Quality of life aspects of a low protein diet using GMP in patients with phenylketonuria

Objective: To assess some quality of life (QOL) aspects of a low protein diet, using glycomacropeptide (GMP) as a protein substitute in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). Methods: This was a multicentre, prospective observational cohort, study. Metabolic control, nutritional parameters, and dietary adherence were assessed in patients with PKU before (T0), and six months after (T6) starting a low protein diet using GMP. Selected items from the PKUQOL questionnaire were used to assess patients’ acceptance of their modified diet. Results: 18 patients from three Italian Centres, completed the study. With the exception of LDL-cholesterol and vitamin 25OH-D concentrations, there were no differences between T0 and T6 in metabolic or nutritional parameters. Data suggested that patients have a good acceptance of protein substitutes containing GMP, probably because of their improved palatability. Conclusions: According to our patients’ responses to items related to dietary regimen, GMP based protein substitutes do not appear to significantly affect QOL

Aging: a portrait from gene expression profile in blood cells

The availability of reliable biomarkers of aging is important not only to monitor the effect of interventions and predict the timing of pathologies associated with aging but also to understand the mechanisms and devise appropriate countermeasures. Blood cells provide an easily available tissue and gene expression profiles from whole blood samples appear to mirror disease states and some aspects of the aging process itself. We report here a microarray analysis of whole blood samples from two cohorts of healthy adult and elderly subjects, aged 43 +/- 3 and 68 +/- 4 years, respectively, to monitor gene expression changes in the initial phase of the senescence process. A number of significant changes were found in the elderly compared to the adult group, including decreased levels of transcripts coding for components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, which correlate with a parallel decline in the maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2max), as monitored in the same subjects. In addition, blood cells show age-related changes in the expression of several markers of immunosenescence, inflammation and oxidative stress. These findings support the notion that the immune system has a major role in tissue homeostasis and repair, which appears to be impaired since early stages of the aging process

Persistent cAMP-Signals Triggered by Internalized G-Protein–Coupled Receptors

Real-time monitoring of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling in native cells suggests that the receptor for thyroid stimulating hormone remains active after internalization, challenging the current model for GPCR signaling

sj-pdf-1-imr-10.1177_03000605221125524 - Supplemental material for Quality of life aspects of a low protein diet using GMP in patients with phenylketonuria

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-imr-10.1177_03000605221125524 for Quality of life aspects of a low protein diet using GMP in patients with phenylketonuria by Giulia Bensi, Maria Teresa Carbone, Maria Cristina Schiaffino, Sara Parolisi, Angela Pozzoli, Giacomo Biasucci in Journal of International Medical Research</p

Self perceived health and smoking in adolescents.

While long term health consequences of smoking as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, or pulmonary diseases have been largely analysed, short term health consequences of smoking have been poorly studied, as the case of teenage smokers who are short duration smokers. Some studies, mainly from the United States and northern European countries, have shown that more absence from school, poorer self perceived health, more frequent use of medication, and more frequent contact with health services are more prevalent among adolescent smokers.1,2 However, in southern European countries this relation has been rarely assessed. The aim of this study was to examine the association between daily smoking among adolescents and their self perceived health, different health problems, use of medication, and use of health services

Which environmental factors trigger the dominance of phytoplankton species across a moisture gradient of shallow lakes?

We investigated nine Pampean shallow lakes (Argentina) across a moisture gradient (mean annual precipitation 1,000–500 mm), under the framework of a network project of lake monitoring whose main objective was to analyse the responses of ecosystems to different stressors associated with human activities. We postulate that species bloom in different shallow lakes will be determined mainly by local optical features, nutrients and salinity. We analysed the phytoplankton structure during the warm season 2012–2013, identifying those species and functional groups that proliferate in the lakes. Most lakes showed high phytoplankton biomass, except a saline lake located in the driest part of the gradient and an inorganic turbid lake. In some lakes, cyanobacteria blooms occurred in summer, persisting until autumn. Small colonial cyanobacteria and small fast-growing chlorophytes were abundant in most turbid enriched and anthropogenically impacted systems. Lowest species and functional diversity occurred in the saline lake. Multivariate analysis indicated that the phytoplankton structure was mainly defined by conductivity, transparency and variables associated with the trophic state, also reflecting the importance of the geographical location. Our results evidenced the vulnerability of most shallow lakes in the region to water level fluctuations, eutrophication and canalization.Fil: Izaguirre, Irina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Schiaffino, María Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: O'farrell, Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Huber, Maria Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Ferrer, Nora Cristina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Zunino, Josefina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lagomarsino, Leonardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas ; ArgentinaFil: Mancini, Miguel Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentin

Short-term survival of hyperammonemic neonates treated with dialysis

In severe neonatal hyperammonemia, extracorporeal dialysis (ECD) provides higher ammonium clearance than peritoneal dialysis (PD). However, there are limited outcome data in relation to dialysis modality

Long-term outcome and need of re-operation in gastro-esophageal reflux surgery in children

Background: Fundoplication is considered a mainstay in the treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux. However, the literature reports significant recurrences and limited data on long-term outcome. Aims: To evaluate our long-term outcomes of antireflux surgery in children and to assess the results of redo surgery. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent Nissen fundoplication in 8 consecutive years. Reiterative surgery was indicated only in case of symptoms and anatomical alterations. A follow-up study was carried out to analyzed outcome and patients\u2019 Visick score assessed parents\u2019 perspective. Results: Overall 162 children were included for 179 procedures in total. Median age at first intervention was 43\ua0months. Comorbidities were 119 (73\ua0%), particularly neurological impairments (73\ua0%). Redo surgery is equal to 14\ua0% (25/179). Comorbidities were risk factors to Nissen failure (p\ua0=\ua00.04), especially children suffering neurological impairment with seizures (p\ua0=\ua00.034). Follow-up datasets were obtained for 111/162\ua0=\ua069\ua0% (median time: 51\ua0months). Parents\u2019 perspectives were excellent or good in 85\ua0%. Conclusions: A significant positive impact of redo Nissen intervention on the patient\u2019s outcome was highlighted; antireflux surgery is useful and advantageous in children and their caregivers. Children with neurological impairment affected by seizures represent significant risk factors