Conflicts of interest among scientific foundations and societies in the field of childhood nutrition

ObjectiveTo describe food-industry sponsorships of associations active in the field of childhood nutrition and obesity prevention in Spain in 2017-2018.MethodThe associations were located at https://www.google.es/ using the words “society”, “foundation” or “federation” in combination with the terms “nutrition”, “obesity”, “childhood”, “paediatrics” and “diabetes”. Sponsorship was defined as the declaration of funding received or the appearance of a food company logo on an association's website or in the programmes of its congresses or courses. The percentage of sponsored societies and its association with the existence of ethical codes was calculated using MS Excel.Results64% of the associations displayed some type of sponsorship, with this being most frequent among paediatric and nutrition societies, 83% and 80% respectively, and non-existent among public health societies. No association was found between the existence of an ethical code and sponsorship (odds ratio: 0.75; 95% confidence interval: 0.14-3.94). The leading corporate sponsors were Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Danone. Whereas the initiatives of sponsored societies were targeted at changing eating individual behaviours, those of unsponsored societies sought to promote changes in the food system and eating environments.ConclusionsFood industry sponsorship of foundations and scientific societies is very widespread in Spain, except among public health associations. Unlike sponsored associations, those unsponsored propose policies opposed by the food industry, which are aimed at improving the system and food and eating environments.     

Allergy to pine nuts in a bird fancier

A patient is described with the bird-egg syndrome who experienced an anaphylactic reaction after eating some of her parrot's food (pine nuts: Pinus pinea ). Specific IgE against this nut and another pine nut ( P cembra ) was demonstrated by RAST. Cross-reactivity between these botanically related seeds was shown by RAST inhibition. Besides avian antigens, bird food antigens should be taken into consideration when symptoms of allergy occur on exposure to birds.     

Intracellular targeting and protein kinase C in vascular smooth muscle cells: specific effects of different membrane-bound receptors

Protein kinase C is an important second messenger system, which is translocated from the cytosol to the cell membrane upon cell stimulation. We used confocal microscopy to study the spatial distribution of protein kinase C isoforms after stimulation of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells with different agonists. First, we analysed the effects of angiotensin II and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). Confocal microscopy showed a rapid assembly of PKC α along cytosolic fibres followed by a translocation towards the nucleus with angiotensin II. PDGF engendered a similar, but much slower response; however, a cytoskeletal distribution was not observed. We then investigated the effects of thrombin and bFGF on nuclear translocation. bFGF induced a rapid translocation of the isoform towards the perinuclear region and into the nucleus. bFGF had a similar effect on PKC ?. In contrast, thrombin had a smaller effect on nuclear translocation of PKC α and did not influence PKC ?, but instead induced a rapid nuclear translocation of PKC ζ. Thus, tyrosine kinase receptor activation via bFGF induces a rapid association of PKC α and ? within nuclear structures. Our results show that agonists cause, not only a translocation of protein kinase C isoforms into the cell membrane but also into the cell nucleus. Lastly, we analyzed the nuclear immunoreactivity of the PKC isoforms α, δ,? and ζ in vascular smooth muscle cells during the cell cycle. Resting cells were stimulated with foetal calf serum (FCS, 10%), which translocated PKC α and ? to the perinuclear region and into the nucleus, while PKC δ and ζ showed no increase in nuclear immunoreactivity. After 4 h of FCS, the nuclear immunoreactivity for PKC α and ? was reduced to or below control values. At 8 h, increased nuclear expression of isoforms α,? and ζ was observed, while isoform δ was not affected. Our results demonstrate a complex spatial and temporal regulation of PKC isoforms in response to vasoactive hormones and growth factors. We suggest that protein kinase C may be important for nuclear signaling and demonstrate that nuclear translocation of PKC isoforms is differentially regulated during the cell cycle.     

鄂西山区1592例成人泌尿系统疾病(USD)调查分析

本文对鄂西自治州一市二县三所医院近八年来(1980年元月～1987年12月)成人USD住院患者1592例的构成比作了回顾性调查分析.结果表明:USD患者占同期住院总人数的3.90%,其常见病种依次为尿路结石,尿路感染,慢性肾炎.急性肾炎、肾结核,慢性肾衰和肾病综合征;上尿路结石病人数有逐年上升趋势,且右侧显著高于左侧(P<0.001);慢性肾衰的病人数每隔1～2年有突然增高现象,1987年比1980年增加了四倍;急性肾炎和肾结核占有较大比例,肾结核为慢性肾衰病因的第三位.这些均为本组USD的临床流行病学特点.作者对各常见病种的特点进行了讨论.     

Reflex testing I: algorithm for lipid and lipoprotein measurement in coronary heart disease risk assessment

We reviewed the current literature in order to construct a reflex testing algorithm that maximizes clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of lipid and lipoprotein testing. The algorithm was based on the 2nd Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel guidelines for use of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, and LDL-C, and published reports describing the clinical use of apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein (a). The success of this algorithm was tested in a low-risk general and a high-risk hyperlipidemic patient population. Lipid data and non-lipid risk factors were obtained from a national database and from patients seen at two lipid clinics. A total of 16 968 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III database comprised the low-risk group, and 239 patients examined in the Hartford Hospital and Washington University Lipid Clinics comprised the high-risk group. We found a solid scientific base to support the NCEP guidelines and reasonable support for limited testing of apoB and Lp(a). According to the algorithm, the direct LDL-C assay was deemed unnecessary in 98% and 91% of low- and high-risk subjects, respectively, if one assumes that the Friedewald equation is adequate with TG≤4.00 g/l. With a more conservative cutoff of TG≤2.50 g/l, the algorithm canceled 92% and 81% of direct LDL tests, respectively. The algorithm also limited TG to 20 and 64%, apoB to 6 and 20%, and Lp(a) to 15 and 56%, of low- and high-risk groups, respectively. Use of a comprehensive, reflex algorithm for coronary heart disease risk assessment will substantially reduce the utilization of laboratory services without diminishing the clinical value of these tests. The algorithm will prevent the overuse of certain expensive tests (direct LDL) while promoting the limited use of underutilized tests [apoB and Lp(a)].     

Adoptive Immunotherapy With Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Subcutaneous Recombinant Interleukin-2 Plus Interferon Alfa-2a for Melanoma Patients With Nonresectable Distant Disease: A Phase I/II Pilot Trial

Background: On the basis of our previous experience, we designed this study to determine the activity and toxicity of outpatient treatment with autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) together with intermediate-dose recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) and low-dose recombinant interferon alfa-2a (rIFN-2a), for patients with metastatic melanoma.Methods: Between April 1992 and October 1994, we processed 38 melanoma samples derived from 36 patients with metastases. Proliferative cultures of expanded lymphocytes (TIL) were infused only once into patients with metastatic melanoma. rIL-2 was administered subcutaneously for 1 month, starting on the day of TIL infusion, at an escalating dose of 6–18 × 10⁶ IU/m²/day for the first week and at the maximum-tolerated dose for the subsequent 3 weeks and then, after a 15-day interval, for 1 week/month for 3 months. rIFN-2a was administered subcutaneously at 3 × 10⁶ IU three times each week until progression.Results: Of 38 melanoma samples, 19 (50%) resulted in proliferative cultures and were infused. The median number of expanded lymphocytes was 18 × 10⁹ (range, 1–43 × 10⁹), and the median period of culture was 52 days (range, 45–60). rIL-2 was administered at doses ranging between 6 and 18 × 10⁶ IU/m²/day. Toxicity was mild or moderate, and no life-threatening side effects were encountered. Two of 19 treated patients experienced complete responses of their metastatic sites (soft tissue), 10 had stable disease, and 7 showed progressive disease. The response rate was 11% (95% confidence interval, 2–35%).Conclusions: Outpatient treatment with TIL plus rIL-2 and rIFN-2a is feasible, although, within the context of the small sample size, the activity of the combination was no different from the reported activity of any of the components used alone.     

