Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system polymorphisms: a role or a hole in occurrence and long-term prognosis of acute myocardial infarction at young age

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is involved in the cardiovascular homeostasis as shown by previous studies reporting a positive association between specific RAAS genotypes and an increased risk of myocardial infarction. Anyhow the prognostic role in a long-term follow-up has not been yet investigated.</p> <p>Aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the most studied RAAS genetic Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) on the occurrence and the long-term prognosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at young age in an Italian population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study population consisted of 201 patients and 201 controls, matched for age and sex (mean age 40 ± 4 years; 90.5% males). The most frequent conventional risk factors were smoke (p < 0.001), family history for coronary artery diseases (p < 0.001), hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.001) and hypertension (p = 0.002). The tested genetic polymorphisms were angiotensin converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) A1166C and aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) C-344T. Considering a long-term follow-up (9 ± 4 years) we compared genetic polymorphisms of patients with and without events (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, revascularization procedures).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found a borderline significant association of occurrence of AMI with the ACE D/I polymorphism (DD genotype, 42% in cases vs 31% in controls; p = 0.056). DD genotype remained statistically involved in the incidence of AMI also after adjustment for clinical confounders.</p> <p>On the other hand, during the 9-year follow-up (65 events, including 13 deaths) we found a role concerning the AGTR1: the AC heterozygous resulted more represented in the event group (p = 0.016) even if not independent from clinical confounders. Anyhow the Kaplan-Meier event free curves seem to confirm the unfavourable role of this polymorphism.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Polymorphisms in RAAS genes can be important in the onset of a first AMI in young patients (ACE, CYP11B2 polymorphisms), but not in the disease progression after a long follow-up period. Larger collaborative studies are needed to confirm these results.</p

Effects of removal of mucilage and enzyme or sepiolite supplement on the nutrient digestibility and metabolyzable energy of a diet containing linseed in broiler chickens

Two experiments were conducted with broiler chickens from 22 to 28 days of age. In Experiment 1, the effect of adding enzyme preparations to a maize, soyabean meal and linseed (125 g kg-1) basal diet was evaluated. Commercial enzyme complexes (Energex® CT, Luctazyme® aviar and Pectinase Lucta) with high xylanase and pectinase activities were used. The results showed that responses to enzymes in terms of digestibility of protein, amino acids, fat and major fatty acids as well as dietary AME value (AMEn) were not significant. Digesta viscosity value at the jejunal level was not affected by enzyme treatment. In Experiment 2, the effects of substituting demucilaged-linseed for linseed in the basal diet and addition of sepiolite to a diet containing linseed were evaluated. Removal of mucilage was achieved by extracting the seed with hot water (80°C) for 2 h. The substitution of demucilaged-linseed for linseed significantly improved the digestibility of fat and major fatty acids as well as AMEn. Moreover, digesta viscosity was markedly reduced (29.6 vs. 4.9 cP). Addition of sepiolite to the diet containing linseed had no influence on the nutrient utilization and on intestinal digesta viscosity. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.Peer Reviewe

The Effectiveness of Ethics Programs: The Role of Scope, Composition and Sequence

Organizations are faced with the question, not only whether to adopt an ethics program, but also which components to adopt when. This study shows that unethical behavior occurs less frequently in organizations that have an ethics program than in organizations that do not have an ethics program. Nine components of ethics programs were identified and examined. The results show that there is a direct relationship between the number of components adopted and the frequency of observed unethical behavior. No relationship was found between pre-employment screening and unethical behavior, while the strongest relationship was discerned between accountability policies and unethical behavior. The study further reveals that the best sequence for adopting components of an ethics program is (1) a code of ethics, (2) ethics training and communication, (3) accountability policies, (4) monitoring and auditing, and (5) investigation and correction policies-all of which are directly related to less unethical behavior-followed by (6) an ethics office(r), (7) ethics report line, and (8) incentive policies-all of which are indirectly related to less unethical behavior. With the exception of pre-employment screening, this sequence corresponds closely to the pattern of adoption of organizations in the U.S