This research work explores the application of toxicological and epidemiological methods in the risk-benefit assessment of soy isoflavones (SIF). Chapter 1 provides background information on various SIF, with emphasis on their structural similarity with estradiol and their interactions with...

Obesity in pet rabbits is a matter of concern due to its increasing prevalence and the clinical consequences attributed to it. The closer coexistence between these animals and their owners, associated with the supply of food and snacks in greater amount, along with the low energy expenditure due to ...

This thesis is based on ten peer-reviewed publications that focus on (i) endogenous factors that shape the composition of bacterial communities in a given host, (ii) selected dietary components that affect gut microbiota composition and function, and (iii) the targeted modulation by dietary...

Introduction and Objective: The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a promising diagnostic method. VOCs are generated during biochemical processes in the body and can get into various biological specimen (breath gas, faeces, urine) via the blood stream. The effects of physiological...

Leiomyosarcomas (LMS) are one of the most common soft tissue tumors in humans and typically show smooth-muscle differentiation. While these tumors can arise anywhere in the body, most LMS are found in the retroperitoneum, the extremities and the uterus. LMS are characterized by their aggressive...

Obesity is the most frequently diagnosed nutritional disorder in felines and it is considered a risk factor for the development of diseases. In humans, it is well known the association between adipose tissue and echocardiographic changes and the main changes are left ventricular hypertrophy, left...

The objective of the article was to employ the anterior chamber of the eye of mice as a transplantation site for biosensor-expressing reporter islets and the cornea as a natural body window to monitor beta-cell insulin resistance non-invasively and longitudinally by microscopic imaging. To study...

Regardless of the economic and social conditions of the populations, obesity worldwide is growing every year. Obesity is classified as a chronic non-transmissible disease (CNCD) that has several structural and metabolic effects on the heart, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral...

The alarming increase in obesity rates creates an urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. The most effective treatment for obesity today is bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery comprises a number of different procedures having in common that they induce weight loss and alter...

This thesis focuses on the adaptive capacity of white adipose tissue metabolism to improve the understanding of adipose tissue functioning. It addresses three important aspects that play a role in the development of diet-induced obesity and its pathologies with a focus on adipose tissue metabolism: ...