Differential Relationship between Physical Activity and Intake of Added Sugar and Nutrient-Dense Foods: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

A curvilinear relationship exists between physical activity (PA) and dietary energy intake (EI), which is reduced in moderately active when compared to inactive and highly active individuals, but the impact of PA on eating patterns remains poorly understood. Our goal was to establish the relationship between PA and intake of foods with varying energy and nutrient density. Data from the 2009–2010 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to include a Dietary Screener Questionnaire for estimated intakes of added sugar, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fiber, and dairy. Participants (n = 4766; 49.7% women) were divided into sex-specific quintiles based on their habitual PA. After adjustment for age, body mass index, household income, and education, intakes were compared between PA quartiles, using the lowest activity quintile (Q1) as reference. Women in the second to fourth quintile (Q2-Q4) consumed less added sugar from sugary foods (+2 tsp/day) and from sweetened beverages (+2 tsp/day; all p \u3c 0.05 vs. Q1). In men, added sugar intake was elevated in the highest activity quintile (Q5: +3 ± 1 tsp/day, p = 0.007 vs. Q1). Fruit and vegetable intake increased (women: Q1-Q4 +0.3 ± 0.1 cup eq/day; p \u3c 0.001; men: Q1-Q3 +0.3 ± 0.1 cup eq/day, p = 0.002) and stagnated in higher quintiles. Dairy intake increased with PA only in men (Q5: +0.3 ± 0.1 cup eq/day, p \u3c 0.001 vs. Q1). Results demonstrate a differential relationship between habitual PA and dietary intakes, whereby moderate but not necessarily highest PA levels are associated with reduced added sugar and increased nutrient-dense food consumption. Future research should examine specific mechanisms of food choices at various PA levels to ensure dietary behaviors (i.e., increased sugary food intake) do not negate positive effects of PA

Australian health policy on access to medical care for refugees and asylum seekers

Since the tightening of Australian policy for protection visa applicants began in the 1990s, access to health care has been increasingly restricted to asylum seekers on a range of different visa types. This paper summarises those legislative changes and discusses their implications for health policy relating to refugees and asylum seekers in Australia. Of particular concern are asylum seekers on Bridging Visas with no work rights and no access to Medicare. The paper examines several key questions: What is the current state of play, in terms of health screening and medical care policies, for asylum seekers and refugees? Relatedly, how has current policy changed from that of the past? How does Australia compare with other countries in relation to health policy for asylum seekers and refugees? These questions are addressed with the aim of providing a clear description of the current situation concerning Australian health policy on access to medical care for asylum seekers and refugees. Issues concerning lack of access to appropriate health care and related services are raised, ethical and practical issues are explored, and current policy gaps are investigated

Cortex-wide, cellular-resolution two-photon microscopy

Functional imaging of the mouse brain in its extreme complexity involves substantial trade-offs. An optical intrinsic spectroscopy system can image the entire cortex but at the expense of spatial and temporal resolution [1]. A two-photon microscope (TPM) can image single neurons with high temporal resolution, but the field of view (FOV) is generally restricted. Advanced techniques like random-access scanning allow for imaging single neurons that are millimeters apart but only by ignoring the neurons and tissue in between [2]. By carefully considering the properties of the optical components as well as the imaging requirements, we present a TPM capable of imaging nearly the entire mouse cortex with 15 Hz frame rates and single neuron resolution. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Ofd1 Controls Dorso-Ventral Patterning and Axoneme Elongation during Embryonic Brain Development.

Oral-facial-digital type I syndrome (OFDI) is a human X-linked dominant-male-lethal developmental disorder caused by mutations in the OFD1 gene. Similar to other inherited disorders associated to ciliary dysfunction OFD type I patients display neurological abnormalities. We characterized the neuronal phenotype that results from Ofd1 inactivation in early phases of mouse embryonic development and at post-natal stages. We determined that Ofd1 plays a crucial role in forebrain development, and in particular, in the control of dorso-ventral patterning and early corticogenesis. We observed abnormal activation of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), a major pathway modulating brain development. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated that early Ofd1 inactivation results in the absence of ciliary axonemes despite the presence of mature basal bodies that are correctly orientated and docked. Ofd1 inducible-mediated inactivation at birth does not affect ciliogenesis in the cortex, suggesting a developmental stage-dependent role for a basal body protein in ciliogenesis. Moreover, we showed defects in cytoskeletal organization and apical-basal polarity in Ofd1 mutant embryos, most likely due to lack of ciliary axonemes. Thus, the present study identifies Ofd1 as a developmental disease gene that is critical for forebrain development and ciliogenesis in embryonic life, and indicates that Ofd1 functions after docking and before elaboration of the axoneme in vivo

An Examination of Estimated BMI and Perceived Wellness among Students at a Midsized Midwest University

Health is complex and the perception of individual wellness can be influenced by various factors. Students at a Midwestern university estimated their BMI, completed the Perceived Wellness Survey, and had their BMI calculated. Measured BMI was significantly higher than estimated [F(2,155) = 62.03, p = 0.001]. Associations existed between the measured constructs of psychological (r = -0.231; p = 0.004), spiritual (r = 0.248; p = 0.002), and estimated BMI. Data indicates that perceived body composition is related to wellness. False perception of body composition could lead to wellness deficiencies

Diaminobenzidine photoconversion is a suitable tool for tracking the intracellular location of fluorescently labelled nanoparticles at transmission electron microscopy.

Chitosan-based nanoparticles (NPs) deserve particular attention as suitable drug carriers in the field of pharmaceutics, since they are able to protect the encapsulated drugs and/or improve their efficacy by making them able to cross biological barriers (such as the blood-brain barrier) and reach their intracellular target sites. Understanding the intracellular location of NPs is crucial for designing drug delivery strategies. In this study, fluorescently-labelled chitosan NPs were administered in vitro to a neuronal cell line, and diaminobenzidine (DAB) photoconversion was applied to correlate fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy to precisely describe the NPs intracellular fate. This technique allowed to demonstrate that chitosan NPs easily enter neuronal cells, predominantly by endocytosis; they were found both inside membrane-bounded vesicles and free in the cytosol, and were observed to accumulate around the cell nucleus