Influence of Nutrition and Lifestyle on Bone Mineral Density in Children From Adoptive and Biological Families

Background

The precise contributions of hereditary and environmental factors to bone density are not known. We compared lifestyle predictors of bone density among adopted and biological children.

Methods

The study comprised 18 adopted children (mean [SD] age, 14.0 [4.1] years) with their non-biological parents and 17 children with their biological parents. Bone mineral density (BMD; g/cm²) was measured at the lumbar spine, total femur, and distal radius. Nutritional intake was assessed by food frequency questionnaire. Information on smoking and physical activity was obtained by questionnaire.

Results

Intakes of all nutrients, corrected for energy intake, and all lifestyle characteristics except sleep duration were similar in biological children and their parents. As compared with their parents, adopted children had significantly different energy, protein, and calcium intakes and physical activity levels. In a regression model, BMD z scores of adopted children and their parents were significantly inversely associated at the spine and total femur, whereas BMD z scores of biological children and their parents were significantly positively associated at all measurement sites. The greatest proportion of total variance in BMD was accounted for by calcium intake among adopted children and by parental BMD among biological children.

Conclusions

For some lifestyle characteristics and nutrient intakes, the differences between parents and children were more obvious among adoptive families than among biological families. The most important lifestyle predictor of bone density was calcium intake.Key words: bone mineral density, adopted children, lifestyle, heredity, nutrition     

Weight loss favorably modifies anthropometrics and reverses the metabolic syndrome in premenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of a weight loss program, including dietary modifications, increased physical activity and dietary supplement (L-carnitine or placebo) on anthropometrics, leptin, insulin, the metabolic syndrome (MS) and insulin resistance in overweight /obese premenopausal women. METHODS: Participants consumed a hypocaloric diet; 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbohydrate in addition to increasing number of steps/day. Carnitine supplementation followed a randomized double blind protocol. Protocol lasted for 10 weeks. Seventy subjects (35 in the control and 35 in the carnitine group) completed the intervention. Anthropometrics, plasma insulin and leptin concentrations and body composition were measured. The number of subjects with the MetSyn and insulin resistance, were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. RESULTS: Because there were no significant differences between the carnitine and the placebo groups for all measured parameters, participants were grouped together for all analysis. Subjects decreased total energy (-26.6%, p < 0.01) and energy from carbohydrate (-17.3%, p < 0.01) and increased energy from protein by 67% (p < 0.01) and number of steps/day (42.6%, p < 0.01). Body weight (-4.6%, p < 0.001), body mass index (-4.5%, p < 0.01), waist circumference (-6.5%, p < 0.01), total fat mass (-1.7%, p < 0.01), trunk fat mass (-2.0%, p < 0.01), insulin (- 17.9%, p < 0.01) and leptin (-5.9%, p < 0.05) decreased after the intervention. Ten of 19 participants with insulin resistance became insulin sensitive and 7 of 8 participants with the MetSyn no longer had the syndrome after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Moderate increases in physical activity and a hypocaloric/high protein diet resulted in multiple beneficial effects on body anthropometrics and insulin sensitivity. Realistic dietary and physical activity goals must be the focus of intervention strategies for overweight and obese individuals.     

Prognostic value of different factors in breast carcinoma

INTRODUCTION: The aggressive biological behavior of invasive and metastatic cancer is considered to be the most insidious and life-threatening aspect for breast cancer patients. It is mostly the result of changes in many molecular characteristics of tumor cells, including alterations in the mechanisms controlling cell growth and proliferation. AIM: The aim of this retrospective study was to identify predictors of aggressive biological behavior and metastatic potential in breast carcinoma among a number of intrinsic biomarkers of tumor cells such as steroid receptors and oncogene and tumor suppressor gene products. METHODS: Routine formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples were used and sections were stained immunohistochemically with the DAKO Strept ABC method to determine the expression of estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PgR), HER-2/neu, bcl-2, Ki-67, p53 and nm23 in 192 consecutive breast carcinoma patients. The results of the quantitative immunohistochemical assays were correlated with clinical and histological data such as patient age, overall survival, tumor size, axillary lymph node status, hystological type, tumor grade, Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) and therapeutic regimens. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that survival was significantly longer for patients with small tumors (P = 0.007), lower tumor grade (P = 0.021), negative axillary lymph nodes (P = 0.002), presence of nm23 protein (P = 0.002), and for patients treated with adjuvant hormonal therapy (P = 0.010). In multivariate analysis the independent factors positively affecting survival were absence of axillary lymph node metastases (P = 0.002), nm23 expression (P = 0.009) and hormonal therapy (P = 0.050). Among patients with positive axillary nodes there was a significantly higher survival rate in patients with nm23 expression compared with nm23-negative patients (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Identification of a subset of node-positive breast cancer patients with a more favorable prognosis according to nm23 expression might be clinically useful.     

Astrocyte specific viral strains in HIV dementia

We molecularly characterized human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) present in pure populations of astrocytes, macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells isolated using laser capture microdissection from brain tissue of two patients who died with HIV-associated dementia. The V3 region of the HIV-1 envelope (env) gene was amplified from the pure-cell populations, and multiple clones were sequenced. In both patients, the V3 env sequences were distinct in astrocytes compared with neighboring macrophages or multinucleated giant cells and were characteristic of CCR5-using (R5) HIV-1. These results demonstrate cell-specific compartmentalization of distinct R5-like viral strains in the central nervous system microenvironment.     

Is pregnancy a model how we should control some autoimmune diseases?

Pregnancy and parturition are the physiological conditions that affect the course and severity of numerous autoimmune diseases. If genotype might be primarily considered as a determinant of whether or not autoimmunity develops, clinical heterogeneity of the disease might arise from the interaction of the genotype and the environment. Numerous external factors with extremely important immunoregulatory properties, including hormones, affect an in vivo open complex immune system. The further investigation of the role of neuroendocrine-immunological network, including a pregnancy-associated immunomodulation, as much as the role of "causative" or "trigger" agents, may allow the rational basis of new alternative treatment of numerous autoimmune diseases.     

Azithromycin vs doxycycline in the treatment of inclusion conjunctivitis

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of azithromycin and doxycycline in the treatment of chlamydial conjunctivitis in adults. DESIGN: An open, randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Seventy-eight adult patients with incluson conjunctivitis were enrolled in this multicenter clinical study. Patients with chlamydial conjunctivitis as indicated by a positive direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test or cell culture were randomized to receive a single 1-g dose of azithromycin or doxycycline, 100 mg twice daily for 10 days. A conjuctival swab for cell culture was obtained from all patients immediately before the treatment for subsequent confirmation of the presence of chlamydial infection in the central laboratory. Control examinations were performed 10 to 12 days and 4 to 6 weeks after the treatment initiation. Clinical and bacteriological responses to the treatment were evaluated at the last visit. The occurrence and frequency of adverse events were analyzed as well. RESULTS: Of 78 patients enrolled, 51 completed the study and were evaluated for efficacy. The main reasons for withdrawal were lack of confirmation of the presence of chlamydial infection by the central laboratory and failure to attend the follow-up visit. Eradication of C. trachomatis was achieved in 23 of 25 (92%) patients treated with azithromycin and in 25 of 26 (96%) patients treated with doxycycline. Clinical cure was observed in 15 (60%) and 18 (69%) patients treated with azithromycin and doxycycline, respectively. Both drugs were equally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: A single 1-g azithromycin therapy was as effective as standard 10-day treatment with doxycycline (100 mg twice daily) in the treatment of adult inclusion conjunctivitis.     

Effects of orally administered antioxidants on micronuclei and sister chromatid exchange frequency in workers professionally exposed to antineoplastic agents

The widespread use of antineoplastic drugs in cancer treatment increased concern about possible hazard to workers involved in the preparation and administration of these drugs. In the present study, the effects of commercial antioxidative drug Oligogal Se® on genome protection were analyzed in 15 nurses handling the antineoplastic drugs at the Oncology Department in comparison to twenty healthy volunteers. The nurses took antioxidant mixture Oligogal Se®, consisting of vitamins C, E, A and selenium, one capsule per day, over a period of 6 months. Genome damage was measured in peripheral blood lymphocytes by usage of sister chromatid exchange test and the cytokinesis-block micronuclei test. The frequency of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronuclei (MN) in the exposed group was significantly higher when compared to the control group (SCE, p < 0.05; MN, p < 0.01 respectively). After antioxidant supplementation, the frequency of sister chromatid exchange and micronuclei decreased (p < 0.05) when compared with the values from the beginning of the study, but were still above the values of the control group. The effects of confounding factors such as cigarette smoking and cytostatics exposure time were also evaluated. The data indicated that Oligogal Se® contributed to the decreasing of genome damages in workers handling the cytostatics.