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Purpose: Fructose intake from added sugars correlates with the epidemic rise in metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. However, consumption of beverages containing fructose is allowed during gestation. Recently, we found that an intake of fructose (10 % wt/vol) throughout gestation produces impaired fetal leptin signaling and hepatic steatosis. Therefore, we have investigated whether fructose intake during pregnancy produces subsequent changes in the progeny, when adult. Methods: Fed 261-day-old male and female descendants from fructose-fed, control or glucose-fed mothers were used. Plasma was used to analyze glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin. Hepatic expression of proteins related to insulin signaling was determined. Results: Fructose intake throughout pregnancy did not produce alterations in the body weight of the progeny. Adult male progeny of fructose-fed mothers had elevated levels of insulin without a parallel increase in phosphorylation of protein kinase B. However, they displayed an augmented serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-2, indicating reduced insulin signal transduction. In agreement, adiponectin levels, which have been positively related to insulin sensitivity, were lower in male descendants from fructose-fed mothers than in the other two groups. Furthermore, mRNA levels for insulin-responsive genes were not affected (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, glucose-6-phosphatase) or they were decreased (sterol response element-binding protein-1c) in the livers of male progeny from fructose-supplemented rats. On the contrary, adult female rats from fructose-fed mothers did not exhibit any of these disturbances. Conclusion: Maternal fructose, but not glucose, intake confined to the prenatal stage provokes impaired insulin signal transduction, hyperinsulinemia, and hypoadiponectinemia in adult male, but not female, progeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants interact with root microbes via chemical signaling, which modulates competence or symbiosis. Although several volatile organic compounds ( VOCs) from fungi may affect plant growth and development, the signal transduction pathways mediating VOC sensing are not fully understood., 6-pentyl-2 H-pyran-2-one (6- PP) is a major VOC biosynthesized by Trichoderma spp. which is probably involved in plant-fungus cross-kingdom signaling. Using microscopy and confocal imaging, the effects of 6- PP on root morphogenesis were found to be correlated with DR5:GFP, DR5:VENUS, H2B::GFP, PIN1::PIN1::GFP, PIN2::PIN2::GFP, PIN3::PIN3::GFP and PIN7::PIN7::GFP gene expression. A genetic screen for primary root growth resistance to 6- PP in wild-type seedlings and auxin- and ethylene-related mutants allowed identification of genes controlling root architectural responses to this metabolite., Trichoderma atroviride produced 6- PP, which promoted plant growth and regulated root architecture, inhibiting primary root growth and inducing lateral root formation. 6- PP modulated expression of PIN auxin-transport proteins in a specific and dose-dependent manner in primary roots. TIR1, AFB2 and AFB3 auxin receptors and ARF7 and ARF19 transcription factors influenced the lateral root response to 6- PP, whereas EIN2 modulated 6- PP sensing in primary roots., These results indicate that root responses to 6- PP involve components of auxin transport and signaling and the ethylene-response modulator EIN2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze the effect of weight on psychological and functional outcomes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, including self-perception, depression, functional level, fatigue, and self-rated health status. Methods: One hundred and one (n = 101) patients with MS participated in this cross-sectional study. Outcomes were scores in the Beck Depression Inventory, NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEOFFI), Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis (FAMS), Fatigue Impact Scale, and Quality Short-Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36). Patients were classified as normal weight (18.5 < BMI < 24.9 kg/m2) or overweight (25.0 > BMI > 29.9 kg/m2). One-way analysis of covariance was conducted with gender, age, and years with disease as covariates. Results: Depression levels were significantly higher in overweight versus normal-weight MS patients (F = 6.381; P = 0.013). NEOFFI scores were significantly higher in overweight versus normal-weight MS patients for extraversion (F = 6.331; P = 0.014), conscientiousness (F = 4.794; P = 0.034), and neuroticism (F = 5.422; P = 0.022) but not for openness (F = 2.174; P = 0.109) or agreeableness (F = 0.047; P = 0.829). The two groups did not significantly differ in fatigue (P > 00.5). Scores in general (F = 4.708; P = 0.032) and mental health (F = 4.583; P = 0.035) SF-36 domains were significantly lower in overweight versus normal-weight patients. Scores for FAMS domains of emotional well-being (F = 8.050; P = 0.006), general contentment (F = 7.967; P = 0.006), and family/social well-being (F = 7.662; P = 0.007) were significantly lower in overweight versus normal-weight patients. Conclusions: Overweight MS patients evidenced higher depression levels, lower functional capacity, and worse self-rated health status in comparison to normal-weight MS patients. These results suggest that weight control programs should be incorporated into the management of patients with MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La Puntilla Beach is located on the northwest coast of Havana, in Santa Fe People's Council, Playa municipality. This coastal sector has historically been an important recreational site for some of the capital's population, and thus subject to an intense use level. The purpose of this study was to determine the current behavior of the beach, and compare results with those obtained by the end of 2011. To achieve this goal, a quarterly monitoring was performed during 2014. On each occasion, three topographic profiles and the coastline were measured. A sediment sample was collected on the foreshore of each profile. The results obtained proved that insignificant morphological changes occur during the annual cycle. Sediment balance behaved as a natural succession of sediment input and loss in different sectors, from one quarter to another. During the monitoring period there was no coastline retreat, only fluctuations, demonstrating its low dynamics. Biogenic coarse sand predominates on the beach, presenting a high sediment maturity. No significant differences were found when comparing the results of this monitoring with those from 2011. The results obtained proved that the beach remained stable not only during 2014, given the small variations registered by the evaluated indicators, but also during the period 2011-2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The same aggressive treatments that have led to a reduction in the breast cancer may also have adverse effects on cardiac autonomic balance. The objective of this study was to compare heart rate variability (HRV) between breast cancer survivors in the first year posttreatment and healthy women, controlling for known confounders. This descriptive case-controlled study included 22 breast cancer survivors and 22 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Short-term HRV was measured using an accepted methodology to assess the cardiac autonomic balance. One-way analysis of covariance results revealed that heart rate was significantly higher (F = 15.86, p < .001) and the standard deviation of normal-to-normal (NN) interval (F = 19.93, p = .001), square root of mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (F = 18.72, p = .001), HRV index (F = 5.44, p = .025), and high-frequency (F = 5.77, p = .03) values were significantly lower in the breast cancer survivors than in the matched controls. The principal finding of the presence of a cardiovascular imbalance in breast cancer survivors in comparison to healthy age-matched controls suggests that HRV study could be a clinically useful tool to detect cardiovascular disease in early-stage breast cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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