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Microwave vacuum drying is a novel and mild food preserving technology. Beside its basic preserving function, it can be combined with other technologies, like hot-air drying. As a result of this combination, special snack can be produced from apple. The product is characterized by its unique consistency, high nutritional value, and consumer preference. In this work physical (dry mass content, hardness, bulk density, and colour), sensory (appearance, colour, odour, taste, texture) and nutritional (antioxidant activity and total phenolics) properties of dried apple snack were investigated as a function of pre-drying, microwave energy input, and batch weight. For evaluation of data, central composite experimental design was applied. According to the results, the physical properties of products produced by microwave vacuum drying combined with hot-air pre-drying (CMVD) mainly depend on the specific energy input. Higher specific energy input results higher dry mass content, which is associated with harder consistency, lower bulk density, and positive consumer perception as well. Bulk density had an optimum point of batch weight at 336 g. Higher value of pre-dried dry mass content resulted lighter colour but less antioxidant activity and less total phenolics, therefore shorter hot-air drying and prolonged microwave vacuum drying is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To determine whether the anorexigenic peptide, nesfatin-1 affects energy expenditure, and to follow the time course of its effects.Design:Food intake duration, core body temperature, locomotor activity and heart rate of rats were measured by telemetry for 48 h after a single intracerebroventricular injection of 25 or 100 pmol nesfatin-1 applied in the dark or the light phase of the day. Body weight, food and water intake changes were measured daily. Furthermore, cold-responsive nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurons were mapped in the brain.Results:Nesfatin-1 reduced duration of nocturnal food intake for 2 days independently of circadian time injected, and raised body temperature immediately, or with little delay depending on the dose and circadian time applied. The body temperature remained higher during the next light phases of the 48 h observation period, and the circadian curve of temperature flattened. After light phase application, the heart rate was elevated transiently. Locomotion did not change. Daily food and water intake, as well as body weight measurements point to a potential decrease in all parameters on the first day and some degree of compensation on the second day. Cold-activated (Fos positive) nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurones have been revealed in several brain nuclei involved in cold adaptation. Nesfatin-1 co-localised with prepro-thyrotropin-releasing hormone in cold responsive neurones of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, and in neurones of the nucleus raphe pallidus and obscurus that are premotor neurones regulating brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and skin blood flow.Conclusion:Nesfatin-1 has a remarkably prolonged effect on food intake and body temperature. Time course of nesfatin-1's effects may be varied depending on the time applied. Many of the nesfatin-1/NUCB2 neurones are cold sensitive, and are positioned in key centres of thermoregulation. Nesfatin-1 regulates energy expenditure a far more potent way than it was recognised before making it a preferable candidate anti-obesity drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the parvocellular neurosecretory neurones of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus governs neuroendocrine stress cascade and is the major target of the negative feedback effect of corticosteroids. To assess whether glucocorticoids exert their inhibitory effect on CRH expression directly on parvocellular neurones or indirectly through a complex neuronal circuit, we examined the effect of corticosterone (CORT) and dexamethasone (DEX) on CRH mRNA levels in slice explant cultures of the rat hypothalamus. Organotypic slice cultures were prepared from 6 days old rat pups and maintained in vitro for 14 days. CRH mRNA expression was measured by in situ hybridisation histochemistry. Under basal conditions, CRH mRNA expressing cells were exclusively revealed in the paraventricular region along the third ventricle. Inhibition of action potential spike activity by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 μm) reduced CRH mRNA signal in the organotypic cultures. CORT (500 nm) or DEX (50 nm) treatment for 24 h significantly inhibited CRH expression in the parvocellular neurones and this effect of corticosteroids was not affected following blockade of voltage dependent sodium channels by TTX. Forskolin-stimulated CRH mRNA levels in the paraventricular nucleus were also inhibited by CORT or DEX in the presence and in the absence of TTX. These studies identify paraventricular CRH neurones as direct target of corticosteroid feedback. Type II corticosteroid receptor agonists act directly on paraventricular neurones to inhibit basal and forskolin-induced CRH mRNA expression in explant cultures of the rat hypothalamus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent or occasional symptomatic intradialytic hypotension during hemodialysis may influence patients' well being, but its effects on survival, independent of comorbidities, have not previously been investigated. To assess the effect of frequent (f-IDH) or occasional (o-IDH) dialysis-associated hypotension on survival. During the run in period in 1998, 77 patients with f-IDH (≥10 hypotensive events/10 months, responding only to medical intervention) and 101 patients with o-IDH (1 or 2 events/10 months) were identified among all 958 prevalent chronic hemodialysis patients of a network. Eighty-five patients who had no hypotensive episodes (no-IDH) served as controls. Patients were followed for a median of 27 months (range 0.3–37), and survival of patients was compared by log-rank test. Independent association of f-IDH and o-IDH on survival, compared to no-IDH, was assessed by proportional hazards model that included patient's demographics, laboratory data, comorbidity as well as medications. Forty-five patients (58%) with f-IDH, 47 (47%) with o-IDH, and 33 (39%) with no-IDH died during the follow up that represents mortality rates of 37 (p = 0.013 vs. no-IDH), 26 (p = 0.375 vs. no-IDH), and 21 deaths/100 patient years in the three groups, respectively. In multivariate proportional hazards regression, where age, sex, time on dialysis, CHD, diabetes, Kt/V, albumin level, use of beta-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and long-acting nitrates have been adjusted for, neither f-IDH nor o-IDH was associated with survival. Mortality in patients with f-IDH is significantly higher than in those without such events. Our data, however, did not provide evidence that f-IDH, independent of age and comorbidities, contributes to mortality in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]