OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of medium and long-chain triglyceride on the immune function of burn patients during early postburn stage and its possible mechanism.

METHODSThirty burn patients with TBSA exceeding 30% were enrolled in this study and were randomly divided into two groups (n = 15 in each group). The patients in F group were supplemented orally with enteral nutrient Fresubin 750MCT containing medium (MCT) and long-chain triglyceride (LCT), and those in N group with Nutrition containing only LCT. All the patients were treated with nutritional support beginning from 24 PBH, continued for 10 days. The changes in plasma levels of IL-2, IL-4, PGE(2) and T lymphocyte transformation rate (LTR) in peripheral blood of patients in the two groups were determined on 1, 4, 7 and 10 postburn days (PBDs).

RESULTSThe plasma IL-2 level in all time points exhibited no difference in all patients (P > 0.05). The plasma level of PGE(2) on PBD 4 in F group was obviously lower than that in N group (P < 0.01). The plasma level of IL-4 on PBDs 4, 7 and 10 in F group were evidently higher than that in N group (P < 0.01). The T LTR in peripheral blood on PBDs 4 and 7 in F group was much higher than that in N group (P < 0.05 - 0.01).

CONCLUSIONEnteral nutrient containing MCT/LCT seemed to be superior to that containing only LCT in the improvement of postburn immune function in burn patients.

Adult ; Burns ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Dietary Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Dinoprostone ; blood ; Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Male ; Time Factors ; Triglycerides ; therapeutic use

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy, safety and availability of a 12-week, community-based obesity control program called the Protein-Rich Oriental Diet (PRO Diet) and to compare it to a conventional diet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 515 overweight people (55 men and 460 women; mean age 41.9 +/- 9.8 years; body mass index (BMI) 28.1 +/- 3.6 kg/m2) participated in the program at two public health centers. PRO Diet was offered as the main diet recommendation for 12 weeks. As a control group, we selected a population who had followed a conventional diet program conducted at a public health center in 2006. RESULTS: 177 subjects (34.3%) completed the 12-week PRO Diet program. In a per protocol (PP) analysis, the mean changes in anthropometry were (conventional program vs. PRO Diet; weight, - 2.3 kg vs. - 4.7 kg, p < 0.001; BMI, - 1.1 kg/m2 vs. - 1.9 kg/m2, p < 0.001; waist circumference, - 3.3 cm vs. - 6.8 cm, p < 0.001; fat mass, - 2.0 kg vs. - 4.2 kg, p < 0.001; fat % mass, - 1.8% vs. - 3.9%, p < 0.001). The triglyceride reduction was significantly greater (- 30.16 mg/dL, p < 0.001) in the PRO Diet group after intervention compared to the conventional group. CONCLUSION: The PRO Diet was an effective tool for weight loss in a community-based weight control program and well-tolerated.
Adult ; Blood Glucose/analysis ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Cholesterol/blood ; *Diet, Reducing ; Dietary Proteins/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, HDL/blood ; Male ; Obesity/*diet therapy ; Triglycerides/blood ; Waist Circumference

Hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) is an independent risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Visual dysfunction is commonly found and is positively correlated with the severity of cognitive defects in AD patients. Our previous study demonstrated that Hhcy induces memory deficits with AD-like tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) pathologies in the hippocampus, and supplementation with folate and vitamin B12 (FB) prevents the Hhcy-induced AD-like pathologies in the hippocampus. Here, we investigated whether Hhcy also induces AD-like pathologies in the retina and the effects of FB. An Hhcy rat model was produced by vena caudalis injection of homocysteine for 14 days, and the effects of FB were assessed by simultaneous supplementation with FB in drinking water. We found that Hhcy induced vessel damage with Aβ and tau pathologies in the retina, while simultaneous supplementation with FB remarkably attenuated the Hhcy-induced tau hyperphosphorylation at multiple AD-related sites and Aβ accumulation in the retina. The mechanisms involved downregulation of amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin-1, beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1, and protein phosphatase-2A. Our data suggest that the retina may serve as a window for evaluating the effects of FB on hyperhomocysteinemia-induced Alzheimer-like pathologies.
Alzheimer Disease ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; metabolism ; Animals ; Dietary Supplements ; Disease Models, Animal ; Folic Acid ; therapeutic use ; Homocysteine ; Hyperhomocysteinemia ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Retina ; metabolism ; pathology ; Retinal Vessels ; metabolism ; pathology ; Vitamin B 12 ; therapeutic use ; tau Proteins ; metabolism