Effects of maternal protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation on milk composition and offspring development.

Before weaning, breast milk is the physiological form of neonatal nutrition, providing pups with all nutrient requirements. Maternal low-protein diet (LPD) during pregnancy and lactation induces adverse changes in key maternal organs, which have negative effects on pup development. We studied the effects of maternal LPD on liver weight, mammary gland (MG) cell differentiation, milk composition and production and pup development throughout lactation. We fed rats with control (C) or LPD (R) during pregnancy and lactation. At 7 d early, 14 d mid and 21 d late lactation stages, maternal biochemical parameters, body, liver and MG weights were analysed. MG cell differentiation was analysed by haematoxylin and eosin staining; milk nutrient composition and production were studied; pup body, liver and brain weights, hippocampal arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA were quantified. Results showed lower body and liver weights, minor MG cell differentiation and lower serum insulin and TAG in R compared with C. R milk contained less protein and higher AA at early and mid stages compared with C. R pup milk and fat intake were lower at all stages. R protein intake at early and mid stages and DHA intake at mid and late stages were lower compared with C. In R pups, lower body, liver and brain weights were associated with decreased hippocampal AA and DHA. We conclude that maternal LPD impairs liver and MG function and induces significant changes in maternal milk composition, pup milk intake and organ development.

Hippocampal mechanisms in impaired spatial learning and memory in male offspring of rats fed a low-protein isocaloric diet in pregnancy and/or lactation.

Maternal nutritional challenges during fetal and neonatal development result in developmental programming of multiple offspring organ systems including brain maturation and function. A maternal low-protein diet during pregnancy and lactation impairs associative learning and motivation. We evaluated effects of a maternal low-protein diet during gestation and/or lactation on male offspring spatial learning and hippocampal neural structure. Control mothers (C) ate 20% casein and restricted mothers (R) 10% casein, providing four groups: CC, RR, CR, and RC (first letter pregnancy, second lactation diet). We evaluated the behavior of young adult male offspring around postnatal day 110. Corticosterone and ACTH were measured. Males were tested for 2 days in the Morris water maze (MWM). Stratum lucidum mossy fiber (MF) area, total and spine type in basal dendrites of stratum oriens in the hippocampal CA3 field were measured. Corticosterone and ACTH were higher in RR vs. CC. In the MWM acquisition test CC offspring required two, RC three, and CR seven sessions to learn the maze. RR did not learn in eight trials. In a retention test 24 h later, RR, CR, and RC spent more time locating the platform and performed fewer target zone entries than CC. RR and RC offspring spent less time in the target zone than CC. MF area, total, and thin spines were lower in RR, CR, and RC than CC. Mushroom spines were lower in RR and RC than CC. Stubby spines were higher in RR, CR, and RC than CC. We conclude that maternal low-protein diet impairs spatial acquisition and memory retention in male offspring, and that alterations in hippocampal presynaptic (MF), postsynaptic (spines) elements and higher glucocorticoid levels are potential mechanisms to explain these learning and memory deficits.

Exercise in obese female rats has beneficial effects on maternal and male and female offspring metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Maternal obesity (MO) impairs maternal and offspring health. Mechanisms and interventions to prevent adverse maternal and offspring outcomes need to be determined. Human studies are confounded by socio-economic status providing the rationale for controlled animal data on effects of maternal exercise (MEx) intervention on maternal (F0) and offspring (F1) outcomes in MO. HYPOTHESIS: MO produces metabolic and endocrine dysfunction, increases maternal and offspring glucocorticoid exposure, oxidative stress and adverse offspring outcomes by postnatal day (PND) 36. MEx in part prevents these outcomes. METHODS: F0 female rats ate either control or obesogenic diet from weaning through lactation. Half of each group wheel ran (from day 90 of life through pregnancy beginning day 120) providing four groups (n=8/group)--(i) controls, (ii) obese, (iii) exercised controls and (iv) exercised obese. After weaning, PND 21, F1 offspring ate a control diet. Metabolic parameters of F0 prepregnancy and end of lactation and F1 offspring at PND 36 were analyzed. RESULTS: Exercise did not change maternal weight. Before breeding, MO elevated F0 glucose, insulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, leptin, fat and oxidative stress. Exercise completely prevented the triglyceride rise and partially increases glucose, insulin, cholesterol and oxidative stress. MO decreased fertility, recovered by exercise. At the end of lactation, exercise returned all metabolic variables except leptin to control levels. Exercise partially prevented MO elevated corticosterone. F1 offspring weights were similar at birth. At PND 36, MO increased F1 male but not female offspring leptin, triglycerides and fat mass. In controls, exercise reduced male and female offspring glucose, prevented the offspring leptin increase and partially the triglyceride rise. CONCLUSIONS: MEx before and during pregnancy has beneficial effects on the maternal and offspring metabolism and endocrine function occurring with no weight change in mothers and offspring indicating the importance of body composition rather than weight in evaluations of metabolic status.

Maternal obesity and overnutrition increase oxidative stress in male rat offspring reproductive system and decrease fertility.

PURPOSE: Increasing evidence exists that maternal obesity (MO) and overnutrition during pregnancy and lactation have long-lasting consequences for progeny metabolism, cardiovascular and endocrine function. Data on effects of MO on offspring reproduction are limited. We hypothesized that MO during pregnancy and lactation in founder F(0) rat mothers would increase testicular and sperm oxidative stress (OS) and adversely impact male fertility in their F(1) offspring. METHODS: We induced pre-pregnancy MO by feeding F(0) females a high-fat diet from weaning through pregnancy and lactation. After weaning, all F(1) rats ate control (C) diet. We determined serum testosterone, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in F(1) testes and sperm at postnatal days (PNDs) 110, 450 and 650. RESULTS: At PNDs 450 and 650, MO offspring had lower luteinizing hormone while testosterone levels were lower at all ages. Testicular MDA and ROS concentrations and SOD and GPx activity were higher in MO F(1) at all ages. Nitrotyrosine immunostaining was higher at all ages in MO F(1) testes than C F(1). At PNDs 450 and 650, MO F(1) spermatozoa showed higher MDA concentrations and lower SOD and GPx activity with reduced sperm concentration, viability and motility, and more sperm abnormalities. Fertility rate was not affected at PND 110 but was lower in MO F(1) at PNDs 450 and 650. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that MO during pregnancy and lactation increases F(1) testicular and sperm OS leading to premature aging of reproductive capacity.

Emergence of ageing-related changes in insulin secretion by pancreatic islets of male rat offspring of mothers fed a low-protein diet.

Maternal low-protein (LP) diets programme ß-cell secretion, potentially altering the emergence of ageing of offspring pancreatic function. We hypothesised that isolated pancreatic islet ß-cell secretory responses are blunted in offspring exposed to LP during development and age-related reduction is influenced by the developmental stage of exposure to decreased nutrition. We studied male offspring of rats fed control (C) or LP protein (R) diets in pregnancy, first letter and/or lactation second letter of CC, RR, CR or RC groups. Serum glucose, insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) were measured. Pancreatic islets were isolated and in vitro insulin secretion quantified in low (LG - 5 mM) or high glucose (HG - 11 mM). Body weight and serum values between groups were similar at all ages. Insulin and HOMA rose with age and were highest at postnatal day (PND) 450 in all groups. At PND 36, insulin secretion was greatest in RR and RC. Only CC increased insulin secretion to HG. By PND 110, restricted groups responded less to LG but increased secretion to HG. By PND 450, CC offspring alone increased secretion to HG. Despite minimal differences in circulating insulin and glucose, reduced maternal protein intake affected insulin secretion at all ages. In addition, ageing reduced function in all R groups compared with CC by PND 110 and further by PND 450 most markedly in RC. We conclude that maternal LP diet during pregnancy and/or lactation impairs offspring insulin secretory response to a glucose challenge and alters the trajectory of ageing of pancreatic insulin secretion.

Classification and putative origins of Brazilian porcine circovirus 2 inferred through phylogenetic and phylogeographical approaches.

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) is the major causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and is associated with different syndromes affecting pigs. The PCV2 genome has three main open reading frames (ORFs) among which the ORF2 encodes the capsid protein. In this study, the ORF2 nucleotide sequences of 30 Brazilian isolates were analyzed. The sequences were compared to other GenBank sequences using phylogenic and phylogeographic approaches. Our results show high sequence variability in Brazil, since, in this work, the Brazilian isolates were classified into subgroup 1AB, 2D and 2, which reveals that the virus was introduced in Brazil more than once. On the other hand, most of Brazilian isolates seem to be derived from only one introduction. According to the data from the Pig Breeders' Association, the multiple introductions of the virus probably occurred through the import of animals with the asymptomatic form of the virus or through the import of contaminated semen. The results point to the necessity of implementing programs aimed at selecting sows in order to avoid the import of animals infected by Group 1 PCV2.

Topographical evaluation of the major apical foramen in permanent human teeth.

AIM: To determine the distance from the anatomical root apex to the major apical foramen and the position of the major foramen on the root apex. METHODOLOGY: Crowns of 926 human teeth were sectioned at the cementum-enamel junction. Specimens were mounted on microscope slides for measurement parallel to the long axis of the teeth. The major foramen was identified as the largest-diameter opening at the root apex. A total of 1331 root specimens were evaluated using an optical stereomicroscope to an accuracy of 0.01 mm at 40 x (+/-10) magnification. The distance from the anatomical apex to the most apical point of the major foramen was measured, and its location (central, buccal, lingual, mesial and distal) was recorded. RESULTS: The mean distance between the major foramen and the anatomical root apex was 0.69 mm; the mean distance was larger in posterior teeth (0.82 mm) and smaller in anterior teeth (0.39 mm). A wide range of anatomical apex to major foramen distances were observed in all tooth groups: the greatest distance was in maxillary molars (0.95 mm) followed by mandibular pre-molars (0.87 mm) and mandibular molars (0.80 mm). The major foramen was at the tip of the root in 40% of teeth. The most frequent deviations of the foramen were to the buccal (20%) and distal (14%). CONCLUSION: In this sample of teeth without apical resorption the distance between the major foramen and the anatomical root apex was always <1 mm. Deviation of the major foramen from the anatomic apex varied widely amongst tooth groups.

Retraction: Alterations in lipid metabolism due to a protein-restricted diet in rats during gestation and/or lactation.

Retraction of 'Alterations in lipid metabolism due to a protein-restricted diet in rats during gestation and/or lactation' by T. C. Sosa-Larios, et al., Food Funct., 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7fo01513e.

Alterations in lipid metabolism due to a protein-restricted diet in rats during gestation and/or lactation.

Perinatal malnutrition affects not only fetal and neonatal growth, but also the health of offspring in adulthood, as suggested by the concept of metabolic programming. The impact of maternal protein malnutrition on the metabolism of offspring is demonstrated with the current data. One group of pregnant/lactating female rats was fed with an isocaloric diet having normal protein content. Three other groups were provided 50% of this protein level during pregnancy and/or lactation. The growth and metabolic state of the offspring was monitored. The expression of genes regulating lipid metabolism was determined, including SREBP-1c and SIRT-1 in liver and retroperitoneal adipose tissue. Blood cholesterol and triglycerides were higher in the adult offspring (at 110 days of age) fed a protein-restricted diet than in the adult offspring fed a normal diet. Protein restriction likely leads to inadequate detection of glucose levels, as suggested by the reduced expression of the gene for GCK, the sensor of glucose in the liver. The effects of a protein-restricted diet were highly dependent on the window in which this limitation occurred. There was a more adverse effect when the rats underwent protein restriction during gestation than lactation, leading to lower body weight and alterations in lipid metabolism in adult offspring.

