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Breathing disorders are commonly observed in association with obesity. Here we tested whether high-fat diet (HFD) impairs the chemoreflex ventilatory response. Male Holtzman rats (300-320 g) were fed with standard chow diet (SD) or HFD for 12 weeks. Then, tidal volume (V T ), respiratory frequency (f R ) and pulmonary ventilation (V E ) were determined in conscious rats during basal condition, hypercapnia (7% or 10% CO 2 ) or hypoxia (7% O 2 ). The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and baroreflex sensitivity were also evaluated in conscious rats. A group of anesthetized rats was used for the measurements of the activity of inspiratory (diaphragm) and expiratory (abdominal) muscles under the same gas conditions. Baseline f R , V T and V E were similar between SD and HFD rats. During hypercapnia, the increase of f R was exacerbated in conscious HFD rats (60 ± 3, vs. SD: 47 ± 3 Δ breaths.min -1 , P < 0.05). In anesthetized rats, hypercapnia strongly increased abdominal muscle activity in HFD group (238 ± 27, vs. basal condition: 100 ± 0.3%; P < 0.05), without significant change in SD group (129 ± 2.1, vs. basal condition: 100 ± 0.8%; P = 0.34). The ventilatory responses to hypoxia were similar between groups. In conscious HFD rats, MAP and HR were elevated and the baroreflex function was impaired (P < 0.05). These data demonstrated that 12 weeks of HFD exaggerate the ventilatory response activated by hypercapnia. The mechanisms involved in these responses need more investigation in future studies., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Renovascular hypertensive 2-kidney, 1-clip (2K1C) rats have an increased activity of the renin-angiotensin system and an initial transitory increase in daily water and NaCl intake. However, the dipsogenic and natriorexigenic responses to angiotensin II (ANG II) have not been tested yet in 2K1C rats. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated water and 0.3 M NaCl intake induced by water deprivation (WD)-partial rehydration (PR) or intracerebroventricular (icv) ANG II in 2K1C rats. In addition, the cardiovascular changes to these treatments were also evaluated. Male Holtzman rats received a silver clip around the left renal artery to induce 2K1C renovascular hypertension. In the 5th week, a group of animals received a guide cannula in the lateral ventricle for icv injections. Daily water intake increased from the 3rd week after surgery and remained elevated until the 6th week (last recording week), whereas daily 0.3 M NaCl intake transiently increased from the 2nd to the 5th week after surgery. On the 6th week, in spite of comparable daily 0.3 M NaCl intake between 2K1C and sham rats, WD-PR and icv ANG II induced an increased 0.3 M NaCl intake in 2K1C rats. Water intake induced by WD-PR, not by icv ANG II, also increased in 2K1C rats. The increase in arterial pressure to WD-PR or icv ANG II was similar in sham and 2K1C rats. Therefore, these results suggest that 2K1C rats are more responsive to the natriorexigenic effects of ANG II, whereas other responses to ANG II are not modified., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Aerobic exercise is indicated for prevention and treatment of obesity-induced cardiovascular disorders. Although the resistance training (RT) may also produce effects similar to aerobic exercise, this is not completely clear yet. In the present study, we tested if RT in moderate intensity might prevent alterations in blood pressure (BP), sympathetic modulation of systolic blood pressure (SBP), baroreflex function and the changes in renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and cytokines mRNA expression within the nucleus of the tract solitary (NTS) in rats fed with high-fat diet (HFD)., Main Methods: Male Holtzman rats (300-320 g) were divided into 4 groups: sedentary with standard chow diet (SED-SD); sedentary with high-fat diet (SED-HFD); RT with standard chow diet (RT-SD); and RT with high-fat diet (RT-HFD). The trained groups performed a total of 10 weeks of moderate intensity RT in a vertical ladder. In the first 3 weeks all experimental groups were fed with SD. In the next 7 weeks, the SED-HFD and RT-HFD groups were fed with HFD., Key Findings: In SED-HFD, BP and sympathetic modulation of SBP increased, whereas baroreflex bradycardic responses were attenuated. RT prevented the cardiovascular and inflammatory responses (increases in tumoral necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) produced by HFD in SED rats. The anti-inflammatory interleukin-10, angiotensin type 2 receptor, Mas receptor and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 mRNA expressions in the NTS increased in the RT-HFD compared to SED-HFD., Significance: The data demonstrated that moderate intensity RT prevented obesity-induced cardiovascular disorders simultaneously with reduced inflammatory responses and modifications of RAS in the NTS., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Several studies have demonstrated that specific probiotics affect the host's metabolism and may influence the cardiovascular disease risk., Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of an isoflavone-supplemented soy product fermented with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus 416 on cardiovascular risk markers in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects., Design: Randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial Setting: São Paulo State University in Araraquara, SP, Brazil., Participants: 49 male healthy men with total cholesterol (TC) >5.17 mmol/L and <6.21 mmol/L Intervention: The volunteers have consumed 200 mL of the probiotic soy product (group SP-10(10) CFU/day), isoflavone-supplemented probiotic soy product (group ISP-probiotic plus 50 mg of total isoflavones/100 g) or unfermented soy product (group USP-placebo) for 42 days in a randomized, double-blind study., Main Outcome Measures: Lipid profile and additional cardiovascular biomarkers were analyzed on days 0, 30 and 42. Urine samples (24 h) were collected at baseline and at the end of the experiment so as to determine the isoflavones profile., Results: After 42 days, the ISP consumption led to improved total cholesterol, non-HDL-C (LDL + IDL + VLDL cholesterol fractions) and electronegative LDL concentrations (reduction of 13.8%, 14.7% and 24.2%, respectively, p < 0.05). The ISP and SP have prevented the reduction of HDL-C level after 42 days. The C-reactive protein and fibrinogen levels were not improved. The equol production by the ISP group subjects was inversely correlated with electronegative LDL concentration., Conclusions: The results suggest that a regular consumption of this probiotic soy product, supplemented with isoflavones, could contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in moderately hypercholesterolemic men, through the an improvement in lipid profile and antioxidant properties.

