10 research outputs found
Postprandial Glucose Response after Consuming Low-Carbohydrate, Low-Calorie Rice Cooked in a Carbohydrate-Reducing Rice Cooker
This study evaluates whether blood glucose response differs upon consuming rice cooked in a carbohydrate (carb)-reducing rice cooker. Rice cooked this way exhibited 19% reduced total carbohydrate (34.0 ± 0.3 vs. 27.6 ± 0.9 g/100 g rice) and 20% reduced total calorie (149.0 ± 1.0 vs. 120.8 ± 3.7 kcal/100 g rice) contents. We measured the blood glucose response (at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min) in 13 healthy participants after consuming 6 different rice types: regular white rice (regular WR, 50 g of available carbohydrate (AC)), low-carb WR with equivalent weight as regular WR (low-carb WR (EW)), low-carb WR with equivalent carb as regular WR (low-carb WR (EC), regular mixed-grain rice (regular MR), low-carb MR (EW) as regular MR, and low-carb MR (EC) as regular MR. All rice samples were prepared in an electric carb-reducing rice cooker. Postprandial blood glucose, sensory, and appetite were assessed after each test meal. The incremental area under the curve of 15 and 30 min after rice consumption was significantly lower in low-carb WR (EW) than that in regular WR. These results suggest possible health benefits of low-carb WR in reducing early postprandial spikes in blood glucose level without significant differences in satiety and satisfaction
Postprandial Glucose Response after Consuming Low-Carbohydrate, Low-Calorie Rice Cooked in a Carbohydrate-Reducing Rice Cooker
This study evaluates whether blood glucose response differs upon consuming rice cooked in a carbohydrate (carb)-reducing rice cooker. Rice cooked this way exhibited 19% reduced total carbohydrate (34.0 ± 0.3 vs. 27.6 ± 0.9 g/100 g rice) and 20% reduced total calorie (149.0 ± 1.0 vs. 120.8 ± 3.7 kcal/100 g rice) contents. We measured the blood glucose response (at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min) in 13 healthy participants after consuming 6 different rice types: regular white rice (regular WR, 50 g of available carbohydrate (AC)), low-carb WR with equivalent weight as regular WR (low-carb WR (EW)), low-carb WR with equivalent carb as regular WR (low-carb WR (EC), regular mixed-grain rice (regular MR), low-carb MR (EW) as regular MR, and low-carb MR (EC) as regular MR. All rice samples were prepared in an electric carb-reducing rice cooker. Postprandial blood glucose, sensory, and appetite were assessed after each test meal. The incremental area under the curve of 15 and 30 min after rice consumption was significantly lower in low-carb WR (EW) than that in regular WR. These results suggest possible health benefits of low-carb WR in reducing early postprandial spikes in blood glucose level without significant differences in satiety and satisfaction
Development of Clinical Weekly-Dose Teriparatide Acetate Encapsulated Dissolving Microneedle Patch for Efficient Treatment of Osteoporosis
Teriparatide acetate (TA), which directly promotes bone formation, is subcutaneously injected to treat osteoporosis. In this study, TA with a once-weekly administration regimen was loaded on dissolving microneedles (DMNs) to effectively deliver it to the systemic circulation via the transdermal route. TA activity reduction during the drying process of various TA polymer solutions formulated with hyaluronic acid and trehalose was monitored and homogeneities were assessed. TA-DMN patches fabricated using centrifugal lithography in a two-layered structure with dried pure hyaluronic acid on the base layer and dried TA polymer solution on the top layer were evaluated for their physical properties. Rhodamine-B-loaded TA-DMNs were found to form perforations when inserted into porcine skin using a shooting device. In addition, 87.6% of TA was delivered to the porcine skin after a 5-min TA-DMN patch application. The relative bioavailability of TA via subcutaneous injection was 66.9% in rats treated with TA-DMN patches. The maximal TA concentration in rat plasma was proportional to the number of patches used. Therefore, the TA-DMN patch fabricated in this study may aid in the effective delivery of TA in a patient-friendly manner and enhance medical efficacy in osteoporosis treatment
The Effect of the Intelligent Sepsis Management System on Outcomes among Patients with Sepsis and Septic Shock Diagnosed According to the Sepsis-3 Definition in the Emergency Department
We developed a novel computer program, the Intelligent Sepsis Management System, based on Sepsis-3 definitions and 2016 Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines and performed a quasi-experimental pre-post study to assess its effect on compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines and outcomes in patients with sepsis and septic shock. During the pre-period, patients were managed with usual care. During the post-period, patients were managed using the Intelligent Sepsis Management System upon arrival at the emergency department. A total of 631 patients were enrolled (pre-period, 316; post-period, 315). The overall compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines’ bundle improved (pre-period 10.8% vs. post-period 54.6%; p < 0.001). The post-period showed significantly lower 30-day mortality than the pre-period (pre-period 37.3% vs. post-period 29.5%; p = 0.037), but was not a protective factor for 30-day mortality, with an adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.75 (0.55–1.04) (p = 0.151). The associated factors for 30-day mortality were age, sequential organ failure assessment score, overall compliance, and lactate levels. The 30-day mortality was significantly lower in the compliance group than in the non-compliance group (27.2% vs. 36.5%; p = 0.002). After implementation of the Intelligent Sepsis Management System, overall compliance with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines improved and was associated with reduced 30-day mortality. However, we could not verify the causal effect of this system on 30-day mortality
Pneumatically Actuated Microfluidic Platform for Reconstituting 3D Vascular Tissue Compression
In vivo, blood vessels constitutively experience mechanical stresses exerted by adjacent tissues and other structural elements. Vascular collapse, a structural failure of vascular tissues, may stem from any number of possible compressive forces ranging from injury to tumor growth and can promote inflammation. In particular, endothelial cells are continuously exposed to varying mechanical stimuli, internally and externally, resulting in blood vessel deformation and injury. This study proposed a method to model biomechanical-stimuli-induced blood vessel compression in vitro within a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic 3D microvascular tissue culture platform with an integrated pneumatically actuated compression mechanism. 3D microvascular tissues were cultured within the device. Histological reactions to compressive forces were quantified and shown to be the following: live/dead assays indicated the presence of a microvascular dead zone within high-stress regions and reactive oxygen species (ROS) quantification exhibited a stress-dependent increase. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran flow assays showed that compressed vessels developed structural failures and increased leakiness; finite element analysis (FEA) corroborated the experimental data, indicating that the suggested model of vascular tissue deformation and stress distribution was conceptually sound. As such, this study provides a powerful and accessible in vitro method of modeling microphysiological reactions of microvascular tissues to compressive stress, paving the way for further studies into vascular failure as a result of external stress
High-Voltage Symmetric Nonaqueous Redox Flow Battery Based on Modularly Tunable [Ru<sub>2</sub>M(μ<sub>3</sub>‑O)(CH<sub>3</sub>CO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>6</sub>(py)<sub>3</sub>] (M = Ru, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn) Cluster Compounds with Multielectron Storage Capability
Redox flow batteries (RFBs) provide an attractive solution
for
large-scale energy buffering and storage. This report describes the
development of nonaqueous RFBs based on trimetallic coordination cluster
compounds: [Ru2M(μ3-O)(CH3CO2)6(py)3] (M = Ru, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn). The
all-ruthenium complex exhibited stable battery cycles in anolyte–catholyte
symmetric operation, with rarely observed multielectron storage in
a single molecule. Moreover, the complex holds modularly tunable synthetic
handles for systematic improvements in solubility and redox potentials.
An optimized battery stack containing [Ru3(μ3-O)(CH3CO2)6(py)3]+ anolyte and [Ru2Co(μ3-O)(CH3CO2)6(py)3] catholyte yielded
stable cycles with a discharge voltage of 2.4 V, comparable to the
state-of-the-art nonaqueous RFBs. Explanation for the exceptional
stability of the charged states and prediction of systematic tunability
of the redox potentials of the cluster compounds were assisted by
DFT calculations
Identification of a <i>Ruminococcaceae</i> Species as the Methyl <i>tert</i>-Butyl Ether (MTBE) Degrading Bacterium in a Methanogenic Consortium
The
widespread use of methyl <i>tert</i>-butyl ether
(MTBE) has caused major contamination of groundwater sources and is
a concern due to its taste and odor problems, as well as its toxicity.
MTBE can be degraded anaerobically which makes bioremediation of contaminated
aquifers a potential solution. Nevertheless, the organisms and mechanisms
that are responsible for anaerobic MTBE degradation are still unknown.
The aim of our research was to identify the organisms actively degrading
MTBE. For this purpose we characterized an anaerobic methanogenic
culture enriched with MTBE as the sole carbon source from the New
Jersey Arthur Kill intertidal strait sediment. The cultures were analyzed
using stable isotope probing (SIP) combined with terminal restriction
fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), high-throughput sequencing
and clone library analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The sequence
data indicated that phylotypes belonging to the <i>Ruminococcaceae</i> in the <i>Firmicutes</i> were predominant in the methanogenic
cultures. SIP experiments also showed sequential incorporation of
the <sup>13</sup>C labeled MTBE by the bacterial community with a
bacterium most closely related to <i>Saccharofermentans acetigenes</i> identified as the bacterium active in O-demethylation of MTBE. Identification
of the microorganisms responsible for the activity will help us better
understand anaerobic MTBE degradation processes in the field and determine
biomarkers for monitoring natural attenuation
Enhanced Micro-Channeling System via Dissolving Microneedle to Improve Transdermal Serum Delivery for Various Clinical Skincare Treatments
Topical liquid formulations, dissolving microneedles (DMNs), and microscale needles composed of biodegradable materials have been widely used for the transdermal delivery of active compounds for skincare. However, transdermal active compound delivery by topical liquid formulation application is inhibited by skin barriers, and the skincare efficacy of DMNs is restricted by the low encapsulation capacity and incomplete insertion. In this study, topical serum application via a dissolvable micro-channeling system (DMCS) was used to enhance serum delivery through micro-channels embedded with DMNs. Transdermal serum delivery was evaluated after the topical-serum-only application and combinatorial serum application by assessing the intensity of allophycocyanin (APC) loaded with the serum in the porcine skin. APC intensity was significantly higher in the skin layer at a depth of 120–270 μm upon combinatorial serum application as compared to topical-serum-only application. In addition, the combinatorial serum application showed significantly improved efficacy in the clinical assessment of skin hydration, depigmentation, improvement of wrinkles, elasticity, dermal density, skin pores, and skin soothing without any safety issues compared to the serum-only application. The results indicate that combinatorial serum application with DMCS is a promising candidate for improving skincare treatments with optimal transdermal delivery of active compounds