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Aim Although eye-tracking technology expands beyond capturing eye data just for the sole purpose of ensuring participants maintain their gaze at the presented fixation cross, gaze technology remains of less importance in clinical research. Recently, impairments in visual information encoding processes indexed by novel gaze metrics have been frequently reported in patients with schizophrenia. This work undertakes a scoping review of research on saccadic dysfunctions and exploratory eye movement deficits among patients with schizophrenia. It gathers promising pieces of evidence of eye movement abnormalities in attention-demanding tasks on the schizophrenia spectrum that have mounted in recent years and their outcomes as potential biological markers. Methods The protocol was drafted based on PRISMA for scoping review guidelines. Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify articles published between 2010 and 2020 that examined visual processing in patients with schizophrenia and reported eye movement characteristics as potential biomarkers for this mental illness. Results The use of modern eye-tracking instrumentation has been reported by numerous neuroscientific studies to successfully and non-invasively improve the detection of visual information processing impairments among the screened population at risk of and identified with schizophrenia. Conclusions Eye-tracking technology has the potential to contribute to the process of early intervention and more apparent separation of the diagnostic entities, being put together by the syndrome-based approach to the diagnosis of schizophrenia. However, context-processing paradigms should be conducted and reported in equally accessible publications to build comprehensive models.

Scaling up community-based participatory research (CBPR) remains challenging. This case-study reports on how, and under which conditions, a CBPR project aiming at promoting exercise among socially disadvantaged women (BIG) scaled up at four project sites. As part of BIG, researchers support city administrations in implementing a participatory project to reach socially disadvantaged women for exercise. The case study was conducted in winter 2020 in southern Germany and is based on a co-creative process involving city administrators and researchers. Following Kohl and Cooley’s scaling up dimensions, scaling up BIG was investigated at the four sites using a mixed-method approach. Course registrations and offers were analysed, and qualitative interviews (n = 4) with administrative staff members were conducted and analysed using content analysis. The geographical coverage of exercise classes, the addressed groups, and the utilisation of participatory methods by city administrations are described. All four sites managed to scale-up project activities. Three of the four sites reported that further growth of the project was no longer possible due to limited resources. All sites attempted to reach a larger number of, and more diverse, women. One site managed to scale-up the use of participatory methods within the city administration. The following important facilitators for scaling up CBPR projects were reported: advertisements tailored to the needs of the addressed women, utilising participatory approaches, and equipping project coordinators with sufficient resources.

In the field of psychology, the merge of decision-theory and neuroscientific methods produces an array of scientifically recognized paradigms. For example, by exploring consumer’s eye-movement behavior, researchers aim to deepen the understanding of how patterns of retinal activation are being meaningfully transformed into visual experiences and connected with specific reactions (e.g., purchase). Notably, eye-movements provide knowledge of one’s homeostatic balance and gatekeep information that shape decisions. Hence, vision science investigates the quality of observed environments determined under various experimental conditions. Moreover, it answers questions on how human process visual stimuli and use gained information for a successful strategy to achieve certain goals. While capturing cognitive states with the support of the eye-trackers progresses at a relatively fast pace in decision-making research, measuring the visual performance of real-life tasks, which require complex cognitive skills, is tentatively translated into clinical experiments. Nevertheless, the potential of the human eye as a highly valuable source of biomarkers has been underlined. In this article, we aim to draw readers attention to decision-making experimental paradigms supported with eye-tracking technology among clinical populations. Such interdisciplinary approach may become an important component that will (i) help in objectively illustrating patient’s models of beliefs and values, (ii) support clinical interventions, and (iii) contribute to health services. It is possible that shortly, eye-movement data from decision-making experiments will grant the scientific community a greater understanding of mechanisms underlining mental states and consumption practices that medical professionals consider as obsessions, disorders or addiction.

Breastfeeding and infant nutrition have an important impact on child health. The last representative data on breastfeeding in Austria was collected in 2006. The SUKIE-Study (Säuglings- und Kinderernährung) is a representative, longitudinal survey (online questionnaire) for participating mothers at four time points (14 days, four, six and 12 months post-partum). Questions on when other foods were first introduced were asked retrospectively. To ensure international comparisons, the World Health Organization’s definitions for breastfeeding, including “Infant and Young Child Feeding” indicators, were used. After eligibility screening, 1214 of 1666 invited mothers were included in the analysis. The initial breastfeeding rate was 97.5% and was reduced to 40.8% after 12 months. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding at one week of age was 55.5% and decreased to 1.9% after six months. Half of the infants received infant formula for the first time within the first three days of life (median). Out of the mothers that did wean breastfeeding in the first 12 months, the median duration was 27 weeks (right-censored data). Compared with 2006, an increase (93.2% to 97.5%) in the initial breastfeeding rate was found. However, other findings show that breastfeeding duration, including exclusive breastfeeding rates, need further improvement.

Monitoring of processed products at the brand level was implemented in Austria, France and Romania on the basis of the Oqali methodology during the Joint Action on Nutrition and Physical Activity (JANPA) to compare the nutritional quality of the food offering. The objective of this paper is to present the results obtained during this study. Collected data were those available on product packaging. In total, 2155 soft drinks and 943 breakfast cereals were classified in a standardised list of product families and analysed in a harmonised way. For each product family, mean values for sugar, fat, saturated fat, salt and dietary fibres were compared between countries. Common products across countries were also studied. For all the studied nutrients, significant differences were observed between countries, with a higher sugar content for Romania in regular carbonated and non-carbonated beverages containing fruits, regular lemonades and regular tonics and bitters (together with Austria for tonics), for France in fruit beverages with more than 50% fruit, and for Austria in low-sugar beverages containing tea. For France, higher nutrient contents were also observed for sugar in chocolate-flavoured cereals, filled cereals and cornflakes, and other plain cereals (at a similar level as Romania for cornflakes), and for saturated fats in honey/caramel cereals and crunchy mueslis. These differences were explained by a different food offering in the three countries, but also by differences in nutrient contents for common products. This study also showed high variability of the nutrient content within a product family, suggesting a real potential for product reformulation. National tools, at the branded products level, are essential to monitor the nutritional quality of the food offering, and to follow up on processed food reformulations.

Autophagy is commonly described as a cell survival mechanism and has been implicated in chemo- and radioresistance of cancer cells. Whether ionizing radiation induced autophagy triggers tumor cell survival or cell death still remains unclear. In this study the autophagy related proteins Beclin1 and ATG7 were tested as potential targets to sensitize colorectal carcinoma cells to ionizing radiation under normoxic, hypoxic and starvation conditions. Colony formation, apoptosis and cell cycle analysis revealed that knockdown of Beclin1 or ATG7 does not enhance radiosensitivity in HCT-116 cells. Furthermore, ATG7 knockdown led to an increased survival fraction under oxygen and glutamine starvation, indicating that ionizing radiation indeed induces autophagy which, however, leads to cell death finally. These results highlight that inhibition of autophagic pathways does not generally increase therapy success but may also lead to an unfavorable outcome especially under amino acid and oxygen restriction.

The disulfide isomerase ERp57, originally found in the endoplasmic reticulum, is located in multiple cellular compartments, participates in diverse cell functions and interacts with a huge network of binding partners. It was recently suggested as an attractive new target for cancer therapy due to its critical role in tumor cell proliferation. Since a major bottleneck in cancer treatment is the occurrence of hypoxic areas in solid tumors, the role of ERp57 in cell growth was tested under oxygen depletion in the colorectal cancer cell line HCT116. We observed a severe growth inhibition when ERp57 was knocked down in hypoxia (1% O2) as a consequence of downregulated c-Myc, PLK1, PDPK1 (PDK1) and AKT (PKB). Further, irradiation experiments revealed also a radiosensitizing effect of ERp57 depletion under oxygen deprivation. Compared to ERp57, we do not favour PDPK1 as a suitable pharmaceutical target as its efficient knockdown/chemical inhibition did not show an inhibitory effect on proliferation.

Medicinal mushrooms of the genus Hericium are known to produce secondary metabolites with homeostatic properties for the central nervous system. We and others have recently demonstrated that among these metabolites cyathane diterpenoids and in particular erinacine C possess potent neurotrophin inducing properties in astrocytic cells. Yet, the signaling events downstream of erinacine C induced neurotrophin acitivity in neural-like adrenal phaeochromocytoma cells (PC12) cells have remained elusive. Similar, signaling events activated by erinacine C in astrocytic cells are unknown. Using a combination of genetic and pharmacological inhibitors we show that erinacine C induced neurotrophic activity mediates PC12 cell differentiation via the TrkA receptor and likely its associated PLC&gamma, PI3K-, and MAPK/ERK pathways. Furthermore, a small library of transcriptional activation reporters revealed that erinacine C induces transcriptional activation mediated by DNA consensus binding sites of selected conserved transcription factor families. Among these, transcription is activated from an ETS consensus in a concentration dependent manner. Interestingly, induced ETS-consensus transcription occurs in parallel and independent of neurotrophin induction. This finding helps to explain the many pleiotropic functions of cyathane diterpenoids. Moreover, our studies provide genetic access to cyathane diterpenoid functions in astrocytic cells and help to mechanistically understand the action of cyathanes in glial cells.

Upon ER stress cells activate the unfolded protein response through PERK, IRE1 and ATF6. Remarkable effort has been made to delineate the downstream signaling of these three ER stress sensors after activation, but upstream regulation at the ER luminal site still remains mostly undefined. Here we report that the thiol oxidoreductase PDI is mandatory for activation of the PERK pathway in HEK293T as well as in human pancreatic, lung and colon cancer cells. Under ER stress, depletion of PDI selectively abrogated eIF2α phosphorylation, induction of ATF4, CHOP and even BiP. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that PDI prevented degradation of activated PERK by the 26S proteasome and therefore contributes to maintained PERK signaling. As a result of decreased PERK activity, PDI depleted cells showed an increased vulnerability to ER stress induced by chemicals or ionizing radiation in 2D as well as in 3D culture models. We conclude that PDI is an obligatory regulator of the PERK pathway with future therapy implications.

Carotid body (CB) type I cells sense the blood Po2 and generate a nervous signal for stimulating ventilation and circulation when blood oxygen levels decline. Three oxygen-sensing enzyme complexes may be used for this purpose: 1) mitochondrial electron transport chain metabolism, 2) heme oxygenase 2 (HO-2)-generating CO, and/or 3) an NAD(P)H oxidase (NOX). We hypothesize that intracellular redox changes are the link between the sensor and nervous signals. To test this hypothesis type I cell autofluorescence of flavoproteins (Fp) and NAD(P)H within the mouse CB ex vivo was recorded as Fp/(Fp+NAD(P)H) redox ratio. CB type I cell redox ratio transiently declined with the onset of hypoxia. Upon reoxygenation, CB type I cells showed a significantly increased redox ratio. As a control organ, the non-oxygen-sensing sympathetic superior cervical ganglion (SCG) showed a continuously reduced redox ratio upon hypoxia. CN−, diphenyleneiodonium, or reactive oxygen species influenced chemoreceptor discharge (CND) with subsequent loss of O2 sensitivity and inhibited hypoxic Fp reduction only in the CB but not in SCG Fp, indicating a specific role of Fp in the oxygen-sensing process. Hypoxia-induced changes in CB type I cell redox ratio affected peptidyl prolyl isomerase Pin1, which is believed to colocalize with the NADPH oxidase subunit p47phox in the cell membrane to trigger the opening of potassium channels. We postulate that hypoxia-induced changes in the Fp-mediated redox ratio of the CB regulate the Pin1/p47phox tandem to alter type I cell potassium channels and therewith CND.

Introduction:Children are exposed to marketing of foods with a high content of energy, fat, sugar and salt on a daily basis, which can have negative consequences via increasing children's preferences for those foods. An unhealthy diet can promote obesity and other noncommunicable diseases. The objective of this scientific work was to assess the applicability of the nutrient profile model (NPM) for food products available in the Austrian market. The model was developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe to reduce the impact of marketing to children.Material and Methods:The NPM was applied to food product information, which was recorded for the project “Food in the Spotlight” (www.lebensmittellupe.at). Food products were assigned to food categories made by the WHO and the NPM was applied to identify products, which should not be allowed to be marketed to children. As the WHO NPM is flexible and can be adapted to the national context possible adaptations of the model to the Austrian market were developed.Results:Among those product groups which were included in Food in the Spotlight 0% of cocoa (n = 89), milk drinks with additional ingredients (e.g. strawberry milk, n = 111), soup pearl croutons (n = 13), ketchups (n = 79) and pestos (n = 119), 0.4% of soft drinks (Cola, lemonade etc., n = 454), 8% of pizza and pizza-like products (n = 274), 13% of yoghurt products with additional ingredients (n = 611), 18% of sugos (n = 193), 28% of fruit and vegetable purees (n = 36) and 33% of breakfast cereals (n = 678) were found to be eligible for marketing to children. Those 0.4% of soft drinks which would be allowed are two waters flavoured with aroma. Pure products such as whole milk and yoghurts with 3.5% fat would not be allowed because they exceed the thresholds for total fat. For those products with a packaging appealing to children and adolescents almost none passed the NPM.Conclusion:Our results showed, that before the NPM can be implemented in Austria, it is important to adapt the model to national dietary guidelines. Additionally, food categories could be modified to be more suitable for the Austrian market, as some products which are common in Austria could not be easily assigned to the WHO food categories. To adapt the WHO NPM to the national context cooperation between health experts and food manufacturers is necessary.

To investigate patterns of overnight in situ microbial colonization of enamel in children.Overall, 29 children (aged 5-9 years) participated in the study. Nine were caries-free with no decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT), 11 were caries-rehabilitated (DMFT ≥ 2, no active carious lesions), and nine were caries-active (DMFT ≥ 2, at least two carious lesions). Bovine enamel samples were fixed on individual upper jaw splints stored overnight in situ. 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) combined with Concanavalin A staining was applied for fluorescence microscopic visualization of total adherent bacteria and glucans. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used for distinction of eubacteria, streptococci, and Candida albicans. Salivary samples were investigated for Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) by using CRT bacteria test and yeasts with Calcofluor white (CFW) staining.With all fluorescence methods, bacteria but not Candida albicans were detected on enamel samples. No statistically significant differences were observed in distribution patterns of the adherent bacteria between the groups. CFW staining indicated fungal structures in saliva samples of all participants. Based on CRT test results, the lowest amount of S. mutans were observed in caries-free children. Thus, initial microbial colonization patterns of enamel in children are not influenced by caries activity.Caries activity in children may influence the process of initial bioadhesion and thus distribution patterns of bacterial attachment to the enamel surface. Investigation of in situ biofilm formation might provide valuable insights regarding the varying caries susceptibility in children.

ObjectiveTo summarize the best available evidence regarding the short- and long-term health effects of cow’s milk intake in healthy, full-term infants up to 3 years of age.DesignWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis.SettingWe searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE and the Cochrane Library between 1960 and July 2013 and manually reviewed reference lists of pertinent articles. Two researchers independently reviewed abstracts and full-text articles and extracted relevant data.SubjectsWe included (randomized/non-randomized) controlled trials and observational studies.ResultsWe included data from twenty-three studies (one randomized controlled trial, four non-randomized controlled trials, eight case–control studies and ten cohort studies) for the evidence synthesis. Pooled results of four studies revealed a higher risk of Fe-deficiency anaemia for infants consuming cow’s milk compared with those consuming follow-on formula (relative risk=3·76; 95 % CI 2·73, 5·19). For type 1 diabetes mellitus, six out of seven case–control studies did not show a difference in the risk of developing this disease based on the age of introduction of cow’s milk. We did not find negative associations for other health effects.ConclusionsCow’s milk consumption in infancy is associated with an increased risk of developing Fe-deficiency anaemia. Limiting cow’s milk consumption may be important to ensure an adequate Fe intake for infants and toddlers. High-quality patient information for caregivers is needed on how infants’ Fe requirements can be met.

The timely orchestration of multiple signalling pathways is crucial for the integrity of an organism and therefore tightly controlled. Gab family proteins coordinate signal transduction at the plasma membrane (PM) by acting as docking platforms for signalling components involved in MAP kinase (MAPK), PI3 kinase (PI3K), phospholipase C (PLC) and Rho family GTPase signalling. The interaction with these components as well as the targeting of the docking platform to the PM underlies complex spatial and temporal regulatory mechanisms. Deregulated Gab1 activation and membrane binding have been observed in some haematopoietic malignancies and solid tumours, thereby contributing, for example, to the development of Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms and certain lung cancers. Previously, we could demonstrate that the presence of PIP3 in the PM, which is increased in many cancer cells, is not sufficient for constitutive Gab1 membrane recruitment. In addition, MAPK-dependent phosphorylation of Gab1 at serine 552 (Ser552) is vital for Gab1 membrane binding. Here, we confirm our hypothesis that in the absence of MAPK activity an intrinsic part of Gab1 prevents binding to PIP3 at the PM. This epitope of Gab1, which encompasses Ser552, interacts directly with the Gab1 PH domain. Two arginines located in positions +4 and +8 of Ser552 are essential for the interaction with the PH domain, as well as for the inhibition of membrane recruitment of unphosphorylated Gab1. Ser552 phosphorylation is dispensable in respective arginine to alanine mutants of Gab1. Gab1 recruitment to the PM is highly dynamic and continuous PI3K and MAPK activities are both essential for sustained Gab1 membrane localisation. Our data document the existence of a sophisticated and robust control mechanism that prevents Gab1 translocation and signalling complex assembly after the activation of either MAPK or PI3K alone.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress leads to activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) that results in transient suppression of protein translation to allow recovery but leads to cell death when stress cannot be resolved. Central to initiation of the UPR is the activation of the ER transmembrane kinase protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK). Here we report that the thiol oxidoreductase ERp57 and protein disulfide isomerase-A1 (PDI), which belong to the same family of luminal ER oxidoreductases, have strikingly opposing roles in the regulation of PERK function. In HCT116 colon carcinoma cells, lentiviral depletion of ERp57 resulted in oxidation of PDI and activation of PERK, whereas depletion or chemical inhibition of PDI reduced PERK signaling and sensitized the cancer cells to hypoxia and ER stress. We conclude that oxidized PDI acts as a PERK activator, whereas ERp57 keeps PDI in a reduced state in the absence of ER stress. Thus, our study defines a new interface between metabolic redox signaling and PERK-dependent activation of the UPR and has the potential to influence future cancer therapies that target PERK signaling.

Soil habitats contain vast numbers of microorganisms and harbor a large portion of the planet's biological diversity. Although high-throughput sequencing technologies continue to advance our appreciation of this remarkable phylogenetic and functional diversity, we still have only a rudimentary understanding of the forces that allow diverse microbial populations to coexist in soils. This conspicuous knowledge gap may be partially due the human perspective from which we tend to examine soilborne microorganisms. This review focusses on the highly heterogeneous soil matrix from the vantage point of individual bacteria. Methods describing micro-scale soil habitats and their inhabitants based on sieving, dissecting, and visualizing individual soil aggregates are discussed, as are microcosm-based experiments allowing the manipulation of key soil parameters. We identify how the spatial heterogeneity of soil could influence a number of ecological interactions promoting the evolution and maintenance of bacterial diversity.

The hallmark of signalling by many cytokines is the activation of the Janus kinase (Jak)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway. However, cytokines additionally activate other pathways. In past years we realised that these pathways significantly contribute to the physiological functions of IL-6 and pathophysiological functions in the context of many inflammatory and proliferative diseases. Whereas other articles in this issue of the European Journal of Cell Biology focus on STAT activation and its regulation we here aim to summarise our knowledge and some remaining questions on interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced STAT-independent pathways as well as the cross-talk with the Jak/STAT pathway. In the early stages of studying cytokine signalling we were used to analysing individual signalling pathways. These days we know about the importance of both, the crosstalk between pathways initiated by combinations of cytokines as well as the crosstalk between individual pathways initiated by a single cytokine. Whereas the inter-cytokine crosstalk can be studied relatively easily, more sophisticated experimental approaches are required to elucidate the intra-cytokine crosstalk.

Background: A high proportion of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) over time develop complications like fistulae and strictures, requiring surgery. We tested a panel of antiglycan antibodies for predicting the occurrence of complications and CD-related surgery in an adult patient cohort. Methods: Serum samples of 149 CD patients of the German inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) network were tested for the presence of anti-laminarin IgA (Anti-L), anti-chitin IgA (Anti-C), anti-chitobioside IgA (ACCA), anti-laminaribioside IgG (ALCA), anti-mannobioside IgG (AMCA), and anti-Saccaromyces cerevisiae IgG (gASCA) carbohydrate antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (IBDX® panel, Glycominds, Lod, Israel) in a blinded fashion. Clinical data were available on occurrence of complicated disease or CD-related surgery as well as disease activity, onset, and location. Results: The median follow-up of the patients without any previous complication or surgery at time of sample procurement was 53.7 months. Overall, 26.3% developed a complication and 17.1% underwent CD-related surgery, respectively. Positivity for gASCA, AMCA, ACCA, and Anti-L alone or an increasing frequency of positive serum antibodies independently predicted a faster progression toward a more severe disease course. Once a complication or surgery had occurred only positivity for Anti-L or more than 3 markers out of the whole panel indicated progression to an additional surgery or complication. The antibody status of most patients remained stable over time. Conclusions: This is the first study showing the clinical value of serum antiglycan antibodies for prediction of a more complicated disease course in adult patients with CD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010)

Background: We tested a panel of novel serological anti-glycan antibodies including the previously unpublished anti-laminarin IgA (Anti-L) and anti-chitin IgA (Anti-C) carbohydrate antibodies for the presence in Crohn's disease (CD) patients, diagnosis and differentiation of CD, association with complicated disease behavior, and marker stability over time. Methods: The presence of Anti-L, Anti-C, anti-chitobioside IgA (ACCA), anti-laminaribioside IgG (ALCA), anti-mannobioside IgG (AMCA), and anti-Saccaromyces cervisiae IgG (gASCA) carbohydrate antibodies were tested in serum samples from 824 participants (363 CD, 130 ulcerative colitis [UC], 74 other gastrointestinal diseases, and 257 noninflammatory bowel/gastrointestinal disease controls) of the German IBD-network by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Glycominds, Lod, Israel) and for perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) by immunofluorescence. Results: In all, 77.4% of the CD patients were positive for at least 1 of the anti-glycan antibodies. gASCA or the combination of gASCA/pANCA remained most accurate for the diagnosis of CD, but the combined use of the antibodies improved differentiation of CD from UC. Several single markers as well as an increasing antibody response were independently linked to a severe disease phenotype, as shown for the occurrence of complications, CD-related surgery, early disease onset, and ileal disease location. This was observed for both quantitative and qualitative antibody responses. The antibody status remained stable over time in most IBD patients. Conclusions: A panel of anti-glycan antibodies including the novel Anti-L and Anti-C may aid in differentiation of CD from UC, is associated with complicated CD behavior and IBD-related surgery, and is stable over time in a large patient cohort. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2009

Contains fulltext : 70691.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) fulfill key functions in many cellular processes, including cell cycle progression and cytoskeletal dynamics. A limited number of Cdk substrates have been identified with few demonstrated to be regulated by Cdk-dependent phosphorylation. We identify on protein expression arrays novel cyclin E-Cdk2 substrates, including SIRT2, a member of the Sirtuin family of NAD(+)-dependent deacetylases that targets alpha-tubulin. We define Ser-331 as the site phosphorylated by cyclin E-Cdk2, cyclin A-Cdk2, and p35-Cdk5 both in vitro and in cells. Importantly, phosphorylation at Ser-331 inhibits the catalytic activity of SIRT2. Gain- and loss-of-function studies demonstrate that SIRT2 interfered with cell adhesion and cell migration. In postmitotic hippocampal neurons, neurite outgrowth and growth cone collapse are inhibited by SIRT2. The effects provoked by SIRT2, but not those of a nonphosphorylatable mutant, are antagonized by Cdk-dependent phosphorylation. Collectively, our findings identify a posttranslational mechanism that controls SIRT2 function, and they provide evidence for a novel regulatory circuitry involving Cdks, SIRT2, and microtubules.

