Dietary Calcium Decreases Plasma Cholesterol Level only in Female but not in Male Hamster Fed a High Cholesterol Diet

Objective To investigate the effect of dietary calcium on plasma lipoprotein profile in castrated and ovariectomized hamsters. Methods Male, castrated, female and ovariectomized hamsters （n=36 each group） were randomly divided into three sub-groups （n=12） and fed one of the three diets containing O, 2, and B g calcium per kg diet for a period of six weeks. Changes in plasma lipoprotein profile were monitored at the end of week O, 3 and 6. Results Plasma total cholesterol （TC）, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol （non-HDL-C）, triacylglycerols （TG） and TC/HDL-C were decreased only in intact female and ovariectomized hamsters. In contrast, three levels of dietary calcium had no effect on lipoprotein profiles in both intact male and castrated hamsters. Conclusion Beneficial modification of lipoprotein profile by dietary calcium was gender-dependent at least in hamsters.

ASL技術診斷線粒體腦病1例報告及文獻複習

線粒體腦病,乳酸性酸中毒和中風樣發作綜合症(Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy,Lactic Acidosis,and Stroke-like Episodes,MELAS)屬於影響多系統的一種疾病,多發生在兒童期,患者多於2歲~10歲期間發病,初期常見的臨床症狀包括有全身性僵直陣攣型發作、復發性頭痛、復發性嘔吐、食欲減退、運動耐力不佳或近端肢體無力。癲癇症狀通常伴隨着瞬間偏癱或眼盲之類中風症狀[1]。