Engaging Intergenerational Hispanics/Latinos to Examine Factors Influencing Childhood Obesity Using the PRECEDE–PROCEED Model

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Introduction Hispanics/Latinos are disproportionately affected by obesity in the U.S. Multiple factors place Hispanic/Latino children at risk for overweight,...     

A new heparin fragment decreases liver ischemia-reperfusion injury

<正>To the Editor:Ischemia-reperfusion injury following surgery and transplantation can lead to irreversible multiorgan failure.Intracellular calcium overload is associated to cellular death during ischemiareperfusion.A recently discovered heparin fragment (HF),trisulfated disaccharide (TD),that acts on sodium-calcium exchanger(NCX) decreasing intracellular Ca²⁺,showed effectiveness on protecting hepatocytes from ischemia-reperfusion injury [1],     

Through the looking glass: counter-mirror activation following incompatible sensorimotor learning

The mirror system, comprising cortical areas that allow the actions of others to be represented in the observer's own motor system, is thought to be crucial for the development of social cognition in humans. Despite the importance of the human mirror system, little is known about its origins. We investigated the role of sensorimotor experience in the development of the mirror system. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure neural responses to observed hand and foot actions following one of two types of training. During training, participants in the Compatible (control) group made mirror responses to observed actions (hand responses were made to hand stimuli and foot responses to foot stimuli), whereas the Incompatible group made counter-mirror responses (hand to foot and foot to hand). Comparison of these groups revealed that, after training to respond in a counter-mirror fashion, the relative action observation properties of the mirror system were reversed; areas that showed greater responses to observation of hand actions in the Compatible group responded more strongly to observation of foot actions in the Incompatible group. These results suggest that, rather than being innate or the product of unimodal visual or motor experience, the mirror properties of the mirror system are acquired through sensorimotor learning.     

Evaluation of an Ileorectostomised Rat Model for Resistant Starch Determination

The human ileostomy model, widely considered the benchmark for determining in vivo starch digestibility, has disadvantages. The ileorectostomised rat model (IRM) is a possible surrogate but evidence as to its validity is scant. In this preliminary study, the resistant starch (RS) content of test breads made from refined low (LAW-R) and high amylose wheat (HAW-R) flours was established in a randomised cross-over trial involving six human ileostomy participants. Starch digestibility of refined breads and diets made from these flours was then evaluated in ileorectostomised rats using a similar experimental format. Physical performance measures and other data were also collected for the rat model. The amount of RS in the low- and high-amylose breads as measured using the human model was 0.8 ± 0.1 and 6.5 ± 0.3 g/100 g, respectively. The RS level of HAW-R bread determined using ileorectostomised rats was 5.5 ± 0.8 g/100 g, about 15% less than that recorded in the human study, whereas for conventional wheat breads the models produced similar RS values. While offering promise, further validation using a wide variety of starchy food products is needed before the IRM can be considered an acceptable alternative for RS determination.     

What makes women feel powerful? An exploratory study of relationship power and sexual decision-making with African Americans at risk for HIV/STDs

Because of the importance of relationship power and cultural norms on women's ability to protect themselves from HIV/STDs, effective interventions must address power differentials among men and women. These programs need to be informed by and adapted to the cultural values of the target population. Accordingly, we conducted exploratory interviews with 22 young African American women at risk of HIV/ STDs and unintended pregnancy and their male partners regarding the meaning of power in heterosexual relationships, what makes a woman feel powerful in a relationship with a man, and who makes sexual and reproductive decisions in their relationships. Content analyses suggested that relationship power was linked to control and decision-making for most participants; yet, others appeared to associate power with positive relationship qualities such as respect and security. In addition, most participants reported that they shared decision-making about sexual and reproductive matters with their partners. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with another 40 women to explore and identify cultural beliefs regarding what makes women feel powerful in their relationships with their husbands or partners. Cultural consensus analysis was performed and results indicated that the participants comprise a cultural group with shared beliefs about what makes women feel powerful in their relationships. Participants believed that women's sense of power in their relationships came from (1) knowing what they want and having autonomy and control; (2) the quality of their relationships; (3) having resources to provide for their families; and (4) physical attractiveness and sexual factors.     

Carcinoid Tumor of the Kidney with Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Profile of a Hindgut Endocrine Tumor: Report of a Case

A 54-year-old man underwent a radical nephrectomy for a presumed renal cell carcinoma. The tumor was large, showed areas of cystic degeneration and calcification, and had completely obliterated the normal renal parenchyma. The light microscopic appearance was atypical for renal cell carcinoma, and when electron microscopy revealed innumerable neurosecretory granules a diagnosis of carcinoid tumor was made. The tumor cells were argentaffin- and argyrophil-negative but were chromogranin-, neuron-specific enolase-, and leu-7-positive. When tested with a battery of antibodies against specific polypeptide hormones, the tumor exhibited diffuse pancreatic polypeptide and focal somatostatin immunoreactivity.

Our case represents only the 16th case of carcinoid tumor of the kidney to be reported and the first with demonstrated pancreatic polypeptide immunoreactivity. The predominantly trabecular histology, nonreactivity with silver stains, and immunohistochemical profile of this case are common characteristics of hindgut carcinoids, suggesting that, like rectal carcinoids, renal carcinoids are tumors of hindgut endocrine cells.     

Elevated plasma interleukin-6 and increased severity and mortality in alcoholic hepatitis.

Recent studies in alcoholic hepatitis have proposed a role for the cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) a mediator of endotoxic shock in sepsis. In this study plasma levels of the closely related cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assayed in 96 samples from 58 patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis, and 69 patients in control groups (21 normal, 10 alcoholic without liver disease, 10 inactive alcoholic cirrhosis, 18 chronic liver disease, 10 chronic renal failure). Plasma IL-6 levels were markedly elevated in patients with alcoholic hepatitis when compared with all control groups (P less than 0.001). IL-6 levels were higher in patients who died (P = 0.04) and correlated with the features of severe disease including: increased grade of encephalopathy, increased neutrophil count, increased prothrombin ratio, hypotension, increased serum creatinine and increased serum bilirubin. Surprisingly, no correlation was found between levels of plasma IL-6 and plasma TNF-alpha or endotoxin, or the presence of infection; an inverse correlation was found between plasma IL-6 and serum globulins. These findings provide further evidence that the IL-6/TNF cytokine system is activated in severe alcoholic hepatitis and may mediate hepatic or extra-hepatic tissue damage.