Nutritional status, feeding practice and incidence of infectious diseases among children aged 6 to 18 months in northern mountainous Vietnam

To assess the prevalence of undernutrition, incidence of infectious diseases and the situation of feeding practices to determine the risk factors for undernutrition among children aged 6 to 18 months in rural Vietnam. Design : A cross-sectional study was conducted among one hundred eighty-eight mother-child pairs in Bac Giang, Vietnam. Weight and height of the children were measured and referred to data from the WHO/CDC/NCHS. Incidence of infectious diseases was diagnosed based on the WHO Recommended Surveillance Standards. Data on socio-demographic variables and feeding practices were obtained through a structured questionnaire. Result : The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was 19.7%, 23.4% and 5.3%, respectively. The incidence of diarrhea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) during the last 14 days of the interview was 12.2% and 20.2%, respectively. Although 99% of the children were breastfed, the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 4 mo was 21.3%. Non-exclusive breastfeeding in the first 4 month (OR 3.95, p=0.025) and low birth weight (OR 4.38, p=0.009) were associated with underweight in the children, while incidence of infectious disease was not (OR 1.16, p=0.734). Conclusion : Undernutrition is highly prevalent in the study site and non-exclusive breast feeding is one of the risk factors

Inhibition of Chlorogenic Acid-induced Cytotoxicity by CoCl_2

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) induced apoptotic cell death in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC-2) and salivary gland tumor (HSG) cell lines. CGA exhibited oxidation Potential in the culture medium, as demonstrated by NO monitor. Both cytotoxic activity and oxidatoin potential were significantly reduced by addition of CoCl_2. ESR spectrascopy showed that CGA produced seven peaks of radicals under alkaline condition, while addition of CoCL_2 altered the spectral pattern and diminished the radical intensity of CCA. CoCl_2 accelerated the CGA-induced coloration of the culture medium and modified the difference spectrum at around 325 nm, an absorption maximum characteristic of CGA. These data suggest that CoCl_2 induced conformational changes in the CGA molecule. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) has shown diverse biological activities, including anti-HIV activity (1), antioxidant activity (2-4), anticarcinogenic activity (5-8), modulating activity of cytochrome P450-linked enzyme (9, 10) and antiallergic activity (11). We have recently reported that CGA induced cytotoxicity against human oral tumor cells (human oral squamous cell carcinoma HSC-2, human salivary gland tumor HSG) (12). The cytotoxic activity of CGA was significantly reduced by various antioxidants (catalase, sodium ascorbate, N-acetyl-L-cysteine) (13), suggesting that CGA induced cytotoxicity by its pro-oxidant action. However, the mechanism of cytotoxicity induction by CGA has not yet been elucidated. We have recently found that the cytotoxic activity of CGA was significantly reduced by COCI_2 (12). At present, there are at least two possibilities: one is that COCI_2 may directly interact with CGA and transform it into an inactive form, while a second one is that COCI_2 may induce transcription factors (4) which stimulate the gene expression of glycolytic enzymes and various growth factors necessary for cell survival. This study was undertaken to test the first possibility

Interaction between Chlorogenic Acid and Antioxidants

The interaction between chlorogenic acid (CGA) and antioxidants was investigated by two different parameters: radical intensity and cytotoxicity induction. ESR spectroscopy shows that CGA produced radicals under alkaline condition. The CGA radical was scavenged by 100-300-fold lower concentrations of sodium ascorbate or N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), whereas the ascorbate radical was not completely scavenged by CGA. The cytotoxic activity of CGA ageinst human oral tumor cells (HSC-2, HSG) wa completely eliminated by lower concentrations of sodium ascorbate or NAC, whereas that of sodium ascorbate or NAC was only slightly reduced by CGA. The present study demonstrated that CGA ubdyces cytotoxicity by its radical-mediated oxidation mechanism and suggests the applicability ESR spectroscopy for the screening of drug to drug interaction

Short-Term Synaptic Plasticity in the Dentate Gyrus of Monkeys

The hippocampus plays an important role in learning and memory. Synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, short-term and long-term, is postulated to be a neural substrate of memory trace. Paired-pulse stimulation is a standard technique for evaluating a form of short-term synaptic plasticity in rodents. However, evidence is lacking for paired-pulse responses in the primate hippocampus. In the present study, we recorded paired-pulse responses in the dentate gyrus of monkeys while stimulating to the medial part of the perforant path at several inter-pulse intervals (IPIs) using low and high stimulus intensities. When the stimulus intensity was low, the first pulse produced early strong depression (at IPIs of 10–30 ms) and late slight depression (at IPIs of 100–1000 ms) of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) generated by the second pulse, interposing no depression IPIs (50–70 ms). When the stimulus intensity was high, fEPSPs generated by the second pulse were depressed by the first pulse at all IPIs except for the longest one (2000 ms). Population spikes (PSs) generated by the second pulse were completely blocked or strongly depressed at shorter IPIs (10–100 or 200 ms, respectively), while no depression or slight facilitation occurred at longer IPIs (500–2000 ms). Administration of diazepam slightly increased fEPSPs, while it decreased PSs produced by the first pulse. It also enhanced the facilitation of PSs produced by the second stimulation at longer IPIs. The present results, in comparison with previous studies using rodents, indicate that paired-pulse responses of fEPSPs in the monkey are basically similar to those of rodents, although paired-pulse responses of PSs in the monkey are more delayed than those in rodents and have a different sensitivity to diazepam

Cimetidine inhibits salivary gland tumor cell adhesion to neural cells and induces apoptosis by blocking NCAM expression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cimetidine, a histamine type-2 receptor antagonist, has been reported to inhibit the growth of glandular tumors such as colorectal cancer, however the mechanism of action underlying this effect is unknown. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is well known as a malignant salivary gland tumor which preferentially invades neural tissues. We demonstrated previously that human salivary gland tumor (HSG) cells spontaneously express neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), that HSG cell proliferation may be controlled via a homophilic (NCAM-NCAM) binding mechanism and that NCAM may be associated with perineural invasion by malignant salivary gland tumors. We further demonstrated that cimetidine inhibited NCAM expression and induced apoptosis in HSG cells. Here, we investigated the effects of cimetidine on growth and perineural/neural invasion of salivary gland tumor cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we have examined the effect of cimetidine on cancer cell adhesion to neural cells <it>in vitro</it>, one of the critical steps of cancer invasion and metastasis. We have also used an <it>in vivo </it>carcinogenesis model to confirm the effect of cimetidine.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have demonstrated for the first time that cimetidine can block the adhesion of HSG cells to neural cell monolayers and that it can also induce significant apoptosis in the tumor mass in a nude mouse model. We also demonstrated that these apoptotic effects of cimetidine might occur through down-regulation of the cell surface expression of NCAM on HSG cells. Cimetidine-mediated down-regulation of NCAM involved suppression of the nuclear translocation of NF-κB, a transcriptional activator of NCAM gene expression.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that growth and perineural/neural invasion of salivary gland tumors can be blocked by administration of cimetidine via induction of apoptosis and in which NCAM plays a role.</p

Diagnostically Challenging Epithelial Odontogenic Tumors: A Selective Review of 7 Jawbone Lesions

Considerable variation in the clinicopathologic presentation of epithelial odontogenic tumors can sometimes be confusing and increase the chance of misdiagnosis. Seven diagnostically challenging jawbone lesions are described. There were 2 cases of mistaken identity in our ameloblastoma file. One unicystic type, initially diagnosed and treated as a lateral periodontal cyst, showed destructive recurrence 6 years postoperatively. The other globulomaxillary lesion was managed under the erroneous diagnosis of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor and recurred 4 times over an 11-year period. This tumor was found in retrospect to be consistent with an adenoid ameloblastoma with dentinoid. The diagnosis of cystic squamous odontogenic tumor (SOT) occurring as a radicular lesion of an impacted lower third molar was one of exclusion. Of two unsuspected keratocystic odontogenic tumors, one depicted deceptive features of pericoronitis, while the other case has long been in our files with the diagnosis of globulomaxillary SOT. Two cases of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma appeared benign clinically and exhibited unexpected findings; an impacted third molar began to erupt in association with the growth of carcinoma and another periradicular carcinoma showed dentinoid formation. Cases selectively reviewed in this article present challenging problems which require clinical and radiographic correlation to avoid potential diagnostic pitfalls

Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for assessing dietary macronutrients and calcium intake in Cambodian school-aged children

Abstract Background The nutritional status of school-aged children in Cambodia remains largely unknown. No tools for large-scale assessment of daily nutrient intake exist for this population, making development of appropriate intervention strategies difficult. Thus, we aimed to devise and validate a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) that is suitable for and dedicated to assessing the dietary intake of macronutrients and calcium in school-aged children in Cambodia. Methods We developed an FFQ based on data from a single 24-h recall survey of 2020 children. The final list, which was developed as specified in the Block method and stepwise multiple regression analysis, comprised of 56 food items covering intake of energy, macronutrients, and calcium. We assessed the validity of the FFQ by comparison with a duplicated 24-h recall survey before and after de-attenuation. We also tested the reproducibility by comparing the first and second FFQs (FFQ1 and FFQ2) administered at an interval of approximately 6 weeks. Results The 56 food items in the FFQ accounted for 73.3% of the dietary calcium intake of Cambodian children and explained most of the inter-individual variation (cumulative R2: 0.96). The intake estimated by the FFQ was lower than the average intake across the two 24-h recall surveys. Spearman’s correlation coefficients for comparison between FFQ1 and FFQ2 ranged from 0.29 for fat to 0.47 for calcium. After de-attenuation of data, Pearson’s correlation coefficients ranged from 0.38 for fat to 0.71 for energy. Cross-classification analysis indicated that the average percentage of the subjects classified in the same or adjacent quartiles was 78.0%. Conclusions The FFQ is potentially a reliable scale for measuring nutrient intake in this population