Fermentable carbohydrate alters hypothalamic neuronal activity and protects against the obesogenic environment

Obesity has become a major global health problem. Recently, attention has focused on the benefits of fermentable carbohydrates on modulating metabolism. Here, we take a system approach to investigate the physiological effects of supplementation with oligofructose-enriched inulin (In). We hypothesize that supplementation with this fermentable carbohydrate will not only lead to changes in body weight and composition, but also to modulation in neuronal activation in the hypothalamus. Male C57BL/6 mice were maintained on a normal chow diet (control) or a high fat (HF) diet supplemented with either oligofructose-enriched In or corn starch (Cs) for 9 weeks. Compared to HF+Cs diet, In supplementation led to significant reduction in average daily weight gain (mean ± s.e.m.: 0.19 ± 0.01 g vs. 0.26 ± 0.02 g, P < 0.01), total body adiposity (24.9 ± 1.2% vs. 30.7 ± 1.4%, P < 0.01), and lowered liver fat content (11.7 ± 1.7% vs. 23.8 ± 3.4%, P < 0.01). Significant changes were also observed in fecal bacterial distribution, with increases in both Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillius and a significant increase in short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Using manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI), we observed a significant increase in neuronal activation within the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of animals that received In supplementation compared to those fed HF+Cs diet. In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time, in the same animal, a wide range of beneficial metabolic effects following supplementation of a HF diet with oligofructose-enriched In, as well as significant changes in hypothalamic neuronal activity.     

Systems analysis of primary Sjögren's syndrome pathogenesis in salivary glands identifies shared pathways in human and a mouse model

Bone tissue has an exceptional quality to regenerate to native tissue in response to injury. However, the fracture repair process requires mechanical stability or a viable biological microenvironment or both to ensure successful healing to native tissue. An improved understanding of the molecular and cellular events that occur during bone repair and remodeling has led to the development of biologic agents that can augment the biological microenvironment and enhance bone repair. Orthobiologics, including stem cells, osteoinductive growth factors, osteoconductive matrices, and anabolic agents, are available clinically for accelerating fracture repair and treatment of compromised bone repair situations like delayed unions and nonunions. Preclinical and clinical studies using biologic agents like recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins have demonstrated an efficacy similar or better than that of autologous bone graft in acute fracture healing. A lack of standardized outcome measures for comparison of biologic agents in clinical fracture repair trials, frequent off-label use, and a limited understanding of the biological activity of these agents at the bone repair site have limited their efficacy in clinical applications.     

Factors affecting the initiation and growth of aboveground adventitious roots in a tropical cloud forest tree: an experimental approach

Some of the proximate factors that would induce aboveground stems to produce adventitious roots were investigated experimentally on Senecio cooperi, a tropical cloud forest tree. Stem segments were air-layered with different treatments to promote root formation, and the number of roots initiated and rates of root growth were monitored for 20 weeks. Treatments were the application of wet epiphytes or dry epiphytes plus associated humus, sponges wetted with either water or nutrient solutions, or dry sponges. Controls (stem segments with nothing applied) were also monitored. Numbers of adventitious roots formed and rates of subsequent root growth differed among treatments. Wet epiphyte/humus and nutrient solutions were most effective in producing roots, which suggests that epiphytes and the nutrients they intercept and retain within the canopy may cue adjacent host tissue to exploit this resource.     

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Olfactory Receptor Database (ORDB): A Resource for Sharing and Analyzing Published and Unpublished Data

An olfactory receptor database (ORDB) is being developed tofacilitate analysis of this large gene family. ORDB currentlycontains over 400 olfactory receptor sequences and related information,and is available via the World Wide Web. We plan to incorporatefunctional data, structural models, spatial localization andother categories of information, toward an integrated modelof olfactory receptor function. Chem. Senses 22: 321–326,1997.     

Olfactory Receptor Database: a database of the largest eukaryotic gene family.

The Olfactory Receptor Database (ORDB) is a WWW-accessible database that stores data on Olfactory Receptor-like molecules (ORs) and has been open to the public since June 1996. It contains a public and a private area. The public area includes published DNA and protein sequence data for ORs, links to OR models and data on their expression, chromosomal localization and source organism, as well as (i) links to bibliography through PubMed and (ii) interactive WWW-based tools, such as BLAST homology searching. The private area functions as a service to laboratories that are actively cloning receptors. Source laboratories enter the sequences of the receptor clones they have characterized to the private database and can search for identical or near identical OR sequences in both public and private databases. If another laboratory has cloned and deposited an identical or closely matching sequence there are means for communication between the laboratories to help avoid duplication of work. ORDB is available via the WWW at http://crepe.med.yale.edu/ORDB/HTML     

Prevalence and molecular characterization of alpha-thalassemia syndromes among Indians

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and molecular basis of alpha-thalassemia in the Indian population and its implications in genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: 1253 random samples were screened for hemoglobinopathies. Red cell indices were measured on the Sysmex K 1000 cell counter; HbA2 and HbF levels were quantitated using high performance liquid chromotography (HPLC). Cellulose acetate electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing (IEF) was done to detect the presence of Hb Bart's in cord blood samples. alpha-Globin gene mapping was done using Southern blot hybridization of BamHI and BglII digests. RESULTS: Of the 1253 subjects, 132 had a single alpha-gene deletion (10.5%) while 29 had two alpha-gene deletions (2.31%). Fifteen cases showed the presence of alpha-gene triplication (1.1%). A single case showed the presence of one alpha-gene deletion as well as alpha-gene triplication (-alpha/alphaalphaalpha). Overall, the prevalence of alpha-thalassemia was 12.9%. Region-wise and caste-wise analysis showed the highest prevalence of alpha-thalassemia among the Punjabi population originating from the northern region of India. CONCLUSION: alpha-Thalassemia is by far the commonest hemoglobinopathy in India, but it is not a cause of serious genetic risk is the milder form (-alpha/alphaalpha) of alpha-thalassemia, which is predominant. Knowing the alpha-genotype is useful for genetic counseling for prenatal diagnosis in couples where one of the parents may have reduced indices coupled with a raised RBC count and normal HbA2 levels.     

Species distribution and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> antifungal susceptibility of oral yeast isolates from Tanzanian HIV-infected patients with primary and recurrent oropharyngeal candidiasis

Background  

In Tanzania, little is known on the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility profiles of yeast isolates from HIV-infected patients with primary and recurrent oropharyngeal candidiasis.     

Influence of inoculum size of Aspergillus parasiticus spores on aflatoxin production.

The influence of the inoculum size on growth and aflatoxin production was examined in Aspergillus parasiticus (NRRL 3145) by using a synthetic medium. The reduction in the number of spores by 4 to 5 log cycles either by serial dilution or by gamma irradiation caused a two fold increase in the toxin production. The decrease in the inoculum size induced a lag in growth of the culture, though the final yield of the mycelium over the 28-day experimental period was the same. The maximal accumulation of aflatoxin was observed on day 14 of incubation. A transition from the biphasic to monophasic pattern in aflatoxin production could be correlated with the size of the inoculum. The enhanced toxin production from dilute inocula was similar to that obtained with the surviving fraction of the spores after gamma irradiation (0 to 150 krads).