In vitro analysis of multistage epidermal carcinogenesis: development of indefinite renewal capacity and reduced growth factor requirements in colony forming keratinocytes precedes malignant transformation

Using a culture system that supports both extensive proliferationand differentiation of mouse keratinocytes, we analysed alterationsin cellular growth control that occur during multistage carcinogenesisin vivo. Normal diploid keratinocytes derived from newborn mousehair follicles had a limited replicative potential of 50 populationdoublings in vitro, and colony formation was highly dependentupon cholera toxin, serum growth factors, and mesenchymal feedercell support. In contrast, keratinocyte lines from benign epidermallesions or malignant tumors induced by chemicals showed indefiniterenewal capacity of the colony forming population, and greatlyreduced dependence on cholera toxin and serum growth factors.Cell lines from benign lesions did not readily produce tumorsin syngeneic hosts, but cells derived from malignant tumorsproduced squamous cell carcinomas within a short latent period.     

Short-term impact of COVID-19 on quality of life,perceived stress,and serious psychological distress in an adult population in the midwest United States

Quality of Life Research - This study aimed to investigate changes over time in quality of life, perceived stress, and serious psychological distress for individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in an...     

Psychosocial Working Conditions Play an Important Role in the Return-to-Work Process After Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation - Purpose Both personal and work-related factors affect return to work (RTW) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). Little is...     

Physical activity and motor skill outcomes of a 10-week intervention for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 4–13: A pilot study

BackgroundChildren with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often experience increased barriers to engaging in physical activity (PA) which can stem from lack of gross motor function (GMF) development. Intervening on GMF at an early age can create better opportunities for children with IDD to engage in regular PA. In turn, increased PA can improve health outcomes and increase social skills.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this pilot study was to explore the effectiveness of a community-based GMF-focused PA intervention for improving overall motor skills and PA for children with IDD.MethodsAll study participants (n = 24) engaged in 10 weeks of programming for 1 h each week. A convenience sample was utilized.ResultsResults indicated no statistically significant changes pre to post for motor skill scores. However, a visual analysis of mean changes showed a consistent pattern of increased scores from pre to post on most skills. Additionally, we found that a change in participant locomotor skills significantly predicted change in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA), F (1,11) = 5.16, Adj R² = .26, p = .04.ConclusionsThese results suggest individualized attention on GMF may help to increase motor skills for children with IDD. This study adds to the small but growing amount of research examining the efficacy of community based adapted PA interventions. Further, study results should support continued exploration of effective approaches to address the motor delays experienced by children with IDD.     

The Frequency and Context of Snacking among Children: An Objective Analysis Using Wearable Cameras

Snacking is a common eating behaviour, but there is little objective data about children’s snacking. We aimed to determine the frequency and context of children’s snacking (n = 158; mean age = 12.6 years) by ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic deprivation and body mass index (BMI) children. Participants wore wearable cameras that passively captured images of their surroundings every seven seconds. Images (n = 739,162) were coded for snacking episodes, defined as eating occasions in between main meals. Contextual factors analysed included: snacking location, food source, timing, social contact and screen use. Rates of total, discretionary (not recommended for consumption) and healthful (recommended for consumption) snacking were calculated using negative binomial regression. On average, children consumed 8.2 (95%CI 7.4, 9.1) snacks per day, of which 5.2 (95%CI 4.6, 5.9) were discretionary foods/beverages. Children consumed more discretionary snacks than healthful snacks in each setting and at all times, including 15.0× more discretionary snacks in public spaces and 2.4× more discretionary snacks in schools. Most snacks (68.9%) were sourced from home. Girls consumed more total, discretionary and healthful snacks than boys, and Māori and Pacific consumed fewer healthful snacks than New Zealand (NZ) Europeans. Results show that children snack frequently, and that most snacking involves discretionary food items. Our findings suggest targeting home buying behaviour and environmental changes to support healthy snacking choices.     

Vitamin C—Sources,Physiological Role,Kinetics, Deficiency,Use, Toxicity,and Determination

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) has been known as an antioxidant for most people. However, its physiological role is much larger and encompasses very different processes ranging from facilitation of iron absorption through involvement in hormones and carnitine synthesis for important roles in epigenetic processes. Contrarily, high doses act as a pro-oxidant than an anti-oxidant. This may also be the reason why plasma levels are meticulously regulated on the level of absorption and excretion in the kidney. Interestingly, most cells contain vitamin C in millimolar concentrations, which is much higher than its plasma concentrations, and compared to other vitamins. The role of vitamin C is well demonstrated by miscellaneous symptoms of its absence—scurvy. The only clinically well-documented indication for vitamin C is scurvy. The effects of vitamin C administration on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infections are rather minor or even debatable in the general population. Vitamin C is relatively safe, but caution should be given to the administration of high doses, which can cause overt side effects in some susceptible patients (e.g., oxalate renal stones). Lastly, analytical methods for its determination with advantages and pitfalls are also discussed in this review.     

