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International audience; Mosquito control is implemented when arboviruses are detected in patients or in field-collected mosquitoes. However, mass screening of mosquitoes is usually laborious and expensive, requiring specialized expertise and equipment. Detection of virus in mosquito saliva using honey-impregnated filter papers seems to be a promising method as it is non-destructive and allows monitoring the viral excretion dynamics over time from the same mosquito. Here we test the use of filter papers to detect chikungunya virus in mosquito saliva in laboratory conditions, before proposing this method in large-scale mosquito surveillance programs. We found that 0.9 cm 2 cards impregnated with a 50% honey solution could replace the forced salivation technique as they offered a viral RNA detection until 7 days after oral infection of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes with CHIKV.

PubMed: 31983145 Obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing breast cancer and with worse disease outcomes for women of all ages. The composition, density, and organization of the breast tissue stroma are also known to play an important role in the development and progression of the disease. However, the connections between obesity and stromal remodeling are not well understood. We sought to characterize detailed organization features of the collagen matrix within healthy and cancerous breast tissues acquired from mice exposed to either a normal or high fat (obesity inducing) diet. We performed second-harmonic generation and spectral two-photon excited fluorescence imaging, and we extracted the level of collagen-associated fluorescence (CAF) along with metrics of collagen content, three-dimensional, and two-dimensional organization. There were significant differences in the CAF intensity and overall collagen organization between normal and tumor tissues; however, obesity-enhanced changes in these metrics, especially when three-dimensional organization metrics were considered. Thus, our studies indicate that obesity impacts significantly collagen organization and structure and the related pathways of communication may be important future therapeutic targets..

Objective Long‐term information on lifestyle changes among prostate survivors is lacking. In this nationwide, population‐based study we investigated the prevalence of lifestyle changes, factors associated with lifestyle changes and associations between lifestyle changes and general quality of life. Methods All men registered in the National Prostate Cancer Register of Sweden diagnosed in 2008 with low‐risk prostate cancer at age 70 years or younger were sent a questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals for factors potentially associated with lifestyle change. Results Out of 1288, 1720 men (75%) were responded. A total of 279 (22%) reported a positive lifestyle change regarding diet or exercise. Poor functional outcomes after treatment was associated with exercising less (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2‐2.1) and less interest in social activities and relationships (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.5‐2.1). Men who exercised more (OR 7.9, 95% CI 4.4‐14) and men who had an increased interest in relationships and social activities (OR 5.2, 95% CI 2.1‐13) reported higher general quality of life. Conclusions A considerable proportion of men reported making positive lifestyle changes after the prostate cancer diagnosis. The time after diagnosis may be a teachable moment that facilitates lifestyle interventions. Poor functional outcomes after treatment may reduce the willingness to engage in positive lifestyle change, which need be considered when supporting men after treatment. Men who made a positive lifestyle change, regardless of whether it was exercise or regarding relationships and social activities more often reported a high level of general quality of life.

The purpose of this study was to perform an initial investigation of the possibility to determine breast cancer growth rate with (14)C bomb-pulse dating. Tissues from 11 breast cancers, diagnosed in 1983, were retrieved from a regional biobank. The estimated average age of the majority of the samples overlapped the year of collection (1983) within 3σ Thus, this first study of tumour tissue has not yet demonstrated that (14)C bomb-pulse dating can obtain information on the growth of breast cancer. However, with further refinement, involving extraction of cell types and components, there is a possibility that fundamental knowledge of tumour biology might still be gained by the bomb-pulse technique. Additionally, δ (13)C and δ (15)N analyses were performed to obtain dietary and metabolic information, and to serve as a base for improvement of the age determination.

A prospective, randomised, 6-month feeding trial was performed in 28 adult cats with International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage 1 and 2 chronic kidney disease (CKD). All cats were assigned to either a control food: Royal Canin Renal Support A Feline, dry or a test food: Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Feline with chicken, dry. Food intake was recorded daily; body weight weekly; and serum, urine, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and body condition assessments were performed at 0, 1, 3 and 6 months. Twenty cats (9 control, 11 test group) completed the study according to protocol. Cats consuming control food had significant loss of body weight (n=14; mean, -13.0 per cent, P

Before organizing mixed-mode data collection for the self-administered questionnaire of the Belgian Health Interview Survey, measurement effects between the paper-and-pencil and the web-based questionnaire were evaluated. A two-period cross-over study was organized with a sample of 149 employees of two Belgian research institutes (age range 22-62 years, 72% female). Measurement agreement was assessed for a diverse range of health indicators related to general health, mental and psychosocial health, health behaviors and prevention with kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation (ICC). The quality of the data collected by both modes was evaluated by quantifying the missing, 'don't know' and inconsistent values and data entry mistakes. Good to very good agreement was found for all categorical indicators with kappa coefficients superior to 0.60, except for two mental and psychosocial health indicators namely the presence of a sleeping disorder and of a depressive disorder (kappa≥0.50). For the continuous indicators high to acceptable agreement was observed with ICC superior to 0.70. Inconsistent answers and data-entry mistakes were only occurring in the paper-and-pencil mode. There were no less missing values in the web-based mode compared to the paper-and-pencil mode. The study supports the idea that web-based modes provide, in general, equal responses to paper-and-pencil modes. However, health indicators based upon factual and objective items tend to have higher measurement agreement than indicators requiring an assessment of personal subjective feelings. A web-based mode greatly facilitates the data-entry process and guides the completing of a questionnaire. However, item non-response was not positively affected. ispartof: PLOS ONE vol:13 issue:5 ispartof: location:United States status: published

The therapeutic benefits of fruits, vegetables, tea and wine are mostly attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds. Naturally occurring dietary polyphenols, such as curcumin (diferuloylmethane, an active component of spice turmeric) and resveratrol (phytoalexin, a fiavanoid found in red wine) can modulate signaling pathways mediated via NF-κB and MAP kinase, and up-regulate glutathione biosynthesis genes through activation of Nrf2. Polyphenols also down-regulate the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, matrix metalloproteinases and adhesion molecules by inhibiting histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity and activating histone deacetylases (HDACs)/sirtuins. It has been reported that in severe asthma and in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, oxidative stress not only activates the NF-κB pathway but also alters the histone acetylation and deacetylation balance via post-translational modifications of HDACs. Corticosteroids have been one the major modes of therapy against various respiratory diseases, such as asthma and COPD. Failure of corticosteroids to ameliorate such disease conditions is due to the reduction of HDAC2 and SIRT1 levels/activities in lungs of asthmatics and COPD patients. Dietary polyphenols, such as curcumin, resveratrol, and catechins have been reported to modulate epigenetic alterations in various experimental models. The anti-inflammatory property of curcumin, resveratrol, and catechins is associated with their ability to induce HDAC activity and thereby restore the efficacy of glucocorticoids or overcome its resistance. Thus, these polyphenolic compounds have therapeutic value as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory therapy and adjuvant therapy with steroids against chronic inflammatory and epigenetically-regulated diseases. In this chapter we present the current knowledge on the mode of action of these polyphenols in the light of HDACs.

Background The occurrence of ataxic polyneuropathy in an endemic area in south west Nigeria has been attributed to exposure to cyanide from cassava foods. However, it has been shown that the prevalence of ataxic polyneuropathy is not high in several communities in the tropics where exposure to cyanide from cassava foods is high. Objectives To determine the incidence of ataxic polyneuropathy in an endemic community, and to compare the intake of cassava foods, exposure to cyanide, and levels of thiols in cases and controls. Methods A cohort of 3167 healthy subjects aged 10 years and over in Ososa, Nigeria, was followed for two years, screened, and examined neurologically. Ataxic polyneuropathy was diagnosed if sensory polyneuropathy and sensory gait ataxia were both present. Controls were selected randomly within 10 year age groups of subjects who screened negative. Intake of cassava foods, exposure to cyanide, concentrations of thiols (glutathione, cysteine, and γ glutamylcysteine) in plasma, and visual evoked potentials were measured. Results Person–years of follow up were 6246 for 1469 male and 1698 female subjects in the cohort. The incidence of ataxic polyneuropathy was 64 per 10 000 person–years (31 for male and 93 for female subjects). Multivariate odd ratios were 0.78 (95% CI 0.23 to 2.61) for intake of the commonest cassava food, and 1.64 (0.56 to 5.09) for concentration of thiocyanate in plasma. The concentration of thiols was less than the reference limits in two controls, but in none of the cases. The latency of P100 was prolonged in 20 cases (69%) compared with 14 controls (42%) (p

The greatest burden of ill-health for adults in most societies relates to disorders of the cardiovascular system and to cancers [1]. These diseases are caused by lifestyle choices in which poor diet and relatively low levels of activity play a major role [1]. There is a large body of literature which shows that environmental exposures, including nutrition, play a significant role in the etiology of the disease, but there is variable susceptibility amongst individuals exposed to seemingly similar risk factors or environments. Cancer is a condition which results from a derangement in the cellular processes which regulate cell division, terminal differentiation and apoptosis, with damage to the genetic material of the cell being central. Exposures which lead to these derangements usually precede the appearance of the clinical disease by a prolonged period of time, often several decades [2]. While gene mutation has a role in the etiology of cancer, there is increasing evidence showing that epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation and covalent modification to histones are also involved [3]. Epigenetic changes of this kind represent potential for altered gene activity, and hence cellular dysregulation. However, the underlying propensity may only be manifest when the gene is exposed to an appropriate environmental signal with the direction of the response and nature of the cellular dysregulation a function of the specific epigenetic change [4, 5]. It has been known for many years that exposure of the individual to nutritional and other environmental challenges during critical periods of early development can markedly affect later size, shape, structure, function and behavior. However, Barker et al. [6] were the first to provide clear evidence that there might also be a direct link between early nutritional exposure and risk of chronic disease, building the evidence that is supportive of a causal association [6, 7]. In this they have refined a new conceptual approach to the way in which we consider the evolution of this group of diseases based upon a new developmental model, the so called ‘fetal origins hypothesis’. Based initially on ecological observations and later on retrospective cohort studies, there is now a considerable body of epidemiological and experimental data that supports the hypothesis. In the earlier observations, the size and shape of the baby at birth was shown to be related to the risk during adult life of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers [6]. These relations were shown to be graded across the usual range of birth weights seen in the population and not a special feature of very high or very low birth weight, indicating that they might be a consequence of the usual range of exposure found within a population [4, 7]. The results have been reproduced across a number of populations, and although there may be some debate around the details, the general principal appears to apply widely [4, 6, 7].

The influence of epigenetic alterations during cancer has gained increasing attention over the recent years and has resulted in a paradigm shift in our understanding of mechanisms leading to cancer susceptibility. These features are potentially reversible and may affect genomic stability and expression of genes, including tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. The reversible acetylation of histones is an important mechanism of gene regulation. Targeting the epigenome, including the use of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, is a novel strategy for cancer chemoprevention. We have found that sulforaphane (SFN), a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, inhibits HDAC activity in human colorectal and prostate cancer cells. The ability of SFN to target aberrant acetylation patterns, in addition to effects on phase 2 enzymes, may make it an effective chemoprevention agent. Other dietary agents such as butyrate, allyl sulfides and organoselenium compounds have also shown promise as HDAC inhibitors. These studies are significant because of the potential to qualify or change recommendations for high-risk cancer patients, thereby increasing their survival through simple dietary choices, such as incorporating easily accessible foods into a patient’s diet. The work to date provides a scientific foundation for future large-scale human clinical intervention studies with dietary agents that affect the epigenome.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small 21–25 nucleotide-long non-coding RNAs that have emerged as key negative post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression [1, 2]. Currently there are more than 700 mammalian miRNAs that can potentially target up to one-third of protein-coding human genes [1] involved in diverse physiological and pathological processes, including cancer [3, 4]. Indeed, aberrant levels of miRNAs have been reported in all major human malignancies [5, 6]. In tumors, altered expression of miRNAs has been demonstrated to inhibit tumor suppressor genes or inappropriately activate oncogenes and has been associated with every aspect of tumor biology, including tumor progression, invasiveness, metastasis, and acquisition of resistance by malignant cells to chemotherapeutic agents [3, 4, 7, 8]. These observations lead to the suggestion that aberrant expression of miRNAs may contribute to tumorigenesis [9]. However, most of the tumor-miRNA-related studies are based on expression analysis of miRNAs in tumors in comparison with corresponding adjacent normal tissues [4, 5, 6]. The altered expression of any given miRNA in neoplastic cells is not sufficient to address conclusively the role of these changes in tumorigenesis [10]. Additionally, despite the established biological significance of miRNA dysregulation in neoplastic cells, there is a lack of knowledge on the role of miRNAs during early stages of tumor development, especially if variations in the expression of specific miRNAs are associated with differences in the susceptibility to tumorigenesis.

Neocallimastix sp. NC71 and Piromyces sp. PC12 isolated from the calf remen grew optimally at 39 degrees C and pH 6.5-6.7, utilized a wide range of mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides and exhibited CMCase, Avicelase, cellobiase, amylase and xylanase activities. The end-products of wheat straw fermentation by both strains were acetate, formate, ethanol and lactate. The number of Neocallimastix sp. zoospores in the rumen of cows in the first 3 h after feeding with hay-silage-concentrate diets varied from 7 x 10(3) to 5.4 x 10(5) ml-1; the number of uniflagellate zoospores varied from 10(4) to 10(5) ml-1. Fungal zoosporgenesis and colonization of plant substrates in the rumen were induced by feed intake and were favoured by increased levels of crude fibre in the diet.

In the European Union (EU), many assumptions are employed to calculate the intake of migrating chemicals from food packaging. However, very little is known about the actual intake of packaged food, the type of this food and the type of packaging used for this food. The objective of the current study was to examine intakes of packaged food in children aged 5-12 years to provide information on the types of food that are packaged and the type of packaging used. To do this, a food-consumption database, which also recorded information on packaging, was merged with a packaging database, which provided information on the contact layers of packaging. Foods were classified into EU Food categories according to European Council Directive EC 85/575/EEC (European Council 1985), which determined their food type (i.e. aqueous, acidic, alcoholic and fatty). The mean daily intake of all packaged food was 1195 g day-1 with an upper intake of 1959 g day-1 (97.5th percentile); the intake of food packaged in plastic was 993 g day-1 with an upper percentile of 1692 g day-1 (97.5th percentile). The mean daily intake of fat from all packaged food was 62 g day-1, with an upper intake of 100 g day-1 (97.5th percentile). When this was investigated further, it was found that the mean fat intake from packaged 'fatty' foods only was 32 g day-1, with an upper intake of 61 g day-1 (97.5th percentile). The food that contributed most to fat intake was milk. As many food chemical intake assessments are moving towards probabilistic methods, probabilities of a food being packaged and the probability of the type of packaging used were determined. The probability of food being packaged was 0.88. Some foods not 100% packaged included fruit, vegetables, liquid beverages non-alcoholic (includes water) and bread. Probabilities were also derived for the packaging types used for food. It can be concluded that not all the individual assumptions used in the EU exposure assessment are conservative, but in combination they are conservative.