Adipocyte-specific protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B deletion increases lipogenesis, adipocyte cell size and is a minor regulator of glucose homeostasis

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Chemical Composition, Biological Activity, and Health-Promoting Effects of Withania somnifera for Pharma-Food Industry Applications

The Withania genus comes from the Solanaceae family and includes around 23 species, spread over some areas of the Mediterranean, Asia, and East Africa. Widely used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, these plants are rich in secondary metabolites, with special emphasis on steroidal lactones, named withanolides which are used as ingredients in numerous formulations for a plethora of diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, arthritis, impotence, amnesia, hypertension, anxiety, stress, cancer, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases, and many others. Among them, Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is the most widely addressed species from a pharmacological and agroindustrial point of view. In this sense, this review provides an overview of the folk uses, phytochemical composition, and biological activity, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activity of W. somnifera, although more recently other species have also been increasingly investigated. In addition, their health-promoting effects, i.e., antistress, anxiolytic, adaptogenic, antirheumatoid arthritis, chemoprotective, and cardiorespiratory-enhancing abilities, along with safety and adverse effects are also discussed.N. C. -M. acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Horizon 2020 Program (PTDC/PSI-GER/28076/2017)

Smooth Muscle Endothelin B Receptors Regulate Blood Pressure but Not Vascular Function or Neointimal Remodeling

The role of smooth muscle endothelin$_{B}$ (ET$_{B}$) receptors in regulating vascular function, blood pressure (BP), and neointimal remodeling has not been established. Selective knockout mice were generated to address the hypothesis that loss of smooth muscle ET$_{B}$ receptors would reduce BP, alter vascular contractility, and inhibit neointimal remodeling. ET$_{B}$ receptors were selectively deleted from smooth muscle by crossing floxed ET$_{B}$ mice with those expressing cre-recombinase controlled by the transgelin promoter. Functional consequences of ET$_{B}$ deletion were assessed using myography. BP was measured by telemetry, and neointimal lesion formation induced by femoral artery injury. Lesion size and composition (day 28) were analyzed using optical projection tomography, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Selective deletion of ET$_{B}$ was confirmed by genotyping, autoradiography, polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. ET$_{B}$-mediated contraction was reduced in trachea, but abolished from mesenteric veins, of knockout mice. Induction of ET$_{B}$-mediated contraction in mesenteric arteries was also abolished in these mice. Femoral artery function was unaltered, and baseline BP modestly elevated in smooth muscle ET$_{B}$ knockout compared with controls (+4.2±0.2 mm Hg; $\textit{P}$<0.0001), but salt-induced and ET$_{B}$ blockade-mediated hypertension were unaltered. Circulating endothelin-1 was not altered in knockout mice. ET$_{B}$-mediated contraction was not induced in femoral arteries by incubation in culture medium or lesion formation, and lesion size was not altered in smooth muscle ET$_{B}$ knockout mice. In the absence of other pathology, ET$_{B}$ receptors in vascular smooth muscle make a small but significant contribution to ET$_{B}$-dependent regulation of BP. These ET$_{B}$ receptors have no effect on vascular contraction or neointimal remodeling.This work was funded by the British Heart Foundation (Project Grant PG/08/068/25461, P.W.F. Hadoke and D.J. Webb; Intermediate Clinical Research Fellowship FS/13/30/29994, N. Dhaun; and Centre of Research Excellence Award) and the Wellcome Trust (107715/Z/15/Z, A.P. Davenport and R.E. Kuc)

Aerobic and anaerobic energy expenditure during rest and activity in montane Bufo b. boreas and Rana pipiens

The relations of standard and active aerobic and anaerobic metabolism and heart rate to body temperature ( T b ) were measured in montane groups of Bufo b. boreas and Rana pipiens maintained under field conditions. These amphibians experience daily variation of T b over 30°C and 23°C, respectively (Carey, 1978). Standard and active aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, heart rate, aerobic and anaerobic scope are markedly temperature-dependent with no broad plateaus of thermal independence. Heart rate increments provide little augmentation of oxygen transport during activity; increased extraction of oxygen from the blood probably contributes importantly to oxygen supply during activity. Development of extensive aerobic capacities in Bufo may be related to aggressive behavior of males during breeding. Standard metabolic rates of both species are more thermally dependent than comparable values for lowland relatives. Thermal sensitivity of physiological functions may have distinct advantages over thermally compensated rates in the short growing season and daily thermal fluctuations of the montane environment.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47726/1/442_2004_Article_BF00348070.pd

Wpływ przedłużonych laktacji na użytkowość mleczną i rozpłodową krów

The study involved 132 Polish Black-and-White Holstein-Friesian cows, kept in a public sector farm located in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie province. The yield of the analysed cows averaged 12,800 kg milk. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of lactation length in high-yielding cows on milk yield, milk composition and indicators of fertility. The results show that in high-yielding herds, cows often have lactations beyond the traditional 305 days. In the analysed herd, 89.4% lactations were extended.With extended lactations, milk production increased from 9,278 kg for a 305-day lactation to 16,497 kg for lactations >420 days.With extended lactations, milk yields during the extended lactation period and % yield in relation to 305-day lactation gradually increased, with statistically significant differences between the groups. The cows that completed their standard 305-day or shorter lactations were characterized by optimum indicators of fertility, which decreased with extended lactations. The longest lactations were found in third and fourth lactation cows, and the shortest in older cows beyond the fourth lactation. First calvers were characterized by poorer indicators of fertility compared to older cows.Badania przeprowadzono na 132 krowach rasy polskiej holsztyńsko-fryzyjskiej odmiany czarno-białej, utrzymywanych w jednym z gospodarstw sektora publicznego w województwie kujawsko- pomorskim. Średnia wydajność badanych krów wyniosła 12 800 kg mleka. Celem pracy było określenie wpływu długości laktacji u krów wysokowydajnych na ich wydajność i skład mleka oraz wskaźniki płodności. Otrzymane wyniki wskazują, że w stadach o wysokiej wydajności mlecznej krowy często przedłużają laktację ponad 305-dniowy standard. W ocenianym stadzie wydłużenie to dotyczyło 89,4% laktacji. Wraz z dłuższą laktacją wzrastała produkcja mleka od 9278 kg, przy laktacji 305-dniowej, do 16 186 kg przy laktacjach >390 dni. Wraz z dłuższą laktacją wydajność mleka w okresie przedłużenia laktacji, jak i procent wydajności w stosunku do laktacji 305-dniowej stopniowo wzrastała, różnice między grupami zostały potwierdzone statystycznie. Krowy, które ukończyły standardową 305-dniową laktację lub krótszą, charakteryzowały optymalne wskaźniki płodności, natomiast wraz z dłuższą laktacją wskaźniki płodności były obniżone. Najdłuższe laktacje stwierdzono u krów po 3.–4.wycieleniu, natomiast najkrótsze u krów starszych >4. laktacji. U krów pierwiastek odnotowano słabsze wskaźniki płodności niż u krów starszych

Effect of some factors on the proportion of milk samples with specific protein and urea content

Na podstawie wyników z 369 060 próbnych dojów 22 997 krów rasy polskiej holsztyńsko- fryzyjskiej odmiany czarno-białej, będących pod oceną użytkowości mlecznej na Pomorzu i Kujawach, wycielonych po raz pierwszy w 2000 i 2001 roku i użytkowanych do 2008 roku analizowano wpływ miesiąca laktacji, wydajności dobowej, wielkości stada oraz pory roku na udział prób mleka o określonej zawartości białka i mocznika. W obliczeniach statystycznych wykorzystano procedury FREQ z pakietu SAS. Wykazano potwierdzony statystycznie wpływ wszystkich uwzględnionych czynników na udział prób mleka o określonej zawartości białka i mocznika. Zbyt mały udział prób mleka świadczących o zbilansowaniu energii i białka w dawkach pokarmowych (szczególnie w odniesieniu do krów będących w drugim miesiącu laktacji (6,6%), w okresie zimy (12,7%) i w stadach o obsadzie do 50 krów (około 14%) a także fakt, że spośród prób mleka z drugiego miesiąca laktacji prawie 85% wskazuje na większy lub mniejszy niedobór energii w dawce skłania do zwrócenia uwagi na konieczność częstszego wykorzystywania wyników oceny użytkowości mlecznej do korygowania dawek pokarmowych.Data on 369 060 test-day yields of 22 997 Polish Black-and-White Holstein-Friesian cows were used to analyse the effect of lactation month, daily milk yield, herd size and season of the year on the proportion of milk samples with specific protein and urea content. The cows were milk recorded in the Pomerania and Kujavia regions, first calved in 2000 and 2001 and were used until 2008. Statistical calculations were made using the FREQ procedure of SAS.All of the factors analysed had a significant effect on the proportion of milk samples with specific protein and urea content. Too small a proportion of milk samples indicating the balancing of energy and protein in the rations, especially with regard to cows at 2 months of lactation (6.6%), during winter (12.7%) and in herds with up to 50 cows (about 14%), as well as the fact that almost 85% of the samples from the second month of lactation show different degrees of energy deficit in the ration leads us to recognize the need for more frequent use of milk recording results to adjust the rations