Animals ; Cattle ; Child Development ; Dietary Supplements ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; administration & dosage ; blood ; Growth ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Milk

BACKGROUNDOligosaccharides in human milk may protect infants by improving the intestinal micro-flora and fermentation. This study was to investigate effects of infant formula milk consisting of galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) on intestinal microbial populations and the fermentation characteristics in term infants in comparison with that of human milk.

METHODSThe test formula (Frisolac H, Friesland, Netherland) was supplemented with GOS at a concentration of 0.24 g/dl. Human milk and another formula without oligosaccharides (Frisolac H, Friesland, Netherland) were used as positive and negative control respectively. Growth, stool characteristics, and side effects of the recruited infants were recorded after 3 and 6 months' follow-up, and the fecal species were collected for the analysis of intestinal micro-flora, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and pH.

RESULTSAt the end of 3- and 6-month feeding period, intestinal Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli were significantly increased in infants fed with GOS supplemented formula and human milk when compared with infants fed with negative control formula; however, there was no statistically significant difference between GOS supplemented formula and human milk groups. Stool characteristics were influenced by the supplement and main fecal SCFA (acetic), and stool frequency were significantly increased in infants fed with GOS supplemented formula and human milk, while the fecal pH was significantly decreased as compared with that of negative control (P < 0.05). Supplementation had no influence on incidence of side effects (including crying, regurgitation and vomiting).

CONCLUSIONSSupplementing infant formula with GOS at a concentration of 0.24 g/dl stimulates the growth of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in the intestine and stool characteristics are similar to in term infants fed with human milk.

Bifidobacterium ; isolation & purification ; Dietary Supplements ; Galactose ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Formula ; Infant, Newborn ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Lactobacillus ; isolation & purification ; Oligosaccharides ; administration & dosage

Objective To observe the effect of edaravone on endogenous neural stem cells in rats with permanent cerebral ischemia. Methods The rat model of permanent cerebral ischemia was established by electrocoagulation. Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups; sham operation group, brain injury group and edaravone group. Six hours after the establishment of the model, the edaravone group was intraperitoneally injected with 1.5 g/L edaravone (10 ml/kg) once a day. The sham operation group and the cerebral ischemia group were intraperitoneally injected with saline of equal volume for 7 days. 24 hours after the last administration, BrdU positive cells, Nestin/BrdU positive cells, neuronal class III β-tubulin (Tuj1)/BrdU positive cells and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)/BrdU positive cells were observed by immunofluorescent staining, Tuj1 and GFAP protein expressions were detected by Western blotting. Results Compared with the cerebral ischemia group, the BrdU positive cells, Nestin/BrdU positive cells, Tuj1/BrdU positive cells and GFAP/BrdU positive cells increased significantly in the infraventricular area and the cortex area around the ischemia in the edaravone group (P<0.05). Compared with the cerebral ischemia group, the expression of Tuj1 and GFAP protein in the cerebral cortex of edaravone group increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion Edaravone can promote the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells and astrocytes in the subventricular area and the cortex around ischemia, and promote the differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells into neurons.