Documentation and ethnobotanical survey of wild edible plants from Kolhapur district

The present study deals with the identification, documentation and ethno-botanical exploration with respect to food value of wild edible plants from Kolhapur district. Total 50 wild edible plants were surveyed. Edible parts of wild plants (fruit, flower, leaves, tubers and inflorescences) are the nature’s gift to mankind; these are not only delicious and refreshing but also the chief source of vitamin, minerals and protein. The wild edible plants are the normal food of cattle grazers and the forest tribes. Although the popularity of these wild forms of fruits, flowers and tubers has declined, it is considered that special attention should be paid to them in order to maintain and improve this important source of food supply

Screening of three wild edible fruits for their antioxidant potential

The antioxidant properties of three wild edible fruits, viz. Mimusops elengi L.Sp., (Sapotaceae), Cipadessa baccifera (Roth) Miq. (Meliaceae), Bridelia scandens (Roxb.) willd.(Euphorbiaceae) were determined by using  DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical-scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant property (FRAP), reducing power ability and chelating activity on ferrous ions .The solvent systems used were Acetone, ethanol, methanol and 100% distill water. The different levels of antioxidant activities were found in the solvent systems used

Salivary Metabolomic Signatures and Body Mass Index in Italian Adolescents: A Pilot Study

Context: Obesity surveillance is scarce in adolescents, and little is known on whether salivary metabolomics data, emerging minimally invasive biomarkers, can characterize metabolic patterns associated with overweight or obesity in adolescents. Objective: This pilot study aims to identify the salivary molecular signatures associated with body mass index (BMI) in Italian adolescents. Methods: Saliva samples and BMI were collected in a subset of n = 74 young adolescents enrolled in the Public Health Impact of Metal Exposure study (2007-2014). A total of 217 untargeted metabolites were identified using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Robust linear regression was used to cross-sectionally determine associations between metabolomic signatures and sex-specific BMI-for-age z-scores (z-BMI). Results: Nearly 35% of the adolescents (median age: 12 years; 51% females) were either obese or overweight. A higher z-BMI was observed in males compared to females (P = .02). One nucleoside (deoxyadenosine) and 2 lipids (18:0-18:2 phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoyl-phosphoethanolamine) were negatively related to z-BMI (P < .05), whereas 2 benzenoids (3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and a phthalate metabolite) were positively associated with z-BMI (P < .05). In males, several metabolites including deoxyadenosine, as well as deoxycarnitine, hyodeoxycholic acid, N-methylglutamic acid, bisphenol P, and trigonelline were downregulated, while 3 metabolites (3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, theobromine/theophylline/paraxanthine, and alanine) were upregulated in relation to z-BMI (P < .05). In females, deoxyadenosine and dipalmitoyl-phosphoethanolamine were negatively associated with z-BMI while deoxycarnitine and a phthalate metabolite were positively associated (P < .05). A single energy-related pathway was enriched in the identified associations in females (carnitine synthesis, P = .04). Conclusion: Salivary metabolites involved in nucleotide, lipid, and energy metabolism were primarily altered in relation to BMI in adolescents

Exposure to Bisphenol A and Phthalates during Pregnancy and Ultrasound Measures of Fetal Growth in the INMA-Sabadell Cohort

Background: Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates may affect fetal growth; however, previous findings are inconsistent and based on few studies. Objectives: We assessed whether prenatal exposure to BPA and phthalates was associated with fetal growth in a Spanish birth cohort of 488 mother–child pairs. Methods: We measured BPA and eight phthalates [four di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites (DEHPm), mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and three low-molecular-weight phthalate metabolites (LMWPm)] in two spot-urine samples collected during the first and third trimester of pregnancy. We estimated growth curves for femur length (FL), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), biparietal diameter (BPD), and estimated fetal weight (EFW) during pregnancy (weeks 12–20 and 20–34), and for birth weight, birth length, head circumference at birth, and placental weight. Results: Overall, results did not support associations of exposure to BPA or DEHPm during pregnancy with fetal growth parameters. Prenatal MBzP exposure was positively associated with FL at 20–34 weeks, resulting in an increase of 3.70% of the average FL (95% CI: 0.75, 6.63%) per doubling of MBzP concentration. MBzP was positively associated with birth weight among boys (48 g; 95% CI: 6, 90) but not in girls (–27 g; 95% CI: –79, 25) (interaction p-value = 0.04). The LMWPm mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) was negatively associated with HC at 12–20 pregnancy weeks [–4.88% of HC average (95% CI: –8.36, –1.36%)]. Conclusions: This study, one of the first to combine repeat exposure biomarker measurements and multiple growth measures during pregnancy, finds little evidence of associations of BPA or phthalate exposures with fetal growth. Phthalate metabolites MBzP and MnBP were associated with some fetal growth parameters, but these findings require replication

