Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) values were determined in mice exposed to varying amounts of marijuana and tobacco cigarette smoke utilizing a spectrophotometric technique. Mice were exposed to smoke inhalation in a modified Walton horizontal smoke exposure machine, whereby rodents can be exposed to multiples of 1-min smoke exposure cycles. Smoke exposure was intermittent; during the first 30 sec of each 1-min cycle, the subjects were exposed to smoke diluted either 1:10 or 1:5 with air. During the second half of the cycle the animals were given fresh air. There was a positive linear relationship between COHb values obtained and the number of puffs of marijuana smoke administered via either 2, 4, 6, or 8 "puffs" of marijuana smoke. COHb levels in plasma did not increase in animals given multiple 8-puff episodes of smoke daily as long as a 60-min period was interposed between smoking episodes. COHb values in mice exposed to tobacco smoke were significantly higher than those in mice receiving equal numbers of exposures to marijuana smoke. Mean COHb values of mice receiving 8 consecutive puffs of marijuana smoke were 18.6 and 22.0% saturation, but CO was rapidly cleared from the blood. This rapid clearance suggests that the binding affinity of CO for mouse hemoglobin may be be weaker than that of human hemoglobin. Mice similarly exposed to 6 or 8 puffs of tobacco smoke had mean COHb values of 24.6 and 28.5% saturation, respectively. No acute lethal effects were observed in mice receiving multiple daily episodes of 8 puffs per episode of marijuana smoke, whereas mice exposed to a single 8-puff episode of tobacco smoke suffered about 50% acute lethal effects.
The Hass Avocado contains monounsaturated fats (oleic acid) and antioxidants (carotenoids, tocopherol). Cooked hamburger meat contains lipid peroxidation products formed during cooking. After ingestion, the stomach functions as a bioreactor, generating lipid peroxides and this process can be inhibited when antioxidants are ingested together with the meat. The present study was conducted in eleven healthy subjects on two separate occasions consuming either a 250 gram hamburger patty alone (ca. 436 Cal and 25 g fat) or the hamburger together with 68 grams of avocado flesh (an additional 114 Cal and 11 g of fat for a total of 550 Cal and 36 g fat), a common culinary combination, to assess effects on vascular health. Following a standard peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) method (Itamar) to calculate PAT index there was a significant decrease 2 hours following hamburger ingestion alone (2.19 ± 0.36 vs. 1.56 + 0.21, p=0.0007) which was prevented when avocado was ingested with the burger (2.17 ± 0.57 vs. 2.08 ± 0.51, NS (p= 0.68). Monocytes were isolated from postprandial blood samples and I kappa‐B alpha (IKBa) protein measured to assess effects on activation of inflammation. At 3 hours, there was a significant preservation of IkBa (131 % vs. 58 %, p=0.03) consistent with inhibition of inflammation via the NF‐kappa B pathway. Triglycerides, MDA, IL‐6, and TNF‐alpha increased postprandially but were not further increased when avocado was ingested with the burger compared to burger alone, despite the added fat and calories from the avocado. These observations are consistent with beneficial antioxidant and vascular health effects of ingesting added Hass avocado with a hamburger patty. Study Supported by The Hass Avocado Board
The use of elemental diets to the exclusion of other foods has been shown to improve disease activity, and its cyclical use enhances growth in pediatric Crohn's disease. Aim: To conduct a multicenter, randomized trial to compare this strategy with alternate day low dose corticosteroids. Outcome measures included the number of relapses (CDAI > 150), time to first relapse, and growth velocity. Methods: Pediatric patients (Age ≤ 16, Tanner ≤ III) with Crohn's disease involving the small bowel, with or without colonic disease in remission, were randomized to either an exclusive enteral nutrition using an oligopeptide-containing formula (Vital HN, Ross Laboratories) 4 out of every cycle of 20 weeks, for 80 weeks. The control group was randomized to receive alternate day prednisone (0.33 mg/kg qod). Results: 18 patients (11.8±0.4 y) were randomized to receive cyclical enteral nutrition, and 19 (12.4±0.4 y) alternate day prednisone. The number of patients with 0, 1, 2 or 3 relapses for the Vital HN group was 9, 6, 3 and 0, respectively. Among the corticosteroid group, the number was 3, 10, 5 and 1, respectively. Thus 50% of the nutritional and 16% of the steroid treated group had no relapse during the 80 week trial (p=NS). A trend towards longer period to initial relapse was also seen in the enteral group (p=0.1). A significantly increased height standard deviation score (0.40± 0.14) was seen for the enteral group, compared to that (-0.02±0.09) for the steroid group (p=0.02). Conclusions: Cyclical enteral nutrition was associated with a trend towards fever relapses, longer remissions, and significantly increased linear growth.
Elevated stress hormone concentrations can positively affect an athlete's overall performance during a competition, and in many cases, are necessary to be able to perform exercise. During extreme exercise, the body's ability to utilize energy efficiently can affect an athlete's performance. Elevated hormonal concentrations can have many benefits in regards to an athlete's overall performance during a competition. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of long distance running, such as seen during an ultra-running event (distances beyond 26.2 miles), on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis production of cortisol (CORT) as compared to autonomic nervous system production of salivary alpha-amylase (AA). Despite the well-known effects of exercise on CORT and AA response, it is unclear what effect running beyond the marathon distance has on these levels. This study investigates what effect long duration cardio exercise, such as running up to 100K (kilometers) distance, has on the neuroendocrine system, by means of saliva samples provided by participants signed up for an ultra-marathon event. The findings of this study show that the autonomic nervous system may present a response signal during physical stress that is independent of the HPA axis response. At distances beyond the marathon length, the production of CORT and AA was found to be suppressed for athletes, which could help them in their continued performance. Furthermore, this study recognizes a difference in the overall male and female response to stress in regards to CORT and AA production.
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