TAS1R3 and TAS2R38 Polymorphisms Affect Sweet Taste Perception: An Observational Study on Healthy and Obese Subjects

Background: The inter-individual differences in taste perception find a possible rationale in genetic variations. We verified whether the presence of four different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding for bitter (TAS2R38; 145G > C; 785T > C) and sweet (TAS1R3; −1572C > T; −1266C > T) taste receptors influenced the recognition of the basic tastes. Furthermore, we tested if the allelic distribution of such SNPs varied according to BMI and whether the associations between SNPs and taste recognition were influenced by the presence of overweight/obesity. Methods: DNA of 85 overweight/obese patients and 57 normal weight volunteers was used to investigate the SNPs. For the taste test, filter paper strips were applied. Each of the basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) plus pure rapeseed oil, and water were tested. Results: Individuals carrying the AV/AV diplotype of the TAS2R38 gene (A49P G/G and V262 T/T) were less sensitive to sweet taste recognition. These alterations remained significant after adjustment for gender and BMI. Moreover, a significant decrease in overall taste recognition associated with BMI and age was found. There was no significant difference in allelic distribution for the investigated polymorphisms between normal and overweight/obese patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that overall taste recognition depends on age and BMI. In the total population, the inter-individual ability to identify the sweet taste at different concentrations was related to the presence of at least one genetic variant for the bitter receptor gene but not to the BMI.     

Determinants for a low health-related quality of life in asthmatics

People with asthma suffer from impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL), but the determinants of HRQL among asthmatics are not completely understood. The aim of this investigation was to study determinants of low HRQL in asthmatics and to study whether the determinants of HRQL differ between sexes and age groups. A cohort of three age groups in Sweden was investigated in 1990 using a questionnaire with focus on respiratory symptoms. To study quality of life, the generic instrument Gothenburg Quality of Life was used. The participants were also investigated with interviews, spirometry, and allergy testing. Asthma was diagnosed in 616 subjects. Fifty-eight per cent (n = 359) of the subjects were women; and 24% were smokers, 22% ex-smokers, and 54% were non-smokers. Women were more likely than men to report poor health-related quality of life. Respiratory symptoms severity was another independent determinant of a lower quality of life as well as airway responsiveness to irritants. Current and former smokers also reported lower quality of life. Finally, absenteeism from school and work was associated with lower quality of life. Factors such as sex, smoking habits, airway responsiveness to irritants, respiratory symptom severity, allergy, and absenteeism from school and work were associated with low HRQL in asthmatics.     

The Impact of Behavioral Intervention on Family Interactions at Mealtime in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis

The current study evaluated the impact of a behavioral intervention (Be In Charge!), targeting caloric intake and weight gain in children with CF, on family interactions at mealtime. Forty-five families of children with cystic fibrosis (CF), ages 4 to 12 years, were randomized to Be In Charge! or nutrition education and assessed using the McMaster Mealtime Family Interaction Coding System. No differences were found in family functioning between the two interventions pre- to posttreatment or 1-year follow-up, except for Affect Management. A significantly greater percentage of families receiving Be In Charge! demonstrated improvement in Affect Management from pretreatment to 1-year follow-up. Implications for developing the next generation of behavioral interventions are discussed.     

Stabilization of cranberry anthocyanins in nutraceutical capsules

Anthocyanins can be considered spy-substances, useful in obtaining information regarding the shelf-life of food supplements containing cranberry juice or cranberry-derived extracts. The level of total anthocyanins, as evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detector and analytically expressed as cyanidin aglycone, represents a ‘quality index’ useful for routine estimation of shelf-life. The objective of this work was to study the stability of anthocyanins in a commercial cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) dried extract compared with the stability of the same extract contained in a food supplement enriched with α-tocopheryl succinate and ascorbic acid. The values obtained after exposure of the samples to natural light and to alternating hot and cold temperatures show considerable sensitivity of the commercial cranberry dried extract to the agents used for the same evaluation (time, temperature and light) and emphasize a positive effect of the enrichment of the derived preparation with α-tocopheryl succinate and ascorbic acid.     

Swedish Norms for the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility,Form A

This article examines the norms for a Swedish adaptation of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) (Shor & Orne, 1962). In total, 291 subjects (199 females and 92 males) participated in the study. Comparisons are made between the Swedish sample and reference samples,which include English versions of the HGSHS:A from the United States and Australia, as well as 5 translated versions from Italy, Finland, Denmark, Spain, and Germany. In the Swedish sample, females scored significantly higher than males. Generally, however, the normative data from the Swedish sample are congruent with the reference samples and therefore can be used as a tool for initial screening of hypnotic susceptibility in Sweden.     

Bioavailability and biological efficacy of a new oral formulation of salmon calcitonin in healthy volunteers.

Salmon calcitonin (SCT) is a well-tolerated peptide drug with a wide therapeutic margin and is administered parenterally for long-term treatments of bone diseases. Its clinical usefulness would be enhanced by the development of an orally active formulation. In this randomized crossover double-blinded phase I trial, controlled by both a placebo and a parenteral verum, we have tested a new oral formulation of SCT associated with a caprylic acid derivative as carrier. Eight healthy volunteers received single doses of 400, 800, and 1200 microg of SCT orally, a placebo, and a 10-microg (50 IU) SCT intravenous infusion. SCT was reliably absorbed from the oral formulation, with an absolute bioavailability of 0.5-1.4%, depending on the dose. It induced a marked, dose-dependent drop in blood and urine C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), a sensitive and specific bone resorption marker, with the effects of 1200 microg exceeding those of 10 microg intravenously. It also decreased blood calcium and phosphate, and increased the circulating levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and, transiently, the urinary excretion of calcium. It was well-tolerated, with some subjects presenting mild and transient nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrheic stools, and headaches. This study shows that oral delivery of SCT is feasible with reproducible absorption and systemic biological efficacy. Such an oral formulation could facilitate the use of SCT in the treatment of osteoporosis and other bone diseases.     

The Effects of Additional Tumor Cavity Sampling at the Time of Breast-Conserving Surgery on Final Margin Status,Volume of Resection,and Pathologist Workload

Introduction  

Margin status is an important prognostic factor for local recurrence after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in patients with breast malignancy. It is unclear whether the removal of additional tumor cavity margins reduces the reoperation rate and is cosmetically acceptable. This study compares the reoperation rates, volume of breast excised in cm³, and number of pathology slides examined in two groups of patients who underwent BCS with or without four or five additional margins (BCS + M).