Lipid-Lowering Effects of Medium-Chain Triglyceride-Enriched Coconut Oil in Combination with Licorice Extracts in Experimental Hyperlipidemic Mice.

Coconut oil has gained in popularity over recent years as a healthy oil due to its potential cardiovascular benefits. Coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT) including lauric acid and capric acid that display beneficial properties in human health. Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is used as a sweetener and in traditional Chinese medicine with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities.

Sea Cucumber Lipid-Soluble Extra Fraction Prevents Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Airway Inflammation.

In a previous study, our research group demonstrated that sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) extracts ameliorated allergic airway inflammation through CD4CD25Foxp3 T (regulatory T; Treg) cell activation and recruitment to the lung. In this study, we aimed to determine which components of sea cucumber contribute to the amelioration of airway inflammation. We used n-hexane fractionation to separate sea cucumber into three phases (n-hexane, alcohol, and solid) and evaluated the ability of each phase to elevate Il10 expression in splenocytes and ameliorate symptoms in mice with ovalbumin (OVA)/alum-induced asthma.

Effects of fulvic acid on growth performance and intestinal health of juvenile loach Paramisgurnus dabryanus (Sauvage).

A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of dietary fulvic acid supplements on intestinal digestive activity (enzymatic analysis), antioxidant activity, immune enzyme activity and microflora composition of juvenile loach (initial weight of 6.2 ± 0.1 g) reared in experimental aquaria.

Preventive Intra Oral Treatment of Sea Cucumber Ameliorate OVA-Induced Allergic Airway Inflammation.

Sea cucumber extracts have potent biological effects, including anti-viral, anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammation effects. To understand their anti-asthma effects, we induced allergic airway inflammation in mice after 7 oral administrations of the extract. The hyper-responsiveness value in mice with ovalbumin (OVA)-alum-induced asthma after oral injection of sea cucumber extracts was significantly lower than that in the OVA-alum-induced asthma group.

Effect of rhBMP-2 Immobilized Anorganic Bovine Bone Matrix on Bone Regeneration.

Anorganic bovine bone matrix (Bio-Oss®) has been used for a long time for bone graft regeneration, but has poor osteoinductive capability. The use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has been suggested to overcome this limitation of Bio-Oss®. In the present study, heparin-mediated rhBMP-2 was combined with Bio-Oss® in animal experiments to investigate bone formation performance; heparin was used to control rhBMP-2 release.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Fermented By-product of Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, as a Fish Meal Replacer in Juvenile Amur Catfish, Silurus asotus: Effects on Growth, Serological Characteristics and Immune Responses.

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary fermented by-product of mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, (FBPM) as a fish meal (FM) replacer in juvenile Amur catfish, Silurus asotus. A total number of 225 fish averaging 5.7±0.

Physical stability of arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide coated on anodized implants after installation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide coatings on implants by measuring the amount of peptide remaining after installation.

Materials And Methods: Fluorescent isothiocyanate (FITC)-fixed RGD peptide was coated onto anodized titanium implants (width 4 mm, length 10 mm) using a physical adsorption method (P) or a chemical grafting method (C). Solid Rigid Polyurethane Foam (SRPF) was classified as either hard bone (H) or soft bone (S) according to its density.

Influence of Implant transmucosal design on early peri-implant tissue responses in beagle dogs.

Objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the influences of concave, machined and concave-roughened profiles of transmucosal implant designs on early peri-implant tissue responses.

Materials And Methods: Implants were used and classified by transmucosal profile and surface type as straight-machined implants (SM), concave-machined implants (CM), or concave-roughened implants (CR). A total of 30 implants (10 per each type) with matching transmucosal profiles were placed directly on alveolar crests in randomized order in the edentulous mandibular ridges of three beagle dogs.

Effect of the use of a ready-made plastic stent on the peri-implant soft tissue.

Objective: This study compared the effect of the use of a ready-made plastic stent on the width of peri-implant keratinized mucosa with that of conventional methods and examined the effects of a plastic stent on peri-implant soft tissue.

Materials And Methods: Five young-adult beagle dogs were used. Forty titanium implants were placed in the mandibular alveolar ridge.

Re-evaluation of the Optimum Dietary Vitamin C Requirement in Juvenile Eel, Anguilla japonica by Using L-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate.

This study was conducted to re-evaluate the dietary vitamin C requirement in juvenile eel, Anguilla japonica by using L-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate (AMP) as the vitamin C source. Five semi-purified experimental diets were formulated to contain 0 (AMP0), 30 (AMP24), 60 (AMP52), 120 (AMP108) and 1,200 (AMP1137) mg AMP kg-1 diet on a dry matter basis. Casein and defatted fish meal were used as the main protein sources in the semi-purified experimental diets.