BACKGROUND Probiotics are increasingly used in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Studies in constipated adults with a Bifidus yoghurt (containing Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus acidophilus) showed a significant increase in defecation frequency. The aim of this pilot study was to determine if Bifidobacterium breve is effective in the treatm...

BACKGROUND Elbow injuries are common in college baseball players. Pitching creates stress and fatigue in and around the elbow. Lack of joint proprioception can contribute to nonphysiological joint loading and injury. HYPOTHESIS There will be no difference in elbow joint active reproduction sense following a simulated 3-inning pitching sequence. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS ...

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and CYP3A (cytochrome P450 3A, generally; Cyp3a, rodent enzyme) in the intestine can attenuate absorption of orally administered drugs. While some suggest that P-gp enhances intestinal metabolism by CYP3A/Cyp3a during absorption of a dual substrate, others suggest that P-gp reduces the metabolism in the intestine when substrates are at subsaturating concentrations. Hence, ...

The distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in Baiyangdian Lake, China, was determined in this study. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the dominant PFC in lake water (1.70–73.5 ng L , median 9.72 ng L ), while perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the dominant PFC in sediments (0.06–0.64 ng g 1 dry wt, median 0.19 ng g 1 dry wt) and in aquatic animals (0.57–13.7 ng g 1 wet wt, median 2....

To study the efficacy of the combination of albendazole and prednisolone for the treatment of eosinophilic meningitis, we conducted a pilot study among Thai patients with eosinophilic meningitis. Patients were given a 2-week course of prednisolone, 60 mg/day and albendazole, 15 mg/kg/ day. The primary observation parameter was the number of patients who still had headache after the 2-week cours...

BACKGROUND At present, there are few available animal models of progressive renal failure originating from mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN). In the current study, we examined the usefulness of anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) 1-22-3-induced GN in uninephrectomized rats as a model of progressive renal failure by analysing the similarities to human disease. METHODS GN was ind...

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) has caused a substantial burden of disease in China, especially in Guangdong Province. Based on notifiable cases, we use the time series Susceptible-Infected-Recovered model to estimate the basic reproduction rate (R0) and the herd immunity threshold, understanding the transmission and persistence of HFMD more completely for efficient intervention in this pr...

BACKGROUND Resveratrol, a plant-derived polyphenol, has shown promising effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in animal models and is also reported to have cardioprotective properties, but human studies are limited. In a pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that resveratrol improves glucose metabolism and vascular function in older adults with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). ...