Optical assessment of skin carotenoid status as a biomarker of vegetable and fruit intake.

Resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) and reflection spectroscopy (RS) are optical methods applicable to the non-invasive detection of carotenoids in human skin. RRS is the older, more thoroughly validated method, whereas RS is newer and has several advantages. Since collective skin carotenoid levels serve as a biomarker for vegetable and fruit intake, both methods hold promise as convenient screening tools for assessment of dietary interventions and correlations between skin carotenoids and health and disease outcomes.

South Asian Ethnicity Is Related to the Highest Risk of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Pregnant Canadian Women.

Vitamin B12 (B12) adequacy during pregnancy is crucial for maternal health and optimal fetal development; however, suboptimal B12 status has been reported in pregnant Canadian women. Methylmalonic acid (MMA) is a sensitive indicator of B12 status. Since few studies have measured MMA during pregnancy in Canadian women, the objective of this study was to evaluate B12 status in pregnant women living in Metro Vancouver, using both plasma total B12 and MMA.

Exposure to continuous darkness ameliorates gastric and colonic inflammation in the rat: both receptor and non-receptor-mediated processes.

Background And Aim: Melatonin is a hormone involved in the transduction of photoperiodic information, and appears to modulate a variety of neural and endocrine functions. The present study was designed to determine the impact of continuous darkness (CD) on acute gastric and colonic inflammation and the involvement of melatonin receptors in the darkness-related alterations in oxidant gut injury.

Methods: Rats were housed either in CD or in standardized light/dark (12/12 h) cycles for 15 days before the induction of colitis or gastric ulcer.

Methimazole-induced hypothyroidism in rats ameliorates oxidative injury in experimental colitis.

Depression of metabolism by hypothyroidism decreases oxidant production and thus protects tIssues against oxidant damage. Moreover, it is well-known that abnormal gut motility is a common manifestation in hypo/hyperthyroidism. In this study, we aimed to investigate the putative beneficial effects of methimazole on oxidative injury and dysmotility in a rat colitis model.

Hypertension module: an interactive learning tool in physiology.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the strong or weak aspects of an interactive study module introduced during the "Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Subject Committee" in the second year of the medical program. Five study groups consisting of 25 students attended two-hour module sessions for six weeks with the same tutor. According to the module assessment questionnaire, the majority of the students assessed the module as excellent or good.