The serum zinc concentration as a potential biological marker in patients with major depressive disorder

Despite many clinical trials assessing the role of zinc in major depressive disorder (MDD), the conclusions still remain ambiguous. The aim of the present clinical study was to determine and comparison the zinc concentration in the blood of MDD patients (active stage or remission) and healthy volunteers (controls), as well as to discuss its potential clinical usefulness as a biomarker of the disease. In this study 69 patients with current depressive episode, 45 patients in remission and 50 controls were enrolled. The zinc concentration was measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET AAS). The obtained results revealed, that the zinc concentration in depressed phase were statistically lower than in the healthy volunteers [0.89 vs. 1.06 mg/L, respectively], while the zinc level in patients achieve remission was not significantly different from the controls [1.07 vs. 1.06 mg/L, respectively]. Additionally, among the patients achieve remission a significant differences in zinc concentration between group with and without presence of drug-resistance in the previous episode of depression were observed. Also, patients in remission demonstrated correlation between zinc level and the average number of depressive episodes in the last year. Serum zinc concentration was not dependent on atypical features of depression, presence of psychotic symptoms or melancholic syndrome, age, age of onset or duration of disease, number of episodes in the life time, duration of the episode/remission and severity of depression measured by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS), and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Concluding, our findings confirm the correlation between zinc deficit present in the depressive episode, and are consistent with the majority of previous studies. These results may also indicate that serum zinc concentration might be considered as a potential biological marker of MDD

The efficiency of energy and protein of broiler chickens fed on diets with different lysine concentrations

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance and carcass yield of broilers fed diets (starter and grower) with different levels of lysine requirements, very high lysine (120% NRC), high lysine (110% NRC), standard (100% NRC) and low lysine (90% NRC) in a completely randomized experimental design. All diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. In broilers receiving very high lysine (120% NRC), body weight in 42 days significantly increased by 248 g compared with standard lysine diet. Feeding broilers with very high lysine diets (120% NRC) significantly increased protein and energy intake (starter, grower and 0- 42 days of age) compared with others treatments (p<0.05). Lysine efficiency was significantly difference in all of periods of trail (p<0.05) and very high lysine levels was significantly greater than standard treatment. Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) were unaffected by dietary treatments. Lysine levels had significantly effect on Production Efficiency Factor (PEF). This study showed that increasing lysine level (120% NRC) in diet significantly increased carcass percentage and abdominal fat pad, gizzard and heart weight compared with standard group (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that additional lysine at the level of 120% of NRC in starter (1.32%) and grower (1.22%) diets significantly improved body weight and PEF.https://www.medwelljournals.com/abstract/?doi=javaa.2011.2394.2397am2017Animal and Wildlife Science

Renewable Energy and Power Quality Journal (RE&amp;PQJ) A Practical Method for Optimized Reactive Power Sharing Among Passive Filters

Abstract. This paper presents a practical method for reactive power sharing among harmonics filters. The proposed method minimizes the total harmonic distortion of the current. The current is measured at the incoming bus to which harmonics filters are connected. The total harmonics distortion and individual harmonics of the voltage at the bus to which the harmonic filters are connected and the individual harmonics of the current measured at the mentioned measurement point are used as constraints of optimization. The Optimization Toolbox of MATLAB software is used in this paper. The simulation results show the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method

Complementary Effects of Coenzyme Q10 and Lepidium Sativum Supplementation on the Reproductive Function of Mice: an Experimental Study

Background: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Lepidium sativum (LS) have therapeutic effects on infertility. Objective: To evaluate the combined effects of LS and CoQ10 on reproductive function in adult male NMRI mice. Materials and Methods: Eighty three-months-old male mice (35–40 gr) were divided into four groups (n = 10/each): control (treated with water), CoQ10-treated (200, 300, and 400 mg/kg/body weight), LS-treated (200, 400, 600 mg/kg/body weight), and co-treated (LS [600 mg/kg/body weight] + CoQ10 [200 mg/kg/body weight]) groups. Serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and gonadotropin realizing hormone (GnRH) levels were measured using ELISA method. The sperm quality was assessed using Sperm Class Analyzer® (SCA) CASA system and GnRH mRNA expression levels were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The number of sniffing and following behavior was significantly higher in LStreated (400 and 600 mg/ml/body weight) groups than the control group (p = 0.0007 and p = 0.0010, respectively). The number of mounting and coupling behaviors was significantly higher in the CoQ10 (300 and 400 mg/ml/body weight)-treated animals than the control group (p = 0.0170 and p = 0.0006, respectively). Co-treatment of CoQ10 (200 mg/ml/body weight) and LS (600 mg/ml/body weight) significantly increased all aspects of sexual behaviors as well as the levels of serum testosterone (p = 0.0011), luteinizing hormone (p = 0.0062), and follicle-stimulating hormone (p = 0.0001); sperm viability (p = 0.0300) and motility (p = 0.0010); and GnRH mRNA levels (p = 0.0016) compared to the control group. Conclusion: The coadministration of CoQ10 and LS significantly improves the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and enhances the reproductive parameters in adult male mice. Key words: Lepidium sativum, Coenzyme Q10, Infertility, Male reproductive function