The microscopic detection of animal proteins in feeds

In the framework of the European Union funded research project STRATFEED for detection and identification of animal proteins in feeds, the microscopic method was optimized at several key steps and better documented. A check list was developed for uniform reporting. Characters of bone fragments, hairs, muscles and gills are fully documented. A so-called muscle ratio has been developed for the identification of muscle fibers at the level of vertebrate classes (mammals, birds and fishes). Both the improved protocol and the entire range of characters which can be observed, are documented in a Decision Support System called ARIES (Animal Remains Identification and Evaluation System). A second internet-based system called STRATFEED-DSS exclusively assists in identification of animal particles in feeds. A new strategy with microscopy as screening technique and either DNA or protein identification as confirmation technique is proposed. The advantages of this combination are the extremely low level of false negatives, low detection limits and the heat-resistant nature of microscopic detection, together with the possibility of a very specific identification of particles by one of the other methods

The M\u3csub\u3er\u3c/sub\u3e-value of chloroplast coupling factor 1

The Mr of spinach chloroplast coupling factor 1 has been determined by sedimentation equilibrium and by light scattering to be 400 000 ± 24 600 and 407 000 ± 20 000, respectively. These values differ substantially from that obtained previously (325 000) and are consistent with an α3β3γδε{lunate} subunit stoichiometry. © 1983

Comparison of Two Dosing Regimens of Miltefosine, Both in Combination With Allopurinol, on Clinical and Parasitological Findings of Dogs With Leishmaniosis: A Pilot Study

Miltefosine (MIL)–allopurinol combination therapy administered at standard dosage is effective to treat canine leishmaniosis, nevertheless for some dogs the digestive tolerance of MIL is not acceptable. This study evaluates an alternative therapeutic protocol by using a modified dosage of MIL to increase its effectiveness and improve the digestive tolerance. Thirty-four Leishmania infantum owned naturally infected dogs were included and monitored for 180 days. The dogs were allocated in two randomized groups: Group X−18 dogs treated with MIL registered dose of 2 mg/kg, oral administration, once daily, for 28 days; Group Y−16 dogs treated with 1.2 mg/kg for 5 days followed by 2.5 mg/kg for 25 days. Both groups were also treated with allopurinol. Digestive tolerance was monitored by adverse events observation. Treatments effectiveness was evaluated by monitoring the reduction of clinical score, the improvement of clinicopathological abnormalities, the reduction of parasitological load by PCR and the number of relapses. 16.6% dogs of group X and 12.5% dogs of group Y showed treatment associated adverse events. The reduction of clinical score was 61.7% for group X and 71.6% for group Y. All dogs showed an improvement of laboratory parameters after treatment. Quantitative PCR showed better results in group Y compared to group X; relapses were only registered in four dogs of group X. The modified protocol demonstrates a better trend of results in term of tolerance, clinical effectiveness, parasitological load reduction and relapses control, suggesting it could be considered for new large-scale studie

Development and validation of the Measure of Indigenous Racism Experiences (MIRE)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In recent decades there has been increasing evidence of a relationship between self-reported racism and health. Although a plethora of instruments to measure racism have been developed, very few have been described conceptually or psychometrically Furthermore, this research field has been limited by a dearth of instruments that examine reactions/responses to racism and by a restricted focus on African American populations.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In response to these limitations, the 31-item Measure of Indigenous Racism Experiences (MIRE) was developed to assess self-reported racism for Indigenous Australians. This paper describes the development of the MIRE together with an opportunistic examination of its content, construct and convergent validity in a population health study involving 312 Indigenous Australians.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Focus group research supported the content validity of the MIRE, and inter-item/scale correlations suggested good construct validity. A good fit with <it>a priori </it>conceptual dimensions was demonstrated in factor analysis, and convergence with a separate item on discrimination was satisfactory.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The MIRE has considerable utility as an instrument that can assess multiple facets of racism together with responses/reactions to racism among indigenous populations and, potentially, among other ethnic/racial groups.</p

Abluminal biodegradable polymer biolimus-eluting versus durable polymer everolimus-eluting stent in patients with diabetes mellitus 5 years follow-up from the COMPARE II trial

