An Antimicrobial Peptide Regulates Tumor-Associated Macrophage Trafficking via the Chemokine Receptor CCR2, a Model for Tumorigenesis

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a significant part of infiltrating inflammatory cells that are frequently correlated with progression and poor prognosis of a variety of cancers. Tumor cell-produced human β-defensin-3 (hBD-3) has been associated with TAM trafficking in oral cancer; however, its involvement in tumor-related inflammatory processes remains largely unknown., applying a cross-desensitization strategy of CCR2 and its pharmacological inhibitor (RS102895), respectively, was also carried out. outcome and demonstrates the importance of the innate immune system in the development of tumors

Age at menarche and risk of type 2 diabetes among African-American and white women in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Aims/hypothesis: We examined race differences in the association between age at menarche and type 2 diabetes before and after adjustment for adiposity. Methods: We analysed baseline and 9-year follow-up data from 8,491 women (n = 2,505 African-American, mean age 53.3 years; n = 5,986 white, mean age 54.0 years) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Stratifying by race, we used logistic regression to estimate the OR for prevalent diabetes at baseline, and Cox proportional hazard models to estimate the HR for incident diabetes over follow-up according to age at menarche category (8-11, 12, 13, 14 and 15-18 years). Results: Adjusting for age and centre, we found that early age at menarche (8-11 vs 13 years) was associated with diabetes for white, but not African-American women in both the prevalent (white OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.32, 2.25; African-American OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.84, 1.51; interaction p = 0.043) and incident models (white HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.08, 1.89; African-American HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.87, 1.67; interaction p = 0.527). Adjustment for adiposity and lifestyle confounders attenuated associations for prevalent (white OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.05, 1.89; African-American OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.68, 1.30; interaction p = 0.093) and incident diabetes (white HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.92, 1.63; African-American HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.80, 1.56; interaction p = 0.554). Conclusions/interpretation: Early menarche was associated with type 2 diabetes in white women, and adulthood adiposity attenuated the relationship. We did not find a similar association in African-American women. Our findings suggest that there may be race/ethnic differences in the influence of developmental factors in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes, which merit further investigation

Áreas de secção transversa do braço: implicações técnicas e aplicações para avaliação da composição corporal e da força dinâmica máxima Area de sección transversa del brazo: implicaciones técnicas y aplicaciones para avaliación de la composición corporal y de la fuerza dinámica máxima Arm cross-section areas: technical implications and applications for body composition and maximal dynamic strength evaluation

