The objective of the study was to investigate whether an infant formula supplemented with galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS; OM55N) was able to stimulate the growth of indigenous bifidobacteria and to ...establish microbiota similar to that of breastfed infants. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed using 35 healthy term infants (31-54 days of age; 42±6 days) to determine whether infant formula with 0.3 g/dl GOS (OM55N) stimulated the growth of bifidobacteria in the infants' guts. At the trial onset and 2 weeks after, the infants' faecal samples were examined for microbiota composition (bacterial abundance and α-diversity) and faecal characteristics. Among the 35 infants, 5 were withdrawn and 8 were excluded from the final evaluation before breaking the blinding since the indigenous bifidobacteria were not detected at the trial onset. After 2 weeks, the abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae was significantly increased in the GOS feeding group compared to the control (+11.6±24.1% vs -3.9±13.0%; P=0.043). The Shannon index, which accounts for both abundance and evenness of the present species, was significantly decreased with GOS supplementation (-0.1±0.4 vs +0.4±0.4; P=0.014). Faecal characteristics such as pH and organic acids were similar in both groups, with no statistical differences. No adverse side effects related to the formula consumption were reported. Although the concentration of GOS was relatively low, the infant formula with GOS increased the abundance of bifidobacteria and resulted in a reduced α-diversity of the microbiota.
Abstract
The isovalent-substituted iron pnictide compound SrFe
2
(As
1−
x
P
x
)
2
exhibits multiple evidence for nodal superconductivity via various experimental probes, such as the penetration ...depth, nuclear magnetic resonance and specific heat measurements. The direct identification of the nodal superconducting (SC) gap structure is challenging, partly because the presence of nodes is not protected by symmetry but instead caused by an accidental sign change of the order parameter, and also because of the three-dimensionality of the electronic structure. We have studied the SC gaps of SrFe
2
(As
0.65
P
0.35
)
2
in three-dimensional momentum space by synchrotron and laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The three hole Fermi surfaces (FSs) at the zone center have SC gaps with different magnitudes, whereas the SC gaps of the electron FSs at the zone corner are almost isotropic and
k
z
-independent. As a possible nodal SC gap structure, we propose that the SC gap of the outer hole FS changes sign around the Z-X (0, 0, 2
π
) − (
π
,
π
, 2
π
) direction.
The surface chemistry and nanotopography of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were modified by downstream, inductively coupled, radio frequency (rf) Ar plasma without inducing surface damage. The ...extent of surface modification was controlled by the applied ion energy fluence, determined from the plasma ion density measured with a Langmuir probe. The treated LDPE surfaces were characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging, contact angle measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Analysis of AFM surface images confirmed that topography changes occurred at the nanoscale and that surface damage was insignificant. Contact angle measurements demonstrated an enhancement of the surface hydrophilicity with the increase of the plasma power. XPS results showed surface chemistry changes involving the development of different carbon−oxygen functionalities that increased the surface hydrophilicity. Physical and chemical surface modification was achieved under conditions conducive to high-density inductively coupled rf plasma.
Martensitic transformation and magnetic properties were investigated for Ni
43Co
7Mn
39Sn
11 polycrystalline specimens obtained using the spark plasma sintering method. The microstructure of the ...specimen sintered at 1173
K for 15
min showed only a small number of pores, and the specimen’s ductility was significantly higher than that of alloys fabricated by conventional induction melting. The martensitic and magnetic properties of the sintered specimen were basically similar to those of conventional bulk alloys. The metamagnetic shape memory effect, i.e. magnetic field-induced shape recovery, was confirmed by the magnetic field of 8
T.
Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is useful for treatment of epidermal neoplasia but may also have a role in the treatment of inflammatory dermatoses.
Objectives To study the effect of PDT in ...patients with acne.
Methods
Three men and 10 women who suffered from intractable acne vulgaris were treated using PDT with topical δ‐aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) and polychromatic visible light. Twenty per cent ALA in an oil‐in‐water emulsion was applied to the lesions for 4 h with a light‐shielding dressing. The lesions were then exposed to polychromatic visible light at 600–700 nm using a halogen light source of energy intensity 17 mW cm−2 and a total energy dose of 13 J cm−2.
Results All patients had apparent improvement of facial appearance and reduction of new acne lesions at 1, 3 and 6 months following PDT treatment. The adverse effects were discomfort, burning and stinging during irradiation, oedematous erythema for 3 days after PDT, epidermal exfoliation from the fourth to the 10th day, irritation and hypersensitivity to physical stimulation for 10 days after PDT, and pigmentation or erythema after epidermal exfoliation; the treated lesions returned to normal skin conditions within 1 month.
Conclusions PDT was beneficial in the treatment of acne. As a photoactivating light source, polychromatic visible light was thought to be better for use with acne patients than laser light because of its cost‐effectiveness, uniform illumination and time‐efficiency in treating large areas.
The temperature dependence of the London penetration depth lambda was measured for an untwinned single crystal of YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7-delta} along the three principal crystallographic directions (a, b, ...and c). Both in-plane components (lambda_{a};{-2} and lambda_{b};{-2}) show an inflection point in their temperature dependence which is absent in the component along the c direction (lambda_{c};{-2}). The data provide convincing evidence that the in-plane superconducting order parameter is a mixture of (s+d)-wave symmetry whereas it is mainly s wave along the c direction. In conjunction with previous results it is concluded that coupled s+d-order parameters are universal and intrinsic to cuprate superconductors.
Background
Neutrophil elastase plays an important role in skin inflammation induced by neutrophil infiltration. Elafin is an inducible elastase inhibitor expressed by keratinocytes, and is known to ...be involved in pathogenesis of neutrophilic skin disorders such as psoriasis.
Methods
Immunohistochemical studies of elafin expression in the cases of vasculitis were performed. Induction of elafin expression in cultured vascular cells and its effect on neutrophil migration were studied in vitro.
Results
A positive immunoreactivity was detected in polyarteritis nodosa, giant cell arteritis and Schönlein–Henoch purpura, but no immunoreactivity was found in Churg–Strauss syndrome. Elafin expression in cultured venous endothelial cells and arterial smooth muscle cells was undetectable, but induced by interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and IL‐8. Elafin inhibited the elastin peptide‐induced neutrophil chemotaxis at the concentration of 10−8–10−5 mol/L.
Conclusion
Elafin deposition induced by cytokines (IL‐1β or IL‐8) will be an important regulator for the progress of leucocytoclastic vasculitis by functioning as an inhibitor for neutrophil chemotaxis as well as for vascular elastin degradation.
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