Long-term follow-up for the treatment of male urinary incontinence with the Remeex system. / Seguimiento a largo plazo en el tratamiento de la incontinencia urinaria masculina con el sistema Remeex.

OBJECTIVES: To relate our experience in treating postprostatectomy stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with the male Remeex system (MRS). We also list the elements that comprise this system, the implantation technique and its proper adjustment. Similarly, we attempt to determine whether the latest changes made to this device, which constitute the MRS-II, have resulted in fewer mesh readjustments. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From March 2007 to March 2014, we operated on 24 men with postprostatectomy SUI between the ages of 55 and 78 years (mean, 67 years), through the placement of a Remeex suburethral tension-adjustable sling. All patients had severe urinary incontinence, with considerable impact on their quality of life. RESULTS: All patients, except for 2 who required the removal of the system, remained continent. Nine of the patients (39%) occasionally required incontinence pads when performing intense physical exercise. The mean number of adjustments was 2.4 (range 0-6). The score on the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ 7) performed before the surgery and 6 months after, went from 79±7 points to 11±3, with a very high degree of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The MRS is a valid therapeutic option for postprostatectomy incontinence and is a reproducible technique that is easy to perform, has a low rate of complications and provides excellent and lasting results. There is also a clear trend towards reducing number of adjustments with the new MRS-II.

Aging, glucocorticoids and developmental programming.

Glucocorticoids are pleiotropic regulators of multiple cell types with critical roles in physiological systems that change across the life-course. Although glucocorticoids have been associated with aging, available data on the aging trajectory in basal circulating glucocorticoids are conflicting. A literature search reveals sparse life-course data. We evaluated (1) the profile of basal circulating corticosterone across the life-course from weaning (postnatal day-PND 21), young adult PND 110, adult PND 450, mature adult PND 650 to aged phase PND 850 in a well-characterized homogeneous rat colony to determine existence of significant changes in trajectory in the second half of life; (2) sex differences; and (3) whether developmental programming of offspring by exposure to maternal obesity during development alters the later-life circulating corticosterone trajectory. We identified (1) a fall in corticosterone between PND 450 and 650 in both males and females (p < 0.05) and (2) higher female than male concentrations (p < 0.05). (3) Using our five life-course time-point data set, corticosterone fell at a similar age but from higher levels in male and female offspring of obese mothers. In all four groups studied, there was a second half of life fall in corticosterone. Higher corticosterone levels in offspring of obese mothers may play a role in their shorter life-span, but the age-associated fall occurs at a similar time to control offspring. Although even more life-course time-points would be useful, a five life-course time-point analysis provides important new information on normative and programmed aging of circulating corticosterone.

Paternal line multigenerational passage of altered risk assessment behavior in female but not male rat offspring of mothers fed a low protein diet.

Maternal low protein (MLP) diets in pregnancy and lactation impair offspring brain development and modify offspring behavior. We hypothesized multigenerational passage of altered behavioral outcomes as has been demonstrated following other developmental programming challenges. We investigated potential multigenerational effects of MLP in rat pregnancy and/or lactation on offspring risk assessment behavior. Founder generation mothers (F0) ate 20% casein (C) or restricted (R) 10% casein diet, providing four groups: CC, RR, CR, and RC (first letter pregnancy, second letter lactation diet) to evaluate offspring (F1) effects influenced by MLP in F0. On postnatal day (PND 250), F1 males were mated to non-colony siblings producing F2. On PND 90, F2 females (in diestrous) and F2 males were tested in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field. Corticosterone was measured at PND 110. Female but not male CR and RC F2 made more entries and spent more time in EPM open arms than CC females. Overall activity was unchanged as observed in male F1 fathers. There were no open field differences in F2 of either sex, indicating that multigenerational MLP effects are due to altered risk assessment, not locomotion. MLP in pregnancy reduced F1 male and F2 female corticosterone. We conclude that MLP in pregnancy and/or lactation increases the innate tendency to explore novel environments in F2 females via the paternal linage, suggesting lower levels of caution and/or higher impulsiveness to explore unknown spaces. Further studies will be necessary to identify the epigenetic modifications in the germ line through the paternal linage.

