Metabolic, endocrine and appetite-related responses to acute and daily milk snack consumption in healthy, adolescent males

Comprising of two experiments, this study assessed the metabolic, endocrine and appetite-related responses to acute and chronic milk consumption in adolescent males (15-18 y). Eleven adolescents [mean ± SD age: 16.5 ± 0.9 y; BMI: 23.3 ± 3.3 kg/m2] participated in the acute experiment and completed two laboratory visits (milk vs. fruit-juice) in a randomized crossover design, separated by 7-d. Seventeen adolescents [age: 16.1 ± 0.9 y; BMI: 21.8 ± 3.7 kg/m2] completed the chronic experiment. For the chronic experiment, a parallel design with two groups was used. Participants were randomly allocated and consumed milk (n = 9) or fruit-juice (n = 8) for 28-d, completing laboratory visits on the first (baseline, day-0) and last day (follow-up, day-28) of the intervention phase. On laboratory visits (for both experiments), measures of appetite, metabolism and endocrine responses were assessed at regular intervals. In addition, eating behavior was quantified by ad libitum assessment under laboratory conditions and in the free-living environment by weighed food record. Acute milk intake stimulated glucagon (P = .027 [16.8 pg·mL; 95% CI: 2.4, 31.3]) and reduced ad libitum energy intake relative to fruit-juice (P = .048 [-651.3 kJ; 95% CI: -1294.1, -8.6]), but was comparable in the free-living environment. Chronic milk intake reduced free-living energy intake at the follow-up visit compared to baseline (P = .013 [-1910.9 kJ; 95% CI: -554.6, -3267.2]), whereas the opposite was apparent for fruit-juice. Relative to baseline, chronic milk intake increased the insulin response to both breakfast (P = .031) and mid-morning milk consumption (P = .050) whilst attenuating blood glucose (P = .025). Together, these findings suggest milk consumption impacts favorably on eating behavior in adolescent males, potentially through integrated endocrine responses

State Crime, Structural Violence and COVID-19

Non

A cross sectional study of the prevalence and associated risks for bursitis in 6250 weaner, grower and finisher pigs from 103 British pig farms

A cross-sectional study of 93 farms in England was carried out to estimate the prevalence and associated risk factors for bursitis. A total of 6250 pigs aged 6–22 weeks were examined for presence and severity of bursitis. Details of pen construction, pen quality and farm management were recorded including floor type, presence of bedding, condition of the floor and floor materials. The prevalence of bursitis was 41.2% and increased with each week of age (OR 1.1). Two-level logistic regression models were developed with the outcome as the proportion of pigs affected with bursitis in a pen. Pigs kept on soil floors with straw bedding were used as the reference level. In comparison with these soil floors, bursitis increased on concrete floors where the bedding was deep throughout (OR 4.6), deep in part (OR 3.7), and sparse throughout (OR 9.0), part slatted floors (OR 8.0), and fully slatted floors (OR 18.8). Slip or skid marks in the dunging area (OR 1.5), pigs observed slipping during the examination of the pen (OR 1.3) and wet floors (OR 3.6) were also associated with an increased risk of bursitis. The results indicate that bursitis is a common condition of growing pigs and that the associated risk factors for bursitis were a lack of bedding in the lying area, presence of voids and pen conditions which increased the likelihood of injury

A common variant associated with dyslexia reduces expression of the KIAA0319 gene

This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (MYD, SP, TSS, JCK, RWM, PC, SB, and APM), the Intramural Research Programs of the National Human Genome Research Institute (MYD and EDG) and National Cancer Institute (MPO), and the NIH/Ox-Cam Graduate Partnership Program (MYD).Numerous genetic association studies have implicated the KIAA0319 gene on human chromosome 6p22 in dyslexia susceptibility. The causative variant(s) remains unknown but may modulate gene expression, given that (1) a dyslexia-associated haplotype has been implicated in the reduced expression of KIAA0319, and (2) the strongest association has been found for the region spanning exon 1 of KIAA0319. Here, we test the hypothesis that variant(s) responsible for reduced KIAA0319 expression resides on the risk haplotype close to the gene's transcription start site. We identified seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the risk haplotype immediately upstream of KIAA0319 and determined that three of these are strongly associated with multiple reading-related traits. Using luciferase-expressing constructs containing the KIAA0319 upstream region, we characterized the minimal promoter and additional putative transcriptional regulator regions. This revealed that the minor allele of rs9461045, which shows the strongest association with dyslexia in our sample (max p-value = 0.0001), confers reduced luciferase expression in both neuronal and non-neuronal cell lines. Additionally, we found that the presence of this rs9461045 dyslexia-associated allele creates a nuclear protein-binding site, likely for the transcriptional silencer OCT-1. Knocking down OCT-1 expression in the neuronal cell line SHSY5Y using an siRNA restores KIAA0319 expression from the risk haplotype to nearly that seen from the non-risk haplotype. Our study thus pinpoints a common variant as altering the function of a dyslexia candidate gene and provides an illustrative example of the strategic approach needed to dissect the molecular basis of complex genetic traits.PostprintPeer reviewe

Los rohingya del estado de Rakhine (Myanmar): la evolución de un proceso genocida

Tomando como base los aportes teóricos de Feierstein sobre el genocidio y el paradigma de crimen de Estado, el presente artículo analiza información empírica obtenida en el estado de Rakhine (Myanmar), con el fin de brindar una mayor comprensión sobre los riesgos que enfrenta la población rohingya en la actualidad. La investigación revela que allí el genocidio –entendido como un proceso continuo– se encuentra en plena ejecución y predice que el paso hacia una próxima etapa –el aniquilamiento– es una posibilidad cierta si el gobierno de Myanmar no detiene los procesos de deshumanización, hostigamiento, aislamiento y debilitamiento sistemático que viene llevando a cabo. El presente trabajo sostiene que, ante la ausencia de mecanismos formales y legales de prevención, es responsabilidad de la sociedad civil exponer el proceso genocida para evitar que se produzca una matanza a gran escala (Green y Ward, 2004)

TRA-928: FISH BARRIER MITIGATION OF AN OVERSTEEPENED CULVERT WITHIN SAUGEEN FIRST NATION RESERVE

A deteriorated concrete box culvert conveying a tributary of the Saugeen River under Highway 21 in Ontario had reached the end of its lifespan and was in need of replacement. The tributary supports a diverse range of coldwater fish species such as Rainbow Trout; however, fish passage, particularly upstream migration, has been cut off since the culvert and highway were constructed over seventy-five years ago. Specifically, fish passage has been hindered by shallow sheet flow along the sixty metre flat bottom, excessive velocities associated with the smooth, seven percent gradient, and a perched barrier at the downstream outlet. A key component of the culvert replacement was an effort to improve the overall condition of the tributary’s natural environment, including the promotion of fish passage and migration opportunities. The culvert replacement project undertaken by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and MMM Group, coupled resources with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) Environment office, Parsons biologists, and Aquafor geomorphologists. The most ecologically sensitive replacement methodology of an open bottom structure was not viable for this project as it would have required a full closure of the Highway for approximately four months. A circular steel pipe culvert installed through tunneling was designed to by-pass and replace the existing concrete box culvert. In an effort to mitigate the current barriers to fish with the new pipe culvert, a prefabricated corrugated steel slip liner with engineered baffle arrangement was integrated into the design. The baffle configuration and geometry was designed by Jason Duguay (Université de Sherbrooke) and Ken Hannaford (Gov. NFLD), and the slip liner construction by the Corrugated Steel Pipe Institute. Construction of the new culvert and slip liner was completed in December, 2015, and a two year monitoring program will be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of barrier mitigation and geomorphic stability of the tributary

The effect of a dairy-based recovery beverage on post-exercise appetite and energy intake in active females

This study was designed to assess the effect of a dairy-based recovery beverage on post-exercise appetite and energy intake in active females. Thirteen active females completed three trials in a crossover design. Participants completed 60 min of cycling at 65% V̇O2peak, before a 120 min recovery period. On completion of cycling, participants consumed a commercially available dairy-based beverage (DBB), a commercially available carbohydrate beverage (CHO), or a water control (H2O). Non-esterified fatty acids, glucose, and appetite-related peptides alongside measures of subjective appetite were sampled at baseline and at 30 min intervals during recovery. At 120 min, energy intake was assessed in the laboratory by ad libitum assessment, and in the free-living environment by weighed food record for the remainder of the study day. Energy intake at the ad libitum lunch was lower after DBB compared to H2O (4.43 ± 0.20, 5.58 ± 0.41 MJ, respectively; p = 0.046; (95% CI: −2.28, −0.20 MJ)), but was not different to CHO (5.21 ± 0.46 MJ), with no difference between trials thereafter. Insulin and GLP-17-36 were higher following DBB compared to H2O (p = 0.015 and p = 0.001, respectively) but not to CHO (p = 1.00 and p = 0.146, respectively). In addition, glucagon was higher following DBB compared to CHO (p = 0.008) but not to H2O (p = 0.074). The results demonstrate that where DBB consumption may manifest in accelerated recovery, this may be possible without significantly affecting total energy intake and subsequent appetite-related responses relative to a CHO beverage

Genomic DNA Sequences from Mastodon and Woolly Mammoth Reveal Deep Speciation of Forest and Savanna Elephants

This study compares three extant elephants species - forest, savanna, and Asian - to extinct mammoth and mastodon. Surprisingly, forest and savanna elephants in Africa today are as distinct from each other as mammoth and Asian elephants

Engaging Opportunities: Connecting young people with contemporary research and researchers

This is the final report for ‘Engaging Opportunities’, an RCUK-funded School-University Partnership between the Open University and the Denbigh Teaching School Alliance. Informed by action research, this four-year project was designed to create structured, strategic, sustainable and equitable mechanisms for effective school-university engagement with research. The report describes an evidence-based strategy designed to embed school-university engagement with research within the University’s strategic planning for research and the operational practices of researchers. Through the early stages of our partnership we noted a lack of suitable planning tools that work for researchers, teachers and students. We therefore introduced a flexible and adaptable framework of four types of activity—open lectures, open dialogues, open inquiry and open creativity—combined with an upstream approach to planning based on a set of six principles. A sub-set of these activities were evaluated through a combination of surveys, interviews and interventions. In conclusion, we argue that institutional and professional cultures can be resistant to the prospect of fully embedding school-university engagement with research in a structured, strategic and sustainable manner, and offer suggestions for how this context could and should be changed

Longitudinal trajectories of BMI and cardiovascular disease risk: The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

ObjectiveIn adulthood, excess BMI is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD); it is unknown whether risk differs by BMI trajectories from adolescence to adulthood.Design and MethodsThe National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative, longitudinal adolescent cohort (mean age: 16.9y) followed into adulthood (mean age: 29.0y) [n=13,643 individuals (40,929 observations)] was examined. Separate logistic regression models for diabetes, hypertension, and inflammation were used to examine odds of risk factors at given adult BMI according to varying BMI trajectories from adolescence to adulthood.ResultsCVD risk factor prevalence at follow-up ranged from 5.5% (diabetes) to 26.4% (hypertension) and 31.3% (inflammation); risk differed across BMI trajectories. For example, relative to men aged 27y (BMI=23 kg/m2 maintained over full study period), odds for diabetes were comparatively higher for men of the same age and BMI≈30 kg/m2 with ≈8 BMI unit gain between 15-20y (OR=2.35; 95% CI, 1.51, 3.66) or in those who maintained BMI≈30 kg/m2 across the study period (OR=2.33; 1.92, 2.83) relative to the same ≈8 BMI unit gain, but between 20-27y (OR=1.44; 1.10, 1.87).ConclusionsSpecific periods and patterns of weight gain in the transition from adolescence to adulthood might be critical for CVD preventive efforts