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Title:
Dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children and their parents in Taiwan
Authors:
Yen, Chin-En; Yen, Chi-Hua; Huang, Men-Chung; Cheng, Chien-Hsiang; Huang, Yi-Chia
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to assess and compare dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children and their parents. Fifty-six omnivores (28 children and 28 parents) and 42 vegetarians (21 preschool children with 18 lacto-ovo-vegetarians and 3 ovo-vegetarians; 21 parents with 16 lacto-ovo-vegetarians, 2 ovo-vegetarians, 1 lacto-vegetarian, and 2 vegans) were recruited. Anthropometric measurements were taken; body mass index and weight-for-height index (WHI) were calculated. Nutrient intake was recorded using 3-day dietary records. Fasting venous blood samples were obtained to estimate hematologic and vitamin status parameters. Height, weight, body mass index, WHI, and triceps skinfold thickness value differences between omnivores and vegetarians in both parent and child groups were not found. Both omnivorous parents and their children had significantly higher fat and lower fiber intakes than vegetarian parents and children. Omnivorous children had significantly higher protein and lower vitamin C intakes than vegetarian children, whereas omnivorous parents had significantly lower vitamin A and iron intakes than vegetarian parents. Vegetarians and omnivores in both parent and child groups had mean calcium consumption less than 75% of the Taiwan dietary intakes. All mean hematologic and biochemical nutrient status indices were within the reference range in any groups. However, both vegetarian parents and children had significantly lower mean total cholesterol and serum ferritin concentrations than those of omnivorous parents and children. Our vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children had normal growth and adequate nutritional status. However, both parents and children had inadequate calcium intakes, which may potentially affect bone health, especially for preschool children in the growing stage.
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Effect of Ramadan fasting on some indices of insulin resistance and components of the metabolic syndrome in healthy male adults.
Authors:
Shariatpanahi, Z. Vahdat; Shariatpanahi, M. Vahdat; Shahbazi, S.; Hossaini, A.; Abadi, A.
Abstract:
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on insulin sensitivity in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. Males (n 55; age 34.1 (sd 8.9) years) with the metabolic syndrome were studied. Blood pressure, waist circumference, body weight, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), TAG, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting blood insulin and insulin resistance indices (quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and reciprocal index of HOMA-IR (1/HOMA-IR)) were evaluated before and after 30 d of Ramadan fasting (two meals at 12 h intervals). The dietary intake was estimated by 24 h recall before and after fasting. The total daily energy intake was decreased by 234.6 (sd 88.2) kJ/d in the fasting period (P = 0.005). 1/HOMA-IR, QUICKI and HDL-C were significantly increased (P = 0.005, P = 0.001 and P = 0.004) and FPG significantly decreased (P < 0.005) after fasting. Simple linear regression analysis demonstrated that HOMA-IR, 1/HOMA-IR and QUICKI were related to waist circumference after intervention (r 0.458, P < 0.001; r - 0.396, P < 0.05; r - 0.342, P
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Fidelity of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in differentiating skeletal muscle from liver damage
Authors:
Rosales, Xiomara Q.; Chu, Mary-Lynn; Shilling, Christopher; Wall, Cheryl; Pastores, Gregory M.; Mendell, Jerry R.
Abstract:
This study tested the hypothesis that gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) can be used as a reliable biomarker to distinguish skeletal muscle from liver damage. Twenty-eight Duchenne muscular dystrophy subjects with proven dystrophin gene mutations were enrolled. Included were 14 ambulatory and 14 nonambulatory patients with approximately half of each cohort taking corticosteroids. Twenty normal males served as controls. Initial blood samples for serum GGT and creatine kinase were taken between 8AM and 9AM and redrawn 8 hours later to test for variability. Between blood draws, subjects resumed normal activities in a play environment or could leave the clinic. Not a single duchenne muscular dystrophy patient showed a GGT outside the control range at any time point, while creatine kinase levels were 14 to 200 times normal. Validation of this finding is essential for management of patients with muscle disorders exposed to potentially hepatotoxic drugs for clinical management or monitoring subjects participating in clinical trials.
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Highly Efficient, Functional Engraftment of Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells in Dystrophic Muscles
Authors:
Cerletti, Massimiliano; Jurga, Sara; Witczak, Carol A.; Hirshman, Michael F.; Shadrach, Jennifer L.; Goodyear, Laurie J.; Wagers, Amy J.
Abstract:
Satellite cells reside beneath the basal lamina of skeletal muscle fibers and include cells that act as precursors for muscle growth and repair. Although they share a common anatomical localization and typically are considered a homogeneous population, satellite cells actually exhibit substantial heterogeneity. We used cell-surface marker expression to purify from the satellite cell pool a distinct population of skeletal muscle precursors (SMPs) that function as muscle stem cells. When engrafted into muscle of dystrophin-deficient mdx mice, purified SMPs contributed to up to 94% of myofibers, restoring dystrophin expression and significantly improving muscle histology and contractile function. Transplanted SMPs also entered the satellite cell compartment, renewing the endogenous stem cell pool and participating in subsequent rounds of injury repair. Together, these studies indicate the presence in adult skeletal muscle of prospectively isolatable muscle-forming stem cells and directly demonstrate the efficacy of myogenic stem cell transplant for treating muscle degenerative disease.
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Ketone bodies as a therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease
Authors:
Henderson, Samuel T.
Abstract:
An early feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is region-specific declines in brain glucose metabolism. Unlike other tissues in the body, the brain does not efficiently metabolize fats; hence the adult human brain relies almost exclusively on glucose as an energy substrate. Therefore, inhibition of glucose metabolism can have profound effects on brain function. The hypometabolism seen in AD has recently attracted attention as a possible target for intervention in the disease process. One promising approach is to supplement the normal glucose supply of the brain with ketone bodies (KB), which include acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. KB are normally produced from fat stores when glucose supplies are limited, such as during prolonged fasting. KB have been induced both by direct infusion and by the administration of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-protein, ketogenic diets. Both approaches have demonstrated efficacy in animal models of neurodegenerative disorders and in human clinical trials, including AD trials. Much of the benefit of KB can be attributed to their ability to increase mitochondrial efficiency and supplement the brain's normal reliance on glucose. Research into the therapeutic potential of KB and ketosis represents a promising new area of AD research.
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Long-term treatment of familial male-limited precocious puberty (testotoxicosis) with cyproterone acetate or ketoconazole
Authors:
Almeida, Madson Queiroz; Brito, Vinicius Nahime; Lins, Thereza Selma S; Guerra-Junior, Gil; de Castro, Margaret; Antonini, Sonir Roberto; Arnhold, Ivo Jorge Prado; Mendonca, Berenice Bilharinho; Latronico, Ana Claudia
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Familial male-limited precocious puberty (FMPP) or testotoxicosis is a rare gonadotrophin-independent form of sexual precocity caused by constitutively activating mutations of the LH receptor. Several clinical therapeutic approaches have been reported for this disorder, but with a paucity of long-term outcome data. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term treatment of testotoxicosis with cyproterone acetate or ketoconazole. DESIGN: A multicentric retrospective clinical study. PATIENTS: Ten boys from eight unrelated Brazilian families who carried known LH-receptor activating mutations were treated with 70 mg/m(2) cyproterone acetate (n = 5) or 10 mg/kg ketoconazole (n = 5) for a mean period of 5 and 8 years, respectively. MEASUREMENTS: Chronological and bone ages, bone age/chronological age ratio, target height (TH) range, adult height, basal and GnRH-stimulated gonadotrophin levels and basal testosterone levels were assessed. RESULTS: Growth velocity decreased significantly during treatment with cyproterone acetate or ketoconazole when compared to pretreatment value in each group (P < 0.05). Bone age/chronological age ratio decreased significantly after cyproterone acetate or ketoconazole therapy. Basal testosterone levels were significantly lower in patients undergoing ketoconazole compared to cyproterone acetate treatment [0.6 +/- 0.3 nmol/l (42 +/- 21 ng/dl) vs. 5.6 +/- 4.0 nmol/l (392 +/- 280 ng/dl); P
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Metabolomics provide new insight on the metabolism of dietary phytochemicals in rats
Authors:
Fardet A; Llorach R; Orsoni A; Martin JF; Pujos-Guillot E; Lapierre C; Scalbert A; Fardet, Anthony; Llorach, Rafael; Orsoni, Alexina; Martin, Jean-François; Pujos-Guillot, Estelle; Lapierre, Catherine; Scalbert, Augustin
Abstract:
Foods of plant origin contain a large number of phytochemicals that may positively affect health. Phytochemicals are largely excreted in urine as metabolites that are formed in host tissues or by the microbiota and constitute a great proportion of the urinary metabolome. The latter can be characterized by a metabolomics approach. In this work, we compared the metabolism of lignins to that of the structurally related ferulic acid (FA) and sinapic acid (SA). Five groups of rats (n = 5) were fed for 2 d a purified diet alone [control (C)] or supplemented with lignin-enriched wheat bran (3% of the diet, wt:wt), poplar wood lignins (0.42%), FA (0.42%), or SA (0.42%). The metabolomes of urine samples collected after 1 and 2 d of supplementation were analyzed by high-resolution MS (liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight). Comparing metabolic fingerprints by gathering semiquantitative information on several hundreds of metabolites and using multivariate statistical analysis (partial least squares for discriminant analysis) showed the similarity between both lignin-supplemented and C groups and confirmed that lignins are largely inert and not absorbed in the body. One the other hand, metabolic fingerprints of the 2 phenolic acid-supplemented groups were clearly distinct from the C group. Differences between the groups were mainly from nonmetabolized FA and SA and metabolites excreted in urine. Thirteen of them were identified as sulfate esters and glucuronide and glycine conjugates of the same phenolic acids, and of dihydrosinapic, vanillic, and benzoic acids. This study shows that metabolomics allows the identification of new metabolites of phytochemicals and can be used to distinguish individuals fed different phytochemical-containing foods.
Published:
2008-07
Title:
Change in quality of life and immune markers after a stay at a raw vegan institute: a pilot study
Authors:
Link, Lilli B.; Hussaini, Najeeb S.; Jacobson, Judith S.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore changes in quality of life (QOL), anxiety, stress, and immune markers after a stay at a raw vegan institute. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: English-speaking attendees at Hippocrates Health Institute (Florida, US), a raw vegan institute, were recruited on arrival and typically stayed 1-3 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants completed questionnaires assessing overall QOL (SF-36), dietary QOL (QOL related to dietary change), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety, and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) upon arrival and 12 weeks later. C-reactive protein (CRP), lymphocytes, T cells, CD4 cells, CD8 cells, B cells, and NK cells were measured at baseline and 12 weeks in participants living in North America. RESULTS: Of 107 attendees eligible for the questionnaire study and 82 for the blood marker substudy, 51 and 38 participants, respectively, provided complete follow-up data. Overall QOL improved 11.5% (p=0.001), driven mostly by the mental component. Anxiety decreased 18.6% (p=0.009) and perceived stress decreased 16.4% (p
Published:
2008-06
Title:
Development of type 2 diabetes following intrauterine growth retardation in rats is associated with progressive epigenetic silencing of Pdx1
Authors:
Park, Jun H.; Stoffers, Doris A.; Nicholls, Robert D.; Simmons, Rebecca A.
Abstract:
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) has been linked to the onset of diseases in adulthood, including type 2 diabetes, and has been proposed to result from altered gene regulation patterns due to epigenetic modifications of developmental genes. To determine whether epigenetic modifications may play a role in the development of adult diabetes following IUGR, we used a rodent model of IUGR that expresses lower levels of Pdx1, a pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 transcription factor critical for beta cell function and development, which develops diabetes in adulthood. We found that expression of Pdx1 was permanently reduced in IUGR beta cells and underwent epigenetic modifications throughout development. The fetal IUGR state was characterized by loss of USF-1 binding at the proximal promoter of Pdx1, recruitment of the histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and the corepressor Sin3A, and deacetylation of histones H3 and H4. Following birth, histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) was demethylated and histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) was methylated. During the neonatal period, these epigenetic changes and the reduction in Pdx1 expression could be reversed by HDAC inhibition. After the onset of diabetes in adulthood, the CpG island in the proximal promoter was methylated, resulting in permanent silencing of the Pdx1 locus. These results provide insight into the development of type 2 diabetes following IUGR and we believe they are the first to describe the ontogeny of chromatin remodeling in vivo from the fetus to the onset of disease in adulthood.
