Supplementation of nanofiltrated deep ocean water ameliorate the progression of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat via regulating osteoblast differentiation.

Magnesium was reported to be necessary for bone formation. Previous study indicated nanofiltrated deep ocean water (DOW) rich in magnesium. This study investigated the potential mechanisms of DOW in ameliorating osteoporosis. Briefly, female Sprague-Dawley rat was ovariectomized and fed with 0.35, 0.7, or 1.4 ml/kg of DOW daily for 8 weeks. In the results, DOW increased bone density, decreased trabecular bone loss, and decreased bone adiposity. DOW improved bone mass by examining structure in micro-computed tomography. About 0.35 and 0.7 ml/kg of DOW can increase protein expression of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), an essential transcription factor for regulating osteoblast differentiation, by 9.4% or 12.9%. In human osteoblast, DOW increased the levels of osteocalcin, RUNX2, and alkaline phosphatase; all the proteins can regulate osteoblast differentiation. Considering the results of in vivo and in vitro study, DOW can ameliorate ovareictomy-caused osteoporosis via regulating the osteoblast differentiation, thereby, maintenance of bone structure. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In addition to calcium, magnesium is essential to promoting the deposition of calcium in bones and regulating its transport; it may also slow the progression of osteoporosis. Nanofiltrated DOW contains abundant magnesium along with several microelements and peptides. In this study, a product was developed for decelerating osteoporosis by using an estrogen depletion model. DOW regulates osteoblast differentiation and thus prevents osteoporosis. This finding provides an alternative healthy source of bone supplements. In addition to tablets or capsules, aqueous supplements can be produced to achieve osteoporosis prevention. This finding is beneficial to the health-care industry for developing sustainable supplements.

Middle Ear Function and Pathophysiology in Andean Children Living at High Altitudes.

Counter, S. Allen, Leo H. Buchanan, Fernando Ortega, Anthony B. Jacobs, and Göran Laurell. Middle ear function and pathophysiology in Andean children living at high altitudes. High Alt Med Biol. 18:163-170, 2017.-The extent of altitude-related middle ear disorders in children native to high altitudes is unclear. This study examined middle ear pathophysiology in two groups of children living in high-altitude Ecuadorian Andean communities by investigating middle ear pressure (MEP), tympanic membrane compliance (TMC), and ear canal volume (ECV) using tympanometry, and by otological examination. Altitude I Group lived at 2850 m, and Altitude II Group resided at around 4000 m. The two high-altitude groups were compared with a reference group of children residing at sea level. Mean MEP was -3.6 daPa (SD: 39.2), 3.5 daPa (SD: 28.7), and 1.3 daPa (SD: 13.6) for Altitude I Group, Altitude II Group, and the Sea Level Group, respectively. The MEP was not significantly different among the three groups. Mean TMC was 0.63 cm3 (SD: 0.51), 0.60 cm3 (SD: 0.43), and 0.60 cm3 (SD: 0.24) for Altitude I Group, Altitude II Group, and the Sea Level Group, respectively. The TMC was not significantly different among the three groups. Mean ECV was 1.1 (SD: 0.26), 1.2 (SD: 0.26), and 1.0 (SD: 0.23) for Altitude I Group, Altitude II Group, and the Sea Level Group, respectively. The difference in ECV between Altitude I Group and Altitude II Group was significant (p = 0.043), as was the difference between Altitude II Group and the Sea Level Group (p = 0.001). ECV did not differ significantly between Altitude I Group and the Sea Level Group. Otological examination revealed a low incidence of ear canal and middle ear pathology. In conclusion, tympanometric and otological findings did not reveal a high incidence of middle ear pathophysiology in children living at altitudes as high as around 4000 m.

Assessment of the Brainstem-Mediated Stapedius Muscle Reflex in Andean Children Living at High Altitudes.

Counter, S. Allen, Leo H. Buchanan, Fernando Ortega, Anthony B. Jacobs, and Göran Laurell. Assessment of the brainstem-mediated stapedius muscle reflex in Andean children living at high altitudes. High Alt Med Biol. 18:37-45, 2017.-This study examined the physiological thresholds, amplitude growth, and contraction duration of the acoustic stapedius reflex (ASR) in Andean children aged 2-17 years living at altitudes of 2850 m (Altitude I Group) and 3973 m (Altitude II Group) as part of a general medical assessment of the health status of the children. The brainstem-mediated ASR reveals the integrity of the neuronal components of the auditory reflex arc, including the cochlea receptors, eight cranial nerves, and brainstem neural projections to the cochlear nuclei, bilateral superior olivary nuclei, facial nerve nuclei, and facial nerve and its stapedius branch. Uncrossed (ipsilateral) and crossed (contralateral) ASR thresholds (ASRT), ASR amplitude growth (ASRG) function, and ASR muscle contraction duration (decay/fatigue) (ASRD) were measured noninvasively with 500, 1000 Hz and broadband (bandwidth = 125-4000 Hz) noise stimulus activators using a middle ear immittance system. Oxygen saturation (SaO2) level and heart rate were measured in a subsample of the study group. Statistical analyses revealed that the Altitude I and Altitude II groups had ASRT, ASRG function, and ASRD rates comparable to children at sea level and that the two groups were not significantly different for any of the ASR measures. No significant association was found between SaO2 or heart rate and ASRT, growth, and muscle fatigue rate. In conclusion, the assessment of the ASR in children in the high-altitude groups revealed normal function. Furthermore, the results indicate no adverse oto-physiological effects of altitude on the brainstem-mediated ASR at elevations between 2850 and 4000 m and suggest normal middle ear and auditory brainstem function.

Tracking blood lead and zinc protoporphyrin levels in Andean adults working in a lead contaminated environment.

The purpose of this study was to investigate current blood lead (PbB) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) levels in adults presently living in environmentally Pb-contaminated Andean communities, and to compare the findings with the PbB and ZPP levels of Pb-exposed adult cohorts from the same study area tested between 1996 and 2007. Blood samples from 39 adults were measured for PbB and ZPP concentrations. The current mean PbB level (22.7 µg/dl) was significantly lower than the mean (37.9 µg/dl) of the initial 1996 cohort. PbB levels for the 1997, 1998, 2003, and 2006 cohorts were also significantly lower than the levels for the 1996 group. Elevated ZPP/heme ratios of 103.3, 128.4, and 134.2 µmol/mol were not significantly different for the 2006, 2007, and 2012 groups, indicating chronic Pb exposure. While ZPP levels of Andean Ecuadorian Pb-glazing workers have remained elevated, PbB levels declined. Lead exposure of the workers needs to be continually monitored.

Declining blood lead and zinc protoporphyrin levels in Ecuadorian Andean children.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate current lead (Pb) exposure in children living in Andean Ecuadorian communities. Blood Pb (PbB) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) levels were used respectively as biomarkers of acute and chronic Pb poisoning. The current PbB-ZPP levels were compared with previous pediatric PbB-ZPP levels recorded over years in the study area. DESIGN AND METHODS: Samples of whole blood were collected from 22 Andean children of Quechua and Mestizo backgrounds and measured for PbB concentrations by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy. ZPP/heme ratio and ZPP whole blood (ZPP WB) levels were measured with a hematofluorometer. RESULTS: The mean PbB level for children in the current study group was 14.5 µg/dL, which was significantly lower than the mean PbB level of 41.1 µg/dL found in the same study area in the 1996-2000 test period, and lower than the 22.2 µg/dL mean level found in the 2003-2007 period. The current mean ZPP/heme ratio was 102.1 µmol/mol, and the mean ZPP WB level was 46.3 µg/dL, both lower than values previously found in children in the study area. CONCLUSION: While the current pediatric PbB-ZPP levels in the study area remain elevated in some children, the overall levels indicate a decline relative to levels observed in the same Pb-contaminated area in the period between 1996 and 2007. The elevated ZPP levels suggest a history of chronic Pb exposure, and potential iron deficiency in some children. The overall reduction in PbB-ZPP levels suggests a positive outcome of a Pb-exposure education and prevention program, and the therapeutic intervention of succimer chelation therapy.