Strength Training Protects High-Fat-Fed Ovariectomized Mice against Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Steatosis.

Menopause is characterized by a reduction in sex hormones in women and is associated with metabolic changes, including fatty liver and insulin resistance. Lifestyle changes, including a balanced diet and physical exercise, are necessary to prevent these undesirable changes. Strength training (ST) has been widely used because of the muscle and metabolic benefits it provides. Our study aims to evaluate the effects of ST on hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in ovariectomized mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) divided into four groups as follows: simulated sedentary surgery (SHAM-SED), trained simulated surgery (SHAM-EXE), sedentary ovariectomy (OVX-SED), and trained ovariectomy (OVX-EXE). They were fed an HFD for 9 weeks. ST was performed thrice a week. ST efficiently reduced body weight and fat percentage and increased lean mass in OVX mice. Furthermore, ST reduced the accumulation of ectopic hepatic lipids, increased AMPK phosphorylation, and inhibited the de novo lipogenesis pathway. OVX-EXE mice also showed a better glycemic profile, associated with greater insulin sensitivity identified by the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, and reduced markers of hepatic oxidative stress compared with sedentary animals. Our data support the idea that ST can be indicated as a non-pharmacological treatment approach to mitigate metabolic changes resulting from menopause.

Using Thermomechanical Properties to Reassess Particles' Dispersion in Nanostructured Polymers: Size vs. Content.

Nanoparticle-filled polymers (i.e., nanocomposites) can exhibit characteristics unattainable by the unfilled polymer, making them attractive to engineer structural composites. However, the transition of particulate fillers from the micron to the nanoscale requires a comprehensive understanding of how particle downsizing influences molecular interactions and organization across multiple length scales, ranging from chemical bonding to microstructural evolution. This work outlines the advancements described in the literature that have become relevant and have shaped today's understanding of the processing-structure-property relationships in polymer nanocomposites. The main inorganic and organic particles that have been incorporated into polymers are examined first. The commonly practiced methods for nanoparticle incorporation are then highlighted. The development in mechanical properties-such as tensile strength, storage modulus and glass transition temperature-in the selected epoxy matrix nanocomposites described in the literature was specifically reviewed and discussed. The significant effect of particle content, dispersion, size, and mean free path on thermomechanical properties, commonly expressed as a function of weight percentage (wt.%) of added particles, was found to be better explained as a function of particle crowding (number of particles and distance among them). From this work, it was possible to conclude that the dramatic effect of particle size for the same tiny amount of very small and well-dispersed particles brings evidence that particle size and the particle weight content should be downscaled together.

Estradiol Protects Female ApoE KO Mice against Western-Diet-Induced Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its severe form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), is higher in men than in women of reproductive age, and postmenopausal women are especially susceptible to developing the disease. AIM: we evaluated if female apolipoprotein E (ApoE) KO mice were protected against Western-diet (WD)-induced NASH. METHODS: Female ovariectomized (OVX) ApoE KO mice or sham-operated (SHAM) mice were fed either a WD or a regular chow (RC) for 7 weeks. Additionally, OVX mice fed a WD were treated with either estradiol (OVX + E2) or vehicle (OVX). RESULTS: Whole-body fat, plasma glucose, and plasma insulin were increased and associated with increased glucose intolerance in OVX mice fed a WD (OVX + WD). Plasma and hepatic triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) hepatic enzymes were also increased in the plasma of OVX + WD group, which was associated with hepatic fibrosis and inflammation. Estradiol replacement in OVX mice reduced body weight, body fat, glycemia, and plasma insulin associated with reduced glucose intolerance. Treatment also reduced hepatic triglycerides, ALT, AST, hepatic fibrosis, and inflammation in OVX mice. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the hypothesis that estradiol protects OVX ApoE KO mice from NASH and glucose intolerance.

Personalized regenerative strategies and molecular diagnosis for in vitro fertilization success: a case report.

Limited options are available for infertility associated with damaged or suboptimal tissues, typically the endometrium or ovaries. The goal of regenerative medicine is to restore function to specific tissues. Here, a 35-year-old female patient underwent two interventions of regenerative medicine: (i) autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were applied in the myometrium, and (ii) intraovarian infusion of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). After two failed in vitro fertilization cycles (IVF), in which the endometrium was <5 mm, MSCs were applied, achieving a 7 mm trilaminar lining; however, the embryo quality remained poor. Therefore, intraovarian PRP was utilized for the next IVF cycle; the patient's response improved, and a euploid embryo developed. After the embryo transfer and a normal 38 weeks of pregnancy, a baby girl was born. Here, we demonstrate two forms of regenerative medicine that can be utilized to improve IVF.

Western Diet-Fed ApoE Knockout Male Mice as an Experimental Model of Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.

One of the consequences of the Western lifestyle and high-fat diet is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its aggressive form, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is rapidly becoming the leading cause of end-stage liver disease or liver transplantation. Currently, rodent NASH models lack significant aspects of the full NASH spectrum, representing a major problem for NASH research. Therefore, this work aimed to characterize a fast rodent model with all characteristic features of NASH. Eight-week-old male ApoE KO mice were fed with Western diet (WD), high fatty diet (HFD) or normal chow (Chow) for 7 weeks. Whole-body fat was increased by ~2 times in WD mice and HFD mice and was associated with increased glucose intolerance, hepatic triglycerides, and plasma ALT and plasma AST compared with Chow mice. WD mice also showed increased galectin-3 expression compared with Chow or HFD mice and increased plasma cholesterol compared with Chow mice. WD and HFD displayed increased hepatic fibrosis and increased F4/80 expression. WD mice also displayed increased levels of plasma MCP-1. Hepatic inflammatory markers were evaluated, and WD mice showed increased levels of TNF-α, MCP-1, IL-6 and IFN-γ. Taken together, these data demonstrated that the ApoE KO mouse fed with WD is a great model for NASH research, once it presents the fundamental parameters of the disease, including hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, inflammation, and metabolic syndrome.

IMPACT OF BARIATRIC SURGERY IN ANXIETY AND ORAL CONDITION OF OBESE INDIVIDUALS: A COHORT PROSPECTIVE STUDY.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and bariatric surgery may be related with mental and oral disorders. AIM: To evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery on anxiety, initial dental caries lesion and gingival bleeding in obese patients. METHODS: Eighty-nine patients were divided in two groups: Control Group (CG) - obese patients and Experimental Group (EG) - patients submitted to bariatric surgery. EG was analyzed before and 12 months after bariatric surgery; for the CG, was respected an interval of 12 months between the evaluations. International Caries Detection and Assessment System, Gingival Bleeding Index and Trace-State Anxiety Inventory were used. Medical profile, anthropometrics data, sociodemographic and behavioral variables were considered. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between groups in evaluation times regarding to initial dental caries lesion and anxiety. However, the number of teeth with initial dental caries lesion (p=0.0033) and gingival bleeding (p<0.0001) increased significantly after bariatric surgery in EG. CONCLUSION: These results reinforce the need for multi-professional team follow-up, including dental care, for both obese and bariatric patients.

Modeling the Relationship Between Antibody-Dependent Enhancement and Disease Severity in Secondary Dengue Infection.

Sequential infections with different dengue serotypes (DENV-1, 4) significantly increase the risk of a severe disease outcome (fever, shock, and hemorrhagic disorders). Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the severity of the disease: (1) antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) and (2) original T cell antigenic sin. In this work, we explored the first hypothesis through mathematical modeling. The proposed model reproduces the dynamic of susceptible and infected target cells and dengue virus in scenarios of infection-neutralizing and infection-enhancing antibody competition induced by two distinct serotypes of the dengue virus during secondary infection. The enhancement and neutralization functions are derived from basic concepts of chemical reactions and used to mimic binding to the virus by two distinct populations of antibodies. The analytic study of the model showed the existence of two equilibriums: a disease-free equilibrium and an endemic one. Using the concept of the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text], we performed the asymptotic stability analysis for the two equilibriums. To measure the severity of the disease, we considered the maximum value of infected cells as well as the time when this maximum is reached. We observed that it corresponds to the time when the maximum enhancing activity for the infection occurs. This critical time was calculated from the model to be a few days after the occurrence of the infection, which corresponds to what is observed in the literature. Finally, using as output [Formula: see text], we were able to rank the contribution of each parameter of the model. In particular, we highlighted that the cross-reactive antibody responses may be responsible for the disease enhancement during secondary heterologous dengue infection.

In-Plane Shear Strength of Single-Lap Co-Cured Joints of Self-Reinforced Polyethylene Composites.

The present study introduces the analysis of single-lap co-cured joints of thermoplastic self-reinforced composites made with reprocessed low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and reinforced by ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, along with a micromechanical analysis of its constituents. A set of optimal processing conditions for manufacturing these joints by hot-press is proposed through a design of experiment using the response surface method to maximize their in-plane shear strength by carrying tensile tests on co-cured tapes. Optimal processing conditions were found at 1 bar, 115 °C, and 300 s, yielding joints with 6.88 MPa of shear strength. The shear failure is generally preceded by multiple debonding-induced longitudinal cracks both inside and outside the joint due to accumulated transversal stress. This composite demonstrated to be an interesting structural material to be more widely applied in industry, possessing extremely elevated specific mechanical properties, progressive damage of co-cured joints (thus avoiding unannounced catastrophic failures) and ultimate recyclability.

Impact of bariatric surgery in anxiety and oral condition of obese individuals: a cohort prospective study / Impacto da cirurgia bariátrica em ansiedade e condições bucais de indivíduos obesos: um estudo de coorte prospectivo

ABSTRACT Background: Obesity and bariatric surgery may be related with mental and oral disorders. Aim: To evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery on anxiety, initial dental caries lesion and gingival bleeding in obese patients. Methods: Eighty-nine patients were divided in two groups: Control Group (CG) - obese patients and Experimental Group (EG) - patients submitted to bariatric surgery. EG was analyzed before and 12 months after bariatric surgery; for the CG, was respected an interval of 12 months between the evaluations. International Caries Detection and Assessment System, Gingival Bleeding Index and Trace-State Anxiety Inventory were used. Medical profile, anthropometrics data, sociodemographic and behavioral variables were considered. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between groups in evaluation times regarding to initial dental caries lesion and anxiety. However, the number of teeth with initial dental caries lesion (p=0.0033) and gingival bleeding (p<0.0001) increased significantly after bariatric surgery in EG. Conclusion: These results reinforce the need for multi-professional team follow-up, including dental care, for both obese and bariatric patients.

RESUMO Racional: A obesidade e a cirurgia bariátrica podem estar relacionadas a desordens mentais e bucais. Objetivo: Avaliar o impacto da cirurgia bariátrica na ansiedade, lesões iniciais de cárie dentária e sangramento gengival em pacientes obesos. Método: Oitenta e nove pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos: Grupo Controle (GC) - obesos e Grupo Experimental (GE) - pacientes submetidos à cirurgia bariátrica. O GE foi analisado antes e 12 meses após a cirurgia bariátrica; para o GC, foi respeitado um intervalo de 12 meses entre as avaliações. Foram utilizados o Sistema Internacional de Detecção e Avaliação de Cárie, Índice de Sangramento Gengival e Inventário de Ansiedade do Traço-Estado. Resultados: Não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos nos dois momentos de avaliação em relação à lesão inicial de cárie dentária e ansiedade. No entanto, o número de dentes com lesão inicial de cárie dentária (p=0,0033) e sangramento gengival (p<0,0001) aumentou significativamente após a cirurgia bariátrica no GE. Conclusão: É necessário acompanhamento de equipe multiprofissional, incluindo atendimento odontológico, tanto para pacientes obesos quanto para bariátricos.

Successful treatment with hysteroscopy for infertility due to isthmocele and hydrometra secondary to cesarean section: A case report.

BACKGROUND: An isthmocele is a scar defect in the uterine wall due to a cesarean section. Its prevalence is unknown, but it has been associated with secondary infertility. Here, we present a case where the patient suffered from an isthmocele that was associated with persistent hydrometra, which developed during in vitro fertilization. CASE SUMMARY: The patient underwent hysteroscopic surgery, which successfully resolved the isthmocele as well as the hydrometra. Afterward, two high-quality, euploid embryos, determined by morphological assessment and pre-implantation genetic diagnostic testing, were transferred. This resulted in uterine pregnancy, as determined by serum ß-human chorionic gonadotropin levels on day 14 (180 mU/mL) and ultrasound-confirmed presence of a gestational sac with a positive embryocardia at week 6. The pregnancy reached 36 wk without any complications, and the product was born in good health. We report a successful isthmocele treatment in a patient with secondary infertility, in which the isthmocele was the cause of persistent hydrometra. CONCLUSION: Hydrometra caused by secondary cesarean is an infertility factor, which can be corrected by hysteroscopy plus ablation of the isthmocele.

The use of insulin-like growth factor 1 improved the parameters of the seminogram in a patient with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

Male patients suffering from oligoasthenoteratozoospermia typically failed to achieve pregnancy, even with assisted reproductive technologies. Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 have been shown to regulate sperm quality parameters; therefore, the insulin-like growth factor 1 supplement could improve sperm parameters. Here, we determine the effect insulin-like growth factor 1 has on sperm parameters in a patient suffering from oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. A 47-year-old male was administered once a day 1.5 IU of insulin-like growth factor 1 by intradermal injection for 2 months. Seminogram analysis was performed before and after. Treatment with insulin-like growth factor 1 resulted in a 15.5-fold improvement in sperm concentration (1.1 × 106 vs 18.3 × 106 per mL), 71.4% change in volume (0.7 vs 1.2 mL), increased progressive motility (2% vs 43%), and the total volume of sperm with progressive motility (0% vs 23.6%). Here, we show that administering a daily dose of insulin-like growth factor 1 can improve sperm quality parameters.

Structural Design and Manufacturing of a Cruiser Class Solar Vehicle.

Cruisers are multi-occupant solar vehicles that are conceived to compete in long-range (over 3,000 km) solar races based on the best compromise between the energy consumption and the payload. They must comply to the race's rules regarding the overall dimensions, the solar panel size, functionality, and safety and structural requirements, while the shape, the materials, the powertrain, and the mechanics are considered at the discretion of the designer. In this work, the most relevant aspects of the structural design process of a full-carbon fiber-reinforced plastic solar vehicle are detailed. In particular, the protocols used for the design of the lamination sequence of the chassis, the leaf springs structural analysis, and the crash test numerical simulation of the vehicle, including the safety cage, are described. The complexity of the design methodology of fiber-reinforced composite structures is compensated by the possibility of tailoring their mechanical characteristics and optimizing the overall weight of the car.

Mechanical Characterization of Gres Porcelain and Low-Velocity Impact Numerical Modeling.

The current investigation was conducted on gres porcelain stoneware, a robust, impermeable and aesthetically pleasing type of ceramic mainly used for flooring, characterizing its resistance to bending and low-velocity impact, both representative efforts to which flooring tiles are constantly subjected as a consequence of the fall of objects and microsubsidences. The mechanical characterization was made through experimental tests following an adapted low-velocity impact testing routine, and the model was by validated numerical simulation through the explicit code software LS-DYNA based on the Johnson⁻Holmquist constitutive material model. Specimens were tested before and after an annealing cycle industrially used to allow porcelain folding. The thermal treatment demonstrated to infer a decrease in mechanical resistance on the material, understood as a consequence of its elevated maximum temperature and fast cooling rate. The numerical model calibrated successfully allows predicting the behavior of gres porcelain before and after annealing against low-velocity impact.

