Chronic consumption of fructose rich soft drinks alters tissue lipids of rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Fructose-based diets are apparently related to the occurrence of several metabolic dysfunctions, but the effects of the consumption of high amounts of fructose on body tissues have not been well described. The aim of this study was to analyze the general characteristics and the lipid content of different tissues of rats after chronic ingestion of a fructose rich soft drink.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-five Wistar rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups (n = 15) and allowed to consume water (C), light Coca Cola ^®(L) or regular Coca Cola^®(R) as the sole source of liquids for eight weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The R group presented significantly higher daily liquid intake and significantly lower food intake than the C and L groups. Moreover, relative to the C and L groups, the R group showed higher triglyceride concentrations in the serum and liver. However, the L group animals presented lower values of serum triglycerides and cholesterol than controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on the results, it can be concluded that daily ingestion of a large amount of fructose- rich soft drink resulted in unfavorable alterations to the lipid profile of the rats.</p

Mitochondrial clearance by the STK38 kinase supports oncogenic Ras-induced cell transformation.

Oncogenic Ras signalling occurs frequently in many human cancers. However, no effective targeted therapies are currently available to treat patients suffering from Ras-driven tumours. Therefore, it is imperative to identify downstream effectors of Ras signalling that potentially represent promising new therapeutic options. Particularly, considering that autophagy inhibition can impair the survival of Ras-transformed cells in tissue culture and mouse models, an understanding of factors regulating the balance between autophagy and apoptosis in Ras-transformed human cells is needed. Here, we report critical roles of the STK38 protein kinase in oncogenic Ras transformation. STK38 knockdown impaired anoikis resistance, anchorage-independent soft agar growth, and in vivo xenograft growth of Ras-transformed human cells. Mechanistically, STK38 supports Ras-driven transformation through promoting detachment-induced autophagy. Even more importantly, upon cell detachment STK38 is required to sustain the removal of damaged mitochondria by mitophagy, a selective autophagic process, to prevent excessive mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production that can negatively affect cancer cell survival. Significantly, knockdown of PINK1 or Parkin, two positive regulators of mitophagy, also impaired anoikis resistance and anchorage-independent growth of Ras-transformed human cells, while knockdown of USP30, a negative regulator of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy, restored anchorage-independent growth of STK38-depleted Ras-transformed human cells. Therefore, our findings collectively reveal novel molecular players that determine whether Ras-transformed human cells die or survive upon cell detachment, which potentially could be exploited for the development of novel strategies to target Ras-transformed cells

Distribuição da gordura corporal e componentes da prática de atividades físicas no lazer em mulheres pósclimatério: estudo transversal com usuárias do Sistema Único de Saúde

Modelo do estudo: Estudo transversal. Objetivo: Verificar o impacto da prática de atividades físicas no lazer sobre a distribuição de massa gorda de mulheres pós-climatério, usuárias dos serviços de atenção básica à saúde. Métodos: A amostra foi composta por 176 mulheres na menopausa, com idade ≥ 50 anos, usuárias de cinco Unidades Básicas de Saúde de Bauru, São Paulo e selecionadas de forma aleatória. A composição corporal foi expressa por quantidade em gramas de gordura total, central e massa magra, obtida por exame de absortometria radiológica de dupla energia (DXA). Para avaliar a prática de atividade física no lazer utilizou-se a segunda seção do questionário de Baecke, considerando intensidade, duração e tempo prévio de engajamento. O nível econômico foi avaliado pelo questionário da Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. Correlação de Spearman e regressão linear indicaram o relacionamento entre indicadores de gordura corporal e componentes da prática de atividades físicas no lazer. Resultados: A maior parte das participantes situou-se na classe média, com idade de 65,9 ± 8 anos e o início da menopausa ocorreu aos 47,5 + 6 anos. Foi observada relação entre maior intensidade e maior tempo prévio de engajamento nas atividades de lazer com menores valores de gordura na região do tronco, porém, quando corrigidos por alguns fatores de confusão, esta relação deixou de apresentar significância estatística. Conclusões: Para esta população, atividades físicas praticadas no tempo destinado ao lazer ocorrem com intensidade, duração e tempo prévio de engajamento insuficientes para provocar alterações significativas na composição corporal.Study design: Cross-sectional study. Aim: To investigate whether leisure-time physical activity can impact on fat mass distribution in post-menopausal women, users of Brazilian Public Healthcare System. Methods: The sample was composed by 176 postmenopausal women aged ≥ 50 years. Body composition was expressed as quantity in grams of total and central fat mass and lean mass, obtained by dual Xray absorptiometry (DXA). To assess leisure-time physical activity we used the second section of Baecke’s questionnaire considering intensity, duration and prior engagement in physical activity practice. Economic status was assessed by a specific and previously validated Brazilian questionnaire. Spearman correlation and linear regression assessed the relationship between indicators of body fat and components of leisure- time physical activity. Results: Most part of participants was middle-income, with mean age of 65,9 ± 8 years and the onset of menopause occurred at 47,5 + 6 years. We observed relationship between higher intensity and prior engagement in leisure-time physical activities with lower levels of central fat, however, when adjusted for some confounding factors, such as this relationship is no longer statistical significant. Conclusion: For this population, intensity, duration and prior engagement in leisure-time physical activity are insufficient to cause significant changes in body composition

Association between body composition, balance and mobility of elderly aged 80 years or older

Modelo do estudo: Estudo transversal. Objetivo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar a associação entre composição corporal, mobilidade e equilíbrio de idosos com idade igual ou superior a 80 anos. Métodos: A amostra foi composta por 123 idosos com idade entre 80 e 95 anos (83,2±2,7 anos), sendo 78 mulheres (83,2±2,9 anos) e 45 homens (83,2±2,4 anos) residentes na área urbana de Presidente Prudente - SP. A avaliação da composição corporal foi feita pelo método de Absorciometria por Dupla Emissão de Raios-X (DEXA). A mobilidade e o equilíbrio foram avaliados por meio dos testes de velocidade para caminhar, equilíbrio estático e força de membros inferiores. Para tratamento estatístico realizou-se o teste qui-quadrado, o software utilizado foi SPSS (13.0) e o nível de significância estabelecido foi de 5%. Resultados: No grupo masculino, os idosos com maior desempenho nos testes funcionais apresentaram maiores valores percentuais de massa muscular (MM) (35,6%) comparados aos de menor desempenho (15,6%), p=0,026. No grupo feminino, as idosas com maior desempenho nos testes apresentaram maiores valores de densidade mineral óssea (DMO) (30,8%) comparadas as de menor desempenho (20,5%) p=0,041. Conclusão: A MM para idosos do sexo masculino e a DMO para o sexo feminino foram os componentes da composição corporal que se associaram com a capacidade funcional.Study design: cross-sectional study. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the association between body composition, mobility and balance of elderly aged 80 years or older. Methods: The sample consisted of 123 elderly aged 80 and 95 years (83.2 ± 2.7 years) with 78 women (83.2 ± 2.9 years) and 45 men (83.2 ± 2, 4 years) residing in the city of Presidente Prudente - SP. Assessment of body composition was made by absorpiometria dual energy X-ray (DXA). The mobility and balance were assessed by means of tests of speed walking, and static balance lower limb strength. For statistical analysis we carried out the chi-square test, the software used was SPSS (13.0) and the significance level was set at 5%. Results: In males, those with higher performance in the functional tests showed higher percentages of muscle mass (MM) (35.6%) compared to lower performance (15.6%), p = 0.026. In the female group,the elderly with higher performance on tests showed higher bone mineral density (BMD) values (30.8%)compared with those with lower performance (20.5%) p = 0.041. Conclusion: MM for elderly males and BMD for females were the components of body composition that is associated with functional capacity

European Financial Market Integration: A Closer Look at Government Bonds in Eurozone Countries

The European Union made a number of steps not least of them the introduction of a common currency to foster the integration of the European financial markets. A number of papers have tried to gauge the degree of integration for various financial markets looking at the convergence of interest rates. A common finding is that government bond markets are quite well integrated. In this paper stochastic Kernel density estimates are used to take a closer look at the dynamics that drive the process of interest rate convergence. The main finding is that countries with large initial deviations from the mean interest rate do indeed converge. Interestingly the candidates least suspected namely the countries initially with interest rates at the mean level show a pattern of slight divergence

mTORC1 signalling and eIF4E/4E-BP1 translation initiation factor stoichiometry influence recombinant protein productivity from GS-CHOK1 cells

Many protein-based biotherapeutics are produced in cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. Recent reports have demonstrated that translation of recombinant mRNAs and global control of the translation machinery via mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling are important determinants of the amount and quality of recombinant protein such cells can produce. mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) is a master regulator of cell growth/division, ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis, but the relationship between mTORC1 signalling, cell growth and proliferation and recombinant protein yields from mammalian cells, and whether this master regulating signalling pathway can be manipulated to enhance cell biomass and recombinant protein production (rPP) are not well explored. We have investigated mTORC1 signalling and activity throughout batch culture of a panel of sister recombinant glutamine synthetase-CHO cell lines expressing different amounts of a model monoclonal IgG4, to evaluate the links between mTORC1 signalling and cell proliferation, autophagy, recombinant protein expression, global protein synthesis and mRNA translation initiation. We find that the expression of the mTORC1 substrate 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) fluctuates throughout the course of cell culture and, as expected, that the 4E-BP1 phosphorylation profiles change across the culture. Importantly, we find that the eIF4E/4E-BP1 stoichiometry positively correlates with cell productivity. Furthermore, eIF4E amounts appear to be co-regulated with 4E-BP1 amounts. This may reflect a sensing of either change at the mRNA level as opposed to the protein level or the fact that the phosphorylation status, as well as the amount of 4E-BP1 present, is important in the co-regulation of eIF4E and 4E-BP1

Resting heart rate as a predictor of metabolic dysfunctions in obese children and adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent studies have identified that a higher resting heart rate (RHR) is associated with elevated blood pressure, independent of body fatness, age and ethnicity. However, it is still unclear whether RHR can also be applied as a screening for other risk factors, such as hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. Thus, the purpose of the presented study was to analyze the association between RHR, lipid profile and fasting glucose in obese children and adolescents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The sample was composed of 180 obese children and adolescents, aged between 7-16 years. Whole-body and segmental body composition were estimated by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Resting heart rate (RHR) was measured by heart rate monitors. The fasting blood samples were analyzed for serum triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glucose, using the colorimetric method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fasting glucose, TC, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C and RHR were similar in both genders. The group of obese subjects with a higher RHR presented, at a lower age, higher triglycerides and TC. There was a significant relationship between RHR, triglycerides and TC. In the multivariate model, triglycerides and TC maintained a significant relationship with RHR independent of age, gender, general and trunk adiposity. The ROC curve indicated that RHR has a high potential for screening elevated total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as dyslipidemia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Elevated RHR has the potential to identify subjects at an increased risk of atherosclerosis development.</p