Validity of an online 24-h recall tool (myfood24) for dietary assessment in population studies: comparison with biomarkers and standard interviews

Background: Online dietary assessment tools can reduce administrative costs and facilitate repeated dietary assessment during follow-up in large-scale studies. However, information on bias due to measurement error of such tools is limited. We developed an online 24-hour recall (myfood24) and compared its performance with a traditional interviewer-administered multiple-pass 24-hour recall, assessing both against biomarkers. Methods: Metabolically stable adults were recruited and completed the new online dietary recall, an interviewer-based multiple pass recall and a suite of reference measures. Longer-term dietary intake was estimated from up to 3 x 24-hour recalls taken 2 weeks apart. Estimated intake of protein, potassium and sodium were compared with urinary biomarker concentrations. Estimated total sugar intake was compared with a predictive biomarker and estimated energy intake compared with energy expenditure measured by accelerometry and calorimetry. Nutrient intakes were also compared to those derived from an interviewer-administered multiple-pass 24-hour recall. Results: Biomarker samples were received from 212 participants on at least one occasion. Both self-reported dietary assessment tools led to attenuation compared to biomarkers. The online tools resulted in attenuation factors around 0.2 to 0.3 and partial correlation coefficients reflecting ranking intakes, of approximately 0.3 to 0.4. This was broadly similar to the more administratively burdensome interviewer-based tool. Other nutrient estimates derived from myfood24 were around 10-20% lower than from the interviewer-based tool, with wide limits of agreement. Intra-class correlation coefficients were approximately 0.4 to 0.5 indicating consistent moderate agreement. Conclusions: Our findings show that, whilst results from both measures of self-reported diet are attenuated compared to biomarker measures, the myfood24 online 24-hour recall is comparable to the more time-consuming and costly interviewer-based 24-hour recall across a range of measures

Maternal alcohol intake up to and during pregnancy and risk of adverse birth outcomes: evidence from a British cohort

Background High maternal alcohol consumption has been linked to adverse birth outcomes such as small for gestational age and preterm birth, which in turn have been linked to increased risk of development of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes in adulthood. The UK Department of Health (DH) recommends that pregnant women and those trying to conceive should avoid alcohol and never drink more than 1GÇô2 units once or twice a week. This study aimed to investigate the association between alcohol intake before and during different stages of pregnancy with both birthweight and gestational age. Methods Data were used from the Caffeine and Reproductive Health Study (CARE), a prospective birth cohort that included 1303 low-risk pregnant women aged 18GÇô45 years, recruited from September, 2003, to June, 2006. Questionnaires administered in the first and second trimester and postpartum assessed alcohol consumption before pregnancy and for the three trimesters. Frequency of weekly alcohol consumption was analysed by categories of intake to accord with DH guidelines (Gëñ2 units per week, >2 units per week, and a non-drinking category as the referent) and was related to preterm birth and size at birth, measured as grams and as customised birthweight centile, which takes into account maternal prepregnancy weight, height, parity, ethnicity, gestation, and baby's sex in multivariable linear and logistic regression models. We also adjusted for maternal age, caffeine intake, education, energy intake, and salivary cotinine as a biomarker of smoking status. Only participants with complete data for all variables were included in the analyses, which excluded just under 10% of the sample. All women provided informed consent and the study was approved by the Leeds West Local Research Ethics Committee (ref 03/054). Findings 1153, 1135, 793, and 377 women, respectively, had data available for birth outcomes and alcohol consumption before pregnancy and during the three trimesters. 74% of women before pregnancy and 53% in the first trimester reported alcohol intakes above the DH recommendation. For intakes above 2 units per week compared with non-drinkers, the adjusted differences in birth centile were GêÆ7-À7 (95% CI GêÆ12-À8 to GêÆ2-À6; ptrend=0-À009), GêÆ8-À2 (GêÆ12-À6 to GêÆ3-À7; ptrend=0-À002), and GêÆ6-À4 (GêÆ11-À8 to GêÆ1-À1, ptrend=0-À06) before pregnancy and during trimesters 1 and 2, respectively. The association with small for gestational age and preterm birth was strongest in trimester 1, with adjusted odds ratios of 2-À0 (95% CI 1-À2GÇô3-À4; ptrend=0-À03) and 3-À5 (1-À1GÇô11-À2, ptrend=0-À04), respectively. Women who adhered to the recommendations in the first trimester of 2 units or fewer per week were also at a significantly higher risk of having babies born with lower birthweight (adjusted difference GêÆ98-À5, 95% CI GêÆ170-À9 to GêÆ26-À1; ptrend=0-À007), birth centile (GêÆ5-À8, GêÆ10-À8 to GêÆ0-À7; ptrend=0-À002), and preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio 4-À6, 95% CI 1-À4GÇô14-À7; ptrend=0-À04) compared with non-drinkers. Interpretation The first trimester was the most sensitive period for the association of alcohol with restricted fetal growth. However, this finding could be explained by under-reporting of alcohol intake. Our small sample size in the third trimester did not allow us to detect a change in birthweight, and larger prospective studies that take into account timing of exposure to alcohol are needed. We showed no evident safe level of alcohol consumption in pregnancy, and the safe advice should be to abstain from alcohol when planning to conceive and during pregnancy, particularly during its early stages. Funding The CARE study was supported by a grant from the Food Standards Agency, UK (T01033

The Effect of a Depth Gradient on the Mating Behavior, Oviposition Site Preference, and Embryo Production in the Zebrafish, Danio rerio

Captive zebrafish (Danio rerio) exhibit a limited repertoire of mating behaviors, likely due to the somewhat unnatural environment of aquaria. Observations in their natural habitat led us to believe that a depth gradient within the mating setup would positively affect fish mating. By tilting the tank to produce a depth gradient, we observed novel behaviors along with a preference for oviposition in the shallow area. Although we did not see an increase in the likelihood of a pair of fish to mate, we did see an increase in the embryo output in both adults and juveniles. In the adults, tilting led to a significant increase in embryo production (436 ± 35 tilted vs. 362 ± 34 untilted; p < 0.05). A similar effect was seen in juvenile fish as they progressed through sexual maturity. These results suggest that tilting of mating cages in the laboratory setting will lead to demonstrable improvements in embryo production for zebrafish researchers, and highlights the possibility of other manipulations to increase fecundity

Lipoprotein(a) and Oxidized Phospholipids Promote Valve Calcification in Patients With Aortic&nbsp;Stenosis

BackgroundLipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a major carrier of oxidized phospholipids (OxPL), is associated with an increased incidence of aortic stenosis (AS). However, it remains unclear whether elevated Lp(a) and OxPL drive disease progression and are therefore targets for therapeutic intervention.ObjectivesThis study investigated whether Lp(a) and OxPL on apolipoprotein B-100 (OxPL-apoB) levels are associated with disease activity, disease progression, and clinical events in AS patients, along with the mechanisms underlying any associations.MethodsThis study combined 2 prospective cohorts and measured Lp(a) and OxPL-apoB levels in patients with AS (Vmax &gt;2.0&nbsp;m/s), who underwent baseline 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) positron emission tomography (PET), repeat computed tomography calcium scoring, and repeat echocardiography. In&nbsp;vitro studies investigated the effects of Lp(a) and OxPL on valvular interstitial cells.ResultsOverall, 145 patients were studied (68% men; age 70.3 ± 9.9 years). On baseline positron emission tomography, patients in the top Lp(a) tertile had increased valve calcification activity compared with those in lower tertiles (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;79; 18F-NaF tissue-to-background ratio of the most diseased segment: 2.16 vs. 1.97; p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.043). During follow-up, patients in the top Lp(a) tertile had increased progression of valvular computed tomography calcium score (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;51; 309 AU/year [interquartile range: 142 to 483 AU/year] vs. 93 AU/year [interquartile range: 56 to 296 AU/year; p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.015), faster hemodynamic progression on echocardiography (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;129; 0.23 ± 0.20&nbsp;m/s/year vs. 0.14 ± 0.20&nbsp;m/s/year] p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.019), and increased risk for aortic valve replacement and death (n&nbsp;=&nbsp;145; hazard ratio: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.13 to 3.08; p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.014), compared with lower tertiles. Similar results were noted with OxPL-apoB. In&nbsp;vitro, Lp(a) induced osteogenic differentiation of valvular interstitial cells, mediated by OxPL and inhibited with the E06 monoclonal antibody against&nbsp;OxPL.ConclusionsIn patients with AS, Lp(a) and OxPL drive valve calcification and disease progression. These findings suggest lowering Lp(a) or inactivating OxPL may slow AS progression and provide a rationale for clinical trials to test this hypothesis