Modern Lifestyle Research Articles

Daylight exposure and mood in real life: Direct association and mediating role of sleep and routine regularity

ABSTRACT The light/dark cycle is the main external cue to synchronize the human biological clock. Modern lifestyles typically lead to less daylight exposure and blunted 24 h-amplitude. We evaluated the association of outdoor daylight exposure (frequency, duration, regularity and shift) with chronotype estimated by sleep phase, regularity of routines, sleep, well-being (WHO-5), and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), in a sample of 1,095 participants (81.8% female; 87.9% aged 18–49) surveyed online between July and November 2020. We analyzed direct and indirect associations in daylight-mood relationship with chronotype-estimate, routine regularity, and sleep as mediators. Outdoor daylight exposure was associated with WHO-5/PHQ-9 scores in mediation models, with higher total effects when the exposure was every day (β = 4.13 ± 0.53/ β = −3.81 ± 0.67), for more than 4 hours (β = 3.77 ± 0.91/ β = −3.83 ± 1.31) and during the morning (β = 3.41 ± 0.53/ β = −3.74 ± 0.70) in reference to lack of exposure. Chronotype-estimate, routine regularity score, and sleep problems acted as mediators, while social jetlag and sleep duration did not play an important role in this association. This study advanced the understanding of the complex interplay between light exposure, mental health, and individual characteristics of sleep and other routine regularities, and showed the benefits of optimizing daylight exposure to improve mental health.

Obesidade abdominal está associado com níveis de estresse em militares

Introduction: The modern lifestyle, marked by an intense routine and inadequate diet, contributes to the increase in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), especially obesity, which can be influenced by stress. The relationship between stress, nutritional status and NCDs lacks comprehensive studies, especially when it concerns public security professionals. Objective: To evaluate the abdominal obesity and its association with stress symptoms in military personnel in the metropolitan region of a Brazilian capital. Methods: The study is part of the "SOMA-SI" program, which investigated the health of public security agents in Espírito Santo between April and December 2022. The sample included police officers, firefighters and municipal guards (n=213). Healthy adult military personnel were included and those on leave or under psychiatric treatment were excluded. Among the variables measured were blood pressure measurements, anthropometric assessment and Lipp Stress Symptom Inventory. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) v. 25 for Windows® was used for statistical analyses. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were performed at 5% significance, exploring associations between categorical variables and differences in median stress scores. Results: The sample consisted of 216 participants, predominantly men (75.5%) and non-white (63.7%), revealing 61.6% with more than 15 years of work, 81.1% with income above six salaries minimum and 77.3% with completed higher education. Military police officers represented the majority (67.6%), with 72.2% being parents, 57.9% alcohol consumers and 9.3% smokers. The majority had excess body fat (70.8%) and weight (77.3%). Statistical associations were observed between waist perimeter and stress symptoms (p = 0.004). Conclusion: The study revealed an association between abdominal adiposity and stress in military personnel, highlighting the high incidence of stress symptoms and excess weight in the sample. Associations were also identified between blood glucose, blood pressure and demographic factors. However, it highlights the importance of more comprehensive studies to understand the impact of stress on the health of security agents.

Biodegradable and biocompatible nonisocyanate polyurethanes synthesized from bio-derived precursors

Despite the enormous use of polyurethanes (PUs) in multiple aspects of modern lifestyle, the industrial scale manufacturing of PUs uses toxic chemicals like isocyanates, phosgene till today. In addition, the non-biodegradability and non-biocompatibility of PUs and their debris are serious cause of concerns for the environment. To deal with these challenges, in the current work, a new approach is reported in which bio-derived non-isocyanate polyurethanes were synthesized by exploiting viable amino acid-based diamines and biscyclocarbonates from sebacoyl chloride and diglycerol derivatives in a readily doable process. The newly designed polyhydroxyurethanes (PHUs) exhibited remarkable biodegradability and biocompatibility (cell viability) in comparison with commercial diamine based PHUs. A series of PHUs were synthesized in bulk and solvent free green synthetic route by polycondensing library of amino acids (such as glycine, alanine, valine, and isoleucine etc.) based diamines consisting of varying alkyl chain lengths and biscyclocarbonates like sebacic biscyclocarbonate and diglycerol biscyclocarbonate etc. All the synthesized PHUs were thoroughly characterised by IR, NMR and HRMS spectroscopic techniques. The impact of chain length and molecular structure of the synthesized PHUs were also evaluated using DSC, TGA, SEC, water contact angle measurements and hydrolytic degradation studies. The molar masses of the PHUs obtained from the SEC analysis are in the range of ∼17,000–24,000 Da. The current study demonstrated that amino acids is one of the major degradation products and are biocompatible in in-vitro conditions. The PHUs and their degradable products showed excellent cell viability when studied in HEK293T cells that were carried out using microgram to milligram concentration of PHUs. The outcome of this work in comparison to conventional PHUs and polyurethanes clearly demonstrated good biocompatibility and hence drawing attention to potential applications in bio-adhesives, bio-implants, drug delivery, and green coatings etc. in the near future.

Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Circadian Rhythms

Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Circadian Rhythms

Mind the gap: Development and validation of an evolutionary mismatched lifestyle scale and its impact on health and wellbeing

Identifying an integrative framework that could appropriately delineate underlying mechanisms and individual risk/protective factors for human health has remained elusive. Evolutionary mismatch theory provides a comprehensive, integrative model for understanding the underlying causes and mechanisms of a wide range of modern health and well-being problems, ranging from obesity to depression. Despite growing interest regarding its importance though, no psychometrically-sound measure of evolutionary mismatch yet exists to facilitate research and intervention. To construct such a scale, aimed at gauging individual differences in the extent to which people's modern lifestyles are mismatched with ancestral conditions, we conducted four studies (a pilot study, followed by 3 main studies, with a final sample of 1901 participants across the main studies). Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have produced a 36-item evolutionary mismatched lifestyle scale (EMLS) with 7 subdomains of mismatched behaviours (e.g., diet, physical activity, relationships, social media use) that is psychometrically sound. Further, the EMLS is associated with physical, mental and subjective health. We explore the potential of the EMLS as a tool for examining interpersonal and cultural variations in health and wellbeing, while also discussing the limitations of the scale and future directions in relation to further psychometric examinations.

Effects of recycled waste on the modulus of elasticity of structural concrete

Concrete, the construction industry’s most utilized construction material, has transformed the environment and the modern built-up lifestyle. Although concrete is a first-rate supplier to the carbon footprint, it is imperative for buildings to display sustainable characteristics. Scholars have explored techniques to lessen the carbon footprint and the way to put into effect strategic waste control plans in which waste is reused. This study explores the dual benefits wherein concrete ingredients are replaced through abandoned waste which reduces the unwanted waste materials that have a substantial carbon footprint and thus results in the recycling of waste as part of a sustainable economic system. In this study, timber ash is utilized as a partial substitute for sand and cement, crumb rubber and waste glass as a partial substitute for sand, recycled concrete, and waste glass as a substitute for gravel. Characteristics studies were done to check the influence of each waste replacement on the modulus of elasticity of concrete. More than sixty-five combinations of waste have been examined to attain the modulus of elasticity of concrete. A total of about 200 concrete cylinders were cast to provide at least three cylinders for each generated data point. Three different ASTM standards were utilized to determine the modulus of elasticity of each mix. Four mixes comprising of the combination of two waste materials and two mixes comprising of the combination of three waste materials replacing natural materials were determined to exhibit an equal or superior modulus of elasticity of the control mix of 25 GPa.

The Implementation of Banjar Regent Regulation Number 46 of 2018 in Karang Intan Sub-District

Waste is a significant problem, especially in big cities, whether it's household waste or industrial waste, it's a source of serious environmental pollution problems. The advancement of industries and the modern human lifestyle, which involves consuming more artificial products that are not easily consumable, leads to the generation of solid waste that is difficult to decompose. Banjar Regent Regulation Number 46 of 2018 on the Policy and Strategy for Household Waste Management and Similar Household Waste is an important regulation in the environmental legal context in Banjar Regency. This regulation aims to implement the provisions of Presidential Regulation Number 97 of 2017 and support Banjar Regency Regional Regulation Number 4 of 2016. This article analyzes the policy, strategy, and challenges in implementing these regulations and their impact on environmental management in the Karang Intan Sub-district area.

The uprisal of a lost endemic edible species, Micromeria cymuligera: Comprehensive elucidation of its biological activities and phytochemical composition

Bioactive plant species are gaining scientific importance daily. New natural goods with added value are encouraged by the link between health, modern and traditional lifestyles. For about 145 years, Micromeria cymuligera, a Turkish endemic, was presumed extinct. For years, no specimen of this medicinal and fragrant species has been found in the region, but rich populations have lately been found in Bingöl province, Turkey. Like other Micromeria species, M. cymuligera has been used in tea and cooking due to its powerful bioactivities and scent. This is the first study to look at the complete quantification of bioactive phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme inhibitory evaluation of the long-thought-to-be-extinct M. cymuligera species. Using a previously established and validated LC-MS/MS methodology, this study aimed to screen the bioactive phytochemicals of M. cymuligera and assess its diverse antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties. The EtOH extract of the species had substantial concentrations of rosmarinic acid (13.05 mg/g extract), quinic acid (4.57 mg/g extract), chlorogenic acid (2.34 mg/g extract), and cynaroside (2.37 mg/g extract), according to LC-MS/MS data. Furthermore, it was shown that the species had relatively high total phenolic-flavonoid contents (40.94 ± 0.38 mgGAEs/g extract and 5.13 ± 0.29 mgREs/g extract, respectively). The extract shown noteworthy activity (82.00 ± 0.74, 126.23 ± 3.43, 48.33 ± 1.36, and 35.89 ± 0.44 mgTEs/g extract in FRAP, CUPRAC, ABTS, and DPPH respectively) in all antioxidant assays when the bioactivity experiments on M. cymuligera were considered. Furthermore, of all the enzyme inhibitory tests (tyrosinase, α-amylase, α-glucosidase, BChE, and AChE), the species demonstrated outstanding inhibitory action against tyrosinase (70.80 ± 1.34 mgKAE/g extract).

Retinal Diabetopathy? Sleep Disorders, Retinal Changes, and Insulin Resistance: A Synthesized Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Sleep disturbances, particularly prevalent in modern lifestyles, have been increasingly associated with metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) (T2DM). Epidemiological evidence underscores the link between impaired sleep and elevated risks of cardiovascular diseases and mortality rates, alongside the emergence of metabolic dysregulation. Notably, conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome contribute to disrupted sleep architecture and exacerbate insulin resistance through repeated drops in blood oxygen levels during sleep. Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation, irregular sleep schedules, and shift work disrupt circadian rhythms, amplifying the risk of metabolic disorders. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles from January 2010 to October 2023 using terms such as “sleep disturbances,” “Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus,” and “retinal receptors.” Inclusion criteria covered studies on human and animal participants, comparative analyses, and reviews. Exclusion criteria ruled out nonpeer-reviewed works and those with limited population sizes. Data extraction focused on study design, populations, types of sleep disorders, metabolic effects, and retinal health impacts. Results emphasized the bidirectional relationship among these variables. The critical analytical research and review highlights the bidirectional relationship between retinal receptor dysfunction and DM, emphasizing how metabolic disturbances associated with diabetes impact retinal health, while dysfunctional retinal receptors contribute to the progression of diabetes-related complications. Insights into the role of insulin receptors in the retina and the blood–retinal barrier underscore the mechanisms through which insulin resistance compromises retinal integrity, leading to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and photoreceptor damage. The disturbed sleep can also affect the melatonin secretion, thereby affecting insulin resistance. We preliminarily have named the nexus as retinal diabetopathy. By elucidating the impact of intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation on cellular signaling and metabolism, particularly in vital organs such as muscles, liver, fat, and pancreas, the article provides a comprehensive understanding of how prevalent sleep disturbances and retinal changes contribute to the development and progression of T2DM. Overall, this research underscores the importance of addressing sleep disorders in the prevention and management of metabolic disorders.

Parental Knowledge and Practices of Sleep Hygiene Among Children in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Sleep hygiene is crucial for child development, influencing physical health, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. Parental knowledge and practices significantly influence children's sleep habits, yet gaps in understanding persist, impacting sleep quality and overall health outcomes. In Saudi Arabia, rapid societal changes and modern lifestyles pose unique challenges to maintaining healthy sleep habits among children. This study aims to assess parental knowledge and management of sleep hygiene, providing insights for targeted interventions tailored to Saudi cultural contexts. This cross-sectional study assessed parental knowledge and management of sleep hygiene among children in Saudi Arabia. Participants (N=729) were recruited from pediatric clinics and online forums, comprising parents with at least one child aged 0-18 years who completed surveys in Arabic or English. A comprehensive survey collected demographic data, parental sleep hygiene knowledge, practices, and concerns. Data were gathered between January and March 2024 via online and clinic-based distribution and analyzed using SPSS version 25 for descriptive statistics. The survey was completed by 729 participants, predominantly aged 25-44 years (70.4%), holding predominantly bachelor's degrees (34.7%), and employed full-time (49.7%). The majority reported having 2-3 children (54.9%). Findings indicated that 69.1% (504 participants) correctly identified school-aged children's sleep needs, and 71.0% (518 participants) recognized the importance of limiting electronic device use before bedtime. Sleep management practices revealed that 81.3% (592 participants) of parents adhered to bedtime routines, and 65.6% (478 participants) managed electronic device use appropriately. Bedtimes typically ranged from 7 to 9 PM for 90.5% (658 participants) of children, with wake-up times clustered between 6 and 8 AM for 75.6% (551 participants). Parental concerns showed reliance on online resources (60.4%) and pediatricians (54.7%) for sleep information, with 73.9% (539 participants) expressing interest in further education on sleep hygiene. This study highlights parental awareness of sleep hygiene practices in Saudi Arabia but underscores gaps in knowledge regarding caffeine effects and optimal napping practices. Tailored educational interventions are essential to enhance parental understanding and promote healthier sleep habits, thereby optimizing child well-being in the region.

전통차문화 진흥을 위한 캐릭터 개발

Chinese tea culture is believed to have originated during the Shennong era, with a history of at least 4700 years. Despite its rich cultural heritage, tea is mainly enjoyed by the middle-aged and elderly. To expand its market and pass on tea culture to younger generations, this study focuses on developing cultural characters based on the intangible cultural heritage of “Tea Baixi”.The study began with a review of relevant materials and literature on “Tea Baixi”. It then analyzed the character traits favored by Generation Z, using five award-winning cultural characters from China’s annual IP selection. These insights were used to create character sketches, which were evaluated through surveys based on originality, approachability, diversity, consistency, and interest inducement, leading to feasible character designs.This research creatively reinterprets “Tea Baixi”, linking traditional culture with modern lifestyles through innovative character design. It aims to offer new perspectives for cultural transmission and explore the application of character design in cultural heritage preservation and innovation.

Intermittent Fasting & Homoeopathy

The article focuses on the age old concept of Ayurveda where it is advised to start eating with the rising sun & to stop eating with the setting sun. Thus, a fasting of 8 hours per 24 hours is advised. With the modern day life style, night eating & drinking came back & thus the comeback of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD). As the NCDs surged, the concept of Intermittent Fasting (IF) emerged since the process of IF led to weight loss & positive changes in the body. The current article sees the role of Homoeopathy of the AYUSH system in the process of IF. Those adopting the process of IF may use the therapeutic system of homeopathy to optimize the benefits of IF. After discussing the various modalities of IF, a homoeopathic treatment protocol is suggested on the lines of the markers mentioned above. The article aspires that this integration will help the nation to deal with the current menace of NCDs.

Comprehensive Survey on Fault Detection and Classification in Three-Phase Induction Motors

Electric motors have revolutionized the way of human living and resulted in the modern lifestyle. These motors often operate in corrosive and dusty places and are exposed to a variety of undesirable conditions and situations that result in the failure of the motor. The faults occurring in Induction Motors (IM) need to be detected at a proper time for avoiding losses and further consequences. A well-designed fault detection scheme not only reduces motor failure but also increases productivity and even sometimes avoids accidents. This paper presents a review of fault detection and classification techniques in three-phase induction motors (TPIM). The main theme of this paper is to revisit the conventional methods for fault detection in TPIM and compare them with recently published methods based on parameters to be sensed, and the type of fault that can be detected, with their advantages and drawbacks. Around a hundred papers are critically reviewed and studied from old and new regimes. Attention is also given to fault detection methods based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This paper concludes with brief remarks which will be very useful for new researchers who are willing to research in the domain of fault detection and classification.

Online Education on the Development of Functional Foods and the Nutrients Encapsulation

The modern society lifestyle triggers a tendency for people to consume fast food with high-calorie, low-nutrient, and low-fiber. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, society is becoming more aware of maintaining health by consuming healthy and nutritious foods. Therefore, the target of this educational webinar program was educated individuals in the education sector, and they were expected to influence their surrounding communities to adopt healthy eating patterns through the consumption of functional foods. Oil-in-water (O/W) food emulsions such as milk, mayonnaise, and creamer are widely consumed in processed foods. The development of Fiber CrèmeTM creamer as a substitute for milk/coconut milk, which is low sugar, trans-fat-free, and high fiber, has been produced by PT. LNK to enhance the taste of processed foods and beverages. Compounds such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants can be encapsulated within the emulsion system, such as using Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) in creamer products. This webinar was attended by 103 participants, with 80% coming from the education sector. The participants' high level of knowledge and awareness was reflected through online questionnaires and comments. This educational webinar encourages the community to sustainably enhance body immunity by consuming functional foods.