Challenges in conducting trials for pediatric tuberculous meningitis: lessons from the field

SETTING: TBM-KIDS is a phase I/II trial enrolling children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in three tertiary referral centers in India and Malawi. OBJECTIVE: To describe the challenges encountered in conducting the first randomized clinical trial of antimicrobial agents in pediatric TBM. DESIGN: The sources of the data were primarily monthly trial reports, non-enrollment case report forms, study diaries and registers maintained for recruitment, experiences shared by key team members during regular study calls and comments from site review visits. We reviewed, broadly categorized, and describe in detail the challenges encountered by study teams in trial implementation. RESULTS: Over 17 months, 3371 children with clinical presentations consistent with meningoencephalitis or undergoing lumbar puncture were assessed for eligibility; 21 (<1%) met enrollment criteria. We encountered challenges related to diagnosis, management of sick children, large catchment areas, adverse event attribution, concomitant medications, infrastructure requirements, expensive pediatric formulations with short expiry, and detection of treatment response in a highly variable disease across the age continuum. Training and adaptation of tools for neurocognitive and neurologic function assessment were necessary. Special care was undertaken to explain study participation to distraught caregivers and manage children longitudinally. CONCLUSION: Interventional trials in pediatric TBM are challenging but are critically important for improving the treatment of a disease that disables children physically, cognitively and emotionally. Sharing these challenges may help to address them more effectively as a TB research community and to advance treatments for this at-risk population

Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Glucose Homeostasis in Youth

Background: Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a prevalent class of persistent pollutants, may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. &nbsp; Objective: We examined associations between PFAS exposure and glucose metabolism in youth. &nbsp; Methods: Overweight/obese adolescents from the Study of Latino Adolescents at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (SOLAR; n=310) participated in annual visits for an average of 3.3&plusmn;2.9y. Generalizability of findings were tested in young adults from the Southern California Children&rsquo;s Health Study (CHS; n=135) who participated in a clinical visit with a similar protocol. At each visit, oral glucose tolerance tests were performed to estimate glucose metabolism and &beta;-cell function via the insulinogenic index. Four PFAS were measured at baseline using liquid chromatography&ndash;high-resolution mass spectrometry; high levels were defined as concentrations &gt;66th percentile. &nbsp; Results: In females from the SOLAR, high perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) levels (&ge;2.0&thinsp;ng/mL) were associated with the development of dysregulated glucose metabolism beginning in late puberty. The magnitude of these associations increased postpuberty and persisted through 18 years of age. For example, postpuberty, females with high PFHxS levels had 25-mg/dL higher 60-min glucose (95% CI: 12,&thinsp;39mg/dL; p&lt;0.0001), 15-mg/dL higher 2-h glucose (95% CI: 1,&thinsp;28mg/dL; p=0.04), and 25% lower &beta;-cell function (p=0.02) compared with females with low levels. Results were largely consistent in the CHS, where females with elevated PFHxS levels had 26-mg/dL higher 60-min glucose (95% CI: 6.0,&thinsp;46mg/dL; p=0.01) and 19-mg/dL higher 2-h glucose, which did not meet statistical significance (95% CI: &ndash;1,&thinsp;39mg/dL; p=0.08). In males, no consistent associations between PFHxS and glucose metabolism were observed. No consistent associations were observed for other PFAS and glucose metabolism. &nbsp; Discussion: Youth exposure to PFHxS was associated with dysregulated glucose metabolism in females, which may be due to changes in &beta;-cell function. These associations appeared during puberty and were most pronounced postpuberty. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9200" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-ga-action="click_feat_

PI3K/mTOR is a therapeutically targetable genetic dependency in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma

Diffuse midline glioma (DMG), including tumors diagnosed in the brainstem (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma; DIPG), are uniformly fatal brain tumors that lack effective treatment. Analysis of CRISPR/Cas9 loss-of-function gene deletion screens identified PIK3CA and MTOR as targetable molecular dependencies across patient derived models of DIPG, highlighting the therapeutic potential of the blood-brain barrier–penetrant PI3K/Akt/mTOR inhibitor, paxalisib. At the human-equivalent maximum tolerated dose, mice treated with paxalisib experienced systemic glucose feedback and increased insulin levels commensurate with patients using PI3K inhibitors. To exploit genetic dependence and overcome resistance while maintaining compliance and therapeutic benefit, we combined paxalisib with the antihyperglycemic drug metformin. Metformin restored glucose homeostasis and decreased phosphorylation of the insulin receptor in vivo, a common mechanism of PI3K-inhibitor resistance, extending survival of orthotopic models. DIPG models treated with paxalisib increased calcium-activated PKC signaling. The brain penetrant PKC inhibitor enzastaurin, in combination with paxalisib, synergistically extended the survival of multiple orthotopic patient-derived and immunocompetent syngeneic allograft models; benefits potentiated in combination with metformin and standard-of-care radiotherapy. Therapeutic adaptation was assessed using spatial transcriptomics and ATAC-Seq, identifying changes in myelination and tumor immune microenvironment crosstalk. Collectively, this study has identified what we believe to be a clinically relevant DIPG therapeutic combinational strategy

Parma consensus statement on metabolic disruptors

A multidisciplinary group of experts gathered in Parma Italy for a workshop hosted by the University of Parma, May 16–18, 2014 to address concerns about the potential relationship between environmental metabolic disrupting chemicals, obesity and related metabolic disorders. The objectives of the workshop were to: 1. Review findings related to the role of environmental chemicals, referred to as “metabolic disruptors”, in obesity and metabolic syndrome with special attention to recent discoveries from animal model and epidemiology studies; 2. Identify conclusions that could be drawn with confidence from existing animal and human data; 3. Develop predictions based on current data; and 4. Identify critical knowledge gaps and areas of uncertainty. The consensus statements are intended to aid in expanding understanding of the role of metabolic disruptors in the obesity and metabolic disease epidemics, to move the field forward by assessing the current state of the science and to identify research needs on the role of environmental chemical exposures in these diseases. We propose broadening the definition of obesogens to that of metabolic disruptors, to encompass chemicals that play a role in altered susceptibility to obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders including metabolic syndrome

Worldwide trends in diabetes since 1980: a pooled analysis of 751 population-based studies with 4.4 million participants

BACKGROUND: One of the global targets for non-communicable diseases is to halt, by 2025, the rise in the age-standardised adult prevalence of diabetes at its 2010 levels. We aimed to estimate worldwide trends in diabetes, how likely it is for countries to achieve the global target, and how changes in prevalence, together with population growth and ageing, are affecting the number of adults with diabetes. METHODS: We pooled data from population-based studies that had collected data on diabetes through measurement of its biomarkers. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in diabetes prevalence—defined as fasting plasma glucose of 7·0 mmol/L or higher, or history of diagnosis with diabetes, or use of insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs—in 200 countries and territories in 21 regions, by sex and from 1980 to 2014. We also calculated the posterior probability of meeting the global diabetes target if post-2000 trends continue. FINDINGS: We used data from 751 studies including 4 372 000 adults from 146 of the 200 countries we make estimates for. Global age-standardised diabetes prevalence increased from 4·3% (95% credible interval 2·4–7·0) in 1980 to 9·0% (7·2–11·1) in 2014 in men, and from 5·0% (2·9–7·9) to 7·9% (6·4–9·7) in women. The number of adults with diabetes in the world increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 (28·5% due to the rise in prevalence, 39·7% due to population growth and ageing, and 31·8% due to interaction of these two factors). Age-standardised adult diabetes prevalence in 2014 was lowest in northwestern Europe, and highest in Polynesia and Micronesia, at nearly 25%, followed by Melanesia and the Middle East and north Africa. Between 1980 and 2014 there was little change in age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adult women in continental western Europe, although crude prevalence rose because of ageing of the population. By contrast, age-standardised adult prevalence rose by 15 percentage points in men and women in Polynesia and Micronesia. In 2014, American Samoa had the highest national prevalence of diabetes (>30% in both sexes), with age-standardised adult prevalence also higher than 25% in some other islands in Polynesia and Micronesia. If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global target of halting the rise in the prevalence of diabetes by 2025 at the 2010 level worldwide is lower than 1% for men and is 1% for women. Only nine countries for men and 29 countries for women, mostly in western Europe, have a 50% or higher probability of meeting the global target. INTERPRETATION: Since 1980, age-standardised diabetes prevalence in adults has increased, or at best remained unchanged, in every country. Together with population growth and ageing, this rise has led to a near quadrupling of the number of adults with diabetes worldwide. The burden of diabetes, both in terms of prevalence and number of adults affected, has increased faster in low-income and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust