Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and weight status in children: the role of parental feeding practices

Abstract

The study examines Parental Feeding Practices (PFP) in relation to adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and children’s weight status. It’s a cross-sectional study of 402 parents (68.4% mothers), with children aged 2–12 years. Parents completed the Comprehensive Parental Feeding Questionnaire and the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents (KIDMED), evaluating children’s adherence to the MD. Logistic regression showed that in children aged 2–<6 years, “emotion regulation/food as reward” and “pressure” decrease MD adherence (OR?=?0.186, p?<?0.0001 and OR?=?0.496, p?=?0.004), and “monitoring” decrease excess body weight (OR?=?0.284, p?=?0.009). In older children (6–12 years), “healthy eating guidance” and “monitoring” increase MD adherence (OR?=?3.262, p?=?0.001 and OR?=?3.147, p?<?0.0001), “child control” decreases MD adherence (OR?=?0.587, p?=?0.049), “pressure” decrease excess body weight (OR?=?0.495, p?<?0.0001) and “restriction” increase excess body weight (OR?=?1.784, p?=?0.015). “Healthy eating guidance” and “monitoring” seem to be the best PFP employed, in terms of children’s MD adherence and weight status.     

Novel histone deacetylase inhibitors in the treatment of thyroid cancer.

Histone deacetylases (HDAC) and histone acetyltransferases exert opposing enzymatic activities that modulate the degree of acetylation of histones and other intracellular molecular targets, thereby regulating gene expression, cellular differentiation, and survival. HDAC inhibition results in accumulation of acetylated histones and induces differentiation and/or apoptosis in transformed cells. In this study, we characterized the effect of two HDAC inhibitors, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and m-carboxycinnamic acid bis-hydroxamide, on thyroid carcinoma cell lines, including lines originating from anaplastic and medullary carcinomas. In these models, both SAHA and m-carboxycinnamic acid bis-hydroxamide induced growth arrest and caspase-mediated apoptosis and increased p21 protein levels, retinoblastoma hypophosphorylation, BH3-interacting domain death agonist cleavage, Bax up-regulation, down-regulation of Bcl-2, A1, and Bcl-x(L) expression, and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and caspase-8, -9, -3, -7, and -2. Transfection of Bcl-2 cDNA partially suppressed SAHA-induced cell death. SAHA down-regulated the expression of the apoptosis inhibitors FLIP and cIAP-2 and sensitized tumor cells to cytotoxic chemotherapy and death receptor activation. Our studies provide insight into the tumor type-specific mechanisms of antitumor effects of HDAC inhibitors and a framework for future clinical applications of HDAC inhibitors in patients with thyroid cancer, including histologic subtypes (e.g., anaplastic and medullary thyroid carcinomas) for which limited, if any, therapeutic options are available.     

Repeatability and Validation of a Short,Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire Designed for Older Adults Living in Mediterranean Areas: The MEDIS-FFQ

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the repeatability and the validity of a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that could be used for older people living in Mediterranean areas. The semi-quantitative FFQ included questions regarding the frequency of consumption of the main food groups and beverages typically consumed in the Mediterranean areas as well as some questions regarding eating habits of older persons. During 2006–2007, for the repeatability assessment (within 10–30 days), 150 individuals (51 ± 17 yrs, 40% males) were studied, while another 190 individuals (74 ± 9 yrs, 52% males) were enrolled for the validation purposes. Agreement of the FFQ with the 3-day food records was evaluated using the Bland–Altman method and the Kendall's tau-b coefficient. Repeatability was tested using the Cohen's kappa coefficient. Between 3-day food records and the FFQ, good agreement for alcohol (tau-b = 0.64, p < 0.001) was found, while moderate agreement for food and beverage groups of greens (tau-b = 0.32, p < 0.001), fruits (tau-b = 0.35, p < 0.001), cereals (tau-b = 0.61, p < 0.001), sweets (tau-b = 0.51, p < 0.001), and coffee (tau-b = 0.58, p < 0.001) was observed. Low, but still significant, agreement for fish (tau-b = 0.21, p = 0.001), legumes (tau-b = 0.23, p < 0.001), vegetables (tau-b = 0.23, p < 0.001), pasta (tau-b = 0.25, p < 0.001), potatoes (tau-b = 0.17, p = 0.006) and meat consumption (tau-b = 0.14, p < 0.001) were also found. The FFQ was also valid regarding the estimation of macronutrients and energy intake. Sensitivity analyses by sex, age category (≤ or > 75 yrs), and education status showed similar validity of the FFQ in each subgroup, except for elders older than 75 years. The repeatability of the FFQ was fair in all foods tested (Cohen's kappa coefficients varied between 0.15–0.39, p-values < 0.05). The suggested FFQ seems to be a reasonably valid and repeatable measure of dietary intake and can be used in older persons living in the Mediterranean areas.     

Targeted Tissue and Cell-Free Tumor DNA Sequencing of Advanced Lung Squamous-Cell Carcinoma Reveals Clinically Significant Prevalence of Actionable Alterations

Background

Major guidelines do not recommend routine molecular profiling of lung squamous-cell carcinoma (LUSC) because the prevalence of actionable alterations is thought to be low. Increased utilization of next-generation sequencing (NGS), particularly with cell-free circulating tumor DNA, facilitates reevaluation of this premise.

Changes in indications for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and endoscopic findings during the last fifteen years in south-western Greece

BACKGROUND: During the past years, major advances in the management of upper gastrointestinal diseases have been achieved. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in indications for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and endoscopic findings have occurred during the last 15 years in our area. METHODS: Indications for upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and endoscopy findings of patients who underwent upper endoscopy in years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005 in our department were compared. RESULTS: Over the 15-year period, the number of diagnostic endoscopies performed in our department in years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2005 increased (953, 1245, 2350, and 2528, respectively). Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding had become less frequent (40%, 42.8%, 19.7%, 14.3%, P<0.001), but dyspepsia (24.4%, 33.6%, 54.3%, 51.3%, P=0.002) and reflux (1.8%, 1.3%, 5.1%, 10.8%, P=0.005) more frequent indications for upper endoscopy. The endoscopic findings of duodenal ulcer (39.1%, 22.5%, 20.5%, 9.3%, P<0.001), gastric ulcer (15.9%, 8.3%, 5.7%, 4.6%, P=0.036) as well as erosive gastroduodenitis (35.6%, 22.2%, 15.3%, 4.7%, P<0.001) decreased, whereas that of reflux esophagitis (3.1%, 10.1%, 12%, 16%, P=0.034) increased. Moreover, the percentage of patients with negative endoscopy or minimal endoscopic findings (eg, nonerosive gastritis) increased (12.8%, 33.7%, 54.1%, 64.4%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In south-western Greece, dyspepsia and reflux as an indication for upper endoscopy have been increasing, whereas acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been decreasing. The finding of peptic ulcers at the upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy has become significantly less frequent, while the percentage of patients with negative results of endoscopy seems to have been increasing rapidly.