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On September 7 and 8, 2022, Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptors Strategies, an Environmental Health Sciences program, convened a scientific workshop of relevant stakeholders involved in obesity, toxicology, or obesogen research to review the state of the science regarding the role of obesogenic chemicals that might be contributing to the obesity pandemic. The workshop’s objectives were to examine the evidence supporting the hypothesis that obesogens contribute to the etiology of human obesity; to discuss opportunities for improved understanding, acceptance, and dissemination of obesogens as contributors to the obesity pandemic; and to consider the need for future research and potential mitigation strategies. This report details the discussions, key areas of agreement, and future opportunities to prevent obesity. The attendees agreed that environmental obesogens are real, significant, and a contributor at some degree to weight gain at the individual level and to the global obesity and metabolic disease pandemic at a societal level; moreover, it is at least, in theory, remediable.

Let G= (V, E) be a finite graph and r≥ 1 be an integer. For v∈ V, let Br(v) = {x∈ V: d(v, x) ≤ r} be the ball of radius rcentered at v. A set C⊆ Vis an r-dominating code if for all v∈ V, we have Br(v) ∩ C≠ ∅; it is an r-locating-dominating code if for all v∈ V, we have Br(v) ∩ C≠ ∅, and for any two distinct non-codewords x∈ V\ C, y∈ V\ C, we have Br(x) ∩ C≠ Br(y) ∩ C; it is an r-identifying code if for all v∈ V, we have Br(v) ∩ C≠ ∅, and for any two distinct vertices x∈ V, y∈ V, we have Br(x) ∩ C≠ Br(y) ∩ C. We denote by γr(G) (respectively, ldr(G) and idr(G)) the smallest possible cardinality of an r-dominating code (respectively, an r-locating-dominating code and an r-identifying code). We study how small and how large the three differences idr(G)−ldr(G), idr(G)−γr(G) and ldr(G) − γr(G) can be.

Tackling childhood overweight and obesity is critical not only to improve the health and well-being of children and adolescents, but also for entire populations and future generations. This paper provides the latest evidence on the extent of, and risk factors for, childhood overweight and obesity in Vietnam. The landscape analysis tool developed by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) was used. A search for peer-reviewed articles in English on online databases was undertaken. Peer-reviewed Vietnamese articles were also retrieved from a range of sources. The prevalence of overweight among children aged under 5 years increased from 5.6% in 2010 to 7.4% in 2019. For overweight and obesity among children aged 5 to 19 years, prevalence rose from 8.5% and 2.5% in 2010 to 19% and 8.1% in 2020, respectively. Maternal malnutrition, gestational diabetes during pregnancy, and inadequate infant and young child feeding practices are all risk factors for early childhood overweight. Unhealthy diets, insufficient physical activity, and lack of sleep are among the risk factors for overweight and obesity among school aged children and adolescents. The prevention of overweight and obesity among Vietnamese children requires a whole-of-government, cross-sectoral approach to addresses the obesogenic environment that is negatively influencing the nutrition of children.

The sample preparation for biological and chemical probes involves following a strict workflow to eliminate any contamination to the sample beforehand. Furthermore, it is time consuming and must be carried out by trained personnel such as a nurse or other supervisors, making it therefore expensive. The development of novel sample preparation techniques paired with modern sample analysis systems is focused on improving the operability while keeping a constant quality of results. This is important to analyse samples, which cannot be determined with current screening conditions. The analysis of analytes is required to receive a more detailed picture of the patient and to fully understand its complexity. Possible samples for in-depth analysis of chemical origin can be cholesterol or glucose. More complex samples, such as blood or saliva, require a sophisticated system, which analyses the samples for their individual compounds.

Given a graph G = (V, E) and an integer r ≥ 1, we call 'r-dominating code' any subset C of V such that every vertex in V is at distance at most r from at least one vertex in C. We investigate and locate in the complexity classes of the polynomial hierarchy, several problems linked with domination in graphs, such as, given r and G, the existence of, or search for, optimal r-dominating codes in G, or optimal r-dominating codes in G containing a subset of vertices X ⊂ V .

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has risen substantially worldwide in less than one generation. In the USA, the average weight of a child has risen by more than 5 kg within three decades, to a point where a third of the country's children are overweight or obese. Some low-income and middle-income countries have reported similar or more rapid rises in child obesity, despite continuing high levels of undernutrition. Nutrition policies to tackle child obesity need to promote healthy growth and household nutrition security and protect children from inducements to be inactive or to overconsume foods of poor nutritional quality. The promotion of energy-rich and nutrient-poor products will encourage rapid weight gain in early childhood and exacerbate risk factors for chronic disease in all children, especially those showing poor linear growth. Whereas much public health effort has been expended to restrict the adverse marketing of breastmilk substitutes, similar effort now needs to be expanded and strengthened to protect older children from increasingly sophisticated marketing of sedentary activities and energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages. To meet this challenge, the governance of food supply and food markets should be improved and commercial activities subordinated to protect and promote children's health.

To achieve WHO's target to halt the rise in obesity and diabetes, dramatic actions are needed to improve the healthiness of food environments. Substantial debate surrounds who is responsible for delivering effective actions and what, specifically, these actions should entail. Arguments are often reduced to a debate between individual and collective responsibilities, and between hard regulatory or fiscal interventions and soft voluntary, education-based approaches. Genuine progress lies beyond the impasse of these entrenched dichotomies. We argue for a strengthening of accountability systems across all actors to substantially improve performance on obesity reduction. In view of the industry opposition and government reluctance to regulate for healthier food environments, quasiregulatory approaches might achieve progress. A four step accountability framework (take the account, share the account, hold to account, and respond to the account) is proposed. The framework identifies multiple levers for change, including quasiregulatory and other approaches that involve government-specified and government-monitored progress of private sector performance, government procurement mechanisms, improved transparency, monitoring of actions, and management of conflicts of interest. Strengthened accountability systems would support government leadership and stewardship, constrain the influence of private sector actors with major conflicts of interest on public policy development, and reinforce the engagement of civil society in creating demand for healthy food environments and in monitoring progress towards obesity action objectives.

To describe unusual retinal findings of a patient affected by hemochromatosis.

Eucomic acid [(2R)-2-(p-hydroxybenzyl)malic acid)] (1) and three new glucopyranosyloxybenzyl eucomate derivatives, vandaterosides I (2), II (3), and III (4), were isolated and identified from the stems of Vanda teres. Their cellular antiaging properties were evaluated in a human immortalized keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) by monitoring their effect on cytochrome coxidase activity, implicated in mitochondrial respiratory function and cellular energy production. Eucomic acid (1) and vandateroside II (3) increased cytochrome coxidase activity and/or expression, without enhancing cellular mitochondrial content. These two V. teresbiomarkers apparently contributed to stimulate respiratory functions in keratinocytes. Since aging and its pathologies may be ascribed to a decline in mitochondrial functions, these biomarkers have the potential to become new natural ingredients for antiaging preparations to remedy age-related disorders such as skin aging.

The SW480 cell line is derived from a human colon adenocarcinoma, and SW620 cells are derived from a lymph node metastasis of the same patient. We have previously shown that lupulone induces apoptosis in SW480 cells, through a cross talk between the TRAIL-death receptor pathway and the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In SW620 cells, lupulone induced apoptosis only through TRAIL-death receptor activation. Both cell lines exhibit the same p53 mutations. Because p53 plays a central role in the response to cellular stresses by upregulating the transcription of several genes controlling apoptosis, we aimed to study the involvement of p53 on lupulone-triggered apoptosis. Our data show that in SW620 cells, lupulone upregulated p53 gene expression and caused a cloistering of p53 in the nucleus, allowing p53 to play a proapoptotic role by activating the TRAIL-death receptor pathway. In contrast, in lupulone-treated SW480 cells, p53 was translocated to the cytoplasm where it initiated a survival response associated with the up-regulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 proteins in an attempt to preserve mitochondrial integrity. These prosurvival effects of p53 in lupulone-treated SW480 cells were reversed by pifithrin-α, an inhibitor of p53 function, which caused a blocking of p53 in the nucleus leading to the down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, the up-regulation of proapoptotic Bax protein and TRAIL-death receptors leading to enhanced cell death. Our data support different functions of the same mutated p53 in colon adenocarcinoma and derived metastatic cells in response to the chemopreventive agent lupulone.

