Effect of the Mediterranean diet on blood pressure in the PREDIMED trial: results from a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundHypertension can be prevented by adopting healthy dietary patterns. Our aim was to assess the 4-year effect on blood pressure (BP) control of a randomized feeding trial promoting the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern.MethodsThe PREDIMED primary prevention trial is a randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial conducted in Spanish primary healthcare centers. We recruited 7,447 men (aged 55 to 80 years) and women (aged 60 to 80 years) who had high risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants were assigned to a control group or to one of two Mediterranean diets. The control group received education on following a low-fat diet, while the groups on Mediterranean diets received nutritional education and also free foods; either extra virgin olive oil, or nuts. Trained personnel measured participants’ BP at baseline and once yearly during a 4-year follow-up. We used generalized estimating equations to assess the differences between groups during the follow-up.ResultsThe percentage of participants with controlled BP increased in all three intervention groups (P-value for within-group changes: P<0.001). Participants allocated to either of the two Mediterranean diet groups had significantly lower diastolic BP than the participants in the control group (−1.53 mmHg (95% confidence interval (CI) −2.01 to −1.04) for the Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil, and −0.65 mmHg (95% CI -1.15 to −0.15) mmHg for the Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts). No between-group differences in changes of systolic BP were seen.ConclusionsBoth the traditional Mediterranean diet and a low-fat diet exerted beneficial effects on BP and could be part of advice to patients for controlling BP. However, we found lower values of diastolic BP in the two groups promoting the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil or with nuts than in the control group.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN3573963

Integrating sequence and array data to create an improved 1000 Genomes Project haplotype reference panel

A major use of the 1000 Genomes Project (1000GP) data is genotype imputation in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Here we develop a method to estimate haplotypes from low-coverage sequencing data that can take advantage of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray genotypes on the same samples. First the SNP array data are phased to build a backbone (or 'scaffold') of haplotypes across each chromosome. We then phase the sequence data 'onto' this haplotype scaffold. This approach can take advantage of relatedness between sequenced and non-sequenced samples to improve accuracy. We use this method to create a new 1000GP haplotype reference set for use by the human genetic community. Using a set of validation genotypes at SNP and bi-allelic indels we show that these haplotypes have lower genotype discordance and improved imputation performance into downstream GWAS samples, especially at low-frequency variants. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Ractopamine in diets for finishing gilts

An experiment was carried out using 468 gilts, with an initial weight of 84.77 ± 7.20 kg and allotted into 36 pens to evaluate the effect of the addition of ractopamine in the diets on performance, characteristics and yields of carcass comercial cuts, composition and retail cuts of ham. It was used a randomized block design with four levels of ractopamine (0, 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg of diet) and nine replicates with 13 animals per experimental unit. The initial body weight of the animals was the criterion used to form the blocks. It was not observed any effects of levels of ractopamine on daily weight gain of the animals. Daily feed intake presented a linear reduction when the level of dietary ractopamine was increased. Feed conversion of the animals was linearly improved with the inclusion of ractopamine in the diet. Significant differences were verified at fat and meat proportions on the carcass and wholesale cuts. There was a decreasing linear effect caused by ractopamine on the quantity and depth of fat and a linear increasing effect on lean percentage, on ham meat and on the weights of semimembranosus and gluteus medius. Diets for finishing gilts should contain 15 mg/kg of ractopamine per kg.Foi realizado um experimento utilizando-se 468 fêmeas, com peso inicial de 84,77 ± 7,20 kg, alojadas em 36 baias, para avaliar os efeitos da adição de ractopamina nas dietas sobre o desempenho, as características e os rendimentos de cortes comerciais da carcaça, a composição e os cortes cárneos do pernil. O desenho experimental usado foi o de blocos ao acaso com quatro níveis de ractopamina (0, 5, 10 e 15 mg/kg de dieta) e nove repetições com 13 animais por unidade experimental. O critério para formação dos blocos foi o peso inicial dos animais. Não foram observados efeitos dos níveis de ractopamina sobre o ganho de peso diário dos animais. O consumo diário de ração apresentou redução linear com o aumento do nível de ractopamina nas dietas. A conversão alimentar dos animais melhorou de forma linear com a inclusão de ractopamina na dieta dos animais. Verificaram-se também diferenças significativas na proporção de gordura e carne na carcaça e nos cortes cárneos. Houve efeito linear decrescente da ractopamina sobre a quantidade e profundidade de gordura e efeito linear crescente sobre a porcentagem de carne magra, de carne no pernil e sobre os pesos de semimembranosus e gluteus medius. Dietas para fêmeas suínas em fase final de terminação devem conter 15 mg de ractopamina por kg

