Comparative Analysis of the Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of a Morphotype Of Oregano (O. Vulgare L.) Cultivated in Two Locations of the Ecuadorian Sierra

Oregano (O.vulgare L.) is a species introduced in the Ecuadorian flora. Because of its properties it is highly appreciated and consumed, and it is important to determine the nature of its benefits. The chemical composition and the content of functional compounds responsible for the antioxidant activity of the plant identified by the INIAP Germplasm Bank as ECU-20229 were evaluated. It was cultivated in two areas of the provinces of Imbabura (Italquí) and Pichincha (Tumbaco). The whole plant and its parts (root, stem and leaves) were analyzed in order to determine where the highest content was found. Proximal analysis, minerals, polyphenols and total flavonoids were analyzed, as well as the antioxidant capacity. The analyses carried out on the plant parts showed significant differences, determining the influence of the environment where it was grown. It was possible to determine the presence of nutrients such as protein, fat and carbohydrates, which is higher in the leaves; macro elements are abundant in the stem and leaves and micro elements are found in greater quantity when it was cultivated in Italquí, as well as the content of polyphenols and total flavonoids; the antioxidant capacity is higher in the environmental conditions of Tumbaco. The properties described for this plant have been proven to benefit human and animal health, as well as adding value to its wasted parts.&nbsp

Prevalence of overweight and obesity on the island of Ireland: results from the North South Survey of Children's Height, Weight and Body Mass Index, 2002

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Childhood obesity is emerging as a major public health problem in developed and developing countries worldwide. The aim of this survey was to establish baseline data on the prevalence and correlates of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) and Northern Ireland (NI).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The heights and weights of 19,617 school-going children and adolescents aged between 4 and 16 years in NI and RoI were measured using standardised and calibrated scales and measures. The participants were a representative cross-sectional sample of children randomly selected on the basis of age, gender and geographical location of the school attended. Overweight and obesity were classified according to standard IOTF criteria.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Males were taller than females, children in RoI were taller than those in NI and the more affluent were taller than the less well off. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher among females than males in both jurisdictions. Overall, almost one in four boys (23% RoI and NI) and over one in four girls (28% RoI, 25% NI) were either overweight or obese. In RoI, the highest prevalence of overweight was among 13 year old girls (32%) and obesity among 7 year old girls (11%). In NI the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity were found among 11 and 8 year old girls respectively (33% and 13%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These figures confirm the emergence of the obesity epidemic among children in Ireland, a wealthy country with the European Union. The results serve to underpin the urgency of implementing broad intersectoral measures to reduce calorie intake and increase levels of physical activity, particularly among children.</p

Consumer Law and Policy Relating to Change of Circumstances Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

An unprecedented number of consumer problems has been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, not least with regard to refunds of prepayments and the ability of consumers to keep up their monthly payments under loan and rental agreements. Based on a notion of societal force majeure sketched in this paper, we propose guiding principles in respect of the introduction of moratoria on recurring payments, the use of refunds or vouchers in respect of prepayments, and associated enforcement challenges. This analysis draws on experiences around the globe.Non peer reviewe

Определение интервалов квазистационарности экономических систем

В работе рассмотрен вопрос определения оптимального интервала адаптации алгоритма динамического управления капиталом для нестационарного случая методами расчета показателя Херста и построения автокорреляционной функции для анализа временных рядов. Проведен анализ влияния выбора интервала адаптации на эффективность алгоритма. Из анализа полученных результатов следует, что метод расчета показателя Херста позволяет более эффективно, чем метод построения автокорреляционной функции, определить интервал стационарности модели функционирования экономической системы.Робота присвячена питанню визначення оптимального інтервалу адаптації алгоритму динамічного керування капіталом для нестаціонарного випадку за допомогою методів розрахунку показника Херста і побудови автокореляційної функції задля аналізу часових рядів. Проведено аналіз впливу вибору інтервалу адаптації на ефективність алгоритму. Порівняння результатів проведеного аналізу дозволяє стверджувати, що метод розрахунку показника Херста дозволяє більш ефективно, ніж метод побудови автокореляційної функції, визначити інтервал стаціонарності моделі функціонування економічної системи

