Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

Genetic differentiation estimated by isozymic analysis of Africanized honeybee populations from Brazil and from Central America

Adult Apis mellifera workers were electrophoretically examined in at least 7 enzyme loci. Five loci were found to exhibit polymorphism (Est-1, Est-3, PGM-1, HK-1 and MDH-1) in the Africanized bee populations from Brazil and from Central America (Costa Rica and Honduras). Genetic variation was not observed for Est-1 and HK-1 in the bee samples from Italy and Germany, and for PGM-1 in the Italian bee sample. Genotypic frequencies at the MDH-1 and HK-1 loci in the Honduras sample are in disagreement with that expected for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, suggesting an incipient process of mixture between pre-existing European bees in this country and the Africanized swarms that came from South America. Racial admixture estimates based on MDH-1 data indicate that the Africanization level of Central American honeybees is less than for bees from Southeast and Northern Brazil

Association between isoenzymatic phenotypes and resistance to the fungus Microcyclus ulei P. Henn. (v. Arx.) in rubber tree clones.

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Genetic characterization of a new Apis mellifera esterase

A new esterase, denoted esterase-1a (Est-1a), was first identified by starch gel electrophoresis of abdomen extracts from adult drones of Apis mellifera. This enzyme was developed only with 4-methylumbelliferyl esters and its inhibition properties suggest that it is an arylesterase. It does not contain reactive sulfhydryl groups and has a monomeric structure. A genetic variant (Est-1a92) was detected at an average frequency of 4.2% in drones collected from five apiaries. Genetic linkage studies showed no close linkage between the Est-1a locus and the genetic markers Est-6, Mdh-1 and Hk-1. Esterase-1 a activity was observed in the reproductive and digestive tracts of sexually mature drones, queens and egg-laying workers, suggesting its association with sexual maturation. In view of its presence in the egg and its restricted localization in the middle portion of the digestive tract (midgut), this enzyme may play a proteolytic role in early embryonic development

<FONT FACE=Symbol>k</FONT>-Casein, <FONT FACE=Symbol>b</FONT>-lactoglobulin and growth hormone allele frequencies and genetic distances in Nelore, Gyr, Guzerá, Caracu, Charolais, Canchim and Santa Gertrudis cattle

The genotypes for k-casein (<FONT FACE="Symbol">k</FONT>-CN), <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-lactoglobulin (<FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-LG) and growth hormone (GH) were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzyme digestion in seven breeds of cattle (Nelore, Gyr, Guzerá, Caracu, Charolais, Canchim and Santa Gertrudis). <FONT FACE="Symbol">k</FONT>-Casein had two alleles with the A allele occurring at a higher frequency in Bos indicus breeds (0.93, 0.92 and 0.91% for Gyr, Guzerá and Nelore, respectively). The <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-lactoglobulin locus had two alleles in all of the breeds. European breeds had a higher frequency of the <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-LG A allele than Zebu breeds. The GH locus had two alleles (L and V) in Bos taurus and was monomorphic (L allele only) in all of the Bos indicus breeds evaluated. The highest frequency for the V allele was observed in Charolais cattle. The markers used revealed a considerable similarity among breeds, with two main groups being discernible. One group consisted of Zebu and Santa Gertrudis breeds and the other consisted of European and Canchim breeds.<br>Os genótipos de <FONT FACE="Symbol">k</FONT>-caseína (<FONT FACE="Symbol">k</FONT>-CN), <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-lactoglobulina (<FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-LG) e hormônio de crescimento foram determinados por reação em cadeia de polimerase (PCR) e digestão com enzima de restrição em sete raças de bovinos (Nelore, Gir, Guzerá, Caracu, Charolesa, Canchim and Santa Gertrudis). A <FONT FACE="Symbol">k</FONT>-caseína apresentou dois alelos e as freqüências mais elevadas para o alelo A foram observadas em Bos indicus (0,93, 0,92 e 0,91% para as raças Gir, Guzerá e Nelore, respectivamente). A <FONT FACE="Symbol">b</FONT>-lactoglobulina apresentou dois alelos em todas as raças estudadas, sendo a freqüência do alelo A mais elevada nas raças européias. O loco de hormônio de crescimento apresentou dois alelos em Bos taurus e foi monomórfico (alelo L) em todas as raças zebuínas. A maior freqüência para o alelo V foi observado na raça Charolesa. Os marcadores investigados revelaram alta similaridade entre as raças, com a formação de dois grupos principais: um composto de raças zebuínas e a raça Santa Gertrudis e outro composto das raças européias e a raça Canchim

Supplementary Material for: Occurrence and Origin of Supernumerary Chromosomes in Partamona (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

Samples from 861 colonies of 12 <i>Partamona</i> species from 125 Brazilian localities were analysed for a SCAR marker specific to the B chromosomes of <i>P. helleri</i>. We identified the SCAR marker in 6 of the 12 species analysed, including 2 <i>(P. gregaria</i> and <i>P. chapadicola)</i> from the pearsoni clade. This is the first report on the presence of this marker in <i>Partamona</i> species that are not included in the cupira clade, which indicates that the B chromosomes probably are more widespread in this genus than previously thought. The analysis revealed a high frequency of the SCAR marker in the samples of <i>P. helleri</i> (0.47), <i>P. cupira</i> (0.46), and <i>P. rustica</i> (0.29), and a low frequency in <i>P.</i> aff.<i>helleri</i> (0.06). The frequency of the marker in <i>P. helleri</i> was correlated with the latitude of the sampling locality, decreasing from north to south. Sequence data on the SCAR marker from 50 individuals of the 6 species in which the presence of this marker was shown revealed a new scenario for the origin of the B chromosomes in <i>Partamona</i>