Spatio-temporal variability in ecophysiological determinants of performance: a study in perennial herbs of coastal foredunes

Plant species of coastal dune systems have to cope with harsh environmental conditions caused by stress factors and disturbances. These conditions are highly variable in a wide range of intensities and frequencies in time and in space, mainly along shoreline-inland gradients. Plant species have acquired multiple adaptations to survive and grow, showing contrasted morphologies and life forms. Our aim was to determine the variability in plant performance, from an ecophysiological perspective. We studied the spatial, temporal and intra/inter- specific variabilities in some of the main functional and structural traits of plants. We also investigated species strategies (configuration of traits) seeking to identify processes of convergence or divergence. We observed a great variability at the different temporal ranges (annual, seasonal, monthly and minutes), spatial (small homogeneous area to several hundred of meters gradient), intra/inter- specific (5 species). In addition, we found a great divergence in the configuration of traits, observing contrasted plant strategies

Quality attributes of lamb meat from European breeds: Effects of intrinsic properties and storage

The sustainability of the European sheep farming sector can be ensured through the high and consistent quality of products, although the concept of meat quality, being multifaceted, is challenging to keep up by farmers and producers. The objectives of this study were (i) to evaluate quality attributes (CIE L*, a*, b*, lipid oxidation, cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler texture test) of lamb meat during cold storage originating from eight European breeds raised under their normal production systems (n = 292 lambs); and (ii) to elucidate the influence of storage and intrinsic properties (cold carcass weight [CCW], ultimate pH [pH24], water activity [aw], and proximate composition) on the aforementioned quality attributes measured on the 3rd, 9th and 15th day post slaughter. All meat quality properties displayed a high variability due to the breed × production systems, although, as a whole, L*, a*, b*, TBARs and cooking loss increased during storage (P lt 0.001), whereas the tenderisation process was of non-linear decay nature (P = 0.001). While production system – taken across breeds – was not found to affect meat cooking losses, it heavily influenced CCW, producing intensive systems heavier (P lt 0.001) carcasses (21.4 kg) than those raised in semi-extensive (14.9 kg) and extensive systems (13.8 kg). On the 15th day of storage, TBARs from intensive systems was significantly (P lt 0.001) higher than those of extensively raised lambs (0.839 mg MDA/kg vs. 0.299 mg MDA/kg, respectively). Although the extensive and semi-extensive systems initially produced less tender meat (P lt 0.05) than intensive systems, on the 15th day of storage, meat from extensive (23.4 N/cm2) and semi-extensive systems (24.4 N/cm2) presented as good tenderness quality (P lt 0.10) as that of the intensive systems (22.1 N/cm2). Within breed × production systems, higher CCW or intramuscular fat was associated to darker meat (P lt 0.001 and P = 0.014), higher redness (P lt 0.001 for both), greater lipid oxidation (P = 0.016 and P lt 0.001), and lower slope (P = 0.014 and P = 0.004) and force (P = 0.027 and P = 0.001). The only intrinsic property that heavily affected most of the quality attributes was ash content, since meat of higher ash content presented higher luminosity (P = 0.008), and lower redness (P lt 0.001), yellowness (P lt 0.001), TBARS (P lt 0.001), cooking loss (P = 0.002) and tenderness (P lt 0.001). The elucidation of the impact of intrinsic properties on the lamb meat quality attributes during storage can help breeders and producers modify current flock management, feeding strategies and pre-slaughter and slaughter practices towards quality improvement or meeting particular consumers’ demands.The authors are grateful to EU ERA-NET programme and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for funding the project “EcoLamb–Holistic Production to Reduce the Ecological Footprint of Meat (SusAn/0002/2016). CIMO authors are grateful to FCT and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). Dr. Gonzales-Barron acknowledges the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the Institutional Scientific Employment Programme contract. José M. Lorenzo is member of the HealthyMeat network, funded by CYTED (ref. 119RT0568).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Asociación entre indicadores antropométricos y dislipidemia en adolescentes y adultos jóvenes de la ciudad de Caracas

Tradicionalmente se han utilizado algunos índices antropométricos para el diagnóstico de exceso de peso en niños y adolescentes que han mostrado algunas desventajas por lo que se han postulado otros indicadores. En ese sentido, se plantea estimar el nivel de asociación entre indicadores antropométricos y la presencia de dislipidemia en adolescentes y adultos jóvenes. Se realizó una investigación observacional, descriptiva y de corte transversal en 123 adolescentes (68,2% mujeres, edad promedio 14,5 años) y 122 adultos jóvenes (70,5% mujeres, edad promedio 21 años) de la ciudad de Caracas. Se calcularon Índices de Masa Corporal (IMC), Índice Cintura–Talla (ICT), Índice de Masa Corporal Abdominal (IMCA) e Índice de Masa Tri-Ponderal (IMT). Se obtuvo una muestra de sangre por punción venosa, en ayuno de 12 a 14 horas, a partir de la cual se cuantificó Colesterol Total, Lipoproteína de alta densidad y Triglicéridos. Se calculó la concentración de Lipoproteína de baja densidad por la fórmula de Friedewald, así como el índice LDL-C/HDL-C y el índice LogTg/HDL. Para el análisis e interpretación de los datos se utilizó estadística descriptiva univariante y multivariante. Los resultados revelaron que los índices antropométricos IMCA e IMT no mostraron mejor desempeño en predecir dislipidemia que los indicadores IMC, Circunferencia de Cintura (CC) e ICT en adolescentes y adultos jóvenes. Los indicadores antropométricos de adiposidad abdominal, CC e ICT, tendieron a presentar mayores OR, ABC, sensibilidad y especificidad independientemente del grupo de estudio. En general, la capacidad de los indicadores antropométricos evaluados en predecir la presencia de dislipidemia en adultos jóvenes fue adecuada, situación que no se presentó en los adolescentes.Traditionally, some anthropometric indices have been used for the diagnosis of excess weight in children and adolescents, which have shown some disadvantages for which other indicators have been postulated. In this sense, it is proposed to estimate the level of association between anthropometric indicators and the presence of dyslipidemia in adolescents and young adults. An observational, descriptive cross-sectional investigation was carried out in 123 adolescents (68,2% women, media age 14,5 years) and 122 young adults (70,5% women, media age 21 years) from the city of Caracas. Body Mass Indices (BMI), Waist-Height Ratio (WHR), Abdominal Body Mass Index (BMAI) and Tri-Ponderal Mass Index (TMI) were calculated. A blood sample was obtained by venipuncture, fasting for 12 to 14 hours, from which Total Cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein and Triglycerides were quantified. The low-density lipoprotein concentration was calculated by the FriedEwald formula, as well as the LDL-C / HDL-C index and the LogTg / HDL index. Univariate and multivariate descriptive statistics were used for the analysis and interpretation of the data. The results revealed that the BMI and TMI anthropometric indices did not show better performance in predicting dyslipidemia than the BMI, Waist Circumference (WC) and WHR indicators in adolescents and young adults. The anthropometric indicators of abdominal adiposity, WC and WHR, tended to present higher OR, AUC, sensitivity and specificity regardless of the study group. In general, the capacity of the anthropometric indicators evaluated to predict the presence of dyslipidemia in young adults was adequate, a situation that did not occur in adolescents