Effects of pre-germinated brown rice treatment high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in C57BL/6J mice

To investigate using pre-germinated brown rice (PGBR) to treat metabolic syndrome, we fed one group of mice standard-regular-diet (SRD) for 20 weeks and another group of mice high-fat-diet (HFD) for 16 weeks. We subdivided them into HFD group and HFD + PGBR group whose dietary carbohydrate was replaced with PGBR for 4 weeks. The HFD group gained more weight, had higher blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose and lipids, liver levels of TG, feces TG and bile acid, lower adipose levels of adipocytokine, lower skeletal muscle IR, IRS-1, IRS-2, PI3 K, Akt/PKB, GLUT-1, GLUT-4, GCK and PPAR-γ; higher liver SREBP-1, SCD-1, FAS, HMGCR, LDLR, CYP7α1 and PPAR-α, and higher adipose SREBP-1, SCD-1, FAS, and lower adipose PPAR-α and adiponectin. The HFD + PGBR group had clearly improved blood pressure, biochemical parameters and above proteins expressions. PGBR successful treatment of metabolic syndrome was achieved through improvements in glucose and lipid synthesis and metabolism.     

Piperine Attenuates Cardiovascular, Liver and Metabolic Changes in High Carbohydrate, High Fat-Fed Rats

Black pepper is used worldwide to enhance food flavor. We investigated dietary supplementation with piperine, the active principle of black pepper, to high carbohydrate, high fat (HCHF) diet-fed rats as a model of human metabolic syndrome. Rats were fed with either HCHF diet (carbohydrate, 52%; fat, 24%; 25% fructose in drinking water) or cornstarch (CS) diet for a total of 16 weeks. Diets of the treatment groups (CS + piperine and HCHF + piperine) were supplemented with piperine for the last 8 weeks of this protocol. After 16 weeks, rats fed with HCHF diet developed hypertension, elevated oxidative stress and inflammation-induced cardiac changes (infiltration of inflammatory cells in heart, increase in count and degranulation of mast cells in heart, cardiac fibrosis and increase in ventricular stiffness), reduced responsiveness of aortic rings, impaired glucose tolerance, abdominal obesity together with liver fibrosis, fat deposition and increased plasma liver enzymes. Supplementation with piperine (375 mg/kg food; approximately 30 mg/kg/day) in HCHF-fed rats normalized blood pressure, improved glucose tolerance and reactivity of aortic rings, reduced plasma parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation, attenuated cardiac and hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis and improved liver function. These changes clearly suggest that piperine reduces symptoms of human metabolic syndrome in HCHF-fed rats by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.     

Taurine supplementation prevents morpho-physiological alterations in high-fat diet mice pancreatic β-cells

Taurine (Tau) is involved in beta (β)-cell function and insulin action regulation. Here, we verified the possible preventive effect of Tau in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and glucose intolerance and in the disruption of pancreatic β-cell morpho-physiology. Weaning Swiss mice were distributed into four groups: mice fed on HFD diet (36 % of saturated fat, HFD group); HTAU, mice fed on HFD diet and supplemented with 5 % Tau; control (CTL); and CTAU. After 19 weeks of diet and Tau treatments, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and islet morpho-physiology were evaluated. HFD mice presented higher body weight and fat depots, and were hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic, glucose intolerant and insulin resistant. Their pancreatic islets secreted high levels of insulin in the presence of increasing glucose concentrations and 30 mM K⁺. Tau supplementation improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity with a higher ratio of Akt phosphorylated (pAkt) related to Akt total protein content (pAkt/Akt) following insulin administration in the liver without altering body weight and fat deposition in HTAU mice. Isolated islets from HTAU mice released insulin similarly to CTL islets. HFD intake induced islet hypertrophy, increased β-cell/islet area and islet and β-cell mass content in the pancreas. Tau prevented islet and β-cell/islet area, and islet and β-cell mass alterations induced by HFD. The total insulin content in HFD islets was higher than that of CTL islets, and was not altered in HTAU islets. In conclusion, for the first time, we showed that Tau enhances liver Akt activation and prevents β-cell compensatory morpho-functional adaptations induced by HFD.     

Betaine Down Regulates Apelin Gene Expression in Cardiac and Adipose Tissues of Insulin Resistant Diabetic Rats Fed by High-Calorie Diet

Apelin is a newly discovered peptide that its serum level increases in diabetic patients with cardiovascular dysfunction. Recent studies indicate the beneficial actions of betaine in reducing the cardiovascular and metabolic complications, however data related to its effect on adipocytokine expression is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of betaine supplementation on Apelin gene expression in cardiac muscle and adipose tissue of insulin resistance, diabetic rats fed by a high calorie diet. To induce insulin resistance rats were fed with high fat/high carbohydrate diet for five weeks and then 30 mg/kg STZ was injected intraperitoneally. After confirming of diabetes incidence (serum glucose above 7.5 mmol/l) the animals were treated with 1 % betaine in drinking water for 28 days. At days 14 and 28 after treatment, animals were euthanized and Apelin gene expression was evaluated by real time PCR and western blot in heart and adipose tissues. Serum levels of insulin, Apelin and glucose and HOMA–IR were also measured. Our results showed that feeding of rats by a high calorie diets caused insulin resistance, which was manifested by elevated plasma insulin, glucose and Apelin levels and also HOMA–IR. Apelin gene expression in heart and adipose tissues were significantly increased simultaneously with the progression of diabetes. Betaine supplementation decreased serum Apelin and down regulated Apelin expression in adipose tissue and cardiac muscle, particularly at day 28 of treatment. We concluded that betaine might improve metabolic and cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients by regulation of Apelin expression and secretion.     

Plant regeneration from leaf explants of Aloe barbadensis Mill. and genetic fidelity assessment through DNA markers

An efficient plant regeneration protocol was developed from leaf explants of Aloe barbadensis Mill on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l 6-benzyladenine (BA) or Kinetin (Kn), 0.25–0.5 mg/l NAA (1-napthalene acetic acid) and 3 % (w/v) sucrose within 4 weeks of culture. The maximum number of shoot buds were obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BA, 0.5 mg/l NAA, 40 mg/l Ads (adenine sulphate) within 4–6 weeks of subculture. Inclusion of 0.25–0.50 mg/l gibberellic acid into the medium, the shoot buds became elongated. Repeated subculture on regeneration medium induces higher rate of shoot regeneration. The root induction from excised microshoots was achieved on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0.25–1.0 mg/l NAA or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 2 % (w/v) sucrose. Maximum percentage of rooting was achieved on medium having 0.5 mg/l NAA with 3 % (w/v) sucrose. About 80 % of in vitro raised plantlets were hardened in the greenhouse and successfully established in the soil. Both Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers were used to detect the variability among the regenerated plants developed in vitro. The results showed that there was no polymorphism among the regenerated plantlets. This study will help for propagation of quality planting material of Aloe barbadensis for commercialization.     

Adaptive dynamic quadrature demodulation with autoregressive spectral estimation in ultrasound imaging

In medical ultrasound imaging, the frequency-dependent attenuation causes a downshift of the center frequency of transmitted ultrasound as it propagates through the body. The downshifting results in a considerable loss of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) after quadrature demodulation (QDM) in which down-mixing and low pass filtering are involved. To overcome the problem, dynamic QDMs have been proposed, in which the change in the center frequency along the axial direction is obtained using autocorrelation-based spectral estimation and compensated in the QDM block. As an alternative, this paper proposes an adaptive dynamic QDM using the 2nd-order autoregressive model. The main advantage over the conventional dynamic QDMs is to use real radio-frequency (RF) data in the spectral estimation, while its counterparts require additional steps to obtain either complex RF signals or complex baseband signals. This allows the proposed method to be used with a minimal modification of signal processing blocks. The performances of the proposed method were evaluated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. The performances were also compared with those of the conventional dynamic QDM. From the experiments, it was learned that the proposed method improved SNR by maximally 7.8 dB in the near field compared with the conventional dynamic QDM. In the far field, however, its SNR improvement is similar to its counterpart. This may be explained by the fact that the signal loss mainly results from the amplitude attenuation and the diffraction rather than the frequency downshift in the far field. In addition, the proposed method improved contrast resolution (CR) by at least 6.8%, compared with that of the conventional dynamic QDM. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method can be used to improve SNR and CR of ultrasound images in an effective manner.     

