Farm Shops: A Direct-to-Consumer Extended Season Opportunity

This fact sheet discusses the impact of the expanding food tourism and local food movements on the demand for locally-produced goods, how farms shops can cater to that demand, the advantages and disadvantages of farms shops for both growers and consumers, and best practice suggestions for operating farm shops

Dietary treatment of Crohn’s disease: perceptions of families with children treated by exclusive enteral nutrition, a questionnaire survey

Background: Diet is strongly associated with the aetiology of Crohn’s Disease (CD) and exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is the primary induction treatment in paediatric CD. This study explored opinions around the use of EEN and alternative novel, solid food-based diets (SFDs) expressed by paediatric patients with CD, previously treated with EEN and their parents. Methods: This anonymous questionnaire surveyed families of CD patients treated with EEN over 1 year. Two questionnaire forms were completed; one asking the patients’ opinions and another referring to their main carer. This questionnaire explored participants’ demographic characteristics; acceptability of a repeat EEN course to treat a future flare (EEN repeat); their opinion on how difficult EEN would be compared to an example SFD; and their intention to participate in a future clinical trial assessing the therapeutic efficacy of an SFD in CD. Results: Forty-one families of CD patients were approached with 29 sending replies (71%). Most of our participants were positive on completing another EEN course, however the majority would choose an SFD alternative (Patients: 66, Parents:72%). Both patients and their parents rated EEN to be more difficult to adhere to compared to an example SFD (p < 0.05), and their ratings were strongly correlated (EEN:r = 0.83, SFD:r = 0.75, p < 0.001). The majority of our respondents would agree to participate in a clinical trial assessing an SFD’s effectiveness (Patients:79, Parents:72%) for the management of active CD. Conclusions: While patients with CD and their families would accept an EEN repeat, the majority would prefer an SFD alternative. CD families surveyed are supportive of the development of solid food-based dietary treatments

Enhancement of Heat Stability and Kinetic Parameters of the Maize Endosperm ADP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase by Mutagenesis of Amino Acids in the Small Subunit With High B Factors

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) is an important enzyme in starch synthesis and previous studies showed that the heat lability of this enzyme is a determinant to starch synthesis in the maize endosperm and, in turn, seed yield. Here, amino acids in the AGPase endosperm small subunit with high B-factors were mutagenized and individual changes enhancing heat stability and/or kinetic parameters in an Escherichia coli expression system were chosen. Individual mutations were combined and analyzed. One triple mutant, here termed Bt2-BF, was chosen for further study. Combinations of this heat stable, 3-PGA-independent small subunit variant with large subunits also heat stable yielded complex patterns of heat stability and kinetic and allosteric properties. Interestingly, two of the three changes reside in a protein motif found only in AGPases that exhibit high sensitivity to 3-PGA. While not the 3-PGA binding site, amino acid substitutions in this region significantly alter 3-PGA activation kinetics

Craniosacral therapy for migraine: Protocol development for an exploratory controlled clinical trial

Abstract Background Migraine affects approximately 20% of the population. Conventional care for migraine is suboptimal; overuse of medications for the treatment of episodic migraines is a risk factor for developing chronic daily headache. The study of non-pharmaceutical approaches for prevention of migraine headaches is therefore warranted. Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a popular non-pharmacological approach to the treatment or prevention of migraine headaches for which there is limited evidence of safety and efficacy. In this paper, we describe an ongoing feasibility study to assess the safety and efficacy of CST in the treatment of migraine, using a rigorous and innovative randomized controlled study design involving low-strength static magnets (LSSM) as an attention control intervention. Methods The trial is designed to test the hypothesis that, compared to those receiving usual care plus a treatment with low-strength static magnets (attention-control complementary therapy), subjects receiving usual medical care plus CST will demonstrate significant improvement in: quality-of-life as measured by the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6); reduced frequency of migraine; and a perception of clinical benefit. Criteria for inclusion are either gender, age > 11, English or Spanish speaking, meeting the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) criteria for migraine with or without aura, a headache frequency of 5 to 15 per month over at least two years. After an 8 week baseline phase, eligible subjects are randomized to either CST or an attention control intervention, low strength static magnets (LSSM). To evaluate possible therapist bias, videotaped encounters are analyzed to assess for any systematic group differences in interactions with subjects. Results 169 individuals have been screened for eligibility, of which 109 were eligible for the study. Five did not qualify during the baseline phase because of inadequate headache frequency. Nineteen have withdrawn from the study after giving consent. Conclusion This report endorses the feasibility of undertaking a rigorous randomized clinical trial of CST for migraine using a standardized CST protocol and an innovative control protocol developed for the study. Subjects are able and willing to complete detailed headache diaries during an 8-week baseline period, with few dropouts during the study period, indicating the acceptability of both interventions. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0066523

Policosanol Contents and Composition of Grain Sorghum Kernels and Dried Distillers Grains

Grain sorghum can be a major source of policosanols, long-chained alcohols, that have beneficial physiological activities. Sorghum dried distillers grains (DDG), a by-product of ethanol production from grain sorghum. contain a large amount of policosanols. Content and composition of policosanols in long-chained lipids extracted from grain sorghum kernels and DDG were determined. Long-chained lipids were extracted using hot hexane or hot ethanol. The major components of the long-chained lipids extracted from grain sorghum kernels. as determined using HPLC were policosanols (37-44%), aldehydes (44-55%), and acids (4-5%). Long-chained lipids from DDG contained 52% policosanols, 23% aldehydes. 6.4% acids. and l7% wax esters/steryl esters. Composition of policosanols in DDG matched the composition in grain sorghum kernels, as determined by gas chromatography. even though the content of policosanols in DDG was greater than the content in grain sorghum kernels. Policosonal composition ranges were 0-1% C22:0, 0-3% C24:0. 6-8% C26:0, l% C27:0. 43-47% C28:0. 1-2% C29:0. 40-43% C30:0. and 1-4% C32:0

Strong Stability and Host Specific Bacterial Community in Faeces of Ponies

The horse, as a hindgut fermenter, is reliant on its intestinal bacterial population for efficient diet utilisation. However, sudden disturbance of this population can result in severe colic or laminitis, both of which may require euthanasia. This study therefore aimed to determine the temporal stability of the bacterial population of faecal samples from six ponies maintained on a formulated high fibre diet. Bacterial 16S rRNA terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) analyses of 10 faecal samples collected from 6 ponies at regular intervals over 72 hour trial periods identified a significant pony-specific profile (P<0.001) with strong stability. Within each pony, a significantly different population was found after 11 weeks on the same diet (P<0.001) and with greater intra-individual similarity. Total short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration increased in all ponies, but other changes (such as bacterial population diversity measures, individual major SCFA concentration) were significant and dependent on the individual. This study is the first to report the extent of stability of microbes resident in the intestinal tract as represented with such depth and frequency of faecal sampling. In doing so, this provides a baseline from which future trials can be planned and the extent to which results may be interpreted

The State of the Region: Hampton Roads 2008

This is Old Dominion University\u27s ninth annual State of the Region report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion or it\u27s president, John R. Broderick. The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Hampton Roads an even better place to live. We are proud of our region\u27s many successes, but realize that it is possible to improve our performance. In order to do so, we must have accurate information about where we are and a sound understanding of the policy options open to us.https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/economics_books/1010/thumbnail.jp

Relationship of blood monocytes with chronic lymphocytic leukemia aggressiveness and outcomes: a multi‐institutional study

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134120/1/ajh24376.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134120/2/ajh24376_am.pd

The State of the Region: Hampton Roads 2003

This is Old Dominion University\u27s fourth annual State of the Region report. While it represents the work of many people connected in various ways to the university, the report does not constitute an official viewpoint of Old Dominion, or it\u27s president, Dr. Roseann Runte. The report maintains the goal of stimulating thought and discussion that ultimately will make Hampton Roads an even better place to live. We are proud of our region\u27s many successes, but realize that it is possible to improve our performance. In order to do so, we must have accurate information about where we are and a sound understanding of the policy options open to us.https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/economics_books/1015/thumbnail.jp