Lycopene intervention reduces inflammation and improves HDL functionality in moderately overweight middle-aged individuals

The management of overweight subjects by interventions aimed at reducing inflammation is highly desirable. To date, observational studies have identified a link between increased dietary antioxidant intake and reduced cardiovascular morbidity. However, direct trial evidence regarding the ability of antioxidants to influence inflammation is lacking. Therefore, this study examined lycopene's ability to lower systemic and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated inflammation in moderately overweight middle-aged subjects. Serum was collected before and after a 12-week intervention from 54 moderately overweight, middle-aged individuals. Subjects were randomised to one of three groups: control diet (

Evaluation of a DVD for women with diabetes: impact on knowledge and attitudes to preconception care

Aims: To determine if an educational DVD increases knowledge and changes attitudes of women with diabetes towards preconception care.

Methods: Ninety-seven women with diabetes (Type 1, n = 89; Type 2, n = 8), aged 18–40 years, completed a pre-DVD and post-DVD intervention study by postal questionnaire. Beliefs and attitudes associated with preventing an unplanned pregnancy and seeking preconception care were assessed using a validated questionnaire; scales included benefits, barriers, personal attitudes and self-efficacy. Knowledge of pregnancy planning and pregnancy-related risks were assessed by a 22-item questionnaire.

Results: After viewing the DVD there was significant positive change in women’s perceived benefits of, and their personal attitudes to, receiving preconception care and using contraception: change in score post-DVD viewing 0.7 (95% confidence interval 0.3, 1.2), P = 0.003, and 0.8 (0.3, 1.2), P = 0.001, respectively. The DVD significantly improved self-efficacy, that is, self-confidence to use contraception for prevention of an unplanned pregnancy and to access preconception care [3.3 (1.9, 4.7), P < 0.001], and significantly reduced perceived barriers to preconception care [-0.7 (-1.2, -0.2), P = 0.01]. Knowledge of pregnancy planning and pregnancy-related risks increased significantly after viewing the DVD: mean increase was 37.6 ± 20.0%, P < 0.001, and 16.9 ± 21.2%, P < 0.001, respectively.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a DVD in increasing knowledge and enhancing attitudes of women with diabetes to preconception care. This DVD could be used as a prepregnancy counselling resource to prepare women with diabetes for pregnancy.

Glucose-induced oxidative stress in vascular contractile cells - Comparison of aortic smooth muscle cells and retinal pericytes

Free radical-mediated damage to vascular cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic vasculopathy. The aim of this study was to compare the extent of glucose-induced oxidative stress in both vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and pericytes and the effect on antioxidant enzyme gene expression and activities. Porcine aortic VSMC and retinal pericytes were cultured in either 5 or 25 mmol/l glucose for 10 days. Intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured as a marker of peroxidative damage, and mRNA expression of CuZn-SOD, MnSOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were measured by Northern analysis. Glutathione (GSH) was also measured. There was a significant increase in MDA in VSMCs in 25 mmol/l glucose (1.34 +/- 0.11 vs. 1.88 +/- 0.24 nmol/mg protein, 5 vs. 25 mmol/l D-glucose, mean +/- SE, n = 15, P

Breast-feeding and childhood-onset type 1 diabetes:A pooled analysis of individual participant data from 43 observational studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if there is a reduced risk of type 1 diabetes in children breastfed or exclusively breastfed by performing a pooled analysis with adjustment for recognized confounders.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Relevant studies were identified from literature searches using MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Authors of relevant studies were asked to provide individual participant data or conduct prespecified analyses. Meta-analysis techniques were used to combine odds ratios (ORs) and investigate heterogeneity between studies.
RESULTS: Data were available from 43 studies including 9,874 patients with type 1 diabetes. Overall, there was a reduction in the risk of diabetes after exclusive breast-feeding for >2 weeks (20 studies; OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.64-0.88), the association after exclusive breast-feeding for >3 months was weaker (30 studies; OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.75-1.00), and no association was observed after (nonexclusive) breast-feeding for >2 weeks (28 studies; OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.81-1.07) or >3 months (29 studies; OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-1.00). These associations were all subject to marked heterogeneity (I(2) = 58, 76, 54, and 68%, respectively). In studies with lower risk of bias, the reduced risk after exclusive breast-feeding for >2 weeks remained (12 studies; OR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.75-0.99), and heterogeneity was reduced (I(2) = 0%). Adjustments for potential confounders altered these estimates very little.
CONCLUSIONS: The pooled analysis suggests weak protective associations between exclusive breast-feeding and type 1 diabetes risk. However, these findings are difficult to interpret because of the marked variation in effect and possible biases (particularly recall bias) inherent in the included studies.

Deficiencies of folate and vitamin B-6 exert distinct effects on homocysteine, serine, and methionine kinetics

Folate and vitamin B-6 act in generating methyl groups for homocysteine remethylation, but the kinetic effects of folate or vitamin B-6 deficiency are not known. We used an intravenous primed, constant infusion of stable isotope-labeled serine, methionine, and leucine to investigate one-carbon metabolism in healthy control (n = 5), folate-deficient (n = 4), and vitamin B-6-deficient (n = 5) human subjects. The plasma homocysteine concentration in folate-deficient subjects [15.9 +/-2.1 (SD) mu mol/l] was approximately two times that of control (7.4 +/-1.7 mmol/l) and vitamin B-6-deficient (7.7 +/-2.1 mmol/l) subjects. The rate of methionine synthesis by homocysteine remethylation was depressed (P = 0.027) in folate deficiency but not in vitamin B-6 deficiency. For all subjects, the homocysteine remethylation rate was not significantly associated with plasma homocysteine concentration (r = -0.44, P = 0.12). The fractional synthesis rate of homocysteine from methionine was positively correlated with plasma homocysteine concentration (r = 0.60, P = 0.031), and a model incorporating both homocysteine remethylation and synthesis rates closely predicted plasma homocysteine levels (r = 0.85, P = 0.0015). Rates of homocysteine remethylation and serine synthesis were inversely correlated (r = -0.89, P < 0.001). These studies demonstrate distinctly different metabolic consequences of vitamin B-6 and folate deficiencies.

The role of lipids and protein kinase Cs in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes and is a major cause of new blindness in the working-age population of developed countries. While the exact pathogenic basis of this condition remains ill defined, it is clear that hyperglycaemia is a critical factor in its aetiology. Protein kinase C (PKC) activation is one of the sequelae of hyperglycaemia and it is thought to play an important role in the development of diabetic complications. This review questions the currently held dogma that PKC stimulation in diabetes is solely mediated through the overproduction of palmitate and oleate enriched diacylglycerols. Blood glucose concentrations are closely tracked by changes in the levels of free fatty acids and these, in addition to oxidative stress, may account for the aberrant activation of PKCs in diabetes. Little is known about why PKCs fail to downregulate in diabetes and efforts should be directed towards acquiring such information. Considerable evidence implicates the PKCbeta isoform in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, but other isoforms may also be of relevance. In addition to PKCs, it is evident that novel diacyglycerol-activated non-kinase receptors could also play a role in the development of diabetic complications. Therapeutic agents have been developed to inhibit specific PKC isoforms and PKCbeta antagonists are currently undergoing clinical trials to test their toxicity and efficacy in suppressing diabetic complications. The likely impact of these drugs in the treatment of diabetic patients is considered.

Analysis of the association between diabetic nephropathy and polymorphisms in the aldose reductase gene in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus

To investigate the association between polymorphisms of the aldose reductase gene and diabetic nephropathy in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to carry out a meta-analysis of published results.

Adiponectin multimers, body weight and markers of cardiovascular risk in adolescence: Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project:Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project

Background:Research examining the relationship between adiponectin (AN) isoforms, body weight and cardiovascular (CV) risk factors is limited, particularly in younger populations. Objectives:To investigate the inter-relationships between AN isoforms and CV risk factors, and their dependence on body weight status, in adolescents. Design:Blood samples from 92 obese, 92 overweight and 92 normal weight age- and sex-matched adolescents were analysed for traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk biomarkers and also total, high molecular weight (HMW), medium and low molecular weight (LMW) AN. Results:A significant inverse association was observed between total and HMW AN and waist-hip ratio (P=0.015, P=0.006, respectively), triglycerides (P=0.003, P=0.003, respectively) and systolic blood pressure (P=0.012, P=0.024, respectively) and a significant positive association with high-density lipoprotein (P<0.001, P<0.001, respectively) in multi-adjusted analyses. There was no evidence of a relationship between multimeric AN and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. There was also little evidence of a relationship between LMW AN and CVD risk factors. There was a strong, body mass index (BMI)-independent, association between AN, CVD biomarkers and the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype. Conclusion:Prominent, BMI-independent associations between total and HMW AN, but not LMW AN, and CVD risk factors were already evident in this young population. This research in adolescents supports the contention that AN subfractions may have different biological actions. These associations in apparently healthy adolescents suggest an important role for AN and its subfractions in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome traits and indicate that the potential for total or HMW AN to act as early universal biomarkers of CV risk warrants further study.

Chemical Exposures of Women Workers in the Plastics Industry with Particular Reference to Breast Cancer and Reproductive Hazards.

Despite concern about the harmful effects of substances contained in various
plastic consumer products, little attention has focused on the more heavily
exposed women working in the plastics industry. Through a review of the
toxicology, industrial hygiene, and epidemiology literatures in conjunction
with qualitative research, this article explores occupational exposures in producing
plastics and health risks to workers, particularly women, who make up
a large part of the workforce. The review demonstrates that workers are
exposed to chemicals that have been identified as mammary carcinogens and
endocrine disrupting chemicals, and that the work environment is heavily
contaminated with dust and fumes. Consequently, plastics workers have a
body burden that far exceeds that found in the general public.

Selenium in higher plants: understanding mechanisms for biofortification and phytoremediation:understanding mechanisms for biofortification and phytoremediation

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for many organisms, including plants, animals and humans. As plants are the main source of dietary Se, plant Se metabolism is therefore important for Se nutrition of humans and other animals. However, the concentration of Se in plant foods varies between areas, and too much Se can lead to toxicity. As we discuss here, plant Se uptake and metabolism can be exploited for the purposes of developing high-Se crop cultivars and for plant-mediated removal of excess Se from soil or water. Here, we review key developments in the current understanding of Se in higher plants. We also discuss recent advances in the genetic engineering of Se metabolism, particularly for biofortification and phytoremediation of Se-contaminated environments.