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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent and life-threatening cancers. Rapid cell proliferation is the leading cause of cancer-related death in CRC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified to play essential roles in the proliferation of CRC. Differential expression of let-7c-5p in CRC was assessed using a GEO dataset, and confirmed through RT-qPCR using CRC subject tissues. Let-7c-5p-overexpressing HCT8 cell line was constructed by transfecting let-7c-5p. Bioinformatics analysis identified that DUSP7 is the target gene of let-7c-5p. Further experimental assays, including Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8), EdU staining, cell colony, and Western Blot assays, confirmed the target genes and pathway of let-7c-5p. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of let-7c-5p for CRC. Finally, survival analysis was performed to determine the effect of DUSP7 and let-7c-5p on the prognosis of CRC patients. RT-qPCR analysis showed that the expression level of let-7c-5p was significantly increased in CRC subject tissues compared to the adjacent tissue. Overexpression of let-7c-5p promoted cell proliferation in HCT8 cell line. Furthermore, the MAPK-ERK pathway's protein expression of p-ERK1/2 was downregulated, while the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax was increased by let-7c-5p transfection in HCT 8. ROC analysis demonstrated that the expressive level of let-7c-5p had higher diagnostic value for CRC. Survival curve analysis indicated that high expression of DUSP7 and low expression of let-7c-5p were associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. The findings suggest that let-7c-5p exerts an antitumor function by inhibiting the DUSP7-mediated MAPK-ERK pathway. Both DUSP7 and let-7c-5p have the potential to serve as prognostic biomarkers in CRC patients.
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BACKGROUND: Anterior branch of the obturator nerve transfer has been proven as an effective method for femoral nerve injuries, but the patient still has difficulty in rising and squatting, up and downstairs. Here, we presented a novel neurotization procedure of selectively repairing 3 motor branches of the femoral nerve by transferring motor branches of the obturator nerve in the thigh level and assessing its anatomical feasibility. METHODS: Eight adult cadavers (16 thighs) were dissected. The nerve overlap distance between the gracilis branch and the rectus femoris (RF) branch, the adductor longus (AL) branch and the vastus medialis (VM) branch, as well as the adductor magnus (AM) branch and the vastus intermedius (VI) branch were measured. Also, the axon counts of the donor and recipient nerve were evaluated by histological evaluation. RESULTS: In all specimens, nerve overlap of at least 2.1 cm was observed in all 16 dissected thighs between the donor and recipient nerve branches, and the repair appeared to be without tension. There is no significant difference in the axon counts between gracilis branch (598 ± 83) and the RF branch (709 ± 151). The axon counts of the AL branch (601 ± 93) was about half of axon counts of the VM branch (1423 ± 189), and the axon counts of AM branch (761 ± 110) was also about half of the VI branch (1649 ± 281). CONCLUSIONS: This novel technique of the combined nerve transfers below the inguinal ligament, specifically the gracilis branch to the RF branch, the AL branch to the VM branch, and the AM branch to the VI branch, is anatomically feasible. It provides a promising alternative in the repair of femoral nerve injuries and an anatomical basis for the clinical application of motor branches of the obturator nerve transfer to repair the motor portion of the injured femoral nerve.
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Nervo Femoral , Transferência de Nervo , Adulto , Humanos , Nervo Obturador/anatomia & histologia , Estudos de Viabilidade , Coxa da Perna , Músculo Esquelético/inervação , Transferência de Nervo/métodos , CadáverRESUMO
This study carried out a scenario experiment in Guangxi, China, and used a questionnaire to obtain the research data of the subjects to explore the service recovery effect of local online travel agencies (OTAs) from the perspective of consumer psychology. The empirical results show that consumer confusion will significantly worsen negative word-of-mouth, and negative word-of-mouth will reduce their repurchase intention. In the above empirical impact relationship research, it shows that negative word-of-mouth and consumer forgiveness play a mediating effect and a moderating effect respectively. Because this study is conducive to responding to and solving the new scenario and problems in the practice of OTA services. It will help to improve the risk resistance of OTA enterprises by providing effective service recovery strategies for these enterprises.
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There are reports of improved redox outcomes due to consumption of Edible Bird's Nest (EBN). Many of the functional effects of EBN can be linked to its high amounts of antioxidants. Interestingly, dietary components with high antioxidants have shown promise in the prevention of aging and its related diseases like Alzheimer's disease. In this study, the antioxidative potentials of EBN and its constituents, lactoferrin (LF) and ovotransferrin (OVF), were determined and protective effects against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)- induced toxicity on SH-SY5Y cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and acridine orange and propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining with microscopy were examined. Results showed that EBN and its constituents attenuated H2O2-induced cytotoxicity, and decreased radical oxygen species (ROS) through increased scavenging activity. Furthermore, LF, OVF, and EBN produced transcriptional changes in antioxidant related genes that tended towards neuroprotection as compared to H2O2-treated group. Overall, the results suggest that LF and OVF may produce synergistic or all-or-none antioxidative effects in EBN.
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Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Conalbumina/farmacologia , Lactoferrina/farmacologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Espécies Reativas de Oxigênio/antagonistas & inibidores , Animais , Antioxidantes/isolamento & purificação , Produtos Biológicos/química , Aves , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Conalbumina/isolamento & purificação , Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/antagonistas & inibidores , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/farmacologia , Lactoferrina/isolamento & purificação , Neurônios/citologia , Neurônios/efeitos dos fármacos , Neurônios/metabolismo , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/isolamento & purificação , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerase-1 , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/genética , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/metabolismo , Espécies Reativas de Oxigênio/metabolismo , Superóxido Dismutase/genética , Superóxido Dismutase/metabolismo , Superóxido Dismutase-1RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Edible Bird's nest (EBN) is an antioxidant-rich supplement that is popular in many parts of Asia. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have been reported using in vitro system. This paper aimed to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of EBN in in high fat diet induced rats model. METHODS: We evaluate if those properties can be translated in rats. High fat diet (HFD) was fed to rats for 12 weeks to determine its effects on oxidative stress and inflammation, and compared with HFD + Simvastatin and HFD + EBN (2.5 or 20 %). Weights were measured weekly, while serum and hepatic markers of oxidative stress (total antioxidant status and TBARS) and inflammation (interleukin 6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) were determined at the end of the intervention. In addition, transcriptional changes in hepatic antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase) and inflammation (C-reactive protein, chemokine [C-C] motif 2, nuclear factor kappa beta 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha) genes were evaluated. RESULTS: The results showed increases in oxidative stress (raised TBARS and lowered total antioxidant status) and inflammatory markers (raised CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α) in HFD induced rats with corresponding attenuation of antioxidant gene expression and potentiation of inflammatory gene expression. EBN on the other hand attenuated the HFD-induced inflammation and oxidative stress and produced overall better outcomes in comparison with simvastatin. CONCLUSIONS: In aggregate, the results support the evidence-based utilization of EBN as a supplement for preventing obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress in rats. These promising results can open up opportunities for translating the benefits of EBN to humans.
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Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Produtos Biológicos/farmacologia , Dieta Hiperlipídica , Inflamação/metabolismo , Medicina Tradicional Chinesa , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Aves , RatosRESUMO
Background: The advancement of digital villages in China is shaped by the degree of human capital within the rural labor force, which not only restricts the potential of digital village but also influences the impact of digital empowerment on the progression of the rural older adult care service industry. Materials and methods: Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces between 2011 and 2020, we created benchmark and threshold regression models to investigate the influence of digital village construction on the development of the rural older adult care service industry and to delineate the threshold effects of human capital on it. We further scrutinized the correlation between the two systems, along with the factors that affect it, through a coupling coordination model. Results: Preliminary, the baseline regression outcomes show that the digital village construction is conducive to the progression of the rural older adult care service industry (p < 0.05). Moreover, we identified a significant nonlinear threshold relationship between the digital village, human capital, and the advancement of the rural older adult care service industry (HUM1ST, p < 0.05; HUM2DT, p < 0.01; HUM3DT, p < 0.01). These results indicate that the digital technology's effect on the development of the rural older adult care service industry is limited by the rural human capital level. Lastly, we found that higher levels of human capital enhance the coupling of the digital village with the rural older adult care service industry (p < 0.01), with the influence of per capita education level being the most pronounced (CoefHUM1 > CoefHUM2 > CoefHUM3). Conclusion: The digital village substantially empowers the rural older adult care service industry, with human capital exhibiting a significant threshold effect on this empowerment. Furthermore, variances in the level of human capital have a considerable impact on the integration of the digital village and the rural older adult care service industry.
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Indústrias , População Rural , Humanos , Idoso , China , EscolaridadeRESUMO
CD44 is associated with a variety of human diseases and plays a potential role in tumorigenesis, however, the mechanism of its role in osteosarcoma remains unclear. We analyzed the expression of CD44 in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and genotype-tissue expression pan-cancer data and found that it was highly expressed in most tumors, including sarcoma. The expression of CD44 in osteosarcoma cell lines was higher than that in human osteoblast cell line in the results of the Western blot and Immunohistochemical staining assay. The results of colony formation assay and CCK 8 showed that CD44 improved the proliferation capacity of osteosarcoma cells, transwell assay and wound healing assay showed that CD44 improved the migration capacity of osteosarcoma cells. Further studies revealed that CD44 exerts its influence on the biological behavior of osteosarcoma cells through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Since CD44 may be involved in the immune response, we analyzed the correlation between CD44 expression and immune cell infiltration in TCGA database using the previous cluster analyzer R software package, TIMER2.0 database and, GEPIA2 database, and found its involvement in the immune infiltration of osteosarcoma. Therefore, we believe that CD44 could be a potential target for the treatment of osteosarcoma patients and may be a candidate biomarker for immune infiltration-related prognosis.
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OBJECTIVE: Gastric carcinoma is the most common malignant tumour of the human digestive system worldwide. CD44 serves as a marker for several tumour stem cells, including gastric cancer. However, the prognostic value of CD44 and its correlation with immune infiltration in gastric cancer remain unclear. METHODS: The relative expression level of CD44 RNA in gastric cancer was analysed in the TCGA and GEPIA2 databases and validated in the GEO database. Differences in CD44 between gastric cancer cell lines and normal cells were detected by real-time PCR, and the HPA database was used to analyse the differential expression of CD44 protein in gastric cancer and normal tissues. The effect of CD44 on the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells was detected by CCK8 and transwell assays. UALCAN was used to analyse the relationship between CD44 expression and clinical parameters, and the KaplanâMeier Plotter was used to evaluate the prognostic value, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and post-progression survival (PPS). The CD44 gene and protein interaction network was constructed by using the Linked Omics, GeneMANIA, STRING and DisGeNET databases. GO and KEGG analyses and GSEA of CD44 were performed by using R language. The correlation between CD44 and immune infiltration was explored by using the TIMER, CIBERSORT and GEPIA databases. RESULTS: CD44 is highly expressed in gastric cancer compared with normal tissues. Inhibition of proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells after CD44 knockdown was observed. The UALCAN database showed that CD44 was independent of sex in gastric cancer but correlated with cancer stage and lymph node metastasis. KaplanâMeier Plotter online analysis showed that OS, PFS and PPS were prolonged in the CD44 low-expression group. GO and KEGG analyses and GSEA results showed that CD44 was mainly located in the endoplasmic reticulum and the extracellular matrix containing collagen, which was mainly involved in protein digestion and absorption. TIMER, CIBERSORT and GEPIA showed that CD44 was associated with infiltrating immune cells and thereby affected survival prognosis. CONCLUSION: CD44 is highly expressed in gastric cancer and is an independent prognostic factor associated with immune invasion, which can be used as a candidate prognostic biomarker to determine the prognosis associated with gastric immune invasion.
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Neoplasias Gástricas , Humanos , Neoplasias Gástricas/genética , Neoplasias Gástricas/patologia , Prognóstico , Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Receptores de HialuronatosRESUMO
The service failure of online shopping has always plagued online stores, but the current academic circles still need to explore the service recovery of online shopping from the perspective of empathy and consumer forgiveness. Based on the service failure cases of real online shopping, this article uses the method of situational experiment to carry out empirical research, discusses the impact mechanism of service recovery effect from the perspective of empathy and consumer forgiveness, and tests the moderating role of online store reputation. The results show that in the online shopping service recovery scenario, empathy has a positive impact on consumer forgiveness, consumer forgiveness has a positive impact on consumer repurchase intention, and consumer forgiveness plays a mediating effect between empathy and consumer repurchase intention. Online store reputation plays a moderating role in the relationship between consumer forgiveness and consumer repurchase intention. The research conclusion of this article will help to expand the application of empathy and consumer forgiveness in the research of service recovery, enrich the theory of online shopping service recovery, improve the effect of online shopping service recovery, and promote the healthy development of online shopping business models.
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Large-scale disasters occur worldwide, with a continuing surge in the frequency and severity of disruptive events. Researchers have developed several optimization models to address the critical challenges of disaster relief supply chains (e.g., emergency material reserving and scheduling inefficiencies). However, most developed algorithms are proven to have low fault tolerance, which makes it difficult for disaster relief supply chain managers to obtain optimal solutions and meet the emergency distribution requirements within a limited time frame. Considering the uncertainty and ambiguity of disaster relief information and using Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Set (IT2TFS), this paper presents a collaborative optimization model based on an integrative emergency material supplier evaluation framework. The optimal emergency material suppliers are first selected using a multi-attribute group decision-making ranking method. Multi-objective fuzzy optimization is then run in three emergency phases: early -, mid-, and late-disaster relief stages. Focusing on a massive flash flood disaster event in Yunnan Province as a case study, a comprehensive numerical analysis tests and validates the developed model. The results revealed that the proposed optimization method can optimize emergency material planning while ensuring that reserve material safety inventory is always maintained at a reasonable level. The presented method suggests a fuzzy interval to prevent emergency materials' safety inventory shortage and minimize continuous life/property losses in disaster-affected areas.
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At present, online travel agency (OTA) service failure events emerge continually, which makes the OTA service operation mode face new challenges. This study uses the situational experiment method to explore the effects of OTA employees' emotional intelligence and emotional labor (surface behavior and deep behavior) on the effect of service recovery. The results show that the emotional intelligence of OTA employees has a positive impact on the surface behavior and deep behavior; the emotional intelligence and deep behavior of employees have a significant positive impact on service recovery satisfaction, but the positive impact of employees' surface behavior on service recovery satisfaction is not statistically significant; finally, service recovery satisfaction has a positive impact on customer loyalty. This study helps to better explain the mechanism of OTA service recovery effect and provides a theoretical reference for improving the service recovery effect of OTA.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanistic basis for the attenuation of bone degeneration by edible bird's nest (EBN) in ovariectomized rats. METHODS: Forty-two female Sprage-Dawley rats were randomized into 7 groups (6 in each group). The ovariectomized (OVX) and OVX + 6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN and OVX +estrogen groups were given standard rat chow alone, standard rat chow +6%, 3%, and 1.5% EBN, or standard rat chow +estrogen therapy (0.2mg/kg per day), respectively. The sham-operation group was surgically opened without removing the ovaries. The control group did not have any surgical intervention. After 12 weeks of intervention, blood samples were taken for serum estrogen, osteocalcin, and osteoprotegerin, as well as the measurement of magnesium, calcium abd zinc concentrations. While femurs were removed from the surrounding muscles to measure bone mass density using the X-ray edge detection technique, then collected for histology and estrogen receptor (ER) immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Ovariectomy altered serum estrogen levels resulting in increased food intake and weight gain, while estrogen and EBN supplementation attenuated these changes. Ovariectomy also reduced bone ER expression and density, and the production of osteopcalcin and osteorotegerin, which are important pro-osteoplastic hormones that promote bone mineraliztion and density. Conversely, estrogen and EBN increased serum estrogen levels leading to increased bone ER expression, pro-osteoplastic hormone production and bone density (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: EBN could be used as a safe alternative to hormone replacement therapys for managing menopausal complications like bone degeneration.
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Densidade Óssea , Menopausa , Animais , Aves , Estrogênios , Feminino , Ovariectomia , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Receptores de EstrogênioRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetic polymorphism of five miniSTR loci (D9S2157, D9S1122, D10S1435, D12ATA63, D2S1776) in Hebei Han population and to construct standard allelic ladders. METHODS: Polymorphism of the five miniSTR loci in 120 unrelated individuals was analyzed by fluorescence PCR and ABI 310 Genetic Analyzer. Molecular cloning technique was employed to construct standard allelic ladder of the 5 loci. RESULTS: Of the five miniSTR loci, 8, 8, 7, 5 and 8 alleles were found, respectively. The polymorphism information component were 0.790, 0.720, 0.750, 0.630 and 0.850, respectively. CONCLUSION: The five loci have relatively abundant polymorphic information and their standard allelic ladders constructed by molecular cloning technique are useful in forensic science.
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Alelos , Genética Forense , Polimorfismo Genético/genética , Sequências de Repetição em Tandem/genética , Povo Asiático/genética , China/etnologia , Clonagem Molecular , Frequência do Gene , Genética Populacional , Humanos , Reação em Cadeia da PolimeraseRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To establish a multiplex set including D10S1248, D2S441, D1S1677 and to investigate the genetic polymorphism of the three miniSTR in Hunan Han population. METHODS: Three miniSTR loci of 186 unrelated individuals were amplified with different multiplex fluorescence-labeled primers. The amplified products were analyzed by ABI 310 Genetic Analyzer to identify genotype. RESULTS: Each locus was successfully genotyped. Among the 186 individuals investigated, 9, 7 and 7 alleles, as well as 21, 19 and 15 genotypes were detected at D10S1248, D2S441 and D1S1677, respectively. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. The excluding probability of paternity and the discrimination power were 0,465, 0.491 and 0.361, as well as 0.886, 0.899 and 0.818 for D10S1248, D2S441 and D1S1677, respectively. CONCLUSION: The miniSTR multiplex set can benefit forensic analysis of degraded samples. It has shown good polymorphism in Hunan Han population and can be used in personal identification and paternity test.
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Genética Forense , Polimorfismo Genético/genética , Sequências de Repetição em Tandem/genética , Alelos , Povo Asiático/genética , Sequência de Bases , China/etnologia , Genética Populacional , Genótipo , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Análise de Sequência de DNARESUMO
Menopause causes cognitive and memory dysfunction due to impaired neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus. Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) downregulation in the hippocampus is implicated in the underlying molecular mechanism. Edible bird's nest (EBN) is traditionally used to improve general wellbeing, and in this study, we evaluated its effects on SIRT1 expression in the hippocampus and implications on ovariectomy-induced memory and cognitive decline in rats. Ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with normal pellet alone or normal pellet + EBN (6, 3, or 1.5%), compared with estrogen therapy (0.2 mg/kg/day). After 12 weeks of intervention, Morris water maze (four-day trial and one probe trial) was conducted, and serum estrogen levels, toxicity markers (alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, and creatinine), and hippocampal SIRT1 immunohistochemistry were estimated after sacrifice. The results indicated that EBN and estrogen enhanced spatial learning and memory and increased serum estrogen and hippocampal SIRT1 expression. In addition, the EBN groups did not show as much toxicity to the liver as the estrogen group. The data suggested that EBN treatment for 12 weeks could improve cognition and memory in ovariectomized female rats and may be an effective alternative to estrogen therapy for menopause-induced aging-related memory loss.
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Disfunção Cognitiva/prevenção & controle , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Transtornos da Memória/prevenção & controle , Menopausa/efeitos dos fármacos , Sirtuína 1/biossíntese , Animais , Aves , Disfunção Cognitiva/metabolismo , Feminino , Transtornos da Memória/metabolismo , Menopausa/metabolismo , Menopausa/psicologia , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-DawleyRESUMO
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) play a key role in inflammatory diseases such as asthma and their receptors' antagonists are currently used as anti-asthmatic drugs. CysLTs have also been found to participate in other inflammatory reactions. Here, we reported that in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) animals model, collagen-induced arthritis, (CIA), CysLT1, a receptor for CysLTs, was up-regulated in hind paw and lymph node, while CysLTs levels in the blood were also higher than normal mice. Montelukast, a drug targeting CysLT1, has been shown to effectively reduce the CIA incidence, peak severity, and cumulative disease scores. Further study indicated that CysLT1 signaling did not affect the differentiation of pathogenic T helper cells. We conclude that montelukast may play important roles in the pathogenesis of CIA, mainly by inducing infiltration of pathogenic T cells, increasing IL-17A secretion and expression of IL-17A, while these effects can be blocked by CysLT1 antagonists. Our findings indicate that antagonist of CysLT1 receptor may be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
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Edible bird's nest (EBN) is popular in Asia, and has long been used traditionally as a supplement. There are, however, limited evidence-based studies on its efficacy. EBN has been reported to improve dyslipidemia, which is closely linked to hypercoagulation states. In the present study, the effects of EBN on high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced coagulation in rats were evaluated. Rats were fed for 12 weeks with HFD alone or in combination with simvastatin or EBN. Food intake was estimated, and weight measurements were made during the experimental period. After sacrifice, serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), adiponectin, leptin, von willibrand factor, prostacyclin, thromboxane and lipid profile, and whole blood coagulation indices (bleeding time, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, red blood count count, and platelet count) were estimated. Furthermore, hepatic expression of coagulation-related genes was evaluated using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that EBN could attenuate HFD-induced hypercholesterolemia and coagulation similar to simvastatin, partly through transcriptional regulation of coagulation-related genes. The results suggested that EBN has the potential for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease-related hypercoagulation due to hypercholesterolemia.
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Aves , Coagulação Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Dieta Hiperlipídica/efeitos adversos , Hipercolesterolemia/prevenção & controle , Animais , Coagulação Sanguínea/genética , Fígado/metabolismo , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Multiplex , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Sinvastatina/farmacologiaRESUMO
Estrogen deficiency alters quality of life during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been used to improve quality of life and prevent complications, but side effects limit its use. In this study, we evaluated the use of edible bird's nest (EBN) for prevention of cardiometabolic problems in rats with ovariectomy-induced menopause. Ovariectomized female rats were fed for 12 weeks with normal rat chow, EBN, or estrogen and compared with normal non-ovariectomized rats. Metabolic indices (insulin, estrogen, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, oral glucose tolerance test, and lipid profile) were measured at the end of the experiment from serum and liver tissue homogenate, and transcriptional levels of hepatic insulin signaling genes were measured. The results showed that ovariectomy worsened metabolic indices and disrupted the normal transcriptional pattern of hepatic insulin signaling genes. EBN improved the metabolic indices and also produced transcriptional changes in hepatic insulin signaling genes that tended toward enhanced insulin sensitivity, and glucose and lipid homeostasis, even better than estrogen. The data suggest that EBN could meliorate estrogen deficiency-associated increase in risk of cardiometabolic disease in rats, and may in fact be useful as a functional food for the prevention of such a problem in humans. The clinical validity of these findings is worth studying further.
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Produtos Biológicos/farmacologia , Aves , Insulina/metabolismo , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Menopausa/metabolismo , Síndrome Metabólica/prevenção & controle , Nutrigenômica , Ovariectomia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Antioxidantes/metabolismo , Glicemia/metabolismo , Feminino , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Insulina/sangue , Resistência à Insulina , Lipídeos/sangue , Fígado/metabolismo , Menopausa/sangue , Menopausa/genética , Síndrome Metabólica/etiologia , Síndrome Metabólica/genética , Síndrome Metabólica/metabolismo , Nutrigenômica/métodos , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Fatores de Tempo , Transcrição GênicaRESUMO
Edible bird's nest (EBN) is used traditionally in many parts of Asia to improve wellbeing, but there are limited studies on its efficacy. We explored the potential use of EBN for prevention of high fat diet- (HFD-) induced insulin resistance in rats. HFD was given to rats with or without simvastatin or EBN for 12 weeks. During the intervention period, weight measurements were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected at the end of the intervention and oral glucose tolerance test conducted, after which the rats were sacrificed and their liver and adipose tissues collected for further studies. Serum adiponectin, leptin, F2-isoprostane, insulin, and lipid profile were estimated, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance computed. Effects of the different interventions on transcriptional regulation of insulin signaling genes were also evaluated. The results showed that HFD worsened metabolic indices and induced insulin resistance partly through transcriptional regulation of the insulin signaling genes. Additionally, simvastatin was able to prevent hypercholesterolemia but promoted insulin resistance similar to HFD. EBN, on the other hand, prevented the worsening of metabolic indices and transcriptional changes in insulin signaling genes due to HFD. The results suggest that EBN may be used as functional food to prevent insulin resistance.