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Plant and fruit extracts exhibit fewer side effects than pharmaceuticals and can display therapeutic qualities. Consequently, they have attracted increased attention among health-conscious individuals, and many studies related to their health-promoting effects are being actively conducted. Vitis coignetiae is well-known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. However, the immune-enhancing effects of Vitis coignetiae have not yet been studied. In this study, Vitis coignetiae extract (VCE) increased immune-related activity in Wistar rat splenocytes and cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppressed rats. In splenocytes, VCE was nontoxic up to 300 μg/mL and increased cell viability in the presence of Cy. VCE also recovered Cy-induced decreases in cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and IL-12) levels and natural killer (NK) cell activity in splenocytes. In Cy-induced immunosuppressed rats, VCE protected against Cy-induced spleen tissue damage and decreases in body and spleen weight, cytokine (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-12) levels, and NK cell activity. We also observed recovery of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM levels following VCE treatment. In conclusion, the ability of VCE to restore immune activity from an immunosuppressive state to normal levels suggests its immune-enhancing efficacy. Therefore, VCE may have the potential for application in the development of immune-enhancing functional foods and medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how consuming porcine brain enzyme hydrolysate (PBEH) affects the immune function and composition of the gut microbiota in an immunodeficient animal model. Male Wistar rats aged 6 weeks were fed casein (control), 100 mg/kg body weight (BW), red ginseng extract (positive-control), and 6, 13, and 26 mg PBEH per kg BW (PBEH-L, PBEH-M, and PBEH-H, respectively) daily for 4 weeks. At 30 min after consuming assigned compounds, they were orally administered cyclophosphamide (CTX; 5 mg/kg BW), an immunosuppressive agent, to suppress the immune system by inhibiting the proliferation of lymphocytes. The normal-control rats were fed casein and water instead of CTX. Natural killer cell activity and splenocyte proliferation induced by 1 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide were lower in the control group than the normal-control group, and they significantly increased with PBEH consumption, particularly at high doses. The PBEH consumption increased dose-dependently in the Th1/Th2 ratio compared to the control. The lipid peroxide contents were lower in the PBEH group than in the control group. Moreover, PBEH m and PBEH-H consumption mitigated white pulp cell damage, reduced red pulp congestion, and increased spleen mast cells in the histological analysis. Intestinal microbiota composition demonstrated differences between the groups at the genus levels, with Akkermansia being more abundant in the control group than the normal-control group and the PBEH-H group showing a decrease. However, Bifidobacterium decreased in the control group but increased in the PBEH-H group. The β-diversity revealed distinct microbial communities of PBEH and positive-control groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The metagenome predictions revealed that PBEH-H influenced amino acid metabolism, antioxidant defense, insulin sensitivity, and longevity pathways. In conclusion, PBEH-H intake boosted immune responses and reduced lipid peroxides by modulating gut microbiota composition. These findings suggest that PBEH-H has the potential as a dietary supplement for improving immune function and gut health in individuals with immunodeficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The machine‐specific reference (msr) correction factors (kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref$k_{{Q_{{\rm{msr}}}},\;{Q_0}}^{{f_{{\rm{msr}}}},{f_{{\rm{ref}}}}}$) were introduced in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Report Series 483 (TRS‐483) for reference dosimetry of small fields. Several correction factor sets exist for a Leksell Gamma Knife (GK) Perfexion or Icon. Nevertheless, experiments have not rigorously validated the correction factors from different studies. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the role and accuracy of kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref$k_{{Q_{{\rm{msr}}}},\;{Q_0}}^{{f_{{\rm{msr}}}},{f_{{\rm{ref}}}}}$ values in determining the absorbed dose rates to water in the reference dosimetry of Gamma Knife. Methods: The dose rates in the 16 mm collimator field of a GK were determined following the international code of practices with three ionization chambers: PTW T31010, PTW T31016 (PTW Freiberg GmbH, New York, NY), and Exradin A16 (Standard Imaging, Inc., Middleton, WI). A chamber was placed at the center of a solid water phantom (Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) using a detector‐specific insert. The reference point of the ionization chamber was confirmed using cone‐beam CT images. Consistency checks were repeated five times at a GK site and performed once at seven GK sites. Correction factors from six simulations reported in previous studies were employed. Variations in the dose rates and relative dose rates before and after applying the kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref$k_{{Q_{msr}},\;{Q_0}}^{{f_{msr}},{f_{ref}}}$ were statistically compared. Results: The standard deviation of the dose rates measured by the three chambers decreased significantly after any correction method was applied (p = 0.000). When the correction factors of all studies were averaged, the standard deviation was reduced significantly more than when any single correction method was applied (p ≤ 0.030), except for the IAEA TRS‐483 correction factors (p = 0.148). Before any correction was applied, there were statistically significant differences among the relative dose rates measured by the three chambers (p = 0.000). None of the single correction methods could remove the differences among the ionization chambers (p ≤ 0.038). After TRS‐483 correction, the dose rate of Exradin A16 differed from those of the other two chambers (p ≤ 0.025). After the averaged factors were applied, there were no statistically significant differences between any pairs of chambers according to Scheffe's post hoc analyses (p ≥ 0.051); however, PTW T31010 differed from PTW 31016 according to Tukey's HSD analyses (p = 0.040). Conclusion: The kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref$k_{{Q_{{\rm{msr}}}},\;{Q_0}}^{{f_{{\rm{msr}}}},{f_{{\rm{ref}}}}}$ significantly reduced variations in the dose rates measured by the three ionization chambers. The mean correction factors of the six simulations produced the most consistent results, but this finding was not explicitly proven in the statistical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has markedly increased among Asians as their diets and lifestyles become more westernized. We, therefore, investigated the hypothesis that the Korean healthy eating index (KHEI) scores are associated with gender-specific T2DM risk in adults. The hypothesis was tested using the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-VI (2013–2017) with a complex sample survey design. Along with the KHEI scores, the modified KHEI (MKHEI) scores for the Korean- (KSD) and Western-style diets (WSD) were used as independent parameters, calculated using a validated semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ). We estimated the association between the KHEI or MKHEI and the T2DM risk using logistic regression after adjusting for T2DM-related covariates. The adults with T2DM were more frequently older men who were less educated, married, on a lower income, and living in rural areas compared to those without T2DM. Not only the fasting serum glucose concentrations but also the waist circumferences and serum triglyceride concentrations were much higher in adults with T2DM than in those without T2DM in both genders. Serum HDL concentrations in the non-T2DM subjects exhibited a greater inverse relationship to serum glucose than in the T2DM group in both genders. Twenty-four-hour recall data revealed that women, but not men, had higher calcium, vitamin C, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, retinol, and vitamin B2 intakes than the T2DM group. Furthermore, overall, the KHEI score and the adequacy and balance scores among its components were significantly higher in the non-T2DM group than in the T2DM group, but only in women. The KHEI scores were inversely associated with T2DM only in women. The mixed grain intake score was higher in the non-T2DM than the T2DM group only in men. However, there were no differences between the groups in the MKHEI scores for KSD and WSD. In conclusion, high KHEI scores in the adequacy and balance components might prevent and/or delay T2DM risk, but only in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]