Exercise training alters lipoprotein particles independent of brown adipose tissue metabolic activity

IntroductionNew strategies for weight loss and weight maintenance in humans are needed. Human brown adipose tissue (BAT) can stimulate energy expenditure and may be a potential therapeutic target for obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, whether exercise training is an efficient stimulus to activate and recruit BAT remains to be explored. This study aimed to evaluate whether regular exercise training affects cold‐stimulated BAT metabolism and, if so, whether this was associated with changes in plasma metabolites.MethodsHealthy sedentary men (n = 11; aged 31 [SD 7] years; body mass index 23 [0.9] kg m−2; VO2 max 39 [7.6] mL min−1 kg−1) participated in a 6‐week exercise training intervention. Fasting BAT and neck muscle glucose uptake (GU) were measured using quantitative [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography–magnetic resonance imaging three times: (1) before training at room temperature and (2) before and (3) after the training period during cold stimulation. Cervico‐thoracic BAT mass was measured using MRI signal fat fraction maps. Plasma metabolites were analysed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.ResultsCold exposure increased supraclavicular BAT GU by threefold (p p p p = 0.01) and decreased visceral fat (p = 0.02) and cervico‐thoracic BAT mass (p = 0.003). Additionally, training decreased very low‐density lipoprotein particle size (p = 0.04), triglycerides within chylomicrons (p = 0.04) and small high‐density lipoprotein (p = 0.04).ConclusionsAlthough exercise training plays an important role for metabolic health, its beneficial effects on whole body metabolism through physiological adaptations seem to be independent of BAT activation in young, sedentary men.</div

The alpha-kinase family: an exceptional branch on the protein kinase tree

The alpha-kinase family represents a class of atypical protein kinases that display little sequence similarity to conventional protein kinases. Early studies on myosin heavy chain kinases in Dictyostelium discoideum revealed their unusual propensity to phosphorylate serine and threonine residues in the context of an alpha-helix. Although recent studies show that some members of this family can also phosphorylate residues in non-helical regions, the name alpha-kinase has remained. During evolution, the alpha-kinase domains combined with many different functional subdomains such as von Willebrand factor-like motifs (vWKa) and even cation channels (TRPM6 and TRPM7). As a result, these kinases are implicated in a large variety of cellular processes such as protein translation, Mg2+ homeostasis, intracellular transport, cell migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on different members of this kinase family and discuss the potential use of alpha-kinases as drug targets in diseases such as cancer

Review of physical activity promotion policy development and legislation in European Union Member States

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe and the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers of the European Commission have established a joint three-year project to monitor progress in improving nutrition and physical activity and preventing obesity in the European Union (EU). This review provides an overview of the identified published national policy documents on promoting physical activity in the 27 EU Member

Built to last? Local climate change adaptation and governance in the Caribbean-The case of an informal urban settlement in Trinidad and Tobago

Climate Change (CC) increasingly affects cities in low-elevation coastal zones, and households in low-income areas in particular. This article focuses on local CC adaptation and governance in Trinidad and Tobago. First, it investigates the capacity of a poor urban community to adapt to CC, by examining the local impacts of and responses to flooding. Second, based on interviews with a selection of local stakeholders, the article sheds light on the institutional barriers preventing the development and implementation of effective CC adaptation strategies. The data show that households in the case study community experience the impacts of changing climatic conditions, in particular flooding. Households implement a wide range of adaptive measures before, during and after floods. It was revealed that the case study community receives very limited institutional support to withstand flooding. Looking at the different levels of CC adaptation governance in Trinidad and Tobago it can be concluded that although the institutional architecture to support local CC adaptation seems to cover all governance levels, vertical linkages between the various levels have to be strengthened to bridge the gap between community-based and national-level adaptation planning. The main institutional challenges are the lack of coordination and communication between the relevant actors

Prevention of overweight at Dutch secondary schools: the national and regional picture

With regard to the food and physical activity offered at secondary schools, improvements can be made that can contribute to the reduction of overweight among the youth. This was shown in the first national survey on the prevention of overweight at Dutch secondary schools. The survey cited canteens and/or soda vending machines in almost 90% of the schools, and candy dispensers in 77%. More than half the schools described the food assortment as being primarily rich in calories. In most cases the school board can influence the food supplied to the schools: 60% have an influence on food supplied in machines and 80% have an influence on what is offered in canteens. Only one-quarter of the locations expected a positive change in the following six months. The school environment can also be important: 75% of schools are located near a supermarket, snack bar or petrol station. Pupils at about half the schools have access to these food facilities, since they are allowed to leave the schoolyard during school hours. In the lower classes most schools offer 3-4 hours a week of physical education, but 25% of the capacity of the sport facilities is considered as being insufficient. The schoolyard itself offers possibilities for physical activity: pupils can walk in or around the schoolyard at 80% of the schools and 40% of the schools offer additional sport facilities on the schoolyard. Traffic circumstances around the school are considered to be average to very safe at 90% of the schools. There is still a lot of improvement possible. Only one-third of the schools focuses on overweight prevention outside the curriculum and 13% have specific guidelines for screening and follow-up monitoring of overweight pupils. Most schools expect to pay more attention to overweight prevention in the near future. Since prevalence of overweight among Dutch teenagers will probably rise further, RIVM recommends that schools put these good intentions into practice.In het voedings- en beweegaanbod op middelbare scholen zijn verbeteringen mogelijk die kunnen bijdragen aan een reductie van overgewicht bij de jeugd. Dit blijkt uit de eerste landelijke enquete naar de preventie van overgewicht op middelbare schoollocaties in Nederland. Bijna 90 % van de schoollocaties heeft een kantine en/of frisdrankautomaat en 77 % heeft een snoepautomaat. Ruim de helft omschrijft het aanbod van producten op school als overwegend calorierijk. In veel gevallen kan de directie het aanbod beinvloeden: 60 % kan de samenstelling van de automaten aanpassen en 80% heeft invloed op het kantineaanbod. Slechts een kwart verwacht echter een verandering van het aanbod in het komende half jaar. Ook de omgeving van de school is van belang. Driekwart van de schoollocaties bevindt zich op minder dan 1 km afstand van een supermarkt, snackbar of tankstation. Op ongeveer de helft van de schoollocaties hebben leerlingen toegang tot deze voorzieningen omdat ze in tussenuren en pauzes het schoolterrein mogen verlaten. Op de meeste schoollocaties wordt in de onderbouw 3 tot 4 uur lichamelijke opvoeding per week gegeven. De capaciteit van de sportzalen wordt door 25% als onvoldoende ervaren. Het schoolterrein zelf biedt vaak mogelijkheden om te bewegen. Op 80% van de schoollocaties kunnen jongeren op of rondom het terrein wandelen en 40% van de schoollocaties biedt extra sportfaciliteiten op het schoolterrein. De verkeersveiligheid in de buurt van de school wordt door 90% als gemiddeld tot zeer veilig beoordeeld. Er is nog veel verbetering mogelijk. Slechts eenderde van de schoollocaties geeft buiten het reguliere onderwijs aandacht aan het thema overgewicht. Op 13% van de schoollocaties zijn er richtlijnen voor signalering, advisering en hulpverlening voor kinderen met overgewicht. De meeste schoollocaties verwachten in de toekomst meer aandacht te geven aan overgewicht. Gezien de verwachte toename van overgewicht onder jongeren in Nederland adviseert RIVM dat scholen deze voornemens in de praktijk brengen

TRPM7 maintains progenitor-like features of neuroblastoma cells: implications for metastasis formation

Contains fulltext : 154076.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access