Changes in physical activity outcomes in the Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities (SHHC-2.0) community-based randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a risk factor for numerous adverse health conditions and outcomes, including all-cause mortality. Aging rural women are at particular risk for physical inactivity based on environmental, sociocultural, and psychosocial factors. This study reports on changes in physical activity and associated factors from a multicomponent community-engaged intervention trial. METHODS: Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities 2.0 (SHHC-2.0) was a 24-week cluster (community) randomized controlled trial building on the results from the previous trial of SHHC-1.0. Rural women (n = 182) aged 40 and over living in 11 rural communities in upstate New York were recruited. The intervention consisted of twice-weekly experiential classes focused on exercise, nutrition, and civic engagement. Physical activity outcomes included accelerometry and self-report as well as related psychosocial measures at midpoint (12 weeks) and post-intervention (24 weeks). Data were analyzed using multilevel linear regression models with the community as the random effect. RESULTS: Compared to participants from the control communities, participants in the intervention communities showed a significant increase in objectively measured moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity: at 12 weeks (increase of 8.1 min per day, P < 0.001) and at 24 weeks (increase of 6.4 min per day; P = 0.011). Self-reported total MET minutes per week also increased: at 12 weeks (increase of 725.8, P = 0.003) and 24 weeks (increase of 955.9, P = 0.002). Several of the psychosocial variables also showed significant positive changes. CONCLUSIONS: The SHHC-2.0 intervention successfully increased physical activity level and related outcome measures. Modifications made based upon in-depth process evaluation from SHHC-1.0 appear to have been effective in increasing physical activity in this at-risk population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03059472. Registered 23 February 2017.

Increased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and tubulin-alpha in pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma.

Pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (PSH) is relatively rare and is usually considered a benign tumor because of its slow growth and solitary characteristics. However, several cases with lymph node metastasis have been reported, and its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Three sets of PSH specimens from the Korea Lung Tissue Bank, obtained with IRB approval, were analyzed through the construction of an oligo-microarray that contained about 32,000 genes. The resulting data were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR. Protein expression levels were checked by performing immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunoblot analysis. In the 3 specimens of PSH tissues, 72 of the 32,000 genes were commonly found up-regulated and 290 were commonly found down-regulated as compared to non-tumor tissues from each patient. Paraffin-embedded tissues from 11 cases were used to confirm the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and tubulin-alpha proteins in the non-tumor and PSH tissues via IHC. In addition, the upregulation of protein expression was confirmed by immunoblot analysis. As expected, in all cases MMP-9 and tubulin-alpha were expressed at significantly higher levels in the PSH than in the non-tumor tissues. This is the first report on a study of the whole genome of PSH. Increased expression of MMP-9 could induce the metastatic ability of PSH and tubulin-alpha might be responsible for the sclerotic character of this disease. The results of this study will be useful in helping to understand and effectively manage patients suffering from PSH.

Proteomic analysis of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma.

Sclerosing hemangioma (SH) is a rare benign pulmonary tumor derived from the primitive respiratory epithelium. However, the pathogenesis of SH has not yet been clear. Surfactant protein, thyroid transcription factor-1, epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratin, and vimentin have been identified in SH by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. To identify proteins specifically regulated in SH, 2-D PAGE was performed using SH and paired normal tissues. Ten selected differentially expressed protein spots were identified by PMF, MALDI-TOF-MS, and database searching. Apolipoprotein A-1, antizyme inhibitor, heat shock 27-kDa protein 1, and antioxidant proteins, such as peroxiredoxin II (Prx II) and GST, were identified among the down-regulated proteins in SH. Western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed reduced expressions of Prx II and GST in SH versus normal lung tissue. This study is the first report on the reduced expressions of Prx II and GST in SH.