Self-identified strategies to manage intake of tempting foods: cross-sectional and prospective associations with BMI and snack intake.

OBJECTIVES: Individuals often use self-directed strategies to manage intake of tempting foods, but what these strategies are and whether they are effective is not well understood. This study assessed the frequency of use and subjective effectiveness of self-directed strategies in relation to BMI and snack intake. DESIGN: A cross-sectional and prospective study with three time points (T1: baseline, T2: 3 months and T3: 3 years). At T1, demographics, frequency of use and subjective effectiveness of forty-one identified strategies were assessed. At T2 and T3, current weight was reported, and at T2 frequency of snack intake was also recorded. SETTING: Online study in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: Data from 368 participants (Mage = 34·41 years; MBMI = 25·06 kg/m2) were used for analysis at T1, n = 170 (46·20 % of the total sample) at T2 and n = 51 (13·59 %) at T3. RESULTS: Two strategy factors were identified via principal axis factoring: (1) diet, exercise, reduction of temptations, and cognitive strategies, and (2) planning, preparation and eating style. For strategy 1, frequency of use, but not subjective effectiveness, was positively related to BMI at T1. Subjective effectiveness predicted an increase in BMI from T1 and T2 to T3. No relationship to snack intake was found. For strategy 2, frequency of use was negatively related to BMI at T1. Neither frequency of use nor subjective effectiveness were related to changes in BMI over time, but subjective effectiveness was negatively correlated with unhealthy snack intake. CONCLUSION: Self-directed strategies to reduce the intake of tempting foods are not consistently related to BMI or snack intake.

Associations between dietary variety, portion size and body weight: prospective evidence from UK Biobank participants.

'Dietary variety' has been identified as a factor associated with food intake. Whilst this relationship may have longer-term benefits for body weight management when eating low-energy, nutrient-dense foods, it may increase the risk of overconsumption (and body adiposity) when foods are high energy density. This study sought to further explore pathways underpinning the relationship between dietary variety and body weight, by considering energy density as a moderating factor and portion size as a mediating factor in this relationship. Using prospective data from the UK Biobank, dietary variety scores (DVS), cumulative portion size and energy density were derived from 24-h dietary recall questionnaires at baseline and follow-up. BMI, whole-body fat percentage and fat-free mass were included as outcomes. Contrary to predictions, linear multiple regression models found some evidence of a negative, direct association between DVS and body weight outcomes at baseline (b = -0·13). Though dietary variety was significantly associated with larger portions across time points (b = 41·86-82·64), a moderated mediation effect was not supported at baseline or follow-up (Index ≤ 0·035). Taken together, these findings provide population-level evidence to support a positive association between variety and food intake, which in turn has potential implications for body weight management, both in terms of moderating food intake and benefitting diet quality.

Alteration of fetal liver colony formation by prenatal chlordane exposure.

Female mice were treated with 0 or 8 mg/kg chlordane daily for 18 days during pregnancy. The fetuses of these mice were assayed for fetal liver hematopoietic activity at 18 days gestational age. Hematopoietic activity was evaluated for in vitro granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (GM-CFU) and in vivo spleen CFU (CFU-S). The consistent finding was a significant depression of the numbers of both fetal liver GM-CFU and CFU-S without a change in liver cellularity in fetuses exposed to 8 mg/kg chlordane. These data show that the damage to stem cells that persists into adult life as a result of chlordane exposure, as reported earlier by Barnett et al. (1990) Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 14, 688-695, occurred during the fetal period.

Long-term alteration of adult bone marrow colony formation by prenatal chlordane exposure.

Female mice were treated with either 0, 4, or 8 mg of chlordane per kilogram body weight daily for 18 days during pregnancy. The offspring of these mice were assayed for bone marrow hematopoietic activity at 100 and 200 days of age. Hematopoietic activity was evaluated for in vitro granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (GM-CFU) and in vivo spleen CFU (CFU-S). The consistent finding was a significant depression both of the numbers of bone marrow GM-CFU and of the CFU-S in offspring exposed to either 4 or 8 mg/kg chlordane even at 100 and 200 days after cessation of treatment. Prenatal treatment with chlordane did not affect the number of recoverable viable bone marrow cells at either of these time points. Ontological development was selectively affected by chlordane exposure, since subchronic (18 day) treatment of adult mice did not significantly alter bone marrow GM-CFU or CFU-S levels. These data suggest that the decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions noted previously in mice exposed to chlordane prenatally may be due to a change in the functional capacity of myeloid lineage cells rather than altered T cell function.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte and NK responses in mice treated prenatally with chlordane.

It has been reported previously that BALB/c mice, treated in utero with chlordane, showed increased survival to influenza A/PR/8/34 [H1N1] (influenza) virus as young adults. To determine the possible role of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) on this effect, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cell activities were assessed on chlordane-exposed offspring at 100 and 200 days post partum. The CTL response of these offspring showed no significant change from that obtained from their sex- and age-matched control counterparts exposed prenatally to the vehicle. NK responses of chlordane-exposed female offspring were significantly higher at 100 days of age but not at 200 days of age. Although male offspring that were exposed to chlordane prenatally showed no difference in NK cell activity at 100 days of age, NK cell activity was significantly less in chlordane-treated animals than controls at 200 days of age. Thus, prenatal treatment of mice with chlordane had varying effects on the NK cell activity of adult offspring, depending on the sex and age of the animal. It is concluded that the previously reported increase in survival to influenza is due to a resolution of the infection by normal CTL and NK cell activities coupled with a decrease in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH)-mediated pathology.

Physical structure and molecular cloning of equine cytomegalovirus DNA.

Restriction endonuclease (RE) mapping studies and molecular hybridization analyses were conducted to determine the molecular structure of the genome of equine cytomegalovirus (ECMV). The ECMV genome is a linear, double-stranded DNA with a molecular size of 126 +/- 0.6 MDa (189 kbp). A library of cloned BamHI, EcoRI, and HindIII fragments of the viral genome was used to construct RE maps. Individual 32P-labeled cloned DNA fragments were hybridized to Southern blots of viral genomic DNA digested to completion with BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII, or SalI. These analyses revealed that the ECMV genome consists of a 97-MDa unique long region which is bracketed by repeated sequences. At one terminus of the genome, a 21.3-MDa segment of repeated sequences with no apparent unique sequences was identified. At the other terminus, a 6-MDa unique region bracketed by 2.4-MDa repeat segments was identified. No submolar RE fragments were identified upon digestion of the ECMV genome with BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII, SalI, or other REs, including BclI, BglII, NruI, and XbaI. The genome possesses only two termini as judged by lambda exonuclease digestion and by T4 DNA polymerase end-labeling of the intact DNA followed by digestion with BamHI, EcoRI, HindIII, SalI, BclI, BglII, NruI, or XbaI. In addition, Southern blot analysis of DNA extracted from ECMV-infected rabbit kidney cells revealed that only one viral DNA fragment within the intracellular viral DNA pool contains fused genomic termini. Taken together, these observations indicate that the ECMV genome does not isomerize and suggest that the genome of ECMV may be unique among those of the herpesviruses and especially those of the betaherpesviruses (cytomegaloviruses) since it contains regions of extensive internal homology yet does not undergo isomerization. Lastly, the relatively small size of the viral genome indicates an evolutionary diversification among the cytomegaloviruses.

Response of guinea pigs to intravaginal inoculation with guinea pig cytomegalovirus.

Female guinea pigs were inoculated intravaginally with guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) propagated either in guinea pig embryo fibroblast cultures (GPEF) or salivary glands. The incidence of infection was higher with GPEF virus. Rare instances of isolation of GPCMV from cervical swabs 9-48 hr after inoculation was attributed to survival of inoculum in the genital tract. Neither immunofluorescence microscopy nor histopathologic examination showed evidence for active infection of genital tract tissue examined up to day 5 after inoculation. At necropsy on days 30-49, GPCMV was isolated from salivary glands and occasionally from pancreas and lymph nodes. Seroconversion following intravaginal inoculation was demonstrated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, and titers were comparable to those after intraperitoneal or subcutaneous inoculation. However, titers of neutralizing antibody, determined by plaque-reduction assay, were significantly lower in the group inoculated intravaginally. These findings are relevant to consideration of cytomegalovirus as a sexually transmitted agent in humans.

Methyl gallate, methyl-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate, is a potent and highly specific inhibitor of herpes simplex virus in vitro. I. Purification and characterization of methyl gallate from Sapium sebiferum.

A potent anti-herpetic compound was identified and purified to homogeneity from the leaves of Sapium sebiferum by plaque reduction assay using herpes simplex virus type 2. The chemical structure of the purified compound was determined by mass spectroscopy and proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance as methyl gallate, methyl-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate. This is the first demonstration that methyl gallate is a potent anti-herpetic compound in vitro, present in high concentration in the leaves of S. sebiferum, a Chinese folk medicine for shingles.

Methyl gallate, methyl-3,4,5-trihydoxybenzoate, is a potent and highly specific inhibitor of herpes simplex virus in vitro. II. Antiviral activity of methyl gallate and its derivatives.

Methyl gallate (MG), methyl-3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate, was highly active against herpes viruses as determined by plaque reduction assay. Herpes simplex virus type 2, MS strain, was sensitive to MG at a mean 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.224 micrograms/ml in monkey kidney cells. MG was specific for herpes viruses with the relative sensitivity HSV-2 greater than HSV-1 greater than CMV. Two RNA viruses tested were significantly less sensitive to MG. The structural components of MG which modulate the anti-herpetic activity were identified by analysis of chemical analogues. Our structural analyses indicated that three hydroxyl groups were required but were not sufficient for the anti-herpetic action of MG. The presence and chain length of the alkyl ester were also important to the anti-herpetic activity of MG. Methyl gallate may interact with virus proteins and alter the adsorption and penetration of the virion.

Cryosurvival of herpes simplex virus-2 during cryopreservation of human spermatozoa.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a sexually transmitted agent which has potential association with cervical cancer, as well as with high morbidity and mortality in perinatal infection. Its incidence is estimated just after gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Cryobanking of human semen is accepted worldwide in therapeutic use for both husband and donor. Serious consequences could follow the clinical applications of cryobanked human semen in insemination, if some ejaculates contain HSV and the virus survives the processing of semen in cryopreservation. There is then the likelihood of infection of the female, and through her, the child, generally during parturition.

Noninvasive assessment of left ventricular performance after administration of bisoprolol.

The effects of single doses of 10, 20, and 40 mg of bisoprolol on left ventricular performance were assessed by left ventricular systolic time interval measurements, echocardiographic measurements, and exercise stress tests in patients with mild to moderate arterial hypertension. Bisoprolol caused a significant, dose-dependent fall in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, at rest and under exercise stress test. Left ventricular systolic time intervals were prolonged at the higher doses, but pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time (PEP/LVET) ratio, as an indicator for left ventricular performance, remained unchanged. Left ventricular echocardiographic dimensions increased significantly, but shortening fraction was not altered. We conclude that 10-40 mg bisoprolol, apart from the blockade of beta 1-adrenoceptors, does not affect left ventricular cardiac function.

The effect of prenatal chlordane exposure on specific anti-influenza cell-mediated immunity.

Previous studies in our laboratory have documented that in utero chlordane exposure caused a significant enhancement in the survival of the offspring to influenza A virus infection, and a depressed delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to oxazolone. To correlate these 2 effects, we assayed influenza A virus-specific DTH response, and found that it was significantly decreased in chlordane-treated offspring. Virus-specific T-cell blastogenesis was also assayed in chlordane-treated animals. No significant differences due to the chlordane treatment were found in virus-specific T-cell blastogenesis, suggesting that the DTH depression did not result from a paucity of antigen-reactive T-cells. To determine whether enhanced survival was due, in part, to the effects of chlordane on virus replication, rather than on immunological alteration alone, the kinetics of influenza virus replication in the lungs of chlordane- and vehicle-treated animals were determined. In utero chlordane treatment caused no significant differences in in vivo virus replication. These data suggest that increased survival was due to a decrease in virus-specific DTH and its associated pathology.

The effect of prenatal chlordane exposure on the delayed hypersensitivity response of BALB/c mice.

Previous studies in our laboratory have indicated that in utero chlordane exposure caused a significant enhancement in the survival of the offspring to influenza virus infection. Further studies, reported here, show that the non-specific delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to oxazolone at 100 days of age, but not at 30 days of age, was significantly depressed. In contrast, the Con A-induced blastogenic response of spleen cells from chlordane-treated offspring was not depressed and was, in fact, significantly enhanced. However, neither the response to PHA nor to LPS mitogens was significantly altered. In utero exposure to chlordane significantly depressed the mixed lymphocyte reactivity (MLR) of spleen cells from male offspring, whereas females showed no significant alteration of MLR. The significant depression of the DTH and MLR responses supports our previous reports of enhanced survival of influenza virus infection following in utero exposure to chlordane, since active DTH contributes to the pathology of influenza virus infection in mice. The normal or enhanced T-cell mitogen response suggested that the chlordane-induced depression of DTH and MLR was not due to overt toxicity to T-cells.

Influenza type A virus infection of mice exposed in utero to chlordane; survival and antibody studies.

Previous studies carried out by others have shown that in utero exposure of mice to chlordane effects a significant depression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) at 100 days of life without adversely affecting the humoral immune system. In the studies reported herein we assessed the effect of in utero exposure to various doses of chlordane on the response of 38-day-old mice to influenza type A virus infection in terms of relative levels of mortality, mean day of death, and the levels of antiviral antibody in the primary and secondary immune response to the virus. In utero exposure to chlordane effected enhanced survival to influenza type A virus infection relative to mock-treated animals. No significant differences were noted in the mean day of death of chlordane-treated and mock-treated mice. A significant enhancement in the levels of antiviral antibody was noted in the chlordane-treated female mice but not male mice in both the primary and secondary immune response to the virus.

Effect of chlordane on influenza type A virus and herpes simplex type 1 virus replication in vitro.

The effect of chlordane on the susceptibility of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells and African Green monkey kidney cells to infection with influenza type A/PR/8/34 (HON1) virus and herpes simplex type 1 virus was determined. Exposure of both cell lines to various concentrations of chlordane for 24 h at 37 degrees C (acute exposure) effected a marked reduction in the efficiency of influenza type A virus infection, except at a dose of 0.025 ppm. Acute exposure of the monkey cells did not alter their susceptibility to herpes simplex virus infection. Viral adsorption studies at 4 and 37 degrees C revealed a marked reduction in the attachment of influenza type A virus to both cell lines following acute exposure to 10 ppm chlordane. Viral inactivation studies carried out at 4 and 37 degrees C failed to reveal differences in the level of influenza type A virus inactivation in the presence or absence of chlordane. Madin-Darby canine kidney cells exposed to 10 ppm chlordane for 60 d (chronic exposure) manifested a decrease in the efficiency of influenza type A virus infection, whereas cells chronically exposed to 0.025 ppm chlordane manifested an increase in the efficiency of influenza type A virus infection relative to mock-treated control cells. When chronically exposed cells were passaged six times in the absence of chlordane, these effects were reversed. Viral adsorption studies carried out at 4 and 37 degrees C on cells chronically exposed to 10 ppm chlordane revealed a decrease in the adsorption of influenza type A virus. Quantitation of the levels of cell-surface sialic acid, the essential terminal sugar on the receptor for influenza type A virus, indicated that the reduced adsorption of influenza type A virus to Madin-Darby canine kidney cells was not due to a loss of cell-surface sialic acid. Our findings indicate that chlordane alters the susceptibility of cells to infection with influenza type A virus but not to herpes simplex type 1 virus.

Effect of emulsifiers on influenza type A virus infection, in vivo and in vitro studies.

Results of in vitro studies carried out by other investigators suggest that insecticide emulsifiers enhance the replication of animal viruses possessing a single-stranded RNA genome. Based on this observation and on epidemiological findings, it has been postulated that insecticide emulsifiers and related compounds may be etiologically involved in Reye's syndrome. Reye's syndrome is an enigmatic pernicious disease of childhood causally associated with an antecedent viral infection, usually influenza, and putatively associated with exposure to environmental chemicals. The present study was carried out to assess the effects of emulsifiers on infection in vivo with influenza type A virus, a virus possessing a single-stranded RNA genome, using the suckling mouse as host, and in vitro using a susceptible line of mammalian cells. Three coded emulsifiers retrospectively identified as Atlox 3409F, Toximul MP8, and Triton X-100 were assayed at concentrations of 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 ppm. None of the emulsifiers enhanced the plaquing efficiency of influenza A/PR/8/34 (HON1) virus in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (less than a twofold increase), nor did percutaneous application of these emulsifiers at a concentration of 21 parts per thousand in peanut oil enhance the lethality of influenza A/PR/8/34 (HON1) virus infection. Indeed, peanut oil alone, and in combination with the emulsifiers, lowered lethality relative to mice that were treated percutaneously in parallel with physiologic saline.

Dose finding study in chronic congestive heart failure patients. Results of a short- and long-term study.

A multi-center open trial was carried out with 103 patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) of diverse etiologies with oedemas, 25 with hepatomegalia, placed in classes II or III of NYHA functional capacity, with increasing doses of 30, 60 and 90 mg of muzolimine qd to ascertain (1) the effective dose for the elimination of oedemas and hepatomegalia and (2) whether such a dose keeps its efficacy throughout a long administration period. After a wash-out period of 3-7 days, heart rate (HR), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in supine and standing positions, body weight (BW) and 24 hour diuresis were controlled and laboratory tests were performed. Muzolimine was administered and an assessment of the therapeutic effect was carried out every week. When the clinical results were ineffective, the dose was increased weekly up to 90 mg. When the results were partial, the same dose was given for another week and when it was effective the search for the dose was concluded. Out of the 103 patients, 67 needed only 30 mg of muzolimine for an effective elimination of oedemas and hepatomegalia, 32 needed 60 mg and only 4 had to have the dose increased to 90 mg to obtain efficacy. The SBP and DBP diminished by 6.3% and 7.2% respectively, and HR was reduced, though not significantly. BW diminished an average of 2.4 Kg and the diuresis increased significantly from a mean value of 1.043 ml/24 h to 1.714 ml/24 h. Sixty-two patients with effective results agreed to undergo chronic treatment for 24 weeks and be controlled every 2 weeks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)