OBJECTIVEEffects of red palm oil on major plasma carotenoids, tocopherol, retinol and serum lipids were evaluated when used in Chinese diet.

METHODSRed palm oil group (RPO) composed of 20 male subjects(aged 18-32) and soybean oil group (SBO) composed of 22 male subjects (aged 18-32). Dietary fat provided about 28% of total calories, and the test oil accounted for about 60% of total dietary fat. In the 3 weeks of pretest period, diets were prepared with soybean oil, and then in the next 6 weeks subjects in each group consumed the diet prepared by test oil.

RESULTSPlasma alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and lycopene concentration of RPO group significantly increased at the time of interim (21 days) and of the end (42 days) (P < 0.05), and alpha-tocopherol concentration significantly increased at the time of the end (42 days) in this study. Though Chinese plasma retinol level was relatively low when compared with that of Westerners, red palm oil diet showed no significant effect on adult Chinese plasma retinol level. Serum concentration of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein AI and apolipoprotein B of all subjects showed no significant changes in RPO group during the study.

CONCLUSIONSThe data in our study suggest that red palm oil is a good source of carotenoids and vitamin E when used in Chinese diet preparation, and it can significantly increase plasma concentration of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene and alpha-tocopherol.

Administration, Oral ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Carotenoids ; blood ; China ; Diet ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Palm Oil ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Tocopherols ; blood ; Vitamin A ; blood

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of neuroblastoma (NB) and the factors influencing survival rate. METHODS: A total of 44 children with NB who were admitted from April 2016 to February 2020 were enrolled as research subjects. A retrospective analysis was performed on their medical data and follow-up data. RESULTS: The common clinical symptoms of these 44 children were fever (10/44, 23%), mass (9/44, 20%), abdominal pain (8/44, 18%), cough (7/44, 16%), pale complexion (3/44, 7%), claudication (2/44, 5%), and abnormal activity (2/44, 5%). According to the INSS stage, 2 children (4%) had stage I NB, 5 children (11%) had stage II NB, 5 children (11%) had stage III NB, and 32 children (73%) had stage IV NB. The mean follow-up time was (15.3±1.5) months, with a recurrence rate of 20% and an overall survival rate of 82%. Among the 44 children, 29 (66%) achieved event-free survival and 7 (16%) had survival with tumor. The univariate analysis showed that a pathological type of NB and an increase in serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) decreased the overall survival rate of children with NB (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The clinical symptoms of children with NB are not specific at the first visit. Fever, abdominal pain, and mass are common symptoms, and there is a high proportion of children in the advanced stage. The pathological type of NB and an increase in serum NSE may be associated with a reduction in the overall survival rate of children with NB.
Child ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neuroblastoma ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation in fortified milk on physical development in Chinese school girls aged 10 - 12 years.

METHODSA non-randomized, double-blind intervention trial was carried out at nine primary schools of Beijing for two years. Seven hundred and fifty-seven girls (with an average age of 10.1 years) were recruited from nine primary schools in Beijing, China. They were divided into three trial groups, a control group (n = 259) having regular diet without milk supplementation, Group 1 (n = 238) having regular diet supplemented with 144 ml/d of calcium-fortified milk, and Group 2 (n = 260) having regular diet supplemented with 144 ml/d of calcium and vitamin D-fortified milk. Data of dietary intake and physical activities were collected by questionnaire, and height, weight, sitting height and knee height were measured before, during and after intervention.

RESULTSTwo years after intervention, the percentage increases in height and weight were significantly greater in Groups 1 and 2 than those in control group (9.52%, 9.26% and 8.59% in height, and 34.53%, 35.38% and 30.91% in weight, respectively). The percentage increase of sitting height was greater in Group 1 than those in Group 2, and then than that in control group (9.21%, 8.58% and 7.87%, respectively). The percentage increase of knee height was significantly greater in Group 1 than that in Group 2 and control group (9.00%, 8.37% and 8.44%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONCalcium and vitamin D-fortified milk supplementation could promote their physical development in girls aged 10 - 12 years.

Animals ; Body Height ; drug effects ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Calcium, Dietary ; pharmacology ; Child ; Dietary Supplements ; Female ; Food, Fortified ; Human Development ; Humans ; Milk ; metabolism ; Vitamin D ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of combination of intradermal needling with oral motor therapy and simple oral motor therapy on salivation in children with cerebral palsy. METHODS: A total of 60 children with salivation in cerebral palsy were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with intradermal needling (kept for 24 hours each time at Jiache [ST 6], Dicang [ST 4], tongue three needles, etc. ) and oral motor therapy, while the control group was only given oral motor therapy. The intradermal needling was performed 3 times a week, and oral motor therapy was performed 5 times a week, 4 weeks as a course, totally 3 courses of treatment were required. The classification of teacher drooling scale (TDS), drooling severity and Kubota water swallow test, dysphagia disorders survey (DDS) score were compared before treatment and after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment in both groups, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment in the observation group and after 12 weeks of treatment in the two groups, the classification of TDS and drooling severity were improved (P<0.05), and the observation group was better than the control group after 12 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the DDS scores of oral period in the observation group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 83.3% (25/30), which was higher than 53.3% (16/30) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The combination of intradermal needling with oral motor therapy can improve salivation symptoms and swallowing function in children with cerebral palsy, the effect is better than oral motor therapy alone, and the effect is earlier.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cerebral Palsy/therapy* ; Child ; Deglutition Disorders/therapy* ; Humans ; Salivation ; Sialorrhea/therapy* ; Treatment Outcome