and the results are (partially) in!

Look, another double post day!  (Lately, I've enjoyed breaking up my blog posts by subject and giving each section a cute title.  Don't forget to scroll down and make sure you haven't missed anything.)

So the results of my rat study are in.  My professor spent some time writing an abstract to submit to the Arizona Physiological Society, so that I can present the study at their meeting in November.  For those of you that don't know, an abstract is a summary of the results of a scientific study.  Rather than putting it in my own words, I think I will just copy and paste the abstract.  See what you think. :)

Comparison of the effects of either genistein or estradiol in ovariectomized rats.

D. Lucy, T. Djandjoulia, L. Batia, A. Peterson, T. Broderick and L. Al-Nakkash

Midwestern University, 19555 N. 59^th Ave, Glendale, AZ.85308.

Genistein, is purported to be an alternative to estrogen treatment for post-menopausal women. Given the known benefits of exercise to abate cardiovascular disease, in this study we examined the effects 6 weeks treatment with genistein (300 mg/kg/day, G), estradiol (10 mg/kg/day, E2) or control (Veh), with exercise (Ex) or without (Sed), on physical characteristics, blood pressures (BP), aortic measures and serum levels of NEFA, glucose, cholesterol in ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were randomly divided into the following groups (n=7-18/group); Veh-Sed, G-Sed, E2-Sed, Veh-Ex, G-Ex, E2-Ex. Diastolic BP and mean arterial BP were significantly decreased in the E2-Sed (74.4±2.4 and 86.7±2.2 mmHg respectively) and E2-Ex groups (68.9±4.3 and 82.0±4.0 mmHg respectively) compared to controls (86.7±1.9 and 97.2±1.9 mmHg respectively, P<0.05). Systolic BP and heart rate were significantly decreased in the E2-Ex group (105.7±1.9 mmHg and 325.6 ±17.5 beats/min) compared to controls (118.9±2.5 mmHg and 447.8±4.9 beats/min, P<0.05). We found no changes in pulse pressure and cardiac work for any of the groups. Final body weight was significantly decreased in E2-Sed (233.9±5.6 g) and E2-Ex (222.7±3.9 g) compared to controls (342.2±13.1 g, P<0.05). Heart and liver weight were significantly decreased in E2-Sed (0.8±0.02 g and 4.5±0.3 g respectively) and E2-Ex (0.7±0.02 g and 5.1±0.3 g respectively) compared to controls (0.9±0.02 g and 5.5± 0.3 respectively, P<0.05). Fat pad weight was significantly decreased in E2-Sed (5.6±0.8 g) and E2-Ex (5.1±0.7 g) compared to controls (18.3±1.9 g P<0.05). Femur weight was significantly decreased in E2-Sed (0.6±0.01 g respectively) and E2-Ex (0.6±0.01 g) compared to controls (0.8±0.02 g, P<0.05). We found no changes in serum levels of glucose, NEFA or cholesterol for any of the groups. Our data suggests that a 6-week treatment period of genistein or E2 results in disparate effects in physical characteristic and blood pressures. Dana Lucy was supported by the Midwestern University Summer Dental Fellowship Program. Layla Al-Nakkash was supported by NIH (1R15DK071625-01A2).

I'll post the "decoded" version soon.  Just want to keep you guys hanging for a bit!  Maybe you will surprise me and see the results hidden among the scientific jargon.  I know I can!