Walkability and self-rated health in primary care patients

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived walkability and overall self-rated health among patients who use community-based clinics. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a convenience sample in three community clinics. Forms were completed by 793 clinic patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis was to control for the effects of demographic variables and lifestyles. RESULTS: Perceiving the availability of places to walk was related to better self-rated health. The most important places were work (OR = 3.2), community center (OR = 3.12), park (OR = 2.45) and day care (OR = 2.05). Respondents who said they had zero (OR = .27) or one (OR = .49) place to walk were significantly less healthy than persons who said they had five or more places to walk. CONCLUSION: Persons who perceived that they had no place to walk were significantly less healthy than persons who thought they had at least one place to walk (OR = .39). Support for walkable neighborhoods and education of patients about options for walking may be in the best interests of community medicine patients

Fate of non O157 Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli in ovine manure composting

Livestock manure may contain pathogenic microorganisms which pose a risk to thehealth of animal or humans if the manure is not adequately treated or disposed of. Todetermine the fate of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) nonO157 in composted manure from naturally colonized sheep, fresh manure was obtainedfrom animals carrying bacterial cells with stx1/ stx2 genes. Two composting systems were used, aerated andnon-aerated, and the experiments were done in Dracena city, São Paulo State. Everyweek, for seven weeks, one manure sample from six different points in both systemwas collected and cultured to determine the presence of E. coli, thepresence of the virulence genes in the cells, and also the susceptibility to 10antimicrobial drugs. The temperature was verified at each sampling. STEC non-O157survived for 49 days in both composting systems. E. coli non-STECshowing a high degree of antibiotic resistance was recovered all long the compostingperiod. No relationship was established between the presence of virulence genes andantibiotic resistance. The presence of virulence genes and multiple antibioticresistances in E. coli implicates a potential risk for these genespread in the human food chain, which is a reason for concern.Esterco de animais de criação pode conter microrganismos patogênicos, o querepresenta um risco para a saúde animal e a humana se o esterco não for adequadamentetratado ou descartado. Determinou-se o tempo necessário para a eliminação de Escherichia coli Shiga toxigenica (STEC) não O157 em estercoovino composto, obtido de fezes frescas de ovelhas naturalmente colonizadas com cepaSTEC não O157 que apresentavam os genes stx1/ stx2. Foram utilizados dois sistemas decompostagem, aerado e não aerado, em experimentos realizados na cidade de Dracena,estado de São Paulo. Todas as semanas, durante sete semanas, uma amostra decompostagem proveniente de seis pontos diferentes na leira, nos dois sistemas, foicoletada e semeada para a determinação da presença de E. coli, dapresença de genes de virulência nas células, bem como da sensibilidade dessas célulaa 10 drogas antimicrobianas. Em cada amostragem, a temperatura da leira foianalisada. Células de STEC não O157 sobreviveram por 49 dias nos dois sistemas decompostagem. E. coli não STEC com um alto grau de resistência aantibióticos foi recuperada ao longo de todo o período de compostagem. Não foipossível estabelecer relação entre a presença de genes de virulência e a resistênciaa antibióticos. A presença de genes de virulência e a resistência a múltiploantibióticos em E. coli representam um risco potencial para oespalhamento desses genes na cadeia alimentar humana, o que é motivo de grandepreocupação.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade de São Paulo - FORPUniversidade Estadual Paulista-Unesp FCAVUnespFCAV-UnespUniversidade Estadual Paulista-Unesp FCAVUnespFCAV-UnespFAPESP: 2008/00434-

Inadequate child supervision: The role of alcohol outlet density, parent drinking behaviors, and social support

Supervisory neglect, or the failure of a caregiver to appropriately supervise a child, is one of the predominant types of neglectful behaviors, with alcohol use being considered a key antecedent to inadequate supervision of children. The current study builds on previous work by examining the role of parental drinking and alcohol outlet densities while controlling for caregiver and child characteristics. Data were obtained from 3,023 participants via a telephone survey from 50 cities throughout California. The telephone survey included items on neglectful parenting practices, drinking behaviors, and socio-demographic characteristics. Densities of alcohol outlets were measured for each of the 202 zip codes in the study. Multilevel Bernoulli models were used to analyze the relationship between four supervisory neglect parenting practices and individual-level and zip code-level variables. In our study, heavy drinking was only significantly related to one of our four outcome variables (leaving a child where he or she may not be safe). The density of on premise alcohol outlets was positively related to leaving a child home alone when an adult should be present. This study demonstrates that discrete relationships exist between alcohol related variables, social support, and specific supervisory neglect subtypes at the ecological and individual levels

Avaliação econômica da utilização de diferentes níveis de polpa cítrica com ou sem adição de complexo enzimático nas dietas de suínos

Avaliou-se economicamente o efeito da inclusãode 0, 5, 10 e 15% de polpa cítrica (PC), com ou sem adição do complexo enzimático, sobre o desempenho de 72 suínos, dos 25,71±7,51 aos 98,81±10,64kg de peso. Com este peso final, os animais foram abatidos, e dos valores (R$) da carcaça, incluindo os índices de bonificação, foram descontados o valor de compra dos animais e os custos com alimentação, de acordo com cada tratamento. Para os custos com alimentação, foi observado aumento linear (P=0,0190), enquanto para as receitas bruta (P=0,0328) e líquida (P=0,0013) parciais foram encontradas reduções lineares em função das porcentagens de PC com ou sem a adição do complexo enzimático. Considerando-se a evolução dos preços do milho, farelo de soja e do suíno durante o ano de 2008, foram determinados 12 cenários diferentes para a receita líquida parcial e, em todos eles, foi observada redução linear em função da inclusão da PC, com ou sem adição do complexo enzimático. Conclui-se que a utilização de PC, com ou sem adição do complexo enzimático, não reduziu os custos com alimentação, não sendo economicamente viável sua inclusão nas rações de suínos em crescimento e terminação

Integrating micro-algae into wastewater treatment: A review

Improving the ecological status of water sources is a growing focus for many developed and developing nations, in particular with reducing nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater effluent. In recent years, mixotrophic micro-algae have received increased interest in implementing them as part of wastewater treatment. This is based on their ability to utilise organic and inorganic carbon, as well as inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) in wastewater for their growth, with the desired results of a reduction in the concentration of these substances in the water. The aim of this review is to provide a critical account of micro-algae as an important step in wastewater treatment for enhancing the reduction of N, P and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater, whilst utilising a fraction of the energy demand of conventional biological treatment systems. Here, we begin with an overview of the various steps in the treatment process, followed by a review of the cellular and metabolic mechanisms that micro-algae use to reduce N, P and COD of wastewater with identification of when the process may potentially be most effective. We also describe the various abiotic and biotic factors influencing micro-algae wastewater treatment, together with a review of bioreactor configuration and design. Furthermore, a detailed overview is provided of the current state-of-the-art in the use of micro-algae in wastewater treatment

Gas storage

International audienceThe continuous increase of energy demands based on fossil fuels in the last years have lead to an increase of greenhouse gases (GHG) emission which strongly contribute to global warming. The main strategies to limit this phenomenon are related to the efficient capture of these gases and to the development of renewable energies sources with limited environmental impact. Particularly, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are the main constituents of greenhouse gases while hydrogen (H2) is considered an alternative clean energy source to fossil fuels. Therefore, tremendous research to store these gases has been reported by several approaches and among them the physisorption on activated carbons (AC) have received significant attention. Their abundance, low cost and tunable porous structure and chemical functionalities with an existing wide range of precursors that includes bio-wastes make them ideal candidates for gas applications. This chapter presents the recent developments on CH4, CO2 and H2 storage by activated carbons with focus on biomass as precursor materials. An analysis of the main carbon properties affecting the AC's adsorption capacity (i.e. specific surface area, pore size and surface chemistry) is discussed in detail herein