iSodium intake occurs either as a spontaneous or induced behavior, which is enhanced, i.e., sensitized, by repeated episodes of water deprivation followed by subsequent partial rehydration (WD-PR). In the present work, we examined whether repeated WD-PR alters hypothalamic transcripts related to the brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and apelin system in male normotensive Holtzman rats (HTZ). We also examined whether the sodium intake of a strain with genetically inherited high expression of the brain RAS, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), responds differently than HTZ to repeated WD-PR. We found that repeated WD-PR, besides enhancing spontaneous and induced 0.3 M NaCl intake, increased the hypothalamic expression of angiotensinogen, aminopeptidase N, and apelin receptor transcripts (43%, 60%, and 159%, respectively) in HTZ at the end of the third WD-PR. Repeated WD-PR did not change the daily spontaneous 0.3 M NaCl intake and barely changed the need-induced 0.3 M NaCl intake of SHR. The same treatment consistently enhanced spontaneous daily 0.3 M NaCl intake in the normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. The results show that repeated WD-PR produces alterations in hypothalamic transcripts and also sensitizes sodium appetite in HTZ. They suggest an association between the components of hypothalamic RAS and the apelin system, with neural and behavioral plasticity produced by repeated episodes of WD-PR in a normotensive strain. The results also indicate that the inherited hyperactive brain RAS is not a guarantee for sensitization of sodium intake in the male adult SHR exposed to repeated WD-PR., (Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.)

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that methysergide, a serotonergic antagonist, injected into the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) combined with a pre-load of 2 M NaCl, given by gavage, induces 0.3 M NaCl intake. The mechanisms involved in this paradoxical behavior are still unknown. In the present work, we investigated the effect of serotonergic blockade into the LPBN on hindbrain and hypothalamic activity, gastric emptying and arterial blood pressure in cell-dehydrated rats. Methysergide plus 2 M NaCl infused intragastrically or intravenously promoted 0.3 M NaCl intake in two-bottle tests. In cell-dehydrated rats with no access to fluids, methysergide compared to vehicle increased Fos immunoreactivity in the medial nucleus of the solitary tract, area postrema and non-oxytocinergic cells of the ventral portion of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). There was no alteration in the number of neurons double-labeled for Fos-ir and oxytocin in the PVN and supraoptic nuclei. There was also no alteration in plasma oxytocin and vasopressin, or arterial pressure. In rats cell-dehydrated by i.v. 2 M NaCl, methysergide also did not change the amount of an intragastric load of 0.3 M NaCl retained in the stomach or intestine. The results suggest that methysergide injected into the LPBN of cell-dehydrated rat does not alter primary inhibitory signals that control sodium intake. The inhibitory signals blocked by methysergide in the LPBN possibly originated from activation of brain osmoreceptors, second order visceral/hormonal signals or a combination of both.

Background: Previous studies showed that intake of yacon or some lactic acid bacteria was able to inhibit the development of diabetes mellitus, by reducing glucose and associated symptoms, for example, the lipid profile., Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the consumption influence of a potential symbiotic product of soybean and yacon extract and fermented Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus ssp jugurti 416 in reducing blood glucose and lipid levels in an animal model., Methods: Diabetes mellitus was chemically induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body weight). The rats were divided into four groups (n=10): GI - non-diabetic animals that received only a standard chow diet (negative control), GII - diabetic animals that received only chow diet (positive control), GIII - diabetic animals that received the chow diet + 1 mL/kg body weight/day of soybean and yacon unfermented product, GIV - diabetic rats that received the chow diet + 1 mL/kg body weight/day of soybean and yacon fermented product. There was a seven-week treatment period and the following parameters were evaluated: animal body weight, food and water intake, blood glucose, enzyme activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides levels, total cholesterol, HDL-C, non-HDL-C. Cell viability of the fermented product was checked weekly for a seven-week period., Results: The product average viable population was 10(8)-10(9) CFU/mL, by ensuring both the rods and cocci regular intake. No difference was observed between the water and feed intake and body weight of groups that received unfermented and fermented products and the untreated diabetic group. The same was observed for the blood glucose and AST and ALT activities, while some improvement was observed for a lipid profile, represented by reduction of triglycerides level by 15.07% and 33.50% in groups III and IV, respectively, and an increase of 23.70% in HDL-C level for group IV., Conclusion: The results showed that the ingestion of a potential symbiotic product was neither able to promote improvement in some of the disease symptoms, nor reduce blood glucose. However, a positive effect on triglycerides levels and HDL-cholesterol was observed in the groups that received the unfermented product containing yacon extract and the fermented product with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183, as well as Lactobacillus helveticus ssp jugurti 416 and yacon extract (symbiotic product).

We investigated the effects of prolonged treatment of diabetic rats with curcumin-supplemented yoghurt on the physiological and biochemical changes associated with diabetes mellitus. An established metabolic cage model was used to assess these changes in three groups of streptozotocin-diabetic rats which had been administered, by gavage, curcumin blended into yoghurt in the doses of 30, 60 and 90 mg/kg body weight (BW) per d (groups DC30, DC60, DC90) for 31 d. One group of non-diabetic rats was also treated with 90 mg/kg BW per d curcumin (NDC90). Three control groups of diabetic animals received water (DW), yoghurt (DY) and insulin at 27·78 μmol/d by subcutaneous injection (DI). Also, two groups of non-diabetic animals received water (NDW) and yoghurt (NDY). Groups DI and DC90 exhibited significant falls, relative to DW and DY, in food and water intake, urine volume, glycaemia, urinary urea and glucose, proteinuria, serum TAG and activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, and higher hepatic glycogen and BW. These improvements were greater in DI than in DC90. No difference was observed in the serum levels of total cholesterol or HDL-cholesterol, or in the masses of adipose and muscular tissues, between DC90 and DW or DY. Moreover, the improvements in curcumin-treated rats, relative to DW and DY, were significant and dose-dependent. The NDC90 group also showed no difference from the NDW or NDY groups, in any of the markers for diabetes. In conclusion, curcumin mixed into yoghurt at the highest dose tested exhibited anti-diabetic activity, improving significantly most of the markers assessed in this study.

Background: Previous work showed that daily ingestion of an aqueous soy extract fermented with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus 416, supplemented or not with isoflavones, reduced the total cholesterol and non-HDL-cholesterol levels, increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration and inhibited the raising of autoantibody against oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL Ab) and the development of atherosclerotic lesions., Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota in order to investigate the possible correlation between fecal microbiota, serum lipid parameters and atherosclerotic lesion development in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia, that ingested the aqueous soy extract fermented with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Lactobacillus helveticus 416., Methods: The rabbits were randomly allocated to five experimental groups (n = 6): control (C), hypercholesterolemic (H), hypercholesterolemic plus unfermented soy product (HUF), hypercholesterolemic plus fermented soy product (HF) and hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone-supplemented fermented soy product (HIF). Lipid parameters and microbiota composition were analyzed on days 0 and 60 of the treatment and the atherosclerotic lesions were quantified at the end of the experiment. The fecal microbiota was characterized by enumerating the Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Enterococcus spp., Enterobacteria and Clostridium spp. populations., Results: After 60 days of the experiment, intake of the probiotic soy product was correlated with significant increases (P < 0.05) on Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp. and Enterococcus spp. and a decrease in the Enterobacteria population. A strong correlation was observed between microbiota composition and lipid profile. Populations of Enterococcus spp., Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. were negatively correlated with total cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, autoantibodies against oxidized LDL (oxLDL Ab) and lesion size. HDL-C levels were positively correlated with Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and Enterococcus spp. populations., Conclusion: In conclusion, daily ingestion of the probiotic soy product, supplemented or not with isoflavones, may contribute to a beneficial balance of the fecal microbiota and this modulation is associated with an improved cholesterol profile and inhibition of atherosclerotic lesion development.

The objective of this study was to find out if lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administered intraperitoneally affects sodium and water intake and renal excretion in dehydrated rats. LPS (0.3-5 mg/kg b.w.) inhibited 0.3M NaCl intake induced by subcutaneous injection of the diuretic furosemide (FURO, 10 mg/kg b.w.) combined with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril (CAP, 5 mg/kg b.w.). Only the highest doses of LPS (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) inhibited water intake induced by FURO/CAP. LPS (0.6 mg/kg) reduced urinary volume and sodium excretion, but had no effect on mean arterial pressure or heart rate of rats treated with FURO/CAP. LPS (0.3-5.0 mg/kg) abolished intracellular thirst and reduced by 50% the urine sodium concentration of rats that received 2 ml of 2M NaCl by gavage. LPS (0.3-5.0 mg/kg) also reduced thirst in rats treated with FURO alone (10 mg/rat sc). The results suggest that LPS has a preferential, but not exclusive, inhibitory effect on sodium intake and on intracellular thirst. The inhibition of hydro-mineral intake and the antinatriuresis caused by LPS in dehydrated rats may contribute to the multiple effects of the endotoxin on fluid and electrolyte balance and be part of the strategy to cope with infections., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess a suggested association between periodontitis and renal insufficiency by assaying kidney disease markers., Methods: VARIABLES USED TO DIAGNOSE PERIODONTITIS WERE: (i) probing pocket depth (PPD), (ii) attachment loss (AL), (iii) bleeding on probing (BOP), (iv) plaque index (PI) and (v) extent and severity index. Blood and urine were collected from 60 apparently healthy non-smokers (men and women), consisting of a test group of 30 subjects with periodontitis (age 46±6 yrs) and a control group of 30 healthy subjects (age 43±5 yrs). Kidney function markers (urea, creatinine, uric acid and albumin contents) were measured in the serum and urine. Also, the glomerular filtration rate was estimated from creatinine clearance, from the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula and from the albumin : creatinine ratio in a 24-h sample of urine., Results: It was found that the control group had a greater mean number of teeth than the test group and that the two groups also differed in PPD, AL, BOP and PI, all these variables being higher in the test group (P=0.006). For the extent and severity index of both PPD and AL, the test group had much higher medians of both extent and severity than the control group (P=0.001). With regard to kidney function, none of the markers revealed a significant difference between the control and test groups and all measured values fell within the reference intervals., Conclusions: It is proposed that severe periodontitis is not associated with any alteration in kidney function.

Patient safety concerns in surgery are increasing. The frequency of surgery-related adverse events and errors is high, and most could be avoided. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) proposed the Universal Protocol (UP-JCAHO) for preventing wrong site, wrong procedure, and wrong person surgery. In Brazil, very few health-care institutions have adopted this Protocol. Thus, there is a need to improve its dissemination and assess its effectiveness. The aim of the present study was to report the experiences of the Sao Paulo State Cancer Institute (ICESP, acronym in Portuguese) in implementing the UP-JCAHO. The Protocol comprises three steps: pre-operative verification process, marking the operative site and Time out immediately before starting the procedure. The ICESP surgical center (SC) has been functioning since November 2008. The UP-JCAHO is applied to all surgeries. A total 1019 surgeries were performed up to June 2009. No errors or adverse events were registered. The implementation of the UP-JCAHO is simple. It can be a useful tool to prevent error and adverse events in SC.

A water deprived animal that ingests only water efficiently corrects its intracellular dehydration, but remains hypovolemic, in negative sodium balance, and with high plasma renin activity and angiotensin II. Therefore, it is not surprising that it also ingests sodium. However, separation between thirst and sodium appetite is necessary to use water deprivation as a method to understand the mechanisms subserving sodium appetite. For this purpose, we may use the water deprivation-partial repletion protocol, or WD-PR. This protocol allows performing a sodium appetite test after the rat has quenched its thirst; thus, the sodium intake during this test cannot be confounded with a response to thirst. This is confirmed by hedonic shift and selective ingestion of sodium solutions in the sodium appetite test that follows a WD-PR. The separation between thirst and sodium appetite induced by water deprivation permits the identification of brain states associated with sodium intake in the appetite test. One of these states relates to the activation of angiotensin II AT1 receptors. Other states relate to cell activity in key areas, e.g. subfornical organ and central amygdala, as revealed by immediate early gene c-Fos immunoreactivity or focal lesions. Angiotensin II apparently sensitizes the brain of the water deprived rat to produce an enhanced sodium intake, as that expressed by spontaneously hypertensive and by young normotensive rat. The enhancement in sodium intake produced by history of water deprivation is perhaps a clue to understand the putative salt addiction in humans. The paper represents an invited review by a symposium, award winner or keynote speaker at the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior [SSIB] Annual Meeting in Portland, July 2009., (2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) has an intense consumption of NaCl solution. Water deprivation (WD) followed by water intake to satiety induces partial rehydration (PR)-the WD-PR protocol-and sodium appetite. In the present work, WD produced similar water intake and no alterations in arterial pressure among spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), Wistar-Kyoto, and Holtzman strains. It also increased the number of cells with positive c-Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) in the lamina terminalis and in the hypothalamic supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (parvocellular, PVNp) nucleus in these strains. The WD and WD-PR produced similar alterations in all strains in serum osmolality and protein, plasma renin activity, and sodium balance. The SHR ingested about 10 times more 0.3 M NaCl than normotensives strains in the sodium appetite test that follows WD-PR. After WD-PR, the Fos-IR persisted, elevated in the lamina terminalis of all strains but notably in the subfornical organ of the SHR. The WD-PR reversed Fos-IR in the SON of all strains and in the PVNp of SHR. It induced Fos-IR in the area postrema and in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), dorsal raphe, parabrachial (PBN), pre-locus coeruleus (pre-LC), suprachiasmatic, and central amygdalar nucleus of all strains. This effect was bigger in the caudal-NTS, pre-LC, and medial-PBN of SHRs. The results indicate that WD-PR increases cell activity in the forebrain and hindbrain areas that control sodium appetite in the rat. They also suggest that increased cell activity in facilitatory brain areas precedes the intense 0.3 M NaCl intake of the SHR in the sodium appetite test.

We investigated the effects of electrolytic damage to the central nucleus of the amygdala on brain c-fos expression and 0.3 M NaCl intake of adult male rats (n = 6-12/group) submitted to a cycle of 36 h of water deprivation (WD) followed by 2 h water intake until satiety or partial rehydration (PR). The groups were divided into sham lesion (CEAs), bilateral lesion of the CEA (CEAX) and misplaced lesion with intact CEA (CEAm). The WD-PR produced a marked increase in c-fos expression in the medial parabrachial nucleus (MPBN) and some increase in the parvocelullar portion of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVNp), compared to respective hydrated control (no water deprivation) state in CEAX, but not in CEAs or CEAm. The WD-PR induced similar c-fos expression in the lamina terminalis, supraoptic nucleus, magnocellular PVN and lateral parabrachial nucleus in both CEAX and CEAs. The CEAX showed the typical reduced daily need-free 0.3 M NaCl intake compared to CEAs. However, the 0.3 M NaCl intake of CEAX, unexpectedly, was not significantly different from CEAs or intact rats in the sodium appetite test that followed a cycle of WD-PR. The results do not allow associating the alterations in c-fos expression to the typical inhibition of sodium appetite well known in the literature to be produced by damage to the CEA. Nevertheless, the enhanced cell activation in the MPBN and PVNp suggests an inhibitory role for the CEA on the activity of these nuclei when water-deprived rats have quenched their thirst.

Background: There is increasing interest in natural treatments to control dyslipidemia and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of soy yogurt fermented with Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and of dietary isoflavones on the lipid profile. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt, fermented with E. faecium CRL183, on lipid parameters and atherosclerosis development in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia., Methods: Forty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned to eight groups fed on the following diets for 60 days: C - control; IY - isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt; H - hypercholesterolemic (1.0% cholesterol wt/wt diet); HY - hypercholesterolemic plus soy yogurt; HIY - hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone-supplemented soy yogurt; HP - hypercholesterolemic plus placebo; HI - hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone and HE - hypercholesterolemic plus pure culture of E. faecium CRL 183. Serum lipids and autoantibodies against oxLDL (oxLDL Ab) were analyzed on days 0, 30 and 60 of the treatment and the atherosclerotic lesions were quantified at the end of the experiment., Results: Soy yogurt, soy yogurt supplemented with isoflavones and placebo promoted significant reductions in total cholesterol level (38.1%, 27.0% and 26.6%, respectively). Significant increases in serum HDL-C concentration relative to group H were detected in animals that ingested soy yogurt, with or without the isoflavone supplement (55.2%), E. faecium culture (43.3%) or placebo (35.8%). Intake of soy yogurt and soy yogurt supplemented with isoflavones prevented the rise of oxLDL Ab during the study period. The extent of atherosclerosis in the thoracic and abdominal aortas was reduced in the HIY, HY and HP groups. However, when the whole aorta was analyzed, animals treated with soy yogurt supplemented with isoflavones exhibited the greatest reduction (51.4%, P < 0.05) in atherosclerotic lesion area, compared to group H., Conclusion: Soy yogurt could be consumed as an alternative means of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving the lipid profile and inhibiting oxLDL Ab formation. Our findings also suggest that isoflavone supplementation may enhance the antiatherosclerotic effect of soy yogurt.

Background: Much attention has been drawn to different alternative strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention., Objective: The aim of the present study was to observe and compare the effects of Enterococcus faecium CRL183 (probiotic microorganism), an isoflavones mixture and simvastatin (drug used to treat hypercholesterolemia) on lipid parameters and atherosclerosis development in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia., Methods: The animals were randomly allocated to 5 experimental groups (n = 6) for 60 days: control (C) that did not consume cholesterol, hypercholesterolemic (H) that consumed an atherogenic diet (1.0% cholesterol wt/wt), hypercholesterolemic plus E. faecium (HE), hypercholesterolemic plus isoflavone (HI) and hypercholesterolemic plus simvastatin (HS). Total and HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were determined by enzymatic methods; non-HDL-C was calculated by subtracting HDL-C from total cholesterol; and atherosclerosis was presented as the percentage of lesion area, relative to the total area from the aorta segment analyzed., Results: Simvastatin significantly reduced the tot cholesterol (16%) and non-HDL-C level (17%) and increased the HDL-C (98%), compared to group H. E. faecium raised the HDL-C level by 43.3% (P < 0.05). Isoflavone decreased the total cholesterol and non-HDL-C concentrations (9%), but this effect was not statistically significant. At the end of the treatments, groups HE and HS had significantly lower levels of triglycerides in relation to H and HI. The atherosclerotic lesion area in the aortic arch was not different between groups. The extent of atherosclerosis in the thoracic and abdominal aorta was reduced in the groups HI and HS by 22.7% and 26.7% respectively, but this effect was not significant (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: The results indicated that probiotic microorganism E. faecium CRL 183 could be used to improve the lipid profile as an alternative or an adjuvant for drug therapy. The effectiveness of simvastatin in the management of blood lipid was confirmed. There were no effects of soy isoflavones, E. faecium and simvastatin on atherosclerosis development.

Background: Available data on the effects of a fermented soy product enriched with Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus Jugurti on circulating lipids and adiposity are not completely settled. This study aimed to observe the effects of a fermented soy product enriched with Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus Jugurti on central obesity and dyslipidemia control in Wistar adult male rats., Methods: Over a period of 8 weeks, animals had "ad libitum" food intake and water consumption as well as body weight and food consumption was monitored. The animals were assigned to four different experimental groups: Control Group (C); Control + Fermented Product Group (CPF); Hypercholesterolemic diet group (H); and Hypercholesterolemic + Fermented Product Group (HPF). The HPF and CPF groups received an intragastric administration of 1 ml of fermented product daily. After the experimental period the animals were killed by decapitation, blood was collected to measure cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol plasma concentration. Adipocyte circumference, lipolysis and lipogenis rates were measures using epididymal and retroperitoneal white adipose tissues., Results: The results demonstrated that 1 ml/day/rat of the fermented soy product promoted important benefits such as reduced cholesterolemia in hypercholesterolemic diet group and the adipocyte circumference in both control and hypercholesterolemic diet group., Conclusion: The fermented soy product enriched with Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus Jugurti decreased circulating lipids levels and reduced adipocyte area in rats.

Background: Exercise has been prescribed in the treatment and control of dyslipidemias and cholesterolemia, however, lipid responses to different training frequencies in hypercholesterolemic men have been inconsistent. We sought to verify if different frequencies of continuous moderate exercise (2 or 5 days/week, swimming) can, after 8 weeks, promote adaptations in adipocyte area and lipid parameters, as well as body weight and relative weight of tissues in normo and hypercholesterolemic adult male rats., Methods: Normal cholesterol chow diet or cholesterol-rich diet (1% cholesterol plus 0.25% cholic acid) were freely given during 8 weeks to the rats divided in 6 experimentals groups: sedentary normal cholesterol chow diet (C); sedentary cholesterol-rich diet (H); 5x per week continuous training normal cholesterol chow diet (TC5) and cholesterol-rich diet (TH5); 2x per week continuos traning normal cholesterol chow diet (TC2) and cholesterol-rich diet (TH2)., Results: No changes were observed in lipid profile in normal cholesterol chow diet, but both 2 a 5 days/week exercise improved this profile in cholesterol-rich diet. Body weight gain was lower in exercised rats. Decrease in retroperitoneal and epididymal relative weights as well as reductions in adipocyte areas under all diets types were observed only in 5 days/week, while 2 days/week showed improvements mainly in cholesterol-rich diet rats., Conclusion: Our results confirm the importance of exercise protocols to control dyslipidemias and obesity in rats. The effects of 5 days/week exercise were more pronounced compared with those of 2 consecutive days/week training.

Water deprivation-induced thirst is explained by the double-depletion hypothesis, which predicts that dehydration of the two major body fluid compartments, the extracellular and intracellular compartments, activates signals that combine centrally to induce water intake. However, sodium appetite is also elicited by water deprivation. In this brief review, we stress the importance of the water-depletion and partial extracellular fluid-repletion protocol which permits the distinction between sodium appetite and thirst. Consistent enhancement or a de novo production of sodium intake induced by deactivation of inhibitory nuclei (e.g., lateral parabrachial nucleus) or hormones (oxytocin, atrial natriuretic peptide), in water-deprived, extracellular-dehydrated or, contrary to tradition, intracellular-dehydrated rats, suggests that sodium appetite and thirst share more mechanisms than previously thought. Water deprivation has physiological and health effects in humans that might be related to the salt craving shown by our species.

Background: We present new findings on liver steatosis detected in a group of 20 morbidly obese patients who were reassessed shortly after bariatric surgery (BS) by assaying hepatic markers in their serum., Methods: We assayed aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), cholinesterase, cholesterol, total protein, and albumin, and measured the weight and the body mass index (BMI) of patients, before and one and three months after surgery., Results: There were significant reductions in BMI following surgery and also falls in transaminases and gamma-GT activities three months after BS. No changes occurred in other parameters between periods, except that cholesterol was above reference values before BS and fell to normal levels three months after BS., Conclusions: We suggest that before undergoing surgery, the patients suffered from slight steatosis, while after BS the reduction in AST and gamma-GT indicated that this condition was corrected within three months. Moreover, these enzymes may be useful markers for excess fat in the liver.

Background: Hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and hyperleptinemia are some of the consequences of obesity. Gastric bypass for morbid obesity provides gastric restriction with decreased energy absorption. To confirm and extend previous reports in the literature, we evaluated the plasma glucose, serum insulin and leptin and insulin resistance of patients preoperatively and 1 and 3 months after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP)., Methods: We determined body mass index (BMI), plasma glucose (glucose-oxidase method), serum leptin (immunoassay) and insulin (chemiluminescent immunometric assay), and insulin resistance index (IRI) by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) of 20 patients with morbid obesity both preoperatively and 1 and 3 months after RYGBP., Results: Patients showed a mean decrease in weight of 8 kg/month. Glycemia was above reference levels in 65% of the preoperative patients but dropped significantly 1 month postoperatively, serum insulin and leptin levels and the HOMA index also decreasing significantly in the same period. The percentage of patients with preoperative elevated serum insulin and leptin relative to reference levels decreased significantly following RYGBP. We also observed a weak but significant correlation between BMI and glucose, BMI and insulin, and leptin and insulin., Conclusions: The beneficial effects of bariatric surgery are already noticeable 1 month postoperatively, the reduction in insulin levels being more important for leptin reduction than decreased BMI. Leptin appeared to be subject to multifactorial control and showed a larger reduction than body weight.

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of soy product fermented by Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus jugurti supplemented with isoflavones on adipose tissue, blood lipid, and glucose levels on juvenile rats., Methods: Rats were fed a cholesterol-enriched diet for 3 wk as a preliminary treatment to create hypercholesterolemia. They were then fed a chow diet (HC), a chow diet plus fermented soy product supplemented with isoflavones (HCFI), a chow diet plus placebo (HCP), or a chow diet plus placebo supplemented with isoflavones (HCPI), respectively, for an additional 3 wk., Results: The beneficial effects of fermented soy product supplemented with isoflavones on epididymal (EPI) and retroperitoneal (RET) fat pads was likely due to isoflavones because adipocyte circumference (micrometers) in the HC group was significantly larger (EPI: 105.66 +/- 13.36; RET: 134.95 +/- 25.40) than that in the HCFI group (EPI: 93.17 +/- 12.80; RET: 108.62 +/- 15.50) and HCPI group (EPI: 93.06 +/- 15.10; RET: 112.34 +/- 18.21). The probiotic micro-organism accentuated the antilipogenic effect of isoflavones on RET (HCFI: 108.62 +/- 15.50 micrometers versus HCPI: 112.34 +/- 18.21 micrometers). Moreover, the fermented product increased glucose concentration similar to that in the chow group but did not change blood lipids., Conclusion: This product may offer new approaches to obesity prevention.

Isotonic NaCl is ingested in addition to water by cell-dehydrated rats in two-bottle tests. The objective of the present work was to find out whether mineral intake in the cell-dehydrated rat is specific to NaCl in a five-bottle test. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats had distilled water and four mineral solutions at palatable concentrations (0.01 M KCl, 0.05 mM CaCl2, 0.15 M NaHCO3, 0.15 M NaCl) simultaneously available for consumption. Cell-dehydration was produced infusing 1.5 ml of NaCl solution (0.15, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 M) intravenously for 10 min and intakes were recorded for the next hour. It was observed a NaCl concentration-dependent increase in 0.01 M KCl intake. The ingestion of the other mineral solutions was not significantly altered compared to infusion of 0.15 M NaCl. The ingestion of KCl was not related to changes in serum potassium concentration. The ingestion of KCl was reduced in half and water was the preferred fluid when the five-bottle test was performed with mineral solutions at isomolar (0.15 M) concentrations. There was no increase in intake of other mineral solution in the isomolar test. No preference was observed for palatable or isomolar solutions during early extracellular dehydration until 4 h after subcutaneous injection of furosemide, in spite of the increase in total volume intake. Therefore, mineral intake induced by cell dehydration is not specific for NaCl solution. The type of mineral solution available influences the choice and KCl is the preferred solution of the cell-dehydrated rat in the conditions of the present study.

The fruit of Indian Eugenia jambolana have been shown to have therapeutic properties, but because the therapeutic potential of a plant is related to the geographic region in which the plant was grown and to the part of the plant used, we investigated Brazilian Eugenia jambolana fruit using the same preparation and experimental methods as have been used in India. The well-established metabolic cage model was used to evaluate the physiological and metabolic parameters associated with streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats (n=10) which had been administered, by gavage, 50 mg per day of lyophilised Eugenia jambolana fruit-pulp extract for 41 days. We found that, compared to untreated controls, rats treated with the lyophilised fruit-pulp showed no observable difference in body weight, food or water intake, urine volume, glycaemia, urinary urea and glucose, hepatic glycogen, or on serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. No change was observed in the masses of epididymal or retroperitoneal adipose tissue or of soleus or extensor digitorum longus muscles. This lack of any apparent effect on the diabetes may be attributable to the regional ecosystem where the fruit was collected and/or to the severity of the induced diabetes.

Background: Previous experiments have shown that a decoction of Bauhinia forficata leaves reduces the changes in carbohydrate and protein metabolism that occur in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. In the present investigation, the serum activities of enzymes known to be reliable toxicity markers were monitored in normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats to discover whether the use of B. forficata decoction has toxic effects on liver, muscle or pancreas tissue or on renal microcirculation., Methods: An experimental group of normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats received an aqueous decoction of fresh B. forficata leaves (150 g/L) by mouth for 33 days while a control group of normal and diabetic rats received water for the same length of time. The serum activity of the toxicity markers lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, amylase, angiotensin-converting enzyme and bilirubin were assayed before receiving B. forficata decoction and on day 19 and 33 of treatment., Results: The toxicity markers in normal and diabetic rats were not altered by the diabetes itself nor by treatment with decoction. Whether or not they received B. forficata decoction the normal rats showed a significant increase in serum amylase activity during the experimental period while there was a tendency for the diabetic rats, both treated and untreated with decoction, to have lower serum amylase activities than the normal rats., Conclusions: Administration of an aqueous decoction of B. forficata is a potential treatment for diabetes and does not produce toxic effects measurable with the enzyme markers used in our study.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder due to an inborn error of cholesterol metabolism, characterized by congenital malformations, dysmorphism of multiple organs, mental retardation and delayed neuropsychomotor development resulting from cholesterol biosynthesis deficiency. A defect in 3 -hydroxysteroid-delta7-reductase (delta7-sterol-reductase), responsible for the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) to cholesterol, causes an increase in 7-DHC and frequently reduces plasma cholesterol levels. The clinical diagnosis of SLOS cannot always be conclusive because of the remarkable variability of clinical expression of the disorder. Thus, confirmation by the measurement of plasma 7-DHC levels is needed. In the present study, we used a simple, fast, and selective method based on ultraviolet spectrophotometry to measure 7-DHC in order to diagnose SLOS. 7-DHC was extracted serially from 200 l plasma with ethanol and n-hexane and the absorbance at 234 and 282 nm was determined. The method was applied to negative control plasma samples from 23 normal individuals and from 6 cases of suspected SLOS. The method was adequate and reliable and 2 SLOS cases were diagnosed.

The activities of the enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), creatine kinase (CK), amylase (AMS) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) have been used to assess the toxic effects of xenobiotics that have hypoglycaemic action in hepatic, pancreatic, renal and muscle tissue. Using a validated experimental model of diabetes mellitus in rats, we ascertained whether this syndrome itself affected the serum activities of these enzymes over a 53-day period. Levels of hepatic enzymes AST, ALT and ALP were higher in the streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats (group D), but were controlled by insulin therapy (group DI). AMS was reduced in group D and unchanged in group DI rats. Proteinuria was detected 1 day after STZ administration and partially controlled by insulin (group DI); its early presence in group D rats, and the lack of any change in serum ACE in this group, indicates that proteinuria is the better marker for microangiopathy. Microscopic examination of liver, kidney, heart and skeletal muscles (soleus and extensor digitorum longus) revealed various alterations in group D rat tissues, which were less pronounced in group DI. The liver, pancreas and kidney tissue-damage was consistent with the altered serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP and AMS and proteinuria. We conclude that: (i) rigorous control is required when these serum-enzyme levels are used as indicators of tissue toxicity in experimental diabetes, and (ii) LD, CK and bilirubin serum levels, which are unaffected by diabetes, can be used when testing effects of xenobiotics on tissues.

This study was undertaken to verify the effect of a daily intake of a new fermented soy milk produced with Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus jugurti on the serum lipid levels in normocholesterolemic middle-aged men. The study was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled and was performed for a period of 6 weeks. Forty-four normocholesterolemic healthy, male volunteers, aged 40-55 years old were randomly separated in two groups: The F-group received 200 ml of the fermented product daily and the P-group received 200 ml of placebo (chemically fermented). The blood samples were drawn initially and after 3 and 6 weeks and serum values for total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride were determined. The LDL-cholesterol value was estimated. No significant changes in the fermented group (F) were observed for total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol or triglyceride levels, while the HDL-cholesterol level was significantly higher (p < or = 0.05) after 6 weeks. The total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly higher (p < or = 0.05) in the placebo group (P), but no changes were found for the HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels during the experimental period. In conclusion, the intake of 200 ml/day of the fermented soy milk, produced with E. faecium and L. jugurti, for 6 weeks, did not affect the serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and led an increase of 10% in the HDL-cholesterol level.

Leaf decoctions of Cissus sicyoides (princess vine) are taken widely as a popular remedy for diabetes mellitus in Brazil, where its common name is 'vegetal insulin'. However, there have been practically no attempts so far to determine scientifically whether it has anti-diabetic effects and we decided to administer leaf decoctions, over extended periods, to normal and streptozotocin-diabetic rats, and investigate the effects of this treatment on the physiological and metabolic parameters that are altered in diabetic animals. The experimental model adopted was shown to be appropriate by running a parallel treatment with insulin, which led to expected improvements in several abnormal parameter values. The decoction treatment significantly reduced the intake of both food and fluid and the volume of urine excreted, as well as the levels of blood glucose, urinary glucose and urinary urea, in comparison with controls. Lipid metabolism was not affected by the treatment; nor was the level of hepatic glycogen in diabetic animals, which indicated that the mechanism responsible for the improvement in carbohydrate metabolism, observed in animals treated with the decoction, could not involve inhibition of glycogenolysis and/or stimulation of glycogenesis. The fact that normal animals treated with C. sicyoides exhibited no changes in any of the measured parameters suggests that its mode of action in diabetic animals does not resemble those of sulphonylurea or insulin. It may, however, act in a similar way to biguanide, via inhibition of gluconeogenesis.

Losartan, an AT1 angiotensin II (ANG II) receptor non-peptide antagonist, induces an increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) when injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) into rats. The present study investigated possible effector mechanisms of the increase in MAP induced by icv losartan in unanesthetized rats. Male Holtzman rats (280-300 g, N = 6/group) with a cannula implanted into the anterior ventral third ventricle received an icv injection of losartan (90 micro g/2 micro l) that induced a typical peak pressor response within 5 min. In one group of animals, this response to icv losartan was completely reduced from 18 +/- 1 to 4 +/- 2 mmHg by intravenous (iv) injection of losartan (2.5-10 mg/kg), and in another group, it was partially reduced from 18 +/- 3 to 11 +/- 2 mmHg by iv prazosin (0.1-1.0 mg/kg), an alpha1-adrenergic antagonist (P<0.05). Captopril (10 mg/kg), a converting enzyme inhibitor, injected iv in a third group inhibited the pressor response to icv losartan from 24 +/- 3 to 7 +/- 2 mmHg (P<0.05). Propranolol (10 mg/kg), a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist, injected iv in a fourth group did not alter the pressor response to icv losartan. Plasma renin activity and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity were not altered by icv losartan in other animals. The results suggest that the pressor effect of icv losartan depends on angiotensinergic and alpha1-adrenoceptor activation, but not on increased circulating ANG II.

Male adult rats that received an intragastric load of 2 ml of 12% NaCl (n=13) ingested both water (4.0+/-0.2 ml/2 h) and 0.9% NaCl (3.7+/-1.0 ml/2 h) when compared with rats that received intragastric load of 2 ml of water (water: 0.1+/-0.1; 0.9% NaCl: 0.5+/-0.3 ml/2 h, n=12) in a two-bottle test. Intragastric sodium load increased plasma sodium concentration and osmolality by 5% and reduced plasma renin activity by half compared to rats that received intragastric load of water. Intravenous infusion of 1.5 ml/10 min of 10% NaCl (n=16) also induced ingestion of water (6.2+/-0.8 ml/2 h) and 0.9% NaCl (2.9+/-0.8 ml/2 h) compared with intravenous infusion of 1.5 ml/10 min of 0.9% NaCl (water: 0.9+/-0.4; 0.9% NaCl: 0.5+/-0.2 ml/2 h, n=14). Therefore, a sodium load that raises natremia and plasma osmolality, and therefore induces cell dehydration, results in both 0.9% NaCl and water ingestion when the rats have a two-bottle choice.

The effects of using Bauhinia forficata leaf decoction (150 g leaf/l water; 35.2+/-7.8 ml/100 g body weight mean daily dose) as a drinking-water substitute for about 1 month on streptozotocin-diabetes (STZ-diabetes) in male Wistar rats were investigated. The physico-metabolic parameters measured were: body weight, food and liquid intake, urinary volume, hepatic glycogen, serum triglycerides and cholesterol, plasma glucose, urinary glucose and urea, and the weight of epididymal and retroperitoneal adipose tissue and soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles. The STZ-diabetic rats treated with decoction showed a significant reduction in serum and urinary glucose and urinary urea as compared to the STZ-diabetic control, no difference being seen between decoction-treated and -untreated non-diabetic rats. The other physico-metabolic factors showed no changes in treated STZ-diabetic rats. The improvement in carbohydrate metabolism seen in the rats treated with Bauhinia forficata decoction does not appear to be linked to the inhibition of glycogenolysis or the stimulation of glycogenesis nor does it appear to act in a way similar to insulin or the sulfonylureas, although it may act by the inhibition of neoglycogenesis in a manner similar to that of the biguanides.

Objective: To assess the effect of a new feed soy product fermented by Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus jugurti on the serum lipid levels of rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia., Methods: Thirty-two rabbits were divided into 4 groups as follows: 1) control (C); 2) hypercholesterolemic (H); 3) hypercholesterolemic + fermented product (HPF); and 4) control + fermented product (CPF). The H and HPF groups were fed with a diet with 0.15% (p/p) cholesterol in the first 15 days. C and CPF groups received regular food preparation. The HPF and CPF groups received 10 mL daily of the fermented 30 days. Blood samples were drawn at the beginning of the study and at the 15th and 30th days. Concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides were analyzed., Results: After 15 days, the HPF group showed a total cholesterol concentration lower (18.4%) than that of the H group (p = 0.05), but this difference disappeared after 30 days. No change was observed in total cholesterol levels of C and CPF groups. After 15 days, the HDL-cholesterol was higher (17.8%) in the HPF group, but the triglyceride levels remained unchanged in all groups during the same period of time., Conclusion: The soy fermented product caused an 18.4% reduction in total cholesterol and a 17.8% increase in the HDL-fraction. It may, therefore, be a possible coadjutor in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.