Association of Breakfast Intake with Obesity, Dietary and Physical Activity Behavior Among Urban School-Aged Adolescents in Delhi, India: Results of a Cross-Sectional Study

In developed countries, regular breakfast consumption is inversely associated with excess weight and directly associated with better dietary and improved physical activity behaviors. Our objective was to describe the frequency of breakfast consumption among school-going adolescents in Delhi and evaluate its association with overweight and obesity as well as other dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors. Methods: Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Eight schools (Private and Government) of Delhi in the year 2006. Participants: 1814 students from 8th and 10th grades; response rate was 87.2%; 55% were 8th graders, 60% were boys and 52% attended Private schools. Main outcome measures: Body mass index, self-reported breakfast consumption, diet and physical activity related behaviors, and psychosocial factors. Data analysis: Mixed effects regression models were employed, adjusting for age, gender, grade level and school type (SES). Results: Significantly more Government school (lower SES) students consumed breakfast daily as compared to Private school (higher SES) students (73.8% vs. 66.3%; p<0.01). More 8th graders consumed breakfast daily vs. 10th graders (72.3% vs. 67.0%; p<0.05). A dose-response relationship was observed such that overall prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents who consumed breakfast daily (14.6%) was significantly lower vs. those who only sometimes (15.2%) or never (22.9%) consumed breakfast (p<0.05 for trend). This relationship was statistically significant for boys (15.4 % vs. 16.5% vs. 26.0; p<0.05 for trend) but not for girls. Intake of dairy products, fruits and vegetables was 5.5 (95% CI 2.4-12.5), 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.5) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.3-3.5) times higher among those who consumed breakfast daily vs. those who never consumed breakfast. Breakfast consumption was associated with greater physical activity vs. those who never consumed breakfast. Positive values and beliefs about healthy eating; body image satisfaction; and positive peer and parental influence were positively associated with daily breakfast consumption, while depression was negatively associated. Conclusion: Daily breakfast consumption is associated with less overweight and obesity and with healthier dietary-and physical activity-related behaviors among urban Indian students. Although prospective studies should confirm the present results, intervention programs to prevent or treat childhood obesity in India should consider emphasizing regular breakfast consumption.Obesity Prevention Center, University of MinnesotaPRIME program of the University of Texas, School of Public Health (Stigler, PI)Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research in Underserved Population

Prescribing of inappropriate medicine in patients with limited life expectancy : a prospective study in a specialist palliative care unit

For patients with limited life expectancy – typically surviving for less than one year – polypharmacy is very common because medication is prescribed to manage acute symptoms associated with the life limiting illness (e.g. cancer) and to treat or prevent other long-term conditions (e.g. cardiovascular disease). As a consequence, this polypharmacy is linked with an increased risk of developing a drug-related toxicity due to the potential of drug-drug or drug-disease interactions. This risk is further heightened in patients with limited life expectancy owing to their unique and dynamic pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters (e.g. variation in volume of distribution or altered drug excretion due to declining renal and/or hepatic function). In view of the potential for polypharmacy to cause harm in patients with limited life expectancy, it is essential to optimize patients’ medication to align with therapeutic goals and life expectancy. To date, however, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests inappropriate medication continues to be prescribed to patients with limited life expectancy

Structure of the high voltage phase of layered P2-Na_(2/3−z)[Mn_(1/2)Fe_(1/2)]O_2 and the positive effect of Ni substitution on its stability

A combination of operando X-ray diffraction, pair distribution function (PDF) analysis coupled with electrochemical measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy elucidates the nature of the phase transitions induced by insertion and extraction of sodium ions in P2-Na_(0.67)[Ni_yMn_(0.5+y)Fe_(0.5−2y)]O_2 (y = 0, 0.10, 0.15). When phase transitions are avoided, the optimal cathode material – P2-Na_(0.67)Fe_(0.2)Mn_(0.65)Ni_(0.15)O_2 – delivers 25% more energy than the unsubstituted material, sustaining high specific energy (350 Wh kg^(−1)) at moderate rates and maintains 80% of the original energy density after 150 cycles – a significant improvement in performance vs. the unsubstituted analogue. The crystal structure of the high voltage phase is solved for the first time by X-ray PDF analysis of P2-Na_(0.67−z)Fe_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_2 (where z ∼ 0.5), revealing that migration of the transition metals – particularly Fe^(3+) – into tetrahedral sites in the interlayer space occurs at high potential. This results in new short range order between two adjacent layers. Although the transition metal migration is reversible as proven by electrochemical performance, it induces a large disfavourable cell polarization. The deleterious high voltage transition is mitigated by substitution of Fe^(3+) by Mn^(4+)/Ni^(2+), giving rise to better cycling performance. Moreover, as demonstrated by ^(57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, the much lower ratio of Fe^(4+)O_6 to Fe^(3+)O_6 observed systematically across the range of Ni content – compared to the values expected from a purely ionic model – suggests redox activity involves the O-2p orbitals owing to their overlap with the transition metal-3d orbitals

Detection of genotypes with multiple disease resistance in argentinean maize germplasm

Maize (Zea mays L.) is usually affected by multiple co-occurring pathogens. Therefore, selection of multiple disease resistance (MDR) is becoming a necessary area of research. In this study, we aimed to reveal genotypes with MDR in the Argentine public inbred maize collection and to determine the best selection strategy for their identification. We evaluated 87 Argentinean inbred lines for their response to four foliar diseases: common rust (CR), northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), southern corn leaf blight (SCLB) and bacterial leaf streak (BLS) in up to five environments of Argentina. All diseases were evaluated using a 1-5 scale, where 1=highly resistant and 5=highly susceptible. Phenotypic data was analyzed using mixed models to obtain the BLUP (best linear unbiased predictors) of genotypes. We assayed four strategies for multi-trait selection: MDR variable, Elston index, principal component analysis (PCA), and Factor analysis and ideotype-design. Then, we compared them based on their efficiency and genetic gain. Our results showed that the panel of genotypes was plenty of genotypes resistant to CR and BLS, while resistant genotypes to NCLB and SCLB were scarce. We obtained significant genotypic variation and high heritability (H2>0.82) for all disease resistances, indicating that selection can be performed with a high efficiency for all of them. We found twelve genotypes resistant to all diseases in the panel of genotypes. The PCA showed the highest efficiency for selecting those genotypes (92%) and presented an average genetic gain of 19%. Our findings will benefit breeders for strengthening broad-spectrum resistance in temperate breeding programs, as well for the study of MDR.Fil: Kistner, María Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino; ArgentinaFil: Nazar, L.. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (Sede Pergamino); ArgentinaFil: Montenegro, L.. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (Sede Pergamino); ArgentinaFil: Cervigni, Gerardo Domingo Lucio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos; ArgentinaFil: Galdeano, Ernestina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Iglesias, J.. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Bioinvestigaciones (Sede Pergamino); Argentina5to Congreso Argentino de Fitopatología; 59th Meeting of the APS Caribbean DivisionCorrientesArgentinaAsociación Argentina de FitopatólogosAmerican Phytopathological Societ

Absence of antiretroviral therapy and other risk factors for morbidity and mortality in Malaysian compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers

Background: Throughout Asia, people who use drugs are confined in facilities referred to as compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers. The limited transparency and accessibility of these centers has posed a significant challenge to evaluating detainees and detention conditions directly.Despite HIV being highly prevalent in this type of confined setting, direct evaluation of detainees with HIV and their access to medical care has yet to be reported in the literature. Methods: We evaluated the health status of 100 adult male detainees with HIV and their access to medical care in the two largest Malaysian compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers holding HIV-infected individuals.Results: Approximately 80% of all detainees with HIV were surveyed in each detention center. Most participants reported multiple untreated medical conditions. None reported being able to access antiretroviral therapy during detention and only 9% reported receiving any HIV-related clinical assessment or care. Nearly a quarter screened positive for symptoms indicative of active tuberculosis, yet none reported having been evaluated for tuberculosis.Although 95% of participants met criteria for opioid dependence prior to detention, none reported being able to access opioid substitution therapy during detention, with 86% reporting current cravings for opioids and 87% anticipating relapsing to drug use after release.Fourteen percent of participants reported suicidal ideation over the previous two weeks.Conclusion: We identified a lack of access to antiretroviral therapy in two of the six compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers in Malaysia designated to hold HIV-infected individuals and found significant, unmet health needs among detainees with HIV. Individuals confined under such conditions are placed at considerably high risk for morbidity and mortality.Our findings underscore the urgent need for evidence-based drug policies that respect the rights of people who use drugs and seek to improve, rather than undermine, their health

On the recurrence of Noctiluca scintillans bloom in Minnie Bay, Port Blair: Impact on water quality and bioactivity of extracts

A Noctiluca scintillans bloom in the coastal waters of Minnie Bay, Port Blair was studied. Physico-chemical and biological properties of bloom-infested waters were monitored during the bloom period lasting five days. The bloom appeared as a green streak along the entire coastline of Minnie Bay, with cell counts of 17 103 cells/ l. The bloom appeared as a sudden spurt in cell number and persisted for a period of 48 h. The antibacterial properties of extracts from this algal species were also investigated. Conspicuously, the bloom inhibited the common resident phytoplankton species. Total suspended solids showed a marked increase during day-one of bloom compared to ambient levels. The bloom appeared to be limited by dissolved inorganic nitrogen species availability. The differential growth of phytoplankton reveals the involvement of specific trigger factors for such blooms. From the present viewpoint, micro-scale studies on hydrobiological factors preceding the onset of bloom would reveal what cycle of events lead to a bloom and the causal factors of such blooms. However, prediction of occurrence of such blooms and in situ measurements are practical difficulties to be addressed. Since a similar bloom was reported earlier in 2001, it is worthwhile to keep a watch and investigate as to whether there is any anthropogenic or environmental cause for the recurrence of the bloom

Relative condition factor and food and feeding of Jones’ pony fish Eubleekeria jonesi (James, 1971) from Mandapam waters, Tamil Nadu, India

The relative condition factor (Kn) based on length-weight relationship and food and feeding habits of Jones’ pony fish Eubleekeria jonesi  (James, 1971) off Mandapam waters was studied during December 2016 - April 2018. The Kn values showed variations on a monthly basis with maximum value during September (1.23) for male and March (1.53) for female. Analysis of fullness of stomach of 961 samples within the size range of 51-130 mm revealed 40.87% fishes as actively fed, 36.19% as moderately fed and remaining 22.94% as poorly fed. The monthly mean fullness index (FI) was highest during September for both sexes. Highest gonadosomatic index (GSI), vacuity index (VI) and Kn value were observed during March-April in females, probably indicating a spawning peak and hence meagre feeding, which resulted in lowest fullness index (FI). Fishes of smallest length group (51-70 mm) had highest FI and minimum VI and vice versa. The values of index of relative importance (IRI) indicated that the species was planktivorous as well as detritivorous, with top priority towards crustaceans (27.6%) followed by bivalves (23.6%), foraminifera (15.4%), phytoplankton (12.5%), gastropods (9.1%) and nematodes (8.3%) in the gut contents. Diet did not show significant variation either sex-wise or size-wise

Experimental simulation of quantum graphs by microwave networks

We present the results of experimental and theoretical study of irregular, tetrahedral microwave networks consisting of coaxial cables (annular waveguides) connected by T-joints. The spectra of the networks were measured in the frequency range 0.0001-16 GHz in order to obtain their statistical properties such as the integrated nearest neighbor spacing distribution and the spectral rigidity. The comparison of our experimental and theoretical results shows that microwave networks can simulate quantum graphs with time reversal symmetry. In particular, we use the spectra of the microwave networks to study the periodic orbits of the simulated quantum graphs. We also present experimental study of directional microwave networks consisting of coaxial cables and Faraday isolators for which the time reversal symmetry is broken. In this case our experimental results indicate that spectral statistics of directional microwave networks deviate from predictions of Gaussian orthogonal ensembles (GOE) in random matrix theory approaching, especially for small eigenfrequency spacing s, results for Gaussian unitary ensembles (GUE). Experimental results are supported by the theoretical analysis of directional graphs.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.