Increase In Weight Research Articles

Numerical investigation of wheel-rail rolling contact characteristics and damage in a high-speed turnout switch panel under a large ramp

The damage pattern on a railway line under large ramp is more complicated than that of a standard railway line. In order to investigate the influence of the complex wheel-rail contact evolution in the turnout area on the service characteristics of the switch panel under a large ramp, this paper establishes an explicit FE model of the wheel-rail rolling contact on a 40‰ slope. The performance of a train crossing the turnout and the change in mesoscopic contact behavior is then analyzed under different operating conditions. The distribution rule for wear and fatigue damage to the switch rail under a large ramp is studied, with a regulation strategy proposed for improving the service performance of the switch rail based on the results. These show that there is an obvious cyclical incremental phenomenon on the mechanical behavior at the front end of the switch rail, with uneven abrasion distributed throughout the region. The increase in axle weight, speed and friction coefficient increases the stress concentration of the switch rail and exacerbates the damage. As the train passes through the switch panel, the service life of the switch rail can be significantly improved by reducing the traction.

Associations between Antenatal Care Visit Attendance and Infant Mortality and Growth.

This study examines the association between antenatal care (ANC) attendance and infant mortality and growth outcomes. The study used data from the Nouveux-nés et Azithromycine: une Innovation dans le Traitement des Enfants (NAITRE) trial conducted in Burkina Faso. This analysis included 21,795 neonates aged 8 to 27 days who were enrolled in the trial and had ANC data available. Infants were followed until 6 months of age. The analysis adjusted for potential confounders including infant's sex, maternal age, education, urbanicity, geographic region, season (dry versus rainy), pregnancy type (singleton versus multiple), number of previous pregnancies, if the infant was breastfed, and if the facility had an onsite physician to account for level of care. We used logistic and linear regression models to evaluate the association between ANC visits and all-cause infant mortality and infant growth measurements at 6 months. There was no significant association between ANC visits and 6-month mortality. Higher ANC attendance was associated with improved growth outcomes in infants at 6 months of age. After adjusting for potential confounders, each additional ANC visit was associated with a 0.03 kg increase in mean weight, 0.07 cm increase in mean length, 0.04 SD increase in mean mid-upper-arm circumference, 0.04 SD increase in mean height-for-age, 0.04 SD mean weight-for-age, and 0.02 SD mean weight-for-length Z-scores. These mean differences were statistically significant (except for weight-for-length Z-scores) but may not be clinically meaningful. Further research is warranted to explore the relationship between ANC attendance and longer-term health outcomes among infants.

Anthropometric and performance changes in male college 15s Rugby Union student-athletes over 52 weeks using in-person training and online training supervision.

Although the physiological demands on 15s Rugby Union (RU) players have increased, researchers have suggested that the anthropometric and performance data from developing male college-age RU student-athletes remain limited. This prospective longitudinal repeated measures study aimed to examine the anthropometric and performance changes of male college-age New Zealand Rugby Otago Rugby Football Union (NZRORFU) Academy student-athletes (student-athletes), using in-person and online training supervision (IPTS and OTS, respectively). NZRORFU recruited 20 student-athletes (aged 19 to 21 years) and nine were monitored over 52 weeks. During weeks 1 through 35 (in-season), the student-athlete's weekly schedule included 25 hours of IPTS. During the remaining 17 weeks (off-season), the student-athletes followed individualized training programs with OTS. Data were collected on two anthropometric variables and nine performance variables. Over the 52 weeks, using IPTS and OTS, led to increases in both anthropometric measurements with simultaneous significant performance improvements in vertical jump/lower-body power (7.1%, P=0.005, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 54.4, 63.5), Cohen's effect size (ES) =medium, upper-body strength, bench-press (17.3%, P=0.005, 95% CI 107.4, 127.6, ES=large), and bench-pull (6.1%, P=0.034, 95% CI 90.4, 96.6, ES=large). Furthermore, performance improvements were observed in two anaerobic endurance variables, however, acceleration and speed results were slower. The use of IPTS and OTS for 52 weeks resulted in increases in body weight and skinfolds with concurrent significant improvements in the performance of VJ/lower-body power and upper-body strength, but changes in each performance variable occurred at different periods.

The opposing effect of acute and chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection on tumor development

BackgroundThe interplay between Toxoplasma gondii infection and tumor development is intriguing and not yet fully understood. Some studies showed that T. gondii reversed tumor immune suppression, while some reported the opposite, stating that T. gondii infection promoted tumor growth.MethodsWe created three mouse models to investigate the interplay between T. gondii and tumor. Model I aimed to study the effect of tumor growth on T. gondii infection by measuring cyst number and size. Models II and III were used to investigate the effect of different stages of T. gondii infection on tumor development via flow cytometry and bioluminescent imaging. Mouse strains (Kunming, BALB/c, and C57BL/6J) with varying susceptibilities to tumors were used in the study.ResultsThe size and number of brain cysts in the tumor-infected group were significantly higher, indicating that tumor presence promotes T. gondii growth in the brain. Acute T. gondii infection, before or after tumor cell introduction, decreased tumor growth manifested by reduced bioluminescent signal and tumor size and weight. In the tumor microenvironment, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell number, including their subpopulations (cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and Th1 cells) had a time-dependent increase in the group with acute T. gondii infection compared with the group without infection. However, in the peripheral blood, the increase of T cells, including cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and Th1 cells, persisted 25 days after Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cell injection in the group with acute T. gondii. Chronic T. gondii infection enhanced tumor growth as reflected by increase in tumor size and weight. The LLC group with chronic T. gondii infection exhibited decreased percentages of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and Th1 cells 25 days post-LLC injection as compared with the LLC group without T. gondii infection. At week 4 post-LLC injection, chronic T. gondii infection increased tumor formation rate [odds ratio (OR) 1.71] in both KM and BALB/c mice.ConclusionsOur research elucidates the dynamics between T. gondii infection and tumorigenesis. Tumor-induced immune suppression promoted T. gondii replication in the brain. Acute and chronic T. gondii infection had opposing effects on tumor development.Graphical

Hepatocyte-specific Selenoi deficiency predisposes mice to hepatic steatosis and obesity.

Selenoprotein I (Selenoi) is highly expressed in liver and plays a key role in lipid metabolism as a phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) synthase. However, the precise function of Selenoi in the liver remains elusive. In the study, we generated hepatocyte-specific Selenoi conditional knockout (cKO) mice on a high-fat diet to identify the physiological function of Selenoi. The cKO group exhibited a significant increase in body weight, with a 15.6% and 13.7% increase in fat accumulation in white adipose tissue (WAT) and the liver, respectively. Downregulation of the lipolysis-related protein (p-Hsl) and upregulation of the adipogenesis-related protein (Fasn) were observed in the liver of cKO mice. The cKO group also showed decreased oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and energy expenditure (p < .05). Moreover, various metabolites of the steroid hormone synthesis pathway were affected in the liver of cKO mice. A potential cascade of Selenoi-phosphatidylethanolamine-steroid hormone synthesis might serve as a core mechanism that links hepatocyte-specific Selenoi cKO to biochemical and molecular reactions. In conclusion, we revealed that Selenoi inhibits body fat accumulation and hepatic steatosis and elevates energy consumption; this protein could also be considered a therapeutic target for such related diseases.

Addition of S-servicia Dry Yeast at Different Densities and its Effect in Some Productive Traits of Quail

Background: Dry yeast is considered a food additive that is used as a probiotic. In this study, it was added to the diet of quails that were raised at different densities to enhance growth and raise production performance, especially with the high density of birds per unit area. Methods: This research was conducted in the field of poultry production, College of Agriculture and Forestry/University of Mosul, (50 days) to study the effect of adding yeast in concentrations of (0, 2, 4, 6) gram/liter of drinking water with three densities of breeding (56, 72, 88) birds/m2 for the purpose of identifying the productive performance and some characteristics that are related to egg production for quail birds. Result: Statistical analysis showed that: - Average body weight, weight gain and feed consumption increased significantly with increasing the density, while the feed conversion factor decreased with the increase of egg mass at a density of 72 birds/m2. From the other hand, the egg weight increased significantly at the density of 88 birds/m2. - Body weight and weight gain increased significantly with increasing the amount of the yeast added and the consumed feed decreased with the improvement in the feed conversion factor. Moreover, there was a significant increase in egg mass, both of the weight of egg, yolk, albumin, shell, egg length, height of yolk and albumin. - The combination 72 bird/m2 +4 gm yeast gave the best body weight, weight gain, egg mass, while the conversion factor decreased with the addition of yeast for all densities in addition to a significant increase in the weight of each of egg, yolk, albumin and the shell. The feed consumption increased significantly in the density 88 bird /m2 with different concentrations of yeast addition.

Effects on the design of aeronautical fuel cell systems by inclusion of reliability requirements

AbstractThe change towards carbon neutrality in air traffic involves a huge reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This goal is beyond reach by the step wise improvement of conventional technologies. Hence, at present a solution which gains much of attraction are electric motors and electric aircraft systems in combination with fuel cells which can be run by green hydrogen. For a holistic comparison of various concepts the consideration of reliability aspects is required even at an early stage of design. In the scope of this work methods from reliability and safety engineering will be introduced and set in context of aeronautical fuel cell systems. On that basis the consequences arising by the requirement of redundancy are investigated on a system level approach. For this purpose, a model of an aeronautical fuel cell system will be set up in order to simulate a generic flight envelope at stationary points. The fuel cell system is chosen to be central-monolithic and its components are sized for the propulsion of a regional aircraft. With the aid of the system simulation, various failure scenarios are investigated from which mitigation strategies can be derived. Finally, the baseline design will be improved in terms of redundancy in order to last in a generic failure scenario. A comparison between the baseline and improved design shows that the additional redundancy comes with the cost of 4.6% weight increase and a 2.5% drop in cruise efficiency.

The Impact of Different Catalysts on Heterogeneous Hydrogenation of Hydroxyl‐Terminated Polybutadiene

AbstractHydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) is hydrogenated using catalytic hydrogenation with HTPB as a precursor using various catalysts. The hydrogenation is carried out using iso‐propyl alcohol (IPA) and toluene as an active solvent media. The present paper used (a) charcoal, (b) palladium supported by charcoal (Pd−C), (c) palladium supported by zirconium oxide (Pd‐ZrO2), and (d) copper chromite (CC) as catalysts for hydrogenation of HTPB to study the influence on the degree of hydrogenation with respect to each catalyst. The experimental data shows that hydrogenated HTPB (HHTPB) formation is predominantly controlled by physisorption and chemical reaction with a catalyst. Various techniques like NMR, FTIR and chemical analysis are used to characterize HTPB and HHTPB. Degree of hydrogenation of HTPB is found to be higher with copper chromite when compared to other catalysts in this work. Post‐hydrogenation, no significant change in hydroxyl value and a marginal increase in molecular weight is noticed with all catalysts. HTPB and HHTPB samples are analyzed using FTIR, 1H‐NMR, and 13C‐NMR and TG‐DSC studies, and inferences are derived with respect to the change in the olefinic region, microstructural changes, molecular weight, and thermal decomposition characteristics.

The Zootechnical Performance, Health State Modulation, Morphology, and Intestinal Microbiome of Nile Tilapia Juveniles Fed with a Functional Blend of Immunostimulants Associated with a Diet High in Soybean Meal

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing feed with a functional mixture of immunomodulators, including β-glucans, nucleotides, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol, associated with a diet with lower levels of animal protein (11.5%) and higher levels of soybean meal (43.5%), on the zootechnical performance, health, hematological and immunological parameters, intestinal morphology, centesimal composition, and intestinal microbiome of juvenile Nile tilapia (initial weight 1.88 g ± 0.25 g, mean ± standard deviation). Two isocaloric and isoproteic diets (35% crude protein) were formulated, one with the inclusion of the immunostimulant functional mixture (40 kg·t−1), composed of 150 mg·kg−1 of nucleotides, 1000 mg·kg−1 of β-glucans, 1000 mg·kg−1 of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and 20 mg·kg−1 of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), and another without. The combined supplementation of nucleotides, β-glucans, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol resulted in a 59.95% increase in final weight, 64% weight gain, 66% daily gain, a 21.31% decrease in feed conversion rate, and double the retention of body protein. Supplementation also improved intestinal morphology and modulated the intestinal microbiome, increasing Chao-1 diversity. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that fish fed with both diets exhibited intact intestinal mucosal membranes. Supplementation did not alter the hematological and immunological parameters, suggesting that there was no overstimulation of the fish’s immune system. This work allows us to evaluate the effect of reducing the use of animal protein in the diets of fish, along with the effects of nucleotides, β-glucans, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol. Together, these compounds can provide fish with the necessary tools to achieve optimal health and growth.

Cladosporium psychrotolerans strain T01 enhances plant biomass and also exhibits antifungal activity against pathogens.

An increasing number of microorganisms are being identified to enhance plant growth and inhibit phytopathogens. Some Cladosporium species form beneficial associations with plants, either as endophytes or by colonizing the rhizosphere. Herein, we evaluated the influence of the Cladosporium psychrotolerans (T01 strain) fungus on the in vitro growth of Arabidopsis thaliana plantlets through direct and split interactions. After 9 days post-inoculation with C. psychrotolerans, Arabidopsis plantlets exhibited a notable increase in fresh weight and lateral roots, particularly in split interactions. Chlorophyll content increased in both plant-fungus interaction conditions, whereas the primary root was inhibited during direct interaction. We observed an increase in the GUS signal from the Arabidopsis auxin-inducible DR5:uidA marker in lateral root tips in both contact and split fungal interactions, and primary root tips in a split interaction. Arabidopsis and tomato plants cultivated in soil pots and inoculated with C. psychrotolerans (T01 strain) showed a positive effect on biomass production. GC/MS analysis detected that the T01 strain emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs), predominantly alcohols and aldehydes. These VOCs displayed potent inhibitory effects, with a 60% inhibition against Botrytis cinerea and a 50% inhibition against C. gloeosporioides. Our study demonstrates that C. psychrotolerans T01 has the potential to enhance biomass production and inhibit pathogens, making it a promising candidate for green technology applications.

Raising serum uric acid with a uricase inhibitor worsens PKD in rat and mouse models.

Humans are predisposed to gout because they lack uricase that converts uric acid to allantoin. Rodents have uricase, resulting in low basal serum uric acid. A uricase inhibitor raises serum uric acid in rodents. There were two aims of the study in polycystic kidney disease (PKD): 1) to determine whether increasing serum uric acid with the uricase inhibitor, oxonic acid, resulted in faster cyst growth and 2) to determine whether treatment with the xanthine oxidase inhibitor, oxypurinol, reduced the cyst growth caused by oxonic acid. Orthologous models of human PKD were used: PCK rats, a polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1 (Pkhd1) gene model of autosomal recessive PKD (ARPKD) and Pkd1RC/RC mice, a hypomorphic Pkd1 gene model. In PCK rats and Pkd1RC/RC mice, oxonic acid resulted in a significant increase in serum uric acid, kidney weight, and cyst index. Mechanisms of increased cyst growth that were investigated were proinflammatory cytokines, the inflammasome, and crystal deposition in the kidney. Oxonic acid resulted in an increase in proinflammatory cytokines in the serum and kidney in Pkd1RC/RC mice. Oxonic acid did not cause activation of the inflammasome or uric acid crystal deposition in the kidney. In Pkd1RC/RC male and female mice analyzed together, oxypurinol decreased the oxonic acid-induced increase in cyst index. In summary, increasing serum uric acid by inhibiting uricase with oxonic acid results in an increase in kidney weight and cyst index in PCK rats and Pkd1RC/RC mice. The effect is independent of inflammasome activation or crystal deposition in the kidney.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first reported study of uric acid measurements and xanthine oxidase inhibition in polycystic kidney disease (PKD) rodents. Raising serum uric acid with a uricase inhibitor resulted in increased kidney weight and cyst index in Pkd1RC/RC mice and PCK rats, elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the serum and kidney in Pkd1RC/RC mice, and no uric acid crystal deposition or activation of the caspase-1 inflammasome in the kidney.

Intergenerational Impact of Parental Zinc Deficiency on Metabolic and Redox Outcomes in Drosophila melanogaster.

Zinc deficiency is a common nutritional disorder with detrimental health consequences. Whether parental zinc deficiency induces intergenerational effects remains largely unknown. We investigated the effects of a combined maternal and paternal zinc deficiency on offspring's metabolic outcomes and gene expression changes in Drosophila melanogaster. The parent flies were raised on zinc-deficient diets throughout development, and their progeny were assessed. Offspring from zinc-deprived parents exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) increase in body weight and whole-body zinc levels. They also displayed disrupted glucose metabolism, altered lipid homeostasis, and diminished activity of antioxidant enzymes. Gene expression analysis revealed significant (p < 0.05) alterations in zinc transport genes, with increases in mRNA levels of dZIP1 and dZnT1 for female and male offspring, respectively. Both sexes exhibited reduced dZnT35C mRNA levels and significant (p < 0.05) increases in the mRNA levels of DILP2 and proinflammatory markers, Eiger and UPD2. Overall, female offspring showed higher sensitivity to parental zinc deficiency. Our findings underscore zinc's crucial role in maintaining health and the gender-specific responses to zinc deficiency. There is the need for further exploration of the underlying mechanisms behind these intergenerational effects.

M6A RNA Methylation and Implications for Hepatic Lipid Metabolism.

This review presents a summary of recent progress in research on the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and regulatory roles in hepatic lipid metabolism. As the most abundant internal modification of eukaryotic RNA, the m6A modification is a dynamic and reversible process of the m6A enzyme system, which includes writers, erasers, and readers. m6A methylation depressed lipid synthesis and facilitated lipolysis in liver. The depletion of m6A methyltransferase Mettl14/Mettl3 raised fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and elongase of very long chain fatty acids 6 (ELOVL6) in rodent liver, causing increases in liver weight, triglyceride (TG) production, and content in hepatocytes. FTO catalyzed m6A demethylation and the suppression m6A reader YTHDC2 promoted hepatocellular TG generation and hepatic steatosis in C57BL/6 mice through sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) signaling pathway, which upregulated the lipogenic genes FAS, SCD1, ACC, recombinant acetyl coenzyme a carboxylase alpha, and cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor-like effector C (CIDEC). Furthermore, FTO overexpression did not only enhance mitochondrial fusion to impair mitochondrial function and lipid oxidation but also promoted lipid peroxidation, accompanied by excessive TG in hepatocytes and rodent liver. Elevated m6A modification potently suppressed hepatic lipid accumulation, while the shrinkage of m6A modification arose hepatic lipid deposition. These findings have highlighted the beneficial role of m6A RNA methylation in hepatic lipid metabolism, potentially protecting liver from lipid metabolic disorders.

