Testosterone deficiency and dietary therapeutic interventions in the rat model of diet-induced metabolic syndrome

Male Wistar rats fed with high carbohydrate (68%) and high fat (24%) diet (H) mimicking 'Western diets' showed enhanced visceral obesity and its associated risk factors of metabolic syndrome such as impaired glucose utilisation, insulin resistance, hypertension, cardiovascular stiffness, collagen deposition, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation of heart and liver, dyslipidaemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease compared to low fat (8%) cornstarch diet (C) fed rats. Lowered total testosterone concentrations (2.5-5.8 ng/mL) in castrated rats induced by surgical or chemical castration (leuprolide acetate 2mg/kg body weight every four weeks), showed increased abdominal obesity and its associated metabolic risk factors in response to H diet; thus, testosterone plays a crucial role in regulating abdominal obesity associated metabolic disorders in men. Current treatments for obesity are aimed at modifying dietary patterns, eating habits and proper workout or physical exercise to increase calorie expenditure and lowering calorie intake. I have investigated the therapeutic effects of seaweeds (Ulva ohnoi, Derbesia tenuissima), microalgae mixture (Scenedesmus dimorphus and Schroederiella apiculata), mineral ions (Mg++, K+) and dietary fibre (inulin and oligofructose) as food-based interventions in rats fed H diet. Ulva ohnoi and Derbesia tenuissima attenuated the metabolic symptoms observed in H fed rats; both seaweeds are rich in dietary polysaccharides (23.4-40.9% of dry algae). Compared to Derbesia tenuissima, Ulva ohnoi contained higher amount of soluble polysaccharides (18.1% vs <0.1 % of dry algae) and lowered total body fat mass by 24% which may be attributed to the inhibition of intestinal absorption of fatty acids. In addition higher magnesium content of UO (4.1% vs 1.3% of dry algae) suggested improving the glucose utilisation. Further, insoluble polysaccharides (19.6% of dry algae) supplementation of microalgae mixture showed increased lean mass and attenuated the visceral adiposity-induced metabolic syndrome in H fed rats, which may be due to the faecal bulking effect associated with increased hepatic and skeletal muscle β-oxidation of fatty acids. Magnesium treatment specifically increased the faecal lipid excretion by 4.5% suggesting the ability of this divalent cation to form insoluble salt complexes with fatty acids and prevent their intestinal absorption as potential mechanism for reduction in abdominal (53%) and total body fat mass (44%) in H diet fed rats showed a complete reversal of metabolic syndrome. Treatment with 2% potassium chloride in H diet fed rats showed no significant effect on obesity but attenuated the H diet-induced metabolic risk factors which may be due to the increased (38%) circulating concentrations of magnesium. Increased faecal load (1.6 g/12h) and lipid excretion (5.4%) detected with 5% soluble fibre (inulin and oligofructose) mixture supplementation serves as the possible potential mechanism in preventing the abdominal obesity and its associated metabolic syndrome in the H diet fed metabolically sick obese rats. Thus, functional foods including seaweeds and microalgae that are rich in important mineral ions (magnesium and potassium) and fibre (dietary polysaccharides) may attenuate obesity-linked metabolic syndrome

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY (GC-MS) ANALYSIS OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF CORIANDRUM SATIVUM (L) SEEDS

Objective: The present study was carried out to evaluate the phytochemical screening, Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry analysis of phyto-constituents and antibacterial activity of Coriandrum sativum (L.) seeds against the bacterial [Microbial Type Culture Collection (MTCC)] strains.Methods: Methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and water extracts of Coriandrum sativum (L) seeds were prepared using the Soxhlet apparatus. The antibacterial activity of various extracts of C. sativum seeds were identified by disc diffusion method against bacterial strains. The bioactive components of methanol and acetone fraction of C. sativum seeds were evaluated by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were obtained by the well diffusion method between the ranges of 1000µg/ml to 7.8µg/ml.Results: The preliminary phytochemical screening of various extracts of C. sativum revealed the presence of different Phyto-constituents. Methanol extract of C. sativum showed the maximum inhibition zone (20 mm) against Staphylococcus aureus and followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (17 mm). The MIC values of methanol extract were found to be 62.5µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and Bacillus subtilis. In the GC-MS analysis of phyto-compounds, the methanol extracts showed fourteen bioactive fractions and eleven compounds from acetone extract.Conclusion: The methanol and acetone extracts of Coriandrum sativum seeds showed maximum inhibitory activity against the tested bacterial strains.Â

Mott transition between a spin-liquid insulator and a metal in three dimensions

We study a bandwidth controlled Mott metal-insulator transition (MIT) between a Fermi liquid metal and a quantum spin-liquid insulator at half-filling in three dimensions (3D). Using a slave rotor approach, and incorporating gauge field fluctuations, we find a continuous MIT and discuss the finite temperature crossovers around this critical point. We show that the specific heat C=T ln ln (1/T) at the MIT and argue that the electrical transport on the metallic side near the transition should exhibit a `conductivity minimum' as a function of temperature. A possible candidate to test these predictions is the 3D spin liquid insulator Na4Ir3O8 which exhibits a pressure-tuned transition into a metallic phase. We also present the electron spectral function of Na4Ir3O8 at the transition.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Wireless strain sensing system for assessing condition of civil infrastructure facilities

Bežični senzori i senzorske mreže postaju zamjena za tradicionalne sustave za praćenje ponašanja konstrukcija. Njihova je prednost u nižoj cijeni ugradnje jer nema potrebe za polaganjem dugih kabela između senzora i sustava za prikupljanje podataka. U radu se opisuju istraživanja provedena u svrhu ocjenjivanja učinkovitosti bežičnih senzora za mjerenje relativnih deformacija. Dan je primjer primjene bežičnog senzorskog sustava pri mjerenju ponašanja konstrukcije željezničkog mosta te je napravljena usporedba s primjenom klasičnih sustava.Wireless sensors and sensor networks are emerging as substitutes for traditional structural monitoring systems. Their benefit lies in a lower cost of installation because extensive wiring is no longer required between sensors and the data acquisition system. Studies carried out to evaluate performance of wireless strain measurement units are described in this paper. An example is given of a wireless system used for measuring behaviour of a railway bridge, and comparison with traditional systems is made

Pulmonary function changes in asymptomatic smokers - a community survey in Udupi, Karnataka, India

Background: Smoking has been labeled the most important preventable cause of a respiratory disease and its effects in a smoker are well established. A better understanding on the pulmonary function impairments in an asymptomatic smoker is the need of the hour. Objective: To study the pulmonary function changes in asymptomatic smokers and non- smokers and to establish the dose -effect relationship amongst asymptomatic smokers.Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. 140 men aged between 20 to 45 years with a BMI ranging from 18.5 to 29.9 Kg2 /m was enrolled in to the study. 70 subjects were asymptomatic smokers and the other 70 were non-smokers. Outcomes measured were standard spirometric measures for pulmonary function and symptoms like breathlessness, cough and sputum using a Breathlessness Cough Sputum scale.Results: The mean age (mean ± SD) of non-smokers and asymptomatic smokers enrolled was 34.7±5 and 33.8±5 years respectively. The mean smoking dose amongst the asymptomatic smokers was 15.74±5.5 pack years. FEV1 amongst the asymptomatic smokers showed a negative correlation with smoking dose (p<0.05) and there was a significant difference in FEV1, FVC, PEFR, MVV and FEF 25- 75 % (p<0.001) amongst the asymptomatic smokers and non-smokers.Conclusions: Asymptomatic smokers showed low values of pulmonary function parameters compared to those in non-smokers

Suicide by unusual methods: a rare case of complex suicide

Genital Self-Mutilation (GSM) is usually associated with mental illness. It is considered as the most brutal form of self-harm. Many cases of such self-harm have been described by various authors in different times. However, its existence in absence of any mental illness and using it as a method of suicide is a matter of question. Although, some cases are reported; its incidence is very low. Its association with complex suicide is even much lower. Usually, in complex suicide, the victim chooses some methods which are less painful. Such a complicated case of complex suicide was brought to the tertiary care center of Dibrugarh, Assam for post mortem examination. The deceased, a 36 years old male was brought with history of cutting his external genitalia followed by hanging. The case has been described in this paper with relevant review literature.

Transomental defects as a cause of chronic abdominal pain, the role of diagnostic laparoscopy: a case series.

RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are.INTRODUCTION: Transomental herniation is a rare but recognised clinical condition, which usually presents as an emergency with bowel obstruction. It accounts for 1-4% of intra-abdominal herniations. We reviewed 3 patients found to have a transomental defect during elective diagnostic laparoscopy performed for chronic abdominal pain. To our knowledge, there is no case series reported in the literature on transomental defect in the non-emergency situation. CASE PRESENTATION: A retrospective case note analysis of 3 patients, found to have transomental defect during elective diagnostic laparoscopy, was undertaken. Data were gathered with respect to clinical presentation, investigations performed, transomental defect size and outcome of surgery. All patients were followed up for 6 months post-operatively. Three females (age range 18-35 years) were referred with a 3-10 year history of chronic intermittent abdominal pain, often postprandial. Blood tests, radiological investigations (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography, small bowel studies) and endoscopy were all normal. In each case, diagnostic laparoscopy revealed the presence of a peripheral defect in the greater omentum, but no actual small bowel herniation. No other pathology was found. These defects were resected, which subsequently led to complete resolution of the patients' symptoms. CONCLUSION: Chronic abdominal pain of unknown aetiology with normal radiological findings may be caused by intermittent obstruction due to small bowel herniation through a transomental defect. This should be considered during elective diagnostic laparoscopy, in the absence of any other obvious pathology. The omentum should be thoroughly inspected as a discrete entity and any such defects should be closed or resected

Transomental defects as a cause of chronic abdominal pain, the role of diagnostic laparoscopy: a case series

RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are.Abstract Introduction Transomental herniation is a rare but recognised clinical condition, which usually presents as an emergency with bowel obstruction. It accounts for 1-4% of intra-abdominal herniations. We reviewed 3 patients found to have a transomental defect during elective diagnostic laparoscopy performed for chronic abdominal pain. To our knowledge, there is no case series reported in the literature on transomental defect in the non-emergency situation. Case presentation A retrospective case note analysis of 3 patients, found to have transomental defect during elective diagnostic laparoscopy, was undertaken. Data were gathered with respect to clinical presentation, investigations performed, transomental defect size and outcome of surgery. All patients were followed up for 6 months post-operatively. Three females (age range 18-35 years) were referred with a 3-10 year history of chronic intermittent abdominal pain, often postprandial. Blood tests, radiological investigations (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography, small bowel studies) and endoscopy were all normal. In each case, diagnostic laparoscopy revealed the presence of a peripheral defect in the greater omentum, but no actual small bowel herniation. No other pathology was found. These defects were resected, which subsequently led to complete resolution of the patients' symptoms. Conclusion Chronic abdominal pain of unknown aetiology with normal radiological findings may be caused by intermittent obstruction due to small bowel herniation through a transomental defect. This should be considered during elective diagnostic laparoscopy, in the absence of any other obvious pathology. The omentum should be thoroughly inspected as a discrete entity and any such defects should be closed or resected

Primary double tooth with partial anodontia of permanent dentition: a case report

Dental anomalies of number and forms may occur in the primary and permanent dentition. Various terms have been used to describe dental twinning anomalies: gemination, fusion, concrescence, double teeth, cojoined teeth, twinned teeth, geminifusion and vicinifusion. Double tooth is a term used to describe connate tooth and includes both dental fusion and gemination. The phenomenon of gemination occurs when two teeth develop from one single bud leading to a larger tooth. Fusion is a condition in which the crowns of two separate teeth have been joined toge- ther during the crown development. Fusion occurs infrequently but could cause esthetic, spacing and periodontal problems. The present article highlights the presence of a primary double tooth in an 11 year old boy involving primary mandibular left lateral incisor and canine. Clinical examination and radiographic examination confirmed the absence of the permanent left mandibular lateral incisor. Cases with primary double tooth necessitate careful examination as they may be associated with anomalies in the succeeding permanent dentition and require proper treatment plannin