Body fat distribution in white and black women: different patterns of intraabdominal and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue utilization with weight loss.

BACKGROUND: Intraabdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) is the body fat depot most strongly related to disease risk. Weight reduction is advocated for overweight people to reduce total body fat and IAAT, although little is known about the effect of weight loss on abdominal fat distribution in different races. OBJECTIVE: We compared the effects of diet-induced weight loss on changes in abdominal fat distribution in white and black women. DESIGN: We studied 23 white and 23 black women, similar in age and body composition, in the overweight state [mean body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)): 28.8] and the normal-weight state (mean BMI: 24.0) and 38 never-overweight control women (mean BMI: 23.4). We measured total body fat by using a 4-compartment model, trunk fat by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and cross-sectional areas of IAAT (at the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAAT) by using computed tomography. RESULTS: Weight loss was similar in white and black women (13.1 and 12.6 kg, respectively), as were losses of total fat, trunk fat, and waist circumference. However, white women lost more IAAT (P < 0.001) and less SAAT (P < 0.03) than did black women. Fat patterns regressed toward those of their respective control groups. Changes in waist circumference correlated with changes in IAAT in white women (r = 0.54, P < 0.05) but not in black women (r = 0.19, NS). CONCLUSIONS: Despite comparable decreases in total and trunk fat, white women lost more IAAT and less SAAT than did black women. Waist circumference was not a suitable surrogate marker for tracking changes in the visceral fat compartment in black women.

Lower incisor dentoalveolar compensation and symphysis dimensions among Class I and III malocclusion patients with different facial vertical skeletal patterns

Objective: To compare lower incisor dentoalveolar compensation and mandible symphysis morphology among Class I and Class III malocclusion patients with different facial vertical skeletal patterns. Materials and Methods: Lower incisor extrusion and inclination, as well as buccal (LA) and lingual (LP) cortex depth, and mandibular symphysis height (LH) were measured in 107 lateral cephalometric x-rays of adult patients without prior orthodontic treatment. In addition, malocclusion type (Class I or III) and facial vertical skeletal pattern were considered. Through a principal component analysis (PCA) related variables were reduced. Simple regression equation and multivariate analyses of variance were also used. Results: Incisor mandibular plane angle (P < .001) and extrusion (P  =  .03) values showed significant differences between the sagittal malocclusion groups. Variations in the mandibular plane have a negative correlation with LA (Class I P  =  .03 and Class III P  =  .01) and a positive correlation with LH (Class I P  =  .01 and Class III P  =  .02) in both groups. Within the Class III group, there was a negative correlation between the mandibular plane and LP (P  =  .02). PCA showed that the tendency toward a long face causes the symphysis to elongate and narrow. In Class III, alveolar narrowing is also found in normal faces. Conclusions: Vertical facial pattern is a significant factor in mandibular symphysis alveolar morphology and lower incisor positioning, both for Class I and Class III patients. Short-faced Class III patients have a widened alveolar bone. However, for long-faced and normal-faced Class III, natural compensation elongates the symphysis and influences lower incisor position.

Intraocular pressure and tear secretion in Saanen goats with different ages

This study aimed to compare the normal intraocular pressure (IOP) and tear secretion, by means of applanation tonometry and the Schirmer tear test-1 (STT-1), in goats of the Saanen breed with different ages, and at different time points. Thirty six goats, free of ocular abnormalities, were grouped into three different age categories (n=12), animals with 45, 180 and 549 days of age. STT-1 and IOP measurements were carried out always at 9:00am and 7:00pm, during three consecutive days. Results were evaluated statistically (P<0.05). Regarding the time of the day, overall IOP values were significantly lower at 7:00 pm (P<0.001) in individuals with 45 days of age; whereas STT-1 values were significantly higher at 7:00pm (P=0.004) in goats with 549 days of age. Considering the sum of three days, both parameters were significantly lower in individuals with 45 days of age (P<0.001). Intraocular pressure and tear secretion values increase until 180 days of age in the Saanen breed of goats.

Casein and whey exert different effects on plasma amino acid profiles, gastrointestinal hormone secretion and appetite

Protein, generally agreed to be the most satiating macronutrient, may differ in its effects on appetite depending on the protein source and variation in digestion and absorption. We investigated the effects of two milk protein types, casein and whey, on food intake and subjective ratings of hunger and fullness, and on postprandial metabolite and gastrointestinal hormone responses. Two studies were undertaken. The first study showed that energy intake from a buffet meal ad libitum was significantly less 90 min after a 1700 kJ liquid preload containing 48 g whey, compared with an equivalent casein preload (P<0.05). In the second study, the same whey preload led to a 28 % increase in postprandial plasma amino acid concentrations over 3 h compared with casein (incremental area under the curve (iAUC), P<0.05). Plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) was increased by 60 % (iAUC, P<0.005), glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 by 65 % (iAUC, P<0.05) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide by 36 % (iAUC, P<0.01) following the whey preload compared with the casein. Gastric emptying was influenced by protein type as evidenced by differing plasma paracetamol profiles with the two preloads. Greater subjective satiety followed the whey test meal (P<0.05). These results implicate post-absorptive increases in plasma amino acids together with both CCK and GLP-1 as potential mediators of the increased satiety response to whey and emphasise the importance of considering the impact of protein type on the appetite response to a mixed meal.

Gene Expression Profile of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Paired Umbilical Cord Units: Cord is Different from Blood

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent cells which can be obtained from several adult and fetal tissues including human umbilical cord units. We have recently shown that umbilical cord tissue (UC) is richer in MSC than umbilical cord blood (UCB) but their origin and characteristics in blood as compared to the cord remains unknown. Here we compared, for the first time, the exonic protein-coding and intronic noncoding RNA (ncRNA) expression profiles of MSC from match-paired UC and UCB samples, harvested from the same donors, processed simultaneously and under the same culture conditions. The patterns of intronic ncRNA expression in MSC from UC and UCB paired units were highly similar, indicative of their common donor origin. The respective exonic protein-coding transcript expression profiles, however, were significantly different. Hierarchical clustering based on protein-coding expression similarities grouped MSC according to their tissue location rather than original donor. Genes related to systems development, osteogenesis and immune system were expressed at higher levels in UCB, whereas genes related to cell adhesion, morphogenesis, secretion, angiogenesis and neurogenesis were more expressed in UC cells. These molecular differences verified in tissue-specific MSC gene expression may reflect functional activities influenced by distinct niches and should be considered when developing clinical protocols involving MSC from different sources. In addition, these findings reinforce our previous suggestion on the importance of banking the whole umbilical cord unit for research or future therapeutic use.

Intraocular pressure and tear secretion in Saanen goats with different ages

Objetivou-se comparar os valores normais de pressão intraocular (PIO) e de produção lacrimal, através de tonometria de aplanação e do teste da lágrima de Schirmer-1 (TLS-1) em cabras da raça Saanen, com diferentes idades e momentos. Trinta e seis cabras da raça Saanen, livres de afecções oculares, foram agrupadas em três categorias etárias (n=12), compreendendo animais com 45, 180 e 549 dias de idade. O TLS-1 e a PIO foram aferidos sempre às 9:00 e às 19:00, durante três dias consecutivos. Os resultados foram avaliados estatisticamente (p<0,05). Relativamente ao horário do dia, a PIO foi significativamente menor às 19:00 (p<0,001) nos animais com 45 dias de idade; os valores do TLS-1 foram significativamente maiores às 19:00 (p=0,004) nas cabras com 549 dias de idade. Considerando-se a somatória dos três dias, ambos os parâmetros foram significativamente menores nos indivíduos com 45 dias de idade (p<0,001). A pressão intraocular e a produção lacrimal em cabras da raça Saanen se elevam de forma significativa até os 180 dias de idade.

Effects of adding polyclonal antibody preparations on ruminal fermentation patterns and digestibility of cows fed different energy sources

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cordia verbenacea and secretion of mast cells in different animal species

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Temporal patterns of parasitism in Diatraea saccharalis Fabr. (Lep., Crambidae) populations at different spatial scales in sugarcane fields in Brazil

Biological control of Diatraea saccharalis is regarded as one of the best examples of successful classical biological control in Brazil. Since the introduction of the exotic parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes, from Pakistan at the beginning of the 1970s, decrease in D. saccharalis infestation in sugarcane fields has been attributed to the effectiveness of this agent. Recently, the native Tachinidae fly parasitoids (Lydella minense and Paratheresia claripalpis) have also been implicated in this success. However, quantitative data confirming the actual contribution of these agents to the control of D. saccharalis are rather limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamics of the interactions between D. saccharalis and its parasitoids, emphasizing the temporal patterns of parasitism. To investigate this question, a large data set comprising information collected from two sugarcane mills located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil (Barra and Sao Joao sugarcane mills), was analysed. Basically, the data set contained monthly information about the number of D. saccharalis larvae and their parasitoids in each sample (man-hour per sample), the sugarcane varieties cultivated, the age of the sugarcane plants (only at the Sao Joao sugarcane mill) as well as the sugarcane cut at sampling time. The data were collected from March 1984 to March 1997 and from May 1982 to December 1996 for the Barra and Sao Joao sugarcane mills, respectively. Temporal inverse density-dependent parasitism was predominant for both parasitoid species with respect to all spatial scales. Although the temporal pattern of parasitism was not directly density dependent, it was evident that the tachinids and C. flavipes presented positive numerical responses according to variations in D. saccharalis densities through time.

Evaluation of cutting patterns produced with air-abrasion systems using different tip designs.

This study assessed cavity preparations produced with different air abrasion tip parameters. Twelve test groups of extracted teeth were prepared to evaluate the parameters of 80 degrees or 45 degrees nozzle angles and 0.38 or 0.48 mm inner tip diameters. All other factors were held constant. A device was made to hold the specimen and air abrasion handpiece that standardized the distance and position relative to the tooth and time of application. The cavities were evaluated by assessing the rounding of the cavosurface margins and cavity floor. Measurements of cavosurface angles and the angle of concavity were made at the deepest portion of the abraded surface using scanning electron micrographs. The cavosurface angles were compared using paired t-test, and the effects of the tip design parameters were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range test. From the cavity patterns found in this study, the authors suggest that 80 degrees angle tips are more appropriate than 45 degrees angle tips for making narrow, deep cuts for preventive resin restorations. Conversely, when shallow preparations are needed, as in the case of Class V cavity preparations, cutting patterns of 45 degrees angle tips are more suitable.

Morphology and protein patterns of honey bee drone accessory glands.

We used light and transmission electron microscopy to examine the morphology of the accessory glands of immature and mature adult males of Apis mellifera L. We also made an electrophoretic analysis of the protein content of the mature gland. The glands of the immature male actively secrete a mucous substance that can be seen in the lumen of the gland of the mature male. This secretion stains with mercury bromophenol blue and with periodic acid-Schiff reaction, which stain glyconjugates. The protein content was higher in the lumen secretion than in the gland wall extracts. The electrophoresis patterns of the wall extracts were different from those of the secretion found in the gland lumen.

Growth versus development: different patterns of industrial growth in Latin America during the 'boom' years

Includes bibliography

Methodological report on the impacts of different socio-economic scenarios on population patterns in Bolivia

Incluye Bibliografía