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Title:
The "gout of the Medici": making the modern diagnosis using paleopathology
Authors:
Fornaciari, Gino; Giuffra, Valentina
Abstract:
Documentary sources show that painful joint disease afflicted several members of the Medici family, which dominated Renaissance Florence in Italy. The term frequently reported in contemporary archives to indicate these morbid episodes is "gout." Paleopathology allows us to verify the nosological information obtained from the written documents and to clarify the nature of the rheumatological condition that afflicted the Medici. A paleopathological study carried out on the skeletal remains of several members of the Medici family buried in the basilica of S. Lorenzo in Florence demonstrated that the "gout" of the Medici was truly a uric acid gout only in Ferdinand I (1549-1609), whose left foot showed peculiar lesions. Genetic and environmental factors, with particular regard to diet, may have been involved in the etiology of this disease, which in Ferdinand was associated with diffuse idiopatic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). DISH was observed also in the column of Cosimo the Elder (1389-1464) and Cosimo I (1519-1574); a link between the incidence of DISH and high social status, especially in terms of lifestyle and nutritional patterns, has been suggested and the present study seems to further confirm this association. Finally, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was diagnosed in Cosimo the Elder, Piero "the Gouty" (1416-1469) and Cardinal Carlo (1596-1666); as for Carlo, macroscopic and radiological findings were supported by molecular results which revealed that he was bearing the specificity HLA-DR4 predisposing to RA. The coexistence of DISH and RA attested in Cosimo the Elder can be interpreted as coincidental. In conclusion, the term "gout" as used in Renaissance texts has to be regarded as the clinical manifestation of a number of different joint diseases. In the case of the Medici family in Florence, these included DISH, rheumatoid arthritis and uric acid gout.
Published:
September 30, 2013
Title:
The fat side of prostate cancer
Authors:
Zadra, Giorgia; Photopoulos, Cornelia; Loda, Massimo
Abstract:
Prostate cancer (PCa) metabolism appears to be unique in comparison with other types of solid cancers. Normal prostate cells mainly rely on glucose oxidation to provide precursors for the synthesis and secretion of citrate, resulting in an incomplete Krebs cycle and minimal oxidative phosphorylation for energy production. In contrast, during transformation, PCa cells no longer secrete citrate and they reactivate the Krebs cycle as energy source. Moreover, primary PCas do not show increased aerobic glycolysis and therefore they are not efficiently detectable with 18F-FDG-PET. However, increased de novo lipid synthesis, strictly intertwined with deregulation in classical oncogenes and oncosuppressors, is an early event of the disease. Up-regulation and increased activity of lipogenic enzymes (including fatty acid synthase and choline kinase) occurs throughout PCa carcinogenesis and correlates with worse prognosis and poor survival. Thus, lipid precursors such as acetate and choline have been successfully used as alternative tracers for PET imaging. Lipid synthesis intermediates and FA catabolism also emerged as important players in PCa maintenance. Finally, epidemiologic studies suggested that systemic metabolic disorders including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes as well as hypercaloric and fat-rich diets might increase the risk of PCa. However, how metabolic disorders contribute to PCa development and whether dietary lipids and de novo lipids synthesized intra-tumor are differentially metabolized still remains unclear. In this review, we examine the switch in lipid metabolism supporting the development and progression of PCa and we discuss how we can exploit its lipogenic nature for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Lipid Metabolism in Cancer.
Published:
September 30, 2013
Title:
The ketogenic diet for type II bipolar disorder
Authors:
Phelps, James R.; Siemers, Susan V.; El-Mallakh, Rif S.
Abstract:
Successful mood stabilizing treatments reduce intracellular sodium in an activity-dependent manner. This can also be achieved with acidification of the blood, as is the case with the ketogenic diet. Two women with type II bipolar disorder were able to maintain ketosis for prolonged periods of time (2 and 3 years, respectively). Both experienced mood stabilization that exceeded that achieved with medication; experienced a significant subjective improvement that was distinctly related to ketosis; and tolerated the diet well. There were no significant adverse effects in either case. These cases demonstrate that the ketogenic diet is a potentially sustainable option for mood stabilization in type II bipolar illness. They also support the hypothesis that acidic plasma may stabilize mood, perhaps by reducing intracellular sodium and calcium.
Published:
September 30, 2013
Title:
Undiagnosed and Uncontrolled Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia among Immigrants in the US
Authors:
Zallman, Leah; Himmelstein, David H.; Woolhandler, Steffie; Bor, David H.; Ayanian, John Z.; Wilper, Andrew P.; McCormick, Danny
Abstract:
Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality and disability. We analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998–2008). We used logistic regression analysis to compare the odds of having undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension and hyperlipidemia among FB and US born adults sequentially adjusting for (1) age and gender, (2) income and education, and (3) insurance status. Among FB individuals, we identified factors independently associated with having each outcome using logistic regression analyses. Of 27,596 US adults, 22.6 % were foreign-born. In age- and -gender adjusted analyses, FB were more likely to have undiagnosed hypertension (OR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.13–1.63, p < 0.001), uncontrolled hypertension (OR 1.37, 95 % CI 1.15–1.64, p
Published:
September 30, 2013
Title:
Effects of Intensive Diet and Exercise on Knee Joint Loads, Inflammation, and Clinical Outcomes Among Overweight and Obese Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors:
Messier, Stephen P.; Mihalko, Shannon L.; Legault, Claudine; Miller, Gary D.; Nicklas, Barbara J.; DeVita, Paul; Beavers, Daniel P.; Hunter, David J.; Lyles, Mary F.; Eckstein, Felix; Williamson, Jeff D.; Carr, J. Jeffery; Guermazi, Ali; Loeser, Richard F.
Abstract:
IMPORTANCE Knee osteoarthritis (OA), a common cause of chronic pain and disability, has biomechanical and inflammatory origins and is exacerbated by obesity. OBJECTIVE To determine whether a ≥10% reduction in body weight induced by diet, with or without exercise, would improve mechanistic and clinical outcomes more than exercise alone. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Single-blind, 18-month, randomized clinical trial at Wake Forest University between July 2006 and April 2011. The diet and exercise interventions were center-based with options for the exercise groups to transition to a home-based program. Participants were 454 overweight and obese older community-dwelling adults (age ≥55 years with body mass index of 27–41) with pain and radiographic knee OA. INTERVENTIONS Intensive diet-induced weight loss plus exercise, intensive diet-induced weight loss, or exercise. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Mechanistic primary outcomes: knee joint compressive force and plasma IL-6 levels; secondary clinical outcomes: self-reported pain (range, 0–20), function (range, 0–68), mobility, and health-related quality of life (range, 0–100). RESULTS At 18 months, 399 participants (88%) completed the study. Compared with exercise participants, knee compressive forces were lower in diet participants and IL-6 levels were lower in diet and diet + exercise participants., 18-mo Outcomes, Mean (95% CI) Exercise(E) Diet (D) D + E Difference,E vs D Difference, Evs D+E Weight loss, kg −1.8(−5.7to1.8) −8.9(−12.4 to −5.3) −10.6(−14.1 to −7.1) Knee compressiveforces, N 2687(2590 to 2784) 2487(2393 to 2581) 2543(2448 to 2637) 200(55 to 345) 144(1 to 287) IL-6, pg/mL 3.1(2.9 to 3.4) 2.7(2.4 to 3.0) 2.7(2.5 to 3.0) 0.43(0.01 to 0.85) 0.39(−0.03 to 0.81) Pain 4.7(4.2 to 5.1) 4.8(4.3 to 5.2) 3.6(3.2 to 4.1) −0.11(−0.81 to 0.59) 1.02(0.33 to 1.71) Function 18.4(16.9 to 19.9) 17.4(15.9 to 18.9) 14.1(12.6 to 15.6) 0.98(−1.24 to 3.20) 4.29(2.07 to 6.50) SF-36 physical 41.9(40.5 to 43.2) 42.4(41.1 to 43.7) 44.7(43.4 to 46.0) −0.55(−2.53 to 1.43) −2.81(−4.76 to −0.86) a Differences were significant. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among overweight and obese adults with knee OA, after 18 months, participants in the diet + exercise and diet groups had more weight loss and greater reductions in IL-6 levels than those in the exercise group; those in the diet group had greater reductions in knee compressive force than those in the exercise group. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00381290
Published:
September 24, 2013
Title:
Epilepsy and Vitamin D
Authors:
Holló, András; Clemens, Zsofia; Lakatos, Péter
Abstract:
Summary Several disorders, both systemic and those of the nervous system, have been linked with vitamin D deficiency. Neurological disorders with a vitamin D link include but are not limited to multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease as well as cerebrovascular disorders. Epilepsy which is the second leading neurological disorder received much less attention. We review evidence supporting a link between vitamin D and epilepsy including those coming from ecological as well as interventional and animal studies. We also assess the literature on the interaction between antiepileptic drugs and vitamin D. Converging evidence indicates a role for vitamin D deficiency in the pathophysiology of epilepsy.