Fish Hydrolysate Supplementation Containing n-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Peptides Prevents LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation constitutes a normal part of the brain immune response orchestrated by microglial cells. However, a sustained and uncontrolled production of proinflammatory factors together with microglial activation contribute to the onset of a chronic low-grade inflammation, leading to neuronal damage and cognitive as well as behavioral impairments. Hence, limiting brain inflammatory response and improving the resolution of inflammation could be particularly of interest to prevent these alterations. Dietary n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) and low molecular weight peptides are good candidates because of their immunomodulatory and proresolutive properties. These compounds are present in a fish hydrolysate derived from marine-derived byproducts. In this study, we compared the effect of an 18-day supplementation with this fish hydrolysate to a supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in mice. In response to peripherally injected LPS, the fish hydrolysate supplementation decreased the hippocampal mRNA expression of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 (p < 0.001), IL-1β (p = 0.0008) and TNF-α (p < 0.0001), whereas the DHA supplementation reduced only the expression of IL-6 (p = 0.004). This decline in proinflammatory cytokine expressions was associated with an increase in the protein expression of IκB (p = 0.014 and p = 0.0054 as compared to the DHA supplementation and control groups, respectively) and to a modulation of microglial activation markers in the hippocampus. The beneficial effects of the fish hydrolysate could be due in part to the switch of the hippocampal oxylipin profile towards a more anti-inflammatory profile as compared to the DHA supplementation. Thus, the valorization of fish byproducts seems very attractive to prevent and counteract neuroinflammation.     

Plasma B Vitamers: Population Epidemiology and Parent-Child Concordance in Children and Adults

Scope: B vitamers are co-enzymes involved in key physiological processes including energy production, one-carbon, and macronutrient metabolism. Studies profiling B vitamers simultaneously in parent–child dyads are scarce. Profiling B vitamers in parent–child dyads enables an insightful determination of gene–environment contributions to their circulating concentrations. We aimed to characterise: (a) parent–child dyad concordance, (b) generation (children versus adults), (c) age (within the adult subgroup (age range 28–71 years)) and (d) sex differences in plasma B vitamer concentrations in the CheckPoint study of Australian children. Methods and Results: 1166 children (11 ± 0.5 years, 51% female) and 1324 parents (44 ± 5.1 years, 87% female) took part in a biomedical assessment of a population-derived longitudinal cohort study: The Growing Up in Australia’s Child Health CheckPoint. B vitamer levels were quantified by UHPLC/MS-MS. B vitamer levels were weakly concordant between parent–child pairs (10–31% of variability explained). All B vitamer concentrations exhibited generation-specificity, except for flavin mononucleotide (FMN). The levels of thiamine, pantothenic acid, and 4-pyridoxic acid were higher in male children, and those of pantothenic acid were higher in male adults compared to their female counterparts. Conclusion: Family, age, and sex contribute to variations in the concentrations of plasma B vitamers in Australian children and adults.     

High-Protein,Low-Glycaemic Meal Replacement Decreases Fasting Insulin and Inflammation Markers—A 12-Month Subanalysis of the ACOORH Trial

Lifestyle interventions, including meal replacement, are effective in the prevention and treatment of type-2-diabetes and obesity. Since insulin is the key weight regulator, we hypothesised that the addition of meal replacement to a lifestyle intervention reduces insulin levels more effectively than lifestyle intervention alone. In the international multicentre randomised controlled ACOORH (Almased Concept against Overweight and Obesity and Related Health Risk) trial, overweight or obese persons who meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome (n = 463) were randomised into two groups. Both groups received nutritional advice focusing on carbohydrate restriction and the use of telemonitoring devices. The intervention group substituted all three main meals per day in week 1, two meals per day in weeks 2–4, and one meal per day in weeks 5–26 with a protein-rich, low-glycaemic meal replacement. Data were collected at baseline and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. All datasets providing insulin data (n = 446) were included in this predefined subanalysis. Significantly higher reductions in insulin (−3.3 ± 8.7 µU/mL vs. −1.6 ± 9.8 µU/mL), weight (−6.1 ± 5.2 kg vs. −3.2 ± 4.6 kg), and inflammation markers were observed in the intervention group. Insulin reduction correlated with weight reduction and the highest amount of weight loss (−7.6 ± 4.9 kg) was observed in those participants with an insulin decrease > 2 µU/mL. These results underline the potential for meal replacement-based lifestyle interventions in diabetes prevention, and measurement of insulin levels may serve as an indicator for adherence to carbohydrate restriction.     

Potential role of intermittent fasting on decreasing cardiovascular disease in human immunodeficiency virus patients receiving antiretroviral therapy

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become one of the commonest causes of comorbidity and mortality among People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Nearly 50% of PLWH are likely to have an increased risk of developing CVD, including coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease and aortic atherosclerosis. Aside from the common risk factors, HIV infection itself and side effects of antiretroviral therapy contribute to the pathophysiology of this entity. Potential non-pharmacological therapies are currently being tested worldwide for this purpose, including eating patterns such as Intermittent fasting (IF). IF is a widespread practice gaining high level of interest in the scientific community due to its potential benefits such as improvement in serum lipids and lipoproteins, blood pressure (BP), platelet-derived growth factor AB, systemic inflammation, and carotid artery intima-media thickness among others cardiovascular benefits. This review will focus on exploring the potential role of intermittent fasting as a non-pharmacological and cost-effective strategy in decreasing the burden of cardiovascular diseases among HIV patients on ART due to its intrinsic properties improving the main cardiovascular risk factors and modulating inflammatory pathways related to endothelial dysfunction, lipid peroxidation and aging. Intermittent fasting regimens need to be tested in clinical trials as an important, cost-effective, and revolutionary coadjutant of ART in the fight against the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease in PLWH.