Factors influencing the occurrence of the House Sparrow Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves: Passeriformes: Passeridae) in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India

The present study aims to understand key factors influencing the House Sparrow population across different habitat scales in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India. Correspondingly, different variables such as changes in habitat composition, sound levels, and density of mobile phone base stations were considered with reference to the occurrence of the House Sparrows across the study area. During the study period (December 2016 to November 2018), the number of House Sparrows was recorded through point count without distance estimate method. Non-parametric tests were employed to assess variations in different variables and their correlation with the presence of House Sparrows, revealing that changes in local habitat composition significantly influence their occurrence. Shrubby vegetation, cowsheds, and old/traditional structures emerged as crucial predictors positively impacting House Sparrow’s presence, particularly in urban areas where suitable habitat patches are scarce due to urbanization and modern lifestyles. The decline in these habitats has significantly impacted House Sparrow populations. To counter this decline, implementing strategies like providing artificial nest sites is being considered. However, it’s crucial to ensure that there are adequate shelter and food resources available to effectively conserve the species.

Preventing enzymatic browning of freshly cut green bananas through immersion in normal water, lemon juice, and coconut water

AbstractThe rising demand for freshly cut agricultural produce like bananas, apples, pears, potatoes, and roots due to health concerns and modern lifestyles has heightened awareness of their susceptibility to browning, which diminishes their appeal and contributes to food waste. The present study explored the efficacy of natural anti‐browning agents in prolonging the quality and shelf‐life of freshly cut green banana slices. The bananas underwent treatment with normal water (NW), lemon juice (LJ), and coconut water (CW), and the changes in physicochemical properties, such as browning intensity, color, firmness, total soluble solid (TSS), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and also microbial attributes, were evaluated during their storage at 4 ± 1°C for 12 days. The results demonstrated significant enhancements in treated samples compared to untreated ones. While normal water and lemon juice‐treated banana slices exhibited visual browning during storage, coconut water immersion proved superior in maintaining visual appeal, whiteness, and lightness while delaying yellowing and browning. Coconut water‐treated samples also displayed firmer texture (0.75 kg), lower TSS (5.67 °Brix), and reduced weight loss (9.14%) after 12 days, in contrast to samples subjected to lemon juice and normal water treatments which showed lesser texture (0.68 kg, 0.58 kg), higher TSS (5.87 °Brix, 6.10 °Brix), and greater weight loss (11.76%, 16.09%), respectively. Furthermore, coconut water‐treated samples retained higher levels of total phenols (392.67 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalent)/100 g FW (fresh weight), total flavonoids (55.67 mg QE (quercetin equivalent)/100 g FW), and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity (38.68%). Coconut water treatment also significantly suppressed polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity (14 U/g) compared to lemon juice (16 U/g) and normal water (26 U/g) treatments, and untreated samples (133 U/g) after 12 days. Additionally, microbial load remained within acceptable limits for all samples, with coconut water‐treated samples showing the lowest values. Thus, coconut water is a promising natural solution for inhibiting browning and preserving the quality of fresh‐cut green banana slices during storage.

A synbiotic of Anaerostipes caccae and lactulose prevents and treats food allergy in mice

Depletion of beneficial microbes by modern lifestyle factors correlates with the rising prevalence of food allergies. Re-introduction of allergy-protective bacteria may be an effective treatment strategy. We characterized the fecal microbiota of healthy and food-allergic infants and found that the anaerobe Anaerostipes caccae (A.caccae) was representative of the protective capacity of the healthy microbiota. We isolated a strain of A.caccae from the feces of a healthy infant and identified lactulose as a prebiotic to optimize butyrate production by A.caccae invitro. Administration of a synbiotic composed of our isolated A.caccae strain and lactulose increased luminal butyrate in gnotobiotic mice colonized with feces from an allergic infant and in antibiotic-treated specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice, and prevented or treated an anaphylactic response to allergen challenge. The synbiotic's efficacy in two models and microbial contexts suggests that it may be a promising approach for the treatment of food allergy.

Effects of Liquid Fructose Supplementation and Chronic Unpredictable Stress on Uterine Contractile Activity in Nonpregnant Rats.

Increased fructose consumption and chronic stress, the major characteristics of modern lifestyle, impact human health; however, the consequences of their combination on the uterus remain understudied. In this study, we investigated contractile activity, morphology, and intracellular activity of antioxidant enzymes in uteri from virgin Wistar rats subjected to liquid fructose supplementation and/or unpredictable stress over 9 weeks. Contractile activity and uterine response to oxytocin or adrenaline were examined ex vivo using isolated bath chambers. Fructose supplementation, irrespective of stress, affected uterine morphology by increasing endometrium while decreasing myometrium volume density, attenuated uterine response to increasing doses of oxytocin, and increased glutathione peroxidase activity. Stress, irrespective of fructose, attenuated dose-dependent adrenaline-induced uterine relaxation. Stress, when applied solely, decreased mitochondrial superoxide dismutase activity. In the combined treatment, irregular estrous cycles and both reduced response to oxytocin and to adrenaline (as a consequence of fructose consumption and exposure to stress), along with fructose-related alteration of uterine morphology, were detected. In conclusion, fructose and stress affect uterine contractile activity, irrespective of each other, by inducing completely distinct responses in isolated uteri. In the combined treatment, the effects of both factors were evident, suggesting that the combination exerts more detrimental effects on the uterus than each factor individually.

Effect of Short-Term Restraint Stress on the Hypothalamic Transcriptome Profiles of Rats with Inherited Stress-Induced Arterial Hypertension (ISIAH) and Normotensive Wistar Albino Glaxo (WAG) Rats.

Emotional stress is one of the health risk factors in the modern human lifestyle. Stress exposure can provoke the manifestation of various pathological conditions, one of which is a sharp increase in the blood pressure level. In the present study, we analyzed changes in the transcriptome profiles of the hypothalamus of hypertensive ISIAH and normotensive WAG rats exposed to a single short-term restraint stress (the rat was placed in a tight wire-mesh cage for 2 h). This type of stress can be considered emotional stress. The functional annotation of differentially expressed genes allowed us to identify the most significantly altered biological processes in the hypothalamus of hypertensive and normotensive rats. The study made it possible to identify a group of genes that describe a general response to stress, independent of the rat genotype, as well as a hypothalamic response to stress specific to each strain. The alternatively changing expression of the Npas4 (neuronal PAS domain protein 4) gene, which is downregulated in the hypothalamus of the control WAG rats and induced in the hypothalamus of hypertensive ISIAH rats, is suggested to be the key event for understanding inter-strain differences in the hypothalamic response to stress. The stress-dependent ISIAH strain-specific induction of Fos and Jun gene transcription may play a crucial role in neuronal activation in this rat strain. The data obtained can be potentially useful in the selection of molecular targets for the development of pharmacological approaches to the correction of stress-induced pathologies related to neuronal excitability, taking into account the hypertensive status of the patients.

Metabolic Responses to High-Fat Feeding and Chronic Psychological Stress Combination.

High-fat diet (HFD) consumption and being exposed to daily psychological stress, common environmental factors in modern lifestyle, play an important role on metabolic disorders such as glucose homeostasis impairment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of high-fat diet (HFD) and psychological stress combination on metabolic response to chronic psychological stress in male rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into HFD, and normal diet (ND) groups and then into stress and nonstress subgroups. The diets were applied for 5 weeks, and psychological stress was induced for 7 consecutive days. Then, blood samples were taken to measure glucose, insulin, free fatty acids (FFA), and leptin and corticosterone concentrations. Subsequently, glucose-stimulated insulin release from pancreatic isolated islets was assessed. HFD did not significantly change fasting plasma glucose, insulin and corticosterone levels, whereas increased plasma leptin (7.05 ± 0.33) and FFA (p < 0.01) levels and impaired glucose tolerance. Additionally, HFD and stress combination induced more profound glucose intolerance associated with increased plasma corticosterone (p < 0.01) and leptin (8.63 ± 0.38) levels. However, insulin secretion from isolated islets did not change in the presence of high-fat diet and/or stress. HFD should be considered as an intensified factor of metabolic impairments caused by chronic psychological stress.