Search Results (1,334)

Insulin resistance, induced by high fructose consumption, affects cognitive function negatively. Nifedipine may be suggested for neurological disorders. This study aimed to assess the effect of nifedipine with either a normal diet (ND) or a ketogenic diet (KD) in cognitive dysfunction. Male Wistar rats received 10% fructose in drinking water for 8 weeks to induce insulin resistance. Rats received nifedipine (5.2 mg/kg/day; p.o.) later with ND or KD for an additional five weeks. One and two-way ANOVAs were used in analyzing the data. Reversion to the ND improved insulin resistance and lipid profile, besides brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β), and insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) levels. Rats fed KD alone and those that received nifedipine with KD did not show similar improvement in the previously mentioned parameters as the ND group. However, nifedipine-ND rats showed improvement in cognitive behavior and insulin resistance. Treatment with nifedipine-KD ameliorated GSK3β, amyloid β (Aβ), and tau protein levels. As the nifedipine-KD combination succeeded in diminishing the accumulated Aβ and tau protein, KD may be used for a while due to its side effects, then nifedipine treatment could be continued with an ND. This conclusion is based on the finding that this combination mitigated insulin resistance with the associated improved behavior. Full article

Mountain running, distinct from traditional road running, involves natural trails with significant elevation changes. This study aims to analyze dietary and supplementation practices among advanced and elite Polish mountain runners. Conducted from May to October 2023, this study included 36 participants (13 women, 23 men) aged 21–43 years. A custom questionnaire assessed nutrition two days before and during a competition, focusing on macronutrient intake, hydration, and supplementation. Statistical analyses were performed to compare advanced and elite athletes. Participants consumed an average of 3164.14 kcal two days before and 3176.97 kcal the day before the competition. Carbohydrate intake averaged 7.69 g/kg two days before and 7.64 g/kg the day before the race, potentially insufficient for optimal glycogen stores. Protein intake was adequate, averaging 1.63 g/kg two days before and 1.73 g/kg the day before the race. Fluid intake averaged 2811.25 mL two days before and 2891.80 mL the day before the race. During races, carbohydrate intake averaged 58.56 g/h, with variations based on race duration. Most participants used isotonic drinks and water for hydration. Mountain runners generally adhere to proper nutrition guidelines, with adequate protein and fluid intake. However, their carbohydrate intake may be insufficient for longer races. Higher carbohydrate intake during exercise could provide additional benefits. Full article

Amid global climate change featuring erratic temperature fluctuations, insects adapt via seasonal polyphenism, essential for population sustainability and reproductive success. Cacopsylla chinensis, influenced by environment variations, displays a distinct summer form and winter form distinguished by significant morphological variations. Previous studies have highlighted the role of temperature receptor CcTPRM in orchestrating the transition in response to 10 °C temperature. Nevertheless, the contribution of the transcription factor FoxO in this process has remained ambiguous. Here, we aimed to explore the correlation between C. chinensis FoxO (CcFoxO) and cold stress responses, while identifying potential energetic substances for monitoring physiological shifts during this transition from summer to winter form under cold stress by using RNAi. Initially, CcFoxO emerges as responsive to low temperatures (10 °C) and is regulated by CcTRPM. Subsequent investigations reveal that CcFoxO facilitates the accumulation of triglycerides and glycogen, thereby influencing the transition from summer form to winter form by affecting cuticle pigment content, cuticle chitin levels, and cuticle thickness. Thus, the knockdown of CcFoxO led to high mortality and failed transition. Overall, our findings demonstrate that CcFoxO governs seasonal polyphenism by regulating energy storage. These insights not only enhance our comprehension of FoxO functionality but also offer avenues for environmentally friendly management strategies for C. chinensis. Full article

The concept of the “central governor” in exercise physiology suggests the brain plays a key role in regulating exercise performance by continuously monitoring physiological and psychological factors. In this case report, we monitored, for the first time, a marathon runner using a metabolic portable system and an EEG wireless device during an entire marathon to understand the influence of brain activity on performance, particularly the phenomenon known as “hitting the wall”. The results showed significant early modification in brain activity between the 10th and 15th kilometers, while the RPE remained low and cardiorespiratory responses were in a steady state. Thereafter, EEG responses decreased after kilometer 15, increased briefly between kilometers 20 and 25, then continued at a slower pace. After kilometer 30, both speed and respiration values dropped, along with the respiratory exchange ratio, indicating a shift from carbohydrate to fat metabolism, reflecting glycogen depletion. The runner concluded the race with a lower speed, higher RPE (above 15/20 on the Borg RPE scale), and reduced brain activity, suggesting mental exhaustion. The findings suggest that training strategies focused on recognizing and responding to brain signals could allow runners to optimize performance and pacing strategies, preventing premature exhaustion and improving overall race outcomes. Full article

The cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera latipons) is becoming an economically important species in global cereal production as it is being identified in many new cereal cultivated areas and causes significant losses. Consequently, understanding its biology becomes crucial for researchers in identifying its vulnerabilities and implementing effective control measures. In the current study, different morphological and biochemical changes of H. latipons cysts containing eggs with infective juveniles from a barley field in Jordan were studied during the summer of 2021, at two sample dates. The first, at the harvest of the cereal crop (June 2021), when the infective second-stage juveniles (J2s) were initiating diapause, and the second, before planting the sequent cereal crop (late October 2021), when the J2s were ending diapause. The studied population was characterized morphologically and molecularly, showing 98.4% molecular similarity to both JOD from Jordan and Syrian “300” isolates of H. latipons. The obtained results and observations revealed that there were dramatic changes in all the investigated features of the cysts and eggs they contained. Morphological changes such as cyst color, sub-crystalline layer, and thickness of the rigid eggshell wall were observed. A slight change in the emergence time of J2s from cysts was observed without any difference in the number of emerged J2s. The results of biochemical changes showed that the total contents of carbohydrates, glycogen, trehalose, glycerol, and protein were higher in cysts collected in October when compared to those cysts collected in June. The SDS-PAGE pattern indicated the presence of a protein with the size of ca. 100 kDa in both sampling dates, whereas another protein (ca. 20 kDa) was present only in the cysts of October. Furthermore, the expression of trehalase (tre) gene was detected only in H. latipons collected in October. The outcomes of this study provide new helpful information that elucidates diapause in H. latipons and may be used for the implementation of new management strategies of cyst nematodes. Full article

The current study intended to investigate the role of new natural compounds derived from the Sesuvium sesuvioides plant in mitigating symptoms of diabetes and insulin resistance in the diabetic mice model. Anti-advanced glycation activity, insulin, and adiponectin were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Glucose uptake was performed using enzymatic fluorescence assay, and glycogen synthesis was measured using PAS staining. Gene and protein expression was assessed using real time PCR (RT-PCR), and immunoblotting and fluorescent microscopy, respectively. The new flavonoid glycoside eupalitin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside 1 isolated from S. sesuvioides exhibited anti-AGE activity by reducing human glycated albumin in liver cells. In a diabetic mouse model treated with compound 1, we observed improved glucose tolerance, increased adiponectin levels, and decreased insulin resistance. We also observed alleviated AGEs induced reduction in glucose uptake and restored glycogen synthesis in the compound 1-treated diabetic mice muscles. Exploring the molecular mechanism of action in skeletal muscle tissue of diabetic mice, we found that 1 reduced AGE-induced reactive oxygen species and the inflammatory gene in the muscle of diabetic mice. Additionally, 1 exhibited these effects by reducing the gene and protein expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and inhibiting protein kinase C (PKC) delta activation. This further led us to demonstrate that compound 1 reduced serine phosphorylation of IRS-1, thereby restoring insulin sensitivity. We conclude that a new flavonoid glycoside from S. sesuvioides could be a therapeutic target for the treatment of symptoms of insulin resistance and diabetes. Full article

