New measurements of energy expenditure and physical activity in chronic kidney disease.

The accurate estimation of total daily energy expenditure (TEE) in chronic kidney patients is essential to allow the provision of nutritional requirements; however, it remains a challenge to collect actual physical activity and resting energy expenditure in maintenance dialysis patients. The direct measurement of TEE by direct calorimetry or doubly labeled water cannot be used easily so that, in clinical practice, TEE is usually estimated from resting energy expenditure and physical activity. Prediction equations may also be used to estimate resting energy expenditure; however, their use has been poorly documented in dialysis patients. Recently, a new system called SenseWear Armband (BodyMedia, Pittsburgh, PA) was developed to assess TEE, but so far no data have been published in chronic kidney disease patients. The aim of this review is to describe new measurements of energy expenditure and physical activity in chronic kidney disease patients.

Food habits and sport activity during adolescence: differences between athletic and non-athletic teenagers in Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE: To describe food habits and dietary intakes of athletic and non-athletic adolescents in Switzerland. SETTING: College, high schools and professional centers in the Swiss canton of Vaud. METHOD: A total of 3,540 subjects aged 9-19 y answered a self-reported anonymous questionnaire to assess lifestyles, physical plus sports activity and food habits. Within this sample, a subgroup of 246 subjects aged 11-15 also participated in an in-depth ancillary study including a 3 day dietary record completed by an interview with a dietician. RESULTS: More boys than girls reported engaging in regular sports activities (P<0.001). Adolescent food habits are quite traditional: up to 15 y, most of the respondents have a breakfast and eat at least two hot meals a day, the percentages decreasing thereafter. Snacking is widespread among adolescents (60-80% in the morning, 80-90% in the afternoon). Food habits among athletic adolescents are healthier and also are perceived as such in a higher proportion. Among athletic adolescents, consumption frequency is higher for dairy products and ready to eat (RTE) cereals, for fruit, fruit juices and salad (P<0.05 at least). Thus the athletic adolescent's food brings more micronutrients than the diet of their non-athletic counterparts. Within the subgroup (ancillary study), mean energy intake corresponds to requirements for age/gender group. CONCLUSIONS: Athletic adolescents display healthier food habits than non-athletic adolescents: this result supports the idea that healthy behavior tends to cluster and suggests that prevention programs among this age group should target simultaneously both sports activity and food habits.

Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 2: epitope mapping and biological activity analysis of specific antibodies

Background: Plasmodium falciparum(P. falciparum) merozoite surfaceprotein 2 (MSP-2) is one of bloodstage proteins that are associated withprotection from malaria. MSP-2 consistsof a highly polymorphic centralrepeat region flanked by a dimorphicregion that defines the two allelicfamilies, 3D7 and FC27; N- and Cterminalregions are conserved domains.Long synthetic peptides (LSP)representing the two allelic familiesof MSP-2 and constant regions arerecognized by sera from donors livingin endemic areas; and specific antibodies(Abs) are associated with protectionand active in antibody dependentcellular inhibition (ADCI) in vitro.However, the fine specificity ofAb response to the two allelic familiesof MSP-2 is unknown. Methods: Peptidesrepresenting dimorphic regionof 3D7 and FC27 families and theirC-terminal (common fragment to thetwo families) termed 3D7-D (88 aa),FC27-D (48 aa) and C (40 aa) respectivelywere synthesized. Overlapping20 mer peptides covering dimorphicand constant regions of two familieswere also synthesized for epitopemapping. Human sera were obtainedfrom donors living in malaria endemicareas. SpecificDand CregionsAbs were purified from single or poolhuman sera. Sera from mice were obtainedafter immunization with thetwo families LSP mixture in three differentadjuvants: alhydrogel (Alum),Glucopyranosyl Lipid Adjuvant-Stableoil-in-water Emulsion (GLA-SE)and Virosome. For ADCI, P. falciparum(strain 3D7) parasite wasmaintained in culture at 0.5% parasitemiaand 4% hematocrit in air tightbox at love oxygen (2%) and 37 ºC.Results: We identified several epitopesfrom the dimorphic and constantregions of both families of MSP-2, inmice and humans (adults and children).In human, most recognizedepitopes were the same in differentendemic regions for each domain ofthe two families of MSP-2. In mice,the differential recognition of epitopewas depending on the strain of mouseand interestingly on the adjuvantused. GLA-SE and alum as adjuvantswere more often associated with therecognition of multiple epitopes thanvirosomes. Epitope-specific Abs recognizednative merozoites of P.falciparum and were active in ADCIto block development of parasite.Conclusion: The delineation of a limitednumber of epitopes could be exploitedto develop MSP-2 vaccinesactive on both allelic families ofMSP-2.

Socio-cultural determinants of adiposity and physical activity in preschool children: a cross-sectional study.

Both individual socio-cultural determinants such as selected parental characteristics (migrant background, low educational level and workload) as well as the regional environment are related to childhood overweight and physical activity (PA). The purpose of the study was to compare the impact of distinct socio-cultural determinants such as the regional environment and selected parental characteristics on adiposity, PA and motor skills in preschool children. Forty preschools (N = 542 children) of two culturally different urban regions (German and French speaking part of Switzerland) participated in the study (Ballabeina Study). Outcome measures included adiposity (BMI and skinfold thickness), objectively measured sedentary activities and PA (accelerometers) and agility performance (obstacle course). Parental characteristics (migrant status, educational level and workload) were assessed by questionnaire. Children from the French speaking areas had higher adiposity, lower levels of total and of more intense PA, were more sedentary and less agile than children from the German speaking regions (percent differences for all outcome parameters except for BMI ≥10%; all p ≤ 0.04). Differences in skinfold thickness, sedentary activities and agility, but not in PA, were also found between children of Swiss and migrant parents, though they were ≤8% (p ≤ 0.02). While paternal workload had no effect, maternal workload and parental education resulted in differences in some PA measures and/or agility performance (percent differences in both: ≤9%, p ≤ 0.008), but not in adiposity or sedentary activities (p = NS). Regional differences in skinfold thickness, PA, sedentary activities and agility performance persisted after adjustment for parental socio-cultural characteristics, parental BMI and, where applicable, children's skinfolds (all p ≤ 0.01). The regional environment, especially the broader social environment, plays a prominent role in determining adiposity, PA and motor skills of young children and should be implicated in the prevention of obesity and promotion of PA in children. clinicaltrials.gov NCT00674544.

A new selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma antagonist with antiobesity and antidiabetic activity.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) plays a key role in adipocyte differentiation and insulin sensitivity. Its synthetic ligands, the thiazolidinediones (TZD), are used as insulin sensitizers in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These compounds induce both adipocyte differentiation in cell culture models and promote weight gain in rodents and humans. Here, we report on the identification of a new synthetic PPARgamma antagonist, the phosphonophosphate SR-202, which inhibits both TZD-stimulated recruitment of the coactivator steroid receptor coactivator-1 and TZD-induced transcriptional activity of the receptor. In cell culture, SR-202 efficiently antagonizes hormone- and TZD-induced adipocyte differentiation. In vivo, decreasing PPARgamma activity, either by treatment with SR-202 or by invalidation of one allele of the PPARgamma gene, leads to a reduction of both high fat diet-induced adipocyte hypertrophy and insulin resistance. These effects are accompanied by a smaller size of the adipocytes and a reduction of TNFalpha and leptin secretion. Treatment with SR-202 also dramatically improves insulin sensitivity in the diabetic ob/ob mice. Thus, although we cannot exclude that its actions involve additional signaling mechanisms, SR-202 represents a new selective PPARgamma antagonist that is effective both in vitro and in vivo. Because it yields both antiobesity and antidiabetic effects, SR-202 may be a lead for new compounds to be used in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.