scholarly journals The effect of amaranth oil on autoantibodies in lupus prone mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Danik Martirosyan ◽  
Jack Hutcheson ◽  
Deena Sajitharan ◽  
Samantha Williams ◽  
Chandra Mohan

Background: Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, can have severe impacts on quality of life. They are one of the leading causes of death for women in the United States. Distinguished by the body damaging its own tissues and organs, they are often classified and diagnosed based on autoantibody levels. Treatments often include immunosuppressant drugs, which can have adverse effects. Aim of Study: Amaranth is a good functional food candidate, possessing antioxidants, bioactive compounds, and a variety of health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, and aiding diabetes and hypertension. Previous studies have largely focused on the grain or seed, but amaranth oil is less explored. This study examines whether orally administered amaranth oil had any effects on autoantibodies and splenic immune cell populations in murine subjects.Methods: Mice in the experimental group (n = 3) were given 4μl of amaranth oil per gram of mouse weight for 5 days a week over 84 days. Control mice (n = 2) were sham treated on the same schedule with no oil. To determine autoantibody levels, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were first conducted on wells pre-coated with double stranded DNA, single stranded DNA, histones, or double stranded DNA and then histones (nucleosomes). Autoantibody presence was quantified by measuring absorbance at 405nm. Splenic cell populations were examined with flow cytometry and compared using a student’s t-test. Results: Compared to the control group, the mice receiving amaranth oil showed decreased IgG and IgM histone autoantibody absorbance levels throughout the whole study. IgG dsDNA, ssDNA, and nucleosome autoantibody absorbances were lower than that of the control group for the first 42 days. IgM dsDNA, ssDNA, and nucleosome autoantibody absorbances were lower only for the first 14 days. There were no significant differences found amongst splenic immune cell populations between the control and experimental groups.Conclusion: These preliminary data show that amaranth oil may help decrease autoantibody levels in lupus prone murine subjects. However, given the small number of subjects in this study, further research is needed to confirm observed effects and determine the most effective dose and administration schedule. Keywords: autoantibody, IgG, IgM, histone, dsDNA, ssDNA, nucleosome, amaranth oil, immunoglobulin, lupus 

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2187
Author(s):  
Omrit Feldman ◽  
Eran Goldstien ◽  
Benjamin Rolnik ◽  
Ariel B. Ganz ◽  
Shahar Lev-Ari

Stuttering is a speech disorder that can cause disturbances in the timing and flow of speech. In addition to being a communication disorder, stuttering is often accompanied by a reduction in the quality of life and has impacts on social status, mental well-being, self-acceptance, and the chances of integration into the labor market. The Inquiry Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) program, developed in the United States by Byron Katie in 1986, is the clinical application of “The Work” method (Thework.com) and represents an emerging mindfulness and cognitive-reframing method. IBSR has been demonstrated to improve mental health and well-being in adults and may alleviate psychological and psychosocial symptoms of stuttering. The purpose of this trial was to examine the effect of a 12-week IBSR intervention on the overall stuttering experience and indicators of anxiety, psychological flexibility, and well-being among adults who stutter (AWS). This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial. Participants were randomized to IBSR (n = 28) and control (n = 28) groups. Validated questionnaires of overall stuttering experience (OASES-A), anxiety (STAI), psychological flexibility (PFQ), and satisfaction with life (SWLS) were completed before, after, and one month after the intervention. An intention-to-treat approach was implemented for analysis. Our results show that participants in the IBSR intervention group exhibited a greater improvement in their overall stuttering experience as compared to the control group, as well as in general information on stuttering awareness and perception, reactions to stuttering, communication in daily situations, and quality of life. In addition, we found a greater reduction in anxiety levels and an increase in satisfaction-with-life scores in the IBSR group. These results indicate that IBSR can improve the overall stuttering experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1176.2-1176
Author(s):  
E. Eraslan ◽  
R. Bilici Salman ◽  
H. Satiş ◽  
A. Avanoglu Guler ◽  
H. Karadeniz ◽  
...  

Background:Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that can affect any organ of the body. SLE is associated with adverse effects on both health and non-health-related quality of life (HRQOL and non-HRQOL). Lupus PRO is a patient reported outcome measure that has been validated in many languages. It has 44 items that cover both HRQOL and non-HRQOL (1). Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Multiple studies indicate that people with limited health literacy have worse health status and higher rates of hospitalization (2).Objectives:We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the LLDAS (Lupus Low Disease Activity State) criteria and the Lupus PRO test, as well as the health literacy status of lupus patients.Methods:83 SLE patients (94% women) were included in the study. We performed Lupus PRO and the European Health Literacy Survey tests during the routine follow-up visits of lupus patients to our rheumatology outpatient clinic and admissions to rheumatology inpatient clinic. Available clinical data on medical records were obtained, physician global assessments (PGA) were recorded by the attending physician.Results:LLDAS criteria strongly and inversely correlated with the total score, as well as the mood subunit of the Lupus PRO. Similarly, it also significantly inversely correlated with the body appearence and goals subunits. Health literacy status of the patients did not correlate with their LLDAS scores, ie their disease activities.Conclusion:Our results suggest that lupus disease activity, assessed by LLDAS criteria, significantly correlates with measures of quality of life, spesicifically Lupus PRO test, but not with health literacy status. Further studies are needed to evaluate if health literacy is related with damage, hospitalization or mortality associated with lupus.References:[1]Jolly M, Pickard AS, Block JA, Kumar RB, Mikolaitis RA, Wilke CT, et al., editors. Disease-specific patient reported outcome tools for systemic lupus erythematosus. Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism; 2012: Elsevier.[2]Paasche-Orlow MK, Parker RM, Gazmararian JA, Nielsen-Bohlman LT, Rudd RR. The prevalence of limited health literacy. Journal of general internal medicine. 2005;20(2):175-84.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ugur Kuyumcuoglu ◽  
Bilal Eryildirim ◽  
Murat Tuncer ◽  
Gokhan Faydaci ◽  
Fatih Tarhan ◽  
...  

Background: We investigated whether the frequency of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) increased in patients in whom double-J stents were applied. We also evaluated several medical therapy protocols to treat symptoms related with ureteral stents.Materials and Methods: A total of 108 patients, in whom unilateral double-j stent was applied during ureteral stone treatment, were included. Before the double-J stent was applied, all patients completed storage components of the “International Prostate Symptom Score” (IPSSs), quality of life components of the IPSS (IPSS-QOL) and “Overactive Bladder Questionnaire” (OABq) forms and scores were calculated. After the procedure, cases were randomized into 5 groups, an antiinflammatory was given to Group 1, spasmolytic to Group 2, anticholinergic to Group 3 and α-blocker to Group 4. No additional drug was given to Group 5 as this control group. During the fourth week of the procedure, IPSSs, IPSS-QOL and OABq forms were again completed and scores were compared with the previous ones.Results: When all the cases were evaluated, the IPSSs, IPSS-QOLand OABq scores of patients in whom the double-J stent was applied were statistically significantly higher the procedure. Compared to the control group, the cases where the double-J stent was applied showed a higher IPSSs, IPSS-QOL and OABq scores and none of the medical therapies could prevent this increase.Interpretation: The frequency of LUTS increased in cases where the ureteral stent was applied and discomfort continued as long as the stent stayed in the body.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 216-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arlette Yumba-Mpanga ◽  
Wiktoria Struck-Lewicka ◽  
Renata Wawrzyniak ◽  
Marcin Markuszewski ◽  
Marek Roslan ◽  
...  

Background: In regard to urogenital tract cancer studies, an estimated 340,650 new cases and 58,360 deaths from genital system cancer and about 141,140 new cases and 29330 deaths from urinary system were projected to occur in the United States in 2012. The main drawbacks of currently available diagnostic tests constitute the low specificity, costliness and quite high invasiveness. Objective: The main goal of this pilot study was to determine and compare urine metabolic fingerprints in urogenital tract cancer patients and healthy controls. Method: A comparative analysis of the metabolic profile of urine from 30 patients with cancer of the genitourinary system (bladder (n=10), kidney (n=10) and prostate (n=10)) and 30 healthy volunteers as a control group was provided by LC-TOF/MS and GCQqQ/ MS. The data analysis was performed by the use of U-Mann Whitney test or Student’s t-test, principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Results: As a result, 33, 43, and 22 compounds were identified as statistically significant in bladder, prostate and kidney cancer, respectively, compared to healthy groups. Conclusion: Diverse compounds such as purine, sugars, amino acids, nucleosides, organic acids which play a role in purine metabolism, in tricarboxylic acid cycle, in amino acid metabolism or in gut microbiota metabolism were identified. Only two metabolites namely glucocaffeic acid and lactic acid were found to be in common in studied three types of cancer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 222 ◽  
pp. 02014
Author(s):  
Lidia Kashirina ◽  
Konstantin Ivanischev ◽  
Kirill Romanov

The article presents the results of experimental studies to determine the effect of antioxidant drugs “Butofan” and “E-selenium” on veterinary and sanitary parameters of cows’ milk obtained in the period after calving. Childbirth is characterized by a stressful physiological state of the body and a large amount of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products are formed in the blood of cows, which have a negative depleting effect on the body and, naturally, on the quality of milk, since it is a blood product. To enhance the work of the body’s own antioxidant system, since it is not always enough to neutralize LPO products, antioxidant drugs are used. It is necessary to determine veterinary and sanitary parameters in milk obtained under the influence of any drugs, since it is used in human nutrition. For this purpose, experimental studies were carried out on analogous dairy cows in one of the farms of Ryazan region. The cows were divided into three groups: the control and two experimental ones. The control group of animals was intact, the cows of the experimental groups received antioxidant preparations: the first one got “E-selenium” and the second one got “Butofan”. The research results showed that the milk yield of cows in the experimental groups was higher compared to the control. The quality parameters of milk in the experimental groups of cows were better in terms of fat content, protein content, density and acidity. Cow’s milk under the influence of antioxidant drugs was biologically complete and environmentally friendly.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márcia Regina Martinez Tedeschi ◽  
Tatiane Assone ◽  
Mauro Ferreira ◽  
Káren Mendes Jorge de Souza

Abstract BACKGROUND Long-term regular physical activity, such as body practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine, seems to be an important habit for maintaining the functional fitness, independence and quality of life of elderly individuals. However, scientific knowledge production concerning assessment of such practices, specifically for the elderly population, focusing on functional fitness and quality of life, is still modest. Moreover, there is a lack of studies with long-term follow-up and control groups. Therefore, this study aims to compare the parameters of functional fitness and the dimensions of quality of life of elderly participants and non-participants in the body practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Longer adherence time, shorter adherence time and control group have been considered. METHODS This is an observational epidemiological case-control study carried out with 118 elderly individuals (≥ 60 years). The case group was represented by 59 elderly people practicing the body practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and they were subdivided into two groups, according to their median adherence time (< 24 months and ≥ 24 months). The control group was composed of 59 participants who were not participating in physical activity programs or guided body practices. Collection was carried out in four Traditional Medicine Specialized Units of the Municipal Health Office of the city of São Paulo. Sociodemographic and functional variables were collected. Quality of life was measured by Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). For data analysis, a univariate logistic regression and the Kruskal Wallis test have been performed. RESULTS When assessing quality of life, favorable results were found for the case group, with longer (≥ 24 months) adherence time in the domains of bodily pain (p = 0.003), vitality (p = 0.021), role emotional (p = 0.034), and mental health (p = 0.020). A better result was observed in the case group, with longer (≥ 24 months) adherence time in the functional 30-second chair stand test (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS The body practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine can contribute to quality of life, functional fitness, and lower limb strength.


Author(s):  
Fernanda Cristina Sales Salineiro ◽  
Igor Publio Talamoni ◽  
Solange Kobayashi Velasco ◽  
Fabiana Mesquita Barros ◽  
Marcelo De Gusmão Paraíso Cavalcanti

Metallic objects, such as intracanal posts and restorations, may produce severe interference, thus diminishing the quality of CBCT imaging. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of conventional and bioceramic gutta-percha points on the production of artifacts in CBCT images. Methods: Extracted single- -rooted premolar teeth (n=20) were instrumented and scanned with a CBCT device to create three groups: the Control group, the Gutta-Percha group and the Bioceramic Gutta-Percha group. Two types of analysis were executed: an objective one, using the Region of Interest (ROI) to measure the pixel density of each tooth, and a subjective one, to compare the groups’ images. For the statistical analysis, Student’s t-test, descriptive statistics and the frequency distribution analysis were used for both objective and subjective analyses. Results: The agreement between the observers ranged from moderate to excellent. Similar grayscale values were obtained in both the GP and BCGP groups. These results were endorsed by the p-values obtained with Student’s t test. For the subjective analysis, the observers indicated the BCGP group as the one that developed the highest number of artifacts. Conclusions: Both materials produced artifacts in the CBCT images. However, in the subjective analysis, the BCGP group showed higher levels of artifact production than the GP group, which could result in the misdiagnosis of root fracture and in a worse prognosis for that tooth.


Author(s):  
Andressa Crystine da Silva Sobrinho ◽  
Mariana Luciano de Almeida ◽  
Guilherme da Silva Rodrigues ◽  
Larissa Chacon Finzeto ◽  
Vagner Ramon Rodrigues Silva ◽  
...  

Background: Multicomponent training has considerable adherence among older populations, but there is a lack of literature on the benefits of this training on older people’s posture. Literature also lacks stretching protocols that work the body in an integrated/unified way and respect the principle of individuality in exercise training. We evaluated the effect of a multicomponent training protocol combined or not with flexibility training in improving the posture and quality of movement in physically inactive older women, according to a score lower than 9.11 in the Modified Baecke Questionnaire for the Elderly (MBQE). Methods: 142 participants were evaluated and randomized in three training groups: multicomponent training (MT = 52), multicomponent and flexibility training (MFT = 43), and a control group (CG = 47). We evaluated joint amplitude using goniometry, flexibility with sit and reach and hands behind the back tests, quality of movement with the functional movement screen, and posture using biophotogammetry. Results: The MFT group had 15 parameters—flexibility and posture—with a very large effect size (ES > 1.30) and nine with average ES (0.50–0.79). MT presented two variables with large ES (0.80–1.25) and seven with average ES. CG presented three variables with high ES and five with average ES. Both interventions improved the quality of movement. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that 14 weeks of multicomponent and flexibility training in a group intervention can improve flexibility and posture levels in physically inactive older women.


Author(s):  
Andrey O. Mironov ◽  
◽  
Ksenia D. Larkina ◽  
Zoya I. Petrina ◽  
◽  
...  

Balances in rhythmic gymnastics constitute one of the basic groups of elements. When performing any elements of the program, it is extremely important for a gymnast to maintain the balance of the body and its parts in relation to each other. At the same time, flexibility is considered a fundamental quality in the sport in question, for it determines both selection and training in sports schools. The aim of the study was to substantiate the effectiveness of the training program for young gymnasts at the initial stage of sports training (1st year of training) based on the methodology of developing the ability to balance. The study was conducted from September 2017 to March 2018 on the basis of Sports School of the Olympic Reserve No. 42 (Moscow). The participants were of the same age, which ensures the qualitative homogeneity of the sample. Two groups of participants – experimental and control – were randomly formed. In the experimental group, the training of young gymnasts was conducted according to the methodology, the main provisions of which are: the division of training in the direction of the development of physical qualities in accordance with the schedule; the use of parterre gymnastics exercises as a warm-up; a strictly determined sequence in the development of elements (small poses, concluding exercises, large poses of classical dance, forms of basic equilibria, complicated equilibria, turns). The results of the control tests showed that, in the experimental group, the average increase in the index of ability to equilibria (Δe = 30.8%) was significantly higher than in the control group (Δc = 8.3%). The practical application of the proposed technique is that it can be used in the organization of the training process of young gymnasts at the stage of initial sports training (1st year of training). Currently, when training novice athletes, the emphasis is on the development of the physical quality of flexibility. In the course of the study, the authors found it necessary to answer the question of whether the developed technique had a negative impact on the development of flexibility. They analyzed the flexibility tests used in the selection of gymnasts and saw that the quality of change in both groups was comparable. Therefore, it can be concluded that the developed methodology does not prevent the development of flexibility. The results of this study will serve as a starting point for further research on the problem of the content of the training process of young gymnasts at the stage of initial sports training.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. M. Kosheleva ◽  
E. V. Matyanova ◽  
E. V. Fedorova ◽  
N. I. Klimenchenko

Improved diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) contribute to the remission of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients. In this regard, more and more women with RA and SLE decide to have pregnancy, which makes it actual to study the features of its course and outcomes in these diseases.Objective: to evaluate maternal pregnancy outcomes in patients with RA and SLE.Subjects and methods. 76 cases of pregnancy were traced prospectively in 72 patients: 32 pregnancies in 29 patients with RA and 44 pregnancies in 43 patients with SLE.Results and discussion. 72 of 76 (94.7%) supervised pregnancies ended in childbirth with the birth of a viable baby. There were three cases of pregnancy loss in the second trimester in SLE patients with concomitant antiphospholipid syndrome (AFS) and one case (3.1%) of perinatal infant death (a boy and a girl, monochorionic diamniotic twins with reverse arterial perfusion syndrome) in a patient with seropositive RA. Compared with the all-Russian population, the supervised RA and SLE patients more often had prematurely birth (37.5‰, 18.7% and 22.7%) and caesarean section (CS; in 236.7‰, 50%, and 56.8% respectively). In the SLE group CS was conducted due to the emergency reasons more frequently than in RA, (respectively 47,7% and 25%, relative risk of 1.9 [1; 3.7]; p=0.04). CS at the first birth was performed more often during RA and SLE than before the onset of the disease (p<0.001). Preeclampsia in patients with RA was diagnosed more often than in the population (9.4% and 15.7 per 1000 births, respectively). There was a reverse correlation between the timing of delivery and disease activity according DAS28-CRP in II (r= 0.5; p=0.01) and III (r= 0.6; p=0.0005) trimesters of pregnancy, and in patients with moderate and high activity of RA in the third trimester (n=12) delivery was earlier than in the control group (n=20), remission or low activity of RA (p<0.01). In patients with SLE who had birth prematurely (22.7%), the duration of the disease (p=0.02) and the duration of oral glucocorticoid therapy (p=0.003) were greater compared with SLE patients having term birth (70.5%); the dose of glucocorticoids at the time of conception and delivery did not affect the timing of delivery.Conclusion. Planning of pregnancy in patients with RA and SLE, monitoring during pregnancy and timely correction of therapy contribute to uncomplicated course of gestation and improve maternal outcomes.


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