Community Interventions to Improve Cooking Skills and Their Effects on Confidence and Eating Behaviour

Purpose of Review: Community-based interventions aiming to improve cooking skills are a popular strategy to promote healthy eating. We reviewed current evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions on different confidence aspects and fruit and vegetable intake. Recent Findings: Evaluation of cooking programmes consistently report increased confidence in cooking skills in adults across different age groups and settings. The effectiveness of these programmes on modifying eating behaviour is less consistent, but small increases in self-reported consumption of fruit and vegetables are also described. Lack of large samples, randomization and control groups and long-term evaluation are methodological limitations of the evidence reviewed. Summary: Cooking skill interventions can have a positive effect on food literacy, particularly in improving confidence on cooking and fruit and vegetable consumption, with vulnerable, low-socieconomic groups gaining more benefits. Consistency across study designs, delivery and evaluation of outcomes both at short and long terms are warranted to draw clearer conclusions on how cooking programmes are contributing to improve diet and health

Evidence for mechanisms underlying the functional benefits of a myocardial matrix hydrogel for post-MI treatment

Background There is increasing need for better therapies to prevent the development of heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI). An injectable hydrogel derived from decellularized porcine ventricular myocardium has been shown to halt the post-infarction progression of negative left ventricular remodeling and decline in cardiac function in both small and large animal models. Objectives This study sought to elucidate the tissue-level mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefits of myocardial matrix injection. Methods Myocardial matrix or saline was injected into infarcted myocardium 1 week after ischemia-reperfusion in Sprague-Dawley rats. Cardiac function was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and hemodynamic measurements at 5 weeks after injection. Whole transcriptome microarrays were performed on RNA isolated from the infarct at 3 days and 1 week after injection. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and histologic quantification confirmed expression of key genes and their activation in altered pathways. Results Principal component analysis of the transcriptomes showed that samples collected from myocardial matrix-injected infarcts are distinct and cluster separately from saline-injected control subjects. Pathway analysis indicated that these differences are due to changes in several tissue processes that may contribute to improved cardiac healing after MI. Matrix-injected infarcted myocardium exhibits an altered inflammatory response, reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, enhanced infarct neovascularization, diminished cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, altered metabolic enzyme expression, increased cardiac transcription factor expression, and progenitor cell recruitment, along with improvements in global cardiac function and hemodynamics. Conclusions These results indicate that the myocardial matrix alters several key pathways after MI creating a pro-regenerative environment, further demonstrating its promise as a potential post-MI therapy

IU School of Medicine Correctional Medicine Student Outreach Project

Background: This project was founded on the basis that correctional medicine is an important component frequently missing from medical education. Opportunities to participate in medical care within correctional facilities, while concurrently engaging in discussions about disproportionate incarceration of certain populations and mass incarceration as a whole, will cultivate empathetic, socially-engaged, and passionate young physicians. This student organization was formed to facilitate clinical opportunities within correctional facilities and host events that focus on the broader socioeconomic and political context and forms of structural and cultural violence that have contributed to mass incarceration in the United States. Methods: In order to facilitate organizational goals, a relationship was fostered between IUSM and Dr. Kristen Dauss, the Chief Medical Officer of the IDOC. Following affiliation agreements, students may now gain clinical exposure at any facility in the state. Since its creation, IUCM has hosted virtual educational lectures, panels, and journal clubs, in collaboration with other student organizations and scholars in the field. The organization encourages engagement with original research in coordination with faculty advisors. We have also worked with administration to incorporate correctional health topics officially into the curriculum. Conclusions: As physicians who will practice medicine in the country with the highest incarceration rate in the world, having a fundamental understanding of topics related to correctional health, adverse health experiences while incarcerated, and longstanding traumatic effects of incarceration is imperative. IUCM’s goal is to create introductory materials and share resources relating to the socioeconomic and political context which has led to mass incarceration and the deficits in care for currently and formerly incarcerated people. Developing a better understanding of the justice system as well as the emotional, mental, and physical impact incarceration has on patients, and will stimulate interest in engaging with these concepts through research, volunteer work, educational events, and in patient care

The Figure in Art: Selections from the Gettysburg College Collection

The Figure in Art: Selections from the Gettysburg College Collection is the second annual exhibition curated by students enrolled in the Art History Methods class. This exhibition is an exciting academic endeavor and provides an incredible opportunity for engaged learning, research, and curatorial experience. The eleven student curators are Diane Brennan, Rebecca Duffy, Kristy Garcia, Megan Haugh, Dakota Homsey, Molly Lindberg, Kathya Lopez, Kelly Maguire, Kylie McBride, Carolyn McBrady and Erica Schaumberg. Their research presents a multifaceted view of the representation of figures in various art forms from different periods and cultures.https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/artcatalogs/1017/thumbnail.jp

Effect of Shear on Performance and Microbial Ecology of Continuously Stirred Anaerobic Digesters Treating Animal Manure

We Determined the Effect of Different Mixing Intensities on the Performance, Methanogenic Population Dynamics, and Juxtaposition of Syntrophic Microbes in Anaerobic Digesters Treating Cow Manure from a Dairy Farm. Computer Automated Radioactive Particle Tracking in Conjunction with Computational Fluid Dynamics Was Performed to Quantify the Shear Levels Locally. Four Continuously Stirred Anaerobic Digesters Were Operated at Different Mixing Intensities of 1,500, 500, 250, and 50 Revolutions Per Min (RPM) over a 260-Day Period at a Temperature of 34 ± 1°C. Animal Manure at a Volatile Solids (VS) Concentration of 50 G/L Was Fed into the Digesters Daily at Five Different Organic Loading Rates between 0.6 and 3.5 G vs./L Day. the Different Mixing Intensities Had No Effect on the Biogas Production Rates and Yields at Steady-State Conditions. a Methane Yield of 0.241 ± 0.007 L CH 4/g vs. Fed Was Obtained by Pooling the Data of All Four Digesters during Steady-State Periods. However, Digester Performance Was Affected Negatively by Mixing Intensity during Startup of the Digesters, with Lower Biogas Production Rates and Higher Volatile Fatty Acids Concentrations Observed for the 1,500-RPM Digester. Despite Similar Methane Production Yields and Rates, the Acetoclastic Methanogenic Populations Were Different for the High- and Low-Intensity Mixed Digesters with Methanosarcina Spp. and Methanosaeta Concilii as the Predominant Methanogens, Respectively. for All Four Digesters, Epifluorescence Microscopy Revealed Decreasing Microbial Floc Sizes Beginning at Week 4 and Continuing through Week 26 after Which No Microbial Flocs Remained. This Decrease in Size, and Subsequent Loss of Microbial Flocs Did Not, However, Produce Any Long-Term Upsets in Digester Performance. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Effect of Leaf Phosphorus and Potassium Concentration on Chlorophyll Meter Reading in Rice

Chlorophyll meter (SPAD) is a convenient tool to estimate leaf nitrogen (N) concentration of rice plants. There is no information on the effects of leaf phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentration on SP AD readings and on the relationship between SPAD values and leaf N concentration in the literature. In 1996 dry season, cv IR72 was grown at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) under various N, P and K fertilizer combinations. SPAD measurements were made on the topmost fully expanded leaves at mid-tillering and panicle initiation. The leaves were then detached, dried and analyzed for N, P and K. The SPAD values were highly correlated with leaf N concentration (r = 0.93 to 0.96). Fertilizer-K application did not affect SP AD values, leaf N concentration, or the relationship between the two. Phosphorus deficiency reduced leaf N concentration at mid-tillering, but increased leaf N concentration at panicle initiation when the same amount of N was applied. The SPAD values were 1 to 2 units greater for zero-P plants than P-treated plants at a given leaf N concentration at mid-tillering. At panicle initiation, the relationship between SPAD values and leaf N concentration was not significantly affected by leaf P status. These results suggest that a different regression equation between SP AD values and leaf N concentration should be used to estimate leaf N concentration of P-deficient and P-sufficient rice leaves at vegetative stage using a SPAD

