THE EFFECTS OF ORAL ARGININE ON ITS METABOLIC PATHWAYS IN SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

Oral arginine supplements are commonly used by the public for their presumed nitric oxide potentiating and vasodilatory role. However, there is a lack of clarity on the physiological impact of oral arginine on its metabolic pathways in the human body. As a versatile molecule, arginine is metabolized by multiple enzymes including arginase, nitric oxide synthase, arginine decarboxylase, and arginine:glycine amidinotransferase. Our lab has recently published a study on the physiological impact of oral arginine at a dose of 500 mg/kg/day administered for 4 weeks in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The present study examined the effects of oral L-arginine and D-arginine in 9-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats, administered at a higher dose of 1000 mg/kg/day in drinking water for a longer duration of 16 weeks. We measured enzyme expression and activity for different enzymes, and levels of metabolites of the arginine enzymatic pathways in the urine, plasma and various organs of Sprague-Dawley rats. We also measured the expression of the primary arginine transporter, cationic amino acid transporter 1. Oral L-arginine did not alter the expression of cationic amino acid transporter 1 or the levels of arginine and lysine, which use the same transporter, in the plasma and various organs. Oral L-arginine decreased arginase expression in the ileum, and arginase activity in the plasma. It also decreased arginine:glycine amidinotransferase expression in the liver, and creatinine levels in the urine. Similarly, L-arginine supplementation decreased arginine decarboxylase expression in the ileum but increased the expression in the liver with increased plasma total polyamine levels. Interestingly, endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression was significantly increased with oral D-arginine, whereas L-arginine did not cause any significant effects in this pathway, in comparison to control. D-arginine is known to be inactive in the metabolic pathways, but surprisingly, D-arginine supplementation altered the expression of several enzymes and metabolite levels in the treated rats. In conclusion, long term oral supplementation of both L- and D-arginine significantly affected various enzymes and metabolites in the arginine metabolic pathways, as observed with a dose of 500 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks in the previous study from our lab, even though the changes differed in both studies. Determining the physiological impact of oral arginine supplements on the various metabolic pathways of arginine would allow for a better understanding of oral arginine uses, optimum dose and duration, and its safety and efficacy

Two neutrino positron double beta decay of 106^{106}Cd for 0+→0+0^+ \to 0^+ transition

The two neutrino positron double beta decay of $^{106}$Cd for 0$^{+} \to$ 0$^{+}$ transition has been studied in the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov model in conjunction with the summation method. In the first step, the reliability of the intrinsic wave functions of $^{106}$Cd and $^{106}$Pd nuclei has been tested by comparing the theoretically calculated results for yrast spectra, reduced $B(E2$:$0^{+}\to 2^{+})$ transition probabilities, quadrupole moments $Q(2^{+})$ and gyromagnetic factors $g(2^{+})$ with the available experimental data. In the second step, the nuclear transition matrix element $M_{2\nu}$ and the half-life $T_{1/2}^{2\nu}$ for 0$^{+}\to$ 0$^{+}$ transition have been calculated with these wave functions. Moreover, we have studied the effect of deformation on nuclear transition matrix element M$_{2\nu}.$Comment: 20 page

Ecological interventions to prevent and manage zoonotic pathogen spillover

Spillover of a pathogen from awildlife reservoir into a human or livestock host requires the pathogen to overcome a hierarchical series of barriers. Interventions aimed at one or more of these barriers may be able to prevent the occurrence of spillover. Here, we demonstrate how interventions that target the ecological context in which spillover occurs (i.e. ecological interventions) can complement conventional approaches like vaccination, treatment, disinfection and chemical control. Accelerating spillover owing to environmental change requires effective, affordable, durable and scalable solutions that fully harness the complex processes involved in cross-species pathogen spillover. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Dynamic and integrative approaches to understanding pathogen spillover’

Survey of Telemedicine by Pediatric Nephrologists During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The slow increase in use of telemedicine began to expand rapidly, along with reimbursement changes, during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Standardized protocols for these services are lacking but are needed for effective and equitable health care. In this study, we queried pediatric nephrologists and their patients about their telemedicine experiences during the pandemic. Methods: Surveys that were in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act were deployed online to patients and physicians. Results: We collected survey responses from 400 patients and 197 pediatric nephrologists. Patients reported positive experiences with telemedicine visits as it was logistically easier than in-person visits. Patients also felt that the quality of their visits were equivalent to what they would receive in person. Physicians used a wide variety of online systems to conduct synchronous telemedicine with Zoom (23%), EPIC (9%), Doxy.me (7%), services not specified (37%), or a mix of local or smaller services (24%). Most physicians\u27 concerns were related to technological issues and the ability to procure physical exams and/or laboratory results. Conclusions: There is a paucity of published trials on telemedicine services in pediatric nephrology. Virtual care was feasible and acceptable for patients, caregivers, and providers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Telemedicine for Pediatric Nephrology: Perspectives on COVID-19, Future Practices, and Work Flow Changes

Although the use of telemedicine in rural areas has increased steadily over the years, its use was rapidly implemented during the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Due to this rapid implementation, there is a lack of standardized work flows to assess and treat for various nephrotic conditions, symptoms, treatment modalities, and transition processes in the pediatric population. To provide a foundation/suggestion for future standardized work flows, the authors of this report have developed standardized work flows using the Delphi method. These work flows were informed based on results from cross-sectional surveys directed to patients and providers. Most patients and providers were satisfied, 87% and 71%, respectively, with their telemedicine visits. Common issues that were raised with the use of telemedicine included difficulty procuring physical laboratory results and a lack of personal warmth during telemedicine visits. The work flows created based on these suggestions will both enhance safety in treating patients and allow for the best possible care