Fat Group Research Articles

Modulation of Induced NAFLD Drawbacks on Hepatic and Cardiac Tissues of Rats through Choline and Some Nutraceutical Oils Supplementations

Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) participates in the progress of cardiovascular risks. Lipotropic factors such as choline can prevent excess fat accumulation in the liver. Garlic and onion contain large amount of sulfur compounds. The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of choline, onion and garlic oils and combination of both oils in rats fed high fat diet and their impacts on liver and aortic tissues. Forty-two, male albino rats were divided randomly into six groups; 7 rats each and kept for 2 months. Control group; received control diet, F group; fat diet, F-choline group; fat diet with choline (3 gm/100 g diet), F-OO, F-GO and F-mix groups; fat diet and supplemented with onion oil (100 mg/Kg B.W), garlic oil (100 mg/Kg B.W) and combination of both oils, respectively. F-group significantly increased body weight, liver weight, serum lipid profile, hepatic and cardiac biomarkers, leptin hormone and tissue MDA level, while, significantly decreased serum HDL-C, total protein, albumin, TNO, adiponectin and tissue antioxidants compared to control group. Otherwise, the treated fat groups revealed significant improvement in all tested parameters compared to untreated fat group. In conclusion, onion and garlic oils combination induced marked hypolipidemic, antioxidant and anti-atherogenic impacts on hyperlipidemic rats.

The Conundrum of the Efficacy of Tribulus terrestris Extract as Supplement for Muscle Mass Gain

The dried extract of Tribulus terrestris has been widely applied in traditional medicine as alternative treatment for many ailments. Its main active components are steroidal saponins, which are thought to induce the reduction of testosterone into the potent dihydrotestosterone, thus possibly enhancing steroid hormone-related characteristics. In fact, these herbs are still used to treat some sexual dysfunctions and as male sexual stimulant. It is well-known that many individuals attempt to gain muscle mass by the intake of natural or synthetic anabolic products, including dietary supplements containing Tribulus. In this light, pharmaceutical advances have promoted a conspicuous increase in the commercialization of such products with alleged androgenic properties. Several studies with T. terrestris supplementation involving domestic and laboratory animals, as well as human subjects, have shown conflicting data with regard to increase in male sex hormone levels, sperm quality and physical strength, among other attributes. The aim of this review was to investigate the existing evidence on the impact of T. terrestris supplementation on lean body mass, and to address its reliability. Different database sources and sets of key words were used to search the related literature. Considering a set of predetermined inclusion criteria, the contents of three studies were explored. In these studies there were no significant differences in body composition parameters, such as lean mass and body fat, between control (placebo) and experimental groups. However, the main reason for caution in these reports was the overall reduced sample size, which precludes a firm conclusion from the obtained results. Further investigation by conducting robust randomized controlled trials is still warranted.

The effect of diet control on puberty onset and immunoreactivity of kisspeptin and neurokinin B in female rats.

Early onset puberty and irregular estrous cycles occur more frequently in rats which are fed a high-fat diet. Kisspeptin is an essential factor for the regulation of sexual maturation and is co-expressed with neurokinin B in neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. However, the effects of a diet change on kisspeptin neuronal signaling are not well-understood. Therefore, in this study, we examined the immunoreactivity pattern of the kisspeptin/kiss1-receptor (KISS1R) and neurokinin B/neurokinin3-receptor (R). Pups born to high-fat diet rats were exposed to a high-fat diet until the onset of puberty. From puberty, the offspring originally exposed to a high-fat diet were fed a normal diet up to 85 postnatal days (PND 85). We examined kisspeptin/Kiss1-receptor and neurokinin B/neurokinin3-receptor immunoreactivity (IR) in the arcuate nucleus of the pups. The onset of puberty in the high-fat group was significantly earlier than the control group. At the onset of puberty, the densities of kisspeptin and neurokinin B IR cells were significantly higher in the high-fat diet group than in the control group; however, the densities of KISS1 and neurokinin 3-receptor IR cells did not differ between the two groups. At PND 85, the density of kisspeptin and neurokinin B IR cells did not differ between control and high fat group. The density of densities of KISS1 and neurokinin 3-receptor IR cells also did not differ between groups at this stage. These data suggest that a high-fat diet can influence puberty onset and the immunoreactivity of kisspeptin and neurokinin B. These effects can be modified by dietary control.

Análisis de la dieta consumida por niños y niñas en educación inicial durante la rutina diaria

El estudio tuvo como objetivo analizar los resultados encontrados a partir de la exploración de la dieta que consumen los niños de 3 a 6 años y la dieta balanceada recomendada para un niño en edad preescolar según el Instituto Nacional de Nutrición (INN). Se fundamenta en las bases de la Nutrición Infantil en concordancia con el nivel de Educación Inicial venezolana, las indicaciones nutricionales del INN, la Teoría Psicogenética de Piaget y su relación con la nutrición para la etapa preoperacional. El estudio es de tipo descriptivo, basado en un estudio transversal de muestras representativas con fundamento en el tipo de investigación de campo. En su diseño es no experimental, transeccional con una muestra intencional o no probabilística conformada por niños y niñas de educación inicial entre 3 y 6 años de edad, cursantes del Preescolar y que no están inscritos en el servicio interno de alimentación. Se abordó la muestra a través de instrumentos de escala de estimación, registro anecdótico y toma de notas obteniendo los siguientes hallazgos: el consumo del Grupo de Grasas y Aceites Vegetales representado por alimentos de tipo de cocción “fritura” y el Grupo de Azúcar, Miel y Papelón representados por alimentos de tipo “golosina”, predominaron en la dieta de los estudiantes de una manera pronunciada en relación a los otros grupos de alimentos observados los cuales se registraron entre los parámetros recomendados por las fuentes teóricas.

Body fat affects mouse reproduction, ovarian hormone release, and response to follicular stimulating hormone

We investigated the effects of body fat content on mouse fecundity, ovarian hormone release, and their response to follicle stimulation hormone (FSH). 4 types of females were produced: lean (group 1), normal (group 2), slightly fat (group 3), and significantly fat (group 4). The body weights, fat content, fertility rate, embryo number produced, retarded and degenerated embryo percentage, the release of progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) by isolated ovaries cultured with and without FSH (1.0IU/mL medium) were evaluated. A gradual increase in body weight and fat contents from groups 1 to 4 was observed. Group 2 had higher fertility rate than those from the other groups. Groups 2 and 3 had fewer retarded and degenerated embryos that those from groups 1 and 4. Embryo production rate was not different among the groups. P4 and T secretion was higher from group 4 than in those from groups 1–3; secretion of IGF-I of group 3 was less than that of groups 1, 2, and 4. FSH promoted ovarian T output in all groups and stimulated ovarian P4 release in groups 1, 3, and 4, but not in group 2. FSH did not affect IGF-I release in any group. Therefore, both malnutrition and overfeeding can affect body weight and fat content in female mice, reducing embryo quality or developmental capacity, but not fertility and embryo production. Excess weight or fat can have stimulatory effects on ovarian P4 and T, but inhibitory effects on ovarian IGF-I release. Both leanness and excess weight or fat can induce the stimulatory action of FSH on ovarian P4.

All‑trans retinoic acid reduces endothelin‑1 expression and increases endothelial nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation in rabbits with atherosclerosis.

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is a natural derivative of vitaminA that ameliorates atherosclerosis(AS) by regulating inflammatory factors. However, studies concerning the role of retinoic acid in artery endothelial function are rare. Therefore, the present study investigated its role in regulating the production of endothelin‑1(ET‑1) and nitric oxide (NO) in rabbits with AS. The rabbits were randomly divided into 3groups: The control group was administered an ordinary diet, while the high fat group and the ATRA drug intervention group were administered a high fat diet. After 12weeks, the blood lipid levels of rabbits, the morphological structure of the arterial wall, the arterial intimal permeability, the activity of blood endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the level of plasma NO were investigated. Western blot analysis was used to detect the levels of ET‑1, eNOS and eNOS phosphorylation at Ser‑1177 (p‑eNOS), and a radioimmunoassay was performed to detect the level of ET‑1 in the plasma. It was identified that plaque formation was alleviated in the ATRA group compared with the high fat group, as revealed by hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O staining, and a similar trend was reflected in the immunofluorescence results for endothelial permeability. Western blotting demonstrated significantly decreased ET‑1 expression levels in the arterial tissue of rabbits in the ATRA group compared with the high fat group, together with increased p‑eNOS level (P<0.05), however, no difference was observed in the expression of eNOS (P>0.05). The trends observed for ET‑1 and the activity of eNOS in plasma were similar to those for arterial tissue. Therefore, the present study demonstrated that ATRA may regulate the grade of AS by the reduction of ET‑1 secretion and increased NO formation via increased phosphorylation of eNOS. ATRA provides a potential novel method for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

A multi-center prospective study randomizing the use of fat emulsion in intensive glucose control after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using a myeloablative conditioning regimen

Although parenteral nutrition (PN) is often used after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), there is controversy regarding PN management, for instance in the use of fat emulsion and glucose control (GC). To clarify these issues, we conducted a multi-center prospective study with intensive GC, randomizing the use of fat emulsion after allo-HSCT using a myeloablative conditioning regimen. The primary endpoint was the cumulative incidence of documented infectious disease, namely bacterial and fungal infection, at day 100 after allo-HSCT. Between August 2007 and March 2012, we enrolled 81 patients at 5 centers. Excluding 5 ineligible patients, 76 patients received the protocol treatment. The target fasting glucose level was 80-110mg/dL. The median follow-up of surviving patients was 1796 days. The cumulative incidences of documented infectious disease at day 100 were 16% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6-29%) in the no-fat group and 19% (95% CI 8-32%) in the fat group, indicating no significant difference. The mean glucose level at 28 days after allo-HSCT was 107mg/dL in the no-fat group and 111mg/dL in the fat group. Grade 3 hyperglycemia (>250mg/dL) and grade 3 hypoglycemia (<40mg/dL) occurred in 4 patients each (5.3%). Overall survival and non-relapse mortality rates at 4 years were 75% and 11% in the no-fat group and 69% and 8% in the fat group, respectively. Irrespective of the use of fat emulsion, the long-term clinical outcomes of the enrolled patients were favorable under intensive GC. To further clarify the benefits of GC after allo-HSCT, a prospective study randomizing the level of GC is warranted.

How high-fat diet and high-intensity interval training affect lipid metabolism in the liver and visceral adipose tissue of rats

Lipogenic and lipolytic pathways are tightly regulated by nuclear receptors and binding proteins, such as farnesoid x receptor (FXR) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c). We designed this research to study the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and high-fat diet (HFD) on hepatic and adipose FXR and SREBP-1c gene expression beside the plasma levels of lipid profile and insulin. 24 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal (~12% fat) and HFD (~56% fat) groups with or without participating in the 8 weeks HIIT protocol. Results from two-way ANOVA and Pearson tests (P&lt;0.05) showed that the HFD rats experienced a larger weight gain correlated with dyslipidemia and hyperinsulinemia, higher hepatic and adipose SREBP-1c expression and lower hepatic FXR expression compared with normal diet fed rats. Although HIIT rats showed higher hepatic FXR and lower hepatic and adipose SREBP-1c expression and lower weight gain compared with untrained rats, plasma lipid profile levels had not any significant difference between trained and untrained rats. Interestingly, hepatic FXR expression was negatively correlated with weight gain and SREBP-1c expression in both tissues while only the hepatic SREBP-1c was positively correlated to insulin levels. In conclusion, HFD-induced dyslipidemia could occur via the activation of the hepatic SREBP-1c pathway under the insulin effect. Although HIIT rats showed lower SREBP-1c correlated to hepatic FXR activation it seems diet is more effective on lipid profile than HIIT. Also, in presence of HFD, HIIT only affects adipose lipolysis.

Effect of dietary betaine on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism in blunt snout bream fed a high-fat diet.

An 8-week feeding experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary betaine levels on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and lipid metabolism in high-fat diet-fed blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) with initial body weight 4.3±0.1g [mean±SEM]. Five practical diets were formulated to contain normal-fat diet (NFD), high-fat diet (HFD), and high-fat diet with betaine addition (HFB) at difference levels (0.6, 1.2, 1.8%), respectively. The results showed that the highest final body weight (FBW), weight gain ratio (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), condition factor (CF), and feed intake (FI) (P<0.05) were obtained in fish fed 1.2% betaine supplementation, whereas feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower in the same group compared to others. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) and abdominal fat rate (AFR) were significantly high in fat group compared to the lowest in NDF and 1.2% betaine supplementation, while VSI and survival rate (SR) were not affected by dietary betaine supplementation. Significantly higher (P<0.05), plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), cortisol, and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) content were observed in HFD but were improved when supplemented with 1.2% betaine. In addition, increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in 1.2% betaine inclusion could reverse the increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) level induced by HFD. Based on the second-order polynomial analysis, the optimum growth of blunt snout bream was observed in fish fed HFD supplemented with 1.2% betaine. HFD upregulated fatty acid synthase messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and downregulated carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein mRNA expression; nevertheless, 1.2% betaine supplementation significantly reversed these HFD-induced effects, implying suppression of fatty acid synthesis, β-oxidation, and lipid transport. This present study indicated that inclusion of betaine (1.2%) can significantly improve growth performance and antioxidant defenses, as well as reduce fatty acid synthesis and enhance mitochondrial β-oxidation and lipid transportation in high-fat diet-fed blunt snout bream, thus effectively alleviating fat accumulation in the liver by changing lipid metabolism.

Importance of medium chain fatty acids in animal nutrition

Fats in animal and human nutrition are a common subject of research. These studies most often pay attention to particular fat groups (saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated fats or fats grouped by the length of their fatty acid chains into short, medium or long chain fatty acids). Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have two main sources: milk and coconut oil. To date, research has shown these acids have positive effects on health, production, feed digestibility and lower body and muscle fats in broilers and swine. MCFAs possess antibacterial, anticoccidial and antiviral effects. Also, it has been proven that these acids act synergistically if they are used together with organic acids, essential oils, or probiotics. Nowadays, commercial MCFA products are available for use in animal nutrition as feed additives.

The Beneficial Effect of Anthocyanidin-Rich Vitis vinifera L. Grape Skin Extract on Metabolic Changes Induced by High-Fat Diet in Mice Involves Antiinflammatory and Antioxidant Actions.

We hypothesized that a polyphenol-rich extract from Vitis vinifera L. grape skin (GSE) may exert beneficial effects on obesity and related metabolic disorders induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). C57/BL6 mice were fed a standard diet (10% fat, control, and GSE groups) or an HFD (60% fat, high fat (HF), and HF + GSE) with or without GSE (200 mg/kg/day) for 12 weeks. GSE prevented weight gain; dyslipidemia; insulin resistance; the alterations in plasma levels of leptin, adiponectin, and resistin; and the deregulation of leptin and adiponectin expression in adipose tissue. These beneficial effects of GSE may be related to a positive modulation of insulin signaling proteins (IR, pIRS, PI3K, pAKT), pAMPK/AMPK ratio, and GLUT4 expression in muscle and adipose tissue. In addition, GSE prevented the oxidative damage, evidenced by the restoration of antioxidant activity and decrease of malondialdehyde and carbonyl levels in muscle and adipose tissue. Finally, GSE showed an anti-inflammatory action, evidenced by the reduced plasma and adipose tissue inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6). Our results suggest that GSE prevented the obesity and related metabolic disorders in HF-fed mice by regulating insulin sensitivity and GLUT4 expression as well as by preventing the oxidative stress and inflammation in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effects of different spices and fat types on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines in barbecued sucuk.

Sucuk is one of the popular traditional Turkish meat products. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of different spices (clove, 0.2%; cinnamon, 0.5%) and animal fat types (beef fat, tallow, subcutaneous and tail fat) on the formation of heterocyclic aromatic amine (HCA) in barbecued sucuk. Although 2-amino-3-methyl-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (MeAαC) could not be detected in the any of the samples, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (IQx) (up to 0.54 ng g-1 ), 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) (up to 5.96 ng g-1 ), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) (up to 0.21 ng g-1 ), 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ) (up to 0.34 ng g-1 ), 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx) (up to 0.32 ng g-1 ), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (4,8-DiMeIQx) (up to 0.19 ng g-1 ), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) (up to 1.94 ng g-1 ) and 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AαC) (up to 0.98 ng g-1 ) were found in the barbecued sucuk samples. The results of the current study have shown that HCAs could be formed in barbecued sucuk. Total HCA can be affected by adding different fat types; however, adding clove and cinnamon decreased the total HCA content in the subcutaneous fat group of sucuk samples. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, suppresses CXCL5 and SDF-1 and does not accelerate intestinal neoplasia formation in ApcMin/+ mice fed a high-fat diet.

The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and intestinal neoplasia has been shown epidemiologically. A high-fat diet (HFD) is also known to promote insulin resistance, which is a risk factor for intestinal neoplasia. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are used in the clinic for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and also to prolong the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). However, since the intestinotrophic hormone GLP-2 and chemokines, such as CXCL5 and stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), are also substrates of DPP-4, DPP-4 inhibitors may increase the risk of intestinal carcinogenesis. In this study, we evaluated the impact of a DPP-4 inhibitor on intestinal tumorigenesis in ApcMin/+ mice fed a HFD. Six-week-old male ApcMin/+ mice were randomized to either a normal diet (10 kcal% fat) group, a HFD (60 kcal% fat) group, or a HFD group treated with sitagliptin (STG). The mice were euthanized nine weeks after the start of treatment. Daily treatment with STG did not increase number of intestinal tumors in the HFD group; however, this increase was not statistically significant. The mucosal concentration of total GLP-2 was significantly increased in the HFD group. The chemokine protein array showed elevated plasma concentrations of CXCL5 and SDF-1 in the HFD group. The administration of STG significantly suppressed the levels of plasma CXCL5 and SDF-1 in mice fed a HFD. Since CXCL5 expression is increased in patients with type 2 diabetes, and GLP-2, CXCL5 and SDF-1 are associated with tumor progression, DPP-4 inhibition may have potential as an agent for decreasing the risk of cancer in obese or diabetic patients.

Dietary and lifestyle disease indices and caecal microbiota in high fat diet, dietary fibre free diet, or DSS induced IBD models in ICR mice

To examine the relationship between multiple lifestyle related diseases and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ICR mice were fed normal chow (CE-2), CE-2 with dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) in drinking water, a high fat diet (Quick Fat), or a fibre-free diet (AIN-76(-)). The plasma LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio was generally higher in the AIN-76 (-) and DSS groups. Shortening of the colon, an indicator of IBD, was prominent in the AIN-76(-) group. Damage of colon epithelial cells and layers was considerable in the DSS group, and was also observed in the Quick Fat and AIN-76(-) groups. Gram staining of caecal contents revealed that sporulation was promoted by DSS. The 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing of caecal contents showed that the Firmicutes/Bacterioidetes ratio (F/B) was considerably high in the AIN-76(-) group. In addition to Turicibacter and Bacteroides, Akkermansia muciniphila, which reportedly ameliorates obesity and increases the immune reaction, was high in the DSS group.

English

An experiment was conducted to evaluate fat sources on growth performance, excreta microbiology and noxious gas emissions in broilers. Experimental birds were reared for 5 weeks and divided into two periods: Starter (0 to 3 weeks) and finisher (4 to 5 weeks). A total of 150 one day old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into five treatments with five replications (six birds per replicate) following a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments included FT1 (corn-soybean meal based basal diet with soybean oil), FT2 (corn-soybean meal based basal diet with chicken fat), FT3 (corn-soybean meal based basal diet with tallow), FT4 (corn-soybean meal based basal diet with tallow and lard) and FT5 (corn-soybean meal based basal diet with pork fat/lard). Overall body weight gain and feed intake did not differ due to addition of different dietary fat sources in broiler diet; however, feed conversion ratio was better in FT1 fed group in comparison to other fat groups (P<0.10). The result of the serum immunoglobulins data indicated that, a significant elevation of serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) was observed after dietary addition of FT1, FT2 and FT5 relative to FT4 (P<0.05) Excreta pH did not differ, however, yeast and mold count was highest in FT4 and FT5 relative to FT1 and FT3 (P<0.05). Excreta noxious gas emissions (NH3, H2S and SO2) were lower in FT1 and FT2 in comparison to other fat groups (P<0.05). Overall, the results of the present study suggested that FT1 and FT2 can be prioritized in the diet of broilers with positive influence on body weight gain and feed efficiency, and substantial reduction of noxious gas emissions. Further detail study could be conducted to investigate the single and combination of different dietary fats (with different ratio) on performance and meat quality indices. Key words: Broilers, growth performance, immunity, noxious gas emissions.

Anti-atherosclerotic Effects of Eurycoma Longifolia (Tongkat Ali) in Rats Fed on High-fat Diet

Atherosclerosis in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a growing health problem, especially in developing countries. Hyperlipidemia is known as a dominant risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Eurycoma Longifolia (EL) also known as Malaysian Ginseng/ Tongkat Ali on the testosterone level, biochemical changes of lipid profile and intima media thickness (IMT) in rats fed on high-fat diet. Twenty young, adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were housed for 12 weeks. After one week of acclimatization, they were randomly divided into four groups of 5 animals each and treated for 12 weeks as follow: Group ND was given only normal diet, group NDEL was given normal diet and EL extracts (15mg/kg) dissolved in distilled water, group HFD was given only high fat diet and group HFDEL was given high fat diet and EL extracts (15mg/kg). Rats which were treated with EL (NDEL and HFDEL) showed a significant increase (p&lt;0.05) in the testosterone levels. There was a significant decrease (p&lt;0.05) in triglyceride (TG) in HFDEL group compered to HFD group. The histological sections of aortas revealed a significant decrease (p&lt;0.05) in IMT in HFDEL as compared with HFD group. No histological changes were observed in NDEL group compared with ND group and there was no significant difference in IMT values between NDEL and ND. These findings suggest that EL is a promising protective agent against atherosclerosis induced by high-fat diet.

A high-fat diet can affect bone healing in growing rats.

A high-fat diet (HFD) can have a negative effect on bone quality in young and old people. Although bone healing in children is normally efficient, there is no evidence that children who have a diet rich in fat have compromised bone fracture regeneration compared with children with recommended dietary fat levels. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of an HFD on bone healing in growing female rats. Twenty-six postweaning female Wistar rats were divided into two groups (13 animals per group): a standard diet (SD) group and an HFD (with 60% of energy from fat) group. The rats received the assigned diets for 5weeks, and in the third week they were submitted to an osteotomy procedure of the left tibia. Body mass and feed intake were recorded during the experiment. One day before euthanasia, an insulin tolerance test was performed. After euthanasia, the tibiae were removed and analyzed by densitometry, mechanical testing, histomorphometry, stereology and immunohistochemistry. An HFD caused an adaptive response to maintain energetic balance by decreasing feed intake and causing insulin insensitivity. There was no change in bone mineral density, collagen amount and immunostaining for bone formation, but maximal load and stiffness were decreased in the HFD group. In addition, bone volume had a tendency to be higher in the SD group than in the HFD group. Compared with rats receiving an SD, growing rats receiving an HFD for 5weeks had similar bone mineral density but altered mechanical properties at the osteotomy defect site.

POMC and NPY mRNA expression during development is increased in rat offspring brain from mothers fed with a high fat diet

Developmental programing is influenced by perinatal nutrition and it has long-lasting impacts on adult metabolism in the offspring. In particular, maternal high fat diet has been associated with increased risk of obesity and metabolic disorders during adulthood in the descendants. These effects may be due to the effects of the high fat diet on the development of the systems that regulate food intake and energy balance in the offspring hypothalamus. The arcuate nucleus (ARC) may be a particularly sensitive region to it as this nucleus contains the POMC and AgRP/NPY neurons that integrate the melanocortin system. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal high fat diet during pregnancy on the transcription factors that regulate hypothalamic development in the offspring as a potential mechanism that may result in altered neuronal expression of POMC, NPY and/or AgRP. To this end, pregnant females exposed to high fat diet (60% fat diet since day 0 of pregnancy) or standard rat chow were sacrificed on days 12, 14, 16 and 18 of gestation to obtain brains from their developing fetuses and examine the mRNA expression of transcription factors associated with the development of cells in the ARC. Results show that, while no changes in transcription factor expression between groups were observed, POMC and NPY mRNA expression were higher on embryonic day 18 in the high fat group. These results suggest that POMC and NPY expression are altered by in utero exposure to a high fat diet, but these changes in gene expression are not associated with changes in the expression of transcription factors known to determine the fate of ARC cells.

Impact of a Weight Management Intervention on Eating Competence: Importance of Measurement Interval in Protocol Design.

To examine changes in eating competence (EC) in 12-month weight loss intervention. Randomized, parallel-arm with weight loss phase (baseline to month 4) and weight-maintenance phase (months 4-12). Face-to-face in University classrooms, supervised and self-directed fitness sessions at University fitness center, and home. Premenopausal, mostly college-educated Pennsylvania women, body mass index >25 (n = 101). Twenty-eight, 1-hour classes tailored for extremes of the Dietary Guidelines' fat recommendations, based on social cognitive theory, problem-based learning delivery over 12 months. Exercise component included supervised and self-directed stretching, aerobics, and strength training. Anthropometrics, lipid profile, blood pressure, 24-hour dietary recalls, cognitive behavioral measures, Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI). General linear model repeated measures analysis of variance for outcome variables. A total of 40% (n = 40) completed the ecSI. Overall, education and supervised exercise session attendance were 77% and 88%, respectively. Similar weight loss for lower and moderate fat groups (6.7 kg and 5.4 kg). The EC was unchanged baseline to month 4 but increased significantly from months 4 to 12, baseline to month 12 for both groups. The EC change baseline to month 12 was inversely associated with weight change from baseline to months 4 and 12. Weight management interventions, likely to introduce concerns with eating attitudes, behaviors, and foods, can reduce EC. Short-term measurement of EC change captures these consequent adjustments without opportunity to regain self-efficacy. Extending the measurement interval better reflects intervention impact on EC.

Comparison of interpositional arthroplasty using dermis fat graft with gap arthoplasty (GA) in the management of temporomandibular joint ankylosis

Background: Over the past 150 years, much has been said and done as far as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathologies are concerned, of particular importance is TMJ ankylosis. It is an age old affliction that causes problems in mastication, digestion, speech, function, cosmesis, and maintenance of oral hygiene. Today, both gap arthoplasty (GA) and interpositional arthroplasty (IA) have become the acceptable standards for the primary surgical management of TMJ ankylosis. Objectives: We compared GA with IA using dermis fat with our primary outcome as maximal mouth opening, and secondary outcomes as pain during mouth opening, fate of the dermis fat graft and patient satisfaction. Methods: Twenty patients with clinical and radiological diagnosis of TMJ ankylosis were randomly divided into two groups. One group underwent GA while the other group received dermis fat as an interpositional material. Both groups were followed up to two years and maximum mouth opening was recorded. Additionally, magnetic resonance imaging was done for dermis fat group to calculate the volume of the graft. Findings: The mean mouth opening after one year of follow-up was 37.4 and 38.9 mm in IA and GA group respectively. No significant difference was found between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both the modalities are successful in surgical management of TMJ ankylosis. However, clinically, compliance of the dermis fat group in jaw exercises was found to be better than the gap arthroplasty group as suggested by lower pain scores in this group.