High-fat diet induced changes in lumbar vertebra of the male rat offsprings.

In obesity, bone marrow adiposity increases and proinflammatory cytokines excretion activates RANK/RANKL/OPG system, which leads to increased bone resorption. The aim of this study was to analyze trabecular and cortical bone parameters in animals exposed to the high-fat diet in utero and after lactation. Skeletal organ of interest was the fifth lumbar vertebra, which is not exposed to biomechanical loading in rats. Further aims were to determine TNF-α and IL-6 serum concentrations, and the intensity of the TNF-α immunohistochemical staining in the bone marrow. Ten female Sprague Dawley rats, nine weeks old, were randomly divided in two groups and fed either standard laboratory chow or food rich in saturated fatty acids during five weeks, and then mated with genetically similar male subjects. After birth and lactation male offsprings from both groups were divided in four subgroups depending on the diet they were fed until twenty-two weeks of age. The highest cholesterol and triglyceride concentration were found in both groups of offsprings fed with high-fat diet. The lowest trabecular bone volume, lowest trabecular number and highest trabecular separation were found in offsprings fed with high-fat diet of mothers on standard laboratory chow. The same group of offsprings was also characterized by the highest intensity of TNF-α immunostaining in the bone marrow and the highest TNF-α serum concentration, which suggest that this proinflammatory cytokine has interfered with bone metabolism, possibly by stimulation of bone resorption, which led to inadequate trabecular bone development and bone modeling of the fifth lumbar vertebra.

Effects of between generations changes in nutrition type on vaginal smear and serum lipids in Sprague-Dawley rats.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies established that between generations changes in feeding protocol can have significant impact on reproductive physiology. The aim of the study was to determinate effects of mothers' nutrition and nutrition of the offspring on the characteristics of vaginal smear and serum lipid content. METHODS: Ten female rats were randomly divided in two groups; first group fed with food containing high content of saturated fatty acids (HFD) and the second with standard laboratory chow (CD). After coupling and lactation period their offspring were further randomly divided into two subgroups fed HFD or CD forming four study groups: (a) CD-CD, (b) CD-HFD, (c) HFD-CD and (d) HFD-HFD. The dams and offspring at the age of 37 and 18 weeks, respectively, were subjected to biochemical analysis of the blood and cytological analysis of the vaginal smears. Additionally body weight was recorded and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. RESULTS: The HFD-HFD group presented with highest levels of triglycerides and the CD-HFD with the highest levels of cholesterol. Therefore, triglyceride and cholesterol levels were significantly different among the groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Vaginal cytological smears analysis showed features of irregular phase interchanges or extended estrous phase in offspring of high-fat fed dams. CONCLUSION: Maternal HFD consumption predisposes offspring to increased risk of developing metabolic abnormalities and estrous disorders.

Influence of allergy and bacterial colonization on the quality of life in nasal polyposis patients.

Allergies and bacterial colonization are frequently found in patients with chronic rhinosinuitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). The aim of this study was to identify patients with allergy and present microorganisms in ethmoid sinus among the patients with refractory CRSwNP undergoing surgical treatment at the University Hospital Centre Osijek, and to compare their life quality, defined by SNOT-20 analysis (sinonasal outcome test) to the rest of patients, and a control group consisting of patients undergoing septoplasty but free of allergy and/or CRS. An additional aim was to identify specific types and strains of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) found in these patients, in order to compare them to other reports, and to revise the empirical antimicrobial therapy. In this paper we demonstrate a high incidence of bacterial colonization (83.3%) among CRSwNP patients. As in previous studies, gram positive aerobes were the most frequently isolated bacteria and all of them were covered by specific antibiotics given before the specimen collection. Allergy was found in only 20% of these patients, who presented with a reduced quality of life when compared to the control group and CRSwNP without allergy. Significantly more frequent dominant symptoms in these patients were cough, frustration and irritation. In the line with this finding is the objective assessment by endoscopy (Malm score) that showed more prominent nasal polyposis in allergy patients.