Parental education and physical activity in pre-school children

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to objectively assess pre-school children's total physical activity (TPA) patterns and compliance with guidelines and to examine differences relative to parental education.

METHODS

The sample consisted on 509 healthy pre-school children, aged 3-6 years recruited from kindergartens located in the metropolitan area of Porto, Portugal. The PA was assessed for 7 consecutive days by accelerometry. For TPA, we followed the guidelines of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) (children who spent at least >120  min per day in active play). For TPA, we calculated the proportion of children who spent at least >120  min per day in active play and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), we calculated the proportion of children who spent at least >60  min per day in active play. Parental education was analysed according to the Portuguese education system.

RESULTS

Children with parents in the highest education level were less active than children from low and middle education level (P ≤ 0.001) in all patterns of PA (week and weekend). Regarding TPA during the week we found that the majority of children from low and middle parental education meet the NASPE guidelines. On the other hand, more than half the children from high parental education did not meet these recommendations (P ≤ 0.001) and MVPA recommendations (P ≤ 0.05). In both recommendations, children from low parental education were twice more likely to meet the recommendations compared with children belonging to high parental education.

CONCLUSION

Parent education was negatively associated with children's daily physical activity patterns and compliance with guidelines.

Food restriction increases long-term memory persistence in adult or aged mice

Food restriction (FR) seems to be the unique experimental manipulation that leads to a remarkable increase in lifespan in rodents. Evidences have suggested that FR can enhance memory in distinct animal models mainly during aging. However, only few studies systemically evaluated the effects FR on memory formation in both adult (3-month-old) and aged (18-24-month-old) mice. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acute (12h) or repeated (12h/day for 2days) FR protocols on learning and memory of adult and aged mice evaluated in the plus-maze discriminative avoidance task (PM-DAT), an animal model that concurrently (but independently) evaluates learning and memory, anxiety and locomotion. We also investigated the possible role of FR-induced stress by the corticosterone concentration in adult mice. Male mice were kept at home cage with food ad libitum (CTRL-control condition) or subjected to FR during the dark phase of the cycle for 12h/day or 12h/2days. The FR protocols were applied before training, immediately after it or before testing. Our results demonstrated that only FR for 2days enhanced memory persistence when applied before training in adults and before testing in aged mice. Conversely, FR for 2days impaired consolidation and exerted no effects on retrieval irrespective of age. These effects do not seem to be related to corticosterone concentration. Collectively, these results indicate that FR for 2days can promote promnestic effects not only in aged mice but also in adults.

Relationship of milk intake and physical activity to abdominal obesity among adolescents

What is already known about this subject Diet and physical activity (PA) are recognized as important factors to prevent abdominal obesity (AO). Studies have found an inverse relationship between milk intake or milk products and body weight and/or body fat in children and adolescents. Evidence suggests that low levels of PA are associated with AO in youth. What this study adds Our study explored the combined association of milk intake and PA on AO in adolescents, which are most often studied in isolation. Our findings suggested that adolescents with high milk intakes, regardless of whether they were active or low active, were less likely to have AO. Our findings could have a great epidemiological interest and bring important evidence in the field of AO management among adolescents.

BACKGROUND

Diet and physical activity (PA) are recognized as important factors to prevent abdominal obesity (AO), which is strongly associated with chronic diseases. Some studies have reported an inverse association between milk consumption and AO.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the association between milk intake, PA and AO in adolescents.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1209 adolescents, aged 15-18 from the Azorean Archipelago, Portugal in 2008. AO was defined by a waist circumference at or above the 90th percentile. Adolescent food intake was measured using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and milk intake was categorized as 'low milk intake' (<2 servings per day) or 'high milk intake' (≥2 servings per day). PA was assessed via a self-report questionnaire, and participants were divided into active (>10 points) and low-active groups (≤10 points) on the basis of their reported PA. They were then divided into four smaller groups, according to milk intake and PA: (i) low milk intake/low active; (ii) low milk intake/active; (iii) high milk intake/low active and (iv) high milk intake/active. The association between milk intake, PA and AO was evaluated using logistic regression analysis, and the results were adjusted for demographic, body mass index, pubertal stage and dietary confounders.

