A Pilot Study of the Effect of Lactobacillus casei Obtained from Long-Lived Elderly on Blood Biochemical, Oxidative, and Inflammatory Markers, and on Gut Microbiota in Young Volunteers

Probiotic intake has been shown to improve certain physiological health indicators. We aimed to examine effects of Lactobacillus casei LTL1879, obtained from long-lived elderly volunteers, on blood biochemical, oxidative, and inflammatory markers and gut microbiota in twenty healthy, young volunteers. Volunteers were randomly divided into equal probiotic and placebo groups and changes in blood biochemical indicators, oxidative and inflammatory markers, and gut microbiota were examined after three weeks of probiotic intervention. The probiotic group’s antioxidant levels were significantly enhanced post-intervention. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels were significantly increased (p < 0.0001), while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased (p < 0.05), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) levels increased, but with no significant difference. In addition, Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were significantly up-regulated and down-regulated (p < 0.05, respectively). Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Bacteroides expression was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), while Clostridium leptum, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus expression increased (p < 0.05). Volunteer health status was quantified using principal components and cluster analysis, indicating that the probiotic group’s overall score was higher than that of the placebo group. The results of this pilot study suggest L. casei LTL 1879 can significantly improve specific immune, oxidative, and gut microbiota characteristics related to health factors.

Musk Tongxin Dripping Pills for treating Ticagrelor in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Echocardiography Combined with Untargeted Metabolomics

Objectives: As current clinical practice guidelines, ticagrelor is the suggested therapeutic scheme to prevent adverse cardiovascular events in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment. However, this therapeutic strategy still fails, and around 30% patients display inadequate antiplatelet responses. Musk Tongxin Dripping Pill (MTDP) in Chinese hospital was usually considered as the combination with ticagrelor to improve the treatment effect. Unfortunately, the mechanism has not been elucidated.Methods: The untargeted metabolomic method was introduced based on liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) coupled with STI for the research of the drug combination mechanism between ticagrelor and MTDP. 28 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of AMI were selectively collected, who were then divided into two different dosage regimen groups, and the serum samples were collected for the untargeted metabolomics assay. Then the differential metabolites were associated with blood biochemical indicators.Results: The GLS values in both groups increased after treatment and those in the ticagrelor and MTDP combination group after treatment were higher than those in the ticagrelor group (p &lt; 0.05), suggesting that the combination medication has better therapeutic effect on patients with myocardial infarction. From metabolomics analysis, the species of metabolites changed in two groups before and after treatment. Moreover, 93 differential metabolites changed in the drug combination group compared with the ticagrelor group after treatment (p &lt; 0.05), which mainly related to changes in fatty acid metabolism pathways. Then the differential metabolites were found to be related with blood biochemical indicators, such as lipid, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).Conclusion: This work will provide a possible mechanism of the drug combination interaction between ticagrelor and MTDP from two angles of echocardiography and metabonomics. Several potential metabolic pathways were also found to have a relationship with MTDP, which will provide a new perspective in clinical medication.

Study On Laying Performances, Blood Biochemical Indicators, Feather Condition And Antibody Titers of Layer Breeders Among Different Tiers In Mating Cages During The Peak Laying Period*

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of cage tier on laying performances, blood biochemical indicators, feather condition and antibody titers of layer breeders among different tiers in mating cages during the peak laying period. All birds (Hy-Line Brown parent stock breeders) at 27 weeks of age were housed in 4-tier mating cage. Laying performances, egg quality characteristics, blood biochemical indicators, antibody titers and feather condition were measured. The highest laying rate was recorded at 2nd tier, followed by 4th tier and 3rd tier, and the lowest at 1st tier. There were no significant differences among different tiers in terms of percentage of defective eggs and hatchability performances. Yolk color was significantly lower at 2nd tier than at other tiers. However, no distinct differences in egg weight, shell weight, shell color, shell breaking strength, egg shape index, yolk weight, albumen height, haugh units were observed. Concentrations of serum CK, T-AOC, SOD, GPx and MDA, and the antibody titers did not change substantially among different tiers. Moreover, the average feather score for each individual part of the body and an overall average score for birds were not significantly different. We confidently conclude that cage tier may be a contributing factor for layer performances. These findings will be helpful for application of natural mating system in layer industry.