Improvement in diastolic suction in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy after septal ablation

Background: The ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) version 1.0 (v1.0) was published in May 2015 and was the first version of a validated and reproducible tool to assess the magnitude of clinical benefit from new cancer therapies. The ESMO-MCBS was designed to be a dynamic tool with planned revisions and updates based upon recognition of expanding needs and shortcomings identified since the last review. Methods: The revision process for the ESMO-MCBS incorporates a nine-step process: Careful review of critiques and suggestions, and identification of problems in the application of v1.0; Identification of shortcomings for revision in the upcoming version; Proposal and evaluation of solutions to address identified shortcomings; Field testing of solutions; Preparation of a near-final revised version for peer review for reasonableness by members of the ESMO Faculty and Guidelines Committee; Amendments based on peer review for reasonableness; Near-final review by members of the ESMO-MCBS Working Group and the ESMO Executive Board; Final amendments; Final review and approval by members of the ESMO-MCBS Working Group and the ESMO Executive Board. Results: Twelve issues for revision or amendment were proposed for consideration; proposed amendments were formulated for eight identified shortcomings. The proposed amendments are classified as either structural, technical, immunotherapy triggered or nuanced. All amendments were field tested in a wide range of studies comparing scores generated with ESMO-MCBS v1.0 and version 1.1 (v1.1). Conclusions: ESMO-MCBS v1.1 incorporates 10 revisions and will allow for scoring of single-arm studies. Scoring remains very stable; revisions in v1.1 alter the scores of only 12 out of 118 comparative studies and facilitate scoring for single-arm studies

Modifying effect of obesity on the association between sitting time and incident diabetes in post-menopausal women

Objective: To evaluate the association between self-reported daily sitting time and the incidence of type II diabetes in a cohort of postmenopausal women. Design and Methods Women (N = 88,829) without diagnosed diabetes reported the number of hours spent sitting over a typical day. Incident cases of diabetes were identified annually by self-reported initiation of using oral medications or insulin for diabetes over 14.4 years follow-up. Results: Each hour of sitting time was positively associated with increased risk of diabetes (Risk ratio (RR): 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.08]. However, sitting time was only positively associated with incident diabetes in obese women. Obese women reporting sitting 8–11 (RR: 1.08; 95% CI 1.0–1.1), 12–15 (OR: 1.13; 95% CI 1.0–1.2), and ≥16 hours (OR: 1.25; 95% CI 1.0–1.5) hours per day had an increased risk of diabetes compared to women sitting ≤ 7 hours per day. These associations were adjusted for demographics, health conditions, behaviors (smoking, diet and alcohol intake) and family history of diabetes. Time performing moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity did not modify these associations. Conclusion: Time spent sitting was independently associated with increased risk of diabetes diagnosis among obese women— a population already at high risk of the disease

The synergistic response of primary production in grasslands to combined nitrogen and phosphorus addition is caused by increased nutrient uptake and retention

Background and aimsA synergistic response of aboveground plant biomass production to combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition has been observed in many ecosystems, but the underlying mechanisms and their relative importance are not well known. We aimed at evaluating several mechanisms that could potentially cause the synergistic growth response, such as changes in plant biomass allocation, increased N and P uptake by plants, and enhanced ecosystem nutrient retention.MethodsWe studied five grasslands located in Europe and the USA that are subjected to an element addition experiment composed of four treatments: control (no element addition), N addition, P addition, combined NP addition.ResultsCombined NP addition increased the total plant N stocks by 1.47 times compared to the N treatment, while total plant P stocks were 1.62 times higher in NP than in single P addition. Further, higher N uptake by plants in response to combined NP addition was associated with reduced N losses from the soil (evaluated based on soil delta N-15) compared to N addition alone, indicating a higher ecosystem N retention. In contrast, the synergistic growth response was not associated with significant changes in plant resource allocation.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that the commonly observed synergistic effect of NP addition on aboveground biomass production in grasslands is caused by enhanced N uptake compared to single N addition, and increased P uptake compared to single P addition, which is associated with a higher N and P retention in the ecosystem