Red Meat Consumption (Heme Iron Intake) and Risk for Diabetes and Comorbidities?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To examine the role of red meat consumption, especially heme iron intake, and risk for diabetes and its comorbidities. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies consistently show that consumption of red meat has been contributory to a multitude of chronic conditions such as diabetes, CVD, and malignancies. There are various emerging reasons that strengthen this link-from the basic constituents of red meat like the heme iron component, the metabolic reactions that take place after consumption, and finally to the methods used to cook it. The causative links show that even occasional use raises the risk of T2DM. Prior studies show how nitrites and nitrates in red meat can lead to increased insulin resistance, dysregulated blood glucose levels, and elevated oxidative stress all leading to chronic diseases. With the rise in these preventable chronic diseases, we examine how disease-causing links can be eliminated with appropriate lifestyle choices.

Vegetarian Diet and Cardiometabolic Risk among Asian Indians in the United States.

Research studies have shown that plant-based diets confer cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits. Asian Indians (AIs) in the US (who have often followed plant-based diets) have elevated risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity suggesting ethnic vulnerability that imply genetic and/or lifestyle causative links. This study explored the association between this ethnic group and diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome after controlling for demographics, acculturation, family history of diabetes, and lifestyle and clinical risk factors. The sample comprised of 1038 randomly selected adult AIs in seven US sites. Prevalence and metabolic syndrome was estimated, and obesity was calculated using the WHO Asian criteria. Multivariate analysis included multinomial logistic regression. The mean age and length of residency in the US were 47 and 18.5 years, respectively. The majority of respondents were vegetarians (62%) and educated. A vegetarian lifestyle was associated with females, food label users, respondents with poor/fair current health status, less acculturated, and those who reported their diet had not changed after coming to the US. Vegetarian status was a protective factor and lowered the risk for diabetes but not for metabolic syndrome and obesity in the regression model. Results provide a firm basis for educational programs.

Risk factors for low high-density lipoprotein among Asian Indians in the United States.

AIM: To examine the differences in metabolic risk factors (RFs) by gender in the Asian Indian (AI) population in the United States. METHODS: Using cross-sectional data from 1038 randomly selected Asian Indians, we investigated the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) RFs, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. RESULTS: A greater percent of women in this group had increased waist circumference and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels than men, but AI males had increased blood glucose, increased blood pressure, and increased triglycerides compared to females. Those individuals who met the MetS criteria had increased cardiovascular disease. One of the biggest single RFs for cardiovascular disease and diabetes reported in the literature for AIs is low HDL. CONCLUSION: Our results show that lack of knowledge about diabetes, low physical activity, increased body mass index, and age were the factors most significantly correlated with low HDL in this population. Future studies and prospective trials are needed to further elucidate causes of the MetS and diabetes in AIs.

Sociodemographic Correlates of Tobacco Consumption in Rural Gujarat, India.

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine occupation-, education-, and gender-specific patterns of tobacco use and knowledge of its health effects among 23,953 rural Asian Indians ≥18 years in Gujarat. Methodology. A statewide, community-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 26 districts of Gujarat (December 2010-May 2015), using face-to-face interviews by trained community health workers called SEVAKS. Results. Mean age was 39.8 ± 15.2 years. Eighteen percent of respondents used tobacco in various forms. Tobacco consumption was significantly higher among males (32%), 18-34 years' age group (35%), those who were self-employed (72%), and those with elementary education (40%). The prevalence was 11 times higher among males than females (95% CI = 9.78, 13.13). Adjusted ORs for tobacco use showed strong gradient by age and educational level; consumption was lower among the illiterates and higher for older participants (≥55 years). Tobacco consumption also varied by occupation; that is, those who were self-employed and employed for wages were more likely to use tobacco than those who were unemployed. Knowledge of health effects of tobacco lowered the odds of consumption by 30-40%. Conclusions. Effective educational programs should be tailored by gender, to improve knowledge of health risks and dispel myths on perceived benefits of tobacco.

A community-based participatory diabetes prevention and management intervention in rural India using community health workers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a 6-month community-based diabetes prevention and management program in rural Gujarat, India. METHODS: A community-based participatory research method was used to plan and tailor the intervention by engaging trained community health workers as change agents to provide lifestyle education, serve as community advocates, and collect data from 1638 rural Indians (81.9% response rate). Ten culturally and linguistically appropriate health education messages were provided in face-to-face individual and group sessions (demonstrations of model meals and cooking techniques). RESULTS: Mean age was 41.9 ± 15.9 years. Overall point prevalence of diabetes, prediabetes, obesity, and hypertension were 7.2%, 19.3%, 16.7%, and 28%, respectively, with significant differences between the low socioeconomic status (SES) participants (agricultural workers) and the high SES participants (business community) due to differing diet and activity levels. The intervention significantly reduced blood glucose levels by 5.7 and 14.9 mg/dL for individuals with prediabetes and diabetes, respectively, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 8 mm Hg and 4 mm Hg, respectively, in the overall population. Knowledge of diabetes and cardiovascular disease improved by 50% in the high SES group and doubled in the low SES group; general and abdominal obesity also decreased by ≤ 1%. High rates of undiagnosed hypertension (26.1%) were surprising. Among individuals with diabetes, metabolic complications such as diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Through collective engagement of the community, participatory programs can serve as a prototype for future prevention and management efforts, which are rare and underutilized in India.

Prevalence of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular risk factors in US Asian Indians: results from a national study.

BACKGROUND: Although studies of immigrant Asian Indians in other countries show high rates of diabetes (DM), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and cardiovascular disease (CVD), no randomized, population-based studies of this rapidly growing ethnic group exist in the US. METHODS: The sample comprised 1038 randomly selected Asian Indian immigrants, aged 18 years and older at seven US sites. Prevalence of diabetes and MetS (age-adjusted and sex-adjusted means) was estimated and ANOVA was used to calculate gender and group differences (normoglycemia/impaired fasting glucose/diabetes) for CVD risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age was 48.2 years. The majority of respondents were male, married, educated, and with some form of health insurance. Prevalence of diabetes was 17.4%, and 33% of the respondents had prediabetes. Cardiovascular risk factors, especially high levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein, and low levels of HDL cholesterol, were also prevalent; elevated lipoprotein(a) was not observed. The age-adjusted prevalence of MetS was 26.9% by the original NCEP/ATP III criteria, 32.7% by the modified NCEP/ATP III criteria, and 38.2% by the IDF criteria. The MetS rates for women, but not for men, increased with age using all three criteria. There was a progressive worsening of all metabolic parameters as individuals progressed from normal to IFG to diabetes. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rates of diabetes and MetS among US Asian Indians are higher than reported in earlier, nonrandomized, smaller surveys. These data provide a firm basis for future mechanistic and interventional studies.

CKD screening and management in the Veterans Health Administration: the impact of system organization and an innovative electronic record.

At the beginning of this decade, Healthy People 2010 issued a series of objectives to "reduce the incidence, morbidity, mortality and health care costs of chronic kidney disease." A necessary feature of any program to reduce the burden of kidney disease in the US population must include mechanisms to screen populations at risk and institute early the aspects of management, such as control of blood pressure, management of diabetes, and, in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), preparation for dialysis therapy and proper vascular access management, that can retard CKD progression and improve long-term outcome. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Health Administration is a broad-based national health care system that is almost uniquely situated to address these issues and has developed a number of effective approaches using evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, performance measures, innovative use of a robust electronic medical record system, and system oversight during the past decade. In this report, we describe the application of this systems approach to the prevention of CKD in veterans through the treatment of risk factors, identification of CKD in veterans, and oversight of predialysis and dialysis care. The lessons learned and applicability to the private sector are discussed.

CHR-2797: an antiproliferative aminopeptidase inhibitor that leads to amino acid deprivation in human leukemic cells.

CHR-2797 is a novel metalloenzyme inhibitor that is converted into a pharmacologically active acid product (CHR-79888) inside cells. CHR-79888 is a potent inhibitor of a number of intracellular aminopeptidases, including leucine aminopeptidase. CHR-2797 exerts antiproliferative effects against a range of tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo and shows selectivity for transformed over nontransformed cells. Its antiproliferative effects are at least 300 times more potent than the prototypical aminopeptidase inhibitor, bestatin. However, the mechanism by which inhibition of these enzymes leads to proliferative changes is not understood. Gene expression microarrays were used to profile changes in mRNA expression levels in the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 treated with CHR-2797. This analysis showed that CHR-2797 treatment induced a transcriptional response indicative of amino acid depletion, the amino acid deprivation response, which involves up-regulation of amino acid synthetic genes, transporters, and tRNA synthetases. These changes were confirmed in other leukemic cell lines sensitive to the antiproliferative effects of CHR-2797. Furthermore, CHR-2797 treatment inhibited phosphorylation of mTOR substrates and reduced protein synthesis in HL-60 cells, both also indicative of amino acid depletion. Treatment with CHR-2797 led to an increase in the concentration of intracellular small peptides, the substrates of aminopeptidases. It is suggested that aminopeptidase inhibitors, such as CHR-2797 and bestatin, deplete sensitive tumor cells of amino acids by blocking protein recycling, and this generates an antiproliferative effect. CHR-2797 is orally bioavailable and currently undergoing phase II clinical investigation in the treatment of myeloid leukemia.

A community-based diabetes prevention and management education program in a rural village in India.

OBJECTIVE: In this study we evaluated a 7-month community-based nonpharmacological lifestyle intervention to prevent/reduce the risk of developing diabetes and its complications in a resource-poor village in Tamilnadu, India. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 703 village inhabitants, comprising adults and youth aged 10-92 years, were provided educational intervention using "trained trainers." Culturally and linguistically appropriate health education messages addressed diet, physical activity, and knowledge improvement. The prevalence of diabetes and the effectiveness of the intervention were assessed using select parameters. RESULTS: The crude prevalences of diabetes and pre-diabetes among adults were 5.1 and 13.5%, respectively, while the prevalence of pre-diabetes in youth aged 10-17 years was 5.1%. Intervention reduced fasting blood glucose levels of pre-diabetic adults by 11%, pre-diabetic youth by 17%, and type 2 diabetic adults by 25%. Improvements in obesity parameters and dietary intake also occurred. A stepwise worsening of parameters progressing from the normoglycemic state to the impaired levels of pre-diabetes and diabetes was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study has charted the increasing prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in rural India. Educational intervention was successful in reducing some of the obesity parameters and improving dietary patterns of individuals with pre-diabetes and diabetes.

Cometabolic degradation of polychlorinated biphenyls at low temperature by psychrotolerant bacterium Hydrogenophaga sp. IA3-A.

A biphenyl-utilizing bacterium isolated from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)-contaminated soils grew on tryptic soy at temperatures between 4 and 40 degrees C. The Gram-negative rod bacterium formed yellow colonies on nutrient agar and it denitrified nitrate to nitrogen. Analysis of cellular fatty acids showed that it was most closely related to Hydrogenophaga taeniospiralis. At 5 degrees C, biphenyl-grown cells cometabolically degraded di- and trichlorinated isomers of PCBs in 10 ppm of Aroclor 1248. At 30 degrees C, PCBs that were removed included a congener with four chlorine substituents. At 5 degrees C, cells transformed 2,4'-dichlorobiphenyl (2,4'-DCB) and accumulated ortho-chlorinated meta-cleavage product as a stable metabolite. Analysis of extracts of culture supernatant by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that products of transformation of 2,4'-DCB included 2- and 4-chlorobenzoic acid (2- and 4-CBA), suggesting that (chloro)biphenyl-degrading upper-pathway enzymes of the bacterium are active at low temperature. The bacterium Hydrogenophaga sp. IA3-A is a PCB-degrading psychrotolerant strain.

Isolation and characterization of a biphenyl-utilizing psychrotrophic bacterium, Hydrogenophaga taeniospiralis IA3-A, that cometabolize dichlorobiphenyls and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in Aroclor 1221.

A psychrotrophic bacterium isolated from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)-contaminated soil grew on biphenyl as sole carbon and energy source, and actively cometabolized PCBs at low temperature. Analysis of cellular fatty acids indicate that the bacterium is most closely related to Hydrogenophaga taeniospiralis. Resting cells incubated with 10 ppm of Aroclor 1221 at 5 or 30 degrees C for 48 h removed all mono-, most di-, and several trichlorobiphenyls. At 5 degrees C, removal of MCBs (monochlorobiphenyls) was between 63 to 89%, DCBs (dichlorobiphenyls) was between 30 to 78%, and TCBs (trichlorobiphenyls) was between 30 to 75%. At 30 degrees C, removal of MCBs was 100%, DCBs was between 30 to 100%, and TCBs was between 27 to 59%. Congeners with two or more ortho chlorine were generally resistant to degradation. However, removal of di-ortho plus para-substituted congeners at 30 degrees C and not at 5 degrees C, suggest that the presence of a para-chlorine enhanced the cometabolism of these congeners at 30 degrees C. Furthermore, after 72 h, resting cells removed 68 and 83% of 500 microM of 2,4'-dichlorobiphenyl (2,4'-DCB) and, 35 and 44% of 500 microM of 2,3-dichlorobiphenyl (2,3-DCB) at 5 and 30 degrees C, respectively. Analysis of metabolites by GC-MS indicates that the cometabolized 2,3-DCB was completely recovered as 2,3-chlorobenzoic acid (2,3-CBA), while the cometabolized 2,4'-DCB was not completely recovered as chlorobenzoic acid. To our knowledge, it is the first strain of Hydrogenophaga taeniospiralis found to degrade an organic pollutant, and also the first psychrotrophic strain of a member of the genus Hydrogenophaga to grow on biphenyl or cometabolize PCBs at low temperature. Results suggest that the bacterium has potential use in the bioremediation of PCB-contaminated sites in cold regions.

Proteomic analysis of mouse mammary terminal end buds identifies axonal growth cone proteins.

Ductal morphogenesis in the mouse mammary gland occurs mainly postnatally and is driven by specialized structures at the ends of the developing ducts, the terminal end buds (TEBs), which later regress once ductal growth is complete. To identify proteins that are specifically associated with migration of TEBs we developed a novel method of isolating TEBs, which eliminated the mammary stroma. The protein expression profile of the TEBs was then compared with that of isolates taken from the 4th inguinal mammary gland of adult virgin mice using two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and quadrupole time of flight). Following construction of an integrated protein expression database, 44 protein features which showed differential expression levels between the two sets were chosen for MS analysis. Of these, 24 gave protein annotations whereas the other 20 produced unidentified peptides. Fourteen unequivocal proteins were identified from these 24, whereas the remaining 10 matched more than one protein within a single 2-D gel feature. Several of the identified proteins were associated with the cytoskeleton and have previously been reported in axonal growth cones, suggesting that they may influence cell shape and motility within the advancing TEBs, in a similar fashion to migrating axons.

Aerobic co-metabolism of sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen heterocycles by three marine bacterial consortia.

Bacterial samples were collected from three marine beaches in coastal Newfoundland, Canada, and enriched by growth on 1-methylnaphthalene. The most prominent bacterial cell type for each consortium was isolated in a serial dilutions test, and a substrate utilization profile was obtained for each using the Biolog MicroStation System. Each bacterial community was tested for its ability to co-metabolize sulfur heterocycles (benzothiophene: BT, 3-methylbenzothiophene: 3-MBT, and dibenzothiphene: DBT), a nitrogen heterocycle (carbazole: CARB), and an oxygen heterocycle (dibenzofuran: DBF). Co-metabolism of the starting material was determined using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and formation of products was investigated by GC-MS and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Bacterial growth was monitored turbidimetrically to determine the dry weight (microgram) of cells/ml. The 2-ringed heterocycles were co-metabolized faster and to a greater extent than the 3-ringed compounds. Co-metabolism of BT was not statistically different from that for 3-MBT and, likewise, a comparison of the 3-ringed heterocycles showed no significant differences in degradation rates. Statistical examination showed that no one culture demonstrated a significantly greater ability to co-metabolize the heterocycles studied. This study represents the first comprehensive investigation of the ability of local bacteria to co-metabolize a range of aromatic compounds and provides a preliminary understanding of their fate in sediments should contamination by these compounds occur.

Prevalence of Listeria in Smoked Fish.

Smoked fish samples (71) were surveyed from Newfoundland retail markets and tested for the prevalence of Listeria . Staphylococcus aureus and fecal coliforms were also detected in the samples. Listeria was present in 11.3% of the smoked seafood products; 4 smoked cod, 3 smoked mackerel, and 1 smoked caplin were found to harbor the bacterium. The Food and Drug Administration protocol was also analyzed with regards to testing smoked seafoods. The secondary enrichment broth showed a 68% false-positive rate, whereas all positive samples were detected after 24 h of primary enrichment.

Listeria in Seafoods: A Review.

Listeria is an environmental contaminant which has been isolated from marine and fresh waters, as well as various seafoods. Furthermore, Listeria , including Listeria monocytogenes , has been isolated from processed seafood products such as smoked fish, cooked and frozen seafoods, marinated fish, surimi products, etc. The pathogen, L. monocytogenes , does have a certain degree of heat resistance. It was found to survive in internally infected shrimp after boiled for up to 5 min. However, the commercial pasteurization process for crab meat was found to be sufficient to inactivate Listeria . The current recovery methodology for L. monocytogenes from seafoods is the Food and Drug Administration Listeria protocol.

Functional Characteristics of Extracellular Vesicles Produced by Pseudomonas fragi ATCC 4973.

Extracellular vesicles, "blebs," were isolated from Pseudomas fragi ATCC 4973 grown in liquid culture. Vesicles were isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation, centrifugation, and dialysis of the supernatant of an 82 h culture of P. fragi in trypticase-soy broth. The vesicles displayed considerable proteolytic activity. The proteinase was similar to that found in a free form in the supernatant. The vesicles were not associated with bacteriocinogenicity. The vesicles may act in the physiological distribution of extracellular proteinases.

Extracellular Heat-Resistant Proteases of Psychrotrophic Pseudomonads.

Several bacterial isolates from raw milk produced proteases. Most of such 28 isolates were gram-negative rods which were oxidase- and catalase-positive. All the isolates grew at temperatures in the range of 0-35°C, but failed to grow at 37°C. Nineteen of these isolates were tentatively assigned to genus Pseudomonas , and were used in the present investigation. Extracellular proteases from these psychrotrophic pseudomonads were heat-resistant, being able to retain partial activity even after heat-treatment at 120°C for 10 min. Milk proteins were preferred substrates by these proteases although some also hydrolysed bovine serum albumin, hemoglobin and ovalbumin. The optimum pH for the maximum activity was between pH 7.2 and 7.4. Divalent metal ions like Cu2+, Co2+, Hg2+, and Zn2+ were inhibitory to protease activity while Ca2+, Mg2+, and Mn2+ had little or no inhibitory effect on the proteases. Induced levels of protease production were observed when cultures were grown in minimal media containing either casein or nonfat dried milk powder. Glucose, citrate and lactose repressed enzyme synthesis in a minmal salts medium containing either casein or nonfat dried milk powder. Protease activity was also detected in cultures grown in minimal medium containing glutamine. Proteases from different isolates varied in their molecular weights.