Falciform fat:femur length ratio provides a novel method for objective postmortem estimation of total body fat in overweight and obese cats

Determination of the nutritional condition, including estimation of amounts of total body fat (tBF), at routine postmortem examination of cats is typically based on subjective visual assessment. Subjective assessment may result in uncertainties regarding degree of overweight, and objective methods that provide a numerical value reflecting the tBF could be valuable to accurately judge excess body fat. We investigated if the falciform fat pad weight (FFPW) was correlated to tBF and could be used to detect overweight and obesity in cats. The FFPW and the femur length (FL) were recorded at postmortem examination in 54 cats and the FFPW:FL ratio (FFR) calculated. Each cat was additionally assigned to a fat category (FC) according to subjective assessment. Computed tomography was used to determine tBF as the body fat percentage (%BF), the body fat volume (BFV), and BFV normalized to animal size (nBFV) in 39 cats. There was strong correlation between the FFPW and the BFV (r = 0.888) and between the FFR and the nBFV (r = 0.897). The correlation between the nBFV and %BF was very strong (r = 0.974). Using a lower FFR cutoff value of 3.5 for obesity and 1.6 for overweight, there was a discrepancy in FC between using the FFR and subjective assessment in 6 of 54 cats (11%). We conclude that the FFPW increases proportionally with tBF and that the FFR provides a method for objective tBF estimation. We suggest introducing the FFR to feline postmortem examination protocols as an objective estimate of tBF

Maize grain yield responses to realistic biochar application rates on smallholder farms in Kenya

Despite efforts to increase agricultural production sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa, large gaps remain between actual and potential yield of food crops. Adding biochar to degraded cropland soils in the African tropics has significant potential to enhance crop productivity. Biochar-based farming can also mitigate climate change, through soil carbon storage. This study involved six smallholder farms at sites in eastern, central, and western Kenya that are characterized by different pedo-climatic conditions. We examined the response of non-fertilized and fertilized maize monoculture to three dosages of biochar that are realistic for domestic production by farmers at each of the sites over four growing seasons. Commonly available biomass wastes in each agro-ecosystem (coconut shells, coffee husks, maize cobs) were used as feedstock for biochar, which was applied at 1, 5, and 10 Mg ha(-1) at the start of the experiment. Across seasons and fertilizer treatments, maize grain yield (dry matter) showed consistently positive responses, with an average increase of 1.0, 2.6, and 4.0 Mg ha(-1), respectively, above the control for the three biochar application rates. Absolute responses of maize grain yield to specific biochar doses were similar across the four investigated seasons and replicate farms within sites, and uncorrelated to yield levels in the control treatment. Here, we show for the first time that yield response to biochar decreased with increasing application rate, indicating that it may be better to spread a given amount of biochar over a large area rather than concentrating it to a smaller area, at least when biochar is applied along plant rows at rates >= 1 Mg ha(-1), as in our experiment. This study demonstrated that application of biochar, locally produced from available biomass residues, is a promising approach to enhance agricultural production and carbon storage on smallholder farms under a wide range of pedo-climatic conditions in Kenya

Evaluation of rangeland condition in miombo woodlands in eastern Tanzania in relation to season and distance from settlements

Miombo woodlands sustainability in east and south-central Africa is threatened by human activities, including overgrazing. This study investigated seasonal variations in rangeland condition in three grazed areas in miombo woodlands in eastern Tanzania. Transect lines were established across the grazing areas, sampling points were identified and marked at every 10% of the length of transect line. Sampling points were categorised in different distances with respect to settlement. The line intercept method was used to collect data on vegetation cover and forage distribution, while herbaceous forage biomass was estimated using a disc pasture meter. A total of 118 different plant species were observed and grasses comprised 40.6% of all herbaceous species. Bothriochloa pertusa, Cynodon plectostachyus, Hyparrhenia rufa and Urochloa mosambicensis grass species dominated miombo grazed areas in various seasons and distances. These perennial grass species are desirable and indicated moderate grazing activities in miombo. Season affected grass cover, herbaceous forage biomass and nutritional composition. Grass cover and forage biomass were at the lowest during late dry season while forage nutritional quality was best during early dry season. Distance from settlement had no effect on grass cover and herbaceous forage biomass. Rangeland condition was generally fair, livestock stocking rate in continuously grazed drylands should be set at the lowest monthly forage biomass in order to ensure grazing land sustainability

Use of a Web-Based Dietary Assessment Tool (RiksmatenFlex) in Swedish Adolescents: Comparison and Validation Study

BACKGROUND: A Web-based dietary assessment tool-RiksmatenFlex-was developed for the national dietary survey of adolescents in Sweden. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the Web-based method RiksmatenFlex and to test the validity of the reported dietary intake by comparing dietary intake with 24-hour dietary recalls (recall interviews), estimated energy expenditure, and biomarkers. METHODS: Adolescents aged 11-12, 14-15, and 17-18 years were recruited through schools. In total, 78 students had complete dietary information and were included in the study. Diet was reported a few weeks apart with either RiksmatenFlexDiet (the day before and a random later day) or recall interviews (face-to-face, a random day later by phone) in a cross-over, randomized design. At a school visit, weight and height were measured and blood samples were drawn for biomarker analyses. Students wore an accelerometer for 7 days for physical activity measurements. Dietary intake captured by both dietary methods was compared, and energy intake captured by both methods was compared with the accelerometer-estimated energy expenditure (EEest). Intake of whole grain wheat and rye and fruit and vegetables by both methods was compared with alkylresorcinol and carotenoid concentrations in plasma, respectively. RESULTS: The mean of the reported energy intake was 8.92 (SD 2.77) MJ by RiksmatenFlexDiet and 8.04 (SD 2.67) MJ by the recall interviews (P=.01). Intake of fruit and vegetables was 224 (169) g and 227 (150) g, and whole grain wheat and rye intake was 12.4 (SD 13.2) g and 12.0 (SD 13.1) g, respectively; the intakes of fruit and vegetables as well as whole grain wheat and rye did not differ between methods. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.57 for protein and carbohydrates to 0.23 for vegetables. Energy intake by RiksmatenFlexDiet was overreported by 8% (P=.03) but not by the recall interviews (P=.53) compared with EEest. The Spearman correlation coefficient between reported energy intake and EEest was 0.34 (P=.008) for RiksmatenFlexDiet and 0.16 (P=.21) for the recall interviews. Spearman correlation coefficient between whole grain wheat and rye and plasma total alkylresorcinol homologs was 0.36 (P=.002) for RiksmatenFlexDiet and 0.29 (P=.02) for the recall interviews. Spearman correlations between intake of fruit and vegetables and plasma carotenoids were weak for both dietary tools. The strongest correlations were observed between fruit and vegetable intake and lutein/zeaxanthin for RiksmatenFlexDiet (0.46; P<.001) and for recall interviews (0.28; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: RiksmatenFlexDiet provides information on energy, fruit, vegetables, and whole grain wheat and rye intake, which is comparable with intake obtained from recall interviews in Swedish adolescents. The results are promising for cost-effective dietary data collection in upcoming national dietary surveys and other studies in Sweden. Future research should focus on how, and if, new technological solutions could reduce dietary reporting biases

Maltese antibiotic stewardship programme in the community (MASPIC) : protocol of a prospective quasiexperimental social marketing intervention

