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Abstract Background Obesity is epidemic in primary care. While family physicians care for the consequences of obesity, they do not generally feel confident managing obesity itself. We examined the barriers to obesity management in a sample of family physicians in a primary care practice-based research network (PBRN). Findings 204 family physicians were invited to respond to a survey on physician beliefs about obese patients and causes of obesity. A total of 75 physicians responded to the survey. Responses were factor analyzed using standard techniques. Comments were sorted into ranked themes by the investigators. The results show systemic barriers to obesity management. Seven general factors were identified, with some discrepancy seen in the role of "psychobehavioral causation" between rural and non-rural physicians. Themes derived from the comments reflected frustration with the resources and structure of current primary care systems to be able to deal with obesity. Conclusions Our pilot survey suggests that differences in beliefs regarding the causes of obesity may exist between rural and non-rural physicians. Further research in larger, more diverse samples is necessary to further illuminate practice differences. More comprehensive approaches to obesity management, like the Chronic Care Model, are suggested by these results.

Abstract Background The effects of Plasmodium falciparum on B-cell homeostasis have not been well characterized. This study investigated whether an episode of acute malaria in young children results in changes in the peripheral B cell phenotype. Methods Using flow-cytofluorimetric analysis, the B cell phenotypes found in the peripheral blood of children aged 2–5 years were characterized during an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria and four weeks post-recovery and in healthy age-matched controls. Results There was a significant decrease in CD19+ B lymphocytes during acute malaria. Characterization of the CD19+ B cell subsets in the peripheral blood based on expression of IgD and CD38 revealed a significant decrease in the numbers of naive 1 CD38-IgD+ B cells while there was an increase in CD38+IgD- memory 3 B cells during acute malaria. Further analysis of the peripheral B cell phenotype also identified an expansion of transitional CD10+CD19+ B cells in children following an episode of acute malaria with up to 25% of total CD19+ B cell pool residing in this subset. Conclusion Children experiencing an episode of acute uncomplicated clinical malaria experienced profound disturbances in B cell homeostasis.

Dietary treatment is important in management of type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, but uncertainty exists about the optimal diet. We randomized adults (n = 34) with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) > 6.0% and elevated body weight (BMI > 25) to a very low-carbohydrate ketogenic (LCK) diet (n = 16) or a moderate-carbohydrate, calorie-restricted, low-fat (MCCR) diet (n = 18). All participants were encouraged to be physically active, get sufficient sleep, and practice behavioral adherence strategies based on positive affect and mindful eating. At 12 months, participants in the LCK group had greater reductions in HbA1c levels (estimated marginal mean (EMM) at baseline = 6.6%, at 12 mos = 6.1%) than participants in MCCR group (EMM at baseline = 6.9%, at 12 mos = 6.7%), p = .007. Participants in the LCK group lost more weight (EMM at baseline = 99.9 kg, at 12 mos = 92.0 kg) than participants in the MCCR group (EMM at baseline = 97.5 kg, at 12 mos = 95.8 kg), p

INTRODUCTION: A recently developed mild behavioral impairment (MBI) diagnostic framework standardizes the early characterization of neuropsychiatric symptoms in older adults. However, the joint contributions of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology and brain function to MBI remain unclear. METHODS: We test a novel model assessing direct relationships between AD biomarker status and MBI symptoms, as well as mediated effects through segregation of the salience and default‐mode networks, using data from 128 participants with diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia—AD type. RESULTS: We identified a mediated effect of tau positivity on MBI through functional segregation of the salience network from the other high‐level, association networks. There were no direct effects of AD biomarkers status on MBI. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that tau pathology contributes to MBI primarily by disrupting salience network function and emphasize the role of the salience network in mediating relationships between neuropathological changes and behavioral manifestations. Highlights: Network segregation mediates Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology impact on mild behavioral impairment (MBI).The salience network is pivotal in linking tau pathology and MBI.This study used path analysis with AD biomarkers and network integrity.The study evaluated the roles of salience, default mode, and frontoparietal networks.This is the first study to integrate MBI with AD biomarkers and network functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrition is essential for peripheral nerve function, yet dietary factors associated with chronic chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) remain poorly characterized. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine differences in diet quality and macronutrients for cancer survivors with and without CIPN. Cancer survivors (e.g., ≥3 months post platinum and/or taxane-based neurotoxic chemotherapy) with (i.e., ≥1/4 PRO-CTACE™ Numbness and Tingling Severity) and without CIPN completed the VioScreen Research Graphical Food Frequency Questionnaire. The association among diet (Healthy Eating Index [HEI]), macronutrient intake (average percent caloric intake), and CIPN severity were analyzed using generalized linear regression models, adjusting for caloric intake, body mass index, age, and sex. Results revealed that for each one-point increase in diet quality, PRO-CTCAE severity decreased by −0.06 (95% CI: −0.10, −0.02, P < 0.01). Participants without CIPN reported higher diet quality than those with CIPN (HEI mean: 70.11 vs 68.45) (OR = 0.94, P = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99). Participants with CIPN had significantly higher carbohydrate consumption than participants without CIPN (OR = 1.11, P = 0.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.22). There were no significant differences in consumption of proteins or fats between groups. Further research should be pursued to discover the potential benefits of dietary interventions for CIPN management among cancers survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]