A Nori but not a Konbu, dietary supplement decreases the cholesterolaemia, liver fat infiltration and mineral bioavailability in hypercholesterolaemic growing Wistar rats

The nutritional consequences of algae consumption in young populations consuming hypercholesterolaemic diets have hardly been investigated. This study tests the effect of algae supplementation of cholesterol-enriched balanced diets on growth, dietary efficiency ratio, mineral intake and absorption, organ weight and structure and cholesterolaemia in growing Wistar rats. Three groups of ten rats each were fed for 3 weeks with experimental diets containing 93% casein-soyabean oil base with 2.4% cholesterol-raising agent and 7% supplement. The control group received cellulose (35%), group 2 consumed Nori (33.8% fibre) and group 3 consumed Konbu (36.1% fibre). Food intake and body weight gain were not significantly affected. Algae groups presented significantly higher dietary efficiency ratio values than control rats. Apparent absorption of several minerals appeared significantly affected, mainly in Nori-fed rats, with a significant decrease in the ratio of Zn and Cu intakes and apparent absorption. Nori diet significantly decreased plasma cholesterol. Algae supplement did not significantly affect organ size and structure. Control and Konbu rats showed severe liver fat infiltration, while Nori rats exhibited a significantly lower degree of lipid-like hepatocyte vacuolization but light to moderate leukocyte infiltration. Light to moderate scaling off of the epithelium and moderate submucosa oedema was observed in all groups. Although long-term studies are needed to check the possible extrapolation of these data to human subjects, it can be concluded that a Nori, but not a Konbu, dietary supplement reverses the negative effect of dietary cholesterol intake and also appears to be related to mineral availability in growing subjects. © 2007 The Authors.This work was granted by the Spanish Ministerio de Investigación y Ciencia, Project AGL 2005-07204-C02-C1/ALI.Peer Reviewe

Utilización de freidora doméstica entre universitarios madrileños. Aceptación de alimentos congelados fritos en aceite de oliva virgen extra, girasol y girasol alto oleico

The goal of this study was to get information about the use of domestic fryers, type of oil used for frying, kind of food fried in it, and number of frying until rejection of oil. To this aim, a preliminary survey was performed in 50 persons belonging to the Madrid University to know which kind of food and oils they used for frying. None of them used other oils for frying than olive or sunflower oils. Afterwards, another survey was performed between 250 university students, belonging to the Madrid University, in which homes the domestic fryer was used. Information was obtained about kind of oil used, food usually fried, and frying number when the oil used in successive frying was discarded. Most of them employed olive oil and used the same oil 11-20 times, and about the half of them fried only one type of food in the same oil. The most frequent food fried were potatoes, frozen pre-fried potatoes and fish. Fresh foods were preferentially fried in pans while the frozen pre-cooked ones were fried without any priority. Taking into account results of the second survey, 20 frying of frozen foods in extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil and high oleic acid sunflower oil were performed using domestic fryers. With the aim to analyse the effect of oil used on fried croquette palatability, identifying and punctuation triangular tests were used. The effect of the frying modality (with and without oil reposition) and type of oil used on croquette acceptability were also tested. Croquettes were well accepted obtaining an average score of 6.8 in a scale range from 1 to 10. The organoleptic quality of this food did not change with the number of frying. Nevertheless, the panel was able to identify croquettes fried in sunflower oil from the 6th frying. Croquettes fried in oils with a frequent replenishment obtain a higher organoleptic score than those fried without oil replenishment. Then it should be considered the convenience to perform frying with a frequent replenishment with unused oil.La finalidad del estudio fue obtener información sobre el uso de freidoras domésticas, tipo de aceite utilizado para freír, alimentos que se fríen y número de frituras tras el que se elimina el aceite. Para ello se realizó una encuesta preliminar en 50 personas pertenecientes a la Universidad Complutense de Madrid para conocer qué tipo de aceite y qué alimentos se emplean en fritura doméstica. Ninguna de ellas usaba un aceite diferente del de oliva o girasol. Con estos datos se realizó otra encuesta entre 250 universitarios en cuyos hogares se empleaba freidora acerca del aceite empleado, los alimentos que se fríen más habitualmente y el número de fritura tras el que se desecha el aceite usado. Los resultados señalan que en los hogares de estos universitarios, el aceite más utilizado para freír es el de oliva. La mayoría de ellos usa el aceite de 11 a 20 veces y aproximadamente la mitad de los encuestados fríen sólo un tipo de alimento en el mismo aceite. Los alimentos que se fríen con más frecuencia en sartén eran las patatas, las patatas prefritas congeladas y el pescado, observándose una preferencia al uso de la sartén respecto al de la freidora para los alimentos frescos, mientras que no había preferencias respecto a los precocinados. Teniendo en cuenta los resultados de la segunda encuesta se realizaron un total de 20 frituras de alimentos congelados en freidoras domésticas en aceite de oliva virgen extra, girasol y girasol con alto contenido en ácido oleico. Las croquetas fritas se valoraron mediante cata, realizándose pruebas triangulares de identificación y de puntuación con la finalidad de estudiar el efecto del aceite empleado en su fritura. También se evaluó la calidad organoléptica global de las croquetas fritas en función de la modalidad de fritura (con o sin adición de aceite sin usar) y del tipo de aceite. La aceptación de las croquetas fue bastante buena, con una puntuación de 6,8 sobre una escala de 1-10. No se encontró una influencia del número de frituras en la valoración de la calidad organoléptica de las mismas. El panel de catadores únicamente encontró diferencias significativas entre el aceite de girasol y el de oliva virgen extra, pero sólo para las croquetas provenientes de la 6ª fritura. La aceptación de las croquetas fritas en las freidoras donde se mantuvo el nivel inicial de aceite fue superior a la de las obtenidas en frituras sin reponer las pérdidas de aceite, señalando la conveniencia de freír adicionando frecuentemente aceite sin usar

Consumo de café y colesterol sérico

Different topics related to the kind and variety of coffee with commercial value, specially of the chemical composition of the green and toasted grain and particularly of the composition of the lipid fraction, are firstly revised. Secondly, the possible relationship between coffee consumption and some risk factors of cardiovascular diseases are also analysed, searching for the effect of different kinds of coffee, ways of preparation and the presence of the cafestol and kahweol diterpens on the level of serum lipids and lipoproteins on consumers. Among other conclusions, the loss of the hypercholesterolemic effect when the boiled preparations are filtered is noted.Se revisan en primer lugar aspectos sobre los tipos y variedades de café de importancia comercial, con especial mención de la composición química del grano verde y del tostado; y particularmente de la fracción lipídica. En segundo lugar se analiza la posible relación del consumo de café y algunos factores de riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares, con especial interés en el estudio del efecto de los diferentes tipos de café, sus formas de preparación y la presencia de los diterpenos cafestol y kahweol sobre la concentración de los lípidos y lipoproteínas séricas de los consumidores. Entre otros aspectos se señala la pérdida del efecto hipercolesterolemiante de las preparaciones hervidas cuando son filtradas

La grasa dietética afecta al contenido de ácidos grasos y colesterol del huevo de gallinas Hy-line and Warren

The present study analyzed the effect of dietary fat and strain on the fatty acid and cholesterol contents of eggs over a 20 month-period. Hy-line and Warren hens received three consecutive 7% lipid diets in which the basal constituents of the diet supplied 3% of the fats while the remaining 4% was composed of fats, oils or oleins added to progressively increase polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels, while decreasing dietary levels of both saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). In general, the percentages of most fatty acids in egg lipids were affected by changes in dietary lipids but not by the strain. Data suggest the existence of a dietary threshold for elaidic acid to appear in eggs. Mufa decreased and total PUFA increased throughout the study. The cholesterol egg content was higher at the animal fat plus soybean oil than at the animal fat or the olein plus soybean oil blend. Overall, results showed that changes in dietary lipids influenced fatty acid composition and hence atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes much more than the strain.El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar los efectos de la grasa de la dieta de dos estirpes de ponedoras (Hy-line y Warren) sobre el contenido de ácidos grasos y colesterol del huevo durante un periodo del ciclo de puesta de 20 meses. Ambas estirpes recibieron 3 dietas consecutivas que contenían 7% de lípidos de los cuales 3% provenía de los componentes basales de la dieta y 4% fue adicionado en forma de grasa, aceites u oleínas con objeto de aumentar progresivamente el contenido de ácidos grasos poliinsaturados y disminuir el contenido de los ácidos grasos saturados y monoinsaturados. El cambio de grasa en la dieta afectó al perfil de la mayoría de los ácidos grasos del huevo, sugiriéndose la existencia de un mínimo de ácido elaídico en la grasa añadida para su aparición en el huevo. El contenido de AGP se incrementó mientras que el de AGM disminuyó en el huevo a lo largo del estudio. El contenido de colesterol fue mas elevado con la mezcla de grasa animal/aceite de soja que con la grasa animal o con la mezcla oleica/aceite de soja. La grasa añadida a la dieta más que la estirpe de ponedora influyó sobre la composición de ácidos grasos el cociente AGS/AGP contenido de colesterol e índices aterogénicos y trombogénicos