Toll-like receptor 4 D299G polymorphism in metabolic disorders: a meta-analysis

The toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a key role in the activation of innate immune response participating in the recognition of lipopolysaccharides. Changes in the innate immune response are involved in the pathogenesis of some metabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Met-S and T2DM). It has been recently shown the role of gut microbiota in the perpetuation of both insulin resistance and low-grade chronic inflammation. Some studies have reported that TLR4 D299G polymorphism is associated with metabolic disorders, however results have been inconsistent. Two recent meta-analyses showed that D299G is associated with inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal cancers risk, two pathological states in which the luminal microbial flora-host cells interaction may be implicated. We conducted a systemic review of the published data considering all eligible published studies (six studies with 1696 cases and 3388 controls for D299G) and a meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between TLR4 D299G polymorphism and the risk for metabolic disorders. Five studies were identified for T2DM: three corresponding to Caucasian populations and two to mixed populations. The remaining study analyzed Met-S in a Caucasian population. We observed a significant association between D299G polymorphism and metabolic disorders (T2DM and Met-S) risk (OR = 0.566, 95 % CI: 0.347–0.925, p = 0.023) particularly in Caucasians. No association was found in mixed population subgroup. Our meta-analysis identified that the AG/GG genotypes of D299G are associated with decreased metabolic disorders risk.     

Wasabi leaf extracts attenuate adipocyte hypertrophy through PPARγ and AMPK

Hypertrophy of adipocytes in obese adipose tissues causes metabolic abnormality by adipocytokine dysregulation, which promotes type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. We investigated the effects of wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum) leaf extracts on metabolic abnormalities in SHRSP.Z-Leprfa/IzmDmcr rats (SHRSP/ZF), which are a model of metabolic syndrome. Male SHRSP/ZF rats aged 7 weeks were divided into two groups: control and wasabi leaf extract (WLE) groups, which received water or oral treatment with 4 g/kg/day WLE for 6 weeks. WLE improved the body weight gain and high blood pressure in SHRSP/ZF rats, and the plasma triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the WLE group. Adipocyte hypertrophy was markedly prevented in adipose tissue. The expression of PPARγ and subsequent downstream genes was suppressed in the WLE group adipose tissues. Our data suggest that WLE inhibits adipose hypertrophy by suppressing PPARγ expression in adipose tissue and stimulating the AMPK activity by increased adiponectin.     

Influence of exercise on NA- and Hsp72-induced release of IFNγ by the peritoneal suspension of macrophages and lymphocytes from genetically obese Zucker rats

Regular physical exercise is recognized as a nonpharmacological therapeutic strategy in the treatment of metabolic syndrome, and has been proposed for improving obesity, diabetic status, insulin resistance, and immune response. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a regular exercise program (treadmill running, 5 days/week for 14 weeks at 35 cm/s for 35 min in the last month) on the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon gamma (IFNγ) by peritoneal cells (macrophages and lymphocytes) from obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) in response to noradrenaline (NA) and heat shock proteins of 72 kDa (Hsp72), and the possible adaptation due to training for a bout acute exercise (a single session of 25–35 min at 35 cm/s). In healthy (lean Fa/fa) and obese animals, peritoneal cells released greater concentrations of IFNγ in response to Hsp72 and lower concentrations in response to NA. The regular exercise training protocol, evaluated in the obese animals, produced a clear change in the regulation of the release of IFNγ. Peritoneal immune cells from trained animals released more IFNγ in response to NA, but there was a reduction in the release of IFNγ in response to Hsp72. In the obese animals, regular exercise caused a change in the inhibitory effect of NA (which now becomes stimulatory) and the stimulatory effect of Hsp72e (which now becomes inhibitory) in relation to the release of IFNγ. This reflects that Hsp72, induced by the prior release of NA following exercise-induced stress, plays a role in the homeostatic balance of release of IFNγ by peritoneal immune cells in obese animals during exercise.     

