Efficacy of natural zeolite and pigments on yolk color and performance of laying hens

An in vivo study was conducted to evaluate pigment adsorptive ability of a natural zeolite in laying hens. This experiment was performed with three hundred sixty Hy-line W-36 strain of laying hens at 43 weeks of age. After a two weeks adaptation period, they received six experimental diets with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. The experimental groups were fed with cornsoy- wheat based diets containing three levels of natural zeolite (0.0, 1.5 and 3.0%) and 2 levels of synthetic pigment (0.0 and 0.04%) for a 6-week period. Each treatment contained 60 birds, which were randomly divided into 4 replicates of 15 birds each. The results showed that egg production, egg weight, shell thickness and the shell percent values did not significantly differ between treatments, but that the yolk color index was significantly reduced and increased by the addition of zeolite and pigment levels to the diet, respectively.Key words: Natural zeolite, pigment, yolk color, laying hens

A Case of Atypical McCune-Albright Syndrome with Vaginal Bleeding

Abstract Background: McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is a rare non-inherited disorder characterized by the clinical triad of precocious puberty, cafe-au-lait skin lesions, and fibrous dysplasia of bone. Case Presentation: We report a girl with MAS, presenting initially with vaginal bleeding at the age of 17 months. Ultrasonography revealed unilateral ovarian cysts and ureteral and ovarian enlargement. Considering the clinical and paraclinical findings, the patient diagnosed as a case of gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty was treated with medroxy-progestrone acetate (MPA) for three months. During the follow up, recurrent episodes of bleeding, ovarian activation and cyst formation, as well as breast size development were reported. At the age of 5.5 years, fibrous dysplasia was detected, which in coexistence with precocious puberty confirmed the diagnosis of MAS. The patient had no cafe-au-lait skin macles during follow up. Conclusion: Considering that clinical manifestations of MAS appear later in the course of recurrent periods of ovarian activation and cyst formation, a careful clinical observation and follow up of patients is necessary and the diagnosis of MAS must be kept in mind in cases with gonadotropinindependent precocious puberty

Discordance in diagnosis of osteoporosis using spine and hip bone densitometry

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic discordance for osteoporosis is the observation that the T-score of an individual patient varies from one key measurement site to another, falling into two different diagnostic categories identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system. This study was conducted to evaluate the presence and risk factors for this phenomenon in a large sample of Iranian population. METHODS: Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, and risk factors for osteoporosis were derived from a database on 4229 patients referred to a community-based outpatient osteoporosis testing center from 2000 to 2003. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed on L1–L4 lumbar spine and total hip for all cases. Minor discordance was defined as present when the difference between two sites was no more than one WHO diagnostic class. Major discordance was present when one site is osteoporotic and the other is normal. Subjects with incomplete data were excluded. RESULTS: In 4188 participants (3848 female, mean age 53.4 ± 11.8 years), major discordance, minor discordance, and concordance of T-scores were seen in 2.7%, 38.9% and 58.3%, respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age, menopause, obesity, and belated menopause were recognized as risk factors and hormone replacement therapy as a protective factor against T-score discordance. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of T-score discordance may lead to problems in interpretation of the densitometry results for some patients. This phenomenon should be regarded as a real and prevalent finding and physicians should develop a particular strategy approaching to these patients