Lipoprotein levels in patients with pregnancy induced hypertension

The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the levels of Lp(a), Apo(a), VLDL, LDL and HDL in 23 patients with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) and in 20 control. The Mann-Whitney U tests was used for comparisons between the two groups. Serum Lp(a) and Apo(a) levels were sigificantly raise in the PIH group (p < 0.05 andp < 0.05 respectively) and no significant correlations could be demonstrated for other lipoproteins.     

G protein-mediated receptor-receptor interaction: studies with chemotactic receptors in membranes of human leukemia (HL 60) cells

Summary Differentiated human leukemia (HL 60) cells contain high numbers of receptors for the chemotactic factors, N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe) and complement component 5a (C5a), both coupled to pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins). Agonist activation of either receptor stimulated binding of the GTP analog, guanosine 5-[-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]), to membrane G proteins and by a similar extent in a non-additive manner. The possible interaction of the two receptors was studied by measuring agonist binding to one receptor in the presence of the other receptor agonist. fMet-Leu-Phe and C5a had no effects on [¹²⁵I]C5a and fMet-Leu-[³H]Phe receptor binding, respectively, when studied in the absence of regulatory ligands. Similarly, the inhibitory effects of NaCl and GDP on agonist receptor binding were not altered in the presence of the other receptor agonist. In contrast, in the presence of the GTP analogs, GTP[S] and guanosine 5-[,-imino] triphosphate, fMet-Leu-Phe and C5a reduced the binding of [¹²⁵I]C5a and fMet-Leu-[³H]Phe, respectively, in a concentration-dependent manner. The potencies of the GTP analogs to inhibit binding of [¹²⁵I]C5a and fMet-Leu-[³H]Phe was increased about 3-fold by fMet-Leu-Phe and C5a, respectively. The data presented suggest that fMet-Leu-Phe and C5a receptors share the same G protein pool in membranes of HL 60 cells and that activation of these G proteins by one of the two receptors decreases the availability of G proteins for the other receptor. Correspondence to T. Wieland at the above address     

Enzymic control of irreversible binding of metabolically activated benzo(a)pyrene in perfused rat liver by monooxygenase activity

Addition of [³H]-benzo(a)pyrene to the perfusion medium of isolated rat livers results in irreversible binding of radioactivity to DNA, RNA and protein. Binding to DNA accounted for about 0.1% of the total radioactivity which was bound in livers from animals treated with oil or saline and was increased by a factor of 3–5 after pretreatment of the animals with -naphthoflavone or with phenobarbital. When the inhibitiors of monooygenase activity, -naphthoflavone or metyrapone, were present in the perfusion medium, irreversible binding was reduced in livers from both -naphthoflavone- and phenobarbital-pretreated animals, irrespective of the inhibitor used.In livers from animals treated with oil or saline protein and a RNA fraction containing tightly associated protein were able to bind [³H]-benzo(a)pyrene metabolites to about the same extent but after induction by pretreatment with -naphthoflavone binding to the RNA fraction was enhanced to a much higher extent than binding to the protein fraction. Pretreatment with phenobarbital did not result in an increased irreversible binding to RNA and protein.A considerable amount of 15–25% of the total radioactivity added to the perfusion medium was excreted into the bile after treatment of the animals with the tested inducers of monooxygenase activity compared to an excretion of 3% in animals treated with oil or saline.The results indicate that nucleic acid and protein adduct formation in the liver is controlled by the action of the cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenases.In part subject of the doctoral thesis of Erik Klaus, Fachbereich Biologie, University of Mainz     

Mutagenicity studies with praziquantel,a new anthelmintic drug: Tissue-, host-, and urine-mediated mutagenicity assays

Praziquantel, a new anthelmintic drug with activity against all species of schistosomes pathogenic to man, and against a wide range of Cestodes, was tested for mutagenic potential. For the detection of both base substitutions and frameshift mutations, Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 and TA 98 were used as tester strains. Using the plate assay with and without added S-9, host-mediated assay and urine-mediated assay without and after incubation with -glucuronidase/arylsulfatase, no mutagenic activity could be detected.