Effects of fermentation products of Ganoderma lucidum on growth performance and immunocompetence in weanling pigs

The purpose of this study was to test fermentation, for its products of a Chinese medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum, cultured by submerged fermentation for its effect on growth performance and immunocompetence in weanling piglets. In Experiment 1, 72 weanling piglets were allotted to one of four treatments receiving these fermentation products (GLF, expressed as amount of β-glucans) at 0 (control), 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg feed for 4 weeks. The results showed that at a supplementation level of 50 mg/kg feed, GLF caused the best growth performance, the highest pseudorabies antibody titre, and a decrease of blood glucose level. It was also demonstrated that GLF up-regulated the cell-mediated immune response related cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) expression in different lymphoid tissues. After challenging with porcine circovirus (PCV) type 2 (Experiment 2), a supplementation with 50 mg GLF per kg feed also inhibited PCV-2 virus amplification, and ameliorated lymphocyte depletion in different lymphoid tissues. Conclusively, feed supplemented with GLF at 50 mg/kg could be beneficial to counteract the physiological stress in weanling piglets.     

Changes in Serum Adiponectin in Mice Chronically Exposed to Inorganic Arsenic in Drinking Water

Cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus are prominent features of glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. Adiponectin is a key adipokine that is largely involved in glucose and lipid metabolism processes. A growing body of evidence suggests that chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic is associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. We hypothesized that arsenic exposure may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus by affecting the level of adiponectin. In this study, we examined serum adiponectin levels, as well as serum levels of metabolic measures (including fasting blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol) in C57BL/6 mice exposed to inorganic arsenic in drinking water (5 and 50 ppm NaAsO₂) for 18 weeks. Body mass and adiposity were monitored throughout the study. We found no significant changes in serum insulin and glucose levels in mice treated with arsenic for 18 weeks. However, arsenic exposure decreased serum levels of adiponectin, triglyceride, and HDL-cholesterol. Further, an inverse relationship was observed between urinary concentrations of total arsenic and serum levels of adiponectin. This study suggests that arsenic exposure could disturb the metabolism of lipids and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by reducing the level of adiponectin.     

Expression of hsp70, hsp100 and ubiquitin in Aloe barbadensis Miller under direct heat stress and under temperature acclimation conditions

Key message

The study determined the tolerance of Aloe vera to high temperature, focusing on the expression of hsp70 , hsp100 and ubiquitin genes. These were highly expressed in plants acclimated at 35 °C prior to a heat shock of 45 °C.

Abstract

Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera), a CAM plant, was introduced into Chile in the semiarid IV and III Regions, which has summer diurnal temperature fluctuations of 25 to 40 °C and annual precipitation of 40 mm (dry years) to 170 mm (rainy years). The aim of this study was to investigate how Aloe vera responds to water and heat stress, focusing on the expression of heat shock genes (hsp70, hsp100) and ubiquitin, which not studied before in Aloe vera. The LT₅₀ of Aloe vera was determined as 53.2 °C. To study gene expression by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, primers were designed against conserved regions of these genes. Sequencing the cDNA fragments for hsp70 and ubiquitin showed a high identity, over 95 %, with the genes from cereals. The protein sequence of hsp70 deduced from the sequence of the cDNA encloses partial domains for binding ATP and the substrate. The protein sequence of ubiquitin deduced from the cDNA encloses a domain for interaction with the enzymes E2, UCH and CUE. The expression increased with temperature and water deficit. Hsp70 expression at 40–45 °C increased 50 % over the controls, while the expression increased by 150 % over the controls under a water deficit of 50 % FC. The expression of all three genes was also studied under 2 h of acclimation at 35 or 40 °C prior to a heat shock at 45 °C. Under these conditions, the plants showed greater expression of all genes than when they were subjected to direct heat stress.     

