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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 workshops 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.

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.

Efforts to prevent and treat obesity need to be grounded in science. A historical focus on individual responsibility has been ineffective in halting the rise in obesity prevalence. There needs to be a better understanding of environmental and biological drivers of weight gain to help reduce weight bias and stigma and identify more effective policies for action.

Summary Obesity prevention policies are a priority for many governments and intergovernmental agencies. Policy makers not only use systematic reviews of effectiveness but also consider contextual issues including cost and cost‐effectiveness, equity, rights, acceptability and feasibility. To support their work, the present narrative review examines three contextual issues (costs, equity and acceptability) in relation to three policies for obesity prevention: sweetened beverage taxes, front‐of‐pack nutrition labelling and restrictions on advertising to children. Literature searches led to over 1100 documents, of which 125 informed the present review. Beverage taxes were found likely to be highly cost‐effective, moderately favourable for health equity, supported by the public (depending on the use of revenues) and by health professionals and civil society groups and opposed by commercial interests. Depending on the design, front‐of‐pack nutritional labelling is likely to be highly cost‐effective, moderately favourable for health equity, supported by the public, health professionals and civil society groups, and opposed by commercial interests. Restrictions on child‐directed advertising are likely to be highly cost‐effective in the longer term, moderately favourable for health equity, supported by the public, health professionals and civil society groups and opposed by commercial interests (unless voluntary). The evidence base needs strengthening, but the authors find that all three policies merit consideration by governmental authorities, and should be implemented to reduce obesity risk.

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 r centered at v. A set C ⊆ V is 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.

Abstract Background Production of correctly disulfide bonded proteins to high yields remains a challenge. Recombinant protein expression in Escherichia coli is the popular choice, especially within the research community. While there is an ever growing demand for new expression strains, few strains are dedicated to post-translational modifications, such as disulfide bond formation. Thus, new protein expression strains must be engineered and the parameters involved in producing disulfide bonded proteins must be understood. Results We have engineered a new E. coli protein expression strain named SHuffle, dedicated to producing correctly disulfide bonded active proteins to high yields within its cytoplasm. This strain is based on the trxB gor suppressor strain SMG96 where its cytoplasmic reductive pathways have been diminished, allowing for the formation of disulfide bonds in the cytoplasm. We have further engineered a major improvement by integrating into its chromosome a signal sequenceless disulfide bond isomerase, DsbC. We probed the redox state of DsbC in the oxidizing cytoplasm and evaluated its role in assisting the formation of correctly folded multi-disulfide bonded proteins. We optimized protein expression conditions, varying temperature, induction conditions, strain background and the co-expression of various helper proteins. We found that temperature has the biggest impact on improving yields and that the E. coli B strain background of this strain was superior to the K12 version. We also discovered that auto-expression of substrate target proteins using this strain resulted in higher yields of active pure protein. Finally, we found that co-expression of mutant thioredoxins and PDI homologs improved yields of various substrate proteins. Conclusions This work is the first extensive characterization of the trxB gor suppressor strain. The results presented should help researchers design the appropriate protein expression conditions using SHuffle strains.

Abstract Background Influencing the life-style risk-factors alcohol, body mass index (BMI), and smoking is an European Union (EU) wide objective of public health policy. The population-level health effects of these risk-factors depend on population specific characteristics and are difficult to quantify without dynamic population health models. Methods For eleven countries—approx. 80 % of the EU-27 population—we used evidence from the publicly available DYNAMO-HIA data-set. For each country the age- and sex-specific risk-factor prevalence and the incidence, prevalence, and excess mortality of nine chronic diseases are utilized; including the corresponding relative risks linking risk-factor exposure causally to disease incidence and all-cause mortality. Applying the DYNAMO-HIA tool, we dynamically project the country-wise potential health gains and losses using feasible, i.e. observed elsewhere, risk-factor prevalence rates as benchmarks. The effects of the “worst practice”, “best practice”, and the currently observed risk-factor prevalence on population health are quantified and expected changes in life expectancy, morbidity-free life years, disease cases, and cumulative mortality are reported. Results Applying the best practice smoking prevalence yields the largest gains in life expectancy with 0.4 years for males and 0.3 year for females (approx. 332,950 and 274,200 deaths postponed, respectively) while the worst practice smoking prevalence also leads to the largest losses with 0.7 years for males and 0.9 year for females (approx. 609,400 and 710,550 lives lost, respectively). Comparing morbidity-free life years, the best practice smoking prevalence shows the highest gains for males with 0.4 years (342,800 less disease cases), whereas for females the best practice BMI prevalence yields the largest gains with 0.7 years (1,075,200 less disease cases). Conclusion Smoking is still the risk-factor with the largest potential health gains. BMI, however, has comparatively large effects on morbidity. Future research should aim to improve knowledge of how policies can influence and shape individual and aggregated life-style-related risk-factor behavior.

Organic extracts of 20 species of French seaweed have been screened against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense trypomastigotes, the parasite responsible for sleeping sickness. These extracts have previously shown potent antiprotozoal activities in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania donovani. The selectivity of the extracts was also evaluated by testing cytotoxicity on a mammalian L6 cell line. The ethyl acetate extract of the brown seaweed, Bifurcaria bifurcata, showed strong trypanocidal activity with a mild selectivity index (IC50 = 0.53 µg/mL; selectivity index (SI) = 11.6). Bio-guided fractionation led to the isolation of eleganolone, the main diterpenoid isolated from this species. Eleganolone contributes only mildly to the trypanocidal activity of the ethyl acetate extract (IC50 = 45.0 µM, SI = 4.0). However, a selective activity against P. falciparum erythrocytic stages in vitro has been highlighted (IC50 = 7.9 µM, SI = 21.6).

Introducción. Se ha demostrado que el factor nuclear-κB y p53 aumentan los mediadores proapoptósicos como los receptores de muerte TRAIL-DR4/-DR5, según el estímulo y el tipo celular. Previamente demostramos que las procianidinas de manzana aumentaban la expresión de TRAIL-DR4/-DR5, superando la resistencia a TRAIL característica en células humanas metastásicas SW620 derivadas del cáncer de colon. Objetivo. Investigar si NF-κB y p53 están involucrados en la apoptosis inducida por procianidinas en las células SW620. Materiales y métodos. La muerte celular y las proteínas p53, TRAIL-DR4/-DR5 se analizaron por citometría de flujo. Los ARN mensajeros (ARNm) de DR4/DR5 se analizaron por RT-PCR. Las formas activadas de p50/p65 y p53 se estudiaron por ELISA e inmunodetección. Resultados. La muerte celular activada por procianidinas fue prevenida por inhibidores específicos de NF-κB y de p53: amino-4-(4-fenoxi-feniletilamino)-quinazolina y pifitrina α, respectivamente. La quinazolina y la pifitrina α inhibieron la activación dependiente de procianidinas de TRAIL-DR4/DR5. Sin embargo, el aumento en la expresión de TRAIL-DR4 disminuyó significativamente sólo cuando la quinazolina y la pifitrina α se usaron simultáneamente; este efecto no se observó con cada uno por separado. No se observaron para TRAIL-DR5 estos efectos, lo cual sugiere que la expresión de cada receptor de muerte TRAIL puede estar regulada en forma diferente. Conclusiones. Estos datos sugieren que NF-κB y p53 se requieren parcialmente en la apoptosis de células SW620 inducida por procianidinas mediante el aumento en TRAIL-DR4/-DR5. La proporción de DR4/DR5 podría ser un factor determinante en la activación de la apoptosis por vía de TRAIL-DR4/-DR5.

