Ideal cardiovascular health and inflammation in European adolescents: The HELENA study

Background and aims Inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis and this process seems to appear in childhood. The ideal cardiovascular health index (ICHI) has been inversely related to atherosclerotic plaque in adults. However, evidence regarding inflammation and ICHI in adolescents is scarce. The aim is to assess the association between ICHI and inflammation in European adolescents. Methods and results As many as 543 adolescents (251 boys and 292 girls) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study, a cross-sectional multi-center study including 9 European countries, were measured. C-reactive protein (CRP), complement factors C3 and C4, leptin and white blood cell counts were used to compute an inflammatory score. Multilevel linear models and multilevel logistic regression were used to assess the association between ICHI and inflammation controlling by covariates. Higher ICHI was associated with a lower inflammatory score, as well as with several individual components, both in boys and girls (p < 0.01). In addition, adolescents with at least 4 ideal components of the ICHI had significantly lower inflammatory score and lower levels of the study biomarkers, except CRP. Finally, the multilevel logistic regression showed that for every unit increase in the ICHI, the probability of having an inflammatory profile decreased by 28.1% in girls. Conclusion Results from this study suggest that a better ICHI is associated with a lower inflammatory profile already in adolescence. Improving these health behaviors, and health factors included in the ICHI, could play an important role in CVD prevention

Efeito da fertilização nitrogenada em videira sobre a formação de alguns compostos volatéis no vinho Effect of vineyard nitrogen fertilization on the formation of some wine volatile coumpounds

Vitis vinifera cv. Gewürztraminer e Cabemet Sauvignon cultivadas em Santana do Livramento e Garibaldi foram submetidas a diferentes tratamentos nitrogenados realizados durante o período vegetativo de 1992-1993. Após a colheita e esmagamento o mosto obtido foi dividido em quatro lotes e fermentado com diferentes leveduras. As determinações dos compostos voláteis foram realizados através de cromatografia gasosa. Maiores valores de metanol foram encontrados nos vinhos de Cabemet Sauvignon (máximo 225,6mg/l). A fertilização nitrogenada provocou um aumento na concentração (mg/l) de propanol-1 (min. 25 -máx. 78,2) e uma diminuição de metil-2 propanol-1 (min. 60,8 - máx. 125,9) e metil-3 + metil-2 butanol-1 (min. 85,8 - máx. 407,8) nos vinhos. Os álcoois superiores apresentaram também diferenças em relação à região, cultivar e levedura utilizada.<br>Vitis vinifera Gewürztraminer (white variety) and Cabemet Sauvignon (red) growned in Santana do Livramento, RS, and Garibaldi, RS, were added with different nitrogen treatments in the vineyard during me 1992-1993 season. After harvest and crushing, the musts were divided into four lots each one added with a different yeast. The volatiles were analyzed through GC. Maximum amount of methanol was found with the red variety (225.6mg/l). Increasing nitrogen in the soil increased (mg/l) propanol-1 (min. 25-max. 78.2) and decreased methyl-2 propanol-1 (min. 60.8-max. 125.9) and methyl-3+methyl-2 butanol-1 (min. 85.8-max. 407.8). The fusel alcohol fraction showed, also, differences between region,grape variety and yeast used

Desenvolvimento pós-natal e potencial teratogênico da prole de ratos Wistar no estudo da toxicidade reprodutiva de duas preparações fitoterápicas contendo soja Glycine max (L.) Merr

Avaliou-se o efeito de duas preparações fitoterápicas comerciais que continham soja sobre o desenvolvimento geral e sexual da progênie de ratos Wistar e sobre o potencial teratogênico das preparações fitoterápicas durante um estudo de toxicidade reprodutiva. Para tanto, observaram-se, diariamente, as características de desenvolvimento dos filhotes e analisou-se o comportamento em campo aberto, e, para avaliar o potencial teratogênico, realizou-se diafanização dos fetos removidos por cesariana. Inferiu-se que o tratamento dos pais não comprometeu o desenvolvimento de sua progênie e também não determinou efeitos teratogênicos aos fetos de ratos Wistar

Human-Robot Adaptive Control of Object-Oriented Action

International audienceThis chapter is concerned with how implicit, nonverbal cues support coordinated action between two partners. Recently, neuroscientists have started uncovering the brain mechanisms involved in how people make predictions about other people's behavioural goals and intentions through action observation. To date, however, only a small number of studies have addressed how the involvement of a task partner influences the planning and control of one's own purposeful action. Here, we review three studies of cooperative action between human and robot partners that address the nature of predictive and reactive motor control in cooperative action. We conclude with a model which achieves motor coordination by task partners each adjusting their actions on the basis of previous trial outcome

Do dietary patterns determine levels of vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12 intake and corresponding biomarkers in European adolescents? The Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study

Objectives: To determine dietary patterns (DPs) and explain the highest variance of vitamin B6, folate, and B12 intake and related concentrations among European adolescents. Methods: A total of 2173 adolescents who participated in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study met the eligibility criteria for the vitamin B intake analysis (46% boys) and 586 adolescents for the biomarkers analysis (47% boys). Two non-consecutive, 24-h, dietary recalls were used to assess the mean intakes. Concentrations were measured by chromatography and immunoassay testing. A reduced rank regression was applied to elucidate the combined effect of food intake of vitamin B and related concentrations. Results: The identified DPs (one per vitamin B intake and biomarker and by sex) explained a variability between 34.2% and 23.7% of the vitamin B intake and between 17.2% and 7% of the biomarkers. In the reduced rank regression models, fish, eggs, cheese, whole milk and buttermilk intakes were loaded positively for vitamin B intake in both sexes; however, soft drinks and chocolate were loaded negatively. For the biomarkers, a higher variability was observed in the patterns in terms of food loads such as alcoholic drinks, sugars, and soft drinks. Some food items were loaded differently between intakes and biomarkers such as fish products, which was loaded positively for intakes but negatively for plasma folate in girls. Conclusions: The identified DPs explained up to 34.2% and 17.2% of the variability of the vitamin B intake and plasma concentrations, respectively, in European adolescents. Further studies are needed to elucidate the factors that determine such patterns

Associations between food portion sizes, insulin resistance, VO2 max and metabolic syndrome in European adolescents : the HELENA study

Background and aims: This study aims to examine the associations of food portion size (PS) with markers of insulin resistance (IR) and clustered of metabolic risk score in European ad-olescents. Methods: A total of 495 adolescents (53.5% females) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study were included. The association between PS from food groups and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, VO2 max, and metabolic risk score was assessed by multilinear regression analysis adjusting for several con-founders. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine the mean differences of food PS from food groups by HOMA-IR cutoff categories by using maternal education as a covariable.Results: Larger PS from vegetables in both gender and milk, yoghurt, and milk beverages in males were associated with higher VO2 max, while larger PS from margarines and vegetable oils were associated with lower VO2 max (p < 0.05). Males who consumed larger PS from fish and fish products; meat substitutes, nuts, and pulses; cakes, pies, and biscuits; and sugar, honey, jams, and chocolate have a higher metabolic risk score (p < 0.05). Males with lower HOMA-IR cutoff values consumed larger PS from vegetables, milk, yoghurt, and milk beverages (p < 0.05). Fe-males with lower HOMA-IR cutoff values consumed larger PS from breakfast cereals, while those with higher HOMA-IR cutoff values consumed larger PS from butter and animal fats (p = 0.018).Conclusion: The results show that larger PS from dairy products, cereals, and high energy dense foods are a significant determinant of IR and VO2 max, and larger PS from food with higher con-tent of sugar were associated with higher metabolic risk score