Effect of Probiotics Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus plantarum on Lipid Profile and Feces Bacteria of Rats Fed Cholesterol-Enriched Diet

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans on serum lipid profile and lowering potential of...     

Zinc, Copper, Iron, and Chromium Concentrations in Young Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Homeostasis of trace elements can be disrupted by diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, disturbance in trace element status in diabetes mellitus may contribute to the insulin resistance and development of diabetic complications. The aim of present study was to compare the concentration of essential trace elements, zinc, copper, iron, and chromium in serum of patients who have type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 20) with those of nondiabetic control subjects (n = 20). The serum concentrations of zinc, copper, iron, and chromium were measured by means of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Shimadzu AA 670, Kyoto, Japan) after acid digestion. The results of this study showed that the mean values of zinc, copper, and chromium were significantly lower in the serum of patients with diabetes as compared to the control subjects (P < 0.05). Our results show that deficiency of some essential trace elements may play a role in the development of diabetes mellitus.     

Antioxidant properties of Aloe vera components: a DFT theoretical evaluation

Prediction of the antioxidant activity of three Aloe vera components (aloesone, aloe-emodin, and isoeleutheol) was performed based on density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP hybrid functional and the 6–311++ G** basis set. Calculation of highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), lowest occupied molecular orbital (LUMO), and E_gap revealed that aloe-emodin has the lowest E_gap value, indicating good antioxidant activity. Also in terms of electron affinity, softness, electrophilicity, and chemical potential, aloe-emodin is a potent structure with potential high radical scavenging activity. Calculation of the ionisation potential revealed that isoeleutherol likely also possesses a high degree of antiradical scavenging. To study the conjugating system of the radicals, density plots of HOMO, natural bond orbital analyses, and spin density plots were used. According to calculations, the isoeleutherol radical is more delocalised and the most stable radical. Calculated proton affinity values revealed that the most probable antioxidant mechanism is sequential proton loss-electron transfer. Our results were compared with available experimental data. Published experimental data were found to correlate well with our theoretical predictions. These results support the usefulness of theoretical calculations not only for identifying potentially useful structures of studied compounds but also for predicting their relative activity.     

Impact of 900 MHz electromagnetic field exposure on main male reproductive hormone levels: a Rattus norvegicus model

This work analyzes the effects of radiofrequency-electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure on the reproductive system of male rats, assessed by measuring circulating levels of FSH, LH, inhibin B, activin B, prolactin, and testosterone. Twenty adult male Sprague–Dawley rats (180?±?10 g) were exposed to 900 MHz RF-EMF in four equal separated groups. The duration of exposure was 1, 2, and 4 h/day over a period of 30 days and sham-exposed animals were kept under the same environmental conditions as the exposed group except with no RF-EMF exposure. Before the exposure, at 15 and 30 days of exposure, determination of the abovementioned hormone levels was performed using ELISA. At the end of the experiment, FSH and LH values of the long time exposure (LTE) group were significantly higher than the sham-exposed group (p?p?p?相似文献   

Regulation of adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue by thyroid hormones

Available experimental data suggest that adiponectin and thyroid hormones have biological interaction in vivo. However, the effects of thyroid hormones on adipose adiponectin gene expression in thyroid dysfunction are unclear. We induced hyper- (HYPER) and hypothyroidism (HYPO) by daily administration of a 12 mg/l of levothyroxine and 250 mg/l of methimazole in drinking water of rats, respectively, for 42 days. The white adipose tissues and serum sample were taken on days 15, 28, 42 and also 2 weeks after treatment cessation. Analysis of adiponectin gene expression was performed by real-time PCR and 2^−ΔΔct method. The levels of adipose tissue adiponectin mRNA in the HYPO rats were decreased during the 6-week treatment when compared to control rats (<0.05) and were increased significantly 2 weeks after HYPO cessation (P < 0.05). This decline in adiponectin gene expression occurred in parallel with a decrease in T3, T4, fT3 and fT4 concentrations (P < 0.05). In opposite to HYPO rats, adipose adiponectin gene expression was increased in HYPER rats during the 6-week treatment in parallel with an increase the thyroid hormones concentrations (P < 0.05), and its expression was decreased 2 weeks after HYPER cessation (P < 0.05). Adiponectin gene expression levels showed significant negative correlations with concentrations of LDL (HYPO; r = −0.806, P = 0.001 and HYPER; r = −0.749, P = 0.002), triglyceride (HYPO; r = −0.825, P = 0.001 and HYPER; r = −0.824, P = 0.001) and significant positive correlations with concentrations of glucose (HYPO; r = 0.674, P = 0.004 and HYPER; r = 0.866, P = 0.001) and HDL (HYPO; r = 0.755, P = 0.001 and HYPER; r = 0.839, P = 0.001). The current study provides evidence that adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue is regulated by thyroid hormones at the translation level and that lipid and carbohydrate disturbances in a patient with thyroid dysfunction may be, in part, due to adiponectin gene expression changes.     

Acute phase response in lame cattle with interdigital dermatitis

This study was undertaken to evaluate acute phase response via assessing the concentration of serum sialic acids (total, lipid-bound and protein-bound), inflammatory mediators (IFN-γ and TNF-α) and acute phase proteins [haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA)] in lame cattle with interdigital dermatitis. Fifteen hoof scrapings from lame cows were collected from eight commercial dairy farms. As a consequence of the difficulty in culturing and isolation, a PCR technique was used to detect the organism. None of the colonies on enriched blood agar was identified as Fusobacterium necrophorum. Four (26.6%) out of the 15 hoof scrapings examined tested positive for the presence of the lktA gene (402 bp) of F. necrophorum. It seems that culture cannot be considered as the gold standard method for F. necrophorum isolation. Molecular detection is suggested as an alternative method. In the blood serum of different groups of animals (control, lameness and F. necrophorum-positive lameness) Hp, SAA, total sialic acid, lipid-bound sialic acid, and protein-bound sialic acid, and IFN-γ and TNF-α were measured using validated standard procedures. All parameters were significantly higher in the lameness group and the F. necrophorum-positive lameness group compared with the healthy group (P < 0.01 in all cases). Mean SAA concentrations in the lameness group and the F. necrophorum-positive lameness group was relatively 4.6 and 8.0 times higher than the control group. Corresponding measures for Hp indicate a 3.3 times increase in the lameness group compared to the control. In the lameness group, significant associations were observed for Hp with PBSA, SAA with TSA, TSA with PBSA, TSA with LBSA, PBSA with LBSA, and SAA with IFN-γ.     

Effect of Probiotic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus Coagulans</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus Plantarum</Emphasis> on Alleviation of Mercury Toxicity in Rat

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus coagulans) against mercury-induced toxicity using a rat model. Mercury (Hg) is a widespread heavy metal and was shown to be associated with various diseases. Forty-eight adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups (control, mercury-only, each probiotic-only, and mercury plus each probiotic group). Hg-treated groups received 10 ppm mercuric chloride, and probiotic groups were administrated 1 × 10⁹ CFU of probiotics daily for 48 days. Levels of mercury were determined using cold vapor technique, and some biochemical factors (list like glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), creatinine, urea, bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST)) were measured to evaluate changes in oxidative stress. Oral administration of either probiotic was found to provide significant protection against mercury toxicity by decreasing the mercury level in the liver and kidney and preventing alterations in the levels of GPx and SOD. Probiotic treatment generated marked reduction in the levels of creatinine, urea, bilirubin, ALT, and AST indicating the positive influence of the probiotics on the adverse effects of Hg in the body.     

Changing patterns of acute phase proteins and inflammatory mediators in experimental caprine coccidiosis

This experiment was conducted to assess the changing patterns and relative values of acute phase proteins and inflammatory cytokines in experimental caprine coccidiosis. Eighteen newborn kids were allocated to 3 equal groups. Two groups, A and B, were inoculated with a single dose of 1×10(3) and1×10(5) sporulated oocysts of Eimeria arloingi, respectively. The third group, C, received distilled water as the control. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of each kid in both groups before inoculation and at days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 post-inoculation (PI), and the levels of haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), TNF-α, and IFN-γ were measured. For histopathological examinations, 2 kids were selected from each group, euthanized, and necropsied on day 42 PI. Mean Hp concentrations in groups A and B (0.34 and 0.68 g/L) at day 7 PI were 3.2 and 6.3 times higher than the levels before inoculation. The mean SAA concentrations in groups A and B (25.6 and 83.5 μg/ml) at day 7 PI were 4.2 and 13.7 times higher than the levels before inoculation. The magnitude and duration of the Hp and SAA responses correlated well with the inoculation doses and the severity of the clinical signs and diarrhea in kids. These results were consistent with the histopathological features, which showed advanced widespread lesions in group B. In both groups, significant correlations were observed for TNF-α and IFN-γ with SAA and Hp, respectively. In conclusion, Hp and SAA can be useful non-specific diagnostic indicators in caprine coccidiosis.     

Betaine prevents ethanol-induced oxidative stress and reduces total homocysteine in the rat cerebellum

Oxidative stress is a hypothesis for the association of reactive oxygen species with cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, we examined whether oral betaine can act as a preventive agent in ethanol-induced oxidative stress on the cerebellum of rats. Thirty-two adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four equal groups (control, ethanol, betaine, and betaine plus ethanol) with different dietary regimens and were followed up for 1 month. Total homocysteine (tHcy) of plasma and cerebellum homogenate was determined by an Axis^® homocysteine EIA kit, and antioxidant enzyme (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), SOD, and CAT) activities of cerebellum homogenate were measured chemically by a spectrophotometer. Lipid peroxidation of cerebellum was shown by the measurement of thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) via a spectrophotometer. Ethanol-induced hyperhomocysteinemia was manifested by an increase in the concentrations of tHcy in the plasma and cerebellum homogenates of the ethanol group, while ethanol-induced oxidative stress was indicated via an increase in lipid peroxidation marker (TBARS) in cerebellum homogenates of ethanol-treated rats. In contrast, betaine prevented hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress in the betaine plus ethanol group as well as the betaine group. The results of the present investigation indicated that the protective effect of betaine is probably related to its ability to strengthen the cerebellum membrane cells by enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activity principally GPx, while the methyl donor effect of betaine to reduce hyperhomocysteinemia has been explained previously and confirmed in the present study.