Formation of the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry, SOReg.

Obesity surgery is expanding, the quality of care is ever more important, and learning curve assessment should be established. A large registry cohort can show long-term effects on obesity and its comorbidities, complications, and long-term side effects of surgery, as well as changes in health-related quality of life (QoL). Sweden is ideally suited to the task of data collection and audit, with universal use of personal identification numbers, nation-wide registries permitting cross-matching to analyze causes of death, in-hospital care, and health-related absenteeism

Fasting leptin is a metabolic determinant of food reward in overweight and obese individuals during chronic aerobic exercise training

Changes in food reward have been implicated in exercise-induced compensatory eating behaviour. However, the underlying mechanisms of food reward, and the physiological correlates of exercise-induced changes in food reward, are unknown. Methods. Forty-six overweight and obese individuals completed 12 weeks of aerobic exercise. Body composition, food intake, and fasting metabolic-related hormones were measured at baseline, week six, and postintervention. On separate days, the reward value of high-and-low-fat food (explicit liking and implicit wanting) was also assessed at baseline, week six, and postintervention. Results. Following the intervention, FM, FFM, and V O 2 peak improved significantly, while fasting leptin decreased. However, food intake or reward did not change significantly. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that FM (P = 0.022) and FFM (P = 0.046) were associated with explicit liking for high-fat food, but implicit wanting was associated with FM only (P = 0.005). Fasting leptin was associated with liking (P = 0.023) and wanting (P = 0.021) for high-fat food. Furthermore, a greater exercise-induced decline in fasting leptin was associated with increased liking (P = 0.018). Conclusion. These data indicate that food reward has a number of physiological correlates. In particular, fasting leptin appears to play an active role in mediating food reward during exercise-induced weight loss. © 2014 Mark Hopkins et al

Mother–infant interaction in schizophrenia:Transmitting risk or resilience? A systematic review of the literature

Purpose: The parent–infant relationship is an important context for identifying very early risk and resilience factors and targets for the development of preventative interventions. The aim of this study was to systematically review studies investigating the early caregiver–infant relationship and attachment in offspring of parents with schizophrenia. Methods: We searched computerized databases for relevant articles investigating the relationship between early caregiver–infant relationship and outcomes for offspring of a caregiver with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Studies were assessed for risk of bias. Results: We identified 27 studies derived from 10 cohorts, comprising 208 women diagnosed with schizophrenia, 71 with other psychoses, 203 women with depression, 59 women with mania/bipolar disorder, 40 with personality disorder, 8 with unspecified mental disorders and 119 non-psychiatric controls. There was some evidence to support disturbances in maternal behaviour amongst those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and there was more limited evidence of disturbances in infant behaviour and mutuality of interaction. Conclusions: Further research should investigate both sources of resilience and risk in the development of offspring of parents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and psychosis. Given the lack of specificity observed in this review, these studies should also include maternal affective disorders including depressive and bipolar disorders

Does green tea affect postprandial glucose, insulin and satiety in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Results of epidemiological studies have suggested that consumption of green tea could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Intervention studies show that green tea may decrease blood glucose levels, and also increase satiety. This study was conducted to examine the postprandial effects of green tea on glucose levels, glycemic index, insulin levels and satiety in healthy individuals after the consumption of a meal including green tea.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted on 14 healthy volunteers, with a crossover design. Participants were randomized to either 300 ml of green tea or water. This was consumed together with a breakfast consisting of white bread and sliced turkey. Blood samples were drawn at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Participants completed several different satiety score scales at the same times.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Plasma glucose levels were higher 120 min after ingestion of the meal with green tea than after the ingestion of the meal with water. No significant differences were found in serum insulin levels, or the area under the curve for glucose or insulin. Subjects reported significantly higher satiety, having a less strong desire to eat their favorite food and finding it less pleasant to eat another mouthful of the same food after drinking green tea compared to water.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Green tea showed no glucose or insulin-lowering effect. However, increased satiety and fullness were reported by the participants after the consumption of green tea.</p> <p>Trial registration number</p> <p>NCT01086189</p

Biomarker selection for detection of occult tumour cells in lymph nodes of colorectal cancer patients using real-time quantitative RT–PCR

Accurate identification of lymph node involvement is critical for successful treatment of patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Real-time quantitative RT–PCR with a specific probe and RNA copy standard for biomarker mRNA has proven very powerful for detection of disseminated tumour cells. Which properties of biomarker mRNAs are important for identification of disseminated CRC cells? Seven biomarker candidates, CEA, CEACAM1-S/L, CEACAM6, CEACAM7-1/2, MUC2, MMP7 and CK20, were compared in a test-set of lymph nodes from 51 CRC patients (Dukes' A–D) and 10 controls. Normal colon epithelial cells, primary tumours, and different immune cells were also analysed. The biomarkers were ranked according to: (1) detection of haematoxylin/eosin positive nodes, (2) detection of Dukes' A and B patients, who developed metastases during a 54 months follow-up period and (3) identification of patients with Dukes' C and D tumours using the highest value of control nodes as cutoff. The following properties appear to be of importance; (a) no expression in immune cells, (b) relatively high and constant expression in tumour tissue irrespective of Dukes' stage and (c) no or weak downregulation in tumours compared to normal tissue. CEA fulfilled these criteria best, followed by CK20 and MUC2

Human resident liver myeloid cells protect against metabolic stress in obesity

Although multiple populations of macrophages have been described in the human liver, their function and turnover in patients with obesity at high risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cirrhosis are currently unknown. Herein, we identify a specific human population of resident liver myeloid cells that protects against the metabolic impairment associated with obesity. By studying the turnover of liver myeloid cells in individuals undergoing liver transplantation, we find that liver myeloid cell turnover differs between humans and mice. Using single-cell techniques and flow cytometry, we determine that the proportion of the protective resident liver myeloid cells, denoted liver myeloid cells 2 (LM2), decreases during obesity. Functional validation approaches using human 2D and 3D cultures reveal that the presence of LM2 ameliorates the oxidative stress associated with obese conditions. Our study indicates that resident myeloid cells could be a therapeutic target to decrease the oxidative stress associated with NAFLD

Metabotyping of docosahexaenoic acid - Treated alzheimer's disease cell model

10.1371/journal.pone.0090123PLoS ONE92-POLN

Three Stages of Lysozyme Thermal Stabilization by High and Medium Charge Density Anions

Addition of high and medium charge density anions (phosphate, sulfate, and chloride) to lysozyme in pure water demonstrates three stages for stabilization of the protein structure. The first two stages have a minor impact on lysozyme stability and are probably associated with direct interaction of the ions with charged and partial charges on the protein’s surface. There is a clear transition between the second and third stages; in the case of sodium chloride, disodium sulfate and disodium hydrogen phosphate this is at 550, 210, and 120 mM, respectively. Stabilization of lysozyme can be explained by the free energy required to hydrate the protein as it unfolds. At low ion concentrations, the protein’s hydration layer is at equilibrium with the bulk water. After the transition, bulk water is depleted and the protein is competing for water with the ions. With competition for water between the protein and the ions at higher salt concentrations, the free energy required to hydrate the interior of the protein rises and it is this that stabilizes the protein structure