Availability of and Ease of Access to Calorie Information on Restaurant Websites

Objective

Offering calories on restaurant websites might be particularly important for consumer meal planning, but the availability of and ease of accessing this information are unknown.

Methods

We assessed websites for the top 100 U.S. chain restaurants to determine the availability of and ease of access to calorie information as well as website design characteristics. We also examined potential predictors of calorie availability and ease of access.

Results

Eighty-two percent of restaurants provided calorie information on their websites; 25% presented calories on a mobile-formatted website. On average, calories could be accessed in 2.35±0.99 clicks. About half of sites (51.2%) linked to calorie information via the homepage. Fewer than half had a separate section identifying healthful options (46.3%), or utilized interactive meal planning tools (35.4%). Quick service/fast casual, larger restaurants, and those with less expensive entrées and lower revenue were more likely to make calorie information available. There were no predictors of ease of access.

Conclusion

Calorie information is both available and largely accessible on the websites of America’s leading restaurants. It is unclear whether consumer behavior is affected by the variability in the presentation of calorie information.     

Influence of Atg5 Mutation in SLE Depends on Functional IL-10 Genotype

Increasing evidence supports the involvement of autophagy in the etiopathology of autoimmune diseases. Despite the identification of autophagy-related protein (Atg)-5 as one of the susceptibility loci in systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE), the consequences of the carriage of these mutations for patients remain unclear. The present work analyzed the association of Atg5 rs573775 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with SLE susceptibility, IFNα, TNFα and IL-10 serum levels, and clinical features, in 115 patients and 170 healthy individuals. Patients who where carriers of the rs573775 T* minor allele presented lower IFNα levels than those with the wild genotype, whereas the opposite result was detected for IL-10. Thus, since IL-10 production was regulated by rs1800896 polymorphisms, we evaluated the effect of this Atg5 mutation in genetically high and low IL-10 producers. Interestingly, we found that the rs573775 T* allele was a risk factor for SLE in carriers of the high IL-10 producer genotype, but not among genetically low producers. Moreover, IL-10 genotype influences SLE features in patients presenting the Atg5 mutated allele. Specifically, carriage of the rs573775 T* allele led to IL-10 upregulation, reduced IFNα and TNFα production and a low frequency of cytopenia in patients with the high IL-10 producer genotype, whereas patients with the same Atg5 allele that were low IL-10 producers presented reduced amounts of all these cytokines, had a lower prevalence of anti-dsDNA antibodies and the latest onset age. In conclusion, the Atg5 rs573775 T* allele seems to influence SLE susceptibility, cytokine production and disease features depending on other factors such as functional IL-10 genotype.     

The Interacting Effects of Ungulate Hoofprints and Predatory Native Ants on Metamorph Cane Toads in Tropical Australia

Many invasive species exploit the disturbed habitats created by human activities. Understanding the effects of habitat disturbance on invasion success, and how disturbance interacts with other factors (such as biotic resistance to the invaders from the native fauna) may suggest new ways to reduce invader viability. In tropical Australia, commercial livestock production can facilitate invasion by the cane toad (Rhinella marina), because hoofprints left by cattle and horses around waterbody margins provide distinctive (cool, moist) microhabitats; nevertheless the same microhabitat can inhibit the success of cane toads by increasing the risks of predation or drowning. Metamorph cane toads actively select hoofprints as retreat-sites to escape dangerous thermal and hydric conditions in the surrounding landscape. However, hoofprint geometry is important: in hoofprints with steep sides the young toads are more likely to be attacked by predatory ants (Iridomyrmex reburrus) and are more likely to drown following heavy rain. Thus, anthropogenic changes to the landscape interact with predation by native taxa to affect the ability of cane toads in this vulnerable life-history stage to thrive in the harsh abiotic conditions of tropical Australia.     

Disease swamps molecular signatures of genetic-environmental associations to abiotic factors in Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) populations

Landscape genomics studies focus on identifying candidate genes under selection via spatial variation in abiotic environmental variables, but rarely by biotic factors (i.e., disease). The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is found only on the environmentally heterogeneous island of Tasmania and is threatened with extinction by a transmissible cancer, devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). Devils persist in regions of long-term infection despite epidemiological model predictions of species’ extinction, suggesting possible adaptation to DFTD. Here, we test the extent to which spatial variation and genetic diversity are associated with the abiotic environment (i.e., climatic variables, elevation, vegetation cover) and/or DFTD. We employ genetic-environment association analyses using 6886 SNPs from 3287 individuals sampled pre- and post-disease arrival across the devil's geographic range. Pre-disease, we find significant correlations of allele frequencies with environmental variables, including 365 unique loci linked to 71 genes, suggesting local adaptation to abiotic environment. The majority of candidate loci detected pre-DFTD are not detected post-DFTD arrival. Several post-DFTD candidate loci are associated with disease prevalence and were in linkage disequilibrium with genes involved in tumor suppression and immune response. Loss of apparent signal of abiotic local adaptation post-disease suggests swamping by strong selection resulting from the rapid onset of DFTD.     

Structural properties of the MAPK pathway topologies in PC12 cells

In this paper we propose and analyze parameter-free models for the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in PC12 rat neural cells. Experiments show that the dynamic behavior of this pathway depends on the input growth factor. The response to epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a short peak followed by a relaxation, while the response to nerve growth factor (NGF) is sustained. In the latter case, the system can be driven to a new state, which persists after the stimulus has vanished. Ultimately, these dynamic behaviors correspond to different cell fates: EFG stimulation induces proliferation, while NGF stimulation induces differentiation. The biochemical mechanisms responsible for the different input-dependent dynamic response are still unclear. One hypothesis is that each input generates a specific interaction topology among the kinases. Starting from experimental results that support this hypothesis, we derive and analyze qualitative models for the two network topologies. Our approach is based on invariant set theory and non-smooth Lyapunov functions. We demonstrate analytically that the network behaviors and stability properties are structurally dependent on the topology, and do not depend on specific parameter values of the underlying biochemical interactions.     

Long-term survival and immunological parameters in metastatic melanoma patients who responded to ipilimumab 10 mg/kg within an expanded access programme

Background

Ipilimumab can result in durable clinical responses among patients with advanced melanoma. However, no predictive marker of clinical activity has yet been identified. We provide preliminary data describing the correlation between immunological parameters and response/survival among patients with advanced melanoma who received ipilimumab 10 mg/kg in an expanded access programme.

Methods

Patients received ipilimumab 10 mg/kg every 3 weeks (Q3W) for four doses (induction) and Q12W from week 24 (W24) as maintenance therapy. Tumor assessments were conducted Q12W. Expression of inducible T cell costimulator (ICOS) on CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells was assessed at baseline, W7, W12 and W24, and the ratio between absolute neutrophils (N) and lymphocytes (L) determined at baseline, W4, W7 and W10.

Results

Median overall survival among 27 patients was 9.6 months (95 % CI 3.2–16.1), with 3- and 4-year survival rates of 20.4 %. Five patients survived >4 years. Patients with an increase in the number of circulating ICOS⁺ T cells at W7 were more likely to experience disease control and have improved survival. An N/L ratio below the median at W7 and W10 was also associated with better survival compared with an N/L ratio above the median.

Conclusions

Ipilimumab can induce long-term survival benefits in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic melanoma. Changes in the number of circulating ICOS⁺ T cells or N/L ratio during ipilimumab treatment may represent early markers of response. However, given the limited sample size, further investigation is required.