Aphrodisiac Potential of Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) Powder in Male Wistar Albino Rat

This study aimed to assess the aphrodisiac potential of tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) powder in male Wistar albino rats. Twenty-five male and twenty-five female rats were used for the experiment. The male rats were selected into five groups of 5 rats/group. Two groups served as normal and positive controls. Three groups were fed with feed supplemented with varying concentrations of Cyperus esculentus powder (5%, 10%, and 20%) for fourteen (14) days. After the treatment, sexual behaviors, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, nitric oxide, and some sex hormone levels were assayed. The results showed a significant variation in mount frequencies, while significant increases were observed in intromission frequency and intromission ratio as compared to the normal control. Significant increases in the body weight of both the normal control and treated groups were observed. However, the fasting blood glucose level was not altered significantly. Lipid profile levels were increased in rats fed a 20% tiger nut supplementary diet when compared with the control, whereas low-density lipoprotein was not changed significantly. Nitric oxide concentration significantly increased in the testes but decreased in the kidneys of the treated groups. The results of sex hormone levels showed a significant increase in follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone with no variation in luteinizing hormone. These results showed that Cyperus esculentus powder can improve the sexual behavior of male rats, hence giving credence to the aphrodisiac potential of Cyperus esculentus.

The effect of temperature and sand substrate in tanks on the growth and survival of the warty sea cucumber Neostichopus grammatus

ABSTRACT Water temperature and the presence of sand substrate are considered critical environmental factors affecting the growth of cultured sea cucumbers. This study investigated the effects of water temperatures and the presence or absence of sand substrate in tanks on the growth of N. grammatus fed an equal ration of abalone waste for eight weeks. Sea cucumbers with a mean weight of 8.34 g were used for the study. The treatments used in the study were Ambient water temperature + sand (A + S), Ambient water temperature without sand (A-S), Cold water temperature + sand (C + S), and Cold-water temperature without sand (C–S). The cold/constant water temperature was 16°C and was representative of winter conditions while the ambient/fluctuating water temperature fluctuated between 16.4 and 18.7 °C and was representative of spring conditions. At the end of the study, the sea cucumbers in A + S and C + S treatment groups exhibited an overall weight increase of 21.08% and 6.18%, respectively. The sea cucumbers reared in ambient water temperature exhibited significantly higher mean weight than those reared in cold water (F 1, 66 = 5.69; p = 0.02), and sea cucumbers reared with sand substrate had significantly higher mean weight compared to those without sand substrate (F 1,66 = 19.06; p = <0.001). This study has shown that growth rates of N. grammatus in tanks were higher in ambient temperatures and that stress was reduced in the presence of sand, a habitat that mimics its natural environment. This implies that sand substrate may be necessary for the farming of N. grammatus.

LC-MS/MS-based peptidomics and metabolomics reveal different metabolic patterns of common spoilage bacteria in grass carp flesh

Grass carp are highly perishable under the action of spoilage bacteria including Aeromonas rivipollensis, Pseudomonas putida, and Shewanella putrefaciens. However, the metabolic characteristics of the three bacteria in degrading fish proteins and small molecular nutrients are unclear. In this study, we used LC-MS/MS-based peptidomics and metabolomics to detect peptides and small molecular metabolites in grass carp flesh inoculated with the three bacteria. The peptidomic results showed that A. rivipollensis and S. putrefaciens induced an overall increase in the molecular weight of peptides in grass carp flesh. S. putrefaciens tended to hydrolyze peptide bonds composed of at least one hydrophobic amino acid whereas A. rivipollensis and P. putida preferred hydrolyzing Xaa-serine bonds. The metabolomic results showed that amino acid metabolism and nucleotide metabolism are among the most enriched pathways of differential metabolites. P. putida and S. putrefaciens were active in decomposing amino acids and nucleosides, respectively. Besides, lipid metabolism also plays an important role in grass carp spoilage, representing as the degradation from phosphatidylcholine to lysophosphatidylcholine by the three bacteria. To conclude, this study revealed distinct metabolic characteristics of the three bacteria in degrading proteins and small molecular metabolites, and thus contribute to the understanding of fish spoilage mechanisms.

