Adherence to a behavioral weight loss treatment program enhances weight loss and improvements in biomarkers

Objectives: To describe participants' adherence to multiple components (attendance, energy intake, fat gram, exercise goals, and self-monitoring eating and exercise behaviors) of a standard behavioral treatment program (SBT) for weight loss and how adherence to these components may influence weight loss and biomarkers (triglycerides, low density lipoproteins [LDL], high density lipoprotein, and insulin) during the intensive and less-intensive intervention phases. Methods: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial consisting of a SBT with either fat-restricted standard or lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. The 12-month intervention was delivered in 33 group sessions. The first six months reflected the intensive phase; the second six months, the less-intensive intervention phase. We conducted the analysis without regard to treatment assignment. Eligible participants included overweight/obese adults (N = 176; mean body mass index = 34.0 kg/m2). The sample was 86.9% female, 70.5% White, and 44.4 ± 8.6 years old. The outcome measures included weight and biomarkers. Results: There was a significant decline in adherence to each treatment component over time (P < 0.0001). In the first six months, adherence to attendance, self-monitoring and the energy goal were significantly associated with greater weight loss (P < 0.05). Adherence to attendance and exercise remained significantly associated with weight loss in the second six months (P < 0.05). Adherence to attendance, self-monitoring and exercise had indirect effects through weight loss on LDL, triglycerides, and insulin (P < 0.05). Conclusions: We observed a decline in adherence to each treatment component as the intervention intensity was reduced. Adherence to multiple treatment components was associated with greater weight loss and improvements in biomarkers. Future research needs to focus on improving and maintaining adherence to all components of the treatment protocol to promote weight loss and maintenance. © 2009 Acharya et al

Steering in computational science: mesoscale modelling and simulation

This paper outlines the benefits of computational steering for high performance computing applications. Lattice-Boltzmann mesoscale fluid simulations of binary and ternary amphiphilic fluids in two and three dimensions are used to illustrate the substantial improvements which computational steering offers in terms of resource efficiency and time to discover new physics. We discuss details of our current steering implementations and describe their future outlook with the advent of computational grids.Comment: 40 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Contemporary Physic

A semiconductor source of triggered entangled photon pairs?

The realisation of a triggered entangled photon source will be of great importance in quantum information, including for quantum key distribution and quantum computation. We show here that: 1) the source reported in ``A semiconductor source of triggered entangled photon pairs''[1. Stevenson et al., Nature 439, 179 (2006)]} is not entangled; 2) the entanglement indicators used in Ref. 1 are inappropriate, relying on assumptions invalidated by their own data; and 3) even after simulating subtraction of the significant quantity of background noise, their source has insignificant entanglement.Comment: 5 pages in pre-print format, 1 tabl

Evaluation of Xpert® MTB/RIF and ustar easyNAT™ TB IAD for diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis of children in Tanzania : a prospective descriptive study

Fine needle aspiration biopsy has become a standard approach for diagnosis of peripheral tuberculous lymphadenitis. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF and Ustar EasyNAT TB IAD nucleic acid amplification assays, against acid-fast bacilli microscopy, cytology and mycobacterial culture for the diagnosis of TB lymphadenitis in children from a TB-endemic setting in Tanzania.; Children of 8 weeks to 16 years of age, suspected of having TB lymphadenitis, were recruited at a district hospital in Tanzania. Fine needle aspirates of lymph nodes were analysed using acid-fast bacilli microscopy, liquid TB culture, cytology, Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT. Latent class analysis and comparison against a composite reference standard comprising "culture and/or cytology" was done, to assess the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT for the diagnosis of TB lymphadenitis.; Seventy-nine children were recruited; 4 were excluded from analysis. Against a composite reference standard of culture and/or cytology, Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT had a sensitivity and specificity of 58 % and 93 %; and 19 % and 100 % respectively. Relative to latent class definitions, cytology had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 94.7 %.; Combining clinical assessment, cytology and Xpert MTB/RIF may allow for a rapid and accurate diagnosis of childhood TB lymphadenitis. Larger diagnostic evaluation studies are recommended to validate these findings and on Xpert MTB/RIF to assess its use as a solitary initial test for TB lymphadenitis in children

Primary cilia elongation in response to interleukin-1 mediates the inflammatory response

Primary cilia are singular, cytoskeletal organelles present in the majority of mammalian cell types where they function as coordinating centres for mechanotransduction, Wnt and hedgehog signalling. The length of the primary cilium is proposed to modulate cilia function, governed in part by the activity of intraflagellar transport (IFT). In articular cartilage, primary cilia length is increased and hedgehog signaling activated in osteoarthritis (OA). Here, we examine primary cilia length with exposure to the quintessential inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1), which is up-regulated in OA. We then test the hypothesis that the cilium is involved in mediating the downstream inflammatory response. Primary chondrocytes treated with IL-1 exhibited a 50 % increase in cilia length after 3 h exposure. IL-1-induced cilia elongation was also observed in human fibroblasts. In chondrocytes, this elongation occurred via a protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent mechanism. G-protein coupled adenylate cyclase also regulated the length of chondrocyte primary cilia but not downstream of IL-1. Chondrocytes treated with IL-1 exhibit a characteristic increase in the release of the inflammatory chemokines, nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2. However, in cells with a mutation in IFT88 whereby the cilia structure is lost, this response to IL-1 was significantly attenuated and, in the case of nitric oxide, completely abolished. Inhibition of IL-1-induced cilia elongation by PKA inhibition also attenuated the chemokine response. These results suggest that cilia assembly regulates the response to inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, the cilia proteome may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory pathologies, including OA

Structure and phase stability of nanocrystalline Ce1−xLnxO2−x/2−δ (Ln = Yb, Lu) in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere

The structure and phase evolution of nanocrystalline Ce1−xLnxO2−x/2−δ (Ln = Yb, Lu, x = 0 − 1) oxides upon heating in H2 was studied for the first time. Up to 950 °C the samples were single-phase, with structure changing smoothly with x from fluorite type (F) to bixbyite type (C). For the Lu-doped samples heated at 1100 °C in the air and H2, phase separation into coexisting F- and C-type structures was observed for ~0.40 < x < ~0.70 and ~0.25 < x < ~0.70, respectively. It was found also that addition of Lu3+ and Yb3+ strongly hinders the crystallite growth of ceria during heat treatment at 800 and 950 °C in both atmospheres. Valency of Ce and Yb in Ce0.1Lu0.9O1.55−δ and Ce0.95Yb0.05O1.975−δ samples heated at 1100 °C was studied by XANES and magnetic measurements. In the former Ce was dominated by Ce4+, with small contribution of Ce3+ after heating in H2. In the latter, Yb existed exclusively as 3+ in both O2 and H2

G-Quadruplex Visualization in Cells via Antibody and Fluorescence Probe

G-quadruplexes (G4s) are noncanonical nucleic acids structures involved in key regulatory and pathological roles in eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses: the development of specific antibodies and fluorescent probes represent an invaluable tool to understand their biological relevance. We here present three protocols for the visualization of G4s in cells, both uninfected and HSV-1 infected, using a specific antibody and a fluorescent G4 ligand, and the effect of the fluorescent ligand on a G4 binding protein, nucleolin, upon binding of the molecule to the nucleic acids structure

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Metastatic to the Mandible

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common malignancies in the head and neck region, especially among those of Chinese origin. NPC has multifactorial aetiologies including genetic susceptibility, consumption of food with high salt content, and the Epstein–Barr virus. The primary tumour usually arises from the lateral walls of the nasopharynx and is characterized by a rich sub-mucosal lymphatic structure, often leading to cervical lymph node metastasis. Distant metastasis has been recognized to be a major cause of treatment failure in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Bone, liver and lung are the most frequent sites of NPC metastases

An Urban Neo-Poverty Population-Based Quality of Life and Related Social Characteristics Investigation from Northeast China

OBJECTIVE: To investigate quality of life (QOL) and related characteristics among an urban neo-poverty population in northeast China, and to compare this population with a traditional poverty cohort. DESIGN: The research was a cross-sectional survey executed from June 2005 to October 2007, with a sample of 2940 individuals ages 36 to 55 in three different industrial cities of northeast China. Data were collected on QOL status and sociodemographic characteristics. QOL was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (Chinese version). Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyze association between sociodemographic variables and QOL. RESULTS: The scores for QOL in the neo-poverty group were higher than those in the traditional poverty group, but lower than those in the general population. When the neo-poverty population was divided into two subgroups by age, 36-45 years and 46-55 years, the differences in QOL scores were not significant. However, there were significant differences in several dimensions between two subgroups according to unemployment time (<5 years and >5 years). Additionally, stepwise regression analysis indicated that disease burden, including disease and medical expenditures, was a common risk factor for declining QOL in the neo-poverty group. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some limitations, this study provides initial evidence that the QOL of the urban neo-poverty population lies between that of the general population and traditional poverty. QOL of the neo-poverty group approached QOL of the traditional poverty group with increased unemployment years. In addition to decreased income, disease burden is the most important factor influencing QOL status in urban neo-poverty

The Retrograde IFT Machinery of C. elegans Cilia: Two IFT Dynein Complexes?

We analyzed the relatively poorly understood IFT-dynein (class DYNC2)-driven retrograde IFT pathway in C. elegans cilia, which yielded results that are surprising in the context of current models of IFT. Assays of C. elegans dynein gene expression and intraflagellar transport (IFT) suggest that conventional IFT-dynein contains essential heavy (CHE-3), light-intermediate (XBX-1), plus three light polypeptide chains that participate in IFT, but no “essential” intermediate chain. IFT assays of XBX-1::YFP suggest that IFT-dynein is transported as cargo to the distal tip of the cilium by kinesin-2 motors, but independent of the IFT-particle/BBSome complexes. Finally, we were surprised to find that the subset of cilia present on the OLQ (outer labial quadrant) neurons assemble independently of conventional “CHE-3” IFT-dynein, implying that there is a second IFT-dynein acting in these cilia. We have found a novel gene encoding a dynein heavy chain, DHC-3, and two light chains, in OLQ neurons, which could constitute an IFT-dynein complex in OLQ neuronal cilia. Our results underscore several surprising features of retrograde IFT that require clarification