The impact of multicomponent weight management interventions on quality of life in adolescents affected by overweight or obesity: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Adolescents affected by overweight or obesity report similar quality of life to adolescents with cancer. While weight management is important for physiological outcomes, it is unclear whether weight management improves quality of life in this age group. This meta-analysis assessed the impact of multicomponent weight management interventions on quality of life in adolescents affected by overweight or obesity. Ovid PsycINFO, Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus and CINAHL Plus databases were searched up to July 2017. Eight eligible studies were randomized controlled trials of multicomponent weight management interventions for adolescents (10 to 19 years) affected by overweight or obesity, with quality of life and weight measurements. Meta-analyses determined a positive effect on quality of life (mean difference 0.20 [0.11, 0.29]; p < 0.01) and weight (mean difference 0.30 [0.12, 0.47]; p < 0.01) following intervention. There was no correlation between weight loss and improvements in quality of life (R2  = 0.103). Rather than weight loss, intervention factors such as parental involvement, group settings and a focus on psychosocial well-being appeared linked to improvements in quality of life. The reduced quality of life reported by this group may be due to social consequences of obesity, rather than actual weight.

Do other Hypericum species have medical potential as St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)?

Among 484 Hypericum L. (Guttiferae/Hypericaceae) species, widespread in warm temperate areas throughout the world, only H. perforatum is widely used in official medicine. Hypericum perforatum has been reported as an antidepressant, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and a healing agent. The main constituents of the Hypericum species are naphthodianthrones, primarily represented by hypericin and pseudohypericin, phloroglucinol derivatives, especially hyperforin, and flavonoids, such as quercetin, quercitrin, hyperoside and rutin. Hypericin and pseudohypericin have been found to possess antiretroviral activity. Hyperforin may also have an important contribution to the antidepressant activity of Hypericum extracts. The content of the above active constituents in some Hypericum species is higher than in H. perforatum. Also, a number of studies of the biological activities of Hypericum species have shown that the most recognized species of this genus, H. perforatum, was not the most active. Comprehensive analysis of the published research on the chemical composition and biological activity, showed that H. richeri has a similar pharmacological potential as St. Jon's wort. The species, with high content of naphtodianthrones,which might be used against viruses and retroviruses, are: H. androseamum,H. annulatum, H. barbatum, H. boissieri, H. elegans, H. hirsutum, H. hyssopifolium, H. humifusum, H. montanum. H. montbretii, H. triquetrifolium, H. richeri, H. rochelii, H. rumeliacum, H. thasium, andH. patulum. Very few species (e.g. H. inodorum and H. moseranum) contained the similar amounts of hyperforine as H. perforatum. Since hyperforin was recognized as one of the most crucial components for the antidepressive activity, it seems that H. perforatum barely has an alternative for this purpose. Plant species containing considerable amounts of other acylphloroglucinol derivatives have the potential to demonstrate antibacterial and cytotoxic activity. Some of these species are: H. sampsonii, H. ascyron, H. foliosum, H. geminiflorum and H. scabrum. However, only a few studies concerning the activity of extracts and isolated compounds were done in vivo. Also, data on the safe usage of Hypericum constituents as phytotherapeutics are scarce. Since some of Hypericum species are scarcely distributed or endemic as well as some of the secondary metabolites are presented in very small amounts, bio-production, especially endophytes, could represent an abundant and reliable source of pharmacologically active metabolites of Hypericum species for exploitation in pharmaceutical industry.

[Effect of prolactin on the regulation of osmotic processes across the fetoplacental membranes in vitro]. / Uticaj prolaktina na regulaciju osmotskih procesa kroz fetoplacentarnu membranu in vitro.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this investigation was to point to the influence of minerals and total osmolality on regulation and secretion of prolactin in decidual tissue of the placenta and the role of prolactin in regulation of osmotic processes across the fetoplacental membrane. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Explants for the tissue culture have been obtained from pregnant women with normal pregnancy and delivery, between the 277 and 282 days of gestation. The investigation consisted of 4 repeated experiments. The parietal decidua and the corresponding chorion were separated from the amnion, rinsed in salt solution and cut into explants 0.2 g of weight. After a 2-hour period of preincubation in the control medium, 12 explants were incubated in the media of altered mineral and osmotic properties, whereas the 13-th in the control medium. Concentrations of prolactin following the 3-hour incubation in the medium was estimated by immunoenzymologic procedures. RESULTS: During the 3-hour incubation, the control explants secreted on average 75.4 +/- 5.23 micrograms/l of prolactin in the experiment repeated 4 times. The changes of Na+, Cl-, K+, Mg++, P- and HCO3- concentrations and of the total osmolality have not significantly influenced the synthesis of prolactin. In the medium with no Ca++, the value of secreted prolactin was 26.7 +/- 3.34 micrograms/l (p < 0.001); increase of the Ca++ concentration has not influenced the synthesis of prolactin. In the medium with increased concentration of H+ (pH = 7.00), the prolactin concentration was 50.9 +/- 2.9 micrograms/l (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The minerals--Na+, Cl-, K+, Mg++, P-, HCO3- and the total osmolality do not significantly influence the synthesis of prolactin in decidual-chorionic tissue. Certain quantities of Ca++ and optimal concentration of H+ are necessary for the synthesis of prolactin (PRL).