Period Of Intake Research Articles

Behavioral and stereological analysis of the prefrontal cortex of rats submitted to chronic alcohol intake

Alcohol consumption has been identified as a causal factor promoting changes in different molecular and cellular mechanisms resulting in neurodegeneration. This process is specific to certain brain regions and its effects on different areas of the brain can result in a variety of deleterious consequences. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) appears to be particularly sensitive to alcohol-induced neurodegeneration; this region is quite complex, as it is responsible for high order mental processes such as decision making. Thus, it is important to have precise and unbiased data of neuronal morphology parameters to understand the real effects of alcohol on the PFC. This study aimed to investigate alcohol-induced neurodegeneration in the PFC by utilizing behavioral and stereological methods. In the first phase of the study, we utilized eighteen animals, six controls and twelve alcohol-treated, that were submitted to voluntary chronic alcohol ingestion for four or eight weeks. Their brains were analyzed by design-based stereology methods to assess number and volume parameters regarding neuronal integrity in regions of the PFC (prelimbic - PL, infralimbic - IL and anterior cingulate - ACC). In the second phase of the study, six animals were utilized as controls and eight animals were submitted to the same alcohol ingestion protocol and to a behavioral decision-making test. In conclusion, our findings indicate that chronic alcohol consumption promotes a decrease in volume in the prelimbic and in the anterior cingulate, a decrease of mean neuronal volume in the anterior cingulate cortex and a decrease of total volume of neurons in the IL area. We did not observe changes in decision-making behavior in either of the two periods of alcohol intake. This shows that morphological changes occur in specific regions of the prefrontal cortex, a noble area of cognitive functions, induced by chronic alcohol consumption.

Fuzzy classifier based ingestive monitor

The observation of food intake and ingestive behavior remains an open problem that has significant implications in the study and treatment of obesity and eating disorders. A novel method of fusing a sensor and pattern recognition method was developed to detect periods of food intake based on non-invasive monitoring of chewing. A surface-type EMG electrode was used to capture the movement of the lower jaw from volunteers during periods of quiet sitting, and food consumption. These signals were processed to extract the most relevant features, identifying from 4 to 10 features most critical for classifying the type of food consumed. Fuzzy classifiers were trained to create food intake, detection models. The simplicity of the sensor may result in a less intrusive and simpler way to detect food intake. The proposed system is implemented using LabVIEW. The proposed methodology could lead to the development of a wearable sensor system to assess eating behaviors of individuals and also to calculate the quantity of food intake.

A novel probiotic, Lactobacillus johnsonii 456, resists acid and can persist in the human gut beyond the initial ingestion period

ABSTRACT Probiotics are considered to have multiple beneficial effects on the human gastrointestinal tract, including immunomodulation, pathogen inhibition, and improved host nutrient metabolism. However, extensive characterization of these properties is needed to define suitable clinical applications for probiotic candidates. Lactobacillus johnsonii 456 (LBJ 456) was previously demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory and anti-genotoxic effects in a mouse model. Here, we characterize its resistance to gastric and bile acids as well as its ability to inhibit gut pathogens and adhere to host mucosa. While bile resistance and in vitro host attachment properties of LBJ 456 were comparable to other tested probiotics, LBJ 456 maintained higher viability at lower pH conditions compared to other tested strains. LBJ 456 also altered pathogen adhesion to LS 174T monolayers and demonstrated contact-dependent and independent inhibition of pathogen growth. Genome analyses further revealed possible genetic elements involved in host attachment and pathogen inhibition. Importantly, we show that ingestion of Lactobacillus johnsonii 456 over a one week yogurt course leads to persistent viable bacteria detectable even beyond the period of initial ingestion, unlike many other previously described probiotic species of lactic acid bacteria.

Study of intake manifolds of an internal combustion engine: A new geometry based on experimental results and numerical simulations

During the intake period in internal combustion engines, it has been noted that the cylinder volume is not completely occupied due to the variation of specific volume and the pressure drop along the supply system. Consequently, the volumetric efficiency in the cylinder is lowered, negatively affecting the engine power output. In this paper, numerical and experimental studies were performed to investigate different geometries of intake manifolds of internal combustion engines, with the aim of improving its efficiency. The numerical solutions were obtained through a 1D commercial code (GT-Power®) which solves the one-dimensional equations of continuity, momentum and energy, using a finite volume scheme. An experimental set-up was built and mass flow rate and pressure measurements of the intake air were carried out. The set-up is composed by an internal combustion engine, driven by an electric motor, and the experiments were performed without fuel and combustion. Numerical and experimental results were compared and a good agreement was found, thus confirming that the commercial code used is capable of simulating the kind of phenomena studied. Based on the Helmholtz resonator effect theory, a new intake manifold geometry was proposed. Measurements showed the novel geometry to improve the volumetric efficiency of the engine by 6% at 3500 rpm, the more common speed for this kind of engine, consequently increasing the indicated power by 3.68 kW (4.93 hp). The observed increase is worthy of note, considering the inherent difficulty to improve the volumetric efficiency near its maximum value for this type of engine, occurring around 3000 rpm.

The effects of whole milk compared to skim milk and apple juice consumption in breakfast on appetite and energy intake in obese children: a three-way randomized crossover clinical trial

BackgroundA limited number of studies have examined the effect of dairy on satiety and short-term energy intake among children; furthermore we are not aware of any study comparing high and low-fat dairy products regarding their effect on appetite and short-term energy intake. Our objective was to assess the effect skim milk (SM) compared to whole milk (WM) and apple juice (AJ) on satiety and energy intake at lunch among 10–12 y children with obesity.MethodsFifty children with obesity who aged 10–12 y were randomized to consume a fixed content breakfast with 240 ml of SM, AJ, or WM for two consecutive days. The study was a three-way randomized crossover study; therefore each participant served as his/her own control. The total appetite, hunger, fullness, desire to eat and prospective consumption were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before breakfast and every one hour after breakfast until a freely consumed lunch. VAS scores and energy intakes were compared using repeated measures procedure.ResultsForty-eight participants (24 girls and 24 boys) completed the study. The energy intake was not different between SM, AJ and WM periods (adjusted mean ± standard error (SE) of energy intake: SM = 831.27 ± 30.64 Kcal, AJ = 794.92 ± 28.72 Kcal, WM = 798.87 ± 24.09 Kcal; P = 0.56). The effect was the same for either gender. Children reported higher satiety score 4 h after drinking WM with breakfast compared with SM (P < 0.05). The same association was found only in girls. Furthermore, SM significantly reduced appetite compared to AJ, 2 h after preloads in girls (P < 0.05).ConclusionsFull-fat milk may have favorable effects on satiety but not energy intake in subsequent meal compared to skim milk among the children with obesity. Future studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results.Trial registrationThe study protocol was registered with the Iranian registry of clinical trials on 9th October 2016 (registration ID: IRCT2016072012571N5).

Effect of Different Ratio Omega-3 and Omega-6 in Total Mix Ration on Productive Performance, Blood Metabolites and Estrous Characteristic of Ewes

This study was conducted to compare the effect of different ratio of omega-3:omega-6 in total mix ration to blood metabolites and reproductive performance of ewes. A total of 25 young ewes were randomly assigned to five experimental groups and five replications : R0 (without omega-3:omega-6), R1 (omega-3:omega-6 1:8), R2 (omega-3:omega-6 1:6), R3 (omega-3:omega-6 1:3), R4 (omega-3:omega-6 1:2). The parameters measured were feed intake, productive performance, blood glucose and cholesterol pre-mating period. Parameters of characteristic estrous measured were onset of estrous, length of estrous and estrous response. The result showed that ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 1:2 have a greatest daily weight gain and feed efficiency. Ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 1:2 have blood glucose lowest, but highest blood cholesterol. Addition of omega-3 cause to delays onset of estrous. The conclusion is greatest length of estrous, estrous response and pregnacy rate on ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 1:2 in ration.

