The association between salt taste perception, mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a widespread disorder and an important public health challenge. The purpose of this study was to identify the association between salt taste perception, Mediterranean diet and MetS. This cross-sectional study included 2798 subjects from the general population of Dalmatia, Croatia. MetS was determined using the Joint Interim Statement definition, and Mediterranean diet compliance was estimated using Mediterranean Diet Serving Score. Salt taste perception was assessed by threshold and suprathreshold testing (intensity and hedonic perception). Logistic regression was used in the analysis, adjusting for important confounding factors. As many as 44% of subjects had MetS, with elevated waist circumference as the most common component (77%). Higher salt taste sensitivity (lower threshold) was associated with several positive outcomes: lower odds of MetS (OR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.52-0.92), lower odds for elevated waist circumference (0.47; 0.27-0.82), elevated fasting glucose or diabetes (0.65; 0.45-0.94), and reduced HDL cholesterol (0.59; 0.42-0.84), compared to the higher threshold group. Subjects with lower salt taste threshold were more likely to consume more fruit, and less likely to adhere to olive oil and white meat guidelines, but without a difference in the overall Mediterranean diet compliance. Salt taste intensity perception was not associated with any of the investigated outcomes, while salty solution liking was associated with MetS (OR = 1.85, CI 95% 1.02-3.35). This study identified an association between salt taste perception and MetS and gave a new insight into taste perception, nutrition, and possible health outcomes

DYNAMICS AND INTENSITY OF APLE DISEASE DEVELOPMENT DURING ITS STORAGE

Bolesti plodova jabuke koje se razvijaju u skladištu u najvećem broju slučajeva uzrokovane su gljivama. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi gubitke uslijed pojave skladišnih bolesti i vrste gljiva uzročnika skladišnih bolesti na kultivaru Idared tijekom tri mjeseca skladištenja, kao i usporediti razvoj gljiva na inokuliranim plodovima u laboratorijskim uvjetima. U bolesne plodove ubrajali su se oni s vidljivim simptomima truleži. Ukupni gubici u razdoblju od tri mjeseca skladištenja iznosili su 1,9%. Postotak bolesnih plodova povećavao se od trenutka berbe do kraja skladištenja. Najčešći uzročnik truleži u svim rokovima očitanja bila je Monilia fructigena. U značajnom postotku javljale su se Penicillium vrste i Botrytis cinerea. Na plodovima jabuke inokuliranima gljivama izoliranim s oboljelih plodova svi su gljivični izolati uzrokovali trulež veće ili manje površine nakon 28 dana inkubacije, pri 22°C. Na plodovima inokuliranim istim izolatima i stavljenim u inkubaciju pri 4°C razvoj truleži tekao je sporije. Pri 22°C najbrže su se razvijali izolati vrste Monilia fructigena, dok su se pri 4°C najbrže razvijali izolati vrste Botrytis cinereaPost-harvest apple fruit diseases are primarily caused by fungi. The object of this research was to quantify yield loss caused by post-harvest diseases and to determine fungal species responsible for storage rots on the cv. Idared during three months of storage, as well as to compare the development of fungi inoculated on apple fruits in the laboratory conditions. Only fruits with the visible rot symptoms were regarded as "diseased". Total yield loss during all three months of storage was 1.9%. The percentage of diseased fruits increased from the harvest moment to the end of storage. The most frequent cause of post-harvest rot in all assessments was Monilia fructigena. Penicillium species and Botrytis cinerea were present in relatively high percentage. All fungal isolates from diseased fruits caused fruit rot when inoculated on apples and incubated for 28 days at 22°C. On fruits inoculated with the same isolates and incubated at 4°C rot development was slower. Isolates of M. fructigena developed most rapidly on inoculated fruits at 22°C, while the isolates of B. cinerea developed most rapidly at 4°C

The influence of orientation on the radiation-induced crosslinking/oxidative behavior of different PEs

This paper studies the influence of orientation and structural peculiarities on the radiation-induced oxidation/crosslinking changes in different polyethylenes (PEs). For this reason, low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) were oriented via solid-state stretching at an elevated temperature. Later on, oriented samples were gamma-irradiated in air to various absorbed doses (up to 700 kGy). In order to investigate orientation- and radiation-induced changes in morphology, surface microstructures were analyzed by optical (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), IR spectroscopy and gel measurements were used to determine changes in crystallinity, oxidative degradation and degree of network formation, respectively. Conclusions derived according to these methods were compared. The differences in morphology, crystallinity, oxidation and gel behavior are caused primarily by the structural peculiarities of different types of PEs, the heterogeneous nature of radiation effects in semicrystalline polymers and, in the case of oriented samples, by the molecular orientation as well. The presented results reveal complicate crosslinking behavior with orientation while increase/decrease in crystallinity/oxidation with draw ratio was clearly evident. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Cell-autonomous regulation of complement C3 by factor H limits macrophage efferocytosis and exacerbates atherosclerosis

Complement factor H (CFH) negatively regulates consumption of complement component 3 (C3), thereby restricting complement activation. Genetic variants in CFH predispose to chronic inflammatory disease. Here, we examined the impact of CFH on atherosclerosis development. In a mouse model of atherosclerosis, CFH deficiency limited plaque necrosis in a C3-dependent manner. Deletion of CFH in monocyte-derived inflammatory macrophages propagated uncontrolled cell-autonomous C3 consumption without downstream C5 activation and heightened efferocytotic capacity. Among leukocytes, CFH expression was restricted to monocytes and macrophages, increased during inflammation and coincided with the accumulation of intracellular C3. Macrophage-derived CFH was sufficient to dampen resolution of inflammation, and hematopoietic deletion of CFH in atherosclerosis-prone mice promoted lesional efferocytosis and reduced plaque size. Furthermore, we identified monocyte-derived inflammatory macrophages expressing C3 and CFH in human atherosclerotic plaques. Our findings reveal a regulatory axis wherein CFH controls intracellular C3 levels of macrophages in a cell-autonomous manner, evidencing the importance of on-site complement regulation in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases