Tissue distribution and elimination of sesaminol triglucoside and its metabolites in rat

Sesame exhibits many beneficial physiological effects, which are mostly related to its lignan compounds, such as sesaminol glucosides. This investigation studies the distribution and elimination of sesaminol triglucoside from sesame in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. In order to investigate the distribution of sesaminol triglucoside (p.o. 500 mg/kg) in SD rats, the changes in concentration of sesaminol triglucoside and its metabolites were determined in tissues and plasma within 24 h period after tube‐feeding to SD rats. Results showed that sesaminol triglucoside may be deglycosylated to form sesaminol first by intestinal microflora and then incorporated via lymphatic absorption into the cardiovascular system, transported to other tissues. The concentrations of sesaminol triglucoside and its metabolites in rectum, caecum, colon, and small intestines are higher than those in liver, lung, kidney, and heart. Its concentration in brain is low but detectable. Glucuronidation and sulfation was the main metabolic pathway for sesaminol in urine, and fecal elimination was a major route of elimination. From LC/MS/MS analysis of rat organs, sesaminol triglucoside can be converted to mammalian lignans, enterodiol (END), and enterolactone (ENL), by rat intestinal microflora. In the plasma, concentrations of END and ENL were 5.9 ± 0.2 and 5.5 ± 0.2 μmol/mL, respectively.     

Effects of processing conditions on the quality of vacuum‐fried carrot chips

The effects of pretreatment and vacuum frying conditions on the quality of fried carrot chips were studied. The moisture and oil contents of fried carrot chips were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced when blanched carrot slices were pretreated by immersion in fructose solution and freezing prior to vacuum frying. Furthermore, more uniform porosity was observed on the vertical cross‐section of carrot chips when examined by scanning electron microscopy. During vacuum frying, the moisture content, colour and breaking force of carrot chips decreased while the oil content increased with increasing frying temperature and time. However, there was no apparent change in Hunter ΔE with time when the frying temperature was below 100 °C and the frying time was below 25 min. Results of this study suggest that vacuum frying at moderate temperature (90–100 °C) for 20 min can produce carrot chips with lower moisture and oil contents as well as good colour and crispy texture. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Night and day at the beach: Relating social life to location and infrastructure in a Brazilian city

Brazilian city beaches are public spaces favoring citizens well-being. Urban studies relate built form and infrastructure with urban vitality and coastal studies underline uses as important for beach management, yet few researches relate form and infrastructure with beach uses. Understanding daily life as essential for public spaces and that spatial form relates with uses, this paper assesses time-based relationships between built and natural physical attributes and social life on the beaches of João Pessoa, a coastal city in North-east Brazil. Physical attributes are investigated at city scale - beach type, street network centrality and topography - and seafront scale - land uses, public/private interfaces, public infrastructure, beach sections and water quality. Beach social life was surveyed online, enquiring peoples' beach choice, visiting time and place, activities and evaluation. Infrastructure and street network follow topography and help configure shore and promenade for different landscapes. More central beaches have diverse land uses, well-equipped promenades and lighting and were popular night and day, while less central beaches had less infrastructure and were visited only by day. Findings highlight how physical attributes facilitate uses and, together with peoples’ evaluation, can inform urban beach design and planning.     

Hyperimmune colostrum alleviates rheumatoid arthritis in a collagen-induced arthritis murine model

Our aging population and the accompanying decline in immune function is a growing concern that may be addressed by finding natural methods to enhance the immunocompetence of our elderly. Bovine milk and colostrum from cows that have been immunized have been shown to provide additional immunoglobulins and other bioactive molecules that enhance immune function. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of hyperimmune bovine colostrum to alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in a murine model. The collagen-induced arthritis DBA/1J murine model was used for this study. Mice were fed colostrum from immunized cows at either 5 or 10 mg/mouse per day or controls for 49 d. The data showed that the colostrum-fed groups had significantly lower total swelling scores and significantly lower collagen-specific antibody (IgG_2a), inflammation-associated antibody (total IgG), and the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α, IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ. The results strongly suggest that colostrum from immunized cows may have anti-inflammatory activity in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis.     

The effect of exogenous glucose infusion on early embryonic development in lactating dairy cows

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of intravenous infusion of glucose on early embryonic development in lactating dairy cows. Nonpregnant, lactating dairy cows (n = 12) were enrolled in the study (276 ± 17 d in milk). On d 7 after a synchronized estrus, cows were randomly assigned to receive an intravenous infusion of either 750 g/d of exogenous glucose (GLUC; 78 mL/h of 40% glucose wt/vol) or saline (CTRL; 78 mL/h of 0.9% saline solution). The infusion period lasted 7 d and cows were confined to metabolism stalls for the duration of the study. Coincident with the commencement of the infusion on d 7 after estrus, 15 in vitro-produced grade 1 blastocysts were transferred into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum. All animals were slaughtered on d 14 to recover conceptuses, uterine fluid, and endometrial tissue. Glucose infusion increased circulating glucose concentrations (4.70 ± 0.12 vs. 4.15 ± 0.12 mmol/L) but did not affect milk production or dry matter intake. Circulating β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations were decreased (0.51 ± 0.01 vs. 0.70 ± 0.01 mmol/L for GLUC vs. CTRL, respectively) but plasma fatty acids, progesterone, and insulin concentrations were unaffected by treatment. Treatment did not affect either uterine lumen fluid glucose concentration or the mRNA abundance of specific glucose transporters in the endometrium. Mean conceptus length, width, and area on d 14 were reduced in the GLUC treatment compared with the CTRL treatment. A greater proportion of embryos in the CTRL group had elongated to all length cut-off measurements between 11 and 20 mm (measured in 1-mm increments) compared with the GLUC treatment. In conclusion, infusion of glucose into lactating dairy cows from d 7 to d 14 post-estrus during the critical period of conceptus elongation had an adverse impact on early embryonic development.     

Analysis of cured meat products for cryptosporidium oocysts following possible contamination during an extensive waterborne outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis

An outbreak of waterborne cryptosporidiosis in a town in northern Sweden during winter 2010 resulted in the potential exposure of cured meat products to Cryptosporidium oocysts during their manufacture. The purpose of this work was to develop a method for analyzing cured meat products for contamination with Cryptosporidium oocysts and use this method to analyze potentially contaminated product samples. A simple method of elution, concentration, separation, and detection was used, based on work with other food matrices but adapted for the relatively high fat content of cured meat surfaces. Using spiking experiments, the recovery efficiency of this method was found to be over 60%. In the analysis of the potentially contaminated products, only one putative Cryptosporidium oocyst was detected, and this was sufficiently deformed so that it could not be confirmed as an oocyst; if it was an oocyst, it was considered to have been probably deformed and inactivated prior to analysis. Based on the results of the analyses, together with data on the probable extent of contamination of the products and on our knowledge of factors, such as water activity, which affect oocyst survival, the products were safely released to the market.     

Adaptation et validation en langue fran?aise d’une échelle de bien-être spirituel.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 41(4) of Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement (see record 2009-18333-006). The DOI printed in the article was incorrect. The correct DOI should be as follows: DOI: 10.1037/a0012555.] Spiritual well-being is a dimension of subjective well-being which has enjoyed renewed interest for about 10 years. As far as the authors know, there is no scale in French to assess it. Our research work therefore sets out to adapt and validate in French Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) by Paloutzian and Ellison, published in 1982. To that end, 368 first- and second-year students took part in three studies. Results confirm the three-dimension structure designed by Scott et al. in 1998, justifying its use with the French population. Yet, the change of items in each dimension, which is currently under discussion, could well display some differences in spiritual well-being between young North American people and young French people. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reduced insulin-like growth factor-I after acute feed restriction in lactating dairy cows is independent of changes in growth hormone receptor 1A mRNA

Growth hormone receptor (GHR) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA decrease in the liver of dairy cows at parturition. Epinephrine is released and feed intake is decreased at the same time. The objective of this study was to determine whether feed restriction and (or) administration of epinephrine could recapitulate the changes in the hepatic GHR 1A and IGF-I mRNA that occur at parturition. Eight lactating cows were randomly assigned to one of two rations (ad libitum or restricted). The cows assigned to the restricted ration were fed 75, 60, 60, and 25% of feed consumed by the ad libitum cows on successive days to mimic the changes in feed intake around parturition. Liver samples were collected by needle biopsy before and after feed restriction. Cows received either 0.02 mg/kg of epinephrine or saline approximately 24 h before the second liver biopsy so that a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was created. Feed restriction increased plasma nonesterified fatty acids and liver triglyceride percentages and decreased plasma IGF-I concentrations. The decrease in plasma IGF-I after feed restriction was associated with a decrease in IGF-I mRNA in feed-restricted cows. The amount of GHR 1A mRNA did not change after feed restriction. Epinephrine treatment did not affect the amount of GHR 1A or IGF-I mRNA. We conclude that the decrease in feed intake at parturition may be partially responsible for the decrease in IGF-I but may not cause the decrease in GHR 1A.     

Chemical and microbiological quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) slaughtered by different methods

The effect of two slaughter methods (immersion in ice-water slurry and electrical stunning followed by ice slurry asphyxiation) on chemical and microbiological parameters of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) stored in ice for 20 days was evaluated. No differences in total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), pH, carbohydrate or protein content of mucus were observed between the slaughter methods. Ice-slaughtered fish had lower bacteria counts at the beginning of storage, but higher counts than fish slaughtered by electricity at the end of storage (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences in the shelf life were observed between the slaughter methods evaluated (limit of acceptability – counts > 3 × 10⁶ CFU g⁻¹ – attained after 13–16 days). Results indicated that the chemical parameters evaluated have a limited applicability to assess the shelf life of grass carp stored in ice, since pH limit (6.8) was exceeded after 4 days, while TVB-N limit (30 mg%) was not attained after 20 days of storage.