Teeth and heavyset kids: Intervention similarities between childhood obesity and oral health interventions within Native American societies

A systematic literature review was conducted focusing on childhood obesity and oral health interventions which may have relevance to Native American children, their families, and their communities. Childhood obesity and oral health have become a significant problem across Indian Country. Subsequently, a number of oral health and obesity interventions are emerging developed for ethnic minority populations including Native Americans. The objective of this review was to determine best practices of various obesity and oral health interventions used with Native youth. The review found a number of prevalence related studies showing both health conditions were concerns within Native American societies (n=94). A small portion of these studies were intervention studies linking these co-occurring conditions (n=26). Findings also discovered a dearth of oral health interventions whereas the majority was obesity focused. Findings indicated that interventions focused on multi-year environmental modifications. These included culturally tailored adaptations to intervention techniques and environmental medications that promoted healthy eating in school based delivery systems. These included food preparation education, inclusion of family, and structured physical education. Other findings showed policy intervention in both oral health and obesity arena were helpful at the community level

The Nanostructure of Myoendothelial Junctions Contributes to Signal Rectification between Endothelial and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Micro-anatomical structures in tissues have potential physiological effects. In arteries and arterioles smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells are separated by the internal elastic lamina, but the two cell layers often make contact through micro protrusions called myoendothelial junctions. Cross talk between the two cell layers is important in regulating blood pressure and flow. We have used a spatiotemporal mathematical model to investigate how the myoendothelial junctions affect the information flow between the two cell layers. The geometry of the model mimics the structure of the two cell types and the myoendothelial junction. The model is implemented as a 2D axi-symmetrical model and solved using the finite element method. We have simulated diffusion of Ca2+ and IP3 between the two cell types and we show that the micro-anatomical structure of the myoendothelial junction in itself may rectify a signal between the two cell layers. The rectification is caused by the asymmetrical structure of the myoendothelial junction. Because the head of the myoendothelial junction is separated from the cell it is attached to by a narrow neck region, a signal generated in the neighboring cell can easily drive a concentration change in the head of the myoendothelial protrusion. Subsequently the signal can be amplified in the head, and activate the entire cell. In contrast, a signal in the cell from which the myoendothelial junction originates will be attenuated and delayed in the neck region as it travels into the head of the myoendothelial junction and the neighboring cell

Molecular requirements of the B-cell antigen receptor for sensing monovalent antigens

How the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) is activated upon interaction with its cognate antigen or with anti-BCR antibodies is not fully understood. We have recently shown that B-cell activation is accompanied by the opening of the pre-organized BCR oligomers, an observation that strengthens the role of receptor reorganization in signalling. We have now analysed the BCR oligomer opening and signalling upon treatment with different monovalent stimuli. Our results indicate that monovalent antigens are able to disturb and open the BCR oligomer, but that this requires the presence and activity of the Src family kinase (SFK) Lyn. We have also shown that monovalent Fab fragments of anti-BCR antibodies can open the BCR oligomers as long as they directly interact with the antigen-binding site. We found that monovalent antigen binding opens both the IgM-BCR and IgD-BCR, but calcium signalling is only seen in cells expressing IgM-BCR; this provides a molecular basis for IgM- and IgD-BCR functional segregation