Often in longitudinal studies, some subjects complete their follow-up visits, but others miss their visits due to various reasons. For those who miss follow-up visits, some of them might learn that the event of intere...Often in longitudinal studies, some subjects complete their follow-up visits, but others miss their visits due to various reasons. For those who miss follow-up visits, some of them might learn that the event of interest has already happened when they come back. In this case, not only are their event times interval-censored, but also their time-dependent measurements are incomplete. This problem was motivated by a national longitudinal survey of youth data. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method based on expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used for parameter estimation. Then missing information principle is applied to estimate the variance-covariance matrix of the MLEs. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed method works well in terms of bias, standard error, and power for samples of moderate size. The national longitudinal survey of youth 1997 (NLSY97) data is analyzed for illustration.展开更多
We evaluated the potential of orally fed new food formulations to inhibit biomarkers reported to be involved in the causes of allergic asthma in mice. Asthma, a serious non-communicable disease, affects both adults an...We evaluated the potential of orally fed new food formulations to inhibit biomarkers reported to be involved in the causes of allergic asthma in mice. Asthma, a serious non-communicable disease, affects both adults and children and can be undertreated. New functional foods could provide therapeutic approaches. Here, the anti-asthma mechanism of a new functional food and three isolated fractions produced by bioprocessing black rice bran with shiitake mushroom mycelia was evaluated in mast cells, B cells, and orally fed mice and compared with non-bioprocessed black rice bran. In vitro, the treatments inhibited RBL-2H3 cell degranulation and immunoglobulin E (IgE) production. The in vitro anti-asthma effects were confirmed in orally fed mice following asthma induction by alumina and chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA). The suppression of asthma resulted from the inhibition of inflammation- and immune-related substances, including OVA-specific IgE, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, eotaxin, leukotriene C4, prostaglandin D2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum. The treatment also reversed the thickening of the lung airway wall. The inflammation and asthma inhibition seems to be regulated by the balance of the T-helper cells’ Th1/Th2 immune response and the inhibition of multiple biomarkers associated with the cause of asthma. Future human clinical studies with adults and children should determine the potential therapeutic value of the anti-asthma effects of the new functional foods.展开更多
Maximizing sow reproductive performance is vital for ensuring healthy piglet supply,feed efficiency,and profitability,which requires understanding factors such as nutrition,disease control,genetics,herd management,and...Maximizing sow reproductive performance is vital for ensuring healthy piglet supply,feed efficiency,and profitability,which requires understanding factors such as nutrition,disease control,genetics,herd management,and their interplay.It is well documented that most reproductive issues in sows stem from extreme fluctuations in body reserves[1].Thus,optimizing reproduction should prioritize regulating body reserves and making continuous nutritional adjustments throughout a sow’s life[1,2].However,the traditional one-size-fits-all feeding strategy may not meet individual sow needs under varying conditions.This feeding strategy leads to nutrient under-or over-feeding,which may result in a lack of performance and health issues on the one hand,and economic loss and negative environmental effects on the other.展开更多
This study determined the effect of orally fed polysaccharide-rich bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran produced by culturing with shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom mycelium on CT-26 colon cancer cells in vivo i...This study determined the effect of orally fed polysaccharide-rich bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran produced by culturing with shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom mycelium on CT-26 colon cancer cells in vivo in an intracutaneously transplanted mouse tumor alone and in combination with intraperitoneally administered anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Analysis of the isolated tumor weights at the end of the study shows that the average tumor size in control mice is 3.78 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody is 2.16 grams. The average tumor size in mice treated with BRB-F alone is 2.25 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody BRB-F combination is 1.38 grams. Thus, BRB-F or anti-PD-1 antibody alone each reduce tumor size by 40.5% or 42.9%, whereas the combination of BRB-F and anti-PD-1 antibody reduces tumor size by 63.5%, with their cooperative effect being statistically significant. The observed anti-tumor effects were accompanied by a series of biomarkers associated with cancer formation and inhibition. These results indicate that the reported potentiation of cancer therapy using drug-based medical chemotherapies with added checkpoint inhibitors in human patients are mechanistically similar with the functional food evaluated in the present study. These beneficial effects in mice challenge clinicians to investigate if the black rice bran food product can also protect against human cancer.展开更多
Gender differences are investigated from the viewpoint of cognitive neuroscience in the domain of spatial ability. Five task types of geometric problems are used for the collection of task-evoked fMRI data. Although t...Gender differences are investigated from the viewpoint of cognitive neuroscience in the domain of spatial ability. Five task types of geometric problems are used for the collection of task-evoked fMRI data. Although there was no gender-difference in task performance, we found gender differences in neural activity. Some of the important gender differences that we found are 1) that there are far more joint neuro-activations among the brain regions, co-activations or reverse-activations, in males than in females, 2) that the two types of joint activations were nearly half and half in females while it was mostly co-activations in males, 3) that males tend to have more co-activations in the left hemisphere than expected while females tend to have more between-hemisphere co-activations than expected, and 4) that the left-right pairs of BA's are more highly associated than average for males while they are far less associated than average for females.展开更多
Human and animal alcohol-induced hangovers are caused by adverse effects of acetaldehyde formed </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-...Human and animal alcohol-induced hangovers are caused by adverse effects of acetaldehyde formed </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">in</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> <i>vivo</i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> by the enzymatic oxidation of ethyl alcohol to acetaldehyde. This study aims to determine the effect of the combination of a bioprocessed black rice bran (BRB-F) and glutathione-enriched yeast extract (GEYE) on hangovers as tested in rats and mice. Because analysis by HPLC showed that the content of the biologically active rice bran compound </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">γ</span></i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">-oryzanol as well as of the antioxidant reduced glutathione were unaffected during the preparation of tablets containing 100 mg/kg of the bran formulation, the tablets were then administered orally to rats. The results showed decreased blood concentrations of both alcohol and acetaldehyde compared to the control group. Additional behavior experiments using the Rota-rod and wire tests in mice confirmed that the food formulation relieved hangover behavior caused by alcohol. It seems that the combination of BRB-F and GEYE can effectively control hangovers in rodents caused by alcohol intake. Mechanistic aspects of the hangover and anti-hangover effects of alcohol-derived acetaldehyde are similar to browning-type reactions between the aldehyde group of glucose and proteins, the antibiotic effects of cinnamaldehyde against pathogenic bacteria, the adverse effects of the heat-induced food toxin acrylamide, and the alkali-induced formation of the unnatural amino acid lysinoalanine.展开更多
In this study, we tried to develop the in situ coating methods of hydrophilic polymer solution containing water soluble dye on nonwoven sheet for the colorimetric film sensor. And color change of coated dye according ...In this study, we tried to develop the in situ coating methods of hydrophilic polymer solution containing water soluble dye on nonwoven sheet for the colorimetric film sensor. And color change of coated dye according to contact various gas samples (as strong acid and base, chloroform, ammonia and HF) of this dye-coated nonwoven film was examined for the application of chemically toxic materials detecting tools in the actual site of working place without aid of any kinds of detecting devices. By the addition of electron transfer agent (quinone derivatives), quick color change behaviors were observed within 10 seconds under the contact of various toxic gases in general condition(room temperature, 50% humidity).展开更多
文摘Often in longitudinal studies, some subjects complete their follow-up visits, but others miss their visits due to various reasons. For those who miss follow-up visits, some of them might learn that the event of interest has already happened when they come back. In this case, not only are their event times interval-censored, but also their time-dependent measurements are incomplete. This problem was motivated by a national longitudinal survey of youth data. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method based on expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is used for parameter estimation. Then missing information principle is applied to estimate the variance-covariance matrix of the MLEs. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed method works well in terms of bias, standard error, and power for samples of moderate size. The national longitudinal survey of youth 1997 (NLSY97) data is analyzed for illustration.
文摘We evaluated the potential of orally fed new food formulations to inhibit biomarkers reported to be involved in the causes of allergic asthma in mice. Asthma, a serious non-communicable disease, affects both adults and children and can be undertreated. New functional foods could provide therapeutic approaches. Here, the anti-asthma mechanism of a new functional food and three isolated fractions produced by bioprocessing black rice bran with shiitake mushroom mycelia was evaluated in mast cells, B cells, and orally fed mice and compared with non-bioprocessed black rice bran. In vitro, the treatments inhibited RBL-2H3 cell degranulation and immunoglobulin E (IgE) production. The in vitro anti-asthma effects were confirmed in orally fed mice following asthma induction by alumina and chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA). The suppression of asthma resulted from the inhibition of inflammation- and immune-related substances, including OVA-specific IgE, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, eotaxin, leukotriene C4, prostaglandin D2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum. The treatment also reversed the thickening of the lung airway wall. The inflammation and asthma inhibition seems to be regulated by the balance of the T-helper cells’ Th1/Th2 immune response and the inhibition of multiple biomarkers associated with the cause of asthma. Future human clinical studies with adults and children should determine the potential therapeutic value of the anti-asthma effects of the new functional foods.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFD1300401,2022YFD1300403)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U20A2054,U22A20510,32072745,32102571,32130099)+1 种基金Excellent Youth Foundation of Hunan Province(2022JJ20027)Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-35)。
文摘Maximizing sow reproductive performance is vital for ensuring healthy piglet supply,feed efficiency,and profitability,which requires understanding factors such as nutrition,disease control,genetics,herd management,and their interplay.It is well documented that most reproductive issues in sows stem from extreme fluctuations in body reserves[1].Thus,optimizing reproduction should prioritize regulating body reserves and making continuous nutritional adjustments throughout a sow’s life[1,2].However,the traditional one-size-fits-all feeding strategy may not meet individual sow needs under varying conditions.This feeding strategy leads to nutrient under-or over-feeding,which may result in a lack of performance and health issues on the one hand,and economic loss and negative environmental effects on the other.
文摘This study determined the effect of orally fed polysaccharide-rich bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran produced by culturing with shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom mycelium on CT-26 colon cancer cells in vivo in an intracutaneously transplanted mouse tumor alone and in combination with intraperitoneally administered anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Analysis of the isolated tumor weights at the end of the study shows that the average tumor size in control mice is 3.78 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody is 2.16 grams. The average tumor size in mice treated with BRB-F alone is 2.25 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody BRB-F combination is 1.38 grams. Thus, BRB-F or anti-PD-1 antibody alone each reduce tumor size by 40.5% or 42.9%, whereas the combination of BRB-F and anti-PD-1 antibody reduces tumor size by 63.5%, with their cooperative effect being statistically significant. The observed anti-tumor effects were accompanied by a series of biomarkers associated with cancer formation and inhibition. These results indicate that the reported potentiation of cancer therapy using drug-based medical chemotherapies with added checkpoint inhibitors in human patients are mechanistically similar with the functional food evaluated in the present study. These beneficial effects in mice challenge clinicians to investigate if the black rice bran food product can also protect against human cancer.
文摘Gender differences are investigated from the viewpoint of cognitive neuroscience in the domain of spatial ability. Five task types of geometric problems are used for the collection of task-evoked fMRI data. Although there was no gender-difference in task performance, we found gender differences in neural activity. Some of the important gender differences that we found are 1) that there are far more joint neuro-activations among the brain regions, co-activations or reverse-activations, in males than in females, 2) that the two types of joint activations were nearly half and half in females while it was mostly co-activations in males, 3) that males tend to have more co-activations in the left hemisphere than expected while females tend to have more between-hemisphere co-activations than expected, and 4) that the left-right pairs of BA's are more highly associated than average for males while they are far less associated than average for females.
文摘Human and animal alcohol-induced hangovers are caused by adverse effects of acetaldehyde formed </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">in</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> <i>vivo</i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> by the enzymatic oxidation of ethyl alcohol to acetaldehyde. This study aims to determine the effect of the combination of a bioprocessed black rice bran (BRB-F) and glutathione-enriched yeast extract (GEYE) on hangovers as tested in rats and mice. Because analysis by HPLC showed that the content of the biologically active rice bran compound </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">γ</span></i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">-oryzanol as well as of the antioxidant reduced glutathione were unaffected during the preparation of tablets containing 100 mg/kg of the bran formulation, the tablets were then administered orally to rats. The results showed decreased blood concentrations of both alcohol and acetaldehyde compared to the control group. Additional behavior experiments using the Rota-rod and wire tests in mice confirmed that the food formulation relieved hangover behavior caused by alcohol. It seems that the combination of BRB-F and GEYE can effectively control hangovers in rodents caused by alcohol intake. Mechanistic aspects of the hangover and anti-hangover effects of alcohol-derived acetaldehyde are similar to browning-type reactions between the aldehyde group of glucose and proteins, the antibiotic effects of cinnamaldehyde against pathogenic bacteria, the adverse effects of the heat-induced food toxin acrylamide, and the alkali-induced formation of the unnatural amino acid lysinoalanine.
文摘In this study, we tried to develop the in situ coating methods of hydrophilic polymer solution containing water soluble dye on nonwoven sheet for the colorimetric film sensor. And color change of coated dye according to contact various gas samples (as strong acid and base, chloroform, ammonia and HF) of this dye-coated nonwoven film was examined for the application of chemically toxic materials detecting tools in the actual site of working place without aid of any kinds of detecting devices. By the addition of electron transfer agent (quinone derivatives), quick color change behaviors were observed within 10 seconds under the contact of various toxic gases in general condition(room temperature, 50% humidity).
