Taiwanese Green Propolis Ethanol Extract Delays the Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rats Treated with Streptozotocin/High-Fat Diet.

Taiwanese green propolis ethanol extract (TGPE) is produced only in Taiwan and has a different composition from other types of propolis. TGPE is known for its anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and anti-microbial properties, but the effects and mechanisms of TGPE in the modulation of diabetes are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of TGPE on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a streptozotocin/high-fat-diet (STZ/HFD)-induced T2DM rat model.

Hot Water Bathing Impairs Training Adaptation in Elite Teen Archers.

Despite heat imposes considerable physiological stress to human body, hot water immersion remains as a popular relaxation modality for athletes. Here we examined the lingering effect of hot tub relaxation after training on performance-associated measures and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) in junior archers. Ten national level archers, aged 16.

Halo-Substituted Chalcones and Azachalcones-Inhibited, Lipopolysaccharited-Stimulated, Pro-Inflammatory Responses through the TLR4-Mediated Pathway.

A series of B-ring, halo-substituted chalcones and azachalcones were synthesized to evaluate and compare their anti-inflammatory activity. Mouse BALB/c macrophage RAW 264.7 were pre-treated with 10 μg/mL of each compound for one hour before induction of inflammation by lipopolysaccharide (1 μg/mL) for 6 h.

Erinacine A-Enriched Hericium erinaceus Mycelium Produces Antidepressant-Like Effects through Modulating BDNF/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β Signaling in Mice.

Antidepressant-like effects of ethanolic extract of (HE) mycelium enriched in erinacine A on depressive mice challenged by repeated restraint stress (RS) were examined. HE at 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg body weight/day was orally given to mice for four weeks. After two weeks of HE administration, all mice except the control group went through with 14 days of RS protocol.

Acute and developmental toxicity assessment of erincine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus mycelia in Sprague-Dawley rats.

This study aimed to establish an in vitro model to confirm the efficacy of erinacine A-enriched Hericium erinaceus (EAHE) mycelia and investigate its potential adverse effects in a preclinical experimental setting, including an assessment on the oral administration of EAHE mycelia in acute and prenatal developmental toxicity tests. At a single dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight, EAHE mycelia elicited no death or treatment-related signs of toxicity in ten Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes during the 14 days of the experimental period. After considering the recommended dose range of EAHE mycelia from the acute toxicity test as well as the therapeutic doses, EAHE mycelia was administered to 66 pregnant rats in the low, medium, and high-dose groups by gavage at 875, 1750, and 2625 mg/kg body weight, respectively.

Antilipotoxicity Activity of and Flower Extracts in Hepatocytes and Renal Glomerular Mesangial Cells.

The excess influx of free fatty acids (FFAs) into nonadipose tissues, such as those of liver and kidney, induces lipotoxicity leading to hepatic steatosis and renal dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of methanolic flower extracts of (OF) and (CM) against FFA-induced lipotoxicity in hepatocytes (human HepG2 cells) and renal glomerular mesangial cells (mouse SV40-Mes13 cells). The results showed that OF and CM significantly suppressed FFA-induced intracellular triacylglycerol accumulation via partially inhibiting the gene expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) in HepG2 cells.

Antiobesity effect of Lactobacillus reuteri 263 associated with energy metabolism remodeling of white adipose tissue in high-energy-diet-fed rats.

Obesity is a serious and costly issue to the medical welfare worldwide. Probiotics have been suggested as one of the candidates to resolve the obesity-associated problems, but how they combat obesity is not fully understood. Herein, we investigated the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri 263 (L.

The exploration of medical resources utilization among inguinal hernia repair in Taiwan diagnosis-related groups.

Background: This study centered on differences in medical costs, using the Taiwan diagnosis-related groups (Tw-DRGs) on medical resource utilization in inguinal hernia repair (IHR) in hospitals with different ownership to provide suitable reference information for hospital administrators.

Methods: The 2010-2011 data for three hospitals under different ownership were extracted from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database. A retrospective method was applied to analyze the age, sex, length of stay, diagnosis and surgical procedure code, and the change in financial risk of medical costs in IHR cases after introduction of Tw-DRGs.

Green tea extract induces genes related to browning of white adipose tissue and limits weight-gain in high energy diet-fed rat.

A wealth of research has reported on the anti-obesity effects of green tea extract (GTE). Although browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) has been reported to attenuate obesity, no study has disclosed the effects of GTE on browning in Sprague Dawley rats. The aims of the study were to investigate the effects of GTE on anti-obesity and browning, and their underlying mechanisms.

Almonds ameliorate glycemic control in Chinese patients with better controlled type 2 diabetes: a randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial.

Background: Almonds can decrease glycemic index of co-consumed foods and are a rich source for oleic acid and α-tocopherol. The aim of the randomized, crossover, controlled feeding trial was to examine whether as compared to NCEP step II diet as control (CON), ~60 g/d almonds (ALM) added to CON would improve glucoregulation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in 33 Chinese T2DM patients.

Methods: Forty T2DM patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive CON or ALM for 12 wks after a 2-wk.

Transparency of Mandatory Information Disclosure and Concerns of Health Services Providers and Consumers.

Background: This study analyzed differences between transparency of information disclosure and related demands from the health service consumer's perspective. It also compared how health service providers and consumers are associated by different levels of mandatory information disclosure.

Methods: We obtained our research data using a questionnaire survey (health services providers, = 201; health service consumers, = 384).

Rebuilding DEMATEL threshold value: an example of a food and beverage information system.

This study demonstrates how a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) threshold value can be quickly and reasonably determined in the process of combining DEMATEL and decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB) models. Models are combined to identify the key factors of a complex problem. This paper presents a case study of a food and beverage information system as an example.

Modeling the prediction of business intelligence system effectiveness.

Although business intelligence (BI) technologies are continually evolving, the capability to apply BI technologies has become an indispensable resource for enterprises running in today's complex, uncertain and dynamic business environment. This study performed pioneering work by constructing models and rules for the prediction of business intelligence system effectiveness (BISE) in relation to the implementation of BI solutions. For enterprises, effectively managing critical attributes that determine BISE to develop prediction models with a set of rules for self-evaluation of the effectiveness of BI solutions is necessary to improve BI implementation and ensure its success.

Conjugated linoleic acids suppress inflammatory response and ICAM-1 expression through inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK signaling in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) comprise a group of natural unsaturated fatty acids. CLA was reported to have anti-asthma, anti-adiposity, and anti-tumor effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the suppressive effects of cis-9, trans-11-CLA (c9,t11-CLA) on the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) in TNF-α-stimulated human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells.

Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Zerumbone against Mono-Iodoacetate-Induced Arthritis.

The fresh rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet Smith (Zingiberaceae) is used as a food flavoring and also serves as a folk medicine as an antipyretic and for analgesics in Taiwan. Zerumbone, a monocyclic sesquiterpene was isolated from the rhizome of Z. zerumbet and is the major active compound.

Child maltreatment in Taiwan for 2004-2013: A shift in age group and forms of maltreatment.

Cases of child maltreatment are being increasingly reported in Taiwan. However, the trend or changes of child maltreatment in Taiwan are fragmentary and lack empirical evidence. This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of substantiated child maltreatment cases from the previous decade, using mortality as an indicator to investigate the care of children who experienced substantiated maltreatment in the past to determine any new developments.

Preparation and Compatibility Evaluation of Polypropylene/High Density Polyethylene Polyblends.

This study proposes melt-blending polypropylene (PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) that have a similar melt flow index (MFI) to form PP/HDPE polyblends. The influence of the content of HDPE on the properties and compatibility of polyblends is examined by using a tensile test, flexural test, Izod impact test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SEM results show that PP and HDPE are incompatible polymers with PP being a continuous phase and HDPE being a dispersed phase.

A 90-Day Subchronic Toxicity Study of Submerged Mycelial Culture of Cordyceps cicadae (Ascomycetes) in Rats.

Cordyceps cicadae is a parasitic fungus that hibernates inside a host (Cicada flammata Dist.) and then grows its fruiting body on the surface of the insect. The complete insect/fungus combination of C.

N(6)-(2-Hydroxyethyl)adenosine in the Medicinal Mushroom Cordyceps cicadae Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Pro-inflammatory Responses by Suppressing TLR4-Mediated NF-κB Signaling Pathways.

Natural products play an important role in promoting health with relation to the prevention of chronic inflammation. N(6)-(2-Hydroxyethyl)adenosine (HEA), a physiologically active compound in the medicinal mushroom Cordyceps cicadae, has been identified as a Ca(2+) antagonist and shown to control circulation and possess sedative activity in pharmacological tests. The fruiting body of C.

In Vivo Effects of Free Form Astaxanthin Powder on Anti-Oxidation and Lipid Metabolism with High-Cholesterol Diet.

Astaxanthin extracted from Pomacea canaliculata eggs was made into free-form astaxanthin powder (FFAP) and its effects on lipid metabolism, liver function, antioxidants activities and astaxanthin absorption rate were investigated. 45 hamsters were split into 5 groups and fed with normal diet, high-cholesterol control (0.2% cholesterol), 1.

Effects of Lu-Do-Huang Extract (LDHE) on Apoptosis Induction in Human Hep3B Cells.

Lu-Do-Huang (Pracparatum mungo) is a fermented mung bean [corrected] (Vigna radiata) and has long been used as a traditional and functional food in Traditional Chinese Medicine, especially for treating a variety of liver disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the apoptotic effects of Lu-Do-Huang ethanol extract (LDHE) on Hep3B cells, a human hepatoma cell line. A variety of cellular assays, flow cytometry and immunoblotting were used.

Hypolipidemic effects and safety of Lactobacillus reuteri 263 in a hamster model of hyperlipidemia.

We aimed to verify the beneficial effects of probiotic strain Lactobacillus reuteri 263 (Lr263) on hypolipidemic action in hamsters with hyperlipidemia induced by a 0.2% cholesterol and 10% lard diet (i.e.

Investigations of blue light-induced reactive oxygen species from flavin mononucleotide on inactivation of E. coli.

The micronutrients in many cellular processes, riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN), and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are photo-sensitive to UV and visible light for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Produced from phosphorylation of riboflavin, FMN is more water-soluble and rapidly transformed into free riboflavin after ingestion. This study investigated the application of visible blue light with FMN to development of an effective antimicrobial treatment.

Time-frequency feature representation using multi-resolution texture analysis and acoustic activity detector for real-life speech emotion recognition.

The classification of emotional speech is mostly considered in speech-related research on human-computer interaction (HCI). In this paper, the purpose is to present a novel feature extraction based on multi-resolutions texture image information (MRTII). The MRTII feature set is derived from multi-resolution texture analysis for characterization and classification of different emotions in a speech signal.

Effect of esterification condensation on the Folin-Ciocalteu method for the quantitative measurement of total phenols.

The Folin-Ciocalteu method is widely applied for the determination of the total phenolic contents in natural products. This method is significantly affected by the addition of sodium carbonate. The currently applied Folin-Ciocalteu methods may have been modified without any validation in the quantitative standards and the order of processes.