Intrinsic and synaptic determinants of receptive field plasticity in Purkinje cells of the mouse cerebellum

Non-synaptic (intrinsic) plasticity of membrane excitability contributes to aspects of memory formation, but it remains unclear whether it merely facilitates synaptic long-term potentiation or plays a permissive role in determining the impact of synaptic weight increase. We use tactile stimulation and electrical activation of parallel fibers to probe intrinsic and synaptic contributions to receptive field plasticity in awake mice during two-photon calcium imaging of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Repetitive activation of both stimuli induced response potentiation that is impaired in mice with selective deficits in either synaptic or intrinsic plasticity. Spatial analysis of calcium signals demonstrated that intrinsic, but not synaptic plasticity, enhances the spread of dendritic parallel fiber response potentiation. Simultaneous dendrite and axon initial segment recordings confirm these dendritic events affect axonal output. Our findings support the hypothesis that intrinsic plasticity provides an amplification mechanism that exerts a permissive control over the impact of long-term potentiation on neuronal responsiveness.

Incidence, Risk Factors and Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Mid-Preterm and Late-Preterm Infants.

To evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in midpreterm and late-preterm infants born at 32 to 36 6/7 weeks of gestational age. The ophthalmic examination findings and risk factors of 5,477 preterm infants who underwent ophthalmological examination were evaluated retrospectively. The rates of any stage and severe ROP (requiring treatment) development and treatment options were recorded. The risk factors were analyzed by using logistic regression analysis. A total of 5,477 infants were included in the study, of whom 2,715 (49.57%) were mid-preterm and 2,762 (50.43%) were late-preterm. The rates of any stage and severe ROP were 8.2% (n = 223) and 0.6% (n = 15) in mid-preterm infants, respectively. In late-preterm infants, the rate of any stage ROP was 2.1% (n = 59), and no severe ROP was detected. There was no significant difference in mean birth weight in mid-preterm infants between infants with any stage ROP and severe ROP (P = .104). Of the 15 infants (0.3%) who required treatment, 14 (0.2%) infants had laser photocoagulation, 1 (0.01%) had intravitreal bevacizumab, and 2 (0.03%) had additional therapy (laser photocoagulation and intravitreal bevacizumab). In logistic regression analysis, a significant association was found between treatment requirement and transport from an external center (P < .001, ß = 0.04). Although ROP development rates decrease as birth weight and gestational age increase, late-preterm infants should be examined for ROP at least once, especially those born in low-income countries because ROP development can still be observed. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 20XX;X(X):XX-XX.].

Long-term impact of postnatal nutritional programming on cardiac sensitivity to ischemia-reperfusion injury in vivo and on glucose metabolism

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Fondation de France Introduction Nutritional environment during intra uterine and postnatal period has a major impact on health and disease in adulthood. The early programming of cardiometabolic risk through a postnatal overfeeding in rodents leads to a permanent increase in body weight, associated with alteration of left ventricular contractility, higher cardiac sensitivty to ischemic or chemo-toxic stresses and alterations of glucose métabolism in adulthood. However, these data have mainly obtained in young rodents and less is known for older animals. Purpose Our aim was to evaluate the impact of postnatal overfeeding (PNOF) on cardiac function, on cardiac sensitivity to ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury in vivo, on glucose metabolism and on metabolic profile of pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) in young (4 months), adult (6 months) and old (12 months) male mice. Methods PNOF was induced by the reduction of litter size of C57/BL6 mice immediately after birth: normally-fed group (NF) was composed of 9 male pups/mother and overfed group (PNOF) of 3 pups/mother. Echocardiography and blood sugar tests (glucose tolerance and insulin resistance) were performed at all ages. An in vivo ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced by the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 45 minutes followed by 24 h of reperfusion. PAT was harvested and weighted, in order to investigate by rt-qPCR its inflammatory status. All experiments were performed in 4-, 6- and 12-months aged mice. Results PNOF induced an early and permanent increase in body weight in PNOF group, independently of mice’s age (+23% at 24 days of life, +14% at 4 months, +23% at 6 and 12 months, compared to NF group). Echocardiographic measurements showed an alteration of left ventricular ejection fraction in mice aged from 4 months up to 12 months (-11 % on average, compared to NF groups). PNOF mice presented glucose intolerance and insulin resistance from 4 to 12 months of age. Moreover, PNOF mice had a higher PAT mass indexed to body weight with increased inflammatory status and decreased activin A mRNA expression at 6 and 12 months. Finally, PNOF induced a significant increase of infarct size at 4 months (+37%, p&amp;lt;0.01, n=8), 6 months (+32%, p&amp;lt;0.05, n=9) and 12 months (+38%, p&amp;lt;0,05, n=9) after cardiac surgery. Conclusion Nutritional programming through short-term PNOF induced an early and permanent overweight, an increase in pericardial fat mass with a greater inflammatory status, associated with alterations of glucose metabolism, alteration of systolic function and a higher sensitivity to ischemia reperfusion injury induced in vivo. The cellular mechanisms of these pathological modifications induced by PNOF need further exploration but could involve alterations in cardiomyocyte pathways and/or modification of global inflammatory status. Therefore, the PNOF mice model corresponds to a relevant experimental model of programmed metabolic syndrome as we known in humans.

Cardioprotective effect of cemtirestat treatment in male Zucker diabetic fatty rats: a pilot study

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Slovak Research and Development under the contract no. 21-0410 (APVV) and 20-0411 (APVV) and VEGA grant no. 2/0006/23 Introduction Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), the most common metabolic disorder in human population is caused by defective insulin secretion and reduced tissue responsiveness to insulin. T2DM is characterized by hyperglycaemia accompanied by oxidative stress and inflammation that results in organopathy. The Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF) are established animal model for research of T2DM associated with obesity, and for efficacy of novel treatments. Myocardial electrical coupling protein, connexin43 (Cx43) is one of the key factors affecting heart function and arrhythmogenesis. We have previously shown upregulation of Cx43 in type 1 DM rats that was associated with reduced susceptibility to malignant arrhythmias. However, it is not known whether T2DM affects Cx43 expression and/or function in the heart as well as in brown adipose tissue (BAT). The purpose of our study was to examine expression of Cx43 in heart and BAT as well as the effect of treatment with highly selective and efficient aldose reductase inhibitor enriched with antioxidant activity, Cemtirestat. Methods: Forty 4-month-old male ZDF rats (fa/+ and fa/fa) were divided into 4 groups: 1) untreated control lean rats (fa/+), 2) control lean rats treated with Cemtirestat, 3) untreated diabetic fatty rats (fa/fa), 4) diabetic fatty rats treated with Cemtirestat (2,55 mg/kg/day). After 6 months of treatment, biometric parameters were registered and left ventricle (LV) + BAT were used for Western blot analysis of Cx43, PKCɛ (phosphorylates Cx43) and PKCδ (implicated in pro­apoptotic signaling). BAT and LV tissue sections were also used for immunolabeling of Cx43 to examine its topology. Results: Increase of body weight, heart weight, LV weight, adiposity, plasma triglycerides, cholesterol and blood glucose were registered in ZDF fa/fa rats. T2DM resulted in altered localisation of Cx43 that was not affected by treatment with Cemtirestat. Expression of Cx43 was significantly decreased in LV of fa/fa rats and restored with Cemtirestat. Moreover, BAT exhibited significantly lower expression of total Cx43 in fa/fa rats, that was moderately increased by Cemtirestat. The expression of PKCɛ was significantly decreased in both, LV and BAT of fa/fa rats with mild elevation of PKCɛ in LV of treated fa/fa rats. Cemtirestat slightly normalized increased expression of PKCδ in LV of fa/fa rats, but had no effect on lower PKCδ levels in BAT of fa/fa rats. Echocardiographic examination did not show significant difference between treated and untreated groups of rats and showed mild differences between diabetic and control rats. In conclusions, findings point out that T2DM downregulates Cx43 in the heart and BAT, however further studies are necessary for understanding the mechanisms implicated in every step in the development of T2DM cardiopathy and arrhythmogenesis as well as BAT alterations. Further research is required to determine factors involved in cardioprotective effects of Cemtirestat.