Alteración termoxidativa en un aceite de girasol utilizado en 75 frituras de patatas

The alteration of a sunflower oil used in 75 repeated deep fat frying of potatoes performed with addition of unused oil every 4-5 fryings with the aim to keep constant the proportion food/oil in 500 g / 3 liters, was evaluated by column and high performance size exclusion chromatographies. The polar components increased from 5.09 ± 0.21 (unused oil) to 19.11 ± 0,40 mg/100 mg oil mainly due to the formation of polymers and dimers of triacylglycerides, and to oxidized triacylglycerides. Oils, unused and from the 75 frying, were included at a rate of 15% on rat-diets. Dietary food intakes were similar, however body weight gain was a 22.3% lower in rat fed with the used oil-diet. Apparent digestibility ratios of fat and protein were similar in both groups of rats, however both. Alimentary and Protein Efficiency ratios decreased on the 75 frying oil fed rats.Se evalúa la alteración de un aceite de girasol utilizado en 75 frituras repetidas de patatas, efectuadas con adición de aceite sin usar cada 4-5 frituras con la finalidad de mantener constante la proporción alimento/aceite en 500 g / 3 litros, mediante cromatografías en columna y de alta eficacia por exclusión de tamaño de partícula. El contenido de los compuestos polares se incrementó de 5.09 ± 0.21 (aceite sin usar) a 19.11 ± 0.40 mg/100 mg de aceite, predominando los polímeros y dímeros de triacilglicéridos y los triacilglicéridos oxidados. Dichos aceites, sin usar y utilizado en 75 frituras, se incluyeron en la proporción del 15% en las dietas del lote basal y del lote fritura 75, respectivamente. La ingesta de ambas dietas fue similar, pero la ganancia de peso resultó ser un 22,3% menor en el lote fritura 75. Los coeficientes de digestibilidad aparente de grasa y proteína fueron similares en ambos lotes, pero la utilización nutritiva en términos de coeficientes de Eficacia Alimentaria y Proteica fue menor en el lote fritura 75

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu channel in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson in the H to ZZ to 2l 2nu decay channel, where l = e or mu, in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is presented. The data were collected at the LHC, with the CMS detector, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No significant excess is observed above the background expectation, and upper limits are set on the Higgs boson production cross section. The presence of the standard model Higgs boson with a mass in the 270-440 GeV range is excluded at 95% confidence level.Comment: Submitted to JHE

Search for New Physics with Jets and Missing Transverse Momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for new physics is presented based on an event signature of at least three jets accompanied by large missing transverse momentum, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns collected in proton--proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events is observed above the expected standard model backgrounds, which are all estimated from the data. Exclusion limits are presented for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Cross section limits are also presented using simplified models with new particles decaying to an undetected particle and one or two jets

Search for anomalous t t-bar production in the highly-boosted all-hadronic final state

A search is presented for a massive particle, generically referred to as a Z', decaying into a t t-bar pair. The search focuses on Z' resonances that are sufficiently massive to produce highly Lorentz-boosted top quarks, which yield collimated decay products that are partially or fully merged into single jets. The analysis uses new methods to analyze jet substructure, providing suppression of the non-top multijet backgrounds. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns. Upper limits in the range of 1 pb are set on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction for a topcolor Z' modeled for several widths, as well as for a Randall--Sundrum Kaluza--Klein gluon. In addition, the results constrain any enhancement in t t-bar production beyond expectations of the standard model for t t-bar invariant masses larger than 1 TeV.Comment: Submitted to the Journal of High Energy Physics; this version includes a minor typo correction that will be submitted as an erratu