A phytochemical study of the stem bark of Vismia laurentii resulted in the isolation of a tetracyclic triterpene, tirucalla-7,24-dien-3-one (1), and seven other known compounds: 3-geranyloxyemodin (2), vismiaquinone A (3), vismiaquinone B (4), bivismiaquinone (5), epifriedelinol (6), betulinic acid (7) and stigmasta-7,22-dien-3-ol (8). The structure of all these compounds was elucidated by spectroscopic means. The stem bark extract and compounds 1 and 3 showed good antimalarial activity against the W2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum.

Bioguided fractionation of a leaves extract from Limoniastrum feei (Girard) Batt. (Plumbaginaceae) led to the isolation of seven polyphenolic constituents: gallic acid (1), myrciaphenone A (2), myricetin-3-O-ß-galactopyranoside (3-1), epigallocatechin gallate (3-2), myricetin 3-O-a-rhamnopyranoside (4), quercetin (5) and myricetin (6). Gallic acid was the most antioxidant compound in DPPH [(0.94 d 0.68) µg/mL] and FRAP [(0.83 d 0.15) µm Fe2+/mL] tests, whereas myricetin was a more specific superoxide radical scavenger since it was the most active product in the superoxide nitroblue tetrazolium hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase test [(1.86 d 0.12) µg/mL].

Apples contain several classes of polyphenols: monomers (catechins, epicatechins) and oligomers/polymers, such as the procyanidins. Our aim was (i) to study anti-proliferative mechanisms on human metastatic colon carcinoma (SW620 cells) of apple polyphenol fractions (monomers or procyanidins) and (ii) to evaluate their anti-carcinogenic properties in vivo. Two polyphenol-enriched fractions were isolated from apples. Fraction non-procyanidins contained 73% phenolic monomers and no procyanidins, while fraction procyanidins contained 78% procyanidins and no monomers. Inhibition of SW620 cell growth was only observed with fraction P (IC50 = 45 µg/ml). After a 24-h exposure of cells to fraction P, protein kinase C activity was inhibited by 70% and a significant increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 and c-jun N-terminal kinases expression was observed together with the down-regulation of polyamine biosynthesis and the activation of caspase-3. Colon carcinogenesis was induced in rats by intraperitoneal injections of azoxymethane, once a week for 2 weeks. Seven days after the last injection, Wistar rats received fraction P (0.01%) dissolved in drinking water. After 6 weeks of treatment, the colon of rats receiving procyanidins showed a significant (P < 0.01) reduction of the number of preneoplastic lesions when compared with controls receiving water. The total number of hyperproliferative crypts and of aberrant crypt foci was reduced by 50% in rats receiving 0.01% apple procyanidins in their drinking water. Our results show that apple procyanidins alter intracellular signaling pathways, polyamine biosynthesis and trigger apoptosis in tumor cells. These compounds antagonize cancer promotion in vivo. In contrast with absorbable drugs, these natural, non toxic, dietary constituents reach the colon where they are able to exert their antitumor effects.

Hypocotyl elongation is an early developmental process regulated antagonistically by light and auxin. To highlight the interaction between both signals, we studied the photoregulation of the auxin-induced tomato (Lycopersicon esculentumMill.) gene LeEXTinvolved in this process. RNA gel blot analysis indicated that this gene is down-regulated in response to blue light. We demonstrate that this response is principally mediated by the blue light photoreceptor cry1, but an interaction with the red/far-red light photoreceptors phyA, phyB1 and phyB2 has also been established. Furthermore, the polar auxin transport inhibitor NPA reverts the blue light inhibition of Lycopersicon esculentumgene encoding xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (LeEXT) expression, when it has the opposite effect in the dark or under red light. These results provide strong support for a specific interaction between auxin and blue light transduction pathways in the control of LeEXTexpression, and therefore, of hypocotyl elongation in tomato.

