Impact of high-fat diet and obesity on energy balance and fuel utilization during the metabolic challenge of lactation

The effects of obesity and a high-fat (HF) diet on whole body and tissue-specific metabolism of lactating dams and their offspring were examined in C57/B6 mice. Female mice were fed low-fat (LF) or HF diets before and throughout pregnancy and lactation. HF-fed mice were segregated into lean (HF-Ln) and obese (HF-Ob) groups before pregnancy by their weight gain response. Compared to LF-Ln dams, HF-Ln, and HF-Ob dams exhibited a greater positive energy balance (EB) and increased dietary fat retention in peripheral tissues (P < 0.05). HF-Ob dams had greater dietary fat retention in liver and adipose compared to HF-Ln dams (P < 0.05). De novo synthesized fat was decreased in tissues and milk from HF-fed dams compared to LF-Ln dams (P < 0.05). However, less dietary and de novo synthesized fat was found in the HF-Ob mammary glands compared to HF-Ln (P < 0.05). Obesity was associated with reduced milk triglycerides relative to lean controls (P < 0.05). Compared to HF diet alone obesity has additional adverse affects, impairing both lipid metabolism as well as milk fat production. Growth rates of LF-Ln litters were lower than HF-Ln and HF-Ob litters (P < 0.05). Total energy expenditure (TEE) of HF-Ob litters was reduced relative to HF-Ln litters, whereas their respiratory exchange ratios (RERs) were increased (P < 0.05). Collectively these data show that consumption of a HF diet significantly affects maternal and neonatal metabolism and that maternal obesity can independently alter these responses.     

Hydrochemical modeling of coupled C and N cycling in high-elevation catchments: Importance of snow cover

Several ecosystems in the western US are already undergoing nitrogen (N)saturation, a condition where previously N limited ecosystems are no longer Nlimited. This state of N saturation leads to adverse impacts on terrestrialecology and water quality. Due to the complexities of terrestrialcarbon-nitrogen cycling, integrated hydrologic-biogeochemical modeling providesa tool to improve our understanding and discern between the impacts of changesin N deposition from changes in other ecosystem processes. A model ofbiogeochemical processing in alpine watersheds was developed and applied to theEmerald Lake watershed. Simulations of major terrestrial carbon and nitrogenpools and fluxes were adequate. The use of snow cover information to estimatesoil temperatures improved model simulations indicating that snow coverprocesses need to be incorporated into biogeochemical models of seasonally snowcovered areas. The model simulated mineral nitrogen processes well butsignificant changes in denitrification and dissolved organic nitrogen exportprocesses appear to be necessary. Ourresults also showed that variations in snow cover duration have more of animpact on mineral N export, plant uptake and mineralization than appearspossible due to changes in atmospheric deposition.     

Evaluating the genetic status of a closed colony of titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) using multigenerational pedigrees

Pedigree metrics are essential for investigating colony genetic structure. The genetic structure of a closed Callicebus cupreus colony was examined using multigenerational pedigrees. Inbreeding was low, but genetic drift caused the loss of founder genome representation. Pedigrees can be used to detect founder representation and prevent bottlenecks and allele loss.     

Inactivity, exercise, and visceral fat. STRRIDE: a randomized, controlled study of exercise intensity and amount.

Despite the importance of randomized, dose-response studies for proper evaluation of effective clinical interventions, there have been no dose-response studies on the effects of exercise amount on abdominal obesity, a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. One hundred seventy-five sedentary, overweight men and women with mild to moderate dyslipidemia were randomly assigned to participate for 6 mo in a control group or for approximately 8 mo in one of three exercise groups: 1) low amount, moderate intensity, equivalent to walking 12 miles/wk (19.2 km) at 40-55% of peak oxygen consumption; 2) low amount, vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 12 miles/wk at 65-80% of peak oxygen consumption; or 3) high amount, vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 20 miles/wk (32.0 km). Computed tomography scans were analyzed for abdominal fat. Controls gained visceral fat (8.6 +/- 17.2%; P = 0.001). The equivalent of 11 miles of exercise per week, at either intensity, prevented significant accumulation of visceral fat. The highest amount of exercise resulted in decreased visceral (-6.9 +/- 20.8%; P = 0.038) and subcutaneous (-7.0 +/- 10.8%; P < 0.001) abdominal fat. Significant gains in visceral fat over only 6 mo emphasize the high cost of continued inactivity. A modest exercise program, consistent with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control/American College of Sports Medicine (CDC/ACSM), prevented significant increases in visceral fat. Importantly, a modest increase over the CDC/ACSM exercise recommendations resulted in significant decreases in visceral, subcutaneous, and total abdominal fat without changes in caloric intake.     

Immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease: will vaccination work?

Active or passive immunization against the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) has been proposed as a method for preventing and/or treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition to lowering brain Abeta and amyloid burden in transgenic mouse models of AD, a beneficial effect of immunization on previously characterized memory impairment(s) has also been reported in these mice. Whether these preclinical data will predict efficacy in AD patients remains to be seen. A clinical trial of active immunization (vaccination) was halted, owing to a serious adverse event (meningoencephalitis), raising questions about the safety of this approach. Two recent reports suggest that immunotherapy-based approaches to treating and preventing AD will require careful antigen and antibody selection, to maximize efficacy and minimize serious adverse events. However, given the potential efficacy of this approach, we believe that immunotherapy for AD should not be prematurely abandoned.     

Genome-wide association mapping of quantitative resistance to sudden death syndrome in soybean

Background

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a serious threat to soybean production that can be managed with host plant resistance. To dissect the genetic architecture of quantitative resistance to the disease in soybean, two independent association panels of elite soybean cultivars, consisting of 392 and 300 unique accessions, respectively, were evaluated for SDS resistance in multiple environments and years. The two association panels were genotyped with 52,041 and 5,361 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), respectively. Genome-wide association mapping was carried out using a mixed linear model that accounted for population structure and cryptic relatedness.

Result

A total of 20 loci underlying SDS resistance were identified in the two independent studies, including 7 loci localized in previously mapped QTL intervals and 13 novel loci. One strong peak of association on chromosome 18, associated with all disease assessment criteria across the two panels, spanned a physical region of 1.2 Mb around a previously cloned SDS resistance gene (GmRLK18-1) in locus Rfs2. An additional variant independently associated with SDS resistance was also found in this genomic region. Other peaks were within, or close to, sequences annotated as homologous to genes previously shown to be involved in plant disease resistance. The identified loci explained an average of 54.5% of the phenotypic variance measured by different disease assessment criteria.

Conclusions

This study identified multiple novel loci and refined the map locations of known loci related to SDS resistance. These insights into the genetic basis of SDS resistance can now be used to further enhance durable resistance to SDS in soybean. Additionally, the associations identified here provide a basis for further efforts to pinpoint causal variants and to clarify how the implicated genes affect SDS resistance in soybean.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-809) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Is Play Behavior Sexually Dimorphic in Monogamous Species?

Monogamy is a relatively rare social system in mammals, occurring only in about 3% of mammalian species. Monogamous species are characterized by the formation of pair‐bonds, biparental care, and a very low level of sexual dimorphism. Whereas in most polygynous species males engage in more rough‐and‐tumble play than females, we predicted that males and females of monogamous species would have similar, or monomorphic, play behavior. In this study, we focused on two monogamous species: coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) and prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). We documented the development of play behavior in both species, and quantified different types of play behavior. We did not find any sex differences in either species in the frequencies and types of play. However, we did find sex differences in the choice of play partner in titi monkeys: female offspring spent a higher proportion of time playing with their father, while male offspring played equally with their mother and father. It is possible that rough‐and‐tumble play behavior is monomorphic in many monogamous mammals, perhaps reflecting differences from polygynous species in the effects of exposure to early androgens or in the estrogen receptor distribution. However, more subtle differences in monomorphic play behavior, such as choice of partner, may still exist.