Effects of Astragalus Powder on Serum Lipid and Body Fat Content of Fast Large-scale Quality Chickens

[ Objective] To study the effects of astragalus powder on serum lipids and body fat contents of fast large-scale quality chickens, and thus provide a theoretical basis for its application in poultry production,[ Method ] All the 180 1-day-old healthy Liangfeng chickens were randomly divided into six groups. Group 1 was the control group, fed with basal diet; group 2, group 3 and group 4 were fed with basal diet added with 0.75%, 1.0% and 1.25% astragalus powder, respectively; group 5 and group 6 were separately fed with basal diet added with 1.0% and 1.25% astragalus pow- der, but the astragalus powder was used for 10 d and then was forbidden for 10 d in turn during the whole experiment. The content of triglyceride （TG）, total cholesterol （TCHO）, high-density lipoprotein-Cholesterol （ HDL-C）, and low-density lipoprotein-Cholesterol （LDL-C） were respectively determined when the chickens were 35-day-old and 63-day-old, while the percentage of abdominal fat （PAF） as well as intramuscular fat （IMF） and subcutaneous fat ply （SFP） was measured when the chickens were 63-day-old. [ Result] In 35-day-old chickens, the levels of TCHO were sig- nificantly or very significantly lower in group 3, group 4, and group 6 than in control group （ P 〈0.05 or 0.01 ） ; the levels of LDL-C significantly lower in group 3 and group 6 （ P〈0. 05） ; the level of HDL-C significantly higher in group 5 （P〈0.05）. In 63-day-old chickens, the levels of TCHO and LDL-C were significantly or very significantly lower in group 3, group 4, and group 5 than in control group （ P 〈 0.05 or 0.01 ） while the levels of HDL-C were significantly higher in these groups; the PAF was significantly lower in group 3 （ P 〈 0.05）. [ Condasion] Astragalus powder should re- duce the levels of TG, TCHO and LDL-C, promote HDL-C content, and also play a certain regulative role in deposition of abdominal fat.

Monthly variation in the fat content of anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) in the Yellow Sea: implications for acoustic abundance estimation

Anchovy is a key species in the Yellow Sea ecosystem. An accurate estimate of anchovy abundance is vital for the management of the anchovy stock and measurement of the ecosystem response to changes in anchovy abundance. However, the acoustic fish abundance estimate may be biased by 30%-40% if the fat-content induced target strength variation is not taken into account. We measured the monthly variation in the fat content of anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) in the Yellow Sea, and evaluated the potential effect of variation in fat content on the acoustic assessment of anchovy abundance. The fat content of anchovy varied seasonally, with two maxima and two minima in a year. The highest fat content (14.75%) was measured in the pre-spawning period in May, and the lowest fat content (2.48%) was measured during the post-spawning period in October. Fat content appeared to correlate with water content, but not body size. Assuming that the target strength is decreased by 0.2dB for every 1% increase in fat content, the seasonal difference in the target strength of anchovy may be as high as 2.45 dB. Given this, the acoustic abundance estimate may be biased by between 43% and 76%. Our results highlight the need for more information on the changes in fat content of fishes whose abundance is estimated by acoustic surveys.

Integration of association and computational methods reveals functional variants of LEPR gene for abdominal fat content in chickens

Leptin receptor(LEPR)plays a vital role in obesity in humans and animals.The objective of this study is to assess LEPR functional variants for chicken adipose deposition by integration of association and in-silico analysis using a unique chicken population,the Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content(NEAUHLF).Five online bioinformatics tools were used to predict the functionality of the single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)in coding region.Further,the possible structure–function relationship of high confidence SNPs was determined by bioinformatics analyses,including the conservation and stability analysis based on amino acid residues,prediction of protein ligand-binding sites,and the superposition of protein tertiary structure.Meanwhile,we analyzed the association between abdominal fat traits and 20 polymorphisms of chicken LEPR gene.The integrated results showed that rs731962924(N867I)and rs13684622(C1002R)could lead to striking changes in the structure and function of proteins,of which rs13684622(C1002R)was significantly associated with abdominal fat weight(AFW,P=0.0413)and abdominal fat percentage(AFP,P=0.0260)in chickens.Therefore,we are of the opinion that rs13684622(C1002R)may be an essential functional SNP affecting chicken abdominal fat deposition,and potentially applied to improvement of broiler abdominal fat in molecular marker-assisted selection(MAS)program.Additionally,the coupling of association with computer electronic predictive analysis provides a new avenue to identify important molecular markers for breeders.

Comparison on Two Different Instrumental Methods for Determination of Fat Content in Washed Cashmere

The aim of this study was to compare two different instrumental methods for determination of fat content in washed cashmere. The fat content in washed cashmere was determined using Soxhlet fat extraction unit and fiber grease extractor quickly, respectively. The results show that no significant difference was found between these two instrumental methods, and reliability of fiber grease extractor quickly was confirmed for deter- mination of fat content in washed cashmere. Therefore, the fiber grease extractor quickly can meet current standard for determination of fat content in washed cashmere.

The Relationship Between Fat Content and Biological Parameters of Bigeye Tuna(Thunnus obseus) in the Western Central Indian Ocean

Comparing fat content with physiological status can throw light on the reproduction and feeding behavior of the fish. The biological data of 586 bigeye tuna were collected from the longline fishery in the waters of Western Central Indian Ocean from November, 2012 to March, 2013. The spatial or temporal distribution of the fat content, and the relationships of fat content with gender, round weight, gonadal maturity and fork length were analyzed. A generalized additive model(GAM) was used to analyze the relationships between fat content and fork length(FL), gonadosomatic index(GSI), condition factor(K), and somatic index(SI). Results showed that: 1) the fat content of bigeye tuna was in the range of 3.1%–27.1% with the average 12.8%; 2) there were no significant geographical differences of average fat content(P > 0.05) among 1? squares in general; 3) there were no significant differences(P > 0.05) of the fat content for different genders, months, or gonad maturity stages; 4) there was an extremely significant correlation(P = 0.000) between fat content and FL and GSI. There was no significant correlation(P = 0.051) between fat content and K. There was a significant correlation(P = 0.003) between fat content and SI. The results of this study suggest that the fat content of the matured fish was relatively stable. The survey area was in a spawning region, and the survey period was the spawning season for bigeye tuna.

Genome-wide Studies Reveal Genetic Risk Factors for Hepatic Fat Content

Genetic susceptibility to metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)is complex and poorly characterized.Accurate characterization of the genetic background of hepatic fat content would provide insights into disease etiology and causality of risk factors.We performed genome-wide association study(GWAS)on two noninvasive definitions of hepatic fat content:magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction(MRI-PDFF)in 16,050 participants and fatty liver index(FLI)in 388,701 participants from the United Kingdom(UK)Biobank(UKBB).Heritability,genetic overlap,and similarity between hepatic fat content phenotypes were analyzed,and replicated in 10,398 participants from the University Medical Center Groningen(UMCG)Genetics Lifelines Initiative(UGLI).Meta-analysis of GWASs of MRI-PDFF in UKBB revealed five statistically significant loci,including two novel genomic loci harboring CREB3L1(rs72910057-T,P=5.40E−09)and GCM1(rs1491489378-T,P=3.16E−09),respectively,as well as three previously reported loci:PNPLA3,TM6SF2,and APOE.GWAS of FLI in UKBB identified 196 genome-wide significant loci,of which 49 were replicated in UGLI,with top signals in ZPR1(P=3.35E−13)and FTO(P=2.11E−09).Statistically significant genetic correlation(rg)between MRI-PDFF(UKBB)and FLI(UGLI)GWAS results was found(rg=0.5276,P=1.45E−03).Novel MRI-PDFF genetic signals(CREB3L1 and GCM1)were replicated in the FLI GWAS.We identified two novel genes for MRI-PDFF and 49 replicable loci for FLI.Despite a difference in hepatic fat content assessment between MRI-PDFF and FLI,a substantial similar genetic architecture was found.FLI is identified as an easy and reliable approach to study hepatic fat content at the population level.

Noninvasive Quantitative Detection Methods of Liver Fat Content in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)ranges from simple steatosis to NAFLD-related liver cirrhosis and is a main cause of chronic liver diseases.Patients with nonalcoholic steatohe-patitis and fibrosis are at a great risk of the progression to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma,both of which are tightly associated with liver-related mortality.Liver biopsy is still the gold standard for the diagnosis of NAFLD,but some defects,such as serious complications,sampling error and variability in histologic evaluation among pathologists,remain problematic.Therefore,noninvasive,repeatable and accurate diagnostic methods are urgently needed.Ultrasonography is a well-established and lower-cost imaging technique for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis,especially suitable for population census,but limited by its low sensitivity to diagnose mild steatosis and being highly operator-dependent.Computed tomography also lacks the sensitivity to detect mild steatosis and small changes in fat content,and presents a potential radiation hazard.Controlled attenuation parameter based on the FibroScan?technology is a promising tool for noninvasive semiquantita-tive assessment of liver fat content,but the accuracy rate de-pends on the operator's expertise and is affected by age,width of the intercostal space,skin capsular distance and body mass index.Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy are regarded as the most accurate quantitative methods for measuring liver fat content in clinical practice,especially for longitudinal follow up of NAFLD patients.In this review,we mainly introduce the current imaging methods that are in use for evaluation of liver fat content and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Quantification of liver fat deposition in obese and diabetic patients:A pilot study on the correlation with myocardium and periapical fat content

Backgroud and aim:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is a worldwide health problem,which associated with systemic health problems and causes a higher risk of all-cause mortality.The leading causes of death in NAFLD patients are cardiac complications followed by NAFLD-related liver complications.This study aimed to quantitatively measure the contents of liver and cardiac fat with varying degrees of NAFLD in an obese group and a type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)group to explore differences and correlations.Materials and methods:This study included 170 patients who underwent echo asymmetry and least square estimation-iron quantification sequencing at 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging.Fat fraction values were quantitatively measured in regions of interest of the liver,myocardium,and periapical adipose tissue.Results:In both the obese and T2DM groups,cardiac fat content was correlated with liver fat content using linear regression(P<0.01).For both the obese and T2DM groups,myocardial fat was higher in the T2DM group than that in the obese group(ventricular septum,3.33%±1.40%vs.2.51%±0.88%;the left ventricle,3.38%±1.43%vs.2.26%±0.87%).For the T2DM group,the different myocardial fat contents and myocardial enzymes were positively correlated with fatty liver severity by multiple comparisons of different degrees of NAFLD(P<0.05).Periapical fat was statistically significant only between mild fatty and normal liver(obese group,P<0.01;T2DM group,P¼0.01).Conclusion:T2DM patients with fatty liver had higher myocardial fat content than obese patients with fatty liver,and both had a linear relationship.Periapical fat is an index for liver fat deposition in patients.The myocardial fat contents in T2DM patients with an increase in the liver fat content,which would influence cardiac function,should be given more attention in clinic.

Correlation between fat content and features of generative growth of arabesque greenling Pleurogrammus azonus

Objective:To determine the correlation between fat content and features of generative growth of arabesque greenling Pleurogrammus azonus.Methods:The samples were collected by bottom trawl during trawl surveys of research vessel MRS-055 conducted by TINRO-Center in Peter the Great Bay(Sea of Japan).A total of 332 individuals of arabesque greenling were analyzed.Fat content was determined by the standard method of extraction by sulfuric ether from the dry rest.Results:The most part of deposit fat of arabesque greenling is concentrated in muscles and hypodermis:86.2%-97.0%(mean value 92.3%)of the total deposited fat mass.The liver fat was 1.1%-7.7%(mean value 4.8%)and the internal fat was 0.9%-5.2%(mean value 2.8%)of the total mass.Decreasing of the muscles fat was observed at sudden changes of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of sexual products,and for immature fish the relation between accumulation of fat in muscles and generative growth was not found.Conclusions:Dynamics of fat in liver corresponds closely with the processes of generative growth,and increasing of gonads weight causes decreasing of liver fat content,both for mature and immature fish.

Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation levels determined adipogenesis and fat accumulation in adipose tissue in pigs

Background Excessive backfat deposition lowering carcass grade is a major concern in the pig industry,especially in most breeds of obese type pigs.The mechanisms involved in adipogenesis and fat accumulation in pigs remain unclear.Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation(Khib),is a novel protein post-translational modification(PTM),which play an important role in transcription,energy metabolism and metastasis of cancer cells,but its role in adipogenesis and fat accumulation has not been shown.Results In this study,we first analyzed the modification levels of acetylation(Kac),Khib,crotonylation(Kcr)and succinylation(Ksu)of fibro-adipogenic progenitors(FAPs),myogenic precursors(Myo)and mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)with varied differentiation potential,and found that only Khib modification in FAPs was significantly higher than that in MSCs.Consistently,in parallel with its regulatory enzymes lysine acetyltransferase 5(KAT5)and histone deacetylase 2(HDAC2)protein levels,the Khib levels increased quadratically(P<0.01)during adipogenic differentiation of FAPs.KAT5 knockdown in FAPs inhibited adipogenic differentiation,while HDAC2 knockdown enhanced adipogenic differentiation.We also demonstrated that Khib modification favored to adipogenic differentiation and fat accumulation by comparing Khib levels in FAPs and backfat tissues both derived from obese-type pigs(Laiwu pigs)and lean-type pigs(Duroc pigs),respectively.Accordingly,the expression patterns of KAT5 and HDAC2 matched well to the degree of backfat accumulation in obese-and lean-type pigs.Conclusions From the perspective of protein translational modification,we are the first to reveal the role of Khib in adipogenesis and fat deposition in pigs,and provided new clues for the improvement of fat accumulation and distribution as expected via genetic selection and nutritional strategy in obese-type pigs.

Diabetes remission and nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease

This editorial focuses on the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease(NAFPD)and the development and remission of type 2 diabetes(T2D).NAFPD is characterized by intrapancreatic fatty deposition associated with obesity and not associated with alcohol abuse,viral infections,and other factors.Ectopic fat deposition in the pancreas is associated with the development of T2D,and the underlying mechanism is lipotoxicβ-cell dysfunction.However,the results on the relationship between intrapancreatic fat deposition(IPFD)andβ-cell function are conflicting.Regardless of the therapeutic approach,weight loss improves IPFD,glycemia,andβ-cell function.Pancreatic imaging is valuable for clinically monitoring and evaluating the management of T2D.

Effects of dietary fiber content and different fiber-rich ingredients on endogenous loss of fat and fatty acids in growing pigs

Background: Determination of the endogenous loss of fat(ELF) is used to adjust for the estimation of true total tract digestibility(TTTD) of fat in diets and ingredients.Any factor which affected ELF may further affect the digestibility of fat,including sources and concentrations of fat and fiber in the diet.There are some reports of determining the ELF using regression methods based on different levels of fat intake,while reports on effects of dietary fiber content and different fiber-rich ingredients in pig diets on ELF are very limited.Therefore,the objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary fiber content and different fiber-rich ingredients on endogenous losses of fat and fatty acids at the end of ileum and throughout the entire intestinal tract in growing pigs.Methods: In Exp.1,the effect of fiber content on endogenous loss of fat was determined using six growing pigs(Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire;27.6 ± 2.4 kg),fitted with a T-cannula at the end of ileum.The experimental design was a 6 × 6 complete Latin square design with six periods of feeding and six diets.The six experimental fat-free diets were formulated to include graded levels of neutral detergent fiber(NDF)(0,40,80,120,160 and 200 g/kg) and soybean hull(SH) was the only fiber source,providing 0,75,150,225,300 and 375 g/kg,respectively.Chromic oxide was included at4 g/kg in all diets as an indigestible marker.In Exp.2,six crossbred growing barrows(27.6 ± 1.6 kg) were used and the experimental design was the same as for Exp.1.The six fat-free diets were formulated to include six common fiber-rich ingredients and the concentration of NDF was 100 g/kg.The six fiber-rich ingredients were defatted rice bran(DRB),sugar beet pulp(SBP),rice hull(RH),corn germ meal(CGM),SH and wheat bran(WB) and they were fed at represented250,270,145,250,170 and 280 g/kg in the diet,respectively.Results: In Exp.1,the endogenous loss of fatty acids profile did not change as dietary NDF increased in growing pigs.The endogenous losses of fat,C16:0,C18:0,C18:1,C18:2,total unsaturated fatty acids(UFA) and total saturated fatty acids(SFA) in growing pigs at the end of ileum and throughout the entire intestinal tract increased linearly as NDF content of diets increased.The endogenous losses of fat,as well as C16:0 and C18:0 throughout the entire intestinal tract also increased quadratically as NDF content of diets increased.The ELF increased from 0.71 to 3.14 g/kg of dry matter intake(DMI) and 0.56 to 8.21 g/kg DMI at the end of ileum and throughout the entire intestinal tract in growing pigs,respectively.The ELF occurred in the hindgut except for the growing pigs fed 0 and 4% NDF in their diets.The endogenous losses of C16:0 and UFA occurred primarily in the upper regions of the gut and the greatest endogenous losses of C18:0 occurred in the hindgut.The endogenous losses of fat,individual SFA and total SFA throughout the entire intestinal tract were much greater than that at the end of ileum.However,the endogenous losses of individual UFA and total UFA were less throughout the intestinal tract than at the end of ileum.In Exp.2,the endogenous losses of fat at the end of ileum were greater in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets.The endogenous loss of fatty acids profile changed to a slight degree at the end of ileum that the endogenous loss of UFA(particularly C18:1 and C18:2) in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets were greater(P < 0.01) than that for the other four diets.The greatest(P < 0.01) endogenous loss of SFA(particularly C18:0) was in growing pigs fed the RH diet.The endogenous losses of fat,C16:0,C18:0 and SFA over the entire intestinal tract were much greater in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets,whereas the lowest values were in growing pigs fed DRB diet.The ELF at the end of ileum in growing pigs fed CGM or WB diets were 3.50 or 4.17 g/kg DMI,respectively,and the ELF over the entire intestinal tract was 7.23 or 7.38 g/kg DMI.The contribution in percentage of ELF in the upper gut was greater than that in the hindgut of growing pigs fed DRB and RH diets,while the ELF in the upper gut and hindgut were equal in growing pigs fed SBP,CGM and WB diets.On the whole,the endogenous losses of C18:1 and C18:2 throughout the entire intestinal tract in growing pigs fed the six fiber-rich ingredients diets were less than losses at the end of ileum,whereas the endogenous loss of fat,C16:0,C18:0 and SFA were greater throughout the intestinal tract than at the end of ileum.Conclusion: The profile of loss in endogenous fatty acids did not change as dietary NDF increased in growing pigs and the endogenous losses of fatty acids(C16:0,C18:0,C18:1 and C18:2) fat,UFA and SFA increased linearly as NDF content increased in the diets of pigs.The endogenous losses of fat or fatty acids at the end of ileum were greater in growing pigs fed RH,CGM or WB diets.The endogenous losses of fat,fatty acids(C16:0 and C18:0) and SFA were greater over the entire intestinal tract in pigs fed CGM or WB diet,while these values were the lowest in growing pigs fed the DRB diet.The contribution in percentage losses of fat in the upper gut were greater than in the hindgut of growing pigs fed DRB and RH diets,while the contribution of losses of fat in the upper gut and hindgut were equal in growing pigs fed SBP,CGM and WB diets.In addition,the endogenous loss of individual or total UFA was less over the entire intestinal tract of growing pigs fed fiber diets than that at the end of ileum,and the greatest endogenous losses of fat,individual or total SFA were over the entire intestinal tract.Therefore,differences in fiber content and the nature of fiber-rich ingredients in diets of pigs have different effects to the endogenous losses of fat or fatty acids.Considering the requirement of fat or fatty acids of pigs,careful attention must be paid that the endogenous losses of fat and fatty acids when fiber ingredients are used in diets of pigs.

HIGH-FAT-DIET INDUCED OBESITY IN RATS AND EFFECTS OF ENDURANCE TRAINING ON THE BODY FAT CONTENT OF OBESE RATS

To study the high-fat-diet induced rat obesity and the of fect of endurance training on the body fat content of obese rats, we randomly divided 66 male weanling SD rats into control(16 rats) and high fat diet group(50 rats). After 10 weeks, we chose diet-induced obese rats(DIO, 26 rats) and divided them into endurance training group(DIO-T, 8 rats) and DIO groups(DIO, 18 rats) randomly. Aner 8 weeks, endurance training, all rats were killed. The results showed that nosignificant difference was found between groups in body weight, the feed efficiency of DIO groups was higher than control groups, tke carass fat con tent of DIO-T group was significantlylower than DIO group, and plasma insulin concentration of DIO group was higher than control and DIO-T groups. It was suggested that rats’ obesity was induced obesity by high fat diet, dietary obesity had relation to higher eding efficiency and hyperinsulinemia. Endurance training can effectively reduce the body fat content of high-fat-diet induced obese rats by improving its hyper-insulinemia. Plasma TCH and TG of all rats had no significant difference.

Determination of Isoflavone from Soybean Lines Cultivated in Jilin Province and Correlation Analysis between Isoflavone Content and Soybean Quality

[Objective]The aim of this study was to set up a high performance liquid chromatography for rapid determination of isoflavones from soybean and analyze the correlation between isofalvone content and protein or fat content. [Method]The isoflavones were firstly extracted by 80% methanol and then hydrolyzed at 100 ℃. The chromatographic separation adopted a reversed-phase C18 analytical column with binary high-pressure gradient elution,while its analysis time was 25 min and column temperature was 40 ℃. The diode array detector was used for monitoring with wavelength of 260 nm. The correlation between isofalvone content and protein or fat content was analyzed by data processing system Origin 6.0. [Result]The high performance liquid chromatograph for determination of isoflavones from soybean was verified to be accurate and reliable by methodology. The isoflavones of 85 soybean lines cultivated in Jilin Province were determined,and the results primarily showed the characters and ranges of isoflavones from soybean lines cultivated in Jilin Province,while the isoflavone content of soybeans ranged from 2.29 to 4.89 mg/g,and the average content was 3.36 mg/g. The isoflavone content of 5 soybean lines exceeded 4 mg/g,while there was a remarkably negative correlation between isoflavone content and protein content,and there was no significant positive correlation between isoflavone content and fat content. [Conclusion]The isoflavone content of soybean lines cultivated in Jilin Province is higher,so it is feasible for breeding the soybean lines with high isoflavone content and fat contetnt.

3.0T MRS与FATSAT对胰腺脂肪含量定量分析的可行性研究

目的探讨3.0T磁共振波谱测量技术(MR spectroscopy,MRS)与频率选择脂肪预饱和技术(fat saturation,FATSAT)对胰腺脂肪含量定量分析的可行性。方法对35例健康志愿者胰腺行双回波同去相位磁共振成像(in-phase and out-of-phase,IP/OP),MRS、FATSAT序列扫描,测量胰腺脂肪含量(fat content,FC),以IP/OP法测得值为标准进行相关性分析。结果IP/OP、FATSAT及MRS 3种方法测得35例志愿者胰腺平均脂肪含量分别为(8.2±2.0)%、(11.8±4.7)%及(8.8±4.6)%,MRS与IP/OP之间呈正相关(r=0.809,P<0.001),FATSAT与IP/OP之间无相关性(r=0.311,P=0.069)。结论在3.0T磁共振成像系统下,MRS对于胰腺脂肪的定量分析是可行的,而FATSAT不适用于胰腺脂肪的定量分析。

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and inflammation

Glucagon-like peptide1 (GLP-1) is secreted from Langerhans cells in response to oral nutrient intake. Glucagon- like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a new class of incretin-based anti-diabetic drugs. They function to stimulate insulin secretion while suppressing glucagon secretion. GLP-1-based therapies are now well established in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and recent literature has suggested potential applications of these drugs in the treatment of obesity and for protection against cardiovascular and neurological diseases. As we know, along with change in lifestyles, the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in China is rising more than that of viral hepatitis and alcoholic fatty liver disease, and NAFLD has become the most common chronic liver disease in recent years. Recent studies further suggest that GLP-1RAs can reduce transaminase levels to improve NAFLD by improving blood lipid levels, cutting down the fat content to promote fat redistribution, directly decreasing fatty degeneration of the liver, reducing the degree of liver fibrosis and improving inflammation. This review shows the NAFLD-associated effects of GLP-1RAs in animal models and in patients with T2DM or obesity who are participants in clinical trials. (C) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Skeletal muscle loss is associated with diabetes in middle-aged and older Chinese men without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND Skeletal muscle,a key insulin target organ,has been reported to be associated with diabetes mellitus(DM).Compared to non-diabetic patients,diabetic patients have decreased muscle mass and a higher prevalence of sarcopenia,and patients with sarcopenia may be at increased risk of developing diabetes.In individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),sarcopenia is associated with the severity of fibrosis and steatosis.Previous studies have demonstrated that NAFLD is strongly associated with DM and sarcopenia.AIM To determine the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and DM in Chinese middle-aged and elderly men,and whether the association is affected by NAFLD.METHODS Skeletal muscle mass was calculated as appendicular skeletal muscle mass(ASM)in kg/body weight×100%.Liver fat content(LFC)was measured using a quantitative ultrasound method.RESULTS As the ASM decreased,fasting blood glucose(FBG),2-h postprandial blood glucose(2hBG),and LFC increased in both genders,as did the prevalence of DM and NAFLD.Spearman analysis showed that the ASM was negatively correlated with the FBG,2hBG,and LFC.Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustments,the ASM quartile was negatively associated with the presence of DM in males,but not in females.Subgroup analysis showed that the ASM quartiles remained negatively correlated with the presence of DM in the non-NAFLD population(including males and females),but no correlation was found between ASM quartiles and the presence of DM in the NAFLD population.When stratified by LFC quartiles,ASM was negatively correlated with the presence of DM in the first and second LFC quartiles in males.CONCLUSION Skeletal muscle mass loss was shown to be associated with the presence of DM in males,but not in females;NAFLD weakens this association.The results suggested that the stratified management of diabetes mellitus should be considered according to skeletal muscle mass and NAFLD.

Flavonoid Contents and Antioxidant Activity in Fruit,Vegetables and Other Types of Food

Flavonoids are a class of natural polyphenolic compounds which cannot be synthesized by humans. These substances possess a series of biological properties, acting on biological systems as antioxidants. The purpose of this study was to analyze the properties of certain foods, determining the total flavonoids as well as their antioxidant activity and fat concentration. We evaluated several foods purchased at the local market, with respect to its antioxidant activity, using two experimental models, the discoloration of DPPH˙ radical and ABTS-. Some foods such as pitanga showed antioxidant activity. The lipid content of fatty foods like aaí, cacao and cupuaú was determined. Other foods, including pitanga, aaí, cacao and cupuaú, were evaluated for flavonoid content and antioxidant activity using multivariate statistical analysis (PCA) as a statistical tool to evaluate the correlation between these two parameters. As samples with ED50 up to 500 μg/mL show promising antioxidant activity, several Brazilian fruit and vegetables could be consumed to this end, with a good correlation between flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in most samples. The daily dose of different types of food for antioxidant activity has been calculated based on these results.

How to select the quantitative magnetic resonance technique for subjects with fatty liver:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Early quantitative assessment of liver fat content is essential for patients with fatty liver disease.Mounting evidence has shown that magnetic resonance(MR)technique has high accuracy in the quantitative analysis of fatty liver,and is suitable for monitoring the therapeutic effect on fatty liver.However,many packaging methods and postprocessing functions have puzzled radiologists in clinical applications.Therefore,selecting a quantitative MR imaging technique for patients with fatty liver disease remains challenging.AIM To provide information for the proper selection of commonly used quantitative MR techniques to quantify fatty liver.METHODS We completed a systematic literature review of quantitative MR techniques for detecting fatty liver,following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol.Studies were retrieved from PubMed,Embase,and Cochrane Library databases,and their quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies criteria.The Reference Citation Analysis database(https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com)was used to analyze citation of articles which were included in this review.RESULTS Forty studies were included for spectroscopy,two-point Dixon imaging,and multiple-point Dixon imaging comparing liver biopsy to other imaging methods.The advantages and disadvantages of each of the three techniques and their clinical diagnostic performances were analyzed.CONCLUSION The proton density fat fraction derived from multiple-point Dixon imaging is a noninvasive method for accurate quantitative measurement of hepatic fat content in the diagnosis and monitoring of fatty liver progression.

Extraction, Methylation and Quantification of Fatty Acids in Fast Food Items and Its Health Implications

The research is designed to study the relationship of intake of fatty acids through fast food items, consumption trends and related health issues. Fried food products most commonly consumed at restaurants were selected. Food outlets of both branded and non-branded vendors were included in the study for comparison. Total fat content, Fatty acids and Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME’s) in food samples were determined experimentally using titrimetric and spectrophotometric methods. Fatty acids of Stearic, Oleic and Myristic were extracted from each food sample using petroleum ether as extracting solvent, followed by conversion to FAME’s by treating the filtrate with methylamine, ethanol and sulphuric acid. A survey analysis using the questionnaire as a tool was also conducted. The results showed variable concentration in each sample. Total fat content was highest in French fries, followed by fish and chicken. Among the fatty acids, Stearic acid was found higher in concentration than other two fatty acids. The study concluded that the level of saturated fatty acids was 0.4 g (7.6%), which was securely under the allowable limit of daily value (on a 2000 calorie diet) of 3 g (15%).