Alginate inhibits iron absorption from ferrous gluconate in a randomized controlled trial and reduces iron uptake into Caco-2 cells

Previous in vitro results indicated that alginate beads might be a useful vehicle for food iron fortification. A human study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that alginate enhances iron absorption. A randomised, single blinded, cross-over trial was carried out in which iron absorption was measured from serum iron appearance after a test meal. Overnight-fasted volunteers (n=15) were given a test meal of 200g cola-flavoured jelly plus 21 mg iron as ferrous gluconate, either in alginate beads mixed into the jelly or in a capsule. Iron absorption was lower from the alginate beads than from ferrous gluconate (8.5% and 12.6% respectively, p=0.003). Sub-group B (n=9) consumed the test meals together with 600 mg calcium to determine whether alginate modified the inhibitory effect of calcium. Calcium reduced iron absorption from ferrous gluconate by 51%, from 11.5% to 5.6% (p=0.014), and from alginate beads by 37%, from 8.3% to 5.2% (p=0.009). In vitro studies using Caco-2 cells were designed to explore the reasons for the difference between the previous in vitro findings and the human study; confirmed the inhibitory effect of alginate. Beads similar to those used in the human study were subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion, with and without cola jelly, and the digestate applied to Caco-2 cells. Both alginate and cola jelly significantly reduced iron uptake into the cells, by 34% (p=0.009) and 35% (p=0.003) respectively. The combination of cola jelly and calcium produced a very low ferritin response, 16.5% (p<0.001) of that observed with ferrous gluconate alone. The results of these studies demonstrate that alginate beads are not a useful delivery system for soluble salts of iron for the purpose of food fortification

Screening for coping style increases the power of gene expression studies

Background: Individuals of many vertebrate species show different stress coping styles and these have a striking influence on how gene expression shifts in response to a variety of challenges. Principal Findings: This is clearly illustrated by a study in which common carp displaying behavioural predictors of different coping styles (characterised by a proactive, adrenaline-based or a reactive, cortisol-based response) were subjected to inflammatory challenge and specific gene transcripts measured in individual brains. Proactive and reactive fish differed in baseline gene expression and also showed diametrically opposite responses to the challenge for 80% of the genes investigated. Significance: Incorporating coping style as an explanatory variable can account for some the unexplained variation that is common in gene expression studies, can uncover important effects that would otherwise have passed unnoticed and greatly enhances the interpretive value of gene expression data

Results of isolated posterolateral corner reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Isolated posterolateral corner (PLC) tears are relatively rare events. Various surgical techniques to treat posterolateral knee instability have been described; because surgical results are linked to cruciate reconstructions it has been difficult to date to define whether one surgical procedure has better prognosis than another. The goal of this study is to determine the clinical outcome of PLC reconstruction following fibular-based technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated a case series of patients who received isolated PLC reconstruction between March 2005 and January 2007. Ten patients were surgically treated for isolated injuries and were available for follow-up; average patient age was 27.4 years (range 16-47 years). All patients were treated following the fibular-based technique: double femoral tunnel was performed in six patients, while in the remaining four patients, the reconstruction of the PLC was performed with a single femoral tunnel. Six patients had semitendinosus allograft and four had semitendinosus autograft. All patients had the same evaluation and the same rehabilitation protocol. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 27.5 months (range 18-40 months). Mean range of motion (ROM) was 143.5 degrees for flexion (range 135-150 degrees) and 0.5 degrees for extension (range 0-3 degrees). Three patients showed 1+ on varus stress test, while on Dial test another three patients showed 10 degrees reduction of external rotation compared with contralateral knee. The average Lysholm score was 94 points (range 83-100), and the mean International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective result was 88.48 (range 74-96.5). Based on Lysholm score, the results were excellent in eight knees and good in two knees. On IKDC evaluation, two patients were grade A and eight were grade B. No significant difference in clinical results was observed between single and double femoral tunnel. CONCLUSION: Fibular-based technique showed good results in terms of clinical outcome, restoring varus and rotation stability of knees in treatment of chronic isolated PLC injury

Synchronization modulation increases transepithelial potentials in MDCK monolayers through Na/K pumps

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Positivity, entanglement entropy, and minimal surfaces

The path integral representation for the Renyi entanglement entropies of integer index n implies these information measures define operator correlation functions in QFT. We analyze whether the limit $n\rightarrow 1$, corresponding to the entanglement entropy, can also be represented in terms of a path integral with insertions on the region's boundary, at first order in $n-1$. This conjecture has been used in the literature in several occasions, and specially in an attempt to prove the Ryu-Takayanagi holographic entanglement entropy formula. We show it leads to conditional positivity of the entropy correlation matrices, which is equivalent to an infinite series of polynomial inequalities for the entropies in QFT or the areas of minimal surfaces representing the entanglement entropy in the AdS-CFT context. We check these inequalities in several examples. No counterexample is found in the few known exact results for the entanglement entropy in QFT. The inequalities are also remarkable satisfied for several classes of minimal surfaces but we find counterexamples corresponding to more complicated geometries. We develop some analytic tools to test the inequalities, and as a byproduct, we show that positivity for the correlation functions is a local property when supplemented with analyticity. We also review general aspects of positivity for large N theories and Wilson loops in AdS-CFT.Comment: 36 pages, 10 figures. Changes in presentation and discussion of Wilson loops. Conclusions regarding entanglement entropy unchange

Effect of betaine supplementation on plasma nitrate/nitrite in exercise-trained men

Background: Betaine, beetroot juice, and supplemental nitrate have recently been reported to improve certain aspects of exercise performance, which may be mechanistically linked to increased nitric oxide. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of betaine supplementation on plasma nitrate/nitrite, a surrogate marker or nitric oxide, in exercise-trained men.Methods: We used three different study designs (acute intake of betaine at 1.25 and 5.00 grams, chronic intake of betaine at 2.5 grams per day for 14 days, and chronic [6 grams of betaine per day for 7 days] followed by acute intake [6 grams]), all involving exercise-trained men, to investigate the effects of orally ingested betaine on plasma nitrate/nitrite. Blood samples were collected before and at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after ingestion of 1.25 and 5.00 grams of betaine (Study 1); before and after 14 days of betaine supplementation at a dosage of 2.5 grams (Study 2); and before and after 7 days of betaine supplementation at a dosage of 6 grams, followed by acute ingestion of 6 grams and blood measures at 30 and 60 min post ingestion (Study 3).Results: In Study 1, nitrate/nitrite was relatively unaffected and no statistically significant interaction (p = 0.99), dosage (p = 0.69), or time (p = 0.91) effects were noted. Similar findings were noted in Study 2, with no statistically significant interaction (p = 0.57), condition (p = 0.98), or pre/post intervention (p = 0.17) effects noted for nitrate/nitrite. In Study 3, no statistically significant changes were noted in nitrate/nitrite between collection times (p = 0.97).Conclusion: Our data indicate that acute or chronic ingestion of betaine by healthy, exercise-trained men does not impact plasma nitrate/nitrite. These findings suggest that other mechanisms aside from increasing circulating nitric oxide are likely responsible for any performance enhancing effect of betaine supplementation. © 2011 Bloomer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Bacteria in milk from anterior and posterior mammary glands in sows affected and unaffected by postpartum dysgalactia syndrome (PPDS)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The performance of piglet weight gain is strongly dependent on the sow's ability to meet the demand for adequate milk. Postparturient disorders, especially those subsumed under the term postpartum dysgalactia syndrome (PPDS), can alter or reduce the milk production sensitively, resulting in starving piglets. The aim of this study was to gather further information about the prevalence of different bacterial species in the anterior and posterior mammary glands of sows with respect to the clinical appearance of PPDS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, the health status of 56 sows after farrowing was determined with special regard to mastitis and dysgalactia. Pooled milk samples from anterior and posterior glands were taken from both affected and non-affected animals and analysed bacteriologically for the presence of a wide spectrum of different pathogens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mainly <it>Escherichia coli</it>, staphylococci and streptococci were detected in high percentages but without significant differences in healthy and diseased animals and anterior and posterior glands. However, the large percentages of coliform bacteria suggested a transmission route via faecal contamination.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study, the prevalence of different bacteria in anterior and posterior glands in PPDS positive and negative sows was analysed. No significant differences in bacteria of healthy and diseased sows were assessed. Therefore, the development of clinical PPDS and actual infection seems to be largely dependant on individual resistance in single sows.</p

Summer eczema in exported Icelandic horses: influence of environmental and genetic factors

A cross sectional study was designed to estimate the prevalence of summer eczema (a chronic, recurrent seasonal dermatitis) in exported Icelandic horses and the influence of environmental and genetic factors on the development of the disease. Among 330 horses, which had been exported to Germany, Denmark and Sweden, 114 (34.5%) were found to have clinical signs of summer eczema. The prevalence was highest 2 years after export and the exposure to the biting midges Culicoides spp., was found to be the main risk factor for developing the disease. Genetic influence on the sensitivity for the disease was not established. It was concluded that exported Icelandic horses are predisposed for summer dermatitis and the fact that they are not introduced to the antigens of the biting midges early in live, due to it's absence in Iceland, is likely to explain the high prevalence of the disease after export

Isometry of medial collateral ligament reconstruction

The purpose of this study was to determine the femoral and tibial fixation sites that would result in the most isometric MCL reconstruction technique. Seven cadaveric knees were used in this study. A navigation system was utilized to determine graft isometry continuously from 0º to 90º. Five points on the medial side of the femur and four on the tibia were tested. A graft positioned in the center of the MCL femoral attachment (FC) and attached in the center of the superficial MCL attachment on the tibia led to the best isometry (2.7 ± 1.1 mm). Movement of the origin superiorly only 4 mm (FS) led to graft excursion of greater than 10 mm (P < 0.01). MCL reconstruction performed with the origin of the MCL within the femoral footprint and the insertion in tibial footprint of the superficial MCL results in the least graft excursion when the knee is cycled between 0º and 90º. Although the MCL often heals without surgical intervention, surgical reconstruction is occasionally in Grade III MCL and combined ligamentous injuries to the knee. This study demonstrates the optimal position of the MCL reconstruction to reproduce the kinematics of the native knee