Glycogen is a highly branched polyglucan utilized as a carbohydrate reserve in major living systems. Industrially, it is used as a prebiotic and in the nanoencapsulation of drugs and nutraceuticals. In this study, optimal fermentation conditions enabling the highest glycogen accumulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were experimentally evaluated for possible mass production. Production efficiency was assessed by comparing specific growth rates, specific glycogen production rates, and glycogen yields under each condition. The results demonstrated that fermentation at 30 °C with an aeration rate of 3 vvm using a medium containing 120 g/L glucose without ethanol was optimal for robust cell growth and maximum glycogen yield. Additionally, a rich medium outperformed a minimally defined medium, and a single sugar carbon source, as opposed to mixed sugars, resulted in significantly higher cell growth and glycogen yields (p < 0.05). The optimized fermentation parameters enabled a glycogen production rate of up to 0.232 ± 0.012 g-glycogen/g-cell/h and a glycogen yield of 0.603 ± 0.006 g-glycogen/g-glucose. These results provide meaningful information for future studies and/or large-scale glycogen production using S. cerevisiae. Full article

Inappropriate substitution of dietary fishmeal (FM) can adversely affect the growth, health, and metabolism of carnivorous fish species. To effectively reduce the amount of dietary FM in carnivorous largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), a terrestrial compound protein (Cpro) with chicken meal, bone meal, and black soldier fly protein was used to formulate four isoproteic (52%) and isolipidic (12%) diets, namely T1 (36% FM), T2 (30% FM), T3 (24% FM), and T4 (18% FM), for feeding juveniles (initial weight: ~12 g) for 81 days. Results indicated that the growth performance, feed efficiency, and morphological indicators, as well as muscle texture and edible quality of fish, did not differ significantly among the four groups. However, the muscle protein contents and ATP/AMP ratio of fish in the T4 group were significantly increased in comparison with those of fish in the T1 group, while the opposite was true for muscle glycogen. Compared with the T1 group, high serum total amino acid and MDA contents, as well as low AST activities, were observed in the T3 and T4 groups, and relatively high intestinal trypsin and lipase activities were found in the T2–T4 groups. The transcripts of intestinal proinflammatory cytokines (il-1β, il-6, and tnf-α) were downregulated in the T2–T4 groups compared with T1 group, while the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines (il-10) and tight junction (zo-1 and occludin) showed the reverse trend. The mRNA expression of positive regulators related to protein synthesis (sirt1, pgc1-α, pi3k, and akt) were significantly upregulated in the muscle of fish fed diets T3 and T4, while their negative regulators (4e-bp1) mRNA levels were downregulated. The results indicate that the dietary FM of largemouth bass could be effectively reduced to at least 18% by the Cpro, which is beneficial to health, digestion, and protein synthesis for maintaining accelerated growth. Full article

This study investigates the densification/granulation of activated sludge with poor settleability, treating real industrial wastewater from a tank truck cleaning company. The wastewater is low in nutrients, acidic in nature, and high and variable in chemical oxygen demand (COD, ranging from 2770 mg·L⁻¹ to 14,050 mg·L⁻¹). A microbial selection strategy was applied to promote slow-growing glycogen-accumulating microorganisms (GAO) by the implementation of an anaerobic feast/aerobic famine strategy in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). After 60 to 70 days, the uptake of carbon during the anaerobic phase exceeded 80%, the sludge morphology improved, and the sludge volume index (SVI) dropped below 50 mL·g⁻¹. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed the enrichment of the GAOs Defluviicoccus and Candidatus Competibacter. Stable sludge densification was maintained when using a constant organic loading rate (OLR) of 0.85 ± 0.05 gCOD·(L·d)⁻¹, but the sludge quality deteriorated when switching to a variable OLR. In view of the integration of densified/granular sludge in a membrane bioreactor configuration, the filtration properties of the densified SBR sludge were compared to the seed sludge from the full-scale plant. The densified sludge showed a significantly lower resistance due to pore blockage and a significantly higher sustainable flux (45 vs. 15 L·(m²·h)⁻¹). Full article

Glycogen storage disease type III (GSDIII) is a hereditary glycogenosis caused by deficiency of the glycogen debranching enzyme (GDE), an enzyme, encoded by Agl, enabling glycogen degradation by catalyzing alpha-1,4-oligosaccharide side chain transfer and alpha-1,6-glucose cleavage. GDE deficiency causes accumulation of phosphorylase-limited dextrin, leading to liver disorder followed by fatal myopathy. Here, we tested the capacity of the new autophagosomal activator GHF-201 to alleviate disease burden by clearing pathogenic glycogen surcharge in the GSDIII mouse model Agl^−/−. We used open field, grip strength, and rotarod tests for evaluating GHF-201’s effects on locomotion, a biochemistry panel to quantify hematological biomarkers, indirect calorimetry to quantify in vivo metabolism, transmission electron microscopy to quantify glycogen in muscle, and fibroblast image analysis to determine cellular features affected by GHF-201. GHF-201 was able to improve all locomotion parameters and partially reversed hypoglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver and muscle malfunction in Agl^−/− mice. Treated mice burnt carbohydrates more efficiently and showed significant improvement of aberrant ultrastructural muscle features. In GSDIII patient fibroblasts, GHF-201 restored mitochondrial membrane polarization and corrected lysosomal swelling. In conclusion, GHF-201 is a viable candidate for treating GSDIII as it recovered a wide range of its pathologies in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo. Full article

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a biobased and biodegradable polymer with properties comparable to polypropylene and therefore has the potential to replace conventional plastics. PHB is intracellularly accumulated by prokaryotic organisms. For the cells PHB functions manly as carbon and energy source, but all possible functions of PHB are still not known. Synechocystis (cyanobacteria) accumulates PHB using light as energy and CO₂ as carbon source. The main trigger for PHB accumulation in cyanobacteria is nitrogen and phosphorous depletion with simultaneous surplus of carbon and energy. For the above reasons, obtaining knowledge about external factors influencing PHB accumulation is of highest interest. This study compares the effect of continuous light exposure and day/night (16/8 h) cycles on selected physiology parameters of three Synechocystis strains. We show that continuous illumination at moderate light intensities leads to an increased PHB accumulation in Synechocystis salina CCALA 192 (max. 14.2% CDW – cell dry weight) compared to day/night cycles (3.7% CDW). In addition to PHB content, glycogen and cell size increased, while cell density and cell viability decreased. The results offer new approaches for further studies to gain deeper insights into the role of PHB in cyanobacteria to obtain bioplastics in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Full article

High Fischer ratio oligopeptides (HFOs) have a variety of biological activities, but their mechanisms of action for anti-fatigue are less systematically studied at present. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the anti-fatigue efficacy of HFOs from Antarctic krill (HFOs-AK) and explore its mechanism of action through establishing the fatigue model of endurance swimming in mice. Therefore, according to the comparison with the endurance swimming model group, HFOs-AK were able to dose-dependently prolong the endurance swimming time, reduce the levels of the metabolites (lactic acid, blood urea nitrogen, and blood ammonia), increase the content of blood glucose, muscle glycogen, and liver glycogen, reduce lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase extravasation, and protect muscle tissue from damage in the endurance swimming mice. HFOs-AK were shown to enhance Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase activities and increase ATP content in muscle tissue. Meanwhile, HFOs-AK also showed significantly antioxidant ability by increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver and decreasing the level of malondialdehyde. Further studies showed that HFOs-AK could regulate the body’s energy metabolism and thus exert its anti-fatigue effects by activating the AMPK signaling pathway and up-regulating the expression of p-AMPK and PGC-α proteins. Therefore, HFOs-AK can be used as an auxiliary functional dietary molecules to exert its good anti-fatigue activity and be applied to anti-fatigue functional foods. Full article

The vagus nerve regulates metabolic homeostasis and mediates gut–brain communication. We hypothesized that vagus nerve dysfunction, induced by truncated vagotomy (VGX) or carotid artery occlusion (AO), would disrupt gut–brain communication and exacerbate metabolic dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairment. This study aimed to test the hypothesis in gerbils fed a high-fat diet. The gerbils were divided into four groups: AO with VGX (AO_VGX), AO without VGX (AO_NVGX), no AO with VGX (NAO_VGX), and no AO without VGX (NAO_NVGX). After 5 weeks on a high-fat diet, the neuronal cell death, neurological severity, hippocampal lipids and inflammation, energy/glucose metabolism, intestinal morphology, and fecal microbiome composition were assessed. AO and VGX increased the neuronal cell death and neurological severity scores associated with increased hippocampal lipid profiles and lipid peroxidation, as well as changes in the inflammatory cytokine expression and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. AO and VGX also increased the body weight, visceral fat mass, and insulin resistance and decreased the skeletal muscle mass. The intestinal morphology and microbiome composition were altered, with an increase in the abundance of Bifidobacterium and a decrease in Akkermansia and Ruminococcus. Microbial metagenome functions were also impacted, including glutamatergic synaptic activity, glycogen synthesis, and amino acid biosynthesis. Interestingly, the effects of VGX were not significantly additive with AO, suggesting that AO inhibited the vagus nerve activity, partly offsetting the effects of VGX. In conclusion, AO and VGX exacerbated the dysregulation of energy, glucose, and lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation, and memory deficits, potentially through the modulation of the gut–brain axis. Targeting the gut–brain axis by inhibiting vagus nerve suppression represents a potential therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke. Full article

Chlorich^®EnergyBoost, a water extract obtained from Chlorella sorokiniana, has been proposed to enhance physical performance and provide anti-fatigue effects. This study assessed the impact of Chlorich^®EnergyBoost supplementation on physical performance and its anti-fatigue properties. Twenty-four mice were allocated into four groups: (1) the control group receiving only water,;(2) the 1X group (49.2 mg/kg/day); (3) the 2X group (98.4 g/kg/day); and (4) the 5X group (246 g/kg/day). All groups were orally administered the supplements for four consecutive weeks. The evaluation included grip strength, swimming endurance, an exhaustion test, and serum biochemistry analysis. Additionally, the study examined the bioactive peptides through matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and conducted bacterial reverse mutation and acute oral toxicity tests for safety assessment. The findings indicated that Chlorich^®EnergyBoost supplementation led to a significant reduction in serum lactate levels by 14.08% to 22.54% and blood urea nitrogen levels by 12.23% to 16.76%, an increase in the lactate clearance rate by 0.28 to 0.35, an enhancement of muscle glycogen storage by 1.10 to 1.44-fold, and hepatic glycogen storage by 1.41 to 1.47-fold. These results demonstrated dose-dependent effects. MALDI-TOF analysis revealed the expression of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase and superoxide dismutase. Both the bacterial reverse mutation and acute oral toxicity tests showed no adverse effects. Full article

Background: Polymorphism rs1049434 characterizes the nonsynonymous exchange of adenosine (A) by thymidine (T) in the gene for monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1). We tested whether T-allele carriers of rs1049434 demonstrate increased accumulation of markers of metabolic strain. Methods: Physically active, healthy, young male subjects (n = 22) conducted a power-matched one-legged cycling exercise to exhaustion. Metabolic substrates in capillary blood, selected metabolic compounds, and indices for the slow oxidative phenotype of vastus lateralis muscle were quantified in samples collected before and after exercise. The genotypes of the rs1049434 polymorphism were determined with polymerase chain reactions. Results: One-legged exercise affected the concentration of muscle metabolites entering the tricarboxylic acid cycle, such as acetyl-co-enzyme A (+448%) and acetyl-L-carnitine (+548%), muscle glycogen (−59%), and adenosine monophosphate (−39%), 30 min post-exercise. Exercise-related variability in the muscular concentration of glycogen, long-chain acyl co-enzyme As and a triglyceride, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) interacted with rs1049434. T-allele carriers demonstrated a 39% lesser reduction in glycogen after exercise than non-carriers when NADH increased only in the non-carriers. Muscle lactate concentration was 150% higher, blood triacyl-glyceride concentration was 53% lower, and slow fiber percentage was 20% lower in T-allele carriers. Discussion: The observations suggest a higher anaerobic glycolytic strain during exhaustive exercise and a lowered lipid handling in T-allele non-carriers. Full article