Role of the TAp63 Isoform in Recurrent Nasal Polyps.

The pathogenic molecular mechanisms underlying the insurgence of nasal polyps has not been completely defined. In some patients, these lesions can have a recurrence after surgery removal, and the difference between recurrent and not recurrent patients is still unclear. To molecularly characterize and distinguish between these two classes, a cohort of patients affected by nasal polyposis was analysed. In all patients we analysed the p63 isoform expression using fresh tissues taken after surgery. Moreover, confocal immunofluorescence analysis of fixed sections was performed. The results show high ΔNp63 expression in samples from the nasal polyps of patients compared to the normal epithelia. Analysis of the expression level of the TAp63 isoform shows differential expression between the patients with recurrence compared to those not recurring. The data, considered as the ΔN/TAp63 ratio, really discriminate the two groups. In fact, even though ΔNp63 is expressed in non-recurrent patients, the resulting ratio ΔN/TAp63 is significantly lower in these patients. This clearly indicates that the status of TAp63 expression, represented by the ΔN/TAp63 ratio, could be considered a prognostic marker of low recurrence probability. In these samples we also investigated the expression of OTX2 transcription factor, known to be a selective activator of TAp63, detecting a significant correlation. Database analysis of HNSCC patients showed increased survival for the patients presenting OTX2 amplification and/or overexpression. These results, together with the fact that TAp63 can be selectively upregulated by HDAC inhibitors, open the possibility to consider local treatment of recurrent nasal polyps with these molecules.

Luteolin-7-glucoside inhibits IL-22/STAT3 pathway, reducing proliferation, acanthosis, and inflammation in keratinocytes and in mouse psoriatic model.

The epidermis is a dynamic tissue in which keratinocytes proliferate in the basal layer and undergo a tightly controlled differentiation while moving into the suprabasal layers. The balance between keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, and death is essential, and its perturbation can result in pathological changes. Some common skin diseases, such as psoriasis, are characterized by hyperproliferation accompanied by inflammatory reactions, suggesting that molecules with topical anti-inflammatory and ROS scavenging abilities may be useful for their treatment. Here we investigate the potential of the flavone Luteolin-7-glucoside (LUT-7G) as a treatment for psoriasis. We show that LUT-7G leads to a modification of the cell cycle and the induction of keratinocyte differentiation, with modification of energy, fatty acid, and redox metabolism. LUT-7G treatment also neutralizes the proliferative stimulus induced by the proinflammatory cytokines IL-22 and IL-6 in HEKn. Moreover, in the Imiquimod (IMQ) mouse model of psoriasis, topical administration of LUT-7G leads to a marked reduction of acanthosis and re-expression of epidermal differentiation markers. Dissection of the IL-22 signalling pathway, activated by IMQ treatment, demonstrates that LUT-7G impairs the nuclear translocation of phosphorylated (activated) STAT3, blocking the IL-22 signalling cascade. Thus LUT-7G appears to be a promising compound for the treatment of hyperproliferative and inflammatory skin diseases, such as psoriasis.

Cutaneous mosaicism, in KRT1 pI479T patient, caused by the somatic loss of the wild-type allele, leads to the increase in local severity of the disease.

BACKGROUND: Epidermolytic ichthyosis (BCIE, OMIM 113800), is an autosomal dominant disorder of the skin caused by mutations in keratin genes KRT1 and KRT10. We present two sporadic patients showing a mild diffuse ichthyosis with palmoplantar keratoderma. Interestingly, one of them shows a significant hyperkeratosis of palms and soles similar to those present in the Meleda disease (OMIM 248300). OBJECTIVE: In this paper we would clarify the genetic difference between the two patients, giving rise to the different phenotype. METHODS: Clinical evaluation, followed by histological and molecular analysis has been established for these patients. RESULTS: We demonstrated the presence of a genetic cutaneous mosaicism. Both patients carry the KRT1 pI479T substitution, but in the palmoplantar areas of one of them, only the mutated allele is expressed (hemizygous). This leads to highlight a new type of cutaneous mosaic, the palmoplantar mosaicism.

Novel transglutaminase 1 mutations in patients affected by lamellar ichthyosis.

Lamellar Ichthyosis (LI) is a form of congenital ichthyosis that is caused by mutations in the TGM1 gene that encodes for the transglutaminase 1 (TG1) enzyme. Functional inactivation of TG1 could be due to mutations, deletion or insertions. In this study, we have screened 16 patients affected by LI and found six new mutations: two transition/transversion (R37G, V112A), two nonsense mutations and two putative splice site both leading to a premature stop codon. The mutations are localized in exons 2 (N-terminal domain), 5, 11 (central catalytic domain), and none is located in the two beta-barrel C-terminal domains. In conclusion, this study expands the current knowledge on TGM1 mutation spectrum, increasing the characterization of mutations would provide more accurate prenatal genetic counselling for parents at-risk individuals.

Stages of change for increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among adults and young adults participating in the national 5-a-Day for Better Health community studies.

Higher fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers and chronic diseases. The 5-a-Day for Better Health community studies are evaluating population-based strategies to achieving dietary behavior change using the stages-of-change model and associated theories. The authors present baseline comparisons of stages of change for fruit and vegetable consumption among adults and young adults in eight study sites representing diverse regions of the United States and diverse populations and settings. Three dominant stages, precontemplation, preparation, and maintenance, were found across sites. Women and those with college degrees were more likely to be in action/maintenance. Fruit and vegetable consumption, self-efficacy, and knowledge of the 5-a-Day recommendation were positively associated with more advanced stages of change in all study sites. The authors discuss the findings in relation to possible limitations of this and other dietary stages-of-change measures and suggest directions for future research.

Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption through worksites and families in the treatwell 5-a-day study.

OBJECTIVES: We report on the results of the Treatwell 5-a-Day study, a worksite intervention aimed at increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables. METHODS: Twenty-two worksites were randomly assigned to 3 groups: (1) a minimal intervention control group, (2) a worksite intervention, and (3) a worksite-plus-family intervention. The interventions used community-organizing strategies and were structured to target multiple levels of influence, following a socioecological model. Data were collected by self-administered employee surveys before and after the intervention; the response rate was 87% (n = 1359) at baseline and 76% (n = 1306) at follow-up. A process tracking system was used to document intervention delivery. RESULTS: After control for worksite, gender, education, occupation, race/ethnicity, and living situation, total fruit and vegetable intake increased by 19% in the worksite-plus-family group, 7% in the worksite intervention group and 0% in the control group (P = .05). These changes reflect a one half serving increase among workers in the worksite-plus-family group compared with the control group (P = .018). CONCLUSIONS: The worksite-plus-family intervention was more successful in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption than was the worksite intervention. Worksite interventions involving family members appear to be a promising strategy for influencing workers' dietary habits.

Position of the American Dietetic Association: the role of nutrition in health promotion and disease prevention programs.

A healthful diet and wise food choices are critical components of promoting health and reducing the risk of chronic disease. A substantial amount of health care resources could be saved by expanding health promotion and disease prevention programs that target dietary change among Americans. To effectively reduce health care costs, the emphasis and delivery of health care must promote health as well as deliver treatment and rehabilitative services to the sick. Prevention measures, such as nutrition interventions that also encourage physical activity, can help prevent or halt progression of full-blown chronic disease and thus decrease chronic disease disability. Health promotion and disease prevention need to be integral parts of all health care, community, public health, and worksite programs across the life cycle. Correspondingly, such programs must be culturally competent and address the specific needs of vulnerable or underserved populations. Dietetics professionals in all areas of practice should play an integral role in health promotion and disease prevention programs. Achieving this goal will require expansion of training programs and active learning by dietetics professionals that includes theory and practice in using team approaches, developing coalitions, and managing complex systems. Dietetics professionals also need to amplify their understanding of politics, administration, health care financing, and reimbursement. Attention must also be expanded to include social and behavioral sciences and to address program evaluation, outcomes, and cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness in nutrition-focused health promotion and disease prevention programs. Continued training in program development, research, and evaluation will help build the body of evidence that supports ongoing inclusion of prevention in a rapidly changing health care environment.

Worksite and family education for dietary change: the Treatwell 5-a-Day program.

The National Cancer Institute's '5-a-Day for Better Health Campaign is examining the efficacy of interventions in increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables to five or more servings a day. This paper presents the study design, intervention and baseline survey results of the Treatwell 5-a-Day project, a randomized, controlled worksite-based intervention study. Twenty-two community health centers were randomly assigned to either a Minimal Intervention, Worksite Intervention or Worksite Plus Family Intervention. The Worksite Intervention included participation of employee advisory boards, programs aimed at individual behavior change and programs aimed at changes in the worksite environment. The Worksite Plus Family Intervention incorporated family-focused interventions into the worksite program, including a learn-at-home program, family newsletter, family festival and materials mailings. A self-administered survey was conducted prior to randomization (mean response rate: 87%, n = 1359). Twenty-three percent reported consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Consumption of fruits and vegetables was directly associated with level of household support for healthy eating. The Treatwell 5-a-Day intervention model has the potential to enhance existing worksite-based intervention through incorporation of its family focus, especially given the association of household support with individual eating habits.

A model for worksite cancer prevention: integration of health protection and health promotion in the WellWorks Project.

OBJECTIVES: To describe a theoretic approach and rationale for the integration of health protection and health promotion in worksite cancer prevention programs and to describe an intervention study designed to implement this integration. METHODS: Twenty-four worksites were recruited to participate in this randomized, controlled study. The theoretically based intervention model integrates health promotion and health protection through (1) joint worker-management participation in program planning and implementation, (2) consultation on worksite changes, and (3) educational programs targeting health behavior change. RESULTS: Although the primary purpose of this paper is to describe a theoretic approach to the integration of health promotion and health protection, preliminary results are also noted. In these predominantly manufacturing worksites, many workers faced the double jeopardy of exposures to occupational carcinogens and personal risks such as smoking or poor dietary habits. Production workers' job responsibilities frequently limited their full participation. Barriers to participation were identified early in the project, and strategies were developed to facilitate maximal worker involvement and worksite changes. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation or dietary changes may be more effectively promoted among blue collar audiences when programs also encourage management actions to reduce occupational exposures. Public health professionals trained in health promotion and health protection must work together to effectively address the health concerns of this population.

Changes in lightness of porcine lean meat batters during processing.

The pattern of changes of lightness (L(∗)) for porcine lean meat batters (PLMBs) with time was divided in two phases: chopping process (Phase 1) resulting in a sharp increase of L(∗), and the subsequent storage of the batters for 24 h at 15°C (Phase 2). During Phase 2, L(∗)-values decreased with time approximating a plateau. The subjects of study were effects on the course of L(∗) of: (1) added sodium chloride and phosphate in Phase 2, (2) the fate of air bubbles embedded in the batters in Phases 1 and 2, and (3) changes in light absorption by the pigment myoglobin in Phase 2. (1) Sodium chloride and phosphate appeared to have very little impact on the changes in L(∗) during storage of the PLMBs at 15°C, although microstructural changes were distinct. (2) Continuous entrapment of air during the chopping process had a major effect on the increase of L(∗) in Phase 1, air bubbles being scattering elements in the PLMB. Disproportionation caused a decrease in the number of small air bubbles, resulting in a decrease of L(∗) during the early stage of Phase 2 (about 35 min), immediately after the chopping stage was finished. (3) Strong evidence was obtained that shifts in the absorption traits of pigments (red nitric oxide myoglobin was formed at the cost of grey met-myoglobin) during the period from 1 to 5 h, caused a marked decrease in the pattern of L(∗) during Phase 2.

Development and validation of measures of psychosocial factors influencing fat- and fiber-related dietary behavior.

BACKGROUND: Understanding factors influencing food choices is likely to enhance the effectiveness of strategies to promote healthy eating patterns. This article describes the process used to develop measures of psychosocial factors related to eating patterns in the Working Well project. METHODS: Working Well is a multicenter controlled trial of worksite health promotion interventions, including a nutrition intervention aimed at promoting low-fat, high-fiber eating. The process for developing measures included several steps. First, we defined three domains of psychosocial factors influencing dietary behavior: predisposing, enabling, and change-related factors. We then reviewed large-scale survey findings, compiled a catalogue of items, and developed and refined a 65-item questionnaire for pretesting in a working population. RESULTS: Based on frequency distributions and interitem correlations, the item pool was reduced to 24 items. The 24 remaining items were included in a pilot survey of 652 employees (response rate = 80%). On the basis of pilot data analyses, we eliminated one item and made minor modifications to other items. Factors most strongly associated with dietary intake were self-rated diet, past success at change, and motivation to eat low-fat foods. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of the cross-sectional pilot data suggest directions for analyses of the final survey. The measures and the development process yielded an instrument and process that can be useful to other researchers.

Characterization of changes in psychometric colour attributes of comminuted porcine lean meat during processing.

Changes in colour during the processing of a comminuted porcine lean meat system were characterized using the psychometric colour attributes lightness L (∗)) hue (h (∗))and chroma (C (∗)). The effects of processing temperature, nitrite and air pressure during comminution were examined. The pattern of changes as a function of processing time for L (∗) and C (∗), but not for h (∗), showed clear dependence on processing temperature (15, 30, 40, 50 and 60°C). For C (∗) this dependence was much more complex than foor L (∗). Nitrite dramatically affected the pattern of change in h (∗) and C (∗), but much less so changes in L (∗). Varying the air pressure during comminution did not induce shifts in patterns of changes of the three colour attributes. However, it did have a marked effect on the absolute values and the extent of changes in L (∗) and, to a much lesser extent, in h (∗) and C (∗). The findings of this study furnish the basis for a possible usage of the psychometric colour attributes as parameters for a quantitative kinetic analysis and modelling of the effect of processing factors during the production of comminuted meats.

Multiple program participation: comparison of nutrition and food assistance program benefits with food costs in Boston, Massachusetts.

The values of government cash and food assistance benefits are compared to estimated food costs in Boston for households whose sole source of income is Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and who have housing in the private sector. Methods developed by the General Accounting Office (GAO) in 1978 are replicated. GAO found that the value of combined benefits can exceed the cost of the United States Department of Agriculture's Thrifty Food Plan. Key assumptions underlying GAO's methodology are challenged, and an alternate method is applied. The new results contradict GAO's conclusions and suggest that Boston food costs exceed the combined value of benefits that AFDC households may receive, although participation in multiple food assistance programs is more beneficial than receipt of benefits from single programs. The authors conclude that food stamps and AFDC benefits indexed to actual costs of living are needed to meet the food needs of low-income families in Boston.

Effects of terbutaline on sodium transport in isolated perfused rat lung.

We have previously presented evidence that cultured alveolar epithelial cell monolayers actively transport sodium from medium to substratum, and that this process can be stimulated by beta-agonists. In this study the isolated perfused rat lung was utilized to investigate sodium transport across intact mammalian alveolar epithelium. Radioisotopic tracer(s) (22Na and/or [14C]sucrose) were instilled into the airways of isolated Ringer-perfused rat lungs. The appearance of isotope(s) in the recirculated perfusate was measured and a permeability-surface area product was calculated. Pharmacological agent(s) (terbutaline and/or propranolol) were present in the instillate or were added to the perfusate during the experiments. Terbutaline alone, whether in the instillate or perfusate, caused a significant increase in 22Na flux. This increase was prevented by the presence of propranolol. [14C]sucrose fluxes were unaffected by the presence of terbutaline. These data are consistent with the presence of an active component of sodium transport across intact mammalian alveolar epithelium that leads to removal of sodium from the alveolar space.

Preschoolers on alternate life-style diets. Associations between size and dietary indexes with diets limited in types of animal foods.

One hundred nineteen vegetarian preschool children whose parents volunteered were studied in their homes. Length, weight, triceps and subscapular skinfolds, and head circumference were measured. Information on extensiveness of avoidances of animal food groups, parental dietary group, birth weight, parental heights, and the child's status with respect to breast feeding at the time of measurement was obtained by parental report. All infants under six months old were breast fed. More of the children's measurements were below the Harvard 50th percentiles for length and weight than would have been expected after six months of age, but not until then. Vegetarian children were also leaner (triceps and subscapular skinfolds) after six months of age than would be expected from Tanner-Whitehouse standards. Head circumferences were similar to standards and within normal limits at all ages. An association between smallness, lightness, and leanness was found among the vegetarians, with these characteristics being more pronounced among the older, non-breast fed, macrobiotic children on diets with limited variety in terms of animal food. While smallness and low weight-for-length were associated with leanness, largeness and high weight-for-length did not imply obesity in these subjects.

Velocities of growth in vegetarian preschool children.

The growth velocities (weight and length) of vegetarian preschool children were compared to norms established from the Harvard growth study. At first measurement vegetarian subjects weighed less and were shorter than expected from Harvard standards. Growth velocities of children under 2 years of age were depressed, while among those over the age of 2 growth velocities were generally comparable to Harvard norms. Vegetarian boys over age 2 exhibited a higher mean weight velocity. Macrobiotics' mean weight and length velocities were not significantly different from those of nonmacrobiotics before age 2. However, the mean weight velocity of macrobiotics over age 2 was significantly greater than the mean weight velocity of nonmacrobiotics over 2 years. Low growth velocities of vegetarian children are more apparent in infants under the age of 2. When breast-feeding, possibly inadequate supplemental feeding may be present past 6 months of age. Since it is then that the velocities are more likely to be depressed, this may be the most appropriate time for surveillance and possible intervention.

[Effect of B1, B2 and B6 vitamins on gastro-pancreatic enzymes (author's transl)]. / Acão das vitamin as B1, B2 e B6 sobre enzimas gastro-pancreaticas

Based in a former work the authors made an "in vitro" verification about the action of pure and isolated B1, B2 and B6 on the digestive enzymes. After many experiments they came to the following conclusions: 1. Pure and isolated vitamins B1, B2 and B6 have no effect on the clotting of milk. 2. Vitamins B1 and B2 delay the action of the digestive enzymes on the clotting of milk. 3. Vitamin B6 can be considered an activator, diminishing the time enzymes takes to produce clotting of milk. Afterwards they make commentaries and relate the analogy of the results with those of other authors when studying the action of pure and isolated vitamins in other biological branches and in animals.