Should I give kids money? The role of pocket money on at-risk behaviors in Italian adolescents

Background. Discussion on the impact of pocket money on positive behaviors is still debated. Objective. To investigate the effect of diverse money allowance schemes on risky behaviors (smoking, alcohol, binge drinking, drug use, gambling) during adolescence. Method. 989 students aged 15 from Lombardy (Italy) reported information on money availability in the 2018 wave of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. To analyze the relationship between money availability and risky behaviors we computed odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals through unconditional multiple logistic regression models. Results. Spending more than 10€ weekly was associated with higher likelihood to smoke, binge drink or gamble. Receiving pocket money (rather than receiving money upon request) was related to higher likelihood to engage in risky behaviors. Conclusions. Pocket money may have a negative impact on adolescents, particularly with a substantial amount of money. More research is needed to understand why providing money only if needed may serve as a protective factor against risky behaviors

Angiopoietin-1 promotes functional neovascularization that relieves ischemia by improving regional reperfusion in a swine chronic myocardial ischemia model

10.1007/s11373-006-9082-xJournal of Biomedical Science134579-59

Promoting early neovascularization by allotransplanted adipose-derived Muse cells in an ovine model of acute myocardial infarction.

BackgroundRecent preclinical studies have demonstrated that bone marrow (BM)-derived Muse cells have a homing mechanism to reach damaged cardiac tissue while also being able to reduce myocardial infarct size and improve cardiac function; however, the potential of BM-Muse cells to foster new blood-vessel formation has not been fully assessed. Up to date, adipose tissue (AT)-derived Muse cells remain to be studied in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of the present study was to analyze in vitro and in vivo the neovascularization capacity of AT-Muse cells while exploring their biodistribution and differentiation potential in a translational ovine model of AMI.Methods and resultsAT-Muse cells were successfully isolated from ovine adipose tissue. In adult sheep, one or more diagonal branches of the left anterior descending coronary artery were permanently ligated for thirty minutes. Sheep were randomized in two groups and treated with intramyocardial injections: Vehicle (PBS, n = 4) and AT-Muse (2x107 AT-Muse cells labeled with PKH26 Red Fluorescent Dye, n = 4). Molecular characterization showed higher expression of angiogenic genes (VEGF, PGF and ANG) and increased number of tube formation in AT-Muse cells group compared to Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) group. At 7 days post-IAM, the AT-Muse group showed significantly more arterioles and capillaries than the Vehicle group. Co-localization of PKH26+ cells with desmin, sarcomeric actin and troponin T implied the differentiation of Muse cells to a cardiac fate; moreover, PKH26+ cells also co-localized with a lectin marker, suggesting a possible differentiation to a vascular lineage.ConclusionIntramyocardially administered AT-Muse cells displayed a significant neovascularization activity and survival capacity in an ovine model of AMI

Plasmid-mediated VEGF gene transfer induces cardiomyogenesis and reduces myocardial infarct size in sheep

We have recently reported that in pigs with chronic myocardial ischemia heart transfection with a plasmid encoding the 165 isoform of human vascular endothelial growth factor (pVEGF165) induces an increase in the mitotic index of adult cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocyte hyperplasia. On these bases we hypothesized that VEGF gene transfer could also modify the evolution of experimental myocardial infarct. In adult sheep pVEGF165 (3.8 mg, n=7) or empty plasmid (n=7) was injected intramyocardially 1 h after coronary artery ligation. After 15 days infarct area was 11.3±1.3% of the left ventricle in the VEGF group and 18.2±2.1% in the empty plasmid group (P<0.02). The mechanisms involved in infarct size reduction (assessed in additional sheep at 7 and 10 days after infarction) included an increase in early angiogenesis and arteriogenesis, a decrease in peri-infarct fibrosis, a decrease in myofibroblast proliferation, enhanced cardiomyoblast proliferation and mitosis of adult cardiomyocytes with occasional cytokinesis. Resting myocardial perfusion (99mTc-sestamibi SPECT) was higher in VEGF-treated group than in empty plasmid group 15 days after myocardial infarction. We conclude that plasmid-mediated VEGF gene transfer reduces myocardial infarct size by a combination of effects including neovascular proliferation, modification of fibrosis and cardiomyocyte regeneration.Fil: Vera Janavel, G.. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Crottogini, Alberto José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Cabeza Meckert, Patricia. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Cuniberti, Luis Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Mele, A.. Fundación Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Papouchado, Mariana. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, N.. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Bercovich, A.. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Criscuolo, M.. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Melo, C.. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Laguens, Rubén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentin

Repeated, but not single, VEGF gene transfer affords protection against ischemic muscle lesions in rabbits with hindlimb ischemia

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene transfer-mediated angiogenesis has been proposed for peripheral artery disease. However, protocols using single administration have shown little benefit. Given that the transient nature of VEGF gene expression provokes instability of neovasculature, we hypothesized that repeated administration would provide efficient tissue protection. We thus compared single vs repeated transfection in a rabbit model of hindlimb ischemia by injecting a plasmid encoding human VEGF165 (pVEGF165) at 7 (GI, n=10) or 7 and 21 (GII, n=10) days after surgery. Placebo animals (GIII, n=10) received empty plasmid. Fifty days after surgery, single and repeated administration similarly increased saphenous peak flow velocity and quantity of angiographically visible collaterals. However, microvasculature increased only with repeated transfection: capillary density was 49.4±15.4 capillaries per 100 myocytes in GI, 84.6±14.7 in GII (P<0.01 vs GI and GIII) and 49.3±13.6 in GIII, and arteriolar density was 1.9±0.6 arterioles per mm2 in GI, 3.0±0.9 in GII (P<0.01 vs GI and GIII) and 1.5±0.6 in GIII. Muscle lesions were reduced only within repeated transfection. With single administration, gene expression peaked at 7 days and declined rapidly, but with repeated administration, it remained positive at 50 days. At 90 days of repeated transfection (additional animals), gene expression decreased significantly, but neovessel densities did not. Thus, repeated, but not single, VEGF gene transfection resulted in increased microvasculature, which, in turn, afforded effective protection against ischemic muscle damage.Fil: Olea, Fernanda Daniela. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Vera Janavel, G.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Cuniberti, Luis Alberto. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Yannarelli, Gustavo Gabriel. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cabeza Meckert, Patricia. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Cors, J.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Valdivieso, L.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Lev, G.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Mendiz, O.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Bercovich, A.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Criscuolo, M.. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Melo, C.. Biosidus S. A.; ArgentinaFil: Laguens, R.. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Crottogini, Alberto José. Universidad Favaloro. Área de Investigación y Desarrollo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin