Social marketing-based interventions to promote healthy nutrition behaviors: a systematic review protocol

Background: Diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are rapidly increasing worldwide and constitute one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. Improving population diets can play an important role in preventing and managing the diseases. Effective and efficient interventions are needed to promote healthy eating behaviors among people. The objective of this review will be to evaluate the effectiveness of social marketing-based interventions to promote healthy nutrition behaviors. Method: The following electronic databases will be searched from January 1990 onwards: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL. We will include randomized and non-randomized trials, quasi-experimental studies, observational studies (e.g., cohort, cross-sectional, and before and after studies) evaluating the social marketing-based intervention. The primary outcomes will be nutritional behaviors. Secondary outcomes will include the quality of life, nutritional status, and weight status. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The study methodological quality (or bias) will be appraised using an appropriate tool. If feasible, we will conduct random-effects meta-analysis. Additional analyses will be conducted to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity (e.g., age, sex, and socio-economic condition). Discussion: This study will summarize the evidence regarding the interventions� components, implementation methods, and effectiveness of interventions based on the social marketing framework to promote healthy nutrition behaviors. This review can provide policymakers with the information needed to make decisions and plan to promote healthy eating behaviors and understand the factors influencing the implementation of these programs. Systematic review registration: CRD42020163972. © 2021, The Author(s)

Food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation in mice with reduced activity of the melanocortin system

Hypothalamic melanortin receptor (MCR) activation inhibits appetite. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti Related Protein (AgRP) are coexpressed in some hypothalamic neurons and stimulate feeding, NPY via inhibition of MCR-expressing neurons, and AgRP via MCR4 antagonism. Mutation yellow at the mouse agouti locus (Ау) evokes MCR blockage and stimulates appetite in nulliparous females. The role of MCRs in food intake regulation during pregnancy and lactation is unclear. In this study we measured hypothalamic AgRP and NPY mRNA levels in virgin and mated C57Bl a/a (control) and Ау/a females on days 7, 13, 18 of pregnancy, 10, 21 of lactation, and after offspring separation, AgRP immunoreactivity in virgin and lactating females, and correlated gene expression with food intake (FI). Virgin Ау/a compared to a/a females had higher FI and lower AgRP expression. Pregnant Ау/a and a/a mice showed different patterns of food intake and neuropeptide expressions. NPY mRNA levels increased during pregnancy only in a/a mice, while AgRP mRNA levels increased in both genotypes being lower in Ау/a then in a/a mice. In lactating Ау/a and a/a mice, AgRP expression and NPY mRNA level were similar. AgRP expression was higher in lactating then in virgin Ау/a mice. The results obtained demonstrate that in nonbreeding female mice, MCR blockage is associated with AgRP expression inhibition which vanishes in lactation. In lactation, hyperphagia is independent of MCR blockage. In pregnancy, food intake regulation involves MCR signaling and activation of NPY and AgRP expression

Artificial Epitope-Based Immunogens in HIV-Vaccine Design

One of the promising approaches for designing HIV vaccines is construction of synthetic polyepitope HIV-1 immunogen using a wide range of conservative T- and B-cell epitopes of the main virus antigens. In theory this approach helps cope with HIV-1 antigenic variability, focuses immune responses on protective determinants and enables to exclude from the vaccine compound adverse regions of viral proteins that can induce autoantibodies or antibodies enhancing infectivity of virus. The paper presents the experience of our team in development of artificial polyepitope HIV-1 immunogens, which can induce both a humoral response, and responses of cytotoxic (CD8 + CTL) and helpers (CD4 + Th) T-cells. The design of HIV-immunogens has been done using our original software, TEpredict and PolyCTLDesigner. We describe development of the candidate HIV-1/AIDS vaccine – CombiHIVvac, which included two artificial polyepitope immunogens TBI and TCI for stimulating humoral and cellular responses. The results of the specific activity and safety of CombiHIVvac vaccine, obtained during preclinical and clinical trials, are presented

Impact of sex on the adaptation of adult mice to long consumption of sweet-fat diet

In rodents, the most adequate model of human diet-induced obesity is obesity caused by the consumption of a sweet-fat diet (SFD), which causes more pronounced adiposity in females than in males. The aim of this work was to determine the sex-associated effect of SFD on the expression of genes related to carbohydrate-lipid metabolism in adult mice. For 10 weeks, male and female С57Bl mice were fed a standard laboratory chow (Control group) or a diet, which consisted of laboratory chow supplemented with sweet cookies, sunflower seeds and lard (SFD group). Weights of body, liver and fat depots, blood concentrations of hormones and metabolites, liver fat, and mRNA levels of genes involved in regulation of energy metabolism in the liver, perigonadal and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (pgWAT, scWAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) were measured. SFD increased body weight and insulin resistance in mice of both sexes. Female mice that consumed SFD (SFD females) had a greater increase in adiposity than SFD males. SFD females showed a decreased expression of genes related to lipogenesis (Lpl) and glucose metabolism (G6pc, Pklr) in liver, as well as lipogenesis (Lpl, Slca4) and lipolysis (Lipe) in pgWAT, suggesting reduced energy expenditure. In contrast, SFD males showed increased lean mass gain, plasma insulin and FGF21 levels, expressions of Cpt1α gene in pgWAT and scWAT and Pklr gene in liver, suggesting enhanced lipid and glucose oxidation in these organs. Thus, in mice, there are sex-dependent differences in adaptation to SFD at the transcriptional level, which can help to explain higher adiposity in females under SFD consumtion