Systematic Safety Evaluation of Cold Plasma-Activated Liquid in Rabbits

Plasma-activated liquid (PAL) can effectively and selectively kill various types of cancer cells both in superficial and deeper tumors. As a promising novel approach to oncotherapy, the safety of PAL is essential in the clinic but has not been thoroughly assessed. In myeloma and blood tumors, the pathogenesis is in the bone marrow cavity. We have therefore evaluated the safety of PAL in New Zealand rabbits by intra-bone marrow injection, and provide a basis of further clinical research and application of PALs. In this study, both a plasma jet and plasma surface were used to treat saline solution, phosphate-buffered solution, and cell culture medium, to produce PAL. Then, oscillograms and optical emission spectra were evaluated to characterize the plasma discharge. Acute toxicity tests and safety evaluation studies were conducted by intra-bone marrow injection of PAL into New Zealand rabbits, while control rabbits received saline only. Body weight, vital organ coefficient, organ appearance, organ histopathology, blood cell and hemoglobin parameters, and blood biochemical indicators were tested on the 30th day after injection. We found that there was no mortality or loss of mobility throughout the experimental period. Acute toxicity tests showed that there were no PAL-related side effects in rabbits receiving the maximum dose of 700 μL PAL. PAL treatments did not affect body weight, organ coefficient, organ appearance, organ histopathology, or blood biochemical indicators. However, the percentage of lymphocytes decreased while the percentage of neutrophil granulocytes increased compared with the control group. In summary, our results indicate that PAL can be safely injected into bone marrow of New Zealand rabbits without significant toxicity.

Comparison of the Metabolites of Water Polo Players before and after Competition by the Metabolomic Approach

Background. The metabolic characteristics of body fluids of excellent water polo players before and after competition have not been reported. The purpose of the study was to compare the metabolites in the urine of water polo players before and after competition by 1H-NMR-based metabolomic approach. Methods. Twenty-six young water polo players participated in the study voluntarily. The urine and blood samples of players were collected one week before competition (A), immediately after competition (B), and one week after competition (C). Metabolomic analysis was conducted on the urine samples. Urine routine items and biochemical indicators in blood samples were detected. Results. Metabolomic results showed that the contents of eleven metabolites including lactic acid, acetoacetate, and succinic acid in the urine of the subjects increased and four metabolites such as dimethylamine, choline, and glucose decreased at stage B. Most metabolites at stage C had basically returned to the levels at stage A. Pyruvate metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, synthesis, and degradation of ketone bodies were mainly involved in the above process. Urine conventional analysis results showed that the urine pH decreased dramatically and the levels of PRO and URO significantly increased at stage B, and the three indicators had similar values between stages A and C. The other indicators did not have obvious difference among the three stages. Analysis of blood biochemical indicators showed that the levels of LDH, BUN, CK, and AST significantly increased at stage B and did not show an obvious difference between stages A and C. The results are helpful for coaches to arrange the athletes’ diet reasonably and to conduct scientific training for athletes.

Protective Effect of Water-Soluble C60 Fullerene Nanoparticles on the Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of the Muscle Soleus in Rats

The biomechanical parameters of muscle soleus contraction in rats and their blood biochemical indicators after the intramuscular administration of water-soluble C60 fullerene at doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg 1 h before the onset of muscle ischemia were investigated. In particular, changes in the contraction force of the ischemic muscle soleus, the integrated power of the muscle, the time to achieve the maximum force response, the dynamics of fatigue processes, and the parameters of the transition from dentate to smooth tetanus, levels of creatinine, creatine kinase, lactate and lactate dehydrogenase, and parameters of prooxidant–antioxidant balance (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, hydrogen peroxide, and reduced glutathione and catalase) were analyzed. The positive therapeutic changes in the studied biomechanical and biochemical markers were revealed, which indicate the possibility of using water-soluble C60 fullerenes as effective prophylactic nanoagents to reduce the severity of pathological conditions of the muscular system caused by ischemic damage to skeletal muscles.

Analysis of Predictive Factors of Antibiotic Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Children with Acute Appendicitis

Objectives: To analyze the antibiotic resistance in children with acute appendicitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa), and to explore the predictors of infection and antibiotic resistance in children with acute appendicitis through blood biochemical indicators Methods: 50 control children (with no bacteria detected in the culture) and 103 children with P. aeruginosa infection who were admitted to the general surgery department of Jiangxi children’s hospital and treated surgically from January 2015 to June 2019 were analyzed. Results: Cefotaxime, cotrimoxazole and tetracycline had the highest drug resistance rates in children with appendicitis caused by P. aeruginosa, with (93.20%, 96/103), (93.20%, 96/103) and (93.20%, 96/103), respectively. There were significant pattern differences between the P. aeruginosa infected group and penicillin antibiotics resistant group. The combination of glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), phosphorus (P), free fatty acid (FFA) and fibrinogen (CFbg) could effectively identify whether children with acute appendicitis were infected by P. aeruginosa and whether they were resistant to penicillin antibiotics. For the control group and P. aeruginosa infected group, area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) value of the four indicators was 0.9034 (95% CI, 0.8514 - 0.9555), with a sensitivity and specificity of 84.76% and 87.93%, respectively. For the group with or without penicillin antibiotics resistance, the AUROC value was 0.9341 (95% CI, 0.8681 - 1.0000), with a sensitivity and specificity of 89.04% and 96.88%, respectively. Conclusions: Clinical blood biochemical indicators can reflect bacterial infection and antibiotic resistance in children with acute appendicitis to a certain extent, and the combination of GGT, P, FFA, and CFbg can predict P. aeruginosa infection and penicillin antibiotics resistance in children with acute appendicitis.

CHANGE IN BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS AND INTESTINAL MORPHOMETRIC INDICATORS BECAUSE OF PROPOLIS PREPARATION INCLUSION IN DIETS

The research results in a number of cases allow us to judge about the change in the functional activity of the studied organs after the use of the drug. The obtained factual material significantly complements the information on the biological properties of the aqueous-alcoholic propolis emulsion. In practical veterinary medicine, research results can be taken into account when prescribing propolis for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, since histological analysis of intestinal sections did not reveal destructive or pathological changes in all compared groups. In the field of zootechnics, the obtained practical material makes it possible to concretize the stimulating effect of the preparation in terms of stimulating the growth of animals depending on the age of pigs. So, as a result of the study, it was found that the most characteristic histological changes in the structural components of the intestinal wall are observed in the ileum of piglets and pigs of the experimental groups. The height of the villi of this intestine in piglets of the experimental piglet is 280.97 ± 3.37 μm, and in the control piglet – 193.89 ± 2.66 μm (p <0.001). In pigs receiving the drug, the villi also have a greater height – 256.89 ± 1.62 μm versus 163.96 ± 0.61 μm in the control group. In piglets and pigs of the control groups, the shape of the villi of the ileum is finger-shaped or bottle-shaped, while in the animals of the experimental groups their forms are more differentiated – bottle-shaped, leaf-shaped and dome-shaped. This will allow young animals receiving propolis to better absorb the nutrients of the diet and gain weight faster. The biochemical parameters of the blood of all animals in the dynamics of the experiment were within the physiological norm. The only exception was a slight decrease below the norm in piglets in the control group with reserve alkalinity of 44.81 ± 0.98 vol. % CO2, observed at the beginning of the experiment. The research results are of interest to researchers developing oral propolis preparations.