Results of the eurofoods trial on between-laboratory variation in the analysis of macronutrients in foods

In order to determine the influence of laboratory procedures on nutrient values in different food tables and data banks, an interlaboratory study was set up. Nineteen laboratories participated, and received well-homogenized samples of egg powder, full-fat milk powder, whole rye and wheat meal, biscuits and french beans to perform analyses of macronutrients by their own routine methods. For dry weight the results agreed very well; the results for ash agreed rather well. For protein the coefficient of variation between laboratories (CVbetween) ranged from 2.8% to 6.4%. The CVbetween for total fat ranged from 5.4% to 54%. For available carbohydrates the CVbetween ranged from 9% to 27%. The CVbetween for total dietary fiber ranged from 23% to 84%. It is concluded that leading laboratories produce widely different values for macronutrients in common foods. Reference materials of certified nutrient concentration are needed

La espacialidad de las imágenes y el acto de mirar

GOMES, Paulo Cesar da Costa. O lugar do olhar. Elementos para uma geografia da visibilidade. Rio de Janeiro: Bertrand Brasil. 2013. 320 p. [ISBN 978-85-286-1652-1

Respiratory Depression in Young Prader Willi Syndrome Patients following Clonidine Provocation for Growth Hormone Secretion Testing

Objectives. To determine the sedative and respiratory effects of clonidine when used to evaluate growth hormone (GH) secretion in children with Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS). Methods. The study prospectively evaluated children with PWS who received clonidine (0.15 mg/m2) to assess GH responsiveness. Patients were studied up to four times over three years. Vital signs, oxygen saturation, and sedation level were recorded at baseline and every five minutes following clonidine. Changes between baseline and post-clonidine were evaluated using a repeated measurement analysis. Results. Sixty studies were performed on 17 patients, mean age 30.4 ± 15.0 months. The mean ± SD dose of clonidine was 0.074 ± 0.027 mg (5.3 ± 1.72 mcg/kg). All patients achieved a sedation score of 4 to 5 (drowsy to asleep). Mean declines in respiratory rate (7.5 ± 6.1 breaths/min; P < .001), and oxygen saturation (2.2 ± 2.0%; P < .001) occurred following clonidine. Five patients (29%) experienced oxygen saturations ≤94% on nine occasions. Three oxygen desaturations were accompanied by partial airway obstruction. Conclusions. Clonidine doses to assess GH secretion often exceed doses used for sedation and result in significant respiratory depression in some children with PWS. There was no association between oxygen desaturation and BMI

Validating fatty acid intake as estimated by an FFQ : how does the 24 h recall perform as reference method compared with the duplicate portion?

Objective: To compare the performance of the commonly used 24 h recall (24hR) with the more distinct duplicate portion (DP) as reference method for validation of fatty acid intake estimated with an FFQ. Design: Intakes of SFA, MUFA, n-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid (LA) were estimated by chemical analysis of two DP and by on average five 24hR and two FFQ. Plasma n-3 fatty acids and LA were used to objectively compare ranking of individuals based on DP and 24hR. Multivariate measurement error models were used to estimate validity coefficients and attenuation factors for the FFQ with the DP and 24hR as reference methods. Setting: Wageningen, the Netherlands. Subjects: Ninety-two men and 106 women (aged 20–70 years). Results: Validity coefficients for the fatty acid estimates by the FFQ tended to be lower when using the DP as reference method compared with the 24hR. Attenuation factors for the FFQ tended to be slightly higher based on the DP than those based on the 24hR as reference method. Furthermore, when using plasma fatty acids as reference, the DP showed comparable to slightly better ranking of participants according to their intake of n-3 fatty acids (0·33) and n-3:LA (0·34) than the 24hR (0·22 and 0·24, respectively). Conclusions: The 24hR gives only slightly different results compared with the distinctive but less feasible DP, therefore use of the 24hR seems appropriate as the reference method for FFQ validation of fatty acid intake.</p

Lista preliminar de los peces del río Papunahua, cuenca del río Inírida - departamento del Vaupés, Colombia

Fish sampling in the Papunahua river (Inírida river basin-colombian Orinoco) (october and november 2005) revealed 86 fish species grouped in 64 genera, 28 families, and 8 orders. Orders with the largest numbers of species were Characiformes (42 species), Siluriformes (21), and Perciformes (9), with the remaining 5 orders having from 1 to 7 species. At the family level, the Characidae has the greatest number of species (24 species), followed by Cichlidae (9), and Anostomidae (6). The remaining 25 families having 1 to 5 species

Lista preliminar de los peces del río Papunahua, cuenca del río Inírida - departamento del Vaupés, Colombia

Fish sampling in the Papunahua river (Inírida river basin-colombian Orinoco) (october and november 2005) revealed 86 fish species grouped in 64 genera, 28 families, and 8 orders. Orders with the largest numbers of species were Characiformes (42 species), Siluriformes (21), and Perciformes (9), with the remaining 5 orders having from 1 to 7 species. At the family level, the Characidae has the greatest number of species (24 species), followed by Cichlidae (9), and Anostomidae (6). The remaining 25 families having 1 to 5 species

Lista preliminar de los peces del río Papunahua, cuenca del río Inírida - departamento del Vaupés, Colombia

Fish sampling in the Papunahua river (Inírida river basin-colombian Orinoco) (october and november 2005) revealed 86 fish species grouped in 64 genera, 28 families, and 8 orders. Orders with the largest numbers of species were Characiformes (42 species), Siluriformes (21), and Perciformes (9), with the remaining 5 orders having from 1 to 7 species. At the family level, the Characidae has the greatest number of species (24 species), followed by Cichlidae (9), and Anostomidae (6). The remaining 25 families having 1 to 5 species.Los muestreos realizados entre octubre y noviembre de 2005 en el río Papunahua (cuenca del río Inírida - Orinoquía colombiana), registran una riqueza de 86 especies de peces agrupadas 64 géneros, 28 familias y 8 órdenes. Los órdenes con el mayor número de especies fueron Characiformes (42 especies), Siluriformes (21 especies), Perciformes (9 especies) y los restantes cinco órdenes tienen de una a siete especies. Al nivel de familia, Characidae posee el mayor número de especies (24), seguida de Cichlidae (nueve), Anostomidae (seis) y las restantes 25 familias tienen de una a cinco especies

Validity of absolute intake and nutrient density of protein, potassium, and sodium assessed by various dietary assessment methods:An exploratory study

It is suggested that nutrient densities are less affected by measurement errors than absolute intake estimates of dietary exposure. We compared the validity of absolute intakes and densities of protein (kJ from protein/total energy (kJ)), potassium, and sodium (potassium or sodium (in mg)/total energy (kJ)) assessed by different dietary assessment methods. For 69 Dutch subjects, two duplicate portions (DPs), five to fifteen 24-h dietary recalls (24 hRs, telephone-based and web-based) and two food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were collected and compared to duplicate urinary biomarkers and one or two doubly labelled water measurements. Multivariate measurement error models were used to estimate validity coefficients (VCs) and attenuation factors (AFs). This research showed that group bias diminished for protein and sodium densities assessed by all methods as compared to the respective absolute intakes, but not for those of potassium. However, the VCs and AFs for the nutrient densities did not improve compared to absolute intakes for all four methods; except for the AF of sodium density (0.71) or the FFQ which was better than that of the absolute sodium intake (0.51). Thus, using nutrient densities rather than absolute intakes does not necessarily improve the performance of the DP, FFQ, or 24 hR.</p

The flavonoid galangin is an inhibitor of CYP1A1 activity and an agonist/antagonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor

The effect of the dietary flavonoid galangin on the metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), the activity of cytochrome P 450 1A1 (CYP1A1), and the expression of CYP1A1 in MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells was investigated. Galangin inhibited the catabolic breakdown of DMBA, as measured by thin-layer chromatography, in a dose-dependent manner. Galangin also inhibited the formation of DMBA-DNA adducts, and prevented DMBA-induced inhibition of cell growth. Galangin caused a potent, dose-dependent inhibition of CYP1A1 activity, as measured by ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity, in intact cells and in microsomes isolated from DMBA-treated cells. Analysis of the inhibition kinetics by double-reciprocal plot demonstrated that galangin inhibited CYP1A1 activity in a non-competitive manner. Galangin caused an increase in the level of CYP1A1 mRNA, indicating that it may be an agonist of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, but it inhibited the induction of CYP1A1 mRNA by DMBA or by 2,3,5,7-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Galangin also inhibited the DMBA- or TCDD-induced transcription of a reporter vector containing the CYP1A1 promoter. Thus, galangin is a potent inhibitor of DMBA metabolism and an agonist/antagonist of the AhR, and may prove to be an effective chemopreventive agent. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig