Search

Background:This study evaluated the effects of gender on response to a behavioral intervention that rewarded increases in physical activity (PA) with increases in access to TV viewing.Methods:We performed a secondary analysis of a clinical trial that randomized 30 overweight or obese, 8- to 12-year-old children to an intervention (8 boys, 6 girls) or control (7 boys, 9 girls) group. Participants wore accelerometers every day for 8 weeks and attended biweekly meetings to download the activity monitors. For the intervention group, accumulating 400 counts of PA on accelerometers earned 1 hour of TV time, which was controlled by a Token TV electronic device. Controls wore activity monitors but had free access to T V.Results:Compared with girls, boys in the intervention group exhibited greater increases in overall daily PA counts (110% versus 40%, P < .05) and minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; +18.1 versus +2.7, P < .05). Neither boys nor girls in the control group showed significant changes in overall PA or intensity of PA.Conclusion:Wearing an accelerometer in combination with rewarding PA with TV might be a more effective intervention for increasing overall PA and time spent in MVPA in overweight and obese boys than it is for overweight or obese girls.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and its response gene, Acyl CoA synthetase 5 (ACSL5), which has an important role in fatty acid metabolism, may affect weight loss in response to caloric restriction. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether these genes were involved in the interindividual response to dietary treatment. Genotypic/phenotypic comparisons were made between selected obese women from the quintiles losing the most (diet responsive, n = 74) and the quintiles losing the least (diet-resistant, n = 67) weight in the first 6 weeks of a 900-kcal formula diet. Two common PPARgamma single nucleotide polymorphisms, Pro(12)Ala and C1431T, and eight polymorphisms across the ACSL5 gene were selected for single locus and haplotypic association analyses. The PPARgamma Pro(12)Ala single nucleotide polymorphism was associated with diet resistance (odds ratio = 3.48, 95% confidence interval = 1.41 to 8.56, p = 0.03), and the rs2419621, located in the 5'untranslated region of the ACSL5 gene, displayed the strongest association with diet response (odds ratio = 3.45, 95% confidence interval = 1.61 to 7.69, p = 0.001). Skeletal muscle ACSL5 mRNA expression was significantly lower in carriers of the wildtype compared with the variant rs2419621 allele (p = 0.03). Our results suggest a link between PPARgamma2 and ACSL5 genotype and diet responsiveness.

Although data relating to muscle glycogen are interpreted as showing it is homogenous when quantified biochemically, it is actually in granules in specific subcellular locations. We hypothesized that postexercise restoration of muscle glycogen would occur initially by an increase in granule number followed by an increase in size, and also that restoration would differ in various subcellular locations. Five men performed prolonged exercise and had muscle biopsies taken at 0, 4, 24 and 48 h of recovery. We quantified granule number and size as well as the total volume of glycogen in the subsarcolemmal and the intra- and intermyofibrillar regions, using transmission electron microscopy. Muscle glycogen was reduced to 36 +/- 8.3 mmol glucosyl units (kg dry weight)(-1) at exhaustion, and was preferentially depleted and subsequently repleted in the intramyofibrillar space. The repletion rate was greatest in the first 4 h; this was associated with a 186% increase in number (P or = 0.05). From 4 h to 48 h, there was an increase in particle size (P or = 0.05). Net rate of G volume synthesis per unit area was 50% greater (P < or = 0.05) in the subsarcolemmal than the myofibrillar compartment. Conversely, the net rate of single-particle volume synthesis was greater (P < or = 0.05) in the myofibrillar than the subsarcolemmal compartment. Glycogen granules varied in size and number depending on location, and in all compartments resynthesis of glycogen was characterized initially by an increase in granule number and later by an increase in size.

Background A significant proportion of women exceeds or does not meet the Institute of Medicine’s gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines. Inadequate, excessive GWG or weight loss during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of negative maternal and fetal outcomes. Among the many determinants of GWG identified in the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines, culture was named as one of the few whose influence has not been fully explored. Some cultural beliefs may erroneously promote overeating as “eating for two” and discourage physical activity during pregnancy, but there is lack of empirical evidence on how culture affects GWG. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the effects of culture on GWG. Methods/design Ten electronic databases will be searched to identify studies reporting on the effects of culture on GWG. Grey literature, published conference abstracts, websites of relevant organizations and reference lists of included studies will also be searched. Studies that report on effects of culture, acculturation, ethnicity, race, nationality, ancestry and identity on GWG in adult women will be included. Quality of evidence will be evaluated using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE) approach to rating evidence. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be conducted by two independent reviewers, with disagreements being resolved by consensus or third party adjudication as needed. Formal meta-analyses will be conducted among included studies that are sufficiently statistically and clinically homogeneous. Discussion This review will provide a comprehensive assessment and synthesis of current evidence and will draw attention to potential gaps where future research on the effects of culture on guideline discordant gestational weight gain remains to be conducted. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42015023399

Composites have the ability to combine the individual properties of constitutive components, generating a unique material with properties suitable for a particular purpose. This study aims to develop a polymeric reinforced composite material, which is antistatic and light. Polyaniline (PAni) is one of the most studied conductive polymers due to its ability to exist in a large number of intrinsic redox states. The possibility of carrying out PAni synthesis on vegetable fibres and incorporating this in polymeric matrices, such as polyamide-6, enables the production of antistatic reinforced materials. In this work, curaua fibres were chemically treated with polyaniline doped with p-toluene sulfonic acid and processed with polyamide-6 in a twin-screw co-rotating and interpenetrating extruder. The microstructures of the neat curaua fibres and polyaniline coated curaua fibres were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to observe the distribution and morphology of the PAni nanoparticles. The oxidation states of PAni were evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction combined with microscopy analyses of PAni synthesized without a substrate, showed crystalline components embedded into amorphous regions in the sample, while the PAni synthesized on the fibres showed a lower degree of crystallinity. The XPS

Introduction This study evaluated whether intervening with child care providers would increase physical activity (PA) and reduce adiposity in preschoolers. Methods This was a two-arm, parallel group, cluster RCT whereby six child care centers were randomly assigned in equal numbers to intervention ( n =40 children) or control ( n =43 children). Participants were aged 3–5 years and attended licensed child care centers. Child care providers received two 3-hour train-the-trainer workshops and a training manual at program initiation aimed at increasing structured and unstructured PA through active play. Control child care centers implemented their standard curriculum. PA and sedentary behavior were measured by accelerometry, and body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance at baseline and 6 months. Data were collected in 2011–2012 and analyzed in April 2015. Results Linear mixed-effects modeling showed that at 6 months, children in the intervention group demonstrated greater increases in minutes per preschool day spent in overall PA (22.5 minutes, 95% CI=8.9, 36.1, p =0.002), and light-intensity PA (16.1 minutes, 95% CI=5.2, 26.7, p =0.004), but changes between groups in moderate to vigorous PA did not differ. The intervention group showed greater reductions in body fat percentage (−1.9%, 95% CI=−3.5, −0.3, p =0.023) and fat mass (−0.3 kg, 95% CI=−0.7, −0.1, p =0.018), but groups did not differ on fat-free mass, BMI, or z-BMI. Conclusions Provider-led intervention in child care centers increased preschoolers' PA and reduced adiposity, therefore may represent a viable approach to promoting PA and related health benefits in preschool-aged children. Trial Registration This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02293278.

This paper evaluates and compares the development of Multi-Chip Module Deposited (MCM-D) technology using photosensitive benzocyclobutene (BCB) with the non-photosensitive BCB to fabricate passive devices. The polymer was used to isolate the metal/interconnection layers and also as the dielectric for the capacitors. Ni-P/Au was used as the conductor film and Ta2N as the resistor film. The resistors’ sheet resistance was measured with both transfer length method (TLM) and direct measurement while the measurements of the capacitors and inductors required the use of a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and some mathematical algorithms.

This narrative review discusses gestational weight gain (GWG) and medical outcomes of pregnancy, including metabolic, cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal and psychiatric systems. Taken as a whole, the available evidence shows that excessive GWG increases the risk of all medical complications of pregnancy, and negatively impacts the long-term health and weight of both mothers and their offspring. Briefly, interventions to encourage appropriate GWG are discussed and readers are directed to resources to facilitate discussion of pregnancy weight.

Women transitioning to menopause are at risk for central fat mass gain and associated health problems caused by hormone-related changes in appetite, energy expenditure, and body fat distribution.1-3 Health problems associated with central fat mass, especially abdominal fat, in obese postmenopausal women include chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancers, and osteoarthritis.4,5 Women can minimize weight gain and body fat distribution changes, especially gains in abdominal fat, by ensuring healthy nutrition and/or increasing physical activity.6-9 Greater weight loss often occurs when exercise and dietary approaches are combined.10 In addition to daily cardiovascular activities, early postmenopausal women also seem to benefit from resistance training twice a week.11 Other benefits of resistance training include minimizing potential decreases in lean body mass and bone density during weight loss.1 However, only 52% of Canadian women aged 45 to 54 years are physically active during their leisure time,12 and only 48% meet daily dietary recommendations of five or more servings of fruits and vegetables.13 Little is known about how much women consider the influence of menopausal changes on body composition and body fat distribution when making decisions about body weight management. Women want to be involved in decisions relevant to their health.14 Compared with men, women are involved in making more health decisions and decisions of greater complexity.15,16 Those who were younger and had higher education were more likely to take an active role in decision-making. Decisions are of higher quality when they are informed by evidence on options and aligned with the relative priority women place on outcomes of options.17 To date, studies assessing middle-aged women’s decision-making indicate that they experience uncertainty about choosing the best course of action18 and are limited to examining decisions about the use of natural health products for menopausal symptoms.19,20 Factors interfering with women’s decision-making included difficulty in finding reliable information, reluctance of physicians to discuss natural health products, and conflicting opinions of others. Knowledge translation (KT) tools present evidence in user-friendly ways to enhance understanding and use of the evidence for making decisions.21 Systematic reviews of KT tools, such as decision aids, have demonstrated enhanced knowledge, more realistic expectations, higher consumer participation in decisions, and reduced factors contributing to decisional conflict.22 However, little is known about the effects of KT tools on middle-aged women facing lifestyle decisions about body weight management during the menopausal transition. The objective of this study was to assess middle-aged women’s needs when making body weight management decisions and to evaluate a new KT tool for addressing their needs.

OBJECTIVES. Television viewing and physical inactivity increase the risk of obesity in youth. Thus, identifying new interventions that increase physical activity and reduce television viewing would be helpful in the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity. This study evaluated the effects of open-loop feedback plus reinforcement versus open-loop feedback alone on physical activity, targeted sedentary behavior, body composition, and energy intake in youth.METHODS. Thirty overweight or obese 8- to 12-year-old children were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 14) or control group (n = 16). Participants wore accelerometers every day for 8 weeks and attended biweekly meetings to download the activity monitors. For children in the open-loop feedback plus reinforcement (intervention) group, accumulating 400 counts of physical activity on pedometers earned 1 hour of television/VCR/DVD time, which was controlled by a Token TV electronic device. Open-loop feedback control subjects wore activity monitors but had free access to targeted sedentary behavior.RESULTS. Compared with controls, the open-loop feedback plus reinforcement group demonstrated significantly greater increases in daily physical activity counts (+65% vs +16%) and minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (+9.4 vs +0.3) and greater reductions in minutes per day spent in television viewing (−116.1 vs +14.3). The intervention group also showed more favorable changes in body composition, dietary fat intake, and energy intake from snacks compared with controls. Reductions in sedentary behavior were directly related to reductions in BMI, fat intake, snack intake, and snack intake while watching television.CONCLUSIONS. Providing feedback of physical activity in combination with reinforcing physical activity with sedentary behavior is a simple method of modifying the home environment that may play an important role in treating and preventing child obesity.

Research indicates that breastfeeding may provide protective effects against the development of obesity; however, breastfed children may still become obese because of the obesogenic environment. This study is designed to examine the effects of retrospective recall of breastfeeding on weight changes in children participating in a 6-month behavioral treatment program for childhood obesity. The independent variable of breastfeeding was defined as children who were exclusively breastfed for 4 weeks (excluding water or medication) versus those who were never breastfed. Child percent overweight and body mass index changes during 6 and 12 months were evaluated for 94 families based on mother report of breastfeeding status using analysis of covariance, controlling for socioeconomic status and initial child weight status. Data were compiled for secondary analysis from pediatric obesity randomized controlled outcome studies evaluating core components of family-based treatments. Results showed that, compared with nonbreastfed (formula) children (n = 28), breastfed children (n = 66) showed significantly larger reductions in (mean +/- SEM) percent overweight at 6 months (-15.2 +/- 1.1 vs -10.2 +/- 1.7, p

This paper explores environmental hazards, more specifically desertification processes, in an area of west central Argentina, addressing the combined influence of the physical framework and the long lasting human settlement and use of natural resources. It is based upon the analysis of remotely sensed using vegetation indices, image differentiation, change detection, and pattern metrics. The results indicate a net decreased in the amount of vegetation between 1973 and 2001, and increasing fragmentation of vegetation classes. This is interpreted as a sign of the presence of land degradation processes likely linked to human activities in the areas of irrigated farming, grazing, firewood gathering and population settlement.