RESULTS

In this study, the majority of adolescents consumed semi-skimmed or skimmed milk (92.3%). The group of adolescents with high level of milk intake and active had a lower proportion of AO than did other groups (low milk intake/low active: 34.2%; low milk intake/active: 26.9%; high milk intake/low active: 25.7%; high milk intake/active: 21.9%, P = 0.008). After adjusting for confounders, low-active and active adolescents with high levels of milk intake were less likely to have AO, compared with low-active adolescents with low milk intake (high milk intake/low active, odds ratio [OR] = 0.412, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.201-0.845; high milk intake/active adolescents, OR = 0.445, 95% CI: 0.235-0.845).

CONCLUSION

High milk intake seems to have a protective effect on AO, regardless of PA level.

Maternal perceptions of children's weight status

BACKGROUND

Several studies have addressed mothers' perceptions of their children's weight status; however, there is no investigation on Portuguese children (a country with one of the highest levels of children's overweight and obesity in Europe). The aim of this study was to quantify maternal misclassification of child weight status in a sample of Portuguese children aged 9 to 12 years, according to gender, family income, and maternal weight status, education level and age.

METHODS

Data were collected in a school-based study (school year 2009/2010) in northern Portugal with 499 urban children (236 girls; 47.3%). Body mass index was calculated from measurements of height and weight [body mass (kg)/height (m(2))]. Mothers' perceptions of child's weight status, age, height and weight were accessed by a questionnaire. Children's age, gender and socio-economic status were extracted from the schools' administrative record systems. Cohen's Kappa was used to analyse the misperceptions and the agreement between children's objectively measured weight status and mothers' perception of their child's weight status.

RESULTS

The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in children was 4.6%, 25.5% and 6.4%, respectively. A proportion of 65.2% of underweight and 61.6% of overweight/obese children were misclassified by their mothers. For the majority of variables presented, the values of agreement were fair (k ranged from 0.257 to 0.486), but were statistically significant. Significant differences in the percentages of mothers who correctly classified their children's weight status were only found among the most educated in the overweight/obese group and among the normal-weight mothers in the underweight group.

CONCLUSIONS

Many mothers do not properly recognize their children's weight status and frequently underestimate their children's body size.

Parental exposure to methyl methane sulfonate of three-spined stickleback: contribution of DNA damage in male and female germ cells to further development impairment in progeny

Data regarding the link between DNA integrity of germ cells and the quality of progeny in fish exposed to genotoxicant are scarce although such information is of value to understand genotoxic effects of contaminants in aquatic fauna. This work aimed at studying the consequences of a parental exposure during the breeding season on offspring quality in three-spined stickleback. After in vivo exposure of adult fish to methyl methane sulfonate, a model alkylating compound, a clear increase in DNA damage was observed in erythrocytes of both genders, here used as a biomarker of exposure. MMS exposure significantly affected sperm DNA integrity but neither female fecundity nor fertilization success. In order to understand the contribution of each sex to potential deleterious effects in progeny due to parental exposure, mating of males and females exposed or not to MMS, was carried out. Exposure of both males and females or of males alone led to a significant increase in both mortality during embryo-larval stages and abnormality rate at hatching that appeared to be sensitive stages. Thus, in accordance with recent studies carried out in other freshwater fish species, such development defects in progeny were clearly driven by male genome, known to be devoid of DNA repair capacity in spermatozoa. The next step will be to investigate the link between DNA damage in stickleback sperm and reproductive impairment in natural populations exposed to complex mixture of genotoxicants.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is negatively associated with metabolic risk factors independently of the adherence to a healthy dietary pattern

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and diet have been involved as significant factors towards the prevention of cardio-metabolic diseases. This study aimed to assess the impact of the combined associations of CRF and adherence to the Southern European Atlantic Diet (SEADiet) on the clustering of metabolic risk factors in adolescents.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted on 468 adolescents aged 15-18, from the Azorean Islands, Portugal. We measured fasting glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, waits circumference and height. HOMA, TC/HDL-C ratio and waist-to-height ratio were calculated. For each of these variables, a Z-score was computed by age and sex. A metabolic risk score (MRS) was constructed by summing the Z scores of all individual risk factors. High risk was considered when the individual had ≥ 1 SD of this score. CRF was measured with the 20 m-Shuttle-Run-Test. Adherence to SEADiet was assessed with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression showed that, after adjusting for potential confounders, unfit adolescents with low adherence to SEADiet had the highest odds of having MRS (OR = 9.4; 95%CI:2.6-33.3) followed by the unfit ones with high adherence to the SEADiet (OR = 6.6; 95% CI: 1.9-22.5) when compared to those who were fit and had higher adherence to SEADiet.

CONCLUSIONS

Unfit adolescents showed higher odds of having high MRS, regardless of the adherence to SEADiet suggesting that high CRF may overcome the deleterious effects of low adherence to a healthy dietary pattern in adolescents.

Identification of three new variants of SDHx genes in a cohort of Portuguese patients with extra-adrenal paragangliomas

BACKGROUND

Extra-adrenal paragangliomas (PGL) are rare neoplasms occurring in sporadic and familial forms, the latter mostly in association with germline mutations of SD- HB, SDHC or SDHD genes.

AIM

Characterize frequency and spectrum of germline mutations among a cohort of Portuguese patients with extra-adrenal PGL.

DESIGN

Molecular and clinical data were reviewed on 44 patients referred for genetic testing by a single laboratory.

RESULTS

Genetic analysis identified 11 patients with head and neck PGL (30.6%) positive for SD- Hx gene mutations (6 SDHD, 4 SDHB, 1 SDHC) and 4 patients with abdominal or pelvic PGL (50%) positive for SDHx gene mutations (4 SDHB). Large deletions made up about 20% of the mutations detected. Mutation carriers were younger and more frequently had multiple or malignant PGL than patients without mutations. Only 11% of the head and neck PGL were secretory. In contrast, 100% of the abdominal or pelvic PGL were secretory. Five patients had a malignant PGL (4 SDHB, 1 apparently sporadic). Three novel mutations were identified: two in the SDHD gene (c.411delT [p.Leu139PhefsX29] and c.371_390del20insGG [p.Ala124_Ala130delinsGly]), one in the SDHB gene (c.49A>G [p.Thr17Ala]). The SDHD variant c.411delT [p.Leu139PhefsX29] was present in 3 apparently unrelated patients. Molecular genetic testing of 22 relatives disclosed 16 mutation carriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic analysis identified 15 patients (34.1%) and 16 at-risk individuals (72.7%) positive for SDHx gene mutations. The finding of three novel mutations broadens the mutational profile of the mitochondrial complex II succinate dehydrogenase genes reported in other large European series of patients with paragangliomas. Further studies are needed to clarify whether the high frequency of the SDHD variant c.411delT [p.Leu139PhefsX29] corresponds to a founder mutation.

Milk intake is inversely related to body mass index and body fat in girls

Dairy foods comprise a range of products with varying nutritional content. The intake of dairy products (DPs) has been shown to have beneficial effects on body weight and body fat. This study aimed to examine the independent association between DP intake, body mass index (BMI), and percentage body fat (%BF) in adolescents. A cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted with 1,001 adolescents (418 boys), ages 15-18 years, from the Azorean Archipelago, Portugal. Anthropometric measurements were recorded (weight and height), and %BF was assessed using bioelectric impedance analysis. Adolescent food intake was measured using a self-administered, semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Data were analyzed separately for girls and boys, and separate multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the association between total DP, milk, yogurt, and cheese intake, BMI, and %BF, adjusting for potential confounders. For boys and girls, respectively, total DP consumption was 2.6 ± 1.9 and 2.9 ± 2.5 servings/day (P = 0.004), while milk consumption was 1.7 ± 1.4 and 2.0 ± 1.7 servings/day (P = 0.001), yogurt consumption was 0.5 ± 0.6 and 0.4 ± 0.7 servings/day (P = 0.247), and cheese consumption was 0.4 ± 0.6 and 0.5 ± 0.8 servings/day (P = 0.081). After adjusting for age, birth weight, energy intake, protein, total fat, sugar, dietary fiber, total calcium intake, low-energy reporters, parental education, pubertal stage, and physical activity, only milk intake was negatively associated with BMI and %BF in girls (respectively, girls: β = -0.167, P = 0.013; boys: β = -0.019, P = 0.824 and girls: β = -0.143, P = 0.030; boys: β = -0.051, P = 0.548).

CONCLUSION

We found an inverse association between milk intake and both BMI and %BF only in girls.

Prenatal diagnosis of unilateral proximal femoral focal deficiency at 19 weeks' gestation: case report and review of the literature

Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD) represents a rare and complex deformity manifested by hypoplasia of a variable portion of the femur with shortening of the entire limb. The condition may be unilateral or bilateral and is often associated with other congenital anomalies. Recent technological advances in ultrasound imaging offer the opportunity to detect an increasing number of rare skeletal malformation syndromes whose correct diagnosis is essential for adequate counseling and management of the pregnancy. We report a case of fetal non-familial PFFD diagnosed prenatally using two-dimensional and three-dimensional images. Clinical findings, differential diagnosis and management of this rare skeletal dysplasia are discussed and a review of the recent literature is given.

High levels of C-reactive protein are associated with reduced vagal modulation and low physical activity in young adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cardiac autonomic control derived from heart rate variability (HRV), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and physical activity (PA) levels measured using accelerometers. A total of 80 healthy university students volunteered to participate in this study (20.56 ± 0.82 years, 1.36 ± 1.5 mg/L of hs-CRP). The participants were divided into groups based on tertiles of hs-CRP. Analysis of covariance adjusted to PA was used to assess group differences in HRV. Associations between hs-CRP, HRV indices and PA were analyzed using Pearson's correlation. The participants at the highest tertile of hs-CRP (tertile 3) had lower cardiac vagal modulation (SDNN, tertile 1=78.05 ± 5.9,tertile 2=82.43 ± 5.9,tertile 3=56.03 ± 6.1; SD1, tertile 1=61.27 ± 5.3, tertile 2=62.93 ± 5.4, tertile 3=40.03 ± 5.5). In addition, vagal indices were inversely correlated with hs-CRP but positively correlated with PA (SDNN r=-0.320, SD1 r=-0.377; SDNN r=0.304, SD1 r=0.299; P<0.05). Furthermore, the most physically active subjects had lower levels of hs-CRP and the highest levels of vagal modulation.

Basic as well as detailed neurosonograms can be performed by offline analysis of three-dimensional fetal brain volumes

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility and the processing time of offline analysis of three-dimensional (3D) brain volumes to perform a basic, as well as a detailed, targeted, fetal neurosonogram.

METHODS

3D fetal brain volumes were obtained in 103 consecutive healthy fetuses that underwent routine anatomical survey at 20-23 postmenstrual weeks. Transabdominal gray-scale and power Doppler volumes of the fetal brain were acquired by one of three experienced sonographers (an average of seven volumes per fetus). Acquisition was first attempted in the sagittal and coronal planes. When the fetal position did not enable easy and rapid access to these planes, axial acquisition at the level of the biparietal diameter was performed. Offline analysis of each volume was performed by two of the authors in a blinded manner. A systematic technique of 'volume manipulation' was used to identify a list of 25 brain dimensions/structures comprising a complete basic evaluation, intracranial biometry and a detailed targeted fetal neurosonogram. The feasibility and reproducibility of obtaining diagnostic-quality images of the different structures was evaluated, and processing times were recorded, by the two examiners.

RESULTS

Diagnostic-quality visualization was feasible in all of the 25 structures, with an excellent visualization rate (85-100%) reported in 18 structures, a good visualization rate (69-97%) reported in five structures and a low visualization rate (38-54%) reported in two structures, by the two examiners. An average of 4.3 and 5.4 volumes were used to complete the examination by the two examiners, with a mean processing time of 7.2 and 8.8 minutes, respectively. The overall agreement rate for diagnostic visualization of the different brain structures between the two examiners was 89.9%, with a kappa coefficient of 0.5 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In experienced hands, offline analysis of 3D brain volumes is a reproducible modality that can identify all structures necessary to complete both a basic and a detailed second-trimester fetal neurosonogram.

Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of Miocene angiosperm leaf tissues

Angiosperm leaf fossils (16.7-25 x 10(6) years by potassium/argon dating) referable to Zelkova were isolated from pyroclastic deposits in the Succor Creek Formation, Oregon. These fossils reveal a three-dimensional structure in mesophyll cell layers and vascular bundles, while transmission electron microscopy of fixed tissues reveals well-preserved chloroplasts with grana stacks and starch, as well as nuclei with condensed chromatin. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that cell walls retain a cellulosic microfibrillar architecture, while ultrastructural and cytochemical confirmation is presented for chloroplast starch and the presence of native cellulose. The preservation of cell walls and cytologic structures in fossil materials of this age indicates an unusually mild fossilization process attending the post-depositional maturation of associated sediments. The preservation observed appears to be associated with rapid physical dehydration coupled with endogenous fixation by organic acids (possibly tannins and/or chlorophyll derivatives).

Relationship between PAH biotransformation as measured by biliary metabolites and EROD activity, and genotoxicity in juveniles of sole (Solea solea)

Polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous contaminants in the marine environment. Their toxicity is mainly linked to the ability of marine species to biotransform them into reactive metabolites. PAHs are thus often detected at trace levels in animal tissues. For biomonitoring purposes, this findings have two main consequences, (i) the determination of the PAH tissue concentration is not suitable for the evaluation of individual exposure to PAHs (ii) it can explain sometimes the lack of correlations obtained with relevant markers of toxicity such as genotoxicity biomarkers. The aim of the present study was to better investigate the link between PAH exposure and genotoxicity in marine flatfish. During a laboratory experiment, juvenile soles were exposed for four weeks to a mixture of three PAHs, namely benzo[a]pyrene, fluoranthene and pyrene, followed by one week of depuration. Fish were exposed via the trophic route to a daily PAH concentration of 120 μg/g food. Fish were sampled at different time points. The bioavailability and the biotransformation of PAHs were assessed by the measurement of biliary metabolites using a sensitive UPLC MS/MS method. The 7-ethoxyresorufine-O-deethylase was also measured in liver subcellular fractions as a biomarker of phase I biotransformation activities. Genotoxicity was assessed in parallel by the measurement of DNA strand breaks in fish erythrocytes by the alkaline comet assay. During this study, the high amount of PAH metabolites produced in sole demonstrated the bioavailability of PAHs and their biotransformation by fish enzymes. A positive correlation was observed between the level of hydroxylated PAH metabolites and genotoxicity as measured by the alkaline comet assay.

First insights into the biochemistry of tube foot adhesive from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Echinoidea, Echinodermata)

Sea urchins are common inhabitants of wave-swept shores. To withstand the action of waves, they rely on highly specialized independent adhesive organs, the adoral tube feet. The latter are extremely well-designed for temporary adhesion being composed by two functional subunits: (1) an apical disc that produces an adhesive secretion to fasten the sea urchin to the substratum, as well as a deadhesive secretion to allow the animal to move and (2) a stem that bears the tensions placed on the animal by hydrodynamism. Despite their technological potential for the development of new biomimetic underwater adhesives, very little is known about the biochemical composition of sea urchin adhesives. A characterization of sea urchin adhesives is presented using footprints. The latter contain inorganic residues (45.5%), proteins (6.4%), neutral sugars (1.2%), and lipids (2.5%). Moreover, the amino acid composition of the soluble protein fraction revealed a bias toward six amino acids: glycine, alanine, valine, serine, threonine, and asparagine/aspartic acid, which comprise 56.8% of the total residues. In addition, it also presents higher levels of proline (6.8%) and half-cystine (2.6%) than average eukaryotic proteins. Footprint insolubility was partially overcome using strong denaturing and reducing buffers, enabling the visualization of 13 proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The conjugation of mass spectrometry with homology-database search allowed the identification of six proteins: alpha and beta tubulin, actin, and histones H2B, H3, H2A, and H4, whose location and function in the adhesive are discussed but require further investigation. For the remaining unidentified proteins, five de novo-generated peptide sequences were found that were not present in the available protein databases, suggesting that they might be novel or modified proteins.

Sheep and goat saliva proteome analysis: a useful tool for ingestive behavior research?

Sheep and goats differ in diet selection, which may reflect different abilities to deal with the ingestion of plant secondary metabolites. Although saliva provides a basis for immediate oral information via sensory cues and also a mechanism for detoxification, our understanding of the role of saliva in the pre-gastric control of the intake of herbivores is rudimentary. Salivary proteins have important biological functions, but despite their significance, their expression patterns in sheep and goats have been little studied. Protein separation techniques coupled to mass spectrometry based techniques have been used to obtain an extensive comprehension of human saliva protein composition but far fewer studies have been undertaken on animals' saliva. We used two-dimensional electrophoresis gel analysis to compare sheep and goats parotid saliva proteome. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were used to identify proteins. From a total of 260 sheep and 205 goat saliva protein spots, 117 and 106 were identified, respectively. A high proportion of serum proteins were found in both salivary protein profiles. Major differences between the two species were detected for proteins within the range of 25-35 kDa. This study presents the parotid saliva proteome of sheep and goat and highlights the potential of proteomics for investigation relating to intake behavior research.