Prevalence of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Asian Americans

Objectives To report the prevalence of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in foreign-born Asian Americans (AA) and to compare this with the general AA from 2010 BRFSS data. To examine the influential factors associated with HRQOL-4 including English proficiency, perceived racial discrimination, smoking, alcohol use, and sociodemographics. Background Quality of life (QOL) represents individuals’ subjective perception of multidimensional aspects of life including physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects. HRQOL represents the physical and mental health domain of QOL. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been measuring HRQOL to capture people’s overall perceptions about their health; HRQOL has become an important component of health surveillance (U.S. DHHS, 2000). While acculturation and racial discrimination have been negatively associated to the number of chronic health conditions and well-being of AA, their influence on HRQOL has not been studied. Public surveillance study has typically considered Asian Americans as a single group and little is known about how HRQOL and health-related risk factors vary among foreign-born Asian Americans including Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese- Americans. Poster presented at APHA in Chicago Illinois.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/medoncposters/1000/thumbnail.jp

Modulation of hepatic inflammation and energy-sensing pathways in the rat liver by high-fructose diet and chronic stress

Purpose High-fructose consumption and chronic stress are both associated with metabolic inflammation and insulin resistance. Recently, disturbed activity of energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was recognized as mediator between nutrient-induced stress and inflammation. Thus, we analyzed the effects of high-fructose diet, alone or in combination with chronic stress, on glucose homeostasis, inflammation and expression of energy sensing proteins in the rat liver. Methods In male Wistar rats exposed to 9-week 20% fructose diet and/or 4-week chronic unpredictable stress we measured plasma and hepatic corticosterone level, indicators of glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism, hepatic inflammation (pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels, Toll-like receptor 4, NLRP3, activation of NF kappa B, JNK and ERK pathways) and levels of energy-sensing proteins AMPK, SIRT1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1 alpha). Results High-fructose diet led to glucose intolerance, activation of NF kappa B and JNK pathways and increased intrahepatic IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and inhibitory phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 on Ser(307). It also decreased phospho-AMPK/AMPK ratio and increased SIRT1 expression. Stress alone increased plasma and hepatic corticosterone but did not influence glucose tolerance, nor hepatic inflammatory or energy-sensing proteins. After the combined treatment, hepatic corticosterone was increased, glucose tolerance remained preserved, while hepatic inflammation was partially prevented despite decreased AMPK activity. Conclusion High-fructose diet resulted in glucose intolerance, hepatic inflammation, decreased AMPK activity and reduced insulin sensitivity. Chronic stress alone did not exert such effects, but when applied together with high-fructose diet it could partially prevent fructose-induced inflammation, presumably due to increased hepatic glucocorticoids