Aldosterone status associates with insulin resistance in patients with heart failure-data from the ALOFT study

<b>Background</b>: Aldosterone plays a key role in the pathophysiology of heart failure. In around 50% of such patients, aldosterone 'escapes' from inhibition by drugs that interrupt the renin-angiotensin axis; such patients have a worse clinical outcome. Insulin resistance is a risk factor in heart failure and cardiovascular disease. The relationship between aldosterone status and insulin sensitivity was investigated in a cohort of heart failure patients. <b>Methods</b>: 302 patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-IV heart failure on conventional therapy were randomized in ALiskiren Observation of heart Failure Treatment study (ALOFT), designed to test the safety of a directly acting renin inhibitor. Plasma aldosterone and 24-hour urinary aldosterone excretion as well as fasting insulin and Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured. Subjects with aldosterone escape and high urinary aldosterone were identified according to previously accepted definitions. <b>Results</b>: Twenty per-cent of subjects demonstrated aldosterone escape and 34% had high urinary aldosterone levels. At baseline, there was a positive correlation between fasting insulin and plasma(r=0.22 p<0.01) and urinary aldosterone(r=0.19 p<0.03). Aldosterone escape and high urinary aldosterone subjects both demonstrated higher levels of fasting insulin (p<0.008, p<0.03), HOMA-IR (p<0.06, p<0.03) and insulin-glucose ratios (p<0.006, p<0.06) when compared to low aldosterone counterparts. All associations remained significant when adjusted for potential confounders. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study demonstrates a novel direct relationship between aldosterone status and insulin resistance in heart failure. This observation merits further study and may identify an additional mechanism that contributes to the adverse clinical outcome associated with aldosterone escape

Livestock extension message development guidelines

Communication of information and knowledge with farmers and pastoralists is key to creating awareness about challenges and opportunities and inducing behaviour change. Extension services are the main vehicle for providing information, knowledge and advisory services to rural people. Thus, frontline extension agents are the primary advisers and information providers to women and men community members on agriculture, livestock, environment, animal and human health issues. Extension advisors require skill sets that include situation analysis, planning, message development, communication skills and cultural competence. Clarity on why, what, how, when and to whom to communicate messages is vital in providing extension advice. This document provides guidelines for extension (including livestock extension) agents on good communication practices and attributes of good extension messages, including how to develop effective extension messages and materials that can apply to different sectors, such as agriculture, livestock, environment and animal and human health. It is vital for extension agents to understand the benefits and characteristics of good extension messages as one of the components of the communication process

Detecting the Most Distant (z>7) Objects with ALMA

Detecting and studying objects at the highest redshifts, out to the end of Cosmic Reionization at z>7, is clearly a key science goal of ALMA. ALMA will in principle be able to detect objects in this redshift range both from high-J (J>7) CO transitions and emission from ionized carbon, [CII], which is one of the main cooling lines of the ISM. ALMA will even be able to resolve this emission for individual targets, which will be one of the few ways to determine dynamical masses for systems in the Epoch of Reionization. We discuss some of the current problems regarding the detection and characterization of objects at high redshifts and how ALMA will eliminate most (but not all) of them.Comment: to appear in Astrophysics and Space Science, "Science with ALMA: a new era for Astrophysics", ed. R. Bachille

Training material on sheeppox and goatpox (SGP) prevention and control for pastoralists/farmers

Small ruminants are the main source of livelihood for millions of smallholder farmers/pastoralists in Ethiopia. Production diseases are among the major constraints to small ruminant production. Sheeppox and goatpox (SGP) is one of the diseases that affect sheep and goats production having huge economic implications. Good management plays a significant role in prevention and control of the disease. However, smallholder pastoralists/farmers have limited awareness and knowledge on the natural history of the disease and the prevention measures. Raising their awareness and knowledge through community based experiential training can help reduce disease incidence resulting in decreased economic losses