INFORMAS. Measuring causes of obesity, disease, health, well-being

Las manzanas son fuente rica de procianidinas (Pcy), un tipo de flavonoides que inhiben la promoción/progresión de la carcinogénesis de colon en ratas.Como los mecanismos celulares y moleculares mediante los cuales esto ocurre no son bien conocidos, se quiso identificar y comparar mecanismos apoptóticos inducidos por Pcy de manzana en células humanas de adenocarcinoma de colon SW480 y sus derivadas-metastásicas SW620. Estudiamos el efecto de modular metabolismo de poliaminas durante la apoptosis inducida por Pcy con MDL 72527, inhibidor específico de poliamina oxidasa. MDL potenció efectos pro-apoptóticos de Pcy en células SW620 activando víaextrínseca de la apoptosis mediante receptores de muerte TRAIL-DR4/-DR5. Pcy solas activaron vía-intrínseca de la apoptosis en SW620 con producción de estrés oxidativo. Pcy potenciaron la sensibilidad de SW480 a TRAIL, activaron la vía-extrínseca, sin afectar el metabolismo de poliaminas y la función mitocondrial. Se evidenció que la activación de DR4/DR5 por Pcy en SW480 y SW620 es independiente de Iipid-rafts. Se observó que Pcy activan Fas solo en SW480. Sin embargo, al inactivar DR4/DR5 en SW620 en presencia de Pcy, se indujo activación de Fas. Estos datos resaltan el potencial de Pcy de manzana en la prevención del cáncer de colon.

Two new phenanthrene derivatives, a phenanthrenequinone named arundiquinone (1) and a 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene named arundigramin (2) together with a known lignin dimer (3) and seven known stilbenoids (4–10) were isolated from the aerial parts of the Asian orchid Arundina graminifolia. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D, 2D NMR (heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC), heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation spectroscopy (HMBC), and HR-ESI-MS techniques, as well as comparison with respective literature reports. The cytoprotective activity of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their ability to reduce beta amyloid induced toxicity on undifferentiated PC12 cells. Compound 8 showed moderate cytoprotective activity at 0.5 µmol/L (71% of cell viability) while the other compounds showed no significant activity at the highest concentration tested.

We report the first phytochemical study of the neotropical orchid Cyrtopodium paniculatum. Eight new compounds, including one phenanthrene 1, one 9,10-dihydro-phenanthrene 2, one hydroxybenzylphenanthrene 3, two biphenanthrenes 4–5, and three 9,10 dihydrophenanthrofurans 6–8, together with 28 known phenolic compounds, mostly stilbenoids, were isolated from the CH2Cl2 extract of its leaves and pseudobulbs. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods.

The title octadecatrienoic acid derivative, C18H26O4, was isolated from Silene maritima With. (Caryophyllaceae), the first time this natural compound has been found in the Caryophyllales order. This fatty acid has an 18-carbon backbone with three double bonds on trans (E) conformation and two carbonyl. In the crystal, molecules are linked via pairs of O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers.

BackgroundCurrently, no standard tool is publicly available that allows researchers or policy-makers to quantify the impact of policies using epidemiological evidence within the causal framework of Health Impact Assessment (HIA). A standard tool should comply with three technical criteria (real-life population, dynamic projection, explicit risk-factor states) and three usability criteria (modest data requirements, rich model output, generally accessible) to be useful in the applied setting of HIA. With DYNAMO-HIA (Dynamic Modeling for Health Impact Assessment), we introduce such a generic software tool specifically designed to facilitate quantification in the assessment of the health impacts of policies.Methods and resultsDYNAMO-HIA quantifies the impact of user-specified risk-factor changes on multiple diseases and in turn on overall population health, comparing one reference scenario with one or more intervention scenarios. The Markov-based modeling approach allows for explicit risk-factor states and simulation of a real-life population. A built-in parameter estimation module ensures that only standard population-level epidemiological evidence is required, i.e. data on incidence, prevalence, relative risks, and mortality. DYNAMO-HIA provides a rich output of summary measures--e.g. life expectancy and disease-free life expectancy--and detailed data--e.g. prevalences and mortality/survival rates--by age, sex, and risk-factor status over time. DYNAMO-HIA is controlled via a graphical user interface and is publicly available from the internet, ensuring general accessibility. We illustrate the use of DYNAMO-HIA with two example applications: a policy causing an overall increase in alcohol consumption and quantifying the disease-burden of smoking.ConclusionBy combining modest data needs with general accessibility and user friendliness within the causal framework of HIA, DYNAMO-HIA is a potential standard tool for health impact assessment based on epidemiologic evidence.

Current data on the prevalence of overweight and energy-balance behaviors among European children is necessary to inform overweight prevention interventions.A school-based survey among 10-12 year old children was conducted in seven European countries using a standardized protocol. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured; Engagement in physical activity, sedentary and dietary behaviors, and sleep duration were self-reported. Descriptive analyses were conducted, looking at differences according to country, gender, and parental education. 7234 children (52%girls; 11.6 ± 0.7 years) participated. 25.8% and 5.4% of boys, and 21.8% and 4.1% of girls were overweight (including obese) and obese (according to International Obesity Task Force criteria), respectively. Higher prevalence of overweight/obesity was observed in Greece, Hungary, Slovenia and Spain than in Belgium, Netherlands and Norway. Large differences between countries were found in intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, breakfast, active transport, TV and computer time. More favorable overweight status and behavior patterns were found in girls than boys and in children of higher educated parents than in children of lower educated parents.High levels and striking differences in overweight status and potential risk behaviors were found among schoolchildren across Europe.

Polyphenols are natural compounds widely present in fruits and vegetables, which have antimutagenic and anticancer properties. The aim of the present study was to determine the anticancer effect of a polyphenol-rich Aronia melanocarpa juice (AMJ) containing 7.15 g/L of polyphenols in the acute lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cell line, and, if so, to clarify the underlying mechanism and to identify the active polyphenols involved. AMJ inhibited cell proliferation, which was associated with cell cycle arrest in G(2)/M phase, and caused the induction of apoptosis. These effects were associated with an upregulation of the expression of tumor suppressor p73 and active caspase 3, and a downregulation of the expression of cyclin B1 and the epigenetic integrator UHRF1. AMJ significantly increased the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential and caused the release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. Treatment with intracellular ROS scavengers prevented the AMJ-induced apoptosis and upregulation of the expression of p73 and active caspase 3. The fractionation of the AMJ and the use of identified isolated compounds indicated that the anticancer activity was associated predominantly with chlorogenic acids, some cyanidin glycosides, and derivatives of quercetin. AMJ treatment also induced apoptosis of different human lymphoblastic leukemia cells (HSB-2, Molt-4 and CCRF-CEM). In addition, AMJ exerted a strong pro-apoptotic effect in human primary lymphoblastic leukemia cells but not in human normal primary T-lymphocytes. Thus, the present findings indicate that AMJ exhibits strong anticancer activity through a redox-sensitive mechanism in the p53-deficient Jurkat cells and that this effect involves several types of polyphenols. They further suggest that AMJ has chemotherapeutic properties against acute lymphoblastic leukemia by selectively targeting lymphoblast-derived tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: In our investigations towards the isolation of potentially biologically active constituents from Orchidaceae, we carried out phytochemical and biological analyses of Vanda species. A preliminary biological screening revealed that Vanda coerulea (Griff. ex. Lindl) crude hydro-alcoholic stem extract displayed the best DPPH /(•)OH radical scavenging activity and in vitro inhibition of type 2 prostaglandin (PGE-2) release from UV(B) (60 mJ/cm(2)) irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Bio-guided fractionation and phytochemical analysis led to the isolation of five stilbenoids: imbricatin (1) methoxycoelonin (2) gigantol (3) flavidin (4) and coelonin (5). Stilbenoids (1-3) were the most concentrated in crude hydro-alcoholic stem extract and were considered as Vanda coerulea stem biomarkers. Dihydro-phenanthropyran (1) and dihydro-phenanthrene (2) displayed the best DPPH/(•)OH radical scavenging activities as well as HaCaT intracellular antioxidant properties (using DCFH-DA probe: IC(50) 8.8 µM and 9.4 µM, respectively) compared to bibenzyle (3) (IC(50) 20.6 µM). In turn, the latter showed a constant inhibition of PGE-2 production, stronger than stilbenoids (1) and (2) (IC(50) 12.2 µM and 19.3 µM, respectively). Western blot analysis revealed that stilbenoids (1-3) inhibited COX-2 expression at 23 µM. Interestingly, stilbenoids (1) and (2) but not (3) were able to inhibit human recombinant COX-2 activity. CONCLUSIONS: Major antioxidant stilbenoids (1-3) from Vanda coerulea stems displayed an inhibition of UV(B)-induced COX-2 expression. Imbricatin (1) and methoxycoelonin (2) were also able to inhibit COX-2 activity in a concentration-dependent manner thereby reducing PGE-2 production from irradiated HaCaT cells. Our studies suggest that stilbenoids (1-3) could be potentially used for skin protection against the damage caused by UV(B) exposure.

The title compound, C22H18O7, also known as laurentiquinone B, is a new anthraquinone which was isolated from Vismia laurentii, a Cameroonian medicinal plant. The asymmetric unit contains two independent molecules. Each of them contains four fused rings, three of which are coplanar and typical of anthracene, while the heterocyclic rings adopt envelope conformations. Intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonds result in the formation of two planar rings, which are also almost coplanar with the adjacent rings. In the crystal structure, intermolecular O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules and a π–π contact is also present [centroid-centroid distance = 3.967 (3) Å].

Abstract Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Europe is high. It is a major cause of the overall rates of many of the main chronic (or non communicable) diseases in this region and is characterized by an unequal socio-economic distribution within the population. Obesity is largely determined by modifiable lifestyle behaviours such as low physical activity levels, sedentary behaviour and consumption of energy dense diets. It is increasingly being recognised that effective responses must go beyond interventions that only focus on a specific individual, social or environmental level and instead embrace system-based multi-level intervention approaches that address both the individual and environment. The EU-funded project “sustainable prevention of obesity through integrated strategies” (SPOTLIGHT) aims to increase and combine knowledge on the wide range of determinants of obesity in a systematic way, and to identify multi-level intervention approaches that are strong in terms of Reach, Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM). Methods/Design SPOTLIGHT comprises a series of systematic reviews on: individual-level predictors of success in behaviour change obesity interventions; social and physical environmental determinants of obesity; and on the RE-AIM of multi-level interventions. An interactive web-atlas of currently running multi-level interventions will be developed, and enhancing and impeding factors for implementation will be described. At the neighbourhood level, these elements will inform the development of methods to assess obesogenicity of diverse environments, using remote imaging techniques linked to geographic information systems. The validity of these methods will be evaluated using data from surveys of health and lifestyles of adults residing in the neighbourhoods surveyed. At both the micro- and macro-levels (national and international) the different physical, economical, political and socio-cultural elements will be assessed. Discussion SPOTLIGHT offers the potential to develop approaches that combine an understanding of the obesogenicity of environments in Europe, and thus how they can be improved, with an appreciation of the individual factors that explain why people respond differently to such environments. Its findings will inform governmental authorities and professionals, academics, NGOs and private sector stakeholders engaged in the development and implementation of policies to tackle the obesity epidemic in Europe.

Abstract Background Diet, in addition to tobacco, alcohol and physical exercise, is a major factor contributing to chronic diseases in Europe. There is a pressing need for multidisciplinary research to promote healthier food choices and better diets. Food and Health Research in Europe (FAHRE) is a collaborative project commissioned by the European Union. Among its tasks is the description of national research systems for food and health and, in work reported here, the identification of strengths and gaps in the European research base. Methods A typology of nine research themes was developed, spanning food, society, health and research structures. Experts were selected through the FAHRE partners, with balance for individual characteristics, and reported using a standardised template. Results Countries usually commission research on food, and on health, separately: few countries have combined research strategies or programmes. Food and health are also strongly independent fields within the European Commission's research programmes. Research programmes have supported food and bio-technology, food safety, epidemiological research, and nutritional surveillance; but there has been less research into personal behaviour and very little on environmental influences on food choices - in the retail and marketing industries, policy, and regulation. The research is mainly sited within universities and research institutes: there is relatively little published research contribution from industry. Discussion National food policies, based on epidemiological evidence and endorsed by the World Health Organisation, recommend major changes in food intake to meet the challenge of chronic diseases. Biomedical and biotechnology research, in areas such as 'nutrio-genomics', 'individualised' diets, 'functional' foods and 'nutri-pharmaceuticals' appear likely to yield less health benefit, and less return on public investment, than research on population-level interventions to influence dietary patterns: for example policies to reduce population consumption of trans fats, saturated fats, salt and energy density. Research should now address how macro-diets, rather than micro-nutritional content, can be improved for beneficial impacts on health, and should evaluate the impact of market changes and policy interventions, including regulation, to improve public health. Conclusions European and national research on food and health should have social as well as commercial benefits. Strategies and policies should be developed between ministries of health and national research funding agencies. Collaboration between member states in the European Union can yield better innovation and greater competitive advantage.

Abstract Background There is an urgent need for more carefully developed public health measures in order to curb the obesity epidemic among youth. The overall aim of the "EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth" (ENERGY)-project is the development and formative evaluation of a theory-informed and evidence-based multi-component school-based and family-involved intervention program ready to be implemented and evaluated for effectiveness across Europe. This program aims at promoting the adoption or continuation of health behaviors that contribute to a healthy energy balance among school-aged children. Earlier studies have indicated that school and family environments are key determinants of energy-balance behaviors in schoolchildren. Schools are an important setting for health promotion in this age group, but school-based interventions mostly fail to target and involve the family environment. Methods Led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from eleven European countries and supported by a team of Australian experts, the ENERGY-project is informed by the Environmental Research Framework for Weight gain Prevention, and comprises a comprehensive epidemiological analysis including 1) systematic reviews of the literature, 2) secondary analyses of existing data, 3) focus group research, and 4) a cross European school-based survey. Results and discussion The theoretical framework and the epidemiological analysis will subsequently inform stepwise intervention development targeting the most relevant energy balance-related behaviors and their personal, family-environmental and school-environmental determinants applying the Intervention Mapping protocol. The intervention scheme will undergo formative and pilot evaluation in five countries. The results of ENERGY will be disseminated among key stakeholders including researchers, policy makers and the general population. Conclusions The ENERGY-project is an international, multidisciplinary effort to develop and test an evidence-based and theory-informed intervention program for obesity prevention among school-aged children.

This paper summarizes the DAPHNE Project presented at the ICTH 2016. The DAPHNE (Data-as-a-Service Platform for Healthy lifestyle and preventive medicine) Project is supported by the European Community's FP7 research programme with the objective of providing personalized ICT services to support healthier lifestyles for patients with obesity and related chronic diseases. The DAPHNE Project has developed wearable sensors to monitor health behavior, with data aggregated and transmitted to a cloud-based platform where it can be accessed by health care professionals to provide off-site monitoring and clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Aims: To assess the evolution and patterns of obesity in countries of the WHO European Region with a particular focus on the Eastern European countries, and to discuss the health and economic implications of obesity for those countries. Methods: The available data on overweight and obesity in children and adults for the countries of the WHO European countries were collated from the International Obesity TaskForce database and considered in the light of estimates for the costs of obesity-related ill health. Results: Overweight and obesity in most countries of Europe show rising secular trends, and are predicted to continue rising if not addressed. Estimates of the costs to the health services and to economic productivity indicate that some countries may find it hard to cope with the burden of obesity: up to 6% of total health care costs and as much in indirect costs of lost productivity could be attributed to obesity and its associated illnesses. Conclusions: Transition, despite the many benefits it has undoubtedly conferred to the population living in the Region, has also entailed the collateral damage of a fast growing obesity challenge. Policy-makers in the new and candidate EU countries as well as other countries of the European Region can learn from the negative Western European and global experience, act now to stem the obesity epidemic from further developing and in so doing, reduce the substantial economic losses associated with obesity. Local, national and international strategies will be needed to combat the problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that Red Wine Phenolic extracts induce nitric oxide (NO)-mediated vasoprotective effects, mainly by causing a redox-sensitive activation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). However, Red Wine Phenolic extracts are complex mixtures of a several hundreds of phenolic compounds. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to isolate active phenolic compounds using multi-step bioguided fractionation of the red wine extract. Methods: Red Wine Phenolic Extract was submitted to a bioguided fractionation using chromatographic methods. The fractions obtained at each step were tested for their potential to induce the activation of eNOS in endothelial cells. Cultures of porcine coronary artery endothelial cells (P1) were used to determine the phosphorylation level of Akt and endothelial NO synthase by Western blot analysis. Identification of phenolic compounds in each active fraction was performed by MALDI-TOF and HPLC-MS techniques. Results: The first step of fractionation on lipophilic Sephadex® yielded 9 fractions of which 4 of them significantly increased the phosphorylation level of Akt and eNOS in endothelial cells. The active fractions contained mainly procyanidins and some anthocyanins compounds. The fractionation of one of the active fractions by preparative reverse-phase HPLC yielded 11 subfractions ; all of these sub-fractions significantly increased the phosphorylation level of Akt and eNOS. The analysis of the phenolic compounds indicated that these sub-fractions contained mixtures of procyanidin dimers or conjugated anthocyanins. Conclusions: The red wine extract contains several types of phenolic compounds, which are able to enhance the activity of NO synthase in endothelial cells including procyanidins dimers and oligomers as well as several conjugated anthocyanins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Several rich sources of polyphenols have been shown to strongly increase the endothelial formation of nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasoprotecting factor, via the redox-sensitive activation of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway leading to the phosphorylation of endothelial NO synthase. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the stimulatory effect of catechins on the endothelial formation of NO using different catechins (flavan-3-ols). Methods: Vascular reactivity studies were performed using porcine coronary artery rings, which were suspended in organ chambers for the measurement of changes in isometric tension. All experiments were performed in the presence of indomethacin (an inhibitor of cyclooxygenases), and the combination of apamin and charybdotoxin (two inhibitors of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor-mediated effects) to assess only the NO component of the relaxation. Cultures of porcine coronary artery endothelial cells (P1) were used to determine the phosphorylation level of Akt and endothelial NO synthase by Western blot analysis. Both natural and synthetic catechins were evaluated. Results: (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) induced potent endothelium-dependent relaxations in porcine coronary artery rings. The EGCg-induced relaxation was inhibited by MnTMPyP (a membrane permeant analogue of superoxide dismutase, SOD) whereas extracellular SOD had no effect, indicating a major role of the intracellular formation of ROS. Relaxations to EGCg were minimally affected by rotenone (an inhibitory of the mitochondrial respiratory chain), sulphenazol (an inhibitor of cytochrome P450), apocynin (an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase) or allopurinol (an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase). The replacement of all hydroxyl groups of EGCg by O-methyl groups resulted in the total loss of the relaxing activity whereas partial replacement decreased the relaxing activity. Conclusions: EGCg caused endothelium-dependent relaxations of coronary arteries via the redox-sensitive formation of NO in endothelial cells. The stimulatory effect does not involve major intracellular sources of ROS including the mitochondrial respiratory chain, xanthine oxidase, NADPH oxidase and cytochrome P450 but is critically dependent on the presence of hydroxyl groups possibly leading to auto-oxidation of the polyphenol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]