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Gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd2O2S: GOS) has a large absorption cross-section for thermal neutrons and a mass density similar to that of iron used for shielding against X and γ-ray radiation. During GOS scintillator production process, its waste is also generated. If GOS waste can be used as an effective shielding material, it is worthwhile as beneficial use of the waste. We developed a novel radiation-shielding material using GOS waste. The developed shielding material can shield X, γ-rays and thermal neutrons more efficiently than conventional shielding materials and emit visible light due to leaked radiation when the shielding material is damaged, which subsequently be used to check the integrity of shielding using visible light. In this study, two types of shields, concrete and mortar with GOS as the aggregate and epoxy resin with GOS were prototyped and tested for radiation transmission. Results indicate that GOS shielding has a 10% higher shielding ability for X and γ-rays than heavy concrete with iron as aggregate. Additionally, the same shielding effect for thermal neutrons was attained at 1/10 the thickness of heavy concrete. Thus, using GOS waste is not only cost effective but also contributes to a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiome plays a critical role to all animals and humans health. Methods based on ex vivo cultures are time and cost-effective solutions for rapid evaluation of probiotic effects on microbiomes. In this study, we assessed whether the protein secretome from the potential probiotic Enterococcus durans LAB18S grown on fructoligosaccharides (FOS) and galactoligosaccharides (GOS) had specific effects on ex vivo cultured intestinal microbiome obtained from a healthy individual. Metaproteomics was used to evaluate changes in microbial communities of the human intestinal microbiome. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed 654 differentially abundant proteins from the metaproteome samples, showing that gut microbial protein expression varied on the presence of different E. durans secretomes. Increased amount of Bacteroidetes phylum was observed in treatments with secretomes from E. durans cultures on FOS, GOS and albumin, resulting in a decrease of the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio. The most functionally abundant bacterial taxa were Roseburia, Bacteroides, Alistipes and Faecalibacterium. The results suggest that the secretome of E. durans may have favorable effects on the intestinal microbial composition, stimulating growth and different protein expression of beneficial bacteria. These findings suggest that proteins secreted by E. durans growing on FOS and GOS have different effects on the modulation of gut microbiota functional activities during cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-fat diet increases neuroinflammation and accelerates ageing. • Microglia dysfunction can exacerbate neuroinflammation. • Gut microbiota modulates microglia activation and functionality. • Administration of prebiotics alleviated harmful effects of long-term high-fat diet. Ageing is characterised by a progressive increase in systemic inflammation and especially neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is associated with altered brain states that affect behaviour, such as an increased level of anxiety with a concomitant decline in cognitive abilities. Although multiple factors play a role in the development of neuroinflammation, microglia have emerged as a crucial target. Microglia are the only macrophage population in the CNS parenchyma that plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and in the immune response, which depends on the activation and subsequent deactivation of microglia. Therefore, microglial dysfunction has a major impact on neuroinflammation. The gut microbiota has been shown to significantly influence microglia from birth to adulthood in terms of development, proliferation, and function. Diet is a key modulating factor that influences the composition of the gut microbiota, along with prebiotics that support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Although the role of diet in neuroinflammation and behaviour has been well established, its relationship with microglia functionality is less explored. This article establishes a link between diet, animal behaviour and the functionality of microglia. The results of this research stem from experiments on mouse behaviour, i.e., memory, anxiety, and studies on microglia functionality, i.e., cytochemistry (phagocytosis, cellular senescence, and ROS assays), gene expression and protein quantification. In addition, shotgun sequencing was performed to identify specific bacterial families that may play a crucial role in the brain function. The results showed negative effects of long-term consumption of a high fat diet on ageing mice, epitomised by increased body weight, glucose intolerance, anxiety, cognitive impairment and microglia dysfunction compared to ageing mice on a control diet. These effects were a consequence of the changes in gut microbiota modulated by the diet. However, by adding the prebiotics fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides, we were able to mitigate the deleterious effects of a long-term high-fat diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Every year, approximately 10 million people worldwide suffer a traumatic brain injury that leads to hospitalization or mortality. Chronic and acute alcohol intoxication increase the risk of developing traumatic brain injury. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) as a predictor of outcome in neurosurgical patients and the definition of risk factors have been sparsely addressed so far. This study aims to improve the understanding of the effects of alcohol use disorder in the context of neurosurgical therapy. Methods: This study included patients admitted to Münster University Hospital with a traumatic brain injury and alcohol use disorder from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2018. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for a poorer outcome, assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Score. Results: Of the 197 patients included, 156 (79%) were male, and 41 (21%) were female, with a median age of 49 years (IQR 38–58 years). In multivariate analyses, age (p < 0.001), the occurrence of a new neurologic deficit (p < 0.001), the development of hydrocephalus (p = 0.005), and CT-graphic midline shift due to intracerebral hemorrhage (p = 0.008) emerged as significant predictors of a worse outcome (GOS 1–3). In addition, the level of blood alcohol concentration correlated significantly with the occurrence of seizures (p = 0.009). Conclusions: Early identification of risk factors in patients with alcohol use disorder and traumatic brain injury is crucial to improve the outcome. In this regard, the occurrence of hydrocephalus or seizures during the inpatient stay should be considered as cause of neurological deterioration in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lactose intolerance—as a limiting factor for dairy milk consumption—has a high prevalence worldwide. Dairy milk and milk-derived products are major sources of multiple inorganic compounds and nutrients and thus are considered to be functional foods. β-galactosidases are able to hydrolyze lactose and are therefore widely applied for the production of lactose-free products. In addition, they are capable of the synthesis of galacto-oligosaccharides (GOSs); thus, the dairy industry has a special interest in applying them for the enrichment of dairy products with prebiotic GOSs. In this work, we studied two commercially available β-galactosidase products: Saphera 2600L and Nola Fit 5500. Both enzyme solutions contain a recombinant β-galactosidase of Bifidobacterium bifidum and have already been authorized for food industrial application, but the information about their hydrolytic and/or synthetic activities is only limited. After immobilization on chitosan