Proteomic analysis of carp seminal plasma provides insights into the immune response to bacterial infection of the male reproductive system

Aeromonas salmonicida is recognized as a significant bacterial pathogen in ulcerative disease of cyprinid fish. However, the mechanism of immunity to these bacteria in common carp is still not well understood, especially the immune regulation in the gonad to bacterial infection. The aims of our study were to analyze changes in the seminal plasma proteome following A. salmonicida infection in carp males. The observed pathological changes in the tissue (liver, spleen, kidney and testis) morphology and upregulation of immune-related genes (tnfa2, il6a) confirmed the successful infection challenge. Using mass spectrometry-based label-free quantitative proteomics, we identified 1402 seminal plasma proteins, and 44 proteins (20 up- and 24 downregulated) were found to be differentially abundant between infected and control males. Most differentially abundant proteins were involved in the immune response mechanisms, such as acute phase response, complement activation and coagulation, inflammation, lipid metabolism, cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion, creatine-phosphate biosynthesis and germ cell-Sertoli cell junction signaling. Bacterial infection also caused profound changes in expression of selected genes in the testis and hematopoietic organs, which contributed to changes in seminal proteins. The altered seminal proteins and bacterial proteins in seminal plasma may serve as valuable markers of infection in the testis

Bi-directional associations between parental feeding practices and children's body mass in parent-child dyads

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether parental feeding practices, such as pressure to eat, permitting unhealthy food, and restriction of unhealthy food predict children's body mass index (BMI) percentile or if children's BMI percentiles predict parental feeding practices. DESIGN: Longitudinal data were collected among 526 dyads of children (6-11 years old) and one of their parents. Parents reported parental feeding practices, restriction of unhealthy food, permission of unhealthy food, and pressure to eat. Children's weight and height were assessed objectively. All measurements were conducted twice with a time lag of 10 months. RESULTS: Cross-lagged panel analyses demonstrated that low levels of children's BMI percentiles (measured at the baseline) predicted parental feeding practices (measured at the follow-up) but not vice versa. Only one effect suggesting bi-directionality was found, with parental restriction of unhealthy food preceding higher levels of children's BMI percentiles at the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Parental feeding practices seem to be a reaction to the levels of children's BMI percentiles

Cooking together: The IKEA effect on family vegetable intake

Objective: Based on the idea of the 'IKEA effect', assuming that individuals like self-created objects more than objects created by someone else, this study hypothesizes that parents' involvement of their children in meal planning and preparation is positively related to vegetable intake, mediated via liking vegetables. Design: Longitudinal observational study with two time points (10-month interval). Method: Nine hundred and twenty-four parent-child dyads filled out questionnaires measuring involvement, vegetable liking, vegetable intake, and further environmental and food-related determinants of vegetable intake. On average, parents were M = 36.10 (SD = 5.43) and children (54.3% girls) M = 8.24 (SD = 1.44; range 6-11) years old. Hypotheses were tested with path analyses, accounting for intra-dyadic associations among respective constructs (e.g., parents' and children's liking vegetables). Results: Two direct effects were found: (1) parents' involvement of their children in cooking activities impacted children's liking of vegetables and vegetable intake, and (2) liking vegetables impacted vegetable intake. The effect of involvement on vegetable intake was mediated via liking vegetables, but only for children and not for parents. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of parents' encouragement for involving children in the preparation of healthy meals, as this improves liking of vegetables and, thereby, increases their vegetable intake. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Processes behind the effectiveness of shared cooking activities to increase vegetable intake are unclear. Previous research suggests the IKEA effect as an explanation. It assumes a higher consumption of self-created products due to a higher liking compared to third-party products. What does this study add? First test of the IKEA effect for joint cooking activities under consideration of spillover effects in families. Affirmation of the IKEA effect was found for children, not for parents. Interventions should focus on the involvement of children in cooking activities to improve vegetable intake

Association between Children's Physical Activity and Parental Practices Enhancing Children's Physical Activity: The Moderating Effects of Children's BMI z-Score

Parental practices that aim at increasing children's physical activity were found to be related to children's physical activity. So far, however, the association between these two sets of variables was studied without considering the moderating role of children's BMI z-score, which may determine the effectiveness of parental practices. The present study aims at filling this void. Longitudinal data were collected among 879 dyads of children (6-11 years old) and their parents. Seven parental physical activity practices were assessed at baseline. Physical activity, body mass, and height (measured among children) were assessed twice (at baseline and 7-month follow-up). Body mass and height were measured objectively. Seven moderation analyses were conducted. Six parental practices emerged to predict physical activity of children: collaborative social control, overall support, stimulation to be active, general encouragement for physical activity, positive social control, and modeling. Children's BMI z-score moderated three associations. The relationships between parental positive social control, overall parental support, and general parental encouragement for physical activity (at baseline), and children's physical activity (at follow-up) were significant only among children with low and medium BMI z-score. In turn, collaborative social control and modeling predicted children's physical activity at the follow-up regardless child's BMI z-score. Parental positive social control or overall parental support may be ineffective in children with higher body mass who are in need to increase their physical activity

Planning and self-efficacy interventions encouraging replacing energy-dense foods intake with fruit and vegetable: A longitudinal experimental study

OBJECTIVE This longitudinal experimental study compared effects of self-efficacy, planning and education-based conditions, encouraging adolescents to eat fruit and vegetable in place of energy-dense foods. DESIGN Data were collected among 506 adolescents (13-18 years old) who were randomly assigned to control (n = 181), planning (n = 153) or self-efficacy (n = 172) conditions. Measurements were taken at baseline (T1), at a 2-month follow-up (T2), and at a 14-month follow-up (T3). Interventions/control group procedures were delivered at T1 and T2. OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reports of fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) and energy-dense foods intake were collected at three times. Cognitive mediators (self-efficacy and planning) were assessed at T1 and T2. Body weight and height were objectively measured at T1 and T3. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Similar significant increases of FVI were found for planning and self-efficacy interventions (T3). The planning intervention did not influence energy-dense food intake (T3), but the self-efficacy intervention tended to result in stabilising intake (compared to an increase found in the control group). There were no effects on body weight. Similar patterns were found for the total sample and for a subsample of adolescents with overweight/obesity. The effects of interventions on FVI were mediated by respective cognitions

Association between Children's Physical Activity and Parental Practices Enhancing Children's Physical Activity: The Moderating Effects of Children's BMI z-Score

Objective: Parental practices that aim at increasing children's physical activity were found to be related to children's physical activity. So far, however, the association between these two sets of variables was studied without considering the moderating role of children's BMI z-score, which may determine the effectiveness of parental practices. The present study aims at filling this void.Design: Longitudinal data were collected among 879 dyads of children (6–11 years old) and their parents. Seven parental physical activity practices were assessed at baseline. Physical activity, body mass, and height (measured among children) were assessed twice (at baseline and 7-month follow-up). Body mass and height were measured objectively. Seven moderation analyses were conducted.Results: Six parental practices emerged to predict physical activity of children: collaborative social control, overall support, stimulation to be active, general encouragement for physical activity, positive social control, and modeling. Children's BMI z-score moderated three associations. The relationships between parental positive social control, overall parental support, and general parental encouragement for physical activity (at baseline), and children's physical activity (at follow-up) were significant only among children with low and medium BMI z-score. In turn, collaborative social control and modeling predicted children's physical activity at the follow-up regardless child's BMI z-score.Conclusions: Parental positive social control or overall parental support may be ineffective in children with higher body mass who are in need to increase their physical activity

What matters, parental or child perceptions of physical activity facilities? A prospective parent-child study explaining physical activity and body fat among children

Objectives: Research explaining childhood obesity has been usually focused on cognitive and behavioral predictors assessed in parents only or in children only. In contrast, the dyadic approach allows to evaluate how parental and child predictors operate together to explain child physical activity (PA) and body fat. This study investigated relationships among: (1) parental and child perceptions of accessibility and safety of exercise facilities for children, (2) parental and child PA, and (3) parental and child body fat percentage. Design: A prospective and dyadic study with two measurement points was conducted. The follow up (Time 2) took place at 7–8-month after the baseline (Time 1). Methods: Data were collected among 922 dyads of parents (mean age 35.97 years old; 83.9% women) and children (aged 6–11; M = 8.42, 52% girls). Parents and children reported safety and accessibility perceptions (Time 1) and PA (Time 1 and 2). Parental and child body fat were measured objectively (Time 1 and 2). Results: Path analysis showed that parental perceptions of accessibility of PA facilities for children (Time 1) predicted child body fat and PA (Time 2). The associations were significant in a model accounting for longitudinal and cross-sectional associations between parental and child body fat and PA, controlling for age and gender of parents and children. Similar patterns of associations were found in the subsamples of dyads with children with normal body weight and with children with overweight/obesity. Conclusions: Parental, not child perceptions of accessibility of PA facilities predicted child PA and body fat

The effectiveness of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography and magnetic resonance imaging in dense breasts

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cause of death from neoplastic disease in women. Among all breast anatomy types, glandular type is the most problematic concerning evaluation. While digital mammography still remains the basic diagnostic tool, one must be aware of its limitations in dense breasts. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has greatly improved sensitivity, its specificity is low. Moreover, there are contraindications for MRI for some patients, so a substitute has been searched for. This study was performed to check if contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) can be a viable option for patients with dense breasts. Material and methods: The study involved 121 patients with abnormalities detected on base-line diagnostic imaging (ultrasound or mammography). The patients had subsequent examinations, both CESM and MRI performed within a maximum 2-month time interval. The sensitivity and specificity of both methods in the whole group as well as in specific breast structure types were measured and compared. Results: Contrast enhancement was visible in all 121 cases on MRI, while on CESM lack of enhancement was noted in 13 cases. All of those 13 lesions turned out to be benign. There were 40 (33%) benign and 81 (69%) malignant tumours. The analysed group included 53 (44%) glandular type breast patients, 39 (32%) mixed type, and 29 (23%) fatty type. Although MRI proved to be slightly more effective in dense breasts, both methods showed similar results in the whole study group. Conclusion: CESM can be used with confidence in patients with glandular breast type when MRI is not available or there are reported contraindications to MRI

Long-term safety and efficacy of benralizumab in patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma: 1-year results from the BORA phase 3 extension trial

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