Dietary fish oil did not prevent sleep deprived rats from a reduction in adipose tissue adiponectin gene expression

Sleep deprivation in humans has been related to weight gain and consequently, increased risk for insulin resistance. In contrast, there is a significant loss of weight in sleep deprived rats suggesting a state of insulin resistance without obesity interference. Thus, we aimed to assess the effects of a rich fish oil dietetic intervention on glucose tolerance, serum insulin and adiponectin, and adipose tissue gene expression of adiponectin and TNF-α of paradoxically sleep deprived (PSD) rats. The study was performed in thirty day-old male Wistar randomly assigned into two groups: rats fed with control diet (soybean oil as source of fat) and rats fed with a fish oil rich diet. After 45 days of treatment, the animals were submitted to PSD or maintained as home cage control group for 96 h. Body weight and food intake were carefully monitored in all groups. At the end of PSD period, a glucose tolerance test was performed and the total blood and adipose tissues were collected. Serum insulin and adiponectin were analyzed. Adipose tissues were used for RT-PCR to estimate the gene expression of adiponectin and TNF-α. Results showed that although fish oil diet did not exert any effect upon these measurements, PSD induced a reduction in adiponectin gene expression of retroperitoneal adipose tissues, with no change in serum adiponectin concentration or in adiponectin and TNF-α gene expression of epididymal adipose tissue. Thus, the stress induced by sleep deprivation lead to a desbalance of adiponectin gene expression

Cysteine and glycine-rich protein 3 (Crp3) as a critical regulator of elastolysis, inflammation, and smooth muscle cell apoptosis in abdominal aortic aneurysm development

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening vascular disease for which surgical or endovascular repair are the only currently available therapeutic strategies. The development of AAA involves the breakdown of elastic fibers (elastolysis), infiltration of inflammatory cells, and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). However, the specific regulators governing these responses remain unknown. We previously demonstrated that Cysteine and glycine-rich protein 3 (Crp3) sensitizes SMCs to apoptosis induced by stretching. Building upon this finding, we aimed to investigate the influence of Crp3 on elastolysis and apoptosis during AAA development. Using the elastase-CaCl2 rat model, we observed an increase in Crp3 expression, aortic diameter, and a reduction in wall thickness in wild type rats. In contrast, Crp3−/− rats exhibited a decreased incidence of AAA, with minimal or no changes in aortic diameter and thickness. Histopathological analysis revealed the absence of SMC apoptosis and degradation of elastic fibers in Crp3−/− rats, accompanied by reduced inflammation and diminished proteolytic capacity in Crp3−/− SMCs and bone marrow-derived macrophages. Collectively, our findings provide evidence that Crp3 plays a crucial role in AAA development by modulating elastolysis, inflammation, and SMC apoptosis. These results underscore the potential significance of Crp3 in the context of AAA progression and offer new insights into therapeutic targets for this disease

Nutritional and Hormonal Modulation of Adiponectin and its Receptors adipoR1 and adipoR2

Adiponectin is the most abundant plasma protein synthesized mostly by adipose tissue and is an insulin-sensitive hormone, playing a central role in glucose and lipid metabolism. Adiponectin effects are mediated via two receptors, adipoR1 and adipoR2. Several hormones and diet components that are involved in insulin resistance may impair insulin sensitivity at least in part by decreasing adiponectin and adiponectin receptors. Adiponectin expression and serum levels are associated with the amount and type of fatty acids and carbohydrate consumed. Other food items, such as vitamins, alcohol, sodium, green tea, and coffee, have been reported to modify adiponectin levels. Several hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, prolactin, glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and growth hormone, have been shown to inhibit adiponectin production, but the studies are still controversial. Even so, adiponectin is a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and other diseases associated with hypoadiponectinemia.St Josephs Hosp, Syst Inflammat Lab, Phoenix, AZ USAUniv Estado Rio de Janeiro, Lab Fisiol Nutr & Desenvolvimento, Dept Fisiol, BR-20550011 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Disciplina Fisiol Nutr, Dept Fisiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Goias FANUT, Fac Nutr, Goiania, Go, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Disciplina Fisiol Nutr, Dept Fisiol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Preservation of myocardial fatty acid oxidation prevents diastolic dysfunction in mice subjected to angiotensin II infusion

RATIONALE: Diastolic dysfunction is a common feature in many heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction and has been associated with altered myocardial metabolism in hypertensive and diabetic patients. Therefore, metabolic interventions to improve diastolic function are warranted. In mice with a germline cardiac-specific deletion of acetyl CoA carboxylase 2 (ACC2), systolic dysfunction induced by pressure-overload was prevented by maintaining cardiac fatty acid oxidation (FAO). However, it has not been evaluated whether this strategy would prevent the development of diastolic dysfunction in the adult heart. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that augmenting cardiac FAO is protective against angiotensin II (AngII)-induced diastolic dysfunction in an adult mouse heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated a mouse model to induce cardiac-specific deletion of ACC2 in adult mice. Tamoxifen treatment (20mg/kg/day for 5 days) was sufficient to delete ACC2 protein and increase cardiac FAO by 50% in ACC2 flox/flox-MerCreMer(+) mice (iKO). After 4 weeks of AngII (1.1mg/kg/day), delivered by osmotic mini-pumps, iKO mice showed normalized E/E′ and E′/A′ ratios compared to AngII treated controls (CON). The prevention of diastolic dysfunction in iKO-AngII was accompanied by maintained FAO and reduced glycolysis and anaplerosis. Furthermore, iKO-AngII hearts had a ~50% attenuation of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis compared to CON. In addition, maintenance of FAO in iKO hearts suppressed AngII-associated increases in oxidative stress and sustained mitochondrial respiratory complex activities. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that impaired FAO is a contributor to the development of diastolic dysfunction induced by AngII. Maintenance of FAO in this model leads to an attenuation of hypertrophy, reduces fibrosis, suppresses increases in oxidative stress, and maintains mitochondrial function. Therefore, targeting mitochondrial FAO is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of diastolic dysfunction

A CONSTITUIÇÃO DOS ACERVOS DO GRUPO DE PESQUISA HISTÓRIA DA ALFABETIZAÇÃO, LEITURA, ESCRITA E DOS LIVROS ESCOLARES E SUA CONTRIBUIÇÃO PARA AS INVESTIGAÇÕES EM EDUCAÇÃO

O trabalho expõe o processo desencadeado para a elaboração do projeto de restauro da Capela do Rosário no município de Matias Barbosa, em Minas Gerais, no Brasil. A capela é patrimônio cultural protegido na instância federal pelo Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional, localizada em encosta lindeira ao rio Paraibuna que serpenteia pelo município. A posição desta capela é dominante e demarca de modo singular a memória social desta localidade. Como patrimônio cultural encontra?se em bom estado de conservação, com ações necessárias para a sua preservação. As premissas básicas para o projeto referem?se ao respeito aos valores estéticos e culturais do bem imóvel em questão, com o mínimo de intervenção possível, buscando a sua adequação e compatibilidade aos elementos construtivos originais. Foi feita também uma aproximação relacionada às teorias do restauro, para o enquadramento do bem cultural aos procedimentos mais adequados para a sua conservação. Vale ressaltar a importância da revisão das políticas urbanas atuais, particularmente relacionadas à circulação de veículos, para permitir a garantia da integridade deste bem cultural. Foram feitos levantamentos em acervos e no local, com vistas ao  entendimento da memória da ocupação do território, bem como a inserção deste patrimônio edificado no contexto da própria cidade e sua região. Buscou?se também a  compreensão do estado atual da edificação, e a sua valorização junto à comunidade, proporcionando a  manutenção dos laços de identidade cultural e garantindo a permanência destes espaços em bom estado para asdemais gerações

Mídia e política no Brasil: textos e agenda de pesquisa Midia and politics in Brazil: texts and research agenda

Um especialista em estudos de comunicação e um cientista político apresentam conjuntamente um panorama da pesquisa sobre as relações entre os meios de comunicação e os processos políticos no Brasil. Uma agenda de pesquisa é proposta e um elenco de textos nessa área é apresentado.<br>A specialist in communication studies and a political scientist present together a panorama of research on the relations between communication midia and political processes in Brazil A research agenda is proposed and a list of texts in this area is presented