Long-term stability of parameters of antioxidant status in human serum

Abstract

The antioxidant status of serum or plasma can be determined using several commercially available assays. Here, four different assays, total antioxidant status (TAS), its second-generation assay (TAS2), biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and enzymatic assay using horseradish peroxidase (EAOC), were applied on human serum samples to test the temperature stability of antioxidants, upon storage of serum for 12 months. The two or three most commonly used temperatures for storage, that is, ? 20, ? 70 (or ? 80), and ? 196°C, were selected. The general conclusion is that all assays were stable at the temperatures tested. In addition, there were almost no statistically significant differences between the samples stored at different temperatures. Only the rank order of the EAOC assay was not very good in samples stored at ? 20°C. Also three components contributing to the total antioxidant capacity, uric acid, creatinine and bilirubin, showed no statistically significant differences between the temperatures. Therefore, storage at ? 20°C is sufficient to maintain a proper assay outcome of most of the total antioxidant assays, although storage at ? 70/80°C is to be preferred for longer storage times.     

On justifying arguments of species membership

In the debate about the moral status of human beings at the margins of life, arguments of species membership are often considered to be the least plausible ones. Against this backdrop, this article explores two possible ways to formulate feasible arguments of species membership. The first is an (in the broadest sense of the word) Aristotelian or neo-Aristotelian argument; the second is an argument from the intrinsic logic of human rights, which Robert Spaemann refers toas a ‘transcendental-pragmatic’ argument. On these grounds, the article proposes a philosophical justification for an at least moderate speciesism.     

虎杖象甲培植真菌营养特性及对菌丝附属物形成的影响

虎杖象甲培植共生真菌形成的共生体系是植菌昆虫菌业中的典型代表。共生真菌Penicillium herquei如何向虎杖象甲Euops chinensis提供营养尚未明确。本研究发现共生真菌P. herquei的菌丝表面存在大量瘤状凸起物及由凸起物衍生的附属丝等特化结构,该结构可能为虎杖象甲提供营养;对共生真菌的营养研究表明,共生真菌能高效利用山梨醇、蔗糖、海藻糖、葡萄糖等单糖或双糖,以及酪氨酸、甘氨酸、谷氨酰胺等昆虫非必须氨基酸,同时在高碳和最适碳源条件下有利于菌丝特化附属物的产生。研究结果不仅提供了植菌卷叶象甲菌业中共生真菌在营养方面的适应性进化证据,而且为进一步揭示共生真菌适应卷叶象甲的营养机制奠定了基础。     

Association of suboptimal health status with intestinal microbiota in Chinese youths

Suboptimal health status (SHS), a physical state between health and disease, is a subclinical and reversible stage of chronic disease. Previous studies have shown alterations in the intestinal microbiota in patients with some chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association between SHS and intestinal microbiota in a case‐control study with 50 SHS individuals and 50 matched healthy controls. Intestinal microbiota was analysed by MiSeq 250PE. Alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota in SHS individuals was higher compared with that of healthy controls (Simpson index, W = 2238, P = .048). Beta diversity was different between SHS and healthy controls (P = .018). At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia was higher in the SHS group than that in the controls (W = 2201, P = .049). Compared with that of the control group, nine genera were significantly higher and five genera were lower in abundance in the SHS group (all P < .05). The intestinal microbiota, analysed by a random forest model, was able to distinguish individuals with SHS from the controls, with an area under the curve of 0.79 (95% confidence interval: 0.77‐0.81). We demonstrated that the alteration of intestinal microbiota occurs with SHS, an early stage of disease, which might shed light on the importance of intestinal microbiota in the primary prevention of noncommunicable chronic diseases.     

没食子酸对美国白蛾幼虫营养效应及解毒酶活性的影响

美国白蛾是我国重大外来入侵害虫,寄主范围十分广泛。酚类物质是最广泛的植物次生代谢物之一,在植物抵御昆虫取食的化学防御中具有重要作用。本研究通过人工饲料添加没食子酸的方法,探究不同浓度的没食子酸对美国白蛾幼虫的营养效应及解毒酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶活性的影响。结果表明,各浓度(1.0%、1.5%、2.0%、2.5%、3.0%)没食子酸对美国白蛾4龄幼虫的近似消化率、食物利用率、相对取食量和相对生长率均具有显著影响(P<0.05),近似消化率和相对取食量不同程度下降,食物利用率和相对生长率则不同程度上升。不同浓度的没食子酸处理对美国白蛾幼虫的乙酰胆碱酯酶、羧酸酯酶、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶和细胞色素P450的活性均具有显著影响(P<0.05)。1.0%没食子酸作用时间不同,美国白蛾4龄幼虫的乙酰胆碱酯酶、羧酸酯酶、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶和细胞色素P450的活性差异显著(P<0.05)。没食子酸能够始终诱导细胞色素P450的活性,而羧酸酯酶的活性却受到抑制。不同浓度的没食子酸对乙酰胆碱酯酶作用总体上不明显,但较低浓度时(1.0%)对乙酰胆碱酯酶活性却随处理时间延长而抑制作用加强。较低浓度(1.0%~1.5%)的没食子酸对谷胱甘肽S-转移酶的活性有一定诱导作用,但随着没食子酸浓度提高谷胱甘肽S-转移酶的活性却受到一定程度的抑制。没食子酸能抑制美国白蛾幼虫的取食,并且对解毒酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性表现出一定的时间效应和剂量效应,表明美国白蛾幼虫可能通过调节食物利用和解毒代谢等多种途径降低没食子酸的毒害作用,从而对含没食子酸的寄主植物产生适应。     

Effect of early antibiotic intervention on specific bacterial communities and immune parameters in the small intestine of growing pigs fed different protein level diets

Antibiotics are designed to affect gut microbiota and subsequently gut homeostasis. However, limited information exists about short- and long-term effects of early antibiotic intervention (EAI) on gut homeostasis (especially for the small intestine) of pigs following antibiotic withdrawal. We investigated the impact of EAI on specific bacterial communities, microbial metabolites and mucosal immune parameters in the small intestine of later-growth-stage pigs fed with diets differing in CP levels. Eighteen litters of piglets were fed creep feed with or without antibiotics from day 7 to day 42. At day 42, pigs within each group were offered a normal- or low-CP diet. Five pigs per group were slaughtered at days 77 and 120. At day 77, EAI increased Enterobacteriaceae counts in the jejunum and ileum and decreased Bifidobacterium counts in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). Moreover, tryptamine, putrescine, secretory immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG concentrations in the ileum and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA and protein levels in the jejunum and ileum were decreased in pigs with EAI (P < 0.05). At day 120, EAI only suppressed Clostridium cluster XIVa counts in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). These results suggest that EAI has a short-term effect on specific bacterial communities, amino acid decarboxylation and mucosal immune parameters in the small intestine (particularly in the ileum). At days 77 and 120, feeding a low-CP diet affected Bifidobacterium, Clostridium cluster IV, Clostridium cluster XIVa and Enterobacteriaceae counts in the jejunum or ileum (P < 0.05). Moreover, feeding a low-CP diet increased the concentrations of Igs in the jejunum and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). At day 120, feeding a low-CP diet increased short-chain fatty acid concentrations, reduced ammonia and spermidine concentrations and up-regulated genes related to barrier function in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). These results suggest that feeding a low-CP diet changes specific bacterial communities and intestinal metabolite concentrations and modifies mucosal immune parameters. These findings contribute to our understanding on the duration of the impact of EAI on gut homeostasis and may provide basis data for nutritional modification in young pigs after antibiotic treatment.     

Baseline Karnofsky performance status is independently predictive of death within 30 days of intracranial radiation therapy completion for metastatic disease

IntroductionFor patients with brain metastases, palliative radiation therapy (RT) has long been a standard of care for improving quality of life and optimizing intracranial disease control. The duration of time between completion of palliative RT and patient death has rarely been evaluated.MethodsA compilation of two prospective institutional databases encompassing April 2015 through December 2018 was used to identify patients who received palliative intracranial radiation therapy. A multivariate logistic regression model characterized patients adjusting for age, sex, admission status (inpatient versus outpatient), Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and radiation therapy indication.Results136 consecutive patients received intracranial palliative radiation therapy. Patients with baseline KPS <70 (OR = 2.2; 95%CI = 1.6–3.1; p < 0.0001) were significantly more likely to die within 30 days of treatment. Intracranial palliative radiation therapy was most commonly delivered to provide local control (66% of patients) or alleviate neurologic symptoms (32% of patients), and was most commonly delivered via whole brain radiation therapy in 10 fractions to 30 Gy (38% of patients). Of the 42 patients who died within 30 days of RT, 31 (74%) received at least 10 fractions.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that baseline KPS <70 is independently predictive of death within 30 days of palliative intracranial RT, and that a large majority of patients who died within 30 days received at least 10 fractions. These results indicate that for poor performance status patients requiring palliative intracranial radiation, hypofractionated RT courses should be strongly considered.     

放线菌分类地位的变迁及其系统学研究最新进展

放线菌是目前细菌域最大的谱系之一,门下物种繁多。放线菌作为人类生产和生活极为密切的微生物类群,其强大的代谢产物编码能力为人们所共识。放线菌系统学是以实现对放线菌进行分类、鉴定、命名为目标的基础学科,因此它是放线菌资源研究和开发利用的重要理论基础。近期,我们放线菌资源与利用团队对2009年版放线菌分类系统再次进行了更新和修订,并被国际权威分类学期刊IJSEM杂志接受发表,进一步巩固了我国在本领域的国际领先地位。重点对放线菌的概念演变、分类地位变迁,以及放线菌系统学研究的最新进展做全面概述,并对其未来发展方向进行了展望,以供国内从事本领域研究的同行参考。