Previous studies demonstrated that, compared with long-chain TAG (LCT), dietary medium-chain TAG (MCT) could improve glucose tolerance in rats and humans. It has been well established that adiponectin acts to increase insulin sensitivity. The effects of dietary MCT on adiponectin serum concentration and mRNA levels in adipose tissue were studied in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a diet containing 20% MCT or LCT for 8 wk. After 6 wk of dietary treatment, an oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Rats fed the MCT diet had less body fat accumulation than those fed the LCT diet (P < 0.01). The cell diameter of the perirenal adipose tissue, one of the abdominal adipose tissues, was smaller (P < 0.01) in the MCT diet group. The serum adiponectin concentration was higher (P < 0.01) in the MCT diet group than in the LCT diet group. The adiponectin content in the perirenal adipose tissue was higher (P < 0.01) in the MCT diet group. The MCT-fed group had a higher adiponectin mRNA level in their perirenal adipose tissue (P < 0.05). The increase of the plasma glucose concentration after glucose administration (area under the curve) was smaller (P < 0.01) in the MCT diet group than in the LCT diet group. These findings suggest that dietary MCT, compared with LCT, results in a higher serum adiponectin level with transcriptional activation of the adiponectin gene in rats. We speculate that improved glucose tolerance in rats fed an MCT diet may be, at least in part, ascribed to this higher serum adiponectin level.

Abstract. Neural stem cells (NSCs) were isolated from the mouse cortex on embryonic day 12.5 and cultured by neurosphere formation in serum-free medium in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). When NSCs were inoculated in collagen gels with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and bFGF and incubated for 10 days, vessel-like tube structures consisting of PECAM-1-or VE-cadherin-immunoreactive cells were formed in the gels. Moreover, the formation of vascular tube-like structures with a massive investment of a -smooth muscle actin-immunoreactive or GFAP-immunoreactive cells was occasionally observed, indicating angiogenesis identical to cerebral vascular development in vivo. To examine whether NSCs are capable of producing endothelial cells, differentiation was induced by the addition of 10% FBS after bFGF withdrawal. Most of the cells displayed a cobblestone-like morphology. Immunological analyses and RT-PCR indicated that NSCs expressed endothelial cell-specific marker proteins such as PECAM-1, VE-cadherin, and Flk-1; and these expressions were maintained or up-regulated during differentiation. Similar tube structures were also observed when the differentiated cells were inoculated in collagen gels and incubated for 5 days. These results suggested that NSCs give rise to two types of vascular cells, endothelial cells and mural cells in vitro, which have the ability to form vascular tubes.

The highest proinflammatory cytokines levels at 1 hour after aortic declamping were related to damage to postoperative organ functions, involving the lung, kidney and liver.

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The serum AT-III activity was correlated with the serum albumin level before the start of treatment. Therefore, measurement of the serum albumin level before and during treatment is helpful.