Honey as a complementary medicine

The beneficial effects of honey on human health have long been recognized. Today, many of those positive effects have been studied to elucidate its mode of action. This review briefly summarizes the best studied features of honey, highlighting it as an appealing alternative medicine. In these reports, the health benefits of honey range from antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory activity to anticancer action, metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, prebiotic properties, human pathogen control, and antiviral activity. These studies also support that the honey's biological activity is mainly dependent on its floral or geographic origin. In addition, some promising synergies between honey and antibiotics have been found, as well as some antiviral properties that require further investigation. Altogether, these studies show that honey is effectively a nutraceutical foodstuff.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The impact of clothing style on bone mineral density among post menopausal women in Morocco: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: The clothing style is an important factor that influences vitamin D production and thus bone mineral density. We performed a case-control study in order to evaluate the effect of veil wearing (concealing clothing) on bone mineral density in Moroccan post menopausal women. METHODS: The cases were osteoporotic women whose disease was assessed by bone mineral density measurement. Each patient was matched with a non osteoporotic woman for age, and body mass index. All our patients were without secondary causes or medications that might affect bone density. The veil was defined as a concealing clothing which covered most of the body including the arms, the legs and the head. This definition is this of the usual Moroccan traditional clothing style. RESULTS: 178 post menopausal osteoporotic patients and 178 controls were studied. The mean age of the cases and the controls was 63.2 years (SD 7) and the mean body mass index was 32.1 (SD 8). The results of crude Odds Ratios analyses indicated that wearing a veil was associated with a high risk of osteoporosis: OR 2.29 (95% CI, 1.38–3.82). Multiparity or a history of familial peripheral osteoporotic fractures had also a significant effect on increasing the osteoporosis risk (ORs: 1.87 (95% CI, 1.05–3.49) and 2.01 (95% CI, 1.20–3.38)). After a multiple regression analysis, wearing the veil and a history of familial osteoporotic fractures remained the both independent factors that increased the osteoporosis risk (ORs: 2.20 (95% CI, 1.22–3.9) and 2.19 (95% CI, 1.12–4.29) respectively). CONCLUSION: our study suggested that in Moroccan post menopausal women, wearing a traditional concealing clothing covering arms, legs and head increased the risk of osteoporosis. Further studies are required to evaluate the clinical impact of the above findings and to clarify the status of vitamin D among veiled women in Morocco

Bacteriophage biodistribution and infectivity from honeybee to bee larvae using a T7 phage model

Bacteriophages (phages) or viruses that specifically infect bacteria have widely been studied as biocontrol agents against animal and plant bacterial diseases. They offer many advantages compared to antibiotics. The American Foulbrood (AFB) is a bacterial disease affecting honeybee larvae caused by Paenibacillus larvae. Phages can be very significant in fighting it mostly due to European restrictions to the use of antibiotics in beekeeping. New phages able to control P. larvae in hives have already been reported with satisfactory results. However, the efficacy and feasibility of administering phages indirectly to larvae through their adult workers only by providing phages in bees feeders has never been evaluated. This strategy is considered herein the most feasible as far as hive management is concerned. This in vivo study investigated the ability of a phage to reach larvae in an infective state after oral administration to honeybees. The screening (by direct PFU count) and quantification (by quantitative PCR) of the phage in bee organs and in larvae after ingestion allowed us to conclude that despite 104 phages reaching larvae only an average of 32 were available to control the spread of the disease. The fast inactivation of many phages in royal jelly could compromise this therapeutic approach. The protection of phages from hive-derived conditions should be thus considered in further developments for AFB treatment.This study was supported by the project APILYSE, PTDC/CVT-EPI/4008/2014 - POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016598, - funded by FEDER through COMPETE 2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and by national funds trough FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. The work was also supported by the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004), funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. HR was supported by FCT through the grant SFRH/BD/128859/2017. RC was founded by FCT and FEDER (POCI-010145-FEDER-007274).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The prevalence of human trichuriasis in Asia: a systematic review and meta‑analysis

Trichuriasis is one of the most common soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, affecting populations globally. The condition is particularly prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas with low levels of sanitation and poor living conditions. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the prevalence of Trichuris trichiura infection in Asia at the country and region level. Multiple databases/academic search engines (Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched for literature on T. trichiura prevalence in Asia published through January 2021. Pooled prevalence was determined using the meta-package in R (version 3.6.1). Out of 13,836 articles, 226 studies (5,439,500 individuals) from 26 countries met the inclusion criteria. Of the 226 studies, 151 were community-based studies that included individuals across the age spectrum, while 75 studies focused on school children (typically in the 5–16 years age range). The overall T. trichiura pooled prevalence was 15.3% (95% CI: 12.4–19.1%), with a pooled prevalence of 13.3% (95% CI: 10.0–17.1%) for the community studies and 20.9% (95% CI: 14.7–27.9%) for the studies only including school children. For studies including all age groups, individuals in the 1–15 years age group had the highest pooled prevalence at 23.4% (95% CI: 1.7–49.4%). There was a significant difference found in overall pooled prevalence by sex (p < 0.001) and community type (rural versus urban) (p < 0.001). Although prevalence appears to be decreasing, study findings suggest that T. trichiura infection continues to be a public health problem in Asia. Therefore, control programs focused on at-risk individuals in endemic areas are needed

