Three-year weight change in successful weight losers who lost weight on a low-carbohydrate diet

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate long‐term weight loss and eating and exercise behaviors of successful weight losers who lost weight using a low‐carbohydrate diet. Research Methods and Procedures: This study examined 3‐year changes in weight, diet, and physical activity in 891 subjects (96 low‐carbohydrate dieters and 795 others) who enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry between 1998 and 2001 and reported ≥30‐lb weight loss and ≥1 year weight loss maintenance. Results: Only 10.8% of participants reported losing weight after a low‐carbohydrate diet. At entry into the study, low‐carbohydrate diet users reported consuming more kcal/d (mean ± SD, 1895 ± 452 vs. 1398 ± 574); fewer calories in weekly physical activity (1595 ± 2499 vs. 2542 ± 2301); more calories from fat (64.0 ± 7.9% vs. 30.9 ± 13.1%), saturated fat (23.8 ± 4.1 vs. 10.5 ± 5.2), monounsaturated fat (24.4 ± 3.7 vs. 11.0 ± 5.1), and polyunsaturated fat (8.6 ± 2.7 vs. 5.5 ± 2.9); and less dietary restraint (10.8 ± 2.9 vs. 14.9 ± 3.9) compared with other Registry members. These differences persisted over time. No differences in 3‐year weight regain were observed between low‐carbohydrate dieters and other Registry members in intent‐to‐treat analyses (7.0 ± 7.1 vs. 5.7 ± 8.7 kg). Discussion: It is possible to achieve and maintain long‐term weight loss using a low‐carbohydrate diet. The long‐term health effects of weight loss associated with a high‐fat diet and low activity level merits further investigation.     

Energy metabolism and the evolution of reproductive suppression in the human female

Reproduction places severe demands on the energy metabolism in human females. When physical work entails higher energy expenditure, not enough energy will be left for the support of the reproductive processes and temporal suppression of the reproductive function is expected. While energy needed for reproduction may be obtained by increases in energy intake, utilization of fat reserves, or reallocation of energy from basal metabolism, several environmental or physiological constraints render such solutions unlikely. For human ancestors increases in energy intake were limited by availability of food, by labor of food preparation and by metabolic ceilings to energy assimilation. Energy stored as fat may support only a fraction of the requirements for reproduction (especially lactation). Effects of intense physical activity on basal metabolism may also interfere with fat accumulation during pregnancy. Finally, the female physiology may experience demands on increasing the basal metabolism as a consequence of physical activity and, at the same time, on decreasing the basal metabolism, when energy to support the ongoing pregnancy or lactation is inadequate. The resulting metabolic dilemmas could constitute a plausible cause for the occurrence of reproductive suppression in response to physical activity. It is, therefore, likely that allocating enough energy to the reproductive processes during periods when energy expenditure rises may be difficult due to physiological and bioenergetic constraints. Females attempting pregnancy in such conditions may compromise their lifetime reproductive output. A reproductive suppression occurring in low energy availability situations may thus represent an adaptive rather then a pathological response.     

Late‐life time‐restricted feeding and exercise differentially alter healthspan in obesity

Aging and obesity increase multimorbidity and disability risk, and determining interventions for reversing healthspan decline is a critical public health priority. Exercise and time‐restricted feeding (TRF) benefit multiple health parameters when initiated in early life, but their efficacy and safety when initiated at older ages are uncertain. Here, we tested the effects of exercise versus TRF in diet‐induced obese, aged mice from 20 to 24 months of age. We characterized healthspan across key domains: body composition, physical, metabolic, and cardiovascular function, activity of daily living (ADL) behavior, and pathology. We demonstrate that both exercise and TRF improved aspects of body composition. Exercise uniquely benefited physical function, and TRF uniquely benefited metabolism, ADL behavior, and circulating indicators of liver pathology. No adverse outcomes were observed in exercised mice, but in contrast, lean mass and cardiovascular maladaptations were observed following TRF. Through a composite index of benefits and risks, we conclude the net healthspan benefits afforded by exercise are more favorable than those of TRF. Extrapolating to obese older adults, exercise is a safe and effective option for healthspan improvement, but additional comprehensive studies are warranted before recommending TRF.     

A Physical Map of Arabidopsis thaliana Chromosome 3 Represented by Two Contigs of CIC YAC, P1, TAC and BAC Clones

We have constructed a physical map of Arabidopsis thaliana chromosome3 by ordering the clones from CIC YAC, P1, TAC and BAC librariesusing the sequences of a variety of genetic and EST markersand terminal sequences of clones. The markers used were 112DNA markers, 145 YAC end sequences, and 156 end sequences ofP1, TAC and BAC clones. The entire genome of chromosome 3, exceptfor the centromeric and telomeric regions, was covered by twolarge contigs, 13.6 Mb and 9.2 Mb long. This physical map willfacilitate map-based cloning experiments as well as genome sequencingof chromosome 3. The map and end sequence information are availableon the KAOS (Kazusa Arabidopsis data Opening Site) web siteat http://www.kazusa.or.jp/arabi/.     

果实生态学的概念、研究现状及研究方向

总结了果实生态学的概念及主要研究内容,对国内外的果实生态学研究领域的进展进行了综述,分析了这些研究尚存在的不足之处,并指出了未来研究的科学问题.迄今为止,果实生态学在果实与种子的关系、果实颜色与环境、果实化学成分与环境、群落果实构成式样的地理分布特征、果实及食果动物的协同进化等方面已经取得了若干进展.果实重量谱等物理性状的空间分异格局及机理、果实化学成分的时空变异格局、果实类型的组成式样及大尺度地理分布格局及其机制的探讨、果实传播与食果动物的协同进化等是未来亟待开展的工作.     

Associations of physical activity with gut microbiota in pre-adolescent children

[Purpose] To determine whether physical activity (PA), primarily the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA, is associated with gut bacterial microbiota in 10-year-old children.[Methods] The Block Physical Activity Screener, which provides minutes/day PA variables, was used to determine whether the child met the PA recommendations. 16S rRNA sequencing was performed on stool samples from the children to profile the composition of their gut bacterial microbiota. Differences in alpha diversity metrics (richness, Pielou’s evenness, and Faith’s phylogenetic diversity) by PA were determined using linear regression, whereas beta diversity (unweighted and weighted UniFrac) relationships were assessed using PERMANOVA. Taxon relative abundance differentials were determined using DESeq2.[Results] The analytic sample included 321 children with both PA and 16S rRNA sequencing data (mean age [SD] =10.2 [0.8] years; 54.2% male; 62.9% African American), where 189 (58.9%) met the PA recommendations. After adjusting for covariates, meeting the PA recommendations as well as minutes/day PA variables were not significantly associated with gut richness, evenness, or diversity (p ≥ 0.19). However, meeting the PA recommendations (weighted UniFrac R² = 0.014, p = 0.001) was significantly associated with distinct gut bacterial composition. These compositional differences were partly characterized by increased abundance of Megamonas and Anaerovorax as well as specific Christensenellaceae_R-7_group taxa in children with higher PA.[Conclusion] Children who met the recommendations of PA had altered gut microbiota compositions. Whether this translates to a reduced risk of obesity or associated metabolic diseases is still unclear.     

Aphid population abundance and pestiferous effect on various bean plant species

The population abundance, infestation, and harmful effects of the aphid Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) were studied on four bean plant species, namely the country bean (Lablab purpureus var. BARI Seem 1), the yard‐long bean (Vigna sesquipedalis var. BARI Borboti 1), the hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab var. BARI Seem 6), and the bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris var. BARI Jar Seem 3). Aphid abundance and infestation on the leaves, inflorescences, flowers, and pods differed significantly among the bean plant species, with P. vulgaris and V. sesquipedalis having the lowest and highest results, respectively. Aphid severity grade and the number of trichomes of the bean plant species were negatively correlated. The duration of the growth stages among the bean plant species were significantly different, with V. sesquipedalis having the shortest durations. Aphid abundance and infestation significantly affected the physical and phytochemical characteristics of the bean plant species. The highest reduction of number of leaves, flower inflorescences, and pod inflorescences per plant, and moisture and chlorophyll content in the leaves was found in L. purpureus. The results for V. sesquipedalis revealed the highest reduction in plant height, seed weight, and pH, while those of D. lablab showed the highest reduction in leaf area.     

The mutational burden of acral melanoma revealed by whole‐genome sequencing and comparative analysis

Acral melanoma is a subtype of melanoma with distinct epidemiological, clinical and mutational profiles. To define the genomic alterations in acral melanoma, we conducted whole‐genome sequencing and SNP array analysis of five metastatic tumours and their matched normal genomes. We identified the somatic mutations, copy number alterations and structural variants in these tumours and combined our data with published studies to identify recurrently mutated genes likely to be the drivers of acral melanomagenesis. We compared and contrasted the genomic landscapes of acral, mucosal, uveal and common cutaneous melanoma to reveal the distinctive mutational characteristics of each subtype.     

Women cancers in India: Incidence,trends and their clinical extent from the National Cancer Registry Programme

BackgroundTo provide a comprehensive assessment of women cancer in India utilizing the systematically collected data on all cancers by the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP).MethodsThe study examined 10,2287 cancer cases among women cancers providing cancer burden for major anatomical sites. Aggregated data of 28 PBCRs and 58 HBCRs under NCRP for 2012–16 was analysed for incidence rates, trends, cumulative risk of developing cancer, stage at detection and treatments offered.ResultsStudy results have found region –wide variation of women cancers by indicating highest proportions in western followed by southern region of India. North-Eastern region had lowest proportion. It was observed that breast is highest ranking cancer in most registry areas of urban agglomerations of country while cancer cervix was leading site in registries of rural areas like Barshi (15.3) and Osmanabad &Beed (13.1). States of Mizoram (23.2) and Tripura (9.5) along with Pasighat, Cachar and Nagaland. Median age of occurrence for women for these anatomical sites ranged from 45 to 60 years of age. For cancer breast, cervix and ovary –most cases were detected with regional spread. These findings were different for cancer corpus uteri where registries have reported higher proportions (49.3 %) of localized stage at detection. Loco regional cancers had higher proportions of multimodality treatments.ConclusionStudy provides a foundation for assessing the status of women cancers in the country. Variations between geographies would guide appropriate support for action to strengthen efforts to improve cancer prevention and control in underserved areas of the country. This would facilitate advocacy for better investments and research on women cancers.     

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ACE GENE VARIATION AND AEROBIC CAPACITY IN WINTER ENDURANCE DISCIPLINES

The aim of the study was to examine the possible relationship between I/D polymorphism of ACE gene and selected indices of aerobic capacity among male and female athletes practising winter endurance sports. Sixty-six well-trained athletes (female n = 26, male n = 40), aged 18.4 ± 2.8 years, representing winter endurance sports (cross-country skiing, n = 48; biathlon, n = 8; Nordic combined, n = 10) participated in the study. Genotyping for ACE I/D polymorphism was performed using polymerase chain reaction. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max), maximal running velocity (V_max) and running velocity at anaerobic threshold (V_AT4) were determined in an incremental test to volitional exhaustion on a motorized treadmill. The ACE genotype had no significant effect on absolute VO₂max, relative VO₂max (divided by body mass or fat free body mass), V_AT4 or V_max. No interaction effect of gender x ACE genotype was found for each of the examined aerobic capacity indices. ACE gene variation was not found to be a determinant of aerobic capacity in either female or male Polish, well-trained endurance athletes participating in winter sports.