Knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with vitamin D supplementation: A cross-sectional online community survey of adults in the UK

OBJECTIVE: Assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of a diverse population. Identify barriers and facilitators that inform routine vitamin D supplementation and self-care in the community setting. DESIGN: Cross-sectional online voluntary survey. Electronic survey link published on college Qualtrics platform and advertised widely. Study information provided with Participant Information Sheet. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 556 community dwelling adults across the UK. METHODS: The overarching study included two phases, incorporating quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This paper reports findings from the first phase of the FABCOM-D (Facilitators and Barriers to Community (Healthy) Vitamin D status) study. Online survey questions were iteratively developed after background literature searches and piloted to ensure clarity and ease of understanding. Survey responses summarised using frequencies and percentages, and univariable and multivariable logistic regression models explored for any association. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys guided reporting. Statistical analysis performed using IBM SPSS software. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness of vitamin D information sources, health benefits and testing. Attitudes to supplementation, sun exposure and fortification. RESULTS: Three quarters of the community had some awareness of vitamin D and around half were taking supplements. The two most trusted sources of information included health professionals and the NHS website. Participants were willing to pay for supplements, supporting a self-care agenda. With increasing age, there was significant reduced intake of vitamin D supplements. This aspect needs to be explored further as this could be a concern in deficiency status in the elderly. There was acceptance of food fortification but uncertainty on how to balance food intake with supplementation. CONCLUSION: We were successful in eliciting views on KAPs around vitamin D from a community population including a large proportion of Black and Minority Ethnic individuals. The community wanted information and guidance to help manage individual vitamin D status, especially for high-risk groups, and on balancing supplementation, food fortification and sun exposure

Electrophysiology of glioma: a Rho GTPase-activating protein reduces tumor growth and spares neuron structure and function

Background. Glioblastomas are the most aggressive type of brain tumor. A successful treatment should aim at halting tumor growth and protecting neuronal cells to prevent functional deficits and cognitive deterioration. Here, we exploited a Rho GTPase-activating bacterial protein toxin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1), to interfere with glioma cell growth in vitro and vivo. We also investigated whether this toxin spares neuron structure and function in peritumoral areas. Methods. We performed a microarray transcriptomic and in-depth proteomic analysis to characterize the molecular changes triggered by CNF1 in glioma cells. We also examined tumor cell senescence and growth in vehicle-and CNF1-treated glioma-bearing mice. Electrophysiological and morphological techniques were used to investigate neuronal alterations in peritumoral cortical areas. Results. Administration of CNF1 triggered molecular and morphological hallmarks of senescence in mouse and human glioma cells in vitro. CNF1 treatment in vivo induced glioma cell senescence and potently reduced tumor volumes. In peritumoral areas of glioma-bearing mice, neurons showed a shrunken dendritic arbor and severe functional alterations such as increased spontaneous activity and reduced visual responsiveness. CNF1 treatment enhanced dendritic length and improved several physiological properties of pyramidal neurons, demonstrating functional preservation of the cortical network. Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that CNF1 reduces glioma volume while at the same time maintaining the physiological and structural properties of peritumoral neurons. These data indicate a promising strategy for the development of more effective antiglioma therapies

Investigation into impact of train speed for behaviour of ballasted railway track foundations

Traffic congestion of highways in many countries around the world has led railways to become the most popular means of public transportation, which increased the demand for faster and heavier trains. High-speed trains and heavy train loads are normally accompanied with strong vibrations in the track-ground system, which increases the risk of train derailment and track damages. Therefore, to allow for safer and reliable operation of high-speed trains, an investigation into the behavior of ballasted railway track foundations subjected to train moving loads at various speeds is a subject of prime importance in design of railway tracks. In the current study, sophisticated three dimensional (3D) finite elements (FE) numerical modelling was developed to investigate the impact of train speed on the dynamic response of track-ground system. In addition, some factors of the track-ground system affecting the critical speed including the modulus and thickness of track subgrade and ballast materials, and amplitude of train loading were investigated. The results were analyzed and presented, and their practical implications were discussed

Modelling complex cracks with finite elements: a kinematically enriched constitutive model

A continuum constitutive framework with embedded cohesive interface model is presented to describe the failure of quasi-brittle materials. Both cohesive behaviour for cracking inside the fracture process zone and elastic bulk behaviour are treated at integration points making implementation straightforward. In this sense, the proposed approach is simpler than existing ones that focus on element enrichments, such as the extended finite element method, while share similarities with smeared crack models, and offers the capability to correctly model quasi-brittle failure in post-peak regime at constitutive level. In this work, the formulation is introduced, numerical algorithms described and static and dynamic fracture simulations with complex crack patterns are conducted to demonstrate the capability and advantage of the proposed approach.ARC DP140100945, ARC FT140100408, ARC DE 15010170

Modelling complex cracks with finite elements: a kinematically enriched constitutive model

A continuum constitutive framework with embedded cohesive interface model is presented to describe the failure of quasi-brittle materials. Both cohesive behaviour for cracking inside the fracture process zone and elastic bulk behaviour are treated at integration points making implementation straightforward. In this sense, the proposed approach is simpler than existing ones that focus on element enrichments, such as the extended finite element method, while share similarities with smeared crack models, and offers the capability to correctly model quasi-brittle failure in post-peak regime at constitutive level. In this work, the formulation is introduced, numerical algorithms described and static and dynamic fracture simulations with complex crack patterns are conducted to demonstrate the capability and advantage of the proposed approach.ARC DP140100945, ARC FT140100408, ARC DE 15010170

Fortaleciendo el ambiente propicio para la aprobación de la Guía de atención al aborto terapéutico en Costa Rica

Desarrollar procesos de información/sensibilización dirigidos personas tomadoras de decisión de instituciones estatales sobre la necesidad de aprobar la Guía ITE, como una manera de atender las recomendaciones hechas por el Comité CEDAW y el Comité sobre los Derechos del Niño, y cumplir con los compromisos adquiridos en el sistema internacional de derechos humano

MEK1 Inhibits Cardiac PPARα Activity by Direct Interaction and Prevents Its Nuclear Localization

BACKGROUND: The response of the postnatal heart to growth and stress stimuli includes activation of a network of signal transduction cascades, including the stress activated protein kinases such as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) pathways. In response to increased workload, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) MEK1 has been shown to be active. Studies embarking on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades in the heart have indicated peroxisome-proliferators activated-receptors (PPARs) as downstream effectors that can be regulated by this signaling cascade. Despite the importance of PPARα in controlling cardiac metabolism, little is known about the relationship between MAPK signaling and cardiac PPARα signaling. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: Using co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence approaches we show a complex formation of PPARα with MEK1 and not with ERK1/2. Binding of PPARα to MEK1 is mediated via a LXXLL motif and results in translocation from the nucleus towards the cytoplasm, hereby disabling the transcriptional activity of PPARα. Mice subjected to voluntary running-wheel exercise showed increased cardiac MEK1 activation and complex formation with PPARα, subsequently resulting in reduced PPARα activity. Inhibition of MEK1, using U0126, blunted this effect. CONCLUSION: Here we show that activation of the MEK1-ERK1/2 pathway leads to specific inhibition of PPARα transcriptional activity. Furthermore we show that this inhibitory effect is mediated by MEK1, and not by its downstream effector kinase ERK1/2, through a mechanism involving direct binding to PPARα and subsequent stimulation of PPARα export from the nucleus

Development and Sustainability of National Food Composition Databases for use in Dietary Monitoring and Public Health Nutrition in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Background:Similar to Western Countries, the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) also presents major public health issues associated with the increased consumption of sugar, fat (saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids), salt. Therefore, one of the policies of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) EMRO is to reduce the intake of these, to address the risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. In order to do this, access to updated, standardized, harmonized food composition data (FCD) is essential. Aims: Objectives within this Medical Research Council GCRF project, working jointly with WHO–EMRO, are to assess the status of national FCD and to provide training and capacity development in the use of improved standardized methodologies to update FCD as well as dietary intake methods, use of suitable biomarkers of nutritional value and to determine health outcomes in the low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) of this region. By identifying specific regional needs for FCD compilation, detailed training workshops can be developed to enable the production of vital high-quality harmonised data in the EMR including: Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Kuwait, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, Egypt, Jordan together with Mauritania. This capacity building will lead to the development and sustainability of up-to-date national and regional FCD for use in dietary monitoring assessment in food and nutrient intakes. Methods: Training needs were identified, and short-term scientific missions organized for researchers via training, knowledge exchange workshops and short-term exchange of researchers. Training at CAPNUTRA (Serbia) and INNTA (Tunisia) included the use of improved standardized methodologies for food composition and food intake for 7 EMR countries leading to development of national FCD, enabling upload onto the EuroFIR data platform. A 3-week training course on analytical methods was carried out at INSA (Portugal) for analysts from Egypt, Jordan and Sudan. Key findings: A total of 45 participants from 13 countries including 10 EMR and 3 invited West African countries attended 5 workshops and training exchanges. Training topics included: value documentation and quality assessment; food composition data tools (Food Composition And System Environment (FoodCASE), Diet assess and Plan (DAP), Nutritics; food classification and description of composite dishes, recipe calculation approaches; use of yield and retention factors; EuroFIR e-learning tools and case studies; laboratory food analysis (vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D2, D3 and E, fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, fibre); quality management system; food metrology principles; validation of chromatographic methods; and food label legislation. 6 countries have imported their FCD, as open access, into the EuroFIR FoodEXplorer platform. The WHO-EMRO jointly with MRC GCRF project funded and mobilized research institutions in over 10 countries, with more focus on identifying traditional dishes and micronutrients. Conclusions and project Implications: The use of improved standardized methodologies for food composition and dietary intake will produce robust measurements that will reinforce dietary monitoring and policy in LMIC. The capacity building from this project has led to searchable national food composition data from developing/emerging countries being made available in an open access form for the first time. WHO-EMRO, is funding further updates of FCD tables in Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Pakistan, Iran Egypt, and UAE, with the focus on identifying TFA, SFA, salt and sugar in addition to micronutrients.Project supported by Global Challenges Research Funds (UK) and Medical Research Council (MR/R019576/1), is grateful to WHO EMRO.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio