Clinical trial of tailored activity and eating newsletters with older rural women.

BACKGROUND: Unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity increase rural midlife and older women\u27s risk of chronic diseases and premature death, and they are behind urban residents in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare a tailored intervention based on the Health Promotion Model with a generic intervention to increase physical activity and healthy eating among rural women. METHODS: In a randomized-by-site, community-based, controlled, clinical trial, Wellness for Women, 225 women aged 50 to 69 years were recruited in two similar rural areas. Over 12 months, women received by mail either 18 generic newsletters or 18 newsletters computer tailored on Health Promotion Model behavior-specific cognitions (benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and interpersonal support), activity, and eating. Outcomes at 6 and 12 months included behavioral markers and biomarkers of physical activity and eating. Data were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance and chi-square tests (alpha \u3c .05). RESULTS: Both groups significantly increased stretching and strengthening exercise and fruit and vegetable servings and decreased percentage of calories from fat, whereas only the tailored group increased moderate or greater intensity activity and decreased percentage of calories from saturated fat from baseline to 6 months. Both groups increased stretching and strengthening exercise, whereas only the tailored group increased moderate or greater intensity activity and fruit and vegetable servings and decreased percentage of calories from fat from baseline to 12 months. Both groups had several changes in biomarkers over the study. A higher proportion of women receiving tailored newsletters met Healthy People 2010 criteria for moderate or greater intensity activity, fruit and vegetable servings, and percentage of calories from fat at 12 months. DISCUSSION: Mailed computer-tailored and generic print newsletters facilitated the adoption of change in both activity and eating over 6 months. Tailored newsletters were more efficacious in facilitating change over 12 months

The influence of cognitive-perceptual variables on patterns of change over time in rural midlife and older women\u27s healthy eating.

Although studies demonstrate that dietary interventions for healthy adults can result in beneficial dietary changes, few studies examine when and how people change in response to these interventions, particularly in rural populations. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of change over time in healthy eating behaviors in midlife and older women in response to a one-year health-promoting intervention, and to examine what predictors (perceived benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and family support for healthy eating) influence the changes during the intervention and follow-up. Data for this secondary analysis were from the Wellness for Women community-based trial. Women (N = 225) between the ages of 50-69 in rural Nebraska, U.S.A., were recruited. A repeated-measures experimental design was used with randomization of two rural counties to intervention (tailored newsletter) or comparison (standard newsletter) groups. Eating behavior was measured by the Healthy Eating Index. The predictor variables were assessed using standard measures. Data analysis was done using latent growth curve modeling. The tailored newsletter group was successful in improving their healthy eating behavior compared to the standard newsletter group during the one-year intervention, at the end of the intervention, and during the follow-up phase. Family support at the end of the intervention was positively associated with healthy eating at the end of the intervention. Perceived barriers had the strongest impact on healthy eating behavior at all time points. Compared to participants in the standard newsletter group, those in the tailored newsletter group perceived more family support and fewer barriers for healthy eating at the end of the intervention (mediation effects). Based on these findings, both family support and perceived barriers should be central components of interventions focused on healthy eating behavior in rural midlife and older women

The influence of cognitive-perceptual variables on patterns of change over time in rural midlife and older women\u27s healthy eating

Although studies demonstrate that dietary interventions for healthy adults can result in beneficial dietary changes, few studies examine when and how people change in response to these interventions, particularly in rural populations. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of change over time in healthy eating behaviors in midlife and older women in response to a one-year health-promoting intervention, and to examine what predictors (perceived benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and family support for healthy eating) influence the changes during the intervention and follow-up. Data for this secondary analysis were from the Wellness for Women community-based trial. Women (N ¼ 225) between the ages of 50e69 in rural Nebraska, U.S.A., were recruited. A repeated-measures experimental design was used with randomization of two rural counties to intervention (tailored newsletter) or comparison (standard newsletter) groups. Eating behavior was measured by the Healthy Eating Index. The predictor variables were assessed using standard measures. Data analysis was done using latent growth curve modeling. The tailored newsletter group was successful in improving their healthy eating behavior compared to the standard newsletter group during the one-year intervention, at the end of the intervention, and during the follow-up phase. Family support at the end of the intervention was positively associated with healthy eating at the end of the intervention. Perceived barriers had the strongest impact on healthy eating behavior at all time points. Compared to participants in the standard newsletter group, those in the tailored newsletter group perceived more family support and fewer barriers for healthy eating at the end of the intervention (mediation effects). Based on these findings, both family support and perceived barriers should be central components of interventions focused on healthy eating behavior in rural midlife and older women

Maintenance of activity and eating change after a clinical trial of tailored newsletters with older rural women.

BACKGROUND: In the Wellness for Women Project, a randomized-by-site 1-year controlled clinical trial, the efficacy of generic newsletters and newsletters tailored on Health Promotion Model behavior-specific cognitions, eating behavior, and activity behavior were compared among 225 women aged 50 to 69 years. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the maintenance of change in healthy eating and physical activity over the 12 months following the tailored versus generic mailed newsletter intervention. METHODS: Outcomes at 18 and 24 months included behavioral markers and biomarkers of physical activity and eating. Data were analyzed using the multivariate approach to repeated measures analysis of variance and generalized estimating equations (alpha \u3c.05). RESULTS: At 18 months, the tailored group maintained levels of all eating and activity behaviors, whereas the generic group maintained levels of fruit and vegetable servings, a moderate or greater activity, stretching exercise, lower body strength and flexibility but increased saturated fat intake and declined in weekly strength exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness. At 24 months, both groups maintained or returned to 12-month levels of all eating behaviors,moderate or greater activity, stretching exercise, and flexibility but declined in cardiorespiratory fitness; the tailored group maintained levels of strength exercise and lower body strength, whereas the generic group decreased in both. A greater proportion of women who received tailored newsletters continued to achieve most Healthy People 2010 criteria for eating and activity. DISCUSSION: Mailed tailored print newsletters were more efficacious than generic newsletters in facilitating maintenance of change in eating and activity for 6 months postintervention. Both tailored and generic newsletters facilitated the maintenance of change in eating behaviors and in moderate or greater physical activity and stretching exercise, whereas tailored newsletters were more efficacious in maintaining change in strength exercise for 12 months postintervention

Profiling the mouse brain endothelial transcriptome in health and disease models reveals a core blood-brain barrier dysfunction module.

Blood vessels in the CNS form a specialized and critical structure, the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We present a resource to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate BBB function in health and dysfunction during disease. Using endothelial cell enrichment and RNA sequencing, we analyzed the gene expression of endothelial cells in mice, comparing brain endothelial cells with peripheral endothelial cells. We also assessed the regulation of CNS endothelial gene expression in models of stroke, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and seizure, each having profound BBB disruption. We found that although each is caused by a distinct trigger, they exhibit strikingly similar endothelial gene expression changes during BBB disruption, comprising a core BBB dysfunction module that shifts the CNS endothelial cells into a peripheral endothelial cell-like state. The identification of a common pathway for BBB dysfunction suggests that targeting therapeutic agents to limit it may be effective across multiple neurological disorders

Characterization and functionality of proliferative human sertoli cells

It has long been thought that mammalian Sertoli cells are terminally differentiated and nondividing postpuberty. For most previous in vitro studies immature rodent testes have been the source of Sertoli cells and these have shown little proliferative ability when cultured. We have isolated and characterized Sertoli cells from human cadaveric testes from seven donors ranging from 12 to 36 years of age. The cells proliferated readily in vitro under the optimized conditions used with a doubling time of approximately 4 days. Nuclear 5-ethynyl-2´-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation confirmed that dividing cells represented the majority of the population. Classical Sertoli cell ultrastructural features, lipid droplet accumulation, and immunoexpression of GATA-4, Sox9, and the FSH receptor (FSHr) were observed by electron and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Flow cytometry revealed the expression of GATA-4 and Sox9 by more than 99% of the cells, and abundant expression of a number of markers indicative of multipotent mesenchymal cells. Low detection of endogenous alkaline phosphatase activity after passaging showed that few peritubular myoid cells were present. GATA-4 and SOX9 expression were confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), along with expression of stem cell factor (SCF), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4). Tight junctions were formed by Sertoli cells plated on transwell inserts coated with fibronectin as revealed by increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and polarized secretion of the immunoregulatory protein, galectin-1. These primary Sertoli cell populations could be expanded dramatically in vitro and could be cryopreserved. The results show that functional human Sertoli cells can be propagated in vitro from testicular cells isolated from adult testis. The proliferative human Sertoli cells should have important applications in studying infertility, reproductive toxicology, testicular cancer, and spermatogenesis, and due to their unique biological properties potentially could be useful in cell therapy.Fil: Chui, Kitty. MandalMed Inc. ; Estados UnidosFil: Trivedi, Alpa. MandalMed Inc.; Estados Unidos. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Cheng, C. Yan. Lonza Walkersville; Estados UnidosFil: Cherbavaz, Diana B.. MandalMed Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: Dazin, Paul F.. MandalMed; Estados UnidosFil: Huynh, Ai Lam Thu. MandalMed Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: Mitchel, James B.. Lonza Walkersville; Estados UnidosFil: Rabinovich, Gabriel Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (i); ArgentinaFil: Noble Haeusslein, Linda J.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: John, Constance M.. MandalMed Inc.; Estados Unido

The contribution of macroalgae-associated fishes to small-scale tropical reef fisheries

Macroalgae-dominated reefs are a prominent habitat in tropical seascapes that support a diversity of fishes, including fishery target species. To what extent, then, do macroalgal habitats contribute to small-scale tropical reef fisheries? To address this question we: (1) Quantified the macroalgae-associated fish component in catches from 133 small-scale fisheries, (2) Compared life-history traits relevant to fishing (e.g. growth, longevity) in macroalgal and coral-associated fishes, (3) Examined how macroalgae-associated species can influence catch diversity, trophic level and vulnerability and (4) Explored how tropical fisheries change with the expansion of macroalgal habitats using a case study of fishery-independent data for Seychelles. Fish that utilised macroalgal habitats comprise 24% of the catch, but very few fished species relied entirely on macroalgal or coral habitats post-settlement. Macroalgal and coral-associated fishes had similar life-history traits, although vulnerability to fishing declined with increasing contribution of macroalgae association to the catch, whilst mean trophic level and diversity peaked when macroalgal-associated fish accounted for 20%-30% of catches. The Seychelles case study revealed similar total fish biomass on macroalgal and coral reefs, although the biomass of primary target species increased as macroalgae cover expanded. Our findings reinforce that multiple habitat types are needed to support tropical fishery stability and sustainability. Whilst coral habitats have been the focus of tropical fisheries management, we show the potential for macroalgae-associated fish to support catch size and diversity in ways that reduce vulnerability to overfishing. This is pertinent to seascapes where repeated disturbances are facilitating the replacement of coral reef with macroalgal habitats