Introduction: Antibiotic misuse is a key driver of antibiotic resistance. In 2015/2016, Maltese respondents reported the highest proportions of antibiotic consumption in Europe. Since antibiotics are prescription-only medicines in Malta, research on effective strategies targeting general practitioners’ (GPs) knowledge and behaviour is needed. Multifaceted behaviour change (BC) interventions are likely to be effective. Social marketing (SM) can provide the tools to promote sustained BC; however, its utilisation in Europe is limited. This paper aims to describe the design and methods of a multifaceted SM intervention aimed at changing Maltese GPs’ antibiotic prescribing behaviour for patients with acute respiratory tract infections (aRTIs).Methods and analysis: This 4-year quasiexperimental intervention study will be carried out in Malta and includes three phases: preintervention, intervention and postintervention. The preintervention phase intends to gain insight into the practices and attitudes of GPs, pharmacists and parents through interviews, focus group discussions and antibiotic prescribing surveillance. A 6-month intervention targeting GPs will be implemented following assessment of their prescribing intention and readiness for BC. The intervention will likely comprise: prescribing guidelines, patient educational materials, delayed antibiotic prescriptions and GP education. Outcomes will be evaluated in the postintervention phase through questionnaires based on the theory of planned behaviour and stages-of-change theory, as well as postintervention surveillance. The primary outcome will be the antibiotic prescribing rate for all patients with aRTIs. Secondary outcomes will include the proportion of diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescription and symptomatic relief medication prescribed, and the change in GPs stage-of-change and their intention to prescribe antibiotics.peer-reviewe

Interactions between Glutathione S-Transferase P1, Tumor Necrosis Factor, and Traffic-Related Air Pollution for Development of Childhood Allergic Disease

BACKGROUND: Air pollutants may induce airway inflammation and sensitization due to generation of reactive oxygen species. The genetic background to these mechanisms could be important effect modifiers. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to assess interactions between exposure to air pollution and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the beta2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2), glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) genes for development of childhood allergic disease. METHODS: In a birth cohort originally of 4,089 children, we assessed air pollution from local traffic using nitrogen oxides (traffic NO(x)) as an indicator based on emission databases and dispersion modeling and estimated individual exposure through geocoding of home addresses. We measured peak expiratory flow rates and specific IgE for inhalant and food allergens at 4 years of age, and selected children with asthma symptoms up to 4 years of age (n = 542) and controls (n = 542) for genotyping. RESULTS: Interaction effects on allergic sensitization were indicated between several GSTP1 SNPs and traffic NO(x) exposure during the first year of life (p(nominal) < 0.001-0.06). Children with Ile105Val/Val105Val genotypes were at increased risk of sensitization to any allergen when exposed to elevated levels of traffic NO(x) (for a difference between the 5th and 95th percentile of exposure: odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-5.3). In children with TNF-308 GA/AA genotypes, the GSTP1-NO(x) interaction effect was even more pronounced. We observed no conclusive interaction effects for ADRB2. CONCLUSION: The effect of air pollution from traffic on childhood allergy appears to be modified by GSTP1 and TNF variants, supporting a role of genes controlling the antioxidative system and inflammatory response in allergy

A policy for diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism in the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI)

Non peer reviewe

A policy for diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism in the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI)

Non peer reviewe

Fiber Mediated Receptor Masking in Non-Infected Bystander Cells Restricts Adenovirus Cell Killing Effect but Promotes Adenovirus Host Co-Existence

The basic concept of conditionally replicating adenoviruses (CRAD) as oncolytic agents is that progenies generated from each round of infection will disperse, infect and kill new cancer cells. However, CRAD has only inhibited, but not eradicated tumor growth in xenograft tumor therapy, and CRAD therapy has had only marginal clinical benefit to cancer patients. Here, we found that CRAD propagation and cancer cell survival co-existed for long periods of time when infection was initiated at low multiplicity of infection (MOI), and cancer cell killing was inefficient and slow compared to the assumed cell killing effect upon infection at high MOI. Excessive production of fiber molecules from initial CRAD infection of only 1 to 2% cancer cells and their release prior to the viral particle itself caused a tropism-specific receptor masking in both infected and non-infected bystander cells. Consequently, the non-infected bystander cells were inefficiently bound and infected by CRAD progenies. Further, fiber overproduction with concomitant restriction of adenovirus spread was observed in xenograft cancer therapy models. Besides the CAR-binding Ad4, Ad5, and Ad37, infection with CD46-binding Ad35 and Ad11 also caused receptor masking. Fiber overproduction and its resulting receptor masking thus play a key role in limiting CRAD functionality, but potentially promote adenovirus and host cell co-existence. These findings also give important clues for understanding mechanisms underlying the natural infection course of various adenoviruses

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms