Search

Objective:Formulations containing probiotics are promoted due to health benefits. During lyophilization and subsequent storage in the gastrointestinal tract, bacteria are exposed to stress conditions that can lead to impairment and loss of viability. Methods:The suitability of various excipients for enhancing the stability and functionality of Bifidobacterium longumsubsp. infantisduring storage as freeze-dried powder and through exposure to acid and bile was investigated. Cells were lyophilized in the presence of sucrose, trehalose, lactose, cellobiose and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and stored at 4 °C or 25 °C. The effect of diverse protectants on the persistence after exposure to acid and bile environment was examined through determination of the colony forming units, the β-glucosidase and β-galactosidase activity and the membrane integrity changes. Results:Cells freeze-dried in the presence of cryoprotectants had comparable survivability during storage at 4 °C whereas the survival rate at 25 °C of cells protected by cellobiose and FOS was higher than for those protected with sucrose and trehalose. Furthermore, the respective excipients used as cryoprotectants enhanced the stability of cells exposed to simulated gastric and small intestinal medium. Stabilization may be achieved through different mechanism of action such as protecting the membrane integrity and as metabolizable substrates. Overall, prebiotic and thus metabolizable protectants including cellobiose and FOS were superior to other protectants used. Conclusion:In symbiotic formulas with B. infantis,these sugars might serve as prebiotics and stabilizers of this probiotic strain during lyophilization, storage and in gastrointestinal conditions simultaneously, potentially increasing its health-promoting effects.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the health status and quality of life (QOL) of paid unrelated versus related living kidney donors postdonation at Shiraz Transplant Center in Iran. We invited all donors (n = 580, 347 paid unrelated, 233 related) who underwent donor nephrectomy at our center from 2004 to 2010 to participate in a health survey and physical examination. Of 580 donors, 144 consented to participate; participation of paid unrelated donors was significantly lower than related (52/347 vs. 92/233; p < 0.001). Participants underwent a complete physical examination, QOL assessment (using a 36-item short form health survey [SF-36] questionnaire) and laboratory work-up. The paid unrelated donors compared with related donors were younger (34.2 ± 7.2 vs. 40.7 ± 9.7 years, p < 0.001), had shorter time since donation (2.9 ± 1.6 vs. 3.8 ± 2 years, p = 0.004), had higher estimated GFR (72.6 ± 22 vs. 63.8 ± 15.3 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.006) and had a higher percentage of patients with microalbuminuria (35% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). Additionally, general health and social functioning scores among paid unrelated donors were significantly lower (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively) than related donors. Other SF-36 scores, although lower in paid unrelated donors, did not reach statistical significance. Iranian paid unrelated donors have lower QOL and higher incidence of microalbuminuria compared with related donors.

This cross‐sectional study of Iranian living kidney donors shows that paid unrelated kidney donors have poor follow‐up, lower health‐related quality of life, and higher incidence of microalbuminuria postdonation compared with related kidney donors. See editorial by Gordon and Gill on page 3063.

Inversion of sucrose is a stability problem particularly of candies with acidic taste that contain sucrose and small amounts of organic acids such as citric acid, since the free d-fructose produced by hydrolysis is hygroscopic. The following possibilities were investigated for preventing the hydrolysis of sucrose in tablets containing sucrose and citric acid: Adding various amounts of tri-sodium citrate to the formulation to neutralize the citric acid, (Hot) melt coating of citric acid and tri-sodium citrate with a vegetable fat at different coating ratios, variation of the ratio of coated citric acid and tri-sodium citrate in formulations, and compressing the formulations with different compression forces. After tablet processing and storage of tablets, the concentration of d-fructose was determined on the basis of enzymatic reactions. A response surface central composite design was used. The above-mentioned variations were chosen as independent variables and the amount of d-fructose was chosen as response variable. The lowest rates of inversion could be achieved by increasing the content of tri-sodium citrate and the ratio of coating material and decreasing the ratio of coated citric acid and tri-sodium citrate in the tablet formulations. The compression force had no significant effect on the inversion of sucrose.Inversion of sucrose is a stability problem particularly of candies with acidic taste that contain sucrose and small amounts of organic acids such as citric acid, since the free d-fructose produced by hydrolysis is hygroscopic. The following possibilities were investigated for preventing the hydrolysis of sucrose in tablets containing sucrose and citric acid: Adding various amounts of tri-sodium citrate to the formulation to neutralize the citric acid, (Hot) melt coating of citric acid and tri-sodium citrate with a vegetable fat at different coating ratios, variation of the ratio of coated citric acid and tri-sodium citrate in formulations, and compressing the formulations with different compression forces. After tablet processing and storage of tablets, the concentration of d-fructose was determined on the basis of enzymatic reactions. A response surface central composite design was used. The above-mentioned variations were chosen as independent variables and the amount of d-fructose was chosen as response variable. The lowest rates of inversion could be achieved by increasing the content of tri-sodium citrate and the ratio of coating material and decreasing the ratio of coated citric acid and tri-sodium citrate in the tablet formulations. The compression force had no significant effect on the inversion of sucrose.

Muscle cramps that improve after carnitine or vitamin E therapies are common in haemodialysis (HD) patients. Because vitamin C participates in carnitine biosynthesis, and its levels are reduced in uraemia, subclinical vitamin C depletion may contribute to HD cramps. Our aim was to determine the effects of vitamins C, E and their combination on the frequency and intensity of HD cramps.