Udgivelsesdato: 2008-Jul Objective:To investigate potential personal, social and physical environmental predictors of daily fruit intake and daily vegetable intake in 11-year-old boys and girls in nine European countries.Subjects:The total sample size was 13 305 (90.4% participation rate).Results:Overall, 43.2% of the children reported to eat fruit every day, 46.1% reported to eat vegetables every day. Daily fruit intake and daily vegetable intake was mainly associated with knowledge of the national recommendations, positive self-efficacy, positive liking and preference, parental modeling and demand and bringing fruit to school (odds ratio between 1.40 and 2.42, P

In order to understand (re-)colonization of microhabitats and bacterial succession in soil, it is important to understand which members of soil bacterial communities are most motile in the porous soil matrix. To address this issue, we carried out a series of experiments in sterilized soil microcosms. Using two different model strains, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain Pf0–1 and Collimonas fungivorans strain Ter331, we first determined the influence of nutrient availability on bacterial expansion rates. Based on these results, we then conducted similar microcosm experiments to examine microbial mobility within natural soil bacterial communities under a single nutrient regime. The expansion of bacterial populations within the community was assayed by quantitative PCR and pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments. We observed that only a relatively small subset of the total community was able to expand to an appreciable distance (more than 2 cm) within 48 hours, with the genera Undibacterium, Pseudomonas, and Massilia and especially the family Enterobacteriaceae dominating the communities more distant from the point of inoculation. These results suggest that (re-)colonization of open habitats in soil may be dominated by a few rapidly moving species, which may have important consequences for microbial succession.

Aim The Pro Children consortium consists of the following partners: Knut-Inge Klepp (Coordinator), Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Norway; Carmen Perez Rodrigo, Unidad de Nutricion Comunitaria, Bilbao, Spain; Inga Thorsdottir, Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland; Pernille Due, Department of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Maria Daniel Vaz de Almeida, Faculdade de Ciencias da Nutricao e Alimentacao da Universidade do Porto, Portugal; Ibrahim Elmadfa and Alexandra Wolf, Institute of Nutrition, University of Vienna, Austria; Johanna Haraldsdottir, Research Department of Human Nutrition, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, Denmark; Johannes Brug, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Public Health, The Netherlands; Michael Sjostrom and Agneta Yngve, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij, Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium. The Pro Children study is designed to assess vegetable and fruit consumption and determinants of the consumption patterns among European school children and their parents. A second objective is to develop and test strategies for promoting increased consumption of vegetables and fruits among school children and their parents.

Background/Aims: An adequate fruit and vegetable intake provides essential nutrients and nutritive compounds and is considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle. No simple instrument has been available for the assessment of fruit and vegetable intake as well as its determinants in school-aged children applicable in different European countries. Within the Pro Children Project, such an instrument has been developed. This paper describes the cross-sectional survey in 11-year-olds in 9 countries. Methods: The cross-sectional survey used nationally, and in 2 countries regionally, representative samples of schools and classes. The questionnaires, including a precoded 24-hour recall component and a food frequency part, were completed in the classroom. Data were treated using common syntax files for portion sizes and for merging of vegetable types into four subgroups. Results: The results show that the fruit and vegetable intake in amounts and choice were highly diverse in the 9 participating countries. Vegetable intake was in general lower than fruit intake, boys consumed less fruit and vegetables than girls did. The highest total intake according to the 24-hour recall was found in Austria and Portugal, the lowest in Spain and Iceland. Conclusion: The fruit and vegetable intake in 11-year-old children was in all countries far from reaching population goals and food-based dietary guidelines on national and international levels.