A new, fast and reliable procedure for the quantification of the major compounds of Hypericum perforatum L. has been developed. Four naphthodianthrones (protopseudohypericin, pseudohypericin, protohypericin, hypericin) and two phloroglucinols (hyperforin, adhyperforin) were assayed by HPLC using a short (17 min) linear gradient, with hypericin and hyperforin as external standards. Extraction of dried plant material with methanol in the dark at room temperature for 2 h led to a complete recovery of phloroglucinols but only a partial recovery of the naphthodianthrone derivatives. Treatment of plant material with water:ethanol (40:60, v/v) in a water bath shaker at 80°C led to the total extraction of hypericins, but a 10% loss of total hyperforins was also observed. The two extraction methods, applied successively to the same sample, allowed the complete extraction of all compounds of interest. A 5 min exposure of the crude extract of H. perforatum to sunlight (1 E/m²) induced a 96% loss of hyperforins, whereas the dry plant material lost only 20% of hyperforins after 2 h exposure to sunlight (24 E/m²). Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A new, fast and reliable procedure for the quantification of the major compounds of Hypericum perforatumL. has been developed. Four naphthodianthrones (protopseudohypericin, pseudohypericin, protohypericin, hypericin) and two phloroglucinols (hyperforin, adhyperforin) were assayed by HPLC using a short (17 min) linear gradient, with hypericin and hyperforin as external standards. Extraction of dried plant material with methanol in the dark at room temperature for 2 h led to a complete recovery of phloroglucinols but only a partial recovery of the naphthodianthrone derivatives. Treatment of plant material with water:ethanol (40:60, v/v) in a water bath shaker at 80°C led to the total extraction of hypericins, but a 10% loss of total hyperforins was also observed. The two extraction methods, applied successively to the same sample, allowed the complete extraction of all compounds of interest. A 5 min exposure of the crude extract of H. perforatumto sunlight (1 E/m2) induced a 96% loss of hyperforins, whereas the dry plant material lost only 20% of hyperforins after 2 h exposure to sunlight (24 E/m2). Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A convenient and reliable reversed phase-HPLC method has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of naphthoquinones present in the aerial parts of Impatiens glandulifera (Balsaminaceae) during two growing seasons (May to August 1998 and June to October 1999). Maximal content (0.8–1.1%) of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and its 2-methylated derivative was observed in flowers collected between July and August. The procedure was applied to compare the pigment content in three other species of Impatiens but showed 2.5–37 times lower levels than those found in I. glandulifera. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A convenient and reliable reversed phase‐HPLC method has been developed and validated for the quantitative determination of naphthoquinones present in the aerial parts of Impatiens glandulifera(Balsaminaceae) during two growing seasons (May to August 1998 and June to October 1999). Maximal content (0.8–1.1%) of 2‐hydroxy‐1,4‐naphthoquinone and its 2‐methylated derivative was observed in flowers collected between July and August. The procedure was applied to compare the pigment content in three other species of Impatiensbut showed 2.5–37 times lower levels than those found in I. glandulifera. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The article describes the painting "In the Salon of 1881" by German painter Wilhelm Gause, which is now part of the collection of the Dahesh Museum in New York where it is listed under the title "In the Salon of 1879." Accordingly, the authors of the museum's catalogue have used the presence of the sculpture by Charles René de Saint Marceux as a reference, in order to give their new acquirement with a title and chronological marker.

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. Its prevalence among adults and, especially, children has risen dramatically in a single generation. A high prevalence affects nearly all affluent countries and is rapidly increasing among more affluent populations of poorer countries. The burden of ill health that results is already significant and due to rise, putting greater burdens on hard-pressed health services, an increasing burden on families and social support services, and reducing the productivity of national economies.

The functional consequences of vascular remodeling in rat aorta allografts were studied at different times after transplantation (Tx).

The article features Pierre Louis Enault, considered to be one of the most prolific writers and one of the most productive literary and artistic critics of the second half of the nineteenth century. His publications include a number of translations with the goal of establishing his name as a writer. Among them is a translation of the recently published "Uncle Tom's Cabin," by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Abstract.:  We present a new construction of binary nonlinear perfect codes with minimum distance 3 and lowerbound the number of nonequivalent such codes.

Abstract.:  We survey important developments in the theory of covering radius during the period 1985–1994. We present lower bounds, constructions and upper bounds, the linear and nonlinear cases, density and asymptotic results, normality, specific classes of codes, covering radius and dual distance, tables, and open problems.

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LOBSTEIN, D. D. and A. H. ISMAIL. Decreases in resting plasma beta-endorphin/-lipotropin after endurance training. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 161–166,1989. The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in the resting plasma beta-endorphin/ -lipotropin (βE/β-LPH) concentration that may occur with exercise training. A treatment group (N=10) of previously sedentary, psychologically normal, and medically healthy middle-aged men trained for 4 months in a structured fitness program. The treatment group was compared with two age-matched groups: a jogger group (N=10) and a sedentary group (N=10). Venous blood was collected in the early morning after the subjects had been fasting for at least 12 h. The subjects were also resting at the time of blood collection. Resting plasma βE/β-LPH (measured by radioimmunoassay) decreased (P<0.05) following the 4 months of exercise training in the treatment group, from 11.01 ± 1.62 (SE) to 7.22 ± 0.99 pmol·l-1. The jogger and sedentary groups demonstrated no changes in the resting plasma βE/β-LPH concentration following the 4 months. Aerobic fitness, measured by the maximal oxygen uptake (O2max), increased (P<0.01) from 36.56 ± 2.58 (SE) to 44.85 ± 1.34 ml·kg-1·min-1in the treatment group after the 4 months of training. There were no changes in O2maxfor either the jogger group or the sedentary group following the 4 months. In conclusion, βE/β-LPH in the plasma of resting middle-aged men appeared to be decreased after 4 months of aerobic training.

The results obtained from mucosulf therapy of experimental ulcer for-mation show that there is a decrease in total available pepsin and in pepsin concentration, but only a decrease in total available gastric acidity and not in its concentration. Total available lysozyme was decreased but not its concentration. The volume of gastric juice was decreased while its viscosity was increased. Total available mucin was increased as was its concentration.

La mesure du temps de circulation bras-rétine par la fluoroscopie rétinienne est une méthode valable pour évaluer, dans certains cas, l'état de la circulation cérébrale. Les auteurs ont étudié à cet égard six cas de “coma dépassé”, maintenus en survie artificielle. L'allongement extrême du temps de circulation, joint aux données de l'électroencéphalographie et de l'artériographie carotidienne, apporte une contribution au diagnostic de mort cérébrale. Ce problème est lié à celui du prélèvement d'organes en vue de transplantation.

Le principe de traitement du strabisme essentiel de l'enfant présenté ici est le suivant: traitement précoce par port de verres correcteurs et occlusion contrôlée, intervention différée jusqu'à l'âge minimum de 5 ans qui permet un examen complet et un traitement orthoptique. L'étude d'une série de 22 cas ainsi traités montre les résultats bons et définitifs dans la presque totalité des cas en ce qui concerne l'acuité visuelle. Les résultats sont également favorables en ce qui concerne la vision binoculaire normale si l'orthophorie post-opératoire est obtenue. The treatment of the Child's squint as exposed in the present paper, is based on the following principles: early treatment by optic correction and medically supervised occlusion, operation postponed at least until the age of 5 years at which complete examination and orthoptic treatment become possible. The study of 22 cases treated in this way shows good and definitive results as concerns visual acuity in almost every case; furthermore, as regards binocular vision, favorable results are also obtained, provided post-operative orthophoria is achieved. Die Grundlage der Strabismustherapie im Kindesalter ist folgenderweise beschrieben: nach frühzeitiger Brillenkorrektur und kontrollierter Vollokklusion wird die Operation bis mindestens zum fünften Jahr aufgeschoben, wobei eine gründliche Untersuchung und eine orthoptische Behandlung möglich sind. Was die Sehschärfe anbelangt, zeigt eine Reihe von 22 nach diesen Richtlinien behandelten Fälle gute, endgültige Ergebnisse in fast allen Fällen. Auch ein normales Binokularsehen kann hergestellt werden, wenn die post-operative Orthophorie eingetreten ist.

L'artère ophtalmique n'est pas épargnée par les processus thrombosants. Les auteurs pensent pouvoir dégager, à la lumière de leurs observations, les signes fonctionnels, ophtalmoscopiques, dynamométriques et artériographiques composant le syndrome d'occlusion de l'artère ophtalmique.

In children with squint less than 5 years old occlusion of the better eye gives generally satisfactory results.

Ophthalmodynamometry is currently arousing a new interest which goes beyond the limits of ophthalmology. The method of determination has been standardized, and the interpretation of results has been placed on a firm basis.

Discussion and Conclusion: The above described bacteriolytic (turbidimetric) method of determining the lysozyme activity in the blood has been proven to be reliable, reproducible and applicable simultaneously to a large number of determinations. A wide range of concentration of crystalline egg-white lysozyme which had been added to whole blood was recovered quantitatively.