The compartment structures of the antennal lobe in the ant, Aphaenogaster smythiesi japonica.

Pheromones are important cues for social insects such as ants. As a first step in elucidation of pheromonal information processing mechanisms in the myrmicine ant, we investigated the morphological structure of the antennal lobe. Using autofluorescence imaging, labeling of neuronal filamentous actin, and reduced silver impregnation staining, the antennal lobe was found to consist of five compartments that, each received input from a different antennal sensory tract. Two major tracts of projection neurons, the medial and lateral antenno-cerebral tract (m- and 1-ACT), originated from a different region of the antennal lobe. The m-ACT originated from the posterior part of the antennal lobe whereas the 1-ACT originated from the anterior part. These results demonstrate a spatial segregation of function within the antennal lobe.

A dose-response relation between aerobic exercise and visceral fat reduction: systematic review of clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that exercise has preferential effects on visceral fat reduction. However, the dose-response effect remains unclear because of limited evidence from individual studies. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the current literature to establish whether reduction of visceral fat by aerobic exercise has a dose-response relationship. METHODS: A database search was performed (PubMed, 1966-2006) with appropriate keywords to identify studies exploring the effects of aerobic exercise as a weight loss intervention on visceral fat reduction. Visceral fat reduction was expressed as the percentage of visceral fat change per week (%DeltaVF/w). The energy expenditure by aerobic exercise was expressed as Sigma (metabolic equivalents x h per week (METs x h/w)). RESULTS: Nine randomized control trials and seven non-randomized control trials were selected. In most of the studies, the subjects performed aerobic exercise generating 10 METs x h/w or more. Among all the selected groups (582 subjects), visceral fat decreased significantly (P<0.05) in 17 groups during the intervention, but not in the other 4 groups. There was no significant relationship between METs x h/w from aerobic exercise and %DeltaVF/w in all the selected groups. However, when subjects with metabolic-related disorders were not included (425 subjects), METs x h/w from aerobic exercise had a significant relationship with %DeltaVF/w (r=-0.75). Moreover, visceral fat reduction was significantly related to weight reduction during aerobic exercise intervention, although a significant visceral fat reduction may occur without significant weight loss. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that at least 10 METs x h/w in aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, light jogging or stationary ergometer usage, is required for visceral fat reduction, and that there is a dose-response relationship between aerobic exercise and visceral fat reduction in obese subjects without metabolic-related disorders.

Effects of obesity phenotype on fat metabolism in obese men during endurance exercise.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of obesity phenotype on fat metabolism during endurance exercise are unclear. This study aimed to investigate in obese men whether body fat distribution would influence plasma fat availability and oxidation during endurance exercise. DESIGN: Fourteen sedentary men (body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2) were divided into two groups by visceral fat (VF) area: VF obese (VF-Ob) (n = 7, age; 52.0 +/- 2.5 (s.e.) years) and abdominal subcutaneous fat obese (SF-Ob) (n = 7, age; 57.3 +/- 2.8 (s.e.) years). All participants performed stationary cycling exercise for 60 min at 50% of peak oxygen uptake. MEASUREMENTS: Blood and respiratory gas samples were taken for analysis of hormone, metabolite and substrate oxidation in each participant at rest and during exercise. RESULTS: There is a significant group x time interaction in the plasma concentration of free fatty acid (FFA) (P < 0.05) and glycerol (P < 0.05) during the exercise bout. In addition, total plasma concentration of FFA (area under the curve) was 59.2% higher in VF-Ob compared with SF-Ob men during endurance exercise (1.99 +/- 0.24 and 1.25 +/- 0.13 mEq/l/min, respectively; P < 0.05). Total plasma concentration of glycerol (area under the curve) was 102.3% higher in VF-Ob than SF-Ob men during the exercise (69.6 +/- 12.5 and 34.4 +/- 5.1 mg/dl/min, respectively; P < 0.05). However, fat oxidation was not different throughout the exercise between VF-Ob and SF-Ob men (176.5 +/- 25.7 and 183.0 +/- 12.8 kcal/60 min, respectively). CONCLUSION: During moderate endurance exercise, plasma fat availability may be higher in men with VF obesity compared to men with SF obesity. However, total fat oxidation is similar between obesity phenotype.

Effects of aerobic exercise and obesity phenotype on abdominal fat reduction in response to weight loss.

OBJECTIVE: To test the effects on abdominal fat reduction of adding aerobic exercise training to a diet program and obesity phenotype in response to weight loss. DESIGN: A prospective clinical trial with a 14-week weight-loss intervention design. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In total, 209 overweight and obese women were assigned to four subgroups depending on type of treatment and the subject's obesity phenotype: diet alone (DA) with intra-abdominal fat (IF) obesity (> or =mean IF area), diet plus exercise (DE) with IF obesity, DA with abdominal subcutaneous fat (ASF) obesity (

Clockwise whirlpool sign at color Doppler US: an objective and definite sign of midgut volvulus.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clockwise whirlpool sign at color Doppler ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of midgut volvulus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pediatric patients (160 boys, 76 girls; age range, 0 day to 14 years) with possible midgut volvulus underwent abdominal gray-scale US and color Doppler US. Midgut volvulus was diagnosed by recognition of the whirlpool sign (wrapping of the superior mesenteric vein and the mesentery around the superior mesenteric artery). If the whirlpool rotated clockwise with caudal movement of the transducer, the direction of the whirlpool was defined as clockwise. RESULTS: Color Doppler US showed a whirlpool sign that was clockwise in 12 of 13 patients with surgically confirmed midgut volvulus and counterclockwise in three patients without midgut volvulus. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of clockwise whirlpool sign for midgut volvulus were 92%, 100%, and 100%. CONCLUSION: The clockwise whirlpool sign is diagnostic of midgut volvulus. Color Doppler US should be performed as an initial imaging study in children suspected of having midgut volvulus.

Detection of glycoproteins as tumor-associated Hanganutziu-Deicher antigen in human gastric cancer cell line, NUGC4.

NUGC4 cells derived from a human gastric cancer gave 6% Hanganutziu-Deicher (HD) antigen-positive cells by flow cytometric analysis using an affinity-purified chicken antibody to N-glycolyneuraminyl-lactosyl-ceramide (HD3 ganglioside). The cells showed no HD antigenic ganglioside by thin-layer chromatography enzyme-immunostaining; however, they were revealed to contain HD antigenic proteins with molecular masses of 150, 100, 90, 70, 65, 60, 47, and 40 kDa, by both immunoblotting after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoprecipitation of [35S]-methionine-labeled proteins, followed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. Neuraminidase treatment destroyed the antigenicity of all proteins, indicating that these molecules are glycoproteins and have N-glycolyneuraminic acid at the non-reducing terminal of carbohydrate chains as an HD antigenic epitope.