McCune-Albright syndrome

McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is classically defined by the clinical triad of fibrous dysplasia of bone (FD), café-au-lait skin spots, and precocious puberty (PP). It is a rare disease with estimated prevalence between 1/100,000 and 1/1,000,000. FD can involve a single or multiple skeletal sites and presents with a limp and/or pain, and, occasionally, a pathologic fracture. Scoliosis is common and may be progressive. In addition to PP (vaginal bleeding or spotting and development of breast tissue in girls, testicular and penile enlargement and precocious sexual behavior in boys), other hyperfunctioning endocrinopathies may be involved including hyperthyroidism, growth hormone excess, Cushing syndrome, and renal phosphate wasting. Café-au-lait spots usually appear in the neonatal period, but it is most often PP or FD that brings the child to medical attention. Renal involvement is seen in approximately 50% of the patients with MAS. The disease results from somatic mutations of the GNAS gene, specifically mutations in the cAMP regulating protein, Gs alpha. The extent of the disease is determined by the proliferation, migration and survival of the cell in which the mutation spontaneously occurs during embryonic development. Diagnosis of MAS is usually established on clinical grounds. Plain radiographs are often sufficient to make the diagnosis of FD and biopsy of FD lesions can confirm the diagnosis. The evaluation of patients with MAS should be guided by knowledge of the spectrum of tissues that may be involved, with specific testing for each. Genetic testing is possible, but is not routinely available. Genetic counseling, however, should be offered. Differential diagnoses include neurofibromatosis, osteofibrous dysplasia, non-ossifying fibromas, idiopathic central precocious puberty, and ovarian neoplasm. Treatment is dictated by the tissues affected, and the extent to which they are affected. Generally, some form of surgical intervention is recommended. Bisphosphonates are frequently used in the treatment of FD. Strengthening exercises are recommended to help maintaining the musculature around the FD bone and minimize the risk for fracture. Treatment of all endocrinopathies is required. Malignancies associated with MAS are distinctly rare occurrences. Malignant transformation of FD lesions occurs in probably less than 1% of the cases of MAS

Regular consumption of vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink (Doogh) improved endothelial biomarkers in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as the underlying cause of diabetic angiopathy that eventually leads to cardiovascular disease, the major cause of death in diabetes. We recently demonstrated the ameliorating effect of regular vitamin D intake on the glycemic status of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, the effects of improvement of vitamin D status on glycemic status, lipid profile and endothelial biomarkers in T2D subjects were investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects with T2D were randomly allocated to one of the two groups to receive either plain yogurt drink (PYD; containing 170 mg calcium and no vitamin D/250 mL, n₁= 50) or vitamin D3-fortified yogurt drink (FYD; containing 170 mg calcium and 500 IU/250 mL, n₂= 50) twice a day for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measures, glycemic status, lipid profile, body fat mass (FM) and endothelial biomarkers including serum endothelin-1, E-selectin and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were evaluated at the beginning and after the 12-week intervention period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in fasting glucose, the Quantitative Insulin Check Index (QUICKI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triacylglycerols, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), endothelin-1, E-selectin and MMP-9 in FYD compared to PYD (<it>P </it>< 0.05, for all). Interestingly, difference in changes of endothelin-1, E-selectin and MMP-9 concentrations in FYD compared to PYD (-0.35 ± 0.63 versus -0.03 ± 0.55, <it>P </it>= 0.028; -3.8 ± 7.3 versus 0.95 ± 8.3, <it>P </it>= 0.003 and -2.3 ± 3.7 versus 0.44 ± 7.1 ng/mL, respectively, <it>P </it>< 0.05 for all), even after controlling for changes of QUICKI, FM and waist circumference, remained significant for endothelin-1 and MMP-9 (<it>P </it>= 0.009 and <it>P </it>= 0.005, respectively) but disappeared for E-selectin (<it>P </it>= 0.092). On the contrary, after controlling for serum 25(OH)D, the differences disappeared for endothelin-1(<it>P </it>= 0.066) and MMP-9 (<it>P </it>= 0.277) but still remained significant for E-selectin (<it>P </it>= 0.011).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ameliorated vitamin D status was accompanied by improved glycemic status, lipid profile and endothelial biomarkers in T2D subjects. Our findings suggest both direct and indirect ameliorating effects of vitamin D on the endothelial biomarkers.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01236846">NCT01236846</a></p