The confusion about dietary fatty acids recommendations for CHD prevention

A recent meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies has not found an association between dietary saturated fat intake and CHD incidence. This funnelled the discussion about the importance of the recommendation to lower the intake of saturated fat for the prevention of CHD. At the same time a document of the European Food Safety Authority has suggested that specific quantitative recommendations are not needed for individual fatty acids but that more general statements can suffice. In this review, we discuss methodological aspects of the absence of association between SFA intake and CHD incidence in prospective cohort studies. We also summarise the results of the controlled dietary experiments on blood lipids and on CHD incidence in which saturated fat was replaced by either cis-unsaturated fat or carbohydrates. Finally, we propose a nutritionally adequate diet with an optimal fatty acid composition for the prevention of CHD in the context of dietary patterns. Such diets are characterised by a low intake of saturated fat, and as low as possible intake of trans-fat and fulfil the requirements for the intake of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. No recommendation is needed for the intake of cis-MUF

Do dietary patterns in older men influence change in homocysteine through folate fortification? The Normative Aging Study

Objective We aimed to describe the difference in B-vitamin intake and in plasma B-vitamin and homocysteine concentrations before and after folic acid fortification, in relation to dietary patterns. Design The Normative Aging Study (NAS) is a longitudinal study on ageing. Between 1961 and 1970, 2280 male volunteers aged 21¿80 years (mean 42 years) were recruited. Dietary intake data have been collected since 1987 and assessment of plasma B vitamins and homocysteine was added in 1993. Setting Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Subjects In the present study, 354 men who had completed at least one FFQ and one measurement of homocysteine, both before and after the fortification period, were included. Results Three dietary patterns were identified by cluster analysis: (i) a prudent pattern, with relatively high intakes of fruit, vegetables, low-fat milk and breakfast cereals; (ii) an unhealthy pattern, with high intakes of baked products, sweets and added fats; and (iii) a low fruit and vegetable but relatively high alcohol intake pattern. Dietary intake and plasma concentrations of folate increased significantly (P <0·05) among all dietary patterns after the fortification period. Homocysteine tended to decrease in supplement non-users and in subjects in the high alcohol, low fruit and vegetable dietary pattern (both P = 0·08). Conclusions After fortification with folic acid, folate intake and plasma folate concentration increased significantly in all dietary patterns. There was a trend towards greatest homocysteine lowering in the high alcohol, low fruit and vegetable grou

Spectrally Similar Incommensurable 3-Manifolds

Reid has asked whether hyperbolic manifolds with the same geodesic length spectrum must be commensurable. Building toward a negative answer to this question, we construct examples of hyperbolic 3–manifolds that share an arbitrarily large portion of the length spectrum but are not commensurable. More precisely, for every n ≫ 0, we construct a pair of incommensurable hyperbolic 3–manifolds Nn and Nµn whose volume is approximately n and whose length spectra agree up to length n. Both Nn and Nµn are built by gluing two standard submanifolds along a complicated pseudo-Anosov map, ensuring that these manifolds have a very thick collar about an essential surface. The two gluing maps differ by a hyper-elliptic involution along this surface. Our proof also involves a new commensurability criterion based on pairs of pants

An international prospective general population-based study of respiratory work disability

Background: Previous cross-sectional studies have shown that job change due to breathing problems at the workplace (respiratory work disability) is common among adults of working age. That research indicated that occupational exposure to gases, dust and fumes was associated with job change due to breathing problems, although causal inferences have been tempered by the cross-sectional nature of previously available data. There is a need for general population-based prospective studies to assess the incidence of respiratory work disability and to delineate better the roles of potential predictors of respiratory work disability.Methods: A prospective general population cohort study was performed in 25 centres in 11 European countries and one centre in the USA. A longitudinal analysis was undertaken of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey including all participants employed at any point since the baseline survey, 6659 subjects randomly sampled and 779 subjects comprising all subjects reporting physician-diagnosed asthma. The main outcome measure was new-onset respiratory work disability, defined as a reported job change during follow-up attributed to breathing problems. Exposure to dusts (biological or mineral), gases or fumes during follow-up was recorded using a job-exposure matrix. Cox proportional hazard regression modelling was used to analyse such exposure as a predictor of time until job change due to breathing problems.Results: The incidence rate of respiratory work disability was 1.2/1000 person-years of observation in the random sample (95% CI 1.0 to 1.5) and 5.7/1000 person-years in the asthma cohort (95% CI 4.1 to 7.8). In the random population sample, as well as in the asthma cohort, high occupational exposure to biological dust, mineral dust or gases or fumes predicted increased risk of respiratory work disability. In the random sample, sex was not associated with increased risk of work disability while, in the asthma cohort, female sex was associated with an increased disability risk (hazard ratio 2.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.9).Conclusions: Respiratory work disability is common overall. It is associated with workplace exposures that could be controlled through preventive measures

Формирование супружеской дезадаптации при сексуальном фобическом неврозе у мужа

Освещены причины, условия формирования и клинические проявления вторичной супружеской дезадаптации при сексуальном фобическом неврозе у мужа. Показана роль биогенных, социогенных и негативных психологических факторов в генезе связанной с рассмотренной формой сексуального расстройства супружеской дезадаптации.The causes, conditions of forming and clinical manifestations of secondary spouse deadaptation in sexual phobic neurosis in the husband are described. The role of biogenic, sociogenic and negative mental factors in the development of spouse deadaptation associated with this form of a sexual disorder is shown

Теоретичні засади дослідження виборчих технологій в електоральному процесі України та проблеми їх ефективності

Здійснено політологічний аналіз ефективності виборчих технологій та проаналізо­вано їх вплив на електоральні процеси в Україні.Осуществлен политологический анализ эффективности избирательных технологий и проанализировано их влияние на электоральные процессы в Украине.Political analysis of electoral technologies effectiveness and analyzes of their impact on the electoral process in Ukraine are made

Крим в українських історичних піснях

Метою даної роботи є Кримські мотиви в історичних піснях. Тема широка, але ми розглянемо окремі її аспекти, взявши пісні про боротьбу з татарами і турками ХVI – XVII ст

Ab initio theory of helix-coil phase transition

In this paper we suggest a theoretical method based on the statistical mechanics for treating the alpha-helix-random coil transition in alanine polypeptides. We consider this process as a first-order phase transition and develop a theory which is free of model parameters and is based solely on fundamental physical principles. It describes essential thermodynamical properties of the system such as heat capacity, the phase transition temperature and others from the analysis of the polypeptide potential energy surface calculated as a function of two dihedral angles, responsible for the polypeptide twisting. The suggested theory is general and with some modification can be applied for the description of phase transitions in other complex molecular systems (e.g. proteins, DNA, nanotubes, atomic clusters, fullerenes).Comment: 24 pages, 3 figure

Совершенствование региональных целевых программ – инструмента управления социально-экономическим развитием Одесского региона и его конкурентоспособностью

Розглянуто регіональні цільові програми розвитку Одеського регіону; виявлено недоліки діючого підходу до розробки й оцінки програм на регіональному рівні; подано рекомендації щодо загальних підходів до програмного управління, експертизи проектів; запропоновано експертний метод оцінки ефективності цільових програм із точки зору управління процесом розробки та реалізацією програм, своєчасного прийняття рішень. Ключові слова: регіональні цільові програми, соціально-економічний розвиток, регіон, управління, конкурентоспроможність.Рассмотрены региональные целевые программы развития Одесского региона; выявлены недостатки действующего подхода к разработке и оценке программ на региональном уровне; даны рекомендации по общим подходам к программному управлению, экспертизе проектов; предложен экспертный метод оценки эффективности целевых программ с точки зрения управления процессом разработки и ходом реализации программ, своевременного принятия решений. Ключевые слова: региональные целевые программы, социально-экономическое развитие, регион, управление, конкурентоспособность.The paper considers the regional target programs of Odessa region development. Shortcomings of the present approach to the development and evaluation of programs at the regional level are shown, recommendations on common approaches to program management and project appraisal are given; expert method for evaluating target programs is proposed from the view of managing the process of development and implementation of programs, timely decisions. Keywords: regional target programs, socio-economic development, region, management, competitiveness