio and sulfur supplement.

To achieve optimal feed efficiency in ruminants, especially Pesisir cattle, it is necessary to maintain a harmonious equilibrium between energy and protein levels within the rumen. Sulfur supplementation can potentially escalate the energy-protein balance in the rumen. The aim of this study was to explore the formulation of ruminant diets by synchronizing rumen degradable protein (RDP) and non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) while adding sulfur minerals at different levels. Nutrient digestibility, NH3 concentration, volatile fatty acids (VFA) production, microbial protein synthesis (MPS), and methane gas production were assessed. We employed a randomized block design with a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement and examined diverse incubation periods of 6, 24, and 48 h. Treatment consisted of RDP (60% and 65%), NFC (35% and 40%), and sulfur (0%, 0.15%, and 0.3%) levels. In this study, the Tilley and Terry in vitro technique, which used Pesisir cattle's rumen fluid, was employed to assess the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and RDP-Rumen undegradable protein. In addition, it measures various rumen fluid attributes, including pH, NH3, VFA, MPS, and methane gas production. Treatment with a coordinated combination of 65% RDP and 40% NFC combined with 0.15% sulfur supplement yielded significantly improved digestibility and notably reduced methane gas production (p < 0.05). The enhancement in digestibility and reduction in methane gas emissions can be attributed to the interaction of RDP, NFC, and sulfur. Feed digestibility was increased in the 65% RDP treatment with 40% NFC and 0.15% sulfur, along with a decrease in methane gas production.

Pleural fluid characteristics of patients with COVID-19 infection.

Pleural effusions are known to occur in many cases of COVID-19. Data on typical characteristics of COVID-19-associated pleural effusions are limited. The goal of this project was to characterize the pleural fluid from patients with COVID-19. We retrospectively collected electronic medical record data from adults hospitalized at a large metropolitan hospital system with COVID-19 infection who had a pleural effusion and a thoracentesis performed. We assessed pleural fluid characteristics and applied Light's criteria. We identified 128 effusions from 106 unique patients; 45.4% of the effusions had fluid/serum protein ratio greater than 0.5, 33.9% had fluid/serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) greater than 0.6, and 56.2% had fluid LDHgreater than 2/3 of the serum upper limit of normal. Altogether, 68.5% of effusions met at least one of these three characteristicsand therefore were exudative by Light's criteria. The white blood cell (WBC) differential was predominantly lymphocytic (mean 42.8%) or neutrophilic (mean 28.7%); monocytes (mean 12.7%) and eosinophils (mean 2.5%) were less common. We demonstrate that 68.5% of pleural effusions in patients with COVID-19 infection were exudative and hypothesize that COVID-19-associated pleural effusions are likely to be exudative with WBC differential more likely to be predominantly lymphocytic.

Optimizing dietary rumen-degradable starch to rumen-degradable protein ratio improves lactation performance and nitrogen utilization efficiency in mid-lactating Holstein dairy cows.

The dietary rumen-degradable starch (RDS) to rumen-degradable protein (RDP) ratio, denoted as the RDS-to-RDP ratio (SPR), has been proven to enhance in vitro rumen fermentation. However, the effects of dietary SPR in vivo remain largely unexplored. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary SPR on lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation patterns, blood indicators, and nitrogen (N) partitioning in mid-lactating Holstein cows. Seventy-two Holstein dairy cows were randomly assigned to three groups (24 head/group), balanced for (mean ± standard deviation) days in milk (116 ± 21.5), parity (2.1 ± 0.8), milk production (42 ± 2.1 kg/d), and body weight (705 ± 52.5 kg). The cows were fed diets with low (2.1, control), medium (2.3), or high (2.5) SPR, formulated to be isoenergetic, isonitrogenous, and iso-starch. The study consisted of a one-week adaptation phase followed by an eight-week experimental period. The results indicated that the high SPR group had a lower dry matter intake compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). A quadratic increase in milk yield and feed efficiency was observed with increasing dietary SPR (p < 0.05), peaking in the medium SPR group. The medium SPR group exhibited a lower milk somatic cell count and a higher blood total antioxidant capacity compared to other groups (p < 0.05). With increasing dietary SPR, there was a quadratic improvement (p < 0.05) in the total tract apparent digestibility of crude protein, ether extract, starch, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber. Although no treatment effect was observed in rumen pH, the rumen total volatile fatty acids concentration and microbial crude protein synthesis increased quadratically (p < 0.05) as dietary SPR increased. The molar proportion of propionate linearly increased (p = 0.01), while branched-chain volatile fatty acids linearly decreased (p = 0.01) with increasing dietary SPR. The low SPR group (control) exhibited higher concentration of milk urea N, rumen ammonia N, and blood urea N than other groups (p < 0.05). Despite a linear decrease (p < 0.05) in the proportion of urinary N to N intake, increasing dietary SPR led to a quadratic increase (p = 0.01) in N utilization efficiency and a quadratic decrease (p < 0.05) in the proportion of fecal N to N intake. In conclusion, optimizing dietary SPR has the potential to enhance lactation performance and N utilization efficiency. Based on our findings, a medium dietary SPR (with SPR = 2.3) is recommended for mid-lactating Holstein dairy cows. Nevertheless, further research on rumen microbial composition and metabolites is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the observed effects.

한국 학령기 아동의 체중상태에 따른 식생활 특성 및 영양섭취 실태

Objectives This study aims to determine the status of obesity and underweight among school-age children in Korea and to compare and analyze dietary characteristics and nutrient intake status according to weight status.&#x0D; Methods Data from a total of 2,075 children aged 6 to 11 who participated in the 7th and 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted from 2016 to 2019 were used for analysis. The height and weight of participants were used to calculate body mass index (BMI). The participants were then classified into underweight, normal weight, and overweight/obese groups. Differences in socioeconomic and dietary characteristics for each weight group were analyzed. Energy, intake of the three main nutrients, rate of energy supply, nutrient intake ratio to dietary reference intake, and the ratio of those below the nutrient reference intake were calculated for each weight group.&#x0D; Results Results indicated that 9.45% of male children and 10.74% of female children were underweight, while 20.57% of male children and 18.10% of female children were overweight/obese. The lower the parents’ education level, the higher the rate of overweight/obesity in children. Children who skipped breakfast more than five times a week had a higher rate of overweight/obesity than children who skipped breakfast less than five times a week. Compared to the underweight group, the overweight/obese group consumed more vegetables, meat, fish, and seafood but less fruit. The intake ratio to the estimated energy requirements (EER) was 97% in the underweight group and 102 to 108% in the normal and overweight/obese groups. The intake ratio of protein to the recommended intake (RI) was 144 to 166%, exceeding the protein reference intakes for all weight groups. The intake ratios of vitamin A and calcium to the RI were low at 73 to 74% and 63 to 69% in all weight groups, respectively.&#x0D; Conclusions Thus, this study suggests that the government, community-related organizations, and schools should continue to cooperate to provide efficient intervention programs to manage the health and nutrition of obese and underweight children.&#x0D;

DCROX and ROX Indices Predict Clinical Outcomes in Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia Treated with High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy.

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy is a common respiratory support in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Predictive tools for the evaluation of successful weaning from HFNC therapy for COVID-19 pneumonia have been limited. This study aimed to develop a new predictor for weaning success from HFNC treatment in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand. Patients with COVID-19 pneumonia requiring HFNC therapy from April 2020 to September 2021 were included. The ROX index was defined as the ratio of oxygen saturation (SpO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) to respiratory rate. The CROX index was defined as the ratio of C-reactive protein (CRP) to the ROX index. dCROX was defined as the difference in CROX index between 24 hours and 72 hours. Weaning success was defined as the ability to sustain spontaneous breathing after separation from HFNC without any invasive or noninvasive ventilatory support for ≥48 hours or death. A total of 106 patients (49.1% male) were included. The mean age was 62.1 ± 16.2 years. Baseline SpO2/FiO2 was 276.1 ± 124.8. The rate of HFNC weaning success within 14 days was 61.3%. The best cutoff value of the dCROX index to predict HFNC weaning success was 3.15 with 66.2% sensitivity, 70.7% specificity, and an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.59-0.81, p < 0.001). The best cutoff value of the ROX index was 9.13, with 75.4% sensitivity, 78.0% specificity, and an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.69-0.88, p < 0.001). ROX index has the highest accuracy for predicting successful weaning from HFNC in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. dCROX index is the alternative tool for this setting. However, a larger prospective cohort study is needed to verify these indices for determining separation from HFNC therapy. This trial is registered with TCTR20221107004.

The relationship between C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and mortality in hypertensive patients: A national cohort study

Background and aimsThe impact of inflammation on the prognosis of hypertension has received some attention. The current study examined the association between C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR), a novel indicator of inflammatory response, and mortality in individuals with hypertension. Methods and resultsA total of 9561 eligible individuals diagnosed with hypertension were included in the final analysis. CAR was calculated as ratio of C-reactive protein to serum albumin concentration. Patients were categorized into tertiles based on their baseline CAR levels. The Kaplan-Meier survival method was employed to compare the survival times of patients throughout the follow-up period. Multivariable analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional regression model. In the entire study population, 3262 (27%) experienced all-cause mortality. Patients in tertile 3 exhibited a higher risk of mortality (23% vs. 28% vs. 31%, P < 0.001) in comparison to those in the other tertiles. The findings from the multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that when patients in tertile 1 were used as the reference group, the highest CAR tertile displayed a 60% increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.60 [95%CI, 1.23–2.09] P < 0.001). ConclusionAmong hypertensive patients, elevated CAR was found to be associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Therefore, CAR might be used for risk stratification within this population, facilitating the implementation of closer follow-up and the optimization of treatment strategies.

Improving honey identification: Stable isotope ratios variability of mono and polyfloral honeys from the citrus growing area of Salto/Concordia and from Uruguayan coastal areas

Concordia in Argentina and Salto in Uruguay are two neighbouring regions famous for the production of a precious citrus honey, whose valorisation passes through the ability to guarantee its geographical origin. In this study the influence of the different botanical origins (monofloral and polyfloral) within the same region of origin on the different stable isotope ratios was evaluated. Moreover, the effectiveness of the stable isotope ratio parameters δ13Choney, δ13Cprotein, δ15Nprotein, δ34Sprotein, δ2Hprotein and δ18Oprotein to discriminate between honeys produced in the internal border regions between Argentina and Uruguay (namely, Concordia and Salto) and honeys sampled in the two different Uruguayan coastal regions (Canelones and Maldonado) was tested on 82 monofloral and polyfloral honey samples. The results show that the different stable isotope ratios, except that of nitrogen, are not significantly influenced by the botanical origin of the samples. The sulphur isotopic ratio of proteins and carbon of honey are the most significant parameters for discriminating the geographical origin of the honeys considered. Applied a Principal Component Analysis, the first two factors overall explain 63.5% of the total variance, while the Discriminant Analysis provided optimal discrimination between the three origins, reaching a minimum of 96.7% correct reclassification.