Empagliflozin Treatment Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis by Promoting White Adipose Expansion in Obese TallyHo Mice

Sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLTs) serve to reabsorb glucose in the kidney. Recently, these transporters, mainly SGLT2, have emerged as new therapeutic targets for patients with diabetes and kidney disease; by inhibiting glucose reabsorption, they promote glycosuria, weight loss, and improve glucose tolerance. They have also been linked to cardiac protection and mitigation of liver injury. However, to date, the mechanism(s) by which SGLT2 inhibition promotes systemic improvements is not fully appreciated. Using an obese TallyHo mouse model which recapitulates the human condition of diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), we sought to determine how modulation of renal glucose handling impacts liver structure and function. Apart from an attenuation of hyperglycemia, Empagliflozin was found to decrease circulating triglycerides and lipid accumulation in the liver in male TallyHo mice. This correlated with lowered hepatic cholesterol esters. Using in vivo MRI analysis, we further determined that the reduction in hepatic steatosis in male TallyHo mice was associated with an increase in nuchal white fat indicative of “healthy adipose expansion”. Notably, this whitening of the adipose came at the expense of brown adipose tissue. Collectively, these data indicate that the modulation of renal glucose handling has systemic effects and may be useful as a treatment option for NAFLD and steatohepatitis.     

Magnetic field contribution to the Lorentz model

The classical Lorentz model of dielectric dispersion is based on the microscopic Lorentz force relation and Newton's second law of motion for an ensemble of harmonically bound electrons. The magnetic field contribution in the Lorentz force relation is neglected because it is typically small in comparison with the electric field contribution. Inclusion of this term leads to a microscopic polarization density that contains both perpendicular and parallel components relative to the plane wave propagation vector. The modified parallel and perpendicular polarizabilities are both nonlinear in the local electric field strength.     

Platelet GPIIb-IIIa blockers

Regardless of the event that stimulates the aggregation of platelets, the receptor alpha(IIb)beta3--one of a family of adhesion receptors known as integrins--has a key role in the process. The past decade has seen the publication of 10 phase III (randomised) clinical trials of four members of a new class of antiplatelet drugs, the GPIIb-IIIa blockers, targeted at this important receptor. Three (abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban) are licensed for human use. 10 other GbIIb-IIIa blockers are in phase II or III human studies. In all 10 placebo-controlled trials, done in the clinical settings of percutaneous coronary intervention or acute coronary syndrome in patients on aspirin, the endpoints favoured the active drug, with a risk reduction for death or non-fatal myocardial infarction of about 21% overall. With attention to heparin dose the risk of bleeding is not a major concern with these agents. The GPIIb-IIIa blockers are taking the clinician and patient out of the era of aspirin monotherapy when platelet inhibition is required.     

Mathematical modeling of eggplant drying: Shrinkage effect

In this paper two mathematical models with shrinkage effect describing eggplant drying are developed and discussed. The models are both modified diffusion equations and take differently into account changes of eggplant slice structure during drying. In the first model a diffusion coefficient variable with the water content is considered while in the second model a fictitious convective term is introduced. The two models are both suitable to describe the analyzed drying processes. Moreover, their equivalence is analytically demonstrated. Parameters values are estimated through a nonlinear regression procedure by comparison with the drying experiments carried out at different temperatures. Information about thickness evolution, derived from the models, are found to be in agreement with experimental data.