The Application of the Korean Dietary Pattern Score;KNHANES (Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) 2007

The aim of this study was to apply the Korean Dietary Pattern Score (KDPS) to Korean subjects based on traditional Korean-style meals. The KDPS is based on the 3-Chup Bansang (the traditional Korean daily table setting) and considers the intake of 6 major food groups according to the Korean Dietary Reference Intakes (KDRIs). The KDPS consists of 2 parts: the Korean-Style Meal Score (KSMS) and the Food Group Score (FGS). The KDPS was applied dietary data collected during the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) in 2007. Socio-demographic status, gender, age, and body mass index are all factors that have been shown to be meaningful predictors for the KDPS. When the effect of the KDPS on risk of disease was evaluated, a higher total KDPS was associated with a decreased risk of elevated systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05) and hypercholesterolemia (p < 0.05). In addition, as the KSMS increased, the risk of central obesity (p < 0.05) and hypertension (p < 0.01) significantly decreased. A higher total KDPS suggests a greater diversity of food intake, and therefore greater dietary diversity appears to lower the risk of disease. The KDPS is relevant because it integrates scores for Korean-style meal patterns and meal evaluation from a nutritional perspective. In conclusion, the KDPS is appropriate for evaluating the quality of diet, adherence to Korean-style meal patterns, and risk of related diseases. These results will be useful for evaluating the nation’s dietary patterns, nutrition, and health status when planning nutrition policies and programs.

Epidemiologic studies of particulate matter and lung cancer

Particulate matter(PM) plays an important role in air pollution, especially in China. European and American researchers conducted several cohort-based studies to examine the potential relationship between PM and lung cancer and found a positive association between PM and lung cancer mortality. In contrast, the results regarding PM and lung cancer risk remain inconsistent. Most of the previous studies had limitations such as misclassification of PM exposure and residual confounders, diminishing the impact of their findings. In addition, prospective studies on this topic are very limited in Chinese populations. This is an important problem because China has one of the highest concentrations of PM in the world and has had an increased mortality risk due to lung cancer. In this context, more prospective studies in Chinese populations are warranted to investigate the relationship between PM and lung cancer.

Expression of p27(Kip1), a Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor, in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Is Inversely Associated with Potential Carcinogenic Risk in Obese Type 2 Diabetic Individuals Relative to Lean Normal Controls

Introduction: The consensus report issued jointly by the American Diabetes Association and the American Cancer Society stated that “type 2 diabetes and cancer share many risk factors, but potential biologic links between the two diseases are incompletely understood”. Interestingly, however, a recent report suggested that the expression of p27(Kip1), a cell cycle repressor protein, in the rodent liver was inversely associated with potential carcinogenic risk in the genetic rodent models of diabetic obesity. p27 is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that, when down-regulated, allows the progression of the cell cycle from G1 to S phase, thereby increasing the risk of developing cancer. Objective: The objective of the study described below was to extend the results of the recent report on the expression of p27 in the livers of obese, diabetic rodents to the humans and investigate whether the expression of p27 in the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) might also be inversely associated with potential carcinogenic risk in obese type 2 diabetic individuals relative to the lean normal controls. Methods: Western immunoblot analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of p27 and the two most relevant upstream molecular signaling pathways of the expression of p27, namely 4E-BP1 and MNK1, in human PBMCs obtained from obese type 2 diabetic individuals relative to the lean normal controls. Results: First, expression of p27 in human PBMCs was significantly down-regulated in obese type 2 diabetic individuals relative to the lean normal controls. Secondly, expression of p27 in human PBMCs was also significantly down-regulated in obese type 2 diabetic African Americans relative even to the obese type 2 diabetic Caucasian Americans. Conclusions: Expression of p27 in human PBMCs was inversely associated with potential carcinogenic risk in obese type 2 diabetes relative to the lean normal controls.

