Nutrition
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Vitamin A (VA) is a critical micronutrient for life, especially during growth and development. There is a close relationship between VA deficiency (VAD) and the morbidity of diarrhea in the clinical setting. However, the regulatory mechanisms of VA are not clearly understood. ⋯ Gestational or early life VAD decreases the numbers of immune cells in offspring, which may partly suppress the activities of the mucosal immune responses in the intestine. This suggests that more attention should be given to the VA nutritional state of children and women of reproductive age.
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The development of the gastrointestinal tract depends on many elements, including glucocorticoids. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of early weaning on corticosterone function and the growth of rat gastric mucosa. ⋯ We demonstrated that early weaning changed corticosterone activity by increasing hormone levels, reducing CBG binding capacity, and decreasing GR distribution in the gastric epithelium. These modifications seem to be important to the reorganization of gastric growth after the abrupt interruption of suckling.
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To evaluate the effect of effect of Yellow Capsicum extract (YCE) that is rich in capsaicin on the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in vitro. ⋯ The potent inhibitory action of YCE and Capsaicin on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte observed suggests that they (YCE and Capsaicin) have the potential to inhibit obesity that needs to be explored in future studies.
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Green tea polyphenols (GTPs) are now being considered possible protective agents in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies suggested that GTPs could inhibit amyloid fibril formation and protect neurons from toxicity induced by β-amyloid. However, whether GTPs can ameliorate learning and memory impairments and also reduce tau hyperphosphorylation induced by okadaic acid (OA) in rats remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine if GTPs have neuroprotection against OA-induced neurotoxicity. ⋯ Taken together, our results suggest that GTPs have neuroprotection against OA-induced neurotoxicity.
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Total hepatic blood flow (HBF) via the hepatic artery and portal vein is highly dependent on gastrointestinal perfusion. During postprandial hyperemia, intestinal blood flow depends on nutrient composition, gastrointestinal location, and time. Immune-enhancing diets (IEDs) containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) selectively augment blood flow in the ileum at 60-120 min via a bile-dependent mechanism. My colleagues and I hypothesized that liver blood flow would be similarly affected by IEDs containing n-3 PUFAs. ⋯ HBF during absorptive intestinal hyperemia is modulated by a mechanism that requires an intact enterohepatic circulation. The early peaks at 40 min (CD or IED) were prevented by BDL, even though fat absorption in the proximal gut occurs by bile-independent direct absorption. Bile supplementation with the diet (CD + BDL or IED + BDL) was insufficient to restore HBF hyperemia, which implies that a relationship exists between intestinal and hepatic blood flow that is not solely dependent on bile-mediated intestinal fat absorption and bile recirculation.