Effect of a Multidomain Lifestyle Intervention on Estimated Dementia Risk

We investigated the effect of a multidomain lifestyle intervention on the risk of dementia estimated using the validated CAIDE risk score (post-hoc analysis). The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) is a 2-year randomized controlled trial among 1,260 at-risk older adults (60–77 years). Difference in the estimated mean change in CAIDE score at 2 years in the intervention compared to the control group was –0.16 (95 %CI –0.31 to 0.00) (p = 0.013), corresponding to a relative dementia risk reduction between 6.04–6.50%. This could be interpreted as a reflection of the prevention potential of the intervention.

Maternal Soybean Diet on Prevention of Offspring Obesity and Metabolic Disorders

Objectives Our studies focus on elucidation of the potential mechanisms-mediated early-life gut microbiome development linking maternal dietary genistein (GE) intervention to its obesity prevention potential later in life through regulation of host metabolome and epigenome. Methods C57BL/6 (BL6) dams were provided GE diet during prenatal and postnatal periods. Weaned offspring were exposed to either control diet or a commercially available high-fat diet (HFD) for 20 wks to induce obesity. We evaluated various metabolic parameters, gut microbiome taxonomy, fecal/serum metabolomes (especially microbially-produced metabolites) and epigenetic changes in key glucose/lipid metabolism-related genes in adipose tissues during different developmental stages in BL6 offspring. Results Our studies found that maternal dietary GE a safe level significantly reduced the risk of HFD-induced body fat accumulation and glucose intolerance in mouse offspring. We also found that maternal GE consumption significantly affected the diversity and composition of childhood gut microbiota, the fecal metabolome as well as gene expressions of key glucose/lipid metabolism-related genes in offspring mice. Conclusions Our studies suggest that maternal GE consumption may shape early-life gut microbiome and the signature of bacterial metabolite profiles in the offspring, which may in turn alter the host epigenome and health outcomes. Funding Sources NIH/NCI, NIH/NCCIH.

Preventing Non-communicable Diseases Using Pricing Policies: Lessons for the United States from Global Experiences and Local Pilots

Preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in an effective and sustainable way will require forward-looking policy solutions that can address multiple objectives. This was true pre–COVID-19 and is even more true now. There are already examples from across the globe and within the United States that show how these may be possible. Although there are still many unknowns around how the design, targeting, level, sequencing, integration, and implementation of fiscal policies together can maximize their NCD prevention potential, there is already clear evidence that health taxes and particularly sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are cost-effective. Nonetheless, policies alone may not succeed. Political will to prioritize well-being, protections against industry interference, and public buy-in are necessary. If those elements align, pricing policies that consider the context in question can be designed and implemented to achieve several goals around reducing consumption of unhealthy SSBs and foods, narrowing existing nutritional and health disparities, encouraging economic and social development. The US and its local and state jurisdictions should consider these pricing policy issues and their contexts carefully, in collaboration with community partners and researchers, to design multi-duty actions and to be prepared for future windows of opportunities to open for policy passage and implementation.

Delivering Clinically on Our Knowledge of Oxytocin and Sensory Stimulation: The Potential of Infant Carrying in Primary Prevention

Oxytocin (OT) is one of the most intensively researched neuropeptides during the three past decades. In benign social contexts, OT exerts a range of desirable socioemotional, stress-reducing, and immunoregulatory effects in mammals and humans and influences mammalian parenting. Consequentially, research in potential pharmacological applications of OT toward human social deficits/disorders and physical illness has increased substantially. Regrettably, the results from the administration of exogenous OT are still relatively inconclusive. Research in rodent maternal developmental programming has demonstrated the susceptibility of offspring endogenous OT systems to maternal somatosensory stimulation, with consequences for behavioral, epigenetic, cognitive, and neurological outcomes. A translation of this animal research into practically feasible human parenting recommendations has yet to happen, despite the significant prevention potential implied by the maternal developmental programming research. Extended physical contact with full-term healthy infants in the months following birth (infant carrying) might constitute the human equivalent of those specific rodent maternal behaviors, found to positively influence emerging OT systems. Findings from both OT and maternal programming research parallel those found for infants exposed to such extended parental physical contact, whether through skin-to-skin contact or infant carrying. Clinical support of parents to engage in extended physical contact represents a feasible intervention to create optimum conditions for the development of infant OT systems, with potential beneficial long-term health effects.

Cavitation Prevention Potential of Hydromechanical Pressure Compensation Independent Metering System with External Active Load

This article studies the cavitation performance and preventing method of the hydromechanical pressure compensation independent metering system (HPCIMS). Compared with the conventional load sensing system (CLSS), the meter-in and meter-out orifices of HPCIMS can be regulated independently. A quasi-static behavior analysis of cavitation performance was applied to the HPCIMS and CLSS. The meter-in pressure equation of HPCIMS showed that keeping the ratio of the meter-in and meter-out orifices greater than the minimum value can avoid the cavitation phenomenon. Systems parameters were then kept as constant, and the key parameters related to cavitation performance of the two systems were compared by varying external force. Comparison results show that the cavitation phenomenon in the meter-in chamber of CLSS with the external active load is inevitable, but in HPCIMS, it can prevent the cavitation phenomenon by changing the ratio of the meter-in and meter-out orifices, so the HPCIMS has the cavitation prevention potential.

Azithromycin Plus Zinc Sulfate Rapidly and Synergistically Suppresses IκBα-Mediated In Vitro Human Airway Cell ACE2 Expression for SARS-CoV-2 Entry

Large-scale efforts have been persistently undertaken for medical prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 disasters worldwide. A variety of novel viral spike protein-targeted vaccine preparations have recently been clinically distributed based on accelerated approval. We revisited the early but inconclusive clinical interest in the combination of azithromycin and zinc sulfate repurposing with safety advantages. In vitro proof of concept was provided for rapid and synergistic suppression of ACE2 expression following treatments in human airway cells, Calu-3 and H322M. The two representative ACE2-expressing human airway cells indicate the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Prophylactic and early therapeutic roles of azithromycin combined with zinc are proposed for virus cellular entry prevention potential bridging to effective antibody production.

Treatment of suicide attempts and suicidal patients in psychiatric care

No other known risk factor has such a high suicide prevention potential as a psychiatric disorder. However, to release this potential, psychiatric care needs to be made more available to suicidal individuals, and there is a necessity to establish a continuity of care between hospital and outpatient treatment for patients who have been admitted after a suicide attempt. In this chapter, important aspects of the psychiatric treatment of suicidal individuals are described. The importance of conducting systematic and repeated clinical risk assessments, providing treatments targeted at the patient’s needs, and instigating safety measures according to the actual risk level, is reinforced. Treatment standards should be kept high through continuous staff education measures, clinical supervision, adherence to written procedures, and should be improved through suicide review procedures whenever there has been a severe suicidal incident within the context of the clinical unit.