beads, the enzymes were used for lactose hydrolysis and simultaneous synthesis of GOSs, by performing the reactions in pasteurized milk (skim milk). Both immobilized β-galactosidase exhibited elevated lactose hydrolysis (vmax increased from ~ 1 to ~ 4 mM/min) and GOS synthesis as compared to the free enzymes. The enzyme-coated beads were efficiently re-used at least 15 cycles; the residual lactose concentration was < 2 mg/ml after each cycle. After treatment, GOSs were present in ≤ 9% of the total sugar content, indicating that the prepared low-lactose milks were enriched in prebiotic GOSs. The application of immobilized Saphera 2600L and Nola Fit 5500 β-galactosidases may be implemented for the large-scale production of GOS-enriched low-lactose milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-term patient registries are important for evaluating treatment outcomes in patients with rare diseases, and can provide insights into natural disease history and progression in real-world clinical practice. Initiated in 2010, the Gaucher Outcome Survey (GOS) is an ongoing, international, multicenter, observational registry (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03291223) for patients with a diagnosis of Gaucher disease (GD), irrespective of treatment type or status, with a primary objective to monitor safety and long-term effectiveness of velaglucerase alfa. Methods: Here, we evaluated the GOS population 12 years after the registry initiation. Results: As of 25 February 2023, 2084 patients enrolled in the GOS and 1643 received GD-specific treatment. Patients exhibited broad heterogeneity at baseline: age of diagnosis (0 to 85.3 years), hemoglobin concentrations (<80.0 g/L to >150 g/L), platelet counts (<50 × 109/L to >450 × 109/L), and liver and spleen volumes. Most patients treated with enzyme replacement therapy or substrate reduction therapy reported improvements in clinical parameters within 1 year of treatment initiation, maintained over the course of treatment up to 12 years, whereas untreated patients had baseline values closer to standard reference thresholds and showed stability over time. Conclusion: The 12-year data from the GOS confirm the impact of long-term treatment with GD-specific agents and offer insights into disease progression and outcomes in a real-world setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gaucher disease (GD) is a rare, autosomal, recessive condition characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and bone abnormalities, often requiring life-long treatment. Velaglucerase alfa has improved hematologic and visceral parameters in clinical trials; however, limited long-term efficacy and safety data are available. Methods: The Gaucher Outcome Survey (GOS), a structured and validated international registry for patients with confirmed GD, provides an opportunity to evaluate long-term data from patients receiving velaglucerase alfa. Results: This analysis included 376 treatment-naïve children and adults with GD enrolled in GOS, including 20 with type 3 GD, who initiated velaglucerase alfa through participation in clinical trials or as part of their clinical management and continued treatment for a mean (range) time of 6.6 (0.003–18.6) years. Initial improvements in hematologic and visceral parameters and the biomarkers glucosylsphingosine (lyso-GL1) and chitotriosidase were observed after one year of treatment and were maintained throughout the follow-up period. Of 129 (34.3%) patients who developed adverse events during the follow-up period, events were considered related to treatment in 33 (8.8%). None led to treatment discontinuation. There were 21 deaths overall, none of which were considered related to treatment. Conclusions: This analysis of data from the GOS registry supports the safety and efficacy of velaglucerase alfa in patients with GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionGalacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are well-substantiated prebiotic substrates. Multiple studies have demonstrated a positive impact of GOS on gut microbiota composition and activity, so-far mainly related to Bifidobacterium. However, data on the beneficial impact at lower dosages in a healthy female population are limited. The primary aim of the current study was to reveal the effect of low dosages (1.3 and 2.0 g) of GOS on fecal Bifidobacterium abundance in healthy women. Other outcomes included the effect of low dosage of GOS on overall fecal microbiota composition and on self-perceived GI comfort, sleep quality and mental wellbeing.MethodEighty-eight healthy women (42–70 years, BMI 18.7–30 kg/m2) were included in this randomized, parallel, double-blind study of 6 weeks. The participants were stratified for fiber intake, BMI and age and randomized to consume either 1.3 or 2.0 g of GOS per day for 3 weeks after a control period of 3 weeks without any intervention. Fecal samples were collected for shotgun metagenomics sequencing at the start (t = −3) and end (t = 0) of the control period and at the end of the intervention period (t = 3). Self-perceived gut comfort, sleep quality, and mental wellbeing were assessed weekly. Hierarchical clustering of principal components was applied to data collected from study participants.ResultsThe relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in feces increased significantly after 3 weeks of daily consumption of both 1.3 g (p

ABSTRACT Chicken meat is contaminated with Salmonella from the gut of infected chickens during slaughter. Eradication of Salmonella from broiler chickens through hygiene measures and/or vaccination is not cost-effective; complementary approaches are required. A mature gut microbiota obstructs Salmonella infection in chickens, and deliberate fortification of colonization resistance through prebiotic feed formulations would benefit public health and poultry production. Prebiotic galactooligosaccharides hastens Salmonella clearance from the gut of infected chickens. To better understand the role of galactooligosaccharides in colonization resistance, broiler chickens were raised on a wheat-soybean meal-based feed, with or without galactooligosaccharides for the first 24 days of life. Chickens were orally challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis at 20 days and the effect of supplementary galactooligosaccharides characterized by profiling Salmonella colonization, gut microbiota, innate immune response, and cecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations. Exposure to dietary galactooligosaccharides shortened the time to clear S. Enteritidis from the ceca. Differential abundance analysis of the cecal microbiota associated Salmonella challenge with a bacterial taxon belonging to the Acidaminococcaceae family (P < 0.005). Increased cecal concentrations of the short-chain fatty acids propionate and valerate were measured in Salmonella-challenged chickens sustained on either control or galactooligosaccharide-supplemented feed relative to mock-challenged controls; but far greater concentrations were detected in chickens fed a galactooligosaccharide-supplemented diet in early life. The abundance of the Acidaminococcaceae taxon exhibited a positive correlation with the cecal concentrations of propionate (ρ = 0.724, P = 0.008) and valerate (ρ = 0.71, P = 0.013). The absence of cecal pro-inflammatory transcriptional responses suggest that the rapid Salmonella clearance observed for the galactooligosaccharide-supplemented diet was not linked to innate immune function.IMPORTANCEWork presented here identifies bacterial taxa responsible for colonization resistance to Salmonella in broiler chickens. Deliberate cultivation of these taxa with prebiotic galactooligosaccharide has potential as a straight-forward, safe, and cost-effective intervention against Salmonella. We hypothesize that catabolism of galactooligosaccharide and its breakdown products by indigenous microorganisms colonizing the chicken gut produce excess levels of propionate. In the absence of gross inflammation, propionate is inimical to Salmonella and hastens intestinal clearance.

Bone flap resorption is a known complication of postdecompressive autologous cranioplasty. Although several potential etiopathogenetic factors have been investigated, their role is still under discussion. To further complicate things, resorption is not an all-or-nothing event, patients frequently presenting with different degrees of flap remodeling. Focus of this paper was to describe the elaboration of a score quantifying bone resorption according to a set of clinical and radiological criteria, hopefully allowing prompt identification of patients needing resurgery before the development of adverse events. In a 10-year period, 281 autologous cranioplasties were performed at our institution following decompressive craniectomy. Pertinent clinical and radiological information was registered. A set of 3 clinical and 3 radiological parameters was established to score the degree of resorption, identified under the acronym FIS (Flap Integrity Score). Three groups of patients emerged, respectively showing no (208), partial (32), and advanced (41) resorption. An overall 14.6% incidence of advanced bone resorption was found in our series. Younger age, bone multifragmentation, higher postcranioplasty Glasgow Outcome Scale scores, <2 cm distance of medial craniectomy border from the midline, and cause leading to decompressive craniectomy were associated to a statistically significant higher risk of developing a relevant bone flap resorption. The first three variables were confirmed as risk factors in multivariate analysis. Flap Integrity Score well discriminated the 3 different groups. Autologous bone repositioning is still a valuable, low-cost, cosmetically and functionally satisfactory procedure. Nonetheless, although resorption affects a minor percentage of patients, its early identification and treatment can improve long-term results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Extradural hematoma (EDH) is a leading cause of death in young population. Timely intervention gives dramatic recovery but often fatal if not treated in time. The surgical outcome of EDH depends on many variables that strongly affect the prognosis of the disease, which are preoperative Glasgow coma scale (GCS), overlying skull fracture, time interval between injury and surgery, other associated intracranial injuries (like cerebral contusion, subdural hematoma, or intracerebral hematoma), pupillary abnormalities (anisocoria), and hematoma volume. But no correlation was found between surgical outcome of EDH and age, sex, etiology, and site of hematoma. Objective We want to identify the factors affecting the surgical outcome of EDH that will help us in preoperative prioritization of the cases for intervention, adequate resuscitation, and counselling the attendant regarding the outcome. Our ultimate goal was to reduce the mortality and morbidity from this disease. Methods This study was conducted on the patients admitted through neuroemergency and diagnosed as EDH by computed tomography scan of head, in the department of Neurosurgery of Dhaka medical college and hospital from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. This is three-year prospective interventional study where all the patients underwent surgical evacuation of EDH on emergency basis and outcome was measured by Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) after 48 hours of admission and at discharge. Results Outcome was divided into good (GOS 4,5) and poor (GOS 1–3) groups. Pre-operative GCS, overlying skull fracture, time interval between injury and surgery, associated intracranial injuries, anisocoria and hematoma volume were the factors affecting the surgical outcome significantly. Conclusion Good surgical outcome is associated with EDH volume less than 40cc, preoperative GCS more than 8, absence of anisocoria, overlying skull fracture, no associated intracranial injury and surgery within 12 hours of injury. But age, sex and site of EDH has no definite correlation with outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Head injury is a global issue as a result of industry and transportation development that causes a large number of accident victims. Head injury still constitutes a serious health problem nowadays. The number of incidents, level of disability, and mortality rate are still high 75-80% of the total number of head injury are mild, moderate, and severe. Aim and Objectives: To study the role of serum albumin, fibrinogen and transferrin as prognostic markers in Head injury. Methods: Clinically diagnosed Head injury patients and admitted to Neurosurgery department at the National Institute of Medical Science & Research, Jaipur. Blood sample was taken within 24 hrs. as per protocol. Results: The severity of head injury with Glasgow coma scale (GCS). The status of the parameters compared as well as their association and role in prognosis analyzed. Conclusion: Serum albumin, fibrinogen and transferrin can become useful biomarkers in predicting outcomes in patients with Head injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: von Willebrand factor (VWF) has been widely recognized as a biomarker for endothelial cell activation in trauma and inflammation. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by cerebral vascular injury and subsequent inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between VWF levels and clinical severity, as well as imaging abnormalities, in TBI patients. Additionally, the predictive value of VWF for patient outcomes was assessed. Methods: We conducted a prospective study to recruit acute TBI patients who were admitted to the emergency department within 24 h. Healthy individuals from the medical examination center were recruited as the control group. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of VWF in discriminating TBI severity and imaging abnormalities with the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Rotterdam computed tomography (CT) scores. We also analyzed the predictive value of these outcomes using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and 6-month mortality. Results: The plasma concentration of VWF in TBI patients (84.7 ± 29.7 ng/ml) was significantly higher than in healthy individuals (40 ± 8.8 ng/ml). There was a negative correlation between VWF levels and GCS scores, as well as a positive correlation between VWF levels and Rotterdam CT scores. The area under the curve (AUC) for VWF in discriminating mild TBI was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.88), and for predicting negative CT findings, it was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.92). Meanwhile, the AUC of VWF in predicting mortality within 6 months was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.84), and for a GOS score lower 4, it was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.88). Combining VWF with either the GCS or Rotterdam CT score improved the prediction ability compared to using VWF alone. Conclusion: VWF levels were significantly elevated in patients with TBI compared with healthy individuals. Furthermore, VWF levels demonstrated a negative correlation with GCS scores and a positive correlation with Rotterdam CT scores. In terms of predicting mortality, VWF alone was not sufficient, but its predictive power was enhanced when combined with either the Rotterdam CT score or GCS. These findings suggest that VWF may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing the severity and prognosis of TBI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complexity of biochemical systems, the development of traditional phenomenological models is limited if the underlying mechanics are not entirely known. As an alternative, hybrid model frameworks, consisting of data-driven models complemented with first principles models like conservation law, are starting to be used for complex systems. In this work, a comparison of the modeling capabilities between a data-driven model and a hybrid model was developed. The enzymatic production of Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) with the effect of metallic ions was considered as case study. Compared with the experimental results, predictions from data-driven model achieve an R2 of 0.9188 in the best training fold, and the hybrid model an R2 of 0.9696 in the best training fold. Illogical predictions were avoided by including non-phenomenological first-principles constraints into the hybrid model. Finally, an optimization analysis was carried out to find the highest GOS productivity using the hybrid model, optimization results present a deviation of 5.99 % compared to the highest productivity found from experimental data.

Experimental studies suggest potential anti-obesity effects of non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of NDO intake on body weight and other anthropometric parameters in overweight or obese adults through a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.Multiple databases were searched for relevant randomised, controlled trials on NDOs and body weight or associated outcomes. Statistical pooling of data for meta-analysis was performed using the generic inverse-variance method with random-effects models.Nine trials were included post-screening (n = 455 participants). Increased intake of NDOs resulted in statistically significant reduction in body weight (MD=-0.87 kg [95% CI:-1.55,0.20], p = 0.01) and body fat (-1.56 kg [95% CI:-2.23,-0.89], p

The study presents the results of research on the influence of different contents of main alloying additions, such as Mg (2 ÷ 2.5 wt.%), Cu (1.2 ÷ 1.9 wt.%), and Zn (5.5 ÷ 8 wt.%), on the strength properties and plasticity of selected Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys extruded on a bridge die. The test material variants were based on the EN AW-7075 alloy. The research specimens, in the form of 100 mm extrusion billets obtained with the DC casting method, were homogenized and extrusion welded during direct extrusion on a 5 MN horizontal press. A 60 × 6 mm die cross-section was used, with one bridge arranged in a way to extrude a flat bar with a weld along its entire length. The obtained materials in the F and T6 tempers were characterized in terms of their strength properties, hardness, and microstructure, using EBSD and SEM. The extrusion welding process did not significantly affect the properties of the tested materials; the measured differences in the yield strength and tensile strength between the materials, with and without the welding seam, were up to ±5%, regardless of chemical composition. A decrease in plasticity was observed with an increase in the content of the alloying elements. The highest strength properties in the T6 temper were achieved for the alloy with the highest content of alloying elements (10.47 wt.%), both welded and solid. Significant differences in the microstructure between the welded and solid material in the T6 temper were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Given the importance of gut microbiota for health, growth and performance of the host, the aquaculture industry has taken measures to develop functional fish feeds aiming at modulating gut microbiota and inducing the anticipated beneficial effects. However, present understanding of the impact of such functional feeds on the fish is limited. The study reported herein was conducted to gain knowledge on performance and gut health characteristics in post-smolt Atlantic salmon fed diets varying in content of functional ingredients. Three experimental diets, a diet containing fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), a diet with a combination of FOS and Pediococcus acidilactici (BC) and a diet containing galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and BC, were used in a 10-weeks feeding trial. A commercial diet without functional ingredients was also included as a control/reference. Samples of blood plasma, mucosa and digesta were subjected to microbiota, transcriptome and metabolome profiling for evaluation of the diet effects. Results No significant growth differences were observed between fish fed the supplemented diets, but FOS–BC fed fish showed significantly faster growth than the control fed fish. The microbiota results showed that the BC was present in both the digesta, and the mucosa samples of fish fed the FOS–BC and GOS–BC diets. Digesta-associated microbiota was altered, while mucosa-associated microbiota was relatively unaffected by diet. Replacing FOS with GOS increased the level of metabolites linked to phospholipid, fatty acid, carnitine and sphingolipid metabolism. Variation in metabolite levels between the treatments closely correlated with genera mainly belonging to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria phyla. The transcriptome analyses indicated diet effects of exchanging FOS with GOS on immune functions, oxidative defense and stress responses. No significant diet effect was observed on intestinal inflammation in the pyloric caeca or in the distal intestine, or on lipid accumulation in the pyloric caeca. Conclusions Dietary supplementation with BC induced moderate effects on the microbiota of the digesta, while the effects of replacing FOS with GOS were more marked and was observed also for nutrient metabolism. Our data indicates therefore that the quality of a prebiotic may be of great importance for the effects of a probiotic on gut microbiota, function, and health.

Traumatic brain injury has different pathophysiology and outcomes in children and adults. This study investigated the relationship between clinical and laboratory findings at admission and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score in children with traumatic brain injury. This prospective cross-sectional single-center study enrolled 444 children 1–16 years old admitted to the neurosurgery ward from 2016 to 2020. Clinical data and laboratory information were extracted from the records of these patients at admission, and the relationship with GOS score at discharge was investigated. The 444 patients include 249 (56.08%) boys and 195 (43.92%) girls with a mean age of 7.32 ± 4.4 years. There was no correlation between GOS score and sex (P = 0.12), age (P = 0.16), serum potassium level (P = 0.08), platelet level (P = 0.21), and blood glucose (P = 0.18). There was a significant relationship between GOS score and hypotension (P = 0.03), hyponatremia (P = 0.04), prothrombin time (P = 0.03), partial thromboplastin time (P = 0.03), pupil size (P = 0.02), pupil reaction to light (P = 0.04), and Glasgow Coma Scale score (P = 0.04). Clinical and laboratory findings such as hypotension, hyponatremia, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, pupil size, pupil reaction to light, and Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission could affect GOS score at discharge and result in poor outcomes in children with traumatic brain injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate assessment and monitoring of level of consciousness is fundamental for prompt management and recognising warning signs of deterioration in the patient. The Glasgow coma scale (GCS), a widely used tool was compared with full outline of unresponsiveness (FOUR) score as an alternate tool for assessment and prognostication of the outcome. The purpose of this study aimed to compare and evaluate the accuracy between GCS and FOUR score (FS) tool in the neurological assessment and predicting the functional outcome. Materials and Methods: For this observational study, 131 patients were recruited from two major teaching hospitals in Middle Eastern countries. Data was collected on admission from emergency department and reassessed on day two & four. Patient was followed on discharge and outcome evaluated using the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS). Results: The mean age was 56.39±17.29 (18- 87years) with 83(63.4%) male patients. 93 (71%) patients admitted with neurological problems. In terms of predicting the outcome using the GOS, the area under the ROC curve was 92% (CI- 95%, 0.870-0.975) for FS and 74.73 % (CI-95%, 0.825-0.951) for GCS. The sensitivity and specificity for FS on admission (0.976 & 0.543), day two (0.971 & 0.495) & day four (0.971 & 0.340) and for GCS is (0.918 & 0.370) (0.941 & 0.433) (0.971 & 0.330). Conclusions: The FS tool is precise in predicting power of mortality and is an ideal complementary or substitute tool for GCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The mechanism of injury, type of pathology, mode of management and specific problems, in the pediatric age group make these a unique population. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown caused a significant reduction in the number of road traffic accidents during the same period and the resultant number of head injuries in children. Methods This was a descriptive study of 76 consecutive pediatric patients admitted with head injury between June and December 2020. Children under 18 years with head injury admitted in our hospital were included. Results The most common etiology of pediatric head injury was found to be fall from height (61.8%) followed by road traffic accidents (27.6%). Themost common age group affected was 1 to 5 years with a mean of 6.3-5 years. Road traffic accidents were commonly seen in the 15 to 18 age group. The Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) of 1 (death) was seen in one patient (1.3%) and low disability in 98.7% of patients. Conclusion Falls formed themost important cause of pediatric head injury during this pandemic, and carefulness on the part of parents can help avoid dangerous consequences for the children. Recovery with minimal disability was observed in approximately all cases in this study. The number of severe traumatic brain injury was very low in this study. This can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic causing significant reduction in road traffic accidents and the number of severe head injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic exposure disturbs the developing infant gut microbiota. The capacity of the gut microbiota to recover from this disturbance (resilience) depends on the type of antibiotic. In this study, infant gut microbiota was exposed to a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate (amoxicillin/clavulanate) in an in vitro colon model (TIM-2) with fecal-derived microbiota from 1-month-old (1-M; a mixed-taxa community type) as well as 3-month-old (3-M; Bifidobacterium dominated community type) breastfed infants. We investigated the effect of two common infant prebiotics, 2′-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) or galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), on the resilience of infant gut microbiota to amoxicillin/clavulanate-induced changes in microbiota composition and activity. Amoxicillin/clavulanate treatment decreased alpha diversity and induced a temporary shift of microbiota to a community dominated by enterobacteria. Moreover, antibiotic treatment increased succinate and lactate in both 1- and 3-M colon models, while decreasing the production of short-chain (SCFA) and branched-chain fatty acids (BFCA). The prebiotic effect on the microbiota recovery depended on the fermenting capacity of antibiotic-exposed microbiota. In the 1-M colon model, the supplementation of 2’-FL supported the recovery of microbiota and restored the production of propionate and butyrate. In the 3-M colon model, GOS supplementation supported the recovery of microbiota and increased the production of acetate and butyrate.

Objective: To determine the impact of helmet wearing on traumatic brain injury. Methods: We analyzed 400 cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in motorbike riders with and without helmet, from July 2017 to December 2020 presenting to the neurosurgery department at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Karachi, Pakistan. The medical records were analyzed for CT scan findings, length of hospital stay, complications (mortality and disability), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Glasgow outcome score (GOS) at time of discharge. Results: A total of 400 patients with head injury due to motorbike accidents were included and all were male patients. They were equally divided into two groups, 200 in Group-A (with helmet) and 200 in Group-B (without helmet). Majority of the unhelmeted patients i.e. 102 (51%), needed admission in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) compared to 70 (35%) in helmeted. When comparing non-helmeted patients to helmeted patients, the total median length of hospital stay was greater among non-helmeted patients (10 vs 05 days). Mortality was higher among nonhelmeted patients seen in 50 (25%) as compared to 14 (7%) in helmeted patients. Overall, the good outcome was observed in 119 (59.5%) patients in Group-A as compared to70 (35%) patients in Group-B while 81 (40.5%) showed bad outcome in Group-A and 130 (64%) in Group-B. The failure to wear a helmet was found to be strongly linked with abnormal neuroimaging more complications, poor outcome and lower GCS on discharge as compared to patients using helmet. Conclusion: Lack of helmet use is linked to abnormal brain imaging, more complications, and a longer stay in the hospital after a head injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the importance of gut microbiota for health, growth and performance of the host, the aquaculture industry has taken measures to develop functional fish feeds aiming at modulating gut microbiota and inducing the anticipated beneficial effects. However, present understanding of the impact of such functional feeds on the fish is limited. The study reported herein was conducted to gain knowledge on performance and gut health characteristics in post-smolt Atlantic salmon fed diets varying in content of functional ingredients. Three experimental diets, a diet containing fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), a diet with a combination of FOS and Pediococcus acidilactici (BC) and a diet containing galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and BC, were used in a 10-weeks feeding trial. A commercial diet without functional ingredients was also included as a control/reference. Samples of blood plasma, mucosa and digesta were subjected to microbiota, transcriptome and metabolome profiling for evaluation of the diet effects. Results: No significant growth differences were observed between fish fed the supplemented diets, but FOS–BC fed fish showed significantly faster growth than the control fed fish. The microbiota results showed that the BC was present in both the digesta, and the mucosa samples of fish fed the FOS–BC and GOS–BC diets. Digesta-associated microbiota was altered, while mucosa-associated microbiota was relatively unaffected by diet. Replacing FOS with GOS increased the level of metabolites linked to phospholipid, fatty acid, carnitine and sphingolipid metabolism. Variation in metabolite levels between the treatments closely correlated with genera mainly belonging to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria phyla. The transcriptome analyses indicated diet effects of exchanging FOS with GOS on immune functions, oxidative defense and stress responses. No significant diet effect was observed on intestinal inflammation in the pyloric caeca or in the distal intestine, or on lipid accumulation in the pyloric caeca. Conclusions: Dietary supplementation with BC induced moderate effects on the microbiota of the digesta, while the effects of replacing FOS with GOS were more marked and was observed also for nutrient metabolism. Our data indicates therefore that the quality of a prebiotic may be of great importance for the effects of a probiotic on gut microbiota, function, and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk is an important food substance and has a complex polydisperse system. The main components of milk consist of lactose, protein, and lipids. Mineral substances and vitamins are also present in milk as minor nutrients. Lactose known as milk sugar is the only carbohydrate in milk and it consists of glucose and galactose. The content of lactose in milk has varied according to milk types. Moreover, it is the most important energy source during the first years of human life, providing almost half of the total energy needed by newborns. Lactose is obtained industrially from the residues of cheese and casein production processes. Lactulose, lactitol, lactobionic acid, galactooligosaccharide, lactosucrose, epilactose, and tagatose are commonly known lactose derivatives. These derivates are produced from lactose using various methods such as epimerization, oxidation, and reduction. In this review, up-to-date information about lactose, lactose derivatives, and the production methods of lactose derivatives are given.

Over the past decades, the prevalence of allergic diseases noticeably increased in industrialized countries. The Th2 immune response plays a central role in these pathologies and its modulation using pro-/postbiotics constitutes a promising approach to prevent or alleviate disease symptoms. The aim of this in vitro study, was to investigate the ability of human milk-derived Bifidobacterium breve DSM 32583 (Bb) and Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 (Lf), to modulate the Th2 induced responses. To this end, Th2 cells were generated by co-culturing of human naïve Th cells with monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) either stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus or IL-33. The immunomodulatory effects of pro-/postbiotic preparations of Bb and Lf on moDCs and Th2 cells were evaluated in terms of maturation markers expression and cytokines production. Remarkably, the tested strains induced the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in moDCs, in a strain-, dose- and viability-dependent manner with no significant upregulation of IL-12p70 nor CD83, CD86 or HLA-DR. Interestingly, Bb and Lf postbiotics were able to dampen the Th2/Th1 response induced upon S. aureus - or IL-33 stimulation. They were also able to synergistically induce IL-10 in moDCs and T cells, upon co-stimulation with LPS. Finally, we observed that live probiotics triggered a mild Th1 response that was attenuated in the presence of galacto-oligosaccharides. Altogether, Bb and Lf pro-/postbiotics exhibited remarkable immune regulatory effects on both moDCs and Th2 cells. Therefore, further in vivo studies should be considered to validate these findings and assess their ability to prevent allergy or alleviate its symptoms in affected patients. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide and early initiation of physiotherapy with continuing rehabilitation may improve outcomes. Methods All adult TBI patients with GCS 5-12 admitted from May 2018 to December 2019 were included. Early physiotherapy was initiated before the fifth day of admission and continued post discharge. Patients and families were educated in a rehabilitation program with printed handouts and video clips. All patients are followed up via telephone/video calls after discharge. We assessed the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) and disability at 15, 30, and 90 days post discharge, and 180 days follow-up was also suggested but only a few (38) patients reported. Data were compared with matched patients treated in previous years. Results A total of 1,233 patients were studied. At 3-month follow-up by telephonic and video calls, GOS 5 was noted (63.7%; 174/ 273) in 2019 compared with (41.3%; 41/ 98) in 2018. Thenumberofdischarges increasedafter initiation of physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs (38%; 288/759 in 2019 versus 24%; 115/474 in 2018). Post-discharge deaths were also less (5.9%; 17/288) in 2019 compared with (14.8%; 17/115) in 2018. Conclusion Early rehabilitation and post-discharge therapy are associated with improved outcomes of TBI patients. Refinements in data collection and communication improve patient follow-up and functional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. Economic impact is much worse in developing countries like Bangladesh, as victims are frequently male, productive, and breadwinners of the families. Objectives The objective of our study was to highlight the etiological pattern and distribution of varieties of head injuries in Bangladesh and give recommendations regarding how this problem can be solved or reduce to some extent at least. Methods From January 2017 to December 2019, a total of 14,552 patients presenting with head injury at emergency got admitted in Neurosurgery department of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and were included in this study. Results The most common age group was 21 to 30 years (36%: 5,239) with a male-to-female ratio of 2.6:1. Injury was mostly caused by road traffic accident (RTA[58.3%: 8,484]), followed by fall (25%: 3,638) and history of assault (15.3%: 2,226). The common varieties of head injury were: acute extradural hematoma (AEDH [42.30%: 1,987]), skull fracture either linear or depressed (28.86%: 1,347), acute subdural hematoma (ASDH [12.30%: 574]), brain contusion (10.2%: 476), and others (6.04%: 282). Conclusion RTA is the commonest cause of TBI, and among them motor bike accident is the severe most form of TBI. AEDH is the commonest variety of head injuries. Proper steps taken by the Government, vehicle owners, and drivers, and proper referral system and prompt management in the hospital can reduce the mortality and morbidity from TBI in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calculation of urban settlements carrying capacity is intended to determine the availability and status of environmental aspects that are utilized by the community. This study aims to examine the availability of environmental support aspects in Jebres Subdistrict, Surakarta City, through the das sein and das sollen approaches. Quantitative – descriptive method was used to characterize and interpret all the aspects that have been assessed. The results of this study indicate that the availability of settlements and supporting aspects are still able to support the demand for housing in 2018 and projections until 2055. Analysis through the expectation approach (das sein) for 100% decent settlements and the quality of the supporting aspects capable has not been fully realized concretely (das sollen). The availability of green open space (GOS) in Jebres Subdistrict also does not meet the standards set by the government (30%), where the total area of green open space is 23% of the total. The results of this study are related to the 3rd, 4th and 11th environmental principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the degradation assessment of mild steel during the plastic tensile process. The electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique was adopted in this study. The orientation maps showed that with the increase of tensile strain, the grain surface become wrinkled, and the deviation level of intragranular orientation also increased. Meanwhile, the parameters based on the image quality of the Kikuchi bands (i.e. BC and MAD) as well as the crystallographic orientation (i.e. LAGBs content, GND density, GOS, and GROD) can be used to evaluate the degradation degree of the mild steel. The results showed that the change of BC and MAD was significant at the end of plastic stage, but was not sufficiently distinctive at the early stage; Meanwhile, the LAGBs content and GND density increased evidently during the plastic tensile. Compared with the former, the GND density exhibited stronger regularity and better evaluation effect; Besides, a general upward trend of GOS and GROD was observed at this tensile process. However, the GROD changed less at the certain plastic stage. Compared with GROD, the GOS exhibited a relatively better evaluation effect; To sum up, the GND density and GOS are the better indicators for evaluating the degradation degree of mild steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are functional oligosaccharides obtained enzymatically from lactose. The interest in GOS has increased due to health benefits, such as the strength of the immune system and the support of a healthy gut microbiome. This review contributes to the state of the art of the domain of GOS, building an integrated overview highlighting 4 key elements that the food industry should consider when developing healthier and cleaner foods: food technological applications of GOS, prebiotic health benefits, microbiome modulation according to GOS structure, and fundamentals on process elaboration of GOS. Results: GOS are a good strategy for fat and sugar replacement, as well as for calorie reduction, nutritional enhancement, processing aid, and texture improvement. Moreover, GOS supplementation is a potential approach to the improvement of bowel and immune health, cancer, renal injury, obesity, depression and anxiety treatment, and the enhancement of mineral absorption, mainly via microbiome modulation. Nevertheless, this modulation depends on GOS concentration, chain length, type, and orientation of linkage, and those aspects are shaped during the processing of GOS. Conclusion: The product development process of foods should have a holistic consideration of previous factors when selecting GOS as ingredients to address the desired functionalities efficiently. Current literature has discrepancies considering the structural heterogenicity of available GOS sources. The food industry requires more detailed information on how to support GOS supplementation through food design and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging antimicrobial resistance in respiratory infections requires novel intervention strategies. Non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) are a diverse group of carbohydrates with broad protective effects. In addition to promoting the colonization of beneficial gut microbiota and maintaining the intestinal homeostasis, NDOs act as decoy receptors, effectively blocking the attachment of pathogens on host cells. NDOs also function as a bacteriostatic agent, inhibiting the growth of specific pathogenic bacteria. Based on this fact, NDOs potentiate the actions of antimicrobial drugs. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in characterizing the anti-infective properties of NDOs. This focused review provides insights into the mechanisms by which representative NDOs may suppress respiratory infections by targeting pathogens and host cells. We summarized the most interesting mechanisms of NDOs, including maintenance of gut microbiota homeostasis, interference with TLR-mediated signaling, anti-oxidative effects and bacterial toxin neutralization, bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects, and anti-adhesion or anti-invasive properties. A detailed understanding of anti-infective mechanisms of NDOs against respiratory pathogens may contribute to the development of add-on therapy or alternatives to antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dong Liu,1,2 Da Chuan Liu,3 Hao Fan,4,5 Yu Wang6 1Development Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 2Education Major in Physical Education, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Las Pinas, Manila, Philippines; 3Student Affairs Department, Jiangmen Preschool Education College, Jiangmen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Tourism and Service Management, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 5Cultural Industries and Cultural Policy, Yuan Ze University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; 6Orthopedics Department, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yu WangOrthopedics Department, General Hospital of Northern Theatre Command, No. 83 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110016, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-18609886338Email wangyu16732@163.comAim: The purpose of this study is to study the antioxidant effect of Lactobacillus fermentum CQPC08 (CQPC08) on exercise-induced fatigue, and the beneficial intervention of GOS on CQPC08.Methods: We use the treadmill to establish a fatigue model caused by exercise, and perform drug treatment after exercise. We tested the exhaustive exercise time of mice; investigated the changes of mice body weight, liver index, histopathology, serum biochemical indicators and mRNA expression levels of oxidative and inflammation-related genes; and assessed the potential fatigue inhibitory effect of CQPC08, and the anti-oxidation effect of the combination of GOS and CQPC08.Results: The results suggest that CQPC08 and combination with GOS reduces fatigue-induced oxidative damage of the liver, and it decreases blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lactic acid (LA), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), malonaldehyde (MDA), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in serum. Higher levels of serum catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were found. Treatment with the CQPC08 and combination with GOS correlates with lower relative mRNA expression levels of neuronal NOS (nNOS), iNOS, and TNF-α, and with higher mRNA expression levels of catalase and copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) and manganese (Mn) SOD enzymes in the liver and muscles.Conclusion: These results suggest that CQPC08 can resolve exercise-induced fatigue by improving antioxidant ability in mice, and the combination of GOS and CQPC08 enhances this ability of CQPC08.Keywords: Lactobacillus fermentum, exercise-induced fatigue, antioxidant, GOS

Background: Disorder of consciousness (DOC) is frequent in patients with stroke, which is the second most common cause of death and a leading cause of disability. Acupuncture has been used as a curative method for DOC treatment in China. Nevertheless, no critical systematic review of acupuncture's effect on DOC has been published. This review aims to evaluate the present evidence regarding the efficacy of acupuncture for DOC after stroke. Methods: Seven databases were searched from their inception to November 1, 2021, containing three English databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and four Chinese databases (CNKI, CBM, VIP, and Wanfang Database). The primary outcomes comprise the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes involve resuscitation rate, resuscitation time, and adverse events. Data synthesis was calculated by RevMan (V.5.4.1) software. According to the Cochrane Handbook, methodological quality was assessed with the risk of bias tool 2.0 (RoB2). Results: Seventeen studies containing 1,208 patients were eventually included in our review. Overall, most trials were rated as high or had some concerns regarding the risk of bias. GCS was reported in 16 trials, and a meta-analysis showed that GCS improvement in the acupuncture group was greater than in the non-acupuncture group (MD 1.45, 95% CI 0.94--1.97, P < 0.0001). One trial reported that GOS improvement in the acupuncture plus medication group was greater than in the medication group (MD 0.58, 95% CI 0.11--1.05, P = 0.01). Another study reported that acupuncture plus medication was statistically more effective in shortening resuscitation time than medication alone (MD-0.89, 95% CI -1.53 to -0.25, P = 0.006). Four trials reported that the resuscitation rate in the acupuncture group was higher than without acupuncture intervention (RR 1.68, 95% CI 1.30--2.18, I² 0%, P = 0.39). Adverse events were reported in two studies, with one case in the acupuncture group su_ering from subcutaneous hematoma. Conclusion: Acupuncture may improve consciousness level, increase the resuscitation rate, and shorten resuscitation time for post-stroke patients with DOC. Adverse events from acupuncture were rare, tolerable, and recoverable. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously, andmore rigorous RCTs with better methodology are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidural hematoma (EDH) is accumulation of blood between the inner table of the skull and thedural membrane due to trauma and predominantly consists of venous blood in case of children. Children with extradural hematoma (EDH) present differently than adults and outcome would also be different. Methods and Materials: This is a prospective interventional study done in the Department of Neurosurgery, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) in between period of January 2016 to December 2019. Children of both sex below 12 years of age with EDH were included after fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria. Follow up period was 1 month after surgery. Results: Among 90 patients, 73.3% were male and 26.7% were female. Age 5 - 12 years is most commonly affected among all age groups, attributing to 58.9%, fall from height was the most common cause (58.9%) followed by road traffic accident (32.2%), fall of heavy object over head (7.8%) etc. The most common symptom was vomiting which was present in 85.6% of patients followed by altered consciousness in 72.2%, headache in 60% and scalp swelling in 25.6% of patients. The follow-up of our patients was 1 month after surgery. Most of our patients made good recovery. Among them 73 patients (81.1%) were neurologically intact (GOS 5), 10 (11.1%) patients had some deficit but could do their daily activity independently (GOS 4), 03 patients (3.3%) was dependant on other for daily activity with cognitive deficit (GOS 3) and 4 patients (4.4%) died. Conclusion: EDH in children can be managed by surgery with good outcomes. Even in the presence of poor initial clinical and radiologic conditions, timely intervention can lead to a good recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To observe different long-term antihypertensive drugs on prognosis of acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage and inflammatory factor level. Methods The clinical data of 118 patients with acute hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2020 to August 2021 were analyzed retrospectively.According to whether the patients suffered from hypertension and the antihypertensive drugs used before the onset of the hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage, 118 patients were divided into group 1 ( 30patients without hypertension before the onset) and group 2 ( 27 patients, patients have been clinically diagnosed with high blood pressure before acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage, and standardized ACEI/ARB antihypertensive drugs), group 3 ( 31 cases, patients have been clinically diagnosed with high blood pressure before acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage, and standardized CCB antihypertensive drugs) and group 4 ( 30 cases, patients have been clinically diagnosed with hypertension before onset and have not been treated), in which each patient within 72 h of the onset of sent to our hospital, After standardized treatment, GCS scores, basal systolic blood pressure, basal diastolic pressure, bleeding sites, bleeding volume, basal state, inflammatory factor level and GOS scores in telephone follow-up 3 months after discharge were compared between the four groups.Results GCS scores, bleeding sites, bleeding volume, history of diabetes, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, aspirin use, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation and neutrophil/lymphocyte ( NLR) had no statistically significant difference ( P ＞ 0. 05) . The difference of GOS score, basic systolic blood pressure and basic diastolic blood pressure baseline data was statistically significant ( P ＜ 0. 05) . There were no significant differences between groups 4 and 2, 2 and 1, 1and 4, 1 and 3 ( P ＞ 0. 05), but there were significant differences between groups 2 and 3, 3 and 4 ( P ＜ 0. 05) . Multiple linear regression analysis results showed that there was no significant difference between group 1 and group 3 ( P = 0. 794 ＞ 0. 050), a significant difference between group2 and group 3 ( P = 0. 004 ＜ 0. 050), a significant difference between group 4 and group 3 ( P =0. 022 ＜ 0. 050) . There was no significant difference in systolic blood pressure ( P = 0. 902 ＞ 0. 050) and diastolic blood pressure ( P = 0. 359 ＞ 0. 050), but significant difference in blood loss ( P =0. 000 ＜ 0. 050) . Conclusion Compared with long-term use of ACEI/ARB drugs, long-term use of CCB drugs in patients with acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage have better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we recall, extend and compute some information measures for the concomitants of the generalized order statistics (GOS) from the Farlie–Gumbel–Morgenstern (FGM) family. We focus on two types of information measures: some related to Shannon entropy, and some related to Tsallis entropy. Among the information measures considered are residual and past entropies which are important in a reliability context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk oligosaccharides (MOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are associated with many benefits, including anti-microbial effects and immune-modulating properties. However, the cellular mechanisms of these are largely unknown. In this study, the effects of enriched GOS and MOS mixtures from caprine and bovine milk consisting mainly 6'-galactosyllactose, 3'-sialyllactose, and 6'-sialyllactose on Caco-2 cells were investigated, and the treatment-specific metabolomes were described. In the control, the cells were treated with a sugar mix consisting of one-third each of glucose, galactose and lactose.A local metabolomics workflow with pathway enrichment was established, which specifically addresses DI-FT-ICR-MS analyses and includes adaptations in terms of measurement technology and sample matrices. By including quality parameters, especially the isotope pattern, we increased the precision of annotation. The independence from online tools, the fast adaptability to changes in databases, and the specific adjustment to the measurement technology and biomaterial used, proved to be a great advantage.For the first time it was possible to find 71 active pathways in a Caco-2 cell experiment. These pathways were assigned to 12 main categories, with amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism being the most dominant categories in terms of the number of metabolites and metabolic pathways. Treatment of Caco-2 cells with high GOS and glucose contents resulted in significant effects on several metabolic pathways, whereas the MOS containing treatments resulted only for individual metabolites in significant changes. An effect based on bovine or caprine origin alone could not be observed. Thus, it was shown that MOS and GOS containing treatments can exert microbiome-independent effects on the metabolome of Caco-2 cells.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is very common and affects approximately 1/3 of the world's human population. There are strong research data that some probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum improve iron absorption and influence the course of anemia. Furthermore, prebiotics, including galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), increase iron bioavailability and decrease its destructive effect on the intestinal microbiota. In addition, multiple postbiotics, which are probiotic metabolites, including vitamins, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and tryptophan, are involved in the regulation of intestinal absorption and may influence iron status in humans. This review presents the actual data from research studies on the influence of probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics on the prevention and therapy of IDA and the latest findings regarding their mechanisms of action. A comparison of the latest research data and theories regarding the role of pre-, post-, and probiotics and the mechanism of their action in anemias is also presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.: Fr.) Murrill is an arboreal species of the large-fruited Basidiomycota fungus from the Polyporales, family Laetiporaceae. The cell wall of this fungus is the source of many bioactive polymer compounds, including (1→3)-α-D-glucans. (1→3)-α-D-glucans can be hydrolyzed to shorter compounds, (1→3)-α-D-glucooligosaccharides (GOS), with different degrees of polymerization (DP). The use of GOS obtained from L. sulphureus (1→3)-α-D-glucans, as an elicitor of plant resistance, may be important for biological protection used in sustainable agriculture. In the presented study, GOS influenced the activity of antioxidant enzymes (Catalase−CAT, Ascorbate Peroxidase−APX, Guaiacol Peroxidase−GPX, and Superoxide Dismutase−SOD), lignin and flavonoids producing phenylpropanoids pathways (Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase−PAL and Tyrosine Ammonia-Lyase−TAL), and pathogen-related proteins (with Glucanase−GLUC and Chitinase−CHIT activity) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedling tissues. Other than that, the application of GOS increased the fresh weight of wheat stems and roots by 1.5–2-times, compared to the water control. The GOS at a concentration of 0.05% most strongly increased the activity of APX and GPX, where a 2-fold (up to 6000 U) and a 3-fold (up to 180 U) increase in enzymatic activity in wheat stems was observed, compared to the control. Simultaneously, 0.1% GOS significantly increased the activity of PAL (80 U in stems and 50 U in roots) and TAL (60 U in stems and 50 U in roots), where a 4–5-fold increase in enzymatic activity was observed, both in comparison to the water control and commercial elicitors (chitosan−CHI and laminarin−LAM). No effect of GOS on GLUC activity was observed, but a 1.5–2-fold increase in CHIT activity in plant tissues was noted. The complexity of the influence of GOS on the level of marker enzymes indicates the potential of their application in agriculture. This work is the first report of the successful use of (1→3)-α-D-glucooligosaccharides as an elicitor inducing resistance in the cereal plant (wheat). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the extension of use of galacto‐oligosaccharides (GOS) as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF (β‐GOS) is produced from milk lactose using a β‐galactosidase derived from Bifidobacterium bifidum and it is proposed to be used in food for special medical purposes (FSMP). The target population is the general population from 4 years of age onwards. GOS produced according to the same production process are already authorised and included in the EU Union list of novel foods. The applicant stated that the maximum daily intake from the use in FSMP is 8.25 g GOS. GOS are already authorised for use in food supplements up to a daily dose of 16.2 g. FSMP containing GOS are not intended to be used if food supplements containing GOS are consumed on the same day. The information provided on the proposed use levels and anticipated intake does not raise safety concerns. The Panel concludes that the proposed extension of use of GOS in FSMP is safe under the proposed conditions of use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are novel enhancers of iron absorption from ferrous fumarate (FeFum). However, the mechanism(s) of this effect, and whether it occurs in the proximal or distal gut, are uncertain. Objectives We studied: 1) in vitro, the effect of GOS on iron solubility and dialyzability from FeFum; 2) in volunteers, the absorption kinetics of FeFum given with and without GOS using stable isotope appearance curves (SIAC). Methods We measured iron solubility at various pH and dialyzability from FeFum with and without GOS. In crossover design, iron-depleted women [ n = 11; median serum ferritin (SF) 15.2; IQR: 12.6–21.2 µg/L] received 2 14-mg iron doses as labeled (57Fe,58Fe) FeFum 14 d apart with and without 15 g GOS in randomly assigned order. Multiple blood samples were collected over a time period of 24 h and 14 d later to determine SIAC and fractional iron absorption (FIA), respectively. SIAC data were fitted using nonlinear mixed effects modeling to a 1-compartment model with first-order absorption, and AUC and time of peak serum isotope concentration (t max) were calculated. Results Iron dialyzability was 75% higher with GOS (P < 0.001) and iron solubility was more than doubled at pH 4 and 6 with GOS [both P < 0.001]. Mean ± SD AUC (5830.9 ± 4717.3 μg/min with GOS, 4454.0 ± 3260.7 μg/min for control), and median (IQR) FIA (20.3% (8.6%–38.7%) with GOS, and 15.6% (10.6%–24.8% f)or control) were not different with compared to without GOS (P = 0.064; P = 0.080). Mean ±SD t max was not altered with GOS (3.08 ± 0.47 h with GOS; 2.80 ±0.50 h for control; P = 0.096). Iron bioavailability significantly increased with decreasing SF and this effect was significantly enhanced by GOS (P = 0.037, interaction of GOS with SF). Conclusions GOS increases iron solubility from FeFum at physiological pH characteristic of the proximal duodenum. The absorption kinetics in vivo are consistent with effects on iron absorption in the proximal, rather than distal, parts of the gut. There was no overall effect of GOS on FIA in vivo, but the interaction of GOS and SF on FIA might benefit iron-deficient women, an effect potentially mediated by the higher solubility shown in vitro. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03996421. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRAK Kegiatan pembangunan di perkotaan sering mengubah konfigurasi alami lahan menjadi sesuatu yang keras dan kaku. Permasalahan serupa juga terjadi pada wilayah Kota Banjarbaru yang hanya memiliki luas sebesar 371.3 km2 (37,130 hektar). Pada tahun 2010 dilaporkan bahwa Ruang Terbuka Hijau (RTH) Kota Banjarbaru dengan luas 26,577.54 hektar. Luas RTH ini berkurang sangat signifikan pada tahun 2016, yaitu sebesar 2,683.83 hektar. Pengurangan luas RTH ini dimungkinkan adanya pembangunan skala besar yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah Kota Banjarbaru. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi luas RTH di Kota Banjarbaru. Metode yang digunakan untuk mengetahui luas RTH adalah dengan menggunakan Sistem Informasi Geografis (SIG). Data spasial yang digunakan berasal dari citra ikonos, quickbird, foto udara, peta penggunaan lahan dan RTH, peta RTRW Kota Banjarbaru, dan data sekunder dari instansi relevan. Analisis dan pengolahan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan software Quantum GIS chugiak 2.4.0. Berdasarkan hasil analisis SIG, bahwa RTH Kota Banjarbaru memiliki total luasan sebesar 13,584.15 hektar atau sekitar 36.59% dari luasan keseluruhan Kota Banjarbaru. Kata kunci: Kota Banjarbaru, RTH, SIG ABSTRACT Development activities in urban areas often change the original configuration of land into something stiff and rigid. Similar problems also occur in areas of Banjarbaru city, which has only a place of 371.3 km2 (37,130 acres). In 2010 it was reported that the green open space (GOS) of Banjarbaru city had an area of 26,577.54 acres. The size of this GOS was significantly reduced in 2016, which was 2,683.83 acres. The reduction of GOS size as possible in developing a large scale carried out by Banjarbaru municipality. This study aimed to identification of size area of GOS in Banjarbaru city. The research design was conducted using a geographic information system (GIS). Spatial data used originates from ikonos imagery, quickbird, aerial photographs, map of land use and green open space, map of spatial master Banjarbaru city, and secondary data from the relevant institution. Analysis and processing data was undertaken on the software Quantum GIS Chugiak 2.4.0. Based on the GIS analysis, green open space in Banjarbaru city has a total of 13,584.15 acres or about 36.59 percent of whole cities in Banjarbaru city. Keywords: Banjarbaru city, GOS, GIS

Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on the extension of use of galacto‐oligosaccharides (GOS) as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF is a syrup containing ≥ 57% w/w GOS (w/w dry matter), consisting of different galactosyl residues linked to a terminal glucose by a β‐glycosidic bond and also containing lactose and the constituent monomers of lactose (galactose and glucose). The NF is already authorised and included in the Union list of NFs and is produced according to the same production process. This application is limited to an assessment of the extension of use as a food ingredient in dairy confectionary, cheese and processed cheese, butter and spreads. There is a 10–30% increase in total GOS intake from the requested extension of use compared to the currently authorised uses at the highest 95th percentile. It is noted that the total intake at the highest mean (8.7–22.0 g/day) is below the adequate intake (AI) of 25 g/day for dietary fibre set to ensure a normal laxation in adults, while the highest 95th percentile (27.2–41.6 g/day) is higher than the AI. When the maximum use as a food supplement is added to the highest 95th percentile combined intake from all proposed and authorised food categories a total intake up to 58 g GOS/day is estimated. This highest intake level would exceed the AI for dietary fibre; however, no tolerable upper intake level for dietary fibre has been set and only transient gastrointestinal symptoms may be related to high intake of fibre. The Panel concludes that the NF, that is composed of ≥ 57% GOS dry matter, lactose and related saccharides, is safe under the proposed extension of use.