Controlled release of microencapsulated docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by spray–drying processing

The omega-3-fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 22:6 n-3, is an important food component for the visual and brain development of infants. In this study two approaches have been explored for the encapsulation of DHA in the pH dependant polymer hydroxyl-propyl-methyl-cellulose-acetate-succinate (HPMCAS). In the first approach Direct Spray Drying (DSD) was implemented for the microencapsulation of DHA/HPMCAS organic solutions, whilst in the second approach solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) dispersions of DHA, were first produced by high-pressure homogenization, prior to being spray dried in HPMCAS aqueous solutions. The DSD approach resulted in significantly higher quantities of DHA being encapsulated, at 2.09 g/100 g compared to 0.60 g/100 g in the spray-dried SLNs. The DHA stability increased with the direct spray-drying approach. Release studies of DHA in the direct sprayed dried samples revealed a lag time for 2 h in acidic media followed by rapid release in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8)

Promoting Word Consciousness to Close the Vocabulary Gap in Young Word Learners

A proposed avenue for increasing students’ vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension is instruction that promotes students’ enthusiasm and attention to words, referred to as word consciousness. This study seeks to investigate, at the utterance level, whether and how word consciousness talk is used in classrooms with young word learners and whether this type of talk is associated with student gains in general vocabulary knowledge. Using videotaped classroom (N = 27) observations, this study found evidence of word consciousness talk, with variability of use across classrooms. Multilevel modeling revealed that this kind of teacher talk—operationalized as reinforcing students’ use of words, affirming students’ recognition of word meanings, and helping students make personal connections to words—was positively associated with student gains in general vocabulary knowledge at the end of kindergarten. Findings from this study can provide guidance for teachers seeking strategies to increase students’ general vocabulary knowledge, beyond words taught

Key influence of sex on urine volume and osmolality

Abstract Background Demographics influence kidney stone risk and the type of stone that is more likely to form. Common kidney stone risk factors include having a low urine volume and a high urine concentration. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effect of demographics on urinary concentration and osmole excretion. Methods Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected from non-Hispanic white sibships in Rochester, MN. Height, weight, blood pressure, serum creatinine, and cystatin C were measured. Diet was assessed using the Viocare food frequency questionnaire. Effects of demographics and dietary elements on urine osmolality and volume were evaluated in bivariate and multivariable models, as well as models that included dietary interactions with age, sex, and weight. Results Samples were available from 709 individuals (mean age 66 ± 9 years, 59 % female). Across the age spectrum, males had higher urine osmolality (~140 mOsm/kg, p < 0.0001) and total osmole excretion (~270 mOsm, p < 0.0001) compared to females. For any given urine volume, males had a consistently higher urine osmolality (~140 mOsm/kg, p < 0.0001). In multivariable models, urine osmolality declined with age and water intake and remained higher in males than females. Urine osmolality positively associated with weight and animal protein intake. Higher urine volume associated with larger water intake. An interaction revealed that greater body weight was associated with larger changes in urine osmolality as oxalate intake increased (p = 0.04). Conclusion Data from this study support the hypothesis that there are sex differences in thirst and vasopressin action. This trend in urine concentration is also consistent with known epidemiologic patterns of urinary stone disease risk.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/117280/1/13293_2016_Article_63.pd

Association of urinary citrate excretion, pH, and net gastrointestinal alkali absorption with diet, diuretic use, and blood glucose concentration

Urinary citrate (Ucit) protects against urinary stone formation. Acid base status and diet influence Ucit. However, the effect of demographics, diet, and glucose metabolism on Ucit excretion, urinary pH (U‐pH) and net gastrointestinal alkali absorption (NAA) are not known. Twenty‐four hour urine samples, blood glucose, creatinine, and cystatin C were obtained from non‐Hispanic white sibships in Rochester, MN (n = 446; 64.5 ± 9 years; 58% female). Diet was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. The impact of blood glucose, demographics and dietary elements on Ucit excretion, U‐pH, and NAA were evaluated in bivariate and multivariable models and interaction models that included age, sex, and weight. NAA significantly associated with Ucit and U‐pH. In multivariate models Ucit increased with age, weight, eGFRCys, and blood glucose, but decreased with loop diuretic and thiazide use. U‐pH decreased with serum creatinine, blood glucose, and dietary protein but increased with dietary potassium. NAA was higher in males and increased with age, weight, eGFRCys and dietary potassium. Significant interactions were observed for Ucit excretion with age and blood glucose, weight and eGFRCys, and sex and thiazide use. Blood glucose had a significant and independent effect on U‐pH and also Ucit. This study provides the first evidence that blood glucose could influence urinary stone risk independent of urinary pH, potentially providing new insight into the association of obesity and urinary stone disease.This study demonstrated that blood glucose had a significant and independent effect on urinary pH and also urinary citrate. Thus it provides the first evidence that blood glucose could influence urinary stone risk independent of urinary pH, potentially providing new insight into the association of obesity and urinary stone disease.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138855/1/phy213411.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138855/2/phy213411_am.pd

Colonoscopic screening for colorectal cancer improves quality of life measures: a population-based screening study

BACKGROUND: Screening asymptomatic individuals for neoplasia can have adverse consequences on quality of life. Colon cancer screening is widespread but the quality of life (QOL) consequences are unknown. This study determined the impact of screening colonoscopy on QOL measures in asymptomatic average-risk participants. METHODS: Asymptomatic male and female participants aged 55–74 years were randomly selected from the Australian Electoral Roll or six primary care physicians' databases. Participants completed the Short-Form (SF-36) Quality of Life Assessment at baseline and at a mean of 39 days after colonoscopy. Outcome measures were (i) significant changes in raw scores in any of the eight SF-36 domains assessed following colonoscopic screening and (ii) improvements or declines in previously validated categories, representing clinically significant changes, within any of the eight SF-36 domains. RESULTS: Baseline QOL measures were similar to those of a matched general population sample. Role Limitations due to Emotions, Mental Health and Vitality raw scores significantly improved following colonoscopy (P < 0.05, 2-tailed t-test). Health ratings according to Category were similar (same clinical status) in the majority of participants. However, 30% participants recorded clinically significant improvement in the Mental Health and Vitality domains (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks test). This improvement was not offset by declines in other domains or in other participants. Improvement in QOL was not related to colonoscopy results. CONCLUSION: Average-risk persons benefit significantly from colon cancer screening with colonoscopy, improving in Mental Health and Vitality domains of Quality of Life. This improvement is not offset by declines in other domains

Gramene database in 2010: updates and extensions

Now in its 10th year, the Gramene database (http://www.gramene.org) has grown from its primary focus on rice, the first fully-sequenced grass genome, to become a resource for major model and crop plants including Arabidopsis, Brachypodium, maize, sorghum, poplar and grape in addition to several species of rice. Gramene began with the addition of an Ensembl genome browser and has expanded in the last decade to become a robust resource for plant genomics hosting a wide array of data sets including quantitative trait loci (QTL), metabolic pathways, genetic diversity, genes, proteins, germplasm, literature, ontologies and a fully-structured markers and sequences database integrated with genome browsers and maps from various published studies (genetic, physical, bin, etc.). In addition, Gramene now hosts a variety of web services including a Distributed Annotation Server (DAS), BLAST and a public MySQL database. Twice a year, Gramene releases a major build of the database and makes interim releases to correct errors or to make important updates to software and/or data

Repeatability of the Six-Minute Walk Test and Relation to Physical Function in Survivors of a Critical Illness

Background: The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is widely used as an outcome measure in exercise rehabilitation. However, the repeatability of the 6MWT performed at home in survivors of a critical illness has not been evaluated. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in survivors of a critical illness: (1) the repeatability of the 6MWT performed at home, (2) the effect on estimates of change in functional exercise capacity if only one 6MWT was performed at follow-up assessments, and (3) the relationship between the physical functioning (PF) score of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) and the 6MWT. Design: Repeated measures of the 6MWT and SF-36 were obtained. Methods: Eligible participants had an intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay of ≥48 hours and were mechanically ventilated for ≥24 hours. Two 6MWTs and the SF-36 were conducted in participants' homes at weeks 1, 8, and 26 after hospital discharge. Results: One hundred seventy-three participants completed the study. The participants had a mean age of 57 years (SD=16), a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score on admission of 19 (SD=10), a mean ICU length of stay of 9 days (SD=8), and a mean mechanical ventilation time of 140 hours (SD=137). Of the 173 participants, 110 performed two 6MWTs at weeks 1, 8, and 26. There were significant mean increases in 6-minute walk distance in the second test of 15 m (P<.0001) at week 1, 13 m (P<.0001) at week 8, and 9 m (P=.04) at week 26. If only one 6MWT was performed at weeks 8 and 26, the estimate of change in 6-minute walk distance from week 1 was 19 m less (P<.001) at both weeks 8 and 26. There was a moderate to strong correlation between SF-36 PF score and 6-minute walk distance at each assessment (week 1: r=.62, P<.001; week 8: r=.55, P<.001; and week 26: r=.47, P<.001).Limitations: Some study participants were unable to perform a second 6MWT, and these participants may have differed in important aspects of function compared with those individuals who completed two 6MWTs. Conclusions: In survivors of a critical illness, the 6MWT in the home environment should be performed twice at each assessment to give an accurate reflection of change in exercise capacity over time. The SF-36 PF score was a strong indicator of 6-minute walk distance in early recovery from a critical illness

Changes in Health State Utilities With Changes in Body Mass in the Diabetes Prevention Program

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93702/1/oby.2009.114.pd

The ACTIVE cognitive training trial and predicted medical expenditures

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health care expenditures for older adults are disproportionately high and increasing at both the individual and population levels. We evaluated the effects of the three cognitive training interventions (memory, reasoning, or speed of processing) in the ACTIVE study on changes in predicted medical care expenditures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ACTIVE was a multisite randomized controlled trial of older adults (≥ 65). Five-year follow-up data were available for 1,804 of the 2,802 participants. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for potential attrition bias. Changes in predicted annual<b/>medical expenditures were calculated at the first and fifth annual follow-up assessments using a new method for translating functional status scores. Multiple linear regression methods were used in this cost-offset analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At one and five years post-training, annual predicted expenditures declined<b/>by $223 (p = .024) and$128 (p = .309), respectively, in the speed of processing treatment group, but there were no statistically significant changes in the memory or reasoning treatment groups compared to the no-contact control group at either period. Statistical adjustment for age, race, education, MMSE scores, ADL and IADL performance scores, EPT scores, chronic condition counts, and the SF-36 PCS and MCS scores at baseline did not alter the one-year ($244; p = .012) or five-year ($143; p = .250) expenditure declines in the speed of processing treatment group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The speed of processing intervention significantly reduced subsequent annual predicted medical care expenditures at the one-year post-baseline comparison, but annual savings were no longer statistically significant at the five-year post-baseline comparison.</p