Whole Genome Amplification of Day 3 or Day 5 Human Embryos Biopsies Provides a Suitable DNA Template for PCR-Based Techniques for Genotyping, a Complement of Preimplantation Genetic Testing.

Our objective was to determine if whole genome amplification (WGA) provides suitable DNA for qPCR-based genotyping for human embryos. Single blastomeres (Day 3) or trophoblastic cells (Day 5) were isolated from 342 embryos for WGA. Comparative Genomic Hybridization determined embryo sex as well as Trisomy 18 or Trisomy 21. To determine the embryo's sex, qPCR melting curve analysis for SRY and DYS14 was used. Logistic regression indicated a 4.4%, 57.1%, or 98.8% probability of a male embryo when neither gene, SRY only, or both genes were detected, respectively (accuracy = 94.1%, kappa = 0.882, and p < 0.001). Fluorescent Capillary Electrophoresis for the amelogenin genes (AMEL) was also used to determine sex. AMELY peak's height was higher and this peak's presence was highly predictive of male embryos (AUC = 0.93, accuracy = 81.7%, kappa = 0.974, and p < 0.001). Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 21 were determined using the threshold cycle difference for RPL17 and TTC3, respectively, which were significantly lower in the corresponding embryos. The Ct difference for TTC3 specifically determined Trisomy 21 (AUC = 0.89) and RPL17 for Trisomy 18 (AUC = 0.94). Here, WGA provides adequate DNA for PCR-based techniques for preimplantation genotyping.

Investigation of analyte losses using microwave-assisted sample digestion and closed vessels with venting.

Microwave-assisted sample digestion using closed vessels is becoming the standard for trace analysis because contamination and losses can be better controlled. Gases are generated during digestion and there is an increment of the internal vessel pressure. Consequently, vessels venting may occur depending on the design of the vessel and the maximum pressure it can stand for. In the present work it was observed that it is possible to allow venting during the digestion without losing volatile analytes, such as As, when properly controlling heating and chemical conditions. Recoveries for As in certified reference materials of animal tissues ranged from 94 to 112% despite mass losses as high as 62%mm(-1) observed in the digests. However, for Hg(II) in medium containing chlorides recoveries were poor. The efficiency of digestion was measured by determination of organic carbon contents in digests and they ranged from 0.10 to 0.19% for plant and animal tissues. The temperature gradient along the vessel height is important for avoiding losses of volatile elements.

A simple, less invasive stripper micropipetter-based technique for day 3 embryo biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is an important procedure for in vitro fertilization (IVF). A key step of PGS, blastomere removal, is abundant with many technical issues. The aim of this study was to compare a more simple procedure based on the Stipper Micropipetter, named S-biopsy, to the conventional aspiration method. METHODS: On Day 3, 368 high-quality embryos (>7 cells on Day3 with <10% fragmentation) were collected from 38 women. For each patient, their embryos were equally separated between the conventional method (n = 188) and S-biopsy method (n = 180). The conventional method was performed using a standardized protocol. For the S-biopsy method, a laser was used to remove a significantly smaller portion of the zona pellucida. Afterwards, the complete embryo was aspirated with a Stripper Micropipetter, forcing the removal of the blastomere. Selected blastomeres went to PGS using CGH microarrays. Embryo integrity and blastocyst formation were assessed on Day 5. Differences between groups were assessed by either the Mann-Whitney test or Fisher Exact test. RESULTS: Both methods resulted in the removal of only one blastomere. The S-biopsy and the conventional method did not differ in terms of affecting embryo integrity (95.0% vs. 95.7%) or blastocyst formation (72.7% vs. 70.7%). PGS analysis indicated that aneuploidy rate were similar between the two methods (63.1% vs. 65.2%). However, the time required to perform the S-biopsy method (179.2 ± 17.5 s) was significantly shorter (5-fold) than the conventional method. CONCLUSION: The S-biopsy method is comparable to the conventional method that is used to remove a blastomere for PGS, but requires less time. Furthermore, due to the simplicity of the S-biopsy technique, this method is more ideal for IVF laboratories.