Gender modulates development of the metabolic syndrome phenotype in fructose-fed rats

We analyzed the effects of a fructose-rich diet (FRD) to test the assumption that the expression of metabolic syndrome phenotype is different in male and female rats. Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant effect of FRD on feeding behavior and carbohydrate/lipid metabolism. The increased caloric intake in FRD rats of both sexes was followed by a cluster of gender-specific changes typical for the metabolic syndrome. Female rats were characterized by decreased glycemia, increased triglycerides, enlarged visceral adipose tissue and increased absolute mass of liver, without changes in systolic blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. In contrast, male rats developed less disturbances in physical and biochemical characteristics, but blood pressure and insulin sensitivity were impaired by FRD. The results emphasize the detrimental effects of fructose consumption on cardiovascular risk and insulin action in males, whereas females are affected by other metabolic disturbances. These results support the idea of gender-dependent differences in the expression of the metabolic syndrome phenotype.Projekat ministarstva br. 4100

Does oestradiol attenuate the damaging effects of a fructose-rich diet on cardiac Akt/endothelial nitric oxide synthase signalling?

Fructose-rich diets (FRD) cause cardiac insulin resistance manifested by impairment of Akt/endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) signalling. In contrast, oestradiol (E2) activates this signalling pathway in the heart. To study the ability of E2 to revert the detrimental effect of fructose on cardiac Akt/eNOS, female rats were subjected to a FRD and ovariectomy followed with or without E2 replacement. We also analysed the effects of the FRD and E2 on cardiac extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk 1/2) signalling related to their role in cardiac hypertrophy development. Expression of Akt, eNOS and Erk 1/2, as well as regulatory phosphorylations of these molecules were determined. The protein expression of cardiac Akt and eNOS was not affected by the diet or E2 treatment. However, the FRD was accompanied by a decrease in Akt phosphorylation at Ser(473) and Thr(308), and eNOS at Ser(1177), while the phosphorylation of eNOS at Thr(495) was increased. E2 replacement in ovariectomised fructose-fed rats caused a reversion of the diet effect on Akt and eNOS serine phosphorylation, but mostly had no effect on threonine phosphorylation of the molecules. The FRD and E2 treatment did not influence Erk 1/2 expression and phosphorylation and heart mass as well. The data show that E2 selectively suppress the negative effects of a FRD on Akt/eNOS signalling and probably point to the different effects of E2 on kinase/phosphatase pathways responsible for phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of Akt and eNOS. Furthermore, the results suggest that the heart of females in the reproductive period is partially protected against the damaging effects of increased fructose intake

Improvement of lipid metabolism regulation by low-intensity exercise in fructose-fed rats

Excessive dietary fructose consumption in parallel with limited physical activity contributes to the global increase in prevalence of metabolic disorders. Metabolic syndrome represents a collection of cardiometabolic risk factors that includes obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, and it is undoubtedly linked to increased risk for two global maladies, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Fructose-rich diet is accompanied by the development of insulin resistance in the heart, and it could change the use of cardiac energy substrates towards increased fatty acid (FA) uptake, and catabolism. Exercise may be beneficial in prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of low-intensity exercise on protein expression of nuclear transcription factors involved in regulating FA β- oxidation in a heart of fructose fed rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into control group, and two groups that received 10% fructose for 9 weeks, one which was sedentary and one which was additionally exposed to low intensity exercise. The protein expression of important transcriptional regulators of fatty acid β-oxidation PPARα, and FOXO1, and coregulators Lipin1, PGC-1, and SIRT1 are analyzed in cardiac lysate and/or nuclear fraction by Western blot. Gene expression of ACADL, the enzyme that catalyzes the initial step of mitochondrial β-oxidation, was quantified by real-time PCR. Fructose-rich diet decreased nuclear PPARα compared to control. Exercise increased nuclear PPARα, nuclear FOXO1, lysate PGC1, and nuclear Lipin1 in fructose-fed rats compared to sedentary fructose-fed rats. Exercise increased lysate PPARα, lysate and nuclear FOXO1, lysate PGC1, lysate and nuclear SIRT1, and nuclear Lipin1 in fructose-fed rats compared to control. In conclusion, running at low intensity is accompanied by increased expression of key regulators of fatty acid oxidation. The results indicate that exercise achieves its effect by increasing the nuclear content of PPARα, Lipin1, and FOXO1

Gender modulates development of the metabolic syndrome phenotype in fructose-fed rats

We analyzed the effects of a fructose-rich diet (FRD) to test the assumption that the expression of metabolic syndrome phenotype is different in male and female rats. Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant effect of FRD on feeding behavior and carbohydrate/lipid metabolism. The increased caloric intake in FRD rats of both sexes was followed by a cluster of gender-specific changes typical for the metabolic syndrome. Female rats were characterized by decreased glycemia, increased triglycerides, enlarged visceral adipose tissue and increased absolute mass of liver, without changes in systolic blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. In contrast, male rats developed less disturbances in physical and biochemical characteristics, but blood pressure and insulin sensitivity were impaired by FRD. The results emphasize the detrimental effects of fructose consumption on cardiovascular risk and insulin action in males, whereas females are affected by other metabolic disturbances. These results support the idea of gender-dependent differences in the expression of the metabolic syndrome phenotype.Projekat ministarstva br. 4100

Effect of Applied Pmsg Dose on Reproductive Parameters for Improved Sjenica Sheep in Anestrous Season

This paper shows the results of the effects of higher dose 700 i.u. of natural gonad tropic hormone PMSG application in comparison with usual 500 i.u dose which is used at the farms during the induction and synchronization of estrus in anestrous season in Sjenica improved sheep. This experiment included 90 grown sheep divided into two groups (control group 30 sheep and experimental group 60 sheep). Both groups received polyurethane sponges impregnated with 20 mg of Fluor Geston Acetate (FGA). After 14 days both group sponges were removed. First group received 500 i.u of PMSG, usual dose, and second (experimental group) received 700 i.u of PMSG. Insemination was conducted 48-72 hours after gonad tropic hormone application. Number of sheep that lambed compared to the number of sheep that were treated was 93.33% (control) and 88.33% experimental group. Average fertility of control group sheep was 150.00% while experimental sheep had average fertility of 209.43%, which is more than 59.43% higher compared to control group. Higher dose of PMSG led to higher number of triplets by 7.34%, quadruplets by 14.41% and quintuplets by 4.50% in the experimental group. Higher dose by 200 i.u of PMSG had a positive effect and increased fertility by 59.43%, which negates zero hypothesis that there is no difference between researched treatments and it proved hypothesis that higher dose of PMSG has a positive effect on Sjenica improved sheep during anestrous season

Implementation of Android application for faculty employees

The paper describes the functionality and implementation of applications for mobile phones used in the School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Belgrade in the daily work of faculty employees. The application uses a system’s shared data for financial and material accounting, human resources and teaching process. The system was implemented using a REST Web service, Google's model for Android REST client applications and Robospice technologies

Obesity-related prepartal insulin resistance in dairy cows is associated with increased lipin 1 and decreased FATP 1 expression in skeletal muscle

A number of alterations have been identified in lipid metabolism within adipose tissue and liver in obesity. Less is known about the capacity of skeletal muscle for the metabolism of fatty acids in obesity-related insulin resistance, though it is evident that dry cow muscles may contain increased triglyceride content. The current study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the skeletal muscle expression of proteins of the fatty acid metabolism in dry cows with different body condition scores (BCS). Sixteen Holstein-Friesian close-up cows were divided into 2 equal groups based on their BCS as optimal (3.25 ≤ BCS ≤ 3.5) and high (4.0 ≤ BCS ≤ 4.25). Blood samples collection and skeletal muscle biopsies were carried out at day 10 before calving. Blood serum was assayed for concentration of resistin using a bovine specific ELISA. Protein expression of insulin receptor beta subunit (IRβ), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36), fatty acid transporter 1 (FATP1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1), AMP-acitvated protein kinase (AMPK) and lipin 1 were analyzed in semitendinosus muscle by immunoblot. Resistin differed non-significantly between high-BCS and optimal-BCS cows. Insulin-resistant lipid metabolism in obese cows was paralleled with increased skeletal muscle expression of lipin 1 and GLUT4, and decreased expression of IRβ and FATP1. These data suggest that in obesity-related insulin resistance, metabolic capacity in dry cow skeletal muscles appears to be organized towards the synthesis of signaling intermediates rather than fatty acids oxidation and that altered fatty acid uptake does not contribute to this disposition