Changes in the Regional Prevalence of Child Obesity in 4th, 8th,and 11th Grade Students in Texas From 2000–2002 to 2004–2005

Although national and state estimates of child obesity are available, data at these levels are insufficient to monitor effects of local obesity prevention initiatives. The purpose of this study was to examine regional changes in the prevalence of obesity due to statewide policies and programs among children in grades 4, 8, and 11 in Texas Health Services Regions (HSRs) between 2000–2002 and 2004–2005, and nine selected counties in 2004–2005. A cross‐sectional, probability‐based sample of 23,190 Texas students in grades 4, 8, and 11 were weighed and measured to obtain BMI. Obesity was >95th percentile for BMI by age/sex using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. Child obesity prevalence significantly decreased between 2000–2002 and 2004–2005 for 4th grade students in the El Paso HSR (?7.0%, P = 0.005). A leveling off in the prevalence of obesity was noted for all other regions for grades 4, 8, and 11. County‐level data supported the statistically significant decreases noted in the El Paso region. The reduction of child obesity levels observed in the El Paso area is one of the few examples of effective programs and policies based on a population‐wide survey: in this region, a local foundation funded extensive regional implementation of community programs for obesity prevention, including an evidence‐based elementary school‐based health promotion program, adult nutrition and physical activity programs, and a radio and television advertising campaign. Results emphasize the need for sustained school, community, and policy efforts, and that these efforts can result in decreases in child obesity at the population level.     

Editorial for ‘Issue focus on 2nd Costa Rica biophysics symposium — March 11th–12th, 2021’

This Editorial describes both the motivation for, and the five articles appearing in, the Issue Focus dedicated to the 2nd Costa Rica Biophysics Symposium which was held in March 2021. Some recent history about both the symposium and developments in science occurring within Costa Rica is described. 

The Costa Rica Biophysics Symposium was conceived as a forum for faculty, scholars and students interested on cutting-edge topics in biophysics and related fields. Following the success of the first event organized in 2019 (Solís et al (2020), the second edition of the symposium took place on March 2021 with the support of the Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Costa Rica (ANC, National Academy of Sciences of Costa Rica), the International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB), the German Society of Biophysics (DGfB), and the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica (UNA). The symposium aimed to reinforce and enhance the novel network of investigators established in the 2019 event. Participation of Costa Rican presenters, either located in the country or abroad, and foreign scientists from the USA, Germany, France, and Switzerland (Solís et al. (2021a) translated into an expansion and internationalization of the previous network. Moreover, the symposium attracted a broad international audience, which increases the opportunities of further international collaboration.The meeting was organized into 14 presentations and one keynote lecture. It was attended by researchers of the three main universities of Costa Rica: Universidad Nacional (UNA), Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) and Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC). Presenters from international universities were also present, including UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA; Klinikum Nürnberg Medical School, Germany; École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland; Institut de Neurosciences de Montpellier, France; University of California Berkeley, USA; and The University of Chicago, USA. The topics presented in the symposium were diverse and covered cutting-edge biophysical research areas. The presentations ranged from channel electrophysiology, machine learning focused on cellular microscopy, prediction of protein–protein interactions, channelopathies and novel biophysical techniques, among others (Solís et al., 2021a). Furthermore, each lecture was followed by questions from the audience, allowing discussion, engagement and interaction between researchers in spite of the limitations of a virtual symposium. The closing event for the symposium was a lecture by the world-renowned biophysicist Francisco Bezanilla from the University of Chicago, who engaged the audience into a master presentation of his vast research on protein voltage-sensor domains (VSD) with a focus on his recent work on the non-canonical mechanisms for VSD-mediated regulation of pore domains in voltage-gated potassium channels (Carvalho-de-Souza and Bezanilla 2019). After the consequent discussion, the symposium finished with a networking activity, where audience and presenters were able to socialize and share experiences.     

Proteomics Data Collection – 5th ProDaC Workshop 4 March 2009, Kolympari,Crete, Greece

The Proteomics Data Collection (ProDaC) consortium, a “Coordination Action” funded by the 6th EU Framework Programme, started in October 2006. Its aim was to facilitate the collection and distribution of proteomics data and the public availability of data sets from proteomics experiments. Within the consortium standard formats are created and tools are developed to allow extensive data collection within the proteomics community. An important part of ProDaC is the organization of workshops twice a year to inform about the consortium's progress and to stimulate communication between the ProDaC partners and between partners and interested members of the proteomics community. ProDaC ends on March 31, 2009. The most recent (and final) workshop was the 5th ProDaC workshop held on March 4, 2009 in Kolympari, Crete, Greece. The progress since the last meeting and an overall summary was presented by the work package coordinators and partners. Four external speakers presented talks about their work in relation to ProDaC.     

Frontiers in Neurodegeneration – New Insights and Prospects – 20th HUPO BPP Workshop

The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 20th workshop in Yokohama, Japan, September 15, 2013. The focus of the autumn workshop was on new insights and prospects of neurodegenerative diseases.     

Proteomics Data Collection – 4th ProDaC Workshop 15 August 2008, Amsterdam,The Netherlands

ProDaC (Proteomics Data Collection), a “Coordination Action” within the 6^th EU framework programme, was created to support the collection, distribution and public availability of data from proteomics experiments. Within the consortium standards are created and maintained enabling an extensive data collection within the proteomics community. Important elements of ProDaC are workshops held twice a year to allow communication between the ProDaC partners and to report the ongoing progress. The most recent assembly was the 4^th ProDaC workshop on August 15^th, 2008, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It took place directly before the 7^th HUPO Annual World Congress (Human Proteome Organisation). Work package coordinators and partners presented the progress achieved since the last meeting. Additionally, an EU official presented funding opportunities for proteomics in the next EU framework programme and five external speakers presented talks about their work in relation to ProDaC.     

Human Brain Proteome Project – 12th HUPO BPP Workshop 26 September 2009, Toronto,Canada

The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 12th workshop in Toronto on 26 September 2009 prior to the HUPO VIII World Congress. The principal aim of this project is to obtain a better understanding of neurodiseases and ageing, with the ultimate objective of discovering prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, in addition to the development of novel diagnostic techniques and new medications. The attendees came together to discuss progress in the human clinical neuroproteomics and to define the needs and guidelines required for more advanced proteomic approaches.