Effects of smoking on serum lipid and lipoprotein concen-trations and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity

Cigarette smoking is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.The mechanism responsible for this association is still unknown. We measured the activity of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), a key factor in the esterification of plasma cholesterol and reverse cholesterol transport, and the levels of lipids and apolipoproteins in the serum of 27 cigarette smoking and 31 non-smoking (control) men. We could not find any significant difference among these parameters between the groups. Serum LCAT activity was lower in smokers, but the difference was statistically nonsignificant. We also classified the two groups in respect to their serum lipid levels as hyper- and normolipidemic, we observed that normolipidemic-smokers had lower (p<0.05) high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL-ester cholesterol levels compared to the normolipidemic-nonsmokers. While there were no any significant differences between hyperlipidemic-smokers and nonsmokers with respect to any of the parameters. In the end we have got the idea that smoking seems to affect HDL-C and HDL-ester cholesterol levels in the normolipidemic-smokers group, only, Also, LCAT activity tended to be lower in smokers compared to nonsmokers

Anti-inflammatory efficiency of levobupivacaine in an experimental colitis model

AIM: To investigate the efficiency of levobupivacaine in treating experimentally induced colitis in rats

Effect of Rosiglitazone and Insulin Combination Therapy on Inflammation Parameters and Adipocytokine Levels in Patients with Type 1 DM

Aim. To investigate the efficacy of combined therapy of insulin and rosiglitazone on metabolic and inflammatory parameters, insulin sensitivity, and adipocytokine levels in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM). Material and Methods. A total of 61 adults with type 1 DM were randomly and prospectively assigned in open-label fashion to take insulin and rosiglitazone 4 mg/day (n=30) or insulin alone (n=31) for a period of 18 weeks while undergoing insulin therapy without acute metabolic complications. Results. Combination therapy did not significantly improve metabolic and inflammatory parameters, insulin sensitivity, and adiponectin levels. While leptin and resistin levels decreased in both groups (group 1: resistin 6.96 ± 3.06 to 4.99 ± 2.64, P=0.006; leptin 25.8 ± 17.6 to 20.1 ± 12.55, P=0.006; group 2: resistin 7.16 ± 2.30 to 5.57±2.48, P=0.031; leptin 16.72 ± 16.1 to 14.0 ± 13.4, P=0.007) Hgb and fibrinogen levels decreased only in group 1 (Hgb 13.72 ± 1.98 to 13.16 ± 1.98, P=0.015, and fibrinogen 4.00 ± 1.08 to 3.46 ± 0.90, P=0.002). Patients in both groups showed weight gain and the incidence of hypoglycemia was not lower. Discussion. The diverse favorable effects of TZDs were not fully experienced in patients with type 1 DM. These results are suggesting that insulin sensitizing and anti-inflammatory characteristics of TZDs were likely to be more pronounced in patients who were not totally devoid of endogenous insulin secretion

Neck and Wrist Circumferences Propose a Reliable Approach to Qualify Obesity and Insulin Resistance

Objective of this study is to evaluate the association of neck circumference and wrist circumference with traditional abdominal and general obesity measurement parameters, insulin resistance, insulin resistance-related factors such as blood lipids, fasting glucose, insulin concentration and adiponectin, in order to predict their values as obesity measurement parameters. Eighty six female and 20 male subjects between 18-75 years of age were included in the study. Body weight, height, waist, hip, neck and wrist circumferences were measured. Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Laboratory parameters such as fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, insulin and adiponectin were measured after 12 hours of overnight fasting. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were calculated. Neck circumference showed positive correlation with age, weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, waist to hip ratio, wrist circumference, insulin, HOMA-IR and negative correlation with adiponectin and high density lipoprotein cholesterol in females and positive correlation with weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, waist to hip ratio and negative correlation with adiponectin in males. Wrist circumference showed positive correlation with weight, body mass index, neck, waist and hip circumferences, waist to hip ratio, insulin, HOMA-IR and negative correlation with adiponectin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol in females. No correlation was found in male subjects. Neck circumference can be a reliable obesity and insulin resistance parameter in both genders. Wrist circumference requires further investigation for the classification of its possible position in obesity evaluation. [Med-Science 2014; 3(1.000): 1013-25

Effects of long-term consumption of high fructose corn syrup containing peach nectar on body weight gain in sprague dawley rats

Abstract High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is one of the most used sweeteners in the food industry. Health concerns regarding the consumption of HFCS-containing foods have developed in parallel with the increasing amount of people who become overweight. This study was conducted to investigate whether HFCS-containing peach nectar (pn-HFCS) consumption has more detrimental effects on anthropometrical and biochemical parameters compared with sucrose-containing peach nectar (pn-sucrose). Fifty-day-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups and were fed (A) pn-HFCS + ad libitum chow, (B) pn-sucrose + ad libitum chow and (C) only ad libitum chow for 7 months. The percentage change in body weight (PCBW), body mass index (BMI), and Lee index were calculated, and serum triglyceride, glucose, insulin and leptin concentrations were measured. The PCBW, BMI, Lee index, serum triglyceride, glucose, insulin and leptin concentrations were insignificant among the three groups. We can suggest that peach nectar consumption resulted in more energy intake than the control and since pn-HFCS group consumed more chow than the pn-sucrose group. The results show that long term daily HFCS or sucrose consumption in peach nectar is not associated with weight gain and does not stimulate metabolic changes in Sprague Dawley rats