In-situ Conservation of wild forest coffee-Exploring the potential of participatory forest management in south west Ethiopia

Maintaining the gene pool of Coffea arabica in the forests of South West Ethiopia, where this plant evolved and has its genetic hearth, is a challenge of global importance. Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and Biosphere Reserves (BR) are among the various initiatives being tested to maintain this forest and its biodiversity that includes major stands of wild Arabica coffee. This paper makes a comparative analysis of PFM and BR approaches to conservation as applied in Ethiopia. While BR legislation provides a framework for enforcement, there can be difficulties in achieving this on the ground especially with the pressures from communities on these forests and the limited resources of the state to enforce protection. In some cases because core zones are alienated from communities these areas are seen as open access by local communities and have suffered especially from fires and focused deforestation. An alternative approach for in situ conservation of wild coffee using PFM has been explored in South West forest of Ethiopia. PFM, by engaging local communities in the management of forests is believed to increase economic and environmental benefits while reducing costs of conservation..Monthly field monitoring by communities and annual reviews with the government have turned this forest from open access to community controlled. Critically the development of market links and value chains for forest products is motivating communities to maintain and improve their forest. It is hoped that PFM will create a win-win goal – enhancing the role played by the forest in rural development and ensuring the conservation of wild coffee genetic resources

Interrogation of microarray datasets indicates that macrophage-secreted factors stimulate the expression of genes associated with vitamin D metabolism (VDR and CYP27B1) in human adipocytes

Microarray datasets have been interrogated to determine whether the expression of vitamin D-related genes is modulated in adipocytes during inflammation. The datasets were from human adipocytes and preadipocytes incubated with macrophage-conditioned medium (U937 cells). In adipocytes, exposure to the conditioned medium for 24 h resulted in a major increase (82.2-fold) in mRNA level of CYP27B1, the gene encoding the enzyme that converts 25-hydroxycholecalciferol to the active form of vitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol; exposure for 4 h also raised CYP27B1 mRNA level (10.9-fold). The level of the mRNA encoding the vitamin D receptor (VDR) was increased after 24 h (7.7-fold), but there was no change at 4 h. In contrast, incubation with conditioned medium for either 4 or 24 h had no effect on the expression of the CYP24 and CYP2R1 genes, which encode enzymes that catalyze a 24-hydroxylation and the conversion of vitamin D3 to 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, respectively. In preadipocytes, the only effect of the macrophage-conditioned medium was to stimulate CYP27B1 expression (5.7-fold) after 24 h. It is concluded that the capacity of adipocytes to produce active vitamin D3 hormone and its nuclear receptor is strongly upregulated by secretory products from macrophages; this is consistent with a counter-regulatory effect of the vitamin D system to ameliorate inflammation.Adipobiology 2011; 3: 31-36

The Story of the NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®: An effective population Health Service with Public Health Impact and Reach

In February 2009, the Ministry of Health launched the NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service® (GHS; www.gethealthynsw.com.au), as part of New South Wales’ response to the Australian Better Health Initiative. The GHS is a telephonebased service supporting NSW adults make sustained improvements in healthy eating, physical activity and achieving or maintaining a healthy weight

NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Services The First Five Years 2009-2013

The 'NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service: The First Five Years 2009 - 2013' evaluation report was published in June 2014. The report showcases the effectiveness, reach, and health impact of the Service since it's inception in 2009

NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Services The First Five Years 2009-2013

The 'NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service: The First Five Years 2009 - 2013' evaluation report was published in June 2014. The report showcases the effectiveness, reach, and health impact of the Service since it's inception in 2009

Assessment of Self-care Knowledge on Diabetes and Long-term Complications among Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Guyana

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the level of knowledge regarding self-care and awareness as well as long-term complications among type 2 diabetic patients in Guyana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and West Demerara Regional Hospital Guyana during the period September 2020 and December 2020. Results: A total of 200 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who met the inclusion criteria were recruited via advertisement and telephone interviews. The data revealed about 66.5% of participants were deemed to have good knowledge with men accounting for the majority. Diabetic foot and hypertension were commonly seen among participants with complications. Significant association was noted with barrier level of patients with the level of education (p=0.001), ethnicity (0.006) and insurance plan (0.03). Adherence to self-care showed statistically significant association with patient’s level of education (p<0.0001), marital status (0.02), employment status (p<0.0001), insurance plan (0.01) and persons living with multiple persons in the household (p<0.0001). Statistically, significant association was also noted among patient’s self-health feeling with level of education (0.004), employment status (p<0.0001), insurance plan (0.01) and persons living with multiple persons in the household (p<0.0001). There was no statistical difference between the hospital clinics neither between the groups of participants. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study highlighted gaps in the knowledge of the disease and patient care. Therefore, efforts should be made to enhance patient care by scheduling regular educational sessions and having services such as counselling available to patients

Development and implementation of Heart Team: a Facebook support group for cardiac patients

Improving adherence to cardiac rehabilitation programs should reduce the risk of repeat cardiac events and improve quality of life. We present the process of developing and piloting a Facebook support group, Heart Team, which other cardiac health professionals could adapt and trial at their hospital, rehabilitation or community service.Cardiovascular Disease Research Network Project Grant by the Australia Heart Foundatio

Fuel Use during Exercise at Altitude in Women with Glucose–Fructose Ingestion

Purpose: This study compared the co-ingestion of glucose and fructose on exogenous and endogenous substrate oxidation during prolonged exercise at terrestrial high altitude (HA) versus sea level, in women. Method: Five women completed two bouts of cycling at the same relative workload (55% Wmax) for 120 minutes on acute exposure to HA (3375m) and at sea level (~113m). In each trial, participants ingested 1.2 g.min-1 of glucose (enriched with 13C glucose) and 0.6 g.min-1 of fructose (enriched with 13C fructose) before and every 15 minutes during exercise. Indirect calorimetry and isotope ratio mass spectrometry were used to calculate fat oxidation, total and exogenous carbohydrate oxidation, plasma glucose oxidation and endogenous glucose oxidation derived from liver and muscle glycogen. Results: The rates and absolute contribution of exogenous carbohydrate oxidation was significantly lower at HA compared with sea level (ES>0.99, P<0.024), with the relative exogenous carbohydrate contribution approaching significance (32.6±6.1 vs. 36.0±6.1%, ES=0.56, P=0.059) during the second hour of exercise. In comparison, no significant differences were observed between HA and sea level for the relative and absolute contributions of liver glucose (3.2±1.2 vs. 3.1±0.8%, ES=0.09, P=0.635 and 5.1±1.8 vs. 5.4±1.7 grams, ES=0.19, P=0.217), and muscle glycogen (14.4±12.2% vs. 15.8±9.3%, ES=0.11, P=0.934 and 23.1±19.0 vs. 28.7±17.8 grams, ES=0.30, P=0.367). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in total fat oxidation between HA and sea level (66.3±21.4 vs. 59.6±7.7 grams, ES=0.32, P=0.557). Conclusion: In women, acute exposure to HA reduces the reliance on exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during cycling at the same relative exercise intensity

Gastrin-induced miR-222 promotes gastric tumor development by suppressing p27kip1

Background and Aims: Elevated circulating concentrations of the hormone gastrin contribute to the development of gastric adenocarcinoma and types-1 and 2 gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate proteins which in turn influence various biological processes. We hypothesised that gastrin induces the expression of specific gastric miRNAs within CCK2 receptor (CCK2R) expressing cells and that these mediate functionally important actions of gastrin. Results: Gastrin increased miR-222 expression in AGSGR cells, with maximum changes observed at 10 nM G17 for 24 h. Signalling occurred via CCK2R and the PKC and PI3K pathways. miR-222 expression was increased in the serum and gastric corpus mucosa of hypergastrinemic INS-GAS mice and hypergastrinemic patients with autoimmune atrophic gastritis and type 1 gastric NETs; it decreased in patients following treatment with the CCK2R antagonist netazepide (YF476). Gastrin-induced miR-222 overexpression resulted in reduced expression and cytoplasmic mislocalisation of p27kip1, which in turn caused actin remodelling and increased migration in AGSGR cells. Materials and Methods: miRNA PCR arrays were used to identify changes in miRNA expression following G17 treatment of human gastric adenocarcinoma cells stably transfected with CCK2R (AGSGR). miR-222 was further investigated using primer assays and samples from hypergastrinemic mice and humans. Chemically synthesised mimics and inhibitors were used to assess cellular phenotypical changes associated with miR-222 dysregulation. Conclusions: These data indicate a novel mechanism contributing to gastrin-associated gastric tumor development. miR-222 may also be a promising biomarker for monitoring gastrin induced premalignant changes in the stomach

The Effects of Sex on Cardiopulmonary Responses to Acute Normobaric Hypoxia

Background: Acute hypoxia leads to a number of recognized changes in cardiopulmonary function, including acute increase in pulmonary artery systolic pressure. However, the comparative responses between men and women have been barely explored.Fourteen young healthy adult Caucasian subjects were studied at sea-level rest and then after >150-minute exposure to acute normobaric hypoxia (NH) equivalent to 4800 m and again at sea-level rest at 2 hours post-NH exposure. Cardiac function, using transthoracic echocardiography, physiological variables, and Lake Louise Scores for acute mountain sickness (AMS) were collected.All subjects completed the study, and there was an equal balance of men (n = 7) and women (n = 7) who were well matched for age (25.9 ± 3.2 vs. 27.3 ± 4.4; p = 0.51). NH exposure led to a significant increase in AMS scores and heart rate, as well as a fall in oxygen saturation, systolic blood pressure, and stroke volume. Stroke volumes and cardiac output were overall significantly higher in men than in women, and acute NH heart rate was higher in women (80.3 ± 10.2 vs. 69.7 ± 10.7/min; p < 0.05). NH led to a significant fall in the estimated left ventricular filling pressure (E/E'), an increase in the septal A' and S' and septal and lateral isovolumic contractile velocities (ICVs), and a fall in the E'A'S' ratio. The mitral E, lateral ICV, and E' velocities were all higher in men. Acute NH led to a significant increase in right ventricular systolic pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. There was no interaction between NH exposure and sex for any parameters measured.Despite several baseline differences between men and women, the cardiopulmonary effects of acute NH are consistent between men and women