Scientific Research Publishing

Antibodies are proteins produced from B-lymphocytes when antigens invade the body. They remove and inactivate foreign substances together with various agents, including complements. They have become an important focus in post genome research. They are being applied in a wide range of therapeutics and diagnosis for conditions such as pregnancy and influenza infection, and as anticancer drugs targeting specific tumor markers. The result has been an increasing use of antibodies for research, diagnosis, and therapeutic purposes. Unfortunately, antibodies from experimental mammals such as mice, rats, and rabbits, are not suited to industrial use because of their high production cost. Some studies have shown that the ostrich egg is an excellent source of antibodies for industrial purposes. In this article, the authors discussed the practical application of ostrich antibodies, by which means we have established low-cost mass-production technology to create skin care raw materials. Th...

Tryptophan (TRP) is one of essential amino acids for protein synthesis, but it also serves as a substrate for the generation of several bioactive compounds with important physiological roles. It is known that in mammals, the majority of free TRP is degraded through the kynurenine pathway (KP) and generates many metabolites involved in inflammation, immune response, and excitatory neurotransmission. Plasma levels of tryptophan (TRP) metabolites have not been measured extensively in patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).  In this paper, the authors asked male acquaintances older than 50 years to participate in the experiments. The sample sizes and ages of participants are as follows; old men (n = 20, age; 62.4 ± 9.6) and patients of T2DM (n = 20, age 67.0 ± 10.4). Fasting plasma samples of T2DM patients were obtained early morning. Metabolites analysis was performed by a liquid chromatograph tandem mass spectrometer, the LCMS-8060 quadrupole mass spectrometer combined with...

One of the most common infectious diseases is periodontal disease, i.e. gingivitis and periodontitis. Epidemiological studies show that gingivitis is globally common in children and adolescents. Therefore daily oral care is crucial for reducing dental plaque and maintaining a healthy gingivae. In a review, it is stated that antimicrobial phototherapy with short, daily exposures to blue light is a new research path for prophylaxis in oral hygiene that may have an impact on gingivitis and periodontitis. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate if a toothbrush with incorporated blue light used in daily oral care can reduce dental plaque and gingival inflammation. An 8-week single-blinded randomized controlled clinical study including 48 subjects compared effects of toothbrushes with/without 450 nm blue LED light emission, on clinical parameters (plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing), and on inflammatory markers in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid. Signifi...

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers (sores) in your digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis affects the innermost lining of your large intestine (colon) and rectum. Ulcerative colitis symptoms can vary, depending on the severity of inflammation and where it occurs. Studies have shown that many patients with ulcerative colitis are seen with nutrient deficiency; however, no specific diet is recommended. The aim of this study was to obtain knowledge on whether restriction or addition of specific food items might contribute to malnutrition in these patients. A semi-structured qualitative interview based on an interview guide was used to allow an in-depth exploration of patient experience with diet in relation to UC. The interview guide was used in an unstructured format to guide the patient and the interviewer through the interview. A structured analysis of the transcribed interviews was conducted. Patterns...

Obesity and sarcopenia combination, appropriately defined as sarcopenic obesity (SO), due to disproportionally reduced/low lean body mass compared to excess fat mass, may lead to disability. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among sarcopenic obesity, physical performance, disability, and quality of life in a rehabilitation setting. Participants were recruited among all obese patients admitted to the rehabilitation facility at the Department of Experimental Medicine—Medical Physiopatology, Food Science and Endocrinology Section—from January to December 2011. All the evaluations (body composition, functional, health, disability and quality of life assessments, laboratory data) were performed during the first week after admission by a physician skilled in clinical nutrition. A multidimensional evaluation was performed through bioelectrical impedance analysis and anthropometry, handgrip strength test, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 6-minute walk t...

Professionals, working with people with cognitive restrictions, have an important job not only as caregivers, but also as role models for the care recipients and they may have an important impact on the health of the care recipients. It is also a psychosocially demanding job with high psychosocial and emotional workload, which can influence wellbeing and quality of life and influence their level of caring for the patients. It is important to promote health and well-being for this professional group. Earlier knowledge about this professional group is scarce, but earlier research results show that the staff perceive high stress and need more support and opportunities to interact with supervisors to improve their work situation. It is important to increase the knowledge of how professionals working with people with cognitive restrictions perceive their psychosocial working environment in terms of job demands, job control, decision control and challenges at work. The aim of this study...

Conformity is a process whereby people change their beliefs, attitudes, actions, or perceptions to more closely match those held by groups to which they belong or want to belong or by groups whose approval they desire. It has important social implications. In this paper, the authors investigated the conformity of Japanese female students with varying self-esteem levels in a co-witness memory experimental paradigm. Twenty-four Japanese female student pairs (18- to 26 years old; average 20.8 years old) participated as witnesses to watch a video clip of a simulated criminal event together. All the participant pairs were volunteers from a women’s university in Japan. Utilizing a presentation trick, two different versions of the video clip were presented simultaneously on the screen, but the viewers were allowed to observe only one without their being aware of the duality. Conformity responses were detected through analysis of the answer patterns showing change from their own to their ...