Effect of pH and dilution rate on specific production rate of extra cellular metabolites by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus salivarius</Emphasis> UCO_979C in continuous culture

The effect of pH and dilution rate on the production of extracellular metabolites of Lactobacillus salivarius UCO_979 was studied. The experiments were carried out in continuous mode, with chemically defined culture medium at a temperature of 37 °C, 200 rpm agitation and synthetic air flow of 100 ml/min. Ethanol, acetic acid, formic acid, lactic acid and glucose were quantified through HPLC, while exopolysaccharide (EPS) was extracted with ethanol and quantified through the Dubois method. The results showed no linear trends for the specific production of lactic acid, EPS, acetic acid and ethanol, while the specific glucose consumption and ATP production rates showed linear trends. There was a metabolic change of the strain for dilution rates below 0.3 h^?1. The pH had a significant effect on the metabolism of the strain, which was evidenced by a higher specific glucose consumption and increased production of ATP at pH 6 compared with that obtained at pH 7. This work shows not only the metabolic capabilities of L. salivarius UCO_979C, but also shows that it is possible to quantify some molecules associated with its current use as gastrointestinal probiotic, especially regarding the production of organic acids and EPS.     

Bladder dysfunction after acute urinary retention in the rats: a novel over active bladder model

As there is increasing evidence that benign prostatic hyperplasia and its related acute urinary retention (AUR) induce over active bladder (OAB) syndrome, we investigated the effects of AUR on bladder function over a 4-week period in a rat model. Ten-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. AUR was induced by clamping the distal urethra of each rat with a small clip, and then infusing 3 ml (0.6 ml/min) of saline with an infusion pump through a transurethral catheter (22G). The obstruction was sustained for 60 min and the clip was removed and then the bladder was allowed to drain through the catheter. The bladder function was estimated by voiding behavior studies (at 3 days, 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks), cystometric studies (at 2 and 4 weeks) and organ bath studies using KCl and carbachol (at 2 and 4 weeks). Furthermore, we evaluated histological changes in the rat bladder 2 and 4 weeks after the induction of AUR. The same parameters were also measured in non-AUR rats (control group). The rat bladder weight in the AUR group at 2 weeks was significantly larger than that of the controls, and returned to the control level 4 weeks after the AUR episode. The voiding behavior studies showed significant increase in micturition frequency per day and decrease in single voiding volume 3 days after the induction of AUR, and this voiding behavior was continued for more than 2 weeks. The cystometric studies showed a significant decrease in single-voided volume at 2 weeks rat. However, no significant changes of the other parameters were observed in the rats. The histological studies showed significant infiltration of neutrophils and lymphocytes, as well as increase in turnover of epithelium in AUR rats at 2 weeks, while significant increases in fibrosis in submucosal layer were observed in AUR rats at 4 weeks. This study demonstrated that bladder dysfunction in the rat model caused by AUR needs more than 2 weeks of recovery period. The AUR-associated alterations in the bladder may represent a key clue to understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, which take place in OAB syndrome.     

Effects of dietary glucose supplementation on the fasted plasma metabolome in cats and dogs

The study objective was to evaluate nutritional metabolomics in support of companion animal nutrition. The specific purpose was to identify metabolites that differed significantly (q-value < 0.05) in the 23 h fasted plasma metabolome of healthy adult female neutered cats (n = 14) and dogs (n = 14) following 2 weeks adaptation to a single batch of diet, nutritionally complete for both species, with and without dietary glucose supplementation (3.85 % w/w). The study consisted of a two-way, crossover design with samples from individual animals on days 14, 16 and 18 of each diet. Metabolic profiling consistently identified 219 metabolites from cats and 216 metabolites from dogs. Fasted plasma glucose did not change significantly with diet in either species whilst 41 % of cat and 20 % of dog metabolites did change significantly. In general, the two species responded similarly and provided data interpretable within the context of insulin-regulated responses to glucose, for example decreased fatty acid oxidation, increased uptake of branched chain amino acids into muscle, and in cats, decreased glucogenic amino acid catabolism. Other responses, such as increased 1 carbon pool intermediates in cats, were consistent with known nutritional differences between cats and dogs and interpretable within the context of energy metabolism. Data also indicated inter-individual variability and diet-dependent changes in digestion and absorption, providing insights for future study designs. In this proof-of-principle study it was concluded that metabolomics can provide data interpretable to a well-characterised area of nutrition and metabolism and also provide novel insights into metabolic adaptations with relevance to companion animal nutrition.     

Seasonal pattern in bipolar disorders and cardio-vascular risk factors: A study from the FACE-BD cohort

Seasonal pattern (SP) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are major contributors to poor outcome in bipolar disorders (BD). Patients with seasonal bipolar depression present increased appetite, carbohydrate cravings, weight gain, and hypersomnia, which can increase the development of MetS. MetS also appears to be associated with seasonal mood changes in the general population. This study examines whether a SP in BD is associated with an increased risk of MetS and its sub-components. One thousand four hundred and seventy-one outpatients with BD were systematically enrolled from 2009 to 2016. Inclusion required a disease duration of at least 5 years, with 486 (33%) patients with SP (SP+) and 985 (67%) without (SP–) according to the DSM IV-TR criteria. When using continuous measures of metabolic components, SP+ patients, as compared to SP–, suffered from higher levels for systolic blood pressure (p = 0.01), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.009), fasting glucose (p = 0.007), triglycerides levels (p = 0.03), a larger abdominal circumference (p = 0.02), and a higher body mass index (p = 0.07). In the covariance analysis, adjusted for gender, age, and bipolar subtype, as well as the number of depressive and hypomanic episode, SP+ patients had a significantly higher level of fasting glucose and higher systolic blood pressure. The frequency of MetS did not differ between groups (21.2% in SP– versus 23.9% in SP+). When using categorical definitions for abnormal metabolic components (International Diabetes Federation criteria), there were no differences between groups, except that SP+ patients were more overweight/obese as compared to SP– patients (55.03% versus 46.7%, respectively; p = 0.002) and tended to have more frequently high fasting glucose (18.2% versus 14.3%, respectively; p = 0.07). MetS was frequent in patients with BD, however not associated with SP. Patients with SP appeared more vulnerable to overweight/obesity and presented with higher levels of MetS subcomponents although these parameters were mainly in the normal range. All patients with BD should benefit from early screening and targeted management of cardio-vascular risk factors.     

Genetic epidemiology of cardiometabolic risk factors and their clustering patterns in Mexican American children and adolescents: the SAFARI Study

Pediatric metabolic syndrome (MS) and its cardiometabolic components (MSCs) have become increasingly prevalent, yet little is known about the genetics underlying MS risk in children. We examined the prevalence and genetics of MS-related traits among 670 non-diabetic Mexican American (MA) children and adolescents, aged 6–17 years (49 % female), who were participants in the San Antonio Family Assessment of Metabolic Risk Indicators in Youth study. These children are offspring or biological relatives of adult participants from three well-established Mexican American family studies in San Antonio, TX, at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. MS was defined as ≥3 abnormalities among 6 MSC measures: waist circumference, systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and fasting and/or 2-h OGTT glucose. Genetic analyses of MS, number of MSCs (MSC-N), MS factors, and bivariate MS traits were performed. Overweight/obesity (53 %), pre-diabetes (13 %), acanthosis nigricans (33 %), and MS (19 %) were strikingly prevalent, as were MS components, including abdominal adiposity (32 %) and low HDL-cholesterol (32 %). Factor analysis of MS traits yielded three constructs: adipo-insulin-lipid, blood pressure, and glucose factors, and their factor scores were highly heritable. MS itself exhibited 68 % heritability. MSC-N showed strong positive genetic correlations with obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation, and acanthosis nigricans, and negative genetic correlation with physical fitness. MS trait pairs exhibited strong genetic and/or environmental correlations. These findings highlight the complex genetic architecture of MS/MSCs in MA children, and underscore the need for early screening and intervention to prevent chronic sequelae in this vulnerable pediatric population.     

Comparison of Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils,Plant Extracts and Methylparaben in Cosmetic Emulsions: 2 Months Study

The aim of the study was to compare the preservative effectiveness of plant extracts (Matricaria chamomilla, Aloe vera, Calendula officinalis) and essential oils (Lavandulla officinalis, Melaleuca alternifolia, Cinnamomum zeylanicum) with methylparaben in cosmetic emulsions against skin microflora during 2 months of application by volunteers. Cosmetic emulsions with extracts (2.5 %), essential oils (2.5 %), methylparaben (0.4 %) or placebo were tested by 40 volunteers during 2 months of treatment. In order to determine microbial purity of the emulsions, the samples were taken after 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of application. Throughout the trial period it was revealed that only cinnamon oil completely inhibited the growth of bacteria, yeast and mould, as compared to all other essential oils, plant extracts and methylparaben in the tested emulsions. This result shows that cinnamon oil could successfully replace the use of methylparaben in cosmetics, at the same time ensuring microbiological purity of a cosmetic product under its in-use and storage conditions.     

Gold nanoparticles as cell regulators: beneficial effects of gold nanoparticles on the metabolic profile of mice with pre-existing obesity

Background

We have previously shown that intraperitoneal injection of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 20–30 nm) into mice, decreases high-fat diet (HFD) induced weight gain and glucose intolerance, via suppression of inflammatory responses in both fat and liver tissues. This study investigates whether AuNPs provide similar benefit to mice with pre-existing obesity. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a HFD for 15 weeks. AuNPs (OB-EAu 0.0785 μg/g/day, OB-LAu 0.785 μg/g/day, OB-HAu7.85 μg/g/day, ip) were administered to subgroups of HFD-fed mice over the last 5 weeks. Control group was fed standard chow and administered vehicle injection.

Results

Only the OB-LAu group demonstrated significant weight loss (12%), while all AuNP treated groups showed improved glycaemic control and reduced blood lipid levels. In the fat tissue, mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory markers were unchanged following AuNP treatment, while glucose and lipid metabolic markers were improved in OB-LAu and OB-HAu mice. In the liver, AuNP treatment downregulated inflammatory markers and improved lipid metabolic markers, with marked effects in OB-EAu and OB-LAu groups.

Conclusions

AuNP treatment can improve glucose and fat metabolism in mice with long-term obesity, however weight loss was only observed in a single specific dose regime. AuNP therapy is a promising new technology for managing metabolic disorders in the obese.

     

The Effects of Continuous In Vivo Administration of Nisin on Staphylococcus aureus Infection and Immune Response in Mice

Mice were intraperitoneally infected with 2 × 10⁸ cfu Staphylococcus aureus Xen 36 and treated with 2,130 AU (arbitrary units) nisin (equivalent to 27.7 μg pure nisin), a class Ia lantibiotic, over 7 days. The metabolic activity of S. aureus Xen 36, concluded from changes in cell bioluminescence, declined for the first 3.5 h, but increased over the next 24 h and remained at this level for the remainder of the 7-day trial. Similar results were obtained with heat-inactivated (25 min at 121 °C) nisin, suggesting that the decline in metabolic activity of S. aureus Xen 36 cannot be attributed to the bacteriostatic activity of nisin. The decline in lymphocyte numbers in infected mice was of smaller magnitude after treatment with active nisin compared to inactive nisin, suggesting that active nisin limited the apoptosis of lymphocytes. The drastic increase in neutrophil versus lymphocyte (N:L) ratio observed in the presence of active nisin suggested that the decline in metabolic activity of S. aureus Xen 36 was due to an immune response triggered by the infection. Nisin, active or inactive, stimulated the activity of cytokines interleukin-6, interleukin-10 and tumour necrosis factor. However, the overall immune response triggered by both forms of nisin was too minute to trigger an abnormally high antigenic immune reaction.