A maternal diet of fatty fish reduces body fat of offspring compared with a maternal diet of beef and a post-weaning diet of fish improves insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in adult C57BL/6 male mice.

AIM: The maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation may affect the long-term health of the offspring. Our aim was to study how a fish or meat diet perinatal and after weaning affects body composition, insulin sensitivity and the profile of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in breast milk, fat depots, skeletal muscle and liver in male adult mice offspring. METHODS: During gestation and lactation, C57BL/6 dams were fed a herring- or beef-based diet. Half of the pups in each group changed diets after weaning. In offspring, body composition measured by DEXA, plasma lipid profile and insulin sensitivity measured by euglycemic clamp or QUICKI were monitored to adulthood. Analysis of total FAs by GC-MS were performed in the diet, breast milk and in different tissues. RESULTS: At 9 week of age, offspring of herring-fed dams had less body fat than offspring of beef-fed dams. Mice fed herring after weaning had increased insulin sensitivity at 15 week of age, reduced total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and compared with beef-fed mice, larger interscapular brown adipose tissue depots. The FA composition of the maternal diet was mirrored in breast milk, and the herring diet significantly affected the FA profile of different tissues, leading to an increased content of n-3 PUFAs. CONCLUSION: A herring-based maternal diet reduces body fat in the offspring, but the insulin sensitivity, plasma lipids and amount of brown adipose tissue are affected by the offspring's own diet; the herring diet is more beneficial than the beef diet.

Effect of IL-6 and TNF-α on fatty acid uptake in cultured human primary trophoblast cells.

Maternal obesity and gestational diabetes (GDM) are conditions associated with fetal overgrowth and excessive fat accumulation in the fetus, implicating an increased placental nutrient transfer in these pregnancies. Obese and GDM mothers have altered metabolism and hormone levels, including elevation of maternal circulatory lipids and pro-inflammatory cytokines. We tested the hypothesis that interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α stimulate placental fatty acid transport, as these pro-inflammatory cytokines have been shown to affect lipid metabolism in other tissues. In cultured primary human trophoblast cells IL-6, but not TNF-α, stimulated fatty acid accumulation, as measured by BODIPY fluorescence. The increased fatty acid accumulation could not be explained by an increased expression of key components in placental fatty acid transport, such as adipophilin, fatty acid transport protein (FATP)1, FATP4, or lipoprotein lipase. In a cohort of lean and overweight/obese pregnant women, increasing maternal third trimester IL-6 plasma concentrations correlated with decreasing placental lipoprotein lipase activity. However, as no effect on lipoprotein lipase activity was observed in cultured trophoblast cells after exposure to either IL-6 or TNF-α, the correlation between maternal circulatory IL-6 levels and placental lipoprotein lipase activity at term is unlikely to represent a cause-and-effect relationship. In conclusion, high levels of IL-6 stimulate trophoblast fatty acid accumulation, which could contribute to an excessive nutrient transfer in conditions associated with elevated maternal IL-6 such as obesity and gestational diabetes.

Conservative treatment of intra-articular distal phalanx fractures in horses not used for racing.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the success rate and whether specific patient and treatment factors influenced the outcome after conservative treatment with a bar shoe with quarter clips of intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx in horses not used for racing. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Thirty-two client-owned horses. PROCEDURE: Hospital records of horses that had been treated conservatively for intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx at Skara Equine Hospital or Halland Animal Hospital in Sweden between 1995 and 2001 were reviewed. Racehorses in active training and horses affected with other musculoskeletal diseases were excluded from the study. Follow-up was performed by questionnaire and telephone inquires to the owners 1 to 7 years after injury. RESULTS: Twenty-two horses (69%) returned to their previous or expected level of use and did not wear their bar shoe when they were put back into training. There was no statistically significant correlation between outcome and patient or treatment variables, or bony union of the fracture. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Conservative treatment of intra-articular fractures of the distal phalanx carries a fair prognosis for return to previous or expected level of use in horses not used for racing. Radiographic evidence of fracture healing and age of the patient do not seem to influence the prognosis. Horses not used for racing do not need to be shod with a bar shoe with quarter clips for the rest of their athletic career.

Leptin stimulates the activity of the system A amino acid transporter in human placental villous fragments.

The activity and expression of placental nutrient transporters are primary determinants for the supply of nutrients to the fetus, and these nutrients in turn regulate fetal growth. We developed an experimental system to assess amino acid uptake in single primary villous fragments to study hormonal regulation of the amino acid transporter system A in term human placenta. Validation of the method, using electron microscopy and studies of hormone production, indicated that fragments maintained ultrastructural and functional integrity for at least 3 h. The activity of system A was measured as the Na(+)-dependent uptake of methylaminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB), and the effect of 1 h incubation in various hormones was investigated. Uptake of MeAIB into villous fragments in the presence of Na(+) was linear up to at least 30 min. Insulin (300 ng/ml, n = 14) increased system A activity by 56% (P < 0.05). This effect was also present at insulin concentrations in the physiological range (+47% at 0.6 ng/ml, n = 10, P < 0.05). Leptin (500 ng/ml, n = 14) increased Na(+)-dependent MeAIB uptake by 37% (P < 0.05). System A activity increased in a concentration-dependent fashion in response to leptin (n = 10). However, neither epidermal GF (600 ng/ml), cortisol (340 ng/ml), nor GH (500 ng/ml) altered system A activity significantly (n = 14). We conclude that primary single isolated villous fragments can be used in studies of hormonal regulation of nutrient uptake into the syncytiotrophoblast. These data suggest that leptin regulates system A, a key amino acid transporter.

An in vitro comparison of cordopexy, cordopexy and laryngoplasty, and laryngoplasty for treatment of equine laryngeal hemiplegia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of cordopexy, laryngoplasty, and cordopexy combined with a modified laryngoplasty on airway mechanics. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental airway mechanics were determined by subjecting equine cadaveric larynges to airflows similar to inspiratory airflow of exercising horses. ANIMALS OR SAMPLE POPULATION: Twenty equine larynges. METHODS: Using cadaveric larynges, we developed and tested a new technique of arytenoid cartilage abduction. All larynges had the right arytenoid cartilage abducted to mimic the degree of arytenoid abduction that occurs at maximal exertion in live horses. Three surgical techniques were used to stabilize the left arytenoid cartilage of treated larynges; the left arytenoid cartilage was not stabilized in control larynges. Technique 1: Cordopexy--a suture was placed between the vocal ligament and the lamina of the thyroid cartilage. Technique 2: Standard laryngoplasty--a suture was placed between the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage and the caudomedial aspect of the cricoid cartilage. Technique 3: Cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty--the cordopexy suture was placed with a second suture between the horizontal ridge rostral to the muscular process of the left arytenoid cartilage and the lamina of the thyroid cartilage. Translaryngeal impedances (TI) were determined for each surgical technique by subjecting the larynges to increasing airflows and measuring the translaryngeal pressure differences. The arytenoid right to left angle quotient (RLQ) and the glottic cross-sectional area (CSA) were also measured. RESULTS: At maximal airflow, the adjusted means for the arytenoid RLQ and the TI for the cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty (1.48 +/- 0.04, 0.69 +/- 0.05 cm H2O/L/s) and the standard laryngoplasty (1.39 +/- 0.04, 0.78 cm H2O/L/s) were different (P < .05) from values obtained after cordopexy alone (2.74 +/- 0.37, 1.76 +/- 0.48 cm H2O/L/s) or in control larynges (3.66 +/- 0.54, 4.16 +/- 0.96 cm H2O/L/s). Overall, a cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty (9.69 cm2), a standard laryngoplasty (9.34 cm2), and a cordopexy alone (9 cm2) resulted in an increased glottic CSA greater than that for control larynges (6.94 cm2; P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Cordopexy alone did not improve airflow in a left laryngeal hemiplegic model. Cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty was as efficacious as the standard laryngoplasty in alleviating the effects of left laryngeal hemiplegia on TI, glottic CSA, and arytenoid RLQ. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Fixation of the vocal cord (cordopexy) in addition to a laryngoplasty procedure may prove useful in the surgical treatment of equine laryngeal hemiplegia.

Effects of airway obstruction on transmural pulmonary artery pressure in exercising horses.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether laryngeal hemiplegia would increase transmural pulmonary artery pressure (TPAP). ANIMALS: 6 horses. DESIGN: Horses were studied under 5 conditions: control conditions, after induction of left laryngeal hemiplegia, during obstruction of the left nostril, after placement of an instrumented tracheostomy, and after placement of an open tracheostomy. Horses were evaluated after being given saline solution and after being given furosemide. PROCEDURES: Horses were exercised on a high speed treadmill, using a maximum speed of 13 m/s. During each exercise, airway pressures, airflow, esophageal and pulmonary artery pressures, and blood gas partial pressures were measured. RESULTS: When adjusted for horse, speed, and obstruction condition, mean TPAP (pulmonary artery pressure-esophageal pressure) and minimum TPAP were significantly lower after administration of furosemide than after administration of saline solution. In horses given saline solution, respiratory obstruction that increased intrapleural pressure significantly increased mean TPAP, and respiratory obstruction that decreased intrapleural pressure significantly decreased minimum TPAP. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in intrapleural pressure appear to play an important role in pulmonary artery pressure and TPAP. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Because induction of laryngeal hemiplegia did not increase TPAP, laryngeal hemiplegia is unlikely to contribute to development of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.

A turbidimetric immunochemical method for determination of serum beta 2-microglobulin using a centrifugal analyzer.

A turbidimetric immunochemical method has been developed for quantitation of serum-beta 2-microglobulin. The serum samples are pre-treated with polyethyleneglycol to decrease the background turbidity and a centrifugal analyzer is used for the absorbance measurements. The within-assay coefficient of variation was 4.6% when 58 serum samples with a mean value of 2.0 mg/l were analyzed in duplicate. The sensitivity of the method is below 0.5 mg/l. When serum samples were analyzed by both the turbidimetric method and a radioimmunoassay a correlation coefficient of 0.989 was obtained. The turbidimetric method is simple, cheap and has a high capacity which makes it suitable for routine determinations of serum beta 2-microglobulin in a clinical laboratory.