Letter to the Editor I welcome Drs. Ferraro and Adamo's discourse and readily admit that whenever educated readers wholly fail to comprehend the main thrust of a theory, the fault frequently lies with the author (i.e., me). Given this possibility, I now seek to remove whatever opacity led to their miscomprehension. Science is the pursuit of lawful relations, not mere correlations; and the only test of a scientific theory ishow well it explains all the available evidence, not isolated findings. With these premises as a foundation, my theory links the socio-environmental changes over the past century to the lawful relations between the physiologic mechanisms driving epidemiologic trends and the subsequent evolutionary consequences. In simple terms, the human body may be conceived as an ecosystem in which tissues compete for nutrient-energy. Within this framework, obesity is not a complex phenomenon but merely the result of the competitive dominance of fat cells over other tissues in the absorption and sequestering of energy. This competitive advantage is engendered via prenatal physiologic and postnatal behavioral ‘maternal effects’ (i.e., alterations in fat, muscle, and pancreatic beta cell development and learned physical inactivity). These environmentally-induced phenotypic effects have evolutionary consequences because they are transmitted progressively to the next generation through an altered maternal phenotype, independent of changes to the genome. As stated in my title and throughout the paper, the twin epidemics of obesity and type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are the result of non-genetic evolution; at no point was there an “implied contribution of epigenetics...driving the intergenerational cycle of obesity.” Quite the contrary, I wrote extensively on the near-complete failure (i.e., lack of explanatory and predictive power) of the gene-centric (i.e., DNA and epigenetic) paradigm and stated explicitly that the problem of the “missing heritability...will not be found in the genome.” Furthermore, I posited that the rapid and ubiquitous phenotypic evolution evidenced over the past century was the result of “the progressive intergenerational transmission of acquired characteristics over multiple successive generations.” My empirically supported physiologic theory of inheritance and evolution (based on accumulative maternal effects) posits that a fertilized oocyte with any human genome placed in the intrauterine milieu of a woman with an obese, inactive phenotype (i.e., with an evolutionary/familial history of high maternal resources and high levels of physical inactivity/sedentary behavior) will be born with compromised metabolic functioning. This inherited phenotype assures the adipogenic nutrient partitioning that leads to obesity and T2DM and is transmissible to the next generation via maternal effects (e.g., excessive gestational weight gain). In other words, phenotype begets phenotype because the intrauterine environment overwhelms any genetic variance across generations (i.e., the environmental determinism of obesity/T2DM; please see text of figure 4 of1). The empirical support for ‘maternal effects’ is unequivocal across species,2 including humans. For example, Brooks et al.3 examined ovum donations in humans and found that the “only discernible factor” influencing infant birth weight was the surrogate mother's body mass. Given these findings, and the fact that metabolically relevant mitochondrial DNA are (asexually) inherited via the maternal germ-line,4 I find little evidence to support the dogmatic speculation that paternal genes will have significant differential effects where it appears that maternal genes do not. With respect to fetal development, genes are merely a necessary but not sufficient component of the development of obese/T2DM phenotypes, akin to atmospheric oxygen and water. They can be conceptualized as the ‘tools’ of the fertilized oocyte, and their use (i.e., expression) is strictly environment-dependent.5-9 As such, if we assume that a hammer is necessary to build a house, it should be obvious that the hammer does not cause a house to be built, nor determine its dimensions. Nevertheless, gene-centric dogma is based on the unsupported speculation that DNA (the hammer) is the cause of the obese/T2DM phenotypes (the house and its dimensions). Not surprisingly, if the only tool one has is a hammer, one will think everything is a nail; hence the myopic nature of genetic determinism, the irrelevance of genetic testing for obesity/T2DM, and failure of the gene/DNA-centric paradigm to explain recent epidemiologic trends. Conversely, the most clinically relevant and scientifically important aspect of my paper is the empirical support presented for the ‘inheritance of acquired characteristics through use and disuse’ as a significant and universal mechanism of inheritance and evolution. This theory has been presented for millennia without strong evidence (e.g., Hippocrates,10 Aristotle11, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck12 and Charles Darwin13). Thus, I posited an empirically supported “in utero training effect” for fat cell development (i.e., the ‘use’ phase of “use and disuse”) and the post-natal effects of inactivity (i.e., the ‘disuse’ of skeletal muscles leading to insulin resistance, increased adiposity, etc.) leading to the intergenerational transmission of obesity and T2DM. The clinical and research implications of my theory are obvious given that it provides an unambiguous framework to intervene on the intergenerational transmission of obesity and T2DM: significantly increase the skeletal muscle energy flux of females across their lifespan. My theory of inheritance and evolution: 1) directly challenges and potentially refutes the hyper-reductionist gene-centric Modern Synthesis,14 2) flouts the central dogma of molecular biology15 and Weismann Barrier,16 and 3) subsumes and extends the ground-breaking (and brilliant) work of both Barker17 and Pedersen.18 From a clinical standpoint, because gene expression is environmentally determined,5-9,19 genes are a merely a marker of what was and what is, not what will be.7 Therefore, gene-centric research is a costly, unnecessary tangent to clinically relevant scientific progress. As the great evolutionary geneticist Richard Lewontin wrote in 2006, it is time to dispel the “naive current prejudice that DNA has in it all the information necessary to specify the organism.”20 I could not agree more and look forward to scientific and clinical progress.

Exercise training improves glycaemic control in some but not all individuals and little research has been done regarding genetic impact on the exercise training response in type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the Pro(12)Ala variant of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma2 gene on changes in fasting plasma glucose in response to exercise training.The study population comprised 139 sedentary type 2 diabetic patients (age: 54.4+/-7.2; HbA(1)c: 7.7+/-0.9%) who completed 3 months of supervised exercise training. The primary outcome variable in our analysis was the post-intervention change in blood glucose. Other assessments included measures of body composition, insulin sensitivity indices and maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)).The frequency of the Ala allele was 8.3% and the genotypes were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. At baseline, neither body composition variables (weight, BMI, waist circumference), glucose homeostasis variables (glucose, insulin, HbA(1)c, homeostasis model assessment method) nor VO(2max) were different between genotypes (wild-type: Pro(12)Pro n=117, Ala carriers: X(12)Ala n=22). The exercise-training intervention led to similar improvements in body composition and glucose homeostasis variables in both genotype groups (p0.05). The change in fasting plasma glucose was significantly different between PPARgamma2 genotypes (-1.66 mmol/l vs -0.54 mmol/l, Ala carriers and wild-type, respectively) (p=0.034 unadjusted and p=0.089 including baseline glucose) and the significant association between genotype and glucose response remained after adjusting for statistically significant predictors (age, changes in insulin and BMI [p=0.015]) and including baseline glucose, insulin and BMI (p=0.031).These data suggest that the Pro(12)Ala polymorphism may influence the glycaemic response to exercise in type 2 diabetes.

Background: The emergence and utilization of electronic health (eHealth) technologies has increased in a variety of health interventions. Exploiting the real-time advantages offered by mobile technologies during and after pregnancy has the potential to empower women and encourage behaviors that may improve maternal and child health. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of eHealth technologies for weight management during pregnancy and the postpartum period and to review the efficacy of eHealth technologies on health behaviors, specifically nutrition and physical activity. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane database of systematic reviews (CDSR), Cochrane central register of controlled trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and PsycINFO. The search included studies published from 1990 to July 5, 2016. All relevant primary studies that involved randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, before-and-after studies, historically controlled studies, and pilot studies were included. The study population was adult women of childbearing age either during pregnancy or the postpartum period. eHealth weight management intervention studies targeting physical activity, nutrition, or both, over a minimum 3-month period were included. Titles and abstracts, as well as full-text screening were conducted. Study quality was assessed using Cochrane’s risk of bias tool. Data extraction was completed by a single reviewer, which was then verified by a second independent reviewer. Results were meta-analyzed to calculate pooled estimates of the effect, wherever possible. Results: Overall, 1787 and 176 citations were reviewed at the abstract and full-text screening stages, respectively. A total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria ranging from high to low risk of bias. Pooled estimates from studies of the effect for postpartum women resulted in a significant reduction in weight (−2.55 kg, 95% CI −3.81 to −1.28) after 3 to 12 months and six studies found a nonsignificant reduction in weight gain for pregnant women (−1.62 kg, 95% CI −3.57 to 0.33) at approximately 40 weeks. Conclusions: This review found evidence for benefits of eHealth technologies on weight management in postpartum women only. Further research is still needed regarding the use of these technologies during and after pregnancy. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(10):e337]

Objective Animal studies have suggested that maternal weight-related factors during pregnancy can program offspring physical activity in a sex-dependent manner. However, there is limited evidence in humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) and offspring total physical activity (TPA) level and to determine whether these associations are moderated by sex of offspring or maternal pre-pregnancy weight status. Method We studied 56 boys (mean age = 3.7 years, standard deviation (SD) 0.5) and 57 girls (mean age = 3.5±0.5 years) enrolled in licensed childcare centers. TPA was objectively measured using Actical® accelerometers. Information on pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), GWG, and other maternal factors were collected with a maternal health questionnaire. Associations between GWG, as a continuous variable or categorically (inadequate, adequate, and excessive), and offspring TPA were analysed using linear mixed models to take into account the intraclass correlation between the clusters (childcare centers). Models were adjusted for gestational age, accelerometer weartime, socioeconomic status, and pre-pregnancy BMI status. Results We found a significant sex interaction (P-value = 0.009). In boys, greater GWG was associated with decreased offspring TPA (β = -3.2 counts⋅1000−1/d, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = -6.4–0.02, P-value = 0.049). In girls born to mothers categorized as overweight or obese, the association between the GWG and TPA followed an inverted U-shape curve (β for GWG squared = -0.1 counts⋅1000−1/d, 95% CI = (-0.2 –-0.04), P-value = 0.005). In contrast, a U-shaped curve was found in girls born to mothers classified as lean (pre-pregnancy BMI

The paper presents a technological solution for high frequency packaging platform evaluated up to 40 GHz. The main purpose of this development was to define an alternative hybrid technology that is more flexible and faster to prototype compared with thin film or multi chip module (MCM-D). The alternative technology also shows adequate performance for high bit rate solutions integrating optical and electronics blocks. This approach consists of a soft substrate (laminate material), plating processes (electroless Ni?P/Au, electrolytic Au) and lithography patterning. Ground coplanar waveguide was used for microwave structures with excellent ground planes connections due to easy via holes implementation. We present results of high frequency packaging of important RF blocks, such as integrated broadband bias-T, transimpedance amplifier ICs and silicon photonics optical modulators. The paper demonstrates a solution for high frequency hybridization that can be implemented with standard substrates, designed with any shape and with large numbers of metalized via holes and compatible with usual assembling techniques.

BACKGROUND The CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, in combination with endocrine therapy (ET), has been approved for patients (pts) with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (BC), suggesting that inhibition of the cell cycle in combination with ET is a strategy to keep exploring. In this context, vinorelbine (VNB) inhibits chromosome segregation during mitosis and blocks cells at G2/M. Interestingly, several metronomic schedules of VNB are being used in the clinical setting, a strategy that might not only affect cell-cycle but also aims to target tumor angiogenesis. VENTANA is a “window-of-opportunity” trial designed to explore whether, similarly to CDK4/6 and mTOR inhibitors, oral metronomic VNB in combination with endocrine therapy induces a superior anti-proliferative effect than ET alone, as suggested by preclinical and clinical studies. We believe that a biological synergy of the combined treatment could open the door to include this treatment strategy in pts with BC as an alternative to CDK4/6 inhibitors. METHODS VENTANA is a phase 0 multicenter, three-arm, randomized clinical trial of oral metronomic VNB and letrozole (LET) versus either treatment alone in postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed, untreated HR+ and HER2-, stage I-III operable BC. Other eligibility criteria include primary tumor size ≥1 cm (cT1-3) and N0-1, ECOG PS 0-1 and evaluable diagnostic tumor sample. Pts are randomized (1:1:1) to receive LET 2.5mg daily, oral VNB 50mg 3 days a week, or LET 2.5mg daily and oral VNB 50mg 3 times a week. After 3 weeks of treatment, pts will undergo surgery, and both pre-treatment and post-treatment surgical samples will be analyzed for gene expression. Primary objective is to test if oral metronomic VNB and LET induce a superior anti-proliferative effect than either drug alone in pts with early BC defined as Luminal by PAM50. This will be evaluated by the expression of 11 proliferative genes contained in the PAM50 subtype predictor (BIRC5, CCNB1, CDC20, CDCA1, CEP55, KNTC2, MKI67, PTTG1, RRM2, TYMS and UBE2C) as surrogate signature biomarker of its anticancer activity. VENTANA is a proof-of-concept study to describe the change in the expression of a proliferation-related gene signature in all 3 treatment arms. Changes in the proliferation signature will be determined by following formula: Mean suppression of proliferation signature score = 100 − [geometric mean (post treatment proliferation score / pre-treatment proliferation score · 100)]. By evaluating other BC-related gene signatures (560 genes), the antiangiogenic and immunogenic potential of the treatment arms will also be compared and genes regulated in a treatment-specific manner identified. All analyses will be performed within the different PAM50-defined subtypes (Luminal, Luminal A or Luminal B). As the primary endpoint is continuous and there are no previous data to make assumptions about the degree of suppression of these genes, the sample size has not been determined by statistical calculations. A sample size of 20 pts per arm is considered appropriate to support our hypothesis. The targeted accrual of 60 pts will be enrolled in 10 sites across Spain (EudraCT Number 2015-004714-24). Citation Format: Adamo B, Vidal M, Gomez Pardo P, Zaragoza K, Ciruelos E, Virizuela JA, Blanch Tormo S, Pérez-Fidalgo JA, Murillo L, Lopez-Gonzalez A, Amillano Parraga K, Martinez Jañez N, Gonzàlez Farré X, Prat A. VENTANA (SOLTI-1501): Oral metronomic vinorelbine combined with endocrine therapy in luminal/HER2-negative early breast cancer: A window of opportunity trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-01-04.

Background Lucitanib is a potent, oral inhibitor fibroblast growth factor receptor types 1 and 2 (FGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor types 1, 2, and 3 (VEGFR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor types α and β (PGFRα/β), which are essential kinases for tumor growth, survival, migration, and angiogenesis. Several tumor types, including breast carcinoma, demonstrate amplification of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-related genes. There are no approved drugs for molecularly defined FGF-aberrant (FGFR1- or FGF3/4/19-amplified) tumors. Methods This open-label phase I/IIa study involved a dose-escalation phase to determine maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD), and pharmacokinetics of lucitanib in patients with advanced solid tumors, followed by a dose-expansion phase to obtain preliminary evidence of efficacy in patients who could potentially benefit from treatment (i.e. with tumors harboring FGF-aberrant pathway or considered angiogenesis-sensitive). Results Doses from 5 to 30 mg were evaluated with dose-limiting toxic effects dominated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibition-related toxic effects at the 30 mg dose level (one case of grade 4 depressed level of consciousness and two cases of grade 3 thrombotic microangiopathy). The most common adverse events (all grades, all cohorts) were hypertension (91%), asthenia (42%), and proteinuria (57%). Exposure increased with dose and t½ was 31–40 h, suitable for once daily administration. Seventy-six patients were included. All but one had stage IV; 42% had >3 lines of previous chemotherapy. Sixty-four patients were assessable for response; 58 had measurable disease. Clinical activity was observed at all doses tested with durable Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) partial responses in a variety of tumor types. In the angiogenesis-sensitive group, objective RECIST response rate (complete response + partial response) was 26% (7 of 27) and progression-free survival (PFS) was 25 weeks. In assessable FGF-aberrant breast cancer patients, 50% (6 of 12) achieved RECIST partial response with a median PFS of 40.4 weeks for all treated patients. Conclusion Lucitanib has promising efficacy and a manageable side-effect profile. The spectrum of activity observed demonstrates clinical benefit in both FGF-aberrant and angiogenesis-sensitive populations. A comprehensive phase II program is planned.

Multi-chip Module (MCM) is a technology that can be applied to silicon and alumina modules allowing advantages in the integration complexity. This paper reports a MCM-D (D for deposition) technology suitable to fabricate passive components using two metal levels and non-photosensitive polymer benzocyclobutene as dielectric. The devices are produced using thin film technology, vacuum metallization, electroless and electrolytic deposition, photolithography process and wet etching. Electrical measurements and focused ion beam (FIB) were used to evaluate the characteristics of the MCM-D structures.

To determine whether directly measured physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns of obese children presenting to a weight-management clinic differs from nationally representative samples of obese and normal-weight children.A cross-sectional comparison study of 3 groups of boys and girls between 8 and 18 years (mean, 13.4 years) was performed. A clinical group (n=56) seeking specialized care for obesity was compared with 2 nationally representative samples of children from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS): (1) body mass index95th percentile (n=143); and (2) body mass index85th percentile (n=958).Obese clinical and obese CHMS boys did not differ in daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Both obese groups engaged in less MVPA than normal-weight boys in the CHMS (P.0006). Compared with normal-weight boys, obese boys had fewer days in which they accrued 60 or 30 minutes of MVPA (P=.006 and .01, respectively). Daily MVPA did not differ among the 3 groups of girls. Light activity in clinical boys was lower than in the normal weight CHMS boys, whereas clinical girls engaged in less light activity than both CHMS comparators. No differences were observed between groups for sedentary behavior.Obese youth, whether in clinic or the community, were not more sedentary than their normal-weight CHMS comparators. Although obese youth were less active, overall MVPA was low in all groups. This finding highlights the need for health professionals to target both physical activity and sedentary behavior in all children, rather than focusing on only children with obesity.

Background Today’s children are more overweight than previous generations and physical inactivity is a contributing factor. Modelling and promoting positive behaviour in the early years is imperative for the development of lifelong health habits. The social and physical environments where children spend their time have a powerful influence on behaviour. Since the majority of preschool children spend time in care outside of the home, this provides an ideal setting to examine the ability of an intervention to enhance movement skills and modify physical activity behaviour. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the Activity Begins in Childhood (ABC) intervention delivered in licensed daycare settings alone or in combination with a parent-driven home physical activity-promotion component to increase preschoolers’ overall physical activity levels and, specifically, the time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Methods/design This study is a single site, three-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial design with a daycare centre as the unit of measurement (clusters). All daycare centres in the National Capital region that serve children between the ages of 3 and 5, expressing an interest in receiving the ABC intervention will be invited to participate. Those who agree will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: i) ABC program delivered at a daycare centre only, ii) ABC program delivered at daycare with a home/parental education component, or iii) regular daycare curriculum. This study will recruit 18 daycare centres, 6 in each of the three groups. The intervention will last approximately 6 months, with baseline assessment prior to ABC implementation and follow-up assessments at 3 and 6 months. Discussion Physical activity is an acknowledged component of a healthy lifestyle and childhood experiences as it has an important impact on lifelong behaviour and health. Opportunities for physical activity and motor development in early childhood may, over the lifespan, influence the maintenance of a healthy body weight and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. If successful, the ABC program may be implemented in daycare centres as an effective way of increasing healthy activity behaviours of preschoolers. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN94022291. Registered in December 2012, first cluster randomized in April 2013.

Appropriate in utero growth is essential for offspring development and is a critical contributor to long-term health. Fetal growth is largely dictated by the availability of nutrients in maternal circulation and the ability of these nutrients to be transported into fetal circulation via the placenta. Substrate flux across placental gradients is dependent on the accessibility and activity of nutrient-specific transporters. Changes in the expression and activity of these transporters is implicated in cases of restricted and excessive fetal growth, and may represent a control mechanism by which fetal growth rate attempts to match availability of nutrients in maternal circulation. This review provides an overview of placenta nutrient transport with an emphasis on macro-nutrient transporters. It highlights the changes in expression and activity of these transporters associated with common pregnancy pathologies, including intrauterine growth restriction, macrosomia, diabetes and obesity, as well as the potential impact of maternal diet. Molecular signaling pathways linking maternal nutrient availability and placenta nutrient transport are discussed. How sexual dimorphism affects fetal growth strategies and the placenta’s response to an altered intrauterine environment is considered. Further knowledge in this area may be the first step in the development of targeted interventions to help optimize fetal growth.

Objective. This study aimed to investigate potential differences in appetite sensations, ghrelin, peptide YY, and glucose and their relationship with energy and macronutrient intake in obese adolescents with subclinical binge eating disorder. Methods. Fifteen obese adolescents (six and nine individuals with and without subclinical binge eating disorder, resp.) qualified for this study. Visual analog scales and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaires were used to assess eating behaviours. Circulating ghrelin, peptide YY, and glucose were measured after fasting and at multiple time points postprandially following a standardized breakfast meal. Energy and macronutrient intake were measured with an ad libitum lunch buffet. Results. Emotional eating scores were significantly higher in obese adolescents with subclinical binge eating disorder. Hunger levels rose and satiety levels fell significantly over the course of the monitoring period but there was no difference between the two groups. Obese adolescents with subclinical binge eating disorder did not have significantly different levels of appetite signaling proteins or glucose. Obese adolescents with subclinical binge eating disorder had a nonsignificantly higher energy and macronutrient intake. Conclusions. A significant difference between the two groups in terms of their emotional eating scores highlights the important role that psychological factors play in relation to eating behaviours.

The Canadian Health Measures Survey uses accelerometry to collect physical activity and sedentary behaviour data. Between cycles 2 and 3, a transition was made from 60-second to 15-second epochs in accelerometry data for children aged 3 to 5. This study examines the impact of epoch length on physical activity and sedentary behaviour outcomes.Twenty-nine children aged 3 to 5 wore two accelerometers at the same time, one initialized to collect data in 60-second epochs, and the other, in 15-second epochs. Comparisons between epoch settings were made for several physical activity variables.Compared with the 60-second epoch setting, the 15-second setting captured more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time, but fewer steps and less light and total physical activity. The correlation between epoch settings was high for all variables except steps.The epoch length used in accelerometer data collection affects physical activity and sedentary behaviour data for preschool-aged children.

A study on the coverage of influenza vaccination among elderly people was carried out. Fity-six per cent of those interviewed had been vaccinated (weighted coverage 50%), compared with the target of 75%, but higher rates were reported in those older than 74 years and those with chronic diseases.

The Finnish tradition of sauna bathing is meant to be an experience in relaxation, and the length of time spent in the sauna and the preferred temperature vary considerably among individuals. The pleasures of sauna bathing can be considered safe and without undue risk of cardiac complications even for CVD patients, providing bathing is conducted sensibly for an appropriate period of time, and extremes in temperature are voided.

To investigate whether the formation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) influences erythropoietin (EPO) expression in physiological conditions, we injected into the left lateral cerebral ventricle of the Mongolian gerbil an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector capable of expressing the 165-amino-acid isoform of VEGF (VEGF165). Twelve and 18 days after AAV vector injection, the experimental animals were sacrificed and expression of EPO was evaluated through immunohistochemical analysis of both the hippocampus and the frontal cortex. We observed that VEGF165 induces EPO expression in the hippocampal pyramidal layers and in the frontal cortex of the gerbil, particularly after the 18th day following treatment with the vector, which suggests that VEGF165 could act as a hypoxic-like signal for EPO production. This finding could help to clarify the functional role of EPO and the molecular mechanisms by which VEGF might mediate its effects in the brain.

This study examined the role of carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion on the resynthesis of two pools of glycogen, proglycogen (PG) and macroglycogen (MG), in human skeletal muscle. Nine males completed an exhaustive glycogen depletion exercise bout at 70% maximal O2 consumption on two occasions. Subsequent 48-h dietary interventions consisted of either high (HC, 75% of energy intake) or low (LC, 32% of energy intake) CHO diets. Muscle biopsies were taken at exhaustion (EXH) and 4, 24, and 48 h later. The total muscle glycogen (Gt) at EXH for the HC and LC conditions was not significantly different, and the MG represented ∼12% of the Gt. From EXH to 4 h, there was an increase in the PG only for HC and no change in MG in either diet ( P < 0.05). From 4 to 24 h, the concentration of PG increased in both conditions ( P < 0.05). Between 24 and 48 h, in HC the majority of the increase in Gt was due to the MG pool ( P < 0.05). The MG and PG concentrations for HC were significantly greater than for LC at 24 and 48 h ( P < 0.05). At 48 h the MG represented 40% of the Gt for the HC diet and only 21% for the LC diet. There was no change in the net rates of synthesis of PG or MG over 48 h for LC ( P < 0.05). The net rate of PG synthesis from 0 to 4 h for HC was 16 ± 1.68 mmol glucosyl units ⋅ kg dry wt−1 ⋅ h−1, which was threefold greater than for LC ( P < 0.05). The net rate of PG synthesis decreased significantly from 4 to 24 h for HC, whereas the net rate of MG synthesis was not different over 48 h but was significantly greater than in LC ( P< 0.05). The two pools are synthesized at very different rates; both are sensitive to CHO, and the supercompensation associated with HC is due to a greater synthesis in the MG pool.

Traditionally, there have been two methods for measuring total muscle glycogen (Glytot), either by acid hydrolysis (AC) or by enzymatic hydrolysis (EZ). As well, it has been determined that rodent muscle contains two pools of glycogen, macroglycogen (MG) and proglycogen (PG). This MG/PG determination of Glytothas never been compared with AC or EZ methods, nor has it been determined whether the two pools exist in human skeletal muscle. A detailed comparison of the three methods was performed by using both rodent and human muscle. It was found that repeated analysis of independent portions of muscle generally gave coefficients of variation of totin rodent muscle and in human samples when Glytotwas low but increased to ∼40% when Glytotwas high. It was found that AC and EZ Glytotwere not statistically different ( P < 0.05), nor was there a difference between the MG+PG Glytotand that determined by AC or EZ. The Glytotfrom MG+PG extraction had a strong correlation with the values obtained by either AC ( r = 1.0) or EZ ( r = 0.96). These data suggest that MG+PG do exist in human skeletal muscle and can be measured reliably in biopsy-sized samples. All three methods give an accurate representation of human Glytotand are comparable in their precision.

Curaua fibers were used to reinforce elastomeric matrices with polyaniline (PAni) synthesized directly on the fiber surfaces to produce antistatic-reinforced composites. In this work, composites of poly(ethylene-co-propylene-co-diene) with curaua fibers coated with PAni were prepared by mechanical mixing in a counter-rotating twin rotor internal mixer. Then, mechanical and electrical properties of these composites were correlated to Raman and Fourier transformed infrared spectra (FTIR) using chemometric data analyze, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Raman spectra showed correlation with electrical properties of conductive composites while FTIR spectra showed good correlation with mechanical properties. EPDM reinforced with PAni coated curaua fibers presented higher tensile strength and modulus than EPDM reinforced with pristine curaua fibers, indicating that the reinforcement effect was obtained. Chemical interaction between the phases occurs with formation of hydrogen bonding between the aminic nitrogens of PAni and the carbonyl groups of lignin of the fibers. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40056.

Introduction There is discord between the recall of maternity care providers and patients when it comes to discussion of gestational weight gain (GWG) and obesity management. Few women report being advised on GWG, physical activity (PA), and nutrition, yet the majority of health care providers report discussing these topics with patients. We evaluated whether various Canadian maternal health care providers can identify appropriate GWG targets for patients with obesity and determine if providers report counseling on GWG, physical activity, and nutrition. Methods A valid and reliable e-survey was created using SurveyMonkey software and distributed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada listserve. A total of 174 health care providers finished the survey. Respondents self-identified as general practitioners, obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, midwives, or registered nurses. Results GWG recommendations between disciplines for all body mass index categories were similar and fell within Health Canada/Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines. Of those who answered this question, 110/160 (68.8%) were able to correctly identify the maximum IOM GWG recommended for patients with obesity, yet midwives tended to recommend 0.5–1 kg more GWG (P = 0.05). PA counseling during pregnancy differed between disciplines (P < 0.01), as did nutrition counseling during pregnancy (P < 0.05). Conclusion In contrast to patient reports, the majority of health care providers document counseling on GWG, PA, and nutrition and appropriately identify GWG limits for obese patients. However, the content and quality of the discourse between patient and provider warrants further investigation.

Multi-Chip Modules enable combining different integrated circuits with passive components leading to advantages in size, performance and cost. This paper presents the design of a testchip which was planned to extend the characterization of the process parameters for the development of MCM-D technology. It was made using Virtuoso Cadence Software, with minimum dimension of 20 μm, resulting in four mask layers.

This chapter addresses the intersection of migration and environmental trends in North America in the context of global environmental change, including a historical review of past migrations related to environmental events as well as a description of regional climate change forecasts and current migrations trends, a brief review of past environmental migration in the region, and an overview of recent research on population mobility and climate change events. The general conclusion is that environmental factors may not be the primary driver of migration for the region as a whole, but that climate change events will likely have a role at the local level. Also, being an area of international immigration, impacts in sending areas could lead to changes in current patterns.

The early years represent a critical period of growth and development of health behaviours. While optimal child growth is associated with a complex set of factors, the importance of diet quality is undeniable. The objective of this narrative review is to examine contributors to child diet quality and parental perception and how such perceptions might affect child diet quality. An extensive literature search was conducted, generating a variety of sources including research trials (randomized and non-randomized), lab-based studies, cohort studies, topical reviews, government or NGO reports and grey literature. In addition, reflection and opinion, accrued through regular interaction with families, regarding some of the potential links has also been included. Parental perception of diet quality is influenced by many different social, biological economical and psychological factors. Research suggests that diet quality of today's children is sub-optimal and a parent's perception of their child's diet may not accurately reflect this reality. Various parental attitudes and perceptions/misperceptions are important to address as knowledge awareness and beliefs can impact diet quality as can parental practices, and family structure. Issues related to socioeconomics and convenience, and a child's preferences and their peer and/or social environment are also potential factors impacting child diet quality. Knowing that parents play such an integral role in the development and maintenance of their child's health behaviours, addressing misconceptions and unhealthy parental beliefs about diet quality may be an important area for early intervention and prevention work in childhood obesity.

We examined how obese children perceive a maximal cardiorespiratory fitness test compared with a submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness test. Twenty-one obese children (body mass index ≥95th percentile, ages 10–17 years) completed maximal and submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness tests on 2 separate occasions. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and overall perceived exertion (Borg 15-category scale) were measured in both fitness tests. At comparable workloads, perceived exertion was rated significantly higher ( P < 0.001) in the submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness test compared with the maximal cardiorespiratory fitness test. The submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness test was significantly longer than the maximal test (14:21 ± 04:04 seconds vs. 12:48 ± 03:27 seconds, P < 0.001). Our data indicate that at the same relative intensity, obese children report comparable or even higher perceived exertion during submaximal fitness testing than during maximal fitness testing. Perceived exertion in a sample of children and youth with obesity may be influenced by test duration and protocol design.

Videogames in general have been maligned for causing obesity because of their inherent sedentariness, whereas exergames have been both maligned for requiring low levels of activity and extolled for requiring physical activity to move game play along. The intensity and duration of physical activity resulting from exergame play have shown varying results, and they have been explored for use in obesity treatment and prevention, primarily among children. Other videogames have been developed and tested to help children change their diet and physical activity practices with various outcomes. As a field of inquiry, we are in the earliest stages of understanding how, or under what circumstances, videogames can influence all these behavioral and health outcomes. To deal with these complexities, we have assembled a group of investigators who have made important, but diverse, contributions to this research agenda and asked them to address five key child obesity-related issues in a Roundtable format. Brief biosketches are presented at the end of this article.

Objective: To examine if sleep timing (combination of bedtime and wake up time) is associated with energy intake and physical activity/sedentary behaviour in obese adolescents. Methods: Participants included in this cross-sectional examination were 26 (13 females) obese volunteers (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) with a mean age of 13.6 ± 0.5 years and valid data on self-reported sleep, food intake (dietary record), physical activity and sedentary time (accelerometer), screen time (self-reported), and anthropometry (BMI). We categorized participants as “late sleepers” (midpoint of sleep >3:30 a.m., n=13) and participants as “normal sleepers” (midpoint of sleep ≤ 2:30 a.m., n=13). Results: As expected, wake-up time and bedtime were different between sleep timing groups (p

This chapter will focus on diet quality in children and specifically the parental perception of diet quality and how this might impact eating behaviours.

Halothane and propofol stimulate activation of protein kinase C (PKC) in the presence of physiologically relevant lipid bilayer vesicles in vitro. The mechanism of this stimulation was characterized by analyzing the effects of halothane and propofol on the activation of purified rat brain PKC by its three essential activators, phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol, and Ca 2+ , each of which is known to interact with the regulatory domain. Clinically relevant concentrations of halothane (2.4 vol%) and propofol (200 μM) increased the V max without affecting the K m for phosphorylation of the artificial substrate histone H1 by PKC, and increased the sensitivity of PKC to activation by phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol, and Ca 2+ . Halothane reduced the EC 50 values for phosphatidylserine from 18 ± 2.5 to 11 ± 0.6 mol% (P < 0.05), for diacylglycerol from 1.6 ± 0.3 to 0.87 ± 0.2 mol% (P < 0.05) and for free Ca 2+ from 4.5 ± 1.0 to 2.8 ± 0.4 μM (P < 0.05). Propofol reduced the EC 50 values for phosphatidylserine from 18 ± 1.9 to 11 ± 1.2 mol% (P < 0.01), for diacylglycerol from 2.5 ± 0.3 to 1.2 ± 0.4 mol% (P < 0.01) and for free Ca 2+ from 2.8 ± 0.7 to 1.9 ± 0.2 μL (P < 0.05). The IC 50 values for inhibition of PKC activity by the regulatory domain-specific PKC inhibitor sphingosine were increased from 20 ± 1.5 to 26 ± 0.6 μM (P < 0.01) by halothane and from 24 ± 4.8 to 34 ± 4.8 μM (P < 0.05) by propofol. These data suggest that halothane and propofol stimulate brain PKC activity by stabilizing its active conformation through an interaction with its regulatory domain. Given the diverse role of PKC in physiologic regulation, alterations in PKC activity may be a relevant mechanism for general anesthetic effects.

Background: A better understanding of the biological changes occurring during metastatic progression of breast cancer is needed to identify new biomarkers, targets and novel treatment strategies. Here, we compared the intrinsic subtype and the expression of a gene panel across a large dataset of paired primary and metastatic tissues. Methods: Expression profiling of 105 breast cancer-related genes was performed on 254 (127 pairs) formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor tissues using the nCounter platform. Tumor samples were obtained from 3 independent sources (ConvertHER trial [BCRT 2014] and two in-house datasets). Tumors were classified into each intrinsic subtype using the research-based PAM50 classifier (Parker et al. J Clin Oncol 2009). Chi-square tests were performed to determine the differences in the distribution of variables. Paired two-class Significance of Microarrays (SAM) was performed to determine the genes differentially expressed between paired primary and metastatic tissues. In vitro stable transfection of FGFR4-GFP was performed on Luminal B MCF7 cell line. RNA was purified on control vs. transfected cell lines. 7-AAD cell viability was performed following estrogen deprivation for 6 days. Results: Subtype distribution in primary vs. metastatic disease was 39.0% vs. 26.8% for Luminal A (p=0.012), 26.0% vs. 35.0% for Luminal B (p=0.322), 11.4% vs. 20.3% for HER2-enriched (p=0.115) and 10.6% vs. 13.0% for Basal-like tumors (p=0.843). The rate of subtype conversion was 7.7% in Basal-like, 23.1% in HER2-enriched, 30.0% in Luminal B and 54.3% in Luminal A disease. The majority of subtype conversions in Luminal A disease were to Luminal B (72.0%) and HER2-enriched (24.0%). Overall, 13.2% of primary Luminal A/B tumors progressed to a HER2-E subtype despite 70% of them being clinically HER2-negative. In a paired analysis using all samples, 10- and 12- genes were found up- and down- regulated in metastatic tissues (False Discovery Rate [FDR] Conclusions: Metastatic tissues are relatively more proliferative and less luminal compared to primary tumors. This is especially relevant in primary Luminal A disease. In contrast, metastatic tissues from Basal-like primary disease remain largely unchanged. In luminal disease, a significant increase in the HER2-enriched profile is observed in metastatic disease despite most tumors being clinically HER2-negative. A potential driver of the HER2-enriched profile and estrogen independence in clinically HER2-negative metastatic tissues might be FGFR4. Citation Format: Prat A, Martínez de Dueñas E, Galván P, Garcia S, Burgués O, Paré L, Antolín S, Martinello R, Blancas I, Adamo B, Guerrero Á, Muñoz M, Nuciforo P, Vidal M, Pérez RM, Chacón JI, Caballero R, Gascón P, Carrasco E, Rojo F, Perou CM, Cortés J, Adamo V, Albanell J, Lluch A. Intrinsic subtype and gene expression changes between primary and metastatic breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-05-02.

Background. The physical activity transition is contributing to an increase in childhood obesity and a decrease in fitness worldwide. This study compared body composition and fitness measures in children from three countries and examined intercountry differences in the relationship between these variables. Methods. Participants consisted of 736 Canadian, 193 Mexican, and 179 Kenyan children aged 9–13 years. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triceps skinfolds, aerobic fitness, and muscular fitness were measured. Linear regression was used to examine associations between variables. Results. The prevalence of obesity was the highest in Mexican children (9.2% boys, 8.4% girls) and the lowest in Kenyan children (0.9% boys, 2.8% girls). Aerobic fitness (VO2max in mL/kg/min) was the highest in Kenyan children (50.2 boys, 46.7 girls) and the lowest in Canadian children (41.3 boys, 38.3 girls). Aerobic fitness was negatively associated with body composition measures irrespective of country and sex. Mexican children with low aerobic fitness had higher body composition measures than Canadian and Kenyan children. Muscular fitness was not associated with the body composition measures in Kenyan children but was a weak positive correlate of BMI and waist circumference in Canadian and Mexican children. Conclusion. The current study provides some evidence to support the physical activity transition hypothesis.

Objectives To evaluate effects of stationary cycling to music versus interactive video game cycling on psychosocial functioning in obese adolescents. Methods 30 obese adolescents aged 12-17 years were randomized to twice weekly laboratory-based sessions of stationary cycling to music or interactive video game cycling for a 10-week trial. Participant's self-reported measures of scholastic competence, social competence, athletic competence, body image, and self-esteem were obtained. Aerobic fitness and body composition were directly measured. Results Although no differences emerged between exercise groups over time, when collapsed across exercise modality, significant pre-post improvements were found for body image, perceived scholastic competence and social competence. Changes in aerobic fitness, but not body composition, were positively associated with psychosocial functioning. Conclusions Aerobic exercise was associated with improvements in body image, perceived academic performance, and social competence in obese adolescents, and these psychological benefits were related to improved aerobic fitness but not changes in body composition.

Prenatal life is recognised as a critical period where vital physiological processes may be permanently transformed leading to altered susceptibility to disease risk later in life.1 Accordingly, fetal adaptive responses to the maternal milieu, including the in utero effect of a physically active pregnancy, may influence the long-term health and well-being of the developing child. Is there potentially lifelong significance of maternal exercise on fetal health? Although the recent study published in BJSM by Salvesen et al 2 is timely with respect to the fetal response to extreme levels of maternal exertion in competitive Olympic hopefuls, it has limited applicability to the maternal population at large who are mostly inactive.3 The latter may benefit the most from a physically active, healthful pregnancy. In their study examining fetal response and utero-placental blood flow during strenuous treadmill running in the second trimester, Salvesen et al 2 note that fetal HR was within the normal range as long as maternal exertion was below 90% maternal HRmax; an exercise intensity that few women would routinely work at, nor would be encouraged in a typical maternal population. If maternal HR exceeded 90% of maximum value and uterine artery blood flow was simultaneously less than 50% the initial value, fetal bradycardia occurred. However, despite these concerns, following exercise cessation fetal HR reached baseline values, uterine artery flow volume improved to resting values in most women and all birthweights were within the lower normal range for Norwegian children, which is encouraging. Salvasen and …

STUDY QUESTION Does maternal obesity affect insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis protein expression patterns in maternal and cord blood? SUMMARY ANSWER Maternal obesity attenuates cord blood expression of IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-4. WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS The IGF axis plays a critical role in fetal growth and development. Maternal obesity compromises IGF axis protein expression in fetal circulation, which is consistent with the findings of epidemiological studies suggesting that maternal obesity has an independent effect on fetal growth signals during in utero development. STUDY DESIGN This cross-sectional case-control study involved 12 lean [body mass index (BMI) 18.5-24.9 kg/m2] and 12 obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2) women and their neonates at term. At the completion of the study, IGF axis protein expression and hormone concentrations in both maternal and cord blood were examined. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING We obtained fasting serum samples from cases and controls matched for age, gestation, mode of delivery, parity and glucose tolerance prior to and immediately following elective caesarean section. The corresponding umbilical cord blood was also collected at birth. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Between-group comparisons revealed elevated maternal insulin (P=0.03) and leptin (P