Published:
2008-06
Title:
Disturbed hepatic carbohydrate management during high metabolic demand in medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD)-deficient mice
Authors:
Herrema, Hilde; Derks, Terry G. J.; van Dijk, Theo H.; Bloks, Vincent W.; Gerding, Albert; Havinga, Rick; Tietge, Uwe J. F.; Müller, Michael; Smit, G. Peter A.; Kuipers, Folkert; Reijngoud, Dirk-Jan
Abstract:
Medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase (MCAD) catalyzes crucial steps in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, a process that is of key relevance for maintenance of energy homeostasis, especially during high metabolic demand. To gain insight into the metabolic consequences of MCAD deficiency under these conditions, we compared hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in vivo in wild-type and MCAD(-/-) mice during fasting and during a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute phase response (APR). MCAD(-/-) mice did not become more hypoglycemic on fasting or during the APR than wild-type mice did. Nevertheless, microarray analyses revealed increased hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (Pgc-1alpha) and decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (Ppar alpha) and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (Pdk4) expression in MCAD(-/-) mice in both conditions, suggesting altered control of hepatic glucose metabolism. Quantitative flux measurements revealed that the de novo synthesis of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) was not affected on fasting in MCAD(-/-) mice. During the APR, however, this flux was significantly decreased (-20%) in MCAD(-/-) mice compared with wild-type mice. Remarkably, newly formed G6P was preferentially directed toward glycogen in MCAD(-/-) mice under both conditions. Together with diminished de novo synthesis of G6P, this led to a decreased hepatic glucose output during the APR in MCAD(-/-) mice; de novo synthesis of G6P and hepatic glucose output were maintained in wild-type mice under both conditions. APR-associated hypoglycemia, which was observed in wild-type mice as well as MCAD(-/-) mice, was mainly due to enhanced peripheral glucose uptake. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that MCAD deficiency in mice leads to specific changes in hepatic carbohydrate management on exposure to metabolic stress. This deficiency, however, does not lead to reduced de novo synthesis of G6P during fasting alone, which may be due to the existence of compensatory mechanisms or limited rate control of MCAD in murine mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation.
Published:
2008-06
Title:
Effects of meat consumption and vegetarian diet on risk of wrist fracture over 25 years in a cohort of peri- and postmenopausal women
Authors:
Thorpe, Donna L.; Knutsen, Synnove F.; Beeson, W. Lawrence; Rajaram, Sujatha; Fraser, Gary E.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Evidence suggesting that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may be beneficial to bone health has sparked interest in the potential benefit of a vegetarian diet. However, other studies have raised a question regarding the adequacy of protein in such a diet. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to take a whole foods approach in examining the effects of foods high in protein on the risk of wrist fracture (WF) in a cohort with a significant proportion consuming a meat-free diet. DESIGN: A cohort study of women who completed two lifestyle surveys 25 years apart. SUBJECTS: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five peri- and postmenopausal women at the time of the first survey. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between meat consumption and foods high in vegetable protein. Among vegetarians, those who consumed the least vegetable protein intake were at highest risk for fracture. However, increasing levels of plant-based high-protein foods decreased WF risk, with a 68% reduction in risk (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.79) in the highest intake group. Among those with lowest vegetable protein consumption, increasing meat intake decreased the risk of WF, with the highest consumption decreasing risk by 80% (HR = 0.20, 95% CI 0.06-0.66). CONCLUSIONS: The finding that higher consumption frequencies of foods rich in protein were associated with reduced WF supports the importance of adequate protein for bone health. The similarity in risk reduction by vegetable protein foods compared with meat intake suggests that adequate protein intake is attainable in a vegetarian diet.
Published:
2008-06
Title:
Effects of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency on brain development in children
Authors:
Black, Maureen M.
Abstract:
Folate deficiency in the periconceptional period contributes to neural tube defects; deficits in vitamin B12 (cobalamin) have negative consequences on the developing brain during infancy; and deficits of both vitamins are associated with a greater risk of depression during adulthood. This review examines two mechanisms linking folate and vitamin B12 deficiency to abnormal behavior and development in infants: disruptions to myelination and inflammatory processes. Future investigations should focus on the relationship between the timing of deficient and marginal vitamin B12 status and outcomes such as infant growth, cognition, social development, and depressive symptoms, along with prevention of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency.
Published:
2008-06
Title:
Urine pH is an indicator of dietary acid-base load, fruit and vegetables and meat intakes: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk population study
Authors:
Welch AA; Mulligan A; Bingham SA; Khaw KT
Abstract:
Published:
2008-06
Title:
[Ketogenic diets and weight loss: basis and effectiveness]
Authors:
Pérez-Guisado, Joaquín
Abstract:
The international consensus is that carbohydrates are the basis of the food pyramid of a healthy diet. Today's specialists believe that the best way to lose weight is by cutting down on calories, essentialy in the form of fat. However, this paper will clarify that ketogenic diets are, from a physiological, biochemicale and practical point of view, a much more effective way of losing weight, since such diets provide metabolic advantages such as the capacity to preserve muscle mass, reduce appetite, to have a lower metabolic efficiency, produce a metabolic activation of thermogenesis and favour a greater fat loss even with a greater number of calories.
Published:
2008-06
Title:
Abuse potential of carbohydrates for overweight carbohydrate cravers
Authors:
Spring, Bonnie; Schneider, Kristin; Smith, Malaina; Kendzor, Darla; Appelhans, Bradley; Hedeker, Donald; Pagoto, Sherry
Abstract:
RATIONALE: The long-rejected construct of food addiction is undergoing re-examination. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether a novel carbohydrate food shows abuse potential for rigorously defined carbohydrate cravers, as evidenced by selective self-administration and mood enhancement during double-blind discrimination testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Discrete trials choice testing was performed with 61 overweight (BMI m = 27.64, SD = 2.59) women (ages 18-45; 19.70% African American) whose diet records showed >4 weekly afternoon/evening emotional-eating episodes confined to snacks with carbohydrate to protein ratio of >6:1. After being induced into a sad mood, participants were exposed, double-blind and in counterbalanced order, to taste-matched carbohydrate and protein beverages. They were asked to choose and self-administer the drink that made them feel better. RESULTS: Women overwhelmingly chose the carbohydrate beverage, even though blinded. Mixed-effects regression modeling, controlling for beverage order, revealed greater liking and greater reduction in dysphoria after administration of the carbohydrate beverage compared to the protein beverage but no differential effect on vigor. CONCLUSION: For women who crave them, carbohydrates appear to display abuse potential, plausibly contributing to overconsumption and overweight.
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Adipocyte dysfunctions linking obesity to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
Authors:
Guilherme, Adilson; Virbasius, Joseph V.; Puri, Vishwajeet; Czech, Michael P.
Abstract:
Acquired resistance to the action of insulin to stimulate glucose transport in skeletal muscle is associated with obesity and promotes the development of type 2 diabetes. In skeletal muscle, insulin resistance can result from high levels of circulating fatty acids that disrupt insulin signalling pathways. However, the severity of insulin resistance varies greatly among obese people. Here we postulate that this variability might reflect differences in levels of lipid-droplet proteins that promote the sequestration of fatty acids within adipocytes in the form of triglycerides, thereby lowering exposure of skeletal muscle to the inhibitory effects of fatty acids.
