Relationship between lower limb vascular characteristics, peripheral arterial disease and gait in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with higher risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease, including peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The aim of this study was to measure lower limb vascular characteristics (indicative of PAD), using non-invasive chairside testing methods, in people with RA compared to matched controls, and to determine the association between vascular characteristics and gait velocity as a measure of functional capacity in people with RA.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional pilot study which measured lower limb vascular characteristics (bilateral continuous wave Doppler, toe brachial index [TBI] and ankle brachial index [ABI]) and gait velocity (6-m walk test) in people with RA and controls.

Inability of probiotic bacterial strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 to induce human platelet aggregation in vitro.

Platelet aggregation contributes to the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis, and aggregation of platelets induced by lactobacilli is thought to be an important contributory factor in the development and progression of Lactobacillus endocarditis. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of immunity-enhancing probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 on the activation and aggregation of human blood platelets. Whole blood samples from healthy individuals were incubated in vitro with HN001 or HN019 and subsequently labeled with platelet-specific monoclonal antibodies, fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated anti-CD41a (expressed on normal platelets), and phycoerythrin-streptavidin-conjugated anti-CD62p (expressed on activated platelets) before analysis by flow cytometry.

Effect of dietary whey protein concentrate on primary and secondary antibody responses in immunized BALB/c mice.

Proteins derived from the whey fraction of bovine milk are known to modulate immune responses. We have previously described a rennet whey protein concentrate (WPC) that can boost intestinal tract antibody responses to orally administered T-dependent antigens. In the present study, we investigated the effects of feeding WPC to mice on specific antibody responses to several orally or parenterally administered antigens, including influenza vaccine, diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, poliomyelitis vaccine, ovalbumin and cholera toxin sub-unit.

High intake, but not low intake, of CLA impairs weight gain in growing mice.

CLA has a range of biological properties, including effects on lipid metabolism and body composition in experimental animals. The prevalent isomer of CLA found in the human diet is 9c,11 t-CLA, and it is predominantly found in products containing fat from ruminant animals. This study investigated the effect of dietary CLA on energy balance in mice.