Comparative brain cholinesterase-inhibiting activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Myristica fragrans, ascorbic acid, and metrifonate in mice

The central cholinergic pathways play a prominent role in the learning and memory processes. Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine. The present study was undertaken to estimate the acetylcholinesterase- inhibiting activity of extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Myristica fragrans seeds, and ascorbic acid and compare these values with a standard acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting drug, metrifonate. Aqueous extract of G. glabra (150 mg/kg p.o. for 7 successive days), n-hexane extract of M. fragrans seeds (5 mg/kg p.o. for 3 successive days), ascorbic acid (60 mg/kg i.p. for 3 successive days), and metrifonate (50 mg/kg i.p.) were administered to young male Swiss albino mice. Acetylcholinesterase enzyme was estimated in brains of mice. G. glabra, M. fragrans, ascorbic acid, and metrifonate significantly decreased acetylcholinesterase activity as compared with their respective vehicle-treated control groups.     

Consumer acceptability of liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) as an alternative sweetener and correlation with its bioactive content and biological activity

Consumer acceptability and sensory properties of liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) were evaluated. Quantitation of total polyphenolics and glycyrrhizic acid (GA), as well as the antioxidant capacity of liquorice extracts, was conducted and their biological effects (cytotoxic, antioxidative/pro-oxidative activity, lipid peroxidation on human laryngeal carcinoma cell line) compared to the ones of their predominant bioactive compound – GA. Conducted consumer survey revealed poor familiarity with liquorice (12.37% of correspondents), but willingness towards its use as an alternative sweetener (77.32% of consumers). Polyphenolic content of evaluated extracts ranged from 1018.18 to 1277.27?mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/l while GA content varied between 2179.53 and 2944.13?mg/l. The most pronounced cytotoxic effect (60%) and lipid peroxidation were exerted by treatment with the highest applied extract concentrations (10?mg/ml). Pure GA exhibited cytotoxic and pro-oxidative effects at concentrations of 0.12–0.6?mg/ml. Due to high GA content, coupled with its pronounced cytotoxic activity, the intake of liquorice root should be limited.     

Food Enrichment with Glycyrrhiza glabra Extract Suppresses ACE2 mRNA and Protein Expression in Rats—Possible Implications for COVID-19

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a key entry point of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus known to induce Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We have recently outlined a concept to reduce ACE2 expression by the administration of glycyrrhizin, a component of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract, via its inhibitory activity on 11beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11betaHSD2) and resulting activation of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). We hypothesized that in organs such as the ileum, which co-express 11betaHSD2, MR and ACE2, the expression of ACE2 would be suppressed. We studied organ tissues from an experiment originally designed to address the effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract on stress response. Male Sprague Dawley rats were left undisturbed or exposed to chronic mild stress for five weeks. For the last two weeks, animals continued with a placebo diet or received a diet containing extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra root at a dose of 150 mg/kg of body weight/day. Quantitative PCR measurements showed a significant decrease in gene expression of ACE2 in the small intestine of rats fed with diet containing Glycyrrhiza glabra extract. This effect was independent of the stress condition and failed to be observed in non-target tissues, namely the heart and the brain cortex. In the small intestine we also confirmed the reduction of ACE2 at the protein level. Present findings provide evidence to support the hypothesis that Glycyrrhiza glabra extract may reduce an entry point of SARS-CoV-2. Whether this phenomenon, when confirmed in additional studies, is linked to the susceptibility of cells to the virus requires further studies.     

Reconsidering models of patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions

This article considers several models of how patients integrate their reactions to hospital attributes and how these reactions impact their overall satisfaction and behavioral intentions. It finds that patients combine their reactions to the attributes by means of noncompensatory and nonlinear models to form their overall satisfaction or behavioral intentions.     

Attenuated interoceptive sensitivity in overweight and obese individuals

ObjectivePerceiving internal signals of hunger and satiety is related to the regulation of food intake. Recent data suggest that interoception (perception of bodily signals) and interoceptive sensitivity (sensitivity for internal signals) might be a crucial variable for the regulation of behavior associated with feelings of satiety. It is yet unclear whether interoceptive sensitivity is altered in overweight and obese participants.Design and methodsWe therefore examined interoceptive sensitivity among 75 overweight and obese women and men using a heartbeat detection task and compared them to normal weight controls. We hypothesized that overweight and obesity would be related to attenuated interoceptive sensitivity.ResultsInteroceptive sensitivity was higher in normal weight participants as compared to overweight and obese participants. Additionally, we found a negative correlation coefficient between the BMI and interoceptive sensitivity in the overweight and obese group only.ConclusionsIn accordance with our hypotheses, we found evidence for reduced interoceptive sensitivity in overweight and obese individuals. Interoceptive sensitivity presumably interacts with the regulation of food intake in everyday life in part by facilitating the detection of bodily changes accompanying satiety. Overweight and obese individuals might experience greater difficulties in accurately detecting such signals due to reduced interoceptive sensitivity.     

Crisis and chaos in behavioral nutrition and physical activity

Resnicow & Vaughn challenged the field of behavioral nutrition and physical activity to conduct research in new ways. They challenged the predictiveness of our models, sensitivity to initial conditions, factors predisposing to change and measurement procedures. While the predictiveness of our models will reflect the sophistication of our thinking and research, and the sensitivity to initial conditions is subsumed under the sophistication of our models, research on conditions predisposing to change (e.g. epiphanies), more longitudinal designs, refined measurement procedures and testing of critical issues can only enhance the quality of our research. Improved research quality should lead to enhanced efficacy and effectiveness of our interventions, and thereby our making meaningful contributions to mitigating the chaos in our field and the crisis from the rising epidemic of obesity.     

Evaluating health promotion programs in the workplace: behavioral models versus financial models

This paper suggests that the future of occupational health promotionevaluation lies in the creative utilization of behavioral sciencemodels in an integrated manner with financial models of programevaluation. Evaluators must simultaneously ask ‘Does theprogram work?’ and ‘At what cost?’ Economicconditions may well dictate that both of these questions beanswered. Further, it seems clear that researchers need notbe bound to the impracticalities of true experimental designin order to evaluate program effectiveness. In addition, giventhe numerous potential tangible and intangible benefits to firmssponsoring occupational health promotion programs, evaluatorsshould be equally concerned with controlling beta errors asthey are with controlling alpha errors in test design; otherwise,they run the risk of prematurely cancelling potentially profitableinvestments before they come to fruition.     

Paternalistic welfare reform: current perceptions and behavioral models

Most of the current welfare reform incentives make assumptions about the behavior of AFDC clients. Among these assumptions are that clients will seek to maximize their financial resources; that they understand the requirements of the welfare reform; and that they can control the behaviors targeted by the welfare reform effort. Using survey data gathered from AFDC clients involved in Maryland's welfare reform initiative, the authors suggest that the assumptions underlying these welfare reform initiatives may be too simplistic. For welfare reform to be effective, the authors argue that these initiatives must reflect the complexity of the problems and concerns faced by the AFDC client.     

Outcomes, clinical models and the redesign of behavioral healthcare

Outcomes measurement and data-triggered improvements in treatment delivery are formidable challenges, in part because of their inherent interdependence. Outcomes systems need to provide reliable, valid and comparable data that can also guide transitions in care delivery. While there is much empirical support for the efficacy of psychiatric and behavioral healthcare interventions, it is incumbent upon those who know both the literature and clinical practice to participate in setting the future course of behavioral healthcare by stirring together the seemingly immiscible aims of good business and good care. This paper briefly reviews the importance of outcomes measurement systems and their use in redesigning treatment delivery in behavioral healthcare. It then describes a clinical care model now being implemented at Park Nicollet Medical Center, incorporating clinical and operational considerations, clinical outcomes measures and algorithms or decision trees into a framework for redesigning treatment and improving the delivery of appropriate clinical care.     

Comparative effectiveness of a standard behavioral and physical activity enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention in Black women

ABSTRACT

Black women typically lose small amounts of weight in behavioral weight loss interventions, partially due to low engagement in physical activity. Culturally relevant enhancement of the physical activity component may improve weight loss. This study compared the effectiveness of a culturally-relevant, physical activity-enhanced behavioral weight loss intervention to a standard behavioral weight loss intervention in Black women (n = 85) over 6 months. The study was conducted in two cohorts from March 2016 to February 2017 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Participants had an average age of 48.30 ± 11.02 years with an average body mass index of 36.46 ± 4.50 kg/m². Standard and enhanced groups’ weight change (?2.83 kg and ?2.08 kg, respectively) and change in physical activity (43.93 min/ week and 15.29 min/week, respectively) did not differ between groups. Significantly more standard group participants lost 5% of baseline weight compared to enhanced group participants. This study produced typical weight loss results in Black women. Behavioral weight loss treatment remains moderately effective for Black women. Strategies to increase attendance and self-monitoring, and the inclusion of cultural contexts to weight-related behaviors are needed to improve outcomes.     

Polysaccharide isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch induces intracellular enzyme activity of macrophages

A purified fraction of water-soluble polysaccharides was isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch using ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The present study was undertaken to discuss the preliminary immunoregulation mechanism of glycyrrhiza polysaccharide (GP) by cytochemistry and quantitative analyses, and intracellular enzyme measurement of macrophages. Acid phosphatase (ACPase), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), acid α-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) in macrophages were stained with different methods. The results indicate that GP increased the production of ACPase, ATPase, ANAE and SDH; the activities of lysozyme (LSZ) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of macrophages were also induced by GP. Our data suggest that the beneficial therapeutic effects of GP may be attributed partly to its ability to modulate macrophage immune functions.     

Applying behavioral models to dietary education of elderly diabetic patients

This study investigated the impact of psychosocial variables on diabetes-related behavior using a questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TOPB). Forty-eight elderly male diabetic patients were surveyed to determine the influence of attitudes and beliefs on dietary adherence. Mean fasting blood sugar (FBS) (171 mg/dl) demonstrated a lack of metabolic control and suggested a need for improved education. Subjects taking insulin perceived significantly greater barriers to control than did those on oral agents or diet alone (p < .05). Subjects with FBS fluctuations of 50 mg/dl or more perceived significantly fewer (p < .05) barriers than those with more stable FBS. These results indicate that interventions for older men should identify barriers to control and include practical ways to overcome them. Intention to eat foods such as pie, cake, or doughnuts was strongly related to subjective norm, attitude towards dietary adherence, and perceived control (R² = 0.69, F = 31.60, p < .001). In addition, regression analysis to predict adherence behavior from TOPB accounted for a significant proportion of the variance (R² = 0.37, F = 4.44, p < .01). This regression model suggests that educators who effect a change in attitudes may also change behavioral intentions and dietary adherence behavior.     

Physical activity and depression in MS: The mediating role of behavioral activation

BackgroundDepression is a common comorbid condition among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and is associated with greater overall disease burden and lower quality of life. Numerous clinical trials have supported physical activity interventions versus education, usual care, and attention control conditions for improving depressive symptoms in individuals with MS. However, little is known about the psychological mechanisms that may underlie physical activity-related improvements in depression. Behavioral activation posits that depression may stem from a reduction or loss of personally meaningful and rewarding activity. The process of behavioral activation involves re-engaging with these experiences. Behavioral activation might represent one mechanism by which physical activity interventions improve depression.ObjectiveTo examine behavioral activation as a mechanism mediating the effects of physical activity intervention on depressive symptom improvement in individuals with MS.MethodsMediational path analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial (N = 64) comparing telephone-based physical activity counseling (TC) to education (EC).ResultsParticipation in TC resulted in greater improvements in behavioral activation from months 0–3. Improvements in behavioral activation were associated with fewer baseline-adjusted depressive symptoms at month 6. The corresponding indirect (mediational) pathway was significant.ConclusionBehavioral activation may represent one mechanism by which physical activity improves depression in MS. Future physical activity trials should capitalize on this relationship and place additional emphasis on identifying and engaging in personally meaningful life activity. Future trials of therapies focused on behavioral activation might benefit from encouraging physical activity goals.Trial registrationTrial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01198977.     

小学生体力活动视屏时间和情绪行为问题的关系

目的 探讨中高等强度体力活动(moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity,MVPA)、视屏时间(screen time,ST)和儿童情绪与行为问题的关联,为筛查学龄儿童心理问题和制定相关干预措施提供参考.方法 采用分层整群随机抽样,于2017年3月在广州市5个区各抽...     

Correlation between fetal activity and the neonatal behavioral assessment scale

Fourteen women were asked to record fetal movements by a subjective method during one week out of 36‐38 weeks of pregnancy. Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) exams were performed on the 14 newborn infants born to these women from three to five days of life. Correlations were computed between fetal activity and neonatal behavior. Negative correlation coefficients were significantly found between orientation‐animate visual and the following fetal movements: Kicking, rolling and total movements, and orientation‐animate visual and auditory and fetal rolling movements. Hiccup‐like movements correlated significantly with pull‐to‐sit of NBAS. Prenatal‐neonatal correlations were found in only three items of NBAS. We could not demonstrate positively the continuity of the development from the fetal to neonatal period.     

Correlation between fetal activity and the neonatal behavioral assessment scale

Fourteen women were asked to record fetal movements by a subjective method during one week out of 36-38 weeks of pregnancy. Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) exams were performed on the 14 newborn infants born to these women from three to five days of life. Correlations were computed between fetal activity and neonatal behavior. Negative correlation coefficients were significantly found between orientation-animate visual and the following fetal movements: Kicking, rolling and total movements, and orientation-animate visual and auditory and fetal rolling movements. Hiccup-like movements correlated significantly with pull-to-sit of NBAS. Prenatal-neonatal correlations were found in only three items of NBAS. We could not demonstrate positively the continuity of the development from the fetal to neonatal period.     

The use of behavioral contracting to increase exercise activity

Abstract A cardiovascular risk reduction program used a submaximal treadmill stress test to evaluate physical fitness. Of the 179 individuals who participated in the health education counseling activities which followed testing, 96 signed a behavioral contract to engage in a 12-week aerobic exercise program. Forty-one contractors fully met contract goals, and 21 reported increased activity levels. Analyses examined demographic, risk factor, and attitudinal predictors of contract signing and contract adherence. Contract signing was related to education, smoking, and women's mean body weight. Only women's body weight was related to contract adherence. Attitudes toward exercise were related to neither. Level of contract adherence was significantly related to a decrease in exercising heart rate at the six-month follow-up assessment. These data suggest that contract signing may be a useful device for assessing client motivation and predicting program participation and behavioral change outcomes.