Evaluation of a Plant-Based Infant Formula Containing Almonds and Buckwheat on Gut Microbiota Composition, Intestine Morphology, Metabolic and Immune Markers in a Neonatal Piglet Model.

A controlled-neonatal piglet trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of a plant-based infant formula containing buckwheat and almonds as the main source of protein compared to a commercially available dairy-based formula on the gut health parameters. Two day old piglets were fed either a plant-based or a dairy-based formula until day 21. Gut microbiome, cytokines, growth and metabolism related outcomes, and intestinal morphology were evaluated to determine the safety of the plant-based infant formula.

Evaluation of the Safety of a Plant-Based Infant Formula Containing Almonds and Buckwheat in a Neonatal Piglet Model.

A randomized neonatal piglet trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and the effects of a plant-based formula containing almonds and buckwheat as the main ingredients on growth and plasma parameters. From postnatal day (PND) 2 to 21, the piglets were fed a dairy-based milk formula (Similac Advance) or a plant-based formula (Else Nutrition) and all piglets were euthanized at day 21. No diarrhea was observed after PND 8 and all the piglets completed the trial.

Proteomic identification of tumor- and metastasis-associated galectin-1 in claudin-low breast cancer.

Background: Metastasis and mortality remain high among breast cancer patients with the claudin-low subtype because these tumors are aggressive, chemoresistant, and lack targeted therapies. Our objective was to utilize discovery-based proteomics to identify proteins associated with claudin-low primary and metastatic tumors to gain insight into pathways and mechanisms of tumor progression.

Methods: We used nano-LC-MS/MS proteomics to analyze orthotopic and metastatic tumors from the syngeneic murine T11 tumor model, which displays gene expression profiles mirroring human claudin-low tumors.

Development of the Subdural Hematoma in the Elderly (SHE) score to predict mortality.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the development of a novel prognostic score, the Subdural Hematoma in the Elderly (SHE) score. The SHE score is intended to predict 30-day mortality in elderly patients (those > 65 years of age) with an acute, chronic, or mixed-density subdural hematoma (SDH) after minor, or no, prior trauma.

Methods: The authors used the Prognosis Research Strategy group methods to develop the clinical prediction model.

Using bald eagles to track spatial (1999-2008) and temporal (1987-1992, 1999-2003, and 2004-2008) trends of contaminants in Michigan's aquatic ecosystems.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is an extensively researched tertiary predator. Studies have delineated information about its life history and the influences of various stressors on its reproduction. Due to the bald eagle's position at the top of the food web, it is susceptible to biomagnification of xenobiotics.

Impacts of Short-Rotation Early-Growing Season Prescribed Fire on a Ground Nesting Bird in the Central Hardwoods Region of North America.

Landscape-scale short-rotation early-growing season prescribed fire, hereafter prescribed fire, in upland hardwood forests represents a recent shift in management strategies across eastern upland forests. Not only does this strategy depart from dormant season to growing season prescriptions, but the strategy also moves from stand-scale to landscape-scale implementation (>1,000 ha). This being so, agencies are making considerable commitments in terms of time and resources to this management strategy, but the effects on wildlife in upland forests, especially those dominated by hardwood canopy species, are relatively unknown.

Using nestling plasma to assess long-term spatial and temporal concentrations of organochlorine compounds in bald eagles within Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, USA.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) population at Voyageurs National Park (VNP) provides an opportunity to assess long-term temporal and spatial trends of persistent environmental contaminants. Nestling bald eagle plasma samples collected from 1997 to 2010 were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides. Trends of total PCBs, total DDTs, 4,4'-DDE, and Dieldrin were analyzed since >50% of nestling plasma samples had detectable concentrations.

Using nestling feathers to assess spatial and temporal concentrations of mercury in bald eagles at Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, USA.

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) have been utilized as a biosentinel of aquatic ecosystem health in the Great Lakes Region since the early 1960s. Bald eagle populations have been monitored at Voyageurs National Park (VNP), Minnesota, since 1973. For the past 20 years, researchers have collected feathers from nestling bald eagles to assess their dietary exposure to mercury (Hg) on Rainy, Kabetogama, and Namakan lakes in VNP.

American Society of Clinical Oncology-recommended surveillance and physician specialty among long-term breast cancer survivors.

Background: It is unclear whether it is appropriate to transfer the follow-up care of breast cancer (BrCa) survivors from cancer specialists to primary care physicians (PCPs). This contemporary study compared physician specialty and documented the long-term surveillance of survivors who underwent surgery at an American academic center.

Methods: Women in this institutional review board-approved study underwent breast surgery between 1996 and 2006.

Tumor-primed human natural killer cells lyse NK-resistant tumor targets: evidence of a two-stage process in resting NK cell activation.

NK cells are defined as those cells that lyse tumor cells without priming. In this study, we show that the preincubation of resting human NK cells with the leukemia cell CTV-1 primes NK cells to lyse NK-resistant cell lines, primary leukemias, and solid tumors even when HLA-matched, allogeneic or autologous. The primed NK cells remained nonresponsive to HLA-C matched and mismatched normal mononuclear cells from multiple donors.

Congenital absence of the portal vein in a child with Turner syndrome.

Congenital absence of the portal vein (CAPV) is a rare malformation associated with hepatic encephalopathy and liver function abnormalities. We report a case of a 2-year-old with Turner syndrome, CAPV, and congenital heart malformations.

Oriented immobilisation of engineered single-chain antibodies to develop biosensors for virus detection.

Single chain variable fragment (scFv) molecules were selected from a synthetic phage display library then cloned into a generic vector for expression of the scFv fused to the light chain constant domain of human immunoglobulin with a C-terminal cysteine residue (scFvC(L)cys). A heterobifunctional maleimide linker was synthesised and a strategy for functionalization of gold with the scFvC(L)cys fusion proteins elaborated. Successful covalent attachment of functional scFvC(L)cys was demonstrated using a surface plasmon resonance-based sensor.

Fate of anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity in contents of the gastrointestinal tract of weanling pigs following black raspberry consumption.

Many fruits are rich in anthocyanins (ACNs). ACNs have high antioxidant capacity, but because of their apparent low bioavailability, their possible roles in health promotion in vivo are still in question. The objectives of these studies were to determine the fate of ACNs within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the effect on the bioavailability and subsequent metabolism of ACNs.

Aglycones and sugar moieties alter anthocyanin absorption and metabolism after berry consumption in weanling pigs.

To investigate the absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins (ACNs) with different aglycones and sugar moieties, weanling pigs (11.4 +/- 3.8 kg) were fed, in a single meal, a freeze-dried powder of chokeberry, black currant, or elderberry at a single dose of 229, 140, or 228 mumol total ACN/kg body weight (BW), respectively.

Pelargonidin is absorbed and metabolized differently than cyanidin after marionberry consumption in pigs.

Weaning pigs (7.9 +/- 1.7 kg) were fed a freeze-dried powder of marionberry (MB) by stomach tube to study the absorption and metabolism of anthocyanins.

Characterization of Lewis lung clonal variants in a model of syngeneic pulmonary murine metastases.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality world-wide. Since the majority of cancer deaths result from metastatic complications, understanding cellular alterations contributing to organ specific metastases is a continuing cancer research goal. Desirable models involve easy, efficient methodologies for development of pulmonary metastases utilizing genetically related syngeneic tumor cell lines varying in clonogenic frequency and growth rate for comparative studies.

Suppression of Lewis lung tumor development in alpha 1,3 galactosyltransferase knock-out mice.

Background: Humans lack the gene alpha 1,3 galactosyltransferase (GalT) and instead produce abundant cytolytic antibodies against cells bearing the antigen [gal alpha1,3 gal] (alphaGal). We have previously studied humoral anti-alphaGal responses in GalT knock-out (GalT KO) mice and shown that murine anti-alphaGal IgM, like human anti-alphaGal IgM, causes extensive complement-mediated cytolysis of GalT+ murine Lewis Lung carcinoma cells (LLCa) in vitro. Here we test the hypothesis that anti-alphaGal immune responses can inhibit the in vivo development of GalT+ tumors.

Induction of cytolytic anti-Gal antibodies in alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase gene knockout mice by oral inoculation with Escherichia coli O86:B7 bacteria.

Naturally occurring antibodies against [Gal alpha-1,3-Gal] structures (anti-Gal antibodies) are the primary effectors of human hyperacute rejection (HAR) of nonhuman tissue. Unlike most mammals, humans lack a functional alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GalT) gene and produce abundant anti-Gal antibodies, putatively in response to GalT(+) enteric bacteria. GalT knockout (KO) mice have been generated as a small animal model of HAR but inconsistently express anti-Gal antibodies.

Human T-cell-porcine endothelial cell interactions induce human Th1 cytokines and porcine activation markers.

Background: Since the future of clinical transplantation will undoubtedly include xenotransplantation, there is a need to examine human anti-pig cellular reactions. The objective of this study is to use human anti-porcine mixed lymphocyte endothelial cell culture (MLEC) to investigate cell interactions, cross-species molecular compatibilities, and the induction of human cytokines and porcine activation markers.

Methods: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells or enriched CD4+ T cells depleted of professional antigen-presenting cells were cultured with resting pig aortic endothelial cells in the absence of exogenous cytokines.

Chronic tonsillar herniation and Crouzon's syndrome.

Patients born with craniofacial syndromes such as Crouzon's syndrome will often develop hydrocephalus after their initial craniofacial reconstructive procedures. We have treated 10 patients with Crouzon's syndrome; 5 patients required a shunting procedure after cranial remodeling. Each of these 5 shunted patients later demonstrated chronic tonsillar herniation on magnetic resonance imaging studies.

Neonatal intracranial teratomas.

Two neonates with intracranial teratomas presented with cranial enlargements a few weeks after birth. Both cases underwent surgery: one died intraoperatively; the other is the longest known survivor, alive 7 years and 9 months after subtotal excision of a mature teratoma of the left sylvian fissure. Previous operations have been relatively few and nearly all have been unsuccessful.