This study tested the effects of the gastrointestinal pulse train electrical stimulation with different parameters and at different locations on the neuronal activities of the lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) in obese rats in order to find the optimal stimulation parameter and location. Eight gastric electrical stimulations (GES) with different parameters were performed and the neuronal activities of gastric-distension responsive (GD-R) neurons in LHA were observed. The effects of stimulations with 8 parameters were compared to find the optimal parameter. Then the optimal parameter was used to perform electrical stimulation at duodenum and ileum, and the effects of the duodenal and ileac stimulation on the GD-R neurons in LHA were compared with the gastric stimulation of optimal parameter. The results showed that GES with the lowest energy parameter (0.3 ms, 3 mA, 20 Hz, 2 s on, 3 s off) activated the least neurons. The effects of GES with other parameters whose pulse width was 0.3 ms were not significantly different from those of the lowest energy parameter. Most gastric stimulations whose pulse width was 3 ms activated more LHA neurons than the smallest energy parameter stimulation, and the effects of those 3 ms gastric stimulations were similar. Accordingly, the lowest energy parameter was recognized as the optimal parameter. The effects of stimulations with the optimal parameter at stomach, duodenum and ileum on the LHA neuronal activities were not different. Collectively, gastrointestinal electrical stimulation (GIES) with relatively large pulse width might have stronger effects to the neuronal activities of GD-R neurons in LHA of obese rats. The effects of the GIES at different locations (stomach, duodenum and ileum) on those neurons are similar, and GES is preferential because of its easy clinical performance and safety.
Animals ; Duodenum ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Electric Stimulation ; Hypothalamus ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Ileum ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Neurons ; metabolism ; pathology ; Obesity ; chemically induced ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stomach ; pathology ; physiopathology

Obesity is characterized by abnormal and excessive adipose tissue accumulated in the body. Compared with peripheral obesity (the accumulation of subcutaneous adipose tissue), abdominal obesity (the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue) is associated with increased risk of the metabolic syndrome, such as diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and dyslipidemia. Adipose tissue is a highly heterogeneous endocrine organ. Adipose tissue depots differ significantly in anatomy, cell biology, glucose and lipid metabolism as well as in endocrine regulation. Visceral adipose tissue has a stronger metabolic activity and secrets a larger amount of free fat acids, adipocytokines, hormones and inflammatory factors, which flux into the liver directly via the hepatic portal vein. These characteristics indicate that visceral adiposity may lead to the metabolic syndrome and thus visceral adipose tissue might be the clinical target for the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Adipose Tissue ; pathology ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; pathology ; Lipid Metabolism ; Metabolic Syndrome ; physiopathology ; Obesity ; physiopathology ; Obesity, Abdominal ; physiopathology ; Subcutaneous Fat ; pathology

Obesity is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, which can lead to a variety of cardiovascular diseases including myocardial remodeling. Obesity may induce myocardial dysfunction by affecting hemodynamics, inducing autonomic imbalance, adipose tissue dysfunction, and mitochondrial dyshomeostasis. The key necessary biochemical functions for metabolic homeostasis are performed in mitochondria, and mitochondrial homeostasis is considered as one of the key determinants for cell viability. Mitochondrial homeostasis is regulated by dynamic regulation of mitochondrial fission and fusion, as well as mitochondrial cristae remodeling, biogenesis, autophagy, and oxidative stress. The mitochondrial fission-fusion and morphological changes of mitochondrial cristae maintain the integrity of the mitochondrial structure. The mitochondria maintain a "healthy" state by balancing biogenesis and autophagy, while reactive oxygen species can act as signaling molecules to regulate intracellular signaling. The excessive accumulation of lipids and lipid metabolism disorder in obesity leads to mitochondrial dyshomeostasis, which activate the apoptotic cascade and lead to myocardial remodeling. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent research progress on obesity-induced myocardial remodeling and its possible mechanism of mitochondrial dyshomeostasis.
Humans ; Mitochondria ; pathology ; Mitochondrial Dynamics ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Obesity ; physiopathology ; Reactive Oxygen Species

Animals ; Diet, Atherogenic ; Disease Models, Animal ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Obesity ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; physiology

The purpose of this study was to examine 1) whether the relationship between smoking and obesity was linear or non-linear (specifically U-shaped), and 2) if this relationship was proved to U-shaped, whether it was due to the in teraction of the effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on obesity. The present study was performed using cross sectional data taken from the medical records of 400 male patients. Data was analyzed using linear and curvilinear estimation, Fisher's exact test, and two-way ANCOVA. The relationship between smoking intensity and BMI was able to be explained significantly by a quadratic model, rather than by linear model. As has been shown in other studies, this relationship was parabolic (or U-shaped), though it was not particularly remarkable. This U-shaped relationship appeared to be due to the interaction of the effects of smoking intensity and alcohol consumption on BMI. On the other hand, the relationship between smoking intensity and the percentage of body fat was able to be explained significantly by a linear as well as a quadratic model. Additionally, the interaction effect between smoking intensity and alcohol consumption did not influence the percentage of body fat significantly. In conclusion, there is no doubt that smoking and obesity are both serious health hazards. Based on the results of this and other studies, it can be confirmed that heavy smoking has a positive relationship with obesity. Therefore, the health benefits of smoking cessation, as well as the correction of unhealthy habits such as alcohol consumption should be clearly emphasized.
Adipose Tissue/pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; *Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Obesity/pathology/*physiopathology ; *Smoking

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of diet-induced obesity on the developmental process of testes in pubertal rats.

METHODSEighty 21-day-old male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (n=32) and an experiment group (n=48), and fed respectively on a normal diet and a high-fat diet. And changes in the body weight, Lee's index, testis weight and epididymis weight were measured at the end of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th week after the treatment, that is, when the rats were 6, 7, 8 and 9 weeks old. The concentrations of testosterone and estradiol were determined by Access immunoassay system and the morphological alterations in testis development observed by HE staining.

RESULTSThe body weight of the high-fat group obviously increased at the end of the 3rd week (P < 0.05), 26.6% heavier than that of the control by the end of the 6th week (P < 0.01), and Lee's index was also obviously increased (P < 0.01). Compared with the controls, the testicular coefficient declined in the high-fat group at the end of the 5th and 6th week (P < 0.05), plasma TG and TC remarkably increased, the testosterone level obviously decreased (P < 0.05), estradiol concentration lowered at the end of the 3rd, 4th and 5th week but dramatically increased at the 9th, with significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). Microscope examination showed that spermatogenic epithelial cells were arranged in disorder, the spermatogenic cell layers reduced and the number of mature sperms reduced.

CONCLUSIONHigh-fat diet can induce nutritional obesity in pubertal rats, which in turn may lead to the underdevelopment of the testis and the abnormal level of gonadal hormones.

Animals ; Body Fat Distribution ; Body Weight ; Diet Fads ; Epididymis ; growth & development ; pathology ; Male ; Obesity ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Organ Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Testis ; growth & development ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) on endothelial-dependent (EDV) and non- dependent (EIV) vascular relaxation in ex vivo thoracic aortic rings of obese rats.

METHODSFifteen SD rats were randomized into 3 equal groups, namely the control group fed with normal chow, obese group with high-fat chow, and AM intervention group fed with high-fat chow and daily AM gavage. The rats were sacrificed after 6 weeks of feeding, and the aortic rings were dissected and cut into 3-mm rings. The response to acethylcholine (Ach) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were examined in organ bath. In ex vivo study, the aortic rings obtained from the control group and obese group were incubated with AM or vehicle for 3 h in organ bath before testing the EDV and EIV. The body weight and weight of the visceral fat in each group were recorded.

RESULTSThe weight of visceral fat was greater in the obese group than in the control group, and a 6-week AM treatment significantly reduced the fat tissue due to high-fat diet. The maximum EDV value was (87.0 - or + 3.5)% in the control group, (54.8 - or + 7.8)% in the obese group, and (69.8 - or + 5.7)% in AM intervention group; the EIV values were comparable between the 3 groups. After incubation with AM, the maximum EDV values of aortic rings obtained from the obese group were significantly increased from (55.6 - or + 8.3)% to (85.1 - or + 4.5)%.

CONCLUSIONAM can improve endothelial dysfunction in obese rats, and the mechanism involves improved insulin resistance and increased endothelium-derived NO productor function.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; pathology ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Endothelium-Dependent Relaxing Factors ; therapeutic use ; In Vitro Techniques ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Obesity ; physiopathology ; Phytotherapy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology

Pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a complicate and chronic process that is secondary to acute cardiac responses to diabetes. One of the acute responses is cardiac cell death that plays a critical role in the initiation and development of DCM. Besides hyperglycemia, inflammatory response in the diabetic heart is also a major cause for cardiac cell death. Diabetes or obesity often causes systemic and cardiac increases in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-18 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. However, how these cytokines cause cardiac cell death remains unclear. It has been considered to relate to oxidative and/or nitrosative stress. We have demonstrated that metallothionein as a potent antioxidant or stress protein significantly protected the heart from oxidative damage and cell death caused by these cytokines, leading to effective prevention of DCM. The direct link of the inhibition of oxidative stress and damage to the prevention of cardiac cell death was defined by addition of superoxide or peroxynitrite specific inhibitor to completely prevent cytokine-induced cardiac cell death. Cardiac cell death is induced by the inflammatory cytokines that is increased in response to diabetes. Inflammatory cytokine-induced cardiac cell death is mediated by oxidative stress and is also the major initiator for DCM development.
Animals ; Cardiomyopathies ; etiology ; Cell Death ; Diabetes Mellitus ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Inflammation ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Interleukin-18 ; metabolism ; Metallothionein ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Obesity ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; Oxidative Stress ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

PURPOSE: To investigate anterior segment parameters in obese patients in comparison to healthy individuals. METHODS: Thirty-four obese subjects and 34 age-sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study. Ophthalmological examinations including intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), anterior chamber angle (ACA), and axial length (AL) measurements were performed on each subject. Height and weight of all subjects were recorded and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. RESULTS: IOP was significantly higher in the obese group (p = 0.003). The mean ACD in obese subjects was significantly lower than that in control subjects (p = 0.036). AL, ACV, ACA and CCT were not significantly different between the groups. There was a positive correlation between BMI and IOP (r = 0.404, p < 0.001). ACD and ACA were negatively correlated with BMI. CONCLUSIONS: IOP was significantly higher and ACD was significantly lower in obese subjects. AL, ACV, ACA and CCT were not significantly different between the groups. The impact of obesity on anterior chamber parameters should be further investigated.
Adult ; Aged ; Anterior Chamber/*pathology/physiopathology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure/*physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/*diagnostic imaging ; Prospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence/*methods ; Tonometry, Ocular

PURPOSE: This study sought to determine whether abdominal obesity is a risk factor for impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and hypertriglyceridemia and to verify whether moderate effect of abdominal obesity on the relationship between IFG and hypertriglyceridemia in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used for the analysis. The study population included 5,938 subjects aged 20 year old drawn from non-diabetic participants in a health examination survey. The subjects were classified according to the presence of abdominal obesity based on waist circumference, IFG based on their fasting blood glucose level, and hypertriglyceridemia on their fasting triglyceride. RESULTS: The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios for the occurrence of hypertriglyceridemia were 2.91 in the abdominal obesity group as compared with the nonobesity group and 1.31 in subjects with IFG compared with the normoglycemia controls. Abdominal obesity was found to be positively moderated in the interaction between waist circumference and fasting blood sugar. CONCLUSION: The moderate effect between abdominal obesity and IFG contributes to the development of hypertriglyceridemia in Korea.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Glucose/*metabolism ; Fasting/blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertriglyceridemia/*blood/*pathology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity, Abdominal/*physiopathology ; Triglycerides/blood ; Waist Circumference/physiology ; Young Adult