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Antioxidant capacity contributes to protection of ketone bodies against oxidative damage induced during hypoglycemic conditions
Authors:
Haces, María L.; Hernández-Fonseca, Karla; Medina-Campos, Omar N.; Montiel, Teresa; Pedraza-Chaverri, José; Massieu, Lourdes
Abstract:
Ketone bodies play a key role in mammalian energy metabolism during the suckling period. Normally ketone bodies' blood concentration during adulthood is very low, although it can rise during starvation, an exogenous infusion or a ketogenic diet. Whenever ketone bodies' levels increase, their oxidation in the brain rises. For this reason they have been used as protective molecules against refractory epilepsy and in experimental models of ischemia and excitotoxicity. The mechanisms underlying the protective effect of these compounds are not completely understood. Here, we studied a possible antioxidant capacity of ketone bodies and whether it contributes to the protection against oxidative damage induced during hypoglycemia. We report for the first time the scavenging capacity of the ketone bodies, acetoacetate (AcAc) and both the physiological and non-physiological isomers of beta-hydroxybutyrate (D- and L-BHB, respectively), for diverse reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hydroxyl radicals (.OH) were effectively scavenged by D- and L-BHB. In addition, the three ketone bodies were able to reduce cell death and ROS production induced by the glycolysis inhibitor, iodoacetate (IOA), while only D-BHB and AcAc prevented neuronal ATP decline. Finally, in an in vivo model of insulin-induced hypoglycemia, the administration of D- or L-BHB, but not of AcAc, was able to prevent the hypoglycemia-induced increase in lipid peroxidation in the rat hippocampus. Our data suggest that the antioxidant capacity contributes to protection of ketone bodies against oxidative damage in in vitro and in vivo models associated with free radical production and energy impairment.
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Beef meat promotion of dimethylhydrazine-induced colorectal carcinogenesis biomarkers is suppressed by dietary calcium
Authors:
Pierre F; Santarelli R; Taché S; Guéraud F; Corpet DE
Abstract:
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Evolution of the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: a review
Authors:
Findling, Robert L.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Efficacious and well-tolerated medications are available for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stimulants such as methylphenidate (MPH) and amphetamines are the most widely used medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of ADHDin children. OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the literature on the development and use of medications for the treatment of ADHD in children. METHODS: A search of MEDLINE was conducted toidentify relevant studies and critical reviews on the treatment of ADHD in children. The main criteria for inclusion of a study were that it have a controlled design, enroll >100 subjects if a clinical trial and >20 subjects if a classroom study, assess symptoms with the most widely used scales and tests,and be published from 2000 to 2008.A few older pivotal studies were also included. RESULTS: Many studies have reported the long-term efficacy and tolerability of immediate-release formulations of MPH. The disadvantages of such formulations include the need for multiple daily dosing and a potential for abuse. Various extended-release formulations of MPH have been found effective in controlled studies enrolling large numbers of children with ADHD. The efficacy and tolerability of dexmethylphenidate, the active D-isomer of MPH, in an extended-release formulation have also been reported. An extended-release formulation of mixed amphetamine salts (MMAS-XR) that is dosed once daily has been found to be efficacious and well tolerated. The non-stimulant atomoxetine has been reported to be well tolerated and efficacious, although it may not be as effective as stimulants; this formulation is, however, less likely than stimulants to be associated with abuse and diversion. A recently approved prodrug stimulant, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX), was developed to provide a long duration of effect that is consistent throughout the day, with a reduced potential for abuse. In a placebo-controlled study in children with ADHD, less intersubject variability in T(max), C(max), and AUC from time zero to the last quantifiable concentration was seen in the 8 subjects who received LDX (percent coefficient of variation, 15.3, 20.3, and 21.6, respectively) compared with the 9 subjects who received MAS-XR (52.8, 44.0, and 42.8).In 2 clinical trials, significantly greater improvements in teacher and parent ratings of ADHD symptoms were seen with LDX compared with placebo (P
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Health, ethics and environment: a qualitative study of vegetarian motivations
Authors:
Fox, Nick; Ward, Katie
Abstract:
This qualitative study explored the motivations of vegetarians by means of online ethnographic research with participants in an international message board. The researcher participated in discussions on the board, gathered responses to questions from 33 participants, and conducted follow-up e-mail interviews with 18 of these participants. Respondents were predominantly from the US, Canada and the UK. Seventy per cent were females, and ages ranged from 14 to 53, with a median of 26 years. Data were analysed using a thematic approach. While this research found that health and the ethical treatment of animals were the main motivators for participants' vegetarianism, participants reported a range of commitments to environmental concerns, although in only one case was environmentalism a primary motivator for becoming a vegetarian. The data indicate that vegetarians may follow a trajectory, in which initial motivations are augmented over time by other reasons for sustaining or further restricting their diet.
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Identification, classification, and expression of RAGE gene splice variants
Authors:
Hudson, Barry I.; Carter, Angela M.; Harja, Evis; Kalea, Anastasia Z.; Arriero, Maria; Yang, Hojin; Grant, Peter J.; Schmidt, Ann Marie
Abstract:
The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a single-transmembrane, multiligand receptor of the immunoglobulin superfamily. RAGE up-regulation is implicated in numerous pathological states including vascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegeneration. The understanding of the regulation of RAGE is important in both disease pathogenesis and normal homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate the characterization and identification of human RAGE splice variants by analysis of RAGE cDNA from tissue and cells. We identified a vast range of splice forms that lead to changes in the protein coding region of RAGE, which we have classified according to the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC). These resulted in protein changes in the ligand-binding domain of RAGE or the removal of the transmembrane domain and cytosolic tail. Analysis of splice variants for premature termination codons reveals approximately 50% of identified variants are targeted to the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway. Expression analysis revealed the RAGE_v1 variant to be the primary secreted soluble isoform of RAGE. Taken together, identification of functional splice variants of RAGE underscores the biological diversity of the RAGE gene and will aid in the understanding of the gene in the normal and pathological state.
Published:
2008-05
Title:
Inclusions, exclusions and transitions: Torres Strait Islander constructed landscapes over the past 4000 years, northeast Australia
Authors:
McNiven, I. J.