Sex differences of molecular mechanisms of insulin sensitivity in young and adult C57BL/6J mice

Reduced insulin sensitivity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of type II diabetes. There are sex differences in the development of metabolic disorders. The aim of this work was to investigate the insulin signal transduction gene expression in mice of different sex and age. Male and female C57BL/6J mice were used in our studies. Gene expression was assayed by RT-PCR. It was shown that insulin sensitivity in females was higher than in males regardless of age because the level of glucose in blood plasma of females does not differ from that in males, whereas female insulin levels were lower than male insulin levels. Female glucose tolerance increased with age, and glucose tolerance was higher in females than in males at the age of 30 weeks. It was shown that sex and age affect the expressions of insulin signal transduction genes. It was shown that there are sex differences in the levels of mRNA Pik3cd in the liver, in the levels of mRNA Irs1 in the muscle, in the levels of mRNA Irs1 and Slc2a4 in adipose tissue at the age of 10 weeks, and there are sex differences in the levels of mRNA Irs2 and Pik3cd in the liver, in the levels mRNA Pik3cd and Slc2a4 in the muscle, in the levels mRNA Insr and Pik3cd in adipose tissue at the age of 30 weeks. In young animals, the expression of the genes was higher in females than in males in all tissues. In adult animals, the expression of the genes in the liver was higher in females than in males, the expression of the genes in muscle and adipose tissues were lower in females than in males. In males, the levels of mRNA Insr in the liver and muscles and mRNA Pik3cd in adipose tissue decreased with age, and the level of mRNA Pik3cd in muscles  increased with age. In females, the levels of mRNA Irs1 in muscle and mRNA Pik3cd and Slc2a4 in adipose tissue decreased with age. Thus the molecular basis of sex differences and age-related changes in insulin sensitivity may be a change in expressions of insulin signal transduction genes in the target tissues

Mutation yellow in agouti loci prevents age-related increase of skeletal muscle genes regulating free fatty acids oxidation

The lethal yellow mutation in agouti loci (Ay mutation) reduces the activity of melanocortin (MC) receptors and causes hyperphagia, obesity and type two diabetes mellitus in aging mice (Ay mice). It is unknown if changes in distinct elements of the metabolic system such as white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), and skeletal muscle will manifest before the development of obesity. The aim of this work was to measure the relative gene expression of key proteins that regulate carbohydrate-lipid metabolism in WAT, BAT and skeletal muscle in Ay mice before the development of obesity. C57Bl/6J mice bearing a dominant autosomal mutation Ay (Ay /a mice) and mice of the standard genotype (a/a mice, control) have been studied in three age groups: 10, 15 and 30 weeks. The relative mRNA level of genes was measured by real-time PCR in skeletal muscles (uncoupling protein 3 (Ucp3) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1b (Cpt1b) (free fatty acids oxidation), solute carrier family 2 (facilitated glucose transporter), member 4 (Slc2a4) (glucose uptake)), in WAT lipoprotein lipase (Lpl) (triglyceride deposition), hormone-sensitive lipase (Lipe) (lipid mobilization), and Slc2a4 (glucose uptake)), and in BAT: uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) (energy expenditure). The expression of Cpt1b was reduced in young Ay mice (10 weeks), there was no transient peak of transcription of Cpt1b, Ucp3 in skeletal muscle tissue and Lipe, Slc2a4 in WAT in early adult Ay mice (15 weeks), which was noted in а/а mice. Reduction of the transcriptional activity of the studied genes in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue can initiate the development of melanocortin obesity in Ay mice

THE APPLICATION OF FUZZY SETS THEORY IN THE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ASSESSING PERSONNEL RISKS OF AN ENTERPRISE

The main idea of this paper is the substantiation of the methodological approach to the assessment of personnel risks of enterprises based on the application of the fuzzy logic apparatus in order to identify the problems of personnel risk management and provide appropriate recommendations for their solution. The methodological basis of the study is the classic provisions and fundamental works of foreign and domestic scientists, statistical data, the results of our research into the problems of assessing personnel risks of enterprises. The methods of fuzzy set theory, comparative analysis, scientific abstraction, generalization of scientific experience of modern theoretical research, systemcomplex approach were used. The study proposed a methodological approach to assessing the level of personnel risks of an enterprise; numerical experiments were conducted on the basis of a group of construction equipment manufacturers. Analysis of the results of assessing the level of personnel risks of enterprises made it possible to identify the problems of managing personnel risks at enterprises Statement of a mathematical problem: the work considers hierarchical fuzzy data, namely: four groups of indicators for assessing the level of personnel risks (quantitative composition – F1, state of qualifications and intellectual potential – F2, staff turnover – F3, motivational system – F4), each of the indicators has a different number of fuzzy coefficients (there are twelve of them in the current work – vi , i=1÷12). Indicators are functions of fuzzy coefficients: F1 = r(v1, v2, v3); F2 = g(v4,v5, v6, v7); F3 = h(v8, v9, v10,); F4=q(v11, v12). As an output variable, there is a functional – an integrated indicator Int = f(F1, F2, F3, F4) of the personnel risk level, which, in turn, is also a fuzzy value. Here, the functions r, g, h, q, f are unknown functions of the given variables. We have expert evaluations of the change in all input data; as a rule, they vary within three terms: Low (I), Medium (G), High (E). Formalized information on each variable can be written as , then for a group of indicators we have: . Using a fuzzy system and performing calculations with its help requires the system to have the following structural elements: membership functions of input and output variables, a rule base, and an output mechanism. These structural elements are the components that will be built when designing a fuzzy system. The built mathematical model and the method of its formalization on the basis of FST make it possible to estimate the level of personnel risk at the enterprise, which enables further substantiation of a set of measures to increase the efficiency of its use. The constructed system of fuzzy logical inference can be considered intelligent as it uses elements of computational intelligence, in particular, the theory of fuzzy sets. The proposed methodological approach to assessing the level of personnel risks of enterprises based on the apparatus of fuzzy logic allows, in contrast to existing ones, to integrate the consideration of both qualitative and quantitative indicators when assessing the level of personnel risks and personnel movement indicators and to significantly increase the efficiency of decision-making under conditions of uncertainty and reduce costs in the event of adverse situations

Sex differences in the expression of lipid oxidation and glucose uptake genes in muscles of fasted mice

Fasting has become increasingly popular for treatment and prevention of obesity. Sex differences in the mechanisms of adaptation to fasting may contribute to choosing a therapeutic strategy for correction of metabolic disorders. Hepatokine fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is involved in the adaptation to fasting. Muscles are assumed to be the main energy-consuming tissue in the body, as muscle metabolism plays an important role in the adaptation to nutritional deficit. However, there is still little information on sex differences in muscle and FGF21 physiological response to fasting. Our aim was to find out whether there were sex differences in hormonal regulation and the expression of genes controlling glucose and lipid metabolism in skeletal muscles in response to fasting. We estimated the effect of 24-hour fasting on the expression of genes involved in lipid (Ucp3, Cpt1) and carbohydrate (Slc2a4) metabolism in muscles and evaluated changes in body weight and blood plasma levels of glucose, insulin, free fatty acids (FFA), adiponectin, and FGF21 in male and female C57BL/6J mice. None of the genes studied (Ucp3, Cpt1 and Slc2a4) showed sex-related changes at mRNA levels in control groups, but females exposed to fasting demonstrated a significant increase in the expression of all genes as compared to control. Fasting significantly decreased body weight and glucose blood plasma levels in animals of both sexes but exerted no effect on the levels of insulin or FFA. The adiponectin and FGF21 levels were increased in response to fasting, the increase in females being significant. We were first to show sex dimorphism in muscle gene expression and FGF21 blood level in response to fasting. In females, the greater increase in FGF21 and adiponectin blood levels was positively associated with the greater upregulation of lipid oxidation and glucose uptake gene expression

Magnetoresistive study of antiferromagnetic--weak ferromagnetic transition in single-crystal La2_{2}CuO4+δ_{4+\delta}

The resistive measurements were made to study the magnetic field-induced antiferromagnetic (AF) - weak ferromagnetic (WF) transition in La$_2$CuO$_4$ single-crystal. The magnetic field (DC or pulsed) was applied normally to the CuO$_2$ layers. The transition manifested itself in a drastic decrease of the resistance in critical fields of ~5-7 T. The study is the first to display the effect of the AF -WF transition on the conductivity of the La$_2$CuO$_4$ single-crystal in the parallel - to - CuO$_2$ layers direction. The results provide support for the 3-dimensional nature of the hopping conduction of this layered oxide.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, RevTe

Sensitive Search for a Permanent Muon Electric Dipole Moment

We are proposing a new method to carry out a dedicated search for a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of the muon with a sensitivity at a level of 10^{-24} e cm. The experimental design exploits the strong motional electric field sensed by relativistic particles in a magnetic storage ring. As a key feature, a novel technique has been invented in which the g-2 precession is compensated with radial electric field. This technique will benefit greatly when the intense muon sources advocated by the developers of the muon storage rings and the muon colliders become available.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures. Submitted for publication in Proceedings of the International Workshop on High Intensity Muon Sources (HIMUS99), KEK, Japan, December 1-4 199