A Pragmatic Test for Detecting Association between a Dichotomous Trait and the Genotypes of Affected Families, Controls and Independent Cases.

The efficient analysis of hybrid designs [e.g., affected families, controls, and (optionally) independent cases] is attractive because it should have increased power to detect associations between genetic variants and disease.

Enhanced Probiotic Potential of When Delivered as a Biofilm on Dextranomer Microspheres That Contain Beneficial Cargo.

As with all orally consumed probiotics, the Gram-positive bacterium encounters numerous challenges as it transits through the gastrointestinal tract of the host, including low pH, effectors of the host immune system, as well as competition with commensal and pathogenic bacteria, all of which can greatly reduce the availability of live bacteria for therapeutic purposes. Recently we showed that , when adhered in the form of a biofilm to a semi-permeable biocompatible dextranomer microsphere, reduces the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis by 50% in a well-defined animal model following delivery of a single prophylactic dose. Herein, using the same semi-permeable microspheres, we showed that providing compounds beneficial to as diffusible cargo within the microsphere lumen resulted in further advantageous effects including glucosyltransferase-dependent bacterial adherence to the microsphere surface, resistance of bound bacteria against acidic conditions, enhanced adherence of to human intestinal epithelial cells , and facilitated production of the antimicrobial compound reuterin and the anti-inflammatory molecule histamine.

Immunostimulated Arginase II Expression in Intestinal Epithelial Cells Reduces Nitric Oxide Production and Apoptosis.

Increased production of nitric oxide (NO) and subsequent local cytotoxicity to mucosal epithelial cells has been proposed as a putative mechanism involved in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) metabolize L-arginine to either nitric oxide (NO) by NO synthase (NOS) or to L-ornithine and urea by arginase. L-ornithine is the first step in polyamine synthesis important for cell proliferation, while NO production can lead to apoptosis.