A Multi-Scale Test of the Forage Maturation Hypothesis in a Partially Migratory Ungulate Population

The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) proposes that ungulate migration is driven by selection for high forage quality. Because quality declines with plant maturation, but intake declines at low biomass, ungulates are predicted to select for intermediate forage biomass to maximize energy intake by following phenological gradients during the growing season. We tested the FMH in the Canadian Rocky Mountains by comparing forage availability and selection by both migrant and nonmigratory resident elk (Cervus elaphus) during three growing seasons from 2002-2004. First, we confirmed that the expected trade-off between forage quality and quantity occurred across vegetation communities. Next, we modeled forage biomass and phenology during the growing season by combining ground and remote-sensing approaches. The growing season started 2.2 days earlier every 1 km east of the continental divide, was delayed by 50 days for every 1000-m increase in elevation, and occurred 8 days earlier on south aspects. Migrant and resident selection for forage biomass was then compared across three spatial scales (across the study area, within summer home ranges, and along movement paths) using VHF and GPS telemetry locations from 119 female elk. Migrant home ranges occurred closer to the continental divide in areas of higher topographical diversity, resulting in migrants consistently selecting for intermediate biomass at the two largest scales, but not at the. nest scale along movement paths. In contrast, residents selected maximum forage biomass across all spatial scales. To evaluate the consequences of selection, we compared exposure at telemetry locations of migrant and resident elk to expected forage biomass and digestibility. The expected digestibility for migrant elk in summer was 6.5% higher than for residents, which was corroborated with higher fecal nitrogen levels for migrants. The observed differences in digestibility should increase migrant elk body mass, pregnancy rates, and adult and calf survival rates. Whether bottom-up effects of improved forage quality are realized will ultimately depend on trade-offs between forage and predation. Nevertheless, this study provides comprehensive evidence that montane ungulate migration leads to greater access to higher-quality forage relative to nonmigratory congeners, as predicted by the forage maturation hypothesis, resulting primarily from large-scale selection patterns

The Use of Local and Global Ordering Strategies in Number Line Estimation in Early Childhood

A lot of research has been devoted to number line estimation in primary school. However, less is known about the early onset of number line estimation before children enter formal education. We propose that ordering strategies are building blocks of number line estimation in early childhood. In a longitudinal study, children completed a non-symbolic number line estimation task at age 3.5 and 5 years. Two ordering strategies were identified based on the children’s estimation patterns: local and global ordering. Local ordering refers to the correct ordering of successive quantities, whereas global ordering refers to the correct ordering of all quantities across the number line. Results indicated a developmental trend for both strategies. The percentage of children applying local and global ordering strategies increased steeply from 3.5 to 5 years of age. Moreover, children used more advanced local and global ordering strategies at 5 years of age. Importantly, level of strategy use was related to more traditional number line estimation outcome measures, such as estimation accuracy and regression fit scores. These results provide evidence that children use dynamic ordering strategies when solving the number line estimation task in early stages of numerical development

Chemokine-driven lymphocyte infiltration: an early intratumoural event determining long-term survival in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous disease with poor prognosis and limited methods for predicting patient survival. The nature of the immune cells that infiltrate tumours is known to impact clinical outcome. However, the molecular events that regulate this infiltration require further understanding. Here the ability of immune genes expressed in the tumour microenvironment to predict disease progression was investigated.MethodsUsing quantitative PCR, the expression of 14 immune genes in resected tumour tissues from 57 Singaporean patients was analysed. The nearest-template prediction method was used to derive and test a prognostic signature from this training cohort. The signature was then validated in an independent cohort of 98 patients from Hong Kong and Zurich. Intratumoural components expressing these critical immune genes were identified by in situ labelling. Regulation of these genes was analysed in vitro using the HCC cell line SNU-182.ResultsThe identified 14 immune-gene signature predicts patient survival in both the training cohort (p=0.0004 and HR=5.2) and the validation cohort (p=0.0051 and HR=2.5) irrespective of patient ethnicity and disease aetiology. Importantly, it predicts the survival of patients with early disease (stages I and II), for whom classical clinical parameters provide limited information. The lack of predictive power in late disease stages III and IV emphasises that a protective immune microenvironment has to be established early in order to impact disease progression significantly. This signature includes the chemokine genes CXCL10, CCL5 and CCL2, whose expression correlates with markers of T helper 1 (Th1), CD8(+) T and natural killer (NK) cells. Inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor α, interferon γ) and Toll-like receptor 3 ligands stimulate intratumoural production of these chemokines which drive tumour infiltration by T and NK cells, leading to enhanced cancer cell death.ConclusionA 14 immune-gene signature, which identifies molecular cues driving tumour infiltration by lymphocytes, accurately predicts survival of patients with HCC especially in early disease

Análisis comparativo de las propiedades fisicoquímicas y capacidad antioxidante de un morfotipo de orégano (Origanum vulgare L.) cultivado en dos localidades de la sierra ecuatoriana

Oregano (Origanum. vulgare L.) is a species introduced into the Ecuadorian flora. This species due to its culinary properties is highly appreciated and consumed, and therefore the nature of its benefits is important to be determined. In this study, the chemical composition and the functional compounds content responsible for the antioxidant activity of the plant were evaluated in the oregano accession ECU-20229 from the Germplasm Bank of the National Institute for Agriculture Research (INIAP). This research was carried out in Italquí-province of Imbabura and Tumbaco-province of Pichincha. The whole plant and the plant parts root, stem and leaves were analyzed to determine the content of protein, fatty compounds, minerals and functional compounds. The proximal analysis, the concentration of protein, fatty compounds, minerals, polyphenols and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant capacity were performed. Content of compounds were statistically different among plant parts as well as among sites. Concentration of protein, fatty compounds and carbohydrates were higher on leaves than the other parts of the plant. Concentration of these compounds were higher in Tumbaco than in Italquí. The micro and macro-minerals were higher in Italquí than in Tumbaco, as well as the content of the total polyphenols and flavonoids. The antioxidant capacity was higher in Tumbaco. The nutritional properties that have been described for this plant for the benefit of human and animal health have been confirmed, and in this research an adding value has been incorporated to the plant parts that are regularly not used.El orégano (Origanum vulgare L.) es una especie introducida en la flora ecuatoriana. Por sus propiedades es muy apreciada y consumida, por lo que es importante determinar la naturaleza de sus beneficios. En este estudio se evaluó la composición fisicoquímica y el contenido de los compuestos funcionales responsables de la actividad antioxidante de la planta en la accesión ECU-20229 del Banco de Germoplasma del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIAP). El estudio se realizó en Italquí provincia de Imbabura y en Tumbaco provincia de Pichincha. Se analizó la planta entera y sus partes (raíz, tallo y hojas), con la finalidad de determinar dónde se encuentra el mayor contenido de proteína, grasa, minerales y los compuestos funcionales. Se realizó el análisis proximal, concentración de proteína, minerales, polifenoles y flavonoides totales, así como la capacidad antioxidante. El contenido de los compuestos analizados fue estadísticamente diferentes entre las partes de la planta analizadas, y entre los sitios estudiados. La concentración de proteína, grasa y carbohidratos fue superior en las hojas que en las otras partes de la planta. La concentración de estos compuestos fue mayor en Tumbaco que en Italquí. Los macro y microminerales se encontraron en mayor cantidad en Italquí, al igual que el contenido de polifenoles y flavonoides totales. La capacidad de antioxidante fue mayor en Tumbaco. En este estudio se han confirmado las propiedades nutritivas descritas para esta planta en beneficio de la salud humana y animal, pero además se aporta información sobre el valor agregado a las partes de la planta que regularmente son desaprovechadas