Effect of dietary taurine supplementation on metabolome variation in plasma of Nile tilapia.

Taurine has been considered as an essential nutrient for many aquaculture species. While dietary taurine supplementation is highly recommended, novelty studies on taurine metabolism in fish are needed. The present study aimed to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in multiple metabolome changes in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by studying plasma metabolic profile changes in response to graded levels of dietary taurine supplementation. The analysis used proton nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics. Four groups of tilapias were fed with four diets supplemented with 0.0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2% taurine for 84 days. Fish plasma was sampled at multiple time points to provide an accurate snapshot of specific metabolic profiles during growth. Under the effect of taurine supplementation, 21 and 12 metabolites in tilapia plasma shown significant changes in terms of time-dependence and diet-dependence, respectively. These metabolic changes in tilapia plasma were mainly associated with energy and amino acid metabolism, lipids, nucleotides and protein metabolism. The results indicate that 0.8% taurine supplementation could significantly improve the carbohydrate synthesis, protein digestion and absorption, and fat deposition of tilapia and thereby promoted growth and development of tilapia.

Damage to epitaxial GaN layer on Al2O3 by 290-MeV 238U32+ ions irradiation.

Micro-structural characteristics and electrical properties of an n-type GaN epilayer on Al2O3 irradiated by 290-MeV 238U32+ ions to various fluences were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), and Raman scattering spectroscopy. AFM images show that the nano-hillocks generated, and the diameter and density of the nano-hillocks, increase obviously with increasing ion fluence, accompanied by an increase in surface roughness. SEM images display that the Al, O, and C elements appear on the GaN surface, along with a spiral-like, layered volcanic-cone structure formed at the highest-fluence irradiation. HRXRD reveals that the dislocation density increases, as the lattices gradually expand, and that Ga2O3 was produced with increasing ion fluence. Raman scattering spectra show that no N and Ga vacancies were produced, the free-carrier concentration decreases, while its mobility first increases and then exhibits a significant reduction with increasing ion fluence.

[Value of the albumin to globulin ratio in predicting severity and prognosis in myasthenia gravis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive value of the albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) in evaluation of disease severity and prognosis in myasthenia gravis patients. METHODS: A total of 135 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients were enrolled between February 2009 and March 2015. The AGR was detected on the first day of hospitalization and ranked from lowest to highest, and the patients were divided into three equal tertiles according to the AGR values, which were T1 (AGR <1.34), T2 (1.34≤AGR≤1.53) and T3 (AGR>1.53). The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of AGR. Cox model analysis was used to evaluate the relevant factors. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to find the predictors of myasthenia crisis during hospitalization. RESULTS: The median length of hospital stay for each tertile was: for the T1 21 days (15-35.5), T2 18 days (14-27.5), and T3 16 days (12-22.5) (P<0.01), and Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant difference among the three groups. In the univariate model, serum albumin, creatinine, AGR and MGFA clinical classification were related to prognosis of myasthenia gravis. At the multivariate Cox regression analysis, the AGR (P<0.001) and MGFA clinical classification (P<0.001) were independent predictive factors of disease severity and prognosis in myasthenia gravis patients. Respectively, the hazard ratio (HR) were 4.655 (95% CI: 2.355-9.202) and 0.596 (95% CI: 0.492-0.723). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed the AGR (P<0.001) and MGFA clinical classification were related to myasthenia crisis. CONCLUSION: The AGR may represent a simple, potentially useful predictive biomarker for evaluating the disease severity and prognosis of patients with myasthenia gravis.

Effects of predistention with normal saline containing adrenaline on blood-vessel injury during epidural catheter placement.

This study investigated the effects of predistention with normal saline containing adrenaline on vascular plexus injury during epidural catheter placement. Three hundred parturients undergoing caesarean sections were randomly divided into three groups. Group I (n = 102) received an epidural injection with 5 ml normal saline; group II (n = 93) received 5 ml normal saline containing adrenaline (5 µg/ml); group III (n = 100) received direct epidural catheter placement. Five women were excluded from the analysis for technical reasons. The incidence of bloody fluid in the epidural needle was significantly lower in groups I and II compared with group III (eight [7.8%] and seven [7.5%] versus 17 [17.0%], respectively). There were no significant differences in the incidence of bloody fluid in the epidural catheter or in the incidence of intravascular epidural catheter placement between the three groups. Predistention with 5 ml normal saline before catheter insertion reduced the incidence of blood-vessel injury during epidural catheter placement, but adrenaline provided no additional protective effects.

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials during procaine toxicity in dogs.

Although the toxic effect of local anaesthetics on the activity of cerebral cortex has been extensively studied, little is known about their toxic effect on brainstem. Accordingly, the influence of procaine on brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and on the electroencephalogram (EEG) was observed in 15 dogs. After the administration of procaine (15 mg.kg-1, i.v.), the amplitudes of wave I (1.88 +/- 0.56 vs 2.06 +/- 0.61 microV, mean +/- SD) and wave II (1.91 +/- 0.41 vs 2.06 +/- 0.46 microV) in BAEPs increased (P less than 0.05), while the amplitudes of wave III (0.97 +/- 0.27 vs 0.81 +/- 0.24 microV), wave IV (1.15 +/- 0.43 vs 0.85 +/- 0.29 microV) and wave V (1.04 +/- 0.46 vs 0.92 +/- 0.41 microV) were decreased (P less than 0.05), and both the I-III inter-peak latency (1.57 +/- 0.04 vs 1.70 +/- 0.07 msec) and III-V inter-peak latency (2.15 +/- 0.09 vs 2.35 +/- 0.12 msec) were prolonged (P less than 0.01). The EEG changed from an awake pattern to seizure activity. These results suggest that the electrical activity of the brainstem auditory pathway is suppressed even when the cerebral cortex is in an excitatory state at the convulsive stage of procaine toxicity.

Decreased circulation time in the upper limb reduces the lag time of the finger pulse oximeter response.

To observe the influence of circulatory changes on the lag time of the pulse oximeter response, eight healthy patients scheduled for hand surgery were studied. After breath holding, the patients took a breath of oxygen and the time to an increase in SpO2 was measured before and after axillary brachial plexus block. It was found that the lag time with finger probe decreased from 28.6 +/- 7.1 sec to 15.8 +/- 1.1 sec (mean +/- SD) following brachial block (P less than 0.01). There was no change in arterial blood pressure. The results suggest that the lag time of the finger pulse oximeter response is primarily determined by blood flow.