Active commuting to and from university, obesity and metabolic syndrome among Colombian university students

Background: There is limited evidence concerning how active commuting (AC) is associated with health benefits in young. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between AC to and from campus (walking) and obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a sample of Colombian university students. Methods: A total of 784 university students (78.6% women, mean age = 20.1 ± 2.6 years old) participated in the study. The exposure variable was categorized into AC (active walker to campus) and non-AC (non/infrequent active walker to campus: car, motorcycle, or bus) to and from the university on a typical day. MetS was defined in accordance with the updated harmonized criteria of the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Results: The overall prevalence of MetS was 8.7%, and it was higher in non-AC than AC to campus. The percentage of AC was 65.3%. The commuting distances in this AC from/to university were 83.1%, 13.4% and 3.5% for < 2 km, 2- 5 km and > 5 km, respectively. Multiple logistic regressions for predicting unhealthy profile showed that male walking commuters had a lower probability of having obesity [OR = 0.45 (CI 95% 0.25–0.93)], high blood pressure [OR = 0.26 (CI 95% 0.13–0.55)] and low HDL cholesterol [OR = 0.29 (CI 95% 0.14–0.59)] than did passive commuters. Conclusions: Our results suggest that in young adulthood, a key life-stage for the development of obesity and MetS, AC could be associated with and increasing of daily physical activity levels, thereby promoting better cardiometabolic health.This study was part of the project entitled “Body Adiposity Index and Biomarkers of Endothelial and Cardiovascular Health in Adults”, which was funded by Centre for Studies on Measurement of Physical Activity, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario (Code N° FIUR DNBG001) and Universidad de Boyacá (Code N° RECT 60)

EpIG‐DB: A database of vascular epiphyte assemblages in the Neotropics

Vascular epiphytes are a diverse and conspicuous component of biodiversity in tropical and subtropical forests. Yet, the patterns and drivers of epiphyte assemblages are poorly studied in comparison with soil‐rooted plants. Current knowledge about diversity patterns of epiphytes mainly stems from local studies or floristic inventories, but this information has not yet been integrated to allow a better understanding of large‐scale distribution patterns. EpIG‐DB, the first database on epiphyte assemblages at the continental scale, resulted from an exhaustive compilation of published and unpublished inventory data from the Neotropics. The current version of EpIG‐DB consists of 463,196 individual epiphytes from 3,005 species, which were collected from a total of 18,148 relevés (host trees and ‘understory’ plots). EpIG‐DB reports the occurrence of ‘true’ epiphytes, hemiepiphytes and nomadic vines, including information on their cover, abundance, frequency and biomass. Most records (97%) correspond to sampled host trees, 76% of them aggregated in forest plots. The data is stored in a TURBOVEG database using the most up‐to‐date checklist of vascular epiphytes. A total of 18 additional fields were created for the standardization of associated data commonly used in epiphyte ecology (e.g. by considering different sampling methods). EpIG‐DB currently covers six major biomes across the whole latitudinal range of epiphytes in the Neotropics but welcomes data globally. This novel database provides, for the first time, unique biodiversity data on epiphytes for the Neotropics and unified guidelines for future collection of epiphyte data. EpIG‐DB will allow exploration of new ways to study the community ecology and biogeography of vascular epiphytes

State-of-the-art methods for exposure-health studies: Results from the exposome data challenge event

The exposome recognizes that individuals are exposed simultaneously to a multitude of different environmental factors and takes a holistic approach to the discovery of etiological factors for disease. However, challenges arise when trying to quantify the health effects of complex exposure mixtures. Analytical challenges include dealing with high dimensionality, studying the combined effects of these exposures and their interactions, integrating causal pathways, and integrating high-throughput omics layers. To tackle these challenges, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) held a data challenge event open to researchers from all over the world and from all expertises. Analysts had a chance to compete and apply state-of-the-art methods on a common partially simulated exposome dataset (based on real case data from the HELIX project) with multiple correlated exposure variables (P &gt; 100 exposure variables) arising from general and personal environments at different time points, biological molecular data (multi-omics: DNA methylation, gene expression, proteins, metabolomics) and multiple clinical phenotypes in 1301 mother–child pairs. Most of the methods presented included feature selection or feature reduction to deal with the high dimensionality of the exposome dataset. Several approaches explicitly searched for combined effects of exposures and/or their interactions using linear index models or response surface methods, including Bayesian methods. Other methods dealt with the multi-omics dataset in mediation analyses using multiple-step approaches. Here we discuss features of the statistical models used and provide the data and codes used, so that analysts have examples of implementation and can learn how to use these methods. Overall, the exposome data challenge presented a unique opportunity for researchers from different disciplines to create and share state-of-the-art analytical methods, setting a new standard for open science in the exposome and environmental health field

Effects of an exercise program on hepatic metabolism, hepatic fat, and cardiovascular health in overweight/obese adolescents from Bogotá, Colombia (the HEPAFIT study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: A considerable proportion of contemporary youth have a high risk of obesity-related disorders such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although there is consistent evidence for the positive effects of physical activity on several health aspects, most adolescents in Colombia are sedentary. It is, therefore, important to implement strategies that generate changes in lifestyle. The HEPAFIT study aims to examine whether a 6-month exercise program has benefits for hepatic fat content and cardiovascular health outcomes among overweight/obese adolescents from Bogotá, Colombia. Methods/design: Altogether, 100 hundred overweight/obese, sedentary adolescents (aged 11–17 years) attending two public schools in Bogotá, Colombia, will be included in a parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Adolescents will be randomly assigned to an intervention group following one of four curricula: (1) the standard physical education curriculum (60 min per week of physical activity, n = 25) at low-to-moderate intensity; (2) a high-intensity physical education curriculum (HIPE, n = 25), consisting of endurance and resistance games and non-competitive activities, such as running, gymkhanas, lifting, pushing, wrestling, or hauling, for 60-min sessions, three times per week, with an energy expenditure goal of 300 to 500 kcal/session at 75–85% maximum heart rate (HRmax); (3) a low-to-moderate intensity physical education curriculum (LIPE, n = 25) consisting of endurance and resistance games and non-competitive activities (e.g., chasing, sprinting, dribbling, or hopping) for 60-min sessions, three times per week with an energy expenditure goal of 300 kcal/session at 55–75% HRmax; and (4) a combined HIPE and LIPE curriculum (n = 25). The HIPE, LIPE, and combined interventions were performed in addition to the standard physical education curriculum. The primary outcome for effectiveness is liver fat content, as measured by the controlled attenuation parameter 1 week after the end of the intervention program. Discussion: The translational focus may be suitable for collecting new information in a school setting on the possible effects of physical activity interventions to reduce liver fat content and to improve metabolic profiles and the cardiometabolic health of overweight/obese adolescents. This may lead to the more efficient use of school physical education resources.The HEPAFIT study was carried out with the financial support of Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y la Tecnología “Francisco José de Caldas” COLCIENCIAS (code 59700 and no 122277757900). Katherine González-Ruíz receive a scholarship from Universidad del Rosario, Colombia, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, to do a Doctorate. This article presents independent research commissioned by COLCIENCIAS under its Program Grants for Applied Research funding scheme (Convocatoria 777–2017)

MLH1-rheMac hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome in rhesus macaques

Over the past two decades, 33 cases of colonic adenocarcinomas have been diagnosed in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at the nonhuman primate colony of the Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The distinctive feature in these cases, based on PET/computed tomography (CT) imaging, was the presence of two or three tumor lesions in different locations, including proximal to the ileocecal juncture, proximal to the hepatic flexure, and/or in the sigmoid colon. These colon carcinoma lesions selectively accumulated [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) and [18F]fluoroacetate ([18F]FACE) at high levels, reflecting elevated carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism in these tumors. In contrast, the accumulation of [18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]FLT) was less significant, reflecting slow proliferative activity in these tumors. The diagnoses of colon carcinomas were confirmed by endoscopy. The expression of MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 proteins and the degree of microsatellite instability (MSI) was assessed in colon carcinomas. The loss of MLH1 protein expression was observed in all tumors and was associated with a deletion mutation in the MLH1 promoter region and/or multiple single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mutations in the MLH1 gene. All tumors exhibited various degrees of MSI. The pedigree analysis of this rhesus macaque population revealed several clusters of affected animals related to each other over several generations, suggesting an autosomal dominant transmission of susceptibility for colon cancer. The newly discovered hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome in rhesus macaques, termed MLH1-rheMac, may serve as a model for development of novel approaches to diagnosis and therapy of Lynch syndrome in humans

Oxylipin metabolism is controlled by mitochondrial β-oxidation during bacterial inflammation

Oxylipins are potent biological mediators requiring strict control, but how they are removed en masse during infection and inflammation is unknown. Here we show that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dynamically enhances oxylipin removal via mitochondrial β-oxidation. Specifically, genetic or pharmacological targeting of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1), a mitochondrial importer of fatty acids, reveal that many oxylipins are removed by this protein during inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Using stable isotope-tracing lipidomics, we find secretion-reuptake recycling for 12-HETE and its intermediate metabolites. Meanwhile, oxylipin β-oxidation is uncoupled from oxidative phosphorylation, thus not contributing to energy generation. Testing for genetic control checkpoints, transcriptional interrogation of human neonatal sepsis finds upregulation of many genes involved in mitochondrial removal of long-chain fatty acyls, such as ACSL1,3,4, ACADVL, CPT1B, CPT2 and HADHB. Also, ACSL1/Acsl1 upregulation is consistently observed following the treatment of human/murine macrophages with LPS and IFN-γ. Last, dampening oxylipin levels by β-oxidation is suggested to impact on their regulation of leukocyte functions. In summary, we propose mitochondrial β-oxidation as a regulatory metabolic checkpoint for oxylipins during inflammation

Nanotransfection-based vasculogenic cell reprogramming drives functional recovery in a mouse model of ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke causes vascular and neuronal tissue deficiencies that could lead to substantial functional impairment and/or death. Although progenitor-based vasculogenic cell therapies have shown promise as a potential rescue strategy following ischemic stroke, current approaches face major hurdles. Here, we used fibroblasts nanotransfected with Etv2, Foxc2, and Fli1 (EFF) to drive reprogramming-based vasculogenesis, intracranially, as a potential therapy for ischemic stroke. Perfusion analyses suggest that intracranial delivery of EFF-nanotransfected fibroblasts led to a dose-dependent increase in perfusion 14 days after injection. MRI and behavioral tests revealed ~70% infarct resolution and up to ~90% motor recovery for mice treated with EFF-nanotransfected fibroblasts. Immunohistological analysis confirmed increases in vascularity and neuronal cellularity, as well as reduced glial scar formation in response to treatment with EFF-nanotransfected fibroblasts. Together, our results suggest that vasculogenic cell therapies based on nanotransfection-driven (i.e., nonviral) cellular reprogramming represent a promising strategy for the treatment of ischemic stroke