The Role of the Food & Beverage Sector in Expanding Economic Opportunity

The food and beverage industry has a unique role in expanding economic opportunity because it is universal to human life and health. The industry operates at multiple levels of society where billions of people grow, transform, and sell food, particularly in developing countries where agriculture dominates all other economic sectors. Yet a vast share of these workers cannot both satisfy their immediate consumption needs and earn sufficient income from food markets to improve their lives. This report applies the results of primary and secondary research to a number of case studies to draw lessons on strategies for expanding economic opportunity in the food & beverage sector. Primary research consisted of telephone interviews and secondary research included a review of reports, studies, and articles from a range of sources for each case study. The result is a paper that provides insight into how pioneering large firms are breaking this dilemma and building economic opportunity around food beverage value chains

Salivary IgG assay to detect Helicobacter pylori infection in an Indian adult population

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection, the commonest chronic bacterial infection in humans, causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and possibly gastric carcinoma and lymphoma. Recently, investigators have focused on its role in the development of extra-gastrointestinal diseases with oral manifestations. H. pylori infection can be diagnosed by various methods. Of late, H. pylori IgG antibodies have been detected in saliva using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, local validation of serological test is needed before implementing a test in different populations. Aims: To detect anti H. pylori specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in saliva of adult patients with gastrointestinal symptoms by ELISA, to diagnose H. pylori infection in such patients by histopathology, and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the immunoassay as compared to histopathologic diagnosis. Methods: The study included 40 adult patients with gastrointestinal symptoms suggestive of peptic ulcer disease. Saliva samples were analyzed for anti H. pylori IgG using EIAgen H. pylori IgG kit. Histopathologic diagnosis using gastric biopsy samples was the gold standard. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the test were 79.31% and 63.64%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 85.19% and 53.85%, respectively. The accuracy of EIAgen H. pylori IgG kit for salivary detection of anti H. pylori IgG antibodies was found to be 75%. Conclusion: EIAgen H. pylori IgG assay is a noninvasive, moderately accurate, and sensitive method for the detection of H. pylori infection in saliva. Salivary anti H. pylori IgG test prior to endoscopy is a useful screening test for seroepidemiological studies

Association of dietary fiber intake with serum total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in Urban Asian-Indian adults with type 2 diabetes

Context: There is little data correlating dietary fibre (DF) intake and cardiovascular risk in Asian Indians with diabetes. Aim: To assess the DF intake and its association with lipid profile (total serum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein [LDL] - cholesterol levels) in urban Asian Indians with diabetes. Subjects and Methods: Dietary assessment using validated Food Frequency Questionnaire was conducted in 1191 free-living adults with known diabetes in the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study. Subjects taking medication for dyslipidemia, and those with cardiovascular disease and implausible energy intake (n = 262) were excluded, leaving 929 participants. Anthropometric and relevant biochemical parameters were measured using standardized techniques. Results: Diabetic individuals who consumed DF < median intake (29 g/day) had a higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (49.5% vs. 40.1% [P = 0.01]) and higher LDL cholesterol (46.2% vs. 35.5% [P = 0.001]) than those in the > median intake of DF group. The risk of hypercholesterolemia (odds ratio [OR] =1.38 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.85], P = 0.04), and high LDL cholesterol (OR: 1.43 [95% CI: 1.06-1.94], P = 0.02) was higher among those whose DF intake was less than the median. Serum triglycerides and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were not associated with DF intake. The main sources of DF were vegetables and legumes. Conclusion: In urban Asian Indians with diabetes, lower DF intake is positively related to total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels

Virus replication in PBMCs stimulated with TLR3 and TLR7 agonists.

<p>a) Reduction in TCID₅₀ values of PPRV in goat PBMC on imiquimod treatment. Reduction in PPRV H gene expression levels in goat PBMC on treatment with b) poly I:C and c) imiquimod. Bars with the same superscript do not differ significantly. Significance is indicated when p<0.05. Values represent mean ± SD of 40-corrected CT in 5 individual animals per goat breed. Significantly higher PPRV viral loads observed in PBMC of Barbari and Tellicherry breeds as compared to Kanni and Salem Black. Significant reduction in PPRV levels on poly I:C and imiquimod treatment in all breeds.</p

TaqMan primer/Probe sequences for assessing basal expression levels of TLR3 and TLR7 mRNA.

<p>TaqMan primer/Probe sequences for assessing basal expression levels of TLR3 and TLR7 mRNA.</p

Basal expression levels of TLR3 and 7 mRNA in Barbari, Tellicherry, Kanni and Salem Black goat breeds.

<p>Significantly higher basal TLR3 (p<0.001) and TLR7 (p<0.001) mRNA expression levels observed in Kanni and Salem Black breeds, compared to Barbari. Bars with the same superscript do not differ significantly. Values represent mean ± SD of 40-corrected CT of TLR3 and 7 in nine individual animals per breed (n = 9).</p

Cytokine levels in imiquimod, poly I:C or PPRV treated PBMCs.

<p>a) <b>TNFα,</b> b) IFNα, and c) IFNγ from supernatants of PPRV infected PBMC of different goat breeds. Bars with the same superscript do not differ significantly. Significance is indicated when p<0.05. PPRV infected PBMC from Kanni and Salem black breeds show higher production of TNFα, IFNα and IFNγ than Barbari. Poly I:C and imiquimod treated PBMC, similarly, show higher production of TNFα and IFNα in Kanni and Salem black breeds than in Barbari. TNFα and IFNγ levels are expressed as the corrected mean ± SD of optical density [OD] of treatment groups from which the OD of mock infected supernatants is subtracted. IFNα concentrations in the experimental samples are expressed as pg/ml.</p

Antiviral activity of human IFNα against PPRV.

<p>Reduction in PPRV viral load was observed in Vero cells pretreated with different concentrations of human IFNα. All the doses tested significantly reduced PPRV viral load (mean ± SD of 40-Ct). Statistical significance was defined as follows: ***<i>P</i><0.001.</p

Role of type I IFN in limiting PPRV replication.

<p>a) Imiquimod or b) PPRV induced IFN-alpha mRNA expression in buffalo and goat PBMCs in the presence and absence of the TLR7 antagonist (IRS 661). Cytokine mRNA expression was quantified at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h post stimulation by qRT-PCR assays using SYBR Green chemistry. Fold change in mRNA expression induced by Imiquimod or PPRV stimulation was calculated using mock induced cytokine mRNA expression levels as a calibrator. c) PPRV replication in goat and buffalo PBMC (at 24 h and 48 h) in the presence of conditioned medium (CM) from PPRV infected cells. The expression levels of viral hemagglutinin (H) mRNA levels expressed as a percentage inhibition in viral replication in the presence of CM when compared with the control (PBMC+PPRV). Statistical significance at <i>P</i><0.01. Values are mean ± SD of fold change/percent inhibition. B: water buffalo, G: goat, BPBMC: buffalo PBMC, GPBMC: goat PBMC.</p

Induction of cytokine genes of goat PBMCs with TLR3 and TLR7 agonists and PPRV.

<p>A) Fold changes in mRNA expression levels of IL1β, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12p40, TNFα, IFNγ and IFNα in goat PBMC stimulated with a) poly I:C, b) imiquimod or c) infected with PPRV d) Goat and buffalo PBMCs infected with PPRV. Fold change was determined by the 2^−ΔΔCt formula. An upregulation in TNFα expression levels, consistent with a downregulation in IL10 levels, is observed in Kanni and Salem Black breeds of all treatment groups. In addition, upregulation of IFNα and IFNγ was observed in the PBMC of Kanni and Salem Black breeds after PPRV infection. PPRV stimulation resulted in an upregulation of IL1β and IFNα in buffalo PBMC and IL10, IL12p40 and IFNγ in goat PBMCs. Bars with the same superscript do not differ significantly. Significance is indicated when p<0.05. Values represent mean ± SD of 5 individual animals per goat breed.</p