Brain glucose metabolism: Role of nitric oxide.

One possible reason for failure in achieving optimal glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is that less attention has been paid to the brain, a fundamental player in glucose homeostasis, that consumes about 25% of total glucose utilization. In addition, animal and human studies indicate that nitric oxide (NO) is a critical player in glucose metabolism. NO synthesis from L-arginine is lower in patients with T2D, and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS)-derived NO bioavailability is lower in T2D.

Chronic Inorganic Nitrate Administration Increases the Expression of Genes Involved in the Browning of Gonadal Adipose Tissue in Ovariectomized Rats.

Background And Objective: Nitrate, as nitric oxide (NO) donor, has been suggested as a nutrition-based treatment for decreasing the risk of menopause-related obesity. This study aimed to specify the effects of chronic inorganic nitrate administration on uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated-receptor-947; (PPAR-947;) coactivator-1945; (PGC-1945;), and PPAR-947; expression in gonadal adipose tissue (GAT) of ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Methods: Female rats were assigned to 3 groups: Control, OVX, and OVX+nitrate (n=7/group), which consumed water containing inorganic nitrate (100 mg/L) for 9 months.

The impact of early-life exercise on CREB-signaling pathway and hippocampus neuroplasticity in diabetic adult male rats; the study of developmental model.

Background: Childhood exercise enhances brain structure, while diabetes detrimentally affects it. This study examines early-life exercise's influence on adult diabetic rats' memory and neuroplasticity.

Methods: Male Wistar pups were divided into Control, Diabetes, Exercise Training, and Diabetes exercise groups.

Effect of long-term inorganic nitrate administration on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in ovariectomized rats.

Menopause is associated with reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability and lower tolerance against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. This study investigated whether long-term nitrate administration provides resistance against myocardial IR injury in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. After ovariectomy, female rats were assigned to the OVX and the OVX + nitrate groups ( = 14/group); the latter group consumed nitrate (100 mg/L) for 9 months.

Myocardial infarct size is reduced by nitrite and nitrate administration: a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide and can be complicated by myocardial infarction (MI), leading to cardiac failure. Inorganic nitrite and nitrate, which release nitric oxide (NO), can protect the heart against myocardial injury. This animal systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess whether the administration of nitrite/nitrate decreases myocardial infarct size.

Anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of L-citrulline are sex-dependent.

Aims: Anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects of L-citrulline (Cit) have been reported in male rats. This study determined sex differences in response to Cit in Wistar rats.

Main Methods: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was induced using a high-fat diet followed by low-dose of streptozotocin (30 mg/kg) injection.

Electronic equipment and appliances in special wards of hospitals as a source of azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus: a multi-centre study from Iran.

Background: Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus (ARAf), reported as a global public health concern, has been unexpectedly observed in different countries.

Aim: To identify ARAf and detect azole resistance related to the CYP51A mutation in different hospital environmental samples.

Methods: In this multi-centre study from Iran, surfaces of electronic equipment and appliances from different hospitals in Iran were sampled using cotton swabs.

Dissolving sodium hydrosulfide in drinking water is not a good source of hydrogen sulfide for animal studies.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) has many physiological and pathological roles in the human body. Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) is widely used as a pharmacological tool for assessing HS effects in biological experiments. Although HS loss from NaHS solution is a matter of minutes, some animal studies use NaHS in solution as an HS-donating compound in drinking water.

Long-term Ovariectomy Reduces Tolerance of Rats to Myocardial Ischemia-reperfusion Injury.

Background: The harmful impact of ovariectomy on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (M/IR) injury has been established in the short term.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the long-term effects of ovariectomy on M/IR injury.

Methods: Two methods involving dorsolateral skin incisions were used to induce the ovariectomized (OVX) rat model.

Indoor environment assessment of special wards of educational hospitals for the detection of fungal contamination sources: A multi-center study (2019-2021).

Background And Purpose: The hospital environment was reported as a real habitat for different microorganisms, especially mold fungi. On the other hand, these opportunistic fungi were considered hospital-acquired mold infections in patients with weak immune status. Therefore, this multi-center study aimed to evaluate 23 hospitals in 18 provinces of Iran for fungal contamination sources.

Combination of Chemically-Characterized Essential Oils from , and : Optimization of a New Complete Antibacterial Formulation Using Simplex-Centroid Mixture Design.

This study aims to identify the volatile profile of three essential oils obtained from (EPEO), (OMEO), and (LBEO) and to examine their combined antibacterial activity that affords the optimal inhibitory ability against and using simplex-centroid mixture design and checkerboard assay. Essential oils (EOs) were isolated by hydrodistillation and characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography coupled with flame-ionization detector (GC-FID). The antibacterial activity was performed using disc diffusion and microdilution assays.

Long-term inorganic nitrate administration protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in female rats.

Background: The favorable effects of nitrate against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) have primarily focused on male rats and in short term. Here we determine the impact of long-term nitrate intervention on baseline cardiac function and the resistance to MIRI in female rats.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were randomly divided into untreated and nitrate-treated (100 mg/L sodium nitrate in drinking water for 9 months) groups (n = 14/group).

Protective effects of long-term nitrate administration against ovariectomy-induced kidney dysfunction in rats.

Background: Menopause is associated with higher risks of chronic kidney disease. We determined the effect of nitrate on ovariectomy-induced kidney dysfunction METHODS: Control, ovariectomized (OVX), control + nitrate, and OVX + nitrate female Wistar rats (n = 10/group); sodium nitrate (100 mg/L) administered in drinking water for 9 months. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and albumin excretion rate (AER) were calculated from serum and urine parameters.

Anti-oxidant effect of nitrite in the pancreatic islets of type 2 diabetic male rats.

Objectives: Nitrite, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, increases insulin secretion from pancreatic islets and has positive metabolic effects in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we test the hypothesis of whether nitrite-induced insulin secretion is due to blunting of diabetes-induced oxidative stress in the islets.

Materials And Methods: T2D was created in male rats using a combination of streptozotocin at 25 mg/kg and a high-fat diet.

Streptozotocin as a tool for induction of rat models of diabetes: a practical guide.

Streptozotocin (STZ) is the most used diabetogenic chemical for creating rat models of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Despite ~60 years of using STZ in animal diabetes research, some prevailing views about STZ preparation and use are not supported by evidence. Here, we provide practical guides for using STZ to induce diabetes in rats.

Altered sialin mRNA gene expression in type 2 diabetic male Wistar rats: implications for nitric oxide deficiency.

Nitrate therapy has been suggested to boost nitric oxide (NO) levels in type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, little is known about nitrate transport across the membranes. This study aimed to assess changes in the mRNA expression of sialin, as a nitrate transporter, in the main tissues of rats with T2D. Rats were divided into two groups (n = 6/group): Control and T2D.

Metabolic effects of L-citrulline in type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide. Decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability is involved in the pathophysiology of T2D and its complications. L-citrulline (Cit), a precursor of NO production, has been suggested as a novel therapeutic agent for T2D.

Long-term inorganic nitrate administration protects against ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats.

The risk of osteoporotic fractures increases in women after menopause. This study aims at determining the effects of long-term inorganic nitrate administration against ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats. Rats were divided into 4 groups (n=6/group): Control, control+nitrate, ovariectomized (OVX), and OVX+nitrate.

Quantitative aspects of nitric oxide production in the heart.

Nitric oxide (NO) has essential roles in heart physiology, including the regulation of myocardial contractility and coronary blood flow, and in heart pathophysiology, particularly in the ischemic heart. NO is produced by both NO synthase (NOS)-dependent and NOS-independent pathways in the heart. This review summarizes quantitative aspects of NO production in the heart; the contribution of cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells (ECs), red blood cells (RBCs), and neurons are also discussed.

Chronic nitrate administration increases the expression the genes involved in the browning of white adipose tissue in female rats.

Nitrate, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, has antiobesity effect in female rats. This study hypothesized that the antiobesity effect of nitrate in female rats is due to the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). Female Wistar rats (aged 8 months) were divided into two groups (n = 10/group): the control group received tap water and the nitrate group received water containing 100 mg/L of sodium nitrate for 9 months.

Protective Role of trans-Chalcone against the Progression from Simple Steatosis to Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis: Regulation of miR-122, 21, 34a, and 451.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an inflammatory disorder and an aggressive form of fatty liver disease. Certain microRNAs, including miR-122, 21, 34a, and 451, are involved in the transition from steatosis to NASH. This study examined how trans-chalcone (the core of chalcone derivatives) affects NAFLD progression by regulating miRNAs.

Hydrogen sulfide potentiates the protective effects of nitrite against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in type 2 diabetic rats.

Decreased heart levels of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (HS) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) are associated with a higher risk of mortality following ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. This study aimed to determine the effects of co-administration of sodium nitrite and sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH) on IR injury in the isolated heart from rats with T2D. Two-month-old male rats were divided into 5 groups (n = 7/group): Control, T2D, T2D + nitrite, T2D + NaSH, and T2D + nitrite + NaSH.

Association between serum hydrogen sulfide concentrations and dysglycemia: a population-based study.

Background And Aim: Hydrogen sulfide (HS), a signaling gasotransmitter, is involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Here, we aimed to assess the potential association between serum HS and dysglycemia in the framework of a population-based study.

Methods: Adults men and women with completed data (n = 798), who participated in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (2014-2017) were included in the study.