Assessing, understanding and modifying nutritional status, eating habits and physical activity in European adolescents: the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Study.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the main knowledge gaps and to propose research lines that will be developed within the European Union-funded 'Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence' (HELENA) project, concerning the nutritional status, physical fitness and physical activity of adolescents in Europe. DESIGN: Review of the currently existing literature. RESULTS: The main gaps identified were: lack of harmonised and comparable data on food intake; lack of understanding regarding the role of eating attitudes, food choices and food preferences; lack of harmonised and comparable data on levels and patterns of physical activity and physical fitness; lack of comparable data about obesity prevalence and body composition; lack of comparable data about micronutrient and immunological status; and lack of effective intervention methodologies for healthier lifestyles. CONCLUSIONS: The HELENA Study Group should develop, test and describe harmonised and state-of-the-art methods to assess the nutritional status and lifestyle of adolescents across Europe; develop and evaluate an intervention on eating habits and physical activity; and develop and test new healthy food products attractive for European adolescents.

Identification of germline MLH1 alterations in familial prostate cancer.

Several linkage and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analyses suggest that the region 3p21-p26, which is a chromosomal location of MLH1, could harbour a susceptibility gene for prostate cancer (PRCA). Furthermore, in a recent candidate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis the I219V variation of the MLH1 gene was associated with PRCA. Microsatellite instability (MSI) and germ-line MLH1 mutations were originally demonstrated in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) but MSI and loss of MLH1 function have also been detected in PRCA. To assess the contribution of MLH1 germline mutations to the development of PRCA in Finland different approaches were used. First, the samples from 11 PRCA-colon cancer patients were screened for MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC revealed one patient with a putative MLH1 aberration and sequencing of this sample revealed five sequence variants including two missense variants P434L and I219V. Second, the samples from Finnish hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) families were used for the screening of MLH1 mutations which produced twelve MLH1 sequence variants including two missense mutations, I219V, as in the PRCA-colon cancer patient, and V647M. P434L and V647 were both novel, rare variants. Carrier frequencies of the I219V mutation were compared between hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) patients, unselected PRCA cases, patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and controls, but no differences between the sample groups were found. P434L was not present in this study population and V647M was a very rare variant found only in one HPC family. According to the present results, MLH1 does not have a major role in PRCA causation in Finland.

A binary dental gold-cobalt alloy of eutectic composition.

A new dental gold alloy was investigated for the casting of prosthetic restorations. The binary alloy is composed of 10 weight-percent Co and 90 wt% Au. Studies of the structure of the alloy revealed a rod-eutectic structure with Co rods in Au matrix. By special heat treatment (solution treatment and precipitation treatment) the hardness was increased up to 280 Hv. The hardening effect caused by Co atom groups in the Au matrix was studied by transmission microscopy. Casting experiments were performed using conventional dental casting procedures. Metallographic studies revealed no Co rods in the surface layer of the castings after the heat treatment.

Absorption of gas in dental gold alloys during melting.

The absorption of gas during heating and melting of pure gold and of two dental gold alloys was studied by gas chromatography. The metals were melted by two methods, i.e. gas-torch and electric heating. The specimens were analysed regarding the content of hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. The amount of nitrogen was not measurable in all specimens. Oxygen gas occurred with rather high values in the two dental gold alloys. The hydrogen content was often larger than the solubility limit. It is proposed that hydrogen often gives pore precipitation. It is also proposed that special caution must be taken during melting to reduce the hydrogen content in the melt before casting. D-alloy (palladium) demonstrated high H and O values on gas-torch heating.

Microstructure of the solder-casting zone in bridges of dental gold alloys.

The composition and structure were studied in the cast and in the solder of bridges which had failed clinically. Both materials were gold alloys but with different contents of Pt, Ag and Zn. The metallographic investigation revealed defects mostly in the solder, situated in the subsurface layer. SEM studied of the fracture surface revealed large porosites and a structure of dense parallel lines--striations--, indicating that the material had failed from fatigue. The materials in the fractured bridges were identified by micro-probe measurements. It was stated that cast material and solder material used together, were of different composition.