Effects of <i>γ</i>-Polyglutamic Acid on Blood Glucose and Caecal Short Chain Fatty Acids in Adult Male Mice

γ-Polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a major component of Natto. We hypothesized that γ-PGA could reduce postprandial glucose rise and plasma glucose levels. Mice were fed a 0.1% γ-PGA—containing diet or control diet for 91 days. Maltose and starch tolerance tests were performed, and plasma lipids, glucose levels, and caecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured. Mice were co-administered γ-PGA and starch to suppress the initial rise in blood glucose levels. Blood glucose levels at 15 min were significantly lower in the PGA group than in the Con group (P 0.05). The plasma glucose level and NEFA level were also significantly lower in the PGA group (P 0.05), and caecal acetic acid/total caecal SCFAs ratio was significantly increased in the PGA group (P 0.05). Significant negative correlations existed between the caecal acetic acid/propionic acid ratio and the weight of visceral fat/BW (r =?-0.57, P = 0.0318). Our results suggest that γ-PGA may effectively prevent metabolic syndrome by lowering blood glucose levels.

Expression and clinical significance of short-chain fatty acids in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

BACKGROUND Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP)is a pregnancy-specific liver condition that typically arises in the middle and late stages of pregnancy.Short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs),prominent metabolites of the gut microbiota,have significant connections with various pregnancy complications,and some SCFAs hold potential for treating such complications.However,the metabolic profile of SCFAs in patients with ICP remains unclear.AIM To investigate the metabolic profiles and differences in SCFAs present in the maternal and cord blood of patients with ICP and determine the clinical significance of these findings.METHODS Maternal serum and cord blood samples were collected from both patients with ICP(ICP group)and normal pregnant women(NP group).Targeted metabolomics was used to assess the SCFA levels in these samples.RESULTS Significant differences in maternal SCFAs were observed between the ICP and NP groups.Most SCFAs exhibited a consistent declining trend in cord blood samples from the ICP group,mirroring the pattern seen in maternal serum.Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between maternal serum SCFAs and cord blood SCFAs[r(Pearson)=0.88,P=7.93e-95].In both maternal serum and cord blood,acetic and caproic acids were identified as key metabolites contributing to the differences in SCFAs between the two groups(variable importance for the projection>1).Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that multiple SCFAs in maternal blood have excellent diagnostic capabilities for ICP,with caproic acid exhibiting the highest diagnostic efficacy(area under the curve=0.97).CONCLUSION Compared with the NP group,significant alterations were observed in the SCFAs of maternal serum and cord blood in the ICP group,although they displayed distinct patterns of change.Furthermore,the SCFA levels in maternal serum and cord blood were significantly positively correlated.Notably,certain maternal serum SCFAs,specifically caproic and acetic acids,demonstrated excellent diagnostic efficiency for ICP.

Measuring phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.3.4) activity using two phosphomolybdate-based colorimetric methods

Phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase (3-sn-phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.4), also known as PAP, catalyzes the dephosphorylation of phosphatidic acid (PtdOH) to form diacylglycerol (DAG) and inorganic orthophosphate. In eukaryotes, the PAP driven reaction is the committed step in the synthesis of triacylglycerol (TAG). Existing methods for measuring PAP activity rely on the use of radioactive PtdOH. These methods are costly and cumbersome. In this report, we describe a simple assay procedure to measure released inorganic orthophosphate, which is a coproduct of the PAP reaction. Each molecule of PtdOH would release one molecule of DAG and one molecule of inorganic orthophosphate (Pi) when subjected to enzymatic breakdown under optimal conditions. Given the published rates of in vitro PAP enzymatic activity from various sources, we proposed that colorimetric determination of released Pi is possible. With this view, we performed in vitro PAP activity assays using freshly isolated enzyme from bitter gourd, Momordica charantia, and measured the released Pi using two spectrophotometric methods. Both methods gave about 2.0 to 2.25 ηkat per mg of protein. Thus, it is now possible to perform PAP activity using a simple procedure that uses nonradioactive substrates, provided the sample is dialyzed extensively to lower the intrinsic concentration of free phosphate. The kinetics data presented in this study is comparable to that of other PAP enzymes reported elsewhere, which gives credence to the notion that non-radioactive methods can be used to perform PAP activity.

Purification, characterization, and bioinformatics studies of phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase from <i>Lagenaria siceraria</i>

Phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase (PAP), EC 3.1.3.4, is the penultimate step in the Kennedy pathway of triacyl glycerol (TAG) synthesis leading to the formation of diacylglycerol (DAG), which is a key intermediate in TAG synthesis. We partially purified a soluble PAP from mid maturing seeds of bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria. The steps include both anionic and cationic ion exchanger columns. Catalytic characterization of the partially purified PAP revealed that the optimum pH and temperature for activity were at 5.5?C and 45?C. Under optimum assay condition using dioleoyl phosphatidic acid (DPA) as the substrate, the Vmax and Km were 0.36 ηkat/mg of protein and 200 μM, respectively. For the synthetic substrate, ρ-nitrophenylphosphate, ρ-NPP, the Vmax and Km were 33.0 nkat/mg of protein and 140 μM, respectively. The activity was neither inhibited nor enhanced by the presence of Mg2+ at a concentration range of 0 to 10 mM. Two major protein bands at 42-kDa and 27-kDa were visible in SDS-PAGE after partial purification. Bioinformatics analysis of tryp-sinized protein fractions containing PAP activity showed peptide sequences with sequence homology to various phosphate metabolizing enzymes including cucumber and castor bean purple acid phosphatase, polyphosphate kinase, fructose biphosphate aldolase, and enolase from various dicotyledonous plants including rice, corn, grape, and Arabidopsis lyrata.

Improvement of regional cerebral blood flow after oral intake of ranched-chain amino acids in patients with cirrhosis

AIM： To evaluate the effect of oral intake of branchedchain amino acids （BCAA） on brain perfusion in patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS： Single photon emission computed tomography scans were performed in 43 patients with cirrhosis and in 15 age-matched healthy subjects. Twenty-nine out of forty-three patients were randomly treated with either BCAA granules or placebo, and single photon emission computed tomography was performed before and after the treatment. We measured the regional cerebral blood flow values using a threedimensional stereotaxic region of interest template. RESULTS： Cirrhotic patients had regions of significant hypoperfusion in the bilateral central （right P = 0.039, P〈0.05; left P = 0.006 P〈0.01）, parietal （right P = 0.028, P〈0.05; left P = 0.009, P〈0.01）, angular （right P = 0.039, P〈0.05; left P = 0.008, P〈0.01）, and left pericallosal segments （P = 0.038 P〈0.05） as compared with healthy subjects. A significant increase in cerebral perfusion was observed 70 min after the oral intake of BCAA in the angular （right P = 0.012, P〈0.05; left P = 0.049, P〈0.05）, temporal （right P = 0.012, P〈0.05; left P=0.038, P〈0.05）, pericallosal segments （right P = 0.025, P〈0.05; left P = 0.049, P〈0.05） and left precentral （P = 0.044, P〈0.05）, parietal （P = 0.040, P〈0.05） and thalamus （P = 0.033, P〈0.05）. No significant change in perfusion was observed in the placebo group. CONCLUSION： Administration of BCAA rapidly improves cerebral perfusion.

Analysis of Blood Lipids, Blood Glucose, Blood Uric Acid, and Blood Routine Test Results in Retired Employees of a Unit in the Civil Aviation System

Objective:To investigate and analyze the annual physical examination results of retired employees from a unit in the civil aviation system,focusing on blood lipids,blood glucose,blood uric acid,and blood routine results.The study aims to provide relevant references for formulating reasonable disease management measures for preventing and controlling hyperlipidemia,hyperuricemia,and other conditions in retired employees.Methods:The examination results of 231 participants were collected and analyzed.The participants were divided into four groups based on age:middle-aged group,young-old group,middle-old group,and old-old group.The blood test results were compared across these groups,and an assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)risk levels was completed in conjunction with medical history.Blood test results were also compared by gender.Results:There were no significant statistical differences in blood test results when grouped by age.However,the prevalence of hyperuricemia was higher in males than in females,while the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was higher in females than in males.The LDL-C target achievement rate was lower in the moderate-and-high-risk group as well as the very high-risk group as defined by ASCVD risk levels.Conclusion:Management of hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia in retired employees(elderly patients)should be strengthened to reduce the risk of ASCVD events and alleviate the potential medical burden associated with disease progression.

Blood diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating neurodegenerative disease for which the current treatment approaches remain severely limited.The principal pathological alterations of the disease include the selective degeneration of motor neurons in the brain,brainstem,and spinal cord,as well as abnormal protein deposition in the cytoplasm of neurons and glial cells.The biological markers under extensive scrutiny are predominantly located in the cerebrospinal fluid,blood,and even urine.Among these biomarke rs,neurofilament proteins and glial fibrillary acidic protein most accurately reflect the pathologic changes in the central nervous system,while creatinine and creatine kinase mainly indicate pathological alterations in the peripheral nerves and muscles.Neurofilament light chain levels serve as an indicator of neuronal axonal injury that remain stable throughout disease progression and are a promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarker with high specificity and sensitivity.However,there are challenges in using neurofilament light chain to diffe rentiate amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from other central nervous system diseases with axonal injury.Glial fibrillary acidic protein predominantly reflects the degree of neuronal demyelination and is linked to non-motor symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis such as cognitive impairment,oxygen saturation,and the glomerular filtration rate.TAR DNA-binding protein 43,a pathological protein associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,is emerging as a promising biomarker,particularly with advancements in exosome-related research.Evidence is currently lacking for the value of creatinine and creatine kinase as diagnostic markers;however,they show potential in predicting disease prognosis.Despite the vigorous progress made in the identification of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis biomarkers in recent years,the quest for definitive diagnostic and prognostic biomarke rs remains a formidable challenge.This review summarizes the latest research achievements concerning blood biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that can provide a more direct basis for the differential diagnosis and prognostic assessment of the disease beyond a reliance on clinical manifestations and electromyography findings.

CIN85 associates with endosomal membrane and binds phosphatidic acid

CIN85 （Cbl-interacting protein of 85 kDa） is an important molecule involved in receptor tyrosine kinase endocytosis. Here we report that through its positively charged C-terminus, CIN85 associates with a fusogenic lipid - phosphatidic acid. Its coiled-coil domain plays an important role in mediating this protein-lipid interaction. Deletion of the coiled-coil domain results in loss of membrane association, and reduced interaction with c-cbl, finally causing the blockage of epidermal growth factor receptor downregulation. In addition, a significant portion of CIN85 is located on the endosomal compartment and is related to endocytic cargo sorting, characterized by CIN85＇s localization on the ＂E class＂ compartment and EGF degradation blockage in CIN85 knockdown cells. Taken together, our results suggest that CIN85 may function as a scaffold molecule in both the internalization and endocytic cargo sorting processes through its association with the endosomal membrane.

The Relationships between Erythrocyte Membrane n-6 to n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Ratio and Blood Lipids and C-reactive Protein in Chinese Adults:An Observational Study

Objective To investigate the relationships between erythrocyte membrane n-6：n-3 PUFAs ratio and blood lipids and high sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）. Methods The Chinese and a observational study consisted of a population-based cross-sectiona subsequent 1-year follow-up study of 171 subjects with the fasting cholesterol of 5.13-8.00 mmol/L. study of 456 plasma total Results In the cross-sectional analysis, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-c） had a significant and negative association with the erythrocyte membrane n-6：n-3 PUFAs ratio （P for trend=0.019） after adjusting for sex, age and total PUFA percentage. In the follow-up study, 171 subjects were categorized into quartiles by the changes of n-6：n-3 ratio in erythrocyte membrane （△=month 12-month 0）. In the top quartile whose ratios of n-6：n-3 increased by an average of 1.25 during the follow-up, the LDL-c-lowering extent was 3.3 times of that in the lowest quartile whose ratios of n-6：n-3 decreased by an average of 1.13 （-1.07 mmol/L v.s. -0.32 mmol/L）. The hsCRP decreased by 0.11 mg/dL in the lowest quartile while increasing by 0.10 mg/dL in the top quartile （P for difference=0.052）. Conclusion Our results suggested that the balance between n-6 and n-3 fatty acids may optimize the cardiovascular benefits from dietary PUFAs.

Blood exosomal micro ribonucleic acid profiling reveals the complexity of hepatocellular carcinoma and identifies potential biomarkers for differential diagnosis

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide,but there is a shortage of effective biomarkers for its diagnosis.AIM To explore blood exosomal micro ribonucleic acids(miRNAs)as potential biomarkers for HCC diagnosis.RESULTS The principal component analysis suggested that daily alcohol consumption could alter the blood exosomal miRNA profiles of hepatitis B virus positive non-HCC patients through miR-3168 and miR-223-3p.The miRNA profiles also revealed the tumor stages of HCC patients.High expression of miR-455-5p and miR-30c-5p,which significantly correlated with better overall survival in tumor tissues,could also be detected in blood exosomes.Two pairs of miRNAs(miR-584-5p/miR-106-3p and miR-628-3p/miR-941)showed a 94.1%sensitivity and 68.4%specificity to differentiate HCC patients from non-HCC patients.The specificity of the combination was substantially influenced by alcohol consumption habits.CONCLUSION This study suggested that blood exosomal miRNAs can be used as new noninvasive diagnostic tools for HCC.However,their accuracy could be affected by tumor stage and alcohol consumption habits.

Efficacy of topical vs intravenous tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss and promoting wound healing in bone surgery:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Tranexamic acid(TXA)has been used as an anti-fibrinolytic drug for over half a century and has received much attention in recent decades.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of topical vs intravenous TXA in reducing blood loss and promoting wound healing in bone surgery.METHODS From the electronic resources,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Embase,ISI,and Scopus were used to perform a literature search over the last 10 years between 2010 and 2020.EndNote™X8 was used for managing the electronic resource.Searches were performed with mesh terms.The data were retracted blindly by two independent reviewers.Random effects were used to deal with potential heterogeneity and I2 showed heterogeneity.Chi-square(I2)tests were used to quantify the extent of heterogeneity(P<0.01 was considered statistically significant).The efficacy of topical TXA in reducing blood loss and promoting wound healing in bone surgery was compared with intravenous TXA and placebo.RESULTS According to the research design,1360 potentially important research abstracts and titles were discovered in our electronic searches,and 18 papers remained in agreement with our inclusion criteria.It was found that TXA reduced 277.51 mL of blood loss compared to placebo,and there was no significant difference between topical TXA and IV TXA in reducing blood loss in bone surgery.Our analyses also showed that TXA significantly reduced blood transfusion compared to placebo and there was no significant difference between topical TXA and IV TXA.CONCLUSION The use of both topical and intravenous TXA are equally effective in reducing blood loss in bone surgery,which might be beneficial for wound healing after surgery.

The market for amino acids: understanding supply and demand of substrate for more efficient milk protein synthesis

For dairy production systems, nitrogen is an expensive nutrient and potentially harmful waste product. With three quarters of fed nitrogen ending up in the manure, significant research efforts have focused on understanding and mitigating lactating dairy cows' nitrogen losses. Recent changes proposed to the Nutrient Requirement System for Dairy Cattle in the US include variable efficiencies of absorbed essential AA for milk protein production. This first separation from a purely substrate-based system, standing on the old limiting AA theory, recognizes the ability of the cow to alter the metabolism of AA. In this review we summarize a compelling amount of evidence suggesting that AA requirements for milk protein synthesis are based on a demand-driven system. Milk protein synthesis is governed at mammary level by a set of transduction pathways, including the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1), the integrated stress response(ISR), and the unfolded protein response(UPR). In tight coordination, these pathways not only control the rate of milk protein synthesis, setting the demand for AA, but also manipulate cellular AA transport and even blood flow to the mammary glands, securing the supply of those needed nutrients. These transduction pathways, specifically mTORC1, sense specific AA, as well as other physiological signals, including insulin, the canonical indicator of energy status. Insulin plays a key role on mTORC1 signaling, controlling its activation, once AA have determined mTORC1 localization to the lysosomal membrane.Based on this molecular model, AA and insulin signals need to be tightly coordinated to maximize milk protein synthesis rate. The evidence in lactating dairy cows supports this model, in which insulin and glucogenic energy potentiate the effect of AA on milk protein synthesis. Incorporating the effect of specific signaling AA and the differential role of energy sources on utilization of absorbed AA for milk protein synthesis seems like the evident following step in nutrient requirement systems to further improve N efficiency in lactating dairy cow rations.

Relationship between Obesity, Serum Uric Acid, Serum Potassium and Glomerular Filtration Rate with Electric Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Blacks Central Africans with High Blood Pressure

The authors conducted a retrospective study over a period of 6 months in a hypertensive population in order to determine the correlation between serum uric acid on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and estimated serum potassium with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and obesity. This study enrolled 122 patients including 63 women (51.6%). The mean age was 55.9 ± 10.6 years (range 30 to 74 years). Obesity weight was found in 38 cases (31.1%) of which 20?were men (33.9%) and 18 women (28.6%). Abdominal obesity was found in 104 cases (85.2%). The average serum uric acid in patients with obesity weight was 63.3 ± 18.9 mg/L vs 62.4 ± 14.2 mg/L for no-obese patients (p?= 0.63). The average serum potassium in obese patients was 4.06 ± 0.42 mEq/L vs 4.02 ± 0.46 mEq/L for no-obese (p?= 0.65). The average GFR was 73.4 ± 21.4 ml/L in obese patients vs 66.6 ± 22.6 ml/min in no-obese (p?= 0.03). The LVH was found in 81 cases (66.4%). The LVH was found in 65 (62.5%) obese patients vs?16 (88%) non-obese patients (OR = 4.8, 95% 1.04?-?22?p?= 0.02). Only abdominal?obesity has been correlated with left ventricular hypertrophy after multivariate analysis. Emphasis must be focused on public health actions for effective and appropriate measures against obesity and hypertension, whose prevalence is increasing in our region.

The Roles of Key Electrolytes in Balancing Blood Acid-Base and Nutrient in Broiler Chickens Reared under Tropical Conditions

The loss of electrolyte balance in diets of broiler chickens has resulted in a serious distur-bance of blood acid-base balance, coupled with elevated body temperature. The body losses carbon dioxide (CO2) and bicarbonate (HCO3), resulting in respiratory alkalosis or acidosis. Under tropical conditions of high environmental temperatures, the balance of electrolytes in feeds must be set much higher as to maintain equal metabolic and digestive efficiency. However, information on the ideal dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) that could effectively correct acid-base imbalance in broiler chickens under severe heat stress condition is scanty. Therefore, the effects of varying electrolyte balance in diets on haematology, blood glucose and serum inorganic elements were assessed in broiler chickens at starter (0 - 21 d) and finisher (22 - 35 d) phases, under temperature-humidity index of 24.97 - 35.19. One day-old Arbor Acre chicks (n = 300) were procured and randomly allotted to diets supplemented with potassium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, to balance monovalent ions (sodium, potassium and chloride) at 210 (T1), 240 (T2), 270 (T3), 300 (T4), 330 (T5) and 360 (T6) mEq/kg DEB, in a completely randomised design. On days 21 and 35, blood (5 mL) samples were collected from birds in each replicate whose weights were closest to the mean class weight for haematology and serum biochemical indices using standard procedures. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at α = 0.05. Different levels of DEB did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) haematology and blood glucose at starter phase. However, at finisher phase, heterophil: lymphocyte of birds on 270 and 240 mEq/kg DEB were lower (P < 0.05) compared to other dietary treatments. Blood acid-base balance was relatively enhanced in birds on aggregate DEB level of 360 mEq/kg with reduced chloride ion and relatively lower incidence of hemodilution with respect to high haemoglobin levels as this level is advantageous in balancing blood acid to base ratio in broiler chickens reared under severe environmental temperatures higher than 43?C ± 5?C as against some previous opinions that did not take into consideration, the inherent dietary electrolyte balance in feedstuff, other functional mono or divalent ions, and the severity of environmental factors.

Gastric Mucosal Blood Flow and Acid Secretion in Rats

The relationship between gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) and gastric acid secretionwere studied in rats by using secretory stimulant (pentagastrin)and inhibitor(cimetidine). GMBFwas measured by Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and gastric mucosal pH determined by microglasspH electrode. GMBF increased and gastric mucosal pH decreased significantly after intravenous injec-tion of 6μg/kg of pentagastrin; nevertheless GMBF decreased and gastric mucosal pH increasedmarkedly after intravenous administration of 100mg/kg of cimetidine. This indicates that pentagastrincan increase GMBF and gastric acid secretion, and cimetidine can decrease GMBF and gastric acidsecretion in rats, proving the close relationship between GMBF and gastric acid secretion in rats.

Influence of folic acid and vitamin B12 combined therapy on plasma Hcy, inflammatory factor levels and blood vessels endothelial function in patients with vascular dementia and type H hypertension

Objective:To investigate influence of folic acid and vitamin B12 combined therapy on plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level, blood vessels endothelial function and inflammatory factors in patients with vascular dementia and type H hypertension.Methods:100 cases of patients with vascular dementia and type H hypertension accorded with the inclusion criteria were selected as research objects. They were randomly divided as the control group and the therapeutic group, 50 cases each. For control group, Enalapril tablets were administered by mouth for treatment. For therapeutic group, folic acid and vitamin B12 treatment were provided on the basis of treatment for control group. Treatments were continued for 12 weeks. Plasma Hcy levels, inflammatory factors [(interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and hypersensitive C reaction protein (hs-CRP)], blood vessels endothelial function indexes variation in patients before and after treatment were observed and detected.Results:Plasma Hcy, IL-6, IL-8 and hs-CRP levels in two groups of patients after treatment were significantly decreased comparing with the same group before treatment, and the above index levels in therapeutic group after treatment were significantly lower than control group (P<0.05);For comparison of blood vessels endothelial function indexes in the patients, NO levels in two groups after treatment were increased in various degrees, and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were decreased. The differences between levels of the two indexes in therapeutic group before and after treatment were significant, and levels after treatment in therapeutic group were significantly better than in control group (P<0.05). While variations of the differences in control group before and after treatment were not significant (P>0.05);After treatment, diastolic pressure and systolic pressure in the two groups of patients were significantly improved comparing with before treatment (P<0.05). However, after treatment, the differences of levels between therapeutic group and control group were not significant (P>0.05). MMSE score in therapeutic group after treatment was significantly higher than before treatment, and significantly higher than in control group (P<0.05).Conclusions: Combined therapy of folic acid and vitamin B12 for treating vascular dementia with type H hypertension could effectively decrease plasma Hcy and inflammatory factor levels, and improve blood vessels endothelial function and dementia degree on patients. It has certain clinical value which deserves to be promoted.

Effect of acute oral chlorogenic acid ingestion on the inhibition of blood glucose excursions following glucose to-lerance testing

The aim of this study was to examine the inhibitory effect of acute oral chlorogenic acid (CGA) ingestion on increases in blood glucose levels following glucose tolerance testing. Ten healthy male adults (age: 25.9 ± 5.4 years) participated in the study. Blood samples were collected from the antecubital vein of subjects following overnight fasting. After a 120-min rest, they were administered 75 g glucose and chlorogenic acid or placebo. The amount of chlorogenic acid administered (in the form of capsules) to the subjects was 0.1g per body mass. In addition, only capsules were ingested in placebo ingestion conditions. Blood samples were collected 4 times during the 120-min rest period at intervals of 30 min. Serum insulin and plasma glucose levels were analyzed. Serum insulin levels increased significantly at 30 min after glucose ingestion, and fixed until 120 min in both conditions. Plasma glucose level increased significantly at 30 min after glucose ingestion, followed by a slow decrease. In addition, no significant difference was found between the conditions in each parameter. In conclusion, acute oral chlorogenic acid ingestion may not inhibition blood glucose increase following glucose tolerance.

Tranexamic Acid and Ethamsylate for Reducing Blood Loss in Patient Undergoing Lower Segment Cesarean Section at High Risk for Post-Partum Hemorrhage: A Pilot Study

Objective: To assess the efficacy of intravenous tranexamic acid and ethamsylate in reducing blood loss during and after elective lower segment cesarean delivery in patients at high risk for postpartum hemorrhage. Methods: A double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study was undertaken of women undergoing elective lower-segment cesarean delivery of a full-term pregnancy at high risk for postpartum hemorrhage at Ain Sham University Maternity Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, between January 2019 and October 2019. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using computer-generated random numbers to receive either 1 g tranexamic acid and 1 gm ethamsylate or 5% glucose (placebo) just after delivery of the fetus. Prophylactic oxytocin was administered to all women. Preoperative and postoperative complete blood count, hematocrit values, and maternal weight were used to calculate the estimated blood loss (EBL) during the cesarean, which was the primary outcome. Results: Analyses included 32 women in each group. Our results showed that tranexamic acid and ethamsylate significantly reduced bleeding during and after cesarean delivery. The study group’s total blood loss (149.22 ± 54.74 ml) was significantly less than the control group (353.75 ± 115.56 ml) (p < 0.001). In our study, postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in the study group than the control group (p < 0.001);Reduction in hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly less in the study group than the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The use of tranexamic acid and ethamsylate during cesarean delivery can significantly reduce blood loss during and after cesarean delivery.

The interplay between non-esterified fatty acids and bovine peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors: results of an in vitro hybrid approach

Background: In dairy cows circulating non-esterified fatty acids(NEFA) increase early post-partum while liver and other tissues undergo adaptation to greater lipid metabolism, mainly regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors(PPAR). PPAR are activated by fatty acids(FA), but it remains to be demonstrated that circulating NEFA or dietary FA activate bovine PPAR. We hypothesized that circulating NEFA and dietary FA activate PPAR in dairy cows.Methods: The dose-response activation of PPAR by NEFA or dietary FA was assessed using HP300 e digital dispenser and luciferase reporter in several bovine cell types. Cells were treated with blood plasma isolated from Jersey cows before and after parturition, NEFA isolated from the blood plasma, FA released from lipoproteins using milk lipoprotein lipase(LPL), and palmitic acid(C16:0). Effect on each PPAR isotype was assessed using specific synthetic inhibitors.Results: NEFA isolated from blood serum activate PPAR linearly up to ~ 4-fold at 400 μmol/L in MAC-T cells but had cytotoxic effect. Addition of albumin to the culture media decreases cytotoxic effects of NEFA but also PPAR activation by ~ 2-fold. Treating cells with serum from peripartum cows reveals that much of the PPAR activation can be explained by the amount of NEFA in the serum(R~2 = 0.91) and that the response to serum NEFA follows a quadratic tendency, with peak activation around 1.4 mmol/L. Analysis of PPAR activation by serum in MAC-T, BFH-12 and BPAEC cells revealed that most of the activation is explained by the activity of PPARδ and PPARγ, but not PPARα. Palmitic acid activated PPAR when added in culture media or blood serum but the activation was limited to PPARδ and PPARα and the response was nil in serum from post-partum cows. The addition of LPL to the serum increased > 1.5-fold PPAR activation.Conclusion: Our results support dose-dependent activation of PPAR by circulating NEFA in bovine, specifically δand γ isotypes. Data also support the possibility of increasing PPAR activation by dietary FA;however, this nutrigenomics approach maybe only effective in pre-partum but not post-partum cows.