A strategy for obtaining social benefits from the gene revolution.

The strategy described in the present paper offers details about the possibility for Brazil to play a more substantial role in the gene revolution. If successfully applied, the powerful science-based technology currently available in Brazil can contribute to extend the benefits of the gene revolution to the poorest countries, very much like the Green Revolution did in the past, thereby reducing the hunger syndrome which claimed the lives of millions of people in some Asian countries, particularly Pakistan and India, decades ago. In his visit to Brazil in February 2004, Norman Borlaug had the opportunity to witness the success of Brazilian agriculture. At a Conference held at ESALQ - Superior School of Agriculture Luiz de Queiroz in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, he stated that the 21st century revolution will come from Brazil in the area of agriculture. He also said that reducing hunger is essential for the world to achieve socioeconomic stability. A central question remains unanswered: who will fund this revolution? The FAO 2003-2004 Annual Report listed the barriers preventing the gene revolution from reaching the poorest countries: inadequate regulatory procedures-Intellectual Property Rights and Biosafety, poorly functioning seed delivering systems and weak domestic plant breeding capacity; all are discussed in this paper.

Continuous alcoholic fermentation process in a tower reactor with recycling of flocculating yeast.

The influence of different substrate concentrations on the performance of a continuous system of alcohol production by fermentation using a tower reactor with recycling of flocculating yeasts was investigated. All experiments were carried out using a flocculating yeast strain IR-2, isolated from fermented food, and identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cane sugar juice was used as a substrate with sugar concentrations of 160, 170, 180, 190, and 200 g/L. Constant values of dilution rate, 0.20 h-1, temperature, 30 degrees C, and pH 3.3, were used. The performance of the reactor was observed to be efficient with high substrate concentrations. Maximum productivities of 18 g/L/h 99% substrate conversion and ethanol concentrations of 90 g/L were obtained using 200 g/L of sugar in the feedstock. For substrate concentrations of 160 g/L, a maximum yield of 0.45 g of ethanol/g of sugar was observed or 90% of the theoretical value.

Pharmacokinetics of rifampin given as a single oral dose in foals.

Six foals from 6 to 8 weeks of age were given a single oral dose of rifampin at a dosage of 10 mg/kg of body weight. Serum rifampin concentrations were measured serially during a 24-hour period. The mean peak serum rifampin concentration was 6.7 micrograms/ml at 4 hours after treatment. The concentration decreased slowly, and at 24 hours the mean value was 2.7 micrograms/ml. The elimination half-life was 17.5 hours, and the elimination rate constant was 0.04/hr.

Effect of the employment of biosolids as recovery agent for degraded areas.

The solid residue generated from the sewage treatment receives the denomination of sewage sludge, being also called biosolid. The present work compared the effect of 3 levels of fertilization (sewer sludge, mineral fertilization and proof) in the recovery of areas with 2 levels of soil degradation simulation (removal of 15 cm and 30 cm of soil), plus a proof. In the parcels destined for the biosolid, 40 dry t./ha of aerobic limy stabilized 30% had been used. The content of Ca+Mg, K, V% and CTC in the parcels that received biosolids had its value increased by 11.7%, 28.0%, 8.3% and 6.0% respectively, when compared with the values of the proof at the end of the maize culture. The contents of phosphorus were statistically higher for the Tukey test at 5% of probability in the treatment with biosolid, verifying also the trend of accumulation of phosphorus in the parcels, with the simulated level of degradation of 30 cm. There was a significant increase in carbon content due to the application of biosolids. The production of dry substance was still evaluated, where the biggest productions had been statistically verified in the treatments, being slightly influenced by the different levels of soil degradation, evidencing the great capacity of silt as recovery agent.