_Background:_ Drug eluting stents with biodegradable polymers have been developed to address the risk of very late adverse events. Long-term comparison data between the biodegradable polymer-coated biolimus-eluting stent (BES; Nobori®) and the second-generation durable polymer-coated everolimus-eluting stent (EES; XIENCE V® or XIENCE PRIME® or PROMUS™) in diabetic patients are scarce. _Methods:_ The COMPARE II trial was an investigator-initiated, multicenter, open-label, randomized, all-comers trial which assigned patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a 2:1 fashion to either BES or EES.We analyzed the safety and efficacy outcomes in diabetic patients at 5 year follow-up. The primary pre-specified composite endpoint major adverse cardiac event (MACE) was defined as cardiac death, non-fatal target-vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI), or clinically indicated target vessel revascularization (CD-TVR). _Results:_ Out of 2707 study patients, 588 were diabetics of whom 391 were treated with BES and 197 with EES. At 5 years follow-up, MACE occurred in 87 patients in the BES group and in 34 patients in the EES group. Other safety and efficacy endpoints did not differ between stent groups. _Conclusions:_ At 5 years follow-up, no differences in terms of MACE as well as all analyzed safety and efficacy measures, including stent thrombosis, between the biodegradable polymer-coated BES and the durable polymercoated EES in diabetic patients were observe

Interrogation of the infarcted and salvaged myocardium using multi-parametric mapping cardiovascular magnetic resonance in reperfused ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients

We used multi-parametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) mapping to interrogate the myocardium following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Forty-eight STEMI patients underwent CMR at 4 ± 2 days. One matching short-axis slice of native T1 map, T2 map, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and automated extracellular volume fraction (ECV) maps per patient were analyzed. Manual regions-of-interest were drawn within the infarcted, the salvaged and the remote myocardium. A subgroup analysis was performed in those without MVO and with ≤75% transmural extent of infarct. For the whole cohort, T1, T2 and ECV in both the infarcted and the salvaged myocardium were significantly higher than in the remote myocardium. T1 and T2 could not differentiate between the salvaged and the infarcted myocardium, but ECV was significantly higher in the latter. In the subgroup analysis of 15 patients, similar findings were observed for T1 and T2. However, there was only a trend towards ECV_{salvage} being higher than ECV_{remote}. In the clinical setting, current native T1 and T2 methods with the specific voxel sizes at 1.5 T could not differentiate between the infarcted and salvaged myocardium, whereas ECV could differentiate between the two. ECV was also higher in the salvaged myocardium when compared to the remote myocardium

The effect of perceived discrimination on the health of immigrant workers in Spain

Background: Discrimination is an important determinant of health inequalities, and immigrants may be more vulnerable to certain types of discrimination than the native-born. This study analyses the relationship between immigrants' perceived discrimination and various self-reported health indicators. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted (2008) amongst a non-random sample of 2434 immigrants from Ecuador, Morocco, Romania and Colombia in four Spanish cities: Barcelona, Huelva, Madrid and Valencia. A factorial analysis of variables revealed three dimensions of perceived discrimination (due to immigrant status, due to physical appearance, and workplace-related). The association of these dimensions with self-rated health, mental health (GHQ-12), change in self-rated health between origin and host country, and other self-reported health outcomes was analysed. Logistic regression was used adjusting for potential confounders (aOR-95%CI). Subjects with worsening self-reported health status potentially attributable to perceived discrimination was estimated (population attributable proportion, PAP %). Results: 73.3% of men and 69.3% of women immigrants reported discrimination due to immigrant status. Moroccans showed the highest prevalence of perceived discrimination. Immigrants reporting discrimination were at significantly higher risk of reporting health problems than those not reporting discrimination. Workplace-related discrimination was associated with poor mental health (aOR 2.97 95%CI 2.45-3.60), and the worsening of self-rated health (aOR 2.20 95%CI 1.73- 2.80). 40% (95% CI 24-53) PAP of those reporting worse self-rated health could be attributable to discrimination due to immigrant status. Conclusions: Discrimination may constitute a risk factor for health in immigrant workers in Spain and could explain some health inequalities among immigrant populations in Spanish society.This work was supported by the following sources: Carolina Foundation (Spain), Healthcare Research Fund of the Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumption (references PI050497, PI052202, PI052334, PI061701, and PI0790470