The Influence of School Nutrition Programs on the Weight of Low‐Income Children: A Treatment Effect Analysis

Recent policy attempts to set high nutrition standards for the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) aim to improve children's health outcomes. A timely and policy‐relevant task evaluates to what extent school meal programs contribute to child body mass index (BMI) outcomes to assess those school meal policies' potential impacts. This study examines children's weight progress from 1st through 8th grade, while recognizing the potential effects on those children participating in both programs compared with those children participating in only one program. We used difference‐in‐differences (DID) and average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) methodologies and focused on free‐ and reduced‐price meal‐eligible children to filter out income effects. The DID results show that short‐term participation in only NSLP increases the probability that children will be overweight, and these results are more prominent in the South, Northeast, and rural areas. ATT results show that participation in both programs from 1st through 8th grade increases the probability that these students will be overweight. With the Community Eligibility Provision having taken effect across the nation in the 2014–2015 school year, the need to continue examining the impacts of these programs on child BMI is even greater. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

NO points to epigenetics in vascular development

Our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms important for embryonic vascular development and cardiovascular differentiation is still in its infancy. Although molecular analyses, including massive genome sequencing and/or in vitro/in vivo targeting of specific gene sets, has led to the identification of multiple factors involved in stemness maintenance or in the early processes of embryonic layers specification, very little is known about the epigenetic commitment to cardiovascular lineages. The object of this review will be to outline the state of the art in this field and trace the perspective therapeutic consequences of studies aimed at elucidating fundamental epigenetic networks. Special attention will be paid to the emerging role of nitric oxide in this field.     

Arteriogenesis induced by intramyocardial vascular endothelial growth factor 165 gene transfer in chronically ischemic pigs

Exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) improves tissue perfusion in large animals and humans with chronic myocardial ischemia. Because tissue perfusion is mainly dependent on the arteriolar tree, we hypothesized that the neovascularizing effect of VEGF should include arteriogenesis, an effect not as yet described in large mammalian models of myocardial ischemia. In the present study we investigated the effect of intramyocardial plasmid-mediated human VEGF(165) gene transfer (pVEGF(165)) on the proliferation of vessels with smooth muscle in a pig model of myocardial ischemia. In addition, we assessed the effect of treatment on capillary growth, myocardial perfusion, myocardial function and collateralization. Three weeks after positioning of an Ameroid constrictor (Research Instruments SW, Escondido, CA) in the left circumflex artery, pigs underwent basal perfusion (single-photon emission computed tomography [SPECT] with (99m)Tc-sestamibi) and regional function (echocardiography) studies at rest and under dobutamine stress, and were then randomly assigned to receive transepicardial injection of pVEGF(165) 3.8 mg (n = 8) or placebo (empty plasmid, n = 8). All experimental steps and data analysis were done in a blinded fashion. Five weeks later, pVEGF(165)-treated pigs showed a significantly higher density of small (8-50 microm in diameter) vessels with smooth muscle, higher density of capillaries, and improved myocardial perfusion. These results indicate an arteriogenic effect of VEGF in a large mammalian model of myocardial ischemia and encourage the use of VEGF to promote arteriolar growth in patients with severe coronary artery disease.     

Intracellular targets of RGDS peptide in melanoma cells

Background  

RGD-motif acts as a specific integrins-ligand and regulates a variety of cell-functions via extracellular action affecting cell-adhesion properties. However, increasing evidence identifies additional RGDS-functions at intracellular level. Previous reports show RGDS-internalization in endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes and lymphocytes, indicating intracellular targets such as caspase-8 and caspase-9, and suggest RGDS specific activity at cytoplasmic level. Given the role RGDS-peptides play in controlling proliferation and apoptosis in several cell types, investigating intracellular targets of RGDS in melanoma cells may un-reveal novel molecular targets and key pathways, potentially useful for a more effective approach to melanoma treatment.     

High-mobility group box 1 protein in human and murine skin: involvement in wound healing

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein is a multifunctional cytokine involved in inflammatory responses and tissue repair. In this study, it was examined whether HMGB1 plays a role in skin wound repair both in normoglycemic and diabetic mice. HMGB1 was detected in the nucleus of skin cells, and accumulated in the cytoplasm of epidermal cells in the wounded skin. Diabetic human and mouse skin showed more reduced HMGB1 levels than their normoglycemic counterparts. Topical application of HMGB1 to the wounds of diabetic mice enhanced arteriole density, granulation tissue deposition, and accelerated wound healing. In contrast, HMGB1 had no effect in normoglycemic mouse skin wounds, where endogenous HMGB1 levels may be adequate for optimal wound closure. Accordingly, inhibition of endogenous HMGB1 impaired wound healing in normal mice but had no effect in diabetic mice. Finally, HMGB1 had a chemotactic effect on skin fibroblasts and keratinoyctes in vitro. In conclusion, lower HMGB1 levels in diabetic skin may play an important role in impaired wound healing and this defect may be overcome by the topical application of HMGB1.     

p21(Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1) mediates shear stress-dependent antiapoptotic function

OBJECTIVE: The antiapoptotic effect of p21(Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1) (p21) was examined in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) exposed to laminar shear stress (SS) or to the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and in a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia. METHODS: In vitro: Cells were cultured without serum and in the presence of cobalt chloride to simulate hypoxia for 12 h (T0). Shear stress was applied to endothelial cells for additional 12 h. In vivo: Hindlimb ischemia was realized in mice by femoral artery ligation. SNP was acutely administered by subcutaneous injection or by Alzet osmotic pumps for a longer treatment. RESULTS: At T0, HUVEC were either exposed to SS (15 dyn/cm2/s(-1)), treated with SNP or kept in static condition (ST) for 1-12 h; after additional 12 h in ST, 30-35% of cells still alive at T0 had died. In this condition, both SS and SNP treatments markedly increased p21 levels and reduced apoptosis in HUVEC. Recombinant adenoviruses carrying p21 (AdCMV.p21) or antisense p21 (AdCMV.ASp21) cDNA revealed that AdCMV.p21-infected HUVEC were protected from death while AdCMV.ASp21 reduced SS- and SNP-dependent protection from apoptosis. In mice, apoptosis was detected in endothelial cells of ischemic hindlimbs as early as 8 h after femoral artery ligation. Treatment with SNP enhanced p21 expression and protected ischemic tissue from damage. Remarkably, direct in vivo injection of AdCMV.p21 significantly reduced the number of apoptotic nuclei in the presence of ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: The present study establishes that, under our experimental conditions, (a) p21 plays an important role in SS and nitric oxide antiapoptotic effect in vitro, and (b) p21 gene transfer prevents apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, following acute interruption of blood flow.