Postbiotic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects of aqueous microbial lysozyme in broiler chickens.

Lysozymes, efficient alternative supplements to antibiotics, have several benefits in poultry production. In the present study, 120, one-day-old, Ross 308 broiler chickens of mixed sex, were allocated into 2 equal groups, lysozyme treated group (LTG) and lysozyme free group (LFG), to evaluate the efficacy of lysozyme (Lysonir®) usage via both drinking water (thrice) and spray (once). LTG had better (p = 0.042) FCR, and higher European production efficiency factor compared to LFG (p = 0.042). The intestinal integrity score of LTG was decreased (p = 0.242) compared to that of LFG; 0.2 vs. 0.7. Higher (p ≤ 0.001) intestinal Lactobacillus counts were detected in chickens of LTG. Decreased (p ≤ 0.001) IL-1ß and CXCL8 values were reported in LTG. The cellular immune modulation showed higher (p ≤ 0.001) opsonic activity (MΦ and phagocytic index) in LTG vs. LFG at 25 and 35 days. Also, higher (p ≤ 0.001) local, IgA, and humoral, HI titers, for both Newcastle, and avian influenza H5 viruses were found in LTG compared to LFG. In conclusion, microbial lysozyme could improve feed efficiency, intestinal integrity, Lactobacillus counts, anti-inflammatory, and immune responses in broiler chickens.

Exogenous aqueous and spray microbial lysozyme enhanced growth in commercial broiler chickensThe postbiotic effects of microbial lysozyme modulated intestinal integrity.Anti-inflammatory, as well as local, cellular, and humoral immune response were stimulated by lysozyme supplementation.

Regenerative injection therapy and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in primary fibromyalgia treatment: A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the effectiveness of regenerative injection therapy (RIT), i.e. prolotherapy, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 120 female, age-matched fibromyalgia patients. All patients underwent a clinical examination, pain assessment by VAS, assessment of tender points, psychiatric and functional assessment using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised (RFIQ), and measurement of cortical auditory evoked potentials CAEPs elicited at 1000 Hz. Patients were divided into two equal groups; Group 1 received prolotherapy three times, two weeks apart, and Group 2 received rTMS sessions every other day for one month. Assessment was performed before treatment, immediately after treatment, and one month later. RESULTS: A significant improvement of pain measured by the mean score of VAS was remarked in Group 1 compared to Group 2 immediately after treatment and one month later. There was statistically significant difference of mean scores for the number of tender points in Group 1 compared to Group 2 after treatment and one month later. The patients improved functionally, with a statistically significant difference in mean score of RFIQ, in Group 1 compared to Group 2 one month after treatment. However, there was a significant difference in mean score of BDI in Group 2 compared to Group 1 after treatment and one month later. Further, CAEPs showed better improvement, with a significant difference in Group 2, one month after treatment. CONCLUSION: RIT had the advantage in clinical and functional improvement in fibromyalgia patients, while rTMS had better results regarding depression and the cortical component of AEPs. These results might draw attention to the evaluability of a combination of both techniques for a better therapeutic response.

The role of auditory evoked potentials and otoacoustic emissions in early detection of hearing abnormalities in Behçet's disease patients. A case control study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the types and to assess the role of auditory evoked potentials and otoacoustic emissions in early detection of hearing abnormalities in Behçet's disease (BD) patients. Their correlations with disease activity were also considered. METHODS: Thirty patients with BD and thirty apparently sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study. Auditory evaluation included pure tone audiometry (PTA), otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs, DPOAE), auditory brainstem response test (ABR) and cortical auditory evoked potentials (tone and speech CAEPs) for all patients and control. RESULTS: The highest abnormality of CAEP latencies elicited by (500Hz and 1000 Hz) as well as speech stimuli (da and ga) among our BD patients was delayed P1 and N1 waves at 80 dB with greater bilateral affection, as well as significant differences between patients and controls. All our BD patients had a smaller amplitude of distortion product OAE (DPOAE) and S/N ratio at 1, 2, 4, 6 kHZ compared with controls and the differences were highly statistically significant (p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Being one of the autoimmune inner ear diseases (AIED), BD has a definite hearing impairment, even in the presence of normal hearing sensitivity, as evidenced by PTA. BD patients had a sub-clinical cochlear pathology which was not affected by disease activity or different organ affection. DPOAE (S/N ratio) proved to be a sensitive test in detecting minimal changes in cochlear pathology and the latencies of CAEPs (tone and speech) measures were considered as sensitive indicators (100%) of early detection of hearing impairment in BD patients.

Association of anti-modified citrullinated vimentin with subclinical atherosclerosis in early rheumatoid arthritis compared with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate anti-modified citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including correlation with disease activity and cardiovascular risk factors, compared with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP3). METHODS: Anti-MCV and anti-CCP3 concentrations were measured in 100 patients with early RA and 100 healthy controls at baseline to determine sensitivity and specificity. Patients received methotrexate (MTX) 0.2 mg/kg/week plus prednisone 10 mg/day. Anti-MCV, anti-CCP3, rheumatoid factor (RF), Disease Activity Score for 28 joints (DAS-28), lipid profile, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein assay (hsCRP), homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) were measured before and after 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity for anti-MCV antibody were 75% and 90%, respectively, and for anti-CCP3 antibody 71% and 96%. Serum anti-MCV and serum anti-CCP3 levels at baseline were positively correlated with hsCRP, IL-6, HOMA-IR index, serum RF levels (p < 0.001), and cIMT (p < 0.05). Serum anti-MCV was positively correlated with serum anti-CCP3 levels. There were significant positive correlations between the percentage of changes of anti-MCV levels versus changes in DAS-28, ESR, hsCRP, atherogenic ratios (TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C), apolipoprotein A-I, IL-6, TNF-α, HOMA-IR index, and cIMT. These correlations were not found between changes in anti-CCP3 levels compared to clinical, laboratory, and radiological variables. CONCLUSION: Anti-MCV was as sensitive as anti-CCP3 in diagnosing early RA. Anti-MCV testing appears to be useful for monitoring associated subclinical atherosclerosis in early RA.

Effect of atorvastatin on inflammation and modification of vascular risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of atorvastatin therapy on inflammation, disease activity, endothelial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: This study included 30 patients with early RA, randomly divided into 2 groups. Group 1 (n = 15) received methotrexate (MTX; 0.2 mg/kg/week; mean (15.5 ± SD 1.3) plus prednisone (10 mg/day). Group 2 (n = 15) received MTX and prednisone with the same previous doses plus atorvastatin therapy (40 mg/day). Ten healthy individuals of similar age and sex served as controls. Disease activity, lipid profile, serum malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), resistin, adiponectin, and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were measured before and after 6 months of treatment. RESULTS: Atorvastatin combined with MTX therapy significantly reduced serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001). Disease activity variables, serum MDA, TNF-α, resistin, adiponectin, and FMD were significantly improved by the drug combinations (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin therapy in patients with RA reduced disease activity and conventional and novel vascular risk factors that promote the atheromatous lesion. Therapy was also associated with concomitant improvement in endothelial function.