Expression of p27Kip1, A Cell Cycle Repressor Protein with Dual Roles for Both Cancer Prevention and Promotion, Is Regulated Primarily at the Level of Unusual p27Kip1 mRNA—A Short Concept Proposal

The p27Kip1 is a cell cycle repressor protein that regulates primarily the cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase and hence the DNA replication is in the S phase and cell division in the M phase. Expression of p27Kip1 protein has dual roles for both cancer prevention and promotion. For example, numerous nutritional and chemopreventive anti-cancer agents specifically increase the expression of p27Kip1 protein without directly affecting the expression of any other cell cycle regulatory proteins. On the other hand, pro-cancer agents (like glucose, insulin and other growth factors frequently seen in obesity and/or diabetes) specifically decrease the expression of p27Kip1 protein without directly affecting the expression of any other cell cycle regulatory proteins. Unlike expression of any other cell cycle regulatory proteins, expression of p27Kip1 protein is very unusual. The mRNA of p27Kip1 has a very long and unusual 5’-untranslated region (from -575 to -1 in human). It appears that the 5’-untranslated region of p27Kip1 mRNA forms two alternative secondary structures. One increases the expression of p27Kip1 protein when anti-cancer agents are added and another decrease the expression of p27K1p1 when pro-cancer agents are added. For this short concept proposal, Dr. Albert Einstein’s “visualized thought experiments (German: Gedanken experiment)” were used as a fundamental tool for understanding how either anti- or pro-cancer agents bring the primary structure of the 5’-untranslated region of p27Kip1 mRNA into two alternative secondary structures, thereby either increasing or decreasing, respectively, the translation initiation of p27Kip1 protein.

Comparative study of on-demand and daily use of sertraline in treatment of premature ejaculation:A randomized clinical trial

Objective:The intravaginal ejaculatory latency time(IELT)may increase less in on-demand compared to daily intake,but may fulfill a suitable treatment for specific patients.We decided to compare the efficacy and safety of on-demand and daily use of sertraline in order to find the most effective and least complicated method in treatment of premature ejaculation(PE).Methods:This study was parallel or concurrent control randomized clinical trial.Two hundred and forty patients with PE diagnosed by urologist in the two groups of 120 from July 2017 to February 2019 enrolled in the study.In the first group,it is prescribed 50 mg sertraline each 12 h daily and the second group received 50 mg 4 h before coitus for 4 and 8 weeks.The IELT before treatment and during all coitus after treatment were recorded by the patient’s wife with a stopwatch.Results:Mean IELT before,4 and 8 weeks after treatment in two groups were:On-demand group 101.62±65.44 s,208.75±128.02 s and 265.87±145.70 s;daily use group 102.50-81.22 s,276.87±181.08 s and 353.75±176.45 s,respectively.The ejaculation time increased significantly in both groups(p<0.05).However,increase in ejaculation time in daily use group was significantly higher than the on-demand group in 4 weeks(p=0.036),especially in 8 weeks(p=0.009).The percent of side effects in daily use group(26.7%)was higher than on-demand group(20%)(p<0.05).Drowsiness,diarrhea and vertigo were significantly higher in the daily use than on-demand(p<0.05).Conclusions:On-demand and daily use of sertraline are effective and usually have no serious complications,but the on-demand method is considerably more tolerable.In patients who did not tolerate to daily use of this drug,on-demand could be used as a salvage therapy.

Higher Concentrations of Glucose or Insulin Increase the Risk of Various Types of Cancer in Obesity or Type 2 Diabetes by Decreasing the Expression of p27Kip1, a Cell Cycle Repressor Protein

Research Aims: Obesity and type 2 diabetes are known to be associated with increased risk of various types of cancer. However, the molecular biological mechanism of how the risk of cancer is increased in obesity or type 2 diabetes is not known. The aim this research is to investigate if the decreased expression of p27Kip1, a cell cycle repressor protein, plays a central role in this mechanism. Research Methods, Previous Studies and Theoretical Backgrounds: It is well known that the expression of p27Kip1 is increased by numerous nutritional or chemopreventive anti-cancer agents. But it has never been known that the expression of p27Kip1 could be decreased, rather than increased, and the risk of cancer could be increased, rather than decreased. This problem was solved recently and this new analytical method was used in this study. Results: 1) The expression of p27Kip1 was indeed significantly decreased in human obese type 2 diabetic individuals relative to the lean normal controls. 2) The expression of p27Kip1 was also significantly decreased in genetically obese rodents relative to the lean normal controls. Additionally, in obese rodents, the concentrations of glucose or insulin were significantly increased relative to the lean normal controls. 3) Using human cells cultured in vitro it was found that the increased concentrations of glucose or insulin decrease the expression of p27Kip1. Conclusions: These results suggest that higher concentrations of glucose or insulin increase the risk of various types of cancer in obesity or type 2 diabetes by decreasing the expression of p27Kip1.

Subclinical Indication of Linkage Between Markers of Skeletal and Cardiovascular Properties

Little is known about early coincidental changes in bone and vascular properties, particularly in the context of skeletal anabolism （puberty） versus relative equilibrium （young adulthood）. We aimed to determine if subclinical markers of vascular function were associated with bone mineral content （BMC） and to evaluate the contribution of systemic factors in healthy females ages 14-42 years. Endothelial function was assessed by flow mediated dilatation （FMD）, arterial stiffness by pulse wave velocity （PWV） and augmentation index （AIx）, blood pressure （BP） by sphygmomanometer, BMC by DXA, and systemic factors by fasting blood draw. General linear models controlled for age, race and height indicated a positive association between systolic BP （SBP） and BMC independent of systemic factors. When stratified by age using 19 years as a cut-point, there was an inverse relationship between AIx75 in adolescents with insulin （P〈0.10） or inflammatory markers （P〈0.10） in statistical models. Conversely, there was a positive relationship between BMC and both PWV and AIx75 in young adults （P〈0.05）. The link between bone and the vasculature may be life stage-dependent. In the context of a less dynamic microenvironment in young adult females, metabolic factors appear to moderate less of an effect of hemodynamic properties on the skeleton relative to adolescents.

The effects of increased dietary fiber intake on the self-reported quality of life of school-age children

The aim of this community-based, randomized-controlled prospective nutrition intervention study was to assess the impact of serving high-fiber snacks twice a day to a sample of school-age children on their dietary fiber intake and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores. Participants (n = 81) were children aged 7-11 years. Children were randomized to receive two high-fiber snacks per day for eight weeks (intervention) or to continue eating their regular snacks (control). At baseline and post-intervention, usual dietary intake data were collected via repeated 24-hour dietary recalls and HRQOL was assessed using the PedsQL? Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Statistical analysis to assess significant changes in dietary intake as well as self-reported quality of life was conducted using two-sided student’s t-tests;significance level was set at p < 0.05. Dietary fiber intake increased significantly by 2.41 grams/day in the intervention group. The mean increase in the physical scale score of the PedsQL from baseline to post-intervention was significantly greater for the intervention as compared to control group. This study indicates that providing high-fiber snacks to elementary-school children can effectively increase dietary fiber consumption and may lead to an improved physical quality of life. Further research is needed regarding the impact of nutrition on health-related quality of life.

Novel genetic variants of transferrin receptor 2 exon 4 and cytokines profile of anemic and nonanemic pregnant women in Central Java, Indonesia

Objective:To assess the association between genetic variants of transferrin receptor 2(TFR2)exon 4 and anemia status and to describe the expression levels of several cytokines,hepcidin,soluble transferrin receptor and erythropoietin.Methods:Institutional based comparative study was done randomly to recruit 106 pregnant women who attended antenatal care in three different health centers in Boyolali Regency,Central Java from May 2015 to September 2015.DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of selected pregnant women and sequencing was done for TFR2 exon 4.Furthermore,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was conducted to measure the expression levels of interleukin 6,interleukin 4,transforming growth factorβand iron-metabolism related proteins such as hepcidin,soluble transferrin receptor,and erythropoietin.Gene alignment was performed by using a CLUSTAL W program.Collected data were analyzed statistically by using parametric and nonparametric tests with Statistical Product and Service Solutions(SPSS)20.0 for Windows.Results:Three novel genetic variants from TFR2 exon 4(position 603,605 and 606)were associated with anemia status.Moreover,the expression levels of interleukin 6,interleukin 4,transforming growth factorβand erythropoietin were higher in anemic pregnant women than those of nonanemic pregnant women but only erythropoietin level reached statistical significance.These results were followed by decreases of hepcidin and soluble transferrin receptor levels.Conclusions:Various factors contribute to anemia prevalence among pregnant women in Boyoali Regency,Central Java,Indonesia.Our novel findings showed that TFR2 exon 4 has 3 mutational sites in position 603,605 and 606.These novel genetic variants may provide a new insight into the role of TFR2 in anemia.

A Pilot Study on the New USDA Meal Pattern for School Breakfast in a Sample of First-Grade Students

Background: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently modified the school breakfast program (SBP) to improve children’s nutrition. Based on the new patterns, schools must offer larger amounts of fruits, grains, and proteins/meats to children;the amounts of fluid foods (milk and juice) remained the same. This study examined the effect of the new food pattern on student’s consumption and food cost. Methods: The amounts and cost of foods served and wasted for one week in first grade students attending two elementary schools (n = 812) were measured. One school received the current SBP pattern (control breakfast, average number of students attending breakfast n = 81), the other school’s breakfast reflected the proposed changes (test breakfast, n = 82). To test the hypothesis that the test breakfast leads to significantly increased food cost and food waste compared to the control breakfast, the weekly average amount of the served solid and fluid foods (grams and milliliters) as well as their waste were compared between the two groups using paired student’s t-test in STATA 11 (significance at p-value < 0.05). Results: Data confirmed the hypothesis in that the test breakfast was associated with significantly higher food cost (by approximately $100/week) and solid food waste but there was no change in milk and juice consumption. Conclusions: This exploratory study indicates that a significant portion of the additional foods served to first-graders to improve their nutritional status were not consumed but wasted. Further studies in larger samples and including students from all grades are needed to examine this issue fully.

Lower Concentrations of Glucose or Insulin Decrease the Risk of Various Types of Cancer in the Long-Lived Ames Dwarf Mouse by Increasing the Expression of p27Kip1, a Cell-Cycle Repressor Protein

Introduction. The molecular biological mechanism of the increased incidence of the various types of cancer in obesity or type 2 diabetes in rodents or humans has largely been resolved in recent years. By contrast, the molecular biological mechanism of the decreased, not increased, incidence of the various types of cancer in the homozygous long-lived Ames dwarf mice still remains unresolved. Objective. The first objective of the present study was to investigate whether the decrease in the incidence of cancer in the homozygous long-lived Ames dwarf mice is due to the increase, not decrease, in the expression of p27Kip1, a cell cycle repressor protein. The second objective was to investigate whether the decrease in the incidence of cancer in the homozygous long-lived Ames dwarf mice is due to the decrease, not increase, in the levels of glucose or insulin. Methods. To achieve these objectives, we first performed western immunoblot analysis of the hepatic expression of p27Kip1 protein. We then performed, using a human breast cancer cell line in vitro, the luciferase reporter plasmid assay to determine whether the translation initiation activity of the p27Kip1 mRNA is increased when the concentrations of either glucose or insulin are decreased. Results and Conclusion. The results of the first objective indicated that the hepatic expression of p27Kip1 protein was up-regulated in the homozygous long-lived Ames dwarf mice as expected. We also found that the lower concentrations of glucose or insulin increased the translation initiation activity of the p27Kip1 mRNA.

Development of Child-Friendly Fish Dishes to Increase Young Children’s Acceptance and Consumption of Fish

Background: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend that Americans age two years and older consume seafood, especially fish high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, at least twice a week. Although fish is of particular importance during childhood to support proper brain and eye development, it is under-consumed in the US pediatric population. This study examined if substituting salmon for chicken would increase preschooler’s fish consumption. Methods: Two-to-five years old children (n = 45) were served eight lunches (four pairs of comparable chicken versus salmon dishes) twice, totaling sixteen lunches over a period of three months to test the hypothesis that children will consume fish at least once a week, thus increasing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake. The plate waste method was used to collect intake data and consumption of total energy and DHA intake in the chicken and the fish dishes were compared using contrasts within a mixed effect ANOVA (significance at P Results: Dietary intake estimates showed that there were no significant differences in energy intake when the chicken and fish dishes looked similar (macaroni-and-cheese and wraps), but when the fish dishes looked new (nuggets and dumplings), energy intake on fish days was lower than on the chicken day. DHA intake increased significantly on all days the fish was served. Conclusions: This pilot study indicates that fish intake can meet recommendations if salmon is incorporated into familiar dishes such as salad wraps or macaroni-and-cheese, in the childcare setting. Although fish is more expensive, childcare centers may serve this highly nutritious protein once a week without experiencing undue amounts of food wastes if incorporated into well-accepted main dishes. Further studies in larger and more diverse samples of children, different experimental dishes, and longer exposure periods may elucidate additional venues to increase children’s diet quality by increasing consumption of fatty fish.

Cost and Calorie Analysis of Fast Food Consumption in College Students

The purpose of this research was to assess money spent and calories consumed by college students from fast food restaurants located on and around a southern college campus. A convenience sample (n = 152) of undergraduate college students (aged 18 - 24) at a southern university participated in a survey that measured dietary intake from seven local fast food chains using a researcher developed food frequency questionnaire and a lifestyle behavior survey that collected data on health practices. A strong positive correlation was found between total monthly fast food expense and total monthly fast food caloric consumption (r(150) = 0.94, p t test comparing the mean monthly fast food restaurant expense males to females found a significant difference between the two groups (t(150) = 4.19, p < 0.05).The more money spent by college students contributed to a higher amount of calories consumed from fast food in a typical month. Future research needs to determine if college students are contributing to the high obesity rate and if limiting fast food restaurants on and around college campuses would help decrease fast food consumption in college students.

“No Need to Get Salty” Or Is There? Sodium Functionality as a Consideration in Nutrition Public Health Policy

Aim: Public health professionals focus on both downstream (individual) and upstream (population-level) interventions to reduce sodium consumption and prevent sodium-related chronic diseases. Effective upstream interventions specifically aimed at reducing dietary sodium intake include the implementation of comprehensive nutrition standards that restrict the amount of sodium contained in foods available for purchase. The aim of this work was to identify sought-after foods that did not meet the Philadelphia Nutrition Standards’ sodium limits and reformulate those foods to be standards-compliant and consumer-acceptable. Subject and Methods: Two foods were reformulated for compliancy with the Philadelphia Nutrition Standards’ sodium limits and consumer acceptability: the hoagie roll and soft pretzel. Reformulation included sensory testing and engaging potential manufacturing partners to investigate products’ commercial potential. Results: While hoagie roll reformulation led to a local company manufacturing and selling the reformulated product, soft pretzel reformulation stalled due to lack of consumer acceptability of the reformulated product. Salt contributes desirable characteristics in the texture, taste, and appearance of the soft pretzel, the absence of which consumers found unacceptable. Conclusion: Product reformulation holds great potential to create lower-sodium foods that otherwise have all of the characteristics of the higher-sodium “original” products but requires an understanding of the role of salt in product recipes. Reducing salt without considering its multiple functions in food may result in a product that is unacceptable or even unsafe. A simple four-step tool can help public health practitioners evaluate the extent to which products are suitable for reformulation.

Self-Reported Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Determinants of Multiple Parasitic Infection among Schooling Adolescents in Nigeria

Background: Despite the rising burden of parasitic infections among young schooling adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, insufficient attention has been paid to school-health. This study examined the self-reported prevalence of major parasitic infections and its association with key socio-demographic factors among young schooling adolescents in Southern Nigeria. Methods: An interviewer-administered school-based survey of students attending schools in Southern Nigeria was conducted in 2013. The study sample involved 585 students (60.9% male, 39.2% female and overall mean age of 15 years). The outcome variable was the self-reported presence of parasitic infection suffered within the past twelve months. The exposure variables were socio-demographic characteristics: age, sex, geolocality, school ownership, parents’ level of education and occupation. Association between the number of parasitic infections and socio-demographic factors were examined, and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine socio-demographic factors predictive of the presence of parasitic infections. Results: The most prevalent parasitic diseases reported across the sample were malaria (46.9%) and helminthiasis (27.7%). Over a quarter (38.5%) had one infectious disease, while about half (40.3%) reported had more than two infectious diseases. In the study sample, the number of parasitic diseases differed significantly by sex (p = 0.0344), age (p = 0.0483), geolocality (p = 0.0001), school ownership (p = 0.0012) and parents’ occupation (p = 0.0199). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that attending private school was negatively associated with the presence of parasitic diseases (β = ?0.9129, p = 0.0022). Conclusion: The high prevalence of multiple parasitic infections among the study population is worrisome and should be considered as a school-health concern. Concerted efforts are highly needed to develop school-health intervention programs for addressing the high prevalence of parasitic infection among students. Such programs should be tailored for specific socio-demographic groups. Although there was strong proportionality between self-reported symptoms and parasitic diseases reported, laboratory-based investigation is needed to validate our findings.

Peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors regulate redox signaling in the cardiovascular system

Peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors(PPARs) comprise three subtypes(PPARα,δ and γ) to form a nuclear receptor superfamily.PPARs act as key transcriptional regulators of lipid metabolism,mitochondrial biogenesis,and anti-oxidant defense.While their roles in regulating lipid metabolism have been well established,the role of PPARs in regulating redox activity remains incompletely understood.Since redox activity is an integral part of oxidative metabolism,it is not surprising that changes in PPAR signaling in a specific cell or tissue will lead to alteration of redox state.The effects of PPAR signaling are directly related to PPAR expression,protein activities and PPAR interactions with their coregulators.The three subtypes of PPARs regulate cellular lipid and energy metabolism in most tissues in the body with overlapping and preferential effects on different metabolic steps depending on a specific tissue.Adding to the complexity,specific ligands of each PPAR subtype may also display different potencies and specificities of their role on regulating the redox pathways.Moreover,the intensity and extension of redoxregulation by each PPAR subtype are varied depending on different tissues and cell types.Both beneficial and adverse effects of PPAR ligands against cardiovascular disorders have been extensively studied by many groups.The purpose of the review is to summarize the effects of each PPAR on regulating redox and the underlying mechanisms,as well as to discuss the implications in the cardiovascular system.

Compression anastomosis clip for gastrointestinal anastomosis

AIM: To investigate the feasibility of compression anastomosis clip (CAC) for gastrointestinal anastomosis proximal to the ileocecal junction. METHODS: Sixty-six patients undergoing gastrointe-stinal anastomosis proximal to the ileocecal junction were randomized into two groups according to the anastomotic method, CAC or stapler. RESULTS: The postoperative recovery of patients in CAC and stapled anastomosis groups was similar. No postoperative complication related to the anastomotic method was found in either group. Both upper gastrointestinal contrast radiography at the early postoperative course and endoscopic examination after a 6-mo follow-up showed a better healing at the compression anastomosis. CONCLUSION: CAC can be used not only in colonic surgery but also in gastrointestinal anastomosis. Our result strongly suggests that CAC anastomosis is safe in various complication circumstances. However, it should be further conf irmed with a larger patient sample.

Insulin exerts direct, IGF-1 independent actions in growth plate chondrocytes

Insufficient insulin production or action in diabetic states is associated with growth retardation and impaired bone healing, while the underling mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we sought to define the role of insulin signaling in the growth plate. Insulin treatment of embryonic metatarsal bones from wild-type mice increased chondrocyte proliferation. Mice lacking insulin receptor （IR） selectively in chondrocytes （CartIR-/-） had no discernable differences in total femoral length compared to control littermates. However, CartIR-/- mice exhibited an increase in chondrocyte numbers in the growth plate than that of the controls. Chondrocytes lacking IR had elevated insulin-like growth factor （IGF）-IR mRNA and protein levels. Subsequently, IGF-1 induced phosphorylafion of Akt and ERK was enhanced, while this action was eliminated when the cells were treated with IGF-1R inhibitor Picropodophyllin. Deletion of the IR impaired chondrogenic differentiation, and the effect could not be restored by treatment of insulin, but partially rescued by IGF-1 treatment. Intriguingly, the size of hypertrophic chondrocytes was smaller in CartIR-/- mice when compared with that of the control littermates, which was associated with upregnlation of tuberous sclerosis complex 2 （TSC2）. These results suggest that deletion of the IR in chondrocytes sensitizes IGF-1R signaling and action, IR and IGF-1R coordinate to regulate the proliferation, differentiation and hypertrophy of growth plate chondrocytes.

Developmental and Condition-Related Changes in the Prefrontal Cortex Activity during Rest

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in cognitive process related to executive function, but is also active during resting states. Quantifying prefrontal cortex activity during resting states provides a baseline for interpreting task-induced brain activity. Researchers commonly use resting conditions where participants are prompted to stare at a screen (eyes open) or close their eyes (eyes closed). Are these two conditions equivalent representations of a baseline resting state? Further, does prefrontal cortex activity during these conditions change as a function of development? The aim of this study was to examine differences in prefrontal cortex activity between eyes open and eyes closed conditions during resting states in children and adults to provide a rationale of proper selection of baseline condition in future research. Thirty-six participants in 3 age groups were recruited in this study including twenty-four adults, five 12 - 15 years old children, and seven 8 - 11 years old children. Relative changes in concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin (Δoxy-Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (Δdeoxy-Hb) were obtained by using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in eyes closed (EC) and eyes open (EO) conditions, 3 minutes each. Contrasts were tested to compare the differences of Δoxy-Hb and Δdeoxy-Hb between eyes open and eyes closed conditions. The EC condition had significantly higher Δoxy-Hb than EO when all groups were combined (t (17.268) = 3.021, p = .008, Cohen’s d = –0.72). When comparing Δoxy-Hb between eyes conditions within each group, the younger group had significantly higher Δoxy-Hb in EC than EO (t (9.459) = 2.734, p = 0.022, Cohen’s d = –1.46). Based on these results, the EO condition may be a better baseline condition, particularly in studies with younger children, since it has less activity in the PFC that could interfere with interpretations of task-induced activity.

Brain Activation in the Prefrontal Cortex during Motor and Cognitive Tasks in Adults

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in cognitive function, involved in Executive Functions (EFs) such as planning, working memory, and inhibition. Activation in the PFC also occurs during some motor activities. One commonly used tool to assess EF is the Tower of Hanoi, demonstrating sensitivity to PFC dysfunction. However, limited neuroimaging evidence is available to support the contribution of the PFC in the Tower of Hanoi task. In the current study, we use functional near infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy to examine hemodynamic responses associated with neural activity in the PFC in adults as they participate in the Tower of Hanoi task. We compared changes in cerebral oxygenation during resting, a motor task (tapping), and the Tower of Hanoi in 16 neurotypical adults, with measures of relative changes in concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (Δoxy-Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (Δdeoxy-Hb) taken throughout tasks, as well as total hemoglobin (ΔHbT) and oxygenation (Δoxy). Performance on the Tower of Hanoi was measured by the number of moves used to complete each level and the highest level of successful performance (3, 4, or 5 disks). We found a significant higher value of Δoxy-Hb and Δoxy in dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) during the Tower of Hanoi as compared to tapping and resting. Significant changes in Δdeoxy-Hb and ΔHbT during the Tower of Hanoi were found in the right DLPFC only. These results support the notion that the Tower of Hanoi task requires higher levels of PFC activity than a similar motor task with low executive function demands.