Fact or artefact : the impact of measurement errors on the farm size - productivity relationship

This paper revisits the role of land measurement error in the inverse farm size and productivity relationship. By making use of data from a nationally representative household survey from Uganda, in which self-reported land size information is complemented by plot measurements collected using Global Position System devices, the authors reject the hypothesis that the inverse relationship may just be a statistical artifact linked to problems with land measurement error. In particular, the paper explores: (i) the determinants of the bias in land measurement, (ii) how this bias varies systematically with plot size and landholding, and (iii) the extent to which land measurement error affects the relative advantage of smallholders implied by the inverse relationship. The findings indicate that using an improved measure of land size strengthens the evidence in support of the existence of the inverse relationship

Retromode imaging modality of epiretinal membranes

(1) Purpose: To determine the characteristics of macular epiretinal membranes (ERM) using non-invasive retromode imaging (RMI) and to compare retromode images with those acquired via fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and fundus photography. (2) Methods: Prospective observational case-series study including patients with macular ERM with no other ocular disease affecting their morphology and/or imaging quality. We compared RMI, FAF and fundus photography features by cropping and overlapping images to obtain topographic correspondence. (3) Results: In total, 21 eyes (21 patients) affected by ERM were included in this study. The mean area of retinal folds detected by RMI was significantly higher than that detected by FAF (11.85 ± 3.92 mm2 and 5.67 ± 2.15 mm2, respectively, p < 0.05) and similar to that revealed by fundus photography (11.85 ± 3.92 mm2 and 10.58 ± 3.45 mm2, respectively, p = 0.277). (4) Conclusions: RMI appears to be a useful tool in the evaluation of ERMs. It allows for an accurate visualization of the real extension of the retinal folds and provides a precise structural assessment of the macula before surgery. Clinicians should be aware of RMI's advantages and should be able to use them to warrant a wide range of information and, thus, a more personalized therapeutic approach

Chronotype: A Tool to Screen Eating Habits in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age, whose lifestyle approach is an essential part of the treatment. Recently, chronotype, i.e., a trait that determines individual’s circadian preference in behavioral and biological rhythms, has been reported to play a role in determining nutrition preferences and the risk of developing chronic diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate if chronotype categories (morning, evening, and neither) could be used as tool to screen eating habits in women with PCOS. In this observational cross-sectional study, we assessed anthropometric measurements, lifestyle habits, chronotype categories, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, dietary pattern, and metabolic parameters in 112 women with PCOS. Chronotype was classified as morning in 27.7%, evening in 42.9%, and neither in 29.5% of subjects. Women with PCOS with evening chronotype showed significantly higher percentages of grade I (p = 0.003) and grade II obesity (p = 0.001), did less regular exercise (p 2.5) than other two chronotypes (p < 0.001). Women with PCOS with evening chronotype had the lowest PREvención con DIetaMEDiterránea (PREDIMED) score, consumed more calories (p < 0.001), total (p < 0.001) and simple carbohydrates (p < 0.001), total fat (p < 0.001) and saturated fatty acids (p < 0.001), polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.001) and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.001), and less fiber (p < 0.001) than women with PCOS with other chronotypes. In addition, women with PCOS with evening chronotype consumed less extra virgin olive oil (p = 0.001), legumes (p = 0.038), fish/seafood (p < 0.001), and tree nuts (p = 0.041) than women with PCOS of the other two chronotype categories and less red wine (p < 0.001) and more red/processed meat (p < 0.001) than women with PCOS with morning chronotype. In conclusion, in women with PCOS, evening chronotype has been associated with a most severe insulin resistance and unhealthiest eating habits. Thus, chronotype assessment could be an effective tool to screen the eating habits, and more generally the lifestyle, of women with PCOS

Tales of the unexpected: The case of zirconium(IV) complexes with desferrioxamine

The Zr4+ complexes with desferrioxamine (H3DFO) and its derivatives are the only 89Zr-based imaging agents for proton emission tomography (PET) that have been used so far in clinical trials. Nevertheless, a complete speciation of the Zr4+/H3DFO system in solution has never been performed and the stability constants of the relevant complexes are still unknown. Here we report, for the first time, the speciation of this system in water, performed by potentiometric titrations, and the determination of the stability constants of all complexes formed in the pH range 2.5&ndash;11.5. Surprisingly, although desferrioxamine gives rise to very stable 1:1 complexes with Zr4+ (logK = 36.14 for Zr4+ + DFO3&minus; = [ZrDFO]+), 2:2 and 2:3 ones are also formed in solution. Depending on the conditions, these binuclear complexes can be main species in solution. These results were corroborated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and MALDI mass spectrometry analyses of complex solutions. Information on complex structures was obtained by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations

Somatotropic Axis and Obesity: Is There Any Role for the Mediterranean Diet?

Obesity is associated with reduced spontaneous and stimulated growth hormone (GH) secretion and basal insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) levels-which in turn is associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to investigate: (1) the association of somatotropic axis with cardiometabolic status; (2) the association of somatotropic axis with the Mediterranean diet and nutritional pattern in people with obesity. Cross-sectional observational study was carried out in 200 adult women, aged 36.98 ± 11.10 years with severe obesity (body mass index-BMI of 45.19 ± 6.30 kg/m2). The adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the total calorie intake was assessed. Anthropometric measurements, body composition and biochemical profile were determined along with Growth Hormone (GH)/Insulin like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) axis and insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance-HoMA-IR). The enrolled subjects were compared after being divided according to GH peak response and according to IGF-1 standard deviation scores (SDS). Derangements of GH peak were detected in 61.5% of studied patients while IGF-1 deficiency was detected in 71% of the population. Both blunted GH peak response and IGF-1 SDS were indicators of derangements of somatotropic axis and were associated with comparable results in terms of cardiometabolic sequelae. Both GH peak and IGF-1 levels were inversely associated with anthropometric and metabolic parameters. The adherence to the Mediterranean diet predicts GH peak response. Fatty liver index (FLI), fat mass (FM) and phase angle (PhA) were predictive factors of GH peak response as well. In conclusion derangements of somatotropic axis is associated with a worse cardiometabolic profile in people with obesity. A high adherence to the Mediterranean diet-and in particular protein intake-was associated with a better GH status

The importance of being a ‘lark’ in post-menopausal women with obesity: A ploy to prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus?

Chronotype is defined as the behavioral manifestation of circadian rhythms related to the external light–dark cycle. Evening chronotype has been associated with an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases in obesity. Menopause is a lifestage associated with an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases and a change in circadian rhythmicity compared to pre-menopause. However, the prevalence of chronotype categories in menopause and their role in determining menopause-related cardiometabolic risk, mostly in obesity, have not been investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronotype categories in post-menopausal women with obesity and their role in menopause-related cardiometabolic risk. In this cross-sectional study we enrolled 49 pre-menopausal and 74 post-menopausal women with obesity. Anthropometric parameters, lifestyle habits, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), sleep quality, chronotype and the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were studied. No significance differences were detected in terms of lifestyle and adherence to the MD between pre-and post-menopausal women. Chronotype was classified as morning in 66 (53.6%), evening in 20 (16.3%) and intermediate in 37 (30.1%) women. In addition, pre-menopausal women with obesity showed a significantly higher chance to have an intermediate chronotype (OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.28–3.83; p = 0.004), whereas post-menopausal women with obesity showed a trend to have a higher morning chronotype (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 0.98–2.06; p = 0.051), although this did not reach statistical significance. No significant differences were detected in terms of prevalence of evening chronotype between the two groups. However, the evening chronotype had a significantly higher risk to have T2DM compared to the morning (OR = 17.29, 95% CI 2.40–124.27; p = 0.005) and intermediate chronotypes (OR = 30.86, 95% CI 2.05–464.32; p = 0.013) in both pre-and post-menopausal women with obesity. In conclusion, the intermediate chronotype was significantly more prevalent in pre-menopausal women with obesity compared to post-menopausal women. Evening chronotype was associated to T2DM in both pre-and post-menopause. These results support the importance of including the assessment of chronotype in the management of women with obesity in post-menopause

Sensing Zn2+ in aqueous solution with a fluorescent scorpiand macrocyclic ligand decorated with an anthracene bearing tail

Synthesis of the new scorpiand ligand L composed of a [9]aneN3 macrocyclic ring bearing a CH2CH2NHCH2-anthracene tail is reported. L forms both cation (Zn2+) and anion (phosphate, benzoate) complexes. In addition, the zinc complexes of L bind these anions. The equilibrium constants for ligand protonation and complex formation were determined in 0.1 M NaCl aqueous solution at 298.1 ± 0.1 K by means of potentiometric (pH-metric) titrations. pH Controlled coordination/detachment of the ligand tail to Zn2+ switch on and off the fluorescence emission from the anthracene fluorophore. Accordingly, L is able to sense Zn2+ in the pH range 6–10 down to nM concentrations of the metal ion. L can efficiently sense Zn2+ even in the presence of large excess of coordinating anions, such as cyanide, sulphide, phosphate and benzoate, despite their ability to bind the metal ion