Exploring the Relationship between Household Food Insecurity and Mood Dysregulation Symptoms in a Pediatric ADHD Population

Background: There are currently 12.5 million children in the United States living in food insecure households, yet the psychiatric consequences of this public health crisis are not well documented. Early childhood exposure to environmental stressors related to food insecurity could be associated with predisposing or exacerbating mood dysregulation symptoms in children. Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to explore the relationship of food insecurity with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms and co-occurring mood dysregulation symptoms in a pediatric population. Study Design and Methodology: Data was collected as part of baseline assessments for the “Multi-nutrients for ADHD Youth” (MADDY) Study, a multi-site randomized placebo-controlled trial investigating the efficacy of a multi-nutrient supplement in reducing ADHD symptom severity among children ages 6-12 years (N=135). Household food insecurity was ascertained using the 18-Item US Household Food Security Survey Module (USHFSSM). Children’s ADHD and mood dysregulation symptoms were assessed using the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-5 (CASI-5) questionnaire. Results: Preliminary trends from baseline data (n= 45) show that the prevalence of household food insecurity is 11.1%, which is close to the national prevalence of 11.8%. Children in food insecure households scored significantly higher on measures for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) (p-value = 0.002) and Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) symptoms (p-value = 0.013) versus children in food secure households. Conclusions: Childhood experience of food insecurity is associated with increased severity of mood dysregulation symptoms in a pediatric ADHD population. The direction and magnitude of this relationship will be explored in additional analysis upon study completion. If these trends are maintained in the total sample, future public health interventions addressing food insecurity may be needed to help alleviate the severity of mood dysregulation symptoms in this population. Additionally, pediatric health care providers could routinely assess hunger and food insecurity status in combination with ADHD assessments.A three-year embargo was granted for this item.Academic Major: Health Promotion, Nutrition, and Exercise Scienc

Fingerloop activates cargo delivery and unloading during cotranslational protein targeting

During cotranslational protein targeting by the signal recognition particle (SRP), information about signal sequence binding in the SRP's M domain must be effectively communicated to its GTPase domain to turn on its interaction with the SRP receptor (SR) and thus deliver the cargo proteins to the membrane. A universally conserved “fingerloop” lines the signal sequence–binding groove of SRP; the precise role of this fingerloop in protein targeting has remained elusive. In this study, we show that the fingerloop plays important roles in SRP function by helping to induce the SRP into a more active conformation that facilitates multiple steps in the pathway, including efficient recruitment of SR, GTPase activation in the SRP•SR complex, and most significantly, the unloading of cargo onto the target membrane. On the basis of these results and recent structural work, we propose that the fingerloop is the first structural element to detect signal sequence binding; this information is relayed to the linker connecting the SRP's M and G domains and thus activates the SRP and SR for carrying out downstream steps in the pathway

Engagement in Outpatient Care for Persons Living with HIV in the United States

Prior studies that have assessed engagement within the various stages of care for persons living with HIV (PLWH) studied patients receiving care in HIV medical care facilities. These data are not representative of care received throughout the United States, as not all PLWH receive care in HIV clinics. This study evaluated engagement in outpatient care and healthcare utilization for PLWH, beyond facilities that specialize in HIV. Cross-sectional data were from the 2009–2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Levels of care included receiving any care, receiving HIV-related care, established in care, engaged in care, and prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ARV). Factors associated with ARV prescription were determined by logistic regression. We analyzed data for ∼2.6 million outpatient clinic visits for PLWH. Of these, 90% were receiving HIV-related care, 86% were established in care, 75% were engaged in care, and 65% were prescribed ARV. In stratified analysis, the proportion of PWLH who were engaged in care varied by race/ethnicity (p<0.001) and ARV prescription varied significantly across the three age groups (p=0.004). Clinic visits within the past year did not differ for those prescribed ARV vs. not prescribed ARV [median, IQR=3.3 visits (1.8–5.6) vs. 3.6 visits (1.3–5.9); p=0.7]. Seeing a physician was associated with ARV prescription (OR=0.27, 95% CI=0.15–0.51), whereas routine engagement in care was not associated with ARV prescription (OR=0.99, 95% CI=0.96–1.03). Given that non-ARV-treated PLWH utilized outpatient care services at rates similar to ARV-treated PLWH, these routine clinic visits are missed opportunities for increasing ARV prescription in untreated patients

Pilot study of a brief provider and EMR-based intervention for overweight teens with asthma

INTRODUCTION: Asthma-related morbidity is increased in overweight patients, yet providers are given little guidance on how to discuss weight and asthma management with overweight teens. OBJECTIVE: We piloted an electronic medical record (EMR)-based tailored discussion guide (TDG) and a brief provider training, to address weight management in overweight teens with asthma. The primary outcome was intervention impact on patient-reported asthma outcomes (e.g., asthma control and morbidity). Secondary outcomes included change in BMI, patient-centeredness, and change in healthy behaviors. METHODS: Teens aged 13-18 years with persistent asthma and a body mass index ≥ 85th percentile for their age and sex were eligible. Parents of eligible teens were contacted before an upcoming appointment to allow teen enrollment during the clinic visit. Providers reviewed Motivational Interviewing (MI) concepts and were trained in the TDG for support of conversations around weight and asthma management. Measures included asthma outcomes retrieved from the EMR at 6- and 12-month post-baseline, teen impressions of patient-provider communication at 6-week post-enrollment, and teen report of healthy behaviors at 6- and 12-month post-baseline. RESULTS: Of 44 teens enrolled (77% African-American, 63% female), mean BMI for intervention (n=25) and control groups (n=19) at baseline were similar. Thirty participants (68%) completed a 6-week questionnaire. Compared to controls, at 6 months, intervention teens reported fewer days of limited activity and uncontrolled asthma, but at 12 months, only restricted activity remained lower, and BMI was not reduced. Intervention teens reported clinic visits that were more patient-centered than controls, including discussion of asthma treatment options with provider, feeling ready to follow an asthma treatment routine, and receiving helpful tips about reaching a healthy weight. The healthy behavior dinner with family showed improvement for intervention teens at 6 and 12 months. The feasibility study also revealed a need to improve recruitment strategies and to streamline intervention delivery. CONCLUSION: Modest improvements in patient-reported asthma outcomes and health behaviors were observed. There was strong evidence that the TDG supports provider discussion of weight and asthma to create a more patient-centered conversation from the perspective of participating teens. Challenges to recruitment and clinic adaptation must be addressed before advancing to a full-scale trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02575326 Teen Asthma Control Encouraging a Healthier Lifestyle, www.cllinicaltrials.gov

Relationship of Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity to Incident Cardiovascular Disease Results From the Women's Health Initiative

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine the independent and joint associations of sitting time and physical activity with risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD).BackgroundSedentary behavior is recognized as a distinct construct beyond lack of leisure-time physical activity, but limited data exist on the interrelationship between these 2 components of energy balance.MethodsParticipants in the prospective Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (n = 71,018), 50 to 79 years of age and free of CVD at baseline (1993 to 1998), provided information on sedentary behavior, defined as hours of sitting/day, and usual physical activity at baseline and during follow-up through September 2010. First CVD (coronary heart disease or stroke) events were centrally adjudicated.ResultsSitting ≥10 h/day compared with ≤5 h/day was associated with increased CVD risk (hazard ratio: 1.18, 95% confidence interval: 1.09 to 1.29) in multivariable models including physical activity. Low physical activity was also associated with higher CVD risk (p for trend &lt; 0.001). When women were cross-classified by sitting time and physical activity (p for interaction = 0.94), CVD risk was highest in inactive women (≤1.7 metabolic equivalent task-h/week) who also reported ≥10 h/day of sitting. Results were similar for coronary heart disease and stroke when examined separately. Associations between prolonged sitting and risk of CVD were stronger in overweight versus normal weight women and women 70 years of age and older compared with younger women.ConclusionsProlonged sitting time was associated with increased CVD risk, independent of leisure-time physical activity, in postmenopausal women without a history of CVD. A combination of low physical activity and prolonged sitting augments CVD risk

Triphasic Nature of Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIM-1 and PIM-PY) Induces Storage and Catalysis Effects in Hydrogen and Oxygen Reactivity at Electrode Surfaces

Hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction are two crucial energy conversion reactions, which are shown to be both strongly affected by the presence of intrinsically microporous polymer coatings on electrodes. Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) are known to possess extremely high internal surface area and ability to bind gases under dry conditions. It is shown here that both, hydrogen‐ and oxygen gas binding into PIMs, also occurs under wet or “triphasic” conditions in aqueous electrolyte environments (when immersed in 0.01 M phosphate buffer at pH 7). For two known PIM materials (PIM‐1 and PIM‐PY), nanoparticles are formed by an anti‐solvent precipitation protocol and then cast as a film onto platinum or glassy carbon electrodes. Voltammetry experiments reveal evidence for hydrogen and oxygen binding. Both, PIM‐1 and PIM‐PY, locally store hydrogen or oxygen gas at the electrode surface and thereby significantly affect electrocatalytic reactivity. The onset of oxygen reduction on glassy carbon is shifted by 0.15 V in the positive direction

Biomanufacturing and testbed development for the continuous production of monoclonal antibodies

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Erratum: Author Correction: Midbrain Circuit Regulation of Individual Alcohol Drinking Behaviors in Mice (Nature Communications (2017) 8 1 (2220))

The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of the author Scott Edwards, which was incorrectly given as Scott Edward. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article

Sustained proliferation in cancer: mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets

Proliferation is an important part of cancer development and progression. This is manifest by altered expression and/or activity of cell cycle related proteins. Constitutive activation of many signal transduction pathways also stimulates cell growth. Early steps in tumor development are associated with a fibrogenic response and the development of a hypoxic environment which favors the survival and proliferation of cancer stem cells. Part of the survival strategy of cancer stem cells may manifested by alterations in cell metabolism. Once tumors appear, growth and metastasis may be supported by overproduction of appropriate hormones (in hormonally dependent cancers), by promoting angiogenesis, by undergoing epithelial to mesenchymal transition, by triggering autophagy, and by taking cues from surrounding stromal cells. A number of natural compounds (e.g., curcumin, resveratrol, indole-3-carbinol, brassinin, sulforaphane, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, genistein, ellagitannins, lycopene and quercetin) have been found to inhibit one or more pathways that contribute to proliferation (e.g., hypoxia inducible factor 1, nuclear factor kappa B, phosphoinositide 3 kinase/Akt, insulin-like growth factor receptor 1, Wnt, cell cycle associated proteins, as well as androgen and estrogen receptor signaling). These data, in combination with bioinformatics analyses, will be very important for identifying signaling pathways and molecular targets that may provide early diagnostic markers and/or critical targets for the development of new drugs or drug combinations that block tumor formation and progression