Abstract:
Many hunter-gatherer-cultivators, including Indigenous Australians, intentionally manipulated their environments via three broad processes -- inclusions (plant and animal translocations), exclusions (quarantining of certain plants and animals) and transitions (in situ change of biotas, landforms and hydrologies, often through fire). These environmental changes resulted in deliberately and strategically `constructed landscapes' that not only supported societies but also established new contexts and conditions for cultural change. The structured and structuring nature of constructed landscapes is explored across the islands of Torres Strait of northeast Australia during the mid to late Holocene. Torres Strait Islanders deliberately imported and established the dog (dingo) while actively ensuring that cuscuses, cassowaries and pigs imported from New Guinea never produced viable populations on islands. Floral resources of islands were augmented by introducing a range of food crop staples and raw material plants through long-established contacts with peoples from New Guinea and more recent contacts with outsiders during the colonial era. Fire was a key tool of in situ vegetation change resulting in forest clearance and lowland sedimentation. These terrestrial activities supported, maintained and in some cases entrenched specialized marine lifeways in the region. In many respects, Torres Strait Islanders engineered the deterministic qualities of their own environment. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
Published:
2008-05
Title:
ACNP White Paper: Update on Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Elderly Persons with Dementia
Authors:
Jeste, Dilip V; Blazer, Dan; Casey, Daniel; Meeks, Thomas; Salzman, Carl; Schneider, Lon; Tariot, Pierre; Yaffe, Kristine
Abstract:
In elderly persons, antipsychotic drugs are clinically prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). The largest number of antipsychotic prescriptions in older adults is for behavioral disturbances associated with dementia. In April 2005, the FDA, based on a metaanalysis of 17 double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials among elderly people with dementia, determined that atypical antipsychotics were associated with a significantly (1.6−1.7 times) greater mortality risk compared with placebo, and asked that drug manufacturers add a ‘black box’ warning to prescribing information for these drugs. Most deaths were due to either cardiac or infectious causes, the two most common immediate causes of death in dementia in general. Clinicians, patients, and caregivers are left with unclear choices of treatment for dementia patients with psychosis and/or severe agitation. Not only are psychosis and agitation common in persons with dementia but they also frequently cause considerable caregiver distress and hasten institutionalization of patients. At the same time, there is a paucity of evidence-based treatment alternatives to antipsychotics for this population. Thus, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that psychotropics other than antipsychotics represent an overall effective and safe, let alone better, treatment choice for psychosis or agitation in dementia; currently no such treatment has been approved by the FDA for these symptoms. Similarly, the data on the efficacy of specific psychosocial treatments in patients with dementia are limited and inconclusive. The goal of this White Paper is to review relevant issues and make clinical and research recommendations regarding the treatment of elderly dementia patients with psychosis and/or agitation. The role of shared decision making and caution in using pharmacotherapy for these patients is stressed.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Analysis of the adult human plasma metabolome
Authors:
Lawton, Kay A.; Hanson, Richard W.
Abstract:
Objective: It is well established that disease states are associated with biochemical changes (e.g., diabetes/glucose, cardiovascular disease/cholesterol), as are responses to chemical agents (e.g., medications, toxins, xenobiotics). Recently, nontargeted methods have been used to identify the small molecules (metabolites) in a biological sample to uncover many of the biochemical changes associated with a disease state or chemical response. Given that these experimental results may be influenced by the composition of the cohort, in the present study we assessed the effects of age, sex and race on the relative concentrations of small molecules (metabolites) in the blood of healthy adults. Methods: Using gas- and liquid-chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry, a nontargeted metabolomic analysis was performed on plasma collected from an age- and sex-balanced cohort of 269 individuals. Results: Of the more than 300 unique compounds that were detected, significant changes in the relative concentration of more than 100 metabolites were associated with age. Many fewer differences were associated with sex and fewer still with race. Changes in protein, energy and lipid metabolism, as well as oxidative stress, were observed with increasing age. Tricarboxylic acid intermediates, creatine, essential and nonessential amino acids, urea, ornithine, polyamines and oxidative stress markers (e.g., oxoproline, hippurate) increased with age. Compounds related to lipid metabolism, including fatty acids, carnitine, bβ-hydroxybutyrate and cholesterol, were lower in the blood of younger individuals. By contrast, relative concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (a proposed antiaging androgen) were lowest in the oldest age group. Certain xenobiotics (e.g., caffeine) were higher in older subjects, possibly reflecting decreases in hepatic cytochrome P450 activity. Conclusions:Our nontargeted analytical approach detected a large number of metabolites, including those that were found to be statistically altered with age, sex or race. Age-associated changes were more pronounced than those related to differences in sex or race in the population group we studied. Age, sex and race can be confounding factors when comparing different groups in clinical studies. Future studies to determine the influence of diet, lifestyle and medication are also warranted.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Beyond the 'typical' patient: treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in preschoolers and adults
Authors:
Vaughan, Brigette S.; Wetzel, Martin W.; Kratochvil, Christopher J.
Abstract:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), typically affects school-aged children, but can present during the preschool years and persist into adulthood. Accurate diagnosis for preschoolers and adults requires adaptation of the current diagnostic criteria to account for differences in symptomatology across the age span. The differential diagnosis of ADHD and the pattern of psychiatric comorbidity vary with each age group and complicate diagnosis and management. To maximize outcomes clinicians must be able to accurately identify ADHD across the lifespan, and develop comprehensive, collaborative treatment plans. The Preschool ADHD Treatment Study (PATS) demonstrated the potential utility of methylphenidate for treating ADHD in preschoolers, and trials of psychostimulants and atomoxetine have shown some benefits for adults. Behavioural interventions likely have an adjunctive role in ADHD treatment for both groups. More research, however, is needed to determine the safest and most effective pharmacotherapies and psychosocial interventions for these non-typical patients.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Bioavailability of Alpha-Linolenic Acid in Subjects After Ingestion of Three Different Forms of Flaxseed
Authors:
Ja, Austria; Mn, Richard; Mn, Chahine; Al, Edel; Lj, Malcolmson; Cm, Dupasquier; Gn, Pierce
Abstract:
In summary, ingestion of flax oil and milled flaxseed delivered significant levels of ALA to the plasma whereas whole flaxseed did not. Whole seed and oil preparations induced adverse gastrointestinal effects within 4 weeks and these were severe enough to induce the withdrawal of some subjects from …
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Consumption of restructured meat products with added walnuts has a cholesterol-lowering effect in subjects at high cardiovascular risk: a randomised, crossover, placebo-controlled study
Authors:
Olmedilla-Alonso, B.; Granado-Lorencio, F.; Herrero-Barbudo, C.; Blanco-Navarro, I.; Blázquez-García, S.; Pérez-Sacristán, B.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Diet and lifestyle are modifiable factors involved in the development and prevention of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Nut consumption, particularly walnut intake, has been inversely related to incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in observational studies and to improved lipid profiles in short-term feeding trials. OBJECTIVE: To assess the potential functional effect associated with the regular consumption of walnut-enriched restructured meat products in subjects at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). DESIGN: A crossover single-dose bioavailability study (n = 3) using gamma-tocopherol as exposure marker and a crossover unblinded dietary intervention study (5 weeks) in subjects at risk (n = 25). Dietary intervention consisted of regular consumption of the meat product, with or without walnuts, five times per week for five weeks with a 1-month washout in between. Overnight fasting blood samples were collected on days 0, 12, 21, 28 and 35, coinciding with blood pressure and body weight recordings. Participants were asked to complete a diet record throughout the study. The functional effects were assessed using clinically relevant and related biomarkers of CHD: serum total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols, homocysteine, vitamins B(6) and B(12), folic acid, alpha-tocopherol and platelet function test (obturation time). RESULTS: The regular consumption of walnut-enriched meat products compared with that of the restructured meat products without added walnuts provokes a decrease in total cholesterol of 6.8 mg/dl (CI(95%): -12.8, -0.85). Compared to baseline (mixed diet), meat products with walnuts decreased total cholesterol (-10.7 mg/dl, CI(95%): -17.1, -4.2), LDL cholesterol (-7.6 mg/dl, CI(95%): -2.2, -13.0) and body weight (-0.5 kg, CI(95%): -0.1, -0.9) and increased gamma-tocopherol (8.9 mg/dl, CI(95%): 1.0, 16.8). CONCLUSIONS: The restructured meat products with added walnuts supplied in this study can be considered functional foods for subjects at high risk for CVD, as their regular consumption provokes a reduction in total cholesterol of 4.5% with respect to baseline values (mixed diet) and 3% with respect to the restructured meat without walnuts.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Effect of early childhood malnutrition on tooth eruption in Haitian adolescents
Authors:
Psoter, W.; Gebrian, B.; Prophete, S.; Reid, B.; Katz, R.
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to determine the effects of early childhood protein-energy malnutrition (EC-PEM) and current nutritional status as defined by anthropomorphic measures on the exfoliation and eruption patterns of teeth among adolescents. METHODS: Oral clinical examinations were conducted in 2005 using World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria on 498 11- to 13-year-old Haitians for whom early childhood malnutrition data were available. Anthropomorphic records (weight-for-age) from the Haitian Health Foundation computerized database on children from birth through 5-years old were utilized. Current heights and weights were ascertained. Both sets of data were converted to z-scores based on the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) referent database. Based upon these z-scores, EC-PEM and current malnutrition categories were developed for this study. The analyses separately regressed the number of primary and permanent teeth on age, gender, EC-PEM status and current nutritional status. RESULTS: Both a delayed exfoliation of primary teeth and a delayed eruption of permanent teeth were associated with EC-PEM and current stunting in adolescence. The observed associations were either direct and statistically significant or indirectly demonstrated by presenting evidence of confounding. The overall interpretation of the models is that malnutrition beginning in the earliest years and extending throughout childhood influences the exfoliation and eruption of teeth. CONCLUSION: These findings present evidence of an association between tooth exfoliation/eruption patterns and both EC-PEM and nutritional insufficiency (stunting) throughout childhood. This observed delay in the exfoliation of the primary dentition and in the eruption of the permanent dentition has practical significance in interpreting age-specific dental caries data from populations with different malnutrition experiences.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Evaluation and treatment of hirsutism in premenopausal women: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline
Authors:
Martin, Kathryn A; Chang, R Jeffrey; Ehrmann, David A; Ibáñez, Lourdes; Lobo, Rogerio A; Rosenfield, Robert L; Shapiro, Jerry; Montori, Victor M; Swiglo, Brian A
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to develop clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of hirsutism in premenopausal women. PARTICIPANTS: The Task Force was composed of a chair, selected by the Clinical Guidelines Subcommittee (CGS) of The Endocrine Society, six additional experts, two methodologists, and a medical writer. The Task Force received no corporate funding or remuneration. EVIDENCE: Systematic reviews of available evidence were used to formulate the key treatment and prevention recommendations. We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) group criteria to describe both the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations. We used "recommend" for strong recommendations, and "suggest" for weak recommendations. CONSENSUS PROCESS: Consensus was guided by systematic reviews of evidence and discussions during one group meeting, several conference calls, and e-mail communications. The drafts prepared by the Task Force with the help of a medical writer were reviewed successively by The Endocrine Society's CGS, Clinical Affairs Core Committee (CACC), and Council. The version approved by the CGS and CACC was placed on The Endocrine Society's Web site for comments by members. At each stage of review, the Task Force received written comments and incorporated needed changes. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest testing for elevated androgen levels in women with moderate or severe hirsutism or hirsutism of any degree when it is sudden in onset, rapidly progressive, or associated with other abnormalities such as menstrual dysfunction, obesity, or clitoromegaly. For women with patient-important hirsutism despite cosmetic measures, we suggest either pharmacological therapy or direct hair removal methods. For pharmacological therapy, we suggest oral contraceptives for the majority of women, adding an antiandrogen after 6 months if the response is suboptimal. We recommend against antiandrogen monotherapy unless adequate contraception is used. We suggest against using insulin-lowering drugs. For women who choose hair removal therapy, we suggest laser/photoepilation.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Gender differences in ADHD: implications for psychosocial treatments
Authors:
Rucklidge, Julia J.
Abstract:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has now been recognized to exist in both males and females, albeit the literature supports a higher prevalence in males. However, when girls are diagnosed with ADHD, they are more often diagnosed as predominantly inattentive than boys with ADHD. This paper provides a review of gender differences noted across the lifespan in terms of psychosocial functioning, cognitive abilities and psychiatric comorbidities. Males and females with ADHD are more similar than different, and generally symptoms of ADHD are not sex specific. Small gender differences have been found: adolescent girls with ADHD have lower self-efficacy and poorer coping strategies than adolescent boys with ADHD, but these differences tend to disappear by adulthood; rates of depression and anxiety may be higher (especially in adolescence) while physical aggression and other externalizing behaviors may be lower in girls and women with ADHD, although not all studies support these findings (e.g., non-referred samples show similar rates of coexisting psychiatric disorders between boys and girls with ADHD). However, many studies suffer from small sample sizes, referral biases, differences in diagnostic procedures and possible rater influences. Psychosocial treatments are reviewed and discussed with reference to the reported gender differences in functioning as well as the global deficits noted in all samples. Although the data available so far suggest that psychosocial treatments are likely to be equally effective in males and females, this conclusion is based more on the small number of gender differences noted in overall functioning and less on empirical research on treatment by sex effects and the moderating role of sex, an effect only investigated by the Multi-modal Treatment Study of ADHD group, to date. Future research should include equal representation of both sexes in samples such that treatment analyses by gender can be routinely conducted.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
IgE-mediated food hypersensitivity disorders
Authors:
Gotua, M.; Lomidze, N.; Dolidze, N.; Gotua, T.
Abstract:
Food allergy has become a serious health concern especially in developed countries in the past two decades. In general population approximately 4-6% of children and 1-3% of adults experience food allergy. The article reviews IgE-mediated food hypersensitivity disorders. Epidemiology, Mechanism, Clinical manifestations, Genetically modified crops (GMOs), Diagnosis, Prevention and Treatment of IgE-mediated food allergies are discussed. The investigations show that over 90% of IgE-mediated food allergies in childhood are caused by: cow's milk, hen's egg, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish and shellfish. Also the causes of food allergy are food additives, genetically modified crops. Risk factors for food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis include asthma and previous allergic reactions to the causative food. Food allergy is one of the most common causes of systematic anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions, with an annual incidence of four cases per million populations and estimated 500 deaths annually. In addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, individuals may experience urticaria, angioedema, atopic dermatitis, oral syndrome, asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, hypotension, shock and cardiac arrhythmias, caused by the massive release of mediators from mast cells and basophiles. Diagnosis of food allergy is based on history, detailed dietary analysis, skin testing, measuring specific IgE in blood serum and challenge tests. Treatment and prevention includes: avoidance diet, application of auto-injectable epinephrine, H1 and H2 antihistamines, corticosteroids, antileukotrienes, prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors, cromolyn sodium, etc.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Influence of moderate energy restriction and seafood consumption on bone turnover in overweight young adults
Authors:
Lucey, Alice J.; Paschos, George K.; Cashman, Kevin D.; Martínéz, J. Alfredo; Thorsdottir, Inga; Kiely, Máireád
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are increasing in young adults. However, moderate energy restriction aimed at lowering body weight may promote bone turnover and bone loss. Inclusion of fish or fish oils in a weight-loss diet may attenuate these adverse skeletal effects. OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of incorporating fish or fish oil into an energy-restricted diet on bone turnover markers in young overweight adults. DESIGN: While following a strict hypoenergetic (-30% relative to estimated requirements) diet for 8 wk, 276 overweight men and women [body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 27.5-32.5; age: 20-40 y) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary groups: sunflower-oil capsules (3 g/d; control), cod (3 x 150 g/wk), salmon (3 x 150 g/wk), and fish-oil capsules (3 g/d). Body weight, bone biomarkers, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were measured at baseline and endpoint. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance and general linear models. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) weight loss was 5.14 +/- 3.0 kg (5.8% +/- 3.2% body weight) during the 8 wk in the 4 dietary groups combined. Urinary N-telopeptides of type I collagen and serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen increased (P < 0.05), whereas serum osteocalcin (but not bone-specific alkaline phosphatase) decreased (P 0.1) on the changes in bone markers induced by weight loss. In contrast, increased salmon consumption increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (P
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Novel omics technologies in nutrition research
Authors:
Zhang, Xuewu; Yap, Yeeleng; Wei, Dong; Chen, Gu; Chen, Feng
Abstract:
A key scientific objective of nutrition research is to determine the role of diet in metabolic regulation and to improve health. There are many new opportunities and challenges for the nutrition research in post-genome era. Novel omics technologies and bioinformatics tools offer enormous potential to investigate the complex relationship between nutrition and metabolism. An overview of omics technologies in nutrition research is presented in this paper, which focuses on recent applications of nutritranscriptomics, nutriproteomics and nutrimetabolomics in nutrition research. The potential limitations and future prospects are also discussed. The combination of various omics technologies, systems biology, will greatly facilitate the discovery of new biomarkers associated with specific nutrients or other dietary factors. It can be expected that the future omics-based human nutrition research can provide personalized dietary recommendations for disease prevention.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
Obesity surgery: evidence for diabetes prevention/management
Authors:
Cummings, Sue; Apovian, Caroline M; Khaodhiar, Lalita
Abstract:
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Development of type 2 diabetes can be delayed or sometimes prevented from manifestation in individuals with obesity that are able to lose weight. Weight loss can be achieved either medically with behavioral therapies that combine diet and exercise treatment or with behavioral therapies combined with weight-loss medications or weight-loss surgery. There is strong evidence of an amelioration or resolution of type 2 diabetes in patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery. A recently published retrospective cohort study indicated that long-term total mortality from diabetes, heart disease, and cancer after gastric bypass surgery was substantially reduced. In this review, we summarize the evidence of surgical interventions in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Published:
2008-04
Title:
A concept analysis: adherence and weight loss
Authors:
Shay, Laura E.
Abstract:
There are numerous factors that influence an individual's ability to adhere to a healthy behavior. The literature cites common events that must take place prior to maintaining an exercise plan, a medication regimen, and a healthy diet. The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of adherence in relation to weight loss using Walker and Avant's (1995) framework for concept analysis. This analysis revealed an extensive list of events or antecedents that may prove to be important when considering new strategies for weight management.
Published:
2008-03
Title:
Activation of the PI3-K/AKT pathway and implications for radioresistance mechanisms in head and neck cancer
Authors:
Bussink, Johan; van der Kogel, Albert J.; Kaanders, Johannes H. A. M.
Abstract:
Activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway is associated with three major radioresistance mechanisms: intrinsic radioresistance; tumour-cell proliferation; and hypoxia. Monitoring and manipulation of this signal-transduction pathway can have important implications for the management of head and neck cancer, because activation of the PI3-K/AKT pathway is a frequent event in these tumours. PI3-K/AKT signalling regulates cellular processes, including proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and the upregulation of hypoxia-related proteins. Activation of this pathway can be caused by stimulation of receptor tyrosine kinases, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In clinical trials, a strong and independent association has been noted between expression of activated AKT and treatment outcome. Therefore, the search for molecular predictors of sensitivity to EGFR-directed treatment should be extended to markers of PI3-K/AKT activation. Another strategy might be the direct targeting and inhibition of this pathway. Such inhibition will enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy, by antagonising radiation-induced cellular defense mechanisms, especially in tumours that have activated the PI3-K/AKT cascade. Thus, the activation status of this pathway might be a key element for the prediction of treatment response and for therapeutic targeting in head and neck cancer.
Published:
2008-03
Title:
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and video games: a comparative study of hyperactive and control children
Authors:
Bioulac, Stéphanie; Arfi, Lisa; Bouvard, Manuel P.
Abstract:
INTRODUCTION: This study describes and compares the behavior of hyperactive and control children playing video games. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample consisted of 29 ADHD children and 21 controls aged between 6 and 16 years playing video games. We used the Child Behavior Checklist and the Problem Videogame Playing scale (PVP scale). This instrument gives objective measures of problem use, which can be considered as an indication of addictive videogame playing. We designed a questionnaire for the parents, eliciting qualitative information about their child's videogame playing. There were no significant differences concerning frequency or duration of play between ADHD children and controls but differences were observed on the PVP scale. None of the controls scored above four whereas 10 hyperactive children answered affirmatively to five or more questions. These children presented a greater intensity of the disorder than the other ADHD children. CONCLUSION: While no differences concerning video game use were found, ADHD children exhibited more problems associated with videogame playing. It seems that a subgroup of ADHD children could be vulnerable to developing dependence upon video games.
Published:
2008-03
Title:
Diabetes impairs hippocampal function through glucocorticoid-mediated effects on new and mature neurons
Authors:
Stranahan, Alexis M.; Arumugam, Thiruma V.; Cutler, Roy G.; Lee, Kim; Egan, Josephine M.; Mattson, Mark P.
Abstract:
Many organ systems are adversely affected by diabetes, including the brain, which undergoes changes that may increase the risk of cognitive decline. Although diabetes influences the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the role of this neuroendocrine system in diabetes-induced cognitive dysfunction remains unexplored. Here we demonstrate that, in both insulin-deficient rats and insulin-resistant mice, diabetes impairs hippocampus-dependent memory, perforant path synaptic plasticity and adult neurogenesis, and the adrenal steroid corticosterone contributes to these adverse effects. Rats treated with streptozocin have reduced insulin and show hyperglycemia, increased corticosterone, and impairments in hippocampal neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and learning. Similar deficits are observed in db/db mice, which are characterized by insulin resistance, elevated corticosterone and obesity. Changes in hippocampal plasticity and function in both models are reversed when normal physiological levels of corticosterone are maintained, suggesting that cognitive impairment in diabetes may result from glucocorticoid-mediated deficits in neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.
Published:
2008-03
Title:
Effect of the LoBAG30 diet on blood glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes
Authors:
Nuttall, Frank Q.; Schweim, Kelly; Hoover, Heidi; Gannon, Mary C.
Abstract:
In subjects with untreated type 2 diabetes, we previously determined that a weight-maintenance, non-ketogenic diet containing 30 % protein, 50 % fat and 20 % carbohydrate (30:50:20) decreased the percentage total glycohaemoglobin (%tGHb) by 2.2 % glycohaemoglobin over 5 weeks compared to a diet recommended for the American public (protein-fat-carbohydrate 15:30:55). Both the fasting and postprandial glucose were decreased. The objective of the present study was to determine if increasing the carbohydrate content from 20 to 30 % at the expense of fat would still provide a similar effect on %tGHb, fasting and postprandial glucose concentration. Eight men with untreated type 2 diabetes were studied over a 5-week period. Results at the beginning (standard diet) and end of the 5-week study were analysed. Body weight was stable. Fasting glucose concentration decreased by 40 %; 24 h glucose area response decreased by 45 %. Insulin did not change. Mean %tGHb decreased by 1.7 (from 10.8 to 9.1 %), and was still decreasing linearly at 5 weeks. In conclusion, a high-protein, 30 % carbohydrate diet could be a patient-empowering method of improving the hyperglycaemia of type 2 diabetes without pharmacologic intervention. Long-term effects and general applicability of this diet remain to be determined.
Published:
2008-03
Title:
Effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in first-episode schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder: an open randomised clinical trial
Authors:
Kahn, René S; Fleischhacker, W Wolfgang; Boter, Han; Davidson, Michael; Vergouwe, Yvonne; Keet, Ireneus PM; Gheorghe, Mihai D; Rybakowski, Janusz K; Galderisi, Silvana; Libiger, Jan; Hummer, Martina; Dollfus, Sonia; López-Ibor, Juan J; Hranov, Luchezar G; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Peuskens, Joseph; Lindefors, Nils; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Grobbee, Diederick E
Abstract:
Background Second-generation antipsychotic drugs were introduced over a decade ago for the treatment of schizophrenia; however, their purported clinical effectiveness compared with first-generation antipsychotic drugs is still debated. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of second-generation antipsychotic drugs with that of a low dose of haloperidol, in first-episode schizophrenia.
Published:
2008-03
Title:
Isolation and characterization of human intestinal bacteria capable of transforming the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine
Authors:
Vanhaecke, Lynn; Vercruysse, Filip; Boon, Nico; Verstraete, Willy; Cleenwerck, Ilse; De Wachter, Marjan; De Vos, Paul; van de Wiele, Tom
Abstract:
2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) is a carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amine formed in meat products during cooking. Although the formation of hazardous PhIP metabolites by mammalian enzymes has been extensively reported, research on the putative involvement of the human intestinal microbiota in PhIP metabolism remains scarce. In this study, the in vitro conversion of PhIP into its microbial derivate, 7-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-phenyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydropyrido[3',2':4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidin-5-ium chloride (PhIP-M1), by fecal samples from 18 human volunteers was investigated. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that all human fecal samples transformed PhIP but with efficiencies ranging from 1.8 to 96% after 72 h of incubation. Two PhIP-transforming strains, PhIP-M1-a and PhIP-M1-b, were isolated from human feces and identified by fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism and pheS sequence analyses as Enterococcus faecium strains. Some strains from culture collections belonging to the species E. durans, E. avium, E. faecium, and Lactobacillus reuteri were also able to perform this transformation. Yeast extract, special peptone, and meat extract supported PhIP transformation by the enriched E. faecium strains, while tryptone, monomeric sugars, starch, and cellulose did not. Glycerol was identified as a fecal matrix constituent required for PhIP transformation. Abiotic synthesis of PhIP-M1 and quantification of the glycerol metabolite 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA) confirmed that the anaerobic fermentation of glycerol via 3-HPA is the critical bacterial transformation process responsible for the formation of PhIP-M1. Whether it is a detoxification is still a matter of debate, since PhIP-M1 has been shown to be cytotoxic toward Caco-2 cells but is not mutagenic in the Ames assay.
Published:
2008-03
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