Eating Habits of Professional Firefighters: Comparison With National Guidelines and Impact Healthy Eating Promotion Program.

Firefighters' eating habits may be an additional risk factor for metabolic diseases. We assessed eating habits of firefighters, compared them with national guidelines, and evaluated the impact of a prevention program. Twenty-eight professional firefighters from a Swiss airport benefited from a healthy-eating program. Food intake, eating behavior, and anthropometric data were collected at baseline and 1-year follow-up using an electronic food record, questionnaires, and bio-impedance. Participants had unbalanced diets with low-quality food choices associated with low intakes of fibers and micronutrients compared with national guidelines. Intervention did not impact eating habits or anthropometrics data at the group level, but changes were measured in sub-groups. Main reported barriers for healthy eating were lack of motivation, prioritization, or time. Intensive and culturally tailored prevention interventions targeting nutritional behaviors are needed at the individual, group, and organizational levels

Molecular evidence of incipient speciation within Anopheles gambiae s.s. in West Africa

We karyotyped and identified by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis Anopheles gambiae s.s. samples collected in several African countries. The data show the existence of two non-panmictic molecular forms, named S and M, whose distribution extended from forest to savannahs, Mosquitoes of the S and M forms are homosequential standard for chromosome-2 inversions in forest areas. In dry savannahs, S is characterized mainly by inversion polymorphisms typical of Savanna and Bamako chromosomal forms, while M shows chromosome-2 arrangements typical of Mopti and/or Savanna and/or Bissau, depending on its geographical origin. Chromosome-2 inversions therefore seem to be involved in ecotypic adaptation rather than in mate-recognition systems. Strong support for the reproductive isolation of S and M in Ivory Coast comes from the observation that the kdr allele is found at high frequencies in S specimens and not at all in chromosomal identical M specimens. However, the kdr allele does not segregate with molecular forms in Benin

Highly specific PCR-RFLP assays for karyotyping the widespread 2Rb inversion in malaria vectors of the Anopheles gambiae complex

Background: Chromosomal inversion polymorphisms play a role in adaptation to heterogeneous environments. Inversion polymorphisms are implicated in the very high ecological flexibility of the three main malaria vector species of the Afrotropical Anopheles gambiae complex, facilitating the exploitation of anthropogenic environmental modifications and promoting a strong association with humans. In addition to extending the species' spatial and temporal distribution, inversions are associated with epidemiologically relevant mosquito behavior and physiology, underscoring their medical importance. We here present novel PCR-RFLP based assays strongly predictive of genotype for the cosmopolitan 2Rb inversion in An. coluzzii and An. gambiae, a development which overcomes the numerous constraints inherent to traditional cytological karyotyping. Methods: We designed PCR-RFLP genotyping assays based on tag SNPs previously computationally identified as strongly predictive (> 95%) of 2Rb genotype. We targeted those tags whose alternative allelic states destroyed or created the recognition site of a commercially available restriction enzyme, and designed assays with distinctive cleavage profiles for each inversion genotype. The assays were validated on 251 An. coluzzii and 451 An. gambiae cytologically karyotyped specimens from nine countries across Africa and one An. coluzzii laboratory colony. Results: For three tag SNPs, PCR-RFLP assays (denoted DraIII, MspAI, and TatI) reliably produced robust amplicons and clearly distinguishable electrophoretic profiles for all three inversion genotypes. Results obtained with the DraIII assay are ≥ 95% concordant with cytogenetic assignments in both species, while MspAI and TatI assays produce patterns highly concordant with cytogenetic assignments only in An. coluzzii or An. gambiae, respectively. Joint application of species-appropriate pairs of assays increased the concordance levels to > 99% in An. coluzzii and 98% in An. gambiae. Potential sources of discordance (e.g. imperfect association between tag and inversion, allelic dropout, additional polymorphisms in the restriction target site, incomplete or failed restriction digestion) are discussed. Conclusions: The availability of highly specific, cost effective and accessible molecular assays for genotyping 2Rb in An. gambiae and An. coluzzii allows karyotyping of both sexes and all developmental stages. These novel tools will accelerate deeper investigations into the role of this ecologically and epidemiologically important chromosomal inversion in vector biology.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Energy, Nutrient and Food Intakes of Male Shift Workers Vary According to the Schedule Type but Not the Number of Nights Worked.

Shift work is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases due to circadian rhythm disruptions and behavioral changes such as in eating habits. Impact of type of shifts and number of night shifts on energy, nutrient and food intake is as yet unknown. Our goal was to analyze shift workers' dietary intake, eating behavior and eating structure, with respect to frequency of nights worked in a given week and seven schedule types. Eating habits and dietary intakes of 65 male shift workers were analyzed in three steps based on 365 24-h food records: (1) according to the number of nights, (2) in a pooled analysis according to schedule type, and (3) in search of an interaction of the schedule and the timing of intake. Mean nutrient and food group intake during the study period did not depend on the number of nights worked. Amount and distribution of energy intake as well as quality of food, in terms of nutrient and food groups, differed depending on the type of schedule, split night shifts and recovery day (day after night shift) being the most impacted. Shift workers' qualitative and quantitative dietary intakes varied between different schedules, indicating the need for tailored preventive interventions

In silico karyotyping of chromosomally polymorphic malaria mosquitoes in the Anopheles gambiae complex

Chromosomal inversion polymorphisms play an important role in adaptation to environmental heterogeneities. For mosquito species in the Anopheles gambiae complex that are significant vectors of human malaria, paracentric inversion polymorphisms are abundant and are associated with ecologically and epidemiologically important phenotypes. Improved understanding of these traits relies on determining mosquito karyotype, which currently depends upon laborious cytogenetic methods whose application is limited both by the requirement for specialized expertise and for properly preserved adult females at specific gonotrophic stages. To overcome this limitation, we developed sets of tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inside inversions whose biallelic genotype is strongly correlated with inversion genotype. We leveraged 1,347 fully sequenced An. gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii genomes in the Ag1000G database of natural variation. Beginning with principal components analysis (PCA) of population samples, applied to windows of the genome containing individual chromosomal rearrangements, we classified samples into three inversion genotypes, distinguishing homozygous inverted and homozygous uninverted groups by inclusion of the small subset of specimens in Ag1000G that are associated with cytogenetic metadata. We then assessed the correlation between candidate tag SNP genotypes and PCA-based inversion genotypes in our training sets, selecting those candidates with >80% agreement. Our initial tests both in held-back validation samples from Ag1000G and in data independent of Ag1000G suggest that when used for in silico inversion genotyping of sequenced mosquitoes, these tags perform better than traditional cytogenetics, even for specimens where only a small subset of the tag SNPs can be successfully ascertained

Complex interplay of evolutionary forces shaping population genomic structure of invasive Aedes albopictus in Southern Europe

Abstract Background In the last four decades, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, vector of several human arboviruses, has spread from its native range in South-East Asia to all over the world, largely through the transportation of its eggs via the international trade in used tires. Albania was the first country invaded in Europe in 1979, followed by Italy in 1990 and other Mediterranean countries after 2000. Methods/Principal findings We here inferred the invasion history and migration patterns of Ae. albopictus in Italy (today the most heavily-infested country in Europe), Greece and Albania, by analyzing a panel of >100,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained by sequencing of double-digest Restriction site-Associated DNA (ddRADseq). The obtained dataset was combined with samples previously analyzed from both the native and invasive range worldwide to interpret the results using a broader spatial and historical context. The emerging evolutionary scenario complements the results of other studies in showing that the extraordinary worldwide expansion of Ae. albopictus has occurred thanks to multiple independent invasions by large numbers of colonists from multiple geographic locations in both native and previously invaded areas, consistently with the role of used tires shipments to move large numbers of eggs worldwide. By analyzing mosquitoes from nine sites across ~1,000-km transect in Italy, we were able to detect a complex interplay of drift, isolation by distance mediated divergence, and gene flow in shaping the species very recent invasion and range expansion, suggesting overall high connectivity, likely due to passive transportation of adults via ground transportation, as well as specific adaptations to local conditions. Conclusions/Significance Results contribute to characterize one of the most successful histories of animal invasion, and could be used as a baseline for future studies to track epidemiologically relevant characters (e.g. insecticide resistance)

