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Metabolic Parameters (metabolic + parameter)
Selected AbstractsIs There Any Relationship between Metabolic Parameters and Left Ventricular Functions in Type 2 Diabetic Patients without Evident Heart Disease?ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2008Mehmet Yazici M.D. Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic function, using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and color M-mode flow propagation velocity, in relation to blood glucose status in normotensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who had no clinical evidence of heart disease. Methods: Seventy-two patients with T2DM (mean age 49.1 ± 9.8 years) without symptoms, signs or history of heart disease and hypertension, and 50 ages matched healthy controls (mean age 46.1 ± 9.8 years) had echocardiography. Systolic and diastolic LV functions were detected by using conventional echocardiography, TDE and mitral color M-mode flow propagation velocity (VE). Fasting blood glucose level (FBG) after 8 hours since eating a meal, postprandial blood glucose level (PPG), and HbA1C level were determined. The association of FBG, PPG and HbA1C with the echocardiographic parameters was investigated. Results: It was detected that although systolic functions of two groups were similar, diastolic functions were significantly impaired in diabetics. No relation of FBG and PPG with systolic and diastolic functions was determined. However, HbA1C was found to be related to diastolic parameters such as E/A, Em/Am, VE and E/VE (,=,0.314, P = < 0.05; ,=,0.230, P < 0.05; ,=,0.602, P < 0.001, ,= 0.387, P < 0.005, respectively). In addition to HbA1C, LV, diastolic functions were also correlated with age and diabetes duration. Conclusion: Diastolic LV dysfunction may develop even in absence of ischemia, hypertension, and LVH in T2DM. FBG and PPG have no effect on LV functions, but HbA1C levels may affect diastolic parameters. [source] Multifunctional Magnetic Optical Sensor Particles with Tunable Sizes for Monitoring Metabolic Parameters and as a Basis for NanotherapeuticsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 11 2010Günter Mistlberger Abstract Magnetic optical sensor particles with multifunctional cores and shells are synthesized via a facile nanoprecipitation method and the subsequent modification of the particle shell. The hydrophobic particle core includes optical oxygen indicators, a light harvesting system, photosensitizers, and magnetic nanoparticles. Further functionalities are introduced by modifying the shell with enzymes, antibodies, multiple layers of polyelectrolytes, stimuli-responsive polymers, and luminescent indicator dyes. The hydrodynamic diameter is tunable by varying different precipitation parameters. [source] Letter to the Editor: Aldosterone Antagonist Decreases Blood Pressure and Improves Metabolic Parameters in Obese Patients With the Metabolic SyndromeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPERTENSION, Issue 9 2010Monica Barros Costa MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] An increase in HbA1c after percutaneous coronary intervention raises the risk for restenosis in patients without Type 2 diabetes mellitusDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 2 2008H. Diedrichs Abstract Aims The influence of dynamic changes in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) on restenosis after elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients without diabetes has not been analysed. Therefore, the rate of restenosis was investigated after elective PCI in 101 consecutive patients without diabetes mellitus in relation to dynamic changes of HbA1c levels. Methods Follow-up angiography was performed in all patients 4,6 months after intervention. Results Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the change in HbA1c between first and second coronary angiography was the most powerful metabolic parameter for prediction of restenosis. The odds ratio for restenosis was 3.0 (95% CI 1.0,9.0) for any increase in HbA1c and 1.9 (95% CI 1.1,3.5) for an HbA1c increase of 0.2%. Conclusions Hence, chronic changes in the glucometabolic environment influence the incidence of restenosis after PCI in patients without diabetes. [source] Pregnancy and lactation have anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects in Ay/a miceACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 2 2010E. N. Makarova Abstract Aim:, Dominant ,yellow' mutation at the mouse agouti locus (Ay) results in obesity. Pregnancy and lactation are characterized by large energy demand. The aim of this study was to investigate whether obesity would develop in pregnant and suckling Ay mice. Methods:, Body weight and food intake in pregnancy, lactation, and after weaning, plasma leptin, insulin, corticosterone and blood glucose concentrations on days 7, 13 and 18 of pregnancy, days 1, 10, 21 and 80 postpartum, glucose and insulin tolerance on pregnancy days 7 and 18 were measured in C57Bl/6J mice of a/a (normal metabolism) and Ay/a genotypes. The same parameters were also measured in age-matched virgin females. Results:, Virgin Ay/a females exhibited hyperphagia, enhanced body weight, glucose intolerance and normal blood parameters at the mating age. With age, they developed obesity, hyperleptinaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and hyperglycaemia. Obesity did not develop in mated Ay/a mice; during suckling, they had equal food intake and body weight as a/a mice. During pregnancy, glucose tolerance was enhanced in Ay/a mice and became equal in both genotypes. In both genotypes, concentrations of hormones increased, and glucose decreased from pregnancy day 7 to day 18 and returned to normal values after parturition. Ay/a mice did not differ from a/a in corticosterone, insulin and glucose levels during pregnancy and lactation, in leptin levels during suckling; however, Ay/a mice had two times higher leptin levels than a/a during pregnancy. After weaning, Ay/a mice began to eat and weigh more than a/a exhibiting normal metabolic parameters for 50 days. Conclusion:, Pregnancy and lactation retard obesity and diabetes development in Ay mice. [source] Evidence against a sexual dimorphism in glucose and fatty acid metabolism in skeletal muscle cultures from age-matched men and post-menopausal womenACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 3 2009A. Rune Abstract Aim:,In vivo whole body differences in glucose/lipid metabolism exist between men and women. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that intrinsic sex differences exist in skeletal muscle gene expression and glucose/lipid metabolism using cultured myotubes. Methods:, Myotube cultures were prepared for gene expression and metabolic studies from vastus lateralis skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from age-matched men (n = 11; 59 ± 2 years) and post-menopausal women (n = 10; 60 ± 1 years). Results:, mRNA expression of several genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism was higher in skeletal muscle biopsies from female vs. male donors, but unaltered between the sexes in cultured myotubes. Basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, as well as glucose incorporation into glycogen, was similar in myotube cultures derived from male vs. female donors. In males vs. females, insulin increased glucose uptake (1.3 ± 0.1 vs. 1.5 ± 0.1-fold respectively) and incorporation into glycogen (2.3 ± 0.3 vs. 2.0 ± 0.3-fold respectively) to the same extent. Basal fatty acid oxidation and rate of uptake/accumulation was similar between sexes. In response to the 5,AMP-activated protein kinase activator AICAR, lipid oxidation was increased to the same extent in myotubes established from male vs. female donors (1.6 ± 0.6 vs. 2.0 ± 0.3-fold respectively). Moreover, the AICAR-induced rate of uptake/accumulation was similar between sexes. Conclusion:, Differences in metabolic parameters and gene expression profiles between age-matched men and post-menopausal women noted in vivo are not observed in cultured human skeletal muscle cells. Thus, the sexual dimorphism in glucose and lipid metabolism is likely a consequence of systemic whole body factors, rather than intrinsic differences in the skeletal muscle proper. [source] Effects of Orlistat on Visceral Fat After LiposuctionDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 3 2009TERESA MONTOYA MD BACKGROUND Liposuction can aggravate metabolic complications associated with obesity. It has been shown that the recovery of weight lost through these interventions is associated with body fat redistribution toward the visceral cavity, increasing metabolic risk factors for coronary heart disease such as insulin resistance and high triglyceride levels. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of liposuction on body mass redistribution and metabolic parameters 6 months after surgery and to evaluate the use of orlistat treatment (tetrahydrolipstatin) in controlling these parameters. METHODS A population of 31 women with a mean body mass index of 26.17±3.9 kg/m2 and undergoing liposuction of more than 1,000 cm3, was studied. Twelve of them were treated postsurgery with 120 mg of orlistat every 8 hours for the following 6 months. Anthropometric, analytical, and radiological (computed tomography) tests were performed to quantify visceral fat area before surgery and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS Despite weight loss after liposuction, visceral fat was not modified. Patients treated with orlistat showed a greater reduction in visceral fat, although not statistically significant. Orlistat use induced a reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values of 20.0±22.5 mg/dL, compared with an increase of 8.46±20.1 mg/dL in controls (p=.07). CONCLUSIONS Visceral fat does not decrease despite weight loss after liposuction. Orlistat use postliposuction might be a useful tool because it shows a tendency to reduce visceral fat and improve blood lipids profile. [source] In humans the adiponectin receptor R2 is expressed predominantly in adipose tissue and linked to the adipose tissue expression of MMIF-1DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 4 2010K. Kos In this study, the regional adipose tissue-adiponectin (AT-ADN) and adiponectin receptor (R1 and R2) expression and their relation with metabolic parameters, circulating and AT-derived cytokine expressions were compared. Paired subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were taken from 18 lean and 39 obese humans, AT-mRNA expression of adipokines analysed by RT-PCR and corresponding serum levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). R1 and R2 adipocyte expression was compared with 17 other human tissues. ADN-gene expression was lower in VAT than SCAT [mean (SD) 1.54 (1.1) vs. 2.84 (0.87); p < 0.001], and lower in obese subjects (VAT : p = 0.01;SCAT : p < 0.001). SCAT-ADN correlated positively with serum ADN (r = 0.33;p = 0.036) but not VAT-ADN. AT expressions of ADN and macrophage migration inhibiting factor (MMIF), IL18 and cluster of differentiation factor 14 (CD14) in both depots showed inverse correlations. R1 and R2 were expressed ubiquitously and R2 highest in SCAT, and this is much higher (×100) than R1 (×100). R expression was similar in lean and obese subjects and unrelated to the metabolic syndrome, however, receptors correlated with VAT-MMIF (R 1: r = 0.4;p = 0.008;R 2: r = 0.35,p = 0.02) and SCAT-MMIF expression (R 2: r = 0.43;p = 0.004). Unlike ADN, its receptors are expressed in many human tissues. Human R2 expression is not highest in the liver but in AT where it is associated with MMIF expression. The adiponectin-dependent insulin-sensitizing action of thiazolidinediones is thus probably to differ amongst species with weaker effects on the human liver. [source] Discordance between intramuscular triglyceride and insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle of Zucker diabetic rats after treatment with fenofibrate and rosiglitazoneDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2007K. J. Nadeau Aim:, Intramyocellular triglyceride (IMTG) correlates with insulin resistance, but there is no clear causal relationship. Insulin resistance and associated hyperinsulinaemia may increase IMTG, via the insulin-regulated transcription factor, sterol regulatory element,binding protein 1 (SREBP-1). PPAR agonists may also affect IMTG via changes in insulin sensitivity, SREBP-1 or other factors. Methods:, We examined skeletal muscle IMTG and SREBP-1 expression, and metabolic parameters in Zucker diabetic fatty rats (ZDF) after 25 weeks of PPAR-, or PPAR-, administration. Results:, Compared with Zucker lean rats (ZL), untreated ZDF had significantly higher weights, serum glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, total cholesterol and triglycerides. IMTG and SREBP-1c messenger RNA (mRNA) were also higher in untreated ZDF; both were decreased by fenofibrate (FF). Rosiglitazone (Rosi), despite marked improvement in glycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and hyperlipidaemia, failed to affect SREBP-1 expression, and increased body weight and IMTG. Rosi/FF combination caused less weight gain and no IMTG increase, despite metabolic effects similar to Rosi alone. Conclusions:, IMTG and SREBP-1c mRNA are high in the ZDF. FF and Rosi both improved insulin sensitivity but had opposite effects on IMTG. Thus, there was a clear discordance between insulin sensitivity and IMTG with PPAR agonists, indicating that IMTG and insulin sensitivity do not share a simple relationship. [source] Caucasian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have elevated levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 that are not influenced by the ,2518 A,G promoter polymorphismDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2005B. Zietz Aim:, To investigate the association of serum levels and the ,2518 A,G promoter polymorphism of the gene for chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a major chemoattractant of monocytes and activated lymphocytes, with metabolic parameters as well as insulin, leptin and the cytokines tumour necrosis factor-, (TNF-,) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in 534 Caucasian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods:, MCP-1 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MCP-1 genotyping was performed by RFLP analysis in a subset of 426 patients. Results:, Two hundred and thirty-one (54.2%) patients were homozygous for the wildtype allele (AA), 156 (36.6%) were heterozygous (AG) and 39 (9.2%) were homozygous for the mutated allele (GG). Allelic frequency was similar to non-diabetic populations (wildtype allele A: 0.73; mutated allele G: 0.27). MCP-1 mean concentrations and percentiles were substantially higher in non-diabetic populations but were not influenced by the genotype (AA: 662.0 ± 323.0 pg/ml; AG: 730.6 ± 491.4 pg/ml; GG: 641.2 ± 323.8 pg/ml). MCP-1 serum levels and genotypes were only marginally related to hormones (insulin and leptin) and cytokines (TNF-, and IL-6). Conclusions:, This is the first study providing MCP-1 levels, percentiles and genotype frequency in a large and representative cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Compared to the literature, MCP-1 levels were found to be substantially higher in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In contrast, genotype frequencies were similar compared to those in non-diabetic patients and were not related to MCP-1 levels. The mechanisms behind these elevated MCP-1 serum levels in type 2 diabetes are not to be explained by simple associations with hormones, cytokines or genotypes. [source] Comparison of additional metformin or NPH insulin to mealtime insulin lispro therapy with mealtime human insulin therapy in secondary OAD failureDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 6 2003Y. Altuntas Aim:, It has been found that non-fasting plasma glucose is a better marker of diabetic control than fasting plasma glucose in type 2 diabetes. The main aim of treatment of type 2 diabetic patients is to control plasma glucose and HbA1c levels. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of three different insulin regimens (group I: lispro insulin + NPH insulin, group II: lispro insulin + metformin and group III: regular insulin + NPH insulin) on overall glycaemic control and metabolic parameters in type 2 diabetic patients with secondary oral anti-diabetic drug failure. Methods:, Sixty type 2 diabetic patients with secondary OAD failure were randomly allocated into three different treatment groups equally. There were no significant differences between groups concerning age, body mass index, diabetes duration, HbA1c and serum lipid levels at the beginning of the study. During the 6-month treatment period, blood glucose levels were determined 10 times during 24 h at pre-meal, post-prandial 1 and 2 h and at bedtime. Results:, Group I was found to be the most effective treatment regimen in controlling HbA1c levels (group I vs. group II, p = 0.013; group I vs. group III, p = 0.001; group II vs. group III, p > 0.05). When the comparison was made in each group, change in HbA1c was statistically significant for all groups (,3.18%, p = 0.001; ,2.02%, p = 0.043 and ,2.66%, p = 0.008 respectively). Group I was found to be more effective in controlling fasting and post-prandial plasma glucose levels measured at all times during the day when compared with group II and group III. In group II triglyceride levels were found to be significantly reduced, whereas other groups had no effect on lipids. No serious hypoglycaemic episodes were observed in any of the cases, whereas in group I hypoglycaemic episode rates were increased (,2 = 8.843, p = 0.012). Conclusions:, Lispro insulin plus NPH insulin regimen is more effective in controlling both pre- and post-prandial glucose levels and HbA1c when compared to regular insulin plus NPH insulin combination. Mealtime lispro insulin plus metformin combination therapy should also be seriously considered as an effective and alternative treatment regimen. It is worthy of attention that insulin lispro plus metformin lowered triglyceride levels. [source] Metabolic and haemodynamic effects of metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertensionDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 5 2001M. H. Uehara SUMMARY Background Since metformin improves insulin sensitivity, it has been indicated for patients with diabetes and hypertension, which are insulin-resistant conditions. In contrast to its well-known effects on carbohydrate metabolism, its potential for reducing blood pressure (BP) and its effect on leptin levels have been investigated less frequently. Patients and Methods A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out with 26 overweight diabetic subjects with mild-to-moderate hypertension to assess the effects of metformin-induced glycaemic control on BP and metabolic parameters. After a 4-week placebo period, when BP was stabilized by calcium channel blockers, they received either metformin (MG) or placebo (PG) for 12 weeks. Results Neither group showed any change in weight throughout the study. Only metformin-treated patients reduced fasting plasma glucose (8.54 + 1.72 to 7.54 + 1.33 mmol/l, p <,0.05), although HbA1c had decreased in both groups (PG: 6.7±3.0 to 5.9±2.6%; MG: 5.3±1.5 to 4.6±0.9%; p <,0.05). The initial office mean BPs were similar and decreased at the end of the treatment period in both groups, reaching statistical significance only in MG (105.7±8.0 to 99.2±9.3 mmHg, p <,0.05). No difference was observed when comparing baseline and final values obtained by 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring. Metformin induced a reduction in both insulinaemia (71.0±62.4 to 38.0±23.0 pmol/l, p <,0.05) and the insulin resistance index (3.5±2.7 to 1.8±1.0, p <,0.05). The two groups had similar baseline leptin levels which remained unchanged after treatment (PG: 16.8±7.9 to 21.4±14.6 ,g/l; MG: 18.5±10.3 to 18.4±8.9 ,g/l). Dopamine levels increased significantly only in metformin-treated subjects. Conclusions Reductions in both the insulin levels and the resistance index reinforced metformin capacity to improve peripheral sensitivity. Moreover, such benefits were not accompanied by any hypotensive effects. Since leptin levels were affected neither by metformin per se nor by the induced insulinaemia reduction, our data support the role of body weight as the major determinant of circulating leptin levels. [source] Beneficial effects of aminoguanidine on the cardiovascular system of diabetic ratsDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 2 2005Krisztián Stadler Abstract Background The study focused on investigating the effect of aminoguanidine on cardiovascular damages in diabetes and the possible mechanisms of its action. Methods Aminoguanidine (AMNG) was used to treat streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, and the effects were compared to those obtained under insulin treatment. Blood metabolic parameters, ,NO and ONOO, as well as protein carbonyl levels and cardiac hypertrophy were determined. Results Diabetic animals showed increased ,NO levels and markedly increased ONOO, generation in the aorta, along with a significant hypertrophy and protein carbonylation in the cardiac tissue. Both AMNG and insulin treatment suppressed the levels of overproduced ,NO or ONOO, in the vasculature, but only AMNG was able to prevent hypertrophic alterations and reduce protein carbonylation in the cardiac tissue. Conclusions Oxidative protein modification, together with cardiac hypertrophy and high generation of ,NO and ONOO,, are important early events in the development of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. Aminoguanidine could prevent hypertrophy through inhibition of production of nonenzymatic glycation products rather than via inhibition of ,NO production. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effect of ABCA1 variant on atherogenic dyslipidaemia in patients with Type 2 diabetes treated with rosiglitazoneDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 6 2009S. E. Park Abstract Aims, To investigate the effect of two common ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (ABCA1) polymorphisms (rs4149263 and rs2020927) on atherogenic dyslipidaemia in Korean Type 2 diabetic patients who were treated with rosiglitazone. Patients and methods, Two hundred and fifty-six patients with Type 2 diabetes who had never previously received peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-,) agonists or lipid-lowering treatment were treated with 4 mg of rosiglitazone daily for 12 weeks without any adjustment to their glucose-lowering regimen. The primary outcome was the change in atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), calculated as log [triglyceride (mmol/l)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mmol/l)], before and after rosiglitazone treatment. The effect of rosiglitazone on the change in AIP was compared across the ABCA1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs41429263 and rs2020927. Results, Before adjustment, the change in AIP at 12 weeks was significantly different across the rs4149263 genotypes [median (interquartile range): ,0.05 (,0.21, 0.09) for TT; 0.02 (,0.09, 0.17) for TC; and 0.11 (0.03, 0.25) for CC; P = 0.003], but not across the rs2020927 [,0.04 (,0.18, 0.10) for TT; 0.03 (,0.17, 0.15) for TC; and ,0.03 (,0.13, 0.10) for CC; P = 0.401]. After controlling for age, gender and duration of diabetes, the presence of the C-allele was significantly associated with an increase in AIP by 0.13 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.04,0.21; P = 0.003]. This association did not change significantly when body mass index and pretreatment metabolic parameters were additionally controlled for (the change in AIP: 0.14; 95% CI, 0.04,0.24; P = 0.007). Conclusions, The ABCA1 SNP rs4149263 may be associated with the change in atherogenic lipid profile in Type 2 diabetes treated with rosiglitazone. [source] Effect of long-term treatment with rosiglitazone on arterial elasticity and metabolic parameters in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a 2-year follow-up studyDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 11 2007M. Shargorodsky Abstract Aims, Thiazolidinediones may influence the atherogenic process by improving cardiovascular risk factors. The present study was designed to determine the long-term effect of rosiglitazone on arterial compliance and metabolic parameters in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Methods, In an open-label, prospective study, 65 diabetic patients received rosiglitazone orally (4,8 mg/day) for 6 months. After 6 months, the patients continued an open follow-up study and were divided into two groups: group 1 included patients continuing rosiglitazone for 2 years, group 2 included patients discontinuing rosiglitazone and receiving other oral glucose-lowering agents. Lipid profile, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), insulin, C-peptide, fibrinogen, high-sensitivity-CRP and homeostasis model assessment,insulin resistance were measured. Arterial elasticity was assessed using pulse wave contour analysis. Results, In patients treated with rosiglitazone for 2 years: the large artery elasticity index (LAEI) increased from 10.0 ± 4.6 to 13.9 ± 4.7 ml/mmHg × 100 after 2 years (P = 0.003). The small artery elasticity (SAEI) index increased significantly from 3.2 ± 1.2 to 5.1 ± 1.9 (P < 0.0001). In patients who discontinued rosiglitazone: LAEI did not change after 6 months, but decreased from 12.1 ± 5.4 to 8.9 ± 3.9 ml/mmHg × 10 (P < 0.0001) at the end of 2 years. SAEI increased during the first 6 months of treatment, from 3.9 ± 1.8 to 5.1 ± 1.5 ml/mmHg × 100 (P < 0.0001) and decreased after discontinuation of rosiglitazone (P = 0.042). Conclusions, Prolonged treatment with rosiglitazone improved arterial elasticity. However, significant deterioration in LAEI and SAEI was observed in patients who discontinued rosiglitazone. The beneficial vascular effect of rosiglitazone on arterial elasticity was independent of glycaemic control. [source] Interaction of the G182C polymorphism in the APOA5 gene and fasting plasma glucose on plasma triglycerides in Type 2 diabetic subjectsDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 12 2005Y.-D. Jiang Abstract Aim Apolipoprotein AV (APOA5) is an important determinant of plasma triglyceride concentration. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of an amino acid substitution at position 182 (G182C) of the apolipoprotein AV (APOA5) gene with triglyceride concentration in a Taiwanese population. Methods This study enrolled two cohorts: non-diabetic subjects (112 males and 89 females) aged 50.3 ± 11.0 years (mean ± sd) and diabetic subjects (106 males and 96 females) aged 62.1 ± 10.3 years. The relationship between the G182C polymorphism (rs 2075291) and plasma triglycerides was examined. Demographic and metabolic parameters including age, sex, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose and total cholesterol were also obtained. Results The G182C polymorphism was a determinant of plasma triglycerides in both non-diabetic (P = 0.022) and diabetic (P = 0.003) groups, independent of age, gender, fasting plasma glucose, body mass index and total cholesterol. In the diabetic group, this genetic polymorphism interacts significantly (P = 0.032) with fasting plasma glucose concentration on plasma triglycerides after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index and total cholesterol. Conclusions In conclusion, the G182C polymorphism of the APOA5 gene affects plasma triglycerides in both non-diabetic and diabetic populations. The observed interaction of gene and glycaemic control further indicates a multifactorial nature of clinical phenotypes in subjects with Type 2 diabetes. Diabet. Med. (2005) [source] Effects of fungicides on thyroid function, metabolism, and thermoregulation in cotton rats,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2001Thomas E. Tomasi Abstract Among the myriad of recent studies on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, relatively few involve thyroid disruption, and most of these address exposure/disruption during embryonic life. Of those involving adult vertebrates, the endpoints examined are thyroid measurements. Even though thyroid disruption could potentially interfere with energy metabolism and thermoregulation such that over-winter survival might be compromised, the possible energetic consequences of these thyroid perturbations have not been investigated. We assessed thyroid function and measured resting metabolic rates of cotton rats chronically exposed to the fungicides vinclozolin or mancozeb. In addition, we measured norepinephrine-induced nonshivering thermogenesis and cold-induced thermogenesis and then cold-acclimated the mancozeb animals. Although thyroid hormone concentrations generally decreased, this was compensated for by an increase in thyroxine turnover (vinclozolin study only) such that thyroxine utilization rate was not different. In addition, there was no difference between the treated and control animals in any of the metabolic parameters measured. It is concluded that wild rodents exposed to these compounds are not energetically compromised. [source] The backbone of oral glucose-lowering therapy: time for a paradigm shift?FUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 6 2009Jochen Seufert Abstract The complex array of metabolic abnormalities associated with type 2 diabetes provides a number of new targets for therapeutic intervention. Although the established oral glucose-lowering therapies, metformin and the sulfonylureas, continue to provide the backbone of therapeutic approaches, the thiazolidinediones (TZDs) also play an important role. Further, a new class of oral agents, the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors, has recently become available with apparent utility in decreasing postprandial glucose excursions. This review examines how the TZDs and the DPP-IV inhibitors might integrate into current treatment strategies, considering not only glycemic goals, but also longer-term benefits such as durability of glycemic control, effect on metabolic parameters and cardiovascular outcomes. A practical approach is taken, reflecting potential clinical situations in which therapeutic intervention is required. [source] Sites and mechanisms of insulin resistance in nonobese, nondiabetic patients with chronic hepatitis C,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Ester Vanni Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has been associated with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, but the extent of impairment in insulin action, the target pathways involved, and the role of the virus per se have not been defined. In this study, we performed a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp (1 mU · minute,1 · kg,1) coupled with infusion of tracers ([6,6- 2H2]glucose, [2H5]glycerol) and indirect calorimetry in 14 patients with biopsy-proven CHC, who were selected not to have any features of the metabolic syndrome, and in seven healthy controls. We also measured liver expression of inflammatory cytokines/mediators and tested their association with the metabolic parameters. Compared to controls, in patients with CHC: (1) total glucose disposal (TGD) during the clamp was 25% lower (P = 0.003) due to impaired glucose oxidation (P = 0.0002), (2) basal endogenous glucose production (EGP) was 20% higher (P = 0.011) and its suppression during the clamp was markedly reduced (P = 0.007), and (3) glycerol appearance was not different in the basal state or during the clamp, but lipid oxidation was less suppressed by insulin (P = 0.004). Lipid oxidation was higher in patients with CHC who had more steatosis and was directly related to EGP, TGD, and glucose oxidation. The decreased insulin-stimulated suppression of EGP was associated with increased hepatic suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3; P < 0.05) and interleukin-18 (P < 0.05) expression. Conclusion: Hepatitis C infection per se is associated with peripheral and hepatic insulin resistance. Substrate competition by increased lipid oxidation and possibly enhanced hepatic expression of inflammatory cytokines/mediators could be involved in the defective glucose regulation. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.) [source] Cardiovascular and Metabolic Effects of High-dose Insulin in a Porcine Septic Shock ModelACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 4 2010Joel S. Holger MD Abstract Objectives:, High-dose insulin (HDI) has inotropic and vasodilatory properties in various clinical conditions associated with myocardial depression. The authors hypothesized that HDI will improve the myocardial depression produced by severe septic shock and have beneficial effects on metabolic parameters. In an animal model of severe septic shock, this study compared the effects of HDI treatment to normal saline (NS) resuscitation alone. Methods:, Ten pigs were randomized to an insulin (HDI) or NS group. All were anesthetized and instrumented to monitor cardiovascular function. In both arms, Escherichia coli endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and NS infusions were begun. LPS was titrated to 20 ,g/kg/hour over 30 minutes and continued for 5 hours, and saline was infused at 20 mL/kg/hour throughout the protocol. Dextrose (50%) was infused to maintain glucose in the 60,150 mg/dL range, and potassium was infused to maintain a level greater than 2.8 mmol/L. At 60 minutes, the HDI group received an insulin infusion titrated from 2 to 10 units/kg/hour over 40 minutes and continued at that rate throughout the protocol. Survival, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulmonary artery and central venous pressure, cardiac output, central venous oxygen saturation (SVO2), and lactate were monitored for 5 hours (three pigs each arm) or 7 hours (two pigs each arm) or until death. Cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance (SVR), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), O2 delivery, and O2 consumption were derived from measured data. Outcomes from the repeated-measures analysis were modeled using a mixed-effects linear model that assumed normally distributed errors and a random effect at the subject level. Results:, No significant baseline differences existed between arms at time 0 or 60 minutes. Survival was 100% in the HDI arm and 60% in the NS arm. Cardiovascular variables were significantly better in the HDI arm: cardiac index (p < 0.001), SVR (p < 0.003), and PVR (p < 0.01). The metabolic parameters were also significantly better in the HDI arm: SVO2 (p < 0.01), O2 delivery (p < 0.001), and O2 consumption (p < 0.001). No differences in MAP, HR, or lactate were found. Conclusions:, In this animal model of endotoxemic-induced septic shock that results in severe myocardial depression, HDI is associated with improved cardiac function compared to NS resuscitation alone. HDI also demonstrated favorable metabolic, pulmonary, and peripheral vascular effects. Further studies may define a potential role for the use of HDI in the resuscitation of septic shock. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:429,435 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] Irbesartan has no short-term effect on insulin resistance in hypertensive patients with additional cardiometabolic risk factors (i-RESPOND)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2010K. G. Parhofer Summary Aims:, Intervention studies have shown that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) may reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is currently unclear whether short-term therapy with ARBs affects metabolic parameters. Methods:, i-RESPOND, a randomised, controlled, multicentre, double-blind study evaluated the effect of 16 weeks of irbesartan vs. hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) on insulin resistance as well as on lipid and inflammatory parameters in hypertensive subjects with metabolic syndrome. Patients received irbesartan (150 mg/d; n = 211) or HCTZ (12.5 mg/d; n = 215), titrated to 300 mg/day and 25 mg/day respectively. In a second part of the study (weeks 16,28), patients initially randomised to irbesartan received additional HCTZ and vice versa. Results:, At week 16 both irbesartan and HCTZ had no effect on insulin resistance measured by the Matzuda index and beta-cell function. Similarly, in the second part of the study (week 16,28) no differences between irbesartan and HCTZ with respect to glucose metabolism were observed. However, irbesartan induced beneficial changes in high-sensitivity-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (irbesartan: ,5.5 ± 5.2%; HCTZ + 19.9 ± 6.5%, p = 0.0024) and in urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) (irbesartan: ,13%; HCTZ + 9%; p = 0.0041) compared with HCTZ despite a similar decrease in blood pressure in both treatment groups. Irbesartan and HCTZ were well tolerated and adverse events were comparable. Conclusion:, Irbesartan did not show significant favourable effects on insulin resistance compared with HCTZ in this study; however, may have beneficial effects on inflammation and microalbuminuria in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome. [source] Relationship between analytic values and canine obesityJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3 2008C. Peńa Summary The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between canine body condition and metabolic parameters like serum lipids, blood glucose and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations. We selected 127 dogs (42 males and 85 females) that were taken to our veterinary medicine service during routine visits. The mean age was 6.67 ± 5.24 years. Body condition (BC) was measured by Laflamme scale and dogs were considered as obese when BC score was over 6. The following variables were collected: total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, basal glucose and ALT. 66.1% of the dog cohort were obese. Total cholesterol and triglycerides were found to be higher (p < 0.05) in obese dogs with respect to normal weight dogs. In conclusion, obesity in dogs is associated with higher serum lipid levels. [source] In vivo metabolic effects of naringenin in the ethanol consuming rat and the effect of naringenin on adipocytes in vitroJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3-4 2007K. Szkudelska Summary Naringenin is a bioactive flavanone involved in the inhibition of drug metabolism which exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancerogenic properties and which recently appeared to be a factor mitigating the hyperlipidaemic effects in rats and rabbits. In the performed experiment, the effect of naringenin, administered intragastrically (50 mg/kg) for 2 weeks to normal and ethanol drinking rats, on insulin and leptin levels and on some metabolic parameters was investigated. Naringenin did not change the hormone levels in any group of rats. Blood glucose, triglyceride, total, esterified and free cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations were also unaffected by this compound. Only free fatty acids were elevated after the naringenin treatment in the water-drinking rats. In spite of unchanged glucose and insulin concentrations in blood, the tested flavanone reduced the glucose/insulin ratio in ethanol-receiving rats. Liver triglycerides, elevated due to ethanol ingestion, were partially normalized by naringenin. Other tested parameters like liver glycogen and cholesterol, muscle triglycerides and glycogen were not altered in any group of rats. The influence of naringenin (62.5, 125, 250 and 500 ,m) on basal and insulin-stimulated glucose conversion to lipids (lipogenesis) as well as on basal and epinephrine-stimulated glycerol release (lipolysis) in the isolated rat adipocytes was also tested. The basal and the stimulated lipogenesis tended to be decreased in the presence of the flavanone (250 ,m). This inhibitory effect intensified and was statistically significant at the highest concentration of naringenin. The tested compound did not evoke any effect on basal lipolysis while the epinephrine-stimulated process was limited at the highest concentration of the flavanone. Naringenin (62.5, 125, 250 and 500 ,m) had no effect on leptin secretion from the isolated rat adipocytes. Results obtained in our studies demonstrate that naringenin exerts a very weak influence on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of normal and ethanol-consuming rats and on metabolism of isolated rat adipocytes. [source] Color doppler sonographic analysis of uterine and ovarian artery blood flow in women with polycystic ovary syndromeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 6 2007Sebiha Özkan MD Abstract Purpose. To study the blood flow patterns of utero-ovarian circulation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to assess their relationship with clinical, metabolic, and hormonal data. Methods. Forty-three women with PCOS and 43 age-matched healthy controls underwent Doppler examination of the utero-ovarian circulation in the follicular phase. Demographic, hormonal, and metabolic parameters were determined. Student's t -test, ,2 -test, and Spearman correlation test were used for statistical analysis. Results. The ovarian artery pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and SD ratios were significantly lower in PCOS than in controls on the right side (p < 0.001, p = 0.02, p = 0.001, respectively) as well as on the left side (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). The uterine artery systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio was higher on both sides (p = 0.01) and the PI was higher on the left side (p = 0.02) in PCOS than in controls. The right uterine artery PI was positively correlated with luteinizing hormone and hemoglobin (r = 0.417, p = 0.043; r = 0.427, p = 0.033, respectively), the right uterine artery S/D was positively correlated with body mass index (r = 0.479, p = 0.015), and the left uterine artery PI was positively correlated with insulin (r = 0.458, p = 0.021). Conclusion. Doppler sonography of the utero-ovarian circulation may contribute to the evaluation of PCOS patients and a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this syndrome. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2007 [source] Polymorphism of human leptin receptor gene is associated with type 2 diabetic patients complicated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in ChinaJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 2 2009Hongyun Lu Abstract Background and Aim:, To investigate the relationship between human leptin receptor (LEPR) gene G3057A polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients complicated with or without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods:, Two hundred and sixteen cases of newly diagnosed T2DM patients (104 cases complicated with NAFLD) and 108 cases of normal glucose tolerances (NGT) were recruited. Hemi-nested polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and PCR-direct sequence analysis were conducted to detect the polymorphism of LEPR G3057A variation. Plasma leptin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Plasma lipid and glucose metabolic parameters were measured routinely. Liver ultrasound was carried out for all subjects. Results:, T2DM patients complicated with NAFLD had higher plasma insulin, leptin, triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels than those without NAFLD and NGT subjects. The variant frequency at nucleotide 3057 G,A transversion was 76.0% in type 2 diabetic patients complicated with NAFLD, which was also significantly higher than those without NAFLD (62.1%) and NGT cases (53.2%). There was also significant difference in genotype distribution between the three groups (,2 = 14.63, P < 0.01). Conclusion:, The polymorphism of LEPR gene 3057 probably contributes to the onset of NAFLD by regulating lipid metabolism and affecting insulin sensitivity. [source] Changes in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Function, Body Temperature, Body Weight and Food Intake with Repeated Social Stress Exposure in RatsJOURNAL OF NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2006S. Bhatnagar Abstract These present studies aimed to compare changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity and body temperature in response to acute social defeat, to repeated social stress and to novel restraint after repeated stress, as well as to assess effects on metabolic parameters by measuring body weight gain and food and water intake. We found that social defeat produced a marked increase in both adrenocorticotrophic hormone and corticosterone compared to placement in a novel cage. Similarly, body temperature was also increased during social defeat and during 30 min of recovery from defeat. We then examined the effects of 6 days of repeated social stress and observed minimal HPA responses to repeated social stress compared to control rats. These neuroendocrine responses were contrasted by robust increases in body temperature during stress and during recovery from stress during 6 days of repeated stress. However, in response to novel restraint, repeatedly stressed rats displayed facilitated body temperature responses compared to controls, similar to our previous findings with HPA activity. Food intake was increased during the light period during which defeat took place, but later intake during the dark period was not affected. Repeated stress decreased body weight gain in the dark period but food intake was increased overall during the 6 days of repeated stress in the light period. As a result, repeated stress increased cumulative food intake during the light period in the stressed rats but these relatively small increases in food intake were unable to prevent the diminished total weight gain in repeatedly stressed rats. Overall, the results demonstrate that, although acute social defeat has similar effects on temperature and HPA activity, repeated exposure to social stress has divergent effects on HPA activity compared to body temperature and that dampened weight gain produced by repeated social stress cannot be fully explained by changes in food intake. [source] Shifts in metabolic parameters surrounding glucose homoeostasis resulting from tricyclic antidepressant therapy: implications of insulin resistance?JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007W. Chadwick This study displayed the physiological effects the tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline or trimipramine have on glucose homoeostasis in male Wistar rats. An insulin secreting cell line (INS-1) was also used to determine effects tricyclic antidepressants have on insulin secretion and insulin displacement. Thirty rats each received a 1 mg kg,1 dose of amitriptyline or trimipramine for a period of 14 weeks; another 14 rats served as the control group. Blood glucose, serum insulin and muscle and liver glycogen levels were determined. Kidney, liver and muscle insulin degradation was measured and compared with insulin degrading enzyme concentrations in the latter two tissues. INS-1 cells were used to determine the effect 1,M amitriptyline has on insulin secretion. Displacement studies for [3H]glibenclamide by amitriptyline or trimipramine were undertaken on INS-1 cells. A significant increase in blood glucose (P < 0.01) was found for both test groups after 6 and 14 weeks of receiving the medication, which may be related to a significant decrease in liver and muscle glycogen levels (P < 0.001). Serum insulin levels remained unchanged, although a significant increase in insulin degradation was observed in the muscle, liver and kidney, which may be related to a significant increase in insulin degrading enzyme (P < 0.001) that was found. A significant increase in insulin secretion was observed for the INS-1 cells treated with amitriptyline, although no significant displacement for the [3H]glibenclamide was evident for amitriptyline or trimipramine. The significant alterations in glucose homoeostasis observed, as well as the significant changes associated with insulin secretion and degradation associated with amitriptyline or trimipramine treatment, imply that prolonged use of these medicines may lead to insulin resistance and full blown diabetes. [source] Reproducibility assessment of metabolic variables characterizing muscle energetics in Vivo: A 31P-MRS studyMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009Gwenael Layec Abstract The purpose of the present study was to assess the reliability of metabolic parameters measured using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) during two standardized rest-exercise-recovery protocols. Twelve healthy subjects performed the standardized protocols at two different intensities; i.e., a moderate intensity (MOD) repeated over a two-month period and heavy intensity (HEAVY) repeated over a year's time. Test-retest reliability was analyzed using coefficient of variation (CV), limits of agreement (LOA), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). During exercise and recovery periods, most of the metabolic parameters exhibited a good reliability. The CVs of individual concentration of phosphocreatine ([PCr]), concentration of adenosine diphosphate ([ADP]), and pH values recorded at end of the HEAVY exercise were lower than 15%. The CV calculated for the rate of PCr resynthesis and the maximal oxidative capacity were less than 13% during the HEAVY protocol. Inferred parameters such as oxidative and total adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production rates exhibited a good reliability (ICC , 0.7; CV < 15% during the HEAVY protocol). Our results demonstrated that measurement error using 31P-MRS during a standardized exercise was low and that biological variability accounted for the vast majority of the measurement variability. In addition, the corresponding metabolic measurements can reliably be used for longitudinal studies performed even over a long period of time. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Relationship of Porphyromonas gingivalis with glycemic level in patients with type 2 diabetes following periodontal treatmentMOLECULAR ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008N. Makiura Introduction:, The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serum glycemic levels and subgingival microbial profile alteration following periodontal treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods:, We studied 30 periodontitis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received full-mouth subgingival debridement by analyzing their subgingival microbial profiles using a polymerase chain reaction method at baseline and various time-points for 12 months following treatment. Concurrently, probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and metabolic parameters, including glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood sugar level, C-reactive proteins, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, were recorded. Results:, Periodontal conditions were significantly improved after treatment, and the occurrence rates of periodontal bacterial species, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis, Treponema denticola, and Prevotella intermedia, were also reduced. Interestingly, P. gingivalis was detected more frequently in subjects with increased HbA1c values after periodontal treatment than in those patients with decreased HbA1c values. Furthermore, P. gingivalis with type II fimbriae was detected only in HbA1c-increased subjects, while improvements in HbA1c values were observed only in subjects without type II clones. Conclusions:, These results suggest that glycemic level in diabetes is affected by the persistence of P. gingivalis, especially clones with type II fimbriae, in periodontal pockets. [source] Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causal agent of witches' broom disease of cacao: what's new from this old foe?MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2008LYNDEL W. MEINHARDT SUMMARY Moniliophthora perniciosa (=Crinipellis perniciosa) causes one of the three main fungal diseases of Theobroma cacao (cacao), the source of chocolate. This pathogen causes Witches' broom disease (WBD) and has brought about severe economic losses in all of the cacao-growing regions to which it has spread with yield reductions that range from 50 to 90%. Cacao production in South America reflects the severity of this pathogen, as the yields in most of the infected regions have not returned to pre-outbreak levels, even with the introduction of resistant varieties. In this review we give a brief historical account and summarize the current state of knowledge focusing on developments in the areas of systematics, fungal physiology, biochemistry, genomics and gene expression in an attempt to highlight this disease. Moniliophthora perniciosa is a hemibiotrophic fungus with two distinct growth phases. The ability to culture a biotrophic-like phase in vitro along with new findings derived from the nearly complete genome and expression studies clearly show that these different fungal growth phases function under distinct metabolic parameters. These new findings have greatly improved our understanding of this fungal/host interaction and we may be at the crossroads of understanding how hemibiotrophic fungal plant pathogens cause disease in other crops. Historical summary of WBD:, The first WDB symptoms appear to have been described in the diaries of Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira (described as lagartăo; meaning big lizard) from his observations of cacao trees in 1785 and 1787 in Amazonia, which is consistent with the generally accepted idea that M. perniciosa, like its main host T. cacao, evolved in this region. The disease subsequently arrived in Surinam in 1895. WBD moved rapidly, spreading to Guyana in 1906, Ecuador in 1918, Trinidad in 1928, Colombia in 1929 and Grenada in 1948. In each case, cacao production was catastrophically affected with yield reductions of 50,90%. After the arrival of M. perniciosa in Bahia in 1989, Brazil went from being the world's 3rd largest producer of cacao (347 000 tonnes in 1988,1990; c. 15% of the total world production at that time) to a net importer (141 000 tonnes in 1998,2000). Fortunately for chocolate lovers, other regions of the world such as West Africa and South East Asia have not yet been affected by this disease and have expanded production to meet growing world demand (predicted to reach 3 700 000 tonnes by 2010). Classification:,Moniliophthora perniciosa (Stahel) Aime & Phillips-Mora: super-kingdom Eukaryota; kingdom Fungi; phylum Basidiomycota; subphylum Agaricomycotina; class Agaricomycetes; subclass Agaricomycetidae; order Agaricales; family Marasmiaceae; genus Moniliophthora. Useful websites:,http://www.lge.ibi.unicamp.br/vassoura/, http://nt.ars-grin.gov/taxadescriptions/keys/TrichodermaIndex.cfm, http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/info-center/research-updates.asp, http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/psi/spcl [source] |