Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics in the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Treatments that target alterations in gut microbiota may be beneficial for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics. Factors considered in the analysis included global IBS symptoms and/or abdominal pain, secondary symptoms and the frequency of adverse events. A total of 33 RCTs involving 4,321 patients were identified. Overall, probiotics significantly improved global IBS symptoms compared to placebos (standardised mean difference = −0.32, 95% confidence interval: −0.48 to −0.15; P <0.001), with significant heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 72%; P <0.001). This remained apparent in both single- and multi-strain probiotic interventions as well as synbiotic formulations. However, evidence regarding prebiotics was scarce. There were no significant inter-group differences in terms of the frequency of adverse events. Future RCTs should address methodological limitations, including short follow-up periods and patient adherence.Keywords: Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Dietary Supplements; Probiotics; Prebiotics; Synbiotics; Meta-Analysis; Systematic Review

Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment and mu -> e gamma in B-L Model with Inverse Seesaw

We study the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, a_\mu, and lepton flavor violating decay \mu -> e \gamma in TeV scale B-L extension of the Standard Model (SM) with inverse seesaw mechanism. We show that the B-L contributions to a_\mu are severely constrained, therefore the SM contribution remains intact. We also emphasize that the current experimental limit of BR(\mu -> e \gamma) can be satisfied for a wide range of parameter space and it can be within the reach of MEG experiment.Comment: 10 pages, 4 Figure

Comparison of Ising magnet on directed versus undirected Erdos-Renyi and scale-free network

Scale-free networks are a recently developed approach to model the interactions found in complex natural and man-made systems. Such networks exhibit a power-law distribution of node link (degree) frequencies n(k) in which a small number of highly connected nodes predominate over a much greater number of sparsely connected ones. In contrast, in an Erdos-Renyi network each of N sites is connected to every site with a low probability p (of the orde r of 1/N). Then the number k of neighbors will fluctuate according to a Poisson distribution. One can instead assume that each site selects exactly k neighbors among the other sites. Here we compare in both cases the usual network with the directed network, when site A selects site B as a neighbor, and then B influences A but A does not influence B. As we change from undirected to directed scale-free networks, the spontaneous magnetization vanishes after an equilibration time following an Arrhenius law, while the directed ER networks have a positive Curie temperature.Comment: 10 pages including all figures, for Int. J, Mod. Phys. C 1

Sterile neutrino dark matter in B−LB-L extension of the standard model and galactic 511 keV line

Sterile right-handed neutrinos can be naturally embedded in a low scale gauged $U(1)_{B-L}$ extension of the standard model. We show that, within a low reheating scenario, such a neutrino is an interesting candidate for dark matter. We emphasize that if the neutrino mass is of order of MeV, then it accounts for the measured dark matter relic density and also accommodates the observed flux of 511 keV photons from the galactic bulge.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, references added, final version appeared in JCA

Observer design for a class of nonlinear systems combining dissipativity with interconnection and damping assignment

A nonlinear observer design approach is proposed that exploits and combines port-Hamiltonian systems and dissipativity theory. First, a passivity-based observer design using interconnection and damping assignment for time variant state affine systems is presented by applying output injection to the system such that the observer error dynamics takes a port-Hamiltonian structure. The stability of the observer error system is assured by exploiting its passivity properties. Second, this setup is extended to develop an observer design approach for a class of systems with a time varying state affine forward and a nonlinear feedback contribution. For a class of nonlinear systems, the theory of dissipative observers is adapted and combined with the results for the passivity-based observer design using interconnection and damping assignment. The convergence of the compound observer design is determined by a linear matrix inequality. The performance of both observer approaches is analyzed in simulation examples

Plasma and intracellular (platelet) zinc levels in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients under different treatment modalities

The causes and degree of zinc (Zn) deficiency in uraemia are still controversial. The effect of different treatment modalities are still unsettled. Plasma Zn represents only a small part of the total body Zn (about 0.5%). Thus determination of intracellular Zn in the peripheral blood cells might be more reliable. The present study was designed to assess the actual Zn status in uraemia and to find whether the treatment modalities of CRF (conservative and dialytic) could influence Zn status. Also to determine the elfeet of single dialysis session, type of dialysis and dialysate buffer on the Zn status.This study included ten healthy controls and fourty CRF patients divided in three subgroups on different treatment modalities (10 conservative treatment, 15 on intermittent perioneal dialysis ((IPD) and 15 on haemedialysis (HD). Zinc was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in plasma and platelets. Statistically significant decrease of plasma Zn and significant increase of platelet Zn were found in CRF patients on different treatment modalities as compared to controls (P<0.01), but there was no significant difference in this respect hetween the three uraemic subgroups. There was no difference as regard serum protein and albunun levels in uraemic subgroups compared to controls. Moreover plasma Zn was significantly increased (still less than control) and platelet Zn was significantly decreased (P<0.01) after a single dialysis session in both IPD and HD subgroups, but the changes of both parameters (before and after dialysis) were insignificant in IPD patients compared to HD patients.Significant negative correlation was found between platelet Zn and creatinine clearance in the three uraemic subgroups (r = -0.81 P<0.01 in conservative patients, r= -0.72 P<0.01 in IPD and r= -0.76 P<0.01 in HD) while no correlation could be detected between the duration of dialysis and each of platelet & plasma Zn and between plasma Zn and each of platelet Zn, serum creatinine and clearance. Plasma Zn showed transient significant rise in HD patients using bicarbonate (11.6 ± 1.1 umol/L) as compared to those using acetate buffer (9.1 ± 1.3 umol/L), P<0.01. We can conclude that intracellular measurements of Zn (platelet) is of value in diagnosis and monitoring of Zn status in uraemics. Different treatment modalities does not influence Zn haernostasis. with no superiority of particular type of dialysis in this respect. The effect of a single dialysis session and the use of bicarbonate versus acetate buffer was just a transient rise of plasma Zn due to haemoconcentration and better correction of acidosis during dialysis

HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS EXTRACT PROMOTING THE RECOVERY OF MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN ALZHEIMER'S RATS: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIAPOPTOTIC EFFECTS

ABSTRACTObjective: The present study was conducted to investigate the role of Haematococcus pluvialis extract against oxidative damage, the inflammatory,and apoptotic impacts characterizing the neurodegenerative disorders.Methods: Oxidative stress, B-cell lymphoma 2, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the inflammation, apoptotic and antiapoptotic impacts in Alzheimer'sdisease (AD) rats were determined through assessment of glutathione reduced (GSH), GSH peroxidase (GPx), lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde), thecytokines level such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-6 and IL-1β), and macrophage inflammation protein (MIP1α) in AD rats.Moreover, the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and serine-threonine protein kinase (Akt) genes regulating the apoptosis in AD ratswas measured.Results: The results revealed that levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and MIP1α were significantly increased in AD rats. Moreover, the expression of PI3Kand Akt genes was downregulated which it was coincided with the increase of apoptosis in AD rats. On the other hand, treatment of AD rats withH. pluvialis extract decreased the oxidative stress of AD in the form of prevention the inflammatory and apoptotic impacts.Conclusion: H. pluvialis could be used for ameliorating AD due to its role in decreases the oxidative stress of AD in the form of prevention theinflammatory and apoptotic impacts. H. pluvialis is a very attractive candidate for uses against neurodegenerative disorders that are caused byincreases oxidative stress inducing neuroinflammation and apoptosis.Keywords: Haematococcus pluvialis, Oxidative stress, Inflammation biomarkers, Apoptotic and antiapoptotic impacts

ANTINEURODEGENERATIVE ACTIVITY OF MICROALGAE DUNALIELLA SALINA IN RATS WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Objective: The present study is aimed to investigate the promising action of Dunaliella salina extract as a natural protector against Alzheimer's disease (AD) and reported to possess a variety of activities, including antioxidant effects due to its ability to create large amount of carotenoids.Methods: D. salina is a type of halophile green microalgae was used in the present study. 50 male rats were used in this study, where aluminum chloride was orally administered to induce AD in a dose of 100 mg/kg, daily for 6 weeks. Al-intoxicated rats treated orally daily with D. salina ethanolic extract for 6 weeks in a dose of 150 mg/kg b.wt., whereas standard anti-Alzheimer drug donepezil tartrate was administered at the dose of 10 mg/kg b.wt./day for 6 consecutive weeks. The anti-Alzheimer properties of D. salina extract were achieved through measuring the calmodulin (CaM) level, paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, the antiapoptotic marker (Bcl2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the generation of the DNA adducts (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]/2-deoxy guanosine [2-dG]), and alteration in the expression of amyloid precursor protein, β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 2 (BACE2) in AD rats.Results: The current results demonstrated that supplementation of AD rats with D. salina extract-enhanced CaM level, and increased PON1 activity, upregulated Bcl2 and BDNF, decreased the levels of DNA adducts (8-OHdG/2-dG), and suppressed the alterations of the expression levels of APP, BACE1, and BACE2-m RNAs as compared with those in AD rats.Conclusion: It could be concluded that the biological activity of D. salina extract might be regulated by 9-cis b-carotene protecting the brain cells from the oxidative stress in AD rats.Keywords: Dunaliella salina, Calmodulin, Paraoxonase 1, Bcl2, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, Alzheimer's disease, DNA adduct, Amyloid precursor protein