Substrate-mediated feeding and egg-laying by spotted wing drosophila: waveform recognition and quantification via electropenetrography

Substrate suitability is a key determinant of feeding and egg-laying decisions by arthropods and rigorous observation of such activities provides important management insight. Electropenetrography (EPG) was used to analyze feeding and egg-laying by the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura)) on artificial diet and strawberry fruits. Three behavioral phases were recognized on both substrates: non-probing, feeding, and egg-laying. The non-probing phase encompassed a family of waveforms consisting of resting (coded as Z), grooming (G), and walking (W). The feeding phase encompassed waveforms representing substrate dabbing (D) and ingestion (I), while the egg-laying phase encompassed abdominal probing (P) and egg-laying (L) per se. The egg-laying phase was similar on diet and strawberry. In contrast, non-probing events were more frequent, but shorter, leading to less overall non-probing on diet compared with strawberry. Dabbing was more frequent and lasted longer overall on diet, but ingestion events lasted longer on strawberry. Therefore, although the flies fed (dabbed and ingested) for longer overall on diet, each ingestion event was longer on strawberries. Our results suggest that strawberry fruits are a more suitable and preferred food source because they led to extended periods of sustained ingestion. These findings demonstrate the first application of EPG for characterizing substrate-specific feeding and egg-laying behaviors of a key phytophagous pest, offering intriguing insight into management as well as host selection behaviors.

24-h severe energy restriction impairs postprandial glycaemic control in young, lean males.

Intermittent energy restriction (IER) involves short periods of severe energy restriction interspersed with periods of adequate energy intake, and can induce weight loss. Insulin sensitivity is impaired by short-term, complete energy restriction, but the effects of IER are not well known. In randomised order, fourteen lean men (age: 25 (sd 4) years; BMI: 24 (sd 2) kg/m2; body fat: 17 (4) %) consumed 24-h diets providing 100 % (10 441 (sd 812) kJ; energy balance (EB)) or 25 % (2622 (sd 204) kJ; energy restriction (ER)) of estimated energy requirements, followed by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT; 75 g of glucose drink) after fasting overnight. Plasma/serum glucose, insulin, NEFA, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) were assessed before and after (0 h) each 24-h dietary intervention, and throughout the 2-h OGTT. Homoeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) assessed the fasted response and incremental AUC (iAUC) or total AUC (tAUC) were calculated during the OGTT. At 0 h, HOMA2-IR was 23 % lower after ER compared with EB (P<0·05). During the OGTT, serum glucose iAUC (P<0·001), serum insulin iAUC (P<0·05) and plasma NEFA tAUC (P<0·01) were greater during ER, but GLP-1 (P=0·161), GIP (P=0·473) and FGF21 (P=0·497) tAUC were similar between trials. These results demonstrate that severe energy restriction acutely impairs postprandial glycaemic control in lean men, despite reducing HOMA2-IR. Chronic intervention studies are required to elucidate the long-term effects of IER on indices of insulin sensitivity, particularly in the absence of weight loss.

Usefulness of colonic tattooing using indocyanine green in patients with colorectal tumors.

AIMTo prove that tattooing using indocyanine green (ICG) is feasible in laparoscopic surgery for a colon tumor.METHODSFrom January 2012 to December 2016, all patients who underwent laparoscopic colonic surgery were retrospectively screened, and 1010 patients with colorectal neoplasms were included. Their lesions were tattooed with ICG the day before the operation. The tattooed group (TG) included 114 patients, and the non-tattooed group (NTG) was selected by propensity score matching of subjects based on age, sex, tumor staging, and operation method (n = 228). In total, 342 patients were enrolled. Between the groups, the changes in [Delta (Δ), preoperative-postoperative] the hemoglobin and albumin levels, operation time, hospital stay, oral ingestion period, transfusion, and perioperative complications were compared.RESULTSPreoperative TG had a shorter operation time (174.76 ± 51.6 min vs 192.63 ± 59.9 min, P < 0.01), hospital stay (9.55 ± 3.36 d vs 11.42 ± 8.23 d, P < 0.01), and post-operative oral ingestion period (1.58 ± 0.96 d vs 2.81 ± 1.90 d, P < 0.01). The Δ hemoglobin (0.78 ± 0.76 g/dL vs 2.2 ± 1.18 g/dL, P < 0.01) and Δ albumin (0.41 ± 0.44 g/dL vs 1.08 ± 0.39 g/dL, P < 0.01) levels were lower in the TG. On comparison of patients in the “N0” and “N1 or N2” groups, the N0 colon cancer group had a better operation time, length of hospital stay, oral ingestion period, Δ hemoglobin, and Δ albumin results than those of the N1 or N2 group. The operation methods affected the results, and laparoscopic anterior resection (LAR) showed similar results. However, for left and right hemicolectomy, both groups showed no difference in operation time or hospital stay.CONCLUSIONPreoperative tattooing with ICG is useful for laparoscopic colectomy, especially in the N0 colon cancer group and LAR.

Central Diabetes Insipidus and Chemotherapy: Use of a Continuous Arginine Vasopressin Infusion for Fluid and Sodium Balance

Central diabetes insipidus can occur in the setting of primary or metastatic tumors that disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Usual treatment consists of water intake to replace ongoing fluid losses and desmopressin administration aimed at decreasing the urine output to enable maintenance of eunatremia without polyuria. Marked derangement in plasma sodium concentration can occur when high-volume intravenous fluid administration is required during chemotherapy to prevent nephrotoxicity, particularly if obligate fluid intake exceeds the total daily fluid intake necessary to maintain eunatremia. We developed a protocol for a rapidly titratable low-dose continuous intravenous arginine vasopressin infusion to maintain eunatremia in patients with central diabetes insipidus during periods of obligate fluid intake. We successfully maintained eunatremia in 2 patients with central nervous system lymphoma who underwent several cycles of obligate intravenous fluid administration with 5% dextrose in 0.45% sodium chloride for chemotherapy. Obligate fluid administration can result in dangerous and severe fluctuations in plasma sodium concentration in patients with central diabetes insipidus receiving conventional desmopressin therapy. The use of a rapidly titratable low-dose continuous vasopressin infusion successfully maintained eunatremia in this setting. This protocol can be replicated to prevent the wide and potentially dangerous fluctuations in plasma sodium concentration that can occur in patients with central diabetes insipidus who require high-volume intravenous fluid administration. This protocol has not been assessed among patients with impaired renal function and, thus, may not be generalizable to this population. (AACE Clinical Case Rep. 2018;4:e487-e492).

Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) on the human intestinal environment

Background: Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) is an edible seaweed. Wakame is a common food in the Japanese diet which exhibits various biological effects. Wakame is rich in dietary fiber. Despite the long history of its intake, changes in the intestinal environment following the ingestion of wakame are unclear.Methods: We examined the effect of a 2-week intake of wakame on defecation frequency and the intestinal microbiota of 22 healthy individuals suffering from low defecation frequency. The clinical trial was designed as an open-label study.Results: Defecation frequency, defined in terms of times per week, days per week, and volume per week significantly increased during the wakame intake period. Furthermore, based on terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), the fraction of bifidobacteria as a percentage of all fecal bacteria increased significantly during the wakame intake period. At the phylum, next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed that the relative abundance of Actinobacteria after wakame intake significantly increased while the abundance of Bacteroidetes decreased. Moreover, species-level analyses revealed that the abundance of Bifidobacterium longum increased significantly after wakame intake. B. longum colony counts on wakame-containing medium were significantly higher than those on medium without wakame.Conclusion: These observations suggest that wakame intake improves intestinal environment and increases the fecal population of bifidobacteria, indicating that it may have prebiotic properties.Keywords: Undaria pinnatifida; wakame; bowel movement; intestinal microbiota; fiber; Bifidobacterium

Effect of monosodium l-glutamate (umami substance) on cognitive function in people with dementia

Background/objectivesThis study assessed the effect of continuous ingestion of monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) on cognitive function and dietary score in dementia patients.Subjects/methodsThis was a single-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 159 subjects with dementia residing in a hospital or nursing home. We assigned the subjects to a group that ingested MSG thrice daily (0.9 g/dose) (MSG group; n = 79) or a group that ingested NaCl thrice daily (0.26 g/dose) (Control group; n = 80). This study consisted of a 12-week intake period, followed by a 4-week follow-up period without the ingestion of MSG or NaCl. We performed physical examination, cognitive symptom tests (the Touch Panel-type Dementia Assessment Scale (TDAS) and Gottfries–Bråne–Steen Scale (GBSS)), palatability and behaviour questionnaires, and blood tests before and after the intervention and after the follow-up period.ResultsThere were no significant differences in the TDAS and GBSS total scores between the groups before and after the intervention. However, regarding the TDAS sub-items, “the accuracy of the order of a process” did not deteriorate in the MSG group compared with that observed in the Control group (p < 0.05). At the follow-up assessment, the TDAS total scores in the MSG group showed significant improvement compared with those reported in the Control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a correlation of changes from pre-intervention to post-intervention between the TDAS and enjoyment of the meal (r = −0.299, p = 0.049).ConclusionsOur results suggest that continued ingestion of MSG has an effect on cognitive function. Furthermore, the patients with improved questionnaires about palatability survey showed greater improvement in cognitive function.

Weight loss practice, nutritional status, bone health, and injury history: A profile of professional jockeys in Korea.

[Purpose]The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of weight loss practices on nutritional status, bone health, and injury history among Korean professional jockeys.[Methods]Forty-three male jockeys completed a questionnaire to assess their weight loss practices. Of these, 10 jockeys were selected for in-depth assessment of their nutritional status, bone health, and injury history.[Results]The questionnaires revealed that 81.4% of jockeys lost weight every week mainly by dieting and/or exercising. None of the jockeys consumed enough food during the weight loss period. Two jockeys were diagnosed with osteopenia and one was diagnosed with osteoporosis. Only history of fracture showed a significant correlation with low bone mineral density. All jockeys had more than one injury experience throughout their career. Fracture was the most common type of injury, occurring during practice and/or competition and caused mainly by difficulties in handling the horses.[Conclusion]Professional jockeys in Korea use extreme weight loss methods. Their repeated periods of poor nutritional intake may result in seriously low bone mineral density, which may aggravate injuries sustained during horse races. Implementation of balanced dietary programs and delivery of health education on weight management are urgently required.

Hair EtG: Alterations in segment levels accompanying hair growth.

Hair levels of the direct ethanol biomarker ethyl glucuronide (EtG) are used to evaluate history of alcohol intake. The proximal 3 cm of the hair sample is most often analyzed and this is assumed to represent the intake of ethanol over approximately the past three months. The aim of this study was to investigate change of EtG levels during hair growth in an ethanol-abstinent period. Twenty-seven patients were recruited from an alcohol treatment clinic. A hair sample was collected after hospitalization and EtG was analyzed in the 0-3cm hair segment (T1). Another hair sample was collected after one month of abstinence and EtG was analyzed in the 1-4cm hair segment (T2), discarding the proximal 1 cm (0-1cm) of the segment. As a result of the segment choice and assuming a hair growth rate of 1 cm per month, T2 should represent roughly the same time of alcohol exposure as segment T1. The median concentration of EtG in T1 was 100pg/mg (range 7.7-1320) and the median concentration in T2 was 53.4pg/mg (range<LOQ-692). EtG concentrations decreased significantly from T1 to T2 (p=0.003) and the median change in EtG from T1 to T2 was -46.0%. This study shows decreasing EtG concentrations in most subjects in a hair segment during growth when comparing two segments that is assumed to represent roughly the same period of alcohol intake. Further research is needed to confirm if this observed decline of EtG is a result of wash-out-effects of EtG or other factors.

Age-Related Differences in Alcohol Intake and Control Over Alcohol Seeking in Rats.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by excessive and persistent alcohol use, despite adverse consequences. AUD often originates during adolescence, as do other substance use disorders. However, despite periods of excessive alcohol intake, many adolescents reduce their alcohol use by early adulthood. Brain development, social context, personality traits, and genetic makeup are thought to play an important role in these age-dependent fluctuations in alcohol use. However, studies that directly investigate age-related differences in the effects of alcohol exposure on brain and behavior are sparse. Therefore, to better understand the relationship between adolescent alcohol consumption and AUD-like behavior, this study compared the degree of control over alcohol seeking in rats that differed in terms of age of onset of alcohol drinking and in their level of alcohol consumption. We hypothesized that control over alcohol seeking is more prominent in adolescent-onset rats than in adult-onset rats, and that control over alcohol seeking is related to the consumed amount of alcohol. To test this hypothesis, alcohol seeking in the presence of a conditioned aversive stimulus was assessed after 2 months of intermittent alcohol access (IAA) in rats that consumed alcohol from postnatal day 42 (adolescence) or day 77 (adulthood). The rats were subdivided into low (LD), medium (MD), or high (HD) alcohol drinking rats, in order to assess the impact of the extent of alcohol intake on control over alcohol seeking. The adolescent-onset animals consumed slightly, but significantly less alcohol compared to the adult-onset rats. In adult-onset rats, we found that conditioned suppression of alcohol seeking, i.e., reduction of alcohol seeking by presentation of a conditioned aversive stimulus, was most pronounced in LD. By contrast, in the adolescent-onset rats, MD and HD showed increased alcohol seeking compared to LD, which was suppressed by conditioned aversive stimuli. Taken together, these findings reveal a complex relationship between the age of onset and level of alcohol intake with control over alcohol seeking, whereby adolescent rats consume less alcohol than adults. In adult rats, control over alcohol seeking is negatively related to preceding levels of alcohol intake. By contrast, adolescent rats appear to retain control over alcohol seeking, even after a history of high levels of alcohol intake.

Sodium Reduction, miRNA Profiling and CVD Risk in Untreated Hypertensives: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Sodium reduction decreases blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular mortality. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that reduction of sodium intake would change miRNA expression in hypertensive patients, and those changes would be associated with improved cardiovascular phenotypes. A whole genome RNA sequencing was performed in paired serum samples collected at the end of usual sodium intake and reduced sodium intake periods from 10 (age 56.8 ± 8.9) untreated black male hypertensives, selected from a randomized crossover trial of sodium reduction as the discovery cohort. Validation was carried out by the PCR Serum/Plasma Focus panel profiling in paired samples in all 64 (50% males, age 50.2 ± 9.5) untreated black hypertensives from the same trial. Fifteen respondent miRNAs were identified in the discovery stage. miR-143-3p was replicated. Sodium reduction up-regulated miR-143-3p. The increase in miR-143-3p was associated with the reduction of BP and arterial stiffness and the increase in skin capillary density. In conclusion, dietary sodium reduction alters circulating miRNA expressions, and those miRNA changes are associated with reduced BP and improved arterial compliance in untreated black hypertensives, suggesting that miRNA regulation may be one of the underlying mechanisms that dietary sodium regulates cardiovascular health.

Circulating micrornas in postprandial lipemia

Rationale: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide and post-prandial lipemia is a major risk factor for CVD, which is defined as the post-food intake period when triglyceride and cholesterol levels increase. Recent studies have shown that there is a relationship between lipid metabolism, postprandial lipemia and the expression of certain microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are small RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and govern complex biological pathways. So, they could be considered as potential therapeutic targets.

M1 macrophage subtypes activation and adipocyte dysfunction worsen during prolonged consumption of a fructose-rich diet

Fructose-rich diet (FRD) has been associated with obesity development, which is characterized by adipocytes hypertrophy and chronic low-grade inflammation. Interaction of adipocytes and immune cells plays a key role in adipose tissue (AT) alterations in obesity. We assessed the metabolic and immune impairments in AT in a murine obesity model induced by FRD at different periods. Adult Swiss mice were divided into groups of 6 and 10 weeks of fructose (FRD 6wk, FRD 10wk) or water intake (CTR 6wk, CTR 10wk). FRD induced increased in body weight, epidydimal AT mass, and plasmatic and liver Tg, and impaired insulin sensitivity. Also, hypertrophic adipocytes from FRD 6wk-10wk mice showed higher IL-6 when stimulated with LPS and leptin secretion. Several of these alterations worsened in FRD 10wk. Regarding AT inflammation, FRD mice have increased TNFα, IL-6 and IL1β, and decrease in IL-10 and CD206 mRNA levels. Using CD11b, LY6C, CD11c and CD206 as macrophages markers, we identified for first time in AT M1 (M1a: Ly6C+/−CD11c+CD206− and M1b: Ly6C+/−CD11c+CD206+) and M2 subtypes (Ly6C+/−CD11c−CD206+). M1a phenotype increased from 6 weeks onward, while Ly6C+/− M1b phenotype increased only after 10 weeks. Finally, co-culture of RAW264.7 (monocytes cell line) and CTR or FRD adipocytes showed that FRD 10wk adipocytes increased IL-6 expression in non- or LPS-stimulated monocytes. Our results showed that AT dysfunction got worse as the period of fructose consumption was longer. Inflammatory macrophage subtypes increased depending on the period of FRD intake, and hypertrophic adipocytes were able to create an environment that favored M1 phenotype in vitro.

Dopamine in the oval bed nucleus of the stria terminalis contributes to compulsive responding for sucrose in rats.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by periods of excessive food intake combined with subjective feelings of loss of control. We examined whether sucrose bingeing itself leads to uncontrolled or compulsive responding and whether this effect is magnified following a period of abstinence. We then assessed dopamine (DA) modulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission in the oval bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (ovBNST) as a neural correlate of compulsive responding and whether this behavioral effect could be disrupted by DA blockade in the ovBNST. Over 28 days, male Long-Evans rats (n = 8-16 per group) had access to 10% sucrose and food (12 or 24 h), 0.1% saccharin and food (12 h), or food alone (12 h). Compulsive responding was assessed following 1 or 28 days of sucrose abstinence using a conditioned suppression paradigm. Only rats given 12 h access to sucrose developed binge-like intake, manifested as copious intake within the first hour; compulsive responding was significantly elevated in this group following 28 days of abstinence. In parallel, the effect of DA on ovBNST inhibitory transmission switched from a reduction to a potentiation; the effect, although observable after 1 day, was more pronounced and sustained following 28 days of abstinence. Intra-ovBNST infusions of a DA D1 receptor antagonist (0.8 µg/µl SCH-23390) reversed the blockade of conditioned suppression, thereby confirming the causal relationship between ovBNST DA modulation of γ-aminobutyric acid transmission and alterations in conditioned suppression following binge-like intake of sucrose.

The comparison of quality of life, patient satisfaction and compliance in parenterally treated patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis

Osteoporosis and fractures due to osteoporosis cause significant morbidity and mortality. It has been shown that patients are more compliant with parenteral forms of medication. In this study we aimed to evaluate parenterally treated patients’ satisfaction, compliance and quality of life (QoL). A hundred thirteen patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis using denosumab-DEN (40), intravenous zoledronic acid-ZA (41) and ibandronic acid-IA (32) for at least 1 year were enrolled. Secondary osteoporosis, metabolic bone disease, bone metastasis, hypogonadism were defined as exclusion criteria. The demographic data, bone mineral density T scores and clinical risk factors were recorded. For QoL evaluation qualeffo-41 was applied. A 3-item questionnaire was used to evaluate the satisfaction with the medication, route and frequency of administration. Demographic data and clinical characteristics were similar ( P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in any subdomain of qualeffo-41 or total score. Most of the patients (90%) who have used DEN were satisfied with drug. However, big percent of the patients using ZA (48.8%) and IA (53.1%) were hesitant. When we evaluate the satisfaction with the route of administration 90% of DEN group was satisfied. For ZA and IA it was 46.3 and 53.1. For the frequency of administration it was 87.5, 68.3 and 43.7 for DEN, ZA, IA respectively. Regardless of the medication, QoL is affected. No medication has any superiority to the others in terms of QoL. Patients’ satisfaction is affected by both the route and frequency of administration. They are more satisfied with 6 months or 1 year intake period and with the subcutaneous form. Most of the patients in DEN group have emphasized that subcutaneous administration is fast and less invasive, like immunization. In these 3 treatment options, DEN is a step ahead in terms of patients’ satisfaction.