Exposure Decreased (exposure + decreased)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Cross-generation effects due to cold exposure in Drosophila serrata

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2003
A. Magiafoglou
Summary 1Environmental variation experienced in the parental and grandparental generation can affect progeny phenotype, performance and response to selection. Here the effects of parental and grandparental exposure to a non-lethal cold shock are considered in Drosophila serrata Malloch. Development time, viability and early age productivity were measured in flies originating from border and central locations in the distribution of this species that had been held under two separate laboratory maintenance schedules. 2Cross-generation effects were detected for several traits. Development time usually decreased following maternal and/or grandmaternal cold exposure. Parental cold exposure negatively influenced viability while grandparental effects on viability were negligible. Early female productivity showed opposing responses depending on generation; maternal cold exposure increased progeny productivity while grandmaternal exposure decreased it. Male parental and grandparental exposure to cold shock decreased male productivity, although this pattern may have been partly confounded by size effects. 3Population effects, reflecting geographical origin, were limited to development time, while selective background effects were demonstrated for most traits. The influence these factors had on the expression of cross-generation effects was negligible, given interactions with treatment were not evident. These responses suggest that environmental variation experienced in preceding generations can influence progeny phenotype in a manner that is complex and difficult to predict. [source]


Inhibition of adiponectin production by homocysteine: A potential mechanism for alcoholic liver disease,

HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
Zhenyuan Song
Although recent evidence suggests that down-regulation of production of the adipocyte hormone adiponectin has pathophysiological consequences for the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD), the underlying mechanisms are elusive. Abnormal hepatic methionine-homocysteine metabolism induced by prolonged alcohol exposure has been reported both in clinical and experimental studies of ALD. Here, we conducted both in vivo and in vitro experiments to examine the effects of prolonged alcohol exposure on homocysteine levels in adipose tissue, its potential involvement in regulating adiponectin production, and the consequences for ALD. Chronic alcohol exposure decreased the circulating adiponectin concentration and adiponectin messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in epididymal fat pads. Alcohol feeding induced modest hyperhomocysteinemia and increased homocysteine levels in the epididymal fat pad, which was associated with decreased mRNA levels of cystationine ,-synthase. Betaine supplementation (1.5%, wt/vol) in the alcohol-fed mice reduced homocysteine accumulation in adipose tissue and improved adiponectin levels. Moreover, exogenous homocysteine administration reduced gene expression, protein levels, and secretion of adiponectin in primary adipocytes. Furthermore, rats fed a high-methionine diet (2%, wt/wt) were hyperhomocysteinemic and had decreased adiponectin levels in both plasma and adipose tissue, which was associated with suppressed AMP-activated protein kinase activation in the liver. Mechanistic studies revealed that both inactivation of the extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 pathway and induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress response, specifically C/EBP homologous protein expression, may contribute to the inhibitory effect exerted by homocysteine. Conclusion: Chronic alcohol feeding caused abnormal accumulation of homocysteine in adipocytes, which contributes to decreased adiponectin production in ALD. (HEPATOLOGY 2008.) [source]


Effects of dietary protein level and cold exposure on tissue responsiveness and sensitivity to insulin in sheep

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 11-12 2001
H. Sano
The effects of dietary crude protein (CP) level and cold exposure on tissue responsiveness and sensitivity to insulin were studied in sheep. Nine rams were assigned to one of three isoenergetic diets which contained 70, 100, and 140% of CP for maintenance. They were exposed from a thermoneutral environment (20 °C) to a cold environment (0 °C) for 7 days. A hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp approach was applied for the determination of tissue responsiveness to insulin (the maximal glucose infusion rate, GIRmax) and tissue sensitivity to insulin (the plasma insulin concentration at half maximal glucose infusion rate, ED50). Dietary CP level influenced digestibilities of dry matter and CP (P=0.002 and P=0.001, respectively), and cold exposure decreased (P=0.01) CP digestibility. The GIRmax and ED50 tended to be influenced (P=0.08) by dietary CP level. The GIRmax was enhanced (P=0.0001) during cold exposure. Significant interactions between diet and environment were found for the GIRmax (P=0.04), but not for ED50 (P=0.07). It is concluded that in sheep dietary CP level can modify insulin action in response to cold exposure. [source]


Ethanol Feeding Impairs Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake in Isolated Rat Skeletal Muscle: Role of Gs , and cAMP

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2005
Qiang Wan
Background: The mechanism by which chronic alcohol consumption impairs insulin sensitivity is unclear. We investigated the role of the Gs ,,mediated pathway in decreasing insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle after ethanol consumption. Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats, divided into four groups, received either distilled water (controls; group I) or ethanol, which was administered by a gastric tube as a single daily dose of 5 g/kg (group II), 2.5 g/kg (group III), or 0.5 g/kg (group IV). After 20 weeks, fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin levels were measured. The hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study was performed under anesthesia to estimate whole-body insulin sensitivity. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was measured in vitro in dissected gastrocnemius muscle. Expression of glut4, Gs ,, and Gi , was quantified using real-time PCR analysis and western blotting. cAMP levels were measured by ELISA. Results: Compared with controls, the following observations were made: (1) the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study revealed impaired insulin action at the whole-body level after ethanol treatment; (2) chronic ethanol feeding at 5 g/kg and 2.5 g/kg significantly decreased both basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptakes in isolated skeletal muscle (p < 0.05), which was accompanied by decreased expression of glut4 (p < 0.05); (3) Gs , (mRNA and protein) expression in skeletal muscle was significantly increased in all three ethanol groups (p < 0.05), and cAMP levels were also increased by ethanol treatment (p < 0.05); and (4) there was no significant change in Gi , expression in all three ethanol groups. Conclusions: Chronic ethanol exposure decreased insulin-induced glucose uptake in rat skeletal muscle, which was associated with increased expression of Gs ,. Because Gs , is a negative regulator of insulin sensitivity, the alteration in Gs , expression may contribute to the ethanol-induced impairment of insulin signal transduction. [source]


Effects of bright light at lunchtime on sleep in patients in a geriatric hospital II

PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 3 2001
Noriko Fukuda PhD
Abstract Inpatients with sleep disturbances in a geriatric hospital received 1 h of exposure to approximately 8000 lx bright light per day for 3 weeks. Polysomnogram was recorded for four female patients. Two (aged 68 and 87 years) were non-demented patients with weak cataracts and the other two (aged 92 and 93 years) were demented patients with severe cataracts. Electroencephalogram results showed that light exposure decreased the proportion of Stage W, while increased the proportion of Stage 2, and these effects continued for at least 3 weeks after the cessation of light exposure. These results suggest that exposure to bright light is effective in improving the disturbed sleep of patients. [source]


Co-administration of the JAK inhibitor CP-690,550 and methotrexate is well tolerated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis without need for dose adjustment

BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Stanley Cohen
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT , CP-690,550 is a novel JAK inhibitor in development as a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. , Methotrexate is the cornerstone of combination treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. , The safety and tolerability of co-administration of CP-690,550 with methotrexate have not been addressed to date. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS , This study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis shows that there are no clinically relevant effects on the pharmacokinetics of either drug following short-term co-administration. , Co-administration of CP-690,550 and methotrexate was safe and well tolerated. AIMS To investigate the effects of methotrexate (MTX) on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of CP-690,550, a novel Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in development as a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), to determine the effects of multiple doses of CP-690,550 on the PK of MTX, and to evaluate the short-term safety and tolerability of co-administration of CP-690,550 and MTX. METHODS This was a fixed-dose drug,drug interaction study. Twelve patients diagnosed with RA for at least 6 months were enrolled in a Phase I, open-label study of the PK of multiple doses of CP-690,550 (30 mg b.i.d.) and single doses of MTX (15,25 mg per week). RESULTS All patients completed the study and were evaluated for PK and safety. CP-690,550 exposure was not affected by co-administration with MTX; AUC12 ratio (CP-690,550 + MTX/CP-690,550) was 103.06% [90% confidence interval (CI) 99.00, 107.29]. MTX exposure decreased by 10%; AUC12 ratio (CP-690,550 + MTX/MTX) was 89.53% (90% CI 77.38, 103.57), which was not considered clinically significant. Co-administration of CP-690,550 and MTX was safe and well tolerated. There were no serious adverse events or withdrawals from the study and there was no trend in the incidence or severity of adverse events across treatments. CONCLUSIONS Co-administration of CP-690,550 and MTX was safe and well tolerated. There was no clinically significant effect on the PK profile of either drug. Therefore, dose adjustments should not be required when co-administering CP-690,550 and MTX. [source]