The Antiinfective Effects of Velvet Antler of Formosan Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei) on Staphylococcus aureus-Infected Mice

We assayed the effects of velvet antler (VA) of Formosan sambar deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei) and its extracts on the anti-infective activity against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo in this study. In vitro data indicated that the VA extracts stimulated the proliferation of resting splenocytes and macrophages in a dose-dependent manner up to the highest concentration used (150 μg mL−1). The production of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12) by lipoteichoic acid was significantly suppressed after being cocultured with the VA extracts in a dose-dependent manner. Animal test in S. aureus-infected mice demonstrated that the numbers of bacteria determined in the kidneys and peritoneal lavage fluid of S. aureus-infected mice were significantly higher than those found in the same organs of mice pretreated with the VA samples. Moreover, the highly enhanced phagocytic activity of macrophages was further verified after in vitro treatment with the VA samples. The protective mechanisms of the VA samples might include an immune enhancer and an inflammatory cytokine suppressor

Investigation on functional properties of Taiwanese ropy fermented milk

　　台灣黏質發酵乳 (Taiwanese ropy fermented milk, TRFM) 由本研究室保存，含有可分泌胞外多醣體 (exopolysaccharide, EPS) 之乳酸菌，其質地黏稠類似芬蘭傳統發酵乳viili，因此TRFM又稱作Taiwanese viili。本研究室過去以聚合酶連鎖反應－變性梯度膠體電泳 (polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, PCR-DGGE) 配合16s rDNA定序方法鑑定TRFM中四株乳酸菌 (Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris TL1, TL3, TL4 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides TL2) 及三株酵母菌 (Kluyveromyces marxianus TY1, Pichia fermentans TY2 and Saccharomyces unisporus TY3)。本研究之目的為進一步評估TRFM及其分離菌株之機能性，包括抗氧化、美容功能、抑制血管緊縮素轉化酶 (angiotensin-converting enzyme, ACE) 及免疫調節機能評估。 　　為了解TRFM之抗氧化能力，試驗中檢測亞鐵離子、銅離子的螯合能力及DPPH自由基的清除力。TRFM上清液之DPPH清除力隨著發酵時間增加，但其亞鐵離子和銅離子的螯合力與對照組沒有顯著差異。在美容功能部分，TRFM上清液對於黑色素催化酵素酪胺酸酶的抑制力低於50%，且與兩種痤瘡病原菌共培養均沒有抑菌效果。ACE為人體調控血壓之重要酵素，在臨床治療上，抑制ACE的活性可治療高血壓。本試驗檢測TRFM上清液對ACE的抑制效果，發現隨著發酵時間增長，其ACE抑制力越高。 　　至於免疫調節的部分，胞外試驗的結果顯示TRFM及其分離菌株可刺激小鼠巨噬細胞株RAW 264.7和小鼠脾臟細胞分泌促發炎反應細胞激素、TH1細胞激素和多效性細胞激素IL-10，表示TRFM具有免疫調控之潛力。將TRFM及菌株餵予致敏小鼠，可抑制總IgE及過敏原特異IgE在血清中的濃度，且不同菌株改善過敏的途徑不同；餵予致結腸炎小鼠，則可改善糞便出血評分，結腸長度顯著增加。 　　由以上結果可得知TRFM及分離菌株具有不同面向之機能性。除了在過敏及結腸炎的動物模式中有顯著的改善效果，其抗氧化和ACE的抑制能力仍未經動物試驗證實，且其有效成分及作用機制仍待進一步研究。　Taiwanese ropy fermented milk (TRFM) is a milk product with a ropy and sticky consistency, caused by slime-forming lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the starter cultures producing exopolysacchrides (EPS). Since the texture and flavor of TRFM are similar to that of traditional Finnish fermented milk viili, we also call it “Taiwanese viili”. Four LAB strains (Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris TL1, TL3, TL4 and Leuconostoc mesenteroides TL2) and three yeast strains (Kluyveromyces marxianus TY1, Pichia fermentans TY2 and Saccharomyces unisporus TY3) have been isolated and identified previously in our lab by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The purpose of this study was to further investigate the functional properties of TRFM and the microorganisms, including antioxidation, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition, in vitro immunoregulation, anti-allergic and anti-colitis effects in murine model. 　For antioxidative activities of TRFM, three methods including ferrous ion chelating, cupric ion chelating, and DPPH free radical scavenging were conducted. Results indicated that TRFM supernatant showed significant activities of scavenging DPPH free radical with a fermentation time manner but showed no any chelating ion ability. ACE is known to associate with hypertension and congestive heart failure. The TRFM samples demonstrated a significantly higher inhibition in ACE. For the immunoregulatory effects, TRFM samples and the microorganisms were co-cultured with murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 and murine splenocyte in vitro. TRFM samples and the LAB strains induced the production of TH1 cytokine TNF-alph

Effect of 6-week shoulder and neck exercises on improving neck disability of middle-aged and older adults with chronic neck pain

This study explored the effectiveness of 6-week programme involving shoulder and neck exercises on improving the neck disability of middle-aged and older adults with chronic neck pain. Participants in the Intervention Group (IG) were asked to participate in a 6-week training programme of shoulder and neck exercises, thrice a week, in addition to receiving passive modalities. The Control Group (CG) received passive modalities only. A primary outcome measure was change in Neck Disability Index (NDI) and secondary outcome measures involved changes in pain scores on a visual analogue scale and Cervical Range of Motion (CROM). Assessments were conducted at baseline and after 6-week intervention. In total, 72 participants were recruited for randomised controlled study. After the intervention, the pain scores, NDI and CROM of the IG displayed more significant improvement in the post-test than did the CG. The IG achieved significant improvement in NDI (-7.15 scores; p<0.001), pain scores (-27.97mm; p<0.001) and CROM (p<0.001) after the intervention. The intervention can reduce NDI scores, reduce the self-reported perception of pain scores, and improve CROM of middle-aged and older adults with chronic neck pain

TMEM16C is involved in thermoregulation and protects rodent pups from febrile seizures.

Febrile seizures (FSs) are the most common convulsion in infancy and childhood. Considering the limitations of current treatments, it is important to examine the mechanistic cause of FSs. Prompted by a genome-wide association study identifying TMEM16C (also known as ANO3) as a risk factor of FSs, we showed previously that loss of TMEM16C function causes hippocampal neuronal hyperexcitability [Feenstra et al., Nat. Genet. 46, 1274-1282 (2014)]. Our previous study further revealed a reduction in the number of warm-sensitive neurons that increase their action potential firing rate with rising temperature of the brain region harboring these hypothalamic neurons. Whereas central neuronal hyperexcitability has been implicated in FSs, it is unclear whether the maximal temperature reached during fever or the rate of body temperature rise affects FSs. Here we report that mutant rodent pups with TMEM16C eliminated from all or a subset of their central neurons serve as FS models with deficient thermoregulation. Tmem16c knockout (KO) rat pups at postnatal day 10 (P10) are more susceptible to hyperthermia-induced seizures. Moreover, they display a more rapid rise of body temperature upon heat exposure. In addition, conditional knockout (cKO) mouse pups (P11) with TMEM16C deletion from the brain display greater susceptibility of hyperthermia-induced seizures as well as deficiency in thermoregulation. We also found similar phenotypes in P11 cKO mouse pups with TMEM16C deletion from Ptgds-expressing cells, including temperature-sensitive neurons in the preoptic area (POA) of the anterior hypothalamus, the brain region that controls body temperature. These findings suggest that homeostatic thermoregulation plays an important role in FSs

The Antiinfective Effects of Velvet Antler of Formosan Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei ) on Staphylococcus aureus-Infected Mice

We assayed the effects of velvet antler (VA) of Formosan sambar deer (Cervus unicolor swinhoei) and its extracts on the antiinfective activity against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in vivo in this study. In vitro data indicated that the VA extracts stimulated the proliferation of resting splenocytes and macrophages in a dose-dependent manner up to the highest concentration used (150 μg mL −1 ). The production of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-12) by lipoteichoic acid was significantly suppressed after being cocultured with the VA extracts in a dose-dependent manner. Animal test in S. aureus-infected mice demonstrated that the numbers of bacteria determined in the kidneys and peritoneal lavage fluid of S. aureus-infected mice were significantly higher than those found in the same organs of mice pretreated with the VA samples. Moreover, the highly enhanced phagocytic activity of macrophages was further verified after in vitro treatment with the VA samples. The protective mechanisms of the VA samples might include an immune enhancer and an inflammatory cytokine suppressor

Validation of Hyponatremia as a Prognostic Predictor in Multiregional Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Hyponatremia has been shown to be associated with prognosis in various cancers, but its role in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is largely unidentified. We created an international multiregional cohort of UTUC, consisting of 524 and 213 patients from Taiwan and the U.S., to validate the significance of hyponatremia. Clinicopathologic characteristics were compared according to the presence of hyponatremia. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to investigate the association of hyponatremia with disease progression and survival. The impact of hyponatremia in patients from distinct regions was also analyzed. Hyponatremia was found in 143 (19.4%) patients. Hyponatremic patients had significantly worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (p = 0.00001) and higher pT stage (p = 0.002). In multivariate analysis, hyponatremia was an independent prognostic factor for progression (HR 1.585, 95% CI 1.115–2.253, p = 0.010), cancer-specific death (HR 2.225, 95% CI 1.457–3.397, p = 0.0002), and overall mortality (HR 1.819, 95% CI 1.299–2.545, p = 0.0005). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed the consistent adverse effect of hyponatremia on all outcomes in patients from Taiwan and the U.S. (all p < 0.05). Hyponatremia is commonly accessible and can serve as a negative marker for both the general health condition and disease severity of UTUC patients. A similar implication of hyponatremia in progression and survival despite patients’ region of presentation suggests its general applicability across different ethnicities