Reliability and validity of the persian version of compulsive eating scale (CES) in overweight or obese women and its relationship with some body composition and dietary intake variables

Objective: Compulsive or binge eating is a kind of disturbed eating behavior, which is mostly observed among dieting women, and is integrated with appetite disorder, and uncontrolled eating of plenty of junk food. The Compulsive Eating Scale (CES) created first by Kagan & Squires in 1984, is an eight-item self-reporting instrument that is made to measure the severity of binge eating disorder. The aim of this study was to provide the reliability and validity of the Persian version of Compulsive Eating Scale (CES) among overweight and obese women in Iran. Method: One hundred and twenty six (N = 126) overweight and obese women consented to participate in this study. We estimated the anthropometric indices, including body weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, a total body fat percentage, and visceral fat level with body analyzer all in standard situations. Then, the participants completed the CES. Next, to assess concurrent validity, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger anxiety scale, appetite visual analogue rating scale, Food Craving questionnaire, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, and Restraint eating visual analogue rating scale were performed simultaneously. To assess test-retest reliability, CES was repeated for all the participants two weeks later. Moreover, we reported the internal consistency and factor analysis of this questionnaire. Furthermore, we estimated the concurrent correlation of CES with logically relevant questionnaires and body composition and anthropometric indices. Results: Based on the reliability analysis and factor analysis of the principal component by Varimax rotation, we extracted two factors: eating because of negative feelings, and overeating. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of the CES was 0.85 (Cronbach alpha of the factors was 0.85, and 0.74, respectively). The test-retest correlation of the CES was 0.89. Also, the split-half reliability of the questionnaire was established with the correlation coefficient between Sets I and II. The correlation was 0.85. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the Persian version of the CES. This instrument would be helpful in measuring the clinical practice and research studies of obesity, appetite and eating disorders reliably and validly

Inter-kingdom cross-talk and its bio-control applications

Quorum sensing (QS) molecules are involved in the regulation of complicated processes helping bacterial population benefit from their cell-density. The co-evolution of prokaryotes and eukaryotes raises the prospect of the existence of inter-kingdom signalling pathways, promoting parasitic/symbiotic relationships. While the members of each kingdom possess hormone-like molecules for cell–cell communication, the members of any given kingdom also respond to the signals produced by another. So, QS plays a major role in this cross-talk. Bacterial antagonistic activity against fungi is considered as an inter-kingdom communication. Interestingly, several bacteria like Bacillus, Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas have shown in laboratory experiments the ability to inhibit fungal growth and production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus. During the screening of antagonistic bacteria against Aspergillus flavus (causes pre-/post-harvest diseases in seed-crops) in vitro, Bacillus subtilis was identified having high antifungal activity. Bacillus licheniformis has industrial application due to its production of antimicrobial compounds. B. licheniformis is related to B. subtilis genetically, whose control of competence-sporulation is regulated by a QS mechanism (comQXPA operon). QS process in B. subtilis are regulated by a specific molecule, ComX pheromone. Pheromone encoding genes have been identified in B. licheniformis NCIMB-8874. To further investigate cell-cell communication, we designed a primer pair to amplify the QSM encoding genes. The comQX locus was sub-cloned into a shuttle vector under the control of an inducible promoter. The shuttle vector was expressed in E. coli and pheromone was isolated by reverse phase chromatography. Pheromone as a QSM is potential signal for communicating between kingdoms and could be applied for biocontrol purposes. Identification of new antifungal peptides against A. flavus could lead to the development of biotechnological strategies which facilitate control of aflatoxin contamination and genetic engineering of plant resistance to fungi through the exploitation of genes related to the bacterial antifungal peptide molecules

Contribution of direct electron transfer mechanisms to overall electron transfer in microbial fuel cells utilising Shewanella oneidensis as biocatalyst

Objectives To investigate the contribution of direct electron transfer mechanisms to electricity production in microbial fuel cells by physically retaining Shewanella oneidensis cells close to or away from the anode electrode. Results A maximum power output of 114 ± 6 mWm−2 was obtained when cells were retained close to the anode using a dialysis membrane. This was 3.5 times more than when the cells were separated away from the anode. Without the membrane the maximum power output was 129 ± 6 mWm−2. The direct mechanisms of electron transfer contributed significantly to overall electron transfer from S. oneidensis to electrodes, a result that was corroborated by another experiment where S. oneidensis cells were entrapped in alginate gels. Conclusion S. oneidensis transfers electrons primarily by direct electron transfer as opposed to mediated electron transfer

Amelioration of caffeine-induced seizures by modulators of sigma, N-methyl-D-Aspartate and ryanodine receptors in mice

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the antiepileptic effects of opipramol, a sigma receptor agonist, diazepam, ketamine, an N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, and dantrolene, a ryanodine receptor antagonist, against caffeine-induced seizures in mice. Methods We used caffeine (1000 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for inducing clonic and tonic-clonic seizures in male albino Swiss strain of mice. We used opipramol in three different doses (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg), ketamine (50 mg/kg), dantrolene (40 mg/kg), opipramol (20 mg/kg) plus ketamine (50 mg/kg), opipramol (20 mg/kg) plus dantrolene (40 mg/kg), diazepam (5 mg/kg as a positive control) and the vehicle 30 min before injecting caffeine. We recorded the onset of clonic, tonic-clonic seizures and the time of death of animals after using caffeine. Results Animals treated with opipramol at a dose of 50 mg/kg or diazepam had a higher onset of clonic seizure compared with the vehicle-treated group. Dantrolene alone or with opipramol (20 mg/kg) increased the latency of clonic seizure compared with the control group. Opipramol (20 and 50 mg/kg), diazepam, ketamine alone or with opipramol, and dantrolene plus opipramol increased the latency of tonic-clonic seizures in mice. All the treatments except opipramol (10 mg/kg) and dantrolene alone increased the latency of death of animals. Conclusion Opipramol attenuated seizures produced by high doses of caffeine. Moreover, the activation of sigma receptors and inhibition of ryanodine receptors may produce synergistic effects against caffeine-induced seizures. Our study may imply that different mechanisms such as inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptors, activation of NMDA and ryanodine receptors may contribute to the caffeine-induced seizure

Overexpression of the Mtr pathway in Shewanella oneidensis for bioelectricity production

Microbial fuel cells represent a promising technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and renewable electricity production. However, the electricity recovery is still poor, typically <10% of what is theoretically possible and the extracellular electron transfer mechanisms are poorly understood. Synthetic biology was employed in this study to overexpress the genes: mtrA (periplasmic membrane cytochrome), mtrB (outer membrane β-barrel protein) and mtrC (outer membrane decaheme cytochrome C) involved in the Mtr pathway for extracellular electron transfer in Shewanella oneidensis. The genes were expressed individually or as operons and the effect on electricity production and substrate utilisation determined using H-type microbial fuel cells. The power generated by the mtrAB construct (144 mWm-2) was 3 fold higher than that produced by the wild type (48mWm-2). Constructs mtrCAB, mtrA, mtrBC produced similar power densities amounting to 78 mWm-2, 77 mWm-2, 74 mWm-2 respectively. Substrate (glucose) utilisation was in the order mtrCAB construct (94%) > mtrC construct (88%) > mtrA construct (76%) > mtrAB construct (36%) > wild type (30%). The results demonstrate the importance of overexpression of mtrA and mtrB as an operon in S. oneidensis with regard to power production. However, to enhance substrate utilisation, avenues to control the levels of expression of the genes are needed

Dietary habits in adolescent girls of Sari (Mazandaran Province, Iran)

AbstractBackground and purpose: An appropriate nutrition throughout the lifespan is important. As adolescent girls nutrition status can affect community health in future. We decide to determine the frequency and composition of food from different groups of foods in adolescent girls of Sari (North of Iran).Materials and Methods: In the winter of 2004, 240 adolescent girls (14-18 years of age) from Sari high schools were randomly selected and food frequency questionnaires were completed. Also they were asked about their meals and snacks. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 11.5 software and the charts were drown using Microsoft Excel software.Results: The results indicated that the most consumed foods in groups of meats, dairies, grains and potatoes, vegetables, fruits and junky foods were egg, yoghurt, rice, tomato, citrus and chocolate respectively.Conclusion: This survey showed Sari adolescent girls dietary habits (in the winter), and it could be a part of studies to design a food program for them