Physiological research最新文献

Intermittent fasting (IF) represents one of the dietary regimens being effectively used in non-pharmacological prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disorders. The aim of the present study was to detect the retained alterations at the level of arterial function caused by a 5-week-lasting period of IF in adult male Wistar-Kyoto rats after their switching back to ordinary feeding (4 weeks of ad libitum regimen). The rats were administered a diet containing normal or high percentage of fat. Control rat groups were fed continuously ad libitum. The decreased weekly calorie intake in rats during IF period was associated with the discontinuation of body weight gain, irrespective of the type of diet; moreover, rats fed with a high-fat diet had significantly increased systolic blood pressure in comparison with the other groups. At the end of the experiment, large and small arteries were isolated from the rats and arterial rings with intact or removed perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) were prepared for isometric tension recording. In the rat groups exposed to IF period, the aorta rings with intact PVAT showed a significant increase in relaxation responses when compared to groups without IF. The effect of IF was also manifested in the increase in sensitivity of arterial preparations to noradrenaline which was, however, mostly attenuated by the enhanced anticontractile influence of PVAT. These results indicate that the improvement of PVAT properties could represent one of the mechanisms by which IF-induced beneficial effects on vascular function might be preserved even after the return to ad libitum regimen.

Skeletal musculature represents the largest organ in the human body, playing a vital role in systemic metabolism, physiological functions, and glucose homeostasis. Skeletal muscles are also a significant source of multiple humoral factors, including myokines, which are, as part of the muscular secretome, involved in cellular signaling within and outside of the muscle. Myokines are a group of cytokines that exert a major influence on muscle metabolism through autocrine mechanisms and are involved in para- or endocrine regulation in organs outside of muscle tissue, such as the pancreas, adipose tissue, liver, heart, bone, gastrointestinal tract, and brain. In the future, these findings could be crucial for the identification of important biomarkers used for the monitoring of physical activity in the treatment of pathologies such as intensive care-associated muscle wasting, sarcopenia, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. As skeletal muscle tissue is intrinsically linked to multiple types of tissues and organs metabolically, functionally, and most importantly, regionally, there can be a significant overlap between the auto- and paracrine effects of myokines, depending on the presence of that myokine. The following section will discuss the auto-, para-, and endocrine effects of some of the myo-inducible cytokines on skeletal muscles and adjacent tissue types. Key words Skeletal muscle cells " Myokines " Secretome " Autocrine effect " Paracrine effect.

Obesity is associated with multiple metabolic disturbances and nutritional risks. Minimally invasive small-intestine interventions are being developed as alternatives to bariatric surgery, aiming to induce weight reduction with a lower risk of malabsorption. This 3-year pilot study evaluated the safety, metabolic effects, and nutritional outcomes of a novel incisionless magnetic anastomosis system (IMAS) creating an endoscopic dual-path intestinal diversion in obese subjects. Ten obese adults (mean BMI 41 kg/m2) underwent endoscopic creation of a jejuno-ileal diversion using the IMAS device. The cohort included subjects with normal glycemia, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. Clinical and biochemical parameters were monitored at baseline and at 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, and 36-month visits. Anthropometry and a full micronutrient profile (vitamins A, E, B1-B12, D, folate, ferritin, albumin, total protein) were assessed. Mean body weight decreased from 120.9+/-17.8 kg to 101.9+/-22.2 kg after 36 months (p<0.05), with an excess weight loss of 43.2 %. Serum concentrations of most micronutrients remained within physiological limits; only vitamin B12 and 25(OH)D showed significant declines during long-term follow-up. The procedure was generally well tolerated, with mild gastrointestinal symptoms resolving over time. Endoscopically created dual-path intestinal diversion achieved durable weight reduction over 3 years with a favorable nutritional risk profile. The incidence of micronutrient deficiencies was substantially lower than that reported after malabsorptive bariatric surgery. These results support the potential of this incisionless technique as a less invasive option for obesity management and warrant larger controlled trials. Key words Anastomosis " Endoscopy " Magnetic " Obesity " Nutrition deficiencies.

Obesity is a major health challenge of the 21st century and the number of obese people is increasing worldwide and with it the number of people suffering from obesity-related diseases. The relationship between the presence of obesity and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has long been a subject of interest across the literature. The presented review aimed to analyze the prevalence of H. pylori in adults with higher BMI. A literature search was conducted using the electronic databases Scopus, PubMed and Web of science. The term "Helicobacter pylori" was searched with obesity-related keyword combinations. A total of 1.109 records, published in the last 18 years, were identified through the database search. Of these articles, seven were ultimately included in the analysis. Although the studies did not all agree on the same conclusion, most of them have shown that the greater prevalence of H. pylori can be observed in participants with higher BMI, than in normal-weight individuals. A higher prevalence of H. pylori can be observed in obese individuals. However, further research is needed to clearly confirm the BMI-H. pylori relationship. Key words Obesity " BMI " Helicobacter pylori " Prevalence.

This study investigated selected cardiovascular, hepatic, and metabolic parameters, including Nfe2l2, Hmox1 (an NRF2 target gene), and Ppara gene expression, in adult male normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), borderline hypertensive (BHR) and hereditary hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) rats. BHR and HTG rats exhibited increased blood pressure vs. WKY, but there were no differences in blood pressure of BHR and HTG rats. In contrast, HTG had elevated hematocrit, triacylglycerol levels, glycemia and atherogenic index of plasma, and decreased total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol compared to BHR rats. In addition, nitric oxide synthase activity in the heart and liver was significantly reduced in HTG vs. BHR. Gene expressions of Nfe2l2, Ppara, and Hmox1 were significantly elevated in the hearts of HTG rats compared to both WKY and BHR. In contrast, hepatic expression levels of Nfe2l2 and Hmox1 were significantly reduced in BHR and HTG compared to WKY, while Ppara expression in the liver was significantly reduced in HTG vs. both BHR and WKY. Vascular studies revealed that endothelium-dependent relaxation was reduced in HTG rats vs. BHR, suggesting a dominant effect of hypertriglyceridemia, while endothelium-independent relaxation was reduced in both HTG and BHR rats vs. WKY, suggesting a dominant effect of prehypertension in this vascular bed. Contraction responses were also more pronounced in HTG rats vs. BHR. Overall, this study showed that inherited hypertriglyceridemia (combined with prehypertension) alters vascular function and redox-metabolic balance in a tissue-dependent manner and represents a more significant cardiometabolic risk in later periods of life than prehypertension itself.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders, affecting 1-10 % of children. A key risk factor is elevated body mass index (BMI). This exploratory study aimed to assess OSA prevalence and severity in adolescents living with obesity and explore associations with clinical and metabolic parameters. Adolescents with obesity aged 10-15 years hospitalized for weight management were enrolled. Participants underwent examination including anthropometry, blood pressure, and lipid profile. BMI was evaluated using WHO BMI-for-age z-scores and an internal standard deviation score (SDS). Sleep-disordered breathing was assessed using cardiorespiratory polygraphy. OSA severity was classified by pediatric AASM criteria using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Among 26 adolescents, OSA occurred in 25 (96.2 %). Median AHI was 9.6 (IQR 5.3-19.1); 44 % had severe, 40 % moderate, and 16 % mild OSA. Severe OSA was more frequently observed in boys (p=0.045), who also showed significantly higher BMI z-score, ODI3 and T90 values; (p<0.05). Adolescents with severe OSA had higher body weight and BMI z-scores; (p<0.05). In regression models using BMI SDS, male sex emerged as a borderline predictor of higher AHI (beta=9.07; p=0.051), while age and BMI metrics were not significant. Spearman analysis further revealed a moderate positive correlation between BMI z-score and T90 (rho=0.51, p=0.02). In this exploratory study, OSA was detected in the majority of adolescents living with obesity, though results should be interpreted with caution. Early recognition may support interventions to limit adverse outcomes. Larger polysomnographic studies with control groups are required to confirm prevalence and clarify risk factors. Key words Adolescents living with obesity " Cardiorespiratory polygraphy " Obstructive sleep apnea " Screening " Sleep-disordered breathing.

Low energy availability (LEA) is a recognized risk factor that affects the health and performance of athletes. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on the relationship between LEA, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and bone mineral density (BMD). It focuses on the applicability of the RMR ratio as an indicator of metabolic adaptation to energy deficiency and analyzes the associations between energy availability and skeletal health outcomes. This narrative review demonstrates that reduced energy availability is related to a decrease in the RMR ratio and hormonal alterations characteristic of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). Furthermore, prolonged LEA has been associated with impairments in bone metabolism and lower Z-scores, particularly among endurance and aesthetic athletes. However, the findings also suggest that the impact of LEA on BMD may be modulated by sport-specific loading patterns and additional individual factors. Considerable methodological heterogeneity between studies limits the direct comparability of the results, highlighting the need for standardization in the evaluation of EA, RMR, and BMD. This review emphasizes the importance of comprehensive screening strategies combining nutritional, metabolic, hormonal, and skeletal markers for early identification of the risk of RED-S. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs to better understand the dynamics of metabolic and skeletal changes in response to fluctuations in energy availability. Key words Energy availability " Relative energy deficiency in sport " Resting metabolic rate " Bone mineral density " Sport.

Critically ill patients often experience hyperhydration and muscle wasting, which can worsen outcomes. This study evaluated the feasibility of using bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) to monitor hydration and muscle mass and predict outcomes in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), including those with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The study compare fluid parameters derived from BIVA with cumulative fluid balance (CFB) and assess the prognostic value of the phase angle (PA) of BIVA against established markers such an APACHE II and serum presepsin. In this prospective, blinded observational study, 61 COVID-19 patients on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) were included. BIVA measurements were taken within 48 h of admission, then after 7 and 14 days. Data on demographics, fluid balance, and laboratory markers were collected. BIVA was shown to be feasible in critically ill patients, with a significant correlation between hyperhydration, defined by an elevated extracellular water to total body water ratio (ECW/TBW 0.56) and overhydration (OHY 6.9 l). Decreased PA (median 3.3°) was associated with increased mortality in non-ECMO patients. Unlike CFB, which lacked statistical significance, BIVA provided a more accurate assessment of hyperhydration (p=0.0050 for ECW/TBW and p=0.0402 for OHY). In conclusion, BIVA is a practical tool for monitoring hydration, but not muscle mass, in critically ill patients. Elevated hydration status and low PA measured by BIVA are effective predictors of mortality, although ECMO use can affect accuracy. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04758676 (www.clinicaltrials.gov). Key words Bioelectrical impedance " Hyperhydration " Muscle mass " Critically ill patients " Mortality.

Short-term fructose exposure may perturb the nitric oxide (NO)/reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance before hemodynamic changes development. Male Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) rats received 10 % fructose in drinking water for 3 weeks or remained on tap water. We assessed systolic blood pressure (tail-cuff), plasma lipid levels, tissue conjugated diene concentrations, protein expression of NADPH oxidase, NF-kappaB, and SOD (Western blot), and total NO synthase (NOS) activity ([3H]-L-arginine to [3H]-L-citrulline). Fructose did not change blood pressure in either strain, but increased kidney-to-body-weight ratio in SHR. In WKY, plasma HDL level decreased; in SHR, total cholesterol, VLDL, and triglycerides increased. Conjugated diene concentration increased in the kidney of WKY but not in the heart. Fructose upregulated renal NADPH oxidase and downregulated renal SOD in SHR, with no change in cardiac NADPH oxidase. NF-?B protein expression did not change in either tissue. NOS activity decreased in the heart and kidney of WKY and in the kidney of SHR. We can conclude that even moderate, short-term fructose intake induces strain-dependent dyslipidemia and an early shift of the renal redox milieu toward oxidative stress, accompanied by reduced NOS activity, while leaving blood pressure unchanged. The kidney appears more susceptible than the heart, particularly in the hypertensive background, highlighting the NO/ROS axis as an early target for intervention.