Poultry compost in the composition of substrates for flower seedlings production

Se evaluaron sustratos formulados con distintas proporciones (20, 50 y 80%) de tres tipos de compost de guano de gallina (CGG1, CGG2, CGG3) mezclados con compost de corteza de pino y un sustrato comercial. Los diez tratamientos fueron usados para el cultivo de plantines de Impatiens walleriana y Salvia splendens. Se caracterizó física y químicamente cada sustrato, y sobre los plantines se evaluó sobrevivencia, masa seca y calcio, magnesio, potasio y sodio en la hoja. Los sustratos con 20% y 50% de los tres CGG tuvieron la mayor capacidad de retención de agua, y con 80%, la mayor porosidad de aire. Los sustratos con 50% y 80% presentaron los más altos valores de pH (≥6,6), potasio y sodio. Para las mismas proporciones, CGG2 y CGG3 presentaron valores de CE >1,1 dS cm-1. La mayor masa seca de los plantines se logró para el sustrato comercial, los sustratos con 20% de los tres CGG y con 50% de CGG1. Estos sustratos exhibieron en las hojas una mayor concentración de calcio y magnesio, y menor de potasio. Las mejores características de sustratos para el desarrollo de los plantines evaluados se lograron en los sustratos con 20% de los tres CGG y con 50% del compost CGG1.Substrates formulated with different proportions (20, 50 and 80%) of three types of poultry compost (CGG1, CGG2, CGG3) mixed with pine bark compost and commercial substrate were evaluated. The ten treatments were used to cultivate seedlings of walleriana Impatiens and Salvia splendens. Each substrate was characterised physically and chemically, and the survival, dry mass and calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium in the leaf were evaluated in seedlings. Substrates with 20% and 50% among the three CGG presented the highest water retention capacity and, with 80% the highest air porosity. The substrates with 50% and 80% showed the highest values of pH (≥ 6.6), potassium and sodium. For the same proportions, CGG2 and CGG3 presented CE values > 1.1 dS cm-1. The highest dry weight of the seedlings was achieved with the commercial substrate, the substrates with 20% of the three CGG and with 50% of CGG1. These substrates showed a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium, and a lower concentration of potassium in the leaves. The best characteristics of substrates for the development of the seedlings tested were achieved in the substrates with 20% of the three CGG and with 50% of compost CGG1.Fil: Bárbaro, L. A.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Floricultura; ArgentinaFil: Karlanian, M. A.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Floricultura; ArgentinaFil: Rizzo, P. F.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Riera, N. I.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Della Torre, V.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Beltrán, M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Inv. Agropecuarias. Centro de Invest.de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Suelos; ArgentinaFil: Crespo, Diana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Centro de Investigación de Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Deciphering the local Interstellar spectra of primary cosmic ray species with HelMod

Local interstellar spectra (LIS) of primary cosmic ray (CR) nuclei, such as helium, oxygen, and mostly primary carbon are derived for the rigidity range from 10 MV to ~200 TV using the most recent experimental results combined with the state-of-the-art models for CR propagation in the Galaxy and in the heliosphere. Two propagation packages, GALPROP and HelMod, are combined into a single framework that is used to reproduce direct measurements of CR species at different modulation levels, and at both polarities of the solar magnetic field. The developed iterative maximum-likelihood method uses GALPROP-predicted LIS as input to HelMod, which provides the modulated spectra for specific time periods of the selected experiments for model-data comparison. The interstellar and heliospheric propagation parameters derived in this study are consistent with our prior analyses using the same methodology for propagation of CR protons, helium, antiprotons, and electrons. The resulting LIS accommodate a variety of measurements made in the local interstellar space (Voyager 1) and deep inside the heliosphere at low (ACE/CRIS, HEAO-3) and high energies (PAMELA, AMS-02).Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, 6 tables, ApJ in press. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1704.0633