Gunnralston3564

The pituitary gland controls many important physiological processes in vertebrates, including growth, homeostasis, and reproduction. As in mammals, the teleost pituitary exhibits a high degree of plasticity. This plasticity permits changes in hormone production and secretion necessary to meet the fluctuating demands over the life of an animal. Pituitary plasticity is achieved at both cellular and population levels. At the cellular level, hormone synthesis and release can be regulated via changes in cell composition to modulate both sensitivity and response to different signals. At the cell population level, the number of cells producing a given hormone can change due to proliferation, differentiation of progenitor cells, or transdifferentiation of specific cell types. Gonadotropes, which play an important role in the control of reproduction, have been intensively investigated during the last decades and found to display plasticity. To ensure appropriate endocrine function, gonadotropes rely on external and internal signals integrated at the brain level or by the gonadotropes themselves. One important group of internal signals is the sex steroids, produced mainly by the gonadal steroidogenic cells. Sex steroids have been shown to exert complex effects on the teleost pituitary, with differential effects depending on the species investigated, physiological status or sex of the animal, and dose or method of administration. This review summarizes current knowledge of the effects of sex steroids (androgens and estrogens) on gonadotrope cell plasticity in teleost anterior pituitary, discriminating direct from indirect effects.

Obesity in children and in adolescents can lead to adult cardiovascular diseases, and the gut microbiota plays a crucial role in obesity pathophysiology. Exercise and diet interventions are typical approaches to improve physical condition and to alter the gut microbiota in individuals with obesity. Protein Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor However, whether central hemodynamic parameters including subendocardial viability ratio, the augmentation index standardized to a heart rate of 75/min (AIx75), resting heart rate, and blood pressure, correlate with gut microbiota changes associated with exercise and diet is unclear.

Adolescents (n = 24, 12.88 ± 0.41 years) with obesity completed our 6-week program of endurance and strength exercises along with dietary restriction. Blood and fecal samples were collected, and physical parameters were measured before and 24 h after the last session of the intervention program. Pulse wave analysis using applanation tonometry provided the subendocardial viability ratio, a surrogate measure of microvascular myocardiimproved measures of central hemodynamics, including subendocardial viability ratio, AIx75, and resting heart rate, which were correlated with altered gut microbiota in adolescents with obesity. Our findings shed light on the effects and mechanisms underlying exercise and diet interventions on obesity and suggest this approach for treating patients with both cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Exercise and diet interventions significantly improved measures of central hemodynamics, including subendocardial viability ratio, AIx75, and resting heart rate, which were correlated with altered gut microbiota in adolescents with obesity. Our findings shed light on the effects and mechanisms underlying exercise and diet interventions on obesity and suggest this approach for treating patients with both cardiovascular disease and obesity.Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of increased mortality in diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the effects of decorin (DCN) gene therapy on left ventricular function, cardiac inflammation and fibrosis in type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by high fat diet (HFD, 60% of calories as fat) and STZ (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Diabetic rats were divided into (n=6 for each group) the control group, the GFP-treated group and the DCN-treated group, received intravenous injection of saline solution, recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV)-GFP, and rAAV-DCN, respectively. We evaluated cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, left ventricular function at 6 months after gene delivery. Results turned out that rAAV-DCN treatment attenuated diabetic cardiomyopathy with improved LV function compared with control animals, which might be related to the reduced cardiac inflammation and fibrosis. These protective effects were associated with TGFβ1 pathway (ERK1/2 and smad-2) and NF-κB pathway, which may due to the decreased activation level of IGF-IR, increased expression of PKC-α and Hsp70. In conclusion, our results show that rAAV-mediated DCN therapy may be beneficial in the treatment of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.Background Strokes have a huge impact on patients' quality of life. Although there are potentially effective secondary preventions and treatment options for stroke patients, adherence is mostly low. Low disease and treatment-related knowledge and, consequently, a lack of informed decision-making in stroke patients may contribute to this problem. However, stroke patient information did not seem to have relevant effects on patients' knowledge in randomized controlled trials. One contributing factor may be the lack of thoroughly developed patient information materials. Methods We aimed to evaluate the quality of patient information materials for stroke patients by using randomized controlled trials, applying quality criteria for evidence-based patient information (EBPI). We conducted a literature search (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL). To be included in the review, research had to be randomized controlled trials that provided stroke patient information, were published in English, and had knowledPI quality criteria.The coming out (CO) process is fundamental for identity integration among LGBQ+ people, and its impact can vary greatly depending on personal and contextual factors. The historical, cultural, and social contexts in which LGBQ+ people develop their sexual identity can mediate the relationship between CO and health outcomes. The present study aimed at clarifying the CO process in three generations of Italian LGBQ+ people (young adults aged 20-40 years; middle adults aged 41-60 years; older adults aged 61-80 years) by providing data on (a) sexual orientation milestones, such as age of first awareness, age of first self-label, and age of first CO, as well as the rate of disclosure during different life stages; (b) the rate and average age of CO to significant others; and (c) CO within the religious context and its effect on participants' minority stress experiences. A total of 266 Italian LGBQ+ people participated in the study, with ages ranging from 20 to 80 years (M = 41.15, SD = 16.13). Findings indicated that, on average, the older adult group became self-aware, self-labeled, and disclosed their sexual identity at a significantly older age than the other groups.