As áreas do tecido muscular (A MB) e do anel de gordura do braço (A GB), podem ser estimadas por medidas antropométricas. OBJETIVO: Investigar a validade e o erro intertestador da antropometria para inferência A MB e do A GB. Secundariamente, estudou-se a previsão da força dos membros superiores e tronco através da A MB. MÉTODOS: Foram voluntários para este estudo 40 adultos masculinos jovens (25 ± 6 anos; 72,6 ± 9,4kg), divididos aleatoriamente nos grupos de validade interna (VI, n = 30) e validade externa (VE, n = 10). Determinou-se para VI, através de conceitos geométricos, a área total do braço (A TB), A MB, A GB e área percentual de gordura do braço. O somatório de oito dobras cutâneas (S DC8) foi empregado como índice da adiposidade corporal. A força dos membros superiores e do tronco foi medida através da carga máxima alcançada no exercício supino reto livre (1-RM). As medidas antropométricas foram realizadas por dois avaliadores independentes. Os dados foram tratados por meio da análise de regressão, coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (ICC) e teste t de Student pareado (a < 0,05). RESULTADOS: A variância do S DC8 pode ser explicada em 93% (EPE = 14,6mm) a partir da A GB e do peso corporal. A A MB explicou em 66,1% (EPE = 9kg) a 1-RM. Não se observou diferença significativa, para o grupo VE, entre os valores medidos (84,2 ± 16,2kg) e preditos (78,4 ± 14,2kg) de 1-RM. Observou-se pouca variação entre os avaliadores para A MB (ICC = 0,99), A GB (ICC = 0,96) e A TB (ICC = 0,99). CONCLUSÃO: A antropometria pode ser empregada para inferência da A MB e do A GB, com boa concordância entre avaliadores, para estimativa da adiposidade corporal e da força dos membros superiores e tronco.<br>Las áreas del tejido muscular (A MB) y del de grosor del brazo (A GB), pueden ser estimadas por medidas antropométricas. OBJETIVO: Investigar la validación de el error inter-testeo de la antropometría para inferencia del A MB y del A GB. Secundariamente, se estudió la previsión de la fuerza de los miembros superiores y del tronco a través de la A MB. METODOS: Fueron voluntarios para este estudio 40 jóvenes masculinos (25 ± 6 años; 72,6 ± 9,4 kg), divididos aleatoriamente en los grupos de validación interna (VI, n = 30) y de validación externa (VE, n = 10). Se determinó para VI, a través de conceptos geométricos, el área total del brazo (A TB), A MB, A GB y el área porcentual de gordura de el brazo. La sumatoria de ocho pliegues cutáneos (S DC8) fue empleado como índice de la adiposidad corporal. La fuerza de los miembros superiores y del e tronco fue medida a través de la carga máxima alcanzada del ejercicio supino recto libre (1-RM). Las medidas antropométricas fueron realizadas por dos evaluadores independientes. Los datos fueron tratados por medio del análisis de regresión, con coeficiente de correlación intraclase (ICC) y el test t de Student apareado (a < 0,05). RESULTADOS: La varianza de S DC8 puede ser explicada en un 93% (EPE = 14,6 mm) a partir de A GB y del peso corporal. La A MB se explico en 66,1% (EPE = 9 kg) a 1-RM. No se observó diferencia significativa, para el grupo VE, entre los valores medidos (84,2 ± 16,2 kg) y predecidos (78,4 ± 14,2 kg) de 1-RM. Se observó poca variación entre los evaluadores para A MB (ICC = 0,99), A GB (ICC = 0,96) y A TB (ICC = 0,99). CONCLUSION: La antropometría puede ser empleada para la inferencia de la A MB y del A GB, con buena concordancia entre evaluadores, para estimar la adiposidad coporal y la fuerza de los miembros superiores del tronco.<br>Arm muscular tissue and fat ring areas can be evaluated by anthropometric measures. The objective of this study was to investigate the application of one technique that infers these areas to estimate body adiposity and the maximal strength of upper limbs and trunk, as well as its objectivity. For that, a sample of 40 healthy men (25 ± 6 years; 72.6 ± 9.4 kg) was divided in two groups: VI (n = 30) internal validation and VE (n = 10) external validation. It was determined to VI the muscle area (A MB), fat absolute area (A GB) and fat percentile upper-arm area (A PB) using the values of circumference and triceps skinfold, as well as the sum of seven and eight skinfold thickness (S8DC) and the maximal weight lifted in bench press (1-RM) by two evaluators separately (A and B). In VE only A MB and 1-RM were obtained. Multiple and simple regression analyses and Student t-test were applied (a < 0.05). The variance of S8DC was explained in 93% (EPE = 14.6 mm) from A GB and weight, the A MB explained in 66% (EPE = 9 kg) of the 1-RM variance by itself and there was no significant difference between the maximal weight measured and predicted in VE group. Satisfactory intraclass correlations between the evaluators to A MB (ICC = 0.99), A GB (ICC = 0.96) and A TB (ICC = 0.99) were also found. Therefore it may be concluded that the anthropometric technique that infers muscle and fat upper-arm areas can be used with good agreement between evaluators to estimate body adiposity and upper limbs and trunk strength

The Role of Optimal Healing Environments in the Management of Childhood Obesity

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity has increased steadily over the past three decades such that obesity is now a major worldwide pediatric health risk factor. Pediatric obesity is associated with significant health problems, and is an important early risk factor for adult morbidity and mortality. This paper focuses on the role and components of optimal healing environments (OHEs) that may be useful in the management of childhood obesity: healing intention, healing relationships, health promotion and disease prevention, and healing spaces. Diet, physical activity, and behavior modification strategies used in the treatment of childhood obesity are also reviewed