Published:
September 24, 2013
Title:
Childhood Absence Epilepsy Successfully Treated with the Paleolithic Ketogenic Diet
Authors:
Clemens, Zsofia; Kelemen, Anna; Fogarasi, András; Tóth, Csaba
Abstract:
Introduction Childhood absence epilepsy is an epilepsy syndrome responding relatively well to the ketogenic diet with one-third of patients becoming seizure-free. Less restrictive variants of the classical ketogenic diet, however, have been shown to confer similar benefits. Beneficial effects of high fat, low-carbohydrate diets are often explained in evolutionary terms. However, the paleolithic diet itself which advocates a return to the human evolutionary diet has not yet been studied in epilepsy. Results Here, we present a case of a 7-year-old child with absence epilepsy successfully treated with the paleolithic ketogenic diet alone. In addition to seizure freedom achieved within 6 weeks, developmental and behavioral improvements were noted. The child remained seizure-free when subsequently shifted toward a paleolithic diet. Conclusion It is concluded that the paleolithic ketogenic diet was effective, safe and feasible in the treatment of this case of childhood absence epilepsy.
Published:
September 20, 2013
Title:
VDAC1-based peptides: novel pro-apoptotic agents and potential therapeutics for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors:
Prezma, T.; Shteinfer, A.; Admoni, L.; Raviv, Z.; Sela, I.; Levi, I.; Shoshan-Barmatz, V.
Abstract:
The voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), localized in the outer mitochondrial membrane, mediates metabolic cross-talk between the mitochondrion and the cytoplasm and thus serves a fundamental role in cell energy metabolism. VDAC1 also plays a key role in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, interacting with anti-apoptotic proteins. Resistance of cancer cells to apoptosis involves quenching the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by over-expression of anti-apoptotic/pro-survival hexokinase (HK) and Bcl-2 family proteins, proteins that mediate their anti-apoptotic activities via interaction with VDAC1. Using specifically designed VDAC1-based cell-penetrating peptides, we targeted these anti-apoptotic proteins to prevent their pro-survival/anti-apoptotic activities. Anti-apoptotic proteins are expressed at high levels in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), an incurable disease requiring innovative new approaches to improve therapeutic outcome. CLL is characterized by a clonal accumulation of mature neoplastic B cells that are resistant to apoptosis. Specifically, we demonstrate that the VDAC1-based peptides (Antp-LP4 and N-Terminal-Antp) selectively kill peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from CLL patients, yet spare those obtained from healthy donors. The cell death induction competence of the peptides was well correlated with the amount of double positive CD19/CD5 cancerous CLL PBMCs, further illustrating their selectivity toward cancer cells. Moreover, these VDAC1-based peptides induced apoptosis by activating the mitochondria-mediated pathway, reflected in membrane blebbing, condensation of nuclei, DNA fragmentation, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, decreased cellular ATP levels and detachment of HK, all leading to apoptotic cell death. Thus, the mode of action of the peptides involves decreasing energy production and inducing apoptosis. Over 27 versions of cell-penetrating VDAC1-based peptides were designed and screened to identify the most stable, short and apoptosis-inducing peptides toward CLL-derived lymphocytes. In this manner, three optimized peptides suitable for in vivo studies were identified. This study thus reveals the potential of VDAC1-based peptides as an innovative and effective anti-CLL therapy.
Published:
September 18, 2013
Title:
Oromo farmer from Ethiopia may be the oldest living person
Authors:
A, Mohammed
Abstract:
by Mohammed Ademo (OPride) – At an estimated 160 years of age, Dhaqabo Ebba, a retired farmer and well-known community elder from the Oromia region in Ethiopia, could be the oldest living person ever. In an interview conducted by the state-run TV Oromiya and published online on Aug. 12, 2013, Ebba — who has no birth […]
Published:
September 3, 2013
Title:
Dietary Fiber Is Bad for Sex - That's the Only Claim About It That Isn't a Myth
Authors:
Sisson, Mark
Abstract:
Today's article is a guest post from Konstantin Monastyrsky of GutSense.org. In keeping with the mission statement of Mark's Daily Apple to investigate,
Published:
September 2, 2013
Title:
First archaeobotanical approach to plant use among Selknam hunter-gatherers (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina)
Authors:
Berihuete-Azorín, Marian
Abstract:
Diverse hunter-gatherer groups inhabited Tierra del Fuego (Argentina) from the end of the last glaciation until recent dates. Sadly, the contact with European settlers was fatal for them, and a series of different causes led to their disappearance. Among these groups, Selknam inhabited the central and northern part of the Isla Grande (Tierra del Fuego) until the first decades of twentieth century. Although many travellers and ethnographers described this society, the recorded information related to vegetal resources management and plant exploitation strategies was quite scarce. As a consequence, a picture was created in which plants, and especially plant food, had a very poor role in the everyday life of these people. In this work, we present the results of the first archaeobotanical analyses carried out on an excavated site related to the Selknam hunter-gatherers. The information presented here, along with future studies, will enlarge the knowledge and enrich the image that we have of Selknam’s plant use, economy and social relations.
Published:
August 31, 2013
Title:
Fatal Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in 2 Related Subadult Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Authors:
Tong, Lydia; Flach, Edmund; Sheppard, M; Pocknell, Ann; Banerjee, A; Boswood, Adrian; Bouts, T; Routh, Andrew; Feltrer, Y
Abstract:
Cardiovascular disease is increasingly recognized as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). This report records 2 cases of sudden cardiac death in closely related subadult captive chimpanzees with marked replacement fibrosis and adipocyte infiltration of the myocardium, which resemble specific atypical forms of the familial human disease arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Changes were consistent with left-dominant and biventricular subtypes, which are both phenotypic variants found within human families with familial arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Previously reported fibrosing cardiomyopathies in chimpanzees were characterized by nonspecific interstitial fibrosis, in contrast to the replacement fibrofatty infiltration with predilection for the outer myocardium seen in these 2 cases. To the authors' knowledge, this case report is the first to describe cardiomyopathy resembling arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in nonhuman primates and the first to describe left-dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy-type lesions in an animal.
Published:
August 28, 2013
Title:
Family history of malignant neoplasm and its relation with clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer patients
Authors:
Yu, Junxiu; Fu, Bo; Zhao, Qi
Abstract:
Background Few studies to date have evaluated gastric cancer(GC)-related malignant neoplasm family history (MN-FH), and their findings have been largely inconsistent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of MN-FH and its relation to the clinicopathologic features of GC. Methods A total of 104 hospitalized patients with primary gastric adenocarcinoma was prospectively analyzed from 2008 to 2009. Positive MN-FH was defined as MN-affected first- and second-degree relatives of the current GC cases. The relation between prevalence of positive MN-FH and clinicopathologic features in the current GC patients was assessed using the Chi-square test with Cramer’s V coefficient. Results Thirty-seven (35.6%) of the GC patients had positive MN-FH, with 42 associated tumors in first- and second-degree relatives. Twenty-six (61.9%) of the associated tumors were located in the digestive system, including the esophagus (26.2%), stomach (23.8%), liver (9.5%) and colon (2.4%). Lung cancers were the most prevalent non-digestive system-associated tumors (9.5%). Correlation analysis revealed no significant relations with prevalence of MN-FH and any of the clinicopathologic features (all, P > 0.05), including sex (V = 0.044), age (V = 0.060) and histological subtypes (V = 0.109). Conclusions More than one-third of the GC patients in our hospital had positive MN-FH. The most frequent forms of MN-FH were esophageal cancer and GC. The prevalence of positive MN-FH was not correlated to any of the clinicopathologic features, including sex, age and histological subtypes in the study population of GC patients.
Published:
August 15, 2013
Title:
Climate variability over the last 35,000 years recorded in marine and terrestrial archives in the Australian region: an OZ-INTIMATE compilation
Authors:
Reeves, Jessica M.; Barrows, Timothy T.; Cohen, Timothy J.; Kiem, Anthony S.; Bostock, Helen C.; Fitzsimmons, Kathryn E.; Jansen, John D.; Kemp, Justine; Krause, Claire; Petherick, Lynda; Phipps, Steven J.
Abstract:
The Australian region spans some 60° of latitude and 50° of longitude and displays considerable regional climate variability both today and during the Late Quaternary. A synthesis of marine and terrestrial climate records, combining findings from the Southern Ocean, temperate, tropical and arid zones, identifies a complex response of climate proxies to a background of changing boundary conditions over the last 35,000 years. Climate drivers include the seasonal timing of insolation, greenhouse gas content of the atmosphere, sea level rise and ocean and atmospheric circulation changes. Our compilation finds few climatic events that could be used to construct a climate event stratigraphy for the entire region, limiting the usefulness of this approach. Instead we have taken a spatial approach, looking to discern the patterns of change across the continent. The data identify the clearest and most synchronous climatic response at the time of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) (21 ± 3 ka), with unambiguous cooling recorded in the ocean, and evidence of glaciation in the highlands of tropical New Guinea, southeast Australia and Tasmania. Many terrestrial records suggest drier conditions, but with the timing of inferred snowmelt, and changes to the rainfall/runoff relationships, driving higher river discharge at the LGM. In contrast, the deglaciation is a time of considerable south-east to north-west variation across the region. Warming was underway in all regions by 17 ka. Post-glacial sea level rise and its associated regional impacts have played an important role in determining the magnitude and timing of climate response in the north-west of the continent in contrast to the southern latitudes. No evidence for cooling during the Younger Dryas chronozone is evident in the region, but the Antarctic cold reversal clearly occurs south of Australia. The Holocene period is a time of considerable climate variability associated with an intense monsoon in the tropics early in the Holocene, giving way to a weakened monsoon and an increasingly El Niño-dominated ENSO to the present. The influence of ENSO is evident throughout the southeast of Australia, but not the southwest. This climate history provides a template from which to assess the regionality of climate events across Australia and make comparisons beyond our region.
Published:
August 14, 2013
Title:
Effect of vegetarian diets on zinc status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies in humans
Authors:
Foster, Meika; Chu, Anna; Petocz, Peter; Samman, Samir
Abstract:
Plant-based diets contain less saturated fat and cholesterol and more folate, fibre and phytochemicals than omnivorous diets, but some micronutrients, especially zinc, are poorly bioavailable. The findings of studies exploring the zinc intake and zinc status in populations that habitually consume vegetarian diets are inconsistent. This study aims to investigate the effects of plant-based diets on dietary zinc intake and status in humans using systematic review and meta-analysis techniques. Thirty-four studies were included in the systematic review. Of these, 26 studies (reporting 48 comparisons) compared males and/or females consuming vegetarian diets with non-vegetarian groups and were included in meta-analyses. Dietary zinc intakes and serum zinc concentrations were significantly lower (-0.88 ± 0.15 mg day(-1), P
Published:
August 14, 2013
Title:
Palaeoenvironmental change in tropical Australasia over the last 30,000 years – a synthesis by the OZ-INTIMATE group
Authors:
Reeves, Jessica M.; Bostock, Helen C.; Ayliffe, Linda K.; Barrows, Timothy T.; De Deckker, Patrick; Devriendt, Laurent S.; Dunbar, Gavin B.; Drysdale, Russell N.; Fitzsimmons, Kathryn E.; Gagan, Michael K.; Griffiths, Michael L.; Haberle, Simon G.; Jansen, John D.; Krause, Claire; Lewis, Stephen; McGregor, Helen V.; Mooney, Scott D.; Moss, Patrick; Nanson, Gerald C.; Purcell, Anthony; van der Kaars, Sander
Abstract:
The tropics are the major source of heat and moisture for the Australasian region. Determining the tropics' response over time to changes in climate forcing mechanisms, such as summer insolation, and the effects of relative sea level on exposed continental shelves during the Last Glacial period, is an ongoing process of re-evaluation. We present a synthesis of climate proxy data from tropical Australasia spanning the last 30,000 years that incorporates deep sea core, coral, speleothem, pollen, charcoal and terrestrial sedimentary records. Today, seasonal variability is governed largely by the annual migration of the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), influencing this region most strongly during the austral summer. However, the position of the ITCZ has varied through time. Towards the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, conditions were far wetter throughout the region, becoming drier first in the south. Universally cooler land and sea-surface temperature (SST) were characteristic of the Last Glacial Maximum, with drier conditions than previously, although episodic wet periods are noted in the fluvial records of northern Australia. The deglacial period saw warming first in the Coral Sea and then the Indonesian seas, with a pause in this trend around the time of the Antarctic Cold Reversal (c. 14.5 ka), coincident with the flooding of the Sunda Shelf. Wetter conditions occurred first in Indonesia around 17 ka and northern Australia after 14 ka. The early Holocene saw a peak in marine SST to the northwest and northeast of Australia. Modern vegetation was first established on Indonesia, then progressively south and eastward to NE Australia. Flores and the Atherton Tablelands show a dry period around 11.6 ka, steadily becoming wetter through the early Holocene. The mid-late Holocene was punctuated by millennial-scale variability, associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation; this is evident in the marine, coral, speleothem and pollen records of the region.
Published:
August 14, 2013
Title:
Obesity Impairs Lymphatic Fluid Transport and Dendritic Cell Migration to Lymph Nodes
Authors:
Weitman, Evan S.; Aschen, Seth Z.; Farias-Eisner, Gina; Albano, Nicholas; Cuzzone, Daniel A.; Ghanta, Swapna; Zampell, Jamie C.; Thorek, Daniel; Mehrara, Babak J.
Abstract:
Introduction Obesity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality resulting in pathologic changes in virtually every organ system. Although the cardiovascular system has been a focus of intense study, the effects of obesity on the lymphatic system remain essentially unknown. The purpose of this study was to identify the pathologic consequences of diet induced obesity (DIO) on the lymphatic system. Methods Adult male wild-type or RAG C57B6-6J mice were fed a high fat (60%) or normal chow diet for 8–10 weeks followed by analysis of lymphatic transport capacity. In addition, we assessed migration of dendritic cells (DCs) to local lymph nodes, lymph node architecture, and lymph node cellular make up. Results High fat diet resulted in obesity in both wild-type and RAG mice and significantly impaired lymphatic fluid transport and lymph node uptake; interestingly, obese wild-type but not obese RAG mice had significantly impaired migration of DCs to the peripheral lymph nodes. Obesity also resulted in significant changes in the macro and microscopic anatomy of lymph nodes as reflected by a marked decrease in size of inguinal lymph nodes (3.4-fold), decreased number of lymph node lymphatics (1.6-fold), loss of follicular pattern of B cells, and dysregulation of CCL21 expression gradients. Finally, obesity resulted in a significant decrease in the number of lymph node T cells and increased number of B cells and macrophages. Conclusions Obesity has significant negative effects on lymphatic transport, DC cell migration, and lymph node architecture. Loss of T and B cell inflammatory reactions does not protect from impaired lymphatic fluid transport but preserves DC migration capacity. Future studies are needed to determine how the interplay between diet, obesity, and the lymphatic system modulate systemic complications of obesity.
Published:
August 11, 2013
Title:
Plasma phospholipid fatty acids and prostate cancer risk in the SELECT trial
Authors:
Brasky, Theodore M.; Darke, Amy K.; Song, Xiaoling; Tangen, Catherine M.; Goodman, Phyllis J.; Thompson, Ian M.; Meyskens, Frank L.; Goodman, Gary E.; Minasian, Lori M.; Parnes, Howard L.; Klein, Eric A.; Kristal, Alan R.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Studies of dietary ω-3 fatty acid intake and prostate cancer risk are inconsistent; however, recent large prospective studies have found increased risk of prostate cancer among men with high blood concentrations of long-chain ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ([LCω-3PUFA] 20:5ω3; 22:5ω3; 22:6ω3]. This case-cohort study examines associations between plasma phospholipid fatty acids and prostate cancer risk among participants in the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial. METHODS: Case subjects were 834 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, of which 156 had high-grade cancer. The subcohort consisted of 1393 men selected randomly at baseline and from within strata frequency matched to case subjects on age and race. Proportional hazards models estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between fatty acids and prostate cancer risk overall and by grade. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Compared with men in the lowest quartiles of LCω-3PUFA, men in the highest quartile had increased risks for low-grade (HR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.93), high-grade (HR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.00 to 2.94), and total prostate cancer (HR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.88). Associations were similar for individual long-chain ω-3 fatty acids. Higher linoleic acid (ω-6) was associated with reduced risks of low-grade (HR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.56 to 0.99) and total prostate cancer (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.59 to 1.01); however, there was no dose response. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms previous reports of increased prostate cancer risk among men with high blood concentrations of LCω-3PUFA. The consistency of these findings suggests that these fatty acids are involved in prostate tumorigenesis. Recommendations to increase LCω-3PUFA intake should consider its potential risks.
Published:
August 6, 2013
Title:
A Scan for Human-Specific Relaxation of Negative Selection Reveals Unexpected Polymorphism in Proteasome Genes
Authors:
Somel, Mehmet; Wilson Sayres, Melissa A.; Jordan, Gregory; Huerta-Sanchez, Emilia; Fumagalli, Matteo; Ferrer-Admetlla, Anna; Nielsen, Rasmus
Abstract:
Abstract. Environmental or genomic changes during evolution can relax negative selection pressure on specific loci, permitting high frequency polymorphisms at
Published:
July 31, 2013
Title:
Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause mortality: a dose-response analysis
Authors:
Bellavia, Andrea; Larsson, Susanna C.; Bottai, Matteo; Wolk, Alicja; Orsini, Nicola
Abstract:
ABSTRACT. Background: The association between fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and overall mortality has seldom been investigated in large cohort studies.
Published:
July 31, 2013
Title:
Methionine and choline regulate the metabolic phenotype of a ketogenic diet
Authors:
Pissios, Pavlos; Hong, Shangyu; Kennedy, Adam Richard; Prasad, Deepthi; Liu, Fen-Fen; Maratos-Flier, Eleftheria
Abstract:
Low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets are commonly used as weight loss alternatives to low-fat diets, however the physiological and molecular adaptations to these diets are not completely understood. It is assumed that the metabolic phenotype of the ketogenic diet (KD) is caused by the absence of carbohydrate and high fat content, however in rodents the protein content of KD affects weight gain and ketosis. In this study we examined the role of methionine and choline in mediating the metabolic effects of KD. We have found that choline was more effective than methionine in decreasing the liver steatosis of KD-fed mice. On the other hand, methionine supplementation was more effective than choline in restoring weight gain and normalizing the expression of several fatty acid and inflammatory genes in the liver of KD-fed mice. Our results indicate that choline and methionine restriction rather than carbohydrate restriction underlies many of the metabolic effects of KD.
Published:
July 31, 2013
Title:
Scientific Statement: Socioecological Determinants of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors:
Hill, James O.; Galloway, James M.; Goley, April; Marrero, David G.; Minners, Regan; Montgomery, Brenda; Peterson, Gregory E.; Ratner, Robert E.; Sanchez, Eduardo; Aroda, Vanita R.
Abstract:
In this article, we examine the socioecological determinants—the biological, geographic, and built environment factors—that influence risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. A socioecological perspective looks beyond the individual to evaluate a multitude of influences, from the surrounding home, work, school, and community environments to social determinants and the influence of public policy on individual behavior (1). Figure 1, adapted from the Institute of Medicine socioecological model of childhood obesity, provides a good framework for understanding potential socioecological determinants of risk for type 2 diabetes. Figure 1 Levels and sectors of influence on obesity and diabetes risk (progress in preventing childhood obesity) (© 2007 the National Academies Press). SES, socioeconomic status. In November 2012, the American Diabetes Association Prevention Committee convened a writing group to review the evidence on socioecological factors contributing to recent increases in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Drawing from the work of the committee, in this article we review the overarching evidence-based contributions of socioecological factors to risk for type 2 diabetes. Rather than incorporate the entire universe of relational observations, this scientific statement is intended to evaluate the extent to which data indicate a contributing role of social and environmental factors to the current epidemic of type 2 diabetes. The world is in the midst of parallel and rapidly advancing epidemics—obesity and type 2 diabetes—that began in the latter half of the 20th century and continue to grow, unchecked. Current prevalence rates are staggering and are expected to continue to climb over the ensuing decades. In the U.S., one-third of adults and 16–18% of youth are obese (2), up from 5 to 6% three decades ago (Fig. 2). Increases in rates of type 2 diabetes have closely followed the increases in obesity. In the U.S., diabetes affects 8.3% of the population, including 18.8 million with diagnosed …
Published:
July 31, 2013
Title:
Walk Score®: Associations with Purposive Walking in Recent Cuban Immigrants
Authors:
Brown, Scott C.; Pantin, Hilda; Lombard, Joanna; Toro, Matthew; Huang, Shi; Plater-Zyberk, Elizabeth; Perrino, Tatiana; Perez-Gomez, Gianna; Barrera-Allen, Lloyd; Szapocznik, José
Abstract:
Background Walk Score® is a nationally and publicly available metric of neighborhood walkability based on proximity to amenities (e.g., retail, food, schools). However, few studies have examined the relationship of Walk Score to walking behavior. Purpose To examine the relationship of Walk Score to walking behavior in a sample of recent Cuban immigrants, who overwhelmingly report little choice in their selection of neighborhood built environments when they arrive in the U.S. Methods Participants were 391 recent healthy Cuban immigrants (mean age=37.1 years) recruited within 90 days of arrival in the U.S., and assessed within 4 months of arrival (mean=41.0 days in the U.S.), who resided throughout Miami-Dade County FL. Data on participants’ addresses, walking, and sociodemographics were collected prospectively from 2008 to 2010. Analyses conducted in 2011 examined the relationship of Walk Score for each participant’s residential address in the U.S. to purposive walking, controlling for age, gender, education, BMI, days in the U.S., and habitual physical activity level in Cuba. Results For each 10-point increase in Walk Score, adjusting for covariates, there was a significant 19% increase in the likelihood of purposive walking, a 26% increase in the likelihood of meeting physical activity recommendations by walking, and 27% more minutes walked in the previous week. Conclusions Results suggest that Walk Score is associated with walking in a sample of recent immigrants who initially had little choice in where they lived in the U.S. These results support existing guidelines indicating that mixed land use (such as parks and restaurants near homes) should be included when designing walkable communities.
Published:
July 31, 2013
Title:
Dietary omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and high fructose intake in the development of metabolic syndrome, brain metabolic abnormalities, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors:
Simopoulos, Artemis P.
Abstract:
Western diets are characterized by both dietary omega-3 fatty acid deficiency and increased fructose intake. The latter found in high amounts in added sugars such as sucrose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Both a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids or a high fructose intake contribute to metabolic syndrome, liver steatosis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), promote brain insulin resistance, and increase the vulnerability to cognitive dysfunction. Insulin resistance is the core perturbation of metabolic syndrome. Multiple cognitive domains are affected by metabolic syndrome in adults and in obese adolescents, with volume losses in the hippocampus and frontal lobe, affecting executive function. Fish oil supplementation maintains proper insulin signaling in the brain, ameliorates NAFLD and decreases the risk to metabolic syndrome suggesting that adequate levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet can cope with the metabolic challenges imposed by high fructose intake in Western diets which is of major public health importance. This review presents the current status of the mechanisms involved in the development of the metabolic syndrome, brain insulin resistance, and NAFLD a most promising area of research in Nutrition for the prevention of these conditions, chronic diseases, and improvement of Public Health.
Published:
July 25, 2013
Title:
Changes in red meat consumption and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: three cohorts of US men and women
Authors:
Pan, An; Sun, Qi; Bernstein, Adam M.; Manson, JoAnn E.; Willett, Walter C.; Hu, Frank B.
Abstract:
IMPORTANCE: Red meat consumption has been consistently associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, whether changes in red meat intake are related to subsequent T2DM risk remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between changes in red meat consumption during a 4-year period and subsequent 4-year risk of T2DM in US adults. DESIGN AND SETTING: Three prospective cohort studies in US men and women. PARTICIPANTS: We followed up 26,357 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2006), 48,709 women in the Nurses' Health Study (1986-2006), and 74,077 women in the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2007). Diet was assessed by validated food frequency questionnaires and updated every 4 years. Time-dependent Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios with adjustment for age, family history, race, marital status, initial red meat consumption, smoking status, and initial and changes in other lifestyle factors (physical activity, alcohol intake, total energy intake, and diet quality). Results across cohorts were pooled by an inverse variance-weighted, fixed-effect meta-analysis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Incident T2DM cases validated by supplementary questionnaires. RESULTS: During 1,965,824 person-years of follow-up, we documented 7540 incident T2DM cases. In the multivariate-adjusted models, increasing red meat intake during a 4-year interval was associated with an elevated risk of T2DM during the subsequent 4 years in each cohort (all P
Published:
July 21, 2013
Title:
Macronutrients and Obesity: Revisiting the Calories in, Calories out Framework
Authors:
Riera-Crichton, Daniel; Tefft, Nathan
Abstract:
Recent clinical research has studied weight responses to varying diet composition, but the contribution of changes in macronutrient intake and physical activity to rising population weight remains unknown. Research on the economics of obesity typically assumes a “calories in, calories out” framework, but a richer weight production model separating caloric intake into carbohydrates, fat, and protein, has not been explored. To estimate the contributions of changes in macronutrient intake and physical activity to changes in population weight, we conducted dynamic time series and structural VAR analyses of U.S. data between 1974 and 2006 and a panel analysis of 164 countries between 2001 and 2010. Findings from all analyses suggest that increases in carbohydrates are most strongly and positively associated with increases in obesity prevalence even when controlling for changes in total caloric intake and occupation-related physical activity. If anything, increases in fat intake are associated with decreases in population weight.
Published:
July 18, 2013
Title:
Biologically active vitamin B12 compounds in foods for preventing deficiency among vegetarians and elderly subjects
Authors:
Watanabe, Fumio; Yabuta, Yukinori; Tanioka, Yuri; Bito, Tomohiro
Abstract:
The usual dietary sources of vitamin B12 are animal-source based foods, including meat, milk, eggs, fish, and shellfish, although a few plant-based foods such as certain types of dried lavers (nori) and mushrooms contain substantial and considerable amounts of vitamin B12, respectively. Unexpectedly, detailed characterization of vitamin B12 compounds in foods reveals the presence of various corrinoids that are inactive in humans. The majority of edible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and certain edible shellfish predominately contain an inactive corrinoid known as pseudovitamin B12. Various factors affect the bioactivity of vitamin B12 in foods. For example, vitamin B12 is partially degraded and loses its biological activity during cooking and storage of foods. The intrinsic factor-mediated gastrointestinal absorption system in humans has evolved to selectively absorb active vitamin B12 from naturally occurring vitamin B12 compounds, including its degradation products and inactive corrinoids that are present in daily meal foods. The objective of this review is to present up-to-date information on various factors that can affect the bioactivity of vitamin B12 in foods. To prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in high-risk populations such as vegetarians and elderly subjects, it is necessary to identify plant-source foods that contain high levels of bioactive vitamin B12 and, in conjunction, to prepare the use of crystalline vitamin B12-fortified foods.
Published:
July 16, 2013
Title:
Biologically active vitamin B12 compounds in foods for preventing deficiency among vegetarians and elderly subjects
Authors:
Watanabe, Fumio; Yabuta, Yukinori; Tanioka, Yuri; Bito, Tomohiro
Abstract:
The usual dietary sources of vitamin B12 are animal-source based foods, including meat, milk, eggs, fish, and shellfish, although a few plant-based foods such as certain types of dried lavers (nori) and mushrooms contain substantial and considerable amounts of vitamin B12, respectively. Unexpectedly, detailed characterization of vitamin B12 compounds in foods reveals the presence of various corrinoids that are inactive in humans. The majority of edible blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and certain edible shellfish predominately contain an inactive corrinoid known as pseudovitamin B12. Various factors affect the bioactivity of vitamin B12 in foods. For example, vitamin B12 is partially degraded and loses its biological activity during cooking and storage of foods. The intrinsic factor-mediated gastrointestinal absorption system in humans has evolved to selectively absorb active vitamin B12 from naturally occurring vitamin B12 compounds, including its degradation products and inactive corrinoids that are present in daily meal foods. The objective of this review is to present up-to-date information on various factors that can affect the bioactivity of vitamin B12 in foods. To prevent vitamin B12 deficiency in high-risk populations such as vegetarians and elderly subjects, it is necessary to identify plant-source foods that contain high levels of bioactive vitamin B12 and, in conjunction, to prepare the use of crystalline vitamin B12-fortified foods.
Published:
July 16, 2013
Title:
Ketogenic Diets Enhance Oxidative Stress and Radio-Chemo-Therapy Responses in Lung Cancer Xenografts
Authors:
Allen, B. G.; Bhatia, S. K.; Buatti, J. M.; Brandt, K. E.; Lindholm, K. E.; Button, A. M.; Szweda, L. I.; Smith, B. J.; Spitz, D. R.; Fath, M. A.
Abstract:
Purpose—Ketogenic diets (KDs) are high in fat and low in carbohydrates as well as protein which forces cells to rely on lipid oxidation and mitochondrial respiration rather than glycolysis for energy metabolism. Cancer cells (relative to normal cells) are believed to exist in a state of chronic oxidative stress mediated by mitochondrial metabolism. The current study tests the hypothesis that KDs enhance radio-chemo-therapy responses in lung cancer xenografts by enhancing oxidative stress. Experimental Design—Mice bearing NCI-H292 and A549 lung cancer xenografts were fed a KD (KetoCal® 4:1 fats: proteins+carbohydrates) and treated with either conventionally fractionated (1.8-2 Gy) or hypofractionated (6 Gy) radiation as well as conventionally fractionated radiation combined with carboplatin. Mice weights and tumor size were monitored. Tumors were assessed for immuno-reactive 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-(4HNE) modified proteins as a marker of oxidative stress as well as PCNA and γH2AX as indices of proliferation and DNA damage, respectively. Results—The KD combined with radiation resulted in slower tumor growth in both NCI-H292 and A549 xenografts (p
Published:
July 14, 2013
Title:
Metformin decreases glucose oxidation and increases the dependency of prostate cancer cells on reductive glutamine metabolism
Authors:
Fendt, Sarah-Maria; Bell, Eric L.; Keibler, Mark A.; Davidson, Shawn M.; Wirth, Gregory J.; Fiske, Brian; Mayers, Jared R.; Schwab, Matthias; Bellinger, Gary; Csibi, Alfredo; Patnaik, Akash; Blouin, Marie Jose; Cantley, Lewis C.; Guarente, Leonard; Blenis, John; Pollak, Michael N.; Olumi, Aria F.; Vander Heiden, Matthew G.; Stephanopoulos, Gregory
Abstract:
Metformin inhibits cancer cell proliferation, and epidemiology studies suggest an association with increased survival in patients with cancer taking metformin; however, the mechanism by which metformin improves cancer outcomes remains controversial. To explore how metformin might directly affect cancer cells, we analyzed how metformin altered the metabolism of prostate cancer cells and tumors. We found that metformin decreased glucose oxidation and increased dependency on reductive glutamine metabolism in both cancer cell lines and in a mouse model of prostate cancer. Inhibition of glutamine anaplerosis in the presence of metformin further attenuated proliferation, whereas increasing glutamine metabolism rescued the proliferative defect induced by metformin. These data suggest that interfering with glutamine may synergize with metformin to improve outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.
Published:
July 14, 2013
Title:
Cardiovascular Effects of Intensive Lifestyle Intervention in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors:
Abstract:
Weight loss is recommended for overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes.1 This recommendation is based on short-term studies showing numerous benefits of weight loss, including improvements in glycemic control, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, quality of life, and other obesity-related coexisting illnesses.2 However, it is unknown whether weight loss reduces the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Epidemiologic studies involving patients with diabetes have had conflicting results, perhaps because of confounding from unintentional weight loss.3 A meta-analysis4 of cohort studies concluded that moderate intentional weight loss was associated with reduced mortality among . . .
Published:
July 10, 2013
Title:
Vegetarian dietary patterns and mortality in Adventist Health Study 2
Authors:
Orlich, Michael J.; Singh, Pramil N.; Sabaté, Joan; Jaceldo-Siegl, Karen; Fan, Jing; Knutsen, Synnove; Beeson, W. Lawrence; Fraser, Gary E.
Abstract:
IMPORTANCE: Some evidence suggests vegetarian dietary patterns may be associated with reduced mortality, but the relationship is not well established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between vegetarian dietary patterns and mortality. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study; mortality analysis by Cox proportional hazards regression, controlling for important demographic and lifestyle confounders. SETTING: Adventist Health Study 2 (AHS-2), a large North American cohort. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 96,469 Seventh-day Adventist men and women recruited between 2002 and 2007, from which an analytic sample of 73,308 participants remained after exclusions. EXPOSURES: Diet was assessed at baseline by a quantitative food frequency questionnaire and categorized into 5 dietary patterns: nonvegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and vegan. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE: The relationship between vegetarian dietary patterns and all-cause and cause-specific mortality; deaths through 2009 were identified from the National Death Index. RESULTS: There were 2570 deaths among 73,308 participants during a mean follow-up time of 5.79 years. The mortality rate was 6.05 (95% CI, 5.82-6.29) deaths per 1000 person-years. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality in all vegetarians combined vs nonvegetarians was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.80-0.97). The adjusted HR for all-cause mortality in vegans was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.73-1.01); in lacto-ovo-vegetarians, 0.91 (95% CI, 0.82-1.00); in pesco-vegetarians, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.69-0.94); and in semi-vegetarians, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.75-1.13) compared with nonvegetarians. Significant associations with vegetarian diets were detected for cardiovascular mortality, noncardiovascular noncancer mortality, renal mortality, and endocrine mortality. Associations in men were larger and more often significant than were those in women. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Vegetarian diets are associated with lower all-cause mortality and with some reductions in cause-specific mortality. Results appeared to be more robust in males. These favorable associations should be considered carefully by those offering dietary guidance.
Published:
July 7, 2013
Title:
Evaluation of a Community Health Worker Pilot Intervention to Improve Diabetes Management in Bangladeshi Immigrants With Type 2 Diabetes in New York City
Authors:
Islam, Nadia S.; Wyatt, Laura C.; Patel, Shilpa D.; Shapiro, Ephraim; Tandon, S. Darius; Mukherji, B. Runi; Tanner, Michael; Rey, Mariano J.; Trinh-Shevrin, Chau
Abstract:
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the impact and feasibility of a pilot Community Health Worker (CHW) intervention to improve diabetes management among Bangladeshi-American individuals with type 2 diabetes living in New York City.MethodsParticipants were recruited at clinic- and community-based venues. The intervention consisted of 6 monthly, CHW-facilitated group sessions on topics related to management of diabetes. Surveys were collected at baseline and follow-up time points. Study outcomes included clinical, behavioral, and satisfaction measures for participants, as well as qualitative measures from CHWs.ResultsImprovements were seen in diabetes knowledge, exercise and diet to control diabetes, frequency of checking feet, medication compliance, and self-efficacy of health and physical activity from baseline to 12 months. Additionally, there were decreases in A1C, weight, and body mass index. Program evaluation revealed a high acceptability of the intervention, and qualitative findings indicated that CHWs helped overcome barriers and facilitated program outcomes through communal concordance, trust, and leadership.ConclusionsThe intervention demonstrated high acceptability and suggested efficacy in improving diabetes management outcomes among Bangladeshi immigrants in an urban setting. The US Bangladeshi population will continue to increase, and given the high rates of diabetes, as well as linguistic and economic barriers faced by this community, effective and culturally tailored health interventions are needed to overcome barriers and provide support for diabetes management.
Published:
June 30, 2013
Title:
Fructose in perspective
Authors:
Feinman, Richard D.; Fine, Eugene J.
Abstract:
Whether dietary fructose (as sucrose or high fructose corn syrup) has unique effects separate from its role as carbohydrate, or, in fact, whether it can be considered inherently harmful, even a toxin, has assumed prominence in nutrition. Much of the popular and scientific media have already decided against fructose and calls for regulation and taxation come from many quarters. There are conflicting data, however. Outcomes attributed to fructose - obesity, high triglycerides and other features of metabolic syndrome - are not found in every experimental test and may be more reliably caused by increased total carbohydrate. In this review, we try to put fructose in perspective by looking at the basic metabolic reactions. We conclude that fructose is best understood as part of carbohydrate metabolism. The pathways of fructose and glucose metabolism converge at the level of the triose-phosphates and, therefore, any downstream effects also occur with glucose. In addition, a substantial part of ingested fructose is turned to glucose. Regulation of fructose metabolism per se, is at the level of substrate control - the lower Km of fructokinase compared to glucokinase will affect the population of triose-phosphates. Generally deleterious effects of administering fructose alone suggest that fructose metabolism is normally controlled in part by glucose. Because the mechanisms of fructose effects are largely those of a carbohydrate, one has to ask what the proper control should be for experiments that compare fructose to glucose. In fact, there is a large literature showing benefits in replacing total carbohydrate with other nutrients, usually fat, and such experiments sensibly constitute the proper control for comparisons of the two sugars. In terms of public health, a rush to judgement analogous to the fat-cholesterol-heart story, is likely to have unpredictable outcome and unintended consequences. Popular opinion cannot be ignored in this problem and comparing fructose to ethanol, for example, is without biochemical correlates. Also, nothing in the biochemistry suggests that sugar is a toxin. Dietary carbohydrate restriction remains the best strategy for obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The specific contribution of the removal of fructose or sucrose to this effect remains unknown.
Published:
June 30, 2013
Title:
Perceptions of Barriers in Managing Diabetes: Perspectives of Hispanic Immigrant Patients and Family Members
Authors:
Hu, Jie; Amirehsani, Karen; Wallace, Debra C.; Letvak, Susan
Abstract:
PurposeHispanics show poorer self-management of type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. Although previous studies have reported socioeconomic and cultural barriers to diabetes self-management by Hispanics, little is known about perceived barriers to diabetes self-management from the perspectives of both Hispanics and their family members. The purpose of the study was to explore perceived barriers among Hispanic immigrants with diabetes and their family members.MethodsA qualitative study using 5 focus groups was conducted. A total of 73 Hispanic immigrants with type 2 diabetes (n = 36) and family members (n = 37) were recruited in the southeastern United States for a family-based intervention study of diabetes-self management. Participants were asked to describe their perceptions of barriers to self-management. The 5 sessions were audiotaped and transcribed, translated from Spanish into English, and analyzed using standard content analysis. Demographics, hemoglobin A1C levels, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained both for participants with diabetes and for their family members.ResultsBarriers to diabetes self-management identified by participants with diabetes were in 3 major themes categorized as: suffering from diabetes, difficulties in managing the disease, and lack of resources/support. Two key themes emerged pertaining to family members: we can provide support and we lack knowledge.ConclusionsPerceived barriers to diabetes self-management described by Hispanic immigrants with diabetes and family members indicate a lack of intervention strategies to meet their needs. Interventions should include culturally relevant resources, family support, and diabetes self-management skills education.
Published:
June 30, 2013
Title:
The role of the gallbladder in humans
Authors:
Turumin, J. L.; Shanturov, V. A.; Turumina, H. E.
Abstract:
The basic function of the gallbladder in humans is one of protection. The accumulation of the primary bile acids (cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid) in the gallbladder reduces the formation of the secondary bile acids (deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid), thus diminishing their concentration in the so-called gallbladder-independent enterohepatic circulation and protecting the liver, the stomach mucosa, the gallbladder, and the colon from their toxic hydrophobic effects. The presence or absence of the gallbladder in mammals is a determining factor in the synthesis of hydrophobic or hydrophilic bile acids. Because the gallbladder contracts 5-20 min after food is in the stomach and the “gastric chyme” moves from the stomach to the duodenum 1-3 h later, the function of the gallbladder bile in digestion may be insignificant. The aim of this article was to provide a detailed review of the role of the gallbladder and the mechanisms related to bile formation in humans. Resumen La función básica de la vesícula biliar en el ser humano es de protección. Mediante la acumulación de los ácidos biliares primarios (ácidos cólico y quenodesoxicólico) en la vesícula biliar, se disminuye la formación secundaria de ácidos biliares hidrófobos tóxicos (ácidos desoxicólico y litocólico), lo que reduce su concentración en la vesícula de forma independiente de la circulación enterohepática y protege al hígado, la mucosa del estómago, la vesícula biliar, y el colon de sus efectos. En los mamíferos la presencia o ausencia de la vesícula biliar es determinante para la síntesis de ácidos biliares hidrófobos o hidrófilos, respectivamente. Debido a que la vesícula biliar se contrae 5-20min después de que los alimentos están disponibles en el estómago, y «el quimo gástrico» se mueve desde el estómago hasta el duodeno solamente 1-3h más tarde, la función de la vesícula biliar en la digestión es realmente mínima. El objetivo de esta revisión es hacer una revisión detallada del papel de la vesícula biliar y los mecanismos relacionados con la formación de bilis en el humano.
Published:
June 30, 2013
Title:
Elastic energy storage in the shoulder and the evolution of high-speed throwing in Homo
Authors:
Roach, Neil T.; Venkadesan, Madhusudhan; Rainbow, Michael J.; Lieberman, Daniel E.
Abstract:
Some primates, including chimpanzees, throw objects occasionally, but only humans regularly throw projectiles with high speed and accuracy. Darwin noted that the unique throwing abilities of humans, which were made possible when bipedalism emancipated the arms, enabled foragers to hunt effectively using projectiles. However, there has been little consideration of the evolution of throwing in the years since Darwin made his observations, in part because of a lack of evidence of when, how and why hominins evolved the ability to generate high-speed throws. Here we use experimental studies of humans throwing projectiles to show that our throwing capabilities largely result from several derived anatomical features that enable elastic energy storage and release at the shoulder. These features first appear together approximately 2 million years ago in the species Homo erectus. Taking into consideration archaeological evidence suggesting that hunting activity intensified around this time, we conclude that selection for throwing as a means to hunt probably had an important role in the evolution of the genus Homo.
Published:
June 26, 2013
Title:
Lithium in the prevention of suicide in mood disorders: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors:
Cipriani, A.; Hawton, K.; Stockton, S.; Geddes, J. R.
Abstract:
Objective To assess whether lithium has a specific preventive effect for suicide and self harm in people with unipolar and bipolar mood disorders. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Published:
June 26, 2013
Title:
Vegetarian diet-induced increase in linoleic acid in serum phospholipids is associated with improved insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes
Authors:
Kahleova, H.; Matoulek, M.; Bratova, M.; Malinska, H.; Kazdova, L.; Hill, M.; Pelikanova, T.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty acids are important cellular constituents that may affect many metabolic processes relevant for the development of diabetes and its complications. We showed previously that vegetarian diet leads to greater increase in metabolic clearance rate of glucose (MCR) than conventional hypocaloric diet. The aim of this secondary analysis was to explore the role of changes in fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids in diet- and exercise-induced changes in MCR in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: Subjects with T2D (n=74) were randomly assigned into a vegetarian group (VG, n=37) following vegetarian diet or a control group (CG, n=37) following a conventional diet. Both diets were calorie restricted (-500 kcal day(-1)). Participants were examined at baseline, 12 weeks of diet intervention and 24 weeks (subsequent 12 weeks of diet were combined with aerobic exercise). The fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids was measured by gas liquid chromatography. MCR was measured by hyperinsulinemic isoglycemic clamp. Visceral fat (VF) was measured by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n6) increased in VG (P=0.04), whereas it decreased in CG (P=0.04) in response to dietary interventions. It did not change significantly after the addition of exercise in either group (group × time P
Published:
June 16, 2013
Title:
What about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as a new criterion to define metabolic syndrome?
Authors:
Tarantino, Giovanni; Finelli, Carmine
Abstract:
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently not a component of the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, the development of NAFLD has some common mechanisms with the development of MetS, as they share the pathophysiologic basis of insulin resistance. It is also recognized that NAFLD is the hepatic manifestation of MetS. To define MetS, the presence of at least three of the proposed criteria is required, and sometimes it is sufficient to have only one laboratory value, modified by diet or drugs, for the classification of MetS. Ultrasonographically-detected NAFLD (US-NAFLD) is more stable, only changing during the middle- to long-term. Although controversies over MetS continue, and considering that abdominal ultrasonography for diagnosing NAFLD has high specificity and guidelines to modify the natural course of NAFLD by diet composition or lifestyle have not yet been established, why should we not introduce US-NAFLD as a new criterion to define MetS?
Published:
June 13, 2013
Title:
The Ketogenic Diet and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Prolong Survival in Mice with Systemic Metastatic Cancer
Authors:
Poff, Angela M.; Ari, Csilla; Seyfried, Thomas N.; D’Agostino, Dominic P.
Abstract:
Introduction Abnormal cancer metabolism creates a glycolytic-dependency which can be exploited by lowering glucose availability to the tumor. The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet which decreases blood glucose and elevates blood ketones and has been shown to slow cancer progression in animals and humans. Abnormal tumor vasculature creates hypoxic pockets which promote cancer progression and further increase the glycolytic-dependency of cancers. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2T) saturates tumors with oxygen, reversing the cancer promoting effects of tumor hypoxia. Since these non-toxic therapies exploit overlapping metabolic deficiencies of cancer, we tested their combined effects on cancer progression in a natural model of metastatic disease. Methods We used the firefly luciferase-tagged VM-M3 mouse model of metastatic cancer to compare tumor progression and survival in mice fed standard or KD ad libitum with or without HBO2T (2.5 ATM absolute, 90 min, 3x/week). Tumor growth was monitored by in vivo bioluminescent imaging. Results KD alone significantly decreased blood glucose, slowed tumor growth, and increased mean survival time by 56.7% in mice with systemic metastatic cancer. While HBO2T alone did not influence cancer progression, combining the KD with HBO2T elicited a significant decrease in blood glucose, tumor growth rate, and 77.9% increase in mean survival time compared to controls. Conclusions KD and HBO2T produce significant anti-cancer effects when combined in a natural model of systemic metastatic cancer. Our evidence suggests that these therapies should be further investigated as potential non-toxic treatments or adjuvant therapies to standard care for patients with systemic metastatic disease.
Published:
June 4, 2013
Title:
The Ketogenic Diet and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Prolong Survival in Mice with Systemic Metastatic Cancer
Authors:
Poff, Angela M.; Ari, Csilla; Seyfried, Thomas N.; D’Agostino, Dominic P.
Abstract:
Introduction: Abnormal cancer metabolism creates a glycolytic-dependency which can be exploited by lowering glucose availability to the tumor. The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low carbohydrate, high fat diet which decreases blood glucose and elevates blood ketones and has been shown to slow cancer progression in animals and humans. Abnormal tumor vasculature creates hypoxic pockets which promote cancer progression and further increase the glycolytic-dependency of cancers. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2T) saturates tumors with oxygen, reversing the cancer promoting effects of tumor hypoxia. Since these non-toxic therapies exploit overlapping metabolic deficiencies of cancer, we tested their combined effects on cancer progression in a natural model of metastatic disease. Methods: We used the firefly luciferase-tagged VM-M3 mouse model of metastatic cancer to compare tumor progression and survival in mice fed standard or KD ad libitum with or without HBO2T (2.5 ATM absolute, 90 min, 3x/week). Tumor growth was monitored by in vivo bioluminescent imaging. Results: KD alone significantly decreased blood glucose, slowed tumor growth, and increased mean survival time by 56.7% in mice with systemic metastatic cancer. While HBO2T alone did not influence cancer progression, combining the KD with HBO2T elicited a significant decrease in blood glucose, tumor growth rate, and 77.9% increase in mean survival time compared to controls. Conclusions: KD and HBO2T produce significant anti-cancer effects when combined in a natural model of systemic metastatic cancer. Our evidence suggests that these therapies should be further investigated as potential non-toxic treatments or adjuvant therapies to standard care for patients with systemic metastatic disease.
Published:
June 4, 2013
Title:
Ethnobotany: major developments of a discipline abroad, reflected in New Zealand
Authors:
Fuller, R. J. M.
Abstract:
Ethnobotany describes the relationship between people and plants. Research illustrating this relationship, both in New Zealand and abroad, is largely scattered throughout a number of disciplines including anthropology, botany and ecology. This review examines the ethnobotany field overall and evaluates the contributions made in three main areas of ethnobotanical research. First, the issues that have arisen in the field of ethnobotany globally and the changes that have taken place are analysed. Second, details of the relationships between Māori and New Zealand plants and how these issues may affect research undertaken in New Zealand are outlined. Third, future research avenues and opportunities in ethnobotany are defined. To explore theories which underpin the use of plants, the focus needs to shift from historical analyses of plant uses to a better description of what is occurring today. Increasingly, ethnobotanical research will require the application of scientific rigour, interdisciplinary collaboration and working with communities.
Published:
May 31, 2013
Title:
Modeling trophic resource availability for the first human settlers of Europe: The case of Atapuerca TD6
Authors:
Rodríguez-Gómez, Guillermo; Rodríguez, Jesús; Martín-González, Jesús Ángel; Goikoetxea, Idoia; Mateos, Ana
Abstract:
Food resource availability strongly influences the survival opportunities of all organisms. The effect of animal food resource availability on the survival and dispersal of hominin populations is hotly debated. In this article, we present a mathematical model that provides estimations of the maximum and minimum available resources for secondary consumers in a palaeocommunity. This model provides insights into the intensity of competition and the available niche space for hominins in Europe during the early Galerian (1.2–0.8 Ma). Published data from the Atapuerca TD6 assemblage were used in combination with the model to investigate trophic dynamics and resource availability for a Homo antecessor population 800,000 years ago. The effect on our results of the possible presence at Atapuerca of some large carnivores not recorded in the fossil assemblage is also evaluated. Results indicate the existence of a rich ecosystem at Atapuerca at the end of the Early Pleistocene. Secondary production was abundant enough to maintain a hunter–gatherer population and a rich carnivore guild more diverse than that recorded in the TD6 assemblage. Based on these results, the practice of cannibalism by H. antecessor cannot be explained by a long-term scarcity of resources. High food availability at TD6 implies a low to moderate level of competition for resources between carnivores and humans. According to this interpretation, an empty niche for a highly carnivorous omnivore existed in Europe during the early Galerian, and it was successfully exploited by Homo.
Published:
May 31, 2013
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