Dietary Dracocephalum Kotschyi Essential Oil Improved Growth, Haematology, Immunity and Resistance to Aeromonas Hydrophila in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss)

In the present study, the effect of Dracocephalum kotschyi essential oil (DKE) was investigated on growth, haematology, immune and antioxidant defence system and resistance of rainbow trout juveniles to bacterial infection (Aeromonas hydrophila). For this purpose, the fish were fed a diet containing different concentrations of DKE including 0 (control), 0.2, 0.25 and 0.3 mg/kg diet in three replicates for 60 days. After feeding trial, the fish were challenged with a pathogenic dose of A. hydrophila. Based on the results, immune components in plasma (alternative complement activity [ACH50], IgM content, lysozyme activity, total protein and total albumin) and mucus (protease activity, IgM content and lysozyme activity) significantly elevated in fish fed diet containing 0.2 and 0.25 mg DKE/kg diet compared with other groups (p < 0.01). The plasma bactericidal activity increased in all DKE-supplemented fish. Supplementation of fish with 0.3 mg DKE/kg diet depressed the mucosal lysozyme activity and IgM content. The liver antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed increased activity in response to 0.25 and 0.3 mg DKE/kg diet compared with other experimental diets (p < 0.01). Dietary DKE changed the haematology of the fish. The haematocrit, red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), haemoglobin content and mean erythrocyte cell haemoglobin content (MCHC) increased in response to DKE. In contrast, the mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) decreased in fish fed 0.2 and 0.25 mg DKE/kg diet compared with other diets (p < 0.01). The supplementation of fish with 0.2 and 0.25 mg DKE/kg diet decreased the expression of cytokine-related genes, TNF-α and IL-8. In contrast, the DKE up-regulated the expression of the immune-related genes, C3 and lysozyme. DKE at concentration of 0.3 mg/kg diet depressed the C3 and lysozyme gene expressions. The DKE supplementation decreased the mortality rate of the fish after bacterial challengecompared with non-supplemented ones (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the findings of this study revealed the immune-stimulating effects of DKE at optimized dietary concentrations. In addition, DKE decreased the mortality induced by A. hydrophila infection

Comparing the effects of yarrow, honey, and breast milk for healing nipple fissure

Background: Nipple fissure is a common problem among breastfeeding women, which can lead to early cessation of breastfeeding. Because of the lack of effective treatment and given the approved efficacy of honey and yarrow on sore healing, this study was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of yarrow, honey, and breast milk on the treatment of nipple fissure. Materials and Methods: This study was a three-group clinical trial, and sampling was conducted at Sina breastfeeding counseling center from September 2016 to March 2018 in Sirjan, Iran, using a target-based method. The sample size consisted of 150 individuals who were randomly assigned into three groups as topical use of yarrow, the mountain honey, and breast milk after obtaining the written informed consent. The correct method of breastfeeding and using materials were instructed to these three groups on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th days, where the Storr scale was completed by the researcher. Results: Friedman test showed that, in these three groups of yarrow (�2 = 92.19, df = 2, p 0.05). Conclusions: Use of honey, yarrow, and breast milk can be recommended to women in breastfeeding counseling and pharmaceutical companies can be advised to use honey and yarrow in the preparation of anti-fissure creams. © 2020 Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research | Published by Wolters Kluwer-Medknow

Effects of chronic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside on serum glucose and lipids in an experimental model of streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Introduction: Reduction of serum glucose and lipids in diabetic patients using medicinal plants and their effective substances is clinically very important. Given the anti-diabetic potential of cyanidin-3-glucoside in type II diabetes, this study was designed to investigate the effect of chronic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside on serum glucose and lipids in experimental streptozotocin (STZ) model of diabetes mellitus in rats. Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced by STZ at a dose of 60mg/kg (i.p) in the adult male rats. Systemic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside (10 mg/kg) was started one week after induction of diabetes and lasted for two months. The corresponding control groups received appropriate treatments. Serum glucose and lipids levels were measured before and at 4th and 8th weeks after diabetes induction. Results: There was significant increases in serum glucose levels in the diabetic rats at 4th and 8th weeks as compared to the before of diabetes induction (p&lt;0.001). Cyanidin-3-glucoside treatment induced a significant moderate reduction in the serum glucose levels diabetic rats as compared to nontreated diabetic rats (p&lt;0.005). Levels of blood serum glyceride in the diabetic group were significantly increased at 4th and 8th weeks after induction of diabetes (p&lt;0.01), but cyanidin-3-glucoside treatment did not have an effect on serum triglyceride levels in the diabetic group as compared with the non-treated diabetic group. Total levels of blood serum cholesterol were significantly increased (p&lt;0.05) at 8th week in the diabetic rats which was not affected by cyanidin-3-glucoside treatment. Finally, there was also a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol and a significant decline in LDL-cholesterol levels in the treated diabetic group relative to the non-treated diabetics group (both, p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that chronic administration of cyanidin-3-glucoside in experimental model of diabetic mellitus has a moderate anti-hyperglycemic effect and leads to desirable and useful changes in serum HDL- and LDL-cholesterol without any influence on total serum cholesterol and triglyceride

Methodik zur Entwicklung von interaktionsminimierten Oberflächenschichten für das schmiermittelfreie Kaltfließpressen von Aluminium

In Prozessen der Kaltmassivumformung wird ein direkter Kontakt zwischen Werkzeug und Werkstück und damit ein-hergehend das Auftreten von Kaltverschweißungen, durch den Einsatz von Schmierstoffen verhindert. Die aktuellen Forschungsaktivitäten auf dem Gebiet der Trockenumformung zielen auf eine Realisierung von Kaltumformprozessen ohne den Einsatz von Schmierstoffen. Stattdessen sollen Werkzeuge durch eine Oberflächenbehandlung und Beschichtung vor adhäsivem Verschleiß bewahrt werden. In dieser Arbeit wird eine Methode zur Entwicklung von Werkzeugoberflächenschichten für das trockene Kaltfließpressen von Aluminium vorgestellt. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, werden Arbeiten aus verschiedenen Forschungsgebieten zusammengeführt. Dazu gehören im Wesentlichen die Entwicklung von geeigneten Oberflächentopographien durch Laserbearbeitung, ein quantenmechanisch geführtes Design (ab initio) von Beschichtungen mit verminderter Grenzflächeninteraktion und ein prozessorientiertes tribologisches Testen der neuentwickelten Oberflächen im Analogieversuch. Zusätzlich wird eine Methodik zur Verschleißcharakterisierung vorgestellt. Dazu werden Ergebnisse des Tribometerversuchs, Untersuchungen mit Weißlichtinterferometrie und Rasterelektronenmikrokopie eingesetzt. Durch einen iterativen Prozess zwischen den unterschiedlichen Arbeitsbereichen werden neue Oberflächenmodifikationen entwickelt und auf ihre Eignung für das Kaltfließpressen ohne Schmierstoff untersucht

Feasibility of prospectively comparing opioid analgesia with opioid-free analgesia after outpatient general surgery: a pilot randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: The overprescription of opioids to surgical patients is recognized as an important factor contributing to the opioid crisis. However, the value of prescribing opioid analgesia (OA) vs opioid-free analgesia (OFA) after postoperative discharge remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of conducting a full-scale randomized clinical trial (RCT) to assess the comparative effectiveness of OA vs OFA after outpatient general surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This parallel, 2-group, assessor-blind, pragmatic pilot RCT was conducted from January 29 to September 3, 2020 (last follow-up on October 2, 2020). at 2 university-affiliated hospitals in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Participants were adult patients (aged ≥18 years) undergoing outpatient abdominal (ie, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, or hernia repair) or breast (ie, partial or total mastectomy) general surgical procedures. Exclusion criteria were contraindications to drugs used in the trial, preoperative opioid use, conditions that could affect assessment of outcomes, and intraoperative or early complications requiring hospitalization. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive OA (around-the-clock nonopioids and opioids for breakthrough pain) or OFA (around-the-clock nonopioids with increasing doses and/or addition of nonopioid medications for breakthrough pain) after postoperative discharge. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Main outcomes were a priori RCT feasibility criteria (ie, rates of surgeon agreement, patient eligibility, patient consent, treatment adherence, loss to follow-up, and missing follow-up data). Secondary outcomes included pain intensity and interference, analgesic intake, 30-day unplanned health care use, and adverse events. Between-group comparison of outcomes followed the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: A total of 15 surgeons were approached; all (100%; 95% CI, 78%-100%) agreed to have patients recruited and adhered to the study procedures. Rates of patient eligibility and consent were 73% (95% CI, 66%-78%) and 57% (95% CI, 49%-65%), respectively. Seventy-six patients were randomized (39 [51%] to OA and 37 [49%] to OFA) and included in the intention-to-treat analysis (mean [SD] age, 55.5 [14.5] years; 50 [66%] female); 40 (53%) underwent abdominal surgery, and 36 (47%) underwent breast surgery. Seventy-five patients (99%; 95% CI, 93%-100%) adhered to the allocated treatment; 1 patient randomly assigned to OFA received an opioid prescription. Seventeen patients (44%) randomly assigned to OA consumed opioids after discharge. Seventy-three patients (96%; 95% CI, 89%-99%) completed the 30-day follow-up. The rate of missing questionnaires was 37 of 3724 (1%; 95% CI, 0.7%-1.4%). All the a priori RCT feasibility criteria were fulfilled. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this pilot RCT support the feasibility of conducting a robust, full-scale RCT to inform evidence-based prescribing of analgesia after outpatient general surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0425467